First Apostolic Church

David asks two questions of God after the city of Ziklag had been burned with fire: 1) Shall I pursue? and 2) Shall I overtake? God's answers: 1) Pursue, 2) Overtake, and 3) Recover all. God's answers exceeded David's questions. His supply is always greater than our demand.

The bloody coat brought to Jacob birthed a presumed hopeless future. The falsified evidences of the past keep us at arms length from our future. Although the proof may be inaccurate, it is true to us and holds us hostage from enjoying anything beyond the bloody coat. Thankfully, every bloody coat can be covered or even exchanged with the blood of HIS body when we put on Christ.

At times the key element that separates the people in the Father's house from those in the pig pen is one wrong decision. As notable as right decisions are, one wrong decision can be the start of a downward spiral that ends abruptly. Our decisions direct our destinies. Therefore, we should weigh each one of them carefully.

Discovering the favor of God may be obtained by avoiding what knowingly displeases God. The Lord was displeased: 1) with a man who wanted to limit his service when his service was going to exceed self and extend to someone else, 2) when people on the fringe of the camp complained, and 3) when a man pulled another into his sin or error.

Grandparent's Day - Timothy had a heritage of unfeigned faith that stretched all the way back to his grandmother. It was the key role of a grandparent that helped cultivate the scriptures in Timothy's life. Even though he had a Greek father, the impact of a grandparent pressed its way through to his generation.

Most people view Jesus as the carpenter's son. A select few seen him as the redeemer or the savior. However, all that began to change at the Jordan baptism. What was manifested there was the knowledge his mother had held in her heart from the beginning. He was the Son of God. It would be that Son of God status that the devil was constantly trying to probe and intimidate during the wilderness tempt...

It wasn't enough for the generation that experienced the manna to have knowledge of the miraculous provision. Therefore, they were commanded to place some in the Ark of the Covenant for future generations to be exposed to it. There are aspects in this Christian life that should not only live in one generation never to succeed in another. There needs to be manna for the next generation.

The older brother in the story of the prodigal reveals issues often not addressed, because our focus is on the one who left. However, both brothers were in similar conditions...selfish and prideful. It is possible that our behavior as Christians keeps the backslider from returning home...the older brother refused to join the celebration. He would have been content giving up on his brother...when y...

Highlights: 8) Recognize if God's hand is in the development 9) What is their financial standing? 10) Get feedback from the family 11) Beware of unhealthy family attachments 12) Pop the question

Three simple words spoken to the disciples would relay some important lessons from a very brief life. In their memory of Lot's wife would be someone who was almost saved, who perished, and who stood as a warning to everyone else on their journey to safety.

This timeless idea of submission is considered alongside the differences of the male and female. Two primary needs are shared: women need love and men need respect.

Highlights: 3) Pray for guidance - Be specific 4) Don't manipulate the results 5) Don't compromise character for comeliness 6) Players are for games not relationships 7) Don't start committing until you are well informed

Hannah didn't want a norm to be set for her or Samuel. He will observe on average that people make a visit to the temple, worship the Lord, offer their sacrifices, pray and return home. Perhaps if she had practiced that, she would have been more apt and contented to offer her good and retain her best. For that matter, oh how Israel would have suffered if Hannah assumed her good was good enough!

The fallacy in many marriages is because one or both mates expected the other to complete them. That is an unrealistic expectation that can never be met by your husband or wife. That was never the intended purpose of your spouse by God... at best they compliment not complete. You are only complete in him (Colossians 2:10).

If only about 10% of people are going to remain single, there must be some type of criteria for finding a mate. Genesis 24 is a wonderful chapter of qualifiers and wisdom for searching out potential mates. In this lesson two items are address: 1) DO NOT DATE OR MARRY AN UNBELIEVER and 2) DO NOT MARRY OR CONTINUE TO DATE A PERSON WITH AN INCOMPATIBLE SPIRITUAL APPETITE

Mountains - troubles... they littered the scriptures time and time again. Hopeful people like Job yearned for the new day to be void of them. Jesus even encourages his disciples that though they exist don't let them trouble your heart. Yet among the lists of titles people have contributed to God Isaiah prophesied of a seed that would inherit my (our) mountains.

All the men of war were wasted in the wilderness. This is indeed a sad commentary. Their strength, their mental alertness, and their agility was wasted on the rigors of a wilderness rather than the pursuit and the possession of their promise. Doubtful about possession because they had never been owners only owned. These men wasted the LIFE in their years.

Mephibosheth was a royal heir, but it wasn't until someone helped him out of Lodebar that he was treated like it. Life's circumstances had dealt him more sorrow than joy. Finally, David reached out to pay tribute out of respect to his friend Jonathan. Like Mephibosheth, we too are often consumed by life's circumstances and settle down in Lodebar, a place of no pasture, when there's divine victory...

Asa stayed true to the Lord for many years. It was only toward the end of his life that he drew away from what he had held so dear. He was diseased in his feet - symbolical of his direction being wrong at that time in his life. Ultimately, God rewards faithfulness.

Holiness from the inside out part 3. The final lesson in our series on holiness and modesty. It includes segments on makeup and jewelry.

The last lesson in a series of eight. On the heels of the peacemakers are the persecuted. Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake... persecution comes because peace finds its roots in righteousness and purity. As the man Jesus was clothed with a crown of thorns and then a robe of purple so likewise should we bear persecution and suffering now in order to bear the glory then.....

Solomon followed all the way through. He determined to build the house of God. He began the task. He didn't stop until it was finished. Our determination and start is futile if we don't finish. There is truly a reward for finishers.

A continuation... Frustration and isolation results when we separate from the world but we don't separate unto the Lord. True separation is "from" and then "unto". Samson didn't know God had left him yet this happened while following his desires to the Valley of Sorek - the border of Philistine and Israelite lands.

A continuation of "Operation Separation". While God saves us from our sin and sins he will not save us from our sinning. The sinning is an act of our will. He still gives us the choice. His Spirit and biblical teaching/preaching will help us if we allow but ultimately the decision is ours.

In 2 Corinthians 6 the Apostle Paul calls the church at Corinth to separation. He had already touched on this concept in his previous writings but addresses it again now. There should be a definite difference between the church and the world.