Honesty or Dishonesty

 

That is what this story of Ananias and Sapphira underscores for us. The minute they pretended to be something they were not — death! When we come to church we put on a mask of adequacy, but inside we are inadequate, and we know it.

We are struggling with problems in our homes, but we don't want to tell anyone about them. We can't get along with our children, but we'll never admit it to anyone.

The pride that doesn't want anyone else to know what is going on between husbands and wives, and between parents and children, keeps us from sharing.

We come to church and put on a mask that says everything's fine! Everything's wonderful! Somebody asks us how things are going. Great, great! Fine! How's everything at home? Oh, wonderful! We're having a wonderful time! 

The minute we say that and it’s not true, we die. Death sets in. Soon that death pervades the whole church. That is why dishonesty is the primary characteristic of the church today.

Dishonesty- deceitfulness shown in someone's character or behavior

Dishonesty with Finance like tithes, offering, pledges also relationship friends, family or spouses, and about forgiven someone you haven’t, how about using sickness as a way to get out of something you don’t to do. Dishonesty.

Proverbs 11:1- A false balance is an abomination to the Lord, but a just weight is His delight.

Proverbs 13:11-Wealth obtained by fraud dwindles, but the one who gathers by labor increases it.

Proverbs 20:23-Differing weights are an abomination to the Lord, and a false scale is not good.

Luke 16:10-“He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much; and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much.

How do we deal with this problem within ourselves? In Scripture the way to cure a spiritual disease is always the same:

Repent and believe. Repent means to acknowledge that you have been doing it wrong. It means to face the fact that it has not been right.

Then believe means to understand that God has already given you, in Jesus Christ, all that it takes to do what you should. Then start doing it!

Start opening up and sharing your burdens.  Transparent is the key. You will start in a rather small way, perhaps, and it will be difficult at first. But it is the sharing of lives that makes power and grace to flow through the body.

 

Prayer Target

 Read ISAIAH 58

Good morning family. Praying areas that we are believing God for breakthroughs in:

1.) Spiritual Breakthroughs

2.) Financial Breakthroughs

3.) Salvation of our Unsaved Families/ Loved Ones/ Community

4) Healing for the Sick, Covid-19 victim 

5) Pastor James & Jessica & his family Son Anthony, Esmeralda, EZRA & Elaina & Bobby & Selena Blanco, Gabriela & Caleb also Desiree & Matt 2 kids 

6) New Comer & Staying Power

7) Hunger & thirst for the Lord

8) New Leadership & Discipleship SPIRIT

9) Friday Night Live Service, Sunday morning service

10) Multiplication on member & family in our church in Tri-Cities

11). Victory Homes for Men & Women 

• For the Lord to raise laborers for the harvest field Mathew 9:38

• Gods anointing on all 2021 Special events- local & Inter

• Outpouring of the Holy Spirit on all Recovery Homes & New Gen & Gang 3 waves

 

• Provision for jobs & personal finances for the VO families

• Unity in families & strong homes 

• More people to hear & answer the call & Catch the Vision, EXPANDSION

Special PRAYER REQUEST!!!!! 

Pray for Pastor Sonny & Julie and the Arguinzoni family.

Elder from VOI , Multy Regional, Regional Pastor and Pastor

 

Victory Outreach Spokane- Pastor Tony, Angela, 

Victory Outreach Boise-  Pastor Martin, Lisa & Leadership & Team

• Missionaries and their families' needs to be met and protection

• UTC's-Chicago, West Coast, Mexico, South Africa, Panama

• That many would answer the call to full-time ministry

• A spirit of discipleship in every Victory Outreach Church world-wide

• Unity in families and strong homes

• Gang girls: they remain true to their passion for purity and they will answer the "call"

• More people to hear and answer the call of God

• A strong unity of hearts to accomplish "The Vision" 

• A spirit of financial generosity, liberality and faith throughout all our churches 

•

Here is a devotional for the day

“Isaiah 58 talks about how we can fast to break every yoke to undo the heavy burdens. Fasting makes room so that the oppressed go free. Fasting breaks bondages and causes revival. When you are dealing with a serious issue—maybe you are dealing with something you don’t know how to handle—the best thing to do sometimes is to let go of some food for a little while. Pray against that thing. Man may not be able to help you, and you may not know how to defeat it, but with God all things are possible.”

Steps for a Successful FAST

 How you begin and conduct your fast will largely determine your success. By following these seven basic steps to fasting, you will make your time with the Lord more meaningful and spiritually rewarding.

STEP 1: Set Your Objective

Why are you fasting? Is it for spiritual renewal, for guidance, for healing, for the resolution of problems, for special grace to handle a difficult situation? Ask the Holy Spirit to clarify His leading and objectives for your prayer fast. This will enable you to pray more specifically and strategically.

Through fasting and prayer we humble ourselves before God so the Holy Spirit will stir our souls, awaken our churches, and heal our land according to 2 Chronicles 7:14. Make this a priority in your fasting.

STEP 2: Make Your Commitment

Pray about the kind of fast you should undertake. Jesus implied that all of His followers should fast (Matthew 6:16-18; 9:14,15) For Him it was a matter of when believers would fast, not if they would do it. Before you fast, decide the following up front:

• How long you will fast - one meal, one day, a week, several weeks, forty days (Beginners should start slowly, building up to longer fasts.)
• The type of fast God wants you to undertake (such as water only, or water and juices; what kinds of juices you will drink and how often)
• What physical or social activities you will restrict
• How much time each day you will devote to prayer and God's Word

Making these commitments ahead of time will help you sustain your fast when physical temptations and life's pressures tempt you to abandon it.

STEP 3: Prepare Yourself Spiritually

The very foundation of fasting and prayer is repentance. Unconfessed sin will hinder your prayers. Here are several things you can do to prepare your heart:

• Ask God to help you make a comprehensive list of your sins.
• Confess every sin that the Holy Spirit calls to your remembrance and accept God's forgiveness (1 John 1:9).
• Seek forgiveness from all whom you have offended, and forgive all who have hurt you (Mark 11:25; Luke 11:4; 17:3,4).
• Make restitution as the Holy Spirit leads you.
• Ask God to fill you with His Holy Spirit according to His command in Ephesians 5:18 and His promise in 1 John 5:14,15.
• Surrender your life fully to Jesus Christ as your Lord and Master; refuse to obey your worldly nature (Romans 12:1,2).
• Meditate on the attributes of God, His love, sovereignty, power, wisdom, faithfulness, grace, compassion, and others (Psalm 48:9,10; 103:1-8, 11-13).
• Begin your time of fasting and prayer with an expectant heart (Hebrews 11:6).
• Do not underestimate spiritual opposition. Satan sometimes intensifies the natural battle between body and spirit (Galatians 5:16, 17).

STEP 4: Prepare Yourself Physically (just saying)

Fasting requires reasonable precautions. Consult your physician first, especially if you take prescription medication or have a chronic ailment. Some persons should never fast without professional supervision.

Physical preparation makes the drastic change in your eating routine a little easier so that you can turn your full attention to the Lord in prayer.

• Do not rush into your fast.
• Prepare your body. Eat smaller meals before starting a fast. Avoid high-fat and sugary foods.
• Eat raw fruit and vegetables for two days before starting a fast.

Next: While You Fast

Your time of fasting and prayer has come. You are abstaining from all solid foods and have begun to seek the Lord. Here are some helpful suggestions to consider:

• Avoid drugs, even natural herbal drugs and homeopathic remedies. Medication should be withdrawn only with your physician's supervision.
• Limit your activity.
• Exercise only moderately. Walk one to three miles each day if convenient and comfortable.
• Rest as much as your schedule will permit.
• Prepare yourself for temporary mental discomforts, such as impatience, crankiness, and anxiety.
• Expect some physical discomforts, especially on the second day. You may have fleeting hunger pains, dizziness, or the "blahs." Withdrawal from caffeine and sugar may cause headaches. Physical annoyances may also include weakness, tiredness, or sleeplessness.

The first two or three days are usually the hardest. As you continue to fast, you will likely experience a sense of well-being both physically and spiritually. However, should you feel hunger pains, increase your liquid intake.

STEP 5: Put Yourself on a Schedule

For maximum spiritual benefit, set aside ample time to be alone with the Lord. Listen for His leading. The more time you spend with Him, the more meaningful your fast will be.

Morning

• Begin your day in prayer, praise and worship.
• Read and meditate on God's Word, preferably on your knees.
• Invite the Holy Spirit to work in you to will and to do His good pleasure according to Philippians 2:13.
• Invite God to use you. Ask Him to show you how to influence your world, your family, your church, your community, your country, and beyond.
• Pray for His vision for your life and empowerment to do His will.

Noon

• Return to prayer and God's Word.
• Take a short prayer walk.
• Spend time in intercessory prayer for our Cities, Region and our ministry VO  leaders, for the world's unreached millions, for your family or special needs.

Evening

• Get alone for an unhurried time of "seeking His face."
• If others are fasting with you, meet together for prayer.
• Avoid television or any other distraction that may dampen your spiritual focus.

When possible, begin and end each day on your knees with your spouse for a brief time of praise and thanksgiving to God. Longer periods of time with our Lord in prayer and study of His Word are often better spent alone.

5 a.m. - 8 a.m.

• Fruit juices, preferably freshly squeezed or blended and diluted in 50 percent distilled water if the fruit is acid. Apple, pear, grapefruit, papaya, watermelon, or other fruit juices are generally preferred. If you cannot do your own juicing, buy juices without sugar or additives.

10:30 a.m. - noon

• Fresh vegetable juice made from lettuce, celery, and carrots in three equal parts.

2:30 p.m. - 4 p.m.

• Herb tea with a drop of honey. Avoid black tea or any tea with caffeine.

6 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

• Broth made from boiling potatoes, celery, and carrots with no salt. After boiling about half an hour, pour the water into a container and drink it.

Tips on Juice Fasting

• Drinking fruit juice will decrease your hunger pains and give you some natural sugar energy. The taste and lift will motivate and strengthen you to continue.
• The best juices are made from fresh watermelon, lemons, grapes, apples, cabbage, beets, carrots, celery, or leafy green vegetables. In cold weather, you may enjoy a warm vegetable broth.
• Mix acidic juices (orange and tomato) with water for your stomach's sake.
• Avoid caffeinated drinks. And avoid chewing gum or mints, even if your breath is bad. They stimulate digestive action in your stomach.

Next: Breaking Your Fast

When your designated time for fasting is finished, you will begin to eat again. But how you break your fast is extremely important for your physical and spiritual well-being.

STEP 6: End Your Fast Gradually

Begin eating gradually. Do not eat solid foods immediately after your fast. Suddenly reintroducing solid food to your stomach and digestive tract will likely have negative, even dangerous, consequences. Try several smaller meals or snacks each day. If you end your fast gradually, the beneficial physical and spiritual effects will result in continued good health.

Here are some suggestions to help you end your fast properly:

• Break an extended water fast with fruit such as watermelon.
• While continuing to drink fruit or vegetable juices, add the following:
  First day: Add a raw salad.
  Second day: Add baked or boiled potato, no butter or seasoning.
  Third day: Add a steamed vegetable.
  Thereafter: Begin to reintroduce your normal diet.
• Gradually return to regular eating with several small snacks during the first few days. Start with a little soup and fresh fruit such as watermelon and cantaloupe. Advance to a few tablespoons of solid foods such as raw fruits and vegetables or a raw salad and baked potato.

Next: A Final Word

STEP 7: Expect Results

If you sincerely humble yourself before the Lord, repent, pray, and seek God's face; if you consistently meditate on His Word, you will experience a heightened awareness of His presence (John 14:21). The Lord will give you fresh, new spiritual insights. Your confidence and faith in God will be strengthened. You will feel mentally, spiritually, and physically refreshed. You will see answers to your prayers.

A single fast, however, is not a spiritual cure-all. Just as we need fresh infillings of the Holy Spirit daily, we also need new times of fasting before God. A 24-hour fast each week has been greatly rewarding to many Christians.

It takes time to build your spiritual fasting muscles. If you fail to make it through your first fast, do not be discouraged. You may have tried to fast too long the first time out, or your may need to strengthen your understanding and resolve. As soon as possible, undertake another fast until you do succeed. God will honor you for your faithfulness.

I encourage you to join me in fasting and prayer again and again until we truly experience revival in our homes, our churches, our beloved nation, and throughout the world.

Next: How To Experience and Maintain Personal Revival

1. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal any unconfessed sin in your life.
2. Seek forgiveness from all whom you have offended, and forgive all who have hurt you. Make restitution where God leads.
3. Examine your motives in every word and deed. Ask the Lord to search and cleanse your heart daily.
4. Ask the Holy Spirit to guard your walk against complacency and mediocrity.
5. Praise and give thanks to God continually in all ways on all days, regardless of your circumstances.
6. Refuse to obey your carnal (worldy) nature (Galatians 5:16,17).
7. Surrender your life to Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord. Develop utter dependence on Him with total submission and humility.
8. Study the attributes of God.
9. Hunger and thirst after righteousness (Matthew 5:6).
10. Love God with all of your heart, soul, and mind (Matthew 22:37).
11. Appropriate the continual fullness and control of the Holy Spirit by faith on the basis of God's command (Ephesians 5:18) and promise (1 John 5:14,15).
12. Read, study, meditate on, and memorize God's holy, inspired, inerrant Word daily (Colossians 3:16).
13. Pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17).
14. Fast and pray one 24-hour period each week. Prayerfully consider becoming one of the two million Christians who will fast for forty days before the end of the year 2000.
15. Seek to share Christ daily as a way of life.
16. Determine to live a holy, godly life of obedience and faith.
17. Start or join a home or church Bible study group that emphasizes revival and a holy life.

Believer & Disciple

 Text: Matt 7: 13-14 to 21-23 

 

“So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.”

Ephesians 4:11-13 NIV

 

“It would appear that very few people who claim to be Christians rank knowing, loving, and following Jesus as their Number 1 priority. Most are believers, but not disciples. Look at the differences:

 

1. BELIEVERS believe in Jesus as their Savior but live to please themselves.

DISCIPLES believe in Jesus as Lord and live to please God.

 

All of us begin our walk of faith because we need to receive forgiveness and acceptance from God, but many of us never grow beyond the perception that God exists for our benefit. Disciples turn the corner; they realize they’ve been blessed so they can be a blessing to others. They live to honor the One who has rescued them from death and given them hope for the future. Disciples don’t focus only on what God can do for them; they long to give to God and to others.

 

2. BELIEVERS exalt their opinions, feelings, and thoughts above the Word of God.

DISCIPLES exalt the Word of God above their opinions, feelings, and thoughts.

 

“Believers focus only on the passages that promise what God will do for them, but disciples take seriously the whole counsel of God. Disciples follow God whether they agree with God’s Word or not, whether they understand or not, and whether obeying is easy or not.

 

3. BELIEVERS think of church as a place they go to hear what God’s Word say.”

 

“DISCIPLES think of church as a place they learn to do what God’s Word says.

Many people go to church to be entertained, and they complain when the sermon isn’t as interesting as they’d like. Disciples have open ears and eager hearts as they listen. They plan to take action on what they hear from God.

 

4. BELIEVERS are accountable only to themselves.

DISCIPLES are accountable to everyone.

 

Believers prefer to keep honest feedback at arm’s length, but disciples are open to instruction and correction.

 

5. BELIEVERS serve God if it’s convenient.

DISCIPLES serve God based on conviction.

 

Many people give and serve, but only if it doesn’t cost them very much. Disciples give, love, and serve like Jesus—even at great cost.

 

6. BELIEVERS try to impress God by being religious.

DISCIPLES seek to know God through a relationship.

 

Believers and disciples appear to do many of the same activities, but their motives are miles apart. Many Christians try to impress God (and those around them) by being involved in church and service, but disciples do those same things to know God better and reflect His goodness and greatness to everyone.

 

7. BELIEVERS follow God as long as everything is going well.

DISCIPLES follow God regardless of the circumstances.

 

Believers and disciples have very different breaking points. Believers stick around as long as God seems to be blessing them and life is easy, but disciples keep pursuing God and trusting Him even when their world is falling apart.

 

8. BELIEVERS choose their own path and ask” “God to bless it.

DISCIPLES ask God to reveal the path, and they follow it.

Believers are self-focused. They determine their own goals, and they expect God to help them achieve them. Disciples start with God’s will, God’s purposes, and God’s heart. They look to Him for direction, and they are eager to follow His leading.

 

9. BELIEVERS are full of pride if they’re doing well and self-pity if they’re not.

DISCIPLES are full of gratitude because God’s love never fails.

If a person’s identity is tied to performance, then pride or self-pity are the rollercoaster they ride all day, every day. But if the grace of God is their source of identity, they find security, strength, and peace even in difficult circumstances.

 

10. BELIEVERS follow the example of the world that seeks to go higher.

 

DISCIPLES follow the example of the world” “that seeks to go higher.

The natural mind always wants more power, prestige, and possessions, but the spiritual mind of disciples follows the self-sacrificial example of Jesus.”