The Comforter Has Come

August 18, 2013  

“The Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in My name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.  ~ John 14:26

My heart was stirred as I shared the Message: “Ye Are The Body of Christ!”  In 1Cor. 6:19-20:  we are reminded of this Scripture: “…Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.” As we meditate upon this let us see the depth of what God desires of His people! There is frailty in the Body of Christ; this is why our Heavenly Father has sent His Gifts and Promises. These Gifts and Promises come through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.  The Baptism of the Holy Ghost is given to the Body of Christ for various reasons which we will see in the Message today.   The Comforter is the Holy Ghost; most often when we think of the Holy Ghost we first think of the Baptism of the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in tongues. This truly is the power behind the Baptism of the Holy Ghost. But today we want to give a personal look at the Holy Ghost, for He is a great part of the “Gifts of God!” Jesus declares “The Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, will be sent from My Father and in My Name. We quickly learn that the “Comforter is the Spirit of Truth, He will testify of Jesus, He will reprove the world of sin, He will guide us into Truth, and He will show us things to come. He will dwell with us and shall be in us, He will teach us and bring all things to our remembrance,” Things of Eternal Life, the Strength of His Word, the offer of Salvation, etc. O how we need the Comforter of our Lord! In the Old Testament in Eccl. 4:1 again we hear the humanness of mankind; “I …considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold the tears of such as were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter.” Then came Jesus with “I will not leave you Comfortless: I will come to you!”  Giving Thanks for His awesome Love!   And loving you, Pastor

Gifts of God

August 11, 2013  

“Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the Gift of God, and Who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of Him, and He would have given thee Living Water.”                       ~ John 4:10

Today we explore the ‘Gifts that God’ has given to the saints and unto His Church. It is amazing to find so much information on His Glorious Gifts. For instance in Ecclesiastes we find a most unique passage: 3:13 “…Every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the Gift of God.” The thought of Ecclesiastes is that Solomon was writing later in life; it is his human reasoning. Even in this state of feeling that everything was vanity and vexation; still he recognized the Gift of God.  Again in Chapter 5 vs. 19 he recognizes that riches come from God and are a Gift of God. It would be to our good to remember that all the blessings, whether of humanness or Spiritual are Gifts from God. However, in this message we want to examine the Spiritual Graces that God has imparted to t he Church, which are known as Gifts of God. “Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable Gift.” His first and so awesome Gift is Jesus, our Saviour. There is a song that runs through my mind as we talk about the Gift of God; “ and “The Gift goes on and on and On”. How true, gifts today often age, rust, or just get used up, but the Gift of God is Eternal!  Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death; but the Gift of God is Eternal Life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” The Gift of the Holy Ghost was promised by God the Father. Jesus then reminded the disciples of this Promise as he prepared to return to the Father after His Resurrection.  In Acts Chapter 2 the Holy Ghost came and baptized all who were waiting for Him. This baptism was evidenced by the “speaking in tongues.”  Some think this Gift was just for the disciples in Jesus day, but as we search for truth; this is what we find: The Gift of the Holy Ghost continues to this day! Scripture reveals this in Acts 2:28-29. After repentance, forgiveness, water baptism, we may receive the Baptism of the Holy Ghost and I quote vs. 39: “For the Promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off …” It is one of the most precious Gifts that God has given to the Body of Christ! Romans 5 tells us it is a Free Gift! There is so much to be seen as we pursue the Gifts of God in our Life! 

Loving you as we pursue Him, Pastor

Ye Are The Body The Christ

August 4, 2013

“Ye are the Body of Christ, and members in particular. God hath set some in the Church, first Apostles, secondarily Prophets, thirdly Teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, Helps, Governments, Diversities of Tongues.” ~ 1 Cor.12:27-28

What an awesome thought, we are the Body of Christ.  When is the last time we gave some depth to our thoughts regarding our position in Christ?  If this were a daily recognition it would probably change our activities and our responses in our life.  We are the Body of Christ! We are His representative in all that we think or do.  There is a responsibility in our daily life to show that we are Christ’s. This involves our example as a believer, our conversation, our character and our involvement with the unbeliever.   Jesus has given us a way of being a part of Himself.  It is through the Communion Table, the emblems that He shared with His disciples that remind us of Him.  1^st Cor.10:16 talks about this and tells us the Cup and the Bread are the Communion of the Body of Christ.  Eph. 3 tells us that in other ages this was not known, but it has been revealed by the Apostles, Prophets, and the Spirit, that we are fellow heirs of the same Body, and partakers of his Promise.  The Promise in Christ!  So again I draw your attention to 1^st. Cor.12:27 “Ye are the Body of Christ!”  God has given to us through Jesus, a Promise.  That Promise entails the Holy Ghost.  He, the Holy Ghost came fifty days after Jesus leaving the earth.  He came to illuminate the Father, and the Son to us, to empower us with Gifts, and to be a Comfort to the Body of Christ. I am sure there are a multitude of more thoughts and reasons for His Coming, but if we begin here in His Promise, empowered by the Holy Ghost, and Comforted in our daily journey, we will accomplish some powerful things for the Kingdom of God.  O that there would be an advancement in the Kingdom work in these last days, and may we come to the reality that we are the Body of Christ and Father God is counting on us!  Loving you, Pastor