Our Mission

To love all people at all times and lead them into a new life in Christ.

Our Vision

To be a church that will be multicultural and generational, having a lasting impact on the people to whom we minister.

To see the gospel extend beyond the walls of our church through various outreaches.

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Message for April 14, 2024 from Pastor Shirley

The following poem was written by Rita Reynolds
Very appropriate words summing up the message last week.  Thank You Rita for sharing your poem.                    
——————————————————————————-               
The Victory Shout                                                                                  
There is shouts of victory and cries of defeat when we lay everything at Jesus’ feet.
The cries are not our’s but Satan’s instead because under our feet is Satan’s head.
The battles is not ours and ours alone.                                                               
Believers are there with weapons in hand to conquer the enemy, and possess the land.
Do not let those spiritual weapons rust.                                                                 
Our God has given them to us in trust that we always use them without delay.
Only then is our victory on the way.                                                                   
We overcome Satan by Jesus’s Blood as he falls to the ground with a loud thud.
Do not let Satan raise his ugly head but use your sword until you know he is dead .
Don’t forget who is to shout and who’s to cry.                                                     
We know who wins even before we try.                                                      
Now, we can all shout the victory shout it is the 1st round and the enemy is OUT!!                                                                         

        God Lines Rita Reynolds  1996                 

Message for April 7, 2024 from Pastor Shirley

“And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.  God is love.  Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them”.  John 4:16
Recently I said to God, Father there are many things in my heart I could talk to you about but what is on your heart?  Immediately I heard these words, “Love. Nothing but love.”  I melted in His presence.  At that moment it became so real that my God only has eyes of love toward me.  Did you know that God sees each of us through unconditional love?  The amazing thing is that His love did not just start when we accepted Jesus Christ as our  Savior.  Romans 5:8  tells us,  “But God clearly shows and proves his love for us by the fact that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.”                                              
God made good on His love promise by sending the Word to Earth born as a man.  He then manifested in and through his Son who was sacrificed for our redemption. His name is “Jesus.”  The ultimate price of love!  
“Yes, God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him would not be lost but have eternal life”  John 4:16  
God does not simply love; He is love.  Everything God does toward us flows from His love.  This is the purest form of love.  When we fully accept this love for us we could say, “Father help me see the love you have for me, and may I fully accept this love you have for me.  In the name of Jesus, I receive”                                                                
1 John 1:3 How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!  And that is what we are! 

Message for March 31, 2024 from Pastor Shirley

The Risen Christ, Our Hope                                                                                                                                                                                            The Easter message demonstrates God’s love for all, and it was shown on the Cross and the power of the Resurrection of our Savior. The Resurrection sealed the promise of what Jesus came to do. 
1 Corinthians 15:12-17 “Now if Christ is preached that He rose from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not risen. If Christ has not risen, then our preaching is vain, and your faith is also vain. Yes, and we would then be found false witnesses of God because we have testified that God raised Christ, whom He did not raise if in fact the dead do not rise. For if the dead do not rise, then Christ has not been raised. If Christ is not raised, your faith is vain; you are still in your sins”.
Jesus came to offer Salvation for mankind’s sins and conquer death for us.  He accomplished both.  It is finished (paid in full) were the last words He spoke on the Cross. God’s will for Jesus was accomplished in His perfect obedience to the Father. Most importantly, the power of sin and Satan was finished. 
Yes, the grave is empty!  We do have that blessed hope!
He Paid A Debt
He paid a debt He did not owe, I owed a debt I could not pay, I needed someone to wash my sins away;  And now I sing a brand new song,  Amazing Grace all day long, Christ Jesus paid a debt  That I could never pay.  He paid a debt at Calvary, He cleansed my soul, and set me free, I’m glad that Jesus did all my sins erased.  I now can sing a brand new song, Amazing Grace all day long,  Christ Jesus paid a debt That I could never pay.

Message for March 24, 2024 from Pastor Shirley

The Sound of Pentecost for such a time as this! 
Luke 24:49 “Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high”.
Acts 1:5 “For John baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”
Acts 2:1-4 “When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a “sound” like a mighty rushing wind came from heaven, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.         
The followers of Jesus went to the upper room anticipating the promise that had been given them, the promise of power, the baptism of the Holy Spirit.They had no clue how it would come, or when it would come.  Jesus just said “Tarry until you be endued with power from on high”. Tarry means to linger in expectation.  And waited they did-for ten days!  In Acts chapter 2 we read that there was a “sound” of a rushing mighty wind that came in and sat on each of them. 
God sent his power upon those 120 men and women who had gathered in that upper room.  And when it came it came as a sound of a rushing mighty wind.  It came with power that would give them a supernatural ability to be powerful and effective witnesses of the power of salvation.
I believe the sound at Pentecost that came in as a mighty rushing wind-that same power that was heard and seen has entered fresh fire  into the earth for such a time as this.  It is the sound of the Holy Spirit in us, moving out of us, moving among us.  It is the sound of a supernatural power to do great and mighty wonders through the Believers of truth.  The presence and power of the Almighty God is sweeping through the earth.  His will is done on earth as it is in Heaven. The harvest is ripe!  

Message for March 17, 2024 from Pastor Shirley

AM I NOT GOD OF MORE THAN ENOUGH                                                 
YES I AM THE I AM                                                           
WHAT DO YOU DARE TO BELIEVE ME FOR IN THIS SEASON                 
HAVE I NOT MEET YOU WHERE YOU ARE AT AND WITH MY STRONG RIGHT ARM DELIVERED YOU AND BROUGHT YOU FORTH                                                                                                       
REJOICE MY PEOPLE FOR THIS IS YOUR TIME TO SHINE 
FORTH MY GLORY IN THE EARTH                                                                 
OPEN YOUR MOUTH WIDE AND I WILL FILL IT                                                         
WITH WORDS OF WISDOM WILL YOU SPEAK FORTH THE ORACLES OF YOUR GOD AND DECLARE TO THIS GENERATION MY SAVING POWER                                                                            
DO NOT STAND BY SILENTLY LET YOUR VOICE RING FORTH MY PRAISES                                                      GIVE TO ME YOUR WORSHIP AND IN YOUR WORSHIP YOU WILL BE STRENGTHENED LET YESTERDAY GO YOU HAVE TODAY YOU HAVE THE NOW OCCUPY THE TIME NOW                                 
MUST I REMIND YOU THAT NO TIME IS LOST I AM AND WILL REDEEM THE TIME FOR YOU                         STEP INTO THIS TIME WITH GREAT EXPECTATION FOR I AM FAITHFUL TO ALL MY PROMISES CONCERNING YOU AND YOURS                                                                                                 
THIS YOUR TIME  SAYS THE LORD FOR YOU ARE A CHOSEN GENERATION INDEED A PECULIAR PEOPLE THAT ARE BRINGING MY KINGDOM TO THE EARTH AND WATCH AS MY GLORY UNFOLD                            THERE ARE THOSE WHO ARE HUNGRY FOR THE TRUTH DO NOT ALLOW THE VOICES OF THOSE WHO ARE CRYING THE LOUDEST TO BE THE MAJORITY                                                              
BUT YOU KNOW THE TRUTH WHICH IS WHAT MY WORD HAS DECREED                                                      SEEK ME AND I WILL BRING YOU INTO ALL TRUTH

Message for March 10, 2024 from Pastor Shirley

Matthew 21:2-3 “Jesus sent two disciples with these instructions: “Go over to the village across from you. You’ll find a donkey tied there, her colt with her.  Untie her and bring them to me. If anyone asks what you’re doing, say, ‘The Master needs them!’ 
Jesus needed a donkey and her colt to fulfill a prophecy concerning him several hundred years before he spoke to the disciples.  Jesus knew where the donkey was and her colt.  We have been created in His image and likeness and how much more He has need of us and He knows where we are.                                                                        
Some people may think because God is God, He can just do anything on earth.  But He needs by his choice the cooperation of man to execute His plans on the earth.  Our obedience moves the hand of God to do his will on the earth. 
God needed Mary to give birth to the Savior into the earth.  God needed Moses to bring Israel out of the house of bondage.  God needed Elijah to speak to the dry bones of Israel.  God needed Paul to go to the Gentiles.                                  
Jesus asks for the donkey and her colt.  Jesus needs you and the gifts you have.  The word “needs” goes back to the word necessity.  Something necessary, indispensable, important to the highest degree.  Is that awesome that the God of this vast universe chose to use mankind to speak into the earth the Word on His behalf.  Yes He needs Church more than ever in these days we are living in.  You are His valuable necessity for such a time as this!             
“For it is God who is at work within you, giving you the will and the power to achieve his purpose”.  Philippians 2:13

Message for March 3, 2024 from Pastor Shirley

Matthew 21:2-3 “Jesus sent two disciples with these instructions: “Go over to the village across from you. You’ll find a donkey tied there, her colt with her.  Untie her and bring them to me. If anyone asks what you’re doing, say, ‘The Master needs them!’ 
Jesus needed a donkey to fulfill a prophecy concerning him several hundred years before he spoke to the disciples that he had need of one. Jesus knew where the donkey was and her colt with her.  We have been created in His image and likeness and how much more He has need of us.  
Some people think because God is God, He can just do anything on earth.  He needs the cooperation of man to execute His plans on the earth. Our obedience moves the hand of God to do his will on the earth.
God needed Mary to give birth to the Savior into the earth.  God needed Moses to bring Israel out of the house of bondage.  God needed Elijah to speak to the dry bones of Israel.  God needed Paul to go to the Gentiles. 
What does God have need of you for?  What is the assignment He has given to you? 
Philippians 2:13 “For it is God who is at work within you, giving you the will and the power to achieve his purpose”.

Message for February 25, 2024 from Pastor Shirely

In James 1:6 describes the man who doubts like, “a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.”  Doubt is wavering between two minds or lacking confidence, assurance, or complete trust in. 
Psalm 95:1  “Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the rock of our salvation.”  A shout changes the atmosphere. A shout is prophetic and faith-building; a shout calls things that are not as though they were.
Shout The Doubt Out
When in doubt your confidence is low and assurance too,                                                                    
Look to the Word and shout out
Truth.                                      
Lift your hands and began to praise                                         
For this moment of doubt won’t last long you will see. When in doubt and it seems the answer is far away,  Rest assured God has heard your cry; help is on the way.                                                                      Look to the Word and shout out
Truth.                               
Keep standing on the Word a sure foundation to those who believe.
Make a joyful shout to the LORD, all you lands!  Serve the LORD with gladness; Come before His presence with singing.         Psalm 100:1-5

Message for February 18, 2024 from Pastor Shirley

THE CROSS                                                                     
Christ Rescuing Offering Salvation to Sinners             
If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Saviour you were rescued by God through Jesus. Jesus shed his blood so we would be forgiven past, present, and future.  Love and Grace manifested on the Cross through the gift of Jesus. Becoming a recipient of God’s love, grace and forgiveness requires us to extend the same to others.  Let us not be held in the bondage of offense by not offering forgiveness to others who have hurt us.              
May we love like Jesus-unconditionally. 
Chris Tomlin – Amazing Love 
I’m forgiven, because you were forsaken,
I’m accepted, you were condemned
I’m alive and well, your spirit is within me
Because you died and rose again.
Amazing love how can it be
That you my King should die for me
Amazing love, I know it’s true
And it’s my joy to honor you, in all I do to honor you
I’m forgiven, because you were forsaken,
I’m accepted, you were condemned
I’m alive and well, your spirit is within me
Because you died and rose again.

Message for February 11, 2024 from Pastor Shirley

There is a peace that comes when we are reminded, I am in God’s hands. Hands that will never let us fall, hands that are trustworthy to hold us in His girp when life gets hard. The God that I know does not bring me comfort from afar. He is my Abba God who is very near in time of need. I know He has held me close by those hands because I see the fingerprints of God all over my life. I am sure you do too! 
Be encouraged with the following Scriptures.
Psalm 27:10 Even if my father and mother abandon me, the LORD will hold me close.
Isaiah 41:10 Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.
Isaiah 41:13 For I am the LORD your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.
Psalm 63:8 My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me.
Isaiah 46:4 I will be your God throughout your lifetime – until your hair is white with age. I made you, and I will care for you. I will carry you along and save you.
Isaiah 49:16 Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me.
Psalm 139:10 Even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.
Psalm 73:23 Yet I still belong to you; you hold my right hand.

Message for February 4, 2024 from Pastor Shirley

God Is Good!  This is a phrase most of us are familiar with. It is easy to see God’s goodness when life is going good.  But sometimes life is hard and we just don’t have the answers to it all. And that is ok, for we walk by faith, not by sight.  The Bible tells us that God is good.  It is in the hard times we must hold on to this truth found in Psalm 100:5 “For the Lord is good and his love endures forever: his faithfulness continues through all generations.  God’s goodness is based on His character.  It is not just that He does good things, He is good.  With all the inconsistency we see in the world today, God is consistent, and He does not change.                                                                                                                              
I am reminded of the song written and sung by  Don Moen “God Is Good All The Time”.  These are a few of the words to the song.                                              
If you’re walking through the valley  And there are shadows all around, Do not fear, He will guide you  He will keep you safe and sound He has promised to never leave you  Or forsake you, and His word is true God is good all the time  He put a song of praise in the heart of mine God is good all the time  Through the darkest night  His light will shine God is good  We were sinners and so unworthy  Still for us He chose to die  Filled us with His Holy Spirit Now we can stand and testify  That His love is everlasting  And His mercies they will never end God is good all the time  He put a song of praise in this heart of mine Though I may not understand All the plans you have for me  My life is in your hands  And through the eyes of faith I can clearly see That God is good all the time He put a song of praise in this heart of mine                 
God is good all the time  – All the time God is good!

Message for January 28. 2024 from Pastor Shirley

Let God do the heavy lifting.
Cast your burden on the Lord [releasing the weight of it] and He will sustain you; He will never allow the [consistently] righteous to be moved (made to slip, fall, or fail). Psalm 55:22
I never watched the movie that came out in 2015 called  “The War Room”.  I did read the reviews this past week of what the movie was about.  A couple who had great jobs,  a beautiful home, a beautiful daughter.  On the outside, it seemed they had it all.  But appearances can be deceiving.  The Jordan’s marriage was falling apart.  But their lives take an unexpected turn when the wife meets her newest client, Miss Clara, who encourages the couple to find healing and happiness through prayer. Miss Clara was a woman of prayer.  And she passed on to  Miss Jordan the power of prayer.
Her words were, “God showed me it was not my job to do the heavy lifting.  This was something He could and would do.  It was my job to seek him, to trust him and to stand on his Word”! 
This reminded me of the Scripture we have been looking into the last couple of weeks.  Psalm 46:10 “ Let be and be still, and know (recognize and understand) that I am God”.  “Be still’ means to stop striving, stop fighting, relax. It also means to “put your hands down”. 

 Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you  watchfully.   1 Peter 5:7

Message for January 21, 2024 from Pastor Shirley

God kind of Love: Living Overcoming Victory Everyday 
 Psalm 108:4  “God’s love goes higher than the heavens and his faithfulness reaches to the clouds”.                                                 Romans 8:38-39  “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 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”.                                                                                              
Paul wrote the above Scripture at a time of persecution for being a Christian.  In a prison cell, Paul wrote about the love of God that he experienced and covered him all the days of his life.
As believers we are fully persuaded that we can experience this God kind of love.  Even in the hard times we go through.  God’s love for us does not waver.  Neither should our love for Him waver in those hard times.                                                                 
Paul had found through the experiences of life a “word truth” that would hold him steady in the times of trouble.  He became fully persuaded that nothing could or would separate him from the love of God in Christ Jesus. The word “persuaded” is the Greek word “peitho”.  It means to be convinced, to persuade, to have confidence.  He had been persuaded and fully convinced and confident of the love God had for him and his love for his God.   Paul says that neither life nor death would separate him from the love of God.  Let us look at those two words: death-life.  Death comes from the Greek word “thanatos” which describes physical death.  When we die and step into Heaven the love of God does not stop.  We then will be in the presence of HIM who is love. The word life comes from the Greek word “zoe” which refers to physical life.  Paul reminds us in death that the love of God will be there.  He reminds us the things we will encounter on this path called life will not be strong enough to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus. Things present nor even things to come shall separate us from this God kind of love!  As Paul, may we be fully persuaded, fully convinced, and fully confident in this love to live overcoming victory every day and all the days of our lives!                    

Message for January 14, 2024 from Pastor Shirley

FOR I AM GOD                                                                                      
For when used in a sentence is to talk about a purpose or a reason for something.  There is a reason and a purpose for God to be called I AM. And it is for our greatest benefit as believers to understand the meaning of “I Am God”!  We read Exodus 3 :14 where God states His own name for the first time: “God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM.’  And He said, ‘Say this to the people of Israel: ‘I AM has sent me to you.  Verse 15 …..This is my name forever and this is my memorial to all generations.  Yes, Yes, Yes this is for us the believers in this time!  Notes in the Spirit Filled Life Bible:  God identifies Himself as I AM WHO I AM. Revealing His divine name declares his character and attributes, reinforcing that the issue is not who Moses is, but who is with him.  This name is related to the Hebrew verb meaning “to be,” and so implies the absolute existence of God.  The Hebrew here is also the source of the English, “Yahweh,” Jehovah, “or Lord. The “I AM is still the same I AM” today.  What he did for His people then He will do the same today.  Our God brought his people out of Egyptian bondage on the authority of his name “I AM.”                                                                                                        
Malachi 3:6 “I am the Lord, and I do not change.”  While everything around us is changing, there is the one thing we can depend on and that is God – the I AM will show up on our behalf.

Message for December 31, 2023 from Pastor Jerry

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation, old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.” 2 Co. 5:17-19(NKJV)
     This is New Year’s Eve and that is a good time to think about new things.  The Bible says His “mercies are new every morning”.  That means His grace is new as well.  There is an old expression, sinned away his day of grace, but I question the truth of that saying.
     If we are in Christ Jesus, all things are made new, and all things are of God.  Mercy is renewed every morning so it never dissipates.  Since grace belongs to God and He never changes it then grace is in His charge.  We have nothing to do with grace except to believe in it.  God is in charge of making it work.  We can’t sin it away because we never had anything to do with it being here to begin with.
     Our part is to just believe we receive it from God so He can reconcile us to Himself.  We choose to be reconciled to God by faith in the blood sacrifice made by Jesus.  It washed away our sins forever as long as our faith is in God’s works and not ours.  Jesus died once for all time for our sins.  Paul said, “ if righteousness comes from keeping the law, Christ died for nothing”.  GAL. 2:21

Message for December 24, 2023 from Pastor Jerry

“Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign:  Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and you shall call His name Immanuel.” Is. 7:14 (NKJV)                                                           
Last Sunday Pastor Shirley preached a sermon she called, “What’s in a name” and she was referring to the name Jesus, which means “Salvation”.  It was a good and thought provoking message.  Today’s sermon is chapter two.
     “You shall call His name Immanuel.”  There are at least 17 different names for God in the Old Testament.  All of them are used to present a unique characteristic of “I am who I am”, the name He revealed to Moses.
     Jesus made it very clear in Scripture that He and God were one.  Jesus was the Word in the beginning and the Word became flesh and dwelled among us.  Jesus became God’s Son when He was conceived by Mary.  The first name He was called was in Isaiah.  You shall call His name Immanuel.  The Word, Jesus Christ, Lord, and Immanuel are the names of the Son of God.  Yes, all the other names used for God are said of Jesus but only two were given by the angel to Mary and Joseph, Jesus and Immanuel.
     Last week it was Jesus and this week it is Immanuel, which means “God with us”.  How awesome to know that God wanted us to know He is at home with us every day.
     There should never be a day that we think God has left us.  He promised He would never leave us or forsake us no matter what.  Love never fails and God doesn’t love, HE IS LOVE.  Jesus and God are One and we are One with them.  Knowing and believing this should solve all the problems we might face in our lives.

Message for December 17, 2023 from Pastor Shirley

Remembering the good things God has done will keep you encouraged.  Now the enemy wants you to focus on those unanswered prayers.  The enemy comes with “if God said”,  “what if it doesn’t happen”.   What are you focusing on today?  The whispers of the enemy or the whispers of Holy Spirit.  When we hear a condemning voice-you know that whisper that says, “you gotta do this to get God to do what you are praying, believing Him for”.  Holy Spirit will never speak with condemnation to us.  Holy Spirit helps us discern the voice of God or the voice of the enemy.  He is our discerner and more.  
 John 16:7 tells us-But the Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor—Counselor, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name [in My place, to represent Me and act on My behalf], He will teach you all things. And He will help you remember everything that I have told you.  I like that word, “stand by.”  According to the dictionary, a standby is someone to be relied on, especially during emergencies. ready or available for immediate action or use.  It is a favorable or reliable choice or resource; it is one held in reserve ready for us.  I don’t know about you but have listened to the voice of condemnation.  Those whispers always made me feel less than.  I am learning to discern the voice that brings condemnation or the voice of Holy Spirit who is my Helper. 
The Greek word used in  John 16:7 in reference to the Holy Spirit is Parakletos, which means one who is called to one’s side, especially to help. 
May we be continually encouraged to remember the good things God has done.  Listen intentionally to the voice of the Holy Spirit, who is God, who is standing by your side right now as you read this!. 

Message for December 10, 2023 from Pastor Shirley

For you will overcome and see the glory of your God. So continue to press forward even on the days you feel like all is to no avail.  Yes, your Lord God will give you supernatural strength to keep on the journey called life.  When others may look and say, “for surely they will not make it”.  Your outcome is not what others say but what God has already declared over your life. The Word is Truth and faith is found in the knowledge of Truth.  Hope will rise in you as you begin to gain knowledge of the promises of the written Word.  The more you know about the promises of the written Word the more hope comes to you.  And hope will keep faith alive until the promises of God manifest in your life. 
                                                                                   Now faith brings our hopes into reality and becomes the foundation needed to acquire the things we long for. It is all the evidence required to prove what is still unseen.  Hebrews 11:1
Romans 8:24-25  For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

Message for December 3, 2023 from Pastor Shirley

     We are now in the month of December.  Soon this year will be behind us.  I always try to remember that yes it is the end of a year but it is the beginning of a new year.  
     Psalm 23:1 was our Scripture for 2023-”The Lord is my Shepherd [to feed, guide, and shield me], I shall not lack”.   In John 10:11 Jesus declares that He is the good shepherd.  It is He who made us, and we are His; we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture. Psalms 100:3  As we look back I am sure we have seen the hand of the Shepherd in our lives.  Our God has a good track record of taking care of those who put their trust in him.  Just as God has taken care of his sheep in the past He will continue to do so. 
     The Word says in Psalms 65:11 “ You crown the year with Your goodness, And Your paths drip with abundance”.

Message for November 26, 2023 from Pastor Shirley

Thanksgiving 2023 is now over.  We celebrated with family and friends and were reminded how thankful we should be. 
I will never forget what Holy Spirit whispered to me, “A thankful heart God will never never turn away.”  
According to Strong’s definitions, the Hebrew word thanksgiving is tôwdâh (to-daw’) and it means confession, praise, and offeringThe Webster dictionary defines thanksgiving as, “the act of giving thanks.  A public acknowledgment or celebration of divine goodness
I am reminded of Psalms 69:30 “I will praise the name of God with song, and shall magnify Him with thanksgiving.”   when we magnify God with a thankful heart he is lifted above  our present circumstances.. 
Thanksgiving and praise always go together.             Psalms 100:4  “Enter his gates (his presence) with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise!  Give thanks to him; bless his name! WHY? v.5  For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.”
  I like the word rejoice. This word gives an open door to have joy!  “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you”
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Past Pastor Messages and Nuggets for Life