Why Wars Rage! (Part 1)
4/1/2022
C. Hayden
What was thought to have lasted only days has now extended to over a month. The Russian invasion
continues, more lives are lost, and threats of escalated aggression and violence rises. Is it a Russian and
Ukrainian problem? Yes, but it is so much more than that. Not only is there the risk of other nations
being dragged into the conflict, but there are a plethora of consequences and conditions that mankind
has foisted upon itself because of our rebellion and lack of faith in our everlasting Savior. The world’s
rejection of the one true God and ongoing efforts to remove Jesus Christ from the public square has
placed individuals, communities, and entire countries in an ever-progressing cycle of precariously caustic
and destructive world.
James 4:1-3 says this, “Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from
your desires for pleasure that war in your members? 2 You lust and do not have. You murder and covet
and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not
receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your
pleasures.” National leaders, whether in Russia, China, or here
in the United States, want more power, security, and resources, so
they battle others to obtain them. People want more power,
security, and resources as well, so they often do the same in one
way or another. The world has turned away from God and
therefore squabble within itself and among its members to obtain
what it wants regardless of the chaos it creates.
If we would only turn our planet and living residents back over to the Creator, we would see a revival that would, literally
as well as figuratively, make our world into a paradise where all needs are met.
It continues to be one of the missions of the Church of Jesus and the members of His Body to
maintain the call for the world to repent and turn back from the path non-believers are on. This
message is not just for Putin and the Russian leadership, but for all the peoples of the earth. At this
moment neither Putin nor Biden are currently reading my monthly blog. But maybe as we continue to
be representatives of God, ambassadors for Christ as stated in 2 Corinthians 5:20, we may play a part in
reconciling others to the King, thereby changing and bringing peace to our little corner of world. And as
we all play our part in building the Kingdom of God, as all believers are called to do , perhaps at least
some of our earth-bound leaders (the clueless ones), whether locally or nationally, will finally get the
message. More on “Why Wars Rage! Part 2 next month.
Be blessed even more!!
Pastor Chris
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Grow the Kingdom
3/15/2022
J. Fields
I recently preached on a message about the role and purpose of the church, as I
mentioned during my sermon this was a message that God has been stirring up within me for a
while now, for what I believe is many different reasons, I’ll get to those in a second. The thing
for us all to remember is it us who is the “church” – Yes this means that if we want the “church”
to look different the change must start within our own lives. Some people have asked; how can
you tell if the church is healthy and my response is…. Are souls being transformed for the glory
of God? Are people becoming mature in their relationship with God? Is the flock going out and
inviting others to church? Is the church living their lives in a way that you can see God through
them? These are all ways that a healthy church will shine.
Central Christian is a church that we should all be proud of; I know for my family it has
been a true blessing. Even though I do believe we are a spiritually strong church our work isn’t
done, the church should never be satisfied rather we should stay hungry for more of God. The
thing we don’t want to do is become comfortable in the way we do “church” instead we should
seek ways that God can stretch us, to take us out of our comfort zone. Let me explain why I
believe uncomfortableness is actually a good thing.
Before I share this story, please understand that I understand personally I have a long way
to grow and I am in no way trying to say this to bring praise to myself, I understand that I am just
a tool that God can use. A couple of years ago the Kendrick Brothers came out with a movie
called Courageous during this movie there was a moment where the men could take an oath
before God and their family stating that they would be the men that God has created them to be.
A gentleman in the church that I was attending at that time came up to me and asked me if I
would sign his declaration stating I would help hold him accountable, he said that he is asking
me to sign it because I’m the first person who ever spoke to him at the church and made him feel
welcome, talk about a powerful but humbling moment! From that moment I understood that
God has blessed me with the personality that I am to do His work in all circumstances. The point
is you never know the difference you may make in someone’s life so just be obedient, be
stretched, and allow the Holy Spirit to have its way within you, be the church.
Here’s the reason I believe God has been stirring this message about the purpose of the
church within my heart. The church isn’t supposed to be a comfortable social or country club
rather it is supposed to be a house of prayer, a place we go to worship, praise, speak to, and
glorify the King. While God should always be the reason, we attend church, He also calls us to
not only love Him but also love others? Church Family, we are entering one of the most crucial
and exciting times of the year, Easter! We must shine like the church should shine, we must
allow God to be alive within us and we must go reach everyone for Jesus! We can’t sit back and
just have church we must go a step further and be the church. We are going to get some groups
together and walk neighborhoods and invite others to church, we are going to let them know the
reason we celebrate Easter, will you join me and tell Huntington that we have GOOD NEWS and
HIS name is JESUS!!!!
Mark 16:15 “ And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole
creation.”
Blessings,
Pastor Jason
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Why Crime Rates Rise (Part 2)
3-1-2022
C.Hayden
Before we leave this subject of facing increasing crime, we want to explore another Biblically based reason for this
ongoing scourge in our nation today. Not only have we allowed the removal of God and His moral principles from
the public square of our societal consciousness, we have allowed many of America’s leaders to remove the Word’s
obvious truths with the demonic circus of the bizarre. Now, any type of perversion people can dream up appears
to have individual groups and society’s leaders working to promote as acceptable. I don’t want to get into the
weeds by listing all of the craziness our world strives to normalize, but when sports organizations accept men into women’s sports, when we can no longer count on our elementary age daughters having privacy in public restrooms from adult males (and vice versa), when education systems allow scientific theories to gain traction that declare that life on earth came about because space aliens used our planet as a petri dish by dropping off their DNA here, and when we allow the justice system to sentence child molesters to parole, we have a problem.
When there is a plethora of evidence for God and Biblical truth, and with little to absolutely no evidence for theories and
practices such as these that reject God, well, we certainly have jumped the shark just a little bit.
The Bible says this in 1 Corinthians 1:18-20, “ For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are
perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written: ‘I will destroy the wisdom of the
wise, And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.’ 20 Where is the wise? Where is the scribe?
Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?” When the world, any
person or group of people untether themselves from the truth that is in God’s Word, they will start believing in any
type of foolishness that comes down the pipe. That will in turn not only affect what a society believes, but will also
generate anti-social, and even criminal behavior in communities that allow it. We certainly are reaping what we
have sown and continue to sow. What is the solution? Reject the foolishness of the world in our own lives, teach
our children and all who will listen the truth t hat is in God’s Word, and love the world enough to preach the good
news of salvation through Jesus Christ to whosoever will choose to believe. The foolishness of this world is just
another sign of the soon return of the Lord.
Be blessed even more!!
Pastor Chris
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