Covington Drive COGOP

Faithful to Another – Pastor’s Pen

sdaniel — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 04:35:21 +0000

Jesus, in Luke 16:12, makes a very interesting statement…one that provides a perspective on faithfulness you would not expect,

“And if you have not been faithful in the use of that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own?”

Jesus makes it clear. You have to be faithful in something that is someone else’s before He will fulfill your dream or open doors for you.

God gives each of us opportunities to help others. And He looks for us to faithfully help others before He blesses us. For example, Joseph had to help Pharaoh with his dream, before God allowed Joseph’s dream to come to pass.

Maybe you have a dream to be super rich for the purpose of spreading the gospel. You would like to see the gospel go around the world. Or you would like to pay off the debt on your church’s building. Or you would like to fund a certain mission organization.

I think the Kingdom could use a multitude of very wealthy people who have a heart for the lost and a desire to see God’s work succeed and expand.

But first you need to be faithful working for that person who has hired you. You have to be faithful in that which is another man’s. God is not going to open a door for you to fulfill the dream you have if you do not show up for work on time, or if you do not put in a full day’s work. Why would God open the door for you to lead your own successful business if you have not been faithful working for someone else?

You must serve that other person with all of your heart, or that other company you are working for first, before God will proper you. It is a Kingdom principle.

In Loving Memory of Jelani Akins Walker

sdaniel — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 02:59:13 +0000

“Jelani Akins Walker left us on April 8, 2010. He passed away in the comfort of his own bedroom. He didn’t want to die yet, but he also recognized that his illness made it a strong possibility that the end was near. He accepted it and was content at the end of his days.” Quote from his Obituary.

Please pray for the Walker and Burger family.

Update on the Marquel Peters Tragedy

sdaniel — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 02:19:46 +0000

What has come of this?
Not despair, but Hope

It has been two months since Marquel went home to be with the Lord and since that time we have struggled, we have cried, we have pondered, and we have searched within ourselves and each other seeking an understanding of what transpired. So, what has come of it? The Word says in Ecclesiastes 7 verse 8 that, “Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof…”. Truly those of us that attended Marquel’s homegoing can attest to that. We were privy to testimonies declaring how many souls were brought to Christ through such a small child. Family, friends, and strangers spoke of his kind spirit and happy nature. In his passing, as awful as it was, God used Marquel to win souls to His kingdom. Marquel’s life was a testimony that many of us dream ourselves to have. What an awesome display of God’s glory and great love!

We may never understand God’s motives, but this we know, He is just. He works all things together for good to them that love Him and are called according to His purpose. Marquel was called and his life was ordained for a great purpose. In his four years he has won more souls than many that still remain. So as you ask yourself what has come of what happened, recall the testimonies that you heard from the various churches and visitors that stood up and shared with us. They were victorious testimonies wroth by God through Marquel. Keep in mind Jeremiah 1:5 where God declares, “ Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” As Marquel was born and left this earth fulfilling the purpose of God, so should we. How awesome it would be to know that we were also mightily used of God. So what indeed came of the events of January 1, 2010? Not despair, but Hope.

May the Lord Bless you

Lloyd G. Phipps, Sr.
Senior Pastor

Robbing God-of What

sdaniel — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 03:59:49 +0000

Malachi 3:8-9 gives us a sober warning,

“Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, ‘In what way have we robbed You?’ In tithes and offerings. You are cursed with a curse, for you have robbed Me, even this whole nation.”

Now if you think about this statement, you have to ask, “How do you rob God? I mean, really, what does that mean?”

There are two ways we rob God when we refuse to tithe:

1. We rob God of honor that is due Him. In Proverbs 3:9 it says to, Honor the LORD with your possessions, and with the firstfruits of all your increase. By giving God the first part of our income, we are honoring Him as being first in our lives. We demonstrate faith in His promise to supply our needs as well—and God is honored by our faith.

2. We rob God of the opportunity to bless us. In Malachi 3:10, God promises to bless us if we bring Him the first tenth of our income (the tithe).

The promise in Proverbs is that our barns will be filled with plenty if we will honor the Lord with our first fruits (Proverbs 3:9-10).

He can bless us. He desires to bless us. Let us not rob Him of the opportunity to do so, nor of the honor that is due Him.

Have a blessed day

Lloyd G. Phipps, Sr.
Senior Pastor

A Shepherd Dies Serving in Haiti

sdaniel — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 03:53:01 +0000

District Overseer, Quinteria Rosario, eulogized Juan Sanchez as a man who died as he lived; serving others. Pastor Sanchez died on Saturday, January 30, apparently from a bacterial infection, shortly after returning from a humanitarian mission to help build a temporary home for the 68 orphans from the Church of God of Prophecy’s orphanage in the quake-ravaged Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince. Click here for more …

Update on our brothers and sisters on Haiti

sdaniel — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 03:47:59 +0000

Bishop Flavio Rosario and Pastor Quiterio Rosario were able to make their way into Port-au-Prince on Saturday and met with Bishop Dorlean, overseer of Haiti, and some of our Haitian brothers. The long journey into the Haitian capital was slowed by traffic, clogging the roads as others sought to deliver aid. At many points the roadways were made impassable by debris so although delayed, the Dominican team arrived safely. They delivered enough food and water to the children at the orphanage to last about a week. Bishop Dorlean was overwhelmed by the support and could not find words to express his gratitude for this act of Christian solidarity. Bishop Benjamin Feliz, Director of Finance and Publications, was able to speak with Brother Dorlean and encourage him of the global church’s full support for Haiti in this hour of crisis.

Click here to here to see a video from David David Bryan …
Click here to donate …

Perspective From the Pastor’s Pen – Could it be Today?

sdaniel — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 03:11:40 +0000

People worry about many things that are going on in our world today: earthquakes, famine, pestilence, war and rumors of war (Matt 24:7 paraphrased).

Now, it is easy to be concerned about these things, but earlier in that passage, in verse 3, we find out why we should not worry:

Matt 24:3
Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”

Jesus was answering the question about the signs of His return, and what will point to the end of the age. That is why He said, “When you see these things begin to come to pass, it is not time to start worrying.”

It is time to lift up your head because He is coming soon! Hallelujah! Think about it. When you open up the paper today and read about the things happening in the Middle East, it seems like Bible prophecy is being fulfilled almost on a weekly basis. What a time we are living in!

Beloved, Christ is going to return, and from the way things are shaping up, it is not far off at all. I want to live like He is coming back today, and I want to plan and work like He won’t be back for a hundred years.

But it could be any day.

Jesus is coming soon. Are you ready to meet Him? Think about it. Are you living in a way that you know when Jesus Christ comes, you won’t be ashamed at His coming? I pray you will be able to look up with a joyful face and heart and say, “Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly!”

COGOP In the Throes of the Haiti Quake

sdaniel — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 03:31:57 +0000

It has been more than 48 hours since a 7.0 quake pummeled Port-au-Prince, capital of Haiti, demolishing the already tenuous existence of millions in this nation that shares an island with the Dominican Republic. The Church of God of Prophecy, its members, and ministries have not escaped unscathed. Click here to read more …

Excerpt from COGOP Connections, GLOBAL OUTREACH SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

Brother Albert Carty Went Home to be With the Lord

sdaniel — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 03:16:06 +0000

Albert Carty

Our dear brother Albert Carty went home to be with the Lord on Saturday, January 16^th, 2010. Our hearts and prayers are with the Carty Family.

The Carty family has asked that donations be made to the Levi Thompson Scholarship Fund in lieu of flowers. Checks can be made to the church of God of Prophecy. Please indicate in the memo line either Albert Carty Funeral or the Levi Thompson Scholarship Fund.

Click here for the wake information
Click here for the Homegoing Celebration information

Monica Rosemarie Shepperd Went Home to be With the Lord

sdaniel — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 03:11:00 +0000

Our dear Sister Monica Rosemarie Shepperd went home to be with the Lord on January 13, 2010. Our hearts and prayers are with the Thompson Family. Please click here to see the complete homegoing information.

“And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.” – Revelation 21:4