107 Coldren Street, Johnstown, Pennsylvania 15904, United States
Upcoming Sermons & Devotional Message
OCTOBER SERMONS 2026
10-4 - Don’t Be In a Hurry to Go Nowhere
Psalms 37:3-7 Philippians 4: 11-14
World Communion Sunday – Communion will be at the altar
10-11 - Develop a Culture of Call
1 Samuel 3:1-8 Matthew 4: 18-20
10-18 - Build a Clock, Don’t Keep Time
Psalms 90-1-4 Matthew 20”25-34
10-25- Know When to Step Aside
2 Kings 2:9-11 John 3: 25-30
Devotional Message : These will change 1-2 times a week. Stop by often to read the new message.
Some Thoughts on Claiming Prosperity versus Living Generously
I believe God invites us to be stewards of all we have so we can live generously and honor him. But while we want prosperity, we sometimes shun living generously.
I’m concerned we sometimes act as if God is a genie with a magic lamp—and if we ask in just the right way, we’ll get “whatever” we want. Thinking this way usually reveals a broken “wanter” as we attempt to manipulate God to give us whatever we want. It’s a futile exercise, but we try nonetheless.
The prophet Micah addressed our propensity to claim prosperity rather than live generously:
“If a liar and deceiver comes and says, ‘I will prophesy for you plenty of wine and beer,’ that would be just the prophet for this people!” (Micah 2:11)
False prophets usually spoke a message of prosperity, such as “God is sending plenty of wine and beer!” Since this is what people wanted to hear, these false prophets were very popular. Little has changed since then.
The same is true today. The most popular preachers are often those who preach health, wealth, and happiness through faith in Jesus Christ. These are false prophets who preach a prosperity gospel: “God wants to bless you with wealth.” “Name it and claim it!”
While very appealing, it’s not what Jesus promised. Jesus instead warned,
“In this world you will have trouble…” (John 16:33)
And that’s what the early church experienced.
The author of the New Testament letter to the Hebrews writes,
“You suffered along with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions.” (Hebrews 10:34)
The gospel of Jesus Christ isn’t necessarily the best news for our present age, but it is the best news for the age to come. This distinction is important.
If Christians are taught to expect too much in this age, they’ll become disillusioned. But if they're taught to expect hardship, they won’t be surprised when it happens. Life in a wicked world is not easy for believers, but those who stand firm to the end will be saved (Matthew 10:22).
Get to know the difference between claiming prosperity and living generously, my friends!
Bishop Jeff Greenway
Some Thoughts on God's Protection
Life can be hard. Accidents happen. Illness comes. Friends disappoint. Tragedies occur. Relationships end. People die. We hurt. Sometimes the difficulties of life give us reason to question the faithfulness and presence of God. We find ourselves asking, “Why? Why this? Why that? Why now? Why me? Why?"
Even if I discover the answer to the “why” questions, I’ve learned it doesn’t always help me move forward. Experience has taught me to shift the question from “Why?” to “What now?” Or, “What's God trying to do?” Or, “Where's God in this?” I find that when I stop focusing on the heartache and start focusing on the Savior, I can see Him.
In Luke’s Gospel account of the Sermon on the Plain, Jesus gives us an incredible promise:
“Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” (Luke 12:6, 7)
It’s easy to believe God cares for us when things are going well; but with these words, God assures us He cares for us even when things go poorly. If God watches over the sparrows, how much more will He watch over us?
I was at a resort when I saw a bird fly into a large window and break its neck. I went outside to investigate, and beneath the window were several other birds that died the same way. And how many birds have fallen prey to their natural enemies?
Jesus wasn’t talking about sparrows chirping nicely in a tree, but about those that had been captured and were being sold for lunch. They were so common you could buy two for a penny (Matthew 10:29). And for two pennies, you could get an extra one free. But even the free sparrow was not forgotten by God.
God doesn’t promise bad things will never happen to us, but that nothing bad will happen to us He will not turn into good (Romans 8:28).
Trust in God’s presence when life hurts, my friends! You're precious to Him!
Bishop Jeff Greenway