FACEBOOK LIVE, WEDNESDAY (8-9) @ 6:30 PM. JOIN WITH ME ON MY FACEBOOK PAGE, MICHAEL WILLINGHAM.

If you have listened to any of the sermons over the past months you should know that I am blowing the “trumpet” concerning our individual need to have a STRONGER DESIRE TO SEEK MORE OF GOD!!! I understand that some of us may be “tired” of this “trumpet sound” but it is necessary for us to understand the importance of knowing God!! We need more than just “knowing about God'', WE NEED TO KNOW GOD AND ALLOW HIM TO DO HIS WORK IN OUR LIVES!!! 

I will approach today’s letter in a different manner. I will provide an exhortation of what I feel the Spirit saying to me. BUT I ENCOURAGE EACH OF US TO TAKE THE TIME TO READ THIS PASSAGE OF SCRIPTURE AND ALLOW GOD TO SPEAK TO US!! These are the days of trials and battles but they are also days of victory!! There is a reward to obedience and a price to pay for the “spirit of rejection!!”

Deuteronomy 11:16-22, ““But be careful. Don’t let your heart be deceived so that you turn away from the Lord and serve and worship other gods. ¹⁷ If you do, the Lord’s anger will burn against you. He will shut up the sky and hold back the rain, and the ground will fail to produce its harvests. Then you will quickly die in that good land the Lord is giving you. ¹⁸ “So commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these words of mine. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. ¹⁹ Teach them to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. ²⁰ Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates, ²¹ so that as long as the sky remains above the earth, you and your children may flourish in the land the Lord swore to give your ancestors. ²² “Be careful to obey all these commands I am giving you. Show love to the Lord your God by walking in his ways and holding tightly to him.” (NLT)

This is a prayer that I read today and I wanted to share it with you.

“Lord, most of my life I have lived to please myself. But from here on, Lord, I want to live to please You. I love You above all else and all others. Teach me Your ways, Lord, and reveal Your plan for me as I read Your Word and try my best to follow all Your commands and instructions. Above all else, Lord, I want to be known as being loyal to You. And from now on I will trust You to make a way for me through this life. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

I want to encourage EACH OF US to seriously understand the times in which we are living. I understand that we recognize many of the visible challenges with the actions of the government or the many people with illnesses and sorrow that we know. I believe that it is also important that WE RECOGNIZE AND RESPOND TO THE DIRECTION THAT GOD DESIRES TO LEAD US. We cannot afford to lag behind the move of God that is taking place NOW. We cannot afford to ignore the call of the Holy Spirit to draw close to God. This “spiritual time” will require our obedience and our full surrender to our Heavenly Father!!

WALKING AFTER THE HEART OF GOD, PASTOR MIKE

 Facebook live message on WEDNESDAY NIGHT (8-2) AT 6:30 PM. JOIN WITH ME ON MY PAGE, MICHAEL WILLINGHAM.

YOU ARE MISSED WHEN YOU ARE NOT PRESENT TO WORSHIP WITH YOUR CHURCH FAMILY. THERE IS A SEAT WITH YOUR NAME ON IT!! WE MUST BE SURE THAT WE DO NOT MISS WHAT GOD IS DOING IN THIS WORLD. I UNDERSTAND THAT SATAN GETS A LOT OF NOTICE AND ATTENTION IN OUR SOCIETY BUT WE MUST CONTINUE TO LIFT OUR VOICES AND DECLARE THE GOODNESS OF GOD!!! I LOOK FORWARD TO WORSHIPING WITH YOU SUNDAY AT NEW RIVER @ 10:30 AM.

I am thankful for another opportunity to share the Word of God with you!! These are the days and time that we need our soul to be anchored in the Word of God. Our desire for this must increase and not decrease. The Word of God and the presence of God will take us through whatever difficulty we are facing or that we will face in the future. Take a moment and remind yourself of the three (3) Hebrew children and the challenge they faced.

Daniel 3:16-18, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you. ¹⁷ If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. ¹⁸ But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.” (NLT)

Have you ever faced a situation in which you knew that to answer according to your convictions meant you would stand alone? We are standing at a crossroads and we realize that many decisions lie before us. We can see with our eyes and hear with our ears that challenges are happening now and they may continue happening until the coming of the Lord. We need to understand that facing rejection from people is very probable. We also know that rejection can produce pain but so does compromising our convictions. We need uncommon courage about God in a culture that leaves God behind. I sincerely believe that God is preparing us to be a people of courage!! I desire to be a leader of courage and an individual believer of courage.

God calls us to throw off the things that hinder us and prevent us from growing in Him. Hebrews 12:1-2a, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. ² We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith…” (NLT) Emphasis Mine It’s like putting aside our cumbersome winter coat when warmer temperatures arrive. Spiritually, it means we need to examine our hearts with the help of the Holy Spirit and then make the changes that will open our lives to a stronger relationship with God which will lead us to COURAGE!! We must have a desire to read the Word of God with an interest in growing and developing our journey with Christ. Seeing our need to grow and mature in the Lord will align our hearts with Him which also lead us to remarkable courage.

The Bible has many examples to inspire us to stand strong in the face of difficulties. The three Hebrew boys from the book of Daniel are some of the bravest men that we can read about in the Bible. They had a choice: approve of worship to an idol and bow before it or reject it and face the fiery furnace. They chose the furnace. In their act of turning away instead of bowing down to the golden image, the king rejected them and ordered them to be killed. I believed they entered the fire with courage and boldness knowing and believing that GOD WAS IN THEM AND WITH THEM!!! Oh, that we as a believer will strive to see those spiritual qualities at work in our journey with Christ!!!

PRAYERS FOR EACH OF YOU, PASTOR MIKE

 

We are participating in what we reference as “Holy Week”. But I came to remind you of some important truths that God is speaking to me about. I felt that the Holy Spirit was reminding me of the willing sacrifice of Jesus as well as the importance of exalting and lifting up the name of Jesus in all that we do and say!!! I know that we can say, “Pastor I know that and Pastor I do that every opportunity that comes my way.” I am not here to say that is not true but I am here to ask; “Do I truly remember and sincerely reflect on the sacrifice of Jesus and do I truly offer sincere, heartfelt and passionate worship and praise to Him?”

Knowing Jesus is God's Messiah, the Savior, who came to redeem humanity, is one thing. Following Jesus as our Lord is quite another and will require full commitment. Following God will require more than just “religious activities.” The payment for our sins required Jesus to die on a cross. Each of us should have been required to pay the price for our sins.  Getting our minds, hearts, and lives in position to daily follow God is a challenge. Once Jesus' disciples confessed Him as the Messiah, He knew He had to teach them the real road to glory. Each of the Gospels reminds us that this road led to the cross of agony before it led to the crown of glory. We are heaven-bound, but we can be sure that we will encounter obstacles along the way, with many steep hills to climb as Evil tries to defeat us. Our Savior, however, has already walked this road, and He is our great reminder that the path leads us to share in His glory.

We have gathered here today for THE CELEBRATION OF THE RESURRECTION OF OUR CRUCIFIED LORD AND SAVIOUR!! These are the moments for each of us to “shout unto God with a voice of triumph!!” We gather to celebrate an empty tomb that at one point of time held the “earthly temple” of our Savior. This empty tomb was once surrounded by guards who were positioned to stop anyone from stealing the body of Jesus Christ! They may have been able to have stopped any intruder who arrived to steal the body of Jesus but they could not stop the POWER OF THE RESURRECTION!!! Philippians 3:10, “that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,” (NKJV) I believe that these are the days in which the present day church needs to put these words into action “that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection…”

BLESSINGS ON YOUR JOURNEY OF LIFE!!

THIS IS THE TIME TO PUT OUR TRUST AND CONFIDENCE IN THE LORD GOD ALMIGHTY!!!

 ​The Apostle Paul shares some encouraging as well as challenging words to the church in Corinth. 

1 Corinthians 16:13-14, “Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong. ¹⁴ And do everything with love.” (NLT)

The Apostle Paul reminds the brothers and sisters of the church in Corinth to Be on Your Guard!!The Scriptures make it clear that believers in Christ are to be on our guard because the enemy is against God, so he is also against the Father’s children. I recently read these words and it spoke to my heart; “Satan knows that he cannot attack God so he attacks the children of God.” We are part of a spiritual battle that on many days we wake up forgetting that this struggle is going on in our lives. When our lives are consumed with the temporary life, we are easily trapped into forgetting the journey to eternal life. When you stop and think about how you need to specifically be on your guard right now, what comes to mind? We need to identify in what ways the enemy is attacking each of us, our family, our friendships, our workplace, and our church? Just as God is active, the Devil is active too. He is prowling around like a roaring lion looking for people to devour. (1 Peter 5:8) Being on our guard works best when we are not reliant on our own strength but on the help of the Holy Spirit and the armor of God. We are not left in the battle unguarded and vulnerable; we are equipped and empowered with the victory of Jesus and believing that this temporary suffering is for His glory. Here is the call to stand firm. When we think of the word firm, what do you picture? I think of a rock, a strong muscle, or a wall. I imagine something immovable and steady, something that will not shake or even give the idea that it would fall. We have a firm foundation in Christ. 1 Corinthians 3:11 says, “For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” We have the wonderful opportunity to build our life with as well as on our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!! I am reminded to remember the fact that we can trust in the FAITHFULNESS OF GOD!! He is with us at all times and in all situations!!! 2 Timothy 2:19 says, “Nevertheless, the firm foundation of God stands, having this seal, ‘The Lord knows those who are His,’ and, ‘Everyone who names the name of the Lord is to abstain from wickedness.’” We can rest assured that God knows that we are His. He can help us, and He can remind us that He is our firm foundation in this life. We can place our full trust in Him, more so than when we sit in a chair and it holds us up or ride in a plane and hope it lands. We have the promise that He is always with us, and He will keep us safe in His arms. PRAYING FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY!!! WALKING AFTER THE HEART OF GOD!! PASTOR MIKE

 

Hebrews 12:1-3, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, ² fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. ³ Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” (NIV)

 

The New Testament often likens the Christian life to a race, requiring training, dedication, focus, and perseverance to keep going in all circumstances. We also read in Scripture that we will experience trials and tribulations and a cost associated with a life fully surrendered to Christ (Luke 9:57-62).

 

Every day is a chance to surrender my desires and make sacrifices to finish my race and keep my faith (2 Timothy 4:7). The choice is to get up early and attend corporate worship or catch some extra sleep. The budget gets tight, and the choice arises to tithe and help others or to skimp on honoring God with our resources. Many sacrifices will be made; each is a training ground, ensuring we finish this faith race with endurance. Someone says something offensive, and the opportunity to forgive or hold a grudge comes up. Will I love the unlovable more than myself?

 

The good news is that God doesn't require sacrifice without extending great rewards. In Matthew 5:11-12, we are encouraged that our great reward is in heaven. Peter tells us that those who belong to God have an eternal inheritance in Christ that never spoils or fades (1 Peter1:3-6). After this race is over, and we finish strong, we get perfect communion with God and His people with no trace of sin; what an amazing trade-off for our time spent training. When we completed our course of life each of us will realize that the hours of training and the sacrifices we made were well worth the effort.

 

Remember that this life is a race today, especially if you're currently running the most challenging mile and feel unsure if you can keep going. Maybe you're not sprinting on this stretch like the people around you. That's okay; stay focused on Christ and keep putting one foot in front of the other. We can trust that as we make choices to sacrifice and persevere, our character and endurance have the opportunity to grow. And when we cross that finish line, we will finally be rewarded with the words we long to hear, "Well done, good and faithful servant." (Matthew 25:21)

 

WE ARE PRAYING DAILY FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY!!!

 

WALKING AFTER THE HEART OF GOD,

 

PASTOR MIKE

 

 

Mark 10:46-50, “Now they came to Jericho. As He went out of Jericho with His disciples and a great multitude, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the road begging. ⁴⁷ And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” ⁴⁸ Then many warned him to be quiet; but he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” ⁴⁹ So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be called. Then they called the blind man, saying to him, “Be of good cheer. Rise, He is calling you.” ⁵⁰ And throwing aside his garment, he rose and came to Jesus.

Each of you has been in my prayers this morning. Praying for one another is becoming even more important as we identify the needs that are present in the lives of our family and friends. I would also encourage you to remember that there is a benefit in agreeing in prayer for a specific need. Do you remember the words of Jesus, “IF two or three agree…”

I would like to share with you an inspiration that I believe the Holy Spirit placed in my heart at the conclusion of last Sunday’s service. The Spirit reminded me of blind Bartimaeus and the story of his healing. Bartimaeus is sitting on the side of the road and he hears that Jesus is passing by that way. He immediately begins to cry out for Jesus to have mercy on him. I can close my eyes and hear the desperate yet faith filled cry that is coming from this man’s heart. Do we realize that Jesus hears each of us when we cry out for His assistance in our journey of life? I encourage you to take a moment and reflect on the times that Jesus heard your cry for help!!!

The passage of scripture in Mark 10 reveals the sound of some other voices that are making noise at the same time that Bartimaeus is crying out for Jesus. The “noise” is the “voices of discouragement.” These other voices wanted the blind man to be quiet. EACH OF US must decide which voices we are going to listen to and which voices we will obey. We must remember that each of us will face the “voices of discouragement” any time that we choose to follow Christ. It is the devil’s intent to discourage us and to interfere in our journey of faith.

Satan wanted to keep Bartimaeus on the side of the road. Satan wants to keep EACH OF US on the side of the spiritual road of life. Satan wanted to keep Bartimaeus blind. Satan wants to keep EACH OF US spiritually blind. Satan wanted to keep Bartimaeus away from the presence of God. Satan wants to keep EACH OF US away from the presence of God through the Biblical principles of prayer, praise, fellowship and the corporate preaching of the Word of God.

Let me remind you of another voice in the crowd. In the midst of the discouragement someone declares these words, “Be of good cheer. Rise, He (Jesus) is calling you.” I am that voice this morning. I am saying that Jesus is calling us in the midst of our discouragement, in the midst of our trials, in the midst of our heartaches, in the midst of our hurts, in the midst of our excuses to stay on the sidelines, (This is not the time to be on the spiritual sidelines, this is the time to step into the battle and release our faith.), in the midst of our sorrows and heartaches, etc. God is calling each of us to draw near to Him regardless of whatever “in the midst of” situation or struggle we are facing.

Praise God, Bartimaeus chose to listen to the voice of Christ. He listened to Christ in obedience and he was healed. He chose to reject all of the “voices of discouragement and dismay.” He chose to respond to Christ!! Which voice will we chose to respond to today? Which voice will we chose to respond to the remaining days of our lives?

Each of you is DEFINITELY MISSED when you are unable to worship with us!! I look forward to worshiping with you on Sunday (2-19). God is at work but we must be willing to let Him do His work in our lives. I encourage you to not listen to the voices of discouragement but listen for the VOICE OF CHRIST!! He is calling us to draw near to Him!! Take a step of faith and respond to His call!!  

 

 FYI: WEDNESDAY NIGHT (2-8) @ 6:30 PM @ NEW RIVER THE STUDY OF THE “FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT LED BY BRO. MIKE GIBSON!

FYI: PASTOR MIKE’S FACEBOOK LIVE MESSAGE ON THURSDAY NIGHT (2-9) @ 6:30 PM ON MY FACEBOOK PAGE, MICHAEL WILLINGHAM

FYI: THE PRESENCE OF GOD HAS BEEN SO RICH AND SO POWERFUL IN RECENT WEEKS AND MONTHS!! WE MUST BE PREPARED TO RECEIVE AND RESPOND TO THE MOVING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT!! I KNOW THAT THERE ARE MANY INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE PRAYING FOR A “REVIVAL.” BUT WE MUST ALSO BE PRAYING THAT EACH OF US WILL SURRENDER TO THE MOVE OF THE SPIRIT WHEN THE OPPORTUNITY ARISES!! I AM AFRAID THAT WE ARE MISSING SOME BLESSINGS BECAUSE WE ARE FAILING TO RESPOND IN OBEDIENCE. THIS IS THE TIME TO OBEY AND OPEN OUR HEARTS TO WHAT GOD DESIRES TO DO AMONG US!!

I LOOK FORWARD TO WORSHIPING WITH YOU ON SUNDAY MORNING (2-12) @ 10:30 AM!!!

In the past few weeks we have heard testimonies from various individuals who have experienced a divine intervention in their life or someone’s life that they knew. I felt led to remind us of the IMPORTANCE OF PRAYER ONCE AGAIN!! I realize that this may be “old news” to some but each of us face moments in which we wonder if God is hearing us. And why are things not changing if God is hearing us. These types of moments require us to have FULL FAITH & NOT PARTIAL FAITH!! God is hearing you, just keep praying!!

Psalm 116:2, “Because He turned His ear to me, I will call on Him as long as I live” - 

Have you ever had times in your life when it seemed like God didn't hear you? It can seem pretty discouraging when we feel like our prayers aren’t being heard and we aren’t sensing God’s presence and interventions in difficult situations. Sadly, feeling unheard often leads people to feel unloved, forgotten, and of little value to God. 

Yet all those feelings aren’t based on truth but rather on what we aren’t seeing or experiencing happening in our lives because God does hear us. “And if we know that He hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of Him” (1 John 5:15). Often, when we feel unheard, God is at work in ways we may not see or know at the time. Romans 8:28 assures us in all situations, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.”

But God not only hears; He also listens, which means He pays attention and considers our words. Psalm 66:19 tells us, “But God has surely listened and has heard my prayer.” God hears and listens to our voices. “In my distress I called to the Lord; I cried to my God for help. From His temple He heard my voice; my cry came before Him, into His ears" (Psalm 16:8). As believers, we have God’s ear.

There are countless stories in the Bible of men and women who may have felt at times that God wasn’t hearing them. Individuals in situations where they really needed His ear, some of those caught in life-and-death situations where there was no hope for them if He didn’t hear and respond to them. Individuals like Joseph, Daniel, Paul, and more. Although we know how their stories ended, being human like us, they may have experienced a roller coaster of emotions in their circumstances. But we must remember that we can trust in God and we must believe that God is interested in our journey of life!!

I ENCOURAGE EACH OF US TO KEEP PRAYING!!!!

Walking after the Heart of God,

Pastor Mike