PASTOR JOHN COLLINS, LOVE THAT CROSS DEVOTIONAL: MISGUIDED FAITH

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS, EVANGELIST: FAITH

Faith is believing without seeing, acting on belief without being able to put your eyes or hands on something viable.  Faith in God and belief in the words of the Bible and the stories within it are difficult because the world that we live in screams at us that it can’t possibly be truth, that there is no evidence.  There is evidence available to us every day, in the survival of trauma victims, in the healing of wounds, in the birth of a child, in receiving something that was needed but not know how it could possibly happen.  We don’t recognize the evidence now, any more than those people who have lived before us thousands of years ago.

Pastor John Collins, evangelist and head pastor of Love That Cross Ministries, has brought revival through his sermons and preaching around the country for many years.  His style of preaching is much like that of the late Reverend Billy Graham, making the Word of God and the life of Jesus and His offer of hope and salvation simple to understand for us all.

Pastor John Collins brings us encouragement that God is not done with us, that He is very real, Jesus is very much alive and among us, and that there is Hope waiting for this world on His time.  Pastor John Collins says God wants the opportunity for all of his children, all of humanity, to know our God, to know our salvation, to know our Savior, Jesus Christ.  He wants us to know that we all have value.  That Hope will come, and the world will have the opportunity to understand true faith, not what man has created over the millennia to fill in the questions and blanks that each generation has struggled with from the beginning.

“God has created, given, blessed and warned us so many times and yet we get in our own way. Our pride keeps us from truly answering the call of God. There are divisions of belief and there are so many groupings of people who have decided that their way is the only way, their way is the best way and they live in that rigidity to their downfall” ~ Pastor John Collins.

Pastor John Collins writes:

“Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.  But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.  But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.” Matthew 24:35-37 (NKJV).

God is not done with us and our story as the people who were chosen to live on this planet is not over. What have we done, as a people, with the blessings and truth that has been provided for us? God has created, given, blessed and warned us so many times and yet we get in our own way. Our pride keeps us from truly answering the call of God. There are divisions of belief and there are so many groupings of people who have decided that their way is the only way, their way is the best way and they live in that rigidity to their downfall.

It is difficult when you cannot convince someone of the truth and simplicity of Jesus Christ. It is difficult when you look around and see so much misguided faith that came from so long ago and it is so ingrained in cultures that there seems to be no getting through. Faith in the work that was done on the cross is fading and faith in God Himself is fading in this world. That is why God is not done and that is why God will bring further revelations. God will step in and it will be up to this world whether they want to believe or not, whether they want to respond or not. It is time to wake up and to get right with God. It is time to acknowledge that this world is broken, Christianity is broken and we must have compassion for those who do not believe and may have different beliefs but our compassion for the souls of others must not include compromising our own faith. You must stand in your faith and know your truth. These are frustrating times because the shouts of the world are getting louder and many people who do not hold to what a Christian believes are demanding compromise and inclusivism which is denying the commandments of God. We must be willing to stand firm in our faith and to not waiver in our commitment to our obedience to God.

The day will come when your faith will be rewarded. Jesus said it would be tough because if the world hated Him for no reason then it was sure to hate His followers. We are not to repay evil with evil but to overcome evil with good. It is enough that you trust in the truth of the Holy Bible, the truth of God, and the truth of Jesus Christ. Do not be fooled into believing that all paths lead to heaven and take the time to know the scriptures and be comforted in the fact that God will not leave this world in the condition that it is currently in because He cares for His people and He knows His own. Be still and know that He is God and take the time to pray to Him, thank Him for all that you have, and make known to Him how much you love Him.

“The Lord is exalted, for He dwells on high; He has filled Zion with justice and righteousness. Wisdom and knowledge will be the stability of your times, and the strength of salvation; the fear of the Lord is His treasure.” Isaiah 33:5-6 (NKJV).

LOVE THAT CROSS, PASTOR JOHN COLLINS

Pastor John Collins has preached salvation and hope through his revivals for many years.  Links to excerpts and recordings of radio clips, interviews, sermons, printed material, and other media can be found throughout this post.

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS: STOP CARING WHAT OTHERS THINK

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS:The only opinion that matters

How often do we do something because we care what someone else thinks of us, even if it is a lie?  King Solomon in Ecclesiastes says frequently there is nothing new under the sun.  Everything that we do now as people, as a society, has been done before, including trying to impress others or to cover up an action that was wrong.  God is the only one we need to worry about pleasing, God is the only one who matters.  We are supposed to act, if we are Christian, the way that God wants us to act.

Pastor John Collins, evangelist and head pastor of Love That Cross Ministries, gives the account of King David and his actions when he committed adultery, which resulted in pregnancy, then had Uriah-the woman’s husband killed in battle to cover it up.  Pastor John Collins writes of forgiveness in this daily thought.  When we sin, we suffer the consequences, and we need to seek the forgiveness of God through His Son, Jesus Christ.  Pastor John Collins preaches true repentance and forgiveness, emphasizing that we all sin, every day, and we need to recognize that we need to change.  How we are perceived by others really doesn’t matter, it’s what God thinks of us that matters.

 “We need to stop caring about the perception of others and stop caring about feeding our own desires. We need to recognize that the one who matters, the opinion that counts is God’s” ~ Pastor John Collins, 2018.

Pastor John Collins writes:

“Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness; according to the multitude of Your tender mercies, blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.” Psalm 51:1-2 (NKJV).

David had Uriah, husband of Bathsheba, killed in battle. He did this to cover up the sin of his adultery which resulted in a pregnancy. He then took Bathsheba to be his own. David paid a very high price for his sin in his lifetime. That child died as was decreed by God. David’s own son Absalom tried to take the throne from David and David knew war his whole life. There are consequences to our sin, in this life and without forgiveness, in the next. The one thing that was constant in the life of David was his faith and when he sinned, he knew it and repented and sought that forgiveness. David was a man and subject to the weaknesses that all humans face but he knew that forgiveness is available for those who truly repent and seek that forgiveness from God.

What had begun as desire for a woman turned into murder in order to cover up the adultery that took place to satisfy the lust. One sin compels another and then they pile up and become a burden too heavy to carry. The scrutiny of others can often lead to multiple sins. Let us be honest about the roles that people play in society. Perception is reality not only in politics but in everyday life of everyday people. You want to be perceived in a certain way, as a good person, as a confident person, as a wealthy person as an influential person and the list can go on and on. So, you get up in the morning and you walk out that door and you only allow people to see what you want them to see. You hide the rest. And, like David you go about getting what you want as you see fit and if you get caught or come close to getting caught then you set about containing the situation and managing the details by spinning the perception. 

We are capable at adapting to our situations and at controlling our environments and the effects that we have on them. Politicians with campaign managers are not the only ones who actively create realities that are acceptable for the viewing audience.

When does your illusion of control and your need for maintaining the impression that you desire to leave on others become bent and broken and do you recognize whether your perceived reality is aligning with the truth or is it pure conjecture? Do you have biblical standards which you live by? Do your standards sway with the need to bend in order to achieve the goals that you have for your life? Do you recognize any compromises that you may have made in order to get what you want? You see, that is where David is an excellent life to study for us believers. David was not perfect. David was flawed and yet he was a man after God’s own heart. That tells us that it is not that sin is overlooked or that forgiveness is always a given or that God’s expectations are not high. It tells us that God expects an awareness of ourselves and our motives, an awareness of His authority and greatness and it tells us the value that God places on honesty and true faith.

David was truly heartbroken when Nathan came to tell him of his sin. David wrote many psalms of repentance and suffering. David had a soul that loved God and trusted in His compassion for him. David was sorry to the depths of his soul and cried out to God and David accepted the consequences for his sin because he knew that he was wrong. David made no excuses but did his best and believed in the healing power of the grace of God. 

We need to stop caring about the perception of others and stop caring about feeding our own desires. We need to recognize that the one who matters, the opinion that counts is God’s. We need to see ourselves for the broken humans that we are and call upon the Lord for His Salvation which lies in Christ Jesus. It does not matter what the masses think. It does not matter what your neighbor thinks. Just get right with God and seek to live a life that aligns with His truth and you will be on the road to salvation.

“For I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against You, You only, have I sinned, and done this evil in Your sight-that You may be found just when You speak, and blameless when You judge.” Psalm 51:3-4 (NKJV).

LOVE THAT CROSS, PASTOR JOHN COLLINS

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS: SOCIAL MEDIA

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS, LOVE THAT CROSS: SIN IN OUR LIVING ROOMS

Years after Reverend David Wilkerson preached that the Internet was a distraction and a means to separate families, that television was becoming too violent for children to watch unsupervised, Pastor John Collins emphasizes that social media has become a means for separating families, promoting violence and bullying, and creating secrets.

Pastor John Collins, evangelist and head pastor of Love That Cross Ministries, cautions that social media has been given too much control over our lives.  The amount of time that children spend on social media is detrimental to their development and to their socialization.  It separates us from our friends and our families, and children are being exposed to too much, too early.  Children are not being allowed to be children, are not being given the opportunity to grow through play, and adults are not taking the responsibility of teaching them about the Bible, God and Jesus.

Pastor John Collins cautions that content is provocative, negative, promotes vanity, and the medium itself takes away from the personal interactions that create relationships.  Look around the family room, if anyone is there as a family, and you will see that if someone speaks, others are engrossed in whatever is happening on a screen.  Multitasking is not the way to develop relationships.

“As convenient as the Internet is, it is necessary to remember the danger of it as well. Children need to be children, have fun and play with other children. Kids should be educated about God and Jesus Christ and should be kept close and safe and surrounded by love. Be aware of what your children are doing and be aware of the example that you are setting.” ~ Pastor John Collins

Pastor John Collins writes:

“Having many things to write to you, I did not wish to do so with paper and ink; but I hope to come to you and speak face to face, that our joy may be full.” 2 John 1:12 (NKJV).

“Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. He who does good is of God, but he who does evil has not seen God.” 3 John 1:11 (NKJV).

Communication has changed with the invention of technology that supports the World Wide Web with a push of a button. People all over the world use their phones and computers to express themselves on their social media and even our advertising has changed to accommodate your preferences all determined by your browsing history. There are apps for this and apps for that. Photos and videos are uploaded by the millions each day. Over 40 billion photos and videos have been shared on Instagram since its inception. And for all of the viewing capabilities and communicating capabilities that we have there is a breakdown in basic relationships that should sadden each and every one of us. Families aren’t talking at the dinner table, children are keeping secrets from their parents and parents are living secret lives that are created via the Internet. Gossip has exploded and bullies have new platforms and the levels of violence have escalated. Crime has increased with trafficking of victims, drugs and arms.

Betrayal comes cheap and easy for too many. Social media has created the ruination of many people and has even been the impetus for the suicide of many. We have become too obsessed with the Internet and given it too much power over us.

Photographs were not invented until 1826 and the first photo uploaded to the web was in 1992. Now, kids are obsessed with selfies and videos and that is truly a problem in our society. It just makes people more aware of their looks and it creates an obsession with vanity that is anti-biblical. Children are bombarded with technology here in America and in many countries around the world. The need to feed the social frenzy is all consuming and destructive. It is too easy to get bullied by others for looks, for weight, for clothes and for any other nonsense that seems relevant for the day. Too many pictures are too provocative and children seem to be wearing less and less as their ages creep up year by year. People are devoted to their appearances and to chronicle their lives through social media. It is ridiculous and it takes away from genuine interaction and genuinely valuable relationships that should be built. 

Children learn from watching their parents and they are also guided by their parents. What happens when the parents are also consumed with social media, taking photos of themselves and their lives and uploading every moment onto the web? Technology has become a weakness for people and it has become a doorway to sin. The Internet has brought sin directly into our homes and our hands and we just can’t seem to put it down. It is not only the picture and video taking, the constant commenting and obsessive watching of others and what they do and say but it is not bringing out the best in people and it is not increasing the quality of relationships with people. As convenient as the Internet is, it is necessary to remember the danger of it as well. Children need to be children, have fun and play with other children. Kids should be educated about God and Jesus Christ and should be kept close and safe and surrounded by love. Be aware of what your children are doing and be aware of the example that you are setting. Children grow up too fast as it is and we need to be proactive by preparing them to know the difference between good and evil and to teach them to choose the good. We need to protect them and protect ourselves by creating a wholesome and loving home that is safe from the outside world and influences and acknowledge the superficiality of all that can be found in the pictures, videos and words that are uploaded by the millions each and every day. Get grounded in the truth of God and hold on to that.

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1 (NKJV).

LOVE THAT CROSS, PASTOR JOHN COLLINS

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS, DAILY DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT: FAMILIES NEED STRONG WOMEN TO GUIDE THEM

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS:  THE VALUE OF WOMEN

Pastor John Collins, evangelist and head pastor of Love That Cross Ministries, has been leading a revival of faith across the United States for many years.  His speaks of faith and hope, preaching the Gospel in such a way that it is easy to hear the Word of God. 

Pastor John Collins posts devotionals on a regular basis on his Facebook page.  Each post is a snapshot of what he preaches during his revival series.  He talks about topics that are not politically correct and places them in a biblical light.  Pastor John Collins says clearly he is not politically correct, he is biblically correct.

Women through the centuries have struggled to validate their place in the world.  Pastor John Collins recognizes that Jesus and God value women.  Women are strong and courageous.  They have never been taken for granted by God.  Strong faith is what women need to face the world today, that faith in Jesus and in God will guide them.

“A woman’s role does not have to be one thing or another but it should always be a role of strength and dignity with love and compassion at its core.”~ Pastor John Collins

Pastor John Collins writes:

“Jesus said to her, ‘Do not cling to Me, for I have yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.’ Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that He had spoken these things to her.” John 20:16-18

Mary Magdalene believed in Jesus, sought Him out, anointed Him with oil, wept on His feet and wiped those feet with her hair. Mary sat at the feet of Jesus, learned from Him and was a disciple of His. Mary was the one that Jesus chose to see first after He was resurrected. Mary was brave and humble when she went to Him in that house of the Pharisee as she cared not what others thought of her, nor spoke of her but cared only to go to Jesus and kiss His feet and seek His forgiveness and His acceptance and Jesus not only gave that forgiveness, accepted her love for Him but spoke that she would be remembered for her actions and He demonstrated her value when He chose to go to Mary first and to give her the honor of knowing He was alive and to relate that information along with her witness of Him to his brethren.

It took courage to follow Jesus during His ministry and it took faith to know Him as the Son of God. Mary had that courage and had great faith in her Lord. There were dark centuries that followed the beginnings of the Christian faith. There have been centuries of oppression of not only the uneducated but of women as well. Women have come a long way from the days of the dark ages, of the days of education denial (for many parts of the world, anyway), and from the denial of equality of the genders. Women push forward in their search for that equality and for the opportunities to make their mark in this world but I want to remind women that their mark has been made and has never been taken for granted by God. God values women and Jesus demonstrated the love that He had for Mary by going to her first, by teaching her and standing up for her. Women should never forget that their value begins in the home, for they are the caretakers, the bringers of life and the mothers of our children. Do not underestimate the value of those things as being a mother allows you to teach your children how to get to heaven, how to live boldly and with faith in this dark world and being a wife allows you to help your husband be a part of a family that relies on God. A woman’s role does not have to be one thing or another but it should always be a role of strength and dignity with love and compassion at its core. That is the love of God within you and God has provided women with the complex ability to keep a family together and to guide it in love and faith with trust and truth at its center.

There always seems to be an agenda on the table and as progress ticks away and women continue to fight for what they believe to be most important to them I can only hope that they remember to value what has always belonged to them from the beginning. Family is everything and while equal pay may seem to be the biggest priority to some this world seems to be allowing the family to fail. Industrial success will never replace the failures of our homes and women need to find the courage, like Mary, to believe in our Savior and to brave the opinions of others to declare their loyalty to Him as they live up to the great responsibilities that have been entrusted to them. It is not easy to choose faith over finances, faith over popularity, faith over apparent success or faith over personal gain but in the end heaven is waiting and families need strong women to guide them.

“And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell.  But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 24:15

LOVE THAT CROSS PASTOR JOHN COLLINS

Pastor John Collins has many recordings, videos, sermons, and broadcasts that can be downloaded, viewed or heard.  Several are embedded in this post as backlinks and are available to you. 

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS DAILY DEVOTIONAL: THIS WORLD IS AT WAR

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS: A WAR ON HUMANITY

The news has been full of the topic of gun control since the shooting at the Parkland, Florida high school.  Today the headlines were the death of Reverend Billy Graham, an evangelist who spoke to over 200 million souls in course of his 70 years on the pulpit.  The message of the violence compared to the message of hope and salvation that Billy Graham taught are at opposite ends of the spectrum.

Pastor John Collins is an evangelist and head pastor of Love That Cross Ministries who preaches hope and salvation, just like Billy Graham.  Unlike most evangelists today, Pastor John Collins is humble and outspoken when it comes to the truth of the Word of God.  Pastor John Collins touches on the untouchable, politically correct topics from other pulpits-including gun control, terrorism, school shootings, and the loss of faith of the American people.  The faith and hope that began this country is gone; there is no value of human life.  There is no compassion or caring for our fellow man.  There is no fear of retribution, there is no fear of God writes Pastor John Collins.

How can we stop the violence that we see around us?  According to Pastor John Collins, it is by finding our faith again.  Pastor John Collins continues to preach hope and salvation which will turn us toward faith, and help us find our compassion for our fellow man. Pastor John Collins puts it plainly:  we need to get closer to the Cross and Jesus Christ and find our way to bring God back into our lives.  That is when we will see the violence begin to stop.

“We should come to recognize that more needs to be done to prevent these tragedies and that will only happen when this world chooses to recognize the need for God every moment of everyday of every life.” ~ Pastor John Collins.

Pastor John Collins writes:

“Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning; and you yourselves be like men who wait for their master, when he will return from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately.” Luke 12:35-36 (NKJV).

This world is at war. It is not only terrorism, school shootings, murder and violence at every corner. It is a war on humanity at every level. Faith is fading and with that is a loss of the value of a human life. People are meant to be precious, not only to God but to each other. We are meant to find compassion and a willingness to be kind to our fellow man within ourselves. How is that possible if we, as a human race, do not hold the word of God as truth? How can children learn to get on their knees and thank God for their very lives if they don’t believe?

Communities want to talk about gun control and laws. I want to talk about what makes it possible for so many to be willing to pick up a gun and kill others. That is only possible if a person does not fear the retribution of God Himself, if a person does not value what God values and if a person does not have the faith that is required to not only bring about hope for themselves but to bring about submission to the will of God. Without faith and hope in God and the work of Jesus Christ, the worth of a human life is lost. Faith in this country is frail and failing and parents are looking to schools and laws to educate their children. Unfortunately, secularism is a failure if faith is weak inside of a home. Children must be taught the priority of rights and wrongs and that will not come from anywhere but the Bible.

The Bible is not some archaic book filled with stories but is a guideline to our lives. Prayer is not something that you casually engage in when you encounter illness or misfortune in your life but it is an open line of communication with your Creator and with Jesus as your intercessor. We should not have to continuously pray for those who suffer such tragedy but should come to recognize that more needs to be done to prevent these tragedies and that will only happen when this world chooses to recognize the need for God every moment of everyday of every life. It needs to start within each home and people should not wait for the miracles to show up at their door but should begin to educate themselves and their families in preparation for the miracles to come. This world has lost the fear of God and it is the fear of God that will save souls.

“Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching. Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them.” Luke 12:37 (NKJV).

LOVE THAT CROSS PASTOR JOHN COLLINS

Pastor John Collins has many recordings, sermons, videos, blogs and more that can be viewed through clicking on the backlinks found within this post.