The Story: chapter four Deliverance

When people hear the word, deliverance, it can easy mean different things for different people. For some it is deliverance from sin, to others deliverance from a habit or addiction, to others it could be from demonic oppression or it could be getting out of a bad situation or relationship. The unfornuate thing for some is that they never see themselves in need of deliverance. I am not saying one's life is evil or completely unpleasant but all of us are in need for God to step into our lives and make a difference in one area or another. The lack of feeling a need for God to deliver you out of something at one time or another is a sign of a lack of awareness of our own ability in the spirit world to change that spirit world. After I have become a Christian I have been in need of deliverance many times. I had a huge problem with rebellion early on in my walk with Jesus. I could not change that but God on to reveal Himself and come and do what I could not do. In chapter four of The Story it was talking about the children of Israel being delivered out of Egypt. This was done by the mighty hand of God through a series of mighty miracles one after another. God stepped in and did what they could not do. I want to encourage you to Have Faith in God. If there is an area in your life that needs to be different regardless of what that area might be I encourage you to begin to cry out to God and believe that He can change the situation, heal the body, provide for a need, save a loved one, open a door for a job, restore a relationship or transform a life. Have faith in God for His deliverance ability regardless of what the need maybe.
May the love and peace of God overshadow your life.

Pastor John

The Story: Chapter three, Joseph

The lessons of the The Story are very relevant for today's living. The story of Joseph could be told from favorite son to slave to prison to second on charge of a nation. That is a life that most of us would love to have if we could leave out the middle part of being a slave and being in prison. This points to a truth that Jesus talked about toward the end of His ministry in John 16:33 "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." The truth is that everyone in life has times of difficulty and trials and temptations that begin to seem to overwhelm them. It is never comfortable to begin to feel that I am losing control of life and in knowing how to deal with life. I am positive that Joseph struggled in what was happening in his life. I am also positive that you have struggled at time in what was happening in your life. Jesus gives us the key to overcome these times. The context which we find John 16:33 is the context of Jesus pouring out His heart of love to the disciples and sharing with them the importance of loving another, loving Him and by trusting in the Holy Spirit when life does not make sense. I can have peace because I know that my Father in heaven loves, Jesus loves me and they have my best interest in mind. Jesus is affirming His love for the disciples on this occasion which He did by washing their feet. Then Jesus encouraged His disciples that the true test of love for Him would be doing, obeying, that is doing life His way and when we trust in Him, He promised to give us peace. The Father God loves you therefore you can overcome through His Son, Jesus Christ.
May the love and peace of God overshadow your life.

Pastor John

The Story week two

There are many people who can relate to Abraham and Sarah. They had many great expectations for a family and in fact received a promise from God that they would have a son. That was great news but this expectation went unfullfilled for years. We too have some very good expectations and believe that God has spoken to us in a marvelous way but yet we have not seen the what we have been promised. Again like Abraham and Sarah there are times we think that God can use a little help to do what He had promised. They decided to have this child in an unconventional manner but that was not God's plan so they just ended up complicating their lives. I do not know about you but I have tried to help God but only ended up causing myself more problems then I already had. The lesson is this is simple but one that is difficult at times to fully learn which is life will always go better when I do the things that God wants me to do and I trust and wait upon the Lord to do what He said He would do. This is called faith. From the time the promise of have a child first came it was 25 years before the baby was born. That is a long time to wait for a promise to be fulfilled and there were many lessons to learn along that pathway but God's timing is right. I do not want to wait anymore then the next person but learning that a walk of faith is resting, trusting and believing that God has my best interest in mind and His ways and timing is the best. Psalm 25:3 "Indeed, those who wait upon You will not be put to shame." If you have an unfulfilled promise from God do not become discouraged but believe that God has the power to do all that He has promised, Romams 4:20-21. Faith is believing God is able to fulfill His Word regardless of what we may be seeing in the natural world.
May God strengthen you in your faith to wait upon Him.

Pastor John

The Story Chapter One

The Story is a journey through the Bible that communicates God's love story for His special creation, us. Throughout this story God does not cover up the mistakes of man nor does He compromise His plan but expects us to do life His way. Within the first chapter of the story we have creation, the fall of man, the promise of restoration, the first murder and Noah's ark. The thing that is interesting that happened then is still happening today. The human race has a hard time listening to God. We may hear God but we have a hard time listening because if I listened it means that I am going to cooperate with God and do the things that He is telling me to do. In the story of Cain and Abel God spoke these words to Cain "I you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you but you must master it." Genesis 4:7 Unfortunately Cain did not listen and then killed his brother. The account of the human race from that point only got worse which led God to destroy the earth except for Noah and his family. Noah being a righteous man and who found favor with God saved his family. Shortly after the flood was over there arose a problem of Noah getting drunk, which lead to other problems with his children. The words that God spoke to Cain were not heeded then for Cain, Noah, his sons or for that matter the rest of the human race. God is looking for faithful ones who will listen to Him and begin to do life His way. In chapter two God finds another man who would listen to Him, Abrahan. More on him next week. For us today let us not become deceived and think that we can do what is right in the sight of the Lord in our own strength. We need Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord to help us to do what is right but He will not force us to do what is right we need to choose to do what is right and then ask Him for His help. He promised to help me if I look to Him.

May God strength your journey of faith.
Pastor John

Whose on first?

As this year begins the Lord is reminding me of the importance to keep His first in all things throughout this year. Matthew 6:33 "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added to you." Jesus said in several places that if we want to be His disciple that we must follow Him. This concept of God being first and of following Jesus is one and the same. Many people claim to love Jesus and that is great but let's remember that Jesus said in several places that if you love Me, you will obey my commands. This too is the same principle of putting Him first and following Him. May the Lord inspire us to live a life this year of taking the words of Jesus at face value and follow Him by loving, serving and obeying Him with our whole hearts. I can only speak for myself but I long to have His favor and blessing upon my life which will come when I do the things that Jesus said was important. By the way the things must important to Jesus is to put Him first, love Him, serve Him, follow Him and to do these things with a heart of worship through grace. None of what I said can be accomplished through obeying the letter of the law but it is all accomplished through a passionate intimate relationship with the one who saved me, called me, and strengthens me. I desire to see more fruitful activity of God this year and that will only happen when I trust Him to work in and through me. We do not need to work harder this year but we do need to trust Him in all things whether big or small. I believe God wants to manifest Himself in the lives of His children. Ephesians 1:3 "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ."
May the God of all love and grace bring this into reality in our lives.

Pastor John