admin, Author at The Gathering Place Atlanta

Oh My Word!

Posted on Jun 10, 2015 in Devotions |

Words are powerful. Just think about it- with words, God created everything that exists. With words, Jesus commanded the lame to walk, demons to run, and even the dead to be raised up! Jesus said that it is by the Word of God we are made clean, that God sent His Word to heal us, and that our lives are sustained by His Word. God isn’t the only one with powerful words, though. Did you know that YOUR words have the ability to bring life or death? Scripture teaches that life and death are in the power of our words! They can be wellsprings of life or weapons of mass destruction.

We have the ability to encourage and build others up with our words. We can make someone’s day, lift their spirit, boost their self confidence, and even speak a word from God to them. We can also tear people down with our words. We can criticize, gossip, slander, judge, demean, and belittle.

How will we use this amazing power we’ve been given? There are lots of references in scripture to the power of words. The book of James is one of my favorites. Read the whole thing – it’s short 😉

Here is another verse that serves as a beautiful prayer over us today:“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, oh Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.” -Psalm 19:14

Love,

Pastor Deb

Are You Waiting?

Posted on Jun 4, 2015 in Devotions |

He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint (Isaiah 40:29-31)

This whole idea of waiting goes against what we naturally and culturally do. When our natural inclination is to jump into things or move too fast, God is often telling us to hold our horses. Waiting is often difficult because we equate it with inactivity. But waiting, which can also be translated as hoping, means to wait with expectation, to look for. The implication is that we are waiting and watching with expectation towards what God is going to do. We tend to forget so many times that He is an on time God. That His plan is so different from our plans most of the time… I think I just heard someone say amen!

During these periods of waiting, God is often renewing us, molding us, and refining us for what He has in store. Often times we get worn out and we need rest, we need recharging. Think about your car, you have to stop for gas to continue driving it, your body needs to sleep, and your cell phone needs to be recharge In order to be used effectively. So, why can’t this be the case with our spiritual life as well? What may seem like inactivity from our perspective is often purposeful preparation from God’s perspective. Be encouraged that those who wait end up even stronger after the Lord renews them.

If you happen to be in one of these seasons…

-Are you allowing God to refine you?

-Are you tuning into His voice?
-Are you recognizing that he is working all around you?

-How do you respond to these periods of waiting on God?

Have a blessed week,

Pastor Gina

Walk By Faith

Posted on May 28, 2015 in Devotions |

Question? Do you feel the need to control everything in your life? For those of you that answer yes, then this devotional is for you. You see our Christian walk is a walk of faith. Paul tells us in 2 Cor. 5:7 “For we walk by faith not sight…”

I have been in ministry for over 20 years and let me tell you, even the strongest Christians struggle in the areas of faith at time. Remember that even Christ’s disciples struggled with doubt and fear at times, and they were physically walking with Jesus. Still, they would falter and were prone to casting their focus in the wrong direction. Remember Peter on the water? Or what about the story of Phillip? Just before He was about to perform the miracle of feeding the 5,000, Jesus tested Philip by asking him where to buy bread for the crowd. The disciple’s response revealed that he was thinking of solving the dilemma through man’s ideas and worldly means, instead of God’s provision. What a lesson for them all that day! Jesus performed this amazing feat of compassion and provision to prove who He was and always would be God, and fed 5,000 with five loaves and two fish.

In difficult times, when it seems all hope is lost, try not to assess your circumstances from a worldly perspective. Try not to “control” the situation by manipulation. Don’t say well if I do this then I can cause God to do this. Don’t ask, “What am I going to do” but rather, in a spirit of faith, ask, “Lord, what are YOU going to do?” Remember, He tells us to cast all of our cares upon Him because He cares for us (1 Peter 5:7). Avoid attempting to engineer your circumstances. The virtues of patience, faith, and waiting upon the Lord will help you to know God’s grace and to experience His love and miraculous touch in your life.

Blessings,

Pastor Keith

Check Your Self-ie

Posted on May 6, 2015 in Devotions |

Check Your Self-ie

Do you ever edit the photos you are tagged in on social media? I do it more than I’d like to admit. I wish that I didn’t care when an unflattering photo of me pops up, but I do. I suppose most of us monitor our images on social media with the diligence of a New York Times editor.

The bible says that you should: “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you–unless, of course, you fail the test?” 2 Corinthians 13:5

It’s not a bad thing to evaluate yourself, but God is concerned with the nature of your heart not your external appearance. (1 Samuel 16:7)

In Isaiah chapter 58, God became angry with Israel in their discipline of fasting. As God points out, the people denied themselves from food and humbled themselves in sackcloth, but their hearts lacked compassion for one another. They ignored the needs of their poor neighbors and their days of fasting ended with quarreling and fist fights. They stayed diligent with the spiritual discipline but their hearts were in the wrong place. The pharisees had the external appearance of holiness but their hearts were so far from God that Jesus called them “white washed tombs”.

What would God say about the nature of your heart today? Does He see unconditional love toward those who have legitimately hurt you? Does He see a compassion for the lost and the needy that is producing action? Does He see a humility that desires to see God glorified over our own self promotion?

Search me, God, and know my heart;

test me and know my anxious thoughts.

See if there is any offensive way in me,

and lead me in the way everlasting.

Psalm 139:23-24

Blessings!

Pastor Jonathan

That We May See

Posted on May 1, 2015 in Devotions |

That We May See

The past couple of weeks in worship at TGPA we have rested on a theme- Open our eyes. Pastor Ginny used a reference in a recent sermon where it is recorded that a great unseen army of the Lord protected the prophet Elisha. Elisha’s servant could not see the heavenly army and was afraid. Elisha prayed this simple prayer, “Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.” Suddenly the servant could see that the surrounding hills were full of the Lord’s horses and chariots! (2 Kings 6)

Many times in worship we pray, “Open the eyes of my heart, Lord.” And many times, I believe that the Lord answers our prayer. He allows us to see His Glory and Majesty in that moment, He allows us to realize His immense love for us, maybe He even allows us to know His will for our lives or His guidance in a specific situation. What if we prayed that prayer every day? And what if the Lord answered by opening our eyes to the spiritual reality around us?

Hang with me here- I’m not trying to get mystical or spooky. For example, what if the Lord opened our eyes to the struggles of those around us- that pushy coworker, rude customer, or annoying teenager… How might seeing what God sees change the way we interact with those people? Maybe that coworker needs a friend, or the customer just received terrible news, or the teenager has no one at home who will listen. If we could see the pain behind every crude joke, every condescending comment, and every attention hungry display, I bet we would approach those people differently- extend to them more grace and patience than usual. You know- be a good neighbor.

So, what if as we PRAY for God to open our eyes to the unseen hurts and miracles around us, we also begin to LOOK past what we see on the surface… What if we intentionally look for the spiritual reality around us in our every day situations- a kind of spiritual squint to see what work God might be doing and how we might be able to join in… When we encounter people in our jobs or in our family or visitors to TGPA, let’s pray and squint to see the real stuff .

My prayer for us- will you join me? Jesus, as we engage the people you bring before us EVERY DAY- at work, at school, at home, at church…

Let our minds be in tune with You.

Let our hearts break with Your compassion.

Let our ears hear the cries of the lonely (even when those cries sound rude, critical, shallow, haughty, or annoying)

Let our conversations seek to listen, know, and understand.

Let our hands reach out to help and hold.

Let our eyes be opened, that we may see.

Let it be Lord Jesus!

Love,

Pastor Deb

In the shadow of his wings

Posted on Apr 22, 2015 in Devotions |

In the shadow of his wings…

David prayed, “Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me under the shadow of Your wings, from the wicked who oppress me, from my deadly enemies who surround me” (Ps.17:8-9).

David looked for a secret place of security and found a ready refuge in God. “Yea,” cried David, “in the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge until these calamities have passed by” (Ps. 57:1). These “calamities” were the results of David’s disastrous relationship with King Saul, who had forced David to run for his life and hide in the caves of the rock.

Do you know where to go in the midst of your calamities?

When I received news of my mother’s death one year ago today, my first reaction was to call a friend, summon my wife to comfort me-to enlist support. But I remembered His wings, and ran to Him. Then peace came! It did not minimize the loss I felt and the sorrow, but I realized that he knew the depth of my pain and loss. God knew what I needed even before I asked.

God knows what you’re facing day in, and day out. He sees every tear, every struggle, and every step we take. When we run to him, he will give us cover and shelter in the shadow of his wings-till these calamities be passed.”

Have a blessed week,

Pastor Gina

All Your Needs

Posted on Apr 18, 2015 in Devotions |

Philippians 4:19 – “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”

As many of you know that I work part time as a Travel Agent. A while back someone who was referred to me gave me a call and said he wanted to take his wife on an Alaskan Cruise. He said he had heard the scenery was spectacular but that since he was on a fixed income he had a very strict budget and was concerned about how much the total vacation would cost him. He mentioned to me that he might even bring a jar of peanut butter and a box of crackers with him in lieu of a few meals. At first I was not sure what he meant, but then I realized he did not know one important thing, that ALL of his meals would be included in the price that was paid for on his cruise.

It made me begin to think of how many Christians don’t understand that all of our needs were paid for The Cross. You see, Jesus paid it ALL! God has promised to meet every our every need according to HIS riches and glory, not ours. We will often try to live out of our own resources instead of His. As a Christian, our relationship with the Lord is one of complete unity. Jesus is our life and His Spirit lives in and through us, and because of His sacrifice, we can now stand on this promise in Phil 4:19, that He will supply all of our needs!

Blessings,

Pastor Keith

What is Meditation?

Posted on Apr 8, 2015 in Devotions |

What is Meditation? How Do I Accomplish It? Why Do I Need It?

Meditation is a pleasant “murmuring” of Scripture to yourself. “….In his law doth he meditate….” Psalm 1: Hagah: to murmur (in pleasure); to ponder.

Meditation is a quiet reflection upon the words of Scripture. “…Thy testimonies are my meditation” Psalm 119:99 Siychah: reflection with deep devotion; to contemplate; thoughtful utterances of Scripture.

Meditation is a musical repetition of God’s Word. “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart…” Ps. 19:14 Higgayown: a musical notation; a murmuring sound.

Meditating is a prayerful reviewing of Scripture. “Meditate upon these things…” I Timothy 4:15 Meletao: to carefully revolve in the mind; to muse upon.

To meditate is to commune with God in the language of His own written Word. And to meditate is to worship God in spirit and in truth.

The words and phrases of Scripture are a storehouse of rich wisdom and insight. God wants us to open these storehouses, enjoy the wealth they contain, and apply them to our lives.

You can easily begin your meditation right now Bring to mind a Scripture that you have previously memorized. (Example – ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.” – Matt.4:4) Either silently or aloud, use the Scripture to express to the Lord your mind, will, and emotions; in other words – personalize it. (Example – Lord, I will not live by bread alone, buy by every word that proceeds out of Your mouth!”) Now, repeat it, and every time you do – emphasize a different word.

(Example – “I (man/woman) shall not live by bread alone…..”

“I shall not live by bread alone….”

“I shall not live by bread alone….”)

Now try visualizing and applying each word as it relates to your life. (Example – “Man shall not….” A final decree. No one will change it. A firm negative. “Man shall not live…..” Living is more than just existing. There is a physical life and spiritual life. God made us to enjoy the pleasures of life in His presence. He made life. God is life. He is my life.)

Got it? Now work on the same Scripture and repeat the process until the Scripture is engrafted into your soul. In this way the Scripture will become so closely associated with your thinking, your emotions, and your will, that it will actually become a part of you. You will find yourself enjoying life more and you will be much more content.

Blessings,

Pastor Sherry

Our Freedom and the World Too!

Posted on Apr 4, 2015 in Devotions |

“You alone can satisfy, every need all my desires, Creator, Savior, King, I was made for you. You are the sustainer of every living thing. You are the healer of every single disease. You open up your hand and you satisfy, you satisfy me.” ~ Debra Lynn Rodriguez

I am sure you recognize the song lyrics of our very own Pastor Deb above. I’ve been singing this song over and over these last two weeks. They have brought me so much comfort in times of great difficulty. The Lord never said serving Him would come without difficulty, as a matter of fact He said quite the opposite. As we have been reading in home groups on Wednesday nights, following Him cost some things. While our salvation is free for the taking (as He paid the debt), following him will cost something. Maybe its pride, maybe its comfort, maybe its relationships, the disciples knew better than anyone that following him would cost them everything. When they were baptized and outwardly expressed that they were His followers, it cost them jobs, family, social status, religion, and eventually their earthly life. Yet they knew that whatever the cost was, it was minuscule compared to their relationship in Jesus.

That sounds like a depressing thing to hear! Following Him will be costly? If we feel that way, it’s because we are not looking at it through His eyes. You see, as always the Lord knows what is best for us. He knows what brings life to our spirits and joy to our soul. He knows what makes us fruitful and what helps us grow in His likeness. He knows that trusting him through difficult situations grows our faith. He knows that praying for the person that hurt us instead of retaliating or harboring hurt and pain will strengthen us and heal us. He knows that giving when we really want to get, will stretch us. He knows that being joyful and spreading joy, when we really want to complain will keep us focused on Him. See, it may cost some complaining, it may cost some repentance, some humility, some forgiveness, but OH IS IT WORTH IT!

It is hard for us sometimes, and I say that from plenty of experience. It is hard because even though we read the promises in His Word, we still look for satisfaction in the world. We want our freedom and the world too! But the problem with that thinking is, it’s a contradiction. We do not get our freedom from the things the world offers to satisfy us. Jobs, money, homes, cars, friends, relationships, children, education, and even our own health, these things are wonderful things, but if we don’t find our fulfillment and satisfaction in Jesus, we will never get our fill. He is the only one that truly satisfies. Everything else is temporal and changes with the wind. If our satisfaction rest on those things, then we can rest assured we will find ourselves longing forever for more and more of it. But real satisfaction in Jesus is sure and steady. It is unwavering and dependable. It is a solid foundation and one we can trust fully in. When I find myself beyond frustrated, feeling helpless, and at the end of my rope, I realize often it is because I am seeking satisfaction in something that could never possibly give it to me. When I shift my eyes to the One who can, it changes everything. There are several scriptures that have come to mind as I have prayed and meditated on His Satisfaction. Read them and think about what it means to find real and lasting satisfaction in Christ alone.

Psalm 16:11 You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Philippians 4:11-12 Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.

Isaiah 58:11 And the Lord will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.

Psalm 103:1-5 Of David. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

John 4:14 But whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

Oh how beautiful is the satisfaction of the Lord! With Love,

Pastor Ginny

Perfect Love Casts Out All Fear

Posted on Mar 28, 2015 in Devotions |

There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. 1 john 4:18

More than one hundred years ago the atheist philosopher Nietzsche reproached a group of Christians: “Yuck, you make me sick!” When their spokesman asked why, he answered, “Because you redeemed don’t look like you’re redeemed. You’re as fearful, guilt-ridden, anxious, confused, and adrift in an alien environment as I am. I’m allowed. I don’t believe. I have nothing to hope for. But you people claim you have a Savior. Why don’t you look like you are saved?”

If perfect love drives out all fear and we are loved perfectly by The Creator of all things who holds the universe in the palm of His hand, then why are most Christians filled with anxiety, pessimism and fear? It’s not a deficiency with God’s love toward us, it is a problem with our understanding of His love.

When we are able to grasp the depth and width and infinite nature of His love for us then fear and uncertainty melt away. The God of the universe loved you so much that He died for you! Let’s be real. You and I don’t deserve the death of anyone much less God! Yet He chose to die for you because of His incredible love for you. If He was willing to do that then how can we dare to doubt Him in our day-to-day needs? Would He die for you and then refuse to feed your family? Would He die for you and then turn His back when you are hurting or sorrowful? Would He die for you and then refuse to speak when you need answers? HE LOVES YOU! THE GOD OF ALL THINGS LOVES YOU! Let that sink in for a minute.

Do you know why He loves you? It is not for anything you have done or will ever do for Him. He loves you because He has chosen to. “But God shows His love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). Stop trying to measure up. You never will. Don’t try to understand why He loves you. It’s irrational. Just allow yourself to become consumed with thoughts of His love toward you. And as you do fear will melt away.

Have a fearless day,

Pastor Jonathan