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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We are quickly winding down until the end of 2021. What a year it has been. I, like David, have also said “I had fainted, (given up, lost hope) unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. I believe that we are in the season of change. The “suddenlies of God” will usher in the changes that will take place.
Isaiah 48:3 “I foretold the former things long ago, my mouth announced them and I made them known; then suddenly I acted, and they came to pass’. When suddenlies are manifested in our lives they are new to us not to God. They have been in the making for a long time and suddenly when the time is right they manifest in our lives.
The last couple of years have found us walking in a place none of us have been before. We all have been touched somehow by the evil of Covid-19 that came upon our nation. Recompense is in the hands of the Lord God Almighty.
Now the suddenlies of God are upon us:suddenlies are coming to your house to breathe life-fresh wind is blowing in healing from trauma of the last months--the gifts you have carried are coming to life as you begin to do what you are anointed to do-laughter is begin restored to your home where there has been much sorrow-the wind of Holy Spirit is taking you from ordinary to the extraordinary as God’s supernatural power intervenes on your behalf.
Rise up with expectation in your heart for the suddenlies to take place in your life!
What a wonderful time of the year
Christmas is here
Celebrations galore as we remember the birth of our Savior
An angel burst forth in the night with good news
Tidings of great joy to people everywhere
A great army of Heaven’s angels appeared singing praises to God: Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom he is pleased
A promised Savior had been born-Christ the Lord
To the world the gift of love, hope and life
From the manger to a life lived without sin to fulfill the Fathers will – at the Cross he gave his life willing – to the grave He was buried – on the third day He came forth in resurrection power – appeared to the disciples often for forty days – He then miraculously ascended into the presence of God – now seated at the right hand of God the Father
We can rejoice for the gap of humanity to God has been bridged through this baby born
The last few weeks we have been heartbroken and grieved with the passing of Clifton Coulter, Jim Childs and Danny McClister. Then we received the news Friday of the passing of our dear Sister Sheryl Jackson. Some of you in our New Life family have experienced the loss of family members recently.
Friends are faithful to be there with words of encouragement and for that we are thankful. Families are drawn closer as they gather around to share memories of their loved one.
When people experience those times of losing loved ones there are so many things that we can turn to just to get through and understand the whys. When those things are temporal we find ourselves still asking the whys. The only true comfort is finding solace in the Word and allowing those truths to fill your heart.
In my walk with God I have found that when my mind cannot understand and I am tempted to ask the whys I always go to the Word. Nothing has brought comfort and peace to my heart and soul like God’s precious Word. Our Sovereign God sees the bigger picture and I have come to know that He is bringing about His story of redemption through circumstances and every situation in our lives.
God’s glory is all around me! His wraparound presence is all I need, for the Lord is my Savior, my hero, and my life- strength. Trust only in God every moment! Tell him all your troubles and pour out your heart-longings to him. Believe me when I tell you—he will help you!
Pause in his presence! Psalm 62:7-7 Passion Bible
I will remember your great deeds Lord; I will recall the wonders you did in the past. Psalms 77:11
Look back at what the Lord has done!
It is good to reflect back on the goodness of God. Remembering what He has done for us in the past helps us to trust that god will meet us in our present situation. It brings hope and encouragement in those times we are going through a difficult season.
I am remembering these lyrics, Look what the Lord has done He healed my body He touched my mind He saved me it was just in time I’m gonna praise His name Each day He’s just the same Come on and praise Him Look what the Lord has done.
–Today we remember Jim Childs–
Jim has heard the words “Well done my faithful servant”.
At home with the Lord for evermore.
A Prophet that heard from God and shared those words he heard.
Married to Connie who stole his heart-the girl who made him smile.
Jim loved his God, his family and his friends so very much
We are all grieving not for him but for us who loved him
We will continue on as pioneers of the faith for that is what Jim would want us to do
We do have that blessed hope we will see him again
Until then our brother rejoice with Jesus and all those gone before
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I remember a particular time Jim came to minister and I introduced him as, Brother Jim, Dr Childs, Pastor, son of God. When he came to the pulpit he said, “She finally got it right “son of God”. I am a son of God first and foremost.
Jim knew his identity as a son of God. He knew his Father and because of his relationship with Him he knew his voice and would speak on his behalf. The words he heard from the Father were accurate and of great encouragement to others.
You will be greatly missed Jim!
A tribute to a great man of God: Clifton Coulter
“Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature and who-so-ever believes shall be saved.” “As you go preach, saying the Kingdom of God is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the leper, raise the dead, cast of devils, freely you have received, freely give.”
The above is the sum of Clifton’s life. He was a man after God’s own heart. He wanted to see every man and woman he talked with get saved and know God like he did.
He was one of my greatest friends for over thirty years and a man after my own heart. We went through some tough times together. Several were times of life and death. But, we prevailed because we had a strong conviction about “God’s Grace” and how it works.
Clifton was not only my friend but my partner in sharing the word of God that meets all our needs according to His riches in glory. He shared in the grace of God and wanted everyone else to join him in knowing the freedom grace gives. He trusted God with everything he had for he knew who was his provider.
When I heard of his home going I wept. My tears were not for Clifton, but for me. I and all who knew him are going to miss him. As David said about the death of his infant son, “he cannot return to me, but I can go to him.”
Clifton, I will see you again, but until then go rest high upon the mountain with Jesus. See you, Old friend.
Gerald Reliford, your forever friend
(We will travel to Indiana on Thursday for Clifton’s Going Home Celebration.)
Messenger of Grace
Clifton Coulter
His message was one of grace
He told it wherever he went
When you heard him speak you knew it was from his heart
He made you laugh with the stories he told
That was just how he was
He loved his God, his family and his friends
We all are grieving but not for him
He has heard the words, “Well done you good and faithful servant.”
Your legacy will live on through the many you have touched
We have the promise we will meet again
Until then we will continue on in the faith sharing this good news of grace
Growing in Revelation of the Access we have in Christ who is Everything.
2 Peter 3:18 “But continue to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory, now and forever! Amen.
Peter encourages the church to continue to grow in grace. To grow in grace is to mature as a Christian. We don’t get more and more grace. We grow in the revelation of the grace we have been given. As our minds are renewed with the Word we begin to understand the power which comes to us through the grace that is already in us. It is not about what we do but what God has done and is doing in us by grace. Ephesians 2:8 “For by grace are you saved, through faith, and that not of yourselves. The way entered into a relationship with God is because of His grace that he has extended toward us. This is understanding of what Jesus did and to grow in recognition of this grace we have been given at our new birth. Jesus went to the cross and gave His life a ransom that secured for us access to God. This he accomplished by his death, reconciling us to God. To have the favor and the grace of God, we accessed it through Christ. Romans 5:2 “By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”
”Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, ‘Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.” Rev. 12:10-11.
God’s word is the final authority for everything in our lives. We are not to live by what we think or how we feel but by “every word that comes forth from the mouth of God”. The word of our testimony is not what we have done for Him but what He has done for us.
We are not called to study our lives and make choices. Rather, we are called to study and embrace what God tells us by His Spirit and His written and living Word. Overcoming Satan by the blood of the Lamb and our confession of faith is what God did to assure that His redeemed will always overcome the power of the evil one.
But, do we really have faith in God’s word? Faith comes from hearing God’s word. Amen.
But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place. 2 Corinthians 2:14 Paul tells that our triumph comes from what God did in Christ. When we accepted Jesus Christ we were united with him. We now identify with Him. Everything God did in Christ He did it for us. He made it our victory also. The beginning of victory is to see yourself the way God sees you in Christ.
Life is a journey taken one step at a time. At times it may feel like a marathon but really to get anywhere we put one foot forward. In this journey called life we who are children of God are Christ’s aroma in the earth. Romans 8:37 says that “In all things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us”
Paul is saying that; we “are” more than conquerors…“present tense, active situation” in other words, Christians “keep on winning a glorious victory.” The fact is that even when all of life is against us, we are still “more than conquerors” and God will strengthen us to live out that glorious victory every day, in spite of how things look to us, or how we feel about our circumstances
But thanks be to God! For through what Christ has done, he has triumphed over us so that now wherever we go he uses us to tell others about the Lord and to spread the Gospel like a sweet perfume giving aroma.
No matter the situations you may be facing, no matter what the enemy throws in; your path. One thing I am confident of is the fact that Jeus leads us in triumph. Remember this death on the cross is what brought our victory-the grave could not keep Him-death could not hold him-He rose up a victor from this place. And because Jesus wins you win. Don’t give up now!
When I was growing up I remember hearing this saying “you can count on it” or “as sure as the sun sets.” These were ways of saying it was a certain thing or a sure thing. I found out in my life that sometimes people could not or would not keep their word. There is one certainty in life that I know that I can depend on and that is God’s Word. The faithfulness of God to His Word has proven over and over again in my life.
In a day when our world so desperately needs something of surety, the psalmist says “I have that certainty and it is found in God and through God’s Word.”
What you say goes, God, and stays, as permanent as the heavens. Your truth never goes out of fashion; it’s as relevant as the earth when the sun comes up. Your Word and truth are dependable as ever; that’s what you ordered—you set the earth going. If your revelation hadn’t delighted me, I would have given up when the hard times came. But I’ll never forget the advice you gave me; you saved my life with those wise words. Save me! I’m all yours. I look high and low for your words of wisdom. The wicked lie in ambush to destroy me, but I’m only concerned with your plans for me. I see the limits to everything human, but the horizons can’t contain your commands! Psalm 119:89 Message
The last few weeks we have sensed fall in the air. Morning’s are cooler, leaves are beginning to fall from the trees and the grass is beginning to turn brown. Following the fall season is the winter season which is cold, dark and dreary, then the spring season is a time of birth as things begin to bloom, and during the summer season there is sunshine and warm weather. Every season brings the path to birthing the next season.
We find in the Bible that our lives go through seasons as well. The Bible tells us in Ecclesiastes 3:1 “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven. time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh, a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace”. This Scripture is a reminder of the seasons and the changes that we go through in our lives. All of them are necessary for us to learn, grow and mature as spiritual beings. Each season brings the path to birthing the next season.
Our faithful God guides our steps from one season to the next. Yes He sees what is coming ahead for us and has already provided what we need to get through. God is always present and always leading us through each season. If you are in a season of heartache-His healing presence is there with you- if you are going through a season of sickness His healing presence is there-that is the key going through with His presence. Just as seasons in the natural change so do the seasons of our lives. Be encouraged with this Scripture from Hebrews 13:5 For He God Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. I will not, I will not, I will not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let you down (relax My hold on you)! Assuredly not!
I spent many years dreading my birthday. It was never for me a day of celebration. That is until the Holy Spirit spoke to me a few years ago, “Why do you not want to celebrate your birth-day. This is the day God chose for you to enter into this world. This should be a day of great celebration.” I knew the why but I had never dealt with the why. How often do we not embrace life because of the why’s.
In the book of Psalms, David writes in chapter 139 verses 13 and 14: “for it was You who created my inward parts; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I will praise You because I have been fearfully and wonderfully made”. Fearfully when translated from the Hebrew means with great reverence, heart-felt interest, and with respect. Wonderfully when translated from the Hebrew means unique and set apart. Yes every human being was created to be Christ’s image bearer and to live a fulfilled life for an amazing and unique purpose.
I know there are stories of: you don’t understand I was adopted, I was conceived out of wedlock, I don’t even know who my father is, I don’t know who my mother is, I never felt wanted, what do I have to celebrate? I would never tell you those things do not matter because they are part of your life’s story and they do. I can tell you that God already knows those things and He loves you and you matter to Him. Start believing that you just did not happen to be here. You were destined by a loving heavenly Father who loves you so much. Allow the why’s, the brokenness, the hurts, the what if’s to be healed and start loving yourself for the unique person you were created to be. God loves you! Start celebrating your “BIRTH-DAY.” Start celebrating life. You were meant to be here. Yeah birthdays are a big deal!
At the time the woman was healed, Jesus was on the way to the house of Jairus, the ruler of the synagogue, to pray for his daughter, who was dying. When Jesus told the woman, “Your faith has made you whole,” Jairus’ servants came from his house, saying, “Don’t trouble Jesus any longer. Your daughter is already dead.” When Jesus heard them say that to Jairus, He spoke, “Fear not, only believe.” At that moment, Jairus could have believed the bad report, gotten in fear, and given up. But Jesus said, “Let Me tell you what to do in this situation, fear not, only believe.
”Jesus arriving at Jarius’ house said to them, “Why all this grief and weeping? The little girl is not dead but is sleeping. He tenderly clasped the child’s hand in his and said to her, “Little girl, I say to you, arise from the sleep of death]! And instantly the girl got up and started walking around
Fear paralyzes us and keeps us from going forward. What in your life has been put to sleep because of fear. I say to you, “Fear not only believe”.
Pastor Charles B. Widmeyer wrote the words and music for the gospel song “Come and Dine” in 1906. This song was written following the reading of John 21. It is based on an incident described in John 21:1-14 in which Peter and half a dozen of the other disciples had fished all night and had nothing to show for it. But Jesus was on the shore and had apparently not only caught fish, but prepared them, along with some breakfast toast. He called for them to make one more cast of their net “on the right side of the boat”. The amazing result was a catch so great that they had trouble hauling the net into the boat. When they came ashore, the Lord invited them to “Come and dine.” This was an example of the loving care and provision of the Lord. He provided for them in a very practical way as He does for us today.
“Come and Dine”
Jesus has a table spread Where the saints of God are fed,
He invites His chosen people, “Come and dine”;
With His manna He doth feed and supplies our every need:
Oh, ’tis sweet to sup with Jesus all the time
“Come and dine,” the Master calleth, “Come and dine”;
You may feast at Jesus’ table all the time;
He Who fed the multitude, turned the water into wine,
To the hungry calleth now, “Come and dine.”
The disciples came to land, thus obeying Christ’s command,
For the Master called unto them, “Come and dine”;
There they found their heart’s desire, Bread and fish upon the fire; Thus He satisfies the hungry every time.
Soon the Lamb will take His bride to be ever at His side,
All the host of heaven will assemble be; Oh, ’twill be a glorious sight, All the saints in spotless white; and with Jesus they will feast eternally.
From Pastor Shirely NINE WAYS THAT GOD IS ABLE….
He is able to make you stand: Romans 14:4.
He’s able to establish you: Romans 16:25.
He’s able to keep you from falling and present you faultless before His glory: Jude 24.
He’s able to make all grace abound toward you: 2 Corinthians 9:8.
He’s able to keep that which you’ve committed unto Him against that day: 2 Timothy 1:12.
He’s able to build you up: Acts 20:32.
He’s able to subdue all things: Philippians 3:21.
He’s able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think: Ephesians 3:20.
He is able to save you to the uttermost. Hebrews 7:25.
Able meaning-The Greek dunamai’”to have power,” Power refers to God’s strength to act. His ability to perform. That is the kind of power in God’s omnipotence.
He is able!
This is God Almighty (El Shaddai ) revealed to Abraham in Genesis 17:1. The New Testament meaning, “to hold all things in one’s power”. He wants us to “know” Him as the God who is “able” to do anything!
Psalms 24:8 “He is the Lord strong and mighty”.
“The refining pot is for silver and the furnace is for gold, and a man is valued by what others say of him.” Proverbs 27:22
What is the measure of a person? We watch and listen to what people do and say. The important issue is the relationship of what he says and what he does. Are his words and deeds in harmony or do they say one thing then do something different?
James says in chapter one that a double-minded man is unstable in all his ways. In other words, his words and deeds do not reflect the same condition. To talk one way and act another makes a person unstable in all their life situations.
This leads to doubt, fear, and even chaos for the one caught in the circumstances of life situations. Reading and living the Word of God helps bring all things into focus and The Holy Spirit is your Comforter. The Word of God is our source of perfect information and the Holy Spirit is the source of our strength to live it.
The promise “I will never leave you nor forsake you” was first given to Israel and Joshua before entering the Promised Land. Deuteronomy 31:6
This was echoed in Hebrews 13:5 He Himself has said, “I will never leave you, nor forsake you”. In a world and even in our own lives where things are constantly changing, what a comforting promise to hold onto.
The first part of this scripture in Hebrews reads “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have.”
This tells us we are not to put our trust in riches or material goods, the things of the world we think will bring us contentment which will ultimately fail us. We as believers should place our hope in God, who has promised, “I will never leave you and I will never forsake you”.
“Cast your cares on the LORD and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous fall”. Psalm 55:22 Peter echoes this in 1 Peter 5:6-7 “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you”.
Consider these scriptures: “Do not be anxious about anything” Philippians 4:6, “Don’t let your hearts be troubled” (John 14:1), “Don’t worry” (Matthew 6:31).
As we look through Scriptures we are encouraged over and over “not to worry; don’t be anxious. Don’t be troubled. God knows what worry does to us. The one thing it will do is steal our joy and peace of mind.
God gives us the invitation to cast our cares on him and He will sustain us. Being humble allows God in our lives and trusting that he will take care of us. The cares of life come and go so we cannot run away from them or pretend they don’t exist. What we can do is not allow the cares to have us. The word casting means to throw. In order to throw there has to be a release. May our prayer be today, “Lord I release these cares to you today. I refuse to be anxious or troubled. You will give me peace in the middle of this storm. Your Word tells me to cast all (not just some) all my cares on you because “You careth for me.”
Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
Whether we realize it or not, we all operate in faith daily. When you sit down in a chair you don’t worry that it’s going to fall apart on you. You have faith that the chair will hold you. In the same way, God wants us to simply put our faith in Him. When we face the dark times of life, He wants us to sit and relax in the arms of Jesus and say, “I’m asking you to take care of this and I’m believing you will.”
Remember the old church hymn “Living By Faith”.
I care not today what the tomorrow may bring
If shadow or sunshine or rain
The Lord I know ruleth o’er everything
And all of my worry is vain
Living by faith In Jesus above
Trusting, confiding In His great love
From all harm safe In His sheltering arm
I’m living by faith
And feel no alarm
I know that He safely will carry me through
No matter what evil betides
Why should I then care though the tempest may blow
When Jesus walks close to my side?
Faith is what helps to get us through, lighting the pathway
in times of darkness, helping to give us strength in times of weakness.
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