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8-24-09

"Eggs Are Not The Only Thing Hatched"

Hello Everyone:

It’s the last full week of August already. However, earlier this month I received in the mail, my first Christmas catalog of the season. So it begins: the leaves have yet to turn colors, the sweaters are still on hangers, you can't see your breath outside but the Christmas buying season is here! My, where does the time go? Yes, I am joking. I do remember a retail chain for which I once worked. We started putting up and decorating trees the last week of August. Please enjoy what's left of your summer and let's not forget to Praise God for his gifts in our lives.

Daniel chapter 6. One of the stories that we learned in our Sunday School classes was Daniel in the Lions Den. There is a famous painting of Daniel looking heavenward while lions walked about. Nice painting however, somewhat unrealistic. We will, next week, talk about the den and it's conditions. Believe me, what Daniel was in would not have made for a nice painting.

In verses 1-4 we see a new King and actually a new Kingdom. Darius was now ruling over the Persian Kingdom and he had set men in charge of certain ares. Daniel was one of these men. God was blessing Daniel for being faithful in his calling and in his dedication to him. Daniel had somehow risen through the ranks quickly and was now being considered to be in position over the entire Kingdom.

Did you know that not everybody will be happy for you when God blesses you? Unfortunately it's true. That is the case here. The other administrators started to try and find a way to pull Daniel down. They thought for sure that they could catch him short cutting or undermining the new government. After all he was in exile. Not only that but he had been a part of the previous government. They thought for sure they could catch him. Verse 4 tells us " They could find no corruption in him because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent". In other words a man of integrity who took the position that God had given him very seriously.

The administrators put their heads together and figured that the only way that they were going to be able to bring him down would be to use his relationship with God against him. They obviously had not heard about his three friends and what happened to those who tried to bring them down. To be honest this sounds a little bit like the plan that got Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego into trouble. Verse 7 is their plot " .....anyone who prays to any god other than to you, for the next thirty days shall be thrown into the lions den". Appeal to the ego of the King, stroke him a little bit and he'll sign the decree. The entire purpose for this was not to honor the King, but o be able to bring Daniel down and to elevate themselves. They had an agenda and they did what they had to do to push it through. They knew all they had to do was wait outside of Daniel’s home to see if he would keep this new edict from the King. They saw this as a win win situation. If Daniel kept the edict they could expose him as a fraud and the people would no longer follow his God. If he did not keep the edict, well then he could be thrown into the lions den, killed and that would be it... no more Daniel. Either way, he most certainly would not be getting that coveted promotion.

Verse 10 "Daniel went to his home and got on his knees and prayed giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before". Daniel was not going to let anything stop him from praying to God. Why should he? God had proven himself faithful since Daniel was taken captive. Just like a group of school children, the administrator went running to the King to tattle. Their plan had worked and the trap had been sprung. Now, they had to get the King to uphold his decree and not find a way to get out of it. Verse 15 ".......Medes and Persians law states that “no decree or edict, that has been issued by the King can be changed". Everything had worked for these administrators just the way they planned. Or did it?

For you and I today? There are a couple of things that I think we should get from this first part of the chapter. The first is to treat every job that we have as though it is a gift of God, because it is! Do the people you work with know that you are a Christian? Can they tell it by the level of work that you do? Or do they know you as one who complains and maybe cuts a few corners? We as Christians should do our jobs like Daniel did his, with faithfulness (be there be on time) trustworthy ( do the job completely). Without corruption (be honest) and negligence ( pay attention). In everything that Daniel did concerning his job there was not one thing that they could find wrong. We need to have that same report about us. We need to make sure that we are giving our employers a full days work for a full days pay. But you don't know my boss he wants nothing to do with God. Look at what Daniel had to put up with, scripture never said we would always work for those who love God. Remember, it's your job and your boss is your boss and his job is to make sure that the company is productive; not to give you a forum for witnessing. That can be done after work hours on your time. Witness through your attitude and work ethic while on the job. God will give you opportunities "off the clock".

The second thing is, whether we like it or not, there will always be people who are jealous of God’s blessings in and on our lives. Daniel was being blessed for what he had already done. He remained faithful to God no matter what the circumstance. He had prayed three times a day long before the decree was written by the King. He had and treasured his time with God and their relationship and Daniel was not about to let anything or anyone hinder either one. Do we have the discipline to be like Daniel? Is our relationship with God so important that we would be willing to go against whatever to keep it? Or would we say "well it's only thirty days, God will understand"? We have to make everything, EVERYTHING, else take a back seat to our relationship with God. People will always try to find fault and bring down those down whose lives, show by blessings, their willingness to follow God and to do what is right. God will always bless the lives of those who chose to put him first in every aspect of their lives.

In His Grace;

Rev.Oz
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8-17-09

"Restored Vessels"

Hello Everyone:

This week for me, when I was a teenager, was church camp week. I got to see friends that I only would see for this one week out of the year. Quite a few of them did go on into the ministry and some have passed on to their reward. I will forever treasure the time that I had in those camps and I look forward to a big camp meeting with God.

Before we start into chapter 6 of the Book of Daniel I wanted you to know what happened to the vessels that Belshazzar ordered to be used to worship false gods. Ezra tells us that Cyrus the King of Persia allowed the Jewish people to return to Jerusalem so that they could rebuild the Temple. Ezra 1:7

"Moreover, King Cyrus brought out the articles belonging to the temple of the Lord, which Nebuchadnezzar had carried away from Jerusalem and placed in the temple of his god".

The vessels were restored to their rightful place to be used for God, for which they had been made.

So, my question is : If God cares so much about "things" how much more important are we to him?

You see, there were many people who came to salvation during what we call the "revival" period in this country. These people were the ones who started and made up our churches. Somewhere along the line many of them became upset, and or they got hurt or became disillusioned with the church. People left and for the most part, took with them, their families. I do believe that these families had a calling placed on them. I believe they had a place in the church then and today, as well as in the future. Many of these families left and have not returned. Consequently, this has affected them, their children and their children's children. This has caused many of the young people to have no spiritual heritage. We now close around 5,500 churches a year. Churches that were once strong pillars of the community now stand as empty museums only filled with the bones of what used to be.

Don't get me wrong, belonging to a church will not save you or get you to heaven, Paul made that abundantly clear in Ephesians 2:8.

" For it is by grace you have been saved through faith and this is not from yourselves, it is a gift of God not of works so no one can boast".

So then why do I attend church? Because we can not just turn around and ignore Hebrews 10:25.

" Let us not give up the meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another and all the more as you see the Day approaching".

This Christian life is not an easy life and we face many obstacles as we go through our days. The church is much like a "gas station". It's the place where we get our tanks filled up to help us along our journey. It's like the "service station" where we get our engines repaired. The church is where we get our spiritual engines tuned up through the word so that we can run the race at our finest.

The church is like the "war room" where we can go in and shut the doors from the rest of the world and listen as the general gives his troops their marching orders for the upcoming battles. It is also the place where we can look around and find out as Elijah did, that we are not the only ones. This truly is the gathering place for God’s army, God’s people, God’s family. The church is the one place where we can come together with all of our faults and flaws for the purpose of worshiping and praising God.

The church is also supposed to be where we get our education in God’s word and our edification from one another, especially from those who teach. Our children and youth receive the spiritual tools to build a foundation to help them throughout their lives. It is a place for us to feel safe and welcome and warmed by the fire of the Holy Spirit.

The problem is when those vessels ( families) who were taken out of the temple are not there to take their rightful place and position, that the church begins to get weaker and may not be able to do it's job, therefore losing it's effectiveness. It's vitally important to the very heartbeat of faith that the Vessels( Families) be restored to their rightful place and position.

How much more important are you than things? Look no further than John 3:16 for the answer.

" For God so loved the world ( that's you and me, not the planet) that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever ( again you and me) believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life".

He gave his Son for you and me so that we could be restored. Let's not allow any more time to pass without letting him put us back where we belong and to the calling that he has given us.

In His Grace;

Rev.Oz

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8-10-09

"More Than He Asked For"

Hello Everyone:

Can you believe that it is already August? Summer sure has gone fast. Soon the schools will be open and the fall will be upon us. I hope that you have been able to enjoy your summer and gotten to do the things that you wanted to do. Most of all I hope that you have taken the time to worship God and give thank for the good things in your life.

This week we finish the 5th chapter of the Book of Daniel. Starting with verse 17, Daniel tells the King to keep his gifts. I believe that Daniel did this to show the King and others that might have been around, that the gifts of God are not for sale. When God gives the opportunity to be used for his purpose, it is not to be used for a person’s monetary well-being. Daniel is also going to have to deliver a message that is not pleasant. It is a message of judgment and not one of assurance.

Daniel starts by reassuring the King that he will read the writing as well as interpret what was written. Daniel begins with what could be considered a history lesson. "God gave your father Nebuchadnezzar sovereignty and greatness and glory and splendor". He wanted Belshazzar to understand that all that had been given was by the hand of God. He had allowed the empire to flourish under Nebuchadnezzar, but when Nebuchadnezzar had gotten to full of himself and prideful, God brought him to his knees. This is honestly what we might call a scolding. He ends the history part by again stating that God is over all and he places the ones in charge as he sees fit.

Now comes the hard part of the message. He no doubt looks Belshazzar in the face and
states in verse 22 " But you, his son Belshazzar have not humbled yourself, though you knew this". When reading this you can almost feel the anger well up within Daniel. It's as though he just wants to shake him, for being so arrogant. In verse 23 he tells him "Instead you have set yourself up against the Lord of Heaven". What does that mean? It means that Belshazzar has declared war against God. Daniel goes on to tell the King that when he ordered that the vessels, that were to be used for God. However, they were filled and used to worship false gods, which was an act of war and he was about to loose. "You did not honor God who holds in his hand your life...." Daniel is telling him he has entered the court of God and has been judged and now he is going to read the sentence.

I can see in my mind Daniel as he walks back over to where the writing is and using his finger to point at the inscription, looks coldly back at Belshazzar and reads the words that by now, he does not want to hear.

Mene,Mene,Tekel,Parsin.

Mene: God has numbered the days of your reign and brought it to an end.

Tekel: You have been weighted on the scales and found wanting.

Parsin: Your kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and Persians.

Simply put: Your reign is over, you have failed, the empire has fallen.

Daniel was still given the gifts of Purple clothing (denoting royalty), a gold chain around his neck and the promotion to be third ruler. However, history tells us that this was the night the Babyloian empire fell. Verse 30 " That very night Belshazzar the King of the Babylonians was slain".

For you and me today? Before this party, Belshazzar had dismissed the footsteps left by Nebuchadnezzar to serve God. Belshazzar thought he had a better way, that he didn't need all that one God stuff. He worshiped the Gods of silver, gold, bronze, iron, wood and stone. Today we have a lot of false gods being worshiped. What about the one who holds in his hands, our very lives? Have we listened to those who made and marked paths of faith? Or, have we allowed the paths to become overgrown with the weeds of pride and arrogance? My friends there is a lot more in this 5th chapter that I believe is a direct reference to the Christian and the church, but I won't go into now. Please, let's not make the same mistake that Belshazzar made. Let us give God his proper place in our lives.

In His Grace;

Rev.Oz

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8-03-09 

"The Invitation Got Lost in the Mail"

Hello Everyone:

Let me ask you a question to start off with. Have you ever prayed this prayer? " Lord be with me today" Actually I am sure we all have. Scripture states that "he never leaves us or forsakes us, so doesn't it stand to reason that he is already there? Perhaps a better prayer might be "Lord help me to recognize your presence in my life as I go through this day". This is something to think about and maybe change the way we see things and how we talk with God.

When we left off last week, the King had thrown a party. Things had gotten out of hand and feeling full of himself, he orders the goblets that were set aside for the glory of God, to be used to praise false gods. They saw a hand come out of nowhere and start to write on the plaster of the wall when the party came to a quick end and the King was laid out on the floor.

We start this week with verse 7. The King calls for all of his (let's just call them), advisers. These were men whose lives were dedicated to the mystic forms of religion. I want you to notice that they were put into three different groupings: Astrologers; those who look to the stars for answers.. Enchanters’ those who used or tried to use magic or make things appear better than they really are and the Diviners; those who supposedly could look into the future and foresee what was about to happen. To be honest, these were men whose job it was to tell the King what a great job he was doing and how great he was and that he would live forever. However, that night it must have been cloudy, the magic dust must have all fallen to the ground and the present must have blocked out the future. Even in the face of a huge promotion and wealth, verse 8 states " they could not read the writing or tell the King what it meant". They had to know in their minds what was going to happen next. They, at least some of them, had lived through this before and not just once. They all had to look at one another and then decided they were not going to be the ones to tell him about Daniel.

The King’s wife comes running in to the hall to let him know that there is a man in the kingdom who can tell him what he needs to know. Look at the way she describes Daniel to the King in verse 11: "he was found to have insight, intelligence and wisdom". In that description, with the others who had once again failed to help a King as they were supposed to, you almost can hear "slap,slap,slap" in their collective faces.( I know not a christian attitude) When Daniel enters the hall the King begins to inquire about him in verse 14. Not only does he use the same words that his wife used, he adds "outstanding wisdom" perhaps it has dawned on him that he should have consulted with Daniel before he threw the party.

So what does this have to do with me today? Daniel dedicated his heart and his life to God. Long before this, when first taken into captivity, he was going to, through his life, point people toward God. You probably have family or friends who have not chosen to ask God into their lives. Your life could be the difference that turns them around. You might think that because of your age, that you’re to young or to old. A life that has been turned around by the help of God is the best testimony a person can have. You might be thinking that people have turned a "deaf" ear to what you have to say. Many times, when a person finds themself in trouble, they call out for the one that they know has the answer. You can be a Daniel in your group of friends, your family, your employment and in your community. You just have to purpose in your heart and your life, that you are God’s and that you want to be used by God and for God.

Next week Daniel has to deliver a harsh reality.

In His Grace;

Rev.Oz

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7-27-09

"A Party to End All Parties"

Hello Everyone:

I trust you all have had a good weekend and that you were able to take the time to worship God. I attended a funeral this weekend of a neighbor of mine who truly went home to be with the Lord. It was a celebration of her life and as her niece stated upon her entrance "this is a party". As I left I made the comment "that's the kind of service that I want". I hope that my life is filled with the Love of God and the Joy that he gives so that people are blessed and smiling as were those who attended that service..

This week we start chapter 5 of the Book of Daniel. Probably contains one of the most quoted sayings that I had heard while growing up," the handwriting is on the wall". I heard this in connection to everything from a spiritual nature to political. I think people have used this whenever they just feel fed up with the way things are going. Amazingly they have used it when they don't want things to change and then turn around and use it when they do want change. It has also been use in a threatening manner. Believe me, no one wants to be at the place where they see the handwriting because it's not a warning or a threat. It does mean the end.

King Nebuchadnezzar has died and there has been some time elapsed between the end of chapter four and the beginning of chapter 5. How much time, I am not sure. There are those who believe the King Belshazzar is actually the grandson, not the son, of Nebuchadnezzar. Whichever is true he learned nothing from the life of Nebuchadnezzar.

Verse 1 tells us that he was giving a banquet for his nobles (a thousand of them), so it was not a small gathering. Later on we are told that along with the nobles were wives and concubines, so it is fair to say that there were more then two thousand people attending. Like a number of parties that I attended in my youth, it got out of hand. After they had drank quite a bit, Belshazzar got bold.

Remember when we started the study on Daniel in chapter 1? I asked you to make a note of the articles that were taken out of the Temple? Well this is why I wanted you to remember them. When the King becomes bold what is it he calls for? The articles that have been in storage, not touched or bothered by anyone for years. Those were the things that were set aside and dedicated originally for the glory of God. That is where things began to turn around, the party changed, and an entire kingdom fell that very night.

One of God's principles is found in Galatians 6:7&8 " Do not be deceived God can not be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The man who sows to please his sinful nature, from that sinful nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life".

Make no mistake, what Belshazzar was doing was mocking God. He used the articles that were given to God for his purpose and defiled them by praising false gods. The King was sowing to his sinful nature, trying to build himself up to a status where he did not belong: that of being god-like. He praised the false gods of the world, when without warning, the one true God had had enough and pulled the plug on the party. What they witnessed was the epithet of Belshazzar being written by the hand of God.

I don't know what the record for two thousand or more people fleeing a building might be, but I think this event might be it. We are told, as the Living Translation states, "the Kings face turned pale with fear". As well, he fell prostrate on the floor. This was a man who found himself suddenly all alone with an angry God. That is not a place where a person wants to find themselves.

Mock: to make fun of, to laugh at. Make fun of by copying or imitating. scoff, pay no attention to.

Have we in our life been careful not to mock God? We may not be using vessels (things) to worship false gods. But what about our vessels(our beings) are we using them for God. I am not talking about joining a church or doing good deeds although those are good. I am talking about a real relationship with God. Have we in our lives stopped and thought "is this pleasing to God"? Or, have we rushed ahead because it's what we want and it makes us feel good? A farmer can not plant beans and expect to harvest corn. What we sow is what we reap. When this journey is over we all have to stand before God, I don't want him to be in the same mood as he was with Belshazzar.

In His Grace;

Rev.Oz

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7-21-09 

"The Dream Comes True"

Hello Everyone:

I trust everyone is fine and enjoying the many blessings of the Lord. I again would like to take a minute to welcome the new members to the church. I especially want to welcome those of you who are from countries outside the United States. Its exciting to know that the church is as far reaching as the countries as South Africa and Ethiopia. I encourage all of you to take a minute to leave us with your prayer requests and praise reports. We will pray for you and rejoice with you.

This week we wrap up the 4th chapter of the Book of Daniel. In verses 28-37 we see the telling of the fulfillment of the dream that was given to Nebuchadnezzar. Verse 28 tells us plainly " All these things happened to King Nebuchadnezzar".

Verse 29 states " Twelve months later as the king was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, ( vs 30 ) he said “Is this not the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence by my mighty power for the glory of my majesty".

So the King here is basking in his own glory, thinking higher of himself than he should have. He had already forgotten about the dream and it's interpretation. He had forgotten what Daniel told him was going to happen if he did not change his ways. God had given him a year to repent and to make things right. He did not take the opportunity to do what had been told to him.


God ,unlike many Christians, once he has dealt with us to get rid of a certain sin, is patient and gives us time to make it right. However he does expect us to do what he has told us and to work on the problem. Remember that God sees the heart and knows the intent of our heart.

Alright, we are looking at one year after the King has the dream, when suddenly on the roof, he is reminded that God gives the power to those whom he pleases and he also takes it away. King Nebuchadnezzar finds himself having what today, we would call a mental breakdown.

History tells us that Nebuchadnezzar had a condition that is called " Porphyria". This is a condition of the mind that also has terrible physical pain associated with it. It mainly attacks the nervous system, resulting in seizures, hallucinations, depression, anxiety and paranoia. Both here in Daniel as well as in history, we are told that the King suffered with this condition for a period of seven years. Not having the medical knowledge that we have today, this must have been a nightmare for him to endure during that time.

After that seven year period the King did have all things restored to him. He talks of his sanity being restored but at the same time he says his honor and splendor was restored as well. What this means is that he was put back on the throne and he had the ability to rule as he had done before, only this time with a much different attitude. Notice now, that he is giving the Glory to God from where it came and to whom it belongs. You can almost hear the seriousness in his writing when he states "and those who walk in pride he is able to humble".

This marks, as far as we know, the end of the life of Nebuchadnezzar. Again as far as we know, he did stay true to God from this point on as he finished living out his life. Proving again that the mercy of God and his grace has no limits other then those that we put on them.

In His Grace;

Rev.Oz

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7-13-09 

“This Little Light of Mine”

Hello Everyone:

I trust that you have had an enjoyable weekend. I really hope that you have taken the time to enjoy being with the Lord. I know that we try to cram as much into a weekend as we can, but let's not forget to stop and give praise to God, for he alone is worthy.

This week we are going to take a look at the three Hebrew boys, as they have so often been called. In the first two chapters I have referred to them as Daniels friends, mainly because they took some what of a minor role to Daniel. Let's not make a mistake here, they learned as much and took just as "dangerous" a stand as Daniel and were rewarded just as much as was Daniel. Here in chapter three ,they are standing on their own and Daniel is not even mentioned.

King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold. This king just doesn't learn not to mess around with the one true God. Now there has always been debate as to whether this was an image of himself or that of a god, that the Babylonians worshiped. If I had to be pinned down, I tend to think it was an image of himself. However, that really is not the important part. The breaking of one of God’s commandments "Thou shall not make any graven images". I hear the questions " I thought that was given to the children of Israel"? You are correct. However, remember who is being threatened. If they did not bow to this image, the children of Israel, who are in captivity, would be threatened. Now over a period of years the king has taken their young men and taught them in the ways of Babylon and returned them to teach the other captives, trying to change the thinking of the Jewish nation. What does the king do? He makes an image out of gold. Does anyone remember the golden calf? Man has always fought with the images of gold and the god it creates.

Spurgeon once stated " You can not go through life without being discovered. A lighted candle can not be hid". Enter Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. Remember these three went to prayer to save the lives of all the "wise men"? ,Who comes back to let the king know there are three that will not bow to the image? The very men whose lives they saved. You see, that tells us that Satan will try his best to turn good things around to harm the people and the message of God from going forth.

I want you to look at verse 15. What the king does here, is make a deal with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego,".....if you are ready to fall down and worship the image I made, then that will be very good...". What he was saying here is "listen guys all you have to do is just bow down quickly, nobody will know and all is forgiven". Make no mistake, the king saw that if these three bowed down, he could use that for his advantage, for all time. Whenever anyone of the Jews would refuse, he would simply retell the story of how these three, known and respected men, had bowed to the image. Then, the king takes it a step further by threatening their lives"..But if you do not worship the image you will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace...". How many times have we heard the words " I felt I had no choice, if I didn't do it, I was going to die"? This is not a good place in which to be. Lets be honest, none of us wants to die or be put to death in any sort of a painful manner. I am sure that Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego did not want to be thrown into a furnace. I am sure that they wanted to live. However, they had a very strong faith in God. They had faith that he was going to be able to take care of them, just as he had before. Finally, the king taunts God by saying “Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand".

I am going to wrap up this weeks study and give you “part two” next week. Here is what I want you to take from this week‘s study. Sometime in your life you will be faced with a trial, temptation or a compromise. Just as with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, Satan will use the same tactic.

1. Just one time quickly, no one will ever know.

False. Even if it is one quick time, it will get out and people will be affected.

2. If you don't you will die.

Jesus told us not to fear the one who can take our lives. Jesus wants us, if we have to chose, to chose to be with him.

3. What god will save you?

God always has a plan. You may not see it or know what it involves, but God always has a rescue plan.

That is what we will look at next week, I hope you will join us.

In His Grace;

Rev.Oz So You Want to Talk To Man In Charge?

Hello Everyone.

" I will enter his gates with Thanksgiving in my heart and his courts with Praise". I hope that is exactly how you are feeling today. Oh I know where you are, it might be cloudy and it might be rainy. Perhaps your family might be struggling to meet the bills and you feel as though your at your wits end. Why not start giving Thanks to God and just start letting the Praises ring out. Trust me on this brothers and sisters, you will begin to feel better and you will feel the mood lifting off of your shoulders.

This week we are looking at Daniel chapter 4 verses 19-27. This is where Daniel is given the job, by God, to interpret the dream that King Nebuchadnezzar has had. This dream has kept him awake in fear for some time and none of his so called advisers are able to help him by telling him what the dream meant. I look at these so called adviser and just have to shake my head. If you or I had a work record like these men have we would not have worked very long. I hope that you follow our Pastor as he gives us his daily travels. He has to be sure to have what he is hauling on his truck, delivered to it’s destination on time. Now if Pastor Rick delivered like these men have delivered what they were supposed to do ,I don't think Pastor would be telling us about his life on the road.

Today in this study I am just going to deal with the verses that I feel are the main verses, or that deal with us today. The first one is verse 19.:

" Then Daniel was greatly perplexed for a time"

Why is this so important? There are times when God gives us a chore or gives us a word to deliver and it's not easy. The word of God, the message of God, is not always an easy thing to deliver. I have had other ministers say to me "it must be so much easier to give a sermon on the Internet then in person". This is often followed by another saying "how can you do that not knowing who is receiving the message or seeing their reaction". My answer is that God has a message and he needed a messenger and not because I view myself as someone special but because I said" here am I send me". God chose me. I wish I could see all of you but by faith I see you and by faith and the hand of God, I give you the word of God. Are there times when a message perplexes me? Yes dear friends there are those times. Daniel here is in one of those times. He is weighing his words very carefully before he starts to speak. He also knows that if the King does not like what he hears it could cause Daniel his very life. Carefully, Daniel starts out:

" My lord, if only the dream applied to your enemies and it's meaning to your adversaries".


Right now Daniel is telling the king I wish this was good news for you, but guess what, it's not.
I have read the accounts of men of God who have had the ear of a president or another government official and have had to go into their office to deliver a message and how unnerved they felt. It would have been easier if this had been a warning of an impending war of some kind. Daniel was about to tell this king, again the most powerful man in the then known world, that his battle was going to within himself. Verse 22 reinforces what I just said:

" You O king are the tree! You have become great and strong; your greatness has grown until it reaches the sky, and your dominion extends to distant parts of the earth".

Remember in chapter 2 where Daniel interprets the dream of the great empires that will rule the world? Who does Daniel say is the head of gold? Nebuchadnezzar. This was a powerful king. And now because of his unyielding to the warnings that God has given him, for which this dream is one more, he is about to face a war in his body and his mind. Verse 25:

"..........Seven times (years) will pass by you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over all the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes".

Powerful statement that Daniel makes here that has direct impact on you and I today. The king is going to have seven years of torment until he really gives up and acknowledges that God is God and that God is the one who is powerful, not Nebuchadnezzar.

The last part of that verse really has an impact on you and I today. We hear a lot these days about who is in charge.. Here in the U.S.A. whatever party is not occupying the White House is always pointing out the "wrong ways" of the party who is. God places the person in charge he wants for that period of time. Why that person? I don't know.. I do know that according to Paul I am to "pray for those who have charge over me" . This from a man who lived under a cruel Roman government that eventually took his life. My job as a Christian whether or not I agree with them is to pray for the person/ persons who are in charge.

Daniel offers the king a way out. In verse 27:

"Therefore O king, be pleased to accept my advice: Renounce your sins by doing what is right, and your wickedness by being kind to the oppressed.........".

You don't have to be a king to accept God's offer of salvation. He is more than willing to hear the prayers of a repentant heart. To renounce sin and start doing what is right not only brings peace to the person but it also brings joy to God. I am asking you today, that if you don't have a relationship with God, make this your day to turn your life around.

Just say these words with me: Dear Heavenly Father; I am sorry for my sins, I accept your gift of Jesus your son who died for me. Please come into my life and fill me with your Love, your Joy, and Your peace. In Jesus name; Amen

If you prayed that with me, won’t you please let us know. Just send us an e-mail and say "I prayed that prayer with Rev. Oz" . I Thank You.

In His Grace;

Rev.Oz  

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7-06-09

“More Than Bad Pizza”

Hello Everyone:

I trust that you have had a good weekend. If your reading this in the U.S.A. I hope that you had a great holiday weekend filled with love and laughter. Holidays are always a good time to be with the ones you love. If for some reason you were not able to be with loved ones I trust that you will be soon.

Last week we only touched on the beginning of chapter 4 of the Book of Daniel. This week I want to take a look at verses 4-18. This is where Nebuchadnezzar now goes back to the beginning of the story. Just to refresh memories or if you missed last week: Chapter 4 was written by Nebuchadnezzar himself and what he does is give us the ending, then goes back and tells us the story.

In studying this portion we must remember that this was the most powerful man on the then known world. He begins in verse 4 by saying:

"I Nebuchadnezzar was at home in my palace, contented and prosperous".

He was quite happy within himself for all that he had achieved and the kingdom he was ruling over. Many might say "well why not, he had the largest kingdom in the world" and that is true. However, perhaps he had just gotten a little too content and as my mother used to say "to big for his britches". God was about to give him a wake up call that was going to stay with him for a very long time. He states in his own words:

" I had a dream that made me afraid. As I was lying in my bed, the images and visions that passed through my mind terrified me".

The king going to bed as usual and feeling good about things was given a dream by God that would not allow him to return to the sleep that he was enjoying. Not only could he not get back to sleep, but fear now had a hold of him and he was no doubt afraid to shut his eyes in fear of what else he might see. I have often been asked the question: “Does God gives dreams and visions that can frighten us?” My answer has always been yes however, God is not like an author of a scary tale or some director who is paid to make movie goers jump in their seats. If he gives us such a dream, it is to get our attention directed back onto him and to change our lives for the better. The problem with Nebuchadnezzar is, once again, that he turns to the wrong persons for the answer. Notice in verse 6 he calls for all the "wise men" of Babylon. These were men who practiced in the "occults" of magic, astrology ,chanters, and diviners. They all claimed to have powers from the "gods". What they did not have was the power given by the one and only true God. You see Satan will always have a counterfeit that looks and sounds good but is nothing more then a wolf in sheep's clothing, meant only to capture and hold hostage the soul of men and women. After they had completely exhausted themselves and had to admit they could not help him, in verse 8, he turns to Daniel.

In Nebuchadnezzar, we see a picture of some people today who have spent their lives in church. They have heard the word of God preached, taught, discussed and presented in many different forms. Yet when they are faced with a problem they do not turn to God or the people who can help them until they have exhausted themselves consulting with those they have no business being around. Yes I have known people who have visited the neighborhood palm reader or fortune teller. They have their supposed friends consult with Psychics and read tea leaves before they ever call upon a Christian who can pray for them and get answers. Brothers and Sisters in Christ, you and have no reason to be around those who practice in the areas of the "occult". We need to stay away from it and not allow it in our homes or around our families.

Nebuchadnezzar tells Daniel his dream in verses 9-18 about a very tall tree. Not only was it tall, he says it touched the very sky and spread out as far as the eye could see. Not only did it feed everybody but there was also enough to feed all the animals under the tree as well. Then suddenly in verse 15 this tree takes on the form of a man. Now you would think he might have caught on by this time, but he didn't. However he did catch on to the fact that all of his so called "wise men" were not going to be able to interpret the dream. Only Daniel would be able to do so.

Next week Daniel interprets the dream. What does it mean to you and me?

In His Grace;

Rev.Oz =====================================================================

7-01-09

“For Some It’s A Long Road”

Hello Everyone.

I trust that everyone has had a blessed week and that you have been able to spend time with the Lord and His word. I find it exciting to hear of people joining us hear at ICC and I hope that you come back often. I also hope that you are following along with us as we study God's word together. I also hope that you take advantage of the "prayer request page". It allows us to know you and to pray for each and everyone of you that post there. Yes, we do pray for you. We might not be a traditional church but we are a church where people from all over the world can meet and pray for each other and Praise the Lord together.

We are starting the 4th Chapter of the book of Daniel. This chapter is unique in the fact it is not written by Daniel. It is in fact written by King Nebuchadnezzar. Yes this is the same king that has tried to throw Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego into the flames of a fiery furnace for not bowing to his image. He is also the same king that has been warned in a dream by God that his kingdom was not going to last. This is the same king that promoted Daniel to the head position of "wise men" over his entire kingdom and still called for the other "soothsayers" before going to the one person he knew could help him. This king had a huge ego and was not afraid to show it. In fact to this day, if you were to be able to visit the Plains of Dura you would see the mound which is 20ft.high and 46ft wide. This is the base on which the image from chapter three, stood upon. In chapter four he tells his own tale of what he went through due to his hard headedness and his self-will.

In this chapter he employs a method that has served Hollywood well in several of it's biggest movies. He gives us the end of the story and then goes back and fills in the details. Today I want you take special attention to how he starts his letter to the people of Babylon. Verses 1-3:

'" King Nebuchadnezzar To the people', nations and men of every language who live in all the world. May you prosper greatly".

The last part of this first verse shows a change from a self-centered man to a man who is hoping for the best for those who he rules over. Keep this verse in mind as we go through the rest of the chapter.

" It is my pleasure to tell you about the miraculous signs and wonders that the Most High God has preformed for me. How great are his signs how mighty his wonders! His kingdom is an eternal kingdom; his dominion endures from generation to generation".

If one did not know, one might think that David wrote those words in the Book of Psalms. Now this was written by the same man that did the deeds we have previously mentioned. This was a man who had numerous warnings about changing his life, by God, through ordinary men who had given their lives over to the only Living God.

Why am I stressing the importance of who wrote this chapter and his life being changed now at the beginning of the chapter? Because I know that there are those in your families, whom you have been praying for, maybe for years, yet you see no result. I want to encourage you as never before. Please don't give up on them. For them, it might be a long road to get to the saving knowledge of Jesus. Let me once again use my family as an example. My half brother as well as my father did not have a relationship with Jesus till late in life, in fact for both, only a few years before being called home. My brother at the age of 68 was walking along a canal. After years of prayer for him, by his family, he looked heavenward and simply said "if your there I am here if you will have me". His life changed immediately. My father, ran from God for years,, even though we never missed a service. One day he was sitting in his pew and prayed " I am tired of running, I'm yours". I know that when I get to heaven I will once again get to see the two of them. I am saying this to let you know that those who you have been praying for, as long as they are breathing, have a chance to give their lives to a wonderful loving God.
As we go through this chapter I would like it if you would write down the names of the lost loved ones for whom you have been praying. Place that piece of paper or card into this chapter as we study pray "Lord you did it for Nebuchadnezzar do it for ........". Let us believe together.

In His Grace;
Rev. Oz
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6-25-09

"Going Through"

Hello Everyone.

I am so glad that you have joined us for this study. I hope that you have been able to receive a blessing from God as we have studied his word together. I trust that you have found the strength needed to make your stand for God as did the men we have been talking about in the Book of Daniel.

Spurgeon stated that "God’s people are often in the furnace and though there are different kinds of furnaces they serve similar purposes in our lives". Shadrach,Meshach,and Abednego were faced with a physical furnace. They either bent their knees to this image or they were thrown into the furnace. They chose the furnace, (they really chose God).

Daniel chapter 3:17 "if we are thrown into the furnace our God is able to deliver us". We see the same faith placed in God when Job states "yet though he slay yet will I trust him". Jesus himself showed this faith in his prayer "let this cup pass from me but not my will but thine be done". They had no idea what awaited them on the other side of the furnace door. They did know that that had been a part of proving their God on two other occasions. They knew that they had stayed true to God and to where he had placed them, so much so that they were willing to face whatever was before them.

We have to understand that this was a furnace that was made to fire bricks and designed to melt down metal and very possibly melted the gold that made the image. This furnace was large enough for men to be able to walk around in. The king orders the furnace heated up seven times the normal temperature. OK, now here is where I might have had cause to celebrate seven being God’s perfect number. If they would have had knowledge of that, they might have had huge smiles on their faces. This heating of this furnace was a process and the heat of that furnace had to have been felt for some distance. My father had a "potbelly" stove to heat our garage in the winter so that he could work there. I have seen times when that stove got red hot and you could not stay in the room because of the heat. We would have to open the doors to help the stove cool down. Look at what verse 22 says: "The king's command was so urgent and the furnace was so hot that the flames of the fire killed the soldiers who took up Shadrach,Meshach and Abednego. Verse 23 says “and these three men, firmly tied, fell into the furnace". First, before they even got into the furnace, the flames killed at least three soldiers. However, they were not touched by the flames and nobody caught on to what happened. They fell into the furnace. This tells me that no one was able to get close enough to forcibly throw them in.

Somehow the door closes on these three men and they are in there for a period of time, when the king jumps up to see his little handy work. He may have a speech ready for the masses of people who had gathered, when with his unbelieving eyes, he saw those whom he had ordered put to death for not bowing to his image. He goes down for a closer look and to his own amazement, he sees four. Now he calls for his advisers to tell him how many they had put in the furnace. They assured him that three went in, when the king asked them basically, "why is that I see four and that fourth one looks like the Son of God".

Now it might seem anti-climatic to say he called for them and the three came out unhurt by the fire. Let's remember the furnace had to cool down to the point that the doors could be opened and the king get close enough to shout into the furnace. I truly believe that is an important issue. I will explain in a minute. Remember, I told you about my fathers "potbelly" stove? It would take that stove a long time to cool down to the point where we could get close enough to take other steps to return it to a normal level. I am sure the same is true here, that door could not be opened until it was of a temperature for a man to be able to get near enough to open the door. We know for sure the soldiers were not going to let the king get close enough to the furnace to get injured or maybe killed. The Bible does not give us any time frame for this process. I really think we may be looking at the period of a day and perhaps into the night or next day. The important issue is that they were delivered untouched by flames and did not even have the smell on them. The only thing that got burned was the ties that bound them.

Let's take part of what Spurgeon said "Gods people are often in the furnace". This is a true statement. If you have made a stand for God you will be faced with a furnace at some time or another and you may have to face many of them in your lifetime. There are certain things we must keep in mind. We are going to have furnaces and we must, as these three men had done, be prepared for them so that we are not surprised by them. We need to keep in our minds and our hearts, that whatever we will go through, God is going through it with us. We are not given a time frame as to when it will be over but we will go through it.. God does not break promises. He said " I will never leave you or forsake you". He is not about to start now. Jesus said "in this world you will have tribulation but have faith in me for I have overcome the world". And Paul wrote "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today and forever".

Simply put: yes Christians we will face furnaces. Some of us face hotter ones then do others but we all face them. God never said he would remove us from facing them but he has promised to be there with us and promises us that we will be able to go through the fire.

In His Grace;

Rev. Oz

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6-15-09

“A Sauna Like No Other”

Hello Everyone:

David wrote in Psalm 139. "O Lord you have searched me and you know me". Isn't it wonderful to have the knowledge that God knows us as individuals. He knows our needs and he knows our fears. He knows how to comfort each one of us in our own way. No other god can make such a claim. We need to praise him for knowing us so well.

We are continuing to look at Daniel chapter 3. We left off the last time with verse 15 where the king tries to tempt, threaten and then taunts Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. The king tried to make it sound as though he could make all their troubles disappear if they would just bow down to this huge image. What type of image? it was gold. Man has fought the image of gold since early times right up through today. "just get this gold (amass wealth) and all will be fine. How many times have we heard in the news where someone has committed suicide over that gold? Sooner or later that god will want a sacrifice. That's why Jesus said "seek ye first the kingdom of God then all these things shall be added unto you". Please don't get me wrong. I am not anti-money, I am however, pro-God.

Verses 16-18 are the key verses to this chapter. I think especially 16 when they answered the king by saying "We do not have to defend ourselves before you in this matter". Let's remember they are talking to the king. They are facing a death penalty. They take a bold stand and let the king know that it does not matter what you want to do to us, we know where our faith lies. There are times when we as Christians let fear keep us from sharing our faith with those around us. Then they go on to say that God will rescue them and even if he does not, they will not bow.

Alright, we have to hold up the mirror here. What is it that holds us back from sharing our faith? The most common answer that I hear is rejection and anger. Some will say that “those we talk to will not listen to the message or that they will get mad at us and want nothing to do with us, and that scares us.”

Pardon me but I have to stop here and even perhaps, pick up our study next time. I have had the overwhelming feeling that someone reading this is having a battle with what we have been talking about. You are having a difficult time sharing your faith and you really want to be able to do so. Your shyness is what is holding you back and you are afraid of losing what friends you have. Believe it or not, I do know how you feel. I am usually quiet and at times a backwards person. Shyness runs in my family and I have several cousins who have this battle. You need to know first of all that God knows you and that God understands. God also knows that he can count on you when the time comes and if you have to make a stand, you will find the strength deep within yourself and make that stand. I want to pray with you right now and I ask everyone to join me.

Precious Heavenly Father; We Thank You for your Spirit that leads us and tells us when a brother or sister is hurting. I don't know if it's one person or a group of people, however, you know them by name. There is someone or some ones who desperately want to share their witness with others and are held back by shyness and fear. Lord, first I ask that you give them comfort and reassurance, that you are with them even right now as we pray. Then, I ask that you give them the inner strength and courage to do that which they so desire, to be able to share your Love for them, with others so they may experience the same. In the Matchless Name of Jesus; Amen

If you are and I hope that you are, fasting one meal a week for the month of June, please add the people who are faced with this problem to your prayers.. If you are reading and studying with us and are wondering what just happened ,let me try to briefly explain. When I bring you these sermons or studies I picture myself in front of all of you preaching from behind a pulpit. In the years of ministering in that manner, there have been times when the Spirit has impressed upon me that a person or persons needed special ministering to, at that moment. That is what has happened here. I became so overwhelmed with a burden for a person or persons faced with that problem that I had to stop and minister to them. I thank Pastor Rick, who I am in subjection to, for granting me the liberty to follow such a leading. We will pick up our study next time as there is a lot to be learned from these three men.

In His Grace;

Rev.Oz                     ===============================================================

6-01-09

“When Sleep Wont Come”

Hello Everyone:

I hope that everyone had a great weekend. I know that Pastor Rick has already welcomed new members however I would like to add my welcome as well. Especially to those who stop by either "Ozology" or "Rev.Ozs Thoughts". I trust that you have found them a blessing and that they have helped you in your walk with God.

Last week we took a look at Daniel Chapter one and How Daniel and his three friends refused to eat from the king’s table. This was a picture how God can bless us and our stand with just the bare essentials when it is done with the right motives and for God’s glory. I likened this to "boot camp"; getting these four young men ready for the battle that lay in wait for them. So if chapter one is "boot camp" chapter two would be like "advanced training". That is the place where the military sends a solider/sailor directly after "boot camp" for their individual jobs. That is where we find our four friends at the end of chapter two; going to their individual positions for which they have been trained, in these two chapters. Now please keep in mind that we are not given any type of time frame between chapters one and two.

At the end of chapter one we are told that Daniel and his friends have been found to be ten times wiser than all of the magicians and enchanters in the entire kingdom. Now in the beginning of chapter two we have the king, the very one who did the testing, having a dream that has kept him awake for a while. Who does he turn to? Verse two "So the king summoned the magicians, enchanters, sorcerers and astrologers". This is why I say that we have been given no time frame between chapters one and two. You would think that after finding out that there were four young men wiser than this group, he would have called on them. The king calls for those whom he has known longer and has had his ear advising him throughout his reign as king. These were groups of men that did not or very rarely worked alone. They consulted within their group and then with each other before going to the king. Basically, he orders them all to appear before him and informs them "I can't sleep now tell me why".

Before we get all upset at this king, remember I said that part of Daniel, was for us to take a look at ourselves. So here's a mirror. Many times we as Christians do exactly what this king did. Whenever we face a problem or are having a challenge we have a tendency to try a lot of things before we try prayer. When I have asked the question "have you prayed about it? I have gotten some pretty interesting answers in return and then usually the answer comes back "well no but I was going to". I am never sure what that means, I forgot? I hadn't thought of that? Or Why would you ask me that question? Whatever the reason, if we are honest, prayer is usually the last thing we try.

I can relate to how the king felt in verse 12. Not being able to get any kind of an answer from all of those he had called, he was angry and frustrated. There comes a time when everything that we have tried has failed and failed miserably and that leads to frustration. We get mad at the world and we want someone to pay for our feeling of helplessness. This king had the power to do what we all would like to do when going through a rough time in our lives: "kill them all". Perhaps you have not been to the place where you want nothing to do with anyone, you just want everyone to disappear and you to be left alone in your own misery. I have been there, sorry to say, more than once. This is exactly where this king is when he gives his order in verse 12.

Verse 14 is the key to this chapter and is mirror number two. "...Daniel spoke to him with wisdom and tact". Another version states it this way: "choosing his words carefully". Daniel was speaking to the commander of the guards. However, he knew the commander had the ear of the king and that was the only way of getting in to see the king. When you have a friend weather a Christian or not and they are facing a challenge in their life, pray for wisdom and tact. How we approach people says a lot about the God we serve. Too many people have been turned off to the message of grace, by the way. They have been approached by Christians lacking both wisdom and tact. We should never add to the pain of a hurting person by hitting them over the head with the gospel, but should be the understanding shoulder to lean on and if need be, to cry on. Daniel never used the "why did he not come to us first approach". He offered his services and asked his friends to "plead for the mercy of God". We as Christians should offer our services and call our prayer chains, and post on prayer boards, such as we have here at ICC, and be ready to answer the call.

Daniel answered the call. He interrupted the kings dream and in so doing he saved the lives of not only he and his friends but of those with whom he disagreed. As a reward, the king blesses Daniel by promoting him as the chief wise man. Daniel sets for us an important president in that he asks the king to also bless his friends, who were "pleading for the mercy of God". When God blesses us by using us in some way, we should never forget those who have been praying for us and ask God to bless them just as much.

At the end of this chapter the four go their own way and the training period is over. They will now face huge battles of their own. We will take a look at their battles and what they mean to us today. I hope you stay with us as we explore these scriptures together.

In His Grace;

Rev.Oz

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5-27-09

“Preparing the Table”

Hello Everyone:

"This is the day the Lord hath made I will be glad and rejoice in it". Think about it: this day, right now, wherever you are, God has made it for you. You may be in a place that is foreign to you, far away from home, but God still made this day for you. Purpose in your heart to be glad and rejoice in this day made for you. What you do with this day is truly up to you. Things may be tough right now, I know, for many they are, but we can still rejoice in the Lord.

Our country has just celebrated Memorial Day, a day to remember those who have given their lives so that we might enjoy our freedoms. My heart goes out to the men and women in uniform serving our country. My prayers are with the families that have loved ones over seas not just on one day but everyday. I pray that your loved ones come home soon and safe.
When those brave men and women first enlisted they went to a place called "Boot Camp". This is a place where they are trained in the ways of the military. They are trained in the use of weapons and trained in ways to survive hardships that may lie before them. Even though it may be a controlled environment, when they are finished with this course they have been tried and tested for the mission awaiting them. So my question to you is "what have you been doing to prepare yourself for the mission before you"?

WARNING: In the next few weeks we are going to look at part of the Book of Daniel and what it has for the Church today. During this study I might have to ask the hard questions and say some things a little more harshly than usual. I do so in love and not in condemnation.

The first chapter of the Book of Daniel gives us a challenge and gives us a look at the reward for standing up for the Lord and what we believe. Babylon takes Judah captive for turning their back on God. I want you to place close attention to verse 2 "....along with some articles from the Temple of God. These he carried off to the temple of his god in Babylon in the treasure house of his god". I want you to remember those words because they are going to come into play in another study. Have no doubt those articles have plenty to do with our life and world today.

For right now let's look at verse 6. There were young men that the king had a three year plan for that in his mind would pretty much do away with the teachings of God. They would be taught in the ways of Babylon and then no doubt instructed to go out and teach the others being held captive. The first thing the king does is try to change their identity by giving them new names. Make no mistake about it Satan will try to change who you are by trying to change who God made you to be. You have to be strong enough to stand up and say "you can call me what you want to but I belong to the one and true God and my name is Christian".

The next thing the king tried to do was to feed them from the kings table. "look you have the best while the rest of your people sit and go hungry. You are so much better off then they are. Your God can't help you". These words should sound familiar. They are used on our youth each and every day. Young children are shown wads of money and told "you too can have this. You don't need to listen to your parents. Just sell a little of this for me and you will be set for life". The tricks have not changed over the hundreds of years, today’s food is money and positions as well as fame.

Four young men found something within themselves to stand up and say no. It's not easy, no one ever said it was, if they did they were not being truthful. These four decided not to eat of the kings table and just have what their fellow captives were eating. Vegetables and water. Now you know where the importance of eating vegetables came from. "test us for ten days" was their request. They put their faith to the test while others went along with the program as though nothing was wrong. They knew that the God that they served was not going to be out done by some false man made god and a little bit of meat from that kings table. There are times when you have to put your own faith in God, to the test. No matter how good some thing might sound or how good the outcome may sound, if their is a voice inside of you saying it's wrong, then guess what, "IT'S WRONG". Go ahead and put your faith to the test "God, if this is wrong, show me during this time" and take the time to slow things up and allow God to show you.

Ten days pass by and guess who looks better? These four who stood up and took a stand. I am telling you that the same can and will be happening today when we who are Christians stand up and say " I am going to trust God". God gave these four the strength, knowing this was their "Boot Camp". Yes we are going to retell their stories with emphasis on what they mean to us today and in the future.

They were rewarded by God for their stance. In verse 20 they were found ten times smarter then all the other advisers in the country. God will do the same for you and so much more.

THIS IS WHAT I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO DO

1. For the month of June. Every Tuesday take one meal, just one, and fast that meal. During the time it would take you to eat, please pray for those facing adversities and those having to make choices.

2. Another reason these four made it is they were accountable to each other. I want you to find a close Christian friend and tell them you want them to hold you accountable. Things are much easier when your not doing them alone.

I think that you will agree, we have way too many people who have given up on life by way of their addictions. Our graveyards are getting to full with the bodies of our youth who fell for what was on the kings table. They are dieing due to overdosing, drive-by shootings and greed. My brothers and sisters we can only stop the tide when we prepare for the mission ahead by following examples set by those who have gone before us.

In His Grace;
Rev.Oz

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5-22-09

“Pebbles in my Pocket”
 
 Hello Everyone.
 
 I hope that all of you reading this are enjoying the
 blessings of God today. I truly hope that Pastor Rick
 has had an enjoyable time while on vacation it sounds to
 me that it has been rest,, recuperation and reunion. All of those
 are great and needed.  Let me add to the encouragement that
 Pastor has said: take the time to reunite with loved ones with whom
 you might have lost contact and you will find the
 experience worth while.
 
 Have you ever had a hobby? Perhaps you have one that
 you enjoy doing now. I know that there are many people
 who devote their free time to their hobbies and it truly
 enriches their lives. I remember when I was quite
 young and a science class assignment was going to be my hobby for
 life. This truly scared my mother. I decided I was going to
 collect rocks. My mother had visions of rocks all over
 the house and breaking everything in sight.  She was pleased
 with my choice. Every rock was a treasure. I was to keep
them in empty egg cartons and in my room. Every wash day my
 mother would find a pocket full of rocks that I had picked up
 from the neighborhood. Then one day someone gave me a piece
 of  pyrite ( fools gold). I remember thinking "man I have
 just hit it rich".  After finding out the truth the hobby
 became a memory and my mother breathed a sigh of relief.
 
 What I want to share with you today is a scripture
 About, you guessed it......a stone. It is a scripture that I
 must admit to you, helped change my life. I turn to this
 scripture often and just think about the meaning it
 has for me. I may have talked about this before but this
 scripture has been on my mind a lot lately and I felt that I had
 to share it with you.
 
 Revelation 2:17 " He who has an ear let him hear what
 the Spirit says to the Churches. To him who overcomes, I
 will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white
 stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who
 receives it".

 When I first read this verse I thought "what's the big
 deal about the stone"? I had to study this out because I
 was afraid that perhaps John had gone a little stir crazy
 being on that island all alone. I could not see why Jesus
 was making a big deal out of giving us a "stone". I love
 it when God does things like that to me, making me dig to see
 what is behind the meaning of a verse. When I found out what
 it truly meant I was ready to start my old hobby up
 Again.  I could not wait and still can't wait to receive my
 white stone.
 
 A white stone had great significance to the city of
Pregamum. That stone meant one of three things all of
 which has great meaning to you and I and our future home in
 Heaven.
 
 First: There was the "white stone" of justification.
 When one was accused of a crime and stood trial he got a
 verdict of either guilty or innocent. Notice that the
 verdict was innocent instead of not-guilty. If you
 were found innocent you were handed a "white stone" to
 carry with you so that if anyone would try and bring it up again
 you just showed them your stone. Does this not sound like
 a loving God? " Our sins are as far as the east is from
 the  west". God forgives and forgets once we ask Jesus for
 Forgiveness; to never again be brought to our charge.
 
 Second: There was the "white stone" of citizenship. If
 you had not been born in the city but had just moved there
 from another city or country you were given a "white stone"
 to show you belong. This stone gave you access to do
 business, to buy the goods, to attend meetings and even
 to hold position. Again we see a picture of our acceptance
 by God to his family and home. " I go to prepare a place
 for you.  Where I am you may be also". Jesus has gone to
 make a place for us.  Ethough we were dead in our sin, he
 through his, has given us citizenship in heaven.
 
 Thirdly: There was a "white stone" of victory. This
 was given to the military returning home from a battle.
 The troops would wait outside of the walls until the mayor
 or leader would come out for them give each one of them
 their white stone and then lead them into the city as in a
 parade. The people would cheer and clap for them and they
 would always be known by that stone as a conqueror. We are
 in a battle each and every day that we breath air. We face
 the enemy in untold ways all through our Christian lives.
 Scripture tells us that some day he is going to step
 out of Heaven and call us home. Much like that leader, he will
 lead us down the streets of Heaven and we will know that we
 have won the battle.
 
 Then to top all of that off, in our stone will be a new
 name that God is going to bless us with and it will beknown only between
the two of us. He named Peter, remember? 
 I don't want anything to keep me from getting that
 last stone in my collection. Even my mother won’t be
 complaining about that stone. I hope and pray that you will be
with me when the gates open and we are lead by the King of
 Kings and the Lord of Lords to our new home.
 
 In His Grace; 
 Rev.Oz                                                                                                                   ==========================================================

5-17-09

"From My Heart"

Hello Everyone:

I hope that all the mothers had a terrific mother's day. I have been busier then I thought that I would be over the last few weeks. I volunteered to remodel a kitchen. It ended up being almost more then I could do, however with Gods help I got the job finished and the kitchen looks very nice. More importantly, all are happy.  I don't have a sermon or a study for you today but I do have something I would like to share with you. You know if you have been a member for any time at all, we here at ICC do not ask for money. We hope that you are part of a local church and that you are placing your tithe money there. We do from time to time encourage you to find a charity of your choosing to support. This could be local or national, even international. There are many that are worthy of your support, not just financial but if local perhaps your time as well. You will not believe how good you will feel after giving of your time and talents to such a cause. Someone once said "your never as big as you are when you bend down to help a child". My heart is with children. They are asked to grow up a lot faster then when many of us were young. They face on a day to day basis, dangers that never crossed our minds, at least not mine. Going to school anymore is a danger in and of itself. I am not just talking of public schools.  I am afraid that the same traps and dangers befall students in private and Christian schools as well. AS Christians are hearts should be breaking as we see what has been and continues to happen to our children. 1 child in 5 is molested before they reach double digit age. That alone sends chills down my spine and causes anger to arise. What just twenty years ago was considered a "normal" family has all but been thrown away. We have children who have no idea where their dad is and at times where their mom is, not to mention who there dad is.

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.  There is something that you can do. You can find a charity that works with children and give your time and yes your money to them. Encourage your church to start some sort of an outreach program for teens or children. Don't let them say that there to small to have one. Let the pastor know that if you help the children, God will bless and supply the need. Jesus said "Suffer (let, allow, bring) the children to me". We, yes you and I ,will be held accountable for how we have treated or mistreated the children that have been placed in our lives. If children know that there are people that love and care for them they will be more open to the message of grace and love that God has for them. We have to be those people. I know that there are many of our members in the nation of South Africa, and in your nation that have children who are dieing of malaria. Children and families who badly need nets to put over their beds so that they might be able to sleep and not be bitten by mosquito's. Along with that you are in need of medicines to help those who have encountered this terrible sickness. Your cry is not going unheard. I encourage all who are reading this, if you are a part of a Sunday School class, a Bible Study group or perhaps you just like having friends over,(these nets only cost like ten dollars each),to take a collection and give it to a charity that is providing nets that can save lives. When you reach out to children wherever they might be, God is going to bless you in more ways then you have ever thought of or knew. Remember the song from your early years? " Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world. Red, yellow, black or white, they are special in his sight. Jesus loves the little of the world". Jesus does love them and he entrusted them to us, Let's take care of them.

In His Grace;                                                                                                    Rev.Oz

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5-04-09 

“Pray Mama Pray”

Hello Everyone:

I hope that you have all had a great weekend and that you took the time to be in the house of God praising him. It is important that you and I find a local place to worship and fellowship face to face with fellow Christians. If you have not found a place I trust you make it a matter of prayer and that you visit a church soon.

Proverbs 31:25-31:

"She is strong and not afraid of the future. She speaks with a gentle wisdom. She is always busy and looks after the needs of her family. Her children show her appreciation and her husband praises her. He says "many women are good wives but you are best of them all". Charm is deceptive and beauty disappears, but a woman who honors the Lord should be praised. Give her credit for all she does. She deserves the respect of everyone". (Good News Bible)

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY

Moms it's your day on May 10 and you deserve it. During my teen years I was raised by a single mom, as my dad had passed away. I know first hand the difficult job that my mom had in raising me. I am sure that if your an adult you can now look back at your life and see what a job your mom had as well. Hands down, moms have the hardest job in the world. There is an old saying that states " the hand that rocks the cradle rules the world" I truly wish that all moms knew just how true that statement is. You have the greatest impact on the future of your children, meaning both for good and bad. Little eyes are watching you all of the time and little life's are looking to you for guidance. It has historically been the mothers who have the responsibility for the raising of the children in the home. Dads have been the "bread earners" and have "brought home the bacon" while mom stayed home and attended to the needs of everyday life.

I am very aware of the fact that the face of the "American" family has changed over the last twenty to forty years and I can tell you I don't like what I see. There are way to many single mom families today that are that way due to a lack of character on the part of men. Men who would much rather go around making babies rather than truly being a MAN that supports and does his job of being a father and a husband. Mothers now have the burden of being the only one that a child has to go to for answers and quite honestly the task does get overwhelming for them.

AS I said before, my mother did not have an easy task raising me but she had her rules that were not to be disobeyed. The biggest one was I had to be in church every Sunday morning and I had to attend youth service, I may not have liked it, however, the word of God got in and now look what I do. I encourage every mother reading this that you make sure that your children are in church and that they are receiving the teachings from the word by caring, loving and patient ministers and youth workers. It is your influence in these matters that will shape the future not just of the youth, but the nation and the church around the world.

When you read the life stories of our early fathers of faith, you will see that they never fail to mention their mothers and the influence they had on their live and decision to follow Christ. Paul, in writing to Timothy, reminded Timothy of this fact: "I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and am persuaded, now lives in you".( II Timothy 1:5 NIV) What you do and say and live has a direct long lasting influence on your children for generations to come. I have often told people that my grandmother would pray for her children, grandchildren and the grandchildren she would never see. That last group is the one that I fit into. Maybe you have never prayed with your children or over them. Maybe you have never given thought to the grandchildren you will never see. The great thing about being a mother is that your influence never stops, so you can start today.

Mothers I salute you, not just on this one day but every day. Yours is a task that no amount of money could ever repay but a grateful heart and a bouquet of dandelions seem to be as good as all the gold in Ft. Knox. I trust that your day is filled with the love and laughter of those close to you.

In His Grace;

Rev.Oz

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