Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Big Kid in a Child's Seat
A great storyteller, Pastor Earnest Thomas delivers a captivating and impactful message titled "Arrested Development", Scripture basis - 1 Corn 3:1. Here he tells a story of a child who is developmentally challenged.
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Who's Your Guide?
Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.—Proverbs 3:5-6 (KJV)
Five months into my daughter’s lengthy illness, I had to make a telephone call to my parents who lived in another state. It was difficult to tell them that their precious granddaughter’s surgery did not go well, and she was about to have a third surgery, all within one month’s time. Hearing the urgency and uncertainty in my voice, they immediately traveled to visit her. It was late in the evening when they arrived at my home, and upon their insistence, I loaded them up in my car, carefully leading my mother, who is blind. We were off to the hospital.
My parents waited in the hospital’s lobby while I parked the car. Once I entered the hospital I grabbed my mother by the hand to lead her to the elevator. Immediately, my dad grabbed my mom and said it was his job to lead her. So, we got into the elevator headed to my daughter’s floor. While riding in the elevator, I began to warn my parent’s of my daughter’s appearance. Her body was very weak and she had lost a great deal of weight. The news was very unsettling for my father and caused him to become even more anxious to see his granddaughter.
When the elevator door opened, I exited followed by my father. As I turned to remind my father to get my mother, the elevator doors began to close. In the excitement, my dad had forgotten about leading my mom. We did manage to retrieve my mom, who was a little shaken up by the whole ordeal. After all, she was in an unfamiliar place. My mom trusted my Dad to lead her safely to her destination. My mom failed to realize that Daddy could not lead her in a place that he had never been, and his emotional state made him even more unreliable.
Faith in God requires dependency on the One who has seen your destination. Only God can guide you to a place you’ve never been. Whether it’s a new business venture, teaching a Bible Study, or purchasing a new home, God wants you to trust in and depend on Him. God wants you to become his dependent child. In other words, don’t place your faith in man’s leading (as in mom’s case, who would leave you alone in an elevator), but totally lean to God for direction. God is a reliable guide. Sometimes we may not understand the route God is taking us on, but remember, we must walk by faith and not by sight. In other words, we are blind and can’t see the pathway to our destination, but, with God as our reliable guide, He will lead us if we allow him to order our every step.
Five months into my daughter’s lengthy illness, I had to make a telephone call to my parents who lived in another state. It was difficult to tell them that their precious granddaughter’s surgery did not go well, and she was about to have a third surgery, all within one month’s time. Hearing the urgency and uncertainty in my voice, they immediately traveled to visit her. It was late in the evening when they arrived at my home, and upon their insistence, I loaded them up in my car, carefully leading my mother, who is blind. We were off to the hospital.
My parents waited in the hospital’s lobby while I parked the car. Once I entered the hospital I grabbed my mother by the hand to lead her to the elevator. Immediately, my dad grabbed my mom and said it was his job to lead her. So, we got into the elevator headed to my daughter’s floor. While riding in the elevator, I began to warn my parent’s of my daughter’s appearance. Her body was very weak and she had lost a great deal of weight. The news was very unsettling for my father and caused him to become even more anxious to see his granddaughter.
When the elevator door opened, I exited followed by my father. As I turned to remind my father to get my mother, the elevator doors began to close. In the excitement, my dad had forgotten about leading my mom. We did manage to retrieve my mom, who was a little shaken up by the whole ordeal. After all, she was in an unfamiliar place. My mom trusted my Dad to lead her safely to her destination. My mom failed to realize that Daddy could not lead her in a place that he had never been, and his emotional state made him even more unreliable.
Faith in God requires dependency on the One who has seen your destination. Only God can guide you to a place you’ve never been. Whether it’s a new business venture, teaching a Bible Study, or purchasing a new home, God wants you to trust in and depend on Him. God wants you to become his dependent child. In other words, don’t place your faith in man’s leading (as in mom’s case, who would leave you alone in an elevator), but totally lean to God for direction. God is a reliable guide. Sometimes we may not understand the route God is taking us on, but remember, we must walk by faith and not by sight. In other words, we are blind and can’t see the pathway to our destination, but, with God as our reliable guide, He will lead us if we allow him to order our every step.
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Associate Ministers Workshop
Saturday, November 7, 2009, 8:30 am - 12 noon.
St. Mark BC, 5722 W. 12th Street, Little Rock AR, 501-663-6355, Bishop S. Arnold, Senior Pastor
Dr. Joel Gregory will be the facilitator for this event. He will conduct two sessions – Making the Biblical Text Relevant and Using Illustrations in Preaching. We will have refreshments available at 8:30 am.
Also, Dr. Gregory will preach at the 8:00 am worship service on Sunday, Nov. 8, 2009.
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Be On Your Best Behavior
By Roline Thomas
Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. – 1 Peter 2:11
My 9-year old niece Kayla spent two weeks of her summer vacation with our family. Two days into her stay, she told me “I don’t think I can stay here another day because it doesn’t feel like home!” After regaining my composure, I said “It doesn’t feel like home because it is not your home. But, while you are here, be on your best behavior.”
In I Peter 2:11, Christians are likened to aliens and strangers in the world. Simply put, this world is not a Christian’s home. Christians are also urged to abstain from and deny ourselves of sinful desires, our own self-indulgent urges. Jesus said that he was in this world, but not of the world. (John 17). He showed us that we don’t have to adapt to, or embrace worldly methods.
Does the world look at you as though you come from another planet? Do you stand out in the crowd? Does the world look at you strange because your beliefs, morals, and values do not mirror theirs?
Peter reminds us of the clarion call of God, “Be ye holy; for I am holy” (1 Peter 1:16). Carrying a Holy Bible does not make you holy. To be holy is to be set apart by God for God. Holiness is living a lifestyle pleasing to God. Our daily behavior- the things we do, say and think- must glorify God.
As Christians, we are not to allow ourselves to be comfortable in this world, for it is not our home. But while we are here, let’s be on our best behavior.
Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. – 1 Peter 2:11
My 9-year old niece Kayla spent two weeks of her summer vacation with our family. Two days into her stay, she told me “I don’t think I can stay here another day because it doesn’t feel like home!” After regaining my composure, I said “It doesn’t feel like home because it is not your home. But, while you are here, be on your best behavior.”
In I Peter 2:11, Christians are likened to aliens and strangers in the world. Simply put, this world is not a Christian’s home. Christians are also urged to abstain from and deny ourselves of sinful desires, our own self-indulgent urges. Jesus said that he was in this world, but not of the world. (John 17). He showed us that we don’t have to adapt to, or embrace worldly methods.
Does the world look at you as though you come from another planet? Do you stand out in the crowd? Does the world look at you strange because your beliefs, morals, and values do not mirror theirs?
Peter reminds us of the clarion call of God, “Be ye holy; for I am holy” (1 Peter 1:16). Carrying a Holy Bible does not make you holy. To be holy is to be set apart by God for God. Holiness is living a lifestyle pleasing to God. Our daily behavior- the things we do, say and think- must glorify God.
As Christians, we are not to allow ourselves to be comfortable in this world, for it is not our home. But while we are here, let’s be on our best behavior.
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