Pastor’s Blog
The Book of Revelation: Part 1
3-1-2023
C. Hayden
I love the Book of Revelations. I know that many read it and have difficulty understanding the hidden meanings found in the Apostle John’s writing (I do too sometimes), and some ministers will even council believers not to even attempt to read it because, in their opinion, “it cannot be understood!” Well, those “councilors”are wrong to the nth degree! God would never have John write this most important, although cryptic, portion of the Bible if it was not meant to be understood and/or meant to edify Christians as other portions of the Bible most certainly do.
Now I will admit, some portions of this Book seems to have hidden meanings, and we often see passages that are difficult to pin down with perfect understanding, but the Holy Spirit was given to us so that we can actually have a decent grasp on what the Book has to say. First of all, the title of John’s prose is “The Book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ.” While “Revelations” does reveal end time events and a panorama of futuristic scenery, it teaches so much more. The Book actually is a revelation of who Jesus Christ is, has been, and always will be. Through Revelations, we get the picture of Christ, not as the baby in a manger, or suffering Messiah on the cross, but He is displayed as the King of kings, the Lord of lords, and the omnipotent, omniscient Conqueror who will soon return to bring justice to the world and receive His Church unto Himself. Revelations 1:7-8 says this, “Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him. Even so, Amen. ‘I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,’ says the Lord, ‘who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” Jesus is not just a wonderful Holy Man; He is so much more!
Revelations is also a writing which is sent to the Churches to receieve encouragement and warning on what they are doing and what God wants them to do. Would you like to know what God wants you to do?! The first 3 chapters of the book is mostly Jesus speaking to John, dictating to him on the message He wants to send to His Bride through the Angelic head of each Church. Verse 1:11 declares that John heard a voice saying (it was Jesus) “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last,’ and, ‘What you see, write in a book and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia: to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, the Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphio, and to Laodicea.'” Wowser!!!
The Lord revealed to John what to write SO THAT THE CHURCH MIGHT KNOW SOME THINGS THAT GOD WANTS THEM TO KNOW. Well, in the next couple of months, we will explore some things from Revelations that God wants us to know.
May God bless you even more!!
Pastor Chris
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Weeds
2-15-2023
J. Fields
This past November my family and I purchased a new house here in Huntington, the house itself
isn’t brand new however, it’s new to us. If you know me very well you would know that one of my
favorite things to do is work outside, especially in the flower beds. I’m picky, I like to make sure the
mulch looks fresh, the flowers and plants are nice and hardy, and I cannot stand having weeds growing.
This time of the year, it’s hard to tell what plant may belong, which is weeds, especially when you aren’t
familiar with the flower beds yet. Now that the snow is melting and I’m starting to get a little itchy to get
out in my flower beds I’m starting to examine them a little deeper, there are a few things that look like
weeds but I can’t tell, I want to pull them but my must smarter and beautiful wife, Heather keeps telling
me to wait and be patient, she told me the last thing I want to do is pull something that just may be a
plant. Well, I’ll stay patient and wait to see what starts growing.
This situation got me thinking about a famous parable found in Matthew 13, The Parable of the
Weeds. Just a quick recap; The man in the story who plants good seed represents God, the field aligns
with heaven while the enemy (satan) represents the weeds that have “snuck” into the fields. Let’s look at
the Scripture; 25 But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat,
and went away. 26 When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared. 27 “The
owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the
weeds come from?’ 28 “‘An enemy did this,’ he replied. “The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go
and pull them up? ’ 2 9 “‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the
wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First
collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’”
The point of the story is that the enemy is a sneaky snake, he wants false believers to be in the
church so they can lead the true believers astray.
As the church, we must be cautious that we don’t allow
the “weeds” to entangle and overtake the goodness of what God is trying to do. It’s not our job to judge
or try and “uproot the weeds”, we are to stay vigilant, allow ourselves to grow strong by being fed with
the Word, and then trust that God will do the proper judging. Let’s now look at how the Scripture
explains the rest of the parable; 36 Then he left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to
him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.” 37 He answered, “The one who sowed
the good seed is the Son of Man. 38 The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the people of the
kingdom. The weeds are the people of the evil one, 39 and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The
harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels. 40 “As the weeds are pulled up and burned in
the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. 41 The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed
out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. 42 They will throw them into the blazing
furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in
the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear.
Life sometimes isn’t fair, but don’t grow weary, while times get tough at the end of the day light
always overtakes darkness. One day, the enemy and all his evil will be destroyed. The wrath of God will
one day be felt by all those who rebel against Him. Don’t lose heart here on earth, weeds are growing all
around us, especially in today’s culture but don’t pick up the weed killer, remember our job is to be the
light, to bloom with God’s goodness, and God will be the one whom will one day choose who it is that
belongs in His garden of eternity.
Blessings,
Pastor Jason
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Pray Like This: Matthew 6:9-13
2/1/2023
C. Hayden
As we see the renovation continue here at Central Christian, we are reminded that God is doing new things in us
and through us as we prepare for the ministry the Lord has ahead for us. The most important change we see,
however, is what Jesus does inside of each of us as we follow Him and push into His
purposes. With this in mind, we are going to be launching a new pray group in the
upcoming days and you are invited! We want to gather 50 or more Central Christian
believers to commit to praying for this Church and Church families, our leadership
at CCC, our Pastors and their families, and our Elders. Below is the example Christ gave
us and some thoughts on prayer. Will you join us in this endeavor? Stay tuned & pray
like this:
9 In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven , ((Prayer is to be personal & relational, prayer is not to
only be transactional ))
Hallowed be Your name. ((Gazing on God brings praise )) Psalm 100:4 – I will enter His gates with thanksgiving and
His courts with praise.
10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. ((Blackaby (“Experiencing God”) said “find
out what God is doing and get there )) Align your will with His will.
11 Give us this day our daily bread. ((Ask God for needs. Recognize that God is your Source )) Psalm 23 The Lord is
my Shepherd, I shall not want…
12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. (( Forgive & be Forgiven )) “If you do not forgive…” Matt
6:14-15. Recognizing your need for God’s grace makes one humble toward others.
13 And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. ((God is our deliverer & Satan seeks to
destroy us thru influence ))
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. ((Father, You alone are God & Jesus you
alone are Lord of All…So we must be vessels of Worship )) John 4:23 – true worshippers worship in Spirit and in
truth…the Father seeks these kind of worshippers.
May God bless you even more!!
Pastor Chris
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Let Go and Let God!
1-15-2023
J. Fields
With a New Year comes new goals, it’s always interesting when I go workout and for the first couple months of the year it’s full of people I’ve never seen before or that I haven’t seen for a long time. Not only do people make weight loss resolutions but some people try and kick bad habits, be more positive, save more money, and the list goes on and on. Goals are a good thing, they can be tough to achieve at times but that’s all part of it, once you do succeed the feeling is oh-so-good.
Not only is the New Year a good time to set lifestyle goals, but it’s also a great time to put the past behind you and keep your focus on the now. There are many things that I have done in my life that I wish I’d never done, and there are many times that I wish I could take back something I said or even the way I treated someone, you can’t change what has happened however, you do have a choice if you will dwell on the past or if you will give it over to God and move forward.
If you feel stuck in the past and have done something that is eating you up inside, and if you are being weighed down by regrets, now is the perfect time to hand it over to God and allow Him to set you free. Holding onto sin, or even the “what ifs” of life is similar to walking around with a ball and chain strapped around your leg, it will bog down your joy and peace. The enemy wants nothing better than for you to live with regrets, he wants you to miserable, after all, he’s here to take you out.
Over two thousand years ago the only human who has lived a sinless life humbly hung on a cross so that all of our sins could be washed away.
Jesus Christ wants us to let go of our regrets, He wants us to place the “but this and but that” at the foot of the cross, if you will just take the weighted vest off, your life will be so much lighter, you will feel like the reset button has been pushed. Give everything over to God and if you are looking for the best New Year’s goal, I encourage you to make the resolution to grow in your relationship with Jesus Christ daily.
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! – 2 Corinthians 5:17
Blessings!
Pastor Jason
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The God of Christmas
1-1-2023
C. Hayden
The Apostle Paul never seemed to miss an opportunity to share the good news of Jesus with those
around him. After stirring up the population, along with evil men purposefully inciting the crowds in
Berea (Northern Greece), Paul is sent to Athens. There he waits for Silas and Timothy to join him.
During his “wait,” Paul notices the many idols he finds there and he, as is Paul’s way, is stirred to bring
forth the gospel of Jesus Christ to the Jews and Gentiles in the synagogue and the marketplace,
eventually ending up at the Areopagus (a council of men responsible for the education and governance
of Athens). In the very midst of this group of powerful men, Paul declares to them, “ Men of Athens, I
perceive that in all things you are very religious; 23 for as I was passing through and considering the
objects of your worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO THE UNKNOWN GOD.
Therefore, the One whom you worship without knowing, Him I proclaim to you…” In the following Scriptures, Paul
not only delegitimizes the false idols in the room, but then declares that it is Jesus as the one they need to seek, for it is He who was raised from the dead and will judge the world in righteousness. I wonder, when looking at the baby Jesus in a manger sitting on our fireplace mantle or displayed under the Christmas tree, or some other prominent place this season, we realize that we are viewing, in those simple Christmas decorations, a representation of the Divine Creator and Governor of all things. The wise men were not just seeking a beautiful Christmas display they could add to their many sight-seeing memories.
They were seeking the foretold one true Messiah of whom all glory, honor and praise in heaven and
earth belongs to. The One who would deliver all mankind from their sin, once and for all.
The Apostle John wrote this of Jesus, “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and
was God. He (Jesus) was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him , and without Him
nothing was made that was made” (John 1:1-3). Colossians 1:17 says, “ 16 For by Him were all things
created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or
dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by Him, and for Him: 17 And He is before
all things, and by Him all things consist.” Sort of makes you look at the Nativity scene a little different,
doesn’t it?!
Be blessed even more!!
Pastor Chris
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Slow Down & Enjoy
12-15-2022
J. Fields
Where has the year gone? I cannot believe it’s almost Christmas! One of my favorite
things to do is to throw some earbuds in and listen to some instrumental Christmas music, the
sound of the piano, saxophone, guitars, and violins are beautiful. There are times my mind starts
thinking back to when I was a kid, the anticipation of Christmas day, presents under the tree,
time with family, and the hope that it may even snow, I love this season. Now that I’m older,
and a father I love watching the excitement that I once had as a kid now being relived through
my children.
Not only is Christmas a great time to enjoy the beautiful sights, sounds, yummy food, and
presents but it’s a great time to slow down and reflect on the miracle of Jesus Christ. These past
several weeks we have been reflecting on the advent themes of hope, peace, joy, and love.
Advent is about reflection and anticipation, reflecting on what God has blessed and done in our
lives, the greatest gift of all being His precious Son, Jesus Christ, and then the anticipation of
when He comes back (His return). The great anticipation of His return will take place in a
moment that no one is aware of, are you ready? “ For as the lightning comes from the east and
shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.” (Matthew 24:27)
My prayer is that each of you will slow down, pump the brakes, reflect, pray, and thank
Him for the gift of eternal life. Jesus Christ is the most amazing gift that any of us will ever
receive. Have hope, live in peace, be joyful, and spread the love of Christ to a lost, dark, and
confusing world. Cherish the gift of Jesus, get to know your gift, spend time with the gift, and
become one with the gift, after all, this gift saved you and me from having to endure death.
Enjoy this Christmas and remember, He truly is the reason for this season.
“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his
shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father,
Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6)
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Pastor Jason
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God Is the Great Designer
12-1-2022
C. Hayden
For years we have been amazed by the images we were able to capture of space’s beauty and wonder
through the lens of the Hubble Space Telescope. This marvel of NASA engineering allowed scientists to
see further into space then we could have ever imagined, capturing pictures of God’s unending
wonders. Well, this champion optical technology has fallen to an even stronger telescope known as the
James Webb Space Telescope. The James Webb Telescope was launched in 2021 and can now view
space in greater detail not capable by the Hubble. We now see even farther into the expanse of our
Lord’s created universe, far beyond what the Hubble was able to do. The landscape below of
“mountains” and “valleys” speckled with glittering stars is actually the edge of a nearby, young,
star-forming region called NGC 3324 in the Carina Nebula. It is one of the first images captured by
the Webb. Pictures from the Webb Telescope have put into question previously believed, yet
unproven, theories surrounding the universe’s supposed “Big Bang.” Scientists are now “not quite sure”
what they thought they knew due to the Webb telescope.
What the Webb has revealed to me, like its predecessor, the Hubble, before it, is that the
universe has undoubtedly been formed by a “Grand Designer” and “Precision Planner.” If God can
create a universe filled with stars, planets, and moons, all organized into
systematic galaxies with one being home to our Earth, a home that
is created so precisely that we can thrive from season to season,
year to year and century to century, He can certainly take care of
our own individual needs.
According to the Bible, God declares that He has even
planned out and designed our own lives. And as is His way, it is a
good plan. Psalm 139:16 says that all of our days were planned out and written in His book before we
were even born! Before you were conceived, God new you and loved you. And if you are nervous about
His intention regarding you, Jeremiah 29 puts our trepidation toward Him to rest. “’I know what I have
planned for you,’ says the Lord. ‘I have good plans for you. I don’t plan to hurt you. I plan to give you
hope and a good future’” (Jeremiah 29:11).
This does not mean we will not have bad days and even seasons of extreme difficulty. But each
struggle we have, God will use it to make us more like Him, strengthening our faith with patience,
making us complete and whole, needing nothing (James 1). When in a season of difficulty or feeling lost
at times, remember that the Lord is our Shepherd as well as the designer and planner of the entire
universe, we can put our trust in Him.
Be blessed even more!!
Pastor Chris
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Jesus Loves Diversity
11-15-2022
J. Fields
My most recent class for Seminary is a Ministry and Cultural Diversity Class, I wasn’t
sure what to expect at first but after being in the class for several weeks now, my eyes have been
opened to some of the cultural differences ad challenges that take place within the ministry.
When you think about culture the immediate thought turns to cultures from other areas of the
world but culture can be those who have a different skin color than you, someone raised in a
different economic position, or even someone from a different religion. No matter what our
background is we are all loved and created by God. We live in a world that seems big but in
reality, it’s small. There are people from all walks of life that are just begging for freedom,
longing for the chance to freely worship God, and those that are praying for another Great
Awakening. There are certain places within the world where people will walk for miles to go to
church, there are organizations such as the LA Dream Center that feed the homeless because they
want to help God’s children. I encourage you to take off your glasses and open your heart to the
cultural differences that surround us, we are a piece of God’s ultimate plan. Remember this; your
cultural upbringing may be different from mine but my way isn’t necessarily any better than
yours, it takes every piece to create the perfect puzzle. There’s an old song that explains that we
are all loved, no matter our differences, the way we act, and the way we look we are part of
God’s ultimate plan.
“Jesus loves the little children
All the children of the world
Red, brown, yellow, black and white
They are precious in His sight
Jesus loves the little children of the world.”
Blessings,
Pastor Jason
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I Will Build My Church (Part 2)
11-1-2022
C. Hayden
Last month we spoke of how often the world, and even some who call themselves Christians, make
statements denigrating or downplaying the importance of “Church.” One problem with having an attitude that
causes a person to exclude oneself from the life of the Church is that they think of the Church as a building or a
service they are obligated to go to. The Church is us and to downplay its importance in our lives is to say that we
have no need of being a part of Christ’s Body or Christ’s Bride of which God has called us in to. In 1 Corinthians
12:27, Scripture tells us that “Now YOU are the Body of Christ and each one of you is a part of it.”
The second problem, when we ignore the Church, is that it is by fellowshipping with other believers in a worship setting that we are able to learn about our Lord Jesus, who He is, and how we can learn to live a life worthy of being a Christian. God gives us several tools by which we learn more about Him, and how to be like Him. We learn through:
The Word of God (2 Timothy 2:15),
Prayer to the Lord in the Spirit (Jude 1:20), and
Fellowship with Christ’s Body, the Church (Psalm 55:14, Acts 2:42, 1 John 1:7, Heb 13:16, 1 John 1:3, Gal 2:9, Phil 1:5-7, 1 Cor 14:26, Eph 5:19, Col 3:16, Acts 1:14, Heb 10:24-25, Rom 1:12, 1 Thess 5:11, Eph 4:2-3, etc. (There are a lot more).
statements denigrating or downplaying the importance of “Church.” One problem with having an attitude that
causes a person to exclude oneself from the life of the Church is that they think of the Church as a building or a
service they are obligated to go to. The Church is us and to downplay its importance in our lives is to say that we
have no need of being a part of Christ’s Body or Christ’s Bride of which God has called us in to. In 1 Corinthians
12:27, Scripture tells us that “Now YOU are the Body of Christ and each one of you is a part of it.”
The second problem, when we ignore the Church, is that it is by fellowshipping with other believers in a worship setting that we are able to learn about our Lord Jesus, who He is, and how we can learn to live a life worthy of being a Christian. God gives us several tools by which we learn more about Him, and how to be like Him. We learn through:
The Word of God (2 Timothy 2:15),
Prayer to the Lord in the Spirit (Jude 1:20), and
Fellowship with Christ’s Body, the Church (Psalm 55:14, Acts 2:42, 1 John 1:7, Heb 13:16, 1 John 1:3, Gal 2:9, Phil 1:5-7, 1 Cor 14:26, Eph 5:19, Col 3:16, Acts 1:14, Heb 10:24-25, Rom 1:12, 1 Thess 5:11, Eph 4:2-3, etc. (There are a lot more).
You might say, “I don’t like the people in the Church.” I believe God would say, “well what a
great group of people to be with to learn what My agape love means.” You might say, “I had a bad experience in
Church.” Maybe God might say, “You have a had bad experiences with many people at many places you keep going
to.” Doesn’t keep us from going back to Walmart after buying what turned out to be junk or McDonalds after
receiving a cold tray of fries, or going back to the bar after waking up to a huge hangover. You might say, “But
Church is boring!” Really?! I believe God might say, “If you would stop looking for others to entertain you and
instead entered into My presence during worship, fellowshipping with Me in the midst of the congregation, you
may discover the exhilaration that only comes to people who desire an audience with their God.” God’s
congregation is not there for our entertainment only. We are here to entertain God with our worship (Maybe
Church isn’t boring…but we are?!)
You might say, “I can worship anywhere, I don’t have to be with Church people.” God did say, “Do not
forsake the assembling of yourselves which is the manner of some; but exhort one another and so much more as
you see the day approaching (Hebrews 10:25). Maybe you can worship anywhere, but you can’t help others in
their faith if you forsake the Body of Christ! Next month, “I Will Build My Church, Part 3.”
great group of people to be with to learn what My agape love means.” You might say, “I had a bad experience in
Church.” Maybe God might say, “You have a had bad experiences with many people at many places you keep going
to.” Doesn’t keep us from going back to Walmart after buying what turned out to be junk or McDonalds after
receiving a cold tray of fries, or going back to the bar after waking up to a huge hangover. You might say, “But
Church is boring!” Really?! I believe God might say, “If you would stop looking for others to entertain you and
instead entered into My presence during worship, fellowshipping with Me in the midst of the congregation, you
may discover the exhilaration that only comes to people who desire an audience with their God.” God’s
congregation is not there for our entertainment only. We are here to entertain God with our worship (Maybe
Church isn’t boring…but we are?!)
You might say, “I can worship anywhere, I don’t have to be with Church people.” God did say, “Do not
forsake the assembling of yourselves which is the manner of some; but exhort one another and so much more as
you see the day approaching (Hebrews 10:25). Maybe you can worship anywhere, but you can’t help others in
their faith if you forsake the Body of Christ! Next month, “I Will Build My Church, Part 3.”
Be blessed even more,
Pastor Chris
Pastor Chris
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The World Is Not a Stage
10-15-2022
J. Fields
The World Is Not a Stage – Matthew 6:1-4
6 “Be especially careful when you are trying to be good so that you don’t make a performance
out of it. It might be good theater, but the God who made you won’t be applauding.
2-4 “When you do something for someone else, don’t call attention to yourself. You’ve seen them
in action, I’m sure—‘playactors’ I call them—treating prayer meeting and street corner alike as a
stage, acting compassionate as long as someone is watching, playing to the crowds. They get
applause, true, but that’s all they get. When you help someone out, don’t think about how it
looks. Just do it—quietly and unobtrusively. That is the way your God, who conceived you in
love, working behind the scenes, helps you out.
I came across this Scripture and it made me stop and ponder many of the things we are
witnessing in the world today. People act as if they are something certain in one moment and
then act completely differently in secret. Oh, how about Hollywood, in front of the camera they
seem like life is great, but is it really? I’m not even going to talk about the political arena, I don’t
have enough time to write down all of that. This kind of stuff can’t be taking place inside the
church, can it? Believe me, you and I have both seen it on national tv. Let me explain where
I’m going with this…
It feels good to be liked, it’s exciting to hear people hoot and holler, cheering you on for
something powerful that may have come out of your mouth, and it’s a great feeling when
someone tells you how good you did with a speech or a good deed that you did but Matthew 6 is
trying to tell us to do it with a humble heart, give the glory to God above, be His hands and feet
not because it brings you glory but because it’s the right thing to do. Everything we do in life
should be to glorify God and never man!
Blessings,
Pastor Jason
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