Emblems of Lent

The whole world is obsessed with emblems. Emblem explained means: a symbol, or distinctive object of a nation, an organization, or a family Crest/coat of arms.  It is an item usually serving as a symbolic representation of a particular quality or concept. By quality, it is excellent of character – Peculiar ….  By Concept, it is an emblem to publicize what you have to offer, such as in business, in sports, -- in Christianity! Emblems remind us of something most often of quality, or of great importance. I’m beginning with these words to build the Message for today: We understand the Emblem of the Bread and the Fruit of the Vine that Jesus gave to His Disciples. Most important to the Christian Family. We see the cup drawn with grapes, the Bread upon a plate and sometimes the plate will read “This do in remembrance of Me.” If we are a hawk fan, we wear an emblem, or we might wear an emblem of another college or team. The emblem reminds us of some specific thing. Christians and sometimes non-Christians wear a Cross, or people for Israel might wear a Star of David … to day we look at Emblems of the Lenten Season. This is meant to draw us more closely into the Holy Season as we remember our Lord and Saviour. The emblems we will see today are: Sand, A Stone, Silver coins, A Cross, and a Candle.  Each item symbolizes the “Peculiar” path our Lord and Saviour followed as He carried out the Commission of His Heavenly Father. He walked thru the sands of the desert, a lonely place. When we see the Stone, we remember … He is the Stone the builders rejected! Thirty Pieces of Silver, the song writer sings, “The price of a slave” – The Cross is our emblem of security, because of Jesus death, we have Eternal Life! And then we view the Candle … Jesus is the Light of the World and gloriously we read in Revelation [21:23] Speaking of the Eternal City of God -- “The city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the Glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the Light thereof.” O Hallelujah! May we experience once more the great “Forgiving Power” of our Saviour! And with great expectation we look for His soon return! Jesus became flesh, that through His broken body we might have Salvation.    Loving you, Pastor

Benediction

Most Holy Father, You have sacrificed Your Son that we might have Eternal Life. O God help us never to take for granted Jesus broken Body and His Life Blood that was shed for our Salvation. In this Holy Lenten Season we once more remember the Price that Jesus has paid for us. We are Your Peculiar people set apart from the things of this world and abiding in Your Light. As we are reminded of these emblems, may be once more kneel in Your presence to give thanks for Eternal Destination that is in You, our God, and our Saviour! O Holy Ghost refresh our hearts and our minds. Give us the strength that is in the most Powerful Name of Jesus. We desire to be Over-comers, people of Spiritual quality, excellent in Christian character. Through Your precious Blood, the Blood of the Lamb we will overcome. Asking in the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost,  Amen

God Said

And God said, Let us make man in Our Image, after Our Likeness: So God created man in His Own Image, in the Image of God created He him; male and female created He them.  And God blessed them …  Gen 1:26-28

From The Pastor’s Study: I’m sure some time as you have been witnessing to an individual, they have said, “I love God!” or “Yes, I believe in God!” Today we want to renew some things that God has said which are very powerful to the life we have today. If one believes in God, then do they know what God has said? For the Word of God houses His Miracle working power in the earth. So lest we forget, let us renew our thoughts concerning God and some of the things that He has said. While these “sayings” were said many years ago, I read in Scripture … Everything that God has said, it is written for our learning.  Rom. 15 clarifies this as we read VS4 “For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have Hope.” The proverbs continues to speak about the “learning process” -- Prov 1:5 “A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:”  Prov 9:9-10 “Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the Holy is understanding.” In this Message today we will be reminded of some things that God has said: … In the beginning of all things, the Spirit of God moved upon earth and God began to speak. His first statement was “Let there be light:” So began our night and day. Can we even imagine how it was in that moment of time? There was no form until the Spirit of God moved upon the earth and God spoke forth the Light. We know it was the visible light, but could it have been the introduction of Christ, for we read “He is the Light of the world!” When one says they believe in God, what do they know about Him? Do they know what is in His heart toward humanity? When God spoke to Noah, it is evident that He was moved by the violence and cleared off the earth save Noah & family. O Church we need to “Hear” what the Spirit is saying to the Church today … Jesus cries out in the Revelation several times: “He that hath an ear let him hear!” May we hear afresh some of the Messages God has spoken and realize they are as powerful today as they were the day He said them.  Always loving you, Pastor

Benediction

Lord God of all flesh, how we adore You, how we Praise You for your Awesome Covenant that You have given to mankind. Thank You for sending Jesus who brings the “Better Covenant” for Your people. You give us the physical light, but more important the Light that floods our soul with Redemptive Power! We are the flesh that You desire! Help us to store up Treasure in heaven, help us to Hear Your Words!  We have heard them; we are to love you with a whole heart, soul, mind, and strength and our neighbor as our self! Out of Your store house of Redemption: there is Love, Joy, and Peace; may we receive of Your heart that which You desire of us Personally. We ask this in Your Holy Name, the Name of Your Son, Jesus and the Power of the Holy Ghost!  Amen

Let's Talk About the Wall

There is a lot of talk these days about a “Wall.” Today’s Message deals with the plan of God. There is also talk of building a wall in the Bible.  It is all part of God’s dealing with mankind. Of course we are speaking of His Wall that is built in Jerusalem. During the wars of the Old Testament, the walls of Jerusalem had been burned and broken down. Nehemiah, a Jew, in captivity, was a servant of the King. He had received word concerning the City of Jerusalem, which he loved:  Neh.1:3 “And they said unto me, The remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach: the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down, and the gates thereof are burned with fire. And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven …” When Nehemiah came before the King to serve him, the King inquired why he seemed so sad. Nehemiah’s reply was: “I prayed unto the God of heaven;” VS5 and I said “If it please the king, and if thy servant have found favour in thy sight, that thou wouldest send me unto Judah, unto the city of my fathers' sepulchres, that I may build it. And thus follows the rebuilding of the Walls of Jerusalem. It would be good in this Holy Season of Lent to read the Book of Nehemiah. For our Country is in a distressed time of anxiety and the saints of God must call upon God for direction. It is in fasting and Prayer that God will work for America, even as He did for Israel. Somehow, what I see in this awesome Account of Old Testament History, the Revelation of what our Salvation means. Eph. 2:14-16 tells us Jesus is our Peace, He hath broken down the middle wall of partition, that is, He open the way to God, abolished the Law and reconciled us personally unto to God thru Jesus Death and Now … He prepares a glorious “Walled” city for the Believers as Jesus prepares to come for His Bride. Physical Walls broken, Glorious walls built to surround the saints of God in Eternal Life.  Can you envision the Eternal City?  ~ Always Loving you, Pastor

Benediction

O God, how great You are to us! You break down the walls of the enemy and you raise up the glorious and beautiful walls that surround Your city! Thank You Jesus for preparing a place for us, the walled city of the New Jerusalem! Thank you for making a way that we could enter into your presence personally and boldly to commune with you and to make our petitions known. You encamp about us, and protect us from the evil of our day. You have given to us the “indwelling” of Your Presence because of Jesus! O God Minister to us, Your People, in this Holy Season of Your Suffering I Pray, sustain us in our disciple that we might be strengthened Spiritually!  We are Overcomers because of your Sacrifice. We humbly ask this in Your Holy Name, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.  Amen