Everything is going to be fine up in the country!

     What a wonderful Sunday we enjoyed this week (24^th) when the church of Christ at Enola met for worship, study, and fellowship!  We had a good crowd (128) when you consider the cold windy weather we are having.  There were many smiles as we talked about the many ways God is blessing the church up in the country.  We have had two new additions to the church recently.  One of our Christian sisters got married.  We had a new baby to be born this weekend.  One of our Christian brothers who recently lost his job interviewed and was made an offer.  He starts to work again on Monday.  Some who have been sick are better.  I could go on and on.  Of course we still have work to do.  Some of our Christian brothers and sisters are having a difficult time right now.  Some are sick.  They need God’s tender loving care, our prayers and His healing.  Some are struggling with the mistakes of the past, errors in judgment, weakness, limitations, and sin.  They need our prayers, support, and love now more than ever.  God is faithful, merciful, gracious, and just.  He can make what is wrong right again.  He can strengthen every weakness.  Of course every searching soul must come to God in repentance and humility to receive the answers to their needs.  Some are doubtful and in need of a greater faith.  God’s word, the Bible was written so that those who are doubtful might believe.  God is ready, willing, and able to provide for our every need.  He is our refuge and strength, a very present help in times of trouble.  We must not be afraid or dismayed.  Let us hasten to Him.

     This Sunday (March 31^st) is Easter Sunday.  Remember that Easter Sunday will be no different than any other Lord’s Day at Enola.  We celebrate and remember the resurrection of Christ every first day of the week when we break bread together in the Lord’s Supper.  The unleavened bread that we share represents the body of Christ who was crucified for us.  The fruit of the vine represents the blood that Jesus shed when He died for us.  Of course we remember the day He rose from the grave just as He promised.  That was a Sunday, the first day of the week.  The church of Christ in the first century celebrated the death, burial, and the resurrection of Christ with the Lord’s Supper every Sunday (Acts 20:7, 1 Corinthians 16:1-2).  We do the same.  We have been given special instructions in 1 Corinthians 11 concerning the Lord’s Supper.  We must remember Christ’s body in the unleavened bread and His blood in the fruit of the vine.  We must also examine ourselves and so eat and drink.  We want to follow the pattern for worship we find in the New Testament.

     Our Sunday evening series is going well.  I am preaching a series on the Old Rugged Cross.  If I am living my life in view of the cross, I must realize that the way of the cross has requirements that must be met.  The road to Calvary requires C – Courage.  It requires R – Reason.  The Way requires O – Obedience.  This Sunday we find that the Way of the cross requires S – Sacrifice.  Jesus Christ gave Himself as a Sacrifice for us all.  What about us?  We must give ourselves as a living sacrifice to God.  I hope you will be present at 5:00 p.m. on Sunday evening for this series of lessons taken straight from the Bible.  Remember that faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God (Romans 10:17).

     I keep thinking:  April showers bring May flowers.  Today (Tuesday, March 26^th) when I walked outside to get Cindi’s car warmed up for her drive to work, the temperature was below freezing.  I know because the water in my garden fountain was frozen.  God has everything under control no matter what the news media says.  I will trust Him and obey Him.  That way, everything will be just fine.