Fruitful in Every Good Work!

“Be ye doers of the Word, and not hearers only, For if any be a hearer of the Word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect Law of Liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a Doer of the Work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.”  ~ James 1:22-25 

From the Pastor’s Study: Our Message today challenges us to please the Lord and be Faithful in Every Good Work!  Attached to that command of the Lord is “Increase in the Knowledge of God.”  I have said so often how much we need the Word of God – this Scripture goes on to tell us why! That we might be strengthened with Might, because there is a Glorious Power that come thru the Knowledge of God’s Word. It is this strength that carries us forward in the midst of crisis. What do we need this “Might” for?  That we might have Patience, be long-suffering, and with Joyfulness!  I can’t say I am always Joyful in the midst of God requiring Patience or Longsuffering.  So we must increase ourselves in the Word of God and be “Fruitful in Every Good Work!  It is always a great + when we Give Thanks to our Heavenly Father in all the circumstances of our Life! For He has made us Partakers of an Inheritance in the Salvation – The Light, of His Only Begotten Son! Here is a powerful explanation of “Might!” Webster defines Might as:  Power, Authority, Energy, Extreme, Extraordinary; Resources wielded by someone such as the Armed Forces … Oh, what a “Mighty God” we serve. More powerful then all the Armed Forces put together!  The Church of Jesus Christ need this Strength in this hour!  His Church must stand against the evil forces of our day and be “Fruitful in Every Good Work!”  What is the work that we are called to do? I see two areas where we can work for the Lord. First in Spiritual Work and then in Physical Work. A Most powerful Scripture that points us to the Spiritual Word is found in James 1:22 “Be ye doers of the Word, and not hearers only” -- There are forgetful hearers and then there are those who are not forgetful of this command of the Lord and the “doer” is one who shall be blessed in their deed! Jesus is our Greatest example “He went about doing good!” [Acts 10:38] I hear the Words of Jesus in John 9:4 “I must work the works of Him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.” There is also the “Labour of Love” mentioned in Heb. & 1 Thess. God’s Covenant to Abraham was: Gen. 17:6 I will make thee exceedingly fruitful!        Loving You, Pastor

The Song of the Lord

“Hezekiah commanded to offer the burnt offering upon the Altar. And when the burnt offering began, the Song of the Lord began also with the trumpets, and with the instruments ordained by David king of Israel.”
  ~2 Chron. 29:27

As I prepared a Message I reached into the Psalms, the Song Book of the Church. And there in Ps. 34:1 I read “I will bless the Lord at all times: His Praise
 shall continually be in my mouth.”  My mind went quickly to last weeks Message when we read from 2 Chron. 29. The Congregation of Israelites sang the Song of the Lord while all the sacrificed animal flesh burned. Not only did they Sing, the Trumpeters, and Musicians played during that lengthy time!  So when I read in Ps. 34 David’s statement; that the Lord’s Praise would be continually in his mouth, the Spirit of the Lord nudged me to give this Message. I love what the Lord is doing today, He continues to guide me in the Scriptures for the Messages to the Body of Christ.  An explanation of “Continual” is: C “Continual Implies enduring existence often through constant renewal – reoccurring thoughts without fear …” As I meditated on this -- hmmm “Continual Praise!” The prompting of the Holy Spirit was: Think of how “Continual” our God is! He is full of Continual Compassion, His Mercy, His Grace, His forgiveness, His Truth – how thought provoking is the thought of “Continual Praise?! “Singing the Song of the Lord in our heart Continually!” David “sang” in the midst of distress, He sang when Saul tried to murder him, he sang when he was discouraged, and he sang when he was near fainting in the midst of his crisis! Ps.27 is a Song of great distress, a time of discouragement that David was going through, he recalls; “I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the Goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Then he encouraged us to “Wait on the Lord!” We have all had times of waiting, and here, we are encouraged to wait, to remember the Goodness of the Lord in Continual songs of Praise.  What a time of waiting, if we could do it with Continual Praise! “Enduring through constant renewal!” Renewing ourselves in our Faith, our commitment to Christ, and Continually with a Song of Praise in the depth of our heart! What a “Continual God” we serve! The Psalmist wrote in the 52^nd Ps. “… the Goodness of God endureth Continually!”  O let the Church enter into the Continual Song of the Lord! And Sing His Praise “more and more” Ps.71    Loving everyone of you!  Pastor

“Deep calleth unto deep …the Lord will command His Loving kindness in the daytime, and in the night His Song shall be with me and my Prayer is unto the God of my life.”  ~ Ps. 42:7-8

A Call for Sanctification

“For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: For it is Sanctified by the Word of God and Prayer. For bodily exercise profited little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having Promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.”   ~ 1 Tim. 4:4-8

In my devotions and Prayer I heard the Lord say “I’m calling for Sanctification.” And my first thought was O Lord, please don’t ask me to peach on this subject. But as I Prayed I knew it was a holy moment and God was speaking in my spirit and calling me to sanctify my life a fresh. Then I must speak this Message to Lord’s Church. It is easy to get caught up in the corruption of our world today. Our conversation sometimes moves in slang words and critical attitudes. God’s guidelines have been annihilated and this has a great effect on His Church. I was led to John 17 – In Jesus Personal Prayer to His Father, in this intimate Passage of Scripture, our Lord Prays for us. Jesus reminds His Father, He has given us His Word – then He Prays for us: Vs9 “I pray for them: I Pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are Thine.” As we move through this Chapter, We hear Jesus Pray …Vs 17 “Sanctify them through Thy Truth: Thy Word is Truth.”  And the Lord’s desire for us is: “I in them, and Thou in Me, that they may be made perfect in One; and that the world may know that Thou hast sent Me, and hast Loved them, as thou hast Loved Me.” There is an Old Testament Sanctification and then we see Sanctification in the New Testament. Check out 2 Chronicles 29. Hezekiah comes into Kingship and He calls for the Priests and the Levities to sanctify themselves and the Temple and ultimately the congregation of the Israelites. This immediate Call for Sanctification of the Temple and God’s people in the Old Testament is quite unique. It required the following: Seven bullocks, seven rams, seven lambs, seven goats. These animals must be killed and their blood sprinkled on the Altar. The Sacrifices were to be burned and The Priests and Levites were to bring all manner of instruments and when the burn offering began, Vs27, “the Song of the Lord began with the instruments and all the Congregation worshiped, and the Singers sang, and the trumpeters sounded: and all the congregation continued until the burnt offering finished!” And today we will explore the New Testament meaning ‘to be sanctified.’ As I Prayerfully pursued Sanctification and its meaning I knew the Lord is speaking to His Church in preparation for His Coming. His Great desire is that we will set ourselves apart from the world and be a witness of Who He is in our life! And that we will pursue His Holiness and to pursue His Righteousness, that our desires might be acceptable to our Lord and Saviour. With the Old Testament thoughts in mind, how awesome is the New Testament Sanctification?! Jesus Blood is our cleansing power, and His Mercy and Grace is readily available to all who desire to be Set Apart for Him!  Loving you and Pursuing Him, Pastor