Letter From the Pastor...
This is a section right from the bulletins each Sunday in which Pastor Pat writes things on his mind from the week. It's inspirational, and if you don't get a chance to read it at church, it's here each week!
April 22, 2012
Each one of us needs to become spiritually healthy. It is nearly impossible to be productive in God's kingdom when we are continuously given over to our own needs. When we are healthy, then we can begin to assist others in their relationship with God. Galatians 2:2 states, Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ." Again, it is nearly impossible to bear other people's burdens when we are weighed down by our own. Each of us can only handle so much. This is why it is so important to become spiritually healthy; so we can begin to carry other's burdens. If I just lost you because your first thought was, 'I don't want to carry anyone else's burden', then you can never fulfill the law of Christ. The above scripture instructs us to carry each other's burdens, and in doing so we fulfill the law of Christ. Once you are healthy then you will want to help others get healthy also. Many years ago I was a drug addict and alcoholic. I have been clean and sober for over twenty-two years. Now that I have been delivered from my addictions, I want to help others become healthy and free from their addictions. How do you become spiritually healthy? Admit that you need help growing in your relationship with God. I have come across many who pretend to be healthy spiritually because they once went to church, or was raised in the church, or periodically pray, or they are a decent person for the most part. But, these are signs that you are really sick with a form of pride. Spiritually healthy people will reflect Jesus Christ and His truth everywhere they go. Religious people will choose their denomination over truth, and in doing so expose their sickness. Anytime you hold onto your denominational truth over the truth of the Bible then you are spiritually sick and need a doctor.
With a shepherd's love, Pastor Patrick
April 15, 2012
Some people can succeed in church but fail in life. They can have their spiritual disciplines in place, but their family is falling apart. They can have faithful attendance to the weekly service, but their private life is filled with regret, pain, and turmoil. How can this be? Because they have not allowed the true power of God to infiltrate every aspect of their life. They view serving God and the implementation of truth as something reserved only for church. Once the true touch from the Holy Spirit comes upon us, then we are free to live in that power everywhere we go. We no longer view church life different from other aspects of life. Everything we do has limitations until the Holy Spirit comes upon us. But once we encounter the Holy Spirit we are free to operate in the power of God. The early disciples of Jesus were commanded to wait until the Holy Spirit came upon them before they were to begin their initial evangelistic efforts. The Kingdom of God could not be furthered by man's efforts alone. They needed a endowment of power from on high. It is still true today. We need the power of God to fulfill the great commission of winning the lost to Christ. We need a fresh baptism in the power of God to demonstrate to the lost world that Jesus Christ is perfect love. II Corinthians 5:17-19 states, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has gone and the new has come. All this is from God who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting people's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation." The true and authentic ministry of reconciliation is to bring the lost to Christ for salvation by the power of the Holy Spirit.
With a shepherd's love, Pastor Patrick
April 8, 2012
The greatest event in all of history is the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The cross of Jesus Christ paid the penalty for sin and provided an opportunity for anyone who would repent to have their sins forgiven. But it was the resurrection three days later that Jesus demonstrated His power over death, hell, and the grave. The cross is only effective because of the resurrection. If Jesus would have died and stayed dead, then we would still be captured by eternal death. However, the resurrection provides for us the ability to have eternal life, overcome death, and be free from the punishment of sin. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is what separates Christianity from all other religions. Only Jesus proved His deity by raising from the dead and then inviting others to join Him in eternal life. This is why the name of Jesus is above every other name. The resurrection sealed God's love for humanity. Sin demanded a punishment, but no one was capable to pay the price, except the sinless Son of God. The cross of Jesus paid the price for sin and the resurrection invited all who would repent to now partake of His divine nature. When you embrace God's love, both intellectually and experientially, then your old nature of sin is removed and the new nature of God is placed within your spirit. This is what the Bible refers to as being "born again". No one can see heaven unless you are born again (Read John 3:1-18). Christians need a greater revelation of this truth: that the divine nature of God dwells in our spirit because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus didn't die and resurrect to just wash our sins away, He died and resurrected to make us like Himself.
With a shepherd's love, Pastor Patrick
April 1, 2012
This week is the recognition of April Fool's Day. In order to get a better understanding of this "holiday", I had to look up the origin and cultural practices through Wikipedia. Nobody knows for sure who or when the celebration actually began, but there are references going all the way back to Iran in 536 B.C. Almost every modern country today has some form of practice recognizing this holiday. The idea is to pull a practical joke of good humor on some unsuspecting victim. Most people will tolerate this behavior and join in the laugh, even if they are the brunt of the joke. However, Biblically what is a fool? Is it someone who is unsuspecting of the upcoming trick? No! The term fool in the Bible is actually describing someone who is morally corrupt. Anyone who does not have a Biblical set of morals is a fool. Why? Because if you follow the moral codes of the Bible then you receive the blessings from those same codes. If you do not follow these codes then you will receive the curses. Therefore, only a fool would want curses to come upon them or their family. The Bible is full of scripture that compare the behavior of a foolish man with that of a wise man. However, the best scripture to identify a fool is found in Psalm 14:1 which states, "The fool says in his heart, there is no God." The reason a fool would say there is no God is because of his moral deficiency. As soon as one admits that God is real, then you must also admit that there is a moral prerogative. Only a fool would admit that there is a God and then live like a heathen. Don't be a fool, but rather live for God.
With a shepherd's love, Pastor Patrick
This is a section right from the bulletins each Sunday in which Pastor Pat writes things on his mind from the week. It's inspirational, and if you don't get a chance to read it at church, it's here each week!
April 22, 2012
Each one of us needs to become spiritually healthy. It is nearly impossible to be productive in God's kingdom when we are continuously given over to our own needs. When we are healthy, then we can begin to assist others in their relationship with God. Galatians 2:2 states, Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ." Again, it is nearly impossible to bear other people's burdens when we are weighed down by our own. Each of us can only handle so much. This is why it is so important to become spiritually healthy; so we can begin to carry other's burdens. If I just lost you because your first thought was, 'I don't want to carry anyone else's burden', then you can never fulfill the law of Christ. The above scripture instructs us to carry each other's burdens, and in doing so we fulfill the law of Christ. Once you are healthy then you will want to help others get healthy also. Many years ago I was a drug addict and alcoholic. I have been clean and sober for over twenty-two years. Now that I have been delivered from my addictions, I want to help others become healthy and free from their addictions. How do you become spiritually healthy? Admit that you need help growing in your relationship with God. I have come across many who pretend to be healthy spiritually because they once went to church, or was raised in the church, or periodically pray, or they are a decent person for the most part. But, these are signs that you are really sick with a form of pride. Spiritually healthy people will reflect Jesus Christ and His truth everywhere they go. Religious people will choose their denomination over truth, and in doing so expose their sickness. Anytime you hold onto your denominational truth over the truth of the Bible then you are spiritually sick and need a doctor.
With a shepherd's love, Pastor Patrick
April 15, 2012
Some people can succeed in church but fail in life. They can have their spiritual disciplines in place, but their family is falling apart. They can have faithful attendance to the weekly service, but their private life is filled with regret, pain, and turmoil. How can this be? Because they have not allowed the true power of God to infiltrate every aspect of their life. They view serving God and the implementation of truth as something reserved only for church. Once the true touch from the Holy Spirit comes upon us, then we are free to live in that power everywhere we go. We no longer view church life different from other aspects of life. Everything we do has limitations until the Holy Spirit comes upon us. But once we encounter the Holy Spirit we are free to operate in the power of God. The early disciples of Jesus were commanded to wait until the Holy Spirit came upon them before they were to begin their initial evangelistic efforts. The Kingdom of God could not be furthered by man's efforts alone. They needed a endowment of power from on high. It is still true today. We need the power of God to fulfill the great commission of winning the lost to Christ. We need a fresh baptism in the power of God to demonstrate to the lost world that Jesus Christ is perfect love. II Corinthians 5:17-19 states, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has gone and the new has come. All this is from God who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting people's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation." The true and authentic ministry of reconciliation is to bring the lost to Christ for salvation by the power of the Holy Spirit.
With a shepherd's love, Pastor Patrick
April 8, 2012
The greatest event in all of history is the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The cross of Jesus Christ paid the penalty for sin and provided an opportunity for anyone who would repent to have their sins forgiven. But it was the resurrection three days later that Jesus demonstrated His power over death, hell, and the grave. The cross is only effective because of the resurrection. If Jesus would have died and stayed dead, then we would still be captured by eternal death. However, the resurrection provides for us the ability to have eternal life, overcome death, and be free from the punishment of sin. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is what separates Christianity from all other religions. Only Jesus proved His deity by raising from the dead and then inviting others to join Him in eternal life. This is why the name of Jesus is above every other name. The resurrection sealed God's love for humanity. Sin demanded a punishment, but no one was capable to pay the price, except the sinless Son of God. The cross of Jesus paid the price for sin and the resurrection invited all who would repent to now partake of His divine nature. When you embrace God's love, both intellectually and experientially, then your old nature of sin is removed and the new nature of God is placed within your spirit. This is what the Bible refers to as being "born again". No one can see heaven unless you are born again (Read John 3:1-18). Christians need a greater revelation of this truth: that the divine nature of God dwells in our spirit because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus didn't die and resurrect to just wash our sins away, He died and resurrected to make us like Himself.
With a shepherd's love, Pastor Patrick
April 1, 2012
This week is the recognition of April Fool's Day. In order to get a better understanding of this "holiday", I had to look up the origin and cultural practices through Wikipedia. Nobody knows for sure who or when the celebration actually began, but there are references going all the way back to Iran in 536 B.C. Almost every modern country today has some form of practice recognizing this holiday. The idea is to pull a practical joke of good humor on some unsuspecting victim. Most people will tolerate this behavior and join in the laugh, even if they are the brunt of the joke. However, Biblically what is a fool? Is it someone who is unsuspecting of the upcoming trick? No! The term fool in the Bible is actually describing someone who is morally corrupt. Anyone who does not have a Biblical set of morals is a fool. Why? Because if you follow the moral codes of the Bible then you receive the blessings from those same codes. If you do not follow these codes then you will receive the curses. Therefore, only a fool would want curses to come upon them or their family. The Bible is full of scripture that compare the behavior of a foolish man with that of a wise man. However, the best scripture to identify a fool is found in Psalm 14:1 which states, "The fool says in his heart, there is no God." The reason a fool would say there is no God is because of his moral deficiency. As soon as one admits that God is real, then you must also admit that there is a moral prerogative. Only a fool would admit that there is a God and then live like a heathen. Don't be a fool, but rather live for God.
With a shepherd's love, Pastor Patrick
There are many rooms in My Father's House, and I am going to prepare a place for you. If this were not so, I would tell you plainly. John 14:2 (NLT)
The Father's House Church
A Place for you to be Prepared
Meet the Pastor
Get the inside scoop on Pastor Pat! He's a fun guy, with a great testimony, and a life truly walking with God. Click here to read more on him!
Get the inside scoop on Pastor Pat! He's a fun guy, with a great testimony, and a life truly walking with God. Click here to read more on him!
Pastor Pat's Personal Website:
The Father's House Church 216 W Mason St Lena, IL 61048 Office Number (815) 990-0367