PASTOR JOHN COLLINS: WHERE SIN BEGINS...

From Pastor John Collins:

"You have that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” Matthew 5:27-28 (NKJV).

Jesus gave us an interpretation of the law that is imperative that we understand. Prior to Him speaking about these things, it was the focus of the law to look at the actions of a person. Do not kill, steal, lie, or commit adultery and so on. Yet, with the words of our Lord, we learned that it is in our hearts that the sin begins. Before we will commit adultery we will lust, before we murder we usually hate. That is why Jesus said that what comes out of a man is what defiles a man.

Although we may feel that we understand this and we may even have given some thought to this, how often are we monitoring our emotions that will lead us to sin? We are filled with the propensity to be selfish and evil beings. That is a fact. We have to make the effort to allow Jesus to help us overcome ourselves. The most basic negative emotions, if left unchecked, will be the downfall of our souls.

We get depressed, angry, sad, resentful, bitter, and are full of fears and frustrations that may seem overwhelming to us. We must be diligent in our relationship with Jesus so that we allow Him to manage the purifying of our hearts for us. With His love leading us we are able to let go of the negative seeds in our hearts and to plant the positive and water them well. That is what being the branch to His vine is. That is where we will bear much fruit.

Do not let negativity rob you of the joy of Jesus. Do not allow bad emotions to build inside of you until they consume you. Pay attention to not only your actions, but to your feelings. That is where it begins.

“If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.” Matthew 5:29 (NKJV).

LOVE THAT CROSS, Pastor John Collins

Read more about JOHN COLLINS MINISTRIES, or reach me, Pastor John, personally through John Collins Ministries at www.johncollinsministries.com.

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS: ABORTION

From John Collins, Evangelist:

“For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them.” Psalm 139:13-16 (NKJV).

Children are precious, each and every one of them. They are a gift from God as we were when we were created. You see, we are made in the image of God and that is not a fact to be taken lightly. Yet, not everyone values the life of a child. Many see it as a choice that is to be made. I want you to know that I am not one to judge but I am one to educate and that means speak the biblical truth so that understanding can come. This society has laws that permit abortion and between 1973 and 2011 there have been an estimated 53 million abortions performed in the US.

Now, there are many preachers and even religions that include guilt in their doctrine. What you need to understand about guilt is that it is useful to guide us toward repentance. If we do not understand what is acceptable to God and what is not acceptable to God we will have no idea of what we must seek forgiveness for in our lives. We would be living without any remorse for the choices that we make. God is willing to forgive us which is why He sent Jesus to die on the Cross for us. But we cannot take for granted the way in which we live our lives and the choices that we make.

It is not an antiquated idea that abortion is not in God’s plans for our lives. God does not change and even though society may deem this an acceptable choice for women and has encouraged us to believe that this is so, the truth is that it is taking a life, it is choosing to not allow that life to come into fruition. This subject is a volatile one for many. For God and Jesus, it is a simple one. We are created in their image and we are wrong when we choose to take that life and there is not any justification by claiming it is a fetus and not a child.

Abortion is a sin and it is a choice that should put a hole in your heart. It is necessary to repent and it is forgivable. God and Jesus want us to come to know those things that they approve of and they want us to begin to live lives that are in submission to the will of God. How can that happen if you cannot find within yourself the remorse needed to seek forgiveness because society has created in you an acceptance to sin? We must overcome society and what is deemed lawful. Remember the world is evil but Jesus has overcome the world. We must aim to do the same, without anger, without bitterness but with acceptance and a willingness to seek righteousness in our lives.

“How precious also are Your thoughts to me. O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand; When I awake, I am still with You.” Psalm 139:17-18 (NKJV).

Love That Cross, Pastor John, BELIEVE THAT!!

Read more about John Collins Ministries or reach me, Pastor John, personally through John Collins Ministries @www.johncollinsministries.com. 

BACKSLIDING FROM PASTOR JOHN COLLINS, JOHN COLLINS MINISTRIES:

From John Collins, Evangelist:

“For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them.  But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: ‘A dog returns to his own vomit,’ and, ‘a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire.’” 2 Peter 2:20-22 (NKJV).

Ah, the backslider, those slippery paths, that jumbled mess of a highway system that has him lost, confused and picking that well-traveled road. The see-saw of the decided Christian then the undecided Christian who misses the fun and back and forth. 

There has been a weakening of the term backslider for the Christian. Backsliding should not be taken lightly and although God is merciful and compassionate, God is also not stupid and is very aware of the desires of your heart and the choices that you make based on them. You cannot claim to be a Christian on Sunday and having been out drinking and whoring on Saturday night think that you are pleasing God in any way. God knows if you are genuine in your faith or not. God knows if you are truly committed to becoming righteous and God knows if you are genuinely working toward accomplishing that goal. Once you choose to be a Christ follower you should do so with a complete heart without turning from that choice.

Christians should not be casual in their faith and lazy in their efforts to claim their place in heaven. You are not guaranteed tomorrow so you should never wait to seek the Lord and you should never be complacent in your faith. Never take backsliding with a casual attitude but be forceful in your determination to see your life through with obedience to the Lord. What do you think the Christian faith would look like today if Paul had gotten lazy and inconsistent in his pursuit of doing the Lord’s will? It is necessary to claim consistency in your walk with God.

“But Jesus said to him, ‘No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.’” Luke 9:62 (NKJV).

LOVE THAT CROSS, PASTOR JOHN

Read more about JOHN COLLINS MINISTRIES or reach me, Pastor John, personally through John Collins Ministries at www.johncollinsministries.com.

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS: THE TONGUE

From John Collins, Evangelist: 

"But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.” James 3:8 (NKJV).

Your tone of voice is an indication of the true intent behind your words. Someone may say something that is true and yet the way in which it is said and the words that are chosen are either combative and malicious, calm and soothing, frank and impartial, or ingratiating and patronizing. Each of us should always be careful of intentions and try to avoid causing others to stumble in this life.

Our emotions determine our actions. When we are angry at someone and have no forgiveness in our hearts for a situation or person then our speech about anything concerning that situation or person will be hateful and bitter. When we are jealous of someone then our speech about them will be spiteful and cutting. When we are hurt we can lash out and try to hurt in return and say awful things that cannot be taken back but just becomes the next set of words and the next situation that must be repented of and forgiven. Life is exhausting if you do not manage to gain the perspective that permits you to desire to seek righteousness and obtain that goal.

Righteousness is doing the right thing all of the time and not just when it suits you. Jesus was righteous and His life taught that you can become righteous and you can do the right thing. You do this by choosing to learn how God sees things and by trusting that God will take care of the justice of this world. Humans are prideful and stubborn and always want to think that they are the wronged party, the misunderstood and the victimized. Humans just have that wrong.

Jesus came and showed us that life isn’t fair, life is tough, and people are judgmental and can be hateful. Jesus came and showed us that forgiveness is right, kindness is good and that God does value His children. Jesus showed us that our words have the power to hurt, heal, encourage, deflate, inspire and so many other wonderful and terrible things. You need to be willing to give your soul a chance at salvation and to that you need to be willing to obey the Lord, hear the Lord and submit to the Lord. You cannot do that if you are always right, always defensive or offensive, prideful, stubborn, unforgiving, hateful, bitter or unwilling to bend.

“Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things. See how great a forest a little fire kindles! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell.” James 3:5-6 (NKJV).

 LOVE THAT CROSS, PASTOR JOHN

Read more about JOHN COLLINS MINISTRIES or reach me, Pastor John, personally through John Collins Ministries at www.johncollinsministries.com

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS: THE LIES OF A "PROPHET"

From John Collins, Evangelist: 

“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 were 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

Read more about JOHN COLLINS MINISTRIES or reach me, Pastor John, personally through John Collins Ministries at www.johncollinsministries.com.

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS: POWER OF PRAYER

From Pastor John Collins:

“And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.” John 3:19-21 (NKJV).

There is true evil in this world. We can look around and see it. Many people would like to ignore it, not be bothered by it, not have it touch their lives and just go about their business. Sometimes evil intrudes and we are shocked, hurt and want to question if there is a God at all. If God is so powerful, why does He allow bad things to happen? That is always a question for those who would deny that there is a God and would claim that if there was a God at all then He must not care about us and must not be all good as those who believe in His say. God gave men free will to live and choose to behave as they would have it and for that reason there will always be evil in this world. Evil is just selfish desires and power grabs manifested in this world. Evil is those choosing to lash out at others because of their own hurt. Evil is defiance and rebellion acted out in order to lift oneself up. Evil is petty and there will come a time when God chooses to step in and bring about further revelation to this world.

Some wait for God to act and some want to ignore the signs but while there is still yet time we should be praying for more light to shine in the darkness. Prayer is a powerful thing and God wants to hear from us, not just about our lives, our desires, our sicknesses and needs, our family and friends but about our hopes and thoughts regarding this world. Do you consider praying about those who suffer, the abused men, women and children? Do you pray for the weak? Do you pray that those who protect us are themselves protected? Do you pray that righteousness would make its way into the government? Do you pray that foreign nations would be strengthened in food and health to limit the depletion of your own country? Do you pray that revelation would come from God that would minimize the desire to blow each other up? There are people whose only desire is for more power, more money, more weapons and the opportunity to display it all for the world to see. There is evil in this world because some only care about themselves and they don’t value life or the gifts that come with it.

What so many have forgotten, failed to realize or choose to ignore is that the only true power in this world comes from God alone and all of the rest is an illusion. God is the one who has all of the strength and He really does want us to make the best choices available to us and sometimes people just don’t know what that is. Changing things in this world can start with hope and prayer. Change does need to come, more light needs to permeate the dark and more people need to wake up to the reality that things are changing and we need to change as well. We need more righteousness in this world, not more rebellion. Pray for that.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16 (NKJV).

Love That Cross, Pastor John Collins

Read more about JOHN COLLINS MINISTRIES or reach me, Pastor John, personally through John Collins Ministries at www.johncollinsministries.com.

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS: PRIDE

From Pastor John Collins:

“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. Even those who walked with Jesus thought of themselves and the impact that they would have on this world. 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

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