2025 - NCC Cartersville

Delighting in God

October 18, 2025 by James Black in Pastor's Corner

“Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.”
Psalm 37:4 KJV

There are many simple joys that one can experience in life. They come in a multitude of ways. The joy of sharing a meal together with family and friends. The joy of children and grandchildren. The joy of a quiet afternoon sitting beside a mountain stream, experiencing the sounds of nature. The joy of walking along a beach and watching the waves crash ashore. The joy of driving through the hills and mountains in the fall and being awed by the blazing colors of the leaves. All of these things and more bring us joy. These are things we can all delight in.

But the greatest joy that one can possibly experience can only be found in the Person and the Presence of God Himself! All other joys in life, though rich, meaningful, valuable and important, pale in comparison to experiencing God Himself! It is in His Person and Presence that we find peace, contentment and ultimate joy. It is in His Presence that we discover the meaning of life and the purpose of living. (Psalm 16:11).
Jesus came to this earth to redeemed lost humanity and make it possible to experience the fullness of His joy! That does not mean that life is always easy! It is not! Life can have many challenges, trials and disappointments. Some of which can be overwhelming! But if we have discovered the Person of God, if we have come to the place where we can actually delight in Him, we will find that God Himself satisfies the deepest longings and desires of our heart! We discover that in His Presence we are truly complete in Him! (James 1:4).

That is why the Word of God tells us that if we delight in Him then He will give us the desires of our heart! What that mans is, that if we learn to delight in God Himself, we will discover that He is all that we want and need! It is there that we=e come to the place that all we want is what He wants! When we reach that place, God will indeed give us the desire of our heart. It is in that place that every request will be answered!

Rev. James W. Black

The Importance of Fruit

October 11, 2025 by James Black in Pastor's Corner

“For every tree is known by his own fruit. …A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil…”

Luke 6: 44-45 KJV

One can always determine the identity of a tree by the fruit it produces. Apple trees do not produce pears nor do walnut trees produce pecans. Each tree is identified by the fruit that is produced. Likewise, the life of an individual is recognized by the fruit that is produced. There is good fruit. And there is bad fruit. Whatever fruit is produced reveals the heart and character of the individual.

If one is a genuine follower of Christ, the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:23) will be manifested in their life. The character of Christ will be revealed in the character and nature of the individual. When one truly comes to Christ, a metamorphosis (or a great change) takes place (2 Cor. 5:17). One is instantly transformed from the kingdom of darkness into the Kingdom of Light. (Col. 1:13). As a result some things change immediately. Other changes occur over time. (Rom. 12:1-2).

Just as an apple tree bursts forth with beautiful blossoms in the spring, the life transforming power of the Holy Spirit produces a new beauty and fragrance in one’s life the moment they receive Christ as their Lord and Savior. But like the apple, it takes time for the actual fruit to appear. The fruit is produced over time simply by staying connected to the tree. In other words the apples are not produced by their own effort. They are produced by remaining intimately connected to the tree. Likewise as one stays intimately connected to Christ, over time, His fruit begins to be manifested in their life.

The longer the fruit remains connected to the tree, the richer, fuller, and more fragrant that fruit becomes. Eventually that fruit matures. The beauty and fragrance of that fruit begins to appeal to others. Soon, others desire to partake of the fruit.

Which brings us to the ultimate purpose of the fruit. The fruit is not produced for ourselves. It is produced for others. Its purpose is for others to be drawn to the fruit. Its purpose is for others to want to taste it for themselves. Fruit has no value unless others taste it for themselves. (Psalm 34:8). Therefore, it is important that we remain intimately connected to Christ. Over time, we will begin to mature and others will be attracted to the Christ they see in us! Christ is then glorified. Not us! And we will have accomplished our greatest purpose in life!

Rev. James W. Black

Delivered From Death

September 13, 2025 by NCC-Admin-1 in Uncategorized

“But we had this sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God who raiseth the dead. Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver; in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us.”

2 Cor. 1: 9-10 KJV

The Apostle Paul wrote these words to the church at Corinth, having described how they had almost died while doing the Lord’s work in Asia (2 Cor. 1:8). And although the situation was dire, the Lord in His mercy delivered them from death.

Paul then rejoiced over the fact that the Lord’s work in the redeemed is both an immediate and an ongoing work of being delivered from death.

He states in verse 10 that the Lord has already delivered us from “so great a death”. He is referring to our initial death before coming to Christ. This is the great death that separates us from God. The Word of God declares that before we came to Christ, “we were dead in trespasses and sins.” (Eph. 2:1).

Paul then points out that the Lord “doth deliver”. In other words, He continues to deliver! That is, each day we are alive in this life, we are being delivered from the power of death both spiritually and physically.

But the ultimate work of Christ is that “He will yet deliver” us from death. Death will continue to follow us until it ultimately takes hold of us. But the good news is that death cannot touch us until it is our time. (Job 14:5, Psalm 37:18). And when that time comes, we have nothing to fear because the Lord has taken away “the sting of death” (1 Cor. 15:55). Death can no longer hurt us! Its power over us has been totally broken once and for all! Jesus has forever destroyed its power through the cross and His mighty resurrection! Our God is the only One who has conquered death (Rev. 1:18). And He is the only One who raises the dead! (John 11:25-26).

So we can rejoice that we have been delivered, we are continuing to be delivered, and will ultimately be delivered because “death is swallowed up in victory”. (1 Cor. 15:54).

Rev. James W. Black

What Are You Seeking After?

September 6, 2025 by James Black in Uncategorized

“If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above not on things on the earth. For ye are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God.”
Col. 3: 1-3 KJV

In our world, people are constantly seeking after different things. Some seek after sports, entertainment and pleasure. Others seek after wealth, fame or political power. Still others seek to accumulate things. Such things often drive many peoples lives. It is what motivates them. All who are fully engaged in these things are seeking joy, contentment ,fulfillment and satisfaction.

The Word of God encourages the redeemed, those who truly know the Lord, to seek Christ above all else. That does not mean that we cannot enjoy doing other things in life. We can and should enjoy life and all that the Lord has blessed us with. But it does mean that Christ impacts everything that we do! In all that we do we seek to honor Christ and glorify Him! (1 Cor. 10:31). If we do that then everything that we do will be done with honor, integrity and excellence. We will do our very best in all things.

Seeking the Lord requires an investment on our part. It first requires that we acknowledge Him. Even though His form is invisible to us, we recognize that He is with us! We do that by faith, (Heb.11:1), knowing that the Word of God is true! Christ said He would be with us. (Matthew 28:20). Second, it requires that we listen to Him. We do that by reading His Word and listening, allowing it to speak to our heart. And thirdly, it requires that we walk in obedience to what He reveals to us through His Word! As we begin to genuinely engage in these basic things, our eyes and our heart will be opened to God and we will begin to see Him actively operating in our daily lives. He always reveals Himself to those who truly want to know Him! (Matthew 7: 7-8).

Rev. James Black

The Benefit of Trials

August 9, 2025 by James Black in Pastor's Corner / Uncategorized

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters when you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.”

James 1:2-3 NIV

None of us enjoy trials. In fact we would all like to avoid them if possible. But it is not possible because we live in a fallen and broken world. No one escapes trials. Some are caused by bad decisions or bad choices we have made. Others are caused through no fault of our own. We have no control over fires, floods, tornados, hurricanes, earthquakes, tsunamis, droughts, and the loss of loved ones. They just happen! And they happen to everyone at one time or another. They are real. They are difficult and painful.

But for those who follow Jesus, God the Father will use those trials to teach us about His faithfulness. He will use those trials to teach us the truthfulness of His Word. And He will use those trials to develop perseverance in our lives.

Scientists know that when a butterfly is breaking forth from its cocoon, it must struggle. The struggle is intense. It is hard. If we were to assist the butterfly by helping it open its cocoon, the butterfly would be weak and unable to fly. It would soon die. The struggle forces essential fluid into the veins of the butterfly’s wings which is necessary for them to be strengthened. If the wings are not strengthened by this process, the butterfly will not be able to fly once it emerges from the cocoon.

Likewise our faith is strengthened through trials. If we do not quit, perseverance is produced as a result. Our faith is strengthened. Our trust in God is deepened. And we become a more effective follower of Christ. Therefore, although the trials may not be joyful, we can count on them as tools that God will use to ultimately produce more joy in our lives.

Rev. James Black

The Necessity of God’s Presence

July 19, 2025 by NCC-Admin-1 in Pastor's Corner

“And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest. And he said unto him, If thy presence go not with me, carry us not from hence.”

Exodus 33:14-15. KJV

If there is one thing that Moses learned during his years of walking with the Lord, it was the necessity of having God’s presence. God’s Presence is the unmistakable consciousness and awareness of God. He is here. He is in our midst. He is with us! That consciousness may be expressed and realized in a multitude of ways, but its reality is unmistakable! It is undeniable.

The Presence of God is beyond human words to describe. It is the revelation of the Divine! It is the consciousness of the Holy! It is greater than all that we are and all that we know. It brings awe and wonder! It produces humility and joy! It is the revelation of the “otherness” of God! Once we have experienced God’s Holy Presence, we are never the same again! We are transformed. We are changed. And we forever long for a greater revelation of His Presence!

When we are in God’s Presence, there is no fear. There is no anxiety. There is no burden. There is no consciousness of any need. There is no insufficiency. The cares of this world diminish to insignificance. There is no desire for anything but Him! There is the awareness that in His Presence, we have everything!

Moses understood that both he and the nation could not survive or even exist without God’s Presence. What was true for Moses and the nation of Israel is also true for us! We, the redeemed of God, are completely dependent upon the Presence of God in our lives.

The good news of the Gospel is that Christ has sent the Holy Spirit into our heart (our spirit, our inner man) to dwell. (Col.1:27). We are blessed and privileged to be able to live each moment of each day with the consciousness of God’s indwelling Presence! His Presence is revealed at various levels of intensity, but His Presence is there; quietly guiding us, speaking to us, revealing truth to us and even correcting us when necessary. His indwelling Presence is essential for living the life He intends for us to live! (Rom.. 8:15). Let us acknowledge and embrace His Presence that we might experience the fullness of His joy! (Psalm 16:11).

Rev. James W. Black

Seated in Heavenly Places

July 5, 2025 by NCC-Admin-1 in Pastor's Corner

“And hath raised us up together, and made his sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.”

Eph. 2:6 KJV

When Christ was raised from the dead and ascended into heaven (Acts 1:9-11), He was seated in heaven at the right hand of God the Father (Mark 16:19). It is there that Jesus intercedes for us (Rom. 8:34).

The Apostle Paul reminds us that not only does Christ intercede for us but we are spiritually in those “heavenly places” with Him at this very moment. However, no one can deny that we certainly are not literally in heaven, although that is where we long to be and ultimately will be.

Paul wants us to know that because Christ is in us and we are in Him (John 17:23), we have heaven (God’s Presence through the Holy Spirit) living and abiding within us at this very moment. It is a present reality! The Holy Spirit gives us our identity and is God’s down payment (Eph.1:14) that He will fulfill all of His plans and promises for us both now and throughout eternity.

As far as God is concerned, because He lives in eternity and not in time, it is already an accomplished fact. Paul is reminding us of that reality. Because we are redeemed, we have God’s Presence indwelling us at this very moment. We literally have heaven living on the inside of us. We are in Him, and He is in us! We are one with Him!

Let us rejoice in the reality of our oneness with Him! It is literally a taste of heaven! Nothing in this present world can compare with that! And this is just a foretaste of what awaits us!

Rev. James W. Black

Everyone Needs A Father

June 14, 2025 by NCC-Admin-1 in Pastor's Corner

“A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in his holy habitation.”
Psalm 68:5 KJV

There are times when everyone feels vulnerable and weak. It is during those times that we long for someone we can go to for help; someone who we can lean upon; someone who will give us wisdom about what to do in difficult situations; someone who will teach us and guide us; someone who will lovingly correct us; someone who will come to our defense when needed; someone who we can rely on and trust; someone who will encourage us; and someone who will love us and accept us no matter what. That is the role God designed for fathers.

Sadly, many of us either did not have a father or the father we did have failed to fulfill their role and calling in our lives. The truth is that there are times when even the best fathers fail and disappoint their children and families in some way. That is because all fathers are imperfect and have feet of clay.

Those who had a good father feel a great sense of loss when their father dies. They feel somewhat adrift. Those who never had a father, or those who had a bad father, have a sense of longing inside for the father they never had. To fill that longing and that need in our lives, the Living God, the Holy One Himself has promised to be the “father to the fatherless”. He is the perfect father. He is always with us, and He knows exactly what we need in each situation. He is the One who promises never to leave us. He is the One who fills the emptiness and longing in our souls.

Through Christ, He brought each of us, who has received Him as their Savior, into His eternal family. All of His strength, wisdom, guidance, and heavenly resources are available to us.

In Christ, no one is an orphan! No one is abandoned! He is a Father to all who will receive Him! So, let us embrace our Heavenly Father, for He is longing to embrace us! He promises to be for us the father that we have always wanted!

Rev. James W. Black

The Difference Between Religion And Christ

June 7, 2025 by James Black in Pastor's Corner

“Woe unto you, scribes, Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye are like unto whited sepulchers, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones and of all uncleanness. (28) Even some also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.”

Matthew 23:27-28 KJV

Jesus lived by the truth revealed in the Word of God, regularly attended Synagogue, on the Sabbath, observed the Jewish Feasts and taught and worshipped at the Temple in Jerusalem. Jesus did these things not because He was religious, but because He loved the Father and He loved the Word of God. His words and deeds were born out of His relationship with the Father and His understanding of the Power contained in the Word of God!

Because He loved the Father, He also loved the Word of God. Everything He did was based upon His relationship with the Father. He spoke with power and authority. His words were kind, loving, compassionate, strong and full of hope. His words brought comfort, revelation, understanding and joy to those who really wanted to know the truth about God! And all of that was accompanied by mighty works of God expressed in undeniable miracles that revealed God’s glory! Although Jesus said and did all these marvelous things, He was not religious! In fact, He reserved His harshest words for those who substituted religious form and ritual for a genuine, living fellowship with God the Father. (Matthew 23).

Jesus did not mince words when it came to addressing religion. His most scathing words of rebuke were leveled at those who were rigidly religious in their actions, but were empty of life! Jesus declared that although they looked good on the outside, in reality they were dead on the inside. In other words, they had no life! Jesus addressed them openly and publicly, pointing out to them the difference between religion and a genuine relationship with God. It can be summed up in one word. Life. Religion brings death. Jesus brings life! It does not get any simpler than that.

Rev. James W. Black

Living In The Light

May 30, 2025 by NCC-Admin-1 in Pastor's Corner

“I have come as a Light into the world, so that whoever believes in Me [whoever cleaves to and trusts and relies on Me] many not continue to live in darkness.”

John 12:46 AMPC

When Jesus entered our world, He brought Light into the midst of the darkness! (John 8:12). Our world was so accustomed to the darkness that no one knew there was any other way to live. But when His Light came, we could see what we had never been able to see before. For the very first time, we could begin to see life from God’s perspective. We could see how God intended life to be lived and enjoyed! Because of the darkness, we were blinded to it before!

The Lord’s purpose in coming was not just to expose the darkness but to show us a better way to live. However, He did more than merely show us the way. His Light and His Life, which is released through the Holy Spirit, actually empowers us to live the life He intended for us to live!

Living in darkness is always a downward spiral of existence! Living in the darkness always results in disappointment, disillusionment, discouragement, depression, despair, and finally death. (John 10:10). Jesus came to reveal to us, by His Light, that there is a purpose and meaning in life. He reveals to us that through Him, there is forgiveness, mercy, love, peace, joy, grace, satisfaction, and contentment in life through Him! (Phil. 4:11).

His Light reveals to us that there is hope beyond the grave! It is a sure and certain hope that is revealed by His Light and guaranteed by His resurrected Life! We know that for all those who are in Christ, death has been defeated! The redeemed do not die! We merely step into the Presence of His glorious Light where we shall remain forever! (John 11:25).

Rev. James W. Black

Year: 2025