PASTOR JOHN COLLINS, JOHN COLLINS MINISTRIES: MOB CONFORMITY

God or Satan? Conform or Righteousness?

 

From Pastor John Collins:

"Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts in the heavenly places.” Ephesians 6:11-12 (NKJV).

There is a day that is on the way and the devil knows it. His days have been numbered and he fights against it. Do not be naïve to the evil influence in this world nor to the wickedness that grows more pervasive with each season.

There has been an ever growing demand for conformity to believe as the mob movements want you to believe. Gather enough people and say what you believe often enough and it becomes truth for those who look to society to gauge the ‘right’ way to think and behave. Ah, but you must be careful, as totalitarianism can creep up on the unsuspecting and before you know it, you are trapped. You must think, act and believe as the mob says to do so or you will find yourself on the outside and cancelled. So, there are apologies demanded for centuries old realities and offences that must receive contrition and reparation for. Where does it end? If the history is erased and enough people and companies bow down and accept the demands of the mob, does it stop there? Do you really think that a shift in power would balance things out and reduce the demands? When will it become clear that the motivation of the current movement in society is not driven by righteousness and clarity but by a desire for power and control? This movement in our midst is violence driven, emotion driven and demands complete submission.

Who is determining the standard to which everything is determined as right or wrong? By whose judgement and standards are the views and agendas being based? The only righteous judge is God and His Son. These mobs in our midst that are demanding reparations, demanding the removal of our history and demanding that the people of this land agree with them or be damned are not doing so because they are standing in a place of righteousness. They are being propelled forward by the enemy of God and Jesus. They are being influenced by the devil whose time draws near.

When a person or group of people demand that their beliefs be accepted as truth and that their way to do things must not meet any opposition or those who oppose them will have to face consequences, then those who must accept their will are without choice and are no longer free. When free speech and opposing views are no longer tolerated, you are now at the mercy of totalitarianism and are at risk of losing all.

Do not be swayed by gilded tongues and clever words. The devil has many tricks to make you stumble. Your standard should always be the truth of God. Your beliefs and your conduct should always be measured by His word. How do you navigate this reality of negativity, demands for cancelling our history and erasing our past while the mob has a new expectation of apology if they are offended? Conciliation is for the weak and we know that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.

I will say this clearly that the mobs that have taken over and demanded eradication of our history are driven by the devil. The movement to force name changing and brand removal due to offense is not about offense at all but is a demand for and a show of power moving towards a very real denial of freedom of speech and all other freedoms will follow and fall. This is not about race, this is not about offense, it is about power and it is using race to get to the place that it wants to be. It is about demanding conformity to their will and this movement is wicked and evil. Remember who the true judge of this world is and choose who you will submit to.

“Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books.” Revelation 20:11-12 (NKJV).

LOVE THAT CROSS PASTOR JOHN COLLINS

This is copied with permission from Pastor John Collins. Reach Pastor John Collins through John Collins Ministries at www.johncollinsministries.com or through email at jcollinsministries@gmail.com.  Listen to Pastor John Collins on Heaven's Country Radio Sundays at 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Mountain Time.

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS, JOHN COLLINS MINISTRIES: GOD AND COVID-19!

From John Collins Ministries, Pastor John Collins:

(Transcribed from a recent Sunday radio broadcast)

“I think we’ve been saying over the past eight years that one day, God is going to get tired of getting slapped across the face by people.  We are going to have a wake-up call for something to happen, because He wants us to turn back to God.  We need to get rid of politics and get back to the Cross, first and foremost, but that is the problem.

“God didn’t do this.  People going out into the public when they weren’t supposed to, not wearing masks when they were supposed to, not social distancing when they were supposed to, that was the problem.  This could have been not as deadly as it was, in my opinion, if we would have done these things.”

 “You shall not tempt the LORD your God as you tempted Him in Massah” (Deuteronomy 6:16, NKJV).

“Jesus said to him, “it is written again, ‘You shall not tempt the LORD your God’” (Matthew 4:7, NKJV).

“And Jesus answered and said to him, “It has been said, ‘You shall not tempt the LORD your God’” (Luke 4:12, NKJV).

“I think there’s Scripture that says “do not tempt the LORD thy God.” Why would you go out and do things that would harm yourself or harm another person then blame it on an Almighty God?  That’s what I don’t understand.

“I’m hoping that people use this time….you know a couple years ago we did a whole Sunday show on pastors in the pulpit and how their egos were dividing churches and people were leaving the churches, and in a lot of cases, God wasn’t even allowed into His own home, because He wouldn’t be affiliated with the doctrines that are being preached. I hope that people are using this time to get their knees dirty, to get their arms heavy from having to lift them to the sky, getting a crick in their neck from bowing their head and closing their eyes. I hope they are using this time to get closer to an all-powerful and just glorious God. I hope people are taking this lull that they have of not being able to go into a building that man built that when they go back in, and give it back to God.  He has been merciful to an awful lot of people through this pandemic.  There are prayer warriors.  We are going to make, it sooner than later, we do make it.  Let’s just be faithful.

“Here’s the thing, “where two or more are gathered, I am in the midst” (Matthew 18:20, NKJV, paraphrased). Don’t lose your faith because you can’t walk into that building. Go online and get your GOD on that way, get your Jesus on that way! God hasn’t let us down, and if we are down, He will pick us up, that’s what He does.  We have to be faithful to Him.  Now is a great time to get into your Bible, now is a great time to pray, more importantly, now is a great time to get a better relationship not only with your family, but…GOD!

“GOD is doing things to empower people to develop a relationship with Him again.  And for the people who are church-burned, for the people that stopped believing, now is a great time to get to know Him again because He is a great, almighty, perfect GOD and they should never forget that.”

LOVE THAT CROSS!! PASTOR JOHN COLLINS

If you have questions, if you are hurting, if you are searching, please reach out to Pastor John Collins through his website, www.johncollinsministries.com or by email at jcollinsministries@gmail.com. God wants us back!

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS, JOHN COLLINS MINISTRIES: EGO, PRIDE, ARROGANCE

From Pastor John Collins:

Pastor John Collins: An age of arrogance, ego and pride

Pride gets us nowhere with God

The Giant Goliath held King Saul and his army in a siege.  In his arrogance, he taunted the army threatening anyone who would stand against him. Young David, years from becoming the next king of Israel, was there and stepped up to face Goliath.  Goliath's pride and arrogance would not allow him to see the threat that David really did present.  David's faith and humility in facing that giant pleased God, and God allowed David to defeat Goliath by hitting him with a stone thrown from a sling and then David cut off Goliath's head.  Pride gets us nowhere in the face of God.

Pride and humility.  We are a proud people here in the United States.  We have so much that we have accomplished, the rest of the world sometimes looks at us in disgust because we give the appearance of not being satisfied.  It’s never enough and we draw attention to ourselves where ever we go.  Celebrities are recognized and lifted up as examples for us to live by.  Through all of the media, it’s “look what I can do”.  God resists the proud. Pride will not get any soul into heaven.

“Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.” Proverbs 16:18 (NKJV).

Our faith as Christians today doesn’t measure up to the faith of Abraham, of Noah, of Moses, of David.  These men were humble to begin with and knew the value and spirit of humility before God.  Our pride gets in the way.  How would God choose from among us today?  We often don’t have the strength of faith to worship Him, let alone look beyond what our human hands and minds create and put before God.  Our offerings of ourselves lack humility.  We need to let go of pride and ego, let go of the pride that we have accomplished something and let God and Jesus Christ work in our lives.

Evangelist Pastor John Collins began a revival of awakening.

That awakening stirs the spirit of those who hear him.  From a pulpit or behind the microphone of a recording studio, his words are Biblically correct. Being Biblically correct in a very politically correct world is difficult for most of the strongest of Christians today.  

Pastor John Collins says it well and puts pride and humility into this perspective:

“Then a dispute arose among them as to which of them would be greatest. And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart, took a little child and set him by Him, and said to them, ‘Whoever receives this little child in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me. For he who is least among you all will be great.’” Luke 9:46-48 (NKJV).

Who is worthy to be lifted up? How does God choose those that He would separate and use for His purposes? He chose Abraham and Abraham was considered a friend of God’s. He chose David and David was a man after God’s own heart. He sent His Son who died for us all.  Even those who walked with Jesus thought of themselves and the impact that they would have on this world. This is so wonderful to know that the human instinct to desire to rise above and be great was felt in those men who walked with Christ. This allows us to recognize this in ourselves and work to overcome that ego. They were corrected and they learned what true humility is. They witnessed their Lord humble Himself to the Cross. Yet there are so many that want to be great in the name of the Lord. They call attention to themselves and think highly of themselves. But, God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble. Believe me when I tell you that God knows what He is doing and He knows our hearts.

Pastor John Collins of Redeeming the Gospel Revival, John Collins Ministries continues on: God has no use for pride.

God does not want servants that think highly of themselves and their eligibility. God wants people to serve Him that are humble of heart. When we choose to walk with Jesus it should be with a pure heart and a true devotion to obedience to the Lord. We should never seek our own acclaim. We should not care what others think of us. We should be concerned only with whether we are an asset to the kingdom of God or a burden. If we have selfish ambition in our heart and a desire to stand out and be important, we are seeking status in this life and we are then unworthy to be a true servant of the Lord.

We must be careful when we desire to leave a name for ourselves, to want to be recognized for our importance or to be valued among men. A truly worthy person that will serve God well is a person that has no ambition in his heart. This person thinks of salvation when he looks upon the souls of this world. This person has sadness in his heart because of the condition of the human race. This person worries of the state of others’ faith in their lives. This person considers opportunities to share the gospel and help others come to Jesus. This person wants to see others go to heaven and lives his life as an example. This person will sacrifice and find ways to be a light in a world of dark. This person will please God.

“Listen, my beloved brethren: Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?” James 2:5 (NKJV).

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.” Matthew 5:3-6 (NKJV).

Learning to be humble takes a commitment to become obedient to God.  In order to become obedient to God, we need to learn to draw near to Him in prayer and through the words in the Holy Bible.  God wants each of us to have the opportunity to come to know Him, so that we all can go home to Him one day.  That is the reason He sent His Son Jesus Christ, for our salvation through His sacrifice on the Cross.  Jesus humbly accepted the punishment of our sins, died publicly in humility and obedience.  God won’t ask us to do anything that He won’t equip us to handle.  We can become obedient and humble ourselves before God, just as His Son did.  God wants us to come to know Him and His love, to help us with our lives and be part of our lives here in this world.  Pride and ego turns us from God.  To be meek, to be poor in spirit means to be humble; we need to learn the humility of Christ. Bring back God in our lives, come humbly to the foot of the Cross.

“God is never secondary in my life, He is always Primary”- Pastor John Collins, Evangelist.

So you’ve disappointed God, now what?

Pastor John Collins says "It is not possible to go through this life without sinning and it is impossible to not have disappointed God at some point in your life, but what is most important is what you do about it. It is not easy for mere humans to recognize the ways of God and to know the miracles and hope that suffering produces. In Jesus' name, with faith, there is now the hope of forgiveness and of acceptance into heaven. With your own suffering comes humility and growth in your faith. Faith is something that you have to fight for and want. Faith is not a given and it is not just a belief. It is a trusting and a knowledge that Jesus did die for your sins and with this knowledge comes a willingness to live in hope and obedience to the word of God.  It is easy to allow your humanly interpretations of situations and your own personal desires to get in the way of the will of God. Every so often you need to do a self-check and examine your motives and desires in this life and to see if they line up with the word of God. Do your best to not interfere with the will of God and do your best to not confuse the will of God with your will. You can tell the difference between the two by examining which one will produce righteousness in your life. Which choices in your life will bring about godliness?  When you feel that you have disappointed God then it is time for you to repent. You can't live in perpetual guilt and you cannot allow your mistakes to drive you away from God.  You must become humble so that you choose to come before Him and seek His forgiveness and His guidance, so that you can move forward in your life with confidence and trust, knowing that you are seeking the kingdom of heaven above all."

This is a sample of Pastor John's new sermon series.  This powerful message does not promise false hope, does not promise wealth of money or property, and won't leave a false feeling of security. What he does do is focus attention on salvation and pleasing God.

Pastor John Collins feels that there is a great need in the United States to get away from the prosperity gospel, to get  priorities right, that there is no price to be put on a soul.  Each person is precious and deserves to hear the word of God in its entirety and without it being watered down.  Pastor John Collins is available to travel to speak to churches or groups for this sermon series.  He can be reached through John Collins Ministries, www.johncollinsministries.com.

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PASTOR JOHN COLLINS

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS, JOHN COLLINS MINISTRIES: Tough Times, Tough Choices

From Pastor John Collins:

It is through the tough times of tough choices
 that bring you a step closer to God ~
Pastor John Collins

“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” James 1:2-4 (NKJV).

Let’s assume that you have some faith in your life. How often do you reflect on the lesson in the trials of your life? Do you look for the wisdom gained and apply it to your life or do you ignore the lesson and just appreciate that the storm has passed for now?

You can certainly claim Jesus as your Lord and Savior in a moment but righteousness takes some serious dedication and hard work. If God granted you complete faith in the instant that you believed, what would do with it and do you understand what complete faith really is, anyhow? Complete faith is never doubting the truth of Christ and His work on the cross and it is living a life that is COMPLETELY in submission to God. Complete faith is a consciousness of God always not just sometimes. Complete faith is living a life that pursues the approval of God over all else. In order to claim complete faith you must work for it and it does not come easy.

Living in this world of distractions and entertainments and sinners and filth does not make it easy to choose to do the will of God every time and not only some of the time. It is through the tough times of tough choices that bring you a step closer to God when they become consistently righteous choices in your life. Every Christian needs to learn to want to obey God and every Christian needs to learn all of the tough lessons from God in order to claim complete faith and righteousness.

Pay attention to what motivates you and pay attention to the choices that you make and then be really honest with yourself about what the Bible says about your feelings, choices and behavior. One of the biggest mistakes that a Christian can make is to think that the Bible is antiquated and that God and Jesus really don’t feel strongly about the sin of today. God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow and it is time that the Christian does better and gets back to reverence of our Lord.

“Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.” James 1:12 (NKJV).

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John Collins Ministries: www.johncollinsministries.com

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS, JOHN COLLINS MINISTRIES: UNBEARABLE

Pastor John Collins : Unbearable

From Pastor John Collins:

“And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” Romans 5:3-5 (NKJV).

Sometimes life just beats you up and sometimes your faith is tested more than you think that you can bear. It is important to begin and maintain that relationship with Jesus so that you can be sure that all of your struggles in life will produce the results that you seek. You should be seeking first and always to obey the Lord and get to heaven and your entire life should produce godly fruit that is evident of your conviction.

When you are not striving to do the will of God and you are living your life doing your own will and pursuing your own desires then you can be sure that any pitfalls that you fall into are not about testing your faith but are about providing opportunities for you to begin to pursue your faith. If you are a person who devotes each day to becoming more Christ-like then you can be sure that all of your struggles are not in vain but are a product of your learning to trust in God and also learning what is approved of by God while strengthening your character and preparing you for heaven. 

Only the pure and the approved get to go to heaven and just believing in Jesus does not mean you will be welcomed into Paradise. 

Remember that even the demons believe.

Perseverance is a challenge for everyone. It is not easy to feel burdened and tormented in life and it is not easy to deal with all that may happen that produces loss and hurt and scars. The beauty of submitting to the will of God and in obeying the Lord and in calling upon Jesus is that you know that when your faith is genuine, their strength is your strength and their hope for you is complete and they won’t let go. God really does want you to make it home to Him and Jesus really did die for you so that you could go there.

Life is difficult and times are tough and it is nothing new. Give your life to Jesus and commit to being loyal and obedient in your faith and know that no matter what you go through in this journey He will be there for you. Trust that you do have what it takes to persevere and it is worth it to try and try and try. Hold on to the hope that the Lord has given because He does love you.

“Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.” James 1:12 (NKJV).

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Read about JOHN COLLINS MINISTRIES or contact me, Pastor John, personally through JOHN COLLINS MINISTRIES, www.johncollinsministries.com.

You are not alone! GOD bless you.

HUMILITY-STRENGTH IN SUBMISSION FROM PASTOR JOHN COLLINS, JOHN COLLINS MINISTRIES

From John Collins, Evangelist:

“But Jesus answered them, saying, ‘The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified. Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.” John 12:23-26 (NKJV).

Jesus speaks often of not being able to love this life and serve Him, of not being able to serve two masters, of following Him and being His servant in obedience in order to claim heaven as our home. Jesus may have spoken in parables but His message was clear. Those that truly believe must work at having a strong faith in order to live the life that is necessary to receive the rewards upon death.

People have allowed their faith to become weak and polluted in this life. Too many people are just not sure of what the truth is to them and what it means. Too many people do not devote enough time to prayer, bible study and to seeking righteousness.

It is too important to your eternal welfare for you to not care about your soul. It is too important to those you love that you show a strong faith and walk a righteous path in submission to Jesus. God did not make us weak and God did not create us to be pushovers or enablers in this life. God did not create us to be corrupt but God knows that this world is corrupt and our influences are poisoned. God has made it so that His grace is known and that His truth is right there in front of us so that we can choose. There is a point in life when we know that we are choosing His way over the world’s way, if we want to belong to Him and we believe.

As much temptation as is possible for you to encounter, the power of God and the pull of His love will always be stronger if you paying attention. There comes a time when personal indulgences must stop and submission to God must start of you want to go home to Him.

“Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour. ‘Father, glorify Your name.’ Then a voice came from heaven, saying, ‘I have both glorified it and will glorify it again.’” John 12:27-28 (NKJV).

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PASTOR JOHN COLLINS, JOHN COLLINS MINISTRIES: WISDOM VS KNOWLEDGE

From John Collins, Evangelist:

“Does not wisdom cry out,

And understanding lift up her voice?

She takes her stand on the top of the high hill,

Beside the way, where the paths meet.

She cries out by the gates, at the entry of the city,

At the entrance of the doors;

‘To you, O men, I call,

And my voice is to the sons of men.

O you simple ones, understand prudence,

And you fools, be of an understanding heart.’” Proverbs 8:1-5 (NKJV).

There is a big difference between biblical knowledge and biblical wisdom. There are many people out there that can quote the bible because they have memorized certain passages that further their points of view. There are many preachers out there that can speak with seemingly great amounts of biblical knowledge but the really smart person is a person that knows how to take that biblical knowledge and apply it to their lives and show that they have obtained wisdom.

Just knowing what God has said and what Jesus has said will do you not one bit of good if you do not obey them. Just knowing that there was an Exodus from Egypt will not do you any good if you are not willing to see yourself as the rebellious Israelite and alter your ways. Just knowing why Judah was removed from their land is not enough if you are not willing to see that denying God His honor and refusing to submit to His will is repeating the same mistakes.

The bible is not just a story. It is not just history. The bible is the word of God and it is our blueprint to life. The bible is not ancient nonsense and it is not a book to just make us feel justified in our choices. The bible is our instruction, our conviction and it is there to guide us to heaven.

Being able to repeat some bible verses does not make you a righteous person. Being able to use the bible to increase your wisdom and bring hope to another with the message of Christ is to seek to please the Lord. Being able to allow your heart to admit its flaws and to seek the forgiveness and lessons of the Lord is to claim Jesus as your Savior. Be willing to learn and grow in your faith as you seek to reach out for righteousness and you will come to know wisdom well.

“I love those who love me,

And those who seek me diligently will find me.

Riches and honor are with me,

Enduring riches and righteousness.

My fruit is better than gold, yes, than fine gold,

And my revenue than choice silver.

I traverse the way of righteousness,

In the midst of the paths of justice,

That I may cause those who love me to inherit wealth,

That I may fill their treasuries.” Proverbs 8:17-21 (NKJV)

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PASTOR JOHN COLLINS: HEART HEALTH

From John Collins, Evangelist: 

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13 (NKJV).

Sometimes it may be difficult to get over wounds in your life. Sometimes you may not feel that you are valuable. Sometimes you grow up and have left over scars from the process that can lead to low self-worth, addictions, grudges, resentments and self-sabotaging behavior. It can be hard not to blame others and end up blaming yourself for all kinds of things that just lead to more pain. Sometimes it is just so hard to let go of past hurts and to find the optimism for the future and the joy for today. We all hurt and we all struggle. Faith in the Lord is what allows His love to come into our hearts and heal us. Knowing the value that Jesus places on us and the value that God places on us is where true love begins. It is important to know that you are loved without end and that God wants a relationship with you.

You are worth it. You are unique and you are strong. You are capable of overcoming and you are capable of forgiveness in your life. You are filled with the capacity to be kind and to share love greater than you have ever known. Jesus is there for you and He cares for you. Jesus walks with you and you do not need to feel unworthy, unloved or unwanted, ever. You may have been hurt in life, you probably experienced pain in childhood as well as doubt and fear and awkwardness but that is part of growing and maturing. Life is learning to accept human weakness and human failure, knowing that life is full of lessons. You will make mistakes and you will overcome and you can know that no matter what, Jesus is there for you. You matter. Your heart is capable of healing because you are loved.

“The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.” Philippians 4:23 (NKJV).

LOVE THAT CROSS PASTOR JOHN COLLINS

Read more about JOHN COLLINS MINISTRIES, or reach me, Pastor John, personally through John Collins Ministries at www.johncollinsministries.com.

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS: THE PITY POT

From Pastor John Collins:

“Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” Isaiah 53:4-6 (NKJV).

This world is not innocent. So, why do so many take things so personally and get so offended by the grief that comes with life? Why do so many place the blame squarely upon the shoulders of God? What is wrong with sorrow and grief? It teaches you to appreciate the joy and hope. What is wrong with sickness and death? It teaches you that there are seasons to life and health is not a guarantee. What is wrong with loss? It teaches you to appreciate what you have. There is beauty and wonder that we have feelings at all. Life is precious and filled with the ability to emotionally connect with others and death is filled with hope because Jesus has made it possible for you to continue loving those that you love.

People want to feel wounded and offended that they have suffered in this life and they want someone to blame and want to complain about it all, to be the victim. There are victims in this life and there are terrible things that happen but that is part of living among others who have the same opportunity as you have and that is free will. There are bad people in this world and there is evil in this world and that is something that we all have to deal with for now. It doesn’t mean that anyone has the right to blame God or to sit on the pity pot because as long as there is breath in your body, there is hope for salvation and you will not be gaining salvation while there is resentment for God and bitterness toward Him because you find your sufferings too big to accept.

Jesus did not grow old. Jesus did not get gray hair and lose His eyesight. Jesus did not raise a family and rock His child to sleep. Jesus did not take vacations and travel around the world to see different places. Jesus did not have the luxury of a long life. Jesus came to this world and from His earliest age was doing the work of His Father. Jesus concerned Himself with His people, His land and the salvation of this world. Jesus taught others and took the time to heal others and be kind. Jesus is perfect and yet He suffered for you. Jesus was ridiculed and mocked, beaten and hung on a cross to die. For you.

This is not a fairy tale that you have outgrown. This happened. Jesus is not just some man that lived long ago. Jesus is the Son of God and your Savior. Think about just how much you do have to be thankful for this week. As you make your plans to gather together for a meal and rejoicing, think about the times that Jesus gathered with His people for a meal. Jesus always was thinking of others, the salvation of souls. In the end that is what counts because the soul is eternal and we should all be thinking in that manner, maybe then awareness of the enormity of the gift that Christ has made possible for us all would truly sink in and gratefulness, the kind that produces life, would follow.

“And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, ‘Take, eat; this is My body.’ Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until the day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.’” Matthew 26:26-29 (NKJV).

LOVE THAT CROSS, PASTOR JOHN

Read more about JOHN COLLINS MINISTRIES or reach me, Pastor John, personally through John Collins Ministries at www.johncollinsministries.com.

*photo from The Passion of the Christ, 2004, Icon Productions

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS: OVERCOMING OURSELVES

From Pastor John Collins:

"You have that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” Matthew 5:27-28 (NKJV).

Jesus gave us an interpretation of the law that is imperative that we understand. Prior to Him speaking about these things, it was the focus of the law to look at the actions of a person. Do not kill, steal, lie, or commit adultery and so on. Yet, with the words of our Lord, we learned that it is in our hearts that the sin begins. Before we will commit adultery we will lust, before we murder we usually hate. That is why Jesus said that what comes out of a man is what defiles a man.

Although we may feel that we understand this and we may even have given some thought to this, how often are we monitoring our emotions that will lead us to sin? We are filled with the propensity to be selfish and evil beings. That is a fact. We have to make the effort to allow Jesus to help us overcome ourselves. The most basic negative emotions, if left unchecked, will be the downfall of our souls.

We get depressed, angry, sad, resentful, bitter, and are full of fears and frustrations that may seem overwhelming to us. We must be diligent in our relationship with Jesus so that we allow Him to manage the purifying of our hearts for us. With His love leading us we are able to let go of the negative seeds in our hearts and to plant the positive and water them well. That is what being the branch to His vine is. That is where we will bear much fruit.

Do not let negativity rob you of the joy of Jesus. Do not allow bad emotions to build inside of you until they consume you. Pay attention to not only your actions, but to your feelings. That is where it begins.

“If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.” Matthew 5:29 (NKJV).

LOVE THAT CROSS, Pastor John Collins

Read more about JOHN COLLINS MINISTRIES, or reach me, Pastor John, personally through John Collins Ministries at www.johncollinsministries.com.

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS: OPEN YOUR BIBLES

From Pastor John Collins:

 “This book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.” Joshua 1:8 (NKJV).

“Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.” Matthew 5:17 (NKJV).

The Holy Bible was written for you and for me. It is a collection of writings from many different men that was inspired by God for our benefit. Jesus came to fulfill what has been written and there is yet more to come as well. The purpose and the point of knowing what has been written is not only to be aware of the signs and the things to come, but to learn from what has been and to know how to conduct ourselves now.

Our lives are meant to honor God, our Creator and our Lord Jesus Christ. The work that was done at Calvary does not negate the responsibility that we must take for the choices we make in life. We are required to act on our faith and we need to know just what is acceptable to God and what is not. It is written in the Bible. 

How much effort do you put forth to know the word of God? How much time have you devoted in your life to coming to know what treasures lie within those pages? The stories and the examples that are there are for us to learn from, to gain insight and wisdom and encouragement to carry on.

Let your choices in life reflect a heart that is devoted to Christ. Let your efforts include that good book. Let your days be full interest in the knowledge of God. Let your heart belong to God and let your will submit to His. Come to know His word and value its content because your eternal soul depends upon it. Take the time to open your Bibles and reap what you sow.

“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NKJV).

LOVE THAT CROSS, Pastor John Collins

Read more about JOHN COLLINS MINISTRIES, or reach me, Pastor John, personally through John Collins Ministries at www.johncollinsministries.com.

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS, JOHN COLLINS MINISTRIES: "PROPHETS"

From John Collins, Evangelist: 

“I have heard what the prophets have said who prophesy lies in My name, saying, ‘I have dreamed, I have dreamed!’ How long will this be in the heart of the prophets who prophesy lies? Indeed they are prophets of the deceit of their own heart, who try to make My people forget My name by their dreams which everyone tells his neighbor as their fathers forget My name for Baal. The prophet who has a dream, let him tell a dream; And he who has My word, let him speak My word faithfully. ‘What is the chaff to the wheat?’ says the Lord. ‘Is not My word like a fire?’ says the Lord, ‘And like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?’ Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets, says the Lord, who steal My words every one from his neighbor. Behold, I am against the prophets, says the Lord, who use their tongues and say, ‘He says.’Behold, I am against those who prophesy false dreams, says the Lord, and tell them, and cause My people to err by their lies and by their recklessness. Yet, I did not send them or command them; therefore they shall not profit this people at all, says the Lord.” Jeremiah 23:25-32 (NKJV). 

There have been churches built on the lies of a ‘prophet’, there have been millions and millions of dollars collected on the basis of the lies of a ‘prophet’ and it has become nothing for people to say that God is giving them dreams and telling them this or that and that this person or that is a prophet to the Lord and is anointed.

There is a higher price to pay for deceiving people in the name of the Lord but the most awful price is paid by the one who is convinced by the deceiver. God is not unable to make His will known to all. God is not without the power to make sure that His message is received and it is unmistakable. God’s voice thundered from heaven when Jesus was baptized. The magnitude of the miracles that were done by Jesus and in the name of Jesus was not questionable. When God wants you to know something, He is not subtle.

Many a foolish person has been taken in by a Bible scholar who can spin the scriptures to delight the listener and convince them of the authority of the speaker. Do not be fooled by clever orators who eventually base their ‘church’ on themselves and demand your pocketbook and your complete devotion while claiming to have visions from God and instructions from God.

Get a Bible for under 10 dollars and read it. Then read it again and again. It will help you to have the ability to rightly discern the crackpot churches that have been around for centuries and it will help you tune out the nonsense that so many are tossing around these days.

“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.  But shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness.” 2 Timothy 15-16 (NKJV).

LOVE THAT CROSS, PASTOR JOHN

Read more about JOHN COLLINS MINISTRIES or reach me, Pastor John, personally through John Collins Ministries at www.johncollinsministries.com.

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS: PRAYER AND SIGNS OF THE TIMES

From John Collins, Evangelist: 

“And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.” John 3:19-21 (NKJV).

There is true evil in this world. We can look around and see it. Many people would like to ignore it, not be bothered by it, not have it touch their lives and just go about their business. Sometimes evil intrudes and we are shocked, hurt and want to question if there is a God at all. If God is so powerful, why does He allow bad things to happen? That is always a question for those who would deny that there is a God and would claim that if there was a God at all then He must not care about us and must not be all good as those who believe in His say. God gave men free will to live and choose to behave as they would have it and for that reason there will always be evil in this world. Evil is just selfish desires and power grabs manifested in this world. Evil is those choosing to lash out at others because of their own hurt. Evil is defiance and rebellion acted out in order to lift oneself up. Evil is petty and there will come a time when God chooses to step in and bring about further revelation to this world.

Some wait for God to act and some want to ignore the signs but while there is still yet time we should be praying for more light to shine in the darkness. Prayer is a powerful thing and God wants to hear from us, not just about our lives, our desires, our sicknesses and needs, our family and friends but about our hopes and thoughts regarding this world. Do you consider praying about those who suffer, the abused men, women and children? Do you pray for the weak? Do you pray that those who protect us are themselves protected? Do you pray that righteousness would make its way into the government? Do you pray that foreign nations would be strengthened in food and health to limit the depletion of your own country? Do you pray that revelation would come from God that would minimize the desire to blow each other up? There are people whose only desire is for more power, more money, more weapons and the opportunity to display it all for the world to see. There is evil in this world because some only care about themselves and they don’t value life or the gifts that come with it.

What so many have forgotten, failed to realize or choose to ignore is that the only true power in this world comes from God alone and all of the rest is an illusion. God is the one who has all of the strength and He really does want us to make the best choices available to us and sometimes people just don’t know what that is. Changing things in this world can start with hope and prayer. Change does need to come, more light needs to permeate the dark and more people need to wake up to the reality that things are changing and we need to change as well. We need more righteousness in this world, not more rebellion. Pray for that.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16 (NKJV).

Love That Cross, Pastor John Collins

Read more about JOHN COLLINS MINISTRIES or reach me, Pastor John, personally through John Collins Ministries at www.johncollinsministries.com.

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS, JOHN COLLINS MINISTRIES: PRIDE

From Pastor John Collins:

“Then a dispute arose among them as to which of them would be greatest. And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart, took a little child and set him by Him, and said to them, ‘Whoever receives this little child in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me. For he who is least among you all will be great.’” Luke 9:46-48 (NKJV).

“Listen, my beloved brethren: Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?” James 2:5 (NKJV).

Who is worthy to be lifted up? How does God choose those that He would separate and use for His purposes? He chose Abraham and Abraham was considered a friend of God’s. He chose David and David was a man after God’s own heart. He sent His Son who died for us all.

Even those who walked with Jesus thought of themselves and the impact that they would have on this world. This is so wonderful to know that the human instinct to desire to rise above and be great was felt in those men who walked with Christ. This allows us to recognize this in ourselves and work to overcome. They were corrected and they learned what true humility is. They witnessed their Lord humble Himself to the Cross. Yet there are so many that want to be great in the name of the Lord. They call attention to themselves and think highly of themselves. But, God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble. Believe me when I tell you that God knows what He is doing and He knows our hearts.

God has no use for pride. God does not want servants that think highly of themselves and their eligibility. God wants people to serve Him that are humble of heart. When we choose to walk with Jesus it should be with a pure heart and a true devotion to obedience to the Lord. We should never seek our own. We should not care what others think of us. We should be concerned only with whether we are an asset to the kingdom of God or a burden. If we have selfish ambition in our heart and a desire to stand out and be important, we are seeking status in this life and we are then unworthy to be a true servant of the Lord.

We must be careful when we desire to leave a name for ourselves, to want to be recognized for our importance or to be valued among men. Even those who walked with Jesus thought of themselves and the impact that they would have on this world. This person thinks of salvation when he looks upon the souls of this world. This person has sadness in his heart because of the condition of the human race. This person worries of the state of other’s faith in their lives. This person considers opportunities to share the gospel and help others come to Jesus. This person wants to see others go to heaven and lives his life as an example. This person will sacrifice and find ways to be a light in a world of dark.                                                                                                                         

This person will please God.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn,
For they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
For they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
For they shall be filled.” Matthew 5:3-6 (NKJV)

Love That Cross, Pastor John

Read more about John Collins Ministries or reach me, Pastor John, personally, through John Collins Ministries at www.johncollinsministries.com.

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS, JOHN COLLINS MINISTRIES: FAITH LIFE

From Pastor John Collins: 

“For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise: ‘For yet a little while, And He who is coming will come and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith; But if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him.’ But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul.” Hebrews 10:36-39 (NKJV).

A life is only worth living if the soul is saved, otherwise it is a tragedy no matter how well that life was lived. A life must achieve salvation in order to produce worth.

A person can grow up brilliant, become a scientist and cure a disease, become a surgeon and save lives, become a soldier and fight for freedom, become a teacher and pass along knowledge to so many, become any number of things that enhances the lives of those living on this planet and still fail. If you don’t make it to heaven, you fail.

No matter the success, accomplishment, or enlightenment that you bring to this world, if you don’t live a life of faith in the Son and the Father and commit to living a life in obedience to the gracious will of GOD, you will not enter heavens gates upon your earthly death.

Life is a gift and in all of its trials and troubles it is precious and an opportunity for you to grow in righteousness. Life is a gift and it is full of trauma and beauty that too many just waste on nonsense. Life is a gift that should be cherished and appreciated and used to ensure your salvation which can only happen through devotion to the Lord.

Do not squander your life. Do not take a single breath for granted. Do not waste what you have been given. Love GOD, love the Son, love the cross, love your neighbor and love yourself enough to seek those things which are above which is to seek to become more Christ-like and to seek righteousness before all.

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1 (NKJV).

LOVE THAT CROSS, PASTOR JOHN BELIEVE THAT

Read more about JOHN COLLINS MINISTRIES or reach me, Pastor John, personally at John Collins Ministries, www.johncollinsministries.com.

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS, LOVE THAT CROSS: PART-TIME CHRISTIAN?

From Pastor John Collins:

“Now Jesus sat opposite the treasury and saw how the people put money into the treasury. And many who were rich put in much. Then one poor widow came and threw in two mites, which makes a quadrans. So He called His disciples to Himself and said to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury; for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood.’” Mark 12: 41-44 (NKJV).

You cannot only be a Christian when things are going good in your life and you cannot only be a Christian towards those whom you like and approve of. The whole point of being a Christian is to be Christ-like and believe me, Jesus was kind to those whom He knew to be sinners and those whom He would not approve of, which is the reason that He was sent to earth, to save those who were lost. Jesus gave all that He had down to His last breath, for us.

Many people take their own lives and situations too seriously and become defensive and ignore those who are around them. Many people justify their self-absorption by claiming tragedy, turmoil, victimhood and obligations. You cannot justify acting nasty or dismissive to others because you are not in a comfortable situation or in a place of stability. God tests you on how you behave under pressure, under stress and in the tough situations. God tests you all of the time and if you really are interested in how you are doing, just go and read the Sermon on the Mount and see how you measure up.

The words of Christ when He spoke are not to be dismissed, they are to be obeyed and that is how you will be tested. God doesn’t want you to wait until you are happy and financially stable to help another. It is your suffering that makes you able to have compassion and it is your willingness to put another before yourself that makes you rich.

Be willing to be a follower of Christ when no one is looking and be willing to open yourself up to another when they are in need. Not everyone needs money as charity. There are so many lonely people in this world that need love and faith. Be willing to offer both freely because God knows that Jesus always will.

“Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have the glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.” Matthew 6:2 (NKJV).

LOVE THAT CROSS, Pastor John Collins

Read more about JOHN COLLINS MINISTRIES, or reach me, Pastor John, personally through JOHN COLLINS MINISTRIES at www.johncollinsministries.com.

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS: SUICIDE

From Pastor John Collins:

“And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” Romans 5:3-5 (NKJV).

Sometimes life just beats you up and sometimes your faith is tested more than you think that you can bear. It is important to begin and maintain that relationship with Jesus so that you can be sure that all of your struggles in life will produce the results that you seek. You should be seeking first and always to obey the Lord and get to heaven and your entire life should produce godly fruit that is evident of your conviction.

When you are not striving to do the will of God and you are living your life doing your own will and pursuing your own desires then you can be sure that any pitfalls that you fall into are not about testing your faith but are about providing opportunities for you to begin to pursue your faith. If you are a person who devotes each day to becoming more Christ-like then you can be sure that all of your struggles are not in vain but are a product of your learning to trust in God and also learning what is approved of by God while strengthening your character and preparing you for heaven. Only the pure and the approved get to go to heaven and just believing in Jesus does not mean you will be welcomed into Paradise. Remember that even the demons believe.

Perseverance is a challenge for everyone. It is not easy to feel burdened and tormented in life and it is not easy to deal with all that may happen that produces loss and hurt and scars. The beauty of submitting to the will of God and in obeying the Lord and in calling upon Jesus is that you know that when your faith is genuine, their strength is your strength and their hope for you is complete and they won’t let go. God really does want you to make it home to Him and Jesus really did die for you so that you could go there.

Life is difficult and times are tough and it is nothing new. Give your life to Jesus and commit to being loyal and obedient in your faith and know that no matter what you go through in this journey He will be there for you. Trust that you do have what it takes to persevere and it is worth it to try and try and try. Hold on to the hope that the Lord has given because He does love you.

“Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.” James 1:12 (NKJV).

LOVE THAT CROSS, PASTOR JOHN BELIEVE THAT

Read about JOHN COLLINS MINISTRIES or contact me, Pastor John, personally through JOHN COLLINS MINISTRIES, www.johncollinsministries.com. 

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS: AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR

From Pastor John Collins:

“Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother.” Matthew 18:15 (NKJV).

“So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.” James 1:19-20 (NKJV).

Wouldn’t it be lovely if we lived in a world where people actually took this to heart? The truth is that we are a bloodthirsty, angry, confrontational and combative people. The Coliseum of Rome held death matches for people and animals and the stands were filled, public hangings and burnings brought crowds time and again, and mobs form as rioting occurs while people revel in ferocious displays of aggressive behavior. 

Arguing and fighting is exhausting. There are so many people that have become accustomed to living their lives in continuous battles. Some people are just argumentative and don’t know any other way. When most people encounter confrontational behavior they become defensive and respond in the same manner. 

It is very difficult but if you don’t want to live this way and you are then you must choose to disengage and distance yourself from the provocation of fighting. You have to learn to react differently and to act differently. Sometimes this means walking away from those that you are close to. This behavior that is dramatic and disruptive is not conducive to walking through the gates of heaven. Sometimes you have to make a choice about where you want to go and begin to actively work to get there.

There are families that communicate by fighting and there are some who will never stop pushing those buttons. Sometimes you just have to choose to take the high road and walk away. If you are a person who is easily drawn into battle and quickly angered you need to avoid those triggers and seek a peaceful existence. It won’t be immediate but it can come if you work at it and make better choices.

“And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.” Colossians 3:15 (NKJV).

LOVE THAT CROSS, PASTOR JOHN

Read more about John Collins Ministries, or reach me, Pastor John, personally through John Collins Ministries @ www.johncollinsministries.com.

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS: WISH LIST, NEW AGE, TRUTH

From John Collins, Evangelist:

“And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” Galatians 5:24-25 (NKJV).

Name it and claim it! There are many churches out there that have been peddling the law of attraction for some time now. There are many Christians that see no harm in a visualization board, affirmation clippings and scrapbooks of hopes that are created, kept  and prayed over.  What is wrong with picturing a better life for yourself, creating a visual focal point so that you can put out into the world your hopes and dreams and create for yourself the life that you desire?

Many believe that you can state your claims out loud to God and He will answer your heart’s desire.That is your will, not His. As much grace as God is willing to provide, He is not in the business of granting wishes like some genie in the sky.

The challenge of being a true Christian in this life is to deny the passions of your flesh. That is what you fight against. Your flesh wants nice things, joy and happiness above all and most of all it wants validation for your importance and existence. People want success and recognition for their efforts and they want the paycheck that goes along with it. There are many that say to live your life to the fullest, claim your reward, allow God to do more for you than you realize was possible. God is in the business of saving souls, not making your dreams come true. God desires humility and not pride of life. People want to try this and that to make their lives better but do not even see when those things are anti-biblical because people don’t know the word of God.

This name it and claim it nonsense is of the new age church. There are many churches today that are introducing and blending pagan ideas and activities into their church, whether they realize it or not, which are contrary to true faith and genuine worship of the Father and the Son. Be careful of the influences that you allow into your life, your church and especially your home.


Many Christians don’t know about the occult and those practices which makes it hard to rebuke when it enters your life and there are many of these that seem harmless enough but in reality all they do is undermine your beliefs. God has been fighting the evil practices since the beginning and many cannot see that it is nothing new but it is just updated and repackaged for this generation. Paganism and idolatry is an abomination to the Lord and you must be cautious and aware in what you allow to have influence over you. Hold tight to the doctrine of truth and let humility rule your life.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.” Galatians 5:22 (NKJV).

LOVE THAT CROSS, PASTOR JOHN COLLINS

Read more about John Collins Ministries or reach Pastor John Collins through John Collins Ministries at www.johncollinsministries.com.

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS: PRAYING TO DEAD PEOPLE

From John Collins, Evangelist:

"And when they say to you, ‘Seek those who are mediums and wizards, who whisper and mutter,’ should not a people seek their God? Should they seek the dead on behalf of the living?” Isaiah 8:19 (NKJV).

“Jesus said to them, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” John 14:6 (NKJV).

Have you ever heard someone say that they are praying to their dead grandmother for strength? It is not only a Catholic thing but it is a complete disconnect in a persons' faith and disobedience to God that leads people to reach out in prayer to their dead relatives, to the ‘saints’ of the church and especially to Mary the mother of Jesus Christ. Let me be very clear, Mary, the mother of Jesus is NOT the mediator of your faith and to pray to her is the same as praying to any other dead person. Jesus Christ is the way to get to the Father and it is through Him that you must pray.

You have been given a mediator in Jesus who was beaten, rejected and hung on a tree for the sins of the world. You have been instructed on how to approach God in prayer in the name of Christ. There is no way around this rule and there are no exceptions, even for His mother or the so-called saints or for any of your dead relatives. None of those people will help you, none of those people are able to provide you with anything and none of those people have the approval of God to stand as a mediator for you.

Do you think that God takes it lightly that so many ‘Christians’ ignore the words of His Son every day and are praying in the name of so many others? It is not something to think of casually. Your prayers are your communication with God and your faith is strengthened by your prayers. God does listen to the prayers of the faithful and the prayers of those whose hearts genuinely seek to worship Him in spirit and truth. Be serious in your prayers as that is the way that you approach God. Think of the holiness of the tabernacle and how so very few could actually come close. Think of the instructions to Israel about the holiness of God and how He must be worshiped. Jesus is now the mediator of your faith and it is necessary to approach both Jesus and God with reverence and awe. Do not be casual in your faith, in your prayers or in your attitude about God and Jesus Christ. Take your faith seriously so that you are able to enter through the narrow gate. Pray as the Lord has instructed you and do not turn to the right or to the left.

“My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world. Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, ‘I know Him,’ and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.” 1 John 2:1-4 (NKJV).

LOVE THAT CROSS PASTOR JOHN

Read more about John Collins Ministries or contact me, Pastor John, through John Collins Ministries at www.johncollinsministries.com.