BRINGING BACK GOD, PASTOR JOHN COLLINS, BRISTOL AND MARIETTA: In God we trust? Not much any more.

The United States dollar says it “In God we trust”.  Our pledge of allegiance had it added on a Flag day- “One nation under God”.  Our country was built upon trust in God.  But according to PASTOR JOHN COLLINS, while preaching at BRINGING BACK GOD, both in BRISTOL and MARIETTA, we don’t trust in God as a country. And we don’t trust in God as individuals.  What a slap in the face to God who has given us everything.

The Holy Bible says “fear not” 365 times.  Do you think that is a coincidence?  There are no coincidences with God.  We are to trust God, and to trust God, we need to listen when he says “fear not”.  This doesn’t mean we shouldn’t fear God: absolutely we need to fear God.  All through the Bible are stories of the wrath of God as a result of the foolishness of people who had no faith or turned away from faith-Sodom and Gomorrah and the other three cities, Ananias and Sapphira, Adam and Eve. But we need to trust God to help us through our every day trials, to trust him to help us through our pain, trust him to help us through our life.  He tells us to have no fear, to have courage, that he is there for us.  365 times.  One for every day of the calendar year. “Be strong and of good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he is that doth go with thee, he will not fail thee or forsake thee.” (Deuteronomy 31:6).

If Jesus was here today, and you knew who he was, would you trust him enough to go to him and ask him to pray with you, to pray for you?  That is our problem too.  We don’t believe that Jesus is here.  He is.  We cannot see him, but we are supposed to know he is here.  Even so, we don’t have faith as a people enough to have the courage to go to him and ask for prayer, for help, to be with us in spirit.  To show us how to go on.  Sure, we are Christians, we profess our faith, we try to act in a Christ-like manner, but we fall short of the salvation of that Cross.  We are hypocrites because we don’t act upon our faith.  We don’t trust.

Jesus died so that we could have salvation and an eternity in Heaven.  God gave us that gift.  We need to trust that he wants the best for us, that he knows our pain, our fears, our shortcomings.  He loves us anyway, and wants us to come to know his Son so we can be in Heaven for eternity. Repent.  Ask for forgiveness.  Jesus is our salvation.

For more sermons by PASTOR JOHN COLLINS,  listen to blogtalk radio at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/pastorjohncollins.  Check out what the church is doing at http://www.bringingbackgod.com.  See clips of PASTOR JOHN COLLINS on YouTube. If you want to fellowship with him, you can contact him by email through bringingbackgod@outlook.com

God bless you.

BRINGING BACK GOD, PASTOR JOHN COLLINS, BRISTOL AND MARIETTA: Give me all your tomorrows.

This is a sermon preached by PASTOR JOHN COLLINS, from BRINGING BACK GOD.

The Lord appeared to Abraham one day and gave him an incredible command: “Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee” (Genesis 12:1).

What an amazing thing. Suddenly, God picked out a man and told him, “I want you to get up and go, leaving everything behind: your home, your relatives, even your country. I want to send you someplace, and I will direct you how to get there along the way.”

How did Abraham respond to this incredible word from the Lord? “By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went” (Hebrews 11:8).

What was God up to? Why would he search the nations for one man, and then call him to forsake everything and go on a journey with no map, no pre-conceived direction, no known destination? Think about what God was asking of Abraham. He never showed him how he would feed or support his family. He didn’t tell him how far to go or when he would arrive. He only told him two things in the beginning: “Go,” and, “I will show you the way.”

What an incredible thing God was commanding. He told Abraham, in essence, “From this day on, I want you to give me all your tomorrows. You’re to live the rest of your life putting your future into my hands, one day at a time. I’m asking you to commit your life to a promise that I am making to you, Abraham. If you will commit to do this, I will bless you, guide you, and lead you to a place you never imagined.”

The place where God wanted to lead Abraham is a place he wants to take every member of Christ’s body. Indeed, Abraham is what Bible scholars call a “pattern man,” someone who serves as an example of how to walk before the Lord. And Abraham’s example shows us what is required of all who would seek to please God.

Make no mistake, Abraham was not a young man when God called him to make this commitment. He was already an uncle to Lot, and probably had plans in place to secure his family’s future. So he had to be concerned over many considerations as he weighed God’s call. It would mean separating his family from their relatives and friends, and having to trust God completely to provide for them all. Yet Abraham “believed in the Lord; and (God) counted it to him for righteousness” (Genesis 15:6).

If God asked you, leave your country, leave your family, and go, could you? Could you follow Abraham’s example and please God? We can trust in God to provide for us, we can trust in Jesus-PASTOR JOHN COLLINS preached at BRISTOL and MARIETTA that Jesus is everything that we need.  If we are called to serve God, then we can trust in both God and Jesus to be there and trust them completely like Abraham did.

Listen to www.blogtalkradio.com/pastorjohncollins for more sermons by PASTOR JOHN COLLINS.  Follow what BRINGING BACK GOD is doing by going to www.bringingbackgod.com.  See clips of PASTOR JOHN COLLINS on YouTube. You can contact him by email at bringingbackgod@outlook.com.

God bless you.

BRINGING BACK GOD, PASTOR JOHN COLLINS, BRISTOL AND MARIETTA: Did God really say…??

Doubt: did I see what I saw? Did I hear what I heard? Did that really just happen or am I hallucinating?  We have doubts about many things on a day to day basis. We don’t trust ourselves.  Is it any wonder we have a difficult time believing in God? Satan set out to introduce doubt with Adam and Eve: God told Adam not to eat of the fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, or they would die. Satan told Eve they wouldn’t die, that God didn’t want them to eat the fruit because “your eyes shall be open and ye shall be as gods”. (Genesis 3: 1-7).  That was the beginning of the introduction to sin…Satan, the father of lies. According to PASTOR JOHN COLLINS, while preaching at BRINGING BACK GOD in MARIETTA and BRISTOL, Satan is alive and well in today’s world.  He is a real enemy.  He seeks to introduce doubt regarding God’s Word every chance he can. He’s had a lot of practice at it.

We are born sinners, every one of us, according to PASTOR JOHN COLLINS. Satan is the father of that sin, and he doesn’t want to give up his hold on us.  He doesn’t want us to hear the Word of God. Every chance he can get, he will distract us with doubt.  When Jesus spent his 40 days in the desert being tempted by Satan, all He had was the Word of God to protect himself…and He did. That is what Satan fears, the Word of God. PASTOR JOHN COLLINS put it: “God has spoken, and He did not stutter. Furthermore, God’s revelation is sufficient. He has given us all we need to know, love, honor, worship, and obey Him. The question is: Will we trust God by trusting His Word, or will we question God’s Word?” Trust God’s Word; put the enemy on the run.

You can see what is happening with the church,  BRINGING BACK GOD at www.bringingbackgod.com. To hear more sermons by PASTOR JOHN COLLINS, listen to www.blogtalkradio.com/pastorjohncollins. See video clips of PASTOR JOHN COLLINS on YouTube. For Christian fellowship, you can contact PASTOR JOHN COLLINS by email at bringingbackgod.com.

God bless you.

 

BRINGING BACK GOD, PASTOR JOHN COLLINS, BRISTOL AND MARIETTA: Time for change

Have you ever told someone that you are a non conformist, that you march to the beat of your own drum? Many of us have, but we really don’t.  We end up doing what everyone else does or following along with someone else, fitting in with the crowd.  Do you want to change, and not be the same old you?  It’s hard, according to PASTOR JOHN COLLINS, while preaching at BRINGING BACK GOD in BRISTOL and MARIETTA.  Change is a business these days, everyone has an opinion of how to help you be a better you.  We sense we need change, so we change our jobs, our hair color, our cars, work out, trying to make a change that feels good, telling ourselves we march to a different drummer. But we don’t.  Not really, we end up with same worries and the same problems. We can’t seem to fix what is on the inside, according to  PASTOR JOHN COLLINS.

Romans 12:2 says “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” (KJV). How do you do that?  How do you just step back and let go?  PASTOR JOHN COLLINS preaches that our first step is to make growing in Christ a priority in our lives. It’s out of that relationship that the power for change comes. It’s his Holy Spirit living in us that is the power. You invite Jesus in to your heart, and make Him a priority.  You will feel better, you will have joy, and you will change.  The second step is to prayerfully listen for direction. In faith, we do the next thing Jesus tells us to do. Any move toward new life is going to seem risky. Our part is to take that step, trusting that God will be there to provide whatever is needed.  He will be, let go and let God provide for you. Jesus died so that we could change….he was beaten, mocked, carried his cross, then crucified, so that we could change and live eternally in heaven.  I would rather fit into that crowd….the one that Jesus leads.  Wouldn’t you?

Listen to PASTOR JOHN COLLINS on www.blogtalkradio.com/pastorjohncollins. Go to www.bringingbackgod.com and see what is new with the church, BRINGING BACK GOD. Catch a clip of PASTOR JOHN COLLINS on YouTube.  Every Christian needs fellowship.  You can reach PASTOR JOHN COLLINS through email at bringingbackgod@outlook.com

God bless you.

 

 

 

 

BRINGING BACK GOD, PASTOR JOHN COLLINS, BRISTOL AND MARIETTA: Will He take me back?

Backsliding means you go backwards spiritually and morally, according to PASTOR JOHN COLLINS, during sermons given at BRINGING BACK GOD in BRISTOL and  MARIETTA. Your journey as a Christian is like walking an unknown trail: you have ups, downs, and unexpected turns.  As a hiker, you never want to turn around and go backwards. It is the same with the walk of a Christian. According to PASTOR JOHN COLLINS, when a believer backslides or goes backwards, he falls back in some way into a less desirable condition.  It may be something as simple as neglecting to pray, neglecting to read the Bible, and losing his focus on God. It could also be intentional, where a believer deliberately chooses to take part in life’s sinful pleasures.  This type of backsliding can carry disastrous consequences, according to PASTOR JOHN COLLINS. “It can bring dishonor to the One who laid down His life for us, Jesus Christ. It can also sadden and bring grief to the lives of loved ones.”  Backsliding will bring turmoil into the believer’s life: guilt and despair, shame and discouragement, and feelings of condemnation are not uncommon.

The Good News is that God will not condemn him. God’s love for us is unending, forever. He is there for us even when we backslide. The parable of the prodigal son, the lost son, shows God’s love and compassion for us.

The parable of the prodigal son is only found in Luke 15. The story is told by Jesus to “publicans and sinners”.  The Pharisees and scribes were self righteous toward Jesus, murmuring that he ate with sinners….a perfect setting for the parable. The story tells of a father who had two sons.  The youngest son, who by Jewish law receives a smaller portion of inheritance, asked his father for his inheritance, turned it into cash, and left his home for another country and blew his inheritance in “riotous living.”  After all his money was gone, a famine struck the country  where he was, and he was forced to work for someone there taking care of pigs…for the Jews, this was offensive because this was forbidden by Jewish law.  It was the lowest of the low for the son.  The son would have eaten what the pigs were given he was so destitute.  He realized that he would be better off in his father’s home as a servant, since he had sinned against his father by his actions and deeds. His intent was to return to his father and seek employment as a servant.  Instead, his father saw him coming while he was still “a great way away….his father had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.  And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son”.  Instead of being angry, the father threw a banquet for him and said “For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.” (Luke 15:11-24, KJV) How much more our Father in Heaven loves us and will take us back when we come to realize how we have gone backwards.  The Lord calls the backslider back to Himself through the work of the Holy Spirit. How perfect is that?  He does not condemn us, we are forgiven through the sacrifice of Jesus, because of the love that God has for us. What a promise He has given us.

You can hear sermons recorded by   PASTOR JOHN COLLINS on the internet by going to www.blogtalkradio.com/pastorjohncollins.  See what is happening at BRINGING BACK GOD by visiting the website, www.bringingbackgod.com.  You can view a clip of PASTOR JOHN COLLINS on YouTube, he preaches like no one you have ever heard. If you need fellowship, you can reach PASTOR JOHN COLLINS through email at bringingbackgod@outlook.com.  Have a blessed Sunday.

God bless you!

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BRINGING BACK GOD, PASTOR JOHN COLLINS, BRISTOL AND MARIETTA: Tit for tat-it, isn’t child’s play

As a child, did you ever get back at another child because he or she did something to you and it hurt your feelings? Or made you angry so you got even? Or as a teen or even an adult, have you stayed in a relationship out of fear because you felt whoever your partner was would hurt you more physically than the emotional strain of staying in the relationship?  Or have you been in a relationship where getting even is part of the relationship?  You did this, so I’ll do that?  It’s called tit for tat. PASTOR JOHN COLLINS, BRISTOL and MARIETTA, preaches that God’s love is unconditional.  In our society, love is defined as a feeling we have for each other, a commitment to one person. With God, he loves us no matter who we have been, what we have done, so long as we seek him 100%. All he asks in return is to love Him.  There is a difference between loving God and fearing God, according to PASTOR JOHN COLLINS…..fearing God is giving Him glory and putting what God says above everything else. Loving Him giving Him glory and holding Him dearer to ourselves than anything else.

You say you do love God; as Christians we all say we love God, but we don’t show it, we don’t act it. In Matthew 6:24, Jesus says “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other.  Ye cannot serve God and mammon” (KJV). Total loyalty, love for God, cannot be divided between Him and our possessions.  We say we love God, but we show our love to our things, our money, our possessions, our selves before we show our love for God. Then there are the trials and tribulations we all endure.  We blame God for the pain that we encounter: the loss of a job, a car accident, ill health-like God is reaching from the sky with His thumb to crush us like an ant.  According to PASTOR JOHN COLLINS, God does not want us to suffer….he never has, that is why he made the Garden of Eden in the first place.  It was our sin that tossed us from that Garden, just like it is our sin that gives us pain.  God isn’t giving us pain, he isn’t capable of it. He isn’t saying because you keep doing this, I’m going to do this to you….that’s childish immaturity and tit for tat. The fact is Satan is-pain is where he gets to claim souls: people give up on God because of the pain that they are suffering from the sin that has destroyed our lives.  God isn’t doing it, sin is.

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS preaches that God wants us to find salvation and relief from our sins. That is why he sent Jesus to be our sacrifice and take our sins.  What a burden that must have been for Jesus, and still is today.  Salvation is ours from our sins, all we have to do is ask for forgiveness and seek redemption through Jesus. God gave us Jesus because He loves us.

If you want to hear more sermons by PASTOR JOHN COLLINS, listen to him on blogtalkradio.com/pastorjohncollins. You can follow what is happening at BRINGING BACK GOD by going to www.bringingbackgod.com.  If you want to talk to PASTOR JOHN COLLINS,you can email him at bringingbackgod@outlook.com.

God bless you.

 

BRINGING BACK GOD, PASTOR JOHN COLLINS, BRISTOL AND MARIETTA: It’s not about the pastor, it’s about JESUS!

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS, while preaching in Marietta and Bristol, TN, has made it very clear that when you preach, it is about JESUS, not the guy on the pulpit.  Whether you call him a preacher, a pastor, a minister, a reverend….if the church is letting them call focus to themselves instead of JESUS, it not about God and Jesus-its about money and attention.  PASTOR JOHN COLLINS says that these kind of preachers have turned the pulpit into a way to get money….send them $20 for a prayer cloth-your sins are forgiven, your ills are healed.  It’s not about sending $20 at all, you are healed by your faith.  The only One who can give you forgiveness and salvation for your sins is Jesus.  Your faith should be in Jesus, not the guy who is speaking on the pulpit.  PASTOR JOHN COLLINS is the first one to tell you he is not in it for the money, he doesn’t care who you are, what you wear, or how much money you have in your bank account.  He doesn’t pass a collection plate—there’s a box at the back of the church to put money in if you have it.  Yes, you should tithe, it says so in Numbers, Leviticus, and Deuteronomy. He teaches God doesn’t care who you are, what you wear, if you have tattoos or gauges in your ears, purple hair, hair….beautiful clothes or torn ragged jeans.  God doesn’t care how much money you give to a church.  No amount of money is going to get you into heaven.  Only giving yourself, your soul, everything that is you-will get you into heaven.  Next time someone passes a collection plate, do like the guy who had no money to give…put the plate on the floor and step into it yourself.  That’s what God wants.

If you want to hear more from PASTOR JOHN COLLINS, listen to his sermons on www.blogtalkradio.com/pastorjohncollins.  Or visit the church website at www.bringingbackgod.com.  If you need to talk to him, you can email him at bringingbackgod@outlook.com.

God bless you.

Pastor John Collins, Bringing Back God, BRISTOL & MARIETTA: Who judges?

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS, BRINGING BACK GOD, BRISTOL & MARIETTA, did a sermon about personal change and church congregations judging others. In the sermon, PASTOR JOHN COLLINS read the lyrics from a song by Johnny Paycheck, posted below.  It is called “The Outlaw’s Prayer”:

You know, I worked the Big Packet show in Fort Worth, Saturday night,
We had all day Sunday to rest and relax, before I caught another flight.
So I decided to walk down town an’ get myself a little fresh air.
Before long, I found myself in front of a big church on the corner of the square.

Boy, I could hear that singin’ way out in the street, sure was a beautiful sound.
So I just walked up the steps an’ opened the door an’ started to go inside an’ sit down.
But before I could, a young man walked over to me an said: “Excuse me, Sir,
“But I can’t let you in with that big black hat, those jeans, that beard an’ long hair.

So I just left, went back outside, sat down on that curbing, an I thought to myself:
That’s the house of the Lord. That guy’s got the hell of a nerve.
Tellin’ me I can’t worship anywhere I please.
So right there, in front of that Church, I just knelt down on my knees.

I said: “Lord, I know I don’t look like much, but I didn’t think you’d mind.
“I just wanted to be with your people, Lord: it’s been a long time.
“A while ago, a saw a wino over there in the alley, all bent over in tears,
“An’ I thought how one stained glass window, from this Church, would feed his family for years.”

“Then there’s those fine cars parked outside: too many for me to count.
“Made me think how people walked for days to hear your sermon on the mount.
“Then there’s those fine ladies in the choir, Lord, singin’ like they really love it.
“Hell, last night, they were dancin’ on the front row of my show: drinkin’ beer, screamin: ‘Sing Shove It.’

“You know, even John the Baptist wouldn’t be welcome in this place,
“With his coat made of Camel hair an’ sandals on his feet an’ a long beard on his face.
“You know, Lord, when you come back to get your children, an’ take ’em beyond the clouds,
“To live forever in Heaven with you: well, I’d sure hate to be in this crowd.

“You know, Lord, I’m not perfect; some even call me no count.
“But I’ll tell you: I believe a man is judged by what’s in his heart, not what’s in his bank account.
“So if this is what religion is: a big car, a suit an’ a tie,
“Then I might as well forget it Lord, ’cause I can’t qualify.

“Oh, by the way, Lord, right before they kicked me out, didn’t I see a picture of you?
“With sandals an’ a beard. Believe you had long hair too.”
“Well, this is Paycheck, signing off.
“I’ll be seein’ you Lord, I hope.”

You could have heard a pin drop as he read the lyrics. Particularly compelling was the line “I believe a man is judged by what is in his heart, not his bank account.” The lyrics that point out how much money was spent on a stained glass window-how many people who needed food could that have fed?  How many families go hungry because there isn’t even enough money to buy Ramen noodles, yet church congregations ignore them.  Pastors ignore them.  Churches judge people by what they wear, how they look, how they talk.  Just because someone, a man or a woman, has tattoos doesn’t make them scary to talk to or someone to be afraid of.  Just because someone, man, woman, or child, has dirty shoes or holey clothes doesn’t make them less of a person. Just because they are different, doesn’t mean anything in the sight of God and Jesus.  Don’t judge.  Can you imagine a singer/songwriter like Garth Brooks or George Strait not being allowed into a church?  So what if a guy has long hair?  Makes no difference.  He is still one of God’s children and has just as much right to be in a church as the bank president.

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS  preaches that God wants the sinners in His church.  He wants the people who have the most to lose to have an opportunity of hope.  PASTOR JOHN spoke of changes. We as humans have the right to choose what changes need to happen in our lives. Making changes in our lives to include Jesus is difficult. The path to failure is very wide and easy to follow. The path to being a Christian is narrow and difficult. PASTOR JOHN speaks of Jesus as being the salvation for us on that narrow path through repentance. If we repent and ask forgiveness for our sins, we will find our way in heaven. The Bible says once we accept Jesus into our lives, we are born new. The Holy Bible also says judge not lest ye be judged.  Don’t judge a person by what they look like, how they act, or what they wear.  Don’t judge.  Give them a chance, give them a hand up.  Help them.

To hear more from PASTOR JOHN COLLINS,you can listen to him on www.blogtalkradio.com/pastorjohncollins. You can also follow him on facebook at www.bringingbackgod.com, or you can email him at bringingbackgod@outlook.com.

God bless you.

Pastor John Collins, Bringing Back God, Marietta & Bristol: Addiction and hope through Christ

Addiction is the state of being enslaved to a habit or practice or to something that is psychologically or physically habit-forming, such as narcotics or alcohol, to such an extent that its cessation causes severe trauma or sickness.  Addiction is also identified as the the fact or condition of being addicted to a particular substance, thing, or activity-something that you just can’t stop no matter what.

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS, BRINGING BACK GOD, BRISTOL & MARIETTA, has helped many people overcome their addiction.  Among those people are some of his personal friends. One sermon at BRINGING BACK GOD, PASTOR JOHN COLLINS told of a friend who tried to stay clean for six months then failed. That Sunday, PASTOR JOHN COLLINS told the congregation family at BRINGING BACK GOD that he had spoken to his friend and the friend was five days clean and searching for a church to go to that morning….he lived in another state. In the church congregation that morning were at least five members who were once addicts to either narcotics or alcohol.  The sermon that PASTOR JOHN COLLINS preached spoke of hope and promise and being free of addiction because you become a Christian, like his friend.  Being an addict is difficult.  There are programs to help you quit whatever the addiction is, but it requires commitment to yourself and from others.  To give up an addiction as a Christian requires commitment to Christ.  That’s pretty much it.  PASTOR JOHN COLLINS has said frequently and repeatedly at BRINGING BACK GOD that once you are a Christian and give up your addiction, you are not a recovering anything, you are simply you….a Christian who once had an addiction-and now can witness to others so that they can be saved. Give yourself to Jesus, find your way to the cross, and He will help you conquer that addiction because of your faith.  Your faith heals you.

The Holy Bible says “Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he [it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.” (Deuteronomy 31:6, KJV). In the New Testament, it says  “Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things [are] possible to him that believeth.” (Mark 9:23, KJV).  In Ephesians 4 23-24, KJV it says: “be renewed in the spirit of your mind; and that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.” PASTOR JOHN COLLINS puts it more simply-hope is like sunshine, everyone needs a ray of it.  And, when it comes to addiction, there are no recovering Christian anything.  You are just plain Christian.  You are a new creature.  PASTOR JOHN COLLINS also says don’t let what you are today determine what your are going to be tomorrow.

If you want to hear sermons by PASTOR JOHN COLLINS, go to www.blogtalkradio.com/pastorjohncollins.  If you would like to see what is going on in the church BRINGING BACK GOD, go to the website www.bringingbackgod.com.  If you need to talk to PASTOR JOHN COLLINS, you can reach him by email at pastorjohncollins@outlook.com

God bless you.