The Greatest Gift

John Gray @ Lakewood Church

Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will  be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger." And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: "Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!"

Luke 2:8‭-‬14 NKJV

• A prophecy that had been whispered in the wind arrived under interesting circumstances and cultural significance.

• Jesus came from the line of David, a shepherd boy.

You were only allowed to shepherd sheep in the wilderness unless they were being groomed for temple sacrifice. Those shepherds grooming their sheep in such a way were allowed in the city limits.

Levites : 

Temple sacrifices were wrapped in swaddling cloth.

Swaddling clothes, were bands of cloth, probably cotton, not really "clothes," as in a garment. The custom of the East was to wrap the new-born in these strips of cloth after washing the body and protecting the baby with the healing properties of powdered salt. This binding prevented the baby from hurting himself by kicking or scratching or rolling over. Mary likely would have seen this done in Nazareth, but, if not there, she surely would have seen it done by the midwives at the birth of John the Baptist.

The Levites, descendants of Jacob's son Levi, were selected to serve G‑d in the Holy Temple. Most served in peripheral roles, playing music, opening and closing the gates, and standing guard. In the case of the portable Tabernacle(which preceded the Holy Temple in Jerusalem), they were responsible for packing up, transporting, and reconstructing the Tabernacle whenever the Israelites traveled to a new camp. The most sacred tasks, including bringing the sacrifices, were reserved for the kohanim(priests), descendants of Aaron, brother of Moses

• Wrap yourself in gratitude.

Gratitude is an emotion expressing appreciation for what one has. It is a recognition of value independent of monetary worth. Spontaneously generated from within, it is an affirmation of goodness.

• Wrap yourself in generosity.

Generosity (also called largess) is the virtue of being liberal in giving, often as gifts  

• Unwrap grace

Until we rock again,
🤘 P E A C E, L 💚 V E, & R⚡P S T⚡X 🤘

-Pound Pro Jenny

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 What will I wear when I stand before the Lord?  Robe of Flesh : created in the image of God hut marred by our mistakes.  But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, Have taken us away.  Isaiah 64:6 NKJV  Robe of Religion : What we wear to keep ourselves righteous and earn God's acceptance.  Robe of Righteousness : a second hand gift worn by Jesus    For if by the one man's offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.)  Romans 5:17 NKJV  https://bible.com/bible/114/rom.5.17.NKJV  For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it  is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.  Ephesians 2:8‭-‬9 NKJV  https://bible.com/bible/114/eph.2.8-9.NKJV  Because of a secondhand gift, God sees me as Jesus.  Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, And to present you faultless Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,  Jude 1:24 NKJV  https://bible.com/bible/114/jud.1.24.NKJV  

A Miracle at the Door

"Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends.

Revelation 3:20 NLT

Faith is the currency of Heaven.

Then the Lord said to me, "You have seen well, for I am ready to perform My word."

Jeremiah 1:12 NKJV

The night before Peter was to be placed on trial, he was asleep, fastened with two chains between two soldiers. Others stood guard at the prison gate. Suddenly, there was a bright light in the cell, and an angel of the Lord stood before Peter. The angel struck him on the side to awaken him and said, "Quick! Get up!" And the chains fell off his wrists. Then the angel told him, "Get dressed and put on your sandals." And he did. "Now put on your coat and follow me," the angel ordered. So Peter left the cell, following the angel. But all the time he thought it was a vision. He didn't realize it was actually happening. They passed the first and second guard posts and came to the iron gate leading to the city, and this opened for them all by itself. So they passed through and started walking down the street, and then the angel suddenly left him. Peter finally came to his senses. "It's really true!" he said. "The Lord has sent his angel and saved me from Herod and from what the Jewish leaders had planned to do to me!" When he realized this, he went to the home of Mary, the mother of John Mark, where many were gathered for prayer. He knocked at the door in the gate, and a servant girl named Rhoda came to open it. When she recognized Peter's voice, she was so overjoyed that, instead of opening the door, she ran back inside and told everyone, "Peter is standing at the door!" "You're out of your mind!" they said. When she insisted, they decided, "It must be his angel." Meanwhile, Peter continued knocking. When they finally opened the door and saw him, they were amazed. He motioned for them to quiet down and told them how the Lord had led him out of prison. "Tell James and the other brothers what happened," he said. And then he went to another place. At dawn there was a great commotion among the soldiers about what had happened to Peter. Herod Agrippa ordered a thorough search for him. When he couldn't be found, Herod interrogated the guards and sentenced them to death. Afterward Herod left Judea to stay in Caesarea for a while.

Acts of the Apostles 12:6‭-‬19 NLT

Rhoda didn't need to see the miracle to believe it.

So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ.

Romans 10:17 NLT

For we walk by faith, not by sight.

II Corinthians 5:7 NKJV

When we're at our worse God can usher in a miracle.

And Joshua spared Rahab the harlot, her father's household, and all that she had. So she dwells in Israel to this day, because she hid the messengers whom Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.

Joshua 6:25 NKJV

Safety, a new beginning, and legacy.

So he departed from there, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of  oxen before him, and he was with the twelfth. Then Elijah passed by him and threw his mantle on him. And he left the oxen and ran after Elijah, and said, "Please let me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you." And he said to him, "Go back again, for what have I done to you?" So Elisha turned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen and slaughtered them and boiled their flesh, using the oxen's equipment, and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he arose and followed Elijah, and became his servant.

I Kings 19:19‭-‬21 NKJV

Until we rock again,
🤘 P E A C E, L 💚 V E, & R⚡P S T⚡X 🤘

-Pound Pro Jenny

It's Going to Happen Quickly

Pastor  Joel at Lakewood Church

Sometimes things seem to be going slow but certain things have been ordained to happen quickly. Thoughts may tell you otherwise but believe.

The smallest family will become a thousand people, and the tiniest group will become a mighty nation. At the right time, I, the Lord , will make it happen."

Isaiah 60:22 NLT

https://bible.com/bible/116/isa.60.22.NLT

The Red Sea saw them coming and hurried out of their way! The water of the Jordan River turned away.

Psalms 114:3 NLT

God knows how to make things move that look permanent.

🎵🎶On Time God 😁

God's about to do a quick work.

A company filed a lawsuit when the Osteens were acquiring our sanctuary that seemed to put an extended wrench in the plans when the opposition suddenly called and dropped the lawsuit.

Things that seem bigger and stronger are no match for the power of God.

Then said the Lord unto me, Thou hast well seen: for I will hasten my word to perform it.

Jeremiah 1:12 KJV

Now there were four men with leprosy sitting at the entrance of the city gates. "Why should we sit here waiting to die?" they asked each other. "We will starve if we stay here, but with the famine in the city, we will starve if we go back there. So we might as well go out and surrender to the Aramean army. If they let us live, so much the better. But if they kill us, we would have died anyway."

2 Kings 7:3‭-‬4 NLT

God is not limited by what I don't have. 

For the Lord had caused the Aramean army to hear the clatter of speeding chariots and the galloping of horses and the sounds of a great army approaching. "The king of Israel has hired the Hittites and Egyptians to attack us!" they cried to one another. So they panicked and ran into the night, abandoning their tents, horses, donkeys, and everything else, as they fled for their lives.

2 Kings 7:6‭-‬7 NLT

While the leppers were walking they didn't know what God was up to.

Man dealt with an unfair supervisor who left and the people above his supervisor put the man in his place when he left.

God knows how to have the right people come looking for you.

Joseph went to bed a prisoner and woke up as the prime minister.

You may be facing a situation that not only looks impossible, but people who went before you were afraid to even try but God is going before you!

"Listen, O Israel! Today you are about to cross the Jordan River to take over the land belonging to nations much greater and more powerful than you. They live in cities with walls that reach to the sky! The people are strong and tall—descendants of the famous Anakite giants. You've heard the saying, 'Who can stand up to the Anakites?' But recognize today that the Lord your God is the one who will cross over ahead of you like a devouring fire to destroy them. He will subdue them so that you will quickly conquer them and drive them out, just as the Lord has promised.

Deuteronomy 9:1‭-‬3 NLT

God is supernatural.

Man had a stroke and was told he'd never raise his hands above his head and MAYBE in 3-5 years he'd regain control of his left side. In 3 months he could walk and raise his hands. Don't believe what people tell you.

One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up. "There was a judge in a certain city," he said, "who neither feared God nor cared about people.  A widow of that city came to him repeatedly, saying, 'Give me justice in this dispute with my enemy.'  The judge ignored her for a while, but finally he said to himself, 'I don't fear God or care about people,  but this woman is driving me crazy. I'm going to see that she gets justice, because she is wearing me out with her constant requests!'" Then the Lord said, "Learn a lesson from this unjust judge.  Even he rendered a just decision in the end. So don't you think God will surely give justice to his chosen people who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off?  I tell you, he will grant justice to them quickly! But when the Son of Man returns, how many will he find on the earth who have faith?"

Luke 18:1‭-‬8 NLT

Until we rock again,
🤘 P E A C E, L 💚 V E, & R⚡P S T⚡X 🤘

-Pound Pro Jenny

Pastor Chase Austin at Champions Community Church

Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin's name was Mary. And having come in, the angel said to her, "Rejoice, highly favored one,  the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!" But when she saw him,  she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was. Then the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus . He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end." Then Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I do not know a man?" And the angel answered and said to her, " The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.

Luke 1:26‭-‬35 NKJV

• God's favor is scary sometimes. Mary was called favored but then told her she'd be pregnant out if wedlock from someone other than her fianceé which in those times could be seen as disgraceful.

• God's favor can seem impossible. Mary had never had sex but it was prophesied that she would give birth.

• There are no complicated answers for God's favor because it's always the Holy Spirit.

• You are favored, but you will have to go through things.

Then Mary said, "Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her.

Luke 1:38 NKJV

• Faith in the site of impossibility. 

• Zacharias response was different.

But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. And Zacharias said to the angel, "How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years." But behold, you will be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their own time."

Luke 1:13‭, ‬18‭-‬18‭, ‬20 NKJV

When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. So they were all amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, "Whatever could this mean?" Others mocking said, "They are full of new wine."

Acts 2:1‭-‬4‭, ‬12‭-‬13 NKJV

• The Holy Spirit brings events that can't be explained and may look crazy to others who don't know Him and have not received.

Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour.  And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms from those who entered the temple; who, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked for alms. And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, "Look at us." So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. Then Peter said, "Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk." And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them—walking, leaping, and praising God.

Acts 3:1‭-‬8 NKJV

• Oftentimes we are looking for a quick fix but God has something more

• Once you receive everyone in service should know that He has moved in your life

• This man was crippled from birth, but God's power manifested something that would take a lifetime to do.

And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—

John 14:16 NKJV

• Jesus left the Holy Spirit to abide in us

Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?

I Corinthians 3:16 NKJV

• You have to move to activate what's already in you. 

Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.

II Timothy 1:6 NKJV

I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

Matthew 3:11 NKJV

• Fire consumes everything it touches, it spreads. If nothing changes when you touch it, then maybe you haven't activated the power at work within you. 

1. ​El Shaddai (Lord God Almighty)
2. El Elyon (The Most High God)
3. Adonai (Lord, Master)
4. Yahweh (Lord, Jehovah)
5. Jehovah Nissi (The Lord My Banner)
6. Jehovah Raah (The Lord My Shepherd)
7. Jehovah Rapha (The Lord That Heals)
8. Jehovah Shammah (The Lord Is There)
9. Jehovah Tsidkenu (The Lord Our Righteousness)
10. Jehovah Mekoddishkem (The Lord Who Sanctifies You)
11. El Olam (The Everlasting God)
12. Elohim (God)
13. Qanna (Jealous)
14. Jehovah Jireh (The Lord Will Provide)
15. Jehovah Shalom (The Lord Is Peace)
16. Jehovah Sabaoth (The Lord of Hosts)

Until we rock again,
🤘 P E A C E, L 💚 V E, & R⚡P S T⚡X 🤘

-Pound Pro Jenny

8 Things That the Power of Praise Does in Your Life

1. Gets focus off of ourselves and back onto the Lord.

• We're prone to selfishness but we have to actively turn our attention back to Him.

Praise Him for His mighty acts; Praise Him according to His excellent greatness!

Psalms 150:2 NKJV

I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.

Psalms 34:1 NKJV

2. Praise brings us to a place of humility.

• We admit that God has all control.

Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms. For the Lord  is the great God, And the great King above all gods.

Psalms 95:2‭-‬3 NKJV

I will give You thanks in the great assembly; I will praise You among many people.

Psalms 35:18 NKJV

to console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness, that they might be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of Adonai , that He may be glorified.

Isaiah 61:3 TLV

https://bible.com/bible/314/isa.61.3.TLV

3. Praise makes the enemy flee.

• Pushes back the darkness.

• Light and darkness cannot coexist

• Jehoshaphat: As they began singing and praising, Adonai set ambushes against the children of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir who had come against Judah, and they were defeated. For the Ammonites and Moabites rose up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir to exterminate and annihilate them. When they had exterminated the inhabitants of Seir, they helped to destroy one another. When Judah came to the lookout in the wilderness and looked for the multitude, behold, only corpses were lying on the ground—no one had escaped. When Jehoshaphat and his people went to take the plunder, they found an abundance of goods, clothing and precious articles, which they pillaged, more than they could carry away. For three days they were taking the plunder because there was so much.

2 Chronicles 20:22‭-‬25 TLV

• Confuses the enemy

4. Praise leaves no room for complaining.

• The power of life and death are in the toung.

5. Praise makes room for God's blessings for our lives.

6. Praise invites his presence.

Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One; you are the one Israel praises.

Psalms 22:3 NIV

Bless Adonai , O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: He forgives all your iniquity. He heals all your diseases.

Psalms 103:2‭-‬3 TLV

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

1 Peter 2:9‭-‬10 NIV

7. Our spirits are refreshed and renewed.

You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Psalms 16:11 NKJV

https://bible.com/bible/114/psa.16.11.NKJV

8. Paves the way for miracles to happen

Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, My lips shall praise You. Thus I will bless You while I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name.

Psalms 63:3‭-‬4 NKJV

But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone's chains were loosed. And the keeper of the prison, awaking from sleep and seeing the prison doors open, supposing the prisoners had fled, drew his sword and was about to kill himself. But Paul called with a loud voice, saying, "Do yourself no harm, for we are all here." Then he called for a light, ran in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. And he brought them out and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"

Acts 16:25‭-‬30 NKJV

• Praise breaks chains

• You don't see the opportunity if you aren't praising.

-Jeniro on the go!
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It's Just a Matter of Time

Pastor Joel at Lakewood Church

We know God's promises but we can't see anything changing. We then get discouraged but

Then Jesus said to the tree, "May no one ever eat your fruit again!" And the disciples heard him say it.

Mark 11:14 NLT

When Jesus spoke, nothing changed on the outside.

The next morning as they passed by the fig tree he had cursed, the disciples noticed it had withered from the roots up.

Mark 11:20 NLT

The moment you pray, God cuts off the source! The roots have been cut off.

"All the horns of the wicked I will also cut off, But  the horns of the righteous shall be exalted."

Psalms 75:10 NKJV

When Jesus spoke to the tree there was no evidence that anything has changed.

You can't be moved by what you don't see, be moved by what you know.

Stay in faith until what you're believing for manifests.

Clipping a Rose from it's bush

It may bloom and blossom but it's still dead.

And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.

Galatians 6:9 NKJV

Roses should last up to one week and possibly longer after being cut. The truth is that your fresh cut roses aren't going to last forever...just like your difficulties.

The enemy makes the most noise on their way out. 

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

I Peter 5:8 NKJV

Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.

Mark 11:24 NKJV

You have to be healed in your spirit before you are healed in your body. It happens right when you pray!

The Osteens prayed for Mama Dodie's healing on December 11, 1981 and she believed she received that healing right then while always thanking God for it.

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.

Hebrews 10:23 NKJV

In the unseen realm things have already changed.

Pastor John prayed for 2 cows but instead bought the meat for the conference.

Leadership Testimony Segment

Tauren Gabriel Wells, Lakewood Worship Leader, American Christian rock and pop 

Operate in Excellence 

Excellence isn't a stage of life it's a Spirit that we carry.

Do the best you can with what you  have. 

Do you see a man who excels in his work? He will stand before kings; He will not stand before unknown men.

Proverbs 22:29 NKJV

Alveda Williams, Lakewood Member, Ph.D Corporate Director of Inclusion for Dow Chemical

Be an ally.

Meet people where they are and stand in the gap no matter what their background is.

Behold, God is my helper; The Lord is with those who uphold my life.

Psalms 54:4 NKJV

Brett Gunning, Lakewood Member, Houston Rockets Assistant Coach

Seek God for wisdom

Call on God because he will tie everything together.

Ask me and I will tell you remarkable secrets you do not know about things to come.

Jeremiah 33:3 NLT

-Jeniro on the go!
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