Posted by blogadmin on September 27, 2010 under Sunday's Sermon Review | 
Pastor Cedric Beckles yesterday brought a message that called all of us to the carpet. In his new series on Authority he laid the foundation of God’s way of maintaining the order He created from the beginning.
Pastor Beckles noted that we live in a rude society, children towards parents, employees towards employers, citizens toward the government there is just a blatant disregard for authority.
He noted that when God began creation He had to put things in order, once this was accomplished He made man blessed him and gave him dominion – empowered him (man) with the authority to maintain order.
According to
Romans 13:1-3 (King James Version)
Romans 13
1Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.
2Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.
3For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: ..”
All of us are under authority and are to submit ourselves to that authority. Whether that authority be good or bad in our eyes.
Gods place authority in place to maintain order and carry out His agenda.
The three main purposes of authority are:
1. TO PROTECT
2. TO
3. TO PRUNE
Can you identify the authority figures God has placed in your life?
How are you relating to those individuals?
Is your obedience selective?
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Posted by blogadmin on September 6, 2010 under Sunday's Sermon Review |
Pastor Cedric Beckles in his sermon on Sunday share with us:from his series
Experiencing God through trials: How to help others who are going through trials. Text Reference: 1 Thessalonians 5: 1-17
He asked the question, “What is the hallmark of us as a body of believers?”
The answers came back: love one for another, unity, faith, etc. All of these are correct. Yet the essence of us as a body of believers is CARE .
How do we respond to others when they are going through a hard time or trial?
Many of us act towards other they the same way we were treated in our past experiences in church and many of those experiences were negative. Someone did not care for or embrace us correctly in the past. This experience left us wounded or hurt and instead of showing other the correct behavior we repeat the error. This is not God’s intention.
We were all called to confess our wrong attitude to the Lord, say we’re sorry ask forgiveness and ask the Lord to help us show the proper care and attention to those around us who need our care.
The trials we have experienced in the past were not designed to hurt us, but to build up our spiritual muscles and develop godly character that will enable us to help those that come behind to overcome their similar trial.
Based on the passage in 1 Thessalonian 5:1 – 17 Paul shows the church that there are persons among them at different levels.
We must therefore discern which level the person is at e.g., feebleminded, unruly or weak. And these people may not handle the trials of life as well as others, so they must be open to assistance from those who are stronger.
In the body of Christ we all have a responsibility:
1. The Strong must be willing to help those in need.
2. The Weak must be willing to open us to receive help.
And at some point in our lives we will all be in one of these positions.
Here is how to help someone going through a trial:
1. Pray for them before you talk to them. Pray that the promises of God become real to them. 1 Thes. 5:8 aspeaks about the hope we have in Christ. Magnify the hope and confidence they have in the promises of God in their hearing.
2. Express concern. Let them know you care and want to help.
3. Invite them into an environment outside of their present circumstance. In other words create some positive distractions. Serve them.
4. Do not judge them. We have to be forthright and compassionate at the same time. This takes a bit of skill. Remember they are very delicate at this time. Also discern where they are in relation to 1 Thess. 5.
5. Back Off. If after you have done the above steps and they seem not to respond or do not want to be bothered. Give them some space. this does not mean that you cut them off completely, but that you allow some time to elapse before you see them again. Communicate to them that you are going to check up on them and then do so.
Never be afraid to ask how you can help.
Remember we need each other – let people minister to you.
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Tags: 1 Thessalonians 5, encouragement, Experiencing God, Experiencing God through Trials, Help, Hope, How to help others who are going through a trial, Life Community Church Bahamas, Life Community Church Freeport, Pastor Cedric Beckles, Suicide, Trials
Posted by blogadmin on July 11, 2010 under Sunday's Sermon Review |
During his liberating Bahamian Independence Day sermon Pastor Cedric Beckles brought insight and clarity to the impact our independence in God has and will continue to have in our lives. And the skit performed by the Drama Team provided the perfect visual effects to the message. Here are some points:
1. Satan’s master plan is to deceive us into declaring Independence from God. In doing so we are vulnerable and swayed into doing things that are self-destructive.
Its amazing how death seems to bring us back to the truth of how important dependence in God is for every human being.
2 Cor 5 :17
When we come to Christ the independence we gain in God – frees us from the power of sin. Salvation is God’s plan to untangle us from the grip of sin -those overpowering desires and addictions that we can’t seem to break-free of ourselves.
Salvation gives us the ability to control our crazy desires.
When Jesus saves us he enables us to be free from the things that enslave us. As with the woman caught in adultery – Jesus broke the chains that drove her to that lifestyle – and told her to go and sin no more. He gave her the power of choice. She could now face the temptation and walk away.
Romans 6 gives a vivid picture of the state of man before Christ and the independence in God.
At the moment of conversion enablement takes place, but that power is only manifested when in the face of a temptation we take the first step to resist it.
I loved the example Pastor Beckles used, he said its like getting a new credit card, you put $3,000.00 on the account, but until you activate the card you cannot access the funds.
So as a citizen of the Kingdom of God are you accessing you independence from sin? Tell us what this message means to you.
LCC Games blog competition entry #1
p.s. Don’t forget to put your team’s colour initial at the end of your comment. example B -black, R – red, P-purple, O- orange
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Posted by blogadmin on July 10, 2010 under Sunday's Sermon Review |
Things People Do Wrong in a Famine:
1. Stop Community association – Disconnect from the body of Christ and fellowship with the saints.
2. Abandon the things of God. Prayer, Reading of God’s Word, worship, tithing and giving are designed to sustain us during a famine.
At the end of every famine when we remain steadfast God will give you a time of prosperity.
You will have a new story, song, view of God and everything new.
God also does a people wash in the midst of a famine. Some people are in your life only for a season. He brings new people into our lives and takes some people out.
And be careful who you listen to in the midst of your famine.
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Posted by blogadmin on July 9, 2010 under Sunday's Sermon Review |
Wow! This message was for me.
A famine is a time of extreme lack.
In our western society we seldom use the word famine, but in eastern cultures the word is used and experienced often.
In the bible there are a number of instances where God orchestrated famines to accomplish His purpose, lead guide and direct His people.
There are times in our lives God will allow us to experience a famine/lack. It culd be food, money, health, relationships or anything, but it is always designed to accomplish God’s purpose.
Some of what we need will only come in dry times. All physical and tangible things are attached and come as a result of something intangible. God has to allow famine in our lives so that we feel we need or are important in our lives are not so. He also wants us to see where our confidence really lies and many times it is not in Him.
In the scenario of Joseph in Egypt there was first a famine of knowlegde – no one knew the interpretation of the dream – that is until Joseph stepped on the scene. Many times God creates a famine so that he can provide what’s lacking through us.
The purpose of a Famine:
1. Out of famine God creates opportunity. We have to be so convinced that our lives are ordered by the Lord that nothing can sway us. Pastor Beckles noted that for many of us – our confidence is not in God. It is in our job, the money in the bank or just when things are going well . We must be of the conviction that – GOD IS MY SOURCE AND HOWEVER HE CHOOSES TO MANIFEST HIMSELF IN MY LIFE IS JUST ALRIGHT WITH ME!
Think about Joseph, he was in prison 13 long years and the only thing he had to hold on to was his dream. And for the most part everything in his life went contrary to the dream.
Pastor Beckles challenged us – “You must have a dream in your heart bigger than your job, a house or money.’
If you are going to be used by God be prepare to go through struggles.
Every period of famine is an opportunity for God to fulfill his promise in your life. Read Genesis 12:10 and Genesis 26: 1-2
2. God wants you to stop and examine yourself in the midst of a famine. It could be caused by sin.
Ask the Lord these questions? Is it me? What are you trying to teach me? What do you want me to do? What is it that you want me to see differently?
3. Sometimes it is to change direction.
4. So that you can learn to be steadfast and develop character. Whatever situation you are in God has equipped you to handle it.
5. You must stay focused on the Lord.
Be careful how you intervene in a person’s famine.
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Posted by blogadmin on July 8, 2010 under Sunday's Sermon Review |
June 27, 2010
As we celebrated Pastor Cedric Beckles’ 50th Birthday with him that week, he had the privilege of sitting in the pew while another preached. And that person was his dear friend and colleague Pastor Perry Cunningham of Gospel Light Ministries in Nassau, New Providence, Bahamas.
And as always Pastor Cunningham delivered a dynamic, soul gripping message.
We also want to say congratulation on his recent engagement. May God bless your union.
The scripture text : Psalms 37: 23-24
” The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way..”
The good man is a righteous, just saint.
Steps- is defined as the movement one makes with one foot to change position and the movement of the other foot to align with the first foot. It is your course of life from beginning to end.
The Steps of a good man:
1. Begins with right direction – right direction comes from the Lord
2. Step of right distances – in most cases we are not given the estimated time of arrival so we must continue on an do not become discouraged. Men ought always to pray and not faint.
3. Reach the right destination.
This is just a brief outline – as with all post. The real meat of the message is captured on CD. You may contact the churches office to purchase a copy.
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Posted by blogadmin on July 4, 2010 under Sunday's Sermon Review |
God’s main purpose for your children is that they know Him. He wants them to act and think like Christ.
Sometimes the challenges and interferences our children encounter are God’s way of teaching them to encounter Him.
As Pastor Cedric Beckles took us to the scripture passages of Psalms 127 & 128 he pointed out the transition in focus of the two chapters. The first is are general statements while the second leans in closely to the man. God established an order and He placed the man in charge. But the current generations are teaching to put the women in charge and bash the men – thus we are reaping the results on our streets every day.
Pastor Beckles sent out a charge to the men, he said ” Men ! You and I will determine the future!”
And as Psalms 128 There i sthe opportunity for us to experience the blessings of God around us, but this will only happen if the men reverence God.
Pastor C.J. Beckles them addressed the women with a word of warning. He said, “You jeopardize the spiritual heritage of your children when you have them for a man who will not be present in their life. God has ordained it that the heritage of those children only come through the man.”
Women – The man you choose in your life will determine the quality of your life.
There are some blessings that God promises those who will honour Him.
Psalms 128
Teach your children the virtue of work -
Your wife will be fruitful – not just in child bearing, but in the gifts and talents God has blessed her with.
When you honour the Lord Gog will take care of your environment.
Your children will be like olive plants.
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Posted by blogadmin on June 16, 2010 under Sunday's Sermon Review |
God in the Old Testament always worked along with individuals to accomplish His plan. He did the same thing in the New Testament and He is doing it today.
What we do for one another and to one another is how we Experiencing God. God’s presence is evident most when we believers are doing our part.
A scriptural example of us Experiencing God when we do our part is John 13:34-35. Go ahead and read that scripture right now. WE want to see more souls saved Pastor Beckles noted that, “The greatest impact on an unsaved person’s move to salvation is how they observe us as believers interacting and demonstrating love to one another.”
When God comes in our midst His greatest desire is to dump His cart load of stuff into our lives, but this is all based on whether we are behaving like we aught to .
God’s blessings are conditional – and those conditions weight heavily on our behavior. In the book of Acts God’s manifested power was always on the Body dynamics. This is very significant.
Pastor Beckles noted that walking with God requires work.
I don’t know about you but that illustration of a ‘Backslider’ hit home with me. Did you know that the biblical references of a Backslider had to do with the farmer and his animal in most cases a mule or ox. There would be occasions when the farmer wanted the animal to go in a specific direction , but the animal refused. So the farmer would pull him alone and in the animal determination and stubbornness it would sit down on its hind legs. So the farmer would have to drag the animal sitting down. They would consider this animal a ‘backslider’. Are you a backslider concerning something God has commanded you to do?
There is tremendous power available to us when we come to God together. Is our back slidden / stiff necked attitude towards each other blocking the flow of God’s power when we come together?
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Posted by blogadmin on May 17, 2010 under Sunday's Sermon Review |
On May 9th, 2010 at Life Community Church Freeport as we celebrated Mother’s Day, Pastor Cedric Beckles brought a strong and passionate indictment and admonition to the mothers in the house. The seriousness and gravity of the message caused it to be continued again this past Sunday. And by the way – I believe this message in no way placed sole responsibility on the mothers or exempted Fathers from their part in raring of their children – it was just Mother’s Day. I heard the men will get their talk this week-end on the Fishing Trip in Sweeting’s Cay.
Scripture verse: II Timothy 1: 1-3
Have you ever considered God’s design for the parenting of human beings? That from the point of conception to the time they are weaned.
What is Weaning
Weaning is not a negative term, nor is it something that you do to a child. Weaning is a journey from one relationship to another. The Hebrew word for wean is gamal, meaning “to ripen.” In ancient times, when children were breastfed until two or three years of age, it was a joyous occasion when a child weaned. It meant the child was filled with the basic tools of the earlier stages of development and secure and ready to enter the next stage of development.
Ideally, you want to wean baby from your breast to an alternative source of emotional nourishment. This is when dad should begin to take on a more involved role in comforting. As dad’s role in baby’s life becomes bigger, nursing will be less important.
As Pastor Beckles noted this is a very critical time in the life of that child and the influence and spirit of the mother is captured during these formidable years. As he brought to our attention if observed even casually one can see the traits and mannerisms of the mother in even the youngest of toddlers. Because more than the words of instructions we give our children they duplicate our attitudes, behavior and responses to situations.
What are you modeling to your children Mothers?
Read the following Biblical examples of negative and positive influence mothers have had on their children:
Proverbs 22:14, Proverb 22:4, Proverbs 31:30, II Timothy 3:10 -12
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Tags: 2 Timothy 1:1-3, 2 Timothy 3:10-12, Godly Influence, Influence, Life Community Church Bahamas, Mother's Day, Pastor Cedric Beckles, Proverb 22:14, Proverbs 22:4, Proverbs 31:30, Weaning
Posted by blogadmin on May 4, 2010 under Sunday's Sermon Review |
I know if you are as hungry for an Experience with God as I am you are eager to to learn the third element that need to be in place. In his sermon on April 18th, 2010 Pastor Cedric Beckles expounded on this third criterion for Experiencing God – Godly Sorrow.
He noted that guilt and sorrow or shame do not guarantee a change of heart. These actions are all intellectual and emotional in contrast to Godly sorrow which touches the human spirit and soul. In Jonah 3 we see the demonstration of Godly sorrow not just by an individual, but by a whole nation. Godly sorrow comes to people who know the ways of God and He is working in them.
Godly sorrow is marked by changed behavior and changed heart.
Did you know God created us to have addictions. There are godly addictions and destructive – ungodly addictions.
Ungodly/Destructive or addictions wrongly used are those consistent attractions and behaviors that are destructive to our well being.
Tomorrow we learn the fourth element for Experiencing God – Desire for Holiness.
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