Pastor Lonnie Phillips
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The question may seem somewhat open ended. The answer could come back, "Am I too busy for what?"
Whoever is in charge of your day to day activities also determines how busy you and I are? As I came into my office this morning, I thought of all that needed to get done before we head out on vacation. My mind began to swirl when the small voice whispered to me, "Lonnie, who is in charge of your day?"
How can Jesus be Lord of our lives if we are not giving Him access to our heart and our day to day activities? As a Pastor, my calling is to shepherd by using the gifts of the Holy Spirit that has been given to me for the equipping of the saints. However, if these gifts are used without yielding to the Spirit of Christ who lives and has made His dwelling in me, then my busyness may benefit others while my own house is being built in vain.
Are you and I allowing the Lord to build our Houses according to His will and design? For Jesus to be the builder, He requires a heart yielded to Him and His leading. Jesus is the master craftsman of our soul, mind and body. He knows what is best for us each and every day that He has given to us.
The House doesn't get to decide how it should be built. It is entirely in the hands of the builder. God's word and the empowering of the Holy Spirit shapes the house and enables it to withstand the storms and fiery trials that it will go through. Are we intentionally taking time to be instructed by God's word, led and empowered by the Holy Spirit?
Are we too busy?
Who is building Your house today?
"Unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep. (Psalm 127:1-2)

Pastor Lonnie Phillips
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Slavery, the Holocaust and abortion have a central theme, the dehumanization of people. Slavery and the Holocaust were justified because a race of people were seen as less than human. This was barbarism at its worst.
Yet, in 21st Century America and throughout many parts of the world, Abortion is being justified because the baby in the womb is seen as less than human. In America alone, 60 million children of different races have been killed because many Americans, like Germany in the 30's and 40's and America in the 1800's, have told ourselves that the child in the womb isn't really a child.
Abortion is a moral issue of our day. If the Church of Jesus Christ does not stand-up for the children in the womb, then who will?
If the Church of Jesus Christ does not become Jesus' hands and feet, to the women who have had abortion and to the men who have condoned it, then where will forgiveness and healing come? We are all equal at the cross of Jesus and it is by His stripes that we are healed.
I think about John Newton who wrote the Hymn, "Amazing Grace". He was in the slave trade and even a Captain of a Slave Ship. Yet, when He met Christ Jesus and gave His life to our Savior, his heart was changed. Newton found forgiveness at the foot of the cross and became a spokesman against slavery.
The Church is to speak out against Abortion and to offer Jesus who forgives us of all our sins. In standing in the truth of God and His grace there His Love can be known.

Pastor Lonnie Phillips
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​What do you with the empty tomb of Jesus of Nazareth?
Have you met Jesus of Nazareth, who conquered sin and death? It isn't enough to try and live a good principled life or to agree intellectually concerning the cross of Jesus and His resurrection.
Jesus came so that our sins could be forgiven and that we could have new life in Him.
Call on Him for He has risen. Cry out to Him for He is alive and waiting to come and be Lord of your life and Savior of your soul!!

Pastor Lonnie Phillips
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Jesus declared His purpose in coming into the world when He said, "I have come into the world-to bear witness to the truth." (John 18:37-38)
A pluralistic nation is one that joins Pontius Pilate when he declared back to Jesus, "What is truth?"
When we follow Jesus Christ, who is the Truth, in a society of pluralism don't be surprised when you are hated. Pluralism tries to say it is peaceful when history reveals otherwise. When we stand in the Truth of Christ Jesus, let us love those who would hurl insults our way. Let us bless those who might even strike us.
When we stand in the Truth of Jesus Christ, we are to walk in the grace that has been given to us. Jesus being full of grace and truth revealed God's love(John 1:14). God's love can only be revealed in and through a people who stand in the truth while walking and living in His grace.

​Pastor Lonnie Phillips
​​
When we see Jesus face to face what do we want to hear Him say about our life?
As long as we have breath, we are being called to bring about much fruit that will glorify God our Father and thus prove that we are disciples of Jesus (John 15:8). Many Christians today don't talk about bearing fruit but are focused on trying hard and doing their best. Jesus never called us to try really hard and do our best. He never gave us a call to live in our own strength and lean on ourown understanding.
In fact, Jesus says that the kind of fruit that reveals that we belong to Him can only be produced by being connected to Him continually. Jesus says to us, "Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.(John 15:5)" Are we a people that are being intentional about staying connected to Jesus who is the vine?
Staying connected to Jesus is not about you and me trying really hard to be good. Staying connected is not about always thinking positive thoughts as oppossed to negative thoughts. Secularism that has infiltrated the church is teaching a humanism that has nothing to do with faith in Jesus Christ.
Staying connected involves you and me walking by faith. In Hebrews 11:6 we read, "And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him."
If we are a people that are walking by faith in Jesus, then we are also a people who are continually drawing near to God and seeking Him and His righteousness first and foremost.
Do you believe in Jesus as Savior and Lord? If the answer is yes then the call is to draw close to Him by trusting that He is faithful to speak into your life and lead you day by day. As we come to Him by faith through prayer, digging into the word of God, fellowship within the Body of Christ and taking communion together, there Christ Jesus is, through the Holy Spirit, to lead us in bearing much fruit.
Then when our time comes to see Jesus face to face, we will realize that living by faith was worth it because we will hear our Savior and Lord's voice say, "Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I wil set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.(Matthew 25:23)"
Come, let us Pursue Jesus first and foremost and stay connected to Him, day by day!!!