by: Pastor Lonnie Phillips
​Is the human heart capable of governing itself?
In Jeremiah 17:9 we read, "the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?"
In Proverbs 14:12 we read, "There is a way that seems right to a man but its end is the way to death."
As I think about what has been transpiring in our nation, in cities, in churches and in families over the past 10 months, I can't help but think so many are relying on their own wisdom and understanding and believe that the opinion they are holding is the right opinion.
We are a nation and people that embrace self-governance but if we don't understand the reality that we need God to govern our heart then our future will be one of destruction and it will not matter who is President.
I have opinions on politics, morals, the church and family, and I can have very strong opinions. However, if I don't bring my opinions and lay them before the Lord to be tested by His word through the Holy Spirit within the church body, I can easily believe I am in the right and be very wrong.
The violence, looting and rhetoric we are witnessing is a manifestation of a people who have given themselves to strong opinions and acting on those opinions which is bringing about the death of this nation.
It isn't a better heart that is needed but an altogether new heart that Christ came to give. It is only in Christ Jesus where we see the fulfillment of Ezekiel 36:26 which says,
"And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh."
Notice, we cannot give ourselves a new heart. It is God and He alone who must give it to us and He has, to all who have surrendered their lives to His Son, Jesus Christ and received forgiveness of sins. To receive Christ Jesus is to receive a new heart that is capable of following God's ways and not our own.
Let us be faithful in bringing our thoughts and emotions to Jesus Christ, the Lord, so that He continues to have Lordship over our lives.

by: Pastor Lonnie Phillips
​Pestilence, Riots and Looting, Lockdowns, Censorship, Mask or no Mask, Vaccine or no vaccine, Loss of trust in Elections, capitalism vs. socialism.... There is a growing list of things shaking us and causing us to withdraw, react, take up a cause or find an escape.
Where is Christ in our lives in the midst of this shaking? Is Jesus on the throne and is He the one settling our hearts and minds? In the midst of the shaking is there a surrender to His will vs our will?
I believe we as Americans, now more than ever, can identity with the Jews during Jesus' day wanting a Deliverer to come and restore Israel back to its glory days. Yet, Jesus came not to return Israel back but to die on the cross of Calvary for our sins. Jesus was more about the New Jerusalem than the Old. We sin when we are in control. The cross of Jesus is all about surrender. Jesus surrendered His will to obey His Father's will so that you and I would not be separated from God but with Him.
To follow Jesus is to deny our self, take up our cross and know Him in the midst of saying "no" to our will and "yes" to His. Does Jesus have your "Yes" today and every day? This nation is in His hands and he causes nations to rise and fall. We need His peace and His guidance in these times we are living. In order to have his peace and His guidance, He needs our surrender.

I was reminded this past week that a good pilot will rely on his instruments, especially in the midst of bad weather or foggy conditions. If the instruments aren't being used, the pilot can easily get disoriented believing up is down and down is up.
What are the instruments we are using to guide our thinking, our emotions and our very will in the climate we are now presently living in. The Holy Spirit has been given to every believer in Christ to guide us in all truth and He will never speak contrary to the written word of God.
Are you and I taking time before our Lord and in His word to be guided and directed during this fog that has descended upon our nation?
A pilot who is flying in bad conditions can have certain opinions on what is going on but he/she can be misled by those opinions. It is his/her instruments that are needed. God's word is needed in a great way for the Believer to make it through this political, moral and informational fog. We become prideful and arrogant if we think for a moment we can understand and rationalize what is taking place around us without the guidance of Christ and His word to us.
Psalm 119:104-105
I gain understanding from your precepts; therefore I hate every wrong path. Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.

by: Pastor Lonnie Phillips
​For every Disciple of Jesus Christ that is angry, disillusioned, frustrated and wants to do something. Before we do something we are called to be something. Whoever we are and yielded to determines how we process and act. Either we will reflect Christ and His love or we will reflect ourselves and the world around us. Out of who we are in Christ Jesus will come forth good fruit and the experiencing of God’s promises to us.
Matthew 5:1 Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. 2 And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:
3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
5 "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
6 "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
7 "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
8 "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
9 "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
10 "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 "Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. (Matt. 5:1 ESV)

by: Pastor Lonnie Phillips
​Last night my family and I huddled together to talk about 2020. The question for each of us was to name the top three blessings and top three hardships of 2020.
It was a time of sharing the joys as well as the trials. As we look at closing the door to 2020 and entering into 2021, none of us fully knows what lies ahead.
The greatest question, I believe, to ask ourselves on this day is, "Who is going to be in charge of directing our steps entering into this New Year?"
There are only two possible answers to the question:
1) I can be in charge of directing my steps by leaning on my own understanding. I can be in charge of my life and be in control of my actions so that I can protect myself, find security in myself and even find happiness for myself. This choice can provide for temporary earthly gain and may even provide a measure of happiness that is only for a moment. Our fallen world is all about promoting self above all else. Satan loves to dangle things or relationships before us so that we will believe that to be in control of self and our future is the best for us and our family.
2) I can give up control of my life and surrender my ways and my steps to Christ Jesus. Just because we believe God is sovereign doesn't mean He will take charge of our life without us surrendering our will to His. The life of of being governed by Christ, where He is Lord of our life, is a life of dependence and not independence. It is a life that may result in hardships and even rejections but it is a life that is never in vain or for the moment. When Jesus is directing our steps through the Empowering work of the Holy Spirit, the steps we are taking are eternal steps. They are life-giving steps not only for ourselves but those around us. These steps are full of God's love, grace, mercy and truth.
Who will be directing our steps out of 2020 and into 2021?
1 Peter 2:21 For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps,
May we have a Blessed New Year!!