The Lord Must Build the Church

Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do
the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will
remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.
Revelation 2:5

Jesus not only establishes the church but also removes a church when it
loses its value to the kingdom. If a church doesn’t witness, doesn’t
cause people to learn the truth, and doesn’t pray or if a church is
only formed by customs and catering to the flesh, not advancing the
kingdom of God, the Lord doesn’t want His name on it. You can look at the histories of some churches and some denominations and see that they
started out on fire for God, doing the great works of God. Today those
denominations are totally cold and losing members. What happened? Their
candlesticks were removed.

The…

You shall not murder.
Exodus 20:13

Speaking Life

Most people would never think of breaking this commandment by murdering someone.

In fact it’s easy to skip right over this commandment, thinking, “Well I wouldn’t do that, so, moving right along….”

Be careful! Jesus teaches us in Matthew 5:21-22 that unjust anger and refusing to forgive are acts of murder that we commit in our hearts. He says, “Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment. But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment.”

How often have we “killed” one another by holding grudges, hatred and anger over them? How often have we worked to secretly tear down others with our words and our gossip, speaking death over their lives and over their works?

I challenge you to search your heart for signs that…

King  Of Hearts

Mark 4:30, “And he said, Whereunto shall we liken the kingdom of God? or with what comparison shall we compare it?”

MARK 4:30-34

The word “kingdom” means “the realm over which a king rules.” When applied to God, it could refer to all creation, since “his kingdom ruleth over all” (Ps. 103:19), but the kingdom more often applies to His rule in and through those who are submitted to Him. “The Kingdom of God” more specifically refers to Christ living and ruling in our hearts. So praying “thy kingdom come” is praying for the expansion and influence of God’s rule in the hearts of men everywhere and, ultimately, the establishment of His physical Kingdom here on earth at His second coming (Rev. 11:15; 20:4).

Throughout Jesus’ earthly ministry, the Jews kept looking for Jesus to establish a physical kingdom here on…

Are You a pillar of encouragement

Encourage the Struggling

“For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. Romans 15:4”

Encourage those who’re struggling? Don’t know what to say? Then, open your Bible.

To the grief-stricken: God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”

To the jobless: “In all things God works for the good of those who love him.”

Are you a cancer survivor? Someone in the cancer ward needs to hear from you.

Have you buried a spouse and lived to smile again? Then find the recently widowed and walk with them.

Your experiences have deputized you! Paul said in 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 that God is the source of every mercy, and the one who so wonderfully comforts and strengthens us in our…

Never ending Love

1 Corinthians 13:8

“Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.”
NKJV

Have you ever thought about love in the light of eternity? One day all that we know here on earth will be changed. When Christ appears in all His glory, heaven will come to earth and our lives, homes, bodies and relationships will change forever. Yet, there is one thing that will never change. That thing is love. When we see Christ face to face, we will no longer need faith. As we glimpse the realities of heaven all around us, we will no longer cling to hope of a better day. But love will never disappear. The love that created the world and gave life to humanity will still sustain the saints in…

Are You Worthy of a Miracle!

“We do not make requests of You because we are righteous, but because of Your great
mercy. Lord, listen! Lord, forgive! Lord, hear and act! For Your sake, my God, do
not delay, because Your city and your people bear your name.” -Daniel 9:18-19

Some people don’t say yes to their miracle because they don’t feel worthy of a miracle.
They mistakenly believe that God only heals or delivers saints, or those who are
good enough or important enough for God to step in miraculously.

“With all the BIG problems in the world – why would God care about me?”

“I must have sinned and I deserve the situation I am in.”

Such cause-and-effect thinking is misleading. So, we believe we deserve our suffering,
our disease, our failed relationships, our joblessness, and we don’t think we deserve
a miracle.

We receive…

God The Grand Architect

“Your Workmanship Is Marvelous.” (Psalm 139:14)

When I tour an historic mansion and scrutinize the building’s details – the quality, design, and decor – I can draw some conclusions about its builder. Is the foundation strong? Are the walls and floors plumb and square? How well are the most intricate details constructed? Does the design flow from one room to another?

We live on a grand estate called Earth. As we look at the beauty and intricacies of our residence, we marvel at the genius of the design. When we gaze up into the heavens, we are overcome with awe at the vastness of what our Creator has brought into being. In one of the most beautiful passages in the Bible, King David describes how nature testifies to the power of God: “The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display His craftsmanship…

Honour your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you
Exodus 20:12

Why is honouring your father and mother important? One of the reasons is because our mothers and fathers go through life before we do. If we honour them-honour their wisdom, honour what they learned through their mistakes and honour the history they wrote for us, then we will naturally benefit. We will live longer because we will not need to repeat those mistakes.

I recognize that perhaps you are growing up or have grown up in a home where the parents may have done things that were not worthy of honour. If that is the case in your life, you should find a spiritual mother and a spiritual father to teach and guide you-then honour them with all your might!

Sometimes we can find our…

Bread, Seed, and Fruits. God will increase the fruits of your righteousness

Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for
your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of
your righteousness
2 Corinthians 9:10

There are three things that are happening in your finances every day of
your life as you continue to follow God. First, He will “minister bread
for your food.” He will take care of all of your needs.

Secondly, He will “multiply your seed sown.” When you receive an
unexpected gift, the first thing you should do is check with the Holy
Ghost and find out what He wants you to do with it. This money is
earmarked for sowing. The money you receive is to not only come to you,
but to also go through you. The more money that goes through you, the
more money can come…

Seek The Lord, control your emotions and then act. God will take care of the rest.

2 Corinthians 2:1

“So I decided that I would not bring you grief with another painful visit.”
NLT

In 2 Corinthians, Paul recognizes a delicate balance in confronting, challenging and encouraging people in ministry. He had a deep love for the people of Corinth and because of that love, he needed to steer them the correct way. Unfortunately, even when there is loving intent, any corrective action can be seen as mean. This is why we must make every effort to walk in love and grace when we are confronting others or being confronted.

In those times of correction, emotions can run high and can often cloud our view of what’s really happening. Practice bringing your emotions under control so that you can be led by the Holy Spirit and not raw emotions…

Christ’s death on the cross has torn down the wall we use to keep each other at a distance

“For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation…Ephesians 2:14”

Christ’s death on the cross has torn down the wall we use to keep each other at a distance.

Pastor Bucker Fanning, experienced this firsthand in World War II three weeks after the dropping of the atomic bomb on Nagasaki. Imagine a young American Marine in that city of radiation-burned victims. He was a soldier feeling not victory but grief for the suffering around him.

But instead of anger and revenge, Buckner found an oasis of grace! The sign said: Methodist Church. What he found was a partially collapsed structure. Shattered windows; walls, buckled. But several men were setting up chairs. They turned as he entered…

God is merciful

“He was lost, but now he is found” (Luke 15:24)

John Newton‘s mother was a devoted Christian, but she died when he was a child. As a young man, he decided to follow in the footsteps of his father, an English sea captain. He joined the British Royal Navy but was discharged for unruly behaviour. He moved to the western coast of Africa and worked for a slave trader. He eventually became captain of a slave ship, treating the slaves despicably. What a loathsome man he had become!

On one voyage, a fierce storm severely battered his ship. Fearing for his life, he surrendered himself to God. Over the next few years as he became convinced that slavery was abhorrent, he gave up slave trading and crusaded against slavery. His life changed so much that he even studied to become a minister. Soon, he became known…

And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I
will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.

Ezekiel 36:26

Mark Twain said it: “Nobody likes change, except a wet baby.” And I would contend that Mark Twain has never changed a baby because even wet babies cry when they get
changed. They like it once they are changed – but they cry through the entire process.

The only times I have heard people ask for change are when they have overpaid for
something – extending their hands and asking, “Change, please?” Otherwise, nobody
likes change. Change is frightening. Change implies loss, grief, apprehension, fear,
even panic. Change is hard!

Sometimes we miss out on our miracle because saying yes to the miracle means that
we will have to give leadership to change…

God is not trying to keep us out of anything. The good news is that He wants to bring us into something, into a good place of blessing and abundance

Deuteronomy 6:23 says: “He brought us out from thence, that He might bring us in, to give us the land which He sware unto our fathers.” This is a great revelation to Israel. They had been bound for 430 years. They had been in sin, and they had been enslaved. They had been heavily burdened and grieved by the oppression of Pharaoh and the bondage he subjected them to, but God brought them out through the shed blood of the Passover lamb. He brought them out with a purpose. He brought them out to take them in. God is not trying to keep us out of anything. The good news is that He wants to bring us into…

Life is a risky enterprisebut be encouraged! If you have put your faith in Jesus Christ, the Catcher is waiting at the end to take you safely home

READ:John 14:1-6

If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. —John 14:3

Life is a risky enterprise. Sometimes we fly high, enjoying great success. But then suddenly we fall into deep disappointments and the haunting reality of failure, leaving our hearts wondering if there is anything worth looking forward to.

At a funeral recently, the pastor told the story about a trapeze artist. The performer admitted that although he is seen as the star of the show, the real star is the catcher—the teammate who hangs from another trapeze bar to grab him and guarantee a safe landing. The…

Being faithful in the little things first.

Matthew 25:23“His Lord said to him “Well done good and faithful servant, you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.”

Sometimes we get so focused on doing great and mighty things for God that we forget about being faithful in the little things. Our faith grows as we serve in the little things and that prepares us for the bigger things God has for us. He is watching and if you are faithful in doing good and doing it with a pure and excellent heart, God will reward you in due season. Remember that God has placed you where ever you are now, for a season. I want to encourage you today to stay hopeful, do not get discouraged in doing good and always stay faithful in…

Helpless Without God

“I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.”

John 5:30, NKJV

Have you wondered, in agony, why God is doing what He’s doing? Why He has delayed answering your prayer? Have you reacted to the delay by trying to help Him out and speed things up? Have you turned to . . . a doctor, a lawyer, a counsellor, a friend, pop psychology, a neighbour’s sympathetic ear, or a popular TV talk show? Have you resorted to threats

or bargaining or manipulation until you’re totally exhausted? Have you come to the absolute end of your rope?

One reason God may be delaying His answer to your prayer and postponing His intervention in your situation is to bring you to the end of your own resources. Sometimes God waits in order to allow us time to exhaust every…

Why We Must Forgive

Forgive whatever grievance you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

Colossians 3:13 (NIV)

My friend’s unkind comments cut me to the bone. After many years of close friendship, she lost her temper, accused me of things I didn’t do and blasted me with an onslaught of hurtful words.

She crossed every boundary of decency, respect and friendship, and the more I replayed her careless and caustic words in my mind, the more furious I became. I felt miserable and decided to have nothing more to do with her. “She doesn’t deserve my forgiveness,” I told myself repeatedly.

I shared my painful experience with another close friend. She listened to me and then surprised me with her advice.

“You need to forgive her. You don’t want to live your life with the weeds of unforgiveness and bitterness growing in your…

God‘s Good Will

For this is good [beautiful] and acceptable in the sight of God our
Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the
knowledge of the truth.
1 Timothy 2:3-4

Notice two things about the will of God. First, it is His will that all
men be delivered, healed, preserved, made sound, made whole and come
into the full complete, total, discernment knowledge of the truth. The
love of God’s heart is to get people saved and their eyes opened, to
give them the real truth in a world full of error and darkness.

Every born again person is tasked with proclaiming this message. Your
job is to proclaim the Lord and to educate and disciple people in the
truth so that they can turn around and share with you. If you are in a
church that doesn’t evangelize and disciple…

By their fruits you shall know them

Matthew 7:20,

MATTHEW 7:12-20

The way that you can tell whether a person is genuine or not is by the fruit they produce. This fruit is speaking of lifestyle. Jesus made the point that you don’t get bad fruit from a good tree, and you don’t get good fruit from a bad tree. Many people say one thing, but their actions speak so loudly that you really can’t hear what they are saying. If you are in doubt about whether a person is genuine or not, or whether you should receive from them and follow their teaching, look at the fruit they are producing.

In evaluating ministers and ministries, more attention should be given to the fruit that is being produced. Failure to do this could lead someone to reject and even discredit a minister who simply makes a mistake or…