The Sunshine Band performed at the New Hope Baptist Church 6th Annual Pastoral Celebration. A splendid time was had by all.
Monday, June 27, 2011
Friday, June 17, 2011
Keep Fighting
The word family is not mentioned in the Bible as much as the related word 'house' or 'household'. Family is frequently used throughout the Bible to signify the historical origin. A family might be a tribe or even a nation. In Acts 3:25 (NKJV) the promise to Abraham is quoted 'in your seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed'.
This is so significant because Jesus was apart of that seed in the flesh. Which says not only will Israel families benefit from that but also your family.
I would say within this last decade families have taken a major blow. The assault that has been committed physically looks like the institution of the family is loosing. However, the great news is that no weapon formed against us shall prosper. The family is so important today that we have to make up in our mind that we are willing to fight for what family represents, what family stands for, and what makes up a family.
When you're ready to acquire what God has for you, many times you won't be able to just walk into it; sometimes we have to fight for it. That's why you don't have time for folks who are jealous of your family when they don't know how hard you had to fight to get where you are today. There was a time you almost lost heart, there was a time you almost walked out, there was a time you almost gave up, but to God be the glory.
2 Corinthians 4:17 (NKJV) "For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal".
You now understand that every affliction you went through was only for a moment even though at times it seem like it was lasting forever.
I want to make a declaration and say keep fighting! Keep fighting for your family. Whether you're fighting for your marriage; fighting for your family; or fighting for your future; just keep fighting! Don't you lose heart, and don't you give up!
This is your month of transformation, because you realize that your family is important and they are a blessing from God.
Scripture Of The Day: "For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal." - 2 Corinthians 4:17 (NKJV)
This is so significant because Jesus was apart of that seed in the flesh. Which says not only will Israel families benefit from that but also your family.
I would say within this last decade families have taken a major blow. The assault that has been committed physically looks like the institution of the family is loosing. However, the great news is that no weapon formed against us shall prosper. The family is so important today that we have to make up in our mind that we are willing to fight for what family represents, what family stands for, and what makes up a family.
When you're ready to acquire what God has for you, many times you won't be able to just walk into it; sometimes we have to fight for it. That's why you don't have time for folks who are jealous of your family when they don't know how hard you had to fight to get where you are today. There was a time you almost lost heart, there was a time you almost walked out, there was a time you almost gave up, but to God be the glory.
2 Corinthians 4:17 (NKJV) "For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal".
You now understand that every affliction you went through was only for a moment even though at times it seem like it was lasting forever.
I want to make a declaration and say keep fighting! Keep fighting for your family. Whether you're fighting for your marriage; fighting for your family; or fighting for your future; just keep fighting! Don't you lose heart, and don't you give up!
This is your month of transformation, because you realize that your family is important and they are a blessing from God.
Scripture Of The Day: "For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal." - 2 Corinthians 4:17 (NKJV)
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Who Do You Have?
The Importance Of Family
Who protects you? When the Christians in Jerusalem wanted nothing to do with the newly converted Saul of Tarsus, Barnabas acted as his advocate. You don’t have enough voices. You need others to speak up for you.
Who shares your tears? Mary of Bethany was the only person in the room who understood what Jesus was going through as He came closer to His hour of death. She alone shared His tears.
Who’s close enough to you to pick up on the signals, to sense when fears and tears need to be shared? Yes, there are times when we need a pep talk or a shot in the arm, but there are also times when we need to be encouraged to lie low, to process our emotions. Who does that for you? Who rebukes you?
Even with 20/20 vision, one pair of eyes is not enough. You have blind spots. Satan is always ready to remind you of your good qualities. But a true friend is the one who exposes and challenges your self-seeking, self-pleasing and self-dependence, and helps you to restore to God the authority you’ve robbed Him of.
Who plays with you? Does this sound unimportant, even carnal? No! You must never let the seriousness of life override your need for recreation, a word that’s only understood when it’s hyphenated, re-creation. Who seeks God with you.
Praying together keeps us honest. It also keeps us dependent on God. We’re reluctant to open up, to get real about our areas of struggle. Yet it’s only in the honesty of shared prayer that we draw closer to God – and to one another.
Scripture Of The Day: “Two are better than one.” - Ecclesiastes 4:9 (NIV)
Who protects you? When the Christians in Jerusalem wanted nothing to do with the newly converted Saul of Tarsus, Barnabas acted as his advocate. You don’t have enough voices. You need others to speak up for you.
Who shares your tears? Mary of Bethany was the only person in the room who understood what Jesus was going through as He came closer to His hour of death. She alone shared His tears.
Who’s close enough to you to pick up on the signals, to sense when fears and tears need to be shared? Yes, there are times when we need a pep talk or a shot in the arm, but there are also times when we need to be encouraged to lie low, to process our emotions. Who does that for you? Who rebukes you?
Even with 20/20 vision, one pair of eyes is not enough. You have blind spots. Satan is always ready to remind you of your good qualities. But a true friend is the one who exposes and challenges your self-seeking, self-pleasing and self-dependence, and helps you to restore to God the authority you’ve robbed Him of.
Who plays with you? Does this sound unimportant, even carnal? No! You must never let the seriousness of life override your need for recreation, a word that’s only understood when it’s hyphenated, re-creation. Who seeks God with you.
Praying together keeps us honest. It also keeps us dependent on God. We’re reluctant to open up, to get real about our areas of struggle. Yet it’s only in the honesty of shared prayer that we draw closer to God – and to one another.
Scripture Of The Day: “Two are better than one.” - Ecclesiastes 4:9 (NIV)
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Pass It Along
Pass It Along
Some US market researchers recently studied Twitter, to check out what kind of information is being posted on its web service. If you're not familiar with it, Twitter is a social networking site where people can pass along short messages, called "tweets," to their subscribers. Here's what they found:
Over 40 percent of the "tweets" were "Pointless Babble," stuff like "I'm having a sandwich." Another 37 percent were listed as "Conversational," basically instant messages sent from one individual to another. Less than nine percent had any "Pass-Along Value," and "Self-Promotion," "Spam," and "News" items were even smaller than that. So, by far, the majority of the communication is trivial.
It's interesting that the subscribers to the "tweets" are called "followers." And it's interesting that those they're following are telling them things that are unimportant. Now, don't get the idea that I'm criticizing Twitter or similar web-based communication sites. I'm not. I use them myself, and our church in Salinas is on Blog.
But here's what I'm getting at. As a believer in Jesus Christ, you are a follower of the Savior of the world. You know the one who gave His life as a ransom for yours, and for anyone who believes. You have information that has "pass-along value." You know how people can be saved from the power of sin in their lives, and from the punishment for those sins.
So your communication should be more than just "pointless babble." It should be about the hope that you have in Jesus Christ. "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God" (Ephesians 2:8). Note that--your salvation is a gift from God! Isn't that wonderful news?
But look at Romans 10:14-15. "How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!'"
Verse 12 reminds us that God "is rich to all who call upon him," and verse 13 says, "Whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved." But first they have to get that message. Your job, and the job of every believer in Jesus Christ, is to make sure you pass it along to them.
Scripture Of The Day: "How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard?" - Romans 10:14 (NKJV)
Some US market researchers recently studied Twitter, to check out what kind of information is being posted on its web service. If you're not familiar with it, Twitter is a social networking site where people can pass along short messages, called "tweets," to their subscribers. Here's what they found:
Over 40 percent of the "tweets" were "Pointless Babble," stuff like "I'm having a sandwich." Another 37 percent were listed as "Conversational," basically instant messages sent from one individual to another. Less than nine percent had any "Pass-Along Value," and "Self-Promotion," "Spam," and "News" items were even smaller than that. So, by far, the majority of the communication is trivial.
It's interesting that the subscribers to the "tweets" are called "followers." And it's interesting that those they're following are telling them things that are unimportant. Now, don't get the idea that I'm criticizing Twitter or similar web-based communication sites. I'm not. I use them myself, and our church in Salinas is on Blog.
But here's what I'm getting at. As a believer in Jesus Christ, you are a follower of the Savior of the world. You know the one who gave His life as a ransom for yours, and for anyone who believes. You have information that has "pass-along value." You know how people can be saved from the power of sin in their lives, and from the punishment for those sins.
So your communication should be more than just "pointless babble." It should be about the hope that you have in Jesus Christ. "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God" (Ephesians 2:8). Note that--your salvation is a gift from God! Isn't that wonderful news?
But look at Romans 10:14-15. "How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!'"
Verse 12 reminds us that God "is rich to all who call upon him," and verse 13 says, "Whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved." But first they have to get that message. Your job, and the job of every believer in Jesus Christ, is to make sure you pass it along to them.
Scripture Of The Day: "How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard?" - Romans 10:14 (NKJV)
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Remember
So, remember this: There is no pain or sorrow that we go through that is too great for Jesus to get us through. You know something else? Sometimes we learn the most through these situations of grief. Don't keep running and panicking and going crazy. God is right there beside you, and if you just be still and know He is there, He WILL help you and comfort you. But you must make the choice that you are going to follow Him no matter what people about you or about what you are doing for God!!! The world hates disciples, but it first hated Jesus! Isn't it comforting to know someone has gone through all the pain anyone on this earth may go through. No pain is too great for Jesus to understand.
Please, just trust in God no matter how rough life gets. God will always help you through the hard times and comfort you!!! Just don't ever take your focus off of Him and He will lead you into new discoveries that you never thought were possible! The world hates you because you serve Jesus Christ. God loves you because He created you and you are very special to Him!!! Think about this and really apply it to your life daily!
God Is My Everything
Minster D.Rose
Please, just trust in God no matter how rough life gets. God will always help you through the hard times and comfort you!!! Just don't ever take your focus off of Him and He will lead you into new discoveries that you never thought were possible! The world hates you because you serve Jesus Christ. God loves you because He created you and you are very special to Him!!! Think about this and really apply it to your life daily!
God Is My Everything
Minster D.Rose
If God Before
If God Before
James Augustine Joyce, one of the most influential writers of the early 20th century, once wrote these words: “Mistakes are portals of great discovery.”
This quote rang true when browsing online just a few months ago. I ran across a note that a dear friend wrote on her Facebook page as a source of encouragement and inspiration to those who followed and ‘befriended’ her online. In the note, she referenced a very familiar passage of scripture, yet while doing so, accidentally made a mistake with one particular word.
And although she quickly corrected it after a few of her friends had pointed it out, I believe the ‘mistake’ she made may serve as a great discovery for many of us as believers. Let’s see if you can find the word she wrote down in error:
“…if God before us, who can be against us?”
Did you find it? I can give you another moment if you need one. That’s right; the word BEFORE, according to Romans 8:31, should have actually been the words BE FOR. A simple mistake, but perhaps, not as incorrect as one may want to believe.
As believers, we must understand that our faith journey should not be dependent on what is PRESENTLY going on around us, nor should it be subject to what we fear is just AHEAD of us, but rather it should be rooted and grounded in the ONE who has gone BEFORE us.
A God who was there in the very BEGINNING…(John 1:1v)
A God who knew us BEFORE we were formed…(Jeremiah 1:5v)
A God who is BEFORE all things…(1 Colossians 1:17v)
And lastly, a God who BEFORE the very foundation of the world, chose to adopt you and I as His sons and daughters…(Ephesians 1:4-5v)
When we as believers truly understand that God is BEFORE us, we can take confidence in knowing that he will BE FOR anything we stand in need of. There is nothing in this world that can stand against those who serve a God who loves to go BEFORE.
I dare you to take a moment today and repeat these words:
If God BEFORE me, then He will BE FOR me.
If God BEFORE me, then He will BE FOR me.
If God BEFORE me, then He will BE FOR me.
Sounds correct to me.
Scripture Of The Day: "He is before all things, and in him all things hold together." - Colossians 1:17 (NIV)
James Augustine Joyce, one of the most influential writers of the early 20th century, once wrote these words: “Mistakes are portals of great discovery.”
This quote rang true when browsing online just a few months ago. I ran across a note that a dear friend wrote on her Facebook page as a source of encouragement and inspiration to those who followed and ‘befriended’ her online. In the note, she referenced a very familiar passage of scripture, yet while doing so, accidentally made a mistake with one particular word.
And although she quickly corrected it after a few of her friends had pointed it out, I believe the ‘mistake’ she made may serve as a great discovery for many of us as believers. Let’s see if you can find the word she wrote down in error:
“…if God before us, who can be against us?”
Did you find it? I can give you another moment if you need one. That’s right; the word BEFORE, according to Romans 8:31, should have actually been the words BE FOR. A simple mistake, but perhaps, not as incorrect as one may want to believe.
As believers, we must understand that our faith journey should not be dependent on what is PRESENTLY going on around us, nor should it be subject to what we fear is just AHEAD of us, but rather it should be rooted and grounded in the ONE who has gone BEFORE us.
A God who was there in the very BEGINNING…(John 1:1v)
A God who knew us BEFORE we were formed…(Jeremiah 1:5v)
A God who is BEFORE all things…(1 Colossians 1:17v)
And lastly, a God who BEFORE the very foundation of the world, chose to adopt you and I as His sons and daughters…(Ephesians 1:4-5v)
When we as believers truly understand that God is BEFORE us, we can take confidence in knowing that he will BE FOR anything we stand in need of. There is nothing in this world that can stand against those who serve a God who loves to go BEFORE.
I dare you to take a moment today and repeat these words:
If God BEFORE me, then He will BE FOR me.
If God BEFORE me, then He will BE FOR me.
If God BEFORE me, then He will BE FOR me.
Sounds correct to me.
Scripture Of The Day: "He is before all things, and in him all things hold together." - Colossians 1:17 (NIV)
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