It's easy for us to get distracted. But Pastor John reminds us Jesus was motivated to do the will of God, not his own will. This requires humbling ourselves and obeying the Lord. So Pastor John reminds and encourages us how to become obedient to Himby choosing how Jesus did it.Door Pastor John Thrift

Guest Speaker Peter Drummond starts with Jesus's words in Matthew 6 and the physical example of a spiritual reality. Our perspective, our focus, our attention determines where we store up our treasures. So when we focus on His heavenly things, on what He is doing, what He wants us to do instead of our temporal ones, that's when we are blessed.…

Today’s service starts with Pastor Jenn sharing from Acts 8 and key things we can learn from the Ethiopian eunuch and Phillip during that baptism. We then celebrate as the following 11 people are baptized: Angel Juarez; Jerica Jones; Courtney Divine Carpenter; Nicolas Alfred; Kalisi Brown; Mikayla Brown; Lexie Brown; Samuel Ademola; Favor Ademola; …

Today’s service starts with the youth sharing about their recent missions trip with the Dream Center and in the Raleigh area. Lance Morris then shares a vision he recently had related to what has been happening at Grace in the spiritual realm. We are encouraged to prepare for involvement by mending our vessels so we can hold and not waste His livin…

Pastor Les Lawrence shares today and reminds us that the #1 terrorist in the world is Satan. And the primary weapon he uses is fear - even on Christians. Les reminds and encourages us to resist the devil and he will flee. Pastor John then goes on to speak about fear, doubt, and unbelief and the biblical antidote. We need to reboot our stinking thin…

Today the mission team that recently went to and returned from Kenya shares about their trip. Pastor John then points out that while none of them had training in advance, their testimonies remind us that Jesus’s words are still true and He is “with [us] always, even to the end of the age (Matthew 28:16-20).”…

Vincent Ademola shares today and reminds us of several key things in order for us to be spiritually prepared and vigilant. He emphasizes our need to have an urgent and immediate focus on maintaining a faithful and prepared heart always ready for the return of the Lord. Vincent stresses - to us, the children of God - that “Repentance is not a one-ti…

Today’s “substitute pastor” is Les Lawrence who goes in depth on the promise of the Father - the Holy Spirit. We need the Spirit in our lives during our times of testing and trial. We need the Spirit so we can have a complete relationship with God - the Father, Son and Spirit. We need the Spirit so our character can be shaped into one that is more …

Looking at very personal and recent events, Pastor John reminds us what God is doing during our times of trial. Rather than wallowing in why, as that can lead to unhealthy places, we need to count it all joy.Door Pastor John Thrift

We start today by recognizing and honoring our High School students that graduated this year: - Jackson Stitt - Jeremiah Lewis-Brown - Jose Garcia Pastor Hannah then goes on to speak on how we, believers, can walk into God's promises. It has nothing to do with age or gender. Instead, it has to do with our spirit. This requires us to align ourselves…

Life can be difficult. Life can be frustrating. Life can be impossible. Looking to the preaching of John the Baptist, Pastor John confirms these truths. He also reminds us of the solution - we need the Holy Spirit to help us as God works through our tough times.Door Pastor John Thrift

Pastor John points out that while we wait on revival, it is preceded by repentance. Even those with great gifts must realize if our gifts don't align with a Godly character we'll look like fruitcakes. So, what are we elevating above our relationship with God? Going to the Word, Pastor John shows our need and how to perform personal spiritual examin…

Happy Mother's Day!! Pastor Sherry Thrift brings the word today reminding us that He comes to us. He will find us wherever we are at. He always knows where we are at even when we feel like we can't get to Him or we think it's “out” of His way. He still comes to us.Door Pastor Sherry Thrift

Pastor Richard Oti speaks today beginning in the gospel of John. He quickly gets to the point and reminds us we have a Helper / Counselor / Strengthener on the inside of us. He is always there, through all circumstances. We know this, so we should ask Him and yield to Him.Door Pastor Richard Oti

Going from the Passover, to the Resurrection, and finally Heaven, Pastor Les Lawrence teaches today on how all Christians are connected to Israel and Israel is connected to al Christians.Door Guest Speaker(s)

Today starts with a bevy of testimonies of God’s goodness and liberty. In Luke 13, Jesus dealt with the development process. Pastor John points out it starts with repenting and then Jesus working in us, often through trials, to produce fruit.Door Pastor John Thrift

Starting with a reminder that the effort we put into the word reflects what we get out of it (Mark 4:23-25), Pastor John then returns to John 21 (15-23). He then focuses on a key question - do we love Him? More than ________? If so, let's identify with Him and where He has us right now. Follow Him.Door Pastor John Thrift

Picking up in John 21, Pastor John discusses how and what Jesus continues to reveal and do with the disciples and what He is revealing about our lives. He reveals Himself in many different ways.Door Pastor John Thrift

Happy Easter / Resurrection Day! Reading the 20th chapter of John and the resurrection of Christ, Pastor John shares a number of lessons we can learn and apply to our own lives.Door Pastor John Thrift

Pastor John continues to teach on the size of our faith. He wants us to decide, with the help of the Holy Spirit, to settle some things. Pastor John starts by going to Matthew and the words of Christ to demonstrate little faith. He then gives examples to help us understand how to move to great faith - by processing our situation against God’s good …

The Lord wants us to be blessed - and in many ways. Pastor John starts in Psalm 1 and focuses on one way how He seeks to bless us. Even when things go from bad to horrible, as they did during Habakkuk’s time, the Lord seeks to bless us through the trials.Door Pastor John Thrift

Bishop Michael Masambu visits today and shares from Ezekiel 37:1-14. He points out that the dry bones are the children of God. They have given up, lost hope, had no identity, and felt disgraced. The cure? Hear the word of the Lord! And live! The only thing that can bring life is the Word!Door Guest Speaker(s)

Beginning with Matthew 6, Pastor John points out if we’re hung up on materialistic stuff, then we have little faith. Those were Jesus’ words, not his. But if we can have little faith, we must also be able to posses and demonstrate great faith. Starting what will be a multi-week message, Pastor John lays the groundwork of moving to megafaith by poin…

Pastor John reminds us that the devil does his best to get us to believe a lie. When we start aligning ourselves with anti-scriptural truths, we open our head and emotions to Satan. Pastor John points out that when we do this, we can easily miss what God wants us to see. Instead Pastor John points out key objective truths we must embrace.…

Drawing from both personal experience and the Word, founding Pastor Michael Oney visits today and gives a message about the sacred nature of marriage. Jesus makes this very clear in Matthew 19. Therefore, Pastor Mike focuses on three key principles for successful marriages and protecting this sacracy: Learn how to forgive; Learn to pursue each othe…

Looking to king Asa, Pastor John warns us how easy it is to grow weary doing good, to embrace our circumstances, and to stop seeking the Lord. When our back is against the wall we often embrace worldly solutions and neglect going to the Lord about it. Instead Pastor John reminds us to rely on the Lord because He seeks to “strongly support those who…

Today was a time of testimony about recent miracles performed by the Lord. It was also a time of intercession and exhortation to stand in faith and pursue His perfect promises and blessings toc come.Door Pastor John Thrift

Today Pastor John reminds us that Jesus never told us to do life on our own. In fact, He made us one with HIm and He keeps us. And if each of us is one with Him, we are one with each other. Especially since He is assembling us together into the dwelling place for His Holy Spirit.Door Pastor John Thrift

Today the Lord interrupts us to remind us that it is for freedom He has set us free. And while we may know salvation, He warns us we still may not be walking in liberty. His desire is to remove ALL of the bands wrapped around our hearts.Door Pastor John Thrift

Going to 2 Corinthians 3, Pastor John reminds us we are all saved by God's grace in order to keep us from thinking too much about ourselves. And we must be careful or our misapplication of the word will move us into a ministry of condemnation. Instead of a ministry of death, we must serve in ministries of life and reconciliation with unveiled faces…

Sherie Turner brings a word from the Lord this morning and the story of David and Goliath. While it may be familiar text to us, Sherie brings a new perspective as well as her zeal and passion to what we need to understand about our own faith through David’s. She reminds us that when we go into battle, we must not put on the wrong armor before we fa…

Happy New Year! And God bless! Contrary to his own thoughts and habits, Pastor John discusses a number of New Year's Resolutions he feels the Lord has given the body, He has given us. Going to Romans 12:9-21, Pastor John outlines several resolutions, or commands, the Lord gives us, and are necessary, to help and benefit us.…

Merry Christmas from Grace Assembly! Going to Isaiah 53 and 55, Pastor John reminds us of the gift beyond the birth of Christ that Jesus gave us. He then encourages us that despite how hard the season may be, whatever we may experience, or whatever we may feel, for a host of reasons, the greatest gift we can give the Lord is our heart and life.…

Today's service begins with Katie and Landon Allen dedicating their baby Hayden to the Lord. Then the children start worship with a couple of songs offered to the Lord. Speaking from his heart, Pastor John goes to a familiar scripture to pour out what he believes the Lord wants for us. For this upcoming year and forever. The Lord loves us and wants…

Today's message was given by Pastor Roy "Buddy" Denton and his wife Cheryl. They take us from the birth of Jesus, to His death, and His glorious resurrection. As imagined and told from His mother Mary's point of view.Door Guest Speaker(s)

Starting in Mark 7:1-13, Pastor John looks at the Jewish leaders of Jesus’ time and how they put their traditions, interests and thoughts above the things God does. But before we get too hard on them, the pastor asks us if there are things we are opening the door to and causing chaos in our lives. Are we putting our feelings, thoughts, or experienc…

Pastor John starts with a brief explanation of what baptism is and isn't to the believer, giving three reasons we are baptized: - It is commanded by Jesus; - It demonstrates we are not ashamed of Jesus; - It proceeds committing to Christ and His people. We then celebrate the testimony of faith when the following people were baptized during service:…

Looking at scripture and current events, Pastor Les Lawrence demonstrates how we can see the Lord's promises being poured out even now on Israel and what we should be doing now.Door Guest Speaker(s)

Oh no! Today Pastor John talks about giving money to the work of the kingdom! But don't draw up! It's not about increasing staff salaries or expanding the facility and programs. It's really about honoring the Lord, His word, and His promise to bless us, to prosper us. Instead of giving out wildly, Pastor John warns us our generosity should be tempe…

Light will never be overcome by darkness. And He is the true light. So don't process life through our failures; process it through the Word and Truth of God and in His light.Door Pastor John Thrift

Looking at John 14:1-31, Pastor John reminds us it's more that Jesu is in us and we are in Him than the miracles, signs, and wonders. We can get this backwards and lose our focus on simply loving Him. Instead, we need to want what Jesus wants for us more than what we want from Jesus.Door Pastor John Thrift

Pastor Michael Masambu visits today and hopes the word shared finds a place in our hearts and lays a foundation of victory in our lives. Specifically, he reminds us three things: We need to understand that God is faithful; We need to rely on His faithfulness; We need to rest in His faithfulness. No matter what, we know we can trust in the Lord. So …

Are you feeling overwhelmed? Pastor John reminds us the Lord wants us to navigate through all of our circumstances - even what we may think is a failure. The Lord wants to help you right where you are. After all, if Jesus raised the dead, can't He help with your circumstances? Do you believe that the Jesus you serve can (fill in the blank)? Then wh…

The Lord took this service to again and again and again tell us He wants us to turn to Him, to take steps towards Him, to run to Him. He's drawn near to us and waits for our response.Door Pastor John Thrift

Continuing to share from the Lord messages intended to help us fight distractions, Pastor John focuses on two things to simplify our lives. Looking at John 9:31-43 & 10:1-16, we must learn to hear His voice and follow His voice.Door Pastor John Thrift

Pastor John starts by encouraging us to be aware of how we steward our time. He goes over the math again and reminds us we need to consider the biblical way of living - to honor God with what we do and make sure we spend time with Him. He then goes on to challenge us when we struggle with the little things that mean so much to us and we get hung up…

Pastor John wants to prepare us for upcoming trials. This requires us to be fearless - to trust in the Lord in all areas of our life. Instead, he points out that God has given us the antidote for every possible fear and insecurity. It is love.Door Pastor John Thrift

The youth who attended this year's National Fine Arts event opened today's service with the human video they presented there. Service then takes an unexpected turn when the Lord waits and has us wait as He reaches out to restore the lost, restore those who turned from Him, and restore marriages. He doesn’t just heal our physical wounds but our emot…

Pastor John wants to prepare us for what is coming. Not that he knows the specifics but simply that the Lord wants to reveal Himself in a magnificent way. While the hundreds of voices we hear may be legitimate, they may only serve to make us bad or make us busy. So don't let our perceptions deceive us. Instead, we need to accept God's truths, God's…

Pastor John reminds us that we are in a different culture now. He doesn't want us to be deceived or fall away. Instead Pastor John wants us to latch onto the following phrase as it will serve us well - Pure pleasure of His presence. If we're not finding pleasure in the presence of God, we will fall away. The desire of Pastor John's heart is that we…