Ready, Set, Go!

Notes from today’s sermon.

Minister : Michele Johnson

Jeremiah 3:15 , 23:4

Ezekiel 34:23

Act 20:28-31

Ephesians 4:11-12

Thought : Am I ready for the shift

Challange : To find my position and work in it

God speaks to us trough our pastor and co-pastor. What are we doing with the word(instructions) we have received?

it’s time for us to start doing!
It’s time for us to make sacrifices unto the Lord
It’s time for us to position ourselves to be in the place God wants us to be
1. Prayer
2. Obedience
3. Persistence

After we pray there has to be an action!
We must walk the walk!
We have to continually seek God. To seek God we must begin to walk in the Lord’s truth in obedience to his Word.

As we walk it is expected to get hard, but we must persevere! Some of us will have to make sacrifices to keep moving forward. Will you make the sacrifice? Or will you stop moving forward?
For some a sacrifice means letting people go
For some a sacrifice means letting go of things in our life. Things that God does not want us holding on to.
Beware of the spirit of deception. Do not be fooled by our flesh or the suggestions of the devil.
If you feel someone has a problem with you, speak to them in love, ask them!
Love your brothers and sisters
Pray for your brothers and sisters

We must love one another, and not wrestle with each other.

It is time for us to stop living for a blessing and start living for God!

Our Pastors and Co-Pastor have shifted to another level in God. We need to make up out minds and shift with them, quickly. We need to be a Church of unity, we need to be a Church of love.

When people walk into the church the need to see the love and unity amounst us.

The devil and his demons are unified, how can we stand against them unless we unite with God and follow the people he has placed here to lead us!
Get yourself on one accord with God.
Get rid of the things God tells you to get rid of
Remain in prayer
Follow God and he allow him lead you.

Notes from last weeks sermon

Bro. Charles

Judges 6 : 1-16

Judges 7 : 1-9

Subject : The Promsed Land

Thought : I was called by God according to his purpose.

Challenge : Return to my first love and give God my best.

Types of soilders

The fearful soilder (uninspired, uncommitted)
Slacker (this soilder does just enough to pass [maxing the minimum])
The faithful, the fearless and highly motivated.
In the military everyone is assigned specific positions. However in the heat of battle if the machine gunner is down someone else has to pick it up! No time to worry about whose job it is.

We are all in the army of the Lord. Are we making sure the ball doesn’t get dropped? We are in a spiritual and natural war.

Why type of soilder are you?

Soilders are paired up for battle. They are responsible to take care of their fellow man. They can’t slack otherwise it might cost someone’s life.

Are we taking care of our calling? Are we representing God ? Do we slack in our Christian walk?

Obedience: Soilders respect chain of command.

Cohesiveness : Soilders operate together. Battles are won together.

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THE RAPTURE

Thess. 4:17- Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

The next timeless and an unpredictable event on God’s plan of events is the rapture.  Although it has become a theological argument among other religions and even some Christians, the “catching away” of Christ’s Church that He paid for with His blood is a must!  Some believe that the Church must go through the first half of the Great Tribulation.  This is called Mid-Tribulationalism.  However, the rapture will bring about a need for the man of sin.  The mass departure of millions, along with all the rest of the ills our world will be suffering from, will bring the whole world to a state of chaos which could lead to anarchy.  This will open the curtain for the antichrist to come forward and promise peace, provision, and protection.  Thus we have the 3½ years of peace brought about by the “son of perdition” in the first half of the Great Tribulation.  

The Bible gives us proof of God saving his own.  Noah and his family were saved before the flood; lot and his family were spared from the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah; the exodus from Egypt delivered God’s people from slavery; and the promising of a remnant to return, rebuild, and occupy Israel after its total destruction shows God’s grace and mercy towards His people (Isa. 10:20-22).  God always sends deliverance to the faithful before His just judgment against the world for sin.  The whole Great Tribulation will be a time of trouble as the world has never seen before (Matt. 24:21).  Why would Jesus allow His “Body” (the church: I Cor. 12:27; Eph. 4:12) to go through His wrath (I Thess. 1:10; 5:9; Rev. 3:10)?  Let’s prepare for this monumental event of biblical proportions!     

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RISE ABOVE IT

Matt. 26:31- Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad.

It is interesting to note that the word “offended” in our verse for the day is the Greek “skandalizo.”  This word is our English word “scandalize.”  It means to obstruct one’s way with the intent to make them fall.  When one scandalizes another with the simple use of their words, or an evil deed, could severely impair the progress of another.  Some never recover from a scandal, others may be deeply scarred by it, and the rest will push full steam ahead despite what has been said or done.  But even those who move forward may suffer side effects, or could become temporally paralyzed at one point or another.

The enemy knew that taking away our Lord from those who loved Him would have a great negative impact.  As soon as Jesus was smitten, the sheep scattered.  His followers were offended by what appeared to be the tragic end of something that was destine for greatness.  The women were crying and the disciples were hiding.

“Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you.”  Offences are definitely going to come (Matt. 18:7).  Yet the question is not whether they will come, but rather how will you or I handle them?  Yes the intent was for them to cause the maximum damage possible.  But if we think about how our Lord overcame being offended, through the power of the Holy Spirit, we will see right through satan’s intention and counter his Move with God’s Word!  Jesus forgave those who offended Him, and went on to die so that He would rise on the third day, and He wants you and me to do the same!

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WHEN YOU’RE FEELING DEPLETED

Luke 22:43- And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.

The twists and turns and ups and downs of life have a way at times of making us feel helpless, hopeless.  Especially when the prices on everything are going up, but our income is the only thing that seems to remain the same.  Or maybe your job is weighing you down because the company refuses to hire the manpower needed to get the work done.  And out of fear of becoming a victim to cutbacks, you grin and bear the load.  The Minds of many in our country are snapping!  They are feeling trapped by life’s seemingly unbeatable circumstances.  Not just unbelieving sinners, but the spiritual lives of many Christians are suffering because of mental exhaustion. 

In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus was mentally exhausted.  Our Lord was so mentally spent that God sent an angel to strengthen Him.  The mental anguish of facing the reality of death taxed His soul into bankruptcy; but the Spirit of the Living God in His Spirit reinvigorated His soul!  Now I understand why David said, “He (God) restoreth my soul” (Ps. 23:3)…!  Perhaps you need strength, or know someone in need of encouragement.  Our human capacity can hit its wits end; but there is no such limitation to those who desire seek God through prayer, who have faith and believe God’s Word, and who trust and have confidence in Him in spite of what their natural reality says.  Let God strength you with His unfailing strength!  As it was with our Lord Jesus Christ, you and I can fulfill our purpose if we stay in the presence of God.        

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Love or Death - A philosophy of life

Over centuries man has always put forth this question, “What is the meaning of life”?  Today I would like to put forth an answer to that question.

The Bible teaches us that God is love (I John 4:8, 16), and that sin leads to death (Rom. 6:23.  Sin is the nature within all men (Rom. 3:21).  Sins are acts which are not in agreement with God’s Will and purpose. In the book of Genesis God told Adam and Eve not to eat of a particular tree in the center of the Garden, for if they did, they would surely die. When our ancestors did, sin entered them and the world. Moreover, sin brought death into the world (Rom. 5:12). Ultimately, Adam and Eve chose death over Love!

1 John 4:8 explains, “God is Love.” We see in the creation of man how God loved Adam, He created Adam in his own image and likeness.  Adam lived for and because of God. He was obedient at first. When you are obedient to God you are choosing Love. When you are disobedient you are choosing sin. Sin leads to death.

The entire Bible is a collection of historical stories and divine directions and instructions to choose God (who is Love) or sin (which is death).  This choice is presented to us every second of every day.  We are constantly choosing love or death.

Jesus came to earth and showed us how to choose love on a daily basis. Because he chose love, he died sinless. Because he died sinless, He received victory over death when He rose again in three days.

Jesus is the representative for those that want to spend eternity with God which is love. That’s why Christians follow Jesus Christ.  Jesus Christ is a representative of God’s love for us (John 3:16).

And as it will stand forever, the only way into heaven is to follow Christ.  We have to accept Jesus as our Lord and savior and let him into our hearts (Rom. 10:8-10). We must give our lives unto him.

So what is it going to be? Love or death? 

by Jr Dawkins

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No Word, No Power.

Heb. 12:4- For the Word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of thoughts and intents of the heart. 

The word of God is truly our life.  Without it, we cannot survive in this world.  Our survival is predicated upon how much of the Word of God we intake and embrace into our everyday life- style.  We must be fully confident in the word that God has spoken in order to unlock the treasures found therein, and to experience the promises of it.  Paul said that he was persuaded that the gospel (good news, the Word of God) was the power of God unto salvation to the Jew first, and also to the Greek (Rom. 1:16-17).  In other words, ”No Word, No Power.” 

The Holy Spirit is activated by the Word of God.  In the beginning, the Spirit of God hovered over the surface of the waters.  However, when God spoke, the Spirit moved.  Therefore, we cannot experience a move of the Holy Spirit until the Word of God is active in our life.  In the New Testament the Word was manifested in the flesh, then the Spirit of God was allowed to empower the Word of God; then, Jesus Christ our Lord spoke God’s Word with power (Mark 1:27).  “No Word, No Power.”

Another reason why we need to have the Word in us, is because our enemy is well versed in it.  And he is not afraid to use it against anyone he is seeking to destroy; howbeit he uses it out of context, but deceives those who do not study God’s Word. Our greatest example, our Master, our Head, Jesus Christ, was tempted by Satan as he use the Word of God. Our Lord fought back with the Word of God in right context, and Satan had to step off for a season.  Jesus, after his wilderness experience, returned in the power of the Spirit.  This means that we are not exempt. As sons and daughters of God, we are entrusted and expected to used the Word of God.  Therefore we must study to show ourselves approved unto God, so that we may be able to rightly divide the Word of truth (II Tim. 2:15).  WE MUST BE ABLE TO SWING OUR SWORD skillfully and with authority against the devil and our carnal mind. Some have been held captive way to long.  It is time to take a stand against the enemy and anything or anyone who sides with the enemy.  We can no longer stand idly by and allow ourselves and our families to fall apart because we refuse, or are inept when it comes to using the Word of God.  We need the Word; not just for us and our personal battles, but for those souls that God has placed in our sphere of influence.

 

Brother Mark Johnson

www.mtolivehop.org

@mtolivehop

We would like to thank all of you that counted it a blessing to help us. We were able to raise the funds nessesary to complete the down payment. The bank has approved our loan and we will be closing on the building shortly.

Please don’t forget us as we will moving on to the next step shortly. As we stated orginally the building suffered a fire that damaged the second floor. Our next step is to restore the main santuary (which is the second floor). 

This building is located in Jersey City Hights, in NJ. For the time being we will hold our services on the first floor.

After we close on the building we will update this website with the details (new address, service times etc..)

Again, thank you for you help so far, we pray you will stop by if you are ever in the area!

web site : www.mtolivehop.org

twitter @mtolivehop

SET THE ATMOSPHERE

II Chron. 7:1- Now when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the Lord filled the house.

When Solomon and Israel had come to the end of building the temple, “The House of the Lord,” Solomon began to pray.  Up until this point, Israel would set up a tent, or tabernacle as it was also called, to do their services unto God.  But the erection of a permanent building would mark an end to the era of temporary worship centers.  The temple of Jerusalem represented God presence permanently residing with Israel.  Israelites from the north and south would travel “up to” Jerusalem to present themselves before God.  The gathering showed God’s people as one nation truly under God.   It was a day of celebration!  Solomon, being a type of Christ, set his heart to give God thanks publicly.  Nothing pleases God more than His child praying after leading a life of worship in his/her temple.

One of the greatest hindrances to prayer is attempting to do so over sins we have not asked forgiveness for, and therefore have not repented.  To know that I have committed deeds unpleasing to God and have not asked for his forgiveness, but continue on as though “all is well,” I am deceiving myself!  But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.  For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.  A double minded man is unstable in all his ways (James 1:6-8).  In the verse above, Solomon received a response from God that was indicative of a life of worship.  This life of sincerely serving God set the atmosphere for the miraculous.  You don not need a prayer cloth, water from Jerusalem, a prayer shawl, or any other concocted gimmick of man to experience a move of God.  Set the atmosphere by worshipping Him with all your heart, soul, and mind.  

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PRIORITIES THEN PROSPERITY

III John 2- Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.

Prosperity in a biblical sense is not all about money. There are many things money just cannot fix, heal, strengthen, or change. In the oil crisis of the seventies, as a child, I thought the greatest solution to the problem was for the government to print more money. But this would have created an economical disaster. Even now with modern technology, the advancements of science, all the new medical wonders, and people making more money now than ever before in history, the world is no better; but rather, is becoming alarmingly worst! When we place financial gain over spiritual growth our destiny will be destitution.

When the Apostle John wrote his last epistle his words were very clear. In our verse for the day, we need to realize that John put our relationship with God as a priority. If our souls are not prospering, than good health and financial prosperity will give a false sense of security. The word “wish” certainly says that John was praying for us to prosper in all areas of life. Then one is deluded if he or she believes the blessings of God are upon them because of the “things” they possess! “For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul” (Matt 16:26)? Let us not approach God for more money. We should come to God asking to be filled with His Spirit (Eph. 5:18); and then what we need, God will supply. This is true prosperity! It will happen after we set our priorities. Read Matthew 6:33; Philippians 4:19.

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twitter: @mtolivehop