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Creth D. Hopkins, Pastor | Pawhuska, Oklahoma
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 On October 26, 2005, our precious Heavenly Father gave birth to a new church family of saved sinners. Her name is Grace Community Church. She is a non-denominational church - the only one of its kind in Pawhuska, Oklahoma. Like any small town, there is much local history hidden behind the doors of each traditional church. Personalities, events, mishandled confrontations, prejudices, biases, personal agendas and power mongering each in their own way stifle the Holy Spirit's efforts to bring glory to Jesus Christ and enlarge the Kingdom of God. These pockets of sin have been there in the local church for many years. Consequently, these many hindrances act as stumbling blocks to any new members joining a traditional church. The time was right for the Lord to establish a new work where none of these stumbling blocks were present.
Three Sundays later, we are averaging thirty plus souls attending our morning services. We meet at 10:30am each Lord's Day morning. Our mandate from the Lord is to worship Him and glorify His Name. "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." (Colossians 3:16) This we strive to do in the first part of the service. We sing, we pray, we read His Holy Word, we give, we share and we preach the whole counsel of God (the Doctrines of Grace). All this we do to fulfill the commandment, "And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him." (Colossians 3:17)
The Lord Jesus has been blessing us as we strive to be a blessing to Him. Last Lord's Day we had one family join, a Dad with four of his sons. The Dad received Christ as his personal Savior and in now quite desirous to follow the Lord in New Testament Immersion. Praise the Lord!
Our Wednesday prayer gatherings are in our homes. These are precious times of prayer, confession, supplication and intercession. It is only by much prayer that the Kingdom of God is enlarged (James 5:16). For godly prayer takes feet. And the results of such steady praying are (1.) the enlarging of our hearts to love and serve the Lord with a greater consistency, (2) the increasing burden for lost souls of those around us - good, lost souls who deseparately need to hear the simplicity of the Gospel, to feel totally accepted by the 'saved sinners' who make up Grace Community Church, and to know that Christ died on the cross for sinners - that if they but repent of their sins toward God and ask Jesus Christ to save them from their sins, He will!!!
Our appeal to all brothers and sisters in Christ, saved sinners such as us, is that as Christ brings us to your minds that you shirk not from that opportunity to intercede on our behalf. There are about 3,800 souls in Pawhuska. Less than 700 souls attend church services (of any kind) on any given Lord's Day. We are asking our Sovereign Master and Savior Jesus Christ to use us to bring about a great harvest of souls for His glory! Why could there not be 1,000 souls added to the Kingdom of God through the faithfulness of our preaching and teaching the Doctrines of Grace which is the Word of God combined with the faithful prayers of godly saints who desire to see a great work done on the Osage plains to the Glory of God.
This is the task at hand. This is our vision. Will you join us? Pray for us. Support us. Encourage us. And may our God and Saviour Jesus Christ receive all the honor and glory for all that His is doing and will be doing in the coming days.
Soli Deo Gloria!!!
Pastor Creth D Hopkins If you wish to contact me, my email address is cdhopkins11@sbcglobal.net |
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God is moving mightily in the writings being posted in the Forums at http://gccok.com
Come and read! Spread the word, there is a place where articles are being posted that speak clearly God's will and word relative to the current issues of the day.
Recent articles include:
The Apocalyptic Literature Forum: "Babylon the Great, The Mother of Harlots" The Family Forum: "Homosexuality: Attacking The Mystery of Marriage" and "We Are a Military Family" Cults and World Religions Forum: "When They Come To Your Door," "The Arrows of Conviction" The Lions Den Forum: "Irresponsible Shepherds"
You can read the over 91 articles without registering, but if you register, then you will be able to post articles as well reply to those who have been posted.
If you have questions and you want a Biblical answer, then come to the Forums and post your question.
We must prepare, brethren! We must prepare! Time is short. Believers must be prepared. We must KNOW what does God say? How are we to live? What we must be prepared to say? What will God call us to do?
Come to the Forums! |
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Creth D. Hopkins
Pastor Creth D. Hopkins was led of the Lord to begin the Grace Community Church of Pawhuska, Ok. on October 26, 2005. This is a departure from how the Lord... |
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How To Sail The Sea of Suffering
by Creth D Hopkins
The Ocean of Pain is an endless sea,
Upon which no human chart can guide.
I look for refuge, some Port of Relief,
A port from which to hide.
My muscles cramp, my nerves scream
As I struggle at the helm of my life.
Waves of pain crash over my bow
As I fight this ocean of strife.
Nails in the back, the feet and hands,
There is no relief from it all.
My soul cries for help - a moment of peace,
But with each wave I ride, I fall.
Drugs are no help, medicine - no good,
The waves of pain lap over their comfort with ease.
If, then, I take more to meet the high tide,
I soon run out, there is no reprieve!
Then, I am caught in a trough - between doctor and hell,
For relief from the fire, I get none.
They don't understand the ebb and flow
Of this agony I try to sai from.
One moment of relief is all I ask,
A moment filled with peace.
But I hear a laugh of mournful scorn,
"There is no course for relief!"
Yet, in the depths of despair, when the sky is black
And I am wrapped in this blanket of woe,
I hear a small voice that comes from deep within,
"It's a lie, what pain says, it's not so."
"Look not to the pain, but look to Christ,
When you think there is no one who cares.
For He hung from Love's Cross - took all of hell's fire,
You're not alone, He knows what you bear.
"He has sailed these waters, He knows the pain
He will not have you to fail.
With the Grace He offers, victory is assured,
Release the helm, and He will make sail.
"Jesus knows these waters - their ugly depths,
And He knows the darkness, and the grief."
He will teach me to steer by Faith
Christ, my Captain, is my Relief.
"Step out on the waters," Jesus says to me,
"And I will teach you how to live.
Keep your eyes on Me, and walk by faith,
And I will teach you to sail this sea.
"It is by Faith you cross this ocean
with all its misery and strife.
I give you now the Grace to live
And sail on to eternal life."
With Christ at the helm, my course is set
This painful sea is not my final home,
By grace, I sail these troubled waters,
And I know I am never alone.
-2007
Subscript: Pastor Creth D Hopkins - an abbreviated medical history:
- Registered on the Agent Orange Registry
- Acute Guillain-Barre Syndrome
-100% Combat Action Disability
- Lifetime Member: (VFW) - Veterans of Foreign Wars
- Lifetime Member: (DAV) - Disabled American Veterans
- Lifetime Member: (PVA) - Paralyzed Veterans of America
- Two Heart Attacks
- Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease
- Acute Fibromyalgia
*** So that you might know - "I understand." |
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The Struggle
by Creth D Hopkins
There is a wrestling between Spirit and Soul
As to the One I pay homage each day.
My Spirit yearns for the Spirit of God,
My Soul clings to its House of Clay.
My Spirit is enabled by the grace of God
To live by faith - full and free;
My soul is clothed in fleshly sense,
Feelings cloud its ability to see.
Spirit says, "Delight Thyself in Christ,"
Soul replies, "What is in it for me?"
Spirit says, "Die to Self and live!"
Soul replies, "It makes no sense to me."
"The Bible says it, I believe it, that settles it"
Is a saying that misses the mark.
The Bible says it and that truly settles it -
Whether I believe it or not.
The Struggle calls into question
My self image - Who do I really see?
Am I mere Mortal, a creature of habit,
Or am I Immortal - bound for eternity?
Soul declares, "I am but Mortal
- the highest mark of evolution I am.
I am the highest form of self-actualization,
And my genesis began in the sea and sand."
Spirit says, "I am created Immortal
To live with my Creator on High.
I am to learn to soar like an eagle
To one day meet Him in the sky."
Soul says, "I don't believe it,
I must feel the soil under my feet."
Spirit replies, "That's the reason
Your whole life will end in defeat."
Thou art Immortal - not mere Mortal,
Christ died to save the Soul!
In His love, Soul and Spirit are united,
By His blood, I have been made whole.
Listen not to the sirens of the flesh:
The world and Satan - the Hater of man.
They sing the song of self-destruction
To bring me down is their hateful plan.
In Christ I am a new creation,
As Immortal, In Christ I find
My purpose - My reason for being
To serve Him throughout all time.
As a Christian, I shall always struggle
To follow Christ or live for Self,
Loving Christ leads to Heaven,
Serving Self leads only to Hell.
The Struggle is won in living by Faith
In Jesus Christ, Who loves me so.
I cry, "Abba, Father" - I have His ear,
And from Heaven His love to me flows.
So rejoice, my Soul, and with my Spirit sing
Of the love and grace He gives to Thee,
Redeemed Thou art, By the Blood of the Lamb
His might Grace is sufficient for Thee.
- 2007 |
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"What Is The Lord's Work?"
By Creth D Hopkins
What is the Lord's Work, I wonder.
It is a question that puzzles the mind.
Is it preaching, missions or education,
I hear three voices that speak in rhyme.
One voice says, "It's preaching,
The Word of God must be declared!"
But if it is but preaching,
Why is it so many don't care?
Another voice says, "It's missions,
We must go out and spread The Word."
But so many people reject it,
And count it but absurd!
A third voice says, "It's Education,
People must be taught its ABC's."
But that is not all I see in Jesus
This Carpenter from Galilee.
He sees a heart that's broken,
A mother who's lost her son,
He touches the boy, he lives again,
The Lord's work is sweetly done.
In His Name, a lame man walks,
With joy he leaps to run.
Silver and gold was not the trick,
The Lord's work is sweetly done.
A blind man receives his sight,
From darkness he sees the sun.
By the touch of the Master's hand,
The Lord's work is sweetly done.
A man who lives in a world of silence
Hears the voice of God's only Son.
In a moment his ears are unstopped,
The Lord's work is sweetly done.
When I look at the life of Jesus
Hear Him preach and teach and go,
Himself it is, I see Him give.
It is Love He will always show.
His Name, His voice, His touch,
His Life He wishes to give,
To the soul that cries, "Lord save me!"
He says, "It's Finished, Rise and Live!
"My work, I will do thru you
As you live your life in Me.
Reach out and touch another,
That is My work I give to thee.
"Share My Name with those around you
Follow Me, wherever I go.
I died for sinners on the Cross,
Tell them - I love them so."
Now I know the answer to the question
That so long I did not know,
The work of Jesus is loving others,
For this cause I was borne to show.
- 2007 |
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The Depths of Fear
by Creth D Hopkins
Lord Jesus
Fear reigns in my soul,
Like a tryrant over an unwilling land
Its flag of defeat flies over my heart
As if to say,
"I own thee, thou art mine,
and in thee,
there is no tomorrow!"
Lord Jesus
Help me to know
That Satan's truths are
Nothing but hellish lies;
That Fear on the throne is
But faith yet exercised;
That the depths of despair
Are but the shallows of greater Faith.
Lord Jesus,
May the power of Thy Word
Break the strength of fear's grip;
By Thy strength I shall ride this stead.
It shall not carry me
Into the Canyon of Despair,
But I shall ride into the Pastures
Of Thy very Presence.
Lord Jesus,
Take fear's curse
And make it Heaven's blessing;
Break the chains of fear.
Release me from
The prison of depression,
And I shall sing unto Thee
Soul's freedom song.
- 2007 |
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"Deliver me, O Spirit"
by Creth D. Hopkins
O Spirit of God
Deliver me in my infirmities;
When the load of sorrow becomes unbearable,
And the pain of despair blinds my eye of faith,
When I am slandered and persecuted
By those who know not the cross I bear,
Deliver me, for Thou lovest and care.
Deliver me, O Spirit of sweet conviction,
When Thou seest in me
A path that knows not Thy foot,
A thought Thou cherishes not,
A delight that grieves Thee deeply,
A posture of heart
That knows not Thy Presence.
Deliver me, O Spirit of Love,
From the old man
Clothed in selfish garb
Who loves no one but himself,
And remains unthankful
For the mercy not earned,
And love not deserved.
Deliver me, O Spirit of Truth,
From words not dipped in Love,
From lips that speak half truths,
From ears that listen to lies,
From words full of haughtiness and pride,
From hours of self-pity and vain-glory,
Deliver me, from idolatry and self-hate.
O Spirit of Encouragement
Show me, anew the joy of my Salvation,
In the forgiveness of my sins,
In the blessedness of Thy Presence,
In the crowning glory of Thy Love,
In the majesty of Thy Holiness,
In the delight of Thy mercy and grace.
Deliver me, O Spirit of Christ,
From a life not lived for Thee,
From a love not spent for Thee,
From a heart not yearning for Thee,
From a soul not in love with Thee,
From a faith not excercised in Thee,
From a moment not given to Thee. |
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Dear Friends,We encourage you to join the hundreds of people who weekly visit our church homepage: http://gccok.com Each of our current sermons are weekly posted on the website for easy and free download. The recent series on "The Character of the Elect of God" has been unusually blessed by God. We are having over 600 downloads of the sermons being taken each week by visitors. We would also encourage you to register in The Forums on the website. By registering, you will not only have reading access to all the posts, but you will also be able to post your questions or views on a plethora of subjects which are featured in The Forums. Hundreds of people read The Forums each week. Join us in a great time of thoughtful discussion on a myriad of topics. The Grace Community Church website is also a great place to leave both your prayer requests, as well as your testimonies to the grace of God in your life. You will be both encouraged and inspired as you read accounts left by other saints of how God is working in their lives. Grow with us to the glory of God! |
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What Suffering Produces By Creth D. Hopkins No one likes to suffer, yet every living soul will experience suffering and pain in their lives. In our humanity we shrink back from the very thought of it. We see the world full of sufferings, and as humans with a fallen nature, we find ourselves blaming God when we go through suffering of any kind. Even those, who call themselves atheists, will in times of calamity blame God for the misfortunes they are experiencing in life. It is the believer, the true child of God, who is given understanding from God through His Holy Scriptures as to the reasons for suffering. Satan will use suffering in our lives to blame God, to accuse God, and to reject God. We even go so far as to believe that suffering and pain is always the result of sin. In John 9:1-38 the disciples of Jesus asked this very question concerning a man who had been born blind. They asked Him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind? Jesus answered, "It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him." Jesus was making it clear that suffering and pain is not always caused by sin. There is not always a direct one to one relationship between suffering and guilt. In fact, there are other reasons that the Scriptures provide: (1) righteousness, (2) obedience, and (3) growth just to mention a few. A non-believer does not understand this; he sees no purpose in it. A child of God knows that God is working in his life, in times of suffering and pain, to deepen his faith in his Master. The health and prosperity preaching of today would disagree with this. They even go so far as to say, "it is not the will of God for any of His people to suffer; in fact, if you are suffering, it is because of sin in your life." What does the Scripture say? "For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in Him but also suffer for His sake." - Philippians 1:29 "Therefore let those who suffer according to God's will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good." - I Peter 4:19 3 "More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us." - Roman 5:3-5 19 "For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. 20 For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. 21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps."- I Peter 2:19-21 Truth faith is confirmed by suffering, false faith is destroyed by it. |
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Whatever Happened to Thanksgiving? By Creth D. Hopkins Our community has just experienced the second greatest retail marketing event of the year - Halloween. A recent survey showed American's participation of Halloween went up from 59% last year to a whopping 65% in 2008. The total revenue that was brought in from sales related to Halloween was over 5.77 billion dollars! Yet, before Halloween was over, stores were already gearing up for the no.1 retail marketing event of the year - Christmas. But didn't we leave something out? What was it that we missed? Thanksgiving. Yes, it may sound strange, but it is true - there really isn't a real market for Thanksgiving. But don't we have the day off - it's a holiday - right? And we have the some 45 million turkeys that the industry is making ready for our tables. And, of course, there are the football games - what more could you ask for? I believe some reflection on the history of Thanksgiving would provide us some needed insight into why America is bypassing Thanksgiving. In 1621, the Pilgrims celebrated a three day Thanksgiving festival with the local Indian tribes. Why? They had survived losing half of their population the first winter, had learned how to fish and farm from the Indians, and had finally raised enough crops in the third year to have a Thanksgiving celebration. Death, starvation, and hard times are always good reasons to be thankful for a merciful God Who providentially takes care of you. In 1863, President Abraham Lincoln signed into Law that the third Thursday in the month of November would be set aside for a Thanksgiving holiday. When? 1863 - right in the middle of the hardest war Americans have ever fought - The Civil War! War is another good reason why we should pause and give thanks to a merciful God for His many kindnesses to us. When you add all these reasons up, you'll find that America is experiencing all the same symptoms for Thanksgiving. Then, why is it that we are forgetting to celebrate Thanksgiving the way our forefathers did? I believe the answer is simple: as a Country, we do not have a humble spirit and a grateful heart to God for His many mercies. We have forgotten God. We got rid of Him in the classroom, we don't talk about Him in the marketplace, and His gospel message is seldom preached in pulpits across our Land. Our Country used to be known as "the free and the brave," because Americans spoke of "God and Country" without hesitation or embarrassment. It is different today. If you believe the liberal media, the average American doesn't talk about God in a personal way, and he is also embarrassed to be an American. Fellow Americans, we need to get back to God. We need preachers who will boldly preach the gospel; namely, that God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the Cross for sinners. And, as sinners, we need to repent of our sins and seek God's forgiveness. Only as we return as individuals to Christ, will we, as a Nation, get our Country back where it needs to be - thankful to God, for His many mercies to us all. |
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PAST BLOG ENTRIES |
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Genesis 3:6 6 "So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with...[ abbreviated | read entire ] |
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The Need to be StrongBy Creth D. HopkinsWe are told in the Holy Scriptures to be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. The source of our strength is singular in nature: "be strong in the Lord." Looking for strength either in a...[ abbreviated | read entire ] |
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11 And he gave ... the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the...[ abbreviated | read entire ] |
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The title of this literary piece is taken from Revelation 2:23 where Jesus is speaking to the Church in Thyatira. 18 "And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write: 'The words of the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and whose...[ abbreviated | read entire ] |
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The Day of the LordBy Creth D. Hopkins "Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you. 2 For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3...[ abbreviated | read entire ] |
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Christians know that man's will is predisposed to evil because man is a fallen, sinful creature. Man's will is not separate from man's nature. If man has a fallen nature, then he has a fallen will. And man's will is free to act according to its...[ abbreviated | read entire ] |
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Beware of False Prophets and False TeachersBy Creth D. HopkinsIn his letter to Timothy, the Apostle Paul warns about godlessness in the Last Days: "But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. 2 For people will...[ abbreviated | read entire ] |
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The Second Coming of ChristBy Creth D. HopkinsWhat is the 2nd Coming of Christ? What exactly does it mean? A careful study of the Holy Scriptures unveils a clear understanding as to the manner of Christ's coming.I. His return will be personal....[ abbreviated | read entire ] |
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Satan: The Arch Enemy of ManPart III: What Is Satan's DestinyBy Creth D. Hopkins You cannot hide anything from God. He keeps record of our thoughts as well as our actions. We learn this truth by observing how God confronted Lucifer with his...[ abbreviated | read entire ] |
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Satan: The Arch Enemy of ManPart II: How Satan WorksBy Creth D. Hopkins Jesus was speaking to unbelievers when He made the following statement concerning their will and the nature of Satan:John 8:44 "You are of your father the devil,...[ abbreviated | read entire ] |
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