Quotable Quote

"It's hard to get grateful people to sin." - Pastor Stephen Hecht (From Sunday, 10/25/09 message)

Announcements

The first book for the new Book Club will be Max Lucado's, "Facing Your Giants." It relates present day challenges with the David and Goliath episode in the Bible.

The book is available in hard back for $10.00. See Jim for more information.

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Quotable Quotes

"The question is not what man can scorn, disparage, or find fault with, but what can he love, and value, and appreciate." - John Ruskin (1819 - 1900)

This Week At Zoe

On Wednesday, October 28th, at 7:00 P.M., Ethel Waters will be ministering. She was supposed to speak last week, but had to travel for business. Bob Hecht spoke last week to accommodate her change in plans.

On Friday, October 30th, at 7:00 P.M., we'll enjoy a formal banquet at the church. Josiah has worked hard planning this event for his senior project. Childcare will be provided in the Children's Church area. If you don't have a ticket (Free), contact Josiah or Sharon.

The monthly Ladies' Brunch will be held Saturday morning, October 31st, at 10:00 A.M., in the Children's Church area. Please bring a breakfast item and your Bible.

On Saturday, October 31st, from 7:00 - 9:00 P.M., we'll have our annual Hallelujah Night at the Philadelphia Sports Club, 1 High Point Dr., Chalfont, PA. right off County Line Rd. Enjoy laser tag, walleyball, and dodgeball, as well as yummy snacks, and candy. Please bring a snack food item and a bag of bite-sized candies.

The Right Stuff - "Is It In You?"

Pastor Steve began a new series yesterday on being thankful. Texts: Gen. 3:1-7, Psalm 100:4, Col. 3:15.

How do we approach the Lord? Do we come into his presence griping? Since he's God, maybe we'd better heed his instructions. Psalm 100:4 and Colossians 3:15 tell us to come before him with thanksgiving and praise. Gratitude is high on God's priority list when it comes to our relationship with him.

One popular sports drink says, "what's in you is going to come out." Another says it has, "good stuff." What's in our hearts will come out when someone pushes our buttons, ramps up the emotional pressure, or hurts us. What kind of "good stuff" do we want to come out of us in difficult situations?

1. Love

2. Thankfulness

3. Patience

4. Kindness

5. Humility

6. Faithfulness

These are just a few positive qualities we want to exhibit in stressful situations.

In order to get a picture of a grateful person, sometimes we need to define the characteristics of someone who lacks thankfulness.

1. Focuses on what's lacking - what they don't have.

2. Looks at what others have not done.

3. Focuses on what could be better.

4. Feels angry and cheated.

On the other hand, a grateful person:

1. Counts their blessings.

2. Assists and helps others.

3. Thanks God for all they've been spared.

4. They feel joy, gladness, and blessing.

Pastor also gave examples of how a lack of thankfulness affected Adam and Eve, Jeroboam, and others in Scripture. This message was chockfull of practical and thought-provoking nuggets on how thankfulness can protect us from temptation.

Check out our website for the rest of the message. You can download it FREE to your MP3 player, podcast, or listen via the sermon player.

Announcements

The first book for the new BOOK CLUB will be Max Lucado's, "Facing Your Giants." It relates present day challenges with the David and Goliath episode in the Bible.

The book is availabe in hard back for $10.00. The first meeting will be a brief one next Sunday, 10/25/09, after church to get things started. See Jim for details.

Hayride

We have booked a wagon for a Hayride on Friday, October 23, 2009. We will keep that reservation only if there are enough interested people. Sign up with Connie today! Cost is $5.00 per person. After the hayride, there will be hotdogs, smores, and hot chocolate at the camp fire.

Quotable Quote

"A doubter often prays for things he already possesses." - T.L. Osborn

This Week At Zoe

Wednesday, 10/21/09, 7:30 P.M., Ethel Waters will be ministering.

Sunday Series - Reigning in Life - Don't Give Ground!

We've been talking about reigning in life. How do we receive from God, specifically healing?

1. Belief and Confession - Matthew 8:17 & Isaiah 53:4 tell us Jesus took our infirmities and sicknesses. Romans 10:9-10 & Matthew 21:22 talk about belief and confession. Don't mix your confession with unbelief. If you're confessing the Scripture, but negating it with your words about your situation, you're not going to get an answer.

2. Another way to receive healing or an answer to prayer is through the Prayer of Agreement. Matthew 18:19 & Mark 6:7. Find someone, who will pray and believe with you for what you need.

3. Anointed with Oil - James 5:14-15 tells believers to call for the elders and have them anoint with oil and pray. In this context, it's talking about healing.

4. Laying on of hands - Jesus often laid hands on people for healing.

5. Gifts and anointings - Some people are gifted to pray for others' healing, while some have a special anointing for a particular disease or illness.

What do you receive? Healing power. When Jesus went to a man's house, the Word says the power of God was present to heal. Yet, only the man, whose friends let him down through the roof, received healing. God's power was present to heal, but they did not receive it.

The first three ways to receive healing or answers to prayer require that we ask. When we ask, we are making it known that we're ready to receive.

A lot of people have been healed, but find themselves attacked with symptoms later on. Most react with the words, "I thought I was healed, but I guess I wasn't." The battle to keep your healing is most associated with the last three ways of receiving because they involve less of you and your faith. You must know how to hold onto it.

Anything you receive from God will come under attack. The enemy will try to steal your victory. Keeping and maintaining depends upon your faith. God's goal is to get you well, whether it's by medicine, healing, or a miracle.

There are three ways that will open the door to allowing the enemy to steal your healing or answer to prayer:

1. Disbelief and doubt

2. Disobedience

3. disregard - paying no attention to your healing, ignoring what God has done.

To hear the entire message, go to our website. It's available FREE through our sermon player, downloads to your MP3 player, or podcasting.

If you're in the area, you're always welcome to worship with us on Sunday morning or Wednesday night. You can get information from our website.

General Announcements

Have a testimony regarding an answered prayer or how the Word of God worked for you? We would love for you to share it with the congregation, just let an usher know. Write it down or email it as well, so it can be posted on the website if you desire.

Don't forget to turn your CELL PHONE off or at least into silent mode during church services. Thank you!

Mark your calendars: Friday night, October 30th, is a special dinner. See Josiah, Sharon, or Connie for details. It is Josiah's Senior Class Project. He must have a picture of you for a special presentation by Saturday, October 17th. To get a ticket to this dinner, you must give him a picture.

On Saturday, October 31st, we're planning our annual Hallelujah Night at Highpoint. We'll have more details as the month progresses.

Quotable Quotes

"God channels all the power of heaven through the authority of the believer who knows the rights and privileges that belong to him and are found in the name of Jesus." - Bob Yandian

Thank You!

Thank you all for your gifts to Connie and me last Sunday at the covered dish dinner. You all take care of us all year long, not just in a month designated as Pastor appreciation. We thank you all for it and for the extra gifts you gave!

Pastor Steve & Connie

This Week At Zoe

Wednesday, 10/14/09, at 7:30 P.M., is Prayer Night. We will spend about an hour seeking the Lord concerning our church, our community, and our nation.

The Men's Breakfast will be held in the Children's Church area on Saturday, 10/17/09, at 8:00 A.M. Please bring a breakfast item and your Bible. Invite a friend!

Sunday Series - Reigning in Life - Staying the Course

Text: James 3:1-12

We hear a lot of folks talk about "name it and claim it." There are people, who take a phrase or principle and apply it in a wrong way. When it comes to believing the Lord for healing, a job, or anything else, people wonder why things don't happen even though they've been confessing the Word. We'll be summarizing three of those areas here on the blog.

1. No faith in speaking it.

This is the biggest reason we fail to get the answers we seek. It's necessary to get God's Word on the subject. Jesus only spoke what the Father said. (John 8:28 & 38,John 12:49-50, & John 14:10).

Note: Just because you know something doesn't mean you believe it. You know people jump from planes with parachutes and land safely. Do you believe it enough to do it yourself?

Faith requires: knowledge and belief.

2. Sometimes you speak things you have no right to speak.

Isaiah 8:10 & Lamentations 3:37. You cannot speak into someone else's life without them supporting it. You can't claim a particular woman for your wife if she's not in agreement. She has a free will.

3. No supportive speech.

Speaking what is contrary to our believing will short circuit our faith. For example, we speak healing, but plan our funeral. Take care of wills, funeral plans, etc. when you're healthy. Everyone is going to die at some point. If you wait until you're facing a critical illness, such plans could interfere with your faith.

This is only a sample of the entire message. To hear the entire teaching, go to our website and listen via the sermon player, MP3 download, or podcast.

If you're in the area and would like to visit Zoe Christian Fellowship, we're located at 1111 Easton Rd. (Rte. 611), Warrington, PA. Our phone number is (215) 343-7686. Check out the website for directions and details.

What Has God Done For You?

Has the Lord answered a prayer for you recently? We would love for you to share it with the congregation. Let an usher know you have a testimony, and we'll make time for you in the morning service. Write it down or email it if you'd like us to post it on the website.

Quotable Quotes

"Be quick to repent and quick to forgive and you'll never be far from God." - Kenneth E. Hagin

This Week At Zoe

Come out Wednesday night, 10/7/09, for Midweek Bible Study. Pastor Steve continues the series, "God's Boot Camp."

Sunday Series - Reigning in Life - Authority Given

Pastor Steve took his text from Luke 9:1-6, John 17:1-2, and Luke 10-1-2, 9, 17-20.

In John 17:1-2, it says Jesus had authority over all flesh. He gave the 12 disciples authority over demons and to heal diseases in Luke 9:1-2. Later, in Luke 10, he sends 70 others out to preach. They came back rejoicing that the demons were subject to them. So, he gave them the same authority as the 12 to cast out devils and heal the sick in his name. Note: This authority was given not only to the 12 disciples, but also to the 70, who followed him. His authority was not limited to his inner circle.

Not every physical problem is caused by sickness or disease. Some are caused by injuries and body issues, such as birth defects. In Luke 22:50-51, Jesus heals the ear that was cut off by Peter. John 9:17 tells us about the man born blind. The people asked if the man or his parents sinned. Jesus answered that neither of them sinned. Note that punctuation is supplied by the translators and does not appear in the original language. Punctuation can change the meaning of a sentence. Jesus healed the man so that God would be glorified. In Acts, we see Peter and John healing the lame man in Jesus' name. These are all acts of power as opposed to authority.

To listen the the rest of this fascinating message, check out our website. You can listen via the sermon player, download it to your MP3, or podcast. As always, these resources are FREE.

Announcement

We caught up on the CD's from the last few Sundays. They are available on the back table. The Web Site sermon player should also be up to date. Later this week, we hope to get some of the Wednesday night series posted as well.