Troubled Souls

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Whitney Houston recently passed away and unfortunately it was no secret that like that of Michael Jackson, she too had her problems with drugs. They are both what I refer to as troubled souls.

Troubled souls are ones who just can’t break the hold of Satan on their lives. They turn to drugs and alcohol to ease their pain and help them to forget. They get to the point that no amount of help seems to bring them back to the side of God. Its not that all of these people become non believers, instead they sort of ignore him as the relationship they have with their demon has a strength all its own.

Ephesians 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,

Although we all are saved through faith, some do not accept the gift given to them. Faith can be one of the most difficult things to grasp in life with God. You can’t see it, You can’t touch it, you can’t smell it, yet it is there just the same and is apart of the strongest forces in your life that can deliver you from everything if you stay in it.

Psalm 23:1-6 A Psalm of David. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

David understood that his faith could carry him through all situations. Remember when he was the young boy that ran bravely past all those that feared the giant only to slay him. Or when he was running for his life when the King was bent on seeing him dead. David always stayed in faith knowing that God would deliver him from all things and deliver him to greatness as he was made and thought of as the greatest King in mankind.

So stay in faith, denounce your demons and let God help you to break free of all that binds you. I guaranty you that if you do this you will be free and no longer be a troubled soul.

Pastor Paul

 

 

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Gossip

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Ephesians 4:29 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.

You ever wonder why people can’t keep to themselves? Why the only thing they thrive on is negative words to another, or gossip that destroys lives?  I have been on the receiving end of the harsh words and gossip on far to many occasions, as I am sure you have to. It feels terrible and I know that God did not give us the gift of speech to hurt others or intrude on another’s life. Gossip can destroy lives, mirages and careers, so do not get involved with it.

1 peter 2:1So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander.

Matthew 7:12 “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

The next time you feel the thoughts and words start to creep out of your head and mouth, remember what I have said and change them, make sure they are words of love and healing that uplift someone rather than tear them down.

If you happen to be the one that is on the receiving end of that harshness of another, just put your fore finger up to your lips as to make the Ssshhhh gesture and tell them that the only way you can remain friends is for them to speak quality of you and others. Chances are that person won’t want to remain friends, but I don’t think they were friends in the first place and you will be better off, I assure you.

1 Thessalonians 4:11-12  And to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one.

Sincerley,

Pastor Paul

 

 

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Healing

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Jeremiah 33:6 Behold, I will bring to it health and healing, and I will heal them and reveal to them abundance of prosperity and security.

As with the seasons of heartache and problems (so to speak) they are always followed by seasons of healing and prosperity when we stay in faith. Yes God puts us through the ringer sometimes, but he always does it with a purpose. It is done in the name love and to prepare us for the prosperity that is sure to follow.

Think about when you have the flu, you feel down and out and sometimes feel like death would be better. However, there is always a period of healing when you turn that point of when the worst is over. A few days pass and you feel stronger then a week, and before long you feel great as if it never happened. You don’t walk around thinking about how bad you felt, instead you concentrate on how good you feel and look toward the future. The same thing happens when we go through difficult seasons.

Proverbes 17:22  A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.

So when you go through a rough patch remember there will be a turning point when things start to heal, then before long things will be going great with no thoughts as to how it used to be, yet look toward the future with a joyful heart.

God Bless,

Pastor Paul

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Las Vegas

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I mentioned in a previous post that my wife and I were in Las Vegas at a wedding, keep in mind that nowhere in the bible does it say stay out of Las Vegas. Remember that God want us to enjoy life, but not to such extremes that we are overtaken by our life’s adventures and driven away from Him and his plans. There is no Ban on drinking a little in the bible either in fact in it there are several references about wine in many different cases, even Jesus turned water into wine at a wedding celebration. The bible does make many references as to not drinking too much as to become a drunkard.

Yes I think we can all attest to that as drinking too much has its problems, but enjoying your time with friends and loved ones is certainly ok. So there we were in Las Vegas our kids were left home (supervised of course) and we had the best time that we had had in years just he two of us. We ate good, drank a little and yes even gambled a little. You see if we do these things in moderation there is no harm. Its when we let these things consume our lives that it becomes a problem not only for you but with God too.

1 Corinthians 10:31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

Yes while we were playing in the hotel together we were always giving praise to the Lord for allowing such a wonderful trip to take place.  At no point were we drunkards and out of control or representing Christianity in a bad way.

The controversy comes when people think that by going to Las Vegas they have this kind of pass to just throw Christianity and morality out the window as if they deserve a treat. I assure you that you do not deserve that kind of a treat. Remember that what ever happens in Vegas does not stay in Vegas, God knows what you have done. So play with Morales and respect for our Lord and all will be OK I assure you.

Viva Las Vegas,

Pastor Paul

 

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Knocked Down

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When you are going through something hard and wonder where God is, remember that the teacher is always quiet during the test.

A friend of mine posted this a little while ago as he is going through a very difficult situation in his life. I think it speaks loudly as to how and who he is turning to for his ultimate support.

Remember the story of Job? Everything was taken from him slowly one after the other as Satan was trying to prove to God that man only praises him when things are good.

Job 1:21-22  21He said, “I came naked from my mother’s womb, and I will be naked when I leave. The LORD gave me what I had, and the LORD has taken it away. Praise the name of the LORD!”

We have to remember that life isn’t always going to be a walk in the park. There wll be many different obstacles in our path and they are there to test us on our journey. Remember it is easy to walk the walk when things are up, but can you walk it when things are down? Can you find praise when it looks and feels like you are being punished? I don’t know about you but I have a teenage daughter and it seems that when she gets into trouble and gets punished she is mad at me for it. I have to think that many people do this same thing with God. Instead of pointing the finger up at him, try just pointing it in at yourself. Then ask God for forgiveness and let him know that you are prepared to endure the test. I guaranty you that you will be amazed at what you can do when you believe it.

1 Peter 1:3  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead

Food for thought,

Pastor Paul

 

 

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One More Step Away

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As I was driving home from Las Vegas yesterday (I was attending a wedding, but Vegas will be another topic) I heard this wonderful song from Brandon Heath  who wrote and sings it, named Leaving Eden. It describes all the things in life that draw us away from the Lord and with each thing we take a step away from Him.

(Click to Listen)

What are you doing that make you take steps away from the Lord? Can you say that you even do simple things to keep you close to God like smile to a stranger, Drive with manners, help someone in need or just pray? Or do you take the steps away by ignoring strangers, drive with anger or help no one but yourself?

Don’t worry to much if you have been less than a perfect christian, but do worry about repenting and making things right. God knows what you have done, he knows your short falls and whats in your heart, yet he still loves you. Instead of doing things that make you take steps away from God, make the decision today right now to start taking steps back to him or to stay with Him throuh Jesus Christ.

It costs you nothing to be a Christian as the price was already paid. You don’t have to donate or give money anywhere if you don’t want to as it is not about that. What you do have to do is be a loving and caring person to others, regardless if they are believers or not. What you do have to do is love God, Jesus and pray, and don’t forget to ask God for forgiveness, remember he gave his only son for this purpose and that is to make us clean of all sins.

John 3:16  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

So start today taking steps back toward the Lord and declare Christ as your saviour and ask to be forgiven of the things you have done wrong, you will be forgiven and on a new path I promise.

God Bless,

Pastor Paul

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Churches

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Matthew 16:18  And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

Unfortunately this is what is happening to Churches today. You see more and more I am hearing stories or seeing on TV that Gods Churches are becoming more and more self serving. They seem to be teaching the word of God, from the outside looking in. However, on the inside (and I mean the very inside) they are about their own causes and financial wealth.

Matthew 23:1-39  Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat, so practice and observe whatever they tell you—but not what they do. For they preach, but do not practice. They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger. They do all their deeds to be seen by others. For they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long.

Remember all the scandals we see on the news about the supposed Pastors and priests that  are constantly ruining the word of God by cheating, stealing, molesting etc.? This type of thing goes on in our local communities as well. It might not be the extreme that I have printed above, but little or big it still is all anti church of God.

I have a troubled teen and with the Glory of God we found a school that has changed her life (Hope Learning Academy). It is a Christian based school and specifically caters to at risk and troubled teens that other schools can’t deal with. I heard recently that when the pastors of this school went around to all of the local Christian schools to tell them that they are here to serve and support the community to only take in these troubled youths, they were turned down at every visit. The only reason they were turned down is that each school looked at them as competition to their school and their fight for tuition money.

Acts 20:28 Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.

This is precisely why I created this site, it is a place where people can still worship and there is no hidden agenda or self serving purposes. It is what I like to call an online ministry that enables you to read about the teachings in the bible and hopefully get a message from what I type. (OK enough about me)

I am not saying leave your churches, rather I think you should pay close attention to what the inner workings are doing in and around the community and not just lining their pockets and running the church like a business at war with its competitors. Gods children are not customers and churches are not businesses. They should be just as interested in helping troubled teens go t get a quality education as they are seeing their own flock get one. Its about doing what is best for others and not themselves.

1 Corithians 12:5 And there are varieties of service, but the same Lord

God Bless,

Pastor Paul

 

 

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Will Work for Food

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2 Thessalonians 3:11-13  11 Yet we hear that some of you are living idle lives, refusing to work and meddling in other people’s business. 12 We command such people and urge them in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and work to earn their own living. 13 As for the rest of you, dear brothers and sisters, never get tired of doing good

This is in a letter that Paul wrote to the church, as you can see he is very stern about working hard and pulling your own weight, he is also sincere about doing good.

We all see them standing on street corners with signs in their hands saying “Will work for food” I for one do not support their request as I know that they are only trying to benefit by pulling on your heart and they would be better off working for their wage rather than just begging; However, I do not frown upon those that feel it necessary to give to them as it is not my place to judge. If giving money to them makes you feel better then give away, but only if you are doing it with a good heart and not out of guilt or to show off to others.

Matthew 6:3-4  But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

Many people either give out of guilt or to kind of show off as to say look at what I am doing. both of these types of giving are not what the Lord wants us to do. When we give it should be out of love for our Father and of others. You should never feel guilty for what the Lord has given you or blessed you with (unless you stole it). Be happy about your good fortune and glad that you have the ability to help others if you choose. On the other hand don’t show off with pride as to rub noses in it or brag to others about it, just give with the only 2  knowing are you and God. If you really want to help then donate to a homeless shelter or offer to help in the shelter, you will be amazed at how that makes you feel rather than opening your window and handing someone a dollar or two.

God Bless,

Pastor Paul

 

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Davids Faith

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One of my favorite stories in the bible is that of David and Goliath. Davids faith is so strong that he defeats the giant in front of everyone and all of them doubted him although they were all afraid to fight the giant themselves.

1 Samuel 17:10-11 10 Then the Philistine said, “This day I defy the ranks of Israel! Give me a man and let us fight each other.” 11 On hearing the Philistine’s words, Saul and all the Israelites were dismayed and terrified.

Can you imagine how scary this guy must have been for the whole army to be terrified of him? This is what our worries and problems do to us if we let them. We become terrified at the thought of facing down our Goliath. We become so afraid that we back away and let the problems grow.

1 Samuel 17:24 24 As soon as the Israelite army saw him, they began to run away in fright

David was the youngest in his family, just a country boy raising sheep. He showed up where the army was trembling in fear and offers to fight the giant that everyone was afraid of. Why not as it was not by chance that he had all the knowledge he needed that God had equipped him with to be victorious. When bears or wolves tried to take his sheep he would go after them with a club and kill them.

1 Samuel 17:45  David replied to the Philistine, “You come to me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD of Heaven’s Armies—the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.

David had his sheep herding weapons and a faith so strong that he had God and the armies of God on his side to defeat the giant with a single blow with a rock.

1 Samuel 17:49 Reaching into his shepherd’s bag and taking out a stone, he hurled it with his sling and hit the Philistine in the forehead. The stone sank in, and Goliath stumbled and fell face down on the ground.

My friends when you find yourself in a situation that looks so grim, remember David. Reach down into your soul and bring forth the faith that will put God at your side to defeat that problem. Declare your victory before it has even happened. Denounce your problem and let it know that you are a child of God and nothing shall stand in the path that God has made for you.

God Bless,

Pastor Paul

 

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Marriage

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There has been a lot of debate in the news over the last several years about the sanctity of marriage, oh and Gays. Yes I said it and although it is not something I care for who am I to cast judgment. Remember we are all here together and have our own choices to make, both good and bad.

Matthew 7:1-2  1“Do not judge others, and you will not be judged.2For you will be treated as you treat others.The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged

If people are in love what else matters, I for one will let God sort it all out as he is the one true judge among us and it will be him that deals with it. I think others make too big a deal about these things in trying to create a name for themselves.

Romans 14:10-12 Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God; for it is written, “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.” So then each of us will give an account of himself to God.        

We have all seen so much emotion go into this debate and people get to the point of hatred and violence, I assure you that God does not want us wasting one moment on any subject that produces hatred and violence of any kind. Instead use the emotions of love toward one another which is what it is all about anyway. The Bible tells us much about hatred and how it is anti God. I think the verses below say it all, so please read them and let them sink in.

1 John 2:9  Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness

1 John 4:20 If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.

Matthew 6:15 But if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.        

So do not waste one more minute hating another for their love of another man or woman and leave the judgment up to God.

God Bless,

Pastor Paul

 

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