Happy Thanksgiving!!

As I sit at my desk at the Church office writing this week’s Pastoral Letter of Encouragement, I am mindful that I could type for hours upon hours on the subject of being thankful to our awesome God. I am sure that you feel the same way too. God is so GOOD!!! We cannot THANK HIM ENOUGH!!!

I have said many times and I have heard others state that “Everyday should be Thanksgiving!” That is certainly a true and valid statement with much merit and credibility. I have learned that the more THANKFUL I am the happier and more content I become. The more THANKFUL I am the more grateful I am to Jesus Christ “from whom all blessings flow!!”

Everyday should be Thanksgiving. Not solely because we will spend time with family and eat a great meal. Not only because we get to watch great football and basketball on television tomorrow. And not because many of you will be heading out at midnight Thanksgiving evening to begin shopping. The reason that Thanksgiving Day is a great day as well as every day is because of what God’s Word says in (Psalm 118:24) “This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”

Dear friends, never forget to THANK GOD!! As you gather with loved ones and friends on Thursday take a moment to reflect on all the blessings you have. My challenge to you is make this a DAILY HABIT!! In our world and even in our community many people grumble and complain and can never be satisfied. Personal preferences, opinions and emotional reactions to contrary words and thoughts can dampen your spirit, draw you away from Christ and even take you away from the Church. Attitudes affect people in the workplace, those in higher education and children in school as well as God’s sheep no matter of age or gender. Don’t be bound by negativism or inclusiveness. Don’t be grumpy or sidetracked. Be THANKFUL for Jesus, your family, His Church and all the opportunities, privileges and blessings we have as God’s children.

Let these words from the Holy Bible speak to your heart this day:

(Psalms 92:1) “It is good to give thanks to the Lord, and to sing praises to Your name, O most High.”

(Psalm 30: 11-12) “ You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness, to the end that my glory may sing praise to You and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to You forever.”

(I Corinthians 15: 57) “But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!! Let us be thankful to the Lord Jesus Christ and our Heavenly Father!! This is the day the Lord has made!! Be glad and be THANKFUL!!

Let us pray: Dear God, help us to experience and express THANKSGIVING everyday!! Thank You from whom all blessings flow. We can never THANK YOU ENOUGH for all You give and all that You promise. In the lovely name of Jesus, AMEN.

Have a safe and happy time! I look forward to seeing you on Sunday for our services! Great things are planned and in store again for this Sunday morning and evening. Make sure to come and be with us; invite someone to join you and prayerfully ask God’s Spirit to overflow us with “Showers of Blessings.”

I Love You!!

Pastor Johnny  

My Help!!

In this week’s edition of Pastoral Letters of Encouragement, I want to focus on a few thoughts regarding the subject of help. Every person young and old needs help. Help is defined as “to give relief; to find deliverance; to aide, ease and to change for the better; to improve or aid in assistance.” No matter who you are, there will be many times in life on the way to Heaven that you will need H-E-L-P HELP!

Consider these questions:

·         Where do you go when there is no one else to turn?

·         Who do you lean on in times of trouble and despair?

·         Where do you go for tranquility and to find a peaceful harbor?

·         Where do you search for answers?

·         Where do you look for guidance and strength?

One thing I will mention in Sunday’s message titled, “Focus on God” is the fact that if we only spend 1 hour in Worship a week, then we are spending the other 167 hours of a week’s time out in the world. That is why I encourage you at all times to spend time with the Lord Jesus Christ and to please come to our services and activities at Daniels Chapel Church when the doors are open. Please take time and read I Corinthians 10: 1-12 prior to Sunday and you will see what I am talking about.

God is our refuge and strength and the local Church is where we come to build bonds of friendship with the Lord Jesus Christ and other people. I need the Lord every hour of every day. I need His HELP for without Him how lost I would be. 

In this world it is difficult to cope and you will have a hard time if you try and make it through on your own. Why go through the anxiety, fear and heartache when you can “feast from the table of life” and “drink from His fountain.” Never forget that you do not have to look far to find Jesus and never in life should you take the mindset to walk alone. Help is here, so FOCUS ON GOD! FOCUS ON GOD! FOCUS ON GOD!!!

In closing, read these words and may they speak to your heart and soul.

“I will lift up my eyes to the hills-- where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip-- he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD watches over you-- the LORD is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, or the moon by night. The LORD will keep you from all harm-- he will watch over your life; the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.  (Psalm 121)

Let us pray:    Oh Holy Father, we look to You continually for HELP for our HELP comes from Thee. Whatever we need right now please supply and then help us to praise You for watching our coming and going both now and forever more. Thanks for all Your HELP and please keep sending HELP our way!! We need YOU Lord Jesus!! Finally dear God, prepare our hearts to Worship You on Sunday. Let us have REVIVAL and services this Lord’s Day like we have at Cragmont during the Family Retreat weekend and during the 4 weekends each summer of Old Fashioned Meeting. Prepare us for a grand time to experience Your Presence and Touch. Thank You for forgiveness, salvation and a brand new life. HELP us and HELP US TO REACH THE LOST! In Jesus Name… AMEN

I LOVE ALL OF YOU!! Have a safe and blessed weekend!! See you Sunday!! Be sure to be here and invite someone to come along!! It is going to be a great time in the Lord!!!

Pastor Johnny

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An Heir to God (Galatians 3: 1-5; 26-29)

(Galatians 3:26-29)

26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.

27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

29 And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

In the New Testament book of Galatians we read great words of promise and joy I felt led to share with you this week in my Pastoral Letters of Encouragement. At the very outset of this Chapter, the Apostle Paul begins with a very strong statement in verse 1 yet he concludes this chapter with inspiration and words that say “heirs according to the promise.”

In fact, let us read what Paul says from the outset of Galatians 3.

1 O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified?

2 This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

3 Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?

4 Have you suffered so many things in vain--if indeed it was in vain?

5 Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? –

Here are a few thoughts I have on these passages.

·         Everyone can be “foolish” for everyone sins and falls short at times. Some are also “foolish” because of a word called DOUBT.

·         Satan is very busy today to “bewitch” you from the truth found in Jesus Christ. Do not give into his tactics or divisive plans.

·         When you asked Christ into your life His Spirit came to dwell within, not without. Don’t let your conscience be your guide. Let the Holy Spirit lead your heart in the pathway of Jesus Christ.

·         Allow the Spirit of God to constantly and continually overpower the flesh. Jesus Christ death for you was for a purpose, not defeat.

·         If you are a saved redeemed Christian, you are a child of God so clothe yourself in Christ!!

·         In Christ, you are a part of Abraham’s seed. Christians are a “Child of the King!!”

·          God has many promises for you that we find in His Word. Read, study, apply and believe these promises in your life and never doubt God for a minute!!

·         Because of Jesus Christ, rejoice-be glad-get happy and shout hallelujah…. You are an HEIR TO GOD!!

Have an awesome weekend!! Enjoy this beautiful fall weather the Lord is providing and bringing our way!! Be sure to make the time to Worship your Heavenly Father and His Son, your Savior Jesus Christ on the Lord’s Day! Prepare your hearts for Sunday in these coming hours through reading the Bible and taking time to pray. I look forward to seeing all of you at Daniels Chapel Church for our great times of worship and praise on Sunday. Be sure to join us as we gather to worship Christ the Lord!!

Finally, do not forget… “Be strong in Jesus Christ!” You are an “HEIR TO GOD!!”

I LOVE YOU!!

Johnny

Pastor Johnny   

Forgive Yourself

“Forgive Yourself!!”

As I begin this week’s edition of “Pastoral Letters of Encouragement,” I ask that you first read and dwell on the following verses of scripture. Also, meditate on these words and let them speak to your heart!! They are:

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (I John 1:9)

“And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:32)

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)

“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Romans 5:1)

This week I had the opportunity of spending some time with someone; an individual I had not seen in quite some time. In our meeting I was glad to hear that they were doing fine, yet more appealing to me were the following words they spoke which were:

“Pastor Johnny, I am doing great. I am closer to Christ than I have ever been. One thing I have learned spiritually and in getting closer to God was that it was OKAY to FORGIVE MYSELF of all the things I am ashamed of and not proud to admit. I have come to realize that I am not perfect and GOD HAS FORGIVEN ME!!”

I believe this message is a proper one for the proper time for Satan has a way of prohibiting people from becoming everything they can be in Jesus Christ. I have one strong message this week and it is: WAKE UP PEOPLE!! Satan’s number one agenda is for you to miss Heaven and to get you to be miserable here on earth. I am positive as I write these words today that many folks are not walking with God, attending Daniels Chapel Church and serving Jesus Christ because they CANNOT FORGIVE THEMSELVES!! WAKE UP!! WAKE UP!! WAKE UP!!

Many folks do not forgive themselves because Satan is strategically and deceptively telling the children of Jesus Christ that they are not good enough and because of the past they cannot move on into the future.  The devil is the master of using the past to ruin the present for he continually reminds us of what we said, what we did and what we failed to do or act upon for the Lord Jesus Christ. Satan even tries to tell us that God’s Word is a lie, yet the best thing we can ever do beloved is take God’s Word to heart and have faith in a God who loves unconditionally and supremely FORGIVES!!

Brothers and sisters, please listen to me today. If you ask for forgiveness and repent the Lord Jesus Christ will forgive you. If you ask for cleansing God will cleanse you through the blood of His Son. If you ask for forgiveness, forgive yourself and put yourself in life back in a position spiritually to move forward and not behind. There are a lot of people I have encountered in life that for some reason CANNOT forgive them self. Stop letting the Devil control and rule your life. Listen to God’s Spirit and slam the door in Satan’s face.

God has a great plan for you but to reach that destination put the past in the past. When you fail and mess it up (and all have and will), ask for forgiveness and remember that God puts these things as far as the east is from the west. (i.e. Psalm 103:12)

Do not let Satan steal your joy. Do not let Satan take you away from your Church. Do not let Satan rob you from your place of worship, service, spiritual growth, discipleship and fellowship at Daniels Chapel. I have seen Satan lie more in the last year than ever before in all my years of ministry. Jesus died for you to have life. Receive His forgiveness and FORGIVE YOURSELF!!

As I close please remember these words: “all have fallen short of the glory of God.” Move ahead my friends into an awesome future with Jesus Christ and be “justified by faith!!”

LET US PRAY: Father God, thank You for Your blessings. Thank You for forgiveness. Help us to forgive one another and help us to FORGIVE OURSELVES!!! In Jesus Holy and Lovely Name, AMEN.

Sunday is Loyalty Sunday. We have some special and great things planned that morning and evening. Also, read and meditate on Malachi 1 prior to the service as I conclude the sermon series, “Give Yourself Away.”

Again, always know that I LOVE AND CARE FOR ALL OF YOU!! Come join us this Sunday for Worship and Praise to the Lord Jesus Christ!!

In His Service,

Pastor Johnny