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Monday, December 8, 2025

Good afternoon, Aspen Grove Church Family,

I pray that you are well. Already rolling into the Christmas season fast. This year has really flown by. Hope everyone enjoyed their Thanksgiving Holiday. On November 2, we preached a message titled, “The 3 Portraits of Life, “ from the Book of 1 Samuel 25:1-25; 32-38. The World is full of foolish people. They chose to live in the flesh, seeking pleasures that never last. They seek riches of this world only to find unhappiness. They keep trying the same thing over and over, expecting a different outcome. History is supposed to be a great teacher, and it is, if we would only use it. The first Portrait we looked at was…The Portrait of God—David (vs.1-13). David sends word to Nabal to please help his men for all they have done for him, but Nabal rejected the plea. David displayed wrath from the disrespect and was going to punish Nabel hard. Which brought us to our second portrait: The Portrait of Jesus—Abigail (vs. 14-20). Abigail, Nabal’s wife, receives word of David’s men visiting and the messages that were relayed between Nabal and them. She immediately responded to the request and interceded on behalf of her husband. She informed David of the foolishness of her husband and she sought out the King for Mercy and Grace for Nabal. Sounds like what Jesus does for us daily, doesn’t it? Which leaves us with our third portrait: The Portait of Humanity—Nabal (vs. 10-11, 36-38). Nabal knowing all the things that David has done and still rejected David’s request. He knew that it is only right to give back yet refuses. We have the Bible and the Law of God that is written on hearts and yet, with all the knowledge that we have and the proof thereof… do we not still reject Jesus Christ? Arrogance was the downfall of Nabal, and it will be the downfall of us as well, unless we all learn to embrace the sacrifice that was made for us by Jesus Christ. As we reflect on the beautiful truth that Jesus intercedes for us, we come to realize how blessed we truly are. His love and commitment to us encourage us daily, reminding us that we are never alone in our struggles. With Jesus advocating on our behalf at the Father’s right hand, we have the assurance that our needs are heard, and our burdens are lifted. What Potrait are you displaying?

On November 9th, this week we preached a message titled, “The Echo of Greater Love,” from the Books of 1 Thessalonians 5:18 and Matthew 20:28. We celebrated Aspen Grove’s Harvest Day by honoring our Veterans. Veteran’s Day… s a time to honor all those who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces in wartime or peacetime. Their Service, Sacrifice, and Gratitude naturally connect the veterans' experience with principles of faith. It’s not just a day off, but a very special day of national thanks. The main difference to distinguish Veterans Day from Memorial Day is simply this: Memorial Day: Honors those who paid the ultimate sacrifice for our nation. While Veterans Day: Honors all veterans, living or deceased, especially giving thanks to the living for their honorable service. The Biblical Echo of Service: Jesus set the ultimate example. He didn't come here as a king demanding to be waited on; He came as a servant. His whole life was about doing for others. Veterans remind us that true leadership and love are rooted in this action, in serving. Our second point isThe Biblical Echo of Sacrifice. Every service member asks themselves a simple question: Why am I doing this? The short answer is to serve, but what does it mean to serve? Simply serving your country might have been sufficient, but I think Jesus pretty much nails it: John 15:13, “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” This verse is the heart of both military courage and Christ's ultimate act. We owe our men and women debt of Gratitude which reminds of our last point: The Biblical Call to Thanks. Gratitude is always God's will. Today, our gratitude is directed outward, toward our veterans, and upward, toward God for the peace we enjoy. After all, The Bible states: 1 Thessalonians 5:18, “In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” Veterans Day, observed every year on November 11th, is a federal holiday that serves as the nation's opportunity to formally say "Thank You" to every single person who has worn the uniform of the U.S. Armed Forces. For a citizen, Veterans Day isn't just a day off; it's a call to action. It forces us to ask: "What am I doing to be worthy of the freedom they protected?"

On November 16, we preached message titled, “On the Struggle bus this Season of Thanksgiving,” coming from the Book of Luke 17:11-19. In Jesus’ day lepers were quarantined in colonies, some distance from cities and towns because their dreaded disease was so contagious, so that’s why the group of ten stood some distance away as Jesus and the others entered the village. Jesus’ seemingly strange command for the ten to show themselves to the priest was part of the normal process, as prescribed in the Law of Moses. It is almost inconceivable that anyone could be cured from a terrible and frightening disease such as leprosy, which isolated a man or woman from family and friends and cut him or her off from normal events in society and the synagogue, and not be abundantly and permanently grateful… But that is exactly what happened with nine out of the ten lepers Jesus healed. Furthermore, the thankful one was a Samaritan, which meant he was from the half-breed ethnic group that was the product of Jewish intermarriage with the Canaanites and Assyrians. Makes me wonder… what about us today? Would we be like the 9 and just be satisfied with our healing? Or would we be like the one who dedicated his life to Christ? To dive into that question, we must address our faith. If we can’t honestly say we would dedicate our lives to Christ, then the II. First thing is “Perhaps You’ve Forgotten that You’re Saved.” Ingratitude is expected from those who have no saving relationship to Jesus Christ, and perhaps that is why the other nine lepers who were healed did not return to give thanks to Jesus. The person who is not saved spurns the very notion of grace, the undeserved goodness granted by God... and that is why the nine lepers did not return to thank Jesus. The Second Reason is Perhaps You have Doubts about GOD. Clearly, the healed leper recognized that Jesus was the one who had sovereignly healed and saved him. The other nine presumably did not properly connect their healing to Jesus’ sovereign power because they did not return to thank Jesus. Sometimes though we struggle with our faith and Maybe You’re focused On the Wrong Issue. The nine lepers who were healed thought only of themselves, selfishly. Selfishness is that attitude that says, “No matter what I’ve got, I don’t have what I really want, I don’t have enough. I want more. I want my circumstances different. I want my children different. I want my life different. I want my ministry different. I want my spouse different. I want my job different. I want a lot of things different. I want more of this and less of that.” God is perfect and he never makes a mistake. God’s goodness and mercy is always available and is overflowing and abounding toward us. The gift of Jesus Christ is that unspeakable gift for which we are thankful. All good gifts that flow down from the Father of lights, victory over sin and death, divine guidance, complete provision for all our needs, the hope of heaven, the power of the Word and on and on we go. We have lots of reasons to give thanks. The leper was miraculously healed by Jesus. He rightly went back to Jesus and thanked him for his grace. That is the right attitude to have. This Thanksgiving let us not be guilty of ingratitude.

Finally, on November 23, we preached a message titled, “The JOY of Thanksgiving: Finding Peace,” from the Book of 1 Thessalonians 5:15-18. When I think of Thanksgiving, I think about food… lots of food: Turkey, ham, yams, green beans, turkey dressing, collards, etc.… When I think of turkey, the scene from National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation comes to mind. Specifically, how , Clark’s wife’s cousin Catherine, over cooked the turkey. Just as Clark was beginning to carve the bird, it split open, dry to the bone. The scene is a classic comedic moment from the movie that in reality… portrays how most families in America really are: from the outside, it looks perfect, but it’s a total disaster area on the inside. They go on and give thanks and I think I know why. First, I think: Gratitude begins with recognizing God’s blessings. When we recognize God’s blessings, we acknowledge His sovereignty and deepen our relationship with Him. Church, gratitude isn’t just about saying thanks; it’s about recognizing the Giver of every good gift. Next, I think Gratitude brings joy and peace that surpasses our understanding. True joy comes when we choose to give thanks, no matter what the situation may say. Gratitude aligns our hearts with God’s will and ushers in peace. Church, have you ever wondered how to find joy, even in the hardest times? It’s in Thanksgiving, true Thanksgiving. When we practice thanksgiving, we stop focusing on the storm and start focusing on the One who calms it. By practicing what we preach we will find that we will have A heart of gratitude remains steadfast through all seasons of life. Gratitude isn’t seasonal; it’s a lifestyle. No matter what season we are in, we are called to give thanks. There are times when life feels easy, when everything seems to be going our way. And in those seasons, it’s easy to give thanks. But when the hard times come—when we face loss, illness, or uncertainty, thanksgiving can feel like a challenge. But it’s in these hard seasons that gratitude becomes even more powerful. When everything around us is falling apart, thanksgiving is the anchor that holds us steady. It reminds us that even in hardship, God is with us. In every season of life that we face, there is something to be grateful and thankful for. A thankful heart is one that trusts God in all things. It sees beyond the circumstances and focuses on the goodness of God. So, let’s not wait for the right season to give thanks. Let’s make thanksgiving a part of every season of our lives.

November 30 was fifth Sunday, so Sister Judy Moore taught a lesson titled, Hope Floats,” from the Book of Ezekiel 47:1-9, 12. She pointed out that Ezekiel had a vision from GOD about the impact of a river that flows from the Temple. It starts off as a small stream but gradually grows deeper and wider. If we think about it, isn’t that how GOD works within us? His Grace flows from the moment of our salvation to every aspect of our lives, transforming and building us into His image. It starts from our first knowledge of GOD is the building block of our Faith. We learn and grow more in our Faith by reading His word and growing our understanding. As we grow grow we produce fruit… like the river. As the river flows down, it waters and helps life grow. As life grows, it produces fruit in many forms. Just as the river grows, when we grow in Christ, we gain an understanding and direction which equips us to share GOD’s word with others. The river is constantly moving and is always bringing fresh water into our lives. Just as growing our faith renews our spiritual lives! GOD’s grace and love is always there for us, and as further proof, at the end of the service a stranger came in and handed Mrs. Judy an envelope with money in it. All the person said was that GOD told him to share it with our church! GOD is at work. Are we paying attention? Friends, GOD is not done with world, nor is He done with you! May the LORD continue to Bless you and keep you, May His face shine upon and bring you peace! Have a great Christmas season!

With Love,

Pastor Sonny

Gratitude isn’t seasonal; it’s a lifestyle. No matter what season we are in, we are called to give thanks. There are times when life feels easy, when everything seems to be going our way. And in those seasons, it’s easy to give thanks. But when the hard times come—when we face loss, illness, or uncertainty, thanksgiving can feel like a challenge. But it’s in these hard seasons that gratitude becomes even more powerful. When everything around us is falling apart, thanksgiving is the anchor that holds us steady. It reminds us that even in hardship, God is with us. In every season of life that we face, there is something to be grateful and thankful for. A thankful heart is one that trusts God in all things. It sees beyond the circumstances and focuses on the goodness of God. So, let’s not wait for the right season to give thanks. Let’s make thanksgiving a part of every season of our lives.

With Love,

Pastor Sonny

Tuesday, October 28, 2025

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

Thursday, October 9, 2025

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

Monday, August 25, 2025

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

Monday, July 28, 2025

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

Monday, June 30, 2025

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

Wednesday, May 28, 2025

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