FBC Williams Arizona
Saturday, May 19, 2012
Discovering God's Abundant Life Together
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FROM THE PASTOR'S DESK On my mind today:
It never ceases to amaze me all the craziness of our world. More and more it seems that things just keep pushing the envelope as to just exactly what is normal or ok. Those things that have been established since creation are now finding groups wanting new definitions. The family unit is no longer a mom and dad and kids as it has been for centuries. Marriage now has to be voted on to see exactly who it applies to. All this stuff clouds everyday news and just talk between people. It is now central points on major elections and campaigns. Where is God in all this? I can tell you simply that He is nowhere in any of this. All of this confusion and division is of the devil. The Bible speaks of such things in end times. 2 Timothy 4:3 tells us much of what is going on today: “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers;” or in other words people will no longer listen to the truth and find those who will tell them what they want to hear. Welcome to our modern times. It has arrived just exactly as the Bible said it would. The world wants to teach that there is no absolute truth. That in and of itself is a lie because Jesus taught in John 14 that He is the truth. It is sometimes frustrating to see what is going on around us, but at the same time God said it would happen. So what are we to do? We are to be about our Father’s work, we are to be the lights that shine into the darkness and show others that there is truth and life and it is found in the person of Jesus Christ. Do not get caught up in the disorder of today because it will distract you from doing what God has called every believer to be about and that is telling others about Jesus. It is a very trying time that we are living in but I can assure you this, one day and I feel it could be any day now, it will end good. We have a promise that we have a home waiting for us that is not made by man and if we have accepted Christ we are guaranteed eternity with Him forever. This world is not our home we are just passing through. While on that journey make it the best you can and the one sure way to do that is share your faith with all that you can.
We recently celebrated one year here at FBC. It has been a great joy for us as a family to have spent the last year here in Williams. We have seen God work in mighty ways and we know that the days ahead hold some great things. I give Him all the praise. Until we meet again,
May He bless you all in a mighty way,
Pastor Andy
Please take just a moment and read these wonderful words written by Miss Jennie Wilson and then please continue to read on to see what the Lord has placed upon my heart today:
Hold To God's Unchanging Hand
Verse 1:
Time is filled with swift transition,
naught of earth unmoved can stand,
build your hopes on things eternal,
hold to God's unchanging hand.
Chorus:
Hold to God's unchanging hand,
hold to God's unchanging hand;
build your hopes on things eternal,
hold to God's unchanging hand.
Verse 2:
Trust in Him who will not leave you,
whatsoever years may bring,
if by earthly friends forsaken
still more closely to Him cling.
Chorus
Verse 3:
Covet not this world's vain riches,
that so rapidly decay,
seek to gain the heav'nly treasures,
they will never pass away.
Chorus
Verse 4:
When your journey is completed,
if to God you have been true,
fair and bright the home in glory
your enraptured soul will view.
Chorus
As you read these words I think it is very easy to see what the message is to each and every one of us, consistency. God never changes. He is our one constant in life if we let Him be. The lady that wrote this song has a remarkable story. It is said she was born in 1857 and at the age of four was stricken with a spinal sickness which left her an invalid and in a wheel chair for the rest of her life. She was never able to attend school. What little studies she did was at home and along with that she received some training in music. The fact that she would go on to write over 2200 songs/poems is amazing. God can use anyone who is willing. As we read through the words of this classic hymn there are several points that stand out. Time indeed is filled with swift transition. It seems that each day that goes by moves a little faster and the next one is here quicker than we expected. We should learn to build our hopes on things eternal because that is what really counts. The hope this world offers is at best temporary. We certainly cannot count on it because at the drop of a hat it changes and often it is because someone does not like things the way they are so “change” is implemented. If we hold on to our faith and seek what it is that God offers we will find that not only is what He offers better, but it never changes. We often change and do things in ways that are not always best for us, but God will never and has never changed. He is always the same. We can trust in Him and know that He will not leave us. Why? Because He promised that He never would and He cannot break a promise. Things of this world often forsake us and leave us in places that are very often not better but the Lord will never do that. The riches of this world are alluring and certainly tempting, but at the end of the day we learn that not only can they be taken away in some form or fashion, but they do not last. Jesus taught “what does a man gain if he gains the whole world but loses his soul?” If we think on that principle it makes a lot of sense simply on the fact that we cannot take it with us. Enjoy life and allow the joy of the Lord to fill our lives but the things of this world will leave you empty when it’s all said and done. One day the journey will come to an end. The Bible is clear that all have an appointed time and then the judgment. In other words we will all stand before God one day. If we have accepted Christ and done what He has asked of us then we have a promise of glory for eternity. If we refuse Christ and what He offers then eternity does not turn out so good. Many today in the pulpit will not speak on such things as Hell and eternal separation, but God said to share His Word and this is a part of it. All roads do not lead to Heaven and to teach such things is just plain not true. There is an eternity and everyone will be a part of it on one side or the other. This life is uncertain; we just never seem to know what is coming next. My challenge to anyone reading this article today, come to Christ, allow Him to bring good change to your life and grab a hold to His unchanging hand and never let go.
If you are in our area we certainly encourage you to come by for a visit. We would love to meet you and share some time together worshiping the Lord. We have been blessed over this last year to minister to people from all over the world. Recently we have had people visit from Australia, Canada and other parts of the world. What an awesome opportunity to reach the world from right here in Williams. Soon we will be expanding that outreach by joining the local radio station who will broadcast our messages and special programs and music here locally as well as streaming worldwide on the internet. God is moving in a mighty way and I could not be more excited. We are just a few weeks away from celebrating my one year anniversary as Pastor of FBC. In the twelve years I have served as Pastor I can honestly say I have never enjoyed anywhere more than I have here in Williams. I have made friends over the years at other places and certainly people that will forever be a part of my life but there is something about what I have been given here at FBC that just stands out and makes my heart beat a little faster. I truly look forward to each day and live for the unknown blessing that may be on the way. God is good and indeed He is good all the time.
Until next time,
Keep looking up because He is coming back
Pastor Andy
He’s alive again the stones been rolled away!!!!!!
He's alive again; He's no longer in the grave!
He's alive again; I can hear the angel’s say-
Let all the world rejoice, He's alive!
For He is Risen!
He is Risen!
So come on celebrate
Come on celebrate
Come on celebrate
The resurrection of our Lord!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Glory to God and praise His Name as we gather this week for resurrection morning. I am so excited today as I write this update. Our Palm Sunday service was off the chart and the Spirit of God was surely moving. One person came forward and gave their life to Christ!!! Praise God!!! As we prepare for Resurrection morning I am excited about what the Lord has in store. Lately we have truly felt His presence and our church is moving in a mighty way. In just three short weeks we will have been here one year. It has been wonderful and we are certainly looking forward to all that the Lord has planned. I have never felt closer to Him than I do right now and it is a great place to be. I am excited that Pastor Dan Gordon is now on board and will be our full time youth pastor. This is a very exciting expansion to the ministries of FBC. Our vision to acquire land and build a new church is moving forward and God’s Hand can clearly be seen in that process. I have been involved in ministry now for 12 years. I can honestly say I have never enjoyed it more than I do now. I know with that comes a great deal of responsibility but also the target grows larger and the enemy is just around the corner. I know he comes in all kinds of ways and indeed will come. I have seen his ugly head pop up every now and then through different ways but I stand on the Victory of the Cross and rebuke him every day!!!!
On a personal note I am over joyed that our daughter Morgan is now back at home. She has been gone for just over a year but finally the door has opened for her to join us here in Williams. It is an exciting time for us and we are looking forward to seeing how God is going to move in her life. She is a special young lady and has all the tools to be a great witness for the Lord. As a dad I am praying for her and the days ahead in which the challenge and allure of the world will come knocking and I am asking for not just wisdom but for guidance in how we can help her grow. Please keep our family in your prayers.
Over the course of Easter weekend I am preaching 4 times. It is going to be awesome and I cannot wait. If you are in the area come and see us. God bless you and thanks for the support of this ministry.
I serve a Risen Savior:
Pastor Andy
From the Pastor’s Desk
Praise the Lord for another day! It is great to write this note to you today. We are coming into the time of year that we celebrate and remember what Jesus did for each of us on the Cross. The week before the crucifixion was an unbelievable turn of events. So many things happened that forever shaped the rest of human history. I hope that it shows to everyone, but I really do love what I do. It is such an honor to be used by God to share His love with others and how when He is trusted lives can be changed. I find it sadder and sadder the place that this world seems to be at these days. It is hard to see and hear how much God is ignored these days and how many act as if He either does not exist or that there are no consequences for actions. I can assure you they would be wrong on both accounts. What Jesus went through that week before He was led to the Cross was for each one of us. What He did was so that we would not have to. He loved us before we were even born and for all those today who think they are funny when they deny Him or curse His name or use it in vain or act in ways that He would never approve of, He died for them too. One day we will all stand before Him and will either be found not guilty because of His shed blood on the Cross and our acceptance of that or be told “depart from Me, I never knew you.” This time of year, much like many other observances, has become very much commercialized. Nearly every store is filled with chocolate bunnies and colorful eggs along with baskets and plastic grass. How that ever became attached to the greatest event ever I am not sure, but may we never lose focus on what was done for us on the Cross and how it still bears great meaning today in every part of our lives. It is a joy and honor to serve with you and may we continue on this journey together until He comes. I cannot believe how fast time has gone by but in just one month we will have been here a year. I thank you for allowing me to be your Pastor. I look forward to all that the Lord has in store for us as a church and as a family.
Blessings,
Pastor Andy
From Pastor Andy
I did not write this following story but it sure spoke to me and I wanted to share it with everyone. Read the whole story and then ask the Lord to forgive you if you are not where you should be in representing Him and starting living in such a way that all who see you, see Him:
IT'S ONLY A QUARTER
Several years ago, a preacher from out-of-state accepted a call to a church in Houston, Texas. Some weeks after he arrived, he had an occasion to ride the bus from his home to the downtown area. When he sat down, he discovered that the driver had accidentally given him a quarter too much change. As he considered what to do, he thought to himself, “You’d better give the quarter back. It would be wrong to keep it." Then he thought, “Oh, forget it, it's only a quarter. Who would worry about this little amount? Anyway, the bus company gets too much fare; they will never miss it. Accept it as a 'gift from God' and keep quiet."
When his stop came, he paused momentarily at the door, and then he handed the quarter to the driver and said, ";Here, you gave me too much change." The driver, with a smile, replied, ";Aren't you the new preacher in town?" ";Yes" he replied. ";Well, I have been thinking a lot lately about going somewhere to worship. I just wanted to see what you would do if I gave you too much change. I'll see you at church on Sunday." When the preacher stepped off of the bus, he literally grabbed the nearest light pole, held on, and said, "Oh God, I almost sold your Son for a quarter!"
Our lives are the only Bible some people will ever read. This is a really scary example of how much people watch us as Christians, and will put us to the test! Always be on guard -- and remember -- You carry the name of Christ on your shoulders when you call yourself 'Christian.'
In His Grip,
Pastor Andy
My thoughts today:
The Lord has truly been moving here in our midst. What a joyous time our services have been. I want to encourage anyone who is in our area to please come and visit us on Sunday morning for a wonderful time of celebration and worship of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. On the link that allows everyone to hear the sermons that have recently been preached I want to encourage anyone who cares to listen to click on the latest one. God gave me a powerful sermon on His Wrath and I feel it is not only timely but certainly needed for this time that we are living in. If you have a loved one or someone that really care about I urge you to listen and think about what is to come for all those who deny Christ or have the attitude that living however they want to comes at no cost. This message is truly eye opening. Today it seems that so many are of the thinking that what they do does not matter in the end and the Bible teaches clearly that is not true. My attention lately has been caught by the seemingly continuous stories and reports of those who claim to be atheist or seem to be having such a fun time mocking God or trying to convince others that He is not real or that He loves them so there is no consequence. In the end times the Bible teaches that such things will be going on and they most certainly are happening now. My prayer for all those I love is that they do not be deceived. Be bold and share the truth with all those you care about, time is getting shorter every day. Don’t wait!!!
Pastor Andy
From the Pastor
John 3:16-17
16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
If the whole Bible could be summed up in a shorter version this would be it. God’s love and God’s purpose is what is given in these two Scriptures. Nearly everyone has heard John 3:16 at some point in their lives. We have heard about how God loved this world so much that He sent His only Son, Jesus, to die in our place and that whosoever or in other words anyone in the whole world that will believe in Him (truly from the heart not just an acknowledgment) but real true belief would never die, but would have eternal life. A love which is that big cannot be measured. When we think of things that cannot be measured we think of the sky or the ocean, but God’s heart and His love for us is bigger than both of them put together. We can look back over our lives and think about mistakes that we have made or things that we did that maybe were not so nice or good and it is hard to imagine that God could still love us, but He does. He loves us more than we could possibly know. He knew that if we were going to have a chance to make things right and be in fellowship with Him that He would have to make a way. He knew by ourselves that we could not do it, so He had to show us how. When our parents wanted us to learn something they taught us, we as parents teach our children when we want them to learn and we show them how. God sent Jesus to show us how, to show us how to live, to show us how to treat each other and how to pray and how to come to Him and one day go to our home in Heaven to be with Him forever!!!! If we have ever been on a long trip and been away from home for a while it is always nice to get back and get some rest. God wants us to come to the home He has prepared for us and He knew that in order for us to get there He would have to show us the way. Jesus told the Disciples in John 14:3-4 “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know.” This is a promise from the Lord Himself. We can know the way and have been shown the way and His name is Jesus. He loves all of us and wants to spend eternity together. His purpose is given to us in John 3:17, again that verse tells us
“For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”
We have been shown the way, He has shown us that we are loved beyond measure and He has made it clear that His mission is not to condemn or hurt or judge, but to save all those who are willing to be saved. The things that are said today about the Christian faith and that we who are followers of Christ are all about hate and hurting others are sad. The reason for the sadness is that there are many who claim to be Christian and do act this way but that is in direct opposition of what the Bible teaches. When we think of being saved from something we think of being rescued from something harmful or painful. I can tell you today that there is no greater harm or pain that could ever come to our lives that can compare to being separated from God forever. His desire, His purpose in sending Jesus was for all to be saved from eternal separation. I want to encourage anyone who reads this note from me that if today you have never asked Christ into your heart or you have and have walked away and need to come back then please do not wait any longer. Admit to the Father today that you are a sinner in need of a Savior and ask for His forgiveness and ask Jesus into your life and allow Him to bring the needed change into your life. It will be a decision that will pay eternal benefits and one that you will never regret.
What was on my mind today,
Pastor Andy
Random thoughts from Pastor
I am working on several things today and my mind seems to be filled with so many things that I need to write them all down so that I do not forget anything important. Today is another primary to further along the process of choosing someone to run against the sitting President this fall. As I listen to what these candidates have to say I honestly hear nothing that excites me or draws me in. In fact it is just the opposite. The Bible teaches of a time when people will turn from sound doctrine and begin to follow false teachings and become lovers of self and leave the truth behind. I feel with all my heart that we are seeing that happen right before our very eyes today. I believe that without any question we are in the last days of the last days. Never have I seen things like they are now and what is even more disturbing is so many are thinking that a change in administration is the only way for things to get better. I say that is only true in one sense, allowing a change of who is charge of your own life. It is so important to recognize the need for allowing Christ to the Lord and Savior of one’s life. When we learn that is the One that truly needs to be in charge then things begin to be clear and seen for what they really are. We see the events of the world and are troubled and even sometimes hurt by the way others are acting, but we also realize that the Bible told of these things and that they would happen one day. Times right now are as evil as I have ever seen, but I am leaning more on the Lord than ever as well. This is where we all need to be heading. We need to focus on the FINISHED work of the Cross. When Jesus proclaimed on that day “IT IS FINISHED” that is exactly what He meant. We need to embrace that and realize that it we accept that truth then it is foolish to be overcome by the events of this world or the ones who seem to be in charge. One day they like everyone else will stand before a Holy God and be held accountable for their actions and how they used what they were given. There should be some comfort in that. Jesus proclaimed it best as He said in John 16:33:
“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
Who have you placed your trust in today? Get in God’s Word and see the comfort and peace that you can have by simply trusting and believing in what He said.
Until my next thought:
Pastor
Random thoughts from Pastor Andy
The world we live in is captivated by celebrities. Every move they make there is someone with a camera. Their private lives are never private and people seem to be so effected by what they do, wear, say and it don’t seem to matter whether it is good or bad. This is not about forgiveness when one does wrong; this is about placing others on a pedestal and seeing them in such a different light than anyone else simply because they are seen as famous. There are many talented people in this world. God has surely blessed many with incredible talents and many of those go on to use those talents to perform, entertain or to help others. As much as the lives of those in the celebrity world are followed and impersonated nothing compares to the time when one in this category dies. The world seems to stop and forward motion ceases for a certain amount of time. Over the years I have seen this. In my life time larger than life celebrities have passed away. I will always remember hearing the news the day that Elvis died and as the years have passed certainly there have been others, but I remember that day because of the deep sadness expressed by people all over the world and even today, 35 years later, over 70,000 people a year gather in Memphis to honor this man on the anniversary of his death. There are too many to list but in my life this was one of the biggest ones that I can recall. In the last few years we had Michael Jackson die and now just this past weekend was Whitney Houston. Why am I writing about this? What does this have to do with the ministry that I have been called to? I will try to help everyone who reads these little notes understand my point. All of these people are celebrated and become larger than life figures to so many, but what people fail to realize is that most of them, I cannot say all, but most of them are living in a state of being lost. Their life at no point reflects that they had peace with God and instead were searching for the answers here in this world through the avenues of pills and booze. In the end their money, fame and grand lifestyle earned them nothing. What a sad state it is to see and even more sad to understand the shame of it all. The blessing that we are given can be used however we choose, we have freewill. The enemy wants us to use all that we have for self-gratification. He could care less if we sing for a living, act for a living, preach for a living or build houses or cars, as long as we don’t do anything for the glory of God. We are living in a time that is very selfish. It is all about “me” in this world that we are passing through. The sadness that I felt when I heard the news of Whitney Houston was not over my personal great loss because of course I did not know her beyond who she was on television, but what I felt was here was another person of enormous talent who left this world and there is no clear sign as to where she stood with the Lord. I cannot write today and pronounce that she was not saved I have no idea of that and would be wrong to state otherwise, but the question must be asked did her life reflect a relationship with the Lord? And sadly the answer is no. Like so many others who have died in similar manner, pills, alcohol, drugs, hard living, she was placed on a higher place and seen in a different way because of her talent. I have heard her sing beautiful songs, many of them Gospel songs, truly an amazing voice at one time, but what if the words of those songs had reached deep into the heart and said "listen to what you are singing?" What change there may have been? We fight a powerful enemy, he does his very best to convince people today that they can live for the world and still make it out ok. We must remember that he is the “FATHER OF LIES!!!!!” He has fooled many people over the years that they can “worry about it later” “live it up now” but this way of thinking and living has put many people in the grave and they were not ready. I stress in every sermon the need for making sure. Is it because I like to repeat myself? No, it is because there is no other message more important. I said recently in a message “no one is prepared to live if they are not ready to die.” It is not important where someone stands on the social ladder, if salvation through Christ has not been accepted, if there has never been a time when repentance has been stated and forgiveness asked for and Christ received into one’s heart, then the final destination is not a good one. It does not matter how much money they had, how many records they sold or how big their house was, in the end where did things stand between them and God? Because the truth of it all is that is what counts when it is all said and done. I am not saying that all celebrities are lost, I am not saying that at all, but what I see in our world is that as much as these people are adored, as much as they are celebrated and admired and written about and revered when they pass away, does anyone ever stop to think about their soul? Those around them, who have access to them and can actually speak to them do they ever say “do you know where you will be when you die?” The jailer asked Paul, “What must I do to be saved?” Without a question the most important question we can ever asked. The challenge is if we know the answer are we sharing it with everyone that we are able to? If not, they why? Time is not on our side, age has nothing to do with death, please make sure you know the truth and live it out. If there is any doubt in your heart at all as to how it will end, please write me, call me or come and see me or someone who can help you hear the truth. Jesus told John as He revealed the Book of Revelation to him to “write these things” and John wanted to know why and Jesus said “for the time is near.” My friends the time is getting closer every day. Are you ready?
Just thinking today,
Pastor Andy
please read my newest article on DEEPER ANSWERS as it deals with Religion vs. Relationship
Ramblings and thoughts from Pastor Andy:
The word reality is used a lot today. Reality television is one of many examples that come to mind. The troubling part about most things that are labeled as being reality is that hardly any of them truly are real. Script writers, producers, and those with a mind or feeling as to what will sell or get people to watch, are the ones who determine what is “real.” The longer I live the more I begin to realize what the Bible speaks of when it describes “separating one’s self.” As hard as it seems for some to understand this principle it truly is quite simple. If we are truly following Christ and what He has called for us to do then we can see easily the ways of the world are not pleasing to Him and therefore should not be a part of our lives either. The one most disturbing thing about the word reality today is that the only real thing that is seen is people will do anything for money or a few moments of fame. Overwhelmingly the results are hardly ever good in the long term. So it is easy to see why and this is because nearly everything dealt with in the world today is the opposite of what God has proposed or prescribed as a life of victory and joy. Now that is not to say that every day will be filled with rainbows and ice cream, but turning to the things of the world to find the answers to life will never give us the truth we so often seek. It is only the truth of God’s Word that will set us free. The world enslaves and never wants to let us go, because once a person finds the real truth they never want to come back. The enemy we fight is fierce and cunning, but we often forget the he is already defeated. Jesus gave him the final knockout blow when He was on the cross. We must embrace that victory and rejoice in what He did for all of us that day. We will have those days that things are not so good, that is reality, but if we keep our eyes focused on what Christ has done and has promised to do then we keep moving forward. Is it always easy? No, but we can do it because He said we could. The world teaches just give up, quit, get something else, get someone else, this lifestyle is not working so go try another one, and this list could get really long, when we think about it though everyone of these things teach the opposite of what God teaches and anything that is the opposite of His Word is of the enemy and must not be followed. Reality, think of what you are seeing and ask yourself is this really real? If there is doubt or question and there is nothing about it that is encouraging or leads you to a stronger walk with the Lord then closer examination may be needed. Most of what we see today is not what it seems. There is but one real truth and that is found in the Word of God, that my friend is reality. Not everyone wants to accept that, but then again not everyone accepted Jesus when He came the first time either.
Just on my heart today,
Pastor Andy
From the Pastor:
Things are off to a great start here at FBC. I am so excited about what the Lord is doing here among us. I know without any question that our best days are indeed ahead of us. It was unveiled at the end of last year the vision for 2012 and it is in full swing and moving ahead in grand fashion. I know the Lord is opening doors that only He can open and things are happening. I am praying and studying for messages that will continue to encourage while at the same time challenge everyone to seek where they are in their spiritual walk and what changes may need to be made. I believe we are going to see some mighty things happen over the next few weeks and months and it is going to be awesome. In my own walk the Lord has been showing me areas that need work. I know we all need that, but when we accept that fact then we can start getting somewhere. I want to challenge each of us to look within and see what if anything may need some change or upgrade. Are we doing all that we can? Are we giving all we can give? I have been reading the Bible from Genesis to Revelation and let me tell you the more I read the more incredible the journey has been but even more incredible is what is in store. I fully believe time is drawing closer and closer to our Lord’s return and making sure we are ready is of the utmost importance. Examine your soul today and make sure you can answer with 100% assurance that you are ready when He calls.
from my heart, Pastor Andy
Hebrews 13:8
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. As we begin a new year I think to remember this verse would be great help in finding success and joy in the days ahead. As we reflect on where our lives are and where they need to be again the answer is where are you with Christ? What He offered when He came the first time is still what he offers today, salvation, eternal life, joy, peace with God, life and it abundantly. Truly this list could get really long. The question is have you accepted His gift? We just got finished with Christmas for another year as it pertains to the actual day that most celebrate, December 25, but in actuality shouldn’t everyday be like Christmas if you have Christ in your heart? The gifts that He gives are for eternity and never wear out or expire. As this verse from Hebrews tells us He never changes. We often change and some times that is a good thing, but other times it is not. As we begin this New Year my challenge to everyone, including myself, is to focus on Jesus and what He did for us on the Cross and let that be our guide for daily living. May indeed we find ourselves looking at Romans 12:2 as a great way to see things in these days ahead, which I fully believe in my heart will indeed be a challenge for every believer:
“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”
Many are seeking change or redemption of some sort through the election of a new leader in this upcoming election, but as important as that may be for the country as a whole, always and I truly mean always keep your eyes on the true Leader, King, and Savior of all, Jesus Christ.
Psalm 118:8 says it best:
“It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man.”
God Bless you all and Happy New Year
Pastor Andy
From the Pastor's Desk:
This week marks the end of 2011. It seems hard to imagine that another year has gone by. My what a year it has been. I have seen so many things this year and have experienced even more. Some good, some not so good, typical life ups and downs. We were so blessed that the Lord called us to move to Arizona this year. Clearly one of the exciting events that took place. We love it here. Everyone has been so good to us and I am so excited to see where our church is going. I know what the Lord has called us to do and what a joy to see everyone embrace that vision and getting busy making it happen. As my thoughts grow over this last week of the year I am sure I will have more to reflect upon as to what took place but even better what we have to look forward to. It is a joy and blessing to be called and to be able to serve in the way that I do. I am truly blessed in so many ways. Thank you Lord for all You have done for me. God Bless each of you as this year closes and a new one begins.
Pastor Andy
From Pastor Andy:
Go, tell it on the mountain,
Over the hills and everywhere
Go, tell it on the mountain,
That Jesus Christ is born.
While shepherds kept their watching
o’er silent flocks by night,
Behold, throughout the heavens
There shone a holy light
The shepherds feared and trembled,
When lo! above the earth,
Rang out the angels chorus
That hailed our Savior's birth.
Down in a lowly manger
The humble Christ was born
And God sent us salvation
That blessed Christmas morn.
John Wesley Work, Jr., wrote these words back in 1865. Today they still ring out with great joy and truth. Christmas is upon us. The shopping, the crowds, and the hustle and bustle of the season often over shadows the most important part, Jesus was born. This great old song proclaims that we should tell everybody this wonderful news. Have you done that today? Are you proud of your faith and willing to proclaim it to all that you meet? If indeed we were atop a mountain and were shouting to everyone the greatest news they will ever hear then we could only hope and pray that our world would be a better place today. This young man who is enjoying success as a football player, Tim Tebow, at the same time is being ridiculed by the media because he openly professes his faith and is not ashamed. I say Glory to God!!!!!!!!!!!!! That someone in his position is willing to step out in faith and accept the persecution and remain faithful and show the light of Christ in his testimony. May we pray for this man that he continues to fight the good fight. Read the words of this powerful old Spiritual and indeed proclaim to all why we have the ability to have a Merry Christmas and indeed it is because our Savior was born and we should be excited to tell all that we can. God Bless each of you during this blessed time of year and from my heart to yours I wish you all the Merriest Christmas ever!
Pastor Andy
From under the Pastor's tree:
“The greatest Christmas gift ever
Wasn’t placed under the tree
He was placed on the tree
And His name is Jesus”
Wow! What powerful words. As we know Christmas day will be upon us in just 12 days. Hard to believe another year has gone by. As so many focus on shopping and making sure each person on their list gets the perfect gift, I think it is very important that we as believers understand that we have already been given the perfect gift and indeed His name is Jesus. It is important that we enjoy our time with friends and family during this wonderful season, but it is equally important that we do not lose focus on why we are celebrating. In a recent update I wrote on the challenge to not be ashamed to say Merry Christmas this year. We are living in a time where it seems that nearly every subject has someone who says that it offends them. Of course every year all those who say this about Christmas come out to voice their dislike of this joyous occasion and proclaim that the greeting of Merry Christmas is offensive. My question is how? If you do not celebrate the day then why should it bother you? When people of the Jewish faith celebrate Hanukkah is that offensive too? It does not offend me nor does any other day that someone celebrates for whatever reason they have. Someone has a birthday every single day of the year, only one of those is mine, does it offend me that someone else has a birthday besides me? Of course when we think about it all of this seems silly, but it is the foolish and silly things that are ruling this world. Things that make sense or actually have a point are the things that are overlooked or said to offend. We have to move beyond that and focus on what is important and this is having a relationship with Christ. He said very plainly in the Scriptures that if we follow Him we will have tribulations but that we can count that as a blessing if we are persecuted because of Him. If we are truly His we will find ourselves more and more out the loop as it pertains to this world and you know what? That is ok! Do not let the things of this world cloud your judgment or choices when it comes to sharing your faith. Let your faith shine brightly and let everyone know who you belong to and do it proudly. I am proud to say to each of you who read these note from my heart, Merry Christmas!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
In His Grip,
Pastor Andy
Matthew 24:37-38
“But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark”
As we read these words of Jesus we can see a clear picture of our world today. Now one may ask “how can that be said?” I want to take a few moments and write on this subject “the days of Noah” and try to give a clearer understanding of just exactly what is going on around us today. If we look back at Genesis 6 & 7 we will see that those times were not good. In Genesis chapter 6:5 we see this “Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” Let us focus on these underlined words for just a moment. The wickedness of man, if we look at our world today we can clearly see that wickedness is very evident as it pertains to people’s actions and things going on. When defined the word wicked means things like
“Morally bad in principle or practice”
“Causing injury or harm”
“Troublesome, unpleasant, or offensive”
In the days of Noah it is said that the “wickedness of man was great in the earth.” It only takes a moment of watching the news to see that indeed wickedness is once again great in the earth. Great in this case not meaning good, but instead in large quantity. The seemingly endless stories of children being molested, elderly people being mistreated, animals being abused, ungodliness abounding, public officials who have been elected and put in a place of trust and responsibility abusing their positions and authority, people destroying each other with harsh words and lies, the media glamorizing things that the Bible clearly defines as sin, and this list could just go on and on. The point here is that we can clearly see that the wickedness of man is indeed great upon this earth that we live on. Jesus said those days would return before He would. We also see listed in Genesis 6:5 that “the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” When something is continual that means it never stops. The barrage of evil that is seen on this earth can surely be labeled as continual. In fact it is clearly getting worse and those involved or creating these situations do not seem to care. Homes being invaded and people being killed only to find out later this person was innocent and all that is said or offered is “sorry we got the wrong guy” how can that be ok? A wife and her children are left with no answers other than a very pitiful apology while at the same time they are left with horrible image of their loved one shot to death in front of them (nearly 100 times) in their minds forever. This is just one example of the evil that continually surrounds us today. Bills being considered that will allow the detention of American citizens for indefinite periods of time in undisclosed locations with no trial or no charges all based on the assumption that they may have done something wrong or might be threat. These are wicked times that we are living in my friends. Again we look back at what Jesus proclaimed in Matthew 24: 37-38 “But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark.” What is the key to this message? If we study how things were during the days of Noah we can see that for the most part (the exception being Noah) people were doing whatever they wanted with no concern about the outcome or effect. Welcome to 2011 and the return of the days of Noah. If we look throughout the Word of God we see many references to the times that are now upon us. One great Scripture that stands out to me is:
1 Timothy 4:1-2
“Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron.”
Look at what is being said here. In the “latter times” this is the time in which we are living right now, the last of the last days which places a great urgency on the message which we are called to proclaim to all who will hear. “Depart from the faith” of course this refers the anything that leads someone from the truth of what Jesus did for all at the cross. People today will believe nearly anything but the truth. The rise of false religion and false teachings is at an all-time high and as believers we should certainly be aware of just how serious this is especially to those we love and care about who have not given their hearts to Christ. Many things are being taught today that are just not true or have just enough truth entwined around the lie to make it believable. As part of the Great Commission we are called to go forth and tell others about the Good News of the Gospel message of Christ. The question is are we doing that or are we compromising because of the fear the world is trying to intimidate everyone with saying the it may offend someone therefore we cannot use the Name of Jesus or only say that Jesus is the only way to Heaven because there are many good people out there who do not feel that way. My book entitled “Hell is full of Good People” addresses that very issue. We must become bold in our faith and stand for what the Bible says. In this time we are living in we must understand many of the things we are seeing that bother or disturb us are a product of the time in which we are living. As seen in the passage from I Timothy those who are turning from the truth and listening to the “doctrines of demons” and “speaking lies” have had their “conscience seared.” In other words if it seems that many today just do not care it is because they don’t. I worked for many years on the road as a law enforcement officer and saw things that were truly disturbing and had a hard time understanding how people could act that way, but today in the never ending stories of tragedy and outright cruelty I stand in a state of disbelief and truly have concluded that indeed the end is near. Acts of violence have been around for a long time, but today much that we are seeing go way beyond just physical violence. Destroying people’s lives with words and lies, stories placed on the news about others with no concern as to whether it is true or the effect it will have on others beyond the accused. Homes being raided with no probable cause and people being killed with no justification and all for what, money, greed, power? When will it end? That is the one place we can actually find some good news, one day it will. One day Jesus has promised to return and remove His children from all this mess and take us to be home with Him. One day He will return to this earth to rule and reign and the things of today will no longer be around and those who are wicked will perish and have no place with Him. We can easily get discouraged when we look at the state of the world today, but Help is on the way. If you have loved ones who are not prepared go tell them, do not wait, the time is near, and the time is now. Keep Looking up, He’s coming back!!!!!!!!!!!!!
In the “days of Noah” people were told over and over that the rain was coming. No one believed what they were told so they kept on with whatever they wanted to do, but then one day the rains came just as promised and when they ran to the door of the ark (which they ridiculed Noah for building) they found it closed and unable to be opened. Wonder what they were thinking then? The Lord promised to come back for us one day. It has been being preached for many, many years now and many people have started to say “it has been to long so it will not happen; I will just do whatever I want or start joining in with the world and its ways because it does not matter anymore.” I can assure everyone of this, no one believed it would rain either, but all it took was one drop to change their minds. We have been warned all the warnings that are needed, we have been told and told to keep a watch on what is going on because signs would be present as to when the time was near. We will not know the hour nor the day but we can be certain the signs are present. We have returned to the days of Noah. Are you ready for what is next? If not then the time to do that is now, do not wait for the door to be shut because it does not open again.
Ramblings from the Pastor:
It’s ok to say Merry Christmas! I bring you good news of great joy! This is the saying on the new buttons that I just got into the office and will be handing out and asking everyone to wear proudly during this upcoming Christmas season.
 Why is this important? Very simple, Jesus taught in Mark 8:38
“For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.”
Who and what do we celebrate at this time of year? Jesus and His birth and this is not about accuracy of dates and times this is about a time set aside in which believers should be openly proud to tell everyone about their faith. The world over time has tried to corrupt this wonderful day and certainly we have seen all the commercialization and the influence placed on shopping and all the secular side of things, but in the end it is still what we as followers of Christ choose to do with this time that is important. If we truly believe and celebrate the birth of our Savior why would we not want to let everyone know? We are told that it may be offensive to say Merry Christmas to someone. Why is that? Can a mere friendly greeting be offensive? There are many today who celebrate the secular side of Christmas and never give Jesus a thought. Acknowledging the day and wishing someone a merry one at that is no more offensive than saying happy birthday. It is the kindness that is offered in the well wishes that really counts. The enemy, Satan himself is certainly the one behind all this nonsense and many have played right into his hands and given in to the demands of leaving Jesus out of His own day. Opting to not say Merry Christmas for me is not an option. As this button says “I bring you good news of great joy” and who is it these days and times that does not need some good news? We have the best news of all so as the great old song proclaims, “Go tell it on the mountain that Jesus Christ is born!!!” Why the mountain? So everyone can hear because it is the greatest news of all. This year take a stand against the foolishness and be proud to tell everyone you meet “Merry Christmas.”
From the Pastor’s Desk:
I pray that as we enter this new week that you are all well. What an exciting time of year we are on the threshold of. This is without question my all-time favorite time of year. When I was growing up it was generally hot most of the time. The humidity was always high and often times the heat was nearly unbearable most especially during the summer time. There would be a little relief in the fall and if we got some winter temperatures they were welcomed for sure. It was in those times that I enjoyed being outside the most. It was then I had the freedom to play in the woods without the fear of snakes and what have you. Fond memories of this season and time of year; in other words I found something to be thankful for. This week most will gather somewhere either with family or friends and celebrate Thanksgiving. What I want to help believers to understand is that we can celebrate Thanksgiving every day because of what the Lord has done for all of us. If we truly embrace how much He loves us and what He was willing to do in order to show that love, then we must come to understand just how much we have to be thankful for. It is very easy to get caught up in the world and the materialistic view that surrounds us. We see the haves and the have not’s but we who have come to know Christ as Lord and Savior have it all. We have love, hope, encouragement, direction, blessings, and a secure eternity, how much more do we need to see to understand how thankful we should be? Too many walk around today complaining about what they do not have, what they cannot achieve or how they are held back or done wrong. Is life always fair? No, but it was never promised that it would be. What we need to focus on is the blessings we do have and what the Lord has done for us, what He is doing and what He is going to do. This is the message for today. I truly hope that it will encourage, challenge and uplift. I pray special blessing on all your gatherings this week and ask that the Lord grant special favor on your week. As always it is a joy to serve with you. I cannot tell you how much I enjoy being here. I am truly blessed.
From my heart, Pastor Andy
please read my newest article dealing with END TIMES:
End Times
We are living in some incredible times. I think we can all agree on that. We are seeing technological advances in ways that many of us maybe never thought we would ever see in our lifetime. Unbelievable things when it comes to computers, cell phones, communication in general, stuff that 100 years ago was not even on the table and some even 20 years ago did not seem likely any time soon. It seems that more and more stuff comes out each week. An application for this or a new G added to that. I will be the first to admit I do not understand it all nor do I feel that I need to. In this article I want to look at what the Lord has impressed upon my heart over the last few days. Although we are living in incredible times as it pertains to technology and abilities, it seems that ignorance to the obvious has never been so high. The Bible is so clear about what things will be like as we near the end. I am not nor have I even been a gloom and doom prophet, but the signs are upon us my friends and it is time to start getting real serious about what is happening right before us. Hosea 4:6 tells us “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.” People today will listen to anything. Print it on a magazine, tell it on a television gossip show and people automatically think it is true. No facts, no sure evidence, but it must be true anyhow. This way of thinking has turned our world upside down and it is getting worse every day. I stated people will listen to anything and that is maybe too broad of a statement, instead it should be anything but the truth. Jesus taught clearly in John 8:32 “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” The Truth is indeed Jesus Himself and the examples He left for all to follow as to how life is to be lived and how we are to act toward one another and what God’s commands should mean to our lives. Jesus also said that “If you love Me, keep My commandments.” What two things did He command? Love God and love one another. If these two things alone were to be adhered to today this world would certainly be different. This brings me to the point and purpose of this new writing. We are seeing things happening around us that amaze us. I no longer am speaking of the advances of communications or how fast you can download a song, but the nature of people. Something has changed and it is not for the good. Jesus spoke so clearly during His ministry and when He was asked about end times or the times before He returned He answered in this way: “But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” (Matthew 24: 37-39) Let us understand the days of Noah. This is not only a reference to great immorality, in others words people doing whatever they wanted as it pertained to sexually deviance or personal behavior, but it was also a great time of not listening to the truth. For 120 years Noah told them of the coming flood that would destroy them all, but they refused to listen, too caught up in wanting it their way, living life to the fullest with no concern of the consequence. This passage speaks “they knew not until the flood.” It does not mean that they had not heard, but instead it means that they did not listen and certainly did not take serious what was being told to them and happening right in front of their eyes. Have we returned to such times? I give a resounding YES! to that question. Being told over and over that one day the rain would come did not seem to concern anyone of Noah’s day. As the Scripture tells us they were eating and drinking, getting married, in other words ignoring the message given to them and going about the day as if nothing else mattered. This attitude has returned with a bang. People today ignore the obvious and instead of seeking truth and understanding, accepting that God has foretold us of this very day, they just go about as if either it will not happen or think if they choose to not believe then it will not affect them. The deception of the enemy is running at an all-time high and more and more people will be looking around wondering what happened when they look around and see that millions of people are gone and the world is in utter chaos trying to figure out what happened. The return is Jesus is a twofold matter. First we have the Rapture of the Church where the believers are taken up to meet Jesus in the air and then His physical return at the end of the Battle of Armageddon. I Thessalonians 4: 16-17 tells us this, “For the Lord Himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the Trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.”
There are some today who would argue with what this means and even try to dispel the Rapture, saying that this is not true or literal because the actual word Rapture does not appear in the Bible. Like with most things a little digging and a little effort to study clears that matter up fairly quickly. Please read my other writing on the Rapture and I think you will find some clarity about this subject. On with a deeper look at the times that are upon us and without any question I feel with all my heart and Spirit that not only are we in the last days, but the last hours of the last days. The Book of Daniel is an incredible source of information on the times that I speak of. He foretold about the rise of government and the changes that would take place within that structure that would not be good for those who remained at that time. What are we seeing the rise of right now? He told of the great increase of knowledge during this time, “But you, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the Book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.” (Daniel 12:4) We in our life time have seen a tremendous increase in knowledge. This knowledge that is spoken of here is not only as it pertains to technology, but also the understanding of God’s Word. More and more as they begin to study this wonderful gift that God gave to mankind, people are starting to see the truth and as Jesus would teach this truth will “make you free.” The deal with knowledge though is this; it does no good unless applied. We can know everything about everything, but unless that knowledge is applied and it is used then it helps no one. We as believers have great knowledge as given by the Bible, but are we applying it in order to help others see the truth of today’s times? The Book of Revelation scares some and intrigues others. Some see it as a clear picture of doom for the day’s that lie ahead while others see the hope contained within the words given to John while in the island of Patmos. In chapter 13 of this powerful Book we hear of one called the anti-Christ. This one who will rise up from the sea (meaning sea of people) will come into power at some time after the Rapture and will attempt to show those left behind that he is in total control and that peace is in his grasp all they have to do is trust him. Today we see the spirit of anti-Christ alive and well. We see all the fluff and nonsense on television that makes every attempt to keep the truth hidden. We see hidden political agendas; we see fear mongering which keeps people scared and unsure of what to do or when to do it. We see lies being sold as truth in an effort to get more and more people to follow and just believe without question or doubt as it pertains to the need of government control and leading. Many people today have lost control of their own lives because of such things and they live in constant fear of the unknown. The news is filled with the stories that they are given to put out which many times are even further attempts to keep the population at large in a state of confusion or chaos. Our country which once prided itself on adhering to the constitution and the rights that it ensured is no longer the same as it once was. Those rights which now seem to only belong to a certain few who play the game and play with all the right players. I recently took my family on a trip to Sea World which in and of itself seems harmless. We had already purchased our tickets in advance so getting in would seem to be fairly simple. One thing that I did not ever imagine is that I would be asked for my fingerprint before I could take my girls to see Shamu. Are you kidding me? That is correct my friends, my wife and I as well as the several thousand other people there that day had to give our fingerprint in order to enter an aquarium. I came home and did a study on what a Bio-scan is and basically it is a machine that can tell them that you are you. My question is how is this information obtained? It is scary times that we are living in and the spirit of anti-Christ is on the rise. Total control and keeping people living in fear, always having a “bad guy” to blame this is the world we are living in and it has been foretold in the Bible for years and years, but yet still so many do not see it or just plain will not listen. I am seeing things clearer today than I ever have. All that has been given to us in the Bible is not only true, but very timely. Stephen told the religious rulers of his time that they were repeating what their fathers before them had done and that was resisting the Holy Spirit. Of course he was referring to the fact that the teachings of Christ were still not being adhered to and it just made no sense. It had long been proven that He was who He said He was and that lives could be and were made better because of Him, but instead He was still being rejected just as those in the past had done in ignorance. Stephen was saying from his heart, “you know better now why would still act this way?” The same can be said today as it pertains to knowledge of the Truth, nearly everyone knows better, but yet still there seems to be a lot of ignorance when it comes to making needed changes and preparing for what lies ahead. Jesus told John in Revelation 1:3 “Blessed is he that reads, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.” Notice those last words, “For the time is at hand.” In other words “get ready because something is getting ready to happen.” The problem is no one seems to actually believe that. Many Christians today will tell you that they believe in the return of Christ, but their lives do not show any preparation for that moment. They live right along with the rest of the world, moment by moment just trying to survive till the next day, often times showing even less hope than the non-believer. Jesus said in John 15: 11 “These things have I spoken unto you, that My joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.” He has given us what is needed in order to make it through this world; we just have to trust Him enough to use it and fully believe that it will work. This is where more end times prophecy begins to unfold as we see in Matthew 24:11 it tells us “And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.” Today we are seeing this by the scores and I do not mean just on television and the propaganda we are fed, it is happening in pulpits all over the world. No longer is the whole truth of God being presented, but instead a version of truth. In other words a distortion which only leads to confusion which is ultimately a lie straight from the pits of hell and we know who is behind that. Jesus said clearly that Satan is the “father of lies.” Today we are often presented things as truth when indeed they contain a small amount of truth, but are intertwined with lies and misleading’s which only create confusion as to what one should believe. Jesus made it clear in John 14: 6 “Jesus said unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes unto the Father, but by Me.” You just cannot get any clearer than that, but this has been challenged today and is not always being taught. There are those who would have us believe that there is more than one way to Heaven. Whether it is taught from the pulpit of a television preacher or if it is disputed by a popular talk show host there are many today who are saying that only one way is not fair therefore it just cannot be, but this is what Jesus Himself taught not someone else, Jesus. If we take the Word of God to be just that then we must take what He said to be literal and if He said only one way then there is only one way. The Gospel Message has been watered down today in order to prevent offending those who may be in sin when in fact this is actually causing them greater harm than soothing their feelings with fluff and sweetness. Those who have taught this or are teaching this must beware that they too will stand before a Holy God one day and be held accountable for all those that they lead astray and did not share with them the truth. I heard a wonderful Pastor some time back who was sharing a vision that he had recently had and spoke of awaking from what seemed to be a dream and realized that he was being allowed to look into hell. While he looked he saw that an angel stood beside him and was beginning to explain some things to him as he would begin to ask questions. The Pastor said he saw a large single file line of people walking in front of a large group people and while walking would periodically reach over into the crowd and pull someone and look at them and quickly would place them back into the crowd. The Pastor said he turned and asked the angel what were they doing and the angel replied, “Looking for the preacher who lied to them.” This story has never left my mind. The importance of telling each other the Truth as it pertains to what the Bible says is immeasurable. One of my newest books is entitled “Hell is full of Good People.” There was a full intentional reason behind such wording, this is a serious matter that needs attention and people are not listening nor watching what is going on around them because of all the false teaching out there. Many pastors and I sometimes even hate to use that word when it comes to certain individuals, but they are in positions to help reach the lost with the Good News of Christ and instead often go in another direction and take the safe route and decide to mislead or just outright lie when it comes to the truth as it pertains to eternity and following Christ. Once while on a national broadcast on one of the world’s largest news networks a certain preacher was asked if Jesus was indeed the only way to Heaven and he said, “I’m not sure.” There are others who have been blessed with having air time (being on television), which is very expensive, but instead of preaching the Gospel message of Christ and telling people how to get saved and go to Heaven, they try to sell you some freeze dried food or tell you if you send them $58.00 or sow your seed and God will send you a house and the list just goes on and on with this kind of stuff. It is these types of situations that do not help, but instead hinder others. Jesus called us to be fruitful, in other words bring others to know the truth through how we represent Him with our lives, words, actions, etc…… II Peter 2:15 says “Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;” This passage speaks of knowing the right way, which is the Cross and the victory it brings and forsaking that for something else. Worldwide recognition is nice, fame is nice, things are nice, popularity is nice, having others like you and having them want to listen to you is great, but Mark 8:36 makes a very clear statement, “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” Having all that the world offers is a great desire for many, in fact most people today, but in the end when it truly counts what is more important, being right with God or having had the world at their beckon and call? It is not taught in the Bible that having things is wrong, it is about priority, where is the Lord on the list? Is He first? If not then this is not acceptable in the eyes of God. This is where the problem is today, the urgency of this is not being talked about. As I wrote earlier Jesus was clear when He stated that no one would know neither the hour nor the day as it pertains to His coming, but we as believers need to be serious when it comes to telling those that we love, the time to make things right is now. This message cannot be candy coated or filled with fluff and distortions it must be filled with love and TRUTH. The time is coming and just as when Noah kept telling all the people that it was going to rain and they did not believe him, they would later find out the hard way that he was right. 1 Thessalonians 5:4 tells us this: “But you, Brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.” This verse tells us clearly that we have been given the truth right here in the Word of God and no longer have to be ignorant, we can know for sure what to expect and how to plan for it. We should not be caught off guard by the events of today, but sadly many are and many who call themselves believers. II Peter 3:3 gives us what we are seeing today, “Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts.” A scoffer is one who mocks or makes light of. In other words just as we are seeing today many do not believe in the return of Christ and even more do not believe in the Rapture, but both events are clearly defined in the Bible. The distractions and fluff that surrounds us is what is keeping so many from the truth. It is not a coincidence when the national news begins with breaking news of which celebrity is getting divorced or forgot to wear pants to their court hearing for DUI or some other charge and then that story, which was so important, may be followed up by, “oh yes and we are now getting reports that Israel was bombed today or another 100,000 people are out of work today or at least 10,000 more homes are up for foreclosure after the market crash.” The things that truly have effect on people and their lives if often hidden in and amongst foolishness and is very often missed. This is a tool that Satan has used since the Garden to try and lure people from the Truth which will make them free. I am here to tell you that for a very long time now people have been lied to when it comes to End Times and they have not been shared with the real truth of why it is so important to be ready. Those who study it and take time to understand it are often seen as religious nuts, but the fact of the matter is that Jesus and eternity has nothing to do with religion to start with, it is all about relationship. He came so that we could have all the right examples as to how we should live and what should be important to us and our lives. He came and gave His life so that we could have the chance to be forgiven and accept His grace and be saved for eternity. False teachings and just outright lies have been told for so long that many are missing out on this wonderful news. Are we in the last days? YES! Are there lots of things out there trying to distract you and keep you from the truth? YES! What we all need to learn though is that if we will read and study the Word of God, He will show us how to know and know without a doubt. We do not have to fear these times we are living in if we are dependent on Him for direction. In fact some may ask when they are feeling overwhelmed over all that is going on, what do we do in these times? Here is my answer:
1. We should not be afraid or panic! With calmness, contentment, and confidence, let’s continue to live our lives to God’s glory and others’ good. We can’t save the sinking ship, but we can save some passengers. So, let’s pass out the life-preservers of our faith in Christ, and the peace, joy, and hope that goes with it.
2. We should get serious about church! Some are “members” of a church, yet they never attend services, give a “dime”, or serve a “lick”. Others are not members of a church at all. The just “float around”, void of any responsibility or commitment. Many have no loyalty to the church . . . they leave it at the “drop-of-a-hat” for the sake of convenience, comfort, or the latest fad elsewhere. Folks, we need to find a church that preaches God’s Word, is holding the line on the latest foolishness, fads, and folly entering the church, and is reaching people for Jesus with the Gospel, and be part of that church by JOINING, ATTENDING, SERVING, GIVING, AND PROMOTING IT.
3. We need to re-think investment strategies! Yes, we should prepare for retirement and have emergency funds. But would it not make sense to shift more assets to God’s work as well. We can’t take our money, land, or gold with us, but we can send it ahead of us. How? By investing it in people – saving them and teaching them – so they can go to Heaven and take many with them. Your wealth in Heaven will be the people you helped to get there. Let’s make this upcoming year a record-giving year here at FBC.
4. We need to invite people to attend services! I know the statistics . . . for every 10 invited, only 1 will respond . . . for every 10 that come, only 1 will stick. But that is “ok”; the Lord Jesus faced the same. I hope in the days ahead we will just invite people to come. The greatest advertisement we can have here at FBC is all of our people “talking up” our church and asking others to join us.
5. We should hold fast to sound doctrine! Many churches today teach no doctrine or false doctrine. Doctrine is God’s truth on the fundamentals of our Faith. Without doctrine, people perish in ignorance. With bad doctrine, people perish in deception. I’m already seeing the doctrine of our Lord’s coming being challenged, changed, and even cast away in some churches. I believe in this next decade, people who believe and teach Christ’s return will be viewed as radicals and buffoons. Let’s learn the truth and hold to it by sitting under sound preaching and teaching.
6. Let’s love each other! Whatever a man’s color, countenance, or check-book is, let’s love all people equally, fairly, and rightly. Love doesn’t mean agreement, but it does mean unity. Love doesn’t mean taking away consequences of choices, but it does mean encouragement and comfort. Remember “by this men shall know you are My disciples, that you love one another”.
I pray that something that has been written in this article about End Times will be a help to you. Please if you have any questions please never hesitate to write or call. It is a joy to share my thoughts and heart with you as the Lord burdens my heart with subjects that are of interest to those who want to know more.
Until next time:
Pastor Andy Thoughts from Pastor Andy:
One of the great things about getting saved is the changes God makes in us as to how we see things. I can honestly say today I am so grateful of what He has done in my life. He has given me a new heart, a new zeal for life and a clear perspective. I once lived by the “not so sure” way of feeling or even worse “it really doesn’t matter as long as I am happy.” What a terrible way to live! When we allow the Lord to move in full time it surely does change things. I appreciate things more now; I see things that maybe at one time I would have never noticed. His creation is in one word, AWESOME! I look around and I see so many people unhappy or depressed about life. To say that things some times are not disturbing would certainly not be true, but when our focus is on Him then we learn to see things not like those of the world do. We are indeed living in the world, but clearly do not have to be of the world. One of my greatest pet peeves today is how much attention foolishness gets. I speak in particular about the media. Today the headlines are crowded not with stories of importance or things that really matter, instead which celebrity bought a car this week or got a DUI or went to jail or overdosed on drugs and this list could just go on and on. The other list are those who say or do things that can be seen as foolish or silly or in some cases just flat out wrong. Case in point two weeks ago Harold Camping once again received attention from the media on his false claims of knowing the exact day of the Rapture. We who have read the Bible know that his claims will continue to be false and always wrong because Jesus clearly said in Matthew 24:36 “But of that day and hour knows no man, no, not the Angels of Heaven, but my Father only.” It is this verse that clears up any confusion about Mr. Camping’s continual predictions being wrong. The problem though is not the fact that he is seen as foolish or a terrible predictor, instead it is the entire Christian faith that is perceived as foolish or out touch with reality. It becomes a mockery on the news reports when things like this are covered and the reporters are clearly heard making smart remarks or just out right laughing when they talk about these type stories. The same holds true when a prominent Christian figure, be it a Pastor or other leader, falls and is found in some type of sin. I preach over and over about how we do things and why it is important. People are watching and the question that repeatedly needs asking is what are they seeing? Although Harold Camping is and will continue to be wrong as far as his predictions are concerned, he is right on one thing, the Rapture is coming. The removal of the Church, God’s People, will take place one day and one day soon indeed. We, while we still have the opportunity, need to be serious about telling others about Jesus and giving them the same chance He gave all of us and that is to be ready for when He calls. We will not know the hour nor the day, we will not be called ahead, it will just take place and just like the in the children’s game, hide and seek, the Lord will proclaim as He departs Heaven’s gate, “ready or not here I come.” In that game the one who is seeking, it is known by the others that they are coming and are looking to find them, they just are not sure when they might get there or if at all depending on how well they are hidden. Many will argue over this subject today. Many who sit in a church every week, some who even stand behind the pulpit will argue over the return of Christ. They have all kinds of titles, pre, post, mid, all types of titles and reasoning as to what the truth is. Jesus said that He is the truth and that the truth would set us free. If you know Him today then you know the truth and you can be set free from all the things that are surrounding us that are doing their very best to distract us from what is important. Satan does not want us to be free. He loves all this fluff and stuff that prevents us from hearing the important things. God gave each of us different gifts, He allowed for some to have great technical knowledge and they invented this wonderful invention call the remote control. By using this device it allows for us to change the channel or even better turn things off. If you are tired of the nonsense or you find yourself over whelmed at everything going on then use your remote to turn it off and turn your eyes upon Jesus. As this wonderful old hymn tells us:
“O soul, are you weary and troubled?
No light in the darkness you see?
There’s a light for a look at the Savior,
And life more abundant and free!
Chorus
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.”
As I wake up each day I am amazed at the grace of God. How He can love someone like me and in fact love all of us here in this world is awesome. The fact that Jesus came so that each of us could be saved and spend eternity with Him is another point that is nothing short of incredible. I look back sometimes and see where the Lord has brought me from and I can hardly hold back the tears from the overwhelming emotion that rushes over me. I am so grateful for all He has done for me and for what He allows me to do. I have been very blessed over my whole life. There was a long time that I did not see it and for many years certainly did not live it or show any kind of gratitude, but I never let a day go by now that I do not say thank you Lord for all that You do for me. I speak very often on what others see in us who profess Jesus as Lord and Savior of our life. It may seem that I sound like a broke record but it is becoming more and more apparent to me that this is something important that God wants us to see. We are to represent Him when we become His child. Sure we still have our own personality and features, but our character should be one that shows Christ to everyone we meet and most especially to the One who can see us all the time. The question we must ask ourselves is who do people see when they see me? I address this in my new book, FIVE THINGS TO WATCH FOR, which is now available through me personally and can be ordered on our website at FBCWILLIAMS.COM. We are living in very difficult and confusing times. So many are at odds, so many are fighting and destroying one another and sadly many who get drug into all this conflict are those who proclaim Christ as Savior. Where this becomes a problem is that no one else knows that. They often are somewhat of a secret agent for Jesus. In other words the only one beside themselves who has any clue is the Lord Himself. We are to be proud and to let everyone know who we are and who we belong to. Does this sometimes come at a cost? YES, in fact more often than not, but serving God and being about what He has called us to do is not for the weak at heart. If we look at the life of the early disciples, Paul and many others we see their walk was not an easy one. I am not saying that every day is going to be turmoil and headaches because you got saved and are trying to serve the Lord, but what I am saying is that if that is how it turns out then do not be surprised. Jesus said if we are troubled because of Him then we are being blessed. In other words it means we are doing something right. I know when I teach strongly against the enemy as I have the last two sermons, he does his best to cause problems on my life in an attempt to make me want to stop. There are times it hurts and the cost are very high, but in the end I know what God has called me to do and until I draw my last breath or the Rapture takes place, I will keep preaching the truth of this Gospel to all who will hear. I urge all believers to come to this same mindset and say “here I am send me.”
Pastor Andy
From the Pastor:
There’s a brisk wind that we now feel as the cooler days are upon us. Growing up this was absolutely my favorite time of year and in many ways still is. On the east coast where I lived as a child it was always so hot and miserable during the summer. The humidity and snakes and the mosquitoes made the days not so pleasant. Our winters were not so long and sometimes did not even feel like winter, but on the years that we did get the cooler temperatures and the cool breezes it was surely nice. My point in this little personal note about my enjoyment of this season is that change is often good.
We have been overrun with the word change for the last few years as it pertains to things in the political world, but that is surely not what I speak of. As the Lord continues to move within our midst and in our lives it is very important to notice and understand and accept that we have a need for change. We here at FBC are growing and moving forward at a wonderful and steady pace. We have been given, what I feel like, is a grand opportunity to reach our community and even our surrounding neighbors, like never before. I have spoken about this several times as of late at church, but it is something that I know in my heart is at the forefront of our calling as a church. We are to continue to grow internally as well, both spiritually and personally, but at the same time we are to share with others beyond our walls this wonderful news that we have been given. People all around us are lost and dying. Entering into eternity not prepared and this is a great concern to me and should be to every believer. I know with all my heart that God has placed FBC in a position to be a help and beacon of light to those who feel they have no hope. It is a joy to speak to those who stop by my office and have reached the bottom and feel they have nowhere to go. It is joy to share with them the only place left is to go up and then I proceed to share the Gospel with them. As a Pastor there is such great joy in seeing someone’s life changed forever. The only joy beyond that which makes my heart nearly jump from my body is seeing those within the church get excited about what the Lord is doing and start really doing what He has called all of us to do and that is to share this great and awesome news that Jesus is still alive and still changing hearts of people today. He is still our blessed hope and others need what we have. My challenge to every believer is go and tell someone that you care about who does not know Christ that they can be forgiven and have a new life. People are dying and going to Hell every day and it is not necessary. Yes, in the end it is the person’s choice, but so many are never told the truth of the Gospel. Sure they often here of what they come to know as religion, but religion has nothing to do with Jesus. He is all about relationship. He is about change for the better and not a set of rules and regulations that merely condemn when a mistake is made. I have two new books coming out within the next week that will help explain things very clear as to what is important about showing our faith and why we must help others understand it too. I will be making them available here on this website. I want to encourage you to get a copy of each and read more about these most important subjects. If you have someone that you love or even just care about, it is a responsibility to tell them about Jesus before it’s too late. If they reject what you say or turn you away that is up to them, but at least they can never say they were not told when they stand before God. It is a true joy to write these thoughts and share my heart with all of you. Please come by and see me or drop me a note at
In His Glorious Name I Proudly Stand and Serve,
Pastor Andy
Thoughts from the Pastor:
Time is always a subject that we can talk about. This month I got another year older, now our twins are another year older, my oldest daughter will soon be 16; where does it all go? Time just keeps moving and each minute that clicks off the clock brings us one minute closer to something else. The message I recently preached is one about time, the time of our Lord’s return. Many doubt it while others wonder why it is taking so long. The doubters will be proven wrong one day, but for those who question the Lord’s timing or are becoming impatient please understand this, the Lord wishes that none should perish and that all be saved. His patience, His long suffering, if you will, has not run out, He is still offering to all in the world today the same grace and mercy that was extended to all of us when we got saved. We should be glad that others still have the same chance we did. Is that time getting shorter? Yes!! And one day it will run out, but until then let us stay busy with kingdom work and telling others about the greatest news there is and that is Jesus. It is an exciting time that we are living in. Yes, there is chaos and yes there are troubles and heartaches, but before a baby is born there is pain and discomfort. In many cases there is something involved before the good thing comes or the good news or the object you have had to wait for. The old saying is “good things come to those who wait.” None of us like to wait, none of us. Patience is something we all fall short of from time to time. We see all the difficulties and hardships around us and it makes us wonder why it is this way? Since the fall of man in the Garden of Eden things have never been right and my friends it never will be again until the return of Christ. That is not to be negative, but to be honest. So many strive to gain peace or bring peace to this lost and dying world. There is but one way to do that and that is by the preaching and teaching of the Gospel message and the acceptance of it. Jesus is the only hope we have. Instead of wondering why or wondering when let us just stay busy with telling others about the blessed hope of Jesus. If we stay busy doing what He has called us to do then time will just fly by and one day He will show up just like He promised and our reward will be beyond awesome. They say time flies when we are having fun. The world around us seems to be having fun in the aspect of doing whatever they want with no regards to what is not seen as ok in God’s eyes. In these last days there will be and are scoffers. In others words those who believe in nothing or make a mockery of what they have been told. The long suffering of God is an extension of His mercy and grace. He wishes for not one soul to be lost, but instead for all to be saved. We have been called to help with that task. May we not get caught up in the ways of the world and let time go by without preparing those that we care about and love so that they too can have a secure eternity. He is coming and it may just be today. What a day that will be! I with all my heart want to see each of you there. I am getting more excited about it every day. So, keep looking up because He’s coming back!!!!!!!
From the Pastor:
We certainly hear and have heard the word war a lot over the last ten years or so and for many more before that. We understand it has been a part of life since Bible times. People have been fighting over this or that, fighting for freedom, fighting for a cause, some fight just to fight. In all of this there is one word or should I say one goal for every person involved, victory! We are living in a time that many feel victory cannot be achieved, that turmoil and chaos will prevail. We just had a wonderful service this past weekend which also was the ten year remembrance of the day that shook America to its core, September 11, 2001. For many this day changed everything. I remember being on patrol that day and seeing the faces of all those who were glued to their television sets and it seemed that time stood still and no one was moving. Fear set in that day and for many it has not gone away. Unfortunately fear has been used since then to keep people from moving forward, to keep people from seeing that there is hope, there can be freedom and victory can indeed be found. Of course all of this can only come from one source, a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. I realize this not a politcally correct statement, but for all that I have read and studied in the Word of God, Jesus was not politcally correct either. It is time people hear the truth and as Jesus Himself taught, the Truth shall set you free. Indeed we can have victory through our relationship with Him. We can have peace in our lives if we truly want it. Romans 5:1 says this: “Therefore being justified by Fatih we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” The Bible makes it clear what it takes to have peace and what it takes to obtain victory. For many they are seeking peace, they are seeking victory over life, but they are looking for it in the world and I can assure you they will not find it there. Jesus said in John 14:27, “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you: not as the world gives, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” What was He saying here? First as it pertains to the world, Jesus is clearly saying to us that what He offers is everlasting and not a temporary fix which is the only thing the world offers. He is also saying here not to live in fear. We must learn to trust Him 100%. This is where our faith begins to grow. When we are over taken by fear and doubt, it immediately stops forward progress and then dependance on others takes over and we no longer think for ourselves nor do things that will be of help most especially as it comes to our eternal destination. The fear that is continually presented to our world by those in charge is by design and it one of Satan’s greatest tools. He knows that if people stay trapped in fear and doubt then they lose the willingness to trust in anything and therefore he is able to keep them from the truth of what Jesus can do for them. This is why Jesus said, the “truth will set you free.” Our enemy does not want us to be free because when we are free we no longer listen to him or allow him any authority in our lives. His rightful place is under our feet. We who are believers need to be about our Father’s work and doing what we were commanded and that is telling others about Jesus and what He can do for their lives. We have people all around us who are trapped by fear, who have stopped living beyond the natural act of taking in air. We need to share this wonderful news with all that we can. Yes, terrible things have happened over the years and yes people have been affected, but we have what they are looking for, we have the truth that will set them free. We need to stand strong and proud as a follower and believer of Jesus Christ and share Him boldly with all who will hear. I feel a sense of urgency in my heart about this message. Things around us are not getting better and just to be honest with you, they are not going to. This is not to proclaim gloom and doom, but instead just telling you the truth. The Bible is clear how things will be in the last days. We are seeing it before our very eyes. Our call, our commission, if you will, is to let others know the Goods News of Jesus, to let them know they can be set free and no longer have to live in fear and doubt. It is time my friends for us to do what we have been called to do. I am encouraging everyone here at FBC each and every week to get serious about this and to take serious the condition of the souls of those we love and care about. Hell is real and there is always room there for one more. If you know someone or have someone you truly care about today who is living in constant fear, never turns off the news and constantly is surrounded by the negative of the world, go share Jesus with them. Plant the seed of hope and share with them that Jesus came to give them life and it more abundantly. Let’s get serious about seeing people get saved. The time is now and the time is getting shorter every day. This is from my heart. We must do as Jesus said and “let not our hearts be troubled” in other words quit living in fear and start living for Him. Let our trust in Him shine like a bright light when we step out and let us show the world who we belong to. Remember this, if you’re ever gonna walk on water you gotta get out of the boat.
In His Grip,
Pastor Andy
There is a new game show on night time television called, “It’s worth What?” We have watched it several times and it is fairly entertaining and at times surprising to hear what certain things are valued at. At each challenge the people who are playing are given the opportunity to guess the value of an item or take a chance that a certain number they have guessed is correct. It is at that point just before they reveal the true answer the host asks the contestant if they are sure, if they reply yes, he responds, “are you sure, sure?” At that point they move forward in the hopes they are correct because of course there is a large amount of money involved if they are right, but if they are wrong often they lose everything. How many people are living everyday playing this game with eternity? If you ask someone if they are sure they are going to Heaven when they die most will tell you “I think so or I hope so.” Eternity does not have to be a gamble, in fact it is not a gamble. If one is not 100% in their feeling over this matter then there is an issue. Eternity can be the one answer we can hold in our hearts that is certain. It is very simple, have you accepted Christ into your heart to be your Lord and Savior? If the answer is yes, then according to the Word you are saved and on your way to Heaven. If you have never taken that route or never made that move then the opposite would be where things stand and the future is not so bright and cheery. There is no in between, no guessing, no uncertainty. God’s Word makes it clear, Jesus = Heaven, no Jesus = Hell. To many that seems harsh, to many that brings the question “why? I thought God was all loving.” Well my friends, He is all loving, He is just and fair, but He has supplied all the answers. He has given us the directions to where He is and all we have to do is follow. I am not sure that all grasp the full understanding of this. For many it has been taught over the years that simply believing in God and being good is enough and that assures us that in the end all will be well. If we were to truly pose the question as it is on this game show I think we would get a different response. If someone came to you today and said, “if you died today, will you go to Heaven?” after waiting for the thought to process they again pose the next question, “Are you sure?” again waiting for a few moments for that to sink in and then looking at you in the eye and saying, “Are you sure, sure?” How would you respond? Do you truly know today that if it is your time or the Rapture takes place that without any question at all you would go to Heaven? If you have one ounce of doubt please come and see me and let’s talk. We are surrounded by so much doubt and insecurity and this causes so many to live in fear and confusion. I am here to tell you today there is one area of life that we can have great peace and assurance and that is whethere our eternity is secure or not. Everything else around us may seem to be in turmoil and truly in a mess, but we can have peace in our hearts about where things will be because one day and I believe one day very soon we will be at home with Jesus. Don’t you want to go? Don’t you want to be where there is no more sorrow, grief or pain, no more death, no more tears? What a day that will be when our Jesus we shall see!!!!!!! So I ask you, are you gonna be there with me? Are you sure? Are you sure, sure?
from the Pastor's desk
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Too Far To Look Back
Written by: Nancy Harmon
Verse I
I’ve come too far to look back again, there is nothing behind me
All the treasures I used to love have all faded from view
There’s a new day ahead for me, all my heartaches are over
For I left them at Calvary where my new life began
Chorus
I’ve come too far to look back
My feet have walked through the valley
I’ve climbed mountains crossed rivers, desert places I’ve known
But I’m nearing the home shore, the redeemed are rejoicing
Heavens Angels are singing, I’ve come too far to look back
Verse II
Look around there’s no happiness, there’s no reason for living
Life will give you a broken dream, full of sorrow and fear
Turn around don’t look back again, face the new day before you
Place your heartache in Jesus’ hand, He can mend broken dreams
TAG
But I’m nearing the home shore, the redeemed are rejoicing
Heavens Angels are singing, I’ve come too far to look back
from my heart,
Pastor Andy
If I can cheer somebody, with a word or song,
If I can show somebody, how they're travelling wrong,
Then my living shall not be in vain.
Chorus:
My living shall not be in vain,
Then my living shall not be in vain
If I can help somebody, as I pass along,
Then my living shall not be in vain.
If I can do my duty, as a good man ought,
If I can bring back beauty, to a world up wrought,
If I can spread love's message, as the Master taught,
Then my living shall not be in vain."
What I once was
If you could go with me
Back to where I started from
Then, I know you would see
A miracle of Love that put me
in it's sweet embrace
and made me what I am today
just an old sinner
Saved by grace
Im just a sinner
Saved by grace
when I stood
condemned to death
He took my place
Now I live and breathe in freedom
with each breath of life I take
loved and forgivin
backed with a living
I'm just a sinner
Saved by grace
How could I boast on anything
I've ever seen or done
how could I dare to claim as mine
the victories GOD has won
where would I be
had GOD not brought me
gently to this place
I'm here to say I'm nothing but
a sinner
Saved by grace
I'm just a sinner
Saved by grace
when I stood condemned to death
He took my place
Now I grow and breathe in freedom
with each breath of life I take
I'm loved and forgiven
backed with a living
I'm just a sinner
Saved by grace"