by Pastor Ray Viola | Oct 15, 2023 | Contemporary Christianity
King Herod was troubled at the news of the birth of Jesus.1 This was because, if Jesus were King – and indeed He is2 – then Herod was no longer in that place of supremacy. How important it is for us to resist that spirit of Herod. Herod acted like he was...
by Pastor Ray Viola | Oct 3, 2023 | Contemporary Christianity
On my recent trip to India the Lord brought clarity in my heart about ‘Church life’ or life in the Spirit. Each of us who are in Christ craves for a deeper, more meaningful walk with Jesus. Likewise, we all seek to experience the moving of God’s Spirit as recorded in...
by Pastor Ray Viola | Sep 27, 2023 | Contemporary Christianity
In the last chapter of Galatians we are once again introduced to the practical application of the doctrines taught earlier in the book. A great example of this usefulness is found in the book of Romans: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that...
by Pastor Ray Viola | Sep 26, 2023 | Contemporary Christianity
Jesus said to each church He addressed in Revelation chapters 2 and 3: “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” I find it interesting that each church was not only spoken to individually, but Jesus exhorted them to take heed to what the...
by Pastor Ray Viola | Aug 20, 2023 | Contemporary Christianity
As we begin another year, we embark into uncharted and uncertain territory in the pursuit of the will of God. Face it, even though we belong to Jesus, we have no absolute certainty of what each new day will bring. Generally speaking, “there is nothing new under the...
by Pastor Ray Viola | Aug 13, 2023 | Contemporary Christianity
The Church of Corinth was among the most gifted recorded in Scripture. However, as charismatic as they were, they were equally carnal. What was one of the manifestations of their carnality? Division within the visible body. There were social and economic divisions...