How to accept Christ Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior
Our Ministry (Cont’d)
Our Vision
Admit that you’ve missed the mark on what God wants for you. You’ve failed to meet the standard God set for your life. (Rom. 3:23) In order to receive Christ as your personal Savior, you must admit you have a problem. You also have to be willing to make a 180 degree turn and start going in the opposite direction; this is called repentance, the starting point of salvation.
Believe that Jesus is the Son of God who said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6) He didn’t say He was one way among many; He said He is the way. Through our sins we wrong God and separate ourselves from Him. When a wrong has been committed, justice must be served. (Rom. 6:23) God came to earth in the form of a man, Jesus of Nazareth, to give His life to satisfy God’s demand for justice and reconcile us to God. (Rom. 5:8) Confess your need for God. First, confess to God the things you’ve done that have displeased Him.
Confess that you have lived your life according to your own way (Prov. 3:5-6) and not according to His way. (Jer. 29:11) Then ask Him to take over your life. Give Jesus complete control of your life. Finally, confess to another person that you’ve asked Jesus to take control of your life, that you believe God raised Jesus from the dead for you, and that you are going to spend eternity in heaven with Him. (Rom. 10:9-10) Jesus said that if we will confess Him before others, He will confess us before His Father. (Matt. 10:32)
After accepting Christ as your Savior and Lord, ask God to send you to a bible teaching, Holy Spirit filled Church so that you may mature and serve in the ministry. Also, seek to be water baptized in identifying to the world that you have been crucified with Christ. (Gal. 2:20) (1 Pet. 3:21) (Acts 22:16) (Col. 2:12)
Spirit
To proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ “to all mankind,” be it in the Church, on the streets, or in everyday life encounters with people, that all men and women may have the opportunity to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of their lives. That every believer (once saved and sealed with The Holy Spirit) be given the opportunity to receive the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, with the initial sign of speaking in tongues, so that they may be boldly equipped for ministry. (Mark 16:15-16) (Eph. 1:13) (Acts 1:8) (Acts 2:4)
Soul
That every born again believer be biblically fed the word of God through relevant and Holy Spirit inspired teaching and preaching; with the word of God being properly exegeted, encouraging the believer to hear the scriptures, (Rom 10:17) search the scriptures which directs to Jesus Christ, (John 5:39) thereby ushering in faith, whereby God will then be pleased with the believer. (John 5:39) (Acts 17:11) (Rom. 10:17) (Heb. 11:6) That the bible shall be the ABSOLUTE AND FINAL authority in regards to both earthly and spiritual matters, governing the lives of every believer. (2 Tim. 3:16)
The Body
That every born-again believer receive from the word of God, biblical instruction on how to live a victorious Christian life, in abundance, to the full, till it overflows, being conformed to the Father’s image. (2 Cor. 3:18) (John 10:10) (1 John 4:17b)
Biblical definition of Marriage upheld
That marriage be defined and upheld in accordance to the Holy Bible; marriage is a holy covenant ordained by God between one man and one woman (Gen. 1:27, Gen. 2:18, Gen. 2:23- 24) which also models the relationship that Jesus Christ (The Groom) has with His church. (We the born again believers in Christ.) (Eph. 5:23) That all marriages performed at Rivers of Life Church shall reflect this very sacredness. (Matt. 19:5-6)
The Family
That the biblical foundation of the family be restored as prescribed by the bible:
That the body of Christ submit to one another. Eph. 5:21
That wives should submit to their own husbands. Eph. 5:22
That husbands love their wives as Christ loved the Church. Eph. 5:25
That children obey and honor their parents in the Lord. Eph. 6:1-2
In the summer of 2015, driving down the Westside of Avenue S in the City of Palmdale, California, on an extremely hot day nearing the 14 freeway, myself and my wife( First Lady Marion Russell) gazed upon a riverbed on both sides of Avenue S, where both sides were barren with weeds and dirt, and immediately the Holy Spirit (as we were talking about the area) showed us a Church being built in that area. (A mega sanctuary)
In an instantaneous moment, the Holy Spirit brought to my attention two scriptures; Isa. 43:19 “Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall SPRING forth; shall you not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and RIVERS in the desert!”
Also John 7:37-38 “If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow RIVERS of living water.”
Thus the name of the church that God gave to us for this mega ministry was Rivers of Life Church Of God in Christ. (Rivers of Life Church)
Soon afterwards, on Friday, Sept. 16, 2016, bible studies began in the home of our brother and sister-in- law, Deacon Wayne and Evangelist Maggie Scranton with great success, as our following and attendance grew.
People from all over Southern California (and the nation) began pouring "in an unusual way" financial resources and prayers for our ministry, and the ministry thus became reality!
On January 8, 2017, Rivers of Life opened its doors at our current address, 3166 E. Palmdale Blvd. #108 for our very first worship service in the City of Palmdale, California with over 10 people in attendance, and we expect that God will do great and mighty things through this ministry!