All posts by Alvin Richards

Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. ~ Matthew 28:19 (NLT)

Before ascending to heaven, some of Christ’s very last words were that we should go into the whole world with the Gospel, teach the hearers and baptize believers.
Interestingly enough, according to Greek scholars…the emphasis on the command within Matthew 28:18-19 is not solely placed on the word “go,” rather the focus is on the word “teach.” Verse 19 reads more like this in the Greek, “As you are going, teach…”
Jesus knew that the impending persecution upon the church in Jerusalem would present the believers with no other option but to “scatter” throughout the world.
As such, his followers were tasked with the mandate to “teach” what they were taught and had learned about Him & from Him. That mandate is no less true for us today. In fact, the urgency is greater than ever before.
So save the date and plan on joining the Men of Faith Network as Professor Sam Umunna & Evangelist Chris Mikkelson provide much needed insight on how we can tangibly embrace the “Mission Mandate”

“…I am anointed with fresh oil for Your service.” ~ Psalm 92:10 (AMP)

Nowadays, it is certainly no secret that we live in a day of substitutes. For every expensive name-brand item, there’s a cheap imitation. This “may” very well suffice when it comes to material items, but if we think we can substitute mere talent, intelligence, charisma or a charming personality for the anointing of the Holy Spirit…we are sadly mistaken. 
The fresh anointing of the Holy Spirit upon your life makes all the difference in your marriage, your family, your house, your church, your prayer life, your praise & all things concerning you. So won’t you join the Men of Faith Network as Apostle John Eshiba & Evangelist Fredrick K Ezeji-Okoye unpacks in a very practical way…just how we can live in a place of God’s fresh anointing!

Maximizing Your Metabolism
me·tab·o·lism
/məˈtabəˌlizəm/

The organic and chemical processes inside of organisms that are necessary to maintain life.

Many times as Christians we tend to focus on the spiritual aspects of things more than the natural. We can become so “spiritual” that we blame Satan and others for many of the things we experience. How often do you look towards yourself as the culprit of issues you experience? Is it possible that what’s “wrong” with you can stem from an issue on the inside of you? What health issues stem from a slow metabolism? What are the symptoms? Are some of our physical concerns more natural than they are spiritual?

In this day of healthy lifestyles, super-fast weight loss and the desire to be thin and chiseled, it’s helpful to know information that leads to healthy living the right way! By its definition, every living organism has a metabolism. The concern is how healthy, fast or slow is one’s metabolism. Metabolism is necessary for life, so why not have the best metabolism?

Regardless of your level of knowledge of metabolism, join us for this month’s gathering to discover the value of Maximizing your Metabolism!

See you there!

Target Your Focus

Many times we understand our purpose and assignment and we begin the proper course. Unfortunately, we encounter additional opportunities that appear to be in synch with a purpose or desire. However, not every opportunity is for the moment, nor is every opportunity connected to the course. Life and experience teach us that at times what appears to be an opportunity is actually a distraction!

Paul truly helps us in Philippians 3 when he expresses his abilities and accomplishments. Paul did not focus on what he gained as much as he focused on his assignment, the teaching of Christ. Like Paul, we should become well familiarized with our Kingdom role here on earth. Although we have multiple successes and victories (marriage, family, financial, professional, etc.), as believers and Christ followers, we must recall our primary focus…making disciples!

The Family Altar

Family is very close to the heart of God our Father! He is concerned about EVERYTHING that concerns us. Psalm 68:5-6a teaches us that God is “A father of the fatherless, a defender of widows. Is God in His holy habitation? God sets the solitary in families;”

If family matters to God, it should be important to us, His children. Families are a blessing from God and should be cared for diligently. Life happens for individuals as well as for families. As such, we have to be intentional about the natural and spiritual care of our families. If the family is indeed a blessing from the Father, we must be spiritually and naturally disciplined to maintain our families.

“Refining the Family Altar” is the focus of this month’s Men of Faith Network gathering. Pastor David Smith and Pastor Tim Oladipo are going to lead us and our families to the altar! You don’t want to leave your family out of this month’s gathering!

Strong families build strong churches; strong churches build strong communities; strong communities build strong cities that impact nations! You and your family have a responsibility!

This month’s gathering is open to ALL! Bring your family with you as we “Refining the Family Altar”!

– MOFN

 

Leadership Living – 

What is leadership living?  We know that one of the definitions of leadership is the ability to influence people.  Are all of us willing to be leaders?  Or do we want to be followers?   The Bible calls us sheep.  We will come back to this theme a little later.

Being a Leader is not easy…

So if you are having a problem with people you are not alone.  As one President said running a country is a lot like running a cemetery; you’ve got a lot of people under you and nobody’s listening.

Let us list some of the leaders from the bible.  It is interesting to study the leaders of the bible, it brings out such variety.  It takes all types to make the world.

With the Scriptures we have examples of many fine leaders and many not so fine leaders.

Look at Noah.  He was leader.  He did not have many followers, only 7, but he was still a great leaders. We should realize that the greatness of a leader does not depend on the amount of followers.

Noah was a builder, a builder for God.  He did what God told him and lead his family to do the same.

Think of Moses. He was great leader.  Also an unwilling leader.  Through Moses God gave the Hebrew people the law.  Moses lead the people out of the Egypt, through the desert and to the borders of the promise land.

Joshua was another great leader of the Bible. Joshua lead the Hebrew people into the promises land.  If you read about Joshua you will see that he was a faithful leader and taught that to the people.  He called on the people to serve God.

Most are familiar with Josh. 24:15 “And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell.  But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”

When I think of leaders I think of Nehemiah, another builder for God. If you want to learn about leadership, read the book of Nehemiah, a great book on leadership. Nehemiah was not only a leader who build but one who worked, he set goals, he showed concern, he showed he was ready to fight for what was right, Nehemiah also showed that a godly leader will succeed in the task God has given.

Ezra is another leader in sharp contrast to the style of Nehemiah. Nehemiah led by decisiveness and authority, backed by prayers.  Ezra led by self examination and self sacrifice.  Just take a look at the way in which Nehemiah and Ezra tackled the cancer of ungodly relationships which was threatening to dilute Judaism to the level of extinction.  Ezra withdrew, fasted and prayed and cried out to the Lord and made the people realise their mistake and admit the mistake.  Nehemiah on the other hand confronted the people who did this and went to extent of slapping some of them.  What contrasting styles indeed.

The New Testament also reveals great leaders.  Of course there is Paul.  As a leader Paul delegated as we see in our passage for today.  As a leader Paul was not afraid of confrontation for truths sake.  As a leader Paul had great concern and love for those who were under his authority.

Of course the greatest leader was Jesus Christ, and He still is. The greatest way in which the Lord still leads today is by example.  That is the greatest way a leader can lead, by example.

What do these Leaders have in common?

The Greats Don’t Need Hair Cuts

A young boy had just gotten his driving permit.  He asked his father, who was a minister, if they could discuss the use of the car.  His father took him to his study and said to him, “I’ll make a deal with you. You bring your grades up, study your Bible a little and get your hair cut and we’ll talk about it.” After about a month the boy came back and again asked his father if they could discuss use of the car. They again went to the father’s study where his father said, “Son, I’ve been real proud of you. You have brought your grades up, you’ve studied your Bible diligently, but you didn’t get your hair cut!”

The young man waited a moment and replied, “You know Dad, I’ve been thinking about that. You know, Samson had long hair, Moses had long hair, Noah had long hair, and even Jesus had long hair….” To which his father replied, “Yes, and they walked every where they went!”

On a more serious note.. what these leaders had in common is one thing … whenever they lead the people they followed God…. That is where we become the sheep…. These leaders followed God and lead the people.

-Mandana Kumar, Phd

 

Love is the purpose of human existence. Every human being is wired either to receive love or to give love. Many have said much about love, but very few show love. It is something tangible and not a saying. Permit me to say that love without proof is fake. So let’s see 8 practical ways to show love using biblical analogy.

 

1. Showing love by being kind to others.  Luke 10:30-35. And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.  And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.  But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,  And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.  And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.  The story of the Good Samaritan describes in the details on how to show love by being kind to people in our speech and in deed.

 

2. Showing love by giving. John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Giving is a proof of love. We can’t afford to say we love when we do not give first to our family, the church and to those without salvation.  Besides God so loved the world and He (God) gave, we are to also rule well at home and entreat our spouses and children!

 

3. Showing love by serving others. John 15:13. Greater love hath no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friends. It’s a great privilege when we serve the less privileged as well as those that are privileged.  Jesus proved this when he washed the disciples feet without discrimination.

 

4. Showing love by forgiving. Luke 23:34. Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots. We ought to forgive one another as a true proof of love.  Many times, people offend us and at times we offend others unknowingly.

 

5. Showing love by encouraging one another. Proverbs 27:17 Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend. Sharing our personal testimonies to others might be the miracle they need at that moment of depression or difficulty.  Also a word of God that is shared out can be the one word that can spark a positive change in one’s life.

 

6. Showing love by praying for one another. Job 42:10 And the Lord turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before. Not focusing only on your personal issue(s) but focused on interceding for others can be a true practical way of showing love. We often hear people expressing they’re praying for you when perhaps they are simply repeating a cliché.

 

7. Showing love by been meek to others. Galatians 6: 1. Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.  We are not to cast out but to help restore those who have fallen especially when such individual is repentant.

 

8. Showing love by been a referral for others. Daniel 2:48 – 49. Then the king made Daniel a great man, and gave him many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief of the governors over all the wise men of Babylon. Then Daniel requested of the king, and he set Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, over the affairs of the province of Babylon: but Daniel sat in the gate of the king.  Any position we find ourselves, and if/when possible, should be an avenue to recommend others.

 

CHURCH OF EXCELLENCE: Vision!

Proverbs 29:18; ; Nehemiah 2:1-18

“Where there is no vision, the people perish.” (Prov 28:18)

God makes it very clear that we are to have a vision of what He is doing in the world.

He’s not just talking about setting goals and going after it, but he is wanting us to see through His eyes what He sees

GOD ALWAYS LOOKS THROUGH EYES OF FAITH! NOT AT WHAT IS…BUT WHAT CAN BE.

God never looks at the checking acount and says, “We can’t afford it.” Instead he looks with faith that with Him all things are possible. GOD DRIVES BEAN COUNTERS CRAZY!

VISION AND FAITH NEED TO WORK HAND IN HAND…VISION SEE’S WHAT’S POSSIBLE, FAITH MAKES IT HAPPEN

God’s story in the Bible is a constant renewal of that vision he has for His people. We have a tendancy to be lazy and become unfocused on the things he is wanting us to do.

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A CHURCH HAVE A VISION FROM GOD? FIRST WE LOOK AT NEHEMIAH

I. We need to hear God in a fresh way….GOD TOLD NEHEMIAH HE WAS TO REBUILD HIS TEMPLE!

A. Impossible…he is just the cup bearer to the King

B. But God made it possible by moving the heart of the king…

ILL> fresh bread from the oven is good…stale bread is hard to eat

II. Vision Encourages us….GOD’S HAND WAS ON NEHEMIAH AND THE KING GRANTED HIS REQUEST!

A. when we see God move after we’ve taken that first step of faith we are encouraged to press on!

B. When get that fresh vision from God we are encouraged to move on

III. Vision gives us direction in life on what we are to do

A. Neh knew what he had to do..but had to take action and saddle up his horse and head to Jerusalem

B. It’s not enough to know where we want to go..we have to take a step of faith to see that it happens

ILL> Radio program in Cookeville….TV show in Savannah

IV. The Vision creates momentum

A. As we begin to move and people see the move of God and hook into the vision momentum carries the vision forward

B. People want to be part of a moving, growing something

C. God is moving…God is causing growth…God is giving vision

GOD’S VISION WAS BORN ON PENTECOST WHEN HE POURED OUT HIS HOLY SPIRIT….HE’S STILL DOING THIS TODAY…HE’S STILL CALLING US TO THIS VISION…

HE GAVE US DIRECTION FOR THIS AS HE SPOKE TO THE CHURCH IN PHILADELPHIA WHICH READ ABOUT IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION…

V. FIRST HE SHOWED THEM THEIR OPPORTUNITY

A. They were given the opportunity to bring in a supernatural harvest of souls

IN THE NT AN OPEN DOOR ALWAYS REFERS TO AN OCCASION OF BRINGING MANY INTO THE KINGDOM OF GOD

B. NOT ONLY IS DOOR OPEN, BUT GOD IS GOING TO SUPPLY THE RESOURCES THEY NEEDED TO ACCOMPLISH THE TASK!

B. workers – enthusiasm for the task- give them to do whatever it took to get the job done!

ILLUS> Winner of the 2000 Little League World series came from Maracaibo, Venezula. When the team arrived for the series they only had one bat and four of the players didn’t have proper shoes. As word spread a number of American sports manufactors heard and provided them with every kind of equipment they needed to play the game. They could have said, we don’t have the right equipment and had quit early on….INSTEAD THEY WENT IN THROUGH THE DOOR THAT WAS OPENED TO THEM AND WHAT THEY NEEDED WAS SUPPLIED.

IF GOD SETS BEFORE US AN OPEN DOOR, HE WILL EQUIP US TO PLAY THE GAME. HE WILL NOT WITHHOLD ANYTHING NECESSARY FOR A CHURCH TO EVANGELIZE IT’S COMMUNITY!

C. They had to realize it wasn’t in their strength it was to be done…in fact they couldn’t UNLESS GOD WAS WITH THEM!

1. We have to realize it’s not in our streghth or wisdom it’s going to happen anyway…BUT IT WILL IN GOD’S POWER!

2. They had to learn to pray and fast and wait upon God

WE MISS MOST OF OUR DIVINE APPOINTMENTS BECAUSE WE AREN’T LOOKING FOR THEM, BECAUSE WE HAVE NO EXPERIENCE OF THE POWER OF GOD IN OUR LIVES!

We have to experience God first hand…not as a story or a just as a belief…BUT AS A GOD WHO INTIMATELY LOVES US AND DESIRES TO HAVE A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH US!!!

GOD IS NOT A CONCEPT…HE IS A PERSON WHO DESIRES TO HAVE A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH EACH AND EVERYONE OF US!!!!!

D. They were obedient to God’s word…

1. they read God’s word, they taught God’s word, they preached God’s word, loved God’s word and stood by, upon and under God’s word

2. God always blesses people who honor his word by conforming their lives to it

3. Their outreach wasn’t to get more people in their church….but their outreach was to get more people into God’s kingdom…that translated into more folks in the church

WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY THAT MOST CHURCHES ARE ENVIOUS TO HAVE. More and more people moving in, building houses, having families in record numbers…the new school, the race track…more commercial development in our area.

We are to have a vision to reach out…not to grow our church..not so we can pay our bills…not so we can brag on our growth….but because this the vision of God for us now….to reach out with the love of God to people who need the Lord!!!!!

There was oppostion in the church in Philadelphia, and Nehemiah met with oppostion as well…but they didn’t let that deturb them…they continued anyway..for they new that oppostion to the things of God is straight from Satan

Rev. 3:9 I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars —I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you.

He’s writing about people who are in the group…but due to their opposition to the things of God are going to be stopped after they see our faithfullness and our determination not to be stopped by discouragement, or lack of faith, or anything else the comes against them.

THE REWARD OF A CHURCH WITH A VISION THAT ACTIVELY PURSUES IT IS A CROWN FROM JESUS …OUR REWARDS MAY NOT BE HERE, BUT OUR REWARDS IN HEAVEN ARE JUST AS REAL

Let’s pray for God’s vision…let’s all get on board….let’s go through that open door he has for us RIGHT NOW!!!!

John 4:35-36 Do you not say, ‘Four months more and then the harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. Even now the reaper draws his wages, even now he harvests the crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together.

WE HAVE AN OPEN DOOR…WE HAVE THE HOLY SPIRIT AT WORK IN THE WORLD…WE HAVE ALL THE RESOURCES OF GOD… Phil. 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

 

-James Capps

Quality Time!