Hello Church,
   What is "Deep Water Faith?" The real test of faith comes when, 1. All you know and everything you've tried doesn't work and 2. The Lord speaks a word to you that seems to make no sense at all. 
   Jesus tells Peter in the 5th chapter of Luke to launch out into the deep and peter responds, BUT Lord, we've been working all night, nothing is there, BUT because of Your word, at Your word I will let down the net. Church, there are times we have to "doubt" our "doubts,"BUT never "doubt" God.
   Ever notice how Jesus will involve you in one thing to teach you another thing. God has great plans for you. You might be saying to yourself that you don't know why you're doing and what you're doing, BUT know that God is taking you someplace. God will move you from the security of the shore to the risks of the deep. The deep is the unknown, it's the strange, it's the future. The deep is where you're able to touch bottom. If there are no risks, then there are no rewards. We have to risks the storms of life if we're going to enjoy a great catch.
   Church, when we obey God, our nets break. It says in Luke that when the disciples launched out into the deep, they caught a great number of fish and their net was breaking. When we obey God, our nets break and needs are met. God's blessings will be poured out and then we are able to be a blessing to others, and then others are able to be a blessing to others. All this happens by us saying, "Nevertheless, at Your word I will __________ (you fill in the blank).
 
P. Tom

Hello Church,
   Yesterday's message, "Breaking Through Your Brick Wall" showed us that it isn't a brick wall at all, IT'S JUST PAPER. All of us have, at one time seen a football team run through a paper wall at the beginning of a football game. The team comes out and runs through the paper wall as the fans are cheering them on. BUT what would happen if the team comes out of the locker room, full of excitement, running down the hall and all of a sudden they see this wall in front of them and they stop because they don't know what's on the other side? Well, chances are, we the fans would cheer them on and shout out, "Go through, go forward, it's only paper."
   Isn't this many of us at times. we come to the House of the Lord, are taught, are trained to go out into the field (world) and tell who Jesus is, BUT when we leave God's House we're confronted with a wall, a wall that has things written on it by the devil. 
   So let's ask a question, "What's written on your wall?" What has the devil written on your wall that it has cause you to stop running the race that is before you? Is it doubt, fear, backbiter, jealous, addict, loser, uneducated, wimp, liar, coward and the list can go on and on. BUT Church, in Hebrews it tells us that there is a great cloud of witnesses in heaven that are cheering us on because they know all those things written about you are false, just lies. The witnesses are saying to you and to me, "Go through, it's only paper. Don't stop at the place of unbelief - break through, no matter what the devil writes on your wall,HE IS A LIAR."
   Too many Christians have been inn the locker room too long. They've heard all the "how to's," BUT now it is time to put on the armor of God and get into the game. Church, run through your paper wall and fight the good fight. Be encouraged, don't let these things hold you back any longer. God will give you the strength you need for the hour you are in.
 
P. Tom

Hello Church,
   Amos the Prophet stated that the days are coming, says the Lord, that He would send a famine on the land, BUT not a famine of food or thirst, but of hearing the Word of the Lord (Amos 8:11-12). If you were here last Sunday, you may remember the video clip that was shown of Bernie Sanders (socialist), who is also a  Democratic presidential candidate speaking at Liberty University stating that he was for abortion and for gay marriage - and a large percentage of the students cheer after he made those statements. If you're like me, I thought Liberty was a Christian university, BUT after hearing those cheers, I wonder if these students are hearing the Word of the Lord. What's happening in the Church world today? Are we losing our convictions? Has our salt lost it flavor? Has our light gone out?
 
   I believe that the winds of change are blowing, separating the wheat from the chaff and that what we see is just the beginning. If repentance doesn't happen in the hearts of the people and in the Church, there will eventually be 3 kinds of churches -
        1. A "lukewarm" church who has allowed compromise to run full course and is completely void  
            of the power of God. This church isn't really a church at all - it's an auditorium to gather to 
             hear someone give a book report.
        2. A church in the middle trying to "ride the fence" through accommodation to avoid getting 
            persecuted and rejected. It's a church where depending on what day it is - is what they 
            believe.
        3. A Church who holds fast to the truth and faces opposition because it refuses to bend. This 
            Church doesn't take surveys, it studies the Word of God.
 
   Church - in the times we live in, be of good cheer - there will always be a remnant of Believers who will not bow to the pressures of society. That remnant will be those who will experience unknown levels of the power of God as a result of their commitment to stand on truth.
 
P. Tom Carubba