Coffee with The Pastor - The Tongue and What it Says

Our tongue defines us. How we speak truly defines who we are. What people think of us is almost completely defined by what we say. The truth is that years of kindness, kind words and kind acts can be utterly destroyed and even erased in mere seconds by harsh words. Yes our tongues define us!

We all know someone who just cannot seem to find one nice thing to say. They are foul-mouthed and critical. They are abusive and condescending. They seem to speak in anger, bitter tones, and they use words that are consistently cutting, biting and negative.

Think for a moment. How do you feel about this person?

Well, if you're wise you would do well to not let your guard down around such a person. Quite frankly, you likely wouldn't want to spend large amounts of time around such a person.

Now, the truth is that our mouths define us. It reveals us to be someone that others can trust or someone that others should avoid.

Whatever is true of your tongue today does not have to be true forever. God can forgive that filthy mouth of yours and The Holy Spirit can change it! You just have to let Him.

"For we all often stumble and fall and offend in many things. And if anyone does not offend in speech [never says the wrong things], he is a fully developed character and a perfect man, able to control his whole body and to curb his entire nature." (James 3:2 AMPLIFIED)

Pray Church!

CHURCH, what we need from you is to put away our denominational differences, our doctrinal differences and our worship differences. RIGHT NOW IT'S TIME TO COME TOGETHER AND PRAY!!

Lord bring peace to our cities and stop the violence. In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Coffee with The Pastor - Faith and Deeds

Society changes when real people with real faith do real works that make a real difference in the real struggles of real people in our society.

Believe...and then do something about it!

"What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead." (James 2:14-17 NIV)

ALL GOOD!!

Yea, It's "All Good" because God says so! Yes, im thankful for these folks!

"For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving; for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer." (I Timothy 4:4-5 NKJV)

Coffee with The Pastor - It's Okay to be Different

So you say that you weren't the same as the other kids in school. Your clothes fit a little different than  some of the other kids clothes fit them because they were "hand-me-downs". You wasn't the top athlete or perhaps you weren't athletic at all. Perhaps you never achieved the grades to be an Honor Student or never scored good enough to even once make the Honor Roll. You wasn't popular. You weren't  accepted. You couldn't afford what others have and you doubt that you ever will.

Well, if anyone feels like this or has felt like this, let me tell you...YOUR PLACE IN SOCIETY HAS ABSOLUTELY NO BEARING AT ALL ON YOUR PLACE IN THE KINGDOM!

Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 1:27-29, "But God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things - and the things that are not - to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before Him."

God uses the weakest, poorest, most unknown, and ill-placed people to accomplish great things in His Kingdom. He does this so that the world will clearly see that it is His greatness, His grace, His power, and His goodness that brings all of these things about.

As Kingdom People, we should use our influence as Christians to be the arbiters of what is right and true and fair and good. We should be the hands and feet of Jesus in the world. We must be the ones who give. We must be the ones who give and not take. We must be the ones who serve, not demand. We must be the ones who bring freedom, not bondage.

Some in this world who have means (position, reputation, finance, prestige and social status)...and place everything that they are into these things (worshipping worldly things), serve a model that calls them to preserve their existence.

BUT Jesus says, "For whoever wants to save their life  will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.  What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?  For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done." (Matthew 16:25-27 NIV)

Notice the last few words of Jesus in this Scripture, "He will reward each person according to what they have done"...NOT for what they have (possessions).

IT'S OK TO BE DIFFERENT...in this life, in this time and in this world. You must know that God doesn't view you lessor than someone else, He wants to give you the Kingdom!

"Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?" (James 2:5 NIV)

This IS the Day that The LORD has made!!

I took this picture on the 16th Tee-box while golfing with my Brother Ken. This scripture says it all.

Our "Driving" ahead is indeed The Lord's doing and it is Marvelous in our eyes as we look down range aiming to advance, move and to continue in Him.

What's more is the knowledge that He's doing Marvelous things again today...but not like yesterday, today is brand new with new grace and new mercy and He has set "Marvelous" before us yet again.

So we start this day knowing that "THIS IS THE DAY THAT THE LORD HAS MADE; WE WILL REJOICE AND BE GLAD IN IT."

Coffee with The Pastor - JUST DO IT!!

Apart from reading the Word, there is something else that we must do, which is very important. Once you read the Word, you then have to obey it. It’s like a contract between you and God: you do your part and obey the Word, and He does His part to give you all the advantages that the Word promises.

This is why the apostle James said, “But be doers of the Word, and not hearers only” (James 1:22). James goes on to say that if anyone is only a listener of the Word but not a doer, he is like someone who observes his natural face in the mirror. He may observe the kind of person he is (because of studying God’s Word)—patient, kind, respectful, giving, etc.—but when he walks away from that mirror, he forgets that he is that person. But if he instead looks into the mirror of the Word and reflects the Word, he will be blessed in all that he does (James 1:23-25).

But even way before James, God was telling His people to obey His Word. Check out what God told Joshua when he took over the leadership of Israel, after the death of Moses:

Joshua 1:8 This Book of the Law (this was the Word of God for His people in that day) shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.

God was telling Joshua that he and the children of Israel need to remind themselves often of what the Word says and to do what is written in His Word, because that will make them well off and successful.

The same goes for us as Christians in this day and age. We must do more than just hear the Word; we’ve got to follow through...JUST DO IT!!!

Coffee with The Pastor - Weeds and Seeds. What are we allowing to be Planted in us?

IT'S SPRINGTIME!! It is the time for newness and new growth. It is the time to Plant and to tend to what has been Planted! In order for the good things in our lives to flourish, we must uproot the weeds or the bad things that are growing with the sole purpose of destroying the good seed that has been Planted.

So this morning, I earnestly pray that daily we purposely seek God through His Holy Word. I pray that daily we open our eyes and our hearts to receive from Him His gift of life and to receive His love in our lives. I pray that each day we "Accept the planting of His Word" into our hearts and that our spirits are fed.

Now, I know that we haven't always done this. There was a time that we allowed worldly things to be planted in our life. There was a time when inappropriate talk and inappropriate images entered into our ears, our eyes and eventually these same things came into our heart. While they may not have had any affect on us in the short term (at first we enjoyed it), but over time they took root. Please know that If they are consistently watered with a continual flow of more inappropriate talk and images, they begin to flourish (like weeds) and will ultimately take over both our personal and spiritual lives.

What I'm trying to get at is this, WHATEVER we allow to be planted in us is EXACTLY what will grow out of us!

Today and every day, allow The Holy Spirit to plant Good Seed. Today allow The Holy Spirit to get rid of the "Moral Filth and Evil" which are the weeds in our lives that will try to overtake the Good Seed that is being planted.

Today, "Humbly Accept God's Planted Word in You!"

Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. (James 1:21 NIV)

Coffee with The Pastor - God is Always Good!

Have you ever noticed how difficult it can be to try to keep up with the latest, most happening and the coolest issues or activities in our world or community. Let's think even smaller...can we imagine how difficult it is for our young folks to keep up with all of the "socially acceptable" sayings and appearances in Middle and High Schools?

Things change way too fast and what was cool yesterday, is not cool today, and if you're still doing it tomorrow then you can and will be ridiculed and even perhaps ostracized by those who you thought were your friends and those who you was trying so desperately to please.

Know today that God is not like that! He "does not change like shifting shadows." God's ways are right and true. They always have been and they always will be.

Following God's prescription for our lives is always healing and always helpful. God gives "good and perfect" gifts to those who will follow Him. God gives health, peace, joy, prosperity and strength to those who will Chase His Truth instead of chasing the feelings, acceptance and opinions of this world.

As you go about your day, Chase THIS Truth....

"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." (James 1:17 NIV)

Coffee with The Pastor - Temptation and Sin

We must know that every temptation cannot be attributed to the devil. We must know that every illegal, illicit, ill advised, irrelevant and indecent thing we do cannot be blamed on our DNA, our parents,  our families, our cultures or our socioeconomic status.

We have gotten to a point that we would want to blame anything or anyone else as long as we don't have to blame ourselves.

It is our desires that "drag" us away and "entice" us to do wrong, and we repeatedly give in to them. This is when temptation is "conceived" and what comes after conception? Birth...and what is birthed is now real life sin! This sin then grows like a cancer affecting our lively hood, our careers, our families and our relationships. Ultimately the result of sin is death.

Sin is sneaky! At first, it seems to bring peace, happiness and fun. Then we begin to really yearn for the sin. That yearning then leads us to need the sin, and ultimately, the sin owns us. This is true in all kinds of sinfulness, from lying to cheating, from drinking to drugs, from adultery to fornication; the cancerous process of death that is released when we give in to sin is real and it is truly deadly.

"When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death." (James 1:13-15 NIV)

But there is GOOD NEWS...

"Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that The Lord has promised to those who love Him." (James 1:12 NIV)

Coffee with The Pastor - PERSPECTIVE

Some would say, "Ain't never had anything", "Ain't from nowhere special", "Ain't never done nothing", "Ain't got the education", "Ain't got the financial resources or backing"...Aint, Ain't and Ain't!

"Ain't" is the lense that we often look through when we look at ourselves and through our own perceived thoughts of our circumstances. However, WHEN GOD GETS AHOLD OF OUR PERSPECTIVE, then we start to realize that we are perfectly positioned to be the one that God wants to use!

Let God flip our perceptions and perspectives! When we are perceived as, "Ain't nobody.  Ain't from nowhere. Ain't never done nothing," Then God gets all the glory from everything we accomplish. We don't need to be rich or powerful to be of value...WE ONLY NEED GOD!

Perspective is one of the most important things we can achieve in life. God's presence, power and favor change our perspective on our lives entirely.

Our "humble circumstances" should be seen as an opportunity. Those circumstances have us perfectly positioned to become an incredible praise report to the glory of God. We NEED Him, and that is awesome.

"Believers in humble circumstances ought to take pride in their high position." (James 1:9 NIV)

Now, that's a new perspective!

Coffee with the Pastor

My brother Ken gave this to me yesterday. This is a 5 week look into the book of James, that Pastor Mike, of New Life Wesleyan Church has written and will teach and preach from over the next 5 weeks. The growth of this congregation is so enormous that this Pastor simply cannot sit with everyone to have intimate conversation about the power of God's Word and how it applies in our lives. This is the reason for "Coffee with the Pastor".  Well, I have both my coffee and Bible and this morning I'm starting Day #1. Praise God and thanks Ken!

Simple Faith and Plain Truth!

Jesus Will Fill Your Emptiness!

Your problem is NOT insignificant. Jesus cares about you and wants to fill your emptiness.

Your life; your situation; your circumstances; your relationships; your desires; your joy & happiness; your success; and your hopes & dreams are NOT insignificant to Jesus.

Jesus tells His disciples at a wedding celebration to FILL UP that which is EMPTY!!

Where are you empty and why are you remaining empty? Let Jesus fill you to overflow right now, right where you're at! He's done it for others and He desires to do it for YOU!

"On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.”    “Woman,    why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My hour has not yet come.”    His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”   Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons.    Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water” ; so they filled them to the brim." (John 2:1-7 NIV)

LOVE

If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.   Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.   Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.   And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. (1 Corinthians 13:1-13 NIV)

Engage Don't Escape!

Jesus shows us what happens when we confront our enemies with the Gospel. Paul was once one of the biggest trouble makers of the church and of those who followed Christ. Do you know someone who just wants to give you a hard time about the church? Do you know someone who continues to bad mouth your faith? Do you know someone who has something negative to say about those who call on the name of Jesus?  Well if you do, what are you doing about it?

I have always been of the understanding that the things that we complain about most are the things that we least understand.  Instead of ignoring them, walking away or dismissing them as ignorant, try engaging them and telling them of The Gift of God.  It would be an awesome testimony for the one that you take time to engage; I know because I have that testimony myself. 

Yes, someone took the time to tell me about a Savior. Someone took the time to tell me about the forgivenss of my sins. Someone took the time to tell me that I am accepted just as I am.  Someone took the time to tell me that I am loved.

May you take the Gospel to every man, woman, boy and girl and may this be the report that is spread throughout your community as a result of your sharing: 

“The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.” (Galatians 1:23 NIV)

ENCOURAGE YOURSELF TODAY!

There's just something about that moment when you settle in your mind that you can; that you will; and that it is meant to be.

Time to get up and get out to make it happen! #Motivated

The Second Word!

I'm excited to be preaching the 2nd Word of Christ from The Cross tonight!! This Word truly portrays our world in which we live.  Like the two criminals being crucified with Jesus, we too are found to be guilty.

Some of us follow the opinion of the crowd and mock Jesus, ridicule His existence and insult His divinity.

The first criminal who followed the crowd taunted Jesus by saying, "Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself and save us." Notice that Jesus never responded to this noise.

The 2nd criminal, he chose not to follow the crowd, if only for an instant. It was when he decided to look at Christ, he came to realize who Jesus was.  Well, TODAY HE'S IN PARADISE!

I encourage you today to not get caught up in the hype of the crowds and to not be overcome by the noise and the nonsense of worldly knowledge. Like the first criminal, you will surely lose your soul and will spend eternity apart from God.

The difference, the first criminal made an appeal to "get down"...the second made an appeal to be "LIFTED UP"!

What's your appeal on this Good Friday?

The Second Word - "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in Paradise." (Luke 23:43)

There's a Cross for Everyone, And There's a Cross for Me

There's no such thing as a "Cross-less" Christianity! If someone is trying to sell you such a religion, don't buy into the lie!!!

"Must Jesus bear the cross alone,
And all the world go free?
No, there's a cross for everyone,
And there's a cross for me."

Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. (Matthew 16:24 NKJV)