1 Co 12:22  In fact, some parts of the body that seem weakest and least important are actually the most necessary.

God is not a respecter of persons!  Just what does that mean?  We all have different gifts and purposes, but God holds every one of us as VALUABLE! Some may have gifts that are seen with the natural eye and others may have gifts that are “behind the scenes.”  I like the word “hope.”  BUT HOW DO I GET IT?  How does one find hope?

I would like to challenge you today to do everything possible to instill HOPE IN SOMEONE!  LET IT FLOW FROM YOU BY THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.  A few Sunday nights ago during prayer someone asked us to pray against addiction, the Spirit welled up in me and we prayed against suicide before praying against addiction.  We concluded our prayer and fasting time Wednesday night & just before service I was told of a co-worker that was in great need of HOPE IN THEIR LIFE.  Beloved, your coffee break or lunch may be just a few minutes away and someone may need hope!  Please do not suck life out but rather pour life in.

Prayer:  Lord right now fill me with so much hope that it flows out of me to someone in need.  May the words I speak be filled with faith, possibility and hope!  In Your Name, Amen!

May His riches blessing be yours today,

Pastor Duke

Isa 43:1-2 But now, O Jacob, listen to the LORD who created you. O Israel, the One who formed you says, “Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are Mine. 2  When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown.  When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you.

Beloved, you are going to make it!  Keep your chin up and know that God has a divine plan for your life.

These past two Sundays we have spoke on the subject of God’s goodness and that HE puts shattered lives back together.   If you are walking in a hard place get the messages… I believe they will encourage you.

Last night (Sunday) the presence of the Holy Spirit was…well awesome!  Many were prayed for to be healed & many were weeping and praying in the Spirit around the altar.  There were several testimonies…one said obedience was a key for them.  Another said the Holy Spirit spoke to them about the fact that “He is.”  It is not that HE was but “HE is.”

One might have gotten the idea last night we are a Pentecostal church.

May His Blessings Overtake You!

Pastor Duke

Psa 37:34-40  Put your hope in the LORD. Travel steadily along His path. He will honor you by giving you the land. You will see the wicked destroyed.

I have seen wicked and ruthless people flourishing like a tree in its native soil.
But when I looked again, they were gone! Though I searched for them, I could not find them!
Look at those who are honest and good, for a wonderful future awaits those who love peace.
But the rebellious will be destroyed; they have no future.
The LORD rescues the godly; He is their fortress in times of trouble.
The LORD helps them, rescuing them from the wicked. He saves them, and they find shelter in Him.

What promises are found here!  Beloved, put your hope in God…He will not disappoint you.  What is hope?  An outlook that GOOD is coming and an expectation of actually obtaining it!  I went to the hospital yesterday to pray for someone and on the way I saw a Jeep with a cover on the spare tire.  It said “LIFE IS GOOD.”  I thought how wonderful to see something positive when at times one hears so much complaining about everything that is wrong.  Oh, we know there is wrong “stuff” in life but there is also a lot of good things, Amen!

The Gospel Message is GOOD NEWS! He forgives sin!  He still heals to the utter most!  He has a Divine plan for each life!  There is no weapon formed against God’s kids that will prosper!  He turns everything the devil means for bad to His and our advantage!

Beloved, God is good!  Have a blessed day, walk in His Spirit and with the knowledge that HE is for you and HE desires good things to come into your life.  Serve Him with all your heart, soul and mind!  Don’t sweat the small stuff, don’t major on minors, seek Him first and HE will take care of it all!

Blessing on you,

Pastor Duke

The kind of God we serve puts shattered lives together.  Has your life been shattered?  Please know it does not have to mean the end…Scripture is still true….God has a plan and a purpose for your life.   Here is a “key” I believe makes the difference.  It can be called many things…effort, attitude or outlook!  Think for just a minute…do you know someone who is just filled with talent but lazy?  They do not put forth effort and they have a bad attitude…they just don’t get much done.  Do you know anyone who is not filled with talent but gives a winners effort… or has the attitude of “I am going to make it.”  They live on the promise of Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me”. The attitude of the individual and the team makes the difference in success and failure.

Col 1:13  For He has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of His dear Son.  Jesus has delivered us from darkness…we are children of the light.  We really do need to have the proper attitude.  A young lady in church attended Master’s Commission and the church vision statement was “love God, love life and love people.”  You can make it… God is a co-laborer with you in this life, He is the glory and lifter of your head and he has rescued us from the enemy.

Beloved, love God with all your heart… enjoy your life…love everybody and if you have been done wrong…simply forgive them.  Life is simply too short to go around with a chip on your shoulder.  Besides that if you carry that chip someone will come along to knock it off.  God holds our tomorrows and when we are saved we know heaven is our ultimate goal..so enjoy the journey from here to there.

Prayer:  Lord, with Your help I am going to make it… I can do all things.  I will discipline my mind to go to the good not the bad.  I will put forth the effort and have the right attitude as You and I take this journey through life.  What talent and abilities You have given me…they are laid at Your feet.  Today I am making a declaration to live in the blessings of God according to John 10:10b.  I receive this not because of who I am but because I belong to You and am delivered from the devil domain.   Amen!

You are going to make it!

Pastor Duke

A Big Thank you for praying for my older brother…I returned last night from Tampa where he has been hospitalized for around 5 plus weeks.  He had open heart surgery and then Thursday had to be opened again to clean out infection and do something with the wires in his chest.  He is doing better and was taken out of ICU today.  Thank you so much for praying for him.  He told me Saturday when leaving he thought he was going to make it.

Just a thought:  Mat 25:23  “His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.”  It is apparent in this verse effort is rewarded.   The Message says  “Good Work!..You did your job well.

Effort is exerting strength to accomplish something.  I came across this list in Maxwell’s Leadership Bible, I thought it was good.

Possesses integrity
Does not participate in gossip
Does not harm others
Speaks out against wrong
Honors others who walk in truth
Keeps their word even at personal cost
Isn’t greedy to gain at the expense of others
Is strong and stable

Maxwell uses this list for leaders… and while this is true… it is also a good list for all Christians.  For this new year make an effort to run hard after God and follow Maxwell’s list.  After all we all want to hear those words found in Matthew’s Gospel… “Well done, good and faithful servant…. Enter thou into the joy of the Lord.”  Love God, love life and love people!   I really believe God will pour His blessing and mercy into your life.

Beloved… love everybody, forgive everybody and let John 10:10 be yours.  “…I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of.”

Blessings,

Pastor Duke

Philippians 1:6  Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:  The cross of Christ can be called “the work of Christ.”  He has begun a good work…in you!  Let us not take lightly the cross was WORK.

I was thinking about the subject of work…I have worked my whole life.  When I was under 10 years old I work in Mom’s grocery store.  At 14 I was pumping gas and washing semi trucks.  There have been many jobs to “put food on the table.”  When 40 or so I found myself pumping diesel fuel and washing semi truck again…to provide for my family.  Work… sounds, well so much like….work!  But then again that is what we do isn’t it…whatever it takes & it takes work.

Let us not take lightly the cross…it was the work of Christ. And HE did it to provide for His family!  Last night the Holy Spirit made John 10:10 alive in my spirit.  “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”  Yes we know the first part of the recording of the first part of the verse is inspired…but please make a decision to not live on the devil’s terms!  God’s will is in the second part of the verse.

“I am come that they might HAVE LIFE, and that they might have it more abundantly.” 

Beloved…live your life to the fullest!  Run hard after God!  Life is ZOE in the Greek.  Thayer’s Greek Dictionary says this “the state of one who is possessed of vitality.   Webster says vitality is the Power of subsisting in life…the act of living.  Now, I don’t drink beer…but years ago they had a good commercial… “go for the gusto!”  Go for It!  It is okay to enjoy life.

Beloved,  Jesus  come to do the work of the Cross.  HE did it to provide for His family.  Zoe means spiritual life… mental life… emotional life.  You cannot stop the sun from setting this evening or rising in the morning so you might as well make up your mind to enjoy the ride.  After all Jesus did come so you could have an abundant life.

May 2012 be a year filled with hope… blessings… God’s goodness with an abundant life.

Blessings,

Pastor Duke

Thank you for praying for my brother & sister. He is improving but the sternum still needs to heal or they are going to open up the chest and clamp it together. My sister passed a stress test on her heart and she is to see the Dr. on Friday. They both are encouraging me to have my heart checked, they want me to have a “heart cath” since both of them have been having difficulty.

Just a thought: Are you having heart trouble? Dianna Grindean spoke for me Sunday morning about HOPE! It was a timely message for each individual and the church as a whole. Whether 2012 came in quiet or roaring for you…the simple fact is 2012 is here. Di used Jeremiah’s prophecy concerning the “New Covenant” God would write on our heart…she told us this was Christ’s work on the cross.

Beloved, He came to give us a new heart. 2011 will never be forgotten…it just can’t be forgotten… but 2012 is filled with HOPE! My brother was a bit down and that is understandable with all he has been through and going through. I shared with him that no matter what we did 2012 was going to arrive, we might as well enjoy the ride. The Apostle Paul understood this. He spoke about things from being beat to ship wrecked all the while keeping a positive outlook! So don’t fret, instead pray! It works! God still hears and answers prayer. The precious Holy Spirit will come and settle you down, reminding you ALL things work for your good in Christ Jesus. Beloved, discipline your mind to think on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best , not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. (This is right out of Phil. 4 in The Message)

It seems some are bent towards the bad, negative or the worse in people…I don’t want to be like that, do you? Di message was one filled with Hope of God’s goodness…if you missed it or need to hear it again I would encourage you to purchase it and listen again.

Prayer: Lord, fill me will Your hope, it is my heart’s desire! Help me to discipline my mind to be positive. I want to be like You and You are gracious and positive towards Your creation. Help me to go to the truth not the rumor, to the reputable not the gossip, to the authentic not the imposter. Compel me towards You and help Your grace to flow out of me! I want to run for the best not the worst, the beautiful not the ugly. Let praise and worship flow out of me not cursing. I want to sow good things and I know if I do I will reap good things. Bless the Lord, Amen!

2012 has arrived, may it be the best year ever!

Pastor Duke

Last night was our Candlelight Communion Service.  The crowd was good, I think there were 145 or so here last night. But the greatest part was the hands that went up to receive God’s free gift.  I am not the best keeper of records but to my best recollection we have seen 12-15 people accept Christ in the last 6 or 8 weeks.  There were around 60 – 70 youth here last night … some have never been in a Candlelight Communion Service in their life, I think they did remarkably well.  Last Wednesday night there were 135 in the Youth Service.

It was also good to see our kids home from college…give them a big hug next time you see them.

Just a thought:  Has Christmas become the busiest time of the year?  I was in Cracker Barrel and it seemed there were decorations for “that day at the end of October” something called “trunk or treat” and the next thing you saw were Christmas decorations for sale.  I have a book the title is “Simple Church.”  Have you become overwhelmed with “doing stuff?”  Maybe we need “simple.”

Love….I heard on the news there are department stores where people are randomly paying off someone’s lay away.  Wow!  Jesus has paid off our lay away!  That’s a stretch Pastor…okay….it’s a stretch.   Jesus loves us so much He paid a debt He did not owe for someone who could not pay it.  Just sounds churchier to say it this way.

Joy…I remember a song that said “if you’re happy notify your face.”  Remember Scrooge, you may even know one or two.  His present was based on the past pains.  The past is good for two things…forgiveness and learning.   Lord, forgive me where needed and help me to learn.  I have even had to learn a lesson or two more than once…let’s try to not stop trying to learn.  We can get skewed perspective of life if we don’t practice this.  After all as believers we have accepted the free gift of eternal life and that should be our perspective.  Grumbling and complaining robs me of His Joy, does it you?  Lord, help us to notify our face…Jesus really is the reason for the season…let it show on our face.  Help us to focus on Your goodness and not all the difficulties & busyness life throws at us at times.

MAY GRATITUDE SWELL UP IN US AND PEACE FLOOD OUR SOUL!

HAVE A MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Pastor Duke

The saying goes…”God is good” and the response is “All the time.”  Last night the God’s presence was evident at folks gathered around the altar to spend time in His presence.   I have received two reports from the prayer last night. 1. Chriss Sopke is doing much better, thank you for the prayer of agreement for him.  2. Cheryl Bellmore was prayed for because the doctor was going to sew her eye shut permanently.  But God! The eye had improved dramatically and her vision is 20/25 improving from 20/40 & the ulcers are almost gone.

Beloved, God is still in the people business and HE cares for you.  Yesterday the message was about “Merry Christmas.”  Have you ever had the thought  “why was I created?”   I promise you it is not because God is cruel and mean….that His purpose was to torment you and cause you to live in pain and agony!  No, that is what the devil does… Jesus came that you might live…. That you might have a “Merry Christ anointed, festive and joyful live.”  If your will…”Merry Christmas.”  Jeremiah 29:11 is still true….

“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”

I can almost hear someone say…”but Pastor the reality is………”   Yes, I know, I have tasted reality.  God is good, all the time!  All the time, God is good!  Even in the midst of difficulty and hard places…my outlook will determine my outcome.  In the middle of the genealogies in I Chronicles 4 this verse is tucked away (9) There was a man named Jabez who was more honorable than any of his brothers. His mother named him Jabez because his birth had been so painful. (10) He was the one who prayed to the God of Israel, “Oh, that You would bless me and expand my territory! Please be with me in all that I do, and keep me from all trouble and pain!” And God granted him his request.”  One can choose to take the negative…downbeat…depressing road of life… avoiding the reality that nothing can be a substitute for the goodness of God or one can jump into the Word of God and realize…He really had a good plan for my life and I think I will follow in the path of Jabez.

Prayer:  Lord, I accept Your good plan for my life! I reject the negative, depressing and downbeat for the upbeat direction You have for me!  I will take the path of Jabez, bless me Lord & expand my thinking to include You in my dreams. I will accept the good things from you!  In Jesus Name!  AMEN!

Have a very Merry Christmas!

Pastor Duke

James 1:17  Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

Lamentations 3:22-23  It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.  They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.

With God there is no shadow…no change…He is constant.  I saw on the weather we are to lose 11 minutes of sunshine in December.  We will never lose Son Shine in Him. In Him is no variableness, not even the appearance of turning.  Variableness is variation or change.  He is the same and cast no shadow.   This means nothing cast a shadow on Him.  His character, purpose, plans His attributes never change.  What He has always been is what He is.  What He is… is what HE will be tomorrow!  There is “neither shadow of turning” means that He never cast a dark shadow over us.  While the earth rotates and clouds may fill the sky and cast a shadow from the heavens…He shines from above as well as from within…

Every good gift!  Wow!  Every perfect gift is from God!  He is good…all the time. He is infallible, perfect, & cannot do evil.  He understands everything…His mercy keeps us safe and His compassion never runs out!  God is faithful!  He said “let there be light “   and there was light.  Nothing foul or bad comes from His mouth.  He is the Father of lights…merciful and gracious…who changes not.

Jump to James 1:18  Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

By the word of His mouth and The Word, Jesus, He brought you and me life.  Beloved, life is precious and it is a gift of God.  Cherish it, love it, live it & serve God with all your heart!

This Christmas season… remember the old saying “Jesus is the reason for the season.”  Receive His gift from above, let His compassion be yours and let the SON shine in your heart.

Merry Christmas,

Pastor Duke