Friday, July 24, 2015

Go...

If all the church does is preach the gospel then it is living half of the gospel....

It's time to fulfill the mission God gave the church...

Go...



Saturday, June 27, 2015

Affirm the Biblical View of Marriage

I know many are upset concerning the Supreme Court Ruling. I stand opposed to this ruling, and emphatically affirm the Biblical view of marriage! This ruling did not take God by surprise. He knew this would take place before Jesus went to the cross.
Luke 17:28-30
"It was the same as happened in the days of Lot: they were eating, they were drinking, they were buying, they were selling, they were planting, they were building; but on the day Lot went out from Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. It will be just the same on the day that the Son of man is revealed."
Let us remember to hold fast to the teachings that we have received from God's Holy WORD!
Let us also remember to love everyone regardless. The people you are so angry with is someone's father, mother, sister, or brother. More important, Jesus died for them!
I'm not saying to condone sin, I'm saying see through the sin and see the person who needs the love of Jesus Christ!
You can't reach people you don't love. Jesus died for the sinner. He gave HIS life for all!
We can Stand firm on Biblical truth and love the sinner!
With love,
Pastor John

http://churchofgod.org/same-sex-marriage-statement

Tuesday, June 23, 2015

"The Mirror" A Reflection for Change

When Michael Jackson was touring in Japan in 1987,  a 5-year-old boy named Yoshiaki Ogiwara was kidnapped for ransom and killed. Jackson was deeply troubled by the killing, so he dedicated his 1988 single ”Man in the Mirror” to the young boy. The song went to the top of the Billboard charts for two straight weeks, and it was one of Michael Jackson’s most critically acclaimed songs. The theme of the song is change.

Change? We hear that word often. When you think about it though, it seems like everyone is demanding change of everyone and everything else. It’s rarely directed inwardly. We so often look to others to change so that our lives will be better. The human perspective is usually that it’s someone else who is at fault for our suffering and for making our lives miserable, so therefore they must be the ones that change.
Take for example the riots that have broken out in various cities in America So many advocate violence and destruction while demanding change. But here’s the kicker: Real change, and the change that Michael Jackson was advocating in “Man in the Mirror,” is vastly different from the destructive, other-focused change we see so often. Jackson’s song was addressed to “the man in the mirror”—it’s all about demanding change of yourself!

Real change means we have to stop blaming others for our problems. In order to do that, we must first seek God while looking at ourselves honestly. This process brings about repentance. We cannot make things better in our homes, in our personal relationships, in our community, or in our country if we don’t look at ourselves first.

Steve Goodier, author of Lessons of a Turtle ,  wrote:  “An important decision I made was to resist playing the blame game. The day I realized that I am in charge of how I will approach problems in my life, that things will turn out better or worse because of me and nobody else, that was the day I knew I would be a happier and healthier person. And that was the day I knew I could truly build a life that matters.”
King David was inspired to write: “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life” (Psalms 139:23-24, New Living Translation). I strongly recommend you read the whole chapter of Psalm 139.
God’s Word is our mirror to look into, to see the changes we must make. James wrote: “For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like” (James 1:23-24, NLT). God tells us to look in the mirror of the Bible and be convicted to make the change.

The result of real change is found described in Galatians: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23). The blame game has no part in these godly fruits.
Yes, we are the man or woman in the mirror who must change! The Bible is the mirror that will help see the changes that we need to make. And God will give us strength to make those changes. The changes we make within ourselves will make this world and our surroundings a better place.

Monday, December 15, 2014

Hope is Found

1 Peter 1:3-5


Imagine a child getting lost in the mall while Christmas shopping. Even if her parents had to search for hours and hours, would they give up on trying to find her?

Like a child separated from her parents, our sin separates us from God. Romans 3:23 says we have “all sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” That sounds utterly hopeless, but like a parent who won’t give up, God found a way to repair our relationship with Him.

God loved us so much that He sent His Son, Jesus, to make a way for us to have a relationship with Him. We could never pay the debt our sin created. When Jesus died on the cross, He took our punishment for us. When Jesus rose from the dead, He proved that He was more powerful than all of the sin, death, and evil in this world. When we ask Jesus into our lives, we are reunited with our Father in heaven, and we receive the power to overcome, just like Jesus did.

Jesus is the object and source of our hope. This is why Christmas is so important. Without Jesus’ birth, death, and resurrection, our sins would not be forgiven. We would still be apart from God, like a child lost in the hustle of the Christmas shopping season.

Hope begins with being reunited with God, and once we are, Jesus begins to bring hope to all areas of our life. There is no situation in your life right now that is too bad for the “living hope” promised to us in 1 Peter 1:3. Christmas is all about hope, and that hope would not be possible without Jesus.


Monday, November 24, 2014

Have we lost our Passion for Christ?

James 5:16 (NKJV)
16 Confess your trespasses[a] to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
Have we lost our passion for Christ? Everyone gets to a place in life where we "go through the motions..." We are not as excited about the Lord or ministry as when we first accepted Christ as our Savior. Life's demands beat against us wave after wave. Before long we figure life is full of troubles that we must endure. We come to "expect" difficulty more than we "expect" His grace. If we are not careful, we can allow the "troubles" of this life to steal our passion for Christ.
In this life we may endure trouble, but we have the assurance that His Grace is Sufficient for everything life may throw at us. Regardless the "trouble" we face, we need to remain passionate about our Lord! 

In his book Being Leaders, Malphurs describes "passion" as a "God-given capacity to commit oneself fervently over an extended period of time to meet an objective."
Satan may try to steal our passion by trowing trouble in our life, but it is the "God-given fervency" that will keep us focused on our objective.

James tells us that "the effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man 'avails much'". When we define the term "avails" we find that it means:
Avail- 1) to use or take advantage of;
synonyms: use, utilize, employ
2) help or benefit
synonyms: help, aid, assist, benefit, profit
James is implying that Our Fervency will Drive us to utilize or "take advantage of" the power that God has given us, the power of Prayer!
When we pray we are "taking advantage of" GOD's power! Utilizing God's strength! Employing the Lord's wisdom.
When we pray we "rely" on God's help, His assistance. Prayer is our way of utilizing God's power over our circumstances.
It's time to regain our passion, our fervency for the Lord!
From the Pastor's heart

We need the Word of God



It's not enough just to meet our everyday physical needs--that will keep us physically alive, but won't nourish us spiritually. To experience spiritual life, we need the Word of God.

We eat bread to satisfy the emptiness within. Bread nourishes, empowers, and strengthens the body. When we eat bread it becomes part of us. Our bodies draw nutrients from the bread to feed us. Likewise, when we eat the Bread of Life we are strengthened by Him, nourished by His words, and empowered by His Holy Spirit.

Hunger and thirst symbolize something is missing. There is an emptiness inside which drives us to fill it. We can try filling it with possessions, power, money, friends, lust, family, but the only thing that will satisfy this hunger and thirst is Jesus Christ.

What Are You Eating?

Ezekiel 3:1-3
Moreover He said to me, “Son of man, eat what you find; eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel.” So I opened my mouth, and He caused me to eat that scroll. And He said to me, “Son of man, feed your belly, and fill your stomach with this scroll that I give you.” So I ate, and it was in my mouth like honey in sweetness.

We've heard the cliche "You Are What You Eat." This is never more true than when we are considering what we feed our Spirit.

When we feast on God's Word we receive the every thing we need for this life.

1) When we feast on God's word we receive nourishment that we need to develop as a child of God.

2) When we read his Word receive strength to overcome trials and temptations. In our weakness His strength is revealed.

And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me." (2 Corinthians 12:9)

3) When fill up on the Bread of Life our hearts are filled with hope.

Psalm 130:7 NASB
7 O Israel, hope in the Lord; For with the Lord there is lovingkindness, And with Him is abundant redemption.

Jeremiah 29:11
I know the plans that I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.

Romans 15:4
For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

Together We Are the Body of Christ

Have you put any thought to what 'part' of the body you are called to be?

I Corinthians 12:12-14 NKJV
For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body— whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. For in fact the body is not one member but many.

We may be separate members of the 'one' body of Christ, but together we represent the wholeness of His body.

When we as individual parts begin to work together, being filled with His Spirit, begin to 'function' as 'One' body. It is then, that we are POWERFUL...
As His body we 'Function' as Christ 'Functions'... We Speak as He Speaks... We Act as He Acts... We Live as He Lives...
When we walk in UNITY (as one), we become HIS BODY! His Hands, His Feet, His Mouth... His Eyes...

Are you functioning as His body? Are you doing your part? Are you committed to your role in His body? Or are you leaving His body broken? Or His church handicapped?

Every part (member) is significant to the function of the body. Make a commitment to do your part; to be the part of Christ's body He has called you to be.

Together we can do anything!

Forgiven

Titus 2:11-15
(11) For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, (12) teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, (13) looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, (14) who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works. (15) Speak these things, exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no one despise you.

We often struggle with the "thou shalt not's" of the Bible. Especially when we are "denying ungodliness and worldly lusts." Our struggle is due to our flesh nature that we are accustomed to satisfying. The more we satisfy this desire of sin we will experience a greater urge to sin.
To quail this urge we need only to look to Jesus. Paul writes, "looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us..."
When I think about His love, how He bled and died for me, love begins to arise in my heart, causing me to say, "Yes" to His love. When I receive His love I also receive His promises. His promises are for me!
All of God's promises are "Yes, and Amen!" I don't have to focus on the "No's" of the Bible when I can focus on the "Yes's" that He has promised me! Yes, I am forgiven! Yes, His grace abounds in me! Yes, I can live for Him!
Israel Houghton's song "I Am Forgiven" reminds me His love is more than enough for me!

I am Forgiven
I have been given a another chance
There's no condemnation
Your grace is sufficient to cover my past
Your love is more than enough
More than enough for me.

Say, "Yes" to Jesus!

Are you Thankful?

Being thankful, for me, is my response to knowing I’m forgiven when I know I don’t deserve it. Recognizing God’s grace causes me to have a thankful attitude.

2 Corinthians 4:15
“For all things are for your sakes, that grace, having spread through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God.”

It’s the grace of God that causes thanksgiving to arise in our heart. For if we truly understand God’s sacrifice for us we would never cease to praise Him.