Celebration Center

Paul came to Corinth not with words but with power! To demonstrate the Spirit’s power; not impart human wisdom. Chapter one debunks human wisdom & will. In the church today we need demonstrations of the Spirit’s power. Not words; power!! Not scholars; philosophers; human wisdom – the foolish & weak will do, empowered by the Spirit and demonstrating the Spirit’s power.

How do you hear the voice of the Lord? Is it a familiar voice? Is it a voice with which you are intimately acquainted? Or do you – like most people – struggle hearing God speak to you? And here is a question that is even more complex? Are you comfortable being the voice of the Lord to other people? Are you comfortable speaking into another person’s life when Holy Spirit quickens a word to you for them? This Sunday we will be sharing about the “The Holy Spirit & Hearing the Voice of the Lord.”

After the birth of Jesus, the most significant spiritual tsunami in the history of our planet, paralleled only by the Protestant Reformation, was the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost in 33 A.D. (Acts 2:1-4). In a moment of time the Promised Gift of the Spirit, foretold by the prophets, John the Baptist, and of Jesus, was poured out on the infant church. God opened the floodgates of His power and love (Baptism in the Holy Spirit) in a river that is still sweeping the nations. That river of life, coming upon followers of Jesus, is available today to all who ask Him. Are you thirsty? Do you want to bear fruit? Come to the River!

Life mostly consists of ordinary days. But, there are days and times that are epic and unforgettable! After 40 years in the desert, Israel experienced a huge change at the top, and had to decide to navigate how to march confidently forward towards God’s promise!

Have you ever done any serious digging by hand? It can be very difficult, strenuous work. It can also very rewarding. That was the task assigned to Isaac’s servants in Genesis 26: to dig wells and find water! Sunday we will join them in digging for “freshwater in the valley.” By God’s grace we will dare to dig wells in places that are new to us…to be sensitive to Holy Spirit and obey His nudges to venture into new spaces. Are you willing to seize enemy territory, dig wells there, and find freshwater? I long to hear you shout, “We’ve found water!”

In our services, over the last several weeks we have been discussing the importance of praise. Praise is the gateway into the Presence of God, and the Presence changes everything. From the very beginning, God’s plan has been to build a People of His Presence. Join us this Sunday as we discover what happens when we become a People of Praise and of the Presence.

Who is the Holy Spirit…really? We have heard of Him, but do we talk to Him, or pray to Him? Think about it! You pray to God the Father, and to Jesus the Son, but when was the last time you had a conversation with Holy Spirit? Some have called Holy Spirit the “forgotten member of the Trinity.” Pastor Jeff will introduce you to Holy Spirit this week, calling you to “be filled with the Spirit” (Eph. 5:18) that you might witness “demonstrations of the Spirit’s power” (1 Cor. 2:4) in your corner of the world.

In Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire (1997, Zondervan), Brooklyn Tabernacle’s pastor, Jim Cymbala, says “The work of God can only be carried on by the power of God. The church is a spiritual organism fighting spiritual battles. Only spiritual power can make it function as God ordained.” This Sunday our hearts will cry out for the Holy Spirit, who is the origin and source of true spiritual power. Come thirsty for the fresh living water of the Spirit.

Just before Jesus was betrayed, the disciples asked, “What will be the sign of your coming, and of the end of the age?” Jesus memorably answered, “This gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world…then the end will come.” Note Jesus did not say “…this gospel will be preached…” Rather He said, “…this gospel OF THE KINGDOM will be preached…” The apostle Paul declared, “The kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.” Are churches today simply preaching the gospel (good news), or are they boldly preaching and demonstrating the good news of the kingdom with power? Come Holy Spirit, come! We welcome you. Amen.

Matthew 11 is about the kingdom of God…the blind receive sight, the lame walk, the deaf hear. Psalm 117 is about praising the Lord…audibly and extravagantly. Did you know Jesus said they intersect at the junction of childlikeness? As much as our logic or pride may want to dismiss it, Holy Spirit is wooing every follower of Jesus to jump into the river of childlike praise, to be clothed with His presence and power, and to begin to plunder the darkness around us.

The Psalms were the praise hymnal of the early church. They are filled with principles important for NT and kingdom living. Few are as profound as Psalm 117, the shortest chapter in the Bible, where we are admonished three times - in machine gun progression - to "Praise the Lord." Praise brings the presence of God! As Jack Hayford has often said, "The presence of God's kingdom power is directly related to the practice of God's praise." God awaits the praise of His people - and the people await the presence and power of God.

The instruction that God gives most often in the Bible is not moralistic or behavioral; it is the command “do not fear.” Even in the modern age, we can still live without anxiety by using the tools God has given to follow His instructions.

We have been dealt some difficult, unforeseen circumstances as a world, as a country, as a region, as a church and as individuals. The air has been toxic and stale – both literally and figuratively. Challenges often reveal the depth of our character. To respond in healthy ways for when those challenges come, we need the life and breath of God’s Spirit in us producing His love through us. We need a fresh wind.

Join us this week as Pastor Nathan finishes his series on storms.

Join us this week as Pastor Nathan shares more about how to deal with the storms in life.

Join us this week as Pastor Nathan shares an important message about how to deal with life while you are in a storm.

Join us this week as we continue in our series on “The New Normal.”

Join us this week as we continue in our series on "The New Normal."

Join us this week as we continue in our series on "The New Normal."

Join us this week as we continue in our series "The New Normal."