The Mirror

The Mirror

It is quite remarkable, that as we age, how the mirror becomes an instrument of undeniable truth. It tells of every new wrinkle, age spot, and fold of flesh, many which were invisible just years before. It reminds us time is fading, the hour glass emptying. In it, we see the pain, anxiety, and wear upon our souls, expressed now on a canvas of skin. As the adage goes, the mirror doesn’t lie! The irony however, is how we pay attention to the wrinkles and dark circles on our faces, but blatantly ignore the graver concerns the mirror reflects revealing the nature of our souls. Paul spoke of how easy it is to look in the mirror, and see the unsightly, only to walk away eager to forget that which is so easy to see. What does the mirror of your soul say?  The reason we pay more attention to the wrinkles and dark circles on our faces, is because others can readily see them, whereas the wrinkles and dark circles of our souls are hidden. It is easy to cover the wrinkles on our faces, but the wrinkles and dark circles of our soul can only be covered by a true change of heart. The make-up of the soul is honesty, purity, and repentance. The truth is, until the wrinkles of our soul are as unsightly to us as those on our faces, we will do nothing about them. Next time you look in the mirror, look not at your face, but at your heart. Then ask yourself which is uglier, the lines on your face, or the dark circles upon your heart? Knowing that God always looks upon the heart, for it is there He sees the true self. We must learn to be as self-conscience over what God sees, versus what is visible to others, remembering that the only make-up for the soul, is truth, repentance, and purity!

Rev. Joel M McDuffie Jr.

10/17/2016

Thirst...

Thirst is one of nature’s most powerful sensations. Without it, we would die within days. Being the human body is composed mostly of water, some sixty five percent, it becomes essential that the body is reminded to replenish the fluids which are lost naturally by other means. Without this constant triggering of thirst and the replenishing of essential fluids and nutrients, as humans we would simply cease to function. Thirst serves as that involuntary impulse, indispensable to our very survival.  Interestingly enough, Scripture places thirsts in a similar context. Spiritually speaking, thirsts is that desire to be replenished and refreshed by the Holy Spirit, by the Word, and by time in private communion with the Lord. As with the natural desire for thirst, the spiritual desire to thirst must have a source, and that source is the new life that has been created within us, as we are born again of the Spirit. This becomes essential to understanding whether or not we are in Christ. If we are in Christ, that life newly created, will thirst just as our natural body’s thirsts, it is the sign that a new life actually exists. If we can exists without a thirsts for the things of God, it is not because somehow we can, it is because we are dead…dead spiritually, dead eternally. When Christ is placed in a life only by convenience, when prayer, devotion, and faithfulness, is an option you op in, or out for, it is a sign that no thirst exists, and both physically and spiritually, without thirst, everything is either dead or dying. Your thirsts for God is the key indicator of whether a life created by Him exists within you. It is essential that we come to understand that the lack of a genuine thirsts for the Lord, and all that implies, is a sign we are either dead or dying spiritually!

Rev. Joel M McDuffie Jr.

8/4/2016

Mastering Religion or Consumed With Christ

It is worth considering the merit of distinguishing whether or not we are mastering our religion or becoming wholly consumed with Christ. Contrary to reason, these are not necessarily inclusive. Religion finds it satisfaction in do’s and don’ts, whereas being wholly consumed with Christ finds its satisfaction in the glory and wonder which is His person. It is also true that following ones religion is easier than following Christ. For religion can be reduced to simply times of day and acts of piety, whereas following Christ results in the transformation of our very nature and the heart which drives every impulse of our being. The difference between believing in Christ and following Christ, is a gulf that hardly can be measured. True faith is always focused on the person of Christ, it is consumed with the knowledge of everything He is, and it is the inspiration we sense when we consider all He is, that drives us to be all we can become!

Rev. Joel M McDuffie Jr.

8/2/16

Finding Hope

If Christ is our hope, what great hope it is indeed. The hope of forgiveness, deliverance, and a brighter day, a new heaven, and a new earth. Scripture teaches that all those found on its pages, died longing for the same hope we do. We read, “These all died by way of faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off. And they were persuaded of them and embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.” (Hebrews 11:13 MKJV) Our challenge today, like theirs, is to completely “embrace” our hope, and to live “fully persuaded.” Scripture teaches that the sin which so easily besets us, is doubt and fear. These are overcome but by one thing, and one thing alone, time each day with Christ! It is in those private and intimate moments each day that He reassures us. When we try to live apart from intimacy with Christ, our faith becomes an arduous exercise, something that serves in many ways to be self-defeating, this as we are forced to humanly exert ourselves contrary to nature, to believe . However, when one lives intimately with Christ, like a child who is sent off to school each day by his or her mom, they find new comfort and assurance in knowing they are loved, cared for, and that there is a place called home upon which to return. We must remember for a child, the moments getting ready for school, are as, if not more important, than the events of the day itself. Having a mom and dad, a home, and the love it represents are the very things that get our young ones through the day and the same is true of us as Gods children. Let God get you ready for the day, by spending time with Him before you set out, let Him reassure you that you are loved, cared for, and that there is a home to go to when this journey is over and you will find it much easier to fully embrace your faith and live victoriously fully persuaded!

Rev. Joel M McDuffie Jr.

7/11/2016

"IF"

IF

conjunction: if

1.      1. introducing a conditional clause. On the condition or supposition that; in the event that:

synonyms:

on (the) condition that, provided (that), providing (that), presuming (that), supposing (that), assuming (that), as long as, given that, in the event that

 

·        Jesus answered and said to him, If a man loves Me, he will keep My Word. And My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him. (John 14:23 MKJV)

·        If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered. And they gather and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My Words abide in you, you shall ask what you will, and it shall be done to you. (John 15:6-7 MKJV)

·        You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. (John 15:14 MKJV)

·        If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. (John 13:17 MKJV)

·        And the Lord said, If you had faith as a grain of mustard seed, you might say to this sycamine tree, Be rooted up and be planted in the sea! And it would obey you. (Luke 17:6 MKJV)

·        …

 

Need I say more…?

Rev. Joel McDuffie Jr

6/29/2016

Mindless Spiritual Wanderers

Many say that the need to be a part of a local church is unbiblical and that it is all about each individual’s relationship with God and so technically it is unnecessary. Such thinking is becoming more and more prevalent. So let me start by making an unequivocal statement concerning those who advocate such a position. That idea is straight from Satan himself and is only spoken by those who are lost, and estranged from the Kingdom of God. Before you lapse into the demonic sleep of isolationism, consider a couple of things. First, the idea of the “church” has no context in Scripture apart from a local congregation. From its inception it is conceived in the context of a group of believers caring and ministering to one another. This is why we have deacons, it is why they sold their possessions to help others less fortunate in their midst. When we consider the churches expansion, it is clear Paul and others are starting local “churches,” these are in physical locations, identified by specific groups of believers. Furthermore, most all of the New Testament is written to those congregations, not mindless spiritual wanderers. There has never been a time that the church was not understood in the context of its local demographic. To infer anything else is ignorance at best or demonically inspired, which is much worse. Those who wish to associate with Christ apart from the institution must disregard the entire New Testament to do so, plain and simple! Even in the Old Testament the paradigm of God’s chosen people is within the context of the congregation of Israel. So let me tell you why those who hold that position do so. These are those who would rather sleep in on Sunday’s and still say they had church, hoard their treasure, because (most also don’t believe in tithing), criticize everything else others are trying to do, while they do absolutely nothing! So I have a word of encouragement for the church, we are better off without them. If someone doesn’t love God’s people enough to come and share the burden and serve in the cause…well, I say, they have a problem. Remember it is a sin to forsake the gathering of ourselves together. Rejoice church in those who do gather, for they are the true church and it is through them the work will get done!

Rev. Joel M McDuffie Jr.

6/28/2016

Faith in Nothing and For Nothing

It is impossible to gauge our love for Christ apart from what we tangibly do for Him. We are entrusted with a heavenly task and it is only in the performing of that task that we find the assurance and confidence of our union with Him. To say I love Him and then refuse to serve Him, reveals the disingenuous nature of the heart, for without service, no faith worth mentioning exists. Faith without service is belief in nothing, and for nothing.  As Christ proclaimed, “Unless you take up your cross “emphasis added” you cannot be my follower.”  Today, consider the weight of the burden you claim to bear for Christ sake…if it be any burden at all, knowing it is the truest measure of your love for Him!

Rev. Joel M McDuffie Jr.

Double Standards

It is amazing to me how comfortable “believers” are with the double standard that exists between them and God, and them and everyone else they know. In our world, if someone lies to you, steals from you, and lives immorally, that person is labeled a scoundrel. The attitude of most will be, that person needs to get their house in order. They are seen as a disgrace to their families, blight on society, and in general, they are disliked and avoided. However when a “believer” lies to God, steals from God, and lives immorally in the very presence of God, all of a sudden, they are just imperfect, doomed to their sin nature, claiming that we all make mistakes and nobody is perfect. How in the world is it any difference in lying to God, than in lying to anyone else? How is it any different to steal from God, than to steal from your neighbor? How is it any different to break all your promises to Him, than it is to prove unreliable to your family and co-workers? Well, I will tell you, there is no difference, let me repeat, no difference at all! The only difference is your opinion about it, and your opinion is different, only because it applies to you. The church is filled with saints and scoundrels. The true saint lives to be Holy, judging every action and thought as to whether it is worthy of praise, the scoundrel uses the grace of God to justify such behavior, the very behavior that they revile in others. The saint who sins immediately seeks forgiveness, while the scoundrel says in his or her heart; well no one is perfect. Remember, there is no double standard, and with God, there is a higher standard we are called to attain!

Your pastor

Messed Up You Are

You are Messed Up!

You realize that if you are not messed up, you do not need Jesus! If you are not messed up, you do not need to come to church, pray, study the Scriptures, or anything else. Everything related to our experience as Christians is based on the premise; we are, without divine intervention, irrevocably broken. On the other hand, if we are broken and recognize this as followers of Christ, then we are in constant need of forgiveness, healing, comfort, and aid in the never-ending process of sanctification, so why do we give so little attention to it. Experience as a pastor has revealed to me that the problem for most is that this one, simple, but unavoidable fact, “we are messed up” has yet to sink in! People do not attend church faithfully because deep inside, they do not believe they need it. They do not search the Scriptures for the answers to their depravity, because in their own eyes, they are not all that bad. The truth is, how you see yourself and how you feel about it determines whether you will seek out the help, you need. No one will ever see God without first admitting to themselves how wretched and undone they are first. This begs the question, if you as a believer recognize this, then where are you on Sunday morning? If you are dying spiritually, why won’t you get up and take your medicine? Listen to someone who knows, I am not okay, and you are not okay, and the sooner you admit it, the sooner you will seek out the help you need! It is such a tragedy to see so many living as though they are healthy, when in reality in God’s eyes they are terminally ill. Get the help you need, because you are messed up!

Your Pastor.