Message from Pastor Leo

January 15, 2009

Most people agree there is a heaven and a hell.  Most will even tell you they believe God and Satan are real, and there are angels and demons.  But most people don’t follow through in their belief.  They’ll “acknowledge” God is there.  “Yeah, sure.  I believe in God and the Bible”.  But they don’t read the Bible, and they only go to church when it’s convenient.  They don’t follow through on their belief.  They’d rather live in the world than surrender their lives  to God. 

Jesus ran into the same thing in His day with the priests and scribes.  They thought they had a handle on life and were close enough to God.  But Jesus told them: Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life. John 5:39-40.  The religious leaders believed in the scriptures.  They knew the scriptures were talking all about Jesus.  But they wouldn’t surrender to Him.  Their lives, their lifestyle, living in the world was more important to them than God.

Again, in Matthew chapter 6, Jesus was talking to people whose whole lives were about making money, and He said: Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven. Matthew 6:19-20.  They were living in the world and not living for God.

You and I are living in two different worlds at the same time.  You’ve got to correctly choose which world you’ll pursue – earthly pleasures, or the promises of God’s kingdom.  You can’t do both.  No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. Matthew 6:24

So what should you do?  Relax.  Don’t panic.  Read your Bible.  Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Matthew 6:25

Because if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? Matthew 6:30-31

Read your Bible and seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Matthew 6:33

Read your Bible every day and draw closer to Jesus.

May the Lord Jesus Christ Be Magnified!

Pastor Leo A. Giovinetti