WYOMING EVANGELIST PASTOR JOHN COLLINS: STOP TAKING ANGER OUT ON EACH OTHER

The media contains story after story of murder, deaths, police conflicts, race baiting, child abuse, bullying and terrorism.  This world is being torn apart by anger.  Our society is driven by anger.    More often a scowl and harsh words exchanged by couples are seen than kindness or soft gestures. Walking down city streets, people don’t make much eye contact and smiles are rare.

The kindness that Jesus taught so long ago is lost in simple every day contacts. We are a world that has no compassion or caring.  It doesn’t take so much to sit down and talk to someone who is obviously struggling.  In coming to know that person, even for a little while, we can give compassion in simply caring about what they have to say.  It doesn’t take the time consuming decisions of a committee or the actions of a community group to provide compassion.  Anger and pain can be lifted simple by sitting down and talking to someone, one to one, listening, and if it’s possible, helping in some way.  Showing that we care about each other has got to start with one person at a time, one Christian at a time giving a hand up, an ear, a few minutes that it takes to lift someone’s spirits.  It only takes a minute to say “God bless you, thank you”.  It could be the nicest thing someone hears all day and it does make a difference. These are words that are preached and taught by Pastor John Collins, evangelist, of Love that Cross Ministries and Revival.

Evangelist Pastor John Collins began a revival of awakening in Wyoming.  That awakening stirs the spirit of those who hear him.  From a pulpit or behind the microphone of a recording studio, his words are Biblically correct.  Anger that is of resentment, jealousy and hate is keeping us from the love of God, and angry words meant to hurt and sting are not Christ-like.  Anger and the repercussions of it have been part of the human process ever since Adam and Eve were evicted from the Garden of Eden.  They had two sons, Cain and Abel.  Cain worked the fields and Abel kept flocks.  Through their faith in God, they gave an offering to God of their efforts.  God looked favorably on Abel’s but Cain’s God did not.  Cain became jealous of Abel and angry.  God taught Cain that if he would do right, his would be accepted, but if he didn’t do right, sin would take over, that Cain needed to rule over sin…that of jealousy and anger.

“Now Cain talked with Abel his brother; and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him. Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He said, “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?” And He said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground.” Genesis 4:8-10.  Cain murdered his brother out of jealousy, envy, and anger and in turn lied to God.

Evangelist Pastor John Collins puts it this way: “Cain killed Abel. Esau sold his birthright and Jacob stole Esau’s blessing which resulted in hatred and animosity that grew between Edom and Israel.  The sons of Jacob, brothers of Joseph, sold Joseph into slavery out of jealousy. The Benjamites, a tribe of Israel, were nearly destroyed by their brethren, all the other tribes of Israel.  The house of Saul and the house of David were at war a long time, Judah and Israel fought against each other.  These are only a few examples within the family of God’s chosen people. The Gentiles have their history of fighting and wars against themselves just the same as the Jews. We have our reality of wars around the world within countries that are not our own. In our country we have gangs, murders, and families at war with children fighting, parents fighting and friends fighting too.

Just because something has been done since the beginning of time does not make it okay for it to continue. What is driving the anger and lack of compassion and kindness in our time? When will we learn that the smallest seeds of bitterness and resentment as well as jealousy and envy will grow to become hatred and hurt if watered? Why do we not realize that the ground is screaming from the blood that has been shed? Why do we not stop and realize that our Lord is not served in our anger and vengeance? God has said that vengeance is His and so it is. It is not for us to take out our anger on another. It is not for us to engage in bickering and arguing that just leads to more and more anger. It is not for us to hold on to these hateful feelings and be consumed by them.

We can do better. We can become peaceful people, if we choose. We each choose our own actions and reactions and that is where our faith will lead us to choose the right and righteous path if we rely on Jesus Christ to guide us. You see, it may not be for you to solve the world’s problems but you can definitely solve your own with the help of the Lord. You can pray for those that are caught up in civil wars and you can make sure that your world is one of peace. You can encourage love and kindness in others by living a life that serves Christ.”

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, For they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:3-10

WYOMING EVANGELIST PASTOR JOHN COLLINS: STRIVE TO BE CHRIST-LIKE

What is so important about acting and being Christian? Why does it matter?  First and foremost, there really is one, living God.  He created mankind because He wanted us.  He loved us, loved us all first, and loves us still.  We don't know Him anymore, not like the oldest recorded people of faith in the Bible.  God showed His love to those who showed Him their love.  The sin that was brought into the world by Adam and Eve took all of us away from God.  We need to be perfect in our souls to get back to Him, and we simply cannot do it ourselves. This verse is probably the most singularly memorized verse in the Holy Bible:  “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16. KJV.    

God put Adam and Eve in Eden and instructed them how to act, giving them one very important rule to not eat of the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.  They disobeyed, got evicted from the garden.  Man lived without written rules from God for centuries until Moses was anointed to lead God’s people, Israel out of Egypt.  God spoke to Moses who wrote His commandments on stone tablets so that man would have the needed guidelines so that we could properly worship and serve God.  There were many other directions that were given to Moses that went along with the commandments, how to live safely in the desert, how to come humbly before God, through priests.  We still couldn’t get it right.  We needed an example to help us see and understand.  We don’t follow directions well.  God sent His Son Jesus to us so that He could teach us and show us firsthand how to be godly, how to be Christ-like.  God knew we can’t do it on our own.  He loves us so much that He sent Jesus to teach us, show us, then sacrifice Himself for us to take away the sins of the world so that we can live a Christ-like life.  All we have to do now, instead of lists of directions in the Old Testament with old blood sacrifices and priest intervention, is believe.  Simply believe.  And in believing then change ourselves to be godly, not sinners.  Jesus led by example so that we would SEE how we are supposed to act and behave.  He taught the disciples who became His apostles who went out into the world and showed all who would listen how to turn toward God through Jesus.

Evangelist Pastor John Collins of Love That Cross Ministry and Revival that began in Wyoming was called by God over 10 years ago to serve Him.  Pastor Collins was not a godly man, he will tell you he didn’t believe in God and had very little experience with God and Jesus in his life.  That has changed for him because he accepted Jesus into his heart as his Lord and Savior.  Now he clings to the Cross that is everyone’s salvation with all his strength and all his might.  Why?  Because he knows that Jesus is the only Hope that this sad, lost, and seemingly hopeless world has.  Wyoming was a turning point in Pastor John’s career as an evangelist.  He had his first revival there through Love That Cross, and he has been leading more people to Christ ever since.

An evangelist is someone who is set apart by God to teach the ways of God.  God knows that people are visual and hands on learners, merely reading and hearing the words in the Bible isn’t enough, even though it should be.  We need to see how to act, too.  Evangelists are in the public eye because they are outspoken and profess their faith so plainly that it is hard to ignore them.  They make you uncomfortable because they cause you to take a look at what you are doing in your life, or at least that is what an evangelist is supposed to do. 

Pastor John Collins shows us that in order to get to God, we have to believe in Jesus.  We have to act like Jesus Christ.  We have to act like Christians.  There is where we fail horribly, to ACT like Christians.  Christians are supposed to help the poor, Christians are supposed to treat others as they would like to be treated.  The two commandments Jesus taught were to love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength….to Jews this is part of the Shema and is the foundation of their faith in God…and the other commandment is to love your neighbor as yourself.  Pastor John Collins not only teaches these commandments in each and every one of his sermons, he acts them so that people can see how Christians are supposed to act.  Christians aren’t supposed to show up in a church pew on a Sunday and act Christ-like for that hour or so of worship.  Christians are supposed to act Christ-like every minute of every day.  We fall far short of that.  Pastor John teaches and walks the walk.  He lives humbly.  So many evangelists who are in the public eye have multi-million dollar homes, expensive new cars, designer clothing and pristine mega churches that they launch their ministry from.  Pastor John lives in a middle class home, drives used vehicles and preaches from pulpits of moderate to small churches all over the country.  He is quick to help the little girl who walks into a church in her pajamas and carrying a doll, not only in feeding her, but helping the family find a way to manage the reality of latchkey children left on their own.  A conversation with a diabetic woman reveals that she has no food and is unable to get out to a store because she is ill.  A phone call to an area food bank and senior center from Pastor John helps the woman get through.  An addict who needed to get into rehab couldn’t find an open bed was assisted into a rehab center that hadn’t had any beds open.  Waiting in line at a fast food drive through, Pastor John has been known to pay for the meals of the car behind him.  Taking people in off the street to allow them a meal and place to stay, opening one of his churches up on frigid nights as a shelter to those who have nowhere else to go…all are examples of being Christ-like in the life of Pastor John Collins.

It isn’t only the acts toward people in need, it is living the fruits of the spirit, every day, in everyday life:  love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.  It is being truthful, having integrity, standing in faith of God in the face of the world and not caring what the world says about him.  Pastor John says frequently “Being Christian isn’t about going to church on Sunday.  Sure, it is good to go to church to worship Jesus, but it is what you get out of the sermon, what you do in your everyday life that matters as a Christian.  It’s what you do from Sunday to Sunday that counts, not showing up and putting your time in.  Just because you go into a garage doesn’t make you a car, and just because you go to church doesn’t make you a Christian.  It’s what you do that matters.”  Pastor John takes his faith seriously.  He takes his relationship with God seriously, he takes the salvation offered by Jesus seriously.  He walks that walk every day, every minute.  He admits he is a sinner, he knows that he isn’t perfect, but he also knows that people are watching and need an example to live by, just like 2000 years ago when God sent Jesus to show mankind how to act.  Pastor John strives to show how we are to act as humans, as Christians.  At the end of the day, he asks for forgiveness and repents of the sins and gets up the next day to try and try and try to be the best that he can be, for God and for Jesus. 

 “God is never secondary in my life, He is always Primary”- Pastor John Collins, Evangelist.

WYOMING EVANGELIST PASTOR JOHN COLLINS: REVIVAL NOW

Evangelist Pastor John Collins and Love That Cross Ministries are about REVIVAL: revival of faith, revival of belief in God and Jesus, revival for knowledge of the Resurrection and its Salvation, revival of our country, and even revival for the world.  Revival means a renewal of faith in God and coming to know that there really is Salvation in the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.  It is a re-awakening and resurgence of our interest in God and in Jesus.   Pastor John Collins preaches that revival is needed in order for survival: survival in our day to day struggles, survival of our souls for eternity, survival for our country and for our world.  The time for revival is NOW.

Love That Cross Ministries began at a revival in Wheatland, Wyoming and has been involved in spreading the revival of faith in God from the beginning in Wyoming and now across the country.  Pastor John Collins is the head pastor of Love That Cross Ministries and is an evangelist who has been leading people to God for ten years. Over the course of that time, Pastor John has been guided by God to know that in order for us to overcome society and the sin that is in this world, REVIVAL is vital. As a country, we have lost track of the hope of salvation that lies in the Cross.  So many of us DO NOT know God, do NOT know Jesus that we have become a hopeless society.  The violence, drug abuse and alcoholism, and suicide rates show that we are a hopeless society.  We have very little faith in God anymore, very little faith in the salvation found through Jesus. In addition, so many high profile pastors, self-proclaimed false prophets, and televangelists have twisted Christianity and the Bible to serve their personal purposes that the general population wants very little to do with “Christians.”  That makes society hopeless. Pastor John has challenged pastors to step up to the pulpit and PREACH!  Preach to save souls, not line the pocketbooks of those on the pulpit.  Preach to please God, to bring Him the delight that He deserves, not the self-indulgence of greed, self-righteousness, and popularity that runs thickly among many on the pulpit right now.  REVIVAL is necessary for renewing the message that is being preached and REVIVAL is needed for humanity to come back to the foot of the Cross!  It is time for change. 

The world has gone crazy and has lost its way from God.  Too many people are afraid to stand up for God, afraid of offending others and speaking the truth.  Pastor John has said “who cares who is offended?  God is for me, and therefore who can be against me?”  It is time to take a stand and change the direction that the world is taking because the majority of humanity IS heading for Hell and either we don’t care or we don’t know the truth. So many of those high profile preachers previously spoken of won’t say the harsh truth and the hard things about our accountability before God, and we WILL be held accountable for our actions.  Pastor John Collins WILL speak up, HAS spoken up, and will CONTINUE to do so through Love That Cross Ministry and Love That Cross Revival. 

We humans are arrogant and selfish, we tend to only acknowledge what we can see, touch, and sense.  We don’t recognize the order that God created in this world, we don’t see His laws within the universe. We are blinded by our self-importance and our self-righteousness.  We do not stand a chance but to earn Hell at the rate we are going.  Those same high profile preachers don’t speak about Hell.  If people realized that Hell is as real as our lives here on earth are, we would not procrastinate on developing our eternal well-being.  It is not a place where anyone wants to be. That TRUTH is held in our hearts.  We push it away, ignoring and resenting the truth of it. We are never promised tomorrow, and when we die if we haven’t worked on that truth, it’s too late.  Many people don’t want to accept the reality of Hell, the feeling being that it isn’t fair of God to create Hell.  We as people have a sense of vengeance, of right and wrong, of justice and the price that has to be paid for wrong.  God is just.  God judges right from wrong.  Why wouldn’t there be Hell?

Revival of HOPE is what will turn society and this world around.  Pastor John preaches that Jesus IS real, God IS real, and the Holy Bible contains TRUTH.  That TRUTH is where our foundation of HOPE rests.  Our hope is because Jesus died on that Cross for us, as a perfect sacrifice for all of humanity’s sins.  He died for all of us, ALL of our sins, through ALL the ages, because God knew that we needed it.  We CAN’T do it by ourselves.  Jesus is God’s Son.  God is a LIVING God, very much aware of what is going on in the world.  Both of Them want us, humanity, to find our faith in Them and come home to Them.  In order for that to happen, REVIVAL, a renewal of the knowledge and TRUTH that is in the Bible and a re-awakening of our hearts HAS to happen.  The Cross and what it represents is our hope and our salvation.  When we have hope, then we can be of one mind to help each other stand strong in this life.  Our hope becomes eternal.

Pastor John has preached in the Bible, it is written that Jesus said to go and sin no more.  That is what those of us who have come to believe in Jesus need to do.  Life is hard.  Life is difficult.  Times are tough.  All of that is nothing new. Give your life to Jesus. Accept our weaknesses and repent our sins.  Seek forgiveness with the intention of sinning no more. Commit to being loyal and obedient in your faith, and know that no matter what you go through in this journey of life, Jesus will be there for you.  Trust that you have what it takes to endure, and that it is worth it to try and try, and continue to try. It is in our efforts to get it right, to stay out of Hell, and to make it to heaven that we will achieve righteousness. 

Hold onto the hope that the Lord has given you, because He does love you.

BELIEVE THAT!! PASTOR JOHN