Tory Farina

Scriptures on Profanity and Speach...

As I was preparing these scriptures where helpful to come up with a biblical perspective on the tongue and profanity.

Colossians 3:8 But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth.

Matthew 15:10-11 And he called the people to him and said to them, “Hear and understand: it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person.”

James 3:10 From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.

Ephesians 4:29 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.

James 3:6-8 And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

Ephesians 5:4 Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving.

2 Timothy 2:16 But avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness,

James 3:11-13 Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water. Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom.

Romans 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

Romans 12:21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Matthew 5:37 Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.

James 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Post Easter Thoughts...

• I love Easter. I think I like it more than Christmas. Their is something so amazing about the story of the resurrection that gives so much hope.
• We had our largest attendance, ever. It is exciting to see you bring your family, friends and loved ones.
• The Band Lead by Pastor Courtney KILLLED "Wake Me Up Inside" by Evanescence. Wow... was it moving.

• I shared a message that presented the gospel clearly and we saw many people connect with the message.
• The thought hit me that maybe this will be our last Sunday in the Movie Theatre. I was a little stunned b the thought. This house has been great but I realized this year that next year will be AMAZING. What we can do in our own space... I'm just saying its going to be mind blowing.

5 Year Anniversary Video...

Five Year Video from Courtney Feia on Vimeo.

Live in POWER!

On Sunday I had so much more to say. The content is so exciting to talk about. Here is an undeveloped glimpse at what I had to leave out.

When you have been with Jesus...

You Will do miracles:

Peter and John healing the man-

Acts 3:6-7 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.”  Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong.

Acts 4:13 When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. 

You Will have wisdom:

Knowledge is power... time with the Lord builds Wisdom and knowledge...

Jeremiah 31:33 "This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time," declares the LORD. "I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.

People will remark. Where did you get that wisdom? Knowledge? You will be able to respond, “It came from Daily times with the Lord.”

You Will be an encouragement to others:

Isaiah 50:4 The Master, God, has given me a well-taught tongue, So I know how to encourage tired people. 

Hurting people don’t need another cliché, they don’t need a pat on the back and an awkward sorry... they need people who will speak the Words of God over them and speak in faith and Victory!

You Will speak boldly...

Luke 12:11-12 “When you are brought before synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say.”

You Will live by faith...

Romans 10:17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

When you read the word of God you will see that nothing is impossible and that God works best as the underdog when the clock is ticking down to the end. You will be able to stand firm in the midst of trial, uncertainty and doubt.

You will be able to stand against temptation and the enemy...

Jesus in the wilderness quotes Deuteronomy to stand against Satan and temptation.

You were meant To Walk in POWER! Strength and Victory! Paul speaks to this same concept when he speaks to the Ephesians... A church of people like you...

Ephesians 6:10-12 A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.

13-17 Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

We were never meant to be on the defensive... The Christian who lives in retreat, defeated, disqualified is no threat to the enemy...

Whenever a revival began or a reformation, its epicenter was among common people who were ignited by the Word Of God.

Lets live in POWER! Lets live rooted in the word of God. Lets live in such a way that what we read becomes an expected outcome in our daily life.

Lets Live Our Potential!

What Was Your Greatest God Moment?

Was it the moment you were called into ministry? The moment You discovered your need for Christ?  Maybe it was a night under the stars when you discovered the AWE of Gods wonderful Sky scape. Was it the moment God asked you to give him something you prized above all else?

I am working on a new series and want to know your most impacting "GOD MOMENT." I'll reveal mine in February.

S.O.A.P. Explained...

At High Point Church our desire is that every believer would receive something from God’s word on a daily basis. Doing daily devotions re-patterns the way we think, focuses our prayer life, and transforms the way we hear and apply God’s word. When we face difficult situations, challenges, or temptations, we can call upon the wisdom of God’s word and respond accordingly.

Journaling is an excellent way to both record and process what God has spoken to us. It also becomes useful as a reference tool to reflect on and review some of the gems that you have received in the past. Without writing them down, you may forget those blessings, as well as some very important lessons! And although journaling provides for a very personal time with the Lord, you may end up wanting to share some of your daily journaling with others (e.g. your connection group, accountability group, or spouse). By discussing your devotions with others, you may be able to learn even more about what God was speaking to you, as well as offer encouragement to others. We call this daily process S.O.A.P (Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer).

How to S.O.A.P.

Pick a place and a time. Try and keep it consistent so you do not let everything else in life take precedence. Plan on taking as much time as you need but I recommend 20 minutes to read and 20 minutes for observation, application, and prayer. You may need more time or less time but this will get you into a pattern of being in God’s presence on a daily basis.

You’ll need four items: Bible, pen, reading plan, and journal) or use a program like Youversion.com to store your journals and show you a daily reading plan. Here is a simple journal page! Download Soap 365 Daily Journal

S for Scripture

Open your Bible to your reading for the day. Take time as you read and allow God to speak to you. When you are done, look for a verse that particularly spoke to you and write it in your journal. (About 20 min.)

O for Observation

What do you think God is saying to you in this scripture? Ask the Holy Spirit to teach you and reveal Jesus to you.

A for Application

Personalize what you have read by asking yourself how it applies to your life right now. It may be instruction, encouragement, a new promise, or even corrections for a particular area of your life. Write down how this scripture applies to you today.

P for Prayer

This can be as simple as asking God to help you use this scripture, or it may be a greater insight on what He may be revealing to you. Remember, prayer is a two-way conversation, so be sure to listen to what God has to say! Then write it out.

For more information on this concept or to see examples of journal entries, visit www.LifeJournal.cc

 

Share Your Story...

What’s your story?

During the series “People of the Second Chance” I want some of you at High Point who have experienced a second chance to share your story of redemption and hope. Our greatest mistakes can become our greatest assets when we submit them to Christ.

Revelation 12 says that we defeat the accuser by the power of our Christ-liberated story. Your story is POWERFUL! It can and will be used by God to liberate those who are coming this Sunday to receive a second chance.

I am looking for one or two more stories. I know many of your stories and will ask some of you to tell them, but I also wanted to open it up and see if you have one that I am unaware of.  If so, would you be willing to tell it in the service over the next four weeks?

You can leave your story here on the blog, send it via Facebook, or email me the details. I am so excited to here what God has done in your life.

We are people of the second chance!

People of The Second Chance...

This fall at High Point we have been working very hard on a new series called "People of The Second Chance." We are going to open our doors as a church to those who are in need of a second chance. Truth be told, we all have been and still are in need of a Second Chance. 

Join us Sunday the 12th as we challenge the common misconceptions about failure and learn how to use our scars, wounds and mistakes to help us live our greatest potential.

 

 

"Do not be Ignorant"...

“Do not be ignorant!”

 

The Apostle Paul once said this to the Corinthian church regarding their knowledge of spiritual gifts. We hate being ignorant of things in our culture, yet I wonder how many of us would know what our spiritual gifts actually are.

 

A spiritual gift is a special supernatural ability that God gives to each of His children so that they together can advance His purposes.

 

These are not simply talents given to a few special elite, but are good gifts available to all. God’s gifts are special and unique to each person, and are not given to be hoarded, but to be shared. Spiritual gifts are tools that specialize in changing people’s lives. There are many different types of gifts, but all serve the same purpose of advancing the kingdom of God.

 

If you want to uncover what gifts the Holy Spirit has blessed you with, here are some tools to assist you.

 

1) Ask... Ask the Lord to help you see your gifts and seek the gifts that most intrigue you and/or get you excited. The Lord has hard-wired us for specific gifts that will complement who we were made to be.

 

2) Test... Testing to uncover your spiritual gifts may be especially helpful.  Some gifts are harder to recognize than others.

www.spiritualgiftstest.com

 

3) Study... I found this book to be very helpful in discovering God’s vision and mission for my life. We were all created to play a role in the body of Christ. If you and I are not on mission then we are like a sick organ of the body. The whole body must compensate for the hole you leave.

Chazown.com

 

4) Scripture... Here are some great passages of scriptures we should be familiar with in order to not be ignorant about the Spirits Gifts.

 

1 Corinthians 12:1-11

1Now about spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant.

There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.

 

Romans 12:6-8

We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.

 

1 Peter 4:10-11

Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

 

 

What are your top three biggest gifts? I would love to know?

How much do you have to hate?...

Pastor Rob Ketterling spent the day with us on Sunday. I love that guy. He is truly a friend and my pastor. It’s important to be in a healthy community and to have a pastor, even if you are a pastor. Rob challenged High Point to not settle. To not get comfortable. To keep the mission of Jesus paramount in our minds.

 

Here is a video he wanted us all to see but we ran out of time on Sunday morning...

 

Penn says, "How much do you have to hate... to not tell?" What an amazing statement! How true is that for us? I wonder if it less about hating non-believers and more about not wanting to step out of our relational comfort zone to talk to someone about what has truly changed our lives.

 

Someone asked me how to do this? How do you share about Jesus to people?

 

Let me give you a play-by-play how-to...

 

1. Pray for the person you want to share with. They need more to happen in their life than you or I can do in a short conversation, but the Holy Spirit will work on many levels in their life. We need to be their personal prayer partner. They don't even need to know you’re praying for God to do a deep work.
2. What is your story? What was your life like before Jesus? What happened when Jesus was made CEO of your life? What has it meant for you to be surrendered to the Lord?
3. Look for an opening to share your story. People respond out of need, not out of argument. So look for the need in their life and talk through your experience about how Jesus meets that need.
4. Ask them if they are interested in more. Ask permission to talk again about this. Let them know you are interested in them as a person and are in it for the long haul, not just for the moment. Authenticity and time are the keys to helping people through the journey of faith.
5. Invite them to pray with you. Ask them if you can pray with them right then and there. Keep your eyes open. (Yes, God can hear an open-eyed prayer.) I will sometimes hold their hand like a hand-shake or just fold my hands together. Then pray a simple, non-emotional and non-hyped prayer. Address their concerns and ask the Lord to have control in their situation.
6. Invite them to come to church or connection group. If they want to, bring them to an environment where they are able to experience as much of God as they want — a place where they can ask questions and can be welcomed into a loving environment. Help them to find their place, develop their faith, and live their potential!