Category: General

Wise Men Worship

Matthew 2:1-11 KJV

2 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,

² Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.

³ When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.

⁴ And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.

⁵ And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet,

⁶ And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.

⁷ Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.

⁸ And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.

⁹ When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.

¹⁰ When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.

¹¹ And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense and myrrh.

¹² And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.

My pastor preached a message called “Wise Men Worship” a few weeks ago and it has stuck with me, and I want to try and convey what God has been dealing with me from his sermon.

We are now on the other side of Christmas, and many have made Christmas into different things but there is one thing that we need to be reminded about in this time that we celebrate, this time of the invisible God coming in flesh and that is worship.

We read in the text ² Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.

These men left everything they had and all their responsibilities to look for this baby to be born King of the Jews to worship him. This was no small task as some say it may have taken up to two years to travel to reach their destination to worship him.

Nowadays if we don’t receive an immediate response or receive our answer quickly, we start to try and figure things out ourselves. Think of this long journey that these men traveled, never giving up on the mission to worship the King of the Jews.

Why do we worship Jesus? Is it because of what he has done for you? Is it because you need something? Will you worship if you lose everything? Do you worship if you’re sick? What is your reason to worship the King?

Jesus is worthy of all worship even if He did nothing for you! Jesus is worthy of worship just because He is God!

We thank God that He came to this earth manifest in the flesh, because scripture tells us He is touched by the feelings of our infirmities. Because He came in that manger and in the flesh, He has experienced loneliness, betrayal, hurt, pain.

Hebrew 4:15-16 KJV

¹⁵ For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

¹⁶ Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

We face many things in this life that depends on how we respond to the situation is what we get.

Philippians 4:6-7 NKJV

⁶ Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; ⁷ and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Scripture says to be anxious for nothing, That’s a commandment for the LORD!

You say but you don’t know what I’m going through…

Does it fall in the category of ANYTHING? Then scripture says be anxious for nothing!

But I have bills to pay, my fridge broke down, I’ve got this going on or that going on.

So, this is like telling someone to not be angry anymore, If I could stop being angry, I’d stop being angry. If I could stop being anxious I would.

But Paul didn’t stop at don’t be anxious but went on to say; but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;

Doesn’t matter what is going on! but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;

Get in your prayer closet and with thanksgiving/worship let your request be made known to God! Yes, God already knows what you’re going through but He wants to hear it from you with thanksgiving! That you know where your help comes from! That you know who to worship! The posture of your prayer is crucial. Let your supplications be known unto Him but when you do it do it with an attitude of worship, an attitude of praise, with an attitude of thanksgiving!

Why do we do this? Because the rest of the scripture says, ⁷ and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

If we stop complaining and get into the presence of Jesus, the peace of God will come into your life! Why? Because He is the Prince of Peace, Prince of Shalom! The peace that doesn’t make any sense! He will guard your heart and mind through Christ Jesus!

Why do you worship? Let me tell you why I worship, because that baby that came in a manger is worthy of ALL my worship, He is worthy of ALL the worship! Before he ever does one thing in my life, He is worthy of praise and worship!

The wise men traveled for up to 2 years to find Him and when they get there, they offer the gift of gold (which is the gift given to kings), they understand that this little baby in the manger was the King of Kings and Lord of Lord’s.

They gave him frankincense (which is what priest used in temple worship), they understand that he was more than just a man, but the High Priest.

They gave him myrrh (which was something to take pain away and for embalming), which they might not have fully understood that Jesus was not only the King, not only the High Priest, but He was also the sacrifice.

They worshipped Him before He did one miracle, healing, feed 5,000.

I come to worship Him as King, as my High Priest, and as the sacrifice that took my sins away.

They came to worship Him not being empty handed but having gifts to offer. And after they worshipped Him, they got up and left a different way (after being warned of God in a dream).

This is what I know about worshippers, that when you come as a worshipper, you come and give God the praise of which He is worthy. It does not matter what you have been through, how long the journey has been, how tired you are, but when you get in the presence of Jesus, I promise you that you will leave differently than the way that you came!

My prayer today is that we all can worship Jesus the way He deserves worshipped!

REV. Thomas Whitmore   

ChaplinToledo Chapter

Well the end of 2023 is here. So looking forward to the New Year 2024 to see what the Lord has in store. I’m want to reach out and Give A Big Thank You to Everyone in ASR for your giving in this past year whether in finances, love, outreach, prayers, time. We Are Blessed Beyond Measure and A Chosen Group of People having a Burden for Souls and Our Great Missionaries. Looking forward to seeing NEW MEMBERS, NEW HIGHWAYS, NEW SOULS, NEW STREETS, NEW AVENUES, NEW ROADS, NEW FIELDS, NEW CHAPTERS. You name it. It can happen in Jesus Name. And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask anything according to his will,he hearth us. With that being said I will be working on learning invoicing which means you will be hearing from me soon. I’m going to be starting in  Mid January so just a heads up. I will be emailing and sending 2024 invoice out. I look forward to hearing from you all.

Love to All,

Cynthie Zerbe

Intnational Treasurer

Wow where has 2023 gone and just like that we are at the end of another great ASR season. I am so looking forward to what the Lord has for ASR in 2024 and what new doors will be open. Our theme for next year is Taking It To The Streets.  State chapters we need your chapters more motivated this year to be the atmosphere changers where ever you ride to. Also I would like to ask each state chapters too  try to support all chapter events in your state. Unity is key. Also try to get out to other none ASR state events. Here is where you make a difference and make  those contacts. And to let everyone see who you are and who you ride for.
Our season starts of on March 1 with Bind The Strong Man. The locations of BTSM are listed in our rumblings newsletter and on both our group Facebook group pages.
I will keep the up coming event list updated as  those events  are created in the event section. It is important to create your events in the event section. If not and you only make a post of your event on our group pages. It will only get lost and buried through other posts. If you can’t figure out how to create your event on the group pages. You can email your information to the board. And it will then get created.
I am so looking forward to the national rally in Omaha,Nebraska this year. The hotel information will be posted on our Facebook group pages and on the website in December. This way you can start making your plans to attend the national rally.
Also I am excited for the Black Hills South Dakota Ministry Tour that Brother Jeff Keck has planned. It leaves Omaha on Sunday after the rally. August 4-10. We will have more information on this at a later time and  post it  on our Facebook group pages soon.
Sister Zerby will be getting ready to start sending out 2024 Invoices. I ask to be patient with her since this will be her 1st year doing invoices. So for the months of January and February please keep an eye on your email for them. If you have changed your email it is your responsibility to send your changed email to the board. Remember that your yearly dues is what  keeps this ministry running.
Well I had a vision of a great ASR gathering.
When Laureen and I  went to the Ohio State Reformatory. We took the Ohio the tour.  This is the place where they filmed the move Shaw Shank Redemption. I thought man would this be a cool place to have a ASR gathering. Then I thought a little more. Wouldn’t it be neat if we could put our bikes in a nice line down on one of the cell blocks for a great photo shoot. I am working with the director of operations at the reformatory to see if they can make this happen. If so it would be either be in May or June. They also have an area to rent out inside if we would go the catered route. Hope to have all the information together  real soon. And all have it posted on our group pages.
Last I would like to wish you all a very blessed  Merry Christmas this year.

Michael Theodore (Theo)
International President

Delayed Gratification:

1 Corinthians 6: 1-3

Our appetites can overtake and enslave us. Perfectly good activities can get us into trouble when we fail to practice them in moderation, Or there may be times when we don’t feed our appetites in balanced ways. Then we become so starved that we fall to the temptation of our addiction at the first opportunity.

This happened to Esau. One day he came home hungry he promised his birthright to his younger brother in exchange for a bowl of porridge. We are warned:”Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. For ye know how that afterward when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears” (Hebrews 12:16-17). The apostle Paul wrote: “All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any” (1 Corinthians 6:12).

We need to satisfy our appetites in appropriate ways so we don’t become starved and thus more susceptible to temptation. There may be some good things that have such control over us that it’s best to avoid them altogether. If we allow the demands of our appetites to become overpowering, we risk losing things (or people) that we might never get back.

6: 1-6: Taking someone to court, as painful as it may be, is often the easy way out of a conflict. Instead of working out problems out, we hand them over to an impartial judge. Dealing with conflict in such an indirect way usually leads to separation rather than reconciliation. Paul warned the Corinthian believers not to go to unbelieving judges to settle their disputes. If God’s power is at work within us, we can use the wisdom and guidance of the Holy Spirit to settle our conflicts. We need to keep this in mind as we seek to make amends with those we have harmed.

Lets Welcome Our New Member

Leslie Hutchison from Michigan

Just a little info on when you invite someone to our ASR facebook group.
Please invite them to our friends page not the members page. We are getting quite a bit of over flow on the invites to the members page. Also if your inviting someone. Make sure that their facebook profile and page is public not private. Already dealing with an over flow of fake/spam accounts. So if one comes in that is completely private it will just be deleted.

Thank you
Guard Dog Theo

From the ASR board to your house. May you all have a very blessed and Happy Thanksgiving.

Bind the Strong Man will be held at 4 Locations on March 1st, 2024. Flyers with times for each location and Hotel information will be forthcoming.

1. New Life Church, 825 Bellaire St, Jacksonville TX 75766 Host Pastor Micah Jones
2. Victory Life Church, 1502 Rose Ave. New Haven, IN 46774 Host Pastor Greg Fries
3. New Life Church, 21789 Eastern Vally Rd., McCalla, AL 35111 Host Pastor Greg Brock
4. Clendenin Pentecostal Church, 7602 Elk River Rd., Clendenin, WV 25045. Host Pastor Bill Monk

A Humble Beginning

2 Kings 5:1-15Chaplain’s Corner

5 Now Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master, and honorable, because by him the Lord had given deliverance unto Syria: he was also a mighty man in valour, but he was a leper. 2 And the Syrians had gone out by companies, and had brought away captive out of the land of Israel a little maid; and she waited on Naaman’s wife. 3 And she said unto her mistress, Would God my lord were with the prophet that is in Samaria! for he would recover him of his leprosy. 4 And one went in, and told his lord, saying, Thus and thus said the maid that is of the land of Israel. 5 And the king of Syria said, Go to, go, and I will send a letter unto the king of Israel. And he departed, and took with him ten talents of silver, and six thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of raiment. 6 And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, saying, Now when this letter is come unto thee, behold, I have therewith sent Naaman my servant to thee, that thou mayest recover him of his leprosy. 7 And it came to pass, when the king of Israel had read the letter, that he rent his clothes, and said, Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man doth send unto me to recover a man of his leprosy? wherefore consider, I pray you, and see how he seeketh a quarrel against me. 8 And it was so, when Elisha the man of God had heard that the king of Israel had rent his clothes, that he sent to the king, saying, Wherefore hast thou rent thy clothes? let him come now to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel. 9 So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariot, and stood at the door of the house of Elisha. 10 And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean. 11 But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the Lord his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper. 12 Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? may I not wash in them, and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage. 13 And his servants came near, and spake unto him, and said, My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean? 14 Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean. 15 And he returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and came, and stood before him: and he said, Behold, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel: now therefore, I pray thee, take a blessing of thy servant.

It can be very humiliating to admit that we are powerless, especially if we are used to being into control. We may be powerless in some areas of our life, but out of control in terms of our addictive/compulsive behaviors. If we refuse to admit our powerlessness, we may lose everything. That one unmanageable part of our life may infect and destroy everything else. 

The experiences of Syrian army mander Naaman illustrate how this is true. He was a powerful military and political figure, a man of wealth, position, and power. He also had leprosy, which promised to bring about the loss of everything he held dear. Lepers were made outcasts from their families, and from society. ultimately, they faced a slow, painful, and disgraceful death. 

Naaman heard about a prophet in Isreal who could heal him. He found the prophet, and the prophet told him that in order to be healed he needed to dip himself seven times in the Jordan River. Naaman went away outraged, having expected that his power would buy him an instant and easy cure. In the end, however, he acknowledged his powerlessness, followed the instructions, and recovered completely.

Our “diseases” are as life-threatening as the leprosy of NAaman’s day. They slowly separate us from our family and lead toward the destruction of everything important to us. There is no instant or easy cure. The only answer is to admit our powerlessness, humble ourselves, and submit to the process that will eventually bring recovery. 

People who are hurting deeply enough will try almost anything to find relief. For Naaman, the commander of the Syrian Army, looking for help from a prophet in Isreal was a desperate long shot. Naaman was willing to sacrifice prestige and wealth to find healing for his terrible disease. Naaman was healed of his leprosy, but not because he was willing to offer a reward. The real issue was not how much it cost, it was more important that he went to the only one who could really help him — The one true God.