“From the Heart” teaching by Drs. Rodney & Adonica Howard-Browne.

Let all who are under the yoke as bond servants esteem their own [personal] masters worthy of honor and fullest respect, so that the name of God and the teaching [about Him] may not be brought into disrepute and blasphemed. 2 Let those who have believing masters not be disrespectful or scornful [to them] on the grounds that they are brothers [in Christ]; rather, they should serve [them all the better] because those who benefit by their kindly service are believers and beloved. Teach and urge these duties. 3 But if anyone teaches otherwise and does not assent to the sound and wholesome messages of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah) and the teaching which is in agreement with godliness (piety toward God), 4 He is puffed up with pride and stupefied with conceit, [although he is] woefully ignorant. He has a morbid fondness for controversy and disputes and strife about words, which result in (produce) envy and jealousy, quarrels and dissension, abuse and insults and slander, and base suspicions, 5 And protracted wrangling and wearing discussion and perpetual friction among men who are corrupted in mind and bereft of the truth, who imagine that godliness or righteousness is a source of profit [a moneymaking business, a means of livelihood]. From such withdraw. 6[And it is, indeed, a source of immense profit, for] godliness accompanied with contentment (that contentment which is a sense of inward sufficiency) is great and abundant gain. 7 For we brought nothing into the world, and obviously we cannot take anything out of the world; 8 But if we have food and clothing, with these we shall be content (satisfied). 9 But those who crave to be rich fall into temptation and a snare and into many foolish (useless, godless) and hurtful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction and miserable perishing. 10 For the love of money is a root of all evils; it is through this craving that some have been led astray and have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves through with many acute [mental] pangs. 11 But as for you, O man of God, flee from all these things; aim at and pursue righteousness (right standing with God and true goodness), godliness (which is the loving fear of God and being Christlike), faith, love, steadfastness (patience), and gentleness of heart.  1 Timothy 6:1-11 AMP

People use money as security, but riches are temporary and unstable – wealth comes and it goes. People also see money as an indication of a person’s worth, but money has absolutely nothing to do with who you are or your worth in this world. God does not differentiate between us, based on what we have or what we know (head knowledge). God is no respecter of persons. There are people who are puffed up with pride and stupefied with conceit, even though they are actually woefully ignorant. They love to argue and they try to use the Gospel to profit themselves, but they are not contented. They are always striving for money and prestige and they don’t care who they trample along the way. This is not God’s plan for you.

God wants you to be content in spite of and apart from your circumstances. Godliness is indeed, a source of immense profit. Godliness accompanied with contentment – a sense of inward sufficiency – is great and abundant gain. We did not bring anything into the world and obviously we cannot take anything out of the world, but if we have food and clothing, we should be content and be satisfied with these, because those who crave to be rich fall into temptation and a snare. They are distracted from God’s true purpose for their lives. The love of money is a root of all evil. The love of money will cause you to make wrong decisions and mess up your life and other people’s lives.

If you want to be a man or woman of God, you must flee from all these things. Rather, you must pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, patience, and gentleness of heart.

As for the rich in this world, charge them not to be proud and arrogant and contemptuous of others, nor to set their hopes on uncertain riches, but on God, Who richly and ceaselessly provides us with everything for [our] enjoyment. 18[Charge them] to do good, to be rich in good works, to be liberal and generous of heart, ready to share [with others], 19 In this way laying up for themselves [the riches that endure forever as] a good foundation for the future, so that they may grasp that which is life indeed.

1 Timothy 6:17-19 AMP

God does not want you to be poor, He wants you to be blessed, but He wants you to put Him first – always. He does not tell you not to be rich and He does not say that it is wrong to be rich. He does warn the rich not to be proud, arrogant, or contemptuous of others. He cautions them not to set their hopes on uncertain riches, but on God. Why? Because God is the One Who richly and ceaselessly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. If we will pursue Him, He will pursue us. He charges the rich to do good, to be rich in good works, to be liberal and generous of heart, and ready to share with others,

So be blessed – be rich – but make sure that you always put God first, that you do not think of yourself more highly than you ought to, and that you are always generous and kind as well. If you do this, you will lay up for yourselves the riches that endure forever.

“From the Heart” teaching by Drs. Rodney & Adonica Howard-Browne.

So kill (deaden, deprive of power) the evil desire lurking in your members [those animal impulses and all that is earthly in you that is employed in sin]: sexual vice, impurity, sensual appetites, unholy desires, and all greed and covetousness, for that is idolatry (the deifying of self and other created things instead of God).  Colossians 3:5 AMP

Idolatry is the deifying of self and other created things instead of God. Idolatry is the worship of created beings or created things rather than the worship of the Creator – the only One worthy of worship. What people don’t realize is that when they commit idolatry by worshipping an object or a person, they give it, or them, control over their life. The devil will jump at the opportunity to take control over you through your idolatry and you really don’t want him to have any influence over your life, because he is a thief, a liar, a murderer, and a destroyer! The Lord, on the other hand, is worthy of your worship. He will receive your worship and reach out to you to embrace you, to protect you from the devil, to bless you, and to restore whatever the devil has stolen or destroyed. The bottom line is that you choose your outcome by whom or what you choose to worship.

God gave us direction for our blessing and prosperity – spirit, soul, and body – through His commandments. In Exodus 20:2-6 AMP, God gave us His first two of ten commandments. “I am the Lord your God, Who has brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shall have no other gods before or besides Me” and “You shall not make yourself any graven image [to worship it] or any likeness of anything that is in the heavens above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; You shall not bow down yourself to them or serve them…” If we keep these, we will be blessed, blessed, blessed!

There are people who would not dream of worshipping an idol of wood or stone, and yet they worship their money and their stuff! You might say, “I don’t worship my possessions,” but if they are more important to you than God is to you, then you are an idolater. If you can’t give anything away, if you are offended when someone talks to you about giving your money or your stuff away, if the thought of losing your stuff or giving it away makes you extremely fearful, then you have made an idol out of your money and stuff. You are no longer the master of your stuff – it has mastered you!

No servant is able to serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will stand by and be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon (riches, or anything in which you trust and on which you rely).  Luke 16:13 AMP

It is impossible to serve two masters. Every living person makes a choice of who they worship by whom or what is most important in their life. If you want to be blessed, if you want God’s blessing on your life, you have to realize that there is a choice to make and God’s word makes it abundantly clear which choice will result in your good and your blessing. If you are wise, you will take God’s advice and make Him your priority!

Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.  1 Corinthians 6:8-11 NKJV

Covetousness is a hallmark of those who do not know Jesus, who are not yet washed in the blood of Jesus, who are not yet sanctified and made righteous by receiving Him as Lord and Savior. When you receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you are making a choice to love Him and serve Him. He gave His ALL to you; He gave His very own life! This is a covenant relationship. He gives you His life and you give Him your life – ALL of it and ALL of you! You now belong to Him and so does everything you own. You need to act like you belong to Him and He belongs to you by taking your hands off your stuff and by releasing it into His service.

It is like a marriage relationship – unless both partners give 100%, there are going to be problems. Selfishness in a marriage is always destructive to the relationship. Selfishness will cause you to hold back your heart, it will make your spouse feel unloved and devalued, and cause a breach in your relationship. There is nothing as awesome as a relationship where two people totally accept one another and give each other unconditional love. This is the only way to be truly fulfilled as God intended for you to be.

In the same way, selfishness in your relationship with the Lord will cause you to miss out on all the blessings of a committed relationship with Him. Everyone wants to get something from God without giving Him anything in return, but you need to realize that as committed as you are to Him, is as committed as He is going to be to you! Commit to Him, give Him your all, and allow Him to bless you exceedingly above all that you could ask or think!

“From the Heart” teaching by Drs. Rodney & Adonica Howard-Browne.

Happy Birthday to You—The River at Tampa Bay

Today we celebrate a birthday! Eleven years ago on Sunday, December 2, 1996, we held the first service of The River at Tampa Bay in the gymnasium of the Sun Dome on the campus of the University of South Florida.

Also, in two weeks, we celebrate the 20th anniversary of our family’s arrival in the United States of America!  God called us to this great nation and we love this country with a passion. Twenty years ago, when we arrived in the USA, we flew from South Africa to Orlando via Miami. We love Florida and would bring our children to Orlando every year from that first Christmas in 1987, usually at Christmas time, but we had never been to Tampa, even though it was so close. We saw the Tampa signs every time we drove on I-4 and there was something that we felt when we looked at that name, but the timing was not right.

In January of 1993, our ministry was still based in Louisville, Kentucky, when we came to Springhill, Florida, for a month of meetings, followed by a month in Lakeland, which turned into a total of 13 weeks of meetings that year. When we had tried to look at homes or property in Kentucky, we felt a very strong and definite check, in our spirits, from the Lord. When we came to Lakeland, all the houses and apartments for rent and the long-term hotels were full, because of spring-training, so we rented a furnished house in Tampa. Before long we found ourselves looking at houses again, but this time the Lord said to us, “Go ahead and build your house.” He also told us, “For 14 years, you have built My house—I am going to build yours!” We were ecstatic! We were so happy to be in Florida—we really love this state. Florida is a state full of the world—people from every state and every nation!

In 1994 we moved into our home and in 1995, we moved our offices down to Tampa. We continued to travel, but in October, 1996, the Lord spoke to us to start a church in Tampa. We had no desire to pastor before that time, but when God speaks, you obey; when God ordains something, He prepares you and He prepares your way. On Sunday, December 2nd, 1996, we started The River at Tampa Bay with 575 brand new people. We had spent nearly four years sowing revival into Central Florida. Hundreds of thousands of people were touched and changed. People were saved, people were set on fire, and many were called to full-time ministry in that time. It really was a revival!

When God spoke to us to start the church, we went to see every pastor we had a relationship with to tell them what God had told us. Our desire was definitely not to take people from any other local church, but to gather the people who had been touched by the revival who were not attending anywhere else. We knew there were many of them, because we would meet them every where we went in Tampa. God told us, “Go get your babies!” We did not want religious, church-hoppers—we wanted people who were hungry for God. We told our staff that it was not mandatory for them to attend our services if they were committed to another church. We even took every one off our mailing list that we knew attended local churches. We have also worked with local churches and sent our people to help them to win souls in their area.

We believe that God does not give a city to a church, but He gives a church to a city! God gives many churches to each city. There are about 2.5 million people in the Bay area—we need every good church we can get. We believe that the people in our church are not “our people”—they are God’s people! Christians should not be in competition with each other—we should be working together and supporting one another in our cities. We are all in the same business—Kingdom business!

Our vision for this church has not changed—only intensified. What we love about pastoring The River at Tampa Bay is that it is a family of people that have been brought together, by God, with one purpose, one aim, one goal, and one vision: to see a nation shaken! We believe this is a family of soul-winners, prayer-warriors, and financiers of the end-time harvest, that love Jesus with all their heart, and who are committed to seeing America shaken by the power of God. We believe that the best is yet to come. Continue to press in with us into this New Year. We believe that we will see an explosion of every thing that God has promised —including a Great Awakening in America. Thank you for being a part of our family.

Happy Eleventh Birthday to The River at Tampa Bay!

“From the Heart” teaching by Drs. Rodney & Adonica Howard-Browne.

Now the Lord had said to Abram: “Get out of your country, From your family And from your father’s house, To a land that I will show you. 2 I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” Genesis 12:1-3 NKJV

Almighty God made some wonderful promises to Abraham and to his descendants. Not only that, but the Lord promised that in Abraham ALL the families of the earth would be blessed! The descendants of Abraham – the inheritors of the promises God made to him – are not only his physical descendants, but his spiritual descendants also. The fulfillments of God’s promises to Abraham were contingent on his faith; not merely on his works. This blessing comes to us through faith in Jesus Christ, Abraham’s Seed. The Old Covenant believers were blessed and counted righteous as they looked forward to Jesus’ coming and the New Covenant believers are blessed and made righteous as they believe and trust in the finished work of Jesus Christ on Calvary! The only basis we have to inherit these promises, ourselves, is our faith in God’s word! Abraham’s blessings are yours!

The Lord promised to bless Abraham and make him the father of many nations, He promised to make him exceedingly fruitful, to keep His covenant with him throughout the generations, and to give his descendants the land he showed him for an everlasting possession (Genesis 17:4-8). In Genesis 22:17 AMP, the Lord told Abraham that, “In blessing I will bless you and in multiplying I will multiply your descendants like the stars of the heavens and like the sand on the seashore. And your Seed (Heir) will possess the gate of His enemies.”

The Lord does not just bless – He multiplies! Genesis 13:2 says that Abraham was very rich in livestock and in silver and in gold. The Amplified Bible says that he was extremely rich. Abraham was not just rich – he was extremely rich! He and his nephew, Lot, were so blessed and increased with flocks and herds and tents, that Genesis 13:6 AMP says that, “the land was not able to nourish and support them so they could dwell together, for their possessions were too great for them to live together.” The Lord wants to multiply you just as He multiplied Abraham!

After the defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom wanted to take the people who were taken and let Abraham keep the possessions that he recovered. Abraham refused. He told the king of Sodom, “I have lifted up my hand and sworn to the Lord, God Most High, the Possessor and Maker of heaven and earth, that I would not take a thread or a shoelace or anything that is yours, lest you should say, I have made Abram rich.” (Genesis 14:21-23 AMP) Almighty God was the One who blessed and prospered Abraham – not man! The Lord was His source and supply and will be your source and supply as you believe in His promises and trust in His word!

Be mindful of His covenant forever, the promise which He commanded and established to a thousand generations, 16 The covenant which He made with Abraham, and His sworn promise to Isaac. 17 He confirmed it as a statute to Jacob, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant. 1 Chronicles 16:15-17 AMP

God stands by His word and His promises – even through the generations – even to a thousand generations! Even though Ishmael was the son of the flesh and not the son of promise, as was Isaac, still God kept His promise to bless Ishmael because he was Abraham’s seed! The Lord promised Abraham, “I will make a nation of the son of the bondwoman also, because he is your offspring.” (Genesis 21: 13 AMP) Even though Hagar was not God’s choice, because of the promise He had made to Abraham, He told her, “I will multiply your descendants exceedingly, so that they shall not be numbered for multitude.” (Genesis 16:10 AMP) If God kept His promises even to Ishmael, He will surely keep His promises to you!

Genesis 24:1 AMP says, “Abraham was old, well advanced in years, and the Lord had blessed Abraham in all things.” Abraham was blessed in ALL things, ALL of his life. He lived 175 years and died at a good old age, happy and satisfied! (Genesis 25:7-8) All his children were extremely blessed! Isaac was blessed – even in a famine! Look at Abraham’s grandson, Jacob. Even though his father-in-law tried to cheat him, he could not prevent his blessing! In spite of all the restrictions put upon him, Jacob still became exceedingly rich, because he believed in God’s promise to Abraham and also to himself as Abraham’s seed! Genesis 30:43 AMP says, “Thus the man increased and became exceedingly rich, and had many sheep and goats, and maidservants, menservants, camels, and donkeys.” Jacob was blessed because he took God’s promise personally. You will not experience the fullness of the great blessings that the Lord has promised and prepared for you, until you take God’s promise personally!

Abraham was successful and blessed all of his days because, “No unbelief or distrust made him waver (doubtingly question) concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong and was empowered by faith as he gave praise and glory to God, 21 Fully satisfied and assured that God was able and mighty to keep His word and to do what He had promised.”  (Romans 4:20-21 AMP) Absolutely nothing prevented Abraham from experiencing God’s blessings and promises because he chose to believe God’s word and not what he could see or feel! God will bless you the same way!

Therefore, [inheriting] the promise is the outcome of faith and depends [entirely] on faith, in order that it might be given as an act of grace (unmerited favor), to make it stable and valid and guaranteed to all his descendants — not only to the devotees and adherents of the Law, but also to those who share the faith of Abraham, who is [thus] the father of us all. Romans 4:16 AMP

If you have any doubt about your qualifications to inherit the promises made to Abraham, meditate on these scriptures, allow faith to rise in your heart and go ahead and walk in the blessings that are yours. Abraham’s promises are yours! Believe God’s word to you and walk in His blessings!

“From the Heart” teaching by Drs. Rodney & Adonica Howard-Browne.

Deuteronomy 28:47 (AMP) says that all these curses shall come upon you, “because you did not serve the Lord your God with joyfulness of [mind and] heart [in gratitude] for the abundance of all [with which He had blessed you].”

God keeps all of His promises. His promises are conditional. If we fulfill the conditions, we walk in the blessings. One of the things which will sabotage the blessings in your life is ungratefulness. Most people have no idea that joy and happiness do not come from outside of themselves, through circumstances or from other people, but it comes from inside. Happiness is a choice we make. Abraham Lincoln said, “Most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be!”

Some of the happiest people in the world are not the richest – they are some of the poorest. Their lives are simple and they are grateful for most of the things that people in wealthier nations totally take for granted. Deuteronomy 28:47 talks about the abundant blessings of God. You would think that the more blessed people are, the more grateful they are, but it seems that the opposite is often true. It is when we are very, very blessed that we must remind ourselves to give thanks where thanks are due.

Deuteronomy 8:17-18 (AMP) says, “And beware lest you say in your [mind and] heart, My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth. But you shall [earnestly]
remember the Lord your God, for it is He Who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day.”

If the devil cannot stop our success or get us to fail outright, he will try to puff us up with pride to trip us up. If he cannot prevent God’s blessing in our lives he will either try make us think that we were responsible for our own blessing and become arrogant, or he will cause us to take it for granted and become ungrateful. We could keep all God’s conditions and experience His blessings, but then throw it all away through not giving Him thanks. If gratefulness is so essential to walking in God’s continued blessing, let us proceed to count our blessings and to give God thanks for all we have and all He has done – no matter how big or small it is.

“By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.” Hebrews 13:15 KJV

It is no longer necessary to offer burnt offerings and sacrifices, but the sacrifices God still accepts are the submitted heart and the sacrifice of praise – the fruit of our lips giving thanks to His name. Giving thanks is an integral part of praise. You can’t praise Him without thanking Him.

“Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Ephesians 5:20 KJV

“In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18 KJV

“And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.” Colossians 3:15-17 KJV

Thanksgiving is a natural part of our walk with God. As believers, we have acknowledged that God is the source of our life; He is the Alpha and Omega; our Creator and our Lord. Everything we have is His and from Him. We have nothing of ourselves and can do nothing for ourselves. Jesus paid the price for our abundant life and we owe Him everything.

“For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ. As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.” Colossians 2:5-7 KJV

“Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;) Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God.” 2 Corinthians 9:10-11 KJV

David was a man after God’s own heart – a praiser and worshipper of God. He appointed specific Levites whose job it was to praise and thank the Lord all the time. 1 Chronicles 16:4 KJV says that, “he appointed certain of the Levites to minister before the ark of the LORD, and to record, and to thank and praise the LORD God of Israel.”

“It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High: To shew forth thy
lovingkindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night.” Psalms 92:1-2 KJV

“I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving.” Psalms 69:30 KJV

“Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms.” Psalms 95:2 KJV

“O give thanks unto the LORD; call upon his name: make known his deeds among the people.” Psalms 105:1 KJV

“Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.” Psalms 100:4 KJV

God also made me realize even more that He has me on this earth, here in America, in this day and age for such a time. He has me at in a America at this time for a reason!

I believe I’ve gone to a new level of trusting God. I have had to lean on Him, keep up my faith and realize the pressure is on the Word and not on me.  I had to learn not to get offended by people and just allow God to use me. In everything God is moving in my life and changing me. It’s very rewarding