All posts by AOCM

My name is Pastor Tony Catron I graduate from K.S.U. with a degree in electronic/electrical engineering. While doing that I became a Junior Deacon and also a musician in my dad's ministry in Cleveland, Ohio. Years later, my career took me to Michigan where I worked as a Electrical/Electronic Engineer. While in Michigan I became a Minister, then later went to Seminary training at Birmingham Bible Institute and became an Elder at a large Pentecostal church in Michigan called LLCC. I was called to the ministry by God. So I headed up an outreach ministry based on the End Times, dealing with restoration in people lives. Then my dad called me back to Ohio to help him Pastor his church. During that time, God changed my outreach ministry, turning it into a full-time restoration ministry. He gave me the name Ark of Covenant Ministries and the rest is history.
Read more..

How to Make Godly Decisions Part One

How to Make Godly Decisions Part One

Check Yourself

 

As a Child of God, we always want to ask the Father for something. “Father bless me with this,” or “Lord bless me with that.” The book of James says in chapter four verse three, “Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.”  So we need to know how to ask the Father for something in the right way. Here are 8 of 15 points to consider when asking God for something. The other 7 points will be covered in next weeks bible study.

1. Would you be Able to Ask God’s Blessings for it? Proverbs 10:22 “The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it”

Whatever you ask Him for, do you think He will approve of it? Are your supplications for “fleshly” things? Do you think the Lord will give you that desire if it will satisfy your flesh? Will what you ask for bring sorrow or pain in your life?  If anything you ask for will cause you problems, then that desire He will not grant. He will now bless you with anything that will cause hardship, or try your salvation.

2. Can You Genuinely Thank God for It? Colossians 3:16-17 “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the lord. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father by him.”

Can you with a good conscience say “Lord, I thank you for this,” or would there be doubts, concerns, or problems as a result? Sometimes things may look good, but what looks good will turn out to be to your detriment.

3. Would God get the Glory Out of It? 1 Corinthians 10:31 “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.”

Would the decision you made or the supplication you asked for honor or glorify God? Would it serve the purpose of God’s plan or will for your life?

4. Would it Be Something that the Word would Give You Glory For? 1 John 2:15 “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love world, the love of the Father is not in him.”

If you ask God for something, would it be of the world? Would it be like the world? Would the world give you praise concerning it? Would the world benefit from it, would it cater to their carnal mentalify? Would the world praise you more than they would God for?

5. Would it Cause a Stumbling Block for Belivers? 1 Corinthians 8:9 “But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak.”

Is what you asked for an offence to other brothers and sisters in Christ? Would it hinder your growth in Christ Jesus? Would your decision or lifestyle cause weak believers to fall?

6. Would it Weaken Your Faith? Hebrews 3:12 “Take heed, brethren, lest there by in any of you and evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.” Also see Hebrews 12:1

Would your asking for cause you to be indecisive about your faith or life? Would it add burden to your life? Will you heart desire it more than God? Will it lead you astray, or bring doubt in your heart?

7. How Would Satan React to Your Decision? 1 Peter 5:8-10 “Be sober, be vigilant; becuase your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Who resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.

Would your loved ones, friends, or family who don’t know the Lord turn against you? Would they plot for you to change your decision? Would they attack you, belittling you? Would those that dislike you, give you a pat on the back for this decision? Would the demons in hell rejoice at this decision? Would evil spirits draw closer to you?

8. What Would the Consequences Be? Galatians 6:7 “Be not deceived, God is not macked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.”

When the dust has settled about your decision, what would the conlcusion be of the matter? Will there be peace from God for you, will there be growth? Will the decision leave behind a generational curse? Will it leave a stain on your soul?

 

Read more..

Where are Your Bowels of Compassion?

But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? –1 John 3:17

In this age we live in, we find that the love of men, women, and children has turned cold! It has even come to the point were children are killing people, to the extent that their actions have become an epidemic. Yet, over what? Video’s game; PlayStations, Xbox’s, smart phone, tablets, shoe’s, clothing , etc. Kids take lives for what… what? THINGS! Some material thing, man made that does not have have life or have intelligence! Something that you can buy it right off the shelve. [Selah]
You may ask if it is wrong to play video games. NO. However, for a child, before their parents or guardian allows them to touch that game, first they need to teach the child how to be human being!

Note the follow words of Jesus:

“Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division: For from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three. The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother in law against her daughter in law, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.”  (Luke 12:51-53)

Look further at the Savior’s words:
“Now the brother shall betray the brother to death, and the father the son; and children shall rise up against their parents, and shall cause them to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.”  (Mark 13:12)

As I mentioned earlier, in the world today the hearts of men, women, and even children have become cold. Did you not know that your heart is the core of your body? The heart generates and distributes heat, food, and oxygen throughout the whole body. When the body gets cold, God has designed it so that the arteries, veins, and capillaries constrict the amount of blood flow, thereby slowing down blood flow to the areas of the body that may be cold, and in severe cases the blood flow to those areas may even be stopped. This process keeps the heart from receiving returning blood that is too cold it. If the heart receives too much of the cold blood it will go into shock and you will die.
Doctors have found that your heart contains brain cell. This means that your very heart  has its own intelligence! No wonder David mentions the heart in ways that give it the character of the mind.

 

“Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.”  Psalm 119:11

“I will praise thee, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy marvellous works.” Psalm 9:1

“The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.” Psalm 28:7

 

Now to look at this spiritually, if the heart has brain cells, then the heart is located in the brain. The brain happens to be where the spirit (Pneuma in Greek)  and soul (Psyche in Greek) dwell. Now, according to Galatians 5:22-23, the spirit contains attributes of love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.The Soul, on the other hand, contains the human imagination, conscience, memory, reason, affections.

Now, if your heart is cold, that means you have shut off the heat representing the spirit, the oxygen representing the soul, and the nourishment representing the Word of God. So, in essence you have become a zombie for Satan to do his biding. That why so many people are falling the the wayside. The church is even now begun to mimic the world to the point that there is not concern about the Word of God, rather the pockets of people. They are trying to make a name for themselves, and not an eternal home with God! That why the word says this “But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?” 1 John3:17.

Conclusion:

Word says, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.”

Read more..

Breaking Spiritual Strongholds Part 3

How To Break Strongholds and Keep Them Broken

Sometimes, we don’t know we have a spiritual stronghold. Here are 6 ways to combat these strongholds to press on.

1) Authority

Mark 3:27: No man can enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his house.
The Name of the Savior Jesus has authority. His very name will expel the Devil’s influence.
2) Intercession
Matthew 17:21 Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.
In this chapter of Matthew, the disciples could not cast out a demon that caused a certain man’s son to harm himself, by falling into fire, and falling into water. Jesus said that they were a “faithless and perverse generation…” (Matthew 17:17). Jesus then rebuked the devil and it left the child. The disciples asked why they could not cast the demon out, and Jesus said that prayer and fasting were required for such situations.
We too, need to be fasting and praying to intercede on behalf of others and to break down spiritual strongholds.
3) Displacement
2 Corinthians 6:14: Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
Separate yourself from anything that is not like God. Establish the presence of God, where Satan has been commanded to leave. Anoint the doorpost of your home, sanctifying your space in the workplace. It is as though you are establishing a base or stronghold, to keep Satan away. If you resist the devil he will flee. Fill it up with Gods presence, singing songs in the Spirit, praying in the spirit, quoting scripture. Where the presence of the Lord is, the devil can’t stay. The presence of the Lord displaces the Devil.
4) Resistance
James 4:7: Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Submit yourself and draw closer to God. If you resist the devil he will flee. He is repelled by the Word of the Father being spoken in the atmosphere. The devil runs from submitted, yielding Christians. Submit to God, and the devil will flee. The more your trials get heavy, the more you should draw toward the Father.
5) Occupation
Ephesians 4:27:Neither give place to the devil.
Give no place or vacancy to the devil. We have to give ourselves over to God, and allow not the devil to get into any aspect of our lives. How do we do that? “But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection” (1 Corinthians 9:27). We may have old habits that we may not have put under subjection and it’s easy to fall back into the habits of the old man. This way Satan can not break through your spiritual armor.
6) Fortification
Galatians 5:19-21 describes the things that are places of refuge which Satan to lodge himself in our lives. There are degrees of intensities in all of these wicked things. So we should put on the whole armor of God. Take up our daily prayer or reading. Take upon ourselves the full array of spiritual gifts to be armed against spiritual wickedness. Ephesians 6:11-17

If we stay mindful of the Word of God we’ve been given, we will overcome Spiritual strongholds. Jesus has made you the head and not the tail. Satan does not care about your attitude, you emotional well being, or whether or not you love the father, he will still attack you. Be on guard, in Jesus name.

Read more..

Breaking Spiritual Strongholds Part 2

2 Corinthians 10:4
(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)

Spiritual warfare is more apparent these days. The Father has equipped everyone with the ability to fight against evil. If we don’t know that we have the equipment, will we be able to fight against evil? No, not effectively.

Many of us don’t know the power we have against the roaring lion that seeks whom he may devour.

If you don’t know what spiritual warfare is, then it can easily overtake you.

What is a strong hold? It is a binding influence. If your constantly doing everything against what is right? What is that in your life? A stumbling block.

Luke 10:17-20
And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name. And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.

The 70 disciples operated in Jesus name. That Name is the authority in breaking down strongholds, and expelling evil forces.

In addition, the very life you live can determine if you’ll be successful in dealing with spiritual warfare. If you are living the life of a  true Child of God, set a part from mingling with the world, being in it but not of it, knowing the power that you have within you through the Holy Ghost, your very presence will make demons cower. However, if you are lukewarm in your walk with Messiah, you will be weak in spiritual warfare.
Mark 16:17
And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;

Next week, we will go into how to break strongholds and keep them broken, with several steps to help us succeed.

Read more..

The Time of Purging Part One

Psalms 51:1-13
To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came unto him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.
Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness:
according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me throughly from mine iniquity,
and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions:
and my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned,
and done this evil in thy sight:
that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest. Behold, I was shapen in iniquity;
and in sin did my mother conceive me.
Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts:
and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness;
that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. Hide thy face from my sins,
and blot out all mine iniquities.
Create in me a clean heart, O God;
and renew a right spirit within me.
Cast me not away from thy presence;
and take not thy holy spirit from me.
Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation;
and uphold me with thy free spirit.
Then will I teach transgressors thy ways;
and sinners shall be converted unto thee.

David was a man after God’s own heart, because he knew how to ask for forgiveness. David said: Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

What is hyssop? It is a plant, a cleaning plant. It looks a lot like lavender. Lavender cleans you out and calms your mind. Hyssop has the same effect. It is native of the Mediterranean and is considered a holy plant. It is used as a disinfectant and cleanser. The oil can be used to treat arthritis and respiratory issues. In Christianity, it is associated with a new and clean spiritual life.

So, David did not just mention hyssop sparingly.

Kath-arios is the Greek word for purge. It means to clean, purify from sin, or cast out whatever is not pure or desirable.

David said clean out all the unnecessary, things spiritually and physically. As a Christian God has to clean us up for us to be an example for Him.