Prepare Us for Spiritual Rain – December Blog Post

“There is no escape for me; No one cares for my soul” (Psalm 142:4).

David was beaten all the way down. Everything he counted on was now out of his life. There was no where else to look, but up, for David was at a critical juncture of his life. And when he looked up, cried out, God was there.

When you and I decide not to walk away, God will make sure you know He is there. No matter if you feel as if you are in a cave God will climb into it with you. Better yet, He is already there. How unusual for God to work in your life or in my life, but He does.

Every year draws closer to the Lord’s return. He has been received in Heaven awaiting the day of all things to completely be fulfilled before He comes again. His plan is on purpose and deliberate. From the creation of the galaxies to this globe, God determined to settle the mystery of iniquity and to defeat all evil and wickedness. One glorious day there will never be the movement of sin.

When all vestige of sin is taken away there will never be the thought of worry, sorrow, and death. It was sin that brought all that is bad, but it was our sin that brought our Savior all the way down from His home which was to set us free from the tyranny of Satan’s works.

Let’s ask ourselves if we have seen anyone come to Christ during this year personally in our walk and talk of Jesus? Do we need revival in our lives? Have we grown accustomed to the culture and the ways of man? Are we asleep in the household of faith? Does what the pastor says shake you to your core through the messages? Do you get mad at the message, or sad, and then glad because you understand. These are real questions we need to answer ourselves. People are not looking for pat answers in their sorrows, they are searching for that which is real and true, they want to see Jesus in you.

God’s people in the beginning of the church age were people of extreme joy, deliberation, discipline, and worship. Though they were persecuted they endured, and they overcame. Our world of America is fast becoming a thing of the past. We can have a booming economy, freedom of religion, and open doors in our churches, but if we do not become a bastion of faith ourselves as individuals then we are only fooling ourselves to believe all is okay.

Let’s ask God to give revival in us. Are we seeing the burning bush of revival in us who is the Holy Spirit. Let’s examine our hearts by His Word and through His Spirit. You see, it takes more than just doing church work! Our church work must begin with Him in the holy sanctuary of our lives. We are the temples of the Holy Spirit. He lives within and indwells us as believers. And the church is the temple of the Holy Spirit.

If nothing is happening through us that is unexplainable than we need to look up and look within. Only that which is unexplainable can be said it is of God. God’s people are supernaturally natural and naturally supernatural. Think on that for a while . God’s people are saved, separated, sanctified, supernatural, splendid people. They witness without witnessing because it is Christ working through them.
May we have 20/20 vision for the year 2020.

I do love you dearly,
Pastor Don

Our church’s address is no mistake.  God has placed us here to reach out to those who surround us in our neighborhood.  We have this great privilege and responsibility before God.

The Lord has also given us the privilege to live where we do.  It is here on our streets that we become mission minded to those who are our neighbors.  We have the great joy of mastering the art of neighboring.  Our neighbors need Christ, and we have the tool to do just this.

What do we do as we gather in our church buildings?  We learn who we are, and that God has given us a special commission to reach others through prayer and discipleship.  It is our responsibility to share and God’s responsibility to save.

Let’s refocus our prayer ministry toward our neighbors.

Love in Christ,

Pastor Don

“But when the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with such scum?” (Matthew 9:11 NLT)

God desires compassion, mercy, and not mere religion. Who needs a doctor but those who are sick? God is after compassion, kindness, and not mere outward religious activity from His people. God is dwelling in us to invite outsiders to Himself, not to coddle the insiders of the church.

What is pure religion?

Pray for someone who you know is in need, whether it is physical or spiritual, but start your prayer by asking what you can do to help meet that need. Don’t just ask God for the solution–ask Him how you can become part of the solution.

Thanksgiving is a result of being filled with the Spirit of God. We are not thankful for one day but for every day of the year. Even in the bad circumstances, we should be focused on Him-the Author and Finisher of our faith. Only the Spirit of God can make us truly thankful. If you have the life of Christ in you then you have the greatest of possibilities to be thankful.

It is only God in you who will allow you to rejoice, to sing, to be aware of what He is doing. Only as you and I stay in constant contact with our Savior can we know what it means to be true to worship, pray, and praise. If we are not consciously thinking of His presence in us then we will back out of the Throne Room of God and find nothing but the world, the flesh, and Satan enticing us to our own resources.

How sad it is when we are in the reality of the presence of Christ in us! Turn from sin and turn to the Savior. Live and move and have your being in Him.

May we think so we may thank!

Why is church attendance important? If the Christian is the body of Christ, then why does the church need to be in a building called the “church”? Isn’t having a friend over to have lattes just as meaningful? Or a few family members meeting together just as important?

The church organized is the only organization that Jesus Himself established. Church is an “of course” to the Son of Man (Revelation 1). It was an “of course” to the early apostles (Acts 2:42-47).

The church at large, which is largely absented, should be a prioritized who name the name of Christ. Instead of saying, “Why should I have to go to church?”; we should be asking, “What can I do to minister to and build up Christ’s own precious body, the church, and which I am a part?”

God took disciples who needed much work and together they accomplished much, for they turned the world upside down. This is what God does with and through and in people who take seriously the mandate of the church to meet, to encourage, to learn, to love, to give, to worship and to go.

The Bible tells us, “The eyes of the Lord run to and for throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him” (2 Chronicles 16:9). God isn’t looking for a strong man or a strong woman but rather someone whom He could be strong on behalf of.

Get into and stay with the organization, the church. For without organization the organism dies. We need the interaction, accountability, and outlet for our gifts and talents that only the local church can provide. I believe that when God set up the first Church, He did it right.