Pastor's Blog

The new church property on which we live seems as if it is about to burst forth with all sorts of spring blossoms of abundant colors and new life that we have not yet witnessed.  Before long, this campus will begin to appear as a park, yearning to boast of its beauty!

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if all of God’s people would have the same mind and heart craving; to bloom and bear much fruit for the Lord?  Jesus said, “Abide in Me and I in you and you shall bear much fruit and your fruit will remain.”  As I have said before, “We are a variety flowers in the garden of God.”

More than attracting hungry and thirsty souls to our property because of its beauty, it is our prayer that seekers would first and foremost be fascinated by the glow on the faces of our members, and experience the love of God for them no matter what tarnished background others may bring with them.  The Lord is the Gardener and He is able to provide “streams in the desert.”

Pastor's Blog

As the Church of Christ experiences some of the most challenging days of its existence, we need to remind each other,

·       That it is Jesus Christ  who is the Head!

·       He is the One who will be magnified, worshiped and adored!

·       “He is able to do…!”

“He alone is worthy to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing!”

·       Only Jesus can turn the sinner into a saint!

·       Only Jesus can save a marriage from destruction!

·       Only Jesus can satisfy the longings of the soul!

·       Only Jesus can forgive our awful sins, deliver us from guilt and give us peace of mind and heart!

Jesus Christ is God’s “EVERYTHING” for our NOTHING!

Remember,  We all have a great need for Christ;  and we also have a great Christ for our need!

·       In His LIFE, we have the great example in showing us how to live!

·       In His DEATH, we have the great example in showing us how to die to self!

·       In His RESURRECTION, we have the great Conqueror, giving us victory over the grave!

·       In His ASCENSION, the great King, who has gone to prepare His Kingdom!

·       In His INTERCESSION, we have the Great High Priest, who ever lives to plead our case at the Father’s right hand!

·       In His RETURN, we have the great Groom who will come to take His Bride away!

This is why Isaiah could truthfully call Him, “Wonderful, Counselor, Almighty God, Everlasting Father and the Prince of Peace!”

What was it that gave Jesus such an “electric affect” on the people during His earthly pilgrimage that continues to this day?

What is it that shatters the darkness or blindness that is found in every nation, among every race and in every culture we may be sent to? 

It is the Truth about Jesus Christ!

Pastor's Blog

1 John 4 is what I call the “Second Love Chapter” of the Bible.

While 1 Cor. 13 attempts to “define” God’s love “in us,” 1 John 4 identifies the “cause and effect” of God’s love.

·       The Cause (source) – is God and His love in us.

·       The Effect -- is that we love God and others.

If there is anything in all the world we need more of, it would be God’s love shed abroad on our hearts by the Holy Spirit.

If we will only allow Him, God will “intensify” that love for Him (and others) to a point where we may respond like Jesus would,

Some of us may have deep hurts, bad memories, guilt or shame.  There is a sure remedy for all that, and it’s called “God’s Love soothing the hurts and covering a multitude of sins!”

Now, Jesus made it very clear that NO person can be a “friend of Christ” who is not ALSO a friend of his neighbor.  This passage from 1 John says the same thing.  The question is, how can we “intensify” our love for others?

Pray to Have the Heart of Christ.  We’re talking about the same Compassion that moved Jesus to feed the 5,000!  Or, to embrace the little children that loved to gather around Him.  Or, to agonize over the lost condition of those who say mean things to us instead of reacting to their surface condition.  Look beyond their fault and see their need.  Christ-like compassion is NOT “knowing about” the suffering others are going through.  It is:

1.    Knowing the pain

2.    Entering into it

3.    Sharing it

4.    Tasting it

5.    Experiencing it

6.    This is all called “Empathy!”

Have you ever taken a real trip down into the broken heart of a friend?  To feel the sob of the soul.  To sit down with the broken hearted and silently weep! 
John Wesley – “O Father of mercies, grant that I may look upon the defect of my neighbor as if they were my own, that I may conceal and be protective of my neighbor; and that Your love for us, O Blessed Jesus, would become the pattern of my love to them!” 
Do we realize that we are the “incarnation” of God’s love to the world?    Would be to God, that He would send to this loving congregation people whom Jesus was attracted to!  Who would that be?

Pastor's Blog

 "Here, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.  You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your might!"  Duet. 6:4-5.  Jesus quoted this passage, called the Shema, at least 3 times in the Gospels.   

John said in his epistle that, “we love God because He first loved us!”  God has loved His people from the beginning and only desires that we love Him as well.

Sadly, most people never understand the Love of God and do not experience that love in their own hearts.  To be loved by God and to love Him in return is the greatest interaction of expressions and emotions that anyone could ever know!  Yet, it is the most lacking in the heart of humanity today!

There are billions of wandering souls who long to be loved and unfortunately are unable to love anyone else as they could.  The reminder of the Shema is to love the Lord God with all that is within us (heart, soul, strength)!  For that to be possible, God must become our “first love.”

We are unable to have that relationship with the Lord if we do not have the Holy Spirit possessing us. He enables us to love God.  Ask the Lord to send the Holy Spirit into your innermost being, so He might transform your mind, spirit and body.  Paul said that is the only reasonable thing we are to do.