Spiritual Growth - Time!

TIME - The great truth of the Bible is that God is not in a hurry when it comes to our spiritual growth! Healthy growth and ultimate maturity may have spurts of a fast pace, but remember that God is the One who sets the pace and God Himself will modify the pace. God is working from and for Eternity!

John Darby explains that "it is God's way to set people aside after their first start that self-confidence may die down."

The Christian Life matures and becomes fruitful by the principle of growth. "But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." 1 Peter 3:18. We must get to know ourselves, that we have no strength.

Let's Settle It once and for all - there are no shortcuts to maturity! To taste the grace of God is one thing, to be established in it and to manifest it in character, habit, and life is another. Fruit takes both sunshine and storms to ripen and make it sweet!

Don't Look For Shortcuts! Time is an element that cannot be cut short. "Being confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ." Phil. 1:6. And it will take that long! God is working for eternity.

Why I Love The Bible - Genesis

In The Beginning... God created!

"First, God.

God is the subject of life.

God is foundational for living

If we don't have a sense of the primacy of God,

we will never get it right, get life right, get our lives right.

Not God in the margins;

not God as an option;

not God on the weekends.

God as the center and circumference;

God first and God last;

God, God, God.

Genesis gets us off on the right foot.

by Eugene Peterson

ASSURANCE OF SALVATION - 1 John 5:11-12

"And this is the testimony that God has given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He that has the Son has life, and He that has not the Son of God has not life." 1 John 5:11-12

My testimony - Charlie

I grew up in a family that did not attend church, but I had a grandmother who did. She would take me and my brother and two sisters to Sunday School each Sunday (if we were not gone on a fishing trip - which was every other Sunday). I learned about Jesus Christ, that He was born (that is why we have Christmas) and that He died on a cross and was brought back to life (that is why we have Easter).

Each summer, we would have Vacation Bible School. This was a fun time because we would make fun things (like crafts) and get Koolaid and cookies. At the end of one VBS when I was around 10 years old, at the closing ceremony the pastor began to talk about the need for salvation. I wasn't reallly paying much attention (playing connect the dots with my sister), but when we began to sing the closing invitational song, something began to happen in my heart. It was beating fast and I began to feel dirty inside because of the wrongs I had done.

When the pastor said who would like to come forward to have forgiveness and eternal life, my feet took me to the front and for some strange reason I was crying.

The pastor said "Son, do you want to be saved?" I replied yes.

He said, "Do you believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross and was raised again from the dead?" I thought it was a strange question because I thought everyone believed that. I said yes. He then began to pray with me to ask for forgiveness and eternal life. As we were praying, I stopped crying and felt real clean inside. It was a feeling I wanted to feel all the time.

Afterward, many people came by me and hugged me and said that I was now "saved" although I did not really know what "saved" meant at that time. But I did know that something happened inside me and later I found a verse in the Bible that seems to clarify what I felt.

Isaiah 1:18

"Come now, and let us reason together," says the LORD,

"Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be white as snow;

Though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool."

FAITH - In Action!

Our church had an opportunity to visit a migrant workers camp. We brought food and clothing to the Mission Center. We also gave Christmas gifts to the children of migrant workers.

Spiritual Growth - Faith!

SPIRITUAL GROWTH

is based on our faith in Christ and knowledge of God’s Word.

FAITH –

But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he that cometh to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him. Hebrews 11:6

He staggered not at the promise of God, through unbelief, but was strong in faith giving glory to God, being fully persuaded that what He had promised, He was able also to perform. Romans 4:20-21

REFLECTION - VOICE MINISTRY CHRISTMAS 2008

ISAIAH 40

"Comfort, yes comfort My people!" Says your God!

The voice of one crying in the wilderness:

"Prepare the way of the Lord;"

"The glory of the LORD shall be revealed,

And all flesh shall see it together;

For the mouth of the LORD has spoken."

The Real Christmas!

The Real Christmas

is a CD that has an old-fashioned reading of Scriptures with traditional Christmas carols playing in the background.

The Gospel Of John portrays Christ as the Son of God who was the Creator of all.

The Gospel of Luke recalls Christ's miraculous birth and teachings.

The Gospel of Matthew gives the true meaning and purpose of Christ's life by His death on the cross as payment for our sins. But don't forget about the Resurrection and the Ascension!

If you would like a copy of this CD reading

The Real Christmas...

just leave give me your email address on the comments section.

New VOICE now in Florida

"His voice is as the sound of many waters..." Rev. 1:15

WELCOME!

to the new VOICE MINISTRY...

more will be on its way.

2009 - LIFE IS A BLAST...