baptism

Learning to Live Holy

Ephesians 2:2
When you come to Christ, you must change. Change is sometimes difficult, but God requires us to become new creatures. (see Romans 6:4) We must not conform to this world, but must be transformed by the renewing of our minds. (See Romans 12:2) A transformation takes place when you become saved. Don’t let anyone make you believe you are the same after God saves you. Your mind has to change. You can’t be stuck and comfortable in your old mindset. You must be willing to go through the process to become the person God requires you to become.
God wants His church to be like Him. What is Christ like? He’s holy, righteous, patient, long-suffering, forgiving, kind, etc. Those are the characteristics that He wants us to exemplify. In the flesh dwells no good thing and it wants to rise up. However, the Holy Ghost will help you control it and to display godliness, but you have to yield to it. Paul told Timothy to be an example of the believer in word, deed, and in conversation.
It is a good thing to be saved and to know that you are chosen by God! God saw and chose you before you saw yourself. You were chosen before the foundation of the world. Once God saves you, you have to learn how to walk and to please God. When you receive the Holy Ghost, you are not immediately perfect. That is why you must learn to live holy and to grow in grace. God’s purpose for His church is that it is holy. It is to be nothing like the world. (See Ephesians 1:4)
We have to live a life of holiness. God expects nothing less. Holiness means we live a life that is separated from the world and for God. When you are baptized in Jesus’ name, you bury your sins and rise up to walk in the newness of life. You are to be different when you get up. You are not to go back to the same thing you were doing before you were baptized. You are to be a visible example to unbelievers. Let others see Christ in you!
We have to believe to the saving of our souls. Once we believed, we were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, which is the Holy Ghost. (Ephesians 1:14) You have to have the Spirit of God to go back with God when He comes for His church. The best way to know you have the Holy Ghost is not by speaking in tongues, but by the fruit you bear. You have to show the Holy Ghost in everything you do and in everywhere you go. You must also feed and maintain the Holy Ghost. You must live holy.

Bishop on communion: You should be ready!

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We’re here to commemorate a special occasion about the death, burial and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The Bible says to modify the deeds of the flesh, so you can be submissive to the word of God. But the blood of Jesus cleanses you from the guilt of sin. He has taken our sins upon Him and we can praise Him for what He’s done! 

Bible says sin is the transgression of the law, so your body will always be the same, but that doesn’t mean you can’t be saved. But we have to keep in mind that we can’t yield our members to sin and please God. He has given us the Spirit to overpower the flesh, because greater is He than is in you than he that is in the world.

Aren’t you glad about the Holy Ghost?
We’ve been crucified with Christ because of what He’s done for us. Through the power of the indwelling spirit I can bring my flesh under subjection. God is a great God and without Him we can do nothing. In Colossians, we know we have redemption through Him, even the forgiveness of sin.  (more…)

Recap of the sermon on the ‘Better resurrection’

Samuelatgilgal's WP blog.

Here is a brief recap of the lesson on Easter Sunday. Bishop Pendleton preached out of Mark 16: 1-8.

Background: ‘He is risen’
-Jesus Christ was crucified about 9 a.m. in the morning with two theives, but He had to go through what He went through to redeem His people from their sins.
-They tried to make Him look bad by identifying Him with criminals, but the purpose of God will always be accomplished. Soldiers even cast lots for His garments in fulfillment of the scripture in Psalm 22:18 (They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.)
-After His crucifixion, the Marys arrived to wash His body, but found the heavy stone (heavy enough to ward off grave robbers and wild animals) was pushed back by an earthquake (read Matthew’s synopsis of the resurrection in Chapter 28).
-The angel there had this word: “Don’t be afraid; He is risen,” and sent them off as messengers.
-Now it is our responsibility to share the resurrection message with others.

Message: Get buried with Him
-Jesus rose for a purpose, and the church has a mandate to tell about the life, burial and resurrection of our Lord and Savior. Are you glad about the Good News?
-We have to start preparing ourselves for His coming. Today is the day of salvation; time for us to accept what the Word of God has declared unto us.
-There may be stones in your life that need to be removed, but God is all-powerful and can remove any stone. He is able to do exceeding abudantly above all we are able to ask and think.
(more…)

Video: Sis. Nicole receives the Holy Ghost

Sis. Nicole was filled with the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues as the Spirit gave utterance, on Sunday, January 10, 2010. As you can see she is worshiping God like never before.

Nicole’s life-changing experience is a testament to the promise found in Acts 2:38 which has been made to you, your children and your children’s children. 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.

If you have not received the baptism of the Holy Ghost, and want to know more we encourage you to make your election sure. Write a comment below, call the church offices at (202) 399-7774, or visit us as 4417 Dix Street, NE, Washington, D.C., and see for yourself.

(Videos courtesy of Kandyce and Erika Williams; post embargoed for Jan. 27)

Sis. Gravette bares her soul, salvation


Sis. Gravette said she was blessed with water baptism in the name of Jesus Christ, and then the infilling of the Holy Ghost last year. We asked her to relate her testimony so that God would get the glory, and that others would overcome just by hearing it. Here it is in her own words.

Even though I was raised in the church, I didn’t really understand the role that the Holy Spirit plays in my relationship with God. As a child I was sprinkled but never baptized. As I grew in my walk with God and my desire to know what His plan was for my life, I always had this overwhelming sense that something was missing.

Every time I went to church and the pastor extended the altar call for those who wanted to be saved and give their lives to Christ, I would hear the same voice saying to me,”I’m talking to you.” I could never understand why I kept hearing this because after all, I had been sprinkled at the age of eight. In all the churches that I went to, no matter what state I was living in, with whom I went, or what reason I went, I always heard the same  voice. “Fran, I’m talking to you.” (more…)