PASTOR JOHN COLLINS: "I HEARD....."

 

From Pastor John Collins on Heaven’s Country (8.2.20):

.....I heard

"I went through the archive for Pastor John Collins Marty Smith, and do you know how many times in the last six years we talked about gossip? 24.  You know why? Kinda like last week when we talked about the old pastor doing John 3:16 over and over its because people aren’t catching it.

"I think that one of the worst things any human being can do to another is to either be a gossip, a slanderer, or a busybody. I’ve said this, and I don’t know how more plain I can be by saying this,  if the audience again they’re not going to like my language “if you don’t have anything nice to say about somebody that can build them up, shut up, because you’re only doing Satan’s work by putting them down and keeping them down.”

Proverbs 21:23 (ESV):  “whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps himself out of trouble”

....But not so much that it keeps himself out of trouble in the eyes of God, but you may not be tearing down somebody’s soul. I just think that somebody that doesn’t have anything good to say about somebody, keep your mouth quiet.  If you get your jollies by talking about other people to try to discredit them, or disprove them, you’re not much of a Christian and in my eyes you’re not much of a human being in the first place.  You know, we have such a problem with everybody wants to be better than everybody else and they will say and do whatever it is that will get them status, and the heck with what the other person feels. Marty, you and I are big advocates of suicide prevention.  Suicide is caused a lot by bullying because of peoples actions and their tongue. A lot of sleepless nights are caused by people’s actions and their tongues.

Gossip has been a repeated topic in blogs and posts and sermons by Pastor John over the years…..and we still need to hear the truth.

The following are composed from previous blogs, posts, and sermons by Pastor John Collins.  When are we going to get it?

From Evangelist, Pastor John Collins during a revival:

Are our own lives so boring that we must entertain ourselves with the pain and humiliation of others?  Do we really need to know who is doing what and why?  Is it any of our business?  Isn’t there something we could be doing that is productive and good?  Isn’t there a wholesome way we could converse with each other?  Is it really any of our business to discuss the sex lives of others?  Is it proper to discuss our own sex lives with others?  Is there nothing that is sacred anymore?  Is there nothing we will not expose about someone just because we can?

 

“Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.”  Ephesians 4:29 (NKJV).

 

Gossip is the same as murder in the eyes of the Lord.  It harms people, it destroys reputations and it is just an awful way to spend your time.  It is a part of society today and it is shameful and wrong.  Think of your conversations, consider your words and know that idle speech is of the devil.  We should all cast away our joy in gossip and learn to bridle our tongues.  Be careful of what you say and what you readily listen to.  You don’t have to be polite and listen to gossip.  You can easily say, “I prefer not to hear that.”  Life can be easily simplified by not engaging in idle talk.

 

“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.

 

“There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a person who stirs up conflict in the community.” Proverbs 6: 16-19. (NKJV).

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 COLLINS, EVANGELIST

Reach Pastor John Collins through John Collins Ministries at www.johncollinsministries.com or through email at jcollinsministries@gmail.com.  Listen to Pastor John Collins on Heaven's Country Radio on Sundays at 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Mountain Time.

 

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS BRINGING BACK GOD & FAITH: GOD AND COVID-19

From John Collins Ministries:

Transcribed from a recent Sunday radio broadcast:

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS:

“I think we’ve been saying over the past eight years that one day, God is going to get tired of getting slapped across the face by people.  We are going to have a wake-up call for something to happen, because He wants us to turn back to God.  We need to get rid of politics and get back to the Cross, first and foremost, but that is the problem.

“God didn’t do this.  People going out into the public when they weren’t supposed to, not wearing masks when they were supposed to, not social distancing when they were supposed to, that was the problem.  This could have been not as deadly as it was, in my opinion, if we would have done these things.”

 “You shall not tempt the LORD your God as you tempted Him in Massah” (Deuteronomy 6:16, NKJV).
“Jesus said to him, “it is written again, ‘You shall not tempt the LORD your God’” (Matthew 4:7, NKJV).
“And Jesus answered and said to him, “It has been said, ‘You shall not tempt the LORD your God’” (Luke 4:12, NKJV).

“I think there’s Scripture that says “do not tempt the LORD thy God.” Why would you go out and do things that would harm yourself or harm another person then blame it on an Almighty God?  That’s what I don’t understand.

“I’m hoping that people use this time….you know a couple years ago we did a whole Sunday show on pastors in the pulpit and how their egos were dividing churches and people were leaving the churches, and in a lot of cases, God wasn’t even allowed into His own home, because He wouldn’t be affiliated with the doctrines that are being preached. I hope that people are using this time to get their knees dirty, to get their arms heavy from having to lift them to the sky, getting a crick in their neck from bowing their head and closing their eyes. I hope they are using this time to get closer to an all-powerful and just glorious God. I hope people are taking this lull that they have of not being able to go into a building that man built that when they go back in, and give it back to God.  He has been merciful to an awful lot of people through this pandemic.  There are prayer warriors.  We are going to make, it sooner than later, we do make it.  Let’s just be faithful.

“Here’s the thing, “where two or more are gathered, I am in the midst” (Matthew 18:20, NKJV, paraphrased). Don’t lose your faith because you can’t walk into that building. Go online and get your GOD on that way, get your Jesus on that way! God hasn’t let us down, and if we are down, He will pick us up, that’s what He does.  We have to be faithful to Him.  Now is a great time to get into your Bible, now is a great time to pray, more importantly, now is a great time to get a better relationship not only with your family, but…GOD!

“GOD is doing things to empower people to develop a relationship with Him again.  And for the people who are church-burned, for the people that stopped believing, now is a great time to get to know Him again because He is a great, almighty, perfect GOD and they should never forget that.”

LOVE THAT CROSS!! PASTOR JOHN COLLINS

If you have questions, if you are hurting, if you are searching, please reach out to Pastor John Collins through his website, www.johncollinsministries.com or by email at jcollinsministries@gmail.com. God wants us back!

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS: AN EDITORIAL ~ CHURCH HURT

From John Collins Ministries:

Pastor John feels it is time to show the world how far from Christianity we have gotten.  He wants to change the face of Christianity and make it mean something!  If you do not understand what this means, let me explain it to you.

Today we have people who do not want to go to church for very good reasons!  There are the "church hurt" people.  Church hurt means someone who was hurt by their church.  This could be someone who turned to their church for help and was turned away.  It could mean someone who was judged in church, felt pushed away or uncomfortable within their church or disagrees with everything going on inside of their church.  How do you take a church hurt person and get them to trust in a church again?

At one time, it was very respectful to be a Christian.  Today, it is not cool to be a Christian because look how bible thumping Christians behave!  They think they are holier than thou, better than others, quote bible scripture out of one side while the other side behaves like a fool and hypocrite.  People like to claim they are a Christian and their actions speak otherwise.  In fact, some people run from those who claim they are Christians.  If you are a true Christian, there is no need to brag or state it because your actions will prove it (one way or the other).

THE DARKNESS

Let’s take a look at the Catholic Church.  How do you trust that your child can attend a catholic school or church without your supervision?  You can't and it is being proven over and over.  The molestation that happens on a daily basis is not subsiding.  Once it was swept under the rug but today it is coming out more and more.  Even with the news being publicized, the priests are still continuing down this dark satanic path.

THE PROSPERITY DOCTRINE

Take a look at the doctrine being preached by preachers all over the world.  The one you will see on T.V. at any time of the day is the prosperity doctrine.  When did Jesus tell us to preach for money?  Who said it was okay to take payment for prayer?  This is wrong on so many levels.  It just makes me sick!  Damnation is a very scary word that these preachers must not understand!

SO WHAT HEALS US?

So what heals us?  It is simple, our faith through Jesus Christ and our trust in the one and only true God, the Almighty!  NOT A MAN ON A PULPIT claiming to have magical powers. They might as well get their crystal ball out and pretend to speak in tongues to it!  Come on people! Don't be so ignorant to believe that a sinful man can heal your sickness.  It doesn't work like that, never has and nowhere in the bible does it say it does!  One of the greatest scriptures to support this is the woman in the bible that bled for many years, touched the cloak of Jesus and he turned to her to say "Woman, your FAITH has healed you".  How great are those words!

So you say you are a Christian but others will judge you. They will point the finger at you and say you're not politically correct.  Why can a Christian not stand for what is written in the Holy Bible and not be criticized?  There is an answer. Jesus said we can be persecuted for our belief.  Matthew 5:10 - 11 "Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  Blessed are you when men shall revile you and persecute you and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake." The beatitudes are wonderful and tell us what will happen.  Are we willing to endure the persecution, and at what cost?

According to Pastor John, if he had to base Christianity upon what he sees and hears on T.V., radio, and in church, he would NOT be one!  Most people wouldn't be one with these outlets as their guidelines.  Pick up the Holy Bible and figure out what you believe, not what someone else tells you to believe.  That someone else is not going to stand beside you and take the heat when you are asked by God on your final day "why did you do this".

‍

The face of Christianity needs a face lift!  Remove the evil and replace with our one true God, His laws, His will, and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  It is that simple!

Pastor John Collins feels that there is a great need in the United States to get away from the prosperity gospel, to get  priorities right, that there is no price to be put on a soul.  Each person is precious and deserves to hear the word of God in its entirety and without it being watered down.  Pastor John Collins is available to travel to speak to churches or groups for this sermon series.  He can be reached through John Collins Ministries, www.johncollinsministries.com.

LOVE THAT CROSS!! BELIEVE THAT!! 

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS

CONNECT!! PASTOR JOHN COLLINS REDEEMING THE GOSPEL REVIVAL

Pastor John Collins: Connect

“Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour. ‘Father, glorify Your name.’ Then a voice came from heaven, saying, ‘I have both glorified it and will glorify it again.’ Therefore the people who stood by and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, ‘An angel has spoken to Him.’ Jesus answered and said, ‘This voice did not come because of Me, but for your sake.’” John 12:27-30 (NKJV).

From Pastor John Collins: 

Jesus grew up knowing the duty and responsibilities that He had been given. He knew what would come and He lived with an awareness of what was to be gained. He did not live with His own needs and wants but with those of His Father’s. Jesus was driven to give as He had always seen God give.

It is so clear that Jesus wanted those He encountered to understand the gifts that came from the Father. He wanted them to know that God was reaching out to them. He often pointed out that certain things were done for the benefit of others. Jesus did not need the reassurances that we need and did not lack the understanding that we do.

I believe that we often take too much of life for granted. We should slow down and look up. 

We should stop in our tracks and pray. Jesus was mindful of God always and was mindful of His impact on our souls. Jesus cares for us and wanted only the best for those that He ministered to. His life was full of determination for all of the right things. We have so much to learn from Him and we have so much be thankful for.

If there is one thing that you can do for yourself in your daily lives, it is to take the time to connect with the Lord. You should be seeking the opportunities to quiet your lives and to become more aware of God. You should think about what you have done in your life and what you want to do. But do this according to the gospel of Christ and see where that takes you.

God has always done things to reach us and has always provided a way home. God has given us His Son and we should take note of the character of Jesus so that we can learn from Him. Jesus pleased God in every way and we should seek to do the same. It is possible for us to have the commitment to God that Jesus displayed by choosing to follow our Lord.

Let us be aware of the efforts of God and Jesus and let us respond to their love. Let us be honest with ourselves in our lives and be willing to sacrifice for our eternal souls. Let us become more faithful people who choose to pay attention to the things that are above over the things of this earth. Let us praise God for His consideration and selfless love.

“Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.  And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.” John 12:31-32 (NKJV).

LOVE THAT CROSS! PASTOR JOHN COLLINS

If you need to reach out to someone, you may contact Pastor John personally through JOHN COLLINS MINISTRIES, www.johncollinsministries.com or by email: jcollinsministries@gmail.com. 

You are not alone!  GOD bless you.

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS: FEAR! THE WORLD IS CLOSED

From Pastor John Collins:

In the face of COVID-19, fear abounds across the world.  Remember, God is with us, Immanuel:

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and love and of a sound mind.” 2 Timothy 1:17 (NKJV).

Fear is where bad thoughts and bad decisions lie. Fear can make you be suspicious of your loved ones, fear can make you act crazy and overbearing towards your children, fear can make you act territorial on your job and fear can cost you relationships that you cherish. Fear can make you hit the bottle, buy a bag or slam the needle. Fear can keep you from living your life peacefully. Fear can keep you inside your home, fear can keep your from opening up to others and fear can ruin your life.

God does not want us to live in fear whether we are aware of it or not. God does not want us to be weak because of fear nor give in to what we do not believe in because of fear, whether it is fear of not getting along and being accepted, fear of getting hurt or fear of losing something or someone. God wants us to be strong and confident in the face of fear because we know that His promises are true.

“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).

There have been many self-help books and seminars on fear and on the power of positive thinking. Many people have grasped the concept of positive thinking and have chosen to devote themselves to changing the way that they think in order to have better outcomes on their situations in life. There are 2 options when it comes to positive thinking: you can stand in your personal power to think yourself into a positive outcome of whatever place you find yourself or you can stand in godliness and trust in the Lord to help you find solutions to your problems and grace to accept your failures along with wisdom to grow in your faith which allows your soul the maturing that God is hopeful that you will claim while you live here on earth. God is aware of all of your joys, problems, fears and complications in your life. God wants you to stand strong in your faith with loyalty to Him and with a heart for Him. God wants you to learn to trust Him and to know that without Him you are nothing, without Jesus you are nothing. That is the truth of this world. Positive thinking comes from knowing you are loved and in return you are obedient to the will of God. Positive thinking that leads to heaven comes from knowing that you are meant to live your life with the knowledge that it gets messy and how you deal with all of it is the test and it is your greatest opportunity to show your love and faith in God.

Positive thinking is good when it is based on faith in God. But positive thinking that is based on what you can create and claim for yourself is arrogant and selfish and without true knowledge. We must move forward in this life with confidence and faith and not fear, but we must also move forward with humility and not pride and a true desire to please God because it matters and where your soul ends up depends upon it.

“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.  For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.” Hebrews 12:2-3 (NKJV).

LOVE THAT CROSS PASTOR JOHN COLLINS

 

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS: TORAH

From John Collins, Evangelist:

Jesus answered them and said, ‘My doctrine is not Mine, but His who sent Me. If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority.” John 7:16-17 (NKJV)

Christianity is going through a crisis of immense proportions. People have been waking up to the truth of the history of the church, to the paganism within the church and to the abuse of grace that has produced so much disobedience to God. Jesus was very clear in stating that you must obey the Father and not just believe, for it is those who love Him that are obedient. That being said, there are Christians everywhere who are taking their wake up call that was from God and jumping ship all together. There are Christians who have desired to start at the beginning, get to know the Torah and study the word of God to know what sin is, what obedience consists of, and what is promised in the prophecies. You have Christians going from learning about the feasts and wanting to observe them which has led to many seeking out rabbis to teach them which has led to them ditching Jesus and taking the steps to convert to Judaism. This is a problem and a big one. Those who are weak in their faith are finding themselves being convinced that Jesus is not the Son of God, that He was not the Messiah and that He was not even Torah observant Himself, but introduced pagan beliefs to His followers and created a new religion that has nothing to do with the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Heaven forbid, but, it is true.

I will be very clear on this. God clearly instructed His feasts to be observed, they are prophetic and should be part of your knowledge. God clearly said that swine is an abomination, not only in the Torah but in Isaiah and unclean birds and detestable beasts are mentioned in Revelation which means that there are still clean and unclean animals. God said that the Sabbath was eternal and a sign between Him and His people and that keeping it would bring blessings. Now, there are many who claim that Jesus nailed to the cross all of the law of Moses, but, in truth what He did was pay the price of the curse of the law, as sin brought death and His death brings life, so we escape the penalty that our sin demands. There are many verses that clearly indicate that you should keep the law, but, there are the verses about grace too and there are so many parts of the law that are not possible to keep so there are many possible stumbling blocks to trip the believer up.

What does God want from you? He wants you to believe in Jesus and He wants to become a person after His own heart. How do you do that? You not only love your neighbor as yourself, but you study the word of God, you do your best to be obedient. Always think of the Sermon on the Mount and know that you are to not only obey the letter of the law, but more importantly, you are to obey the spirit of the law. Remember Jesus said, ‘Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.’ Matt. 5:19 (NKJV). Are you going to hell for not keeping the feasts? Certainly not, especially if you didn’t know. If you know, should you keep them to the best of your ability? Yes. Should you keep Sabbath? Certainly. If you work and are providing for your family, will God know and also know your heart? Yes. Jesus has given us freedom to trust Him, to love Him, to find the strength to forgive, to let go of hurt and find peace, to stop gossiping and to stop using our bodies to sin. By His stripes, we are healed.

Those who choose to honor God, to obey Torah and to seek to worship Him as it instructs, that is good as long as you don’t find yourselves lost in Jewish teachings, pitching Jesus into the trash bin and chucking your salvation into the toilet. To those who choose to continue to worship Jesus and God as they always have and to ignore the Torah people and the confusion that is running rampant, stay in prayer and trust that the Holy Spirit of God will guide you and keep you. It is better to cling to Jesus and trust in His grace than it is to see Christianity as only evil, Judaism as the only truth and lose your salvation through confusion, doubt and thereby ultimately rejecting your Savior.

“Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.’” John 14:6 (NKJV).

LOVE THAT CROSS PASTOR JOHN COLLINS

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 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.

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS: 23 HR CHRISTIANITY

From Pastor John Collins:

“Now Jesus sat opposite the treasury and saw how the people put money into the treasury. And many who were rich put in much. Then one poor widow came and threw in two mites, which makes a quadrans. So He called His disciples to Himself and said to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury; for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood.’” Mark 12: 41-44 (NKJV).

You cannot only be a Christian when things are going good in your life and you cannot only be a Christian towards those whom you like and approve of. The whole point of being a Christian is to be Christ-like and believe me, Jesus was kind to those whom He knew to be sinners and those whom He would not approve of, which is the reason that He was sent to earth, to save those who were lost. Jesus gave all that He had down to His last breath, for us.

Many people take their own lives and situations too seriously and become defensive and ignore those who are around them. Many people justify their self-absorption by claiming tragedy, turmoil, victimhood and obligations. You cannot justify acting nasty or dismissive to others because you are not in a comfortable situation or in a place of stability. God tests you on how you behave under pressure, under stress and in the tough situations. God tests you all of the time and if you really are interested in how you are doing, just go and read the Sermon on the Mount and see how you measure up.

The words of Christ when He spoke are not to be dismissed, they are to be obeyed and that is how you will be tested. God doesn’t want you to wait until you are happy and financially stable to help another. It is your suffering that makes you able to have compassion and it is your willingness to put another before yourself that makes you rich.

Be willing to be a follower of Christ when no one is looking and be willing to open yourself up to another when they are in need. Not everyone needs money as charity. There are so many lonely people in this world that need love and faith. Be willing to offer both freely because God knows that Jesus always will.

“Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have the glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.” Matthew 6:2 (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: FAITH

From Pastor John Collins: 

“For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise: ‘For yet a little while, And He who is coming will come and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith; But if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him.’ But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul.” Hebrews 10:36-39 (NKJV).

A life is only worth living if the soul is saved, otherwise it is a tragedy no matter how well that life was lived. A life must achieve salvation in order to produce worth.

A person can grow up brilliant, become a scientist and cure a disease, become a surgeon and save lives, become a soldier and fight for freedom, become a teacher and pass along knowledge to so many, become any number of things that enhances the lives of those living on this planet and still fail. If you don’t make it to heaven, you fail.

No matter the success, accomplishment, or enlightenment that you bring to this world, if you don’t live a life of faith in the Son and the Father and commit to living a life in obedience to the gracious will of God, you will not enter heavens gates upon your earthly death.

Life is a gift and in all of its trials and troubles it is precious and an opportunity for you to grow in righteousness. Life is a gift and it is full of trauma and beauty that too many just waste on nonsense. Life is a gift that should be cherished and appreciated and used to ensure your salvation which can only happen through devotion to the Lord.

Do not squander your life. Do not take a single breath for granted. Do not waste what you have been given. Love God, love the Son, love the cross, love your neighbor and love yourself enough to seek those things which are above which is to seek to become more Christ-like and to seek righteousness before all.

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1 (NKJV).

LOVE THAT CROSS, PASTOR JOHN BELIEVE THAT

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

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS: AGGRESSION, ARGUING. AND FIGHTING

From Pastor John Collins:

“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).

“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).

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. 

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

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

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS: LAZY FAITH

From John Collins, Evangelist:

“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.” 2 Corinthians 5:10 (NKJV).

It is time for a serious reality check for every single person living on earth at this time: You are going to die an earthly death and will have to face the righteous judgment of God. You may think you know what that means, you may not care but let me fill in the blanks for so many….whether you choose to believe in God or not, whether you find God fair or not, whether you agree with God or not, whether you end up dismissing God or not, whether you reject God or not and whether you end up getting as angry at God as you want and as defiant toward God as you want and you can ignore Him, disobey Him and reject His Son but in the end, ALL will come before the judgment seat of Christ and ALL will face the righteous judgment of God, whether you want to or not and whether you believe it or not.

Heaven is NOT a given. Heaven is NOT guaranteed. Heaven is a reward of the salvation that you claim when you choose Jesus and obedience over your worldly life and yourself. People are so selfish and self-involved and so full of self-importance that they just can’t seem to work out their salvation with fear and trembling because they have lost their capacity for reverence and most have never bothered to develop it for God in the first place but have transferred that delight and wonder and awe for the material things of this world and for the prestige that can come with it.

Everyone wants to talk about how God is love and just ignore the truth that God is wrath as well. Remember that God is complete, God is divine and God is the Creator of all and is without flaws. Judgment happens in a moment and is irreversible and it is forever. Why take any chances with your eternal soul when today allows you call on Jesus and to obey the Lord. Do not be lazy in your faith. Get right with God.

“For it is written: ‘As I live, says the Lord, Every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall confess to God.’ So then each of us shall give account of himself to God.” Romans 14:11-12 (NKJV).

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS, LOVE THAT CROSS!

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

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS: WISH GRANTED

From John Collins, Evangelist: 

“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.” Galatians 5:24-25 (NKJV).

Name it and claim it! There are many churches out there that have been peddling the law of attraction for some time now. There are many Christians that see no harm in a visualization board, affirmation clippings and scrapbooks of hopes that are created, kept  and prayed over.  What is wrong with picturing a better life for yourself, creating a visual focal point so that you can put out into the world your hopes and dreams and create for yourself the life that you desire?

Many believe that you can state your claims out loud to God and He will answer your heart’s desire.That is your will, not His. As much grace as God is willing to provide, He is not in the business of granting wishes like some genie in the sky.

The challenge of being a true Christian in this life is to deny the passions of your flesh. That is what you fight against. Your flesh wants nice things, joy and happiness above all and most of all it wants validation for your importance and existence. People want success and recognition for their efforts and they want the paycheck that goes along with it. There are many that say to live your life to the fullest, claim your reward, allow God to do more for you than you realize was possible. God is in the business of saving souls, not making your dreams come true. God desires humility and not pride of life. People want to try this and that to make their lives better but do not even see when those things are anti-biblical because people don’t know the word of God.

This name it and claim it nonsense is of the new age church. There are many churches today that are introducing and blending pagan ideas and activities into their church, whether they realize it or not, which are contrary to true faith and genuine worship of the Father and the Son. Be careful of the influences that you allow into your life, your church and especially your home.

Many Christians don’t know about the occult and those practices which makes it hard to rebuke when it enters your life and there are many of these that seem harmless enough but in reality all they do is undermine your beliefs. God has been fighting the evil practices since the beginning and many cannot see that it is nothing new but it is just updated and repackaged for this generation. Paganism and idolatry is an abomination to the Lord and you must be cautious and aware in what you allow to have influence over you. Hold tight to the doctrine of truth and let humility rule your life.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.” Galatians 5:22 (NKJV).

LOVE THAT CROSS, PASTOR JOHN COLLINS

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

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS: RELIGION STUMBLING BLOCK

From John Collins, Evangelist:

"But this I confess to you, that according to the Way which they call a sect, so I worship the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the Law and in the Prophets. I have hope in God, which they themselves also accept, that there will be a resurrection of dead, both of the just and the unjust. This being so, I myself always strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men.” Acts 24:14-16 (NKJV).

Paul was speaking of the Way in which we should all live in accordance with the commandments of God and in belief of Jesus Christ as our Savior.  There is truth given to men by God and we are to respond to this truth with faith and let our behavior be of righteousness in order to attain salvation upon our deaths so that we can be among the just in resurrection. The Israelites were not as clear about resurrection and heaven and hell. The afterlife was not spoken of in definitive terms but it was clear that God chose the Hebrew people to reveal His commandments and they received the oracles and Laws. Jesus made it clear that He was the way to righteousness and to heaven. Unfortunately, religion has become a stumbling block for godliness.


The Israelites were given instructions on righteous behavior and how to live their lives daily and even they stumbled over the ‘rules’ of it all. That became the basis for so much instruction in the New Testament which has led to the 'Christians' doing the same thing. You cannot separate your life from your faith.  You cannot have religious observances and sinful living simultaneously.  That is the problem that people have always had. They compartmentalize their faith and their lives.  The Way is to become your  way of life, your standard of living and your faith is to guide you in all that you do. Religion is a stumbling block because the doctrines of men have taken over just  as the oral tradition of men took over in Judea so long ago and yet it is these traditions that are still in control of the 'faith' of people.

When you allow the routine of your religion to become the religion itself and you rely on going through the motions and requirements of that religion then you have been blinded and have fallen into the ditch. Faith is meant to guide you, to strengthen you and to give you the knowledge and confidence in God that allows you to live your life according to His standards. Your faith is not meant to become a routine of bullet points that you tick off in order to complete the list of obligations so that you can meet the minimum requirements that will allow you to reap the rewards without interrupting your life and your pursuit of happiness in any extreme way.

Your faith in Jesus is meant to give you hope and the courage to live your life as His servant. As His disciple you are meant to follow His example always not when it is convenient. Those who follow Christ will experience unpleasantness and will stand out in this life because as the world hated Him it will indeed hate you. Let the love of the Lord seep into you and flow through you and you will live a life that shines for Jesus and you will reap the rewards that are promised by God. Do not allow your ‘religion’ to be routine, compartmentalized or stagnant. Trust that the way you live your life will determine whether your resurrection is of the just or the unjust and both will be judged.

“Thomas said to Him, ‘Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?’Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.’” John 14:5-6 (NKJV).

LOVE THAT CROSS! PASTOR JOHN

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

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS: OMG!

From John Collins, Evangelist:

“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 apostle 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 10 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

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

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.

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: 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.