Establishing Our Abiding

"Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in Me." (John 15:4) This verse speaks as much to our salvation, as it does to our Christian walk. How do we connect with the true vine, Jesus Christ? It is through our faith, and obedience. Our salvation depends upon us establishing a relationship with Jesus Christ, God's Son. Believing Jesus to be the Son of God, and our Savior, and being baptized into Him (Mark 16:16). This is the beginning step in our abiding in the true vine. If we don't establish this relationship, and maintain this relationship, Jesus goes on to say in v.5 that "without Me, you can do nothing."
I would be bold to say, that without Jesus, we have nothing, and we will do nothing. The result of being apart of the true vine, is bearing fruit. The fruit of the Spirit that Paul speaks about in Galatians 5:22-23 will be clearly seen by others. Its more than just establishing a religious tradition, or becoming a member of a church, it is establishing a relationship with the one who loves us, and wants us to be with Him for eternity. The one who wants us to be spiritually healthy, and productive in the Kingdom of God. Yes we are called to do kingdom work. We are called to reach people for Christ, to be apart of His kingdom as well. We can not lead people to a place we have never been. If we are not abiding in Christ, how can we help others to do so? Let's establish that relationship with Jesus. Let's get into the True Vine, and receive the blessings from God, that we can bless others with!  GP
Photo By: www.truevinefoodco-op.com Thank you!

Terror Or Triumph?

"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) The word "terror" and "terrorism" is used a lot these days. If there is one thing Satan likes to implement, it is fear. When we are afraid, the next step is doubt. And he truly loves it when we doubt the security we have in the Lord. Since the terrorist attacks on 9/11 2001, we as a nation have been looking over our shoulder. We have been cautions, and very careful not to let our guard down. When we go shopping, or attend social events, we are looking for that which is precarious or suspicious. With one eye open on where we are going, and the other eye on the behavior of everyone around us. The fear of what could happen, has robbed us of the peace and security the Lord wants us to have.
As Christians, we have been given three wonderful gifts, that the Apostle Paul shares with young Timothy, and with us.
In our relationship with God, we have 1) Power. We are to never walk in our own strength, but in the strength the Lord provides. No matter what happens (even if it means death) He will give us the strength to endure whatever comes our way. 2) Love. We are told in Scripture to not just look out for our enemies, but love them, and pray for them (Matthew 5:44) 3) A Sound Mind. Fear finds a way to make us crack. But God's Word, helps us to keep our head, when trouble comes. His promises and His presence helps us to have thoughts of confidence. And in following through with those thoughts, our actions become solid and sure. Will you allow Satan to terrorize you today? Or will you accept these three wonderful gifts, and stand strong in your faith today! GP

Motives For Ministry

"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven." (Matthew 5:16) I want to shed some light on a passage of Scripture that addresses the various motives for sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This does not just involve preachers in located ministries, but Christians who share the Gospel when the opportunities present themselves. (Please read Philippians 1:12-18) The main objective of the Apostle Paul's life, was to preach the Gospel. And where Paul wanted to take the Gospel one day, was to the city of Rome, the key city of the Roman empire. He ended up not going to Rome as a preacher, but as a prisoner. But even though he was in chains, the Gospel was not; and Paul had opportunity to share the Gospel, with people he never thought he would. So this is was Paul's motive for preaching the Gospel: To win as many as he could to Jesus Christ. I have found in the almost 40 years of the preaching ministry, that there are those in the Christian fellowship who understand the purpose of the ministry of the Gospel; and are inspired to be involved with strong confidence. But believe it or not, there are also those, who hold to a spirit of competition, where jealousy and selfishness, show their ugly heads. Even though the Gospel is being shared, it is done with an attitude of competition. I want people to see how good I can teach a class, I want others to know, how many people, I talk to about Christ. I want to be better at soul winning than anyone else in the church, and so on...The wrong and insincere motives, cause discouragement among the members of the family of God. When will we realize, that we are all on the same team; and our objective and goal in preaching the Gospel is the same: To have a compassion for lost souls, and to share with them a message that will lead them to our Savior, Jesus Christ. Paul ended this passage, by saying even though, there are different motives involved, "Christ is preached"(v.18) But it is so nice, when everyone is on the same page. GP
Picture By Gary Patterson TCJ 2014 All Rights Reserved.

Pleasing God With Our Faith

Hebrews 11:6
The trials of life can test every fiber of our being. Worry can eat us from the inside out, if we let it. Stomach ulcers, heart problems, painful headaches, a nervous breakdown, are all results of severe stress and anxiety. The question comes; How can we be at peace when it seems as if our world is crashing down around us? How can we make things right, when we face such limitations. The Hebrew writer tells us that the greatest way to please God, is to place our complete faith in Him.
To trust Him, no matter how severe a storm we are going through. We must "believe that God exists, and that He is the rewarder of all those who seek Him" (v.6) I remember my father-in-law being asked what he would do if the airplane he was on went down. He confidently responded: "Go with it!" He knew who had his life, and his soul, no matter what happened. I hope that I can have that much faith. All through the Bible, God has expected His people to exercise faith. In fact with Abraham, it was His faith that brought about His righteousness" (Galatians 3:6) And it is the same with us, as we trust in Jesus Christ, as our Savior, to provide the sacrifice needed to atone for our sins. We are to have complete faith in what Jesus did for us on the cross of Calvary. God is pleased with us, when we place our whole lives in His hands. He wants to provide the very best for us, and he wants us to have faith that He can, and will. No matter if you are dealing with a serious illness, or a financial situation, or a problem in a relationship. Believe, that God has your best interest at heart, and that He will provide the means for you to deal with these challenges. Let us say with the Apostle Paul: "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." (Philippians 4:13) GP

What About The Return of Christ?

"But of that day and hour no one knows, no not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only." (Matthew 24:36) I am one that does not like to get caught up in the controversy over this subject. While we study the different millennial views, we lose sight of the fact that "no one knows" when Jesus is going to return for His church. And whether you believe in the Pre-Millennial view, the A-Millennial view, or the Post-Millennial view, etc., it is not as important as the Pro-Millennial view, and that is the view, that we are all for Jesus returning, and we are ready to go home with Him, when He comes. The Apostle Paul told the Christians at Thessalonica in his first letter to them: "For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night." (1 Thessalonians 5:2) We will not know when Jesus is coming, but perfectly we will know that His coming will come unexpectedly. The question that should be of serious consideration is; "Are you ready, right now, if Jesus should return for you?" Have you accepted Him as your Savior? When He returns, will you be one of the saints who will be meeting Him in the air? (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18) While time is spent debating the various end-time views, let us not lose sight of the opportunities to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ, with many who have not even placed their lives, in the saving arms of Jesus. As a Christian teacher, I would rather have us as Christians, be more prepared to share the Gospel, over being knowledgeable of end time events. Some may think that this is being narrow, but I believe it is being imperative! GP