UNTO US
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6
“It’s the most wonderful time of the year.” The words from the song made famous by Andy Williams capture the mindset of many of us during the Christmas holiday season. It brings with it a festive atmosphere that is filled with goodwill and expressions of love towards those who are dear to us. It is wonderful to give and receive gifts that express the level of our love for others.
In recent years, there has been a growing trend to purchase the gifts that we give online. We access various websites, and we look for the items that we want to purchase. We are usually provided with various products that are remarkably similar, or the same product sold by different vendors. A key element of the purchasing process is looking at the description of the item to ensure that it has all the features that we want. When our Heavenly Father decided to send our Savior into the world, He provided a detailed description of Jesus through the prophet Isaiah about 700 years before the Lord’s incarnation. Unto us was given Someone truly special.
Jesus is the promised Seed that God told Abraham would bless all nations. He is the only begotten Son of God, full of grace and truth. He is the King of kings and Lord of lords, and He shall reign forever and ever. He is the blessed and only Potentate. Every knee shall bow, and every tongue shall confess to Him. To His kingdom, there shall be no end. Unto us has been given the Ruler of heaven and earth.
Isaiah provides several descriptive names for the Lord that help us to appreciate who has been given unto us. He is a Wonderful Counselor, the One that we can turn to when life is confusing, and we struggle with decisions in life. He provides insight into the situations that we face and helps us to understand that He is in control. He guides us through the heart-wrenching choices that we must make and gives us the comfort that we need.
He is the mighty God. Whenever we want to convey something that is above the norm, we use adjectives that embellish the description of the person or thing to another level. Jesus is the Mighty God, which points to His power that He exercises on our behalf. So often we are troubled by the circumstances that we face, but if we take the time to pause and give thought to who Jesus is, we realize that the situation before us may be too much for us, but it is just right for Him. While He was born in a manger, He is still almighty, and He protects us and fights for us. He is the Lord of hosts.
He is the everlasting Father. One of the most endearing relationships in life is the one that we have with our father. Unfortunately, we live in a time when so many children are deprived of the bond that God intended children to have with their father. Fortunately for all of us, Jesus is the everlasting Father who is a doting parent, caring for His children. He is always with us to help us through every challenge that we face. He picks us up when we fall, encourages us when we fail, corrects when we err, and comforts us in trouble. He consoles us when we are fearful and loves us unconditionally.
He is the Prince of Peace. In a world that is filled with wars and rumors of wars, we are comforted to know that Jesus is the Prince of Peace. There are times when the circumstances we face are unsettling and we experience anxious moments as we consider outcomes. Despite the degree of difficulty of the situation, we are blessed to have the peace that Jesus gives that passes understanding. As He prepared to leave His disciples, Jesus told them in John 14:27, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” Regardless of how turbulent life may be, Jesus is still able to say, “peace, be still,” and bring calm to our souls.
It is my sincere hope that each of you will be blessed with wonderful expressions of love during this season. While the gifts received may be impressive, none compares to the gift that God gave when He gave His son unto us.
Merry Christmas.
Pastor Hinton
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ AN ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE
In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
1 Thessalonians 5:18
When I was growing up, one of the things that my parents did was to make sure that I said, “Thank you” to anyone who did something nice to or for me. I did not give much thought to why they were insistent that I express gratitude towards others. I simply did what I was told. As I have gotten older, I have a greater appreciation for why my parents instilled the need to acknowledge kindness extended to me.
That is the mindset that the Apostle Paul expressed in his first letter to the Thessalonian church. Paul ministered to the Thessalonians under adverse conditions but was encouraged by their faithful work, labor of love and patience of hope in the Lord Jesus Christ. He chose to write to them to encourage them as they waited for the return of the Lord Jesus Christ. As he concludes his letter, he shares several exhortations that were important for believers in Christ. One of them was the text, “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” He established the basis for maintaining an attitude of gratitude.
He is indiscriminate in giving thanks. Whenever we think about being thankful, our usual point of reference is a response to kindness extended to us. Whether it is a gift, a kind word, or action taken that benefits us, we are forthcoming with expressions of gratitude. It is different when we face adversity, or things do not go as we hope. Paul is indiscriminate in his exhortation to give thanks. He says that thanks should be given in every thing. That does not mean that we ignore the impact of each thing, but we are challenged to look beyond the surface and consider there is a reason for us to be grateful. Admittedly, it is a major challenge based on the different things that we encounter in life, but gratitude is about making the choice to look at every situation from God’s perspective.
He is insistent in giving thanks. Paul encourages the Thessalonians to get to the point where being unthankful is not an option. If we are not careful, we can develop an entitlement mentality that suggests that people should do kind things for us without any response from us. After all, we are entitled to their expressions of goodness. That attitude is counter to realizing how fortunate we are to be able to express thanks, even under adverse circumstances. The fact that God allowed us to survive the adversity is a reason to be grateful. Despite what we endured, we still have our sanity and the ability to push past the hard places in life. We have been afforded another day to fellowship with God and be a blessing to others. It is embracing the sovereignty of God that accepts His ultimate control over our lives.
He is insightful in giving thanks. There are times when we ask the “why” question when we are confronted with doing things we would rather not. My generation is familiar with the words, “Because I said so.” There was no explanation given to us, only an expectation that we comply with our parent’s directive to say, “thanks.” Paul helps us with establishing an attitude of gratitude. He tells the Thessalonians that this is the will of God concerning them. Paul looks beyond the surface and raises the crucial reason that we should be thankful. He states that God’s will includes being thankful. Whenever we live through good or bad seasons, there are lessons that we learn that will serve us the rest of our lives. It may not have been good to us, but it was good for us. Consequently, we should be willing to give thanks.
As we enter the holiday season, we have a multitude of reasons for an attitude of gratitude, beginning with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Not only does He make life worth living, but He also blesses us to enjoy the abundant life. Whenever we find ourselves drifting into being unthankful, let us remember Paul’s exhortation and choose to maintain an attitude of gratitude.
May the Lord bless and keep you in His care.
Pastor Hinton
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October 2024
HARVEST TIME
While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease. Genesis 8:22
One of the many wonders of God’s creative power is His decision to establish seasons during the year. In North Carolina, the seasons are evident with the change in the temperatures as well as in the landscape. Spring is filled with the reinvigoration of plants and trees, as the earth is nourished with the rain that falls. The plants and trees are blanketed with blossoms and eventually leaves that signal the production of fruit that will soon result. The birds and bees fly around carrying out their contribution with the pollination of plants that is necessary for the fruit to grow. The smell of freshly turned earth is an indication of the preparation of the soil for the crops that are sown.
Summer is marked by increasing heat and the full development of the crops that are produced. The daylight hours are extended that hastens the maturation of the crops in the fields as well as providing additional time for the crops to be cultivated. The challenge of severe weather threatens the yield from the fields and reminds the farmers of how much they are dependent on nature cooperating in the process. Summer also affords the opportunity for the crops to reach maturity and in some cases results in the beginning of harvest.
Fall is the time when the growing season concludes, and the harvest of various crops is completed. Farmers work diligently to bring their crops from the fields and get them to market to reap the benefit of their hard work. We begin to the feel the briskness of cool breezes that blow as the temperature drops as daylight begins to decrease. The leaves on the trees put on a dazzling display of color and turn green mountains and hillsides into a spectacular canvas for our eyes to behold.
Winter signifies a time of rest and recovery with the trees having shed their leaves and the landscape is barren. The cold of winter welcomes the blankets of beautiful white snow with each snowflake unique from the rest. It is a time of long nights that provide the opportunity for reflection as we consider the arrival of spring. It produces harsh conditions when the temperature dips below freezing and creates challenges in going about our daily routines. It takes our breath away as we come out of our homes on a frigid morning and take in the chilly breeze.
As spectacular as each season is, harvest time is a special season. Extending from mid-summer to early fall, it is that time when the fruit of our labors is reaped. We rejoice that despite weather’s unpredictability, a bountiful crop was produced, and we celebrate God’s provision for us. It is an encouragement as we serve the Lord and realize that just as the farmer engages in productive efforts to generate a crop, we engage in our kingdom assignment that will result in a harvest as well. There are times when we wonder if our efforts will be in vain, but we can rest in the assurance that harvest time will come.
When Noah and his family emerged from the ark, the earth was faced with recovery from a devasting flood that covered the earth. Death was experienced on an unprecedented scale, but hope was not lost. There were signs of life as seen when a dove brought Noah a leaf from an olive tree that signaled the productive cycle resuming in the earth. Even though there are times when the spiritual landscape looks barren, we should press on with hope that springtime is coming and there will be signs of life. After spring, there will be a growing season and eventually harvest time. God has promised that as long as the earth remains, there will be seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease. May God bless you with a bountiful harvest in your walk with Him.
May the Lord bless you and keep you in His care.
Pastor Hinton
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September 2024
A PRAYER FOR OUR CHILDREN
Then Manoah entreated the LORD, and said, O my Lord, let the man of God which thou didst send come again unto us, and teach us what we shall do unto the child that shall be born. Judges 13:8
One of the greatest responsibilities that we have in life is being parents. Regardless of the circumstances surrounding a child’s conception, God charges every parent with raising their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. The best thing that we can do as a parent is to seek God’s will for our child and follow God’s plan.
That was the case with Manoah and his wife, who were the parents of Samson, one of the strongest men to ever live, who served as a judge in Israel. Israel had gone through a season of disobedience and God allowed them to be defeated by the Philistines, one of their persistent enemies. It was during that time that Samson was born. When the angel of the Lord came to Manoah’s wife and informed her that she would give birth to a child, she had experienced years of being unable to have a child. But God intervened and set the stage for Samson’s birth. The angel informed her to take care special care during her pregnancy, including not drinking wine or strong drink. The Bible states that Manoah entreated the Lord to send the man of God back to them and teach them what to do in rearing their child. Praying for wisdom to be godly parents is important.
One of the things that I do in my prayer time is to pray for children, but I also pray for my granddaughter, my nieces, and nephews, as well as the children at Mount Pisgah and Dunn Middle School. It includes several components, and it is my prayer that each of us will pray for our children who are in school. I pray that God would do the following:
Bless them to be alert. Our children should be prepared to learn when they arrive on campus. A good night’s rest is a great start for our children. It helps them to remain awake and sharp in class so that they can learn. I pray for their alertness.
Bless them to be attentive. Our children face a multitude of distractions each day. We have seen the push to ban cell phones in classrooms because many of our children are distracted when they use their cell phones for various reasons. In addition, there can be other distractions around our children; therefore, I pray that they are attentive while in class.
Bless them to be able to comprehend what they are taught. There are different learning styles that our children have. Unfortunately, teachers are not able to cater to every student; therefore, our children must be able to adapt to the learning environment as much as possible. It is more than hearing information. It involves mastering the subject matter so that it can remain with them. I pray for comprehension.
Bless them to retain what they are taught. Our children have several subjects that they are taught during their day at school. Teachers work diligently to help the class understand the material shared with the students. It is up to each child to remember what they have been taught. I pray that they retain what they have been taught.
Bless them to recall what they have been taught. There will come a time when our children will be tested on the material that has been taught. We want our children to excel in the classroom and that happens when they can recall what they have learned. Sometimes they can experience mental blocks that hinder them from calling to mind material that they have mastered. I pray that they have total recall.
Bless them to apply correctly and timely what they have been taught. Our children are under pressure to complete their assignments in a timely manner. We want them to read the questions or problems correctly and be able to give the right answers within any established timelines that they have been given. I pray that they will be able to do just that.
Bless them to be respectful and obedient to those in authority. Our children are in an environment with other children and when they give respect to those in authority, they help other children to think about doing the same thing. Being respectful is something that every child can be. In addition, it is a smart thing to obey those in authority when they tell our children the right thing to do. That is my prayer for our youth.
Bless them to treat others like they want to be treated. “The Golden Rule” works even in 2024. Our children should be taught to not only respect others, but also to treat others like they want to be treated. It sets a standard that will be a blessing to our children for the rest of their lives. I pray that they will show other students how they want to be treated by the way that they treat their classmates and other students.
In addition, I pray for the administrators, teachers, and other staff that they will perform their duties in a manner that creates the best environment for our children to learn. Your prayer may be slightly different than mine, but I encourage each of you to join in with me and pray for our children.
May the Lord bless you and keep you in His care.
Pastor Hinton
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August 2024
Caring for Our Children
And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.
Ephesians 6:4
A new school year has arrived for our children who attend traditional schools. Students who attend year-round schools have ready begun attending classes. The legal mandate for educating our children reflects our country’s commitment to the value of providing important tools that will help our children to be successful in their journey through life. While the requirement to send our children to school is compelling, there is an even greater reason for parents and guardians to commit to caring for our children. God blesses each parent with the responsibility to provide a spiritual foundation that will support them for the rest of their lives.
In the practical section of his letter to the Ephesians, the Apostle Paul addresses the need to care for our children. While we typically assume that caring for our children is the mother’s primary responsibility, Paul indicates that fathers must take the lead. He indicates that fathers should be careful not to nag their children to the point that they become frustrated and irritated. Whenever the father is not present, the mother needs to assume the role of spiritual educator for her child. Then he says that they are to bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. The fulfillment of this command is accomplished through example, education and exhortation.
We care with our example. Whenever a child is born, he or she comes into the world as a blank canvass, with minimal instincts to guide his or her behaviors. Everything else is learned through instruction or interaction with their environment. They learn every day through their exposure to their surroundings. A child learns to talk by hearing the words that we speak and associating them with the actions that correspond to the desired action based on what was spoken. This process occurs formally and informally.
Children are filled with curiosity, and they are sponges that soak up the things that they see and hear. What we do around our children will be a major factor in what they do. The example that we set is important and is highlighted in the instruction given by Moses to the Children of Israel. He said in Deuteronomy 6:4-6 says, “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: and thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart.”
Moses indicates that before they began teaching others, they were to love God with all their being. It is a tremendous challenge to say one thing and do something else. Moses establishes the value of consistency between what we say and what we do. An abiding commitment to God provides the example that will be compelling to a child as he develops an awareness of God. In 1 Timothy 4:12, Paul tells his spiritual son, “Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.” Paul indicates that any reservations that others may have had about Timothy’s young age would be overridden by his godly example. The same is true when we look at our children. Our consistent, godly example is crucial in demonstrating our care for our children.
We care by providing education. In his instruction to fathers, Paul mentions that they were to bring their children up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. According to Thayer’s Greek Lexicon, the word translated “nurture” means “the whole training and education of children (which relates to the cultivation of mind and morals, and employs for this purpose now commands and admonitions, now reproof and punishment).” Nurture embraces the idea that education touches every area of life for a child. It is designed to not only develop a love for the Lord, but also to give the child a moral compass when facing situations in life that may not be clearly defined in terms of the proper response by the child.
We send our children to school as a part of the educational process. They learn to read, to write, and to do arithmetic. They learn about science, history, and geography. They have exposure to physical education and social sciences. The goal is to produce a well-rounded student who is prepared for the next phase of life. Moses emphasizes the importance of education. In Deuteronomy 6:7, he says, “And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.”
Moses indicates that teaching should be done with diligence to ensure that our children get the point. He also says that teaching occurs in both formal and informal settings. It includes what we talk about as we go through the day and the priority that we place on what we share with our children. The point that he makes cannot be overemphasized because of the lasting value that it provides as a child goes through life. We place a high value on secular education, and rightly so. A spiritual education has a much higher value and should be a key element of our care for our children.
We care with exhortation. Paul also states that bringing up our children involves admonition. Thayer’s Greek Lexicon indicates that the word translated “admonition” means exhortation. Encouragement is a very powerful thing that includes reminders, counsel and mild reproof. It helps a child push through tough times in life while doing the right thing. It is taking the time to sow into a child’s life the positive precepts that will serve him or her well as they face new and different things.
Paul was fully aware of the challenges associated with being a dedicated disciple of Christ and wanted to ensure that other believers were encouraged as they faced difficulties that they would endure. Timothy, his spiritual son, was encouraged to endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. It helped Timothy to understand that tough times would come but that he had the ability through Christ to overcome every obstacle placed before him.
Our children need to be encouraged to develop and maintain a close relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. Moses’ exhortation to love God with all our being applies to our children as well. A love for God will help keep our children moving in a positive direction and prepare them to resist the wiles of the devil. We want the very best for our children and pointing them to Christ is the best thing that we can do for them. Our encouragement may be the difference between success and disaster.
As our children continue in their formal education at school, let us demonstrate our care for our children by making their spiritual education a priority.
May the Lord bless you and keep you in His care.
Pastor Hinton
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July 2024
DEALING WITH OUR DOUBTS
And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief. Mark 9:24
Life is known for putting us in helpless situations where, despite our best efforts, we have no power over the outcome. We engage in intense thought to try to figure out how we got in the predicament in the first place and often realize that it was nothing that we could do to prevent it. As Christians, we can struggle with doubting God when it seems like our problem is more than God can handle. Fortunately for us, God knows everything about us, including our doubts, and He can help us deal with them.
In our text, a man is responding to a challenge Jesus gave to him. The man was a father who had a son that had been tormented by an evil spirit from his childhood. He heard about Jesus and the disciples, including the miracles that they performed. Given the agony of watching his son endure the violent fits perpetrated by the evil spirit, he found the disciples and eagerly awaited them performing another miracle that would result in his son’s deliverance. Unfortunately, the nine disciples at the base of the Mount of Transfiguration were unsuccessful in their efforts to deliver the man’s son. It was at this point that Jesus showed up.
It is important for us as we face doubt that we realize that Jesus doesn’t show up just to show up. He comes with an intention of addressing our doubts which creates faith in him. This was the case with this desperate father. Jesus had just returned from a meeting that included the supernatural appearance of Moses and Elijah. Three of the disciples, Peter, James, and John, went with Jesus to the meeting and they heard the Father speak from heaven and tell them, “This is my beloved Son: hear him.” Upon his return to the other disciples, Jesus was approached by the father concerning his son and his condition. Jesus gives us a formula for dealing with our doubts.
There was a basis for his doubts. When Jesus returned from the Mount of Transfiguration and saw the commotion, He wanted to know what was going on. The father stepped forward and told Jesus about his son’s situation and laid out the basis for his doubts. An evil spirit had tormented his son for several years and it is evident that the father had made every effort to help his son. We can hear the agony in his voice as he tells the Lord, “Master, I have brought unto thee my son, which hath a dumb spirit; And wheresoever he taketh him, he teareth him: and he foameth, and gnasheth with his teeth, and pineth away: and I spake to thy disciples that they should cast him out; and they could not.”
The father has at least two reasons for doubting that his son will be delivered. First, his son had suffered mercilessly from the actions of the dumb spirit. It put his son into uncontrollable convulsions that resulted in him foaming at the mouth, gritting his teeth, and pining away. No parent wants to see his or her child suffer like that. In addition, in doing what he thought would be a good thing in bringing his son to the disciples, he was disappointed because they were not able to cast the spirit out. Then Jesus asked him how long his son had suffered like that. The man responded by saying, “Of a child. And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us.” This tortuous experience had covered his son’s life for several years. After taking his child from place to place, using remedy after remedy, and he saw his son continue to suffer to the point that he was facing death from this evil spirit. Despite all his efforts, his son is facing the same reality. Doubt has welled up in this man’s heart.
There was a call to believe despite his doubts. One of the things that excite me is the fact that when we come to Jesus sincerely, He will deal with our situation. This is the case with this man. Because Jesus is who He is, what we have gone through has no bearing on what He is able to do. The failure of the disciples did not discourage Jesus. After hearing this father’s sad story, Jesus encourages the man to believe despite what he has heard. Jesus said, “If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.” Jesus listened intently to the man’s story and everything that was not uttered or expressed. This father was hurting as he looked at his son and saw the scars, cuts, burns, and bruises that his son endured. He was dismayed because the disciples were not able to help. He is now told by Jesus that despite what his past experiences may have been, he was now in a situation where what he wanted for his son was possible if he would believe despite his doubts.
The man was honest in his response to Jesus when he said, “Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.” The text tells us the man cried out with tears in responding to the Lord. This man was in a tough place being offered deliverance for his son. The possibility was overwhelming as he could envision his son finally being able to live a “normal” life. He would no longer be required to be on constant watch to prevent or minimize the hurt his son would endure. The answer to his problem is before him and his challenge is to believe that it is possible for his son to be set free. He was honest in admitting that he had gotten to a point where it was hard to believe, but wanted the Lord to help his unbelief.
There is nothing wrong with admitting that we have doubts when facing challenges in life. Whether we say it aloud, or it lingers in our hearts, Jesus knows when we are dealing with doubt. The man gives us an example of what we should do when we are in those situations. We need to admit our doubt and ask the Lord to help our unbelief.
There was a boldness that eliminated his doubts. This episode during the Lord’s earthly ministry should encourage us. Between the lines of the text is a miracle, specifically, a father who forsakes his doubts and believes the Lord. The text lets us know, “When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him. And the spirit cried, and rent him sore, and came out of him: and he was as one dead; insomuch that many said, He is dead. But Jesus took him by the hand, and lifted him up; and he arose.”
It is evident that the Lord first dealt with the man’s doubt and gave him the faith to believe Jesus. The deliverance from the dumb spirit would not have happened if the father did not believe. Jesus answered the father’s prayer about his unbelief and then acted upon the faith that was produced in the father’s heart. He spoke to the spirit, and he came out of the man’s son. The boy was limp after going through the spirit’s attempt to resist the word of the Lord. It is important for us to understand that the devil is no match for our Savior and Jesus exercised boldness on behalf of that father to bring deliverance to his son.
We may find ourselves in a place where we are dealing with doubt. We can have valid reasons for being in a place where we struggle with being able to believe God as we should. It is often in those seasons that Jesus will speak a word into our spirits and encourage us to believe despite our doubts. With our admission of our unbelief, we position Jesus to respond to our doubts and bless us with what we need. He will boldly deal with whatever the issues may be.
May the Lord bless you and keep you in His care.
Pastor Hinton
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June 2024
A POSITIVE PERSPECTIVE
This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24
One of the many blessings that we enjoy as God’s creation is the ability to choose. We recognize that there are some things that are given like our parents, where we were born, our siblings, our race, our height, and gender. There is nothing that we can do about them. We are also impacted by God’s ability to choose what we call His sovereignty. While His sovereignty will always override our personal preferences, we are able to choose in most of our day-to-day experiences. One of the things that we can choose is a positive perspective.
In the familiar words of Psalm 118:24, the writer has made a choice about how he and those around him viewed their day. In our measurement of the passage of time, we have chosen to use days as one of our standards. It consists of twenty-four hours and includes morning, afternoon, evening, and night. There is a sunrise and a sunset. A day is more than just the standard we use to mark the passage of time. It is God continuing to express His creative power and His dominion over time. More than hours, minutes, and seconds, a day is God’s gift to us. In his appreciation of the day, the psalmist identifies at least three aspects of a positive perspective.
He begins with reality. He indicates that the day that he referenced was the day that the Lord has made. God has blessed man with so many gifts, talents, and abilities. He allowed man to unravel many of the mysteries that have confounded man since Adam and Eve were created. He blessed man with the ability to take elements of creation and reshape it into some incredible things. We enjoy man’s creativity each day. As wonderful as that creativity may be, man has not been able to create a day. The psalmist serves as a witness that the day that he wrote the psalm was a day that the LORD (Jehovah, Yahweh) has made. This reality does not consider what may happen in the day. It simply reflects the fact that God made it. We face reality and everything that it entails for us each day. There are days that include wonderful things that happen to and for us. There are other days that are filled with perplexing problems. Regardless of what happens, it does not change the fact that it is a day that the LORD has made.
He expresses his resolve. The psalmist states that a choice has been made, specifically, the decision to rejoice. The Oxford Dictionary indicates that rejoice means “feel or show great joy or delight.” The biblical definition adds the idea of experiencing God’s grace. The psalmist draws from his concept about rejoicing and chooses to rejoice. His decision is not based on what had happened, what was happening, or what would happen during that day. It was based on choosing to take a positive perspective. It is his resolve to dictate what his day looks like. There are people who persist in taking the most positive circumstances and painting them with gloom and doom. There are always tiny clouds in an otherwise bright, sunny sky.
The psalmist refuses to be affected by what happens in the day. He understands that he possesses the ability to shape his thinking and even to make the direst experience into a positive experience. For example, resolve allows the person who was involved in an accident that resulted in his new car being a total loss, but rejoice in the fact that he and his passengers were not injured. It is standing outside a house destroyed by a tornado, but being thankful that he has homeowner’s insurance that covered the damage. What we do in any situation is about our perspective and the psalmist decided that he had one option, a positive perspective.
He outlines the result. The psalmist concludes the sentence by indicating another choice. He has chosen to be glad during the day. Life is filled with ebbs and flows that can impact how we look at life. There are people that we know are running over with enthusiasm, who don’t mind the challenges in life. They don’t mind lemons because they are crucial to making lemonade. They are motivated by problems because of the fulfillment that comes from solving them. They are encouraged by impossible odds because of the joy that comes from making the impossible become possible.
The result for the psalmist was being glad in the day that the LORD made. Because of his choice, he was able to overlook the negative people and things around him, primarily because of his choice to focus on the God who made the day. So often, we are pulled into a place of complaints and take delight in a “woe is me” pity party. The psalmist was convinced that a positive perspective was better for him to push through the day. There is no guarantee that today will be “peaches and cream,” but we can have a positive perspective. Our bodies may give us problems, but we can keep pushing forward, being glad that we have a great God who is on our side.
I don’t know what your lot in life may be, how many rivers you must cross, mountains you must tunnel through, enemies you must confront, unwelcome news to overcome, but I encourage you to join in with the psalmist and choose a positive perspective. God is the Maker of your day, and He can take care of anything that arises.
May the Lord bless you and keep you in His care.
Pastor Hinton
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May 2024
AN OVERWHELMING RESPONSE
5And they spake unto Moses, saying, The people bring much more than enough for the service of the work, which the LORD commanded to make. 6And Moses gave commandment, and they caused it to be proclaimed throughout the camp, saying, Let neither man nor woman make any more work for the offering of the sanctuary. So the people were restrained from bringing. 7For the stuff they had was sufficient for all the work to make it, and too much. Exodus 36:5-7
One of the privileges that we enjoy as believers in Christ is participating in what God is doing in the earth. In His infinite wisdom, God chose to engage people in accomplishing His will, and He makes the necessary arrangements for us to be successful in our assignments. That includes our resources that God utilizes in the work of the church.
Prior to the text cited above, God gave Moses a plan to build the Tabernacle, the place where God would dwell, meet with Moses, and would serve future generations as a focal point of their worship. In chapters 25-27 in the book of Exodus, God gives Moses a detailed plan for every aspect of the Tabernacle, including the furniture. The plan is preceded by God telling the people to bring an offering that is given willingly. This takes place soon after their departure from Egypt. God’s presence was crucial to Israel as they moved towards possession of the Promised Land. It was for their benefit to have the Tabernacle in their midst.
It is interesting that God did not ask for anything that He had not already provided. Immediately before their departure from Egypt, the Israelites were instructed to borrow from the Egyptians, which were reparations for their service in Egypt. That meant that God’s people had the resources needed to take care of God’s house. When the call was made to give, the people responded with overwhelming generosity. Those responsible for receiving the offerings let Moses know that they had more than enough to complete the Tabernacle. Moses was compelled to take the extraordinary step of telling the people to stop their giving campaign.
It is inspiring to read historical accounts of God’s people responding enthusiastically to the call to give. It serves as motivation for us as we respond to the opportunities provided to us in supporting God’s will and His work. For several years, our church family has been engaged in preparing for the future of the ministry and it includes the Ministry Activities Center, better known as the MAC. We are encouraged by the generosity demonstrated by the congregation, and we continue to make progress in our efforts to build the MAC debt-free.
I am convinced that God has called us to a season of sacrificial giving that will allow us to move forward with the project. Much work has been completed and the groundwork has been laid for a successful effort. We continue to pray for God’s direction for us and we believe we are exactly where He wants us to be. He is looking to us for an overwhelming response to the call to give. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we reach a point in our fundraising efforts that we declare that we have more than enough funds to complete the project and we insist that we stop giving to the project?
There is a more compelling example of an overwhelming response. We have been the beneficiaries of an overwhelming response by God the Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We were faced with a sin debt that we could not pay, but the Father’s overwhelming response included the sacrifice of His Son so that we could receive the forgiveness of our sins and reconciliation with the Father. Considering all that God has done for us, wouldn’t it be great if we give until there is more than enough?
May the Lord bless you and keep you in His care.
Pastor Hinton
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April 2024 RESURRECTION POWER
That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death. Philippians 3:10
We have just celebrated the glorious resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the culmination of the redemptive plan that God put in place to rescue everyone who chooses to believe, from the power of sin and Satan. We thank God for all the blessings that we receive from His benevolence and rejoice that we can live in a manner that pleases the Father. It is not the result of our concerted effort, but the reception of the blessings extended to us by our Father to experience resurrection power.
In his letter to the Philippians, the Apostle Paul shares his desire to experience the power of the resurrection in his life. Paul was already saved and filled with the Holy Spirit. He committed his life to Christ and was a special messenger sharing the Gospel during at least three missionary journeys. He had established churches and spent time visiting those churches to encourage them in the faith. Yet, while confined in a prison cell, he shares with his fellow believers at Philippi the burning desire to experience Christ at a deeper level.
Paul understands the need not to rely on his own efforts in achieving his goal, but instead, trust God to provide for him everything needed to live out his God-designed potential. Paul had impressive credentials as far as the flesh was concerned. He had the right pedigree, the proper affiliations, and the personal effort, but he was still lacking an important ingredient when it came to his passionate pursuit of God’s plan for his life. He described his personal attainments as nothing but bodily waste when compared to the righteousness that was in his relationship with God. Resurrection power was the key. Paul lists three things that were important to him: to know Christ; the power of his Resurrection; the fellowship of his suffering.
First, he wanted to know God. At the time he wrote to the Philippians, Paul knew Jesus as his personal Savior. In many respects, it was love at first sight. After his conversion in Damascus, Paul began proclaiming the good news that Jesus saves and put his life on the line witnessing to both small and great. There was still a yearning in his spirit to know Christ experientially. He shared the revelation given to him by the Holy Spirit as he exercised the gifts given to him. He had cast out devils, healed the sick, and raised a man from the dead. But there was something stirring in him that continued to push him in his pursuit of Christ. He wanted to know Jesus in every area possible as he continued to walk by faith.
He wanted to know the power of His Resurrection. If we are not careful, we celebrate the Lord’s victory over hell, death, and the grave on Resurrection Sunday, and forget about it until next year. Paul realized that there was power at work when Jesus rose from the dead. He wanted to experience Resurrection power in his life. When Jesus got up out of the grave, the power exercised on His behalf was made available to His children. Paul did not want to lose out on his inheritance that Jesus secured for him. It was transformational as Paul went about living in a manner that was pleasing to God. It allowed Paul to experience the blessing of the Holy Spirit being at work in his life.
Paul was “all in” when it came to his commitment to Christ. In looking at the life of our Lord, Paul realized that suffering was a part of the package. There was no way around it, and he had firsthand experience with it. While he was not a glutton for pain, Paul was willing to endure whatever he faced to enjoy the blessings that came from the sweet fellowship that was found even in enduring hardness for the Lord. It was more than wishful thinking. It was the level of dedication that Paul wanted in his walk with the Lord.
As we move forward in this season, let us be inspired by Paul’s approach to living for God. We must be willing to position ourselves so that we know Him experientially, that we appreciate the power of His resurrection, and embraced the fellowship of His sufferings, that we would even be in the position that we would be willing to suffer the loss of life for the cause of Christ. It is all possible because of resurrection power.
May the Lord bless you and keep you in His care.
Pastor Reginald Hinton
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March 2024 THE FATHER’S WILL
And he was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, 42Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. Luke 22:41-42
One of the highlights of spring for the body of Christ is revisiting the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It allows us not only to recall the facts, but also to galvanize our faith in the redemptive work of Christ. We celebrate Resurrection Sunday, and rightly so. It is good to consider is the path that our Lord took to that glorious victory over death and the grave. A key consideration was the Father’s will.
The fact that Jesus was born to die was not a surprise to Him. He said in Matthew 20:28, “Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.” There was no last-minute change of plans that came into play. With the certainty that only Jesus could have about the events that would transpire at the end of His redemptive journey, we see that there was a battle that had to be won as Jesus in His humanity dealt with His impending death.
The contrasts in moments that are juxtaposed in the Lord’s life help to give us insight into the criticality of the Father’s will. On that eventful night when He was taken from the Garden of Gethsemane by the crowd that came from the chief priests and elders of the people, there was the celebration of the Passover and the institution of the Lord’s Supper. Both events served as reminders of God’s triumphant power at work on behalf of His people, with the Passover representing deliverance from Egyptian bondage, and the Lord’s Supper representing deliverance from the power of sin.
After an instructive walk to the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus chooses to spend some time in prayer. He separates Himself from eight of the disciples and takes Peter, James, and John with Him. He asks the three disciples to wait while He went to pray. The text says, “And he was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.” Further isolating Himself, Jesus kneels and begins to pray. In these eighteen words, we are given profound insight into the Father’s will.
There is the Father’s predetermined will. There are some things that God has decided will happen. It doesn’t matter what we say or do. It is an expression of His sovereignty. Isaiah 46:9-11, God says, “Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure: Calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man that executeth my counsel from a far country: yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it.” Whenever we encounter God’s predetermined will, our job is to accept what He has decreed.
Psalm 115:3 tells us, “But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased.” God decided that we would have seasons, cold and heat, summer, and winter. He decided that the sky would be blue and ice caps on the North and South Poles. He decided what our race and gender would be. He is God and it is within His authority to determine what will or will not happen according to His predetermined will. It was God’s predetermined will that Jesus would die for our sins.
There is the Father’s prescribed will. The Word of God is a ready resource for God’s people when we want to know God’s prescribed will. Dictionary.com defines prescribed as, “dictated or indicated as a rule or course of action to be followed.” Psalm 119:105 tells us, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” God moved upon the hearts of holy men of old to write His prescribed will that we know as the Holy Bible. Psalm 119:30 says, “The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.” It is in God’s Word that we discover truth about God.
Isaiah 40:8 tells us, “The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.” His Word is permanent and is not subject to the whims of culture. It is in God’s prescribed will that we see that the prophets predicted the death of Christ.
There is the Father’s permissive will. As Jesus prays, He chooses to raise the issue of the Father’s permissive will. He says, “Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me.” It is important to note that this was not a demand made by the Lord. He chose to ask the Father about His permissive will, what God allows even though He is sovereign and has already prescribed His will in His Word. There are some things that God allows that we know are not His perfect will. We see it on a regular basis as we look at our faults and failures. He does not zap us immediately when we stray away from the path. The Holy Spirit speaks to our hearts and lets us know that our actions grieve Him.
Jesus understands the upcoming agony that He will endure as He suffers in the flesh. Jesus was all God and all man at the same time and His divinity would not override the pain He would experience in His humanity. His request to the Father was to consider His permissive will, and if there was a way to allow Him to bypass the cross, He asked His Father to consider it. There are times when God will allow us to do what we want to do in His permissive will. The children of Israel asked for a king and in His permissive will, God granted them their request. All of us have experienced His permissive will being exercised in our lives.
There is the Father’s perfect will. Someone has said that the safest place in the whole wide world is in the will of God. I would insert His “perfect” will. That is the place that we desire to live as we go through life. In the text, Jesus never closes the door to His Father’s perfect will. He ends His prayer by saying, “nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.” Jesus never backs away from the Father’s perfect will, even with it costing Him His life. God’s perfect will was His primary focus.
As we look forward to Resurrection Sunday, let us reflect upon our Lord’s petition and respond in the same manner that He did: “not my will, but thine be done.”
May the Lord bless you and keep you in His care.
Pastor Hinton
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February 2024 STICK TO IT
Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. 1 Corinthians 15:58
The beginning of a new year has traditionally been a time of hope as we evaluate our experience in the previous year and develop a plan to accomplish the goals that we establish that are important to us. Typically, we identify the changes to fix the problems that need to be corrected. Very often, we begin with a bang, taking those important steps and making those critical decisions that will produce our desired outcomes. Unfortunately, by the end of January, the steam that propelled us forward is almost gone, and if we are not careful, we drift back into the same behaviors that we engaged in the previous year, and consequently, with comparable results.
It is vital for us to remind ourselves about the power of perseverance. Great ideas are wonderful, but they will not become reality unless we engage in the sustained effort that is necessary to produce our desired outcome. The same is true in all areas of life, including our walk with Christ. It is very likely that many of us have looked at our relationship with the Lord and determined that we have room for improvement. Maybe we were not as faithful in attending worship service, or exercising our gifts, or spending time in the Word and prayer, or witnessing to the unsaved. Whatever the finding, we decided to make some changes for the better, but unfortunately, as with other areas in our lives, we lost our enthusiasm and are just treading water instead of making the adjustments that we know are necessary.
The Apostle Paul took the time to encourage his brothers and sisters in the city of Corinth to stick to it. It was a church that was dealing with shortcomings that Paul addressed in his first letter to them. They had allowed themselves to get caught up in cliques, carnality, sexual immorality, taking each other to court, abuse of spiritual gifts, among other things. Paul gives this a loving rebuke for their unbecoming behavior. As he concludes addressing the issue of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ and its implications for us, he makes a compelling case for faithfulness to God.
First, he identifies the effort. He tells them that the Lord Jesus is the One through whom God gives us the victory. That includes victory over our flesh and its sinful desires. Considering all that God has done for us, Paul says that the Corinthians should be steadfast, which means to be fixed in purpose. As believers in Christ, we should not allow the enemy to distract us in our service to God. Unmovable means firmly persistent, not moved from one’s place. We should not be sporadic in our efforts, only doing when it is convenient or in our best interest. The storms of life are designed to blow us off course, but because of what Christ has done for us, we should remain firmly rooted in our faith. We are challenged to hold fast and firm as we deal with different circumstances.
Secondly, he identifies the extent. Some of us know what it means to do just enough to get by. Sometimes in the classroom, we do not give our best effort. If we get a passing grade, we are satisfied. But that is not the mindset that Paul establishes for believers. He lets the Corinthians know that they should always abound in the work of the Lord. Paul exhorts his co-laborers to excel and to always flourish in what God has assigned to their hands. If we are not mindful, we allow our lives to be compartmentalized into segments that do not overlap. We see our faith as only one component of our lives that is to be practiced when required, instead of seeing our faith as the overarching aspect of our lives that it should be. Paul recognizes the need for God’s people to constantly live for Christ, every day in every situation. Despite our difficulties, we should maintain excellence in our efforts.
Lastly, he identifies the expectation. It is important to be reminded that serving God is a rewarding experience. It is a joy to live each day in obedience to Him and His Word. We treasure constant communion with Him as the Holy Spirit ministers to us throughout the day. Sweet fellowship with God is a wonderful thing. Paul points out the blessings that we can expect when we choose to stick to it. He makes it clear that our labor in is not in vain in the Lord. There are times when we can get the impression that we are on life’s treadmill, a lot of activity going on, but still stuck in the same place. We don’t see the difference that we are making in life. But we have the assurance that our efforts for the Lord are productive in accomplishing His will on the earth. There is tremendous benefit to walking faithfully with God.
Regardless of what your past experiences may have been, if you have decided to be faithful to God, stick to it. This is not about a new year’s resolution, but a desire to please God. Don’t allow the enemy to get you off track. Stick to it. If it is studying the Word, stick to it. If it is sacrificial service, stick to it. If it is regular church attendance, stick to it. If it is loving unconditionally, stick to it. If it is being generous, stick to it. If we stick to it, we will receive the reward that God has promised.
May the Lord bless you and keep you in His care.
Pastor Hinton
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January 2024 DELIGHTING IN DISCIPLESHIP
Praise ye the LORD. Blessed is the man that feareth the LORD, that delighteth greatly in his commandments. Psalm 112:1
Our theme for 2024 is Delighting in Discipleship that is based on Psalm 112:1. The psalmist begins with the exhortation to give praise to God. He encourages the audience to celebrate and boast in God, which is indicative of the mindset that is intentional about giving God the adoration that He rightly deserves. The psalmist continues by indicating that happy or blessed is the man who honors and reverences God, that takes pleasure in His commandments. The sentiment expressed by the psalmist is what I believe the Holy Spirit desires for the church. In this critical hour, we should be dedicated to reflecting Christ and being excited about it. We are being called to enthusiastically embrace God’s standards for His people.
For quite some time, the church as a whole has allowed itself to drift away from its commitment to be faithful followers of Christ. We rejoice that He is our Savior, but many of us shy away from Him being Lord of our lives. Discipleship is the process by which we are conformed to the image of Christ. When we are saved, we are sanctified or set apart unto the Lord. We call it positional sanctification. The Bible tells us God has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. We praise God for our position and we thank Him that through the power of the Holy Spirit working in our lives, we can fully embrace practical sanctification.
The Bible is clear that God expects His children to continue to grow after we experience salvation. The Apostle Peter said, “But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.” He also said that just like newborn babies, we should desire the sincere milk of the Word that we might grow thereby. The writer of Hebrews expresses an expectation that Christians should mature in Christ. In his letter to the Philippians, the Apostle Paul spoke about his personal pursuit of the high call of God in Christ Jesus. Our desire should be to be conformed to the image of Christ.
Discipleship is the deliberate effort of the body of Christ to help each other become more and more like Jesus. In the Great Commission, Jesus tells His disciples to go into all the world and make disciples. That is accomplished as we share and model Christ with those who don’t know Him. It involves a level of commitment that moves us past superficiality to genuineness in our walk with Christ. Jesus was explicit in the distinctions that were characteristic of one of His disciples, and we want to honor His stated desires for us.
It is of utmost importance for each of us to be committed to discipleship and taking delight in the process. There are sacrifices that are necessary, but each one is worth it. Just as the psalmist indicates, there are blessings that accrue to those who delight in keeping His commandments. God has an order for His people and if we embrace it, we will position ourselves to have a greater impact for the cause of Christ. Our world is in critical condition as we move rapidly towards the return of our precious Lord. We need to be excited about the privilege of lighting up a world of darkness with the light that we have been given in Christ. We want every unsaved person that we encounter to know that Jesus saves, delivers and sets free. He has some incredible things in store for those who are willing to seek His face.
I ask the church family and anyone else who is so inclined to join us in a commitment to being a dedicated disciple of Jesus and taking delight in the process.
May the Lord bless you and keep you in His care.
Pastor Hinton
FIRST OF THE YEAR FAST
January 1-10, 2024
Then I proclaimed a fast there at the river of Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from Him the right way for us and our little ones and all our possessions. 22 For I was ashamed to request of the king an escort of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy on the road, because we had spoken to the king, saying, “The hand of our God is upon all those for good who seek Him, but His power and His wrath are against all those who forsake Him.” 23 So we fasted and entreated our God for this, and He answered our prayer. Ezra 8:21-23
One of the many blessings that we enjoy as God’s children is the privilege of receiving God’s guidance in life. Solomon, the wise king of Israel said, “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” With so much ahead of us, it is crucial for the Mount Pisgah Church family to receive God’s direction for us. That’s why everyone is asked to join us in a ten-day fast, beginning on January 1, 2024.
At a critical time in the life of God’s people who had been exiled in Babylon for decades, Ezra the priest calls a fast for God’s people. They had been given permission to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple. The trip ahead of them was over 500 miles, covering several months, and they would face threats along the way. Although they had the blessing and protection from King Cyrus of Persia, they still faced danger and uncertainty. Prior to their departure from Babylon, Ezra calls the people to humble themselves before God to seek a right way for them, for their children, and their possessions. Ezra did not want to rely on the king’s protection, especially after mentioning that God would take care of them. They fasted and God answered their prayer.
As we begin 2024, let us fast and pray to God for a right way for us, for our families and the direction that God has established for the ministry. God has called us to this time and season, and we do not want to miss God as we move forward. Therefore, everyone is asked to fast for at least the first six hours of the day. For those who have medical reasons for not fasting, the sacrifice of something important to the daily routine can be used as a substitute. For example, giving up watching television, or using a cellphone, or coffee during the can be used as a substitute. Everyone is asked to give up sweets and bread during the ten-day fast.
We believe that as we acknowledge Him, God will direct our paths.
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December 2023
FOR UNTO US
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6
Christmas morning is one of the most thrilling times as little children get up and begin to open their Christmas presents. Their eyes light up as they tear away the wrapping paper to see the gifts that they have received. Very often, it is exactly what they wanted. It may also be what they needed. The gifts are an expression of the love that parents have for their children.
In 1944, Hallmark began using the slogan, “When you care enough to send the very best.” Ed Goodman, a sales and marketing executive with Hallmark, wrote those words on a 3×5 card to capture the reason that Hallmark stood out among others. The slogan reflects what God did in sending the Lord Jesus Christ into the world to provide a way for us to be reconciled to our Heavenly Father. For unto us was given the most precious Gift ever.
Seven hundred years before the birth of Christ, God used the prophet Isaiah to announce the gift of His Son to the world. He captured the announcement in majestic terms that help us appreciate the value of the gift what we have in Christ. The magnitude of the gift becomes apparent when we consider to whom the gift was given. Apart from Christ, we are terrible, saying and doing things that are contrary to God’s will for us. We follow the whims of our flesh and the suggestions that Satan makes. We were born in sin and shaped in iniquity. Isaiah said, “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.” We were hopeless cases as far as our relationship with the Father was concerned. But unto us God gave us the gift of His Son. Unto us, God sent the very best.
Isaiah provides a wonderful description of our Savior. He indicates that unto us a child is born, which speaks to the Lord’s humanity. Jesus was born to the virgin Mary, the fiancée of Joseph. Isaiah also says that unto us a son is given, which addresses the Lord’s divinity. Jesus existed in eternity past as the Son of God prior to His incarnation as the son of Mary. After helping us understand the Lord’s background, Isaiah tells us who He is to us.
He is the Sovereign Ruler. John, the beloved disciple, tells us in Revelation about the millennial reign of the Lord Jesus Christ after the rapture of the saints and the Great Tribulation. It will be a glorious thousand years as the saints rule with Him. Today, the world may appear to be spinning out of control, with sin rampaging through the earth, but we are blessed with a Savior who will bring everything back into order. He is the Sovereign Ruler and will establish His kingdom not only in the hearts of humanity but also in the world.
He is a Wonderful Counselor. The King James Version separated wonderful and counselor. In the final analysis, they are one in the same. Jesus is wonderful in every sense of the word, as we consider who He is and what He does. He is also a counselor who willingly provides us with insight into the issues of life through the power of the Holy Spirit. He is a Wonderful Counselor who ensures we have what we need as we make decisions in life.
He is the mighty God. Isaiah is led to emphasize the fact that Jesus is the almighty God, infinite in power and able to handle every situation that we face. His power is on display in us and around us. It is through His power that we can live victoriously in this life and His power will protect us from satanic attacks. No weapon formed against us shall prosper. In Psalm 24:8, David said, “Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle.” Jesus is the mighty God.
He is the everlasting Father. There are terms that we know but struggle to understand. Everlasting, eternity, infinity are all words that capture the concept of having no beginning and no end, which is difficult to put in terms that we grasp. Jesus has always been and always will be. He is our Father, which should encourage us, especially when we disobey Him. His relationship with us remains rock-solid and we always have Him to run to just like a child does to his father. He loves us with everlasting love.
He is the Prince of Peace. We live in some of the most troubling times. Newscasts bombard us with one story after another that highlight the ravages of sin, man’s inhumanity to man, and the depravity that controls the hearts of those who do not know Jesus as their Savior. Peace is fleeting as our cities, towns, neighborhoods, and countries become battlegrounds between factions that cannot get along. But Jesus is the Prince of Peace and will bring peace to the earth. He told His disciples in John 14:27, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” He will keep us in perfect peace when our minds are stayed on Him.
As we celebrate the Christmas season, it is my prayer that we will truly treasure the reality that unto us has been given the most precious gift that anyone could ever receive in the person of our Lord Jesus Christ. I also pray that everyone who does not know Him as their Personal Savior will get to know Him as Savior and Lord.
My wife and I wish each of you a very Merry Christmas. May the Lord bless you and keep you in His care.
Pastor Hinton
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November 2023
THANK YOU, LORD
O give thanks unto the LORD; call upon his name: make known his deeds among the people. 2 Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him: talk ye of all his wondrous works. 3Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the LORD. Psalm 105:1-3
“Every day is a day of thanksgiving.” The lyrics written by Shelby Wills captures the importance of realizing we have a responsibility to give thanks to God every day. The hustle and bustle of life can overwhelm us, and we focus on just getting through each day without giving much thought to truly thanking God. But, that does not take away the fact that each day is a wonderful opportunity to express our gratitude to God.
The writer of Psalm 105 reminds us to give thanks to the LORD and provides several reasons for us to consider. Thanksgiving is rooted in the conviction that someone has done something for us that was a blessing to us. By offering thanks, we acknowledge the grace that has been extended to us and appreciate the impact that someone’s kindness has made in our lives. In addition, thanksgiving places the spotlight on the one who is the recipient of the thanks that is given. The psalmist is convinced that we should place the spotlight on God. He identifies several things to include in our expression of gratitude.
He indicates that we should let people know about what God has done. At awards ceremonies, the honorees usually take the time to talk about the people in their lives that were instrumental in them being in the position to accept their awards. They speak about the unwavering support and encouragement that made a difference. When we call on God, it is our way of validating the crucial role that He plays in everything that we do. Letting people know that it was God that allowed us to be successful keeps the spotlight where it belongs – on God.
The psalmist also mentions that singing unto the Lord is another form of giving thanks as we talk about his wondrous works. We have our favorite singers who touch our souls with the melodies that they sing. We often sing along with them as we ride in our car, walk with our headphones on, or sit in worship service. It is our way of identifying with the lyrics of the song and the impact that the song has on our lives. As we talk about God’s goodness, other people are encouraged to consider Him as the foundation for their lives.
The people around us and the world at large needs to be reminded of how great our God is.
The psalmist says that we should glory in His holy name. God is great and we should be the ones who brag about Him. We spend so much time heaping praises on athletes, entertainers, entrepreneurs, and other successful people in life, and very often they have very little direct impact on our daily experience. On the other hand, God is front and center in the things that we do. In Him we live and have our being. We should choose to give glory to His holy name. The psalmist mentions that we who seek the Lord should rejoice. It is important that we make thanksgiving a joyous experience as we give glory to our great God.
The fourth Thursday in November is Thanksgiving Day in the United States, but as people who are truly thankful, we need to make every day is a day of thanksgiving. Every time that we see God’s hands at work on our behalf is a wonderful opportunity to say, “Thank You, Lord.” When we wake up in the morning, it is good to say, “Thank You, Lord.” When we think about the fact that God forgave us and saved us, it is a good time to say, “Thank You, Lord.” When we gather with family and friends, we need to say, “Thank You, Lord.” When we are having what we consider a normal, ordinary day, that is a good time to say, “Thank You Lord.”
Along with my wife, I take this time to wish each of you a wonderful Thanksgiving. May the Lord bless you and keep you in His care.
Pastor Hinton
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October 2023
REVIVAL RESIDUE
I will remember the works of the LORD: surely I will remember thy wonders of old. 12I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings. Psalm 77:11-12
One of the things that are meaningful to us is a fresh start. It may be another chance, or a second wind, that changes our outlook for the future. Most of us have experienced seasons when things were not going well, or we received discouraging information, or realized that we were facing difficulties. There are other times when the wind has gone out of our sails, and we drift aimlessly through each day, with little hope of things changing for us. But then we see signs of a turnaround, or hear an encouraging report, or the pressures of life subside. It sets the stage for renewed hope about the future.
On September 27-29, 2023, we held revival services at The Mount, and we were blessed abundantly by the Spirit-led preaching received from Bishop Arinzor Blue, the Pastor of Faith Temple #1 Original Free Will Baptist Church, East Orange, New Jersey. On September 27, Bishop used Hannah to help us understand that God Will Turn Things Around. It was an encouragement for everyone who deals with frustrating people or circumstances. Despite their efforts, we have an assurance that God is still able to turn our situations around. We were reminded of the power of prayer and its impact on the outcome of our circumstances. It is through our perseverance that we see God’s hand at work on our behalf, giving to us the bounty that He has ordained for our lives.
On September 28, Bishop Blue used Leah, the wife of Jacob, as his point of reference in sharing, I’ve Got To Get Myself Together. Leah’s struggles as the subordinate wife always vying for her husband’s affections, but never becoming Jacob’s favorite wife, pushed her to the point that she was desperate in getting Jacob’s attention. It was through a series of disappointments that she finally reached a place where she could praise the Lord. Her experience helps us to understand that getting ourselves together is often predicated on changing our priorities in life, choosing to make God the center of our attention. We may not be able to change our circumstances, but we can continue to look to the One who can.
On September 29, Bishop Blue concluded the revival services by preaching, I’ve Been Anointed For This. He highlighted the actions taken by Mary to anoint Jesus prior to His crucifixion. His focus was on the relationship between Mary anointing Jesus and the task that Jesus faced in His journey to the cross at Calvary. As difficult as the process was, Jesus was properly prepared to go through everything necessary for us to enjoy the blessings of His sacrificial death on the cross. In like manner, we have been anointed to handle every situation that we will encounter, and to come out victoriously as Jesus did when He rose from the dead and ascended into heaven.
In addition to the powerful preaching, there was a true sense of renewal, a fresh wind that blew on the congregation. It provided us with the encouragement to make sure that the impact of the revival did not cease with the benediction given at the conclusion of the service on Friday evening. Instead, we want the revival to have the effect that we experience when a lady who is wearing expensive perfume leaves the room. Long after she departs, the fragrance lingers wherever she has been. That is what we should expect from the revival residue. The revival was not an event to be enjoyed and then forgotten about. It was about rekindling the embers of our faith in God to the degree that our lives will be on fire, doing the will of God. Its effect should be felt from the present forward.
Asaph tells us in Psalm 77 that he chooses to remember the works of the Lord. It was about taking the time to consider everything that God did on behalf of His people. Asaph could draw from Israel’s rich history with God and determine how good God had been to them. It would compel him to testify about the great things that God has done. In like manner, we have a responsibility to use the revival as the launching pad to go out and declare the goodness of the Lord, to be reminded of His wonderful grace, and to press forward in our pursuit of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Let us be intentional in our efforts in keeping the revival fires ablaze so that we can impact the world for Christ, as we enjoy revival residue.
May the Lord bless you and keep you in His care.
Pastor Hinton
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September 1, 2023
WILL YOU BE A WITNESS?
Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come: 23That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should show light unto the people, and to the Gentiles.” Acts 26:22-23
For the past several weeks in Bible study, we have considered the Great Commission, the mandate that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ gave to His disciples and, by extension, to every Christian today. Jesus expects His followers to share the wonderful message about the saving grace of God that has been provided to everyone by faith through the sacrificial death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord. The challenge for each of us is to comply with the mandate to share.
Our text is taken from the Acts of the Apostles where the Apostle Paul defends himself before King Agrippa and answered the charges lodged against him by the religious authorities in Israel. King Agrippa was asked to review the case by Felix, the governor of the region that included Israel. Felix’s predecessor, Portius Festus, kept Paul in prison as a favor to the Jewish authorities who had accused Paul of capital offenses. After listening to the accusations brought against him, Paul was given permission to speak. He relished the opportunity to defend himself. His response serves as motivation to us to consider being a witness for the Lord.
He responded enthusiastically. After he was granted permission to speak, Paul was happy to speak and address the accusations made against him. He relished the opportunity to tell his story particularly because King Agrippa was familiar with the customs and questions among the Jews. He was thrilled as a Roman citizen that he was afforded the privilege of responding to charges brought against him. He did not hesitate when the floor was given to him. Whenever we are given the opportunity to speak to anyone who does not know Jesus as their personal savior, we should treasure each instance. We have something to say, and we should always cherish every time the Holy Spirit gives us a platform to share the gospel.
He responded experientially. One of the compelling aspects of Paul’s conversion is the indelible mark that it left in his heart. Like so many believers, Paul’s conversion was sudden and dramatic, transitioning from one of the fiercest foes of the faith, to one of its most prolific preachers. The gospel can have that kind of effect on people. Paul was well-educated in the Jewish tradition, having learned at the feet of Gamaliel, one of the well-known Jewish scholars of that day. Tradition says that he was fluent in several languages. While his training may have been helpful, it was his experience with Christ that made his testimony authentic and authoritative. He shared with Agrippa, his wife Bernice, and Felix the before and after Christ experiences that he had. It was so powerful that Agrippa was stirred to at least consider becoming a Christian.
If we are saved, we have experience with the power of the gospel. Our conversion may have been during worship service when the invitation to salvation was extended, or it may have been sitting in our homes listening to a preacher share the gospel, or it could have been our response to a concerned believer who shared with us the gospel. Regardless of the circumstances, we have our experience to draw from that should flow out of our hearts. It does not require theological training, only a willingness to share what the Lord has done for us.
He responded expectantly. When Paul was led to Christ by Ananias, he was given insight into his role in the Kingdom of God as an ambassador to the Gentiles. From that moment on in his life, Paul preached Jesus. He was sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s direction and embarked upon at least three missionary journeys. He is now on his way to Rome to appeal the charges against him to Caesar. As he testifies, it is evident that he continued to share the gospel with a high degree of expectancy regarding their positive response to the gospel. There were times when he met staunch opposition, even to the point of being subjected to death threats and being stoned. But the hardships he endured did not diminish his willingness to witness for the Lord. By the help of God, Paul told everyone who would listen about Jesus.
We, who are saved, have the wonderful opportunity to continue to spread the gospel. As we see from Paul’s conversation with people at the highest level of authority, the message that we share can be simple and to the point. We don’t need a degree in theology, or to attend a public speaking seminar. Paul shared the essentials of the gospel, the death, burial, and resurrection of our glorious Lord. We just need the conviction that God has called us to participate in the Great Commission and the faith to trust the Holy Spirit to direct us as we share the Good News. What is preventing you from sharing your faith? Will you be a witness for the Lord?
The Lord bless you, and keep you in His care.
Pastor Hinton
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August 2023
Delayed Gratification
And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. Galatians 6:9
With the amazing advancement in our world today, we are accustomed to getting what we want sooner than later. We can sit in the comfort of our homes and in a few minutes have almost anything that we want delivered to our front door. We use microwaves to heat our food in a few minutes. We have instant coffee, instant grits, instant pudding, and instant noodles. We can travel hundreds of miles by air in a short time. But as wonderful as our instant world may be, there are some things that are worth the wait.
During his concluding remarks to the Galatian churches, the Apostle Paul points out the blessing of delayed gratification. Our commitment to Christ is lifelong and after a few years pass, we can experience dry spells where our zeal for God appears to wane. The enthusiasm that we had is not even close to the levels that we enjoyed in years past. We look at the world around us and there are people who do not love God, but on the surface, appear to be thriving in life. We can find ourselves discouraged by what we see and hear. But we should not be discouraged by appearances. There is a tangible benefit that is ours to receive.
Paul indicates that we should be persistent. He exhorts us to not lose heart as we continue doing the will of God. If we are honest, there are times when we struggle with our flesh in continuing to do what we know is right, especially when we have been mistreated by others. Our focus should never be what people do to us, but instead what God requires of us. We have shared the gospel of Jesus Christ, only to be rejected by those who are content with a future filled with destruction. We have given our service and reached the point of burnout. Despite the stress and the strain, we are encouraged to be persistent.
Paul says that we should be patient. The desire for instant gratification serves to promote discontent in our walk with the Lord. We want an instantaneous harvest of the seeds that we sow in the kingdom. When we share the gospel, there are times when our job is plant, others to water, but always trusting God for the increase. We have attempted to win those who dislike us with kindness, but it does not happen overnight. As much as we want a microwave miracle, God may choose to place our blessing in His slow cooker as He addresses issues in our lives that hinder us from appreciating the blessing that awaits us. After all our huffing and puffing, we eventually learn the benefits received from choosing to be patient until due season arrives.
Paul then certifies the promise. There should be no doubt in our minds about God’s ability to do exactly what He says He will do. The promise is the certainty of reaping if we do not grow weary. Some of us have been praying for God to intervene in the lives of our loved ones and it seems like that instead of being drawn to God, they are worse now than when we started praying. Our growth in Christ seems to be hindered by the constant flood of potholes and pitfalls that are in our path. Despite the difficulties, we have the assurance that reaping time is ahead of us if we do not give up. The enemy realizes that there is a blessing in our future. He does not know everything, but he has been around long enough to recognize the signs that precede harvest time. He will do anything that he can to block our blessing. We must not relent in our conviction that God’s promise will not fail.
Be encouraged to know that you will experience gratification in your walk with Christ, even if it is delayed.
The Lord bless you and keep you in His care.
Pastor Hinton
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July 2023
The Summer Season
While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease. Genesis 8:22
One of the blessings of living in North Carolina is the opportunity to experience the seasons each year. We see the beauty of spring as trees and other vegetation come back to life with beautiful blossoms and sweet fragrances that signal the beginning of a season of growth. Summer follows with all its promise, leading to the beautiful canvas painted by the autumn colors that signal winter’s arrival. Each season has a very special quality associated with it.
Our text comes from a time when God was preparing to use Noah and his family to replenish the earth. Because of the wickedness of man, God eventually brought judgment on the earth in the form of a world-wide flood that devastated the landscape, including people and animals. God made special provision for life to be sustained by directing Noah prior to the flood to build an ark and bring each species of animal into the ark to preserve them after the flood was over. The flood came and eventually subsided. Then Noah made a sacrifice that was pleasing to God. God committed to not cursing the ground or killing every living thing as He did with the flood. He indicated that while the earth remained, there would be seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night.
The summer season is an interesting time of the year. When the crops are planted and the rains of spring fall, the stage is set for the growing season that extends into summer. In North Carolina, the average temperature during summer continues to increase, with July and August typically the hottest months of the year. Heat is necessary as a part of the growing season, but without additional water at the appropriate times, the promising crop of spring can shrivel in the fields because of the scorching heat.
In addition to the heat, storms are also a part of the summer season. There are thunderstorms that are generated because of the atmospheric conditions that are created. There are even tornadoes that can bring devastation and loss to crops and communities. Hurricanes can bring more widespread destruction with wind, storm surge, and torrential rains. All the hard work can be wiped away in a matter of minutes.
The beauty of summer includes respite from school for weary students. It also includes vacationing with family and friends, whether at the beach, in the Piedmont, or the mountains. We experience the blessing of fresh vegetables and fruit that delight our palates. We enjoy trips to the swimming pool to relax and enjoy a swim. We look forward to family reunions that are always special, renewing acquaintances and meeting precious little ones. Summer can be a very special and meaningful time. That’s why it is important that we take the time to celebrate summer. God has determined that as long as the earth remains, we will experience summer. It is our responsibility not only to appreciate it but also take full advantage of it. It is the doorway to fall and all its wonders.
Just as we experience the summer season naturally, summer is a part of our lives spiritually. After we have enjoyed renewal in the spring, summer invariably arrives. There are times when it gets hot and humid, which makes life uncomfortable as we deal with the fiery darts of the enemy. There may be torrential rains falling and fierce winds blowing that make us feel like we will be swept away. Hurricanes may be sweeping through the landscape of our lives, and we hold our breaths, anticipating the destruction that will result. We should not be dismayed but learn to appreciate the season. Summer provides conditions for our faith to flourish as we learn to trust God during our trials. We grow in areas that we did not anticipate and the fruitfulness that results blesses the people around us. In addition, if we remain patient, summer will pass, and we will eventually experience the radiance and splendor of fall as we appreciate the spiritual maturity that summer produced. Allow God to bless you in your summer season.
The Lord bless you and keep you in His care.
Pastor Hinton
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June 2023
HE IS A KEEPER
Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, 25To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and for ever. Amen. Jude 1:24-25
One of the constants in 2023 is the ongoing expression of man’s inhumanity to man. It is manifested in many ways, including racism, discrimination, economic oppression, and violent acts that claim the lives of others. Given all the advances in other areas in life, it is not unreasonable to expect that we should all be able to get along with one another. Unfortunately, we are still dealing with Satan and his demonic forces that disrupt our lives and stir us to ungodly behavior. The body of Christ continues to be the primary target of Satan’s diabolical schemes. That was the case when Jude wrote his letter to fellow believers to encourage them to contend for the faith. His letter lets us know that God is a keeper.
The brief book of Jude is compelling in its content. Jude was the brother of James and the half-brother of the Lord Jesus Christ. He did not believe in Jesus early in the Lord’s earthly ministry but became a believer later and was a part of the group of disciples who gathered in an upper room as they waited for the gift of the Holy Spirit. He is mentioned only briefly in the Bible but is positioned by God to address an important concern for the first century church. Jude originally intended to write about the common salvation that believers in Christ enjoyed. Because of the urgency of the times, he was led to address the heresy that crept its way into the church and to encourage the saints to contend for the faith.
The church is always confronted with those who are intent on corrupting the gospel in its simplicity. The distortions of the gospel message are often motivated by fleshly desires that are contrary to God’s standard for His people. It is in those instances that we must be willing to stand firmly on the doctrinal truths that are outlined in the Word of God. Compromise is a slippery slope that will lead to disastrous results. Jude points out the consequences facing those who handle the Word of God deceitfully. He also encourages them to build themselves up on their most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost.
After outlining the spiritual dangers facing God’s people and the compelling need to confront them, Jude concludes his letter with a powerful benediction that serves as insurance and assurance despite the difficulties. It is insurance because God has us covered with His ability to keep us from falling. It is assurance because despite the severity of the situation, we can rest in the comfort that God will be there to cover us with His grace. God has the power to take of the saints. The word translated keep means to guard a person so that he might remain safe. It is God’s personal protection service that is available to all His children. God can keep us standing firm, to exempt us from failing, not because of our own ability, but because of His awesome power. We are often confronted with seemingly overwhelming circumstances, but we can take comfort that He is a keeper. We are often discouraged by the onslaught from the enemy, but faith in God sustains us as we weather our storms.
Because He can keep us, God also can and will present us faultless, without spot or blemish, before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy. God delights in taking care of His children. He knows exactly what we need every second of the day, and that allows us to endure whatever we are facing. He presents us polished with His grace that we might shine for His glory. Jude celebrates God by giving praise for being our Savior and expressing the fact that He is worthy of glory, majesty, dominion, and power, not only in this present world but for all eternity. Praise the Lord! Whenever you are going through what you are going through, remind yourself that HE IS A KEEPER!
The Lord bless you and keep you in His care.
Pastor Hinton
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May 2023
CHOOSING TO BE INTENTIONAL
24Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. 25And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. 26I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: 27But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. 1 Corinthians 9:24-27
One of the many blessings that we receive from God is the freedom of choice. While there are constraints with our choices that we must address, we can decide what we do within those constraints. One of the choices that we can make is being intentional, choosing a focused course of action designed to produce a desired outcome. In his letter to the Corinthians, the Apostle Paul uses a sports analogy to convey his decision to be intentional. He highlighted several things that are important to us if we want to embrace intentionality.
Intentionality includes a goal. In our journey through life, most of us would like to leave a positive mark on the world that reflects the fact that we lived a productive, godly life. Part of our productivity comes from setting goals, some easy, some difficult, but goals, nonetheless. Goals are not wishful thinking but a conviction that with the proper effort and resources, the goals can be achieved. Paul indicates that participants in a race run with a goal in mind: winning the race. Others run to accomplish the goal of finishing the race or completing the race within a specific amount of time.
One of our goals as Christians should be to live a life that is pleasing to God, thereby bringing glory to Him. Our goal each day includes presenting our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God. It encompasses developing a mindset that embraces God’s will for our lives and the conviction that pleasing God is a worthy goal each day. We understand that there will be challenges along the way, but we remain focused on our goal. As we progress through the day, our goal continues to flash before us and serves as motivation to do what we know needs to be done to please the Lord. We choose to be intentional about aligning every activity to conforming to God’s will for the day.
Intentionality includes guidelines. Misdirected intentionality can produce disastrous results. Therefore, establishing guidelines for accomplishing our goals is crucial. Paul points out that race participants have guidelines that must be followed if they want to be successful in their race. He mentions that participants must choose to practice self-control as they prepare for the race, rejecting anything that would be a detriment to their performance. Long distance runners know that they must dedicate time before the race to increase their stamina to overcome the onset of fatigue as they run for several miles. They must develop mental toughness that pushes through the pain that often accompanies running long distances. The guidelines that they follow go a long way in determining the outcome of their race. They must be intentional about following the guidelines.
Believers in Christ have been blessed with a wonderful book of guidelines that we know as the Holy Bible. As we read and meditate on the Word, we must be intentional about understanding and obeying the Word. Satan is a master of distraction and distortion as we go through our day, creating illusions and that can be confusing. By choosing to follow the guidelines found in the Word, we can overcome every distraction that the enemy creates. Being intentional about a daily diet of the Word positions us to have a reserve that we can draw from as we confront different obstacles during our day. David indicated that he hid the Word in his heart that he might not sin against God. Without the Word, he would not have God’s expectations for his life. We cannot expect to experience a life that pleases God without following His guidelines.
Intentionality includes grit. In our walk with Christ, we soon learn that we need determination if we want to be successful in pleasing Him. The courses used for marathons are laid out to test how determined the runners are in finishing. Not only is the course 26.2 miles long, but it also includes hills along the way that require summoning that inner strength that gets the runner over each hill. There is an old saying that indicates quitters never win, and winners never quit. Grit is that push in our backs that will not allow us to quit; grit continues to push us steadily towards the finish line.
The Apostle Paul indicates that he was intentional in his efforts to win. He did not run haphazardly, but with purpose. He was not engaged in shadow boxing, but in activity that brought results. He maintained vigilance over his body and would not allow it to deviate from his stated goal. It was not always easy, but it was necessary. Paul did not want to end up at the finish line of life and be disqualified.
In 2023, God’s people need grit to continue accomplishing our goals for the kingdom of God. Many saints have opted to sit on the sidelines at a critical time in the world. We are reeling from the constant barrage of negativity toward and distortion of the Gospel message that wears on our resilience. We deal with defections each day and retreats by who formerly stood with us. But despite the challenges, we still choose to have grit in being intentional. Nobody told us that the road would be easy, and we expected a fight. We choose to continue holding up the blood-stained banner for our Lord. We choose to be intentional in proclaiming the greatest love story ever told.
It is my prayer that all my brothers and sisters in Christ will choose to be intentional about our Lord.
May the Lord bless you and keep you in His care.
Pastor Hinton
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April 1, 2023
HE IS RISEN!
And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.
Matthew 28:5-6
Resurrection Sunday is the church’s Final Four, Super Bowl, and World Series rolled up into one. It is the cornerstone of our faith. The Apostle Paul said, “But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.” Without the resurrection, we are still hopelessly lost in our sins. We celebrate the Gospel record that makes it clear Jesus did not remain in Joseph’s tomb past early Resurrection Sunday morning.
We celebrate the Lord’s victory over Satan, sin and death and the resulting benefits that we receive. That was not the mood early on that first day of the week. The followers of Christ experienced two traumatic days that began with the Lord’s arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane on the prior Thursday evening. Undoubtedly, word spread that Jesus had been detained by a mob organized by the chief priests and elders who seized the opportunity to proceed with their plan to have Him killed. After at least five trials from late Thursday evening through Friday morning, Jesus was condemned to be crucified.
The agonizing hours proceeded with Jesus leaving Pilate’s judgment hall on His way to Calvary. Some of the disciples had gone into hiding, with the biblical record indicating Peter and John at His trial and only John at the cross. Jesus was crucified at 9:00 a.m. and during the following six hours, He went through an agonizing struggle trying to breathe with His hands and feet nailed to a cross. Faithful onlookers could only stand helpless as Romans soldiers and religious leaders taunted the Lord. At noon, the sun stopped shining for the next three hours. At around 3:00 p.m., Jesus surrendered His spirit to the Father and died. A Roman centurion, an unlikely witness, declared the Jesus was the Son of God.
Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus served as the Lord’s pall bearers, taking Him to His temporary accommodations. Mary Magdalene and the other women watched where they laid Jesus. Because of the next day being the Sabbath, they did not go to the tomb to anoint the Lord’s body. When they arrived early on the first day of the week, they were met with a startling declaration. Matthew’s account indicates that at the dawn of the day, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to the tomb. There was a great earthquake and the angel of the Lord descended and rolled back the stone covering the entrance of the tomb. The guards fainted because of what they saw, and the women were fearful because of the unusual events that occurred.
It set the stage for the most startling news that would ever be shared. The angel said, “Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.” First, the angel deals with reality. The women were fearful in seeing the angel whose appearance was like lightning and his clothes white as snow. It was early in the morning, and they were not sure if they were seeing clearly. They came looking for the body of Jesus so that they could anoint Him. He was in fact crucified. The angel indicates that Jesus was not there because He had risen. It was verification of what Jesus told the disciples before His crucifixion. The angel points to the place where Jesus spent portions of three days.
The angel provides insight to the ramifications. The angel then says, “And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you.” Jesus’ victory over the grave was news that needed to be shared. The angel tells the women to move with haste in getting the word to the disciples about the Lord’s resurrection. The angel lets them know that Jesus has already arranged to meet the disciples in Galilee.
Because of the angel’s declaration, we have reason to rejoice. We can proclaim with confidence that He is risen, thereby confirming the Father’s acceptance of the Lord’s redemptive work at Calvary that provides salvation to anyone who chooses to believe in His death, burial, and resurrection. We have a mandate to rejoice in the wonderful work that allows us the privilege of spending eternity with our glorious God. Let us make Resurrection Sunday a time of praise and adoration extended to our Savior and Lord.
The Lord bless you, and keep you in His care.
Pastor Hinton
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March 1, 2023
THE ONLY WAY
Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting. Matthew 17:21
From March 1 until April 9, 2023, the Mount Pisgah Harnett Church family will participate in a time of fasting and prayer. This time is more than something to fill a space on the church calendar. We are intentional about what we are doing and why we are doing it. We believe the ability to get some things done for the kingdom comes after we have engaged in seeking God sacrificially as we place ourselves before Him earnestly and submissively.
The text from Matthew’s gospel comes at an important time for the disciples of Christ. Jesus has revealed His intention to establish His church based on Him being the promised Messiah. He also shared with them the culmination of His work on earth with His date at Calvary. He took Peter, James and John with Him to the Mount of Transfiguration where His glory enveloped Him. He talked with Moses and Elijah and the three disciples heard the Father speak from heaven stating that Jesus was His beloved Son in whom He was well pleased.
While Jesus and three of the disciples were on the mountain, the remaining nine disciples were below and were approached by a man and his son. The son was demon-possessed. It was intent on killing the son by putting the son in uncontrollable fits that resulted him being thrown in the fire and water. The father was desperate for some relief for his son and came to the disciples for assistance. Unfortunately, the disciples were not able to help the father and son. Shortly after the exercise of futility, Jesus along with Peter, James and John, joined the gathering.
The man went to Jesus, kneeling and asking for Jesus to have mercy on his son. He told Jesus about the things his son had endured, including the fact that the disciples did not deliver him. After highlighting the lack of sufficient faith by the disciples, Jesus rebuked the devil and he came out to the boy. Shortly after, the disciples asked Jesus why they had not been successful in casting the devil out of the boy. Jesus points out that it was because of their unbelief. He adds that with sufficient faith, they would be able to do incredible things. Jesus then includes a caveat that there are some things that will not happen without fasting and prayer.
We are facing a critical time in our world. Satanic influence is increasing by leaps and bounds. The percentage of people in the United States and around the world that identify as born again Christians is decreasing. Our core Christian values face a constant assault from a society who is less tolerant of our biblical world view. We have not sat idly by watching the world disintegrate. We thank God for the difference that He has made because of answered prayer. We also understand that some things are not going to happen without fasting and prayer.
So much can be accomplished when we dedicate ourselves to seeking God’s face together with intentionality. Fasting and prayer help us to bring our flesh and its desires under submission to the Holy Spirit at work in our lives. With the flesh subdued, we become more sensitive to what God desires out of us, including the petitions that we offer. Fasting and prayer prepares our minds to be receptive to the hard things that may be required of us in advancing the kingdom. It helps our perception as we become attuned to what the Spirit is saying to the church.
When we look at our current situation, the evidence is clear that we need a supernatural move from God. We must understand that God will not intervene in the earth in several areas until we engage heaven through fasting, prayer and supplication. We may not know the needs of others but we do know the need in our lives. If we are honest, we know that we need God to manifest His power on our behalf. If it is not for us, we know of loved ones who need His direct intervention. There are too many lives in shambles for us to sit back like we don’t have a care in the world. The people around us need for us to bombard heaven with earnest entreaty so that we can experience breakthroughs.
I encourage each of you to join in with us. I believe we will be amazed with the results. It is the only way.
The Lord bless you and keep you in His care.
Pastor Hinton
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February 1, 2023
DARE TO BE DIFFERENT
“Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 14As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: 15But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; 16Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:13-16
One of the aspects of our faith in Christ is distinction. In His high priestly prayer, Jesus indicates that His disciples were in the world, but not of the world. Jesus expects His followers to be distinct in our approach to life because of our connection to Him. Distinction carries with it the idea of being different in comparison to other people, places or things. For Christians, it is about a lifestyle that is built upon an abiding love for God and for other people that positively impacts our interaction with others.
In his letter to fellow believers affected by the ravages of rampant sin, the Apostle Peter encourages the church to dare to be different. The church was under attack from religious and worldly leaders who took issues with those who embraced The Way, as the faith was called in its formative years. In addition, there was the residue from their former life that stubbornly lingered with them. They stood out like a sore thumb in a culture that tolerated unbridled expression of sinful passions, sexism, slavery, and economic suppression. They were considered counterculture because of their abiding love for God and for one another.
Their experience reflects what we face in 2023. Satan has infiltrated our culture to the degree that media constantly feeds us a steady diet of actions that are contrary to the Word of God. Increasingly, we see expressions of alternate lifestyles that are promoted and embraced by celebrities and others who condemn biblical standards for human interaction. We are encouraged to “go with the flow,” or “not rock the boat.” We are labeled spiritual bigots or condemned as out of touch when we speak against ungodly actions. Instead of yielding to cultural control, we are provided a blueprint by Peter that we can use to dare to be different that includes how we think, how we hope, and how we live.
How we think is our starting point in establishing distinction. “A mind is a terrible thing to waste” is the slogan for the United Negro College Fund and it sheds light on the importance of how we use our minds. Our mind is the nerve center of our thought which authorizes the actions that we take. What we feed our minds is crucial because it will shape how we think. The Apostle Paul says that transformation occurs as we renew our minds. Peter encourages us to prepare our minds for action and to be clear-headed. It is so easy to be swept away by the winds and currents of things that our culture accepts or endorses. The body of Christ has been infected to such a degree that some who profess Christ fully embrace actions and attitudes that are unscriptural. Therefore, we need to remain clear-headed when we hear things that sound good but are not of God. Different thinking allows us to be different.
How we hope as followers of Christ stems from what we have in store for us because of what Jesus did for us. We rejoice in the complete work of Christ that includes His sacrificial death for our redemption, His return to heaven to prepare a place for us and His imminent return for His people. He will not return empty-handed, but will shower us with His wonderful grace that allows us to participate in the blessings that are in store for us. We can dare to be different because of our future with Christ. The Apostle Paul told the Roman church that he was convinced that the sufferings endured in this world cannot compare to the glory that will be revealed in us. We have a glorious future, and we cannot allow the present world to cloud our thinking about the hope that we have. Moses understood that faithfulness to God was far more important than the pleasures of sin for a season. Everything that we have in the earth is temporary at best. We have an eternity to spend with our glorious Lord that will make up for any abuse we experience in the earth; therefore, we have more reason to dare to be different.
How we live allows us to be different. Peter reminds his fellow believers that as obedient children, they should not allow themselves to be deceived into returning to a lifestyle that they abandoned when they accepted Christ as their Savior. Even though they were saved, they still had to contend with their flesh that was accustomed to having its way in their lives, dictating the actions and attitudes that were shown. There was a reason for acting the way that they did because of their lack of knowledge of the ways of God. But since they had now come to that knowledge, there was no need to drift back into destructive behaviors. A better option was to dare to be different by living holy.
Living holy is not being uppity, or condemning of others, or spiritually arrogant, or looking down our noses as other people. It is not about walking around looking like we have been sucking on lemons. It is not walking around with a list of “thou shalt nots” that we use to judge others. It is choosing to be different from the world and its desires. It is striving to be a reflection of our Savior as we interact with others. It is showing the love of God in dealing with people who are hostile to us. It is maintaining faith in God even when everything around us is in chaos. It is living a life that is set apart unto the Lord.
We have heard the expression that we cannot tell God’s people from people of the world. Let’s make the distinction clear. Let’s dare to be different.
May the Lord bless you and keep you in His care.
Pastor Hinton
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January 1, 2023
INTENTIONALITY
For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. – John 6:38
The new year often brings with it a renewed sense of optimism about our prospects in life. As we look at 2022 in our rear-view mirror, we see some of the successes that we enjoyed. We also see missed opportunities and some failures that we experienced. Our success or failure is often defined by a thin line that we call intentionality. As we embark upon 2023, intentionality is at the forefront of the theme for the church family this year.
Dictionary.com defines intentionality as an attitude of purposefulness, with a commitment to deliberate action. One of the Greek words used in the New Testament for intent is boulamai, which means to will deliberately, have a purpose, be minded. Intentionality embraces the concept of singlemindedness or laser focus. It is meaning to do something. It is a mindset that refuses to be distracted from the stated objective.
We would like to think of ourselves as being intentional and in many areas, we are, especially when it is for our personal benefit. But even with our intentionality, we see cracks in our concentration that result in us being distracted from achieving our objective. For example, weight loss is one of the things that we commit to at the beginning of the year, only to find ourselves drifting away from the principles that must be followed if we expect to see a change in what we see when we stand on the scales. Our walk with Christ, as important and as precious as it should be, is often threatened because of our lack of intentionality.
The enemy serves us a smorgasbord of choices that undermine the intimacy that we desire with our Savior. Satan is a master of flooding our senses with enticements that are alluring to our flesh and, if we are not careful, will usher us away from our place of steadfastness. Despite our noble efforts, we have succumbed to his bag of tricks and frustrated ourselves because of surrendering so easily to his suggestions. But despite our past failures, we are perfectly positioned to be intentional and to reap the harvest that results. Intentionality is about the choices that we make that are coupled with the relentless resolve to not be swayed as we go through each day. God has blessed us with free will, which means that we can decide what we choose to do or not do.
Jesus models intentionality as He shares with His disciples. In the text cited above, He provides the parameters for his intentions. With the tremendous task assigned to His hands in the form of our redemption, Jesus never allowed Himself to be deterred from the Father’s will. In the wilderness temptation, He was confronted with compelling choices that catered to the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life. But the tantalizing temptations were no match for the Lord’s intentionality that was buttressed by the Word of God. Self was subjugated to the Father’s will as He was in all points tempted just like all of us. Throughout the remainder of His time on earth, Jesus remained intentional, ultimately dying at Calvary to free us from Satan’s snare.
We are the body of Christ, have the Spirit of Christ, the power of Christ, the grace of Christ, and the mind of Christ. If Jesus was intentional, we have every reason to believe that we have been empowered to be intentional as well. As we move into 2023, let us choose to be intentional in our walk with Christ. Let us be intentional each morning to begin with God, communing with Him, petitioning Him, learning of Him, and walking with Him. Let us be intentional in drawing nigh to God and resisting the devil. Let us be intentional in recognizing the enemy’s devices and standing steadfast in our faith. Let us be intentional in our relationships, being deliberate in loving others, extending grace to others, showing mercy to others, being there for others. So much is in store for us if we will set our souls on our Savior and allow Him to set the course for our lives. He has laid out a glorious path for His children and we are the only ones who can get in our way. Let us choose intentionality this year.
May the Lord bless and keep you.
Pastor Hinton
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December 1, 2022
GOD’S UNSPEAKABLE GIFT
Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift. 2 Corinthians 9:15
The Christmas season is the highlight of the year for many of us. We see the best in people on display as we turn our attention from ourselves to being a blessing to others. Parents with small children are especially engaged in doing what they can to make Christmas a positive memory for the little ones. Seeing a child’s face light up as she opens her presents is priceless. During the holiday season, we become more aware of the needs of others and motivated us to show the love of Christ to those less fortunate than we are. We are thankful that God has blessed us to be a blessing to others, which is an extension of the goodness that God extends to us. The generous spirit that is stirred in us reflects God’s benevolence to us.
In his letter to the Corinthian church, the Apostle Paul devotes time to commending the church for its willingness to give to others who were in need. He wrote about the spirit of giving, God loving cheerful givers and the gracious blessings extended to those who give. He concludes this section of his letter with the compelling words, “Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.” Paul made it clear that not only does God love a cheerful giver, He is the personification of giving as reflected in His gift to mankind.
Paul had compelling reasons for being thankful as he considered what God did on our behalf when He gave us Jesus. Jesus was more than a baby born to Mary and placed in a manger. He is Immanuel, God with us, as our God took on human flesh to experience the things that we endure as human beings. Words cannot fully describe the difference that Jesus made for us. Prior to His coming, man was in a vicious cycle of constant failure, unable to meet the demands of the Law of Moses, at the mercy of Satan’s whims, without God, strangers from the covenant of promise. We were in a word, doomed. But God made provision in Christ to allow us the joy of a personal, saving relationship with Him. The stranglehold that Satan had on us was broken and we were given the privilege of daily communion with our Heavenly Father.
Our cellphones are wonderful devices, with hundreds of apps that we can download that will allow us to accomplish so much. They allow us to send emails, write letters, take pictures, watch videos, read the Bible, plan our day, get directions, track our movement, determine our location, create exercise routines, send money, receive money, make bank deposits, read the newspaper, use Zoom, record, open our garage doors, lock our homes remotely, order food, shop online and a myriad of other things. Many of us are now at a point where if we forget our cellphone, we will go back home to get it.
While we are fascinated with the technology included in cellphones, nothing compares to God’s unspeakable gift to us. Jesus is our all-purpose Savior who is there for us whenever we need Him. He is our Constant Companion, a Friend to the friendless, our Great Physician, our Lawyer, our Wonderful Counselor, our Mighty God, our Everlasting Father, our Prince of peace, our Shepherd, our Guide, our Joy, our Way Maker, our Problem Solver, our Shelter, our Defender and so much more. All the languages in the world combined are not sufficient to convey how great and glorious our Lord is. He is indescribably great.
First Lady Janet and I wish each of you a glorious Christmas season and it is our prayer that you have been blessed to receive God’s unspeakable gift. If you have not, it is our prayer that you will.
The Lord bless and keep you.
Pastor Hinton
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November 1, 2022
RESIDUE FROM THE REVIVAL
On October 26-28, 2022, we held our first revival since the beginning of the covid-19 pandemic. When we gathered on Wednesday evening, there was an air of anticipation that was apparent as God’s people were excited about coming together to hear the Word of the Lord. The hunger and thirst for God’s Word was evident as God’s people pressed their way to the house of the Lord. God showered Bishop Fred Clarida with a word that was tailor-made for the church. With the blessings that flowed, we left with our spiritual sails filled with a second wind. Each sermon preached was another piece in our spiritual puzzle that allows us to move forward in the purpose that God has ordained for the church.
On Wednesday evening, Bishop Clarida shared from the book of Jeremiah, chapter one and twenty. The sermon was entitled, You Can’t Quit. He indicated that we were born for this, assuring us that despite the difficulties that we encounter, we were born for the purpose that God ordained for us. He told us that we were built for this, highlighting the fact God has positioned us to get everything that we need to be able to stand. Finally, he said that we would be better because of this, knowing that with God on our side, we are destined for victory as we trust God to do what only He can do.
On Thursday evening Bishop Clarida spoke from Isaiah 40 and entitled the sermon Look To God. He established the importance as we go through life to ensure that we look to God. We look to Him because He prevails, reflecting the fact that as we deal with the issues of life, we have the comfort to know that God has already won every fight that we face. In addition, Bishop told us that God protects, reminding us that God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble, and we have the assurance that He will be there for us. Lastly, Bishop said that God provides, reinforcing the fact that He is Jehovah-Jireh and He will give us exactly what we need when we need it.
On Friday evening, Bishop preached from 1 Samuel 30 using it as the springboard for the sermon, Go For It. We were told that we have the commission, the authorization from our Heavenly Father to go forward to grab hold to what has been provided for us. We have the commitment to take the steps necessary to go forward even when there is opposition in our path. Finally, there is the compassion that we have that allows us to share the blessings that God has shared with us. Bishop encouraged us to go for it despite the times and seasons that may suggest otherwise.
When we take the Word and hide it in our hearts, we have the resources to sustain the second wind that we receive. God has assigned much to our hands, and it is crucial for us to be about our Father’s business. The second wind is designed to get us to our next filling station. Let us pray for Bishop Clarida that he would continue to yield himself to the Holy Spirit’s power as he shared the Good News. Let us take full advantage of this season of renewal as we continue to be blessed by the residue from the revival.
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September 1, 2022
SINCERE THANKS
I thank my God upon every remembrance of you. Philippians 1:3
Over the past several weeks, the Mount Pisgah Church family and many of our family and friends have gone to great lengths celebrating my wife and me for our forty years of service to the church. It has truly been overwhelming as we consider the many kind expressions and other thoughtful gestures that conveyed your sentiments toward us. We are humbled that God allowed us this special privilege of not only serving His people but also to be showered with heartfelt love from you.
It is important for me to use this opportunity to express our sincere thanks for this outpouring of love. We have been pleasantly surprised by the many things that you took the time to do as the celebration continued. The cards received included not only financial gifts but words that we will treasure into eternity. The donations given were icing on the cake and we thank God for being surrounded by generous souls. The banquet was top shelf with its elegance, content, and the opportunity to greet and fellowship with you. It was amazing to see so many people that we did not expect to attend, including the two centenarians from the church, Mother Alease McKoy, and Sister Pauline Hall, as well as out-of-town guests who included us in their schedules.
The completion of forty years was not accomplished by our efforts alone. There are great pastors who have not been able to remain with a congregation for forty months, even when he or she heard God clearly and followed Him closely in leading God’s people. We have been blessed from the beginning of our journey in 1982 with saints who were tolerant as we began spreading our wings in the roles God gave us. Growing pains were experienced along the way, but God covered us, and the church family continued to love us. You have demonstrated your faithfulness to God and your support to us. You showed us that with God, good things will happen as we work together.
In retrospect, the precious saints who have gone from labor to reward left indelible marks in our hearts. The list is long and the memories are meaningful as we think about those that we prayed with, worshipped with, traveled with, mourned with, rejoiced with, celebrated with, grew with, served with, and trusted God with over the years. They will always have a special place in our hearts. Their deposits of love and wisdom have help to sustain us these four decades.
In his letter to the Philippian church, the Apostle Paul spoke the words quoted above. I understand what it means to truly appreciate others and the joy that thinking about them brings. I do bless God for each of you and the deposits that you have made into our lives. It is my prayer that God’s richest blessings flow into your lives according to the kindness extended to us. As we thank God for your expressions of concern, we are excited about every moment that God allows us to serve with you in the future. Again, we convey our sincere thanks to each of you.
May the Lord bless you and keep you in His care.
Pastor Hinton
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August 1, 2022
WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?
The slothful man saith, There is a lion without, I shall be slain in the streets. Proverbs 22:13
Excuses, excuses, excuses! Excuses continue to be one of our great hindrances in moving forward in our walk with God and life in general. Among the several definitions offered, Dictionary.com defines excuse as to release from an obligation or duty. It is our exemption from doing something that we know we should do. We create excuses with ease when we are not committed to taking the steps necessary to accomplish the things we say we want to do. Unfortunately, time waits for no one and if we are not careful, we will be looking in time’s rear-view mirror with regret considering what might have been. In order move forward we must take definitive steps to advance in the areas that are important to us.
Solomon, the son of David and the third king of the nation of Israel, was blessed by God with a wise and understanding heart. As a result, he spoke three thousand proverbs, many of which are included in the Book of Proverbs. Dictionary.com defines proverb as a profound saying, maxim, or oracular utterance requiring interpretation. It is gives us something to think about as we apply the precept to our lives. When we look at the reasons that we remain stuck in a place that is short of our desired goal, it is often an excuse that impedes our progress. Solomon indicates in the text cited above that the slothful man indicates that the reason that he has not left his home is a lion is loose and that could kill him. He has convinced himself that the lion on the loose is only concerned about attacking him and is a valid excuse for remaining in his home.
Excuses are very convenient, often logical and will pacify others who may question us about being stuck in a place that is short of our desired destination. The pressing question for each of us who may not be where we desire to be is, what are you waiting for? So often we look for ideal conditions before we venture out to do what we know needs to be done. We want the probability of success to be one hundred percent before we embark upon our journey. We want every possible contingency to be addressed before making our next step. We want the clouds of anxiety and discomfort to dissipate before we leave our comfort zone. The problem with waiting for perfect conditions is they will never materialize. We must be willing to push forward based on the conditions before us.
Proverbs 20:4 says, “The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing.” Solomon indicates that the sluggard knows that it is time to begin plowing to prepare for the crop to be sown. Even though he is aware that the calendar indicates the plowing should begin, he chooses to delay his plowing because of a cold day. While a cold day may be uncomfortable, it does not prevent him from plowing. He will miss out on a future harvest because of his decision not to plow at the beginning of growing season. We may be convinced that our excuse is rock-solid, but we must also be willing to accept the fact that our excuse prevents us from accomplishing our goal.
If we are not moving forward, we need to determine what we are waiting to happen before we begin advancing. We don’t need to see it because we walk by faith, not by sight. We don’t need to worry about the steps necessary to get to our destination because the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord. We should not be discouraged by difficulty because even though it was meant for bad, God used it for our good. We cannot give in to defeat because we are more than conquerors. Being alone is not an excuse because Jesus promised never to leave nor forsake us. Opposition should not deter us because the Lord is on our side. Bad weather should not stop us because He is our shelter in the storm. Excuses are no longer valid because of what Jesus did at Calvary.
Given everything that we have going for us, what are we waiting for? Let’s commit ourselves to moving forward with God!
The Lord bless you and keep you.
Pastor Hinton
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July 1, 2022
GOD IS WORKING IT OUT
Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 13For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Philippians 2:12-13
One of the exciting things about our faith in Christ is God’s commitment to us, that we are not in our faith journey by ourselves. The Holy Spirit is called the Paraclete, the One who stands alongside us to help us in our walk in Christ, and He is ever-present in the lives of God’s children. Our ability to move forward is based on our willingness to submit to the Spirit’s direction and trust Him to take care of the details in getting us to where we need to be.
In his letter to the Philippian church, the Apostle Paul exhorts his brothers and sisters to have great confidence in God’s plan for their lives. He says in Philippians 1:3-6, “I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, 4Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy, 5For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now; 6Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.” Paul was instrumental in establishing the church at Philippi and while he experienced trouble while in the city, he had fond memories of the saints. He made a point of thanking God for them each time that he prayed. Their walk with Christ was one that brought joy to this spiritual father as he considered their faithfulness since receiving Jesus as their personal Savior.
One of the things that meant a lot to Paul was God’s commitment to bringing the church to maturity in Christ. Paul was very confident that God didn’t start to stop but had every intention of completing His purpose in the lives of His children. That same theme is reflected in the text above as Paul continues his encouragement to the church. Paul had just exhorted them to embrace the spirit of humility that the Lord Jesus Christ had when He humbled Himself as a part of His sacrifice for the sins of the world. With the Lord’s example as the backdrop, Paul proceeds to lay out the opportunity God has given.
He applauds their consistency in the past. One of the things that parents appreciate is a child who obeys them from the heart. It is not about eye service, only doing when a child is in their parent’s presence but being obedient regardless of the situation. That becomes challenging when the child is in the presence of other young people who think differently than the child’s parents and choose to make poor choices. But if they grab hold to obeying out of love, it does not matter what situation they are in, they will do the right thing.
Paul spent time with the Philippians and instructed them in the ways of God. As he continued with his missionary journeys, he expected them to consistently serve the Lord. He said in Philippians 1:27, “Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel.” It did not matter where he was, he wanted God’s people to continue representing Christ. It was great that the saints did just that. The “a” clause of verse 12 says, “Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence. Paul commends the Philippians for their zeal after he left the city. Their faith was on display to a much greater degree after his departure. It is a good thing to commend one another for faithful service.
He appeals for their commitment in the future. Our walk with Christ is designed to conform us to His image, with each day and experience used to shape us. Paul did not want the Philippians to rest on their laurels of faithful service in the past and neglect their relationship with Christ in the future. If we look at the spiritual landscape in 2022, one of the tragedies is the drift away from God by many believers who were faithful in the past. Their zeal for God is almost nonexistent and they have allowed other things to crowd out the Savior.
Paul wanted to make sure that the Philippians did not fall prey to the attacks of the enemy that were designed to drain their enthusiasm. In the last clause of verse 12, he says, “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” Paul appeals to the Philippians to continue in their commitment to Christ as they moved forward. They were not working to be saved but their lifestyle would demonstrate the difference that Jesus made in their lives. Thayer’s Greek Lexicon indicates fear and trembling is used to describe the anxiety of one who distrusts his ability completely to meet all requirements, but religiously does his utmost to fulfil his duty. That mindset reflects the resolve to do, but also the reliance on God that we must have if we are going to move forward. True progress will not be made without God’s involvement.
He acknowledges that God will complete the process. Paul was experienced in his walk with God, and he knew the challenges that believers face with ourselves and Satan as we move forward. We are bombarded each day with negative distractions that are intended to tantalize us and draw us away from God. That’s why it was important to Paul to help the saints realize that God is working it out. He says in verse 13, “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” The New Living Translation says it this way, “For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.”
This is an incredible statement and one that should encourage each of us. Despite what it looks like to us and others, God is constantly at work in our lives equipping us with the desire to do and the ability to do His will. Whenever we choose to do our part in making ourselves available and submitting to God’s will, some incredible things can happen in us. It is God that takes every circumstance and uses them as a part of the process that He is completing in us. In his letter to the Romans, Paul said, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.” Even when life seems out of control, we need to remind ourselves that God will complete the process of molding us into the image of His Son.
Let us be encouraged to fight the good fight of faith and be reminded that God is working it out.
May the Lord bless you and keep you in His care.
Pastor Hinton
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June 1, 2022
EXCEEDING EXPECTATIONS
Ephesians 3:20-21
Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, 21Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.
We serve an incredible God who loves His children dearly. He demonstrated that love in sending His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, into the world as the propitiation for our sins. He continues to saturate our lives with His blessings that enrich our journey through life and is eager to provide whatever we need as we go from day to day. The Apostle Paul provided a point of reference in considering God’s benevolence in his letter to the Romans. In Romans 8:32, he said, “He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?” It reflects God’s willingness to exceed all our expectations when it comes to the level of His response to us.
We embarked upon a fast on April 18, 2022, that will be completed on June 4, 2022. The fast was designed as a springboard to move us forward in our walk with God. We celebrate everyone who joined us as we gave up food or other items that reflected our commitment to the fast. It is important to encourage everyone that God will always exceed our expectations when we petition Him for the grace that transforms our lives and that sets us up for some incredible things to happen as we move forward from our time of fasting and prayer. In his letter to the Ephesians, the Apostle Paul provides insight into God’s willingness to go above and beyond our abilities to tell Him what we desire of Him.
Prior to the text, Paul prayed a very powerful prayer for the church that included specific requests for the people of God. He asked that God grant, according to the riches of his glory, that they be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man. In addition, the prayed that Christ would dwell in their hearts by faith; that they, being rooted and grounded in love, would be able to comprehend with all the saints the magnitude of the love of Christ, which passes knowledge, that they might be filled with all the fulness of God. This is an amazing expression of wanting the best for God’s people. As a doxology to the prayer, Paul includes the words of the text.
In effect, Paul takes his ability to ask blessings on the Ephesians’ behalf to its highest conceivable level. Then, it is as if the Holy Spirit lets Paul know that even with his best effort in petitioning God, there was so much more that God was able to do for His children. He lets the church know that the God to whom he is praying has the power to far exceed any and everything that they could express or envision in their minds. He then indicates that the Holy Spirit, who dwells in us, is the Agent through which the blessings are produced.
With our commitment to seven weeks of fasting and prayer, the stage has been set for a spiritual harvest to be produced in our lives to a degree that we cannot imagine. A key for us is believing God for the extraordinary. So often we limit ourselves in getting what God is willing to give because we struggle to believe that God is willing to bless us to the degree that He intends. I am encouraging each of us to take the brakes off our thinking and allow our minds to embrace whatever God chooses to do on our behalf. I challenge each of us to climb our ladder of faith, stand on the top rung on our toes, with our hands stretched upward as a demonstration of our expectations coming out of the fast. Then expect God to exceed all of that. That’s what He can do.
After raising the level of our expectations, allow God to saturate our lives with His best. It is not about earning or deserving God’s goodness but the realization that God chooses to shower us as He does because He is God. He can do whatever He wants to do with His provisions for us. It is then our responsibility to give Him the glory that He is due for the great things that He has done. Let us not take God for granted. Let us give Him our best praise in honoring Him for what He has done and will do in our lives. Let us testify to others about how God exceeded our expectations in pushing us closer to fulfilling His will in our lives.
God bless you and keep you in His care.
Pastor Hinton
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May 1, 2022 PRAYER AND FASTING
“Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.” Matthew 17:21
On April 18, 2022, members of our church family along with others began a fast between Resurrection Sunday and Pentecost Sunday. It will end June 5, 2022, at 12:00 a.m. Pentecost is the fiftieth day, and we look forward to celebrating that Sunday almost 2,000 years ago when the Holy Spirit was permanently given to the church. As we move forward as a church family, it is important for us to realize the blessings that are produced when we choose to pray and fast.
The text quoted comes from an episode during the earthly ministry of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. While He was up in a mountain with Peter, James, and John, the remaining nine disciples were approached by a father whose son was demon-possessed. Although Jesus had given them the authority to cast out devils, the nine were unsuccessful in ridding this young man of his tormented condition. Jesus returned from His meeting with Moses and Elijah and was met by the father who wanted some relief for his son. Jesus looked at the situation and let them know that there was a faith deficiency on the disciples part that allowed the demonic spirit to remain in the young man. Jesus cast the demonic spirit out and then added that the situation that they were dealing with required prayer and fasting.
We are in an opportune time for God to do some incredible things in us, with us, through us, and for us. But it will require us to move beyond our comfort zones and trust Him to do what only He can do. Our time of prayer and fasting helps us as we break the bond that the flesh can have over us. It allows us to become more sensitive to what God is saying to us. It positions us to experience God in fresh and new ways as He continues to reveal Himself to us. It is yielding ourselves to His will. It is getting into His Word and allowing His Word to get in us. It is expecting remarkable things individually and collectively.
There may be issues that have continued to plague us, things that we are ready to leave behind, but to break away from those things, we will need to pray and fast. Jesus said that some things require that time of separation, consecration, and dedication to produce the desired result. If we are honest, we will admit that there is so much more that God is willing to give us if we are willing to prepare ourselves to receive it. We should refuse to allow the enemy to steal, kill and destroy what is rightfully ours, especially when we have been given the opportunity to experience life in abundance. There is so much more in store for us if we will spend the month of May in prayer and fasting. As we pray and fast, we can enrich our experience by flooding our hearts with the Word of God. The Word is spirit, and it is life.
As a pastor, it is my desire that God’s people experience His best and I am convinced that His best is made available as we devote ourselves to Him. Ezekiel 34:26 says, “And I will make them and the places round about my hill a blessing; and I will cause the shower to come down in his season; there shall be showers of blessing.” Let’s pray and fast together that everyone who joins in will experience a glorious season of God’s provision.
May the Lord bless you and keep you in His care.
Pastor Hinton
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April 13, 2022
THE MEASURE OF GOD’S LOVE
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16
The Resurrection message is ultimate example of the extent to which love can be expressed. In simple terms, Jesus was crucified, was buried, and on the third day rose from the dead. Every aspect of this incredible event oozes with God’s abiding love for us. In a conversation with a man named Nicodemus, the Lord Jesus Christ provides us the essence of what God did on our behalf as seen in the rationale, the response, the recipient, and the result that reflect the measure of God’s love.
Jesus begins by indicating the rationale for what God did. The Bible tells us that God is love, which means that everything that He does is in His abiding affection for us. If we look at the creation story in Genesis 1, we see love on display as God designs a world that will support human life and is filled with the many splendors that amaze us. Throughout Scripture, God’s love is the underlying theme as He makes provision for fallen man, including not allowing Adam and Eve to eat of the tree of life after they sinned. He consistently chose to show His love in extending grace and mercy to sinful men. Regardless of our sins, God continued to love us.
Jesus then outlines the response that God’s love produced. He says that God gave His only begotten Son. The gift of Jesus as the satisfaction for our sins can only be understood in the context of God’s love. We cannot imagine ourselves in a situation where we would even consider sacrificing one of our children for others, especially if we knew that the people were as terrible as we are apart from Christ. The Bible tells us that God commended His love towards us in that while we were sinners, Christ died for us. Love would not allow God to see us doomed for destruction and not act. He chose to give us Jesus, His only begotten Son.
Jesus identifies the recipient of God’s love, namely, whosoever. One of the many blessings in the Word of God is anonymity, God choosing not to identify people by name in events in the Bible to allow us to connect with and see ourselves in the story. “Whosoever” is an all-inclusive term that helps all of us to see that we can enjoy the provisions God made in Christ. “Whosever” eliminates the barriers that people would impose to keep us from Christ. Regardless of what we have done or who we are, all of us qualify as “whosoever.”
Jesus concludes this familiar verse with the result of God’s love. The sacrifice of Jesus at Calvary for the sins of the world gave us the wonderful privilege of avoiding the dreadful experience of spending eternity separated from God in the lake of fire and brimstone. Every one of us will live forever. The question is, where will be spend eternity? For those who receive Jesus as their personal Savior, we will be blessed to spend eternity in the presence of God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life. That gift was made possible by Jesus dying for us.
It is my prayer that as we celebrate the Resurrection story, we will be reminded of the measure of God’s love.
May the Lord bless you and keep you in His care.
Pastor Hinton
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March 21, 2022
Passing It On
Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; 4Who 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. 2 Corinthians 2:3-4
“I need you, you need me
We’re all a part of God’s body
Stand with me, agree with me
We’re all a part of God’s body
It is His will that every need be supplied
You are important to me, I need you to survive.”
These lyrics by Hezekiah Walker speak to the interdependence that we have with one another. John Dunne said it this way, “No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main.” We need each other, especially in difficult times. In our text, the Apostle Paul helps the church at Corinth know that our support of one another is a matter of passing it on.
He begins his second letter to the Corinthians by highlighting the blessing that God is in our lives. He chooses to praise God for who He is and what He does. He establishes the fact that God is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which should encourage each of us. It reflects the depth of His love for us as evidenced by Paul also indicating that God is the Father of mercies. Mercy is God’s benevolent acts towards us whereby He chooses to extend His grace towards us when we should receive His wrath. We rejoice that His mercies are renewed every morning and they endure forever.
Paul then indicates that the Father is the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation. That should be a source of encouragement for us as we deal with the adversities that life delivers to our door. God knows exactly what we need, and He has what we need. He knows our every emotion, all our hurts and pain, and He gives us the level of grace that soothes our sorrows and pacifies our pain. God is intentional in what He does for us because of His desire that we be a blessing to others who are going through similar situations.
Paul wants us to understand that we are positioned through our experiences with God to minister to others. We know the depth of our pain and the blessing that God has been for us. Since He helped us, we should be willing to help others to the same degree that we were. People are going through tough times every day. All we need to do is look around and we will see the signs of their struggles. Instead of choosing to ignore what we see or not get involved, we are encouraged to pass it on. We never know the difference a kind word spoken in time can make. We may never appreciate the power of a listening ear lent to a person who just needs someone with whom to talk. We may not understand how taking a little extra time to help someone else to talk through their problems can transform lives. But because God chose to minister to us, we should be willing to minister to someone else.
I know that our lives appear to be filled with more than we can do, that we are consumed with taking care of our personal affairs, but I take this opportunity to exhort each of us to take the time to pass on the love, the kindness, the compassion, the concern, and the support that God has given to us to someone who needs it. There is a long list of people waiting to receive the comfort that we can give. PASS IT ON!!
The Lord bless you and keep you in His care.
Pastor Hinton
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February 1, 2022
THE PRESS FORWARD
Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:13-14
Our walk with Christ is designed to allow us to progressively grow more and more like Christ. In his letter to the Romans, the Apostle Paul said, “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.” The Greek word translated “conform” means having the same form as another. For example, a cookie cutter is used to give the cookie dough the same form as the cookie cutter. The more we walk with Christ, the greater our conformity should be. Unfortunately, many of us have gotten stuck along the way and as a result, we need to engage in the press forward in being molded into the image of Christ.
Paul was a wonderful example of the challenge that we face in this life. While acknowledging his frailties, he continued in his relentless push to live out the life God ordained for him. In his letter to the Philippians, Paul shares a brief autobiographical sketch of his journey from legalistic righteousness based on his performance to righteousness which is of God by faith. He knew he had a part to play, but his standing with God was based on the finished work of Christ. His duality of flesh and spirit were not synchronized, and he endeavored to get his flesh in line with the Holy Spirit living in him. He shares with us at least three elements that need to be present as we press forward.
Recognition must be present. To get to where we want to be, we need to know where we are. Paul recognized that despite his continued efforts, his life did not reflect the place he desired to be. He acknowledged that he had not yet reached the level that he desired in his walk with the Lord. He recognized the need to not settle where he was, to assume that there was nothing left to attain in his desire to please the Lord. If we are honest, we must admit to missing the mark in how we live each day. There are times when things are going great, but we encounter situations that frustrate us, and we do things out of character for which we must repent. Recognizing our shortcomings is crucial to us turning to God and relying on His help in living a victorious life.
Resilience must be present. Resilience is the ability to adjust to or recover from adversity or major life changes. Failure often stares us in the face and if we are not careful, it can drain our zeal for the things of God. We get frustrated with ourselves and with Satan because we did not allow the Spirit to lead us during times of adversity. Instead of accepting defeat or conceding that things are as good as they can be, resilience says that it is time to try again, to press forward. Paul indicates that there was one thing that he was persistent in doing. He chose to forget the things were behind him. The enemy is a master of bringing up the disasters in our past, reminding us of how we failed miserably and implying that the future will be no different. Resilience says that although we may have been knocked down, we will get back up again and try again. Resilience demanded that Paul reach forth to the things which were before him. Resilience allows us to bounce back from our setbacks.
Resolution must be present. Pressing forward is more than a nice slogan. It requires a level of resolve on our part that will not compromise with self or the expectations of others. Resolution is the mental state or quality of a firmness of purpose. It is possessing a bulldog mentality about something that matters to us. Paul stated that he pressed towards the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. The Greek word translated “press” means to run swiftly to catch some person or thing. The focus is not the pursuit of but the attainment, the realization of the goal. There was no doubt in Paul’s mind regarding what God had made available to him. His challenge was getting beyond himself to reach the place where he enjoyed the reality of the power of the resurrection in his life. That firmness of purpose is necessary as we pursue God’s best.
The press forward challenges us to continue our push with recognition, resilience, and resolution. There is so much more of God that He wants us to experience, and He is calling us to press forward. Will you respond to the call?
The Lord bless you and keep you in His care.
Pastor Hinton
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January 8, 2022
IT’S TIME
The LORD our God spake unto us in Horeb, saying, Ye have dwelt long enough in this mount: 7Turn you, and take your journey, and go to the mount of the Amorites, and unto all the places nigh thereunto, in the plain, in the hills, and in the vale, and in the south, and by the sea side, to the land of the Canaanites, and unto Lebanon, unto the great river, the river Euphrates. 8Behold, I have set the land before you: go in and possess the land which the LORD sware unto your fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give unto them and to their seed after them. Deuteronomy 1:6-8
I believe most of us would agree that we look forward to the new year. While it is the day following December 31, with essentially the same elements, January 1 is filled with hope as we look to make adjustments in our lives that will produce the outcomes that we desire. It serves as our starting blocks for a different year with a different outlook. The only thing that we that we can do about what happened in the past but learn from it and where possible, make amends with the people that we have hurt.
Our theme as a church family in 2022 is, It’s Time To Move Forward. God continues to bless us richly and has positioned us to experience the blessing of walking obediently before Him as He fulfills His will through us. Our prospects with God should be exhilarating as we consider His willingness to take us to the place of blessing He has provided for us to enjoy. The text quoted above was the basis of the sermon I preached on January 2. In it I indicated that there were three challenges that God’s people faced in the text. They had the challenge of the familiar, the frontier and fortitude.
The challenge of the familiar entails the tendency that we have to remain in comfortable places. That extends to relationships and routine. “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” The problem with this approach is we will not move forward at the pace possible because it may demand that we abandon the familiar. God’s people were comfortable where they were and were not in a hurry to move. They could have easily slipped into a mindset that would have been insistent on remaining where they were. It’s time to overcome the challenge of the familiar.
The challenge of the frontier deals with the aversion to doing things we have never done before. Faith always plays a critical role in expanding the frontier in our lives. We must be willing to trust God with where He is taking us, even when it is uncharted territory for us. God knows what He is doing and if His plan includes new and exciting opportunities for us, we should be open to what He has planned in our lives. God’s people were told about the land flowing with milk and honey, but they hesitated when it came time to move forward.
The challenge of fortitude encompasses the courage to take bold steps in life. Our walk with God is not for the faint in heart. We understand as believers that we have an enemy that is intent on our destruction. We know that he will fight us at every point that he is given the opportunity. What we must remind ourselves of is God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. We are more than conquerors through Him that loved us. The battle is not ours, but the Lord’s; therefore, we can be confident as we demonstrate the fortitude to respond to the challenge before us. God’s people struggled with fortitude as they dealt with the people and places that led to the Promised Land.
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December 1, 2021
THE JOY OF CHRISTMAS
“And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.”
Luke 2:10-11
“It’s The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year,” the title of a Christmas song popularized by the late singer Andy Williams, captures the joy that is associated with the biggest holiday that we celebrate in our country.The song begins with the following lyrics:
It’s the most wonderful time of the year
With the kids jingle belling
And everyone telling you be of good cheer
It’s the most wonderful time of the year.
There are several things that make the Christmas season a joyous time.The big smiles on children’s faces on Christmas morning make the sacrifices made by parents worth it to know that the little ones can celebrate the generosity of others.The pause in activity allows us to reconnect with family and friends that we don’t get to see nearly as often as we would like.The down time allows refection as we consider the year almost completed and we give attention to the year ahead.In 2021, it is a joy just to be alive and able to celebrate another Christmas.
While much of the time and attention now given to Christmas is the result of the extreme commercialization of a sacred season, we who know the Lord Jesus Christ as our personal Savior have the privilege of recounting the birth of our Savior.Luke, the beloved physician in his treatise to Theophilus regarding the gospel of Jesus Christ, takes us to that eventful time after the angel of the Lord let Joseph, the fiancé of Mary, know that Mary was expecting a child.Gabriel made a visit to Mary prior to Joseph being notified and informed her that she would conceive a child by the Holy Ghost and His name would be Jesus.
Luke tells us that just prior to the Lord’s birth, Joseph, accompanied by Mary, went to Bethlehem from Nazareth to register for the census required by the Roman authorities. While they were in Bethlehem, Jesus was born.The Lord’s birth brought joy to Mary and Joseph, but it was not confined to them.The Son of God’s birth was so significant that the angel of the Lord made an announcement to shepherds concerning the great event.As quoted above, ““And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.”
The joy of Christmas is seen in its extent.The angel indicates that the good news was for all people.At that time, the people of Israel were longing for the arrival of the Messiah, the One promised by Moses to deliver them from Roman domination.They were focused on the nation of Israel.But the good news applied to the entire world, including Gentiles, those who were not descendants of Abraham.The extent was all-inclusive term as far as those who are eligible to become a part of the family of God.
The joy of Christmas is seen in its effect.The angel indicated that Jesus was a Savior, and identifies Him as Christ (Messiah), the Lord.When Mary and Joseph were told about the birth of Jesus, both were told that His name would be Jesus because He would save His people from their sins.We rejoice today that the saving power of Jesus is still at work in 2021.God is still able to save to the uttermost.
The joy of Christmas is seen in its exaltation. The angel’s announcement included information about how to identify the Lord. The shepherds were told that they would find him wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. Swaddling clothes were common for babies at the time that Jesus was born. The distinction was where the shepherds would find the Lord. Luke then adds, “And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” The host of heaven joins in exaltation of our great God in His gracious act extended to mankind.
As we move forward in this Christmas season, it is my prayer that each of will experience the real joy of Christmas as we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
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November 1, 2021
A Good Thing To Do
It is good to give thanks to the LORD, to sing praises to the Most High. Psalm 92:1 (NLT)
In the early 1990’s, Leonard Burks wrote a song that became popular entitled, Every Day Is A Day Of Thanksgiving. The song began with the following words:
Everyday is a day of thanksgiving.
God’s been so good to me,
everyday He’s blessing me.
Everyday is a day of thanksgiving;
take the time to glorify the Lord today.
The lyrics express the sentiment of the writer of Psalm 92 as he begins his consideration of God’s goodness. It is the attitude that we need, especially as we think about the many things that we have experienced recently. Covid-19 has produced unprecedented times for all of us and despite the many difficulties that we have endured, we are still here, and we have the privilege of expressing our gratitude to God. It is important that we take the time to thank God for every blessing that we enjoy as we recognize God’s goodness extended to us.
If we are not careful, we focus on the big things in life as the reasons to thank God. We thank Him for our spouse, our children, our good job, our home, our church family, our friends, and our material blessings. But if we agree with the psalmist, we realize that every moment of each day provides us with new reasons to give thanks to God. When I was younger, the saints would testify and thank God for “a reasonable portion of health and strength.” It was their way of saying they realized that it could have been much worse, and they appreciated their physical condition, even when they were not in perfect health. They considered the fact that family, friends, and people that they did not know were often worse off than they were, and they had no valid reason to complain.
It is a good thing to give thanks as we think on the goodness of the Lord. Many us are the beneficiaries of God’s saving grace, which positions us to enjoy eternity with our glorious God. To know that there are people who lived and died without coming to a saving knowledge of the Lord should make us more appreciative of our salvation. We have been blessed by His enabling grace as we go from day to day. God has called us to be His ambassadors in the world and has empowered us to represent Him well as we interact with people who don’t know Him as their Savior. We have been blessed with His sustaining grace that keeps us in a world that is tainted by Satan and his demonic forces. Even though weapons are formed against us, they are not successful because of God’s ability to keep us safe from harm.
God has been merciful to all of us. In Lamentations, the prophet Jeremiah said, “It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.” If we are honest with ourselves, we readily acknowledge that the only explanation for us still being alive is the mercy of God. Bad decisions, bad company, and bad circumstances should have resulted in our demise, but we thank God that His mercy endures forever. When we did not have any basis for getting out of what we got ourselves in, God chose to have mercy and that is another reason why it is a good thing to give thanks to the Lord.
We celebrate Thanksgiving in this country on the fourth Thursday of November and it serves to remind us of the need to be thankful. Beyond the official holiday is the daily provision that we receive. The psalmist said in Psalm 68:19, “Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation.” God is good to us every second of every day and if we take the time, we see the evidence as we go through our day. Just think about what could have happened had God not shielded us from seen and unseen danger. Where would we be if He had not intervened when He did? Our lives would be a living horror movie. But God has been so good to us.
Johnson Oatman wrote a song that helps us to conclude that it is a good thing to give thanks to the Lord. The refrain is:
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your blessings, see what God has done!
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your many blessings, see what God has done.
I encourage each of us to take the time to count our blessings and make it our mission to give thanks to the Lord.
The Lord bless and keep you.
Pastor Hinton
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October 1, 2021
OUR UNCHANGING GOD
For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed. Malachi 3:6
Our world is constantly undergoing change. Environmentalists bemoan global warming and its negative, long-term effect on the earth. Sociologists point out the ever-evolving nature of interpersonal relationships. Economists foresee troubling ebbs and flows in our financial future. Society continues to evolve as we try to make sense out of how to live in harmony with political, social, and cultural divides. Technology changes at an exponential pace and it accelerates change in other areas. The covid-19 pandemic has been the catalyst for a multitude of changes.
With so many changes to manage, it is comforting to know that we serve an unchanging God. In the text cited from Malachi, God makes it clear that He does not change, and it served as a blessing to the people of Israel. While God was justified in bringing harsh judgment upon a disobedient and rebellious people, because He is unchanging, He extended His mercy to them and spared their lives. God subjected them to discipline and rebuke, but He spared them from destruction. They had every reason to rejoice in God’s unchanging nature.
We have compelling reasons for celebrating the fact that God does not change. We celebrate His reliability. Many of us have had the unfortunate experience of someone that we counted on letting us down at a critical moment. It was heartbreaking because we were convinced that they had the ability to help but chose not to assist us when we really needed them. The hurt that resulted has been difficult to overcome and some of us are still carrying those lingering wounds. We don’t have that concern when it comes to our God. Because He does not change, He is dependable in every situation that we face. It was David who testified, “I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.” That was David’s way of saying God is reliable. He is the One who causes the sun to shine each day, the wind to blow, the rain and the night to fall.
We celebrate His faithfulness. There are times when life is more than we can bear and when the going gets tough, we can find ourselves by ourselves. It is a comfort to have a friend that will be there when everyone else has gone. But even with the faithful support of a dear friend, there will be times when our friend cannot help us. Their resources, connections or support cannot get us through our difficult place. It is in those times that we bless God for His faithfulness. David said, “Thy mercy, O LORD, is in the heavens; and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds.” It means something when our backs are against the wall that we have someone that we can count on. The psalmist said, “Thy faithfulness is unto all generations: thou hast established the earth, and it abideth.” There is no condition too great for God not to come through for us.
We celebrate His consistency. One of the distressing things in life is depending on someone who is inconsistent. Some people are moody, with wild swings in their emotions. It is challenging to have a conversation with them because we don’t know which version of the person we will meet. We become apprehensive about their willingness to do simple things that they can do but may choose not to do. In contrast to inconsistent people, our God is unwavering in His ability, His wisdom, His love, and His grace. Regardless of what we face, He is always consistent in His response to us. In talking to God, the psalmist said, “They shall perish, but thou shalt endure: yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed: But thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end.” The psalmist knew that while people were subject to inconsistency, God will always be the same. The writer of Hebrews tells us, “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and forever.”
It is my prayer that as you go through each day, you will be reminded that we serve an unchanging God.
The Lord bless you and keep you in His care.
Pastor Reginald S. Hinton, Sr.
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September 1, 2021
STORMPROOF
“But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. 2When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.” Isaiah 43:1-7
Over the past several weeks, we have seen catastrophic events occur around the world. Parts of California and far western states have endured record high temperatures and fires raging out of control; a 7.2 magnitude earthquake devastated parts of Haiti; Hurricane Ida devasted Louisiana exactly 16 years since Hurricane Katrina ravaged the state; desperation was personified in the evacuations of Americans and its Afghan supporters as the United States and its allies ended a 20-year war in Afghanistan. The world continues to reel from the onslaught of the delta variant of the coronavirus. It can be overwhelming and disheartening, but I want to encourage God’s people that despite the catastrophic conditions, we can be stormproof in our great God.
In the text cited, the Prophet Isaiah delivers a message from God that was designed to encourage them as they dealt with difficult circumstances. After decades of disobedience, God’s people faced the consequence of their choices and God’s judgment was staring them in the face. God meted out judgment at the hands of the Babylonians, but as a reflection of His great love, He would help His people. Even as we walk by faith and not by sight, life can be overwhelming at times. It feels like we have been caught in torrential rainstorm and we are in danger of being swept away by the flood waters. That could have easily been the mindset that the nation of Judah was experiencing after enduring the onslaught of the enemy. In this crucial time, God reassures them that they are stormproof because of God’s revelation, reliability, and relationship.
The Bible has been called many things, but at its core, it is about God revealing Himself to mankind. In the first verse of the first book of the Bible, we are introduced to God. From that point on, it is a treasure hunt as we discover the riches found in our great God. When we are facing the storms in life, we have the wonderful opportunity for God to reveal something about Himself. In Judah’s case, God shares important truth about who He is. Isaiah 43:1 says, “But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.” God indicates that He is the Creator of His people, with a personal involvement in making them. He is their Redeemer, the One who delivers them out of the storms; therefore, there was no reason to fear. In addition, He knows them intimately in calling them by name and makes His claim to ownership of His people. Understanding who God is helps us to be stormproof as we face the tempests that are a part of life.
God is reliable when storms rise in our lives. There is no situation that is too turbulent to keep Him from being there for us. Verse 2 indicates, “When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.” God helps His people to understand that difficulty cannot always be avoided by indicating “when” they pass through the waters. God’s reliability is evident as He states that even in the water, He would be with them. There is no tsunami devastating enough to discourage God from being present with us. He is reliable as we pass through raging rivers with their powerful currents. Because God is with us, the rivers will not consume us. In addition, God is a fire retardant in the firestorms of life. The flames will not cause any harm to our faith because of God’s reliability.
God’s relationship with His people is critical to surviving the storms of life. At any given time, we are in one of three stages: facing a storm, in a storm, or coming out of a storm. It is like hurricane season that we are in currently. The seeds for hurricanes come from the west coast of Africa and as soon as unsettled air starts to take shape, the weather forecasters begin plotting the direction of the storms. They use radar and other sophisticated equipment to help predict the course each storm will take to help those in the path of the storm to prepare themselves. As believers in Christ, we have our relationship with God that allows us to seek shelter in Him.
God tells His people about the depth of His relationship with them in verse three and four. He says, “For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee. Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life.” God’s love for His people is steadfast, even in the storm. He went to great lengths to secure their freedom, sacrificing other nations as ransom for His people. The relationship is center stage as God indicates that His people were precious in His sight, they had been honorable even in the storm, and God has loved them. The relationship is not diminished by distance as He indicates in verses five and six, “Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west; I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth.” God encourages His people not to become fearful of of temporary setbacks because of His continual presence in the storm. He will personally evacuate His people from distant lands and bring them back to Himself.
What should encourage us is the fact that God says in verse 7, “Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.” Believers in Christ have help in our great God. God has a vested interest in our outcomes in life because it is through believers that He receives the most glory. Even when the storms rage, we can weather the storms because of God’s grace and mercy.
Whenever dark clouds are looming on your horizon, don’t fret. Just know that God makes us stormproof and will allow us to experience victory in life.
The Lord bless you and keep you in His care.
Pastor Reginald S. Hinton
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August 1,2021
IT IS NECESSARY
Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting. Matthew 17:21
In looking at our journey through life, we understand that some things are necessary to continue to live. For example, we must food to eat and water to drink to maintain our nutrition. We need an ample amount of sleep and physical activity to remain physically fit. We need social interaction to retain emotional well-being. Without them, we will eventually experience lasting health issues.
Just as there are necessary things for sustaining life, there are necessities in our walk with Christ. We must have faith in what Christ did at Calvary as a condition for salvation. We must study our Bibles as a part of our personal spiritual growth. We need to followship with other believers to encourage one another. We need to pray daily to maintain our relationship with God.
There are seasons in our walk with Christ when praying and fasting are necessary. Our text highlights an episode in the Lord’s earthly ministry when He was approached by a father whose son was tormented by a demonic spirit. The spirit caused convulsions that resulted in the child falling into water and fire. The father wanted some relief for his son and came to the disciples first. Unfortunately, they were unable to cast the spirit out because of their unbelief. Jesus did rebuke the spirit and the young man was healed.
The disciples were concerned that they were unable to help the father and his son; therefore, they asked Jesus why they were not able to cast the spirit out of the son. Jesus told them that it was because of their unbelief. The Lord had given them the authority over devils, but they did not exercise the faith required to produce the deliverance needed. Jesus went on to add that if they had faith as a grain of mustard seed, they could speak and the mountain would move from one place to another, and nothing would be impossible for them. However, it would only happen because of prayer and fasting.
Just as it was a requirement for the disciples, it is necessary that we pray and fast in our walk with Christ. There are situations that require a surrendering to God at a level that not only do we talk to Him, but we give attention to bringing our flesh into subjection and thereby enhance our spiritual sensitivity to what God is doing in and around us. It is necessary so that we can hear God clearly as He directs us through the hard place that we have before us, to allow us to overcome doubt and to tap into God’s provision. There is no way around it, but when we do, we will see God manifest His awesome power on our behalf.
When we find ourselves in situations that seem overwhelming, it may be a great time to pray and fast. It is necessary. The Lord bless you and keep you in His care.
May the Lord bless you and keep you in His care.
Pastor Hinton
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July 3, 2021
Get Out and Stay Out
Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. Galatians 5:1
In the United States of America, freedom has extremely high priority. The First Amendment to the Constitution provides for freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of the press, the freedom to peacefully assemble and the freedom to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. It reflects the safeguards that the founding fathers deemed necessary to guarantee the exercise of freedom in those critical areas. Freedom is wonderful and we want to be able to enjoy it to the greatest degree possible without infringing on the rights of others.
Freedom has been important not only in this country but in our walk with Christ. The Lord’s ministry on earth was designed to give freedom to all who would come to Him in faith. Unfortunately, Satan is intent on binding those who don’t know any better with deception and blindness, including in the religious arena. That was the concern that the Apostle Paul had when he wrote to the Galatian churches. They experienced freedom in Christ by faith, only to be subjected to the false teaching that indicated following the Law of Moses was required for salvation. Paul refused to sit idly by while souls were being harmed by false teaching.
Paul was aware that some believers listened to the persuasive arguments of the Judaizers and compromised their walk of faith by adding legalistic elements to the redemptive work of Christ. For example, they were willing to add circumcision as a requirement for salvation. Since the church began with Jewish believers, many of them continued following the Law of Moses after becoming Christians and struggled to separate the Law from faith in Christ. Consequently, their teaching included the Law as a part of the new life in Christ.
After providing the foundation for his position that the just shall live by faith, Paul exhorts his fellow believers to stand firmly in the freedom that they had in Christ. In our text he essentially says to get out and stay out. Paul wanted the Galatians to realize that they had allowed themselves to slip back into bondage by following the Law. If their righteousness was based on the Law, there was no need for Christ to die for their sins. By opening their eyes to the fallacy in the teaching of the Judaizers, Paul points them to faith in Christ alone as the basis for true freedom. He wanted the Galatians to not only recognize the error they were being subjected to but to reject it. A decision was required on their part.
Paul wanted them to take it a step further, namely, not allowing themselves to pulled back into bondage. Satan is relentless in his attack against believers and if he realizes that one tactic is no longer working, he will resort to another one. He disguises his devices in attractive packages, but his motives remain the same. He is intent on stealing, killing, and destroying whenever he can. Paul wanted the Galatians to exercise discernment in their walk with Christ to identify the enemy’s devices and not allow anything to entrap them again.
The same should be true for us. Jesus brought us out of darkness into His marvelous light. He delivered us from the power of sin. We are the sons and daughters of God. Christ has made us free from the law of sin and death. Since we have gotten out of bondage, we need to stay out and serve the Lord in the freedom that we have in Him. God wants the best for us, and nothing can be better than our personal relationship with Christ. That’s why regardless of how appealing the enemy’s devices may be, we need to get out and stay out of anything that is not of God.
The Lord bless you and keep you in His care.
Pastor Hinton
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June 2, 2021
STAY THE COURSE
“And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” Galatians 6:9
One of the pillars of success is consistency, maintaining the same level of performance over an extended period. Whether in athletics, business, finances, education or relationships, the outcome is predictable when we commit to the constantly doing those things that are required to accomplish our stated goal. That is the sentiment expressed in the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Galatian churches.
Galatians is considered by many to be the Magna Carta of the Christian faith, setting forth what it means to live by faith, trusting in faith in Jesus Christ alone as the basis of our salvation and living out a vibrant life in Christ. Paul found it necessary to address the erroneous teaching that endorsed a works-based salvation, with adherence to the Law of Moses as a necessity. Paul methodically sets forth the purpose of the Law in pointing the world to its need for Christ and then encouraging the saints to stand in the liberty that they had in Christ. He was quick to caution that their Christian liberty was not a license to indulge fleshly desires, but the opportunity to live a Spirit-filled and Spirit-directed life. He concludes the letter with practical application of their faith in Christ, including the need to be consistent in their walk with Christ.
He exhorts them to stay the course when it came to doing what God expected of them. He realized that there would be times when the commitment to being consistent in Christ would be challenging, especially as time passed. Our life in Christ is not for a few days, weeks, months, or years. It is a lifetime relationship with Christ and despite the distractions presented by satanic forces, we are called to remain faithful to God. Paul includes the fact that there is a blessing that results when we choose to stay the course, namely, reaping in due season.
Farmers illustrate the principle included in Paul’s exhortation. Each year, farmers begin their year preparing for the crop that will be produced. After the allowing the land to rest during the winter, they start in the spring preparing the earth for the seeds that will be sown. The crops are planted, cultivated, fertilized, and watered. With proper rain and sun, along with being spared natural disasters, the fields sown will eventually produce a bumper crop. The farmer cannot become overly impatient during growing season but trust the process for the harvest to be produced. At the proper time, the harvest will be reaped. The same is true in our relationship with Christ. Living by faith will be rewarded with the blessings God has in store for His children. While we wait, we must not lose heart.
During the pandemic, we have been consistent in following recommendations regarding minimizing the spread of the coronavirus. Regrettably, lives have been lost and many experienced illness at a level never before endured, but many lives were spared. With increasing vaccination rates and a better understanding of how to minimize the spread of the virus, we are finally beginning to turn the corner in our push for a return to normal conditions. Even with the success enjoyed in our fight against this dreaded disease, we must not let our guards down. We must continue to be vigilant in taking the necessary precautions to keep ourselves and our loved ones safe. By being consistent with safety, we will reap the benefit of fewer restrictions and returning to spending time with those we love. Let’s stay the course.
May the Lord bless you and keep you in His care.
Pastor Hinton
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KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK
May 4, 2021
“And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” Galatians 6:9
Over the past couple of months, progress has been made in the fight against covid-19. The statistics have continued to trend in the right direction, with the averages for infections, hospitalizations and deaths continuing to decline. Over one hundred million adults have been vaccinated in this country and we are getting closer to the goal of herd immunity. Trials have begun for developing a vaccine suitable for our youth, with promising results. Consequently, we have seen a relaxation of several of the restrictions imposed to minimize the spread of the dreaded coronavirus, with businesses allowed to operate at full capacity, the size of outdoor and indoor gatherings increased, and masks not required under certain conditions. The advances made get us closer to a return to “normal.”
The improvements in this country are tempered by the recent catastrophic surge in covid-19 cases in India, with over 300,000 new infections occurring each day. Hospitalizations and deaths have soared and the desperate plea for assistance from other countries has been made. It reminds us that we are not out of danger yet, and we must be vigilant as we move forward cautiously. Variants and disregard of safety measures can easily result in more spikes in this country.
Our experience over the past fourteen months included major changes for us as we adapted to the conditions we faced. There were several things that we began doing that made a positive difference in the lives of one another and we should not stop doing those things. We have spent more time at home with our immediate family, allowing for more quality time with those we love. We expanded electronic outreach through social media and other platforms like Zoom and Google Meet. Prayer groups and Bible study sessions increased. Worship services were added to social media and we helped one another access our services. Creative ways to share the gospel have been developed.
If progress continues against covid-19, we will reach a point where we will be much loser to “normal” than we have been in a long time. But as we approach that milestone, we need to keep up the good work that has begun. In his conclusion to his letter to the Galatians, the Apostle Paul includes the exhortation that we not become weary in well doing. After sufficient time and efforts have been expended, we can decide that it is time to discontinue our noble deeds. But what we cannot lose sight on is the blessing that our efforts produce in the lives of others. It reflects our commitment to God as we meet the needs that God reveals to us. We must resist the urge to abandon what God has given us to do.
Our service to God and one another should not be driven by selfish motives. What should encourage us is God’s commitment to His people to such an extent that He chooses to bless us as we bless others. Paul indicates that if we keep up the good work, we will be blessed because of our labors. Whenever we are doing anything that brings glory to God, we must not get discouraged along the way. Reaping time is coming. In his letter to the Corinthian church, Paul said, “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.” In his second letter to the Thessalonians he said, “But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing.”
We may not have cheerleaders following us around waving pom poms, cheering us on. We may not receive a prestigious award for community service. We may not have anyone to tell us, “thank you” for what we do. Our efforts may not be appreciated by some of the people that we help, but we need to keep up the good work. God will get the glory out of our lives.
The Lord bless you and keep you in His care.
Pastor Reginald Hinton
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Answered Prayer
April 1, 2021
“And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.” Matthew 21:22
Since February 23, 2021, our church family has been engaged in 40 days of prayer and fasting as we trust God to revive us in our walk with Him. The collective fast concludes on April 3, 2021, but we believe the blessings associated with the fast will continue for years to come. Our time petitioning God was undergirded by the conviction that God’s Word commands us to pray and God answers our prayers.
In what we know as Matthew 21, an episode is captured where Jesus speaks to a fig tree and immediately it dries up. His disciples are amazed at how quickly the fig tree shrivels. Jesus uses their reaction as a teaching moment to share with them the power of speaking and prayer. He tells them if they have faith and do not doubt, not only would they be able to do the same thing that He did when He spoke to the fig tree, they would also be able to speak to the mountain that was before them and tell it to move and be cast into the sea and it would happen. This is an incredible statement that Jesus makes regarding the power that is in our tongues.
Jesus adds that all things that they ask in prayer and believing what they ask can be done, they would receive. He informs them that their prayers would be answered. With such a bold declaration, it is important that we understand what Jesus is saying. First, He helps us understand the amazing power that God has given to His children in prayer. Things that would normally be considered impossible become possible when we petition God. It should encourage us not to limit God with prayers that don’t reflect His power to do all things. At the same time, we understand that as God’s children, our prayers need to be according to His will.
The second thing that stands out is the assurance that our prayers will be answered. God blesses His children with the Holy Spirit, and the Spirit is our Prayer Interpreter who translates our prayers from our words to utterances that are in perfect alignment with God’s will. This is a critical part of the anatomy of prayer. When we understand this aspect of prayer, we realize that the answer that we receive may not be exactly what we asked for, but it will be exactly what the Holy Spirit placed before God. We can be confident that God will respond.
Since we prayed for revival, we need to expect some things to begin happening and continue as we move forward. We believe revival is in God’s will for us and we can expect our love for God to increase. We expect our motivation to study God’s Word to grow. We expect a higher level of devotion to God. We expect our love for God’s people and for lost souls to flourish. We expect our desire to do God’s will to intensify. We expect our submission and obedience to God to be magnified.
Not only should we expect to see the signs of revival, but we should also be encouraged to continue praying to God for those things that we need from God. Remember that the prayers we pray will be answered.
The Lord bless you and keep you in His care.
Pastor Reginald Hinton
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February 23 –
THIS IS PERSONAL
“Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. 11Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. 12Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.” Psalm 51:10-12
Today, February 23, 2021, the Mount Pisgah Harnett Church family and all who choose to join us begin a 40-day fast that has revival as its focus. If we are successful, each one of us will experience spiritual renewal in our hearts. If we expect to achieve our goal, each of us much embrace the personal nature of this time. The personal approach was crucial to David as he faced a time when revival was the longing of his heart.
Most of us who have been around the church or spent time reading the Bible know about David, the son of Jesse, who eventually became the king of Israel. David was unpretentious and walked in humility as God elevated him to a place of prominence, beginning him being anointed to replace King Saul by the prophet Samuel. He made a big splash with his defeat of the giant Goliath. While others were singing his praises, David remained humble, acknowledging God being at work on his behalf. Unfortunately, there was an episode in his life where he had a serious lapse in judgment and committed adultery with Bathsheba, Urijah’s wife, and had Urijah killed. After he was confronted with his misdeeds by Nathan the prophet, David recognized the error of his ways and sought restoration with God and his prayer is what we know as Psalm 51.
Throughout the psalm, David makes it personal. He begins by petitioning God to extend mercy to him. Then he asks God to wash him thoroughly from his iniquity and cleanse him from his sin. He acknowledges his transgressions and admits that sin was his problem. Sin is personal to each of us and if we want to experience revival, we must be honest with ourselves. Our issue may not have been the same as David’s, but over the past several months, we may have seen our zeal for God starting to wane. Our time with Him may have diminished and we may be in a place we never could have imagined after receiving Christ as our personal Savior. We may even be guilty of abandoning God. Our reality reflects a need for renewal to take place in our hearts.
David’s prayer helps us as he asks God for personal revival. In verse 10 he asks God to create in him a clean heart and renew a right spirit within him. Given his actions with Bathsheba, David allowed his heart to become calloused and found it easy to entertain disobeying God’s commands. He knew that his spirit had been contaminated and he needed the right spirit in his life. The personal nature of his plea continues in verse 11 with the request that God not banish him from His presence. David knew that God was holy and recognized the implications of his transgressions would include separation from God. His cry includes imploring God not to take His Spirit from him.
David realized that the joy that he once knew had taken flight. His personal plea includes asking God to restore the joy of His salvation and upholding him with His free spirit in verse 12. David knew what was missing and he was compelled to ask God to reconstruct his life so that he could enjoy the fellowship and communion with God that he once knew.
Our circumstances may not be on the same level as David, but if we recognize the need for our relationship with God to be rekindled, I encourage each of us to make it personal. The songwriter said, “Not my brother, not my sister, but it’s me, O Lord, Standin’ in the need of prayer.” Revival in our church, community, state, nation, and world will not happen unless each of us makes it personal. As we fast together for 40 days, as we pray for one another, let’s make the fast personal.
The Lord bless you and keep you in His care.
Pastor Hinton
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February 1 –
A Distinguishing Design
“A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” John 13:34-35
In addition to being Black History Month, February is the time when we place a major emphasis on love. Retailers add Valentine’s Day displays filled with candy, cards, and flowers to encourage us to express our affections to our loved ones. Restaurants and hotels offer special deals as incentives for including their establishments in our plans as we share our love with those very dear to us. It is a reminder not to take our loved ones for granted or to assume that they know how we feel about them.
With our country having endured 2020, a year characterized by the impact of covid-19, social, political, and civil unrest, we could use a good dose of genuine love from God’s people. As a part of His final teaching session before His date with Calvary, Jesus impressed upon His disciples the need to show their love for one another. It is instructive to note that in addition to giving them the command that they demonstrate love, He also gave them a point of reference. He used His love for the disciples as the basis for them to express their love. Very shortly He would give His life for them as an exclamation point to His command.
Jesus told them that the distinguishing detail for being identified as disciples of Christ was the love that they showed to each other. When we look at the church universally, we wonder how we are so far removed from the standard that Jesus gave. Even in local assemblies we are struggle showing agape, the God-kind of love to one another. We have allowed other things to have higher priority and they have served to obscure the love that should be evident in Christians. Our political positions resulted in animosity being directed at those who have faith in Christ just as we do. Harsh words have been exchanged by people who tell others that they love God. The Word of God is clear about our love for God and one another as the Apostle John tells us in 1 John 4:20-21. “If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.”
Jesus calls His disciples in February 2021 to continue to have the distinguishing sign to show the world that we do love one another. The Apostle Paul helps us to know what love looks like as he shared in what we know as chapter 13 in his first letter to the Corinthian church. The Easy-To-Read Version says it this way, “Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous, it does not brag, and it is not proud. Love is not rude, it is not selfish, and it cannot be made angry easily. Love does not remember wrongs done against it. Love is never happy when others do wrong, but it is always happy with the truth. Love never gives up on people. It never stops trusting, never loses hope, and never quits.”
We thank God for a day when we place emphasis on our love for other. But what would be even better is a love that people see each day that is predicated on the love shown to us by our Heavenly Father. Let’s live in a manner so that there can be no denying of the fact that we have the distinguishing detail that is seen in the Lord’s disciples.
May the Lord bless you and keep you in His care.
Pastor Reginald S. Hinton, Sr.
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DECEMBER 31 –
WE CAN DO IT!
I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. Philippians 4:13
A new beginning is exciting. It allows for a reset, a fresh start. That’s one of the reasons New Year’s Day is celebrated by many. While the difference between December 31 and January 1 is negligible when it comes to astronomical, physical, and atmospheric conditions, they are vastly different when it comes to hope. December 31 is the book end on the 365 days that represent the previous year. January 1 represents the commencement of a new journey.
Experience has taught us that in more ways than we would care to admit, our reality is what we do past the first week in January is strikingly similar to what we did the last week in December. Our resolutions designed to improve our relationships, health, financial status, and a myriad of other things make a hasty exit out of our lives and we engage in the refrain, “I’ll do it the next time.” While that may continue to be our reality, we should be excited about the fact that our great God makes it possible for us to get things done.
In describing his personal lot in life, the Apostle Paul indicates that because of his relationship with God, he learned how to handle the highs and lows in life: not allowing the highs to make him overly confident or presumptuous; and not permitting the lows to strip him of a positive perspective. It was precipitated by a lapse in support by other Christians. The Philippian church had been a blessing to him and would continue to be. Paul wanted to allay their concerns because of any lack he experienced. He tells them, “But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again; wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity. Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.” Paul learned how to make the best of each situation.
Because of the blessing received through the Lord Jesus Christ, Paul indicated that He knew that he could handle every situation he faced. He says in our text, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” He makes a declaration regarding his ability to respond to the different situations that he faced. It did not matter how great the trial, with Jesus providing him the ability to do what he needed to do, Paul continued to thrive even in the face of difficulty. He wrote to the church while in prison in Rome, but instead of his incarceration being a hindrance to his call, he took advantage of being guarded by Roman soldiers to share the Gospel with them and with their conversion, word was spread even to the Roman emperor’s household. His ministry was not hampered, but in fact enhanced because of his reliance on the Lord Jesus Christ.
2021 begins a new year and our theme for the year is, “We Can Do It!” It builds on the mindset that Paul had as we as a church family embrace God’s willingness to do incredible things in us and through us as we align our lives with His will. 2020 forced us to be creative and responsive to much of what happened. 2021 affords us the opportunity to be proactive as we consider God’s plan and how He gives us insight into getting what He wants done. It is easy to look around and become discouraged by what we see and hear, but with a conviction that Jesus empowers us to succeed, we should develop an expectation of success in accomplishing God’s will this year.
I encourage each of us to consider the fact that you are critically important to our church family accomplishing the things God has assigned to us in the Kingdom of God. We will not be what we can be without all of us committing to be what we should be. We can make that kind of commitment because through Christ, We Can Do It! There is so much to be done and I believe that God has called our church to be an integral part of those who get things done. Let’s allow our faith to get to a level that Paul experienced in making his definitive statement and live out the incredible life that Jesus has in store for us as we serve our great God. We Can Do It!
The Lord bless you and keep you in His care.
Pastor Reginald Hinton
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DECEMBER 17-
WE HAVE HOPE
“Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.” Romans 15:13
As we look forward to the celebration of the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, we are reminded of the significance of His coming over 2000 years ago. For God’s people, Jesus represented the long-awaited Deliverer who would set them free from Roman domination; however, the biblical record shows that His coming was on a much larger scale and for a much greater purpose. Jesus came to begin the process of redeeming mankind from the terrible condition that sin created. While He came in the flesh, His mission was spiritual in providing the means for man to be restored back to God.
We have recently seen the first of the coronavirus vaccines being approved by the FDA to allow United States citizens to be inoculated for covid-19. It represents hope that we will be able to reach a point where the devastating effects of the pandemic will finally be under control. We have lost so many loved ones, experienced sickness, loss of jobs, financial loss and the overall disruption of our lives. With citizens being vaccinated, we hope that we will reach a point where there is a turn in the tide and we will begin to see a dramatic decline in the number of infections, hospitalizations and deaths. Eventually, we look forward to getting back to something close to life prior to March 2020 where that we can visit our family and friends, go back to church, back to school, back to work, take vacations, and enjoy other aspects of being with other people.
If everything goes as anticipated, our hope for a more normal experience will become our reality. As Christians, we celebrate the hope that we have that is rooted in Christ. With His coming, He initiated the process that ultimately led to Calvary where He surrendered His life for our sins. His death represented the price that He was required to be paid so that we might live. Because He rose from the dead on the third day, our hope goes beyond our victory over sin. We have a blessed hope as we look forward to the Lord’s return and ultimately to our spending eternity in the presence of our Heavenly Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
I realize that we can find reasons to be pessimistic, but I am encouraging each of us to remind ourselves that despite the difficulties that we have endured and may still face, we have hope that is rooted in God. The Apostle Paul said, “Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.” God, who is the source of confident expectation, will infuse our lives with the joy that only comes from Him and the peace that is found in Him. It will allow us to overflow with optimism through the power to be optimistic that comes from the Holy Spirit.
I take this opportunity on behalf of my wife and me, to wish each of you a Merry Christmas and a glorious new year.
The Lord bless you and keep you in His care.
Pastor Hinton
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November 24 –
The Attitude of Gratitude
“In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18
2020 has been a very unusual year. Since late February, the world has contended with the impact of covid-19. The World Health Organization reports that as of November 24, 2020, there were almost 59 million cases and almost 1.4 million deaths worldwide from the coronavirus. The United States has seen over 12 million cases and almost 255 thousand deaths. The resulting economic downturn has been devastating, with millions of people unemployed and support for the needy under tremendous pressures. Resources that would have been dedicated to other sectors of the economy have been redirected to the medical arena to shore up our strained medical systems. The emotional toll has been heavy as we grapple with the tremendous losses that we have endured. Unfortunately, we find ourselves facing a surge in new cases, hospitalizations, and deaths. We continue to deal with restrictions on movement, gatherings and many other aspects of life that we took for granted before 2020.
With this gloomy backdrop, we may struggle to find reasons to be thankful. But, in reading the Apostle’s exhortation to the Thessalonians, we discover that thankfulness is not rooted in our circumstances. Instead, it is birthed out of the attitude that we embrace as we go through each day. If we look closely enough, each of us can find unpleasant things that challenge us to be thankful, whether a loss, a memory, a painful encounter or a multitude of other things. At the same time, an attitude of gratitude allows us to look beyond unpleasantness and still be thankful. God gives us so many reasons for having an attitude of gratitude including, His care, His comfort and Christ.
Whenever we face hard places in life, one of the questions that pops into our minds is, does God really care? If we look at any moment in time, we may struggle to see how the God who is the personification of love genuinely cares for us. We surmise that if God really cared, we would not be dealing with the pain that is our reality. But upon closer inspection, we begin to see the indications that make it clear that He does care. In encouraging his brothers and sisters in Christ, the Apostle Peter said, “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” God’s care is not conditioned upon our present circumstances, but on His love that He constantly extends to us. His love is not diminished in the tough places of life. If we are attentive we realize that it is more evident during our times of struggle than when things are going great.
God’s comfort is crucial to us when life crashes in like a tsunami. We have the breath knocked out of us and we struggle to get our bearings as we reel from the misfortune that we face. It is in the whirlwind that we appreciate God’s goodness to us. In speaking about the comfort that we receive from God, Paul told the Corinthians, “Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; 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.” We praise God because despite what we may face, He knows what we need exactly when we need it to give us the relief that we need. As God comforts us, He uses us to comfort others who may be going through a tough season.
Jesus is the ultimate expression of God’s love towards us. Because He loved us so much, God allowed Jesus to die for all our sins and with faith in Christ, we become a part of the family of God. Paul said, “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” In addition, Christ is at the Father’s right hand interceding for us. Because of Jesus, we have the privilege of going to God in the name of Jesus and be able to be heard.
As we consider God’s care, His comfort and Christ, we have the basis for the attitude of gratitude. Despite the bumps in the road, His care, His comfort, and Christ are always constants for us. If we get to a point where we struggle with the things we must confront, I encourage each of us to choose to embrace an attitude of gratitude. Because of our attitude, we can give thanks to God in every thing, for it is the will of God concerning us.
The Lord bless you and keep you in His care.
Pastor Hinton
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November 9 -TRUST IN TRANSITION
“And the same day, when the even was come, he saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other
side.” Mark 4:35
As we continue navigating the waters that we know as covid-19, it is crucial that we remind ourselves
that God willing, we will get through this tough time. We want to get this season behind us as soon as
possible, but we are not there yet. That’s why it is important for us to trust God in this time of transition
and fortunately for us, we have a wonderful reminder of why we should trust Him.
In Mark 4, we have an account of an episode the disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ experienced that
provides insight for us as we face our current storm. Jesus is with the disciples and informs them that
they were about to go to the other side of the lake. As they sailed, Jesus went to sleep on the back part
of the ship. Along the way, they were met with strong winds that threatened their safety. The
disciples woke Jesus up and shared with Him that they were about to perish. Jesus responds by rising
and rebuking the wind and saying to the sea, “Peace, be still.” Immediately there was a great calm.
Jesus responded by saying to the disciples, “Why are ye so fearful? How is it that ye have no faith?” In
all likelihood the disciples were surprised by the Lord’s statement given the circumstances that they
faced. But the real issue was their willingness to trust in transition.
Trust in transition is based on the One that we trust. Whenever we face tough situations, it is crucial
that we keep our trust in the Lord. He is the Creator of all things; He controls all things and there is no
circumstance that can occur that He is not able to handle. In critical moments, we must make sure that
we remember who God is and not allow our situation to ever become greater than our God. It is easier
said than done, but regardless of how difficult it may appear, God is up for any challenge that we face.
Trust in transition is based on what is said. In the disciple’s case, Jesus spoke to them before they
started their trip cross the lake. There was no doubt in the Lord’s mind that they would not get to the
other side of the lake. Jesus knew the storm would rise before He got in the boat. He knew how strong
the winds would blow and the amount of water that would get in the boat. Yet, He was so confident in
His word that He went to sleep. When Jesus speaks, what He says becomes reality, but time must catch
up with what He said. The events around us do not change what God has said. If the Lord said it, that
settles it!
Trust in transition is based on keeping the faith. We need to remind ourselves that Jesus is the same
yesterday, today and forever; therefore, He can be relied on even in the most violent storm. When
turbulent waters threaten us, the enemy works hard to sow seeds of doubt in our minds. He wants us
to question what the Lord has said and consequently, create suspicion in our minds about God’s
willingness to do what He said He would do. But we must not fall for Satan’s schemes, but instead
continue to look to God to see us through. We must continue to trust God even when we cannot trace
Him.
You may be facing a personal storm today and I want to encourage you to continue to trust in transition.
Whatever you are going through is not permanent; this too, will pass. Trust God and watch Him bring
you through.
May the Lord bless you and keep you in His care.
Pastor Hinton
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After The Dust Settles
But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. 11To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. 1 Peter 5:10-11
2020 has been a challenging year for all of us. We are dealing with so many different things: concern for our health and safety during the covid-19 pandemic; social unrest resulting from questionable deaths of African-American citizens; financial security because of job loss or reduction in work; emotional well-being with so much coming at us; remaining faithful to God in these trying times. Many of us have reached a point where one more straw may “break the camel’s back.”
We are not the first group of people to face difficulties as evidenced by the words of the Apostle Peter above. The church was in its infancy and faced a wave of persecution that resulted in many of the members being beaten, imprisoned, and even killed. The attacks were unrelenting and on different fronts. The Holy Spirit led Peter to encourage God’s people while they were in the middle of their storm. His word of assurance focused on after the dust settles.
We know that storms have a way of creating tremendous dust clouds, especially if it is dry prior to the storm rising. In the Middle East, dust storms block out the sun and cover everything in sight with sand. We have seen wind sweep across plowed fields and create a huge dust cloud. But eventually the winds subside, and the dust dies down. Life follows a similar pattern. We face individual and corporate storms that threaten us on many levels. The winds are intense and can blanket us with troubles on every hand. We can get to a point where we begin to question whether we will survive the storm.
The key for us is God is working on our behalf. Peter’s exhortation does not suggest that suffering or storms will be eliminated. In fact, he tells his audience that suffering will come, but after the suffering has ensued, the God of all grace will intervene. We can never underestimate the power of God’s grace, His enabling His children with whatever we need to get through whatever we face. He works through our trials to manifest His glory in us. That glory is seen as He uses our storms to perfect us, establish us, strengthen us, and settle us. That gives us another reason to give Him the glory that He is due.
As we move through this challenging season, I encourage all of us to remind ourselves that after the dust settles, God will get the glory out of everything that happens.
May the Lord bless you and keep you in His care.
Pastor Hinton
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August 10 – DUE SEASON
“And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”
As we continue dealing with unprecedented times, we face challenges to our commitment to Christ. For many in the body of Christ, because of the restrictions imposed by the coronavirus pandemic, attending worship service at our membership church has not been an option for almost five months. We look forward to the virtual services and we thank God for the opportunity to worship remotely from the confines of our homes. But we miss the blessing of fellowship with our brothers and sisters in Christ and the encouragement that we receive from one another.
As time passes, the enemy begins sowing seeds of doubt in our hearts and suggests alternatives to tuning in to the virtual services. There is a project that needs to be tackled or another television show that we have been wanting to see, but because we were usually at church, we were not able to see it. But now we are home and the remote control is laying on the table beside us and all we need to do is press the button to watch. Our faithfulness in giving our tithes and offerings is being tested by the enemy suggesting that there are other things we could be doing with that money. He goes so far to suggest that since we are not attending the house of God, there is no need for us to continue to give. Since we have not been able to visit others recently, he suggests that we need to be more concerned about our own welfare.
Regardless of the temptations that we face, it is important to remember the words of the Apostle Paul to the Galatian church. At the close of his letter, he tells then not to get weary doing what God calls them to do. With so many things coming at us, we can begin to question whether our service is worth it, if it truly matters, or even if God is real. We need the resolve to resist the enemy’s suggestions and reaffirm our commitment to the cause of Christ. Not only are we encouraged to keep on doing as God would have us to do, we are given a promise that reaping season will appear if we don’t lose heart.
My brothers and sisters, I encourage to continue fighting the good fight of faith because due season is just around the corner. When you are ready to throw in the towel, throw your hands up and walk away, due season is about to unfold. Don’t miss out on God’s reward to the faithful. Hang in there and don’t quit. Due season is on your calendar.
The Lord bless you and keep you in His care.
Pastor Hinton
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August 1, 2020 – The Source of Satisfaction
“Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.” Psalm 107:9
One of the many challenges of life with the coronavirus pandemic is the disruption of daily activities to the point that we struggle with what to make of life. The things that brought comfort to us may not be available to us. Many of us enjoyed our jobs, volunteering with nonprofit organizations, traveling, shopping and attending entertainment venues, but now many of these things activities have been suspended or curtailed significantly. The social aspect of life is dramatically different, with us visiting very few people, including our families. In short, many of the things that brought satisfaction have been temporarily removed from our lives. As a result, we may be experiencing levels of uneasiness and struggling with what to do to gain a sense of satisfaction.
Fortunately for us, God is the Source of satisfaction that allows us to enjoy that sense of peace, even in these trying times. The psalmist, who is anonymous, exhorts his readers to give God praise for his goodness and for the wonderful blessings that he bestows upon us. That is enough to give Him glory for, but it doesn’t stop there. He goes on to say that He satisfieth the longing soul. It is important to note that the point being made is the satisfaction received from the Lord is not a temporary experience. All of us have experienced something bringing a level of comfort, only to find out that it was short-lived. God is great enough that regardless of the time or season, we can expect to enjoy His provision for us that addresses the longing that we have in our beings.
The psalmist goes on to say that God filleth the hungry soul with goodness. We experience those times when there is something gnawing at us, and it is not hunger pangs. Instead, we are hungry for the nourishment that soothes our souls. It is like being hungry, going to the refrigerator, looking through it and not finding anything that will fill the craving that we have. It may be that we have a craving for our Father in heaven and the good news is He will fill our cups to overflowing. It was David that said, “Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.”
In a season of uncertainty, it is comforting to know that our God is the Source of satisfaction.
The Lord bless you and keep you in His care.
Pastor Hinton
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May 6, 2020 – Update On Worship Services
God bless you, Mount Pisgah Church family. I thank God that He allows me to serve as your pastor. I want to thank you for the wonderful support that you continue to give to the church through your prayers, your tuning in to our services on Facebook Live and your financial support.
On May 5, 2020, Governor Roy Cooper signed an executive order that allows for more businesses to open as well as lifting the strict stay-at-home order in our state that is effective on May 8, 2020 at 5:00 p.m. It includes a section that removes gathering for worship from the definition of a Mass Gathering. What that means is we can worship using social distancing guidelines along with the other safety measures like wearing face masks, using disinfectants, hand sanitizer and washing our hands a lot. Even though worship is allowed, we still have covid-19 as an issue, and we do not want to have worship service until we believe we are prepared as a church to hold services safely. In addition, many of our members fall into the high-risk groups that are encouraged to continue to stay at home.
As soon as we feel good about having worship service again, we will, but our top priority continues to be the welfare of our church family. We will keep you informed as we move forward.
The Lord bless you and keep you in His care.
Pastor Hinton
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April 30, 2020 – A Place of Peace
Isaiah 26:3-4 provide powerful insight into a place that allows us to enjoy the blessings of God’s wonderful provision of peace in our lives. The King James Version reads in this manner, “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength.” These verses are a part of a song that the people of Judah are encouraged to sing. It states in very clear terms that we can have peace despite the circumstances that we face.
The point that jumps out at us is the fact that God is the One that handles the details that allow us to enjoy the calmness and tranquility that we so often covet. Peace is guaranteed to anyone who chooses to make God the focus of their thought processes. So many thoughts bombard our minds that can take our thinking in so many directions, some of which can steal the peace that we desire. The key is choosing to concentrate on God and His provision for us. As we think on the Lord, the trust that allows us to have peace continues to grow as we acknowledge how great God is and His ability to handle any situation that we face.
The refrain continues in verse 4 with the encouragement to continue to trust in the Lord with a great reason for trusting. The song encourages intentionality on our part in choosing to constantly trust God. Trusting God includes remembering who God is in His fullness. The Lord Jehovah is an eternal source of power in our lives and He is able to deal with the issues that are designed to disrupt our thought processes and create uneasiness.
It is clear from this song that there is a place of peace that is available to us. Jesus said in John 14:27, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” Despite the turmoil that swirls around us, we have the assurance that there is a place of peace.
The Lord bless you and keep you in His care.
Pastor Hinton
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April 27, 2020 – The Call To Bless The Lord, Part 4
As God’s children, we are blessed incredibly by His merciful approach towards us. It is a theme that David highlighted as he continued listing some of the many reasons to bless the Lord in Psalm 103.
Verse 9 reads, “He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever.” The New Living Translation says it this way, “He will not constantly accuse us, nor remain angry forever.” Given all of our shortcomings, God has plenty of reasons to bring charges against us, but He doesn’t. He continues to operate in love towards us.
He continues beginning at verse 10, “He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him.” David gives us a beautiful picture of God’s mercy being expressed towards us. God continues to show restraint in dealing with us, choosing to mete out considerably less than what we deserve. His mercy is immeasurable as He continues to extend it to us. God chooses to blot out our sins in response to us choosing to repent of our sins. God’s paternal instinct drives His interaction with us and limits the harshness of His response to our failures.
As I share with your, my heart is overwhelmed with the magnitude of God goodness. It compels me to bless Him. As we go through our day, let us reflect upon the reasons David included in Psalm 103 for blessing the Lord.
The Lord bless you and keep you in His care.
Pastor Hinton
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April 14, 2020 – The Call To Bless The Lord, Part 3
In a lengthy list of reasons to bless the Lord, David shares additional insight on why we should give glory and honor to our God in Psalm 103.
In verse 6, David says, “The LORD executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed.” It is wonderful to know that the God who knows everything is the One who takes it upon Himself to look out for those who cannot always look out for themselves. We live in a time when bullying has gotten a lot of attention, but bullying has been around for a long time and it is directed at those who are at a disadvantage in defending themselves. It is a comfort to know that even though there are times when it appears that the bully is winning, the Lord will ensure that in the end righteousness and judgment is executed as it should be.
The reasons to bless God continue to grow. Verse 7 says, “He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel.” Moses was blessed with a very unique position in his relationship with God. As a result, he experienced things that others did not. God gave him an intimate look at why He does what He does and allowed Moses to be more effective in leading God’s people. David makes the distinction between Moses knowing the ways of God, while the children of Israel saw God’s acts. They saw the manifestation of God’s power, but did not have the insight of the reason behind the actions.
David states in verse 8, “The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.” God is holy, righteous, pure and perfect, but He still extends mercy and grace to His creation. He is longsuffering, providing us the opportunity to get things right with Him and He is overflowing with mercy, not giving us what we deserve.
It is crystal clear that we have so many reasons to bless the Lord. As you read this post, I trust that you will take the time to give God the honor and glory that He deserves because of the great things He has done for you.
The Lord bless you and keep you in His care.
Pastor Hinton
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April 9, 2020 – The Call to Bless The Lord, Part 2
In my last post, I began looking at Psalm 103 and the call by the David to bless the Lord. It was very compelling as he commanded his soul to give God the honor that He is due. In this post, I raise the considerations for why blessing the Lord is appropriate.
David indicates that the benefits that come from God include several things as outlined beginning with verse 3, “Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases.” To know that God chooses to forgive us for the sins that we have committed should compel us to bless Him. We realize that sin separates us from God, but because of His great mercy, He chooses to forgive us simply because we ask Him. In addition, God is the One who is Jehovah-rapha, the God who heals. Despite the recent pandemic, God is still the One who heals body, soul and spirit.
David continues in verse 4, “Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies.” If we only had an idea of the countless situations that God delivered us from, especially when they were deadly, we would be compelled to bless God. It extends to the fact that God chooses to shower us with His matchless grace and mercy. Most of us would agree that we are blessed because of serving a loving and merciful God.
The considerations continue in verse 5, “Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.” The Lord has a way of giving us what we don’t deserve and providing us with blessings that are beyond our ability to express. He blesses us with His refreshing presence that allows us to continue to press forward for the cause of Christ. Just thinking about these considerations about what the Lord has done is more than enough to stir us to bless His wonderful name.
The Lord bless you and keep you in His care.
Pastor Hinton
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April 7, 2020 – The Call To Bless The Lord
When difficult issues flood our lives, it is challenging to maintain our perspective about life as a whole. The immediate situation consumes our being to the point that we are paralyzed in our thinking. We are in one of those times now as we do our best to navigate the storm that we know as covid-19. It is crucial for us to allow the Word of God to help us.
In Psalm 103, the writer helps us with keeping the proper perspective about God. We don’t have a preface to the psalm to give us insight into what motivated him to write, but we do have a sense of the importance to bless the Lord to the psalmist. He begins with a command to his soul bless the Lord. “Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.” Our soul represents the eternal component of who we are. Even when our earthly tents are dissolved, our souls will continue to exist. The psalmist speaks to himself and not only directs his soul to bless the Lord, he also indicates that his whole being should be engaged as well. If we are not careful, we can allow our honor to God to be our mouths only. Jesus had a problem with that approach as evidenced by Him rebuked those who honored Him with their lips, but their hearts were far from Him. The way around that is an “all-in” praise.
The psalmist continues his refrain in verse 2. He says, “Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.” There are times when we must be insistent about some things and in this case it is blessing the Lord. The psalmist realized that it was too important not to be appreciative of what the Lord has done for us. During the coronavirus pandemic, we are finding that there are so many things that we took for granted that are very precious to us. Things like greeting family and friends with a hug or a handshake are now off limits. Being able to come to the house of worship and sing, pray and worship together was often dismissed, but there are millions of Christians across this country and around the world who look forward to being able to come together with our brothers and sisters. We should never be guilty of having amnesia when it comes to the blessings of the Lord.
On tomorrow, we will consider some of the benefits that we receive from the Lord.
The Lord bless you and keep you in His care.
Pastor Hinton
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April 4, 2020 – In The Morning
One of the things that I treasure is going to the beach, getting up early and watching the sun rise. Just before the day dawns the sky is dark, often filled with clouds, but as dawn prepares for its appearance, there is a burst of colors in the clouds as the sun begins to peek over the horizon. The majesty of seeing the sun at a distance with the waves breaking in the foreground is breathtaking. The sun continues its ascension and all of the darkness disappears.
With the dark clouds of the covid-19 pandemic covering our skies, we need to be reminded that in the morning, the sun will rise again. It is reminiscent of the familiar words penned by David in Psalm 30:5, “For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.” Admittedly, we are in a night season and it is closer to midnight than to dawn. There will be more difficult nights ahead when we long for the morning. We cannot lose sight on the fact that God, in His infinite wisdom, will bring this pandemic to a close. In His favor is life. Many of us have already shed tears as we received heartbreaking news about family and friends affected by this dreaded virus. But the tears will end, the pain will lessen, and the weariness will pass in the morning.
Be encouraged in this night season. Joy cometh in the morning.
The Lord bless you and keep you in His care.
Pastor Hinton
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April 2, 2020 – “A New Normal”
Earlier today a received a text from Minister Barbara Holt-Bryant who is a former member of our church family. She expressed her thoughts about the impact of the coronavirus when there is a return to life being as it was before the pandemic. It is wonderful food for thought and I share it below.
For weeks I have heard people saying “ I just can’t wait for things to be back to normal.” I remember even saying that a few times myself. But as I’ve thought about our current situation I have realized how much I don’t want things to go back to the way they were. Here are a few of my thoughts…
1. I pray that the next time a friend grabs me and pulls me in for a hug, I actually take the time to appreciate the gift of their embrace.
2. I pray that when school resumes and I’m dropping my kids off, I take the time to thank the staff for the amazing gift that they give to our family.
3. I pray that the next time I’m sitting in a crowded restaurant I take the time to look around at the smiling faces, loud voices and thank God for the gift of community.
4. I pray that the next time I’m standing in church listening to the voices of praise and taking communion that I take a moment to thank God for the gift of congregation.
5. I pray that the next time I see a person or situation that needs prayer, I hope I pray as passionately and fervently as I have these past few weeks.
6. I pray that when I am at the grocery store that I take a moment to thank God that He provides us with the necessities of life and the amazing people who work so hard to keep us supplied.
7. I pray that I never again take for granted the ability to hop in the car and visit a friend, go to the mall, take my kids to a movie, etc.
1. I pray that the next time a friend grabs me and pulls me in for a hug, I actually take the time to appreciate the gift of their embrace.
2. I pray that when school resumes and I’m dropping my kids off, I take the time to thank the staff for the amazing gift that they give to our family.
3. I pray that the next time I’m sitting in a crowded restaurant I take the time to look around at the smiling faces, loud voices and thank God for the gift of community.
4. I pray that the next time I’m standing in church listening to the voices of praise and taking communion that I take a moment to thank God for the gift of congregation.
5. I pray that the next time I see a person or situation that needs prayer, I hope I pray as passionately and fervently as I have these past few weeks.
6. I pray that when I am at the grocery store that I take a moment to thank God that He provides us with the necessities of life and the amazing people who work so hard to keep us supplied.
7. I pray that I never again take for granted the ability to hop in the car and visit a friend, go to the mall, take my kids to a movie, etc.
So, truth is, I don’t want things to return to the way they once were. I pray that we take the lessons and challenges of the past few weeks and create a new normal. My goal is to pray more, love harder, and truly appreciate the daily abundance of blessings that were so easily overlooked just a mere few weeks ago.
Great advice for all of us. There is a wonderful opportunity before us to turn the lemons of this experience into lemonade.
The Lord bless you and keep you in His care.
Pastor Hinton
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April 1, 2020 – A Message To Our Youth: YOU CAN DO IT!!
Hey Young People!! I trust that you and your family are doing well as you get used to going to school at home. I am sure that it has been different, not being able to be with your classmates, spending time playing games and receiving help from your teachers as you normally would. If may be hard right now, but I have faith in each of you and how God blessed you to be able to learn.
A man named Paul lived almost two thousand years ago and he found himself in a place that was not easy. He was a Christian and sometimes he got in trouble because of it, not that he was doing anything wrong, but that others didn’t like him living for the Lord. He found himself in prison, but instead of feeling sorry for himself, he chose to encourage other Christians. In a letter to Christians that lived in a city called Philippi, Paul let them know that he had gotten to a place that he was able to deal with whatever he faced. Sometimes things went great and at other times it was tough, but he was able to get along just fine. Paul let them know that he learned that he could do all things through Christ who strengthened him.
I am convinced that each of you can do a great job doing your school work from home. You might have to find a quiet place that allows you to concentrate on your work and complete your assignments. The place that you do your work is not the classroom, but it is the same work. You might need to spend more time working on your assignments and you may see the need to check with your teacher for some help. I believe in you and encourage you to have a positive attitude about being able to do well. You can do it!!!
May the Lord bless you and keep you in His care.
Pastor Hinton
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March 31, 2020 – I am excited about the opportunity to share with the church family in a new forum on the church website. It allows me share on a regular basis which is important in this season. Special thanks to Sister Raquel McNeill and Sister Cynthia Harris for their efforts in making this possible. Below is the first in a series of reflections from the Pastor’s desk.
Quiet Time
One of the things that I look forward to is prayer walking. I leave our house, walk for an hour or so and pray as I walk. It gets my day off to a wonderful start as I have the opportunity to commune with God. I am not consumed with the busyness of my day and my sensitivity to the Holy Spirit is much greater. A couple of days ago, the Spirit impressed upon me the need to just walk and be quiet, thereby giving God my undivided attention after my petition. I was richly blessed by God’s willingness to speak to my heart about a number of things. I share this with our church family as a way of encouraging all of us to be intentional about having quiet time before the Lord. He looks forward to hearing from us as we pray, but He also looks forward to us hearing from Him.
It is reminiscent of when the Prophet Elijah in 1 Kings 19 heard God speak to him. He was running for his life after being threatened by Jezebel, the wife of King Ahab. He went into a cave and while there he was able to hear the still small voice that God used to speak to him. We are in a critical time with the coronavirus pandemic on the rampage. Even though it may get us out of our comfort zone, we must not be afraid to wait quietly for the Holy Spirit to speak. Just as God gave encouragement and instruction to Elijah, if we choose to spend quiet time with God, we would be amazed at what He is willing to share.
The Lord bless you and keep you in His care.
Pastor Hinton
August 10 – DUE SEASON
“And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”
As we continue dealing with unprecedented times, we face challenges to our commitment to Christ. For many in the body of Christ, because of the restrictions imposed by the coronavirus pandemic, attending worship service at our membership church has not been an option for almost five months. We look forward to the virtual services and we thank God for the opportunity to worship remotely from the confines of our homes. But we miss the blessing of fellowship with our brothers and sisters in Christ and the encouragement that we receive from one another.
As time passes, the enemy begins sowing seeds of doubt in our hearts and suggests alternatives to tuning in to the virtual services. There is a project that needs to be tackled or another television show that we have been wanting to see, but because we were usually at church, we were not able to see it. But now we are home and the remote control is laying on the table beside us and all we need to do is press the button to watch. Our faithfulness in giving our tithes and offerings is being tested by the enemy suggesting that there are other things we could be doing with that money. He goes so far to suggest that since we are not attending the house of God, there is no need for us to continue to give. Since we have not been able to visit others recently, he suggests that we need to be more concerned about our own welfare.
Regardless of the temptations that we face, it is important to remember the words of the Apostle Paul to the Galatian church. At the close of his letter, he tells then not to get weary doing what God calls them to do. With so many things coming at us, we can begin to question whether our service is worth it, if it truly matters, or even if God is real. We need the resolve to resist the enemy’s suggestions and reaffirm our commitment to the cause of Christ. Not only are we encouraged to keep on doing as God would have us to do, we are given a promise that reaping season will appear if we don’t lose heart.
My brothers and sisters, I encourage to continue fighting the good fight of faith because due season is just around the corner. When you are ready to throw in the towel, throw your hands up and walk away, due season is about to unfold. Don’t miss out on God’s reward to the faithful. Hang in there and don’t quit. Due season is on your calendar.
August 1, 2020 – The Source of Satisfaction
“Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.” Psalm 107:9
One of the many challenges of life with the coronavirus pandemic is the disruption of daily activities to the point that we struggle with what to make of life. The things that brought comfort to us may not be available to us. Many of us enjoyed our jobs, volunteering with nonprofit organizations, traveling, shopping and attending entertainment venues, but now many of these things activities have been suspended or curtailed significantly. The social aspect of life is dramatically different, with us visiting very few people, including our families. In short, many of the things that brought satisfaction have been temporarily removed from our lives. As a result, we may be experiencing levels of uneasiness and struggling with what to do to gain a sense of satisfaction.
Fortunately for us, God is the Source of satisfaction that allows us to enjoy that sense of peace, even in these trying times. The psalmist, who is anonymous, exhorts his readers to give God praise for his goodness and for the wonderful blessings that he bestows upon us. That is enough to give Him glory for, but it doesn’t stop there. He goes on to say that He satisfieth the longing soul. It is important to note that the point being made is the satisfaction received from the Lord is not a temporary experience. All of us have experienced something bringing a level of comfort, only to find out that it was short-lived. God is great enough that regardless of the time or season, we can expect to enjoy His provision for us that addresses the longing that we have in our beings.
The psalmist goes on to say that God filleth the hungry soul with goodness. We experience those times when there is something gnawing at us, and it is not hunger pangs. Instead, we are hungry for the nourishment that soothes our souls. It is like being hungry, going to the refrigerator, looking through it and not finding anything that will fill the craving that we have. It may be that we have a craving for our Father in heaven and the good news is He will fill our cups to overflowing. It was David that said, “Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.”
In a season of uncertainty, it is comforting to know that our God is the Source of satisfaction.
The Lord bless you and keep you in His care.
Pastor Hinton
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May 6, 2020 – Update On Worship Services
God bless you, Mount Pisgah Church family. I thank God that He allows me to serve as your pastor. I want to thank you for the wonderful support that you continue to give to the church through your prayers, your tuning in to our services on Facebook Live and your financial support.
On May 5, 2020, Governor Roy Cooper signed an executive order that allows for more businesses to open as well as lifting the strict stay-at-home order in our state that is effective on May 8, 2020 at 5:00 p.m. It includes a section that removes gathering for worship from the definition of a Mass Gathering. What that means is we can worship using social distancing guidelines along with the other safety measures like wearing face masks, using disinfectants, hand sanitizer and washing our hands a lot. Even though worship is allowed, we still have covid-19 as an issue, and we do not want to have worship service until we believe we are prepared as a church to hold services safely. In addition, many of our members fall into the high-risk groups that are encouraged to continue to stay at home.
As soon as we feel good about having worship service again, we will, but our top priority continues to be the welfare of our church family. We will keep you informed as we move forward.
The Lord bless you and keep you in His care.
Pastor Hinton
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April 30, 2020 – A Place of Peace
Isaiah 26:3-4 provide powerful insight into a place that allows us to enjoy the blessings of God’s wonderful provision of peace in our lives. The King James Version reads in this manner, “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength.” These verses are a part of a song that the people of Judah are encouraged to sing. It states in very clear terms that we can have peace despite the circumstances that we face.
The point that jumps out at us is the fact that God is the One that handles the details that allow us to enjoy the calmness and tranquility that we so often covet. Peace is guaranteed to anyone who chooses to make God the focus of their thought processes. So many thoughts bombard our minds that can take our thinking in so many directions, some of which can steal the peace that we desire. The key is choosing to concentrate on God and His provision for us. As we think on the Lord, the trust that allows us to have peace continues to grow as we acknowledge how great God is and His ability to handle any situation that we face.
The refrain continues in verse 4 with the encouragement to continue to trust in the Lord with a great reason for trusting. The song encourages intentionality on our part in choosing to constantly trust God. Trusting God includes remembering who God is in His fullness. The Lord Jehovah is an eternal source of power in our lives and He is able to deal with the issues that are designed to disrupt our thought processes and create uneasiness.
It is clear from this song that there is a place of peace that is available to us. Jesus said in John 14:27, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” Despite the turmoil that swirls around us, we have the assurance that there is a place of peace.
The Lord bless you and keep you in His care.
Pastor Hinton
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April 27,2020 – The Call To Bless The Lord, Part 4
As God’s children, we are blessed incredibly by His merciful approach towards us. It is a theme that David highlighted as he continued listing some of the many reasons to bless the Lord in Psalm 103.
Verse 9 reads, “He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever.” The New Living Translation says it this way, “He will not constantly accuse us, nor remain angry forever.” Given all of our shortcomings, God has plenty of reasons to bring charges against us, but He doesn’t. He continues to operate in love towards us.
He continues beginning at verse 10, “He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him.” David gives us a beautiful picture of God’s mercy being expressed towards us. God continues to show restraint in dealing with us, choosing to mete out considerably less than what we deserve. His mercy is immeasurable as He continues to extend it to us. God chooses to blot out our sins in response to us choosing to repent of our sins. God’s paternal instinct drives His interaction with us and limits the harshness of His response to our failures.
As I share with your, my heart is overwhelmed with the magnitude of God goodness. It compels me to bless Him. As we go through our day, let us reflect upon the reasons David included in Psalm 103 for blessing the Lord.
The Lord bless you and keep you in His care.
Pastor Hinton
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April 14, 2020 – The Call To Bless The Lord, Part 3
In a lengthy list of reasons to bless the Lord, David shares additional insight on why we should give glory and honor to our God in Psalm 103.
In verse 6, David says, “The LORD executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed.” It is wonderful to know that the God who knows everything is the One who takes it upon Himself to look out for those who cannot always look out for themselves. We live in a time when bullying has gotten a lot of attention, but bullying has been around for a long time and it is directed at those who are at a disadvantage in defending themselves. It is a comfort to know that even though there are times when it appears that the bully is winning, the Lord will ensure that in the end righteousness and judgment is executed as it should be.
The reasons to bless God continue to grow. Verse 7 says, “He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel.” Moses was blessed with a very unique position in his relationship with God. As a result, he experienced things that others did not. God gave him an intimate look at why He does what He does and allowed Moses to be more effective in leading God’s people. David makes the distinction between Moses knowing the ways of God, while the children of Israel saw God’s acts. They saw the manifestation of God’s power, but did not have the insight of the reason behind the actions.
David states in verse 8, “The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.” God is holy, righteous, pure and perfect, but He still extends mercy and grace to His creation. He is longsuffering, providing us the opportunity to get things right with Him and He is overflowing with mercy, not giving us what we deserve.
It is crystal clear that we have so many reasons to bless the Lord. As you read this post, I trust that you will take the time to give God the honor and glory that He deserves because of the great things He has done for you.
The Lord bless you and keep you in His care.
Pastor Hinton
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April 9, 2020 – The Call to Bless The Lord, Part 2
In my last post, I began looking at Psalm 103 and the call by the David to bless the Lord. It was very compelling as he commanded his soul to give God the honor that He is due. In this post, I raise the considerations for why blessing the Lord is appropriate.
David indicates that the benefits that come from God include several things as outlined beginning with verse 3, “Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases.” To know that God chooses to forgive us for the sins that we have committed should compel us to bless Him. We realize that sin separates us from God, but because of His great mercy, He chooses to forgive us simply because we ask Him. In addition, God is the One who is Jehovah-rapha, the God who heals. Despite the recent pandemic, God is still the One who heals body, soul and spirit.
David continues in verse 4, “Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies.” If we only had an idea of the countless situations that God delivered us from, especially when they were deadly, we would be compelled to bless God. It extends to the fact that God chooses to shower us with His matchless grace and mercy. Most of us would agree that we are blessed because of serving a loving and merciful God.
The considerations continue in verse 5, “Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.” The Lord has a way of giving us what we don’t deserve and providing us with blessings that are beyond our ability to express. He blesses us with His refreshing presence that allows us to continue to press forward for the cause of Christ. Just thinking about these considerations about what the Lord has done is more than enough to stir us to bless His wonderful name.
The Lord bless you and keep you in His care.
Pastor Hinton
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April 7, 2020 – The Call To Bless The Lord
When difficult issues flood our lives, it is challenging to maintain our perspective about life as a whole. The immediate situation consumes our being to the point that we are paralyzed in our thinking. We are in one of those times now as we do our best to navigate the storm that we know as covid-19. It is crucial for us to allow the Word of God to help us.
In Psalm 103, the writer helps us with keeping the proper perspective about God. We don’t have a preface to the psalm to give us insight into what motivated him to write, but we do have a sense of the importance to bless the Lord to the psalmist. He begins with a command to his soul bless the Lord. “Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.” Our soul represents the eternal component of who we are. Even when our earthly tents are dissolved, our souls will continue to exist. The psalmist speaks to himself and not only directs his soul to bless the Lord, he also indicates that his whole being should be engaged as well. If we are not careful, we can allow our honor to God to be our mouths only. Jesus had a problem with that approach as evidenced by Him rebuked those who honored Him with their lips, but their hearts were far from Him. The way around that is an “all-in” praise.
The psalmist continues his refrain in verse 2. He says, “Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.” There are times when we must be insistent about some things and in this case it is blessing the Lord. The psalmist realized that it was too important not to be appreciative of what the Lord has done for us. During the coronavirus pandemic, we are finding that there are so many things that we took for granted that are very precious to us. Things like greeting family and friends with a hug or a handshake are now off limits. Being able to come to the house of worship and sing, pray and worship together was often dismissed, but there are millions of Christians across this country and around the world who look forward to being able to come together with our brothers and sisters. We should never be guilty of having amnesia when it comes to the blessings of the Lord.
On tomorrow, we will consider some of the benefits that we receive from the Lord.
The Lord bless you and keep you in His care.
Pastor Hinton
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April 4, 2020 – In The Morning
One of the things that I treasure is going to the beach, getting up early and watching the sun rise. Just before the day dawns the sky is dark, often filled with clouds, but as dawn prepares for its appearance, there is a burst of colors in the clouds as the sun begins to peek over the horizon. The majesty of seeing the sun at a distance with the waves breaking in the foreground is breathtaking. The sun continues its ascension and all of the darkness disappears.
With the dark clouds of the covid-19 pandemic covering our skies, we need to be reminded that in the morning, the sun will rise again. It is reminiscent of the familiar words penned by David in Psalm 30:5, “For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.” Admittedly, we are in a night season and it is closer to midnight than to dawn. There will be more difficult nights ahead when we long for the morning. We cannot lose sight on the fact that God, in His infinite wisdom, will bring this pandemic to a close. In His favor is life. Many of us have already shed tears as we received heartbreaking news about family and friends affected by this dreaded virus. But the tears will end, the pain will lessen, and the weariness will pass in the morning.
Be encouraged in this night season. Joy cometh in the morning.
The Lord bless you and keep you in His care.
Pastor Hinton
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April 2, 2020 – “A New Normal”
Earlier today a received a text from Minister Barbara Holt-Bryant who is a former member of our church family. She expressed her thoughts about the impact of the coronavirus when there is a return to life being as it was before the pandemic. It is wonderful food for thought and I share it below.
For weeks I have heard people saying “ I just can’t wait for things to be back to normal.” I remember even saying that a few times myself. But as I’ve thought about our current situation I have realized how much I don’t want things to go back to the way they were. Here are a few of my thoughts…
1. I pray that the next time a friend grabs me and pulls me in for a hug, I actually take the time to appreciate the gift of their embrace.
2. I pray that when school resumes and I’m dropping my kids off, I take the time to thank the staff for the amazing gift that they give to our family.
3. I pray that the next time I’m sitting in a crowded restaurant I take the time to look around at the smiling faces, loud voices and thank God for the gift of community.
4. I pray that the next time I’m standing in church listening to the voices of praise and taking communion that I take a moment to thank God for the gift of congregation.
5. I pray that the next time I see a person or situation that needs prayer, I hope I pray as passionately and fervently as I have these past few weeks.
6. I pray that when I am at the grocery store that I take a moment to thank God that He provides us with the necessities of life and the amazing people who work so hard to keep us supplied.
7. I pray that I never again take for granted the ability to hop in the car and visit a friend, go to the mall, take my kids to a movie, etc.
1. I pray that the next time a friend grabs me and pulls me in for a hug, I actually take the time to appreciate the gift of their embrace.
2. I pray that when school resumes and I’m dropping my kids off, I take the time to thank the staff for the amazing gift that they give to our family.
3. I pray that the next time I’m sitting in a crowded restaurant I take the time to look around at the smiling faces, loud voices and thank God for the gift of community.
4. I pray that the next time I’m standing in church listening to the voices of praise and taking communion that I take a moment to thank God for the gift of congregation.
5. I pray that the next time I see a person or situation that needs prayer, I hope I pray as passionately and fervently as I have these past few weeks.
6. I pray that when I am at the grocery store that I take a moment to thank God that He provides us with the necessities of life and the amazing people who work so hard to keep us supplied.
7. I pray that I never again take for granted the ability to hop in the car and visit a friend, go to the mall, take my kids to a movie, etc.
So, truth is, I don’t want things to return to the way they once were. I pray that we take the lessons and challenges of the past few weeks and create a new normal. My goal is to pray more, love harder, and truly appreciate the daily abundance of blessings that were so easily overlooked just a mere few weeks ago.
Great advice for all of us. There is a wonderful opportunity before us to turn the lemons of this experience into lemonade.
The Lord bless you and keep you in His care.
Pastor Hinton
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April 1, 2020 – A Message To Our Youth: YOU CAN DO IT!!
Hey Young People!! I trust that you and your family are doing well as you get used to going to school at home. I am sure that it has been different, not being able to be with your classmates, spending time playing games and receiving help from your teachers as you normally would. If may be hard right now, but I have faith in each of you and how God blessed you to be able to learn.
A man named Paul lived almost two thousand years ago and he found himself in a place that was not easy. He was a Christian and sometimes he got in trouble because of it, not that he was doing anything wrong, but that others didn’t like him living for the Lord. He found himself in prison, but instead of feeling sorry for himself, he chose to encourage other Christians. In a letter to Christians that lived in a city called Philippi, Paul let them know that he had gotten to a place that he was able to deal with whatever he faced. Sometimes things went great and at other times it was tough, but he was able to get along just fine. Paul let them know that he learned that he could do all things through Christ who strengthened him.
I am convinced that each of you can do a great job doing your school work from home. You might have to find a quiet place that allows you to concentrate on your work and complete your assignments. The place that you do your work is not the classroom, but it is the same work. You might need to spend more time working on your assignments and you may see the need to check with your teacher for some help. I believe in you and encourage you to have a positive attitude about being able to do well. You can do it!!!
May the Lord bless you and keep you in His care.
Pastor Hinton
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March 31, 2020 – I am excited about the opportunity to share with the church family in a new forum on the church website. It allows me share on a regular basis which is important in this season. Special thanks to Sister Raquel McNeill and Sister Cynthia Harris for their efforts in making this possible. Below is the first in a series of reflections from the Pastor’s desk.
Quiet Time
One of the things that I look forward to is prayer walking. I leave our house, walk for an hour or so and pray as I walk. It gets my day off to a wonderful start as I have the opportunity to commune with God. I am not consumed with the busyness of my day and my sensitivity to the Holy Spirit is much greater. A couple of days ago, the Spirit impressed upon me the need to just walk and be quiet, thereby giving God my undivided attention after my petition. I was richly blessed by God’s willingness to speak to my heart about a number of things. I share this with our church family as a way of encouraging all of us to be intentional about having quiet time before the Lord. He looks forward to hearing from us as we pray, but He also looks forward to us hearing from Him.
It is reminiscent of when the Prophet Elijah in 1 Kings 19 heard God speak to him. He was running for his life after being threatened by Jezebel, the wife of King Ahab. He went into a cave and while there he was able to hear the still small voice that God used to speak to him. We are in a critical time with the coronavirus pandemic on the rampage. Even though it may get us out of our comfort zone, we must not be afraid to wait quietly for the Holy Spirit to speak. Just as God gave encouragement and instruction to Elijah, if we choose to spend quiet time with God, we would be amazed at what He is willing to share.
The Lord bless you and keep you in His care.
Pastor Hinton
Sunday School - Sundays at 9:45 am | Worship Services - Sundays at 11 am | Bible Study - Wednesdays at 7 pm
Mount Pisgah Harnett O.F.W.B. Church | 145 Prospect Church Rd. Erwin, NC 28339 | 910-897-4514 | mp*******@gm***.com
