"What the American flag represent to you?"

The American flag represents a whole lot to the Americans who have spent time fighting for our freedom in this great nation.

Our forefathers gave all they had in order to establish freedom. As the words of Patrick Henery proclaimed “Give me liberty or give me death”.

I know a man who died for the ultimate freedom His name was Jesus. We may say “Our colors don’t run” but Jesus blood has run for over 2000 years. The blood of Calvary will run until that final day of His appearing. I hope that you will make your rest in His blessed assurance.

One day a few years ago around the time we celebrate the 4th of July, I began to look at that symbol of our American Flag. I believe God began to show me just how much he had anointed our fore fathers to create this symbol.

I began to count the stripes on the flag, 7 red, 6 white. I began to think wow 7 red stripes, Red to represent blood shed, 7 God’s perfect number. 6 white stripes, 6 represents the number of man, pure as white is what man becomes when the blood of Christ is applied. When we put that together God’s love has let his blood be shed so that man can be washed white as snow & perfect.

I began to look deeper into the precious symbol of our freedom. There is a rectangle blue field, Blue represented the heavens in scriptures. What about the stars on the field of blue. 50 Stars Wow the stars represent the light, “We are the light of the world.” 50 was the day of Pentecost, get the picture?
You may say we always didn’t have 50 stars. Well when the first flag was prepared it had 13 hmmm… 12 disciples plus Jesus at the last supper. Still representing the light of the world.

Let’s take deeper look each of the stars has 5 points. The points all move out front the center of the star.

Eph. 4:11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

Jesus is the light in the center reaching out to the five-fold ministry to perfect the church.

Next time someone comes to you and tries to say we must separate church & state give them something of how God has anointed this great nation's symbol of freedom. Let them know it is not o.k. to take in “God we Trust” away from the what our nation stands for.

Let them know Jesus shed His blood for them as well.

God has allowed us to have great freedom in America please don’t take for granted what He has done for us here.

"Will you to pick up your own dirty laundry?"

Have you ever been told to pick up your dirty laundry?
Well I am sure all of us have. Many times we spend
our day on menial things consumer our time. Martha
was with Mary & Jesus one day just taking care of the
business of things when she noticed Mary had sat down
from her duties to spend time with Jesus. Martha had
gotten upset because she felt that Mary was slacking
in her duties. Jesus had to tell Martha that Mary had
chosen the best thing.

When we get busy just to show ourselves busy
sometimes we need to re-evaluate things. I can get so
busy doing church sometimes I forget to actually
spend time with the only who actually gave me a
reason to go to church. I love Jesus & there are times
when I just need to spend time with Him. I know that
don’t mean for me just to forget or try to see if
someone else will take care of my duties but I do need
to spend time praying & reading His word.

Recently something else has come up in the church
that I feel needs to be addressed. Sometimes I feel
we have tried to put on our own righteousness. Just
like Martha we do things to look and act like we are
Holy. The Bible says that our righteousness is as
“filthy rags”.

Isa 64:6 - But we are all as an unclean
thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags;
and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like
the wind, have taken us away.

Why then do some in church continue to fall back into
that spirit of trying to go back to rituals & traditions
of men? Jesus wants us to be Holy just as He is Holy.
How do we do that Church? By dressing up the outer
man or woman or by getting baptized with the Holy
Ghost & let Jesus clean us up from within? I do have a
certain way I present myself because what the Lord
has put in my heart but if I don’t have sound doctrine I
don’t preach it to others. What is sound doctrine you
may ask, just like I tell my young preachers Book,
Chapter & Verse and also out of the mouth of two or
three witnesses (bible that is).

We which have the sound doctrine of Jesus Name
baptism need not to water down the word or add to it
by that means. I can firmly stand & show Biblical
principles that Jesus has clearly stated (Heb. Chapter
6 talks of the doctrine of Christ). I don’t have to tell
some one how to dress but I will tell them to flee from
adultery, drunkenness & such.

2Co 12:21 - And lest, when I come again, my God will
humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many
which have sinned already, and have not repented of
the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness
which they have committed.

It really bothers me when people try to hide behind
their dress or appearance & think its ok to flirt or run
around with the opposite sex when they are married
to someone else. The Bible clearly states what sin is
we don’t have to make up a new sin just fulfill our
own righteousness.

I had someone tell me that my Assistant Pastor was
living in sin because he was clean shaven & wore a
beard. I can tell you that this man truly serves that
Lord with all his heart. The anointing that flows from
him is incredible. I too had grown a beard for the first
time in my life not because I had backslidden into sin
but really because I wanted to be more like Jesus. I
know Jesus wore a beard & I just felt like being more
Jewish.

Well I found out someone who I deeply cared about
became disappointed in me because of my beard so I
shaved it. The thing that really bothered me the most
was that it was brought up in front of a crowd as to be
put there as now I got rid of my sin. I almost felt like
Mary just waiting for the stones to fly. I respected my
elders and left it alone. The next thing you know I
have someone tell me not to wear my purple suit
because I am drawing attention away from the Lord.

There may be times in the bible when it tells you where
someone shaved their beard but no where in the bible
does it say if you grow a beard you are in sin! If that
were true Jesus wouldn’t have had one. You may ask
why I am bringing this out. Well for the same reason
Paul got on to Peter for being a respecter of persons.

I feel people need to hear the truth & teach the truth
not add their own personal convictions & tell people
that they are in sin when they don’t do they say. My
own father used to teach that way “Do as I say not as I
do…” It is that same as the Pharisees used to do.
They had the appearance down but inside they were
filled with sin.

Mt 23:27 - Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees,
hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres,
which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within
full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness.

It is really easy to point out sin upon someone else but
when it comes home to your own door it is something
we want to push under the rug. It is time for us to
trust in the Lord who baptizes us with His Holy Ghost
to teach us. His Holiness is what I want to follow. It
is time for us to judge ourselves & focus on real sin &
getting that out of our own lives.

"It is time for us to pick up own dirty laundry?"

Shall we Gather at the River?

It is time for the church to begin to gather and assemble ourselves together. The bible tells that we should gather together even as we see the day approaching. God set the gifts in the church not man.

1Co 12:28 - And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.

It amazes me that we are so easily removed from the faith. I see a lot of people wanting a title but not willing to do the work or serve as a minister. It kind of reminds me of the time when Jesus was getting ready to be crucified & the disciples where looking for a position. Who will be sitting on the right & left?

Matthew 20:20-28
20 Then came to him the mother of Zebedee's children with her sons, worshipping him, and desiring a certain thing of him. 21 And he said unto her, What wilt thou? She saith unto him, Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, in thy kingdom. 22 But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They say unto him, We are able. 23 And he saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father.

It is time for us to quite looking for a position but rather to look for a way to serve our fellow man & prefer them over our desires.

1Co 11:18 - For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that there be divisions among you; and I partly believe it.

Not too long ago I heard someone ministering in the Name of the Lord who claims to be an evangelist. The comment was made that she was an outfielder for Christ & that she was there to catch the fly balls outside the church. Well that to me was an excuse for them to stay out of God’s will and submit themselves to a Pastor. The Lord has given us a variety of ministries to Edify the Body! Also so we can submit ourselves to one another and grow up, not out of the church.

If they are truly catching the fly balls the church is missing where are they placing the fly balls that they catch? Or are they letting the enemy take back what ever seed that they may have planted. The tender plants need to be cared for not just put a seed in the ground & hope for the best. They need someone to water & fertilizer them to help them grow big & strong.

The words submit seems to be out of our vocabulary. I indeed make sure I some covering I submit myself to other ministries & the Lord Jesus Christ. I pray that the church comes together to become a unified force to fight against the enemy who is trying harder now to separate us from the Faith.

Heb 13:17 - Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.

Jas 4:7 - Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

“Test of Time”

I can do nothing but thank the Lord that he is consistent. He has brought to my life so many blessings that I don’t deserve. He is still blessing His people in ways that only He can.

Heb 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever.

Many Miracles are still happening today. People are still seeking His face. JESUS still is moving in ways that only He can.

He still surprises me from time to time. I recently had to do a funeral & I did as I normally do I asked Jesus what would he have me to deliver to bring hope to these people. I of course had my thoughts of how I would bring this wonderful message of hope that would be uplifting & make people fell comfort, joy & love. But I learned a long time ago to listen to His voice.

The Lord brought to me a message that I would have never guessed. Matter of fact I was thinking it would have been too strong of message to share at a funeral. It was about Lazarus & the rich man. It talks about how one man went to hell and the other to Abraham’s blossom or shadow & type of heaven. Here in this message it tells about how we are going to be judged for the things we do & do not do.

Well I came away from that funeral wondering if I had really heard God’s voice & questioning the Lord why He had gave me that message. Well it wasn’t even a day had lapsed before Jesus brought the answer. My wife had went to visit the family of the lady which passed and wasn’t there too long before some of the family was asking how can we to be saved?

This kind of reminded me of the day Peter spoke up on the day of Pentecost and He was asked the question what must I do to be saved? Of course his response brought out God’s plan for repentance & the baptism in Jesus Name. The message has not changed. His plan still works today. It is the doctrine Jesus taught. I find it so simple yet too many have tried to complicate this simple Gospel.

I will continue to bring this wonderful message to whomsoever will receive it. It is God’s grace that has brought it to me & freely as I have been given I will freely give.

Truly it has stood ….The “ Test of Time”