Take Away the Stone Part 2

Beloved, in continuance of our theme, “Take Away the Stone” – remember, it was not until Jesus said to Martha, “Thy brother [Lazarus] shall rise again,” that Martha was prompted to say, “I know…he shall rise again in the resurrection” (John 11:23-24). Saints, there will be times when you will form an opinion about a circumstance in your life that seems dead or that has ceased to prosper. In those times, you may be tempted to put a time limit on its span of existence – to form an opinion about when the circumstance will change. In those times, saints, I implore you to think again. Jesus did not need Martha to tell Him when Lazarus would “rise again.” Notice that Jesus’ response to her was, “I am the resurrection, and the life” (John 11:25). In other words, Jesus was saying, “I decide when your brother will rise again – not an event.” Events, time periods, and circumstances don’t determine when Jesus will deliver us. He alone has the power to resurrect or revive us, and He alone controls our lifetime (He is the life of men and women). If you can’t see this, then something in your mind is blocking true revelation. Take away the stone.

Precious Ones, may God help us, who are filled with His Spirit, to realize that this is what Easter is all about. Because Jesus endured (not only all the suffering and pain, but also) the life span of death, we, as Christians, must understand that He has the power to start the clock over in our lives. Jesus has the power to resurrect whatever we missed because of our past sin, foolishness, or ignorance, and he can cause us to live a brand new life without tasting physical death. Do you understand? If not, take away the stone. When you receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, you have resurrection within you. That’s why Jesus concluded with the words, “he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live” (John 11:25).

I will write more on this subject next week. Until then, know this…

I love you all SO very much.
In His love,
Pastor William L. McCoy

Take Away the Stone Part 1

Beloved, I feel inspired by the Holy Spirit to write unto you from a new subject entitled “Take away the Stone.” If you remember, “Take…away the stone” was the command given by Jesus (see John 11:39) to those who stood weeping at Lazarus’ grave. Mary and Martha, his sisters, were sorrowing – first because they thought Jesus was too late, and second because they thought that their brother was dead. When you allow yourself to feel that our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, can be too late when it comes to deliverance, you develop a stony heart (a heart that has no faith or hope). This will eventually lead to feeling that your deliverance is dead – a deliverance for which you might as well just give up hope. But please allow your Pastor (through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit) to encourage you to “take away the stone.”

Precious Ones, when Jesus saw Mary weeping, scripture records that Jesus was “groaning” (repressing indignation) in His Spirit, and that He was troubled (see John 11:32-33). Nothing stirs up our Savior’s indignation (anger) more than when His children doubt whether He can do what he says. Remember, Lazarus was one who had the reputation of being loved greatly by Jesus (see John 11:2). Here lies the answer to why we move Jesus to “groaning” when we doubt Him – He loves us! Should we be so insensitive as to think that Jesus is not hurt when we doubt that He will deliver us? If you can’t see why this angers our Savior, you need to “take away the stone.”

Chosen Ones, Lazarus was already dead. He was beyond all human aid. Yes, Mary and Martha had the capable faith in Jesus that if He had arrived earlier, their brother would not have died (John 11:32). Again, here lies the answer as to why Jesus gets angry when we don’t trust Him – He knows that we have displayed capable faith in the past. Why then should we allow present challenges to shake our confidence in Him? I implore you to “take away the stone.” Don’t emulate Mary and Martha – their faith ended at the grave. At that time, they were about to learn the lesson that “all things are possible to him that believeth” (Mark 9:23). The promise is only to those who believe – those who never give up believing.

I will write more on this subject next week. Until then, know this…

I love you all SO very much.
In His Love,

Pastor William L. McCoy

He That Overcometh (conclusion)

Beloved, this letter marks the conclusion of the series entitled “He that Overcometh.” The overcomers of the Laodicean period of the Church are given the privilege of sitting with Christ on His throne. The Lukewarm spirit of the church is identical to the present spirit prevalent throughout the religious world today. Gone are the days when the majority of churches were on fire with (1) love, (2) dedication, (3) giving, (4) charity, (5) holy living, (6) forgiveness, and (7) devotion to God. True pastors now have to deal with people stating that they are “neither a saint nor a sinner.” You have heard people say this, I’m sure – “I’m not a church goer, but I do have a relationship with God.” How ignorant! How can you have a relationship with God when you don’t please Him? That’s why God told John that our Laodicean church age is “neither cold nor hot” (Revelation 3:15). In other words, the people of this church don’t feel condemned, no matter what they do. This church era lives by the warped set of values that dictates “if it feels good, it is good.” This is not so for overcomers. We know that if our God is not pleased with the taste (the virtue) of our fruit (our service unto Him), He will “spue [spit us] out of [His] mouth” (Revelation 3:16). We don’t want God to be forced to do that with us.

Chosen Ones, the problem is stated clearly in scripture (see Revelation 3:17). This church era has been deceived by Satan to focus on riches, increased goods, and having no material needs. However, this church doesn’t realize that it is wretched, miserable, poor, blind, (spiritually) naked, and suffering from all spiritual deformities. The church must “Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth” (Luke 12:15).

Precious Ones, if you decide to be overcomers, you must “buy of [God, not man] gold [faith] tried in the fire” (Revelation 3:18). Peter teaches that your faith is “much more precious than…gold” (I Peter 1:7). John agrees – he says that “whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith” (I John 5:4). In other words, if you are going to be an overcomer, you must believe that God will reward every sacrifice you’ve made to be a holy example in the eyes of this sinful world. Sometimes, it doesn’t appear to be worth it, but overcomers put their trust in God that IT IS!

I hope that you all enjoyed this series. I will be writing to you on a new subject next week. Until then, know this…

I love you all SO very much.
In His Love,

Pastor William L. McCoy

He That Overcometh (continued)

Beloved, in continuance of our theme, “He that Overcometh” – I start by reminding you that the name of “the city of God” (Psalm 46:4) is the name of the “new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from…God” (Revelation 3:12). Beloved, by simply turning to the Book of Revelation, we find that the new Jerusalem is the Bride – the Lamb’s wife (Jesus’ wife, Revelation 21:9, 19). We know that Jesus is our heavenly Bridegroom – that no one will deny – but I must remind you that “the Lamb’s” wife must bear the name of her husband. More importantly, the Bride cannot wait until she gets to the new Jerusalem before she decides to bear Jesus’ Name. All who desire to be Jesus’ Bride, must take and bear His Name right here on this earth first. Only true overcomers who are not ashamed to bear the Name of Jesus now will be accepted as His Bride then (see Mark 8:38).

Chosen Ones, Isaiah teaches us this principle. He says, “thy Maker is thine husband; the LORD of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called” (Isaiah 54:5). We learn two principles here: (1) Because Jesus is the “Maker” and “Redeemer” on this earth, (2) Isaiah says that we must “call” Him our husband and bear His Name on this earth. Now it makes sense when Jesus says, “Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation [right here on this earth]; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father [when Jesus is restored to His shekinah glory] with the holy angels” (Mark 8:38). Overcomers, let us not be reluctant to tell this sinful world that we are the Bride of Christ. Although the wedding hasn’t yet taken place, we are engaged to be married, and by faith we proclaim His Name before we get to heaven. Again, for clarity, let us conclude this letter with the words of our God – “If my people, which are called by my name [not in heaven only, but right here on earth], shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land” (II Chronicles 7:14). This promise applies to all of us who have taken on Jesus’ Name in baptism. Congratulations, overcomers!

I will write more on this subject next week. Until then, know this…

I love you all SO very much.
In His Love,

Your Humble Servant

Pastor William L. McCoy