God Archives - NCC Cartersville

The Greatness of God

October 13, 2024 by NCC-Admin-1 in Pastor's Corner

“For the Lord is great and greatly to be praised; he is to be feared above all gods.”
Psalm 96:4 KJV

There have been times in our history when we have honored and praised great men and women who accomplished great things. Books have been written about them and monuments have been erected in their honor so that future generations might remember them. That is a good, right, and noble thing to do. Those who have accomplished great things should be remembered so that we can appreciate what they have done and learn from them. Most of us have benefited in some way from their accomplishments. They should be remembered.

But if we can honor the great accomplishments of men and women, how much more should we honor the greatness of God?! No one can compare to the greatness of God! The monuments to His greatness are displayed everywhere!

We witness His greatness in the wonder and majesty of His creation; from the vast expanse of the universe (Psalm 19:1) to the smallest flower growing in the field (Math. 6:28-29). The multitude of life forms staggers the mind. Each form is unique in design. Everything God has created is detailed, intricate, precise, and amazingly complex.

The expression of His greatness is demonstrated in the complexity of the human body.
The Psalmist recognized this when he said that we are “fearfully and wonderfully made.” (Psalm 139:14).

But His greatness is revealed not only in His physical creation but also by His personal involvement in each of our lives. He provides for us things that are far beyond that which is tangible. In the midst of our great lostness, He provides us with great salvation! In the face of great tragedy, He gives us great hope! In the face of great loss, He provides us with great sufficiency. In the face of great darkness, He provides us great light. In the face of great sorrow, He provides us with great comfort. In the face of opposition, He provides us with great strength and victory. In essence, the greatness of God surpasses all that we can possibly imagine (Eph. 3:20). Why would we not want to praise Him? There is no one greater than Him!

Rev. James W. Black

Waiting On The Lord

August 30, 2024 by NCC-Admin-1 in Pastor's Corner

“The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.”
Lamentations 3:25 KJV

The Word of God speaks a great deal about waiting. The Lord promises that those who “wait” upon Him shall “renew their strength.” (Isaiah 40:31). And those who wait upon the Lord shall “inherit the earth.” (Psalm 37:9 KJV). Even though the things we are waiting for have not come as quickly as we had hoped, we are told to continue waiting “because it will surely come…”. (Habakkuk 2:3). I must add that these things we are waiting for are the things He has clearly revealed as His will! And they have been confirmed by His Word!

Waiting is difficult for us because of our nature. We all have a tendency to want things “now”. But learning to wait upon the Lord teaches us about the faithfulness of God. It builds our faith and strengthens our confidence in His Word. It teaches us patience and helps us to better appreciate the wonder, the mystery, and the awesomeness of God’s timing. Waiting reminds us that God sees everything from the eternal perspective. He already knows the beginning and the end of all things! From His perspective, there is never a crisis. And the Lord is never late!

The more we walk with the Lord, the more we learn to trust Him! There are times when the Lord causes us to wait just so that He can show His mighty power and glory in such a way that we humbly bow before Him in awe and wonder! Remember the parting of the Red Sea? (Exodus 14). God chose to bring Israel to that very place so that they could witness His power and glory on their behalf!

So, while waiting is not something we would choose, God chooses it for us so that His glory might be displayed and we might walk with greater confidence in Him. Therefore let us embrace God’s waiting times. He has something amazing to show us! He has designed them specifically for our good and for His glory! “Wait, I say on the Lord.”
(Psalm 27:14). It is worth the wait!

Rev. James W. Black

There Is No Substitute for Obedience

October 29, 2023 by NCC-Admin-1 in Pastor's Corner

“For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.”
Romans 5: 19 KJV

There is no substitute for obedience. The Apostle Paul reminds us that it was because of the disobedience of one man, Adam, that sin entered into the world. Our world has been broken and corrupted by sin ever since. We can see the impact of sin all around us every day. Homes, marriages and individual lives are marred by the influence of sin.
Institutions are impacted by sin as well because they are managed by sinful people. The message is clear, disobedience has serious consequences.

But just as disobedience has consequences, so does obedience. The good news of the Gospel is that One Man, Jesus, totally and completely obeyed the will of the Heavenly Father in every way. As a result, all who are redeemed by His Precious Blood are the recipients and beneficiaries of His obedience.

Obedience is not always easy. It is easier in some situations than others. But in all situations it requires us submitting our fleshly desires to the cross and simply doing what the Lord would have us to do. God always makes it clear to us what we need to do. Just as He made His wishes known to Adam, He makes His wishes known to us. He does not leave us in the dark. He has given us clear instructions through His Word and by the leading of the Holy Spirit. And the Lord always helps us to obey if we will yield to Him!

It was not easy for Jesus to obey. The torture of the cross was not easy. The very idea of being separated from His Heavenly Father when our sin was placed upon Him was not easy (Matthew 27:46). But Jesus understood the importance of obedience. There could be no substitute. The entire fate of the human race hung in the balance. Would He choose the Father’s will or His own? (Luke 22: 40-44).

Thankfully, Jesus chose the path of obedience. And all of us who are redeemed have received the blessing and the benefit of that obedience. So the next time you are tempted not to obey the Lord, just remember that your obedience can have an impact that is far greater than you can imagine. The obedience of Jesus was not just about Himself. It was about all of us! To Him, pleasing the Father was more important than pleasing Himself. I shudder to think of where we would be if He had not obeyed the Father!

James W. Black

God Thinks About Us

May 14, 2023 by NCC-Admin-1 in Pastor's Corner

“How precious are thy thoughts unto me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand…” (Psalm 139:17-18 KJV).

It is amazing to consider the fact that the Holy One thinks about us! He not only thinks about us collectively (as the church, the redeemed of God) but He also thinks about us individually! Jeremiah 29:11 tells us that his thoughts toward us are “thoughts of peace and not of evil.” (KJV). The NIV translates this as “plans to prosper you and not to harm you.” Both are true. The point is that the Lord’s thoughts about us are good!

The Lord always desires the best for us. He is always thinking about us how to bring out the best in us and the best through us. He created us to be a reflection of Himself (Gen. 1:17). And when we reflect Him, we bring Him great pleasure. It is much like a parent or grandparent who delights in watching their small children learn, grow and discover their world. It brings us great joy and delight to observe them, to guide them, and to help them in their discovery. What good parent or grandparent would not want the very best for their children or grandchildren? If we are that way toward our own, how much more does the Heavenly Father think about us and delight in us! (Luke 11:13). How much more does He want the absolute best for us in all things?

So let us take great joy and comfort in knowing that the Living God is always in thinking about us! And those thoughts are good! And He finds pleasure in us!

James W. Black

The Attentive Ear of God

May 7, 2023 by NCC-Admin-1 in Pastor's Corner

“The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth.”
(Psalm 145:18 KJV).

Have you ever struggled with having confidence that when you pray the Lord actually hears you? Or that He really cares about you and the issues you are facing in your life? Have you ever thought that somehow you are not good enough or that you are not spiritual enough? Have you ever felt like you just don’t seem to have the right words or that somehow your words just do not seem adequate? Have you ever felt awkward when you pray, thinking that you look foolish speaking to someone you can’t even see? Have you ever had the thought cross your mind that said: “What difference does it really make?”

Every child of God has experienced these thoughts and feelings when it comes to prayer. The reason we have such thoughts is because we are all keenly aware of the weakness of our flesh. And all of us are bombarded by the thoughts the evil one and his demons seek to plant in our minds. This is true not only for new believers but for seasoned believers as well. All of these thoughts and feelings are designed to discourage us from praying. The goal is too intimidate and discourage us in order to keep us from praying. The evil one knows the power of prayer far better than we do. He and his demons are fearful of people who pray and churches that pray.

But the great promise of God is that He always hears the heart cry of those who belong to Him. He reminds us that “He is near”. What that means is that He is close to all who truly belong to Him. But also notice that He hears those that “call upon Him in truth.” That means to call upon Him with genuine authenticity. The Lord knows if we are serious about Him or not. We cannot fool God. He knows the motive and intention of our heart. If our heart is right, and our motive is right, the Lord always hears His people! Thus we can always pray with absolute confidence when we call upon Him!

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

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

How You Can Know Jesus As Your Savior

January 29, 2021 by NCC-Admin-1 in Pastor's Corner

We must agree with God that we have not and cannot measure up to His standard of goodness and holiness! We have all missed the mark! We have all sinned. No one is exempt. No one is perfect. (“For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23).
We must understand God’s penalty for sin is death. Everyone is under the sentence of death! No one is exempt. It is our sin that has separated us from God. (“For the wages of sin is death…” Romans 6:23).
We must understand that Jesus loves us so much that He could not bear the thought of our not being with Him in Heaven! Jesus was willing to personally pay the price for our sin Himself! (“For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should no perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16).
We must understand that Jesus personally came and paid for our sin in full on the cross! There on the cross, Jesus took our place. Jesus took our sin upon himself. Jesus was judged in our place. (“For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 2 Corinthians 5:21 ).
We must understand that God the Father raised Jesus from the dead after 3 days to prove that Jesus was Holy and Righteous and that He has paid for our sin in full!
(“It is Christ that died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.” Romans 8:32).
We must understand that Salvation is a gift that Christ offers unto us. It cannot be earned. No one is good enough to receive it. It is a gift that is received by putting our trust in Christ for what He has done. ( …”The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 6:23 and “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” Ephesians 2: 8-9).
We must turn from our sin (repent), asking Jesus to forgive us and personally ask Jesus to come into our lives and change us. (“…if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” Romans 10: 9).
When we do that, Jesus will send the Holy Spirit to come into our heart and we will know that we have been forgiven and that He now lives in us! (“The Spirit Himself bears witness without spirit that we are children of God.” Romans 8:16).

If you will do this and truly mean it when you cry out to the Lord, He will save you!

If you did that, please let us know! We would love to hear from you and send you a free Bible and a booklet that will help your grow in your new life in Christ.

Tag: God

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