Things have definitely been hectic to say the least, in terms of schedules and daily life! The summer has kicked in full blast!
I am happy to report that we are about to start doing test recordings of songs to work on learning our new equipment and moving into the new age of recording music directly to the computer. It’s came such a long way. And no worries, we will be filling up the schedule soon enough!
God Bless You!
I would like to share with you a recent thought that the Lord brought by on what it means to be made whole. First of all, I would like to define the word “whole”. Some definitions from the dictionary are: free of wound or injury (unhurt), recovered from a wound or injury (restored), free of defect or impairment, having all of its proper parts (complete). A synonym for whole is “perfect”. If I could physically demonstrate to you something that is not whole, I would present to you a vase that has been shattered into many pieces or perhaps a puzzle that is missing one piece. Both of these examples have no value or use because they are broken or incomplete. People are just like this. All of us are incomplete and some of us are like the vase. Our lives have been torn into many pieces by sickness, death, trauma, depression, violence, addictions, or some other great trouble. But there is a remedy, a balm in Gilead that can be found. His name is Jesus. Every human person is incomplete without Jesus in their life. No matter if everything in life has been good for you; there is still an empty void in your life. The reason is that you were created to fellowship with God but when sin entered into the heart of man, he was separated from God. The only way man can be reconciled back to God is through God’s Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus paid the sin debt for mankind on the cross of Calvary. He made a way that man can be restored or made “whole”. I have heard so many testimonies over the years from Christians that talk of how different their lives were after they accepted Jesus Christ. I have heard some say that the sun shone brighter, the grass was greener, and their heart was full of love instead of hatred. Some just said they felt a deep settled peace enter their heart. Here are some scriptures that demonstrate the miracle of being made whole by Jesus:
Matthew 9:22
“But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.”
Matthew 14:36
“And besought him that they might only touch the hem of his garment; and as many as touched were made perfectly whole.”
Luke 8:48
“And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.”
Please notice some important truths about being made whole. When God saves your soul, you are made whole that very instant, that very hour. God’s salvation is a gift. You don’t have to do something more or different. God’s salvation is given to you freely and fully the moment you accept Jesus as your Savior. There is spiritually growth that can be had after you are saved but you are made “whole” the moment that God saves your soul.
When God saves your soul, the salvation he gives you is “perfect”. It is not of man’s righteousness that you are saved but of the righteousness of Jesus. This is why salvation is eternal. It is not dependent on man and his goodness or his works but it is provided by the supreme sacrifice that Jesus made on Calvary. What God does, he does well. The scripture didn’t say that these people were just partially made whole and that it would only be good for so many days or months. It said they were made perfectly whole.
The next scripture I want to read is John 5:6: “When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole?”
This is the question I want to ask you today? Have you been made whole? If not, do you want to be made whole? Like the crippled man in this scripture, have you been on life’s journey a long time but your life is empty and void? Then now is the time for you to call on Jesus and ask him to make your life whole. And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked.
In today’s message I wish to talk about being Equipped With Assurance
So many things in life bear many uncertainties, but there are many things that we obtain by having God being the all-in-all in our lives
First of all, we have Forgiveness from God
1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
Often times when we face rough things we can cling to God’s Peace
Romans 14:17
17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
One part that we often take for granted so often is our Freedom
Romans 8:2-3
2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
Even when we have strength, we never use the God given Power and authority
Ephesians 4:21-25
21 If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:
22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
25 Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.
One of my personal favorite emotions would of course be Hope. For without it, we are a people without faith.
1 Peter 1:3-5
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,
5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
Always remember when you are going through your every day, to equip yourselves with these things that God gifted us to be able to live life with. God Bless You!
We really enjoyed ourselves at Rutledge Pike. It’s good to be able to visit your brother and sister churches to be able to lend a good hand and support. We loved our experience there, and appreciate all who came out to worship and give glory to the Lord!
We will definitely be back for more, perhaps to speak or to sing or both! We’ll keep you posted! In the mean time, if you are looking for a good place to go and hear the wonderful preaching of the word of God, look no further.
Thank you all for keeping us going! God Bless you!
It’s good to be writing to you all tonight. I am here to write a little “blurb” about what I have learned the past few days.
I have learned that it is never easy to be able to try and figure things out on your own. Trying to do this only leaves me to my own thoughts and understanding, and as obvious as it seems now, it’s hard to see in the moment. I hope that as I face my future valleys that I can remember the moments on the mountain, and to know that it took something to take me there: my Lord and my Savior!
I have also learned that without faith being in every instance of every trial, that the trial will run its course with no divine intervention. We start with faith the size of a grain of a mustard seed, and yet, that is only the beginning of it. That faith is meant to grow, meant to be cultivated, to be encouraged to something even bigger than our mind can contain. For without it, we can never grow to bear anything that will be of help to ourselves and to others.
Another important piece that I have obtained is the realization that people need each other. It is simply more convenient to think that everyone is okay, so we never bear the burdens of heavy hearts. It is simply easier to think “it’s someone else’s problem”. It’s so sad, but so true. I’m here to tell you that I am changing my frame of mind, and to realize that people need me. People need that anointing that God has placed in my life. For on my own, I am nothing, but God through me, I can do all things.
And finally, I will close with the thanks and gratitude to anyone and everyone out there that is supporting us in this ministry. We have had some things try and come to slow us down, but we are not stopping for anything! We are continuing forward, aspiring for the mark and high calling that we have read about! God bless you all!