Friday, December 27, 2013

2013: A Year of Miracles @ the Creek!






The thing that God has chosen to set His people apart from the world is that they would live a supernatural and extraordinary life set apart from the world, in which miracles, signs and wonders were commonplace.  And throughout the first Century that was the case for the Church.



How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;


God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?


From the time of His ascension and throughout the First Century, that Apostolic Church went forward in the power of Pentecost, and as Jesus had promised them, the miraculous signs of healing, deliverance from demonic oppression and possession, salvation of the lost and phenomenal life changes and numerical growth of the Church followed them.  What began with 120 meeting to pray in an upper room in Jerusalem ended with tens if not hundreds of thousands of converts in just a few decades.  For some churches and theologians, the story ended their.  Once the Apostles died and the New Testament was complete and canonized, they said the Age of Miraculous Signs and Wonders was over.  BUT WHAT IF IT ISN'T!?!

Either Jesus Christ - the Miracle Worker from Galilee who raised the dead, healed the sick, delivered the oppressed, and radically changed the lives of EVERYONE He came in contact with - IS THE SAME yesterday, today and forever, or He isn't! Either He meant what He said in John 14:12, when He said, "He that believeth on me,  the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father;" OR HE DIDN'T!  But I know He did mean it, and I know He is still a God of Miracles! 

And this year at the Creek, we saw God work MANY MIRACLES in our midst! I thought it would be good to recount many of the miracles that God did in us and through us as a Called Out Assembly of Believers this year!

I remember personally, the miraculous journey God took me on! It started in January when we declared "Jesus is King in 2013!" We/I vowed to allow Him to be King in every aspect of my life beginning with the choices concerning food and eating.  We launched the 2013 in 2013 initiative and collectively we lost 676 pounds and saw many of us delivered from emotional eating and binge eating! 

I began to read through the Bible and God was challenging us all to read without our preconceived ideas and traditions clouding and overshadowing the words.  The Words of Isaiah were like a refreshing rain to me, especially when I got to chapter 55:1, which states: "Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price." And then I came to Jeremiah 2:13 and read, "For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water."  It was as if the Lord was saying, you just need Me and Me Alone! NOT FOOD, NOT POPULARITY, NOT A FOLLOWING, JUST ME!!!  And once that sunk in, a whole new realm of living opened up to me personally and us collectively as a Church!

We started the PAY IT FORWARD campaign and saw many lives touched as you began to reach out to others especially those who could do nothing for you!  Some of you began to reach out to the Homeless, and God used you to get 6 people off the streets!  You can read more about this here as the Dickson Herald and Tennessean gave some press coverage to it! 

We started a bus ministry out of a block party and have seen many families touched and souls saved as a result of this ministry!  In fact this year was the Greatest Year we've had for seeing souls saved and follow the Lord in Baptism! In 2013, WE'VE SEEN 69 PEOPLE BAPTIZED AND MANY MORE SAVED! In March alone while we were in the midst of 30 days of prayer, we had 30 saved and 20 baptized, 20 of which were saved during our revival with Bro. Ronnie Coleman, who is now the Pastor of SoulQuest Church in Jackson, TN!    

I was blessed to go to the Big Event in August at Abba's House in Chattanooga, and God poured out His Spirit upon all of us who attended in a new and fresh way! Many of you can point to times like this during the past year when God poured His Spirit out upon you in a fresh way!  After this, it was as if the Lord just began to push us forward to a new level!  The 2013 LIVE Conference was amazing! We prayed round the clock for 24 hours! on the Saturday before it began with 24 people praying for an hour! We had 10 saved and then on Wednesday Night, September 18, we had the service that has become known as "THE HEALING SERVICE!" 

God used Bro. Dewayne Howard, Pastor of Impact Church in Kingston, TN, to challenge us to be a miracle and to receive a miracle! The service lasted until after 10:00 p.m. as people were responding in faith to the message from God's Word delivered by God's servant! Dozens responded to be anointed with oil, either for Healing or some other touch of the Spirit! THERE WERE 8 CONFIRMED MIRACLES OF HEALING from that service alone! There were people being healed of dysautonomia, shingles, back and knee pain, and other diseases and ailments.  Others were filled with the Holy Spirit and saw great breakthroughs spiritually in their lives!

In October, God's Spirit was poured out at our Communion Service when there was much brokenness and a dear Sister anointed for healing as we remembered the Lord's death and focused on His Atonement! Then, we had our largest crowd ever for a single event at Parkers Creek, when we had over 700 at our Annual Harvest Fun Night! God has continued to bless us with souls being saved and lives changed as we are finishing up 2013 and Anticipating 2014! 

Have there been down times as well as up times in 2013? ABSOLUTELY!!! There have been times of set backs and slip ups. But I believe God would have us to focus on the Miracles and Times of Refreshing that we received in His Presence. As we have done this may we be strengthened and begin praying and expecting for more in 2014!  

We are starting 2014 with 21 Days of Fasting and Prayer to set the Tone of Seeking God for Miracles and Breakthroughs in 2014! I am asking at least 1 person to commit to fasting and praying for 1 24 hour period from January 6th - 26th.  Some of you might want to fast longer! But we will be agreeing in fasting and prayer together for your miracle! If you are in need of a miracle and would like for someone to fast and pray with you for that miracle, please drop me a note in an e-mail or respond by commenting on this blog post! WE BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE NOT B/C WE ASK NOT! WE WANT TO ASK GOD AND BELIEVE GOD FOR YOUR MIRACLE THIS YEAR!!! 2013 was a year of miracles at the Creek! and 2014 can be and will be as well, if we will ONLY BELIEVE! HAVE A BLESSED NEW YEAR!!!


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