First Principles 2013

phxicc.org | facebook.com/phxicc | usd21.orgSUNDAY WORSHIP SERVICEWELCOME

CommunionContribution

Let Us Start Rebuilding

2 Cor 8:10-12We were trying to raise $81,660 amongst us. We did not quite get there. We raised $45,342, or 55%. Thats a deficit of about 36,300. See what we can do, our part, to send these mission teams out.Toronto May 25th (Kernans), Moscow in June (Sirotkins), McKeans to Chennai (Planting church officially with Raja and Debs Rajan)DFW at GLC (Tyler and Shae Sears), Houston (Eckels), Gainesville (Mike and Chanelle Patterson).Support transitions in Mexico city (MgGees there from Santiago, Gonzalez Jr.s back to LA), sending the Dimitrys to SF and the Gonzalez Sr.s to Vegas.Extending our missions until June 1st.We have already made some great plans! Yard sales this week-end (5/17), Congregational Tagging on Saturday 5/24 (9-1pm), Congregational Car Wash on Saturday 5/31, and a Special Missions Celebration on June 1st. going. A congo carwash. Another congregational tagging.Guys, let's try to do our Part...finish our section of the wall.Giving special missions does not save your soul.Its not required for salvation. It must be asked though, if you are a disciple and yet are not fired up to give to special missions, to make it happen, what is going on in your heart?This is not addressed to those who are visiting with us today, who are studying the bible.Im talking about if you are a disciple of Jesus, you love your God and his calling, his purpose for your life, you really should be excited about the opportunity to give to our God and support the evangelization of the nations in this generation.

(1) Test Sincerity With Earnestness2 Cor 8:10-12 & 2 Cor 8:8-9I am not commanding you. But consider the earnestness of others.I was both inspired and convicted by the earnestness of others in the Good News Email! (Its easy to sign upjust go to phxicc.org & click Good News Email on the top right)

Capil Marhatta from the South Region Greetings from the Sensational South! The South Region seems a bit like Long Beach Airport at times with continuous "arrivals and departures" for mission teams Paris (2012), Las Vegas (2013), and the Wademans, Daniela Juarez and Michelle Miranda to Toronto! (May 25, 2014) Swirling around as well are disciples returning from the mission field such as Anthony & Cassidy, and Russian-speaking disciples moving from former Soviet Union Nations to train with Oleg & Aliona Sirotkin for the Moscow Mission Team which leaves in December 2014!

Yesterday, we made over $1,000 in tagging and today Lance challenged everyone in the congregation to sell "something" just like in Acts 4:32-37 where from"time to time"the disciples sold their possessions and laid them at the apostles feet! We are praying for a "Son/Daughter of Encouragement" to step up so we can blow out our 20X Special Missions Goal!

Kierra, Elizabeth and Helena joyfully tag to blow out the South Region's Missions Contribution Goal!Chris Adams from the Orange country RegionGood News from the Orange County Singles!God is also blessing us with Missions Miracles! Abby Chien shared today that a couple of years ago, she had asked a man who wasn't open to studying the Bible if he would give to Missions He gave $20 the first time then $200 and then $300 as each time she asked for more, God moved his heart to give that amount! Then she changed jobs and lost contact with him; however,HEfoundHERat her new job and asked her if she needed any help this year for Missions Contribution! She had a quick "Nehemiah prayer" and responded with even more faith and asked him for $500 and he promptly wrote the check out for that very amount!

Our OC Missions' secret weapon is the family team of Lenny and her daughter Lizbeth, who was born with Spina bifida. They tagged together for less than two hours and raised almost $100 on the streets of Santa Ana! As well, this past Saturday night into Sunday, Daniel Granger ran a "Ninja Night" at his Martial Arts Dojo for $60 per kid and gave up sleep for 24 hours He had over 30 kids show up and all profits will be donated to missions!

Lastly, my wife & I are going after pledges for my participation in our upcoming OC Region 50 Mile Bike-a-thon that Wayne Willoughby and John Astwood have masterminded!The first 10 people that I have asked to sponsor me have all said "yes" and pledged between $30 (thanks, Mom!) and $250 (gifted by a generous remnant disciple who I've known for 20 years)! By God's grace, I will not only go over the $1,000 mark this week, but also hit $2,000 by May 17th!

God grants Abby a missions victory in raising $500 from someone that soughther to give to missions!Victor Gonzalez Sr. from East Region Three miracles that attest to the disciples' convictions here: The first miracle is that in the past three weeks we saw God add three to our number through baptism! First was Gilbert who gave up his job at a medical marijuana dispensary to become a disciple! The second baptism was Mauricio. Initially the brothers planned to go support our Celtics Basketball Team in the playoffs, but the game "just happened" to be postponed! So the brothers went and shared their faith instead. They met Mauricio, who came to church the next day, and was baptized a week later!

The third one to be baptized was Jose DeLeon, or JD as we call him! He moved all the way from Boston to play quarterback for the Mt. SAC Football Team! But when he heard about the Kingdom of God, he decided to put his football career on hold so that he could focus on becoming a disciple, and JD was baptized last week as well!

The second miracle, is that after much fundraising, including tagging everydayMonday through Saturday forthree weeks straight, we were able to blow out our Special Missions Goal one month early!The third miracle that brings us great joy, as we have the privilege of sending three more disciples down to Mexico City to help with the church there! Sara Oros and Josue Soriano are returning to Mexico City after being a part of the original mission team. And now one of our ICCM students, Dulce Jimenez will join them! We have full confidence in them and know that they will do an excellent job there!

The Spirit is sending Josue, Dulce and Sara tostrengthen the Mexico City Church!As a college quarterback, leadership is JD's God given talent! Now he'll use this talent to "tackle" becoming a leader in the Kingdom!Richie McDonnell from Santa Barbra!"Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good; sing praise to His name, for that is pleasant."(Psalm 135:3) Greetings from beautiful Santa Barbara! God has been very good to the Santa Barbara Church just planted with 11 disciples in January and we are especially grateful to Him! In the last five weeks, God has added eight to our number five through place membership and three through baptism!

Last week was incredible as Gabrielle Murillo and Chris Baty from the great San Diego Church placed membership; Dashawn Kelly a campus student at SBCC was baptized into Christ; and we successfully collected a 19X Special Missions Contribution, overshooting our 15X Goal by collecting almost $12,000!

Dashawn declared himself "all-in after his very first study!Mike Patterson of Gainesville"After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom of God. The Twelve were with Him, and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases These women were helping to support them out of their own means."(Luke 8:1-3) Today was a celebration as we collected our Special Missions Contribution! Jesus called His Twelve to leave everything and train for the ministry full-time. The people impacted by their ministry gave out of their own means in order to help the Twelve train full-time in the ministry with Jesus!Through prayer and counsel, we decided to use our first Special Missions of 10X to put on a full-time campus intern at theUniversity of Florida. It is a sacrifice for us personally and the church but we believe as Jesus, the best way to train is full-time! Our goal was $10,000 and our amazing God gave us $13,398 and there is more coming in!

Mike & Chenelle Patterson

Marcel & Mike are best of friends & partners in the gospel!Carlos Mejia of SantiagoI am excited and grateful to announce the birth of the Bogot ICC Remnant Group!One of the highlights of the2014Central and South America Missions Conferencewas the announcement of the Bogota, Colombia Church Planting scheduled for February, 2015! As God is always at work, a remnant group has come out of this great city of eight million, where there was once a church in our former fellowship of 1,900 disciples! As the church became lukewarm, fractured and splintered from returning to Mainline theology, today there are only 400 "members" left.

Lucy & I had the privilege to visit and work with Hector & Adriana Gomez, the former ICOC Lead Evangelist and Women's Ministry Leader, who built this once glorious church from 800 to 1,865! During their years of service, they sent out two other mission teams to key cities in Colombia Medellin and Cali! These two awesome disciples joined by five other amazing disciples are fired up to join God's new SoldOut Movement and build a base for us as we prepare to send the mission team next year! At the first service of the Bogot International Christian Church, the Lord blessed us with 45 in attendance!

Carlos & Lucy after praying over Bogat -a city of eight million lost souls!

The Bogat International Christian Church!(2) One In Heart and MindActs 4:32-37One in heart and mind. Missions is all about that. Connecting to other disciples all over. Check out the missions board the sisters made this week-end.From time to timejust like them, now is one of those times!Trust, putting it at their feet.One in heart and mindThis week-end, Saturday Garage Sales (talk to Tommy, Scott, Robb, or Jeremy).Next week-end, Saturday the 24th, Congregational Tagging from 9-1p. (Robb/Rico)Saturday the 31st, Congregational Car Wash (Chris S./Josiah)Sunday June 1st, Special Missions Celebration.

(3) Fast and PrayNehemiah 1:1-52 Hanani, one of my brothers, came from Judah with some other men, and I questioned them about the Jewish remnant that survived the exile, and also about Jerusalem. 3 They said to me, "Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire." 4 When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven.

(4) Take And Honest and Detailed LookNeh 2:11-1811 I went to Jerusalem, and after staying there three days 12 I set out during the night with a few men. I had not told anyone what my God had put in my heart to do for Jerusalem. There were no mounts with me except the one I was riding on. 13 By night I went out through the Valley Gate toward the Jackal Well and the Dung Gate, examining the walls of Jerusalem, which had been broken down, and its gates, which had been destroyed by fire. 17 Then I said to them, "You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace." 18 I also told them about the gracious hand of my God upon me and what the king had said to me. They replied, "Let us start rebuilding." So they began this good work.

(5) Lets All Get To Work!Neh 3:1-2 & Neh 3:14Our perception the Dung gate. Maybe that is how you view your ministry?! We are rebuilding conviction, faith, the dream. 1 Tim 3:14-16Maybe thats your perception perceive this then, the church is the pillar and foundation of the truth. The Dung gate was part of the sacred wall of the Holy City of God. Every brick meant something. Today, this is the very holy temple of the living God. We are a part of it, every single part of it is sacred, and part of Gods plan to destroy the darkness in our generation rescuing souls from it!

AnnouncementsTHIS WEEKWednesday 7:30PM Womens MidweekUPCOMING EVENTSSaturday May 17th Missions Garage Sales (by house church)Saturday May 24th 9a-1p Congregational TaggingSunday May 25th House Church ServicesSaturday May 31st Congregational car wash.June 1st Special Missions Celebration Sunday.

Fellowship BreakWhy Be Loyal?Introduction (Ruth 1)Looking at an amazing relationship between a mother and her daughter.

Ruth 1:11-18

(1) Love God Deeply, Love His People Deeply

(1) Love God Deeply, Love His People DeeplyRuth gave up her people, her family, what tied her to Moab.They were reduced to a life of begging, utter poverty.With God at the center, you can be deep, you can love deep. Does not matter what the flesh connection is, in-law or not. How deep do you love God? How deep do you love his people? Are you merciful? Are you critical? Do you fault-find or forgive? How loyal are you? It boils down to your love for God.

1 John 4:19-21 & 1 John 5:1-3Your love for God is based on your willingness to obey God.

(2) Openly Fear God, Hes Good to YouJeremiah 29:11-14aRight now, it does not seem like God has a great plan for them. But Ruth chose God. Love always trusts (1 Cor 13:4-7)1 Cor 13:4-7Ruth was patient with Gods plan. She was kind to Naomi. She did not envy her sister-in-law Orpah or the opportunities of that easier life in Moab. She was not proudbegged to stay with the only person who ever taught her about the God of gods. She was not self-seeking. She kept no perceived record of wrongs against God, because of her horrific circumstances.We oft do this when our circumstances dont play out the way we want. She trusted God, she rejoiced in the truth that is God (he was enough), she hoped in Him. (Did she persevere? Did God come through with a plan!?)

(3) Victoriously Take Shelter Under His WingsRuth 2:1-7Boaz is a man of standing hes older, and yet - why is he single? Hold that thought!Ruths humility is shown in how hard she works. The proud do not work hard. They dont take direction and follow-it to a T. They do enough to satisfy themselves, not to be Godly. One of the things I like about CR, learn hard work and obedience. These things CANNOT be present without humility.As it turned out really we know thats not the case, God has a plan and God sets up the times and places for everyone! (Acts 17:26)

Ruth 2:10-12What an amazing victory from God, that she would get noticed by this guy somewhere else should would have likely come to harm. Its still a humble state, still a tough situation, but God is making his plan more and more clear.

(4) Eagerly Take Advice and Be BlessedRuth 3:1-13She gets some specific direction from her mother-in-law. She dont know the customs, shes not sure what is going on here. Who knows how this is going to turn out!? But she takes the advice.She gets some specific direction from her Kinsman-redeemer Boaz. She takes it.Love always trusts? Trust God, much more trusting of his imperfect tools us people.

Ruth 4:9-12Boaz was humble as well. It did not matter that hed be providing offspring for Mahlon to maintain the name of the dead with his property. He had found the one.

Ruth 4:13-17She got to be a mother after all. And what an amazing grandson the great-grandfather of the man who would be known as a man after Gods own heart.

Remember how Boaz was older, a man of standing, and yet single!?

Matt 1:5-6Matt 1:5-65 Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab, Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth, Obed the father of Jesse, 6 and Jesse the father of King David.This is the very genealogy of Jesus Christ.Boazs mother was Rahab.

(5) Destiny Demands RepentanceJosh 2:1 & Josh 2:8-13Rahab feared God. She risked her life and betrayed her own people because of God. Sound familiar? She helped them escape and then covered for them.

Josh 6:25Rahab married Salmon. Rahab feared God and repented. She was not of Gods people in ancestry, in flesh, but in spirit, she was so repentant, so changed by her reverent fear of God, not only did she get grafted in to Gods peopleshe was the very ancestor of Jesus Christ, the savior. Talk about a Destiny that Demands Repentance being in the lineage of Jesus!In ClosingRahabs son Boaz was a half-breed. Boaz was half Canaanite. People did not like half-breeds. Boaz was the son of a reformed prostitute. People did not like prostitutes.Can you guess who Ruth reminded Boaz of? He saw his mothers heart in her. She was a foreigner, terrified, isolated, but loved God and loved her mother-in-law who taught her about God.Love God Deeply, Love His People DeeplyOpenly Fear God, Hes Good to YouVictoriously Taking Shelter Under His WingsEagerly Take Advice and Be BlessedDestiny Demands RepentanceWhy be loyal? Because you are so loved by God. Allow yourself to be loved and love. To God be the glory Amen!

phxicc.org | facebook.com/phxicc | usd21.orgThanks for visiting us! Ask about studying the bible, a bible talk in your area, and check out our website calendar (phxicc.org/services)Prayerfully, see you next week!RESPONSE