In Spirit & Truth

God gave us the Ten Commandments for a reason. He knew what He was doing when He laid them out. In his message, Pastor JD points out that the first half of the commandments concern our relationship with God…and the second half is with others. Following this example, we must have our relationship with God right before we can show true love to others.

We love to receive grace. In fact, we feel entitled to it. God’s grace flows abundantly to us because He love us. However, we tend to be stingy with our grace. We want to hold on to hurts, instead of allowing others grace. As Pastor JD explains, it’s only when we give grace away that healing and restoration can occur, and true love can be demonstrated.

Praying in front of others can bring fear equivalent to that of public speaking…maybe even greater. We hear eloquent prayers and think we need to pray in the same manner. In his message, Pastor JD discusses the idea that we’ve made prayer too difficult. Prayer should be simple. And while it’s a powerful act, it’s a simple and heartfelt conversation we have with our Heavenly Father.

We should have a sense of urgency as we walk through this life with Christ. And, if our adversary the Devil knows Bible prophecy more than we do and he has an urgency and agenda of his own, then today is the day to WAKE UP! In today's message, Pastor JD will encourage us to open our eyes to the times. Oh Christian! Walk with urgency!

Benjamin Netanyahu has declared plainly that an Israeli jet being shot down will not be tolerated. And it's no wonder! Is there any country in the world that would tolerate an obvious act of war like this? Of course not! This is just another indicator of the times that we live in. Please prayerfully listen with an open heart today.

When we love someone, we want to make them happy. We want to do things and behave in such a way that brings them joy. As Pastor JD explains, that is one of the ways we express love to our Heavenly Father. While we will never be sinless, our love for Him should drive us to break free of…move away from...and desire to never return to the sin in our lives.

Love…a simple, yet powerful word. A word by which, as Pastor JD explains, we can gauge whether we are born again. The love we show to others is a direct reflection of our relationship with Jesus. When others see our lives and the fruit of our lives, do they see Jesus living inside, and through us? Let us constantly examine the love that is demonstrated in our lives to others.

As Pastor JD continues to discuss true love and speaking the truth to those we love, he challenges us to first examine our own behavior for the same sin we are about to confront. Yes, we need to speak truth to others. However, we also can’t forget to speak truth to ourselves. As we’ve all heard, we must first remove the log in our own eye before confronting the speck in another.

You've probably heard many of the pundits touting facts about the church dying. The fact is...main line churches are definitely seeing a decline in attendance. That said, Pastor JD believes that the people leaving main line churches are actually going to Bible teaching churches. People are tired of the pablum that is being fed them. There is a hunger for God's Word.

The decision by our president to release classified memos is yet another step towards transparency in our government that we should be thankful for. The things that these memos are revealing...well, these are very concerning. Pastor JD will talk about how the hidden practices of those in our government are contributing to the steady demise of culture.

Speaking the truth to someone we care for, is easy when it’s a pleasant topic. However, when it’s regarding a sin in that person’s life, it can be extremely tough. So tough, that we often avoid it. However, Pastor JD reminds us that our willingness to speak the truth in a loving way, is a demonstration of true love. Withholding the truth from someone may only mean their destruction.

As followers of Jesus, we have many eyes on us. Watching how we handle difficult situations. And as Pastor JD teaches, this is for a purpose. For when we go through trials, and others see how God sustains us through them; it gives hope to those who are lost or broken. Our trials can serve to benefit others. So while we may not know the purpose…God has a plan.

Trying to do two very different things at once is quite difficult…even impossible at times. But often, we think we can indulge in the flesh and still walk with Jesus. As Pastor JD takes us through some of the reasons we go through trials, he explains that trials can serve to bring us back in step with Jesus. And when we are in step with Him…all in…it is impossible to be in step with the flesh.

When we are in the midst of a trial, we beg for God to deliver us from it. We think we know what’s best for us, and question God’s plan and what we are experiencing. However, Pastor JD uses the illustration of the potter and the goldsmith to remind us, that while we may not like our current situation, God ultimately knows what we need and what is best for us.

In the last edition of In Spirit and Truth Pastor JD began talking about the concerning direction that our government is now taking regarding the nation of Israel. While Israel is being supported now more than ever...a two state solution is not something that the Bible supports. What does this mean for Bible prophecy? Tune in to find out.

For many in the Body of Christ, the election of Donald Trump and Mike Pence has proven to be a blessing in many ways. Sadly though, this administration seems to be taking a direction that cannot be supported in Scripture. Today Pastor JD will discuss the ramifications of the so called “2 state solution” that is being proposed by our president.

As Pastor JD discusses trials we face and the purposes for them, he compares our experience to that of gold going through the refining process. And just as gold must have its impurities removed before the goldsmith is finished with the process, so do our impurities need to be removed, and the image of God seen in us, before we are delivered from the trial.

We all have different spiritual gifts. Each one of them as important as the next in God’s eyes. As Pastor JD describes in his message, when God blesses us with a spiritual gift, He also supplies us with the ability to successfully live into it. The knowledge of this truth should allow us to confidently walk in our gifting…knowing it isn’t us doing the work or supplying the means, but God.

While good deeds don’t earn salvation, they are important to our Heavenly Father. As Pastor JD discusses, we are to encourage others to love, goodness, and generosity by our own actions. We don’t do these things for our own benefit, but for God’s Kingdom. Let the work of our hands and feet bring glory to God!

God hasn’t directed us to store up our treasures here on earth. So, why do we? Pastor JD explains that when struggle with greed, we hoard instead of giving as God directs us. We want more…not less. In turn, God withholds additional blessings upon us. For as the Bible says, “to whom much is given, much is required.” Don’t stunt God’s blessings in our lives by failing to give as He commands.

Thankfully our government came to its senses and things are up and running again. While we know that immigration was the central part of the disagreement...there's so much more that's happening behind the scenes. Pastor JD will also talk about the ramifications of the recent missile strike scare in Hawaii.

It’s easy to look at others, imagine what they are able to give, and compare that to our own giving. To feel as though maybe our giving isn’t as important to God’s Kingdom. However, Pastor JD teaches us that God looks beyond the amount we give and directly into our hearts…our attitudes towards and willingness to give. We are to value God more than we value our possessions.

Though the false threat of a nuclear bomb being dropped on Hawaii has seemingly passed...should we stop being worried? Today Pastor JD encourages us to certainly NOT worry...but, to be wise. We are on the brink of catastrophe in our country. Now, how that will play out, we truly don't know. We can be thankful that God is in control of all things.

We often think if we didn’t get what we asked for, that God didn’t answer our prayer. But, as Pastor JD points out, this isn’t true. God will always answer our prayer…just in His time and His way. And when we don’t get what we prayed for, it’s because God has something else in store…something perfectly aligned to His will for us.

The ultimate gift of love was given to us through the sacrifice of God’s one and only Son, Jesus. What a great example for us. Giving is an act of love; and as Pastor JD explains, it is in direct proportion to the sincerity of our love for others. Giving can be expressed in different forms, so we shouldn’t wait until we have an abundance to experience the joy of blessing others through the gift of giving!