It is always encouraging to witness so many souls who are giving their lives over to the lordship of Jesus Christ in our world today. However, as history bears witness, there are multitudes who remain refractory to God’s invitation of salvation through Christ Jesus.

To be refractory means to be obstinately resistant to authority or control; to resist treatment; and unmanageable. Oh, yes, it also means to deflect light, even the gospel of the light of Jesus Christ and God’s plan for eternal life.

Isaiah witnessed this arrogance in his time and wrote, “For this is a rebellious people, false sons, sons who refuse to listen to the instruction of the Lord; who say to the seers, ‘You must not see visions’; and to the prophets, ‘You must not prophesy to us what is right, speak to us pleasant words, prophesy illusions. Get out of the way, turn aside from the path, let us hear no more about the Holy One of Israel…’”  Isaiah 30:9-11.

Can you imagine anyone refusing eternal life? Jesus spoke of the wide gate that many enter into destruction and death, and the narrow gate that few enter into eternal life. See Mathew 7:13, 14.

What’s your gate? Destruction or life; destruction or life; destruction or life; destruction or life; destruction or life…?

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Personal Testimonies: Prior to the morning's message, Pastor Mark opens the floor to life testimonies. It is great encouragement to hear how the Lord is working in each of our lives. Click the forward button below to play the personal testimonies of Pastor Mark and others and/or download mp3 file.)

Thanksgiving, when you boil it all down, is clearly “gratitude directed toward God.” When we gather with family and friends for the Thanksgiving meal, football games, and the Macy’s parade, it is more than cartoon balloons, mashed potatoes and gravy, and becoming a sloth in front of the television. It is about for what and whom we are thankful. We must remember to give gratitude to our Heavenly Father who fills our heart with the love of Jesus Christ.

Please listen to the audio of this message to hear the five top things for which I am grateful and my recommendation to you for a Thanksgiving tradition. God bless you, your loved ones and friends.

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Jesus healed birth defects and diseases, cast out demons, fed many with just a little, and walked on water--He did it all. But there is a bit more to the story than meets the eye when He did His healing miracles.

Read in Mark 2:1-13 about the paralytic man lowered through the roof so Jesus could heal him. Now, most of us would have said that it was easier for the man to have his sins forgiven rather than the work of a miracle--but not in God’s world! They had faith for Him to do a miracle because they had seen or heard of it being done before. But did they have faith regarding the forgiveness of their sins? That is the bigger issue with God.

The miracle of forgiveness is there for us all, but you have to receive it. Remember, Jesus said He was at the door knocking. He asks that you let Him in so He may come and dine with you! Once healed of your sins, you can truly “pick up your pallet” and walk the walk in Jesus.

Audio: (Click forward button below to play audio of message and/or download mp3 file.)

Personal Testimonies: Prior to the morning's message, Pastor Mark opened the floor to life testimonies. It is great encouragement to hear how the Lord is working in each of our lives. (Click the forward button below to play the personal testimonies and/or download mp3 file.)

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Complain, complain, complain…that’s all some people do. You know—the “glass-half-empty” people. God doesn’t want us living like that. We are His children, the “King’s Kids”. Yet, how can we possibly live a better life in a world that seems so bitter and full of evil? Viewpoint, viewpoint, viewpoint!

From God’s perspective, all is well. He has a plan and we are chugging along just fine towards His final chapter. Don’t get me wrong now, there IS sin and tragedy and hardship all around us, but there is beauty and treasure and holiness, too.

It is what you train yourself to see and think on that is the key! And that training must be based on your obedience to the Word of God.

(Scriptural References:  Deuteronomy 30:9-10;  2 Chronicles 31:21; Psalm 1:3; Psalm 23:5; Psalm 31:19; Matthew 25:34; John 14:2; Luke 6:38)

For more good “meat”, listen to the audio of the sermon posted here.

Audio: (Click forward button below to play audio of message and/or download mp3 file.)

Personal Testimonies: Prior to the morning's message, Pastor Mark opened the floor to life testimonies. It is great encouragement to hear how the Lord is working in each of our lives. Click the forward button below to play the personal testimonies and/or download mp3 file.)

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Doubt is certainly a dark place to be. The real problem though is not in the object doubted but in the subject who doubts!

There is a lot more going on with doubt than meets the eye—just like with an iceberg…you see only the tip of it. When we doubt God it just may be because there are underlying issues in our hearts:

• Unresolved negative issues from our past
• Mixed motives
• Relational difficulties-current and past
• Pride
• Hidden selfishness
• Stubbornness
• Unfulfilled dreams
• Self-pity
• Financial pressures
• Scheduling pressures

These issues and pressures help make us vulnerable to doubting God…so be aware of them and DEAL WITH THEM!

Now, follow along with us on the audio for the rest of this sermon.

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David hungers and thirsts for instruction and petitions God for help as evidenced in Psalm 25:4, 5. “Make me know thy ways, O Lord; teach me thy paths, lead me in thy truth and teach me, for thou art the God of my salvation, for thee I wait all the day.”

To wait upon God is to hope in God alone, to look for Him, to be gathered to Him. Furthermore, hope is defined as having a joyful expectation of good.

For those who are committed to God through Jesus Christ, there should be a daily and earnest awareness that God is intimately acquainted with our spiritual, mental and physical needs. Believers are to remain steadfastly devoted to God whether the day is long, dark, or even stormy.  They are to be faithful even if they sail on turbulent seas, and not faint if God’s promises are delayed. Dependency and hope upon God must be every day, all day long.

Hosea, whose name means salvation, cries out to God’s people and declares, “Therefore return to your God, observe kindness and justice and wait for your God continually.” (Hosea 12:6)

Remember, God is not pleased with a part-time relationship. (See Revelation 3:15, 16)

Audio: (Click forward button below to play audio of sermon and/or download mp3 file.)

Personal Testimonies: Prior to the morning's message, Pastor Mark opens the floor to life testimonies. It is great encouragement to hear how the Lord is working in each of our lives. Click the forward button below to play the personal testimonies of Pastor Mark and others and/or download mp3 file.)