2022 - Page 3 of 5 - NCC Cartersville

The Language of Tears

July 30, 2022 by NCC-Admin-1 in Uncategorized

“He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.” (Psalm 126: 6 KJV).

When it comes to advancing the Kingdom of God, the salvation of lost loved ones, the return of our prodigals, the outpouring of revival, and the turning of our nation, one of the most important languages to which God responds to is the language of our tears. Nothing touches the heart of God more than our tears! Just as a mother or a father is immediately drawn to the tears of their child, the heart of God is quickly drawn to the tears of His children!

We are not speaking of mere emotionalism but rather the deep, genuine, heartfelt brokenness and desperation over an impossible and hopeless situation.
A situation in which there is no solution apart from God’s sovereign intervention. When genuine tears are shed, they are shed because the heart is broken. They are shed because there is the recognition that there is no hope outside of God. They are shed out of desperation! There is absolutely nothing else that can possibly be done! Our mind, our heart, and our full attention are riveted on God in brokenness and humility. And it is in this position of the heart that the Lord hears and responds.

We see this exemplified again and again all through scripture from the cry of the Israelites slaves in Egypt (Ex. 3:7), the cry of Israel when they had been overcome by their enemies because of their sin (Judges 3:9), to Hannah (1 Samuel 1:10) who wept before the Lord for a child. In all of these situations, the Lord responded to the language of tears.

When the South Koreans came to the US in May of this year, one of the most amazing things they did when they prayed for this nation was that they cried out to the Lord with tears. I must confess that although I have been deeply grieved and burdened over the dreadful, sinful condition of our nation, I have not yet wept over our nation! Could that be one of the reasons we have not yet seen revival? Could it be that in spite of all the prayer taking place among many of God’s people in America, we have not yet come to the place of brokenness and weeping over the condition of our nation? Could that be one of the reasons that revival has been delayed?

The question is asked, “How bad will it have to be before we get to that point?” I don’t know. But I do know this, I (and we) have not yet reached that point. Thus, revival still tarries. We must humbly ask the Lord to break our heart for what breaks His!

The Blessings of Obedience

July 21, 2022 by NCC-Admin-1 in Uncategorized

“And these blessings shall come on thee and overtake thee if thou shalt harken unto the voice of the Lord thy God.” (Deut. 28:2 KJV).

In this passage of scripture, the Holy One was about to bring a new generation of His people into the land He had promised them. The previous generation, their fathers, had died wandering in the wilderness for 40 years because of their disobedience and rebellion against God. They had refused to believe God in spite of witnessing a multitude of incredible and powerful miracles in addition to His continual daily provision in a dry and barren land. Their disobedience and rebellion were NOT just a one-time event. It was the FINAL STRAW in a habitual and continual pattern of their unbelief and their unwillingness to trust the Lord (Numbers 14).

This new generation was on the threshold of realizing the fulfillment of what God had promised their fathers. As they are about to enter in, He gave them both a promise and a warning concerning the next step they are about to take.

The promise was that IF THEY OBEYED HIM they would experience the blessing of God in EVERY AREA of their life (Deut. 28:1-14). They would be blessed (happy many times over) in their family, their crops, and their finances and they would be victorious over their enemies. The warning was that IF THEY WALKED IN DISOBEDIENCE, then they would experience difficulty and hardship in every area of their life.

The ultimate message was that they would experience joy and satisfaction in life if they obeyed the Lord. Jesus emphasized this when He said: “…I have come that they might have life and that they may have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10 KJV).

If we recognize that the Lord is our source for all that we need and we honor Him, trust Him, and obey Him then He has promised that we will have sufficiency in all things. This is NOT a prosperity gospel. Rather it is merely the EXTRA benefit that the Lord pours out upon those who have received His great salvation and who genuinely value that gift by walking in love and obedience with Him. Knowing this, why would we want to do anything less?

The Invitation

July 16, 2022 by NCC-Admin-1 in Pastor's Corner

“And as he passed by, he saw Levi, the son of Alphaeus, sitting at the seat of custom, and said unto him, Follow me. And he arose and followed him.” (Mark 2:14 KJV).

The invitation Jesus extended to Matthew is the same he offers to us: “Follow me.” It is interesting to note that Jesus did not ask him to join the movement, or to join the group or to become a part of the cause. His invitation was clear, direct, simple and yet profound: “Follow me”.

That is the essence of the Christian life. It is not just being a part of a movement or being part of a group or engaging in a cause. It is simply “Following Him.” He does not ask us to lead. He does not ask us to take charge. He simply asks us to follow Him. We often complicate what it means to be Christian. We sometimes offer others our own particular set of rules and regulations. Without realizing it, we want others to be conformed to us. We want others to conform to our church or to our particular tribe. When in reality, we are simply called to Follow Jesus. The amazing thing is that is that when we simply “Follow Him” He brings about amazing transformation! In fact it is impossible to “Follow Jesus” and not be transformed.

One of the reasons so few follow Jesus is because they still want to be in charge. They want to be in control. They want to lead. They do not want to follow. And they do not want to be transformed. You see Following Jesus is the same as it has always been. We must leave where we are in order to go to where He is. We must leave where we are in order to arrive to where He is going.

When Jesus invites us to follow, we each must make the choice. Will we follow Him or not? He does not drive us. He does not coerce us. He does not push us. He simply asks us to come and follow Him. And if we choose to follow, He then supernaturally provides everything that is needed to do so.

When Matthew accepted the invitation to follow Jesus, everything changed. His occupation changed. His walk changed. His status changed. His entire life changed. He would never be the same again. And some 2,000 years after he accepted the invitation, Matthew is still remembered as one who Followed Jesus! Had he not followed, it is very likely that no one would even know who he is!

Rev. James W. Black

The Lord Has Made Every Provision For Us To Live A Godly Life

July 10, 2022 by NCC-Admin-1 in Pastor's Corner

“According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness through the knowledge of him that had called us to glory and virtue.” (2 Peter 1:3 KJV)

When we surrendered our life to Jesus, the Holy Spirit came and took up residence inside our inner man (our spirit). In that moment of the “new birth” ( John 3:3), we received the “divine nature” of Christ Himself! (2 Pet. 1:4, Col. 1:27). This “divine power” now within us, enables us and empowers us to live a life that is not only pleasing to God the Father but also a life that will bring Him glory in the earth! In essence, the Lord has made every provision for us to live a godly life!

As we begin this new life in Christ, we soon discover a new conflict we did not expect! That conflict is the “old nature” that is still very much alive within us. This “old nature” does not like submitting to the “new nature.” It has been dethroned. It is no longer in charge. Therefore the “old nature” seeks every opportunity to re-assert itself. At times we find ourselves in a struggle. But the fact that we experience the conflict is another proof that our new life in Christ is real because before Christ we did not have the struggle. (Rom. 7:22-23).

The key to releasing this “divine power” in our life is growing in our knowledge of Jesus. It is more than just head knowledge. It is experiential knowledge that comes from stepping out in faith, trusting Him, and simply doing what He teaches us to do in His Word. As we do, His power is released in us and our knowledge of Christ grows deeper. As we grow in Him, we receive a greater understanding of just how much He truly loves us. As we grow in Him, we have a greater understanding of what He has actually accomplished for us. As we grow in Him, we learn more about how to surrender to Him. As we grow in Him, we learn more about what it means to enthrone Him in our life. As we grow in Him, we learn more about the Holy Spirit and how He empowers us to live for Christ.

As we grow in Him, we discover that we don’t need more faith, more strength, more power, or anything else. We discover that He has already given us everything that we need. All that is required is to surrender to Him continually and draw upon all the resources of Heaven that is readily available to us.

Rev. James W. Black

The Responsibility of Freedom

July 3, 2022 by NCC-Admin-1 in Pastor's Corner

“[Live] as free people, [yet] without employing your freedom as a pretext for wickedness; but[ live at all times] as servants of God.” (1 Peter 2:16 AMPC).

The Apostle Peter is reminding the followers of Christ that Jesus did indeed come to set us free from the bondage of sin (John 8:36). But with that freedom comes the responsibility of living as Children of God before Him and the world. Our freedom is not a license to live a sinful lifestyle!

Some in the Body of Christ think that their freedom means that they can live any way they wish and it doesn’t matter because the Lord loves them and will forgive them. That attitude reflects that they neither value nor appreciate the love of God; nor do they understand His Holiness!

God’s purpose in redemption is to bring into His Family a people that reflect and reveal Him to a darkened world. The life of Christ is not revealed through “legalism” (rules of do’s and don’ts) but rather through a love relationship that is motivated by a desire to to please the Holy One in the way way that we live. The Good News of the gospel is that the Holy Spirit empowers us to live the very life that He calls us to live.

It is no longer a matter of struggling and striving but rather a matter of hearing and obeying what He would have us do. There is great freedom in that! Let us so walk in our freedom that others may see it and be drawn to that same freedom we have experienced in Him!

Rev. James W. Black

THE LOST ART OF BEING STILL

June 26, 2022 by NCC-Admin-1 in Pastor's Corner

“Be still and know that I am God… (Psalm 46:10 KJV).

One of the most ironic things in American life is the fact that we have more time saving devices at our disposal than ever before in history and yet we seem to have less time. Time has become a precious commodity in American life. The truth is that there are still 24 hours in a day. But we choose to fill it up with more things. We have become so busy in life that we have forgotten how to live and enjoy life.

Even those who know the Lord find it difficult to spend time with Him. The key is rediscovering how to be still. Being still requires intentionality. It requires not being rushed or hurried. It requires finding a quiet place. It requires shutting off distractions (computers, cell phones, tv, radio etc.). It requires turning our full attention to the Lord. It requires opening His Word and reading with a desire to listen. It requires sitting still in His Presence and turning a verse of scripture over in our minds thinking of each word and each phrase; letting its message take root in our heart. It requires just reflecting on the Person of God as revealed in Jesus. It requires sometimes just observing and taking in the wonder of His creation all around us and being in awe of His creative power. It requires being still enough to become conscious of His Presence. It requires waiting. It requires sometimes just sitting quietly before Him and not saying a word.

And it is in the stillness and quietness of those moments that we hear the “still small voice” of the Lord speaking softly to us in our spirit. In those moments He reveals Himself to us; reminding us that He is with us, reaffirming His love for us and like a loving Shepherd gently nudging us in the direction He wants us to go. In the quietness of those moments He reaches out to us and invites us to follow Him on the path He has chosen for the day. And as we step out onto the path we sense the gentle touch of His hand guiding us along the way.

It is in the wonder and the mystery of being still that we rediscover once again that He is God and He is with us! And it is in Him that we discover the meaning and purpose of the journey.

Rev. James W. Black

Evidence of The Holy Spirit Working in The Home

June 19, 2022 by NCC-Admin-1 in Pastor's Corner

“And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers…” (Malachi 4:6 KJV).

Elijah was one of Israel’s greatest prophets. The Word of God declared that before the Lord would come and establish His Kingdom that Elijah would return to prepare the way (Malachi 4:5). Jesus revealed to his disciples that John The Baptist was that Elijah (Luke 1:16-17, Math. 11: 10, and Math. 17:11-13)! Jesus was declaring that the same anointing that was on Elijah was on John the Baptist. The Holy Spirit operated in him and through him in the same degree of power that He operated in Elijah during his day. Malachi then described what happens when the Holy Spirit comes and does His work in the family!

The Holy Spirit will bring reconciliation in the family. He will “turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers..”. His deep work in the heart of the fathers would cause them to genuinely love their children. They would delight in their children. Their children would in turn bring them great joy! The children would not be seen as a burden or a bother but be seen as the blessing that God intended them to be (Psalm 127:3-5). As a result the children would also delight in their fathers! The relationship would produce mutual joy.

That is what The Holy Spirit does when He is invited into our lives and into our homes!
He reconciles broken relationships. He brings His love, His joy and His peace into the home. He brings harmony. He brings meaning and purpose to the family. He enables each member of the family to value and treasure one another. And The Holy Spirit enables the family to become a refuge from the darkness of the world around it. Each member of the family will find joy and delight in being with one another. And Christ will be exalted in the midst of the family.

To see a family that genuinely loves and cares for one another and to see that Christ is honored in the midst of that family is evidence that the Holy Spirit is at work within the family! Such a sight brings honor and glory to the Lord and demonstrates that Jesus is truly alive! So let us be encouraged to enthrone Christ in our lives and our families! He wants to do a marvelous work in each of our families that will be a testimony to others!

James W. Black

How Do Others Know You?

June 5, 2022 by NCC-Admin-1 in Pastor's Corner

“…I thank my God throughJesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.”

Everyone is known in some measure by what they do in life. That is especially true for men, but it is also true for women as well. We may be known as a teacher, a truck driver, a factory worker, a mechanic, a computer technician, an office worker, a business man (or woman), a homemaker, a caretaker, a photographer, a baker or a thousand other occupations. And while all of these things are meaningful and important they only define what we do. They do not define who we are.

In writing to the Church at Rome, Paul was blessed by the fact that they were known by their faith in Christ! In fact, their faith in Christ was known all over the world!
Whenever anyone spoke of the Church in Rome, people everywhere identified them as genuine followers of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Of all the things we could be known for, the most important thing that we could be known for is to be a genuine follower of the Lord Jesus Christ! Yes, we should be known as people of excellence in all that we do in any field of work or service. But above all it should be our desire to be known as a genuine follower of the Lord. In other words, when people speak of us, they not only speak of the excellent work that we do, but they also attest to the fact that our faith in Christ is evident, genuine and real.

So while it is not our goal to seek the favor and the affirmation of others, it should be our goal to have the reality of our walk with Christ and our faith in Him affirmed not only by those inside the Body of Christ but by those outside of it as well. And if we make the effort to live what we say we believe, and we do it with a measure of consistency over a long period of time, it will become known. And the reality of that should cause us to rejoice in the Lord and bring glory to Him and not unto us.

James W. Black

Trusting God in The Face of Adversity & Great Loss

May 29, 2022 by NCC-Admin-1 in Pastor's Corner

Everyone experiences adversity and great loss at one time or another in life. The level and the depth of that adversity and loss varies with each individual, but going though it is simply a part of life. Being a child of God does not exempt us from it. This past week a prominent and former local pastor and his wife found their 21 year old daughter deceased in her apartment. There was no foul play; no suicide, no drug overdose. The autopsy could not determine the exact cause of death. It was hard. The loss was unbelievably painful!

Then there was the horrific and senseless school shooting at an Elementary School in Uvalde, TX. Nineteen children killed along with two teachers who died trying to shield them from the gunman. As a nation, we are shocked and grieved by such unspeakable tragedy.

But no one has experienced more adversity and loss than a man named Job.

In this classic contest between God and Satan, Job became the focus point of the conflict. Satan was certain that the only reason Job honored and served the Lord was because of the blessings God poured out upon him. Satan knew Job’s flesh (his human weaknesses) but God knew his heart. Because of this, the Lord allowed Satan to touch everything dear to Job. He literally lost everything but his own life (with the exception of his wife).

In the midst of his despair and confusion; in the midst of his pain and loss, in the mist of his frustration with life, Job declared “Though he slay me, yet will I trust him…” (Job 13:15). This is a remarkable and powerful statement! In the midst of such great pain, adversity and loss, Job declared that he would still trust God in spite of everything. Even when he didn’t understand.

This is the key to walking with the Lord. Walking with God does not mean that life is always easy. But it does mean that no matter what happens, we can still trust Him! And like Job we will eventually come through it and be able to give praise and honor to the Lord. Our faith will be deepened and strengthened. And The Holy One will get glory.

James W. Black

Who Do You Serve?

May 22, 2022 by NCC-Admin-1 in Pastor's Corner

“…choose you this day whom ye will serve; …but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:15 KJV).

Everybody serves somebody, whether they are atheist or agnostic. The atheist serves at the altar of his own intellect and reason. To the atheist there is no God. He believes that through his intellect alone he can understand and explain everything. In essence the atheist is a god unto himself.

The agnostic neither knows nor cares if God exists. He is content to live a life that is completely indifferent and void of God. He and the atheist make good companions. For in their pride and arrogance they often attack and ridicule those who do know the Lord. They consider themselves to be intellectually superior.

The religious fall into two categories; those who simply engage in dead religious activity and those who truly know and follow the One True and living God!
In whatever camp a person aligns themselves with, they do so by choice.

Joshua had seen and followed the Living God from the time he was in Egypt to the time that he and the nation entered into the land that God had promised them some 40 years before. He had experienced hardship and difficulty but through it all he had also witnessed the Mighty Hand of God! To him, there was no other choice. He knew the reality of God. He knew the power and the promises of God. He knew the faithfulness of God. So as he came to the close of his life, he challenged the people of Israel to choose who they would serve. Would they serve the God who had revealed Himself to them in a multitude of ways, or would they choose the dead and powerless gods of the nations whose land they had entered. The God of Israel offered life. The gods of the nations offered death. For Joshua, the choice was clear. He would choose the One True and living God!

The others, like Joshua also had a choice. They could serve the One True and living God, or they could serve a god of their own making. Both life and death rested upon their choice. We too are offered the same choice today. We can choose to follow and serve the only True and living God (the only God who gives eternal life) or we can choose to follow the gods of this world (selfishness, pride, greed, lust, power and entertainment). Both then and now the decision has eternal consequences. Who do you choose to serve?

James W. Black

Year: 2022

But no one has experienced more adversity and loss than a man named Job.