Hello church!
Mel and I just returned from Randy Clark’s “Greater Things” Conference in Corpus Christi Texas and it was wonderful! We experienced some powerful worship, some excellent teaching, and witnessed multiple people healed of various issues and pain! It was an awesome move of God’s grace and power and we know the same supernatural work is possible at The River Community Church. In Matthew 7 Jesus makes this statement, 7:27 “Let the children be filled first, for it is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” And in Matthew 15:26 “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.”
The bread that Jesus is speaking of is Kingdom healing and deliverance! And so with that healing and deliverance is part of the gift we receive when we accept Jesus as Lord…because He is our bread of heaven! Praise God for making His deliverance & healing grace available to us, all we have to do is act in faith to activate it! So I’m going to be asking you to do some things as you prepare to come to service or our fellowships each week.
It’s an easy 1, 2, 3!
1. Thank God! – You choose what to thank Him for… but come with a grateful heart for all He has done.
2. Ask Him to work in you! – Invite God to bring deliverance, healing, words of knowledge, financial blessings, or an encouraging word through you to someone else. Remember church God desires to use us for His glory… but He is looking to us to be His hands a feet.
3. Come expectant! – Believe God is going before you to set up some God moments!
As we do this I believe it will raise or expectations… and give Holy Spirit permission to move in our midst!
Colossians 1:27 To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
Believing this verse, I’m excited for us to make Jesus known!
Love,
Pastor Ellis
BECOME ONE
Judy Fisher
Dean and I had the joy of attending two family weddings this summer, with another coming up in November.
Dean was quite surprised when our youngest granddaughter asked him to officiate their wedding. Late last year, due to vocational circumstances, they had a small wedding with a Justice of the peace, but their desire was to have a Christian wedding.
When Dean agreed to her request, he had a vision of a three-tiered wedding cake with husband and wife figurines on top. He asked God what this meant. He then heard, “This bride and groom are building their marriage on the three-tiered foundation of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.”
Genesis 2:18-24 Then the Lord-God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. Therefore, I will fashion a suitable partner (counterpart) to be his help and strength… So God caused Adam to fall into a deep trance… he took a portion of Adam’s side and closed its place with flesh. Then God used the portion of Adam’s side and skillfully crafted a woman and presented her to him. Then Adam said: “At last! One like me! Her bones were formed from my bones, and her flesh from my flesh! This one will be called ‘woman,’ for she was taken out of man.” That is why a man leaves his father and his mother to be unselfishly attached to his wife and they become one flesh as a new family!”
When we gather in the sight of God to witness and bless the joining together of our loved ones – family and friends – in Christian marriage, we are witnessing the covenant of marriage established by God, who created male and female for each other. In His sacrificial love, Jesus gave us the example of the love of husband and wife.
In the Song of Solomon 3:4, the bride searched for her beloved and said, “when I found the one my heart loves, I held him and would not let him go.” In John 17 Jesus is talking to Father saying, “I have made You known, and will continue to make You known in order in order that the love You have for Me may be in them, and that I Myself may be in them.”
Just as the bride and groom’s love for one another creates oneness in spiritual unity, may we, the church, become one with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit (John 17: 20-25).
And one great and glorious day we, the Bride, will all be seated as One at the wedding supper of the Lamb.” Rev. 19: 6-9
All because of our Father’s great love!
River Campus Ministry & Epicenter Youth
Even though school has been out, we have kept busy this summer. The college students have had several gatherings including dinner and devotionals, lake days and hangouts. Our dinner and devotionals have been special because they’ve been led by our students. We touched on some heavy topics in our devotionals and it brought out awesome and challenging discussion about Christ. Click HERE to check RCM’s page.
The youth just returned from Clara springs camp! We took 11 kids!! For many of them, it was their first experience at a sleep away camp!! We had a blast doing an assortment of activities but most importantly we encountered God in tangible ways.
Recently, I went back to Virginia to visit friends and family. I had the opportunity to lead two small groups while in the area. Holy Spirit showed up and encountered people like they had never experienced before! We experienced healings and deliverances. One of the people dramatically healed was my brother in law. He had been struggling with painful neuropathy in his hands and feet. Holy Spirit came and completely healed him. We thank God for the miracles He has done and are expectant for more and more!!
Summer Service Project
This summer, our Sunday Women’s group completed a summer service project with a local foster family. We chose a local single foster Mother and her 4 precious kids. We served her throughout the summer to show the love of Jesus. We cleaned, organized her home, took the kids out for activities, and provided babysitting services. This family was blessed by these acts of service and we were as well.
Spanish Ministry
Spanish Egroup has been on fire for the Lord. We are learning how to pray fervently in our Monday night studies. We had our first Spanish Worship night back in April and are currently scheduling our second Worship night and other outreach events. We have seen God heal nerve pains, restore hearing and answer prayers.
Missions
The Belize mission team has been fundraising for the trip. From Caesar’s pizza, Parents Night Out, and Movie Night. Our team meeting happens monthly as a part of the preparations to serve in December. We have ongoing fundraisers, so you can still be involved in supporting the team to bless the people in Belize. Click HERE to donate. Any amount is much appreciated!
Samaria Mission, one of the international ministries we support had a retreat in May 2024. Check our Mission page to see the photos. We will also have a quarterly Mission Lunch in August 2024. This event is powered by the Spanish Egroup, so you can enjoy delicious Hispanic Cuisine while supporting God’s work around the globe. Sign up HERE.
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