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: BE READY

From Pastor John Collins:

“Oh, that You would rend the heavens!  That You would come down! That the mountains might shake at Your presence- As fire burns brushwood, As fire causes water to boil- To make Your name know to Your adversaries,That the nations may tremble at Your presence! When You did awesome things for which we did not look, You came down, The mountains shook at Your presence.” Isaiah 64:1-3 (NKJV).

God created mankind and has not left him alone. God has come down, given His word, directed and fought for His people and has given His Son for us. God has come down and instructed His people and God has given man free will. God has not given up on mankind and yet so many want God to come down again.

What would you do if God came to you? Would you feel justified in His presence, would you welcome Him and would you feel good about discussing your life and your choices with Him? If God came down would you be ready and would your faith allow you to believe?

Many people only want to think of God as love, compassion, kindness and grace and they choose to ignore that He is righteous anger, justice and truth. God is full of love and grace for the soul who seeks Him and believes in His Son which is why it is so important to care for your soul before you care for anything else because once you pass away then you have to deal with God’s righteous anger and justice if you have failed to obey His instructions.

Benjamin Franklin said that you should not put off until tomorrow what you can do today and today you can get right with God so that when He does reveal Himself to you, you will be ready.

“But now, O Lord, You are our Father; We are the clay, and You our potter; And we are all the work of Your hand.” Isaiah 64:8 (NKJV).

LOVE THAT CROSS, PASTOR JOHN COLLINS

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS: A JOB TO DO

From Pastor John Collins:

“And when He was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast. When they had finished the days, as they returned, the Boy Jesus lingered behind in Jerusalem. And Joseph and His mother did not know it; but supposing Him to have been in the company, they went a day’s journey, and sought Him among their relatives and acquaintances. So when they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking Him. Now so it was that after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard Him were astonished at His understanding and answers. So when they saw Him, they were amazed; and His mother said to Him, ‘Son, why have You done this to us? Look, Your father and I have sought You anxiously.’ And He said to them, ‘Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?’” Luke 2:42-49 (NKJV).

As a Christian you must be able to look at the life of Jesus and to see the focus and devotion that He had to doing the will of God and to make the effort to emulate it. Jesus knew that His life on earth was temporary and that He had a job to do while He was here and although the life of the Christian may not have the importance that the life of Jesus had, each life of a Christian comes with a job to do. Each person that is a believer in Christ has an obligation to the kingdom of heaven to glorify God and to follow Christ. That is the most important job that you can ever have and it is the only job that will see that you are permitted entry into the kingdom.

Whether you are busy being a parent, an employee, a student, a child, an athlete or a bum, you still have a responsibility to God. There is not any activity or obligation that you have that takes precedence over being a man or a woman of faith and living a life that shines for Jesus. There is not any excuse that you can give that will justify you ignoring God and choosing to not follow Jesus. We all have a job to do and either you do that job and receive the reward or you don’t do that job and you deal with the consequences. God is merciful and has much compassion but He is also righteous and His wrath will fall upon the wicked and the self-serving.

Don’t fool yourself into thinking that you are too busy for God because He is not too busy for you.

“And Jesus answered and said to him, ‘It has been said, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’” Luke 4:12 (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