Pastor's Blog

Pastor's Blog - February 2014

noreply@blogger.com (Ken Peters) — Tue, 04 Feb 2014 18:10:00 +0000

Dear Family in Christ,

Today as I was reading one of my devotions, I felt impressed to share it with each of you as it blessed and encouraged me. I pray you, too, will receive the same touch from the Lord...

I will be like the dew and the night mist to Israel. Hosea 14:5

The dew is a source of freshness. It is nature’s provision for renewing the face of the earth. It falls at night, and without it, vegetation would die. It is this great renewal value of the dew that is so often recognized in the Holy Scriptures and used as a symbol of spiritual refreshment. Just as nature is bathed in the dew, the Lord renews us His people.

He saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we had done, but because of His own mercy, by the cleansing of the new birth and the renewing of the Holy Spirit. Titus 3:5

This same thought of dew renewing us is seen clearly here as the work of the wonderful Holy Spirit.

Many of us do not recognize the importance of heavenly dew in our lives, and as a result, lack freshness and energy. Our spirits are withered and droopy for lack of dew. Beloved, you recognize the folly of a laborer attempting to work all day without eating, but do you recognize the folly of a servant of God attempting to labor without eating heavenly manna? Neither is it sufficient to have spiritual nourishment only occasionally. Every day we must receive the “renewal of the Holy Spirit,” i.e. the dew of heaven.

Quietness and stillness bring the dew. At night when the leaves and grass are still, the plants’ pores are open to receive the refreshing and invigorating bath. And spiritual dew comes from quietly lingering in the Master’s presence. Get still before Him, for haste will prevent you from receiving the dew. Wait before God until you feel saturated with His presence. Then move on to your next duty with the awareness of the freshness and energy of Christ!

Remember, just as the dew will not come in heat, or wind, only the stillness…absolute rest… so, too, we must come to this place of stillness and rest for the grace of God to bring forth renewal to our souls in Him.

Bless you as you pursue His rest…

Brother Ken

Pastor's Blog - January 2014

noreply@blogger.com (Ken Peters) — Tue, 14 Jan 2014 17:58:00 +0000

Greetings Family of God,

Job 22:28: “You shall decree a thing and it shall be established unto you, and the light shall shine upon your ways.”

God has literally granted to us the ability to utilize our words to bring to pass His purposes.

So again we decree to you all, that you will have a happy and prosperous new year!

I believe there are several reasons to rejoice over a New Year…

Every past needs a pardon

Every future needs a purpose

A joyful end to a season of gratitude

The blessed mystery of our new journey in 2014

The hope we can start over...

Philippians 3:13: “Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead…”

The New Year finds its deepest meaning in our need to be reborn, forgiven, renewed and redeemed!

Ezekiel 36:26a: “I will give you a new heart with new and right desires and I will put a new spirit within you.”

Each New Year, like any redemption, comes not by our making, but by His grace!

That dream too impossible to dare…start it.

That mountain too high to climb…move it.
That shame you’re afraid will be known…confess it.

2 Corinthians 5:17: “...old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”

For every cross, for every death, there is a resurrection!

Remember the Lord’s exhortation…

“Believe Me for the amazing and the exciting!”

Pastor Ken

Pastor's Blog - December 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Ken Peters) — Thu, 12 Dec 2013 19:32:00 +0000

Greetings from Pastor Neil, (The gray-haired guy typically seen standing at the back.)

For many, 2013 was quite a challenge. Health, financial and employment issues, family struggles, loved ones ushered into the presence of the Lord, and yes, even floods (Lord, I thought that wasn’t supposed to happen again?). For others, there were moments of celebration with new babies, blessed businesses, jobs, children returning home and even some moving out (hallelujah).

I imagine we all have our stories to tell. But I have to ask, do we have a testimony? What I mean by testimony is, what role did Jesus play in your life situations this last year? Regardless of what we faced, whether a challenge or a victory, Jesus was with us all the way and didn’t miss a thing. Some find it hard to believe, but “all things” really do “work together for good to those who love God” and are “predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son.” (Rom. 8:28-29) At times, that conforming can be a little painful. Regardless, please join me in a mighty shout of “PRAISE GOD” for being with us in 2013 and as we look forward to the greater glory of 2014.

How can I close without saying something about Christmas? I’m more of Resurrection Sunday (Easter) guy myself! Now I know we are celebrating the birth of Jesus, but considering Jesus is the Creator with no beginning or ending, it’s hard for me to envision Jesus as a baby. With that, I like to look at Christmas as a celebration of the day our Creator clothed Himself with His creation to walk among us. What a testimony!

So this Christmas, truly love one another. Don’t stress over gifts or when someone says “Happy Holidays,” respond with a “Merry Christmas,” a smile and a wink. Be nice to all the Santa Clauses, try leading one or two to the Lord, throw a little something in the Salvation Army bucket and finally, go ahead and sing Happy Birthday to Jesus.

Pastors Ken and Tonja, the Elders and staff pray God’s rich blessings on you all.

Pastor Neil Smith

Pastor's Blog - November 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Ken Peters) — Tue, 19 Nov 2013 21:14:00 +0000

Greetings Gathering Family, 11/03/13

Well, well, well...59 days left in 2013. That means the holidays are just around the corner. Thanksgiving is only four weeks away, Christmas is only eight weeks away, and New Year’s is only nine weeks away.

We are a family not bonded by earthly blood but by Heavenly blood, and since we are a family, we must remember that this is a very tough time of year for some of our family members. We must tune in to the Spirit to help those family members who are having a tough time of it, because so many of them won’t say anything to any of us. They will just suffer through the wonderful holidays without saying a word.

We all need a little love, but this time of year some of our brothers and sisters need a little bit more love. Ephesians 5:1-2 states, “Be, therefore, followers of God as dear children; and walk in love, as Christ also has loved us, and has given Himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling aroma.” We need to follow the lead of Jesus and truly walk in love. It may be we will have to scale back our own holiday celebrations to be able to help out a brother or sister. Maybe we need to just interact with them and give them the opportunity to open up their hearts and talk with someone, let them know someone cares. Whatever the sacrifice may be, God will honor it. Let’s stop playing church and be the church. Philippians 2:3 states, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility VALUE others above yourselves.”

I pray you all have the best holidays you have ever had.

God bless,

Pastor Roger Collum

Pastor's Blog - October 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Ken Peters) — Wed, 09 Oct 2013 19:51:00 +0000

Greetings Family of God,

What a summer we had! From the great weather we enjoyed during Family Camp at Lake Lopez to the last few sweltering weeks, we have seen God do some really great things. Our Children’s Summer Camp and Vacation Bible School really ministered to our children, with many receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit and being baptized in water. Our youth “camp out” at Pastors Jeremy and Kelli’s house brought a great spirit of unity to our youth. Who will ever forget the bear encounter at Family Camp? Finally, how awesome it has been experiencing the increased outpouring of the Holy Spirit in our services.

Over the last several weeks, we have heard of the many things that we are facing as believers as Christ’s return draws near. Even though we may reflect on the past, what is God having you to do for the future, for your life, for your family, for His Kingdom? I want encourage you with Matthew 6:33 – “Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added unto you.”

God, in His goodness and grace, has so many things for us. We have to take a step of faith and take hold of them to see what He will do. As we participated in the events mentioned above this summer, we would not have had the experiences we had if we did not step out and do them. Don’t miss out on what God has for you during this season. Step out so you will experience the blessings He has for you and see the promises He will fulfill through you.

Blessings,

Pastor Ryan

Pastor's Blog - September 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Ken Peters) — Wed, 04 Sep 2013 22:09:00 +0000

Being a part of History!

As we walk out our Christian salvation, we go through many trials and battles. When God called you by name, you had a decision to make. Do I except Him as my Lord and Savior, or do I walk away?

Today, I want to talk to those who accepted His call. Many in the church have been lead to believe that just accepting Him is enough. What a lie the enemy of God has portrayed on the church. I believe that is one of the reasons we see and are seeing the falling away of many people from the church.

I want you to reflect on what the Holy Spirit has done or told you. What plans did He give you when you received Jesus in your heart? Every one of us has been given talents or gifts, but many lie dormant. Some gifts were used, only to now lie hidden in your heart. Some are using their gifts, but not to the full potential, while others are striving to do whatever God has given them to do. In Matthew 25:15, it speaks about giving talents according to their ability. What has God given to you? Selah.

I want to encourage you this month to meditate on what God has given you to do in the Kingdom of God. Now don’t shut the door; keep reading.

Each one has been given a job to do. Unlike the world that says that after so many years you stop and retire, God is saying it’s time to REFIRE.

As the title of this message says, “being a part of history.” Where do you fit?

Just like your salvation, you have a choice of what part of history are you going to play.

We are one body; the foot is just as important as the hand. YOU are just as important as the person next to you. Using the talents that have been given to you, what is your passion? It has been given to you. It’s yours! Others do not have it; God gave it to YOU.

An apple cannot be an orange, no matter how hard it may want to be. Some try to be something they are not, but should use the talents the Lord has given to each of them.

Remember that you are not alone. Please pray and ask the Holy Spirit what your gifting and talents are. Then get involved in an area that will train you up to do what God has called you to.

Now your flesh is saying, “I’ve done enough” or “I am tired.”

“I’ve got my fire insurance; I will just wait on the Lord’s return.”

Well, you could do that, but I have found that it’s much more fun being in the game than sitting on the bench.

In His Service,

Pastor Chuck Ritzi

Pastor's Blog - August 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Ken Peters) — Thu, 08 Aug 2013 18:51:00 +0000

A quote from a friend, Steve Ditmar:

Abide in Me

Jesus said, “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me.”

Thank God for this verse of scripture! Thanking God for His Word is faith alive. Gratitude is the fruit of grace and grace is the fruit of faith.

Where are we in our journey?

From conception to birth, from believing to receiving, beginning to ending, so much space exist. There are many pitfalls along the way; immaturity of the Spirit, earthly longings that lust against the Spirit, and, oh yes, betrayal. Staring in the face of our human failures and our own personal shortcomings, there is the law ever-present in some form to show us how we should have lived, done, been, etc., ...then God would have honored His promises to us.

I cannot tell you how many times I have fallen for this lie because it is tempting to consider yourself smart enough to be part of the equation of salvation.

Promises made by God to us are inheritances given and are not dependent upon the law!

Long before God reveals any promise to us, He has already determined within Himself His ability to deliver that promise. The promise is not conditional upon our ability but is complete in Christ and brought to us by faith!

Galatians 3:18 For if the inheritance is based on the law, it is no longer based on a promise, but God gave it to Abraham by means of a promise.

The problem is promises are contended over! The thief comes to take what has been sown into our hearts. Brothers become jealous of our privileged words. We bumble along, ever confident in our flesh that we know what is next or what we need to do, if only given the chance.

We receive His promise and His nature takes hold but we are still living in our old nature—striving, fearing, and reacting. Now we are in the God drama! The harder we work, the harder we fail. The more we run, the faster we are pursued. The longer we refuse, the more we are out-waited by God. It really is impossible to be separated from His love! Eventually, we come to see that our perceptions, fears, and old nature must die. Thus the Cross!

Family, anytime the revelation of God (the seeing) comes, promise of its continuance and future maturity accompanies it!

God is intentional! He touches us, drawing us with desire. The smallest thought towards God is a promise of life with Him. A whisper of His presence is a river of eternity in His love.

Yes, you have been given promises!

-Brother Ken

Pastor's Blog - July 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Ken Peters) — Tue, 16 Jul 2013 16:36:00 +0000

Greetings Family of God!

Amazingly we are now in the month of July; the heat has come and summer is definitely here in Southern California. Youngsters are enjoying their break from school and many of us are looking forward to vacations and a little rest from our labors.

Our Children’s Summer Camp was incredible. All the children were radically touched by the Lord Jesus Christ. Many kids gave their lives to the Lord, many others felt the leading to recommit their hearts to Jesus, and a large number of children were baptized in the Holy Spirit. And, of course, they all had a great time of fun and fellowship at Big Bear.

A special thanks to all who prayed and financially supported the camp; our children will forever be changed by your sacrifice!

Family, I pour my heart out to you about a matter that is of great importance…

The Gathering finances!

Thank you for always staying faithful to the Lord with your giving and tithing!

During the summer often many forget that church expenses continue. Please stand with us in prayer and tangible ongoing giving, keeping The Gathering purposes alive and well during the next three months.

I realize that with vacations and family expenses, it seems to add another weight when looking at giving. But I am certain if we put the Lord first in this area, even above our own needs, we will be blessed exceedingly!

Jesus said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive” and that He loves “cheerful givers.” When we give a good measure, the Lord will see to it that your return is increased and that men will give unto your bosom!

I pray you enjoy this season and grow in the Lord’s grace…

With Christian Love,

Brother Ken

Pastor's Blog - June 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Ken Peters) — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 18:06:00 +0000

Family of God,

It has been exciting to watch the Lord transform our fellowship from a single pastor headship to a plurality of leadership over the last year. At first I was concerned as to how the New Testament fivefold ministry would function, having only been acquainted with the traditional protestant order. Now, I have come to understand why this is the way the 1^st century church was organized by the Holy Spirit. Simply stated, believers were never intended to become “do nothing Sunday morning pew sitters,” but rather, ministers - filled with the Holy Spirit - trained and released to effectively evangelize the whole world. This revelation has given me a new found urgency to a change that must occur within each of us.

I want to encourage each of you to realize that you have a vital part to play. You were created for this moment in time by God himself (Acts 26:16). Your whole life has been directed by God so that you have arrived at the right place at the right time with the right talents (giftings) to achieve all that God needs within His Kingdom. The only thing that you need to supply is a complete surrender to God’s plan.

Remember that there are no insignificant roles to be played (1 Cor.12:12-26). So, let’s ALL get involved and make a difference for God’s Kingdom. I encourage you to make this a matter of prayer and be prepared to hear from God like little Samuel who humbly answered God by saying, “Speak, for your servant hears.”

YOU make the difference. God needs YOU!

In His Service,

Dan Buckley

Pastor's Blog - May 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Ken Peters) — Tue, 21 May 2013 18:33:00 +0000

Dear Church Family,

What an awesome feeling to know our Heavenly Father truly loves us as His children. There are many examples and verses the Bible shows us about Christ and His love for us. For this very reason we should show others this same love.

As a family of believers, we must be willing to look past our own selves and the circumstances we may be facing in order to possess God’s type of love for our families, our friends, our church family, and most importantly love for our Savior, Jesus.

In Matthew 22: 37-39, the scribe asked Jesus what the greatest commandment was and Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’”

Let’s remember why the Lord laid down His life for us, because He loved us and we should be willing to do the same for each other.

1 Peter 4:8-9 says, And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.” Be hospitable to one another without grumbling.

I encourage you to step out of your comfort zone and go to someone you do not know and show them Christ’s love. This could be someone at church, the grocery store, convenience store, gas station, or anywhere the Lord places you. Let’s go above and beyond because Jesus did for us.

In Christ’s Love,

Jeremy Lawson

Pastor's Blog - April 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Ken Peters) — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 20:34:00 +0000

Dear Church Family,

It’s been several days since our Resurrection Sunday celebration and my heart is
still filled with the joy of the Lord. He is Risen! A shout of praise! ……. “HE is RISEN!”

Such a joyful noise we made in joining with La Reunion to praise and worship our King, the Lord of ALL! Truth is, my spirit is soaring……..

The tangible presence of the Spirit of God was evidenced by numerous first-time
salvations and many coming forward to rededicate their lives to the Lord.

Let us all continue together in unity. We are clearly in a season of fruitfulness and

victory!

I pray for all of us, just as Paul did in his letter to the Philippian church:

Philippians 1:9-11

“And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and

all discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may
be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of
righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.”

With great joy!

Paul Murray

Pastor's Blog - March 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Ken Peters) — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 16:35:00 +0000

Dear Family of God,

Greetings and blessings from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!

I want to personally say “thank you” to each and every one of you for the honor and privilege it has been serving you these past eight years!

You have been my joy and delight as we have walked this journey into God’s fullest purpose.

I am so very excited about the Lord’s choices of leaders and those He has called to the Five-Fold Ministry.

It feels as though the Lord has released the Joshua generation into the conquering mode!

Please continue to be willing in heart for all the Lord has for you individually and certainly the opportunities corporately.

What a joy to be a community of believers!

“Common” and “unity” are the two words I think of when speaking of “community.”

We have so much in common! We all love Holy Spirit and His wonderful gifts. We all love to

worship Jesus! We all are amazed at our Heavenly Father.

And now we are walking in unity. So much is possible through the unity of the brethren.

Remember to pray daily for all of our Elders and especially Pastors Ryan and Holly.

Lift up the Will of God everyday in prayer for The Gathering.

Stand firm in the storm; raise your sails in the wind. And God will certainly fulfill your heavenly desires.

With much love,

Pastor Ken

Pastor's Blog - February 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Ken Peters) — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 16:56:00 +0000

Greetings Family of God!

As I sit down to write this, I am reflecting on the tremendous things God is doing in our body. He has shown Himself faithful to our church and in our lives. He has been faithful to send his Holy Spirit to move amongst us during our corporate gatherings. I am thankful that as a body we are choosing to press in to His presence and in to the things of the Spirit.

The Lord has shifted our body into the five-fold ministry, which will begin to bring the purposes that God wants for us closer to being fulfilled. The Elders and I sense excitement in the atmosphere and we are encouraged to see many of you stepping into the callings of God on your life.

Ephesians four has been an area of scripture the Lord has been recently bringing to the church. In verse three, Paul writes that we are to be “endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” The word endeavoring here means to be eager, to make every effort, to do one’s best, be zealous. As we move forward in these exciting times, I want to encourage you to endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit because when there is unity, there is the commanded blessing of the Lord – Life Forevermore (Psalm 133).

Continue to seek Him, press in, strive for unity and fulfill the purposes that God has for you!

Please join us February 24th at 2:30 p.m. for a Round Table Meeting in the sanctuary as we share the direction the Lord is taking His church.

Blessings,

Pastor Ryan

Pastor's Blog - January 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Ken Peters) — Mon, 07 Jan 2013 21:01:00 +0000

And let the peace of God rule in your hearts,
to which you were also called in one body;
and be thankful! Colossians 3:15

Have you ever had one of those days when there was so much confusion whirling around your head that you felt like screaming, “STOP!”?

From time to time everyone has that kind of day, and when you do, your temptation is probably either to get in the flesh and react to someone in an ugly way or to get depressed, go to bed and forget about it all.

However, we know that neither choice will help you solve the problems you are facing.

Rather than throw in the towel and let your emotions get the best of you, why not stop right now and make a decision to let the Word of God rule you today?

When I say “rule,” I mean the supernatural peace dominating and governing every emotion and situation that confronts you. If you don’t make this decision and follow through with it, worry, fear, insecurity, doubt and many other emotions will try to take control over you.

Instead, let the peace of God rule in your heart as Paul wrote in Colossians 3:15.

The word “rule” here describes an umpire or referee who moderated and judged athletic

competitions.

Paul is saying that God’s peace can work like an umpire or referee in our hearts, minds and emotions.

When feeling overwhelmed, just stop a moment and deliberately set your heart and mind on

Jesus and the Word of God.

Confession:

I confess that God’s supernatural peace dominates me. When I am tempted to get upset and my emotions try to take control of me, I put these emotions aside and allow the Spirit of God to release a supernatural, dominating, moderating peace to rule my heart, mind and emotions!
I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Bless you all,

Pastor Ken

Pastor's Blog - December 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Ken Peters) — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 18:00:00 +0000

Celebrating Our Savior’s Birth

Dear Family of God,

Greetings this Advent season!

Advent is a Latin word which denotes the coming or arrival of Christ the Messiah.

As many of you know, I am not fond of Christmas, trees, lights, wreaths and such.

However, I am amazed at the birth of Jesus Christ our Savior.

This season of preparation, or to make room in our hearts for Christ, is so wonderful.

No wonder at all that we feel led to give and bless others during this season…

For God so loved He gave His only begotten Son.

The miracle of the Incarnation, God becoming man, is the crux of our Christian faith.

All we stand on is based on a virgin with child!

The cost, the sacrifice, that Mary and Joseph paid is a reminder of our Father’s great

sacrifice. Think of it, God gave up His only Son to save us from our sins.

For there is born to you this day in the city of David,

A SAVIOR

who is Christ the Lord!

Our Savior has come first as a babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, now as our King

in our hearts!

May the wonder, majesty, joy and peace of our Savior’s birth fill you this season as

you celebrate His kingly reign.

Christ is Born — Hallelujah!

Merry Christmas,

Pastor Ken

Pastor's Blog - November 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Ken Peters) — Thu, 15 Nov 2012 17:01:00 +0000

Dear Family of God,

Greetings in Jesus’ name!

I trust you are all experiencing the wonderful grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ and growing in His great love.

God has truly shifted our fellowship into His higher purposes. The momentum of the Holy Spirit is incredible and growing every time we meet.

We have entered into a time of truly experiencing His tangible presence in our gatherings and seeing His power manifest over sickness, disease and lack.

Be encouraged to enter in during these corporate times so that you can receive His fullness for every area of your life. Like never before, the entry is open wide and the Lord is beckoning us to come in and fellowship with Him.

Don’t forget to be thankful amid what may have turned out differently than expected.

God loves a thankful heart; in all things, be thankful.

Our God is on the throne and is still looking for those whose hearts are toward Him.

God wants to prove His ongoing goodness to His covenant people.

Never forget that you are in covenant with God!

The Almighty God, He cannot change. If God be for you, who can be against you?

Let’s keep a thankful heart especially during this season of Thanksgiving.

Bless you all and may the Lord bless your lives abundantly.

Happy Thanksgiving,

Pastor Ken

Pastor's Blog - October 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Ken Peters) — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 21:29:00 +0000

Dear Family of God,

Well, summer has left us but not yet its heat! Our region certainly has its own climate and strange ways of showing it to us all.

Family, I truly hope you enjoyed this summer and I trust you were able to vacate and enjoy some much needed time off and time away.

I encourage you to really move ahead now that we have all reconnected with God’s ongoing purposes. So many ministry opportunities are available to you during this “Spring Spiritual Season.”

We are bursting forth as a body into the “New” that Jesus has for each of us.

Be encouraged and contend for your fulfillment of the promises that God has made toward you. Now more than ever is our time of blessing, newness and fulfillment.

We have such momentum here at The Gathering; momentum that will launch us forward into Christ likeness, Christ greatness and Christ goodness.

Expect to see your miracles manifest.

Expect to see God bring your victory.

Expect your families to be overcome with God’s best.

Expect to see your turn-around now!

Family, we are praying diligently for each of you and we know in our hearts that the Lord’s impact is now upon each of you — just receive!

Just receive!

I leave you with this blessing!

Proverbs 3: 5-10

In Christ’s Love,

Pastor Ken

Pastor's Blog - September 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Ken Peters) — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 17:19:00 +0000

Dear Family of God,

Blessings to you from our Lord Jesus Christ!

Everyday I become more amazed at God’s love and grace for His people, His ongoing faithfulness and certainly His mercy which is new every morning. I need that wonderful mercy of God because daily I fall short of the mark. Yet God loves us so much that He refuses to condemn us when we miss the mark.

Family, I encourage you to really seek the Lord through fellowship and prayer and the study of the Word, by worshipping and waiting on His loving presence.

Lately, the Holy Spirit has been saying to me that we are entering into a time of His victorious moving. So be expecting to receive victory where you need it. It may be your health or finances or the need for family restoration; just release your faith and receive.

All of us are being exalted to a new place in Christ…

A new authority in Christ…

A new awareness in Christ…

A new dimension of favor in Christ…

A new release of passion for Christ.

So don’t hold back as fall arrives upon us. Before we know it, a new season has come, both in the natural and spiritual realm. This new season is your season to overcome and catch the wind of the Spirit as He moves us to a closer proximity in godliness and actual manifestations of God’s power and glory.

This is yours for the asking and taking!

We love you all and pray everyday for your lives.

Pastors Ken & Tonja

Pastor's Blog - August 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Ken Peters) — Tue, 07 Aug 2012 20:27:00 +0000

Greetings Family of God,

As the new school year approaches, let’s take a moment to reflect on this summer. We had an incredible time at Family Camp, giving testimonies of God’s provision, God’s healing power and most importantly, seeing families connecting with God.

What a wonderful experience our youth had at Summer Camp! We had fun at the water park, shared a team-building experience kayaking, and went to Bubblegum Alley – an attraction in San Luis Obispo where you chew a piece of gum and stick it to a wall in an alley lined with chewed bubblegum! I actually chewed a piece of gum off the wall as a dare!

Besides all the fun, I was so encouraged that the youth who went were willing to go and meet with God.

Matt and Luke Valassis were our guest speakers and really ministered to our youth. It was so awesome to hear the Word of the Lord given to one young lady on how the Lord has given her wisdom at a young age and how successful she is going to be. Another young lady also received a Word on how the Lord has set her apart at such a young age. It was so powerful. The best thing about this was that Matt and Luke had never met any of these girls. It was amazing to see life being poured into our youth’s lives. All it took from those girls was to be willing. God is looking for a People who are willing. Gathering, let’s be that People.

It’s time for our youth to be excited about God’s will and walk in His power. Parents, let’s come into agreement for this school year and the rest of their lives. Let’s pray that our youth will not be ashamed of the Gospel and that our youth would unite to become a civilization of young people becoming like Jesus. Acts 4:32-33: “Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common. And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all.”

We will overcome!!

Pastor Tommy Templeton

Children’s/Youth Pastor

Pastor's Blog - July 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Ken Peters) — Thu, 12 Jul 2012 15:54:00 +0000

Greetings Family of God,

How wonderful it is to serve a faithful God.

“He hath remembered His covenant forever, the word which He commanded to a thousand

generations.” Psalm 105:8

As we have completed our first semester of KAM, our evangelism teams have reached many new families. We have seen the explosion upon the city of Corona. The manifestation of healings, salvations, restoration and hope is a powerful testimony. It was a life-changing experience for both our members as well as those that God has touched through divine appointments. We are preparing for our next semester of KAM. I encourage you to join in and witness God’s glory in our city.

What a wonderful time our children had at VBS! VBS reflected God’s Army in the life of our children’s department. As our children geared up in the whole Armor of God, it was a joy to see unity and freedom flow in their lives, marching and proclaiming the Power of God!

Exciting times continue to be upon us!

There is a great excitement and momentum this month as we see the Holy Spirit moving upon our Gathering prayer and service times. God has shown His favor on His people and there have been many great testimonies. “Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise Your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done marvelous things, things planned long ago.” Isaiah 25:1

Remember, faith is the Word in us, so let’s continue our march forward as the Army of the Lord, fulfilling the purposes of God, reflecting God’s glory in us and through us.

We love you and appreciate all your prayers and support.

Bless each of you. See you at Family Camp!

Pastor Isaac Ramirez

Pastor's Blog - June 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Ken Peters) — Tue, 12 Jun 2012 19:47:00 +0000

Dear Family of God,

Greetings in the Name of Jesus, our great Savior!

I pray you all are growing in the grace of the Lord Jesus and daily seeking His presence.

What a tremendous season of goodness we are experiencing. Our evangelism efforts have been launched through KAM and we are seeing the Lord move and honor our efforts. People are getting saved and ministered to, and Bible Studies are taking place in homes, just like the Book of Acts.

I encourage you, if you are not yet involved, to really seek the Lord about the next semester of KAM. Your life will be changed and you will become a life-changer.

God is so good to us here at The Gathering. We continue to hear about His works:

New jobs

Raises in pay
Unexpected blessing
Miraculous healing
Family restoration

We are just really beginning to enter into the fullness. Get ready for an explosion.

Some direction for us all:

1. Be sure to involve yourself in every opportunity for corporate prayer.
2. Don’t miss our corporate worship times; the miraculous is occurring now, so don’t miss it.
3. Don’t let any bitterness or unforgiveness creep into your heart.

Finally, stay faithful financially to God’s work; you have broken the dam and the flood is about to reach you.

We love you and thank God for the opportunity to lead you into all His purposes.

Enjoy your summer, stay connected, and be blessed.

Pastors Ken & Tonja

Pastor's Blog - May 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Ken Peters) — Wed, 16 May 2012 18:23:00 +0000

Dear Family of God,

This month I would like to share with you about purpose.

How wonderful and encouraging it is to know that our Heavenly Father has made it crystal clear in His Word exactly what His purpose is for each one of us.

Now is the time, right in these next few moments, to make sure, on the authority of His eternal Word, as to His purpose for your personal life.

When we were “born again,” through repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ, (Acts 20:11) we were born into Him - He became our life.

Colossians 3:3-4: “For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.”

Our Heavenly Father is still carrying out His purposes of making man in His image.

Although His original purpose is the same, He is not using the original man to bring it about. All is now centered on the last Adam, our Lord Jesus Christ.

Being born into Him through faith, we became “partakers of the divine nature.”

If we are to be like Him, then God in His grace must do it, and the sooner we can recognize it, the sooner we will be delivered from every form of bondage.

Throw down every self effort and say, “I cannot do it. The more I try, the further I get from His likeness.”

Remember… For it is God that works in you, both to desire and to do His good pleasure.

For to me, to live is Christ! So that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in my mortal flesh.

Bless you all,

Pastors Ken & Tonja

Pastor's Blog - April 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Ken Peters) — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 16:01:00 +0000

Greetings Dear Family of God,

What an amazing God we serve, who loves us with an incomparable passion!

Recently, we had visiting with us two young men whose lives were radically changed by a bona fide visitation from God. If you were not here to hear their testimony, I encourage you to purchase the CD recording. It will greatly impact your life. Several people were physically healed and the touch of God’s presence truly was in operation.

What exciting times are upon us!

Please mark your calendar for Saturday, April 21st, for our believers’ KAM training. I promise you will not be disappointed by attending. The training is so refreshing, and afterwards you will feel truly equipped to reach the lost. By the way, our teams have been going out ministering and God is touching lives. People are responding to the good news that Jesus saves!

Family, stay connected; don’t get weary while doing well. Your due season is upon you!

We are entering into the most productive time as believers in Christ our Savior. His glory will be poured out on all the earth and amazingly we will be His vessels to carry a release of that awesome glory!

Let’s continue to do good, knowing that from the Lord we will receive our reward!

Bless each of you as you celebrate His glorious triumph over death. Be sure to walk in His resurrection power!

Happy Easter!

Pastors Ken & Tonja

Pastor's Blog - March 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Ken Peters) — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 18:49:00 +0000

Dear Family of God,

Greetings in the love of our Great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.

What exciting times we are living in, cooperating with the Holy Spirit and His work to fulfill all that the Father has planned and purposed for His people.

Recently we have experienced an increase of the anointing of God through the presence of the Holy Spirit. Tonja and I want to encourage each of you to really take advantage of His great presence. He wants us healed, whole and refreshed.

Look with me at Acts 3:19. These are times of refreshing. Times to be renewed in our spirits and to be encouraged in our souls.

God is not only our strong tower, but He also is the glory and the lifter of our heads.

As David said, “Why are you downcast, oh my soul?”

Put your trust in God and He will sustain you.

Cast your burden on the Lord and He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.

Sustain here means to maintain; to be able to lift up and to provide all that is needed.

The Lord will not permit you, His righteous ones, to be moved!

So in other words, in Him and through Him we can stand firm and secure through all!

Again, Saints, glory in the Lord’s presence. Bask in His beauty and splendor; leave your seat and enter into His loving presence with full assurance of His sustaining you and renewing you by His glory.

We love you all and look forward to our great transformation into His likeness.

Blessings upon you,

Pastors Ken & Tonja

Pastor's Blog - February 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Ken Peters) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 21:50:00 +0000

Dear Family of God,

Greetings in Jesus and may the joy of the Lord be your strength.

Most of January we taught on the subject of spiritual warfare and our weapons and armor.

Brothers and Sisters, it is crucial in this hour that we stay alert and knowledgeable of the

enemy’s schemes. The devil does go about seeking those who he may devour. It is his plan first to lie with deceptive words, words that go into our flesh nature and stir a response in us. The adversary never stops challenging the truth of God’s Word; he maligns the Word, twists the Word, erodes the Word, until it has no effect in our lives.

We must stand for truth, becoming lovers of the truth because in our times, the last times, men will no longer love the truth or sound doctrine but will follow after their own lust and pleasure.

This is one of the major signs of our times:

Making people feel good through political correctness.

OR...shall we make people free through the truth?

Jesus said to us, “You shall know the truth! And the knowledge of the truth shall make you free!” Freedom and truth cannot be separated. Freedom cannot be obtained outside of truth.

God’s Word is absolute truth!

Rely on it, stand on it, recite it, live it.

The only way for us not to be deceived by the deceiver is to know, stand, and live in truth.

Blessings,

Pastors Ken & Tonja