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Is your preparation complete in regards to facing tomorrow, whatever it may bring? Paul was there when Stephen was stoned to death. . . . The early church was in its infancy. After Jesus’ death, resurrection and ascension into heaven, the Holy Spirit was poured out upon those first followers of Jesus and the church was born. The Holy Spirit came in divine power upon those who believed, and there occurred a new birth, new life and a new beginning!As more and more people heard and believed the message about Jesus Christ, those first disciples, His apostles, became busier and busier. It was increasingly becoming harder to devote time to prayer and the Word.So the Holy Spirit led those early church leaders to choose deacons, people who could help them better serve the needs of a growing church with even more people coming to faith in Christ. And one of those deacons, was a man named Stephen. He was a man of good reputation, prepared by God’s Word, filled with the Sprit, and fully confident about God’s plan for His life!! It wasn’t a cockiness, but a divine confidence in WHO God was in his life, WHAT God’s plan was for his life, and WHERE his life was ultimately headed, even when going through the midst of brutal trial. How confident are you about God’s plan for your life? Is your preparation complete welling up into complete confidence in regards to facing tomorrow, whatever it may bring? How can we increase our confidence in regards to God’s plan for our lives? Take a listen and find out!#TheRoadToRome #JesusChristIsLord #HolySpiritColumbiaLifeChurch.org, YanceyValdez.com

This is PART 8 in our current series entitled, “The Road to Rome,” where we have been walking alongside the Apostle Paul through his letter to the believers in Rome.Paul has been trying to make the most out of the 2ND chance he has been given in life. It hasn’t been an easy journey, but the Holy Spirit has been walking with Paul the whole way.As Paul finishes up a masterful work in Romans 8 regarding how the Holy Spirit personally ministers to the Christ-follower, we land on an amazing portion of Scripture that begs the question: What does it mean to put your HOPE in the One who loves you like no one else? What does it mean to stake your entire future in the One who loves you more than anyone else? Take a listen and find out!#TheRoadToRome #Hope #LoveColumbiaLifeChurch.org, YanceyValdez.com

A New York Times article published in Aug 2008, shared how the National Archives had just released a list of names found in declassified records, some 750,000 pages, identifying a vast network of military and civilian operatives at work during World War 2. These declassified files identified nearly 24,000 people who formed the first centralized intelligence effort by the United States. These spy operatives were soldiers, actors, historians, lawyers, athletes, professors, reporters. They studied military plans, created propaganda, infiltrated enemy ranks and stirred resistance among foreign troops. But for several years during World War II, they were known simply as the OSS.They gathered intelligence; anything that would give them an edge for every battle that needed to be fought or mission that needed to be accomplished in order to win the war. The Apostle Paul was given a second chance in life and he would also need an edge in facing a new world of uncertainty. It wasn’t an uncertainty in that God didn’t have a plan for his life, but that that the Lord would be calling Paul out of his comfort zone; to be His witness, carrying the Gospel to wherever the Holy Spirit led him; even if it meant to the ends of the earth.This meant Paul would need to learn how to follow and trust God even more deeply. Every new challenge meant perhaps facing things he wouldn’t even know how to pray about; things in which he would need God’s peace and knowledge to also gain an edge and move across the borders of his own comfort zone. How do we pray about something, we don’t even know how to pray for? How can you gain the edge in the battle you may be facing today? Take a listen and find out!#TheRoadToRome #Godof2ndChances #HolySpiritColumbiaLifeChurch.org, YanceyValdez.com

This is PART 6 in our current series entitled, “The Road to Rome,” where we have been walking alongside the Apostle Paul through his letter to the believers in Rome.Paul has been trying to make the most out of the 2ND chance he has been given in life. It has not been an easy road. It’s not easy coming out of a past you’re not proud of, filled with mistakes, failures, wrongdoing, sin and shame. Paul knew it was only because of God’s grace and mercy, and forgiveness through Jesus Christ that he was even given a new lease on life. But a new beginning was just the start. He would also need the Person, presence and power of the Holy Spirit to lead the way forward. In fact, in Romans 8, Paul begins a masterful work on how the Holy Spirit personally ministers to the Christ-follower. He is literally sharing spiritual things he had experienced in his own life through the ministry of the Holy Spirit personally ministering to him. And in Romans 8:14-17, Paul begins a discourse that offers us great insight into how the Holy Spirit not only ministers to the human spirit, but also our soul.  How does the Holy Spirit personally minister to our human spirit? How does the Holy Spirit’s ministry provide care for the human soul? . . . Take a listen and find out!#TheRoadToRome #Godof2ndChances #HolySpirit ColumbiaLifeChurch.org, YanceyValdez.com

This is PART 5 in our current series entitled, “The Road to Rome,” where we have been walking alongside the Apostle Paul through his letter to the believers in Rome.Paul as he has been trying to make the most out of the 2ND chance he has been given in life. It has not been an easy road. But in Romans 8, Paul begins a masterful work on how the Holy Spirit personally ministers to the Christ-follower. He is literally sharing spiritual things he has experienced in his own life through the ministry of the Holy Spirit personally ministering to him. And in Romans 8:11, Paul makes a bold statement that begs the question: What are the possibilities if the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead, lived in us? What would this look like personally in our own lives? In His Church? Take a listen and find out! #TheRoadToRome #Godof2ndChances #HolySpirit ColumbiaLifeChurch.org, YanceyValdez.com 

This is PART 4 in our current series entitled, “The Road to Rome,” where we have been walking alongside the Apostle Paul through his letter to the believers in Rome. The Apostle Paul was formerly a persecutor of the church. A man whose soul purpose was to strike fear, terrorize, hunt down and imprison anyone who professed to be a follower of Christ. So passionate about doing what he thought was God’s work, Paul threw his entire life and being into his mis-directed purpose. His back story is not just about a list of things he had done wrong or of the injustice people suffered as a result of his actions, but also about the kind of person he had become; an angry, terrorizing, hate-filled person having free reign to do whatever he wanted to do to any Christ-follower he could find. All this he did and all this was who he had become, until Jesus Himself intervened and put a stop to it. When Jesus stepped into Paul’s life he could have just taken him out, but He didn’t. God gave Paul a second chance, a new beginning to a man whose life was not only filled with a list of things done wrong, injustices to God, and to those whose lives he left in shambles, but to a man who was messed up from the core of his being. How was the Holy Spirit able to help Paul make the most out of his 2ND chance? How does the Holy Spirit personally minister to the Christ-follower no matter where they may be at in their journey?  Take a listen and find out!#TheRoadToRome #Godof2ndChances #HolySpirit ColumbiaLifeChurch.org, YanceyValdez.com

This is PART 3 in our current series entitled, “The Road to Rome,” where we have been walking alongside the Apostle Paul through his letter to the believers in Rome. Paul was a man who was given a second chance. And as we have learned along way in this series, he practiced, taught and encouraged others to make the most out of that second chance God offers to all who would put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ.You might be reading this right now wondering if a second chance is even possible for you? You may be thinking could God ever forgive a person like me? Why would God ever want to give me a second chance?Paul’s former life was really bad and very hurtful to others. Yet, God changed all that when Jesus showed up in his life! It would be a new beginning, a fresh start, a new plan and purpose for Paul’s life. And along the way, Paul would learn how God had already made provision for every part of his life’s journey.How has God made provision for every part of our journey in life? Take a listen and find out!#TheRoadToRome #Godof2ndChances #GodProvidesColumbiaLifeChurch.org, YanceyValdez.com

How much of your life is in harmony with God’s BIGGER VISION for ALL humanity and the world we live in? The Apostle Paul was given a second chance in life and his story is a reminder that God is a God of second chances. Paul knew he needed to make the most out of every opportunity he was given going forward. It wasn’t going to be easy, but Paul knew in order to make good on his second chance, he would need to bring his new life into harmony with God’s BIGGER VISION for ALL humanity and the world he lived in. What does God’s BIGGER VISION mean for our lives today? Take a listen and find out!#TheRoadToRome #Godof2ndChances #BiggerVisionColumbiaLifeChurch.org, YanceyValdez.com

Guest Speaker, Missionary Daimian Dunn shares a timely message on the difference between fake news and good news.#Faith #GoodNews #Truth ColumbiaLifeChurch.org 

When was the last time you asked God to sanctify and set apart your daily agenda? . . . To fill it with His very nature, His presence, His peace, His power and to use it for His glory?This is PART TWO in our “Making the Most of Every Opportunity” series. Last week, we learned that not only do the seasonal changes we go through in life bring challenges, but also opportunities. And it’s been in this series that we’ve been learning about how to make the most out of these opportunities that are truly orchestrated by God. The Apostle Paul was a man who was given a second chance in life. And his story reminds us that we serve a God of second chances. Second chances give us the opportunity to do things better than we did the first time, with better insight and perhaps a greater vision.But in this, we find another challenge: What do you do when the VISION God has given you for a second chance, is GREATER > than the time you have? What do you do when it seems like there is never enough time? And as a result, it starts taking a toll on your spirit, your soul, and your body?What else can we learn from God’s Word about how to make the most of EVERY OPPORTUNITY? Take a listen and find out!#Godof2ndChances #DivineAppointments #DivineOpportunities ColumbiaLifeChurch.org, YanceyValdez.com

To follow Jesus is to follow the One who leads us down a different trail of life each day. No day is exactly the same. We follow Him because He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6). He is One in whom we find life, health, strength; the One through whose gifts we are clothed and fed; and through whose mercy we are forgiven and cleansed. Following Jesus can be somewhat different every single day. It’s different everyday because we live in a world that is constantly undergoing change. Every year, especially if you live here in a place like Oregon, you already know you are going to experience at least four different seasonal changes that will require you to make some adjustments to the way you live. From the clothes you wear, the food you eat, the way you drive your car to get to work, and all things in between, adjustments are necessary to live well through the seasonal changes we often cannot avoid in life.Seasonal changes in life bring different challenges in which we have to make adjustments. But they also bring opportunities to bring glory to God!!How do you make the most of EVERY OPPORTUNITY? Take a listen and find out! #Godof2ndChances #DivineAppointments #DivineOpportunities ColumbiaLifeChurch.org, YanceyValdez.com

The idea of God coming to us over 2,000 years ago in the birth of Jesus Christ is so unthinkable, so outlandish, so bizarre, that for those who lived during the time of Jesus’ birth it would have been like a dream. It would have been something so unbelievable that perhaps the only way any one would have ever believed it, was in the way an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream to deliver the news. News that the woman he was engaged to be married to, was now bearing a child. Mary was not unfaithful to Joseph. She was still a virgin. Yet it would be through her that the baby Jesus would cloth Himself with our nature and enter into our humanity through the power of the Holy Spirit. There is no way that this story can be interpreted that Jesus’ arrival through Mary was an accident. He entered our world with the highest purpose to make God known through His death and resurrection, to pay the price for our sins and offer all who would believe the free gift of eternal life!How does God call and lead someone like Joseph to play a role in such an unthinkable and amazing story? It started with a dream as we observed in part one of our series. But Matthew also records four more instances where God revealed Himself through a dream in order to guide how the Christmas narrative was to be played out.Studies have revealed that most people spend about two hours dreaming per night, and that each dream may last between 5-20 minutes, although the dreamer may perceive the dream lasting much longer than this.What role do DREAMS play in the Christmas story? Take a listen and find out!#Christmas2022 #ChristmasDreams #Faith #Hope #Love #Believe #Wonder ColumbiaLifeChurch.org, YanceyValdez.com

The idea of God coming to us over 2,000 years ago in the birth of Jesus Christ is so unthinkable, so outlandish, so bizarre, that for those who lived during the time of Jesus’ birth it would have been like a dream. It would have been something so unbelievable that perhaps the only way any one would have ever believed it was in the way an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream to deliver the news. Studies have revealed that most people spend about two hours dreaming per night, and that each dream may last between 5-20 minutes, although the dreamer may perceive the dream lasting much longer than this.What role do DREAMS play in the Christmas story? Take a listen and find out! #Christmas2022 #ChristmasDreams #Faith #Hope #Believe #WonderColumbiaLifeChurch.org, YanceyValdez.com

An update on what’s happening in Cuba!

Today we talked about HopeH - heartfullyO - optimismP - persistentE - expectation Our hope, as Christ followers is rooted in the understanding that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever!#Hope #Christmas2022 ColumbiaLifeChurch.org

Thanksgiving is one of the ways we finish well, make things right, and honor God for His presence and supply in our lives. It is one of the ways God works in us to right wrongs, extend mercy, and recalibrate our lives. Giving thanks refreshes our perspective, renews our relationships, and offers hope for the future. There are a lot of ways we can approach the subject of Thanksgiving, but today I believe God wants to remind us that the giving of thanks keeps us in alignment and on track with God’s purposes for our lives. The Bible tells us that it is not by our works, but by God’s grace that we are saved. “God saved you by His grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.” Ephesians‬ ‭2:8-9 ‭NLT‬Not only that, but the Bible also says that we have been saved for a purpose to fulfill. ”For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago.” Ephesians‬ ‭2:10‬ ‭NLTWhat’s at stake here is that when we don’t make the time to regularly give thanks, we tend to lose our way and miss God’s blessings all together.In this message, we’re going to talk a little bit more on this subject. Why is THANKSGIVING such an essential part of God’s WORK in our lives? Take a listen and find out!#HisMasterpiece #HisWork #HisPurpose #HisPerfectWill #HisGlory #Thanksgiving2022 ColumbiaLifeChurch.org, YanceyValdez.com 

This is PART SIX in our current series entitled, HIS MASTERPIECE, where we have been exploring what it would be like to go WITH God to work! One of the things that makes God’s work so fascinating, is the way God’s CREATIVE WORK can sometimes fill us with such a tremendous amount of AWE and WONDER!When you look up into the heavens, and see the amount of stars in the sky, stars as close as four and half to thousands of light years away, you start to realize that if you’re looking at a star 1,000 years away, you’re looking at something that not only took a thousand years to get here, but also would have happened a thousand years ago. Every time we look up into the heavens we’re looking at history, things of the past, things that have already happened, yet we’re only getting news of it when the event traveling at the speed of light finally reaches earth. If we see a star 1,000 light years away collapsing or disappear in the sky or becoming a black hole, we are literally seeing something that would have happened a thousand years ago. It’s an amazing universe, a work of God that is still filled with mystery, unanswered questions, and things we are still discovering—a creative work that still fills us with awe and wonder!The same can be said about the work God does and is still doing in our lives, both you and me. It’s a creative work, a MASTERPIECE in the making that still has the power to fill us with awe and wonder, even today!How does God still fill His WORK with WONDER? Take a listen and find out!#HisMasterpiece #HisWork #HisGlory ColumbiaLifeChurch.org, YanceyValdez.com 

This is PART FIVE in our current series entitled, HIS MASTERPIECE, where we have been exploring what it would be like to go WITH God to work!The thing is, there are so many ways we can approach this subject; many questions we could ask. Like, where would God go be going to work today? What would God be working on? How does He approach His work? What does His preparation look like? What would the final product look like? What kind of attention to detail does He have? Does God finish what He starts? This is WHY we have been looking at HOW God approached His work in the creation story in the book of Genesis. God did something different on each of the seven days of creation. In fact, God approached each day not only differently, but intentionally. There was purpose in each day. The way God approached His work in the creation story gives us insight into the way God is working in our everyday lives to bring about His greatest glory.How is God FASHIONING us to bring about His GREATEST GLORY in our lives today? Take a listen and find out!#HisMasterpiece #Humility #Grace #Favor #HisGlory ColumbiaLifeChurch.org, YanceyValdez.com

This is PART FOUR in our current series entitled, HIS MASTERPIECE, where we have been exploring what it would be like to go WITH God to work!  The Bible tells us in the New Testament book of Ephesians that it is not by our works, but by God’s grace that we are saved. “God saved you by His grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.” Ephesians‬ ‭2:8-9 ‭NLT‬ Not only that, but the Bible also says that we have been saved for a purpose to fulfill. ”For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago.” Ephesians‬ ‭2:10‬ ‭NLTIn this fourth installment of our series, we’re going to gain a fresh perspective on the kind of ENTHUSIASM a master artist or builder puts into their work. And more specifically, about the kind of passion and enthusiasm God has for the work He seeks to accomplish in and through our lives.As an added BONUS, one of our missionaries to Paraguay, Diane Peters, who recently retired from the mission field, stopped by today to greet our church family and to share how God has worked and been so faithful in her ministry!How ENTHUSIASTIC is God about HIS WORK in your life right now? Take a listen and find out!#HisMasterpiece #DivineEnthusiasm #HolySpirit 

This is PART THREE in our current series entitled, HIS MASTERPIECE, where we have begun exploring what it would be like to go WITH God to work! The Bible tells us in the New Testament book of Ephesians that it is not by our works, but by God’s grace that we are saved. “God saved you by His grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.” Ephesians‬ ‭2:8-9 ‭NLT‬Not only that, but the Bible also says that we have been saved for a purpose to fulfill. ”For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago.” Ephesians‬ ‭2:10‬ ‭NLTIn this third installment of our series, we believe God is getting ready to begin a new work within those that would put their faith and deepen their trust in Him today. How does God often BEGIN a NEW WORK within us? Take a listen and find out!#HisMasterpiece #InTheBeginning #GodCreated