God ain't playin'

But to the wicked, God says: “What right have you to recite my law or take my covenant on your lips? You hate my instruction and cast my words behind you. When you see a thief, you join with him; you throw in your lot with adulterers. You use your mouth for evil and harness your tongue to deceit. You speak continually against your brother and slander your own mother’s son. These things you have done and I kept silent; you thought I was altogether  like you. But I will rebuke you and accuse you to your face. “Consider this, you who forget God, or I will tear you to pieces, with none to rescue: He who sacrifices thank offerings honors me, and he prepares the way so that I may show him the salvation of God.” ~ Psalm 50:16-33 ~

Galatians 6:7 tells us, " Do not be deceived, God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. Have you ever heard an ungodly person verbally quote scripture, seen them post Bible verses on the Internet, or share how God has blessed them with this or that? Well, that's what God is talking about here. He says in so many words "don't confuse my patience with you thinking your getting away with living in sin, when I decide the time is right, I will pour out my wrath on you and administer My justice" God says those who do not belong to Jesus don't even have the right to recite His Word. YIKES!

Now before you start pointing fingers and judging, Jesus in Revelation chapter three says basically the same thing to the Church, specifically, to those who are lukewarm in their faith, doing just enough to satisfy their own conscience so they can feel good about being a Christian without actually having to make sacrifices or die to their own personal passions and pleasures. 

So what does God require? Thank Offerings. God wants us to worship Him in Spirit and in Truth. In other words our external worship should be a true indicator of the heart. Are you living a life worthy of the calling you have recieved? Do your interactions with people reflect Christ? God wants everything, starting with your heart. Examine your life to see if there is any area where you are lukewarm or a hypocrite, if there is, confess it, repent from it, and then walk in the freedom that is only in Christ Jesus. The promise is from God Himself, "He who sacrifices thank offerings honors me, and he prepares the way so that I may show him the salvation of God"

It starts with You and Me

God said to Jacob, "‘I am going to make you fruitful and will increase your numbers. I will make you a community of peoples, and I will give this land as an everlasting possession to your descendants after you.’ ~ Genesis 48:4 ~

Community can be simply defined as common possessions or togetherness. Way back in the beginning God was interested in us being a community, not just a bunch of people living in the same city. God wants us to be a group of people that have things in common, that take care of one another, that truly love each other, people that share, people that work together, eat together, pray and worship together. It takes effort to be a real community of people, so what can you do today to move towards that goal? Talk it over with your family and make a decision to be a family that creates community. Decide on a few realistic things you can do like inviting a different family over once a month for dinner, or maybe shovel the elderly neighbor's walk this winter and invite her over for cocoa, whatecver it is, make a decision, then follow through.

let's do things God's way. Let's build a Christian community for the whole world to see.

A World of Debt



 Romans 13:7-8 tells us "Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law" 

Debt is not just financial. A debt can be a commitment you've made to someone, an obligation, a pledge, respect, or honor. We usually look at debt as something we wish to be rid of but don't forget there is also a debt we can never repay, the debt of loving one another. So ask the Lord to show you areas concerning debt you may have never thought about or overlooked in the past.

Yes, You Can.

He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant...

~ 2 Corinthians 3:6 ~

I can't share the Bible with people. Yes, you can. I can't tell people about Jesus. Yes, you can. I can't hand out tracts, tell people God loves them, or share my story. Yes, you can! You can because God has made you able, skilled, and qualified to do the job.

The new covenant is the promise of salvation we have through Jesus Christ and God has given YOU everything you need to be a qualified minister of that covenent. So go share the good news. God will give you exactly the right words to say to exactly the right person.

Prayer, Hope, & Faith

Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart. ~ Colossians 4:2 ~

Never give up hope. Devote yourself to prayer, in other words pray all the time. Pray with an alert mind too, meaning don't just recite mindless repetitious prayers, but pray intentionally with specific prayers, pray as if your having a conversation with God because youa are, tell Him everything, then always have a thankful heart, even in the middle of life's storms, thank God for being there with you, thank God for being in control of it all, and thank God that He will take you through this, just like He has taken you through all of life's struggles. With God all things are possible, take heart and trust God, He will give you hope.

Amore'

But if anyone obeys his word, God's love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him ~ 1 John 2:5 ~

What is love? It is a humbling of oneself, it is sacrificing your own desires for that of another. Love is not a funny feeling, or sex, love is sacrifice, a servants heart, love is doing all you can to provide for another, with a desire to meet there needs above your own, love is dying to self and living for another. When you obey God's Word, this kind of love is made complete in you. This is how you know Jesus is in you, because this is the kind of love Jesus has for you, He became a servant and died for you.

Things you need to know...

  Ten Truths of the Bible

1.       Your soul was created to live forever 

 Matt 10:28, John 11:25,26

2.       You will either live with God, forever (Heaven) or without God, forever (Hell)

Luke 16:22-28

3.       Heaven and Hell are real places that still exist today

Rev 21:1-4 & Rev 14:11

4.       Hell is eternal pain, heat & loneliness, a separation from God 

 Matt 8:12, 25:46

5.       Heaven is eternal joy in God’s presence & God’s glory 

 Rev 21:22-27

6.       God is pure and holy and hates sin -

Isa 6:3, 1 Sam 2:2, Zech 8:14-17

7.       Your sin has separated you from God 

 Isaiah 59:2

8.       You cannot make things right with God by being better 

 Ephesians 2:1-9

9.       Believing in Jesus Christ & surrendering your heart to Him is the only way to God because He is God, He died and rose again, and He paid your penalty

John 3:16,46, 14:6 & Acts 4:12, Isa 53:5

10.   To receive salvation pray for brokenness over your sin, confess it to God & repent, then cry out to Jesus to save you. Turn to Jesus and follow His ways

Psalm 51:1-17

              

Ten Truths about who you are in Christ

.              When you give your heart to Him, not being religious but truly surrendering your life to His will and dying to self

1.       I have a new heart, I am not the same. I now desire Jesus and the things of God

2 Cor 5:17

2.       I am loved by God 

 1 John 4:10,16, Romans 5:8

3.       I am accepted & chosen by God

  John 1:12, Romans 5:1, John 15;16,

4.       I am secure 

 Romans 8:1, 28, 31-39

5.       I am forgiven of sin & guilt is removed 

 Psalm 32:5

6.       I now choose to resist temptation to sin 

 Ephesians 6:10-18

7.       I am made holy in Christ and above sin 

 Hebrews 10:1-10

8.       I reflect Jesus to others 

 2 Corinthians 3:18, 1 John 2:6

9.       I desire to go to Church & fellowship with other Christians 

 Hebrews 10:25, 1 John 1:7

10.   I am a person of prayer & now live my life for Jesus and others. 

 1 Thes 5:16-18, Matt 22:36-39

Please join us for a free meal every Wednesday from 5:30-6:30 pm with classes to follow.

Sunday mornings at 10am for worship & Church (Sunday School at 9:00 am)

Evangel Assembly of God,  9920 W. Good Hope Road Milwaukee, WI 53224
(414)-353-6440



Light and Truth

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.~ 1 John 1:7 ~

The Bible says that we cannot have fellowship with God if we do not walk in the light. If we walk in the light, we certainly can't hide anything, for the light exposes everything. The man who walks in darkness is the one who has something to hide in his life. If we walk in the light, our life is an open book. We can then invite people to examine our private life, our account books and everything. There is nothing we want to hide. It doesn't mean that we're perfect. No, it only means that we are honest.

 

~ Commentry by George Mlay ~

The Bible in a deck of Cards? Check it out.

Hide and Seek

Did you ever have a kid in your neighborhood that when playing hide and seek just hid to good, everyone else was found but this kid would not come out, soon everyone starting looking, then kids got bored, then mad, and finally went home? I heard a story of an old man sitting on his porch watching such and event occur, the kid was actually hiding under a pile of leaves in his front yard. The old man said at one point he thought about going over and lighting the leaves on fire to get the kid to come out, but decided instead to simply yell, "Get Found Kid!"

We too, are often like that, we hide from God by being distracted, busy, tired, __________, (that was for you to fill in your own excuse) These things can unintentionally become our 'pile of leaves'

I have strayed like a lost sheep. Seek your servant, for I have not forgotten your commands ~ Psalm 119:176 ~

 

Are you playing hide and seek with God?

 Get Found Kid! Get Found!

 Get rid of the leaves!

Make the necessary sacrifices and spend time alone with God in prayer.

May the grace of the Lord Jesus be with you always and to the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen.



Heart Strong...

Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the LORD ~ Psalm 31:24 ~

Instead of allowing fear and worry in your life, be strong and take heart, your hope is in the Lord. And knowing that Jesus is above everything, has all authority, and has plans to prosper you, no matter what the situation looks like you can confidently 'be strong and take heart' as you put your hope in the Lord Jesus Christ. ~ Amen ~

Say Goodbye to your Problems...

I took my troubles to the LORD; I cried out to him, and he answered my prayer.

~ Psalm 120:1 ~

Why are you hanging on to your worries, fears and troubles, when the Lord actually wants you to bring them to Him? Go to the Lord right now, and be set free.

 



Meals are more than just Food

Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. ~ Acts 2:46-47 ~

The people of this text met together everyday, they also had meals together, they not only shared in their joy but also in their possessions. Wow! Sharing, Love, Gatherings, Worship. This is what a Christian family is supposed to look like. Let us learn from this to share in all our belongings as they came from God anyway, let us share in our meals that we might give thanks together and have uplifting and encouraging conversations, let us also gather in the name of Jesus to Worship Him as the Bible tells us "He inhabits our praise" and let it all lead others to eternal salvation in the Lord.

If you love me, obey me

Jesus said it. Pretty plain and simple. Our expression of love cannot be in words alone. Love is expressed in action.

Feeling alone and broken? Here is the cure...

I will extol the Lord AT ALL TIMES; His praise will be on my lips. My soul will boast in the Lord; let the AFFLICTED  hear and rejoice. Glorify the Lord with me; let us extol His name together. ~ Psalm 34:1-3 ~

We are to praise God at all times...during the good and during the bad. The text tells the afflicted (those who are sick, suffering, or in difficulties) to hear (listen to what God is saying) and rejoice (don't let the circumstance keep you from praising God) finally, let's praise Him together! The Word tells us God inhanits the praises of His people. So let's make a choice to praise God together. Reach out to another Christian or Christians, talk to them, share what your going through, and pray together, not just asking God for help, but giving Him praises even in the midst of suffering. And then, let us stand firm knowing God is in complete control. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.  

However many years a man may live, let him enjoy them all. But let him remember the days of darkness.

~ Ecclesiastes 11:8 ~

 

Live a life filled with joy but never forget the times you struggled as it was the Lord your God who delivered you. Let the paast keep you humble and willing to help others knowing what you yourself have been through. Let the past move you to be the hands and feet of Jesus.