PASTOR JOHN COLLINS DAILY DEVOTIONAL: There is a bigger story~Hope

Pastor John Collins, Evangelist, Love That Cross: There is a bigger story~GOD

Pastor John Collins, evangelist and head pastor of Love That Cross Ministries continues to promote renewal of faith and revival of hope.  His daily thoughts of the day give us a snapshot of what he often preaches during his sermons, broadcasts, and interviews. 

God is not done with us, and He certainly sees what is going on in this world and hears prayers.  Long ago, Peter wrote that God does not want any soul to perish, He dearly wants all of us back with Him.  The evil that exists in this world takes souls away from God and has since the beginning of mankind and Adam and Eve were disobedient to His instructions.  Satan is alive and well in this world and wages war against God and His plan for this world.

Pastor John Collins is committed to bring the word of God back to all of us, beginning in the United States, which he has called the land of milk and honey for the Gentiles, all of us who are not Jewish.  If we take a very close and honest look at what we have here in this country, we will see that we have turned from God just as Israel did.  Pastor John Collins unceasingly states that there is a last chance for hope coming from God.  God created this world to be beautiful, the mess is the creation of mankind, and God has not given up on us yet.

Pastor John Collins writes:

“But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.  The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:8-9 (NKJV).

The story of mankind began long ago. The story of the planets, the stars and the sun and moon began long ago. There are those who want do debate the specifics about these topics, how it all happened and the timing of it all. There are those who devote their entire lives to discovering the answers to these things. For me, it is simple and miraculous and awe inspiring. But, the reality of us, our world and all that surrounds it, as amazing as those truths remain, there is a bigger story, an infinite story and one that takes precedent over them all. Our souls are the very essence of us, not our flesh and God has more to consider in His timeline of things than just this generation, He has all generations to consider.

We may wonder at the timing of God but He knows the timing from beginning to everlasting and He knows the timing of this world and what each generation will encounter, produce and overcome. There are those who would expect God to step in and prevent the bad and keep us all from experiencing complications, loss and fear. But that is not His job. He created and we are given the free will to do with our lives as we choose. When God does step in and guide, correct and encourage it is because at those times God creates an opportunity for the blessed generation that receives His direct interaction with mankind and it is up to the following generations to continue in obedience and faith. We, as a whole, have not lived up to our potential nor our obligations as God’s creation. 

Whether we want to admit it or not, there is a war going on in the Spirit. There is evil that wants your souls to choose sin over salvation. Satan rebelled and took 1/3 of the angels down to hell with him and the opportunity to choose God is a daily one. The time will come that God does step in again and what can you do until that intervention arrives? Do you know the bible? Do you pray and what are you praying for? God is not a genie in the sky to give you the winning lottery numbers but is a Father who wants your soul to come home to Him.

God is long-suffering and we need to be thankful for that. God does want salvation for the souls here on earth and we need to be thankful for that because He will move in His time to give this world another chance. Let us prepare to receive the revelations that He is willing to give through humility and gratefulness. Pray with your family and have hope in your heart. Read your bibles and increase your knowledge. Go and sin no more.

“Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.  Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.” 1 Peter 5:6-9 (NKJV).

LOVE THAT CROSS PASTOR JOHN COLLINS

More of Pastor John Collins’ sermons, broadcasts, interviews, and recordings can be accessed by clicking on the links found in this blog post. 

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS, LOVE THAT CROSS: You matter to God, you always have

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS: A hope for revival of faith

Pastor John Collins writes “You matter to God, you always have.”  How many of us feel like we are alone, lost, battered, beaten down, threatened by the world around us and have no idea just who really cares?  God does, and He is waiting for us to turn to Him for help.  Pastor John Collins, evangelist and head pastor of Love That Cross Ministries, always preaches the same message-God is there, He wants us back with Him, and the discouragement and doubt that we feel is from our separation from Him that began long ago in a garden.  Our free will keeps us from His unending love.

Pastor John Collins has been spreading God’s word, the word of the Bible for many years.  The message is the same:  there is hope, God is really there, Jesus is real and is the Son of God.  Our choices and the distractions of the world separate us from Him.  God is calling to us, and you matter to God.

Pastor John Collins writes:

“Philip said to Him, ‘Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?” John 14:8-9 (NKJV).

Philip walked with Jesus, as did Thomas, and both asked for more proof. Although both of them witnessed miracles first hand, they wanted more. People may think about that and be amazed, even wonder how that is even possible, especially from believers. But, should anyone be surprised? It is in our nature to know and yet not know. The doubt was cast long ago in a garden and slipped into the DNA of mankind, wondering if God did indeed say what He said. Give me proof, cries the masses. Prove that God is real. Prove that heaven is real. Prove that hell is real. Prove that Jesus is the Son of God. 

We have earthquakes, volcanoes, fires, wars and rumors of wars. We have hate and doubt growing by leaps and bounds and we have the masses divided on what is right, what is wrong, what is real and what is a desperate concoction of the human mind. God is angry and warning us, right? God is disgusted and frustrated and wavering in His compassion for us, right? The warning signs are there and we are just waiting, right? God should be angry and disgusted because for all of the disasters, for all of the warnings and for all of the chances that mankind has been given, we still sit and wait, for proof, for evidence and for the big show to start. But, what are we doing to ensure that our end is with Him and do we even care? To look at what is happening in this world and to look at what is being focused on in this world it surely is not godly but is worldly. When is it too late to do something about turning things around for the good because there will always be bad, as long as there is free will there will be opposition to God. As Jesus has said, as long as you are not against Him, you are for Him but if you are not for Him, you are against Him.

People want to sit around and justify the reasons for why things are the way that they are. People want to ignore all of the warning signs and people want to put off taking a stand for their faith until they have to. The time is now. The time to choose whether you are on the right side of things or not is now. The only hope for salvation hung on a cross two thousand years ago and He did that for humanity and He did that for love. There is hope. This world is not lost and it matters what people believe, trust and have faith in. It may not seem like it in the big scheme of things but every single soul that has faith in God and in the Lord Jesus Christ matters because they can make the difference in the life of an unbeliever, they can make the difference between salvation or damnation in the soul of another human being and all are precious, so we should hope that in this time of turmoil and trouble faith would grow in people so that there is a revival of hope in this world, for that is what matters to God. You matter to Him and always have.

“For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well.” Psalm 139:13-14 (NKJV).

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 says it best, God wants us back, and he is spreading the word to bring God back to us, one person, one church, at a time. 

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS, EVANGELIST: Can you stand before Jesus?

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS: What would Jesus say to you if you stood before Him, today?

Imagine sitting next to God and having a conversation and that is where your prayers begin~Pastor John Collins.

Pastor John Collins, evangelist and head pastor of Love That Cross Ministries, preaches the Holy Bible and promotes revival of faith in God across the United States and around the world.  Pastor John Collins writes daily devotionals that are posted on Facebook that focus on what we need to know about God, Jesus Christ, salvation, and eternity.  He does not candy coat his messages; so often churches today want to hear only the good or only what is politically positive as it relates to God and the church.  Pastors, in spite of knowing the scripture that says that false doctrine will be preached and the people will only want to hear what tickles their ears, preach what people want to hear, not what God laid as foundations to faith and the relationship with Him thousands of years ago.  Pastor John Collins wants to bring people back to God, wants to let people know that there is hope and salvation, that everyone has a chance to find God and make themselves right in order to gain true life.

“Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.  But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.” Luke 21:33-36 (NKJV).

How can you know if you are worthy to stand before the Son of Man? Have you considered what that would be like? Have you ever thought of the moment that you will be before the Son of God and have to give an accounting of your life, your thoughts, your desires, your actions and your regrets? Have you ever sat down and considered what Jesus would think of your life? What would He say to you if He were standing beside you each day, if He were witnessing the whole of you? Nothing that we do is ever kept secret and all is known for that Day of Judgment.

It is not usually what we show to others that we should be ashamed of in ourselves. It is not what our congregations and co-workers see that we should re-think and change. Sometimes our families know our demons and sometimes we keep it to those strangers who couldn’t care less who we are or who we pretend to be in the light of day. Sometimes our deepest and ugliest desires are kept in the recesses of our minds and we think that we are clever in their imprisonment but God knows all and all will be known. What is acceptable to God is not what is acceptable to man. People like to use the shallow and entertaining things of this world to avoid dealing with the filth that can be found in the human heart, mind and soul. We cannot continue to use the superficial to delay dealing with the significant and there is nothing more significant than the destination of your soul once you are no longer bound by the flesh.

It is easy to take for granted that Christians take sin too seriously or that bible-thumpers are judgmental and stodgy. It is easy to ignore the implications of sin in this day and age, as it has always been, it will always be. There will always be those who choose to rebel and refuse to accept salvation. But, for those who would consider heaven as a destination but have no clue on how to begin to get there, especially when most churches leave much to be desired and the bible is overwhelming and unappealing then I suggest prayer. Pray to have your thoughts cleansed and your mind renewed. Pray to have your heart be made to respond to the love of God. Pray to be convicted in your wayward imagination and make the effort to change the way you think. Don’t expect immediate and complete success in your initial efforts but make the commitment to be aware of your mind and you will become aware of heart along the way and believe me, things will change. When you want to please God and you make the effort, you will please Him. Imagine sitting next to God and having a conversation and that is where your prayers begin.

“Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, ‘I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.’” John 8:12 (NKJV).

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS

Pastor John Collins has been spreading the truth of the Word of God for years.  Links to other sermons, video clips, broadcasts, blogs and more are found within this post.  Feel free to link back to those sites and encounter the messages of God and Jesus Christ the way that they were meant to be heard.

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS, EVANGELIST: SIMPLICITY~THOUGHT OF THE DAY

Pastor John Collins:  When did the basics stop being enough?

Pastor John Collins is an evangelist and head pastor of Love That Cross Ministries.  Pastor John Collins has been preaching revival of faith in God and Jesus Christ, preaching no nonsense and clear cut messages of the Holy Bible to bring God back into our lives.  He is a nationally and world known pastor.  His messages cut no corners and do not pad the truth of God with political correctness that so many ministers and pastors buy into and spread from their pulpits.  Pastor John Collins lives the words that he preaches.  He is restoring the lessons that Jesus Christ taught during His time He lived among people. Too often, those who call themselves Christians miss the point of Christianity.  Pastor John Collins brings the point of faith, God and Jesus Christ clearer to those who hear him.

“Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.” 1 Timothy 6:6-8 (NKJV).

Simplicity in life is a choice, for the majority of people in America, anyway. Although across the globe there are deprivations that have created great need in many societies, America remains contemptuous of the basic provisions that are taken for granted and seen as poverty. In this country, the people are hungry for more, for better, for the next new and shiny thing. What are the newest trends in fashion, in home decorations, cars and all of the accessories that add detail to the presentation of status and success? People care about their food, their entertainment, their education and their jobs and pass on those values to those they have brought into this world. When did the basics stop being enough? Why are we so impressed with materialism?

We were all born naked and without the awareness of greed and lust. We were all born with the same basic needs of survival. All will die and will take nothing with us; that we can carry anyway. What we take are the lessons, the love, the memories and the connections that we made in our relationships while we were here. It is not necessary to become rich or famous. It is not necessary to amass a fortune. It is necessary to love and be loved, to allow those that are close to you to know you intimately and to value the closeness that you will be given by those who matter to you in life. You should be building relationships and friendships that are loving, loyal and lasting. That is what matters, that you be honest with yourself and others, that you learn to forgive yourself and others and that you allow your faith to grow and guide you. Life passes so quickly and sometimes, too often, it will pass us by while we think we are doing the best we can to make a living and keep the wolves at bay that we have forgotten to pay attention to those that live with us, to those who we are friends with, to the neighbors we haven’t bothered to introduce ourselves to. We have allowed technology to erase our human connectivity with one another and have become so busy and tired striving for better that we have not taken the time to just stop, look around and be grateful for what we have.

It is worth it to just take a moment and imagine the worst has happened and you have lost a loved one, whoever may be the greatest shock to you, and to think if you would have said something different, done something different and to not hesitate to do that now. Make the choice to simplify your life and restructure what you hold dear in life. Make the choice to allow the love of God that is in your heart to guide your words, your actions and your intentions. Make the choice to care more about the people in your life and less about the stuff. Life is precious and all of our time is limited so don’t hesitate to show the love you have, go meet a neighbor and be kind to a stranger. Learn to let your life shine for Jesus.

“But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” 1 Timothy 6:9-10 (NKJV).

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS

Pastor John Collins is a teacher of the Word with outspoken rightness.  This post contains links to many sermons, recordings, and messages that he has given over the course of many years.  Feel free to explore and seek the truth through those links.  Your salvation is important, Pastor John Collins has answers for you.

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS: SEX SELLS

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS: We live in a sexual world

Pastor John Collins, evangelist and head pastor of Love That Cross Ministries, continues to spread the Word of God and revival of hope and faith across the globe.  Daily posts by Pastor John Collins give a snapshot into the content of his sermons, interviews, recordings, and videos.

Pastor John Collins has been promoting revival of faith and hope for many years.  In a revival tour across the country, Pastor John Collins has consistently spread a message of hope, to bring people back to God.  The United States society has turned its back on God, more so in the last decades than ever before.  God wants everyone back with Him, those who will choose so.  People need to hear the Word of God without it being watered down and made to fit; Pastor John Collins preaches it like it is.

Lately, there has been news broadcast after news broadcast about sexual harassment and #Metoo movement.  Pastor John Collins addresses this hot topic in this post from a biblically correct, not politically correct point of view. 

Pastor John Collins writes:

“For all that is in the world-the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life-is not of the Father but is of the world.” 1 John 2:16 (NKJV).

We live in a sexual world, ruled by lusts and desires. Sex sells. Temptation and allure makes for good entertainment as is evident by all of the campaign ads for products, the dramas on television and all of the reality TV shows that are so popular. Men and women both want to feel sexy and good about themselves. There is upset in Hollywood about the good old boys club of perverts and perpetrators. There is conversations taking place about women being seen as objects for the pleasure of the powerful and those that have status and are beautiful themselves. The elite like to act bad and turn a blind eye but it is not only the elite that behave in this way, it is mankind because mankind was built with reproduction in mind and one of the keys to furthering the population is desire. 

Let us be very honest about desire. Men lust and women lust. Both men and women want to create sexual desire in those that they desire themselves as well as those that they don’t because to create awareness of your desire in others is to claim power for yourself. Women want to be wanted but they don’t want to be seen as prey nor be treated as meat. Men want to be wanted and some wouldn’t mind being treated as prey as it is empowering to have others want you. Men and women that find themselves on the less fortunate scales of beauty and yet desire to be desired will often use other means to obtain that control such as money, power and position. It is a fine line that people walk in dealing with lust, self-esteem, self-confidence and expression of self that is often displayed through one’s looks and clothing. Revealing clothes, short skirts, tight pants, fancy suits and hair done just right with make-up in place and attitudes honed to achieve the desired effect on others. Women want men to want them and women to envy them and men want women to want them and men to envy them. Let’s be honest about the sexual nature of our society and if anything is to change it must begin within.

When does a man or woman’s desire to look good and feel sexy become a stumbling block for another? When does a man’s desire for all of the benefits that he sees come with his physical appearance, status and financial means become a threat? There is a line that should never be crossed between men and women, especially in the workplace but the lines have been blurred for a very long time now and it is the responsibility of the individual to choose to walk a line that is upright and without ulterior motives. We should not be hunting one another and we should not be using our looks, dress, money or positions to further our own desires. We should be aware of our effect on one another and most of all we should be aware of what motivates us to get dressed up and look as we do when we walk out that door in the morning. It is not necessary for women to dress in potato sacks with plain faces and their hair in a bun as it is not necessary for men to become pot-bellied slobs in ill-fitting suits but it should be necessary for men and women to dress without sexual provocation and to limit their allure in the workplace. 

Desire is natural and should be good. Sex is natural and should be good. Our relaxed sexual atmosphere has created a relaxed viewpoint on what is proper and what is profane. We cannot have our cake and eat it too. You cannot dress in a manner that you know creates desire in others and expect to have others ignore you. We must all take responsibility for our own choices and we must all recognize that it is not just men who are the problem and it is not just the women who are the problem. Our bodies were meant to be shared with our spouses, for pleasure and for reproduction. We are not meant to be free in our sexual encounters because they are supposed to mean something and it is meant to be special and sanctified. Be willing to look at what moves you to desire, what prompts your self-worth and how you value your sexual beliefs and behavior and be willing to compare that with the outlook of our Creator and see if they line up.

“For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, not in passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God; that no one should take advantage of and defraud his brother in this matter, because the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also forewarned you and testified.  For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness.” 1 Thessalonians 4:3-7 (NKJV).

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS

Links to other sermons, broadcasts, recordings, and writings by Pastor John Collins, Love That Cross Ministries, can be viewed by clicking on the backlinks embedded in this blog.

Pastor John Collins: Buying into the prosperity message

Pastor John Collins: Mercy Not Sacrifice

Pastor John Collins is a nationally and world known evangelist and pastor of Love That Cross Ministries.  His commitment to bringing the truth of God back to as many who will hear it is unwavering. 

Pastor John Collins continues to spread revival through his messages of hope and faith.  His daily posts on Facebook give a snapshot of messages that he has preached across the United States and globally. 

We live in a world where we are bombarded with messages from the pulpit asking for money, our “first fruits” so to speak, to be tithed to the churches we attend, or to support a ministry that is televised or broadcast globally.  Often, it is a topic of a sermon in the early part of the year for many preachers.  Pastor John Collins gives a concise explanation of just what it is that God expects from us when it comes to sacrifice and giving money. -Ron Brown.

“God does not want your dollars but your heart, faith, and prayers and to save your soul through the sacrifice that He provided.”~Pastor John Collins.

Pastor John Collins wrote:

“For I desire mercy and not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.” Hosea 6:6 (NKJV).

Before Jesus came to this world, lived, preached, taught, suffered, died on a cross and arose again, there was the temple and the Levitical system that had all of God’s people bringing sacrifices to the Lord. Jesus became the true sacrifice for which the shadow had been cast and the lessons of what the sacrifices had been for was cast in order to teach the people of the Lord what was required to cover the sins of mankind. There were different kinds of sacrifices and different costs for them which came at a heavy price and burden to some and easily and casually to others. The temple system became corrupted by greedy men in power who used God to further their own finances which is generally what men have done with religion since the beginning of time. It is evident today with all of the prosperity preachers out there persuading the believers to give and give and give, financially of course.

Yet, what does God want from you? God cannot benefit from your money. God does not want your dollars but your heart, faith, and prayers and to save your soul through the sacrifice that He provided. Prosperity preachers are a disgrace and will not see heaven. Before you consider tithing at any time in your life, consider what you may offer to God. Could you devote time daily to reading the bible, pray more for conviction in your soul, or could you increase your faith and commit to walking in your faith confidently and include your family? Do you teach your children that the most important thing in life is success or making it to heaven? What is it that you could offer to God that is not money at all but is the currency of heaven? God wants forgiveness and love to open hearts to each other. God wants us to be kind to each other and not spiteful. Our children should not be bullied or bullies and we should not be gossips without morals. There are so many ways that you can give to God and live your faith without buying in to the prosperity message.

Jesus said to go and sin no more. We have been forgiven if we ask for it and we have been given salvation from on High. This world is filled with souls that are stained with sin and apathy. We should be seeking His will in our lives as we go through the motions of our jobs, education, socialization and relationships. Do not think that giving money to greedy churches and people endears you to God. It is time to see through the hypocrisy of the actors who fill the pulpits and see them for the blind guides that they truly are. Get a Bible and pick it up, read it and learn from it. Let your own heart guide your instructions from God. Seek Him and not those who would use him to line their own pockets.

“But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in.  Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation.” Matthew 23:13-14 (NKJV).

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS

These posts are to help spread the word of God.  The links in this post are examples of what Pastor John Collins preaches through sermons, broadcasts, videos, and recordings.  Feel free to click and explore what Pastor John Collins has said and continues to say.