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Awaiting the Time

11/25/2018

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Awaiting the Time 
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MYSTERY IN A MANGER
“But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons” (Galatians 4:4–5).

Waiting can be one of life’s most difficult experiences. Especially when expecting something that has been promised. In an age of instant gratification, and entertainment on-demand we often skip the lines and find an alternative to satisfy our desires. However, there are some important things in life that can only be enjoyed by waiting. Some things just take time!

It is like waiting on a sunset. Sometimes it seems like the sun hangs in the western skies without moving at all. Then as the ball of fire kisses the horizon it suddenly seems to speed up, sinking into the shadows and casting its final rays of glory into the skies of gathering dusk. After long hours of sunlight the day fades into night and another day is done. 
Waiting can be like that. Events that seem to be so far away suddenly begin to happen and the completion of the promise comes quickly. Time that once seemed like an enemy becomes our friend ushering in the days of fulfillment. 

As a child I remember feeling that the days between Thanksgiving and Christmas crawled at a snail’s pace and it was an eternity before the last day of school, preparing for dinners or road trips to visit family, and finally the arrival of Christmas Day … and then it was over! The thought of another entire year, 365 more days, until Christmas was almost more than I could imagine.

There have been many promises made that were linked to the clock and calendar. Some events were predicted but the exact timeframe was not revealed. Fulfillment was always out there somewhere but the time of completion was unknown. 

So it was with the multitude of prophecies concerning the coming Messiah. Prophets through the centuries had insight and share glimpses of things to come. From the first prediction God gave to the serpent of temptation concerning the seed of the woman, “He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel,” until the prophet Isaiah revealed that Messiah would be “wounded for our transgressions,” and “bruised for our iniquities” (Genesis 3:15, Isaiah 53:5).

Details of His arrival were prophesied and His purpose was revealed. The location was determined, “Bethlehem, … out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be Ruler in Israel” (Micah 5:2). He would come to save, Isaiah predicted, “And it will be said in that day: ‘Behold, this is our God; We have waited for Him, and He will save us. This is the Lord; We have waited for Him; We will be glad and rejoice in His salvation’” (Isaiah 25:9). So it was no wonder that the angel spoke these instructions to Joseph, “She will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21).

Prophets and scribes collected and recorded the predictions and events that led up to the arrival of the Promised One. For centuries they were just hopes and dreams … and the waiting! To those who lived and died in faith there was no question that it would come, but there was no knowledge of when it would be fulfilled and how it would all be accomplished. 

When the prophetic clock reached the appointed time the bright star pointed the way for the wisemen to a birthplace, shepherds were led to a stable, and the census decree drove the young couple to the town of their lineage. Every event supplied the fulfillment to a relevant prophetic passage. Paul wrote that it was at the fullness of time, the plan was enacted and revelation wrote the story of redemption. Messiah has come. The mystery of the ages would visit the manger of Bethlehem’s stable. Christ has come!

We may also find ourselves often waiting on the fulfillment of promises: the saving of a spouse, the restoration of a wayward child, the anxious needs in our personal lives. We also live in hope. The fulfillment of time will also bring us the revelation He has promised.

Paul said, “But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance” (Romans 8:25). Keep believing!
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Scripture:
“Great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh” (1 Timothy 3:16).



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A New Beginning

11/17/2018

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A New Beginning
A TIME FOR THANKS 
Terry R. Baughman

“The Lord has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary; be strong, and do it” (1 Chronicles 28:10).

This year began with a vision to “Arise and Build” a new worship center for our congregation. Many steps have been taken to bring us to this day. We have interviewed construction companies, civil engineers, and architects; and researched different ways to finance this project. We have sketched ideas for the site plan, inquired for details in codes and zoning, and looked at various other church blueprints and buildings. Each step of the way we have prayed for direction, sought advice from those who have specialized experience, and dreamed of the ultimate outcome and finished product. 

Today marks a milestone. This is a major event in our progress. Today we place a symbolic shovel in the soil of this property where we will construct a place of worship. We will dedicate this site for the glory of God, that we may establish a landmark for a spiritual lighthouse, and build a gathering place for all those who desire a relationship with the living God. In our cities there are many houses of worship, places for community gatherings, and assembly halls for celebrations and social events, but this will be a place where lives can be transformed, where we will witness miracles of healing and see the powerful truth of the New Birth experienced. 

We are more than a church. This is a mission and a movement. We build with an eternal purpose to propel our passion, and we construct with the conviction that God has commissioned us to share the good news with our generation. We believe that it is our responsibility to proclaim to the world the truth of one eternal God, revealed in the flesh of Jesus Christ; that His name is the only door of salvation; and that His Spirit provides access into a whole new world of liberty, of identity, and deliverance. 

Jesus is “the way and the truth and the life” (John 14:6). His Name is “above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow” (Philippians 9:9–10), and there is no hope of “salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). The Gospel of Jesus Christ is embodied in this passage of Peter’s Pentecostal sermon, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38).

On this site, in this place, there will always be a witness of truth and the everlasting Gospel shall be proclaimed. In the early 1950s, my grandfather moved onto a dairy farm not far from here in Higley. An itinerate preacher, he and his wife and their two younger children transitioned here from Arkansas and they based here while preaching around the state. Years later, in Wichita, Kansas, Mark Baughman baptized a young man, Leroy Hampton, who eventually became a preacher and felt the call of God to start a church in this metro area. The Hamptons friendship with the Robert & Elaine Bibb led them to launch the beginning of this congregation in the East Valley. After his untimely death Bibbs became the pastor of Abundant Life Church in Gilbert and relocated the church to what was then a rural area along Greenfield Rd, halfway to Queen Creek. After eight years we assumed this pastorate and have been blessed with growth, a vision to expand, and opportunities to acquire the needed property.

​Today we stand on 2 1/4 acres of property in the crossroads of the Southeast valley and are launching a project that will be more than a structure … it will be a launchpad for ministry throughout the region. The effects of this construction will be felt around the world as we continue to fulfill the mission God has placed in our soul. God has prepared the soil and its growth will result in a spiritual harvest. 


Today is also a day of Thanksgiving. Thanks to all who have gone before, sacrificed, prayed, and paid for every step of faith. Today, we are debt free, except for the eternal debt of gratitude to a host of believers, to preachers and teachers, and most of all to our Lord Jesus Christ who has made this possible. Today marks … a new beginning, for LifeChurch International and for every individual who will find him in this place!

Scripture:
“In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:18).


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Coming Summer 2019

11/16/2018

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Gratitude for Small Things

11/3/2018

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Gratitude for Small Things
A TIME FOR THANKS 
Terry R. Baughman

“Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness, while you are enriched in everything for all liberality, which causes thanksgiving through us to God” (2 Corinthians 9:10–11).

Typically, we will feel the most grateful when we receive an unexpected or extravagant gift. When you are totally surprised and blessed more than you ever imagined it is easy to be overcome with thanksgiving and effusing in gratitude. On the other hand it is easy to overlook the small everyday blessings we receive, things like clothing, food, safety, and peace. 

There are so many small blessings that make up a day that it would be impossible to express thankfulness for them all. When our children were small we would always try to pray with them before they went to sleep. Sometimes we would ask them about something for which they were thankful that day. They loved the exercise (perhaps it was just a way to stay awake a little longer). They would often ask, “Are we going to do ‘thankful for’s’ tonight?” I still remember them saying, “I’m thankful for mommy and daddy and ….” The list was endless, and usually what we would consider mundane. They would name the things they ate, their toys, friends, other family members, and pets. We would often have to stop them saying, “That’s enough for tonight.”

The lesson we learned from our kids is that we can be truly thankful for everything regardless of how insignificant it may seem. If our children can be thankful for the simple things each day perhaps we can learn to pick out a few small things each day to celebrate. How about a smooth, trouble-free commute to work? How about a beautiful day or a gorgeous sunset? How about counting the friends with whom you associate? How about being thankful for a bill paid, food on the table, and money left over for emergencies? There is much we can be thankful for if we will take inventory of the small things that we normally take for granted. 

Paul wrote to the believers in Philippi, “I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now” (Philippians 1:3–5). He expressed thankfulness for them every time he remembered them and joyfully prayed for them rejoicing because of their connection in the gospel work. This is all the more revealing when it is discovered in the text that Paul is imprisoned and in chains. Rather than bemoaning his fate and crying for sympathy and the prayers of others, he communicated his gratefulness for the wonderful fellowship of believers.

Paul’s thanksgiving even extended to his chains and imprisonment. He said, “the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel” and because of Paul’s thankful and positive attitude, other believers became increasingly “bold to speak the word without fear” (Philippians 1:12, 14).

May we become more thankful for the good things no matter how insignificant and receive grace to become more aware of God’s blessing even in adversity. Be thankful in everything!
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Scripture:
“In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

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    Author

    Terry R Baughman is Lead Pastor for LifeChurch in Gilbert, AZ.  See his complete bio at trbaughman.com 

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LifeChurch  |  16831 S. Greenfield Road, Gilbert, AZ 85295  |  480-240-9252  |  LifeChurchAZ.net