Learning About Servitude

Our Youth Leader, Mrs. Nicky Pickard taught our young people about 'Serving In Love'. 

The scriptural context came from John 15:13 which states, "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends."

Bible Truth: Believers are to follow Jesus' example and show love through unselfish service and sacrifice.

Lesson Aim: Students will find ways to serve others unselfishly.

Our own Dylan Oliver exclaimed he helps others by:

Making up his own bed, helping his mom and dad cook and by cleaning up! He also reassembles his own drums after taking them down of his own accord.

Celebrating the Visionary and the Vision

An Inspirational Word ~ Pastor J Troy Blackwell



I've been concerned about a lot of the messages I've been hearing and seeing posted on Facebook by my fellow Christians; ministers and laity alike. None of which lack zeal or passion for sharing the truth. But my concern is many of the messages lack compassion.....

1 Then all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Him to hear Him. 2 And the Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, “This Man receives sinners and eats with them.” (Luke 15:1-2 (NKJV)

  
 Amazing! The Light of the world; the one who came into the world to call men out of the darkness of sin; He who once declared "men love darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil" ...always found himself surrounded by sinners. The above text takes place at a time in Jesus' earthly ministry when He had developed a reputation for hanging around, drinking and cavorting with sinners. He was known to be the honored guest at the soirées thrown by "tax collectors and sinners." In affect, the text represents the "gossip in the Gospel....."

What's amazing about this text, and that which I think makes it a good lesson for those of us who are Christians; called to be "the light of the world;" we ministers of the Gospel to sinners is this, light exposes sin. There is no way a sinner can come out of darkness except his or her sin is exposed for what it is. And here Jesus is, The True Light; no sin found in Him at all. Yet, sinners who love darkness are willing to hang around Him; risking exposure. They absolutely loved having Him around. Could it be that He compromised His convictions and that endeared them to Him?......

Or could it be that there was something in that light that while it exposed their sin, it drew them to Him nonetheless? Well, it's obvious that His love was in His light. I believe that we as Christians, particularly preachers, teachers, ministers of the Gospel, have often lacked the love in our light.....we are quick to expose peoples' sins; often leaving them ashamed and embarrassed, feeling rejected and hopeless. So, rather than our light attracting them, it repels them. They're not drawn to the light, they retreat further into the darkness.

If we are the "light of the world," what is missing in our light that allows us to expose sin yet sinners are not drawn to us the way they were drawn to Jesus? How many sinners love being around us? How many run when they see us coming? If there is no genuine love in the light, our Gospel can do more harm than good! The Sun is a wonderful light.....it warms the earth. Life grows and is nurtured by its light. Our way of travel is made clear by its light. Even tender blades of grass will penetrate the smallest cracks in the asphalt to reach towards its light. We all love the sun's light. But if that very same sunlight is shined upon anything through the lens of a magnifying glass, it would be consumed; utterly destroyed.

So it is with the souls of men when we minister the light of the Gospel without Love. We cannot fake genuine love for a sinner; either our light exposes and attracts or exposes and repels. We can try to make excuses for our failure to reach sinners all we want to..... "it's a different world now; people don't want to accept the truth anymore." "Sinners are more bound in sin now than they were in Jesus' day." None of that is true! People are the same and He is the same yesterday, today and forever. We have to just do it like He did it; He had "love in His light." Is there any in yours? God bless you! Love ya with the love of Jesus....I really do.

Senior Pastor J Troy Blackwell
Freedom for Living Ministries
March 8, 2014

Youth Of Freedom..Studying Romans 8:31

Dylan Mikal read this scripture last night at Word Enrichment..

Celebrating the Visionary and the Vision

We would like to introduce our guest speakers for our afternoon worship encounters during the month of April:

April 6, 2014 - Pastor Raleigh Bagley III of Concord Baptist Church in Chase City, Virginia 

April 13, 2014 - Elder Troy L. Nevells of Christ Temple Apostolic Church in Danville, Virginia

April 20, 2014 - Pastor Ervin S. Best of Beulah Baptist Church in Madison, N.C.

April 27, 2014 - Overseer Stephon Brown of Noah's Ark Full Gospel Baptist Church in Reidsville, N.C.

All afternoon services will begin at 4:00 p.m. EST.

Celebrating the Visionary and the Vision

Freedom for Living Ministries will celebrate our Undershepherd , our Visionary, Pastor John Troy Blackwell the entire month of April! We will have various activities throughout the month along with various anointed speakers rendering the unadulterated Word of God every Sunday morning and afternoon. Join us for this Holy Spirit ordained celebration as we honor the vessel God chose to plant FFLM and to feed us, the sheep, at every available opportunity. 

Happy New Year! Embracing the Power of Scripture - 2014 Focus

Blessed are the undefiled in the way, Who walk in the law of the Lord ! Blessed are those who keep His testimonies, Who seek Him with the whole heart! They also do no iniquity; They walk in His ways. You have commanded us To keep Your precepts diligently. Oh, that my ways were directed To keep Your statutes! Then I would not be ashamed, When I look into all Your commandments. I will praise You with uprightness of heart, When I learn Your righteous judgments. I will keep Your statutes; Oh, do not forsake me utterly! (Psalms 119:1-8 NKJV)

Embracing the Power of Scripture - 2014 Freedom for Living