Upon This Rock

“...Upon this Rock I will build My Church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it!”   ~Matthew 16:18 

In a day of ‘sinking sand’ it is good to know that our Hope is built on an unmovable Rock. The above Scripture talks about the Church being build upon a Rock. The question may arise, “Who is the Rock?” Know that The Rock was, the Rock is, and the Rock always shall be! We hear about this Rock in Deut. 32:3 “...Ascribe ye greatness unto our God. Vs4 He is the Rock, His work is perfect: for all His ways are judgment: a God of Truth and without iniquity, just and right is He.” All through Scripture we hear about the Rock. I believe the Lord would inspire us in this Message if we ‘hear’ what the Scripture is saying to us.  We need to know that we are grounded-safe-secure; as we see the ‘signs’ of the time – There is a time of evil; which if we have read the Scriptures, we know that God has burned up a city for less sin then reins in our society today! What is staying the hand of God from the wickedness of our world, His Grace, His Mercy, His Everlasting Love for His people. The People of the Rock!  Questions arise, are we wise men & women, are we building our house upon the Rock? Only a house [talking spiritually here] that is built upon the Rock can stand against the winds of adversity, the floods of trouble, the vehement heat of strife and discontentment in our day. Such things unfolded as the Israelites wondered in the wilderness – but then see who was with them! 1 Cor 10:4 They “...did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that Spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ. Jesus the Chief Corner Stone is the power that holds us firm in the Fathers hand. No wonder the Psalmist sings, “He is my Rock and my Salvation; He is my defense, I shall not be moved!” Loving you, Pastor

The First Commandment

Who can quote the First Commandment? Probably many people can, and even those who are not of the Christian Faith.  Sometimes we hear things so often that the depth of such a statement becomes a very common place and so shallow.  Jesus proclaimed this Commandment when He was asked “Master, which is the great Commandment in the Law?”  Jesus answered: “Thou shalt Love the Lord thy God with all thy Heart, and with all thy Soul, and with all thy Strength, and with all thy Mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.” Luke 10:27 everything we do stand on this Commandment of God. How we serve one another, how we Minister, how we live our life as an example of God’s way! Love today is a common word, rarely meaning what it is to activate God’s Love. What moves the hand of God in regards to Love?  A good look at 1 Cor. 13 should cause a “selah” in our spirit, that is to stop and give some depth of thought to the meaning of Love; for we are given a “First & Great Commandment” to Love God! To be brief: If we speak in tongues, have a gift of prophecy, knowledge, and great Faith that even moves mountains and feeds the poor ... we are nothing if we do not have God’s Kind of Love. What is God’s explanation of Love?  Well, it suffers long, it is kind, it does not envy, nor display boastfully vainglory, does not behave itself unseemly [act indecent in sacred matters], is not self-centered, not easily angry, and thinks no evil. God’s kind of Love rejoices in Truth, Believes, Hopes, and endures the trials of life. Such Love never fails and abides in Faith, Hope, Charity, and the greatest of all is Charity! Charity defined by Webster’s Dictionary is: “Christian Love!” Christian Love can only come by sensing the depth of God’s Love, a Love that would send His Only Begotten Son to die for OUR sins. What will we do for those who trespass against us? To trespass is a violation of moral or social ethics, or to put it simply “hurt our feelings or disagree with us, etc.”  This is truly a day of moral decay and could the God kind of Love have lost it’s valuable meaning in our lives? Let the Church of the Living God arise and truly display His Love!  For such “Love will cover a multitude of sins.”  -1Peter 4:8 “Above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.”  Not that God will overlook sin, but He will give us the Grace to overlook the faults in one another and not hold grudges!
Loving you, Pastor

Who Shall Prosper?

A lot has been said in the Christian world regarding Prosperity so I thought we might see what the God’s Word has to say about it. We are truly living at a point in time where we need to have the knowledge of God in respect to Prospering.  Scripture has a lot to say about those who desire to Prosper. In the above Scripture it talks about Meditating in the Law of God day and night. The Promise that comes with Meditating in the Laws of God is a Fruitful Season in your life, without any withering. I think that “Selah” should follow that thought! The Word of God is an awesome power that strengthens one and causes them to Prosper!  The emphasis here is not to Prosper in ‘monies’ but to Prosper in the things of God, which is the Power of His Word and the Spiritual strength that comes from Meditating in the Scriptures. An admonition was given to Joshua [1:8-9] – Joshua 1:8-9 Again we hear that the Law of God “Thou shalt meditate therein day and night,” and “observe to do according to all that is written: for then thou shalt make thy way Prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.”  The Promise here as to “Who Shall Prosper” is one who Meditates in the Word of god and observes to follow it – they shall have good success!  How great is the Word of God, it is such a powerful strength to our life, if only we would Meditate upon it! Meditation in the ‘night watches’ is talked about in Ps 63. Such Meditation begins with Blessing God and being satisfied with Him; having a mouth filled with Praise and Joyful lips! Remembering Him, meditating upon Him as sense sleep in near–remembering He has been your help, you have been in the shadow of His wings, this brings forth more rejoicing and causes your soul to follow hard after Him as you fall asleep! We note God’s desire toward us in 3 John 2 “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.” Loving you, Pastor

“He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth

and forsaketh them shall have Mercy.  Happy is the man that feareth

alway: but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief.”  ~ Prov. 28:13-14