God bless!

                The timer is ringing, the alarm is sounding and the voice inside says "its too late, you failed!". Im sure many of us have felt this kind of pressure throughout our life and sometimes this pressure has actually helped us to realize our potential. Was it easy? Of course not but, today I come with a short message for us, to let us know that God is holding the time still for us to get right! I know you and I have messed up many times, we have made the wrong decisions and even walked in the wrong path but that never stopped God from loving us and it never will. Now that doesn't mean we should continue to do whats wrong, quite the opposite it should motivate us to do whats right. This Sunday be prepared to get a jolt from the Almighty, He has been waiting for this day for a long time and the time for you and I to receive what we are in need for is now! Im not just typing today im giving you a free word from the throne room itself. You and I have a date with God, will we stand Him up?

Putting on my Sunday shoes!

Pastor Joell A. Perez

God bless!

                Once again we find ourselves at the close of a month and the beginnings of another. What has changed over the last month in your life? If your answer to this is nothing then there is something wrong. As children of the Most High God there has to be a renewing in our life daily. You may say "how is that supposed to happen?" My only answer to you is that your feelings have to change for the better daily even if it is a little bit. I'm not saying we are not going to have off days, we all do! What I am saying is after a month we should be able to look back and say I felt this but now I feel that, I was this but now I am that. The first step in changing our situation is prayer, this Sunday is our monthly congregational fasting and prayer service. What a better time than this to get change rolling in our lives? I encourage you over the next 24 hours to email me your prayer requests and I mostly encourage you to get to church this Sunday and be part of the motion and movement to a blessed July. I don't know about you but I rather be a participator than a mere spectator. Don't let change and blessings pass you by.

Praying for major breakthroughs in my life!

Pastor Joell  A. Perez

God bless!

                Can you really live on love? I know most of us would respond to this question "are you crazy?", love? What is love? The question of love is one that has been debated for centuries but at the end of it all the word love is not a feeling but an action. It's not the butterflies in your stomach or anything like that. Love is the ability to do for someone else regardless of what that someone else can offer or provide to you. Community service is love, the efforts invested into the work is the exact definition of love. Now some do community service because they have to where others do a community service because they remember when they were in the community and had a need that either was or wasn't satisfied and they can recall how they felt due to that.

                Is this all a hoax to get you to do something in church? Of course not, this is an alert to all those that want to serve God that the best way to His heart is through His little ones. Do you want to show God you love Him? Can you remember all the things He has done for you? Do you appreciate Him? If the answer is yes then today with all of your strength and all of your soul, commit to serving His little ones. How do I know this will work? I try to do it every day and I feel He has blessed me for it. It's not always the blessing I may desire but then again maybe I'm not ready for it. When all is said and done if I truly love Him the way I saw and think I do then I will show it with my actions, will you?

Trying to do the right thing,

Pastor Joell A. Perez

Mark 12:30 "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.'

God bless!

                Today we will start the day right! Today I challenge you to look in the mirror and see not your flaws but rather your positive attributes. Look around at all God has given you, think of your job, your kids, your home, etc. Is there really any reason to be unhappy? So he left you, so she left you, so he cheated, so she cheated, so your mom and dad weren't around, so what! Can crying about any of this change the situation? Of course not so let's put on our big boy and big girl pants and look at life straight in the eyes and tell it "my time is now!". Don't wait till it's too late to start enjoying your today!

Getting ready for change,

Pastor Joell A. Perez

God bless!

                Have you ever had a conversation with someone that you knew was analizing your every word? You felt so uncomfortable you started stuttering and you became confused? I'm sure like I have, you have found yourself in very similar situations. So what is this all about today? As a believer your words, actions and even thoughts will be second guessed, analized and "interpreted", though this is a difficult process it is life nonetheless. What do we do? The same thing Jesus did, look at the face value of the topic as well as the face value of the individual and answer or ignore accordingly. In other words don't explain yourself if you don't have to and don't try to pretend to be someone you aren't to please others. Its Monday and with no doubt the hardest day of the week for most of us but let's start this week right!  Today I encourage you to break the trend of trying to be a religious defender and instead become a religious offender by simply loving..

Eliminating toxic thoughts,

Pastor Joell A. Perez

Mark 12: 13-17 "Later they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to Jesus to catch him in his words...."

God bless,

                                Have you ever spent time discussing religion with a person from another faith? Did it go far at all? Did you ever spend time with someone that was a non-believer trying to convince them that they Had to become a Christian? How did that go? How did it feel when they brought things up like:

1)      The church is full of hypocrites

2)      The church only wants your money

3)      Is your church a cult

4)      Etc..

I'm sure like I have you each have grown frustrated at times trying to convince people that "the Way" was the right way but not everyone will see or receive what you and I have to say. So what's my point here today? It's simple, don't waste your breath on people who want to contend religion but rather invest your time with people that are seeking a higher degree of relationship. The church was never built with the teachers of the law but rather with the worst of the earth (no offense to any of us). We have to begin to go back to the basics, Jesus followed this same strategy reaching out to those that were discarded rather than the priest and elders of the places He visited. Today I encourage you to reach out to someone that is imperfect, rather than tell them what you are all about show them your beliefs through your actions. This will convert the heart of anyone.

Moving away from trying to prove Christ to people who are not receiving,

Pastor Joell A. Perez

Mark 11:33 "So they answered Jesus, "We don't know." Jesus said, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things."

God bless!

                Did you know that the opening sentence of any article, letter, book etc. is the hardest line to write? The reason this is true is because we are all like forceful waters behind a dam, much to say but we try to contain the words so that we don't offend anyone (can I get an Amen?). Could you imagine what our lives would be like if we always said what was on our mind? I know all the "Hard" people are thinking "I always say what's on my mind", but if that was true I wouldn't be emailing you right now because you would probably be unbearable. I have to be real. What am I writing about today? I'm writing to all the couples out there and I have an important message for you: HOLD ON! I know it's not easy but I also know it is possible to have a happy marriage if you simply believe. You have to believe in God and then you have to allow Him to change you (yes you!!!). A relationship has to be the most difficult thing in this life to maintain in good terms, but that doesn't mean it's impossible. Coming from someone that wanted to run, scream and hide so many times I can talk to you in certainty that there is hope for you and yours as there was for me and mine. There will be ups and downs but focus on the ups for a moment and think of all the good that you have received throughout your time together. I know if you are going through a hard patch this is hard to do but man / woman up and do it! There is hope..hold on to Him..He knows your needs better than you know them yourself..don't let go..just let God!

To the singles: get ready and be strong because what you desire comes with a big price tag, ask yourself before you do, "Do I & am I willing to pay the price?".

Pastor Joell

God bless!

                As I type this email my heart cries out for the people this will impact. Many of us are currently going through a season of confusion, not because we don't know what to do but rather we don't know where to do it. I come today moved by God to tell you that all you have to do is Have Faith. I know for some of us moving out of our comfort zone is frightening but it necessary, we have been on pause for way too long and God is not a God of pause but of movement. He seeks people after His own heart and you and I are just the right people. You may be wondering how do we start the process? It's simple Have faith in God!

Looking toward tomorrow,

Pastor Joell  A. Perez

Mark 11:22 "Have faith in God," Jesus answered."

God bless!

                Have you ever gone to lay in your bed with a pair of muddy sneakers? Have you ever opened the sunroof on your car when it was pouring outside? Have you ever stopped and glanced at cars as they drove fast towards you? Of course not! Why am I saying all of this? Because there is a time and a place for everything in this life and we would never mix certain things together. The verse today talks about mixing the House of God with business, don't do it! I've known many people during my many years in ministry as a leader or even as a simple member that have truly destroyed churches because of their desire to make a quick buck. Do you know any? People who could take advantage of single mothers, low income families, immature adults, etc. there is no room in church for this type of action and Jesus shared this same sentiment. In fact He shared it so much that He got physical to prove the point.

In life there must be certain areas we retain as sacred and the House of God should be the highest on our list to maintain this way. Am I lecturing today? I hope none of us take it that way but at the end of the day we all have to respect His house for what it is, HIS HOUSE! Would we go into a court with a hat on and a drink in our hand? Would we talk on a cell phone during a court case? Would we go to a funeral and allow our kids to jump and scream? (don't go their Pastor.) I'm sure we all know the answer to these questions.

Preparing to turn the tables,

Pastor Joell A. Perez

Mark 11:17 "And as he taught them, he said, "Is it not written: ?My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations'? But you have made it ?a den of robbers."

God bless!

                I pray you had a blessed father's day, start this week like you mean it. Expect huge things this week and don't take less than what you deserve! I'm going to keep it short and sweet today because today is your day and you and I need to just get to it and be productive! Don't take no for an answer as the answer from God to you is YES.

Pastor Joell  A. Perez

God bless!

                No more standing still! Isn't it interesting how we can grow comfortable in bad situations? We can get used to being broke, being sick, being unhappy. Why? It's simple it takes less energy and drive to remain where we are than to push for a positive change. Though the previous statement seems to be true, as Christians we can see time and time again how Jesus wouldn't declare healing over someone or impose a hand but rather He gave orders and as they obeyed they received what they required. What if God told you today to walk down that road you haven't  traveled before, would you do it? What if He told you to go get counseling, would you do it? What if He told you to Get a Job, would you do it? I know these statements and questions sound silly but if we can be honest for a moment how many of us simply have stood still and not seen any change in our life for some time. Too deep for a Friday morning I know but the fact that this is Father's day weekend and He is the greatest Father there is, what better gift to give Him than to see us change and be happy? Want to change then Go!!!!! Now is the time, you have been waiting for a sign.here it is. You have been waiting for confirmation well you have been CONFIRMED! Have a great weekend!

Pastor Joell A. Perez

Mark 10:52 "Go," said Jesus, "your faith has healed you." Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road."

God bless!

                Have you ever had one of those uncomfortable conversations where the other person you were talking to was making circles around the topic. They just couldn't seem to get to the reason they were talking to you until that moment that finally it came out! It's not only frustrating but at times its quite annoying, don't you agree? The reason I'm talking about this today is because of the verse below and the story it pertains to. Jesus was a very direct individual, when He was upset He expressed it, when He was doing something He was so focused that even His family couldn't distract Him. Today I encourage you to hear the voice of God through this email, He is asking you and I today straight out "What do you want me to do for you?" I know what I need from Him and I'm not afraid to ask, are you? Let's stop beating around the bush with God and go right to it. What do we have to lose?

Making my request,

Pastor Joell

Mark 10:51 "What do you want me to do for you?" Jesus asked him."

God bless!

                So you said you want to be in charge, huh? We all at one time or another want to be able to rule around us, we all want to be the decision maker but what many of us don't realize is that with the title comes great responsibility. As a person who is a leader I can tell you it's not all it seems cracked up to be. Many decisions will be questioned, many people will doubt but ultimately we must always do what is right for the service of the group we lead. Yes you heard right not what's best for us but what's best for those around us. This is the hard part about being a good leader, to be considered a good leader you have to consider everyone else's needs before your own. Where did I come up with this? The verse below is as clear as can be, if you want to be "great" you must start by being a servant.

Do you need anything?

Pastor Joell  A. Perez

Mark 10:43 "Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,"

God bless!

                Let me get right to the point here today: You are blessed! You are Blessed! You are blessed! I don't care what anyone ever has said to you, you have been designed to be victorious! You may have been overlooked for that promotion at work but you are still blessed! You may have been left at the altar but you are still blessed! You may have been looked upon as a reject in school but you are blessed! Your mom and dad may have given you up as a baby but you are still blessed! There is absolutely nothing you cannot overcome and absolutely nothing you can't accomplish. Though your sickness may be life threatening, your God is life Giving! Let me relay a message to you (and myself) today: God is aware of your New Beginnings and He has a plan that exceeds your small expectations. The changes start today, if you and I embrace the fact that with God there is nothing impossible I promise you that He will show Himself real in your life today. Not tomorrow, not the day after but today! Yes I'm talking to you. Man may tell you that it won't happen, you won't accomplish it but I respond to that with the verse below..

Mark 10:27 "Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God."

God bless!

                I observed someone over this weekend doing something very interesting that sparked my interest in the verse of the day. The individual looked at a child and told him something that was exaggerated, to say the least but, the interesting part of the story was the natural tendency of the child to blindly believe what he was told. Why is this relevant? The verse today talks about how we have to become like children once again if we desire to enter into the Kingdom of God, why is that? Children are simple! They are not like you and I, when they are told something they believe it and don't question what they are told. They listen and walk at the command they are given, they don't try to figure out why, they confide that the adult has a plan for their good. Do we confide when God directs us? Do we question or even laugh at Gods commands? Do we believe or do we try to explain to God why He is wrong? I know you haven't done it but I have! In all this the lesson for today is simple, we have to stop being so prideful and think we are the last coca cola in the dessert and start realizing that God not only has control over everything but He will assure our good because that's what He does. Today is a fresh start, even if we have questioned Him in the past today is the perfect day to believe that He will make a way even in our difficult situation.

Believing..

Pastor Joell  A. Perez

Mark 10:15 "Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it."

God bless!

                As a parent can you imagine being separated from your child? Doesn't it even bother us to think such a thought? Can we even consider a moment of not knowing where our children are? I'm sure as "special" as our kids can be, at no point would we feel comfortable not knowing where they are. Why am I talking about this? The same way we can't fathom the thought of being away from our children is the same way we shouldn't be comfortable with being away from our spouses. I'm sure many are saying "but Pastor I'm not married" so let's take it to the level of relationship between us and God. Every moment away from our spouses and or God should cause that unease within us. We should desire to be around them at all times, never to run from them but rather to run to them in good times and in bad. I know it's not easy but I also know it's not impossible. I will leave you this week with a remembrance of the fact that you and I have been united to God and our spouses, this weekend I encourage you to seek hard after God and do something special for your spouse. Not because I said so, but because we all made a covenant to do these things unconditionally.

Eager for Sundays service,

Pastor Joell  A. Perez

Mark 10:9 "Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate."

God bless!

                Isn't it interesting how though religion is supposed to be all about unity for the most part it is more separated than the world itself? How is it that we can walk down a city block and count up to 10 churches on that one block? Who decided that there was different denominations and different interpretations? Who took it upon themselves to start "something new"? how is it that we can see people from a church in our neighborhood and we try to avoid them because they "don't go to my church!" When did the Messiah come down and speak to a particular individual differently than He has to us all? When did people start getting sick because they left one church and went to another? When did God start punishing people because they went to a concert to see a Christian artist? As you can see I'm very passionate about this subject because to me it is man that has manipulated all of these "feelings" . Are we are such blank canvases that instead of reading the Bible we take what is said by our leaders as gospel?

                Please don't misunderstand my tirade as a reason to rebel against your leadership (unless they are spewing this garbage into your head of course). We were formed to select church membership based on variables such as location, language, sound doctrine, demographics and ultimately relationships. In other words as long as they are not preaching anti-biblical doctrine or living outrageously sinful you are good. I say outrageously sinful because in case we were not aware, all of us Sin (including you), we just have to be weary of situations where people don't want to change but rather sit in Sin. In the verse from today we see how the disciples actually stopped people from doing the work of the Lord because they were not "one of them". Really? What made them different? Why do we look at certain Christians and judge them for where they go? Does this make us feel better about our own sin? I want to be clear with one thing "if we have accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior then we are Christians", this doesn't mean we are Sinless we all make mistakes but it does mean that the Jesus's Blood accounts for all of our sins (not just us at NBMI). The moral of the story today is we have to begin to be "United" by the blood rather than the name of a church. Let's get over ourselves and realize that it's not about our ministry but about the ministry that Jesus established.

Shaking my head at us all!

Pastor Joell A. Perez

P.S. this is very much experience speaking today as I have sat on both sides of this issue J

Mark 9:38 "Teacher," said John, "we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us."

God bless!

                In life there is always going to be someone who makes you nervous when you speak to them, whether a teacher, boss, leader, pastor, authority figure, etc. I'm sure you know that feeling of discomfort, as you speak your words get twisted, your thoughts get squed and you find yourself blabbering about things you shouldn't. Each of us has experienced it at one point or another, so why am I bringing any of this up? Well that feeling we had was birthed due to a lack of intimacy or relationship and many of us still feel like that when it comes to God. Yes I said God, when the thought of being in His presence arises all of a sudden we break down in tears or surprise (and we should be excited) but the fact remains why the impact? The impact is there because though it should be a normal occurrence to be in His presence for many of us it is not. Don't feel bad the same thing occurred to the disciples, in the verse we are covering today the disciples are said to be "afraid" to ask Him a question. If they really knew His heart for them, would they be afraid or would they be assured that He would comfort them?

                It's so easy for us to sit back and read scripture and bash the disciples but the truth is, we are worse at this because we see their mistakes and continue to make the same ones! I'm not trying to make us feel bad today but I am trying to get us to the point where we come out of denial and realize that the image of God that many of us have is just plain wrong. He would never harm us, He would never forget us and He will never leave us. It's not in Him to do wrong, He is righteousness and always will be. The moral of the message today is simply to come before the Father with mistakes and all, He will correct us and will make sure we get on the right track. Don't be afraid to talk to Him and don't be afraid to go back to Him if you have strayed, we all have and He has received and will always receive us all!

Thanking God for His awesome mercy,

Pastor Joell  A. Perez

Mark 9:32 "But they did not understand what he meant and were afraid to ask him about it."

God bless!

                Let me paint a picture for you: a young boy is asked to play basketball one day in a park, it is his first time playing the sport so he isn't able to even hit the back board with the ball. This young boy grows frustrated and vows to do better, he begins to practice daily, wakes us early and does nothing but think, eat and breathe basketball. A couple of months later he is asked to play basketball again but the result is totally different then the first time  (a million times better), why? Of course we know it's because he has been practicing and it has made him a much better player. In scripture it reminds us repeatedly of how we are to seek after Him without ceasing, praying day and night, why?

                The same reason the boy practiced basketball is the reason we need to pray and seek His face. The more we do it the better we will get at it and the easier we can perform the benefits that come along with it. Why am I talking about all of this? The verse of today is a verse where the disciples are unable to cast out a demon from a boy because of what Jesus describes as a lack of prayer. It's not that praying is the key to it but rather the key is the result of praying which is relationship developed through prayer. How many of us can honestly say that we pray every day (besides before we go to sleep and eat that is)? How many of us read the bible every day (not just reading the verse below the devotionals)? This isn't meant to make any of us feel bad but quite the opposite, this should motivate us to learn from the mistake of the disciples. Just like the disciples we will find ourselves in situations where only our relationship with God will bring results and clarity, these items will not be there if we don't fine tune our relationship with God. Do you want just a bit of Him or all of Him?

Praying..

Pastor Joell  A. Perez

Mark 9:29 "He replied, "This kind can come out only by prayer."

God bless!

                Have you ever sat by a window on a rainy day and seen the skies pitch black as the water fell violently towards the ground and wondered how this awful looking day can get better and all of a sudden it stopped raining, then the clouds passed over until they disappeared and ultimately the sun came out and began to shine? Though at some point it seemed impossible for the skies to clear up, it eventually did. The verse we will review today is one where right before the young boy was healed the devil gave him a shake to try to knock him out (are you getting shaken right now?). It may seem like the world is about to end right now but I come with good news for you today; it isn't. In fact I would venture on telling you today that what you are going through today is the devils last attempt to knock you out of your current situation. I'll give you more good news; he will be unsuccessful at detouring you from Gods great purpose for your life. Many may look at our current state and think "there is no hope, they are done" but God wants us to know today that when the devil stops He starts! Look at today as a great opportunity for you to shine in the Glory of God. I will leave you with this bit of information: God made today with the specific reason of blessing you and me, are you willing to receive it?

Waiting for something BIG,

Pastor Joell A. Perez

Mark 9:26 "The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, "He's dead."

God bless!

                Can you imagine being Jesus for a moment and having established such a flawless testimony for some time where you lifted up the dead, healed the sick, freed the possessed, etc. and someone decided to question your ability? If you can? If you can? Of course He can! This man that we will read about had a serious issue with faith (just like all of us) but it was enhanced when he was in the presence of Jesus Himself and didn't have the mindset to understand and accept His greatness. He asked Him "If you can", Jesus immediately questions the man and says "If you can?", why do you think? My thoughts are simply that He was a bit frustrated already with the people (yes Jesus grew frustrated also see verse 19) so when questioned I could see Jesus with a disbelieving face and a response to the man but then He looks at the man straight in the face and gives him the message that I bring to you today:

Everything is possible for one who believes!

                I'm sure I'm not the only one who needed to hear this message today, as God put this message on my heart He simply reminded me that all the efforts I have attempted in life have not been in vain. It does count for something and though we may not see the ideal result as of yet He encourages us today to stay focused, remain strong and KNOW that He will do whatever He promised for us because He does not lie! Man has lied but He is the Truth and He cannot deny Himself and He won't deny you the happiness that you seek. Hold on because change is on the way! Our job is simply to accept His change in our lives with an open heart knowing He will only give us what's best for us. Can we believe?

Hyped up for change,

Pastor Joell A. Perez

Mark 9:23 ""?If you can'?" said Jesus. "Everything is possible for one who believes."