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  • HOME
  • I’m new here!
    • About Us
    • What to Expect
    • Our Values
    • Our belief
    • Services
    • Our Team
    • Growth Track
  • Ministries
  • Campuses
    • Frisco
  • Resources
    • Prayer Request
    • Blog
    • Sermons
    • Volunteer Signup
    • Membership
  • Give Online
Devoted to God

Day 3 of fasting & prayer

Joshua was one of only two people who journeyed from the wilderness and into the promised land. In his final message to the nation of Israel just before he died, Joshua reminded them twice of God’s faithfulness – that He was the one who fought on their behalf, and that He had never failed to bring victory to the Israelites. He commanded them not to associate with the people who lived in the lands or with their gods, but to remain wholly devoted to God alone.

Our devotion to God positions us for a breakthrough. When we are fully devoted to God, our thoughts and actions come into alignment with His. We learn to persist through difficult times because of an unrelenting commitment to His call and His cause. These are the ingredients that precede breakthrough and help us punch above our weight, putting to flight a thousand of the enemy!

 Our devotion will be tested but we must hold on. Joshua told the Israelites to cling tightly to God – he knew that there would be temptation and tests that would try and draw them away from God. The Bible says that in these last days the love of many will grow cold. As you start this new year, decide in your heart that this will be a year where you remain fiercely devoted to God’s purposes for you!

Begin with the small things. Don’t neglect your times of personal devotion, prayer, and the gathering of God’s people. Choose to remain devoted to God!

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Miracle in Motion

Day 2 of fasting & prayer.

Someone once said, “Faith sees the invisible; faith hears the inaudible; faith does the impossible.” But, what pathway does faith travel to see the impossible realized?

In 1 Kings 17, the nation of Israel is no longer experiencing the blessing of God in their lives and on their land. The people have followed their king, Ahab, into paganism and idolatry. But in the midst of their national rebellion, God sends a prophet named Elijah to King Ahab. 1 Kings 17:1 says, “Now Elijah, who was from Tishbe in Gilead, told King Ahab, ‘As surely as the Lord, the God of Israel, lives—the God I serve—there will be no dew or rain during the next few years until I give the word!’” And for three and a half years, it didn’t rain a drop. Finally, Elijah presents himself to King Ahab and challenges him and his false prophets to a showdown in order to prove that there is one true God. After God demonstrates his power by sending fire from heaven, there is national repentance, and Elijah tells King Ahab that the miracle of no rain is about to become the miracle of rain.

After more than three years of extreme drought, it had to seem totally impossible that rain could begin falling at a moment’s notice. So, what did Elijah do? What path did his faith take him? In 1 Kings 18:42, we read, “So Ahab went to eat and drink. But Elijah climbed to the top of Mount Carmel and bowed low to the ground and prayed with his face between his knees.” It seems clear that Elijah knows what God’s will is, but he also recognizes the necessity of praying God’s will into existence. And he does that by fasting. Notice that he sends Ahab to eat and drink, but he climbs Mount Carmel to pray. Verse 45 says, “And in a little while the heavens grew black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain.”

This story reminds us that simply knowing God’s will is not enough. God’s desire is that we would pray His will into existence in our lives. Whether you are believing for God to do the impossible in your life, your marriage, your family, or your job, fasting and prayer are often the God-ordained pathways that faith travels to put your miracle in motion.

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Spiritual Hunger

Day 1 of fasting and prayer

God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. As we come before God in the next 3 days of fasting and prayer, God will renew our faith, launch new dreams and release us into our destiny. This in turn will result in a revival that changes the spiritual landscape of our nation!

Our theme for these 3 days and this year  is ‘Position Yourself’. We believe that in this season God wants to take our positions in His kingdom. This results in not just our spiritual growth but also advancing His Kingdom! Staying in position, there’s a greater sense of God’s presence, clarity in hearing His voice, and a release of His favor and power on our lives.

We fix our minds and hearts on Returning to God. We begin our journey with humility and a heart that’s marked with a desperate desire to come back to God. We must decide in our hearts that it’s God or nothing. Let’s lay hold of God and not let Him go until He blesses us. God will reward your spiritual hunger for Him with great satisfaction!

When David wrote Psalm 63, he was running away from someone who wanted to kill him. Anyone would be desperate to get out of those circumstances. But instead of asking God to deliver him from his situation, David cried out in desperation for God Himself! David recognized his need for God, and knew how important it was to search not just for deliverance, but for the One who could deliver him.

Like David, we must seek God earnestly. Put aside other things to make time to read His Word, pray, and be in His presence. Be aggressive about not letting urgent things crowd out what is most important – an encounter with God. God promises that those who seek Him will find Him, so decide today that you will stay the course over the next 3 days and this year to seek His face.

Like David, we must long for God. Ask God to stir up a fresh hunger and thirst for the things of God. Choose to deny your flesh through fasting and ask God to give you a renewed desire for spiritual things.

We believe that this year we will get desperate for God as we position our lives. Let’s straighten up our priorities and make Him our greatest desire and our greatest pursuit this year!

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Online Holy Communion

We stand only by God’s grace during these uncertain times that we are facing along with millions around the world. Even though we desire to meet in person, we are thankful that God has enabled us to still meet as a congregation virtually for the past four weeks. I am encouraged by your increased participation during our online services and zoom calls. I want to thank each one of you for your valuable prayers and support!

At Zion Church, we partake in the Lord’s table once a month to remember His great sacrifice and the victory over sin and death. We believe this symbolic ordinance unites us with the Lord Jesus Christ and His church and brings healing to our bodies.

During our online service, we will be conducting the Holy Communion so that we can remotely, yet collectively, partake without violating any social gathering requirements set by the county. Considering this unique time, the leadership of Zion consulted with our Assemblies of God presbyter, Rev. Tom McMahan and various other leaders of the Assemblies of God and ARC churches for guidance. They affirmed that this is not spiritually or theologically wrong if the household members are doing this during the online service with the utmost reverence. Rev. Tom also encouraged us that approximately 48,000 AG members will be participating in an online communion service tomorrow just in the North Texas district alone.

The Bible teaches us that the first communion Jesus did was part of the Passover meal which happens in households, and the early church gathered similarly and broke bread in their homes. Paul teaches the importance of being reverent and the consequences of taking this in an unworthy manner or to take this lightly of this ordinance can lead to judgement (1 Corinthians 11). Therefore, please gather together with the family in one place to watch the service online and lay out the bread and the grape juice on a clean table and utensils. The head of the house will break bread and pass out the elements to those who have accepted the Lord as their personal saviour and have taken water baptism.

HOW TO TAKE COMMUNION ONLINE

1. Purchase Grape Juice (quantity depends on size of your group)

2. Purchase Bread 
– Unleavened bread is the best expression of the “bread” element. Unleavened bread simply is bread baked without a rising agent (most large grocery stores stock unleavened bread).

3. Be Ready at Home with Your Elements
– The pastor will direct you through properly receiving communion. Please use clean utensils and table as you follow along online individually or as a group during the service.

SCRIPTURE REFERENCES FOR PERSONAL USE
Matthew 26:26-30; Mark 14:22-26; Luke 22:19-20; 1 Corinthians 11:23-29

We are not intending this to be a regular practice, but during these unforeseen times, we have prayerfully considered this as the best option. If anyone of you is uncomfortable with this, it is understandable, and please feel free to not participate. If you have questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to call me, and I am more than happy to answer your concerns and pray with you.

Looking forward to our next online service with y’all!

 

In His Service,

Pastor Justin Sabu

“They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts” (Acts 2:46)

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Thriving to perfection

You will always hear as a popular saying “ I am not perfect.” You might be caught up with such saying one way or the other. Whenever someone falls short, it’s like behavioral therapy. A consolation for certain behaviors. You might be struggling to believe that an ordinary human being cannot be a perfectionist. If the word of God which is our manual, our spiritual mirror, our road map, our spiritual food says so, there is no limitation to attain that height. You can be flawless, it is possible. To flourish is the heritage of the righteous.

Yes, all things are possible to you if you believe. ( Mark 9:23)  As fellow human beings, mistakes are made and this does not mean everything in your life has to be on hold because you are waiting for that perfect time, perfect plan etc. Keep doing your best, be who you are while God is mending the broken bridges.

In the old testament days before sin was conquered and the redemption of man, God boasted about one man to the devil that, he was perfect and upright in heart. That man was Job. ( Job 1: 8) ( job 1:1)

Jesus Himself said in Matthew 5:48  “Be ye perfect just as My Father in heaven is perfect.” This tells you that it can be done. No sooner you declare that “you are not perfect,” life takes a different turn. You see, things will always be working only in one area while other areas lie dormant. Maybe in other areas, the will of God is not enforced. There is a solution to that problem, striving to thrive for perfection. It can be done when you totally surrender all areas of your life to the will and purpose of God.

God wants you to be in total perfection so that you are satisfied physically, spiritually, mentally, socially, financially, materially.

David understood the secret of perfection that it works with God’s mercies. He knew his flesh sometimes gets in the way so he surrendered totally to God’s will. He prayed in Psalm 138:8 “Perfect all that concerns me oh God, thy mercies endures forever. Forsake not the works of thy hands.” ( KJV)

David said, “all that concerns him” leaving no room for just some.

This is my prayer for you, may the Good Lord perfect all that concerns you, in all areas of your life through His mercies which endures forever amen.

By Glory Conteh Prince

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Practicing Thanksgiving

YAY!! It’s Thanksgiving Day, and though we’ve decided to skip straight to Christmas on many fronts, there’s this holiday that we celebrate with friends and families called Thanksgiving. I love the concept of Thanksgiving. It’s a whole day set aside to celebrate God’s blessings and encourage a spirit of thankfulness. But if I’m honest, the most thankfulness I practice on Thanksgiving is the prayer I utter right before I dig into my food. Genuine thankfulness, the kind that exudes gratefulness to God, does not come easily or naturally to me. Still, I want to learn thankfulness, because I want to deeply appreciate the blessings and gifts God graciously provides.

“Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!” Psalm 95:2

Practicing thankfulness isn’t easy, but I believe it is so worth it.

I stated earlier that I want to learn to be genuinely thankful toward God. I sometimes think of God as a hardworking, dedicated father who is working to put food on the table for His kids. While I believe God encourages us to ask Him for both needs and wants, I never want to take for granted that He is faithfully providing what I need.

My heart is in a genuine place, but sometimes (most times) I still grumble. I don’t give up, though. Since thankfulness is important to God, He will work to develop it in me. This Thanksgiving let’s celebrate the day by reflecting on our awesome God and thanking Him for the countless ways He cares for us. Remember the Lamb that was sacrificed while your sharp knife cuts through the well cooked Turkey!

What are some ways you have seen God provide for you? What are some things you can thank Him for today?

Blessings,
Pastor Justin Sabu
Zion Church, Dallas

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Recent Posts

  • Devoted to God
  • Miracle in Motion
  • Spiritual Hunger
  • Online Holy Communion
  • Thriving to perfection

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