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Weekly sermons from our Pastor, Barry Wilkinson.
Episodes
Sunday Jan 06, 2019
Sunday Jan 06, 2019
Sermon: God's Way or My Way in 2019?
Scripture: Isaiah 55:6-9
Date: January 6, 2019
Seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, and He will have mercy on him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon. "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways," says the Lord. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts." (Isaiah 55:6-9)
Max Lucado's Laws of the Lighthouse:
- Love God more than you fear hell.
- Once a week, let a child take you on a walk.
- Make major decisions in a cemetery.
- When no one is watching, live as if someone is.
- Succeed at home first.
- Don't spend tomorrow's money today.
- Pray twice as much as you fret.
- Listen twice as much as you speak.
- Only harbor a grudge when God does.
- Never outgrow your love of sunsets.
- 'Tis wiser to err on the side of generosity than on the side of scrutiny.
- God has forgiven you; you'd be wise to do the same.
- When you can't trace God's hand, trust His heart.
- Toot your own horn and the notes will be flat.
- Don't feel guilty for God's goodness.
- The book of life is lived in chapters, so know your page number.
- Never let the important be the victim of the trivial.
God's way in 2019 will include:
- Prayer over planning
- If we want to adjust to God's ways, let's pray and not just plan.
- Where does God want us to change the most? If you are really brave, ask your family or best friends where you need to change the most.
- Focus is the key to an effective life.
- "When you don't decide in advance what's important, you're letting other people decide." -Rick Warren
- WEEKLY CHALLENGE: Ask God what His plan for you is in 2019. Ask for specifics. Consider areas like spiritual habits, character traits, or new ways of obedience.
- Spiritual habits: prayer, Bible reading, caring for the poor and helpless, Sunday School, church attendance, giving, reading Christian books, Christian music, limiting social media, careful with entertainment, building Christian friendships, family prayer time, quick to repent...
- Character traits: love, joy, peace, patience/endurance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control, humility, courage, boldness, "teachableness", generosity...
- Will you pray sincerely that God will show Hopewell His plans for us this year?
- Worship in weakness
- In your weakness, worship.
- If we want to adjust to God's ways, we will find Him in worship.
- Worship focuses on God and not self.
- Then Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the Lord, before the new court, and said: "O Lord God of our fathers, are You not God in heaven, and do You not rule over all the kingdoms of the nations, and in Your hand is there not power and might, so that no one is able to withstand You? (2 Chronicles 20:5-6)
- Forgiveness over fighting
- If we want to adjust to God's ways, we will value forgiveness over fighting.
Wednesday Jan 02, 2019
Wednesday Jan 02, 2019
Please enjoy a message from Bro. Luke Cullen while our pastor and his family are away on vacation. Happy New Year!
Wednesday Jan 02, 2019
Wednesday Jan 02, 2019
Please enjoy a message from our Youth Minister, Bro. Emmett Massey, while Bro. Barry and his family are away on vacation. Happy New Year!
Wednesday Dec 26, 2018
Wednesday Dec 26, 2018
Series: Why Jesus
Sermon: His Unique Life and Death
Scripture: Matthew 20:28
Date: December 23, 2018
And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave - just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many. (Matthew 20:28)
Let's see Jesus' unique mission tonight:
- He was born for you
- And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave - just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many. (Matthew 20:28)
- And He said to them, "You are from beneath; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world." (John 8:23)
- For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. (John 6:38)
- This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day. (John 6:39-40)
- This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. (1 Timothy 1:15)
- Thank you Jesus for being born for me.
- He lived for you
- And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave - just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many. (Matthew 20:28)
- Only Jesus was qualified to be our sacrifice as He was without sin.
- Thank you Jesus for living for me.
- He died for you
- "Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father." (John 10:17-18)
- For He taught His disciples and said to them, "The Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of men, and they will kill Him. And after He is killed, He will rise the third day." (Mark 9:31)
- Thank you Jesus for dying for me.
- He rose again for you
- For He taught His disciples and said to them, "The Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of men, and they will kill Him. And after He is killed, He will rise the third day." (Mark 9:31)
- Clearly, the most important event of all time, and one of the best attested, historically, of ancient times, was the physical resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.
- Seeing how Jesus was born for us, lived for us, died for us, and rose again for us should be more than enough for us to give Him our greatest love and highest allegiance.
- Thank you Jesus for rising from the dead for me.
Sunday Dec 23, 2018
Sunday Dec 23, 2018
Series: Life With the King, A Kingdom Christmas
Sermon: Clash of the Clans
Scripture: Romans 14:17; Luke 1:35
Date: December 23, 2018
Last week's Growth Suggestion: Ask Jesus what will make Him happy this Christmas.
For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. (Romans 14:17)
And the angel answered and said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God." (Luke 1:35)
The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. (Genesis 1:2)
We can't be saved apart from the work of the Holy Spirit:
- The Spirit convicts us of our sin.
- The Spirit reveals to us the truth about Jesus.
- The Spirit enables us to trust in Jesus.
If we want to have a Kingdom Christmas, we need to cooperate with and submit to the Spirit.
For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. (Romans 14:17)
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23)
Let's talk about three ways the Holy Spirit was involved in that first Christmas and how he can be involved in ours this week:
- Kingdom birth
- Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 1:18)
- And the angel answered and said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God." (Luke 1:35)
- What is the Holy Spirit trying to birth through you?
- "Christ grew in Mary until he had to come out. Christ will grow in you until the same occurs. He will come out in your speech, in your actions, in your decisions. Every place you live will be a Bethlehem, and every day you live will be a Christmas. You, like Mary, will deliver Christ into the world." -Max Lucado
- WEEKLY GROWTH SUGGESTION: Ask God what He has planted in you that will help bring Jesus' love and message to others.
- What is God trying to birth through you?
- A Christ-centered family Christmas?
- Someone to whom you are considering reaching out?
- Some type of ministry at school or work?
- Reading through the Bible in a year?
- Shopping for OCC all year?
- Involvement with foster kids or adoption?
- Sponsoring overseas kids?
- Kingdom battle
- There was a spiritual war that tried to stop Jesus from becoming what God intended.
- But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel fo the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit." (Matthew 1:20)
- There was an all-out war to stop Jesus from being born and becoming the Savior of the world.
- Present, hungry children
- Your own insecurity
- Interruption to the day
- Irritable family member
- Fear of what may happen
- Fear of what it may cost you
- Fear of looking silly
- "God was with Adam and Eve. God was with Abraham. God was with Moses and the children of Israel. God was with the apostles. But he is in you. You are a modern-day Mary. Even more so. He was a fetus in her, but he is a force in you. He will do what you cannot." -Max Lucado
- Kingdom breaking/blessing
- How much better was God's plan?
- The breaking may be in the are of pride, finances, career, friends, plans...
- Do you want what God can do through you or do you want to do your own thing?
Wednesday Dec 19, 2018
Wednesday Dec 19, 2018
Series: Why Jesus
Sermon: Jesus is Unique in His Teaching
Scripture: John 14:6
Date: December 16, 2018
Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." (John 14:6)
Let's see how He is unique in what the central message of His teaching is...
The source of truth in Buddhism is what the Buddha taught. They are:
- the truth of suffering
- the truth of the cause of suffering
- the truth of the end of suffering
- the truth of the path that leads to the end of suffering
Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." (John 14:6)
Jesus is different. He says "I am truth."
Let's look at the uniqueness of Jesus' teaching here in John 14:6:
- Jesus is the way
- Jesus says it is not a teaching that will save you, but a Savior that will save you. It is not your ability to follow the teaching, but My ability to forgive and keep you.
- Aren't you glad that Jesus is your way and not your ability to stay on the way?
- He is righteous, so I do the right thing.
- He is wise, so I do the wise thing.
- He is good, so I do the good thing.
- He is true, so I do the true thing.
- He is grace, so I do the graceful thing.
- Are you relating to Jesus like He is the Way?
- How many of you are so glad that Jesus has become your Way?
- Jesus is the truth
- Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." (John 14:6)
- The truth of the situation is that Jesus had enough and, on their own, they did not.
- Are we willing to let Jesus define truth for us?
- Jesus is the voice of truth, not the:
- shame voice
- regret voice
- self-doubt voice
- insecurity voice
- Turn up Jesus' voice:
- Nobody can snatch you out of my hands.
- I will give you rest.
- Nothing can separate you from My love.
- No condemnation.
- I am with you.
- I have not given you a spirit of fear.
- And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14)
- Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?" "No one, sir," she said. "Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin." (John 8:10-11, NIV)
- And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to His disciples, "Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?" When Jesus heard that, He said to them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick." (Matthew 9:11-12)
- "Jesus is not afraid to call a sinner a sinner, and He's not afraid to go to his house for dinner." -Andy Stanley
- Jesus is the life
- Before I was empty, now I am full.
- Why doesn't everyone in America go to church?
Sunday Dec 16, 2018
Sunday Dec 16, 2018
Series: Life With the King: A Kingdom Christmas
Sermon: Kingdom Joy
Scripture: Romans 14:17; Luke 2:10-11
Date: December 16, 2018
For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. (Romans 14:17)
Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord." (Luke 2:10-11)
- Happiness protects your heart.
- Happiness strengthens your immune system.
- Happiness combats stress.
- Happy people have fewer aches and pains.
- Happiness combats disease and disability.
- Happiness lengthens our lives.
The Bible told us this 2,7000 years ago in Proverbs 17:22:
- A merry heart does good, like medicine, but a broken spirit dries the bones.
- A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. (NIV)
"Happiness is a state of mind. Joy is a state of the soul. Happiness is circumstantial. Joy can be experienced regardless of the circumstances. Happiness is momentary, fragile. Joy can be more constant. Happiness is a by-product of being entertained. Joy is a fruit of the Spirit." -Rick Warren
The joy of doing that which the Father sent Him to do...
Have I allowed Jesus Christ to introduce His joy to me? His joy is in bringing joy to the Father and other people.
"Joy is the settled assurance that God is in control of all the details of my life, the quiet confidence that ultimately everything is going to be alright, and the determined choice to praise God in every situation." -Kay Warren
Let's look at kingdom joy today from three different viewpoints:
- Joyful how
- For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. (Romans 14:17)
- Here is the big deal about kingdom joy: joy is a by-product of a healthy and growing relationship with Jesus.
- God is for your joy!
- Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. (Luke 2:10-11)
- "Joy is a choice." -Kay Warren
- "The best news in the world is that there is no conflict between your greatest possible happiness and God's perfect holiness." -John Piper
- Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength. (Nehemiah 8:10b)
- WEEKLY CHALLENGE: Ask Jesus what will make Him happy this Christmas.
- Joy is a by-product of a healthy and growing relationship with Jesus.
- Joyful holiness
- Who is happier or more joyful than God?
- We have the joy of a life well lived and the joy of pleasing God.
- Joyful hope
- Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls. (1 Peter 1:8-9)
- God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference.
- Living one day at a time; enjoying one moment at a time; accepting hardships as the pathway to peace; taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it; trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His will; that I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with Him forever in the next.
- Have I allowed Jesus christ to introduce His joy to me? His joy is in bringing joy to the Father and other people.
Wednesday Dec 12, 2018
Wednesday Dec 12, 2018
Series: Why Jesus
Sermon: Jesus and Suffering
Scripture: John 9:1-5
Date: December 9, 2018
Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth. And His disciples asked Him, saying, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" Jesus answered, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him. I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work. (John 9:1-5)
I believe Jesus is unique in His truth about suffering and it is a good reason to follow Him.
"The Christian worldview suggests that evil is better posed as a mystery than as a problem." -Ravi Zacharias
Let's examine the uniqueness of Jesus in dealing with suffering from three angles:
- Explanation
- Let us remember that every worldview - not just Christianity's - must give an explanation or an answer for evil and suffering.
- Hinduism says that the evil of our life is a result of evil done in a past life. Buddhism also invokes the doctrine of karma and reincarnation.
- So, for Buddhism and Hinduism, the answer to the disciples' question regarding the blind man's predicament - "Who sinned, this man or his parents?" - would be, "Both this man and his parents have sinned."
- New Thought (which is where the New Age thinking came from) declared that evil, illness, and sin only exist because the human mind wills it so, and that one can overcome all these positions through the power of the mind.
- "The opening lines of the Torah, as well as Genesis in the Bible, state, "God created Heaven and Earth," and later, "And all that God created was good." If you interpret those words literally, it's quite clear that problems are impossible." -Wayne Dyer
- "If evil exists, then one must assume that good exists in order to know the difference. If good exists, one must assume that a moral law exists by which to measure good and evil." -Ravi Zacharias
- "Not one proponent of evolutionary ethics has explained how an impersonal, amoral first cause through a nonmoral process has produced a moral basis of life, while at the same time denying any objective moral basis for good and evil." -Ravi Zacharias
- Why do we exist, anyway?
- God is telling a love story.
- The purpose of mankind is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.
- Here are a few reasons Christians believe in a good God who allows suffering:
- Sin
- Discipline
- Satanic influences
- We live in a fallen world
- Entering
- Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth. And His disciples asked Him, saying, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" (John 9:1-2)
- For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are - yet he did not sin. (Hebrews 4:15)
- God can use your suffering in all kinds of ways:
- to draw you closer to Him
- to help others
- Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)
- "Those who stay with it will see that the biblical worldview is the only one that accepts the reality of evil and suffering while giving both the cause and the purpose, while offering God-given strength and sustenance in the midst of it." -Ravi Zacharias
- Suffering often reveals a great love.
- Ending
- When He had said these things, He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay. And He said to him, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam" (which is translated, Sent). So he went and washed, and came back seeing. (John 9:6-7)
- One day, because He came as a suffering servant (Isaiah 53), He will end all suffering for those who believe.
- I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work. (John 9:4)
- If we are expressing a desire to see a solution to the problem of evil around us, we might ask ourselves if we are as troubled by the problem of evil within us.
Sunday Dec 09, 2018
Sunday Dec 09, 2018
Series: Life With the King: A Kingdom Christmas
Sermon: Kingdom Peace
Scripture: Romans 14:17; Luke 2:13-14
Date: December 9, 2018
Last week's WEEKLY GROWTH SUGGESTION: Pray about the right way to celebrate Christmas. Memorize Romans 14:17.
For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. (Romans 14:17)
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!" (Luke 2:13-14)
Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others - the armies of heaven - praising God and saying, "Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased." (Luke 2:13-14, NLT)
"The peace of which the angels spoke is only for men with whom God is pleased. The Greek text literally reads, 'men of His good pleasure.'" -John MacArthur
What does peace mean? Peace (the Biblical word) literally pictures the binding or joining together again of that which had been separated or divided and thus setting as one again.
Only in Christ can true peace be realized.
For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. (Romans 14:17)
Do you seriously want to make Jesus happy at Christmas?
First, righteousness. Doing what God says is right, which has a lot to do with how we treat each other.
When we treat each other in loving ways, we have a much higher chance of having peace in our relationships.
For, after all, the important thing for us as Christians is not what we eat or drink but stirring up goodness and peace and joy from the Holy Spirit. (Romans 14:17, TLB)
For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. (Romans 14:17)
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23)
Let's talk about three kinds of peace today. Kingdom peace includes:
- Peace with God
- God is not ok with any sin.
- We need to be as opposed to, if not more, our own sin than anyone else's.
- "Come, all ye drunkards, swearers, Sabbath-breakers, adulterers, fornicators; come, all ye scoffers, harlots, thieves, and murderers, and Jesus Christ will save you; he will give you rest, if you are weary of your sins." -George Whitefield (Twitter: @WhitefieldG)
- Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 5:1)
- Peace of God
- We need to be careful that we want God Himself more than we want His peace.
- Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7)
- Here are a few important words to help us celebrate Christmas with God's peace:
- Prayer
- Are you praying about it or just talking about it? Prayer takes things out of your hands and puts them in God's hands.
- Thanksgiving
- Faith
- Obedience
- The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you. (Philippians 4:9)
- Prayer
- Weekly Growth Suggestion: Which of these words will you pay special attention to this week to help experience God's peace?
- Prayer
- Thanksgiving
- Faith
- Obedience
- Peace with God's people
Wednesday Dec 05, 2018
Wednesday Dec 05, 2018
Series: Why Jesus
Sermon: Jesus Offers Relationship
Scripture: John 1:1, 14
Date: December 2, 2018
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God; and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:1, 14)
"Truth is the most valuable thing in the world." -Ravi Zacharias
What is the truth about God and your life? Please be honest enough with yourself to ask that question.
How does a universe, which itself developed from nothing, impart into every human strand of DNA enough specific information to cover 600,000 pages of information - all from nothing?
No, the Christian's faith is not a leap into the dark; it is a well-placed trust in the light - the Light of the World, who is Jesus.
One atheist said, "It isn't just that I don't believe in God and, naturally, hope there is no God! I don't want there to be a God; I don't want the universe to be like that."
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God; and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we behold His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:1, 14)
The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood. We saw the glory with our own eyes, the one-of-a-kind glory, like Father, like Son, generous inside and out, true from start to finish. (John 1:14, The Message)
Here are three unique aspects of Jesus' offer of relationship to each of us:
- Jesus offers a relationship that is clear
- When the New Age person refers to deity, a follower of this type of spirituality is not talking about a transcendent, personal God who created the universe, but is referring to a higher consciousness within themselves.
- Buddhists do not worship any gods or God.
- It is not a what but a who we are look for, and that is where Jesus is unique.
- Most Hindus worship one Being of ultimate oneness.
- Muslims believe there is the one almighty God, named Allah, who is infinitely superior to and transcendent from humankind.
- He is a powerful and strict judge, who will be merciful toward followers depending on the sufficiency of their life's good works and religious devotion. A follower's relationship with Allah is as a servant to Allah.
- In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God; and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:1, 14)
- In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs. (Hebrews 1:1-4, NIV)
- Jesus came after us.
- Jesus offers a relationship that is close
- "God pursues a continuing love relationship with you that is real and personal." -Henry Blackaby
- Are we seeking His guidance?
- As a believer, may the joy of the Lord give you absolute confidence that God is personal and involved in your life and that evil will one day be defeated forever, and that heaven is a reality.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:17 - pray without ceasing
- pray continually (NIV)
- never stop praying (NLT)
- I beg leave! I beg leave, I beg leave....May I be freed at all times from the four states of Woe, the Three Scourges, the Eight Wrong Circumstances, the Five Enemies, the Four Deficiencies, the Five Misfortunes, and quickly attain the Path, the Fruition, and the Noble Law of Nirvana, Lord.
- The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood. We saw the glory with our own eyes, the one-of-a-kind glory, like Father, like Son, generous inside and out, true from start to finish. (John 1:14, The Message)
- Jesus offers a relationship that is compassionate
- For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:15-16)
- Are we missing out on life with Jesus - a clear, close, and compassionate relationship with the God who made us?