The Written Word

Electronic Bibles, Bible Apps, and the like, are all fun toys to have and to play with, but don’t become reliant upon them. Fall in love with that “Black Backed Book”. We are swiftly moving into an age where your Bibles can be taken away, with the click of a button. There are those in this world who would like to see this truth wiped from the face of the earth, and we just might be making it easier for them to do that. What if, the next time you updated your eReader or Holy Bible KJV app, some scriptures were altered, reworded or even completely missing. Walk circumspectly, my friends.  Hide the word in your heart and they can never take it from you.   Hoard The WRITTEN WORD of GOD!

Thank God for Hope!

One of the greatest blessings that looms over the horizon of the lives of every child of God is Hope. Thank God for Hope! People who are hopeless are a people who are destitute in this world.

Hope in God tells us that everything will be alright, when everything is very apparently the contrary.Hope tells us that things will not always be as they are now. In the midst of a turbulent, tempest tossed sea, hope tells us to just keep our eyes on the Master, no matter how threatening the wind and waves. Hope tells us there is something beyond the grave.

Hope anchors us! Hebrews 6:19 reads, "which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast,..."

Thank God for Hope!

Calvary

Thank God for Calvary! It was at Calvary that sin's demands were paid. It was at Calvary that every question was settled. Long before the foundations of this world was laid, in the eternal mind of a Divine Creator, Calvary's hill was paramount.

Eternity can only reveal the effects that Calvary had upon this world. Even as the greatest story ever told began to unfold on Calvary, a thief, who was guilty, met the compassion of the Savior.

It was upon the literal ground of Calvary's hillside, Golgotha, the place of the skull, that the cleansing, healing, crimson flow made contact with the multitudes that have believed.

The work of Calvary reaches as far one direction in eternity as it does the other. It is because of Calvary that Moses and Elijah enjoy the splendors of Paradise, and it is because of Calvary that we have the hope of Heaven.

While there are millions who appear to be unaffected by it, I'm glad that in Weatherford, Texas, there are some who have made good the finished work of Calvary

Prayer

"Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed, The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much."James 5:16

If we would give heed to the sound that is falling upon the ear of the Church, we would recognize the call to prayer. To the true Saint of God, prayer is not an option. Prayer is not a useless reciting of words that quickly falls into the category of what the scriptures call, 'vain repetition'.

Prayer is not our last resort, prayer is our first thought! Many times we go to great lengths, measures, and means to accomplish a thing and all the time, had we not prayed, they never would have worked.

The greatest people in the world are the people who know how to pray. The hand that reaches out to the world must first clasp the Throne of God. We must pray as we have never prayed! Many times we get through too quickly. Where is our groaning? Where is the travail? Where is the holy unction?

"Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered." Romans 8:26


The thought of revival is a far flung product of wishful thinking for those who do not pray. For those who do pray, Heaven and Earth are at their disposal! Remember, God will never stumble over the one who intercedes in prayer.

Come Now, And Let Us Pray!

Empathy For God

I truly think, that out of all people, parents should have the most empathy for God and how He deals with us. Both are raising children.

Parents love their children and want the best for them, but when a child becomes rebellious or unruly, the parents don’t stop loving their child. With God, sin doesn’t stop His love for us, It frustrates Him, just as it would any parent whose child is disobedient.

Parents will tell their children to stay away from a hot stove, lest they get burned. To look both ways before crossing the street for fear that a car might come, or even, “Don’t use that hair dryer in the bathtub!” These instructions are meant to preserve their lives.

Parents also ask their children to pick up their clothes, bathe and brush their teeth, or take out the trash on a regular basis. To the kids, these seem like arbitrary chores made up by the parent to make their lives miserable, but the parents know that these things are the building blocks of a mature, healthy, and stable lifestyle. A life that is characterized by responsibility and honesty. A life that has disappointments, yes, but few regrets.

God is not so different in dealing with us. As we go through the Bible and learn of Him, we see that some of His “commands” are meant to preserve our lives. And some of His instruction, guides us into building our strength of character and maintaining our integrity. (like turning the other cheek (Matthew 5:39). Praying for those that despitefully use us and loving our enemies (Matthew 5:44)).

I think the most important way God does differ from parents, though, is that He is ever patient with us. I believe our limited scope of the ‘big picture’ just won’t let us truly realize just how patient and loving he is. In Romans 8:35-39 Paul asks us, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?” Can anything turn away the love of this same Christ that was cursed, spat on, and beaten unjustly, yet with His love for us, looked throughout the span of time and suffered it all to provide the final sacrifice for the torment of our sins? Oh that we could only begin to understand the depth of his love.

Parents, be as patient with your children as God would be with you. It may seem they have only just begun to walk and now they want to run, but teach them how to hold tight to God’s hand and they will never fall!

Children, listen and learn from your parents and you will fly to heights unimaginable. Just remember, you too, may be parents someday yourselves and you will have to teach your own children how to successfully make it through this world.

Everything you are today, is comprised of what you experienced while you were growing up. What you will be like in the future, will be greatly determined by what you learn today.

“Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.” - Matthew 11:29

Isn't that our goal anyway?

Are You Ready To Graduate?

It is the will of the Lord that we as Christians move forward and progress in our walk with God. There are times when it seems relatively easy to grow, and the there are those times when we must really put forth an effort to grow. It is always an effortless endeavor to be stagnant. This stagnation, we must battle at all costs, we must grow, we must bear fruit. When we stand on the mountaintops of victorious delight, we must never forget that there is another level to be attained.

[When] I attended my oldest son's high school graduation, I witnessed the happy faces of those young people who were finishing twelve years of school. Certainly dawn on these, there is a living to be made. It's now time to labor in a different avenue.

Graduation time is not time to lay down the things that we have taken up over the years, but it is time to expand upon their use. Some people never graduate in the Spirit because they have allowed some earthly, sensual element to retain them.

If our past is riddled with failure, it is time to do what we must to graduate. We must do what we know to do, and learn what to do that we didn't know in the past.One day we will graduate from this life to the next, but there are some graduations in this life that we must successfully achieve.

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.

May 22, 2011

The world has survived the misinformation that has been doled out by yet another false prophet. These date setting predictions are not anything new. The Russelites (Jehovah's Witnesses) and the Millerites (Seventh Day Adventists), have littered history with such debacle, as have many others.

As long as there has been a Church in the world, there has been the attempt of the enemy to add a bizarre twist to the gospel message. Thankfully though, as long as there has been a Church in the world, there has also been that clear and certain sound of truth. Real truth does not leave someone floundering, or in a state of confusion. Real truth heals the wounds, real truth pours in the “oil and the wine.”

One thing Harold Camping succeeded in is, He got the whole world thinking and talking about the Rapture. Though he was wrong about the time, the truth is, Jesus really will come and collect His Church. In Titus 2:13, Paul refers to it as the “Blessed Hope.” We live in a world filled with people that need to share in this hope.

We cannot offer a date on the calendar as to when Jesus will return for His Church. We would be foolish to try, but we can offer the “Blessed Hope.” As the world regains it’s composure, after a man and his followers have made yet another false prophesy, our message, “The Blessed Hope”, remains constant.

To read more from the Pastor's Page, you can click here 

or visit our website at www.pentecostalsofparkercounty.org. 

Media Department Video

The Pentecostals of Parker County Media Department has put together a commercial for our Church and posted it on YouTube. "We are going to be trying to utilize this medium more, as our church grows," said Brother Duncan, PoPC Media Team Leader. "I don't see why we couldn't be using [YouTube] as an evangelism tool to help our church reach out to more people." He went on to say, "The initial response to this video was favorable, so we're looking into creating a whole new campaign around this initial concept to reach out to our community."

You can see the video in it's entirety by going to the PoPC media page or just by clicking on this link.

Our Church Services are now on iTunes

   We have been recording and posting our sermons for some time now on Sermon.net. The thought of people being able to hear true Acts 2:38 preaching on the internet positively thrills us and we are trying to get the message out to as many people as possible.
   After submitting our Church service podcasts to iTunes a couple of times, they finally saw fit to approve and add our sermons to their store. You can subscribe to our podcast by searching the iTunes store for "Pentecostals of Parker County" or you can try this direct link they sent me http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-pentecostals-parker-county/id438669523