We have just celebrated the Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ. What a celebration of Life. However, we should never forget that before there can be a resurrection there must be a death. So we reflect on the Thursday before just after the last supper, Jesus went into the garden with his disciples to pray. He was in such agony He sweat drops of blood. Personally I believe He realized that He was to take on the sins of the entire world and be separated from God the Father for the first time in His life. He reaffirmed His commitment twice, saying “Not My will but Yours be done.”  Rom 5:8 says that God demonstrated His love towards us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.

On Friday, Jesus was crucified, the torture of which is hard to describe or to imagine. On the Saturday, His lifeless body lay in the tomb but His human spirit was in the region of the damned. Early on the Sunday Morning the Holy Spirit Quicken Him alive and the explosive force of Life rolled away the stone from the tomb. Death could not hold Him.

God’s Love has forgiven our past, effects our daily lives and changed our destiny.  The resurrection is not just a historical event but a life changing eternal happening.

To watch the entire message go to the media button and click to open the video on this website.

Until next time, Remember it’s the truth you know and walk in that set you free.

Pastor Carl Benton

It seems like each year Christmas is more and more commercialized with advertisements beginning earlier and earlier in the year. I’m not opposed to corporations promoting their business because for some the Christmas shopping season makes their entire year. Pastor Belinda and I do watch movies on TV mostly on Pure Flicks a christian movie streaming service. I’ve even noticed this year that even when they endeavor to explain the true meaning of Christmas, it is always about family, morals, some feel good story of reconciliation and forgiveness. Those are good however I rarely hear anyone take about the birth of our savior and Lord Jesus Christ.

Lest we forget, there would be not Christmas without Christ. So as we go around this year please remember to keep Christ as the center of your celebration and heart.

Remember it’s the truth you know and walk in that sets you free. Pastor Carl

As believers in Jesus Christ we are empowered to overcome in this life. In the last two post we saw that we can overcome, The World, The temptations of the flesh and, The Devil with God’s word and the Spiritual Armor that is available. Remember that God always leads us in His triumph. All we need to do is follow His instructions.

I remember the old Timex commercials that said “It takes a licking and keeps on ticking.” No matter what kind of attack you may be under with God on your side you can keep on ticking or living.

Our physical DNA is in every cell of our body. You’ve see the picture of what DNA looks like. It determines everything about you. well we have a spiritual DNA. God said to me that spiritual DNA stands for Divine Nature Assigned. It determines everything about you spiritually.

This week we’ll look at Four distinct features of a believer’s DNA:

Faith:   Rom 12:3 “God has given to each one the measure of faith” Faith in God gives us spiritual sight, seeing beyond the immediate natural struggles of life into a spiritual reality for the favorable outcome. Faith demonstrates itself in boldness, confidence and recognizing that what we see is only temporary.

Favor: the advantage to succeed in life. We are members of the Royal Family of God. God surrounds us with favor. A great example of favor is the Story of Joseph in the book of Genesis.  Read Gen 36-39 for his life.

Forgiveness;  We have the capacity to forgive. Unforgiveness does not harm the person who has harmed you. All it does is keep you tied to the person or event like a tether ball. No matter how hard you hit it, it will always return to you. Forgiveness is a decision of the will. Once you decide, feeling will follow.

God’s Love:  Remember God loves you as much as He loves Jesus. God’s Love will keep your faith working, the favor active, the forgiveness easier and will always cause us to overcome the obstacles of Life.

To hear the entire message click on the media button, then on the watch services link.

Until next time, remember it’s the truth you know and walk in that sets you free. Pastor Carl Benton

God has equipped and empowered a Christ centered believer to be an overcomer in their life. Last time we saw that we are in a warfare against the devil, the world culture and the temptations of the flesh. Praise God, He has made a way for us to overcome.

This post will focus on what I call the “personal terrorist”. The apostle Paul tells us the God has not given us a “spirit of fear”. However many are influenced by this spirit. I call it the spirit of manipulation. This spirit manifest itself in six basic ways. We’ll briefly list each way it will manipulate a believer.

Pride: Selfishness, greed, control, perfectionist, compulsive behaviors, racism

Isolation:  Loneliness, depression, despair, over sleeping, alcoholism, drug addiction

Intimidation:  Shyness, low self esteem, insecurity, indecisiveness, no confidence, stressed out

Paralysis:  Phobias, paranoia, trouble adjusting to change, guilt and shame

Panic: Panic attacks, anxiety and worry, sleeplessness and confusion

Negative Attitude;  Critical, judgmental, sarcasm, cynical about the sincerity of others, impatience

If you find yourself in one or more of these areas, you are not alone! This situation is not hopeless, God has a way and plan for you to overcome the “personal terrorist.”

First God to God’s word and know God

Second be clothed with your spiritual armor

Third become God inside minded.

To view the entire message go to the Media button and click on watch services.

Until next time this is Pastor Carl Benton reminding you, “It’s the truth you know and walk in that sets your free.”

If you are not aware of it, we are in a spiritual battle everyday of our lives.  At times life seems to be running smoothly and at times it is as rough as can be and at other times we feel like we can’t go on another day. When we realize that this battle exist on three fronts we can be prepared because God has made a way for us to overcome every battle of life.

Before we were born again, we were not capable of waging a good warfare because we did not have the spiritual weaponry that would insure victory. However, when we made Jesus the Lord of our lives and became the children of God. All things became new. We received the Holy Spirit and the spiritual equipment to fight in this battle.

The first front we battle is, the devil. First Peter 5:7 tells us to be sober, be vigilant for our adversary, the devil roams about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour.  We must not allow anything to cause us to lose our focus of life in Christ. Remember that Jesus made a show of the devil after the crucifixion where Jesus defeated him soundly. So when the devil harasses you, remind him that he is defeated.  James 4:7 says, “Submit to God, Resist the devil and he will flee from thee.” When we live according to God’s word we are submitting to God and are in subordination under God’s authority. Satan must recognize your authority and obey. However, if we are insubordinate to God, then Satan doesn’t have to obey our commands.

The Second front we battle is the world. Many times people unknowingly yield to the enemies pressure to say and do things that are ungodly towards us.  The way to respond is found in Mat 5. We must pray for them, do good to them and bless them for they don’t know what they are doing and whose behind their behavior.  The Apostle Paul tells in Ephesians chapter six that we don’t wrestle against flesh and blood but against principalities, powers, rulers and spiritual wickedness. When walk in love we are submitting to God’s word.

The third front is simply temptation, 1 John chapter two tells us the temptation comes in three forms: Lust of the eyes, Lust of the flesh and the Pride of Life.  Remember when Jesus was in the desert He was tempted with these three temptations. He used the Word to overcome the temptations. We must do the same.

God has not let us at the mercy of the devil, but has empowered and equipped us for the battles of life. He has changed our DNA from victim to Victor. Rejoice that He has not abandoned us.

You can watch the message by clicking on the Media link and go to Watch services.

Until next time, remember, it’s the truth you know and walk in that sets your free.  Pastor Carl Benton

Romans 12:2 (NKJV)
² And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

When we read in Rom 12:2 about being transformed by the Word of God, what does that mean. First, we are to experience a complete change in our lives. We are transformed like the caterpillar into the butterfly. You may have been what people say were were and you may have done what they say you’ve done but in Jesus Christ you are not what people say you are!

James 1:22-25 (NKJV)
²² But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
²³ For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror;
²⁴ for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.
²⁵ But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.
Find your identity in God’s Word.  Look up each of the following scriptures and make them yours. See yourself as God sees you.

Righteous    2 Cot 5:21                                 Boldness and Access       Ephesians  3:12

Blessed        Eph 1:3                                      Wise       Colossians 2:3

Victorious   2 Corinthians 2:14                    Able and Strong          Phillipians 4:13

Accepted           Ephesians 1:6                      Healed     1 Peter 2:24

Complete     Colossians  2:9-10

Remember it’s the truth you know and walk in that sets you free.
Pastor Carl Benton

The bible tells us in 1 John 4:8 that God is love and in Him there is no darkness. The greater revelation we have of how much God loves us the more we will love Him back and realize there is nothing in life to fear. When God’s perfect love permeated you soul fear have no place to grab hold of in your heart and mind.  The master key is a key that opens any door in a building. So if God’s Love is the master key of heaven’s resources, then our accepting, relying and trusting His love all of heaven’s resources are available to us by faith.

God’s love provided salvation for the lost, healing for the sick, comfort for the hurting, provision for those with lack. In other words, God’s love provides the avenue to all we may have need of. In John 17:23 we read that God loves us as much as He loves Jesus. As hard as that is to wrap our minds around, it is true.

So ask God to give you a greater revelation of His love for you.  Go to the Media page and we have several messages on God’s Love. I believe they will be a blessing to you.

Until next time, remember it’s the truth you know and walk in that sets you free.

Pastor Carl Benton

As we continue to Search for reality, there are several scriptural areas that we should examine. Very often the facts or feelings contradict what is biblically accurate. When we discover an area from scripture and base our life on that truth, sometimes we may not feel the same way the truth indicates.  There is always a legal or scriptural side and a vital or natural side to almost every area. Take for example the concept of redemption, the legal side is that God in Jesus has purchased the human race. The vital side is when a person accepts the sacrifice of Jesus personally. However, because of our thinking and feelings we may not feel different. We acknowledge the redemption by faith. Other aspects that have the same potential of contradiction is forgiveness, righteousness and healing.  Check out the media page for messages entitled “In Search of Reality” for greater detail and explanation.

Remember it’s the truth you know and walk in that sets you free.

Pastor Carl Benton