Table Of ContentVolume 39/ No.39/14 May - August, 2014
20 Years of touching and transforming lives!
12
Revelation 3: 12-13 – ‘ He who overcomes (is victorious),
I will make him a pillar in the sanctuary of My God; he shall
never be put out of it or go out of it, and I will write on him the
name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the new
Jerusalem, which descends from My God out of heaven, and
13
My own new name. He who can hear, let him listen to and
heed what the Spirit says to the assemblies (churches).
[Amplified]
FEATURES
In this issue…
3 Straight from my heart: Greeting from
the Founder and Senior Pastor of Garden City
Ministries Rev. Dr. Ernest V. George.
4 We believe: Here is the statement of our
faith - the basis on which this ministry stands.
6 The Pillars in God's Temple: A powerful
message about the destination of the believer
in Christ by Rev. Dr. Ernest V. George.
Credits 9 The Holy Spirit - The five-fold blessings!:
We are blessed by God's Spirit and here are five
reasons why we can be truly thankful to God for
publisher
sending us His Spirit. Rev. Dr. Ernest V. George,
Rev. Dr. Ernest V. George
explains....
12 Breakthrough Morning Prayer: Has been a
Editorial Team
great blessing to those who have attended and
received the promise for the month.
Coordinator
Santosh Joseph 13 Bible Study Centre: Lists all the benefits that
the Holy Spirit - the Enabler has been to the Christian
child of God!
Photographs
Freddy 18 Hymn / Song Story: "There is a River"
Malcolm
20 Prayer Guide: for the months of May to
August, 2014.
Graphic Designer
Murali N 24 Wisdom Nuggets: Rev. Dr. Ernest V. George,
lists the 3 P's of Success as he explains the true
Kingdom Connection is published by meaning of WORK.
Garden City Ministries, a non-profit 25 Testify!: Testimonies of the wonderful things
organisation. Reproduction of the God is doing through this ministry. Read and may
magazine in whole or part without your faith be built to receive your own miracle!
written permission is prohibited.
28 Pulpit Extravaganza: Sermons preached
Kingdom Connection does not accept
and the signs that followed!
unsolicited manuscripts or articles as
all content for the magazine is prepared 29 Happenings at GCAGIWC: Child Dedication,
well in advance with much planning. Marriages, Deaths, New Birth, events....All that is
going on in the Body of Christ.
Email:
Straight from my heart…..
God is good! His mercies are new every
morning! I stand in awe of God’s love
and faithfulness even as we are into the
second quarter of the Year 2014!
As God promised in His Word, truly we
are the Ezekiel Generation that is
moving by the Spirit of God and
experiencing a new level of abundance in
every sphere of life.
This issue of the Kingdom Connection is
focusing on the Spirit of God. We
celebrate the Day of Pentecost on
June 08, 2014 and I am so glad for the GCAGIWC has during the 21 years faced a lot of challenges, seen a lot of triumphs and
strength, might and anointing that few losses too. But through it all, it has been the Spirit of God that has led us and guided
God’s Spirit imparts into the life of a us. Whatever has happened has been for a rise – a move to a higher level of knowing Him
believer. and enjoying His presence.
God through His Spirit gave His Word The testimonies of those whose lives have transformed dramatically only confirms the
in the Book of Revelation that He will purpose for which we live – making a difference for Jesus!
make those that overcome PILLARS in
His Temple. In order to give you a Thank God for all the events, activities, testimonies that are recorded in this issue of the
better understanding, I have expounded Kingdom Connection, The reason it is written is to bring God all the glory. Let Him who
on this aspect, besides a detailed way in boasts, boast in the Lord! [Jeremiah 9:24]
which the Holy Spirit helps us - in the
Study Centre. May God Almighty be with you as you live empowered by His Spirit, driven by His Love
and encouraged by His Word!
Its my prayer that you will read
through this issue wholly depending on In Service of the King!
the Holy Spirit to reveal Himself to
Rev. Dr. Ernest V. George
you in a greater way. Jesus needed Him Founder & Senior Pastor
during His earthly ministry, how much Garden City AG International Worship Centre
more do we need the Holy Spirit to live
a victorious Christian life!
Kingdom Connection 3 May - August 2014
We Believe!!
Salvation Through Jesus Christ
Salvation is deliverance from spiritual death and enslavement by sin. God provides salvation for all
who believe and accept His free offer of forgiveness. Mankind’s only hope of redemption from the
fallen sinful state is through the blood of Jesus Christ, God’s Son–blood that was shed as Jesus died
on the cross. [The account of the crucifixion of Jesus is recounted by four of His contemporaries:
Matthew 27; Mark 15; Luke 23 ; John 19] (Luke 24:47; John 3:3,16,17; Romans 8:16; 10:13-15;
Ephesians 2:8,9; 4:24; Titus 2:11-12; 3:5-7)
Baptism in the Holy Spirit
All believers are entitled to receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit, and therefore should expect and
earnestly seek the promise of the Father, according to the command of our Lord Jesus Christ. This
was the normal experience of all believers in the early Christian church. With the experience comes
the provision of power for victorious Christian living and productive service. It also provides
believers with specific spiritual gifts for more effective ministry. The baptism of Christians in the Holy
Spirit is accompanied by the initial physical sign of speaking in other tongues (unlearned languages)
as the Spirit of God gives them audible expression. (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4,8; 2:4; 8:12-17; 10:44-46;
11:14-16; 15:7-9; 1 Corinthians 12:1-31)
Divine Healing
Divine healing is an integral part of the gospel. Deliverance from sickness is provided for in the
atonement, and is the privilege of all believers. (Isaiah 53:4,5; Matthew 8:16,17; James 5:14-16)
The Second Coming of Christ
All Christians who have died will one day rise from their graves and will meet the Lord in the air.
Christians who have not yet died will be raptured or caught up with them, to be with the Lord. Then
Christians of all ages will live with God forever. The scriptural truth of the Lord’s soon return is "the
blessed hope". (Romans 8:23; 1 Corinthians 15:51-52; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17; Titus 2:13)
Kingdom Connection 4 May - August 2014
In Short…
We believe….
...the Bible is the inspired and only infallible and authoritative written Word of God - Psalm 119;
Matthew 4:4; Luke 24:27
...there is one God, eternally existent in three Persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the
Holy Spirit - 1 John 5:7
...in the Deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His Virgin Birth, in His Sinless Life, in His miracles, in
His Vicarious and atoning Death, in His Bodily Resurrection, in His Ascension to the Right Hand of
the Father, in His personal future return to this Earth in Power and Glory to rule a thousand years. -
John 1:1-4; Ephesians 2:13-18; Revelation 19-20
...in the Blessed Hope - the Rapture of the Church at Christ's Coming - 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
....the only means of being cleansed from sin is through Repentance and faith in the Precious Blood
of Christ - Romans 5:1; Ephesians 2:8-9, 13-18
....regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential for personal Salvation - John 3:5-8; Titus
3:5
...the Redemptive Work of Christ in the Cross provides Healing of the human body in answer to
believing prayer - Exodus 15:25-26; James 5:14-15; 1 Peter 2:24
...the Baptism with the Holy Spirit according to Acts 2:4 is given to Believers who ask for it - Acts
2:4;10:44-46; 19:1-7
...in the Sanctifying Power of the Holy Spirit by Whose indwelling in the Christian enables him to
live a holy life - Romans 6:3-14;8:1-2,11
....in the Resurrection of both the saved and the lost: the one to Everlasting Life and the other to
everlasting damnation - Revelation 20:5-6; 11-15
There are five key words that summarize
the purpose of GCAGIWC.
Membership: We incorporate God’s
Our Purpose family into our fellowship
Maturity: We educate God’s people
through discipleship
Ministry: We demonstrate God’s love
through service
Mission: We communicate God’s Word
through evangelism
Magnify: We celebrate God’s Presence in
worship!
The Pillars in God’s Temple
Revelation 3: 12-13 – ‘12He who overcomes (is victorious), I will make him a pillar in the sanctuary of
My God; he shall never be put out of it or go out of it, and I will write on him the name of My God and the name
of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem, which descends from My God out of heaven, and My own new
name.13He who can hear, let him listen to and heed what the Spirit says to the assemblies (churches).
According to the Angel of the Lord in the Book of Revelation, God promised the overcomer that he
will be made a ‘pillar in the Sanctuary’. The overcomer is the one who trusts explicitly in Christ and
what He did for him at the Cross. It is a prophetic reward given to the “Church in Philadelphia” that
the Son of God conveys through His angel and is recorded by the Apostle John.
What does a PILLAR signify? A pillar is a symbol of triumph, an instrument of commemoration or
memorial, a token of property or an instrument of support. TEMPLE or Sanctuary is a type of Christ
and the PILLAR is type of a child of God.
In order to understand the full implication of this PROMISE, we must look into the Old Testament
that reveals some fantastic spiritual truths! We must go back to the Old Testament, to the time of
King David. It was David’s desire to build a Temple for the Lord that he loved so much. But God did
not allow him to do so, as David had blood on his hands, because of the murder of Uriah. So God
chose Solomon, the son of David, a man of peace to build the Temple!
David collected all the items that were needed for the Temple.
1 Chronicles 18:3-8 – 3Also David defeated Hadadezer king of Zobah toward Hamath, as he went to
establish his dominion by the river Euphrates. 4David took from him 1,000 chariots, 7,000 horsemen, and
20,000 foot soldiers. David also hamstrung all the chariot horses, but reserved enough for 100 chariots. 5When
the Syrians of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David slew of the Syrians 22,000 men. 6Then
David put garrisons in Syria, [whose capital was] Damascus; the Syrians became David's servants and brought
tribute. Thus the Lord preserved and gave victory to David wherever he went. 7David took the shields of gold
that were carried by the servants of Hadadezer and brought them to Jerusalem. 8Likewise from Tibhath and
from Cun, cities of Hadadezer, David brought very much bronze, with which Solomon later made the bronze
laver, the pillars, and the vessels of bronze.
This passage is a historical narrative of how King David accumulated the bronze metal that was later
used for building certain important structures [including the pillars] in the Temple. Wherever and
whenever David went to war, he returned with precious metals like gold and bronze that he kept
aside for the Temple.
Brass/Bronze/Copper: is a type of humanity. It can shine to a high gloss but at the same time it
can tarnish easily! Unless we are polished by the Son of God and His Word, we will be marred and
spoiled!
David took his army up to the north of ZOBAH. Zobah means STATION – A PLACE OF
DARKNESS. This was a heathenistic nation, ruled by evil kings. God wanted David to subdue these
nations. HADADEZER was the king at this time; he was called by a short name HADAD, which was
a title like Pharaoh or Caesar. Hadad means, ‘my demon helper’. These nations worshiped demons;
they were ruled by demonic powers.God gave David victory over these demonic nations to prove His
Sovereign power!
Kingdom Connection 6 May - August 2014
All of this brass that was formerly used for heathen Hiram [or Huram] of Tyre was a metal worker and
idols will now be used for God, in the building of the had charge of all the casting of pillars, the Brazen
Temple. This is symbolic for the believer who is Sea and many other things used in the Temple
brought out of sin and darkness into the family of furnishings. This master artisan was half Israeli and
God and made to be a pillar in the Temple of God! half Gentile, and he was the best craftsman during
God sent His only begotten Son to save us from the time of King Solomon. Solomon hired him to do
heathenistic influences of our past lives! all the fine artistic work of the palace and especially
the temple.
The plan of God for the pillars began at the time of
David itself. God made preparations for this The making of the PILLARS
awesome structure in the Temple of God! Salvation
was God’s design for you…custom-made and Just as the brass and bronze metal was shaped into
planned well in advance! There is nothing making the pillars in the Temple, the Holy Spirit
happenchance with God, His Grace has set you free! works in us to shape us into the Image of God’s Son.
The Blood of Jesus was shed for your life. To move Let us look at the steps in making the pillars and its
you from the place of darkness into the marvellous spiritual implications.
light of His knowledge!
1. Functional change through a BREAKING
What did King Solomon do with all the brass process!
and bronze accumulated by his father David?
The bronze items had to broken down into smaller
13
1 Kings 7:13-22 – ‘ King pieces. These objects [doors, knobs, shields, nails,
Solomon brought Hiram
etc] were used in a heathen nation for demonic
14
from Tyre. He was the
purpose. Now there had to be an identity change.
son of a widow of the tribe
In order for the objects to change shape, they must
of Naphtali, and his father
be broken down.
was a man of Tyre, a
At the plains of Jordan and Succoth, Huram dug a
worker in bronze. He was
f u l l o f w i s d o m , grave – a mould or pit for these 2 pillars. He put all
understanding, and skill the brass items into this grave signifying a burial!
to do any kind of work in
bronze. So he came to
Spiritually speaking, when we are saved, we
King Solomon and did all
surrender ourselves to God. God will break us up!
15
his [bronze] work. He
There is an OWNERSHIP CHANGE, when God takes
fashioned the two pillars
over our lives!
of bronze, each eighteen
cubits high, and a line of
2. Fused by the MELTING fire of the Holy
twelve cubits measured its
circumference. Spirit!
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He made two capitals of molten bronze to set upon the Once all the objects are put into the moulds, FIRE is
tops of the pillars; the height of each capital was five
pumped into it. During the process of melting, all
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cubits. Nets of checkerwork and wreaths of chainwork
the objects lose their identities and are fused
for the capitals were on the tops of the pillars, seven for
18 together! Fusion unites all the elements into one.
each capital. So Hiram made the pillars. There were
Melting causes a union - a total transformation!
two rows of pomegranates encircling each network to
19
cover the capitals that were upon the top. The capitals
Melting is symbolic of our change in IDENTITY. You
that were upon the top of the pillars in the porch were
20
of lily work [design], four cubits. The capitals were are a different individual now. All our diverse
upon the two pillars and also above the rounded backgrounds are melted down before God. Every
projection beside the network. There were 200 area of the past must be melted, leaving no trace or
pomegranates in two rows round about, and so with
identity. Some Christians need a ‘spiritual funeral’,
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the other capital. Hiram set up the pillars of the porch
where the past is buried and melted so that there is
of the temple; he set up the right pillar and called its
a change in the character and characteristics of the
name Jachin [he will establish], and he set up the left
22 person. Certain areas of their lives have not been
pillar and called its name Boaz [in strength]. On the
melted down completely. Let the fire of the Spirit of
tops of the pillars was lily work [design]. So the work of
God burn away everything that is NOT of God!
the pillars was finished.
Kingdom Connection 7 May - August 2014
We must be completely melted in order to be in His mould. When we lose our identities, we are transformed
into His image. The Christian life is a process of death, burial and resurrection.
3. Formed into a new vessel through MOULDING!
When the heated brass cools down, it takes on the shape of the mould – in this case, it was the shape of the
pillars. Spiritually, we are moulded into the Image of God’s Son!
Let me highlight some specialties about the Pillars:-
The pillars were large structures with capitals on the top. On the pillars were some peculiar designing. There
was a chain work, pomegranates and lilies designed on them. Each of these have spiritual significance.
Chain-work: Represents the umbilical cord, so to speak between Christ and the believer. Chains represent
our bonding to God. We are His bond-slaves! The Bond-Slave Law that was prescribed in the Old Testament
states that when a slave serves his master for 7 years, and if he does not want to go free [as per the Law], the
owner would pierce a hole in the ear of the slave and lodges it into the door post, which will be a reminder to the
slave of his position in the master’s household. When we become Christians and commit our lives to serve God,
we are bonded to Him forever!
Pomegranates: Typifies the Fruit of the Spirit. It is a call for us to live productive, fruit-bearing lives. The
seeds in the fruit are closely placed revealing unity within the Body of Christ. We can produce fruit by
meditating on the Word of God, prayer, and living in obedience to God’s Word.
Lilies: Are symbolic of purity. Without holiness it is impossible to see God! The lilies were placed right on top of
the pillar to prove that it is the highest requirement of God! We need to display holiness the way we present
ourselves – the way we dress, the way we speak, the way we behave! Our lifestyle should be that of holiness
and righteousness.
The reason this much description is given of the pillars is because they typify the Child of God in relationship to
Christ.
Kingdom Connection 8 May - August 2014
4. FILLED with the Holy Spirit!
The destination or the final location of the Pillars were at the Temple of God. It was brought from the land of
Zobah [darkness] to the Valley of Succoth [moulding]…to the House of God [a planting for His pleasure]!
These 2 pillars had specific names. One was called Jachin which means “he shall establish” and the other was
Boaz meaning “in it is strength”. The Temple was established by God, and built by the strength of God. Every
time God’s children looked at that temple, they knew that God liked to establish and strengthen things.
Pillars normally serve as a support; however these pillars were just for ornamentation. The pillars stood in front
of the Temple, but they did not hold up anything. It faced the east and when the sun would come up each
morning over Mount Olivet, its first rays would strike the highly polished pillars, which was a sight to behold!
Spiritually speaking we have been brought out of darkness into His marvellous light [1Peter 2:9], we are filled
with the Holy Spirit so that we may shine for His glory! We don’t need to carry the weight of the world on our
shoulders, we need to stand upright so that when the “Son of Righteousness” rises with healing in His wings,
[Malachi 4:2] His light will reflect off us upon a dark and sinful world! We become the light of the world, just as
Jesus told us to be. [Matthew 5:14]
Are you a pillar in the Temple of God?
Rev. Dr. Ernest V. George
Founder & Senior Pastor
Garden City AG International Worship Centre Excerpts from the sermon preached at Garden City AG IWC
Holy Spirit!
The five-fold Blessings!
John 16:8 –‘And when the Holy Spirit comes, He
will convict and convince the world and bring
demonstration to it about sin and about
righteousness (uprightness of heart and right
standing with God) and about judgment.’
1. Erase painful memories by divine
healing!
For nearly 18 years I stammered as I suffered from
a speech impediment. Through the process of
stammering I went through a lot of ridicule and
embarrassment. But on the day of infilling, the Holy
Spirit healed me of stammering and erased the
painful memories!
The Holy Spirit is God’s greatest GIFT to me! 1 Corinthians 12:9 – ‘To another [wonder-working]
faith by the same [Holy] Spirit, to another the
Without Him I can do nothing. There are extraordinary powers of healing by the one Spirit;
specifically five areas in which He has
personally ministered to me and I believe He One of the ‘gifts of the Holy Spirit’ is HEALING. So
will do the same for you, when you invite Him when the Spirit of God comes upon you, you will be
into your life! healed completely!
Kingdom Connection 9 May - August 2014
18
Isaiah 43:18, 19 – ‘ “Forget the former things; do Luke 23:34 –‘And Jesus prayed, Father, forgive
19
not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! them, for they know not what they do. And they
Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am divided His garments and distributed them by
making a way in the wilderness and streams in the casting lots for them.
wasteland.
Jesus is the perfect Example of forgiveness, even as
We all have painful memories of the past. However, He was dying on the cross, He was able to seek the
God has given us His Spirit to erase the painful forgiveness of those that humiliated and crucified
memories so that we can live the ‘newness of His Him!
Spirit!’ We are told to FORGET every painful thing of
the past, but to REMEMBER the Lord always! If you need a total deliverance, you need to forgive!
Let the Spirit of God help you to forgive those that
2 Corinthians 5:17 – ‘Therefore if any person is have caused you pain and heartache!
[ingrafted] in Christ (the Messiah) he is a new
creation (a new creature altogether); the old
3. Enabled to become an instrument for
[previous moral and spiritual condition] has passed
God through transformation!
away. Behold, the fresh and new has come!
2 Corinthians 3:18 –‘And we all, who with unveiled
Because of the Holy Spirit – the past is gone and we
faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being
can look forward to the NEW! Let your MESS
transformed into His image with ever-increasing
become your Message, your TESTS, your glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the
Testimony! Spirit.[NIV]
Just as the Holy Spirit ‘hovered’ over the CHAOS The Holy Spirit transformed me into an instrument
before CREATION, He will hover over your situation for God! The very same organ [tongue] that was a
and set you free with ‘healing in His wings’! cause for ridicule, God used to preach the Gospel!
The same way with you, when you are filled with
2.Empowered to the Spirit of God you are on the road to
TRANSFORMATION! Just as a caterpillar becomes a
forgive!
beautiful butterfly, God will change you to become
Colossians 3:13 –‘Be an instrument for HIM!
gentle and forbearing
Romans 8:29 – ‘For those whom He foreknew [of
with one another and, if
whom He was aware and loved beforehand], He
one has a difference (a
also destined from the beginning [foreordaining
grievance or complaint)
them] to be molded into the image of His Son [and
against another, readily
share inwardly His likeness], that He might
pardoning each other;
become the firstborn among many brethren.
even as the Lord has
[freely] forgiven you, so
must you also [forgive]. It is the Spirit of God that enables you to be used of
God.
John 20:23 –‘[Now having received the Holy Spirit,
and being led and directed by Him] if you forgive the 4. Effectively guides daily into God's
sins of anyone, they are forgiven; if you retain the
destiny!
sins of anyone, they are retained.
John 16:13 - ' But when He, the Spirit of Truth (the
God has given us His Spirit to enable us to forgive
Truth-giving Spirit) comes, He will guide you into
others! Un-forgiveness is a baggage - it is a
all the Truth (the whole, full Truth). For He will not
blessing-blocker. You keep yourself in a bondage
speak His own message [on His own authority]; but
when you harbor un-forgiveness and bitterness in He will tell whatever He hears [from the Father; He
your heart towards others. Set yourself free by will give the message that has been given to Him],
forgiving the people who have hurt you! and He will announce and declare to you the things
that are to come [that will happen in the future].
Just like I was empowered to forgive those who hurt
me when God poured out His Spirit upon me, you
too will be able to forgive others.
Kingdom Connection 10 May - August 2014
