Arizona City Living Hope Church

10/07/2021

NOTICE!!

Twice Monthly “Helping Hands” Distribution
Has been Discontinued

After having enjoyed serving Arizona City since 2005, we are sad to announce that our twice monthly “Helping Hands” Food Distribution has been discontinued. The primary reason for this action was an inadequate supply and variety of food following assignment of a different (smaller) food bank as our provider.

This was a State Department of Economic Security and Feeding America decision and was beyond our control. It resulted in us being unable to serve the 200+ families we had previously been able to assist; during the month of September, this had dropped to just under 70 families per month. Our efforts to find a solution were unsuccessful (including returning to our previous food bank) and our Board reluctantly decided it was time to bring the current program to a close.

Thank You to our faithful volunteers! We have all enjoyed the times we’ve spent together over the years, and we know you’ll continue serving our community however you can!

We don’t know what the future holds, but we’re praying that another opportunity to serve Arizona City and surrounding area will arise at some future date.

We will continue to distribute “Emergency Food” boxes each Wednesday and Thursday from 9 to Noon. Arizona City Residents may come once a month as long as the food emergency exists.

Pastor “Ken” Dunn
Living Hope Helping Hand, Inc
and Living Hope Community Church

02/09/2021

Truth

03/28/2020

Today, I’m asking you to set aside a few minutes out of your day (busy or not) to receive a little encouragement and refreshment from God’s Word.

As we face the isolation of “social distancing” caused by the “corona virus” (or whatever else is troubling you today) let’s use God’s Scripture to remind ourselves just who He is; and how much He Loves us and wants to be with us through it all.

I’m just going to read the six verses of Psalm 23 from the New Living Translation and (along the way) comment on God’s Goodness and Provision; then I’ll close with some suggestions for making the Psalm real in your life.

Psalm 23:1-6 (NLT) 1 The LORD is my shepherd; I have all that I need.

Jesus is “The Good Shepherd” (John 10:11) who cares for his flock; that’s you; and me. As we read the next verses, see just how true the second half of the verse is. Here are some more verses to reinforce the “ALL that I need” if you’d like to look them up – Philippians 4:19; Matthew 6:31-32; Luke 12:24; Matthew 7:11; Psalm 145:15-16; James 4:1-2; Psalm 34:10. (And there are plenty more!)

2 He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams.

“Green meadows” and “peaceful streams” may be in short supply here in Arizona, but no matter what your “reality” tells you; there is peaceful rest in God’s Presence. Like the meadows provide food for natural sheep; the Lord and His Word are our Spiritual Food (1 Corinthians 10:3; Hebrews 5:12-14), and (as Jesus told the Samaritan woman) He is our Life-giving Living Water (John 4:10) and He quiets the tumult in our souls in the same way He tamed the waves on the Sea of Galilee. (Matthew 8:23-27)

3 He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name.

Are you feeling weak and tired? He’s our strength and Salvation (Psalm 118:4). A little lost and disoriented? He Guides all who seek Him. A little discouraged by your own behavior? He’ll help you to bring “honor to his name” in all you do. (Psalm 45:17)

4 Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.

Most of us have experienced “dark valleys”; things like the death of a loved one, or strife in a relationship, or some disease or other significant loss that knocks us down for a while. But our God has told us that He never leaves us (Hebrews 13:5), we have no need to fear for He says “Fear not little flock” (Luke 12:32) because He’s “close beside” us. His “Rod” corrects and protects us, and His “Staff” directs and comforts us.

5 You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You honor me by anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings.

In Bible times, a King invited those under his protection (and in his favor) to dine at his table; not just a light snack, but a feast; OUR King has done that (Revelation 3:20), and He also anoints us with the Oil of His Holy Spirit (1 John 2:20) so that we overflow with blessings! He doesn’t make our enemies go away, but they don’t dare come where we are when we’re fully in the presence of the King of Kings (Psalm 91).

6 Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the LORD forever.

God’s Goodness and Unfailing Love (Psalm 36:5-7) follow all those who are His; And, see Psalm 91 for what it means to “live in the house of the LORD forever.

SO; what does all this mean to you personally? Are you encouraged by How much God Loves you and wants to be with you?

There’s only one condition to all this; Have you given Him your life and all you are or ever will be?

NOW; “Take Ten” minutes to re-read Psalm 23 for yourself. Have a two-way conversation with God (that’s called Prayer); don’t just present Him with a list; Seek the closeness His Presence can bring.

WHEN; you have time during the week, look up the other Scriptures.

I hope you find this encouraging, Pastor Ken

Pray, Pray, Pray!

12/20/2019

Regardless of our individual assessments of President Trump and other office holders; I’d like to remind us all to pray for ALL those who are in authority in our Nation.

Paul it it this way: “Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”
‭‭I Timothy‬ ‭2:1-4‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://www.bible.com/114/1ti.2.1-4.nkjv

God Bless America,

Pastor Ken

06/10/2019

06/09/19 Message

Heavenly Reality

Just days before the 2016 Presidential election; I brought a message entitled “Reality Check”. Among other things, we looked at the “Reality” Jesus’ Disciples faced;

First, they experienced rising excitement about Who Jesus was, and what He was going to do; Followed by the “dashing” of their hopes and dreams when He was arrested, falsely accused, tried, beaten, and Crucified.

Hopes arose again when Christ was Resurrected and Ascended to Heaven; Promising to return. But now, 2000 years later, we’re still waiting and trusting in God’s Perfect Timing for the “Heavenly Reality” of His Return.

Here’s an excerpt from the 2016 message that shows the “Natural Reality” of our own day: “Our fragmented nation also seems to be in a very stark and dangerous “reality” as hope seems to fade. Freedom of Worship and Freedom of Expression are being eroded; some Christians are falsely and maliciously harassed, discriminated against and accused; (and) the very basics of our belief system are being challenged in every area of life.”

Some of these things seem to be the same today; some have improved; others have worsened; But I (for one) am hopeful that positive change is coming to this church and our nation; Change that brings us closer to the Godly vision our Founding Fathers had when they wrote the Declaration of Independence and our Constitution.

But our ultimate hope is founded on the Word of God; and we rely on the “Heavenly Reality” that Our Lord and Savior hasn’t forgotten His People. HIS “Reality” Shouts out loud and clear from the pages of God’s Word.

Colossians 3:1-3 (NLT2) 1 Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. 2 Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. 3 For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God.

Each day (as we “Col 3:2 Think about the things of heaven…”); “El Shaddai” (The All-Sufficient God) gives us everything we need to do His Work and Live.

The “Heavenly Reality” is this: He is the “God of more than enough”; He not only supplies our personal needs, but In fact, Paul says this: Ephesians 3:20 (NLT2) 20 Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.
In other words; out of His “infinite” supply, the “heavenly reality” is this: There’ll be enough for those we minister to, and plenty left over for us.

In the Seventeenth Chapter of 1st Kings, there’s a story of a time when the Lord sent Elijah to a poor widow so that she could care for him (or, “Minister” to him). The short version of the story is this; The woman told Elijah she only had enough flour and oil to make a small meal before she and her son ran out of food and starved. That was the “Natural Reality”, But “El Shaddai; the All Sufficient God” had a “Heavenly Reality” He was about to reveal.

1 Kings 17:13-16 (NLT2) 13 But Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid! Go ahead and do just what you’ve said, but make a little bread for me first. Then use what’s left to prepare a meal for yourself and your son. 14 For this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: There will always be flour and olive oil left in your containers until the time when the LORD sends rain and the crops grow again!” 15 So she did as Elijah said, and she and Elijah and her son continued to eat for many days. 16 There was always enough flour and olive oil left in the containers, just as the LORD had promised through Elijah.

Perhaps you never thought of the widow as a minister? Maybe you never thought of yourself as a minister either? Did you notice that when God’s instructions through Elijah were obeyed, His “All Sufficiency” and “Heavenly Reality” provided for all their need?

What similar circumstances have you faced? Have you ever come to the end of all you had; And found out it wasn’t enough?

As we close today, ask yourself these questions. Am I trusting the wrong “reality” to meet my needs? Is there someone The Lord has been prompting me to “minister” to so that our needs will be met? Let’s Pray

06/01/2019

The below quote showed up in my personal FB feed today.

It’s attributed to a Garris Elkins of Oregon (2016). Many years ago, I saw a similar vision that affected Alaska (where we were living at the time) Southern Canada and the Northern Tier of the 48 contiguous States; the fires were also literally bursting out across the map and joining into larger and larger flames of God's Presence.

We must undergo Revival (Allowing God to change our personal relationship with Him) and Reformation (Allowing Him to change how His "Body" relates to Him). Both of these must take place in individuals and nations before the Lord Returns. He's coming for a People who are burning with Holy Desire for His Presence and His Coming Kingdom! People willing to Praise Him and Worship Him for who He Is! People who are preparing for His Coming! Living FOR Him DAILY by obeying His Written Word and answering His Spirit's Call to Holiness!

Here's the post; copied and pasted for your prayerful consideration and comment. (Pastor Ken)

--------- "Rewriting the Map of Culture -- In a moment of reflection, I saw a large map of my home country, the United States. Flames of revival fire were beginning to burn through the map in various cities from east to west and north to south. No part of the map was fireproof and able to resist the burning presence of God. As this revival fire began to spread these burning cities joined together to engulf the entire nation in a conflagration of God’s presence. I knew this fire was not limited to North America. It was taking place on each continent upon the Earth.

While the maps that define our existing boundaries are being consumed, God will call forth spiritual cartographers to rewrite the maps of culture. These cartographers will remap culture based on where the fire of God has burned. These charred landscapes will produce a new method of spiritual mapping that will reveal where the fire of God burned allowing new and unexpected forms of life to emerge. Local and national agendas will be charted with Kingdom values in mind. A new way forward will be revealed where the presence of God was able to burn through the barriers of self-interest and protectionism.

The first flames of revival, no matter how small they appear, are never insignificant. Every flame has a destiny. The smallest flame has the potential to ignite a sweeping fire of revival able to consume an entire nation when that flame is pushed by the wind of God’s Spirit."---------

03/22/2019

This song is what the Lord has been speaking to me. Pastor Ken

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