A guide explained to a group of visitors how fish are able to live together in an aquarium when in the wild they would be prey and predators.  
"The secret is a glass screen" she began.  "The predator fish are born with a desire to eat the smaller fish so we insert a glass screen in the tank between the predator and the prey.  The predator follows his desire but then runs into the glass screen over and over again.  Eventually the predator gives up hope and at that point the fish can live together because his desire has been changed."

I wonder what glass screens you and I have encountered that has changed our desires.  Psalms 37.4 "Delight yourself in the LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart."  
Delight yourself IN the Lord today.  Find joy in His presence and learn and 're-learn' how much you can and WILL accomplish as you stay IN Him.

-Pastor Darryl Crain

A son was trying one day to play with his father after work to no avail.  Sitting in front of the TV he was barely even acknowledging his son's presence as his son begged him to go outside, go upstairs, or play a video game with him.  

Finally, the son asked the father, “Dad how much do you make an hour?”  This question infuriated the father!  Very aggravated he exclaimed “that is absolutely none of your business!”  

Please, Dad just tell me, if you tell me I’ll leave you alone.”  Shaking his head the the father gave him the figure and returned his gaze to the show in front of him.  

About 10 minutes later the boy reappeared wanting to borrow money.  Now the father was really upset.  “You told me you would leave me alone”  He said through almost clenched teeth.  “Why do you want this money anyway?”  The boy replied that he had broke his piggy bank and was still short.  “I almost have enough money to give you to spend one hour with me” This is Pastor Crain reminding you that no one has ever been on their deathbed and said they wished they spent more time at the office.  Let first things be first and remember there's Church, then there's the Restoration Centre! I invite you to join us this Sunday at 10:30am at 6401 Bandera Rd.

-Pastor Darryl Crain

The Restoration Centre is a place of Worship established by God to bring a very unique aspect of the Gospel to God's people, and the people of our city.  
The principles our ministry espouses are not only biblical, but proven.  Marriages have been restored, finances have been changed, families reconnected, and destinies found.  It is truly miraculous, and I believe, as I hope you do, we have not even scratched the surface of how God is going to use us in the future.  
As we stand upon the threshold of our collective destinies, you have probably felt (or soon will) the pressure that is connected to expanding God's kingdom.  There is an enemy, there is opposition, there is difficulty.  

In 2 Kings 19, King Hezekiah was desperately trying to keep God's people right and rule his life by Godly principles. Then came an unexpected attack that caused FEAR, WORRY, and DISCOURAGEMENT to grasp the hearts of God's people.  

It seems the King of Assyria (Sennacherib) and his great army came upon Israel both suddenly and with great surprise. He stood outside the gates and began to shout to the inhabitants of Jerusalem - 

    “This message is for King Hezekiah of Judah. Don’t let your God, in whom you trust, deceive you with promises that Jerusalem will not be captured by the king of Assyria. 11 You know perfectly well what the kings of Assyria have done wherever they have gone. They have completely destroyed everyone who stood in their way! Why should you be any different? 12 Have the gods of other nations rescued them...?"

An Army had made its way through various countries and defeated a host of nations and Kings.  Sennacherib's (pronounced Sin-ach-er-ib) had seen this before many times.  Upon springing on a unsuspecting kingdom or castle, the townspeople would start praying to the statues, idols, and temples.  They would cry out, sacrifice, and even lay their own children upon alters - yet those gods never intervened, there was not power that rose up to stop this great general and leader. Until now. 

14 After Hezekiah received the letter from the messengers and read it, he went up to the Lord’s Temple and spread it out before the Lord. 15 And Hezekiah prayed this prayer before the Lord: “O Lord, God of Israel, you are enthroned between the mighty cherubim! You alone are God of all the kingdoms of the earth. You alone created the heavens and the earth. 16 Bend down, O Lord, and listen! Open your eyes, O Lord, and see! Listen to Sennacherib’s words of defiance against the living God.

The difference was our God is alive and is mighty to save!  The prophet Isaiah came to the King of Israel and gave him a Word

32 “And this is what the Lord says about the king of Assyria:

“His armies will not enter Jerusalem.
    They will not even shoot an arrow at it.
They will not march outside its gates with their shields
    nor build banks of earth against its walls.
33 The king will return to his own country
    by the same road on which he came.
He will not enter this city,
    says the Lord.
34 For my own honor and for the sake of my servant David,
    I will defend this city and protect it.”

Notice that God is remembering.  Remembering His agreement with other believers and holding Himself to His own Word.   The enemy has come in like a flood but we must remember there are Words over our lives, our children, and our church!  And we must remind God that His Word cannot be broken and trust that it will be fulfilled in great fashion!  

Don't panic today!  Remind God of His Word and remember that our God is real and our cause is divine.  Supernatural provision, protection, and direction were sent that was not only a great encouragement to God's people, but a great witness to unbelievers that our God is not like their gods.  Read this dramatic, yet almost anti-climatic account -  

35 That night the angel of the Lord went out to the Assyrian camp and killed 185,000 Assyrian soldiers. When the surviving Assyrians[e] woke up the next morning, they found corpses everywhere. 36 Then King Sennacherib of Assyria broke camp and returned to his own land. He went home to his capital of Nineveh and stayed there.

37 One day while he was worshiping in the temple of his god Nisroch, his sons[f]Adrammelech and Sharezer killed him with their swords. They then escaped to the land of Ararat, and another son, Esarhaddon, became the next king of Assyria.

God did not need to dispatch an army, a battalion, or even a small group - no, just one angel could do the job.  It is as if the Lord is saying purposely, "I don't even need more than 1 person when that person is in My will and under My promise.  No need for fireworks, Me plus 1 is a majority!"  

Be encouraged today!  The shouts of fear, discouragement, and frustration pale in comparison to the strength of the promises, provision, and power that is over our lives.  You and God make a majority for every situation in your life and it will come to pass, sooner than you think, stronger than you could have imagined, and with such miraculous effect, no one will be able to deny our God is not like other gods, our God is alive!!!!!! 

- Pastor Darryl W. Crain

Over 2000 years ago Jesus asked a small group of individuals a question and from that moment on every human being on earth will also have to give an answer to the same question. Your answer will forever change your existence for better or for worse.  Your life, your family, your money, your health, your future and every part of you will revolve around your answer to this question.

When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, who do people say that the Son of Man is? Well, they replied, some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say Jeremiah or one of the other prophets. Then he asked them, But who do you say I am? Matthew 16: 13-15

First of all let me say that the question is NOT “Who is HE?” It’s a much more personal question. We must all look deep within our heart and ask ourselves “Who is Jesus to ME?” Now before we start calling out answers such as; savior, healer, deliverer, protector, provider, etc (which is all those things) allow me to show you who HE really desires to be.

In order to find the answer I have gone to the very beginning of the Bible to find some clues to the answer. In Genesis chapter 1 we see that 21 of the 31 verses begin with these words “And God”.  Here are how many of these 21 verses begin; And God said, And God called, And god made, And God set, And God created, And God blessed, And God saw.

When you move on to Genesis chapter 2 God gives us details on how HE created the first man. As we look closer we notice that chapter 2 does not keep with the same consistency as chapter 1.  Based on the first chapter we would believe that Genesis 2:7 would say “And God formed man of the dust of the ground” but that’s not what it says. The scripture reads “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground”. This tells us that from the very beginning God has wanted to be our LORD!

Jesus said in John 14:9 “if you've seen me you've seen the father.” God does not change and His desire has always been to be the Lord of your life.  Now my question to you is do you want HIM to be your Lord? Before you answer that I want to share with you that making HIM Lord means HE has full control and you no longer rule over your own life. The only way to heaven is by salvation through Jesus Christ. Romans 10:9 shows us the requirements for salvation “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved”. You’re salvation is connected to you confessing Him to being your Lord. Now that we know what Jesus wants the answer to be it’s up to us to really ask ourselves what are true answer is.

When Jesus asked his disciples peter answered “thou art the Christ”. This word means messiah or anointed one. Though Peter didn’t use the word Lord he had a revelation of who Jesus was to him. We see this more clearly when Paul wrote in Acts 2:36 …Jesus whom you've crucified, both Lord and Christ.” His Lordship over your life means HE’s everything and he has complete rule over everything; your family, your finances, your past, your present, your future, and every other area of your life. Now just as Jesus asked that question so many years ago, we are asked that same question today. Who is He to you? So what’s your answer? 

- Pastor Jeff Ibanez

An obstacle loomed large in front of a very young man.   He swallowed hard as sweat began to drip into his eyes from the noon day sun.  He took a deep breath as he walked closer.  Each step allowed him to see the issue was even bigger than he originally thought.  It was no longer a big problem, no longer a large issue, this was a Giant! 

The young man was David, but David had something giant as well – a giant heart after God!  A heart of worship, and song of Praise!  These tools seemed small in the face of his issue, but they proved to be all he needed to destroy a problem no one was able to face, much less defeat.   

David didn't put on the armor to battle Goliath because he wasn't familiar with it. He had a slingshot and rocks. God used what David was familiar with to defeat him. In order for that to happen, he took charge and walked in the "name of the lord almighty."(1 Samuel 17:45) David already had the victory because the worship in his heart. 

We deal with giants every day, and every day they can be defeated! Living a life of worship gets you through your everyday giants and this of course, begins in the heart. 

David did not just sing, dance, and play instruments; David lived a life of worship. When we live a life of worship there is no giant, no obstacle, no family issue, no work problem, there's nothing that you can't defeat!  The great thing about David in relation to us, is that he wasn't perfect.  He had faults, issues, and problems – giant ones!  However, God used him in might ways because his heart never ceased worshiping! If God can move through him to destroy a  giant, he can move through you and I to take out our giants.

How do you live a life of worship? Have a heart that seeks him and love him in everything you do. You don't have to play an instrument or be a sing to worship, worship with what you have, starting with your heart.  A heart that pursues God passionately is what the Father seeks!  A giant love, a giant grace, a giant joy!

- Steven Serna

TRC Worship Director

A rebellious son grew up to always be in trouble.  Finally, after years of shame, hurt, embarrassment, and humiliation, His Father threw in the towel.  “You are no longer my son, You are no longer welcome at my house.”  The young man got into a serious situation one day and ended up in prison.  He began writing his mother, but his father still was to hurt to communicate.   Years passed and the son was released and was ready to go home, He wrote his mother “If my father wants me and can forgive me, tie a white ribbon around the pole at the train station and I’ll get off, if not I’ll just keep going.”  As his train approached the station he could not bare to look.  He covered his face and asked the passenger next to him to tell him if he saw a white ribbon around the train station pole.  The passenger looked out the window and calmly said.  “I do not see a ribbon …”   The son’s heart broke and his eyes tightened and tears began to flow. 

“I do not see one ribbon…”  the passenger repeated.  “No, I see see hundreds and hundreds of white ribbons around every pole, every fence post, and tree, and there is a man waving a white ribbon standing on the train station platform!”

"Did you know that no matter what you have done, God can and wants to forgive you.  This is Pastor Darryl Crain reminding you Restoration is being Restored to the Father’s presence!  Join us this Sunday at the Dome 10:30am.  See you there. 

- Pastor Darryl Crain

www.get-restored.com

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Did you know many of the more serious problems we face in life are not a challenge to our intelligence, social status, or economic makeup, but a challenge to our ability to keep going and not quit.

Let me share with you a quick story.  The original expedition that charted the river that runs through the Grand Canyon consisted of eight men.  As they spent many days charting their course through perilous rapids many of the supplies, most of their personal belonging, and even a few men were lost. Those who remained pushed forward.  As they awoke from the campsite they saw the river bend into more rapids.  Two of the men said they had had enough.  They were not going forward another inch.  They instead packed their belongings and headed up the canyon to a small town, which according to their map was only a few miles away.  They were never seen again.  Those who stayed on the River?  The rapids they faced around the bend were only a few hundred yards long and they were the last rapids the expedition would face – it was calm waters thereafter. 

Stay focused.  Try again!  Try again after that!  Do everything you can but don’t quit.  You can make it!

- Pastor Darryl Crain

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