On the following Sunday morning, as our church gathered, I had taken one of the extra large pulpit chairs and placed it in the front center of the church, right near the altar. After a few songs were sung, I stepped up to the pulpit and began to address the issue of racism. I shared how prevalent it was in our community; but I was more concerned how widespread it was inside our own church, and that it was time dealt with it. You could feel the tension; it was palpable!
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Please remember this; if you are still willfully engaging in known sin, you have not repented, and you are still in need of a Savior, who longs to help you, as soon as you come to your senses, and repent.
It is very concerning when an invisible enemy threatens us, and menaces those we love. If not careful, we get frightened, agitated, and reactive; rather than thoughtful, caring, and compassionate.
the church belonging to Jesus Christ, is white hot and on fire, it's moving, breaking chains, saving souls; the sad truth is, that much of what we call the church . . . is not the church!!!
We traveled over 7000 miles sharing the Gospel, challenging churches to step up and step into, the calling God has graciously given to everyone who names Jesus as Lord!
Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our “God is a consuming fire.” Hebrews 12:28 The writer of the Book of Hebrews also recalled the words of Moses from Deuteronomy 4:24 “For […]
Many in today’s world simply refuse to believe God exists, therefore, any mention about Him, or His so called commandments, must be disregarded and tossed out.
Take a moment, and consider Jesus, look into what He did, and why . . . then make a decision, but do not make it lightly!
Consider the bow and arrow; the archer reaches for an arrow from his quiver, he knocks the arrow into the string, and pulls the bow, aiming for the target; and the arrow rests. The target acquired in his sights, the archer releases the energy of the bow, the arrow powerfully soaring toward the target . . . BULLSEYE!
There is a rather short window of time whereby the heated metal is thrust into the cooling medium; once this is done, the metal becomes quite hard. Similarly, over hardened metal, can be softened again by heating and allowing the metal to cool slowly; this process is called annealing.Spiritually speaking, the danger lies wherein the power of God, through His Word, is touching your heart. Often the heart is strangely warmed, heated by the Holy Spirit if you will, to the point of becoming altogether new; the composition is about to change.
The pastor spends each week considering what type of dish to serve; sometimes he plans far in advance, making sure that all the ingredients come together in just the right fashion.
I was one of those “bunking broncos” and I wanted to run fast, hard and free! Brimming with fire and passion, I lit many fires in my wake. I could not understand why well-meaning, mature Christians were coming along behind me with a fire truck, putting out my fires! It exasperated me to no end!
While looking at the devastation, one wonders why there will be dozens of homes swept away, but invariably several withstood the howling storm, and survived. Could it be that those who had taken the time to build a super solid foundation were the ones to remain? I think it had a great deal to do with it!
Instead of getting a backhand across your face, you get an embrace, waves of love cascading over your heart. God welcomes you wholeheartedly; like a long lost son or daughter; He gently wipes away your tears, your fears, and you know, you belong to Him!
Any sin inflicted upon you by another, will pale in comparison with the sin you have inflicted against God.Yet God has forgiven you of all your sins! Why would you hold something against another? Why would you throw away your own good fortune at the expense of another? How foolish!
You may even begin to experience a slow, somewhat unnoticeable, hardening of the heart. It shows up when you find your eyes dry, during an experience that used to bring tears. You begin to notice a lack of compassion, your temper seems to quicken.
“Why should you be beaten anymore? Why do you persist in rebellion? Your whole head is injured, your whole heart afflicted. From the sole of your foot to the top of your head there is no soundness-- only wounds and welts and open sores, not cleansed or bandaged or soothed with oil.”
If anyone could get their walk right with Jesus, it would be these guys. Yet these men struggled understanding God’s will, and had trouble obeying Jesus, here are a few examples
What jumps out at me, is the way Paul says these words. It is bold, and up front, like he was an emissary of God, coming to the people, as if he had just come from God himself. Kind of like an ambassador, proclaiming the heart of the kingdom represented.
People today are no different; far too often we think if we just live a good life, then we somehow will gain access to heaven and eternal life; that is simply not true! It was not enough for this young man and it will not be enough for you either!
I can see the crowd laughing as he makes this statement; some parents are no doubt planning a practical joke on their kids later in the day!
Jesus calls everyone who would follow Him, to count the cost; it is quite high. While the gift of salvation is free to receive, the cost of following is steep! One must consider the ramifications of following the Lord before jumping in. Jesus said that those who choose to follow […]
The first step in pursuing holiness is to admit that we are not as holy as we appear to be; this first step is called humility.
The greatest hindrance regarding God’s Love seems to be our inability to receive it! Since we have such a corrupted view of what love is, it becomes an obstacle to receiving God’s love!
The word “abide” simply means to remain, or stay put; Jesus used the word in the context of vineyard work. The vine that remains grows, and that vine begins to produce fruit. Abiding gives us the idea that we are continuing to grow and mature, and just like the vine […]
We need to be careful that we do not fall into the “Selfishness Trap” mentioned in the following passage of Scripture. As you go about your life in Christ, be generous. What people need the most, is your time and attention. “But mark this: There will be terrible times in […]
Your life is a constant witness to your master; who then has more control of your life, you, or Jesus; the world can tell in a heartbeat.
You MUST engage yourself in the study of God’s Word. To avoid this most elementary part of Christianity shows your lack of desire to, really know, the God you say you love!
As Christians, we should be the most joyful, decidedly free, glad-hearted, hopeful people that the world ever met. Your passion for life and your joy, on account of your God, should make people stop and stare at you! “They ought to think that you are downright strange, indeed!” Psalm […]
The cruelest device known for torturing and suffering that man’s perverted mind could conceive. Jesus knew that he would suffer and die on one of those.
When faced with a distraction that threatens to pull your focus off Jesus, do what Mary did, and just sit still, and listen to Jesus. Rest assured that you are doing the right thing; the distraction will wait.
To fight off fear and anxiety; designed, to steal, kill and destroy; you MUST use and understand God’s word! It is the only lasting and permanent antidote for this ungodly disease!
“Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.” 2 Corinthians 7:10 “Godly sorrow” produces repentance. I have to ask; have you ever felt godly sorrow? Have you ever felt the need to repent, and then actually do it? Because […]
It is clear in the Scriptures, that the Holy Spirit is most certainly a Person. He is able to teach, comfort, console, lead, and convict. Without the power and presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives, we will be ineffective in all of our spiritual endeavors. The Holy Spirit, […]
If you ever wondered about God’s love for you, consider the language the apostle Paul uses to describe the relationship between God and you; he declared we are, adopted. Adoption – “To take into one’s family through legal means and raise, as one’s own child” “The adopted child is treated […]
For those who have chosen to follow Jesus, you have a mandate to go out and declare that the Kingdom of God is near. The same directives He gave the early church, He gives you. You are sent out with His authority, His power, and His might! Don’t fear the […]
Humanity has been suffering the consequences of sin since the Garden of Eden. The world is littered with vain attempts by mankind, to correct this broken condition; it is evident that we are unable to cure this disease called sin. Jesus however, is more than able; He is the Rescue, […]
Satan has considerable influence in our society. His malevolent intentions are evident the world over. It seems with each passing day, the darkness of the devil’s evil persuasion is poisoning the hearts and minds of humanity in ever increasing proportions. We must remain vigilant and on guard, keeping our minds […]
Battle lines have been drawn; an ongoing spiritual war, now fought in the heavenly realm; a war we must participate in. The stakes are high; and eternity hangs in the balance! Satan’s rebellion against God’s plan, and subsequent deception foisted on humanity, initiated the conflict. However, God’s armory has […]