Independence Day

The Fourth of July. Independence Day. A time when we reflect upon history, upon our founding fathers, and a document signed by them.

This country has been, up until this present time, the world’s super power. There has never been a country as great as this one. With it’s opportunities, entrepreneurial spirit, many liberties, and freedoms, it has always been a place where people who suffer from tyranny and oppression in other lands have come to find refuge.

People who have the ability to understand, and not take for granted, know that America did not become the land of the free and home of the brave by accident. Freedom and liberty come with a hefty price. Men bled on battlefields, laying down their lives, families mourning the loss of their sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, nieces and nephews. The bottom line is, freedom costs.

We are blessed to be citizens of the United States of America, the greatest country on Earth, but the truth is, that the founding fathers of our country were men, mortals, human beings. That, that is built by mortals has it’s beginning, and it also has it’s end. Even now in our nation, we can feel the negative forces at work, that would systematically dismantle every element that has made it the “shining city on a hill” that Ronald Reagan called it.

The sad truth is, is that Earthly kingdoms are not eternal. The mindset of wicked men would endeavor to do away with America’s exceptional-ism, and bring it down to the level of a country where freedom and liberties have not been the rule. We do not want to see this happen in our lifetime or in the lifetime of our children. Time certainly does change things, and not always for the better.

There is one thing that we can know, and that is, a Kingdom that is unchanging. It is a Kingdom were there is liberty, “for where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” and freedom, “.. for he that the Son has made free, is free indeed.”

The wonderful thing about this Kingdom is, is that we don’t have to wait until we cross the city limits to become citizens, we become citizens of that Country when we are born again of the water and the Spirit. There are liberties and freedoms that can never be taken away from us, for Jesus said, “no man can pull you out of my hand.” Thank God for liberty and freedom!

We as American citizens must do our part to take back our country from the left leaning ideologists that are bent on destroying it, and at the same time keep a firm grip on the citizenry of that blest eternal Kingdom.

Youth Cook-Out Report

I just wanted to quickly relate one of the stories that happened at our Youth cook-out on Friday June 10th, 2011. This is how I saw it.

A few of us got to the church early to set up for the cook out. You know, put up tables, set out the drinks, raise up the tent, etc. Anyway, while we were doing this, a man came by selling steaks out of the back of his pick-up truck. Well, Brother Ross was there sitting in front of the church and this man went over to him and they started talking. Before long they succumbed to the heat and went into the church to sit in front of the fan and continue their talk.

About 15 minutes later, I got a call on my cell from Brother Ross telling me to fill up the baptistery! I had that thing filled up in record time (with cold water) and we baptized that door-to-door salesman in Jesus’ name for the remission of his sins. Praise God!

See, we didn’t know that we were going to be baptizing someone at our Youth cook-out and that man didn’t know he was going to be baptized at the next place he tried to sell his goods, but God did!

There's a lesson to be learned here somewhere. I think I'll let y'all figure it out.

A Letter About the Joplin, Missouri Relief Efforts

     On Sunday, May 22, 2011 a category EF-5 tornado hit the community of Joplin, Missouri with winds up to 200 mph. Over 7,000 Joplin residents have asked for help from FEMA, while others are going it alone. Local Churches responded to the immediate needs of the people by providing shelter, food, water and clothing.
     We received this letter today and thought you might find it of interest. We hope that you will continue praying for those who lost their homes, jobs, family, cars, everything in this tragic storm. They are still dealing with the aftermath of one night's deluge and we need to remember them in prayer.

To all who helped in the purchasing of water for the Joplin relief.

A great big thank you! We had response from California to Virginia and from Texas to Michigan. About 20 responded in just 48 hrs. I appreciate the help.

Bro. Steve Willeford, Dist. Supt. Of Missiouri called me to say thanks for who all helped. There was also enough come in after the expense of the water to send both Bro. Buchanan (Peace Tab) and Bro. Stoddart (Christian Life) checks for $500.00 each to use as they needed.

A big thanks to David Duncan and Pastor Ross’s wife from the Pentecostals of Parker County in Weatherford, TX for supplying some manpower and the truck to pull the trailer!

We were also able to take Pastor Buchanan and his family out for a supper meal. They really were exhausted.

Continue to pray for them and the airborne fungus that seems to be an issue in Joplin at this time. The devastation was overwhelming. The pictures online did not do justice once we were on sight and seen everything. We wept at all the homeless people walking around in a daze, even though it was a week after the tragedy.

Peace Tabernacle (Pastor Buchanan) is a relief location for food, water and clothing and had turned their sanctuary into a distribution center. I was overwhelmed with the tireless efforts their members were making to be a help to the community.

Thank you again.

Michael & Anne Bower

Global Ministry Group.

Pentecost Sunday Is Upon Us!

The feast of Pentecost was a celebrated holy day, fifty days after the Passover. The Death Angel has passed and lives were spared.

It is on this day, that we in the New Testament Church celebrate being Pentecostal. It is a time to reflect upon our roots, celebrate our great heritage, and look with faith, anticipation, and expectancy to our future.

Acts 2:1 says, "And when the day of Pentecost was fully come..." Those One hundred twenty did not know how it was going to come, they just knew that it was coming. Jesus commanded them to "tarry in the city of Jerusalem, until you be endued with power from on high."

When it came, it came suddenly, and as a rushing mighty wind. And it had great characteristics, it filled the whole house and all of them.

Something happened in Acts, chapter two, that has continued until this very day and will continue until the work of the New Testament Church is completed. There have been many an attempt by the enemy to quell the fire of Pentecost, but the flames continue to burn with an ever increasing intensity. Jesus said, “Upon this Rock I will build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”

For the spiritually hungry and thirsty, it is only what Pentecost has to offer, that real satisfaction can be achieved.

The Economy

Just lately a liberal analyst made the statement over the radio waves concerning the economy, This is in deed a dark hour,” he declared. These are not the words that people want to hear, but have sadly, come to expect.

The government has continued for some time, to print money

to pay it’s debts. The problem is, now we can no longer print enough to do so. We have run out of money. Attempts are being made right now to raise the debt ceiling. Concerns of insolvency are being voiced. Fear is laying hold of the hearts of the elite. Conspiracy theorists are having a heyday and the world (not just the U.S.), does not know what to do.

I suppose when I was a kid, my parents struggled from time to time with money. Who doesn’t? If they did though, my two brothers and I were never privy to it. We just lived our lives as though everything would continue as it always had.

I do not suggest the ostrich approach, hiding our head in the sand and pretending everything is alright when it clearly isn’t. What I am suggesting, is that we continue to trust God as we always have. He still owns “the cattle upon a thousand hills,” and He is not about to go broke. We must remain “…faithful unto death” and, of course, He remains faithful.