April Month 2010
Sunday, April 25th, 2010
When you read the text from Luke chapter 2 about how the new church demonstrated their faith it is evident that they were following Christ. They were on one accord and going from house to house with gladness and singleness of heart. Which suggest that they had joy unspeakable and shared all things in faith and fellowship with one another.
However verse 47 suggest that the success of the church derived from in part from their praise going up to God, because of their godliness they experienced favor with all people. Maybe you are a good person and have been in church for a long time, but you know in your heart that there is something missing from your life, Perhaps it is a lack of praise toward God which is inhibiting your ability to receive all that God has for you. There are people who God has preordained to be blessing in your life but you must first give Him all the praise.
Have you established a partnership between your praise and God’s favor? If you Praise Him he will show you favor.
Pastor SP Courtney
Sunday, April 18th, 2010
It is one thing to be a church member but another to with God. As we celebrate the men of Bethlehem we encourage each of you that the Lord sees you as a Man of Valor. Gideon was hiding in the mountains from his enemies, he and the Israelites were being oppressed by the Midianites. However God had a plan to restore and to give the victory to Gideon. Despite his circumstances or what appeared to be a difficult situation God already saw the victory in his life.
Men of God we have to walk by faith knowing that our circumstances do not define us. We have to know that our setbacks and disappointments are not the things that determine our destiny. What you have been or done in your past do not define the possibilities of what God can do through you and to you in your future. Every man who stands on the promises of Jesus Christ who walks with Him in the power of his resurrection is born again man of God who is with God? Being with God has nothing to do with your position in church; rather it has everything to do with your purpose in the kingdom. Being with God describes a relationship, an intimate personal commitment to knowing the God that knows you.
Perhaps you have not considered who you are, or what your Kingdom relationship is with God? Today is a good day to put the past behind you and do like Gideon, get on the Lord’s side. Gideon lacked confidence and he complained about what he didn’t have and his current status in life. However, at the end of his story, we find him victorious in battle, defeating his enemies and believing in the power of His God.
Where will you stand, what will you stand for and who will you stand with? Are you a Man with God, or are you one who will continue to allow circumstances and situation to define and defeat you? I choose to be on the Lord’s side and to live my life as a better husband, father, son, brother, uncle, teacher, preacher and Pastor. Not because of who I am but simply because I know that I am A MAN WITH GOD
Pastor SP Courtney
This is not a question to compel men and women to think about dying, rather a compelling argument that we should live life to the fullest. James the half brother of Jesus who earlier in his life failed to believe in who His brother really was is encouraging us to take inventory of our own mortality. His word in the fourth chapter of the book that bears his name is rebuke to believers to stop living in worldliness.
James explains that the believer must know that being friends with the world would bring division between the believer and Christ. Draw near to God and he will draw near to you, resist the devil and he will flee. James argues that we should not have any relationship with the devil that we should have a consistent and confident approach to resisting the will and way of Satan. Yet, too many folks are counting on tomorrow indicating that they have time to get it right with God.
The reality of verse 14 is that we do not know anything about tomorrow. Our plans are nothing more than hopeful anticipation to what God can bring to pass. We might not know about tomorrow but we do know who holds tomorrow in the very palm of His hand. We are not to worry about how much time we have but rather focus our time and faith in doing the will of the FATHER. Our life is temporary but the promise of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord. What are you doing with your time, how much time do you have?
Pastor SP Courtney
Yes, I know you have been in church for a long time, and that you even have followed Jesus on occasion. The question before you is whether or not the Cross has had any impact on your life. Peter was one of Jesus most trusted disciples. His love and passion for ministry and his belief in Jesus was evident when he answered that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the Living God.
However, Jesus was not distracted by Peter’s apparent devotion because he knew that this same Peter would deny ever knowing him. Nearly three years of walking and being taught by Jesus did not prevent Peter from denying him. However in John’s gospel chapter twenty-one we see a different Peter. Peter has visited the empty tomb and now understands that Jesus has been to the cross and is now the Risen Savior. Calvary has changed Peter’s outlook, for now he knows the Love of God on a different level and it helps him to go from denying Christ to saying Lord, thou knowest I love thee.
If you truly understand what Christ did for you at Calvary, if you truly understand the power and purpose of the Cross? Then I believe that the cross should cause a change in your life. When you realize the sacrifice of the Savior, it should cause you to want to live a life of sacrifice. It should be impossible for you to think of Calvary’s cross and be the same old you. It should not be acceptable for you to do all of the things you use to do, when you understand the magnitude of what Jesus did for you. Ask yourself this question: Do I really understand the Cross? If I do, what did the Cross do for me? How am I different because of my experience at the cross?
Pastor SP Courtney
