Practical Steps in the Middle of the Test

Today, Pastor Kevin tought on the topic, "Practical Steps In The Middle of the Test".

1. What You Think
   Prov. 23:7 As he thinks in his heart, so is he.
   'Thinks' - judges or calculates the worth or ability
   
2. How You Talk
   Prov. 18:21 There is life or death in the power of the tongue.
   Everything you think ain't worth confessing, or else it can mess with your blessing.
   Some things in my head should not be said.
   'Guard' - a constant watch
   In the middle of the mess, make sure you bless!
   
3. How You Walk
   Don't change your direction in the middle of the test!
   Don't get depressed - this is only a test!
   Don't get stressed - this is only a test!
   And... YOU WILL BE BLESSED!!
   (Because you will pass the test!!)

Please comment on what God is doing as you are becoming more thankful, even in the midst of the test.

Thankfulness Impacts Our Quality of Life!

Phillipians 4:6-8. We remembered the 3 things we've been taught:

1. Refraining from Complaining - Phil 2:14
2. Living In Thanksgiving - Phil 4:12-13
3. Counting Your Blessings - Psalm 102:3

Did you know that chronic stress over time can cause:

1. Anxiety
2. Weight Problems
3. Heart Disease/Stroke
4. Ulcers
5. Pain, headaches, joint issues, etc.
6. Concentration & Memory Loss
7. Sleep Disorders

We were taught that 'Think' means 'to dwell on or meditate on' and encouraged to start our day with a 'Meditation of Inspiration'. And did you know that people who are consciously grateful are:

• More Energetic
• More Joyful
• Had Fewer Illnesses
• More Resilient in Tough Times
• Live Longer…

Everyday we need to make a choice, even when it is tough, to start the day by giving thanks. Let everyone know what you have been experiencing during this great series on Thankfulness by entering your comments on this week's blog.

Overflowing With Thanksgiving!

In this continuing series on Thanksgiving, we learned 3 ways to practice Thankfulness:

1. Make a Memory to recall to mind God's faithfulness, power, goodness, testimony and hope
2. Take a Moment
3. Break Out a Praise

We were reminded that we can give without being thankful but we can't be thankful without giving! The results of being thankful are in getting stonger emotionally, relationally, physically, spiritually. Thankful people are powerful people!!

Let everyone know what you have been experiencing during this great series on Thankfulness by entering your comments on this week's blog.

Sunday, May 17th, 2009 Message

All I can say is... WOW!! What we have been taught about thanksgiving has been blessing so many people as they start to live a lifestyle of:

1. Refraining from Complaining - Ph 2:14
2. Living in Thanksgiving - Ph 4:6
3. Counting our Blessings – Ps 103:2

We have really noticed a culture of unthankfulness and how it has affected us. We live in a culture of entitlement. But we are being empowered at Harvest Worship Centre to have an attitude of gratitude that will help to change that culture, both in ourselves and in those around us.

Today we learned 3 aspects of giving:

1. Remembering: What God Has Done - Psalm 107:1
   
   Give thanks to God for He is Good… ALL THE TIME - God is Good!! Even while we were going away from God, He saved us! Thanks be to God who gives us the victory!! Blessed be the NAME of the LORD!
   
   Release your thanks and God releases everything you need right here and right now!
   
   
2. Telling Others: What God Has Done - Psalm 107:2
   
   Let the redeemed of the Lord say this! Say means , "to mention, to declare, to tell another."
   
   
3. Giving: When We Are Thankful People, Our Lives Will Show It - 2 Cor 9:12
   
   You can give without being thankful but you cannot be thankful without giving! Thanksgiving results in generosity and overflows into "Thanks-Living!"
   

Feel free to express your thankfulness to God for all He has done for you by commenting below...

Sunday, May 10th, 2009 Message

Today was Mother's Day at HWC. The house was packed and our mothers got to experience our appreciation towards them in many great ways like song specials, poems and a special presentation from the kids. The international buffet featuring foods from around the world was once again a great hit! Then, we had our very own version of 'Who Wants To Be a Millionaire?' with the host being none other than Pastor Kevin Begley. The contestant, Kenneth Dunkley, answered all three questions accurately and won $1,000,000 HWC dollars! The topic of the questions - you guessed it - Thankfulness. Saving the best for last, Pastors Kevin and Pam tag-teamed to preach the third message in a series on being thankful. We were challenged to see if we were thankful in 10 specific areas: Our job, our home, our car, our health, our spouse, our church, our pastors, our family, our bank account and our life as a whole. The secret to being thankful was shared as always remembering to 'count our blessings'. We reviewed Psalm 103:2 which says, "Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits." The rest of the Psalm describes those benefits. I highly recommend reading them for yourself. You won't want to miss Life Group this week!

Sunday, May 3rd, 2009 Message

The second message in this series on Thankfulness was mind-blowing!!!! Society is filled with anxiety. We keep asking God to remove the distraction that causes anxiety but He wants us to function in the midst of the distraction. We need to recognize that our dependence is in Him. We have an anointing from the Holy One. It is a gift from God that empowers us through the distraction to the victory! We learned that contentment doesn't come naturally, but that Paul says he 'learned' how to be content. It is our choice, God has already chosen. Maybe we have lost our peace because we are unthankful! No one can steal our peace, we give it up by choice whether we know it or not! We were taught to dream big, stay at peace and expect the victory!Miss a service... add your comments by posting below!

Sunday, April 26, 2009 Message

Today's message was phenomenal! Refraining from Complaining has shown me that I can hinder the very blessings I am believing for by speaking in a bad way, murmuring or complaining. It was powerful to be reminded that I need to look and sound different than the world around me or they won't see any difference in me and will see no reason to come to Christ, since I am supposedly in Christ but live no differently than they. Making a list of the things I say during an average day that are murmuring or complaining has really enlightened me to how easy it is for me to sabotage my own destiny with my mouth. "...for out of the abundance (overflow) of the heart his mouth speaks." Luke 6:45b