Pastor Dean Read - "The Offense of Evangelism" - July 8, 2017

How is evangelism like the good ol American game of football?
In football you have an offense and a defense. The purpose of the offense is to score. The purpose of the defense is to keep the other team from scoring. You don't win unless you score, and each team should be trying to win, and outscore the opponent.

In the battle between Christ and Satan, also known as the Great Controversy, who are the teams?
And what is the score?
Christ's team is His Church on earth, "those who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ." Revelation 12:17 The devil's team is composed of his followers and those who want nothing to do with God and hate or ignore the teachings of Jesus Christ as revealed in the Bible.

Evangelism is the offense of the God's Church on earth! And prophecy is one of its greatest weapons. Why? The Bible teaches that prophecy is a sign for believers. It is through the revealed prophecies of the Bible, especially those that point directly to Jesus that cause those who are searching to find the truth and believe in Jesus.Thus, Jesus  gave the Great Commission to His Church--"go into all the world, and preach the gospel, and teach them to observe My commandments, and baptize those who are willing to become My disciples. (My paraphrase of Matthew 28:19-20).

The night before Jesus was crucified, after washing the disciple's feet, Jesus made a bold announcement, predicting that He would be betrayed. Jesus said, "I tell you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe that I am He." (John 13:19). Yes, Jesus prophesied, but at the same time, He gave His disciples their mission. He said, "I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you." (John 13:15). Take notice of this! For we see Jesus performing His mission to seek and save lost sinners, while at the same time reinforcing believers through prophecy.

Do you want to hear more? You can watch the sermon, the first in a three part series, via the link below:

Pastor Dean Read - "The Offense of Evangelism" - July 8, 2017--YouTube Link

God Is Still Merciful & Gracious

Yes God is still merciful and gracious. Here is a link to one of my short scripture music videos with a message.https://www.facebook.com/deanread/videos/10211735920898752/

It has been awhile since my last blog on this site, as I was in transition to a new pastorate and I had limited access to wireless since most of each week I was living in my 5th-wheel trailer in the Heart of Georgia. Hopefully in this new year of 2017, the LORD will show me a better way, so that I can have wireless access seven days per week and get back to active blogging. In the meantime, I have been occaisionally posting music videos of scripture songs which I have composed, along with a short message. I hope that the word of the LORD will be presented more and more in Spirit and in Truth, and that is my goal, to preach the word. Shalom!

The 4th of July and True Freedom

Replica of Noah's Ark Built in Kentucky

Happy 4th of July to all Americans. Consider that real freedom is found only in Jesus Christ. This replica of Noah's Ark recalls a time (Genesis chapters 6-9) when the LORD God, the Creator of the heavens and the earth provided an ARK of safety to preserve this earth from destruction.

Why did the LORD destroy the earth by the FLOOD? Because sin was so great in the earth, that they were destroying each other. The Bible says, "Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." "But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD."

True freedom is not found in human governments or human laws, which are fickle and always changing to allow more vice, crime and immorality. True freedom can only be found in Jesus Christ, the Son of God who became a man and lived on this earth as a human being, yet, without sin. He is fully God and became fully human, being born of a woman, born to redeem human beings lost in sin. Jesus died on the cross to save the world from sin, not in sin. 

Just like the ARK in Noah's day--it's purpose was to save people from the gross sins being committed on the earth at that time, and to preserve the life of the animal kingdom that God's hand directed to the Ark. Only eight people chose to get on that Ark. the rest of the world perished in the great FLOOD.

Let this 4th of July remind you and awaken you to your only hope of salvation. Jesus Christ and His blood shed for you 2,000 years ago. And He is coming again, for He has promised this in His word. And He will come to redeem those who have believed in Him. Those who want to get away from the sins of this earth. Those who want to stop sinning. Jesus will come in the glory of His Father, and all the holy angels with Him (Matthew 16:27) and He will reward each one according to his works. Those who have hoped in Him will receive new bodies and immortality; but, those who have done evil and turned away from His salvation will not be saved.

In Noah's day, the majority of people on earth loved their sins more than God. They did not believe God, even though Noah preached for 120 years, for that's how long it took to build the Ark. Yet, in mercy God has left a reminder to the whole world of His promise, the RAINBOW. The rainbow tells me that God keeps His promises, and soon salvation will come, and finally sin will be no more. God's plan has always been to eradicate sin from the Universe.

We each have a choice. We have freedom to choose the most wonderful life that God has planned for human beings. Think about it. The Creator of the Universe, who created man on this earth in His own image, in a perfect world, this Creator God has also provided the means of salvation for human beings who were born after sin ruined this world. Jesus Christ is the ARK of salvation.

And, God has given us much time to learn about Him through His word, and through prophets and preachers and teachers that He has sent over time. The Bible says, "Beloved do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world." How can you test them? With the word of God, the Bible and through prayer. That's the only way.

Trouble is not too many people today are familiar enough with the Bible. And that is a choice too. It has been around for longer than 120 years. It is the oldest book in the world. So, no one can say that God has not given them a proper chance to find out if it's true. Again, it comes back to FREEDOM. We all have free choice. Will you choose today to start finding out more about this GOD? After all, what have you got to lose? Time to start looking at that ARK and taking it a little more seriously. God is good and He only wants to save us from our sins. That's why His name is called, JESUS.

Memories of My Family and Easter

March 27, 2016

I am writing this today, on Easter Sunday. Yes, most of the Christian world celebrates this day in honor of  Jesus’ resurrection. Though there is something strangely ironic about Easter to me now, I remember when I was young, how I so looked forward to Easter. I looked forward to it because from a young boy’s perspective, my perspective, it seemed to me like the whole world was happy about Jesus. My world was very small compared to reality. Yet, in the city in which I grew up, Lynwood, California, it surely appeared true. With the coming of Easter came many good things in our local community and especially in our home.

Our home had two parents, Jack and Marge Read, and five children.  Laine was the only girl and the oldest, and the four boys were Steve, Dean, Jeff and Greg. Good thing that Laine was oldest. What’s a girl to do with four brothers to continually pester her? Fortunately, her age, height and her wit commanded a certain respect. Somehow, we all managed to get along most of the time. Most certainly our dad’s old fashioned theory of child education and his methods of discipline had a lot to do with that. Yet, in spite of his corporal punishment practices, he valued most an ability to reason with his children.

However, our family’s greatest asset lived just over a ways and across the street. My dad’s parents were Walt and Vera Read. Grandma (or Gram) and Grandpa is what we called them. Even my dad called them that. And they were his parents!

And you better believe that we all depended on them, and that was true especially for me. I cannot begin to tell you how many times or in how many different ways Gram or Grandpa helped sustain us and hold us together as a family. Our mom did not drive, and dad was a lineman, usually working far distances away, so he was not home during the day.

It was mostly left to Gram who willingly transported us to the many and various types of things five unique children might be involved in. Sports teams, music programs, boy scouts, school functions, etc. Surely, some of you know the blessings of grandparents nearby?

What does this have to do with Easter? Well, it was one of the few times when our home engaged in something religious together. You see, there was no practice of religion in the home of my parents. I did not learn about the love of Jesus from them. It was from my grandma where I first learned that Jesus loves me. Dad had no real use for religion or church. And though my mom was Roman Catholic, she kept her religion private and rarely went to church, except sometimes at Easter. And sometimes at Easter my sister and brothers went to church too. 

But as for me, I regularly attended church with my grandparents. It seemed to me to be the best part of the week, to spend Sunday’s  with Grandma and Grandpa and go to church and learn about Jesus. Yes, it was at the Methodist Church of my Grandparents where I learned that Jesus loves me. God gave me that gift when I was just a young boy.

So, imagine for yourself what it must have been like for me, growing up in my non-religious family to have all of us come together on Easter Sunday and celebrate a religious holiday in honor of Jesus. And after we got home from Church, we would venture over to Grandma’s house and eat together our Easter dinner. Yes, even my dad was there. And I was happy. Somehow, I imagined that even my dad who was so indifferent to Christianity loved Jesus.  

Today, I am blessed to be a Seventh-day Adventist Christian. Now I know even more so, that God is love. I have never lost that gift from Jesus. And now even more so, I celebrate the death and the resurrection of our LORD. Not just on Easter Sunday, but everyday. However, there are still special days of celebration to which I look forward as I once did to Easter Sunday. And those special days happen every week in the Seventh-day Sabbath.  

And there is more. For, Jesus gave us, His Church, a brand new religious ritual called Communion. Yesterday was a double blessing for me as we celebrated Communion in the Griffin Seventh-day Adventist Church on the Lord’s Sabbath Day. This coming Sabbath, April 2 will be another double blessing as we will celebrate Communion in the Thomaston First Seventh-day Adventist Church. Joy of joys for me!

During this religious season of Easter, how much more appropriate then it is to celebrate Communion on the Sabbath Day. We create new memories from the blessings of what God has done and is doing in our lives. I also take time to remember those who are sick, some suffering from cancer in both of these churches. Please remember them all in prayer. For we all are family now.

Even more than what good I had growing up in my biological earthly family, we, the saints are all His family. We are brothers and sisters in Christ. We share a common faith and a common hope. Even the Blessed hope that Jesus will come! Then all the saints, both dead and living will be caught up together with Jesus, the Father and all the holy angels. Soon, we will all eat together the greatest meal of all time, when we eat that Communion meal new with Jesus and the Father in heaven.

Even so, I pray, come Lord Jesus. Amen.