Pastor Gary's Blog

Take That First Step

Thu, 17 May 2012 02:10:00 GMT

I've come by today to tell you that God gets our attention. He gives us a message and then there is His interest to carry it though.

It's not enough to get information. We must allow the information to be transferred into inspiration and don't wait until you feel like it to take that first step.

Take that first step and then God will give you the strength!

Don't look at the opposition. Don't foucs on the size of the problem be reminded of David.

David did not look at the size of Goliath, He looked at the size of his God!

The two spies were not intimidated by the size of the giants, they were motivated by the size of the grapes.

Don't make excuses! Pick up that mantle and step out and accomplish that which God has asked you to accomplish!

A Friend Named Judas

Thu, 10 May 2012 02:45:00 GMT

MATTHEW 26:50, "And Jesus said to him, 'Friend, why have you come?' Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and took Him."

This was the setting for the betrayal of Jesus by Judas. And Jesus called him friend. How could Jesus call Judas a friend when he was responsible for telling the soldiers where He was?

Could the betrayal by Judas turn out favorable results?

We must learn to never judge a situation prematurely. What appears on the surface does not always reflect how it will turn out.

God is not to blame for what happens to us, but He will assume the responsibility of how it will turn out.

When we take our hands off the situation and turn it over to the Lord, then the Lord can allow a situation to turn out for our good and His glory.

Be reminded of ROMANS 8:28, "All things work together for good..."

All things can turn out good when we turn it over to the Lord!

FRUSTRATION

Thu, 03 May 2012 01:34:15 GMT

In HAGGAI 1:2 "Is it time for you to dwell in your paneled houses, and this temple to lie in ruins?"

In other words, Haggai was speaking out of frustration telling them you people are so excited about your own house that God's house is lying in ruins.

When God causes a frustration, that could be an indicaton that He is speaking to you and wants to use you to do something for Him.

Frustration could be an indication that God wants to change something through you for Him!

Frustration is a way that God can get your attention and when He calls you, respond by saying; "Here I am, send me!"

Grow In Grace!

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 04:13:21 GMT

You may have anger inside and not even know it.

Anger is one letter short of danger!

Anger causes you to resist the Grace of God. Is there something you have wrestled with for years? Someone you could never forgive? Is there something you can't let go?

It's time to let it go. It's time to go through what you've been going trhough!

Will you have Grace for someone else? When anger seaps in and filters into our daily life...grow in Grace and walk in what God has for you.

He has forgiven you of your sins, forgive others as quickly!

Oh Magnify The Lord With Me!

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 00:49:50 GMT

JOB 36:24..."Remember to magnify His work, Of which men have sung."

If you want your life to not unravel...keep Christ as the center of your life!

Remember the Lord...who He is.

Jesus Christ is the One who forgave me of my sins. He is not only the foundation that my life is built upon, but He is the one who Blesses me every morning when I get up.

There are a load of Blessings waiting for me and waiting for you every morning!

Jesus IS God's Last Day Messenger

Thu, 12 Apr 2012 01:30:34 GMT

HEBREWS 1:1-2
"God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoke to us by His Son..."

We know that God spoke through the wind, through thunder, through fire and through angels and prophets in the Old Testament.

But because of Easter, God now speaks through His Son, Jesus Christ...Who is called the Word of God.

Because of what happened at the first Easter, we now have the entirety of God's Word within our grasp.

Never before has there been a time when all the people had access to all the Word!

We have the blessed opportunity to bear The Holy Bible wholly Taught!

This is made possible because Jesus is the final Word from the Father!

You Are An Overcomer!

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 00:31:27 GMT

If you are a devoted follower of Jesus Christ...with Jesus Christ, I am and you are an overcomer.

When you know who you are, you'll know what to do. And in Christ you are an overcomer!

ROMANS 8:31 "If God is for us, then who can be against us?" When life is overwhelming and God is for us...what or who is going to stop you?

You may be facing some type of trouble, some type of hardship, some type of challenge...will these things seperate you from the love of Christ? NO! Nothing will seperate us...God is always on our side, God is always faithful, God is always true even when we don't understand what is going on and when we feel totally overwhelmed..nothing will seperate us from the Love of Christ!

You are an overcomer! Hallelujah!

The Word Part Of God Is Jesus!

Thu, 22 Mar 2012 02:40:00 GMT

When you need Him, He's not going to be far off. Just say the name..Jesus!

He can lift you out of a pit, He can take you from the lowest places and take you to the loafty places.

God spoke in times past in various times and in various ways. But now...God does not just give us a limited word...we have the whole message with the Holy Bible!

The Bible is more current than any other book in the world. The Bible has History in advance through prophecy. The Word part of God is Jesus!

Jesus is someone we need to acknowledge and Magnify. Not only is He my Savior, He's my Creator. He wants to do something for me, He wants to do something for you.

Where you're going, He's already there. Make your moves count. God is already in your future. God doesn't give answers....He is the Answer!

When you can't trace God's Hand in your day...trust His Heart. There's no one like Him. No one else can touch your heart like He can. You can search and you'll find, there is no one like Him.

Keep this thought with you today...God is Good, and what He does is Great!

Bringing Your Thoughts Into The Obedience Of Christ

Thu, 15 Mar 2012 00:55:00 GMT

If a thought enters your mind, you have a responsibility to bring that thought into captivity. Where did that thought come from? Is this thought good or is it bad?

You have to bring it into the obedience of Jesus Christ!

As a thought enters in, it does not necessary control my actions. Only when thoughts move from my head into my heart will they move you or me.

You don't have to listen or be controlled by every thought. That thought may get you in trouble. That thought doesn't have to control you. Thoughts can be deactivated.

Sow a thought reap and act, sow and act reap a habit, sow a habit reap a lifestyle, sow a lifestyle reap a destiny.

What began as one thought in your mind actually can became a controlling part of your life.

A thought has to be received, examined, experienced and then you become enveloped by it. How do we control wrong thoughts? ROMANS 5:6 Strength to control a thought comes from God! Jesus died to give you strength! You have to take power over those thoughts and sometimes you have to say "Jesus Help Me!" If it wasn't for the Grace of God we would not be here.

You don't have to listen to every thought that comes into your mind. You can help yourself...ROMANS 8:3. Your relationship with Jesus Christ will give you the strength to overcome! I need this help and I need Jesus' power. I must know that Jesus is a personal help and a personal Saviour and I need that and so do you!

Keep your eyes on Jesus Christ...that's where our help comes from. The Lord will give you strength, He will take care of you!

If You Got It...God Gave It

Thu, 08 Mar 2012 02:35:00 GMT

Solomon was called to build the temple. Solomon's father David gave Solomon all of the detail and all of resources to build the Temple.

I Kings 3, God said to Solomon, I'm going to give you one request ask whatever you want. Solomon asked not for riches, not for a long life but he asked for a discerning heart and wisdom.

And God said...because you did not ask for a long life nor riches nor the life of your enemies I will give you an understanding and wise heart. And because you did not ask for those things I will give you both riches and honor, so there shall not be anyone like you among the kings all your days. God said....IF you will walk in My ways, I will Bless your days.

Solomon's wisdom spread throughout the land...so much that kings from other lands came to hear his wisdom.

He had such a vast grasp on all things and his wisdom and his fame spread throughout all of Egypt. Right after he built the temple of God and his own house and his empire, God appeared to him a second time and said I have given you all of these things and I'm reminding you IF you walk in My ways...I will bless your days. But something happened Solomon's heart turned away from the Lord. That was the beginning of Solomons downfall.

Please....always give God the credit and remember If You Got It...God Gave It!

THE GIANT OF DISCOURAGEMENT

Thu, 01 Mar 2012 04:00:00 GMT

When you enter leadership, one thing is important and that is courage! Because the devil's most popular weapon is discouragement.

A measure of success is not gauged by what a person has, but rather, what he has come through to get what he does have. That's what I call a testimony. Don't forget, there is no testimony without a test!

It is impossible to gain wihtout pain. One thing you must have as you follow God in your leadership is courage!

Discouragement attacks tired people. Satan loves tired people.

#1 TIRED EYES IS THE CAUSE OF A LOST OF CONCERN

When you are tired, you are not sensitive to the needs and the conditions of other people. You lose concern. You are touched with an apathetic spirit. You lose that compassion and you're only interested how you are feeling rather than the needs of others and that will cause your leadership to plummet.

#2 TIRED EYES CAUSES A CRITICAL ATTITUDE

Tired eyes never see people or things in a positive light, but always in a negative light. It causes people to be critical. You see things not as they are, but as you are!

#3 TIRED EYES WILL CAUSE A PERSON TO COMPARE

In other words, they will not look at other people and see their value and worth, but right away, they want to compare what you are going through with what others are going through. It causes people to compare. Listen, in leadershp, if you ever begin to compare, you will then begin to compete and that will cause you to lose that unity you must have to build relationship. You cannot be competitive and enjoy people as company.

When you are competitive you see people as competition to beat rather than company to enjoy. Satan loves to discourage people and what is required to conquer the giant of discouragement is courage!

Don't forget...courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the
judgement that something else is more important than fear. John Wayne said, "Courage is being scared to daeth but saddling up anyway."

There can be no courage unless you're scared!

SATAN'S FAVORITE WEAPONS

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 03:12:39 GMT

Paul said..."for we are not ignorant of Satan's devices."

1. DELAYS
NUMBERS 23:19

Waiting qualifies our motives.
God's delays are "God Moments" not "God's Denials!"

2. DISGUISE
II CORINTHIAANS 11:3

From the surface things could look innocent and harmless.
When in doubt.....don't!

3. DISTRACTIONS
MATTHEW 14:30

"When he saw that the wind was boisterous."
Whatever you focus on, you will be drawn towards.
Your energy stops or starts at the point of focus.

4. DISSAPPOINTMENTS
PROVERBS 13:12

Satan's set-up is to get you upset.
When you lose hope...you lose heart.
Most miserable individuals are those who are half-hearted.

5. DOUBT
MATTHEW 14:31

"O you of little faith, why did you doubt?"
Doubt - Distazo...to entertain two opposing thoughts simultaneously at one time.

6. DISCOURAGEMENT
NEHEMIAH 4:10

"The strength of the laborers is failing, and there is so much rubbish."
Satan waits until you are half-way to discourage.

FIVE THINGS THAT NEVER CHANGE

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 05:40:00 GMT

#1 THE GODHEAD

God - Malachi 3:6
Jesus - Hebrews 13:8
Holy Spirit - John 14:6

#2 THE WORD PSALM 119:89

"Forever, O Lord thy Word is settled in heaven."
"The entirety of Thy Word is truth." PSALM 119:160

#3 SIN ROMANS 7:20, 23

"It is no longer who do it, but sin that dwells in me"
"Law of sin wars against the law of my mind."

#4 PENALTY OF SIN

"Wages of sin is death." ROMANS 6:23
"The soul that sinneth, it shall dies." EZEKIEL 18:20

#5 ASSURANCE OF SALVATION ROMANS 10:13

"For whoever calls on the name o the Lord shall be saved."
"For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not
of yourselves; it is the gift of God." EPHESIANS 2:8

Talk About Good God Things!

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 02:50:00 GMT

Mark 4:3-9..... Four types of soil and one principle of the seed. The sower was Jesus Christ, the seed was the Word of God. The four types of soil were an example of us.

There was seed that was sown in stoney ground with just a little bit of soil on top of hardness...that matches a hard heart. The seed began to grow, but the Bible said it did not continue but it only endured for a short time.

Some people can start...some people can continue....but do you know anyone who finished well? When tribulation arises, people stumble...people quit.

Caleb had his challenge, all of his problems came from the 12 spies going into the Promise Land...because of the 40 days of negative report. Had they all came back and remained posiitve, there wouldn't have had to be the Wilderness.

The greatest pain is when you have to bare the blunt of another persons decision.

Caleb had an optimistic outlook....don't lose your positive outlook in life! Rip out the rearview mirror! Quit talking about what you've come through, quit looking at where you've been. Quit living in the past...talk about good God things and possiblities in your life.

Caleb looked beyond the problems! How you see yourself will determine how other people will see you. If I feel inferior, you'll pick up I'm inferior. You're going to have to change your outlook in life. Caleb had a humble persistance and he would not quit and he had a total commitment...and becuase he followed the Lord Wholly...he inherited the land!

Don't Quit On God!

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 03:21:03 GMT

Quiting is a permanent decision to a temporary problem!

How many people just give up when they are so close to their breakthrough? Why do some people hang in there and some people don't?

Caleb had to go through the wilderness just like everyone else. He was one of the ones at the Red Sea when Pharaoh was coming against him and he went through 40 years of tough treading and it wasn't his fault...but he was able to do it. God's word in Calebs heart enabled him to wait on God's Promise and endure hardships.

When you trust and make a decision that I'm going to stand on God's Word even when it's not popular...God's word inside of you will enable you to wait on the promises of God!

Sometimes life has giants in them. Sometimes you're dealing with a word that is not very favorable. There will be problems...but if you're a believer, believe God's promise and don't ever let go of God's promise...The promise of I will never leave you, I will never forsake you!

YOU CAN MAKE IT!

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 03:11:59 GMT

Do you know what happes when God makes us a promise? We fail to do what Caleb did. Wait!

Don't get ahead of God. Caleb WHOLLY followed the Lord while waiting for God's Promise.

Hey if Satan cannot control your heart, he'll settle for half.

Do you know who the most miserable people are? People who are half hearted.

There's something exciting when corporate Worship happens...God has an obligation to Bless you when you Worship Him. When corporate worship happens, strength happens to each of us. You don't realize the miracles that happen when you go to Church!

People who are half hearted find fault with everything. Half hearted people don't have good attitudes. Hey....give it all you got! When the Holy Spirit comes in He will fill your hunger for Him!

What's your mountain, what did God Promise you? One is "I'll never leave you, I'll never forsake you" Maybe your promise looks like it will never happen...it's time to revisit your promise! All promises in Him are "yes" and "amen"! ( II CORINTHIANS 1:20). You know what yes means....amen means so be it. When you come into agreement with what God says about your life...say amen, so be it!

Are you excited about life? Don't be half in and half out...WHOLLY follow the Lord. Caleb said i don't care how long it takes, I'm going to hold onto my promise! As it was for Caleb so it will be for us as we WHOLLY follow the Lord!

Discouragement is one of the great weapons of Satan...don't half heartedly go after your promise...give it your best shot! God is saying....hold onto My Hand! Refine your focus....we will reap if we faint not! May you go out triumphant...you can make it!

Say YES!

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 03:06:34 GMT

It wasn't important who Moses was...what was important was who God was!

Do you think Moses didn't know what the name of God was? Moses knew the name of God because his mother's name was Jochebed. Jochebed meant Yahweh is my Glory.

Don't receive the Glory for what God is doing in your life. Whatever you need, God is the answer!

Sometimes in my my life I need direction, I must say God is my Guide. When my eyes drift off of Him I need direction. Every once in a while you have to come back to God. Sometimes you don't have the joy of the Lord...you must say God is my Joy! Come honest to God and He becomes your Righteousness. Whatever you need, God is for you!

Turn your whole life to Him...He will be with you! You cannot change what you're unwilling to confront. Go to God first then to whoever God sends you to and follow through. Maybe you need to make peace with something in your past...what's keeping you from your peace, from your joy? God wants you...God wants to use you. All He needs is someone to say yes...here I am. It's time!

You won't share the Glory for it because All Glory Goes To God! The strength is in the Call...don't ever say no to God...if you want 2012 to be different, if you want what you've never had, you might have to do something you've never done!

A New Liberty

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 02:40:00 GMT

"Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty." ( II CORINTHIANS 3:17)

Hallelujah! You no longer have to live in bondage, when you come to Jesus, you are a new creature!

When you come to Jesus, changes will happen, you will have A New Liberty!

Sir, Ma'am, you will know when you have been set free from something. You will begin to talk different, you will begin to feel different, you will begin to want to hang around people who contribute to your new life...those who will celebrate you!

As you begin each day, ask God to show you what areas you need to work on. What things are inside of you that need to be removed so that you can be closer to Him. There is A New Liberty and His Name is Jesus Christ!

"Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things" (PHILIPPIANS 4:8)

If God Is For You Who Can Be Against You?

Thu, 05 Jan 2012 04:35:00 GMT

The way you see yourself could determine how other people see you! If you see yourself as being abused as a child...having a rough past...had a spoiled relationship. You are a new creature in Christ Jesus. Someday you have to get up and throw what you were away. You are going to change when you change your talk. Read MATTHEW 12:37, PROV 23:7 You cannot change your walk until you change your talk! Have your problem all you want to, but you have to have positive confessing. You have to confess the same thing God says about your life! That's where the power is. You're the Righteousness of God...you don't have to go that route any more! Confess what God's Word says about you! 2 CORINTHIANS 5:17...it's a brand new world! Say I've been there, I've done that.....but now I'm a new creature in Christ Jesus, He became sin who knew no sin that we might become the righteousness of God! (2 CORINTHIANS 5:21) When you have become a new life in Christ Jesus how imporatant it is that you change wrong relationships. You can have an experience with Jesus Christ and go right back in to a wrong relationship and that can keep you right where you were before you came to Jesus. I'm not talking about marriage. If God is for you....who can be against you? You're not the way you used to be...you're the righteousness of God! We're going to get better....you're going to get better...it's a righteousness position! 2012 can be better for all of us....God is for you, God Loves you, God is on your side! JEREMIAH 29:11...."For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope." The One who knows you best, Loves you the most!

God's Gift Of Righteousness

Thu, 29 Dec 2011 02:53:19 GMT

Jeremiah was a young man and Jeremiah felt God could not use him because of his young age. Do you have a reason why you think you cannot be used by God this year? Maybe you feel like you have a past...maybe you feel like you've done something that everyone knows that you have done. It seems as if you keep repeating your past history...I must say, before you can change you must begin to stop seeing yourself as a grasshopper and you must see yourself as the Righteousness of God!

Stop seeing yourself in the light of your past and start seeing yourself in the Light of Jesus Christ the Gift of Righteousness given to us!

God told Jeremiah...before you were formed I called you (JEREMIAH 1:5) And...while YOU were beiing formed in your mother's womb, God wrote in a book a plan for your life....seek Him this coming year and see yourself as the Righteousness of God!