HopeChapelLewiston

Rejoicing in the River

2010-08-26T21:52:00.001-07:00

Sunday August 22, 2010

Wow, what a Sunday! Our pre-service pray and worship time totally spilled over into our Sunday gathering and it was so sweet and fun!!! I think Sundays are always fun, but that's also because of how I approach them. Even those difficult topic Sundays.

Well if you missed this past Sunday we went swimming in the river of rejoicing!!

Our primary text was Jeremiah 33:1-9. The Israelites have wandered again and the goodness of our Lord is leading them back through Jeremiah.

What the Lord says here to Israel, and us, in verse 3, "call to me and I will answer you and show great and hidden things which you have not know" (ESV) is meant to be received in faith and as a promise, even in our darkened prisons. What do I have to do to find out the truth, secret path, hidden mystery? I have to call out to Him, and then listen to His response. But wait, it's His response that's most amazing and sometimes the stumbling block. He's going to show us things so great and hidden, we just might not believe it. It's amazing how many promises go unfulfilled because they were so great and mysterious we just did know what to do with them, so rather than attempt and fail, we just don't attempt.

So what if we just decided that if God is going to show us some amazing things,then He'll also provide the way and strength.

The Lord goes on to give us a few names. Some names that are meant to help us believe the great and hidden things He just got done showing us. If we believe these names and begin to walk in who we are according to the righteousness of Christ, our lives are going to look a whole lot different.

The names are found in Jer 3:9, we will be known as joy, praise and glory. The Lord is looking at us in our city and saying to us joy, praise and glory. Why, because we are His children, redeemed by the blood of His Son. As joy, praise and glory - other (nations) are going to tremble with fear and at our prosperity. I don't know about you, but how many people/nations are looking at you and trembling with fear and awe?

Maybe not yet, but they will right. Now the prosperity here is physical, but not just monetary. The Lord desires to bless you to the point that you're overflowing. This overflow becomes as sign and a wonder for others.

Where does it all start. In the river of rejoicing. As Paul puts it in Philippians 4:4 - "Rejoice in the Lord always, again I will say rejoice." Our abundance is linked to our rejoicing. Our rejoicing is link to our abundance in Him. It's a cycle that is overwhelming once we start live by it.

So, what do you need to start doing? I'd suggest calling upon the Lord, and when He says "yes, joy, praise, and glory," He's talking about you!!!

Sing to the Lord a New Song

2010-08-13T07:29:00.000-07:00

Our current teaching series is titled, Surprised By Joy. As we look around today there are a lot of people (Christians) who aren't living in the joy of their salvation. I won't go into why, as the possibilities are numerous. But just stop and think of your own life.

Nehemiah 8:10 reveals to us that, "the joy of the Lord is your strength." Where is the strength of the Church today? We are in need of a new song, one that comes from the River of God.

Take a look at these scriptures and let's find our joy, strength, hope and that new song.

Psalm 46:4 There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High. NKJV

Psalm 36:7-9 How precious is Your loving kindness, O God!Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Your wings. They are abundantly satisfied with the fullness of Your house, and You give them drink from the river of Your pleasures. For with You is the fountain of life; in Your light we see light. NKJV

Psalm 149:1 Sing to the Lord a new song,and His praise in the assembly of saints. NKJV

These Psalms are worthy of a full reading, but just these few verses speak of something that is surprising and amazing. Picture the psalmist sitting in worship before the Lord and seeing this incredible river, whose streams make glad (joyful) the city of God, you and me His temple, vessels, fields, workmanship.

Not only does this river fill us with joy, but it is the river of His pleasures. All of God's glory is in His river, it is our fountain of life where revelation and wisdom feed and nurture us.

God and His glory are to be our source of joy. Let us be found in His river of pleasure (joy) and be fully satisfied that it causes the hurting, hopeless world to jump in with us.

We have been invited to swim, soak and be carried away by this river of joy. While abiding in the river, sing a new song. No matter how often you visit the same spot on the river the water will never be the same. It's long gone. The same is true if you find yourself in the river, only this time the shore is never the same. So whether your still on the shore or you're in the river, things are new every morning. That newness is worthy of a new song. Drink it up today, and do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength (Neh 8:10).

Peace be with you!

2010-04-29T19:21:00.000-07:00

Sunday April, 25 2010.

Hey gang,

We had a great Sunday. If you missed us here are some brief notes.

So remember we are into our second stage of Reigning in Life: Peace. And our series is titled "Peace in His Presence." Eventually we will find our lives reflecting the fullness of His righteousness, peace, joy and love as we draw near to Him.

This Sunday I used the same titles as last week, but changed the scripture references.

1. Righteousness brings peace
2. Signs and Wonders: The Conduit for Peace
3. Peace through Jesus Christ

It's my hope that you will use these titles like a tool in your life to find your way into His peace and glory.

So . . .
Righteousness brings peace: Romans 14:17 reads "the Kingdom of Gd is not about eating and drinking, but righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Take note, faith in Christ leads to _______________ (righteousness), the fruit of righteousness is _____________ (peace, Isa 32:17), and we are to seek first the Kingdom of God and His _________________ (righteousness, Mt 6:33).

If we are going to have the peace of God in our lives we must walk in righteousness.

Signs and Wonders: the conduit for peace: Read the sorry in Mk 5:25-34 of this lost women who with nothing left to lose recieves not only her healing, but the peace of God. Jesus shares with us in John 14:25-31 that we are going to receive a gift of peace, the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit, Peace, is so different than anything in the world. But we must choose to recieve Him and let Him lead our lives. In doing so guess what? Peace! Notice the signs and wonders in both occurances. The issue of the bleeding women is easy to see, she was healed. Wow! The gift of the Holy Spirit is a little harded to catch the miraclous in. See if you can spot it and then ask a friend. The point here is that signs and wonders become the channel for peace in our lives. Are you looking for and expecting the signs and wonders of God?

Peace through Jesus Christ: I am using a statement the Apostle Paul makes to the church in Philippi. Though he never mentions the word "peace" in this scripture. His ability to even make such a bold claim is founded in his assurance and peace in Jesus Christ. Philippines 3:7-11 - "But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead." NKJV

May you find your life, whether in the midst of trials or victory, declaring as Paul so bold did the truth which is the evidence of God's peace in your life.

Blessings,
JC

Peace in His Presence

2010-04-21T20:08:00.000-07:00

Sunday, April 18 2010

We are starting a new series called Peace in His Presence. This is first of many to come in our topic of peace as we move onto the second stage of our 2010 decree: Reigning in Life.

For the next 4 weeks we will be using the same titles to examine our topic of "Peace in His Presence" but change the scripture references and perspectives of looking at peace.

The three titles are:
> Righteousness Brings Peace
> Signs and Wonders: the conduit for peace
> Peace through Jesus Christ

My hope is that these three titles become familiar to us so that we can use them as filters for our daily lives. For example . . .

Righteousness Brings Peace: In Isaiah 32:16-20 the prophet reveals to us that the work of righteousness will be peace. So if we notice that we don't have any peace in our life we need step back and ask the question, "Is righteousness at work in my life?" Another question for us to ask ourselves might be "Am I allowing the righteousness of Christ to transform me so that His peace may be established in me and around me?"

What we have to understand about the peace of God is that no matter what the circumstances may be in our life, His peace is always with us. You can have peace yet still be in the midst of trials. Jesus, the prince of peace, never was without peace, even as he was falsely accused and beaten, the peace of God was with Him. We'll be looking into this in more detail in the coming weeks.

The point here is that righteousness brings peace and Isaiah gives us a great truth about that promise.

Signs and Wonders: the conduit for peace. We find ourselves in Daniel 3 and 4 again with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. Thes men refused to bow to the statue of king Nebuchadnezzar. The penalty was death by fire. To which all three declared that God would deliver them (a statement of their faith) yet, if He didn't they still would not bow (a stand for righteousness). When Nebuchadnezzar throws them into the furnace and sees them with a fourth man and not being burned, he calls them out and says this to his people in Daniel 4:1-3 - "Peace be multiplied to you. I thought it good to declare the signs and wonders that the Most High God has worked for me. How great are His signs, and how mighty His wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and His dominion is from generation to generation."

Wow, the signs and wonder of God caused Nebuchadnezzar to declare peace over the entire nation and make a decree to worship God. Do you see how signs and wonders become the conduit through which God can establish His peace on the earth.

Peace Through Jesus Christ: In Romans 5:1-5 we read that we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. It is only through Christ that we can experience the peace of God. But not only do we have peace with God, we get to live in the peace of God.

So in closing we can begin to see that the righteousness of Christ brings the peace of God and we are called to walk in the Spirit with signs and wonders following us so that others may enter into the same peace that you and I have received by grace and in faith.

Go out this week and be reminded of the peace you have in Christ and share that peace with some you love.

What in the world keeps us going?

2010-02-09T09:58:00.000-08:00

We started a new series on Sunday titled, "What in the world keeps us going?". The focus of our series is about righteousness; specifically our righteousness through faith in Christ.

The journey to grow in this understanding of righteousness begins by taking a look at what we currently use to keep us going. Paul says that "if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone and the new has come!" (2 Cor 5:17). So what in the world keeps you going? The world we are talking about is the old nature, your past. Are there things from your past, like hurts, judgments, fears, and lusts that still control or drive you today?

The joy that I foresee in this series is that many will begin to understand freedom like they've never known before. I'm excited!

So like any good adventure we must start off properly and with this adventure of righteousness and freedom I thought we'd go right after everyone's favorite topic: sin! If we want to walk in the righteousness of Christ and reign in life, then we must deal with the bondage of sin.

So, what is sin? According to 1 John 3:4-5 sin is lawlessness; literally meaning unrighteousness or rebellion. Jesus came to take away the sins of the world (Jn 1:29). So what is it that Jesus is taking away? The offense of our effort to do our will that causes us to miss the mark of His will and purposes. The term sin has its understanding in the archery world when the arrow "misses the mark". So when we take actions into our own hands and rebel against God's word, we miss the mark: we sin.

So, how does God deal with sin? Well, not like most of the world believes. God is in a good mood and if He wanted to He could of left mankind to just waste away in the separation of His glory. But He didn't leave us; He had mercy on us and extended to us His grace. Romans 5:18-21 states that through one man's sin (lawlessness) condemnation and judgment came to all men, but through one man's righteous act (Jesus) justification for life was come. God hates sin, yet God does not hate sinners. We must distinguish between the two if we are going to walk in His fullness.

Jesus came to save the world because of His love. He came to serve and be a ransom for our debt. (Jn 3:16-17, Mt 20:28)

So, how do we deal with sin? The same way God does. Love the sinner, hate the sin. Extend mercy and grace. Take the offer of redemption, thru Jesus Christ, and know that whom the Son sets free is free indeed. (Jn 8:34-36). No longer walk in the ways of sin, but by the Spirit of God. (Gal 5:16). We’ll get into this more in the coming weeks.

Here's a little tool I've come up with to help us deal with sin. I call it CPR for the spiritual heart. It's simple. C is for Confess your sins, P is for Pronounce the truth and repent, and R is for renounce the lies and spiritual ties that tempt us t sin. It's like closing the door to a path that doesn't glorify God.

For example: “Lord I confess that I’ve been caught up in fear regarding my finances. I know that you are my provider (pronounce truth and find a scripture) according to Philippians 4:19 I know you to be my God who will supply all my needs according to Your great riches in the glory by Jesus Christ. I turn toward you and trust that you will give me the strength and wisdom to pay all my bills and put food on the table. I renounce the lie and spirit of fear that I have believed and close the door to walking in that manner anymore. Amen.”

Remember it's not a formula, but a way to build relationship with God. Try it out and let the Holy Spirit lead you into the joy of knowing Christ and all that He has done for you, because He LOVES YOU!!!

Mission Sunday

2010-02-04T06:48:00.000-08:00

Sunday January 31, 2010

Hey check out a quick video blog about Sunday's service or read about it below. I'm trying something new with the video!

On Sunday we dedicated our morning to the mission field. It's always good to look beyond ourselves and allow the Holy Spirit to stir us up and remind us how blessd we truly our. I've also noticed that when we focus on the things of God that are bigger than us we gain a better perspective of His amazing power and love.

Here at HCL we say: Hope Chapel Lewiston is committed to equipping all people, through the love and power of Jesus Christ, so that communities, cities, and nations will be transformed by the glory of God. This is our mission and purpose statement as a local congregation. It is through this mission that we are taking the gospel beyond the walls of our church buildings.

Romans 5:5 says that "hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us." This love is available to all mankind and we have been commissioned, according to Mt 28:18-20, to take this love to the nations.

Our focus on Sunday was on Kenya with the Leister's and on Haiti. Though many of us may never set foot in Haiti or Kenya, we are still called to take the love that has been poured out and disciple others who through our prayers, discernment and encouragement will find their calling.

The Leister's are doing well. The children's home continues to move along. The walls are all plastered and setting up to be tiled and painted. Once that is done then the flooring will go in. A few prayer requests they had were: health, paper work for the title on the land, paper work on a few of the kids, and their organization license to all be processed and placed in their hands.

As for Haiti, Foursquare continues to use a local Foursquare church there as a gateway to send relief aid and missionaries to help care for the overwhelming needs. Find out more on what is going on in Haiti and Foursquare at: Foursquare Missions Int. That's the Sunday overview - we are headed next is into a series on righteousness titled "What in the world keeps us going?"

A Heart of Holiness

2010-01-28T16:21:00.000-08:00

Sunday, January 24, 2010

Sunday was not our typical Sunday morning service. It’s nice to switch things up. Keeps us on our toes and the familiar spirit of routine from settling in.

However different this past Sunday was, it was still good. As the men exited the main room and had a time fellowship and prayer. I had the blessing of speaking to the women of Hope about 2010.

Back in October of 2009, while in prayer, the Lord revealed 5 things that we were going to see regarding women in the Body of Christ. As I wrote them out I could a great advancement in the Body of Christ as many (both men and women) found their places because they chose to live a life of honoring God and others.

Before we took the time to lay these out on Sunday I made a little disclaimer. “This is only the beginning, the knowledge of these truths don’t equate to immediate fruit. I am handing you a baton to run with as the Lord leads you. You will have to chose to run the race and reap the fruit of what God is making available.”

Here are the 5 insights for women to take a hold of and walk out in faith:
1. It’s all about God’s love for us: you must know that you are loved and that it is God who works in you to will and act according to his good purpose. (Phil 2:13) Women have had to work to hard to find their place in society and the church. God never intended for there to be a hierarchy of men ruling over women. The result of women having to work to find acceptance in society and the church has led to much of the witchcraft and manipulation we see in the church today. So if anyone is going to stand up for setting things in order let it be the male leaders who have ignored and restricted the giftings of women in ministry. Women, you must let go of the “works” approach to advancement and promotion. Trust that God loves you and sees you and will work things out for His glory.

2. I want to establish peace in your life: This is the fruit of letting God work on advancement in your life verse you working for placement and acceptance. Romans 8:15 says you have received a spirit of adoption. You should be walking in peace when it comes to your role in the family and ministry. The question that I encourage you to meditate on is “who have you allowed to hold your destiny?” If isn’t God, chances are it’s you are someone else (ie. Father, husband, siblings, pastors, etc.) Either you trust God with your life or you don’t.

3. Honor will open doors for peace, rest and healing: In order to receive honor we must sow honor. It’s the kingdom principle of sowing and reaping. The hurdle here will be to recognize that honoring is not about being a door mat. To honor means to: respect, admire, recognize, and esteem. It doesn’t mean to let yourself be run over time and time again and justify it by saying I’m honoring the other person by being humble.

This also requires you to examine how you see yourself. Maybe you haven’t had the benefit of being around people who honored you, but Jesus has called you His own and with that calling comes an honoring. Choose today to look yourself in the mirror and honor yourself, value yourself, tell yourself you are beautiful. You’re not lying or deceiving, you are speaking what God has already said about you.

It thought it important to make a note of something that I struggle with when it comes to seeing women honor each. I notice that some of the honoring that takes place is out of a spirit of manipulation and control. The motive of our honoring one another has nothing to do with ones advancement. I realize that all people wrestle with this at some point, but I find that most women use honoring or validating as a latter to gain advancement. This isn’t true honoring, this is a very destructive game. If get the first two points our honoring will truly come from a heart of love and compassion. Just beware of your motive when honoring others.

4. Experience the power of covenant: Covenant is key to a life of peace, joy and righteousness. Though we are not defining covenant here, it’s important to understand covenant so ask questions. Many women have been faithful to keep covenant in their relationship with God and their marriages. Many have not. Our faith was intend to follow out of covenant. My hope is that as we pursue greater understanding of covenant, we will also experience the power of covenant. Here are some mental imprints/strongholds you must start facing if you haven’t already. (2 Cor 10:5)
a. Fear of authority
b. Anger
c. concerns over money
d. relational blind spots (understanding how you receive love and show love)
e. sexual issues – I elaborated on this topic – you’ll want to get the CD to fully understand what God is saying here.

5. I will use you to promote: it the notes this is all I gave out. But to the women I finished the statement, I will use you to promote men, because I have revealed to you what they cannot see themselves. Beware of power in this statement. The unique design and gift of women is to satisfy a man. That satisfaction is not just sexual. It’s also the ability to see what they can not see because that’s how you’ve been gifted. I believe that next to physical intimacy with my wife, this is the next greatest expression of God’s creative nature in women. This gift has long been used as point of manipulation and control. The ability to see things that men can’t has caused many women to advance through means of unrighteousness. But now I believe we are going to see righteousness arise and promotion come to many in the Body of Christ because men and women honor one another’s gifting and ability.

The closing quote of hope for this year is this: Women of honor, who honor, shall experience great honor; for honor will flow out of covenant that is honored.

May the Lord bless you.

Sunday January 17, 2010

2010-01-19T17:40:00.001-08:00

Hallowed Be Your Name!

The twelve disciples longed to be like their teacher and friend, Jesus, and were always asking Him questions. One of the questions they asked was, "how do we pray?"

Being good Jewish boys they knew "how" to pray, but when Jesus prayed it must of been different enough that it prompted the question. To Jesus, prayer wasn't a ritual, it was a form of communion with His Father. The prayer that Jesus taught His disciples in Matthew 6:9-13 wasn't intended to become a formula. He was shedding light to their real question - "why are Your prayers so different than ours?"

Our focus Sunday wasn't really on the Lord's prayer, but on His first instruction to a life of prayer, "Our Father who is heaven, hallowed be Your name" (Mt. 6:9).

The word hallowed means to revere, respect, value and honor. Jesus is revealing that we are to live our life in awe of His name. John 17:6 says, "I (Jesus) have manifested Your name to the men whom You have given Me out of the world." Jesus not only taught about God, He was the manifestation of God.

There is a book of remembrance that sits before the Lord night and day. Whether it's always open, always read from, or just there isn't the point. The point is that a book of remembrance has recorded your life. This recorded life is not a naughty list or goody list as if God is Santa Clause. This book holds the record of those that fear the Lord and meditate on His name. (Mal 3:16) It is a recording of the plans and purposes God has for you.

Jesus is saying, "know My name! Mediate on My name. Call upon My name." (Ps 116:4-5) Let My name manifest before you, so that the whole earth may see the glory of God.

As the book of remembrance is set before the Lord and your life is written in it, let the Holy Spirit stir up in you His name so that you may see the desires, dreams, hopes and promises that God has for you.

I passed out a bookmark with a few names of God to mediate on. Be sure to pick a bookmark at church, but until then mediate on these amazing names of God.

Jehovah-Tzidkenu:
“The Lord our Righteousness”
Jer 23:6, 2 Cor 5:21

Jehovah-M’Kaddishchem:
“The Lord Who Sanctifies You”
Lev 20:8

Jehovah-Shalom:
“The Lord Is Peace”
Jdg 6:24, Eph 2:14

Jehovah-Shammah:
“The Lord Is There” - Eze 48:35

Jehovah-Rapha:
“The Lord Who Heals” - Isa 53:5

Jehovah-Jireh:
“The Lord Will Provide”
Gen 22:13-14

Jehovah-Nissi:
“The Lord Is Our Victorious
Banner” - Ex 17:15, Rom 8:31,37

Jehovah-Raah:
“The Lord Is Our Shepherd”
Psalm 23, Jn 10:27-28

Adonai: “Lord” - Maker, Gen 15:2

El-Elyon: “Most High God”
Gen 14:19-20

Jehovah-Kavod:
“The Lord of Glory” - Ps 24:7-10

Jehovah-Or:
“The Lord Is Light”
Ps 36:9, 1 Jn 1:5

“For with you is the fountain of life; In Your light we see light.”
Ps 36:9

2010: Reigning in Life

2010-01-12T14:04:00.000-08:00

I have such an excitement for the year that is ahead of us. Back in May of 2009 the Lord blessed me by revealing what I called a secret. Though I didn’t understand it at first, I’ve spent the last 8 months diving into it and making the necessary changes in my life to truly grasp the entirety of I what I believe God is revealing and going to reveal in this year.

Here’s the secret: “2010 is about reigning in life.” Not sure what that means? Well neither did I when I first heard the Spirit whisper it. What I’ve since discovered is that most of the Body of Christ doesn’t know what it means to reign in life either. Yet we are the ambassadors of heaven? The conduits of the miraculous power that is to fill the Earth? Now is just 2010 about reigning in life? Of course not, it’s been the plan ever since the beginning. So what is God really saying by asking us to step into this life of reigning? This is the journey we are embarking on!

Here are 3 things to examine as we begin this journey into “reigning in life”:

1. Is your life lived with purpose? Romans 5:18-21

2. Is your life lived with passion? Philippians 3:12-14

3. Have you given your life so that you may reign in life? 2 Corinthians 9:6-10

Take the time this week and look through these scriptures. Discover how Jesus Christ lived His life with purpose and passion. Then reflect on how He gave His life so that we could reign in life with Him.

Jesus didn’t sow sparingly; He fulfilled every prophecy by giving all of Himself. Though we are called to give our lives, if we don’t find freedom in the area of giving our finances we allow fear to rule and keep us down. As we closed service I asked Sean to lead us in a declaration regarding our giving in the area finances. He got this from Bethel Church out of Redding, CA. Declare this over your finances and remember – God wants a cheerful giver, whether it’s financial or relationally. So put a smile on because we are in for a great year!

Link to Bethel offering decree here.

Blessings, Jeph Chavez

Sunday December 27, 2009

2010-01-01T21:41:00.000-08:00

On Sunday Decemeber 27, 2009 we had a great time of praise and worship, testimonies and communion.

We've been in a series about being powered by the Holy Spirit so this Sunday was nice to let Him work in our midst and refresh us.

Ginny Seymour shared a picture the Lord gave her regarding the time after war (i.e. the end of War of the Worlds.) People walking out of their hiding places still shell shocked, like they are dreaming, moving slowly but in the realization and knowing the war had been won and outside there is a great hope.

Psalm 126 1-3 When the Lord brought back the captives to Zion we were like men who dreamed. Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. It was then said among the nations the Lord has done great things for them!..Verse 5-6 those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy. He who goes out weeping carring (precious) seeds to sow will return with songs of joy carring sheaves with him.

The leading for 2010 is to be prepared for many to come out of hiding as they hear the sound of the Saints arising and what has been sown in tears shall bring forth a harvest of joy.

She also shared some insight regarding our Sunday of rest (No service next Sunday Jan 3rd :)! ~ Last year it was the word Change. This year the word is Rest.

The prophets of old acted out prophetically what would be the future for Israel. Elijah built a sacrifical offering as a prophetic action just like the prophets of Baal built a site All waited to see whose God would answer. God showed up with great theater and confirmation.

You as the Pastor are preforming a prophectic action. Acting out for us what is to be made known for the New Year. You are beginning this year by resting from your work.

This is a year to enter into the rest. Allow God to completely direct our lives so that the work is easy. It is a prophetic signpost that we can enter into rest in him.

As we come into this new position of coming into what God has for us we can take hold of a promise of rest. Amen!

Jim and Lynnette shared during communion a word about our 2010 focus "Reigning in Life" that God isn't just going to use us to raise dead physically but also emotionally and spiritually. We are to reign in all areas of our life and lead others to do the same.

Sunday December 13, 2009

2009-12-15T20:26:00.000-08:00

Since August I have had this impression from the Lord to spend some time sharing with the men of Hope about living Holy Spirit empowered lives. As the women exited to go into the next room to pray and intercede I shared the following points with our men.

Discipline vs. Passion:
Our relationship with the Father was never intended to be just about living with Christian disciplines. Imagine a relationship that only has the disciplines of responsibilities and duties; not very fun or desirable. Our relationship with God might begin with good spiritual disciplines, but out of those disciplines is suppose to come this passionate pursuit of the Father. It might be that many Christians struggle to grow because they’ve approached a relationship with God in the form of a task or duty rather than true passion and love. How long have you been a disciplined Christian yet haven’t seen the fruit that you read and hear about? Maybe, the Holy Spirit is trying to get you out of the Christian discipline mode and into relationship mode?

Confession:
A lifestyle of confessing is key to our growth. I’m not just talking about confessing your sins, but also confessing your faith! Through confession we are to experience the love of the Father. The same way Jesus experienced the love of His Father at His baptism. When was the last time you experienced the love of the Father through the confession of your sin or your faith? If it hasn’t been recently, I pray you put a side everything and start confessing. Not out of duty, but from a posture of desiring relationship.

Transparency:
Our children are in need of better leaders to look up to. Leaders that walk with integrity, honesty and transparency. Meaning they let the light of God shine out of them as much as they let it shine in them. There is nothing that won’t be exposed, all things will be revealed. It’s time as men to start being more transparent in our relationship with God. He sees all things already so it’s not like we would be confessing anything new. A life that is lived in transparency empowers the generation that is looking to become more rather then less. It’s time to get the Windex out and do some cleaning up – inside and out.

Accountability:
You’ve heard all the bad four letter words, but when did a 14 letter word become so bad? As transparency empowers a generation, accountability empowers an individual. We can only be held to the standard by which we chose to live, no matter what anyone else wants. In the end the choice is ours. As men it’s time to rise up and start changing the standards that we’ve settled for in our relationship with God. Just knowing about Him isn’t enough. There is so much more for each of us, but it does require us standing up and taking responsibility for our lives.

Enabled and Empowered:
Our purpose as born again believers is to disciple the nations. We have been enabled and empowered by the Holy Spirit to fulfill this commandment. The nations are in need of men and women who will bring the confession of Jesus Christ into the marketplace with signs and wonders, while living a life of transparency and accountability so that others will rise up and walk in the love and power of Jesus Christ long after we have passed away.

Remember Who You Are!

2009-09-12T09:18:00.000-07:00

September 9, 2009

Remember Who You Are!

Ps 119:24 Your testimonies also are my delight, and my counselors. NKJV

On my office wall I have a piece of paper with a few sayings on it. One reads, “If you want to see what you’ve never seen, you’ve got to do what you’ve never done.” When I read this I am reminded of a time in Hawaii when we were hosting Ed Silvoso for a city transformation conference and he made this very brief and almost simple statement in his teaching. It wasn’t as if it was the focal point of the talk or even the tag line to the point he was addressing, it was a phrase that he sputtered out. Yet, it hit me and did something inside my spirit. I can’t even remember what the message was about that night. I seized that saying and allowed the Holy Spirit to open up my eyes to some profound truths regarding my destiny.

The other little note I have on that piece of paper reads, “Remember who you are!” I find myself reflecting back on a number of occasions when the Holy Spirit spoke to me concerning my calling and purpose. These insights have come in various manners; some by people who speak prophetically into my life, other times being alone in prayer and the whisper of the Lord reveals my calling. I’ve had times when in the most unlikely and obscure moments, the Lord will choose to speak to me who I am in Christ.

Why do I keep these quotes in front of me, taped to my wall? They fill me with joy and delight. They are testimonies of who God is and who I am in Him. They remind and counsel me in the area of who I am and what my calling is. This past Sunday we had an incredible time of worship and impartation. I want to encourage you to rise up and seize what the Lord revealed to you. Write it down, post it in front of you, and surround yourself with it for the next few weeks so that it settles into your soul and becomes a source of joy and counsel.

We are going to see things we’ve never seen before, because we are doing things we’ve never done before!

Remembering who I am!

Jeph Chavez

MiniChurch

2009-09-03T18:46:00.001-07:00

August 28, 2009

MiniChurch

Hey Hope Chapel Lewiston,

Gosh, where did the week go? It's Thursday (or it was when I wrote this) and I just left St. Joe's Hospital where we had to admit our daughter Selah on Wednesday because of an appendicitis. All is well, she'll be there till Friday. She is so strong and has an amazing tolerance for pain, much better than her daddy.

This whole whirlwind of events does bring me back to the importance of our Sunday topic: MiniChurch. The heart that is driving MiniChurch is that we are allowing our lives to come together so that we can build relationships with one another so that in the midst of the good and the bad we stand together.

Jesus taught His disciples how to carry the Kingdom of Heaven in such a way that multiplication and expansion of the Kingdom of Heaven would happen after His ascension. We can see what Jesus taught His disciples by looking at what they taught others. In Acts 2:42--47 we find 8 Kingdom principles for Heavens advancement in our communities: apostolic teaching, fellowship, communion, prayer, miracles, giving, praise and favor. Each of these truths are necessary to bringing forth the glory of God. As you read this passage and discover these principles, you'll notice that they not only gathered in the temple (equivalent to our Sunday gatherings) but also from house to house (MiniChurch).

Some of these Kingdom principles are carried out when we can get together on Sunday, but the others require our willingness to gather in houses through out our community where we can build a covenant relationship with Jesus and each other. These relationships are vital in the midst of troubling times and events. It is a joy and a comfort to know that a quick call or text can set you up with the strength and peace to know everything is going to be alright. If you are looking for this connect in your life then MiniChurch is one of the answers you’ve been looking for.

Begin to prepare your heart to get involved with a MiniChurch by welcoming the Holy Spirit to invade, expand, and overfill your heart. We’ll see you on Sunday and continue to connect you into the family of Hope Chapel Lewiston!

Resting in His strength,
Jeph Chavez
Hope Chapel Lewiston

Servant Of God

2009-07-20T15:59:00.000-07:00

July 20

Servant Of God

Ehud Garcia taught on Sunday on the Obadiah Verses. Obadiah means, "Servant of Yahweh" or "Servant of the Lord". As we surrender to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, there is a transformation that occurs - we should live a life of holiness. Paul urges in Ephesians 4:1 and Ephesians 5:1 to be imitators of God and to live a life of holiness and one that is worthy of the calling because Christ has poured into us. The life of holiness takes on the character of:
*being faithful
*courageous
*a life of prayer
*being a good example
*our minds under the Lordship of Christ
*walking in peace
*delighting to do the will of God
*being found Holy before the Lord
*being found humble before God and the Church
*walking in obedience
*receiving power and love to serve in ministry
*finding deliverance from temptations
*receiving the crown of righteousness for our faithfulness,
*and walking in the assurance that God is faithful in everything.

Often as Christians, because of our half surrendered life, we are hypocrites to the world. Let us walk in a manner that makes the world around us hungry for the things of God. Take time this week to allow the Holy Spirit to speak to areas of your life that are not fully surrendered to Him so that you can walk in God's full inheritance.
"Faith is not jumping into the dark, but jumping into the hands of God." - Ehud Garcia

A Message From Vanessa

2009-07-01T20:50:00.000-07:00

Week 25-July 1, 2009

A message from Vanessa

I'm back...Vanessa here and excited to grace you with my presence! HA! HA! All right, let's get to it.

Sunday service sure blessed our God as much as it did me!As the sound waves of praise emanating off the walls of the lion (hotel), an invitation was given with much hospitality, which gave our Helper and Friend (Holy Spirit) the acknowledgment He deserves.

Holy spirit, I pray for a willingness and excitement to have You in our lives and as we give You permission to dwell in us, we commit to You our heart, mind, body, and souls.

My precious sisters and brothers, it has been time to advance into the promise land, so without hesitation I say, "Go", taking our Friend and Helper with you. Remember to value those around you, seeing the hidden potential and treasure that they are.
"For the Kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field......" Matt. 13:44.So cheerfully GO, glorifying Your father, living abundantly and enjoying all that He has for you!

Smile and do it on purpose!

Vanessa Netzloff (or usually known as Jonathan's wife!)

The Heart Of The Father

2009-06-22T17:53:00.001-07:00

Week 24 June 22, 2009

The Heart Of The Father

On Sunday Jeph taught from John 17 in which Jesus prays for us that we would walk in His True Unity; with His Name, His Word and His Glory. Because of this powerful prayer, it allows us to speak a vision and destiny in our lives, in our community and in the nations.
The Heart of the Father is for us to also have unity within family units. His heart is to restore the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the children to their fathers. (Malachi 4:6)
Take time this week to allow the Holy Spirt to speak to you if there is any unforgiveness towards your earthly father that hinders the relationship with your Heavenly Father.

Hope in You!

2009-06-16T16:29:00.000-07:00

June 16, 2009
Jaclyn Chavez sharing with you this week.

Hello Beloved family of Hope Chapel! I pray you are having a wonderful week filled with great joy in Christ.

This past Sunday, Jeph encouraged us to remember that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever as declared in Hebrews 13:8. This leaves us with great Hope and Anticipation to see what the Lord wants to do through our entire lives…past, present, and future. The amazing thing about God is that no matter where we are in our walk with Him, and no matter where we have been, when we surrender it all to Him, He makes all things new and works them together for our good and His glory (Rom 8:28)! The key to this great exchange and transformation is to surrender all things to the Lord, repent of our sin, and choose to allow the character of Christ to be produced in us.

Jeph has been challenging us to allow the Hope of Christ fill us so that WE can bring the Hope of Christ to our communities, and then you guessed it….Hope to the NATIONS!!! That may seem overwhelming, but thank goodness it’s not just Jeph saying we can do this. Jesus Himself anointed us and called us to this great commission and He never asks us to do something He hasn’t already equipped us to do! Just look at Acts 1:8 (amplified Bible), Jesus tells us, “But you shall receive power (ability, efficiency, and might) when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be My witnesses in Jerusalem and all Judea and Samaria and to the ends (the very bounds) of the earth”. Wow! Okay God, I guess we can do this, right!!!

I would just like to leave you with this one thought the Holy Spirit had me ponder this last week. He asked me which of His gifts do I feel most comfortable ministering in. (I knew this was going somewhere like repentance or something). I half smiled and told Him a couple of the gifts, and graciously with a smile He asked, “Why aren’t you eagerly desiring the rest I have for you?” Huh, I love when He does that. He lead me to 1 Corinthians 14:1 where Paul tells us to “eagerly pursue, earnestly desire, and cultivate” the spiritual gifts given to us by the Holy Spirit. These gifts include a message of wisdom, a word of knowledge and understanding, faith, extraordinary powers of healing, working of miracles, prophetic insight, the ability to discern and distinguish between spirits, speaking in various kinds of tongues, and the ability to interpret tongues (1 Corinthians 12:8-11). These are our very tools He has given us to reach our communities and the nations. Let us eagerly pursue the Lord in all He has for us. May we earnestly desire all of the Holy Spirit, not just bits and pieces, and may we allow Him to cultivate and develop these powerful gifts in us so that we can allow the Hope of Christ to be poured out of us into the communities so that our nations receive the Good News of the Gospel of Christ Jesus!

Earnestly desiring more of Him,
Jaclyn Chavez

Growing To Love One Another

2009-06-03T20:25:00.000-07:00

Week 22: June 3rd 2009

Growing To Love One Another

In our current series called “Growing to Love One Another” we are dealing with the spirit of Jezebel and its partner Ahab. This pair of demonic spirits have been allowed to settle in our culture, both within the church and within our society. As the Church we must begin to rise up in our passion to no longer tolerate the nature and character of these spirits. As we begin to draw near to the Lord and He draws near to us, we can identify the tactics of the enemy and resist him. This results is an increase in our love for one another and authority over the nations.

Jesus promised us in Rev 2:18-26 that if we would overcome the spirit of Jezebel, He would give us authority over the nations. I’m ready to start seeing some things change in the area of tolerance so that we can exercise some authority and watch the Kingdom of God expand through the ministry of loving one another! Below are some characteristics of these two spirits that we each need to take the time understand and deal with. Remember, we are talking about a ruling principality that has settled as way of thinking. If you identify any of these thoughts and actions in your life that have been tolerated, simply confess the sin, repent and forsake that way of thinking and acting. Choose to walk in the Spirit of God!

The spirit of Jezebel and the enabler Ahab (one who has surrendered their authority) are dividing spirits who move through fear, witchcraft, confusion, careless speech, criticism, manipulation, control and visionary discrepancies. These spirits use obsessive sensuality, witchcraft, rebellion, hatred for authority, man-hating, un-submitted, power-hungry, idolatry, domineering, controlling, murmuring, independence and whispering campaigns as its tactics for control and influence. Take these areas personally before taking them on in any other areas (i.e. neighbors, community, state, nation). Now that you have bound the spirit of Jezebel and its partner Ahab (the enabler) loose the Holy Spirit and the gifts of the Spirit.

Now go and exercise that gift of authority you’ve been given by healing the sick, raising the dead, casting out demons and cleansing the lepers in the love of Jesus Christ!

Love and Blessings, Jeph Chavez

Growing To Love One Another

2009-05-25T22:11:00.000-07:00

Week 21: May 25, 2009

Growing To Love One Another

Jeph has been teaching about the Lord giving us sounds and new assignments. This may be exciting to some and uncomfortable for others, but rest in knowing that if we are of noble character, 2 Timothy tells us we are made holy, useful and prepared to do any good work.

2 Timothy 2:20-22 (New International Version)
20In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble. 21If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.

Thinking about what new assignment the Lord may be calling you into, I would like to ask you a couple of questions:
1. What is your passion? What do you really get excited about?
2. How do people know you are excited about this?

Keep listening for the sound the Lord may be giving you to break any hold the enemy may have on you from stepping out in faith into the new assignment He's preparing for you. It could be something you are very passionate about or you could have passions you don't even know about yet!
God Bless you!

Linda

Growing To Love One Another

2009-05-19T13:54:00.000-07:00

Week 20: May 19, 2009

Growing To Love One Another

On Sunday Pastor Jeph spoke from 1 Kings 16-2 Kings 9; telling the story of King Jehu, Elijah, Elisha, Ahab and Jezebel. From these scriptures we can glean how we all play a part in building up the Body of Christ to defeat the enemy.
Pastor Jeph also read a word from Chuck Pierce about God releasing a new anointing for a new assignment. Take time to listen to what God is saying. Be ready to receive a new sound that will cause the enemy to retreat. The full article can be read on the Elijah List at http://www.elijahlist.com/words/display_word/7628
We all have a part in building each other up and meeting each other's needs. Blessed is the one who gives! Have a great week ministering to others and spending time with the Lord!
God Bless You!
Marne

Intimacy With The Lord

2009-05-12T15:38:00.000-07:00

Week 19: May 13, 2009

Intimacy with the Lord

When I received the assignment to write this week's Connection Point, I quickly realized I didn?t know where to start are what to write. I did realize that I needed the favor of God for today?s assignment on my life.

I needed extraordinary and uncommon favor with the King. He invited me to enter into the inner chambers of the palace, to meet with Him in this secret place face to face. We were created to be in fellowship with our Lord through worship, praise and His living Word. The favor of God comes through intimacy with God and the level of our favor is related to the level of our worship in that intimate lifestyle.

God calls us to do all manner of things which we may have no clue how to accomplish. The call drives us to the inner chamber to meet with God and seek His wisdom, discernment and favor. We need to realize His call and desire this fellowship and soak in the blessing of being with Him. Our highest priority is worshiping God. Worship comes from the heart. What does your heart look like? The heart is like a home having many rooms. What are the rooms in your heart filled with? Are they filled with STUFF; the things of life? Is there room in our hearts for Jesus? Does His brightness out shine the sparkle of the world? What ever the STUFF is, we need to clear the STUFF so God can give us the passion for His presence.

Responsibility comes with relationship. What does God like and what doesn?t He like? What pleases Him? We must spend time with Him through His Word, in prayer, and minister to Him through worship. The scripture says to meditate on the Lord in the night watches, for He is our help, therefore, in the shadow of Thy wings will we rejoice.

This past Sunday was Mother?s Day. It was a time to reflect on and honor relationships. Everyday is a day to pursue intimacy with the Lord. In Matt. 15:8 the Lord speaks of those who honored God with their lips but their hearts were far from Him. The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon Him, to all that call upon Him in truth. Ps. 145:18

I pray that you will experience intimacy with God this week as you reflect on His presence in the rooms of your heart.

Woody

A Warrior I Will Be

2009-05-05T14:35:00.000-07:00

May 5, 2009

Hello my beautiful, beautiful sisters and brothers. I, Vanessa, have been blessed to write the Connection Point this week. With great excitement, a little nervousness, and many bathroom breaks, the Lord and I came up with a twist to the way the Connection Point usually brings encouragement to you. Enjoy!

~A Warrior I Will Be~

As I wait for Your word to come forth with great expectation,
my shield I grasp tight with one palm of my hand.
Then quickly allowing my memories to retell with much pride
the day my heart became Yours
and only then do I know my helmet is well secure.
Suddenly there is a sense of looseness around my chest and waist.
I observe my heart and with a little reconstruction
I find my belt and breastplate well fastened.
Then to my surprise I find myself face to face with the enemy around me.
To avoid any fear, I utter your words, drawing my sword,
knowing I won't be easily swayed.
Now I am advancing one step at a time, one foot in front of the other,
leaving behind only Your Good News.
For You are my armor, my protection,
and with You well fastened around me, a warrior I will be.
~Vanessa Netzloff

I thank God that the Joy of the Lord is my strength, and what could bring more joy than knowing God is our protection, and in Him is perfect love that cast out all our fears. With that hope in mind, allow the warrior inside of you to rise up with fearlessness this week. Be aware of the enemy around you, but remember the God within you. Go in praise and sincere intercession using them as weapons warring for what is God's, not in your own strength, but by His Spirit for our government, families, businesses, religion, education, arts and entertainment, and media to glorify our God.

Be Blessed, Smile, and Do it all on purpose,

Vanessa Netzloff

Scriptures to meditate on:

2 COR 10
4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, 6 and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.

EPH 6
10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; 18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints— 19 and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

In the midst of the Glory!

2009-05-02T09:09:00.000-07:00

Week 17: April 29, 2009

Into the midst of the Glory!

Wow! We are so close to finishing well. These are the last two scripture readings of our Pouring it out! 40 Days of Fasting and Prayer journey.

April 29 - Day 39: Exodus 24:17-18: The sight of the glory of the Lord was like a consuming fire on top of the mountain in the eyes of the children of Israel. So Moses went up into the midst of the cloud and went up into the mountain. And Moses was on the mountain forty days and forty nights.

April 30 - Day 40: John 11:40: Jesus said to her (Martha), “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?”

They speak about the Glory of God. Something that you and I have complete access to. Yet as Ginny Seymour shared with us this weekend, the model for encountering the Glory is no longer like that of Moses where we stand at a distance and then send our leader into the cloud to speak and go before the Lord on behalf of all us. No, Jesus is our leader and through Him we are each called to come before the Lord in boldness and enter into the midst of His Glory.

The challenge for us is this: do we believe we can see and experience the Glory of God? Jesus said it very simply yet profoundly – “if you believe you will see the glory of God.” This time of fasting and prayer has been about denying our flesh so that our eyes may see His Glory! It’s been about building our faith through persevere and discipline.

Even though we may be coming to the end of this time of fasting and praying, our pursuit to see His Glory is not over. We must continue to persevere to keep our eyes on Him, allowing revelation, impartation and activation to be a part of our daily lives. Stop and thank the Lord for all you have learned and experienced over these past few weeks. Don’t get caught up on the stumbling blocks, but see the Lord’s hand in the midst of the journey. His mercy and grace are overwhelming. Let Him flood you with His peace and joy as you enter into His Glory.

Love and Blessings,
Jeph Chavez
Hope Chapel Lewiston

Prayer prepares the soul!

2009-04-22T13:09:00.001-07:00

Week 16: April 22, 2009
Prayer prepares the soul!

A mid-1900’s preacher by the name of Leonard Ravenhill once said, “Revival delays because prayer decays.”

In our study of Isaiah 6:1-8 on Sunday, we read of Isaiah's experience in the throne room of heaven. As Isaiah took in the heavenly realm of God’s holiness and received the fiery coal from the seraphim, God was preparing to deposit a purpose in Isaiah that he’d been crying out for while in his prayer closest before he ever encountered the Lord. God knew the condition of Isaiah’s heart because his prayer life had exposed his soul in such a way that God could reveal Himself to impart a message of revival for the nation of Israel.

In the splendor of God’s glory Isaiah did not hesitate to rise up and say, “here I am, send me." Isaiah heard and saw his opportunity to fulfill the cry of his own intercession. The longing in his heart leaped to seize with great passion the offer of God Almighty that he had been crying out for. Isaiah received the call to bring revival to His nation because he had prepared his soul through prayer and intercession.

Take time this week and evaluate your prayer life. Let your prayers begin to speak of a desire to bring change to the world around you. Hear the voice of the Lord saying to you, “whom shall I send, who will go for Us?” and respond with great passion and faith, “here am I, send me, I will go!” Let us become the generation that brings forth revival through a prayer life filled with faith, hope and love. Amen.

Finishing our fast strong,
Jeph Chavez
Hope Chapel Lewiston

Enjoy the Journey!

2009-04-22T12:16:00.000-07:00

Week 15: April 15, 2009
Pouring it out! 40 Days of Fasting and Prayer

Ps 119:11 – “Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against you.”NKJV

When my kids were really little and full of curiosity, a walk to the park was a favorite outing. All Jaclyn would have to say is, “Let’s go to the park” and excitement filled the faces of our 3 kids. We wouldn’t be out the door more than 50 feet before one of them had found a gecko, bringing the journey to a halt. I’d stand there and say, “Great, a gecko. Let’s keep going. Remember we’re headed to the park.” So we’d go another 50 feet and find a rock! “Okay, it’s just a rock. Remember the park, it’s waiting for us.” This journey of getting to the park, which was suppose to be a five minute walk, turned into a 30 minute discovery journey of every little bug, rock, and leaf. By the time we reached the park, I didn’t even want to stay. I was ready to go home. In my effort to avoid a 30 minute walk back, I’d pick them up and run home – giving NO opportunity to stop. Arriving home, Jaclyn in her sweet gentle voice would remind me, “the journey is part of the adventure. The park is just a destination. Enjoy the journey Jeph!” It took a little while for me to understand that. All I saw was getting to the park, who cared about the journey. Let’s get to the destination!

Today I’ve gotten better, not only with taking my kids to the park, but also with learning to walk with the Lord. There is a balance between enjoying the journey, but also reaching the destination. Too much rushing may cause us to miss the opportunity to discover truths about ourselves and others, just as too much stopping and examining can cause us to forget about the destination.

By placing the Word of God in our heart, we are making sure that we keep balance in our lives. Take time this week to make sure that in your journey of fasting and prayer, that you are not only allowing the Holy Spirit to stop you and reveal truth, but also heeding His encouragement to get up and keep going!

Discovering the joy in the journey,
Jeph Chavez
Hope Chapel Lewiston

Walking humbly with God

2009-04-08T19:26:00.000-07:00

Week 14: April 8, 2009

Walking Humbly with God:

In an effort to encourage you to stay strong in our journey of Pouring it out! 40 Days of Fasting and Prayer let me share with you a few testimonies that have come my way.

I have heard of individuals who have never fasted before discovering the joy of setting aside a meal to just spend time with the Lord in reading and praising. The result has been an outpouring of life and joy like they have never known before in all their years of walking with the Lord. Others are testifying of breakthrough and answers to prayers they have been praying for years. Years of depression and anger are dissolving in the presence of God. People are testifying to increased dream activity and visitations of His Spirit. Others are discovering the strength of the Lord to get them through the fast; when everything in them is saying quit, the Spirit of God is saying, "just keep going, I’m with you." God is revealing His heart for the land, so that our hearts would be like His. One testimony that excites me has been about increased revenues for businesses in our Main St. area. These businesses aren’t fasting, but because we are fasting and praying they are being blessed. Awesome!

Stop and thank the Lord! Rise up and seize these testimonies and see that Jesus is pouring out His Spirit upon us and this region! Thank-you Father! Thank-you Jesus! Thank-you Holy Spirit! We love you! AMEN

Now, what about those of us who have yet to find our breakthrough or have an encounter like we had hoped. Don’t lose heart! Keep your eyes on eternity and not the temporary, momentary situations (2 Cor 4:16-18). We are only 18 days into our journey and the Lord may be doing things at a level we are not aware of. Our posture must remain humble, open and expectant. The prophet Daniel is a great example of one who remained humble and then received his answer. Go and read Daniel 10 and be encouraged.

Here is a simple pattern that God reveals to us through the prophet Micah that I hope will challenge you and cause you to rise up and stand strong this week. Mic 6:8: “He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God? NKJV

Add this to your fast: 1) Do justly, 2) Love mercy 3) Walk humbly with your God!

Blessing,
Jeph Chavez
Hope Chapel Lewiston

Riches, Honor, and Life!

2009-04-02T12:06:00.000-07:00

Week 13: April 1, 2009

Riches, Honor, and Life!

Our scripture reading for Wednesday, April 1 is Proverbs 22:7: The reward for humility and fear of the Lord is riches and honor and life. ESV

Wow, what a weekend of riches, honor and life we just experienced! A marriage seminar, a packed house on Sunday morning and Sunday night, along with a sold out Passover Seder. If you missed this past weekend I want to strongly encourage you to get your hands on the marriage seminar and the Sunday morning teaching (go here). Our guests, Myles and Katharine Weiss, brought such a confirmation to our ministry and the transformational work we have been called to here at Hope Chapel Lewiston.

I believe it was God’s timing to hear about covenant relationship from Myles Weiss in the midst of our journey: Pouring it out! 40 Days of Fasting and Prayer. I hope you are discovering that as you pour out, God is also pouring Himself out all over you and this Valley because He’s attracted to HUNGRY people. Our reward for this journey is not that we receive any glory, but the Father receives it all. In the midst of this place of riches, honor and life don’t lose sight of the humility and the Fear of the Lord that got us here.

As a word of encouragement to keep pouring it out, here is a great quote by Bill Johnson of Bethel Church in Redding, California: “In the world you get hungry by starving yourself, but in the Kingdom of Heaven hunger increases by FEASTING upon the Word of God.” I pray and trust that you are discovering this to be true in your life during this journey.

Blessings,
Jeph Chavez
Hope Chapel Lewiston

One Thing

2009-03-19T09:46:00.000-07:00

Week 11, March 19, 2009

I love this quote from Andrew Murray’s book Waiting on God:

“All that the Church and its members need for the manifestation of the mighty power of God in the world is the return to our true place, the place that belongs to us, both in creation and redemption, the place of absolute and unceasing dependency upon God” (pg. 11).

As we examine this quote, the words of Jesus in Luke 10:38-42 come to mind. This is where we find Jesus in the home of Martha and Mary. Most of know that Martha was busy serving the King while Mary was busy listening to the King, much to the frustration of her sister. Watch what Jesus says to Martha’s request to get Mary moving: “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her." NKJV

Notice Jesus’ statement: “But one thing is needed.” Mary chose what was most important. I don’t believe Jesus was saying to not serve Him when He responded to Martha. But I do believe He was addressing a familiar pattern that most of the Church has taken on today: love-less, fear driven works.

It is so easy to be distracted with the work of the Kingdom that we forget the “one thing” that Jesus desires: Sit and listen. There is a time to serve and a time to sit – “Mary has chosen that good part.” Both parts, serving and listening are necessary. But when serving leads to frustration and jealousy, a heart check is in order and a return to that place of absolute and unceasing dependency upon God is due.

Stop this week and make sure your heart is set on the things above. Make the move to that place of sitting at His feet and listening, the place of unceasing dependency upon God for all things – large and small, so then you can move into the service that produces eternal fruit.

Blessings,
Jeph Chavez

40 Days of Fasting and Praying

2009-03-10T17:32:00.000-07:00

40 Day Fast & Prayer Commitment: March 22nd – April 30th 2009

Why is Hope Chapel fasting and praying for 40 Days?
We are looking for revelation and spiritual breakthrough in our lives and in our community, especially the Liberty Theater and the Downtown corridor. As we set aside our time to fast and pray we are expecting the Holy Spirit to speak to us and lead us into the transformational work of His Kingdom.

If Hope Chapel is fasting and praying for 40 days, do I need to fast for 40 days?
No, but in our 40 day commitment you are being encouraged to ask the Lord how you should engage during this time of fasting and prayer. You may find that you don’t miss any meals, but that you set aside time to do things that you’ve never done before. It’s not about food, but about our heart and obedience to the Lord. Be sure to listen to our Sunday, March 8th fasting teaching as well as our upcoming series on fasting and praying (if you would like a copy of the teaching, email us at hcl@hopechapellewiston.com).

I’ve never fasted before, how do I begin?
We will specifically answer this question Sunday, March 22; the first day of our fast. Be sure to attend church that Sunday! Below is a great link to a website by the Campus Crusade for Christ International founder Dr. Bill Bright. He details many different aspects of fasting – and he stresses wisdom. Don’t substitute wisdom for pride and stupidity! Fasting is not about gaining a badge of honor, but a more intimate relationship with God. Check out the website and be prepared to discover a powerful and joyful experience with God through fasting! http://www.ccci.org/growth/growing-closer-to-god/how-to-fast/index.aspx

What is a fast?
Fasting is a spiritual discipline of self denial; a Biblical foundation for denying one’s self in order to seek and know God in a deeper and more experiential way. It may involve abstaining from food or certain activities, but they must be replaced with a greater pursuit of God and His desires.

Why do we fast?
Fasting is done in order to attain greater revelation from God regarding specific desires and answers to various situations in our lives. It may be done to receive direction (Ex 34:27-28), insight (Acts 13:1-3), power (Lk 4:1-5), for mourning (Esther 4:1-3 ), freedom/repentance (Dan 9:1-19) as well as to set the captives free, break chains, and remove yokes (Isa 58:6). These are just a few examples.

What’s the benefit of fasting?
All true and sincere fasting should draw us closer to the Lord. Isaiah chapter 58 reveals how insincere fasting is done for nothing (produces nothing??) and how a true fast holds great power. The Lord sees our hearts and knows its motives. Read Isaiah 58 and let the Word of God reveal your heart.

What do I fast from?
Ask the Lord. Remember, fasting involves refraining from the desires of your flesh so that you may know God better. It’s supposed to be a sacrifice. By choosing to deny your flesh of physical food, you are saying I want to live on spiritual food – “man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds from the father’s mouth” (Mt 4:4, Deut 8:3).

How long do I fast for?
You may choose to only fast for one meal a day or from all meals. It may last for a day or up to 40 days (consult your doctor as well as the Lord for long fasts). Remember, it’s not about food, but about your heart! The desired result is found not necessarily in a specific time frame but in a heart after the Father. If you ask, expect Him to answer.

Geting Connected!

2009-03-07T13:53:00.000-08:00

Get Connected to Hope Chapel Lewiston.

Every week Pastor Jeph sends out a quick note that builds upon the weekend message and challenges you to engage the Word in your daily lives.

Now you can add your comments to the Connection Points - and ask the questions that others are either asking are holding the answers for.

Signup to receive this weekly email by contacting us at hcl@hopechapellewiston.com.

Beholding is Becoming

2009-03-05T15:59:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago I shared with you the purpose of our lives is to be more than Sunday church goers, but to be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. As we gaze upon our High Priest Jesus Christ we become like Him which the Apostle Paul addresses this principle in 2 Corinthians 3:18, “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.” NKJV

As you and I gaze upon our Lord and Savior there is suppose to be a change and exchange taking place. That which I see in Him should thus be seen in me. I recognize what is not of Him and I remove it. I recognize what I am missing and I add it to me through His provision. The process is: I am transformed from glory to glory, faith to faith, and strength to strength in the revelation of His fullness.

This principle is so profound that we will literally become whatever it is we behold. Meaning, whatever we fix our gaze upon we will ultimately become. If we behold jealousy we will become jealous. If we behold gossip and slander we will become gossipers and slanderers. I think you get the picture.

The royal priesthood and holy nation that Jesus Christ gave His life for was based on this principle: beholding is becoming. We must behold Him in order to become like him.
A great way to evaluate what you’ve been beholding is to look at what you’ve become. Have you become the bitter, jealous, angry, depressed individual that you said you would never be? Or are you the person of peace, joy, love, and faith that Christ Himself is? Where ever you are at, it’s never too late to change and exchange. It’s a daily engagement with the mirror of righteousness. You just have to fix your eyes on the High Priest Jesus Christ. How? Read and obey the Bible, praise, pray without ceasing, not grieve or quench the Holy Spirit and get around people who are truly reflecting the glory of the Lord.

Beholding my High Priest,
Jeph Chavez