Hello Church,
    Someone asked the other day, “Does God still speak?” I think the real question should be is, “Do we hear?” The Lord is speaking to His Church, His people, BUT are we, His people listening and then doing?
I
   n Second Chronicles, verse 10 it says, “Consider now, for the Lord has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary; be strong and do it.” I believe we’re living in a time that many in the Church want to hear the Lord, BUT aren’t willing to what He says. We get excited when the word of prophecy or exhortation comes, BUT not to fast to do what the word said.
    There are things that we need to do when God chooses us.
         1. Acknowledge God (Know God) - Give Him the glory and honor. Be able to say, “Look what 
                                                                         the Lord has done."  
         2. Serve God Wholeheartedly - Nothing is too much.
         3. Seek God - Here’s a promise of God, if I seek (pursue) Him, I will find Him.
         4. Do The Work - God said, “Be strong and do it.” We need to quit being a bunch of cream puffs and put
                                          our hands to the plow. Faith without works is dead. Faith without action is dead.

   We may not always understand what’s going on, BUT we can know God. We can know His character, His power, His righteousness and His love.
    What will you do? Will you circle the wagons and just hold on until Jesus comes or will you make a decision to use all that you have for the glory of God?
　
P. Tom

Hello Church,
   When looking at the story of Samson in the Book of Judges, have you ever notice how the Lord did not immediately leave Samson because he joined himself to a harlot named Delilah, BUT the Lord left him because he gave his trust and confidence to her when he told her all his heart.
 
   The secret place of the Lord is our strength and God nevers share that place with another. In the heart of a worshipper, God has this exclusive place. He guards it with jealousy and He expects us to guard it too. WHY? Because it's the strength of our life. It's the place of intimacy. It's the place where He speaks to us. It's the place where He can direct our lives. SAMSON LEFT THAT PLACE AND GOD LEFT HIM.
 
   Church, thank God that He is patient when we allow things to distract us and He waits and gives us the chance to return to that secret place, BUT if we surrender that place for the love of the world, He will leave us, for He will not share us with the world. He is a jealous God. In his captivity Samson repented and God came back to him once more. 
 
   If you or I have allowed something or someone to take that place, we can do what Samson did - repent and the Lord's Spirit will come upon us in a mighty way.
 
 
P. Tom

Hello Church,
Can we recognize Jesus? Many believe in only a “nice” Jesus. Think about that, be nice to me and I’ll be nice to you and we’ll all be happy. Is this really the message of Christianity? Is this really the message of the cross? REALLY?
If we think like that, then Jesus preached a message no deeper than a saying in a kindergarten setting. How many of you remember Barney, the purple dinosaur and his song, “I love you, you love me, we’ll a happy family …” Have we turned to Son of God into a purple dinosaur puppet? You can search the Scriptures and I don’t think you will fine Jesus to all too nice and tolerant. In Jesus’ sermon on the mount He speaks about how we arte to be salt and light of the world, about murder, adultery, how marriage is sacred, loving your enemies, doing good to please God, how to pray, how you can’t serve two masters, about judging, about how to keep asking, keep seeking and keep knocking, how’s it’s a narrow way, knowing people by their fruit and how everyone who says “Lord, Lord shall not inherit the kingdom of heaven,” and how we are to build the foundation of our lives upon the rock and not the sand. DO YOU RECOGNIZE THIS JESUS?
The Word of God says, “Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold of eternal life, … I Tim. 6:12), BUT too much of the Church sounds likie the theme from Golden Girl’s (thank for being a friend), and not enough like Battle Hymn of the Republic (lightening from His terrible swift sword).
Regain your fighting spirit - the Spirit of Christ - the spirit of the 300 men with Gideon. In case you didn’t know - WE WIN.
 
 
P. Tom

Hello Church,
   Here's a statement that we need to remember, write it down and post it on our wall - "GOD HAS NOT FORGOTTEN YOU." That's an encouraging word right there. Think about it - no matter wherever you are or whatever you're facing, God has not forgotten you.
   In Psalms 77, the writer Asaph, who is a Levite, singer and one of King David's choir directors is facing a very dark time in his life. In verse 2 he says, "My soul refused to be comforted," and then in verse 4 he writes, "I am so troubled that I cannot speak." In the first verse we see what he did, "I cried with my voice ... and He gave ear to me."
   Why would God allow His people, His children to go through what we call "hour of darkness?" In Second Corithians, chapter 1 we get an answer - In the midst of our afflictions, the Spirit of God comforts us. Then after we are comforted, we can bring that same comfort to others who are suffering afflictions also. CHURCH - you and I need to remember our deliverances, the things that God has done already. We are going to come out of the fire cleansed and stronger than ever before, we will become God's comforting hands. Remember, GOD HAS NOT FORGOTTEN YOU.
 
P. Tom
 
Also the attachment is for Hour Four of DRIVEN by ETERNITY for Wednesday night at 7:00PM.

Hello Church, in John 16:33 Jesus spoke to those who followed him, "In the world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." When you look around there are a lot of things going in the world and even in our nation. It seems as if we're living in the days of the Judges when the Word of the Lord says, "Everyone is doing right in their own eyes." There are those who have thrown out the standard of the Word of God and have accepted a humanistic gospel that says that we have evolved, we have become educated and have no need for God.
   But Jesus was saying that "I have taken the full impact of everything this world can bring to destroy the stability and hope of the righteous, and have triumphed over it. I have risen, I will come for you and the victory I have won will become yours."
   Church, by faith we can have an overcoming life and honest walk with God. We can rest assure in spite of what lies ahead of us, we can "be of good cheer." Let this truth find deep roots in your heart. The truth will set you free from the power of all fear.
  
P. Tom
 
Reminder, tonight we continue with "DRIVEN by ETERNITY" at 7:00PM.

Hello Church, here it is already Wednesday and Easter is right around the corner. In the Book of Acts, chapter 27, verse 19 it says, "On the third day we threw the ship's tackle overboard with our own hands." This takes place when Paul, being a prisoner, is being taken to Rome to stand before Caesar, BUT before he got there, here he is on a ship that has been caught in a storm now for three days.
   When it says that the men threw overboard the tackling. The tackling that was throw overboard could represent the standard of the Word of God, the foundation upon which we stand as a Church and as a nation. Think about it - In our nation there are men and women who have throw overboard the standards which made our nation great. They've thrown out the Word of God in our schools and allowed a socialistic humanistic gospel to come in. There is the murder of unborn children for the sake of convenience. The sanctity of marriage that was defined by God (man & woman) and have redefined it by saying if two people of the same sex love each other, who are we to deny them the right to marry. It seems we live in a time where just anything goes.
   We have to ask ourselves a question - "What in the world are we doing? Is there not anyone with a voice of clarity? Where is the Church? Where are the Christians?" Church, God is calling us to be ready. In the midst of the storm in Acts 27, Paul, who was a prisoner and in chains was called up to the deck of the ship. While he was in the bottom of the ship he got a Word from the Lord. Whe Paul went up to speak to the captain and crew of the ship, he didn't go with a opinion or a suggestion, HE WENT WITH A WORD FROM GOD. When the opportunity came, he was ready. We, the Church need to be ready. That's why it's important to be in prayer, to be in the House of God, to know the Word of God, to build relationships. We are to be that voice of clarity in a nation that is in the middle of a storm and are throwing overboard the foundations of Christianity.
   CHURCH - God is calling you and me back to prayer, back to communication with Him, back to relationship with Him. God is calling you and me to have a willingness to stand no matter what may come. Our prayer should be, "Lord, whatever it takes, whatever it costs,I'm asking You to use my life for Your glory. Help me to walk in righteousness. Help me to turn from sin and do what is right. Help me to stand in the midst of society, not as spineless, BUT as a Believer filled with Your Holy Spirit - that I might be a voice in the storm."
   Paul got his victory before he was called to the deck of the ship. He found his victory - not from his situation, BUT rather in his situation. CHURCH, don't stop pressing in, don't have a divided heart. The Lord will give you hope when those around you are in despair and He will cause you to be a voice in the storm.
 
 
P. Tom

Hello Church,
   What is "Deep Water Faith?" The real test of faith comes when, 1. All you know and everything you've tried doesn't work and 2. The Lord speaks a word to you that seems to make no sense at all. 
   Jesus tells Peter in the 5th chapter of Luke to launch out into the deep and peter responds, BUT Lord, we've been working all night, nothing is there, BUT because of Your word, at Your word I will let down the net. Church, there are times we have to "doubt" our "doubts,"BUT never "doubt" God.
   Ever notice how Jesus will involve you in one thing to teach you another thing. God has great plans for you. You might be saying to yourself that you don't know why you're doing and what you're doing, BUT know that God is taking you someplace. God will move you from the security of the shore to the risks of the deep. The deep is the unknown, it's the strange, it's the future. The deep is where you're able to touch bottom. If there are no risks, then there are no rewards. We have to risks the storms of life if we're going to enjoy a great catch.
   Church, when we obey God, our nets break. It says in Luke that when the disciples launched out into the deep, they caught a great number of fish and their net was breaking. When we obey God, our nets break and needs are met. God's blessings will be poured out and then we are able to be a blessing to others, and then others are able to be a blessing to others. All this happens by us saying, "Nevertheless, at Your word I will __________ (you fill in the blank).
 
P. Tom