Unfortunately, the devaluation of membership has crept into the church as well. People just don’t see the benefit of formal membership. This is not just a problem with people not liking the idea. Our leaders have often done a poor job teaching the value of church membership. We love God and one another with true affection and good works. And we hold one another accountable as we seek to glorify God together; being united to one another in love.
For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 3:11
“...Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.” Luke 12:7
I was just in the second grade when Jesse Jackson came to my elementary school and told us in a speech, “I am somebody”! I will never get that day! In teaching us how to live, Jesus used sparrows to illustrate the same point, WE ARE SOMEBODY! A worthless sparrow. “Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins? And not one of them is forgotten before God...Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows” (vv. 6-7 NKJV).
“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." John 16:33 (NKJV)
On May 3, 1943, air raid sirens sounded all over London. People raced with urgency for cover toward the Bethnal Green Underground station, where more than 500 people had already taken refuge. In the next ten minutes, 1500 more would join them. A woman carrying a baby lost her footing on one of the 19 steps leading down from the street. Like dominoes, people started falling on top of one another. It was an ugly scene. In the end, 173 people died. Bombs didn't kill them, fear did! Today there's a stampede of fear all around us. All you must do is turn on the tv and watch the news, CNN, MSNBC or FOX News and you will know what I am talking about. If you're not careful, you'll get caught up in it and lose your footing and start falling down the stairs of fear.
WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT FROM THE HEART OF THE PASTOR!
“They...limited the Holy One of Israel.” Psalms 78:41
Researchers conducted an experiment in which frogs were placed in separate glass jars covered with breathable lids to prevent them from escaping. At first the frogs kept jumping, trying to escape, but each time they hit their heads on the lid. After thirty days of doing this, something amazing happened. When the lids were removed from the jars, the frogs never jumped out even though they could easily have done so. Why? Because they had formed a belief system that the top of the jar was as high as they could go. You see church, their limited belief system kept them trapped in the jar!
“Whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.” (Romans 15:4)
Last Sunday at the 11:00am service, Dr. Jimmy Jenkins, President of Livingstone College, stood in our pulpit and eloquently shared the tremendous responsibility of being an excellent learner or student. However, the greatest of all learning is the learning we get from the Word of God. You see, the Word of God instructs us in the most important matters of life.
WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT FROM THE HEART OF THE PASTOR…………..
“When Jesus saw her, he called her forward and said to her, “Woman, you are set free from your infirmity.” Luke 13: 12 NIV
The Bible says: “As Jesus was teaching in a synagogue, he saw a woman who had been ...bent double for eighteen years and was unable to stand up straight... He called her over and said, ‘Dear woman, you are healed’...Then He touched her, and instantly she could stand straight. How she praised God! But the leader in charge of the synagogue was indignant that Jesus had healed her on the Sabbath day” (Luke 13 vv. 10- 14 NLT). There are 2 significant things concerning this woman:
“So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.” Romans 12:5 KJV
In 1972, Al Green, an R&B singer, now preacher, recorded a number #1 hit titled, “Let’s Stay Together”. The song quickly became an encouraging anthem for relationships who were struggling to “stick it out” through times of difficulty.
I think we are living in times when we as the body of Christ need to “stick it out” more than ever before. We are about to embark upon a great building (parking lot) and renovation (face lift of Education Building) project. We need all hands on deck. God has been too good to us to grow weary and throw in the proverbial towel. He has brought us from a mighty long way so why give up now?
