And you shall make an Alter to burn incense upon: of shittim wood shall you make it (EX 30:1)

When Aaron and his sons were anointed, with the description given in the Twenty - ninth Chapter of Exodus, the sons were anointed with him, and not he with them. Everything is connected with Jesus, of which Aaron was a type.

The precious Blood of Christ had first to be poured out before the Spirit could be poured fourth; and sinners must first be washed from their sins in that Precious Blood before they can be baptized with the holy Spirit. Thus cleansed and sanctified, worship at the Golden Altar of Incense is possible; but not otherwise!

This Golden Altar of Incense sat immediately in front of the Veil which separated the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies in the Tabernacle. Coals of fire were to be taken from the Brazen Altar outside and placed on the Golden Alter, with Incense poured over the coals, which typifioed the Intercession of Christ on behalf of His people.

Having brought His people out of Egypt, God established the Brazen Alter outside the Tabernacle and the Gold Alter inside; He appointed a Mediator to maintain relationship with Him in order that He might dwell among them. That Mediator was Aaron, the High Priest. The Brazen Alter symbolized the perfection of Christ’s Sacrifice for sin; the Golden Alter itself spoke of Jesus. The wood and the gold pre-figured His Humanity and Deity; it was crowned and it had staves  to bear it so as to be the day and night companion of a pilgrim people.

The Incense burned upon it spoke of Him. Aaron himself, in his robes of glory, pictured HIM; and the light of the Gloden Lampstand foretold Him, Who, being the Light of that world that needs no sun, came into this world to be its light. That Light is Jesus!

Have a great day everyone and God bless you all!

For God’s Glory,

Pastor Tom

And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the Earth, and the top of it reached to Heaven: and behold the Angels of God ascending and descending on it (Gen. 28:12

Jesus spoke of this ladder when He began His public Ministry. He said to Nathanael, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, hereafter you shall see Heaven open, and the Angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man” (John 1:51)

That ladder, as Jacob saw it, was closed to all but the Angels. In other words, due to the terrible sin debt upon man, even believing man, Heaven was closed to all. Believers who died before the Cross did not go to Heaven, but rather down to Paradise, where they actually were held captive by Satan (Eph. 4:8). They were comforted in Paradise; however, there was only a gulf which separated Paradise from Hell (Luke 16:19-31).

But when Jesus died on the Cross, the sin debt was forever paid. Now that ladder is open not only to Angels, but also to all Believers.

The moment the Cross was a fact, Jesus went down into the deepest parts of the Earth, and made those who had been all of this time captives of Satan, His captives, and took them with Him home to Glory. Now when a Believer dies, he instantly goes to Glory. Now when a Believer dies, he instantly goes to be with Jesus (Phil. 1:23), all made possible by the Cross.

Have a great day everyone and God bless you all!

For God’s Glory,

Pastor Tom

Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him

a name which is above every name:

That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,

of things in Heaven, and things in earth,

and things under the earth;

And that every tongue should confess

that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

_ Philippians 2:9-11

My friend, the first time Jesus came to this world, He came as a little baby boy that was born in Bethlehem. But the next time Jesus comes - and it could be at any time - He will come as the Lord of Lords and the King of Kings! According to the Bible, at that moment “…every knee should bow, of things in Heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth.”All will bend his knee in  acknowledgement of God’s authority. It is an action that expresses honor, respect, humiliation, and worship.

According to Philippians 2:10, a day is coming when those in Heaven, earth, and hell will bow their knees in honor ,respect, humility, and worship of Jesus Christ! It is not a question of if people will bow their knee to Jesus; it is only a question of when and how they will do it.Will they freely do it  while still living on this earth? Or will they do it from the vantage point of hell? Everyone will bow - including those who have already died and gone to Heaven; those who are still alive when Jesus comes; and even those who have died and are eternally separated from God. All will bow their knees in acknowledgement of Jesus Christ’s Lordship!

And the bending of mankind’s knees in acknowledgement of Jesus” Lordship will be no quiet affair, for Philippians 2:11 goes on to tell us, “… every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

Just as every knee shall bow, it is also a fact that every person will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord!If a person confesses Jesus to be his Lord right now in this life, it will guarantees him a place in Heaven. If a person refuses to make that confession now, he will still do it later - only then it will be to late for him to gain a place in Heaven.

How tragic that people die without confessing Jesus as Lord, for the day is coming when even in death, they will be required to make this confession! If they confess Jesus as their Lord now, they reap the benefits of salvation and all the promises of God. If they do it later, it will be an acknowledgement that they were wrong and that Jesus was right; however, it will not change their eternal status.

Take a few minutes to remind everyone that Jesus is coming again, just as surely as He came the first time. And it anyone has never confessed Jesus as the Lord of his life, offer to take that person into a quite room. After bowing your knees with him, lead him in a confession of Jesus’ Lordship that brings him into the family of God. Can you think of anything more important that could happen to anyone? Witnessing should be our mission, Aman!

Our Confession For To Today

I confess that I am filled with the Holy Spirit, Right now He is giving me the boldness I need to tell my family and friends about Jesus Christ and His death on the Cross for them. There is now better gift I could give to anyone today than the message of Jesus Christ and Him crucified , so I am choosing to give an eternal gift! The Holy Spirit is helping me to recognize opportunities to witness and to pray with people who need to confess Jesus Christ as the Lord and Savior of their lives!

I declare this by faith in Jesus” name!

Have a wonderful everyone and God bless you all!

For God’s Glory,

Pastor Tom

You are strong, and the Word of God abides in you,

and you have overcome the wicked one.

- John 2:14

There are evil thoughts, and there are thoughts of evil. Evil thoughts are suggestive of the Evil One. We must be able to understand what evil is and how to deal with it. The Word of God makes us strong . All evil power is weak. “Young men and woman, you are strong because you know the Word.” (See 1 John 2:14.)

Where do evil thoughts come from? They come from the unclean believer, the man or women who is not entirely sanctified. Remember that the Devil does not know your thoughts; that is where the Devil is held. But God knows your thoughts; God knows all things. Satan can only suggest evil thoughts to try to arouse your carnal nature.

Yet if you are disturbed by evil thoughts, if you are troubled or depressed, then you are in a wonderful place. If you never tell anybody about your evil thoughts, and you are not disturbed about them, the carnal powers have never been destroyed in you. But if you tell anybody, then it is proof that you are clean; it is because you are clean that you weep. If you are not disturbed, if you have no conviction, it is because of your unclean heart; you have let sin come in.

How can the believer believe so that he will not be tormented? How can we be the master of the situation? We must know this scripture: “Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God” (1 John 4:2). Did Jesus come in the flesh? Mary produced a Son in the likeness of God. In a similar way, the eternal seed that came into us when we believed produced a life, a person, which is “Christ in (us)” (Col. 1:27) and which rises up in us until the refection of the Son of God is in everything we do. Mary produced a Son for redemption. God’s seed in us produces a son of perfect redemption, until we live in Him and move by Him, and our whole nature becomes a perfect Son of God in us (Acts 17:28). In the name of Jesus, cast self out, and you will be instantly free.

Thought for Today: There is nothing strong in the Devil; the weakest believer dethrones the Enemy when he mentions JESUS.

Have a Great day everyone and God bless you all!

For God’s Glory,

Pastor Tom

Who, being in the form of God,

thought it not robbery to be equal with God:

But made himself of no reputation,

and took upon him the form of a servent,

and was made in the likeness of men.

- Philippians 2:6,7

At this time of year, believers all over the world celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. His birth is one of the greatest miracles that has ever occurred, for it was the moment when God Almighty laid aside His Glory and appeared on earth as a man. How wonderful, how marvelous to think that God would temporarily shed His divine appearance and actually take on the flesh of man! Yet this is precisely what happened the day Jesus was born in Bethlehem.

Not only did God become man, but He took upon Himself the form of a “servant.” This is the greek word doulos, which refers to a slave. Paul now uses this word to picture the vast difference between Jesus’ preexitent state and His earthly life.Jesus had always existed in the form of God, not the form of man. But taking upon Himself human flesh, He was formed in the womb of the Virgin Mary and became a man.

Jesus was so completely made in the “likeness” of men that Hebrews 4:15 declares He was even tempted in every way that men are tempted. It says, :For we have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.”

So we see that when God the Father sent His Son into the world, Jesus left His heavenly home and took upon Himself human flesh. And because of this great exchange, He has stood in our place; He has felt what we feel; He is touched with the feeling of our infirmities; and He intercedes for us with great compassion as our High Priest.

Out of His deep love for you and me, Jesus was willing to leave His majestic realms of glory to enter the realm of humanity. Shedding all His visible attributes that were too much for man’s flesh to endure, He dressed Himself in the clothing of a human being and was manifested in the flesh. That little baby in Bethlehem was the eternal, ever-existent God Almighty, who dressed Himself in human flesh so that He could dwell among men and purchase our salvation.

When Paul started this text on God becoming man, he started by saying, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:5). You see, God wants us to have the same mind or attitude that was demonstrated in Jesus Christ. Just as Jesus was willing to go this incredible distance to reach us, to love us, and to redeem us, we should desire to do the same for others!

This, then, is one of the primary messages of Christmas: We should be willing to divest ourselves of our privileges, such as the convenience and comfort of self-consumed living, and do whatever we can to reach out and help people. This is what Jesus did for us, so shouldn’t we do the same for others?

Our Confession For Today

I confess that Jesus Christ is God come in the flesh! Before He was ever born as a baby in Bethlehem, Jesus always existed, for He is God Almighty.His birth in Bethlehem provers how vast His love is for me. He so desired to have me as His child that he was willing to make the ultimate sacrifice. And because He dressed Himself in flesh and lived as a man for thirty-three years, He understands everything I face and every temptation that comes my way. Oh, how wonderful it is to know that Jesus loves me!

I Declare This By Faith In Jesus Name!

Have a Great day everyone and God bless you all!!

For God’s Glory,

Pastor Tom

Rejoice with them that do rejoice,

and weep with them that weep.

_ Romans 12:15

It’s such a big let down when you experience something that gets you all excited, but you can’t find anyone who will rejoice with you. I recall this happened to me.

After waiting a long time for a particular victory , it finally happened! I could hardly wait to share it with others. However when I told these people the good news, they just stared at me with expressionless faces, as if they hadn’t heard a word I said. When we departed from each other, they left, barely acknowleging what I had told them. I was very disappointed because I wanted someone to rejoice with me!

Later that day I thought about the group’s lack of response to my exciting news with me. As I pondered the expressionless faces I had seen earlier, I realized that the other members of the group may have been loaded down with their own cares or anxieties. Perhaps their own thoughts weighed so heavily on their minds that they weren’t able to really grasp what I had told them.

We should never respond to someone’s good report with a lack of enthusiasm. Regardless of what we’re going through in our own lives, we need to get our focus off ourselves and learn to “rejoice with them that do rejoice…..” Romans 12:15). In this verse, Paul tells us about the importance of appropriate responses. For instance, when a person rejoices about something wonderful that has happened in his life, then regardless of what we are personally feeling, it is appropriate for us to rejoice with him.

Therefore, this portion of Romans 12:15 presents this idea:

“When people are rejoicing, that’s a time for you to join in the celebration  and rejoice along with those who are rejoicing…..”

You might say , “But I don’t feel like rejoicing when I don’t feel like it.” Well then you need to put your flesh out of the way for a few minutes! Let the other person enjoy his exciting news. Think how selfish it would be for you to throw cold water on his joy simply because you don’t feel like” rejoicing at that moment. What if you were in that person’s shoes and someone responded to you with such a noticeable lack of enthusiasm? It would disappoint you, wouldn’t it?

Paul goes on to tell us that we need to learn to “…..weep with them that weep.” Just as it is appropriate for us to rejoice with those who are rejoicing, it is equally appropriate for us to weep with those who weep. We will all face times when people in our lives weep because of something that has happened or because of an event that has broken their hearts. When that happens, then no matter what we are personally feeling, it is fitting that we show softhearted tenderness toward those individuals, doing all that we can to comfort them.

Brokenhearted people, usually need someone’s arms wrapped about them. They also need to feel like they’re not all alone. And sometimes they need a shoulder to cry on - not because that will make everything better, simply because they need a tender touch in that moment of crisis. This is why Paul say’s we need to ….weep with them that weep.”

Learning to respond with appropriate emotions is very important, A sullen frown during a time of rejoicing is not appropriate. A laughing and light -hearted spirit is often not appropriate in a room that is filled with brokenness and grief. As believers, we can be a blessing. But if we respond inappropriately, we can hurt people’s feelings and either dampen their joy or deepen their sorrow.

Let the Holy Spirit be your Teacher and show you how to emotionally respond to the various situations of life. He knows exactly what is needed and will make you a master of appropriate responses in every situation of life.

Our Confession For Today

I confess that I am sensitive to the emotional climate around me. When people are rejoicing, I join in and rejoice with them. When people are weeping and feeling brokenhearted, I am careful to show love and compassion to them. Because the Holy Spirit is teaching me how to appropriately respond to the various situations that arise in life. I am becoming more fit to minister to people in any given circumstance.

I declare this by faith in Jesus Name!

Have a great day everyone and God bless you all!

Pastor Tom

Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness,

and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.

James 1:21

In the New Testament times, the word apotithimi (Greek) was frequently used to describe someone taking off his dirty clothes at the end of the day. How do you deal with your dirty clothes at the end of the day? You take them off and put them away in the clothes hamper! Now James uses this illustration to explain how you must deal with wrong attitudes and actions in your own life.Just as you wouldn’t go to bed in dirty clothes at night, neither should you go to bed with wrong attitudes!

James 1:21 could be interpreted to mean:

” You must make the choice to remove those filthy, stinking garments from your life, to permanently lay them down and then deliberately push them out of your range forever….”

Also, it’s important to realize that dirty clothes don’t fall of your body by accident! To get them off, you have to push the buttons through the button holes, unzip the zipper, and slip the clothes off your arms and legs one piece at a time. Dirty clothes don’t automatically come off just because you realize they are dirty. They will only come off if you do something to remove them! This is exactly what James has in mind when he tells us to “lay apart” all filthiness from our lives.

When James says to “lay apart” all filthiness from our lives, he is telling us to first acknowledge what is wrong and then to take appropriate measures to remove those areas from our lives. If you are going to get free and stay free, it won’t happen by accident. You must start taking steps to remove those negative things from ytour life - to lay them down and push them so far away that you’ll never be able to reach them again!

Are you struggling with a sin today? Does a wrong attitude keep trying to conquer your life? If so, you must begin to look at that sin or wrong attitude like and old set of filthy clothes that isn’t worthy for you to wear anymore. Make the decision to step out of every destructive area of your life that has held you captive. Once you make that decision, the Holy Spirit will give you the power to carry it out! Just bring that attitude to Jesus and the Cross, that finished work that took place there. and say Lord, I lay this upon your shoulders, I can’t deal with it in my self, thank you Jesus and He will help you have Victory over this problem!!

Our Confession For Today

The Word of God reveals those areas in my life that are unclean and that need to change. Rather than act like a victim who cannot do anything about myself or my circumstance, today I start the process of acknowledging my sin and removing these attitudes, actions, and sins that are unworthy of the new creation I am toady in Christ. I can be free, and I will be free. I will be ALL that God intended for me to be! By taking these things to the cross of Christ and laying them on His shoulders, then the Holy Spirit will have the latitude to work VICTORY in my life!!!

Have a wonderful day everyone and God bless you!

For God’s Glory,

Pastor Tom

Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair,

and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel;But let

it be the hidden man of the heart, in which is not corruptible. even the

ornament of a meek and quiet spirit,which is in the sight of God

of great price.  -1Peter 3:3,4
When a young bride prepares for her wedding, she wants to be beautiful for the man she is about to marry. She goes to the salon to have her hair fixed and her nails manicured. Everything has to look perfect as possible for that moment when she says “I do” to her husband at the church alter.

But a day will come when her body will begin to change, when wrinkles will start to appear, and gravity will begin to move things from where they used to be! When that day comes-and it will come- the most beautiful thing you’ll have to offer your husband will not be your body but a godly, beautiful, unfading spirit. Never forget that your spirit is what will make your husband think you are beautiful to the very last day of your life!”

That’s why it’s important to remember that the most beautiful thing a wife has to offer her husband is not her body but her spirit. The good news is that when the body begins to show signs of age, the human spirit remains remarkably free from its effects. This is why Paul said,”…Though our outward man perish,yet the inward man is renewed day by day” (2 Corinthians 4:16).

You see there are many outwardly beautiful people who are inwardly wicked; therefore, their beauty is only skin deep- neither long-lasting nor impressive. Although these people spend hours adorning and grooming themselves, what is inside them is projected clear through their outer adornment. Since they are actually unkind and inwardly ugly people, their inner ugliness ruins the effect of their physical beauty and causes them to be perceived as unattractive people. The truth is, some of the meanest and most wicked, vile people in the world are physically beautiful, yet their inner attitudes cause them to be very repulsive to those around them.

As my wife JoAnn grows older, I look upon her with great respect than ever before. Honestly, I think she is physically beautiful and I am honored to be married to such an attractive woman. But what makes her most beautiful to me is not her hair, face, her figure, or her clothing. The most beautiful part of my wife JoAnn is her heart. The sweet fragrance of Jesus Christ emanates from her heart, through her attitudes, and into her words and actions, making her one of the loveliest people I’ve ever known

Because my wife has made the development and maturity of her spirit such a central force in her life, I can tell you that she continually captures my heart. Although we are getting older and our bodies are beginning to change, JoAnn is more gorgeous to me today than ever before. I know that as we grow older and older, she will only become more beautiful , because as the flesh wanes, it will only make it more possible for her dynamic heart to shine brighter!

Now Don’t get me wrong, God is not against women using cosmetics, wearing jewelry, or arraying themselves in fine clothing. But all the world’s finest jewelry and most expensive makeup and clothing cannot make a person with a ugly heart look beautiful. Whatever is in the spirit is exactly what will be seen in a person’s life.

Wife, I urge you to take heed to Peter’s plea in these verses. For the sake of both your marriage and your personal walk with God, make the decision to not only adorn your outward appearance, but also to turn your attention to the hidden man of the heart.

Our Confession For Today

I confess that my spirit is getting stronger and stronger as I get older. My inner man is adorned with godliness and grace. The older I get, the more visible my inward man becomes- and what is seen coming from within me makes me attractive, even though I am getting a little wrinkled and gravity is having its effects on my physical form. I am inwardly strong and beautiful, and this inner beauty is what attractes people to me.

I declare this by faith in Jesus name!

Have a wonderful day everyone and God bless you all!!

For God’s Glory,

Pastor Tom

….Abhor that which is evil;

cleave to that which is good.

__ Romans 12:9
Today I want to talk to you about some of the detrimental things you have been tolerating in your personal life. First, let’s look at the illustration of television as an example of what you do to keep evil out of your life.

When our family watches television or movies we are very careful about what we allow to be watched in our home. JoAnn and I know it is part of our God-Given responsibility as grand parents to keep evil from gaining access, for God designed the home to be a godly sanctuary for the family. Because we don’t want evil to effect our family, Joann and I carefully guard what is viewed on the television in our home. Some may say that our approach is narrow, but the apostle Paul clearly instructed all believers to “……abhor that which is evil….” (Romans 12:9).

As human beings, we are usually careful to take care of ourselves physically. However, Paul is telling us that we need to take care of our spirits and minds just as diligently as we watch over the natural care of our human bodies.

You see, if your spirit and mind are invaded by information or images that are evil, the entrance of those images into your mind and spirit can wreck havoc in your life for years to come. Your mind is like a movie screen — and what you allow into your mind lives in your imagination for a very long time.

Romans 12:9 could be interpreted to mean:

“You need to abhor and be disgusted with anything that would bring evil and harm to your physical, mental, or spiritual life. Instead of giving place to those destructive things, why don’t you put your whole self forward to become more joined with that which is good and profitable for you?”

As you’ve read this today, has God’s Spirit been speaking to you about the things you’ve been tolerating in your life for which you should have no tolerance? If the answer is yes, it’s time for you to get into the Presence of God and ask Him to forgive you for permitting wrong influences in your life and home. Then make a concrete, firm decision to remove those wrong influences, and deliberately turn your attention toward the things that will bring you closer to the Lord.

There are so many good things you could be watching, reading, and listening to. So make the quality decision to shun all that is evil as you cleave to that which is good!

Our Confession For Today

I confess that I carefully guard what goes into my spirit and my mind because God has given me the responsibility to do so. Therefore, I will not permit any evil garbage into the domain of my life. By keeping my mind free of evil influences, I will protect my life and stop the devil from many of the attacks he would like to launch against me. I refuse to open the door and invite the enemy in by watching or listening to the wrong things. Instead, I will turn my attention to those influences that are good and profitable for me. I am going to put my whole heart and soul into meditating on that which will enrich my life and take me to a higher level.

I declare this by faith in Jesus name!

Have a wonderful day everyone and God bless you all!!

For God’s Glory,

Pastor Tom

Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God;

lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you,

and thereby many be defiled.

-Hebrews 12:15
When you find yourself constantly saying something derogatory about someone else, pay attention to what’s happening! What you’re saying about that person is a telltale sign that some bad seed is trying to take root in your heart.

This is a very significant picture. It tells us that bitterness doesn’t overwhelm us all at once. Instead, it grows a little here and a little there until it finally becomes a huge, ugly growth that defiles our entire lives. Bitterness usually starts peeking up out of the depths of our souls in the form of negative thoughts about another person or a sour, sharp, distrusting, cynical attitude toward someone who has offended us. If the root is not quickly uprooted and removed, that bitterness will eventually become a full - blown tree that produces bitter, wounding, hurtul, and scornful fruit for everyone who eats of it.

Hebrews 12:15 shouts its warning: If you don’t stop these attitudes, they will eventually “trouble you.” In fact your whole life is stalked by these hassling, troubling thoughts. What you allowed to take root and to fester inside your soul has now become a major nuisance to your peace, keeping you upset and emotionally torn up all the time.

* Do you have a grudge against someone that just gnaws away at you all the time?

* Every time you see that person, do you feel something sharp and ugly inside?

* When you hear about that person being blessed, do you wonder how God could possibly bless him when he did such an ugly thing to you?

* Do negative thoughts like these pester and bother you all the time?

If you relate to the questions I just asked you, then watch out! It may mean that the root of bitterness is growing inside you and that bitterness, resentment, and unforgiveness are starting to hound and stalk you wherever you go!

You need to take this thing to Jesus and the Cross, that finished work there of and let the Holy Spirit help you permanently rid yourself of these feelings; otherwise, you’ll end up troubled, annoyed, and terribly upset. You’ll lose your peace, forfeit your joy, and toss aside your victory. Friend , you don’t want to take this path! It’s too painful, too hurtful, and costs you too much in your walk with God.

The Holy Spirit is willing, ready, and waiting to help you grab hold of those roots of bitterness and pull them clear out of your life. All He needs is your invitation, so why don’t you go ahead and ask Him to assist you right now? Don’t let it happen! Ask the Holy Spirit to help you jerk out those roots from the soil of your heart so you can stay free!!

Our Confession for Today

I confess that my heart is free of bitterness, resentment, strife, and unforgiveness. God’s Spirit lives in me, and He doesn’t allow me to keep living with attitudes in my life. He speaks to me when I begin to think poorly of others; He convicts me of every wrong attitude; and helps me bring my thoughts under control. Because my mind and emotions are controlled by the Spirit of God, I think only positive thoughts about those who are near or around me. If any negative thoughts about someone else try to enter my mind, the Holy Spirit quickly helps me to recognize them and bring correction to the way I am thinking!

I declare this by faith in Jesus name!

Have a wonderful day everyone and God bless you all!

For God’s Glory,

Pastor Tom