2019
Archives From The Pastor's Desk

December 2019

Pastor Brad Quals             Co-Pastor Jonelle Mammack

      In Luke 1:26-38, we find the account of the angel Gabriel coming to Mary and telling her the plan that God had for her life! He told her that she had been favored by God and that she would be the one to bring forth the Son of the living God! She was instructed to “Fear Not!” When she asked Gabriel how this would come about, he explained to her exactly what God had planned!
      This was something that was very unexpected in Mary’s eyes, yet she did not doubt or cross over into panic. I love what she said in verse 38, where she said, “Behold, the handmaid of the Lord.” Mary was surprised, but her trust was in God! She was ready to cooperate with God and to fulfill His plans for her life!
      Many times, well actually most of the time, when God has a certain direction for us to go in life that we do not understand, we immediately get over into doubt and fear. We even go so far as to try to get out of doing it, any way we can! But Mary simply trusted God and took Him at His word when the angel delivered the message that Nothing is ever impossible with Him!
      Now, we must take into consideration that Mary was engaged to Joseph, and she had absolutely no way of knowing how he would react to such news. Would he believe her or would he walk away from her. Would she be stoned? This was certainly a possibility! But Mary just moved forward with God’s plan in mind. The scripture gives no indication that she had any thoughts of NOT doing what God was asking her to do!
      There is a song that says, “My life is NOT my own, to You I belong, I give myself, I give myself to You!” This is exactly what Mary did! This is all God is expecting from any of us....just to let go and let Him be God, allow Him to have His will and way in our life! He desires for His children to just Believe Him, Trust Him and Obey Him! But when we doubt and disobey or when we allow fear to take over, He cannot work in our lives. He must have a willing vessel, like Mary.
      Matthew 1:18-24 gives the good news that Joseph dispelled all of “his” thoughts as soon as the angel of the Lord appeared unto him. He did as the angel of the Lord instructed him and took Mary as his wife. I am sure that God smiled upon the life of Joseph as this was not an easy decision to make, but like Mary, Joseph trusted God!
      I know this isn’t the regular Christmas story that we look at most of the time. But I think we need to realize that sometimes God asks us to do things by faith. He wants us to know that we do Not walk by feeling or what people may say or think....but rather we walk by faith, knowing and believing with all of our heart that God’s plans always come through in Victory!
      Both Mary and Joseph were faithful to God, not just in the birth of Jesus, but in raising that Child as God wanted Him to be raised. They both had to continually listen and obey God quickly or things would never have worked out as planned! They stuck by Jesus through His whole earthly walk here on earth.
      Both Mary and Joseph saw God dealing with Jesus at the age of 12 years of age in the temple! Joseph taught Him the trade of a carpenter. Mary was present at His very first miracle in Cana. She was right there at the cross when her Son was giving His life for this world. And she was in the Upper Room on the Day of Pentecost receiving the Holy Spirit into her life as well as everyone else in that room.
      It is so important to see that we need to Continue to follow His leading through our lives and fulfill all that He has called us to do! His plan is Good and it will lead to Victory, even though you may not see it right now! Trust Him and obey His calling!
     
               May you have and blessed and Merry Christmas!

November 2019

Pastor Brad Qualls         Co-Pastor Jonelle Hammack

     There is an old, old song entitled “Come Ye Thankful People Come”....I was remined of that when I was reading the account in Luke chapter 17 of the 10 Lepers. It tells us that as Jesus entered into a village, there were 10 men with leprosy.....and they all cried out to Jesus to have mercy on them! Jesus looked at them and told them to go and show themselves to the priests. As they went, the scripture says, they were all cleansed of their leprosy!
     But, only one, stopped, when he saw what had happened to his body, and turned around and came back to Jesus! He was shouting and praising God. The Word says that he fell at Jesus’ feet, thanking Him for what He had done. And then it adds, that this man happened to be a Samaritan (those who were hated by the Jews).
      Jesus asked this one, “Didn’t I heal 10 men? Where are the other 9? Has no one returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?” Then Jesus told that one to stand up and go, and that his faith had made him whole!
      My, my what we need to all learn from this scripture!!!  We all tend to cry out to Jesus when we are in need, don’t we? Just like these lepers! They all had the same problem and they all cried out to Jesus for mercy. Yes, they all wanted to be healed so they could go back to their normal lives. 
      Jesus was no respect of persons, as we see, there was at least one hated Samaritan in the group. He spoke to them all and told them what to do.....and they all did what He told them....Why? Because they wanted to be healed so they could go back to their normal lives.......hmmmmm!
      Yes, the Word tells us that they were all healed! But only one, the Samaritan, took time to go back and thank and praise the Lord for having Mercy and healing his body! Jesus asked the man where the other nine were....why didn’t they come back? After all, they too had received the same Mercy as this Samaritan...BUT they wanted to hurry and get back to their normal lives! This is true so many times today....people cry out to Jesus to show them mercy and when He does, they just hurry on down the road to do their own thing!
      Yet something special happened to this Samaritan that did not occur in the other nine.....Jesus told him that his own faith had made him Whole! No longer was there any visible damage to his body that occurred from having leprosy. He was not only healed from the disease like the other nine, but he was made Whole and complete!!! Why? Because he took time to thank and glorify the Lord for what He had done.
      We have one day a year that has been set aside for Thanksgiving Day, But we need to be sure that Every day, we take time to thank the Lord for showing us mercy, for answering our prayers, for getting us through another day in victory! Please don’t get in such a hurry to get back to your own life that you let days go by without saying Thank You Lord for all that You have done in and through me today!

October 2019

Pastor Brad Quals             Co-Pastor Jonelle Mammack

                   “Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord,  who walks in His ways.”  Psalm 128:1 
     This is the only kind of “fear” that the child of God should even consider. And this fear is simply a reference to reverencing and honoring the Lord!
     As far as allowing fear to enter our hearts according to Paul, in 2 Timothy 1:7, we are told that God has NOT given us fear, as the world sees it, but He has given us Love, Power and a Sound Mind!
     God has provided “Blessings” for His children. And those blessing are manifested when we take heed to God’s word in our lives. As far back as Deuteronomy 28, we are told that His blessings will overtake us as we are heeding His voice, or as David said in Psalm 128 – walking in His ways!
     I love the way the Living Bible reads in Deuteronomy 28:2-9,13...  “You will experience all these blessings if you obey the Lord your God: Your towns and your fields will be blessed. Your children and your crops will be blessed. The offspring of your herds and flocks will be blessed. Your fruit baskets and breadboards will be blessed. Wherever you go and whatever you do, you will be blessed. The Lord will conquer your enemies when they attack you. They will attack you from one direction, but they will scatter from you in seven! The Lord will guarantee a blessing on everything you do and will fill your storehouses with grain. The Lord your God will bless you in the land He is giving you. If you obey the commands of the Lord your God and walk in His ways, the Lord will establish you...And the Lord shall make you the head, and not the tail; and you shall be above only, and you shall not be beneath, if you heed the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you this day and are watchful to do them.” 
     David encourages us in Psalm 103 to Never forget the blessings or benefits that the Lord bestows upon us daily!
We truly have so much to praise and thank God for! And why wouldn’t we take heed and listen to His instructions in our lives, when we are told time and again that when we do, we will be blessed. That word blessed means that we are happy, to be envied, and spiritually prosperous with life-joy and satisfaction in God’s favor and salvation.
     This sounds like an offer you can’t refuse, doesn’t it? But sad to say, many today are still choosing Not to listen and walk in the ways of God! Then, they wonder why things just aren’t working out for them. Why nothing ever seems to come together....God has promised that if we acknowledge Him in all our ways He will direct our path! The choice is up to each individual!
     So, if you truly want to be blessed, reverence and honor the Lord. Choose to walk in His ways. Listen to what He tells you and do it.....and you will be Blessed!

September 2019

Pastor Brad Qualls         Co-Pastor Jonelle Hammack

     Psalm 62:5 says, “My soul, wait silently for God alone, for my expectation is from Him.” Where is your expectation today? Have you been waiting for God to come through for you for a while now? Have you heard some little voices saying “It just is NOT working....you may as well throw up your hands and quit!”?
      Well let me encourage you today! Do NOT throw up your hands and quit! Keep trusting God! Keep waiting. Isaiah 40:31 says, “But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.”  And Psalm 40:1-3 says, “I waited patiently for the Lord; and He inclined to me and heard my cry. He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my steps. He has put a new song in my mouth – Praise to our God; many will see it and fear, and will trust in the Lord.” 
      I think one of the greatest examples of waiting on the Lord is Joseph.  His story begins in the 39th chapter of Genesis, and is well worth reading!! Joseph knew what it meant to wait on God to fulfill His promise. And the scripture never says anything about him getting discouraged or throwing up his hands in defeat. He simply continued to work for God regardless of the circumstances that surrounded him! His brothers sold him into slavery, but he continued to let the favor of God shine through his life. Even though a horrible lie was told about him, causing him to be thrown into prison, he continue to shine for God. Thirteen years later, Joseph’s “due season” arrived and God’s promise to him was fulfilled! Don’t you know that he was thankful that he was willing to wait on God and NOT turn his back on Him!! Galatians 6:9 instructs us NOT to grow weary in well doing for in “Due Season” it says that we Will reap IF we faint NOT! 
      Sure the enemy encourages you to quit....to just walk away! But Jesus told us that He came to give us abundant life! Where is your expectation? Too many times we all focus in on the circumstances of life, when God just wants us to focus on Him and to trust Him no matter what!
      If Joseph would have quit and given in to his feelings, everyone would have suffered from it! Remember, your life affects all those around you, Not just you! God has a plan and a purpose and He is at work! Don’t give up on Him! He is God and He is bigger than anything you may be facing in life! He loves you with an Everlasting Love and His love will Never fail. All He requires is that you trust Him and NOT be moved by what you feel or see!
      Get into the Word and let His Word get into your heart! Hold on to thoughts like – God is For me; No weapon formed against me can prosper; I am the head and Not the tail; I am my Beloved’s and He is mine; I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me; He has given me power to tread on serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy and Nothing shall by any means hurt me; Greater is He that is within me than he that is in the world; I am more than a conqueror through Him!
      Whatever you do....Don’t grow weary in well doing and Keep your expectation in Him. If God has made you a promise, He will bring it to pass at just the right time! Your “Due Season” is on its way!!!

August 2019

Pastor Brad Quals             Co-Pastor Jonelle Mammack

     The first Sunday of July, Pastor Brad gave us a 30-Day Challenge, to turn off the TV and let the world go! For those of you who have been faithful in taking this challenge, I am quite sure that you have seen a difference in your relationship with your Father.
      As a child of God, we are to walk in the Spirit, because Christ lives in us! We have been set free in Jesus! The natural man or the flesh has NO hold on us! But you can be born again, and feed on spiritual junk food so to speak, and definitely NOT grow strong in your walk with the Lord. How many times have we come home from work and just flopped down in front of the TV and just fed on the world until bedtime.....But God tells us in His Word that if we draw near to Him, He will draw near to us! Simply, the choice is up to us. You see, we have the very nature of God within us....So rather than stand back and watch the world, we need to reach out and take all that God has to give us!
      We need to continue with this challenge that the Pastor has given us and just STAY saturated in the things of God. Will you dare to let God lead you radically into a daily life change?
      In Jeremiah 33:3, God says – “Call to Me and I will answer you and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.” When we take time and spend it with our Heavenly Father, it truly pays off, and makes a difference in our lives.
      So, don’t stop.....continue seeking God, continue drawing nearer to Him and reach out and take what is already yours. When you run into a problem, don’t hesitate to call on Him and KNOW, without a doubt that He hears you and He will answer you in ways far better than you can ever ask or think!
      We are truly living in the most exciting time there is! God has a plan and a purpose for each of us. We are here, right now, for such a time as this. There is a special place in the body for us to operate....but we must prepare ourselves by staying in position to be used by Him!
      Open your hands and Let Go of what has been hindering you. God has so much more for you, my friend! Dare to trust Him and follow the path that He is leading you in.
      David told us in Psalm 23, that the Lord IS our Shepherd. He will feed, guide and protect us, if we will trust Him and continue to follow Him! He gives us total rest, spirit, soul and body and He daily refreshes us! He continues to lead us in paths of righteousness, where we are always in right standing with Him. And even though we may have to go through some dark valleys we will not be afraid, if we will keep our focus on Him. He’s even promised to pour out blessing and favor upon us in the very presence of our enemies and they can’t do anything to stop it!!!!
Now, I ask you WHY wouldn’t anyone want to draw close to One like this! Enjoy the month of August as you continue to draw closer to the One who loves you the most!!!

July 2019

Pastor Brad Qualls
Co-Pastor Jonelle Hammack

      The month of July, people talk and think about our Freedom. Oh, our nation is far from perfect, but we do still have some freedom in the place that we live. God has been so good to us and in Chronicles, He tells us that if His people who are called by His name will just humble themselves and pray and seek His face and turn from their wicked ways, then He will hear and forgive their sin and heal their land.
      This is what God did in the Old Testament time and time again with the Children of Israel. Every time they would call on Him, and repent, He would deliver them!
      What I want to know is why we have such a hard time just continuing to stay humble before Him and praying and seeking His Presence in our daily lives. Why does it seem so difficult to study His Word and do what He tells us to do? This is where true Freedom is and yet so many times we either run from it or try to make excuses…..
      I love what David tells us in the 27th Psalm about His Heavenly Father. And even though when this chapter was written, David’s life was being threatened by King Saul, he knew in his heart that God was taking care of him…..He says that the Lord is his light right in the middle of his darkness. He is his rescue in times of trouble, so he knows that he does not need to be afraid. David says that God surrounds him with a fortress of protection, so he doesn’t have to be alarmed. He goes on to say that God’s house is his shelter and secret retreat….and it is right there where he finds peace even in the middle of the storm and turmoil. He praises God for always answering him when he calls out to Him. He knew that God was always there for him….and even though his father and mother might forsake him, David knew that God would take him in! Finally David concludes with this thought, that he will move past his enemies with one sure hope: that with his own eyes he would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. David encourages us to wait in expectation for the Lord and be strong.
      Fear of some sort tries to attack all of us….but if we face that fear like David, we will be free. And even though we may be going through some storms and darkness in life, we know that all is well and that we are free indeed because we know without a shadow of a doubt that God is for us and He has NOT given us the spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind!
      So let me encourage us today….IF we truly want to live and walk in this freedom…(1) Humble yourself, (2) Pray, (3) Seek His Presence daily and (4) Be quick to repent when you do wrong……Jesus told us in John 8, that if we would hear His voice and abide in His Word, that we would know the Truth and that Truth would set us Free! 

June 2019

Pastor Brad Qualls             Co-Pastor Jonelle Hammack

     From the Life Application Study Bible, Hebrews 11:1 says, “What is faith? It is the confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen. It is the evidence of things we cannot yet see.” And in verse 6, we read, “So, you see, it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to Him must believe that there is a God and that He rewards those who sincerely seek Him.”
      Faith is a combination of assurance and anticipation. It assures us that God is who He says He is and it causes us to anticipate or live in expectation that He will do what He says He will do!
      When I was growing up at home, my dad would nearly always bring me a surprise when he came in from work. That surprise could range anywhere from an unusual shaped rock, to a kitten or puppy that he found during the day. It really didn’t matter to me what it was, but it filled me with an excitement and anticipation of knowing that when Daddy came home he would have a surprise for me!
      Our Heavenly Father is full of surprises. He knows exactly what we need and even what we desire and He is well able to do exceedingly above and beyond what we can ask or even think. You see, He loves us with an everlasting love! BUT, we must Believe Him and trust Him in order to receive His wonderful surprises.
      In one of the songs we sing at the church it says….”Even when I don’t see Him He’s working ….Even when I don’t feel it He’s working…” When we believe that He is working no matter what may be going on in our lives, that is Faith. And the Word says that He has given to everyone the measure of faith….Now it is up to us to use that faith and stay in the Word.
      Do you trust Him to be God in your life? Or, like so many, do you try to first work things out for yourself or to meet your own needs. This is where we get into trouble….Solomon tells us in Proverbs, NOT to lean to our own understanding, but rather, in ALL our ways to acknowledge Him and then He will direct our steps. Our life would be so much easier if we would learn to do that.
      You see, we have a Heavenly Father who cares about us and knows us better that we know ourselves. His greatest desire is for His children to love Him and trust Him with all their hearts. He enjoys pouring out His blessings/surprises on us. We are the apple of His eye. There is no good thing that He will withhold from His children. It is our Father’s pleasure to give us the kingdom! He has promised to bless and keep us. His Presence will be with us continually and He will give us perfect Peace.
      He has promised that NO weapon formed against us will prosper. He will protect us and watch over us continually. And even though we will have trials and tests in this life, He has promised to be with us, so we can rejoice, knowing that He has our life in His hands.
      Paul tells us in 2 Timothy 1:7 that God has NOT given us the spirit of fear, but He has given us Power, Love and a Sound Mind. These are 3 very special surprises that He has blessed us with so that we can go through life’s journey in Victory!
      So I challenge you today, as God’s child to get excited about what God is doing in your life and begin to anticipate what He has around the corner for you! Life is Good when your trust is in Him! Have Faith!!!

May 2019

Pastor Brad Qualls             Co-Pastor Jonelle Hammack

     There are so many things happening in the month of May, to honor all kinds of different people. There is Mother’s Day, where we have an opportunity to thank all the women that God has used to make a difference in our lives….whether it’s Mom, Grandma, Sister, Aunt or Teacher. Please remember to take the time to tell these women that you love them and you thank them for allowing God to bless your life.
      Then there is Memorial Day, the day we remember all those who served our country, some even giving their lives so we can have the freedom that we have today. Too many times, we take these folks for granted and very seldom give them the recognition they truly deserve. We can take this all the way back to the Great Hall of Faith, for those who pioneered the way so that we might have the opportunity to worship and serve God our Father. And naturally, Jesus Christ Himself, who was willing to pay the debt for us that we could never pay, so that we could be free to live under that Amazing Grace, with the Hope of Glory in view.
      And, of course there is Graduation Day quickly arriving for many young men and women. Whether it is graduating from High School or College, we need to remember these young adults in our prayers, as there are many choices awaiting them…..some great choices, some good choices and well, you know, there are plenty of wrong choices to be made. They definitely need our prayers and love, rather than criticism and condemnation.
      1 John 3:1 says “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called the children of God.”
It doesn’t matter what walk of life you come from….Mom, Soldier, Graduate, man, woman, boy or girl…You are loved and God desires to have you in His family! Though we may forget to say “Thank You” to those we say we love, our Heavenly Father recognizes ALL that you do and He rewards you with His everlasting love.
      Did you know that God hand-picked you to be His child. Though you may have made some of those bad choices in life, and haven’t we all….He never stops loving you. And He is always there for you! He looks past all your flaws and weaknesses in the flesh and He sees the one that He calls His masterpiece! You make Him sing! He chose to totally and completely forgive you and make you a brand new person from the inside out! He gives you every breath that you breathe. He sent His Son to pay your debt….to be your example and your way into His Presence. He has given you the Hope of Glory. And when you received His Son as your Savior, He also gave you the Holy Spirit to live in you daily, giving you all the power each day to be what He wants you to be. And while we are journeying through this life, He has promised to be our Refuge, holding us with His everlasting arms of love. You are constantly on His mind. He never forgets you!!! Absolutely Nothing can separate us from His great love. He has clothed us with the garment of Salvation and given us the Robe of Righteousness. We are His now and forevermore. Don’t ever forget that!


                    YOU ARE LOVED!!!
                     **********************

April 2019

Pastor Brad Qualls             Co-Pastor Jonelle Hammack

     The song by the Gaithers says, “Because He lives, I can face tomorrow: Because He lives, ALL fear is gone. Because I know He holds the future, And life is worth the living just because HE LIVES!”
     As we enter into April, we are facing the Easter season. Many sermons will be preached and lessons will be taught on the price that Jesus paid for our sins. We will offer testimonies and sing songs about the great sacrifice that He made for us when He died on the cross, thus taking our punishment upon Himself. And yet when it’s all said and done, I wonder if any of us truly realize just what He has done for us.
     Oh yes, we have given Him our hearts and invited Him into our lives. We know that Heaven is our home because of the price He paid. We know that we have no fear of Hell or the punishment for those who have rejected God’s Son, because He made sure that our names are recorded in His great Book of Life. We know and believe that if we go the death route, that the scripture assures us that to be absent from this body is to be present with the Lord, and that is truly something to rejoice about!!!
     But, do we really realize that right now, in the day and hour we are living in this world that we can walk in Victory and overcome every obstacle that the enemy may throw in our path? Do we know without a shadow of a doubt that fear has NO place in our lives? Do we understand that absolutely NO weapon that is formed against us can prosper? Do we truly believe that we HAVE been Redeemed from the curse of the law, which is poverty, sickness and death? Are we acting in the power that has been given to us, knowing that we can walk on serpents and scorpions and are we operating in the promise that NOTHING shall by any means hurt us???
These things belong to us today! But the enemy has lied to us through so many voices, telling us that we just have to put up with some of these things, in fact, we just need to learn to live with it, that His grace is sufficient! NO! NO! NO!
     Understand this, Jesus came and He fought the battle and He gave the Victory to us. We simply must fight the good fight of faith and hold on to what is already ours! The devil is a liar! We are MORE than conquerors through Jesus and the price He paid on that cross! He rose from that grave that we might live the Abundant life NOW!!! We just need to tell the devil to get behind us and we need to begin to walk in our Victory today!
 We can face each day, knowing that this is going to be another day of Victory because our Jesus lives! No fear of any kind is to be tolerated in the child of God’s life, because our Jesus went to Hell and literally took the keys of death, hell and the grave from satan. The devil is the looser…..we are NOT!
      We can know without a doubt that He holds our future in His hands. Jeremiah 29:11 tells us that He has GOOD things in store for His children! Yes, there is a purpose and a plan for our lives. The Glory of the Lord is to shine forth from our lives, drawing others to Him. Isaiah 60 tells us to Rise and Shine for the Glory of the Lord HAS risen upon us! Our lives are to shine out to this world of darkness, showing and demonstrating to others that life is worth living because He lives and His Glory is for all of God’s children.
     So let me ask you today….what do others see when they look at your life? Do they see His Glory being manifested in your life? Do they see Victory or defeat in your life? Can they see a definite difference in your life than the life they are living?
 I want to remind us all, that as God’s children, nothing is impossible for us because the Greater One is Living within us. Jesus didn’t just die on the cross so that we could go to heaven….He died on the cross, was buried in the tomb and rose on the third day so that we could have ABUNDANT LIFE right Now! We just need to dare to arise and live the life He has given us to live.
     The day of excuses are over! What we are going to do for the Lord, we need to do it NOW! Why sit we here till we die, when we have Eternal Life within us right now? Let us make the quality decision right now, that our lives are going to make a difference in the world we are living in because Greater is He that is within us, than he that is in the world!!
     Resurrection Power is ours! Where ever we go, let’s determine to usher in the anointing that will destroy the works of the enemy!!! Praise the Name of Jesus!

March 2019

Pastor Brad Qualls             Co-Pastor Jonelle Hammack

Be Rooted and Grounded
Ephesians 3:17 tells us to be rooted and grounded in love! Then we can understand more clearly the love that He has for us!
Spring is right around the corner! People everywhere will be planting and gardening and experiencing New Life after the cold winter that made everything look lifeless and without hope of ever living again!

In the book of Joshua, we see God speaking to Joshua after the death of Moses and basically, He is telling him to be Strong and courageous because He is calling Joshua to carry on the work. Moses is dead, BUT the work that he had begun was still alive. He tells Joshua to be strong and confident so that God can use him. He instructs Joshua to be strong, vigorous and very courageous. Joshua is NOT to be afraid, or discouraged, or to get his eyes on people… but he is to remember that God is with him wherever he goes. Joshua is told to meditate on God’s Word day and night….so we see that we are also to be rooted and grounded in God’s Word if we truly want to live in Victory. 

In Matthew 13 Jesus tells the story of a farmer who went out to plant some seed….  
“Now listen to the explanation of the parable about the farmer planting seeds: The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message about the Kingdom and don’t understand it. Then the evil one comes and snatches away the seed that was planted in their hearts. The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy, but since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s Word. The seed that fell among the thorns represents those who hear God’s Word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life and the lure of wealth, so no fruit is produced. The seed that fell on good soil represents those who truly hear and understand God’s Word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!” (Matthew 13:18-23 TLB)

Notice, the first batch that he planted, didn’t even have time to develop any roots, because the birds came and ate them up. This is just like the devil….he loves stealing the very Word that was sent to save, heal or deliver you before you ever really take it in or can understand it….Then Jesus speaks of the batch of seed that fell on rocky ground….more rocks than soil, so they sprang up quickly, BUT since they had no real root in them, they quickly dried up and withered away, because it just seemed too hard!!! 

Oh, but we want to be like the seed that fell on the good soil where the seed was able to send down roots and get a hold on the Word, so we won’t be shaken or easily distracted by all the voices in the world. Jesus Himself said that in this world we WILL have some troubles and testing times….BUT He said that we can be of good cheer because He has overcome this world.  

Psalm 37 teaches us how to develop a good root system, so we can be strong and courageous like Joshua and not be defeated by the enemy, but rather walk in victory and peace right now in this world we are living in! It tells us to (1) Trust in the Lord and do good, (2) Delight ourselves in the Lord, (3) Commit our way to Him, (4) Be still and rest in the Lord, (5) Cease from anger, (6) Allow the Lord to direct our steps, (7) Distance ourselves from the evil that is sent to destroy us, (8) Wait and live in expectation, knowing that He will see you through, (9) And finally know that in Jesus you and I can live happily ever after in His Peace! 

This is why I love Spring….this is what it reminds me of….New Life, Everlasting Life, a place where the enemy can’t just uproot us anytime he wants to. We can be rooted and grounded in Him. We can stand strong and confident in the One who paid the price for us! We don’t have to live in discouragement and fear! Jesus wants us to live in the Abundant Life, and that, my friend, is a life that is rooted and grounded in His Love and His Word. A life that cannot be shaken, but will stand, because the Greater One lives within! 

February 2019

Pastor Brad Qualls             Co-Pastor Jonelle Hammack

I felt that it was important to just re-cap on the messages we have received the first month of this brand new year! Actually, we will start with what Pastor Brad said December 31, 2018 . . . He said that we need to hear what God says, and respond immediately! Every word of God is a New Beginning! Seek the peace of the city where God has called you to be – Be increased and Not diminished!

 Then we were encouraged to remain in the secret place by putting our trust in the Lord! Our first love needs to always be Jesus! Nothing and no one can come before Him! Know His name . . . Know who He is to you! When you need help, call on Jesus! He is always there for us and nothing can ever separate us from His love.

 Our word for the new year is PURPOSE. We need to understand what our purpose is . . . to live a Victorious life! But, do not try to live it in the flesh. Romans 12:1-2 shows us that we don’t have to struggle, just present our bodies to Him. We are in this world but NOT of this world. Don’t lose your focus. It is time to stop and start living on what God can do! Take Him at His Word! Stop living according to what “you” can do! Stop living like you have in the past! Renew your mind with the Word! Get excited that you are on your way home! And there is No place like home! Remember, that every Word of God is a creation! It is time to start living the abundant life . . . Jesus was our example of what a fleshly body filled with the Word can do! We can either believe the world or the Word, but not both. Make the decision to get out of the middle of the road! Cut off the old – Start living off of what God can do…He has NO limitations! Set your mind on what’s above! Let go of the old, once and for all. It’s not enough to believe the right thing . . . Right belief produces Right Living! Put on the NEW!

 God wants to saturate you in His Presence. In John 8:31-32, we are told to Abide, live in the Word! His Word is THE truth and it will set you free. Do not allow anything to stop your forward motion with God this year. Live the rest of your life according to what God can do NOT what you can do!

 And finally, we were taught about Confidence/Boldness/Unshakeable Trust! We were told to seek Faith like Daniel, Hope like Moses and a Heart like David. These men were not perfect, but they loved God and honored Him with their broken lives…..and He used them and gave each one of them the confidence they needed to face their giants in life. If He did it for them, He will do it for us today….we simply must stop leaning to our own understanding, but in all our ways acknowledge Him and let Him direct our path! 

 This is a pretty good start to living a Victorious life this year, don’t you think!. We simply must put the Word to work in our daily lives. Take what you hear on Sundays and Wednesdays and study it. Apply it to your lives. Put the Word to the test….you will see that it will never fail you. It has the answer to all your problems. The Word works, my friend, that’s why Jesus told us that it would set us free! Not that is real love, don’t you think?

 The greatest Valentine you will ever receive is the precious Word of God! Read it over and over and over again!

Janurary 2019

Pastor Brad Qualls
Co-Pastor Jonelle Hammack


Praise the Lord! We’ve made it to a brand New Year! First let me ask you….What did you do with 2018? Did you give Him first place in your life or did life’s distractions get in the way? Did you demonstrate His love to others along the way…..or did they just get in your way? Sometimes these questions are difficult for us to answer. They make us feel like well……I failed again! But let me tell you God saw every effort you put forth to do right. He knows the desire of your heart. He loves you and His Word tells us that His Presence will go with us. It says that He will direct our paths, if we will put our trust in Him. It also tells us that He knows we are dust! And yet it says that we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus! And my very favorite is in Ephesians 3:20-21 where it says “Now to Him, who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”

Just remember, as we enter into a brand New Year, that it is all about Him. He’s the One who is able to do exceeding, abundant works “through” us and “in” us. If we will just Stop trying to do it all ourselves and realize that all we need to do is call on Him and “commit” what we do to Him, He will cause us to succeed!

Our word for this New Year is “PURPOSE”! We are all entering into a New Season – and we are all on an even level right now! God had a Purpose for Jesus and He has a Purpose for us or we would not be here! Jesus never backed down from His Purpose. If we want to succeed in life like He did, we need to follow in His footsteps and do what He did!
He always started off early in the mornings seeking His Father’s instructions for the day. He never let people stand in the way of God’s purpose for His life!

We all need to remember that we too, have a Purpose and we should not allow anything or anyone to hinder that Purpose. Adam and Eve failed to fulfill their purpose! Well God’s given us the same Purpose….To be fruitful – multiply and fill the world – Enlarge the Church/Spread the Gospel –subdue and take control of the things that aren’t right!

We’ve been blessed by God to fulfill the Purpose He has for us! Jesus fought and won the battle for us – so, Why are we still fighting it? According to Acts 2, we are simply to go and do what God has called us to do!

Start this New Year by fixing your eyes on Jesus, the One who died to make you MORE than a conqueror! Stop being distracted by people or things and realize that God’s Purpose for you is Eternal! Take one day at a time, talk to Him first and get your instructions, and then simply do what He asks you to do TODAY! Continue Daily!

Lay-up treasures in Heaven, for where your treasure is there will your Purpose be! Remember, God has you where you are for a Purpose! 

DECEMBER 2018

Pastor Brad Qualls                   Pastor Jonelle Hammack

Following is….Pastor Brad’s Vision for Lighthouse Word Church
God shared with me at the beginning of the year 2011 with these words….
“Make Ready a People Prepared for the Lord!”
He said to bring His Divine Order back into His house, so that His Glory could be manifested in His people…
A people moving forward, not sitting still or going backward.
My vision is that through God’s Word, we as a people will do as He said in His Word in Malachi 3:7….
“Return to Me and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts.”
My desire is that we get His Divine Order back into our lives and see His Glory return to His people!
Lighthouse Word Church is not a building, but a body of believers, manifesting the full Glory of God our Father, so the lost and darkened world will see the light of the true God…
Where we will walk in the Supernatural and the natural will no longer have an effect on us…
Where there is no shadow of darkness in our lives and we understand that we are more than conquerors and we win always!
We are always going forward, never sitting still or going backward…
Prospering in every area of our lives, living the Abundant Life that Jesus came to give us…
Being blessed to be a blessing!
All Honor and Praise is to God our Father.
Live in the Best because God gave it to us!
Go with God – For God is Love – And love never fails!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I challenge you to study this vision….
If God gave this to our Pastor, then this is His desire for all of us who make up the body of Lighthouse Word Church.
So I am just going to ask each of us a few questions to help us make a personal inventory of our lives according to this vision….
        1.  Are we prepared? Have we truly given Jesus first place in our lives as we should?
        2.  Can we say we are moving forward? Or have we slacked off in our Faith Walk?
        3.  Have we done what Malachi 3:7 told us to do?
        4.  Do we truly believe with all of our heart or have we allowed the enemy’s lies to usher in some doubts here and there?
        5.  Are we allowing His light to shine through our lives in the world we are living in?
        6.  Can we honestly say that we are walking in the Supernatural and we are not being effected by the things and circumstances in our daily lives?
        7.  Do we really Believe that we are MORE than conquerors and that we ARE winners?
        8.  Are we Living the Abundant life that has been given to us?
        9.  And finally are we being a real blessing where ever we go?
If you answered NO to any of the above questions…..then the final question is ….
        10.  WHY?
JESUS said in John 15:7 “If you abide in Me, and My Words abide in you, you shall ask what you will and it SHALL be done unto you.”

NOVEMBER 2018

Pastor Brad Qualls            Co-Pastor Jonelle Hammack

Psalm 103 gives us many reasons to sing out our praises to the Lord daily as David did. With Thanksgiving just around the corner, everyone’s attention is geared toward being thankful. But, really, our hearts should be filled with praise and thanksgiving toward our Lord every day of our lives! We all find it so easy to grumble and complain . . .actually, this has taken a lot of practice.  My Daddy always told me that Practice makes perfect!  I want to challenge each of us to start “Practicing” thanking and praising the Lord at the beginning of each day, as well as during the day!  Rather than this being a “yearly” event, let’s allow it to become a daily event in our lives! I think we will all be amazed at how much better our days will turn out.  Every time you catch yourself beginning to grumble or complain, turn it into praise instead!
 
Look at some of the things that David listed in Psalm 103 that we need to praise God for , , ,

He forgives ALL our iniquities and heals ALL our diseases. He redeems our life from destruction and crowns us with His loving-kindness and tender mercies! He satisfies us with good things and renews our youth like the eagle’s. He executes righteousness and justice for all! He is merciful and gracious….He abounds in mercy.

As far as the east is from the west (that is pretty far) He has removed our sins from us. He remembers we are but dust, so He doesn’t put more expectation on us than we can handle. In fact, whatever He asks us to do, He gives us the strength to do it! How great is that? 

The mercy of the Lord is everlasting…..aren’t you thankful for that. What would we do without His mercy?

 David instructs his soul (his mind, will and emotions) to Bless or Praise the Lord and His holy name. And he instructs himself NOT to forget all of His benefits. We would do well to remind ourselves of this same thing! Don’t forget all of God’s benefits for His children. Don’t take a one of them for granted….EVER! God is so good and loving toward us, the least we can do is thank Him and give Him praise! 

 So, the next time you are feeling a little down and you feel a little murmuring and complaining coming on, remind yourself of what the Lord has done for you! Think about where you would be if it wasn’t for His love and goodness and mercy! Also, stop and think, that if God is allowing you to face some difficulties and obstacles in life, it just could be that He is allowing this to strengthen you for what is ahead! 

 Don’t ever forget that He loves you with an ever-lasting love and He has GOOD plans for your life! That in itself is enough to Bless the Lord and give Him some Thanks and Praise! 

OCTOBER 2018

Pastor Jonelle Hammack

I just felt led to share some of my daily thoughts from my personal morning devotions…feel free to make them your own if they speak to your heart! I pray God will bless you as you read these….
Lord, all I do today, I will do it heartily, as unto You! How thankful I am that I never face life alone…You are with me always and I can totally depend on You! O how I love You for this!
Thank You for loving me the way You do! You are always here for me and I know I can call on You any time and You will be right here for me!
You have poured out so many blessings in my life, both spiritually and in the natural – I can never stop praising You!
I love the thought in one of my devotionals today…it said, ‘When your Joy in Me meets My Joy in you, there are fireworks of heavenly destiny!’ I belong to You, Lord and I choose to delight myself in You!  You are the Gardener, and I am Your garden and You are my Source for all that I need! I totally depend on You! I ask You to recycle my mistakes into something good, Lord! Only You can unscramble eggs! This truly brings joy to my heart and it continuously increases my love for You! 
I refuse to live today in anxious confusion. I will depend on You, Holy Spirit, to calm and quiet my mind, so I can think Your thoughts. I will NOT be discouraged, because I choose to fix my eyes on You, Lord. I know that You will give me much more than I can even imagine! And I want to thank You, Lord for listening to my heart as well as to my words – this is such a blessing and comfort to me ! O how I love You!
Thank You for another beautiful day to live for You, Lord. I am expecting Good reports today! My trust is in You, Lord, so I cast all my cares upon You today….this is how I live and walk in Peace!
I love knowing You are always with me, because nothing is too difficult for You! I would never want to go through one day here without You! You are my Strength – my Joy and my Peace….and I do truly love You with all of my heart!
Lord, You are my Everything. I trust You and honor You with all You have given me! My life is in Your hands and I trust You Lord!
There is an old song we use to sing….it says, ‘You’ve got to Keep Walking – Keep right on walking – Walking in the Light of the Lord!
You’ll get to Heaven someday – better stay on the right way, Walking in the Light of the Lord.’ This is so important for the child of God, because the devil keeps trying to bring you down through discouraging thoughts, disappointments, hard times in general….BUT, God has Good Plans for our lives! We’ve just got to Keep Walking even when things get tough! Remember, the Best is yet to come and God says for us to just hold on a little tighter to His Hand! My hope is in You alone, Lord!  Daily, You refresh me and fill me with Hope! Thank You Sir! 
This is the day You have made for me to rejoice in, so that is exactly what I will do! And I will thank You, Lord for all You have done in my life up to this point. I do know that the best is yet to come and I am so excited to see what you have planned next for me!!!
Today, I deliberately, on purpose choose Joy, Peace and Love to operate in and through me! I love You with all my heart, Lord! Please help me to show that love to all I meet today!
Thank You Lord for giving me a day filled with Blessings and Opportunities! Thank You for Peace, Protection, and Joy all day long! I love you so much! I will rest in You, trusting You to lead, guide and direct me in the way You want me to go! My focus is on You Lord! Help me be Your Light-Bearer to all who are around me! You are truly and Awesome God and I love You with all that is within me!


SEPTEMBER 2018

Pastor Brad Qualls            Co-Pastor Jonelle Hammack

  Matthew 6:33, from the Voice, says, “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and then all these things will be given to you too.”

 If you read the verses before verse 33, you will see that it is referring to material and physical wealth. Jesus says that when we seek God and His kingdom and righteousness first, then all these things will be given to us as well. But God has to be #1! 

 The word “seek” in this verse means to desire to know! Paul said it very well in Philippians 3:10 – “I want to know Him inside and out. I want to experience the power of His resurrection….” How bad do you really want to know Him? Are you willing to lay aside some of your “me” time to truly seek Him? We must understand this, that what we really “want” or “desire”, we will make a way to get it! 

 And notice, it says to seek the Kingdom of God….His Royal Rule! How He operates. Many times we do NOT seek this because it may not be exactly what “we” want to hear or do! But when you have a real desire, nothing will phase you or stand in your way! 

 Jesus is enough! He is everything we need! When we get to the point of really believing that with all of our heart, we will find that a major load has been lifted from us. There will be a joy and a peace flooding our hearts like we have never before experienced. The things that use to bother us and pull us down will no longer have an effect on us. We will find ourselves fixing our eyes on things above rather than on people, things and circumstances. We will be able to lay our heads on our pillow at night and have sweet sleep and rest. Why? Because we have surrendered to His will! We have decided to trust Him with everything that concerns us and we have found that He is enough. He is the answer. He will make the crooked places straight right before our very eyes. He will make a way when there seems to be no way! He will take the very thing that the enemy threw your way to destroy you and turn it into a Blessing! 

 Why do we struggle so hard with this? Why are we so determined to fix our own lives and meet our own needs, when the Lord has told us just to cast all of our cares on Him and He will fix it for us! Why do we spend so much time fretting and worrying over things that we cannot change? Why can’t we just be like a little child and trust Him and take Him at His word? 

 The devil has lied so much to the child of God, just like he did with Eve in the Garden of Eden…..creating just a little doubt by asking “Did God really say that….is that what He really meant?” That little doubt, that one question that he gets in your mind is just a distraction to take you off guard. How many times has he distracted you and drawn you away from doing what you know that God wants you to do? And then he will pour on the condemnation and make you feel so ashamed and unworthy, knowing that God just couldn’t possibly overlook that! 

 Well, let me tell you, friend…..the devil is a liar and Jesus is enough!!! The price He paid has you covered for eternity. Yes you’ve made some mistakes. Yes you’ve made some wrong choices….but NEWSFLASH….God still loves you and He always will! He still has a work for you to do and He’s promised never to leave you!!! 

 So arise from the depression that the enemy has drawn you into! Arise and with all your might Seek the Lord! Lift your eyes above the circumstances of life and know that you are loved and that no weapon formed against you can prosper! You are more than a conqueror and God has Great plans for your life! 

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