This is not just another verse in the word of God, it is not just a nice saying or religious presentation, no, these are the very words spoken by Our Lord and Savior to a Pharisee who needed to be born again.  Jesus spoke these words to Nicodemus as this man inquired of the Lord, knowing that He was from God, and Jesus did not hesitate to tell this religious man, "you must be born again".  A message the world that God loves so much needs to hear to this very day.  This statement is not some cliche', it is God speaking to the world, it is God crying out to this world to come to Him for salvation, it is God's stark warning to come to Him to be saved from the wrath to come!
       God, the creator of the universe, the one who created you, loves you so much He sent His only son to come and live on earth as a man, a sinless life and then die a criminal's death to pay your sin debt, if that isn't love, I don't know what is.  And all you need do is believe that this is true, confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead and you will be saved.  Is God calling you to come to Him for salvation today?  Answer that call, it will be the best decision you will ever make, Jesus Saves!

Pastor Roy
702-219-0145

As part of Jesus' Sermon on the Mount, He tells His disciples they are to be Salt and Light, because they have been set apart for the Lord, they are expected to be different.  And in that difference they are to be a bright spot in a dark world, a beacon of Hope in a world that has no Hope.  These words were spoken many years ago to a group of twelve men, but today they are still just as important for the reader of God's word. We too, as Children of God are Holy unto the Lord, we too are set apart, and we too are expected to be different.  The world we live in is quite different in so many ways than the world that the twelve disciples lived in, but the people, they truly are no different.  
       So, we are called to be that shiny place that people can see and can come to in times of trouble, obviously the Lord is the first person people are to turn to, but as Christians living in this world, we are to be a physical presence of light.  Jesus says by our good works, that being the fruit that is produced from a heart beating for God, nothing of self interest, people will see this and will then give glory to God.  Remember one single candle illuminates a thousand, a life lived for Christ shines bright for many, Jesus Saves!

Pastor Roy
702-219-0145

The implications here are great and deep, your body is the Temple of God, your body is where God the Holy Spirit dwells!  Now, for the true believer, this is not a new revelation, it must be something we think about and are reminded of every day as the Holy Spirit prompts us and moves us and guides us through life.  But for the non-believer this might seem foreign to them, they may question how can God reside within my body?  Yes, it is a very new concept for people, it was a very new concept when the Holy Spirit came to the believers who were praying in Jerusalem some ten days after Jesus ascended back to Heaven, that day of Pentecost, it was a moving day for sure.  That was the day the Spirit of God came to dwell within God's children, that was the day the New Covenant was completely implemented if you will.  Your body is the Temple of God, there is no need for a garden, a Tabernacle, or a Temple building, you are God's Temple, He lives in you.  And in the simplest terms, Keep it Clean!  Jesus Saves!

Pastor Roy
702-219-0145

The Lord is near, the Lord our God is omniscience, He is omnipresent, He is everywhere all the time, He is all knowing.  As well, the Word of God tells us that God is near to the brokenhearted.  The Lord desires that you and I talk to Him, that we communicate with Him on a regular basis, speaking to HIm like you would speak to your father.  Here the psalmist writes that the Lord is near to all who call on Him, to those who are in an intimate relationship with Him, to those who abide in Him.  In order for us to be in true communion with the Lord, we must be in the correct posture, living and experiencing the 'Deeper Life' in Christ, meaning we are fully surrendered, fully committed to Him, ready to hear all He tells us in His word, and ready to respond in truthful obedience.  For the Lord is near to those who call on Him in truth, being open, honest, and real...  For you cannot pretend with God, He knows your heart, your mind, and your soul, God knows.  Today is the day you get real with God, approach Him with a broken and a contrite heart, cry out to the Lord in truth, Jesus Saves!

Pastor Roy
702-219-0145

A truth that is well known by true believers, although polls show that a high percentage of Christians from all denominations believe there is more than one way to Heaven.  We know from the Bible that there is one God, God almighty, the creator of the universe, and there is only one Son of God by which you must come into a relationship with God, Christ is the door to salvation.  The evidence for the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth is overwhelming, there is no doubt who He is, and He lives this day seated at the right hand of God Almighty.  Jesus made it clear in all of His teaching while on earth, I am the Way, The Truth, and The Life, no one comes to the Father except through me, He is the only way.
      And for those who believe there is more than one way to Heaven, is there another God you believe in?  Is there another Heaven you believe in?  And who is the living breathing Savior who is going to take you there?  And did He die to pay your sin debt?  Thoughts like this are proposed by the false teachers who want to placate and pacify those who attend their place of so-called worship. They say things like God loves you, keep sinning, there are many ways to Heaven believe what you will, Hell is not real, everyone goes to Heaven, and the lies and deception go on and on.  One day all of the lies will be exposed, but sadly it will be too late for many so-called Chrisitans, they will have been led astray by one who will join them in Hell!  Jesus is the only way to Heaven, Jesus Saves!

Pastor Roy
702-219-0145

The apostle Paul, right here in the middle of his message to his Jewish brethren, gives them the Good News of Christ and explains how incredibly simple it is to come to faith in Christ, by hearing the word of Christ.  All of us at some time in our life heard the message of salvation, from a friend, a parent, a sibling, a Sunday School teacher, maybe even in prison, but we all heard this message from someone.  The real key is for each person who hears, they must have ears to hear, they must have been drawn to hear the message by God the Father who draws them into a relationship with His Son Jesus.  Hearing is the first step, but then as your heart and mind process the message something happens, that old cold heart starts to soften to the call to salvation, it beats a little differently, you feel a lot different, and the change is happening.  You are now to a point of conviction and you repent of your sins, you change directions, you follow Christ and you begin a New Life in Christ Jesus, this is the beginning of your rebirth.  It is an amazing transformation, but it requires commitment, it demands surrender, it is not for the half hearted or the non-committal, you must be all in for Christ.  Your new song must be "Where He leads me I will follow", Jesus Saves!

Pastor Roy
702-219-0145

Here in this portion of Scripture in the Gospel of John, Jesus is revealing to those with ears to hear that He and the Father are one, they are equal, they work together, and all that the Son does is from the Father.  Jesus is making it clear to everyone He is God, even the Religious leaders hear His words, Hear His claim, but fully reject every word.  And in the future these same Religious leaders will ask Him, tell us, are you the Messiah?  He has shown them plainly, told them without mincing words and they refuse to believe, they have hardened hearts toward God, they are self-centered and prideful men who refuse to know God.  If you hear the word of God, if the Lord has revealed Himself to you and you refuse to listen, pushing back against His call upon your heart  to come to Him in repentance, you have a hardened heart as well, you are in a very bad place.  
       Salvation requires repentance, we must turn away from our sinfulness and turn our life over to the Lord in full surrender.  As Jesus states right here in this verse, if you hear His words, and you believe, you have eternal life and have passed from judgment unto life.  We are saved by grace through faith in the Lord Jesus through the hearing of the word of Christ, we have been given ears to hear.  If you hear the call of God, respond in faith and be saved, Jesus Saves!

Pastor Roy
702-219-0145

The Great Commission, the Lords last instructions given to the Apostles just before Jesus ascended back to Heaven.  Go therefore, go out and tell everyone you see about what you have heard and witnessed during my ministry, let people know that God has come to save them, God has come down, salvation is at hand, tell them.  But truly the Lord is saying much more than that, He says that we are to make disciples of all nations, this means a lot more than just telling people about Jesus, we are to help them grow in their faith after they have heard the Good News and have been called by God the Father in Heaven to come and be redeemed.  And we are to Baptize them in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, showing the world they belong to Christ Jesus, they are His, they have become Children of God.  Telling people we meet about our Lord and Savior should be a natural part of our conversation, it should just come up, do you know Jesus, do you know where you are going when you die?  There are a great number of people who do not know the Lord, but few will come to faith, so let's go out and find the few, Jesus Saves!

Pastor Roy
702-219-0145

The Lord has been arrested, put on trial by the religious leaders, then as a final act of desperation they deliver Him over to the Roman government to be killed, as they cannot legally take the life of anyone.  Pilate finds Christ not guilty, “I find no fault in this man”, but the religious leaders have only death on their minds and they will not relent, besides, this is exactly how God planned this to happen, remember God is in total control of this perfect sacrifice.  The crucifixion is complete, the cross has had its way, death has been delivered as it always is by that brutal death instrument.  The body is taken down and prepared, placed in a borrowed tomb, sealed, it is finished!  But come Sunday morning all has changed, the tomb is empty, the body is gone, and as the angels attending the grave state, “HE IS RISEN”, He is not here, just as He said.  God’s plan, God’s miracle, now it is time to spread the Good News to all nations, Jesus lives, Do You Believe?  Through His life, death, and Resurrection all people can be saved from the wrath of God to come, believe, repent, and live for God, Jesus Saves!

Pastor Roy
702-219-0145

Love, the Apostle John, also known as the apostle of love, writes in his first epistle about love, what love looks like , what love lives like, the gravity of real love.  Real, genuine love is far more than an emotional feeling, it is a reality, a state of being when your heart and your mind come together in unity of Spirit and surrender to God's way, no matter where it might lead, even death.  For the Son of man did not recoil from His call to come unto death, but went right at it with Joy in His heart knowing how much it would mean to the world He came to save.  Christ willingly laid down His life for all of humanity, even though He knew that most would still reject His sacrifice to stay in the world, but He did it for those few who would walk the narrow path of salvation embracing His love, mercy, and grace.  And those of us who are true believers should be willing to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters just like Christ did for us, that is the love of God in real action.  God is love, and He showed His love by sending His only Son to die on a brutal Roman cross for us, may we show our love for Him by loving one another as He has told us to do, Jesus Saves!

Pastor Roy
702-219-0145

The day the Son of God took all the world's sins upon Himself to satisfy the wrath of God toward mankind, there had to be a perfect sacrifice to pay the debt.  Here the prophet Isaiah tells of the coming Messiah and how He will be pierced for our transgressions as nails are driven into His wrists on a brutal Roman cross.  And how He will be crushed for our iniquities, beaten mercilessly by Romans soldiers, a place you and I should have been because of our fallen nature.  Upon Him was placed all the sins of the world, how great a burden that would have been, the punishment for sins He never committed to bring us peace with God.  And the Lord Jesus did all of this to bring healing to us through His wounds, His sufferings, and His death on a cross.
       This was the day that changed the world forever, the day God made a way for all of mankind to be reconciled back to God through the death of His only Son.  The day when God opened up the Temple for all to see and come to Him in a personal relationship, all barriers to God were removed.  That way was Christ Jesus, John 14:6 "Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me"  Jesus made a way, Jesus Saves!

Pastor Roy
702-219-0145

The Lord has taught these men a great deal, His twelve disciples, and now the hour has come, the moment the world would change forever, the event that changed our world for the better, the Son of God will die for the sins of the world.  And Jesus says to them, I have told you all of these things for your good, and in the end you will have peace, my peace, peace beyond human understanding.  But in this life you will have tribulation, as Job stated this, Job 14:1 "Man who is born of a woman is few of days and full of trouble"  But there is good news, the Lord always gives us the Good News, Take heart, I have overcome the world.
     Take heart I have overcome the world, if Jesus, 100% man could endure this world so can we, His life was filled with hurt and pain every day, mistreated, misunderstood, challenged daily by the very people who should have embraced Him.  But that did not deter Him, He pressed onward to the cross to finish the course He was sent from Heaven to complete.  In Christ, you and I are overcomers, no matter what the world throws at us, if we look to our Lord, we will endure until the end, Jesus Saves!

Pastor Roy
702-219-0145

There is so much in this one verse, several very important thoughts that we must keep in mind always as we walk the walk of faith.  Obviously the first point is to keep your eyes focused on the Lord Jesus, if we are to walk in step with him, we must keep our eyes focused on Him.  Jesus needs to be the center of your attention, for it is He who is the founder, the creator of your faith, and the one who perfects it day by day.  And showing just how much He loves us, His heart was filled with Joy as He endured the pain, the shame, and brutality of the cross...  Did you get that, Jesus had joy in His heart as He died for your sins, Oh the love of Christ Jesus!  And He is now seated at the right hand of God, on the throne of God, having completed the task He was sent to do.  Yes, the first part is finished, but He is coming again, and His second coming will be much different than His first, for He will come back as a conqueror, a Mighty warrior to take care of the wickedness of man on earth.  
       Keep your eyes on Jesus, stay focused on Him always, never allowing anything to get between you and Him.  For Jesus willingly, with Joy in His heart went to the cross to die for you and me.  Even though the Crucifixion was filled with shame, pain, and the utmost cruelty, Jesus was filled with Joy to set the captives free from their sin, once for all.  And now, Christ is on His throne in Heaven, having lived on earth, died on earth, was resurrected from the dead on earth, He is now back Home in Heaven, Jesus Saves!

Pastor Roy
702-219-0145

The King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, God incarnate, born of woman among sinful men, raised in a poor rural family, never had a home of His own, and here He states "the Son of man came not to be served but to serve others"  Everything Jesus did and said was contrary to what the world would do, say and believe, He truly turned the world upside down!  Most people like to be served, to be pampered, taken care of, but not the Lord, He has compassion upon others, even people who were considered undesirables not even worthy of being spoken to.  But then, after living in this humble manner day in and day out, serving, healing, helping, and delivering many, He then, as planned, laid down His life for the sins of the world, paid the ultimate price (our ransom), so that you and I could have life, eternal and abundant.  The life of Christ is shown to us in the word of God as an example of how we are to live this life we have so graciously been given by God, loving, pouring out grace, having mercy, filled with humility, and even willing to lay down our life for another.  Spend some time today pondering the gravity of the life of Christ, and then look at your own life, how are you doing in living out all that the Lord Jesus teaches?  Ask the Lord to live His life through you, Jesus Saves!

Pastor Roy
702-219-0145

It is of greatest importance that we understand this statement as well as what was happening with the coming of the Messiah.  It wasn't just the fact that the promised one of Israel had come on the scene, but that along with His arrival, He brought with Him a  New Covenant!  Jeremiah told of this New covenant, that things were going to change, God was going to do a new thing and this is Big!  What Jesus introduced was a dramatic change to how people approached God, how people could come into an intimate relationship with God, and most importantly, the event that would change everything. This Messiah came to be the perfect sacrifice for the sins of the world.  Yes, the lamb of God had come to take away the sins of the world, not in the way the Jewish people were used to seeing and experiencing, but in a way that would bring all other sacrifices to an end, Jesus would be that sacrifice, He would lay down His life for the sins of the world, once and for all.  
       Isaiah 43:19 "Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?  I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert"  God was absolutely doing a new thing, and many people missed it as it occurred, but those who saw it and perceived it, they took that faith and ran with it and it spread to the whole world.  Christ Jesus, the lamb of God died for your sins, Jesus Saves!

Pastor Roy
702-219-0145

It is Palm Sunday also known as the Triumphal Entry of Jesus into the City of Jerusalem just days before He is crucified for the sins of these people who are crying out to Him, save us now!  Jesus did not come to conquer the Roman Empire, that was never even remotely within His plan, He came to draw people back into a right relationship with God, and within that plan was His perfect sacrifice of His own life to pay the sin debt of mankind.  The picture of this day is beyond beautiful, but at the same time it is earth shaking in the true meaning of why the Lord did what He did.  As the King entered the city it was not to receive accolades from the crowd, it was to allow the people to inspect the paschal lamb of God who came to take away the sins of the world, to look over this perfect lamb as He came to be sacrificed on the altar of God.  Though on this day, they would cry Hosanna in the highest, just days from now, this same group of people will be crying out like a crazed mob, Crucify Him, Crucify Him!   Let us always remember, everything that happened during the life, death, and resurrection of Christ Jesus, was planned before the foundations of the world, this was all God's plan, every moment of it, Jesus Saves!

Pastor Roy
702-219-0145

Have you ever been down, like the blues have set in, you might feel like you don't have a friend in the whole world, and then you open the word of God and before long you are smiling, God has changed your frown into a smile, that Scripture has changed your whole demeanor in an instant.  That is what God does, He knows your heart, and He knows what you need when you need it.  As the psalmist writes here, God you are a shield about be, my protector, the one I turn to in times of trouble, when it feels like my world is closing in upon me, I know that I can always depend upon you O Lord.  And Lord, I am so thankful that I have you, that I can walk hand in hand with you, that I can lean on your understanding and not my own, and that I can rely on your wisdom in times of decision, thank you Lord.  
       And you are the lifter of my head, the one who is there to give me that nudge of encouragement when I have no one else, the one who always knows exactly what I need to hear, your word leads my way, shows me the way, and comforts me along the way.  O Lord you are my all in all, my shield, my comforter, and my encouragement, Jesus Saves!

Pastor Roy
702-219-0145

Here near the end of his letter to the church at Rome, the Apostle Paul reiterates what the life of Christ looks like when demonstrated day after day.  That we are to live in harmony with each other, to love others, and to encourage others through our words and actions.  That we are to live in one accord, in Christ Jesus as the first century church did, focused on Christ and His word.  We are never going to agree on everything, it is simply not possible, but we can still get along with each other, opinions are just that, they should not divide.  Today, our world has taken the act of disagreement to a level of deadly hatred, if we agree I'll cancel you and burn you out, and declare all you say as a lie for you and I do not agree.  In the past we were able to agree to disagree, that is no longer on the table, today's disagreements cause wars.  Let us all strive to live a Christ filled life, able to love others even if we do not agree, let the Holy Spirit of God lead and guide you as He transforms your mind to live for God and bring glory to the one who gave you life, Jesus Saves!

Pastor Roy
702-219-0145

God is asking for you to come to Him, not with reservations, not holding on to parts of your life that you feel you cannot bring to Him, but all of you, every single molecule of your existence, bring it to God.  And when you are willing to come to God with all your hurts, your pains, your brokenness, your sinfulness, all of it and then seek Him with all your heart, you will find a loving Father waiting with arms wide open ready to receive every bit of you.  And as you seek the Lord, ask Him to search you, to know you and to find if any part is grievous or lacking...
       This is when the relationship moves from OK, to WOW, when you decide to seek to know God like you have never known Him before, when you are willing to be vulnerable, open, and honest.  For a relationship that is timid and delusive is not a real relationship at all.  Time is short, and now is the time to step into that relationship with God with both feet, fully surrendered, holding nothing back, truly thirsting after God like a man in a parched land.  It is time to get serious about God, He is all in. How about you?  Jesus Saves!

Pastor Roy
702-219-0145

Jesus makes this point to the woman in Samaria who He meets at the well as she draws water. It is an unusual meeting to say the least, but it ends with the Lord revealing to her as He does rarely, that He is indeed the promised one of Israel, the Messiah.  This revelation comes about when Jesus explains to her that she needs the living water that she can have through faith in Him.  Here in John chapter seven, Jesus is attending the feast of booths in Jerusalem, a feast where water is poured out upon the altar in remembrance of the water God supplied the Hebrews as they wandered in the wilderness.  And Jesus stands up tells this crowd the one who believes in me, out of him will flow rivers of living water, as it is through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit of God that we all, as Born Again Christians are filled with the Spirit and from us flows this living water as we abide in Christ and obey Him and spread the Good news of Christ to our world.  You too can have this living water, water that will quench your thirst and from which you will be filled to overflowing, and from you will flow rivers of living water.  It is a beautiful picture of  salvation and how God works through those who believe, Jesus Saves!

Pastor Roy
702-219-0145

How many times have you heard someone say 'God never answers my prayers', yet in reality the truth be known that person is either not asking at all, or, they are asking wrongly.  People are fickle creatures who want what they want when they want it, and when God does not deliver upon their request in their time, it was never answered.  First of all, we need to be in a right relationship with the Lord, then our petitions must be within God's will. We need to be a child after God's own heart in our asking.  Are we truly seeking God with all our heart and soul?  Or, are we following at a distance, maybe getting into His word once in a while, and prayer is an afterthought, that is not seeking God, that is not an intimate relationship with the Lord.  Jeremiah 29:13 tells us "You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart"  And finally knock and it will be opened to you, asking, seeking and then we knock upon God's door, and the Lord says it will be opened to you, but only if He knows you and you know Him.  Believing you are right with God although you never truly seek Him, you rarely speak with Him, and then you expect Him to open the door to a stranger in absolute foolishness.  We must be nurturing our relationship with the Lord every moment of every day, asking by simply talking with Him.  Seeking, thirsting after Him daily.  And knocking, inquiring of Him, to be in His presence always, Jesus Saves!

Pastor Roy
702-219-0145

This verse from the Psalmist speaks of a man who had the greatest desire to spend time with God, it is not faint hearted, it is not fickle, but it is a true longing, a deep need to spend personal, intimate time with God, he thirsts after God.  This example of a right relationship with God should be a stark warning for those who do not feel this way about God, for it means you probably do not know God.  When the soul knows God intimately it will thirst after Him, it is a deep longing to know Him more, draw closer to Him every day, for our relationship with the Lord must be just as deep as our thirst, our need for water.  Psalm 63:1 "O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water"  This is a picture of what it looks like to be a true follower of Christ, a deep longing to be with Him, to grow closer to Him, always desiring more of Him.  
       The best way to get to this place of thirsting after God is to make your time with Him a habit, a requirement in your life, not a sometimes thing, but an always thing, God must come first in your life, Jesus Saves!

Pastor Roy
702-219-0145

Here in Paul's second letter to the church at Corinth, the apostle is explaining about a real heart change in a person when they come to the point of experiencing godly grief rather than worldly grief.  Worldly grief speaks to the person and condemns them, destroys their self worth to a point of destruction and death.  Whereas godly grief draws one to repentance in the Lord that leads to salvation, where there is no condemnation and regret does not hover over you like a black cloud.  Worldly grief is like a heavy weight that pulls a person down into the muck and mire of regret and sorrow and death.  When a person is drawn to the Lord for salvation, to be Born Again into a New Life in Christ Jesus, failures produce godly grief that in turn makes one withdraw from their sinfulness, their fallenness and look to God in His infinite mercy and grace for forgiveness.  
      This is a change that only God can bring about, this is a place where a life is transformed from that of living for the world and heading for death and destruction, to a life filled with light in Christ knowing true forgiveness and love, Jesus Saves!

Pastor Roy
702-219-0145

Fear can be brought on by so many reasons, some of them real and dangerous, but others brought on by worry and anxiety created in our own minds.  But no matter the cause or the origin of that fear, we serve a God who is Bigger than any fear we have, for our God did not give us a Spirit of fear, but of power, love and self discipline.  We have been given the ability to overcome any fear that comes our way through the Holy Spirit of God, and God says fear not.  Fear is a very powerful emotion, and God gave us this emotion for our own protection, in times of real danger we have the power to fight or flight whichever is the best decision for us.  But at the same time God says we should not be fearful of the unknown or the unsettled thoughts that our mind creates, situations that do not really exist.  But when those times come, and they will, when you feel overwhelmed by fear, look to God, put your full trust in the Lord who is your refuge and your protection in every circumstance.  The Lord says fear not for I am with you always, Jesus Saves!

Pastor Roy
702-219-0145

People of faith live in God's rest.  The writer of Hebrews shows us that the Hebrews coming out of bondge in Egypt did not live in faith, they walked in unbelief and therefore found no rest in the Lord.  God wants us who believe to walk by faith and live the life He has prescribed for each of us, and part of that life includes a prescribed time of rest in Him, a Sabbath day.  This was something that people did on a regular basis, there was one day set aside when normal work was not performed, here in America it was Sunday, everything was closed other than churches, it was truly a day of rest.  But sadly we moved away from that practice, because there is money to be made on Sunday, why rest?  God says we need to rest, to rest physically and Spiritually, we need to rest our weary souls in Christ on a regular basis, it is His gift to mankind and we need to spend this time resting in the Lord.  
       Today, do not harden your hearts, do not resist His love and mercy, His everlasting kindness, and take that day of rest in Him, with Him.  "So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his"  Jesus Saves!

Pastor Roy
702-219-0145

Psalm twenty-three is such a comfort to read and contemplate, it brings to light a loving shepherd who cares deeply for His sheep, and will protect and nurture them without fail.  He leads them and guides them, feeds them and gives them rest in a peaceful place, and He teaches them through guidance with a rod and a staff.  And the joy that is felt under this shepherd is beyond anything that could be experienced in life, love and mercy flow continuously from the loving guiding shepherd.  And the last verse of this psalm wraps it all up in the goodness and mercy that follow along in this shepherd's flock, they follow all the days of life in His care
       Obviously the shepherd in this psalm is the Lord, our salvation, our protector, the one who loves us without end.  And this psalm closes with the promise from God, the future we hold dear within our hearts, knowing that one day we will be with Him for all eternity, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever, Jesus Saves!

Pastor Roy
702-219-0145

Oh, what a comforting verse for this day as it reinforces what the Lord Jesus told His disciples in John 16:33 "I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”  We live in a world full of strife and much unsettledness, and there is a battle raging all around you and me, a battle for your heart, a real battle for your soul!  When we look around us and see and hear the wickedness that is happening, we should be able to understand this is the work of Satan and the Spirit realm at work behind these evil people.  But let us always remember who wins this battle, and the fact that you have that winner living within you, the Holy Spirit of God who is far greater than the one who is in this world.  Satan, the prince of this world knows his time is short, and he knows he cannot win, but he is not one to give up, he is going to fight God until that final war, then he will be done for all eternity.  But in the meantime, we must be vigilant, we must know that he is out there, like a roaring lion looking for anyone to devour and take to Hell with him.  Jesus lived in this sin filled world, and Jesus overcame this sin filled world, and since we have the Holy Spirit of God within each of us as believers, we too are overcomers, Jesus Saves!

Pastor Roy
702-219-0145

Proverbs, the book of wisdom, written by Solomon, a man considered to have been one of the wisest men who ever lived, a man who received wisdom from God.  These two verses are quite familiar to all of us, they are quoted often, and for very good reason.  We as humans have a real tendency to desire to do things our way, because we just do not trust God enough to lean on Him.  Some of you reading this are in that position right now, you depend fully upon yourself and your own reasoning rather than leaning on God's perfect wisdom because you just do not trust Him, you know better.  But stop and think about the reality of the situation, how often are you at odds with others because you are not living in God's will for your life and you are walking to the beat of your own drum?  As followers of Christ, if we are truly surrendered to His will and not ours, we will lean on His understanding always, and when we do, He will make the path much more navigable than when we make the decisions.  Today, decide in your heart, I am going to lean on God, I am going listen to the Holy Spirit's promptings, and I am going to live a life pleasing to God in every area of my existence, Jesus Saves!

Pastor Roy
702-219-0145

Anytime and everytime we go to the Lord in prayer our posture should be in thanksgiving, in praise and in worship of our Great God who is Mighty to Save!  Our psalm tells us to give thanks to the Lord, for God has given us all we have, life, food, water, air to breathe, and so much more...  Think about the joy within your heart, the peace of God that is beyond all understanding, and the love He pours out upon you constantly, and lets not forget the Hope we have in Him.  Call upon His name for He is the God of our salvation full of love, mercy and grace for all who do indeed call upon His name.  
       We are to make known His deeds among all peoples, let us go and tell the world of the amazing God we serve, let them know of His power in every aspect of their life, if they will call upon His name.  What a Mighty God we serve, let's not keep that good news to ourselves, but let us shout it from the mountain tops for all the world to hear.  Give thanks to the Lord for He is Good His love endures forever, Jesus Saves!

Pastor Roy
702-219-0145

The amazing epistle from James is full of wisdom, common sense and some great advice for the Christian life.  Here James states the obvious, but we can often allow life's circumstances to get the better of us and we miss opportunities to do the things that God has prescribed for the good life.  Is anyone among you suffering?  That is a great question that sadly many are unaware of the answer, this is why we are called to be in corporate gatherings, to come together to learn God's word and to pray together. The church is the family of God, we should be aware of what others are going through, and we should therefore be praying for them.  And likewise, is anyone among you cheerful?  Let us sing praise to God for all He is doing in the lives of those around us.  Not only should we be praying for others, but we should as well be celebrating the great things God is doing in their lives.
       Let us never neglect to pray for those in need, but also, let us never miss an opportunity to lift up our praise to God in times of cheerfulness, in the good times.  Because God is good all the time and He deserves our praise and worship all the time, Jesus Saves!

Pastor Roy
702-219-0145

Have you ever wondered, why, and why am I in the middle of all this chaos, why am I dealing with these issues?  Maybe, just maybe you were put here for such a time as this...  In looking back at the situation this young woman Esther found herself in she might have been asking that same question, why me, why now?  God has a bigger plan, a plan that we often cannot see until we look back and you can see God's fingerprints all over the situation.  Esther had a huge decision to make, sit back and do nothing and many people, her own people would die, or stand up and be bold and confront the situation at hand, head on.  Rarely do we find ourselves in a situation that is as dire as this one, but God still calls us to be bold in our faith and to step out in that boldness and do something.  Much like the  contemporary Christian song states, "God, why don't you do something?  "I did, I created you"  Let us not cower in fear, for we were not created with a Spirit of fear, but let us be bold and courageous and take a stand for Christ in our world, for maybe you were created for such a time as this... Jesus Saves!

Pastor Roy
702-219-0145

In the beginning God, always has been, will always will be.  Yes, there are many unanswered questions about God, but all of those questions truly point to this eternal being who created everything that was ever created, God.  John tells us that in the beginning the word, that being Jesus, who is God, created everything that was ever created, including you.  God is the giver of life, all life, and the sustainer of that life in a perfect situation that exists no other place in this universe, only here on God's earth.  Non-believers say all of this is impossible, there is no way this God could do this, create something out of nothing?  Yes, God simply spoke this world into existence, He created the Heavens and earth and everything within them.  This is the beginning of His story, written for you and I to read and to use as a guide to live by, God revealing who He is to anyone who will read and believe.  
       From here, in the beginning, to Amen, every word is absolute truth, with narratives of man and how his life unfolds, the good, the bad, and the ugly are all laid out for anyone to read.  The beauty of the Bible is it is real in every sense of the word, and it is there for us to meditate upon.  God's story, written for you, Jesus Saves!

Pastor Roy
702-219-0145

This is one of many verses that just make peace like a river flow over the believer knowing that God knows them, loves them and has filled them with His peace because of Christ Jesus our intercessor, Lord, and Savior.  Prior to coming to faith in Christ, we were enemies of God, living life our way, never concerned about the Lord or how we lived, hurt Him.  But by the grace of God we have been saved through faith, not by anything we have done by everything He has done.  And through that faith, having been justified by that faith in Christ Jesus, we now are at peace with God, we now have the peace of God that is beyond all understanding.  All because of the selfless life of Christ on earth, living a sinless life, a life meant to bring people to God, a sacrificial death on a brutal Roman cross, a death He willingly took upon Himself, to die for sinners like you and me because we had no other way to get to Heaven. He, through this horrible death was the only way it could happen.
       Ponder this for a time, think about what Christ did, and the implications of His death and resurrection on your current life...  Where would you be without a relationship with Jesus?  Like the words penned by Homer Cox;
So I prayed to God in earnest, and not caring what folks said;
I was hungry for the blessing; my poor soul, it must be fed;
Then at last by faith I touched Him, and, like sparks from smitten steel,
Just so quick salvation reached me, oh, bless God, I know it’s real!

Pastor Roy
702-219-0145

The Lord Jesus made seven "I AM" statements in the New Testament Gospel accounts, in each of them Jesus was making known to His listeners that I AM God!  The same statement He made from the burning bush when He spoke to Moses, I AM who I AM.  And in making these statements, Jesus made it clear He is the Messiah, the promised one of Israel, and He has come with a purpose, here in this statement, Jessus says, I am the Good Shepherd and a Good shepherd protects His sheep and He is willing to lay down His life for them.  Let us remember that every word Jesus spoke, every action Jesus took, and every miracle Jesus brought about was done with absolute intentionality, they all had a very distinct purpose, nothing was happenstance.  
       Many times the Lord made it clear who He is, He spoke it, He showed it, and He proved it, I AM God, your Good Shepherd, the one who is mighty to save, the one who has come to bring life and life more abundantly, He is the Savior of the world!  There is only one God, one Savior and Christ Jesus is He, put your faith and trust in Him alone, Jesus Saves!

Pastor Roy
702-219-0145

You have probably heard the old saying, 'Beauty is only skin deep'. Our proverb for today makes that point very clear, charm and beauty are fleeting, they are temporary, but the fear of the Lord is truly what makes a person beyond beautiful.  In today's world beauty has become of the greatest importance, even to the point of destroying a person's true real appearance to make them appear the way someone believes they will look best.  The outward appearance does nothing to tell you of the person's inward beauty, for it is what comes from the heart that shows a person's real beauty. This proverbs thirty-one woman has it all together, she has talent, many abilities to do so much, she is a great wife, mother, and provider for her family, but her greatest asset is her love for God.   When we have a true relationship with the Lord, when we have a true fear of God, it will be more than evident in how we live our lives, people will take notice.  When we hold God in the highest of reverence in our life, allowing nothing to get in between Him and us, then our real beauty will shine bright, Jesus Saves!

Pastor Roy
702-219-0145

In context, this verse is connected to direction about being a good, humble servant leader, how to properly care for the flock that has been entrusted to you.  Sometimes we can get ourselves into a place where we feel the need to know and control too much, which may very well lead to a pride problem, Peter writes let it go, it is not that important, do not allow those burdens of everyday tasks bind you up, cast them upon the Lord, He will carry them for you.  At times, life gets a little crazy, busyness seems to be the way of life, there is always a lot more to do than we have time to finish, and we get anxious about running out of time.  This is when you must decide what is truly important, and what can wait, and then hand off the anxiety and worry to the Lord and humble yourself before the Lord, realizing you cannot do it all.  Yes, it can be a hard lesson to learn, but most of us have been there, let go and let God, Jesus Saves!

Pastor Roy
702-219-0145

The Proverbs thirty-One woman, in reading this proverb it seems like she is a woman of perfection and has no faults, but in reality she is a woman who loves and fears God and that is what makes her the amazing woman she is.  She stands in strength and dignity, she has energy when others have been long gone to bed, she is filled with the Lord's power to endure and persevere.  She is dignified in how she carries herself, always a woman with proper etiquette and a beautiful attitude.  She is always ready for whatever comes at her, not concerned about what the future holds.  She is full of Godly wisdom from above, her fear of the Lord has blessed this woman with much wisdom.  This woman is kind and her kindness shows in all aspects of her life, her words, her guidance, and her actions.
       These attributes are not just for women, everyone of us should be living a life that is pleasing to God, seeking God's wisdom daily, living a life holding God in the highest of reverence. Being dignified in how we live out our faith, always showing kindness toward others, and living in the promises of God, that He holds our future, Jesus Saves!

Pastor Roy
702-219-0145

God never changes, He never moves, He is the one constant that we have in our lives, always there, always faithful.  When people say God is not present in my life any longer, or God feels distant, remember God did not move, you did.  The Lord is always faithful in every moment of every day, God is right there with you, He never shifts nor falters in His love for you.  God is our protector, our shield, our fortress, He will establish you and guard you against the evil one.  Is that not comforting to know that God is in your corner, even when things seem to be falling apart all around you, God is there in your midst.  I love what we read in Isaiah 43:2 "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you"

Pastor Roy
702-219-0145

A big reason people worry and fret and get anxious is they spend all of their time focused on the here and now, all the things they can see and hear and experience.  When we are told we should have our focus on what we cannot see, those things that are eternal and unseen in our lives today, the things of God.  Think about what is beyond the sunset, behind the morning sunrise, and the unknown realms of God in every part of your life each new day.  Everything we see in this life currently is temporary, transient, it is fleeting and will go away, it, like us, has a life expectancy.  The most important things are the unseen things of this life, all that you know is there but you cannot see, all of the workings of God.  One day, you and I will move from this mortal temporary existence to  the immortal eternal existence with God in Heaven.  We will change from the here and now to the permanent, eternal and Godly where everything will be new and perfect, no sin, no death, and no tears to stain our perfect existence.  So, today focus on the things of God, on the eternal, on the better things, Jesus Saves!

Pastor Roy
702-219-0145

God loves a cheerful giver!  Here is the bottom line, the Lord says we are to give from the heart, an act of kindness that is not compulsory or demanded, but of love and compassion for the cause.  We give willingly because our heart desires to be generous, not for any other reason.  Here, in His sermon on the mount, Jesus speaks of the motives behind your giving.  When you give, with right motives, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, straight to the point nobody needs to know what you're doing nor why.  Far too many people want to be recognized for their good deeds, 'look at me, look what I did', the Lord says that is wrong in every way and your heart's motive is all wrong.  And another important thing you need to know and remember, when you make it a point to tell everyone of your generosity, you have received your reward, there will be no reward for this deed in Heaven, you have earned all you will get, the praise of men.
     Give out of the abundance of your heart, out of the goodness of your heart, not for personal accolades or applause of man, but because you love like Jesus and you are having compassion on others like Jesus, Jesus Saves!

Pastor Roy
702-219-0145

I would hope that each of who are reading this today is longing to hear from God with a renewed thirst every morning.  Lord, my desire is to hear from you, of your steadfast love each new day as I awake to witness all you have in store for me this morning.  For Lord my complete and full trust is in you, for indeed I have other places to go, where could I go?  Lord I pray that you would have your way with me, that you would use me as you will, my life is in your hands.  Lord, lead me in your way everlasting, lead every aspect of this life of mine to follow you, to embrace you, show me the way I should go.  Lord as I spend the first moments of my day with you, reading your word, hearing your voice speak to my heart, I pray you will lift up my soul, prompt me to live a life that is always pleasing to you in every way.  
      The psalmist has opened his life and his heart to know God in a more intimate manner, to become closer in his relationship with God each morning.  And as God renews His light upon this world each morning, that God you would renew your bright shining light within me each new day that I live to glorify you with my life, Jesus Saves!

Pastor Roy
702-219-0145

Moses has died, and Joshua is now in his place leading this people group into the Promised land, into the land of milk and honey.  It has been a very long journey, a great deal has happened, many people have died along the way for various reasons. As a matter of fact Joshua and Caleb are the only original two who came out of Egypt in the Exodus still alive.  And God speaks to Joshua, just as He speaks to you and I, Have I not commanded you?  Be strong and courageous, lean on me, depend upon me, know that I will be with you wherever you go and whatever you do.  God will never send you on a journey that He will not go right along with you.  The Lord tells Joshua, do not be frightened or dismayed by what you see or encounter, for I am with you, I will defend you, I will protect you, and I will be with you wherever you go.  Today, as you navigate this crazy world, that seems to be more wicked and evil by the day, know this, God is with you, He is your Rock, your fortress, and your defender, lean on Him for all you need, lean on His understanding, and let Him lead you into His ways.  No matter what you might be going through, know that God is with you, He loves you, Jesus Saves!

Pastor Roy
702-219-0145

The Lord Jesus stands for everything good in this life. We are  called to emulate Him and His life as we walk through this short journey here on earth. Never looking for revenge, retaliation or retribution, but always returning good for evil.  Yes, this is absolutely counter cultural, but it is the way of life the Lord desires for each of us to live.  As part of this returning good for evil, prayer can and should be a very big part of that, pray for those who hate you and persecute you, ask God to touch their lives and draw them into a life saving relationship with Him.  We live in a world that is in a very big spiritual battle, probably the biggest Spiritual battle of all time, Good versus Evil, that is why we are witnessing such blatant acts of wickedness every day.  We therefore must be on guard, putting on the full armor of God each morning before we ever leave our house, do not go into this evil world unprotected.   Knowing this, the evil one is lurking just around the corner looking for someone to steal, kill and destroy, these are not mere words but a real warning of the severity of the evil that has permeated our world,  always return good for evil! Jesus Saves!

Pastor Roy
702-219-0145

God is never early, never late, but always right on time.  God is God, who are we to judge His perfect timing in any situation?  Martha said to Jesus, if you had been here my brother would not have died", yes, but that was not God's plan, raising Lazarus from the dead was God's plan all along.  Over the centuries since Jesus' death and resurrection many people have questioned whether or not the Lord is even coming back since it has been so long.  But the Lord has not returned for in His good pleasure, to see all those who have come to faith in Christ and live.  God is not slow, God lives in His own time domain, as Jeremiah stated a word from God, my ways are not your ways, and my thoughts are not your thoughts, and in addition, my timing is my timing.  But God being the compassionate and loving God that He is, wants to see all people come to faith and live for all eternity, that none should perish, but all should live.  Let us not question God, but let us live in complete and total obedience to His call, and know that Christ will return one day, on that we can stand firm and state emphatically, Jesus is coming soon, Jesus Saves!

Pastor Roy
702-219-0145

What a friend we have in Jesus.  Often we find that those who we thought were our friends are not really any more than acquaintances, for when we need them the most, they are nowhere to be found.  A true friend is one who is there when you need them, they will go through thick and thin with you, even when it gets hard.  But as a believer we have a friend who is always there no matter what, no excuses, no voicemail to leave, just reach out in prayer you will find Him, the Lord Jesus.  The one who was willing to lay down His life for you, to take your punishment, pay your sin debt, and then offer you salvation free of charge, now that is a real friend.  Don't fret yourself when your earthly friends desert you, for you always have one you can run to in time of need, any time day or night, for He promised that He would never leave nor forsake you, ever, Jesus Saves!

Pastor Roy
702-219-0145

Be imitators of God.  You might ask how in the world can I imitate God?  God is perfect and I am not, that seems like an impossible task.  What the apostle is saying is this; live with God and learn from God as you navigate through His word and the example of Christ Jesus which laid out for you in the Scriptures.  We often learn from others around us, our parents, siblings, friends, and even celebrities have an influence upon how we live our lives, good, bad, or indifferent.  If we are going to live a life that is pleasing to God, it must be a life that emulates His Son, overflowing with love for God, for others and then a life filled with the fruit of Spirit which is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.  If we are going to be imitators of God, then we must spend good quality time with God, let Him influence you to be the person He created you to be.  Live well, love well, Jesus Saves!

Pastor Roy
702-219-0145

How do we delight ourselves in the Lord?  First off you must be Born Again, you are a believer, saved by Grace through Faith, and therefore be in an intimate relationship with the Lord.  I believe when you believe and have faith, you are already delighting in the Lord, but over time it grows and grows, like the Old song Bill Gaither penned, 'the Longer I serve Him the Sweeter He grows'.  as we grow closer to the Lord, as we get to know Him and love Him all the more, we come to know that He will supply every need, soothe every wound, and be near to the broken hearted.  And in doing so, the delight of the heart, the abundance of the heart changes from the old person to the New Life in Christ Jesus, what fills our heart is from the Lord.  For then out of the abundance of the heart we delight in the Lord.  So when the desires of the heart are Christ-centered and our heart is beating for the will of God, He will give us our hearts desires, Jesus Saves!

Pastor Roy
702-219-0145

We can know that even in the darkest of times, God in the midst of that darkness, that God has a good plan for whatever it might be you are dealing with.  I recently had a very trying experience that had me questioning what I was doing, it was frustrating and sad.  But God, God used that very difficult time to show me some amazing things for me to do in His work and help another as we walked through this time together.  If we will look to God in those times that have us down, discouraged or even despondent, God will make it known to you and it will work out for good, it always does.  In context Israel was in turmoil, it was not a good season for them and eventually due to not listening to God, they would be taken into exile to a foreign country.  Never look at the bumps in the road and say why me, look at those times and say what now God?  Because God has done wonderful things, His plans are certain, and He deserves all the praise and Glory, He is faithful even when we are not for He is our God, Jesus Saves!

Pastor Roy
702-219-0145

Though this parable is very short, it is concise and very pointed in its deep and profound meaning.  In the days that Jesus spoke this parable men were always searching for that elusive buried treasure, for some had been highly blessed to find some treasure hidden in haste to never be found by the one who had buried it.  But his treasure found in this piece of land is extremely special, it is invaluable, and it is worthy of giving up all your earthly goods to have this treasure, the Kingdom of God.  For indeed coming to know the Lord and entering into the kingdom is the treasure of your lifetime.  If you have been blessed enough to have entered into the Kingdom of God then you are well aware of its life changing, life altering value it has on you. A treasure worth giving up all your worldly goods to possess, the Kingdom of God is far more valuable than all the gold on earth, Jesus Saves!

Pastor Roy
702-219-0145

If you were asked, and be honest, what is the one part of your life that you could not live without.  Some four thousand years ago, there was a king, his name was Solomon, he was the wealthiest man on earth, he had everything a man in that era could desire.  And over the years of his life, he contemplated everything he had and everything he did.  In the book of Ecclesiastes Solomon does and acquires everything under the sun, and in the end his conclusion is that it is all vanity, meaningless, none of it brought me what I desired.  And Solomon makes a very wise observation, “The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man”.  He had wine, woman and songs, and all that goes with it, yet he was not satisfied, he realized that God is all he needs to live a wonderful life.  Without God, life has no meaning, no purpose and all is vanity, choose God, love God, fear God, and obey God, and your life will be full and abundant, Jesus Saves!

Pastor Roy
702-219-0145

If we are to be able to do as David did prior to writing this Psalm, we must have a heart like David’s, we must be a man after God’s own heart, one who loves the Lord with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength, being fully surrendered and fully trusting in Him.  When we do each of these, seeking the Lord will come naturally, it becomes part of our nature, a habit of consistent daily interaction with our God.  David looked to God for victory, for consolation, for protection, and for solace, God was Daivd’s go to in every situation, God was his all in all.  For you and I to have the strong faith that David had, our mind must be stayed on the Lord, our heart must be fully surrendered to the Lord, and our life must be fully dedicated to the Lord.  Do as Jesus commanded, ask, seek, and knock, and it will all be opened to you and given to you as God wills, Jesus Saves!

Pastor Roy
702-219-0145

In one of Jesus’s seven I AM statements in the Gospel of John the Lord tells His disciples that He is God, the Great I AM!  He tells them in response Thomas’ question, I AM The Way, the path to life, the only path to eternal life, that through Him, through His sacrificial death and resurrection anyone can come to be delivered from the wrath to come.  Jesus tells them I AM the Truth, in Him, in His Word we have absolute truth, people are searching for the truth every day, Jesus is The Way to the Truth.  And the Lord says to them and to us, I AM the Life, Jesus the giver of life, all life, the creator of life restores life to the lost and dying, for there is no other name under Heaven in which you can be saved, He is the only way to the Father, Jesus Saves!

Pastor Roy
702-219-0145

Looking at the life of the Apostle Paul, it is amazing how Christ transformed this man from brutally hostile to ‘The Way’ and filled with hate a rage for Jesus of Nazareth, to a man so on fire for the Gospel of Christ Jesus.  Even though Paul was told how much he would suffer for the name of Christ, he was also commissioned to go to the Gentiles, to kings and to rulers to testify about the amazing grace that was offered and afforded to him.  Paul states empathically, my life is worth nothing to me, but it is dedicated to spreading the Good News of God’s Grace.  And the most important aspect of his life, was finishing the race well and the ministry of God’s Grace.  We will all give an account of what we did with Jesus while on earth in this life, what is your life worth, Jesus Saves!

Pastor Roy
702-219-0145

Stay strong in the faith, do not grow weary.  The writer of Hebrews makes the point much like the Apostle Paul in regard to staying strong in the faith.  Here we are told to understand that discipline is for our own good, yes it is unpleasant in the moment, but in the long run it is beneficial, it is helpful, it will make us a stronger person.  In much the same way an athlete trains and trains, it is hard work, but in time it will bring results, strength will increase, stamina will grow.  These things are just as important for our faith, it must be stretched in order to grow and mature into the Christ-centered faith the Lord desires each of us to possess. When our faith is tested and we are driven to our knees in prayer, we are brought to a place of true spiritual growth and this is how we endure and persevere until the end of the race.  Because this training brings about or yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness for those who have been trained by it.  Those dark and challenging times we experience, they are the training mat upon which we grow in spiritual strength day by day.  Embrace all that God has for you, run the race with all endurance knowing that there is a prize when you reach the end of this earthly race, Jesus Saves!

Pastor Roy
702-219-0145

The apostle Paul was not only an amazing evangelist, he was a man who strived to encourage others to stay firm in the faith, to endure until the end, to stay in the race and finish well, all in following Christ Jesus.  Here is what is believed to be the last letter that Paul wrote to his young protege Timothy, Paul makes it clear he has reached the end of his race, he knows that he will probably die soon and go to be with the Lord.  He is not distraught, but he is confident that he has run the race put in front of him with all endurance and stayed true to his calling.  Each of us has been called by the Lord to come and follow Him. to live a life that is pleasing to God, to not allow ourselves to be sidetracked and led astray, but to keep our eyes on Jesus and abide in Him, walking with Him through the deep waters, and through the fiery flames of life.  
     I would encourage each one of us to take an inventory of our walk with the Lord, are we in step with God, are we in a solid intimate relationship with Christ, can we truly say we are walking the walk and talking the talk, and will you hear, well done good and faithful servant when that time comes?  May we all fight the good fight until the end of the race, Jesus Saves!

Pastor Roy
702-219-0145

If we understand this verse in context it shows us that in the end of days, when the whole world will see and experience the Glory of the Lord in all His splendor and might, everyone will know who He is.  As the Apostle Paul wrote in Philippians 2:10-11 "so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father"  Just as the empires (Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greek, and Romans) of the ancient world were known worldwide, So also will the Glory of our Lord all will know and see that He is Lord and He is mighty to save, and there is no other God.  What this does not mean is that all the world will be saved and every person on earth will go to Heaven.  The Bible is clear that is not the case, the road is narrow and few will find it.  As much as we all would love for everyone to come to know Christ as Lord and Savior, most will not. It is sad, but it is true.  But we shall still go out into the world and preach the good news to all who will hear and spread hope in this lost world, Jesus Saves!

Pastor Roy
702-219-0145

The apostle John does a very good job of reiterating and reinforcing the words of the Lord Jesus throughout his epistles.  John is considered the Apostle of 'love', he writes about love a great deal in his letters, and speaks of living in obedience to the commandments of Christ.  Jesus said "if you love me you will obey my commandments"  and one of those commandments is found in John 13:34-35 "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”.   We are called to love others unconditionally just as Jesus did, that we walk in love, live in love, and be Christlike in how we love others.  John tells us that we are to live by the example of Jesus' love and His command to love one another, this is love therefore walk in it.  
       We must remember that the love of God is much different from the love of this world, God's love is real, it is abiding, it is living love, not fickle free thinking love.  Love one another as Jesus loves you, let the world see that you have been with Jesus, Jesus Saves!

Pastor Roy
702-219-0145

Our Heavenly Father is filled with joy to see those who love Him, obey Him and follow all he has prescribed for their good.  This is a theme from the very beginning of God's Word, that He rejoices over His children when they walk with him in faith and trust.  And as such, human fathers too rejoice when their children grow up in the Lord and are faithful into adulthood.  There might not be anything that brings a parent more joy than to see their child embracing the Lord, and walking with Him as they grow up, willing to go to church and being involved in Spiritual activities.  It is much like what we see in the life of Jesus when His Father in Heaven spoke from the throne, "This is my son in whom I am well pleased", because He lived a life that was pleasing to His father in Heaven.  We too should strive to hear those words from our father in Heaven, one when we arrive and stand before him after living a full life here on earth, "Well done good and faithful servant"  Think about the influence you have on children around you, your own children and others as you walk in step with God and His plans daily, Jesus Saves!

Pastor Roy
702-219-0145

The marks of a true Christian, Jesus said that by this one thing, love, they will know you are my disciples.  Are we loving well, are we loving other believers as Christ has instructed us to do?  The Apostle Paul spent some time here in his epistle to the church at Rome talking about the person who is Born Again, a New Life in Christ, beginning with the fact we have been transformed by the renewing of our minds, we think differently.  Let your love for others be genuine, not just lip service, not just something we say as followers of Christ, but something we do because we have the love of Christ in us.  Love one another with true brotherly affection, and outdo each other the way you love each other and show honor to each other.  In loving others, we should be patient in all situations, kind beyond belief, fervent in the Lord, continually in prayer, and always rejoicing in hope for others.  And may we always live in harmony with others, overlooking their faults and embracing them as they are.
Let there be love shared among us, Jesus Saves!

Pastor Roy
702-219-0145

Truly it is not a matter of if you will suffer but when.  Becoming a follower of Christ does not in any way eliminate suffering from your life, in fact most all of us suffer at some time in our Christian walk for the name of Jesus, the Lord said it would happen.  Many people over the past two thousand years have died for the name of Christ Jesus, it continues to this very day.  But when it comes and it will, do not allow the evil one to lead you into a place of shame and disgrace, stand firm in your faith and let the Lord lead you through that suffering.  Christ suffered a great deal to come and live a sinless life on earth and die a criminal's death on a brutal Romans cross to pay your sin debt, it was suffering beyond anything you and I will ever experience in this life.  So let us embrace those times of suffering that we go through, knowing that it will all make us stronger in our faith, and help us endure until the end.  And may we always Glorify the name of Christ Jesus as we walk in step with Him day by day living a Christ filled life.  Job said best, Job 14:1 "Man who is born of a woman is few of days and full of trouble"  Live for Jesus, love for Jesus, Jesus Saves!

Pastor Roy
702-219-0145

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me, what exactly does the apostle Paul mean by this statement?  Is he saying that you can do anything imaginable through the strength that comes from the Lord Jesus?  If we go back to this section of the letter Paul wrote to the church in Philippi we see that he was talking about something quite specific, the Apostle is speaking of his circumstances that he has lived through while doing the ministry of evangelism for Christ.  Paul says I am content no matter whether I have much or I have little or nothing, even sitting in prison for the name of the Lord, I am content.  He states I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.  Paul is not speaking of Christ's strength as a magic ability to do anything in the world, not at all, he is speaking of doing the ministry of the Lord, even in the most difficult situation, in dire need, in prison, even when things are going great, I get my strength from Christ Jesus.  Know this, if you are doing the will of God, if you are living out the will of God in your life, fulfilling the calling He has made upon your life, He will give you the strength to complete the task He has called you to do.  May the Lord Bless you and keep you as you walk with Him daily, Jesus Saves!

Pastor Roy
702-219-0145

In order to take this verse in its correct context, we must read what the Apostle stated prior to this, this section of his letter is titled Cheerful Giver, Paul is talking about giving with a generous and open heart, not begrudgingly.  Tithing in church can be a very touchy subject for so many because they hear those people on television begging for millions of dollars to pay for their brand new Gulfstream Jets and more.  That is criminal to say the least, true giving from the heart to support the work of God within your local church is being a blessing.  Remember, God is the one who provided everything you have, it is all His and He only asks for a small portion, you get to keep most of it.  And Paul says that God will supply every need you could possibly have, God will make all grace abound to you, promising that provision.  Giving back to God is a blessing, it is something we do as part of our relationship with Him, and in return God pours out blessing upon blessing.  This has absolutely nothing to do with the false teaching of prosperity, that is not what God is saying, He says simply that He will provide your every need, God loves a Cheerful Giver, Jesus Saves!

Pastor Roy
702-219-0145

The Apostle Paul begins this portion of his letter to the church at Rome with this statement and it says it all, "Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ"  By grace we have been saved, justified by faith, and we have peace with God.  But if that isn't enough, we have been given a Spirit of endurance to go through times of suffering, difficulty with a heart filled with joy that comes directly from the Lord.  We do this by the grace of God because we know that this suffering helps us to keep on enduring through whatever comes our way, and that ability to endure produces Godly character in us, making us more like Jesus day by day.  And that Godly character produces hope within us, a hope for a future that is promised to us by God.
     Let us all look at those times of suffering through a different lens, through the lens of hope in Christ Jesus.  He endured much suffering and pain to save you and me, and He did it willingly.  This life is filled with pain and suffering and it is not a matter of if it will happen but when.  When it happens, look to Jesus the finisher and the perfecter of your faith and endure until the end, Jesus Saves!

Pastor Roy
702-219-0145

David, the writer of this psalm lived some 2900 years ago and he writes of the cares of his heart in the time he lived.  Not that he did not have many cares, as a shepherd boy he was caregiver of sheep, they were his responsibility, he became a mighty warrior, had to deal with a crazy King who became his father in law, who tried to kill him, and then he became king over all of Israel.  David did indeed have his share of cares.  Now you and I do not deal with many of the issues David dealt with, but we have many other cares living in this ultra modern world.  We use automobiles that breakdown, many gadgets in our home and at work that stop working at the most inopportune time, technology that makes us crazy, and of course life.  You and I have many cares of the heart that can and will cause us problems if we do not allow the Lord to take them from us, let Him carry the burden.  David says that when the cares of his heart are many, you Lord, and your consolations cheer my soul.  When the cares of your heart are many, where do you go, to whom do you call on?  Is prayer and Scripture your first place to turn?  Do you allow the Lord's care and compassion, His consolations to bring you comfort?  When you are feeling overburdened by the cares of this world, go to God, let His consolations bring you comfort, Jesus Saves!

Pastor Roy
702-219-0145

You just have to love the heart of James, the half brother of the Lord Jesus, his epistle is amazing and one of the most quoted in the New Testament.  I know a great many people struggle with the idea of having a heart filled with joy while going through trials and difficult times.  But, if you have a relationship with the Lord, you have a different outlook on life, you come at it from a much different perspective, and you can have joy in trials.  For a non-believer, this is completely foreign, they cannot see or understand the possibility of having any kind of joy while dealing with trials in this life.  The non-believer looks for happiness and happiness is a fleeting emotion that is beyond fickle.  Joy is a true condition of the heart that is devoted to God, a new heart that has been changed from the old person to the new life in Christ.  And we can note that James says that when we meet trials of various kinds and not if, because they come and sometimes in waves.  But we can endure them with a heart that is filled with the Lord's joy, walking right on through that valley.  May your day be filled with joy as you walk with the Lord, and may your heart be filled with His peace, Jesus Saves!

Pastor Roy
702-219-0145

Prayerfully we all do our best to stay in good physical health and shape for it does truly help us feel better and look better. But even more important than that is our Spiritual well being or as the Apostle Paul refers to it Godliness. From the moment we surrender our life to the Lord Jesus, repent of our sinfulness and turn to God, we begin a new life in Christ, and as we grow closer to Him, we grow in godliness and we mature in our faith. This godliness has great value for our current life but even more important is it has great value in our promised future in Heaven. Through the process of sanctification, growing closer to the Lord and becoming more like Him in every aspect of our lives, we also grow closer to eternity, not in a matter of time, but in a matter of Spiritual well being. 

Pastor Roy
702-219-0145

The writer of Hebrews gives some very sound encouragement, as he lays the firm foundation of our faith out right before our eyes, that being Christ Jesus. He establishes a basis for his statement, that there have been many that have traveled this road before us, that great cloud of witnesses, they struggled with the same problems all of us have. Remember, as Solomon said, there is nothing new under the sun, these human issues we experience, they have plagued mankind for thousands of years. But we are told to lay them aside, each and every one of those weighty sins, things that tend to draw you away from the faithful walk you trod every day. We are running a race, a race that will lead us into eternity, and the image used here is that of a runner in a race, and in those days they ran races such as the olympics naked in order to remove every weight that might hold them back. We too are running a race, and it can be far too easy to get tangled up in sin that will hold us back, that can stop us in our tracks. Today, if you know there is a weight, a sin, or anything that is hindering your walk with the Lord, shake it off, get rid of it, and then run with great endurance the race that the Lord has set before you, run the race, finish the race, endure until the end, Jesus Saves! 

Pastor Roy
702-219-0145

Where is your focus, being anxious about things you cannot change, worrying about events that are far out of your control?  Or are you focused on the Goodness of God?  Ponder these lyrics from the CeCe Winans song, "I love You, Lord, For Your mercy never fails me, All my days I've been held in Your hands, From the moment that I wake up, Until I lay my head, Oh, I will sing of the Goodness of God"  We can allow our minds to drive us to the negative, worrying about world events, social unrest, violence in the streets, politics, the list goes on and on.  Or we can keep our heart stayed on the Goodness of God, all His many blessings, being thankful for all He does for us each day.  Replace your worries and cares with Words of Life from Scripture, do not allow the evil one to take away your joy and get in that mindset that all is bad and that darkness is going to win the day, NO!  Take hold of God's promises and walk by faith, head up filled with the joy of the Lord and the Peace that is beyond all understanding.  Today, I choose Joy, Jesus Saves!

Pastor Roy
702-219-0145

The Golden Rule, it seems that this would be simple common sense, if I desire that you treat me well, I will treat you well, right?  Well, if it was that easy Jesus would not have placed an emphasis on this important aspect of life.  Think about how different people are, upbringing, experiences, life events, traumatic circumstances, and more, we are all quite different.  But, that does not give us unbridled freedom to treat people badly because of the things we have gone through.  I have no responsibility for your past and your hurt because I have my own issues to deal with, we all must consider how we treat other people, are we kind, or are we rude and nasty?  
       I know there are people who lean on their past to justify their actions, I know there is hurt there, but the people who are receiving the repercussions of your hurt do not deserve it, they are completely and totally innocent in your life's circumstances.  None of us is perfect, we all have our flaws, we make mistakes, we lash out in moments of weakness and agitation, and we make assumptions about others that are absolutely wrong.  Let's make an effort to be kind to everyone, even if they do not deserve it, let each of us pour out grace upon grace on others just as the Lord has for us, Jesus Saves!

Pastor Roy
702-219-0145

Psalm twenty-three, a psalm of comfort, assurance, and protection.  It is believed that David wrote this psalm most likely when he was still a shepherd boy outside of Bethlehem, as he met with many dangers that went along with keeping sheep in the fields.  As we read through this short psalm, we can see and know the heart of the person who wrote it, the psalm is filled with a heart of trust, knowing that God will always be there to provide, to protect, to lead and guide, knowing that through his relationship with the Lord, his shepherd, he was covered.  
       As followers of Christ, we should have no fear because we know He is always walking right alongside us, that even in the darkest of days, even as death closes in upon this fragile life of ours, we have nothing to fear for our shepherd has us by the hand to lead us into eternity.  His rod and His staff they bring us comfort as they guide us along, just like with sheep keeping them from going astray and wandering off.  The Word of God is our rod and staff that keep us on the narrow path that leads to paradise in Heaven with our Good shepherd.  Today, as we ponder this verse, let it bring you comfort, peace and fill your heart with the Lord's joy, knowing Jesus Saves!

Pastor Roy
702-219-0145

This is an interesting piece of Scripture, the apostle Paul tells of a time, some fourteen years prior when he was caught up into Heaven, though it is hard for him to understand exactly how it happened.  I believe this was when he was stoned to death in Lystra, I believe he died that day and God sent him back to keep on doing the work he had planned for him on earth.  Paul endured a great deal of suffering for the sake of the name of Christ Jesus, and Paul says here that he could boast of many things, but he will not, and he had been given a thorn in the flesh to keep him from being puffed up, a reminder to stay humble.  And here Paul says he asked of Jesus to take this thorn away from him, three times he asked, but the Lord responded to him with a simple but very true statement, my grace is sufficient for you, for it is in your weakness you are made strong.  
       Then Paul reiterates this promise from the Lord, no matter what comes my way, weakness, insults, hardships, persecutions or calamaties, for when I am weak, then I am strong.  No matter your circumstance, the Lord is your strength, Jesus Saves!

Pastor Roy
702-219-0145

The interaction between Mary and the Angel who brought her the news of her coming pregnancy, her conversation with Joseph the one she was engaged to, and her expressing the news to her cousin Elizabeth... They all show just how much Mary trusted in God, believed in God and was willing to let God lead and guide her life.  None of this would have been easy for her to deal with, this truly turned her world upside down, and this was just the beginning of how her life would change.  But Mary wrote a song that magnifies the Lord for who He is, her spirit was filled with excitement for she knew that she was living in the midst of His will.
       Are you living within God's will?  And if you are and life seems to be a little out of sorts, are you rejoicing that you are where you are today?  Our heart's desire should be that we are asking that the Lord's will be done in our life, that He would be our guiding light every day and in every way. Our daily prayer should be Lord, have your way with me, do with me what you will, I am yours for the taking, use me as you see fit.  Lord I surrender all to you, have thine own way, Lord, have thine own way, Jesus Saves!

Pastor Roy
702-219-0145