Here are a few pics (taken with my iPhone…not bad for a phone) of our Apostolic Ministry Trip to one of our United Global Ministries churches:  Turning Point Church, Surigao.  The faith and the love of God’s people here are simply inspiring.  In addition, there is an amazing  hunger for God’s word.

Our first night in Surigao, plans unexpectedly changed(which is always expected) resulting in an impromptu FantheFlame church service.  We were so glad to see over 100 filling our new building and the outer portico.  Two hours later, worship, prayer and the Word filled the air and the hearts of kids & adults alike, with 10 making decisions for Jesus!

Within one-half hour of arriving, our leadership team testified to many amazing acts of God through the last (very difficult) year.  As a church and as a city, the enemy has been working hard at destroying what God is building.  The last year has been clouded with division, strife, murder & kidnapping, drought and more.  Yet, the members of our leadership team all rejoiced that “though it was difficult, it was easy” and “everything just seemed to fall into place!”  They recounted the growth and maturity of the church as astonishing in their eyes.

We also heard of TPC’s leader’s being asked to bring leadership to a growing unity movement here in Surigao.  Tomorrow begins a gathering of 1000′s of believers from all over the islands here in Surigao.  Many of the pastors here agree that unity is building and that Surigao is a prophesied center of revival in the islands.

This morning we had training sessions for men, women and children.  Then we had a large group gathering where I taught on “Releasing Apostolic Ministry in the Church.”  This was followed by a passionate, potent time of prayer for Apostles to be raised up and released in the church.  We also prayed for a toddler with a large hole in his heart (please join us in praying for Cloycloy’s healing).

We are getting ready to paint, dine with the mayor, minister to an expected 120 kids and more in the days to come.  Check back for more updates, and thank you to all of you who have prayed for, traveled with and supported financially the ministry God is building here in the Philippines.

What better time to raise the “thankfulness-quotient” of our lives than during Thanksgiving?  Not because you need one more burden to carry on what can become a very hectic, chaotic day for many; but because there is genuine power in thankfulness.  Whatever family, friends, welcomed strangers, uninvited guests, dry turkey or lumpy gravy may throw at you, gratitude will have it covered.

Consider, every time Jesus gave thanks to His father, or someone gave thanks to Him, something powerful, miraculous and otherwise impossible happened:

• 5,000 men fed with 2 loaves of bread and 5 fish (Matt 14)
• 4,000 men fed with 7 loaves and fish (Matt 15)
• Revelation of the devil’s work in Judas’ betrayal(Luke 22:17-22)
• Revelation of the devil’s work in the disciples scattering and Peter’s denial (Mark 14:22-30)
• Anna’s revelation of Christ as Messiah (Luke 2:36-38)
• A leper is made whole AFTER giving thanks (Luke 17:11-19)
• Revelation of Jesus’ resurrection (Luke 24:30-32)
• Renewed zeal in disciples hearts (Luke 24:32)
• Lazarus is raised from the dead (John 11:41-44)

The same Kingdom Principle that worked in Jesus life will work in your life as well.  Simply put, thankful people see God move more often and more powerfully than ungrateful people.  If you’d like to see God move on your behalf, here are a few ideas for cultivating gratitude around your Thanksgiving Table:

• Spend more time imagining what life would be like without the blessings you have (kids, home, job, country, etc.), while limiting the time you spend thinking about the blessings you want.
• Choose a Thanksgiving scripture, print it out on business card size pieces of paper, and give it to guests as they arrive.  Ask them to memorize and share it throughout your day’s activities.
• Hand out a variety of quotes/scriptures and ask individuals to read them during your meal together.
• Download the Turning Point Church 4 Weeks of Preparation and invite your friends and neighbors to participate

The Villamor’s are praying for you to have a blessed holiday celebration full of friends, family and gratitude.  We are so thankful to God for countless blessings, undeserved mercies, and His promises of goodness, love and grace.  Happy Thanksgiving!

PM

How do you cultivate gratitude?  Any creative ideas for Thanksgiving?  Let me know in the comments!  If you’re looking for more creative Thanksgiving ideas, from centerpieces for your table to iphone portion calculators and helpful videos, check this great article I found:  HOW TO: Prepare a Thanksgiving Feast With Help From the Web.

Here’s a quick response to Angela’s Facebook question on “praying continually.”  Let me know in the comments section below if you have any questions you’d like my thoughts on…

Prayer comes in a variety of forms;

1. PERSONAL(Matt 6:6)
2. HEAVENLY(for lack of a better term; this includes tongues, groans and utterances)(Rom 8:26)
3. CORPORATE(Acts 4:24)
4. CONTINUOUS(1 Thess 5:17)

There is a place and a time for each of these.

The continual prayer that 1 Thessalonians 5:17 refers to is a constant state of prayer where our thoughts and our emotions are free to be directed toward and by God throughout our day. It may be a request or an expression of love to God or a prophectic declaration or ??? The key is that it is free, true in spirit and facilitates constant contact w/ God that unveils a little more of who He is to us…similar to text messaging. It’s instant, effective, and it accomplishes it’s intended purposes.  The continual prayer:

1. Is light and easy(Mt 11:30); more like an ongoing conversation you would have with a co-worker, family member or a friend WHILE engaged in an activity.
2. Is steeped in joy and produces thanksgiving (1 Thess 5:16-18).
3. Doesn’t require any certain posture or location.
4. Involves listening as much as talking.
5. Is often the source of great revelation.

The continual prayer, however, is not meant as a replacement for personal times devoted to prayer or corporate times of prayer.  Personal prayer is like dinner at the table with your father.  Corporate prayer can be likened to Christmas at Mom & Dad’s house.  Heavenly prayer would be like sitting down with the President of the U. S. and talking business concerning things you may or may not understand.

Each of these are useful for their purposes in the Kingdom and are vital to the whole, healthy prayer life.  They serve purposes that are overlapping, as well as unique to each type of prayer.  To neglect any one or any combination of these, is to neglect the synergistic power of the complete prayer life as well as each type’s unique contributions.

CHALLENGE: Memorize one scripture and pray it frequently throughout the day.  For example, if you struggle in your thought life, memorize Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-thing about such things.“

Walk through this list in your head and thank God for what is true…noble…etc.  What is true?  ”Father, it is true that you love me, you will provide for me, you have forgiven me…” Over time, your mind will be renewed through the Word and continual prayer!

PM

Depression, anxiety, broken families, loneliness and suicide are commonplace in our United States.  Never mind the fact we have some of the best trained counselors, doctors and mental health professionals available.  Irregardless that we have more food, more money, more stuff as a nation than we even know what to do with.  We have two Disneylands!  We have everything the world could ever want or need, and yet, seemingly, we have nothing.  Is life meant to be lived this way?  NO!

There is a clue to our national state of disappointment hidden in the paragraph above that I would like to illuminate:  Happiness is a state of the soul, independent of what we have or do not have. It is in no way connected to our possessions.  It is not dependent upon our circumstances.  It cannot be bought or sold, worn or played with, eaten or taught.  It is, if we have surrendered our lives to Jesus Christ, already ours.  It is ALREADY in our possession, just waiting to be embraced, exercised and enjoyed.

As Americans, we have become skilled at finding misery in the haystacks of blessing that the Lord has poured out upon us.  This is because we tend to approach life backwards.  We have somehow come to believe that happiness begins outside of us (ie- gifts/money/relationships/etc.) and works its way in.   Therefore we conclude we will only be happy if __________(fill in the blank).  To be frank, this more accurately describes a parasite than it does a happy state of paradise.

The truly happy man (the Bible calls him “blessed”) has discovered that his happiness begins inside and works its way out.

“Blessed (happy) are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven,” Matt 5:3 (NIV)

This man has a whole different set of skills.  He is skilled at finding happiness even as the world attempts to bury him in misery.  He is skilled in being content, as he has discovered the blessed state of poverty of spirit.

Poverty of spirit is that place in life where we no longer value ourselves according to possession or personal traits.  It’s that “a-ha” moment and the ensuing freedom when we embrace God’s revelation that none of us are righteous by ourselves.  Apart from Christ, WE ARE NOTHING.  Therefore, we have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

True happiness is not found in the right or ability to gain whatever we want; it is to be free of want because we are fulfilled in Christ.  Paul expresses this when he says, “it is not I who live, but Christ who lives in me,” (Gal 2:20).

The power of this Christ-centered life lies in the fact that our happiness is now dependent upon the unshakeable, immovable, eternal, love of God. How do we lay hold of this kind of happiness?

1. ACCEPT THAT IT’S GOD’S WILL FOR YOU TO BE HAPPY.  Most of the battle takes place in the mind; arresting our own defeating thoughts and submitting them, by faith, to God’s thoughts.  This requires a simple act of the will, empowered by the Holy Spirit.  ”I choose to believe, because God’s Word says it, that God wants me to be happy.”  In Matt 5, each of the beatitudes begins with the word, “Blessed.”  The greek word for blessed used here is makarios, which means “happy.”  Ecclesiastes 3:12 (NIV) says, “there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good…”
2. LIST YOUR HAPPINESS PLACEBOS. Take some time, in prayer, to answer this question:  What do I turn to in times of disappointment or discouragement?  As you answer this, God will show you your happiness placebos.  A happiness placebo is anything that offers you the illusion of happiness, which is temporary at best, but offers you no lasting benefit.
3. PURSUE GOD’S PLAN FOR HAPPINESS.  Taking your list of happiness placebos, begin to apply God’s Word to each one.  The scriptures teach us that God’s ways and thoughts are radically different and even opposed to our own natural way of thinking and doing.  This means, that to be truly happy, we need to discover God’s plan for happiness and follow it.  Ecclesiastes 2:26(NIV), “To the man who pleases him (does God’s will), God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness.”
4. ENLIST GODLY PARTNERS.  ”As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another,” Proverbs 27:17.  Just as loneliness consists of distance (emotional, spiritual, or physical), so happiness consists of proximity.  Find a church, join a small group and connect with people who love God.

If you’re tired of disappointment, apply these steps to your life and you will find the happy, full, abundant life Jesus purchased for you (John 10:10) beginning to emerge!

Watch this video; stand in awe of God who created this incredible mind; then ask, “What did God hide in YOU that just needs to be unburied by the circumstances of your life?”  When you’re done, come back for a few observations from Steven’s life just below.

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=5459627n&tag=cbsnewsSectionContent.0

1) DON’T NEGLECT THE DETAILS.  We are so accustomed to not “sweating the details,” we often forget to take note of details.  Steven flew around New York and studied the details, which, in part, is what distinguishes his art.

2) FOCUS ON YOUR STRENGTHS.  Steven is described in this video as both a “savant” and “developmentally disabled.”  Which do you think he focused on?  For that matter, it seems obvious that those key people in his life also chose to focus on one and not the other.  If you were Steven, which characteristic would you have focused on?  ”For as he thinks within himself, so is he,” Prov 23:7 (NASV)

3)  FIND INSPIRATION EVERYWHERE. Firetrucks, buildings, international cities.  Steven found inspiration everywhere he looked.  When you’re in the valley, enjoy the view of the mountain.

4)  TAKE JOY IN INSPIRING OTHERS. No explanation necessary.

Pastor Mike

Think, for example, how mankind responds to athletic teams.  The more likely a team is to win (ie- they have a ‘winning’ record), the more tickets are sold, the more commercials cost and the more people show up.  Why is this?  It has to do with expectation.  If we expect our team to win, we make the sacrifices necessary to experience that win with them.  If we expect them to lose, however, we consider the sacrifices too much and find something else to do.

It has been my observation, that this same principle applies to prayer.  The more someone EXPECTS God to respond to their prayers, the more likely they are to make whatever sacrifice necessary to pray.   Actually, when someone expects God to respond to their prayers, what was once a sacrifice becomes a privilege.

The question, then, is how do we exchange a doubtful attitude for an expectant attitude?  Let me share four ways to help jumpstart your prayer life from doubtful to expectant:

1. INVITATION. Move prayer from your “to-do” list to your “invitation list.” None of us is looking for more to add to our “to-do” list.  More likely, most of us are trying desperately to cross items off our to-do list.  When prayer is viewed as a responsibility, we tend to avoid it or leave it at the bottom of our list.  Viewing prayer as an invitation to God to meet with you, however, changes the emotional response that rises within.  ”Draw close to me and I WILL draw close to you,” is His promise in James 4.  If we expect God will be there, we will be there!
2. INSPIRATION. When our own experiences in prayer are less than momentous, it is very easy to settle for meaningless prayer, or to give up on it altogether.  If this is the case, try reaching out to the prayer lives of inspiring men and women.  By reading the accounts of notable men and women of prayer and their experiences, or talking to inspiring pray-ers around you, you are tapping into the power of testimony to overcome your doubts and spur your faith.  ”They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony,” Revelation 12:11.
3. INTERVENTION.  When a family member finds themselves in an inescapable routine of addiction and self-destruction, often the last hope we have is an “intervention.”  It often involves removing the common enticements of familiar friends and surroundings and replacing them with a more profitable set of circumstances.  Dictionary.com defines intervention as “interference of one state in the affairs of another. ”  Intervening in the routine, destructive life of prayerlessness is sometimes necessary to jumpstart expectation.  Consider “intervening” in your schedule by making time for a personal or corporate (spouse, ministry team, close friends, etc.) prayer retreat. Cynthia Hyle Bezek has written a free guide to personal prayer retreats entitled, “Come Away With Me.”  You can find it here:  #mce_temp_url#
4. ENJOY! Time with the Lord is not meant to be sorrowful nor burdensome.  1 Jn 5:3 says, “This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome.” If your prayer time is not fresh and enjoyable, change it up.  Be free to find how, when and where prayer becomes enjoyable for YOU!  Recently, I asked my Facebook friends and Tweople to share what unique places they had found prayer meaningful.  Places like the shower, laying on the trampoline looking at the stars, on runs, walks and hikes were  just a few that were mentioned.  Are you a night owl?  Pray late into the night.  Do you have afternoons free, pray at 2pm.  The key is exploring your life’s patterns and your hearts desires and using them to promote expectant prayer.

Go pray!  Enjoy His presence…And one more thing:  If you haven’t been praying “as much as you should,”  be free.  He forgives you and longs for you to come into His presence.

LEAVE A COMMENT: What unique places, times, ways, etc. have you found that help you experience an expectant prayer life?

It’s the story of 700 people who live beneath the lights and energy of Las Vegas.  It’s very interesting.  Be sure to take the extra 4 minutes and watch the video; meet the guy who rides his bike in pitch black without a flashlight!

If you haven’t heard the message and would like to, you can listen to it and others like it here: #mce_temp_url#.

Imagine Your Life Without Fear!

“Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will serve before kings; he will not serve before obscure men,” Proverbs 29:11 (NIV).

Max Lucado, in his newest release, FEARLESS, epitomizes the timeless truth of this proverb.  His ability to understand the issues of life, yoked to his skill with words, has tilled the soil of countless people’s hearts, not just the hearts of kings.  He has merged insight, instruction and inspiration that will not only keep a reader’s attention, but will most assuredly set free those who fight fear on a daily basis (like you & me).

FEARLESS, published by Thomas Nelson Publishers, will give you the advantage over fear.   Lucado does this by establishing fear as an issue to be dealt with, casts vision for a life free of fear, explores common fears, and guides us through those fears.  Using scripture, personal stories, practical application (ie- a daily regimen for battling fear) and statistics (“ordinary children today are more fearful than psychiatric patients were in the 1950′s.” p.5), Max equips his readers for a courageous life.

I encourage you to consider FEARLESS on your next trip to Barnes & Noble!

Pastor Mike

Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. 
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica, Inc.™  
Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved
worldwide.

Take a look and leave me a comment.  At Turning Point Church our media team has been discussing our own iPhone App.  Would you like to see an App designed for your church?  If so, what features would you use?  If not, what objections or concerns?  I’d love to hear what you think!  I’ll try to get my thoughts down here in the next few days before I finish my 40th birthday celebration by spending the weekend with my beautiful wife!

Here’s the link:  Mars Hill Church iPhone App

Well, it’s Friday and Summer Jubilee has been over for just about one week. I would love to have shared my thoughts much earlier, but life is moving at a blistering pace right now. Trying to develop a discipline of writing while dodging fiery darts feels very similar to trying to replicate the Mona Lisa on an etch-a-sketch while riding the Zipper at the local drive-by carnival. With God, all things are possible!

Summer Jubilee, for those who are unaware, is an annual event that my wife, Cyndi(@cyndivillamor for my Tweeple out there), and I founded 11 years ago. The two of us, along with a faithful friend, Judi, rallied Turning Point Church to serve our community by giving out free packages of school supplies to 50 kids that first year. It has since grown into an annual “all-free” event that last year saw more than 12,000 in attendance, over 5000 packages of school supplies given away, over 800 free haircuts, more than 800 volunteers and innumerable smiles.  Mayors, Police Chiefs, School Superintendents, County and State governing officials have all recognized and embraced God’s move through Summer Jubilee.

Several years ago, while in worship, the Lord said very clearly to me, “I want the other churches here.” So we’ve been  inviting them. This year 14 churches from all spectrums and flavors of Christianity came together, united around our common love of Jesus Christ and common mission of loving our community. It’s amazing.

Psalm 133 tells us without question that God will COMMAND the blessing upon brothers who dwell together in UNITY. John 17 makes it absolutely clear that it is the unity of the church that will reveal Christ as the Son of God. “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.” (John 17:20-21, NIV).

This is just a quick, “this-is-what-I’m-thinking-in-the-moment” post, so let me summarize:  Unity as an end in itself lacks ample motivation to carry us through the effort and sacrifice that is necessary for genuine solidarity.  The church will never unify to be unified.   However, as a means by which we can please/obey our Father AND as a tool by which the core of the Gospel is accomplished (“so that the world may believe that you have sent me”), unity becomes powerful in and of itself.  In fact, once a person tastes genuine Christian unity, motivation to work toward it rarely exists as an issue anymore.

Let me give you three keys to building unity in your church, your marriage or any other part of your world debilitated by division.  Over the next few posts, I’ll explain each of them in more detail.

• Grace in the Midst of Offense:  Healthy conversation and revelation are short circuited when we allow offense to govern our decision making.
• Communication in the Midst of Conflict:  See how the Apostles overcame a satanic attempt to divide the church by listening to Peter’s testimony.
• Testing in the Midst of Confusion:  Too often we don’t want our objections answered, we want to be RIGHT!  Consider this attitude a 100%, Money-Back Guarantee of division and destruction.

For more information on Summer Jubilee, check out our website:  www.summerjubilee.info.  Check back here, as well.  I hope to have the SJ ’09 Recap Video posted within the week!

Pastor Mike

SUGGESTED RESOURCE:  The Bait of Satan, by John Bevere

[1] The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984. Grand Rapids: Zondervan.