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Wednesday 7pm - 8:30pm Saturday 9am - 10am Sunday 10:30am - 12:30pm

Christian Life Center / African Ministry, 8025 Medicine Lake Road, Golden Valley, MN (2026)

03/22/2024

‭1 Peter 3:15 NASB1995‬
[15] but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;

03/01/2024

‭‭Daniel 12:3 MEV‬‬
[3] Those who are wise shall shine as the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who turn the many to righteousness as the stars forever and ever.

02/09/2024

‭Micah‬ ‭7:18‬ ‭NKJV‬
[18] Who is a God like You, Pardoning iniquity And passing over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He does not retain His anger forever, Because He delights in mercy.

https://bible.com/bible/114/mic.7.18.NKJV

02/03/2024

‭Mark‬ ‭4:9‬ ‭NKJV‬
[9] And He said to them, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”

01/25/2024

‭Matthew‬ ‭6:9‭-‬13‬ ‭NIV‬

[9] “This, then, is how you should pray: “ ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.

[10] your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

[11] Give us today our daily bread.

[12] And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

[13] And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. ’

12/29/2023

#‭‭Galatians‬ ‭6:9‭-‬10‬ ‭MEV‬‬

[9] And let us not grow in doing good, for in due season we shall reap, if we do not give up. [10] Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who are of the household of faith.

The rule is a given, do to others what you want done to you. (Luke 6:31,

Matthew 7:12)

When we see others in the , we want to , hold the door open, give a to work, etc. most of the time because we would want someone to us in a time of , and a small part of us kind of in .

Not everyone believes in or the , much less follows the commandments. Still do good for these people. They may not return the , but that is not what we do it for.

As we are to our neighbor, we of like should have no problem doing good to each other.

12/22/2023

The Price of Unforgiveness

What’s at stake if we don’t forgive? If we don’t release others from their offenses against us, it cuts us off from the forgiveness of God. Jesus said in Matthew 6:14–15, “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” (NKJV). The cost of unforgiveness is high. When we don’t forgive, God won’t forgive us!

But how often are expected to forgive? Peter, the same guy who later denied Jesus and then received His forgiveness, asked Jesus this very question: “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me?” Then to seem extra spiritual, he added, “Seven times?” Jesus looked at him and replied, “No, not seven times, but seventy times seven!” (Matthew 18:21–22, NLT).

We can all do the math. Seventy times seven equals 490. And Jesus is talking about forgiving the same person that many times! Some people reading this already have friends or family pushing that line. They know someone who’s at 489 right now. But by saying seventy times seven, Jesus actually meant we are to extend unlimited forgiveness.

We all have people who have wronged us numerous times. Depending on the level of offense, we might be able to forgive the first time easily, but by offense number three or four, we usually get fed up. We no longer want to talk to or be around that person.

Many of us have at least one or two people who are objects of our unforgiveness—people who caused us great pain, hurting us in ways only tears and anger can express. We can forgive everyone but them. We put them in a room all by themselves—close and lock the door—and try not to think about them. Yet these are the very ones Jesus has in mind.

Forgiving people like this requires a supernatural love that is bigger than us. It is beyond our own ability to keep forgiving. None of us can give or receive unlimited grace and forgiveness unless empowered by the Holy Spirit. It has to be a God thing. But with His help, the door to that room of repeat offenders can be unlocked. The Holy Spirit can empower you to forgive them, even if they are up to offense number 491.

12/21/2023

Jesus’s Example of Forgiveness

In our world there are many injustices but none equivalent to the injustice brought upon Jesus by an angry mob and a cruel government. He was the unblemished Lamb, the epitome of wisdom and love. Not only had He never committed a crime, but He also had never spoken a sinful word. He was perfect.

As Jesus hung on the cross, enduring the torment brought upon Him by Jewish leaders and Roman soldiers, He uttered these beautiful words: “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do” (Luke 23:34, NKJV). With just one word, He could have stopped all their heartbeats. Instead He had compassion on them.

On a long list of things Jesus showed us about relating to people, forgiveness is right at the top. The forgiveness He taught is unique to Christianity. It’s not popular in our world to forgive injustices. We seize on the Old Testament instruction to take an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth, but that is not the way of Jesus, who told us to turn the other cheek. (See Exodus 21:23–25 and Matthew 5:38–39). Jesus didn’t deserve the death penalty. True justice would have been ex*****on for all those involved in His murder. But He cried out for His Father to be merciful toward them. Mercy triumphed over judgment (see James 2:13).

Jesus exemplified this heart of forgiveness throughout His lifetime though it was most pronounced around His crucifixion. Judas, who had been with Him for three years, sold Him out for money. Peter, His right hand and leading apostle, disowned Him. His own nation, the focus of His entire ministry, handed Him over to the Romans.

Jesus forgave them all.

When Jesus came to Peter after the resurrection, He extended His forgiveness to the man who had purposefully denied Him (see John 21:15-17). I often wonder what would have happened if Judas had stuck around after the resurrection. I personally believe Jesus would have forgiven him just as He forgave Peter. For some, that statement is jaw-dropping, but I know Jesus and His love, and He loved even Judas.

Of course, no greater case can be made concerning the forgiveness of Jesus than the fact that He forgives billions of people of billions of sins. His grace and mercy are powerful forces.

So what does this mean for us? It means we are obligated to follow His example. Our Master demonstrated ultimate forgiveness toward every person who wronged Him, including you and me, and that leaves us with no option but to do the same.

12/15/2023

Tried and Tested: How Do I Know it’s God?

How do we know if it’s God speaking and not the voice of our imagination or even the voice of the Enemy?

Ironically, in order to hear God’s voice clearly, we must first humbly admit our ability to get it wrong. We don’t see the full picture. The Apostle Paul calls it a ‘poor reflection’—a bit like looking through a fuzzy mirror. Sadly many wrong and even shameful things have been done under the banner of ‘God told me.’

God’s revelation is pure, but we are not. Our experiences, mindsets, and particularly our desires, cloud our ability to see and hear clearly. That’s why we’re told to test the spirits to see if they’re from God. Every claim to revelation must be put to the test. If it’s from God, it will stand.

Here, the most important question we need to ask is, “Is this something God would say?” God only speaks in line with his character and nature. As the “perfect image of the invisible God,” the life and teachings of Jesus in the Scriptures are our ultimate measure. Ask “Would Jesus say this?” Does it agree with all that he said and all that he did? Does it bring good news to the poor, set the captive free, and bear the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, and peace? Everything the Spirit says will be consistent with the testimony to Jesus.

Sometimes God speaks to us about personal areas of our lives such as careers and relationships. In those cases, God makes his message clear by speaking to more than one person. This is where we have the advantage of the New Covenant where all God’s people can hear from him. We see this happening in the early church whenever God revealed something new (see the story of Peter’s vision in Acts 10:1–36 where God speaks to both Peter and Cornelius at the same time). The Spirit spoke the same message to two or three witnesses, confirming what was said. We must be willing to test our experiences with other people in church. Then we can follow him in faith and confidence!

Reflect: Have you ever gotten it wrong? Have you shared with another person what God is saying to you?

Prayer: Lord, in seeking to hear your voice, help me to know your character and nature through understanding the person of Jesus in the Scriptures. Please confirm what you’re saying to me through other people.

Call to Action: Just like any relationship, learning to recognize the voice of the Spirit takes time as we get to know the person of Jesus more fully.

12/14/2023

‭Psalms‬ ‭95:6‬ ‭NIV‬

[6] Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker;

He has created me. He knows my steps before I take them. He knows every hair on my body. He has given me talents to help others and to provide for my family.

He has created the universe that is wider than any human brain can fathom. I can only assume that he is still creating other galaxies for the fun of it. It is written that the angels rejoiced as he created the world. This could be how God passes the time, creating planets and stars at the same time as answering our prayers?

He is a wonder working father. And worthy to be praised.

12/12/2023

The Sounds of God: What Does God Sound Like?

What does God sound like? Does he speak with a strong booming voice or a soft mystical whisper? Does he have an accent?

In ancient times, people believed that the gods communicated their will through natural phenomena such as wind, fire, and earthquakes. People would try to discern the circumstances and appease the gods by offering sacrifices. Yet the God of the Bible revealed himself very differently. He spoke to Elijah the prophet through speech, using words that were gentle and personal. God’s words helped Elijah understand his situation, lifting his despair and providing direction for the next step. In the same way, God speaks to us today in a spiritual voice. It may come via his people, or more directly in our thoughts.

Another way God speaks is through picture language that comes as ‘visions’ when we’re awake and ‘dreams’ when we’re asleep. This is his most common mode of communication we see in the Scriptures. It seems that a picture does tell “a thousand words.” This was the case for the prophet Ezekiel when God spoke at the time of Israel’s exile, revealing his plan through a scene of a dry valley and an array of skeletons coming to life.

Of course, God can use anything to speak. All creation is at his disposal. In biblical history God used a donkey to speak to Balaam and a vision of a feast to Peter while he was waiting for dinner. He gave Jeremiah an object lesson at a potter’s house and Paul a dream of a man giving travel directions. He can speak through the Scriptures, a sermon, or the wise counsel of a leader. Like an artist, God speaks creatively in a variety of ways. As a master communicator, he knows how best to speak to us. But whatever method he uses, his words will always feed our spirits and nourish our souls. They call us to follow him and make us more like Jesus. It’s up to him to choose how to speak. It’s up to us to be ready to listen.

Reflect: In your experience, what does the voice of God sound like? Have you ever had a dream or vision like Ezekiel’s?

Prayer: Lord, speak to me in whatever way you choose. Help me to recognize the different ways you speak.

Christian Life Center / African Ministry

03/22/2024

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Wednesday	7pm - 8:30pm
Saturday	9am - 10am
Sunday	10:30am - 12:30pm