HV mo-MEN-tum

mo-MEN-tum Tuesday Nights Brothers We need to let you know that Pastor Randy has been released from his struggle and is now in the presence of the Lord. ... We pray that you are encouraged that we stood together as men of God and fought the good fight of faith. We choose to submit to the sovereignty of God even in the things we don’t understand and we choose to rejoice in the Lord, the Alpha and Omega, and declare that we trust Him in every circumstance. We are inviting the men of mo-MEN-tum to gather tonight at 7:00 pm in the MPR at Higher Vision Church main campus. If you are comfortable gathering, please come and be together with the brothers. If you cannot be there or you don’t feel comfortable, we will be sharing the gathering online. Join Zoom Meeting https://highervisionchurch.zoom.us/j/89650949215 Meeting ID: 896 5094 9215 Passcode: 668183 The purpose of our gathering will be strengthen each other and to worship and glorify our God. This is the day the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24 Your mo-MEN-tum Leaders Mason Brenner, Tony Hart, Gene Leduff, Edward Martinez, Earl Powell, Rod Shreckengost, and Dario Sarmiento

A Time of Crisis In 1998 I suffered a bleed (Cavernous Angioma) in my brain stem. Upon speaking with my Neurosurgeon, I was told that there was nothing they could do for me. Due to the location of the bleed an Invasive surgery, which is the normal procedure to clamp off the bleed, was not an option. So, I was sent home with the bleed still seeping slowly. This was the most difficult Time of Crisis I had ever faced. Let me first give you my insight into A Time of Crisis:... - Crisis does not make a man; it simply exposes him for what he already is. - Crisis reveals the cracks that need to be filled. - Crisis comes in the form of a problem or difficult circumstance. from Greek krisis, literally, decision, to decide -- 1 a: the turning point for better or worse b: a paroxysmal attack of pain, distress, or disordered function c: an emotionally significant event or radical change of status in a person's life 2: the decisive moment (as in a literary plot) 3 a: an unstable or crucial time or state of affairs in which a decisive change is impending; especially: one with the distinct possibility of a highly undesirable outcome In that moment I had a choice. I could either panic, which would be the average response or rest in the promises of God. I chose the latter. Two weeks later I received a call from UCLA Neurology asking me if I would like to take part in a trial procedure called Stereotactic Radiosurgery with, at that point, a life expectancy of 5 years. Without hesitation, I said Yes. That was 23 years ago. After the surgery, I had to endure 4 strokes over the next 5 years. I walked with a cane for the first year and wore a patch over one eye in order to see due to double vision. 2001 was the last time that I had any episodes relating to the bleed. The strength that I had to endure this Time of Crisis came solely from my faith in God. That is not to say that I did not have any fear or moments of desperation, but ultimately, I chose to believe God. The word tells us that we are all given the measure of faith (Romans 12:3). I believe that verse suggests that we all start out with the same amount of faith. It is our responsibility to build upon that faith. We are all facing A Time of Crisis right now with the COVID virus. Some of our loved ones have succumbed to the virus losing their lives, my mother-in-law for one. My eldest son currently has the virus, and we are all in quarantine, but I Believe God. Moses had to STAND STILL and WAIT for the Lord Job had to ENDURE The people of Jericho had to MARCH and PRAISE David Had to STAND and FIGHT Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego Had to ENDURE Jesus had to DIE. What attribute does each of these men have in common? How does that speak to you in your Time of Crisis? Edward Martinez mo-MEN-tum Leader Higher Vision Church Valencia, CA

Pause for a Moment A daily devotion that I just started began with this Pause for a moment and look outside. What do you see? What makes you smile? It went on with this observation - Whatever you just described, think about this: what you saw was always thereit was just waiting for you to pause and notice it. I thought of a sunrise a couple of weeks back (picture attached). I remembered the glow, the warmth coming. That made me smile. Truth is, that gorgeous sunrise ...Continue reading

Always with You Ever since I moved away, one of my daily activities is to go for an early morning walk. With all that has gone on in the world recently, I found myself asking God, Father, are you really there and still orchestrating things in this country and my life? With all I see, it is hard to see God in the midst of humanity. As I kept walking, I looked over my left shoulder in the southeast sky and noticed the last star of the night. The Lord spoke to me about the... fact that He is ever present and just like that star that disappears when the sun comes up, it and He are still there even when I cannot see Him physically. He told me, the sun represents two things. First of all, the reminder that every morning is a new day and there are new things He wants to show me and there are other things on this earth for me to discover. And second, although the star, representing His presence seems to disappear with the sunshine and tends to get drowned out by the chaos of the day, He is still and will always be there. Do I really, really realize or grasp that? Sometimes yes, sometimes no. But let me put it to you in a different way. In our life, there are things called background processes. What are they? They are the things happening around us and to us we pay no attention to, like our heart beating or the magnificent change of oxygen to carbon dioxide in our bodies. Do you realize the miracle that simple action is? Most of us do not even give it a second thought. In the same way, the Lord said it is finished, this all-encompassing act, once and for all forgiveness of sin, never leave you nor forsake you, the nothing could ever separate us from the love of Christ Presence, is always there, waiting, waiting, for us to reach out and acknowledge Him. So what does life for the born-again believer boil down to? Daily, my surrendering my life to and being in relationship with an almighty, ever present God. Before the Israelites crossed the Jordan River to enter the promise land, Moses reminds the entire nation, then Joshua: Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them (the world), for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Then Moses summoned Joshua and said to him in the presence of all Israel, Be strong and courageous, for you must go with this people into the land that the Lord swore to their ancestors to give them, and you must divide it among them as their inheritance. The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Deuteronomy 31:6-8 NIV Joshua was a man of incredible courage and knew the voice of the Lord, yet, even he, needed reminding the Lord was with him. Questions: Who in your life reminds you, The Lord will never leave you nor forsake you and what are some of the things we do to remind us Father God is always there? Gene LeDuff mo-MEN-tum Leader Higher Vision Church Valencia, CA

Overcoming Suffering I recently read an article written by Billy Graham, the famous spiritual leader with great insight into the human condition and our need for God. He wrote about the universal-ness of suffering and what he called personal armageddons. Suffering is not a popular topic for Christians, but we have all suffered in one way or another. It may not be a good conversation starter, but every person is or has been touched by it, and suffering is prominent in our th...Continue reading

What you set your mind on, you will ultimately manifest. Many believers love God with all their hearts but are unable to manifest an abundant life that Christ has made available! In John 10:10 (ESV) Jesus said, The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. A significant contributor may be not understanding the importance of mind renewal. Becoming Christlike and manifesting God’s Spirit requires transformation ...Continue reading

PUTTING ON THE NEW MAN Colossians 3:9-10 (9) for you have stripped off the old (unregenerate) self with its evil practices, (10) And have clothed yourselves with the new [spiritual self], which is [ever in the process of being] renewed and remolded into [fuller and more perfect knowledge upon] knowledge after the image (the likeness) of Him Who created it. We are definitely living in a challenging time. The pandemic along with all the things it brings with it, for some finan...Continue reading

In the book Reflections on the Existence of God by Richard Simmons, the following excerpt stood out. The quote is from a man who was one of the soldiers who liberated the prisoners at Dachau, one of the Nazi concentration camps. He was asked about the connection between that experience and becoming a pastor. ‘I do see the connection,’ he said. ‘Without being melodramatic, I sometimes wonder what might have happened if a skilled, sensitive person had befriended the young, im...pressionable Adolf Hitler as he wandered the streets of Vienna in his confused state. The world might have been spared all that bloodshed at Dachau. I never know who might be sitting in that chair you’re occupying right now.’ What this man saw at Dachau was so horrifying and disturbing that it changed his life from self-interest to serving others, and he became a pastor. He realized that if someone could have reached Adolf Hitler, it would have changed the world. His life mission became ministering to people with the thought that he could be talking to the next Adolf Hitler at any time. The point here is not that we should look at people as potential killers or evil, but to encourage us to adjust our focus. Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Philippians 2:3-5 NLT Having the mind of Christ means looking outward and having a life mission of service. Just as Jesus came to give His life, the call to us as men of God is to give and serve. It is interesting to note that the more we focus on others, the more our lives can be blessed and fulfilled. But the point of this writing is that you may have the opportunity to impact a life that could change the world. We’re not all called to be pastors, but God has called us to be His men. And maybe if we have the mind of Christ about each person we meet, there would be opportunities to touch lives. Just think, you never know who you might be talking to and what a difference you could make in someone’s life. Discussion: What are some ways that we can have a positive effect on people around us? How do you see yourself as being used of God to touch others? Rod Shreckengost mo-MEN-tum Leader Higher Vision Church Valencia, CA

Seeing through the Lens of the Holy Spirit One day my family and I set out to the park for a quick getaway. On the way to the park, we stopped by a fast-food chain to grab a bite to eat. I placed my order with the employee and soon after the manager came from the back with the food. I asked the gentleman if I could have a few more containers because of the volume of food. He proceeded to tell me that the cost of the containers was just as much as the food itself, which didn’t...Continue reading

Purpose By Design Many Christians are living a settled-for-life. Somewhere along their journey, they became complacent and content in their circumstances. They settled for what they believed was adequate or satisfactory instead of exerting the effort and work necessary to living a life that’s truly excellent and outstanding. Many have lost sight of who God made them to be and what He designed them to do. As a result, they are not actively, intentionally, and purposefully pu...rsuing what the Father has planned for them. Jeremiah 1:5 Before I formed you in the womb I knew [and] approved of you [as My chosen instrument], and before you were born, I separated and set you apart, consecrating you; [and] I appointed you as a prophet to the nations. (AMP) This is a testament to God’s Sovereignty. Just like Jeremiah you and I have been chosen to walk in and complete God’s plan for our lives. Our confidence lies in the promisePhilippians 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: Listen my brothers we serve a God who cannot lie Numbers 23:19 God is not a man, that He should tell or act a lie, neither the son of man, that He should feel repentance or compunction [for what He has promised]. Has He said and shall He not do it? Or has He spoken and shall He not make it good (AMP). God remains true to His first intention. God has placed more within you than you realize. You must remember He sees where you are, but He also sees the person He made you to be. God sees all the awesome potential and possibilities He has created you to fulfill. If you are willing to discover and align yourself with His plan and purpose for you, He’ll bless you more than you could ever imagine and open doors of opportunity you never dreamed possible. He will restore the joy, peace, and hope you’ve lost and show you the path to the accomplishment He wants in your life. And He promises to bless you with life at its absolute best. God has placed you here, in your current location For such a time as this to allow you to maximize your role in establishing His will. If you have ever wondered why you are on this earth, understand that God has placed you here as a unique person with a unique mission aimed at establishing and extending His kingdomand your potential, your God Given Potential lies securely and completely in that purpose. We are required to go All In, believing what God’s word says is true. Walk in your anointing and you will see the Lord move in ways you never dreamed were possible. My challenge to you my brothers is to go All In, setting aside all doubt about who you are in Christ. Be the Mighty Man of God you were created to be and achieve your God Given Potential. What does going all in look like for you? Edward Martinez mo-MEN-tum Leader Higher Vision Church Valencia, CA