PASTOR JOHN COLLINS: CHANGE IS POSSIBLE

From Pastor John Collins:

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

“Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, And uphold me by Your generous Spirit. Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, And sinners shall be converted to You.” Psalm 51:12-13 (NKJV).

The gang-banger, the drug dealer, the thief, the liar, the cheater, the adulterer and every other sinner out there is a soul in need of Christ. We live in a world of despair and fear of our fellow man. We have so many horrible truths that fill our streets that we are cautious and wary. There are bad people in this world and many of them do not want to change. I believe that there are also so very many people that have not been given the chance to change. Their environments have created a need to survive and there seems to be so few ways to get out.

There are many outreach programs that are trying to help. I believe that more can be done. It is not only in the inner cities and slums that these lost souls reside. The address of a soul in need is not of importance. Remember the 1 lost sheep and know that our responsibility to each other is greater than we have owned up to. We are all God’s children and we should all be willing to enable change in another. Sometimes it is just believing that change is possible. Sometimes it is faith in helping another create the desire to change within themselves. Change is possible.

The true hope of the gospel is this change. This is what getting to heaven involves. We cannot claim to believe and then not change our lives and ourselves. It is the hope of Christ that allows us forgiveness and with that forgiveness comes change. We are new creatures and we are no longer the same person that we were. Sometimes we must bear with the doubt and judgment of others. 

Sometimes we must overcome the doubt within ourselves. I don’t care what your past was because whatever that past was it is now your testimony once you have come to Jesus and become His disciple.

This is what we should look for and hope for in others. We should be encouraging the drug addict, the alcoholic, the cheater, the gang-banger and the abuser. All these would be terrible sinners are the souls of the lost until they find the truth in Christ. Each one of us will find in our lives opportunities to encourage faith in others and we should be willing to take the chance to do so. Remember Jesus did not come to heal the healthy but the sick. Do not look down on someone that is a prisoner of Satan’s, look up to God and pray that the lost be touched by the Lord and drawn to Him. Do not doubt the transformation that comes with the Cross. That is the beauty and hope of our faith.

“For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.” Romans 8:13 (NKJV).

LOVE THAT CROSS, PASTOR JOHN COLLINS

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS, JOHN COLLINS MINISTRIES: BAD DAY

From John Collins Ministries: 

“Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. ‘The Lord is my portion,’ says my soul, ‘Therefore I hope in Him!’” Lamentations 3:22-24 (NKJV).

Have you ever had a bad day that just went on and on into the next and then the next? Have you ever enabled your own sin by saying to yourself that you have already sinned so what does it matter? You do not have to allow one bad day to just stretch into an undetermined amount of time while you wallow in your own filth and excuses.   

God is amazing and His mercy and compassion is fresh and new each day so if you messed up yesterday and regret it there is no reason to continue today. You have to stop your own self-sabotage at some time and just get on with it. There is no excuse for any of us and we are prone to justify our mistakes. God does not want justifications, He wants us to accept responsibility and to make the effort to change our ways.

God does not expect perfection but He does expect you to care enough to make the effort. He knows when you are slacking in your faith, making excuses and just refusing to change your ways. If today was a bad day for you, find your remorse and then with a prayer seeking forgiveness you can move on and hope again in a new day, a new opportunity to get it right and a new chance to bear good fruit.

You have to decide that you are worth it and that you matter enough to desire heaven because God has already done that for you by sending Jesus and He died on that cross for you which proves His love and His belief that you are worth it. With our Lord validating your self-worth you need to do the same and choose to obey the gospel of Christ. Let each day be a day that you praise God and thank Jesus.

“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 COLLINS

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 

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS: SIGNS

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS: CHANGE IS COMING

“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 wasa 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.

Pastor John Collins: Prayer is powerful

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.

Pastor John Collins: Prayer changes things

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