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On the Wednesday night service (Jan 5th), midway thru worship I got called to the call center to answer phones. On the phones we are ministering to people all over the USA and from around the world. I picked up calls one after the other. “Ring Ring Ring” everywhere! I prayed for healing, salvation, and baptisms in the Holy Spirit. It was amazing how even thru the phones the power of God was touching every single one of those people that called. This one lady called me, saying that she was flipping thru the channels to find a rock and roll station, but came across our service. All of a sudden she feels something come upon her and starts shaking and fell to the floor. So she called our prayer line while still stuck on the floor asking what this was. So I told her that it was the power of God on her, that it was the Holy Spirit! Then I asked her if she received Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior and she said no. So of course I prayed the prayer of salvation with her! She prayed out the whole prayer and right at the end all of a sudden she started to speak out in tongues! So during that phone call she received Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior AND she got baptized in the Holy Spirit! It was amazing! I am so excited for the days to come and to see the power of God MOVE! GOD IS GOOD! AMEN!-Michelle Y.

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But the angel said to them, Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to all the people. 11 For to you is born this day in the town of David a Savior, Who is Christ (the Messiah) the Lord!
Luke 2:10-11 AMP

Christmas is a time of great joy. There was great joy at Jesus’ birth—not just because a cute, little baby was born, but because of all He was destined to do for mankind, in His death, burial, and resurrection!

You have loved righteousness [You have delighted in integrity, virtue, and uprightness in purpose, thought, and action] and You have hated lawlessness (injustice and iniquity). Therefore God, [even] Your God (Godhead), has anointed You with the oil of exultant joy and gladness above and beyond Your companions.  Hebrews 1:9 AMP

In Psalms 45:6-7, a prophetic word is given concerning the Messiah, which Paul quotes here in Hebrews. Jesus was anointed with the oil of joy and gladness above and beyond His companions because He loved righteousness and hated iniquity. Joy was His reward. True joy—the joy every human heart is so hungry for—is only available to the heart that is submitted to Almighty God! Jesus is God, Himself, but still, He submitted Himself to the will of the Father. His obedience was absolutely necessary for the fulfillment of the Father’s plan of salvation for mankind, however, Jesus did not obey because He had no choice or because He was forced to; He obeyed because He chose to, and therefore, He was anointed with the reward of great joy.

Therefore then, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses [who have borne testimony to the Truth], let us strip off and throw aside every encumbrance (unnecessary weight) and that sin which so readily (deftly and cleverly) clings to and entangles us, and let us run with patient endurance and steady and active persistence the appointed course of the race that is set before us, 2 Looking away [from all that will distract] to Jesus, Who is the Leader and the Source of our faith [giving the first incentive for our belief] and is also its Finisher [bringing it to maturity and perfection]. He, for the joy [of obtaining the prize] that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising and ignoring the shame, and is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God.  Hebrews 12:1-2 AMP

The good news is that Jesus never yielded to the temptations of sin, or His own flesh, or His own will or desire—He endured the cross, ignoring the shame, because of His expectation of the joy that would follow as a result of His great sacrifice. Jesus knew the terrible things He would have to endure and still He committed Himself to do everything that was required of Him, without complaint or argument. This was the course of His appointed race. You and I also have an appointed race. It is not an easy race—it is very tough, at times—but there is a joy-reward that lies before us when we obey God and run our assigned course. There is no reward for disobedience—there is no blessing in choosing our own way— we are blessed when we choose to go God’s way for our lives!

Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory. 1 Peter 1:8 KJV

Now to Him Who is able to keep you without stumbling or slipping or falling, and to present [you] unblemished (blameless and faultless) before the presence of His glory in triumphant joy and exultation [with unspeakable, ecstatic delight].  Jude 24 AMP

Let us rejoice and shout for joy [exulting and triumphant]! Let us celebrate and ascribe to Him glory and honor, for the marriage of the Lamb [at last] has come, and His bride has prepared herself.  Revelation 19:7 AMP

The Good News for the believer is that there is joy unspeakable and full of glory—wonderful, triumphant joy and exultation (unspeakable, ecstatic delight)—waiting for us in the presence of the Lord. If we, the Bride of Christ, prepare ourselves for heaven, by obeying the heavenly call, we will live to join the lavish, joy-filled, heavenly celebration that has been prepared for us—the Marriage Supper of the Lamb!

You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy, at Your right hand there are pleasures forevermore. Psalms 16:11 AMP

From life’s first cry to final breath—and on into eternity—if we remain in God’s presence, we will continue on in His joy.  

Worship Soundtracks from RMIRiverSong on Vimeo.

On Sunday, December 13, our church, the River of Tampa Bay, my wife and I helped out with a large outreach to the local communities of Tampa Bay. One of the tools our church uses to bring in the lost is our bus ministry. My wife and I have personally been soul witnessing on one particular route, route 3, almost every Saturday. The bus we were on serviced this route. As we were driving from the church to the bus route 3 area to drop off the local residents, I struck up a conversation with an older man. He had an interesting story as he told me about his family and the Pentecostal church they owned back in Tennessee and how he had gotten away from the Lord for many years while he worked for the circus hustling people. He said that he gave his life to the Lord in 2006 and gave all indications that he was saved. I began to share my testimony with him, about how God had brought me from a long way. I spoke of the goodness of God. I spoke of winning souls in his area. As we passed, certain areas I told him about the different people I had meet and seen saved. Street after street. Block after block. I noticed that he had a Spanish soul winning script and asked if he had an English one. He did and I asked him if someone had prayed with him using the script. He said no, so I thought I would do some training with him so that he might possible use the script himself. I went through the script and he answered no if he would go to heaven. I figured he was just working with me on the script. It was not until we were half way through the prayer of salvation that I realized for him, it was real. At the end of the prayer I asked him if he really prayed the prayer. He said yes. I presumed that he was either witnessed to either on the way to church or answered the alter call at church. Sometimes you just never know. Luke 15:7.

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This past Sunday was amazing! It was incredible to see the harvest of souls come in, and being touched by the love of God, not just by the message – but also through the more natural means… a bag of food, Christmas gifts, and even a “hello”. It was awesome to see people, which we had gone out into the community and invited, at the River – responding to the altar call; giving their lives to Jesus. It’s easy to get into the mindset that we are just blessing these people, but these people are blessing us; after talking to a few of them on the streets, and listening to their individual stories, the things that they’re going through – and then seeing them, presented with the love of God that is the Gospel, hope restored to their eyes, is priceless. It’s what it’s all about.
I think that what Pastor Rodney and the River are doing is incredible. Setting the tone of what the church SUPPOSED is like. Not just keeping the Gospel inside the church, where the people who already know God come on Sunday’s – but taking it out into the community, bringing light into the dark places. Before coming here for Bible school, I had never been soul winning – but now that I’ve seen it, I’ve experienced it – it’s become such a passion of mine! The love of God is not just for the church or for a select few people. It’s for everyone. And taking the message of Jesus, to the streets, is for everyone in the church! It’s a rewarding experience, to have an outreach, like the one this past Sunday. To see the fruits of your labors right there before you. Laying down everything that they came in with, at the foot of the cross, and seeing lives changed right before your very eyes. Pastor Rodney understands this, and it is such an awesome privilege being able to serve under his leadership.

Worship Soundtracks from RMIRiverSong on Vimeo.

This past winter campmeeting was life-changing for me. For all the morning services I worked with the kids in the three to five’s class, but I was there for the services every night. I truly loved working with the kids every morning. I learned more about flowing with the Holy Ghost in watching, teaching, and leading worship with the kids. Their hearts are so open and tender, and I enjoyed just being there and loving on them as much as I could.

And during the services at night God did a work in me that I cannot even begin to fully describe. I was so hungry and ready for more of Him. I was ready to be changed and transformed. I wanted the Holy Ghost to burn away everything in me that wasn’t of Him, and I wanted to more forward into the dream that He has put inside my heart. God just began to heal to heal the wounded areas of my heart, and He began to unfold to me even more the future that He has in store for me. I know I am going to travel the world, operate in signs wonders and miracles. I know that I’m going to see people healed, set free, delivered, and multitudes come into the kingdom of God.

I also loved seeing Big John Hall here. We are both from Pastor Bob Nichols church, Calvary Cathedral International, in Fort Worth, Texas, so seeing him here was like a little taste of home for me. At the time I was really missing Texas, but then I felt the comfort of the Holy Ghost and the reassurance that I am where I am supposed to be, and God only has good in store. I’m excited to see what He is going to do in the days ahead.