https://www.facebook.com/110584873996276/

Abundant Life FGC, 1278 US/190, Huntsville, TX (2026)

06/01/2026

Good morning

Matthew 16:14-16 - And they said, "Some say that you are John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others Jeremiah, or one of the prophets." He said unto them, "But who do you say I am?" And Simon Peter answered and said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."
Matthew 16:23 - But He turned, and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan: you are an offense to me: for you savor not the things that that be of God, but those that be of men."

Jesus had just asked the disciples who others said He is. They said some thought He was John the Baptist, Elijah, or one of the prophets. Then He asked them who they believed He is. They answered that they believed He is the Son of God, the Messiah. What a beautiful statement of faith! But...

Not long after this, Jesus told the disciples of His death and resurrection, but Peter, who was adamant Jesus is God, rebuked Him saying that this would not happen to Him. He could not comprehend that it was the very reason Jesus was here. Jesus rebuked Peter, saying he did not savor the things of God. But what He said to Peter, He says to all. Therefore, we must ask ourselves this question, Do we savor the things of God or the things of this world?

When we look at our daily lives, what do we find? Do we give Christ lip service and then argue with Him? Many spend far more time watching television, playing video games, doing face book, snap chat, TikTok, you tube, etc., than they do reading the scriptures, or praying, or witnessing, or gathering together with the rest of the body of Christ. It is like we tell the Lord we don't really need the Word, even though He said to make every effort to know and rightly divide it (2Timothy 2:15). Or that we don't have time for prayer, even though He said to pray without ceasing (1Thessalonians 5:17). Or that we tell Him why can't witness to our neighbors, even though He told us to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. Or we tell Him it is not necessary to gather with the body to be saved, even though He said not to forsake the assembling together of the body (Hebrews 10:25).

Without obedience our profession is lip service. Faith without works is dead. If we believe Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, it must bring us into a life lived for Him. He must have the preeminence in everything. He must be our everything.

Lord, your word declares that those who hunger and thirst for righteousness shall be filled. It also tells us that you work in us to will and to do your good pleasure. In your mercy forgive us for not savoring the things of heaven, and for your glory, create in us a deeper desire for you. May it be that we would savor you, and that we would lose all desire for the things of this world.

05/31/2026

Good morning

Matthew 25:1-13 (11-13) - Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But He answered and said, verily I say unto you, I know you not. Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man comes.

Jesus Christ is going to return to this earth. He warned us about the things that would take place shortly before His return, and we may see and understand them, but we do not know the day or hour of His return. It is set in God's plan, but we cannot know it, because God has not revealed it. But He will come to judge the nations, and He will separate the sheep from the goats.

The five foolish virgins were unprepared. They were with the wise, they waited with them, had lamps, but they had no oil. They did everything the wise did except prepare for themselves. They looked like the wise, they waited like the wise, they were counted with the wise right up until the time they heard the call to go meet the bridegroom. They seem to have expected the wise to give them what they needed so they didn't have to put forth any effort, but no one gets to be with Jesus on someone else's effort. The wise were prepared, but not so the foolish.

Jesus had already told the disciples that there would be many who would say to Him, "Lord, Lord", but they would not enter His glory (Matthew 7:21-23). They would tell Him how they prophesied, worked miracles, and done many good deeds, but He would respond and say, "I never knew you, depart from me, you workers of iniquity". They had done many "works", but they missed the work of God, which according to John 6:29 is to believe on Jesus. Their dependence was on what they had done instead of what Jesus had done. They were focused on doing instead of knowing Christ and being what He called them to be.

According to Jesus, there are many who will say, "Lord, Lord" and not enter with Him. This is why it is so important that we make our calling and election certain. This is why our priority must be to know and draw close to the Lord now, for He is coming and we do not know when. If we wait until the cry goes out, it will be too late. Now is the day of salvation, now is the accepted time. Yesterday is gone and tomorrow may not come, so we must seek Him now with all our heart.

05/30/2026

Good morning

Matthew 25:1-13 (7-9) - Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. The foolish said unto the wise, "Give us some of your oil, for our lamps have gone out. But the wise answered, saying, "No, lest there be not enough for us and you: but you go to those who sell and buy for yourselves.

This is a parable of Jesus depicting the church. Within the church all are invited to the marriage feast of the lamb of God. But there are both the wise and the foolish. Even though they have some similarities, Jesus makes a clear distinction between the two. They are all invited to the feast. They all wait and sleep while the bridegroom tarries. They all hear the call to wake up and go to Him. They all had lamps. But this is where the similarities ceased.

The wise took extra oil with their lamps. They were prepared for the bridegrooms return whether it was early or late. But the foolish were unprepared, and they did not have enough oil for the night. When the call to meet the bridegroom came, the foolish were out of oil and tried to get the wise to give them some of theirs. The wise refused lest there wouldn't be enough for both. By the time the foolish bought more oil, it was too late, and they were shut out of the wedding feast. There are important lessons in this for us.

No one will go to heaven through someone else's relationship with Christ. Although we can worship together, and encourage one another, we can only stand in our own personal relationship with Christ. Jesus said, "You must be born again. No one can be born for someone else. Each individual is responsible for themselves. We need each other, but we cannot blame others for our unpreparedness, nor can we make anyone else be prepared. We may encourage them, preach the gospel to them, and pray for them, but we cannot make them. Everyone will stand before God and give an account of all their own preparedness.

Another lesson in these verses is the importance of being diligent, to make our relationship with the Lord our one true priority. Jesus asked the question, "What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his soul?" If we mix our desires with both the world and the Kingdom of God, we lose everything because we are unprepared for eternity. If our relationship with the Lord is only worth halfhearted effort, we are not worthy of Him. But if He is worthy of ALL our heart and effort, so that we diligently seek and draw near to Him in humility and obedience, we will find HIM! He desires such a relationship more than we do. The cross proves that.

So let us lay aside everything that hinders our relationship and our preparedness. Let us immerse ourselves in the scriptures that we might rightly apply them to ourselves. Let give ourselves to prayer, that we may seek His face and draw near to Him.

05/29/2026

Good morning

Philippians 3:8 - Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ.

What a difference between the early church and today. Paul considered the things of this world as nothing compared to knowing Jesus Christ. He found in Christ everything he needed for this present life and for all eternity. He joyfully gave up the things of this world for the things of God. So many today seem to think serving Christ is the way to obtain the things of this world. Of course, this leads to a watered-down gospel and at best a lukewarm church. The gap between the early church and the present-day church has only grown wider. This is not all inconclusive, for God always has a people who serve Him.

The questions we must be asking are these, Are we willing to give up everything for Him? Are our hearts set upon the blessings of eternity or this present world? Is Jesus everything to us, or just a part of our desires? Will we, as the apostle, joyfully suffer the loss of this world, or like the rich young man sadly turn from Christ?

We have not been called to walk with the Lord, but we have been called to live IN Christ. Jesus did not come to walk with us, but in us. This is one of the great differences between the old covenant and the new covenant. Jesus told His disciples that the Holy Spirit was WITH them, and that He would be IN them. On the day of Pentecost this promise began to be fulfilled. The Holy Spirit is still filling people today, but He does not fill the halfhearted, the ones who are more concerned about the things of this world, those who are more interested in themselves than God or others. He fills those who desire Him more than everything else.

When we think of all He has already done for us, and all He has promised us both now and in eternity, these questions are not out of place, nor are they asking too much. One thing is certain, all of us will answer them one way or the other.

He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep, to gain what he cannot lose. Jim Elliot.

05/28/2026

Good morning

Joshua 1:9 - Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; be not afraid, neither be dismayed: for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.

We have seen several scriptures that warn us of the hatred the world has for God, Jesus, and those who believe the gospel. There are the warnings of tribulation and persecution that Jesus says must come before His return. Sometimes we get caught up in our complacency and don't actually believe it could happen in our lifetime, and sometimes we may think about it and become fearful. This is especially true when we hear of severe persecution in parts of the world and then see what seems to be the beginnings of it in this country.

We can be sure that trials, tribulations, and persecutions will come, but we can be even more certain that when they do, Jesus Christ will be very present with us. Just like when Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were thrown into the extremely hot furnace, they were not alone. Three were thrown into the furnace, but the king saw four, and the fourth was like the Son of God. Jesus is always aware of His followers. When Stephen was stoned Jesus wasn't seated on the throne, He was standing, and He gave Stephen a vision that strengthened him in his ordeal.

Why do we doubt His presence? He told us plainly that He would dwell IN us. We have been shown this in the scriptures. The believer's body is the "temple of God" and the "temple of the Holy Spirit". If we are truly His, He lives in us. Jesus told the disciples (and also us) That the Holy Spirit was with them and would be IN them. Jesus said He would not leave us as orphans, but that He would send the Spirit to us. He has truly given to us everything we need to live this life in true godliness. Yes, He warned us about suffering in this world, but He also promised that after we suffered for a season, He would give us the victory, and the fulness of that victory is eternity with Him.

May we understand the warning, set our hearts on Him, and be strong and very courageous serving our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

05/27/2026

Good morning

1 Peter 4:12-14 - Beloved, think in not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you: But rejoice, inasmuch as you are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when His glory shall be revealed, you may be glad also with exceeding joy. If you are reproached for the name of Christ, happy are you; for the spirit of glory and of God rests on you: on their part He is evil spoken of, but on your part He is glorified.

Peter, writing to the early church, addresses the issue of suffering for Christ. He does not speak in a negative tone, but he is very positive way that reinforces the steadfastness of those he is writing to. He encourages them by letting them know the fiery trials they face are actually normal. They are not some strange thing, but they are only what should be expected. In truth, to expect anything else is foolishness. This world hates God and everyone that serves Him, and to think the church would be accepted by it is again, foolish.

Since the fall in the garden of Eden, mankind has tried to silence God. He was rejected then and He is still rejected today, and in rejecting Him today, all who serve Him are rejected also. Those who believe in God and in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, have always been marginalized, rejected, and persecuted. Satan and his followers have done their best to destroy God's people just like he tried to destroy Jesus. Satan cannot defeat God, so he tries his best to destroy God's creation, and especially, humans, because they were made in the image of God.

For a little longer, God will allow the fiery trials to test the souls of mankind, but the day is coming when the testing is over and God casts the devil and his followers into the lake of fire. All of the blood washed saints will be gathered home, to the place of unending love, joy, and peace in the presence of God our Father and Jesus Christ our Savior forever more.

Therefore, let us not fear the fiery trials, nor doubt in the midst of them, but may we confirm our faith and stand steadfast in His grace.

05/26/2026

Good morning

John 15:19,20 - If you were of the world, the world would love his own: but because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said unto you, "The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.

This is somewhat of a scary portion of scriptures. Jesus warns us about the inevitability of persecution towards believers. Jesus said if He was persecuted his followers would also be persecuted. The thought of persecution is an upsetting thought today, and it could even be terrifying. But there is a thought that should even more terrifying, that there would be no persecution at all. Why would that be so terrify? Would not that be a blessing from heaven?

This is not a desire for persecution, but if Jesus said His followers would be treated the same way He was, and if we do not suffer any persecution, the question would need to be asked, "Are we following Him?" or "Are we following close enough to Him to matter?" If there is no persecution, it could be that we are not seen as a danger to the kingdom of this world, for the scripture says that ALL who live godly lives will suffer persecution.

It is in this realm of suffering that the fundamental difference between the "American dream" and the reality of serving Christ are revealed. The concept of the 'dream' is comfort and worldly success. It is to make money, get the things you want, retire as early as possible, and live your own life on your own terms. The concept of serving Christ is service to God and to the people around you. It is to live each day in the hope and assurance of eternity. It is to know that this world cannot be your best life because eternity with Christ will be so much better that we won't even remember the good and the bad of this world. We live for something greater than this world.

The concept of suffering with Christ has changed dramatically from the early church. While we try our best to avoid suffering as Christians, the early church rejoiced IN the suffering. They considered it an honor and a blessing to suffer with and for the Lord. As we have said before, Paul actually prayed that he might know the Lord, and the power of His resurrection, and THE FELLOWSHIP OF HIS SUFFERING, and be made conformable to His death (Philippians 3:10).

Why all of this talk of persecution and suffering? It is because we have brothers and sisters who are suffering right now, and it tells us that it can happen to us. We must be ready now. The question is asked, "If you have run with the footmen, and they have wearied you, then how can you contend with horses? And if in the land of peace, wherein you trust, they wearied you, then how will you do in the swelling of the Jordan."

We need to change our mindset, make certain our calling and election, prepare for the trials, tribulations and persecutions, and do the work of preaching to every creature.

05/25/2026

Good morning

Acts 14:21,22 - And when they had preached the gospel in that city, and had taught many, they returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium, and Antioch, confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.

After Paul had been stoned and left for dead, he went to other cities and continued to preach the gospel. When he had finished, he traveled back through the cities he had preached in to confirm those who had been saved. He wanted to comfort, encourage, and strengthen them in their faith so they might stand firm through the tribulations of this life. Two of the things that was both promised and proven in Christ was the tribulation and persecution that would happen to every person who would follow Jesus.

In a way, Paul was the perfect person to warn those of his day, and we of our day, that to enter the kingdom of God would be through much tribulation. He knew what it meant to suffer for the cause of Christ. He was scourged five times, beaten with rods three times, stoned one times, held under arrest for three years, and was even shipwrecked for the cause of Christ. It wasn't just Paul, all of the disciples suffered persecution.

Much of the church in the USA has forgotten this truth. It is as if we think God's great purpose and plan is to make us comfortable in this present time. He is to take away everything that bothers us. But God isn't actually concerned about our comfort in this sin cursed world. Jesus did not die so we would be comfortable here, but that we might be with Him in a perfect, sinless world forever. The Lord isn't working to please the carnal self, but to perfect holiness in us, for without holiness no one will see Him.

The real difference between the early church and the church of today is found in Philippians 3:10, where Paul prayed, "That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable to His death." It is also seen in Acts 5:41, where after the apostles were beaten and commanded to stop preaching Jesus Christ, they rejoiced that they were "counted worthy to suffer shame for His name." They understood that if they truly belonged to Christ, they would suffer this world, but they also knew that it was worth it to attain eternal with Him.

There is no real comfort in this world outside of the hope that is in Jesus Christ, and that hope is that He carries us through the hard times here, and that He will take us home with Him to the place of perfect love, peace, and joy. If we believe this, we will endure with rejoicing.

Abundant Life FGC

06/01/2026

05/31/2026

05/30/2026

05/29/2026

05/28/2026

05/27/2026

05/26/2026

05/25/2026

Address

Telephone

Website

Alerts

Contact The Place Of Worship

Shortcuts

Share

Category