What a Sunday!! Not only did we hear amazing testimonies from our ladies concerning their retreat this past weekend, Sister Bonnie and I were installed as Pastors at Eastpoint Family Church during the celebration of our first year as a new church following the heart of God. We were also blessed to receive the Word of God from Pastor Bill Baker, the Southern Missouri District Superintendent. This past year we have seen souls turn to Jesus for salvation, healings of all types, and growth from members of the community. Pastor Baker’s message encouraged us and gave us guidelines on how to continue to serve and reach our surrounding community for Jesus Christ. This message was important enough that God communicated with the church body through a tongue and interpretation—God stated to hold onto to the message and the Word delivered, and to set it deep in our hearts; for it was of importance for continued service to God.
Pastor Baker’s message was framed around Matthew 16:18; when Peter is told of his future as the rock upon which Jesus Christ was to build His church. Pastor Baker then gave us 4 courses of action that would enhance the kingdom of God in our community. First, never, never, never stop bringing the gospel of Jesus Christ to the community. The crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus is the most important gift anyone is to receive. Secondly, be soul conscious. There are approximately 3.1 billion people in the world who do not know Jesus as their Lord and Savior; we need to be constantly aware of this fact. Next, embrace the gift of the Holy Spirit. Being Pentecostal is not just a label, but a life-changing event in the life of a Christian; the second chapter of Acts is still active and relevant in the world of today. Finally, present and teach the entire Bible, the whole counsel of God. In order to receive all that God has for us, we need to know everything we possible can about Him. At the end of the message Pastor Baker installed Sister Bonnie and I as the Pastors of Eastpoint Family Church. We concluded the events of the morning with a commemorative luncheon for our first year on Pittman Road.
On Sunday evening, we continued our study of the book of Revelation—chapter 19. At the beginning of the chapter we hear the praises of God after He has reined judgment down on Babylon (see chapter 18 and last week’s blog). Those of us in Heaven are getting ready for a great celebration—the Wedding Supper of the Lamb! At this wedding, the bride of Christ (the Church) is made ready and presented to Jesus Christ. Then we are given an extraordinary image of Jesus; John describes Him as someone of utmost nobility and worth. As Jesus and His army (the Church) arrive on the earth, an angel calls together the birds flying in midair, for a victory is on the horizon. Then with just the Word, Jesus defeats the antichrist and his false prophet. These two are immediately thrown into the Lake of Fire, and the rest of their army is decimated by Jesus. A very short battle.
Items of interest in this chapter include verses 7 and 11. In verse 7, we see that the bride of Jesus (the Church) is ready for the Wedding Supper of the Lamb. Question: What usually happens after a wedding? Answer: A honeymoon. During a honeymoon, the couple goes to a place away from their home to spend time together. In this instance, Jesus and His bride (the Church) go to earth and reign for a thousand years together (chapter 20). The other verse, verse 11, appears to be the climatic verse of the entire Bible. All the prophecy of the Old Testament and the life and teachings of Jesus Christ in the New Testament lead up to the beginning of Jesus’ reign in verse 11. But if you thought this chapter was thrilling, wait until we discuss the last few chapters of the book of Revelation……..Wow!
We are going to be so blessed by God during this time (verse 9); we don’t want to have anyone not be invited. Your invitation is ready to be sent, God is waiting for your reply to His simple request of asking Jesus into your heart. It is a simple, but extremely rewarding act of faith. If you are ready for this next great step in your life, look to the right of this blog page at the section titled, “A Life Changing Prayer.” Congratulations on your commitment to Jesus Christ. You won’t regret following Him; He is just awesome!
Thank you and have a blessed week,
Pastor Claude
