You are more than welcome to watch the ‘Good Friday’ Service at Golden Springs Calvary Chapel at 10:00 PM EST and 7:00 PM PST right here.
Rivendell Christian Fellowship is a group of ordinary people following Jesus Christ. We are tired of Religion and people playing Church. No Superficial relationships with God or with people. We are interested in real intimate, caring and growing relationships with Jesus, each other and the people we meet. We meet in each others homes and in various church buildings.
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Reminder: No Whosoever Friday Night Live Webcast for this Friday because of Good Friday Services
You are more than welcome to watch the ‘Good Friday’ Service at Golden Springs Calvary Chapel at 10:00 PM EST and 7:00 PM PST right here.
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
No Whosoevers Friday Nights Live Webcast this April 22nd, Good Friday
No Whosoevers Friday Nights Live Webcast this Friday, because of Good Friday Services at Host Church Golden Springs Calvary Chapel.
You are more than welcome to watch the ‘Good Friday’ Service at Golden Springs Calvary Chapel at 10:00 PM EST and 7:00 PM PST right here.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Devotional by Raul Ries
Spiritually Prepared
“So it shall be, when you are on the verge of battle, that the priest shall approach and speak to the people.”
Deuteronomy 20:2
Who were the leaders? The leaders were the priests, not the Captains or the Generals, the spiritual leaders. Why? The priests stood for the Lord who was the One fighting their battles. The people had to come before the Lord to deal with their spiritual lives, before going to war.
That is why we have to start each day with the Lord. We should be in the Word and in prayer every morning before we leave the house, so we will be spiritually prepared for the battles. Then, we will be walking in the Spirit and not in the flesh.
How can God do warfare when people’s hearts are not with Him? Seriously, how can He do it? You are going to be challenged every day. You will face problems; you will deal with difficult people; and you will be overwhelmed by people and circumstances.
How are you going to handle these situations without spiritual preparation? I can tell you. You will handle them in the flesh. When we deal with things in the flesh, we no longer bring glory to the Lord. We bring shame. We tell the world our problems are too big for God. Live your life to bring Glory to God, not shame or reproach.
The only thing that God is bound to do is the very
thing that He requires of us—to glorify Himself.
~J. I. Packer~
Let Jesus fight for you
And He was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan, and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered to Him.
Mark 1:13
To the people of Israel, the wilderness was an eerie place that was inhabited by every hostile animal and beast imaginable, including demons. But here we see Jesus walking into the wilderness, a place you would least expect the Savior of the world to enter. And sure enough, Mark tells us that not only were there wild beasts in the wilderness, but Satan was also there. For forty days, our Lord Jesus confronted every possible hostile thing and temptation in that wilderness--and He emerged victorious.
It should be a great comfort for you to know that when you put your faith in Jesus Christ, you don't have to be afraid--of the wild beasts of the world, of temptation, or of the devil. 2 Timothy 1:7 says, "God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love, and of a sound mind." Knowing that Jesus took your place--not only in the wilderness, but on the cross--should make you so thankful. You no longer have to try to confront the enemy; Jesus Christ conquered that for you! Today, whatever you are facing, let Him fight for you, and stand victorious in His strength.
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Friday, April 08, 2011
Monday, April 04, 2011
Persecution of the Church by Raul Ries
“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake.”
Matthew 24:9
Christians have been attacked around the world, and we see the persecution coming to our own country. Issues important to Christians have come under attack, like family and marriage. Next, the church, itself, is going to be attacked. Our tax exempt status and other laws will be attacked.
Many times, when we read what is going on in the world today, we become naïve and say, “Well, that is not really going to affect me.” It is going to affect all of us, believe it or not. It is going to affect jobs; it is going to affect housing; and it is going to affect everything we do in this country. We need to wake up to the real truth, because it is coming.
As I read and study, I see what the Lord is putting on my heart and the hearts of other pastors who are really in tune with what God is doing, but many in the body of Christ have gone to sleep. Many people are trying to live their normal lives. There is no normal life anymore. You are dreaming—there is no normal life!
When you read Matthew 24, Luke 21 and Mark 13, on the Coming of the Lord, Jesus spoke about deception being a major factor. There are no happy days ahead. People are going to really be tested in their faith, to see where they are spiritually, to see if they really believe and trust in the Lord. We have been so spoiled. We have had it all, but times are changing and Jesus warned us.
The fire of God can’t be damped out by the
waters of man’s persecution.
~A. W. Tozer~
Friday, March 25, 2011
Devotional by Raul Ries
Stumbling a Brother
Therefore do not let your good be spoken of as evil; for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. ~ Romans 14:16-17
Paul wrote the entire chapter of Romans 14 about eating and drinking. If you make someone stumble, you are guilty. You are guilty for what happens to the person you stumble. Wow, that is heavy stuff—eating or drinking can bring judgment.
Remember, in that culture, they used to eat meat offered to idols. They would buy it after it was offered at the temples. The meat was taken to the market to sell. Christians would buy the meat because it meant nothing to them, but if someone came to the house to eat, and they found out it was pagan meat, they would be stumbled. So, they had to check it before they bought it. Why? There were weaker brothers and sisters in the Lord.
You have to know your boundaries. Think of how many people keep away from the power of God for a little sin in their lives—smoking, drinking, watching dirty movies, whatever it is. These little things can become big things. The little sins in life can kill you as easily as the big sins.
It is really important we understand God has these things for us, so we are careful of the things we do. If you want to be used by God, you need to have holy hands and a holy life.
The secret of clean living is clear thinking.
~John R. W. Stott~
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Devotion by Raul Ries
This really spoke to me as I have throughout my walk had major times of backsliding, and I don’t want to live a life of the continual backsliding Christian. God made us brand new, and he warns us of coming sin, always makes a way out for us, and we can say no to sin through his Power. ~ Kirby Harris
Now here is Rauls Devotion:
We Cannot Continue in Sin
“There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, or one who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer.”
Deuteronomy 18:10
What else did God warn the children of Israel about? He warned them against witchcraft, which also refers to drugs. In the New Testament, it is pharmakeia, referring to people who take drugs.
It is amazing. I was talking to this person the other day, and he told me he likes to get high once in a while. He is a Christian. I asked him if he had read Galatians 5 or Ephesians 5. Had he read the Book of Revelation and what it says about drugs, pharmakeia? When you come to Christ, the Bible says all things are brand new, and all things are passed away.
If you are brand new, you cannot continue to be a social drinker. You cannot continue to be a social drug user. You cannot continue to do these things, because the Bible says, in 1 Corinthians 3:16-17, Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.
You cannot be effective spiritually if there is any leaven in your life. You cannot; there is no power. You really have to be upfront with what God says in His Word. You either obey it, or you disobey it.
Be obedient even when you do not know
where obedience may lead you.
~Sinclair Ferguson~
Monday, March 14, 2011
Devotional by Raul Ries
People Follow Their Leaders
“When you come into the land which the LORD your God is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abominations of those nations.”
Deuteronomy 18:9
Notice the command and the warning. He spoke very specifically, very clearly. Now, God did not have to address the people after He spoke to the Levites and the priests. He gave the leaders clear instructions on how to lead the people. Why would He give a warning to the people? The leadership of Israel were the first ones to be deceived. It was not the people. The people followed the priests.
That is how it is even today. The people follow the leaders. When there is weak leadership, there are weak people. Understand that.
In your home, if you are a weak parent, your children will be weak. If you are not the leader in your place of employment, the people will be weak. They will not follow you; they will follow the trends—the world.
God was speaking through Moses. He was talking about the evil practices done by the people. Yet, He was warning His own people about the people of the land and their practices. Despite the warnings, the children of Israel would eventually be enticed by their practices of magic, astronomy and idol worship.
Here, Moses is very upfront. He says we have to be careful of the Canaanites—be careful of the abominations of the world infecting our lives.
Enemy-occupied territory—that is
what the world is.
~C. S. Lewis~
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Daily Devotion by Raul Ries
God Provides for His Own
“And this shall be the priest’s due from the people, from those who offer a sacrifice, whether it is bull or sheep: they shall give to the priest the shoulder, the cheeks, and the stomach.”
Deuteronomy 18:3
What was Moses saying? God is going to provide through His people. Priests and Levites should never worry about money. The Bible says if you are really anointed of the Lord, and God really called you, then He will provide for you.
That is what Pastor Chuck Smith taught me. Never depend on anyone. Depend on the Lord. That has been my philosophy for more than 37 years.
I get blown away every Sunday morning with the offering, because we do not ask; we receive. Every time we receive, I am blown away by the Lord—how God takes care of us.
We have learned to trust in the Lord completely in this ministry. There was a time when we had no money, and our payment was due on the building. God provided the exact amount for the payment, and then He provided for all of us, but we had to have faith. We had to trust in the Lord. During this trial, do you know what God did? He moved out all the murmurers and complainers, all who lacked in faith. That is what God did here in years past.
Never, never have we ever gotten up and said, “You know what? We are going broke, and we need this amount of money.” Never— we should never do that—ever. My dependency is on the Lord. If I cannot afford this or that, then we will close the doors. We will shut down and do something else.
In your own lives, do you trust in the Lord, or do you trust in your paycheck? Jobs come and go, but God is always faithful!
Where there is no hope, there is no faith.
~William Gouge~
Wednesday, March 09, 2011
Devotional by Raul Ries
Living Examples
“Therefore they shall have no inheritance among their brethren; the LORD is their inheritance, as He said to them.”
Deuteronomy 18:2
Why were the Levites not given an inheritance? Because they were to trust God by faith. They had the greater inheritance, because they had God, and He told them, “I will take care of you.”
Isn’t that interesting? God will take care of you. God will take care of me. What do people worry about the most? Money, retirement, where they will live, what they will eat. We do not have to worry about our retirement. We do not have to worry about anything. God will take care of us.
Do you remember what God said in the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 6:25-34? He said, “Why are you anxious? You are to seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and then all these things shall be added to you.”
This is what God is teaching. He is making the Levites and the priests depend on the Lord. The people were depending on the Lord, but when the priests became corrupt, the people became corrupt.
The priests and the Levites were supposed to be the models for the whole body of believers, so they could see their faith in God. They were to be living holy lives, so when they stood before the presence of God, to give the sacrifices of the people, the sacrifices would be accepted by God.
Think about it. Today, God wants believers to be examples of holy living. He wants you and me to be examples, to believers and nonbelievers, of people who have faith in the Lord—people who trust in the inheritance of God.
Faith is the identifying mark of the Christian.
~Ronald Dunn~
Thursday, March 03, 2011
Who rules your heart? -- Today's Devotion from Mike MacIntosh
Then the men of Israel said to Gideon, "Rule over us, both you and your son, and your grandson also; for you have delivered us from the hand of Midian." But Gideon said to them, "I will not rule over you, nor shall my son rule over you; the Lord shall rule over you."
Judges 8:22-23
We should never be too caught up in any accolades that come our way. We must always remember where our gifts, abilities, intellect, and accomplishments come from, and that is only through the Hand of God.
God has given you everything you have. And when it comes to people's lives, in no way do you want to rule over anybody. You just don't want to do that. You want to be in a place where you can say, "The Lord rules over me." There are a lot of congregations that are ruled over by the elders and ruled over by the pastor. You belong to God. And I, as a pastor, don't want my fingerprints on any of the people that I serve. If you're a wolf, I'll be the first one to usher you out the door. If you're a wounded lamb, I'll do my best to pick you up, give you a hug, pat you on the back, and turn you over to the right person to help you. But as a pastor I will not rule you. The Lord is your ruler. Don't ever let a man rule over you; submit and be obedient to authority (1 Peter 2:18), but don't allow anyone but God to rule in your heart. Man demands, takes authority, and gets prideful--God doesn't! His ways are gentle and full of peace.
The people of Israel marveled at Gideon's power, but didn't have the spiritual sense to realize that it was God who allowed Gideon to succeed in battle. Had they realized this, maybe they would have worshiped God and asked Him to rule over them instead. Starting today, let God rule in you. Confess those things in your life that you've been holding on to and controlling. Let His gentle authority direct your ways.
"And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful" (Colossians 3:15).
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Thursday, February 24, 2011
Teach Your Children Well – Devotion by Raul Ries
For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Hebrews 4:12
I heard recently, seventy percent of girls under the age of 14 have already had sex. Think about it—seventy percent. That is some of your daughters. That is my granddaughters coming up. That is why I talk to them. It is heavy stuff. We are living in an evil world. We are living in a horrible world. If we do not teach them, if we do not share with them in love, tell them and inform them, what is going to happen to them?
I was talking to a guy at the gym. He is in his late thirties. He went to Calvary Chapel West Covina when he was very young, but he walked away from the Lord. He has four, beautiful children, and he always talks about how they are in baseball, they are in dance, doing this and doing that. They are so happy.
I asked him, “Are you teaching them anything spiritually?” He just looked at me. I said, “You better teach them spiritually, more than anything else, because you are going to lose them.” That is the bottom line.
We have to do what God calls us to do. It starts with each one of us, individually, coming to the place where God has called us to be priests of the family, to be men and women of God and live lives of holiness, because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy” (1 Peter 1:16).
It is really incredible to see what God is doing and what He intends to do with each one of our lives. As we give ourselves to Him, as we are instructed by the Holy Spirit, and as we take God’s Word and let it affect our lives first, then we can affect others.
There is no such person as a person
without influence.
~J. A. Motyer~
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
An upward perspective–Prayer without Ceasing
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies. Test all things; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil. ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:16-21
Thessalonica was a populous seaport in Macedonia. The Roman Empire's highway from Rome to the East, The Egnatian Way, cut its path through Thessalonica. The city was continually buzzing with visitors from around the world. I'm impressed by the commerce, wealth, and activity. But I'm more impressed that God sent the apostle Paul there. God had something important to say to this fast-paced, cosmopolitan group. And by extension, us.
Paul encouraged them to keep communication open with heaven. He said, "pray without ceasing." The Greek word Paul chose for "without ceasing" literally means "without intermission." No breaks in the action or music. Constant motion. To "pray without ceasing" doesn't mean you have to stay on your knees 24/7. It means, maintain an attitude of prayer. Allow prayer to become like breathing or blinking--something you do instinctively as part of your existence.
Just open your eyes, look around, and talk with God. Share with Him what makes you scared, what you need, what you're thankful for, and what you love about His character.
"Pray without ceasing" means that you have an upward perspective as you move around throughout your day. You are communicating with the One who promises to always listen. He is the only one capable of responding with power in every situation.
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Monday, February 21, 2011
"The Only Way to Live and Die” Whosoevers Conference 2011 in Los Angeles California - March 4th and 5th
The Whosoevers Conference
Go be there live Friday March 4th and Saturday March 5th in Los Angeles or if you can't go then watch the conference live via the net right here at the Whosoevers Richmond Site. The whole event is free.
“The Only Way to Live and Die” Whosoevers Conference 2011
Friday
12:00-2:00 Doors open
2:00- 2:20 Worship
2:25- 2:30 Larry Page – Opening Prayer
2:30- 3:00 Study w/ Derek Neider (The Work of the Holy Spirit)
3:00-3:30 Study w/ Ron Hindt (Reaching the unreachable)
3:30- 3:40 Break
3:40-3:50 Worship
3:50- 4:35 Interview/Q&A- Ryan Ries/Sonny/HEAD (Walk w/ Christ now)
4:35-4:40 Out Of The Shadows
4:40- 5:10 Study w/ Mike Macintosh (Holiness)
5:10- 5:40 Study w/ Sonny (Jesus not Religion)
5:40- 7:30 Dinner Break
7:30- 9:30 Whosoever Friday Nights – Ryan Ries
The Arrows & The Rep
Saturday
9:00-9:20 Worship
9:25-9:30 Larry Page – Pray
9:30-10:00 Study w/ TBA
10:00-10:30 Study w/ Nathan Robinson (No One Left Behind)
10:30-11:00 Study w/Ryan Ries (No Compromise)
11:00-11:10 Break
11:10-11:40 Study w/ Brian Brodersen (New Wine)
11:40-12:15 Interviews/ Q&A- Ryan Ries/Sonny/ Annie /Guido (Staying connected)
12:15-2:00 Lunch Break
2:05-2:30 The REP
2:30-3:00 Study w/ David Trujillo (Stepping out by Faith)
3:00-3:35 Study w/ Frank Pastore (Q & A Defending the Faith)
3:35-3:45 Break
3:45-3:55 Worship
3:55-4:25 Study w/ Sean Mckeehan (Cleansed by the Word)
4:25-5:00 Study w/ Raul Ries (Wake-up time is short)
5:00-5:15 Worship
CONFERENCE INFO
DATES:* March 4-5 2011
TICKETS:
* FREE
SPEAKERS:
* Raul Ries
* Mike Macintosh
* Brian Brodersen
* Frank Pastore
* Derek Neider
* Nathan Robinson
* Ron Hindt
* David Trujillo
* Annie Lobert
* Michael Guido
* Sean Mckeehan
* The Whosoevers
BANDS:
* The Arrows
* The Rep
* Phil Sanchez
LOCATION:
* Calvary Chapel Golden Springs
22324 Golden Springs Dr.
Diamond Bar, CA 91765
(909) 396-1884
HOTEL INFO :
* Ayeres Suites
21951 Golden Springs Dr.
Diamond Bar, CA 91765
(909) 860-6290
* Holiday Inn
1725 E Gateway Center Dr.
Diamond Bar, CA 91765
(909) 860-5440
Preach with Your Life
Devotional by Raul Ries
And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.
Acts 4:31
I have met so many people, everywhere I go. At the gym, there is a woman who has been coming for the last five years. She works out every single day, seven days a week, and I have been praying for her. Her daughter came to CCGS, and she got saved.
She came up to me and said, “Raul, I want to tell you something. I am searching. I work out every day. I go to work, but I have no peace in my life. I see my daughter, and she has peace in her life now. I am going to come to your church to see.”
Going down to the beach, we have many guys come up to us, and we do not preach. We preach by our lives. They see how we fellowship with one another. We are always joyous; we are not bummed out.
They come up to our cars and ask us questions all the time, because they see something different. They are all educated people, but they are empty.
This is what God has been doing. This is what God does. We do not have to be afraid. We have to be powerful witnesses of Jesus Christ. We have to be bold in proclaiming the Gospel. We have to live it. We have to really live it out.
When people ask you, do not be shy. Tell them the truth. “You are going to heaven or you are going to hell.” Make them make a choice.
It is the Word of God, the Word of God that fills people’s lives and gives them peace—the peace of God.
Evangelism is truth demanding a verdict.
~Lionel Fletcher~
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Thursday, October 04, 2007
Heart of Worship
Worship is not the music, but its a lifestyle of devotion to God. When it comes to worship, I think most people get it wrong and equate worship with just music, like I did at one time. Or, if they get it right, eventually, like I did, then they tend to quickly forget that its a lifestyle and revert back to treating it like it is just music. We say things like that was great worship the other day. We've trained ourselves to that usage. That's the problem. I believe, that we may do that as a marriage of convenience to our human nature (or flesh), which then allows us not to think of worship as a life changing lifestyle. Our human nature (flesh) hates to be a living sacrifice that has a heart of worship.
I love the 'heart of worship' song, because in life, I miss having the heart of worship quite a bit. I get it wrong and need to get back to the heart of worship. This song breaks my heart every time and redirects me back to a heart of worship in my life.
From time to time, I, like you guys and most Christians reduce worship to a 15 to 30 minute music set once a week at church. And that is irreverent, not bad lyrics. God looks at the heart, not the quality of the sound. The question does it bring the hearts of the listener to God that causes change in the person's life.
The 'Heart of Worship' song explains whats wrong with all our lives, because we routinely make it about everything but Him, even in our work of the ministry. This song reminds us to come back to the true heart of worship.
The 'Heart of Worship' says it all:
1.(WHEN ALL THE HYPE IS GONE AND I SIMPLY COME TO HIM)
"When the music fades and all is stripped away
And I simply come
Longing just to bring something that's of worth
That will bless Your heart"
2.(IT IS ABOUT A DEVOTED LIFE, NOT THE SONG STYLE, GENRE OR QUALITY - YOU COULD SING OFF KEY OR SUCK MUSICALLY - GOD LOOKS AT THE HEART)
"I'll bring You more than a song
For a song in itself
Is not what You have required
You search much deeper within
Through the way things appear
You're looking into my heart"
3.(WHEN I/WE GET MY/OUR FOCUS OFF JESUS AND WHAT REALLY MATTERS TO HIM, THEN WE NEED TO GET BACK ON TRACK - AND IF ANYBODY SAYS THEY DON'T GET OFF TRACK THEY ARE LYING OR ARE OFF TRACK)
"I'm coming back to the heart of worship
And it's all about You
All about You, Jesus
I'm sorry, Lord, for the things I've made it
When it's all about You
All about You, Jesus"
4.(WHEN WE REALIGN OUR HEARTS AND MINDS IT BRINGS US BACK TO JESUS AND HIS ULTIMATE WORTH)
"King of endless worth, no one could express
How much You deserve
Though I'm weak and poor, all I have is Yours
Every single breath"
This song passes all the tests of being a solid song that brings us to repentance and gives God the glory.
Amen