Rev. Patrick O’Connor - 

We are in a season of our lives where we get a chance to start again.

We have to have an awareness of what it means to be in God‘s presence.

When you are in God’s presence, you are entirely aware of who God is.

Worship is not about you or me, it is a focus upon the living God. Anywhere you see God realize that the whole encounter is about connecting with Him.

We serve a God who is the omnipotent God, who is all-powerful, and the God who has the ability to get things done.

When you see God, what kind of God are you seeing? Are you seeing a God who is limited or are you seeing a God who is omnipotent and powerful?

Sometimes you may feel as if God isn’t there or that God has forgotten about you, but God is always present.

Our God sees and God knows EVERYTHING about everything.

Say Lord I want to be able to see you because when I see you I realize that you are a mighty God!

God is still in control!

There may be things that you are trying to solve and you can’t solve it, but when God takes care of it, it is done

He signs, seals, and delivers it because He is the omnipotent God and He WILL take care of you so trust in Him

Rev. Patrick O'Connor - 

God is in control

Anything good is worth fighting for 

Whenever God gives us a vision, associated with that vision comes tension

Have you ever set out to do something in your life, you get to the halfway mark, but there are all kinds of tension and difficulty

If God has something in store for any one of us, when we put our minds and our hearts to it, God makes it possible

If you want a better life for yourself, do the work because nothing can stop the power of a committed and determined person to make a difference in our society 

Each one of us in our generation must do our part

Do you have a mind to work?

Work takes passion, effort, imagination, and creativity, but if you go at it and give it your honest labor, you will see results 

Whatever we are going through we have to invoke the name of God and the presence of God

Our God is always working and on the throne

He breaks through barriers because our God is a God who is real and alive 

God has the last word

If God gives you a vision remember to ask and it shall be given to you 

Seek and ye shall find, Knock and the door shall be opened onto you 

Rev Marquis’  - 

Words matter 

Words are important 

Jesus is the word made in the flesh 

Words are powerful 

Sometimes the devil has a way of using you 

Gods word is used to create strengthen and encourage 

But the devil wants to hold you back 

He doesn’t want you to believe that he exists because when he starts acting out he doesn’t want you to know he exists 

But the reason why he’s attacking you is that he knows HIS end is coming 

You are filled with Gods Holy Spirit and that’s why the devil is on your tail

But you are an overcomer in this battle called life 

The enemy does not give up on you 

He waits for an opportunity to attack and stir some stuff up 

But you and I have to exercise the power to our spiritual muscle because we are in a battle 

Utilize your tools and plead the blood of Jesus over your life 

Do what God had called you and me to do and that is to defeat the devil 

Speak with authority and utilize that power and say devil get out my way!

Plead the blood of Jesus because you are a walking testimony 

Each of us has a story so stop and think how great God has been to you and proclaim that word!

Rev. Patrick O'Connor -

God gives us the shield of faith 

The shield of faith comes to us at times in our journey to make sure wherever the attack is coming from, we can maneuver and block it 

Every single one of us is under attack 

If you can be taken out of balance, you usually end up doing something which is out of character 

Some of us are under attack in such a great way that we are never able to gain momentum 

Every human being is vulnerable to an attack

One of the many gifts that God gives to us is the ability to discern 

So you should ask yourself 

What are my weak spots? 

What are some of the pathways that evil can come to me and turn me upside down 

Or what are some of the ways the devil can cause me to act out of character? 

Every single human being should spend some time knowing themselves. Take a minute to look at your vulnerability spots 

When you’re facing an attack, sometimes the attack is from the outside 

Things in your life just start to crumble and come at you in ways that you could never imagine 

On your journey, people will offer their words and opinions, but none of it can hurt you unless you let it enter your heart and your mind 

What I say and what I do and what you say and what you do, reveals the content of your heart

If you’re good at saying bad things about other people, it’s a reflection of your heart and what’s at the core of you

If you’re not careful and I’m not careful, we become as evil as those who spew out disharmony and hatred 

Say, God, Create in me a clean heart 

If you guard what is important to you, something powerful will happen to you

You are valuable, special, and important to God so don’t let the preciousness of your life go to waste

When was the last time you went for a checkup?
Many of us as we seek to be well during this time of difficulty, we have to go to Dr. Jesus
He looks upon us and ask us the question, “Are you well this morning?”
It’s possible for all of us to dress to impress and put ourselves together to appear as if we are whole and well.
But below the surface, there’s all these fears and anxieties which are causing us to act in ways which are out of character with who we are and what God has for us
One of the things that God requires from all of us is for us to be really honest and to ask ourselves, “Are you well this morning?”
Ask yourself, “Whats driving your anxiety and fear?”
Sometimes our fear and our anxiety are driven by things that happened a long time ago
It could have been one month ago, one year ago, years ago or maybe even yesterday.
Sometimes yesterday’s choice prevent you from being well today
God is speaking to us in the midst of this difficult journey
When we go to God for our checkup we have to recognize the fact that there are some parts in our life that are not well
Be in harmony and alignment with the will and the purpose of God
Look on your life and ask yourself are you lining up with what God wants
When it’s lined up with what God wants He will use it and bless you to take you somewhere different
God had something better for you
The word of God says fill your minds with the power and presence of what God wants you to have

Rev. Patrick  O’Connor - 

If you journey with God and allow Him to work in your life, it will be transformative 

But have you ever had a time in your journey, where despite your achievements and accomplishments, you are just at a point where you feel like you’re just making it 

Sometimes we feel like saying to God “I can’t do this anymore”

But there’s a battle for your life and your well-being 

If the devil can conquer and discourage you he will

One of the fundamental ways that the devil attacks Gods children is by attacking our identity 

He looks for when we’re overwhelmed or things are not going well and he says “If God loves and cares for you, this would not be happening”

When the devil attacks our identity and who we are, we have to be able to have the word of God and the truth of God to proclaim what God says about us 

In the face of the attacks say “I am a child of the living God!” 

My identity and your identity begins and ends with our relationship with God 

In this time of vulnerability, you have to get to the scriptures and remember that God loves you and that His love is ALWAYS with you. You’re not just anybody you’re a child of the living God so don’t let the enemy fill you with doubt 

Believe that God is doing a new thing 

He is moving in different ways and that God is inviting some of us to take a detour but you have to be willing to be obedient to God

There are some realities your have in life but the realities don’t negate the truth of God 

Sometimes you may feel like you’re walking in darkness but darkness doesn’t negate the truth that the lord is our light and our salvation 

Sometimes you get tired of praying or waiting but that’s when you have to hear the truth of God

When you go through times of difficulty where it feels like God has forgotten you, remember that God is still not finished with you

Focus on God and the word of God because He loves you

Rev. Marquis

Last week on Rev. Marquis’ sermon the title was, "Bread and Whine".

Sometimes in life when we deal with things that are troublesome, we get accustomed to it

You are a recipient of God/s grace and God's many blessings, but sometimes we STILL complain 

God is always speaking but are you paying attention? 

When your not paying attention, you’ll miss the word of God and what He is trying to tell you

Because when we complain it blinds the vision and our blessings

When God hears our cries for help and sees our pain, He is with us

But you and I have to realize that he is not going to change things around on our timetable or when we want it. He is going to do what and when He wants to do it because He knows what’s best for us

God will fix it but He won’t fix it the way you want 

So commit yourself to God and trust in his mighty work because if He did it before, he will do it again 

Rev. Patrick O'Connor

God always has a plan, but have you ever found yourself between a rock and a hard place? 

Sometimes it’s difficult to see any way out
If you’ve been bruised or hurt for a long while you can get addicted to the very things which are not good for you

Before we can cross over or get to where God wants us to go, many of us have to bury things that we’re carrying with us 

We have to have a bigger vision of who we are, where we are, and what can be possible rather than us settling just for a little bit

It’s time for us to say to ourselves “we want better” 

The challenge for all of us is that if we want to get to the other side we have to bury those things

The Lord will fight for you, you only need to be still

In the midst of the rock and the hard place, you have to hear the word from God because the Lord will fight for you

God will make a way even when it seems to be no way because He works in ways that we cannot see

Focus on God and the path that God has for you

You have to engage with the power of the living God 

He is a God who will fight your battles and who will create a new destiny for you

He will see us through because God ALWAYS delivers

When God has a plan, He will execute his plan

When we trust in the power and presence of God he does amazing things in our life 

Each of us has to make a decision about what do we want to be

God has something bigger and better for you

When things get off course just remember that God is with you and that God is here to tell you “Don’t walk off or turn your back on the challenge because you are victorious and you will be successful”

Choose faith over fear and start walking in your new destiny

Rev. Patrick O'Connor

What you believe about God will determine how you live your life

What you hear God say to you will determine how you think 

Sometimes you realize some good things don’t happen easily because with good things comes a struggle 

You can’t be tired when God has called you to do something of significance in your life

Sometimes we don’t know as human beings how God's plan is going to be fulfilled 

We focus on the steps and the results of the steps but God is asking us to look on the ultimate vision that he has for us 

It’s a vision of Freedom 

All of us in our prayer times and conversations with God have to ask God for a chance to see the bigger picture because if we do see the steps, the steps can discourage us

When God has a plan and a destiny for us, he will fulfill his destiny 

If you realize that God has a plan, purpose, and destiny for each of us, it means that you hear God saying you will be more than a conqueror because of His love 

When God speaks into your life and into your spirit you have to say to the devil “Go behind me and get away from me because I am living my life based upon the promise and presence of God”

God has not forgotten you and me 

Everyone is dealing with a struggle 

When you’re in the midst of a struggle, hardship, and feeling like you’re going uphill instead of running smoothly-  You and I need to hear the word of God say I am with you, I have heard your cry and I have heard your pain

God is STILL and will always be the Faithful God that He is 

Communicate with God and say God I want a real connection with you that can help me in this season of my life 

The battle is not yours but the Lord's

If you’re in a struggling place and think God has forgotten about you, ask God to give you a vision 

A vision of where He wants you to be, to give you a glimpse of what deliverance and victory will look like, and for God to fill you up with hope 

Because when God shares it with you, you have to declare it, because He has made you MORE than a conqueror

Sermon by Rev. Patrick O'Connor - Lead Pastor of FPCJ.

Summary:
Have you ever found yourself on your journey seeing miracles happen in your life and God doing amazing things? But then when you get to the point where you take the next step in your journey, you then say to Him... “God I’m worried about what could happen”

Have you been told by God that this is what the next chapter in your life should be, but instead of hearing God, you hear yourself?

Sometimes we doubt ourselves or fail to see our full potential even when we know that God is walking with us 

We ask all the “What if” questions and sike ourselves out of whatever it is we need to do or accomplish 

But as long as we listen to God and speak God's truth we will be in good hands 

God's truth has the ability to do what human words can’t do 

God's word will take you to places where you can’t believe AND will do what only God can do

When God wants to speak his word to all of us He is able to communicate in a masterful way

He’s telling us to stop making excuses and just speak the word of God

God will always equip us when we’re willing to go with Him

Something all of us suffer with is doubt, disbelief, diminishing, discounting, and being dismissive 

We doubt our gifts and abilities, but also what God can do

Don’t discount what God has done on your journey 

Look back on your life and where you’ve come from, realize how blessed and highly favored you are. Lift your hands up to God each and every day and praise God for his goodness, presence, and provision

Each and every day you should wake up with a vision of you winning because God is in control 

Whatever you feed your mind with and whatever you focus on affects your performance. If you don’t master your mind your mind will master you and sabotage your purpose, mission, and calling 

Look on the power of the word of God 

God is still working through you

God doesn’t call the capable, he makes you capable 

God doesn’t call the skilled and the competent, He will empower and uplift you 

He knows what he’s doing in my life and in your life.