In Everything Give Thanks, For…

From Our Pastor's Desk

1st Thessalonians 5:18, “In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”

The Bible records many of God’s will for our lives, if we’re wondering. One of them, if not the greatest, is in the scripture above – “in everything, give thanks”. 

We must form the habit of thanksgiving. Habits aren’t created without starting something small first. 

Today, you can begin to create a new habit by doing something small, yet significant right now. 

Take some time to tell God how much you appreciate Him. 

If you start now, it’ll be a habit in no time. Many of us have allowed circumstances to keep us from being thankful. But God’s Word challenges us to be more thankful.

We are to give thanks in everything. We are to thank God no matter what happens in our lives. Don’t just be thankful for what you like about your life. Be thankful for everything. The secret to contentment is being grateful, being thankful. Don’t take things for granted. 

Praise and appreciate the love and kindness of your family and friends. And above all, know this: Thou shall never be an ingrate if you always give God thanks.

"Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name."- Psalm 100:4 Thank you so much, Lord, for everything, in Jesus mighty Name. Amen.

You will have good success this 2022. 

Remain blessed. 

Shalom.

May 2022 - Month of His Will on Earth

Welcome to this our new Month of His Will on Earth in Jesus name. 

The will of God includes everything that God desires to happen in heaven and on earth. 

So, in the first part of the “Lord’s Prayer”, Jesus taught the disciples and teaches us to pray that the Father’s will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 

Matthew 6:10 - “…Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven”. The word for “will” is thelma, which means “what one wishes or has determined will happen.” 

We are to want God to have His desire, His will and His plans fulfilled. Our lives & plans should agree with His will. 

Since we are created by God, therefore, we depend on God to know His will. More precisely, as God reveals Himself in His Word, we can know His will truly. 

We can rest our confidence in knowing the divine will of God to the extent that He has revealed Himself in His Word. For us, defining the will of God involves knowing and applying the written Word of God. 

So, Mercy Seatizens, welcome to May 2022, “Our Month of His Will on Earth”. This month & beyond, no more shall there be any confusion. 

As we seek Him more & meditate on His will as contained in the scriptures, I pray that He will draw us closer to Him & reveal His will more & more unto us, in Jesus Name. Amen.

How Eve Analyzed Satan’s Offer – Taking the Path to Righteousness (Series Part 4)

From Our Pastor’s Desk

Genesis 3:6  And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. 

You know, many people think sin looks wrong. But sin always looks right. Looks good. It has appeal, it’s attractive. If sin looked bad, we will not commit it. 

Sin always looks good for food, like something that can satisfy you & your hunger. 

Jesus was tempted, not with snakes, but with bread. Is bread not good? Bread is definitely good. 

What is wrong with turning stones to bread? Nothing. It’s good. It’s sweet. It’s needful. It’s legitimate, You’re hungry, get the food, and eat it. 

That’s how we think. The Bible even says it is God that gives bread to the eater & seed to the sower. Bread is good for food. 

But not all bread are good. Some could be coated with floury, doughy bread, but inside are maggots that can kill. That’s the kind of bread satan tempts with. 

Jesus knew, nothing good can come from satan, from temptation, not even good bread. Only bread of adversity & water of affliction can come from the enemy of our souls. Satan presents sin to look good and attractive.  

As he made the apple from the tree look “good for food” to Eve. Grace to be vigilant & careful of our analysis of tempting offers of sin, the Lord grant unto us indeed, in Jesus mighty Name. Amen. 

You will have good success this 2022. 

Remain blessed.  

Shalom.

The Napkin

 Happy Resurrection Sunday

From Our Pastor's Desk

John 20:7 says “And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped (folded) together in a place by itself”. 

Venture back a little to those minutes, hours just after the resurrection of our Lord. What was it like? Especially for Mary that ventured out to the sepulcher. 

Our text tells us that "Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark Mary Magdalene went to the tomb…”  

She found the stone removed. There is shock & disbelief in the sight lying before her. Filled with fear, perhaps even anger, she runs to notify the disciples of this despicable act: Someone has “taken the Lord out of the tomb!” 

Peter & John quickly return, with Mary, to the tomb, finding nothing but jumbled grave clothes, lying where they should be, & they realize that Mary’s words are not some wild tale. 

But wait, not everything was as it should be. Something was out of place. John 20:6-7 go into great detail to tell us what Peter witnessed when he looked into the tomb: “He saw the strips of linen lying there as well as the burial cloth that had been around Jesus’ head. 

The cloth was folded up by itself, separated from the linen”  What’s the significance of picking up this singular item & folding it? 

It causes one to ask the question: Why did Jesus fold the NAPKIN after His resurrection? His resurrection power will work for us, in Jesus mighty Name. 

Amen. 

You will have good success this 2022. 

Remain blessed. 

SIN – Killer of Righteousness

Taking the Path of Righteousness Series – Part 2

From Our Pastor’s Desk

Paul wrote in Romans 6: 16 - Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? 

The above scripture shows that we are all servants.  A servant is one who gives up himself wholly to another’s will.  

He is devoted to another to the dis-regard of his own interest. So, the question is what, or whom do we serve?  

Do we serve the sin unto death, or do we serve obedience unto righteousness?  

Jesus said in John 8:34, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.”  The idea is whosoever keeps on committing sin is the servant of sin.   Every child of God, at some point, has fallen into a temptation of sin. 

1st John 1:8 – “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us”, but we need not continue to sin, and serve sin.  In contrast, one is a servant of God or righteousness, if one continues to obey and serve God.  

When does one become a servant of righteousness?  Paul answers this question:  Romans 6:17-18 – “But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness”. 

That is, one becomes a servant of righteousness when he is made free from sin.  And Jesus Christ has made us free indeed, from sin. We will not lose that freedom, in Jesus mighty Name. Amen. 

You will have good success this 2022.  

Remain blessed.  

Shalom.

Fix the Center

From Our Pastor's Desk

Readers, I have a formula that encapsulates the desires of God for us. I know life isn’t as simple as using a formula to solve the issues of life, and formulas can let you down, even the so called “almighty formula”…remember that?, 

But I have a formula for us; I have a guaranteed recipe & remedy for worry, anxiety, purposelessness, frustration, hopelessness, helplessness, fruitfulness etc. I have the secret for life, church, relationships, living, being….  

Want something from God? "I want God to do something for me". You want: - Financial help.

 Get your family, children, household sorted out - Get mind, emotion, mental, spirit sorted out. 

"Lord, remove this confusion. Do it, Lord, please! Remove this anxiety, worry, fear, depression” you cry out - That dream job; that promotion; accommodation; house   - To overcome a habit or addiction - Need a suitable & compatible partner!    - Need His immediate intervention & solution   

Do you want these things?  - Maybe you’re frustrated because God’s not coming up with the goods? - Maybe you think He doesn’t care? Is that it and more? I have the Biblical formula for solution for you.  

Here is the recipe - Matthew 6:33 - “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you”  

Set your focus to the right things (His kingdom & more importantly, His righteousness), and all those above, yeah all those, will be taken care of by the King of Righteousness. 

That’s His word, that’s His promise. And He never breaks His promise. 

Grace to seek His righteousness, we receive, in Jesus mighty Name. Amen. 

You will have good success this 2022. 

Remain blessed.  

Shalom.

April 2022 - Month of Righteousness on Earth

From Our Pastor's Desk

Welcome to this our new Month of Righteousness on Earth in Jesus name. 

Hebrews 1: 8 - But unto the Son He saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom 

His Kingdom represents righteousness, which is defined as without guilt or sin. Means right standing with God. 

We have right standing with God, not because of what we did, but because of what Jesus did for us in God's great plan of redemption. 

True and perfect righteousness is not possible for man to attain on his own; the standard is simply too high. 

But true righteousness is possible only through the cleansing of sin by Jesus Christ and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. 

2nd Cor. 5:21 - “God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God”  

Mercy Seatizens, welcome to April 2022, Our Month of Righteousness on Earth. This month & beyond, righteousness will save us too, like Noah. 

The world that Noah lived in was filled with violence, sin, demonic activity, immorality, but the Bible says “Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation” 

Jesus’ righteousness will save us, cover us, and protect us. James 5:16 teaches… “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” 

Our prayers this month will be effective, powerful, and rain down blessings , in Jesus Name. 

Amen.