Has He Done Anything For You ?

Pastor made a comment last week in regards to praise and worship.
He, along with Pastor Vicki has said on numerous occasions that they "can't make people particpate."

Min.Lisa Winn, our praise and worship leader said just yesterday," I can't pump you"

Driving home yesterday my husband and I began to reflect on that part of service.
We, at Agape are serious about praise and worship. This is our time to exalt - together. Imagine God looking down watching his people come together on one accord and worship. What a sweet sound in his ears... I don't know about you but I want to make him proud. ( Our God )

We were created to worship... So why do we have to make people praise and worship?
Why do we force people to do it? If the people don't get it the first--10,20,30,40 minutes, then maybe they are just not thankful....

Stay Blessed

Min.Jerry & Nicole Cleveland

U-N-I-T-Y

The Bikers taught us a lesson on UNITY

Scriptures

John 10:10
Acts 16:16
Genesis: 1:1


The Lord used Elder Ben on Sunday. Unity was the subject.
Everything about the message was on point.

"If we could just get unified we would be unstoppable"

He taught us that the enemy comes to "remove" and God comes to give us "MORE".
Think about it, the scripture says he comes to "kill, steal and destroy" That means subtraction. God comes to give us "life" and that more abundantly.That mean to add to something.

Message Takeaways

I actually had two take aways.

1.It's not about You!
When Elder Ben talked about this fight not being about us.
"The fight is always against God - not you. It didn't start with you and it won't end with you"

2. The welcome line from the bikers and their hunger for the things, people and word of God.It was AWESOME.

Stay Blessed & Pray Often

Min. Nicole Cleveland

God's Got a Plan

God’s Got A Plan

Did you know God had a plan for you?
The bible says “ Be not weary in well doing”

“Because he has an expected end for you”.

5 Steps to Activate God’s Plan for You

1. Identify that there is a Plan
God knows that your end is GOOD. The bible says “Don’t get weary in your middle”

2.To Know that God has a Plan and not ourselves. (Jeremiah 29:11)
Just be secure that he knows what what he is doing. It may not even look like it right now. Get past the identify and now KNOW.

3.Cultivating the Plan (Romans: 10:17)
We must be still and know. You must get in a place and be taught. You may not agree with everything your leaders are saying but you must be still and hear the word of God ( not the Pastors )

4.Implement the Plan
Now that you have identified that there is a plan you must implement it.
Stop starting everything and not finishing nothing. You must step out of the boat.

5.Expect the Blessing
Why would you start a plan and not expect it to come to pass.
Expect God to do what he planned to do.

If you have not heard this message or would like to hear it in it’s entirety please contact the media ministry at Vicki Coward Agape International Ministries Worldwide. media@vickicowardminitries.com

It's Me,It's Me,It's Me Oh Lord....

Sunday, June 22,2008

John 10:10
Ephesians 4:3
Luke 18:18-23


One of the main reasons we drive almost 2 hrs to church is due to messages like this.
Pastors Cliff & Vicki Coward are straight shooters. The messages deal with real life
situations. Issues that they, themselves are not exempt from.

As I listen to the CD from the service on yesterday you can hear the genuine praise of the people. It's a beautiful sound and I know the Lord was pleased. The hunger for him escapes the praise.It was heard and felt.

Psalms 34:6 reads - This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him and saved him out of ALL his trouble.

Listening with a spiritual ear I could ear a very distinctive sound coming from Elder Simms. It was a sound of "triumph"...His praise was intense.

My Message Take Away

The entire message was relevant but one thing hit me like a ton of bricks.
Pastor asked the question, " What in the world is stopping God from moving on my behalf? Most times the answer to that question is staring at us in the mirror.

We must acknowledge that it is that person in the mirror and get out the way.

What are your thoughts?

Min.Nicole Cleveland

Happy Father's Day

We are back!

I have been convicted. I have not posted in a few months due to a sense of being overwhelmed. But if we start something we must be consistent. Especially the things of God and this blog was created to help others. And it was God Inspired! So help me be consistent. Hold me accountable. I think it's very important to hold each other accountable. And trust me I won't get offended..The same way I am building my business I must build the Kingdom of God.

The Lord has given all of us talents. What is your talent?


Anyhoo -- Yesterday Pastor was truly in his vein. It was Father's Day andhe walked us throught the book of Proverbs. Proverbs teaches us about characer & integrity.

Some scriptures include :

Proverbs 1:8
Proverbs 13:12

You know I get excited about the word and get all wrapped up in the teaching so I missed a few scriptures..Please share the rest of the scriptures.

But the part of the teaching that stuck with me was when Pastor went back to Luke 15;11 - The Prodigal Son. The scripture said "when he came to himself"(vs 17)

In 2004 I meditated day & night on this verse. I prayed this prayer
"Lord, bring my husband to himself"

And got did just that, Glory to God!

So now I have replaced the word "my husband" with "my son"

Lord, bring my son to himself"

And just like he did it for my husband he will do that thing for my son. Pastor called tevan's name out when the spirit was high, it was deliverance in the air...i felt it. You see we haven't heard from Tev in about 2 weeks. But last night a little after 11pm he called to wish his dad a "happy father's day"

I know it was the angels that went to him on yesterday...i just know it!

Make it a great day!

- Min. Nicole Cleveland

What is your drug of choice?

That’s a strange topic for recapping a church sermon, huh?

I think it’s very relevant.

Proverbs 3:13 reads
Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.

Today Pastor Coward taught on happiness. Are we really happy? What do we mask happiness with? We say we are happy but are we REALLY happy?

Some people believe they can find happiness in money. They believe all their problems could be solved if they just had enough money. But have you ever saw a mis erable rich person? I have and it’s so sad. It just goes to show you that you can’t buy happiness. It is a decision that starts with YOU.

If I am going to be happy I must first decide to be happy.

Pastor Coward shared 5 different types of happiness.

1.Sin Happiness(truth be told when you sinned it brought you a short term happiness. A feeling. An emotion )

2. Synthetic Happiness – Drugs / Alcohol that cover (mask) something to convince you that you are happy. This is always short term and will always lead to destruction and devastation if not dealt with.

3.Stuff Happiness – Material Things to cover up how we really feel. Cars, motorcycles, houses, clothes, shoes….this leads to a road of debt and will eventually blow up in your face. You will never be happy because you have created such a vicious cycle. This is very similar to the synthetic happiness.

4.Self Happiness – Me,Me,Me…I, I, I… I make myself be happy. I have to be the center of attention. It’s all about me. This will also lead to destruction as it should be about God and not yourself. I made it happen as opposed to God did it for me. Puffed up and prideful. The word says pride comes before the fall.

5.Spiritual Happiness – Next week we will elaborate on spiritual happiness

Review these types of happiness and ask yourself if your happiness falls into any of these categories.

Personally I have had my share of each type listed above. I am not exempt and if we were honest I am sure you have experienced each type listed as well.

But if the Joy of the Lord is truly our strength then why are we so easily moved? I know I have to keep reminding myself that Gods time is not my time. As Pastor Coward said, “The word MUST be the FINAL authority.”

No matter what it looks like.

Take Away Nugget: God wants you to be Happy In Him !


Selah!

Jerry & Nicole Cleveland

What is your belief?

Are you living in the spirit realm or the natural realm?

Spirit Realm:
In the HolyGhost. Totally opposite of reality. Unrealistic.Things that are expected. Things that are hoped for.How God sees our circumstance.

Sense Realm:
What it looks like. The present, reality. How man sees our circumstance.

Pastor Coward taught on what we see and what we don't see. Are you living in the sense realm or the spirit realm? If you are living in the sense realm you will always be controlled by your present situation. ( things out of your control)

"Did you know",explains Pastor Coward," the world you can't see is more powerful that what you can see?"

That's the spirit realm, the faith realm he is talking about. That place where you see yourself as God sees you. Not as what people see you.

The teaching struck a cord with us as that was very tough for us to grasp at one point in our lives. We are learning to seek after that spirit realm. Not looking at what it may actually look like in our eyes. But that it is already done in the spirit. We are just waiting for the manifestaion in the natural.The spirit is way ahead of this slow world. Technology may have got us up to speed is some ways but we will never be able no catch up to Gods way. He is bigger than technology.


Take Away Nugget
If you only believe what you see you will always miss it

Take Away Scriptures
Colossians 1:16
2 Corinthians 4:18


Jerry & Nicole Cleveland