firstIMPRESSIONS
from Senior Pastor Timothy Satryan

I have always had a special love for words. Words have such power in them. The right words can uplift, inspire, heal, and create endless joy and love in our lives. The wrong words can depress, discourage, hurt, and bring us endless misery and pain. It is so very important then to try and choose the right words in our lives. By choosing the right words I don’t just mean saying the right words or writing the right words either. I also mean thinking the right words. It is amazing the garbage that so many of us allow ourselves to think each and every day of our lives.

In order to live a truly blessed life we must haul away the garbage and start to plant words that will grow into a garden of joy and light in our minds. Start today then to make the words in your life work for you and not against you. Do away with “can’t” and “no”. Try “can” and “yes” instead. Say, “I can be happy, I can choose joy, and I can share love.” Say, “Yes” to life, to learning, and to growth. Begin to use words like: Wonderful, Beautiful, and Delightful when you speak to others. Find a word of praise for everyone you know and then share it with them. Look the people you love straight in the eye and tell them, “I love you.” Seek out every fantastic, fabulous, and glorious word that you can and start to use them in your life.

Words are such simple things and yet they have the power to change our lives forever if we use them right. Make the choice everyday of your life to use all of the good, positive, and loving words you can every second that you can. If you do this you will find that your life will become a paradise of love and joy, that other people will become your brothers and sisters in happiness, and that God’s goodness will shine through every word you use.

Here is your copy of firstIMPRESSIONS, Volume 7.12. Live for God, on purpose, choosing to be an encourager to each and every person you encounter.

The 2007 World Missions Convention at WILMINGTON first assembly of God continues in high-gear this weekend, as Missionary-Evangelist David Grant joins us for our Saturday evening Missions Banquet and our Convention Finale on Sunday morning.

David Grant communicates world missions with a contagious passion and vision, which has inspired this generation to intercession, investment and involvement.

For 37 years the one billion people of India have been the heart and focus of David’s ministry. Thousands of churches have been planted and scores of Bible colleges established.

David serves as the Eurasia Area Director for Evangelism, Development and Project Rescue. The priority development project is partnering with Pastor Mohan in Madras, India to build a 55,000 seat Celebration Center, which will be the largest Assemblies of God evangelistic center in the world.

Eurasia’s 44 countries include India, Israel, Iraq, Iran, and Russia – the political and religious epicenters of our world.

David and his wife, Beth, serve as directors of Project Rescue, a ministry to the millions of young women enslaved in forced prostitution. Their daughter Rebecca is serving as a Missionary Associate with Project Rescue, while Jennifer is a senior nursing student at Evangel University.

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by Alan Smith

Leith Anderson, a minister, shared this experience: As a boy, he grew up outside of New York City and was an avid fan of the old Brooklyn Dodgers. One day his father took him to a World Series game between the Dodgers and the Yankees. He was so excited, and he just knew the Dodgers would trounce the Yankees. Unfortunately, the Dodgers never got on base, and his excitement was shattered.

Years later, he was engrossed in a conversation with a man who was a walking sports almanac. Leith told him about the first major league game he attended and added, “It was such a disappointment. I was a Dodger fan and the Dodgers never got on base.” The man said, “You were there? You were at the game when Don Larsen pitched the first perfect game in all of World Series history?”

Leith replied, ‘'Yeah, but uh, we lost.” He then realized that he had been so caught up in his team’s defeat that he missed out on the fact that he was a witness to a far greater page of history.

I wonder how often the same thing happens to us. We get so caught up in the “defeats” in our lives, the times when things don’t turn out the way we want them to. So we’re depressed because an illness continues to linger, or when people don’t treat us the way we think they ought to, or when we face financial difficulties.

But we are often so blinded by the pain and disappointment of our “defeat” that we fail to appreciate the fact that we might be witness to something far greater that God is doing in our lives.

Remember when Paul was in prison? He wrote to the Philippian Christians, “But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel.” (Phil. 1:12)

While most of us would have focused on the “defeat” (being in prison even though he was innocent), Paul was able to see what God was doing in his life. It’s not an easy thing to do. It’s never easy to view things from a heavenly perspective rather than an earthly one, but it is especially difficult in the midst of pain and defeat. But it is learning how to have a heavenly view that helps us to know joy no matter what happens in our lives.

This article by Alan Smith, Senior Pastor of the Helen Street Church of Christ in Fayetteville, North Carolina. You can visit his site at http://www.TFTD-online.com

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I heard a story recently about a young girl who wrote a letter to a missionary to let him know that her class had been praying for him. But evidently she’d been told not to request a response to her letter because the missionaries were very busy. So, the missionary got a kick out of her letter. It said, “Dear Mr. Missionary. We are praying for you, but we are not expecting an answer.”

I can’t help but think that that little girl summarized the prayer lives of many Christians. Sometimes we pray without expecting an answer, even though God has assured us that He does indeed hear our prayers. David said, “I love the Lord, because He has heard my voice and my supplications.” (Psalm 116:1). Yet, I think many of us struggle with the nagging question, “Is God really listening to me?” Yes, He heard David; He heard Elijah; and He heard the apostles – but does He hear me?

How do we really know that our prayers are answered? Sure, there are times when we see visible results. We may pray for someone who’s sick and the next week they get well. But more often, our prayers don’t produce flashing “neon” answers. We pray for help in financial problems, and we don’t see things get any better. We pray for guidance in making right decisions, but the decisions don’t get any easier. We pray for relationships with other people to improve, but they just seem to get worse. How do we as Christians account for that happening? How do we explain the fact that so many of our prayers seem to go “unanswered”?

The truth is, for a child of God there is no such thing as an unanswered prayer. Maybe you’ve heard it said before that God answers prayer in three ways. Sometimes, the answer is “yes.” Sometimes, the answer is “no.” And sometimes, the answer is “wait a while.” It’s easy to accept an answer of “yes,” but what about when God says, “no”?

Let me suggest three principles:

1. First of all, we need to trust God enough to realize that our all-loving, all-powerful Father loves us and has our best interest at heart. So when it seems that God says “no” to our prayers, we must trust Him enough to understand that there must be a good reason for it. It may be beyond our limited ability to understand, but we must simply trust God.

2. Second, we must not forsake God. Disappointment is a dangerous, powerful thing. When we get the feeling that God isn’t listening to us, that He has said “no” to some prayer, we have a tendency to feel disappointed in Him. Then Satan whispers to us, “God said He loves you, but He’s not here.” If we allow that disappointment to harbor in our hearts, it can drive a wedge between us and God. We must continue to be faithful to our responsibility before God.

3. Third, we need to realize that the answer may not be “no,” but only “wait a while.” God always answers our prayers immediately, but sometimes there’s a delay in the giving of the answer and that can be a difficult thing for us to accept. The ability to wait for an answer is one of the marks of maturity. Be willing to let God answer in his own time, in his own way, and in his own power.

Many people see God as a divine vending machine in which you deposit one prayer and out pops a blessing. But what happens when you put your money in the Coke machine and nothing comes out? You get angry and you kick the Coke machine. So it’s not surprising that such a view of God and prayer leads to disappointment when God says no.

I believe that we need to foster an entirely different view of prayer from that one. Our God is the Great God of the Universe, the Creator of all things that exists other than Himself. For us to even venture to speak to Him is presumptuous. For us to ask Him to pay attention to our requests and then hope for Him to meet them requires bold expectation. In fact, such would be arrogance if it were not for the simple fact that God tells us to do just that.

Looking from the proper perspective, we will not ask “What happens when God says no?” but rather “What happens when God says yes?” That the God of the heavens would listen to us and our needs is a great testimony to His great love for us; and it is that love that will lead Him to say no from time to time. At those times, we must trust Him knowing that he loves us and desires what is best for us. We must never forsake Him nor our duty toward Him. And we must realize that what we interpret to be an answer of “no” may just be God telling us to wait a while.

“This is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.” (1 John 5:14)

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1. Today I will not strike back.
If someone is rude, if someone is impatient, if someone is unkind, I will not respond in a like manner.

2. Today I will ask god to bless my ‘enemy’.
If I come across someone who treats me harshly or unfairly, I will quietly ask God to bless that individual. I understand “enemy” could be a family member, neighbor, co-worker or stranger.

3. Today I will be careful about what I say.
I will carefully choose and guard my words being certain that I do not spread gossip.

4. Today I will go the extra mile.
I will find ways to help share the burden of another person.

5. Today I will forgive.
I will forgive any hurts or injuries that come my way.

6. Today I will do something kind for someone, (but I will do it in secret).
I will reach out anonymously and bless the life of another.

7. Today I will treat others the way I wish to be treated.
I will practice the golden rule. “Do Unto others as I would have them do unto me"- with EVERYONE I encounter.

8. Today I will raise the spirits of someone who is discouraged.
My smile, my words, my expression of support, can make the difference to someone who is wrestling with life.

9. Today I will nurture my body.
I will eat less... I will eat healthy foods. I will thank God for my body.

10. Today I will grow spiritually.
I will spend a little more time in prayer today. I will begin reading something spiritual or inspirational; I will find a quiet place (at some point during this day) and listen to God’s voice.

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by Beth Moore

“Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd” – Matthew 14:22

We can be smack in the center of God’s will and still go through terrible storms. Christ loved the disciples with all His heart, yet He “made” them get into the boat when He knew a storm was coming. They were exactly where they were supposed to be and still experienced frightening turbulence.

Can you relate to the disciples? Have you experienced a time when you knew you were where God wanted you to be, but the storms were overwhelming? Not all the storms in life result from either sin or warfare. Some occur like clockwork to purposely rock our boats. However, if Christ has appointed our place in the story, you can be sure He purposes a show. But, we must be looking past our own boat to see Him.

One of my family’s worst storms occurred when Michael, the child we raised for seven years, left our home to return to his birth mother. We received countless cards and letters which were a great comfort to us. Many of them attributed our loss to Satan and our storm to spiritual warfare. We understood the assumption because it was clearly the easiest explanation, albeit not necessarily an accurate one.

I am so thankful God was clear in His message to us during those days. We knew without a shadow of a doubt that Michael’s return to his birth mother was the expressed will of God. We had no idea why nor do we have many answers now, but we were certain God was directing the events.

Christ calls us to walk by faith through our storms. It seems like a big requirement until we realize Christ does far more than that. He walks on the water during our storms. God has placed all things under Christ’s feet, including the waves that break relentlessly against us. He is in charge. He is right there.

Please don’t miss an important element in this story: Christ walked on the water before He calmed the storm. If He had simply calmed the storm, the disciples would have missed His majesty. And what a shame. His majesty was the whole point. We want Christ to hurry and calm the storm. He wants us to find Him in the midst of it first.

© 1998 Beth Moore, from “Day Fifty-One” of her devotional book, “Whispers of Hope” (LifeWay Press, Nashville, TN – Available at any LifeWay Book Store). Beth Moore’s website – Living Proof Ministries – www.lproof.org

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The Lord is my Shepherd – that’s relationship!
I shall not want – that’s supply!

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures – that’s rest!
He leadeth me beside still waters – that’s refreshment!
He restoreth my soul – that’s healing!
He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness – that’s guidance!
For His name sake – that’s purpose!

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death – that’s testing!
I will fear no evil – that’s protection!
For thou art with me – that’s faithfulness!
Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me – that’s discipline!
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies – that’s hope!
Thou anointest my head with oil – that’s consecration!
My cup runneth over – that’s abundance!

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life – that’s blessing!
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord – that’s security!
Forever – that’s eternity!

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“When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven.” – Nehemiah 1:4

Nehemiah’s name means “the Lord’s Comfort.” He was a prayer-warrior in every sense of the word. Whenever a situation arose, Nehemiah went straight to the Lord. We don’t see him faltering or wavering. What we see is constant open communication with God.

Nehemiah spent most of his prayer time praying for others. In the first chapter of Nehemiah, we hear his heartfelt cry for Israel. It isn’t until the end of his prayer that he asks for the privilege of being used by God.

Nehemiah trusted in the Lord. He knew God would make a way for the protective wall around Jerusalem to be rebuilt. Was it easy? No! Nehemiah and his people were taunted, attacked and burdened with an economic crisis almost to the point of failure. They endured the verbal and physical scorns from their opposition. The attacks were such that the workers used one hand to work and carried a weapon in the other (4:17). But, Nehemiah always reminded them that God would fight their battles. He kept encouraging them.

With the wall completed Nehemiah gathered the people and had Ezra the priest, read the “Book of The Law.” Israel realized the error of their ways, confessed their sins and repented. Nehemiah once again had pointed the people to God.

Intercessory prayer is so important in our life. It takes the focus off self and places it on God. Are your prayers more focused on your own requests or those of others? Who do you consistently pray for? If your intercessory prayer life needs help, why not start today by making a commitment to pray for others around you? And like Nehemiah you will find favor in God’s eyes!

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In his Sunday sermon, the minister used “Forgive Your Enemies” as his subject. After the sermon, he asked how many were willing to forgive their enemies. About half held up their hands.

Not satisfied, he harangued the congregation for another twenty minutes and repeated his question. This received a response of eighty percent. Still unsatisfied, he lectured for fifteen more minutes and repeated his question. All responded except one elderly gentleman in the rear.

“Mr. Jones, are you not willing to forgive your enemies?” “I don’t have any.” “Mr. Jones, that is very unusual. How old are you?” “One Hundred and one”. “Mr. Jones, please come down in front and tell the congregation how a man can live to be one hundred and one and not have an enemy in the world.”

The old man teetered down the aisle, slowly turned to face the congregation, smiled and said, “I outlived every one of them!”

What an incredible weekend is in store for us here at WFA! Our exciting 2007 Missions Convention will conclude with the powerful ministry of David Grant at our missions banquet and our Sunday morning worship service. It’s definitely a time that you will not want to miss! Hope to see you here this weekend at WFA as together we reaffirm our call to spread the good news of Jesus Christ around the world!