LIFE

Life----

Life was meant to be lived.  Jesus said, John 10:10

10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

I fear that we have reached a point in our society and churches that life is no longer celebrated or lived out abundantly.  Too many times I hear people speak of church life as a dread or punishment.  Statements like, “I have to go to church Sunday.” “I wish I didn’t have that church event, and I would, etc.”  These kind of statements should send a signal to our spirit that something is out of alignment.  The Christian life was never meant to be lived in the doldrums of despair, but rather in the abundance of God’s abiding presence.  God is a moving, living, exciting God.  The greatest life is the life lived in fulfillment of God promises and provisions.  We must never get to the place that the things in our world detract from the life God has planned for us to live.

Life is a gift.  To live in the presence and will of God is the greatest gift of all.  

I challenge every believer to live in God’s abundance and blessing.  To count each moment as a gift from above.  To embrace each day with a new found purpose and joy.  To truly began to live life abundantly according to God’s plan.  Laugh, Cry, Run, Dance, Smile, and whatch abundant life find you.

Values Sustain Vision

Values

Here at Calvary Tabernacle, I talk a lot about VISION.  It is my goal that everyone understand not only that we have a vision, but what that vision is.  So let me take just a minute and communicate something that I feel is imperative to the longevity of Calvary Tabernacle and its Vision.

===========================VALUES==============================

Values will determine the quality of the vision.  I personally have felt impressed as of late to communicate the importance of values for Calvary Tabernacle.   Simply put, I don’t want to spend time and energy building something that I never really set out to build. (I’m not talking of material buildings)  How sad would it be to take a journey only to wind up at the wrong destination?  It is equally as important that we are moving as that we are headed to the right destination.  I believe Vision will keep us moving, but knowing our values will keep us headed to the right destination.

A few things are valuable to me at Calvary Tabernacle:

1.     That we be a People with passion for the Kingdom of God.  I’m not just talking about hype or energy, but real passion:  A constant pursuit of His presence.  A people that anything less than a move of God’s spirit and revelation of His word will not do.  That we never settle for second rate, second best or even a substitute presence.  We need the presence of God working and moving in our lives, not just every service, but every day.  Calvary Tabernacle I value the presence of God that is in our midst. Don’t ever take it for granite.  It is not by might, nor by power, but everything by His Spirit.  Never lose your passion for the things of God.  Go after Him in a constant hunger and don’t stop until your submerged in His supernatural presence.

2.     What good is passion if it is displaced?  We must never de-value Truth.  Yes I am talking about ONE God, Jesus name Baptism, the receiving of the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in other tongues as the spirit gives the utterance, and living a Godly lifestyle.  However, we must value the whole doctrine, not just the basics.  We should desire to grow on to meat of the word and not just milk.  Place a value in your life on growth.  Never leaving the basics, but maturing into the perfection to which we are called.  There is only ONE God, and His name is Jesus.  Teach your children He is not like any other God.  He is the only real God, and His name is Jesus.  His name is Jesus.  Don’t be deceived His name is Jesus.  There is only one name to be baptized in water and that name is Jesus.   There is no other name.  The Holy Ghost is essential to salvation.  If you have not the spirit of God, then you are none of His. (Romans 8:9)  The only way to be saved is to turn from your old ways and dedicate your life to God.  I don’t care what mass media would present; we are to live separated, dedicated lives.  We are in the world, but we are not of the world, Remember He called you OUT.

3.     Holiness: is not an ugly word.  It is the epitome of God himself. It is what distinguishes us from being like the world and being like God.  When we become Holy, we literally become like God.  Don’t ever let the lines of distinctions be blurred.  We are God’s children, his handy work, even His bride.  He is not coming back for the world, He is coming back for His church.  Place value on Holiness.  Men lift up Holy hands, without wrath or doubting.  Put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness (EPH 4:24).  Women God as not called us to uncleanness, but unto HOLINESS (Thess 4:7).  Don’t let the world convince you that being an Apostolic Lady is old fashioned. There is Power on you because of the Angels.  God’s glory rests upon you as you cover it with your Hair.  God created you.  You are wonderfully and fearfully made, allow God to show His glory through you.  Men dress like MEN.  Women Dress like WOMEN.  Place a value on God’s mandates, not our culture.  You can be culturally relevant and scripturally wrong, but it is impossible to be scripturally relevant and culturally wrong.  We are in God’s culture not the worlds.  Let’s follow peace with all men and HOLINESS, without which no one will see the Lord.

4.     Calvary Tabernacle don’t ever become a self-centered, self-serving people.  Place VALUE on evangelism.  We are here to impact the world.  Let’s always be a world changing church.  I value the fact that Calvary Tabernacle is a place that changes people’s lives.  Never lose sight of that.  People want to live for God, at Calvary Tabernacle, lets create an environment where they can.  Love People.  Value People.  Pray for People.  Help People.  Believe in People.  Care for People.  People are what He died for.  He said, “If I be lifted up, I will draw all men to me.”  He was lifted at Calvary, now let’s be a part of drawing.  People. People. People.  Never get so caught up in your own world, that you couldn’t help someone in His.  Make an effort to help someone every week.  Pinpoint it, and follow through.  Ministry takes place where people are involved.  Let Calvary Tabernacle always be a place where ministry happens.

I as your Pastor value some many things that time would not allow me to tell, but hopefully this will bring to clarity some things that I do not want to see lost along the journey.  Let’s be a church that Keeps the faith, Fights the Good fight and finishes the race.  Value your God, Value, your Church, Value Ministry, Value Family, Value Doctrine, Value Passion and never lose sight of the Vision.

Psalms 45:!

Psalms 45:1 declares My heart is inditing a good matter.  I began to think about this the other day and truly began to wonder...How often my heart would indite a good matter.  We talk a lot about things in life and it seems most of what comes out of our mouth are those things that are in our heart.  Jesus said out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.  In other words whatever is in abundance in your heart will come out in your conversations.

While most of the time these things are about our daily life, every once in a while something will get a hold of our heart that is good.  The psalmist here is saying my heart is full of a good matter.  Maybe it was surprising that with everything that was going on, he would begin to dwell on a good matter.
To indite means there is something in his heart that has reached a place that it can no longer stay down in his heart, but it must come up.  The reference is that of a fountain, as water flows up from the depths and eventually burst out the top, so is this good matter that the psalmist has in his heart.
I would challenge every reader that is going through a down time, a discouraging moment, or maybe just having a bad day....to start inditing a good matter.  Begin to set your heart on some good things that God has done for you.  Let that good thing begin to rise up from your heart until you can't contain it anymore.  Let that good matter burst from your lips in a form of praise unto God.  How long has it been since you have indited a good matter.
You've thought on a lot of things, but now is time to dwell on a good matter.  Cleanse yourself of negative thoughts and begin to indite a good matter.  Don't let your situation get the best of you, rise above it by inditing a good matter.

Let God be True

Romans 3:4 declares, let God be true.  This has made more sense to me of late, mainly because one of the main things we must learn to do is believe the authority of God and His word.  However why you and I can know that God is true, it really doesn't matter if we refuse to "LET" God be true in our lives.  The writer of Romans ask the question What if some did not believe?  Shall their unbelief make the faith of God of no effect?
I believe this is a question we are all faced with at some point in our life.  Are we going to let our friends, family or even ourselves decide what is true, or are we going to "LET" God be true in our life?  There is a lot of argument of late that wants to discredit God and His word.  Doubt seems to be around every corner; men walking out on their families; mothers abandoning their children; children leaving their values, all because they have began to believe a lie.  A lie that tells them their not good enough.  A lie that tells them they can't make it.
Christians are not exempt from this deception of doubt.  It seems there is a greater onslaught against our faith now than ever before.  We have a decision to make! Are we going to "LET" God be true or will we believe the lies of men?  To let God be true means to choose to believe the word of God in your life over every other word.  I reiterate "every other word!"  We must decide to believe God above all else. Letting God be true, means in every area of your life God's word takes pre-eminence.  It is the first source you seek.  You believe it when it doesn't seem to make sense.  You trust it, when it is not easy.  You hold on to it when everything else is letting go.  Your not looking for a sign to confirm it, your believing in His word.  You don't need doctors degrees, nor lawyers semantics you have settled in your heart that God's word is "TRUE!" and everything that is contrary to His word is a Lie!
I challenge everyone reading this to start today and "Let" God's word be true in your life.

The Gospel

The Gospel is "The Good News."  Maybe more accurately it is the news of Salvation to those that are lost.  It encompasses the Death, Burial and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.  The Gospel of Jesus Christ is for whosoever will, it is the open door by which all those who wish to be saved must enter.  Jesus said,
Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
John 3:5KJV

Street Samaritans Service

I realize this is an old message, but it is of utmost importance that we understand that the Gospel is the message of salvation to those that are lost.  We as the church ought to be seeking those that are lost and bringing the message of Salvation to them; repentance, Jesus Name Baptism, and the infilling of the Holy Ghost.  Nothing is more exhilarating than seeing the Gospel transform a person's life.   Each of us in the church, are here because the Gospel message was delivered unto us.
My challenge to us all is to stop looking for  a program or a function to get involved in and start looking for a life.  All around us are people that are waiting to hear the life changing message of Jesus Christ.  Regardless of your background, race, creed or income; Jesus died for you.

Street Samaritans is a ministry of Calvary Tabernacle, that literally takes the Gospel to the streets.  Yesterday over 50 people from all walks of life gathered under an old oak tree and prayed and sang and worshiped the Lord together as lives were changed.  I want to say thank you to everyone, but most of all to Jesus for showing up in a big way and  letting us each see the Kingdom in action.
If you are looking for something to get involved in, you only need to look as far as the next person you meet.

Vision 218

Vision 218: I know many of you are probably wondering, "What in the world is Vision 218?"  Vision 218 is a code name for the Vision that I believe God has called those at Calvary Tabernacle to accomplish, it is a vision for the church, not just our local church, but for the entire body of Christ. It is founded in the book of Nehemiah chapter 2 and verse 18:
18 Then I told them of the hand of my God which was good upon me; as also the king's words that he had spoken unto me. And they said, Let us rise up and build. So they strengthened their hands for this good work.
KJV

I believe it is God's will for the church to Rise UP and Build. My prayer is that everyone's hands will be strengthened for the good work that God has called us to.  There is nothing more exciting than the work of God, when the church comes together in one mind and one accord for one purpose lives are truly changed.  Future blogs will be for the purpose of strengthening the body of Christ so that lives can continue to reap the benefits of God's church.  My intent will be only to bring revelation, understanding and hope to all those who serve in God's glorious church.