5th Sunday at Enola - What a wonderful Day!

Yesterday was Sunday, June 29^th, the 5^th Sunday in June.  We had a terrific Lord’s Day with a good crowd (132) present for Bible study, fellowship, and worship.  Still we had several who were vacationing, working, traveling, not feeling well, or for some other reason unable to gather with the church.  We always miss our Christian brothers and sisters who are absent when we meet.  Because this was a 5^th Sunday in the month, we enjoyed a very special Enola potluck lunch together.  My, my, what a treat!  I believe that just about every person stayed to enjoy the warm and friendly fellowship we enjoyed. And still we had enough food for many more.   After lunch we all walked back over to the auditorium to hear Brother Bob Turner of the Bear Valley Bible Institute in Colorado. Thank you for staying and supporting Brother Turner.   He gave us a report of all the good things that were happening around the world for the cause of Christ.  We have been blessed and it is good and right to share our blessings with those who do not yet know our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  We are continuing our “Great Commission” given to us by Christ before He ascended to His Father and ours.  We find our commission in Matthew 28:18-20.

I asked the church of Christ yesterday to take a special test, a friend test.  We sang the hymn “I’ll be a friend to Jesus.”  The first verse goes this way,

They tried my Lord and Master, with no one to defend.

Within the halls of Pilate, He stood without a friend.

I’ll be a friend to Jesus.  My life to Him I’ll spend.

I’ll be a friend to Jesus, until my years shall end.

After we sang the song, I asked the church if they really believed what they sang.  Am I a friend to Jesus?  Am I spending my life for Him?  Will I be His friend until my years shall end?  I offered the following test:

1.       Friends enjoy being together.  If I am a friend to Jesus I will enjoy spending time with Him.  I will take advantage of each opportunity I have to be with Him.  I will enjoy talking to Him in prayer.  I will enjoy reading His letter (The Bible) to me.  I love to read John 6, at the end of the chapter where Jesus asked His disciple if they would leave Him like others had.  Peter said, “Lord, to whom shall we go.  You have the words of eternal life and we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of God.”  Peter loved Jesus and understood friendship.  I know that he let Jesus down later on, but who stood up in front of the world in Acts 2 to declare his friendship?  Peter!  Am I…are you a friend to Jesus?

2.       Friends sacrifice for each other.  If I am a friend to Jesus I will do whatever I need to do to show my love for Him. Am I…are you a friend to Jesus?

3.       Friends speak often of each other.  If I am a friend to Jesus I will have no trouble speaking about Him and sharing our friendship with anyone who would listen.  Am I…are you a friend to Jesus?

4.       Friends defend each other.  If I am a friend to Jesus I will I will defend Him.  Am I…are you a friend to Jesus?

5.       Friends are loyal to each other.  If I am a friend to Jesus I will be loyal to Him in good times and in bad times.  Am I…are you a friend to Jesus?

I hope you are a friend to Jesus.  Do you remember what Jesus said in John 15:14?  He said, “You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.”  Well, do you?  You can also read in the Bible in John 14:15 where Jesus said, “If you love Me, keep My commandments.”  No opinions.  Just stating facts.

I hope to see you soon up in the country.  God bless you and keep you is my constant prayer.

I'll be a Friend to Jesus - How about you?

Hello from up in the country, Enola, Arkansas and the Enola church of Christ.  I hope you are having a great week living the Christian life.  We had a great day this past Sunday with a good crowd gathered together to study the Bible, worship God in spirit and in truth, and enjoy wonderful Christian fellowship together.  Some of our fellow Christian family members were out of pocket vacationing, working, traveling, and a few were sick.  May God help us all to appreciate one another more and more as we look toward heaven.

Last Sunday was “Father’s Day” so our lesson was aimed at helping every dad to be a better dad.  We talked about three things that we need to do as fathers to see that our children know what they need to know:  First, they need to know God’s word.  Second, they need to know how to live life.  Third, we need to help them, but not overdo it.  In 2 Timothy 3 Paul wrote about the Scripture being inspired of God and contains everything we need for every good work.  How can we know “everything we need for every good work”  if we do not know the Bible?  In Romans 1:16 we find that the gospel  of Christ is the power of God to salvation to everyone who believes.  Dads have a grave responsibility to bring up their children in the nurture and the admonition of Christ (Ephesians 6:4).  This means that sometimes we say “Yes” to what our children request and sometimes we say “No.”  James writes about wisdom in James chapter one and instructs every person who needs wisdom to pray to God for it and God will give what is needed.  As a dad and “PopPop” I take these passages from the Bible very seriously.  Always have.  Always will.

This Sunday we will study about friendship with a lesson entitled “I’ll Be a Friend to Jesus – Really?”  Are you a friend to Jesus?  Friends believe in each other.  Friends like to be together.  Friends are always honest with each other.  Friends trust each other.  Friends have confidence in each other.  How about it?  Are you a friend to Jesus?  Do you believe in Him?  Do you like to be with Him?  Are you honest with Him?  Do you trust Him?  Can He trust you?  When He asks you to do something, do you have the confidence in Him enough to do it without complaining, doubting, or asking Him “Why?”  These are sobering questions that we need to ask ourselves.  How about it?

On Sunday evening we will focus our attention on back on worship and the fact that God really does have rules that we must keep in order for our worship to be acceptable to Him.  We must come before God with an attitude or heart of reverence.  In Exodus 3 Moses approached the “burning bush” and was told by God to remove his shoes because the ground was holy.  We may not need to remove our shoes when we come to worship, but we certainly must have a heart of reverence for God.  This Sunday we will look at the second lesson in the series, “Submission to God in Purity.”  In 1 Corinthians 11 Paul wrote about the Lord’s Supper, the unleavened bread representing the body of Christ and the fruit of the vine representing Jesus’ blood that washes away our sins.  He wrote about the requirements for acceptable worship when we commemorate the death, burial, and the resurrection of Jesus.  We are to remember Jesus and examine ourselves.  Paul’s admonition is serious.  There is a “worthy” way and an “unworthy” way.  I want to remember Jesus in a worthy way.  How about you?  Those who worship God must worship Him in spirit and in truth.

I hope to see you on Sunday, Sunday evening, and again on Wednesday evening.  The drive up in the country will do you good.  God bless you.  God bless us all.

We can do it! We will!

We can do whatever needs to be done.  God will provide.  He always does.  On our outdoor sign at the Enola Church of Christ recently: "We can always find the time to do what we want to do."  and "The longest journey begins with a single step."

These questions have answers.  Who?  Everyone, but more specifically and importantly, you and me!  What?  Life!  When?  Now!  Because yesterday is gone and tomorrow may never be.  Where?  Wherever we are right now!  How?  The best way we can!  God’s way!  His way is always the best way.  Why?  Well, because don’t we want to be happy here and in heaven later on?  I do.  So, I will.  I am.

May God help us to live this one life we have full, free, faithfully, and without fear.

Have a fantastic weekend!