Church 12/21/08

We were going in the Bible to verse:

Luke 2:7

My Notes:

This message was brief and to the point. Don't get me wrong I love Christmas I just celebrate it differently. Jesus set up His coming so that He had absolutely nothing.  No birthright, no clothing, not even His own diaper. He was in a manger because there was no room in the inn for Him. He was in rags because Mary and Joseph were poor. Do you have a list of stuff you ask Jesus for? Is there room in your heart for Jesus? Is there room for Jesus in your House, your closet, your bank account........... Where in your life is there absolutely no room for Jesus? You have to examine yourself and see where it is in your life that there is no room for Jesus. Make room for Him. He ought to be Lord of everything in your life. 

God Bless

Bible Study 12/17/08

We were going in the Bible to verses:

Acts 11:19-12:3

Proverbs 16:20

2nd Timothy 3:

My Notes

How many of you have heard God's voice and ignored it. Every sin or act you have done unless you repent of it, you will be judged on that sin. What trials or persecution are you going through?

When you don't care that your sinning you have a serious problem. Because that means you have hardened your heart so much..............that what normally would shock most people doesn't bother you at all. Sadly, many people are like that today. (Acts 11:20) Are you prospering and are you joyful even in dire circumstances? Prospering meaning that your in good health, you have a place to live, food, or family. No matter what situation God has you in, have you learned to be joyful? Are we the light and the salt of the earth or are we entangled in what the world has to offer? You need to learn how to live in this world and still be a light. Every now and then you have to let people know who you are. That your a Christian, your on your way to heaven and you will not compromise your beliefs. One of the hardest things to do as a Christian is to keep your mouth shut when someone does you wrong. If your wondering what the last days will be like and why people keep saying these are the last days. Read 2nd Timothy 3:1-9 and see if any of these actions apply to the people of this world today. The reason Jesus hasn't come back yet is that He doesn't want anyone to perish (2nd Peter 3:3-9).  Nobody knows when Jesus is coming back. It could be in the next few minutes or thousands of years from now.......nobody knows. (Acts 11:21- 12:3) What do you hear in the churches today? The objective of Satan having churches on every corner is to keep people busy and out of the word of God. 

Do you follow God's plan or do you make your own. The widow in Sidon didn't have to make Elijah his cake first....but she probably would have died like she planned to ( 1st Kings 17:8-16).

If you died tonight are you good in the eyes of God? Who have you brought to Christ? Do you have a prayer time everyday? Do you have a record of what you've been doing?

God Bless 

Church 12/14/08

Speaker: Carlton

We were going in the Bible to verses:

Galations 1:17

Psalms 27:7

Psalms 55:2

Jonah 1:1-3,10,15,17, 

Jonah 2:1

Matthew 6:25

My Notes

(Galations 1:17) Christians need to spend at least 3 years in the desert. To find out more about God, what He means to you , and just to get to know God better. 

We want God to hear us. No matter what time of day or night. No matter what it's about. Whether it's really important or not. Even if we pray for the same thing every single day.  We also are not the most patient about waiting for God to respond to our request. We want it to done right then and how we want it. (Psalms 27:7) How many of you have cried out something similar to what David was saying? Are you humble when you request something from the Lord? Do you ask out of obedience? Why does God have to take you that far, just so you can see that your wrong? We try to fix it on our own, but just end up digging ourselves into a deeper hole. You know you're supposed to be obedient. Don't wait till the last minute to call on Jesus. (Matthew 6:25) Jesus is the most abundant resource, but we don't call on Him first. (Jonah) Jonah didn't only not listen to God. He tried to run away as well. When one foot is in the world and the other foot is with God...............it's difficult to comprehend what God is trying to tell you. God will take you through whatever it takes to get you listen to Him. When He comes to you in that soft, small voice. Just listen. Be obedient, don't sin, and just listen. Trial are always good because you grow through trials. YOU are here because God loves you and created you for a specific purpose. 

God Bless

Bible Study 12/10/08

We were going in the Bible to verses:

James 2:5

Romans 12:12

My Notes:

Never question God!!!!!!!!! He knows what He's doing. 

We are living in the last days. If you are going to walk with Jesus walk totally with Him. If your not go wild doing what you want to do, but don't stay half Jesus half the world. 

(James 2:5) Are you rich in faith or are you rich by the world's standards? Being poorer than normal will make a poor person stay at the feet of Jesus. If you are poor you'll have the faith in God to take you through your problems. Today we are more concerned with outward sacrifice (doing something nice for someone else). When what God wants is your obedience.  (Romans 12:1)We are more willing to make a physical sacrifice than a spiritual.  What keeps you from giving you up? It could be anything. What people will think about you, Your appearance, electronics, personal enjoyment, appetite, or you just don't want to. ANYTHING that you place above God is considered an idol. Think about it. He died for you. It's the least you can do is sacrifice your body as a living sacrifice. Will you do it?

God Bless

Church 12/7/08

We were going in the Bible to verses:

Jeremiah 27:6

2nd Peter 3:10

James 4:16

My Notes: 

(Jeremiah 27:6)God puts people in office. He called Nebuchadnezzar His servant because Nebuchadnezzar allowed himself to be used as a retribution for Israel. It was heard on the news, More people through the recession and economy crisis are turning back to God. God gave all that stuff to Nebuchadnezzar (even though he didn't totally serve God) because He used Nebuchadnezzar to bring Israel back into a relationship with God. God will use whatever or whoever He wants to get you back in line. Why don't we love God the way He love us? Are we incapable of expressing love to that degree? Is it our decision not to love Him? Do we love Him for selfish reasons? God won't bless you if you aren't serving Him the way you are supposed to be. One of the key things God wants us to do is repent. The world we live in doesn't encourage us to make God first in our lives. God is willing to take care of you. Are you willing to let Him take care of you? 

(2nd Peter 3:10) The day of the Lord is destruction. You need to be ready because you don't know what tomorrow will bring. What faults do you need to confess before God? You don't need to go public yet. Just confess and when you can...........tell somebody. (James 4:16) When you tell someone else it makes you stronger and removes the power of the secret.

God Bless

Bible Study 12/3/08

We were going in the Bible to verses:

Psalms 66:18

2nd Peter 3:10-18

My Notes:

(Psalms 66:18) When you go to be with God you won't feel God's presence with sin in your heart. Sometimes you don't let it go because you don't want to. Maybe you don't have the strength to let it go on your own. Ask God to show you what is in your life that displeases Him. If you ask, He will forgive you. But you still may suffer the consequences for whatever your sin is. 

(2nd Peter 3:10-18)What does the day of the Lord mean? The day of the Lord means that the earth is going to be destroyed. When this happens you should be holy and righteous before God.  At this time only the things that are going to heaven with us should matter. When you want to hear God's voice get in the Word. After a while, you  be able to put the Bible down and just tell the story. It's not the pastor's job to make sure you get in the scriptures. If you walk in obedience with God, He will walk in a matter that is right by you. What do you think God wants you to know? Ask Him.

 Before Christ, God didn't dwell within people. He would visit, but He didn't dwell within us. Prior to Christ's coming the Jews thought that salvation was only for them. When it was really for the world.  Jesus's passion was the will of His father. What's your passion? When trouble comes do you still follow His will for your life?

God Bless

Church 11/30/08

Uncle Charles was speaking

We were going in the Bible to:

Matthew 13: 3-10

Numbers 22:23

2nd Peter 2:15

John 6:66

Mark 10:17-25

Hebrews 11:1-3

Mark 1:

My Notes:

(Matt. 13:3-10) Uncle Charles asked God to show him what He was saying. 

(Mark 22:23) You can try to force things to go the way you want them to go, but it probably won't work out the way you want it to.

(2nd Peter 2:15) The wages of sin is death. His animal was forced to speak to him so he wouldn't get killed. 

(John 6:66)(This all ties back and forth with the parable of the sower)The seeds that fell on the stoney place sprouted up and then had no room to grow. It's like they were persecuted. Or put down for their beliefs. Being put down over and over and over again till they didn't get back up in their walk with Christ. They didn't have any roots in the word of God. Not enough to stand and follow Him. When you are stretched what will you do?

(Mark 10:17-25) The thorns...........something or a lot of somethings that comes between you and your acceptance of Christ. The rich young ruler wanted eternal life, but his riches made him refuse the biggest gift he could ever receive.

(Hebrews 11:1-31)

This is an entire list of seed that fell on good soil.  Keep looking at this list of faithful people. Try to be so faithful that God will just take you. Are you faithful enough to give up the only thing you have back to God? Be faithful.

God Bless

Church 11/23/08

We were going in the Bible to verses:

1st Chronicles 5:1-22

My Notes:

v.1-22

If all those names didn't make sense to you. I mean why would God want all those names in the Bible. God was telling us one man(Jacob/Israel) had 12 sons. You know that whenever there is a large family somebody is getting into some kind of trouble. Well this man's sons had sons and their kids had more kids until they had nations. They (the groups of sons) were called by their clan names.

v.18-19

Well the clan of Gad was having issues with the clan of Haggi. They were having disagreements with each other. Can you blame them? With that many people you need a lot of room or you are gonna have problems. 

v.20 You are going to have battles. Whatever your battle is. You can be having battles with your mind. Battles come in many forms. They aren't the same. My battle isn't you battle and your battle isn't my battle. Cry to God in the midst of your battles. While your in the worst turmoil of your life, God is intrigued. He is delighted, while your in your battle. Because while you're in your battle you cry out to Him and not to your friends. He's trying to pull you to Him. He doesn't want you to go to the left or the right. Keep your eyes right on Him. Don't look at anyone or anything else. Look at the one who made heaven and earth. Don't go to other people stay with Him . Put your trust in Him no matter what. Make the right decisions so God can plan you life. 

v.22

Who planned the war? You didn't. Learn to trust God in the dark. When you can't see your hand in front of your face. God can see right through the darkness to you and He can see to the other side of whatever your going through. He wants to see if you will trust Him in the dark. When you don't need to know what your future holds.  Just that He is in control.

God Bless

Bible Study 11/19/08

We were going in the Bible to:

Acts 11:1-7?

Nahum 1:7

Habakkuk 2:1-3
(The last two are verses to meditate on)

Notes:

1v.What is the key that opens the Word? When you open the word you receive the Holy Spirit. How do you hear the word of God? Ask Him to open your eyes and ears so you can receive.

2v. The circumcised walked in a manner as if they were God's people. They didn't do it totally right,but a couple of them tried.

3v. Who can you not eat with? Anyone who calls himself a brother and is a fornicator or glutton. I never really thought about it that way. If you let the world lead you, you will have problems.

4v.-7v. When did you pray so long that you were in a trance? We normally don't pray for longer than 5 minutes. Unless we are in big trouble or want something. What makes you stay in prayer? Crisis, making prayer a habit, and having a complete faith that talking to Him does make a difference? God can Handle your problems. He doesn't need your help. Seek God first before anything else. If we really believed prayer would make a difference. We would put it first and plan around it. Making it the most important thing in our lives.

Meditate upon the Word. Shut the world out and focus on a promise that He wrote for you to believe in Him more. God knows how to stretch you. God's Word will give you strength when your at your weakest. How do you get to the point where you don't care what happens? You give it to God. Don't think you can just sit in a corner and do nothing. He wants you to come to Him first. Ask God to search you so you can repent of the stuff you forgot about or didn't notice. God will never leave you. He wants you to acknowledge you've done wrong and wait for him to straighten it out. Because you sure as heck can't. Make sure God knows that you don't doubt Him and believe He can make a way out of no way. When there are no crumbs on the table and the table don't look to sturdy. You need to cry out to God and not sin. Which would make your situation worse than it all ready is anyway.

God Bless

Church 11/16/08

Speaker: Gary

Title: What is your bail out plan?

We were going in the Bible to:

Proverbs 29: 18

John 14:27

Matthews 6:30-33

My Notes:

What is the bailout plan? If you get laid off, what are your plans? If you can't pay your bills, what are your plans? When you don't have a good work week. Meaning...... you don't get as much money as you normally would get. So you could pay your late bills. Not this months bills you have, but last months bills as well. When your sick and you don't have any health care. What are you gonna do? Stay sick? Many people today don't have health care and it's the grace of God that they are making it every month. I wouldn't be able to make it if I didn't have His peace. Trust God and wait. All of it will be added to you. Just do what He says do.

God Bless 

Bible Study 11/12/08

We were going in the Bible to:

Acts 10:8-48

Mark 5:36

My Notes:

v.8

Has God sent you somewhere? Are you still there? Every time you get up in the morning God is sending you somewhere. You are His representative. You should always be representing Christ in your day to day life. Where ever you are be it at church, work, the gym, home, or just hanging out with friends. You are supposed to be representing Christ.

v. 9

Did you pray today? As soon as you realized you were awake, did you pray. Different people in the Bible had a set time when they would meet with God. Anytime will work. Just some time set aside where you meet with God and pour your heart out to Him. This begins wit you making it into a habit. Jesus made it a habit. When Jesus was most upset......He prayed. The majority of us will get mad at God, making the situation worse then it already is. Don't get impatient with God. He will bring it to past. Probably just not in your time frame, but in His perfect time. Are your desires righteous and pleasing to God? If you wait on God, He'll bring it. Are you willing to wait?

v.10-12

Have you ever had a dream and it came true? 

v.13-14

You gotta get to where you only listen to God. Remember His promises when life or people try to bring doubt. How do you not be afraid?(Mark 5:36) Have the Word in front of you at all times. If you get in a mess or have problems, don't be afraid. 

v. 15-18

Has the voice of the Lord spoken to you? If you didn't have trails, tribulation, or the messed up situation that your in. You would never reach close perfection. Trails and tribulation force you to squeeze the unbelief out and trust God totally. Because, there is nothing else you can do. You ain't taking nothing to heaven with you. Remember that. Do you talk to God about how you feel about your walk with Him?

v.19-21

Has the Spirit said anything to you? Did you listen? One of His jobs is to whisper to you when your about to mess up. Have you noticed the Devil uses the same trick to get you mess up over and over again? He doesn't need to try anything new if he can still cause you to sin with the same old stuff. When you do conquer whatever area of your life you keep slipping up in. Don't get all proud of your self. Satan will just try to find something else to trip you up with. If He can't find anything new. He'll gift-wrap his original trick and try to use it. Just to see if you still have control over that area of your life.

v.20-21

Don't go and doubt God when He takes you out of your comfort zone. Don't sit there and act like you don't have a comfort zone. God allowed the circumstances to reach that point. So you would trust Him more.

v.22-27

Are you considered just? Do you fear God? Not about to puke or pass out fear, but honor and reverence fear. Are you in good report or well spoken of by people? 

v.28-29

All people are created equal no race is better.

v.30-31

Your offering will be remembered

v.32-48

What was Peter doing? He was telling the story. You have to get to the point to where you can close the book and just tell the story. There is no right or wrong way. People have been caught up in the lie. That you have to tell the story a certain way. When you go to tell the story, the Holy Spirit knows when to step in. We have been so programed and fear will step in.With you character, personality, and mannerisms, He just wants you to tell the story. The Holy Spirit will do the rest. Even if they look at you like you must have a hole in your head and the brains leaked out. Remember sometimes it falls on miracle grow and other times it falls on concrete. Either way you have to tell the story.

God Bless

Church 11 9 08

Carl was speaking.

We went in the Bible to:

2nd Chronicles 34:1-8 

Revelations 3:15-16

James 4:8,10

Psalms 119:11

1st Corinthians 15:33

Psalms 119: 9

2nd Chronicles 34:24-28

Carlton started his sermon with a little bit of his history.  Growing up he pretty much stayed out of trouble. His mom made him promise to be the best of what he could be no matter what it was. His dad was not a really good dad either. Carl tied it all in with the fact that Josiah's dad and grand-dad were wicked, but at the age of 8. Josiah decided to go the right way and when he turned 12 he removed/purged the evil sinful things from Jerusalem. Josiah became the king of an entire nation at the age of 8. What were you doing at age 8? Purge those things that are not of God in your life. The things that keep you from having a minute to minute relationship with God. Anything that makes you ashamed to pray. It doesn't matter how old you are. 

Tell God you don't want to make Him sick of you. You did know you can make God sick of you right? (Revelations 3:15-16) By doing the wrong things over and over and over again. Being luke warm is like being an act. You want God when your in trouble, but when life is good.........you don't want Him around anymore. Why is that? 

If you die and go to hell.........God's work is in vain.  He wants to see fruit. Either be hot or cold,but don't waste God's time. God wants you to take the first step. (James 4:8,10)He'll start telling you what to do and where to go. Get in His word. Humble yourself, it's not as hard as people make it out to be.  Take the first step and recognize the fact......HE IS GOD!!!!!!!! and your not. Be obedient to His word. Humble yourself and He will lift you up.

 When you love the word. You hide it in your heart. (Psalms 119:11) Because it's in your heart you remember it. You might not sin. He doesn't say you won't sin. The flesh is powerful and you have fallen you might fall again. 

The walk is straight and narrow. A straight and narrow path isn't easy to stay on.  The first step is the easiest and God will be with you every step of the way. Love God, Love the Word, Obey Him, and He will be with you. His yoke is easy. Humble yourself and give your problems to Him.  You gotta take the first step. Don't care what people will say or think.  Don't let what people say cause you to stumble or take your eyes off the path.

Bad company will corrupt good character(1st Corinthians 15:33). Because Josiah did what was right, he found favor in God's eyes. They're will be a time when God is not happy with the people who are not obeying Him. Strive to do all that He says and you will die in peace(2nd Chronicles 42:24-28).  Seek Him first not anyone else just Him. You can find all that you want to know about God in the Bible. Be right and be obedient. Thats all He wants. 

God Bless 

Bible Study 11/5/08

We were going in the Bible to:

Acts 9:31-10:8

Proverbs 27:18

1st Corinthians 3:8

These are my notes:

Have you been comforted by the Holy Ghost ? When you don't know why, but you still trust Him? How do you walk in fear of the Lord?  Trust Him. Realize you are not getting away with anything. Just because He hasn't punished you for whatever you are doing that you know you shouldn't be doing. Don't think your getting away with it. While your doing something that you don't think will hurt anyone. Remember, sometimes the little stuff will affect you later on in life. The fear of the Lord is supposed to be in our hearts. To not do stuff the stuff He hates.

Do you  know how to bow your head and ask God to forgive you?  And give you the power not to do it again. Every time you give up something you have been holding back. You get peace in that area of your life. 

How many people do you know that are affected by what God has done for you? America doesn't think they need God anymore because they have accomplished so much.  You have to be careful to remain humble. Remember, what brought Satan to his knees was his (God-given) beauty.

Peter feared God meaning..........he obeyed Him.  The work we are doing for Him is building up the kingdom. What is your intent , motive and reason for doing building up the kingdom. Is it to be seen by others? You will look weird if you don't? You feel left out? Or is it that God will be glorified? 

I don't know if you guys understand any of this or not. I hope it helped somebody.

God bless

p.s. any tips on how I can improve,  are greatly appreciated.