MINISTERS MATTER

GOD'S PLAN FOR ISRAEL

Listen as Pastor John Piper explains the power of the gospel to save apart from ethnicity. Why God dealt with Israel as He did. What is the lesson for us?

WHAT IS THE GOSPEL?

Here is a short clip by John Piper on the gospel. He makes it clear that we never outgrow the need for the gospel. Enjoy!

A HOUSE OF PRAYER - Jim Cymbala's 'When God's People Pray'

JIM CYMBALA ON PRAYER

Pastor Jim has pastored the Brooklyn Tabernacle in New York City for over 25 years. His ministry is based upon prayer. Listen to his heart cry regarding prayer.

THE HIDING PLACE - Ballet Magnificat!

May 7, 2009

8:00 PM

Cedarview Alliance Church
2784 Cedarview Road
Ottawa, Ontario
Canada

Doors Open at 7:30 pm

More Information
Email: info@hidingplaceottawa.com
Phone: 613-686-3515

(Please do not call Cedarview Alliance Church)

Tickets Now On Sale
Tickets are all General Admission. No reserved seating.
Doors open at 7:30 p.m.

Prices
$20 in advance / $25 at the door.
Group rate (10 or more) information is available here.

Ticket Locations
Tickets may be purchased online:
http://www.hidingplaceottawa.com/tickets.htm

or

Brio (two locations): 380 Richmond Road (Westboro), 613-721-1585
& 877 Bank (The Glebe), 613-567-9291

Salem Storehouse: 1558 Merivale Road (Nepean), 613-727-0203.


CHECK OUT THE SHORT PROMO ON YOU TUBE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jh7MjnAHgPw

THE MORNING AFTER WE FAIL

Failure is something we all have to deal with as human beings and even as followers of Jesus Christ. The question we must ask ourselves is this...how well do we handle the morning after our failure?

Do we beat ourselves? We seem to be good at that. Do we hide ourselves from others because of guilt and shame? Or, do we face failure with the clarity of God's Word and move ahead?

I am convinced that Satan scoffs at our failures. He seeks to kill our God-given relationship that Jesus won for us at the cross. He seeks to steal our joy and our peace that reduce us to being weak and discouraged. And, he seeks to destroy our confidence in being men and women of God who fail but who also are forgiven.

Micah 7:7-9 show a powerful remedy to deal with the guilt, shame and sin associated with failure. As the enemy mocks us we declare the power and majesty of the God who redeemed us. The morning after failure can be filled with victory IF we put God's Word into practice.

7 But as for me, I will look to the LORD;
    I will wait for the God of my salvation;
   my God will hear me.

 8 Rejoice not over me, O my enemy;
    when I fall, I shall rise;
when I sit in darkness,
   the LORD will be a light to me.

9 I will bear the indignation of the LORD
   because I have sinned against him,
until he pleads my cause
   and executes judgment for me.
He will bring me out to the light;
   I shall look upon his vindication.

SPIRITUAL POWERLESSNESS - from the guilt of sexual sin.

Spent today in Cornwall with area pastors talking about spiritual powerlessness. It is the outcome of the church's failure to teach people how to deal with the guilt associated with sin but especially sexual sin.

Sexual issues in the church are a serious problem. We live in an age of declining purity and low moral standards - and that is amongst believers. The consequence is a lowering of passion to serve the Lord resulting in spiritual powerlessness.

No matter what pastors do, and God knows they are trying many things to lead their congregations, it feels like pushing a train up a hill.

Believers, unable to deal with guilt, settle for the status quo in their walk rather than the high calling of God in Christ. They are reduced to being ineffective in the cause of Christ. They have little passion for spiritual things and very rarely offer to serve in and through their local church.

Pastors not only deal with sexual issues amongst the members of their churches in counselling situations, but also in their own lives. How can we all walk in the freedom Jesus has provided for us?

The church needs to preach all that Jesus accomplished for us at the cross. He took upon Himself the full punishment of our sin against a holy, just, and unimpeachable God. Jesus bore the wrath of God against sin. Wrath that we should have received.

The beauty of the cross is the biblical fact that our sin was nailed to the cross and God sets us free. Colossians 2:14-15 reminds us that God made an open show of the rulers, principalities and powers and took away Satan's weapon of making us think we are not worthy to represent God. He camps on our guilt and lies to us that we are not forgiven, or acceptable to serve God.

The cross dealt a once and for all death blow to the lies of the devil.

Enjoy your freedom in Christ!

TWITTER MINISTERIAL - join today!

Event: The Church of the NCR Gets on Twitter

      "A New Way to Live Out Our Unity"

What: Rally

Host: Twitter Ministerial

Start Time: Today, March 23 at 12:00am

End Time: Tuesday, March 31 at 12:00am

Where: Across Canada's Capital Region

To see more details and RSVP, follow the link below:

http://www.facebook.com/n/?event.php&eid=74279534417&mid=318a47G2081cd82G20fd6abG7

CALLED TO CARE!

I had a wonderful time on Sunday speaking at the Lifecentre. I was asked to talk about the subject of care so I used the Good Samaritan as a backdrop. Here are my notes.

CALLED TO CARE

1 Peter 2:21

“For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in His steps.”

Love Him or hate Him, one thing is absolutely undeniable - Jesus cared about honouring His Father, fulfilling Scripture, training His disciples and proclaiming the gospel in practical ways for tax collectors, prostitutes, sinners, and even those who thought they were saints.

He cared for the sick, poor, dying, marginalized, lost, successful, and those who thought they had it all together.

Jesus cared. Yes, but that is long ago and far away in most people’s minds.

He cares as much today as He did then through us.

Today we want to wrestle with one probing question.

Do we care? Do I care?

Jesus told an amazing story about care.

Luke 10:25 - 37
The Good Neighbour. We know it better as ‘The Good Samaritan’

25 And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?
26 He said to him, What is written in the Law? How do you read it?
27 And he answered, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.
28 And he said to him, You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.
29 But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, And who is my neighbor?
30 Jesus replied, A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead.
31 Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side.
32 So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.
33 But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion.
34 He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him.
35 And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.
36 Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?
37 He said, The one who showed him mercy. And Jesus said to him, You go, and do likewise.

We must do more than fulfill the letter of the Law.  We are called to fulfill the Spirit of the Law as well by demonstrating human kindness.

Jesus penetrates religious hatred/tension by His words and actions and uses the Good Samaritan to enlarge the border of who is a neighbour.

He is raising the bar beyond just ‘I believe’ to... ‘I care’!

True faith cares for others.

What is the lesson for us today?

That there are people, who do not understand or follow Jesus’ teachings, that demonstrate great moral behaviour, kindness and care, more than we, who follow Jesus.

God’s moral law is at work all over the earth as men and women live out care for others and especially those who are not like them. Human love and compassion is a gift from God and it is not restricted to one people group or religious affiliation. We are made in His likeness after all!!!

Had the Jews of Jesus’ day forgotten to love, even the Samaritans? Did they forget to read their own scriptures?

"For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice: and the knowledge of God more than burnt sacrifice." Hosea 6:6

The Early Church, even in the 2nd century, taught on fallen man and God’s redemption using the Good Samaritan as their text.

It shows the importance of ministry to the whole person in the proclamation of the gospel. The gospel is spelled I CARE.

It was taught by the ancient followers of Jesus, and was virtually universal throughout early Christianity, being advocated by Irenaeus, Clement, and Origen, and in the fourth and fifth centuries by Chrysostom in Constantinople, Ambrose in Milan, and Augustine in North Africa.

The man who was going down to Jericho is Adam.
Jerusalem is paradise.
Jericho is the world.
The robbers are hostile powers. Godless men.
The priest is the Law.
The Levite is the prophets.
The Good Samaritan is Christ.
The wounds are disobedience.
The animal he put him on is the Lord’s body.
The [inn], which accepts all who wish to enter, is the Church. …
The manager of the [inn] is the head of the Church, to whom its care has been entrusted.
And the fact that the Samaritan promises he will return represents the Savior’s second coming.

“What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?” James 2:14

The lawyer in the dialogue with Jesus, just before Jesus told the story of the Good Samaritan, lived a life of excuses. What was the legal border he could operate in? The least yet legal requirements of the Law. Leviticus 19:33-34 said it this way:

“When a stranger sojourns with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong. You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.”

Luke 14:15 - 24

A very broad border indeed!

If we want to go to a Fine Restaurant, we call to make a reservation.

Preparation time for staff begins as each day’s reservations are noted.

X marks the spot on the calendar where your name is recorded.

The day finally arrives. Your reservation is confirmed by phone the day before.

Come and dine. Yes, we will be there. Or, will we make excuses why we cannot go?

In the things of the Kingdom, God calls us whether we are young, busy or old. What will we do when the call comes in? Will we respond with a yes, or will we make excuses?

Luke 14:18

18 But they all alike began to make excuses.
The first said to him, I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. Please have me excused.
19 And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them. Please have me excused.
20 And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.

Jesus addressed excuses given by those invited to God’s Banquet. The Father’s Table.

The Invitation...

Represented the arrival of the kingdom through Jesus.

A new relationship with God NOW. Veil torn from top to bottom when He gave up His spirit on the cross.

We often think of the future kingdom and the marriage supper of the Lamb but Jesus is talking about His kingdom NOW.

What excuses am I making to avoid Jesus’ invitation to care right NOW?

Used my cell phone ringing four different times to illustrate how to respond to God's call with a positive response or an excuse. Talked about the excuses at all levels of life.

CELL PHONE RINGS

Excuse #1. Too young! I am busy playing now.
When did Samuel’s call come? David? Mary? The disciples? What if he had been too busy playing?

CELL PHONE RINGS
Excuse #2. Too busy! I am working too hard. Looking for a mate. Building my career.
What about Saul of Tarsus? Religious and zealous but without true understanding. What if he had stayed religious and said no to God’s call? Lost forever!

CELL PHONE RINGS
Excuse #3. Too old! I am retired now.
What about Moses at 80? His best years were his last 40 years! What if he had been content to just stay in the quiet wilderness? He would have missed God’s best for his life.

CELL PHONE RINGS
Excuse #4. Ignore His call. When you know who is calling and you don't want to pick up???
Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.

Failure to see the kingdom NOW results in excuses.

Will I accept God’s call to care?

RICK JOYNER ON TODD BENTLEY

I have been a follower of Jesus now since 1977 and in full-time ministry since 1981. In all those years, I have not heard much teaching on the kindness, mercy and compassion of God towards a fallen leader even though scripture is full of imperfect leaders.

I have seen many restoration programs that were not restorative. Most were punitive in nature and administrative in function rather than fatherly bringing the fallen leader much needed healing.

Here is an unedited note from Rick Joyner on what has happened recently in the life of Todd Bentley. 

Rick Joyner: “Todd Bentley Begins Restoration Process”

Todd Bentley was used to spark the Lakeland Outpouring, which raised the faith level of much of the Body of Christ. Testimonies of healings and miracles from it are now virtually all over the world. When Todd’s marriage failed, he abruptly stopped all ministry and virtually disappeared for almost nine months. In the meantime, his divorce was finalized and he has recently remarried.

Todd has taken full responsibility for the failure of his marriage. He and Jessa also admit that their relationship was premature and should not have happened the way it did. Both are adamant that it was not the cause for the failure of his first marriage, nor did they begin their relationship until Todd was convinced that his marriage was over. They have both expressed that it was wrong and premature. They do not want to try and cover this up even though they know many will never accept them for it. Even so, they are married now and are resolved to make the most of their marriage, their lives, and to continue to serve the Lord in the best way that they can.

My position all along has been that I will do my best to comply with Galatians 6:1, “If a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.”

To obey this Word, I have always felt that it did not matter what one had done, and that it was my responsibility to help them find the grace of God to return to the place from which they had fallen. I confess that with Todd, I am not just doing this as a duty. From the time I first met him nearly ten years ago, I knew that he had an extraordinary purpose and a gift of faith for the miraculous that would be desperately needed in these times. I consider helping any of God’s children an honor, and helping Todd is a privilege.

I also confess to some selfish ambition in wanting to do this. I had a dream two decades ago in which one of my children had fallen into a sewage ditch and could not get up. My child was being scorned and no one would help him. A man came along who helped my child get up and then cleaned up. In that dream, I felt as if I would give everything that I owned to this man who helped my child. Then I heard the voice of the Lord say, “Jim Bakker is My child. Will you help him?”

Since that time, I have been devoted to helping any of God’s children that I could who have committed any trespass, because I knew there were few other things that would bring the Father’s favor. I consider this willingness to at least try to help others this way a major reason for the extraordinary favor that our ministry, my family, and I have received. I love Todd and am glad to help him, but I also know by doing this, I will be doing something that means a great deal to our Father.

When we release someone to minister in the Body of Christ, we are releasing him or her to minister to God’s own children, and I personally do not do that with anyone who I would not allow to minister to my own family. For all that was done through Todd, and especially at Lakeland, which touched and helped countless thousands, many were also left confused and hurt by the way it ended. I think Todd is even more sensitive to this than I am. Although in some ways he greatly misses being in ministry and praying for people, he wants to be sure that when he comes back that his life and his ministry are on the most solid ground possible so that he does not cause these kinds of problems again.

Jack Deere and Bill Johnson have agreed to be a part of Todd’s restoration process. I asked them to be a part because I know they will probably see things I don’t, but also because both Todd and I trust them and know they would not sign off on something they did not really believe in. However, both of them are going to be involved in this at a distance, and therefore, I will be the main person responsible.

Being a believer in Body ministry, I expect our whole leadership team, and to some degree, our whole local church, to be involved in helping Todd and Jessa. Our staff and all from the church that I have discussed this with are very happy about them being here and want to help them in any way that they can.

In future Bulletins, we will go into more detail about what we’re doing and why, as well as what we think was a cause of some of the failures Todd experienced. We will only do this for the sake of helping others avoid the same traps. We know that trust has to be earned and that Todd will have to earn the trust of the Body of Christ for future ministry, which will not be easy, nor should it be. Todd, more than most, does not want to jump back into ministry prematurely, even as much as he misses it in some ways.

I for one have been very encouraged by the expressions of grace and genuine concern so many have expressed toward Todd in this situation. It gives me great hope. As we have been constantly reminded, the Lord had great patience with sinners, but He had none for the self-righteous. We’re all here because He had mercy on us, and we know we still need it. However, we also know that true repentance and restoration can only come if we refuse to compromise the clear Biblical standards for morality and integrity.

Todd wanted to personally say the following:

“It has been a long while since I have spoken publicly and openly. I am sorry for the hurt and confusion that my decisions have caused the Body of Christ. It has been a true season of brokenness, hiddenness, and a long process of grieving.

“As many of you now know, my previous marriage has endured years of unresolved conflicts. I apologize that it has ended in divorce, and I take full responsibility for my part for the ending of the marriage. I realize that my silence and decisions have caused many of you to feel hurt, confused, and offended. The reason for the silence was for my need of healing, creating a restoration process under a team of qualified leaders, much needed rest after the Lakeland Outpouring, repentance, and the divorce process.

“I have now relocated to Fort Mill, South Carolina and have entered into my restoration and healing process under Rick Joyner, Jack Deere, and Bill Johnson. I am confident of this one thing—that God is faithful to His promise and my hope is to be fully restored, strengthened, healed, and to learn from all the mistakes I have made along the way.

“Thank you friends and partners for your continued prayers, encouragement, and love. I am committed to the work of the Holy Spirit and confident that the good men around me will help me be restored first as a man, as a husband, and ultimately to fulfill God’s call on my life."

Those of you who were touched by the Lakeland Outpouring do not lose your encouragement. What happened there was from God, and Todd is a true servant of God. He has made some mistakes, and he is trying to get his life back in order, and you can be confident that he will. Throughout the Bible, many of the greatest heroes in it also made some of the worst mistakes. King David, possibly the greatest hero in the Bible after Jesus, made one of the most horrible mistakes, not only committing adultery, but murdering the husband of the woman he committed it with. God knew that was going to happen with David when He called him, and He loved David before, during, and afterward.

One of the remarkable events in the Bible is that the Lord then used Bathsheba to bring forth the heir to the throne, Solomon, and she is part of the genealogy of Jesus. It still stretches me, but we need stretching in the grace of God. At the same time, we must balance it with how God hates divorce, and it is one of the scourges of our times that is tragically hurting many, many people. Marriage is under such an assault now because it is so important. However, legalism will not overcome lawlessness. This situation and similar ones that almost every church and family are now being faced with is one that we need answers for. We cannot run from Him, but must run to Him with our need.

Rick Joyner MorningStar Ministries

Email: info@morningstarministries.org