October is Clergy Appreciation Month. Pray for your Pastors and Home Group Leaders

"I prevented the dawning of the morning, and cried: I hoped in thy word." Ps. 119:147

With the rising of another day, I find myself sitting with great hope in the cool morning darkness, waiting, waiting, and waiting for You to speak. I lift my eyes to see through the dimly lit room the rough outlines of both young and old also awaiting Your arrival. My heart is beating faster within me in expectation as to what You might say. Where will You lead me? What will You let me see that I might pray? Then suddenly it happens! All becomes quiet within me. Tears begin to run down my face as the very room itself becomes charged with the energy of You.

I feel You rise within me as I surrender to Your leading. The voices of the saints around me ascend in harmony, piercing the darkness with cries of faith. Oh Lord, have mercy on me! Oh Lord, save now! Oh Lord, please forgive me! Holy Spirit, please, please take me to Jesus! I find myself once again overwhelmed by Your love and compassion for a world in which I live, but am often unaware. The moments seem more than I can bear at times, but then I feel Your gentle hand upon me, and worship begins to arise from deep within. How I love these moments; touching the grace of the Lord Jesus, feeling the love of God resting upon me, and the sweet fellowship with you, Holy Spirit, as You lead me.

Morning by morning You awaken me and beckon me to come that I might have the tongue of a disciple and know how to speak a word in season to the weary. I find myself a co-laborer with You, a mouth-piece from heaven on earth, proclaiming Your will through the eternities of time, knowing and being known. Oh Holy Spirit, Jesus, Precious Father, I rise before dawn and cry for help; I wait for your words. I long to see You arise upon the horizon of our prayers and draw a people to yourself. Lord, when You call me to seek Your face, I will come!

Inner View

By Kris K.

In the book of Matthew there are many good principles on the Kingdom of Heaven. One good principle is about entering the Kingdom. Another talks about possessing the Kingdom. Matthew also states the aspect of who is the greatest or the least in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Matthew 5:20 says, "For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven." So you must become more righteous than the "righteous" Pharisees and "teachers of the law". Matthew 7:21 says, "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven." Not only do we have to be righteous, but also we have to be in and do the will of God. Matthew 18:3 says, "Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. So we must become like a child, as innocent as a little child before we can enter the Kingdom of God. "Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God." Matthew 19:23-24 So if you love money, or if you put your trust in earthly things (money), then you will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven. For you cannot serve both God and money. We must put our trust in God and not in or on earthly treasures. "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness! No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon." Matthew 6:19-24.

"Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 5:10. If we are being persecuted for the sake of the gospel, then we will possess the Kingdom of Heaven. Matthew 11:12 says, "And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force." Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 19:14) To possess the Kingdom we must also be called by God, as it says in Matthew 25:34, "Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:"

Matthew 18:1-4 says, At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven." If we change and become like a little child, if we humble ourselves under God's mighty hand, we will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven. Matthew 5:19 says, "Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven." So if we break just one of the commandments then we will be called least in God's Kingdom. But if we practice and teach the commandments to others then we will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven.

The book of Matthew teaches many great principles on the Kingdom of Heaven. Entering the Kingdom of God, possessing the Kingdom, and those who are least and greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven are the different aspects that stood out to me.

RFC Body Life

Vision of Restoration Church, Training Center and Academy

By Holly S.

The Church

• To be a New Testament Church.
• To raise up disciples.
• To see the Kingdom of God move in power.
• To believe God.

The Training Center

• To train disciplies to be leaders full of the Holy Spirit, on fire for God, who seek Jesus with passion.
• To build apostolic teams that plant churches in other places and spread the word of God.

The Academy

• To raise up young disciples that aren't ashamed of the Gospel of Christ.
• To teach young disciples to live a life worthy of the call of God.
• To raise up a generation of youth that respect and submit to authority.
• To help this generation take a stand and realize the true power of the Living God!

"And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:" Ephesians 4:11-13

RFC Announcements

Blessings to Lou and Linda M: Wed on September 21, 2002.

Addresses of Interest:

Maudie T. has moved from Joann McP's home to an assisted living care apartment. If you would like to write or call her, she'd love hearing from you!

Pray for:

• Restoration Church Academy
• Jeneil, Melissa, Lisa, Aaron & Beth
• Angel & Scott W.
• Mary & Randy R.
• RFC Training Center
• Our Leaders
• Each Other
• Wheatland Church