Something For Your Spirit
January 2012
The Power of The
Re-Newed Mind
Scripture Reference
Romans 12:2
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God...
There was a commercial years ago that said "The mind is a terrible thing to waste" which is so very true. The context of the commercial was not pushing oneself to achieve a higher degree of education. The context of this New Years 2012 message is realizing the absolute power the mind has over us and using this power to achieve God's purpose for our lives.
Every year, we make a new years resolution to change something about our lives in an effort to do better in the new year. We charge into the new year with great vigor only to find ourselves running out of energy as the days and weeks of the new year go by only to say...what's the use, I am not going to be able to achieve this goal I have set. The mind was willing but became weak due to outside influences.
In our Spirit, we all want to try to reach new levels in God for the new year because God proved Himself faithful to us and we who are true to our faith in Him want to prove to God we really want more of Him in our lives. Our issue as the days and weeks go by in the new year is losing our focus on Him because the job seemingly demands more of our time or taking care of the family becomes our focus or school work requires more and more time to complete. Once again, we have failed miserably to reach that higher level in God. The mind was willing but we let stuff get in the way and last years mindset remains.
The book of Romans is the Apostle Pauls guide to living a Christ centered and successful life for Christians and in Chapter 12 he teaches the need to have a mindset of service which is what we Christians are supposed to be...servants of the Most High God. Paul let's us know their must be a sacrificial element in all of us to accept the fact that the world does not have what we need to sustain us, God and only God has what we need. But how do we keep from getting bogged down by the daily grind we face? By renewing our minds daily with God's word and staying focused on what we "resolved" to do at the beginning of the new year.
When our mind is renewed daily (re-focused through His Word) a true change or "transformation" takes place within us from what we were last year to what we truly desire for this new year and new person. Then and only then are we are able to prove or show others what God's will is for our lives because no matter what the world may throw at us, we have renewed our mind...recharged...refilled our mind with God.
In the car world, Hybrid Technology is taking over from the traditional forms of energy for cars that will enable them to get better mileage but even this new technology requires renewing it's power source by either re-charging stations while you travel or as with Lexus, using regenerative energy to re-charge the batteries that produce electricity while driving so there isn't any need to plug ours in.
Paul also reminded is in Philippians 2:5...Let this mind be in you that was also in Christ Jesus. Humility is to be our servants role to achieve God's purpose. Jesus humbled himself for His Fathers purpose while on earth. God has a tremendous purpose for each of our lives. If we "resolve" to have the mindset of Jesus, we will find what that good and acceptable will of God is for us.
Almedia and I pray God will Bless you tremendously this year and that you will find His true purpose for your life.
Elder Thomas Burgess
December 2011
What Does Christmas Really Mean?
They tell us that it is the season to be jolly. It is a time of ornaments, red and green decorations, silver bells, holly, mistletoe and colored lights. It is also a time of department store Santa’s calling out their universal mantra, "Ho, Ho Ho, Merry Christmas." Nearly all of the realm of so-called "Christianity" join in and repeat this same greeting, "Merry Christmas!"
The sole definition of Christmas at one time was an annual church festival in memory of the birth of Christ. Now when the word Christmas is mentioned people think about lights, trees, presents, food, friends and family, along with the birth of Christ. Some view these added meanings as a good change and some view them as a bad change. In today’s world Christmas is not defined only as celebrating the birth of Christ but also the celebration of giving, and the celebration of family and friends.
From Old English, Cristes maesse “Christ’s mass,” was the origin of today’s word Christmas. It was the day, December 25th, that Christians held mass, or whatever your religious affiliation was, to celebrate the birth of Christ. This is still true today, almost two thousand years later. However, over the course of two thousand years the definition of Christmas has picked up a few new meanings. The celebration of giving, and the celebration of family and friends are not really new but they are new in that today they are viewed as more a part of the definition of Christmas.
The wise men gave gifts to the young child Jesus after following the star and fell down and worshipped him (Matthew 2:9-11) Today most people exchange gifts on Christmas day. This is not new but is done on a much larger scale than it used to be. People in America alone spend billions of dollars on “Christmas” gifts. At one time people hoped that they might receive one special gift. But today receiving a gift is expected.
During Christmas, family and friends spend time together. This is often when daughters learn their mothers’ secret Christmas recipes, fathers and sons hang up Christmas lights and put up Christmas trees, grandmothers and grandfathers tell stories, and friends unite and catch up on old times. It did not use to be like this. People weren’t able to get on a plane and fly across the country or across the world to visit family or friends. How fortunate we must all feel when we are able to jump on a jet, and within a few hours we are at our destination.
While looking at what Christmas use to be, on Christmas Eve a family would go to late mass. The next day they would go to morning mass. In the afternoon the family would celebrate Christmas together and possibly exchange a few gifts. Christmas night the family would have dinner then attend a late mass. Today Christmas is different. Christmas Eve family goes out to a friend’s Christmas party. Christmas morning they gather and open gifts. The family might then go to an afternoon mass. Come Christmas night they will drive over to another family member’s house and exchange gifts and have dinner.
The meaning of Christmas has slowly changed in meaning over the years from being about the birth of Christ to being about giving gifts and visiting others. Giving gifts and visiting with family and friends is not a bad thing at all. But in all the giving and all the visiting, people are slowly forgetting what the major part of the definition of Christmas.
Today Christmas is the celebration of Christ, the celebration of giving, and the celebration of family and friends. People really need to remember what the original meaning of Christmas was, celebrating the birth of Christ.
May God continue to bless everyone.
Evangelist Almedia Burgess
November 2011
The Glory of God's Presence
Scripture Reference
Exodus 34:29 - 35
I have been fascinated with mountains as far back as I can remember. They are just so majestic as they climb toward heaven and for me, they show the awesome power of God in His creation. For you, it very well could be some other aspect of God's creation that takes you away into that place where being in His presence leaves you speechless but for me it's mountains.
My wife and I had never had a honeymoon in our 29 years together (yes she has put up with me for that long.) My intent was to surprise her with a trip to Maui but I decided it would be wise to ask where she would want to go, her answer was Hawaii and the island of Maui, it is beautiful.
It wasn't the lush greenery, flowers, beach or ocean although all of that was stunning, it was the mountains. We took a tourist trip to Haleakala, the mountain on the south side of the island and got up at 2am for the 2 1/2 hour ride to the top (9,700 ft up) to see the sunrise. Every one who had been to Maui told me we had to see the sunrise and left it at that so I could draw my own conclusion about it. As the sun began to rise, I took a picture every 60 seconds and what God showed me at that crater left me speechless, in awe of His Glory.
The scripture reference for this message is the story of Moses going up Mount Sinai to talk with God. He was in Gods presence 40 days and 40 nights (Exodus 34:28.) Upon his return to the people, the face of Moses was illuminated to such an extent, they put a vail over his face so the people wouldn't fear him as he gave God's word to them. No one can be in God's presence without the experience changing you. What I thought was a honeymoon/anniversary trip for my wife and I was actually a setup by God to spend time with Him in a way I never experienced before.
My face wasn't illuminated like Moses but as I saw this sun rise and became lost in its beauty, I was indeed in His presence as never before and He had an incredible conversation with me. As I took picture after picture and talked with Him, He showed me more and more of His amazing Power. The picture at the top of this page is just one of the many I took. Those are clouds inside the crater, when the suns rays move them as it continues to rise, the view of lava cones 600 feet tall across the entire floor of the crater creates an unbelievable landscape that is amazing.
It was really cold at the crater even though we dressed for it and the air was very thin but I did not want to leave. He told me how pleased He was that we made the trip to experience Him this way but then said, you can't stay up here. As much as we wanted to remain in His presence, He said...I have given you what you need to complete the work I have for your hands but that work is not up here, it's below...where my people need me.
Mountain top experiences are truly awe inspiring and life changing as this one was for me but it would be selfish of us to think the experience is only for us because the people in the valley are the ones who need to know about our life changing God, especially in our world today.
Whatever it is that draws you into His presence, take what He has given you to that man, woman, boy or girl that is seemingly without hope and let them know God loves them and desires to have a relationship with them. Then they too can discover the immense joy they will have in His presence.
Happy Thanksgiving and God Bless you,
Elder Thomas Burgess
October 2011
Your Blessing
Is In Your Yes
Scripture Reference
Genesis 6:1-22
If God told you to do something, would you do it? Before you say yes, have you done what He has told you lately? The answer to both of these questions could be "yes" and could be yes because what He asked of you was within the comfort zone. What if he asked you to do something that was so strange that you had to think about it, wondering if it is really God. After all, no one wants to be made a fool and God would never ask you do do anything foolish, right?
The scripture reference is the story of Noah. God created man, woman and the animals but Adam & Eve allowed sin to enter into the Garden. The human life span was hundreds of years (which let's me know God's plan was for us to live forever) but the seed or off spring of Adam and Eve had become corrupt. "And the Lord Said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years (drastically reduced from what it was) Genesis 6:3. In Genesis 6:5 God saw the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of mans heart was only evil continually. God created eutopia for man and woman and their gratitude was to think evil...not once in a while but all the time. God actually repented (was sorry) He made man. We grieved Him at His heart (Genesis 6:6.) It wasn't surprising to God because He can't be surprised by anything but it had to be immensely disappointing.
What is more astounding is nothing has changed, in fact it is worse now. We have become so corrupt today that God has to be saying, when are they ever going to get it?
In our story, God is about to destroy everything he created but finds one who has His favor, his name is Noah. He has God's favor because Noah had what God desired of His crown creation (man and woman) a one on one relationship with Him. God tells Noah of His intention in Genesis 6:13...then tells him what He wants Noah to do (Genesis 14:-17.) Notice Noah doesn't say a word while God is talking to him.
In verse 18, God makes Noah a promise..."But with thee will I establish my covenant; and thou shalt come into the ark, thou and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons' wives and female. Verse 22 gets to the point of this message...Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he. Noah didn't rationalize with God or call Dr. Phil, he didn't call a family meeting to weigh the circumstances or call the nationally syndicated talk show host. He did what God asked him to do, simply saying yes. The end result of Noah's yes is obvious because you and I are here today.
During the 70's Bill Cosby did a comedy routine about this story, it was funny and Biblicaly sound. He described the conversations people had with Noah, laughing at him as he built this ark. In chapter 7, God tell's Noah it going to rain on the earth, it had never rained on the earth prior to this statement from God and again, Noah never questions God...he simply says yes to God. It wasn't funny any longer when the rain started to fall, I can see in the Spirit people beating on the door of the ark trying to get in but it was too late.
How many believe in God's amazing blessings simply because you trust Him enough with every facet of your life to obey Him, no matter what He tells you to do? Too many will say they will to a point but they won't take that next step of total obedience without questioning. If you ever get to the point of total reliance in God, His blessings in your life will be amazing.
Jesus was obedient to His Father even to the cross. Our blessing from his saying "yes" is access to the Heavenly Father without having some one petition on our behalf. Our blessing from Jesus "yes" provides salvation for you and I with the debt paid that we could never have done.
Live your life with a "yes" in your spirit and mind, allow yourself to be the vessell that God uses for His purpose and enjoy the blessings you can not imagine.
God Bless you,
Elder Thomas Burgess
September 2011
The Journey
Scripture Reference
Genesis 45:1-5
The story for this journey begins in Genesis 37:3...Jacob has many sons but Joseph (the baby of the bunch) is born late in his life and is his favorite. Jacob makes a coat of many colors for Joseph because he loved him so much. As you can imagine, the brothers hate Joseph because of those two things even though Joseph obviously didn't create the situation or have any control over it. We all know sibbling rivalry has its issues within any family but these brothers take their anger to an extreme when Joseph tells them of dreams he has had where they and their father bow to him in service...the brothers decide Joseph has to go.
In fairness you would be mad too if your baby told you of a dream and in it the family bowed before him or her. You would probably slap that poor child silly or put him or her in time out or some type of punishment.
The brothers plot to kill him. One of the brother's is against that idea, after all, he (like them) is still his father's son so they decide to throw Joseph in a pit. They then sell him telling the father he was killed. They put blood from a slain animal on the coat of many colors so the father would believe the lie.
Being chosen for a specific journey planned by God can cause serious issues as you can see. It doesn't mean you are better than anyone else because of this call on your life...it does mean your steps are being Divinely ordered at that time even though you may not be aware of it. For Joseph, this is the beginning of a journey unlike any other and as it continues, Joseph is shown favor from a King then imprisoned for a fake rape charge from the kings wife. He is seemingly forgotten in prison after helping a fellow inmate get out of jail. He aids a king with a dream he has and eventually get's out of prison to ultimately become second in command in Egypt. That my friends is a God thing.
Any time someone is intentionally doing something to destroy you but you make it through anyway, anytime you prosper in the face of this adversity, you better believe it is a God thing.
As the journey for Joseph continues, Jacob (who thought Joseph has been dead) sends the other sons to Egypt for food because of a severe famine in the land. When they get to Egypt they discover the brother they sold is now the head man in charge and has their futures in his hands...the manifestation of the childs dream is realized.
What has this to do with you and your journey? Psalm 37:23... "the steps of a good man are ordered" which means if you will allow God to have control of your life, the journey will be full of excitement, joy and a satisfaction that the mind just can not understand. There will be ups and downs and twists and turns...that is how life is. God doesn't promise a issue free journey but He does promise that He will be with you...every step you take.
We plan and hope our plans will come out the way we want but they never do. We sometimes scheme and do the unthinkable just to get ahead in life then get angry because life throws something at us we didn't think about. God say's in Jeremiah 29:11... For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. For Joseph, his expected end was making a way for his family in their greatest need inspite of what they did to him.
For us, we can testify that even though our journey has been a difficult one at times, God has never left or forsaken us. David wrote "I was young and now I am old but I have never seen the righteous forsaken or his seed beg for bread (Psalm 37:25) we can tell someone who is facing a difficult time that God was faithful to us and when the way (or journey) became dark, God said (Psalm 119:105) His Word is a lamp unto my feet and light unto my path which means when we don't know what we should do...the answer to our delima can be found in God's Word...the Bible. The lamp at our feet will show us what is right in front of us but the light unto my path shows the twists and turns on the path (or journey) we take.
God's expected end for us during our journey is to tell this dying world about His son, Jesus Christ. Our journey can be too much at times but Jesus is here to carry us if we put our lives in His hands, if we would trust Him.
God Bless you,
Elder Thomas Burgess
August 2011
Christian Character
Scripture Reference
Romans 5:3-8
3...And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;
4...And patience, experience; and experience, hope:
5...And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
6...For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
7... For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.
8...But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Are you a Christian? The overwhelming answer to that question will be yes even if the person isn't because no one wants to not be in the group. Some will say they aren't, the resaon is quite interesting, they say I have seen how you Christians treat each other and act, why should I want to be like that?
Romans was written by the Apostle Paul who wrote most of the New Testament Epistles (letters) but was also one of the most notorious persecuters of Christians. His name was Saul of Tarsus, highly educated and a devout Jew who new the Old Testament Law. He was well known, liked among his peers and at this time, his character left much to be desired but one day on his way to Damascus to kill more Christians, he had a one on one encounter with Jesus that changed his life. The irony is if someone today, thousands of years after Jesus Christ was resurrected has a personal encounter with Him, no matter what your life and character had been, the same thing would happen to them, their life would be changed in a wonderful way.
Paul tells us in these passages what Christian's must develop in their daily lives especially when facing a crisis. Verse 3...we should glory in tribulation (troubles and hardships) because when we glory or praise God for the troubles and problems we are experiencing...even while we are in the middle of the storms of life...we will learn patience.
So what's the deal with patience? Patience builds character. We must have faith to know we can say Lord I am really going through some stuff now but I believe you will work it out somehow for me. If we just hang on, we do indeed make it through and make it through changed in the character building process.
After patience, comes experience. You can't have experience in anything if you haven't had to go thru the test or process. Paul is talking about God's character building process and though they may seem severe, once you have experienced them, your character changes to enable you to become more of what He has designed for you from before the foundation of the world.
God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth on Him shall not perish but have ever-lasting life (John 3:16)...That is an incredible gift but this is even more unbelievable...verse 8 of this chapter say's with this love God has for us, while we were yet sinners, still drinking, still not having faith, still cheating, still lying, still gambling, still robbing, still sleeping around, still doing whatever we were doing that we knew we weren't supposed to do...Christ died for us. That is character. Because of Jesus Christ and what He did for all of us on that cross of death, Paul believed in Him after his Damascus road experience and became the most prolific writer's and the greatest apostle for Christ. The same can happen for you and I.
No one is sending us to a cross to die in today's world but if you are a Christian, you are being challenged about what you believe. There is someone who needs to see from the life we live as one of God's chosen that there is hope and greater character for them, if they will accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Christian Character in our world today is witnessing to the lost that God built this spiritual character in you so you can tell someone what He did for you and they can tell someone what God did for them. Not so much from our talking Christian talk but from the lives we live...living a Christ like life from the character building God has done in us.
Don't fear God's process, because it makes you better. Doctor's today tell us how much better olive oil is for us than saturated fat because it is heart healthy. How do we get healthy olive oil?Through the incredible pressure the olives repeatedly go thru to release the oil.
As we endure the trials and tribulations we must go through in life...if we can remain faithful to God, His loving pressure on us get's rid of the impurities in us to build greater character. After
we come through the trial our character is refined just like pure gold and God see's himself in our reflection.
God Bless you,
Elder Thomas Burgess
July 2011
Praise God For His Good Things
Scripture Reference
Psalm 34:10
This 34th Psalms or Songs is one of the most well known in the Bible. It tells what we should do every day all day...Praise God and enjoy His benefits or good things for our continual Praising Him.
It begins with "I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. David wrote this Psalm because God delivered him from the hands of his enemy King Abimelech who was going to kill him but David played crazy in Abimelech's presence by drooling on his (David's) beard which was thought to be a sign of disrespect in Jewish culture of that day. In our culture I we would also think someone is out of their mind if we saw them drooling over themselves as David did. But by acting as though he had lost his mind, David was able to live to fight another day. Notice however the reason for this continual Praise is never mentioned by him in the Psalm.
How many of us would give God the kind of Praise David did? Many of us won't give God praise for anything because we tend to think we are able to handle any crisis that comes our way. God has shown me in my life the true benefits of giving Him Praise and Glory for His wonderful acts. Like David and the praise and worship song by William Murphy "Praise Is What I Do" because I learned in and of myself, I can't move my fingers without God's help, I can't blink my eyes without His help, the cars sold aren't sold by me, God sells them and I give Him Praise for everything, even the adversities because they build spiritual character deepen our faith by sending us to His Word for comfort.
David let's us know his soul boasts (glories) in the Lord, asks us to Magnify the Lord (talk of his greatness) with him so we can exalt (lift up) His name together verses 2 & 3. There are tremendous benefit's in Praising God but when its done collectively, it pleases God to no end.
4th - 7th verses are Davids personal testimony about the God he Praises. David sought or actively looked for God so he could tell Him about what he was going through and God heard David and did the following...delivered him all his fears, not one or two fears, not some of Davids fears but delivered him from "ALL" that he feared. David then advises the readers of this Psalm that if they do the same, God will radiate His Glory on them so they won't feel alone, then get's personal again in 6...this poor man cried to God, God heard him and saved him from all his troubles.
Can you see a pattern? We have continual Praise for God, we talk about Him, have the one thing God want's from us more than anything else, a one on one relationship with Him, tell Him about what we are facing in our everyday trials and God does what only God can do...He delivers us, saves us, God sent His Son Jesus to us (who is described in the Old Testament as the Angel of the Lord) to keep us from all hurt and harm.
Verse 10...young lions lack and go hungry, they can't care for themselves and neither can we. We are God's children, David reminds us that "they" or (all) who seek the Lord shall not want any good thing which is His promise.
When we are looking for a job, there are things we need to know about from the potential employer such as the hours we will be required to work, what is the advancement potential, how much vacation do we get and when can we expect to use it, what is the health and life coverage and is their a probationary period or does it cover us the day we start working and what is the retirement package and 401k like...in short we want to know if the benefit package would merit our working there. That is what the world has to offer.
The truth is the days of employer/employee loyalty are over and if you listen to the news today most are worried whether the coverage or security blanket we have worked so hard to have when we retire will even be available for us when we need it.
This Psalm is to remind you and I what our sole job should be every day and every minute of every day. Trusting in our jobs causes worry that we may lose them on any given day as well as everything we have worked so hard to attain. But with our continual Praise to the source of every good thing will guarantee His deliverance from "ALL" our fears.
Jobs are good things, good health is a good thing, children are a good thing, a wife is a good thing, money is a good thing, a closer relationship with God is a good thing, a home is a good things, cars are good things, God's favor is a good thing and His Son Jesus Christ in our lives is the best good thing.
We don't have to be worried that the supervisor doesn't like us cutting hours so we won't have enough money to make it, we don't have to worry about having too many sick days away from the job, or a pre-existing condition that will prevent us from adequate health coverage.
Our job is to Praise God continually, seek Him in every aspect of our lives, trust Him to deliver us from life's fears and protect us. He is faithful to deliver the benfit package when we need it most.
God Bless you,
Elder Thomas Burgess
June 2011
Your Witness Is Stronger
Than His Lie
Scripture Reference
Acts 2:37 - 41
Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?
38...Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
39...For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. 40...And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.
41...Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.
Attention...Attention...may I have your attention please.
The world is not going to end on whatever day someone says, because they don't have a clue. If you doubt this, Matthew 24: 35-36 has your answer...Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. (36) But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.
Maybe it was me but we seemed to have on a great spiritual high this past easter season and time of year in general. People were coming to church, hearing the Word preached and were accepting Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Then we hear of someone with this insane notion that they knew the day the world was coming to an end.
What bothered me most about this was the damage this would do to those who were on the fence, struggling with the decision to accept Christ or not and then this comes. It is proof satan is on his job creating problems within the body of Christ.
In our scripture reference, the power of Pentecost is told. Peter is the same Peter who always talked crazy when he was with Jesus. It is the same Peter who told Jesus he would never leave him no matter what happened and then denied Jesus when He was in his hour of need. That was then.
Now Peter and the disciples have been obedient to Jesus when He told them to go to Jerusalem and wait for the promise of the Father (Acts 1:4) which is the Holy Ghost. (Verse 5.) Now they have received this most precious gift and become empowered to boldy witness about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In fact it is because of the power of the Holy Ghost that Peter stands and tells those people in attendance that they were the ones who were responsible for the death of Jesus and through this Holy Ghost power, the people suddenly realize their tremendous mistake and alarmingly ask what can we do (Acts 2:37) Peter tells them "Repent and be baptized and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost" (verse 38) and 3,000 souls were saved. Talk about a harvest.
If you are one who needs Jesus in your life, pray and ask God where He wants you to go to be fed the truth of His Word, He will tell you. Be obedient to Him and go to that local church. You will find the Holy Spirit flowing and present as He ministers to those in attendance. There, you grow if you will accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior. Then allow the empowering presence of the Holy Spirit to fill you and stand for Christ.
Satan is telling lies because he is the father of them and people are believing them. Knowing a date for the end of the world only shows lack of understanding of the Bible. We are told to... study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth (2nd Timothy 2:15) and with the guidance of the Holy Spirit you will become one who people come to for help with spiritual things.
During this season of Pentecost, pray and asked to be filled with God's gift and watch what happens to your witness to someone who needs to hear about Jesus. Souls have been assigned to your hand, allow God to use you and carry His Word. His words inside you for Jesus will become charged like electricity...true power, like Peter you will have Holy boldness and will become the dynamic witness God has intended from before the foundation of the world.
God Bless you,
Elder Thomas Burgess
May 2011
The Greatness and Glory Of God
Scripture Reference
First John 1:5
This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
In trying to gather information to put on paper I came across a story written by Dr. Sweeting telling us to “Remember The Greatness and Glory of God.” Meaning we should always remember who God is and how great He is. I know because of all the things that’s happening in the world today, you may question our saying of how Great God is. Today Memphis is dealing with a flood that has been about 74years coming. Just look at it today, it’s here. Does that make me doubt who God is and how great He is? It does not, although I hate to see all the devastation in the land, the majority of our stuff can be replaced. It reminds me just how awesome God is. First John 1:5 tells us that “God is light, and in him is no darkness at all” So what is John saying? That the man or woman that knows God and looks to Him will never be disappointed with God’s character nor ever find him limited. Remember he is all light and no darkness. God is holy, which means among other things, that His character and personality are in perfect balance. You and I are quite different, or could be of little courage, or we may be too strict or too indulgent. Not so with our God. He is just, yet gracious. He is patient, and yet exalting. God is impartial, but yet loving. Most of us make up our own concept of God. Some of us see Him as a God who can be fooled or deceived, or a God that can be pushed around, or put off. There are others who see Him as creating this world, but He has let it get completely out of hand. All these concepts do not change God as He really is. Remember He is the unchanging God, and we will one day meet Him as He really is, regardless of our concept. God is to be set apart in our love, in our lives, and in our thinking. He is to be revered, served, depended on, and trusted in, obeyed, and made the rejoicing of our hearts. He should be the joy and center of our lives. We need to remember the greatness and glory of our God. God Bless YouEvangelist Almedia F. Burgess
April 2011
Your Power Comes From The Holy Spirit
Scripture Reference
Acts 1:8
But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and all Judea, and Samaria and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
Matthew 17:1 - 9...Jesus takes his closest disciples (Peter, James and John) to a high mountain. Jesus is transfigured (transformed) to what his future body of glory would be like (9)...And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead
Why would Jesus tell his disciples not to tell anyone what they had just witnessed? Because they did not have the empowering presence of the Holy Spirit within them. Without that presence, they had no power to tell anyone about Jesus and the person they told to really believe them. To prove that point, how many times do we read how they really didn't understand Jesus? They were with him for the 3 1/2 years of his ministry on earth but did not know what he or his true purpose was.
Jesus asked Peter, whom do people say I am, in Matthew 16:13-17 and Peter tells Jesus what the people say about him but then Jesus asks him who he (Peter) thinks he is and Peter replies, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God (verse 16)...Jesus responds, Blessed art thou Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed this to you but my Father which is in Heaven (verse 17)
It took Divine revelation from a Higher Power for Peter to realize who Jesus was and even then because Peter and the disciples still had not received the gift of the Holy Spirit, they were a fearful bunch with no power to witness to anyone who their Rabbi truly was. In John 14:18-27 Jesus prepares them for his death but tells them he won't leave them to deal with things alone. He promises the Comforter (Holy Spirit) verses 25-27.
After Jesus death on the cross, the disciples are together in fear of the Jews that brutally killed Jesus, their master John 20:19...Jesus appears
and bids them Peace (calm). He shows them his hands and pierced side the disciples are naturally glad to see him when in verse 21 he bids them Peace then breathes on them in verse 22 saying receive ye the Holy Ghost.
Acts chapter 1:8 unveils the reason Jesus told the disciples not to say anything back in Matthew 16 about what they had seen. They had to wait to be empowered with a special gift, (the Holy Spirit) that would give them super natural abilities needed to become the powerful witnesses to
preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Not just to those in the neighborhood but in community, city, state and world that there is a Savior who can give you life eternal if you believe in Him.
We are entering a very special time of year if you are a Christian, we will celebrate the true and sole reason Jesus came to walk among us. If you have never done this, may I suggest you spend time in the Bible this month and walk through the scriptures to experience Jesus final days on earth. Many call it Christ's Passion which begins Palm Sunday or Lamb Selection Day through the last week to his tragic death on Calvary's cross to the miracle of his Resurrection or Easter and then we will enter the season of Pentecost.
You will gain tremendous insight about the Holy Spirit, His empowering presence in our lives and the truth He provides to us for completion of the work God has assigned to our hands.
God Bless you,
Elder Thomas Burgess
March 2011
Strength Thru Prayer
Scripture Reference
Psalm 27:1 & 14
The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life: whom shall I be afraid. (14)...Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and He shal strengthn thine heart, wait I say on the Lord.
If you look up the word "strength" it means something strong or the quality or state of being strong, the capacity of exertion or endurance and the power to resist force. Prayer is fellowshipping with the father, a vital personal contact with God, who is more than enough. We are to be in constant communion with Him.
One of the wonderous things about prayer is that it opens up avenues for us to see the hand of God in our lives. When we pray and believe, we begin to see a pattern emerge. We (like King David) call on the Lord when we are in despair, what does God do? He hears us and delivers us from our troubles. When God delivers us, our faith in Him soars, we see God as a caring God. To us, this means we put our faith in Him and He will never leave us, He will never fail us because we pray and now we trust in Him. So what happens when we pray? We begin to see His Power manifested in our lives, Why? Regardless of what we have endured or are going through, we become "Strong" because our strength comes from Him.
The more we pray and cry out to God, the more Strength we have. We have the power to overcome whatever we are faced with. Petition God, turn your worries into prayers letting the Father know yoru concerns. This is where our "Strength" and our "Peace" comes from when we pray.
We begin to see that He does exceeding and abundantly above all we can ask of Him. When David said "be of good courage and He shall strengthen your heart" we must believe that and see how God will answer our prayers. It is time for us to be bold, even bolder knowing He will answer you. His promise is "I will show thee great and mighty things which thou knowest not." When we continue in prayer, just believe that God is the rewarder of those who deligently seek Him. Embark upon Him in continued prayer, seek God in all things.
Now you have the "Strength" the "perfect peace" and you know what to ask for. Thank Him in advance for what you know He will do. Now your mind is stayed on Him. You are committing yourself to lean on Him, to give you all you need. God did not withhold any good things fron His Son, nor will He withhold any good thing from any of us.
Remember, as we approach and ask in Jesus name, God answers to us yea and Amen.
God Bless you,
Evangelist Almedia Burgess
February 2011
No Greater Love
Scripture Reference
John 3:16
For God so loved the world that He gave His only Begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.
February, the love month probably all over the world. We will try our best to surprise our special someone with a bouquet of roses or sweet chocolates for the sweetest someone or a very romantic dinner. Song writers have written some of the most rememberd songs about love, movie makers have produced some of the most memorable movies about love and many of us have offered some of what we would consider the most love inspired proposals because we were in love.
We love our parents, our siblings, our animals, our jobs, our homes, our cars, our money, our whatever it is and most times it is to a fault. We tell our best friends we will go to the ends of the earth for them until the end of the earth situation presents itself, we then conveniently find a way to not live up to what we said. You know I love you "but"
One things is true about our view of love, it pails in comparison to what God's view is. Our love is based on pure emotion and can change as the winds blow. God's love for us is unconditional because He has always done for us what we could never do for ourselves in spite of how he treat him because He loves us.
In the beginning He created us because He wanted to have a relationship with us. He had already created everything we would ever need to sustain us (Genesis Chapters 1&2) because He loved us. When sin entered in Chapter 3 through Adam & Eve, He already had a plan in place so we could be redeemed back to Him because He loved us.
The children of Israel became God's chosen people because they cried out to Him during their period of bondage to the Egyptians and He delivered them in miraculous ways because He loved them. He provided for them, giving them everything they thought they wanted. All He asked was to allow Him to be their God. To worship Him, to Praise Him, to honor Him for what He had done for them becaused He loved them.
He provided Prophets to foretell the coming of one who would pay a price that those He created could never pay because of the sin nature in them. The Old Testament over and over let's us know one is coming, one is coming. God allows Isaiah to put a description to Him so we would be able to visualize this one who is coming...Isaiah 9:6 said for unto us a child is born and the government shall be upon His shoulders and His name shall be called "Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty God, The Ever lasting Father and Prince of Peace. Over 900 years later the one who is coming finally arrived, His name is Jesus and God did all of this because He loved us.
Jesus came to us to give His life as a ransom so we could once again have fellowship with Our Heavenly Father. We are who so evers described in (John 3:16.) A whosoever is one just like you and I...once messed up, once hungover, once a liar, once a cheater, once a womanizer, once one who used His name in vain, once bound for hell but we whosoevers heard the Word of the one true and living God spoken into our spirits and we were transformed from whosoevers to believers in His Son Jesus Christ and now we have eternal life and are joint heirs to God's Heavenly Kingdom and its all because God loved us.
I was asking God to give me what He wanted His people to hear, He gave me the words you just read and then He did what only God can do. He confirmed it in this e-mail I received as I completed it which comes from John 3:16...
For God so loVed the world that he gAve his onLy begottEn soN That whosoever believeth In him should Not perish but have Everlasting life...V A L E N T I N E...won't you be His
God Bless you
Elder Thomas Burgess
Happy New Year
January 2011
Say Goodbye
To Your Egypt
Scripture Reference
Exodus 14:13
And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more forever.
Egypt for the children of Israel represented their bondage to a people and culture who had no respect for them. They hated the conditions under which they were forced to live but they did eat reasonably well. They had shelter but were miserable, you know how it is when you are kept down for so long, after a while you just get used to having little to nothing and begin to justify in your mind how good things are when in reality they are far from it. They entered Egypt with 70 people (Genesis 39-50) and grew to millions 400 years later, Exodus 1.
To pharaoh (the ruler of Egypt) the children of Israel were the potential danger to Egyptian power and way of life if they joined with another enemy of Egypt in war. The mistake of pharaoh wasn't in fearing the number of the people, it was in not fearing their God who caused them to multiply in spite of their struggles...and that was because of a promise in a dream of Abram in Genesis 15:13.
What type of bondage is in your Egypt? Is it trying to fit into a environment that tolerates you because they have to and makes you feel like a square peg in a round hole? Is it hearing jokes at the work place that makes you cringe but because you don't want to seem out of step so you laugh instead of standing for your right NOT to hear that stuff? Maybe it is a doctor's report that said you had something incurable and you should prepare for your final days. Maybe its the bills that keep you bound or a relationship with a loved one that keeps getting worse.
Whatever your Egypt is, I want you to look again at the scripture reference and get in your mind this thing isn't going to hold me bound any longer. God has brought you through many different types of issues since you gave your life to Him. That same God that did it then can do it now. 2010 is history, tell your Egypt bye bye...for in 2011, you will not see it ever again. You are not going to deal with it or be bound by it any more.
God had shown the children of Israel repeatedly that he had heard the cries of unjust treatment and was going to do something about it. He prepares Moses to lead them out of bondage, hardens pharaoh's heart so he won't let them go while laying 10 different plagues on the Egyptians just so His chosen people could see that their God was far greater than thousands of Egyptian gods. The greatest miracle was their leaving Egypt being followed by pharaoh and his army with mountains on either side of them and the Red Sea in front of them. Their options, surrender and go back to slavery, fight an impossible battle to win or trust God.
As you continue to read this story, you will find Moses asking God what he should do (verse 15,) God tells Moses to tell my people to go forward. In other words, Moses you have seen what I have done for you and my people, now take what I have given you (a rod) stretch it toward the see (trust me) and move forward. You know the rest of this story, the Red Sea parted for them to cross on dry land then closes to kill pharaohs army.
For 2011, please realize the God you service is alive and is more than capable of taking care of you and your Egypt, no matter how impossible and hopeless it may seem. Take comfort knowing that all he wants is to hear you say "Father I stretch my hand to thee, no other help I know." Admit to Him you are incapable of handling this Egypt in your life and He will tell you, "Stand Still and See The Salvation of the Lord which is the Deliverance from your Egypt.
For 2011 look at your Egypt from God's perspective and take comfort in knowing that because He love's you, the issue so big to you...is nothing to Him. Your Egypt isn't your fight, it is His.
God Bless you
Elder Thomas Burgess
Merry Christmas
December 2010
It is that time of the year, when we as people get into a frenzy about what to buy for our children and love ones. We spend more money than we have, because it’s that time of the year. We must buy that special toy for our children and yes even the latest in cars for our love ones. I am not saying spending is a bad thing, because in order for our economy to grow we must spend. But do you really know the reason we celebrate?
For most of us it’s a time of coming together to create memories and reflect on old ones. Something we may call history in our lives. History tells us that December 25th is the day Jesus was born. We celebrate wherever and however we please. Do we get the real meaning?
Listen to the story:
Scripture Reference: Luke 2:1-7
Mary and Joseph live in Nazareth, and God needed them in Bethlehem for this birth. You see Mary was having a baby whose name is called Jesus. It just so happened that the Romans ordered a tax census and Joseph was required to return to his ancestral town, Bethlehem, for enrollment. This meant hardship for the Holy Family. The most glorious event in history is about to unfold, but for Joseph and Mary it is drudgery and hardship.
Think about us today in what we go through and we have access to all that’s good. Mary and Joseph live in Nazareth, four days journey north of Bethlehem. Mary is pregnant. This journey late in her pregnancy and is really ruff on her. But if she stays in Nazareth she has to face scandal alone. This had to have been a difficult journey in the winter, a pregnant teenage mom traveling four days under such conditions.
Just because we face hardship and obstacles is no indication that God is absent, that we have missed his will. Yes we face trouble, but then we face more trouble if we don’t follow Jesus. We will face trouble in our lives, Jesus faced obstacles, but told his disciples, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).
The birth takes place: Luke 2:7...And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manager; because there was no room for them in the inn. This was hardship. Jesus was not born in a snug home—or a great hospital for women. And there was no room for them in the inn. Think about Jesus and his beginning. The evidence is clear: the Holy Son of God was born in a stable or cave where animals were kept. And what do you see as his first crib? I do not believe this was an accident or the Father’s lack of provision for his Son.
There is a message in all of this. From the lowest of lows his beginning. Jesus humbled himself as he grew and made himself nothing. He took the nature of servant, because he was made in human likeness. Jesus literally emptied himself of all his privileges to which he was heir. He didn’t take a low place, he took the lowest of places. His commission was to preach the good news to the poor. He was born among the poorest of poor. How many of us today are concerned about our sisters or brothers who don’t have food to eat or a place to stay? Jesus told his disciples that even the Son of man did not come to be served, but to serve, and give his life as a ransom for many. You see the manger represents serving.
The message for us is clear: Jesus disciples are not to seek glory but servant hood. Serving when it is convenient and when it is not. Serving when no one understands or appreciates what we do. My dear sisters and brothers this time of year which is called Christmas, the day that is set aside as his (Jesus) birth, we are here to serve others. Regardless of being appreciated or not, Christmas teaches us servant hood, God’s serving – and then ours.
Merry Christmas and God Bless all of you.
Evangelist Almedia Burgess
