Sunday AM Recap
August 9th, 2026
Link: https://www.youtube.com/live/YXEV0bSihoo?si=7octQ2BzFRieHKWb
Apostle Susan Powers opened the service introducing a gift from Robert Fyock for the church, which is a metal sign that says “Garden of Dreams” and asking the church for ideas of how to display it. She also shared that Terri Norman had given a similar sign in honor of Apostle George Powers, and that she had been at a dinner the night before at Peterson Outdoor Ministries honoring Apostle George.
Cathy Spangler prayed over students in the congregation for the new school year:
LORD, we declare and decree, in the authority of Your Name, that Your faithfulness is now creating barriers and boundaries around the children and youth of our families and Ekklesia to protect them from poisonous words, bullies and predators! In JESUS’ Name we release the favor of our God upon them….that they will grow in grace and favor with God and people! Grant them skill to learn and grow in knowledge AND in excitement about learning about LIFE, LIBERTY and healthy pursuit of Happiness! We pray that they will be given godly wisdom with eyes that SEE and ears that HEAR! Ignite the candle of relationship with You in their spirits!
Apostle Susan Powers gave an assignment to the congregation to prayerfully choose a school in the community to intentionally drive around and pray for. Ask God: “where do I go, and what do I pray?”
**Andrea Colyer also shared something that the recording cut off. It was not recorded.
Andrea Colyer led worship.
During worship, Andrea Colyer shared the following:
I feel like the Lord is asking us, “Where is your focus? Where are your eyes?” Are they on Him and the good things He has done? Look around; so many good things! Are they at your feet? Are they on the storm? Are they focused on the clouds? Where is your focus? Where are your eyes? Cuz His eyes are on you. And something happens, deep inside of us when we lift our eyes, and we find that His eyes are on us, and we lock eyes. Something just snaps, and chains are broken without a single word.
Cathy Spangler was led to pray towards the end of worship for the renewing of our mind, for peace not as the world gives, and for our surrender.
No early childhood worship today.
Message: Pastor Jeff Spangler
We sang “Let it Rain” - what did you think of? What if God wants us to think about it again, differently? Isn’t that what He has been speaking to us?
Is it reign or rain? Or both?
1 Corinthians 4:1-2
This, then, is how you ought to regard us: as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the mysteries God has revealed. 2 Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.
We have been entrusted with something.
A mystery has been revealed.
There’s something required of us.
Verse 8:
Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich! You have begun to reign—and that without us! How I wish that you really had begun to reign so that we also might reign with you!
So…is it rain? Or reign? Or both?
2 Timothy 2:12
if we endure,
we will also reign with him.
If we disown him,
he will also disown us;
If we die with Him, we will also live with Him. If we endure, we will also reign with Him.
What is a good question? Well, what rain is it? Reign or rain?
In 1 Corinthians, Paul is pointing out the haughtiness of the church - what, you already have all you want and need? You might think you have it all figured out but you don’t.
Why don’t we trust institutions the way we used to? They have violated our trust. We do the same. Sometimes we think we have it all…but when we say “let IT rain” what is it the “it”?
THESE ARE GOOD QUESTIONS TO ASK.
What rains? What reigns?
“Let the love of your Spirit rain.” Or…”Let the love of your Spirit reign.”
ASK THE GOOD QUESTIONS.
Let IT - that which I have been entrusted with - reign - or rain - in this community. Let the mystery rain…or reign.
“Obey even when there is no obvious personal benefit to you.” - John Bevere
Maybe it doesn’t seem like a personal benefit because we are thinking the wrong way. Our expectations can be different from the way HE infers it.
1 Corinthians 2:6-7
6 We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. 7 No, we declare God’s wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began.
Doesn't our community need wisdom right now? What about your circle of influence? When is the Church going to rise up and share the wisdom they have been entrusted with? And reign?
Remember there’s a fourth piece to this 1 Corinthians 4 passage.
We’ve talked about…
We have been entrusted with something.
A mystery has been revealed.
There’s something required of us.
And the final piece: “Prove Faithful” (Today’s title)
Projected, perceived, reality…when you want to prove something, when you want to prove yourself right, we talk fast, we talk louder, we do some things to prove we are right and in control. We struggle with proving we are right, prove that we are loving, prove that we are a good friend, etc. We try to prove ourselves correct online..and then we find out the source we were trusting wasn’t reality, it was just perceived.
“Must prove faithful” - what tense is this? PRESENT TENSE.
This was written long ago, but the Word is still alive, and we can still read it in present tense. “It is written” - we don’t have to add to it, the tense applies just as much today as it did back then.
Those who have been given a trust to reign with HIM must prove faithful. When? TODAY. NOW.
If we assume the wrong “reign” we might miss what it is to prove faithful..let’s look at what He is saying TODAY.
Let’s talk about Jesus as LORD and let that REIGN in your life.
It remains in the present, no matter when and where, for us to prove faithful. It takes some work.
Think back to the message about the Father and the Prodigal Son - had the son that was returning proved faithful yet? There was intention but did the Father know that? He saw the son from a long way off - and he got up and went to the son. The FATHER knows the intention and the heart, and the father on the porch knew the intention and the heart of his son. The son proved faithful - because he had had a change of heart, and in that moment the father met him in that place. It wasn’t finished and there was probably still some character work to do.
In this moment, let’s prove faithful to hear “reign” in a different way.
Every day it’s our HONOR AND PRIVILEGE to prove faithful in what He has entrusted in us! It’s not a burden, it’s exciting! What an opportunity to prove faithful - even though! Even when it’s hard!
You have been entrusted.
You’ve had a great mystery revealed.
There is something required. (We miss this a lot in the Church.)
Are you just a servant who doesn’t know anything, that’s in the presence of Jesus, that doesn’t get to know the mysteries, or do you want to be the close advisor and know the mysteries? (Presidential example - he has plenty of servants in his presence that overhear lots of things, but it’s his trusted advisors that know the secrets and are entrusted with information.)
Lot was a faithful man - and he was surprised by what happened in Sodom. Abraham got to be in the know. Which do you want to be?
Let’s not take this as common and ordinary…let’s be ones that are ENTRUSTED WITH THE MYSTERIES. And pace the way for ALL OF US TO BE THAT WAY.
The Master gave talents measured by what they could handle. What could you be entrusted with?
It’s not the way you think it…ask a good question…do I have your attention now?
He wants us to reign with Him. No condemnation - just think about it a different way! Cathy prayed that our minds would be renewed…are you allowing your minds to be renewed? Or are you haughty like the Church in Corinth and think you have all you need?
Do you want to stay comfortable or do you want to prove faithful?
Acts 3:1-7
One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer—at three in the afternoon. 2 Now a man who was lame from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. 3 When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. 4 Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, “Look at us!” 5 So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them.
6 Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” 7 Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong.
So, Peter and John were being good Jewish boys and headed to the synagogue. Headed somewhere, gotta be somewhere. The beggar was brought to the gate every day. Do you think Peter and John had ever seen this beggar before? Yes. Likely yes.
But this time there was eye contact, and eye contact gives permission.
You have a circle of influence that’s just casting about with questions, just like this beggar. “I’m hurt! I need something!” The beggar came for money. He wasn’t asking for healing. His work, his survival, was based on people giving him money at this gate.
Somebody brought him every day because people were headed on the way to the temple because that’s when people have their money - on the way TO the temple. He had positioned himself so people would feel bad to say no. It’s the way and wisdom of the world.
Proving faithful means - even when it hurts, even when it’s hard, I am going to speak the truth and tell you it is written.
People are going to try to take advantage of you - and you give it away unauthorized.
Consider this question: when did this beggar’s healing begin?
Let’s consider this…it began before he was even created. Because God says “you think this is a mistake but WATCH WHAT I’M ABOUT TO DO.”
Present tense…think of a present…what gift do you have to give today? What gift should you reign with or rain rightly today?
The healing began when He saw Peter and John…it says “the beggar saw them.” He saw lots of people. It wasn’t honorable to lock eyes with people, he was a step down in that culture.
He caught eyes with Peter and John and asked for money….which means they must have been looking at him. The look gave permission for something to be given - a transaction to happen.
Peter looked STRAIGHT AT HIM. Something was different that day. And Peter said “LOOK AT ME.”
And that moment was probably kind of “oh crap!” moment for the beggar.
I heard you ask me for money…I don’t have silver and gold…but what I DO have, I will give you freely.
Holy Spirit is speaking to Peter…everyone else was confounded…but at this moment, these two are connected and SOMETHING IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN.
“I’m not wanting to hold anything back from you,” says the Lord, “but if I gave it all right now it would kill you. But I see you. I see what you’re facing this week. You’re asking me for money, and I’m going to give you something else.”
LOOK at me - and the man gave them his attention.
When did the healing start? Sometimes your focus changes everything.
The beggar was expecting money. Peter offered something else. The beggar was probably like, “what?! That’s not what I came for!” His perceived man was different from the reality about to happen. Which happens to us all.
People are going to come asking and you have to know what to give in that moment - because it’s not about YOU, it’s about THEM, it’s about HIM.
“IN THE NAME OF JESUS, WALK!”
Seems like a cruel thing to say - but he spoke “walk,” and then walked over and grabbed the beggar’s hand, and lifted him up, and as soon as they moved and took action, and the beggar felt strength coming to his legs. He could tell something had changed. He came with one expectation of a gift and it became something else. It became what he really needed.
Peter and John had to have proved faithful. They listened to the Word of God and gave their attention. When did the healing begin for Peter and John? When they GAVE THEIR ATTENTION.
Who is in your sphere of influence that Jesus is saying “give them your attention”? Open your eyes to whom GOD wants you to give attention! And close your eyes to those who are sucking your attention away! This is a good prayer to pray - “God, show me where to give my attention.”
Peter knew in that moment he was to give his attention to this man - and he did, and look what happened! Are you praying for people to get to accolades or to make people whole?
Verse 16:
By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has completely healed him, as you can all see.
Peter and John had to prove faithful. Did the beggar have to prove faithful? Yes, him too. He gave freely his attention. Don’t think “prove faithful” is this list of things you have to do perfectly to prove your love for Jesus.
Apostle Susan: they were both with Jesus when Jesus gave a similar healing at the Pool of Siloam. They had witnessed that, so they were prepared.
The man paid them attention and proved faithful.
The Father knows your heart and your intentions. He sees you a long way off and KNOWS these things. The beggar was a long way off - and he gave his attention. And as a result, he could feel the strength in his legs, he felt something changed, and he trusted Peter who was trying to pull him up.
Jesus will ALWAYS PROVE FAITHFUL. Who amongst us who can try our own way can say that? But Jesus’s way will ALWAYS PROVE FAITHFUL.
By FAITH Christ proved faithful.
Who did the work to prove faithful? Peter and John had to be mature followers of Christ. The beggar didn’t know what he was looking for but he had to prove faithful and trust these guys. And all had to trust Christ to prove faithful.
