For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother.
To do God's will is to enter I everlasting relationship with Christ. To be in a relationship with Jesus is to be part of the eternal family which every other believer is part. We are blood relatives due to the blood of Jesus that has washed away our sins. According to Romans 8:17, we have become heirs and joint-heirs with Christ. We are family. It's awesome to have this knowledge, but with this knowledge comes responsibility - responsibility to bring those dearest to us into God's family as well. This begins in our homes. One of the greatest problems in our nation today is the shirking of family responsibility. Parents have loosened godly standards in the home and abandoned righteous responsibility. Petty jealousies tear family apart. This is devastating to our Church, society and nation. I hope this stirs something inside of you today, so you can say, like Joshua, "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.
Pastor John
Tuesday, September 24, 2013
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: Old things are passed away; behold all things are become new.
This verse is one of the most often quoted of the Apostle Paul's writings. However, this verses that follow (v 18-21) paint us the greater picture - the scene of reconciliation. Christ became sin for us so that we might be made righteous by His work. All of the sins of our past are forgiven and we are made clean by His blood when we call on Him and repent. Satan doesn't want anyone to be forgiven of their sins, as they are a result of his work. His goal is to kill your body, steal your soul, and rob you of every good thing in the process. To be forgiven lifts us up to where Christ is Lord, and by His grace we miraculously become like Him. To live our lives without forgiving others of their wrongs makes us sink down to Satan's level. Which level do you choose: the old level under Satan, or Christ's level, where all things are new? Pastor John
This verse is one of the most often quoted of the Apostle Paul's writings. However, this verses that follow (v 18-21) paint us the greater picture - the scene of reconciliation. Christ became sin for us so that we might be made righteous by His work. All of the sins of our past are forgiven and we are made clean by His blood when we call on Him and repent. Satan doesn't want anyone to be forgiven of their sins, as they are a result of his work. His goal is to kill your body, steal your soul, and rob you of every good thing in the process. To be forgiven lifts us up to where Christ is Lord, and by His grace we miraculously become like Him. To live our lives without forgiving others of their wrongs makes us sink down to Satan's level. Which level do you choose: the old level under Satan, or Christ's level, where all things are new? Pastor John
Hebrews 8:6
But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.
When Christ came he brought a new covenant - a change for the better. Change can be good. God has been an instigator of change since before time began. I love change when it is for the better. There is one fact concerning change that is most important, and it must not be overlooked. An advocate for change must see the purpose of the change in the big picture. God saw the necessity for change even before the foundation of the world. He knew that we would sin, and He knew that we would need a sinless advocate to redeem us from our sin. Thus, Jesus came to conquer death, hell and the grave, providing us with a better covenant that changed our lives. This was the greatest of changes for better. Pastor John
When Christ came he brought a new covenant - a change for the better. Change can be good. God has been an instigator of change since before time began. I love change when it is for the better. There is one fact concerning change that is most important, and it must not be overlooked. An advocate for change must see the purpose of the change in the big picture. God saw the necessity for change even before the foundation of the world. He knew that we would sin, and He knew that we would need a sinless advocate to redeem us from our sin. Thus, Jesus came to conquer death, hell and the grave, providing us with a better covenant that changed our lives. This was the greatest of changes for better. Pastor John
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
Colossians 3:14
And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.
We like to talk about abundant life. Many of us think that abundant life has to do with "having" more than "giving." The focus is more on the "abundant" and less on the "life" Well, the actual meaning of the word perfectness here in Colossians 3 is "developing and living a life of mature godliness." Jesus tells us in Matthew 5:48, "Be ye therefore perfect even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." This perfectness binds us to God, and that, in turn, causes us to be in His favor, His anointing and His most gracious love. His abundance is His love to us which give us the greatest fulfillment in life. In other words, seek life in Christ and the abundance will follow.
Pastor John
We like to talk about abundant life. Many of us think that abundant life has to do with "having" more than "giving." The focus is more on the "abundant" and less on the "life" Well, the actual meaning of the word perfectness here in Colossians 3 is "developing and living a life of mature godliness." Jesus tells us in Matthew 5:48, "Be ye therefore perfect even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." This perfectness binds us to God, and that, in turn, causes us to be in His favor, His anointing and His most gracious love. His abundance is His love to us which give us the greatest fulfillment in life. In other words, seek life in Christ and the abundance will follow.
Pastor John
Acts 2:37
Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, men and brethren, what shall we do?
This verse is in response to Peter's message to the multitude on the Day of Pentecost. What shall we do? Peter responds with instruction and a promise: Repent and be baptized...for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children. (Acts 2:38-39). At salvation, we graduated from death to life, from being a sinner to being born again. Jesus promises us the gift of His Spirit to comfort, convict and compel us to greatness in ministry. When we are baptized in that Spirit we graduate from the natural to he supernatural. We no longer walk only in our own ability; we walk in the power of the Holy Spirit with God's anointing to do things we could never do before.
Pastor John
This verse is in response to Peter's message to the multitude on the Day of Pentecost. What shall we do? Peter responds with instruction and a promise: Repent and be baptized...for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children. (Acts 2:38-39). At salvation, we graduated from death to life, from being a sinner to being born again. Jesus promises us the gift of His Spirit to comfort, convict and compel us to greatness in ministry. When we are baptized in that Spirit we graduate from the natural to he supernatural. We no longer walk only in our own ability; we walk in the power of the Holy Spirit with God's anointing to do things we could never do before.
Pastor John
Geneisis 22:18
And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.
God's covenant with Abraham here had a far-reaching effect on the world - an effect still felt today. We call Abraham "Father Abraham" not only because he is first among the patriarchs, but also because of the fatherly character he portrays in the Bible. From his life we see what God desires for every father, a desire to be a real man of God. Abraham is obedient and willing to sacrifice his most prized possession to prove his Love for God. God is first in his life. Abraham is God's example of what fathers are supposed to be. Like Abraham, if we place God as priority in our lives, and keep open lines of communication with Him through prayer, there is no limit to how much of a difference we can make in the world. As Abraham was, let us strive to be men after God's own heart. Pastor John
God's covenant with Abraham here had a far-reaching effect on the world - an effect still felt today. We call Abraham "Father Abraham" not only because he is first among the patriarchs, but also because of the fatherly character he portrays in the Bible. From his life we see what God desires for every father, a desire to be a real man of God. Abraham is obedient and willing to sacrifice his most prized possession to prove his Love for God. God is first in his life. Abraham is God's example of what fathers are supposed to be. Like Abraham, if we place God as priority in our lives, and keep open lines of communication with Him through prayer, there is no limit to how much of a difference we can make in the world. As Abraham was, let us strive to be men after God's own heart. Pastor John
Nehemiah 4:6b
...For the people had a mind to work.
Getting something productive accomplished requires a certain mind-set. The right mind-set means having determination to finish what you start out to do with the right mental attitude. Once Nehemiah had convinced the people in Jerusalem that the God of Israel and kin Artaxerxes had commissioned the work on the city's walls to be completed, they strengthened their hands for this good work. Today we have been commissioned by the King of kings to do His work. His is the best work. Let us strive to have that right mind-set like those in Nehemiah's day. let us have a mind to work.
Pastor John
Getting something productive accomplished requires a certain mind-set. The right mind-set means having determination to finish what you start out to do with the right mental attitude. Once Nehemiah had convinced the people in Jerusalem that the God of Israel and kin Artaxerxes had commissioned the work on the city's walls to be completed, they strengthened their hands for this good work. Today we have been commissioned by the King of kings to do His work. His is the best work. Let us strive to have that right mind-set like those in Nehemiah's day. let us have a mind to work.
Pastor John
1 peter 5:8
Be sober, Be vigilant, because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.
The word sober here means watchful. In our walk with God we need to be alert and aware of Satan's tactics. You can't just ignore the enemy. We learn in Nehemiah 4 that Nehemiah set up watches for the enemy while the workers made progress on Jerusalem's walls. This infuriated his adversaries because the work went on, and all plans to foil the construction failed. We can see, therefore, that the words of 1 Peter 5:8 are wise advice. Be sober. Be watchful. Satan is ever lurking in the darkness, but God is with you in your work and no weapon formed against you will prosper. My prayer is that anyone here today who is facing adverse issues will leave here relieved of the rubble in his or her life.
Pastor John
The word sober here means watchful. In our walk with God we need to be alert and aware of Satan's tactics. You can't just ignore the enemy. We learn in Nehemiah 4 that Nehemiah set up watches for the enemy while the workers made progress on Jerusalem's walls. This infuriated his adversaries because the work went on, and all plans to foil the construction failed. We can see, therefore, that the words of 1 Peter 5:8 are wise advice. Be sober. Be watchful. Satan is ever lurking in the darkness, but God is with you in your work and no weapon formed against you will prosper. My prayer is that anyone here today who is facing adverse issues will leave here relieved of the rubble in his or her life.
Pastor John
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