An Amazing Day for the Shepherds: Part 2

Luke 2:6-14 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

What an amazing day for the shepherds. God intercepted what many would consider a boring dead-end job and allowed these shepherds to interact with a group of singing Angels. That would wake me up. I believe that God wants to allow us to have amazing days filled with interaction with His Kingdom. Maybe you won't have a group of talented singing angels wake you up and sing melodies to you. But you can have an interaction with God everyday that causes you to love life and love God. A type of interaction that causes you to have an AMAZING DAY.

Pastor Terry

Christmas Teaching Series Online: What was Seen! Part 1

Luke 2:1-5 Message version "About that time Caesar Augustus ordered a census to be taken throughout the Empire. This was the first census when Quirinius was governor of Syria. Everyone had to travel to his own ancestral hometown to be accounted for. So Joseph went from the Galilean town of Nazareth up to Bethlehem in Judah, David's town, for the census. As a descendant of David, he had to go there. He went with Mary, his fiancée, who was pregnant."

It is amazing to see the simplicity and the complexity of Jesus Birth. He came to earth as a simple, humble carpenter's son. He was born in a manger and surrounded shepherds. Yet, there is also a complexity that can be found in this story. God created situations that caused the wise men to spend years studying, researching and travelling in order to interact with the son of God. We also see that God stirred the heart of Caesar Augustus to give a command to the whole roman empire that would require people to travel to the town of their birth. This was God's way of arranging events for His purpose.

I believe that God is still arranging events in our lives in order to bring us to an interaction with Him. If we look closely, we can see the footprint of the King as he travels through our life. We can see where He has been busy creating, ordaining and rearranging even the most complex areas of our existence. We can see in our own lives that God has arranged for the shepherds and wise men of our day to come and stand at our side as we walk this life.

What was seen then...is still being seen today!
Blessings
Pastor Terry

Preaching: The Art of Imparting the Heart of God

Preaching is preaching. Anyone can do it, and most try. The question isn't can I preach? the real question is "What am I preaching?" Any one can preach their opinions, ideas or even their own desires. But true Biblical preaching has that one element that everyone else lacks. True preaching releases the love, grace and encouragement of God into people. Religious preaching results is guilt and condemnation. It is a way to control and box people in. Jesus had a way of speaking that helped people, encouraged them and inspired them to greatness. I found this next statement to be true......people preach what they are. If you have grace, then your preaching results in grace being released. If you are graceless, then your preaching is always hammering and dictating but rarely edifying. Don't preach just to speak. Preach to release the Kingdom of God into others. Preach to inspire and encourage. Preach to help people. Many don't realize it but facebook, myspace and other social mediums are your pulpit. Everything you post is a sermon of who you are and what God is doing in you. So, who are you? What is God doing in you?
have a great day

Pastor Terry

Lewiston Idaho Ministry Trip with Destiny International School of Ministry March 9-11, 2012

Pastor Terry and Jenni Bonner are leading a Ministry School trip to Lewiston, Id. Many students from Destiny International School of Ministry are heading to Idaho to minister and serve at Hope Chapel Foursquare Church. We will be departing Jakes House Church on Friday Morning the 9th and be back late Sunday night the 11th. Contact pastor Terry for more info 425-220-1713

Fourth Time Reading Through Ephesians

1) OUR FAITH IN GOD AND LOVE FOR PEOPLE. Chapter 1:15 "I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints." This is a very important truth. We are to have FAITH in god and iin what He can do in our lives and situations. And at the same time we are to have LOVE for all the saints. I love the word all. It literally means, ALL. We are to have and show love to everyone. To love someone means to show it in our actions, speech and thought. It is amazing how many people are rude and treat others harshly and then justify it by saying "You might not like what I am saying, but I am doing it because I love you." Well, just so you know. That will never fly with God. If you are harsh with people then you need to know that God is not interested in your reasons why. He is interested in why you are treating His people harshly. So, the answer is to renew your mind and get a big dose of Love and GRACE from God. Because people ultimately treat people like they think God treats them. So, for all you harsh people....God loves you, wants to pour Grace upon you, and He wants you to in turn give that Love to others. Blessings,

Leadership Principles I Learned in Las Vegas

Hello everyone, I just got back from a leadership conference in Las Vegas. Yes, you heard me right. LAS VEGAS! I was at the Word of Life Church and had the privilege of hearing Pastor Mack Hammond from Minnesota. He taught a powerful message of living a simple life. That the only way to run a complex ministry or get through a complicated problem is to simplify it. We mistakenly think that anything that is complex is somehow better or more authentic. But the truth of the matter is that human pride loves complexity yet the Kingdom of God operates more smoothly in simplicity. Wh yo we as leaders get stressed out...our lives are to complex. We fail to enjoy any sort of simplicity in our lives. For years I have had a great habit of listening to soft music, lighting candles and reading. It literally slows down time when you do this. It allows us to take the time to ponder life, consider God and enjoy the things that we Would normally rush right by.

Leadership ideas for today:
1. How can you slow down time?
2. How can I learn to slow down my life and simplify
3. Create habits of simplicity like....taking a walk everyday at lunch. Or reading every morning.
4. Buy a devotional book like "Streams in the Desert" and use it every day.

Thanks for checking in today and keep going on the pathway to leadership

Blessings
Pastor Terry Bonner

‎'I have learned'-Contentment in every condition is a great art, a spiritual mystery. It is to be learned, and to be learned as a mystery. - Jeremiah Burroughs (Puritan Preacher of the 1600's). What a great thought....Contentment is an art form yet it is learned. It is a spiritual mystery,and at the same time it is developed. Jeremiah Burroughs lived in a time that was very difficult and people need needed to learn contentment in order to survive. Unfortunately, people who live in times where everything is good fail to develop the art of contentment. It is even more important for us to develop the idea of contentment when things are going good so that when something difficult are we are already prepared and ready to be content.

As a leader, it is very important that we learn to be content in every situation. I am not talking about complacency. I am talking about developing the ability to find happiness in Christ in every phase of life and every situation that arises. 1 Timothy 6:6 in the Amplified Version says "[And it is, indeed, a source of immense profit, for] godliness accompanied with contentment (that contentment which is a sense of [a]inward sufficiency) is great and abundant gain."

Commissioning New Leaders November 20th

We are so excited to be Commissioning our new group of Leaders at Jake's House. These people have been on a journey towards leadership which includes attending the "Enrichment" Class, serving in a ministry and developing their character and leadership abilities. One of my jobs (more of a calling) is to help people on their journey from "Potential Leader" to "Leader."

One of my friends sent an email out today that had the following words.."Go back to Your Dream and Stir it Up." That is a good word for today.. What are those dreams that God has given you? Have you let them die? Stir them back up and watch them live again.

Blessings
Pastor Terry

Starting a New Small Group. Fridays at 12:00pm

We are starting a new small group at my house on Fridays at noon. The small group is focusing on "Empowering your Preaching." basses on the workbook by Frank Damazio. This group will focus on every aspect of preaching. I consider this workbook to be the single greatest resource that I have ever seen for preachers. RSVP if you would like to attend or would like more info

Matthew 5:5-6

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

Amplified Version: Blessed (happy, blithesome, joyous, spiritually prosperous—with life-joy and satisfaction in God’s favor and salvation, regardless of their outward conditions) are the meek (the mild, patient, long-suffering), for they shall inherit the earth!  

Another one of God's opposite statements.  By that i mean that...Jesus uses the phrase "Inherit the earth" which naturally would cause people to think of success and power and conquest.  But Jesus teaches that the way to inherit the earth is to be meek.  The followers of Christ did not expect him to come in a humble manner and they really didn't anticipate that He would call them to live and serve in a humble way.  D Martin Loyd Jones (one of the great preachers) states that it is strange that we imagine that we can fight the enemy with organization and strategy.  It takes meekness...which is really trusting in God

In Love

Pastor Terry Bonner

God is Always there at the end of the Rope!

Matthew 5:3-4

³"You're blessed when you're at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule.
 ⁴"You're blessed when you feel you've lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you.

God is always reaching us when we fell most unreachable.  In the times that we feel like all is lost and nothing can be done to change the situation....In those times when we are at the end of our Rope...God arrives and interacts with our lives.  That is why He declares in scripture that He loves it when we are at the end of ourselves cause that is when we will see Him.  That is why the Bible declares, "I must decrease so Christ can increase."  Verse 4 is even better. It deals with those situations where we have actually lost what is most important to us...It is in those times that we realize that God is the most important thing in our lives.    Take time today to pray and make God the center of your life.....
Pastor Terry PT

New Teaching Series: Teachings on the Sermon on the Mount

Matthew 5:1-2 "When Jesus saw his ministry drawing huge crowds, he climbed a hillside. Those who were apprenticed to him, the committed, climbed with him. Arriving at a quiet place, he sat down and taught his climbing companions. This is what he said:"


It is interesting that it says that Jesus saw the crowds, yet he taught the disciples.  We read over this and assume that Jesus saw the crowds and then taught the crowds.  The message version says that the ministry of Jesus was drawing huge crowds yet it was to the smaller committed group that He actually taught.  Here is what I see in this passage....

• You have to be willing to climb the mountain in order to hear the deep teaching of the King
• The mountain always represents the glory of God
• The journey up the mountain represents you and i actively pursing 
• Jesus pulled away from the masses to show the disciples that the heart of the Kingdom is not success but life-change
• Not that success s bad or won't come but that success can never be a replacement for true authentic Christianity
• "Those committed to Him climbed the mountain with Him."
• Am I committed to God? To hearing His voice?
• Am I committed to climbing the mountain with God?  To move at His pace and His timing?
• "Arriving at a Quiet Place."
• Jesus is always drawing us out of chaos, confusion, and noise.  
• He calls us into quietness and peace where the still small voice of God is clearly heard

Water Baptism Saturday at Kayak Point

Water Baptism Saturday at Kayak Point

This morning I was contemplating 'Water Baptism."  What is it and why is it important to me?  I have conducted countless baptisms in the last 18 years of ministry and I will tell you this....."Baptism is a great reminder to everyone that our decision to serve God must be taken seriously and soberly.'  I meant that in the sense of being a Christian by DECISION and not be EMOTION.  I am a Christian by decision therefore I don't just walk away when I no longer feel emotionally charged to live for God.  Water Baptism is an act that allows me to make a public declaration that I am deciding to follow Christ.  It also allows me to stop my world, take a time out and make an eternal vow to the master.  I would challenge you to remember your own water baptism and the decision that you made.  Remember the excitement that you felt and the joy that surrounded it.   This Saturday at Kayak Point we (Jakes House Church) are conducting an outdoor baptism service.  Going to be an amazing time.  See you there!

Prophetic Word for Today: "The Lord Lives!"

This afternoon at our noon prayer watch.  God spoke to me this phrase out of the book of Psalms.  "The Lord Lives."  Rumors of God's demise have been greatly exaggerated.  We sometimes live as if God was dead.  We honor Him as we would a dead man at a funeral.  But God is alive.  He lives.  We need to begin living as if God is truly alive and willing to breathe fresh life into our situation.  Begin declaring this phrase "He Lives" into your family, your job, and any situation that needs immediate God help.  I pray today, that God would show himself alive in you.

Preached at "All in Youth" Camp Saturday

Grace - Love - Freedom

I had the honor of stopping by Victory Foursquare Church in Marysville, WA tonight.  A friend had invited me there to see Georgian Banov.  Georgian was the leader of a band called "Silverwind" back in the day.  I actually remembering going to a silverwind concert when I was in High School.  I got really stirred up tonight as God spoke to me about bringing freedom and Love and Grace back to the church.   God's house was never meant to be a place of restriction but of freedom.  Never a place of demotion but promotion. Never a place of control but freedom and release.  We know God's heart is to bring freedom to the captives, but we find in churches all across America a certain PRISON mentality.  Time for God to break open the prison doors and release his Grace to us.  Have a great Grace day.  - Pastor Terry

"Honoring and Grace" Video by Pastor Terry

Upcoming Prayer Watches and Events

Noon Prayer Watches at Jakes' House Church
Every day this week at noon, people will be gathering to pray.  Join us in the main sanctuary.  This will be the 3rd week of sustained afternoon prayer.

Summer Ablaze Regional Thursday Prayer Night
4 churches will be gathering this summer to pray together.  July and August will be months that we join together.  Each prayer gathering will be from 7-9pm.  Week 1: Jakes' House.......Week 2: Point Church......Week 3: Living Water Church......Week 4: Victory Foursquare Church.  

Coming Soon!  Torch Bearers Morning Prayer Watches
Next week we will be recruiting people to establish morning prayer watches.  We are going to connect Washington, Alaska, Arizona, Idaho and other areas for a week of morning prayer.  Let us know if you can help establish a watch.  Prayer will be at 7:00am

Schedule for Teaching 
June 25th:  "All In" Youth Camp (Miracle Ranch, Port Orchard, WA)
July 2011  Lewiston, Idaho
August 7th: Jake's House Church (Home Church: Arlington, WA)

We would love to come speak at your church, camp or prayer event.  Email pastorterrybonner@gmail.com for more information on Torch Bearers Ministry

What I Know to be True about Freedom: How to Access it

The one thing I have always liked about Jesus is His ability to bring peace, rest and life to people.  When Jesus showed up things changed...people who were depressed found hope.  Those who were sick became healed.  The religious were yanked out of system and brought into freedom.  Jesus always encouraged people to become something better. Of course they could then choose to go back into that old lifestyle....and many did....but at least Jesus showed them that there is something greater than what they were living.  By better, I am not talking about success and being a better person, but being more like Jesus.  maybe we should really take a fresh look at what we do and how we act.  Are we trying to become successful?  Are we trying to become better people in order to say that Christians are superior?  If that is our goal, then we are not really following the Kingdom way...in fact, we are just following the worldly way, the business way.  But I want to follow 'The Way' (The Way was the name that was given to Christians in the New Testament.  You can access this freedom by looking at your life daily and taking a true accounting of what you are doing, and how you are treating people.  Pray that God will show you not a better way but a 'Purer' way.

Jeshu Ram part 1 (Sushi and Prayer)

Does God like us to do other things?

The age old question. When I become a follower of Christ, do I have to quit doing all of the fun things that I like to? Simple answer...you have two options. 1) they can take a backseat so that you can focus on Jesus and what He has for your life or 2) you can re-discover the things that you love in the light of Jesus now being in your life. So rather than putting them aside, you can have more enjoyment in them when you realize that God loves when you are happy and When those things are no longer in control. In other words, the activities that I enjoy outside of Christ, I now bring them my life in Christ and enjoy them even more.