Happy New Year!

Today's Reading: Zechariah 9-12; Revelation 20
Today's Thoughts: Being Bold in Prayer

I will stand my watch And set myself on the rampart, And watch to see what He will say to me, And what I will answer when I am corrected. Habakkuk 2:1

How many of us open our Bibles and search for the writings of Habakkuk? The most likely answer: not too many of us and not very often. I remember the first time I actually studied this short, three-chapter book. To this day I still quote chapter two, verse one, back to the Lord. Habakkuk tells the story of how he questioned what the Lord was doing with His people. It is a great illustration of how we can seek out the Lord's plans, reason with Him, and then fall at His feet when He answers us personally. However, in this case, the answer was not in favor of the people, Habakkuk stood in awe of God's awesome power and mercy.

As Christians we tend to think too much about what God wants from us. We spend a lot of time praying for the things that we think He wants us to pray. We hope that He will not be upset with us if we pray for the wrong things. And then there are times when we are just amazed that He answered our prayers at all. It is one thing to be thankful and grateful for the Lord's gracious gifts, but we need to consider and question why we are just surprised that He answered in the first place. Our relationship with the Lord should be stronger than that. The Lord wants us to not only pray for the things we want and need, but also He wants us to reason with Him, wrestle with Him, and be honest in our prayers. In Isaiah 1:18 the Lord says, "come and let us reason together." Habakkuk had questions and he was not afraid to reason with the Lord, even to the point that he states in this verse that he will stand, wait and watch for God to do something. Talk about boldness!

For each of us today, God wants us to be bold. He wants us to come to His throne of grace with boldness and receive the mercy He has freely given through His Son Jesus. God wants us to pray with that same boldness, asking, seeking and knocking to know His will. Is something on your heart today about which you are not being completely honest with the Lord? Do you have questions or maybe you are upset with the way things are going? Go to the Lord in boldness. Tell Him your thoughts and feelings then tell Him that you will "sit on the ramparts [watchtower]" and wait for His answer. Do not be afraid. You will see God's goodness, just as Habakkuk did. "Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength; He will make my feet like deer's feet, And He will make me walk on my high hills." (Habakkuk 3:18-19) Now that is a great promise!
Phillips Temple CME Church, 5333 Geneva Ave. San Diego, Ca 92114 Phone: 619-262-2505

Merry Christmas

God is Good ALL of the time.
Saturday, December 24/25 Weekend


Today's Reading: Micah 6-7; Revelation 13
Today's Thoughts: Who is Like Our God?

Who is a God like You, Pardoning iniquity And passing over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He does not retain His anger forever, Because He delights in mercy. He will again have compassion on us, And will subdue our iniquities. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea. Micah 7:18-19
Have you ever known anyone who truly delights in mercy? Think about it for a moment. How many of us really enjoy extending mercy to others? I am not talking about the kind of mercy that we give in times of need or extend to someone because we feel sorry for them. I am talking about the kind of mercy that the Lord extends to us on a continual basis. And not only does the Lord grant us this mercy, but also the Bible says He loves to do it. Isaiah 30:18 says the Lord waits (or longs) to be gracious to us. Sometimes we need to be reminded of how good God is to us. There is no one like our God.
We also need to be reminded of something else concerning our awesome God: He pardons our iniquities and casts our sins into the depths of the sea. He remembers them no more (Isaiah 43:25). So often, we are the ones who hold on to our sins, not God. We are the ones who condemn ourselves, not God. We are the ones who judge ourselves harshly, not God. And, we are the ones who cannot forgive ourselves, but God does. Jesus says that we are to come to His throne of grace with boldness and to take His mercy with the love to which it is extended to us. Jesus died for us so that we may live in freedom, knowing that all of our sins are forgiven, even the ones we have yet to commit.
To our friends, We pray that today can be a new day for you. We pray that you will accept God's mercy and grace with open arms. We pray that you, in turn, will begin to delight in doing the same for others. We pray that you will fall in love with this awesome God who truly does delight in forgiving all of your sins and waits just to be kind and gracious to you. Ask the Lord to open your heart to receive His mercy and take hold of all that He has for you.

Merry Christmas! from Phillips Temple CME Church, 5333 Geneva Ave. San Diego, Ca 92114. Phone: 619-262-2505.

Annual Choir Christmas Musical

Hello,
I would like to invite everyone out to worship service at Phillips Temple C.M.E. Church. We are located at: 5333 Geneva Ave. San Diego, Ca 92114. Phone: 619-262-2505

Phillips Temple CME Church San Diego

There is Only One Way
Friday, December 2

Today's Reading: Ezekiel 42-44; 1 John 1
Today's Thoughts: There is Only One Way
This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 1 John 1:5

A few years ago, the Lord put a burden on my heart for someone who worked for my husband. She was a loyal employee, a hard worker and a mature manager. Her ethics and values made her trustworthy and honest. Why would I have a burden for such a good, well-balanced person? She began attending a church and her life began to change. Her church was a Self-Realization Fellowship temple. She learned from them that her good works and good life would gain her much favor when she was reincarnated. If she continued to improve in her good works each time that she returned to earth (in whatever form that might be), then eventually she would reach the pinnacle of her life's goal: she would become god. Believe it or not, this is the teaching of the New Age movement. She bought in to their lies and deceptions.

The Lord gave me the verse listed above and told me to tell her that He is the only Light. I remember the morning that I asked her to come over and have a cup of coffee with me. I told her that the Lord loved her and that He wanted her to know Him. I read 1 John 1:5 to her and said that in God, there is no darkness. She began to cry and she shared with me her fears of darkness. She was struggling and hurting. I talked with her about Jesus and that there is only one true God. Jesus is the only Way. There is no alternative path to everlasting life. The hard part in witnessing to someone in this position is that they will often agree with you. She agreed with me in everything I said about God and that she most certainly believes in God. But, she was not so sure about Jesus being God. She believed in Jesus but she had made Him out to be just a really good man, a prophet and a teacher. She could not accept His sacrifice for her sin, because she convinced herself that, in the end, her good works were all that really mattered. She would earn her way.

She would later leave our company and move on. The differences in our beliefs really stressed our relationship at times. Without realizing it, she changed in ways that made her hard-hearted and opinionated. In denying Jesus, she was continuing to bring increasing darkness into her life. The "good life" is deceptive and blinding. It simply is not possible for us to be "good" people. I still pray for her when the Lord brings her to my mind and I hope that one day she will come to the true Light. For me personally, I learned a lot from going through the experience of witnessing to her. Despite my burden for her soul, I know that only the Lord can save her. If you know someone in this type of cult or other false religion, do not give up praying for them. There is always hope-until their very last breath.

Endurance

Count It All Joy
Weekend of November 19-20

Today's Reading: Ezekiel 11-13; James 1
Today's Thoughts: Count It All Joy
My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. James 1:2-3

In our Discipleship Program, we closely examine the biblical teaching on trials. How often do we find joy in the midst of our trials? Can we realistically count it all joy today? Does this statement by James even make sense? Let us examine these verses more closely and see if we can better understand what James is saying. One of the main reasons for us to read and study the Bible is not just to learn meaning and content, but also to learn how to apply its principles to our lives. So, what is God saying to us about trials, faith and patience from these verses?

Since this first statement comes right after the greetings in verse 1, we can assuredly note its importance. In these two verses, there are three main points: we will fall into different types of trials, our faith will be tested, and patience will be produced from the testing. James is not trying to be politically correct and he is not concerned about offending anyone. He is stating the facts. Today, we deal with all kinds of trials in our lives. The issue is not if we will have them, it is how we will get through them. When we feel as though the battle is too much and the struggles are too intense, how do we respond? Difficulties with marriage, kids, finances, health and daily issues of life can seem overwhelming at times. But James says to "count it all joy" when these problems come. We can only begin to understand the meaning of this statement if we look at the results in our own lives.

God's goal in allowing us to experience various trials is to make us grow stronger, to learn patience, and to develop a deeper faith in our walk with God. We can choose to "count it all joy" as we go through them because we have the assurance in God's word that the end result will benefit our faith. How many times have you looked back after a trial has passed and recognized the benefits it produced in your life? So often, we get the point after the fact. We tend to acknowledge the blessings after the trial is over. "Oh, now I see what God was doing." Trials and testing can produce patience. There is not much we can do about avoiding such things in life; however, we can decide how to get through them.

If you find yourself in trials today, ask the Lord to help you find joy through His Holy Spirit so that you will come through the testing with an increased patience, strength and faith.

A Good Sharpening

A Good Sharpening
Weekend of 12-13






Today's Reading: Jeremiah 51-52 Hebrews 9
Today's Thoughts: A Good Sharpening

As iron sharpens iron, So a man sharpens the countenance of his friend. Proverbs 27:17

Today's verse is one that is quoted often when referring to healthy and productive friendships. Just as iron is used to sharpen iron, a man or woman is used to sharpen his or her friend. What is this verse really saying? How do we apply this wise proverb to our friendships?

To sharpen a knife (even the basic kitchen knife) we must use a metal tool designed to sharpen the blade. Wood will not do the job, nor will plastic or glass. Certain types of stones were used in ancient times but many of the knives were also composed of stones or metallic substances. It takes a substance of similar strength and durability to handle the friction required to sharpen the object. Sharpening in itself is a process of fine grinding, requiring just enough to remove the dull edges. How does this compare to sharpening a friend? The knife is without a will of its own. It is in complete submission to the person doing the sharpening. Friends, however, have wills and opinions, and are much less likely to submit.

To sharpen the countenance of a friend we must first love them. When our motives are founded on love, our words and actions will reflect the love in our hearts. The Bible tells us to speak the truth in love and that without love, nothing we do really matters anyway. It is when we truly love a friend that we are willing to take the steps necessary to sharpen them. Just as with a knife, the process requires friction, some grinding and the removal of bad edges. And, just as with a knife, a person of similar strength and durability is required to handle the job. Sharpening involves heat, intensity and duration. A loving friend knows when heat and friction are needed, despite how long or intense the process. A loving friend is honest, even to the point of pain. If we are willing to submit to that friend, then we will be sharpened. Friends willing to work through these things in the Lord will bear much fruit together.

Do you have a friend who sharpens you? Are you the kind of friend who sharpens others? God has given us friends for His purposes. We have the greatest Friend of all as Jesus calls us His friends. He will sharpen us if we submit to Him. Friendships based on prayer and love will result in growth and maturity. Pray for your friends today. Ask the Lord to lead you in how to sharpen them. Also, ask the Lord to help you receive their counsel. If we place everything in God's hands, He will work through us in mighty ways. And one of the greatest ways to see God work is through our friendships.

Get God's Attention

Get God's Attention
Wednesday, November 2

Today's Verses: Jeremiah 27-29; Titus 3
Today's Thoughts: Get God's Attention

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you, says the Lord, and I will bring you back from your captivity. Jeremiah 29:11-14

The verse above from Jeremiah 29 may be one of the most popular sections of Scripture within the whole Bible. For me personally, it was one of the first that I ever committed to memory. So often, there are times in my life when I just need to hear that the Lord is thinking about me and that He wants to give me "a future and a hope." Many times, I have difficulty grasping the truth of that statement. The God of the universe, the Lord of heaven and earth, actually has time to think about me? Is that really possible? Not only is it possible but also there is so much more: He wants us to call upon Him, pray to Him, seek Him, find Him, search for Him. God Himself wants us to want Him.
One morning I got up early to pray and knew I needed to spend some time on my knees, literally. As I positioned myself on the floor, my dog soon discovered where I was and proceeded to demand my attention. He began nudging me, licking my face and pressing his body into a position where I could no longer deny his presence. He was insistent to the point that I continued in prayer while petting my dog. I must admit he is irresistible in his persistence and extremely affectionate. In those moments, I sensed the Lord impress upon my heart that He was doing the same thing to me. I knew in that moment that the Lord wanted me to give Him the same kind of attention. He wanted me to know that His love is unconditional, irresistible and affectionate. And He just wants to be loved back. He wants my prayers, but He also wants my never-ending desire to seek and search for Him, to never settle when I may not sense His presence. He is always with me, but sometimes I need to press into Him and not give up until I get His attention.
Just like my dog knew how to get my attention, knowing that I would respond with love and affection, the Lord knows how to get our attention and our response should be the same. But we need to learn how to respond to Him. We need to call upon Him, seek Him and press into Him. We need to give Him our love and affection. He just wants our hearts but He also wants us to sense His nudging. The next time your child or your pet demands your attention, especially in the areas of love and affection, just remember that the Lord is seeking the same kind of attention from you. And no one gives it back better than He does.

Phillips Temple CME Church San Diego (vedio)

Phillips Temple CME Church

Never ever forget the greatness of God...

God is Good all of the time.

Do you have problems?!

There is no problem too great or too big for God...

God is Good!

Hello Everyone,
I just wanted to take the time out to say how much we love this country. I know that our country is not perfect but neither am I. I know that my country makes mistakes but so do I. We the People of the United States of America expect greatness from our leaders. This is as it should be. This includes but is not limited to the City Council Member to the Governor to the President of our great nation and everyone in between. Our country is one of a kind. We as the People expect our Country to do Good. We as the People Expect our country to do what's Right regardless if it's popular or not. We the People expect our Country to stand up for it's People. Some would think of a million and one reasons why they should leave this great nation and run off some where else. I can think of a million and one reasons why I am going to stay and fight for what I believe in and support the Leadership of our great nation. And as the People we should hold our Leadership accountable for the good and the bad. Their job is difficult, stressful, and hard but we as the People of this great nation put them into these positions because we believe that they can do the job. So, let us let them do their job. God is good yall... Yeah, God is good and so is our Country. May God Bless America always. I am so thankful that I was born in this awesome Country. It warms my heart to be apart of this Great Nation. Now you know my position and you know my stand. Thank you Jesus, and Amen.

United Restoration Ministries

Hi,
I came across these guys while at a traffic stop and they impressed me so much that I think that I should tell you about their program.

United Restoration Ministries: Restoring the drug addicts and thier families in the inner cities of America.

Christian Live-in, No Charge Homes for Men and Women with Drug Related Problems

Missionaries to the Drug Addicts

Total Recovery is Possible
"With God all Things Are Possible" Matthew 19:26

Imperial Valley Ministries DBA
"United Restoration Ministries"
Main Office: 427 Broadway, El Centro, Ca 92243

Call Toll FREE: 1-888-298-5958

Again, These Guys are awesome, and they are Go Getters for God.



This Message has been brought to you by, Middleton Industries, CO. (MSA) and Phillips Temple CME Church, 5333 Geneva Ave. San Diego, Ca
Come and Worship with us. Sunday Service is at: 8am and 11am

Christian Ethics

In the Service of our Lord

Out of woe, comes wit; Star emoticon The gateway of Conquerable Reality!
(Ecclesiastes 7:3)
~~~
"The task of Christian Ethics is determining what conforms to God's Character and what does not!"
(From the book: Understanding the Times)
~~~
It's too far to walk, but you don't have to run; Ask, then let God's Spirit bring you; you'll get there on, or even before, time.

1. Jesus only choose disciples after spending the night with God His Father. He knew these men. He had watched them. They were a varied lot. They all seemed to have an entrepreneurial spirit conducive to their varied inclinations.

2. Luke was not one of these called, but he was A Scientist (only accepting what can be proven and repeated). And he was a doctor (called to and prepared to heal). And a pragmatist. (See Luke 1:1-4)

Luke uses 45 verbs to describe utilization of the most effectively ministering of The Word of God.
I will here present eleven of them to you translated from The Greek to English:
A. Speak;..used 24 times in Acts..
B. Say...used 16 times..
C. Announce good news..15 times..
D. Instruct...15 times..
E. Publicly Proclaim...10 times..
F. Debate or Reason...8 times..
G. Solemnly Testify...8. times..
H. Herald...7 times..
I. Speak Boldly...7 times..
J. Exhort, Encourage, Comfort...6 times..
K. Persuade...6 times..
Ibid:
The only guaranteed way to permanently put earth's inherent darkness out, is to let Heaven's Glorious Brightness Sun emoticonin! See John 8:12!
Exchanging the Arrogant for the Elegant.

Otherwise;
"If you stand up, like a nail, you will get hammered down."
(Japanese Proverb)

Constructiveness is to do and say, the proven Living thing in the undefeatable and spiritual way.
See First Timothy 1:15.

Jesus teaches not to represent Him (as revealed in the Bible) as a Religionist. Rather, as Luke's scientist's determining observations concurred; Jesus and the Bible are/is an unique interpretation of universal history; the history of the whole of Creation and the history of mankind!

Therefore:
"Be not forgetful of prayer..
Every time you pray (f your prayer is sincere)
there will be a new feeling and a new meaning in it..
which will give you fresh courage..
and you will understand that prayer is an Education."
-Dostoyevsky-
"When one door closes, another opens:
But we often look so long and so regretfully at the closed door,
that we do not see the one which has opened for us."
(Alexander Graham Bell)

Love...
Theodore..
The Prime Minister














Brought to you by, MSA and Evangelistic Board of Phillips Temple CME Church San Diego

Sunday School Wall of Fame

The Wall of Fame

Sunday School Wall of Fame started as an award for those students who do well in Sunday School time after time and day after day. We broke it down into Three sections: Participation, Journal/book keeping, and Attendance. Now this may sound easy and everyone should be able to do it. But sometimes it is not as easy as it may seem. Getting up every Sunday going to Church for School, taking notes, and actually retaining and repeating what has been taught. Awe man, more schooling on the weekend?!

As one of the teachers of the High school Sunday Class I enjoy rewarding my students for there hard work and efforts. The Wall of Fame is just one way to do this and the Students love it. The Wall of Fame gets awarded every month and three gets selected for the year. I hope that we continue and keep this program for it is a very good program.

Brought to you by, MSA and Evangelistic Board of Phillips Temple CME Church San Diego

What we should do and ask for in the Lord

"If we asked God each day to give us the ability to view our scarred lives as Monuments to His Grace, instead of looking at the scars we bear as ongoing punishment, we would enter into a new Realm of of trust.

I encourage you to look at your Scars as Proof of healing for a certain length of time (say six weeks) and then step back and look at the changes that have taken place in your life.

I can guarantee that you will change. Instead of your circumstances (or consequences) changing.

Your ability to trust God in situations that before have tested your faith will take on new and exciting dimensions ."
(Charles Stanley)
!!^!!
Isaiah 1:4-Ezekiel 46:20-John 16:12-Romans 10:10:-Revelation 2:2
(And there..will..be a/the Light!)
!!^!!
Read, Pray, Listen, Learn; And be(come) wise.
^!^!^
"To pray well, is the better part of Study."
(Martin Luther)
++++
"If you make a habit of sincere prayer, your life will be noticeably and profoundly altered.
Prayer stamps us with its indelible mark, our actions and demeanor.

A tranquility of bearing, a facial and bodily repose, are observed in those whose inner lives are thus..enriched!"
(Alexis Carrel, MD.)
####

And, when (the time actually comes that) you have to leave here, you can leave here..like Elijah..
And it won't bother you to say "Goodbye"
(2nd Kings 2:1,11)
****
Harken to Sparken!
@
"For of Him, Jesus, and through Him, and to Him,, are all things:
Consequently, to Him, Whom be Glory, forever. Amen and AMEN!"
(Romans 11:36)

Love:
Theodore...
ThePrimeMinister














Brought to you by, MSA and Evangelistic Board of Phillips Temple CME Church San Diego

A Christian Joke for you

Here is a Joke that I think that you will enjoy. It's Titled:

Baptizing a Drunk

A man is stumbling through the woods totally drunk when he comes upon a preacher baptizing people in the river. The drunk walks into the water and bumps into the preacher. The preacher turns around and is almost overcome by the smell of booze. Whereupon he asks the drunk, 'Are you ready to find Jesus?'

'Yes I am' replies the drunk, so the preacher grabs him and dunks him in the river. He pulls him up and asks the drunk, 'Brother have you found Jesus?'

The drunk replies, 'No, I haven't.' The preacher, shocked at the answer, dunks him into the water again, but for a bit longer this time... He pulls him out of the water and asks again, 'Have you found Jesus, my brother?'

The drunk again answers, 'No, I have not found Jesus.'

By this time the preacher is at his wits end so he dunks the drunk in the water again, but this time he holds him down for about 30 seconds.

When the drunk begins kicking his arms and legs, the preacher pulls him up.
The preacher asks the drunk again, 'For the love of God, have you found Jesus?'

The drunk wipes his eyes, catches his breath and says to the preacher, 'Are you sure this is where he fell in?!'

This has been brought to you by, The Motivated Society Association (MSA) and The Evangelistic Board of Phillips Temple CME Church San Diego

Be a Strong Person for Christ

A STRONG PERSON

A strong person knows how to keep their life in order. Even with tears in their eyes, they still manage to say "I'm ok" with a smile. Send this to a strong person. I just did. God is good. Know and believe that a Change is coming. God saw your sadness and said that your hard times are over. Here are some Examples for you:

One of the best ways to overcome feelings of worthlessness is to learn to do something well. Find something that you like to do and work at it!

Say to yourself, “I will learn how to play a musical instrument and I will do whatever is necessary to be good at it.”

Do you like a certain subject in school? Then try to be the best in your class on this subject. Of course, you must try to do well in the other subjects also. If it is work then learn your job as best you can taking all avenues to becoming the best in your job position that you can be. Trust in God and know that He will see you through.

Many years ago, a doctor made a tragic mistake that caused a little girl to lose her eyesight. The little girl, Fanny Crosby, was born with normal sight, but when she was only six weeks old, she had an infection in her eyes. The doctor put the wrong medicine in her eyes and it blinded her for life.

She could have been bitter and resentful about what happened. She could have hated the doctor who made such a tragic mistake. She could have even blamed God for letting it happen. But she did none of these things.

Fanny Crosby had a grandmother who held her in her arms and taught her to know and love the Lord Jesus. As a small child she opened her heart to the Lord Jesus and took Him as her Savior. Fanny Crosby did something else too. She made up her mind to be happy and content.

When she grew up, Fanny Crosby began writing hymns of praise and thanksgiving to God. She wrote over 6,000 hymns! Millions of people around the world have sung her songs such as, “To God Be the Glory,” and “Blessed Assurance.”

Though she was blind and spent her life in darkness, Fanny Crosby was one of the happiest Christians who ever lived. What was the secret of her happiness? It was this: She made up her mind to be thankful! She trusted in God’s love and wisdom. She even thanked God for her blindness. She said, “When I open my eyes in Heaven, the first person I will see will be Jesus!”

Live, Laugh, Love













Phillips Temple CME Church San Diego, Evangelistic Board & MTM

Covered by His Love

Hello everyone,
Just thought you would like to see this picture and share what it represents.

"How precious is your steadfast love, O God! The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings. They feast on the abundance of your house and you give them drink from the river of your delights. For with you is the fountain of life in your light do we see light. Oh, continue your steadfast love to those who know you and your righteousness to the upright of heart!" Psalm 36: 7-9 What a promise....what a picture.

What a beautiful example for us showing us the results of living in faith, and resting in it. You know where you're perched. Beautiful.

And as you walk into your day, you may be confronted with lots of opportunities to fly away, some of us will, but be sure to remember what Isaiah said...."You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock." Isaiah 26: 3&4.

Brought to you by, Middleton Industries, Co. (MSA) & The Evangelistic Board of Phillips Temple CME Church San Diego

God is Good!

Speaker: Rev Ronald Bowens
Where: Friendship Baptist Church
Scripture: 2 Corinthians 1:3-11
King James Version: 3 Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; 4 Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. 5 For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ. 6 And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation. 7 And our hope of you is stedfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation. 8 For we would not, bethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life: 9 But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead: 10 Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us; 11 Ye also helping together by prayer for us, that for the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons thanks may be given by many on our behalf.

Pastor Bowens had 3 points:
1. In spite of what we are facing, the Lord can comfort you. We will have hope. We should praise God. Why?
-he gives and he also takes away
-he gives us spiritual blessings (bless him and praise him, not for the houses and cars and STUFF, but the love, joy, and peace he gives you.)
-he lives (he's not like Buddha or Confucius; he's alive & we can go to him morning, noon, or night. He's your rock when you need a friend or shelter when you need it. He helps you make sense of the madness that is going on. People turn to all sorts of things for comfort - there's even a whiskey called Southern Comfort and people from the South, North, East, and West turn to it - it will eventually ruin your marriage & rape your home; some people turn to drugs; others maybe to counseling. Comfort is more than sympathy; it's support & understanding. You don't have to go through this by yourself; you have a live-in comforter....somebody who wants to hold you, to comfort you, to let you know everything is alright.)
2. Preparation is being made to comfort others. You are being prepped through everything you're going through, so you can help others down the road. Verse 4-6. God is using our trials to prepare us for ministry. By the time you get through this, you will have your PhD. They're going to be calling you Doctor by your experiences in the school of hard knocks. God will almost make you cry when you see others going through stuff, but back in the day, you were hard core. Your experiences will tenderize you; you'll start to be called Tenderoni. :-) We are not comforted to be comfortable, but to be able to comfort others. God uses our suffering to bring about salvation & the comfort of others. Combat depression & discouragement; don't remain down in the dumps; lift someone else up emotionally or spiritually and see what it does for you. Turn your mourning, your hardships, your suffering....into a ministry. Be a blessing to somebody else. Pass the baton like a sprinter to someone. It will have a domino effect. You will help someone & they will help someone else & so on. Hit yourself in the chest & say "I am covered by his grace". You have a testimony. He can deliver you. God has already been where you are right now. He knows what it is like to be you. God knows you better than you know yourself. He knows what it's like to be human, to suffer, to lose a loved one (he wept at Lazarus' grave), he knows how it feels to be back-stabbed, to be talked about....You may say "People don't understand", but God knows.
3. Our pressures are to promote a trust in God. God allows it, so the pressures will promote trust in Him. Verses 8-11. Stop trusting in yourself, but trust in the Lord. Don't ask yourself what YOU are going to do now. Ask God what HE is going to do. Most people don't know the strength of their faith until they are tested. Trust in God, especially in difficult times.

God has us covered in all tenses (Verse 10):
past - delivered us
present - doth deliver
future - yet deliver us
(End of message)

I started writing as soon as I heard the Subject. I didn't know how much the sermon would actually speak to me. But this is why I like our church and the pastor's messages. He preaches the Word and makes it understandable. It's more than just a boring speech or boring bible verses. When you gain understanding of it, you open up your heart to learning more. I know there are hypocrites in the church.....I saw a lot of it growing up. But if you find the right place, it makes so much of a difference. And just focus on you and your family & how you can get fed. People are human, so they will make mistakes....you can't focus on them. Even if you don't find a church, try reading the Bible & some material that helps you understand it & pass the faith on to your children. The Bible is such a strong foundation for the young, who need as much positive encouragement as possible to be kind, patient, loving, let alone us adults. Uh oh, I am preaching now....where did this come from? :-)

In love and deep regard,
Tanya





Brought to you by: Middleton Industries, Co. (MSA) & The Evangelistic Board of Phillips Temple CME Church, San Diego

Phillips Temple CME Church San Diego

Phillips Temple C.M.E. Church

Sunday Service: 8am and 11am

Phone: (619)262-2505

Fax: (619)262-5959

On the 5th Sunday there will be only one service, and that service will be the 11am service.

EVERYONE is welcome to worship God with us. Consider this an invitation for you to join us for worship service.

Pastor: Rev. Marshall A. Sharpe Jr.

Location: 5333 Geneva Ave.
San Diego, Ca 92114








This message has been brought to you by Ministry to Men (MTM)