Church Of The Lost Sheep

Father's Day Proverbs 22:6 "Train up a child in the way he should go [teaching him to seek God’s wisdom and will for his abilities and talents], Even when he is old he will not depart from it." Parents are meant to be teachers of their children. And in many ways they are their first teachers. For some of us, it is hard to imagine that back in the day (and it is not even that far back) there were no schools, and so children were all home-schooled. Pandemic During the restrictions brought about by the Pandemic of 2020, millions of moms and dads have again been called upon to be their children's teachers joining other parents who were already doing so with or without the pandemic. Each child is unique and who better to know and understand this than their own parents. Most if not all schools are (cookie cutter) cookie making factories churning out the same batches of cookies year in and year out. If your child does not fit the mold that have been set that year, then...

  If you are are a new Christian, congratulations... If you aren't sure if you are just yet, you are welcome as well to join us in this new series (or you may want to start with another series -- Rebirth ). Whichever you decide is up to you. This new series was conceived from and now birthed out of a message from our Pandemic Series and back then it was our hope to start this in the new year. Word Becoming Reality So here it is --  a new year, a fresh start, new hope -- a new series.  New Believer Welcome if you are a new believer in Christ or if you knew about Christ because you were born into a religion or a family who taught you about Him but has now finally really seen Jesus of Nazareth for who He claimed to be. You see, most people who profess to be Christians were born into the faith, but many of them are not convinced so they fall away from it. What Christianity is All About And Christianity is not something we can force on people. Those who tru...

  "For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.  For God didn't send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through him."  -John the Apostle, circa 1st century So this year's Advent Season has reached its height, today -- Christmas Day, when Christians the world over commemorated the birth of the Savior of the world. The short story is that Our heavenly Father gave to us His Son, to be born as one of us, to live among us so as to regain or bring us (back) everlasting life. He came not to point to us our faults, our mistakes, miscues and hard headedness but instead show us the way and light our path to come back to Him who gave us life. To all who believe, merry Christmas and to all the rest may we take time to read or watch the story of the Light of the world -- Jesus of Nazareth. The History Channel: The Nativity Advent Series

  "You can pass through his open gates with the password of praise. Come right into his presence with thanksgiving. Come bring your thank offering to him and affectionately bless his beautiful name! For the Lord is always good and ready to receive you. He’s so loving that it will amaze you— so kind that it will astound you! And he is famous for his faithfulness toward all. Everyone knows our God can be trusted, for he keeps his promises to every generation!" Psalm 100:4-5 TPT We will segue from the previous message (passage from Psalm 9) into today's (Thanksgiving Day's) message. Psalms were written to be sang to the Lord. Most modern songs of praise are still taken from the Book of Psalms, if not from other passages of Scriptures. Smooth Transition As we segue, the theme is an uninterrupted transition like when we end one praise song and start the next one. And today we will talk about five things. 1. Praise is the password - the Holy Spirit (the ...

Freedom in Christ "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free." Galatians 5:1a Somebody paid the price In the USA, Memorial Day is a day to remember those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for their country. For Christians, if they truly believe that Jesus of Nazareth gave His life as the ultimate sacrifice for them, then every day should be a memorial day for Christ -- He who paid the ransom and took their place for the punishment of their sins. Responsibility The Apostle Paul wrote to the early believers in Galatia that it is for freedom that Jesus died for them and set them free. Sounds redundant but it is true. Why did Paul have to tell them that? Because he wanted to tell them that they were indeed free. But also reiterated later in his letter to them, not to use their freedom as an excuse to do anything they want just because they could do so. With freedom comes great responsibility. The gospel writer Luke wrote that Jesus told His followers: ...

Happy New Year. Happy New Decade. Happy New You. Let us leave the old behind. Look at 2020 as a bright and blessed new year and new decade.

Trusting in the Lord My child, never forget the things I have taught you. Store my commands in your heart. If you do this, you will live many years, and your life will be satisfying. Never let loyalty and kindness leave you! Tie them around your neck as a reminder. Write them deep within your heart. Then you will find favor with both God and people, and you will earn a good reputation."   Proverbs 3:1-4 Christmas Day is here, for half of the world it is already the day after. Like in the previous years, this day too will entirely come and go. Many of us, would have received gifts, but for many the real gifts are the gifts that last -- joyful memories, kindness, loyalty, faithfulness, forgiveness, grace, mercy and love - real love. Let us learn to give them out and receive them from others and from God. Heaven came down that first Christmas morning, a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and placed inside a box, a manger. Let us receive Him in our heart and t...

"So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image." 2 Corinthians 3:18 The first believers were ordinary men and women who became extraordinary by living out extraordinary lives not because of who they were but because something radical happened to them. They were transformed. This new year, we too can be transformed and live out new lives, not because of our new year's resolutions which no one can really carry out or because we want to be good people. We, like the first believers can be transformed, once we meet God. And having received Him, His Spirit then comes and lives in us, speaking to us ever so gently, molding us, changing us from the inside out. Such is the life that has been transformed -- a life reborn. Reborn not of the flesh, not by our own abilities, but by and of the Spirit. God is Spirit and those who...

"Be cheerful no matter what; pray all the time; thank God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (MSG) Worthy is the Lamb Today is Thanksgiving Day in the U.S., and of all things that originated there, this is probably one of their best ideas. As Paul wrote to the early believers in Thessalonica, regardless of our individual circumstance, everyday we can find at least one thing to be grateful for. For really, as a believer in Christ, you cannot help but be mindful of how much you are and what really you are, grateful for. And first and foremost, is for the cross. The song in the grainy video above, represented a generation of worshippers (during the late 1990s and early 2000s -- at the time I met the Lord). And as we watch this video today, Thanksgiving Day is Throwback Thanksgiving Thursday. But let us not forget, the most important thing about being a Christian -- and that is Chris...

New Year's Resolution Every new year brings in a new opportunity to be a new if not better you. But year in and year out our new year's resolutions only last a few weeks, if not a few days. And then when the inevitable happens -- when we break our resolution, we end up feeling bad and quit trying to be a better person until the next new year. And each year it's the same new determination to do good or to be good, and most times, the same results, disappointment. What most people have yet to realize is that by ourselves,  we cannot be good.  We can try but then eventually we stumble,  we falter and we fail.  And because of that,  so many of us just quit trying altogether. Real Change 2nd Corinthians 5:17 says, If anyone belongs to Christ, there is a new creation. The old things have gone,  everything is made new!  (NCV)  If we allow God, He will change us from the inside out and real and lasting change happens. It's not like we ju...

Happy Birthday Jesus Okay today 12-25, Christians celebrate Christmas by feasting and by giving or exchanging gifts with one another. Now Christmas is suppose to commemorate the birth or the birthday of Jesus. Obviously nobody knows the actual day when Jesus was born but then again some people do not believe that he was a real person to begin with. Anyway we will not talk about that today, for today is Christmas day. And today and every December 25th is Happy birthday Jesus day! Let us read a short narrative from scriptures, from the book of Luke: The Birth of Jesus In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register...