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Pentecost Power comes from the Word 1. It has a power to bring life to those who are dead. 2. It has the power to give hope to those who are hopeless. Ezekiel 37:1-14 (EHV) The hand of the LORD was upon me. He brought me out by the Spirit of the LORD and set me down in the middle of a valley, which was full of bones. 2He had me pass through them and go all over among them. There were very many on the valley floor, and they were very dry. 3He said to me, “Son of man, can these dry bones live?” I answered, “LORD God, you know.” 4Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the LORD.'” 5This is what the LORD God says to these bones. I am about to make breath enter you so that you will live. 6I will attach tendons to you. I will put flesh back on you. I will cover you with skin and put breath in you, and you will live. Then you will know that I am the LORD. 7So I prophesied as I had been commanded, and as I was prophesying there was a noise, a rattling, as the bones came together, one bone connecting to another. 8As I watched, tendons were attached to them, then flesh grew over them, and skin covered them. But there was no breath in them. 9Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the wind. Prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind that this is what the LORD God says. From the four winds, come, O wind, and breathe into these slain so that they may live.” 10So I prophesied as he commanded me. Breath entered them, and they came back to life. They stood on their feet, a very, very large army. 11Then he said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They are saying, ‘Our bones are dried up. Our hope is lost. We have been completely cut off.' 12Therefore, prophesy and say to them that this is what the LORD God says. My people, I am going to open your graves and raise you up from your graves and bring you back to the soil of Israel. 13Then you will know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves and raise you up from your graves, O my people. 14I will put my Spirit in you, and you will live. I will settle you on your own land, and you will know that I, the LORD, have spoken, and I have done it, declares the LORD.” If you have any questions or comments, contact Pastor.

Welcome to Hope City Church! NEW If you are new to Hope City text “HCNEW” to 33777 SERMON GUIDE Living on Empty Part 3 - Mental Illness 1 Kings 19:1-10 1When Ahab got home, he told Jezebel everything Elijah had done…. 2So Jezebel sent this message to Elijah: “May the gods strike me and even kill me if by this time tomorrow I have not killed you just as you killed them.” 3Elijah was afraid and fled for his life….. 4Then he went on alone into the wilderness, traveling all day. He sat down under a solitary broom tree and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life, for I am no better than my ancestors who have already died.”5Then he lay down and slept under the broom tree. But as he was sleeping, an angel touched him and told him, “Get up and eat!” 6He looked around and there beside his head was some bread baked on hot stones and a jar of water! So he ate and drank and lay down again. 7Then the angel of the Lord came again and touched him and said, “Get up and eat some more, or the journey ahead will be too much for you.” 8So he got up and ate and drank, and the food gave him enough strength to travel forty days and forty nights to Mount Sinai, the mountain of God. 9There he came to a cave, where he spent the night. But the Lord said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 10Elijah replied, “I have zealously served the Lord God Almighty. But the people of Israel have broken their covenant with you, torn down your altars, and killed every one of your prophets. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me, too.” 4 Questions to Ask Yourself If You're Feeling Depressed 1. Am I physically healthy? (1 Kings 19:5-8) 2. Am I being honest with God about how I feel? (1 Kings 19:10) 3. Am I experiencing God's presence? (James 4:7-8) 4. Am I allowing God to use my life? (1 Kings 19:15) Discussion Questions 1. Has there been a season when you held on to bitterness, despair, or fear and allowed it to shape your perspective? 2. What healthy ways did you use to resolve this? What unhealthy ways? 3. What areas in your life could be made better by getting physically or spiritually healthier or by drawing closer to others? 4. Have you discovered your purpose and the direction that God has for your life? How can knowing your purpose give perspective to your life regardless of the season? CONNECT We created a Facebook group to help stay connected while we aren't meeting in person for service. Click the link below to join the Hope City Church Online Facebook group. https://www.facebook.com/groups/206609247109415/ CARE If you or a loved on is in need of prayer or care, we would love to help! Drop a comment down below, send us a direct message, or send your care request to care@realhopenow.com. GIVE Our heart is to share as much hope with as many people as possible, and you make that happen because of your generosity. Click the link below to give. http://www.realhopenow.com/give/ Thank you for tuning in to today's service. We'll see you soon!

“The Knowledge of the Heart” Series: “Plans for God’s Good Future”February 23, 2020 As a preacher who faces the daunting task of communicating with people multiple times a week, either by means of speaking or writing, I am very much aware of the power of words, and in particular, finding the right word for the right occasion to drive home the right point. Fortunately, the English language is dynamic, fluid, and always evolving. For example, did you know that according to the latest findings a new word is added to our English language every 98 minutes, which comes out to around 800 to 1,000 words added over the course of each year? Like you, I can’t possibly keep up with all of them. But occasionally, I come across one that for whatever reason intrigues me and provokes me and stays with me because it more times than not reveals a blind spot in my soul that I might otherwise have never seen. I’m thinking in particular about the word “woke,” which as I understand was introduced into the dictionary just a year or so ago, back in 2017. You might be saying to yourself, “That’s not a new word. That word has been around for a while. ‘I woke up this morning’ is a familiar line in a host of songs from B.B. King to Nickelback to “the Sopranos” theme song. But in recent months the term has taken on a new twist. With its roots in “the hood,” the term “woke” now refers to one’s awareness of issues concerning social justice in general and racial justice in particular. Especially popular among the socially media savvy crowd, when someone posts or tweets that “I am woke,” that person is assuring us that he or she is not oblivious at all to all the matters and topics that the powers that be doesn’t want us to know or tries to keep us from knowing. I hear that phrase and am taken back to an inscription etched in stone along the façade of the College of Education building at my alma mater, the University of Montevallo, as a reminder to us students who might during the course of our studies be tempted to slough off, “Knowledge Is Power,” which is just an ancient way of saying, “It’s much better to stay woke.” In reality, the idea of “being woke” and thus having immense power at your disposal goes back thousands of years to the time of the prophet Jeremiah. As you know, our church has been in a worship series on Jeremiah and will continue to be so through the season of Lent. Jeremiah, “the weeping prophet,” as we call him, was broken over the ignorance of his people over the good plans that God had in store for them and answered the call of God to wake them up to either the pitfalls or the possibilities that were before them, depending on how they chose to respond to God’s leading. This section of Jeremiah’s prophecy comes at the beginning of the Babylonian exile for God’s people, a displacement from their homes and businesses and place of worship that took place in stages, and not in one fell swoop. At first, the Babylonians who captured Jerusalem took only the best and the brightest back with them to Babylon so that no one might be left behind to start an insurrection. They took the skilled workers and the artisans and the court officials, and even the king! You can imagine the distress that descended upon the nation as they saw their leaders and their loved ones taken away as if they were the Monday morning trash. People were left wondering what in the world would their future hold. Into that disillusionment and despair stepped Jeremiah with a word from the Lord. God had sent Jeremiah down to the temple to pray over the matter and what God might have to show him. When he arrived, the first thing Jeremiah noticed were two baskets of figs, placed there as a special offering to God. One basket contained ripe figs, figs that were picked at the beginning of the season, choice figs you might even say. The other basket contained spoiled ones, figs that were so bad they stunk to high heaven and could never be eaten. Suddenly, God spoke to Jeremiah: “What do you see?” And Jeremiah, who likely thought that he was “woke,” had no idea what God was about to do to show His steadfast love to His Chosen People. “This is what the LORD said: ‘These good figs are the exiles, whom I have sent away to the land of the Babylonians. But my eyes will watch over them for their good, and I will bring them back to this land. I will build them up and not tear them down…. I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the LORD. They will be my people, and I will be their God, for they will return to me with all their heart. And the second basket of figs, you ask? They represent “Zedekiah, king of Judah, (and successor to the throne), his officials, and the survivors from Jerusalem, whether they remain in this land or live in Egypt. I will make them…an offense to all the kingdoms of the earth, a reproach and a byword, a curse and an object of ridicule, wherever I banish them.” God’s word through Jeremiah is for the people of Jerusalem not to view their circumstances, whether privileged or marginalized, whether displaced or spared, as an indication of their value to God or of the future He had for them to know. How easy it would have been for the exiles to have assumed that they had nothing to live for and nothing to look forward to, and how even easier it would have been for those left behind to have assumed that God had spared them in order to bless them. The point of the parable of the two baskets of figs is that while there are many reasons for us to make assumptions about how we are on the right side of God’s favor, the receiving side of God’s favor, we cannot ever allow ourselves to take His grace for granted. We may assume that we are blessed when things are going well and cursed when they are not. But trouble can be a blessing when it wakes us up to our need for God and inspires us to lean more strongly upon him. And likewise, prosperity can be a curse any time it puts us to sleep and causes us to be unaware of our dependence upon God so that we unwittingly and arrogantly turn our lives away from Him. This morning, I invite you to hear this story in a way that causes you to “be woke” and to “stay woke.” If things are going not so well for you, I invite you to consider using this time to ask God to help you grow stronger in Him. And if things are actually going very well, I invite you to ask God to help you not to presume upon His grace but instead to use it even more faithfully to advance His Kingdom purposes. When we look in the Bible for the most “woke” person there ever was, our attention of course gets turned quickly to Jesus. In spite of the fact that no one around him seemed to appreciate who he was or what God had sent him to do, Jesus was ever mindful of how God’s hand was upon him and how the Spirit of the Lord had anointed him to usher in the time of God’s salvation. There were many things that Jesus said and did to advance the good news of the Kingdom – many signs, many wonders, many sayings, many teachings. But the most important work that Jesus did was the work we are getting ready to remember – his work upon the cross and the manner in which though despised and rejected by men with no beauty that we should desire him, on the cross he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows so that by his wounds we may be healed (Isa. 53:4). When I read the crucifixion story, there are many parts that fascinate me, many parts that stagger me, and many parts I find hard to understand. The one part that touches me the most is in Luke’s account when while hanging from the cross, Jesus looks down at the soldiers who had already begun divvying up his garments and prays to the Father, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Lk. 23:34). “Father, forgive them and wake them up.” I pray that this morning God’s Spirit has used something in this service –some song, some prayer, perhaps even this sermon – to prepare you for an experience that you might take to heart, one that might awaken you to the good future God has for you to know. While Jeremiah’s experience of the two baskets reminds us that appearances can be deceiving and no one should take God’s grace for granted, the story of the cross reveals who among us is truly on the Lord’s side. For while the cross is folly to all who are perishing, to us who are being saved and “staying woke,” our knowledge of who Jesus is and what God sent him to do is nothing less than the power of God. Knowledge really is power, and today God wants you to know Him with all of your heart.1After Jehoiachin son of Jehoiakim king of Judah and the officials, the skilled workers and the artisans of Judah were carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the LORD showed me two baskets of figs placed in front of the temple of the LORD. 2One basket had very good figs, like those that ripen early; the other basket had very bad figs, so bad they could not be eaten. 3Then the LORD asked me, “What do you see, Jeremiah?” “Figs,” I answered. “The good ones are very good, but the bad ones are so bad they cannot be eaten.” 4Then the word of the LORD came to me: 5“This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘Like these good figs, I regard as good the exiles from Judah, whom I sent away from this place to the land of the Babylonians. 6My eyes will watch over them for their good, and I will bring them back to this land. I will build them up and not tear them down; I will plant them and not uproot them. 7I will give them a heart to know Me, that I am the LORD. They will be My people, and I will be their God, for they will return to Me with all their heart. 8‘But like the bad figs, which are so bad they cannot be eaten,’ says the LORD, ‘so will I deal with Zedekiah king of Judah, his officials and the survivors from Jerusalem, whether they remain in this land or live in Egypt. 9I will make them abhorrent and an offense to all the kingdoms of the earth, a reproach and a byword, a curse and an object of ridicule, wherever I banish them. 10I will send the sword, famine and plague against them until they are destroyed from the land I gave to them and their ancestors.’”Jeremiah 24:1-10 (NIV) Jeremiah 24:1-10 (NIV)

1After Jehoiachin son of Jehoiakim king of Judah and the officials, theskilled workers and the artisans of Judah were carried into exile fromJerusalem to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the LORDshowed me two baskets of figs placed in front of the temple of theLORD. 2One basket had very good figs, like those that ripen early; theother basket had very bad figs, so bad they could not be eaten. 3Thenthe LORD asked me, “What do you see, Jeremiah?” “Figs,” I answered.“The good ones are very good, but the bad ones are so bad they cannotbe eaten.” 4Then the word of the LORD came to me: 5“This is whatthe LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘Like these good figs, I regard asgood the exiles from Judah, whom I sent away from this place to theland of the Babylonians. 6My eyes will watch over them for their good,and I will bring them back to this land. I will build them up and nottear them down; I will plant them and not uproot them. 7I will give thema heart to know Me, that I am the LORD. They will be My people,and I will be their God, for they will return to Me with all their heart.8‘But like the bad figs, which are so bad they cannot be eaten,’ saysthe LORD, ‘so will I deal with Zedekiah king of Judah, his officialsand the survivors from Jerusalem, whether they remain in this landor live in Egypt. 9I will make them abhorrent and an offense to allthe kingdoms of the earth, a reproach and a byword, a curse and anobject of ridicule, wherever I banish them. 10I will send the sword,famine and plague against them until they are destroyed from the landI gave to them and their ancestors.’”Jeremiah 24:1-10 (NIV) Jeremiah 24:1-10

The Apostle Paul beforeFelix, Festus, and Agrippa Matthew 10 :16 -20  Luke 21 : 12 - 15 Apostle Paul in Acts, thus far: lowered in a basket (9:25) stoned and dragged out (14:19) beaten and jailed (16:23-24) ‘arrested’ by a mob in the temple, beaten outside the temple (21:31) Marcus Antonius Felix: Acts 24 Procurator of Judaea (normally financial-civil), mixed with roles as 12th Governor & Proconsul. ruled in Caesaria Maritima (75 km NW of Jerusalem). in office from 52 AD to 59 AD. Hated by the Jews. crushed rebellions (violently, e.g. Egyptian ‘Messiah’). casually imprisoned Paul for 2 years. recalled by Emperor Nero but left Paul in prison. Acts 24: 10 - 25 Porcius Festus: Acts 24:27 - 26:32 replaced Felix in Caesaria. 13th Governor of Judaea in office 59 AD to 61 AD aristocrat with military experience (as a Consul). died in office 2 yrs after hearing Paul. Act 25:6-11 King Herod Agrippa II: Acts 26:1-32 the 8th such ‘ruler’, the Herodian Dynasty was Edomite. Reign began when father died Acts 12. great-grandson of Herod the Great. lived from 28 AD to 93 AD. overthrown by the Jews in the rebellion of 66 AD (which ended with the complete destruction of Temple in 70 AD by General Titus). Act 25:18-22 ACT 26:1-6 ACT 26:23-29 Three facts (background knowledge for the mind): 1.  The man before you is a creation of God, loved by God. Gen.1:27 2. Respect for such authorities (such as Roman authorities). - Romans 13:4 They do not “…. bear the sword for nothing….” - Acts 24:16  “And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void to offence toward God, and toward men.” 3.  Potentates are ‘petty’ potentates, ‘here today gone tomorrow’. - (… and pompous & venal & egotistical & ignorant, and … ) - note interest in bribery money (Felix). - Paul often wrote about the powers that be (and we know that these powers can also be influenced by Satan). Romans 13:1-5 Three attitudes (background standing of the heart): 1.  Earthly authorities have power but God's is greater. - have confidence. - Romans 8 (I may end up in jail but epistles can get written in jail, jailers get saved, ....) 2. Commune with God always. Psalms 37. - face the situation as if Jesus is standing beside you. 3.  This is an opportunity. - hard to remember in the moment. - speak well!  Be a testimony (even to the 'undeserving'). - Eph 6:13 “…having done all to withstand – STAND!" Psalm 37 :3-8 Ephesians 6:13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Nehemiah 2 4Then the king said unto me, For what dost thou make request? So I prayed to the God of heaven. 5And I said unto the king, If it please the king, and if thy servant have found favour in thy sight, that thou wouldest send me unto Judah, unto the city of my fathers' sepulchres, that I may build it.

Preached at Scott Street Mennonite Brethren Church, St. Catharines, Ontario - CANADA, on Sunday, January 12, 2020 Joshua 3:1-5 3 Early in the morning Joshua and all the Israelites set out from Shittim and went to the Jordan, where they camped before crossing over. 2After three days the officers went throughout the camp, 3giving orders to the people: “When you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, and the Levitical priests carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it. 4Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before. But keep a distance of about two thousand cubits[a] between you and the ark; do not go near it.” 5 Joshua told the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do amazing things among you.” If you have been touched by this message but have never invited Jesus Christ into your heart, today is the day of salvation dear friend. So we invite you to pray with us this prayer with all your heart. "Dear God, I believe you send your Son Jesus Christ to die for my sins. I believe He rose again and gives me forgiveness. I make him Lord of my life and I ask him to please enter into my heart. Thank you Jesus Christ, and thank you that now The Holy Spirit lives in me for eternity making me a new creation! If you have been touched by this message but have never invited Jesus Christ into your heart, today is the day of salvation dear friend. So we invite you to pray with us this prayer with all your heart. "Dear God, I believe you send your Son Jesus Christ to die for my sins. I believe He rose again and gives me forgiveness. I make him Lord of my life and I ask him to please enter into my heart. Thank you Jesus Christ, and thank you that now The Holy Spirit lives in me for eternity making me a new creation! If you prayed that prayer, we encourage you to click on the following link https://www.scottstchurch.ca/first-steps to let us know of your decision to follow Christ. We will send you an online FIRST STEPS package! Congratulations and we want to support you and help you grow in your faith with Jesus, no matter where you are. If you have any prayer request, please email us at prayer@scottstreetchurch.ca Let's us know what's happening in your life right now. Please know that the Scott Street Church family loves you wherever you are, and we are here to serve you in the best way we can. Please subscribe to our podcast. Watch us on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/scottstchurch Like us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/scottstchurch Visit our website https://www.scottstchurch.ca Or support this Ministry by donating through PayPal by clicking here

What does it mean to follow Jesus? Don’t forget to subscribe to this podcast so you don’t miss a single episode. Sometimes we trust people better than we do Jesus. Jesus says “Follow Me.” This command isn’t just for people in the Bible. It’s for us too. 1 Peter 2:21 NLT For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in his steps. How can I follow Jesus if I can’t see Him? Matt 16:24 NLT Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. There are numerous things we see in Jesus example… Suffering is the one He listed here . But His example also includes His Love Knowledge of Scripture Prayer Life Miracles John 14:12 NLT “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. I want to give you a reminder to put in a 5X7 frame in your house. See the link below. And why was going to the Father so significant?   Following God had been the real question Israel faced 40 years prior to the event in Joshua 3. Joshua 3:2 NIV After three days the officers went throughout the camp, 3giving orders to the people: “When you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, and the Levitical priests carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it. 4Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before. But keep a distance of about two thousand cubits (about ½ mile) between you and the ark; do not go near it.” God was saying “Follow the ark.” Why was that so important? They had never been that way before. Follow the ark is a picture of following Jesus. Obey Him at a new level. Go deeper. Grow your faith. Who do you need to witness to? Who do you need to have over for dinner to encourage them? What is your step of obedience! What was so special about the Ark? I am so glad you asked that question…you did ask, didn’t you? It’s a picture of Jesus. It helps us know Jesus better! Hebrews 9:1NLT That first covenant between God and Israel had regulations for worship and a place of worship here on earth. 2There were two rooms in that Tabernacle. In the first room were a lampstand, a table, and sacred loaves of bread on the table. This room was called the Holy Place. 3Then there was a curtain, and behind the curtain was the second room called the Most Holy Place. 4In that room were a gold incense altar and a wooden chest called the Ark of the Covenant, which was covered with gold on all sides. Inside the Ark were a gold jar containing manna, Aaron’s staff that sprouted leaves, and the stone tablets of the covenant. 5Above the Ark were the cherubim of divine glory, whose wings stretched out over the Ark’s cover, the place of atonement. But we cannot explain these things in detail now.   How is the Ark of the Covenant a picture of Jesus? The Ark was made of wood Overlaid with gold- Jesus- fully God and fully man Lid of the Ark of the Covenant Pure gold. The gold represented God. Only God can redeem us. We call it the Mercy Seat. That name comes from the word comes "khapporet" which simply means to make atonement, restitution or amends. Blood on the lid once a year. The atonement- Day of Atonement (Lev. 16:14-15) Covering- the blood of animals could not cleanse sin, it could only cover it. Jesus, the lamb of God gave His life to cleanse us from sin completely. Meeting place Moses met with God and God talked to him from the Ark. (Exodus 25:22) God wants to meet with you. Talk to you.   Inside the Ark Laws of God- His covenant with believers that was fulfilled in Christ Pot of Manna- Provision Aaron’s rod that budded- Spiritual Authority Follow the ark When the Israelites were instructed to follow the ark they were following more than ideology, they were following God. They were following the picture of a promise that would be fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Follow Jesus. He is both the atonement and the High Priest of the atonement. He is the final authority. He satisfied the covenant so you can enjoy the benefits of that covenant. Obedience is not like a buffet where you can pick and choose. Even when His ways seem hard, follow Jesus. You not following Jesus if you are doing things YOUR way. You can’t follow Jesus running ahead of Him. I want to give you a free reminder. I like to have reminders in my home and on my phone that help me remember truths that are important to me. I made two simple reminders for you that simply say “Follow Jesus” that will fit in a 5X7 frame that you can put beside your bed or wherever you will see it to remind you during your day. When you see the reminder, ask yourself, "Did I follow Jesus today?"  In my choices? attitudes?  with my time? with my talents?    I encourage you to change your reminder when you need a different one. Free Reminder- Follow Jesus Tree Background- http://traffic.libsyn.com/preview/patriciaholland/follow-Jesus-trees-5-7.jpg White Background- http://traffic.libsyn.com/preview/patriciaholland/remember-follow-jesus.jpg      

Written and Vocals By: NICOLE - TAYAN Like, Add, Share, & Subscribe! Thank you:) Instagram @ iamnicoletayan I send blessings of peace, joy, and love!!! All rights reserved. Psalms Chapter 116 1I love the LORD, because he hath heard my voice and my supplications. 2Because he hath inclined his ear unto me, therefore will I call upon him as long as I live. 3The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me: I found trouble and sorrow. 4Then called I upon the name of the LORD; O LORD, I beseech thee, deliver my soul. 5Gracious is the LORD, and righteous; yea, our God is merciful. 6The LORD preserveth the simple: I was brought low, and he helped me. 7Return unto thy rest, O my soul; for the LORD hath dealt bountifully with thee. 8For thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling. 9I will walk before the LORD in the land of the living. 10I believed, therefore have I spoken: I was greatly afflicted: 11I said in my haste, All men are liars. 12What shall I render unto the LORD for all his benefits toward me? 13I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the LORD. 14I will pay my vows unto the LORD now in the presence of all his people. 15Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints. 16O LORD, truly I am thy servant; I am thy servant, and the son of thine handmaid: thou hast loosed my bonds. 17I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the LORD. 18I will pay my vows unto the LORD now in the presence of all his people, 19In the courts of the LORD'S house, in the midst of thee, O Jerusalem. Praise ye the LORD.

The Graves Are Opening - Ezekiel 37:1-13 NIV1The hand of the Lord was on me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. 2He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. 3He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” I said, “Sovereign Lord, y ou alone know.”4Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! 5This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. 6I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’ ”7So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. 8I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them.9Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lordsays: Come, breath, from the four winds and breathe into these slain, that they may live.’ ” 10So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet—a vast army.11Then he said to me: “Son of man, these bones are the people of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.’ 12Therefore prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: My people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. 13Then you, my people, will know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. 14I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the Lord have spoken, and I have done it, declares the Lord.’ ”Matthew 27:51-54 51Then the curtain hanging in the Temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split apart, 52the graves broke open, and many of God's people who had died were raised to life. 53They left the graves, and after Jesus rose from death, they went into the Holy City, where many people saw them. 54When the army officer and the soldiers with him who were watching Jesus saw the earthquake and everything else that happened, they were terrified and said, “He really was the Son of God!”GRAVE CLOTHES & GRACE CLOTHESRomans 6 New Life Version (NLV)What does this mean? Are we to keep on sinning so that God will give us more of His grace? 2No, not at all! We are dead to sin. How then can we keep on living in sin? 3All of us were baptized to show we belong to Christ. We were baptized first of all to show His death. 4We were buried in baptism as Christ was buried in death. As Christ was raised from the dead by the great power of God, so we will have new life also. 5If we have become one with Christ in His death, we will be one with Him in being raised from the dead to new life.

Find us online at: AdventNYC.orgEmail us at: Podcast@AdventNYC.orgTalk with us at: Advent Sermons & Conversations on FacebookCome to a service and hear the sermons live and in person Sunday morning 9am and 11am in English and 12:30pm in Spanish at 93rd and Broadway.Readings for this Week:Exodus 16:2-4, 9-152The whole congregation of the Israelites complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. 3The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the fleshpots and ate our fill of bread; for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.”  4Then the Lord said to Moses, “I am going to rain bread from heaven for you, and each day the people shall go out and gather enough for that day. In that way I will test them, whether they will follow my instruction or not.”  9Then Moses said to Aaron, “Say to the whole congregation of the Israelites, ‘Draw near to the Lord, for he has heard your complaining.’ ” 10And as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the Israelites, they looked toward the wilderness, and the glory of the Lordappeared in the cloud. 11The Lord spoke to Moses and said, 12“I have heard the complaining of the Israelites; say to them, ‘At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall have your fill of bread; then you shall know that I am the Lord your God.’ ”  13In the evening quails came up and covered the camp; and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. 14When the layer of dew lifted, there on the surface of the wilderness was a fine flaky substance, as fine as frost on the ground. 15When the Israelites saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, “It is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat.”Psalm 78:23-2923So God commanded the | clouds above  and opened the | doors of heaven, 24raining down manna upon | them to eat  and giving them | grain from heaven. R 25So mortals ate the | bread of angels;  God provided for them | food enough. 26The Lord caused the east wind to blow | in the heavens  and powerfully led out | the south wind, 27raining down flesh upon | them like dust  and flying birds like the sand | of the seas, 28letting them fall in the midst | of the camp  and round a- | bout the dwellings. 29So the people ate and | were well filled,  for God gave them | what they craved. REphesians 4:1-161I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, 5one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.  7But each of us was given grace according to the measure of Christ’s gift. 8Therefore it is said,  “When he ascended on high he made captivity itself a captive;  he gave gifts to his people.”9(When it says, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower parts of the earth? 10He who descended is the same one who ascended far above all the heavens, so that he might fill all things.) 11The gifts he gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, 12to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ. 14We must no longer be children, tossed to and fro and blown about by every wind of doctrine, by people’s trickery, by their craftiness in deceitful scheming. 15But speaking the truth in love, we must grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every ligament with which it is equipped, as each part is working properly, promotes the body’s growth in building itself up in love.John 6:24-3524When the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were [beside the sea,] they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum looking for Jesus.  25When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?” 26Jesus answered them, “Very truly, I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. 27Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For it is on him that God the Father has set his seal.” 28Then they said to him, “What must we do to perform the works of God?” 29Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” 30So they said to him, “What sign are you going to give us then, so that we may see it and believe you? What work are you performing? 31Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’ ” 32Then Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. 33For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” 34They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.”  35Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.”

2 Kings 4:1-7 The wife of a man from the company of the prophets cried out to Elisha, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that he revered the Lord. But now his creditor is coming to take my two boys as his slaves.” 2Elisha replied to her, “How can I help you? Tell me, what do you have in your house?” “Your servant has nothing there at all,” she said, “except a small jar of olive oil.” 3Elisha said, “Go around and ask all your neighbors for empty jars. Don’t ask for just a few. 4Then go inside and shut the door behind you and your sons. Pour oil into all the jars, and as each is filled, put it to one side.” 5She left him and shut the door behind her and her sons. They brought the jars to her and she kept pouring. 6When all the jars were full, she said to her son, “Bring me another one.” But he replied, “There is not a jar left.” Then the oil stopped flowing. 7She went and told the man of God, and he said, “Go, sell the oil and pay your debts. You and your sons can live on what is left. God Is Into you! God Formed the World … Before He Filled it. God Won’t Fill … What Hasn’t Been Formed! We Minimize Our Supply CHECK YOUR OIL The Enemy Wants You To Despise Your Oil. … Because He Can’t Steal Your Oil. Oil is symbolic God’s Holy Spirit / Empowerment! / Joy! Elisha Learned From Elijah’s Cloud. (1 Kings 18) Size of Your Cloud doesn’t Determine Size of Your Miracle. It’s Not the Amount of the Oil… “It Might Not Be Much....But It’s Not Nothing!” The Oil Didn’t Become MORE… Until she POURED IT. POINT: When you feel POOR, you don’t POUR. NEED Seems --- SO BIG compared to YOUR SUPPLY. When You Call the Supply Nothing, It doesn’t Multiply. The Miracle is Hidden In What You’re Overlooking!

Phil 4:4 Rejoice and again I say rejoice On a day 2000 Year’s ago Jesus walked into his home town and almost got killed for what he said. This is what he said...Isaiah 61 Exaltation of the Afflicted1The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, Because the LORD has anointed me To bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to captives And freedom to prisoners;I have good news for the afflicted The ones having trouble of some kindThe poorThe meekThe humbleTo bind up the broken-hearted The ones broken in pieces He will put you back togetherHe will hold your disparate pieces together All the prisoners go freeA divine get out of jail free cardHe will open the doors for the ones who want outHe will go in and carry out the ones who cannot remove themselves 2To proclaim the favorable year of the LORD And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfortall who mourn,To tell you the time is NOW! WAITING IS OVER!To comfort all who mournAll that is lost will be returned All that has been stolen returned!3To grant those who mourn [in] Zion, Giving them a garland instead of ashes, The oil of gladness instead of mourning, The mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting. So they will be called oaks of righteousness, The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.No longer a time for sadness Celebration not sorrowYou thought all chance at happiness was over but this is the beginning not the end!You will do a victory dance not the walk of shame not giving up but winning Towering sumbols of life and stability Unshakable Deeply rootedPeople will wonder if you ever weren’t strong 4Then they will rebuild the ancient ruins, They will raise up the former devastations; And they will repair the ruined cities, The desolations of many generations.Then the restoration will move backward Restoring what past generations have lostRebuilding dreams that have died5Strangers will stand and pasture your flocks, And foreigners will be your farmers and your vinedressers.6But you will be called the priests of the LORD; You will be spoken of [as] ministers of our God.You will eat the wealth of nations, And in their riches you will boast.7Instead of your shame [you will have a] double [portion], And [instead of] humiliation they will shout for joy over their portion. Therefore they will possess a double [portion] in their land,Everlasting joy will be theirs.8For I, the LORD, love justice, I hate robbery in the burnt offering; And I will faithfully give them their recompense And make an everlasting covenant with them.9Then their offspring will be known among the nations, And their descendants in the midst of the peoples. All who see them will recognize them Because they are the offspring [whom] the LORDhas blessed.10I will rejoice greatly in the LORD, My soul will exult in my God; For He has clothed me with garments of salvation, He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness, As a bridegroom deckshimself with a garland, And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.11For as the earth brings forth its sprouts, And as a garden causes the things sown in it to springup, So the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise To spring up before all the nations.

COME OUT OF THE CAVE - Reset 2018 Jan 4 - Pastor David Rathel 1 Samuel 22:1-5 1So David departed from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam; and when his brothers and all his father’s household heard of it, they went down there to him. 2And everyone who was in distress, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented, gathered to him; and he became captain over them. Now there were about four hundred men with him. 3And David went from there to Mizpah of Moab; and he said to the king of Moab, “Please let my father and my mother come and stay with you until I know what God will do for me.” 4Then he left them with the king of Moab; and they stayed with him all the time that David was in the stronghold. 5And the prophet Gad said to David, “Do not stay in the stronghold; depart, and go into the land of Judah.” THE CAVE: Distress Debt Discontent COMING OUT: Identity Embrace your whole story. If you don’t love the pain, you don’t love the story. Value Want who you are. Want who you’re with. Want what you have. Dreams Open yourself up for upgrades. Follow the path in front of you. The line that starts from your pain and goes through your present, leads to your future. Dreams always draw you out of the cave. Coming out of the cave always makes you deal with your Identity and Value. Because, there’s a Victory in THIS house. Psalm 142 (pictures) What’s your cave experience? You become what you behold and attract what you are. What you’ve been through is the key to where you’re going. Pain always has a purpose. The purpose of my pain is to change me. Pick a word that’s the opposite of your greatest pain. The problem isn’t too much pain, but too little pleasure. Ps. 16. Like a doctor, God’s calling is for you to become and release whatever is the opposite of the sickness around you.