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HOME >> WORSHIP SERVICE >> PAST MESSAGE SUMMARIES
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Click on any date below to view the Summary for that Sunday.
December 11, 2011 - Subject: “GOD's Way of Wrapping Gifts”
Rev. Ray A Jackson Pastor |
Scripture Reading: Luke 2 : 12 Lesson to Learn As Christians, we know that GOD has a way of doing things that we aren't accustomed to. HE has a different agenda than our agendas. When it comes to giving gifts, HE has HIS own style of wrapping. Being the Christmas season, we are all about giving gifts. When we get them, we take out the time to wrap it properly, and we make sure that the presentation is excellent. We put so much work into the wrapping that sometimes the presentation is worth more than the gift inside. But even if we lined up all the gifts given at Christmas side by side, they could not match up to the gift that GOD gave. If we took all of the wrapping paper used to wrap all the gifts, it couldn't compete with the way GOD wrapped HIS gift. GOD gave us the greatest gift of all, and that is the Baby, JESUS CHRIST. And HE didn't wrap JESUS in shiny paper, with pretty bows. HE wrapped JESUS in strips of cloth. HE used this form of gift wrapping so that the attention would not be on the wrapping, but that it would be on the gift inside. We don't really talk about it much, but the cloth that HE was wrapped in was the cloth used to prepare the dead, as for a mummy. So HE was wrapped in death cloth, which was a reflection of what HE would ultimately have to face to redeem our sins. HE was brought to this world, not for fame, but HE was brought here for sin. So let us remember that it's not the wrapping that makes a gift special, it's the gift itself. But no matter what gifts we may receive, no gift compares to the greatest gift that GOD gave us, the gift of JESUS CHRIST! Amen! |
December 04, 2011 - Subject: “What is Christmas All About?”
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Rev. Ray A Jackson Pastor |
Scripture Reading: Isaiah 9 : 6; Luke 1 : 31 Lesson to Learn Christmas means many things to many people. It's a time to spend time with friends and family, to give and receive, to take a break from school and work. But what is Christmas all about? Christmas is all about the Baby. You cannot understand the Christmas story without understanding the Baby. We all know that GOD sees everything and hears everything. HE created a paradise here on Earth, but just as we still do today, GOD has blessings for us, and we either allow others to get in our way or we get in our own way. And although we messed up, GOD still saw fit to make a baby. HE could have easily wiped us out and started over, but HE promised that HE would send someone to save the world. We also know that GOD's way is not our way. HE does things that would not seem normal to us. HE chose Mary to bring HIS Son into the world, and we know that with her being a virgin, it was not normal for her to be with child. But GOD works in mysterious ways. JESUS was born in Bethlehem. It wasn't the biggest town, but it was big enough. HE didn't come to the world in royalty and luxury, HE was born in a manger. HE didn't come here for fame. HE came here to save the world. We should thank GOD daily for sending us HIS Son. We should recognize the magnitude of the gift that HE gave us. Even the animals had sense enough to bow down to HIM. So let us render to GOD's will. Let us thank HIM for HIS Son, JESUS CHRIST, who came to save our souls. And let us remember that Christmas is all about the Baby! Amen! |
November 27, 2011 - Subject: “They are Afraid of YOUR Blessings”
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Rev. Ray A Jackson Pastor |
Scripture Reading: Psalms 65 : 8-13; 116 : 12 Lesson to Learn One of the hardest things for christians to do is to be thankful. GOD showers down many blessings on us, but we sometimes forget to thank HIM. HE pours out so many blessings that our cups run over, but instead of showing thanks by sharing our excess blessings with others, some of us go and get another cup. We receive HIS blessings, but we don't thank HIM for them. We may think that we are doing GOD a favor by showing up at church every Sunday. We think that GOD needs us. What we fail to realize is that GOD is GOD all by HIMSELF. HE doesn't need us, but HE still does things for us. So the least we can do is offer up thanks, because we can never repay HIM for all HE's done. We are free to give HIM thanks, and we don't have to go through anyone to give HIM thanks. While we are on this Earth, life is going to go on regardless. People will try to get to you and bring you down, but the more people pull against you, the more GOD opens up doors, and even in the midst of HIM opening up doors, we still don' thank HIM like we should. We should be thankful in good times as well as the bad times. We should be thankful when we are up and when we are down. If we lose something, we shouldn't dwell on what we lost but be thankful for what we still have. GOD gives us so much and asks for nothing in return but a thankful spirit. So we should be thankful. We should even be thankful for our enemies, because they help us keep in contact with GOD. HE has been so good to us. Even if HE doesn't do anything else for us, we should be thankful, because HE has already done more than enough for us. So let us learn too be thankful. Let's do our parts in the relationship. When GOD does something for us, we should thank HIM. And let's continue to thank GOD, from whom all blessings flow. Amen! |
October 30, 2011 - Subject: “Mary Magdalene: The Last at the Cross and the First at the Tomb”
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Rev. Ray A Jackson Pastor |
Scripture Reading: Luke 8 : 1, 2 Lesson to Learn In her day, Mary Magdalene wasn't the most popular person. The people didn't like her because of her past. Although JESUS cast out the seven devils within her and she followed HIM, people still would not let her out-live her past. That is similar in today's society. When others want to change and turn their lives over to GOD, we christians sometimes will not look passed that person's past. But thank GOD that JESUS does not look at each other differently. In HIS eyesight, we are all equals. No one is above nor beneath the other. But just as others did whom JESUS did something for, Mary Magdalene and other women followed JESUS. In those days, it was against the law for women to follow up behind men, but their faith in GOD was far above the consequencies they could face for breaking the law. And although she was still ostracized by the people, she didn't let that stop her. We as christians should take her lead. When GOD has something for us, we can't let others stop us. Because everyone who we think are with us may not be with us, and those who we think are not with us may be with us. Mary Magdalene is also known for being the last to be at the cross when JESUS died, and she was the first to arrive at the tomb. She didn't have much time to weep, for in 3 days, her weeping turned into rejoicing once she discovered that her LORD had risen. So we may weep for something at the time of hurt and sorrow, but if we just hold out, our weeping will become rejoicing. So let us learn some lessons from Mary Magdalene. Let us not let our past transgressions outshine the persons GOD wants us to be. Let us follow JESUS regardless of what others say about you, and let us remember that we may weep for a time, but joy is always on the way. Amen! |
October 16, 2011 - Subject: “When JESUS Stops By, Something is Going to Change”
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Rev. Ray A Jackson Pastor |
Scripture Reading: Luke 18 : 35 - 43 Lesson to Learn On our Christian journeys, we find that the more we try to incorporate change in our lives, the more things just seem to remain the same. But just because things seem to stay the same, we don't realize that change is actually occurring. Nothing and nobody stays the same. The only thing that always remain the same is the devil and those who work for him. But when JESUS shows up, you can bet that things will be different. When HE stops by, HE expects us to come out of our present state, and once we are out, HE wants us to stay out. But often times, we digress and fall back into the same situation. And when we do, we feel sorry for ourselves and want others to feel sorry for us as well. But we should never get to a point in our lives where we have to depend on the sympathy of others. When you depend on sympathy, you may never get the help you need, and it will become a crutch, or a handicap. In the scripture, the man was blind, so he depended on other people's sympathy, which also led him to begging. Sometimes one handicap can bring about another. But if we want to change, we have to wake up with a different attitude. We have to want to change. And when we want something, we can't let others who already have what we want try and hinder us from getting it, because they will. If they try to stop us, then we should want it even more. Finally, when we talk to JESUS, asking for what we need or want, we don't have to tell a long story or try to blame others for our current situation. We can just get straight to the point. HE already knows what our needs are before we ask, so HE doesn't need a recap. And when HE supplies our needs, we should remember to thank HIM. So let us remember that we should never stay the same when JESUS stops by. Amen! |
September 25, 2011 - Subject: “What GOD Can do With a Few”
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Rev. Ray A Jackson Pastor |
Scripture Reading: Judges 7 : 7 Lesson to Learn In continuing the lesson learned from last week's sermon, we are here with Gideon, and he has just dismissed a majority of his army at the instructions of GOD. He is left with 300 men, and they were to do battle against 135,000 trained Midianites. Gideon throught that he needed more soldiers to fight so many warriors, but GOD only needed a few. If there are too many people around who are not needed, then thay can cause trouble. Too man can be a big problem. When GOD chooses HIS few, HE wants those who are willing to follow, and not those who want to lead or to do their own thing. And when HE chooses a leader, HE wants a leader based on HIS standards, and not what other people think a leader should be. HE wants a leader to lead HIS people the way HE wants them to be led. A wise leader will choose wise followers. In today's society, wise leaders are hard to find. They are rare. But a leader is not perfect. None of us are perfect. We all have our own, unique problems, but as long as GOD is in the midst, then everything will be alright. GOD is GOD all by HIMSELF. HE doesn't need us to carry out HIS business, but HE uses us as a tool to show others that HE can make a somebody out of those who we humans brand a nobody. HE uses us to bring others closer to HIM. And when GOD ask us to do something, we can believe that HE already has a plan in place. To win their battle, GOD provided ram horns, clay jars, and torches. It didn't seem like much to Gideon and his army, but GOD was still in the midst. With these items, Gideon and his men ran off the Midianites, and they won the battle. So let us remember that GOD doesn't need a whole lot. He only needs a faithful few. And when we get the victory, then we should let our light so shine. Amen! |
September 18, 2011 - Subject: “GOD Can Take a Few and Move Mountains”
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Rev. Ray A Jackson Pastor |
Scripture Reading: Judges 7 : 2, 4, and 7 Lesson to Learn As we have been reminded, GOD has a strange way of doing math. There are many Earthly formulas and theories out there that are used to solve complexed equations. But when GOD solves an equation or problem, HE doesn't worry about mathematical theories. HE doesn't worry about scientific formulas, proper grammatical english structure, or even the predictions of the weather made by a weatherman. HE has HIS own way of solving complexed equations. In this text, GOD wanted Gideon to take his people into battle against those who were oppressing them. Logically, 32,000 farmers cannot win in a battle against 135,000 trained warriors. But GOD doesn't deal in logic, HE only deals in obedience and faith. GOD gave Gideon a few task to perform before going into battle, which these tasks led Gideon to have to decrease the number of his forces dramaticlly. Gideon was worried because his army's number decreased so low, but he, like us, had to remember that if GOD was telling him to do something, he can believe that it was for his good. As his army decreased, Gideon found out what type of people he was working with. In today's world, we know that everyone who is in a place, whether it's our schools, our jobs, or even our churches, are not there for the right reasons, but a few are, and all it takes is a few to get something accomplished. And our success rate increases when GOD is in the midst. We often look to base the decisions we make on what the crowd leans towards, but we don't have to follow the majority. It only takes a few. So let us remember that it only takes a few to move mountains as long as GOD is in the midst. Amen! |
September 04, 2011 - Subject: “Little is Much When GOD is in It”
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Rev. Ray A Jackson Pastor |
Scripture Reading: Revelation 3 : 7 - 11 Lesson to Learn We continue our series of the seven churches with the Church of Philadelphia. Out of the seven churches John wrote the letters to, the Church of Philadelphia was different. This was the only church of the seven that GOD was well pleased. HE loved this church. The reason HE loved them was because the members showed love for one another, others, and GOD. It's one thing to talk about love, but we have to show it as well, because if there is a problem with a church, it's not the building nor the size of the building, the problems lie in the people of the church and the lack of love they have for one another. No matter what we do, we should do it with love, and to glorify GOD. If we give, it doesn't matter how much we give, as along as we can give our all and give it with love, and whatever we bring to GOD, HE will multiply it. And if we are ready to seek GOD, it doesn't matter what we have done in the past, it only matters that we are coming to the LORD, and that we are doing it out of love for GOD. When we have that love for GOD, HE will open up doors that no man can shut, and HE will close doors that no man can ever open. We can show our love for GOD by showing love for others, whether its by our services to them or speaking positively about them. And if we are strong in GOD's love, we may feel like we only have a little power, but the little power we have could never be taken away by man. So let us be thankful to GOD. Let us show our love for HIM through our services. And let us accept the challenge to make our churches like the Church of Philadelphia. Amen! |
August 07, 2011 - Subject: “A Lifeless (Spiritless) Church - Part II”
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Rev. Ray A Jackson Pastor |
Scripture Reading: Revelation 3 : 1 - 6 Lesson to Learn In last weeks sermon, we learned that a lifeless church is a church that used to be alive, something happened, and now it is dead. It was compared to our bodies when we lose our lives. When John wrote the letters to the seven churches, he addressed them to the preachers. Of the seven churches, one was already dead, and the other six were on the verge of dying, and his intentions were to prevent the other churches from dying. The members of these churches couldn't feel anything when they were in church, similar to our churches today. Each church has its own set of problems, but problems at one church are not the same problems of others. Also mentioned in the first part of this series, a church can have a good reputation, but a reputation means nothing if the work of the church is not present, because faith without works is dead. Although some churches are on the verge of dying, there are still those faithful members who still want to know the spirit, and they want to do the work of the LORD. The faithful christians have to make sure that the people around them who are already dead in the spirit not affect them. They must remain strong in the spirit, and they must continue to work on keeping their churches alive. We go through so much during the week, and we need some place where we can go to feel better and not one that is dead. So let us continue to work on keeping our churches alive, because no one wants to serve the LORD in a church where the Holy Spirit does not reside. Amen! |
July 31, 2011 - Subject: “A Lifeless (Spiritless) Church - Part I”
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Rev. Ray A Jackson Pastor |
Scripture Reading: Revelation 3 : 1 - 6 Lesson to Learn What is a lifeless church? What is a church that has no spirit? A lifeless church is a church that used to be alive, something happened, and now it is dead. Just like our bodies, which are temples of GOD, our churches are filled with a spirit, which is the spirit of GOD, or the Holy Spirit. When our spirits leave our bodies, whatever state we are in when they leave is the way our bodies will remain. The church works in the same manner. Once GOD's spirit leaves the church, then the state that the church is in is the same way it will remain. So if there is hating in the church before the spirit leaves, then when it leaves, hating will remain. If there is sinning in the church before the spirit leaves, when it leaves, there will still be sinning. Some churches are dead, and they don't even realize it. They may have a good reputation, but a name means nothing if the Holy Spirit is not present. And if they can still have services without the Holy Spirit being present, then that church may not have had the Holy Spirit initially. So when it leaves, they wouldn't miss it, because you can't miss what you never had. So as Christians, we must work to keep GOD's spirit within our churches. We have to make sure that the focus is on GOD and not ourselves. And let us continue in the path of righteousness, because we do not want to worship in a lifeless, spiritless church. Amen! |
July 24, 2011 - Subject: “Good Enough to get to Heaven”
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Rev. Ray A Jackson Pastor |
Scripture Reading: Mark 10 : 17 - 21 Lesson to Learn As Christians, we hear about tough times that people have gone through, and we hope that by the end of the story, we hear that everything worked out just fine. But not all stories have happy endings. In this story, a young, wealthy ruler came to JESUS wanting to know how he could make it into Heaven. When he approached JESUS, he came to JESUS in the right way, at the right time, and he came to the right person. He humbled himself and knelt down before HIM. JESUS named six commandments that he should follow, which all dealt with how we handle human relationships. The young man was happy because he followed those commandments already. Then JESUS asked him to give away all of his riches, sell all that he had and give the money to the poor, and then follow HIM. The young man walked away saddened by what he had heard. JESUS explained that it would be harder for a rich man to make it into Heaven. But it is not to say that if you have money, you are condemned to hell, and likewise, just because you don't have money doesn't guarantee you a place in Heaven. We have to worship GOD who provided all of our possessions and wealth and not worship the things we have. Also, we have to develop a strong relationship with our brothers and sisters before we can begin to develop a relationship with GOD. We can't say that we love GOD and hate our fellow man at the same time. Being a Christian is not easy, and there are some things we find it difficult to do, but if we want to build a strong relationship with GOD, we have to endure the hardships that we face. To get to Heaven, we also have to do what GOD wants us to do, regardless of how difficult the task may seem. GOD won't put us through something HE can't deliver us from. When we feel weighed down, we must kneel down before HIM so that HE can take the weight off of us. So let us remember to build a relationship with our fellow brothers and sisters, let us build a strong relationship with GOD, and let us remember to never put anything before HIM. Amen! |
July 10, 2011 - Subject: “The Feeding of the 5,000 Hungry People”
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Rev. Ray A Jackson Pastor |
Scripture Reading: John 6 : 1 - 13 Lesson to Learn We are not all mathematicians, but we can all see that you cannot equally divide two by 5,000. So how is it that JESUS was able to feed 5,000 men with so little food? JESUS would ask questions that HE already knew the answers to. HE asked how much funds were in their treasury which turned out not to be enough to feed 5,000 people, but one of the disciples found a child in the crowd that had 2 small fish and 5 biscuit-sized loaves of bread. The child was not selfish. He gave his food to the disciples with love. JESUS took the food and blessed it, and HE gave it out to the people with love, and as HE gave the food to the people, the food multiplied by ten. As christians, if we give, we should be sure to give with love. We can't multiply what we give if we don't really want to give it. If we get upset when others seem to be doing a little bit better than we are, then we should check our attitudes. It's not about what we give or how much we give, but it's about the spirit we are in when we give it. Also, the more we give to HIM, the more HE will give back to us. So although it didn't seem possible that 2 can be divided by 5,000 equally, as long as GOD is in the equation, the equation will always work out right. And we must also remember that we cannot let our estimate of a situation hinder us from doing our part in the situation. The way we look at a situation is not the way GOD looks at it. And finally, we should never let others influence us to not give, for they can stop our blessings from multiplying. So let us remember to give with love and not grudgingly, for GOD loves a cheerful giver. Amen! |
June 05, 2011 - Subject: “It's Time to Build Your Own Memorial”
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Rev. Ray A Jackson Pastor |
Scripture Reading: Joshua 4 : 4 - 7 Lesson to Learn As we travel on our Christian journeys, we sometimes go through our everyday routine, but that is all we do. We do not try to do anything that will make a mark for others to take notice and remember something that we've done. So now is the time that we start to build our own memorials. GOD put each of us on this Earth for a specific purpose. HE promised that HE will always be there for us. Sometimes it may not seem that way, but we should remember that no matter how long it may take, GOD always keeps HIS promises. But as we begin to build our memorials, we can't just rush into something. We may be eager to leave our mark in the world and get caught up in our own activities, but sometimes GOD has to step in and tell us to wait. We may not take notice the first time, but GOD steps in again and tells us to wait. HE sometimes has to do somethings again in order to make us stop and take notice. HE wants us to be prepared for what HE has in store for us. This Christian life gets hard sometimes, and HE wants to make sure that HE is dealing with strong stone-like Christians, and not those who will crumble from the daily abuse that Christians face. We often think that we know more than GOD does, and we want to do things our own way, but we should remember that GOD knows best. So as we build our memorials, let us build a positive memorial that people will always remember. Let us build one as a reminder to others that GOD is the one who brought us through our journeys. And also, let us build a memorial so that others will remember to always praise GOD for the blessings HE has bestowed upon us, so that they too will one day begin to build their own memorials. Amen! |
April 24, 2011 - Subject: “Don't Be Afraid to Hope Again ... There is a Sunrise Coming”
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Rev. Ray A Jackson Pastor |
Scripture Reading: Solomon 2 : 11 - 13; Mark 16 : 1 - 20 Lesson to Learn Sometimes in life, we go through so many trials that it often makes life seem unbearable. We often want to give up. We lose hope. And when things seem hopeless, it's hard to believe that anything good can ever happen. But we should not be afraid to hope again, because there is a sunrise coming. We sometimes feel that while we go through our trials, no one in the world cares about us or no one loves us, but we must remember that there is a greater love in our lives. It's always best to have a heavenly love who will be there when we need HIM. If we remember this, then it will stick with us. Because there is a difference between what is in us and what is in our minds. If something is deep down in us, then it's in us. If it's in our minds, then it's only a matter of time before it's out of our minds. As we continue to live, the world will still roll stones in our way, but GOD will send HIS angels to help remove our stones and to prevent others from putting them back. We should remain strong in our faith. What we go through on this Earth is nothing compared to what JESUS went through for us. So we shouldn't lose hope when people lie on us or call us names. No matter how dark the sun may seem, there is always hope. JESUS is our hope. HE may have died on the cross, but thank GOD Almighty that in three days, HE got up with all power in HIS hands. Amen! |
April 17, 2011 - Subject: “On the Campaign Trail to be the King”
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Rev. Ray A Jackson Pastor |
Scripture Reading: Mark 11 : 7-10 Lesson to Learn We all know that people can be unreliable at times. They seem to change from day to day, and it's hard to trust them. What they say on Monday may not be what they would say on Tuesday. And if they praise you for something you've done and then turn around and tell you what you did wrong, the previous admiration becomes null and void. You often have candidates that run for offices and they do the same thing. They tell you some things to make people stop and take notice, and people will follow them all around as they campaign, but when they see that things were not as they expected, they turn on them in a second. But it was no different for JESUS. On HIS road to be King, HE performed miracles, which made people stop and take notice. And when others heard about all of HIS miracles, they were excited and was ready to see HIM. They expected HIM to be a King of high standards, very flashy and clean. They knew HE would be the answer to their prayers. People lined the streets and filled the roads with palm leaves, which was like rolling out the red carpet. But what a difference a day makes. When JESUS rode in wearing HIS dirty robe and travelling on a donkey, they questioned if HE truly was the one who would save them. Many people turned away. But how can people be one way, and in an instance, they could change and turn their backs on you? When people are in need, they expect others to help them out, and when their expectations are not met, they turn on you. They don't realize that we all have our own burdens to bare. And when you do have a chance to do good, others do not like it. They lose sleep trying to think of ways to bring you down. They will watch your every move because they feel you are undeserving. But thank GOD that HE doesn't see us as man sees us. So let us continue to do GOD's will and praise HIM. And even if we don't back other political candidates, always remember that JESUS is the perfect candidate. Amen! |
April 10, 2011 - Subject: “Who Shall Roll Away Our Stones”
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Rev. Ray A Jackson Pastor |
Scripture Reading: Mark 16 : 1 - 3 Lesson to Learn Everyone of us have stones in our lives. Some stones may seem bigger than others, but it's a stone none-the-less. So how can we roll our stones away? Who can help us? What are stones? A stone is defined as anything that blocks us from getting to see JESUS. It is anything that stops us from reaping the benefits of GOD. To remove our stones, we must be willing to map out a way to remove it. We must be willing to let it go. Sometimes we let yesterday's stone hinder us from progressing on today, but we have to let it go. We can't let anything steal our joy. We hold on to grudges, but we have to get over it and move on. We let some stones that we hold on to hinder us from enjoying life. But one thing we should remember is that everyone has their own stones, so others may not be able to help us roll our stones away. But we shouldn't stop, turn around, and then just walk away from our stones. We need to call on GOD to give us the strength to keep pushing forward. And when we think GOD isn't listening, HE is. When we think HE doesn't care, HE does. So let us work towards removing our stones, because one day, we all want to see JESUS. Amen! |
March 27, 2011 - Subject: “What Time Is It?”
Rev. William A Butts Associate Pastor |
Scripture Reading: Ecclesiastes 3 : 1 - 10 Lesson to Learn As Christians, we often get caught up in the pleasures of the world. We often get caught up in what is going on in other people's lives, and we are quick to judge them. But there is a time for everything, and now is the time to put aside our differences and do the work of the LORD. We as Christians must set aside those things that hinder us from doing the work of the LORD. We have to stop listening to others and start listening to GOD. We are all GOD's children. We all worship the same GOD. HE doesn't want us to be spiteful of our fellow man, HE wants us to be Christlike and to show compassion for our fellow man. So let us listen as GOD talks to us and put our trust in HIM. HE is in charge. So let HIM come into our lives and take control, and our time will surely come. Amen! |
February 27, 2011 - Subject: “Never Forget Your Heroes”
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Rev. Ray A Jackson Pastor |
Scripture Reading: Deuteronomy 6 : 6 - 12; Judges 2 : 10 Lesson to Learn How many of us have heroes? When we think of a hero, we usually think of successful people. The younger generation may think of sports atheletes and music stars as heroes, and there's nothing wrong with that. Some people may think of older relatives as heroes. Regardless of who our heroes are, we should always have a story to tell about them. Someone may think of us as heroes, but sometimes we don't like to tell our story because we are ashamed of where we come from. If we are ashamed of where we come from, then we are doomed to fail where we are going. But is it possible that we can forget where we came from? Can we forget who we used to be? Can we actually get so high up that we treat others like they are nothing? If we are to be heroes, we must have a story to tell to the next generation. We have to be able to teach them our history or it will be forgotten, and we should not be participating in what the next generation participates in. And above all, we must never forget who provided for us. We didn't make it where we are alone. When we are sick, the doctor does not make us well, it is by the power of GOD. JESUS left many of HIS examples here on Earth so that we can tell HIS story. So let us never forget where we came from, let us never forget who brought us this far, let us never forget to tell our story, and let us remember to never forget our heroes. Amen! |
January 30, 2011 - Subject: “The Great Commission”
Sis. Sheriel Perkins Guest Speaker |
Scripture Reading: Matthew 28 : 16 - 20 Lesson to Learn Have we accepted GOD in our lives? Do we believe in JESUS CHRIST? Have we been baptized in the name of the FATHER, the SON, and the Holy Spirit? Do we truly have a personal relationship with GOD? If we can answer yes to all these questions, then we can be about the business of GOD. We should be willing to gladly respond when someone is in need. We should bring others ot CHRIST, that is, only if HE is within us. We have to put aside our own personal goals and uplift the LORD, because we must allow HIS glory to increase as our glorification decreases. We should be able to reflect the GOD that we serve through our services to others. JESUS left us orders. We have to teach the nation, share the good word to others, and bring more people to HIM. But before we can teach others, we have to read and study the great instruction manual, which is the Holy Bible, because we can't teach what we don't know. So let us commit our lives to GOD, even if that means that we have to get rid of the things that hinder us from doing the work of the LORD. Amen! |
January 23, 2011 - Subject: “Rumble on Mount Carmel”
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Rev. Ray A Jackson Pastor |
Scripture Reading: 1 Kings 18 : 1, 19, and 24 Lesson to Learn There have been many battles that have been recorded throughout history. With every battle, you can guarantee two things, there will be a winner and there will be a loser. You have battles that are one sided, battles that are evenly matched, and battles that are overrated. There have been those who seem unbeatable, but no matter how great they seem, there is always someone who can bring them down. And when we are down and need help, that's when GOD places the right people in our lives to help us. But before we enter into any battle, we need to go off by ourselves and first meet with GOD. A lot of battles that we enter into, we lose because we haven't talked with GOD. And then we get ourselves into trouble because GOD is telling us the right way to handle our battles, but we listen to someone else. But we should listen to GOD. We have to let GOD choose things for us. All it takes is the right person by our sides, and we can't go wrong if GOD is on our side. So let us remember that before we go into battle, we must have a talk with GOD, and HE will aid us in our battles. Amen! |
January 16, 2011 - Subject: “Never Forget to Remember...”
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Rev. Ray A Jackson Pastor |
Scripture Reading: Deuteronomy 34 : 1 - 4 Lesson to Learn As we go through our day to day journeys, we try to better ourselves. We try to move up in the world and move forward. But one thing that we must do is to never forget to remember exactly where we came from. We must never forget the things that our parents, grandparents and ancestors put up with in order to make our lives a little easier. Today, we have more privileges than our ancestors did, but that doesn't mean that we have made it to the promised land just yet. We still have a ways to go. We have to remember that we have found a GOD that we can talk about, because HE has all power in HIS hand. As our ancestors had dreams of seeing the promised land, so should we have the same dreams. We should still search for freedom, although freedom comes at a price. But let us never forget to remember where we came from in order to aid us into where we are going, and let's not forget that GOD can get us there because HE has all power in HIS hands. Amen! |
January 10, 2011 - Subject: “Fertilize Your Fig Tree”
Rev. Frank D Willis Assistant Pastor |
Scripture Reading: Luke 13 : 6 - 9 Lesson to Learn When you are preparing to fertilize a plant, you are getting the old soil ready to produce new growth. As we walk around in our day to day lives, we see things about others, and we criticize what they do and we think we know what they should be doing, but have we fertilized our own fig trees? We can say that we love GOD, and we can enjoy the church services, but if we see someone and we can't stand the sight of them, then we need to fertilize our fig trees. If we can't reach out to others and bring them to church or if we can't love our neighbors as ourselves, then we ought to fertilize our fig trees. It's time to stop playing church. We have to be about our FATHER's business. No one is perfect, but we can't spend all our time worrying about someone else's fig tree, we have to focus on our own. We have to fertilize our own fig tree in order to see GOD for ourselves. If our hearts aren't right, if we don't love one another, and if we don't have faith in GOD, then we can't make it into heaven. And we can't make it without going through JESUS. So let us get our houses in order. Don't focus on others, but let us focus on our own fig trees. Amen! |
January 02, 2011 - Subject: “Looking Back to go Forward”
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Rev. Ray A Jackson Pastor |
Scripture Reading: Joshua 3 : 5 Lesson to Learn It is the year 2011, and people have already made their new years resolutions. They are already trying to forget about 2010. But we must realize that sometimes we have to look back in order to go forward. But be careful. Some of the things behind us can be a threat if we're not trying to move forward. What's behind us is not there to take our mind off of where we are going, it is there to aid us in our quest to move forward. We should not be afraid of where we came from, because our past makes us stronger for what GOD has for us. And although we can use our past to better our futures, in order to move into a new year, we must put some old stuff behind us and let them stay there. We have to forgive others who we've wronged, but in order to do this, we must learn to forgive ourselves. To move into 2011, we must cleanse some things that hindered us from GOD's blessings in 2010. Let us remember that GOD puts us through things so that we can recognize HIS presence. HE is the one that brought us from 2010 to 2011. And let's not forget that it is not where we came from, but it is who was always there with us, and that is the Almighty GOD in Heaven. Amen! |
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