Greetings Aspen Grove Church Family,

I pray this letter finds y’all well. It’s hard to believe but Thanksgiving is just around the corner. This year has really flown by. It’s been an awesome year so far as we continue to grow in our Faith and Walk with Christ. We started October 5th off preaching a message titled, “The Cry of the Watchman,” coming out of the Book of Ezekiel 3:16-21 & 33:1-9. We spoke on the recent events from the trucking crashing through the Mormon church in Michigan, three people murder in Southport waterfront restaurant, the young Ukrainian woman murdered in Charlotte, the riots in Chicago & Portland, and to the murder of Charlie Kirk are very concerning. GOD has appointed watchmen over His people—spiritual gatekeepers, intercessors, and heralds of warning. These are men and women who are awake in the spirit, positioned to watch, to pray, and to speak for GOD. Today, the Holy Spirit is stirring the church to return to this call—to take our place on the walls and cry out to GOD for revival, protection, and restoration. A watchman is more than a title—it is a divine assignment to remain spiritually alert and responsible over people and territories. Being a watchman requires deep commitment, spiritual discipline, and a burden for souls and the destiny of the land. True watchmen carry a divine burden—they are sensitive to GOD’s heart and grieved by spiritual decay in the world. Though often unnoticed by men, watchmen are remembered by GOD and rewarded for their labor in the spirit. The watchman's cry must be heard again in our generation. GOD is calling His church to rise and take our place on the walls—to watch, to pray, to warn, and to weep until revival breaks forth. Are you willing to be GOD's watchman? Will you bear His burden and refuse to rest until His kingdom is established in your family, your church, and your nation?

On October 12, we spoke out of the Book of Matthew 24:36-44, with a message titled, “Are We Really Ready?” This message is from what Biblical scholars’ call “The Olivet Discourse,” mainly because when Jesus spoke these prophetic sayings… they were on the Mount of Olives across the Kidron Valley. Jesus began to explain how Jerusalem and the Temple would be destroyed, and of His second coming on the Day of Judgment. The Day of Judgment… yes, it really is that scary, especially if you are not truly Born Again. We learned that this day is a Secret Day because Jesus told everyone there that no one knows when GOD the Father would make the call. Not even Jesus nor the angels knew when according to verse 36. In verses 37-39, we learn that the Day of Judgment is also a Surprising Day. When Jesus compared the Second Coming to like Days of Noah, HE was referring to it as like it was just a normal, everyday life. HE refers to the Flood because the Day of His return will be just like the day of the Flood—it will come as a complete surprise. There was no indication that anything was going to happen, no terrible premonitions, no dark ominous signs in the sky or rumblings of nature. But Jesus, also, alluded to this day as a Day of Separation in verses 40-41. There was no indication that anything was going to happen, no terrible premonitions, no dark ominous signs in the sky or rumblings of nature. Two people will be working in the fields, one taken and one left behind, so therefore we need to be ready for His return. Even though you cannot know when this Day is coming, beloved, you can know you are ready for it! Let’s make it our aim, Christian, that when that Day comes and the Son of Man returns in Power and Glory that He will find us all hard at work for the Kingdom of GOD!

On October 19, Deacon Kenny Windham preached a message about “Faith… Even If,” from the Book of Daniel 3:17-18,25. How is your Faith? When your Faith is tried from worldly pressures, is faith strong enough to withstand it? Take Shadrack, Meshack, and Abednego… 3 young Hebrew men showing the world that their faith truly lies in GOD. Don’t take my word for it, take theirs: Vs. 17-18, “If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. 18But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.” The king was enraged and demanded the fire be even hotter, and yet… when push came to shove, when the young Hebrew men was in the fire, the king saw that they were alive and well and even most astonishing… there was a fourth in the fire. The king stated something truly remarkable: vs 25 b, “and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.” Can you imagine that? Nebuchadnezzar knew who was in the fire with those boys. So, do you have “Even If” Faith? In the Book of Matthew 8:5-10, we see again someone who is not a Jew believe in the power of GOD. A Roman centurion had more faith in Jesus than all of Israel, but don’t take my word for it… Take Jesus’, “Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.” (Vs. 10) In Vs. 13, “And Jesus said unto the centurion, ‘Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee.” Faith… it’s so easy to say but is it strong enough to get you into Heaven?

On October 26, we preached a message titled, “Do We Really need to See the Handwriting?” coming from the Book of Daniel 5:25-31. GOD is always at work, and His desire is for every person in the world to believe in Him. GOD will humble the proud and arrogant, but before HE does… He gives warning signs, and He’ll judge with Righteous judgment. WE spoke about how King Belshazzar loved to party it up, as it were, and make a mockery of GOD and HIS people. Belshazzar paid the price for abusing the gifts that GOD had given for specific purposes, but I wonder… are we using GOD’s gifts to us as HE has instructed for us to? Belshazzar saw the Handwriting on the Wall, and it cost HIM for his unbelief. So, the question of the day is this, “Do we really need to see the Handwriting” to get our attention? Christians should know the handwriting on the wall by God! It’s all in the Bible! There will be final judgment for all who does not believe in Jesus Christ! We need to conclude by asking ourselves, what’s our role as Christians today? What’s the condition of our hearts and spirits towards God who will judge? Always humble yourself before God! Remember, every time you drink something, think of H2O – Holiness, Humility, and Obedience! Are we telling people about this final judgment? Always look for opportunities so share God’s judgment of sin BUT ALSO His amazing love!

I hope these letters help you continue to grow your Faith in GOD Almighty. Friends, I believe Jesus will be coming soon so I hope and pray for us all to draw closer to GOD and get HIS Word out into the world. Together, let’s make Heaven crowded. I love you all but more importantly, GOD loves your so much more. Have a great day! Love Always,

Pastor Sonny

 

 

Hello Aspen Grove Church Family!

               I pray this finds y’all well. It’s hard to believe that it is October! September seems like it has flown by. September 14, 2025, we had our homecoming service, and it was a good service! We remembered sister Kay Grifffin, sister Liz Gay, sister Kathleen Warren, and brother George Moore, all who have graduated on to Heaven this year. On September 15 through 17 with had our fall Revival service with Pastor Tony Parrish. On September 15, Pastor Tony spoke on “Even the Dogs Qualify,” coming out of the Matthew 15:21-26. On September 16, 2025, Pastor Tony spoke on “None of us are Perfect,” and came from the Book of Proverbs 3:5-6 and Isaiah 55:8-9. On September 17, 2025, Pastor closed out our Revival services with a message titled, “The Cost of Salvation,” from the Book of Matthew 27:36. What a great encourage for this day and time.

               On September 7, we spoke on Matthew 26:321-57 with a Message titled, “Go… No… Oh?” We covered 4 areas that the Disciples suffered with, and to be honest, the modern church in America is repeating the same issues. The First problem we addressed was that the Disciples were Boasting instead of Listening (vs. 31-35). Peter is a prime example of this when Jesus was telling the Disciples that all would leave him when HE was betrayed and Peter boasted that he would rather die than to run away. Jesus calmly told Peter that he would deny him 3 times before rooster crows. Next issue we encounter is we see the Disciples were Sleeping instead of Praying (vs. 36-46). Before Jesus was betrayed, Jesus took three Disciples with to go with HIM in the garden. He asked them to sit, watch, and pray with HIM. However, as the night wore on, the disciples grew tired and kept falling asleep. Then when Jesus was betrayed by Judas, we see the Disciples were Fighting instead of Surrendering (vs. 47-56). As the head guard came forward to seize Jesus, Peter drew his sword in defense of his Master, and we see the last miracle that Jesus performed was healing the Priest’s ear, well at least before the Cross. As guards took Jesus to the head priest’s home, we see the Disciples were Following instead of Leading (vs. 58). Peter, for whatever reason, decided that he would follow them to see what was going to transpire… but he kept his distance, as to not draw attention unto himself. How often do we, as the church, do the same thing? 

               On September 14, 2025, we had our Homecoming Service and spoke from the Book of Daniel 12:1-3, with a message titled "A Tale of Two Homecomings.” The first Homecoming is that of the believer. In verses 1-2a, we see Daniel prophesize about the resurrection and the rapture to come.  We encounter for the first time the Role of Michael the Archangel. We see that when he shouts out, the dead in Christ will rise up first, and then those who are truly Born-again will be raptured. We all will have new bodies! No more “Snap, Crackle, or Popping!” How awesome is that? On top of all that, we’ll get to share the Bridegroom’s Supper with the KING of kings, and the LORD of lords! But then Daniel addresses a second homecoming and that is for the nonbeliever, for those who reject GOD’s greatest gift. In vs 2b, Daniel is speaking about the final judgment when the second resurrection comes, and all will be judged for their rejection of GOD’s will. In Dante’s Inferno, he imagined that hell would have a sign above the entry way. And in his book that sign reads: "Abandon all hope, ye who enter here." The folks who are in the second resurrection have no more hope, no more chances to repent, forever bound in the eternal pits of hell. And before we closed the service, we travelled down the Roman’s Road of Salvation.

               On September 21, 2025, we preached a message titled, “Are you prepared for Winter?” from the Book of Genesis 1:14, Ecclesiastes 3:1, and II Timothy 4:13. The Apostle Paul was scheduled to be executed, but he didn’t know when. He knew that the season of Winter was coming, and he wanted to be prepared just in case he was going to live through it. From the very beginning, GOD was preparing us for our season of “winter.” When Jesus was born, GOD was already preparing for the end. The Magi brought Gifts, Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh. Gifts and Gold were gifts for royalty, as were the Frankincense and Myrrh were ointments used for royalty funerals. All throughout Jeus’ ministry, HE was preparing the Disciples, as well as us, for the oncoming of season of winter. Jesus went through the seasons of life just as mankind does, yet unlike mankind… he did so sinless. Jesus said, “Come, Follow Me.” In other words, He was saying to us to be like Him, forsaking our imperfect lives and embracing the perfections of His Grace. Are you prepared for the coming of the Lord?

               On September 28, 2025, we came from the Book of Hebrews 6:11-20, with a message titled, “The Hope of All Christians.” Some people are, by nature, optimistic. It is their natural temperament. Others are, by the same token, pessimistic, and you often get what you expect. One man sees a rose bush as in terms of thorns; another sees only the roses. One man sees the dark side of every cloud, while the other looks for the silver lining. As we dug into the Word, we learned that Christian Hope grows out of Faith. Hope is said to produce full assurance that in turn stimulates eager discipleship (6:11), but faith is the mother of hope. For example, the woman who had a bleeding condition, had enough faith in Jesus, to place her hope that if she could only touch the hem of his garment, that she would be completely healed, and it was so. Christian Hope is the Anchor to which our Faith relies on. Because Christian Hope is a person… and that person is Jesus Christ. But this living hope must be claimed. It is set before all men, but possessed only by those who, forsaking all other offers of hope. That concludes the month of September for us. I love each and everyone of y’all, but more importantly, GOD loves you so much more! Have a great day. May the LORD bless you and keep you; May HIS face shine upon and bring you peace… the peace that surpasses all understanding. 

 

Pastor Sonny

 

Hello Aspen Grove Church Family!

               I pray this finds y’all well. It’s hard to believe that it is September already. August has flown by! On August 12^th, Brother George went home to be with our LORD and Savior. Please continue to pray for sister Judy and the family in your prayers. We began on August 3^rd, with a message titled, “Do we Really Understand?” coming from the Book of John 6:1-13. Many people know the Will of GOD, but not many follow through with HIS Will. We discussed the story of Jesus feeding the 5,000 plus of a young boy’s luncheon, the 5 loaves and 2 fish, and we broke down vs. 12. Then we asked the question, “Do we really understand what Jesus is asking of us?” In vs. 6, we see the disciples basically trying to limit Jesus with what only Jesus can do by basically asking, “Where can we find enough bread to feed this many people?” Because we seem to have put limits on what Jesus can do about feeding so many people, we asked the question, “Do we really know who Jesus is?” Especially when the disciples kept doubting about being able to find enough food to feed everyone and they had the SON of GOD with them. They witnessed so many amazing miracles since Jesus entered their lives and they still tried to basically handcuff HIM. It was almost sarcastically that Andrew brought the young man with his little “Hebrew Happy meal,” and said this all we have. No way near enough to feed so many folks! Yet, Jesus gave thanks and broke bread and fed everyone until they were full! Afterwards, Jesus asked the disciples to gather the leftovers for the little boy… 12 baskets full! We learned something interesting about verse 12. Jesus told his disciples to, “Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost.” We dug a little deeper by looking at a couple of words… “fragments” and “lost.” Going back to the Greek, we learned that the first time the Greek words were translated first with a different word for them…” broken before fragmented,” and “perish before lost.” So, instead of saying, “Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost.” It now states, “Gather up the broken that remain, that none perish.” We see that it is the Great Commission. Jesus is still asking us today, to go and share the GOSPEL. So, do we understand Jesus a little more clearly now?

               On August 10^th, we had a devotional titled, “Problems Provide Greater Opportunities” coming from the Book of Genesis 40:8. We know the story of how Joseph had a dream about one being a ruler that saves his family but looked at how Joseph got to that point… his journey. It seemed that the dream was just that if we looked only at the surface, but GOD was at work to help get Joseph into the right place, at the right time, to be the right guy for the job to save his family, and essentially Isreal. Just like HE did with Joseph, GOD often gives us problems to provide a greater opportunity. As HIS children, we need to look for the possibilities in our storms. Even the Apostle Paul spoke about so many opportunities he had… all the while he was imprisoned. Over two thirds of the New Testament was written while Paul was in prison awaiting to be put to death. Even though we find ourselves in the storms of life, are we looking for GOD and what HE wants us to learn? We also celebrated Communion and held our quarterly business meeting in preparation for homecoming.

               On August 17^th, we preached a message titled, “Keep the Faith,” coming from 2Timothy 4:1-8. The Apostle Paul is on death row, and he is writing to young Timothy to encourage him to keep on preaching, even when things get tough. So that when its all said and done, he can claim like Paul did when he stated in verse 7, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:” To fight, we must 1st realize that we are at war! The war we are fighting may or may not be against flesh and blood, but most likely against demonic natures of the world. To finish the race means that in our ministry, our race in life, that we are neither disqualified nor disheartened, but are truly blessed beyond measure. We know people, and have heard of people, who, at one time in their life, were on fire for Christ, helping souls come to Christ, but now have grown silent, living on yesteryear… from a huge BONFIRE, to just merely a flickering candle of light. Paul understood those stumbling blocks of life and yet he still fought the good fight and finished his race, but only because he knew that he needed to… Keep the Faith. Sadly, to many “Christians” bury their faith just like the servant did when his master gave him his talent… and why? B/c he was afraid of the worldly reprisals. Paul carried out the Great Commission so that the WORD of God, The Truthful Gospel of Christ, will continue to live on and on. And he tells us to do the same, just as Christ Jesus asked him to. We learned how the Apostle Paul laid the foundation principles of leaving a legacy for the next generation, and we closed with this question, “How are you going to be remembered?” Did you fight the good fight? Did you really stay the course? What will your “legacy” be?

               On August 24^th, we preached a message titled "When GOD speaks… are we listening?” coming out the Book of Hebrews 12:25-29. Everyone remembers that famous commercial from E.F. Hutton, “When E.F. Hutton speaks, everyone listens.” When GOD speaks, everybody needs to be listening for sure because sometimes, GOD will speak directly to us using that famous “small still voice” that makes the hair on your neck stand straight up or activates your “Gut” instinct. When GOD speaks to us, HE is attempting to do a course correction because we have strayed. When GOD does speak to us, it done so with The Voice of Compassion and Love. And when we don’t listen, sometimes GOD will “Rock” our world with things like earthquakes, hurricanes, blizzards, and even through medical diagnosis’s like cancer, strokes, weddings, and even death. We need to understand that GOD knows sometimes these course corrections are going to be painful, but that pain brings about a new growth, a better understanding of GOD’s love. However GOD speaks to us, every single time it is done to point us back in the right direction. Sadly, when our world’s get “rocked,” we fall apart and ask questions like, “Why me?” or “Why now?” When the real question we should be asking is “What do you want me to learn through this?” Can we hear from GOD? Yes, but in order to do so, we must make sure our lives are free from sin. GOD is not obligated to listen while sin is present, except for the repenting heart.  GOD is speaking to you today and HE is saying, “Be Still and know that I am GOD.” I love each and everyone of y’all, but more importantly, GOD loves you so much more! Have a great day. May the LORD bless you and keep you; May HIS face shine upon and bring you peace… the peace that surpasses all understanding. 

 

Pastor Sonny

 

Good morning, Aspen Grove Church family!                                          27Jul25

               I hope this letter finds you well. Man, July has really flown by. It has been 6 months since I have become your pastor. This month, Brother Kenny Windham, our senior Deacon, has shown me around the area where most of our church family lives. Sadly & selfishly for me, this month, our Sister Kathleen Warren left us behind & is now with our LORD and Savior. Praise GOD! On July 6^th, we preached a message that was titled, “It’s a matter of trust.” And we came out of the Book of Proverbs 3:5-6. We started off by defining what trust is… which simply put, “Basic dependence on someone or something.” Trust is a part of life. Take for instance driving our cars: we trust that the car will get us to where we want to go safely, and by the same trust… that other folks will drive like they’re suppose to. But we learn that Biblical Trust coincides with Faith. For instance: Moses at the Red Sea, David vs. Goliath. Trust goes to whole other level when we rely completely on GOD… as we should! We learned that to be a Child of GOD, we need to Trust and Obey, for there is truly no other way! However, Trust doesn’t come easy for us, now does it? To Trust in GOD, who we cannot see, touch, etc… goes hand in hand with having Faith in GOD, as well as our Hope. As you have started to figure out, I like to ask questions, and this time was no different. I can’t help but to wonder: If we truly believe and Trust GOD, then why are we so afraid to allow GOD to use us?

               July 13, we preached a sermon titled, “Are we living… Sent?” and we came out of the Book of Isaiah 6:1-9, 11a. To understand that we have been given our marching orders, we need to understand a few things about GOD. First is that GOD is a Sending GOD. GOD sent out great leaders like Abraham, Isaac, & Moses. GOD, also, sent our great prophets like Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel, and Ezekiel. HE sent our blessings and miracles, as well sent our judgments like the Great Flood. The 2^nd thing we learn about GOD is that HE sent Jesus to us, to give us an opportunity at redemption for our sins. And Jesus lived HIS life as a man who was sent on a mission! In return, Jesus sent out HIS disciples into the world to preach the GOSPEL. In Isaiah 6, we see that the Prophet Isaiah had a major revelation about himself:  He was unclean standing before GOD Almighty. He felt truly unworthy of such an honor. Symbolically, an angel “purged” Isaiah’s sins away and then we get to our memory verse: vs. 8, “Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then said I, ‘Here am I; send me.” So, if we understand that GOD is a sending GOD, that GOD sent Jesus, and Jesus sent out the Disciples to share the GOSPEL with the world… do we realize that if we are truly born again, a true Christian… then that makes us a Disciple and that Jesus has sent us to carry on with the GOSPEL? So, are you living sent?

               July 20, we dug in a little deeper in understanding the Characteristics of a Disciple, using “Barnabas the Encourager” as a reference from the Book of Acts 11:19-26. We learned that an encourager is a generous person, and Barnabas was a great example of this. For he had sold some of his properties and took the money gained from the sale and presented it to the Apostles to do as they saw fit… i.e. see a need fulfill the need. Another sign of encourager is that they are a gracious person. Barnabas was not only an optimist about people, like with the Apostle Paul after his conversion, was a gracious person… meaning he extended Grace to all because GOD extended Grace to all. Barnabas came along side of Paul, the same Saul who once persecuted the church, but had his life radically changed after he met Jesus on the road to Damascus. Just because you are an encourager doesn’t mean you overlook issues when they arise. It means that when life happens, you address it the same way that Christ would have… through Love, Mercy, and Grace. The dynamic of an encourager is submission. It’s not natural to submit yourself to someone else’s authority. For instance, let’s look at our own children. They do submit but it comes through trial and error. Our Faith in GOD is a lot like that as we submit our will to the FATHER’s Perfect Will. It comes through the Holy Ghost working through us, breaking us from our old habits, and molding us into what GOD created to be… The Child of the one True KING! Don’t we want the GOD to say about us, what HE said about Barnabas? Acts 11:24, “For he was a good man, and full of the HOLY Ghost and of Faith: and much people was added unto the LORD.” So Chrisitan, are you truly sold out for Christ?

               And on July 27^th, we stayed in the Book of Acts 1:1-11 with a messaged titled, “Created to Make a Difference!” To understand that were made to make a difference in this world, we need to understand the same three things that the first Disciples had to understand. First, that Jesus is risen… He was crucified, buried, and rose up from the grave. They saw it all before them and believed what they saw and witnessed. It changed everything. The second thing they understood was that Jesus is ruling over everything! His authority over all was apparent from bringing the dead back to life, healing of the lepers, casting out demons, and obviously HIS authority over death before HIS ascension into Heaven. Lastly, they understood that Jesus was going to return. They didn’t know when, but HE as coming back. As a result, they lived their lives waiting for HIM to return, but they weren’t still. They were out and about making Disciples everywhere by the sharing GOSPEL. Think of it like this, what does a waiter do? They wait on tables filled with customers. In other words, the Disciples were working sharing the GOSPEL. We know this to be true because we are here today sharing the same GOSPEL! If you really want your life to mean something, like the Disciples? Do you realize that you were created to make a difference in this world until GOD calls us home? Now that is some real biblical food to chew on, don’t you think? I love each and everyone of y’all, but more importantly, GOD loves you so much more! Have a great day. May the LORD bless you and keep you; May HIS face shine upon and bring you peace… the peace that surpasses all understanding. 

 

Pastor Sonny

 

Greetings Aspen Grove Church family!

               I pray this finds you well. Can you believe that half the year has gone by already? June has been a strange month. It started out with some beautiful temperatures and occasional rain, to some of the hottest temperatures for June that I can remember, with some occasional strong thunderstorms. I hope you guys were staying cool and hydrated!

               For June 1^st, we finished our study on Psalm 139 with a message titled, “Dangerous Prayer for the Brave.” We covered perhaps my favorite Poem of all time, “Footprints in the sand.”  We broke down verses 23 & 24 and diving into how David invites GOD to look inside him see if there be anything that breaks GOD’s heart. Basically, that prayer that David prayed was this, “Father, search me and try me, see where I trust you the least and help me become what you have created me to be.”  Are you brave enough to have GOD search you so intimately?

               June 8^th was a busy day! We spoke on “The Well of Christ,” covering the story of the woman at the well, from John 4:1-26. We discovered that Jesus broke the social norms of the day to reach someone that was lost and undone. We, also, learned that she this woman had some history, some baggage that is a reminder to us all… that we are not perfect. God knows us and HE still says that HE loves us dearly and wants us to love HIM back by our own free will. The story of the woman at the well shows that the GOSPEL of GRACE is free salvation by FAITH in Jesus CHRIST. ALL we must do, is like the song says, “Leave it all behind… and come to the well.”  Afterwards, we had our Sunday School Picnic with hotdogs and hamburgers! Everyone seemed to have enjoyed themselves.

               For Father’s Day, we preached a message titled, “Father’s Wanted!” and we came from the Book of ACTS 27:21-25.  This message was directed at the fathers/grandfathers specifically. We started off with some silly “dad jokes,” and followed by some very frightening statistics dealing with absent fathers in their children’s lives from teen pregnancy, teen suicides, runaways, drug use, and youths in prisons. The Apostle Paul was able to help encourage our fathers by reminding us 3 important details: 1) Paul knew GOD was with him, 2) Paul knew he belong to GOD, & 3) Paul knew he was in service to GOD. As a father, this revelation by Paul, is reminder to us that GOD has given us a mission of raising our children, to be loving husband, and to be a great friend because GOD is with us always. Because we know GOD is with us, we belong to GOD, and as a result, we have an obligation to do as our LORD has asked of us. Because our fathers have been failing at their job of raising our children in the admonition of GOD, our nation is suffering as a result.

               On June 22, we covered “The First Worship Service” by going over the story of Cain and Abel, found in Genesis 4:1-7. We discovered that worship is more than simply singing songs. We realize that we worship through our tithing, our prayers, by our obedience in studying GOD’s Holy Word, and even by witnessing to others about our Faith. Worship, true worship begins in our intentional effort of keeping GOD first and foremost! Abel demonstrated this by going through his flock and selectively picking out the very best of the best, while Cain simply just grabbed some veggies and fruits haphazardly. Which led to the question of the day: Do we worship GOD intentionally or by simply going through the motions? If we are going to worship, we need to ask ourselves why? If it isn’t because we want to please GOD, then are we really like Cain and just really playing “church?”

               I pray that y’all are continuing to grow in Christ and increasing your Faith by “Frog,” Fully Relying on GOD! May the LORD bless you and keep you; May HIS face shine upon you and give you peace… the peace that surpasses ALL understanding! Y’all have a great day and remember… for a lot of folks, you are the Only Bible some folks will ever read. So, what are you showing them? I love you all, but more importantly, GOD loves you so much more!

 

Pastor Sonny

 

Hello Aspen Grove Church Family,

I pray this finds you well. May has been a good month. We celebrated Mother’s Day by preaching from the Book of Luke 1:26-38 with a message titled, “A Baby changes Everything.” We covered the facts about motherhood. For instance, how they are our first teachers about prayer: You better pray that I can get that stain out or so help me… Then we got into the message by discussing the fact that a Mother who is chosen by GOD:  Submits herself to the Will of GOD, just as Mary did when she found out that GOD had chosen her to be the mother of HIS only begotten Son, Jesus; She is not perfect, but her calling to be a mother is; and lastly, we figured out that a mother never relinquishes her title. Mary watched her son, Jesus, grow and then live out before her very eyes everything the Angel Gabriel told her. Wonder is she knew, or even understood, that the little boy she would deliver, would son deliver her to GOD? Next, we dove into, perhaps, one of my favorite passages in the Bible… Psalm 139. This psalm is one of King David’s master pieces as he reveals to us three important attributes about GOD: Omniscience, Omnipresent, and Omnipotence. To help understand those attributes, we broke them down: Omni meaning, “All,” Science meaning, “Truth/Knowing,” Presence meaning, “everywhere,” and Potency meaning, “All Abilities” … to put it simply: GOD is all knowing, all truth. He’s everywhere at all times 100%, not in pieces. He can do anything, there is nothing that he can’t do.

In Psalm 139, David points out that GOD sees everything about me/ you. GOD knows everything about me/ you. And GOD is continually with me/ you no matter where we go. GOD is the creator of all that you see, but don’t confuse the Creator with His creation. He’s not everything but He is everywhere. As David points out in verses 7-10, “7Whither shall I go from thy spirit? Or whither shall I flee from thy presence? 8If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: If I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; 10Even there shall thy hand lead me, And thy right hand shall hold me.” And because of that amount information being unpacked by David, its no wonder why he stated in verse 6, “Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is high, I cannot attain unto it.”

In verses 13-18, we learned that GOD has planned out everything about me and for me. David reminds us that we put to much emphasis on our appearance in front of people, worrying about what they think about us. Instead, we need to see people like GOD does… their hearts. Anyone can fake it, but the fruits of their labor can’t be faked. We, also, learn that GOD is continually leading us, directing us, but sadly, we don’t always follow HIS lead. Thereby, we find more headaches and heartaches… and most of it is self-inflicted. GOD knows us completely and thinks about us continually. Can you imagine that? David tells us that GOD’s thoughts about you/ me, outnumber the grains of sand. You see, every time I do the right thing, God is watching. Every time, instead of sinning, I choose not to sin, every time I resist a temptation, every time I stand up for the right thing no matter how small or insignificant, God knows it, and sees my faithfulness to Him. Now think upon that! Now do you understand why David said that “such knowledge is too overwhelming for me to grasp?” He closes out this Psalm with a deep prayer by asking GOD to “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: 24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” Are you brave enough to pray such a prayer? I love this Psalm because of David’s open-ness of his humanity and revealing so much about GOD to each of us. I pray that the LORD keeps you, protects you, may HIS face shine upon you and bring your peace.  I love you, but more importantly… GOD loves so much more!

Pastor Sonny

 

Good day everyone,

            I pray this letter finds you well. Since our last letter, we have been preparing for our revival that starts Monday, April 14^th thru 16^th, and Pastor Chuck Owens will be our speaker. I’m so excited to see what GOD has in stored for us!

            Two weeks ago, we came from the Book of Mark 9:31-37, with a message titled, “Who is the Greatest?” Peter, James, and John had been witnesses to one of the spectacular events, The Transfiguration of Jesus, as well as seeing Elijah, a representative of the Prophets, and Moses, the writer of the Pentateuch, the 1^st five Books of the Law given by GOD to mankind. They had the Best Teacher, Preacher, & Friend; they witnessed first-hand the miracles that Jesus performed; they learned directly from the master, and yet… when push came to shove, they failed. We asked the question: Are we any different from them… today? Through it all, Jesus continued to mold these leaders into the great disciples we know them to be. Peter, James, and John were talking amongst themselves about what they had just witnessed and asked the question of who was the greatest among themselves. When Jesus asked about their conversation, they didn’t say a word. Yet, Jesus went right to the heart of the matter, “'And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, ‘If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all.” Mark 9:35. Jesus rephrased that saying in a different Book by saying this way: “Then said Jesus unto his disciples, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” Matthew 16:24. As my former Pastor used to say, “Others, Lord… let this, my motto be. Others, Lord…let me love as thee.” What a great thought! The greatest servants serve others as though they were serving GOD almighty! So, who is the greatest? Jesus, Himself because His sole purpose was to serve others before going to the Cross!

            Last week, we saw that while Jesus was on HIS way to Jerusalem to the Cross of Calvary, HE passed through a community known as Jericho. As HE past through with the usual crowd commotions, a blind beggar and the outskirts of town asked, “What’s going on?” Those closest to him responded by saying Jesus was passing by. Bartimaeus had heard of the miracles performed by Jesus, and he cried out, “Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me!” The crowds to him to be quiet and leave Jesus alone, but Bartimaeus didn’t know if Jesus would be back. All he knew was this, Jesus was right here, right now, and he wanted to take advantage of it. The more the crowds told him to be quiet, the louder and more desperate he became. After his last plea, Jesus stopped and stood still! Wow! Imagine that… on HIS way to the Cross and heard a cry from one his children and stopped what HE was doing and respond to the cry of help. Far too often, we don’t cry out to Jesus because we don’t want to disturb HIM with our simple little pleas, and yet… that is exactly what Jesus is asking us to do today. Bring him our burdens, our cares and simply give it to HIM and HE will give us rest. Bartimaeus got his sight restored and followed Jesus the rest of his days. The moral is this: Don’t let anything stop you from crying out to GOD with anything! He will stop what HE is doing just for you because HE loves you that much!

            This past Sunday, instead of speaking of Palm Sunday, the LORD led me in a different direction, sort of a pre-revival message. The title of the message was simple, “Even Now!” coming out of the Book of John 11:1-27. All of us have experienced times when we have been praying for one thing or another and as soon as one prayer was answered another situation would arise that needed prayer. Have you ever had one of those days when it seemed like there was no light at the end of the tunnel? Aren’t you glad we don’t have to live by our feelings? Mary, Martha, and Lazurus were close friends with Jesus, and so when Lazurus became gravely ill, Marthas and Mary went for Jesus. He didn’t respond right away because there was a greater purpose. Far too often, we pray for GOD to do something or simply answer us right away, and yet... we find a lot of times that HE answers on HIS time, when its truly needed. When Martha heard that Jesus was finally coming, she ran to him and simply unloaded everything she was feeling: the good stuff, the bad stuff, even the ugly stuff about Jesus not showing up before Lazurus had passed away. Crazy isn’t it? Being angry with GOD simply because HE didn’t immediately respond to our request. Yet, we see that Jesus didn’t respond back as most of us would have, matching wits. No, what we saw was that Jesus displayed Love, Compassion, and went right to the heart of the issue…resurrecting Lazurus. Martha makes a statement that speaks volumes! Even though she was experiencing one the worst moments of her life, she sated, “But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee.” John 11:22. Even Now…Jesus was right on time to show the world once more the true power of GOD is LOVE as HE resurrected Lazurus, but before HE did, HE asked Martha a question that we all should be asking of ourselves daily, “Do you really believe in Me?” I do not know what you are dealing with but, what I do know is that “even now” in that situation God is moving… even if we don’t see it right away.

I hope that this helps you and encourages you to continue to grow in your Faith. Know that our Father loves each and single one of you dearly. The Reason of Christmas is the Purpose of Easter! Restoring mankind once and for all and making a way into salvation where there was no way. Jesus left the throne room of Heaven, to pay the sin-debt for humanity once and for all, and all HE asks in return is to believe in HIM by Faith! Friends, I can think of no greater way to display love than through Jesus Christ! Hae a great day and remember… GOD loves you!

 

Pastor Sonny