PASTOR JOHN COLLINS, EVANGELIST FOR FAITH: CHRISTMAS THOUGHTS

From John Collins Ministries:

 

"For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” Luke 2:11 (NKJV).

“And the Child grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him.” Luke 2:40 (NKJV).

 

Jesus came to be our Savior, to teach us and to die for us. As you go through life, you are to look to Jesus to care for you, to guide you and to strengthen you. The human spirit is strong and can withstand more than you could ever imagine.

Jesus is strong in spirit and knows your weaknesses. He knows what scares you, what intimidates you and what you avoid. Jesus is there to help you face your fears and conquer what you thought you couldn’t. Jesus will listen to you and will help you.

 

Faith in the Lord allows your spirit to have courage. Hope in the Lord allows your spirit the freedom from worry and that confidence allows you to serve the Lord honestly. The human spirit is capable of being beat up, smashed down and trampled upon and it will still get up and fight. The spirit of a person is a gift from God and faith in His Son is the eternal blessing.

 

If you are in the need of encouragement just look to Jesus and His life and you will find it. Look to the character of Jesus and you will find the beauty and grace of God. Look to the Son to find the hope of all of your tomorrows and you will know that the spirit that is inside of you is made of strong stuff indeed.

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11 (NKJV).

 

LOVE THAT CROSS, PASTOR JOHN

 

Read more at John Collins Ministries or reach Pastor John personally at www.johncollinsministries.com

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS, EVANGELIST OF FAITH: LOOKING BACK

From John Collins Ministries:

“Then the Lord rained brimstone and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah, from the Lord out of the heavens. So He overthrew those cities, all the plain, all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground.But his wife looked back behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.” Genesis 19:24-26 (NKJV).

Lot’s wife looked back. She was leaving family, her home and fortune, her status and God knew her love for these things. So often the people of this world find their identity in the family that they have created, in the things that they have acquired and in the social standing that they have established. There is also a time in which a person’s life may feel the most bountiful and full which they may at times ‘look back’ on and regret where they are or resent where they are.

Every choice, whether good or bad, for our lives takes us a step closer to where we will end up and we should never regret the bad nor place extreme attachment to the good. The bad gives you a testimony to a life lived that has brought lessons and wisdom and should therefore be savored as it is an opportunity to help another avoid similar mistakes. The good should be cherished for the appreciation that it gives you for the simplicity in the human experience that will bring you joy. The need is for you to always look forward with hope and use the knowledge of both so that your decisions can become more and more righteous with every step of the way.

Jesus Christ provides salvation, forgiveness, love, wisdom, knowledge, hope, peace, joy and a truly compassionate heart that will carry you on your journey. To know the Lord in truth is to choose to obey His commands and to keep your perspective in life. Keep it simple, don’t take things so seriously as to find yourself always offended, always defensive and always ready to strike out. Use the wisdom gained in your life to bring hope to another, to find peace in your heart and to forgive as you have been forgiven. Don’t long for yesterday, find acceptance in today and hope in tomorrow.

“Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” John 14:27 (NKJV).

LOVE THAT CROSS, PASTOR JOHN COLLINS

Reach Pastor John Collins, Evangelist, John Collins Ministries or read more of John Collins Ministries at www.johncollinsministries.com.

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS, EVANGELIST FOR FAITH: DOING THE JOB

From John Collins Ministries:

“And when He was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast. When they had finished the days, as they returned, the Boy Jesus lingered behind in Jerusalem. And Joseph and His mother did not know it; but supposing Him to have been in the company, they went a day’s journey, and sought Him among their relatives and acquaintances. So when they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking Him. Now so it was that after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard Him were astonished at His understanding and answers. So when they saw Him, they were amazed; and His mother said to Him, ‘Son, why have You done this to us? Look, Your father and I have sought You anxiously.’ And He said to them, ‘Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?’” Luke 2:42-49 (NKJV).

As a Christian you must be able to look at the life of Jesus and to see the focus and devotion that He had to doing the will of God and to make the effort to emulate it. Jesus knew that His life on earth was temporary and that He had a job to do while He was here and although the life of the Christian may not have the importance that the life of Jesus had, each life of a Christian comes with a job to do. Each person that is a believer in Christ has an obligation to the kingdom of heaven to glorify God and to follow Christ. That is the most important job that you can ever have and it is the only job that will see that you are permitted entry into the kingdom.

Whether you are busy being a parent, an employee, a student, a child, an athlete or a bum, you still have a responsibility to God. There is not any activity or obligation that you have that takes precedence over being a man or a woman of faith and living a life that shines for Jesus. There is not any excuse that you can give that will justify you ignoring God and choosing to not follow Jesus. We all have a job to do and either you do that job and receive the reward or you don’t do that job and you deal with the consequences. God is merciful and has much compassion but He is also righteous and His wrath will fall upon the wicked and the self-serving.

Don’t fool yourself into thinking that you are too busy for God because He is not too busy for you.

“And Jesus answered and said to him, ‘It has been said, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’” Luke 4:12 (NKJV).

LOVE THAT CROSS, PASTOR JOHN COLLINS

Reach Pastor John Collins and John Collins Ministries at www.johncollinsministries.com.