An ermine's understanding of Holiness

I came across this quote yesterday from A.W. Tozer, "The true Christian ideal is not to be happy but to be holy." Contrary to what some Christians would like for you to think, God is not as concerned about your "happiness" as much as He is your "holiness!" You cannot study the Bible diligently and earnestly without being struck by an obvious fact—the matter of personal holiness is extremely important to God!

The Hebrew word for holiness is kadesh which means something which is cut off, separate or set apart. It describes that which is anti-secular (secular = of or relating to the worldly or temporal), in a category all its own. Kadesh describes something that is elevated out of the sphere of what is ordinary. The New Testament word hagios also means set apart, separate and so in a class by itself. It follows that for believers (saints or "holy ones") the call to be holy is a call to be separated from common use and set apart, or reserved, for special use. In both Old and New Testaments the term is applied to things, persons, and pre-eminently to God Himself.

A beautiful illustration of the inherent idea of separation that is found in the word holiness comes from the world of nature. In the forests of northern Europe and Asia lives a little animal called the ermine, known for his snow-white fur in winter. He instinctively protects his white coat against anything that would soil it. Fur hunters take advantage of this unusual trait of the ermine. They don’t set a snare to catch him, but instead they find his home, which is usually a cleft in a rock or a hollow in an old tree. They smear the entrance and interior with grime. Then the hunters set their dogs loose to find and chase the ermine. The frightened animal flees toward home but doesn’t enter because of the filth. Rather than soil his white coat, he is trapped by the dogs and captured while preserving his purity. For the ermine, purity is more precious than life.

To the ermine, in the analogy above, Holiness was more important than happiness! His instincts were to first, "protect his purity," NOT make himself "happy!" Sure, he would have rather gone into his home and been safe, but to compromise his "holiness" for "happiness" was simply NOT an option!

I wonder what would happen if we received the kind of understanding of Holiness that this ermine has!

It's time we stopped apologizing for our moral positions! We need to get back to the simplicity of exposing sin as the enemy of humanity and setting forth righteousness and true holiness as the only worthy pursuits for God's "called out and separated" people.

(1 Thessalonians 4:7) says, "For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto HOLINESS."

The life of a Christian is NOT governed totally by the question of whether or not something is sin, but by whether or not it will damage the image of Christ in a Christian's life. The question is not merely, what do I have to do? But it is, what does Jesus want me to do? How can I please HIM? How can I draw closer to HIM? How can I become more like HIM?

In these Last Days, just as there was NOT another option for the ermine, there's NOT another option for us! We must preserve our purity and choose Holiness or we'll never make it to Heaven! (Hebrews 12:14)

It's about that time...

Well, it's about that time...just a couple more days and the hustle and bustle of shopping crowds and Christmas parties will be just a memory of another year that has come and gone. I think we all come to the same conclusion year after year of how fast time really does fly. It's hard to believe that another year has almost passed.

So, with that in mind, I'd like to encourage you to stop for a few minutes over the next couple of weeks and just look in the mirror. Sure, you're not everything you used to be, but are you everything you could be? At what point do we finally get tired (seriously) of just "getting by?" How many more years will we let pass us by before we really do what God has called us to do? How many more years will we let pass us by before we do what we know we're supposed to be doing in the first place? How many more years will we let pass us by before we take true responsibility of our actions as individuals; parents; children; leaders, etc?

It's about that time again...time to repeat the same old "resolutions" about how we're going to LOSE WEIGHT! Yeah...RIGHT! How bout this year, let's NOT "LIE AGAIN" about that! How bout this year, let's just get back to the WORD and start doing those "things" we know we're supposed to be doing! How bout we get back to taking the Word of God seriously. What would happen...really happen in our personal lives, families, and Churches IF we really got back to reading the Word of God? Why don't we try it and see!

It's about that time...make your "resolution" one that really matters this year! Fall in love with the Word of God again...it's about that time!

The day after Thanksgiving

On the eve of Thanksgiving Day I just felt like reminding everyone to remember tomorrow as you're stuffing your face, that we do have a LOT to be THANKFUL for, and even though the Bible promises in the Last Days that the people would be "unthankful," that we don't have to be!

We have so much to be THANKFUL for: TRUTH, SALVATION, DELIVERANCE, HEALING, STRENGTH, PEACE, THE HOLY GHOST ( the Comforter), THE CHURCH, GRACE, MERCY, UNCONDITIONAL LOVE, FAMILY, FRIENDS and the list could go on and on and on and on...you get the idea.

With all of that being said, may we be THANKFUL people EVERYDAY and NOT just on the last Thursday of November!

(Colossians 3:15/NLT) says, "always be thankful!" On Friday, when you're regretting eating that FOURTH plate of food, will you still be THANKFUL? Just wondering.

A Wake Up Call To The Church!

This is along the same lines of what I've been preaching at Revival Center Church for the past month. The hour is late. These are the last days. It's time the Church made another trip to the Altar and allowed our carnality, fleshly desires, and personal will to die and a passion to please God again to be reborn! I invite you to take a few minutes and watch/listen to these desperate words and let them become a wake up call to the Church!

What Do You KNOW?

I admit that I'm not the most disciplined guy when it comes to doing this "BLOG THING." However, I've become pretty good at keeping up my "status updates" on Facebook. With that in mind, I've been posting, for the last week, the importance of reading your Bible. (Hosea 4:6) says, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge."

I'm concerned that IF Christians don't open up their Bible more than they have in the past, we WILL be DESTROYED for LACK of KNOWLEDGE! It all comes down to what you KNOW, not what you've experienced! Even Jesus made it clear in (John 8:31-32) when He said, "If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; 32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." That's powerful! The way it's revealed that you're His disciple is that you CONTINUE in His WORD! Which would also means that IF you don't continue in His Word, you're NOT His disciple! Did you get that? In other words, IF you're NOT a student of His Word; IF you're NOT continuing in His Word; IF you're NOT READING HIS WORD, you won't KNOW HIS WORD, and therefore, you're NOT His Disciple! That would mean that some who call themselves a "Christian" are really LYING!

It's not a matter of what you call yourself, or even what all you've experienced. It all comes down to the question, "What Do YOU KNOW?"

(Colossians 2:4-8 ) says, "And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words. 5 For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ.

6 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: 7 Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.

8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ."

Unless you KNOW THE TRUTH, it will be difficult not to be deceived into believing a LIE! Be careful that you're not deceived by philosophy. Be careful that you're not deceived by traditions of men, which is allowing a particular Religious Denomination to determine what you believe instead of the Word of God. Also, be careful that you're not deceived by what the world determines as acceptable (1 John 2:15-17).

Remember (Hosea 4:6) declared, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge!" So, "WHAT DO YOU KNOW?"

"Walk by the SAME RULE...Mind the SAME THING"

Martin Luther King, Jr. once said, “Our lives begin to end the day we become SILENT about THINGS THAT MATTER!” I'd like to take that principle and say that "the Apostolic Church will begin to end the day we become SILENT about THINGS THAT MATTER!"

Let me begin by saying that there are some THINGS that STILL MATTER and I refuse to be SILENT about them! Regardless of the century or the culture, there are some "rules" that still apply to the people of God and some "things" that we're commanded to do and some "things" we're commanded NOT to do.

(Philippians 3:16-19/ KJV) says, “Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing. This scripture begins with making it clear that after we have “attained,” meaning after we’ve been Born Again, “let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.”

(Ephesians 4:5/ KJV) says that there’s “ONE Lord, ONE faith, ONE baptism.”

That means there’s ONLY ONE Lord and His name is Jesus! There’s ONLY ONE Faith! There’s NOT two or three different “faiths” out there that are each acceptable. There’s ONLY ONE! There’s ONLY ONE baptism (of water and Spirit)!

(Galatians 1:6-9/ KJV) says it like this, “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: 7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.

8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. 9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.”

There’s ONLY ONE GOSPEL! There’s NOT “another gospel!” There’s ONLY ONE WAY! There’s NOT a “truth” for me and another “truth” for you! There’s not a “white gospel,” or a “black gospel,” or a “Hispanic gospel”, or a Jamaican gospel,” or a “Russian gospel!” There’s JUST ONE GOSPEL for EVERYONE ONE to OBEY! We are to live by the “SAME RULE” and the “SAME THING!”

The Gospel is the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ and is applied to our lives when we OBEY (Acts 2:38) by repenting of our sins, being baptized in water in the Name of Jesus for the remission of sins, and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, evidenced by speaking in other tongues!

(Ephesians 4:11-24) went on to say, “And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; 15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: ...

17 This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, 18 Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: 19 Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.

20 But ye have not so learned Christ; 21 If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: 22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; 23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; 24 And that ye put on the NEW MAN, which after God is created in righteousness and true HOLINESS.”

(Hebrews 12:14/ KJV) says, “Follow peace with all men, and HOLINESS, without which no man shall see the Lord.”

The necessity of being BORN AGAIN and “perfecting HOLINESS in the fear of God (2 Corinthians 7:1) STILL MATTER so I refuse to stay silent! We MUST ALL “walk by the SAME RULE and mind the SAME THING!”

The Danger of Sacrificing Apostolic Revival at the Altar of Relevance

There is a lot of talk these days about the Church's NEED to be "relevant to the culture." The problem with that is that many are sacrificing Apostolic Revival at the Altar of Relevance!

Since things really haven't changed much since the beginning (humanity is still the same and Truth is still the same), why does so many think that the Church has to change? When you read the Book of Acts, we see over and over again where the Church was threatened and persecuted because they would NOT CHANGE! They weren't concerned with being "relevant" they're only concern was having REVIVAL! After all the early church went through to defend, contend, preach and teach, we've got "some" who feel like we need to change and be more "relevant!" Are you kiddin me?

I've got news for some who claim they're having an "identity crisis, "God's Church knows exactly WHO and WHAT she IS, and the Church is still the same Church that was born in the Book of Acts! We STILL believe there's ONLY ONE GOD and His name is Jesus! We still believe in the necessity of being Born Again (of water and of Spirit)! We still preach the Biblical plan of Salvation: ACTS 2:38! Contrary to some, the Apostolic Church actually STILL believes in HOLINESS and SEPARATION from the world and the things of the world! I can't answer for anybody but me and the local church I pastor, but we are NOT suffering from an "identity crisis!" We know WHO we are, WHAT we are, and WHY we are!

Another word that's being passed around as necessary to being "relevant to the culture" is "progressive." It's almost presented as a given that if you're not "progressive," it's impossible to build a church in the 21st Century. Of course, like so many other things out there, it probably depends on your definition of "progressive." So let me just say it like this, if you're being "progressive" just for the sake of saying you're "progressive," without "preserving" your core values such as Apostolic Doctrine and Holiness will eventually give way to carnality, complacency and compromise!

I just recently read a book by Kevin Deyoung and Ted Kluck titled, "Why We're Not Emergent (By Two Guys Who Should Be)." This book really helped me in understanding what's going on with this "emergent, conversational, epic, relevant" movement, especially since it's crept its way into some Apostolic circles.

Obviously, I can't answer for anyone but me, so let me tell you "my" story. I was raised in the Church of God (a trinitarian pentecostal organization) for 18 years, and in the early 90's things changed. Up until the 90's the Church of God was known as a Holiness Organization with certain Standards of dress, etc. But things started changing and it started with people compromising Holiness, but it wasn't long until Doctrine was compromised. It was sad for me even then and even more so now, to have witnessed people disregarding what had been passed down from generation to generation. But history has shown us time and time again that Holiness is the first thing that is compromised, but never the last. Sooner or later the Doctrine will be watered down and compromised as well.

This is NOT a story that I read out of a book or current magazine, I saw this happen with my own eyes, and that's why I'm so passionate about what I believe and why I believe it! I've seen "some" of my friends lean in this direction, evidently expecting different results, but it's impossible! Like Paul was in (Acts 17), my "spirit is stirred" because I'm seeing people that I love sacrifice Apostolic Revival at the "Altar of Relevance!"

What I learned from "my" story and have seen so clearly lately is that we can NOT separate Doctrine and Holiness. The Assemblies of God tried it and fell! The Church of God tried it and fell! We are NO different! If we think we can be Apostolic in Doctrine, while compromising Holiness, the ONLY people we're fooling is ourselves. If we're NOT careful, we're going to end up just like others before us...carnal, complacent, unidentifiable, powerless, eventually irrelevant and ultimately lost!

The Bible is the foundation of TRUTH for the CHURCH, not a book written by Rob Bell, Donald Miller or Erwin McManus. The men who were anointed to write the Bible were just ordinary men who grew, changed, and learned, yet they never hesitated to write about what they knew and were convinced of. God spoke to patriarchs, prophets, and priests, and when the words God spoke were written down, the people treated those words as the sacred oracles of God. The written revelation at first was simply called the Law, then it was known as the Law and the Prophets; them the Gospels were added, and then the Epistles, until we finally have what we call the Bible (the foundation of TRUTH for the Church). At each of these stages what was written was considered by God's people to be authoritative and demanding of our obedience, because the words written down came from the very mouth of God. But now I've lived long enough to see the day where "preachers" will admit that they'll "preach" and not even use the Bible! That bothers me.

Loving people and ministering to people should always be a priority, but I don't think we need to, let alone have to change church to fit the culture. The world doesn't NEED the Church to be "relevant," they need the Church to have REVIVAL! (John 3:16) said that because God LOVED the world, He gave His only begotten son, so that whoever would believe in Him they could have everlasting life. (Luke 19:10) said that Jesus had come to seek and SAVE that which was lost! Jesus, himself, said (out of LOVE) that we MUST be Born Again (John 3:1-8)! Offering clear DOCTRINE, not a muddy, indefinite "dialogue" IS the LOVING thing to do.

So, what is the solution to getting caught up in being "relevant" and the pressure to be "progressive" just for the sake of saying you're "progressive:" PREACH THE WORD!

The danger is real and the pressure is strong but we do NOT have to sacrifice Apostolic Revival at the Altar of Relevance!"

Can God Trust You As A Father?

(Genesis 18:18-19/ KJV) says, “Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? 19 For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.”


There is a lot of pressure placed on fathers to fulfill their responsibilities. As a father we are responsible to provide for our families: food, shelter, clothing, education, etc. We are responsible for the protection of our families. But probably the most important responsibility that is also the most underestimated responsibility we have as fathers is to simply LEAD! God has entrusted us as Fathers to LEAD our families and in these last days, if we’ve ever needed Godly leaders, it’s TODAY!

Thankfully, the Bible gives us a few examples of the kind of Father that God desires us to be. Here are three men who were not just great leaders, they were Godly Fathers who lead their families in the right direction. These Fathers include:

1). Joshua – (Joshua 24:15/ KJV) says, “And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”

Joshua was telling them I can’t change what the fathers did before me, and I can’t make any of you fathers make the right choices for your family today. Every Father has to decide whether he will lead his family in the “fear of the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in truth!” Every Father has to choose which God he’s going to point his family toward. Joshua was simply declaring what every other Godly Father had proclaimed before him, “as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”

It might not always be popular. It might not always be easy. But doing the RIGHT THING will always be RIGHT! The bottom line for every Father here today to realize is we ARE RESPONSIBLE for OUR FAMILY, and it’s URGENT that we ACT RESPONSIBLE!

I can’t make “the choice” for my next door neighbor. I can’t make the choice for anybody else’s HOUSE but my own. So, I’ve decided to join the Godly Fathers who’ve paved the way before me and make the declaration today, that “as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”


2). Noah— (Genesis 7:1, 4-5, 7, 23/ KJV) says, “And the LORD said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation…4 For yet seven days, and I will cause it to rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights; and every living substance that I have made will I destroy from off the face of the earth. 5 And Noah did according unto all that the LORD commanded him…7 And Noah went in, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons' wives with him, into the ark, because of the waters of the flood…23 And every living substance was destroyed which was upon the face of the ground, both man, and cattle, and the creeping things, and the fowl of the heaven; and they were destroyed from the earth: and Noah only remained alive, and they that were with him in the ark.”


COMPROMISING would have been so much EASIER for Noah, but it would have ultimately killed his whole family! Noah did what was RIGHT and because Noah built the Ark exactly how God had commanded, he was able to SAVE his family! Don’t you know when the Door of the Ark shut and Noah looked around to see his family SAVED, he realized then that EVERY SACRIFICE, EVERY CONVICTION, EVERYTHING he’d gone through to get right there, was worth it…because though he couldn’t SAVE EVERYBODY, he SAVED HIS FAMILY!

Fathers, our children may NOT like everything we ask them to do! They might NOT understand YET, every conviction we hold on to; every line we draw, every boundary we put in place. They might NOT like some of the SACRIFICES we make, or STANDARDS we live by. They might NOT understand why we make some of the CONSECRATIONS we make unto God. But I guarantee, when the FLOOD COMES and it’s going to come, and they’re on the ARK—SAVED…EVERY SACRIFICE, EVERY CONSECRATION, EVERY SERVICE you made them get ready for, EVERY PRAYER MEETING you dragged them to, EVERY Wednesday Night BIBLE STUDY you brought them to, EVERY STANDARD you made them live by will be worth it!


3). Abraham — (Genesis 18:18-19/ KJV) says, “Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? 19 For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.”

The whole reason why God could make such a Covenant with Abraham was because He could TRUST Abraham! God knew that Abraham would LEAD his family after God! The reason WHY God would make the Covenant with Abraham that he would “become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him,” is found in (verse 19) where it says, “For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD...”

So, the question that’s been running through my mind for the last day or two is can God trust me like he did Abraham and Noah? If I were to have been alive in that day, could God have TRUSTED ME with that much responsibility?

Thank God for Godly Fathers who will make the tough decisions, who will earnestly contend for the Faith, who will refuse to compromise, who will hold the standard, who will defend the Truth, who will be the example to his Family in PRAYER, in WORSHIP, in GIVING, in SERVICE, in SUBMISSION, in OBEDIENCE, and in FAITHFULNESS to God!

“Can God Trust You As A Father?”

Will you be a modern day Joshua will boldly declare that “as for ME and MY HOUSE, we WILL serve the Lord?” Will you be a modern Noah who will do exactly as the Lord has commanded, and SAVE YOUR FAMILY? Will you be a modern Abraham that the Lord can make a Covenant of Blessing with, simply because he “knows” that YOU WILL LEAD YOUR FAMILY in the right direction?

“Can God Trust You As a Father?”

What's been going on?

WOW! It's a little embarrassing when you realize how long it's actually been since the last time you blogged! So, let me just catch you up with what's been going on...

We've been having some tremendous church services at Revival Center. We Baptized 5 on Pentecost Sunday in the name of Jesus Christ! What a day! I preached a basic sermon on Acts 2:38 and wrapped up the service with 5 Baptisms! It was GREAT!

I've been in and out of town, preaching and attending Camp Meetings/Conferences. In may I preached a Youth Revival in Jackson, MS for the Crafts. Let's just say that they have a fantastic group of young people and we "brought CRAZY BACK!" It was like Old Time Pentecost with young men running the aisles, young women shouting their hair down, young people getting "drunk" in the Spirit and many "falling out" in the Spirit. We definitely had some "old school" church!

This week, me and the family are in South Georgia (Tifton) for Legacy Camp. Legacy Camp was started 9 years ago by a group of Independent Apostolic men and is a great meeting. It's always refreshing to get together with other Apostolic people. The church services have been tremendous. The Preaching has been anointed and the fellowship has been fun.

I've got a few more stops to make in the next couple of weeks: Camp Meeting in Vicksburg, MS, preaching another Youth Revival in Jackson, MS, and going to Arkansas Camp Meeting at Bro. Holmes'.

Anyway, just wanted to touch base with everyone and let you know a little of what's been going on!

IF you've been missing Wednesday Night Bible Studies, you've been missing some dynamic Church! Join us every Wednesday Night at 7:30PM and don't forget to bring your Bible! Of course, you're also invited to join us for Saturday Night Prayer every Saturday at 7:30PM, and Sunday Prayer at 11:30AM with Worship & Word at 12PM!

God is doing GREAT things at Revival Center!

Earnestly Contending for the Faith,

Pastor Clack

The Anthem of the Apostolic Church

The blog you're about to read is the message that I preached at Revival Center this past Sunday, Easter Sunday. For the past 3 weeks, on Wednesday night Bible Study, I have been teaching a series from (Hebrews 2:1-4) about our Great Salvation! (I hope to have the sermons posted over the next day or two.)

While I was teaching/preaching last Wednesday night I made a statement regarding "the Message of Acts 2:38" being "The Anthem of the Apostolic Church" and it just clicked! Out of that Bible Study the idea for the message was born and after a little research this is what developed...

To begin I'd like to give you the definition of the word "anthem." The definition of the word “anthem” is a song, as of praise, devotion, or patriotism; a piece of sacred vocal music, usually with words taken from the Scriptures; a hymn of praise or loyalty.

So an "anthem" is sung out of "devotion to" or "loyalty" of something. (Keep that in mind.)

When the word “anthem” is used, everyone probably thinks about our National Anthem. As an American, if there is anything taken more seriously than the US flag, it's possibly the national anthem. The Star-Spangled Banner accompanies just about every major American function. Hearing it sung stirs the emotions, especially of those who’ve served, but brings a sense of pride to everyone who is proud to be an American. But, listen to the words and it tells of a moment in US history when the war with the British was being fought and of one man's relief in seeing the US flag still flying after a vicious bombardment.

The War of 1812 had been a particularly nasty conflict with the British. They had burned down the Capitol and White House in Washington, and were set on taking the port of Baltimore, which was protected in part by Fort McHenry. After an initial land attack had been thwarted, 16 ships of the British fleet positioned themselves for a massive attack on the fort.

Before the fleet came within canon range, two Americans, Colonel John Skinner and a lawyer and part-time poet by the name of Francis Scott Key, had gone out to one of the British ships. They had come to negotiate the release of Dr William Beanes, a friend of Key who had been seized following the attack on Washington. The British agreed, but all three had learned too much about the forthcoming attack and were detained by the British until it was over.

The attack started on September 12th, 1814, and continued for the next two days. Skinner, Beane and Key watched much of the bombardment from the deck and, through the nights of the 12th and 13th they caught glimpses of the star-shaped fort with its huge flag - 42ft long, with 8 red stripes, 7 white stripes and 15 white stars, it had been specially commissioned to be big enough that the British could not possibly fail to see it from a distance.

In the dark of the night of the 13th, the shelling suddenly stopped - through the darkness they couldn't tell whether the British forces had been defeated, or the fort had fallen. The only time the flag could be seen was during those seconds when it was momentarily lit by bombs the enemy hurled at the small fort. As long as the two men and their third companion Colonel John Skinner could see the flag flying, they knew there was still hope that their Nation had survived. Now the bombardment had stopped and there were no flashes to light the sky and reveal that flag still waving proudly. Perhaps, in fact, that flag no longer waved.

Francis Scott Key, along with his companions, strained his eyes towards the fort, willing them to pierce the darkness and find the red, white and blue banner still waving proudly over Fort McHenry. He prayed for the rays of dawn to pierce the sky and reveal the sight that would signal the survival of his countrymen, perhaps indeed of his Country itself. Slowly the hours dragged on.

So intense was the final bombardment that the early morning dawn was filled with smoke and the odor of burnt gunpowder. So thick was the curtain of smoke, that by 8 A.M. even the morning sunshine could not reveal whether or not the flag still waved. Then quiet returned. Mr. Key watched as the British ships began to withdraw. Had the fort, badly weakened by the enemy naval bombardment, finally fallen to the British ground troops?

A breeze began to move across the water's surface and the smoke of battle began to shift ever so slightly to reveal patches of blue sky. And then, in the distant blue there appeared new colors....red and white....brief glimpses of the two-feet wide stripes of the Star Spangled Banner. Then a star appeared in the daytime sky, then another....then fifteen stars in the daytime. What a welcomed site they were. Mr. Key's heart swelled with hope, and pride in the men who had so valiantly fought through the night to keep that flag flying. Reaching into his pocket he withdrew an envelope and began to write his thoughts:

"O, say! can you see, by the dawn's early light,
What so proudly we hail'd at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, thro' the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?

"And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof thro' the night that our flag was still there.
O say! does that Star-Spangled Banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

Just as moving as our National Anthem is to those proud to be an American, the Anthem of the Apostolic Church stirs my emotions and makes me proud to be an Apostolic! Like Paul, I can stand here today, “NOT ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ: for it IS the power of God unto salvation to EVERY ONE that believeth!” (Romans 1:16)

Every time I hear “the Message” of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ it stirs up my emotions! Every time I hear somebody quote “ACTS 2:38” it gets me excited because it’s “The Anthem of the Apostolic Church!”

When the church was born in the Book of Acts it records that “they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine.” One translation said that they were “DEVOTED” to the Apostolic Doctrine, which means for thousands of years the Apostolic Church has had a certain Anthem that has been sung by generation after generation and that Anthem is still being sung today!

The message of the death, burial and resurrection is NOT just an Easter message…it IS THE MESSAGE!

(1 Corinthians 15:1-4) says that I can stand on the gospel because "Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures."

The Gospel is THE MESSAGE whether it's Easter Sunday or NOT! Because of His death, burial and resurrection our sins can be forgiven, washed away and we can be made new through the power of the Holy Ghost! The Gospel IS the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ and we all have the opportunity to experience the Gospel when we Repent, are Baptized in water in the name of Jesus Christ and filled with the Holy Ghost, evidenced by speaking in other tongues! (Acts 2:38)

(1 Corinthians 1:18/ KJV) says, “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.”

The Anthem still calls for those who are lost to REPENT of their sins and allow the Blood of Jesus Christ to forgive and set free! Jesus said in (Luke 13:3), “except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.” (2 Peter 3:9/ KJV) says, “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”

(Luke 24:47/ KJV) Jesus says, “And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations…”


The Anthem still calls for Baptism in the Name of Jesus Christ so your sins can be washed away!

(Galatians 3:27/ KJV) says, “For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.”

(2 Corinthians 5:17/ KJV) says, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

Jesus said in (John 3:3, 5/ KJV) that “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God…Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.”

It DOES matter HOW you are Baptized? (Matthew 28:19/ KJV) says, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.”

IF it didn’t matter HOW you were Baptized Paul would NOT have re-baptized John’s disciples in (Acts 19)!

(Acts 19:1-6/ KJV) says, “And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples, 2 He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.

3 And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism.

4 Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. 5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

6 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.”


The Anthem STILL promises to fill you with the Baptism of the Holy Ghost, evidenced by talking in tongues!

Jesus said in (John 3:3, 5/ KJV) that “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God…Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.”

(Acts 2:1-4/ KJV) says, "And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance."

(Acts 2:38-39/ KJV) says, "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."

Just as Paul wrote in (Galatians 1), I won’t to REMIND you today that there is NO OTHER GOSPEL! There’s ONLY ONE Gospel and that’s the Gospel of Jesus Christ! It is the death, burial and resurrection! It is ACTS 2:38 and it’s STILL “The Anthem of the Apostolic Church!”

Every time we hear the Gospel preached; every time we hear ACTS 2:38 quoted it ought to bring us to our feet because it IS “The Anthem of the Apostolic Church!”

(Acts 2:38) says, “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.”

The Gospel is NOT just an Easter message...

It's Good Friday, and I've been thinking about something all day. I can't get it off of my mind, so I figured I would just share it with you. Today, is the day that many of us will remember the sacrifice that Jesus Christ paid so that our sins could be forgiven. We're grateful for what today represents in regards to Calvary, because had it not been for Calvary, we'd all be lost without any hope of eternal salvation.

But, with that being said, it is sad that (1) this Sunday, Easter Sunday, will be the ONLY Sunday that some will step foot into a Church, except on Christmas and (2) that Easter Sunday is the ONLY Sunday that some preachers will preach "the Gospel!"

I just feel like telling someone today that the Gospel is NOT just an Easter message...it is THE MESSAGE! (Romans 1:16) says "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth!" (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) says that I can stand on the gospel because "Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures."

The Gospel is THE MESSAGE whether it's Easter Sunday or NOT! Because of His death, burial and resurrection our sins can be forgiven, washed away and we can be made new through the power of the Holy Ghost! The Gospel IS the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ and we all have the opportunity to experience the Gospel when we Repent, are Baptized in water in the name of Jesus Christ and filled with the Holy Ghost, evidenced by speaking in other tongues! (Acts 2:38)

You do not have to wait around for Easter Sunday to experience the Gospel because the Gospel is NOT just an Easter message...it is THE MESSAGE!

Revival Center's 7 Year Anniversary

WOW! It's hard to believe that Revival Center Church has been around for 7 years. What started as a dream in the Holiday Inn Express meeting room on Duluth Hwy (Hwy 120) 7 years ago with just me, my wife and my infant daughter has now grown into a thriving Apostolic Church! We stayed in the hotel meeting room for a year and then moved into our first building (1400 square feet) on Gwinnett Drive. We grew from about 12 people to running in the 80's in the 2 years we stayed in that location. Then God opened the door for us to take a huge step of faith and move into our current location on 1770 Cedars Road. We went from a 14oo square foot building to over 5600 square feet. We jumped from a 49 seat occupancy to 299 seat occupancy! In that time we have seen steady growth as we've proclaimed the message that is relevant regardless of whether you're modern or post-modern! We've "continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine...in prayer...and the Lord has added to the church (Acts 2:42-47)! The message of Acts 2:38 is STILL "THE MESSAGE" and I'm grateful to be a part of church who STILL believes in the life changing power of this great message! If you're in the Lawrenceville area and you're looking for a Book of Acts Church, look no further...you just found it!

I want to thank God for EVERYTHING He has done in the past 7 years to, through and for Revival Center Church! I also want to thank the GREAT people who call Revival Center "Home" for the honor to pastor such a tremendous group of people! Your hunger for Apostolic Revival, Truth and Holiness is so refreshing, especially in these compromising times we live in. THANK YOU for 7 GREAT years of Revival!

Enjoy the video of some highlights over the past 7 years and remember "GREATER THINGS have YET to COME, and GREATER THINGS are STILL to be DONE in this city!"

Hanging on to HOPE!

(Exodus 2:23-25/ KJV) says, “And it came to pass in process of time, that the king of Egypt died: and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage. 24 And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. 25 And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God had respect unto them.”

In order to put these verses into context, I want to take you back one chapter in Exodus and let you see what had taken place to get Israel to this point.

(Exodus 1:8-14/ KJV) says, “Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph. 9 And he said unto his people, Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we: 10 Come on, let us deal wisely with them; lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when there falleth out any war, they join also unto our enemies, and fight against us, and so get them up out of the land.

11 Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses. 12 But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were grieved because of the children of Israel. 13 And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigour: 14 And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage, in morter, and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field: all their service, wherein they made them serve, was with rigour.”

So, Egypt had become intimidated by the children of Israel and realized that not only were there more of them...they were also mightier. So, in order to avoid a problem down the road, Egypt needed to get the children of Israel under control. Therefore, they made the children of Israel their slaves which sets up the scene for chapter 2 which reads...

(Exodus 2:23-25/ KJV) says, “And it came to pass in process of time, that the king of Egypt died: and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage. 24 And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. 25 And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God had respect unto them.”

(The Greek and Hebrew word for “respect” in (verse 25) means “to know” or “to approve.” So, because God “knew” them, had “respect” for and “approved of” them, He was determined to DELIVER them!)

At the point of Israel’s deliverance they had been “Hanging on to HOPE” for over 400 years! You have to realize that in that time, there had been those who had lost hope and become a doubter, giving up on any hope of deliverance. But at the same time there were those who just kept believing; kept praying and held on to their HOPE that God was going to deliver them out of their oppression! I can just imagine conversations that elders had with their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren to keep hanging on…in spite of what they heard, or what they had to go through…”HANG ON TO HOPE” because God WILL DELIVER US!

Now we can go to chapter 3 of Exodus and see just how God delivered those who kept "Hanging on to HOPE" in spite of their situation!

(Exodus 3:1-10/ KJV) says, “Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb. 2 And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.
3 And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt.
4 And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I. 5 And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground. 6 Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God.

7 And the LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows; 8 And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites. 9 Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me: and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them. 10 Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt.”

In spite of what the doubters thought and in spite of their message of despair and depression, God knew right where they were. Their cries of affliction and prayers of deliverance had gotten God’s attention. I want to remind someone today whose reading this BLOG that GOD KNOWS RIGHT WHERE YOU ARE!

Don’t think for a minute that God has forgotten about you or his promise to NEVER leave you nor forsake you. Don’t think for a minute that GOD hasn’t seen your tears or heard your prayers! God knows right where you are and because you’ve been “Hanging on to HOPE,” He’s about to show up and DELIVER YOU OUT of your situation!

But with that in mind, you have to remember that sometimes God’s deliverance does NOT happen the way we’ve envisioned it! When it came time for God to deliver the Israelites out of bondage, he sent a man. God sent Moses with a “Message of HOPE” to deliver them and God is STILL sending men with “the Message of HOPE” on a weekly basis to DELIVER His people out of oppression and bondage; to set them free from the LIES of the devil!

Yet another reason WHY you NEED to be at CHURCH EVERYTIME the doors are open, because “THAT SERVICE” might just be “THE SERVICE” that God sends a Moses in to bring you a “Message of HOPE” and to DELIVER you!

One more thing I want you to see out of our text; remember our text said, “24 And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham …”

(Romans 4:18-21/ KJV) says this about Abraham, “Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations; according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. 19 And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara's womb:

20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; 21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.”

(Romans 8:24-25/ KJV) says, “For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? 25 But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.”

(Romans 15:4, 13/ KJV) says, “For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope…13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.”


The whole point to this BLOG is to remind you that if you’re NOT careful, you’ll spend all of your time listening to negative reports, and reading articles that paint so much gloom and doom that you’ll go half crazy. Somebody, in the middle of all this mess has got to remember that God has seen your tears, He’s heard your prayers, and regardless of what the doubters say and the skeptics write, KEEP “Hanging on to HOPE” because GOD WILL DELIVER!