Happy Birthday Penny!!!!!

Today, my wonderful wife celebrated her birthday, and I am grateful that the Lord has allowed us to be not only partners in life, but also in ministry. Marriage is not an easy way, nor is it something that should be taken for granted, and I will be the first to admit, that our journey together has not been easy, but what I am thankful for mostly is that God has done whatever he needed to do to keep us together. The vows that were taken on June 17, 2000, said that marriages ought to stay together through good times and bad times, and I have tried my best to give her good times, but sometimes those bad times creep back in. But I am grateful that she is a true Woman of God who prays for her husband and asks the Lord to keep me when the enemy tries to ensnare me. So Happy Birthday Baby!!!! Love You Much!!!

Vacation Bible School

We began our nightly VBS for adults on tonight and runs through friday, and the turnout was very encouraging with the promise that it will get better and better. The book that we are studying this week is entitled The Power of One Another, which suggests that building better relationships in your church will foster a growing church. The first lesson tonight dealt with Romans 12:9-10 entitled Love One Another. The Lord blessed tonight and I am anticipating him meeting us there every night this week, to the praise of his glory.

Quick Series on Jonah

The Lord led me to halt our exposition on the Book of Ephesians because at the point our church is at right now, there were some more pressing needs that the church had to have. For we are at a serious point in the life of this ministry, and the next decision that we make will determine whether or not we walk into our destiny that the Lord has designed for us.

Jonah's story is something that I believe needs to be dealt with at our church, as here is a man who is dealing with his reluctance to follow the call of God, and his reluctance to forgive his enemies. And the truth of the matter is that's where we are as a ministry. We need to focus on going where the Lord has told us to go. This is a two-part series, for if I was going to deal with Jonah's disobedience from God in chapter 1, then I need to deal with some good news in chapter 2.

Title: The Danger of Running Away From God
Text: Jonah 1:-17

Thesis: running from God will cause you to take a trip that is destined to destroy your life.

I. Downward Trip

II. Costly Trip - v. 3

III. Foolish Trip - v. 3

IV. Dangerous Trip - v. 4-17

Be Filled With the Spirit

We continued our look at the book of Ephesians entitled The Church: United Body of Christ, as we look at one of my favorite scriptures in the bible chapter 5:18-21, where we looked at what it means to be filled with the Spirit. We as members of the body of Christ have perfected how to dress like church members, talk like dress members but we have not mastered the ability to be filled with the Spirit. This phrase be filled with the spirit in the original language of the text is in the perfect imperative which suggests that we are to be constantly filled with the spirit. Day by day we are to ask the Lord to fill us because nobody is filled with the spirit all of the time. Here is my sermon outline. I hope it will be a blessing to you as it was to our church:

Thesis: being filled with the spirit is essential of every child of God who has a desire to walk with God

I. Speaking to Other Believers - v. 19a

a. Psalms - written songs of the Old Testament
b. Hymns - written expressions of joy for the coming Messiah of New Testament
c. Spiritual Songs - songs inspired by the spirit; songs of testimony

II. Singing to the Lord - v. 19b

a. singing - gift of vocal expression
b. making melody - gift of instrumental expression

III. Show an Appreciation to the Lord - v. 20

a. When should we be thankful - always
b. What should we be thankful for - everything
c. Whom should we be thankful to - God the Father
d. How Should we be thankful - in the name of Jesus Christ

IV. Submission to One Another - v. 21

Flipping the Switch

We continued our series on the book of Ephesians with chapter 5:8-14. This phrase continues Paul's lessons to the Jews and Gentiles regarding their unity in the church by walking in the light as opposed to walking in darkness. The truth of the matter is that this war is still being raged inside the modern day church. For all of us have an issue with the conflict in our existence of whether we as Children of God would walk in the light or continue in the darkness of this world. Here is the sermon outline for this message:

Thesis: in order to be a great church for the Lord, we must be willing to walk in the light and not in the darkness

I. Fruit of Our Walk in the Light - v. 9

a. fruit of goodness - v. 9a
b. fruit of righteousness - v. 9b
c. fruit of truthfulness - v. 9c

II. Fellowship of Our Walk in the Light - vs. 10-13

a. fellowship in separation - v. 11
b. fellowship in silence - v. 12
c. fellowship in shining - v. 13

III. Future of Our Walk in the Light - v. 14

a. notice the people addressed - v. 14a
b. notice the plea announced - v. 14b
c. notice the promise assured - v. 14c

Walking Like God

We continued our biblical exposition on the book of Ephesians with our look at chapter 5:1-7. There are many types of walks in our society, race walkers, those who walk for sport...power walkers, those who get up early in the morning and go to their local park in an attempt to lose weight. Those types of walks may be good for a man's physical condition, but they will not help the condition of a man's spirituality. But there is another type of walk, that if done properly, will ensure that a man will live a glorious life both in this world and in the world to come.

Sermon Outline

Thesis: every church should be identified by their desire to walk just like God

I. Direction of Your Walk

-verse 1

II. Definition of Your Walk

-verse 2

III. Description of Your Walk

-verses 3-4

IV. Danger of a Wrong Walk

-verses 5-7

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY

My prayer to the Lord is that each and every one of you have a blessed and safe holiday. May the Lord bless you...may he keep you...may he make his face to shine upon you...may he be gracious unto you...may he lift his countenance upon you...may he give you peace...and let this peace be with you until we all meet again.