As you reap each of your crops, bring me the choicest sample of the first day's harvest; it shall be offered to the Lord your God....
Since the early days of Israel's history God had a plan for His people to celebrate. They celebrated Passover to commemorate their deliverance from death and Egyptian captivity. They celebrate with feasts to remember God's blessings and His promises to them. Feasts often incorporate a remembrance of the harvest. God's people would bring their very best to the Temple to give thanks for His provision. We too, are thankful in this season of the year for all that God has given to us. We thank Him for the harvests of the past and the anticipated harvests we will reap in the future. Let us lift our highest praise and worship to our God who blesses us daily with His benefits.
Pastor John
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
Ephesians 4:1-3
I...beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, with all lowliness, and meekness, with long suffering, forbearing one another in love; endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
These verses are from the READ initiative assignment last week. The Greek word for endeavoring in verse 3 is defined as being earnest or diligent. What we endeavor to do usually reveals our priorities or our purpose. Our endeavor as Christians should be to keep the unity of the Spirit as we work together as the Body of Christ. As we read all of Ephesians 4, we see that this unity actually makes individuals aware of their personal calling. According to verse 12 it is for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying (or building up) of the body of Christ. Let us all live our lives with this endeavor so that it will encourage everyone, and we will see our church grow in Christ as we grow closer to one another.
Pastor John
These verses are from the READ initiative assignment last week. The Greek word for endeavoring in verse 3 is defined as being earnest or diligent. What we endeavor to do usually reveals our priorities or our purpose. Our endeavor as Christians should be to keep the unity of the Spirit as we work together as the Body of Christ. As we read all of Ephesians 4, we see that this unity actually makes individuals aware of their personal calling. According to verse 12 it is for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying (or building up) of the body of Christ. Let us all live our lives with this endeavor so that it will encourage everyone, and we will see our church grow in Christ as we grow closer to one another.
Pastor John
Tuesday, September 24, 2013
Mark 3:35
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
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
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
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)