Do you have room for Jesus this Christmas?

Hope to see everyone this Sunday, Dec. 19th at 10a.m. as Pastor Mike preaches a message on this very subject.

A Powerful Devotional by David Wilkerson

FINISHING THE RACE

"For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and
counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? Lest haply, after
he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it
begin to mock him, saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish"
(Luke 14:28-30).

Jesus spoke these words near the close of his ministry on earth with the
purpose of warning followers that good intentions would not be enough to see
them through hard times. Many followers would not have what it took to finish
the race!

I believe the most tragic condition possible is starting out fully intending to
lay hold of Christ and grow into a mature disciple, and instead slowly drift
away, and become cold and indifferent to him. He laid a foundation but could
not finish, because he did not first count the cost. He ran out of resources;
he went so far and then quit.

God, wake us up and make us to understand that we are all changing. There is no
such thing as standing still; you are either changing daily into Christ's image
or you are changing back into your old carnal ways. For those who have
determined to lay hold of Christ at all cost, who are taking up their cross,
denying self, and going on with him, Paul said, "We are all, with open face
beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image
from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord"' (2 Corinthians 3:18).

What a joy to meet these who are finishing the race. They are growing in the
wisdom and knowledge of Christ, becoming more distant from this world and its
pleasures, and becoming increasingly heavenly minded. Their spiritual senses
are highly exercised and their discernment of what is of God or the flesh is
ever increasing. The older they get, the hungrier they are for more of Christ.
They cut away all earthly attachments and with growing intensity, they long to
be with him in his glory. For them, to die is gain and the ultimate prize is to
be called into his presence to be at his side forever. It is not heaven they
seek but Christ in glory!

You can be sure that when Christ returns, he will have a glorious church eager
to be with him. It will consist of those who have become so unattached to this
world and so united with him that moving from the corruptible to the
incorruptible state will be but one last love step into his presence!

You may have fallen down in the Christian race, but you can get up and run
again. Jesus will not let you lie down by the track, exhausted, crippled. He
will lift up your weakened knees and give you supernatural strength to finish.

He will not fail you. By grace, you are going to finish the race and the Lord
will be at the finish line to say, “Well done!”

CHASTENING LOVE

Great devotional by David Wilkerson. (ENJOY!)

Because God loves you, he will work to cleanse you. But it is a loving
chastening upon those who repent and return to him. You may feel God’s arrows
in your soul because of your past and present sins, but if you have a repentant
heart and want to turn from error, you can call upon his chastening love. You
will be corrected—but with his great mercy and compassion. You will not feel
his wrath as the heathen do, but rather the rod of his discipline, applied by
his loving hand.

Perhaps your suffering comes from making wrong decisions. How many women are
suffering because they married men whom God warned them not to marry? How many
children are breaking their parents’ hearts, bringing them to the end of
their ropes? Yet many times this happens because of the parents’ own past
years of sin, neglect and compromise.

When you know you have arrived at your lowest point, it is time to seek the
Lord in brokenness, repentance and faith. It is time to receive a new infusion
of Holy Ghost strength. It is time to be renewed and refreshed, to have
spiritual strength overflow within you.

You see, when you cry out to God, he pours his strength into you: “In the day
when I cried thou answeredst me, and strengthenedst me with strength in my
soul…. Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shalt
stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand
shall save me. The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O
Lord, endureth for ever” (Psalm 138:3, 7–8).

One of the most difficult things for Christians to accept is the suffering of
the righteous. Up to the time of Christ, the Jews associated prosperity and
good health with godliness. They believed that if you were wealthy, in good
health or otherwise blessed, it was because God was showing that he was pleased
with you. This was why Jesus’ disciples had a hard time understanding his
statement that “it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle,
than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God” (Matthew 19:24). The
disciples asked, “Who then can be saved?”

Likewise today, there is an erroneous doctrine that says if you are in
agreement with God you will never suffer; just call out to God and he will come
running and solve everything immediately. But this is not the gospel! The heroes
of faith listed in Hebrews 11 all walked in close relationship of faith with God
and they suffered stonings, mockings, torture and violent deaths (vv. 36–38).
Paul himself, who walked closely with God, was shipwrecked, stoned, whipped,
left for dead, robbed, jailed and persecuted. He suffered the loss of all
things. Why? These were all testings and purgings, the proving of his faith to
the glory of God.

God wants to plant something in our hearts through our testings and trials. He
wants us to be able to say, “Lord Jesus, you’re my Protector, and I believe
you rule over the events of my life. If anything happens to me, it’s only
because you allowed it, and I trust your purpose in doing it. Help me
understand the lesson you want me to learn from it. If I walk in righteousness
and have your joy in my heart, then my living and dying will bring glory to
you. I trust that you may have some prepared glory, some eternal purpose that
my finite mind doesn’t understand. But either way, I’ll say, ‘Jesus,
whether I live or die, I am yours!’”

DEAL WITH YOUR FEARS AND UNBELIEF

Israel had fallen into idolatry. But their root sin was still unbelief,

resulting in all kinds of fears! And God sent them a prophet to expose their

root sin.



The prophet told them in so many words, “Look at you—a bunch of wimps,

hiding out, afraid to stand up and fight. You’ve already given up. But you

have a history of God’s deliverance! He gave your fathers great victories

when they trusted him. And he has promised to deliver you too—yet you don’t

believe him!” (See Judges 6:7–10.)



Many Christians are terrified the devil is going to destroy them. They’re

afraid they’ll make a mistake or go back to their sin, and the devil will

have his way. But that’s a lie from the pit of hell! The Bible says you

don’t have to be terrified as you walk through this life!



When you hold on to fear, it becomes contagious. Everybody around you catches

it! When Gideon gathered his army, God told him to send home every fearful

soldier: “Whoever is fearful and afraid, let him return and depart…. And

there returned of the people twenty and two thousand” (Judges 7:3).



God is speaking the same word to his church today. He is asking, “Why do you

fear? Why do you sin by not trusting me to bring victory to your life? I have

promised to defeat every demonic power that comes against you!”



Gideon’s father, Joash, had erected statues of Baal and the goddess Asherah,

made from huge stones. His reasoning was, “Baal has given Midian power over

us, so maybe if we worship their god, he’ll give us power.” People came

from miles around to worship there, including Midianites and Moabites; it was a

powerful, demonic stronghold in Israel!



God told Gideon, “I’m not going to deliver Israel until you get rid of this

idol that stands between us. Lay it aside—cut it down!” So in the middle of

the night Gideon “took ten men of his servants, and did as the Lord had said

unto him” (Judges 6:27). He took an ox and used ropes to pull down Baal and

Asherah!



God is giving his church today the same message he gave Gideon: “I want to

help you—but I can’t when you don’t trust me. You’re full of fear. And

before I bring deliverance, you’re going to have to pull down this

stronghold, this besetting sin!” “Lay aside every weight, and the sin which

doth so easily beset [you]” (Hebrews 12:1). We are to pull down all

strongholds of fear and sin!



Gideon pulled down demonic strongholds using a strong ox. But we have been

given weapons far more powerful than Gideon’s (see 2 Corinthians 10:4–5).



Victory comes by praying in faith. This doesn’t mean cold, empty prayer but

prayer in the Spirit, prayer that believes God to answer: “Praying always

with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit” (Ephesians 6:18).

SOMETIMES WE GROW AND DON’T KNOW IT by David Wilkerson

Some believers can tell you all about their spiritual growth. And you can
clearly see the changes in their lives. They testify to you about how the Holy
Ghost has vanquished the enemy for them, and you rejoice with them in their
victory.

Yet these kinds of Christians are the exception. Most believers are totally
unaware of any spiritual progress in their lives. They pray, read the Bible and
seek the Lord with all their hearts. There's no obstruction to spiritual growth
in them.

But they can't discern any growth in themselves. I'm an example of this type of
believer. I know I walk in the righteousness of Christ, yet I never sense I'm
making progress. In fact, I occasionally get down on myself whenever I do or
say something un-Christlike. It causes me to wonder, "I've been a Christian for
years. Why don't I ever learn?"

I think the Thessalonian Christians were stunned when they heard Paul's glowing
assessment of them (see 2 Thessalonians 1:3). They probably thought, "Me,
growing exceedingly? Paul must be kidding."

Yet Paul knew that spiritual growth is a secret, hidden thing. Scripture likens
it to the unseen growth of flowers and trees: "I will be as the dew unto Israel:
he shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon. His branches
shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive tree, and his smell as
Lebanon" (Hosea 14:5–6).

God is telling us, "Go to the lilies! Just try to watch them grow. I'm telling
you by day's end you won't see any growth whatsoever. But know this; I water
the lily every morning with the dew I send—and it's going to grow." The same
is true of most spiritual growth. It's imperceptible to the human eye!

When some people get saved, they never seem to struggle with a besetting sin.
They testify, "The moment I came to Jesus, the Lord took that temptation out of
me. And I've been free ever since." I know many former drug addicts who've had
this experience.

But for multitudes of Christians, it's a different story. Years after their
conversion, an old corruption has broken loose in them—something they hated
and never wanted to see again. Yet no matter how hard they struggle, that one
remaining lust simply won't let go. Over time they grow discouraged. Their soul
cries out, "How long, Lord? When will this chain ever be broken?" And eventually
the devil comes to them, saying, "You'll never make it. You know there's no way
you could grow spiritually in this kind of condition."

Take heart, friend—I've got good news for you. You are growing in the midst
of your struggle! In fact, you may be growing by leaps and bounds because of
your struggle.

Rest assured—if you have the fear of God in your heart, you're going to
emerge from the storm much stronger. You see, when you're doing battle with the
enemy, you're exercising and calling forth all the graces and powers of God. And
even though you may feel weakened, those graces and powers are strengthening
you. For one, you're becoming more urgent in your praying. And, second, you're
being stripped of all pride. So, the storm is actually putting you on
"spiritual guard" in every area of your life!

More Precious Than Gold

The story of Queen Esther is one of intense warfare, one of the greatest
spiritual battles in all of Scripture. The devil was trying to destroy God's
purpose on earth, this time through the evil Haman. This wealthy, influential
man persuaded the king of Persia to declare an edict calling for the death of
every Jew under his rule, from India to Ethiopia.

The first Jew in Haman's sight was righteous Mordecai, Esther's uncle. Haman
had a gallows built especially for Mordecai, but Esther intervened, calling
God's people to prayer and laying her life on the line to countermand Haman's
order. God exposed the wicked scheme, and Haman ended up hanging on his own
gallows. The king not only reversed the death order, but he gave Haman's house
to Esther, an estate worth millions by today's standards.

Yet Haman's mansion wasn't the only spoil taken in this story. Scripture tells
us, "The Jews had light, and gladness, and joy, and honour" (Esther 8:16).
These were the true spoils gained in battle with the enemy.

You see, our trials not only gain us spiritual riches, they keep us strong,
pure, under continual maintenance. As we put our trust in the Lord, he causes
our trials to produce in us a faith more precious than gold. "That the trial of
your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be
tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the
appearing of Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 1:7).

"Having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly,
triumphing over them in it" (Colossians 2:15).

Jesus plundered the devil at Calvary, stripping him of all power and authority.
When Christ rose victorious from the grave, he led an innumerable host of
redeemed captives out of Satan's grasp. And that blood-bought procession is
still marching on.

Amazingly, Christ's triumph at Calvary gave us even more than victory over
death. It gained for us incredible spoils in this life: grace, mercy, peace,
forgiveness, strength, faith, all the resources needed to lead an overcoming
life. He has made every provision for the maintaining of his temple: "Christ as
a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and
the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end" (Hebrews 3:6).

The Holy Spirit is showing us a marvelous truth here: Jesus has supplied us
with all the resources we need, in his Holy Ghost. But we are responsible for
tapping into that treasury to maintain his temple. And the resources for
maintaining the temple have to come directly from the spoils of our warfare.

Christ has given us everything necessary for this maintenance to take place. He
has adopted us into his household. He stands as the cornerstone of the house and
he has cleaned the entire house. Finally, he has given us access to the very
Holy of Holies. So, by faith, we are now a fully established, complete temple.
Jesus didn't build a house that's only half finished. His temple is complete.

This temple has to be maintained. It must be kept in good repair at all times.
Of course, we know where the resources can be found: in the Spirit of Christ
himself. He is the treasurer of all spoils. Those resources are released when
we see our need and we cooperate with God.

That cooperation begins when we are in the midst of conflict. Our resources are
the Christlikeness we win while immersed in battle. They're the lessons, the
faith, the character we gain from warfare with the enemy. There is value in the
battle. And we can be confident that good will come out of it.

One Minute Before Midnight

ONE MINUTE BEFORE MIDNIGHT

We see in 1 Samuel 13 that Saul faced a crucial moment that every believer must
eventually confront. It is a time of crisis when we're forced to decide whether
we'll wait on God by faith, or get impatient and take matters into our own
hands.

Saul's pivotal moment came when ominous clouds of war were gathering over
Israel. The Philistines had amassed a huge army of horsemen, iron chariots and
legions of soldiers brandishing the latest weapons. By contrast, the Israelites
had only two swords in their entire army—one for Saul and one for his son,
Jonathan. Everyone else had to use makeshift weapons, such as wooden spears or
crude farm tools.

A week earlier Samuel had warned Saul to wait for him at Gilgal before going
into battle. The prophet had said he would arrive after seven days to make the
proper sacrifices to the Lord.

When the seventh day came and Samuel hadn't arrived, Saul's soldiers began to
scatter. Worse, the king didn't have God's direction for battle.

What approach did Saul take? Did he stand firm, declaring, "I don't care if it
takes Samuel eight days to arrive, I'm going to stand on God's Word to me. Live
or die, I will obey his command"? No—Saul panicked. He allowed himself to be
overwhelmed by his circumstances. And he ended up manipulating his way around
God's Word. He ordered the priest who was present to make the sacrifices
without Samuel and in so doing committed a grievous sin against the Lord (see 1
Samuel 13:11–12).

No—God is never too late. All along, the Lord knew each step Samuel was
taking toward Gilgal. He had set the prophet on a heavenly navigation system,
pinpointing his arrival to the very second. Samuel would be there by day seven,
even if it was one minute before midnight.

God has not changed throughout the ages. And he is still concerned with whether
his people obey this command: "Obey the voice of the Lord, and [do not] rebel
against the commandment of the Lord" (1 Samuel 12:15, paraphrased). It doesn't
matter if our lives are spinning out of control—we are to walk in total
confidence in the Lord. Even if things look hopeless, we are not to act in
fear. Rather, we are to wait patiently on him to deliver us, as his Word
promises.

The fact is, God stood right beside Saul as the massive Philistine army pressed
in. He knew the crisis Saul was in and his eye was on every detail.

Our God sees every detail of your crisis. He sees all the life-problems
pressing in on you. And he's fully aware your situation is getting worse daily.
Those who pray and wait on him with calm faith are never in any real danger.
Moreover, he knows all your panicky thoughts: "I don't see how I can ever repay
this debt…I don't have any hope for my marriage…I don't know how I can keep
my job…." Yet his command to you still holds true: "Don't panic or get ahead
of me. You are to do nothing but pray—and rely on me. I honor everyone who
puts his trust in me."

Consider these words God has given to his church: "Without faith it is
impossible to please him" (Hebrews 11:6). "Trust in him at all times; ye
people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us" (Psalm 62:8).
"Ye that fear the Lord, trust in the Lord: he is their help and their shield"
(Psalm 115:11). "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto
thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct
thy paths" (Proverbs 3:5–6).

Unbelief is deadly, its consequences tragic. And we face dire consequences if
we try to extricate ourselves from our trials instead of trusting God to see us
through them.

HINDRANCES TO GROWING IN GRACE

In Ephesians 4:31, Paul lists things we must remove from our lives if we are to
grow in the grace of Christ: "Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and
clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice."

We dare not skip over these issues on Paul's list. The apostle says we
absolutely must face these things if we are to grow in grace. If you ignore the
heart issues Paul mentions here, you will grieve the Holy Spirit. Your growth
will be stunted, and you'll end up a spiritual zombie.

The first three items on Paul's list—bitterness, wrath and anger—are
self-explanatory. Bitterness is a refusal to let go of an old wound or forgive
a past wrong. Wrath is a stronghold of resentment coupled with a hope to gain
revenge. Anger is exasperation—either a quick explosive outburst or a slow
burn of indignation toward someone. Evil speaking are words that tear down—it
is the opposite of edifying someone or speaking words of edification; evil
speaking is malicious, hurtful.

Clamor is a sudden outburst over nothing—an unnecessary hubbub, a loud noise
made for no purpose. We cause a clamor when we make a big issue out of
something insignificant, or cause a scene rather than trying to help or heal.

The final item on Paul's list is malice. Malice is the desire to see someone
else suffer. For many Christians malice means hoping God will punish someone
who wounded them. It's a devilish spirit, and it's usually hidden deep within
the heart.

When Paul says "Put away all these evils from you," he's not talking about a
quick fix. He's describing a process—a matter of growth that takes time. At
times, we may fail at ridding ourselves of these evils. But if we will quickly
repent, and commit to making things right with the person, over time these
issues will fade away.

When Questions Arise

WHEN QUESTIONS ARISE

"When he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward hungry.
And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread" (Matthew 4:2–3).

At a moment when Jesus was physically vulnerable, the devil brought his first temptation.

There's no sin in being hungry. So, what's the issue here? Satan was challenging Jesus: "If you are fully God, then you have God's power in you. And right now, you're in a very hard place. Why don't you use the power God gave you to deliver yourself? Didn't he give you that power to see if you would use it properly?"

Here is one of the most insidious temptations facing truly godly people. Like your example, Jesus, you have a passion for God. You've set your heart to be wholly surrendered to him. Then the Lord leads you into a wilderness experience and after a while, questions arise. You begin to lose your bearings, wondering about God's eternal purposes in your life. And while you try to pray and gain the victory, Satan's temptations seem fiercer than ever.

The enemy wants you to act independently of the Father. The devil says, "Your suffering isn't of God. You don't have to go through this. You have God's power in you, through the Holy Ghost. Speak the word—free yourself. Satisfy your own hunger."

Satan's first scheme was to create a power failure. He was hoping God wouldn't honor Jesus' cry for bread, should he ask. If heaven's power failed, then Christ might doubt his divinity and turn aside from his eternal purpose on earth. Second, Satan knew Jesus was sent to do only what the father told him.
So he aimed to convince Christ to disobey here for his own welfare. That way, if Jesus used his power now to avoid suffering, he might do the same later to avoid the cross.

So, how did Jesus answer the devil's temptation? "It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God"
(Matthew 4:4). Christ said, in essence, "My coming to earth is not about my needs, hurts or physical comfort. I came to give to humankind—not to save myself."

Even at the height of his suffering, Jesus did not lose sight of his eternal purpose. And if our Lord learned dependence and compassion through a wilderness experience, so will we.

We Must Decrease, He Must Increase!

A VOICE

John the Baptist's definition of his ministry was blunt and simple: "I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness" (John 1:23). This servant of the Most High, who according to the Scripture was the greatest "among them that are born of women," was the most blessed of all the prophets and a revered preacher of righteousness.

The crowds flocked to hear John's scorching messages. Many were baptized and became his disciples and even royalty came under his mighty influence. Some thought he was Christ; others considered him to be Elijah raised from the dead.

John refused to be exalted or promoted. He was emptied of self-serving and he continually withdrew from center stage. In his own eyes the greatest of all prophets was not even worthy to be called a man of God—but only a wilderness voice, modest, retiring, and unconcerned about honor or usefulness. He didn't care about having a ministry or being "mightily used of God." In fact, he considered himself unworthy to even touch his Master's shoes. His entire life was devoted to "the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sins of the world" (John 1:29).

What a powerful rebuke to us in this age of self-occupation, promotion of personalities, influence-grabbing, ego-tripping, and seeking of honors. John could have had it all, but he cried out, "He must increase, but I must decrease" (John 3:30). And to reach that goal, John kept reminding all who heard him, "I am just a voice."

The secret of John's happiness was that his joy was not in his ministry or in his work, not in his personal usefulness or widespread influence. His pure joy was to stand in the presence of the Bridegroom, hear his voice, and rejoice in it. His joy was in seeing others, his own disciples included, flocking to Jesus, the Lamb of God.

The greatest fulfillment a child of God can know is to lose self and all desire to be somebody, and simply rejoice in being a son or daughter who lives in the very presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. Being totally occupied with Christ is what satisfies the heart. John could stand there, in the Jordan River, with his eyes fixed on Jesus, and be delighted by his presence. He fed his soul on Christ—his heart was always going out to him in adoration and awe.

This Sunday's sermon

Hello Holland First Family and all those in Blogland,

This Sunday I preach a message about "gentleness and self control." We live in a day where it seems we seldom see these two fine qualities in action. God has laid a message on my heart that will stir your heart to possess these Fruits of the Spirit on a daily basis. Christianity is more often caught than it is taught and when people see these Godly traits on display they can't help, but want to know the reason for the hope you have.

Hope to see you SONday!!!! (10a.m.) Reminder, there is no 6p.m. service due to the Memorial day weekend. Thank you to all of our veterans that have served our country. We are indebted to you.

Pastor Mike Houser
Senior Pastor

My Prayer For You

As fear spreads and uncertainty abounds, let us pray the Holy Spirit
will show us that murmuring and complaining are signs of impatience and distrust of our faithful
Lord.

In Exodus 17, Moses called murmuring “tempting God.” The children of Israel were at Rephidim
and there was no water to drink. Unbelieving doubt spread through the encampment! The people
forgot all their past deliverances from distress and began once again to doubt that God was with
them. They cried, “God, why did you bring us out of Egypt? Why didn’t you let us die there
instead of bringing us to this place to kill us?”

They were ready to stone Moses. In great mercy, God gave them water out of a rock, but the
Lord made them call it Massah and Meribah—murmuring and complaining. It was to be a place
never forgotten in Israel’s future.

We feel we have a right to murmur and complain because our particular afflictions are so painful,
so difficult. There are times I have been guilty of this tempting God, but as I read and reread
Exodus l7, a reverent fear of the Lord gripped my soul—“God takes this matter very seriously.”

He has seen us through so much in the past and he has proven his faithfulness every time. The
question is, when will we ever fully trust him? When will we ever fully trust his promise to keep
us, to love us, to be a Father, a keeper?
We need the Holy Spirit to help us.

I plead with you, do not murmur or complain, for all who hold fast to faith, that person will be
blessed. God help me to take this to heart in the testing times ahead. We can do all things
through Christ who strengthens us.

If you could know how this will all end up to God’s glory, you would rest in his Word.

Nothing's too hard for God (AM series)

Hello Holland First! This Sunday, May 16th, I will be continuing my current series, "Nothing's too hard for God" with a message on MARRIAGE.

Today, marriages are being attacked like never before. The greatest way to show a lost world that Jesus is real is by showing the world a marriage that works & honors God.

If you know of someone who is struggling in their marriage you need to invite them to be here Sunday. However, if you're married, this message is for you as well. Even those who have great marriages it's because they work at it daily. Sometimes it's good to get a reminder from God on how He sees marriage and how we can honor Him in the marriage covenant.

I hope to see you Sunday at Holland First at 10a.m.

By the way, it's the 3rd Sunday of the month so we also have church at 6p.m. I will be preaching a part two message in my current evening series entitled, "The Lord's Prayer."

Make it a full day in the House of the Lord. Trust me, you'll be glad you did!

Love you all,
Pastor Mike Houser
Senior Pastor

Proper Priorities

Hello Holland First and those in Blogland. There is a young lady that attends Holland First when she is not traveling with CTI Music ministries. She had something happen to her that would have probably made others mad and seeking revenge, but not this young woman of faith. Read her story below and be blown away by a young lady with PROPER PRIORITIES! (Pastor Mike)

Used with permission................

Hello All,
What a last few weeks it has been for me. Since last writing you all I have been through Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Nebraska, Iowa, and Illinois on tour and then have just spent a week at home over Easter time. Today is the first day on the road again for our final tour with CTI which will last 5 weeks. It will take us all over the south and east coast states and we will be returning to our base in Willmar on May 17th. The time spent on the road has been such a time of growth for me and I am constantly learning more and more each day what God has for me and how He is asking me to live and love. The Winter Tour ended well with many opportunities to share our love with those who didn't know. It was amazing to watch as God brought people into our lives who didn't know about His love and grace and we were able to share that with them. God is so faithful.

For break I headed home as well as spending some time in Toronto, Canada. The break was much needed for me and my brain to simply rest and relax a bit after many intense months on the road. I felt like the time spent on break was rejuvenating as well as a time to pray and think about what the next few months with CTI will be like as well as preparing my heart for all that is next for me. But I want to take a short time now and share another story that happened just Monday night on my drive back to our base in WIlmar, MN. Monday morning a friend of mine, Eric, & I took off from my parent's house and drove back to Willmar. When we got to Minneapolis we decided to stop for dinner before finishing the last few hours of our drive. We went in and ate and when we returned to the car we saw that the window had been smashed and shattered. We looked at one another and didn't know what to do. Then I took a look in the backseat and noticed our backpacks were no longer there - they had been stolen. As "people on the go" we carry many important things in our backpacks so we both lost our laptops, external hard drives, chargers. Eric also lost his PSP, a Nintendo DS, ipod, and camera. I lost my entire journal I had been keeping from this year as well as other books and memories. I didn't know what to do and then Eric looked at me and said, "Carrie, it's just stuff. We are safe and it's just stuff. We have Christ and that's all we really need." Immediately I was at peace. Sure I was upset after having lost all my photos ever taken since my freshman year in college, my journal from the year, my music, and other memories that are irreplaceable… BUT Eric was and is right. I still have Christ and He is all I need. After taking care of the police report and those things we got back in the car and drove to Willmar. Along the way we really felt like we needed to be in prayer for the people who broke in and stole our things. So we spent time in prayer for them and I will again now.

"Father, YOU are all we need. You give and you take away. And right now I don't know who it is that took our stuff but I pray that you would show yourself evident in their lives. I pray as they go through our things they see our Bibles and read them. That they read my journal and see that although following Christ is not "easy" You are faithful and You are worth it all. I pray that you would touch their hearts and lives and through this theft they could see YOU and your LOVE. I don't know about their needs and lives but You know them and love them just as much as you love me so use this experience to bring them to YOU - the only one who can fill the emptiness with life and love. If it takes my stuff to be stolen for the sake of their souls, take everything of mine! Everything is yours anyways Lord. I trust you and your plans. AMEN!"

Anyways, it's been quite the journey these last few days of coming to the realization that although my physical memories are lost and most likely will never be returned to me Christ is doing new things in my life and I will continue to make new memories remembering along the way that Christ is the ONLY thing I need and when all else is stripped away He is all that matters.

So I challenge you all to look at your lives and ask yourself is Christ all I need? Am I putting things and stuff before Him? What would happen if all was stripped away? Could I still praise Him and love Him and trust that His plans are better than mine? I hope you will look and be able to say "Christ YOU are all I need, You are all I want."

I'll keep you all posted as I travel all around for the next 5 weeks and write again soon with details of my summer plans with CTI. Thanks again for all your support through prayers and finances… you guys are the reason I am able to be here with CTI growing in the love of a faithful God.

He's all we need,
Carrie Joy

Another great devotional by David Wilkerson

Below is a powerful devotional from David Wilkerson. It's regarding the Supreme Courts decision to take the 10 Commandments out of every courthourse throughout these United States of America. I praise God for men and women who tell it like it is and let us know the truth. I pray this devo not only blesses you, but truly causes you to pray for our nation like never before.

In His Grip,
Pastor Mike Houser


David Wilkerson Today

THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 2010

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS

Most of America knows that the Supreme Court of the United States has ruled the Ten Commandments cannot be displayed in any government courthouse. This landmark decision has been covered exhaustively by the media. But what does the ruling mean?

A courthouse is where laws are enforced. The Ten Commandments represent God’s moral law, which never shifts or changes. It is as fixed as the law of gravity.
If you defy that law, it’s like stepping off a high building. You can deny that the law affects you, but there are consequences sure to be paid.

Simply put, the Ten Commandments are eternal laws designed by God to keep society from destroying itself. Yet, amazingly, many sand-blasting companies are at work right now grinding away those Commandments—as well as God’s name—wherever they’re engraved in courthouse marble or concrete.

What a telling picture of the state of our society. These unchangeable laws were originally engraved in stone by the finger of God. And now they are being erased from stone by the law of man.

Some Christians are saying, “What’s the big deal? We are not under the law.
Why should this be an issue?” No, we are not under the Hebrew law, meaning the
613 additional commandments added by Jewish rabbis. But every Christian is under the authority of God’s moral law, which is summed up in the Ten Commandments.

I wonder what goes through God’s mind as these sand-blasters erase his laws from before our eyes. Some believers claim, “We don’t need these displays of the Commandments. All that’s really necessary is for us to have them written in our hearts.” That’s not what God’s Word says. Consider the very visible presence God intended for the Commandments as they were delivered to his people:

“These words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart… and [thou] shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thy hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates” (Deuteronomy 6:6-9).

Powerful devotional from David Wilkerson

Hello everyone! I received a online devotional from David Wilkerson, the anointed Senior Pastor at Times Square Church in New York and I wanted to share it with all of you in blogland. I pray it blesses you! (Pastor Mike Houser)

David Wilkerson Today

THURSDAY, MARCH 11, 2010

HE DOES IT THROUGH LIFE

Let me tell you how God brings people into his house, how he speaks to them, and how he saves them. He does it through life. The Lord builds his church through the testimonies of light shining forth from those who love him. And he’s able to do this not because these servants use the right methods, but because they live the life.

Christ’s life produces light in homes, in neighborhoods, in cities, in workplaces. How is this life obtained? It comes down to every saint living right, beyond reproach, as examples of God’s mercy. Such servants deal honestly, selflessly, with no dark part in them. They lead lives wholly devoted to Jesus, and are ready to serve others at all times.

Paul speaks of servants who “knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law; and art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness”
(Romans 2: 18-19). Such saints as Paul describes are to be commended.

Let me give you an example of such light. Recently, the CEO of a company in New York called our church. Pastor Neil took the call. The CEO told Pastor Neil about two women from our church who work for him. He said they weren’t like the others in his office. These two women were always courteous, smiling, helpful to others, never complaining or backbiting. “There’s something different about them,” he said. “I would like to meet with you to find out what the difference is.”

These women were heavenly candlesticks, placed in their jobs by Jesus. And the light they shone lit up the entire workplace. How? They had the life of Christ in them. Their boss recognized it as something beyond what this world has to offer.

That CEO was Jewish. Do you think he would have responded to an invitation to a revival meeting? Would he have read a packet of materials produced by a church?
No, he would have tossed it all into “File 13” and never looked at it again. This man responded to true light—a light born of lives hid in Christ, and being lived out daily by two humble women.

We are only able to bring light to our communities as we are full of Christ’s life ourselves. We have to live out the message we bring, if we are to preach it with any power. God help us to remember that the light shines through in the little things of life.

The Battle for the Next Generation

The Battle For Next Generation (Message for this Sunday night)

This Sunday night I believe God has given me a powerful message for all parents! There is a battle raging for the souls of our children and God has given me a fresh word that addresses how we can see this next generation through. If you are a parent you need to be here.

Our service begins Sunday night at 6p.m.

In His Grip,

Pastor Mike Houser
Senior Pastor

New series starting this Sunday morning

Hello Holland First Family,

My first blog on our newly enhanced website. A special thanks goes out to Cory Zigterman who has spent many hours putting this incredible website together.

This Sunday I begin a new series on "JOY." One of my favorite verses in the Bible is found in the Old Testament book of Nehemiah. It reads, "The JOY of the Lord is our strength." That means if you are not walking in joy you are walking in weakness. Times are tough! It seems everywhere we turn we read of disaster, chaos, strife and immorality, but in the midst of it all we can have joy because it comes not based on our circumstance or living in a sinful world, but it comes from Christ alone.

I pray you'll come out this Sunday morning at 10a.m. as I begin my new series, "Incredible Joy!"

May the Lord bless you,

Pastor Mike Houser
Senior Pastor