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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Jesus said, “Remove the stone.” The sister of the dead man, Martha, said, “Master, by this time there’s a stench. He’s been dead four days!” Jesus looked her in the eye. “Didn’t I tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?” Then, to the others, “Go ahead, take away the stone.”John 11:38-42
The dreams you had, the hope you had, the thing you were believing for has died. It is easy to become indifferent when what we have been believing for isn’t happening or doesn’t happen in our time frame. Those things may have become a stench to you. Stench not only means a bad smell but also means; a bad effect, an unpleasant event or situation.
When the dreams have died, when hope seems lost, when the vision has become dim. When we not dare not dream again, to hope again. We need someone to step into our lives and speak a life giving word to us. To tell us to believe again. To let faith arise again.
Then he shouted, “Lazarus, come out!” And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, “unwrap him and let him loose”. That was a turnaround for many of the Jews who were with Mary. They saw what Jesus did, and believed in him. John 11:43-48
The stone that has been set up to keep your dream in the grave let it be loosed today. That which has bound your dream from speaking is begin loosed to speak again. Let your Lazarus come forth. See that dream unwrap for the glory of God.
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, in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake you nor let [you] down (relax My hold on you)! ]Assuredly not!]
Hebrews 13:5
Sometimes life is like being in a boat, with constant movement. People come and go in our lives. We face what may seem a mountain at the time. Holy Spirit want us to know that as we face the challenges of life we don’t do so alone. But God is the one we can always count on, that will never let us down. We can trust in Him, no matter what else. He is the same, yesterday, today, and forever!
You can be assured that God “will never leave you or forsake you because He cannot lie and He keeps His promises”.
John chapter 11 opens up talking about Lazarus being sick. In verse 3 we read his sisters sent a message to Jesus. “Lord our brother Lazarus; the one you love is very sick. Please come”. Jesus responded, “This sickness will not end in death for Lazarus, but will bring glory and praise to God. This will reveal the greatness of the Son of God by what takes place.” I believe Jesus was responding from what he heard his spirit saying. When facing a situation in life it is so important to just say what we know Holy Spirit is saying. Speak only the Word which is truth. After two days, he said to his disciples, “Lazarus has died. And I am glad for your sakes that I wasn’t there. You’re about to be given new grounds for believing. Now let’s go to him.”
The disciples had been with Jesus had seen miracle after miracle. Even people raised from the dead. But they were about to be given new ground for believing. We read Lazarus had been dead for four days. Those who Jesus had raised from the dead had just died. Jesus was about to do something that would give them an opportunity to expand their capacity to believe.
As long as we are breathing we are always going to be given new grounds for believing. There is always going to be circumstances that will require us to believe the report of the Word. In those moments of life we are given the opportunity to trust the One who says to us “I Am” right there with you. There is not a step you will not take that “I Am” not holding your hand.
Circumstances come and go in our life. But that which remains is the same is the Word. Everyday is an opportunity for new grounds for believing. As we do we learn something new about God and to grow in our relationship with Him because of it.
In living life we find ourselves at any given time in any one of these four situations-going into, right smack in the middle of, coming out of, or we may be in a season where it is smooth sailing. This is the circle of living life in this world.
John 16:33 In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.]
The encouraging part of that Scripture is where Jesus says, “For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.”
As Christians we have the Word to lean upon that is filled with promises that have been given to us. There is nothing more comforting and needful than the promises of God for the problems we face in life.
The Word tells us in 2 Corinthians 1:20 For as many as are the promises of God, they all find their Yes [answer] in Him [Christ]. For this reason we also utter the Amen (so be it) to God through Him [in His Person and by His agency] to the glory of God. God has already give us the seal of His “yes”. He is waiting on our “amen” (yes so be it).
Promises, promises in the Word and all of them are true. He will do exactly what He said He would do. He did not tell us troubles we would not face. But He did promise He would be by our side through them all. Hand in hand with Him through life’s journey always overcoming in the power of Jesus Name. For all the promises are His yes and our amen to the glory of God. Take the life you are living and give it to Him and He will make it beautiful. In time you will see his grace is sufficient for all those who will believe.
“FACING FEAR-TRUSTING GOD”
I have heard it said that there are three hundred and sixty five references to fear in the Bible. It is not
a matter that you will never have an opportunity to fear but learning how to overcome in the face of fear.
Over the years I have come up with a lot of excuses of why I could not be obedient with whatever God may have been asking of me. Then I realised that my excuses was only the voice of fear. Fear can disguise itself in many ways. Fear can lead us to hide, to run away, or to freeze in our shoes.
We know from the Scripture that fear is a spirit and not from God. “For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” 2 Timothy 1:7
We overcome fear with the spirit of power……
We overcome fear with spirit of love……
We overcome fear with a sound mind……
It is not a matter of having enough faith to overcome fear. You already have enough faith to move mountains. It is not a matter of waiting until all your feelings of fear is gone to believe. We will have many, many opportunities in life to fear. It is a matter of trusting God. As you go believing that God is with you fear will flee. Yes fear is a liar. Fear tries to get you to doubt what God has said and is saying.
I want to encourage you today to step out even if means “doing it afraid.”
Signs of the times
“But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come.” 2 Timothy 3:1
According to Bible Word wealth perilous times means, harsh, savage, difficult, dangerous, painful, fierce, grievous, and hard to deal with. The word describes a society that is barren of virtue but abounding with vices.
It makes me sad to say but this defines the direction in which America is heading. There are times when listening to our politicians spout their ideas and aspirations that it makes me feel like the only moral crime in this nation is being a Christian. Because of the hatred of Biblical principles and ideas, it is very necessary that as Christians we stand for a Biblically based philosophy of life.
All non-Christians have no reason to value any Biblical principle unless it fits with their own beliefs of society. But, one who calls themselves a Christian is obligated to stand for and defend the position of the Scriptures. I know there are many Biblical differences that denominations disagree upon. I know we all want to walk in the truth but if we were all walking in the truth there would only be ONE KIND of church. That would be the one we would attend. One thing I know is true. Jesus said that the “Word is truth”. And, “You shall know the truth, and the truth will SET YOU FREE”. Do you know you are free?
Politicians and leaders are parting ways with the truth defending their own opinions about issues of society. This is creating an atmosphere of hate and division which never leads to a good end. Whatever beliefs you hold be sure they are supported by the Bible. Psalm 9:17 says the nation that forgets God shall be turned into hell. For that reason this nation looks and feels a lot more like hell than it did when I entered the ministry forty eight years. It seems that few people are interested in God’s opinion about anything. Wake up! What does God have to say about it? Just because our society accepts something doesn’t make it true and right. Watch and pray!
As Christians we still will face situations in life like we did before we got saved. Life will still have discouragements and disappointments. We can become discouraged and bogged down in life’s cares. Everyone has felt like giving up at some point or another.
When we look through Scripture we read many reasons for hope during the times that we feel pressured, for the times when life just seems burdensome.
Here are a just a few Scriptures for those times we feel discouraged
Romans 15:4 “Whatever was written beforehand is meant to instruct us in how to live. The Scriptures impart to us encouragement and inspiration so that we can live in hope and endure all things”.
PSALMS 55:22 :Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall”
1 PETER 5:7. “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you”
MATTHEW 11:28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden and overburdened, and I will cause you to rest. [I will ease and relieve and refresh your souls.]
There is no secret code, password, prayer position, prayer blanket, shawl or towel that causes God to drop what He is doing in the throne room of Heaven and give us His attention. Prayer is simply talking to God and our words are in agreement with is His will.
We already have a promise in writing that God hears the prayers of those who are called by His name. 1 John 5:14 “Since we have this confidence, we can also have great boldness before him, for if we present any request agreeable to his will, he will hear us”.
Prayer was born out of God’s arrangement for man’s assignment in the earth. I heard someone say, “prayer is a earthly license for heavenly interference”. When we pray we are exercising our legal authority in the earth to invoke Heaven’s influence in the earth. Every action taken by God, on earth, involved the cooperation of a human being. It is the Sons and Daughters of God who are willingly to call out to God in agreement with Word.
Matthew 16:19 “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind (declare to be improper and unlawful) on earth must be what is already bound in heaven; and whatever you loose (declare lawful) on earth must be what is already loosed in heaven”.
Thou crownest the year with Thy goodness, and Thy paths drip with fatness. Psalms 65:11
Our word for the New Year – “Seeing God’s goodness in a Big way!”
I believe this is the finest hour for the Church. We are going to see God do awesome things this year as goodness overflows through his Sons and Daughters. “Do you believe”
We are blessed and we are ready to bless. God has given freely and fully to us; life, grace, hope, abundance, and the overflow of good things in our lives. We are blessed to have a life of overflow! Overflow is ours. We can live in it and see it.
Yes there have been and will be season of trials but it will pass away. Some of you have been through some severe warfare this past year. You have not been forgotten. This is a time of refreshing for you. You are entering into the overflow. God is releasing you into a new place for there is always more in God.
Prayer to pray for this year: “God, you sent your Son to die that I might have life. Your son, Jesus, has declared that the reason for His coming was so I might have abundant life. I come into agreement with this and the prophetic word of seeing your goodness in a big way this year. I declare that 2019 will be the best year of my life. I walk in the overflow in every area of my life. I declare that there will be no shortage of health, wealth or wisdom. I now receive supernatural revelation, wisdom, favor, health, for this year. I am blessed to be a blessing. I walk in the overflow of your goodness in 2019.”
A new year is coming in and it begins in a matter of days. The crown of this year can only be goodness and nothing else. This is a promise of God which can never fail. God is out to visit His people in this season in a big way. God is good all the time. All the time God is good.
Thou crownest the year with Thy goodness, and Thy paths drip with fatness. Psalms 65:11
2019-Experiencing God’s goodness in a BIG way.
Those that predict the economy may have predicted a dark picture of the upcoming year. That is their report. But we have the report from the Word that tells us, “God has crowned the year with His goodness”. God’s supply and provision are never affected by the world’s economy system.
As the old church song goes – Our hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness; I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus’ name. On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand; All other ground is sinking sand.”
A brief History of Christmas
“And she will bring forth a son and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins.” Matt. 1:21(NKJV)
As widespread as Christmas celebration has become, very little of its history is known by most people. It must be understood that its celebration is not a clear cut, never changing activity since the year Jesus was born. The exact day and year of His birth has never been determined. At the time of His birth the calendars were different and more than one existed at a time
Keep in mind that there is no mention of a recognized holy day to celebrate Jesus’ birth in the Bible. The only event Scripture tell us to remember is observed is Communion in regard to His death for us. Christmas is a celebration instituted by man, not God. It has been recognized by the church since its first recorded celebration by the church in Rome in 336. The term Christmas became common from church masses called Christ-mass noted from 1038 A.D. and 1131 A. D. About this time in the 10th century Nativity scenes began to be displayed. It is commonly believed to be from the influence of Saint Frances of Assisi. The Council of Tours in 567 included it in church celebration as a feast named “The Twelve Days of Christmas” running from Christmas to Epiphany.
One of the most interesting things about Christmas is that the first opposition to its public celebration was from the church after the reformation in the sixteenth century. During the Puritan rule of England Christmas was outlawed from 1647 to 1660 due to the drunkenness and misbehavior associated with it. Christmas as we see it today arose in the 1800s from the influence of Charles Dicken’s “A Christmas Carol” and Clemet Moore’s “The Night before Christmas.” It became a National holiday on June 28, 1880 in the U.S. Although it has been celebrated by many nation’s for hundreds of years, it wasn’t always a national holiday. It was not a holiday in Scotland until 1958 due to its nature of celebration. From man’s view of the holiday, can it really be said, “Jesus is the reason for the season?”
Today the world doesn’t want to get rid of the holiday; it just wants CHRISTMAS removed. As a believer it isn’t important whether or not you celebrate Christmas, the holiday, but it is important that you celebrate Christ, your Savior, not just on one day but every day of the year. Jesus, the CHRIST, is more important than Christmas, the holiday.
For this is how much God loved the world—he gave his one and only, unique Son as a gift. So now everyone who believes in him will never perish but experience everlasting life. John 3:16
The real message of Christmas is not the gifts that we give to each other. Rather, it is a reminder of the gift that God has given to each of us.
The gift, comes from the greatest giver there has ever been- God Himself. For God so loved that while we were yet sinners (Romans 4:8) God demonstrated His love for us by sending His only begotten Son to suffer, bleed, die, and then rise from the dead for our sin. Love caused the greatest giver to give the greatest gift – Jesus. We did not deserve Jesus: His birth, His life, or His death. God gave His gift for the entire world. To everyone (anyone) who believes upon Him. Romans 10:8 “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved”.
As we celebrate this glorious time of the year let us never forget the gift that was given to humanity from God. We are the reason for the gift. The gift was Jesus a Savior to those who would believe. “And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord”. Luke 2:11
The God of the universe calls Himself I AM. We read in Exodus 3:14, “And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM”.
Jesus completed the statement that was given to Moses. Seven times in the Gospel of John He uses the expression, “I am”. Each ‘I am’ is a description Jesus gave of Himself. The Seven ‘I AM’ saying’s help us better understand the nature of Jesus.
- Bread “I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me shall not hunger.” John 6:35
- Light “I am the light of the world; he who follows Me shall not walk in the darkness, but shall have the light of life.” John 8:12
- Gate “I am the gate; if anyone enters through Me, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.” John 10:9
- Good Shepherd “I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for His sheep.” John 10:11
- Resurrection and Life “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me shall live even if he dies.” John 11:25
- Way, Truth, Life “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me.” John 14:6
- True vine “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.” John 15:1
The nature of Jesus is further illustrated in John 8:58 Jesus said, “Truly, Truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am”, which means that Jesus existed before His human life on earth.
Jesus the “I am of our lives”. In Him we find what we need.
Teach me thy way, O Lord, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies. Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty. I had fainted, (lost heart) unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait on the Lord and be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord. Psalms 27:13-14
The word faint was added by translators but I think it expresses the feelings David had. He refers to the state of his mind produced by the efforts of his enemies to destroy him. So numerous and mighty were they that he says his support was his faith in God. David believed that he would see the goodness of God upon the earth.
We to can say with confidence, “There is something SO GOOD about God that I know I’m going to see and experience personally while I’m living this earthly life that I’m captivated by it, I want it, I will eagerly wait for it as long as necessary because it is so good that it makes even this life worth living.”
As I have been studying on the goodness of God it appears to be the sum total of all of God’s attributes. Exodus 33:17-19 “Then Moses said, “I pray Thee, show me Thy glory!” And He said, “I Myself will make all My goodness pass before you and will proclaim the name of the Lord before you”. The glory of the Lord proclaims the “goodness” of God. This goodness is all wrapped up in His Name-all of who He is. God is the embodiment of good he wants us to take part in His goodness.
The year 2019 – The year we are going to see the GOODNESS of GOD in a big way!! Expressing His Glory on the earth with wonders, marvels, miracles of the goodness of your God!!
“Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.” Psalm 100:4(NKJV)
“Let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare His works with rejoicing.” Psalm 107:22 (NKJV)
“,,,,giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.” Colossians 1:12 (NJKV)
Do you realize how many dozen times the Bible talks about giving thanks or being thankful? Being Thanksgiving season reminds us that we should be thankful. If you were asked “for what are you thankful” what would you say? There are many good things we could list. But, where on the list would they be? What would be first and what would be last? Where on the list would be, “I am thankful for what God has done for me.”
Do you realize that “thanksgiving” is the entrance into His gates, and then we enter His courts with praise? If you aren’t thankful first your praise will be hindered? We must remember to be thankful no matter what our conditions might be. Even though circumstances around you may be “down and dirty” you should remember that in Christ Jesus you are never “under the circumstances”.
No matter what is going on in the world around you, you are not of this world. Remember, you are in the world not of the world. Our Lord told us, “In the world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer for I have overcome the world”. One of the most important things to becoming a world overcomer is believing that Jesus told you that you are one. It is not how you “feel” but how you “believe”. It is amazing what being thankful will see you through.
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking
whom he may devour:whom resist steadfast in the faith. 1 Peter 5:8-9
The above scripture didn’t say our adversary was a roaring lion. The Scripture reads our adversary the devil walks around “as” a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. It’s one thing to be a lion but it’s another to pretend to be a lion.
The devil is a bully. He may look and sound intimidating but he can only roar. He only has one weapon going for him and that weapon is fear. If he can get us to fear by using his appearance and what he sounds like, he can control us.
God gave you everything you need to stand up to the devil. The Word is a mighty weapon to silence him. As Christians we have to learn to stand up to him by speaking the Word. He cannot make you be anything else because God has already declared who you are. His purpose in bullying you is to keep you out step, out of sync, out of balance and in opposition to that which God has declared you to be.
Don’t allow your mind to become the playground of the devil. When you stand your ground, the devil flees from you.
Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. James 4:7-8
Proverbs 4:25-27 “Let your eyes look right on [with fixed purpose], and let your gaze be straight before you. Consider well the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established and ordered aright”.
When God was leading the children of Israel to the Promised Land, they would get tired and want to turn and go back to where they had come from. Frustration kept them from continuing on because they kept forgetting where they had come from and what God had already done for them.
It is easy sometimes to get our eyes on the promises of God that have not been manifested in our lives. To continue on we must keep remembering those promises that have come to to fulfillment but with eye of faith knowing there is more. The promises of God are in front of us.
Paul tells us, “but one thing I do [it is my one aspiration]: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead….Philippians 3:13
Let your character or moral disposition be free from love of money [including greed, avarice, lust, and craving for earthly possessions] and be satisfied with your present [circumstances and with what you have]; 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!] Hebrews 13:5-6
This Scripture is awesome! There is nothing that God doesn’t know and can’t do for us. He walks with us every moment of every day. We can trust God no matter what is going on in our lives.
God will be faithful to you because it is His very nature. He knows all about your situation; you are never alone in any season of life. He has the power to meet every single need, and He knows how to move us through the various seasons of your life.
Whatever season you are in at the moment be at peace and know God is not letting you go. He is walking with you!
One of my favorite words in Scripture is the word hope.
Romans 15:13 “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” God is not merely the God of peace, the God of joy, the God of righteousness and the God of power He is also the God of hope. When you are filled with joy and peace through believing faith, the result will be that you will overflow in hope.
Romans 4:8 tells us about Abraham when he received the promise of God about the birth of his son, Isaac, long after it was physically possible for either him or his wife bear children. Verse 8 “Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” As a result, he became a father of many nations, as he had been told: “That is how many descendants you will have.”
God’s Word translation “Who, being beyond hope, upon the basis of hope believed, in order that he might become father of many nations, according to that which has been spoken with finality, in this manner will your offspring be”.
Even when Abraham and Sarah were younger Sarah was barren and could have no children. There was no possible way in the natural that they could conceive. There was no reason for them to expect to have a baby at this point in their lives. But they had a promise (a word from God). Romans 4:19 “And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about a hundred years old, nor yet the deadness of Sarah’s womb. He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God”. God gave Abraham a promise, and that promise was that he would have descendants with Sarah. On the basis of that promise (a word from God) he could now have a hope.
Abraham was beyond natural hope but he was within God’s promised hope. Faith is a heart knowing that God is able and willing to change natural circumstances to fulfill a promise He has made to you.
Never quit–all things are possible with God!
“Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Nehemiah 8:10
Joy in the Hebrew is “chedvah” meaning, rejoicing, gladness, joy. In Greek it is “chara” meaning cheerfulness, calm delight.
The Word is Good News! God’s Word produces joy in our hearts. When we read the Word we began to understand that it is God’s will for us to prosper, to be in health, to live in peace and that produces joy on the inside of us.
Once we have heard the Word that “the joy of the Lord is our strength” the devil comes immediately to steal that Word from us. He begins to use the little things to steal our joy: your hair don’t look right, the car won’t start, the coffee maker quits working at five in the morning. It is the in the little things.
Joy has been given to us by God and it is a spiritual force. This joy that has been given to us is not happiness that depends on the circumstances that we are in. It is from within us because He lives in us. The joy of the Lord is our strength. We have been given this strength to overcome anything the enemy throws our way.
Scripture tells us in Philippians 4:4 “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!
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