The Shift

By Pastor Darryl Woodson

…how can God´s love be in that person? Dear children, let us stop just saying we love each other; let us really show it by our actions. _1 John 3:17-18

You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength and all your mind. And love your neighbour as yourself. _Luke 10:27

Just like what makes a doctor is what he or she does, or a builder by his work on a building and a friend by what they do, a Christian cannot be one in name but they are one by what they do. How does a Christian attain everything that God has for them? How do they shift from one level to another on a personal and spiritual level? A Christian mustn’t be interested in fashion (name) but in function (doer).  

To analyse the second greatest commandment, I find the question of what my neighbour really looks like. This, Jesus answered in His illustration of the Samaritan.

A Jewish man was travelling on a trip from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he was attacked by bandits. They stripped him of his clothes and money, wounded him, and departed and left him half dead… _Luke 10:30-35

People today are stripped of their dignity and self-worth by the enemy; they are wounded by pain, loss and betrayal from the darkness in the world. Herein is where the Christian fulfills the second commandment; to go out and have mercy, to feed the hungry and to comfort the mourners. I must take time and invest in the people I come in contact with. And so the question remains, how else can you bless others without sacrifice?

A closer look at the lines of our 2015 year´s Blessing Creed,

I know who I am

…His divine power gives us everything we need for living a godly life. _2 Peter 1:3

This makes you who you are because He has availed all you need for this life. You are in the ministry of reconciliation.

I am a son of the living God

When you believed on God, you were reborn and given the power to become a son of God.

I am a blessing to the world around me

You are an heir according to the promise, and like Abraham, you are a blessing because you are blessed.

To bring healing, to bring freedom, to bring Jesus.

Jesus commanded and sent His disciples to heal the sick, cleanse lepers and give life to all!

I am who God says I am,

I am blessed to be a blessing.

Jesus gave us power and authority over all devils and you are powerful because He made you so when you believed.

The Christian lives by faith and not by sight. What is your salvation and Christianity worth? What measure of sacrifice can you afford for you to be able to reach out to those that need to see the light? Do the things that make you the Christian in your heart which is what God sees, and do not have a name that only men can recognize.

The Message of the Cross

By Pastor Keith Tipple

…when I came to you, I came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom…For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. _1 Corinthians 2:1-5

Paul wrote this letter to the Corinthians talking about the power of God in the Cross.

Everything happened at the Cross and it is what makes each one of us who we are. Before we come to the Cross, we are dead. Everything before Christ died on the Cross points to it, and everything after the Cross points back to it.

In the Cross is the power of God to our salvation and it is the gospel of Christ Jesus.

…the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth… _Romans 1:16

When we each search our hearts, we find that there is always sin in the flesh that tries to drag us down. The greatest sin in man is the sin of unbelief. To be unbelieving towards God is most grievous to His heart. The sin that will not be forgiven man is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.

The Cross is described by the prophet Isaiah in chapter 53;

…He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed. _Isaiah 53:5ff

The Cross is the central message of the Bible. It is to the Cross that we cling and are saved. When we come to Christ, we come to the One that is the power that moves us from sinners to saints, from darkness to light and from death to light.

Christ by the sacrifice made us righteous and no longer are we dead. This is the power that saves us, even the Cross and blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God? …and such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus… _1 Corinthians 6:9-11

God´s Love does not condemn

By Pastor Lorraine Woodson

For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find… _Romans 7:18-24

There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the Spirit. _Romans 8:1

In Romans 7, Paul speaks about his struggles in the flesh and his need for a deliverer in verse 24. In Jesus Christ is our deliverance and that means that we cannot be condemned, us that He has delivered. No one is without mistake, or err and no one certainly does everything they desire to do.

Sin in a Christian´s life affects the harmony of fellowship with God and it has consequences that come with it. Yet even with the consequences, we are never separated from the love of God in His son.

Do not rejoice over me, my enemy…I will bear the indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned against Him, until He pleads my case and executes justice for me. _Micah 7:8-9

¨My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; for whom he loves He chastens… _Hebrews 12:5

Chastisement from God is because He loves us and love is the one tool we all have in hard and dark times; to be patient through it and look on to the development of our character. God chastises us in His love and at the same time, He lifts our head in His love.

Yes, there are consequences and times of discipline but never condemnation with our Father.

What does Love look like? (Series: Love Wins)

By Pastor Darryl Woodson

We all have a desire to live a life of love where it´s not something we try to work out, but something that flows from us unchecked. Settling my heart in the fact that God loves me; I can love everyone around me unlimited. Love is more than a moment and cannot be earned; it is selfless and does not seek its own. The mistaken definition for love by the world is that it is simply romance, family, generally relationships.

Love suffers long and is kind…does not seek its own, is not provoked…bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. _1 Corinthians 13:4-8

Love is patience and has the ability to wait for the required length of time. It is kind and perseveres through the hard times. If we live in love, we are all these things to people around us. We are not quick to anger.

…all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. _2 Timothy 3:12

The persecution that we suffer when we live our lives for God, are different from the sufferings we face when we live unwisely or make foolish decisions. If I have a major decision to make in my life, I must seek God´s counsel first and not rush into it, suffer the consequences and claim I am suffering for Christ.

…if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live… _Romans 8:12-14

When I die to self, love resurrects in its place and this is really because love does endure all things, and especially the bad and painful. Love goes over conflict and petty misunderstandings in friendships.

…¨Go again, love a woman who is loved by a lover and is committing adultery… _Hosea 3:1-4

Jesus Christ became our Hosea; buying us from the great tormentor with His death and blood. This is perfect love; committed always, even unto the end.

Our Victory is in Love (Series: Love Wins)

By Tezra Kobwengye

An offence is an annoyance brought about by a perceived insult and the Greek word from which it is translated means a snare; or a stumbling block. Offences make one powerless. An offence is not necessary one’s feelings getting hurt; it starts out as minor irritations that then build up into an offence.

 The two below are the targets of a person´s offence;

1. God

…for I know that You are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in loving-kindness, One who relents from doing harm. _Jonah 4:2

And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.¨ _Matthew 11:6

When things in our lives happen that don’t seem fair, we can choose to blame God and dwell on those things. When we reject and run away from what God is calling us to and the people we ought to minister to; we are offended at Him.

2. People

A brother offended is harder to win than a strong city… _Proverbs 18:19

It sure is easy to be unforgiving when one is offended. It makes it even harder to forgive ourselves when we have offence towards people or ourselves. Our power is in love and in nothing else.

In the most extreme of situations, Jesus prayed that His Father forgives His crucifiers.

We have been given the ministry of reconciliation. 2 Corinthians 5:18

Some four pointers to help us live free from offence and in forgiveness every day;

1. Be in agreement with God´s vision of Love and fellowship.

No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us… _1^st John 4:12

2. Keep the discipline of love.

…bearing with one another, and forgiving one another…_Colossians 3:13

Love demands that we forgive others around us; thus to be without offence. Acts 24:16

3. Grow and mature in love.

Love is a choice we make and we must practice to do this and not live by what we see or feel.

4. Understand the victory of love.

…all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love one for another. _ John 13:35

It is only in love that we can be a blessing; to this are we called, to this are you called, Christian.