Welcome to WOWgroup Global Fellowships
Word of Wisdom Fellowships
Founded in 1982 By Dr. Sandrie S. Smith - We are Caring people
partnering together to touch the world by building men, women and
families of character, vision and action to confidently make a
difference. Through our diversed programs we seek to be a community
minded organization with the world in mind and you at heart. Where
everyone feels accepted, supported, challenged and affirmed. We have a
Global vision with a local view. OUR VALUES………DEDICATED TO
SERVING... COMMITTED TO INTEGRITY…PLEDGED TO EXCELLENCE…FOCUSED ON
FAMILIES.
The Significance of a Mother
WOWgroup Global Fellowships NY had a wonderful time worshiping and studying the word of God. My son Andrew W. Merced led worship and I have to say he did a awesome job. Many would say what's so special about this young man singing and leading worship? Well for one thing Andrew is not your ordinary worship leader. Andrew has autism and many other disabilities that interfere with his learning, communication, and daily living skills and yet Andrew has tapped into the supernatural "God's Kingdom." Andrew truly knows that Our God is Greater. When I look at my son I see Jesus all over him.
To hear Andrew lead worship click here: Our God is Greater
WOWgroup Global Fellowship NY began their meeting with a motivational clip (She Cheered Me Up) and answered the following question afterwards:
Question: Can you remember a time in your life when your mother cheered you up or encouraged you to do something special?
Today we celebrate Mother’s Day, but what is really the significance of a mother?
The
bible clearly states that being a mother is very important to the Lord.
The mother is told to love her children (Titus 2:4-5). Why is loving
her children such a big role, because the mother represents love and
without it~it goes against Jesus who is love and the savior of the
world. The bible tells us that “Children are a gift from the Lord (Psalm 127:3-5). The
mother who loves her children nurtures them, embraces them and meets
their needs showing us that we were created in a unique way by the
Father above.
A mother who loves God and her children will do the following according to the word of the Lord.
1. She would make time for her children (Deuteronomy 6:6-7)
Many times mothers are very busy with work, housework, spouses, etc.
that they have little energy to spend with their children. As a result
we see children raising themselves and making many choices that are not
good for them.
2. A godly mother is very active and involved in the lives of their children. A mother needs to have discussions, help children think and to help them plan for their lives. (Ephesians 6:4)
3. A godly mother is a teacher. (Psalm 78:5-6). The Lord wants mothers to prepare His children with godly principles ~
we get this wisdom from the scriptures so that our mind is based on
Kingdom living and not worldly principles. (Deuteronomy 4:10; Ephesians
6:4)
4. God wants every Godly mother to train her children.
This means that mothers need to help the children develop skills and
to discover their gifts/talents/strengths so that they can do God’s will
here on earth.(Proverbs 2:6).
5. It is important that the mother discipline her children.
If a mother does not teach the fear of the Lord, or make boundaries
on a constant basis, in a loving, but firm way children will grow up to
become adults who will not respect authority. They will make foolish
choices that will eventually destroy not only their lives, but others.
Reason ~ there was no direction pointing to what was right and wrong.
( Hebrews 12:5-11; Proverbs 13:24)
6. A mother role in her child’s life is to Nurture. A
mother must provide her children constant verbal support, she must
allow her children the freedom to fail, must accept and have
unconditional love for her children. (Titus 2:4; 2 Timothy 1:7; 1 Peter 3:8-9)
***Children
who are not nurtured grow up to be adults who may be starved for
attention. When a mother does not give affection to her children many
may act out, in an attempt to get attention, because it’s the only way
they know how.
The child may become more aggressive as he grows older.
Children
who aren't nurtured often tend to become more aggressive as they grow
older. They develop a defensive internal mechanism that begins to block
off their feelings because they do not know how to properly express
themselves.
Children who were not nurtured may become bored more easily.
If
a child does not receive nurturing mental stimulation, they may become
bored very quickly. As they grow older, they might even be labeled as
"hyperactive" because they shift and dart from one thing to another and
cannot sit still for very long at one time.
7. A mother a child’s first model and therefore it should be one of Integrity.
The Lord wants us to live with integrity. To always behave godly no
matter if eyes are upon you or not. To live what you say, being a
model from which a child can learn by. (
Proverbs 10:9; 11:3; Psalm 37:18, 37). How many times mothers have said
one thing, but their actions stated another. The child did not remember
the words, but the action and therefore automatically dismissed the
good teaching, because what he learned was that it was okay to settle,
to compromise the truth.
WOWgroup
Global Fellowships NY, wants to take this opportunity to say thank you
to all the beautiful mothers who have taken their godly roles here on
earth. May God bless you and continue to shine His face upon you.
Having God's Peace
What does peace mean to you? Why do you think we need the peace of God?
These were just some of the questions that Minister William Merced Jr. posed to WOWgroup Global Fellowship NY today.
Peace = Freedom of the following: mind, annoyance, distraction, anxieties. When you have peace you have tranquility and serenity.
According to the scholars the word peace is mentioned in the bible 246 times.
Psalm 29:11
The LORD gives strength to his people; the LORD blesses his people with peace.
When we do not have peace we end up in a place of frustration, anxiety and bitterness takes root upon our mind, body and others.
Isaiah 55:12 New International Version (NIV)
and be led forth in peace;
the mountains and hills
will burst into song before you,
and all the trees of the field
will clap their hands.
When you are in harmony with God the Lord allows your heartbeat to become aligned to nature, which praises and gives Him all the glory. When we are not connected to the Lord we are not in peace, because we are not free from the distractions that try to take us from the Word of God that causes us to be still and promotes Joy.
J = Jesus
O = Overshadows
Y = You
Phillipians 4:7 Jesus the peace that passes all understanding. The gift of peace is Jesus.
Sin Is Not the Problem!
Sin is a Manifestation of an Identification Problem
WOWgroup Global Fellowship NJ had an awesome time worshiping and praising the Lord. Worship Leader Melisa Altreche ushered us into a sweet atmosphere of thanksgiving and praise. Reminding us to Open Our Eyes so that we can see what Jesus sees.
Dr. Sandrie S. Smith began the fellowship with the scripture 1 John 3:9 "No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God's seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God."
Dr. Sandrie S. Smith helped us to look at this scripture even deeper. Sin is not the problem it is a manifestation of how you react. In other words " sin" is a verb. A verb is something we do or an action that is taken place. The manifestation is a choice. When we say yes to the Lord we choose His DNA. Having the Lord's DNA means that we have the blueprints, the codes needed to carry out His purposes here on earth. We are His children who have inherited this rightful place through Jesus Christ our Lord.
It is so easy for us to place "sin" in different categories, but sin cannot be categorized. Sin is sin no matter how big or how small we may think. Separate the person from the lie they believe (honor sustains life). God wants us to take the position Galatians 6:1. God is in the business of restoration so that what flows out of you is His DNA.
1 John 2:1 " My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense--Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.
Thank You Jesus!
WOWgroup Global Fellowships NY gathered on Palm Sunday to say Thanks and give honor to the King! Praise and Worship songs reminded us how Jesus died on the cross for us and how Jesus overcame every obstacle and sin. Jesus the King volunteered to be a sacrificial lamb so that He could make us right with His Father. Thank You Jesus!
WOWgroup Global Fellowships NY watched clips called "Most" and " The Passion of Christ," we broke into teams and compared and contrasted the clips. As much as "Most" ripped at our hearts, the story of the Passion of Christ is richer and more powerful. In the movie "Most" we see a father torn and surprised at the situation he has to face, but our Heavenly Father asked His son Jesus if He would volunteer to go down into the hole, because it was the only way to save us. In the clip "Most" we see the son slip and the father is not able to rescue him in time. Jesus paid a price for all. Both of these movies showed the heart of a Father's love and how painful it can be. Powerful to know that we are loved so dearly by our Father and His son Jesus!
John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
Waiting on Jesus
Scripture: Gal. 5:22-23 (NLT)
"But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,"
WOWgroup Global Fellowship NY gathered together and looked deeper into this Spiritual Fruit Paul called Patience. The first thing we did was looked at a clip from Karate Kid. Click here if you would like to see the clip.
Question: What are some of the key examples Mr. Han is trying to teach the young boy? What does he mean by there is a difference between being still and doing nothing? After watching this clip and discussing our responses we understood that we should not be led by our emotions, but by the word of God. We must trust Him and be still at all times. We must stay focused so that others may copy our reflection that of Jesus Christ.
The next clip we watched was Surf's up. Click here if you would like to see the clip. Cody's mentor is trying to teach him how to make a surf board, what were some of the things you noticed about Cody's character? Can you relate with Cody and if so explain why?
Waiting on Jesus is a perfect topic for this coming season. Spring is around the corner and we can already feel the changes in the air, see the differences in the landscape as well as our lives. It's funny how life gives us no choice but to wait. All of us wait whether we are stuck in traffic, waiting on a dream to be fulfilled, etc., waiting comes down to this very thing a quality a Spiritual fruit called PATIENCE.
WOWgroup Global Fellowship NY wanted to know why do we really need patience? We learned from our study that delays are necessary. We grow and learn how to respond to all types of situations in our lives whether good or bad in a positive way, calm way, a way that reflects who Jesus is to all the moments, circumstances and seasons in our life, while we wait on Him.
Many times we need to postpone instant gratifications. Reason we live in a world where information is at our fingertips in seconds, where fast-food chains is the rage and microwaves cook instantly. We have become accustomed and desensitized to our Heavenly Father's ways. Therefore it is important to ask God for clarification and wait upon the Lord.
Challenges, problems and hardships will lurk upon our door and at times it may seem like there are no improvements, we are stuck in dead end jobs, relationships and we want to give up. God says to be patient and hold on. God knows that our life here on earth is filled with challenges and hardships, but in the midst of all of it we know that God is working all of it for good.
Reflections of Love ~ WOWgroup Global Fellowships Reunion
WOWgroup Global Fellowships NJ, NY and The Power and Word of God Ministries had an awesome reunion on February 11, 2012. Pastors Javier & Felicita Camacho welcomed WOWgroup Global Fellowships with a warm inviting atmosphere decorated with hues of pink, red and lots of love. Kayla Camacho greeted WOWgroup Global Fellowships with a warm smile. Then WOWgroup Global Fellowships NY Administrative Assistant Wandy Dargan began the reunion with games and activities, which made us all laugh reminding us that laughter is the best medicine.
Worship Leader Melisa Altreche ushered us into a sweet loving atmosphere reminding us of how God loves us and how much we need Him. Minister William & Tanya Merced mimed "You Love Me," by Karen Clark-Sheard and son Andrew W. Merced ministered in song singing Steven Curtis Chapman " You Were Meant To Be." If you would like to see the mime and hear the song click links below:
Minister Lillian Altreche from WOWgroup Global Fellowships NJ ministered in song and sang " Because of Who You Are." What a wonderful reminder of our Heavenly Father's love. Minister Tanya Merced then brought forth the message "Does God Really Love Me?".
Zephaniah 3:17 English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus Fulfills the Law
WOWgroup Global Fellowship NY had a powerful AHA moment! What do I mean by this? WOWgroup Global Fellowship NY has been Studying Dr. Richard Hays book " Righteous At Last". Today we took a closer look at Chapter 3. We learned that Jesus Christ was our atonement, our reconciliation between God and humankind through his sacrifice on the cross. Jesus was the only acceptable sacrifice that could bring us back to the Father.
Before we went further into our study we looked up the word mantle in the bible 2 Kings 1-13. According to the bible a mantle refers to a piece of clothing, open on the front, looks like a robe and is sleeveless. It is worn as an outer garment, which was worn by prophets or priests. After reading these scriptures we noticed that God took up Elijah and then his mantle dropped and his successor Elisha picked it up. This symbolizes (office of a prophet or Priest). It is a sign of God's authority ~ a token that the person wearing it is God's representative.
Throughout the study we discovered that Jesus did not come to destroy the Law, but to fulfill it. Jesus followed ALL the laws (Circumcision, Baptism, Passover, etc.) Jesus the son of man was perfect in every way. Jesus obedient and without sin was righteous. In the Old Testament we see that the High Priest needed to bring two burnt offerings to the Holy of Holies so that they could be atoned for their sins. The first offering was for the priest who was a sinner and the other for the people.
We then looked at the following scriptures Isaiah 61:10.
NLT " I am overwhelmed with joy in the Lord my God! For he has dressed me with the clothing of salvation and draped me in a robe of righteousness. I am like a bridegroom in his wedding suit or a bride with her jewels.
New Living Translation (2007)" Because one person disobeyed God, many became sinners. But because one other person obeyed God, many will be made righteous.
God's Word Translation (1995) "Clearly, through one person's disobedience humanity became sinful, and through one person's obedience humanity will receive God's approval.
When Jesus died on the cross and said that it was finished it meant that He fulfilled the law and his blood covered and wiped ALL of our sins and made us right with God. When Jesus ascended to the Father He dropped His mantle and covered us with His righteousness. This means that every time the Father sees you He sees Jesus (Righteous, The One Who Totally Obeyed, Perfection).
The Key to Being Blessed is to Delight in the Lord
WOWgroup Global Fellowship NY had an awesome time worshiping and reflecting on God's goodness. Minister William Merced Jr. began today's meeting with the following scripture:
Psalm 37:4 " Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart." Today Minister William Merced Jr. gave honor to my grandmother Madrina Santana who left a lasting impression when she was alive. Madrina Santana was not an ordinary woman. She was a woman who was diagnosed with Schizophrenia at the age of 28. Minister William Merced Jr. shared that when he met her at the home for the very first time he was very much intrigued. Surely this woman must be out of her mind finding joy in a dark cold nursing home that smelled like death. He recalls a small cot and a couple of pictures behind her bed. Madrina Santana laughed and sang and prayed for us.
Although we will never know what Madrina Santana's desires were or her role here on earth? But what I do know is that I Minister Tanya Santana Merced would not have been serving Jesus. I am convinced of this very thing that my grandmother prayed my family through the Kingdom of heaven. Evidence today even cousins I do not know today are ministers serving in many areas around the city.
We must find " Pleasure in the Lord," no matter what we may be going through.
New International Version (©1984)
May he give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed. Psalm 20:4
Minister William Merced Jr. closed the meeting with 1 Chronicles 4:9-10 Jabez didn't want to be known as pain. His desire was to get a new name and that the Lord would enlarge His territory. Jabez turned to God he knew where his source, his strength, his joy would come from.
Let us always rejoice, find joy and turned to the Lord.
Staten Island WOWgroup Fellowship NY
Staten Island WOWgroup Global NY launched its first meet on January 28, 2012. Dr. Sandrie S. Smith opened the meeting with the following question: Where am I in my process? As we pondered and reflected we learned that everyone has to go through a process, but in the midst of the process God does not stop what he began in our lives.
Just like the photographer who looks through a lens and measures light and sees different angles, views, perceptions.
We too must look at the BIG picture. Dr. Sandrie S. Smith reminded us that life is not a rehearsal. We must keep going forward and not allow distractions to get us off track.
We must always keep God in the center and everything else will align itself.
But first be concerned about God's kingdom and his righteousness, and all of these things will be provided for you as well. Matthew 6:33
Blessings and Curses
WOWgroup Global Fellowship NY had an awesome time searching the Word of God and learning more about our identity. We began by continuing our bible study and book club RIGHTEOUS AT LAST by Dr. Richard Hays (The open Heaven Message).
We read Deut 28:1-14 and Deut 28:15-68 then we looked at the characteristics of each. We discovered that a blessed lifestyle is one that is Obedient, Righteous and Perfect. Questions that were raised in the group were the following:
How do Christians relate to the law? According to Romans 7:1-6 (NIV)
An Illustration From Marriage
1 Do you not know, brothers—for I am speaking to men who know the law—that the law has authority over a man only as long as he lives? 2 For example, by law a married woman is bound to her husband as long as he is alive, but if her husband dies, she is released from the law of marriage. 3 So then, if she marries another man while her husband is still alive, she is called an adulteress. But if her husband dies, she is released from that law and is not an adulteress, even though she marries another man.
4 So, my brothers, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit to God. 5 For when we were controlled by the sinful nature,[a] the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in our bodies, so that we bore fruit for death. 6 But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code.
Clearly we learned that we are released from the Law. Why? Jesus was a Jew and was without sin, he kept every law, the only one person ever to live on earth who did perfectly.
Galatians 2:16 " Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ."
We have a new identity ~ We have been released from the Law. We have gained freedom from sin and therefore we live under the blessing. We are reminded that we are blessed and not cursed. The reason Jesus fulfilled the law and made us " right with God". Therefore we have an open heaven upon us.
God has set us high above the nations on earth. (Favor with among man)
We are blessed in the City and blessed in the country. (Wherever I live I will have favor)
My children will be blessed.
I will never be in need I will always have an abundance.
God will protect me from my enemies. They can't touch me.
I will be the head and not the tail.