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| Monthly Devotional |
| January 2010 | | | Monthly Theme: Spiritual Fortitude | | Staff Member: Senior Pastor Lawrence Powell | | Bible Scripture: Isaiah 43:18,19 | | | Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland. -Isaiah 43:18,19
Getting past painful life experiences is much like crossing monkey bars. You have to let go at some point in order to move forward. Each of us is familiar with disappointment and failure. Together we could throw an incredible pity party grieving our past wounds but what a waste of precious time and energy it would be.
Instead of lamenting over the past, spend your time and energy on things with eternal substance and significance. Do whatever it is you must to correct the errors of your life and then move on in the name of Jesus. God has got some great things planned for you but you have to move beyond where you are to enjoy them.
The past is what’s behind you. Learn from it. The future is what’s ahead. Prepare for it. The present is now. Live it to the fullest. | | | February 2010 | | | Monthly Theme: Power | | Staff Member: Lady Vanessa Powell | | Bible Scripture: Acts 1:8; Eph. 6:10 | | | What is power? Is it a particular facial expression that a parent gives their child to get them to behave without exchanging words? Is it the ability to persuade people to agree with a new idea? Partially. Power is defined as the ability to act or produce an effect; the possession of control, authority, and influence. There are many people in our society who possess power by heritage or an acquired position. However, this type of power is limited.
As Christians, we are not subjected to live with a limited power. Our Lord has given us Dunamis power (Grk.) through His Son Jesus Christ and His wonderful gift of the Holy Spirit. We have God’s dynamic power to help us live a saved, healed, and delivered life. This God-given power also helps us to share Christ’s love with others. God’s Dunamis power can be demonstrated through our lives by a simple smile, hug, or other kind hearted gesture. When we wholeheartedly believe this truth, we will not hesitate to complete kingdom assignments that have been entrusted to us from the Lord. With this limitless God-given power, we can conquer any challenges that we encounter.
As a final point, be constantly aware of the enemy’s tactics that attempts to disrupt our faith in God. The enemy deeply desires for us to lose sight of our all powerful God. Just remember despite what comes our way during our lifetime, we always win because God has given us the power! | | | March 2010 | | | Monthly Theme: Excellence | | Staff Member: Elder Dr. George Patrick | | Bible Scripture: Malachi 1:8-10 | | | "And when you offer the blind as a sacrifice, … And when you offer the lame and sick, … Offer it then to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you favorably?..." (Malachi 1: 8)
Excellence is a standard, benchmark or reference from which measurements can be made. “If his offering is a burnt sacrifice of the herd, let him offer a male without blemish; he shall offer it of his own free will at the door of the tabernacle of meeting before the Lord.” (Leviticus 1:3)
The standard for worship and offering of gifts and sacrifice to God is found in Leviticus 1:3 which is contrasted with Malachi 1:8-10. Because of His Excellency, God demands that we bring to Him nothing but the highest and best in our worship, service and gifts.
Dr. Melvin Lorentzen said, “We must stress excellence over against mediocrity done in the name of Christ. We must determine to put our best into the arts, so that when we sing a hymn about Jesus and His love, when we erect a building for the worship of God, when we stage a play about the soul’s pilgrimage, we will not repel people but attract them to God.”
We achieve excellence through discipline and tenacity of purpose. | | | April 2010 | | | Monthly Theme: Endurance | | Staff Member: Min. Corey Hinton | | Bible Scripture: 11 Timothy 2:3 | | "Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ." (KJV)
I am quite certain that there are many people like myself who can attest to the fact that life is not or has not always been a walk in the park. Especially since we have accepted Christ as our personal savior who would have imagined that we would endure much trial and tribulation. Living for God appeared easy in my eyes but how soon did I learn as I began to mature in God that along with living for God hardships will follow. Endurance is the ability to suffer pain, hardship, distress, or prolonged stress without succumbing.
Recorded here in II Timothy 2:3 are the final words of the great apostle Paul to his spiritual son in the faith Timothy. Paul’s primary reason for writing this epistle was to encourage. He instructs Timothy as a son to be strong; as a soldier he is to endure hardness. He instructs him that trials will come and that your faith will be tested. Both in your personal life as well as spiritually.
So like Timothy we should be encouraged today to endure. Knowing this that the trying of our faith worketh patience. We are not exempt from problems and situations but we are to remain faithful to the truth of God’s word.
And finally we are comforted in knowing that if we endure if we suffer we shall also reign with him- II Timothy 2:12. | | | May 2010 | | | Monthly Theme: Courage | | Staff Member: Min. Caleb L. Coles | | Bible Scripture: Deuteronomy 31:6-8 | |
Deuteronomy 31:6-8
6 "Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you. 7 Then Moses called Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel, “Be strong and of good courage, for you must go with this people to the land which the LORD has sworn to their fathers to give them, and you shall cause them to inherit it. 8 And the LORD, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed.”
Beloved, I’m sure that you can agree with me that we often encounter circumstances and situations that require us to be of good courage. This was the case with Joshua’s new appointment to lead the people of Israel to the Promised Land. Much like Joshua we are faced with everyday assignments that seem overwhelming, complex and almost impossible based off our natural ability. While these obstacles are ahead of us, we must remember that God is with us and when we create a partnership with him, we are able to do all things.
As we begin to cultivate a partnership (relationship) with God, not only will courage be developed in us, but, also God’s victorious attitude towards any situation we may face will permeate our spirit.
During this month I encourage you to have a specific prayer focus on courage, asking God to reveal and develop his nature and character inside of you. Saints, remember “barricades are a sign of advancement not blockage” so take courage and make a quantum leap over these barricades and continue to live the Good Life. | | | June 2010 | | | Monthly Theme: Divine Health | | Staff Member: Min. Leslie J-Brown | | Bible Scripture: Psalm 103: 1-5, 3 John 1:2, 1 Thessalonians 5:23 | | It is God’s perfect will for us to be in divine health. Normally, when we think of the word "health", we think of physical health only. However, we consist of three parts: (human) spirit, soul and body. Therefore, when we are experiencing divine health, our spirit, soul and body are made whole through an authentic relationship with Christ Jesus and we are able to operate optimally in our calling.
When we walk completely in God’s Word, sickness, disease, depression, etc. cannot stay in our lives. The Psalmist states, “Bless the Lord oh my soul and ALL that is within me…. Because He heals all our disease, forgives all our sins, redeems our life from destruction, and crowns us with love and compassion (Psalm 103:1-5).”
Additionally, John G. Lake advises us that divine healing and divine health are different. In divine healing the sickness and disease on the body are removed by the power of God. Divine health is living day by day, hour by hour, being in touch with God so that the life of God flows in our spirit, soul and body (1 Thessalonians 5:23).”
Beloved, as we continue to press towards the mark during the month of June, let's be sure to remember that God's desire is for us to walk in divine health wholistically.
“Beloved, I wish above all things that you may prosper and be in health, even as your soul prospers." (3 John 1:2)
| | | July 2010 | | | Monthly Theme: Community | | Staff Member: Min. Robin and Melanie Tolud | | Bible Scripture: John 3:16 | |
As believers and followers of Christ our relationship with our community should be one of compassion; expressing God’s love in such a way that we present Jesus Christ with the purpose to share the hope of redemption and salvation. This “compassionate approach” is true for our local and extended community. Without Christ the community is worthless and without hope. But in Christ we have redemption, and through redemption hope, and through hope an immeasurable worth.
What is a community? A community consists of a group of people that share common interests through direct and/or indirect social contact. A community can be found at work, in church, in the neighborhood, on the internet, or in a particular business sector. Moreover, a community for believers is often times the place where God has called us to serve.
In John 3:16 Jesus tells us that God so love the world. God’s compassion is for the world. As believers, our compassion should also be for the unsaved world. Jesus further lets us know that God showed his love to the world by sending His only begotten Son (to a dying, oppressed community) so that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. The Matthew Henry Concise Bible recites John 3:16 as follows,
“God so loved the world; so really, so richly. Behold and wonder that the great God should love such a worthless world!”
To show God’s love to our communities we have to look to Jesus as our example.
1. Jesus shows us the Father. He is the one true God ( John 17:25-26)
As believers our expression to our community is to show the one true God. Our creator!
2. Jesus shows us Himself as the redeemer. (Colossians 2:13-15).
As believers our purpose is to present Christ as the redeemer.
3. Jesus has compassions for those who suffer and are sick (John 7:48-49, Matthew 14:14)
As followers of Christ we are to have compassion for those who lack and therefore suffer; those who are depressed and oppressed and without hope and those who are sick and lonely.
4. Jesus has compassions for those who are lost.( Matthew 9:36)
As Christians we are to have compassion for those who are lost.
As followers of Christ we are called to emulate and model Him. We are called to exude the same compassion that Christ shows for our community. We point to Jesus so others can get hope. We point to Jesus so that hurting souls can understand their real worth; not a false sense of self-pride, but a priceless, eternal worth in Christ Jesus as our Lord and Savior. As believers, we are recipients of this grace, hope, and redemption in Christ Jesus. Therefore, we must in turn show God’s love towards our community in both word and deed: proclaiming and demonstrating to the love of God to world. | | | August 2010 | | | Monthly Theme: Endurance | | Staff Member: Min. Corey Hinton | | Bible Scripture: II Timothy 2:3 | | I am quite certain that there are many people like myself who can attest to the fact that life is not or has not always been a walk in the park. Especially since we have accepted Christ as our personal savior who would have imagined that we would endure much trial and tribulation. Living for God appeared easy in my eyes but how soon did I learn as I began to mature in God that along with living for God hardships will follow. Endurance is the ability to suffer pain, hardship, distress, or prolonged stress without succumbing.
Recorded here in II Timothy 2:3 are the final words of the great apostle Paul to his spiritual son in the faith Timothy. Paul’s primary reason for writing this epistle was to encourage. He instructs Timothy as a son to be strong; as a soldier he is to endure hardness. He instructs him that trials will come and that your faith will be tested. Both in your personal life as well as spiritually.
So like Timothy we should be encouraged today to endure. Knowing this that the trying of our faith worketh patience. We are not exempt from problems and situations but we are to remain faithful to the truth of God’s word.
And finally we are comforted in knowing that if we endure if we suffer we shall also reign with him- II Timothy 2:12. | |
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