Author: John

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A Sure Hope – 23-May-2021

by Pastor Marie

A Sure Hope:
Keep Your Hope in View: moving forward

WE at RCF are continuing to move on to deeper Truth. 
Hebrew means “those who crossed over.” We have passed from shadows to substance and from doubt to the reality of faith.

This is the message of Hebrews 6.
It reads:
Verse 1: Now is the time for us to progress beyond the basic message of Christ and ADVANCE INTO PERFECTION. The foundation has already been laid for us to build on.
Verse 3: so, with God’s enablement, we will move on to deeper truths.

Heb 6 verse 11-12 reads: “We long to see you passionately advance until the end and you find your hope fulfilled. So don’t allow your hearts to grow dull or lose your enthusiasm but follow the example of those who fully received what God has promised because of their faith and patient endurance.”
 
Heb 9:12 God’s Promise of eternal blessing is given on the basis of faith in the saving blood of His Son, Jesus Christ. He has paid the ransom forever.
 
Heb 10:35-36, this is the Promise of a new covenant and a new creation life.
 
Another name for testing is proving and advancing. We go from glory to glory, but there is suffering involved and walking through.
Heb 6:19
Heb 6:19-2AN UNSHAKEABLE HOPE! Heb 6:18
 
Jesus is the trailblazer [the Forerunner], and He blazed a trail for us to enter into this sacred chamber and seize the hope that has been already fulfilled in His eyes… to have a company of king-priests who will dwell with him in the holiest of holies and minister from there out to the nations of the earth… LIVING IN THE KINGDOM REALM DISPLAYING HIS GLORY.
 
In Hebrews 6:15-17, Abraham waited patiently in faith and succeeded in seeing the Promise fulfilled. God swore an oath added to His Promise to confirm his statement and end all disputes. He wanted to end all doubt and confirm it even more forcefully to those who would inherit his promises.
 
Let’s look at Abraham for a minute.
 
In Genesis 13, Genesis 14, Abram goes to war and wins against four enemy kings, recovering his nephew Lot. He would take none of the spoils from the enemy.
In Genesis 15, as a result, because of Abram’s integrity and actions, God called him and said Fear Not! I will be Your Faithful Shield and Your Abundant Reward. Abraham did not go to the enemy or the world for his supply but trusted God.
 
We can receive this word from our God as well; He WILL BE OUR FAITHFUL SHIELD AND OUR ABUNDANT REWARD as we remain faithful to Him trusting Him in our lives.

God gave Abram instructions to set up an altar to make a blood sacrifice. Abraham obeyed. God showed up.
 
Genesis 22 brings us to the testing of Abraham. He was instructed to sacrifice his only son Isaac on the altar on Mount Moriah.
Abraham heard God and obeyed Him. Testing means proving and also signifies an elevated banner. God allows us to see ourselves when we are in a difficult situation and shows us Who He is.

God had provided Isaac miraculously.
He also provided for Abraham, the ram in the thicket for the sacrifice.
Abraham made the altar on Mount Moriah, which means “chosen by Yahweh” and comes from a root word meaning “vision or sight.”

WE are called to our own Mount Moriah being chosen by Yahweh and see.
He’s the HOPE THAT HOLDS US… A SECURE ANCHOR. 

Hebrews 6:13-19
19 This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil, 20 where the Forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever.”
We are Safe and Secure- Psalm 91

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The Power Of His Love – 16-May-2021

by Pastor Roy Esposito

  • Ephesians 6:18   -” The Two-Edged Sword” of the Spirit
  • Established will of God
  • The Communicated will of God
  • Deuteronomy 32:2-3 – The Rain – Depth teachings of the Spirit
  • Acts 5:34-39 – Gamaliel — ”If the Teaching is of human origin it will fail.

From God — Unstoppable”

  • The handling of the Word of God must be intimate, personal, and seen as HOLY
  • 2 Samuel 6:1 – Ark transported from Abinadab to Jerusalem
  • Uzzah struck dead because the Presence of God can’t be steadied by human strength
  • The PRESENCE is HOLY and must be carried with Faithfulness, Reverence, Steadiness, and Sacrifice – not carted like a COMMODITY.

“Personal relationship with God in this manner is of greater benefit than any meeting, gift or doctrine.” – PR

  • Hebrews 2: 14-15 – The “LIGHT” releases those who through the fear of death are in bondage all their life
  • The devil – a PYTHON – a “constrictor” – Constricts us through FEAR and controls our worldview
  • I John 4:4 – “God IS Love.” – Love is the Opposite of Fear
  • John 15:13 – “Greater love has no one than this: to lay his life down for his friends.”
  • Our path to total freedom is to TRUST IN THIS
  • II Corinthians 5:14-15(TPT) – Christ’s love fuels our passion and motivates us.
  • I Corinthians 13:8 – “Love never fails!”
  • Love is the fulfillment of the law.
  • Jesus’ love is the LIGHT that fulfilled the law.
  • The power of the Cross does not just free us from SIN – it grants us freedom from the CAUSE of SIN.
  • Want to get Free? – Get LOVE — GET JESUS!
  • 1 John 2: 7-11(TPT)

”We need the Power of His Love more than the love of His Power!” –PR

  • In the “Valley” John could only see BABYLON  (Confusion and Chaos)
  •  Revelation 21:10 – Taken to a “great and high mountain” – Saw the New Jerusalem descending from heaven
  • Embracing the Power of His Love elevates us into the “Light” and away from the “valley of confusion and chaos.”
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Shaking Free

Shaking Free

“Break through the FOG, into the FLOW, and Shake Free of the world!”

— 2Cor 10:4-5 (NKJV) — Cleanse thought channels

— “Cast down arguments”  — B.Simmons — Citadels of argumentations

— Citadel — A fortress that commands a city, used to CONTROL its inhabitants

— Argumentations — Are not discussions of differences but are control devices spoken in arrogance. They are rebellious ideas and attributes that are subsequently reflected in rebellious and dishonorable behavior.

—” High Things“ –  a PRIDEFUL attitude. It is a barrier to receiving the TRUE knowledge of God.

— Take prisoner every disobedient thought, scheme, or pattern of thought to stand before Christ’s reconciliation and cleansing

— Renew your minds  — Rom 12:2(TPT) “Stop imitating the ideals and opinions of the culture around you ….”

— Rom 12:1 — Surrender to God is an act of WORSHIP

— Col 3:2 (TPT)  — “Fix on the things that are from above…”

— Col 1:19-21 — Embrace the Cross  – brings all things back to their original intent

— Col 3:3-4 (TPT)  — The Cross severed the tie to this life and reveals our true life in Christ

— Eph 6:18  “Two-Edged Sword” — A) The Written Word  — established will of God  

                                                            B) Communicated will of God — Relationship with Him

— “Success in gaining spiritual authority depends on the degree of surrender and obedience  we choose to make to both aspects of or dimensions of His Word.”  — PR

–– Spiritual Conflict  — God has allowed it b/c through it our substance and character are tested and proven

— Battles are won through the Christ-like thoughts and the character they produce.

— Jer 17: 10  – “I, the Lord, search the heart and mind — I give according to the fruit of one’s doings”

— Power is given to those whose character is tested and proven– Lk 4:1  Lk 4: 14

— The FRUIT of transformation is TRUTH — Peace (Shalom) 

— “In order to convey Truth and give Peace to others we must first have them in our own hearts.”  — [ Eph 4:15 – AMP ]

— People of True Faith live as though they actually BELIEVE what they say they believe. 

— True Freedom — is the ability to live in balance with all created things and being able to enjoy them and use them reasonably without becoming dependent on them.

— Jesus’ life was SPENT — not SAVED!     He poured out the resources and gifts He had generously and so was never chained to them or imprisoned  and constrained by them

— Jn 14:30  – “ …..he has no hold on me.” — Jesus 

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Simple Faith – 02-May-2021

Simple Faith

by Pastor Roy

— Postmodern worldview  — Nothing is truly knowable.  -No cycles, patterns, or absolutes

— Postmodern thinking — allows one to discredit and discount everything and everyone leaving loneliness and insecurity as a result

— Philosophically — Nihilism — NIHIL = NOTHING

— Creates a “Market Mentality” –  things have no INHERENT value only EXCHANGE value.

— “The Temple of Creation” becomes a place of buying and selling.   (Jn 2:15)

— Col 1:27 – The Great Mystery  — Christ within our hope

— Deception — Not a misrepresentation of doctrines or codes but is a result of NOT KNOWING HIM

— “Market” worldview — Pulling each other downward in the spiral of skepticism instead of the mobility of HUMILITY

— “As long as we keep trying to deal with the mystery of evil in some other way than FORGIVENESS and HEALING we will continue to create negative ideologies like fundamentalism and nihilism.”  – Richard Rohr

— 2Cor 5:17 — Jesus– Lives as the Bridge to transformation and the Model of the New Creation

— He saves us from ourselves and offers us an antidote for the poison of nihilistic thinking —    SIMPLY BELIEVE, with SIMPLE FAITH!

— “If you want to know what kind of tree you’re looking at, look at its FRUIT— not its botanical name.”

— Jn 14:18-24 — “I will not leave you orphans…”

— Jn 14:16 — Gives the Holy Spirit to help us

— Gifts –1Cor 12:7-11  —  and  Fruit —  Gal 5:22-23

—“ GIFTS are GIVEN and are irrevocable (Rom 11:29),

   FRUIT must be GROWN.” — PR

— Matt 7:20 — Known by our fruit

— “People of true faith LIVE as though they mean what they say they BELIEVE.” – PR

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Simplicity – 25-Apr-2021

Simplicity

  • St. Francis of Assisi – “The antidote for confusion and paralysis is always a return to SIMPLICITY”
  • Dark Ages >>> Age of Enlightenment / Age of Science and Reason / Modern Age
  • Science – the analysis of “small” parts became more important than a synthesis of the “whole.”
  • 1950 (approx.) – Atom Bomb – Annihilation of everything became possible hope waned – doubt established  — Post-Modern Mind
  • Relativism – nothing is truly knowable b/c everything is an intellectual or social construct that will soon change.  No patterns, cycles, or absolutes
  • Created beings that were both god-like (“I Know”) and utterly cynical (“I have to create my own truth because none really exists”)
  • Results: Increased suicide and clinical depression rates leaving most languishing
  • Languish – loss or lack of vitality. Grow feeble and weak – fail to progress.
  • Feels like stagnation and emptiness.  Looking at life as through a foggy windshield
  • The Church has not been exempted from this worldview
  • Thomas Aquinas – “People chose things that seem good to them.”
  • European and North American church – effort to follow Jesus through intellectualism
  • Follow by Knowing Him – His Heart and “Gut” – Attitudes and values that shape His choices.
  • Instead of trying to “get inside” the scriptures – Let the scriptures “get inside us” and gradually shape OUR attitudes and values to be like His
  • “The Way” is not a set of intellectually formed principles and formulas: “The Way” is a PERSON.
  • “Walking in Truth” is to follow that Person.
  • John 14:7-11 – “To know Me is to \know the Father.”
  • We must know “The Lord of the Book” and not just the “Book of the Lord”
  • Matthew 11:29 – ”Learn of Me…” (TPT) “Join your life to mine, there you will find rest.”
  • Rest – (Hebrew) Shalom – Peace, comfort, rest, balance, completeness
  • Post-Modern thinking in the Church – has resulted in rivalry, distrust, conflict, separation
  • Set aside time to “Playback” what actually happened during your day 
  • reflect how you felt and how you reacted.
  • Ask Jesus to show you your “hot spots” of the day and where He was during them.
  • Ask how HE felt about them.
  • Ask Him to share His Heart and approach to them with you
  • Take time to enter the shalom He offers.

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The Spirit of Truth – 18-Apr-2021

The Spirit of Truth
by Pastor Roy

“God’s desire is to TRANSFORM us not just INFORM us.”

– F.Frangipane

— Truth is more than facts or doctrine.
—  It is possible to know the Truth and still not walk in it

—  Eph 4:15 (AMP)

— Truth is a “Living Spirit” that needs a life through which to express itself

— Jn 14:6 — “I am the TRUTH ….”  —   Jesus

“Jesus does more than take us to heaven — he brings us into the Father’s presence.”

– B. Simmons

— Matt 25:13, Lk 12:37  “Awake from your slumber”  — Jesus
— “Born Again” — a dramatic metaphor describing an ascent from unconsciousness to awareness

— Col 1:26-27 (TPT)  — A Divine Mystery  —  Christ dwelling within us

— Christ within transforms every command of God to a promised fulfillment
— Jesus within  — the TRUTH within — makes transformation possible

— 2 Thess 2:10  – ”… men perish b/c they did not receive the love of the Truth.”

— Suffering when searching for the TRUTH;
1. Disillusionment
2. Doubt and uncertainty
3. Humiliation

— Good News! – All suffering can be avoided by LOVING the TRUTH!

— Rev 3: 19-21 (TPT) – “Those I dearly love, I UNMASK and train.” — Jesus

–” Fear Not!”  – Cowardness is a refusal to TRUST God who has called us to walk in Truth.

— Jn 4:24 – The Father is looking for those who will worship in SPIRIT and TRUTH.

— Pretenders worship without TRUTH

— Jn 8: 32 (TPT)– The Truth releases true freedom in our lives

— Gal 5:9 – Toss the “Leaven of Pretense” from our lives

— 1Jn 3:2-3  — We shall be like Him

–2Cor 3:18 — transformation– look in a mirror and see Christ looking back

— “The fruit of the Spirit must be an expression and extension of the trueness of one’s life if it’s to be effective.”  — PR

— Relativism — the core of worldly wisdom

— Relativism — is a doctrine that states that knowledge, truth, and morality exists only in relation to culture, society, and historical context and are not absolute

— Relativism hates THE TRUTH b/c it is anchored in GOD who never changes and IS absolute

— Jn 3: 19-21 — The Righteous are  characterized by their love of the “Light of Truth”

— The Righteous TRUST God

— Not sure if you’re righteous?  – Ask God‘s help. 

 — Heb 4:16  — Come confidently before the throne of grace and receive mercy and grace in your time of need.

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…but I Call You Friend – 11-Apr-2021


The Fear of the Lord

by Pastor Marie

…but I Call You Friend

by Pastor Roy

  • John 3:16
  • John 15:9-17(TPT)
  • “Friends” – Aramaic – FAMILY
  • “Servants” (Greek – Doulos) – “Slaves” – We Serve but are not Servants because we serve willingly
  • 1 Corinthians 12: 27 – “Body of Christ.”
  • Revelation 19:7-9, 21:2, Isaiah 54:5 – Bride of Christ

A True Friend:

  1. Has a bond of affection
  2. Takes time to BE with us
  3. A benefactor, a backer, a supporter, a defender, and champion
  4. Trusts us
  5. Understands us and even when they do not – still tries to
  6. Is there for us when they can be but also sets boundaries
  7. An ally in a struggle or cause
  8. Stands up for you when others try to hurt you – physically or emotionally
  9. Forgives you no matter what you do
  10. Tells you when you are being stupid but does not make you feel stupid
  11. Does not care if you are ugly or boring and never thinks about it

– Essay by C. Raymond Beran  –  “What Is A Friend?”

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Because He Lives – 04-Apr-2021


The Cross – Personal Resurrection

by Pastor Marie

Because He Lives

  • Resurrection Day – A celebration and an affirmation of the hope we have for eternal life in Christ
  • 2 Kings 13:21 – Elisha’s bones touched by a corpse raised back to life
  • Ezekiel 37:9-10 – Valley of DRY BONES– reanimated army
  • 1 Kings 17:17-24 – Elijah lays on a widow’s dead son — brought back to life
  • John 11:17-26 – Lazarus – raised from his tomb after 4 days, ”…I am the RESURRECTION…”
  • 1 Corinthians 15:6 – 500 people witness Jesus’ resurrection – God wanted to leave us with no doubt it actually occurred to give us hope.
  • Because He lives, I have hope that I will also.
  • Because He lives, I can face tomorrow her on Earth with hope for victory.

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Holy Hush

“The Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding”

by Pastor Roy

Holy Hush

by Pastor Marie

Sing His Praises and Stand in Silent Communion.

The quiet, descending, ascending, all-enveloping, all-encompassing peace that covers my soul in the time when His holy Presence fills the room, blanketing me with a holy hush. 

     When The Holy Spirit enters my dwelling, and my eternal, internal dwelling as well as the room I am in, with His calming Presence, GRACE UPON GRACE.  He touches my soul, heals my body, fills my spirit, and continues filling me with the all-encompassing love that is His very nature. There is nothing quite like it.

I found unspeakable joy

My heart slows, and my breath stills, as His very sacred breath falls in rhythm with mine, calming my heart, assuring me that keeping me safe is His priority, with reassuring murmurs of His cascading waves of glory- He stills my soul. 

I recall four specific times recently when I experienced His Holy Hush entering my circumstances.

When I was in the operating room having my eye fixed, He met me right there and enveloped me in His grace to remain still.

My husband opened the door to our room with a beautifully displayed, absolutely delicious lunch he had prepared for me. It was such a gift of love. I thanked God;

after lying in bed for two days and nights on my back with my chin elevated. I was able to lay on my side: finished. God came into my room and enfolded me into His arms, and I was totally immersed in His ever-present loving embrace. Cocooned in Him.

I looked out the front door and saw all the buds on the trees and the shoots from the bulbs I had planted springing up with the promise of beautiful flowers.

He met me in all those moments right where I was. I worshiped, so grateful. They were life-changing moments.

TO YOU belongs silence (the submissive wonder of reverence which bursts forth into praise), and praise is due and fitting to You, O God, in Zion; and to You shall the vow be performed. Psalm 65:1
In the kingdom of grace (v. 1), 
hearing prayer (v. 2)
pardoning sin (v. 3) 
satisfying our souls as a people (v. 4), 
protecting and supporting us (v. 5) 
In the kingdom of the earth 
fixing the mountains (v. 6) 
calming the sea (v. 7) 
preserving the regular succession of day and night (v. 8) 
making the earth fruitful (v. 9-13).

Sing His Praises and Stand in Silence: bowing in humble gratitude and awe: we bow down low hearing the holy HUSH. Listening to the eternal involves a silence within us. Communion and contentment.

There’s a Place – Leonard Jones
There’s a Place, In my heart,
Where I worship, where I praise 
Lord, it’s only for You 
There’s a Room, pure and white 
and you know it’s holy, holy,
Lord, it’s only for You.
There’s a Hope, in my heart, 
no one else gives, no one has, 
it comes only from You
There’s a song that I sing, 
No one else knows, no one hears, 
Lord, it’s only for You.

Return to in-person Services on April 18!

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Getting Ready for Jesus

by Pastor Roy

Revelation 19:7 “…and his Bride has made herself READY.”

The Wedding Garments of the Bride: Isaiah 61:10

  1. Garment of SALVATION
  2. The Robe of RIGHTEOUSNESS
  3. Isaiah 61:3 – The Garment of PRAISE for the spirit of heaviness
  4. The Cloak of HUMILITY – 1 Peter 5:5
  5. Put on LOVE – Colossians 3;14

Matthew 22:1-14(TPT)
Vs 11 – Not wearing the wedding robes PROVIDED for him by the king
Vs 14 – “Many are called and invited in but few have hearts bathed in TRUTH — made pure and worthy of entering.

  • Revelation 3:18 (TPT)
  • Romans 12:1-2 (TPT)
  • Amos 9:11, Acts 15:16, Matthew 16:18 – God says,” I will do it!”
  • Matthew 11:28 – “Come to Me…”