By REV. TIMOTHY L. MELTON, PASTOR
(as transcribed by Myra Colgate)
Cherokee Pentecostal Holiness Church
Read 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10. (These verses contain five characteristics of the New Testament Church. Can we measure up to one of the first of the established churches, under the New Covenant?)
Pastor Melton prayed, “Father, in the Name of Jesus, I lift up my voice and my spirit to You, and pray, O God, would You speak a powerful Word in this house today? We ask You to awaken those who sleep, and for You to move those who might have been lazy. Show each of us exactly what it is You are expecting from us. Show us what You have for us to learn from the Thessalonian Church today, so we might become more like You. I pray before this time is done, may we look like You, talk like You, and act like You. May the enemy and the world not see us, but would see only You. We pray these things in the Name of Jesus Christ, Amen
“I want to share with you what the Lord has put in my heart concerning today. We’ve been talking for the last several weeks about becoming, not just hearers of the Word. We have very learned people in this house. Each one has been learning and taking from what’s been taught them. I’ve been teaching, preaching and pouring out over the last six years of this ministry and all here have been learning and growing.
If we come with the Spirit of God in demonstration in the Holy Ghost, that He will show up. The Church is you and me, and we are to be fully engaged in His work.
“I realized the Lord’s emphasis in all of this has depended on our becoming doers of the Word. Some of our young people are looking forward to beginning their college education, they are counting the days until they can begin. At the college level, they will be learning to apply and do what they are being trained for in life.
“As His people, we also need to be looking toward a ‘graduation’ into the higher purposes which God has planned for each life. The best meanings and purposes for our lives happen, when we decide to blend our chosen work with God’s desire for us to be a part of His Kingdom.
“This would bring abundant purpose and meaning to our lives while serving Him, working within His Kingdom on Earth, while managing to work also within our chosen field of interest. It could be a wonderful blending of everything meaningful in life. He is the One who has given us the actual desires we find in our hearts. They can encompass many of our beliefs, with our obedience of His instructions. We find them in His Word or in what we hear from Him each day.
Every generation gets a new revelation as they all begin to ask for their Truths concerning life. We each need to be working our faith, remembering all the works of faith which can reinforce our faith in God and all of what He can do, as we keep our faith focused on Him. By keeping our faith in Him for physical health, even against addictions, and for our restored health and healings, for our finances, our families and communities, etc. it helps to keep us strong in faith and healthy. Never cease in faith believing and working. Our faith remains strong with Him and is to be a labor of love, rewarded with the patience of hope so we can get through life, even with affliction, as there can be His joy in the Holy Ghost, too!
Run to prayer, to God. Serve with Him and you won’t miss your blessing! There could be revival every day in the Church, as in the Bible. Pastors can then preach and may raise even the dead, in His Presence. Afflictions come, but going through them there comes joy in the Holy Ghost as we allow ourselves to become examples. All people watch us. There is a God-sized hole in each person only He can fill.
