The Shepherd's Fold Apostolic Church

(Taken from Sis.Suzanne Parsons' message- 1/28/2015) Luke 6: 43-45 43 "For a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. 44 For every tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush. 45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks."   In some ways the Church has lost its identity. It seems that we blend in more with the world than we are  separate from it. Years ago many in the Church held on to a strictness in outer appearance, for instance. They stood up against the world in their convictions. Yes, many became harsh and judgmental in this attitude but through the years, the Lord has shown many that it isn't in outward appearance that determines a holy life, but it is our life itself- our actions...

  Taken from Bro. George Parsons' message, 1/25/2015 Hebrews 13:8: "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." Colossians 2:18-19 : "Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, and not holding fast to the Head,  from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the increase that is from God." Don't let anyone cause you to lose your grip on the Head, which is Jesus Christ. He is the same today as He was yesterday and He will be the same forever. We must remain in the body of Christ holding fast to Him. Christ is in us and we were bought with a price. We are the temple of the Holy Spirit. ( 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 ). We must remember that He lives inside of His own. Our bodies house His Spirit- that same spirit from the beginning. Ephesians 4:4-6 tells...

Ezekiel 37:1 : "God grabbed me. God's Spirit took me up and sat me down in the middle of an open plain strewn with bones." (The Message Bible) How would you like to have been Ezekiel? Here he was, a prophet of the Lord, trying to do his best to serve the Lord, warning Israel of their impending captivity, doing his best to preach the word and lead the people to repentance.Suddenly God grabs him and places him in a valley of dry bones and is told to prophesy to the bones. The church is in a dry area. God is looking for today's Ezekiels  to be willing to be "grabbed by God". Todays' church leaders need to be willing to be grabbed by God. It may not be a big work like it was for Ezekiel, but God is looking for someone that wants to be used by God-someone to speak life and breath into the Church-- someone to speak life and breath into people's lives; someone to speak life and breath into the direction of our nation. Are you willing to be grab...

Romans 1:16-17   16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "The just shall live by faith." The word "ashamed" means guilt or disgrace. The gospel is the power of God to bring people to salvation. The world is very vocal but the Church too many times has been quiet. We don't want to offend anyone so we don't witness or testify. Paul wasn't ashamed of the gospel and he let the whole world know. We must not be embarrassed about telling others about salvation. When we do, the power of God is there to bring them to Christ. Many times you hear ministers just telling stories from the pulpit. Sometimes they don't even open their Bibles or give a verse. But there is POWER in the gospel! There is no power in just telling stori...

Genesis 25:29-34 "29 Now Jacob cooked a stew; and Esau came in from the field, and he was weary. 30 And Esau said to Jacob, "Please feed me with that same red stew, for I am weary." Therefore his name was called Edom. 31 But Jacob said, "Sell me your birthright as of this day." 32 And Esau said, "Look, I am about to die; so what is this birthright to me?" 33 Then Jacob said, "Swear to me as of this day." So he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob. 34 And Jacob gave Esau bread and stew of lentils; then he ate and drank, arose, and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright. " _______________________________________________________ Hunger in the original means to crave, seek with eager desire. What is the Church hungry for? What are you hungry for? The world creates a hunger- you see it wherever you go on billboards, TV, social me...

Romans 8:1-4: "1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit"   The world wants us to walk in the flesh. When we leave the "path" we are no longer walking in the Spirit. Since we have been set free from the "law of sin and death", we now have a choice. To either walk in the flesh or in the spirit. Many things tempt us to walk off the path- distractions, desires, etc. Whe...