My last blog was titled, "Can You Recover?" This will actually be part 2 of that blog, but I have changed the title to state the fact that you actually can recover if you are not where you want to be in this life. But in order to do this you will have to make some decisions that are contrary to the decisions that you have been making. I know that some may already be clicking off of this post right about now, but if you want help the Word of God has answers.
One of the biggest things that I see today in the Body of Christ is deception abounding. There are so many that are living by this word or that word, or this devotion or that devotion. I am not against anyone or any devotion, so long as they line up with God's word. But from the majority of what I read, at the very most, it is only a part of God's word, and not the whole counsel or rightly divided. It is also usually hand picked to make me feel very special and very good. Of course, all of God's Word is good. If I follow and obey it, then it will produce good results and feelings as well. All of this is true.
It is also true that the Word of God is the mirror that I am to look at continually. It is also true that when I am not getting the results that have been promised in God's word it would be wise to make sure I am obeying it. God's Word never fails! If I am failing in my life I cannot be speaking and acting on God's Word because it does not produce failure.
What seems to be going on and one area that deception seems to be abounding most is in this area of daily living. I see people who are not succeeding and they are not happy in their lives. Many of them will be honest and even tell you this. But they spend much time following behind ministers and others who only tell them what they want to hear. They only tell them what makes them feel good. This is dangerous because this is the formula that will keep you in that bad way for the rest of your life.This is not the way we want to go.
I have lived both for God and for the devil. I am not proud of that, but it's true nonetheless. I remember one time that things weren't right in my life. I had been hungry for God before, but wasn't hungry at this time. I sat there thinking about the position I was in and where I wanted to be in my life. The Holy Spirit spoke to me and asked, "What were you doing during the times you so hungry for me?" This got me to thinking. I realized that it was what I was doing a that time that was producing those Godly results in my life. The Holy Spirit said, "If you will get back to doing what you were doing at that time you will begin to get the same results you were getting then."
It is not just the Word of God that will change your life! James 1:22 says, "But be ye doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves." It is when you know, act on, and obey God's word that it produces results in your life. It is important to go to a word church, but that in and of itself will not change your life. If they preach the word at your church then they are loading you up with seed. But it is your responsibility to plant that seed!
This must be understood if we are ever going to come out of where we are today. God wants the best for us and has proven that by giving us the best, Jesus Christ. You and I must take advantage of God's word and walk in the authority we have in the Name of Jesus if we are going to succeed.
You can come out of any place you are in today, but you cannot do it without obeying God's word! Peter was one of the first apostles (Matthew 10:2). Peter walked on the water to go to Jesus (Matthew 14:29). Peter declared his allegiance to Jesus several times. Even when Jesus predicted Peter's denial Peter told Jesus he would never betray him. Peter did mess up and deny Jesus. This brought Peter to a bad place in his life. The bible says that Peter wept bitterly after his decision. Peter knew he messed up. But another point that must be noted is that Jesus never gave up on Peter, and Jesus has never given up on you! Jesus prayed for Peter's restoration ahead of time and even called for him after he was resurrected (Mark 16:7).
If you will draw near to God today he will draw near to you (James 4:8). Don't stay where you are today in life if you are in a bad way. This is not God's plan for your life. God desires that you prosper in every way and that you have the fruit of the Spirit abounding in your life. Open your heart and life up to him and be willing to examine yourself in the light of God's word. By receiving and applying the word of God in your life things will have no option but to change for the better. God's word always works!
Thursday, March 13, 2014
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
Can You Recover?
The answer to this question will be entirely up to you. I received this revelation through my own personal life experience. God has shown me several things that are very important to know and understand if we are to accomplish his plan for our lives. I pray it blesses you as well. I am only sharing this because I know by the Holy Spirit that there are many that need it.
Contrary to popular belief, every single Christian has to make the decision to obey God's word, or to not obey. A common misconception that I see, especially about ministers, is that we just float through life on the anointing. It is true that each of us has an anointing to do all that God has called us to do, but it is not true that the ministers of the Gospel are any different than anyone else in this area. If I give the devil a place in my life he will come in and destroy me. I do have authority over him, just as you do, but I must exercise this authority or I will fail. Satan is very slick and deceptive and we can only uncover his plots and plans against us as we live by the Word and stay in tune with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit guides us into the truth of God's word and his word shines light on the devils plans of darkness and defeat for our lives, thus exposing him.
Remember, Satan's plan is always to kill, steal, and destroy (John 10:10). No matter your position or anointing, he desires to render you useless to the kingdom of God by making you feel absolutely worthless and beneficial to no one, including God. I want to make it clear that I allowed him to do this, he cannot destroy any of us at will!
For some time now, Satan had been harassing my mind in one particular area. I was dealing with thoughts that I had never had before. They were thoughts of defeat and destruction, but at a much greater level than I have ever had. I did not properly bring these thoughts into subjection, so they only got worse. This began to affect my disposition, attitude, and even my confidence in God's ability to use me. Because I chose not to bring these thoughts into subjection they began to spill over into other area's of my life. Things came to a head when I allowed them to effect me so much that I said some things to my wife, Laura Leigh, that were much more destructive than edifying. This may happen everyday in many marriages and even be commonplace, but to me it is unacceptable and displeasing to God. We are to love one another, not hurt one another.
We sometimes have the idea that we have to be out committing sin in order for the devil to gain access to our lives. This simply is not true. I know to walk by faith and how to bring wrong thoughts into subjection. As Satan endeavored to convince me that my life and ministry was ineffective, like he has been doing with many of you, I listened more than I should. By not obeying the Word, I opened the door for him in my life. I have learned that Satan does not care how he gains access to your life, as long as he can gain access to your life.
At this time I realized what I had done! I had fallen for the devil's trap! I do not come from a family with many loving, Godly marriages. There are some, but not many men in my family understand the concept of loving your wife like God loves the church. I have tried for years to become the husband that God wants me to be. I definitely have not arrived, but I have gained much ground over the last few years. I have seen my marriage grow so much stronger and become so much more rewarding for Laura Leigh and I. How could I hurt the one person that I love more than anything in the world? How could I say things to her to hurt her when I had been trying so hard for so long to love her, nourish her, and cherish her, as Christ does the church? Why would anybody with good common sense do things to work against the very plan of God in their lives? That is what I want to answer for you today!
Laura Leigh and I are great today! We are in love more than ever before! I thank God that when I did this to her I knew how to fix it. I knew where to go and that is where I went. I got right by myself and went to God! But through this he showed me how people allow the devil to destroy their lives, marriages, finances, relationships, etc. I caught this immediately, but if I had not I could have gone down a path that so many have taken. I could have kept the door open for Satan to destroy my marriage and life.
As I sat down to pray, the first thing I did was repent. Then the Holy Spirit began to show me what I had done. He said, "You know that was the enemy bringing those thoughts to your mind, and you did not bring them into subjection. The more you allowed them to stay, the bigger and stronger they grew. What has happened now is that you have not only allowed the devil to have a place in your life, but you have become a vessel that he has used to harm the very person you love most." I saw at this very instance how people cooperate with the devil to destroy their lives! The even bigger problem is that the majority of the time they have no idea that they are their own worst enemy. This is how deception works!
Where are you at in your relationship with God today? Do you think God is mad or upset with you? How is your marriage today? Do you think everything would be better if your spouse would only do as they are supposed to? What type of relationships do you have in your life? Do you find that when you first meet people everything is great, but then over a period of time you can no longer get along with them? Do you have children that are estranged from you? Do you think often that almost everyone around you is against you and wants to cause you harm?
If you answered yes to any of these questions you need to pray today! If when I say that you immediately start thinking about how wrong the other party is, then you definitely need to pray today! They may genuinely be wrong, but you don't have the authority to change them or make their decisions. But you are responsible for you!
I see that a part 2 of this article will be necessary, but I want to leave you with this. When I missed it I asked God, "Can I fix this?" God said, "You can fix this, but not by doing what you have been doing." I understood clearly what he meant when he said this. This is also when I saw how people cooperate with the enemy to destroy their lives through deception. If I would have continued thinking those wrong thoughts I could have eventually destroyed my life. I thank God that I caught this and addressed it immediately. But the Lord told me that many are in this situation right now and they have not addressed it. Each day their situation is getting worse and they believe it is everyone else's fault that they are in the predicament that they are in. We must get the revelation that we are responsible for the decisions that we make. When we obey God and follow his plan we will not be defeated but we will continually overcome. If I am walking in defeat today I must blame one person, and that is me. God has given us complete mastery over Satan and every evil work, but we must exercise this authority.
Satan will sell me any lie that I will buy. One of the most popular ones is that it is somebody else's fault that my life is in the situation it is in. The reason it is so popular is because it will allow you to completely blame someone else while taking no responsibility for your own actions. The problem with this is that nothing gets better, only worse. Nobody, not even Satan himself, has the power to destroy you. It is only you and I that can make decisions that will put us over or under.
I encourage you today, especially if you are in some of these situations I specified, to get alone with God. It does not matter how bad things are in your life today, Jesus is your answer. No matter how great your sin, no matter how bad your decisions, you will never go to God and be rejected! The Holy Spirit is your helper! If you will ask, he will reveal to you the exact direction you need to take. If you will follow his direction, you will eat of the good of the land (Isaiah 1:19).
I went home shortly after praying about my own personal life. I looked Laura Leigh right in the eyes and apologized, because I was 100% wrong. I may not have realized I was wrong at the time, but that is not relevant. I was wrong and for wrong to be righted you must own up to it! As usual, she lovingly forgave me and we are moving forward. That may seem simple enough, but anything you keep feeding will grow. If you keep feeding the thoughts the devil feeds you they will keep growing until they destroy your life. This may not cause you to dance a jig, but it's still true.
In closing for now, Yes, you can recover! But you must realize that if you are in a bad way, it was your decisions that God you there. It can be God that gets you out, but you must go to him, receive his direction, and obey his direction for things to change.
As a Christian, you have all that you need to succeed. You have the greatest support system ever in God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit! Get alone with God today and you will be amazed at the benefits of seeking him and getting his direction in your life!
Monday, November 11, 2013
A Heart to Serve
John 13:13-17 (NIV)
13 You call me "Teacher" and "Lord," and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16 I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one that sent him. 17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.
I heard a minister say, "If you will listen to the Holy Spirit he will make you look like a genius." I would have to agree with this statement 100%! It's not that I want to be seen as a genius, but I do want to fulfill the perfect will of God for my life. I will have to listen to the Holy Spirit in order to do that. The Holy Spirit will always lead me in line with God's word. The Holy Spirit will, through the Word of God, bring me to a place of success and balance in my life.
I have been ministering a message lately titled, "The Heart of the Church." I believe that through this message God is not only trying to establish his word in my heart, but also to bring us back to a proper balance concerning our mission, The Great Commission.
I am in no way trying to attack anyone or any church, but I still believe in right and wrong. I still believe we should get our direction, instruction, and correction from God's word with the help of the Holy Spirit. It seems to me that church has become the entertainment center instead of the life changing and training center. When I hear many Christians talk, what seems to dominate conversation is what they like and what they don't. Even concerning church, it is "the music was awesome" or "the message was so encouraging." I hear often, "come to church with us, we have so much fun." Don't get me wrong, it's great to have awesome music and there is nothing wrong with being encouraged, but church is not supposed to be all about me. Church is supposed to be all about Jesus! I am supposed to be getting trained every day and every service to be more like him. If my heart is truly right then my heart's desire is to not please myself always, but to please the one who saved me. I should be encouraged at church, but I should also be equipped and encouraged to action.
You may ask, "Where is all this coming from?" This is not coming from watching others, judging them, and then writing and ministering along these lines.This is what the Holy Spirit has brought to my attention. Many Christians are focused on having fun while family, friends, co workers, and the world is dying and going to hell!
This is specifically what the Holy Spirit said to me, "It is very important that you know and understand who you are in Christ, and your rights, authority, and privileges in him. You cannot live a successful life or fulfill God's plan for your life without knowing this. You are called to rule and reign in this life as Kings and Priests, but it is also very important to remember that your heart is always to be that of a servant."
In the passage above we see Jesus leading by example. Jesus was and is the Only Begotten Son of God. Jesus was and is the Messiah. Yet, Jesus always had his focus absolutely perfect. Jesus' focus was to fulfill God's plan for his life, he walked in absolute mastery and authority over Satan, and he exemplified the heart of a servant from beginning to the end.
Your identification should always be who you are in Christ Jesus. I would never disagree with that. But your heart is always to be that of a servant. Society has told us we could have it our way and so has much of the church, but the true church desires that it's God's way!
Have you asked today or even lately, "God, how could I serve you this day?" I can assure you that if you will stop and ask this question the answer will be revealed to you. As you obey the direction you get from the Holy Spirit in this area you will become a greater vessel for him to use each day.
In closing, I know this is not popular to many today, but that is their own personal choice. Please know that any critical comments will simply be deleted with no response. I have chosen to judge my life by God's word and not others opinions.
13 You call me "Teacher" and "Lord," and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16 I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one that sent him. 17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.
I heard a minister say, "If you will listen to the Holy Spirit he will make you look like a genius." I would have to agree with this statement 100%! It's not that I want to be seen as a genius, but I do want to fulfill the perfect will of God for my life. I will have to listen to the Holy Spirit in order to do that. The Holy Spirit will always lead me in line with God's word. The Holy Spirit will, through the Word of God, bring me to a place of success and balance in my life.
I have been ministering a message lately titled, "The Heart of the Church." I believe that through this message God is not only trying to establish his word in my heart, but also to bring us back to a proper balance concerning our mission, The Great Commission.
I am in no way trying to attack anyone or any church, but I still believe in right and wrong. I still believe we should get our direction, instruction, and correction from God's word with the help of the Holy Spirit. It seems to me that church has become the entertainment center instead of the life changing and training center. When I hear many Christians talk, what seems to dominate conversation is what they like and what they don't. Even concerning church, it is "the music was awesome" or "the message was so encouraging." I hear often, "come to church with us, we have so much fun." Don't get me wrong, it's great to have awesome music and there is nothing wrong with being encouraged, but church is not supposed to be all about me. Church is supposed to be all about Jesus! I am supposed to be getting trained every day and every service to be more like him. If my heart is truly right then my heart's desire is to not please myself always, but to please the one who saved me. I should be encouraged at church, but I should also be equipped and encouraged to action.
You may ask, "Where is all this coming from?" This is not coming from watching others, judging them, and then writing and ministering along these lines.This is what the Holy Spirit has brought to my attention. Many Christians are focused on having fun while family, friends, co workers, and the world is dying and going to hell!
This is specifically what the Holy Spirit said to me, "It is very important that you know and understand who you are in Christ, and your rights, authority, and privileges in him. You cannot live a successful life or fulfill God's plan for your life without knowing this. You are called to rule and reign in this life as Kings and Priests, but it is also very important to remember that your heart is always to be that of a servant."
In the passage above we see Jesus leading by example. Jesus was and is the Only Begotten Son of God. Jesus was and is the Messiah. Yet, Jesus always had his focus absolutely perfect. Jesus' focus was to fulfill God's plan for his life, he walked in absolute mastery and authority over Satan, and he exemplified the heart of a servant from beginning to the end.
Your identification should always be who you are in Christ Jesus. I would never disagree with that. But your heart is always to be that of a servant. Society has told us we could have it our way and so has much of the church, but the true church desires that it's God's way!
Have you asked today or even lately, "God, how could I serve you this day?" I can assure you that if you will stop and ask this question the answer will be revealed to you. As you obey the direction you get from the Holy Spirit in this area you will become a greater vessel for him to use each day.
In closing, I know this is not popular to many today, but that is their own personal choice. Please know that any critical comments will simply be deleted with no response. I have chosen to judge my life by God's word and not others opinions.
Monday, October 28, 2013
The Heart of the Church
The Holy Spirit dropped this phrase down in my spirit several weeks back. I, like most every Christian, want to be effective in life, ministry, family, etc. I also understand that in order for me to be effective I must live my life in line with God's word. After all, it is his will, not mine, that I am to be found accomplishing.
What is the heart of the church? What should be the heart of every Christian? I know there are many more answers to this question than you will get here, but I will only share what God has emphasized to me. I also believe as we get back to doing life and church God's way we will be amazed at the results we get.
The Holy Spirit said to me, "Ministry is loving God and helping people." This would completely cover the New Testament commandment of love. Why did Jesus come? Jesus came to seek and save those that were lost (Luke 19:10). Jesus came to fulfill God's will here on the earth. Jesus was moved with compassion for those who were bound by the devil. Do we want to be like Jesus? Does it matter to us that there are people in our circles of influence who are lost, broken, and/or held captive by the enemy?
We are instructed in the Word to follow the example of Jesus. Honestly, at this time it is the Body of Christ that is to carry out God's will here on the earth. It is you and I that should be carrying this gospel to the lost and dying of this world. We are anointed of the Holy Spirit for this purpose.
I know very often we teach and preach about our rights, authority, and privileges in Christ Jesus. This is not wrong and I will continue to do this. But I also know that every single Christian has a ministry! The ministry we have been called to is called the ministry of reconciliation. What does that even mean? It means that now that you are saved you have a responsibility to allow God to use you to bring others into the body as well.
We as a church must get back to loving God and helping people. When was the last time that your prayer included a request of God to put someone in your path to witness to? When was the last time that you looked for someone to encourage? When was the last time that instead of talking about how messed up someone was you invited them to come to church with you so they could get straightened out?
I am not saying that the church as a whole is not growing, but I do believe that we could gain much more ground if reaching the lost and dying of this world was a top priority. No matter where you are in your life today if you will allow him to God will use you to help others. Always remember that the greatest ammunition that you have is to tell others what God has done for you!
What is the heart of the church? What should be the heart of every Christian? I know there are many more answers to this question than you will get here, but I will only share what God has emphasized to me. I also believe as we get back to doing life and church God's way we will be amazed at the results we get.
The Holy Spirit said to me, "Ministry is loving God and helping people." This would completely cover the New Testament commandment of love. Why did Jesus come? Jesus came to seek and save those that were lost (Luke 19:10). Jesus came to fulfill God's will here on the earth. Jesus was moved with compassion for those who were bound by the devil. Do we want to be like Jesus? Does it matter to us that there are people in our circles of influence who are lost, broken, and/or held captive by the enemy?
We are instructed in the Word to follow the example of Jesus. Honestly, at this time it is the Body of Christ that is to carry out God's will here on the earth. It is you and I that should be carrying this gospel to the lost and dying of this world. We are anointed of the Holy Spirit for this purpose.
I know very often we teach and preach about our rights, authority, and privileges in Christ Jesus. This is not wrong and I will continue to do this. But I also know that every single Christian has a ministry! The ministry we have been called to is called the ministry of reconciliation. What does that even mean? It means that now that you are saved you have a responsibility to allow God to use you to bring others into the body as well.
We as a church must get back to loving God and helping people. When was the last time that your prayer included a request of God to put someone in your path to witness to? When was the last time that you looked for someone to encourage? When was the last time that instead of talking about how messed up someone was you invited them to come to church with you so they could get straightened out?
I am not saying that the church as a whole is not growing, but I do believe that we could gain much more ground if reaching the lost and dying of this world was a top priority. No matter where you are in your life today if you will allow him to God will use you to help others. Always remember that the greatest ammunition that you have is to tell others what God has done for you!
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
Forgiven
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1 John 1:9 NKJV
Do you believe that the Word of God is true? Do you believe that God says what he means and means what he says? I pray that you answer yes to both of these questions! I do not believe that any of us will every fully comprehend God's love for us on this side of heaven. 1 John 4:8 says, "He that loveth not, knoweth not God; for God is love." God does not just have love, but God is love. Romans 8:31 says, "What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?" It is a scriptural fact that no matter where you are in your life today God is for you and he is on your side! Romans 8:39 says, "Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Absolutely nothing can separate you from God's love!
So, what is it in your life today that has caused God to be upset with you and not love you anymore? Why is it that you think you are not good enough to accomplish anything for God? Why is it that you look at other people and always feel like you are less than them? Why is it that you think you are a failure? I know this may not apply to everyone reading this, but there are many that deal with these exact issues. I know this because I have dealt with them myself. Very often the reason people buy these lies from Satan is because he has continually attacked them with their past. One tool that Satan uses to defeat the Christian is to get them to disqualify themselves from being used by God because of how they have missed it before in their lives.
Most of us know that the blood of Jesus can cleanse and make brand new the most rank sinner there has ever been. We know that the blood of Jesus can make a man that has been a murderer a brand new man with the nature of God. We might can't wrap our minds around it, but we know it's true! The reason we know it's true is because the Word of God says so!
Then why can't we believe that when we confess our sins that God does just as he has promised and forgives, forgets, and makes us brand new again like we'd never sinned? Hebrews 8:12 says, "For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more." Again, did God mean what he said in his word? Micah 7:19 says, "He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea."
This is a far cry from God holding your past and past sins against you. Many today need to realize that God does just as he says. Renew your mind with God's word and no longer let who you used to be determine who you are today! If you have confessed that you have sinned God has forgiven you and cast those sins out into the depths of the sea. You need to remind the enemy of this every single time he brings up just how bad you've missed it! It is time that each of us move forward and accomplish God's will for our lives!
I think if God forgives us, we must forgive ourselves. C.S. Lewis
1 John 1:9 NKJV
Do you believe that the Word of God is true? Do you believe that God says what he means and means what he says? I pray that you answer yes to both of these questions! I do not believe that any of us will every fully comprehend God's love for us on this side of heaven. 1 John 4:8 says, "He that loveth not, knoweth not God; for God is love." God does not just have love, but God is love. Romans 8:31 says, "What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?" It is a scriptural fact that no matter where you are in your life today God is for you and he is on your side! Romans 8:39 says, "Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Absolutely nothing can separate you from God's love!
So, what is it in your life today that has caused God to be upset with you and not love you anymore? Why is it that you think you are not good enough to accomplish anything for God? Why is it that you look at other people and always feel like you are less than them? Why is it that you think you are a failure? I know this may not apply to everyone reading this, but there are many that deal with these exact issues. I know this because I have dealt with them myself. Very often the reason people buy these lies from Satan is because he has continually attacked them with their past. One tool that Satan uses to defeat the Christian is to get them to disqualify themselves from being used by God because of how they have missed it before in their lives.
Most of us know that the blood of Jesus can cleanse and make brand new the most rank sinner there has ever been. We know that the blood of Jesus can make a man that has been a murderer a brand new man with the nature of God. We might can't wrap our minds around it, but we know it's true! The reason we know it's true is because the Word of God says so!
Then why can't we believe that when we confess our sins that God does just as he has promised and forgives, forgets, and makes us brand new again like we'd never sinned? Hebrews 8:12 says, "For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more." Again, did God mean what he said in his word? Micah 7:19 says, "He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea."
This is a far cry from God holding your past and past sins against you. Many today need to realize that God does just as he says. Renew your mind with God's word and no longer let who you used to be determine who you are today! If you have confessed that you have sinned God has forgiven you and cast those sins out into the depths of the sea. You need to remind the enemy of this every single time he brings up just how bad you've missed it! It is time that each of us move forward and accomplish God's will for our lives!
I think if God forgives us, we must forgive ourselves. C.S. Lewis
Monday, September 16, 2013
Exercise Your Gift
And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit.
Ephesians 5:18
It is very interesting that Paul was talking to the same Ephesians that had already been filled with the Spirit under his own ministry! He is telling Spirit filled people to be filled with the Spirit, right? What he is actually telling them is that God desires that they be continually filled with the Spirit. God wants each of us saved and continually filled to the overflow with the Holy Spirit!
In our church service on yesterday we had at filling and refilling service. We had at least one filled for the first time and many refilled! I am almost positive that every single person we laid hands on began to speak in other tongues. This is God's will for every believer! (If you are reading this and you have never heard or do not understand this subject you need to go to our website, rlcmarion.org, and listen to the service on Sunday, September 15, 2013).
And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Acts 2:4
How do we know when we are filled with the Holy Ghost? When we are filled with or full of the Holy Ghost we will begin to speak with other tongues. This is the scriptural evidence that we are full of the Holy Ghost.
Also, it is important to understand that it is not the Holy Spirit taking control of you or the Holy Spirit speaking through you. You do the speaking. The Holy Spirit gives the utterance, or what to say. This has confused many, but understand that God doesn't give you a gift on Sunday morning and then take it back from you. When you receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost (Acts 2:38,39) you now possess this gift and can pray in the Spirit and stay full of the Spirit each and every day of your life.
Now to our focus point:
But you shall receive power, after the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and you shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
Acts 1:8
This word "power" in the Greek is dunamis which means "inherent power capable of reproducing itself like a dynamo." This is where we get our English word dynamo. The example the Holy Spirit gave me was a generator. We have hurricanes sometimes here in South Carolina. Very often this storm will knock out the power to your home or business. But, if you have purchased a generator you can have power when everyone else's lights are out! Is it enough to have a generator in the storm? Definitely not! You need the generator, but you need fuel is well if you are going to produce power!
I said all of that to say this: When you were given the gift of the Holy Ghost you were given the capability to produce all of the power you need to accomplish everything God has called you to accomplish in this life. But the fuel to keep this power flowing is spending time praying in the Spirit!
What do I need to do now?
But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
James 1:22
You walk in the fullness of God's blessings when you know what to do, and when you do it!
If you are filled with the Holy Ghost you need to make sure you take the time to exercise your gift daily. If you have never done this, begin by taking about 5 minutes each day to pray in the Spirit (tongues). Even though you may be filled with the Holy Ghost it is extremely important that you exercise your gift daily to develop your heavenly prayer language! Do not worry about how it sounds to you for your natural mind will try and make you think you are crazy. Simply know you are obeying God's word and you will see almost instantaneous results in your walk with God.
I will cover in more detail the purpose and benefits of praying in the Holy Ghost next week at the latest. In the meantime it would benefit you greatly to read Kenneth E. Hagin's book "Why Tongues." It is a mini book that you can read in less than 30 minutes.
In Christ,
Pastor J
Ephesians 5:18
It is very interesting that Paul was talking to the same Ephesians that had already been filled with the Spirit under his own ministry! He is telling Spirit filled people to be filled with the Spirit, right? What he is actually telling them is that God desires that they be continually filled with the Spirit. God wants each of us saved and continually filled to the overflow with the Holy Spirit!
In our church service on yesterday we had at filling and refilling service. We had at least one filled for the first time and many refilled! I am almost positive that every single person we laid hands on began to speak in other tongues. This is God's will for every believer! (If you are reading this and you have never heard or do not understand this subject you need to go to our website, rlcmarion.org, and listen to the service on Sunday, September 15, 2013).
And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Acts 2:4
How do we know when we are filled with the Holy Ghost? When we are filled with or full of the Holy Ghost we will begin to speak with other tongues. This is the scriptural evidence that we are full of the Holy Ghost.
Also, it is important to understand that it is not the Holy Spirit taking control of you or the Holy Spirit speaking through you. You do the speaking. The Holy Spirit gives the utterance, or what to say. This has confused many, but understand that God doesn't give you a gift on Sunday morning and then take it back from you. When you receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost (Acts 2:38,39) you now possess this gift and can pray in the Spirit and stay full of the Spirit each and every day of your life.
Now to our focus point:
But you shall receive power, after the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and you shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
Acts 1:8
This word "power" in the Greek is dunamis which means "inherent power capable of reproducing itself like a dynamo." This is where we get our English word dynamo. The example the Holy Spirit gave me was a generator. We have hurricanes sometimes here in South Carolina. Very often this storm will knock out the power to your home or business. But, if you have purchased a generator you can have power when everyone else's lights are out! Is it enough to have a generator in the storm? Definitely not! You need the generator, but you need fuel is well if you are going to produce power!
I said all of that to say this: When you were given the gift of the Holy Ghost you were given the capability to produce all of the power you need to accomplish everything God has called you to accomplish in this life. But the fuel to keep this power flowing is spending time praying in the Spirit!
What do I need to do now?
But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
James 1:22
You walk in the fullness of God's blessings when you know what to do, and when you do it!
If you are filled with the Holy Ghost you need to make sure you take the time to exercise your gift daily. If you have never done this, begin by taking about 5 minutes each day to pray in the Spirit (tongues). Even though you may be filled with the Holy Ghost it is extremely important that you exercise your gift daily to develop your heavenly prayer language! Do not worry about how it sounds to you for your natural mind will try and make you think you are crazy. Simply know you are obeying God's word and you will see almost instantaneous results in your walk with God.
I will cover in more detail the purpose and benefits of praying in the Holy Ghost next week at the latest. In the meantime it would benefit you greatly to read Kenneth E. Hagin's book "Why Tongues." It is a mini book that you can read in less than 30 minutes.
In Christ,
Pastor J
Thursday, August 22, 2013
Whose Plan Are You Following?
Luke 22:42
Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.
KJV
Do you believe that Jesus is our example? Do you believe that we can follow his example? According to God's word Jesus is an example that each of us as Christians can, and should, follow.
When Jesus made this statement above he was in the garden headed to the cross to die for you and I. Very often we do not realize that Jesus was facing this impending death dealing with the same exact feelings that you and I would have.It is true that Jesus is the only begotten Son of God. But it is also true that Jesus stripped himself of his deity and became a man like you and I. Jesus walked this earth as a man anointed of the Holy Ghost just like us!
What I really want to focus on is what Jesus said in this passage. Jesus said, "not my will, but thine be done." This word will means "desire, choice, purpose, or plan." Do you see what Jesus was saying to God the Father? Do you still remember that Jesus is our example and we are supposed to be following him? Jesus was telling the Father that he was not here to accomplish what he wanted, what he desired, or what he would choose. Jesus told the Father that he was not here to accomplish his purpose, but God's!
Whose plan are you following today? Whose desires are you fulfilling today? Are you doing what you want to do or what God wants you to do?
This is what the Holy Spirit spoke to me recently: "The problem with most of my people, especially faith people, is that they have forgotten why Jesus was here. They will tell you that Jesus is the best example of faith. They will tell you that they are to follow him. But, what they have forgotten is that the entire time that Jesus was walking in faith on this earth he was accomplishing my will, and not his own."
The number 1 purpose of faith in the life of the believer is to bring God's will to pass in their lives!
I am not telling you to do anything that I have not been doing. It is time that we examine our lives to see whose plan we are trying to fulfill. Very often we are struggling terrible because we are trying to use our faith in God to accomplish our wills, plans, and desires! God's will is first and foremost his word, but he also has a specific plan for your life that you must pray out and then step out by faith to accomplish!
In Christ,
Pastor Jason
Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.
KJV
Do you believe that Jesus is our example? Do you believe that we can follow his example? According to God's word Jesus is an example that each of us as Christians can, and should, follow.
When Jesus made this statement above he was in the garden headed to the cross to die for you and I. Very often we do not realize that Jesus was facing this impending death dealing with the same exact feelings that you and I would have.It is true that Jesus is the only begotten Son of God. But it is also true that Jesus stripped himself of his deity and became a man like you and I. Jesus walked this earth as a man anointed of the Holy Ghost just like us!
What I really want to focus on is what Jesus said in this passage. Jesus said, "not my will, but thine be done." This word will means "desire, choice, purpose, or plan." Do you see what Jesus was saying to God the Father? Do you still remember that Jesus is our example and we are supposed to be following him? Jesus was telling the Father that he was not here to accomplish what he wanted, what he desired, or what he would choose. Jesus told the Father that he was not here to accomplish his purpose, but God's!
Whose plan are you following today? Whose desires are you fulfilling today? Are you doing what you want to do or what God wants you to do?
This is what the Holy Spirit spoke to me recently: "The problem with most of my people, especially faith people, is that they have forgotten why Jesus was here. They will tell you that Jesus is the best example of faith. They will tell you that they are to follow him. But, what they have forgotten is that the entire time that Jesus was walking in faith on this earth he was accomplishing my will, and not his own."
The number 1 purpose of faith in the life of the believer is to bring God's will to pass in their lives!
I am not telling you to do anything that I have not been doing. It is time that we examine our lives to see whose plan we are trying to fulfill. Very often we are struggling terrible because we are trying to use our faith in God to accomplish our wills, plans, and desires! God's will is first and foremost his word, but he also has a specific plan for your life that you must pray out and then step out by faith to accomplish!
In Christ,
Pastor Jason
Saturday, June 29, 2013
June 29, 2013
Pray for one another
Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that you may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
James 5:16
I don't think many Christians realize just how important it is that we spend time in prayer for each other. We have so many things to deal with in our own lives each day that there doesn't seem to be much time left for anything or anyone else. I understand schedules and time constraints myself. Laura Leigh and I seem to be going and doing for the church every day. We must take time for each other in order for our marriage to be healthy. Then, we have Jay, Lauren, and McKenzie to take care of also. It is important that we do take care of all of our responsibilities.
We also teach people that God wants you blessed (3 John 2). We teach you how to pray and walk by faith to receive those blessings. Again, there is nothing wrong with you being blessed.
But, we cannot forget those around us that God has placed in our lives! This is one area that being in ministry gives me a different viewpoint than others may have. I want to say something to you now that you may not realize, but it's still true. There are people in your life right now that are facing some of the biggest battles they have ever faced in their lives! Most people don't want everyone to know what they are facing, but that doesn't mean they aren't facing anything.
I want to leave you with an example of this recently. The Holy Spirit strongly prompted me to minister along a specific line on a Thursday night. This was different than what I had planned, but I obeyed. He told me, "there is somebody in your midst this night that their life is hanging in the balance." Now, I had to step out by faith because I knew of no one in my church that was in this situation. This message was about your thoughts and how the devil had been lying to them that there was no hope. I was shocked at the response! Although I didn't know of anyone facing these situations, God did! I cannot tell you how many people came through the line to tell me how much it was for them. Every single cd we made was gone immediately after service.
I learned shortly after this message that someone within my congregation had been serious contemplating taking there life. If I would have been given 10 guesses about who this person was I would have never guessed. This only further proves my point!
Pray for yourself, pray for your family, pray for your finances, and pray for your health. Please don't forget to spend time praying for one another! You never know what others are going through at this time in their lives. Your prayers make much power available! Slow down with all that you have going on and be sensitive to the Holy Spirit. As he impresses someone upon your heart pray for them how he leads you to. Your prayers can make all the difference they may need!
In Christ,
Pastor J
Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that you may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
James 5:16
I don't think many Christians realize just how important it is that we spend time in prayer for each other. We have so many things to deal with in our own lives each day that there doesn't seem to be much time left for anything or anyone else. I understand schedules and time constraints myself. Laura Leigh and I seem to be going and doing for the church every day. We must take time for each other in order for our marriage to be healthy. Then, we have Jay, Lauren, and McKenzie to take care of also. It is important that we do take care of all of our responsibilities.
We also teach people that God wants you blessed (3 John 2). We teach you how to pray and walk by faith to receive those blessings. Again, there is nothing wrong with you being blessed.
But, we cannot forget those around us that God has placed in our lives! This is one area that being in ministry gives me a different viewpoint than others may have. I want to say something to you now that you may not realize, but it's still true. There are people in your life right now that are facing some of the biggest battles they have ever faced in their lives! Most people don't want everyone to know what they are facing, but that doesn't mean they aren't facing anything.
I want to leave you with an example of this recently. The Holy Spirit strongly prompted me to minister along a specific line on a Thursday night. This was different than what I had planned, but I obeyed. He told me, "there is somebody in your midst this night that their life is hanging in the balance." Now, I had to step out by faith because I knew of no one in my church that was in this situation. This message was about your thoughts and how the devil had been lying to them that there was no hope. I was shocked at the response! Although I didn't know of anyone facing these situations, God did! I cannot tell you how many people came through the line to tell me how much it was for them. Every single cd we made was gone immediately after service.
I learned shortly after this message that someone within my congregation had been serious contemplating taking there life. If I would have been given 10 guesses about who this person was I would have never guessed. This only further proves my point!
Pray for yourself, pray for your family, pray for your finances, and pray for your health. Please don't forget to spend time praying for one another! You never know what others are going through at this time in their lives. Your prayers make much power available! Slow down with all that you have going on and be sensitive to the Holy Spirit. As he impresses someone upon your heart pray for them how he leads you to. Your prayers can make all the difference they may need!
In Christ,
Pastor J
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
June 4, 2013
Keep the Faith
Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.
Philippians 1:6
It is very easy to get frustrated by what you see or what you don't see. I see so many people get frustrated because it doesn't look like the things God has promised them are coming to pass in their lives. I surely have not arrived, but I know that just because things don't look a certain way doesn't mean that God is not moving.
God is always at work on your behalf and he has your best interest at heart! The only way that you will fail when you are following God is to stop following him because things don't look like God's plan is coming to pass. Don't be moved by what you see! God is an awesome God and always keeps his word.
I have seen this in my life more times than I can recount. But I can also say that as I look back today God was moving all along.
What is it today that you feel isn't coming to pass as God promised you? Have you prayed the prayer of faith only for things to get worse instead of better? Do not be moved by what you see! Satan uses circumstances to try and discourage you from standing on the word! Hold fast to the confession of your faith in God and his word and you will see that the work he has begun in you he will bring to completion.
I will leave you with one of my favorite scriptures:
Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?
Jeremiah 32:27
In Christ,
Pastor J
Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.
Philippians 1:6
It is very easy to get frustrated by what you see or what you don't see. I see so many people get frustrated because it doesn't look like the things God has promised them are coming to pass in their lives. I surely have not arrived, but I know that just because things don't look a certain way doesn't mean that God is not moving.
God is always at work on your behalf and he has your best interest at heart! The only way that you will fail when you are following God is to stop following him because things don't look like God's plan is coming to pass. Don't be moved by what you see! God is an awesome God and always keeps his word.
I have seen this in my life more times than I can recount. But I can also say that as I look back today God was moving all along.
What is it today that you feel isn't coming to pass as God promised you? Have you prayed the prayer of faith only for things to get worse instead of better? Do not be moved by what you see! Satan uses circumstances to try and discourage you from standing on the word! Hold fast to the confession of your faith in God and his word and you will see that the work he has begun in you he will bring to completion.
I will leave you with one of my favorite scriptures:
Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?
Jeremiah 32:27
In Christ,
Pastor J
Monday, May 21, 2012
Do Not Be Deceived
2 Timothy 3:12,13
Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.
Should we be surprised at what we see going on in the world today? Should we be surprised at what we see going on in the church today? As I study God's word my answer would have to be absolutely not. God has prepared us for all that we will face in this life through his word. The Word of God must be our handbook for Christian living.
As I keep up with all that is going on in our country it is shocking to me as well. It is appalling that the leader of our country would come out openly in support of what God himself has condemned. Following this announcement there has been a flurry of other people and large groups that have done the same. This could very easily disturb me as well. To be honest it did get me stirred up at first. Then, I began to study the word of God. I see not only has God warned me as a Christian about all that is going on right now, but he also encouraged me not to be troubled by anything that I hear or see. The bottom line is that the ultimate authority is God's word. I pray for my president and the leaders of my country. But the word of God instructs me that his word is the highest authority. When any leader or minister contradict that word I am not to support them or follow them in that area. That is what is going on right now. I encourage every single Christian to not be led by all that you see and here. Allow the Holy Spirit to guide you and lead you through God's word. Remember that wrong does not become right just because someone calls wrong right.
There are many Christians today that have gone astray and been deceived by listening to people that contradict God's word. They say if God loves everyone then he would never say anything against what someone is doing. God is love and he cannot be separated from his Word. God also hates sin. It is sin that put Jesus on the cross to begin with. It was sin that separated mankind from God. Jesus died to pay the price for our sin and make a way back to God for us. To celebrate sin is to reject Jesus and what he has done for us. Proverbs 14:34 (Amp) says, "Uprightness and right standing with God (moral and spiritual rectitude in every area and relation) elevate a nation, bit sin is a reproach to any people." The church is to be the salt of the earth and the light to this lost and dying world. We cannot do this by buying into Satan's lies and deceptions.
I encourage each of you to avoid deception from the enemy by allowing the bible to be the filter by which you pass everything through in your life. As Christians, we must live by the Word of God, not what others say.
This is in no way a letter of attack towards anyone. This is to encourage everyone who claims to be a Christian to get back to God's word. Thank God today that if we build our lives and churches on the foundation of the Word of God then we have absolutely nothing to be concerned about! God is on our side!
In Christ,
Pastor J
Should we be surprised at what we see going on in the world today? Should we be surprised at what we see going on in the church today? As I study God's word my answer would have to be absolutely not. God has prepared us for all that we will face in this life through his word. The Word of God must be our handbook for Christian living.
As I keep up with all that is going on in our country it is shocking to me as well. It is appalling that the leader of our country would come out openly in support of what God himself has condemned. Following this announcement there has been a flurry of other people and large groups that have done the same. This could very easily disturb me as well. To be honest it did get me stirred up at first. Then, I began to study the word of God. I see not only has God warned me as a Christian about all that is going on right now, but he also encouraged me not to be troubled by anything that I hear or see. The bottom line is that the ultimate authority is God's word. I pray for my president and the leaders of my country. But the word of God instructs me that his word is the highest authority. When any leader or minister contradict that word I am not to support them or follow them in that area. That is what is going on right now. I encourage every single Christian to not be led by all that you see and here. Allow the Holy Spirit to guide you and lead you through God's word. Remember that wrong does not become right just because someone calls wrong right.
There are many Christians today that have gone astray and been deceived by listening to people that contradict God's word. They say if God loves everyone then he would never say anything against what someone is doing. God is love and he cannot be separated from his Word. God also hates sin. It is sin that put Jesus on the cross to begin with. It was sin that separated mankind from God. Jesus died to pay the price for our sin and make a way back to God for us. To celebrate sin is to reject Jesus and what he has done for us. Proverbs 14:34 (Amp) says, "Uprightness and right standing with God (moral and spiritual rectitude in every area and relation) elevate a nation, bit sin is a reproach to any people." The church is to be the salt of the earth and the light to this lost and dying world. We cannot do this by buying into Satan's lies and deceptions.
I encourage each of you to avoid deception from the enemy by allowing the bible to be the filter by which you pass everything through in your life. As Christians, we must live by the Word of God, not what others say.
This is in no way a letter of attack towards anyone. This is to encourage everyone who claims to be a Christian to get back to God's word. Thank God today that if we build our lives and churches on the foundation of the Word of God then we have absolutely nothing to be concerned about! God is on our side!
In Christ,
Pastor J
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
February 21, 2012
I pray this message finds all of you abounding in the blessings of God. It is truly amazing at what God is doing in our midst. It is so awesome to have heard about the vision God has for us here at TAP for so many years and now we are all a part of it coming to pass! Thank God we stayed and obeyed!
Starting the new church, RLC, has been probably the hardest things that Laura Leigh and I have ever done. The hardest thing to deal with was not being here at TAP like we were before. I believe the people here at this church are some of the best people in the world. You have taken care of my family and myself and we have been one big family together. I would have been so happy to have stayed right here for the rest of my life and Pastor this church, TAP. God had other plans.
The number one thing that should be in the heart of every Christian is to please God. This must override what you and I want to do. This is what has taken us back to Marion to start a church. He has blessed us with an awesome church family there is well. It has been so rewarding to watch people soaking up God's word. Many lives have been changed in such a short time, including mine. It seems as if though trusting God continually takes on a brand new meaning the more you step out and do it.
We must learn that it is not about how we feel or just what we desire. Our desire needs to be God's desire. We also should not be surprised as we step out and Satan tries to stop God's plan. He does not want you obeying God and accomplishing God's will. Do not allow opposition to stop you! Know that God is with you every step of the way and will see you through!
The best is yet to come!
Until next time,
Pastor J
Starting the new church, RLC, has been probably the hardest things that Laura Leigh and I have ever done. The hardest thing to deal with was not being here at TAP like we were before. I believe the people here at this church are some of the best people in the world. You have taken care of my family and myself and we have been one big family together. I would have been so happy to have stayed right here for the rest of my life and Pastor this church, TAP. God had other plans.
The number one thing that should be in the heart of every Christian is to please God. This must override what you and I want to do. This is what has taken us back to Marion to start a church. He has blessed us with an awesome church family there is well. It has been so rewarding to watch people soaking up God's word. Many lives have been changed in such a short time, including mine. It seems as if though trusting God continually takes on a brand new meaning the more you step out and do it.
We must learn that it is not about how we feel or just what we desire. Our desire needs to be God's desire. We also should not be surprised as we step out and Satan tries to stop God's plan. He does not want you obeying God and accomplishing God's will. Do not allow opposition to stop you! Know that God is with you every step of the way and will see you through!
The best is yet to come!
Until next time,
Pastor J
Saturday, December 3, 2011
December 3,2011
Don't quit! Don't quit! Don't quit! Don't give up on God because he will never give up on you. Do not forget that he said that he would never leave you or forsake you. I know that sometimes it seems like you are all alone and there is no way out of your situation. The enemy wants to convince you that the best option is to just give up. He wants you to just give up because he knows that is how he can get you to fail. If we will only trust God even when it looks bad God will always see us through. This is true even if the mess you are in you created yourself. You simply ask God for his forgiveness and listen as he directs your steps out of this situation you are in. Many people ask me, "What should I do?" My answer will always be simply "to listen to the voice of the Lord." I do not have all of the answers, but God does. You must understand that the only way out of a bad situation is to turn to God and let him help you. It has always amazed me the people that get into bad situations and still will not surrender to the Lord. He is your answer today! I encourage you not to give in or give up, but simply go to God with whatever you are facing. He has the answers and directions that you need. God knows the future better than you know the present and past! God is on your side! Turn back to him today!
Until next time,
Pastor J
Until next time,
Pastor J
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
November 22,2011
It is amazing at how fast the times are changing around us. If you focus on all that is going on and on what you see you will definitely grow frustrated. I choose to focus on God and his promises for my life. It is so comfortable to know God and his faithfulness. Everything around you may change, but God never will!
It has been so amazing to me what God is doing in our lives and ministry. It is true that things have been uncomfortable for us simply because they are so different. It is also true that God is doing just as he has promised! Resurrection Life Church is now up and running. As usual, God is doing just as he said he would. He has blessed us with awesome people already and more are coming weekly. They are soaking up the word and the anointing is increasing in every service.
I believe it will only increase from here on out. The Holy Spirit desires to move greatly in this area and he will do just that as we yield to him.
I ask you to continually pray that God will have his way among us as we move forward together to accomplish his will.
Pastor J
It has been so amazing to me what God is doing in our lives and ministry. It is true that things have been uncomfortable for us simply because they are so different. It is also true that God is doing just as he has promised! Resurrection Life Church is now up and running. As usual, God is doing just as he said he would. He has blessed us with awesome people already and more are coming weekly. They are soaking up the word and the anointing is increasing in every service.
I believe it will only increase from here on out. The Holy Spirit desires to move greatly in this area and he will do just that as we yield to him.
I ask you to continually pray that God will have his way among us as we move forward together to accomplish his will.
Pastor J
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
May 11,2011
God is good! I am so excited about what God is doing in every aspect of life and ministry. I would say that I am shocked, but that wouldn't be true. God is doing what he has promised us all along by his Spirit and in his word. I have never experienced God's power and presence in my life like I have in our services in the last two months. I think it is the most awesome thing in the world for God to move like he has been doing and see people's lives changed drastically. I can truly say that God is expanding us in every single way. We do not lack any good thing in any area. This has been our faith confession for years, but now it is reality.
This past thursday night we had our first Healing Service in Marion. We simply ministered the word of God and then laid hands on the sick. There were 64 people in attendance on a thursday night and almost every single one of them came up to be ministered to. This was nothing but God moving upon his people. We have received many testimonies since the service about what happened in their physical bodies when we prayed for them. It is so awesome what God can do if you will just yield to and obey him. The whole atmosphere changed as God moved in this particular service. I don't know how many people were crying after being touched by God that I have never even seen before. This is what ministry is all about; letting God have his way and people's lives being changed forever.
We are seeing the same thing here in Bonneau. We are having people added to the church regularly and even people coming back that had left for some time. Our finances are increasing more than they have in the last 3 years in a time where things are supposed to be worse. Thank God for God and for good people! It is impossible to accomplish much of anything without God's blessing and godly people to help you do it. I am so excited about what God is doing I can hardly stand it. You must step out in faith, but God will always provide!
What in you life have you not given to God? What direction has he given you that you have not taken? I promise you it is well worth it to follow his directions.You might not know the ryhme or reason behind his directions, but I promise you he only has good in store for you. God is good!
Until next time,
Pastor J
This past thursday night we had our first Healing Service in Marion. We simply ministered the word of God and then laid hands on the sick. There were 64 people in attendance on a thursday night and almost every single one of them came up to be ministered to. This was nothing but God moving upon his people. We have received many testimonies since the service about what happened in their physical bodies when we prayed for them. It is so awesome what God can do if you will just yield to and obey him. The whole atmosphere changed as God moved in this particular service. I don't know how many people were crying after being touched by God that I have never even seen before. This is what ministry is all about; letting God have his way and people's lives being changed forever.
We are seeing the same thing here in Bonneau. We are having people added to the church regularly and even people coming back that had left for some time. Our finances are increasing more than they have in the last 3 years in a time where things are supposed to be worse. Thank God for God and for good people! It is impossible to accomplish much of anything without God's blessing and godly people to help you do it. I am so excited about what God is doing I can hardly stand it. You must step out in faith, but God will always provide!
What in you life have you not given to God? What direction has he given you that you have not taken? I promise you it is well worth it to follow his directions.You might not know the ryhme or reason behind his directions, but I promise you he only has good in store for you. God is good!
Until next time,
Pastor J
Thursday, March 17, 2011
March 17,2011
Things are better than ever! I know it seems like I say this every single time I write something, but it is true of every day. I am amazed, not shocked, because things are progressing rapidly now. I thank God that we have followed the Holy Spirit and stayed with the Word of God! The Holy Spirit will show you things to come and we saw what was coming way before it ever came.
I thank God that his word is true. He has said all along that he would vindicate his people and he has done so. We only expect it to continually get better. Everything at both the ministry in Bonneau and the one in Marion is growing weekly. Our attendance at both are better than ever. Most importantly salvations are more than we have ever had as well as people being filled with the Holy Spirit. We have had more reported miracles and healings take place than I have ever heard. The good part is that this is just the beginning.
I would encourage you to follow the Lord in all you do is well. If there are things in your life that you have let go it is time to pick it back up. God is still with you and will still help you accomplish his will for your life. There is no benefit in beating yourself up over past failures, mistakes, or sin. Ask him for forgiveness and the Word says you will have it. Then get up and go with the Lord.
Each of you are in our prayers!
Pastor J
I thank God that his word is true. He has said all along that he would vindicate his people and he has done so. We only expect it to continually get better. Everything at both the ministry in Bonneau and the one in Marion is growing weekly. Our attendance at both are better than ever. Most importantly salvations are more than we have ever had as well as people being filled with the Holy Spirit. We have had more reported miracles and healings take place than I have ever heard. The good part is that this is just the beginning.
I would encourage you to follow the Lord in all you do is well. If there are things in your life that you have let go it is time to pick it back up. God is still with you and will still help you accomplish his will for your life. There is no benefit in beating yourself up over past failures, mistakes, or sin. Ask him for forgiveness and the Word says you will have it. Then get up and go with the Lord.
Each of you are in our prayers!
Pastor J
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
All is going great. So many people complicate God's plan for their lives. You do not have to be worried or concerned about how you will accomplish God's will. It is just like following directions on a map. The biggest difference is you get the direction from your own spirit inside of you. If you are saved your spirit will never lead you wrong. To fulfill God's plan you only need to take the next step. What is God saying to you today? If he doesn't tell you to take another step today you just keep being faithful where you are. God knows where you are and he will speak to you when it is time to take another step.
Some of the things I have learned in the past several months are priceless. I am doing more and accomplishing more than I ever have before with much less effort. I depend less on myself daily and more on God. I realize that I am not under any pressure to perform. My obligation is to put my faith in God and walk in my anointing.
When we first started the Marion Ministry things were very hard. The actual ministering wasn't hard and we didn't have problems. What I am referring to is the added responsibility. This was good for me because when it got harder I knew this wasn't God's plan. I began to seek God more than before and I have learned how to depend on his strength.
Today I am more rested and relaxed than ever and I am doing more for God than at any other time. Both ministries are thriving and growing. Here in Bonneau we are stressing more than ever our responsibility to reach out to those who are lost. We are responsible to tell others about Jesus. We are responsbile to invite others to church. I am really believing God for more salvations, rededications, and people being filled with the Holy Spirit than ever before. As we have set our faith things have already began to change. The gifts are flowing freely in the church. Results are coming much easier. A couple of weeks ago we had 6 people come and rededicate their lives to the Lord. None of these were members of our church, but people who have just began coming to the church. We had a young girl get saved this past week. We've had several salvations in the last month. I thank God that this is increasing. We also had one filled with the Holy Spirit Sunday night.
The Marion Ministry is growing weekly. We had 42 people last week.The numbers are growing every single week. It is amazing to me at the way these people are soaking up the word of God. The flow here is more free than anywhere I have ever ministered. I know great things are ahead for this area as we obey God.
My family is doing great as well. I don't understand why anyone would want to follow and other plan than God's. I could not be happier than obeying the Lord daily. It is so good to know that God always has our best interest at hand.
Until next time,
Pastor J
Some of the things I have learned in the past several months are priceless. I am doing more and accomplishing more than I ever have before with much less effort. I depend less on myself daily and more on God. I realize that I am not under any pressure to perform. My obligation is to put my faith in God and walk in my anointing.
When we first started the Marion Ministry things were very hard. The actual ministering wasn't hard and we didn't have problems. What I am referring to is the added responsibility. This was good for me because when it got harder I knew this wasn't God's plan. I began to seek God more than before and I have learned how to depend on his strength.
Today I am more rested and relaxed than ever and I am doing more for God than at any other time. Both ministries are thriving and growing. Here in Bonneau we are stressing more than ever our responsibility to reach out to those who are lost. We are responsible to tell others about Jesus. We are responsbile to invite others to church. I am really believing God for more salvations, rededications, and people being filled with the Holy Spirit than ever before. As we have set our faith things have already began to change. The gifts are flowing freely in the church. Results are coming much easier. A couple of weeks ago we had 6 people come and rededicate their lives to the Lord. None of these were members of our church, but people who have just began coming to the church. We had a young girl get saved this past week. We've had several salvations in the last month. I thank God that this is increasing. We also had one filled with the Holy Spirit Sunday night.
The Marion Ministry is growing weekly. We had 42 people last week.The numbers are growing every single week. It is amazing to me at the way these people are soaking up the word of God. The flow here is more free than anywhere I have ever ministered. I know great things are ahead for this area as we obey God.
My family is doing great as well. I don't understand why anyone would want to follow and other plan than God's. I could not be happier than obeying the Lord daily. It is so good to know that God always has our best interest at hand.
Until next time,
Pastor J
Friday, January 7, 2011
Friday, January 7, 2011
I hope everyone had a great Christmas and New Year. I know ours seems to get better each year. I guess with God on our side we shouldn't expect it to be any other way.
I am so excited about all that God is doing that it is really hard to contain myself. Sometimes it seems like I could just explode inside. I have heard about God's plan and vision for us for many years now. I never had any idea that I would get to play a part in it like God has allowed me to.
The church here is doing better than ever. The people seem more hungry and excited than ever before. There are so many things I could say about this that there wouldn't be room to write. I believe we have had more changed lives than ever before.
I sense that God wants to move this year than ever before. I believe it is a time for us to yield to the Holy Spirit and let God have his way. We get so much more accomplished when we allow God to fulfill his plan through us instead of getting in the way by doing it our way.
The Marion ministry is doing great as well. We have been meeting on Thursday nights for several weeks now. I am not goint to say that I am surprised, but the response has been great as well. It has been miraculous what God has done in such a short time. There are other things that he is doing right now that I will tell you about later. Sometimes things take place in our lives as we keep our faith in God that is really amazing. I will never again be concerned about anything God tells me to do, because he has all the provision we need as we obey him.
I figured it was about time to update again. I know that it's been awhile, but as much as I try to keep everyone informed this seems to always get last priority. Thank God he is working with us and in us daily.
Pastor J
I am so excited about all that God is doing that it is really hard to contain myself. Sometimes it seems like I could just explode inside. I have heard about God's plan and vision for us for many years now. I never had any idea that I would get to play a part in it like God has allowed me to.
The church here is doing better than ever. The people seem more hungry and excited than ever before. There are so many things I could say about this that there wouldn't be room to write. I believe we have had more changed lives than ever before.
I sense that God wants to move this year than ever before. I believe it is a time for us to yield to the Holy Spirit and let God have his way. We get so much more accomplished when we allow God to fulfill his plan through us instead of getting in the way by doing it our way.
The Marion ministry is doing great as well. We have been meeting on Thursday nights for several weeks now. I am not goint to say that I am surprised, but the response has been great as well. It has been miraculous what God has done in such a short time. There are other things that he is doing right now that I will tell you about later. Sometimes things take place in our lives as we keep our faith in God that is really amazing. I will never again be concerned about anything God tells me to do, because he has all the provision we need as we obey him.
I figured it was about time to update again. I know that it's been awhile, but as much as I try to keep everyone informed this seems to always get last priority. Thank God he is working with us and in us daily.
Pastor J
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
I just wanted to update you all again on what is going on with the Outreach Ministry in Marion. Things are going absolutely great. As I have said before the help that we've had within the church and outside the church is absolutely amazing. I cannot imagine how we would have done what has been done without the awesome group of people God has given us.
At this time the sound system has been installed. The yards have been finished again and prepared for the initial opening. All sheetrock work has been done, sanded, and painting has begun. Actually, all painting has been done except just a little in the bathrooms which will be completed Saturday. The cleaning crew has gone down and recleaned everything. We are now just doing odds and ends to wrap things up. There are so many things that are being done simultaneously that it's hard to tell you all of them.
I will say that all has gone even better than planned. We have not even started the first service there and some other things have opened up since we have begun this work. I am looking forward to the first service with great anticipation at all that God is going to do.
Until next time,
Pastor
At this time the sound system has been installed. The yards have been finished again and prepared for the initial opening. All sheetrock work has been done, sanded, and painting has begun. Actually, all painting has been done except just a little in the bathrooms which will be completed Saturday. The cleaning crew has gone down and recleaned everything. We are now just doing odds and ends to wrap things up. There are so many things that are being done simultaneously that it's hard to tell you all of them.
I will say that all has gone even better than planned. We have not even started the first service there and some other things have opened up since we have begun this work. I am looking forward to the first service with great anticipation at all that God is going to do.
Until next time,
Pastor
Thursday, October 7, 2010
October 7,2010
Marion Ministry Update
Thanks to great help things are moving very rapidly now. We are actually about a week ahead of where we thought we would be at this point. All walls for offices and classes are up now. All sheetrock work has been done with the exception of sanding that will be done this weekend. The sound system is being installed today. The painting will start next week. One crew is scheduled to go up and do a final cleaning. Another crew is going to go up and do the yards one more time before we start.
Overall everything is great. If we have run into any problems at all I don't know what they are. I know this is more responsibility, but with the help we have it is very easy to handle. I cannot say enough how appreciative I am about the help we have here at this church. What God is doing could not happen without faithful people.
I know that many are still wanting to know about the start date. This is what I am doing right now. My next post I should be able to give the start date. I have been hesitant to do so because I do not want to tell everyone a date and then something come up and I have to change it. I really like to stick with what I tell everyone.
Until next time,
Pastor J
Thanks to great help things are moving very rapidly now. We are actually about a week ahead of where we thought we would be at this point. All walls for offices and classes are up now. All sheetrock work has been done with the exception of sanding that will be done this weekend. The sound system is being installed today. The painting will start next week. One crew is scheduled to go up and do a final cleaning. Another crew is going to go up and do the yards one more time before we start.
Overall everything is great. If we have run into any problems at all I don't know what they are. I know this is more responsibility, but with the help we have it is very easy to handle. I cannot say enough how appreciative I am about the help we have here at this church. What God is doing could not happen without faithful people.
I know that many are still wanting to know about the start date. This is what I am doing right now. My next post I should be able to give the start date. I have been hesitant to do so because I do not want to tell everyone a date and then something come up and I have to change it. I really like to stick with what I tell everyone.
Until next time,
Pastor J
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
September 28,2010
Marion Ministry Update
Things are finally moving along. All has gone great with zoning and permitting. We have had much favor from the very start. The guys went down last Friday, purchased materials, and then dropped them off at the building. They went back Saturday and the walls started going up. They got much done in just a little time! They will be going back again for a few days at the end of this week. I have some great pics of the building as well as of the work in progress. I have never downloaded pictures to this blog so I will try and get this done in the next few days. I also will have a section of the upcoming Lifeline Monthly dedicated to this work. It is very important to me to make sure all that are involved know what is going on.
The Holy Spirit told me many days ago that this was the group of people that he had given me to change the face of this ministry. It is amazing at the help that I have to accomplish this vision. I don't feel like their is truly any way to let those involved let them know how much we appreciate them. You guys are awesome!
Until next time,
Pastor J
Things are finally moving along. All has gone great with zoning and permitting. We have had much favor from the very start. The guys went down last Friday, purchased materials, and then dropped them off at the building. They went back Saturday and the walls started going up. They got much done in just a little time! They will be going back again for a few days at the end of this week. I have some great pics of the building as well as of the work in progress. I have never downloaded pictures to this blog so I will try and get this done in the next few days. I also will have a section of the upcoming Lifeline Monthly dedicated to this work. It is very important to me to make sure all that are involved know what is going on.
The Holy Spirit told me many days ago that this was the group of people that he had given me to change the face of this ministry. It is amazing at the help that I have to accomplish this vision. I don't feel like their is truly any way to let those involved let them know how much we appreciate them. You guys are awesome!
Until next time,
Pastor J
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)