Oh Give THANKS Unto the Lord!

To my WCCO Family, Family and Friends, for me, Thanksgiving is one of my favorite Holidays, not because of its genesis or history, but for the wonderful experiences it generates in the present.

It’s a time where we pause, connect with Family and Friends, and yes, LORD, eat!  It’s a day when we all treat each other more kindly and with a greater measure of respect.  I would suggest that we stretch the “feelings” around Thanksgiving beyond one Thursday of the year.  Can we treat persons with kindness, respect and service, for more than one day?

We should also remember that while Holidays are a time of celebration and gathering of family for most, for some it’s a reminder of those who are no longer with us, whether it’s Parents, siblings or close friends.  Some don’t have Families where they are currently located and wouldn’t it be nice if we made room for one more at the table?

In light of our current societal struggles of the past few days, we all need a chance to decompress and gather our thoughts and emotions before we move forward.  So let’s use this Thanksgiving Holiday to give thanks, first of all, to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and also for the fact that we are here another day!

Happy Thanksgiving and may God bless you abundantly with peace, comfort and wisdom!

David S. Carter

 

No Power in the Church without Prayer in the Church!

This morning, as I was praying for the Worship Center of Central Ohio (WCCO), as I prayed for direction and greater manifestation of His presence and Glory in the Church, I heard the phrase, “Little prayer, little power.  Much Prayer, much POWER!”

Knowing that God “does nothing except in answer to prayer,” and I believe that all of us would take the “more” of God rather than the “nothing” that comes from a lack of prayer, I’d like to share a couple of Scriptures that I’d like to share with you about the importance of prayer in the life of the Believer.

In Luke 18.1, Jesus talks to His disciples about the necessity of prayer. “Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray always and not to lose heart.”  We need to pray ALWAYS and never give up, even when the answers don’t come when you want or expect them.  There are some things that you didn’t see coming, but they came anyway!

Sometimes, that’s how answers to pray come.  You’d forgotten about it and when you least expected it, it came anyway!

Pray and be consistent about prayer.

In Ephesians 6.18, the Apostle Paul tells us to ” Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert and always persevere in supplication for all the saints.”  What?  Pray “in then Spirit at ALL times in EVERY PRAYER?!  This sounds like some “serious” stuff!  If you aren’t receiving revelation and direction from the Lord, perhaps it’s because either, you’re not praying at all or you’re not praying in the Spirit at all times.

You may not understand everything about prayer and how it works, but neither do you understand how some medicines work in your body, but you take it as prescribed anyway!  With some medicines we take, the “potential” side effects are worse than the issue for which you’re taking the medicine! You have high blood pressure and the “miracle” medicine “may cause” (in that “by the way voice) “internal bleeding, blindness, seizures, bleeding from the gums, dizziness, blindness, or in some cases, death!”

If you’d take actually take some medicines with some of the known or potential side effects, why wouldn’t you try praying as prescribed?  I can promise you this, prayer is not fatal, however, failure to pray just might be.

St. Augustine of Hippo, in Africa, said: “Receive this, believe it in such a way that you may attain to understand it. For faith ought to go before understanding, that understanding may be the reward of faith.”

Receive it by faith, even if you don’t “understand” it and your faith will be rewarded with understanding.

E.M. Bounds, a GREAT “Prayer General” said, “What the Church needs today is not more machinery or better, not new organizations or more and novel methods, but (those) whom the Holy Ghost can use—(persons) of prayer, (persons) mighty in prayer. The Holy Ghost does not flow through methods, but through (people). He does not come on machinery, but on (people). He does not anoint plans, but (people)—(people) of prayer.

As you pray over and about your plans, ask God to anoint you, not your plans, so that you will execute those plans, with your anointed self, with power and purpose.

Powerful Praying!

Love you in the Lord.

Apostle David S. Carter

 

Are YOU Holy or are you Holy because of Christ?

Years ago, I read everything I could get my hands on by Oswald Chambers and I recently opened up my volume of “The Complete Works of Oswald Chambers” and I was blown away. 

Based upon Romans 6.13,  “…present your members as instruments of righteousness to God,” Chambers writes,

“I cannot save and sanctify myself; I cannot make atonement for sin; I cannot redeem the world; I cannot right what is wrong, purify what is impure, or make holy what is unholy. That is all the sovereign work of God. Do I have faith in what Jesus Christ has done?”  As members of the Body of Christ, desiring to “live holy,” do we run the risk of having more faith in our “our ACTS of holy living,” than in the ACT of atoning work of Jesus Christ that makes us holy?  

If our faith is constructed on our own experience, we focus more on our work than on the work that was done on the cross, so in essence, it’s our actions that make us holy and not the blood of Jesus Christ.  

“Beware of that human holiness that is not based on the atonement of the Lord.  It has no value for anything except a life of isolation–it is useless to God and a nuisance to man.”  Don’t let your “holiness” be annoying to man and useless in the eyes of God.  #thatisall

 

I’m back in “ACTSion!”

Hello everyone!  It’s been a while but I’m back and promise to be “better than ever!”  At The Worship Center of Central Ohio (WCCO), we’re in the midst of a study of the Book of Acts, during our WOW Service (Worship on Wednesday) and it’s been a blessing!

So in order for us to get the most out of our study, I provided them with an Eleven Division breakdown of the Acts of the Holy Spirit and I also promised that I would provide greater detail, in order to make their study more fruitful.

I came across an exceptional resource entitled, “The Preacher’s Outline and Sermon Bible: Volume 6,” and although I wish I had produced this breakdown of the Book of Acts, I “lifted” it from this resource and wanted to make sure that I gave proper attribution for my sources.

So, here we go!  I’m going to be doing a LOT of typing, therefore, you’d better be doing a lot of reading!  Also, pray for my fingers!

Outline of Acts

I.    The Great Days of Expectation, 1.1-26

1.  Jesus’ Ministry on Earth, 1.1-5

2. Jesus’ Last Day on Earth, 1.6-11

3.  Judas’ Fate and Replacement:  Choosing Church Leaders, 1.12-26

II.    The Birth and Growth of the Church, 2.1-7.60

1. The Day of Pentecost and The Coming of the Holy Spirit:  The Church is born, 2.1-13
2. The First Sermon (Part 1):  The Gospel MEssage, 2.14-24
3. The First Sermon (Part 2):  Proofs of the Resurrection, 2.25-36
4. The First Sermon (Part 3):  Imperatives of Salvation, 2.37-40
5. The First Church:  Worthy Traits, 2.41-47
6. The First Recorded Miracle:  Lessons for Witnessing, 3.1-11
7. The Second Sermon:  Points for Preaching, 3.12-26
8. The First Persecution of the Church:  Lessons for Christian Service, 4.1-22
9. The Church Triumphant in Persecution:  Victory Over Abuse, 4.23-31
10. The Believers of the First Church:  Essentials for Life Together, 4.32-37
11. The First Sin and Trouble in the Church:  Keeping Back, 5.1-11
12. The Second Persecution of the Church (Part 1):  A Picture of Abuse, 5.12-25
13. The Second Persecution of the Church (Part 2):  Reasons for Remaining Loyal, 5.26-42
14. The First Administrative Problem:  The First Deacons, 6.1-7
15. The First Martyr, Stephen (Scene 1):  A Model Man 6.8-15
16. The First Martyr, Stephen (Scene 2):  The Tragic History of Israel, 7.1-53
17. The First Martyr, Stephen (Scene 3):  A Study of Martyrdom, 7.54-60

III. The Church Scattered:  Missionary Beginnings in Judea and Samaria, 8.1-9.31

1. The Church’s Lay Leaders Scattered:  How God Uses Persecution, 8.1-4
2. The Great Revival in Samaria:  A Study on Revival, 8.5-25
3. The Great Mission to an Individual:  A Study of Witnessing, 8.26-40
4. The Confrontation Between Saul and The Lord:  A Life-Changing Conversion, 9.1-9
5. The Preparation of Saul:  The Needs of a New Convert, 9.10-18
6. The Beginning of Paul’s Witness:  A Believer’s Life and Testimony, 9.19-22
7. The Foretaste of Paul’s Great Suffering:  Faithful Despite Terrible Trial, 9.23-30
8. The State of the Church:  What a Church Should Be, 9.31

 IV.  The Church Scattered:  The First Great Mission to the Gentiles-By Peter, 9.32-11.18

1. A Broader Ministry–In Lydda:  Making Men Whole, 9.32-35
2. A Broader Ministry–In Joppa:  Conquering Death, 9.36-43
3. A World-Wide Ministry–In Caeserea (Part 1):  Breaking Down Prejudice, 10.1-33
4. A World-Wide Ministry–In Caeserea (Part 2):  Preaching Peace, 10.34-43
5. A World-Wide Ministry–In Caeserea (Part 3):  Receiving the Holy Spirit, 10.44-48
6. A World-Wide Ministry–In Caeserea (Part 4):  Gaining a World-Wide Vision, 11.1-18

V.  The Church Scattered:  God’s Sovereignty Over the Church, 11.19-12.25

1. The First Gentile Church:  God’s Pattern for All Churches, 11.19-30
2. The Jerusalem Church is Miraculously Protected:  God Pattern for Deliverance from Persecution, 12.1-25

VI.  The First Great Mission of Paul to the Gentiles:  To Cyprus and Galatia, 13.1-14.28

1. The First Missionaries, Barnabas and Paul:  The Most Challenging Call Ever Given, 13.1-3
2. Cyprus, The Island:  The Beginning of Missions and Evangelism, 13.4-13
3. Antioch of Pisidia, the Main City of South Galatia (Part 1):  The Preaching of Paul, 13.14-41
4. Antioch of Pisidia, the Main City of South Galatia (Part 2):  Various Responses to the Gospel, 13.42-52
5. Iconium, The Ancient City:  God’s Pattern for Preaching and Witnessing, 14.1-7
6. Lystra, The Frontier Town:  Preaching to a Heathen and Superstitious People, 14.8-20
7. Derbe and the Return Journey:  How Churches are Made Strong, 14.21-28

VII. The Great Jerusalem Council:  Paul’s Mission Called Into Question, 15.1-35

1. The Problem Arises:  Two Questions About Salvation, 15.1-5
2. The Jerusalem Council Meets:  The Great Declaration on Salvation, 15.6-22
3. The Formal Decree of the Council:  The Great Decree on Salvation, 15.23-35

VIII.  The Second Great Mission of Paul To the Gentiles:  To Europe, 15.36-18.22

1. The Journey Begins in Controversy:  A Study on Honest Conflict, 15.36-41
2. Galatia, the Return to a Far District:  Faithfulness to the Church, 16.1-5
3. Asia, The Forbidden Area, and Europe, the Chosen Area:  The Call to World Evangelism–Changing the Cradle of Society, 16.6-11
4. Philippi, a Chief City and Luke’s Home (Part 11): Europe’s First Convert, 16.12-15
5. Philippi (Part 2):  The Power of Sin and Money vs. The Power of Jesus’ Name, 16.16-24
6. Philippi (Part 3):  A Jailer and Salvation, 16.25-40
7. Thessalonica, A Most Important City:  The Message That Turned the World Upside Down, 17.1-9
8. Berea, the Receptive City:  A Noble People, 17.10-15
9. Athens, The Great Intellectual and Philosophical City (Part 1):  The Preacher’s Urgency and Various Audiences–Who It Is That Needs the Gospel, 17.16-21
10. Athens (Part 2):  Preaching to a Heathen People, 17.22-34
11. Corinth, The Bridge of Greece:  An Indisputable Christian, 18.1-17
12. Jerusalem and Antioch, The Journey Back:  The Heroic Christian, 18.18-22

IX.   The Third Great Mission of Paul to the Gentiles:  To Asia Minor and Europe, 18.23-21.16

1. Ephesus, the Market and Religious Center of Asia Minor (Part 1):  Apollos –Preparing the Way, 18.23-28
2. Ephesus (Part 2):  Paul in Ephesus–Lessons on Salvation and Revival, 19.1-20
3. Ephesus (Part 3):  The Way of the Lord Disturbs People, 19.21-24
4. Europe and Asia Minor, The Great Cities Revisited:  The Faithful Minister, 20.1-12
5. Miletus, a Notable City in Ancient Myth (Part 1):  The Testimony of a Faithful Minister, 20.13-27
6. Miletus (Part 2):  The Last Words to Church Leaders, 20.28-38
7. Jerusalem, the Final Miles:  Warned, Yet Compelled to Preach, 21.1-16

X.   The Bitter Experience in Jerusalem, 21.17-23.11

1. Paul’s Reluctant Decision:  A Picture of Compromise, 21,17-40
2. Paul’s Testimony Before a Crazed Mob:  A Message for Upset People, 22.1-21
3. Paul’s Testimony Before the Court, The Great Sanhedrin (Trial 1):  God’s Guidance and Presence Through Terrible Strain, 22.22-23.11

XII. The Final Journey and Witness of Paul:  To Rome as a Prisoner

1. Paul’s Providential Journey Begins:  Man’s Deception and God’s Providence, 23.12-25
2. Paul and Felix, the Roman Governor–Trial 2 (Part 1):  What Real Worship Is, 24.1-21
3. Paul and Felix (Part 2):  The Great Tragedy–A Man Who Knows Better, 24.22-27
4. Paul and Festus, the New Roman Governor, and King Agrippa–Trial Three (Part 1):  A Contrast of Attitudes, 25.1-12
5. Paul and Festus and King Agrippa–Trial Four (Part 2):  A Life-Changing Conversion, 26.1-18
6. Paul and Festus and King Agrippa (Part 3):  A Much Needed Testimony and Message, 26.19-32
7. Paul Sails for Rome:  Great Trust and God’s Care, 27.1-44
8. Paul–Shipwrecked and Stranded on an Island:  God’s Protection Through Trial After Trial, 28.1-15
9. Paul in Rome:  A Strategy for Evangelism in the Great City, 28.16-31

And there you have it!  An incredible outline on the Book of Acts to help you navigate and better understand all the events taking place!  When you have the opportunity, print it out and place alongside you Word as you’re reading.  I also encourage you to write down any and all insights that the Holy Spirit gives you, when He gives it to you.  If you “miss it,” there’s no guarantee that He’s going to repeat Himself!

Be blessed and I’ll see you in “ACTSion!”

Apostle DC

Get ready for Renewal!

Eagles. I’ve always been fascinated by them. Perhaps because they represent such a strength and majesty, or perhaps it’s because Isaiah refers to them in Isaiah 40.31.  “They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles..”

When God “renews” us, He provides us with a power that we never possessed.  Before we “ran out of gas,” we didn’t have the strength of an Eagle, however, when God deals with us, we’re always better off than we were before.  Don’t be afraid to give your situations your all, because when you do, God promises that He’ll give you strength that you didn’t possess before you pushed yourself to the limit, and beyond.

This week of March 4th, get ready to fly! I’m going to “push” you!  More about that later!  Be Blessed!

That is All.

Apostle DSC

The Year of Purpose ~ 2013

Greetings Wonderful Saints of the Worship Center of Central Ohio:

As 2012, “The Year of Jubilee: Restoration and Release,” comes to a close, I’m certain that the Lord has begun to restore things in your life and has begun to release an abundant harvest in your life. As we finish the year strong, we also have to begin 2013 with Purpose.

For WCCO, 2013 will be “The Year of Purpose.” Purpose is defined as “the quality of being determined to do or achieve something,” and as a ministry, we’re determined to live for God in Word and in Deed.

One of the ways we can “Purposefully” honor God, is in our giving of the FIRST FRUITS. Proverbs 3.8-9 says, “Honor the Lord with your possessions, and with the FIRSTFRUITS of all your increase; So your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine.”

First fruits is a principle of faith that God has established from the beginning. In Hebrew, it is the word bikkurim, and it literally means “a promise to come.” First fruits means the first in place, order or rank; the beginning, chief or principle thing. In essence, God has established that when we give Him the “first” of our possessions, there is a “promise to come,” and He promises that He will “bless the rest!”

We’re purposing in our heart, as members of WCCO that were going to purposefully honor God with our First Fruits during the Month of January. “God First, First Month, First Fruits!” During the month of January, I’m asking every member of WCCO to give first fruits; the equivalent of one week’s salary. As we offer to God, the equivalent of our “first” week’s salary, He’s stated that there is a “promise to come,” and that the other 51 weeks will be blessed!

The first fruits can be given throughout the entire month of January and remember, this is in addition to the tithe and offering. Recognizing that this is indeed a sacrifice, remember that God loves a cheerful giver, and believe that as we give, God watches over His Word to perform it.

I want to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a very Prosperous New Year!

I love you tremendously in the Lord and Pray that the Grace of God be upon you and your Family!

Shalom, Eirene, May the Peace of God be upon you!

Apostle David S. Carter, M. Div.

Lead Pastor and Founder

Worship Center of Central Ohio