A Greater Love!

A Greater Love - Preached by Bishop Perry on Sunday, February 15, 2015

Text: 1 Corinthians 13:13


Bishop Perry shared three points about God's love when she exhorted the saints on Sunday. First, God's love is eternal. Secondly, To love is a command of God. Lastly, as Christians we are to demonstrate God's love.

God desires for His children who represent Him to move to a "love mood". When we love as God loves, we love even when others have hurt or offended us. We don't just love those who treat us right. But we extend our love to the area of our hurts and disappointments.

On the other hand, we must also understand that God's love is not the same as tolerance. Tolerance is not a God word, but a secular idea that the society is trying to impose upon the church. Tolerance demands that we be excepting of all things, even things that go against our beliefs as Christian. However, God's love will speak out and tell a person when they are wrong. God's love corrects that which is wrong, it instructs. God's love causes us to extend long-suffering, patience and love when we correct and speak truth. But it does not allow us to be tolerant of sin.

John 15:12-13 commands believers and flowers of Christ to extend love to each other. If we love God we must walk in love towards one another. It is through our love for one another that the world we see the love of Christ.

Finally, we must be committed to God's love. When we are committed to live out and demonstrate God's love, His love will heal and restore. When we combine His love with His Word, it will restore all.

I Am Blessed

I'm Blessed - preached by Bishop Brenda K. Perry

Ephesians 1:1-3

Blessed us with all spiritual blessings...

Bishop Perry preached on the first Sunday of the new year, "I'm Blessed!". The message was not centered around the material blessings that many of us look for or desire. Instead she spoke on the spiritual blessings that God has given to those who belong to Him. When we are born again, we are adopted into the family of God. With that adoption comes spiritual blessings that no one outside of God's family is privileged too. There are promises that God has revealed to us through His Word. 

But we must also understand that being blessed is not the absence of trials and test. However, we can always rest in knowing that God is there with us...and that is a blessing.

• Because you are blessed does not mean you won't have hardship. There will be battles that you as Christians must fight.
• The enemy will try to make you think or feel like you are not blessed. But you must teardown those thoughts through prayer, speaking out loud the promises of God, reflecting on the blessings God has already revealed unto you, and through reading what He says in His Word. 
• You don't have to be envious of anyone else, because YOU are blessed.
• God has given us wisdom and understanding. So what is it that God wants you to learn from your test and trial? What blessing is God giving you through your situations?
• Learn who are in Christ. When we know we are in Christ, we understand how blessed we are...what He has been given to us.
• Do you appreciate what God has done for you?
• Whether you see the natural blessings right now, you are spiritually blessed. 

Message notes from Sunday, January 5, 2015