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: 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: SUICIDE

From Pastor John Collins:

“And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” Romans 5:3-5 (NKJV).

Sometimes life just beats you up and sometimes your faith is tested more than you think that you can bear. It is important to begin and maintain that relationship with Jesus so that you can be sure that all of your struggles in life will produce the results that you seek. You should be seeking first and always to obey the Lord and get to heaven and your entire life should produce godly fruit that is evident of your conviction.

When you are not striving to do the will of God and you are living your life doing your own will and pursuing your own desires then you can be sure that any pitfalls that you fall into are not about testing your faith but are about providing opportunities for you to begin to pursue your faith. If you are a person who devotes each day to becoming more Christ-like then you can be sure that all of your struggles are not in vain but are a product of your learning to trust in God and also learning what is approved of by God while strengthening your character and preparing you for heaven. Only the pure and the approved get to go to heaven and just believing in Jesus does not mean you will be welcomed into Paradise. Remember that even the demons believe.

Perseverance is a challenge for everyone. It is not easy to feel burdened and tormented in life and it is not easy to deal with all that may happen that produces loss and hurt and scars. The beauty of submitting to the will of God and in obeying the Lord and in calling upon Jesus is that you know that when your faith is genuine, their strength is your strength and their hope for you is complete and they won’t let go. God really does want you to make it home to Him and Jesus really did die for you so that you could go there.

Life is difficult and times are tough and it is nothing new. Give your life to Jesus and commit to being loyal and obedient in your faith and know that no matter what you go through in this journey He will be there for you. Trust that you do have what it takes to persevere and it is worth it to try and try and try. Hold on to the hope that the Lord has given because He does love you.

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

LOVE THAT CROSS, PASTOR JOHN BELIEVE THAT

Read about JOHN COLLINS MINISTRIES or contact me, Pastor John, personally 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: YOU ARE LOVED

From Pastor John Collins:

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

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

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

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

LOVE THAT CROSS, PASTOR JOHN COLLINS

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS, JOHN COLLINS MINISTRIES: LOVE, WRATH, COMPLETE GOD

From John Collins Ministries:

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).

LOVE THAT CROSS, PASTOR JOHN COLLINS

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS, EVANGELIST: LET US BE CHRISTIANS!

From John Collins Ministries:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Love That Cross, Pastor John Collins

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS, EVANGELIST: HEALTHY FAITH HABITS

FROM JOHN COLLINS, EVANGELIST:

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

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

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

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

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

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

LOVE THAT CROSS, PASTOR JOHN

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

GOD wants salvation for all.

From John Collins, Evangelist:

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

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

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

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

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

 LOVE THAT CROSS, PASTOR JOHN

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS: MY PRAYER OF THANKS

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

LOVE THAT CROSS, PASTOR JOHN

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS: FEAR NOT

 Pastor John Collins:

"Fear not, for I am with you;

Be not dismayed, for I am your God.

I will strengthen you,

Yes, I will help you,

I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10 (NKJV)

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

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

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

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

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

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

LOVE THAT CROSS, PASTOR JOHN

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS: FREELY OFFERED

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS: WHEN NO ONE IS LOOKING...

“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