James 4:7 So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

vs. 8 Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world.

Well, the 21-day journey has come to an end. Many of you feel like you are on top of the world Spiritually, physically and mentally. The key now is to keep this feeling going. Don’t get sucked back into old habits, old lifestyles, old way of doing things. Your minds have been renewed over the last 21-days, therefore we are in the process of transforming into someone better! Some have been hearing God’s voice so clearly, why change that now? Some of you have begun a transformation of a new way of doing “life.” God is with you. He is on your side. He is and will be at work on your behalf!

Romans 12:2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

My biggest prayer for you today, day 21 of this fast, is that as you move forward from here and to not let anything stand in your way or hinder you from drawing closer to Him. If you have started some new habits that are pleasing to Him…keep it up! Don’t let the last 21-days simply be a “good season” of time, but allow the last 21-days to be the start of a new lifestyle!

God is on your side and so are we! We love you and we’ll see you this weekend at Antioch Church! Bring a friend!

-Pastor Ryan & Jennifer

Prayer Focus: Worship & Creative Arts at Antioch

Day 20 you have made it!! This has been a great 19 days and God has done some amazing things in so many of us. As I was in my time of reading yesterday it was talking about how so many times in Gods word you can find people always asking but yet God says that the battle is over. In the reading it went on to say that the people began praising Him for what they had not yet seen.

I encourage you today on day 20 to stop and praise Him and thank Him for what He is going to do. You have spent the last few days fasting and and praying and giving your all to Him. He has heard your praise and wants your praise. Let this day be a day of thankfulness and praise in advance for those miracles, healing, finances, family members. Trust in Him. He wants the best for you and He wants to see you succeed. He knows and has heard your cry. All You need to do now is Praise Him and Thank Him in advance of those prayers.

Our prayer focus today is for our worship and creative arts team. Pray for those people behind the scenes that are creating and atmosphere of worship at Antioch Church each weekend. That new and creative ideas will flow and that Gods light will sign and His presence will be seen through all that is created on and off the stage of Antioch to Glorify Him and make His name known and see life change.

As I was reading EM Bounds book “The Weapon of Prayer” this week, a picture began to be painted in my mind. When you hook a trailer to a vehicle it takes a few steps. The initial is the trailer being attached, much like the step of accepting Christ as Savior. You can move the trailer but you must move slow and not have any adverse conditions. Like the time a group was headed out, the trailer wasn’t attached correctly and the minute they hit the curvy roads the trailer was lost. We are like that we connect through salvation, but if we don’t add the additional safety precautions we could get disconnected. We need to also add the safety chains of Prayer, the Word and the local church that help us grow and mature. When these begin to happen we realize we are part of Christ’s body and that we have abilities and gifts that the people around us need.
Romans 12:4-6 (NLT)
4 Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, 5 so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.

Then lastly you attach the power cable that provides you with the power and wisdom to affect those around you. As you work in unity with Christ your example begins to give direction to those that are lost around you. As it has been said you may be the only Jesus some people ever see! What signals are you giving off? Is your example one that is worth following? If your not sure spend some time in prayer today and ask God to help you be a better example that you might lead your neighbor to Christ!

Luke 19:10 “The Son of Man came to seek and save the lost” Our prayer focus today is for people to find salvation like never before in 2012. That record numbers would be saved and connected to the body of Christ at Antioch.

Prayer Focus: Being Thankful

Welcome to day 18!  We are almost there and you are doing great!  Don’t worry if you’ve slipped up here and there.  You’re human!!  Let’s just finish strong.  Today’s focused prayer is on having a spirit of praise or thankfulness.  1 Thessalonians 5:18 says “Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”  Give thanks in ALL circumstances.  Hmmm…that means in everything, no matter what, there is always something you can give thanks for.  We have taught this verse in the kids department, but I feel like us adults need to be reminded that life isn’t always easy and sometimes it’s no fun at all, but the Bible says to ALWAYS be thankful.  So, today find something to be thankful about and think on those things.

Day 17

Prayer Focus: The Rising

Matthew 5:1-2 When Jesus saw his ministry drawing huge crowds, he climbed a hillside. Those who were apprenticed to him, the committed,climbed with him. Arriving at a quiet place, he sat down and taught his climbing companions.

What Does God Want From His People In 2012

Day 16

Prayer Focus: Financial Peace

I am a doer.  I like to produce.  I want the stuff I do to matter.  I want it to bring glory to God.  And according to John 15:8, producing, or bearing, much fruit does just that – brings great glory to God.  It is a life goal.

That is one of the reasons I refer regularly to 2 Peter 1:3-8.  It says:

³ His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. ⁴ Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

⁵ For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; ⁶ and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; ⁷ and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. ⁸ For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

This verse tells me that He has given me everything I need for a godly life,. and then it provides a nearly mathematical equation for being productive and effective.

Find yourself in this verse.  Where are you today?  What is the next step you need to take, or add in your life?  And it is a continuing equation.  The journey is the destination.

This is Day 16 in the fast, so perhaps you have been grouchy and need to add some goodness.  Maybe it’s the perseverance to finish strong that you lack.  Or how about this one: if you insert your name for the word, “love” in 1 Corinthians 13, does it describe you?  I have a long ways to go on that one.

Our prayer focus today is Financial Peace University.

I love FPU because doing the stuff it teaches works – it produces much fruit, and I believe that brings great glory to God.  I hope you have joined us on this 13-week journey that will literally change your life!  If you haven’t, get in and get started.  It’s not too late.

Pray for this effort in our church and our 2012 theme of Financial Peace to bear much fruit and bring glory to God.  Pray for those of us going through Financial Peace University.  Pray that we would possess each of the 1 Peter 1:3-8 qualities in increasing measure.  I can tell you that to win with money and to win in life; to grow and produce fruit in your relationship with God; to bring glory to Him; it takes each of these qualities and in increasing measure.

Day  15

We only have 6 days left!!  I hope you are hanging in there with us.  Don’t give up now! Has someone ever said to you “You worry to  much”?

Do you know that worry does not come from God it comes from Satan and it is often referred to as stress. Proverbs 12 tells us “worrying weighs a person down”

Actually worrying is a SIN.  God commands us not to do it. Matt 6:31 tells us “Therefore do not worry”.   Like a road sign that says Do Not Enter.  It is letting us know it is not an area where we belong.

So, what do we do with our concerns, where do we go with them?I Peter 5 tells us to “Give ALL your cares to God for He cares for you.”All means All….No Exceptions! God is not going to take our cares, we have to give them to Him. It is an act of faith. Then we replace our worry with the Word of GodFinancial worries….”My God shall supply all your needs according to his riches in glory. “

Healing worries….”By His stripes I am healed” We are to “cast down every thought and imagination that comes against the knowledge of Christ.”

So when worry wants to consume us we take authority over it with the Word of God. Phil 4:6  “Don’t worry about anything instead pray about everything.  Tell God what you need and thank Him for all He has done.” Encourage you as you have spent these last 2 weeks praying and asking for your needs,  Go to the finish line with thanksgiving in your heart for He has done and all He has promised to do.

Psalm 33:11 - The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the thoughts of His heart through all generations. 

2012 – Antioch Church prayer & fasting ”The Power Of Us All” Day 13

Prayer Focus: Antioch Church Staff

Ephesians 4: 11-16 NIV
So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. 14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

We are all a part of the Body of Christ and today our prayer focus is the Antioch Staff. The Antioch Staff has a desire to see the Antioch Church Body to have Breakthrough and to walk intimately with Christ. We are believing for a greater anointing for the Antioch Staff, and to be refreshed in Spirit. We are believing for spiritual downloads, and that the Holy Spirit would move even stronger. We are believing for wisdom and discernment as the staff leads others and makes decisions for the Antioch Church Body. We believe that the path would be clear, steps would be ordered, and doors would be open! That this would be a year of Breakthrough for the Antioch Church Body.

So as we agree together, I pray that the Holy Spirit speaks to you and downloads into your spirit. I encourage you to keep on pressing in, and quieting yourself to hear His voice, and see the doors he is opening for you today!

2012 – Antioch Church prayer & fasting ”The Power Of Us All” Day 12

Prayer Focus: Marriages

Our focus today is marriage. What a high priority focus this is. I believe if satan can get his foot in the door even just a little, to begin to seperate marriages, he thinks he has won a great victory. Lets take  a stand and cover our maeriages in the power of prayer.
We have to take time and examine ourselves and ask ourselves the question. Are we running side by side with our spouse, going through this journey together? Are we being the encouragement to them through our words, our actions and even our attitudes? Wives are we submitting to our husbands? Honoring and respecting them? Enhancing them as the man of God they are called to be? Husbands are you treating your wives with a gentleness and a love so deap just as Christ loved the church? Dont allow the enemy to seperate what God has joined together. Gaurd your heart from business,pride,hurt or unforgiveness. It says in Gods word two are better than one! Wow! Let us walk in that gift that God has given us!
If you are not married then ask God to help you be that friend that encourager to the relationships God has placed in your life at this time. Trust in Him as you walk in a purity and a joy as the woman or man of God!
One last challenge to you….bring FUN back into your marriage! Laugh a little, hug a little, and KISS a lot:) Have FUN!

2012 – Antioch Church prayer & fasting ”The Power Of Us All” Day 11

Prayer Focus: Faith & Passion

Today we’re going to take a look at an event found at the end of Mark 10. As Jesus is leaving the city of Jericho, something amazing happens. If you are thinking I’m referring to the miracle when Jesus healed blind Bartimaeus, you are right, kind of. There’s a different piece of this story that jumped off the pages and landed in my heart. It’s right there in verse 48 as Bartimaeus was crying out for Jesus to turn to his attention towards him. Phrased so well in the Message Bible, verse 48-49 say it like this: Many tried to hush him up, but he (Bartimaeus) yelled all the louder, “Son of David! Mercy, have mercy on me!” Jesus stopped in his tracks. (and said) “Call him over.”

It was the passionate, desperate, faith-filled cries of Bartimaeus that ultimately stopped Jesus in His tracks! I am very challenged by this. Are my cries for the things I need passionate, faith-filled enough to stop Jesus in His tracks? Am I relying fully on His sufficiency to meet my every need? Or am I living a life that can be maintained by my own strength and abilities.

Once Bartimaeus made it over to Jesus the situation became even more dynamic. Jesus said “What is it exactly that you want me to do for you?” This is where my faith truly expanded. Bartimaeus of course answered “I WANT TO SEE AGAIN!” The reply of Jesus in verse 52 “Your faith has saved and healed you.” In that very instant he recovered his sight and followed Jesus down the road.” (MSG) Bartimaeus received his miracle when his request became specific after he had gotten the attention of Jesus.

I’m asking myself some questions. Is my faith loud enough to get God’s attention? Are my prayers specific enough to really be able to tell when God answers them?

Today our prayer focus is going to be something that will hopefully change the your approach to life. It’s for expanded faith and increased passion in our pursuit of all that God has for us. Take a moment today and choose to passionately pray some specific prayers with specific requests. When our faith-backed prayers become specific then the work of God becomes that much more dynamic all around us!

2012 – Antioch Church prayer & fasting ”The Power Of Us All” Day 10

Prayer Focus: Endurance

Karla Blake

We are at the middle of the prayer & fasting… some may be great … some may be counting the days to the end.

Today our focus is endurance no only for the fast but in our walk with God.

Hebrews 12: 1- 3 – NLT

1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. 2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.t Because of the joyt awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. 3 Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people;t then you won’t become weary and give up.

quote: ”count the cost for he tells us to but when adding up the total sit at the foot of the cross”  – A chance to die – Amy Carmichael.

For any thing we endure will never compare to all christ did for us.

2012 – Antioch Church prayer & fasting ”The Power Of Us All” Day 9

Prayer Focus: City/Community

Let’s not get distracted by logistics.

2012 – Antioch Church prayer & fasting ”The Power Of Us All” Day 8

Prayer Focus: Missionaries

2012 – Antioch Church prayer & fasting”The Power Of Us All” Day 7

Prayer Focus: Antioch Church family

2012 – Antioch Church prayer & fasting”The Power Of Us All” Day 6

Prayer Focus: Life Groups

Well this is Day 6 of the Fast. Okay, I’ll admit it …I’ll say it……Fasting is HARD.  Fasting is not pleasant and 21 days can be a long time. My weakest points are food and time to pray.  I noticed that the more I focused on my weak points the harder the fast became. I would concern my self with the latest Daniel fast soup recipe or spend a lot of time reading the food labels.

I was concerned that I wasn’t spending enough of my time in prayer. I would beat myself up when I turned my alarm off and didn’t get out of bed as early as I intended. This morning in my prayer the Lord told me it was time to STOP and regroup.

Time to sit at His feet and be still. Time to remember His love and mercy towards me. Time to worship Him. Time to draw near and He promised to draw near to me.  I can relate to Martha, Mary’s sister.  In Luke 10:38-42 there is a time when Jesus and his disciples stopped at their home.  While Jesus was teaching Martha busied herself preparing food for everyone.  She got a little put out by her sister Mary just sitting in there at Jesus feet when she could use her help in the kitchen.  She was so put out that she interrupted Jesus and asked him to send Mary into to help her.  But Jesus replied “Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details!  There is only ONE THING worth being concerned about.  Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.”

It is time to stop for that ONE THING.   It is time to sit at the feet of Jesus.

Prayer Focus: 213 Kidz

The Scripture for 213Kidz is Philippians 2:13; For God is working in you giving you the desire to obey him and the power to do what pleases him. God is at work in the lives and hearts of the children here at Antioch Church. Each child that walks through our doors, each week, has been created with a great unique purpose. It is so important that as a church we surround them and lift them up in prayer. They are the not only the future of the church, but the present. And we need to speak the hand of the Lord move in their lives in a way that they experience him intimately.

If you are a parent, Deuteronomy chapter 6 instructs you how to train up your child. You are instructed to talk about the things of the Lord at all times and to impress the things of the Lord upon their hearts. Children spend thousands of hours with their parents each year, compared to the few they will spend at church. We need to be diligent to do what is required of us with the precious gifts God has given us. It is time to speak His promises over our children with faith. Proverbs 18:21 says “The tongue can bring death or life;…” Speak life over your children. Pray for them over every area of their life, present and future. And teach them how to pray and speak life.

The theme of this fast is “The Power of Us All”, so lets agree together for the children of 213Kidz. As these children face so many indescribable challenges in their small worlds, lets agree together for protection over their hearts, minds, and bodies. Let’s agree together for wisdom and discernment as they make decisions every day. Let’s agree that they will move in their “child-like” faith, and see God perform miracles in their lives, and they would have unlimited expectations of God’s power. Let’s agree for an amazing anointing over all those who serve in 213Kidz and invest into the lives of these kids, and that God would work through them. Let’s agree that these children will continue to grow in the intimate knowledge of Christ, empowered to take that message of love into a hurting world.

2012 – Antioch Church prayer & fasting ”The Power Of Us All” Day 4

Prayer Focus: Lost Family/Friends

2 Peter 1:3 (MSG) Everything that goes into a life of pleasing God has been miraculously given to us by getting to know, personally and intimately, the One who invited us to God – Jesus Christ.

Did you catch that? Everything that we need to live life we already have. When we came into relationship with Jesus at that moment HE gave us everything we need to make it.

For some reason so often I see other people making it but I seemed to be struggling to barely hold on. I think, “If I have everything I need to make already how come I fall short in so many areas.

We find the answer at the end of this passage. The key is not just knowing about Jesus and what He can do. It’s not just knowing of Jesus, but it is about getting to know Him personally and intimately.

The Israelites were in a situation like many of us. For 400 years they had been in Egypt. Their experience with the Lord was through the stories that their ancestors had passed down for years. Does that sound familiar. When they finally escaped, they were chased to a dead end – THE RED SEA. At this moment they had to trust completely the God they had only heard about. At this moment, their relationship had to go from not just knowing about God or knowing of God, but had to move to knowing Him personally. Experiencing Him for themselves. When this happened everything changed for them. They were able to walk through the middle of their crisis, and one step closer to the promise land.

Today, maybe you are at a place where you are facing an impossible situation and you are being pressed on every side. The simple answer to these situations is to pursue God. Pursue Him with your thoughts, pursue Him with your words, pursue Him with your actions. I have found that when I focus on getting to know Him personally and intimately that is when everything changes.

Today the prayer focus students and schools. Let’s believe together today that God will AWAKEN student to who He is, the hope that they have in Him, and the incredibly great power that lives inside of them.

2012 – Antioch Church prayer & fasting ”The Power Of Us All” Day 3

Prayer Focus: Lost Family/Friends

Today is now the 3rd day of our 21 day journey of prayer and fasting. By now you may be starting to feel some hunger pains or cravings for the things you are fasting. I want to encourage you with a couple scriptures today that will spark some energy in your heart and mind to help you along this journey.

Matthew 7:13-14 says, “Don’t look for shortcuts to God. The market is flooded with surefire, easy going formulas for a successful life that can be practiced in your spare time. Don’t fall for that stuff, even though crowds of people do. The way to life-to God!-is vigorous and requires total attention.”

Philippians 3:14 “I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.”

There is a life and prize that God has for us. To reach the fullness of life that God wants to give you and to make it to the end of the race we are running, it will take you total attention and much effort! Don’t give up! Keep on pressing! The life and prize is worth it!

2012 – Antioch Church prayer & fasting ”The Power Of Us All” Day 2

Prayer Focus: Family

Psalms 91 NKJV

This is such a powerful scripture.  I challenge you to take some time today and line by line pray this over yourself and your family.

Personalize it by adding your name or “me” in the appropriate places.  As you live your life in God’s presence He will cover you.

2012 – Antioch Church prayer & fasting ”The Power Of Us All” Day 1

Prayer Focus: Focus – ask God to focus on what God will impart into you

It’s time for our 21 day prayer & fasting…this all started 7 years ago with just a few people and now it has become apart of our whole church.

Want to encourage you to check this out every day and to pass it along to others
I would like to share a scripture with you from 1Timothy 2:2 where God is talking about godliness and holiness. That is what a time of prayer & fasting is all about
it’s about setting time apart for a season from this world..from distractions..our daily routine.

”Live peaceable and quiet life’s in all godliness and holiness” 1Tim 2:2

Want to encourage you to find a time to quiet your soul..to get away and quiet your soul away.. and just sit with God and listen to what he has to say to you this new year.. This is a beginning of new doors and opportunities that will open..if we stop and listen to him.

The only way to truly listen to him is if we get quiet and we are at peace in his word..

Baptism Message

Saturday 5:00pm – Baptisms

Sunday 9:00am - Baptisms

Sunday 11:00am - Baptisms

I believe the Church needs to step up to be the social institution for families in todays world.  There is not many social systems effecting our families in a positive way like there used to be.  There is no better system for this than the church.  This weekend we will start a 2-week series entitled “Modern Family” which will address important questions and issues, but none more important than: What would God’s “Modern Family” look like…given the situation you are in (married, single, divorced), what would His “Modern Family” look like?  Join us this weekend!

Saturday Night Audio

5:00pm

Sunday Morning Audio

9:00am

11:00am

Download Your Personal Report Card

Speaker: Karla Blake
Title: Overcoming

Overcomers

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Speaker: Bill Kirkpatrick
Title: The Power of Praise

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Speaker: Pastor Bill Kirkpatrick

Speaker: Pastor Kerry Murphy
Title: Expect a Miracle

Speaker: Pastor Kerry Murphy
Title: Don’t Forget

Speaker: Pastor Ryan Slavens
Title: How to Have Effect Prayer

What is Twitter?

Twitter is a social networking and microblogging service that allows you to answer the question, “What are you doing?” by sending short text messages 140 characters in length, called “tweets”, to your friends, or “followers.”

Classes will begin on Sunday, June 14 at 10:00am. If you would like to sign up please call the church office at 913.432.4300 or email kblake@antiochchurch.com. There is material that needs to be prepared for each attendee so please let us know if you plan on attending Apex. If you have already completed any part(s) of our Membership 101, Ministry 201, or Maturity 301 classes, there is a perfect place for you in Apex.

Envision Moments are brief recaps of the 3 week series ‘Envision: Connect. Grow. Serve.‘. If you missed any part of that series [click here] to hear those messages.

Speaker: Karla Blake
Message Title: Grow.

Speaker: Pastor Ryan Slavens, Pastor Dennis Slavens, Pastor Bill Kirkpatrick
Message Title: Grow.

Speaker: Pastor Dennis Slavens
Message Title: Connect.

Speaker: Pastor Dennis Slavens
Message Title: I Will Rise.

Speaker: Dr. Dave Maritn
Title: Weathering the Storms In Life

About Dr. Dave Martin

Dr. Dave Martin has embraced his assignment to teach others how to make “The Rest Of Their Life Be The Best Of Their Life” by teaching principles from the greatest success book ever written, the Bible. His humor makes God’s Word accessible, and keeps us smiling as we learn to apply it to our daily lives.

He is an author of several best selling books, an internationally recognized inspirational speaker, a television host, and now the Senior Pastor of Ultimate Life Church.

To learn more about Dr. Martin or to purchase more of his teachings visit davemartin.org ]]> http://www.antiochchurch.com/media/all/special-guest-dr-dave-martin/feed 0 http://www.antiochchurch.com/media/all/shift-recognize-respond-retain-week-3 http://www.antiochchurch.com/media/all/shift-recognize-respond-retain-week-3#comments Sun, 29 Mar 2009 21:16:46 +0000 acmedia http://www.antiochchurch.com/media/?p=167

Speaker: Pastor Dennis Slavens
Title: How to Finish Strong and have Lasting Change.

• How to create a supernatural financial breakthrough!
• How to “attack your lack” with biblical principles.
• How to create a shift in stewardship, turning debt into dividends.

When you practice Kingdom Principles,You will come under Kingdom Favor and reverse the curse upon your finances. You will go from never enough to more than enough, because it is God’s will for your life!

Speaker: Pastor Dennis Slavens
Message Title: How to Keep an Appointment with God – Part 1