Three People Joined Church Yesterday!

We had a good time at church today! Evelyn does not sing every week. Contrary to what people think, the songbird does not sing to me all around the house nor does she sing every one of my meditations or appeals. She would not be able to enjoy going to worship if she had to be on duty every week. So, she sings periodically. Works out well 'cause the people don't take her for granted either. Well, she sang today! She sang "Give Me a Clean Heart" with Troy Chambers accompanying her on the Hammond. Mmh. Hmm. It was really a great moment in worship.

The Lord is so gracious. I had this sermon thought in mind since the cruise. Something happened though. It never took shape quite like I had imagined. I had my texts. The sermon was entitled "A Beautiful Message" which was a play on the movie "A Beautiful Mind." I came from Revelation 14:6-7 and Hebrews 3:7ff and Hebrews 4:1ff along with Exodus 20:8-11, Numbers 14 and Genesis 1. (I'm giving you the texts 'cause I don't feel like writing it all out.)

The gist of it is that what is beautiful about our message is not what we do in terms of obedience, but what God has already done. Taliaferro helped me with this one. God places man in this world AFTER everything has already been created (firmament divided, lights in the sky shining, flowers blooming, trees swaying, green grass growing, fish swimming, birds flying, livestock grazing). Everything is working BEFORE he shows up. And the Sabbath then is a rest, a celebration of what God has already done. And throughout the Scriptures, that's really what the Sabbath is. We celebrate what God has already done. We celebrate the Sabbath (the rest) we have in Christ for what He did for us on that Good Friday. He rested. And again we rest in celebration of what He has done (just as He did it all in Creation, He did it all for our Redemption.)

Praise God that when we truly believe, when we truly rest in what Christ has done, we are then (and only then) able to really obey. I can obey when my faith is challenged because I KNOW that God is able to help me. So honoring His Sabbath is a small thing when I trust in Him. Why? Because if I lose my job, I trust Him to take care of me. I know He's just great like that.

Don't you know that God is so kind that when I made the appeal to join the Seventh-day Adventist Church three folk came! What can I say besides, "The Lord be praised!"

Listen, I just couldn't pull that manuscript together. I was at the church 'til LATE last night. And could not pull it together. I guess I left the church about 1 am. Sis. Upshaw talked to me in the line after church and told me that the Lord woke her up and she started praying about 2 am. HEY! Tell me my God ain't working. I ain't no fool. I know that God did it.

I told the church that the Lord has sent us three new folk AND WE HAVEN'T EVEN STARTED NET 2004 YET!!!

This afternoon I spoke briefly on behalf of clergy in the City of Chester for a Chester Vote 2K4 Celebration at the Chester Park. That was cool.

At the same time, my members were hitting the streets. I talked to my first elder Greg Gilford and he said that we had about 20 folk passing out fliers and door knob hangers in the neighborhoods of Chester. Wow! Isn't it just wonderful what our Lord is doing in this City through the people of God who call Macedonia their church home?

We've been airing Elder Pearson's messages for these last three weeks on our weekly radio slot, Sundays at 11 am. Praying for a great harvest as a result of "Experience the Power" with Elder Walter Pearson.

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Insider, yes, it is exciting!

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