In the book of Ecclesiastes, it says that there is a time for everything under the sun.

There is a time to prepare, a time to practice, a time to take the test, a time to maneuver obstacles, but I do not see a time to panic or a time to live in fear.

God has a plan and a time for things in our lives, and He does not need us adding anything to His plan like fear or panic. God did not say that we would never have storms in our lives, but He did promise to be with us through our storms in life. We must learn to trust Him and know that we can make it through with Him by our side. Remember that God will not allow us to go through anything we cannot handle.\

Proverbs 17:22

22: A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. NLT

When storms come, we must prepare for them because if we are not prepared, we will panic. Please do not prepare and panic. If you spend the time to prepare for the storms in your life, then why would you waste your time in fear of the storms? If you pray, then you should believe what you prayed for and, if you are not going to believe, then why pray? Every storm we go through helps prepare us for the next one that will come if we learn from our experiences. Every storm should bring us closer to God and enable us to trust and rely on Him more and more. Fear, mistrust and panic will crush our spirit and God wants better than that for us. A broken spirit will take your strength and crush you, but being cheerful, content and happy will, like good medicine, make you feel better.

Jeremiah 29:11

11: For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. NIV

God is the one who has the plans for our lives and we need to follow His plans. We need to submit our lives to His will and obey His rules, not just the ones that do not interfere with our plans.

If there were a hurricane coming, it would do no good to only board up half of your house. You would be unprepared for the storm. When we take our eyes off God and put our eyes on the storm, we get distracted. Fear and panic are distractions in our lives and those distractions produce delays in what God has for us. Some things that distract us are:

· Television; sports and entertainment

· Material extremes – an overindulgence in anything will become a distraction

· Storms in life – whether a hurricane or a spiritual storm

· Work, when placed above God and commitments we made to God

Prepare for every storm in life by getting your house ready for a hurricane and getting your body and spirit ready for God’s plan for your life.

Pastor Tony Guadagnino

Christian Love Fellowship Church

I was talking to a Broward Sheriff Officer I know who works in Deerfield Beach. I told him that he almost caught me speeding a few days before that. I told him where he was, and that he had just pulled the person a few cars in front of me over. Of course, I was bragging because I got away with it and the other person did not. However, he said something to me that stuck with me and I will never forget what he said. He said very plainly, “You speed because you don’t see the results of it every day.” I kind of blew it off with that whatever attitude, but then I began to think. Why do I have to see the results of speeding to make me drive the speed limit? I know what kind of things can happen, and I don’t have to see it to believe it. Then, I began to think about God’s word and what the Bible has to say about so many different things that are relevant to my life. I began to think about all the things I have learned from the Bible. Doubting Thomas got his nickname because he was the doubter and he had to see it to believe it.

JOHN 20:26-29

26 Eight days later, the disciples were together again, and this time Thomas was with them. The doors were locked; but suddenly, as before, Jesus was standing among them. “Peace be with you,” he said.

27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and look at my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!”

28 “My Lord and my God!” Thomas exclaimed.

29 Then Jesus told him, “You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.”

NLT

The emphasis throughout the Gospel of John is on believing. There are nearly 100 references in this Gospel to believing in Jesus Christ. The Bible says that “faith comes from hearing the word of God,” not from seeing with your eyes. We do not only believe what we see, but, we believe what we cannot see. We have faith in our God. The Bible also says that “without faith, it is impossible to please God.” We must have faith to please God, yes, but we must believe. If we have to see in order to believe, then we are looking for a sign that requires no faith at all, on our part, only sight. If we are looking for something we need to see in order to believe, then what will happen when we see something that is the opposite of what we want or what we are praying for? We not only believe and have faith in things that we cannot see, but we also need to have faith when things actually look bad and when we are praying for one thing, but the exact opposite is happening. We need to have faith in God’s word and trust Him. Do not quit, do not give up, and never give in. Keep Praying!

Tony Guadagnino is the pastor at Christian Love Fellowship Church.

I came across these facts awhile back and thought I would share them with you since it is the time of year that we celebrate our independence.

Did you know?

As you walk up the steps to the building which houses the U.S. Supreme Court, you can see, near the top of the building, a row of the world’s law givers, and, each one is facing one in the middle, who is facing forward with a full frontal view.

It is Moses and he is holding the Ten Commandments!

As you enter the Supreme Court courtroom, the two huge oak doors have the Ten Commandments engraved on each lower portion of each door. As you sit inside the courtroom, you can see the wall, right above where the Supreme Court judges sit, a display of the Ten Commandments! There are Bible verses etched in stone all over the Federal buildings and monuments in Washington, D.C. James Madison, the fourth president, known as “The Father of Our Constitution” made the following statement: “We have staked the whole of all our political institutions upon the capacity of mankind for self-government, upon the capacity of each and all of us to govern ourselves, to control ourselves, to sustain ourselves according to the Ten Commandments of God.”

Patrick Henry, that patriot and Founding Father of our country, said: “It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded not by religionists but by Christians, not on religions, but on the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”

Every session of Congress begins with a prayer by a paid preacher, whose salary has been paid by the taxpayer since 1777. Fifty-two of the 55 founders of the Constitution were members of the established orthodox churches in the colonies. Thomas Jefferson worried that the Courts would overstep their authority and, instead of interpreting the law, would begin making law, which is an oligarchy, the rule of few over many. The very first Supreme Court Justice, John Jay, said, “Americans should select and prefer Christians as their rulers.”

How, then, have we gotten to the point that everything we have done for 235 years in this country is now suddenly wrong and unconstitutional?

We are “One nation under God.” It is said that 86 percent of Americans believe in God. Therefore, it is very hard to understand why there is such a mess about having the Ten Commandments on display or “In God We Trust” on our money and having God in the Pledge of Allegiance. Why don’t we just tell the other 14 percent to Sit Down and Be Quiet! Oh, that’s right, if I tell someone who does not agree with me to be quiet, they will say I have no tolerance. Seems a bit confusing and very hypocritical if you ask me, but that is just my opinion. Everyone is entitled to have their opinion on any matter, but, facts are facts. The facts are that our wonderful country was founded on God and godly principles and that will always be true.

Please don’t forget to pray for our soldiers, whoare still fighting for our freedom, to come home safe and soon.

Tony Guadagnino is Pastor at Christian Love Fellowship Church

Why do we love? Do we love because of what we can get out of a relationship or because of what we can give into a relationship? God, our Father, has given us good examples of what a loving father is to be like. We have a Father in Heaven who loves us unconditionally and gives us wonderful gifts. We have a Father who cares for our pains, trials and triumphs. God tells us not to worry and takes care of our needs. God longs to hear from you, His child. Don’t miss your chance to do the very same thing for your Father in Heaven, who loved you so much He sent his Son to die for you.

MATTHEW 7:11

“If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?”

KJV

I don’t know about you, but Father’s Day really conjures up a lot of conflicting emotions for me. I am blessed to be the father of two wonderful children. I am also equally blessed for having a good father in my life. I was not the best kid and I was not the worst kid either. While others judged and even pronounced me a failure, “My Dad” just kept on loving me. I attempted to run from that love, but like the “hound of heaven,” he would not let me get away. His influence in my life cannot be overstated. “My Dad” – he really loved me. And, by the way, I turned out okay (crazy, but okay)! I really don’t know if we can love our kids too much. But, I do know that love needs to be expressed and valued. Your children – regardless of their lot in life or their adherence to your desires – need to know your love for them is constant and secure. You can love them and not support the lifestyle they have.

PSALM 103:13

“The LORD is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear him.”

NLT

So, if you are a father, turn the tables on your kids on Father’s Day. When they tell you how special you are, make sure they know how you feel about them. You might even say, “Son/daughter, I love you!” There is no doubt in my mind that my dad knows how much I love him. It is also nice to say why sometimes.

Some of you may not have a pleasant memory of your father or you might not have any memories at all. This may be the time to start down the road to forgiveness and/or reconciliation, or it may be a chance to thank others in your life who have offered you fatherly wisdom and tell them why you appreciate them.

I can’t help but feel slightly conflicted, for when have I shared this kind of a moment with my Heavenly Father? Maybe your prayers often reflect more of what you want and less of how wonderful the Lord is, or more of what you need and less of how thankful you are for what you have.

Father’s Day is not that far away, so begin to plan now. Plan to tell your father why you love him and appreciate him. Also, if you have children, make sure you tell them that you love them and why.

Tony Guadagnino is the pastor for Christian Love Fellowship Church.

We go through many ups and downs in life. We have times where we feel great and everything is going wonderful in our lives. However, we have those moments where we feel the complete opposite of great and wonderful.

Today, most of us have a cell phone and/or electronic device and we have learned how to do an amazing thing called “charging up our phone or device.” It is remarkable how we will charge our phones and electronic devices so we can continue to use them without interruption.

What do we do (if anything) to charge up our batteries when we get worn out and run down? We need to make sure we give ourselves and our bodies just as much attention as we do our phones and devices. We have to find ways to recharge our batteries. I am sure we all have many different ways to do this. Some may simply do nothing, read a book, go to the beach, go shopping, exercise, etc. The list could go on forever. With all the things that we do differently to recharge our batteries and regain our strength and focus, I must point out one common thing that can recharge all of our batteries. We must look at spending time in God’s presence.

PSALM 16:11 “You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever.”

NLT

God can charge you up, no matter what has drained you – and He is the only one who can do that. Be sure to spend time with God. We can do that by going to church, praying (just talking to God), reading the Bible, and by singing worship songs and hymns. There is also one other thing that I have found that helps me recharge – helping other people in a time of need, which not only brings great joy to your life, but brings you a new energy that you did not have before. We can create an environment for ourselves to recharge anywhere and anytime we need. So remember to keep your batteries charged so you can keep going.

Pastor Tony Guadagnino

Christian Love Fellowship Church

I was recently talking to a group of young professionals and I asked them to tell me what they thought was the holiest city in the world today? Now, before giving you the answer, let me share the fact that about a third of those in attendance were Christian, about a third were Muslim, and about a third were Jewish. With that being said, can you guess?

Well, most of the Christians said Bethlehem, although a few called out Rome. Can you guess which city the majority of the Muslims in the group thought was the holiest? Mecca was the primary answer. And last, but certainly not least, can you guess which city the vast majority of the Jews in the audience called out? Okay, this one was a no brainer. They called out “Jerusalem.”

It is a question that I got from the writings of Rabbi Joseph Abrams of Atlanta. And then I decided to change the question just a tad. I was going to ask them if they could tell me what the holiest city in Florida is, but at the last minute I asked this instead, “What is the holiest house in all of South Florida. Several immediately called out their house. Others called out the house of their Priest, their Pastor, their Imam, their Rabbi.

I told them to think a bit more and they did. They started calling out Houses of Worship – St. Anthony’s, Temple Torah, House of the Good Shepherd, First Baptist. I told them that I thought they were really using their heads now, but I also let them know I disagreed. I let them know that I am a student of human behavior and that, rather than just listening to what people say, I tend to look at people’s behavior to get my answers.

So, do you have any idea what I said was the holiest house in South Florida? Here it goes. Are you ready for this? I said, the casino – the one in Hollywood or the one in Coconut Creek.

Now, before you prepare to condemn me for my answer, let me explain myself. The Casino is the one place I know that people of many different faiths gather together regularly under one roof. They gather together without getting into fights or arguments with one another. They enter and they obey the rules of the house. They bring money into the house and, while they are there, they pray more than they do most anywhere else. When they leave, they leave most of their money behind and, yet, amazingly, each one looks forward to coming back again.

So tell me, where else can we get people of so many different faiths to spend a day in peace together under one roof, where each one can pray in their own unique way, where everyone follows the rules of the house without complaint or need for explanation, where each brings money for the house and often leaves it there, where each expresses their desire to become a winner?

Life is a gamble my friends. Take a chance on life and make wherever you’re at a holy place.

Shalom my friends,

Rabbi Craig H. Ezring

Rabbi Ezring is a member of the National Association of Jewish Chaplains and serves in this capacity in a number of Health Care settings in the area including Advocate Home Care Services and L’Chayim Jewish Hospice in Partnership with Catholic Hospice of Broward County.

By Pastor Tony Guadagnino

Have you ever quit and now justify it in your mind as to why you quit? Have you ever heard someone give excuses as to why they quit?

We all have our reasons why we do the things we do in life. Let’s take a look at what Jesus went through for us:

• They plotted to kill Him

• One of his leaders betrayed Him

• Jesus knew one of the 12 would betray Him

• He asked God if there was any other way

• His best friends could not even pray for an hour

• He was arrested on false, made-up charge, then taken away and put to death

• Peter denied Jesus three times

• They spit on Jesus and struck him with the palms of their hands, when he was with the high priest

• They mocked and beat Him, made fun and laughed at Him

• They lied about Him

• He was found ‘not guilty;’ they had no evidence to convict Jesus of a crime

• The people wanted a rebellious murderer over the King of the Jews

• Pilate gave in to the people – I don’t think he did that very often at all

• They whipped Him with a cat o’ nine tails

• They mocked Him by placing a purple robe on Him

• They put a crown of thorns on His head

• They began to salute Him and spit on Him

• They struck Him on the head with a reed

• They bowed a knee and mock worshipped Him

• And then after all that, they nailed Him to the cross and He asked God to forgive them

• They laughed at Him and mocked Him, telling Him, “Save yourself if you are really the Christ”

• His own mother and his disciples had to watch his cruxifiction on a cross

• One of the men hanging next to him even mocked Him

• He cried out “it is finished” and died

• They divided His clothes, cast lots for them

JOHN 19:30

30 When Jesus had tasted it, he said, “It is finished!” Then he bowed his head and released his spirit. NLT

Jesus finished what He started. He never quit and he never gave up. He suffered the sins of the world, then He rose from the dead. He empowered the disciples with a new message, the good news that He had defeated the power of sin and death. Jesus taught us to refuse to quit, and to fight with everything that is inside of us. Do not just remember what Jesus did, remember why He did it.

Pastor Tony Guadagnino

Christian Love Fellowship Church

If there was one thing I could never have to do again, it would be to move! I cannot stand even the thought of moving. It just gives you one of those really bad feelings you get when you think back to all the stuff your mom made you eat when you were a child that you just hated. If it was me and I had a choice between moving and a visit to the dentist with no drugs – I would choose the dentist!

Now that you know how I feel about moving, the irony is that I find myself in the middle of moving our church facility from one location to another. This brings a whole new meaning to spring cleaning. I thought moving a house was difficult. Just imagine moving your house, but about 15 times more difficult.

Now as we prepare to move from a rather large facility to a much smaller and more cost-effective space, we have begun the cleaning out and paring down process. I think cleaning out our stuff is the hardest part for a lot of us because we have to get rid of some of our stuff that we desperately want to hold onto and never let go of. When you move from one place to another, you must clean out some old stuff, decide which are your essentials and make room for some new things to come your way.

I think it would be great if we could all look into our own lives and give ourselves an honest evaluation of all the baggage we carry. Then, after we decide what our essentials are, we can remove some old stuff, and begin to make room for some new things to come our way.

Some essentials that we should want to keep include love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self control. Add to that prayer (talking with God), going to church, family, friends and love. Yes, I said love twice because it is so important that it needs to be said twice. Everything should begin and end with love. Remember that God’s kind of love has no conditions on it, but rather is giving unconditionally with no strings attached. God’s love does not say ‘I love you because you did something for me,’ it simply says, ‘I love you, no matter what.’  Some of our baggage might include painful memories, hurt feelings, wounded pride and unforgiveness. We need to take those bags out to the garbage where they belong and get rid of them for good. Then and only then will we be ready for the new things God wants to bless our lives with. I don’t know about you, but I like God’s blessings in my life.

I want you to know there is someone in this world who loves you and cares about you, so keep your head up and stay strong. I always pray that everyone who reads the articles will be encouraged and blessed. This time is no different, but if you could please pray for us as we prepare to move and  get ready to have our first service in our new facility by April 1. Thank you and God bless you.

Pastor Tony Guadagnino

Christian Love Fellowship Church

Sometimes in life, things happen that we don’t expect and we get shaken to the very core of our being.

We get caught off guard and events in life just rattle us. It is not a matter of being ready for bad things to happen, but to know where your help and strength comes from when they do. When you learn to rely on God for your help and strength, the devil can’t rattle or shake your life anymore.

HEBREWS 12:27-29

27 This means that all of creation will be shaken and removed, so that only unshakable things will remain.

28 Since we are receiving a Kingdom that is unshakable, let us be thankful and please God by worshiping him with holy fear and awe.

29 For our God is a devouring fire. NLT

The kingdom we belong to, as children of God, is unshakable. So let’s give thanks to God by worshiping Him with fear and awe. The fire of God will devour things in our lives that don’t belong, like poverty, sickness, gossiping, lying. You will not waver and you will not be shaken. You will stay strong and courageous. The only unshakable thing that remains will be you.

PSALM 16:8

8 I know the Lord is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me. NLT

PSALM 62:2

2 He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will never be shaken. NLT

God is always with us and right beside us. God, and God alone, is our rock and our refuge. Nothing else will do – just God. We will not be shaken!

When we are continually shaken, it steals our motivation and energy. It is like we are stunned or in shock. We get scared and don’t make any decisions at all, good or bad.

The devil is not just trying to knock you down; he is trying to destroy you. When the devil is trying to shake your life, you will shake his instead because you will trust in God and be unshakable. When the devil shakes, you will be set free from your chains and, then, you will be filled with courage and boldness.

When you pray and worship God, the devil shakes. You will never be shaken, but your circumstances will be and your chains will be. You don’t ever shake or waver. You shake the things and circumstances around you, instead of life shaking you. YOU WIN!  You will stay strong and courageous.

Luke 6:38

38 Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full — pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back. NLT

Although, when God is shaking your life, you win. When God shakes you, it is to make room for you to receive more and more. He is shaking everything together. Therefore, start to stir up those things on the inside of you, and start to say, and start to believe, “I shall not be moved!”

When you agitate someone, you get their attention, so begin to irritate those things in your life that you don’t want and tell them to get out. You will stay strong and courageous.

Pastor Tony Guadagnino

Christian Love Fellowship Church

We all love new stuff.  We love that new car, new house, new watch, new shirt, or really a new anything. We love to put that word “new” in front of a word because it changes the meaning of what it really is (at least in our own minds, it becomes something special).

That new thing we get as a gift or buy with our own money gets our special attention. We treat those new things with tender loving care (TLC). Since we all say “Happy New Year,” I want to challenge you to treat the NEW decisions you make for your life with tender loving care. This is a new year, and we are going to make new decisions for our lives so we better choose wisely.

I said this last year, and it is worth repeating again this year, so please stop! Stop!  Do not do it! Please do not make a New Year’s resolution. New Year resolutions do not last and we typically do not follow through with them. Almost half of every American makes a New Year’s resolution and only 8 percent of them actually keep them. New Year’s resolutions are really a waste of time and something not really intended to be permanent. If we truly want to change anything in our lives to make things better, we would be better off asking God to help us change the things we want different in our lives.

HEBREWS 4:16

16 So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There, we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.

NLT

God is always working on us to help change the things that we need to change and want to change. It is not just a one-time quick fix; it is something that takes place repeatedly. We give ourselves to God once, but we need to transform and renew our lives for Him constantly.

If we want to be successful on a new diet or getting rid of a bad habit that we have, we really need God to help us. The best thing for us to do is develop new habits in our lives, so we receive the desired results we are looking for.

Making a New Year’s resolution is us thinking there is always a way out, or it is OK if we fail. However, allowing God to help us is the beginning of us starting something new that we are going to be doing for the rest of our lives.

In order for us to change things in our lives, we have to change the way we live our lives. In order for us to change the way we live our lives, we have to change what we say and do. In order for us to change the things we say and do, we need God to help us make our changes permanent and not temporary.

Please do not make a New Year’s Resolution and instead allow God to change the way you think for results that last a lifetime.

Pastor Tony Guadagnino

Christian Love Fellowship Church