Faith Center Church

Christ has ever been my champion. He has wiped away everything that was against me that kept me from close fellowship with Father God. (Colossians 2:14) My champion. He has defeated doubt, fear and that hopeless feeling that whispers, you can’t, you won’t and you will never amount to anything. Every enemy has been disarmed and Jesus whispers in my ear, you can do anything I ask you to do. He has defeated satan and all the hoards of hell are in the same shape, defeated. This morning I am up and strong, my champion lives in me for a purpose, to love all who get in my path today and to leave the fragrance of His presence wherever I go. Read Colossians 1:13. I did!

Pastor Danny

I like what one writer said, “I wonder where the devil will attack next. The shoe should be on the other foot, the devil should be wondering where the church is going to strike him next.” Colossians 2:15 describes what God accomplished through the death of Christ on the cross on our behalf.  He disarmed the principalities or rulers and powers, making a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.  That’s the same bunch of bums you find in Ephesians 6:12, where Paul talks about spiritual forces.

I have good news, Jesus disarmed those rulers and authorities that try their best to discourage you and paint bad pictures in your mind so you will give up and roll over. Good news! Jesus didn’t win the battle for Himself, He did it for you. His victory has become your victory. Now, thanks be unto God who always lead us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge, for we are to God the fragrance of His Son Jesus Christ. (ll Corinthians 2:14-15)

It is sad to say, that most of the Church is like the stone wall that is waiting passively for the assault of the battering ram. Yet in Ephesians 6:13 Paul says take up the full armor of God for the purpose of standing your ground in the day of evil. The soldiers referred to in the text are supposed to be drawn up in battle array rushing into the fight, like David ran toward the giant. They are defending themselves and attacking. Armor and weapons are for spiritual warfare and you are a powerful fighting machine empowered by the Holy Spirit and sent into battle in the Name of Jesus. “Use every piece of God’s armor to resist the enemy in the time of evil, so that after the battle you will still be standing firm.” (Ephesians 6:13 NLT)

Pastor Danny

This Easter season brings the word resurrection to the surface in conversation, in preaching and singing all over Christendom.  It is a doctrine that brought much argument and criticism to the early church, and the world doesn’t understand it to this day. Let’s take a fresh look at the word resurrection.  That word in the New Testament means to stand up and to rise.  In the Old Testament in Isaiah 26:19, these terms might best describe the word resurrection; life, to rise and to awaken.  Isaiah said, the dead shall leave their bodies, they shall rise, O dwellers in the dust, awake and sing for joy.  Isaiah was talking to living people about resurrection. That is important to our understanding of scripture.  Resurrection not only has happened, it continues to happen in people who are alive unto God.

Paul said it this way, if we died with Him, then it is certain we shall be united with Him by a resurrection like His.  Ephesians. 2:6 says, we have been raised up with Him in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.  We’re raised up now; resurrection has come!  If we are buried with Him, so we will be raised to newness of life.

This year look to the cross; don’t be afraid of the death that took place there, but look on, look on into eternity. Look at His resurrection since you died with Him, you are raised with Him.  The Holy Spirit said through Paul, the power of God was able to raise Jesus from the dead and place Him at His right hand, God is certainly able to raise you from death to His right hand. United together in the likeness of His death, we shall live in the likeness of His resurrection power, see Romans 6:5.

Pastor Danny.

 The world is looking for joy, for peace and love, yet finding very little.  I believe Mary was a perfect picture of fullness and fulfillment. She spoke of a spirit of rejoicing in God as her pregnancy progressed. “And Mary said, my soul doth magnify the Lord”. (Luke 1:46)Her body was taking on a different task. It was that of birthing a child, yet she rejoiced in God.

The world would begin to experience something very different because the Son of God was coming. With Him there was the dawning of a new hope.  So much so that the angelic host would proclaim His Glory, not only in the heavenly realm, but on earth.  They sang of His peace that would forever change our world as well as our personal relationships. (Luke 2:13-14) “And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on the earth peace, good will to men”. Stars would come to the aid of those who would seek the Christ Child, for they marked the place where He might be found. (Matthew 2:1-2) “…behold, there came wise men from the east, to Jerusalem, saying, Where is He that is born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the east and are come to worship Him”.

Simeon said salvation is coming, accompanied by revelation and His glory would shine on all of His people. (Luke 2:28-32)  “Then took he Him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, Lord, now let your servant depart in peace, according to your word: For my eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou hast prepared before the face of all people: A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel”. Also, Anna, a prophetess, declared that Christ was the redeemer to all who looked for redemption.

We are on the verge of not only a miraculous year, but a mighty outpouring of His Glory. Lord, we like Mary say, we are your servant - let it be so in us.  Pour out your peace, your mercy, hope and love through us to a world that is filled with needy people.

                                               Pastor Danny

Jesus said to him, “Put your sword in its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword, Or do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels? How then could the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must happen thus?” (Matthew 26:51-54) NKJ I wonder sometimes how Peter must have felt when Jesus ordered him to sheathe his sword.  He watched in astonishment, as Jesus healed the wound he had so bravely inflicted on one of the soldiers who came to get Jesus and bring him before the High Priest.  Peter was like so many of us, he could not believe in a victory that would come on the pathway of death or defeat. Jesus would say, you don’t have get the last word or the last blow in to win the battle Peter.

As a kid I always thought the winner got the last blow or the last word.  It is tough when we find ourselves disarmed and crushed into submission.  There is a sense of powerlessness that can make one feel almost cowardly.  It is not cowardice; it is trust.  It is not defeat; it is learning to walk in obedience to the Lord.  His ways are higher than our ways.  Jesus was not defeated on the cross; death could not take Him down.  The tomb may seem like a dead end, a hole in the ground, yet a tomb, to me, is a place for God’s glorious power to shine in your life, a tomb is a place for an awakening, a resurrection.  No matter how hard life may seem, light is always on the way. I like what Paul said, “Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” (Romans 8:37) “The weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty through God for the pulling down of strongholds.”(ll Corinthians 10:4)

“And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.” (Philippians 1:9-11)

Pastor Danny