From RelevantMagazine.com by Adam Cleaveland…
Have you ever been "church shopping"?

Will we ever find the perfect church?

No, it doesn’t exist. We need to stop looking for it. Instead, we need to
choose a church and commit to it. Just like you commit to love your partner, with all their flaws, annoying habits and bad taste in music–you commit to the church, the church body, the body of Christ.

When we begin to look past those flaws, we will see God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit, and we will see a faint shadow of the perfect community that exists in the fellowship in the One Triune God. Only then, will we have the opportunity to experience true community.

Any thoughts?

More of the article is reprinted at the end of this post. Be sure to click on the “read more” link to find out how someone started a fire by “following” recipe directions.

What does cooking have to do with this blog? If we are lacking in the skills to feed ourselves physically, we become malnourished. Likewise, there is a need and a desire to learn to feed ourselves spiritually, but it is a skill that has to be learned. The disciples said, “Lord, teach us to pray…”

There are as many prayer plans and Biblereading plans as there are diet plans and menu plans. Many resources, study aids, books, and commentaries exist on the subject of prayer, just as there is a proliferation of cookbooks that instruct the user on a variety of entrees, desserts, and specialty recipes for dietary needs, or ethnic diversity.

Here is a little recipe for prayer that seems like “six easy steps” but requires a surprising amount of skill to accomplish:

P — Prepare your heart (through the spiritual disciplines of silence, solitude and meditation.)
R — Read and study God’s Word

A — Adore God in prayer and worship

Y — Yield yourself to God in humility and submission

E — Enjoy His presence

R — Rest in His Love

The P.R.A.Y.E.R. Quiet Time Plan: taken from the book, “Six Secrets to a Powerful Quiet Time,” by Catherine Martin. Harvest House

“Thirty years ago, a recipe would say, ‘Add two eggs,’ ” said Bonnie Slotnick, a longtime cookbook editor and owner of a rare-cookbook shop in New York’s Greenwich Village. “In the ’80s, that was changed to ‘beat two eggs until lightly mixed.’ By the ’90s, you had to write, ‘In a small bowl, using a fork, beat two eggs,’ ” she said. “We joke that the next step will be, ‘Using your right hand, pick up a fork and . . .’ ” Beth Wareham, Scribner’s director of lifestyle publications, says, “I tell them, ‘Why should we dumb it down?’ When you learn to drive, you learn terms like “brake” and “parallel park.” Why is it okay to be stupid when you cook?”

Stephen W. Sanger, chairman and chief executive of General Mills Inc., noted the sad state of culinary affairs and described the kind of e-mails and calls the company gets asking for cooking advice: the person who didn’t have any eggs for baking and asked if a peach would do instead, for example; and the man who railed about the fire that resulted when he thought he was following instructions to grease the bottom of the pan — the outside of the pan. “In my basic ‘How to Cook’ class, I get people who have only used their ovens to store shoes and sweaters,” he said. “They’re terrified to hold a knife. They don’t know what garlic looks like.”

Lisa Bernstein, tired of microwaving frozen dinners, signed up two years ago for lessons with veteran cooking teacher Phyllis Frucht. “I watched some of the Food Network programs, but it’s not the same as having someone in the kitchen with you, showing you how to hold the knife,” said Bernstein, who now can make her own pasta sauce for baked ziti, as well as homemade biscotti for dessert.

Despite laments about the end of home cooking, more than three-fourths of all dinners are prepared in the home, with women doing the majority of the cooking, according to the latest figures from the research firm NPD Group. Cooks in their forties and younger are high-tech oriented when it comes to using the company’s Web site for recipes and customized advice but relatively unskilled when it comes to baking. “They’ve grown up with the computer, so they expect things to be faster, including cooking,” said Botham, now director of corporate communication at the company. “They like baking by adding things to a mix. In recipes, they want fewer ingredients — seven is ideal — and they like step-by-step pictures that show them what to do.”

A survey conducted by Betty Crocker Kitchens in 2004 showed adults don’t even realize how cooking-challenged they’ve become. The national survey of 1,500 adults found that 70 percent rated themselves “above average” in cooking knowledge, even though only 38 percent scored above average on a 20-question cooking-skills quiz. While 98 percent knew the abbreviation for teaspoon, only 44 percent knew how many teaspoons were in a tablespoon. Even fewer, 34 percent, knew how much uncooked rice is needed to yield one cup of cooked rice. (Answers: 3 teaspoons in a tablespoon; one-third cup of uncooked rice yields 1 cup of cooked rice.)

Children age 10 to 17 weren’t much better. A 2004 Betty Crocker survey of 1,000 children found that while 94 percent could access the Internet, only 42 percent could cook a spaghetti dinner. Nearly 100 percent could play a computer game, but only 41 percent could make a fruit smoothie in a blender. On the other hand, 64 percent said they’d like to help more with the cooking at home, confirming that cooking is hardly a dying art.

“There’s a real need and desire to learn these skills,” Ruben said.

Are you like me?  When you meet someone, you try really hard to remember their name; and yet ten seconds into the conversation you realize you’ve already forgotten it?  ARRRGHHH!  Then the next time you see them they call you by name and you still have no clue what their name is; and they KNOW it because you purposefully don’t say their name, or say something like “Hey, man” or something else horrible to cover your ignorance.
Well, Teena Stewart gives some practical advice over at Lifeway.com on how to remember people’s names.  Here’s what ‘champ’ had to say:

1. Repeat the name of the person who is being introduced.

• Say it aloud several times.
• Find excuses to use it in your conversation with the new acquaintance.

2. If you don’t think you heard the name correctly, ask the person to repeat it. Better yet, ask them to spell it.

3. Write the name down as soon as possible.

4. Make up a silly rhyme to go with the name.

5. Use memory tricks like opposite associations and “soundalikes.” Recently I met a gray-haired fellow named Chris Young. His name was easy to recall because physically he looked the opposite of young.

6. Practice good listening skills. Friends and family members may call out the mystery person’s name.

7. Still stumped? When the guest is out of earshot, ask his or her friend or relative for the person’s name.

8. Pay attention to your church’s print media. Bulletins and newsletters may provide clues.

9. Check out the church’s pictorial directory. Seeing the name in print alongside a picture makes it easier to remember.

10. Suggest that your church have a “Friendship Sunday” once a month. Be sure everyone wears a name tag.

11. Never assume that someone knows you after one introduction. Be willing to reintroduce yourself and ask his or her name in return.

12. Pray for better memory and name retention.

FOR DISCUSSION:  Do you have this problem?  How do you remember names?  Do you have any other suggestions for memory retention?

]]> http://firstword.wordpress.com/2006/03/15/12-ways-to-remember-peoples-names/feed/ 0 firstword Whoareyou http://firstword.wordpress.com/2006/03/13/funny-phone-messages/ http://firstword.wordpress.com/2006/03/13/funny-phone-messages/#comments Mon, 13 Mar 2006 18:29:26 +0000 firstword http://firstword.wordpress.com/2006/03/14/funny-phone-messages/ ]]> Top Ten Voice Mail Messages Used by Church Staff
Written by Gerry Peak

10. You’ve reached the youth ministry office. We can’t take your call right now. Our phone fell in a washtub of baked beans, gelatin, soda, ketchup, and fruit candy. Please call back on Thursday.

9. You’ve reached the children’s ministry office. We can’t take your call right now. To leave a message, take your pointing finger and press the key that looks like a small tic-tac-toe board. Then press the number “3” as in “three” wise men. Then press…

8. You’ve reached the music office. We have all gone to lunch at Miss Angie’s Tea Room and should return in about two or three hours. To leave a message, wait until you hear the A flat tone, then speak clearly while breathing from your diaphragm.

7. You’ve reached the associate pastor’s office. Brother Mike is so glad that you have called. He has been looking forward to talking to you. He will call you back as soon as he returns from visiting the nursing homes, delivering the opening prayer for the city council meeting, and buying Lord’s Supper supplies at the LifeWay store. God bless you and watch over you. And may your day bring bright hope for tomorrow.

6. You’ve reached the church receptionist. I’m currently on the phone with other parishioners. If this is an emergency, press pound 86 for the associate pastor’s office. If you want to know our worship service times, press pound 50. If you need directions to our church, press pound 35. If you want to speak to someone, please hold and I will be with you shortly……[approximate wait time is . . . 22 minutes].

5. Thank you for calling the prayer line. To listen to today’s prayer thought, press pound 77. To leave a prayer request, give us your name, address, phone number, the person you want us to pray for, that person’s address and phone number, why you want us to pray for that person, and whether you want that person’s name on our printed Wednesday night prayer list. Please do not go into a lot of detail regarding surgical procedures, number of stitches, and matters of continence.

4. Maintenance. I’m gone. Leave a message.

3. You’ve reached the Mother’s Day Out office. We’re…excuse me. May I help you? No, three-year-olds are down the hall. That’s right. No, the third door. We’re not here right now. Please leave a…. No honey, I don’t know where your mommy is. What room did you come from? Get your diaper off your head please, and tell me what room you came from?

2. You’ve reach the senior pastor’s office. Dr. Harbinger is in his study at the moment and cannot be disturbed. Please stay on the line and his administrative assistant, Dot, will be with you shortly. If you’re calling about a ministry need, please press pound 86 for the associate pastor’s office. If you’re playing golf with Dr. Harbinger this afternoon, please press 11.

1. You’ve reached the education ministry office. If you did not intend to call this number, press pound 86. If you were transferred to this office by accident, press pound 86. If you want to complain about the youth ministry, please press pound 22. If you are missing a part to your Sunday School coffee pot, press pound 41. If you forgot why you called, stay on the line and someone even more confused than you will be with you shortly.

© 2001-2003 LifeWay Christian Resources

Dr. James Dobson talked about this book twice this week. It is devastating and parents and Christian schools need to be aware of this. Do pass it on to church/ e-mail addressees. Parents, Grand parents, Aunts, Uncles: Please pay special attention not only to the what your kids watch on TV and in movie theaters and the music they listen to, but we must also be alert regarding the books they read.

Two particular books,
“Conversations with God” and “Conversations with God for Teens” written by Neil D. Walsh , sound harmless enough by their titles alone. These books have been on the New York Times best sellers list for a number of weeks, and these publications make truth of the statement, “Don’t judge a book by its cover/title.”

The author purports to answer various questions from kids using the “voice of God”. However, the “answers” that he gives are not Bible-based and go against the very infallible word of God. For instance (and I paraphrase), when a girl asks the question “Why am I a lesbian?” his answer is that she was born that way because of genetics (just as you were born right-handed, with blue eyes, etc.). Then he tells her to “go out and celebrate” her differences.

Another girl poses the question “I am living with my boyfriend. My parents say that I should marry him because I am living in sin. Should I marry him?” His reply is, “Who are you sinning against? Not me, because you have done nothing wrong.”

Another question asks about God’s forgiveness of sin. His (the author’s reply) – I do not forgive anyone because there is nothing to forgive. There is no such thing as right or wrong and that is what I have been trying to tell everyone, do not judge people. People have chosen to judge one another and this is wrong, because the rule is “judge not lest ye be judged”.

And the list goes on. Not only are these books the false doctrine of devils, but in some instances even quote (in error) the Word of God. These books (and others like it) are being sold to school children (The Scholastic Book Club), and we need to be aware of what is being fed to our children. Our children are under attack, so I pray that you be sober and vigilant about teaching your kids the Word of God, and guarding their exposure to worldly mediums, because our adversary, the devil, roams about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8). And how many of us know that lions usually hunt for the slowest, and weakest and YOUNGEST of its prey.

I have been burdened for certain people at work that seem to have a
knowledge of Jesus who died on the cross to save them from their sins,
but no relationship with the Christ who lives to save them eternally.
Even the demons believe and tremble… Just knowing about God will not
secure their eternal future.

Then there is the subject of fruits, which goes along with the fire
topic, because we are to be like trees that “bear fruits worthy of
repentance.” What makes a fruit worthy? How does the fruit of my life
show repentance? The strong warning in 3:10 is that every tree which
does not bear good FRUIT is cut down and thrown into the FIRE.
The Holy Spirit is a FIRE of Righteousness. “His winnowing fan is in
His hand and He will thoroughly clean out his threshing floor, and
gather His wheat (the good fruit of His labor) into the barn. But He
will BURN UP the chaff with UNQUENCHABLE FIRE.

The furnace of fire is real.  Hell is real. Just as much as Heaven.

Matthew 13:41 clearly explains what happens to those who said, “Lord,
Lord…” and others like them who KNOW Jesus Christ as Savior, but who
fail to produce FRUITS worthy of repentance: The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, and will CAST them into the furnace of fire. There will be weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then, there are the verses that speak of eternal judgment for a wide variety of sins, from as great a sin as slander against the Holy Spirit or “blasphemy” (the “unpardonable sin”) to a more “mild” offense (in our own understanding) such as being “angry with his brother without a cause.”

Here are some other FIRE HAZARDS:
WARNING:
* Calling someone a “fool” will place a person in danger of “hell fire”!
* If you do not forgive men their trespasses (offenses) neither will your Father forgive yours!
* For every word idle that you speak, you will give account of it in the day of judgment!
* Cities and towns can be rebuked, cursed, and condemned for their
wickedness and unbelief, and will experience God’s wrath in the day of judgment.
* Judgment will be swift and without warning!
If an evil servant says in his heart, “My master is delaying his coming,” and begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with the drunkards, the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour when he is not aware of, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (24:48-51)
When the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, He will say to those who have been separated by the FIRE of RIGHTEOUSNESS, “Depart from Me, you cursed!, into the EVERLASTING FIRE prepared for the devil and his angels.” He will have no more qualms over sending them into eternal judgment than we would have over burning all the weeds we just plucked from our gardens.

Are you like a tree with good fruit or a worthless weed?

http://www.facedown40.org/

It’s day two of our 40 Day emphasis in the Word leading up to Easter!

God bless you as you give yourself to the “holy habit” of reading the Word. The Lord will honor you as you make time in the business of life to engage in this wonderful discipline of study. I am so excited about this journey during the next 40 days. My God be glorified in us in wonderful way.

A couple of things to remember:
Begin your time in the Word with worship and prayer. Ask the Holy Spirit to speak to you as you read. His Word is living because the author LIVES! How you read is far more important that how much you read. Be alert. Make notes in your “Power of the Word” Journal. Mark or underline passages that seem especially meaningful. Ask yourself the meaning of what you read. Meditate on His word throughout the day.
Three reading guides have been produced:

Plan 1 — Entire Bible in 40 Days
Commitment: About 27 chapters a day

Plan 2 — Entire New Testament in 40 Days
Commitment: About 6 chapters a day

Plan 3 — The Gospels in 40 Days
Commitment: About 3 chapters a day

A free, “Forty Days In the Word JOURNAL” and reading guides can be secured at the information booth in the foyer.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD A 40 DAYS IN THE WORD READING GUIDE
http://www.fairbanksfirstaog.org/readingguide.pdf

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD JOURNAL PAGES
http://www.fairbanksfirstaog.org/journal.pdf

Wednesday Nights @ First Assembly, 7:00pm.
Get off the couch and gather with the saints for a mid-week lift!
You’ll be glad you did.
Royal Rangers and Missionettes,
Youth Discipleship
Adult Worship and Bible Study – Psalm 106 – “Excising Evil!”
Men’s ICF
Military Wives Support Group

In Memory of Ron McKnight, Friday, March 10
Visitation/Viewing – 1:00-2:30pm @ Fairbanks Funeral Home
Memorial Service – 3:00pm @ First Assembly of God
Fellowship Meal – 4:00pm @ First Assembly of God

God bless you!
——————————————-
First Assembly of God
2830 Airport Way
Fairbanks, AK 99709
Tel 907.474.9112
Fax 907.474.9119
www.fairbanksfirstaog.org

March 7, 2006: Ask of Me, and I will show you great and awesome mysteries, and I will uncover those things, which have been hidden from your understanding. You will no longer be kept in the dark with a lack of knowledge of that which has caused you to fall short of victory. And, I do call you forth into great success in your struggle. I will equip and empower you for every occasion. Do not doubt that I will remove the blindfold that has kept you in obscurity. Be alert to receive new revelation of solutions to old problems, says the Lord.

Isaiah 45:3 I will give you the treasures of darkness and hidden riches of secret places, that you may know that I, the LORD, Who call you by your name, Am the God of Israel.

Spirit of Prophecy Bulletin
Small Straws In A Soft Wind
by Marsha Burns
Faith Tabernacle Website

Our church has begun a corporate time of emphasis on Bible-reading, during the season of Lent. We started the new year in prayer and fasting; now we’re kicking up a fervor for feeding on God’s Word, turning up the dial of intensity in this spiritual discipline.

I have a feeling that God is not just pleased about this direction toward devotion; He is loudly cheering! “I can’t wait to show you great and awesome mysteries, to give you treasures and hidden riches–Come on, dive in to the Word, start digging around, just ASK ME to uncover the truths that have been obscured. Surprise! You won’t believe your eyes!”

Are you ready to go on a treasure hunt?!!!

From the first colony to the last frontier, America was founded on the principles of religious freedom. We maintain the right to practice religion freely, not to be free from religion. May God remain in our lives and in the pledge to the American flag!

The Parable of the Prodigal Elder Brother

What lessons may we learn from the parable of a prodigal who never left home, but who was no less a rebel in need of redemption? We’ve heard the story of the Prodigal Son, about the younger brother who took his father’s inheritance, and left to squander it all, then returned to a loving, forgiving father who ran down the road to meet him. This famous parable of Jesus begins with the statement: “A certain man had two sons” (Luke 15:11). The next thirteen verses then focus entirely on the younger son and the father. The older brother isn’t even mentioned until vs. 25. At this point, we begin to discover some things about this elder son of the father.

First, we learn that he does have some rather positive qualities which commend him to us.

1. He was a hard worker.
When we first encounter him, he is out in the field working for his father. In fact, in verse 29, this son points out that he has provided years of continuous, faithful service to the father. While the younger brother was out “sowing his wild oats,” the elder brother was in the field, hard at work, diligently sowing seed for his father … working to bring forth a harvest of grain.

2. He was an obedient son.
He didn’t demand his inheritance; he didn’t rebel against the father. There was no irresponsibility here; no squandering of his father’s wealth on loose living, like the younger son. Again, in vs. 29, he tells the father, “I have never neglected a command of yours.” He was submissive to the will of his father; he was conscientious. In short, we might almost say he was the ideal son. Certainly not like that “wild little brother” of his who had become such a disappointment to the family!

3. Perhaps we can even say he was a morally upright individual.
At least he certainly seemed incensed over the immoral lifestyle of his younger brother. These are all, at least on the surface, very positive qualities. What father wouldn’t consider himself to be blessed to have such a son?

If this was all we knew about this older brother, we would certainly seek to hold him up as an example to our own children. Jesus does not criticize the older brother for his morality, obedience, or for his work ethic. These are indeed commendable qualities. However, Jesus does fault his attitude. In spite of his many laudable characteristics and his tireless service to the father, the elder son was not right in his heart.

When the prodigal son returned home at long last, the father and his household rejoiced. The elder brother, who was hard at work for the father in the field, heard this merry-making and came to investigate the cause. When he saw the reason for the rejoicing, Jesus tells us “he became angry” (vs. 28). This is the Greek word orgizo, which means “passionate rage.” It comes from the root word orgao, which referred to plants and fruits swelling with juice to the point of bursting. The elder brother in this parable was so filled with rage that he was ready to burst! He was “so mad he could have exploded!”

Not only was he furious over this turn of events, but he also sulked and pouted and withdrew himself from his brother. Jesus says, “The older brother became angry and refused to go in” (vs. 28). Please do not fail to notice the result of this brother’s rage — by refusing to fellowship his brother, he also excluded himself from the fellowship of the father’s household. Because of his rage, he forfeited rejoicing; because of his fury, he forfeited fellowship! What a high price to pay for a poor attitude! The father finally had to come outside the house, where the older brother was fuming and sulking, to plead with him to come inside the house.

This is an important point in the parable and must not be missed — when we won’t have anything to do with a brother who is accepted by our heavenly Father, it places us OUTSIDE of the household of God. Sweet fellowship and rejoicing is within the Lord’s house, where some “brethren” don’t care to go because of who they might encounter therein!

This is a truth many “elder brothers” in the church of our Lord Jesus Christ today need to understand. By cutting themselves off from those brethren who are not cut off by the Father, they are harming and depriving themselves of joyous fellowship. When brethren reject brethren; when congregations reject congregations … the elder brother syndrome has raised it’s ugly head once more among the sons of the Father.

This older son was also guilty of self-righteousness, yet another aspect of this sad syndrome. When the father came out to talk with this enraged son, he immediately called the father’s attention to all the wonderful things he had done for him over the years. In vs. 29 he stated that he had never neglected one of his commands and had worked tirelessly for years. This sounds very reminiscent of the proud Pharisee in another parable of our Lord, which He told “to certain ones who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt” (Luke 18:9). There is probably no more despicable attitude than that of self-righteousness. It will invariably result in a feeling of superiority over others, which in turn leads frequently to abuse of those deemed inferior or “beneath” their contempt.

Speaking of contempt, the elder brother was guilty of this also. Notice how he referred to his younger brother­­­ “…this son of yours!” (vs. 30) His self-righteousness, contempt and anger had led him to the point where he could no longer regard this person as a brother. It’s as though he had said, “He may be your son, but he’s NOT my brother!” Oh, how frequently we see the same contempt displayed in the Family of God for those with whom we may differ on some matter. What abominable arrogance! And let’s not forget the twin sins of envy and jealousy. These also are evidenced in the attitude and actions of this older brother. “You killed the fattened calf for him … yet you never gave me even a young goat, so I could celebrate with my friends!” (V. 29-30).

Suddenly our mental image of this older son is no longer as positive as we had previously supposed. This hard working, obedient, devoted son, who never committed the type of sins committed by his younger brother, has a corrupt heart; one characterized by anger, envy, self-righteousness, contempt, and pettiness. On the outside, based on his works, he appeared to be the ideal son; on the inside, based on his attitude, he was anything but! Compounding the tragedy is the fact that everyone suffered because of his behavior.

· The prodigal son was deprived of the warm, loving welcome he should have received from his older brother when he returned from the far country.

· The father was torn away from the festivities, having to leave the joyous fellowship of his household, in order to go out and plead with a son plagued with an evil disposition.

· Even the elder brother himself suffered. By his pathetic attitude he had cut himself off from the celebration within the father’s household. He had severed himself from the fellowship of the family; standing outside … miserable, angry and alone!

Notice the words of the father to this elder son — “My child, you have always been with me, and all that is mine is yours. But we had to be merry and rejoice, for this brother of yours was dead and is alive again. He was lost and is found” (vs. 31-32). Not only does the father appeal to the son’s sense of reason here … he explained the logic for such a celebration … but he also appeals to his sense of family — “My child … this is your brother.” The elder son was long on duty and service, but woefully short on love and family!

One’s family should always be a place of safe haven; a realm of loving acceptance; a refuge, and a sanctuary. The elder brother failed to perceive and appreciate this reality …and all suffered.

In John 13:34-35 Jesus said, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” The true mark of genuine discipleship is LOVE, not service or even faithfulness.

“The one who hates his brother is in the darkness” (1 John 2:11). When our Lord’s parable of the prodigal ends the older brother was standing outside the father’s house. There he stood; separate from the family and the fellowship, alone in the darkness. And it wasn’t his years of service and obedience that put him there … it was his heart!

There are too many “elder brothers” in the Family of God today! These are hard working, devoted sons of the Father in many ways, but they have a heart condition. They lack love, and this makes it hard for them to forgive and accept. In so doing, they fail to find true fellowship with their brethren. May God help us all to oppose this “elder brother syndrome” that leaves too many brothers standing outside the Father’s house in the darkness. Let’s pray for their return, and let’s welcome them back into the fellowship … if they are willing to come.

[Adapted from the site linked above in the title. No affiliation to this site. To subscribe to these weekly e-mail reflections, click here]

• Jesus said, “out of the abundance of heart the mouth speaks.” It is easier than we imagined to fall prey to hate, prejudice and desire for vengeance. When human beings are trapped in desperate, hopeless situations, fear, anger and confusion drives human nature to lock into self-preservation mode. When situations are out of our control we revert to “fleshly” means to bring some stability into the chaos we are experiencing. Instead of crying out to God, we call others to account for what has (or has not) happened. It is those words and actions that reveal the true condition of the heart.

• This is an unprecedented hour for the church to minister to those who are suffering and to shine like beacons in the midst of this darkness. We must pray for many who are suffering and for those offering humanitarian aid. We must give to help the thousands who have lost everything. Pray that many will repent and come into a saving relationship with Jesus Christ and that God will be exalted to His rightful place in our lives and in our nation. Pray that rebuilding lives will be a greater priority than rebuilding structures. May the Holy Spirit make us sensitive to those around us who may have be asking, “Where was God?” and fearful of what the future may bring. Pray against a spirit of confusion. Rick Joyner writes, “The reason the situation has not been handled better is the spirit of confusion that has been released over that region. We know that we do not war against flesh and blood, though we cannot expect the government and law enforcement agencies to understand this. There is a lot of witchcraft coming from New Orleans and it wants to cause as much death as possible. We need to pray for this spirit of confusion to be bound, and for great clarity and energy to be given to those who are managing and implementing the lifesaving efforts. Then we need to pray for great clarity and energy to rebuild that city and region. This is important for the whole nation.”

• New Orleans and the coastal regions of Mississippi and Alabama have been devastated by Katrina. Cities were reduced to nothing in a matter of minutes, and man-made barriers of safety (the levies) did not hold. What looks so stable and wealthy in this life is actually very unstable. Everyone is looking to the spiritual dimension for certainty. Those without faith in God are shaken (Hebrews 12:25-29) in their unbelief. We who believe in life beyond the limits of the material, natural world, have not been shaken—for we know that the Lord is with us even when we walk through the valleys of deep darkness. Without a doubt, the events of 9/11, the tsunami in Southeast Asia, and this national crisis, remind us how fragile life is (even in light of our advanced technology and intellectual prowess) and of our need to seek first the (eternal) Kingdom of God and His righteousness.

• Are the people of New Orleans and other cities impacted by this disaster more wicked than others? It is no secret that New Orleans is known for its drunken permissiveness and promiscuity. Mardi Gras proudly honors, Bacchus, the god of wine and intoxication. This wicked holiday is rooted in ancient paganism which involves gross sexual immorality, prostitution, and other perversions. Millions flock to New Orleans to indulge themselves in every carnal passion. In this licentious environment, spiritism, voodoo, and the occult thrive. Gambling, crime, and poverty are an endless cycle. Surely, God is grieved by this pervasive wickedness and His judgments are in all the earth (Ps. 105:7). Does this mean that those who suffered injury, death or loss of property in the Katrina disaster were worse sinners than the rest of the nation? God’s word reveals the answer.

• A Judgment Day is coming, when everyone who has rejected the offer of forgiveness will have to account for what they have done and what they have said. God is storing up His wrath against such injustices and atrocities (see Romans 2:5-6 and Jude 1:6): “But the present heavens and earth by His word are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.” 2 Peter 3:7

• God’s overarching purpose for the world is that everyone would come into a saving relationship with Jesus, whom God has sent as a ransom payment for us (John 3:16 and 1 Timothy 2:3-6). He wants no one to perish, and the death of even the most wicked person in the world causes Him grief: “I have come as light into the world, that everyone who believes in Me may not remain in darkness. And if anyone hears My sayings, and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world.” John 12:46-47 “Do I have any pleasure in the death of the wicked,” declares the Lord God, “rather than that he should turn from his ways and live?” Ezekiel 18:23

Who may attend an ICF group? Anyone!

How large are these groups?
These groups of 6-14 people follow the pattern established by Jesus and His disciples, as well as by Moses when he divided up the nation of Israel to assure care for everyone (Exodus 18:15-26; Deuteronomy 1:9-18). When groups get too large they will be encouraged to spilt and form another group.

Where would these small groups be located?
At various locations (usually in homes) including Fairbanks, North Pole, Fort Wainwright, and Eielson Air Force Base.

When would these groups meet?
On different days, most likely in the evening. Some groups may choose to meet during the day.

Why should I attend an ICF group?
Our life with God is best lived out in the context of relationships with other people. Additionally, we all need nurture and care provided by fellow believers in Jesus. Bottom line, we need people. Too often, we end up fellowshipping only with the people we already know. At many churches, care and discipleship are only available from paid staff or from a few key leaders. This greatly limits individuals from exercising their God-given ministries and gifts and unnecessarily restricts the amount of “one-another” ministry available to the congregation. These groups serve to rectify this limitation.

What is the format of these groups? Fun, Food, Fellowship.

How do I sign-up to be a part of an ICF group? Most groups are open to all. To secure a listing of all the ICF groups and their locations, go to the Ministry Center.

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