Last week I was picking my wife up from work when I was told by the parking attendant that there was a large puddle of what looked like oil under our van. As I was leaving I looked under the hood where I saw some leaking of fluid. Not knowing where it was coming from I called my buddy at the dealership where we take our van to be serviced. I told him I would need to bring it in immediately. As we drove to the shop the engine light came on and it started smoking so we got off the freeway pulled into a Quikstop parking area where the vehicle had leaked most of what turned out to be transmission fluid on the ground where we had parked. I called my friend and he stated that he would have the vehicle picked up and brought to the dealership and that he would pick us up. Of course my mind immediately went to the worst scenario which was the engine had run out of oil and seized up. Or the transmission was gone. All of these options costing thousands of dollars. As I wrote a month or two ago my wife had been rear ended and pushed into another vehicle and we had gotten it fixed. My service advisor friend said this may be a result of the accident, that there might have been more damage. Now this was three days before Thanksgiving and the same day I had published my blog on being thankful. I am reminded of the scripture in 1 Thessalonians 5:18 “In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God concerning you.”
When my van was fixed it turned out that there was a transmission hose that had a large hole in it which caused all the fluid to drain from the car. The cost was zero, Praise God! God is always blessing us even the things we consider small. That in our case was a huge blessing as we were not in a position at that point to spend on a new engine or transmission. God knows exactly where we are and as such blesses us with what we need. I can never understand nor figure out why things happen to us but God on the other hand is always faithful. My life for the last two years have not been easy since we stepped on our own with the church. I’ve seen God do some miraculous things in that time. There were many times I felt I couldn’t go on, but it has been in those times that he has continued to see us through. I don’t know what tomorrow may bring but I know each day he is with us and is providing our daily bread. The Disciples asked Jesus to teach us to pray. After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. (Matthew 6:9-13 KJV)
As we take each day we must remember to pray as he taught us to pray. Being thankful for everything he does each day in our lives.

Samuel King, Senior Pastor
Christlike Life Church, Laveen, AZ

We come to the time of year once again where we celebrate another Thanksgiving day. We gather with family and friends and eat turkey and dressing and pumpkin pie. We watch football and eat to much. It’s a great time of year. But we have thanksgiving day every single of our lives. God has blessed us with so much. We have life, health and strength in our bodies. We wake up each day in our right minds and we have food and clothes to wear. We are so blessed to live in the United States of America. There are so many people in this world who don’t have a place to live or clothes to wear. They don’t get regular meals to eat. Take a place like Haiti for example, there are so many people living there who don’t have the basic necessities of life yet they are thankful. When we look at where we are in life we have so much to be thankful for. God loves us so much that he provides everything we have need of. I am thankful for my wife and my children and the church he has allowed me to shepherd. In addition God has blessed me with a home to live in as well as provision. Thanksgiving is about the goodness of our God and all he continues to do for us. 
What if God didn’t provide anything else for us? Would he still be worthy of thanks and praise? What if he did not meet our needs as he says in Philippians 4:19 “My God shall supply all your needs according to his riches in glory; by Christ Jesus.” We live in the greatest country in the world. A land of opportunity for all. There was a time in America where not all people were treated the same. But so much has changed where we all have equal chance to prosper. Yes we have much to thank and praise God for. 
As Americans we enjoy the freedom to choose! Our choices can lead us down the road of bad decisions. It is those choices that get us in trouble and we expect God to get us out of that trouble. Thank God he never gives up on and he never leaves us. David said in Psalm 37:25 “I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.” God loves us and cares about all that we go thought even if it’s of our own making. He may allow us to deal with that thing a lot longer than we desire but his love allows us to go through because he is building endurance in us. So have so much to be thankful for today and everyday.

Samuel King, Senior Pastor
Christlike Life Church, Laveen, AZ

More and more I’m understanding that my words have power! As some of you may or may not know I run a promotional products business this past week I received a sizable order that had multiple designs of which I called a nightmare. Well as you can guess it became just that. I received a call from one of members of our church who was just going through it. She felt that she was under attack as she’d been cut back on her hours at work, her car had broken down and she had her purse stolen from her car. She said I’m having a bad day and I need prayer.” The bible tells us to put on the whole armor of God that we may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. We forget to do this each day and when things happen we accept it and and say, “I’m just having a bad day!” we must live by the word of God and things will work out. When we say things that are contrary to the word of God we will get those things. OUR WORDS HAVE POWER! We create with what we speak. In Genesis God created with words the entire world and mankind. We being like him create with our words. Have you ever noticed when you say, “I’m broke” you are broke? Or “I think I’m getting sick” you feel really sick? I’ve done the opposite when I start feeling sick I’ll say, “I’m healed in the name of Jesus.” That sickness dissipates. I stopped saying I’m broke, and started saying my Father is rich and i’m his child therefore I’m rich.
It’s our choice as to whether we will stand on the word or not. As we read, hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” The word of God is active. It has to power to be activated in our lives. Just as the negative words we speak will come about. We must be careful of what we say. Last week I encouraged you to be careful not to speak anything negative against God’s people in the same we must be careful what we say concerning ourselves. If we could get negativity out of our vocabulary and our thoughts we can be children of God. If we want to change our vernacular we must get the word of God in us. We must as Proverbs 7:3 “Bind them upon thy fingers, write them upon the table of thine heart.” As we write the word in our hearts we will change how we think and say. David said in Psalm 119:11-12 “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. Blessed art thou, O Lord: teach me thy statutes.” I must hide his word in my heart then I will live as he commands me to live, and say what he wants me to say. Today be careful what comes out of your mouth. Speak only words that will edify and uplift!

Samuel King, Senior Pastor
Christlike Life Church, Laveen, AZ

David would not kill Saul, even though he had every opportunity to do so. “So David and Abishai went to the army by night, and there Saul lay sleeping within the encampment with his spear stuck in the ground at his head; and Abner and the army lay round about him.  Then said Abishai to David, God has given your enemy into your hands this day. Now therefore let me smite him to the earth at once with one stroke of the spear, and I will not strike him twice.  David said to Abishai, Do not destroy him; for who can raise his hand against the Lord’s anointed and be guiltless?” (1 Samuel 26:7-9 AMP) David feared God more than man. He wouldn’t put his hands on the man that was in the office. David had a reverence for the office no matter what Saul did he was still the king until he was removed by God. What if we thought along those lines? If we honored the office that God has put before us. Whether it be the President, governor, pastor etc… We must honor the office more than the man or woman.
1 Chronicles 16:22 “He allowed no man to do them wrong; yes, He reproved kings for their sakes, Saying, Touch not My anointed, and do My prophets no harm.” David would let no one come against the man of God. God has dealt with me about this very thing to be careful of what I say about other men of God. Even if I don’t agree with what they are doing in their ministry it is not my concern! My concern is what God has called me to do. I must pray for my brothers and sisters. So many of us are putting our mouths on God’s ministers saying they are not in the will of God, when frankly we don’t know the will of God for them. We must know the will of God for our own selves. Someone asked me last week what wisdom I can share as I’ve gotten older. I responded, “The older I get the more I realize I need to mind my own business.” in other words I must be about my Father’s business and not involved in your business. Especially if you haven’t invited me in. We are so good at solving everyone else’s issues when we need to mind our own.
There has been a lot of comments made about a pastor in Texas who leads a large church, how when asked he won’t take a strong position against certain things. Whether you agree with what he says or not we must pray for him and say, “that is between he and God”. God has not given me the right to judge him but to pray for him. We form opinions about this man of God and we don’t even know him or what God has spoken to him. I must not touch God’s anointed as David did with Saul I must allow God to work in his/her life. As a man I know I fail! I need prayer just like those I’ve criticized in the past. As a pastor I really need prayer for God’s direction for his people. Please allow the word of God to govern you not the popularity of opinion. Let’s start praying today and keeping our opinions to ourselves. Whether it be the President of the United States or a popular Pastor we must pray for them that God will direct their paths as he directs ours. It is so easy to make a judgment in the case of the president that we don’t like the decisions he makes. He has intelligence that is not available to us in making his decisions. In the same vain we are critical of certain pastors for how they lead their churches not knowing what God has spoken to them. Just as when Noah was told to build an ark. Everyone thought he was nuts, yet he heard God speak to him. I encourage you today stop speaking against the leaders, start praying for them! They may seem nuts or they may not lead the way you think they should so pray!

Samuel King, Senior Pastor
Christlike Life Church, Laveen, AZ

The importance of writing it down! While speaking with a friend this week we were discussing this subject. Dr. Edwin Cole the founder of “Real Men’s Ministry” tells us to write it down. Proverbs 7:2-3 “Keep my commands and you will live;
guard my teachings as the apple of your eye. Bind them on your fingers;
write them on the tablet of your heart.” (NIV) I must write the word down to retain that word. Unless I refer to a scripture continually it’s hard to have total recall of every verse in the bible.
When I speak on what God gives me on a Sunday morning or a Thursday evening bible study I noticed there are those who take notes and those who don’t. We can’t retain everything we hear so we must write it down to remember it. How many times have you asked, “How was church today? What was the sermon about?” They reply, “Church was great, I don’t know what the word was about but it was great.” Because our finite minds have the capacity to remember only so much. We forget much more than we remember. You can blame it on age or bad memory or whatever, the fact remains we can keep so much in our memory banks before we overload.
My wife bought me one of those electronic gadgets the IPad a year ago. I’ve come to rely on it for I use it for notes and sermons etc… I have taken the burden off my mind, for I’ve found it a very useful tool. How many times have we received a word from God through someone and we can’t remember everything that was said? We must write things like this down and we will be able to look back on that word and see how much has come about from it.
Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write down these words, for in accordance with these words I have made a covenant with you and with Israel.” (Exodus 34:27 NIV) If you don’t write what God says to you there is no way of delivering that word. Had I not written down the vision God gave me two years ago I wouldn’t have remembered all he said. When I write things down I’m more accountable and committed to that thing. Write it down!

Samuel King, Senior Pastor
Christlike Life Church, Laveen, AZ

This week I started thinking about our need versus God’s supply. God is good to us we have very few needs that he hasn’t met. So many times we get our needs and our wants mixed up. He supplies all our needs he may or may not give us our wants. In about a week I will be privileged to have had another birthday. My wife asked me a question the other day she said, “I want you to think about this question before you just answer” she asked, “what do you want for your birthday?” I replied, “I don’t want anything for I am blessed with all my wants in that God has blessed me with a great and loving family and a wonderful church, of which I’m blessed to pastor. I don’t need material possessions to be blessed. We have a home to live in and cars for transportation. Food, clothing etc… We are rich as Americans! I once had a good friend who came to America from the island of Haiti where he was born. Because of a tumor growing in his mouth his dad gave him up to an adoption agency to save his life. They sent him to America where he got the help he needed. He would always say that he was rich. He didn’t have a lot of money yet he was rich, in that God blessed him with a wonderful family and provided his needs. I too am rich! I am blessed! I may not have all the money I’d like to have but God is faithful to us. I read in Philippians 4:11 “Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.” Contentment is something we should strive for. instead of our continual desires of more and more.
Being content where we are is very difficult living a materialistic world. Everything around us pushes us to attain more and more. Jesus told his disciples in Matthew 19:29-30 “And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life. But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first.” When we give up all he will give us all. As I look to celebrate another year of life I give up my life so that I might gain life.
1 Timothy 6:6-8 “But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.” This is the word God gave me to speak on though God directed us a different way this past Sunday. He gave me three ways to tap into his supply. When we are obedient to God he will supply our need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Today be content with where you are and seek him with all your heart and he will meet your need. God cannot lie he will do as he says! David said in Psalm 37 “I’ve been young and now old, but I’ve never seen the righteous forsaken; nor his seed beg bread.”

Samuel King, Senior Pastor
Christlike Life Church, Laveen, AZ

I went to meet a friend for lunch last week at her office in a high rise in downtown Phoenix. In this high rise the wall of the building was all windows and glass doors. I looked out over the city through this breath taking view. As I stood there on the 27th floor looking out I was reminded of how fortunate those that worked in this building were. But knowing that they take it for granted because they see this incredible view daily. Im sure many come to work day after day and they don’t even see the view at all. This is what happens in our relationship with God. We take it for granted and we don’t strive to grow that relationship. We have been given this incredible opportunity to spend time daily with the creator of all things and we don’t. I once sang a song by Larnelle Harris called, “I Miss my Time With You”. The lyrics says, “There he was just waiting in old familiar place, an empty spot beside him where once I used to wait. To be filled with strength and wisdom for the battles of the day, I would have passed him by again but I clearly heard say, I miss my time with you, those moments together, I need to be with you each day, and it hurts me when you say you’re to busy, busy trying serve me, but how can you serve me? When your spirit’s empty. There’s a longing in my heart, wanting more than just a part of you, it’s true I miss my time with you.” He is always there waiting for us come spend time alone with him. He loves us more than we can imagine and we were made to have fellowship with our creator. Adam in Genesis 3:8 God would come and fellowship with man in the cool of the day. We were made to be in his presence. As the song says there’s a longing in our souls. The older I get the faster the years seem to pass by I am more and more aware of how much I need him daily. I grew up in a Pentecostal church where we were told all the things we couldn’t do. As I grew older I developed a resentment for God and the church because I missed out on so many things. Man will put his spin on God instead of directing you back to the word of God. When I was in my early adulthood I started searching the word for myself. In my search I realize man was so concerned with the outward appearance and what how THEY thought you should live. God was concerned about the heart.
Jesus is the lover of my soul! I’m eternally grateful for all he does for me and I don’t ever want to take him for granted. I love being in his presence. David wrote in Psalm 16:11″Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.”
He went on to say in that same book Psalm 51:11 “Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.” The feeling here is I can live without a lot of things, but I can’t live one moment without his presence. Just like that breath taking view our relationship with the Father is so precious we can’t live without it. Today worship him and be thankful for every moment of your life.

Samuel King, Senior Pastor
Christlike Life Church, Laveen, AZ

I was invited by a friend of mine who pastors a church in Verado to his men’s retreat this past weekend. while there I was blessed by another good friend who was the speaker for the weekend. He shared two powerful lessons one on “dreams” and the other on “change”. I was impacted by the word he spoke in a powerful way. While he spoke on dreams he reminded us that we all have a purpose that God has given us. It was a very timely word for me. He said, “Identify the origin of that dream. Where did your dream come from. People fail at their dream because it was proposed not by God, but by someone else.” We must know that God is giving us the dream and not that we are living someone else’s dream. Example being we fulfill someone else’s dream by them living through us. There are those who didn’t accomplish their own dreams so they live vicariously through others. We must know that God has spoken through us so that we can achieve our dreams.
He went on to say, “Your dream should be born out of God’s predesigned plan for your life. Must quit comparing yourself by others but by what God has called you to do.” My calling is not based on what anyone else is doing, I must hear the voice of God for me and Christlike Life Church. God spoke to me, gave me a plan to build our church. That means I cannot be what any other ministry is. I must follow the leading of the Lord for me. We have a tendency to pattern ourselves after others instead of after Christ who is leading us.
The next point he made was, “You must determine the resource of your dream. While God is using you he will change you. What is it that he gave you? We can’t care what people think about us they didn’t have to go through what you’ve gone through. You have resources inside of you.” God has given each of us gifts and talents we must draw on those resources to fulfill the dream he has given you and I. Moses was told by God to go to Pharoah and inform him to let God’s people go. Yet Moses complained that he was not the one for the job. He used numerous excuses. God is not interested in your excuses, he wants you to move when tells you to move. Stop saying I can’t! “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” (Philippians 4:13 KJV)
In the movie “Waterboy” there was one character who yelled continuously “you can do it.” We can do it! Not in our strength, but in God’s.
The final point he made was, “You cannot let your dreams intimidate you. You must understand your purpose.” When we know and understand our purpose we will stop looking at why things are difficult and focus on the purpose and get it done. God will use whatever he will use! Including Satan to fund our dream. I have been guilty of seeing the temporal things instead of the eternal. My circumstance is not but for a moment, God has eternity worked out. As I take my eyes off the right now I will see where he is taking me and I will fulfill those dreams and purposes he has for me. Today may seem as if you are far away from your dream, don’t give up or give in. Keep your eyes on the prize and you will accomplish that dream! We have come a long way in the two years since we established Christlike Life Church. We have had some real ups and some hard downs, but we are closer to the prize than when we began. God knows the end from the beginning, we must trust his word and continue to press toward the mark of the prize, the high calling in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:14 Remember,
“Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:” (Philippians 1:6 KJV)

Samuel King, Senior Pastor
Christlike Life Church, Laveen, AZ

I was invited by a friend of mine who pastors a church in Verado to his men’s retreat this past weekend. while there I was blessed by another good friend who was the speaker for the weekend. He shared two powerful lessons one on “dreams” and the other on “change”. I was impacted by the word he spoke in a powerful way. While he spoke on dreams he reminded us that we all have a purpose that God has given us. It was a very timely word for me. He said, “Identify the origin of that dream. Where did your dream come from. People fail at their dream because it was proposed not by God, but by someone else.” We must know that God is giving us the dream and not that we are living someone else’s dream. Example being we fulfill someone else’s dream by them living through us. There are those who didn’t accomplish their own dreams so they live vicariously through others. We must know that God has spoken through us so that we can achieve our dreams.
He went on to say, “Your dream should be born out of God’s predesigned plan for your life. Must quit comparing yourself by others but by what God has called you to do.” My calling is not based on what anyone else is doing, I must hear the voice of God for me and Christlike Life Church. God spoke to me, gave me a plan to build our church. That means I cannot be what any other ministry is. I must follow the leading of the Lord for me. We have a tendency to pattern ourselves after others instead of after Christ who is leading us.
The next point he made was, “You must determine the resource of your dream. While God is using you he will change you. What is it that he gave you? We can’t care what people think about us they didn’t have to go through what you’ve gone through. You have resources inside of you.” God has given each of us gifts and talents we must draw on those resources to fulfill the dream he has given you and I. Moses was told by God to go to Pharoah and inform him to let God’s people go. Yet Moses complained that he was not the one for the job. He used numerous excuses. God is not interested in your excuses, he wants you to move when tells you to move. Stop saying I can’t! “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” (Philippians 4:13 KJV)
In the movie “Waterboy” there was one character who yelled continuously “you can do it.” We can do it! Not in our strength, but in God’s.
The final point he made was, “You cannot let your dreams intimidate you. You must understand your purpose.” When we know and understand our purpose we will stop looking at why things are difficult and focus on the purpose and get it done. God will use whatever he will use! Including Satan to fund our dream. I have been guilty of seeing the temporal things instead of the eternal. My circumstance is not but for a moment, God has eternity worked out. As I take my eyes off the right now I will see where he is taking me and I will fulfill those dreams and purposes he has for me. Today may seem as if you are far away from your dream, don’t give up or give in. Keep your eyes on the prize and you will accomplish that dream! We have come a long way in the two years since we established Christlike Life Church. We have had some real ups and some hard downs, but we are closer to the prize than when we began. God knows the end from the beginning, we must trust his word and continue to press toward the mark of the prize, the high calling in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:14 Remember,
“Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:” (Philippians 1:6 KJV)

Samuel King, Senior Pastor
Christlike Life Church, Laveen, AZ

My brother in law’s wife went out of town for twelve days last week. It made me think about my own wife and how I would really miss her were she to leave for several days. Some things we never give much thought to. We take so much for granted until it is no longer there. Such as the use of our limbs, arms, legs, fingers etc…. Because we are able to see with our eyes we miss out on so many little things. I wrote about the sunset a couple of months ago in San Diego. I had never seen such a beautiful sunset. In fact I don’t ever remember watching the sunset. I always thought it was such a waste of time. As life begins to pass by quickly I’m grateful for every little thing in my life. Especially my wife and my children. Everything else I can live without or they can be replaced. We can never replace our relationship with God. David wrote in Psalm 51:11″Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.” I need his presence in my life, for I know I couldn’t exist in this world without Him. I could exist without material things but I need oxygen to breathe and I need the sun for warmth and the moon for light. And I need the presence of the Lord for everything. Pastoring a church will humble you and break away all earthly desires because you so want what God wants. I pray for the saints that God has allowed me to pastor. My mindset has changed so much that I don’t recognize myself. Growing up I wanted a 1972 El Dorado Cadillac that was the object of my desire. When I could buy any car I wanted I no longer desired that car. Our desires change so often that we really don’t know what we want. The next best thing is right around the corner so by the time we get that thing something else comes along and replaces it. God is what we need more than anything or anyone else. If we would pursue him he knows what we desire and he will provide it. Matthew 6:33 “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” God wants to bless you and I he just wants our heart. Not part of it, but every portion of our hearts. When I was single I looked at what I thought I wanted in a mate. I was attracted to certain types of women. But God saw what I needed! I’m so glad I allowed God to bring me what I needed instead of what I thought I wanted. He got it right because I could have never chosen such a beautiful person on the inside and out. God sees the heart we get caught up in the outward appearance of people. The same goes true with how a person may look outwardly as compared with his/her love for God. I don’t want to miss out on what God has for me because I think I know what I want. God is sovereign so my will must be submitted to his will. Today if you will give God the praise due his name and seek him first, then and only then will he give you the desires of your heart. Stop, take some time and notice those things you wouldn’t ordinarily notice.

Samuel King, Senior Pastor
Christlike Life Church, Laveen, AZ