Isaiah 9:6 was a prophecy of the birth of our Lord and Savior, many, many years before it came to pass. However, this passage describes Him perfectly! He truly is Wonderful in every way. Our words cannot begin to describe Him and really how Wonderful He is! He is the best Counselor, and if we would only learn to follow His leading and instructions, our life would flow so much smoother! And yes He is a mighty God....nothing is impossible for Him, IF we will only believe! And He is our Everlasting Father, the One who made it possible for us to be in the family of God! And His love is Everlasting as well, for which we should all be so thankful. He never gives up on us....EVER!
But the one description of Jesus we want to look at today, in our world of chaos and turmoil is this one....He is our Prince of Peace! When Jesus comes into your heart, He ushers in a Peace that goes so far beyond understanding! Even though we may be right in the middle of some kind of conflict or circumstance in life, that Peace will rise up and give you an assurance from deep within that All is Well! And it is this kind of Peace that keeps and guards our hearts as well as keeping us from losing our minds, because our minds are fixed on Him.
This world cannot understand how a child of God can go through this life with all the doubts and fears that surround us, and still have that calm Peace within. Oh but how we should praise and thank Him daily for this Peace that can give comfort when we lose someone dear to our hearts, or that can give assurance to a mother with an infant that is so sick , that all is well, or the Peace that gives the husband and father of a very needy family that He will supply ALL your needs according to His riches in glory. And then there is that Peace in our world that is seemingly falling apart, financially, morally, and spiritually.
The things our world use to hold dear and cherish, they now mock and laugh at. But the child of God knows without a doubt, that our God is still real today and just as powerful as He has ever been. The child of God has the assurance of knowing that absolutely No weapon formed against us can prosper. The hate wars that run rampant in our world today will someday bow at the name of Jesus.
The child of God knows that the time is at hand when our Prince of Peace will step out in the clouds and Rapture His children, His church, His body out of all the turmoil that has taken over in this world. This is so much better than any fairy tale you may have ever heard....and it is the Truth. Our Prince of Peace is coming to deliver us from a world that has been destroyed by sin. And if you’re not sure that you are ready, you can be, by just letting go and giving Him full charge of your life...
just by believing that He is Jesus, the Son of God, Who came to this world because He loves you that much.
Yes, the day is soon approaching when Jesus will come again, not as a baby in a manger, but as our King of kings and our Lord of lords. The book or Revelation chapter 19 tells us about the time when Jesus Himself will come riding on a white horse, followed by His saints. He will be wearing a robe with the inscription on it....King of kings and Lord of lords! Oh what a glorious day that will be.
This is why the child of God gets so excited about Christmas, celebrating the birth of our Prince of Peace, knowing that our life is in His hands and that He truly loves us with an everlasting love!
By Jonelle Hammack 10-18-20
There is Peace in these times of trouble.
You can have Joy as you go through the storms.
If you Believe that Jesus is for you,
You can lean back in His powerful arms.
Jesus says all things are possible
To those who dare to Believe.
Give your doubts and fears to Him
And see how quickly you will receive.
Oh, there will be many who say it’s impossible.
The devil will try to make fear abound.
But if you will place your hand in His,
True Victory will be found.
Do not focus on your surroundings.
Lift your eyes to the One above.
He will shower you with His blessings,
He will cover you with His love.
If you simply Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ,
You will be saved, healed and set free.
That enemy of yours doesn’t have a chance
As you call on Jesus’ name and Believe.
Yes, this world is filled with problems.
There is strife everywhere you go.
But Jesus is bigger than all of this,
This is the truth you must know!
Release all your doubts and fears today,
Believe on Jesus Christ the Lord.
He will raise you up above it all,
As you take Him at His Word
I think it is really sad that we have to have a certain day in a month to remind us to be Thankful. God is so good to us and hears and answers our cries and yet many times, we just forget to be thankful!
Many times through the New Testament, we are reminded to Give Thanks. Paul tells us in 1 Thessalonians 5:18 “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”
I am reminded of an account Luke gives in Acts 27 of a storm that 276 men unnecessarily went through for 14 days. And yet Paul, who was one of the prisoners on this ship was able to Give God Thanks.
First of all, Paul warned those in charge that if they proceeded on this voyage that they would face grave danger which would involve heavy loss, not only of the cargo and the ship but also of their lives.....But naturally, the officer ignored Paul and instead trusted the ship’s pilot and owner who felt they could proceed.
As they did proceed, a violent storm hit! They were caught and couldn’t turn and sail into the wind, so they had no choice but to let the storm drive them. This storm was relentless and pounded on the ship both day and night. They were truly at the storm’s mercy.
After several days of this, despair set in, as if all hope of rescue had been cast overboard along with all the other things they had let go of. And on top of this, the men had not even been able to eat because of the turmoil. They were truly at a critical moment.
It was at this time that Paul gathered the men together and basically told them....”I told you so”. Paul had been correct in his warning the first time and now he is about to give them another message. He told the men that God had sent and angel the previous night to give them a message. First of all, he said that none of them would die, if they would pay attention to do what he said. He told them that they would lose the ship but that they would NOT lose one life. Paul told them to keep up their courage, because his God had told them not to be afraid....as God was not yet finished with Paul.
On the 14th night of their nightmare voyage, they were still being driven by the storm. At around midnight the sailors were taking soundings and they realized that they were nearing land.....But hope quickly gave way to fear as they realized at any moment in the darkness, they could be smashed onto unseen rocks. So they dropped anchors and waited for dawn.
Some of the crew wanted to make a run for it, but again Paul warned, “Unless these men stay on board, we won’t survive.” So...they waited. Just before dawn, Paul called them all together again and encouraged everyone to eat and not to lose hope! He again encourages them and reminds them of what the angel spoke to him, that none of them would die, if they all stayed together.
It was then that Paul did the UNTHINKABLE....he took a loaf of bread and Gave Thanks to God in front of all of them. He broke a piece of bread and began to eat....this seemed to encourage them all and they all began to eat. After they were all satisfied, they lightened the ship by throwing the remaining wheat overboard.....
Finally, the officer tells those who can swim to jump overboard and swim to the shore, and those who couldn’t swim, he told to hold on to planks and other pieces of the ship as it was totally falling out from under them. Some hours later, they all reassemble on the beach, each 276 of them safe and sound.
Because of one man giving thanks and doing and saying what God told him to, many lives were spared......You may never preach a sermon, you may never sing a song, but you can give Thanks and Praise to God for all that He has done! Give Thanks to the Lord!
By Jonelle Hammack 10-26-2021
Come to Me when you are hurting,
And I will soothe your pain.
Come to Me when you are joyful
And more joy you will obtain.
You will find that when you come to Me,
I am all that you will need.
I am your all in all, your everything,
The One who causes you to succeed.
You are made complete in My Presence.
So just lean back in My arms of love.
I am for you, not against you,
Lift your eyes up above!
Learn to rejoice and trust in Me.
The battle is not yours to fight.
You are surrounded with My Presence,
All through the day and the darkest night.
Come to Me when you are confused
And do not know which way to go.
I will guide and direct you
This Truth you must know.
Open your heart to Me, child
Let me be the Center of your life.
Then you can experience real Joy,
Free from all sin and strife.
My desire is that you learn to trust Me,
No matter what may come your way...
That you know that I am here for you,
Each and everyday!
We wanted to give you a re-cap over the Pastor’s messages from September, as well as encourage you to dig into the Word and study these scriptures for yourself to see what God may be speaking to your heart in these trouble times....
First, look at II Kings 4:1-7, which is the account of Elisha and the Widow’s Oil. The title of this message was “Running on Empty”. Do you ever get that feeling, that you are running on empty and you simply do not know what to do next? Pastor Brad brought out 3 things that this widow lady did and that we need to do as well....(1) Cry Out to God, (2) Reach Out (Go to work) and (3) Pour Out (Obey and Expect)
Psalm 34:17-19 says “The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart and saves such as have a contrite/sorrowful spirit.”
We all have something we can work with....even if it is just a small bottle of oil. We need to open our eyes and get a vision. We will find that when we act on what God says...the Miracle happens! We can always rest in His unfailing love!
The next Sunday, Pastor Brad preached about “The Living Hope”.
The main text was 1 Peter 1:3-7. We must always remember that our hope is not in the world....the world as we know it, will pass away! Our hope is to be in God, who will never leave us or forsake us. Our hope in Him never dies.
Our faith and confidence need to always be in Him. He will never disappoint us!
Then finally he taught from Romans 1:16,17 and Romans 5.
He told us that God does not have anything bad for His children....it’s all good! And Jesus spoke life....Never death! The life of God is living in us. We need to arise and start living!
From Romans 1 we find that we should never be ashamed of the Gospel, the Good News! Now the world is filled with bad news and if we listen to it, it will drag us down and talk us out of the victory that is already ours!
Then we need to study Romans 5, where we will find Peace and Hope through His amazing Grace. Grace is ours whether we deserve it or not. By His Grace, we can go through tests and trials in Victory! Since Jesus has already overcome the world, and our faith is in Him, then we have too.
God loved us while we were still sinners and sent His Son to die for us, because He is Love!
Then beginning is verse 12 we see that Adam ushered sin and death into the world by deliberately disobeying God. He (Adam) is the reason we are all born in sin.....BUT the Good News is....Jesus brought the Gift of Grace into our lives. And because of that Grace, we can have eternal life through Jesus Christ. Verses 18-21 describe Grace in our lives today....
“Therefore, as through one man’s (Adam) offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so, through one Man’s (Jesus) righteous act the free gift (Grace) came to all men, resulting in Justification (just as if you had never sinned) of life. For as by one Man’s (Adam) disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s (Jesus) obedience many will be made righteous.....”
You see, no matter how much sin tries to take over, God’s Grace wins out every time! All sin can do is threaten us with death.....But Grace puts everything together again through what Jesus did on the cross. So, because of Jesus, our life goes on and on, world without end.....and the Best is yet to come!
Mike Murdock
What you do daily determines what you become permanently!
His first coming was for our Preparation;
His second coming is for our Promotion!
Silence cannot be misquoted!!!
The Broken become Masters at Mending.
Stress is the Proof you are attempting something God did not command.
Stop discussing what you want others to forget!
What you fail to conquer will eventually conquer you.
Contentment is the reward for being thankful.
Distractions only occur with your permission.
Anything God touches Multiplies.
When you do your best, God does the rest.
Pastor Brad preached a message a couple of weeks ago, entitled “It’s A Done Deal”! He had some very interesting thoughts throughout this message, which I think is worth repeating and digging into....
First, he told us that we, as God’s children, need to Stop entertaining the thoughts of the world.... fear, doubt, negativity, dread, worry, etc. He said that we need to Keep the door closed to the enemy and put our complete faith in God!
Jesus basically tells us in John 16:33 to Cheer Up! “I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” Do you see why we can Cheer Up? Because in Jesus we have Peace, regardless of what may be going on in the world! That Peace is a Done Deal. It just really depends on who or what we are trusting in.
Pastor Brad then referred to Hebrews 11:30-40, bringing out some of the saints from the Old and New Testaments, telling us that it was only by their faith that they overcame! Their faith was in the Lord, NOT in the world or the things that were surrounding them. They refused to focus on the threats, the giants, or the lions or the fire. They focused on the Lord and kept their faith in Him, thus keeping the door closed to the enemy of doubt and fear. And the end result for all of those that did this was Victory! The same is true for us today! By faith, we are more than conquerors! It’s a Done Deal! Jesus has already completed the work!
Then he took us to Hebrews 12:1-2, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, ad sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” He reminded us that those that have gone before us are rejoicing, and celebrating Jesus, the back. They put their faith in the only One Who would see them through! And that, my friend, is the way that we will make it as well. Lay aside those One they focused on in order to make Heaven their home. They refused to allow the world to hold them things that are holding you back! Let go of the weight of the world and go forth in Victory!
Matthew 11:28-30 shows us how to quit fighting the fight of fear and start fighting the fight of faith......by coming to Jesus and giving our heavy burden to Him! It is NOT His will for us to be burdened down. It is His will for us to learn of Him and experience the rest He has for us!
And finally, Pastor Brad prayed Hebrews 13:20-21 over us, and this is for you today as well....” May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing His will, and may He work in us what is pleasing to Him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen”
We are all here in the day and hour we are living for a Purpose.....IF we will put our faith and trust in Jesus, and simply do what He tells us to do then those who are hungry and lost will come to Him. Each one of us is a part of the body of Christ and we have a job to do! If something or someone has been holding you back or if you’ve got your eyes off on what all is going on in the world, Wake Up and put your trust in Jesus. Come back to your first love and do what you’ve been put here to do! Stop fighting the fight of fear and Fight the Good Fight of Faith! Faith wins every time. And someone, my friend needs what you have to give!
Given to J. Hammack 7-19-2021
When trouble is breaking loose in your life,
And you feel you can’t take anymore.
Get ready for God to break every chain
And open to you freedom’s door.
He loves you with an everlasting love, my friend.
He is with you every step of the way.
Quit trying to fix everything yourself,
Put your trust in Him today.
He says in His Word to cast your cares on Him.
He’s the only One Who can see you through.
Let go of the problems that have been weighing you down,
And see what your Father can do!
He’s got the power and the strength you need.
He’s waiting to hear your call.
Only He can lift you above the storm.
Only He can deliver you from it all!
But first you must be willing to trust Him,
Releasing every doubt and fear.
Put your trust in Him today,
Let His loving arms draw you near.
So when that trouble is breaking loose in your life,
And everything you’ve tried has failed.
When there seems to be no hope in sight,
Call on Him and let His love prevail.
He will place your feet on the solid Rock.
He will open your eyes so you can see.
He will give you peace beyond understanding.
He will completely set you free!
1 Peter 5:7
We had our Kid’s Meeting last week and we taught on Noah from Genesis 6 and 7. Three of the major topics for our lesson was....
1. Noah Obeyed God
2. Noah put his Trust in God.
3. Noah did not lean on flesh.
In Genesis chapter 6, we find that God was sorry that He had made man, as the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. This chapter tells us that God planned to destroy man and all the living things He had created....BUT, Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. (Thank God for Noah) Even though he was in the midst of an evil and violent people, they did not sway his love for God. He is a great example for us today. We are so quick to grumble and complain when we are thrown in amongst unbelievers, instead of being like Noah and just continue living for God and doing what He tells us to do!
We are told that Noah was a just man, perfect in his generation, and that he walked with God. Even though the world was filled with violence, Noah trusted God. And when God filled Noah in on what He was planning to do with all of the people, and that He was sending a Flood, and that he was to build a boat....Noah not only Trusted God, but he also Obeyed him in everything that He commanded him to do.....Can we say that about ourselves today?
Now what we must remember is that Noah lived in the Old Testament times, under the law, before Jesus had come. The Holy Spirit was with him but NOT in him. You see, we really have no excuse today, as God’s children, the Holy Spirit abides within us and leads guides and directs us....But so many times, we just go on and do things our own way and ignore His leading. And then we complain because God did not come through for us!
Well I’m sure that you’ve read the account of how God told Noah to build an Ark, which was a HUGE boat to house his family of 8 and 2 of EVERY kind of animal....WOW! Yet Noah did according to ALL that God commanded. You will not see anywhere in these two chapters where Noah put his 2 cents worth in. He did not ever tell the Lord that he thought it should be done a different way. He never complained to the Lord about how all the people mocked and ridiculed him for what he was doing. He never tried to talk God out of doing what He planned to do. Why? Because he trusted God with all of his heart. Can we say that about ourselves????
So many times when God begins to deal with our hearts about something, we begin to negotiate with Him! Noah never did that!
Finally the day came when God said to Noah...”Come into the Ark, you and all your household, because I have seen that you are righteous before Me in this generation.” Could God say that about us today? That Ark was God’s design of security and protection for Noah and his family and all the animals on board. Noah had never experienced anything like this in his entire life. Some of the things God spoke to him seemed impossible and oh so strange, and yet, he continued to trust Him and obey His every command.
We have an Ark today as well. His name is Jesus. And He has called each of us to get on board where we will be safe. Read it for yourself....”Come to Me all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30
Look around at our world today.....Jesus tells us in Matthew 24:36-
That just before He returns that it will be like it was in the days of Noah. Everyone was doing their own thing and did not believe that the flood was coming. Everywhere you looked there was Violence. I just want to ask you, are you ready? Have you been trusting and obeying Him....or have you just been doing things your own way. Is it just too hard to live the Christian life everyday? How can you take your stand when everyone around is doing evil?
Proverbs 3:5-6 says it perfectly....”Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean NOT to your own understanding; In ALL you ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths.”
Trust Him – Obey Him – and don’t depend on yourself! All things are possible with our Heavenly Father!
And finally, please never forget that the very same Spirit that raised Jesus from the grave lives within every child of God. I’m telling you that YOU have the power within you right now to live the abundant life here until Jesus returns! Romans 8:11 But instead so many times, we grumble and complain and find fault and pass judgment on those around us....or we play the Blame Game, it’s always someone else’s fault that we aren’t succeeding. We are so fleshly minded that we tend to forget that we are Spirit, we were made in the likeness and image of God and ALL things are possible if we will just believe!
Put your Trust in God and simply Do what He tells you to do and you too, will be safe in the Ark!
Given to J. Hammack 7-19-2021
When trouble is breaking loose in your life,
And you feel you can’t take anymore.
Get ready for God to break every chain
And open to you freedom’s door.
He loves you with an everlasting love, my friend.
He is with you every step of the way.
Quit trying to fix everything yourself,
Put your trust in Him today.
He says in His Word to cast your cares on Him.
He’s the only One Who can see you through.
Let go of the problems that have been weighing you down,
And see what your Father can do!
He’s got the power and the strength you need.
He’s waiting to hear your call.
Only He can lift you above the storm.
Only He can deliver you from it all!
But first you must be willing to trust Him,
Releasing every doubt and fear.
Put your trust in Him today,
Let His loving arms draw you near.
So when that trouble is breaking loose in your life,
And everything you’ve tried has failed.
When there seems to be no hope in sight,
Call on Him and let His love prevail.
He will place your feet on the solid Rock.
He will open your eyes so you can see.
He will give you peace beyond understanding.
He will completely set you free!
1 Peter 5:7
God, in speaking to the people in 2 Chronicles 7:14 says....”If My people who are called by My name.....”
We call ourselves God’s children. We have bumper stickers that proclaim we are Christians. We wear Christian jewelry and decorate our homes with the Word in plaques and statues......But how are we “living”? What is coming forth from our lips? How do we treat people in general? What kind of excuses do we give for not getting involved in a church activity or simply for not going to church at all?
We say who we are with our lips, but we don’t really show it by the way we live. How many people at work know without a doubt that you are a child of God simply by the way you live your daily life? Actually, when the world looks at the Church in general, they don’t really see or hear much difference from themselves.
We are living in a time when we need to be letting our light shine forth with the love, joy and peace of Jesus Christ. We need to be reaching out to a lost and dying world and “showing” them that there is a better way....yet when they see us and our lifestyle, many times, they just see more of what they, themselves are living and going through.
Go ahead and finish the verse.....God tells us exactly what we need to do....Humble ourselves (get rid of all pride), Pray (have a daily close intimate relationship with our Lord), Seek His face (which means desire to be in His Presence....don’t just call on Him for what He can give us), and turn from our wicked ways (repent)! THEN He says He will hear us!
Our problem is that we just simply give in to our fleshly desires, and woe be to the one who gets in our way! We forget that we are Spirit beings who simply live in a fleshly body. (Isn’t this what Pastor Brad has been saying?) Our Spirit should be in charge, NOT our flesh! You search your own heart and see where you stand.....Do you get angry easily, when things don’t work out as you had planned? Do you tend to lash out at people who upset you or get in your way....especially in your own household? Is it real easy for you to pass judgement on others? Do you forgive quickly or do you tend to hold grudges? Do you envy those who seemingly have more than you do? Are you always worried about what others think? Are you a people pleaser or a God pleaser? Do you look forward to being in God’s house or is it easy for you to find excuses not to go? Do you love spending quality time with God daily? How many people have you told about the Lord in the past week?
The questions could go on and on, but the bottom line is that we all fall short in some area of our lives. And the answer is the same for all of us....when we fall short, we are giving in to the desires of the flesh rather than allowing our Spirit to be in control. And actually this is an ongoing project in our lives....we need to take a daily inventory to see if we are really living like God’s children should live. And again, God Himself told us in the Chronicles what we need to do about it.
Aren’t you glad that He loves you and He is patient with you? I know I am! How many people would have already given up on us, but God sent the Holy Spirit to help us and guide us in the way that we need to go, so that we can be a blessing and a help to those that we come in contact with in our daily lives.
And finally Paul tells us in Galatians 5:16 “Walk in the Spirit and you shall not fulfill the lust (desires) of the flesh.”
We are all in this together.....But the best news is that God is with us and He is for us! Jesus died for us to be MORE than conquerors. And the Holy Spirt is with us daily, leading us into all Truth....Praise Him!
In the middle of the mess, Lord,
My faith is in You...
For You’ve promised me in Your Word
That You will always see me through!
Your Presence is always with me,
I know I am never alone;
You strengthen, comfort and guide me –
Placing in me a new song!
You lift me above my enemy,
Shining Your Light in my heart,
Assuring me that You’re with me,
And I do NOT have to fall apart!
The devil’s roar may be loud and vicious.
His lies and threats try to bring forth fear.
But all I do is say “Jesus”
And all that I need is right here!
So even though my world may be in chaos,
And distress and frustrations abound,
My confidence is totally in You, Lord
And I know my angels are all around!
Thank You for being right in the midst of the mess, Lord,
Victory is mine today!
No weapon formed against me can prosper...
You’re with me always – showing me the Way!
Given to: Jonelle Hammack
Hope you enjoy this again....
It really speaks to my heart!
Since Sunday, June 20th is Father’s Day, I would like to talk to you just a little about our Perfect Father. I am not talking about our earthly Dads. My Dad and I were very close and I loved him dearly, but he was not perfect by any means. But my heavenly Father is perfect in every way and He loves me (and you) with an everlasting love....You see, once we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we become a part of God’s family and nothing or no one can change that! The Bible says that nothing can pluck us out of His hand. I want us to look into the book of Romans, chapter 8, where Paul gives us a pretty good picture of our heavenly Father and His love for us.
The following verses from Romans 8 are taken from The Voice....
Verse 1-3 says “Therefore, now no condemnation awaits those who are living in Jesus the Anointed, the Liberating King, because when you live in the Anointed One, Jesus, a new law takes effect. The law of the Spirit of life breathes into you and liberates you from the law of sin and death. God did something the law could never do. You see, human flesh took its toll on God’s law. In and of itself, the law is not weak; but the flesh weakens it. So to condemn the sin that was ruling in the flesh, God sent His own Son, bearing the likeness of sinful flesh, as a sin offering.”
So we find here that our Heavenly Father was willing to sacrifice His own Son, Jesus, to die in our place for our sin so that when we receive Him into our hearts, we not only become a part of His family, but we also receive Eternal life. That is pretty powerful love! Jesus did not come here to condemn us but to save us and give us eternal live.
Verse 6 says “A mind focused on the flesh is doomed to death, but a mind focused on the Spirit will find full life and complete peace.”
Verse 9 says “But you do not live in the flesh. You live in the Spirit, assuming, of course, that the Spirit of God lives inside of you. The truth is that anyone who does not have the Spirit of the Anointed living within does not belong to God.”
And all we have to do to have the Spirit of God on the inside of us is to invite Him in! So easy!!! God is NOT trying to keep people out of His family, He is trying to get us in! (Romans 10: 9-10 is all you have to do....Believe in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead and confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord! A young child can understand and do this.
Verse 11 says “If the Spirit of the One who resurrected Jesus from the dead lives inside of you, then you can be sure that He who raised Him will cast the Light of Life into your mortal bodies through the Life-giving power of the Spirit residing in you.” In other words, His Spirit comes into our lives as soon as we receive Jesus as our Savior, and He will never leave us. We instantly become a part of His family.....like He’s adopted us and now we can call Him Father, because we are no longer like orphans searching for some place to belong. We have become the child of Almighty Father God!
And then verse 17 says “If we are God’s children, that means we are His heirs along with the Anointed, set to inherit everything that is His....”
Then in verse 28 we are told that God is working everything to work for our good when we love Him and accept His invitation to live according to His plan.
And finally, we are assured in verse 38 and 39, that Nothing can ever separate us from the love of God revealed in Jesus our Lord.
Now I ask you, have you ever known any other love that even begins to compare with our Father God’s love for you?
So as we are celebrating our Dad’s that we have been given here, let’s not forget to celebrated our Heavenly Father and to thank Him for loving us with His everlasting love!!!
By J. Hammack 10-6-2020
Touching Jesus is all that matters, my friend.
Know in your heart that He’ll be with you till the end.
This is a promise you will find in His Word...
It is the greatest News that this world has ever heard!
Just reach out by Faith,
And believe in your heart.
He will hear your call and His blessings
He will impart.
He loves you regardless
of what you may have done.
He is your only Answer.
The Victory’s already won!
He’s calling you to come,
If you’re burdened down today...
His arms are open wide for you,
And He will show you the Way.
But you must reach out and touch Him
By believing in your heart!
Don’t doubt or be afraid...
Trust Him to do His part.
You will feel that load being lifted,
As you call upon His Name;
He will cleanse you and deliver you,
Your life will never be the same!
He’ll be your Healer and Deliverer,
The Savior of your soul.
He will fill you with Love, Peace and Joy
He will make you completely whole!
He will never leave you or forsake you.
On this you can depend.
Touching Jesus is all that matters...
His love for you will never end!
Welcome home church family! We have missed you so much and are so excited to get to see you again. Following are just a few of the thoughts and scriptures shared from the past month!
March 22, 2020 was the first Sunday morning that our church doors were closed due to the virus. Some of the encouraging thoughts from God’s Word today were...
Psalm 23 – We have a Good Shepherd and He is watching over each of us.
Psalm 27 – He is our Light and our Salvation! We do NOT need to fear!
Psalm 37 – God takes care of His children! We must...Trust Him – Delight in Him – Commit our way to Him and Do good and rest in Him!
Psalm 91 – He is our Secret Place!
March 29, 2020 was Pastor Brad’s first Live Video and he did an awesome! Following are a few thoughts he shared....
NOW is “your” time to Grow – Trust and Mature.
This is an opportunity, NOT a problem.
This is NOT a physical battle, it is a Spiritual War!!!
This is a year of Miracles! Remember Jehoshaphat....This Battle belongs to the Lord! Position yourself – Stand Still and see the salvation of the Lord! Focus on God! He is our Hope!
Be of good cheer, God is going to be made known through the church! We are here for the glory of God! We will come back as a Miracle Factory! Build yourself up!!
April 5, 2020 Palm Sunday....someone sent me a text stating that “The church is NOT empty....the church has been Deployed!”
Celebrate God’s deliverance! Study Luke 19:28-44
Jesus is meant to be praised! NOW is the time of your visitation.
Matthew 23:37-39 We are totally protected in the arms of Jesus!
April 12, 2020 Easter Sunday....Don’t stop at the cross! It is a finished work...(1) Our debt has been fully paid! (2) The sentence has been fully served! (3) The battle has been fully won!
Read 2 Chronicles 20....the Battle is the Lord’s!
Praise your way to Victory! Yes, we get to Jesus through the cross....but remember, when He walked out of the tomb, He came out in power and He delegated that power to us!
In Luke 24 we read where the angel asked the women, “Why seek the living among the dead?”
What is your expectation in life? Focus on Jesus!!
Keep running, we win the race IF we keep moving forward!
Magnify the Lord! That’s what Jesus did when He came out of the tomb! If you haven’t done it yet, I encourage you to Study Psalm 34, which talks about the happiness of those who trust in Him!
What we are going through, can’t even compare to what’s in store for us!
2 Corinthians 4:16-18 Focus on the unseen!
April 19, 2020 God’s Word is the answer...Praise the Lord all the time! Lift up the down and out! Give what you have to God – little is much in His hands! And be careful what you SAY....remember the power of life and death is in your tongue!
Isaiah 54:17 tells us that NO weapon formed against us can prosper! And Isaiah 26:3 tells us how to have perfect peace!
Proverbs 3:5-6 and for goodness sake, do NOT lean on your own understanding....just lean on Jesus!
April 26, 2020 I will trust in You! Proverbs 3:5-6...read this one daily!!! James 1:2-8 Focus on God! Yes, we will be tested along the way, but remember, the testing of faith =patience.
God is the ONLY one who can get us out of a bad situation.
Don’t be unstable! Romans 4:19-21 be like Abraham and focus on the promise of God. Dig deep and build on the Rock – Luke 6:46-49. Be fully persuaded that God will take care of it!!!
We love you and again, we are so glad to be getting back together. Keep praying and Keep moving forward for Jesus!!!
Jonelle Hammack 4-13-2021
Rely on Me in all that you do,
Because I have blessings
Waiting for you!
Each breath you breathe
Depends on My power.
I am watching over you
Through each and every hour.
Know that My Presence
Is with you today!
My precious Holy Spirit
Is busy, showing you the way.
Come to Me with all your emptiness
And My divine Presence will fill you up.
Lean on Me and trust Me
As you drink freely from My cup.
It is filled with all you need....
Such as love and joy and grace.
And it is yours today,
So, come to Me and take your place.
Every good and perfect gift
Is ultimately from Me.
Just give Me first place in your life...
These gifts to you are free.
These gifts include My joy and peace,
Which I long for you to receive.
There is also My love and protection...
All you must do is Believe!
So, rely on Me today child.
Let Me be your strength and song.
Lean on Me and trust Me.
And know that to Me you belong
Last Sunday, Bro. Perry ministered from Psalm 139. The title of his message was – “We are Fearfully and Wonderfully Made”..... Following are some excerpts from The Voice Translation on this chapter. We hope it is a blessing to you....
God You have explored my heart and know exactly who I am, down to the smallest details. Why You even know when I’m sitting down or standing up!
You always know exactly where I am and what I am thinking! You know whether I am asleep or awake. And You know what I am going to say way before I say it! (that’s rather scary, right?)
You have me surrounded....Oh how I praise You for this. You are on every side of me. You go before me, making the crooked places straight and You are behind me.....You literally have my back! Your hand is gently on my shoulder guiding and directing me all the way!
You know me inside and out. I cannot go anywhere from Your Spirit. Your watchful presence is always with me! Thank You, for never leaving my side!
When darkness is all around me, You are there, turning that darkness into Light, for there is no darkness in You!
You knit me together in my mother’s womb. You are the One who made me a unique creation. You have truly filled me with wonder and awe. Nothing in my life is hidden from You.
Your thoughts and plans are treasures to me. You have always had good plans for my life. I am sorry that “my” choices get in the way of the these being fulfilled at times. You have more thoughts of me.....more than I could ever count....more than all the grains of sand on earth. This is INCONCEIVABLE!
You know those who are against me....I do not have to fear them, for You will take care of this for me. You have promised that No weapon formed against me will prosper, as long as my trust is in You, Lord.
So, I ask You Lord to search me and reveal to me those things that aren’t pleasing in your eyes and please, Lord, guide me down Your path forever!
Matthew 28:
1-10,18-20 The Voice
“After the Sabbath, as the light of the next day, the first day of the week, crept over Palestine, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to the tomb to keep vigil.
Earlier there had been an earthquake. A messenger of the Lord had come down from heaven and had gone to the grave. He rolled away the stone and sat down on top of it.
He veritably glowed. He was vibrating with light. His clothes were light, white like transfiguration, like fresh snow.
The soldiers guarding the tomb were terrified. They froze like stone.
The messenger spoke to the women, to Mary Magdalene and the other Mary. ‘Don’t be afraid. I know you are here keeping watch for Jesus who was crucified.
But Jesus is not here. He was raised, just as He said He would be. Come over to the grave and see for yourself.
And then go straight to His disciples, and tell them He’s been raised from the dead and has gone on to Galilee. You’ll find Him there. Listen carefully to what to what I am telling you.’
The women were both terrified and thrilled, and they quickly left the tomb and went to find the disciples and give them this outstandingly good news.
But while they were on their way, they saw Jesus Himself. (Jesus) ‘Rejoice. ‘The women fell down before Him, kissing His feet and worshiping Him.
‘Don’t be afraid. Go and tell My brothers to go to Galilee. Tell them I will meet them there.’
Jesus came forward and addressed His beloved disciples. ‘I am here speaking with all the authority of God, who has commanded Me to give you this commission....
Go out and make disciples in all the nations. Ceremonially wash them through baptism in the name of the triune God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Then disciple them.....And I will be with you.....’ “
We are living in a world today that needs to be made completely new.....And according to Revelation 21:5 All things will be made new when Jesus returns. But when will that day ever come??? I want to tell you friend that it is very close!
Jesus said, in Matthew 24:37-39 that it will be like it was in the days of Noah when He returns. He said that they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and they didn’t even realize what was happening until the flood came and took them all away.
If you will read in Genesis 6:5-22 you will see that as God looked at the way people were living at that time, He was sorry that He had ever made man....He was grieved in His heart. It tells us that every thought and intent of man’s heart was on evil continually!
Look at verse 7...the Lord had decided to destroy mankind from the face of the earth.....BUT Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. It tells us in verse 9 that Noah was a just man, perfect in his generation. He walked with God.
Thank God for Noah. He stood strong for the Lord when no one else was. His focus was on God....Not on man. He was surrounded by evil doers yet he continued living for God. He did not choose to listen to man and follow his ways. He made a quality decision to follow God.
So many times we use people or circumstances as an excuse to just throw up our hands and quit. We say that it is just too hard, maybe even impossible to live for God in the world we are living in....But Noah did! Noah just kept on keeping on for God. He never complained about being the only one who was living for God! He refused to be distracted! And God noticed!!!
God told Noah what He had planned to do, but because of Noah’s life, He changed His mind.....He told Noah that He had a major project for him to do in order for the Lord’s creation to continue. God told Noah that He wanted him to build an ark. He told him exactly what materials to use and exactly how big to make it. He told him exactly where to place the window and the door. And I love verse 22 which says, “Thus Noah did according to ALL that God commanded him, so did he.”
Now you know that the people mocked and made fun of Noah day in and day out. But Noah refused to be distracted. He kept God’s Words in his heart and did exactly what He had told him to do!
You see, we can learn something very important from the life of Noah....what we focus on, what we think on the most becomes our god.....Noah kept his mind on God and what He had spoken to him. And this was a long, drawn out project. Daily he was ridiculed, but daily he did exactly what his God told him to do! And the end result......Noah and his whole family were the only ones that made it through the flood. His family depended on him. The animals depended on him! And Noah succeeded because he did exactly what God told him to do!
We are living in a world today, much like it was in Noah’s time. There is violence everywhere you turn. There is war and hate and turmoil everywhere you go. And the majority of the world’s minds are on evil continually! Fear is running rampant in our world today. But remember the Word says that God has NOT given us the spirit of fear. So where did it come from?
Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord! Will we? Jesus asked the question in Luke 18:8....”when the Son of Man comes, will He find (persistent) faith on the earth?”
Now is the time friend, to grow stronger in the Lord than you’ve ever been. Get rooted and grounded in the Word. Know what you believe and refuse to be distracted by all that’s going on in this world. If Noah did it, so can we!!!
Given to J. Hammack - August 4, 2020
Psalm 107
He calms the storm so that it’s waves are still
He speaks Peace in the Chaos
And all bow to His will.
He satisfies man’s soul
and fills the hungry with meat.
He brings forth light in the darkness
And fear He defeats.
When you cry out to Him
In the midst of your storm,
He will come to your rescue
Gathering you in His arms.
He will love and protect you,
He will give you rest.
His is a Father’s love,
And for you He wants the Best.
So focus on Him today, child,
No matter what storms you face,
He will heal you through His Word,
And all your fears He will erase.
For He is the One who will calm your storm,
By speaking Peace to your heart today.
Put your hand in His hand,
And let Him show you the way!
Here we are already into February. We want to give you a little recap on some of the messages that went forth in January of 2021....
Pastor Brad started off by saying that we need to have a clear vision. We must never forget that the Just shall live by Faith. The Word tells us in Timothy to Fight the good fight of Faith.
He said that we need to assure our hearts and build ourselves up on God’s Word. A child of God should walk in Revelation Knowledge....then we would have true Joy in the church! He told us that God had revealed to him that 2021 was going to be the Year of God’s Favor for His children. God gave him the scriptures of Isaiah 60 – 62 to study and share with the church. (Have you been studying these chapters?)
Isaiah 60 tells us to Arise and Shine forth with the Glory of the Lord. Isaiah 61 shows us that the Spirit of the Lord is upon us. He has promised to comfort the mourning hearts, to give us beauty for ashes, the oil of Joy for mourning and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. He shared Ephesians 3:20 with us which says that God is Able to do exceedingly abundantly above ALL that we ask or think! And also, 2 Corinthians 9:8 says that God is able to make ALL grace abound toward us at all times.
Continuing on in the 61st chapter of Isaiah he declared that this IS the year of God’s favor. He said that according to 2 Corinthians 8:9 and 9:8 that poverty is evil, but God is Able to make all grace abound toward us! He said that whatever the world can do....the church can do better....IF we are walking by Faith and doing what God tells us to do. He said that comfort, healing, joy and beauty all belong to God’s children....We simply must Receive it and Believe it! God’s favor can take you anywhere! (Do you Believe???)
The following Sunday, Pastor Brad taught that God’s Grace is receiving what you don’t deserve. He referred to Isaiah 60 and said that the glory of Zion is referring to a place of God’s special presence. He said that we are that place today....the place of God’s special presence....BUT we have a choice, just like the children of Israel....(1) we can stay in the land of slavery/bondage, the Land of Not Enough, with no rights at all and no freedom (Egypt), (2) or we can stay in the Land of Just Enough, not having to stretch our faith, always grumbling and complaining, as they did in the Wilderness, Or (3) we can choose to enter the Promised Land, the Land of More than Enough, a taste of Heaven on earth, Canaan....the land of Super Abundance/ Surplus. He brought out how we cannot be a real blessing to others until we are overflowing with God’s favor. We need to Believe for More than Enough! God has set before us an open door where there is No more Bondage! We need to declare....”I’ve been delivered from the land of Not Enough. I’m moving through the Land of Just Enough and I am entering the Land of More than Enough!!! I am Blessed to be a Blessing. The Glory of the Lord is upon me! It is my responsibility to shine! God wants to transform me and use me to bless others! BUT, we can’t bring the truth to others if it’s not in us! The choice is up to us!
Given to J. Hammack 2-3-2021
When you’re feeling broken hearted,
And the webs of discouragement abound
Pick up the broken pieces, child
That are scattered all around.
Place them in My hands of love.
Sit still in My Presence and wait.
I will cleanse you from all those webs!
My love for you is great!
I will bring you Joy instead of sorrow,
And real Peace instead of fear.
You will sense My Compassion for you
And you will know that I am always near.
Though you may have grown weary,
I will never give up on you!
I have such great plans in mind,
And if you trust Me, I’ll bring you through.
Oh you may not always feel Me,
There are things you do not understand,
But My Presence is always with you
And your life is in My hands.
So bring Me all those broken pieces,
And trust Me to mend and restore.
Place your confidence in Me, child
And know that I have so much more....
More than you can ever
Ask or imagine in your heart.
There are no limits to what I can do
If you will just Believe....that’s your part.
Well.....here we are at the beginning of a brand New Year! Thank You Lord for bringing us through 2020 in Victory. We are declaring this to be The Year of the Lord’s Favor!
Looking back briefly through the messages given in December 2020.....
Brother Perry spoke about the power in the Name of Jesus. Jesus is the Living Word and Hebrews 4:12 tells us that the Word of God is Alive and Powerful. If we are filled with the Word, we too should be alive and powerful. II Timothy 1:6 encourages us to stir up the gift that is within us! Remember, signs follow the believer who operates in both the Name of Jesus and the Word of God!
Then Pastor Brad came and taught us that We ARE the Righteousness of God, through faith in Christ Jesus. He taught from the book of Nehemiah and encouraged the church to take time and study this book as well. He told us that our “temple” needs to be rebuilt and that we need to make the necessary changes in our lives to bring His joy back....Because the Joy of the Lord is our Strength. Yes we need to renew or rebuild, but that can’t take place until we know where to begin....and that, my friend comes through Prayer. Prayer is often an untapped resource, a last resort after every other possibility has been exhausted....BUT Prayer should be our first response, because God is the only One who can rebuild us and correct our situations. We need to fall on our knees to prevent falling on our faces. And we do need one another for encouragement and help...that’s where the Church comes in! Sometimes, we are on the right road, but going the wrong direction. Just turn around and keep the enemy under your feet!
The following Sunday, the Pastor continued in Nehemiah and told us that we need to run “TO” the Word and not away from the Word Discover God’s promises and Live them! Stop worrying – Stop grieving and receive the Joy of the Lord, because the Joy of the Lord is our strength. We are to stay focused on the Lord and bless Him at all times. Continue to Rejoice and don’t worry. The Lord is our Hope and He is Faithful. Romans 15:13 tells us that the God of Hope will fill us with Joy and Peace IF we Trust in Him!
And then the Pastor told us that the Lord directed him to Isaiah 61 and gave him the Word for 2021....”THE YEAR OF THE LORD’S FAVOR”!
Finally, Jonelle ended up the month of December with the message “I Say to You – Hear!” She reminded us that Grace and Truth was ushered into our world through Jesus Christ. She took a part of the Sermon on the Mount from Luke 6:27-48 and showed us what Jesus expects from the Practical Daily Christian Life...(1) Love your enemies, (2) Do Good, (3)Pray for those who hurt you, (4) Be a giver, (5) Treat others like you want to be treated, (6) Show mercy, (7) Stop Judging / Stop Condemning, (8) Forgive, (9) Give and it will be given unto you, (10) Be DOERS of the Word, (11) Build on the Rock, Jesus Christ. We should be God’s Show and Tell in the world.
These are some great instructions to begin and carry on through the New Year. IF you truly want to live in Victory, that is! God is for us and NOW is the child of God’s time to Arise and Shine! Get ready for the Lord’s Favor to be manifested in your life!