Sheep Dog's Corner
1/28/2012
Praise the Lord.
In the book of Matthew 3:18, the question asked was, who is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven? The disciples of Jesus were not asking this question as to a character, no they needed Jesus to tell them, which one of them was in line to take on his position in ministry. They felt that the ministry of Jesus would commence, so which one of them would be initiated as priest.
The disciple’s felt that one of them should hold a high position; they felt like there were degrees in greatness and which one of them would Jesus appoint for greatness. I must say that this kind of thinking is still going on today in the church.
Some people believe that the number of years they have spent in the church should raise them up to a higher position, or maybe their monetary offering in support of the church should be enough to raise them up to a high office in the church.
The disciples were thinking about position and prosperity, they wanted to covet position, they were self-seeking, so they asked the question, who? Is the greatest.
Jesus placed a little child in front of them, and said to them, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the Kingdom.
What is it that he required and insisted on? (Change) you must be of another mind, conversion from backsliding, every step away from sin, must be a step into repentance, also you must learn to have grace like children for one another.
Children are eager to learn, children are eager to be taught.
Unless we come as children, we will not enter the Kingdom, because the kingdom of Heaven is God, and the people in the Kingdom are obedient to the Word of
God.
The church has more Martha’s and not enough Mary’s; we have great ambition, very busy, but not going anywhere.
Humility is a difficult lesson, but conversion is necessary, a change of mind, change of heart, a change of temperament.
Our thoughts of personal greatness, needs to be flush down the drain and we need to humble ourselves before our Great and Mighty God. To be in the Kingdom one must be a genuine believer, we acknowledge our sinfulness and unworthiness and receive Jesus Christ as our only hope.
Seek the Lord, repent and learn to be humble before God.
Love you,
Pastor Bill
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Sheep Dog's Corner
1/21/2012
Praise the Lord.
There is never a dull moment in this fine city.
Yes, Colorado Springs is a beautiful city - a wonderful place to live and raise a family.
We have beautiful mountains, lake and streams, we certainly enjoy the four seasons, and sometimes we have all four in one day.
Like all great cities in America, there is much need to do outreach ministry.
We have homeless women and children, homeless teenagers, homeless soldiers.
We have many men and women with mental disorders, depression and despair. We have suicidal people, persons with anger and hatred.
We have a great deal of low income families, men and women that are only able to get 20 hours of work per week.
I get the opportunity every week to see faces. That have lost their hope as they look through piles of clothing, I see the faces of many seeking enough food to get through 2 days.
I see faces of men and women, children living in motels, I see men and women who have served their country fighting overseas, now asking for blankets to sleep outside in the cold.
I have prayed over young women that have had miscarriage in need of hope, I prayed for young men on meth.
We have a great city, and it is beautiful, but we do have a landscape of homeless and discourage souls .
I believe every church is called to reach out. It’s just the makeup of the church, because some of the people mentioned in this corner - are the church.
We don’t have silver or gold. Our offerings are very low, but for some years we have reached out to all people, regardless of what they have done are been through. I am a X- drug user and dealer. I have been homeless. I know what it’s like to cry and ask God, “Why”?
I have learned that God is faithful and just. I struggle and the church struggles, but we will never lose our focus to reach out to all people.
Love you,
Pastor Bill
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Sheep Dog's Corner
1/13/2012
Praise the Lord.
Once again this day, we can say again that God is Good, all the time.
The United States is in the election process for a new president; all eyes are watching the polls and wondering who is best to lead the people.
We are living in difficult times, the job market is by some poles rising up, and in other poles we have a decline. Many military men and women will be returning back to their homes maybe to find there are no jobs to sustain their families, we pray that doesn’t happen, but our economy is failing.
All those seeking office have the same message to the people regarding jobs. We need jobs, we all would like to see a chicken in every pot; families in the malls shopping and enjoying life after working a 40 hour week; receiving medical benefits; enjoying the after school programs, and taking in a movie twice a month.
Growing up, I always dreamed I would be a cowboy, riding off into the sunset, happily singing my favorite song which was sung by a famous cowboy back in the 50s (Happy Trails To You).
Happy, some people have forgotten about the word, happy. Some would ask the questions: What is happy? Where do you find it? Is that the new name of a car? Do you smoke it? Is it a new drink?
What is happy? It’s sad to know that men and women over the age of 57 are out looking for a job. It’s sad to see children at an early age selling drugs to buy clothes. That’s not happy.
It’s sad to hear about men and women who are struggling to collect unemployment benefits, told they do not qualify, because the job they worked on for years made a mistake and did not submit all the right information for them.
Our homeless shelters are filling up; the motels are not anymore for people passing through the city and looking for a room to lodge overnight. Most of the motels today are the homes for so many American families, and they are not there because of drugs, they are there because of job cut backs, and job loss. That is not happy.
Happiness does not come from this world, happiness can only come from (Abba) our Father, as dear children of the Most High, we must grow in grace, be patient, maintain self-control, and love .
Happiness is in Jesus Christ, our treasure is in Heaven. Happiness comes from above, and happiness is easy to have, all with Jesus Christ.
Love you,
Pastor Bill
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Sheep Dog's Corner
1/7/2012
Praise the Lord. God is good, all the time.
In the book of Galatians 3:26, we are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.
We were baptized into Christ the moment we surrender to Him.
There is no prejudice from God towards any man or women, for we are all one in Christ Jesus.
Jesus Christ, who is the second person of the trinity, came to planet earth to redeem us from the plenty of sin, Jesus born of women, full humanity.
Jesus who was fully God. Fully man, the substitute for our sins.
Jesus, who fulfilled all righteousness, 2Corinthians 5:21 God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God, we were adopted by God, through Jesus Christ.
Adoption is the act of bringing someone who is the offspring of another into one’s own family. We were the offspring of the devil, seeing how we were born into sin, we were before we received salvation we were the unregenerate.
Through Jesus, we were received, or reconciled from darkness into the light.
Only God could save us, only God could have died for us to be saved us, He was fully God and fully man.
We look to Him and we cry Abba, which means daddy, we are free from fear, we are free from anxiety, we are secure in Christ Jesus.
Hebrews 2:17, he was made like us in every way, he was our high priest, he was the atonement for our sins, he suffered for us, he died for us, and he was buried for us, but you can’t keep a good man down.
Start your year off right, keep God first in your life.
Love you,
Pastor Bill
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Sheep Dog' Corner - Merry Christmas
12/20/2011
In the book of Genesis 22:1-14, a passage of scripture filled with tension and grief for a man who trusted in God, a man who had waited for years to have a son, is now commanded to lay his son on a alter and kill his one and only son.
Thousands of years later, The Father of all mankind had a son, His name is Jesus, He was given that name, for he shall save his people from their sins, this son was born to die.
This son Jesus was the light that lights all men. The Father wanted a great light that would shine upon all who walked in darkness, they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them the light needed to shine. The people needed a glorious light, which could dispel dimness; there would be no more gloom for those in distress.
Who would be able to fight for the church? Who would be able to deliver the people? The people needed a Messiah, someone that would be born to die, someone that could be the first and the last, a child born from the creation of the world, a Lamb to be slain. The Word of God was made flesh, God so loved the world that He gave His son, His son was born to us.
This child, this son of God, this son of man, is invested with the highest honor and power, He shall be called Wonderful Counselor, He is justly, and the people will worship him, he gives good council to the children of men.
He is also the Mighty God, He has all wisdom and He is all strength, He is not only the son, but He is The Father of all eternity, who is from everlasting to everlasting.
Emmanuel, God with us.
The child Jesus Christ was sacrificed for us; he was sacrificed in our stead, he was the lamb born to die, he was the beginning of the Gospel, the beginning of grace.
We the church this day are so thankful for the birth and sacrifice of Jesus Christ, and for Him saving our souls from the lake of fire.
Don’t forget to repent.
Love you,
Pastor Bill
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Sheep Dog's Corner
12/16/2011
Merry Christmas
The Word of God is our way of truth, and it’s our direction for life, our guide down the path of truth, and knowledge.
A believer’s life is not only to read the Word of God, but to also act upon the Word of God, to stand on and in the Word of God.
Spiritual Faith is trusting in God and His Word. We trust Him with everything we have and own, for actuality, we really own nothing, all belongs to Him.
When it comes to giving our tithes and offerings to the Lord, why do we fear, that in our giving we may not have enough left to support ourselves, yet we confess our trust in God? If we fear, is that trust?
God is a giving God. Does he trust you? Does he provide an income for you? Any type of income, on a weekly basis, our monthly basis?
The world economy may be struggling; God’s economy does not, and will not ever struggle. The God we serve knew about your needs before you were a thought in your earthly father mind.
I understand it may seem hard to give your 10% to God, maybe you had some bad experiences in giving, and many in the church have had these experiences, but bad experiences, we leave in the past, and we press forward in our trust in God.
Giving to God is giving into good ground, a good ground that cannot be shaken or torn apart, ground that is solid, ground that gives back, and even with an increase.
Trust in the Lord God, give unto the Lord, He is the way, the truth and the life.
Give Him your all, watch and pray, He will give back to you, and don’t forget to repent unto the Lord.
Love you,
Pastor Bill
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Sheep Dog's Corner
12/13/2011
Praise the Lord
Again as the world turns, we move closer to the end of another year, Christmas is upon us once again, and everyone scrambles to have a happy Christmas.
Christmas, a time to celebrate the birth of Christ, who was and is the savior of His people.
Christmas can be a joyful time for some, and also a sad time for others.
There are many mothers and fathers, going through a hardship mentality, and emotionally,
Worrying about the fact, they can’t do as much for their children this year, because of the simple things like, job loss, or loss of hours, foreclosures on their homes, unemployment benefits has run out, paying for their medical, because they don’t have medical insurance, the list is long, and it’s not because they have been naughty or nice, no the country is suffering.
People or poor and some homeless, and not because of drugs or alcohol, we seem to think that people are in this condition because of their wrong doings, our country is suffering, and a lot of good people are suffering along with it.
This week I received a call from a concern grandmother, who had recently come through brain surgery. Her concern was for her daughter and grandchildren, she explain to me that her daughter was hurting deeply, because she could not afford to give her children any gifts for Christmas. This grandmother also explains how he daughter did not want to beg the system for help and felt ashamed to ask for help from anyone.
The grandmother also shared with me, the fact that God had brought her through her brain surgery, and she believed that God was going to bring us daughter and grandchildren through their pain and suffering.
We all have a special place in this life, given to us by God, we are all special to Him, this family is special to Him, and I believe as a church, we have a duty to be the arms and hands of God and to reach out, and give to so many special people like the family in this pastor’s corner.
Look out for the poor, you don’t need to figure them out, and ask them why are they poor? And what made them poor, no reach out with the Love of God.
Christmas is all about John 3:16
Love you,
Pastor Bill
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Sheep Dog's Corner
12/4/2011
Praise the Lord
In the past 2 weeks our discussion has been on the Lord’s return, the 2nd advent.
Our scriptures are found in the book of Luke 12:35-40, Matthew 25:1-13 and 2 Peter 3:1-13.
All the above scriptures speak to the body of Christ. In these scriptures the Lord’s message to us, is that he will return back to earth.
We are told to be ready, and watchful, prayerful and waiting. Keeping our minds sober, our heads clear in our waiting for His return.
In Matthew 25:1 the church, the church being people of God. All 10 of the virgins knew the Lord and what he expected from them.
They all knew he was coming to marry them, they all knew they were to be ready.
The one thing they did not know was the time of His return back to them.
5 of them waited with patients, they knew how important is was to be filled with the Holy Spirit, they knew how important it was for them to read the word of God.
They knew how important it was to love their neighbor, but most importantly they knew how important it was to fear Him.
The other 5 virgins knew the same things about the Lord, but they were careless and lazy. They forgot about their first love.
They had head knowledge, but they did not have heart knowledge, some of them had great spiritual gifts, but again they were lazy, and because of their laziness, the door was shut in their faces.
Look at Matthew 7:21,22. Not everyone that saith Lord, Lord will enter into the kingdom of Heaven, but he that doeth the will of the Father.
What is God’s will? Joshua 1:8, meditate on the Word of God, observe and do what His Word says to do.
You do not know when the Lord is coming back, you do not know your last day on this planet, but while you’re here, FEAR the Lord and learn to put His Will first.
Love you,
Pastor Bill
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Sheep Dog's Corner
12/4/2011
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