August (12 Days of CHOSEN)

The month of August was remarkably busy for The Chosen Church! From 3 new partners classes, Man Cave with the Men of Chosen, Wednesday night bible studies to Sunday worship service, its easy to see how impactfully busy we were.
 
The month started out with Pastor C’s sermon, “It Had To Happen!” Pastor C took us through Joseph’s journey; how he was betrayed by his brother, sold into slavery and how IT HAD to HAPPEN.  
 
Look at how that betrayal IMPACTED Joseph’s life! From the pit, to the palace, to prison to the prison….Yep! The betrayal HAD to happen!!
 
We learned that Joseph understood that the betrayal would happen AND he understood his GOD given assignment!! Can you imagine loving someone who hates you, forgiving them, blessing them, and loving them regardless of how they wronged you?
 
Some things HAD to happen in Joseph life, likewise things had to happen in ours too! Family, friends, co-workers may come against us BUT we too must understand our assignment and act upon it!!  Don’t take it personal BECAUSE it HAD to happen!
 
Some things HAD to HAPPEN continues to be the subject in this sermon……which brings me to Pastor C’s question: “Why did this happen? Why me? BECAUSE IT HAD to HAPPEN.
 
Pastor C pointed out:

* God made us generational curse breakers JUST like JOSEPH.
* Joseph showed his brother mercy and forgiveness. We should do the same for others.
* Joseph was born into dysfunction but did not make an excuse to stay there….IT HAD to HAPPEN!
* Reminder: The POWER of GOD trumps any generational curse.
* God will use who HE wants to use REGARDLESS of their circumstance.
* Everyone who hates is like a murderer. Get the hate out your heart. Get resentment out of your heart. Heart ✅
* Be healed. Be delivered. Be set free…..BECAUSE it HAD to happen!
 
One of the key points Pastor C used that stuck with me was the statement, “Joseph was born into dysfunction, he did not choose dysfunction.”
 
We, as servants of God need to make sure our heart posture is right and guard our hearts. Pastor’s message was clear when he said, “The enemy will use our weakness against us!”
 
We learned not to focus on the what and miss the why…….YEP! Don’t miss the message looking at the messenger!!
 
Joseph was forced BUT favored in prison. It HAD to happen! The pit or prison did not stop God’s decision to FAVOR Joseph!!! Favor is Fair y’all!! It HAD to happen.
 
Reminder: Your pit is preparation for your assignment! Don’t miss it, trying to focus on them and not Him (God)!
 
What you are going through, if you STAY the course, you will overcome BUT it HAD to happen! Let’s make a commitment to stop looking at the pain as punishment and look at GOD because HE is preparing us!!
 
Speaking on, “It had to happen,” The next message flowed right into a POWERFUL message from Pastor Asia! Her message entitled, “What’s attached to your yes? Had to happen!!
 
Pastor Asia used James 4:1-10 to lay the foundation for her message. The start of the message went straight like this…..Quit dabbling in sin, purify your inner life and quit playing the field!
 
Pastor Asia mentioned many like to sin part-time or what she called, straddle the fence. Oh, and some like to be in an entanglement. Yep! Jada Pinkett was in an entanglement BUT some of us are too. Say ouch or say amen!!! The Bible calls such, a yoke of bondage (Gal 5:1). Some of us would rather be in an entanglement rather than being free!!
 
We DO NOT have to stay entangled because Jesus came to redeem us and set us FREE! An entanglement is NOT abundant living. BE untangled and BE FREE!! Some like to blame the devil and give him too much credit. However, it is sometimes the inner me (the sin in me).
 
From the pulpit to the pews, Pastor Asia expressed that we spend a lot of time working on the outside of our house (temple) but what does the inside (temple) look like 👀?
 
One thing I would love to highlight from the message is the sins of omission vs the sins of commission. Sins of omission is when you know to do good and don’t. Sins of commission are acts of outright disobedience. However, they both are SIN! Delayed obedience is still DISOBEDIENCE!!
 
These are a few questions from the text that will help us evaluate whether we need to put our flesh under subjection so God can HAVE our YES! (1 Corinthians 9).
 
* What are you choosing to omit?
* Is your life too busy for God?
* Are you living a double life?
* If God told you to Go…will you GO?
* Is fear present (holding you back)?
* Are you stable minded? James 1:8 (Double minded man is unstable in all his ways).
* Are you saved by day but devilish by night?
* Will you WILL your WILL to GOD’S WILL?
* Will you give GOD your YES?
 
Don’t let the enemy fool you into believing that you are not qualified to say YES. Who GOD calls; HE qualifies! Some may need to cast out fear….when fear is present, perfect love is missing. We may not know who’s on the other side of our YES BUT we know that FEAR lives on the opposite side of our YES. When we have God in our heart, it’s easier to gift GOD our yes!
 
If fear is holding us back, we need to get with the program because The Chosen Church has claimed FAITH over FEAR kind of year for 2024!
 
Final thought provoking from Pastor Asia simply put: Will YOU give God YOUR yes?
Last but not least…..Pastor C ended the last sermon of August with the beginning of the , “Heart Check” series. The title of the message was, “Why Wasn’t It Me?
 
Self-examination was key at the start of this message. Asking God to search our hearts according to Scripture (Psalm 139:23).
 
Pastor C informed us that what’s inside our hearts will come out. To give God our YES, we must FULLY give our hearts to HIM. He reminded us to complete a HEART CHECK on our hearts because the enemy will use all kinds of weapons to attack our hearts.
 
We were reminded that GOD’S word tells us to guard our hearts because, our heart is the inner nature of who we are before GOD! Again, we were encouraged to examine our hearts!
 
Questions to ponder:
* Do you have blockage in your heart?  
* What would you rate your heart?
* What do you do to nurture your heart?
* If God were to examine your heart, what would he find?
* Do you obey people’s words over Gods?
* What does God say when He sees you (Your heart). We reflect what’s inside our hearts.
* If your heart causing you to miss out on what God has for you?
* What did you miss out on because of your heart posture?
* Can you serve without a title?
* Are you the one God can use?
 
!!!!!!EXAMINE YOUR HEART!!!!!!
 
Obedience can cost you everything! David was set apart and chosen because of his obedience. Can GOD trust you with the oil (anointing)? Would the oil flow on your life? Heart check!!! David was not a perfect man; David was an obedient man! Self-examination!!!!
 
Pastor C explained that our past doesn’t disqualify us BUT our heart can disqualify us from being used by God. Our fruit shows what’s inside of us. Don’t let the opinions of other’s cause us heartache. We should allow our heart to stay postured in the Lord.
 
Attention……If you don’t check your heart, that evil will lead your heart.  There is too much at stake to be living any kinda way. Our heart shows our true colors. Heart Check!!!
 
Who GOD anoints; HE qualifies!!!
 
Final thoughts from Pastor C’s message. God wants us in the right heart posture.

GOD…..Create in us clean hearts and a right spirit  so we can walk into what God has for us!!! Heart Check!!!
 
Come on Chosen!! Let’s serve GOD and advance HIS Kingdom with clean hearts and renewed mindsets. We are Chosen!!!

✨Jennifer Dewberry✨