Saturday, August 30, 2008

43 comments:

Son of Zadok said...

When I was a kid my parents moved a lot,

....but I always found them.


~ Rodney Dangerfield


Nehemiah 9:19.

Because of your great compassion you did not abandon them in the desert. By day the pillar of cloud did not cease to guide them on their path, nor the pillar of fire by night to shine on the way they were to take.

God Moves.

He is not stagnant in one place. His vision and revelation enlarges for His chosen ones, and His people must follow Him, by the Spirit to stay in the Now.

Thanks be unto God for this ministry. Thanks be unto God for this part of the body of Christ. Thanks be unto God for the fire and the cloud. The worship and the word and each precious life that come forth from this place, leading the people out of the desert and into the promised land. Living Tabernacles, when the revelation of the sons and daughters of God come forth into the earth. When we are truly one in the Spirit.

God has not brought you this far to turn back now. Thank You Father that you declare the beginning from the end. We put our hope and faith in you alone. You are our Lord and King.

Where you go Lord, we will follow.

Anonymous said...

...,AND YOUR YOUNG MEN SHALL SEE VISIONS AND YOUR OLD MEN SHALL DREAM DREAMS:
ACTS 2:17(KJV)

WE CALL THOSE THINGS THAT BE NOT AS THOUGH THEY WERE, WE HAVE 100% FAITHFUL TITHERS, TO START WITH ME! AND CITN IS DEBT FREE! AND EVERY MEMBER IS BLESSED TO BE A BLESSING!
J-FLO

Anonymous said...

Hey All

There's a storm in the heavens
The wind of the spirit is starting to blow
There's a storm in the heavens
The flood of His glory is starting to flow

Get Ready the blessings are at your fingertips.
Reach for your Blessings.

Anonymous said...

I read this today and thought of ya'll:

"I never could figger out how it could be one time here and another time somwheres else. Isn't it now all over?"

Bailey in The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail

Salaam,

Abraham

Anonymous said...

soz, I am moving my shop today and I got a bust out laugh on that one, thanks.

J-FLO IN-FLO

Laura- reign gear ready.

NTL

Lise said...

Awwwwwwwwww...

Where have all the bloggers gone?
Sorry, no words of wisdom, controversy, comedy or other merit today... I just stopped in to say hi! Joe and I are attempting to install slate tile floors in our bathrooms this weekend. Now I know why the folks who do this for a living get paid the big bucks. Not really hard, just tedious. We're still doing the prep work ;{
So far, so good, I guess. Just pray that we'll remain husband and wife when the holiday weekend comes to a close :O (kidding, of course)

Be brave, be strong, and sing a happy song!

Anonymous said...

Bish,

Lately, whenever I study the pic on your 20/20 Vision book cover, it reminds me of Genesis 8. Specifically, how Noah sent out a raven & a dove to inspect the earth's condition.

I understand that Christ used ravens to illustrate God's provision and care. But, I was surprised to discover that one meaning from the Arabic root of the word (ghurab) conveys leaving home.

I love the symbolism of the dove returning to Noah's ark with an olive leaf.

Then, I consider the day Jesus was baptized. What did He think when He emerged from those waters? The heavens were opened to Him.

He saw the Holy Ghost descending upon Him in dove form.

Wonder what He thought.

Anonymous said...

"We have attempted to achieve peace in this world and we have failed miserably and unless we experience a spiritual rebirth this world will not know peace." Without a doubt, the solution to nurturing a culture of peace lies in the unquestionable truth that a universal theology is impossible. However, a universal experience is not only possible but necessary in this moment for humanity.

Anonymous said...

Abraham,

I believe you are a part of "us all"!

Yes it is "now all over".

We love you and enjoy your input.

Anonymous said...

To those of you who constanly check this blog out, but don't come to CHURCH IN THE NOW, to you I have something to say.

If you are one of the ones that think this church is going down the tubes, well you are most assuredly wrong. This church is going up to another level, and the sad part is if you don't hurry up and repent, you are going to miss it. Lucky for you, if you do hurry up and repent, there are still a few seats left.

Now then, if you are one of those who really believe there is more to God than what you currently know, and you agree with some of the writings you read on these posts, but you don't hear, what you hear here, anywhere else, you best just be here tomorrow at 10:00am.

If you left this church one year, two years or even fifteen years ago and you are absolutely miserable with your life, you come on back and see how fast it takes you to recover. Come back and see unconditional love at work, it's awesome. I know cause I left and came back and I'm living proof that it's really here.

If you are seeking a way out of the life you have been living and don't know what to do, you be here tomorrow at 10:00am. You will find that there is a way out of the life you have known, and a way into a life that has been waiting on you to receive. Come on.

To the rest of you, for whatever the reason you don't come, well come on anyway.

And to that one that loves a dare, I dare you to be here tomorrow at 10:00am. I double dog dare you...

NTL

Anonymous said...

amen

Son of Zadok said...

I'm glad there aren't a lot of people on the blog this weekend.

It leads me to think their praying..

Anonymous said...

August 30


YOU PASS!

"The words of the Lord are pure words,
like silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times." (Psalm 12:6)
Today I will live in the now! I will live in the now because I am passing the seven trials of the Word of God in my life – the test of my divinely inspired dreams that define a door through which I am able to discover my destiny. Today I will pass the TRIAL OF SIGHT, believing that my dreams are coming true, even if I can't see progress toward that end. I walk by faith and not by sight because faith is the evidence of things not seen!


Today I will pass the TRIAL OF SELF-ESTEEM by believing that I am worthy to receive answers to prayers, and the fulfillment of vision, because Christ has made me worthy! I will not lose out because of some bogus idea that I don't deserve the best in my life.


Today I will pass the TEST OF SOCIETY. If God requires me to do the ridiculous so that He can do the miraculous, I will gladly obey Him. I will not worry about what people will think or say about me. God uses the foolish things of the world to confound the wise, and I will walk in His logic concerning the confirmation of His Word!


Today I will pass the TEST OF SUBMISSION, being willing to submit my dreams to the Lordship of Jesus. In Him I live, and my personal desires must always come under the umbrella of these words: "letYOUR Kingdom come, letYOUR will be done on earth as it is in heaven."


Today I will pass theTEST OF SEPARATION, knowing that success will potentially separate me from others who may be jealous of it or intimidated by it. The hundredfold return comes with persecutions, so I will be prepared to deal with the transition that may come from my being promoted and favored of the Lord.


Today I will pass theTEST OF SEASONS, refusing to be time conscious while remembering that timing is everything. Because I know that "to everything there is a season" (Ecclesiastes 3:1 – KJV), I will content myself to enjoy living in the now, regardless of the present, natural state of my dream.


Today I will pass theTEST OF SURRENDER. I will believe in the dream confirmed by the Word of the Lord to me with my whole heart, but, as Abraham was willing to sacrifice Isaac, I will be willing to lay the dream down if I have to. In any case, I will see the goodness of God today, and today I will live in the now!


Father, help me to pass all of my tests today. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Anonymous said...

NTL - Tell It, Tell Like It Is

Teezy313 said...

I'M HOME AND I CAN'T WAIT TO BE itb TOMORROW!!!

Looks like I had the caps on...oh well...I still can't wait to be ITB!!

Teezy

Anonymous said...

The name of Gustav must bow to the name of Jesus!!! Say to the storm, "PEACE! BE STILL"!!!

Larry Usher said...

Hello to all.

The critical nick of time is in God's hands.

"I have heard the slander of many,
Terror on every side.
While they council together against me,
A scheme to take away my life.

I am small, concealed in this darkness,
Yearning to see the light, but I may never
Because of the heartless attempt
To take away my life.

Am I safe? The water around me
Is changing. Is it allright?
I am burning. Oh what are they doing?
They want to take away my life.

But as for me, I trust in Thee,
Oh, Lord, my times are in Your hands.
You are my God, deliver me
From the solution that they have planned.

I'm condemned, completely unwanted,
I struggle to stay inside,
Oh, my dear mother, your future is haunted,
If they succeed and take away my life.

I'm cut off, exposed in this cold room,
For love and warmth I strive, will you discard me,
Throw away or starve me,
And slowly drain away my life.

But as for me, I trust in Thee,
Oh, Lord, my times are in Your hands.
You are my God, deliver me
From the solution that they have planned.

Desperate hands reach out to embrace me,
And steal away in the night,
A gentle voice is speaking assuringly,
No one will take away your life.

Now I am one apart from the millions
Fortunate to survive.
And though I bear on my body these old wounds,
They didn't take away my life.

But as for me, I trust in Thee,
Oh, Lord, my times are in Your hands.
You are my God, deliver me
From the solution that they have planned."

Phil Keaggy, "The Survivor"

On Christ the Solid Rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand...

Who am I Lord, that you should have mercy on me?...but a son.
Who am I Lord that your grace should weigh heavily upon me?...but a son.
Who am I oh Lord, that your favor continues to rain down upon me?...but a son.
Who am I Lord, that my steps be illunined by your Glory itself?...but a son, but a son.
Who am I Lord?
...but a son.

Son you are, son you'll be...eternally.

Expedite: to set the feet free, to hasten the progress of, to bring about rapidly.

Is what you are doing setting your feet free or just ensnaring your steps?

Some excerpts from an article in Christianity Today online:

"Just days later, two Christians came to Clapton's dressing room after a show, probably drawn by the performance of "Presence of the Lord," the showstopper on the Blind Faith tour. To young believers, the song seemed like a tentative response to 1 Samuel 6:20 — "Who can stand in the presence of the Lord, this Holy God?":

I have finally found a place to live
Just like I never could before
And I know I don't have much to give
But soon I'll open any door.
Everybody knows the secret,
Everybody knows the score.
I have finally found a place to live
In the presence of the Lord.
The two Christians asked Clapton to pray with them. As they knelt, he saw "a blinding light" and sensed God's presence. His testimony was open and honest; he told "everyone" he was "a born-again Christian." But the nature of his faith was tinged with a kind of superstition that would remain suspect in light of any systematic theology.

In his autobiography, Clapton elaborates on the beginnings of his prayer life — that 1987 rock-bottom moment at the rehab treatment center.

"I was in complete despair," Clapton wrote. "In the privacy of my room, I begged for help. I had no notion who I thought I was talking to, I just knew that I had come to the end of my tether … and, getting down on my knees, I surrendered. Within a few days I realized that … I had found a place to turn to, a place I'd always known was there but never really wanted, or needed, to believe in. From that day until this, I have never failed to pray in the morning, on my knees, asking for help, and at night, to express gratitude for my life and, most of all, for my sobriety. I choose to kneel because I feel I need to humble myself when I pray, and with my ego, this is the most I can do. If you are asking why I do all this, I will tell you … because it works, as simple as that."

"...I just knew I had come to the end of my tether..."

...the place of miracles...

See you ITB in the AM PDQ!

Larry

Anonymous said...

OOT... won't be ITB... praying for the good stuff for tomorrow... blessings to all who will be there in
EACH and every way!

ttfn! G8TRGRL

Anonymous said...

what is OOT?

Anonymous said...

Acronym Definition

OOT Object-Oriented Technology
OOT Object-Oriented Turing (University of Toronto)
OOT Ocarina of Time (Legend of Zelda video game)
OOT Ocean of Tears (Everquest)
OoT Office of Technology
OOT Officer on the Train
OOT One Obligor Total (lending)
OoT One On Twoism (Twoism electronic music community)
OOT One Other Thing
OOT Out of Time
OOT Out of Tolerance
OOT Out of Topic
OOT Out Of Town
OOT Out of Training
OOT Out of Trend
OOT Open Office Text
OOT Out of Order Transfer

Anonymous said...

wow...thanks(?)

Anonymous said...

AMEN

Unknown said...

This is the day that the Lord has made!

See ya ITB!

Anonymous said...

Last night you were all pumped up about coming back to CITN.

Before you went to sleep, you imagined what it would be like to be in the midst of the crowd during praise and worship.

You even wondered would Bishop say that certain thing that would make you think he was following you everywhere you go, cause how else would he know about that situation that you thought only you know about. Yet when you hear it you know it's a God connection.

So there you are reading the blog
and it's around 7:45, and you know you still have time to eat breakfast, get ready and get there.

SHUT THE COMPUTER OFF, GO EAT

BREAKFAST, GET READY, GET IN

THE CAR AND DRIVE TO CITN, PARK

YOUR CAR, GO IN THE BUILDING, FIND

A SEAT AND WHEN THE SERVICE IS OVER

YOU WILL BE SO HAPPY WITH YOURSELF

THAT YOU WILL GO OUT TO EAT, GO

BACK HOME AND TAKE ONE OF THOSE

WONDERFUL AFTER YOU'VE BEEN TO

CHURCH NAPS. NOW COME ON.

Nothing to lose.

Anonymous said...

Donald...My Prayers with you and all those on the coast to protect you through the hurricane.

DenoClast

Anonymous said...

(ARE) WITH

Anonymous said...

no streaming ?

Lisa said...

Were is the service? I am so excited for the Word this morning and it's not here!!!!

Donald said...

Thanks Dennis. I'm not saying everybody gets a little on edge when we have to contend with one of these things, but it would probably be safe to say that you couldn't drive a straight pin up anybody's butt around here even if you hit it with a sledge hammer. I called you earlier to see if you were streaming and I see now that you aren't either. Dr. Lovelace just called me to see if I was having problems streaming.
I guess we had better all start anteing up.

Anonymous said...

Donald...I'm at my Mom's this weekend. I have internet up on this pole, but I dont have cell phone service so I didnt get your call.

Never got the streaming to hook up here. we need to be in prayer about that.

Also watching the swirling demon on the weather and trying to pray it down.

Hey to all the blog family out there.

Peace be still

Anonymous said...

No tunes on the blog?

Anonymous said...

Well who else missed the rapture?

If there is anyone out there left behind.....From now on I am going to use my real name on my not1lost blog....which puts it here by default..you all know me anyway. I am doing this so that I can start another blog using only that pen name for certain reasons.

Pastor Dennis

Anonymous said...

Hellooooo out there......

Maybe I had go see if I can get some of those left behind books so I can see what happens next....

Pastor Dennis

Anonymous said...

(had better)

Larry Usher said...

Service was awesome today, feel as if we are back on track. My earlier word about expedite(loosening of your feet to move out quickly) seems to be appropos for this situation.
Being back in the old building(I had totally forgotten what it was like) brought me screaming back to me before the Lord set me free. I used to sit in the back right corner and bolt for the door without making eye contact, if at all possible(I was so miserable).
I knew no one, outside of Bishop & Pastor Jim Muehlstein.
Now I think I must know 200-250 people by name and love the rest!
This place, the people, the pastors are all family now(not LIKE family). I hear God in all of you and I hope you hear God in me.
It is so wonderful to hear God in so many things and people, to have His constant reminders of His presence. Rocks cry out? Phooey on that...we will, with one accord praise you Father of Lights in whom there is no shadow!

I so loved Pastor Faye's testimony!!! That is me! God has totally changed my life here, the word of mercy and grace while I was struggling to find my way back was what kept me floating with hope that some day I would become useful again to The Master.
Then, to have Him tell me that He was IN ME and I WAS IN HIM! KABLAM!!! WHAAATTTT!!! You are actually IN ME Lord??? YEEEEESSSSS!!!! Set free to set others free!!
Never, ever give up on the Lord's ability to take your seed sown and turn it into fruit! NEVER!
Fall on the Rock and be broken!! (You will like the broken you a whole lot better, because only then can the Lord use you).

I could speak volumes more, but I'll stop here.

Totally on board Bishop! Greater things are yet to come for sure!

Love,

Larry

tracy said...

Today was PERFECT. God was and is in the house! Just the mere fact that Bailey didn't freak out with all of us in one service is a testimony in itself. She said to tell Patter Debye thanks for da kiss. We are so glad to be a part of this place and felt the current change today. G8trgrl, I know the ministry you represent and if you would call me (404) 375-0338 I want to sign up to be a part. We have always been givers of our tithes and offerings, but it is time for us to get our butt's back in here to serve. (Thanks mom and dad of the house).

Son of Zadok said...

Missed you all today, but I'm sure it was for the best that those who were ITB got the blessing today. We cybers trust God has it all worked out. He is our source. Thank You, Larry for the little synopsis of some of the things said. If anyone else could share what they got out of the service today, I'd love to hear it.

Big Love Ya'll

Son of Zadok said...

Also, thinking about what Larry was writing about God being in us and we in him. I recently heard a sermon that had a point in it that really stuck with me about that.

Imagine ourselves as a pitcher of water. Often we imagine God is inside of us, like a fist, his hand reaches down into the water and resides in us. However, what if the truth is God really is like a package of Kool-Aid. God is not just in us, but as the Kool-Aid hits the water it is diffused into an entirely new thing. The water and the Kool-Aid become one. How close it that?

Unknown said...

Hey SOZ, Pstr. Dennis, Donald and Elle--
Tracy answered your question too SOZ and it looks like Bishop is in the process of posting a synopsis too. See ya there.

Son of Zadok said...

Didn't mean to overlook Tracy.

Big Ups to you always Trace ! :)

Bishop Jim Swilley said...

P. Dennis, thanks for what you wrote about the 8/31 service and the streamers...I took the playlist off for a couple of days because I was posting Youtube vids, and it makes it easier for people to watch them without the music, but it's back on now...

Erik said...

Hello ,

We need CITN if for no other reason, than to have a place that everyone here can go without crawling to the bitterness, fear, and judgment based faith delivered by Potter (other options that are filled with hell, with different packaging).

I know for me, I did not grow up with that schooling, however it took a lot of searching to find a place that was based in love and excellence, love others as we love ourselves, love God, love ourselves – celebrating that. I can tell you for sure, in this geo area, CITN is by far the clear option. Around the country, the world, there are other churches that provide this, BUT they are not many, I assure everyone reading. In this geo, there are none others. And really, truly, there are few, maybe a dozen in this hemisphere that come close.

If there is anyone that reads this blog that does not tithe, get a move on. I understand I have a different perspective. However, if you are here week after week, you know there is nowhere else you fit. CITN is one of the very few places you can breathe. There are others who need to breathe, if not here, where? Trust me, I know, there are very few others, and except for one place I have found, in this whole country, there is no other like it. CITN is still the best, even though one or two are in the same league, they have turbulence too.

What ARE we going to do about Maria??? We just got to do what we are called to do! As Pastor Lou confirmed, none of are here except that we were called, directly, we could be no where else, and we need to keep this place open and available for all like us, who need CITN, the rare experience that we and those like us need. YOU know, there is no where else YOU fit, I definitely know there is no other, and I KNOW a lot of places. If anyone actually reading this does not tithe. Change that mindset NOW, because as you fear giving, you worship fear. Giving, tithing, you remove your own barrier so you can receive the blessings you have been waiting for to be released.

Bishop Jim Swilley said...

Hey Erik,

I'm going to repost this under 8/31...

Thanks, everyone, for your comments and your support...