Sunday, September 30, 2018

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS, JOHN COLLINS MINISTRIES: CHOOSING HELL


From John Collins Ministries:



“Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’; and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’ He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.” Matthew 10:34-37 (NKJV).

These passages bring to mind a person choosing God over his family and that would be a righteous choice. It seems today that people won’t even choose to believe and are in denial about heaven and hell. If you truly believed in hell, would you send your children there? Would you willingly go if you knew the anguish and painful torment that you would have to endure?

It seems that there were a few rebellious generations who just didn’t like hearing about hell and damnation and all that would take them there, so when they grew up and became parents they chose to remove the warnings of hell from their parenting and leave the choice of belief up to their children. Just because you don’t like hearing it doesn’t make it untrue. That is why they say that the truth hurts. And this type of parenting and rebellion is literally choosing hell for yourself and sending your kids there too.

There are many who can only believe in what they can see for themselves and unfortunately their path to faith is a journey that is difficult to make but not impossible for with God all things are possible. We have got to wake up and stop willingly sending our loved ones to hell and doing everything in our power to join them.

When God says that something is a sin and will lead to the death of the soul, He is not lying. Let us stop being so stubborn and wake up and choose to hear Him. He didn’t send His Son here to die for us so that Jesus would die in vain. God sent Him so that He could save souls. Let us stop denying Him and let us start to obey Him. He is worthy of our love and our loyalty.


“Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit.” Matthew 12:33 (NKJV).

LOVE THAT CROSS, PASTOR JOHN COLLINS

Saturday, September 29, 2018

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS, JOHN COLLINS MINISTRIES: "I'M FINE"


From John Collins Ministries:



‘What’s wrong?’, ‘Nothing.’, ‘How are you?’, ‘I’m fine.’ 



“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” Galatians 2:20 (NKJV).


 How many times have these questions and answers been given in your life? How many unsaid issues get brushed aside, pushed down and built up? How many avoidances have you given or received? Why is it so hard to express what is going on inside? Our children don’t talk, we don’t talk, everyone avoids the real issues and ignores what is really going on. Is it any wonder why there are so many therapists out there? When did it become necessary to talk to strangers in order to express the truth? Why can’t we be honest with our loved ones? When did they become the enemy, the judge, the jury and the executioner? Is that how we feel about them, as if they couldn’t handle the truth of our souls?

Honesty has been buried in a wave of ‘I’m fines.’ 


Small issues and hurt feelings become grudges and hate. This world is turning on itself one person at a time, one family at a time, one neighborhood at a time, one city at a time, and one country at a time. Everyone is at war. No one wants to be honest and no one wants to find a solution and our reality has become a shell game of existence of hiding one part of our lives from the other. Where is the transparency of life, the simplicity of truth and the willingness to share all of who you are with the ones you supposedly love?

Avoidance breeds distrust and distrust breeds suspicion and suspicion breeds assumptions and the process undermines love and relationships are lost in the desire to avoid confrontation which leads to an explosion of emotion and words said that cannot be taken back and actions that follow that cannot be taken back when honesty and a willingness to listen and really hear what is being said can resolve so many issues in the first place.

Jesus taught us to listen with our hearts as He does and as God does. You would be surprised how many times your heart would have you forgive someone and your mind stirs up hate over and over again, how your heart would have you take time to help someone in need but your mind spreads fear and you give that instead, how many times your heart would have you humbled and apologize but your mind demands that you are right and deserve that apology instead, that your heart would have you reaching out for help but your mind isolates you into a world of despair.

Become more Christ-like today and begin to listen to your heart instead of your mind.


“Finally, brethren, farewell. Become complete. Be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.” 2 Corinthians 13:11 (NKJV).

LOVE THAT CROSS, PASTOR JOHN COLLINS

Friday, September 28, 2018

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS, JOHN COLLINS MINISTRIES: I CAN'T



I can't


From John Collins Ministries:



Following the resurrection of Jesus, Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord and He appeared unto them later that evening. Thomas was not with them at this appearing and when the other disciples told Thomas of seeing Jesus, he said, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.” John 20:25 (NKJV).

Thomas was given the opportunity to do so and when he had, he said to Him, “My Lord and my God!” John 20:28

Thomas walked with Jesus, saw the miracles and knew the power of God. He knew that Jesus would be resurrected and had been told many things prior to them happening. And yet, he doubted. He faltered in the strength of his belief. That did not stop Jesus from wanting him to be an apostle. Jesus always knew who would struggle with what. Jesus knew that Thomas would doubt and Jesus knows that each of us has within us weaknesses in our faith.

There are times when doubt will creep in and erode away at the confidence you feel. There are times when doubt may frustrate you and pull you away from your devotion to God. There are times when you may feel lost and empty, unable to hold on to your faith and hope, wanting the proof of the print of the nails. That doubt is where Satan attacks us the most, in our minds. We must be aware of the enemy and fight the good fight to stay in faith.

At those times of questions and avoidance you must ask yourself what matters to you. You must choose to seek what you hold on to and grab on with all you have got. All that is in this world is passing and what we have is only temporary. The truth of our souls is eternal and is encompassed in our Lord Jesus Christ. He is the source of daily confidence and our faith in Him is our true connection to each other.

Struggles and doubts are not unusual and Jesus knows our every fear. He will help you overcome and stand firm in your faith. Yet, you have to make the choice of what you think on, you have to make an effort to keep your mind on things above and not on things that will tear you away from believing in heaven and your day to day life that will lead you there.

Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” John 20:29 (NKJV).

LOVE THAT CROSS, PASTOR JOHN COLLINS



Thursday, September 27, 2018

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS, JOHN COLLINS MINISTRIES: HOPE, TRUST, REDEMTION



 From John Collins, Evangelist: Beatitudes for today....




Hope, Trust, Redemption!
Pastor John Collins
“Praise is awaiting You, O God, in Zion; And to You the vow shall be performed. O You who hear prayer, To You all flesh will come. Iniquities prevail against me; As for our transgressions, You will provide atonement for them.” Psalm 65:1-3 (NKJV).

Blessed are you who know the power of the cross and the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Blessed is the lonely pilgrim making his way home because of the hope that the cross provides

Blessed is the one who looks upon Jesus with trust and conviction. 

Blessed is the sinner who finds redemption in grace

“Blessed is the man You choose, And cause to approach You, That he may dwell in Your courts. We shall be satisfied with the goodness of Your house, Of Your holy temple.” Psalm 65:4 (NKJV).

LOVE THAT CROSS, PASTOR JOHN COLLINS



Wednesday, September 26, 2018

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS, JOHN COLLINS MINISTRIES: OLD TESTAMENT RELEVANCE

From Pastor John Collins, Evangelist:



“You will say then, ‘Branches were broken off that I might be grafted in.’  Well said. Because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear.  For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either.” Romans 11:19-21 (NKJV).


Why is the Old Testament relevant? It is there to teach you how God deals with His people. As believers in Jesus Christ, you must know what is expected of you in your relationship with God and in order to know this you are to become knowledgeable in how He dealt with the Jews who are the natural branches of the olive tree, while you are of the wild olive tree. 


There is a need to recognize the mistakes that the Jewish people made in their relationship with God so that you do not make the same ones. Do not become overconfident in your faith but always maintain reverence and awe in your contemplation of the Lord. Do not become too caught up in making money and gaining financial success that you forget the basics of your faith. Do not forget to tend to your heart and mind daily and to pray your way through life.



There are just too many people that do not put in any real effort or consistent effort toward getting into heaven but just assume that they are going there. Don’t take Jesus for granted but work your butt off to do as He has told you to do.



Never walk through life with any conceit because you know that Jesus is the way, the truth and the life and you believe in Him but have humility and pity for those that have yet to come to that knowledge and be willing to live a life that shines for Jesus so that others may come to the cross because of you.



“Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off.” Romans 11:22 (NKJV).



LOVE THAT CROSS, PASTOR JOHN

Tuesday, September 25, 2018

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS, JOHN COLLINS MINISTRIES: SEEDS, BITTERNESS AND GOD'S PROMISES


From John Collins Ministries:



“Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord:
looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled.” Hebrews 12:14-15 (NKJV).


Bitterness is something that we must be on guard against and we must have complete honesty with ourselves if we are to monitor our hearts so that we can repent if we find ourselves gone astray. Bitterness will creep up on you and it is easy to allow to happen. We like to think of ourselves as deserving the best and we become very offended when others hurt us, reject us and when we perceive that we have not received our ‘due’.


We must be careful to find the balance of self-worth and humility. Sometimes people just don’t think things through with faith. Do you deserve health, happiness, wealth, love, respect, honor, recognition or to walk through this life without hurt? Does the Bible promise that? What about Lazarus? What about our dear Lord Jesus Christ who not only died on the Cross for us but was rejected, told he had a demon, was cursed and taunted, beaten and tormented and forced to carry his own instrument of death?


God does not want us to hurt but there must be a desire for God inside of us and we must come to recognize His lessons and His love. There will be seeds planted in our hearts; seeds of love, anger, hate, joy, bitterness, forgiveness and the list just goes on and is replenished regularly. We must make the choice about which seeds we choose to water and which seeds we choose to pluck out.


We are the children of God and we have Jesus. This world is evil and has no hold upon us. Our home is in heaven and if this is what we know then we should act like it. Remember that we are not promised a blissful life on earth but we are promised that blissful life in heaven, but you have to get there first.


“Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’ So we may boldly say: ‘The Lord is my helper;I will not fear. What can man do to me?’” Hebrews 13:5-6 (NKJV).

LOVE THAT CROSS, PASTOR JOHN COLLINS


Monday, September 24, 2018

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS, JOHN COLLINS MINISTRIES: PUSHING BUTTONS



FROM JOHN COLLINS, EVANGELIST: 

“Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother.” Matthew 18:15 (NKJV).



Wouldn’t it be lovely if we lived in a world where people actually took this to heart? The truth is that we are a bloodthirsty, angry, confrontational and combative people. The Coliseum of Rome held death matches for people and animals and the stands were filled, public hangings and burnings brought crowds time and again, and mobs form as rioting occurs while people revel in ferocious displays of aggressive behavior.


Arguing and fighting is exhausting. There are so many people that have become accustomed to living their lives in continuous battles. Some people are just argumentative and don’t know any other way. When most people encounter confrontational behavior they become defensive and respond in the same manner.

“So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.” James 1:19-20 (NKJV).



It is very difficult but if you don’t want to live this way and you are then you must choose to disengage and distance yourself from the provocation of fighting. You have to learn to react differently and to act differently. Sometimes this means walking away from those that you are close to. This behavior that is dramatic and disruptive is not conducive to walking through the gates of heaven. Sometimes you have to make a choice about where you want to go and begin to actively work to get there.

There are families that communicate by fighting and there are some who will never stop pushing those buttons. Sometimes you just have to choose to take the high road and walk away. If you are a person who is easily drawn into battle and quickly angered you need to avoid those triggers and seek a peaceful existence. It won’t be immediate but it can come if you work at it and make better choices.

“And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.” Colossians 3:15 (NKJV). 

LOVE THAT CROSS, PASTOR JOHN COLLINS


Saturday, September 22, 2018

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS, EVANGELIST: HUMBLE OF SPIRIT


be humbled.


“God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:5-7 (NKJV).

Jesus came to this world humble and a servant. He came to do the will of His Father, our Father. Our view of ourselves can become bloated and elevated by our accomplishments, by our successes, by our talents and especially by the way others lift us up and validate us. Many of us demand that validation regularly and it is the cause of much sorrow in our lives. We desire to be made to feel important and needed and of value to those around us. We want to be recognized and we want to be loved and adored. We thrive on our pride.

So, what does it mean to become humble of spirit? What is it that we need to do within ourselves to alter our outlook on ourselves and our feelings on what will satisfy our souls? We need to recognize that life is fleeting. The very breaths in our bodies are numbered and we are not in control of their limit. If we put such store in ourselves and not in our Lord, we will not be capable of allowing ourselves to be humbled.

“My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord’
Nor detest His correction;
For whom the Lord loves He corrects,
Just as a father the son in whom he delights.” Proverbs 3:11-12 (NKJV).

We all need to be corrected in our ways. We all have the natural instinct to be proud. We must come to want that correction in all of our ways and the place to start is with our humility. It is for us to learn that we are in need of a Savior and His name is Jesus Christ. When we acknowledge that we are sinners and our ways are naturally perverse, we come to WANT Jesus to be our Lord. We have to learn to want to be humble and receive the rewards. We have to want to change our hearts and souls. 


We have to want to serve in response to our salvation. We have to want to rid ourselves of our pride, vanity, and selfish ways. They are there, to deny that is to lie and deceive ourselves. But they can and will be cleansed from us if we learn to want that above all else. That is what it is when you seek the kingdom of God above all.


“Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the Lord, “Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool.” Isaiah 1:18 (NKJV).


Love That Cross, Pastor John Collins


Friday, September 21, 2018

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS, JOHN COLLINS MINISTRIES: SOCIAL MEDIA



FROM JOHN COLLINS MINISTRIES:


Use what God has given you.....








Be an inspiration to others if the chance is given you

LOVE THAT CROSS, PASTOR JOHN COLLINS

Thursday, September 20, 2018

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS, EVANGELIST: LET US BE CHRISTIANS!

From John Collins Ministries:


“And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written: 

‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed; To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord’ 

Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him. And He began to say to them, ‘Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.’” Luke 4:17-21 (NKJV). 

Jesus Christ came to fulfill the law. He came and taught, performed miracles and healed. He showed us the Father and the way to heaven. He is everything that is beautiful and true.

Jesus suffered and died and rose again. He lived for us and died for us and lives for us again. We love Him and we thank Him. He is our Savior, our hope and our constant comforter. 


Let us rejoice today in the gifts of the Father. Let us rejoice in Christ our Lord. Let us hold love in our hearts and kindness on our lips. Let us be thankful for the salvation of the Lord.


Let us be ready to forgive and let go of hurt. Let us be full of faith and loyalty to our Creator. Let us love one another as Christ has asked us to. Let us be Christians!


“Now when it was day, He departed and went into a deserted place. And the crowd sought Him and came to Him, and tried to keep Him from leaving them; but He said to them, ‘I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, because for this purpose I have been sent.’” Luke 4:42-43 (NKJV).


Love That Cross, Pastor John Collins

Wednesday, September 19, 2018

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS, EVANGELIST: HEALTHY FAITH HABITS



FROM JOHN COLLINS, EVANGELIST:


"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


Tuesday, September 18, 2018

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS, EVANGELIST: FRIEND? ENEMY?


From Pastor John Collins: 



"Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord. Therefore ‘If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Romans 12:19-21 (NKJV).

I am sure that there are many people who would like to do this but are unable. It is very hard when you are hurt, insulted or mistreated by someone you just want to fight back and get even. It feels good to add insult to injury to someone whom you feel deserves it. It is easy to treat your enemy with utter disrespect and contempt.

Who says that they are your enemy though? What drives people to group up together to hate another group whether it’s nationally, internationally, in school, at work, or even in our own families? It is not what God wants from us and it is just not our right to determine who has value and who does not.
It is our responsibility to grow in our faith and learn to have true compassion, even on those that we would ‘consider’ our enemy. God knows if any one of us has behaved with righteousness or not and every one will stand before the judgment seat of Christ. It is up to us to let go of the grudges and the pettiness that we can hold so dear. It is up to us to see things as Jesus would and choose to forgive and to let the justice of God play out.

It is also necessary to know that false kindness and fake friendliness gains you nothing. When your heart holds contempt for someone there is not enough smiles and kind gestures that will make up for it. You must allow clarity to enter your mind and pureness to enter your heart. Hold on to God and His Son and they will help you heal. Let God do His job and you do yours, worship Him in Spirit and Truth.

“Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men.
If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.” Romans 12:17-18 (NKJV).

LOVE THAT CROSS, PASTOR JOHN


Monday, September 17, 2018

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS, EVANGELIST: So you've sinned A LOT!!!


SO YOU THINK, "NO WAY"


From John Collins, Evangelist:


“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 (NKJV).

Okay, so you have sinned, A LOT!! At what point do you give up and believe that you are not savable? At what point do you believe that God would not forgive you, that only the devil will have you and that you are not worth saving anyway? This is more common than you may think. As many as justify their sin and take Jesus for granted, there are just as many who don’t bother to call on Jesus because deep down they don’t believe that they are worthy of walking the streets of heaven and living in eternal bliss.

Satan has done his work well. He has planted doubts and he has spread so many lies that many have come to believe that they are truth. God is not a cruel dictator in the sky and Jesus wants to forgive you and died for you before you even knew that you needed Him. God is merciful and compassionate and has forgiven the murderer in David, the whore in Solomon, the rebellion in Jonah, the persecutor of the church in Paul, the doubter in Thomas not to mention the sins in the twelve sons of Jacob and He is willing to forgive your sins too.

God is waiting for you to recognize your worth to Him and for you to honor that worth by believing in Him and His Son. The Christian must believe that they are worthy of forgiveness and work to submit to the will of God and to obey the commandments of Christ. It is important that your hope be true and your commitment to living the gospel be complete. You are not supposed to live in sin and just not care and you are not meant to give up on yourself because God does not want to give up on you.

You matter and the proof that you matter was given on the cross while Jesus gave His last breath for you. The Lord says that you matter so do not give up on you and do not give in to the devil.

“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.”  Philippians 2:12-13 (NKJV).

LOVE THAT CROSS, PASTOR JOHN


Sunday, September 16, 2018

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS, EVANGELIST: GOD, NOT FOR MEN ONLY

GOD wants salvation for all.


From John Collins, Evangelist:


"Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our image; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.’” Genesis 1:26 (NKJV).

Is God a male chauvinist? Is the Bible geared toward male chauvinism? There are plenty of men who adhere to this belief and use it to justify their domination of women and there are plenty of women who adhere to this belief and use it to justify their hatred of men and their defensiveness of ‘girl power’. Let me set the record straight for all of those who like to blame God and the Bible for everything that is wrong in their lives and in this world; God is NOT a male chauvinist!!

God is pro salvation, be it for a man or a woman. God created both male and female and each have their responsibilities to God, to their families, to each other and to themselves. God does not want women to be dominated and treated with contempt just like he doesn’t want any race to be dominated and treated with contempt. God did not create one to be superior to the other but instead created both to complement each other. Man and woman were created to be teammates and to help each other through life. God wants salvation to come to all which is why He sent Jesus. Jesus is not only for the men or the Jews.

People will blame God for every little thing and that is just ridiculous. What people should be most concerned with is their own salvation and that only comes to the righteous and humble of heart. If you are a man with the attitude of superiority, you are not right with God. If you are a woman with the attitude of defensive self-righteousness, you are not right with God. God wants you to become humble, as Jesus was humble. This life thing is not about who is better, who has more, who comes first, who is above and who is below in status. This life thing is about godliness, kindness, love, forgiveness and grace. God is willing to show mercy to men and women and God is just in His judgment of men and women. Humans are the flawed beings that like to blame and need to feel more important than others. Believe me, God knows His worth, He is just waiting for you to realize yours, as a Christian who obeys His Son.

“Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.” Genesis 2:24 (NKJV).


 LOVE THAT CROSS, PASTOR JOHN

Saturday, September 15, 2018

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS, EVANGELIST: "OMG"

"You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.” Exodus 20:7 (NKJV).

“This is the ‘stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.’
Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:11-12 (NKJV).

We are told to revere God, fear God and hold Him in awe. We are not to take His name in vain and we are not to take the name of the Lord Jesus Christ in vain.

Someone gets hurt and yells out Jesus Christ in a tone and manner that is equal to curse words. The term "OMG" has become second nature and of no consequence in the casual speech of people today.

Vain use of the name of God and Jesus is to make them useless, of no effect, idle and worthless. To speak with such casual disregard for the name of God is show them contempt.

The Lord is holy, divine and worthy of all reverence. The Lord is who we pray to, hope in and trust in. The Lord should never have His name fly off of the lips of those who claim to love Him in such an offensive manner. There is power in a name. Think of all that the apostles accomplished in the name of Jesus. Think of the prophets who accomplished so much in the name of God.

Those who curse with the name of the Lord or fling around the "OMG" response have absolutely no respect for the Lord and have absolutely no understanding of the Lord as they break one of the ten commandments and are blasphemous in their speech toward the Lord. We have got to do better as a nation and dig deep to find our respect for God again.

“How can you believe, who receive honor from one another, and do not seek the honor that comes from the only God?” John 5:44 (NKJV).

LOVE THAT CROSS! PASTOR JOHN











Friday, September 14, 2018

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS, EVANGELIST: PRIDE


From John Collins, Evangelist:


God does not want servants that think highly of
 themselves and their eligibility~Evangelist, Pastor John Collins
photo from wisdomhunters.com

“Then a dispute arose among them as to which of them would be greatest. And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart, took a little child and set him by Him, and said to them, ‘Whoever receives this little child in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me. For he who is least among you all will be great.’” Luke 9:46-48 (NKJV).

“Listen, my beloved brethren: Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?” James 2:5 (NKJV).

Who is worthy to be lifted up? How does God choose those that He would separate and use for His purposes? He chose Abraham and Abraham was considered a friend of God’s. He chose David and David was a man after God’s own heart. He sent His Son who died for us all.

Even those who walked with Jesus thought of themselves and the impact that they would have on this world. This is so wonderful to know that the human instinct to desire to rise above and be great was felt in those men who walked with Christ. This allows us to recognize this in ourselves and work to overcome. They were corrected and they learned what true humility is. They witnessed their Lord humble Himself to the Cross. Yet there are so many that want to be great in the name of the Lord. They call attention to themselves and think highly of themselves. But, God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble. Believe me when I tell you that God knows what He is doing and He knows our hearts.

God has no use for pride. God does not want servants that think highly of themselves and their eligibility. God wants people to serve Him that are humble of heart. When we choose to walk with Jesus it should be with a pure heart and a true devotion to obedience to the Lord. We should never seek our own. We should not care what others think of us. We should be concerned only with whether we are an asset to the kingdom of God or a burden. If we have selfish ambition in our heart and a desire to stand out and be important, we are seeking status in this life and we are then unworthy to be a true servant of the Lord.

We must be careful when we desire to leave a name for ourselves, to want to be recognized for our importance or to be valued among men. A truly worthy person that will serve God well is a person that has no ambition in his heart. This person thinks of salvation when he looks upon the souls of this world. This person has sadness in his heart because of the condition of the human race. This person worries of the state of other’s faith in their lives. This person considers opportunities to share the gospel and help others come to Jesus. This person wants to see others go to heaven and lives his life as an example. This person will sacrifice and find ways to be a light in a world of dark. This person will please God.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn,
For they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
For they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
For they shall be filled.”
Matthew 5:3-6 (NKJV)

Love That Cross, Pastor John



Wednesday, September 12, 2018

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS: A POEM


FROM PASTOR JOHN COLLINS:


All over the news; because of the elections, 
We as AMERICANS are asked to choose 
Choose a candidate; Choose a way 
Vote this way or vote that way; is what they all say.


The HELL with the USA and its lack of MORALS and all of the decay 
Vote for me, for I AM the way.


My objectives are clear is what they all say 
We will change AMERICA, but do it their way. 
They promise us all the Golden Calf and the progress we need 
But in all honesty, it is just all about GREED. 
Let the poor be poor; they want to be that way 
and let the rich get richer; they have earned their stay.


They say to unite all colors and be treated the same, 
Go look at the ghettos in America; it’s a crying shame 
Veterans on the street begging for a meal, 
as the people in WASHINGTON see it... and say, it's NO BIG DEAL.


Terrorists are on the TV; that’s all we see. 
But wait...were we not told; if they were a team, it would be JV 
That JV team has become gold medalist in the Olympics of terrorism.


Confusion and lies, yes 
VOTE for me; I will change it all, just wait and see. 
There will be jobs and the crime will be less 
But let me guess 
In a year from now; it's still a DAMN mess. 
You vote this YEAR, yes it’s a must; 
But let's change the rules 
And give GOD our trust.


Don't vote so that we will all be slammed 
Don't vote for the ELEPHANT 
and Don't vote for the JACKASS. 
Lets all change the course 
and VOTE FOR THE LAMB.


America was formed from in GOD WE TRUST 
It's time to change, OR... 
It's all a BUST.



LOVE THAT CROSS, PASTOR JOHN, BELIEVE THAT 


Tuesday, September 11, 2018

OUTLAW PREACHER

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS WRITES:



I find myself sitting here thinking out loud about society and its double standards and lack of reasons and morals. I am going to strongly voice my opinion and will NOT engage in any comment war with anyone. Everyone has their right to opinion, so here is mine.

There are a lot of pastors on the pulpit preaching wrong. Not all pastors are wrong or bad, but many of them are. The ones that are NOT serving God are preaching hate and prosperity.

I have been called an outlaw preacher, a rebel preacher and many other names. Say whatever you want; however, I am God’s. I serve Him, NOT man!

We live in a country that was founded upon “In God We Trust”. Now, we have turned our backs on God, slapped him across the face and told him to leave!

We have all conformed to this world as the bible has told us NOT to do by catering to sin. Those who are against sin, you are a racist, offensive, homophobic or violating peoples civil rights. What about MY rights as a Christian? Oh wait, that goes against society as well. If you follow God’s law, you are wrong in the human eye. Humans would rather you break God’s laws than man’s laws! What the hell is that all about!

The world is falling apart. God’s Wrath is here and it is going to get worse. People are more than willing to jump on any bandwagon that comes around. Meaning, we are so quick to join the latest fads, no matter how sinful they are.


Some might say, why listen to me? I am a preacher who has been to prison. Yes I was, before I was a preacher. Many people have been to prison and then changed their lives. Also, many people in the bible were imprisoned! If you have a problem with that, I pity you for judging. Unless you have walked in my shoes, you simply do not know who I am or what God has planned for me.

Our country is full of hate groups, for what reason? The New Black Panthers, the Nation of Islam, Radical Islam, some in Black Lives Matter, the KKK is still there as well as the White Supremacists, and David Duke is making headlines again. 

This is not looking good for us Americans. If we do not work together and stop blaming each other, it’s over. We are right now, a country of hate. Not a country of God. We blame everyone but ourselves for what is going on.

Preachers use the bible to benefit themselves. To put money in their pockets and prosper off of God’s Word. This makes them sinful and those that follow, destined for hell. Politicians base their decisions by being politically correct because it is more popular and it is more beneficial to them. Heaven forbid we hurt some ones feelings by telling the truth.

I think that when Jesus was here, he could have cared less about being politically correct. Being politically correct will lead you to the pit of hell. If you decide that living by the flesh and all of its pleasures is your thing, good luck with that. When you close your eyes for the last time, just remember the word “oops”. That is what you will be saying as you are headed straight to hell.
The United States of America is united. Not by the love of God anymore, but by hate, greed, vanity, self-indulgence, to name a few. We are going to have to deal with God’s Wrath.

STOP blaming God and blame yourself. Turn it around, follow the bible, fellowship, and become a country of God once again.

It seems like everyone wants to fight for a cause. What better cause is there than to fight for God. 

LOVE THAT CROSS, PASTOR JOHN



Monday, September 10, 2018

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS: PAUSE


“Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator.” 1 Peter 4:19 (NKJV).

Doing the will of God fully means you must be prepared and willing to go where you don’t want to go. You must be willing to be scoffed at, ridiculed, hated, and dismissed outright as a lunatic and fanatic. Doing the will of God means you will be challenged and you will suffer. Doing the will of God means going against the tide, giving up all that you previously held dear and learning that to be right with God means you will be wrong with this world. Doing the will of God means it is not about you, your desires, your hopes for your life and it is not about doing the bare minimum so that you can feel good about your goodness.

Noah did the will of God and could only have been the laughing stock of the land, until the waters came. Abraham did the will of God and left all that he knew and was familiar with behind and received the promise. Moses did the will of God and carried the burden of leading the people for half of his life. The prophets did the will of God and were imprisoned, rejected, scorned and killed. The apostles did the will of God and were wandering preachers who were imprisoned, rejected and eventually killed. Jesus did the will of God and that perfect and lovely soul was spat upon, rejected, beaten, jailed and killed for us. Doing the will of God leads to hateful encounters, angry confrontations and flat out rejection as well as being considered a completely crazy person who is a fanatic.

When the world loves you, pause. When the world praises some pastor or leader of some church, pause. When those who are living outside of the will of God find no fault in you, pause. When you blend so completely into those who are of this world, pause. When you pursue your happiness believing that God wants you only to be happy, pause. When you have convinced yourself that you have done enough and are good enough, pause.

You cannot do the will of God in secret and believe that you are doing it right. You cannot go about your business of living while around others and then go to church one day a week and be doing it right. You cannot keep your beliefs and faith in God a secret and be doing it right. Does this mean that you should go grab a picket sign and find a cause? No. But, you should stand so firmly in your belief in the salvation of Jesus Christ that your beliefs are never questioned. You should behave in such a way that you are not recognized by this world as one of their own. You should seek to do the will of God and not the will of yourself. Never assume that God does not want you to sacrifice, suffer or lose someone or something that is precious to you in order for you to do His will because the Bible teaches us otherwise.

“But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people’s business. Yet, if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter.” 1 Peter 4:15-16 (NKJV).

Sunday, September 9, 2018

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS: WAITING WORLD


JOHN COLLINS MINISTRIES: SAFE


“Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself, and has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man. Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth-those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.” John 5:25-29 (NKJV).

This is one of the truths of the Bible and of this world and the perfection of God that should amaze everyone. God is all-knowing and from the beginning of this world and the first deaths of this world those souls were held in waiting for Jesus. They slept and their faith while they lived and the deeds that they did would speak for themselves as to whether or not they would believe in Jesus Christ when He spoke. Those that were true believers in God and those who lived by faith heard Jesus and believed in Him immediately upon waking. Those who were not believers in God and did not live by faith awoke to condemnation and eternal hellfire.

God will always be perfect and this world has yet to have all revealed to them. When new revelations come, as with Jesus, those who truly belong to God will hear the truth and follow that truth. There will be sons of damnation that will try to challenge your faith and your belief but God knows those who are His and He will always call them home. Trust that if you truly want to belong to God, you will because you will choose Him over this world and He will hold you safe from all.

“I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.” John 5:30 (NKJV).

LOVE THAT CROSS, PASTOR JOHN


Saturday, September 8, 2018

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS: DEBATING THE BIBLE


PASTOR JOHN COLLINS: 


“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NKJV).

Did God really create the earth, heavens, animals and us in just six days? Did Lot’s wife really turn into a pillar of salt? Did Jonah really get swallowed by a big fish? Is the bible believable? What about slavery, the treatment of women and is God just a big ole meanie?

I must say that Satan is working hard and has claimed so many. The debates that take place about the bible, the truth of God and the relevance of the bible is just amazing. You have so many atheists and haters of God arguing that God is mean and the bible is myth.

None of these current non-believers were there in the beginning when God was creating this world and they would benefit from reading Job. We do not know exactly how long those first six days were because we do not know how long a day was then. I know that the bible speaks the truth and I know that God is the Creator and Father of us all. I believe that Lot’s wife did turn into a pillar of salt and that if there is not any understanding as to why and what lessons are provided in the telling of that story then it should be read again and again but I will say that disobedience and a longing for this world were a part of her character. I do believe that Jonah got swallowed by a big fish and I know that it was a foreshadowing of Jesus’ time in the ‘tomb’ which was when He descended into the lower parts of this earth to preach to those who slept.

I believe that slavery has been a part of humanity since the beginning of time and just because we believe ourselves ‘civilized’ does not mean that it does not still occur in this world or that it will not be seen again by those who believe that it is a thing of the past. There are instructions in the bible to honor women and to respect them just as there are instructions for the men to be respected as well but the one that deserves the most honor and the glory is God and our Lord Jesus Christ.

There will be naysayers and non-believers that will try to undermine your faith by preaching their philosophy of civilization and education but I know that the most civilized place with the most educated souls reside in heaven and it is the blessing of the believer to be permitted to enter those heavenly gates upon their death.

“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 2:15-16 (NKJV).

LOVE THAT CROSS, PASTOR JOHN


Thursday, September 6, 2018

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS: MY PRAYER OF THANKS


Heavenly Father, my gracious and loving God, I pray to You and Your precious Son, Jesus, today for those who take the time to read these posts and their loved ones. There are some who are battling health issues, some financial issues, some relationship issues, some faith issues and You know each and every one.

You know the struggles of the human condition and the fight that we have with the devil and his minions. I ask that you strengthen the faith of those reading this and of their families as well. I pray that they simplify their lives and seek Your kingdom above all.

I pray that their hearts are encouraged and comforted in their times of need and I pray that they do not let the obstacles overwhelm them but realize that with Your love and the love of Christ they will overcome them and will be that much further along in their journey and walk with Jesus.

I pray that those that read this know that they are cherished and are loved and that they respond to that love that comes from above by sharing it with others.

Thank You God for all of Your sacrifices and mercy and thank You Jesus for each thought for us, each prayer for us, each tear shed for us, each drop of blood lost for us and for the precious peace and perfect love that comes from You.

I thank you God for hearing this prayer and for answering this prayer.

It is in the name of Jesus that I pray, Amen! 

LOVE THAT CROSS, PASTOR JOHN

Tuesday, September 4, 2018

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS: 5 MINUTES!!



Pastor John Collins:  5 Minutes to change your life


GOD is always with you.  Just seek Him, and you will find Him. NEVER GIVE UP. PRAY.

LOVE THAT CROSS!  PASTOR JOHN COLLINS


Sunday, September 2, 2018

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS: FEAR NOT



 Pastor John Collins:



"Fear not, for I am with you;

Be not dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you,
Yes, I will help you,
I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10 (NKJV)









“There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment.
But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.” 1 John 4:18 (NKJV).










Some people are driven by fear. They are afraid of failure, of success, of others’ opinions, of death, of life, of pain, of happiness and on and on. It is natural to experience fear in this life. There are times when it is appropriate and there are times when it is paralyzing.

The faith that we have and the trust that we have in God and in Jesus is meant to help us overcome our insecurities and ourselves. We need to know that we do not belong to this world but we belong to God. That truth, when it is planted in your heart, will banish your fears and fill you with hope.


The apostles and prophets were killed in terrible ways and yet they held on to their hope and the love of God and the power of Christ to get through the suffering. Whatever may bring fear to your door is never going to be bigger or stronger than God and the promises that He has made. When you find yourself struggling with fear or anxiety just stop and say a little prayer and move forward. Trust that He will see you through the day and that is just what you need to know, that day by day He has got you and you have nothing to fear.





“Whenever I am afraid,
I will trust in You.” Psalm 56:3 (NKJV).

















“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” 2 Timothy 1:7 (NKJV)









LOVE THAT CROSS, PASTOR JOHN