River of Life Blog

Become a Sponsor for “The Kingdom”

2010-02-07T17:19:08Z

Roots of Doubt

2010-02-09T22:28:06Z

In Mark 11:23 and James 1:6 the word doubt is a compound word, Dia which means through or by the means, and Krino which means condemn. In other words, it is by the means of condemnation all doubt begins to come into our hearts and stop God’s blessings from happening.

If we are not grounded in grace we will say to ourselves, “I doubt God is going to give this to me because I lost my temper this week or because I had a lustful thought”, and we start to think when we approach God that we need to bring a time card and prove to him we earned whatever we ask for. The truth of the matter is, Jesus paid the price for everything we might need in life so when we approach God we are coming with Jesus’ time card. Whatever He is deserving of I am also deserving of, not because I deserve it but by him imparting His righteousness in my life. Today, dare to believe for what He earned for us on the cross and dare to believe for what He paid for and in doing so your joy will be made full and God will be glorified in your life.

2010 Vision

2010-02-03T18:05:44Z

No More Limits!

2009-09-04T21:06:06Z

The reason many people try and fail or have stumbling blocks in their way all the time is because they’re pursuing the wrong things in life. Pursue God’s heart for your life, and you’ll succeed. Pursue God’s dreams for your life, and you’ll achieve them. Pursue God’s passions and your life will be blessed!

If you are tired of hitting your head on the ceiling of life’s limits, it’s time to profess and proclaim “No more limits!” according to Phil. 4:13 and begin to fine tune into what God has been trying to tell you all along. It is His desire to give you a “Rhema” word for today!

Revelation Fire

2009-08-07T21:47:53Z

When you seek God for insight, wisdom, personal need, instruction, comfort—anything at all, your basic desire is that you will hear from God. That He will speak to you. When God speaks, only those who know and hear His voice can respond. When He speaks to you, you have the opportunity to take His Word and apply it to your life in a way that can change a situation for good. Everything Jesus touched was forever changed. The water to wine, blind eyes, cancerous skin, dead bodies… All were transformed by His touch, but more importantly by His words that were heeded, as given by the Father.

As you seek God, seek the REVELATION that comes from hearing and pressing in during your quiet moments with the Lord. Seek, and you will find!

Press On!

2009-07-10T23:15:27Z

If we’re going to go through trials and come out on top, then we have to be people who are established in putting our confidence in God and what He can do. Going through trials and being refined is a process. In order for a silversmith to get high quality silver, he has to heat it up and let the dross come up - all the impurities and weaknesses have to rise to the surface so he can wipe the silver clean.

This refining process in our lives leaves us pure, clean, and gives God the ability to see Himself reflected in us. So today, forget those things that are past - the dross of your life - and reach toward the good things God has planned for you!
Adapted from the sermon entitled, “Coming Through it With Confidence

The New Birth Gives New Dreams

2009-06-15T01:11:31Z

I’d like to point out something from this verse that is very interesting. Do you notice that the verse states whatever (not whoever) is born of God overcomes the world? The stress here is not the new birth, but rather what has been begotten - or birthed - since you have been born again. In other words, when God causes you to be born again He also generates some wonderful dreams and visions within your heart. He wants you to fulfill your purpose in life.

It isn’t until you are born again that you can begin to discover God’s real purpose for you in life. Once you understand this, there is nothing that can stop you. Once you are aware of what is begotten by God in you, your drive and passion to know Him will be unstoppable!

Before I was saved I had a vision for my life, and that was to be a martial arts instructor. For about five years, I had studied three to four times a week for four hours at a time and loved it. Whenever Joyce and I would go to the movies, it was always to see a martial arts movie. My poor wife put up with a lot in those days! The desire I had for my life affected my eating habits, my free time, basically my whole life - but once I gave my life over to Jesus, suddenly I noticed that I didn’t have the heart for studying and training like I did before. I remember so clearly the day the Lord spoke to me about this. I was on my way to class in Seattle’s Chinatown, and the Lord spoke to me. He said, ‘If you go tonight, you’re going to get hurt.’ In those days we didn’t have all the protective gear that’s out today. I had just paid one month’s tuition; but instead of going to class, I turned off the freeway and went home. I’ve never gone back.

I began to pursue what God had called me to, and that is to teach his people about faith. Since I have followed God’s will for my life, I have led thousands to Christ and have been blessed to pastor one of the greatest churches in the Pacific Northwest. God has allowed me to witness and partake in many miracles and see much fruit come to pass, and it is all because of what he birthed within me when I gave my life to Jesus.
You may be thinking, ‘Well that’s nice God’s done all that for you, but I’m just an ordinary person.’ Stop right there! Back up the truck! You are not ordinary - you are a new creature in Christ Jesus! You are one-of-a-kind and you are specially made to do God’s will in your life! Hook up to what God is doing in your heart and God will hook you up to His plans for your life.

I love what the scriptures say in Ephesians 3:20. It says God is “able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think.”

Begin thinking bigger than you ever thought before. If you’re not excited yet, check your Exciter - it may be broken! I’m only kidding. God loves you and so do I, so start following after that dream which has been begotten in you today!

Drive the Doubt OUT!

2009-04-20T21:47:50Z

We don’t want to be like the people Jesus found in his hometown. We want to be people whose spiritual eyes are open to his authority, power and dominion. If your desire is to receive all that God has for you, not just in the life to come, but in the here and now, you must be willing to call Doubt a thief and see it for what it is. Don’t give in to the thoughts that would attempt to persuade you from what you’re believing for according to God’s Word. Don’t grow weary and let your guard down. Continue to renew your mind by getting the Word of God into your spirit by reading daily, praying continually and staying in fellowship with the Lord throughout your day. Keep the enemy of doubt at bay with the Word that’s rooted deep inside you!

We find in Hebrews 3 that those who held unbelief in their hearts toward God did not enter into the Promised Land: “Now with whom was He angry forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose corpses fell in the wilderness? And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who did not obey? So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.” We can see according to this text that doubt and unbelief are serious offenses to God.

If you find that you are in your own wilderness of sorts, and circumstances do not appear to be in your favor, this is the exact place and time where you need to kick in the measure of faith God has given you and to take active steps to drive the doubt OUT! I’m believing with you for your Promised Land blessings to manifest as you remain in faith to the mighty Word of God.

Faith from the Heart

2009-02-27T22:53:51Z

Although this is the truth according to the Word of God, many fail at obtaining those promises because in the midst of their battles and fiery trials they side with their circumstances – the way things appear - instead of siding with the Word of God, which is infallible and never changing. No matter what your personal struggle may look like, you must choose to side with the Word of God every time! If you side with Him, lean on His promises, and look for the leading of the Holy Spirit, the Lord will fight for you and give you that victory you desire in Him.

Romans 8:14 says that, “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God.” We want to be known as the children of God, don’t we? But we cannot be led by the Spirit until we discover where God is speaking from. Let me explain. The Bible tells us that we’re three part beings (1 Thessalonians 5:23). We are spirit, soul and body. The real you is your spirit - your inner man. This is the place from where God speaks. See, the “voice” of your body is emotion and feelings; the “voice” of your mind is intellect and reason, but your spirit “voice” is your conscience, or what we often call our “heart.” Learn to listen to your inner man rather than depending upon those other voices. God does not speak out of your body or your mind but your spirit. Remember, wherever God leads, He provides for that leading and He blesses that direction in your life, so learn to be led by the Holy Spirit.

Whenever you are standing in faith and believing God for something in your life, that faith must come from your inner man - the heart - and not “of the head.” Jesus said, “For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says” (Mark 11:23). It is of utmost importance that we get the Word of God down in our heart; we must mediate on the scriptures until they register deep within that place from where the Spirit speaks. When we are living and operating in that place where “heart faith” rules, it is then that we see the world around us change.

Praying According to the Word

2009-02-06T22:23:22Z

Jesus said,

“And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.” (Matthew 6:7)

Rather than do that, let’s do what Jesus taught in Mark 11:24,

“Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.”

Believe you receive, and then you shall have what you have asked for. But in order for this spiritual principle to work, we must search the scriptures until we find the will of God. God’s Word is His will. Pray according to the promises found in God’s Word, believing you have already received, and it shall be given to you – in other words, your requests will be manifested. Isn’t that exciting, wonderful news? Let’s seek out God’s promises for us, pray according to His Word, and begin to receive His incredible blessings.

Seeking After the Lost Sheep

2009-01-06T19:51:51Z

You see, there is hope for the one who has fallen into sin. There is hope for the one who is mad at God; there is hope in God’s grace. Remember, Jesus said the good shepherd leaves the 99 and goes searching for the one that is lost. When he finds it, he rejoices! Let’s continue to reach out to those who have fallen into trouble and fulfill God’s purpose for us in this earth.

Welcome to Life 1.0

2008-12-12T22:18:24Z

In God’s Word we find the answers to all of these questions and many more, and we’d like to share them with you. Sometimes life is not easy, and sometimes we need help. Often we need it but aren’t even sure which way to go in order to find help. What most of us need more than anything else is peace, and the knowledge that the grace of God covers us in all points of life. Join us for powerful worship, practical teaching, and life lessons which will bring you to new heights.

See you soon!

Pastor Jack and Joyce Holt, Senior Pastors
River of Life Fellowship

Start a Revolution of Change - Pt. 1

2008-12-11T22:12:59Z

Exerpt from “Changing Your World One Word at a Time” by Jack Holt

More Than Enough with Plenty Left Over - Pt. 2

2008-12-11T02:09:05Z

Do you see the difference?

When we understand what the Bible really says about matters, it opens up to us understanding of the goodness of God. His intentions for our lives are always good. Psalm 84:11 states, “For the Lord God is a sun and shield; The Lord will give grace and glory; No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly” (New King James Version). Do you hear the heart beat of God in this verse? Do you hear His goodness?

There is nothing—that is a good thing—too good for you to have. There is no size of house, no make or model of car, no great marriage, no healthy relationship, no healthy body…that is too good for you to have!

Exerpt taken from the book “More Than Enough with Plenty Left Over” by Jack Holt

More Than Enough with Plenty Left Over - Pt. 1

2008-12-10T02:11:02Z

Psalm 34:10 says, “The young lions lack and suffer hunger; But those who seek the LORD shall not lack any good thing” (NKJV).

Exerpt taken from the book “More Than Enough with Plenty Left Over” by Jack Holt