PASTOR JOHN COLLINS: GOD VALUES WOMEN

FROM PASTOR JOHN COLLINS:

“Jesus said to her, ‘Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.’ Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that He had spoken these things to her.” John 20:16-18 (NKJV).

Mary Magdalene believed in Jesus, sought Him out, anointed Him with oil, wept on His feet and wiped those feet with her hair. Mary sat at the feet of Jesus, learned from Him and was a disciple of His. Mary was the one that Jesus chose to see first after He was resurrected. Mary was brave and humble when she went to Him in that house of the Pharisee as she cared not what others thought of her, nor spoke of her but cared only to go to Jesus and kiss His feet and seek His forgiveness and His acceptance and Jesus not only gave that forgiveness, accepted her love for Him but spoke that she would be remembered for her actions and He demonstrated her value when He chose to go to Mary first and to give her the honor of knowing He was alive and to relate that information along with her witness of Him to his brethren.

It took courage to follow Jesus during His ministry and it took faith to know Him as the Son of God. Mary had that courage and had great faith in her Lord. There were dark centuries that followed the beginnings of the Christian faith. There have been centuries of oppression of not only the uneducated but of women as well. Women have come a long way from the days of the dark ages, of the days of education denial (for many parts of the world, anyway), and from the denial of equality of the genders. Women push forward in their search for that equality and for the opportunities to make their mark in this world but I want to remind women that their mark has been made and has never been taken for granted by God. God values women and Jesus demonstrated the love that He had for Mary by going to her first, by teaching her and standing up for her. Women should never forget that their value begins in the home, for they are the caretakers, the bringers of life and the mothers of our children. Do not underestimate the value of those things as being a mother allows you to teach your children how to get to heaven, how to live boldly and with faith in this dark world and being a wife allows you to help your husband be a part of a family that relies on God. A woman’s role does not have to be one thing or another but it should always be a role of strength and dignity with love and compassion at its core. That is the love of God within you and God has provided women with the complex ability to keep a family together and to guide it in love and faith with trust and truth at its center.

There always seems to be an agenda on the table and as progress ticks away and women continue to fight for what they believe to be most important to them I can only hope that they remember to value what has always belonged to them from the beginning.  Family is everything and while equal pay may seem to be the biggest priority to some this world seems to be allowing the family to fail. Industrial success will never replace the failures of our homes and women need to find the courage, like Mary, to believe in our Savior and to brave the opinions of others to declare their loyalty to Him as they live up to the great responsibilities that have been entrusted to them. It is not easy to choose faith over finances, faith over popularity, faith over apparent success or faith over personal gain but in the end heaven is waiting and families need strong women to guide them. 

“And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell.  But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 24:15 (NKJV)

LOVE THAT CROSS PASTOR JOHN COLLINS

Read more about John Collins Ministries or reach me, Pastor John, at John Collins Ministries, www.johncollinsministries.com.

Christmas Thoughts

From John Collins, Evangelist:

"For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” Luke 2:11 (NKJV).

“And the Child grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him.” Luke 2:40 (NKJV).

Jesus came to be our Savior, to teach us and to die for us. As you go through life, you are to look to Jesus to care for you, to guide you and to strengthen you. The human spirit is strong and can withstand more than you could ever imagine.

Jesus is strong in spirit and knows your weaknesses. He knows what scares you, what intimidates you and what you avoid. Jesus is there to help you face your fears and conquer what you thought you couldn’t. Jesus will listen to you and will help you.

Faith in the Lord allows your spirit to have courage. Hope in the Lord allows your spirit the freedom from worry and that confidence allows you to serve the Lord honestly. The human spirit is capable of being beat up, smashed down and trampled upon and it will still get up and fight. The spirit of a person is a gift from God and faith in His Son is the eternal blessing.

If you are in the need of encouragement just look to Jesus and His life and you will find it. Look to the character of Jesus and you will find the beauty and grace of God. Look to the Son to find the hope of all of your tomorrows and you will know that the spirit that is inside of you is made of strong stuff indeed.

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11 (NKJV).

LOVE THAT CROSS, PASTOR JOHN

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PASTOR JOHN COLLINS: BORING CHURCH

From Pastor John Collins:

“Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all long-suffering and teaching.” 2 Timothy 4:2 (NKJV).

It does not take a person of great mental gymnastics to recognize the reason that charismatic preachers and musical ministers have claimed the hearts of so many ‘Christians’. Traditional church with traditional preachers equals boring church that families have been members of that only have their doors still open due to obligatory ‘respect and allegiance’. Traditional church is a snooze-fest!!!!

Church should be led by a pastor who is filled with the Holy Spirit and is inspired in their teaching of the word of God. Church should TEACH you how to apply the gospel to your life and why!!! Church should not be a concert, a motivational speaking class, a boring sermon recited by a boring pastor or a boring lesson with readings from the bible that are not applicable or relevant to your life.

The bible teaches you how to live your life, the gospel teaches you that Jesus Christ died for you and He teaches you that you must obey Him to claim the reward of heaven. Church should be a wake-up call for you to recognize your sin and to evaluate your choices in life. Church should be about teaching you to love Jesus and worship Him and the Father. 

Boring traditional church does not claim the attention of our children and by making this experience a part of their Sunday is not helping them become true followers of Christ. You would be better off keeping them home, spending an hour reading some scriptures and talking about why it matters to obey God, why it matters to remain pure and why it matters that they should not approve of the filth in the world nor partake of the bounty thereof. Exciting music and inspirational speakers are another influence that lacks the reverence of God, the seriousness of worship and makes the gospel shallow. 

Music is wonderful to worship with as long as the preaching is full of substance and godly wisdom and is the focus of the service. When seeking a church be picky and be aware of whether your children are sitting there in bored silence because you say they must or if they are paying attention and for that matter, how are you feeling about the service yourself? Just because something is traditional does not mean that it is what will guide your soul into heaven.

“You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” 2 Timothy 2:1-2 (NKJV).

LOVE THAT CROSS, BELIEVE THAT, PASTOR JOHN

Reach me in person and read more about John Collins Ministries at www.johncollinsministries.com.

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS: CO-DEPENDENCY

From Pastor John Collins:

"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 (NKJV).

Have you ever been co-dependent?  Have you ever been depressed, miserable and feeling so lonely that you allow negative relationships to build with negative people in your life?  Have you ever been afraid to be alone? Are you keeping unhealthy relationships alive in order to avoid emptiness?

In order to be healthy in our lives in our souls and not only our bodies, we must be able to be honest with ourselves. If you truly want spiritual health, heart health and mental health then get to know Jesus Christ.  When you give you all to coming to the Cross and submitting to God's will for your life, you will find yourself supported, whole, happy and fulfilled.  There is function and independence in being a servant of God and a follower of the Lord Jesus.

The life of Jesus has a purity of thought and intent that we all should learn from.  Jesus was sure of the right and wrong in the world and Jesus was sure of His place in the world and every Christian has that surety and confidence offered to them.  There is not a person that is not given the opportunity to be freed of the 'need' of others and feed of the insecurity of life.  The need in life is to find the hope in Christ and with the effort to come to know Him comes the clarity of strength and the assurance of independence. 

People don't need to feel lonely or miserable but just need to call on Jesus and stay committed to Him.  Jesus will heal you, free you and guide you into a lifetime of doing His will that will cure your loneliness and fulfill your needs.

Sometimes it is necessary to just stop in your life.  Stop what you are doing and take an honest inventory of where you are at emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. Life is precious and should not be experienced in a state of agony and insecurity.  Seek Jesus and He will hold your hand and lead you to the promised land, if you let Him.

"Finally brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy-meditate on these things."  Philippians 4:8 (NKJV).

LOVE THAT CROSS, PASTOR JOHN

Read more or contact me, Pastor John Collins, Evangelist, at John Collins Ministries, www.johncollinsministries.com.

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS: WORTHY OF ANSWERED PRAYERS

From Pastor John Collins:

“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” James 1:2-4 (NKJV).

Many times, when we are going through tough times or are experiencing tragedy or extreme hardships, we will pray to God and ask for His help, for a miracle or for strength to get through. Many times, when we are not suffering, we pray to God and ask for this or that or something that we want. In order to have our prayers answered we must first seek to become worthy of answered prayers. What does that mean, ‘worthy of answered prayers’?

God does not answer prayers from non-believers although many non-believers seek His help in times of trouble. God does not answer the prayers of the unrighteous which means that He is not creating financial stability in the lives of those who do not follow His Son. Many people attribute their ‘success’ to God when He had nothing to do with it. God wants the believer to recognize their need for a Savior and to come in submission to the foot of the cross. In order to have your prayers answered, genuinely answered by God, you must follow the steps of the believer which is repentance, submission, seeking to obtain righteousness and a pure heart through obedience to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

You cannot expect God to listen to any of your prayers if you are not bothering to listen to the words of Jesus and obey them. You must seek heaven above all else and you will find yourself praying for the fruit of the Spirit to become yours and you will find yourself praying for all of the right things and those prayers will be answered. When you pray for righteousness first and mean it, then God will be for you and not against you. Look at Solomon who wanted wisdom so that he could rule as God would have him rule and God gave him wisdom and then so much more. It is not about the stuff in this life, it is about the richness of the spiritual life that you can have and in having that rich spiritual life you can be such a blessing to others and that is the heart of the gospel that will ultimately have you receiving the prize of entry into heaven.

“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” James 1:5 (NKJV).

LOVE THAT CROSS, PASTOR JOHN, BELIEVE THAT!

Read more about John Collins Ministries or reach me, Pastor John, at John Collins Ministries, www.johncollinsministries.com.

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS: OUR TEMPLE

FROM PASTOR JOHN COLLINS:

“Jesus answered and said to them, ‘Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.’ Then the Jews said, ‘It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?’ But He was speaking of the temple of His body.” John 2:19-21 (NKJV).

Jesus referred to His body as a temple. A temple of God is to be treated with respect as it is holy and good. A temple of God is to be kept clean and pure. A temple of God is to be honored. Jesus knew that His body was a temple of God and all of us should know the same thing.

We are to think of our bodies as temples of God to be treated with respect and to be kept clean and free of filth. Too many people use their bodies for pleasure and to drink alcohol, do drugs, have sex in order to fulfill their lust. Too many people use their bodies to get what they want and to display their vanity. Too many people pollute themselves by seeking to enjoy themselves. 

Learn to respect the gift of life that you have been given and learn to be grateful for that gift. Your bodies are a gift from God and should not be used to sin against God.

“Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.” 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (NKJV).

LOVE THAT CROSS, PASTOR JOHN

Read more or contact me, Pastor John, at John Collins Ministries, www.johncollinsministries.com.

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS: GOD IN YOU

From Pastor John Collins:

"And I was unknown by face to the churches of Judea which were in Christ.  But they were hearing only, 'He who formerly persecuted us now preaches the faith which he once tried to destroy."  And they glorified God in me." Galatians 1:22-24 (NKJV).

What does it mean to have God glorified in you?  It is when your behavior and your character reflect the work of God and is noticeable by men.  When you come to be a Christian by choice, not by upbringing as something that you do, but by your choice to believe that Jesus died for your sins and you're committing your life to obedience to Him and service to God.  

That is really what it means to be a Christian as it is not when you believe in Jesus and as you commit sins you know better but you do what you want anyway because to him that knows better and does it anyway, to him it is sin.

If you were once the thief who turned over a new leaf in the name of Jesus and you stick to it then people will glorify God in your.  When you pick that moment to change our life and turn your back on the sin you once knew and you choose to walk with God then people will take notice and will give the glory to God.

Every Christian should recognize their blessings and want to give back to God by living a life that shows others the kindness and compassion of our Lord.  Every Christian should not just think about their wallet when they think of giving to God but should think about their time and what they can do with it by lifting up others in the name of God and helping others come to the Cross.

The power of God is unlimited and when you revere God, thank God and choose God just imagine how His love can alter your life and help you to overcome what you must in order to claim heaven as your eternal home.

"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven."  Matthew 5:16 (NKJV).

LOVE THAT CROSS, PASTOR JOHN

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PASTOR JOHN COLLINS: END TIMES?

From Pastor John Collins:

"And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another.  Then many false prophets will rise up and deceit many.  And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.  But he who endures to the end shall be said.  And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come."  Matthew 24:10-14 (NKJV).

"But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father."  Mark 13:32 (NKJV).

Many are saying that we are nearing the end of times, that Jesus will return soon, that the rapture is near and tribulation is upon us.  Jesus said that only the Father knows theme so it is impossible for anyone to know when the end will come.  Yet, with so may preachers teaching this and so many eyes open to the happenings in the Middle East and so much attention being drawn to prophecy and supposition, what are people not taking their faith more seriously?  Why is there not more people repenting and coming to the foot of the Cross?

When prophets were sent to Israel and Judah, they were not always heard.  The sad truth is the majority of the people clung to their ways, their sin and their attachment to this world.

Too many perished because of their stubbornness and refusal to submit to God.  Every day that God holds back the judgement of the world is a day of mercy us all.  Each of those days in an opportunity to shout from the rooftops that salvation is available to the lost. Each day is filled with the hope that we will come to our senses and get right with God.

We need to take our faith and salvation seriously.  We need to stop procrastinating and stop putting off changing our lives and our ways.  We need to get this right for ourselves and each other.  We cannot be half committed, somewhat devoted or undecided when it comes to being a follower of Christ.  We need to give all, believe whole-heartedly and commit completely to living a life that is in obedience to Jesus and in submission to God.  That is what ensures our eternal salvation with the reward of entry through heaven's gates

We all can do better, be better and become more Christ-like.  Each of us needs to be willing to alter our lives and purify our hearts.  It is not enough to say, "I am a work in progress."  We need to get honest with ourselves about what we hide from the world, about what we don't admit and about what needs to change.  Jesus is your strength and He wants you to belong to Him.  Do not deny yourself forever in heaven because you were unsure or lazy in your faith.  Even when  you have doubts, call on Jesus in truth and I know that those doubts will fade and the truth along with the hope of salvation will bloom in your heart.

"Behold, I stand at the door and know.  If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.  To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I have overcome and sat down with my Father on His throne."  Revelations 3:20-21 (NKJV).

LOVE THAT CROSS, PASTOR JOHN

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PASTOR JOHN COLLINS: A PRAYER

FROM PASTOR JOHN COLLINS:

Heavenly Father, I pray to You today and ask You to wake up those who are sleeping, those who are resisting You and please Father help the little ones who believe in You.  There are children hurting, children being murdered, children being abused and these little ones have such a need for Your protection Father, so please comfort them and please bring help for them into their lives.

Father God, I know this world is defiant and this world is full of stubborn people, but You are bigger than any problem here, You are more powerful than any resistance here and You are needed so very much by all of us here.  Please know that You are our hope and our future and we are thankful to You, God and we have hope because of Your precious Son, Jesus, who I ask to watch over our children and to help their little hearts to know that they are loved.

In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen. 

LOVE THAT CROSS PASTOR JOHN , BELIEVE THAT

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PASTOR JOHN COLLINS: BULLYING

From Pastor John Collins:

In response to a question about people who claim to be Christian in their business and in their 

lives and yet treat people with contempt and dismissal, I have this to say:

The Catholic Church used to use ‘ex-communication’ as a threat to hold over people that included 

the added horror of dying while in such a state of separation from that church that would lead to

being buried in unhallowed ground.

Guess what?  Every bully is known to God.  Who is one person, one church, or one group to 

determine who can belong to God and who is not welcome among His people?  Who is to determine 

who His people are?  The bully who uses you in the name of God and then discards you with a 

threat of slandering you amongst fellow Christians is in fact one of the tares being allowed to grow 

alongside the wheat and in the end will be plucked up and cast into the fire.

If you are among the lied about, slandered about and bullied about, have no worries because God 

has got your back.  The big thing to do is to not feed the fire which means that you do not have to be 

confrontational and ‘prove’ your righteousness but let you light so shine before others that they see your 

good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

There is something to be said for taking the high road because God will always lead you home if 

you are truly following Him.  If you allow God, then He will bring you new opportunities to have fellowship, 

have business and have a life that is righteous and true as long as you have the trust and the patience 

to let Him work.  Some things and people may be removed from your life and some may be introduced 

into your life.  Just remember that you don’t have to prove a thing to any man as it is God who should 

concern you and He is more than capable of seeing you through this trial too.Your true Christians 

friends will be there support you as well.

“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there

 are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life; 

and there are few who find it.”  Matthew 7:13-14 (NKJV).

                          LOVE THAT CROSS, PASTOR JOHN 

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PASTOR JOHN COLLINS: DEDICATION AND HARD WORK

From Pastor John Collins:

“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” James 1:2-4 (NKJV).

Let’s assume that you have some faith in your life. How often do you reflect on the lesson in the trials of your life? Do you look for the wisdom gained and apply it to your life or do you ignore the lesson and just appreciate that the storm has passed for now?

You can certainly claim Jesus as your Lord and Savior in a moment but righteousness takes some serious dedication and hard work. If God granted you complete faith in the instant that you believed, what would do with it and do you understand what complete faith really is, anyhow? Complete faith is never doubting to trust the truth of Christ and His work on the cross and it is living a life that is COMPLETELY in submission to God. Complete faith is a consciousness of God always not just sometimes. Complete faith is living a life that pursues the approval of God over all else. In order to claim complete faith you must work for it and it does not come easy.

Living in this world of distractions and entertainments and sinners and filth does not make it easy to choose to do the will of God every time and not only some of the time. It is through the tough times of tough choices that bring you a step closer to God when they become consistently righteous choices in your life. Every Christian needs to learn to want to obey God and every Christian needs to learn all of the tough lessons from God in order to claim complete faith and righteousness.

Pay attention to what motivates you and pay attention to the choices that you make and then be really honest with yourself about what the bible says about your feelings, choices and behavior. One of the biggest mistakes that a Christian can make is to think that the bible is antiquated and that God and Jesus really don’t feel strongly about the sin of today. God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow and it is time that the Christian does better and gets back to reverence of our Lord.

“Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.” James 1:12 (NKJV).

LOVE THAT CROSS, PASTOR JOHN, BELIEVE THAT

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS: CHRISTMAS RESTRAINT

From Pastor John Collins:

“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?” Matthew 6:24-25 (NKJV).

Black Friday is here and before you run out and break the bank, overload the credit cards and spend hard earned cash that you should not, please rethink this holiday season!!

One of the hardest lessons to learn in life is restraint. When to restrain yourself from acting, from speaking and from reacting in a manner that is expected from you. Just because the world, especially the United States has come to drive buying in excess to please our loved ones in some kind of celebration for the birth of Jesus Christ for some and just an excuse to shop for others does not mean that you need to buy into the nonsense.

Jesus Christ was NOT born on December 25th. Although you may believe that you are celebrating Him when your family opens its gifts on that cold December morning, I promise you that Jesus would rather you not go into debt, not struggle to pay your bills in order to buy those presents and He would rather you not buy those gifts and would rather you restrain yourself from the manic need to “show your love” through material means.

Jesus is about love, salvation, hope and eternal bliss. Don’t make this year the same as all of the rest instead choose to make this year a new tradition that includes all of the love and faith that you can summon with all of the joyous celebration that you can endure without partaking of the “Christmas Traditions” that celebrate materialism and not God.

And for those of you who have small children, please learn restraint. Christmas is not about filling up the space under the tree. If you do buy gifts, restrain yourself and limit your purchases. One gift is lovely and if opened with Jesus on your mind and not yourself, then that is a pure and true rejoicing in Him and not the excuse to give and receive. We should never think of Christmas as if it were OUR BIRTHDAY and therefore our right to receive gifts and the same goes for our children. It is not their birthdays. This holiday season, learn to restrain yourself.

“Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6 (NKJV).

LOVE THAT CROSS, PASTOR JOHN BELIEVE THAT

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS: LOOKING BACK

From Pastor John Collins:

“Then the Lord rained brimstone and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah, from the Lord out of the heavens. So He overthrew those cities, all the plain, all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground.But his wife looked back behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.” Genesis 19:24-26 (NKJV).

Lot’s wife looked back. She was leaving family, her home and fortune, her status and God knew her love for these things. So often the people of this world find their identity in the family that they have created, in the things that they have acquired and in the social standing that they have established. There is also a time in which a person’s life may feel the most bountiful and full which they may at times ‘look back’ on and regret where they are or resent where they are.

Every choice, whether good or bad, for our lives takes us a step closer to where we will end up and we should never regret the bad nor place extreme attachment to the good. The bad gives you a testimony to a life lived that has brought lessons and wisdom and should therefore be savored as it is an opportunity to help another avoid similar mistakes. The good should be cherished for the appreciation that it gives you for the simplicity in the human experience that will bring you joy. The need is for you to always look forward with hope and use the knowledge of both so that your decisions can become more and more righteous with every step of the way.

Jesus Christ provides salvation, forgiveness, love, wisdom, knowledge, hope, peace, joy and a truly compassionate heart that will carry you on your journey. To know the Lord in truth is to choose to obey His commands and to keep your perspective in life. Keep it simple, don’t take things so seriously as to find yourself always offended, always defensive and always ready to strike out. Use the wisdom gained in your life to bring hope to another, to find peace in your heart and to forgive as you have been forgiven. Don’t long for yesterday, find acceptance in today and hope in tomorrow.

“Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” John 14:27 (NKJV).

LOVE THAT CROSS, PASTOR JOHN COLLINS

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS: PRAY

From Pastor John Collins:

Evil is real and it infects our lives. There has been persecution for the righteous since Cain slew Abel.

There have been times when the persecution has ebbed and times when it has peaked. There is persecution in the world today for the Christian and it is a time when faith needs to grow stronger and not weaken. It is a time for people to KNOW that they belong to Christ and to not bow down to evil.

We may not see the persecution of Christians up close and personal in a way that they may come face to face with it in the middle east but that does not mean that we cannot pray for those who are persecuted, that does not mean that we cannot choose to draw closer to God and our Lord Jesus Christ and that does not mean that our faith should be found wanting.

Choose to take some time and pray today for those who are in jeopardy because of their faith and praise the Lord for providing Jesus. Take some time today and pray with thanksgiving in your heart for the safety that you and your family are experiencing and pray for comfort to find those who need it. Take some time today and pray for those who need strength in the Lord that their faith will keep them. Take some time today to let the Lord know that you are grateful for your life and loved ones and praying for His people.

God bless each and every one of you!

LOVE THAT CROSS, PASTOR JOHN COLLINS

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS: THE BLIND CHRISTIAN

From John Collins, Evangelist:

“Make the heart of this people dull, And their ears heavy, And shut their eyes; Lest they see with their eyes, And hear with their heart, And return and be healed.” Isaiah 6:10 (NKJV).

“There is none righteous, no, not one; There is none who understands; There is none who seek after God. They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one.” Romans 3:10-12 (NKJV).

When we think of those who have been blinded and made deaf, those who have been given over to their lusts, we think of the obvious sinners, the ones living life in defiance to the commandments of God and Jesus Christ. Yet, the most pitiful and dreadful blinding that exists is the blind Christian.

Blind Christians believe they have it right. These believers gossip, hate, are self-righteous, are greedy, selfish, proud and just don’t even realize it. They believe because they know scripture, may even be able to quote it, they go to church and claim Jesus as their Lord that they are the real deal. These are the most dangerous and desperately lost of all. When one is so confident in their salvation that they cease to look within, that person is not working out their salvation with fear and trembling.

We must walk a fine line in our faith. We must believe in our salvation and forgiveness yet we must always maintain our awareness of our souls and the need for repentance, the need for purity of our mind and heart as well as the need of our devotion to gaining knowledge in the word of God.

Our faith must be active and alive. We must nurture it so that it grows. It will be tested and it will be tried by fire. We must learn to participate in our lives with Christ. We must be willing to seek the truth in our souls. This I can tell you plainly: whatever ugly is inside you, God already knows it is there. We must acknowledge it, face it, and release it through repentance and forgiveness that is genuine and not lip service only or we will take it with us to hell. Fear nothing, be honest when you look within and make sure that your personal inquiry is based on the truth of the gospel and not your perception of some weakened version of it. Come to the foot of the cross in truth, naked and trusting, bare your souls and receive genuine salvation. It is only with transparency that we will find forgiveness and we are unable to be honest as long as we are holding on to our self-image as seen through the eyes of this world.

“I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you.” Philippians 3:14-15 (NKJV).

LOVE THAT CROSS, PASTOR JOHN COLLINS

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS: THANKSGIVING

FROM PASTOR JOHN COLLINS:

“For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, ‘Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.’ In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.’ For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.” 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 (NKJV).

People think of these words and think of communion to be taken in church. Before there were Christian churches the apostles gathered in the homes of their fellow believers or those they hoped to bring salvation to and they would share a meal and share the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ with thanksgiving in their hearts. They would break bread and drink wine and think of Jesus’ broken body and the new covenant and they would share their faith with one another and encourage one another.

As you come and sit down to the table today just know that what you have most to be thankful for in this world is the sacrifice of Jesus because it has given you the chance to be saved. As we pray for those without food and those without shelter today, let us also praise God for His mercy and thank God for His precious Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ.

All the bounty that you will ever experience in your life and all of the hope of your eternal reward comes from God. No matter how little one has in life, as long as there is breath in the body then there is hope for salvation and every day is a day of thanksgiving.

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.” James 1:17 (NKJV).

LOVE THAT CROSS, PASTOR JOHN COLLINS, 

BELIEVE THAT

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS: DENIAL, HURT, LONELY, PAIN

From Pastor John Collins:

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28 (NKJV).

In this life, we all want to love and to be loved. We want to share a connection that is meaningful whether we realize this or not. This world is shallow and frivolous and impersonal more often than not. We lack intimacy and depth of emotion. We can get lonely so very quickly in life and we can lose our ability to deal with our emotions in a healthy way, if we ever really learned how to deal with them in the first place.

Too often, we will self-sabotage and create messes in our own lives that become habits that undermine our health. There are all kinds of ways to hurt ourselves while remaining in denial such as drugs, alcohol, whoring, over-eating, smoking and so many other ways that put our lives at risk at our own hands.

People put on a smile and cover up pain. People have problems and hurt and don’t always know what to do with that hurt. Be willing to take extra time in your life for those in need of a friend, a conversation, a willing listener and if you are this person who is in need then take some time to get closer to Jesus and He will bring you opportunity to be of service to others and in doing so you will find yourself connected and appreciated.

We are capable of rich friendships, rich love and rich experiences in this life and they all start with knowing the love of God and His Son. Faith heals and a heart that is full of faith is full of love even in the darkest hour.

“Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Matthew 11:29 (NKJV).

LOVE THAT CROSS, PASTOR JOHN COLLINS

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS: JESUS' ENEMIES

From Pastor John Collins:

“The Lord said to my Lord, ‘Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.’” Psalm 110:1 (NKJV).

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.” Matthew 7:21 (NKJV).

Most people like to think of the truly evil as the enemies of Jesus. Most people would see themselves and their loved ones as loved by Jesus and part of the kingdom of God. Most people see themselves as good people and deserving of going to heaven. Most people are in denial about the perfect and righteous judgement of God.

What would you do if Jesus told you personally that you are His enemy? How would you feel if Jesus let you know that you had offended Him and you were not in His good graces? Can you imagine such a thing? What would you do to change that if it were true? What would be the circumstances that would make that true? Would it be true if you were a liar, a whore, a manipulator, a gossip, a greedy person, a person who had an abortion without guilt, a person who uses drugs and alcohol to excess, a person who holds hate in their heart, a person who won’t forgive, a person who is vain, a person who does not believe in Jesus, a person who does not believe in God?

Jesus did die for our sins on that cross so long ago but He did not die so that His sacrifice could be taken in vain and that He could become the justification for those who choose to continue to live in sin and think that it is covered by His blood. If you want to have salvation then you have to obey the Son of God.

“Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on the earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:9-11 (NKJV).

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PASTOR JOHN COLLINS: WHAT MATTERS?

From Pastor John Collins:

“Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all.” 1 Thessalonians 5:14 (NKJV).

We have fallen down on the job people! When did we get lazy in raising our children, apathetic in watching the downfall of our society, encouraging in sinful behavior and unwilling to be part of the solution while loving complaining about it all. When did the blame fall on everyone else’s shoulders while we stand and watch our country burn?

We are systematically ruining our existence and doing nothing worthwhile about it. Why? Because not enough people want to stop their own nonsense long enough to make a change first. Everyone wants the other person, party, gang, opposition etc. to give in first because they all want to win. Stubborn, selfish, foolish pride and egos will tear families apart, tear cities apart and tear this country apart.

We have got to get to a place where the choice to do right, stop doing wrong become ours as a whole, not just individually. We need to find our humanity amongst each other and choose to be God’s people and not our own people. In the end, the choice is up or down and there is nothing in this life that is worth stopping you from going up. Whatever fight is being fought, whatever battle is being lost or won, whatever argument is being raged and whatever moral decay is the price that is paid is just not worth it.

God is what matters, no matter how often people want to deny that fact, it remains a fact. Jesus is what matters and our commitment to walking the path that He has designated for us is what matters. The violence, the drugs, the alcohol, the hatred, the partying, the greed, the lust, the pride, the status, the betrayal and pain of it all is just so base and such a waste of time. Choose life by choosing Jesus.

“See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all.” 1 Thessalonians 5:15 (NKJV).

LOVE THAT CROSS, BELIEVE THAT, PASTOR JOHN COLLINS

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS: PERSECUTED

From Pastor John Collins:

“If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also.” John 15:18-20 (NKJV).

Satan came to Jesus when He was in the wilderness and tempted Him and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory and promised to give them to Jesus if He would fall down and worship him.

As a servant is not above His master, a Christian must realize that there will be temptation for him also. Yet there are just too many Christians who do not have enough faith to withstand the tempter. There are so many people who are bowing down and worshiping Satan willingly because they want the world and they want to enjoy the bounty thereof.

When you find yourself tempted call on Jesus to strengthen you. When you find yourself surrounded by sin and feel like you are drowning call on Jesus to save you. The more you think to call and the more you actively seek your Lord is when your path begins to be cleared by the Father. God wants you to choose His Son and God wants you to choose to do right.

It is not easy to begin to think, act and react like a Christian when you have been raised in this world and are a part of this world. You must work to change the way you see this world and how you find joy in this world. You must choose to not be friends with this world but desire instead to be the friend of the Lord.

Call on Jesus and He will help you, He will guide you and He will love you. God is pulling you in His direction and all you have to do is follow.

“You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.” John 15:14 (NKJV).

LOVE THAT CROSS, PASTOR JOHN COLLINS

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS: A JOURNEY TO BELONG

From Pastor John Collins:

“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.” John 15:5-7 (NKJV).

There has been many a preacher to make a pretty penny with these words and to guide many a soul in the wrong direction. Jesus is not on stand-by to do our bidding and God is not waiting to fulfill our wish lists.

Jesus could easily say to His disciples and apostles these words because they all understood that once you truly belong to Jesus and believe in the gospel and the power of the Cross, you would not ask amiss. Jesus knows that those that have obtained righteousness will ask those things that the bible instructs and that God approves of.

When you seek the kingdom of heaven with all of your heart and you come to love God with everything that you are then you begin to desire things that are pure and good and will only benefit your faith and the faith of those you know and also don’t know. You will look at this world differently and upon meeting people or interacting with others you will pay attention to the small details that will let you know if their faith is strong or not and you will listen to what they say and it will guide you in your prayers for them. You should desire that others get to heaven and that you obtain righteousness so that you are a shining light in this world working for Jesus.

Never assume that you have done enough and never assume that you are pure enough. If you are always working to please God and to purify yourself then you will always be gaining more faith and more wisdom. Your life is a journey and as you come to know more you can share more. Be willing to desire good for others and not only yourself.

“By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples. As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love.” John 15:8-9 (NKJV).

LOVE THAT CROSS, PASTOR JOHN COLLINS

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS: LOST

From John Collins Ministries: 

“The Lord tests the righteous, But the wicked and the one who loves violence His soul hates. Upon the wicked He will rain coals; Fire and brimstone and a burning wind Shall be the portion of their cup.” Psalm 11:5-6 (NKJV).

Does anyone take notice of the violence in our children’s video games, the violence in movies and the violence in our streets? Violence is entertainment and violence is a way of life. People want to say that guns are at fault, others want to blame the parents, or the schools, or the gangs, or the mob, or the terrorists, or the government and of course they want to blame God.

People don’t value life. People take life for granted, become embittered, nurture hatred and ponder violence and then act on it. People don’t care about consequences. People don’t want to hear about the judgment of God. People have lost their way.

Life is precious and can be good. Life matters and God wants each of you to value life and to seek the kingdom of heaven. God is loving and compassionate and God is wrath. There is a limit to His longsuffering and judgment does come and in the end God always wins. God is the one who always wins. When people show utter contempt for His creation it is an offense to Him and He notices.

Before it is too late, turn and learn to do righteousness, learn to love forgiveness and learn to seek God every minute of every day and teach that to your children. It is time to turn this thing around and time to stand up for all that is righteous and good and learn to walk in the ways of Christ.

“For the Lord is righteous, He loves righteousness; His countenance beholds the upright.” Psalm 11:7 (NKJV).

LOVE THAT CROSS, PASTOR JOHN COLLINS

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS: ACCEPT THE INVITATION

 From Pastor John Collins:

“Then He said to him, ‘A certain man gave a great supper and invited many, and sent his servant at supper time to say to those who were invited, ‘Come, for all things are now ready.’

 But they all with one accord began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a piece of ground, and I must go and see it. I ask you to have me excused.’

And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to test them. I ask that you have me excused.’

 Still another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’

So that servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house, being angry, said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in here the poor and the maimed and the lame and the blind.’ 

And the servant said, ‘Master, it is done as you commanded, and still there is room.’ 

Then the master said to the servant, ‘Go out into the highway and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.  For I say to you that none of those men who were invited shall taste my supper.” Luke 14:16-24 (NKJV).

God has invited you to come to His supper and to join Him in celebration. Are you one of those who received the invitation and are just too busy to come? Is your job keeping you busy, your home and family keeping you from God, or your cars, clothes, friends, hobbies and past-times keeping you from joining God at His supper?

God deserves time, our time and attention and our thoughts and actions. God deserves for us to consider Him, take time for Him and to obey the gospel and that takes time. Obeying the gospel is not accomplished in a few hours a week. Obeying the gospel is a way of life, a devotion of thought, time and effort. Obeying the gospel is a conscious decision to show up with bells on ready to serve every day and every minute of that day. Do you have your priorities right? Have you been invited to supper only to ask to be excused because your life holds your full attention?

“If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple.” Luke 14:26 (NKJV).

LOVE THAT CROSS! PASTOR JOHN COLLINS 

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS: BE READY

From Pastor John Collins:

“Oh, that You would rend the heavens!  That You would come down! That the mountains might shake at Your presence- As fire burns brushwood, As fire causes water to boil- To make Your name know to Your adversaries,That the nations may tremble at Your presence! When You did awesome things for which we did not look, You came down, The mountains shook at Your presence.” Isaiah 64:1-3 (NKJV).

God created mankind and has not left him alone. God has come down, given His word, directed and fought for His people and has given His Son for us. God has come down and instructed His people and God has given man free will. God has not given up on mankind and yet so many want God to come down again.

What would you do if God came to you? Would you feel justified in His presence, would you welcome Him and would you feel good about discussing your life and your choices with Him? If God came down would you be ready and would your faith allow you to believe?

Many people only want to think of God as love, compassion, kindness and grace and they choose to ignore that He is righteous anger, justice and truth. God is full of love and grace for the soul who seeks Him and believes in His Son which is why it is so important to care for your soul before you care for anything else because once you pass away then you have to deal with God’s righteous anger and justice if you have failed to obey His instructions.

Benjamin Franklin said that you should not put off until tomorrow what you can do today and today you can get right with God so that when He does reveal Himself to you, you will be ready.

“But now, O Lord, You are our Father; We are the clay, and You our potter; And we are all the work of Your hand.” Isaiah 64:8 (NKJV).

LOVE THAT CROSS, PASTOR JOHN COLLINS

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS: TO DO BETTER

From John Collins Ministries:

“Then the Lord God said, ‘Behold, the man has become like one of Us, to know good and evil. And now, lest he put out his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever’- therefore the Lord God sent him out of the garden of Eden to till the ground from which he was taken.” Genesis 3:22-23 (NKJV).

Maya Angelou has said when you know better you do better. I don’t agree. I don’t believe that people cheat on their spouses because they don’t know better. I don’t believe that people murder because they don’t know better. I don’t believe that people gossip and slander one another because they don’t know better. I don’t believe that people drink and drive because they don’t know better. I don’t believe that people are aborting children because they don’t know better. I don’t believe that people neglect their children while they entertain themselves and pursue their own lives because they don’t know better. I could just go on and on with so very many examples of knowing better and doing anyway. There is a time when you know right from wrong. That is what is called the age of accountability.

God gave us emotions and we need to learn how to handle them. We need to learn wisdom and take responsibility and that is life. God gave us guilt because our heart knows better than we give them credit for. When you do wrong, you know. Do it long enough and you won’t care anymore and will make excuses.

We do better when we WANT to do better. We obey the gospel when we want heaven more than earth. We submit to God when we want salvation more than anything. We do better when we want to do better. We all make mistakes but you learn from them and stop repeating them when we want to. It is not in the knowing it is in the wanting to know because your heart will tell you that you have hurt those you love, even when it is you.

We live in a world of education and knowledge. Jesus is not a secret. The Bible is the most sold book in existence with over 5 BILLION copies sold. Think about that. It is not a secret how to get to heaven. It is not a secret how to act with righteousness. This world knows better. It is time to do better. There is not going to be the excuse of ignorance to claim when judgment must come.

“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them.” Romans 1:18-19  (NKJV).

LOVE THAT CROSS, PASTOR JOHN COLLINS

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS: YOU ARE LOVED

From Pastor John Collins:

“Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins? And not one of them is forgotten before God. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.” Luke 12:6-7 (NKJV).

God loves you, cares for you and has always known you. God cares for His creation, which you are. God has given you a heart to hear Him, trust Him and know Him. You are not in this alone. You are loved.

Jesus loves you and cares for you. Jesus said on the cross that you matter. Jesus wants you to know Him, follow Him and obey Him. You are not in this alone. You are loved.

“I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.” 3 John 1: 4 (NKJV).

LOVE THAT CROSS, PASTOR JOHN COLLINS

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS: THANK YOU

From Pastor John Collins:

Let each of us take a few moments today and say thank you to God, who allowed us to wake up, who has given us life, who has taken us through some really tough times and has shown us the beautiful love that He has, who has given us hope in the form of Jesus Christ who sustains us and keeps us in this world so dark.

Let us each place an extra drop of awe in our hearts day by day for the wonderful God that is ours, for the creator of the universe and all that is in it. Let each of us add more kindness to our hearts and more peace to our minds by claiming the Lord Jesus as our very own.

LOVE THAT CROSS! PASTOR JOHN COLLINS

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS: CRACKPOT CHURCHES AND FAKE PROPHETS

From Pastor John Collins:

“I have heard what the prophets have said who prophesy lies in My name, saying, ‘I have dreamed, I have dreamed!’ How long will this be in the heart of the prophets who prophesy lies? Indeed they are prophets of the deceit of their own heart, who try to make My people forget My name by their dreams which everyone tells his neighbor as their fathers forget My name for Baal. The prophet who has a dream, let him tell a dream; And he who has My word, let him speak My word faithfully. ‘What is the chaff to the wheat?’ says the Lord. ‘Is not My word like a fire?’ says the Lord, ‘And like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?’ Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets, says the Lord, who steal My words every one from his neighbor. Behold, I am against the prophets, says the Lord, who use their tongues and say, ‘He says.’ Behold, I am against those who prophesy false dreams, says the Lord, and tell them, and cause My people to err by their lies and by their recklessness. Yet, I did not send them or command them; therefore they shall not profit this people at all, says the Lord.” Jeremiah 23:25-32 (NKJV).

There have been churches built on the lies of a ‘prophet’, there have been millions and millions of dollars collected on the basis of the lies of a ‘prophet’ and it has become nothing for people to say that God is giving them dreams and telling them this or that and that this person or that is a prophet to the Lord and is anointed.

There is a higher price to pay for deceiving people in the name of the Lord but the most awful price is paid by the one who is convinced by the deceiver. God is not unable to make His will known to all. God is not without the power to make sure that His message is received and it is unmistakable. God’s voice thundered from heaven when Jesus was baptized. The magnitude of the miracles that we done by Jesus and in the name of Jesus was not questionable. When God wants you to know something, 

He is not subtle.

Many a foolish person has been taken in by a bible scholar who can spin the scriptures to delight the listener and convince them of the authority of the speaker. Do not be fooled by clever orators who eventually base their ‘church’ on themselves and demand your pocketbook and your complete devotion while claiming to have visions from God and instructions from God.

Get a bible for under 10 dollars and read it. Then read it again and again. It will help you to have the ability to rightly discern the crackpot churches that have been around for centuries and it will help you tune out the nonsense that so many are tossing around these days.

“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. But shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness.” 2 Timothy 15-16 (NKJV).

LOVE THAT CROSS, PASTOR JOHN COLLINS

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS: THE CYCLE

From Pastor John Collins:

“Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” Galatians 5:19-21 (NKJV).

Reading through the descriptions in that scripture is to describe most schools, workplaces, social gathering spot, homes and churches in today’s society. That list is commonplace for people. That list describes most of the people we know, whether we want to admit it or not and whether they admit it themselves or not. That list states that most everyone is not going to heaven.

At some point we have got to wake up to the reality of this truth and do something about it. It is not okay that people just go about their lives eating, drinking, playing and having children only to continue the cycle while the outcome of their eternity is being ignored. Just because you ignore a problem does not mean that it will change or go away. You must face problems head on and the problem of rebelling against God is a choice and believe me, ignoring God is choosing to rebel against Him.

We can do better as a nation, as a state, a city, a community, a church, a household and an individual. We can care more about our eternal souls and begin to obey God more and more each day until it is constant and we are consistently acting as Christ would have us act and we can show our children what it means to put God first so that we can meet up in heaven one day.

Life is precious and it is up to us what we do with it. Just remember that God has a pretty amazing and huge reward for those who choose to follow His Son in this life and who choose to obey His will every minute of every day in this life.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.” Galatians 5:22-26 (NKJV).

LOVE THAT CROSS, PASTOR JOHN COLLINS

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS: WITCHCRAFT

From Pastor John Collins:

“There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, or one who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead.” Deuteronomy 18:10-11 (NKJV).

“Give no regard to mediums and familiar spirits; do not seek after them, to be defiled by them: I am the Lord your God.” Leviticus 19:31 (NKJV).

“And the person who turns to mediums and familiar spirits, to prostitute himself with them, I will set My face against that person and cut him off from his people.” Leviticus 20:6 (NKJV).

We live in a new age world that is modern and advanced in thought and deed. We are a knowledgeable people and we think that we have come so far from the dark ages and the ignorance of superstitions, right? Our society is fascinated with ghosts, mediums, psychics, astrologers, witches and the like. We watch shows about them, we go and have our palms read, our cards read and we wonder what it must be like to have the gift of sight. We have been played by the devil into accepting this a part of accepted society. We look up our horoscopes and wonder if we are compatible with our partners. What sign are you?

Satan has always been clever and just look at what time has done for him. We have learned to accept forbidden practices as a natural God-given gift to some. We think that the one who talks with the dead is working for God. As if God wants us to communicate with those that have died just to comfort ourselves. Jesus said to let the dead bury the dead. In other words, those who die without faith and salvation cannot be helped by you nor can you help them. Those that die with faith and salvation do not need your help and you still cannot be helped by them. You can be helped by focusing on Jesus Christ and ensure that your faith gets you home to heaven.

Just because something becomes familiar to us should not mean that it has become condoned by God. The bible is clear about psychics and mediums and we should never assume that just because society deems them acceptable and God-given talents that they are. We allow ourselves to be seduced into following those things that are against God. We allow ourselves to be talked into accepting those things that God has forbidden. What is your fruit of the forbidden tree that you eat from? We each can be lured into accepting what tempts us. Are you driven to connect with a loved one who died? Do you feel the need for a psychic to tell you when you will marry? Do you not trust that God is with you? Do you seek the advice and guidance of Satan and his minions because it has been deemed okay by society? Where do you find your solace? Does your faith allow you to seek God and Jesus alone?

Do not be deceived by a society that will enable the destruction of your soul. Psychics, mediums and those that would prey on your vulnerability are not going to be of service. Cling to Jesus and all of His glory and know that He wants you to be free of any influence that would cause your soul to perish. Be true to your faith and all will be will. Trust in the Lord with all of your heart and lean not on your own understanding.

“For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.” 2 Corinthians 11:13-15 (NKJV).

LOVE THAT CROSS, PASTOR JOHN COLLINS, BELIEVE THAT