Remembering who I am!

Who am I? That's a very important question!

I am a Pentecostal! What's a Pentecostal?

Wikipedia describes a pentecostal as "A Pentecostal is an individual who is a Christian that places special emphasis on the direct personal experience of God through the baptism of the Holy Spirit with Speaking in Tongues (italics words added by blogger). The term Pentecostal is derived from the feast of Pentecost which commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the followers of Jesus Christ as described in the Book of Acts, Chapter 2."

Wikipedia goes on to say that:

"Pentecostalism is an umbrella term which includes a wide range of different theological and organizational perspectives. As a result, there is no central organization or church which directs the movement. Most Pentecostals consider themselves part of broader Christian groups. Pentecostalism is also theologically and historically close to the charismatic movement as the latter was influenced by the Pentecostal movement, and some Pentecostals use the two terms interchangeably."

But I am more than a Charismatic! I am a Oneness Pentecostal! What is that?

Oneness Pentecostals hold to a conservative monotheistic view of God and stress Jesus Christ as the self revelation of God in the New Testament, who was known as Jehovah in the Old Testament. The Christian Monotheist Oneness doctrine rejects all concepts of a duality, trinity, pantheon, or other doctrines they see as representing multiple personalities of God. It rejects all concepts of Jesus Christ as anything different than being both fully God and fully man.

But I am more than that! I am an Apostolic Oneness Pentecostal! What is apostolic?

Something that relates to the twelve apostles of Jesus!

My belief is to use the twelve apostles as a model of what a disciple of Jesus should believe and live since they were the individuals who Jesus discipled [Paul is also included in this group since he is an apostles born out of due time (1 Corinthians 15:8)]! They recorded the teachings and the events in the Life of Jesus. Christianity uses these records as the foundational guiding truths to their beliefs (The New Testament)!

What did the apostles believe and live?

They experienced the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues (Acts 1:12-15; 2:1-4; 10:44-46; 19:1-7)

They baptized in water in the name of Jesus (Acts 2:38; 8:14-16; 10:47-48; 19:1-6)

They taught that personal salvation was to be followed by holy living (Ephesians. 2:1-22; II Corinithians 6:14-7:1; I Corinthians 11:1-16; I Timothy 2:8-15; Deuteronomy 22:5; I Peter 3:1-6; Titus 2:11-12; I Timothy 4:12-16)

They taught the oneness of God (John 1:1-4; II Corinthians 5:19; II Timothy 3:16; John 8:24, 58; Mark 12:28-34)

But the one belief that I am been thinking about a lot lately is: They believed that Jesus would come back and that it could happen at any time!

Matthew 24:42 -45

42Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. 43But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. 44Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh. (KJV)

This belief is a powerful belief that can change everything in your life if you believe it and remember it! Relationships will improve if you remember this! How you might ask? Relationships are often strained by hearts that are full of unrepented actions and/or attitudes. These actions or attitudes are sin! Sin will keep us from going with Jesus when He comes back! When we remember that He is coming back and it could happen at any moment, it will cause us to humble ourselves and repent of any and all wrong doings!

This belief will assist us in not just making wrongs from the past right but to help us monitor our present day words, actions and thoughts! You will have a desire to protect your heart and mind by limiting what comes in our eyes and ears. Repentance will be on your lips at all times! Holy living will be your goal!

Believing that He could come at any moment will create an attitude of prayerfulness! Your prayer life will immediately improve! Prayer will be the first thing on your lips in the morning and the last thing at night! Prayer will be on your lips breathed under your breath when you are in a crowd!

Your mind and heart will crave His word! Your Bible will become the most read book in your house!

You will desire to attend and participate in the Worship services of your church! It will not be work to get ready to go! You will anticipate every gathering! Your tongue will sing His praises!

Serving others will become your purpose! The thought that Jesus is Coming will be a motivator for you to reach others! Fear will leave you as you realize this might be the last opportunity for your friend to hear that Jesus is coming! You will begin to speak with a confidence that you've never had before!

In my life one man stands out above the rest of an individual who consistently spoke about the Lord coming! He was not a preacher! He was a ditch digger! His name was T.R. McDonald! Every time you would see him he would ask you the question: Do you believe He's coming? The majority of time I answered yes! I would say it with all the excitement I could generate but as soon as I was out of his presence it seemed I would forget this truth! As I think about it today, I see that he was just trying to get everyone to live a life that would be powerful and passionate about the Lord! He did believe it, he lived it and he spoke it! Now it is my turn to believe it, live it and speak it!

In my life I want to constantly remember that Jesus is coming at any moment! Let that be priority in my life! Let that thought drive my every daily action!

Yes, I am Pentecostal but more than that, I am Oneness Pentecostal, but more than that, I am an Apostolic Oneness Pentecostal but more than that, I am a Apostolic Oneness Pentecostal who is living as if Jesus is coming in the next minute!

The Solution for Your Worry of Today's Economy!

Today started out with a bang! My wife and I usually start our day with prayer at the church in the early morning hours. On Thursday's and Friday's we are joined by a wonderful young lady of our congregation, Stacy! Today, I was doing some reading and my wife went to the church a few minutes earlier than I. It was about 5:20 AM and my phone rang. It was my wife! She had entered the church through the office door and had went to the front door to meet Stacy, who was off today, to open the front glass door for her of the church. A man was lying at the outside door under the church porch coving! He looked like he was asleep but was not moving! She immediately called me wondering how far I was from the church! She was scared! Stacy would arrive at any time! Would Stacey see him lying there and stay in her car or would she not see him and come to the door? How could she warn her?

I had already placed my reading materials in my backpack and was getting dressed before the phone rang but I was worried if I could get there in enough time. I called "911" to have an officer get there ASAP! We didn't know if the man was dead or just sleeping! I jammed to the church an arrived at the same time as the officer! Stacey's car was there but empty! The ladies were alright! They were in my wife's car waiting for me! My wife at slipped out the office door and met Stacey when she drove up! Stacey had justed in the car and was safe!

I met the officer and apologized!The man was still lying at the door! It had been raining heavily and the "homeless" man had just wanted some shelter from the rain! The officer thought it was best to awaken him and check him out! He was fine! And everyone was safe!

As I started to pray, I began to thank God for His goodness! Our service the night before was a Thanksgiving Service to God for His goodness! Later today I would be leaving to spend Thanksgiving with special friends! I had so much to be thankful for!

Yet I thought as I prayed "Could I be content with the necessities of Life?" I had a warm bed to lie on, not a cold hard cement mattress! I had a roof to shelter me from the rain on a stormy night! I hadn't had to look for shelter, I already possessed it! I had food to eat and clothing to wear! Why should I be worrying about the economy? I couldn't change it, but I could change if I would have the necessities of Life! How could I make sure I would have my needs meet?

I remembered the words of Jesus:

Matthew 6:25-34
25“That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? 26Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? 27Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? 28“And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, 29yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. 30And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?

31“So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ 32These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs.

33Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.

34“So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today. (NLT)

My needs (Shelter, food and clothing) would be met because I am seeking His Kingdom above all else! I want his will not mine! I live and breathe His Spirit, His Word and His Way! He'll take care of me!

Today the report came out that the US consumer confidence is at a 28 year low! Here are some quotes:

"U.S. consumer confidence fell to a 28-year low in November as mounting job losses, falling incomes and tumbling household wealth battered sentiment, a survey showed on Wednesday."

"Consumer confidence fell in the last half of November due to mounting job losses, falling incomes and the evaporation of household wealth," the report said."

"Consumers were unanimous in their recognition that the economy was in recession, and nearly three-in-four expected the recession to deepen in the months ahead." (Here's the link: www.reuters.com/article/marketsNews/idUSN2635956920081126)

These actions of Americans fulfill the prophecy of the Lord: These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers (See above)!!!!!!!!!

Don't let the These Things dominate your thoughts! Keep seeking and thinking about the Kingdom! If you do, the needs of your life will be provided to you from the Lord! He takes care of His own!

******News Flash************

I've been in Liberia for the last week with 17 wonderful saints of Hope Center! Bro. Brandon Wilmoth just preached our 4 day crusade in Monrovia and over 2003 individuals received the Holy Ghost! It was powerful! Today, six teams preached all over the city! Bro.'s Brandon, Eric, Ray, Nathan, Israel and myself! It was wonderful! Bro. Albert Stewart the missionary has invited us back for a crusade! He told us as we were leaving the pastors were calling late into the night to have a preacher from the crusade team to preach today! Next time he wants every individual to be assigned to a church to preach!

Not only was it rewarding to see the results but to see young men preaching the word of God some for the first time! Kyle Hibbets a young man in our church preached at the Bible School Chapel and was very anointed! He had never preached before but he said it felt so natural!

Not only did our men preach but the ladies were involved in testifying, singing and praying! The Sunday School teacher that were on the team ministered at a special children ministry called "The Farm"! The kids loved the puppets and the "Na Na" song!

That's my dream to see every saint of Hope Center fulfilling the call of God for their lives! Don't stop dreaming! Reach for the Stars! Be a mighty individual for God!

Headed to Liberia!

I'm headed to Liberia with 17 wonderful saints of the Hope Center! We are at LAX getting ready to fly out! We will be ministering in the following area's: Four day Holy Ghost Crusade! New Church dedication that one of our church families built, Hope Center of Unification! We will be teaching in the Bible College and will have teams of individuals ministering at two orphanages. Please keep us in prayer as we will be gone from Nov 7 till Nov 19! You may follow us at Hopecenteronline.com. Please click on the Liberia blog for pictures and video. We are believing God for 10,000 to be filled with the Holy Ghost! 

Here's a Shout Out!

Great News! Bro. Harvey Whalen just passed all the driving requirements for driving our Buses! The transportation ministry team is growing! Yet not only is the team growing, He's growing and becoming a Healthy Disciple! Why is he growing? He's active in these four things: Worship (comes to services)/Connect (in a small group Bible study)/Serving (helping with buses)/Reaching (goes on Sat AM Outreach)! When you do these things you'll be a healthy disciple! When you see this new convert give him a Shout Out! Congratulations, bro!!!!!!!!!

While I'm on the subject of Sat AM Outreach let me give a shout out to the 35-40 people who came for the MEGA BLITZ last Saturday! Bro. Brandon rented a flat bed truck! We jumped on, some dressed in costumes, others with their permanent masks on! Ray got the portable PA pumping with music and we were rocking and rolling! We headed to the neighborhood and blitzed the hood by knocking doors! We had a candy rain at every stop for the kids! They loved it! We announced to all who we were and that we would be coming back the next day to pick them up for service! We were doing as Jesus said to do, " Go to the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house my be filled (Luke 14:23). Sunday the buses were full! Along with that we, too, built our faith as we fulfilled the will of God! Remember, When I save others I save myself!

Save Others and Save Yourself!

The 2008 E Group gathering is now history! 52 young men gathered together to quest for Apostolic ministry! Each session was power packed! Each session concluded with a time of "Fervent Prayer"! This cemented the messages to our spirits as we strove to strength our desire to become Men Seeking God! The passion for God of the young men was refreshing and extremely uplifting!



Many thoughts came to my mind during this time but one thought of Bro. Nathan Urshan II has stayed with me! In fact, I have quoted it to others, to help them understand the importance of soul winning in the life of the child of God. Bro. Urshan started a church at the age of 22 in Ft. Myers, Florida. Ten years later the congregation numbers approximately 200! When I think of that I get excited thinking about the souls that have been saved through his step of faith! Yet he stated: When I was saving others I was saving myself! In other words when you are teaching someone else not only do they get the benefit of salvation but you have to dig to find out what you really believe! It forces you to seek God! When you do that, you save your own self! He had evangelized a number of years, his name opening doors to preach in large churches yet his spiritual growth rate would increase dramatically when he began teaching someone a Home Bible Study! We ended our time at E Group with a challenge to each other to start teaching one Bible Study by December 1st! Not only will we save others but each young man will begin to build a solid foundation of Apostolic Beliefs! This foundation will support his Apostolic Ministry!

This what has happened in the life of Bro. Jason Carr! He had expressed that he wanted to teach a Bible Study and see someone to receive the Holy Ghost! He started a study at his parents house in Beaumont to a High School friend. Dan and his wife Charisse, have been attending the study for a number of weeks! Sunday, October 5th was a great day for two people, Dan and Bro. Jason. It was a special day for Dan because he received the gift of the Spirit that is evidenced by speaking in tongues. It was special for Bro. Jason because he saw someone he taught become a Child of God! The experience is helping both of them to be saved! Dan gets the words of truth from a friend and Bro. Jason gets reminded of those truths as he teaches and sees his friend experience God! Faith in the Word of God grows in each of their hearts as they experience the work of the Spirit.

Why don't you work on your salvation and join the E Group in a quest to teach a Bible Study! Try to start one before Dec 1st! That study will be the means to not only someone else's salvation but also your own!

Never Spiritually Retire!

Wow! What a great picture! Bro. Paul Price, age 86 and Bro. Ellsworth, age 87! Two men who are in their 80's each on a Spiritual journey to know Jesus!

Bro. Ellsworth last year at the age of 86, received the gift of the Holy Spirit and was baptized in Jesus name! His religious background was Judaism. (As Bro. Price stated, he is a miracle! Coming to the Lord at 86 and being a Jew who begins to follow Jesus is a miracle! He's like the apostle Paul, a Jew who converts to Christianity!)

Bro. Ellsworth is growing by leaps and bounds in the Lord! Why? He has a desire to Grow! He doesn't want to stay at the same level! How is it happening? First, he never misses a Worship service! He comes ever time the doors are open even at Kids Revival (You ought to see him as he tries to participate in the kids songs! It a blast!) Second, he is in a small Connect group! Wednesday nights he comes to service and is in a small discipleship group. Tuesday's he's in the Men's Starbucks Bible study! Third, even at his age he is looking for places to Serve! He has dreamed of having a luncheon of Liberian food at the church and to sell the recipes for missions. Fourth, he is Reaching! He invites and has brought to church individuals from his trailer park. He is consistently sharing his love of God and this church with his neighbors! Even at 87 he wants to become!

This weekend was a special time for our church and myself personally as Bro. Paul Price ministered in a powerful way! He is on a spiritual growth journey also. He wants to Know Jesus!

He stated to me that he had served the Lord since being in high school! He became an evangelist after his pastor's wife had a dream and drove to Sacramento and told him that it was time to go into the ministry. He had been married for just six months! He quit his job that next day and went to his home church and preached his first revival! He then built his own travel trailer to be able to travel as an evangelist. After evangelizing be went to Napa California and started the church. Eventually he became the Superintendent of the Western District (the leader of all the ministers in California and Nevada). He became a speaker who was sought out to speak at major conferences of thousands! He would speak and it would inspire people!

But in his own personal life he was frustrated! He didn't feel like he was changing and becoming even though he was a pastor and leader of leaders! He wanted to change! He begin to seek the Lord and became desirous to really know the Lord! A radical experience happened! God spoke with him and it changed his total life! He knew what was to do: To Know the Lord and to lead others into the same experience! That has been his message for the last twenty years!

I am intrigued by his honesty and openness. He had served the Lord for over forty years but did not really know the Lord! He was in his sixties when this spiritual event happen!

As I look at these two men, I am challenged to be a lifelong learner! I never want to stop in my quest to grow in God! I want to understand that I can never retire in my spiritual journey. I never want to think that I have arrived! I want to understand that my greatest days are ahead of me not behind me! I want to follow these men and grow spiritually as long as I have breath! Why don't you join us in the quest to grow spiritually and to really Know Jesus!