LIFE Ministries Church / Mercy Gate Intl. - Carolinas

10/16/2024

THE 'CALLED OUT' ONES - The Church
Interestingly, when Jesus said He would build His church, the Greek
word translated 'church' is 'ecclesia' which is loosely translated 'the
called out ones.' However, it is much deeper than just that. And
we misinterpreted it to mean we were called out to be separate from the world which is just not correct.

Ecclesia is a New Testament reference to the Old Testament word that referred to the Elders of a city being called to the gates of that city to hear matters, make decisions and GOVERN. In other words, we, the ecclesia, are those who have been called to a place of authority and Governor Jim Justicement in the Kingdom. Therefore, a more perfect translation would be, 'I will build MY GATES and the GATES of HELL will not be able to withstand it or co-exist alongside it!'

Consequently, every man of God, husband, etc. who is Believer is a 'gate' representing the Kingdom. Gates provide access/entrance or deny access/ entrance. They hold the Keys OF the Kingdom - which shows ownership.

Your keys are vocal. 'Whatever you bind (declare unlawful) on earth is what is already unlawful in Heaven!' We govern by our words. We limit, by our words. We provide entrance by our words.

10/13/2024

I WON'T NAME THE CHURCH - But here's an update . . .

EARLIER THIS WEEK, our Red Truck Men's Ministry had set up relief efforts for the victims of the Western North Carolina flooding and devastation. Our team took time away from work and family to serve around the clock offering aid and assistance to those in need.

FOR SOME REASON, the pastor of the church where they were staging their efforts decided they needed to leave and told our guys to go find another place - and never gave a reason. Part of that tragedy is that we had established a presence and the community knew where to come for a hot meal, supplies such as tarps, buckets, etc.

THIS EVENING we found out the possible reason as we were informed that Samaritan's Purse has set up similar relief efforts in the spot where our team had previously been. Really?!

PLEASE EXPLAIN to me the Christlikeness in this? WWJD is really more than a slogan but begs for a response in this regard.

I REFRAIN from revealing the name of the Church and I ask that you would pray for the pastor and the church family.

08/11/2024

GRUDGE - UNFORGIVENESS - RESENTMENT - OFFENSE

THE HARMFUL, shameful thing about a 'Christian' harboring such feelings is that it elevates our 'offense' to a higher level than that of the Cross Christ had to carry and die on . . . THAT was an OFFENSE.

A GRUDGE IS defined as malice, spite, ill will held against another or others. A grudge is a feeling of resentment harbored because of some real or fancied wrong. Malice is the state of mind that delights in doing harm, inflicting some measure of pain through deeds, avoidance or words, whether expressing itself in an attempt seriously to injure or merely in sardonic humor: malice in watching someone's embarrassment; to tell lies about someone out of malice. Spite is petty, and often sudden, resentment that manifests itself usually in trifling retaliations: to reveal a secret out of spite.

IN WHATEVER fashion or degree, our unforgiveness is held up against the greatest display of forgiveness when Jesus overlooked, pardoned and forgave our sins by dying on the Cross. IF JESUS can forgive us so much, how is it that 'Christians' are so bent on holding onto a grudge in light of the Lord's display of forgiveness on the Cross?

IF WE can't forgive men/others their trespasses, NEITHER will our Heavenly Father forgive ours! It is so egregious that the Lord instructs us that if we are bringing a gift to the altar and remember just such a conflict with a brother/sister, GO and be reconciled FIRST and then present your gift to God.

A PERFECT illustration is seen in our relationship with Christ in the Vine and branches. The 'divine life' is made to flow unencumbered through the Vine to the branches. However, unforgiveness, bitterness, grudges crimp the flow and cut off the life-sustaining 'Sap' meant to produce life and that more abundantly.

HOLDING ONTO a grudge, unforgiveness in the Light of the Cross is such an offense to Christ that He won't hear our prayers until such a thing is resolved. AND, there is no need to pretend that such an environment doesn't exist when, as illustrated in the Book of Revelation and the message to the Church of Laodicea. Jesus said that He would rather that they be HOT OR COLD instead of LUKEWARM, for then He would spew them out of His mouth.

DID YOU KNOW that the same Greek word for 'INDIFFERENCE' is also translated 'HATE.' A 'CHRISTIAN' cannot be indifferent about the precious Body of Christ no matter how many grievances one might have against another.

I COUNSEL with folk OFTEN and have dealt with this issue again, recently. To be blunt, how dare a 'Christian' hold onto and elevate their offense to a level that they make it equal with Christ's and, therefore, something worthy of harboring, clinging to and blinding their darkened heart?

I PLEAD with anyone caught up in this snare (the Greek word for 'offense' is where we get our English word 'snare' or 'trap') to repent, repair the breach and be reconciled. Swallow your PRIDE and be healed. - In Jesus' Love

08/06/2024

O I L R E J U V E N A T O R -

MY FIRST 'real job' was working at Burger Queen at the Beckley Plaza. I believe I was 15 when I started working there.

ONE OF my jobs was to run the rejuvenator to clean the oil used to cook the fries and fish patties. The oil would begin with a golden color, nice and clear, and would reach the point of rejuvenation when it had turned dark brown and murky. We were always quick to not let it get too dark before doing a rejuvenation.

YOU WOULD siphon the hot oil out of the fryer and it would flow into the rejuvenator where the oil was filtered and debris was caught and separated to be discarded. It was amazing to watch the transformation take place.

I MUST wonder if, at times, our mode, methods and means of ministry doesn't need a trip through 'The' Rejuvenator of the Holy Spirit to purge out any/all 'extras' caught or built up along the way and filter out the fleshy/carnal or even neglect that has caused a pure flow to become tainted, darkened.

PURE SPIRIT. Pure Power. Purged. Purified. Clean, clear and transparent. Maybe we need the Rejuvenator more than we need His Power right now.

07/22/2024

A REGIONAL Men's Breakfast near you! You're invited!

07/22/2024

AFTER WE sold our campus in Chicago and had some extra time on my hands, I decided to embark on a new ministry - driving for Uber and Lyft in Chicago. I could write a book!

ONE OF the most enlightening aspects of that effort was to gain insight into how far removed the Church is from the Harvest Field, and how we are so consumed with Church culture. Church Culture becomes our new reality, our new 'norm.'

CHURCH CULTURE is the new world that we enter into once we receive Christ as Savior and begin our new walk with Christ which, obviously includes attending church and embarking on the task of making new friends. The question was/is: What about our old friends.

MY FRIENDS were far to dear to my heart to completely abandon when I surrendered my life to Christ so I did the next most logical thing and began inviting them to come to church with me. My Sister often quips that we went from listening to the Bee Gees brothers to listening to the Easter Brothers! What a change.

A COUPLE of weeks before school ended, my principal bumped into me in the hallway during class. We stopped to talk and he said, 'You know, Freddie, you're not graduating, don't you?' My heart sank, broke a cold sweat and felt ill all at once! He went on to say, 'I'm getting rid of you. I won't have you around here another year. And, by-the-way, nobody makes the kind of drastic change that you have made, so I know you're up to something!' That was when I was able to share my testimony with him and explain how Jesus changed my life.

ATTENDING CHURCH SHOULD NOT be the sum of all of our 'doing' and 'works' for Christ. Attending church should be our 'Filling Station' so that we can depart from the church on Sundays and work to reconcile the world to Christ throughout the week. That should be natural!

THE LATE Reverend D. L. Moody of Chicago once said,, 'Evangelism is simply one beggar telling another beggar where he found bread.

WHILE DRIVING for Uber and Lyft, the Lord broke my heart for the City. I would weep and interceded for the lost soul just as I did for our suburbs of Palos Heights and Tinley Park.

LET'S START a new pandemic and become 'infected' with sharing the Gospel and pass it along to every Believer we meet.

07/22/2024

DEAR FRIENDS! I'm quite excited to share that Mary Gaye and I have the rare pleasure and privilege to see and visit with Bishop Jyothi Kumar Reddi of Kakinada, India as he visits our region next month!

MARY GAYE and I were some of the first friends he met when he came to attend East Coast Bible College in Charlotte back in the 80's. Although a very humble man, the Lion roars as he preaches to his congregation and before tens of thousands throughout India.

I WILL post a link whereby you can read more about their wonderful ministry in India, one being 'Jyothi's Home for Children' where some 200 beautiful children are cared for, nurtured, and loved in a beautiful environment.

NOW, THESE many years later, Bishop Reddi is pastor to hundreds of churches and ministers in his state and the loving founder of the home for children bearing his name.

GO TO his FB page and view the pics and read about his wonderful work!

06/26/2024

THE GLORY OF GOD - A Promise for The Last Days Church . . .

SCRIPTURE TELLS US that the Church Christ Returns for will be a GLORIOUS CHURCH. The Greek word is 'endoxa' the root of which is 'doxa' from where we get our English word doxology.

ENDOXA means 'in a state of the Glory (the manifested Presence) of God. Endoxa is the New Testament equivalent of the Old Testament word 'Kabod.'

‘Kabod’ (pronunciation: kavod) is an important Hebrew word that occurs 199 times in the Old Testament. This word is especially found in the prophets Isaiah and Ezekiel and in the books of Psalms and Proverbs. As a noun, ‘kabod’ has two aspects of meaning: First, ‘kabod’ can be translated as: weight, strength, power, ability.
Second, ‘kabod’ means honor, glory, magnificence, dignity, splendor.
In this second aspect of meaning, ‘kabod’ occurs mainly with regard to the Lord God Himself, his Divinity, Word, his name, works, sanctuary, and city.

HAVE WE witnessed the Kabod of God? It is a promise made to the Last Days Church, a church to be found IN this heavy, weighty, manifested Presence of God.

I HAD A DREAM while pastoring in Chicago about our church, in Charlotte. In the dream, it was a prayer service. No music/worship was taking place. However, there began, at the very rear of the sanctuary, God Presence and like a plumb line or curtain it progressed across the sanctuary moving forward and up to the altar. As His Presence moved, EVERYONE was moved, most by burying their faces in the pew or carpet stopped by the weightiness of the Holiness of God that seemed tangible.

I USED TO dream all of the time - prophetically. Most every major decision of ministry has been made on the heels of a prophetic dream that was as clear as a bell. I have learned to pay attention over the years. Therefore, when I had this dream about our Charlotte church, I knew it was prophetic and a picture of something God was going to do.

IN THE DREAM, word-of-mouth spread the news of the occasion and people from all kinds of churches and walks of life began coming to nightly prayer services just to sit in the Presence of God. There was no frills, thrills or anything concocted by man surrounding this. People came hungry and were filled with the love, Goodness, Mercy and Presence of God.

I HAVE HESITATED sharing this forever but felt at liberty to share this with you now. We want His Glory.

GLORY, explained, is the high, majestic, regal, holy mind and opinion of God that we hold made manifest. This is how/where Glory begins. Our 'glimpse' of Him in our innermost being that is enthralled at the mention of His name begins to manifest through our response such as: quietness; lifting hands; worship; praise; engaged; preoccupied with; enthralled by, etc.

LORD, SHOW US YOUR GLORY! Let your Presence FILL the 'temple' once again as we stand at the Altar that is covered by the Blood, guarded by the Cherubim and Your Glory descends in that Most Holy Place of Union and Communion.

06/23/2024

B L A M I N G O T H E R S
Why do we blame others? Blaming others is, essentially, "blame avoidance."
Like all defense mechanisms used to evade uncomfortable feelings, blame is considered a form of emotional avoidance. Blaming others for how we express inappropriate actions enhances our sense of being justified for those actions.
A blamer may react too quickly to things that happen to them with little willingness to inspect what he or she might have done to cause what happened. A blamer is, in their mind, never guilty of any part they played in incidents of conflict or tension.
Blamers are VERY defensive. If they have a strong critical side they will complain a lot about things including those they caused themselves or they will punish others through covert actions like withdrawal, silence, ignoring others.
The act of blaming another person for your own mistakes or shortcomings rather than accepting the blame or criticism yourself is called deflection. This type of defensiveness as a coping skill is commonly used to angle or direct the focus or blame away from ourselves.
God's Word gives us the answer - something He does with us. 'Come, let us reason together, says the Lord.' Reasonableness is an act of depth and maturity as well as mutual respect. Where there is no respect, there will be no willingness to be reasonable. Unreasonableness is a definite indicator of the value and worth we place upon a relationship. Great value/worth, great reasonableness. Little value/worth, little to no reasonableness.
Along with respect for others there is also the trait of gratitude that is missing with someone who is unreasonable. Gratitude colors and fills all of the bland and parched areas of life with a joy for the things that make life worthwhile and full. Ingratitude spoils the good things of life.
The answer? A hard, focused look in the mirror. Cease critiquing and trying to change others and make yourself the very best image of Christ that you can be. Letting Christ live large in us is the key.

06/17/2024

I JUST read this article from the Chicago Tribune outlining the city's top ten most dangerous neighborhoods, two of which were our weekly mission fields . . .

PropertyClub ranked the top 10 most dangerous Chicago neighborhoods in 2023. See the results:

06/17/2024

ON THIS DATE 2012

IT WAS ON this date in 2012 that my cardiologist came into my room at Christ Hospital in Oak Lawn, Illinois, and explained to me WHAT WENT WRONG with my cardiac surgery.

HIS SUMMATION was that the cardiac catheter that was used on my heart was faulty and that my heart sac was accidentally punctured. He told me that I massively hemorrhaged, lost all of my blood instantly, and they 'lost me' for awhile.

HE WENT ON to explain to me that when your blood winds up where its not supposed to be it can be toxic and 'burned' my organs, etc.

NOT ONLY did that happen, but I also had three 'syncope'' episodes where my heart just stopped and I hit the floor. He told me that each time it happened that I fell so hard that the fall acted like a defibrillator and made sure my heart started/kept beating again.

I CELEBRATE the Goodness of God and His keeping Power and encourage you to join us in doing so.

06/17/2024

OUR SILENT PARTNERS -

FOR YEARS, we carried out a rather significant street-side, hot meal ministry in three of Chicago's highest crime neighborhoods on Monday nights. Regardless the weather, whether a sweltering July night or a -22f Winter night in January, the people came. Some 15,000 meals + were served to those who ventured out and even relied upon our efforts.

WHAT WE never mentioned was that each month, Pam and Perry Stone underwrote this significant ministry with a generous gift that made it possible.

ON MANY, many nights, I would watch little children's eyes light up as they got near the serving table and wished our dear friends in Tennessee could see what we were seeing. Many, many times we would witness a feeble grandmother wait in the long line, never complain and never impatient, and then scurry to a quiet corner on the street so she could enjoy the meal then and there.

GOD BLESS Pam and Perry for their incognito kindness and caring that made a profound difference and impact on so, so many in America's third largest city.