"Did you come to church with church on your mind?" A straight-forward question from a pastor who looks as his audience eyeball to eyeball. A momentary pause that's pregnant with anticipation. No response. "You should be happier about being here than you are." Of course, he continues with how he's noticed that it's harder today to get people to move.
The first scripture of the morning is Third John, verse 2, "Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth." Wishing...people wish for many things--a better car, bigger house, more money and, sometimes, good health. John, the Apostle John, here is wishing prosperity and health to the elder Gaius "whom I love in the truth." (verse 1) The truth, Jesus told us that he was the truth (John 14:6). This is the truth John speaks of.
John loves Gaius and wishes him well knowing that his soul is prospering. Soul prosperity is a spiritual life that continues to grow. It's the only real blessing this side of heaven. "You can't buy anything in heaven, it's done been paid for. Sometimes we give up too easily. God wants to pour out a blessing that there's not enough room to receive it." says Pastor Josh. Then he points us to Jeremiah 29:11 and tells his audience that Jesus wants us to have a future and a hope.
"What does Jesus think of us?" Pastor Josh continues. "Have we lost the faith that we need to have?" Our pastor warns us not to harden our hearts. (Hebrews 3:15) "If God is not real in our lives, it's our fault." Like Jonah, we can't run from God and get away with it. "If you don't see Jesus in your life, then you're seeing the devil."
"There's a different storm today. People are running to and fro. You're not going to enjoy life by not serving Him. Nineveh got serious about church. We need to do the same." Pastor Josh can truly preach a sermon. In closing he stated, "It's in Deuteronomy 31:15 which goes like this...I set before you this day...choose life and good or death and evil."
The first scripture of the morning is Third John, verse 2, "Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth." Wishing...people wish for many things--a better car, bigger house, more money and, sometimes, good health. John, the Apostle John, here is wishing prosperity and health to the elder Gaius "whom I love in the truth." (verse 1) The truth, Jesus told us that he was the truth (John 14:6). This is the truth John speaks of.
John loves Gaius and wishes him well knowing that his soul is prospering. Soul prosperity is a spiritual life that continues to grow. It's the only real blessing this side of heaven. "You can't buy anything in heaven, it's done been paid for. Sometimes we give up too easily. God wants to pour out a blessing that there's not enough room to receive it." says Pastor Josh. Then he points us to Jeremiah 29:11 and tells his audience that Jesus wants us to have a future and a hope.
"What does Jesus think of us?" Pastor Josh continues. "Have we lost the faith that we need to have?" Our pastor warns us not to harden our hearts. (Hebrews 3:15) "If God is not real in our lives, it's our fault." Like Jonah, we can't run from God and get away with it. "If you don't see Jesus in your life, then you're seeing the devil."
"There's a different storm today. People are running to and fro. You're not going to enjoy life by not serving Him. Nineveh got serious about church. We need to do the same." Pastor Josh can truly preach a sermon. In closing he stated, "It's in Deuteronomy 31:15 which goes like this...I set before you this day...choose life and good or death and evil."
