The Shepherd’s Voice
The Shepherd’s Voice is one of our pastor’s communications extension to the Church, our friends and the world. He uses it as a way to reach out to our faith community while providing spiritual insight and perspectives to the sermon messages and events and issues of our day. We are welcomed and encouraged to comment on any of the messages by clicking the “Fine or Main Point” link you want to comment on, going to the bottom of the page and filling in and Submitting the Reply at the end of the message. Most of the blogs have audio playback so we can listen to as well as read them. We hope you are blessed and inspired by our Shepherd’s Voice.
02
Apr '18
Fine Points Monday April 2, 2018
02
Apr '18
Greeting FB Members and Friends
Thanks for joining me for another edition of Fine Points and welcome back. Easter Sunday turned out to be one of the nicest days we have had so far this year around here weather-wise and many people took advantage of it by going to Easter Services. We began the day at 6:45 am with Sunrise Service and a sermon message brought by Rev. Byars about “Starting Over”. After the message, we had a few minutes before breakfast was ready and several people took that opportunity to give personal testimonies and sing a few songs.
Breakfast was fantastic! It was all I had asked for and some including waffles with syrup. None of which would have been possible without the dedication of the ladies and gentleman who rose up early Sunday morning to prepare and serve such a wonderful meal. Again, thank you for your service. After breakfast, we had a nice Sunday School at 9:00 am and Morning Worship began at 10:00 am. Our Easter Program started around 11:30 am and it was one of the best programs we have ever had. Beside the usual speeches by the children, the adults participated in a skit dramatizing the fact that all of our sins were nailed to the cross and we were treated to two praise dance performances.
And just in case you missed it, our Youth Day will be this Sunday during morning service so make sure your children come and participate. Our Men’s Fellowship breakfast will be Saturday, April 7 here at the church. After the breakfast, we will take care of a few items around the church that need to be addressed. The Union County Countywide Crusade for Christ will be held for the first time here at Flag Branch beginning this Sunday, April 8 through Thursday, April 12th. Rev. R. J. Evans, Sr., pastor of Greater Grace Community MBC in Marshville will be the Sunday night speaker and Rev. Brian Irving, a son of Friendship MBC in Monroe and pastor of Northside MBC in Durham will be the speaker for the week. It is an honor and privilege to be able to host this crusade. So let’s get ready to receive and be gracious host of this long running event in our county.
Finally, I will be the guest speaker at Rev. J. N. Coble’s 40th Pastoral Anniversary Service on Sunday, April 15th. This will provide us with another opportunity to help bless and encourage another local pastor and congregation. So, mark your calendars and help us to be a blessing to the Mt. Moriah church family. And now a few final thoughts from yesterday’s message “An Eternity With God”.
God declares that He inhabits or dwells in “eternity”. But He also said that He is not alone there, but with those of a contrite spirit and humble heart whom He calls His people or children. And though He was angry with His people and caused them to suffer for their disobedience, He would allow His anger to subside less His children be consumed by it. He has therefore removed the stumbling blocks that were in their way that kept them for restoring favor with Him and taken care of their sin problem. So those of His people who are contrite and humble can inhabit eternity along with Him which is and was He intention for creating them.
But eternity with God begins in the present with Jesus. If we walk with Jesus in the present we will be translated as Enoch into eternity with God. But if we can’t spend our days on earth with Jesus, how can we expect to spend forever with God. God has cancelled and nailed to the cross every excuse and stumbling block from being the people He created us to be. In the judgement, no one will be able to escape the judgement of God who neglects or ignores this salvation. Well, that’s all for now. Have a good week and I hope to see you Sunday, if not before, if the Lord so wills. So, until then,
Blessings and Peace
Pastor Jordan
26
Mar '18
Fine Points Monday March 26, 2018
26
Mar '18
Greeting FB Members and Friends
Thanks for joining me for another edition of Fine Points and welcome back. Sunday marked the beginning of another week the Lord has made so let’s be glad and rejoice in it. I was glad to see many of you though I did miss some others of which I know some informed me that they were not feeling well.
I like to commend the Young Adults who attended and participated in the Union County Young Adult Missionary program Saturday at Greater Grace Community MBC. Rev. Evans touched on many of the things I have been saying and I hope to see greater participation in Sunday School and BTU in the future. I would like to take this time to inform those who may not know that Sis. Olinda Simpson and Bro. Robert Hailey had an uncle, Clifton Hailey, to pass last week. Funeral services are scheduled for 1:00 pm on Saturday at Piney Grove East MBC and visitation will begin at 12:00.
As most of you know this is Holy Week and we will begin our services Wednesday and continue through Friday with services beginning each evening at 7:00 pm. We will begin at Walker’s Grove and I will bring the message. Thursday, we will be here and Rev. Sanders will bring the message along with Holy Communion. We will close at Belmont and Rev. Powe will bring the message. Early Sunday morning Sunrise Service will be at 6:45 AM followed by breakfast. Sunday School will be at 9:00 AM and Morning Worship will begin at 10:00 AM.
Following Morning Worship, we will have our Easter Program. If your child still doesn’t have a speech, it is not too late to get them something to say at the program. Getting up and speaking before the congregation helps to build confidence and self-esteem in our children. Be sure to let them practice them before your family and friends so they won’t be nervous and ready by Easter. Our Men’s Fellowship breakfast will be Saturday, April 7 here at the church. After the breakfast, we will take care of a few items around the church that need to be addressed.
The Union County Countywide Crusade for Christ will be held for the first time here at Flag Branch beginning Sunday, April 8 through Thursday, April 12th. Rev. R. J. Evans, Sr., pastor of Greater Grace Community MBC in Marshville will be the Sunday night speaker and Rev. Brian Irving, a son of Friendship MBC in Monroe and pastor of Northside MBC in Durham will be the speaker for the week. It is an honor and privilege to be able to host this crusade. So let’s get ready to receive and be gracious host of this long running event in our county.
Finally, I will be the guest speaker at Rev. J. N. Coble’s 40th Pastoral Anniversary Service on Sunday, April 15th. This will provide us with another opportunity to help bless and encourage another local pastor and congregation. So, mark your calendars and help us to be a blessing to the Mt. Moriah church family.
And now a few final thoughts from yesterday’s message “Our Fragile Frame”. When flowers are in full bloom, they are one of the most beautiful sights to behold. But their beauty only lasts a few hours or days before the environment begins to chip away at their glory until nothing is left and the place is no longer remembered. We likewise are glorious beings who are wonderfully made and something beautiful to behold. And just like the flower, the winds of life through suffering, trouble, sickness, calamity, age and time chips away at our glory until we are left with only a faint shell of what we were at our peak and even that soon fades away. And like that flower, our place is no more remembered.
Our frames are fragile by design because our Creator made it so. We are not built to live apart from the One who made us. We are fragile particles of designed dust who the Creator made to dwell with Him. We only need to acknowledge our dependence on Him and be willing to live as He commands and our place with not be forgotten but moved to the everlasting place it was meant to be. Well, that’s all for now. I hope to see you Sunday, if not before, if the Lord so wills. So, until then,
Blessings and Peace
Pastor Jordan
19
Mar '18
Fine Points Monday March 19, 2018
19
Mar '18
Greeting FB Members and Friends
Thanks for joining me for another edition of Fine Points and welcome back. Sunday was another beautiful day that the Lord made and I was glad to rejoice and be in it. I was glad to see many members and friends but I also missed a few I am accustomed to seeing on a regular basis. I received some good positive comments on last Sunday’s All Members and Family Day which I hope will help make next year even better than this year.
I want to thank all the members and friends who went with me to Philadelphia MBC to help Rev. James Shine celebrate his 4th Pastoral Anniversary. I believe everyone enjoyed the dinner and the hospitality of the Philadelphia church family. Thanks to your donations we were able to give Pastor Shine a nice monetary gift. I will be the guest speaker at Rev. J. N. Coble’s 40th Pastoral Anniversary Service on Sunday, April 15th. This will provide us with another opportunity to help bless and encourage another local pastor and congregation.
Holy Week is drawing near and will begin Wednesday, March 28th and continue through Friday, March 30th. We will begin at Walker’s Grove and I will bring the message. Thursday, we will be here and Rev. Sanders will bring the message. We will close at Belmont and Rev. Powe will bring the message. We will follow the same outline for Easter as we did last year. Sunrise Service will be at 6:45 AM followed by breakfast. Sunday School will be at 9:00 AM and Morning Worship will begin at 10:00 AM.
Following Morning Worship we will have our Easter Program. I encourage all parents to begin now helping your children with their Easter Speeches. Let them practice them before your family and friends so they won’t be nervous and ready by Easter. If you need a speech for your child, ask Sis. Willie Jordan for assistance. Also, if you would like a flyer to place somewhere or hand to someone about Easter service, they will be available in the vestibule.
The Union County Countywide Crusade for Christ will be held for the first time here at Flag Branch beginning Sunday, April 8 through Thursday, April 12th. Rev. R. J. Evans, Sr., pastor of Greater Grace Community MBC in Marshville will be the Sunday night speaker and Rev. Brian Irving, a son of Friendship MBC in Monroe and pastor of Northside MBC in Durham will be the speaker for the week. It is an honor and privilege to be able to host this crusade. So let’s get ready to receive and be gracious host of this long running event in our county. And now a few final thoughts from yesterday’s message “The Light of Life”.
Light is an essential ingredient of life as we know it and would be impossible without it. From warming the planet to providing the means to see Light is what makes life possible. Just as physical light is essential for life, the light of truth is essential to eternal life. The truth is God want to give mankind a place in His eternal kingdom, but spiritual forces opposed to that want to keep us in the dark and this truth from coming to light. But the truth of God’s Light cannot be extinguished by darkness. It is there and available to everyone who wants to escape the darkness of ignorance, sin and evil. The truth is the light and Jesus is both. Everyone who loves the truth with come to the light and embrace Jesus as Savior and Lord. Well, that’s all for now. I hope to see you Sunday, if not before, if the Lord so wills. So, until then,
Blessings and Peace
Pastor Jordan
12
Mar '18
Fine Points Monday March 12, 2018
12
Mar '18
Greeting FB Members and Friends
Thanks for joining me for another edition of Fine Points and welcome back. Sunday was All Members and Family Day and I would like to thank the Membership Committee for all they did to help make the day as wonderful as it was. I was glad to see many members and friends along with some invited guest. And Bro. Kevin Jordan graciously made picture available for any family who wanted to take one. I also want to thank and acknowledge the services of Dea. Ernest Collins and Sis. Annie Rivers and Robin Muirhead for what they did to help us host the Zion Laymen League meeting Saturday. They helped to provide and prepare lunch for those who attended the meeting.
I have accepted an invitation to be the guest speaker for the Pastor Appreciation Service for Rev. James Shine at Philadelphia MBC this Sunday afternoon March 18th. Dinner will be served before the service. I hope many of you will be able to join me for this special occasion. I have also accepted an invitation to be the guest speaker at Rev. J. N. Coble’s 40th Pastoral Anniversary Service on Sunday, April 15th. Together let’s help these churches make these services special for their pastors.
Holy Week will begin Wednesday, March 28th and continue through Friday, March 30th. We will begin at Walker’s Grove and I will bring the message. Thursday, we will be here and Rev. Sanders will bring the message. We will close at Belmont and Rev. Powe will bring the message. We will follow the same outline for Easter as we did last year. Sunrise Service will be at 6:45 AM followed by breakfast. Sunday School will be at 9:00 AM and Morning Worship will begin at 10:00 AM. Following Morning Worship we will have our Easter Program. I encourage all parents to begin now helping your children with their Easter Speeches. Let them practice them before your family and friends so they won’t be nervous and ready by Easter. If you need a speech for your child, ask Sis. Willie Jordan for assistance.
The Union County Countywide Crusade for Christ will be held for the first time here at Flag Branch beginning Sunday, April 8 through Thursday, April 12th. Rev. R. J. Evans, Sr., pastor of Greater Grace Community MBC in Marshville will be the Sunday night speaker and Rev. Brian Irving, a son of Friendship MBC in Monroe and pastor of Northside MBC in Durham will be the speaker for the week. It is an honor and privilege to be able to host this crusade. So let’s get ready to receive and be gracious host of this long running event in our county. And now a few final thoughts from yesterday’s message “The Fate of the Fallen”.
If all life as we know it did not spring from natural chemical processes from inanimate and lifeless matter, then the only other possible answer is life was started from something or someone outside of our universe. This is where God steps in for believers. As believers God is Creator of all things including the heavenly angels. And we know that a portion of those angels forsook their place in Heaven and were cast down. God has prepared a place of everlasting punishment for them and for all of mankind who chooses to follow the example of the fallen angels.
This place of punishment was not prepared for mankind, but it will become our fate if we refuse the grace and mercy of God. Satan in Milton’s poem “Paradise Lost” in an effort to comfort the fallen angels said to them “Better to Reign in Hell than to Serve in Heaven”. I for one don’t believe that and I hope you don’t either. Well, that’s all for now. I hope to see you Sunday, if not before, if the Lord so wills. So, until then,
Blessings and Peace
Pastor Jordan
05
Mar '18
Fine Points Monday March 5, 2018
05
Mar '18
Greeting FB Members and Friends
Thanks for joining me for another edition of Fine Points and welcome back. This week got off to a much better start than last week. Last Sunday morning if you recall our friend and sister of Dea. Evans died while preparing to go to church. She had a very lovely homegoing service Friday at Greater Blessed Hope MBC in Waxhaw which I and several other members were able to attend. We were very glad to see Dea. Meadows this Sunday who has been dealing with back spasms not only return but serve communion.
Sis. Hawkins continues to ask us to lift her up in prayer as she prepares for another operation later this month. Hopefully, this one will get her back to where she wants to be. Both of our Associate Ministers were back from preaching invitations last Sunday. I’m confident they both did a fine job representing the Lord and the church at their respective places. Keep in mind that All Members and Family Day will be this Sunday. Let’s get the word out and invite a friend or relative to attend.
The Zion Association Laymen will meet at Flag Branch at 9:30 on Saturday morning. All men are encouraged to attend. I have accepted an invitation to be the guest speaker for the Pastor Appreciation Service for Rev. James Shine at Philadelphia MBC on Sunday afternoon on March 18th. Dinner will be served. I hope many of you will be able to join me for this special occasion. I have also accepted an invitation to be the guest speaker at Rev. J. N. Coble’s 40th Pastoral Anniversary Service on Sunday, April 18th. Together let’s help these churches make these services special for their pastors.
Holy Week will begin Wednesday, March 28th and continue through Friday, March 30th. We will begin at Walker’s Grove and I will bring the message. Thursday, we will be here and Rev. Sanders will bring the message. We will close at Belmont and Rev. Powe will bring the message. Plans for Easter are not quite finalized so hopefully I will have those plans ready by this time next week.
The Union County Countywide Crusade for Christ will be held for the first time here at Flag Branch beginning Sunday, April 8 through Thursday, April 12th. Rev. R. J. Evans, Sr., pastor of Greater Grace Community MBC in Marshville will be the Sunday night speaker and Rev. Brian Irving, a son of Friendship MBC in Monroe and pastor of Northside MBC in Durham will be the speaker for the week. It is an honor and privilege to be able to host this crusade. So let’s get ready to receive and be gracious host of this long running event in our county. And now a few final thoughts from yesterday’s message “Heart Condition”.
The physical heart is a central part of the human body and death by heart failure is the number one cause of death in the US with well over 600000 deaths annually. The spiritual heart is the key component of our spiritual selves and it directs our actions. Failure to love and seek God with all of our heart is the number one reason for spiritual death. It is with our whole spiritual hearts we should seek and love God. In doing so, we will live our lives according to God’s will.
Many people will be disappointed on that day because while they did and said many good things, they failed to seek and love God with their whole heart. As a result, they will exclude themselves from the good things God has for them because they loved someone or something more than Him. God has good thoughts and ends for mankind that can only be realized when our hearts are in the right condition. Well, that’s all for now. I hope to see you Sunday, if not before, if the Lord so wills. So, until then,
Blessings and Peace
Pastor Jordan
26
Feb '18
Fine Points Monday Feb. 26, 2018
26
Feb '18
Greeting FB Members and Friends
Thanks for joining me for another edition of Fine Points and welcome back. Sunday morning began early before Sunday School with news the sister of Dea. Wilbert Evans and close friend of Sis. Hallie Dumas Mrs. Jessie Mae Bivens has died. She was a frequent visitor of Flag Branch attending many of the functions and events we have. As a child, she attended Flag Branch, but later joined St. Davie with her late husband, Johnny Bivens. Please keep the Evans and Bivens family, as well as, Sis. Dumas in our prayers.
While the news of Sis. Bivens was unwelcomed, the return of Sis. Hawkins was a very welcomed sight. She gave us an inspiring testimony, thanked us for our prayers and asked us to continue to keep her in our prayers as she prepares for the prospect of additional surgery. Another unexpected and pleasant surprise was the return of Tyishia Starnes for a weekend visit from Texas. We were all so glad to see her and she looked really well! She led the song “More Than Anything” that touched my heart along with many others who were present.
I received plenty of positive praise reports on the Young Adult fellowship outing held at the Smoke Pit Barbecue restaurant Saturday. There is already talk of a repeat or similar visit which I hope will materialize. Also, we were glad to see Dea. Meadows back on last Sunday, but due to persistent back spasms he did not return this Sunday. Keep him also in our prayers that he might be delivered from this aliment. Keep in mind that All Members and Family Day will be the 2nd Sunday in March or Sunday after next. Get the word out and invite a friend or relative to attend.
The Zion Association Laymen will meet at Flag Branch on Saturday morning, March 10th and the Men’s Breakfast will be this Saturday at 8:30 am at Golden Coral. I missed the last one, but I hope to be there this time. I have accepted an invitation to be the guest speaker for the Pastor Appreciation Service for Rev. James Shine at Philadelphia MBC on Sunday afternoon on March 18th. I believe dinner will be served. I hope many of you will be able to join me for this special occasion. And now for a few closing thoughts on yesterday’s message “Surprise! Surprise!
The fact of the matter is a great number of people doubt and many more just don’t believe that Jesus is who He said He is or that He will return to judge the world. Some of these people sadly are confessing Christians and hold membership in a local Church. They have little or no confidence in His appearance. And since they are not expecting His return, they will be shocked and surprised to see Him come in His glory. But for those who anticipate His return, we must not only constantly look for Him but we must prepare ourselves to be received by Him. That means we must strive to be like Him and do the work He left for us to do. So, let’s prepare ourselves for His arrival so that there will be no surprises or things we are unprepared for. Well, that’s all for now. I hope to see you Sunday, if not before, if the Lord so wills. So, until then,
Blessings and Peace
Pastor Jordan
19
Feb '18
Fine Points Monday Feb. 19, 2018
19
Feb '18
Greeting FB Members and Friends
Thanks for joining me for another edition of Fine Points and welcome back. Fine Point Monday gives me an opportunity to share some thoughts with you that I have had time to reflect upon after our meeting Sunday. Sunday School attendance is well below where it should be and I continue to hope for the day when our Sunday School classes are overflowing. Also, we had a very stimulating and enlightening discussion in BTU yesterday as well as we continue to move forward with our study of “Lifestyle Priorities”.
I beseech you to encourage one another to attend both Sunday School and BTU and reach out to others so we can all grow in Christ together. I plan to take some time one day this week to see the movie “Black Panther” with my wife. It is a family friendly action movie that is historically and culturally significant and I encourage all who can afford to go and have the time to see it. If we are to stay culturally relevant, there are some things we need to experience in order to better relate to the people and culture we are charge to reach. Speaking of reaching people, I would like to share a few thoughts from yesterday’s message “Representing Christ”.
A representative stands, acts or speaks on behalf of someone else. That someone could be a person, organization, company or government just to mention a few. In our case that someone is Christ. A representative should reflect the mind and thoughts of the one being represented. The bible teaches us that Christians are charged with reflecting the mind and mission of Christ. Christ was on a mission to reconcile mankind and God. He was charged with bridging the gap caused by sin and disobedience that was between us. As the perfect mediator between God and man, He was able to break down all the walls of partition that stood between us and God and now the path to reconciliation is free and clear and open to all who will avail themselves to it.
Now that Christ is gone back to be with the Father, He has left us with the task of bringing this message of reconciliation to the world as His ambassadors or representatives. A real, true and good representative of Christ will reflect the mind, thought and character of Christ. And if we prove to be the type of representative Christ approves of, we can be assured that Christ will represent us before the Father. Some people are proud of who and what they represent. As Christians, no one has any reason to be prouder of whom and what we represent than we have. So, let’s all do a better job at representing our Lord and Savior and be the type of representative for Christ we would want someone to be for us. Let’s continue to remember all of our sick and shut-in in our prayers and especially G. Hawkins as she continues to recover from surgery. Well, that’s all for now. I hope to see you in the theater or next Sunday. So, until then,
Blessings and Peace
Pastor Jordan
12
Feb '18
Fine Points Monday Feb. 12, 2018
12
Feb '18
Greeting FB Members and Friends
Thanks for joining me for another edition of Fine Points and welcome back. When we are not thinking about the well-being of the church, what are we thinking about? Our children, spouse, dating partner, relatives, neighbors, finances, job, business, homes, vacation, sickness, health, education, politics, crime, death and the list can go on and on. All of these things are part of the day to day issues people encounter living in this world. Since we live in this world, Christians must deal with these issues just like everyone else.
However, if we are sincere about our love for and faith in God in Christ, nothing is more important for us that seeing the advancement of His kingdom. Therefore, we should think about the issues of life just long enough to give them the attention they need, but our main and primary thoughts should be on the Kingdom of God and our role in it. “Blessed is the man who mediates on God’s law day and night” goes Psalm 1. In the days of His flesh, Jesus was not immune from the same issues that affected everyone else in His day. We focus so much on His divinity, that we tend to overlook His humanity.
While He never took on a wife or had any offspring, all the other issues people of His day had to live with, He did too. But Jesus never allowed all the other issues of human life to deter or distract His from His primary mission of proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom. And for Him, doing the will of God and completing His work was “More Satisfying Than Food”. Food is not just bread and meat, but it represents anything people seek out to bring pleasure, joy and satisfaction in this world. And while for Jesus and us there are many things and relations that are satisfying, there was for Jesus and should be for us something more satisfying than all these things.
Every Sunday we pray what Jesus taught us to say: “thy kingdom come, thy will be done”. This is because for Him and us there was and should be nothing more satisfying than seeing people come into the kingdom. God isn’t and we shouldn’t be satisfied as long as there are empty seats in pews and people dying without Christ as their Lord and Savior. So, every time true believers see or make progress toward fulfilling that goal, it is more satisfying than food or anything else on earth. Well, that’s all for now. I hope to see you next Sunday. But until we meet again,
Blessings and Peace
Pastor Jordan
05
Feb '18
Fine Points Monday Feb. 5, 2018
05
Feb '18
Greeting FB Members and Friends
Thanks for joining me for another edition of Fine Points and welcome back. Well, it’s the beginning of another month and God is still in charge. Despite everything that is going on in Washington, DC and around the nation and the world, we must not be distracted or despair over things we can’t change. There were a few places to the north and west of Charlotte that experienced some wintry weather, but we were blessed here to only receive much appreciated rain. And I was so glad that so many of you ventured out into the rain and did not allow it to deter you from meeting with the Church yesterday.
Much of what was discussed in BTU and highlighted in the sermon yesterday centered around purpose. We made mention of the fact that things are made with a purpose in mind. And since we believe we are made by God our Creator, He has a purpose for us. And scripture leads us to believe that God’s purpose for creating us is for us to share and behold His glory. To this end was man created so that he can live and share eternity with God. This is part of the gospel message that we should not be ashamed of, but embrace.
“Embracing the Gospel” means we draw it near to us and come to rely on it especially in times we need help to make it through difficult situations and circumstances. There is never a need to be ashamed of it when we have full confidence in the testimony of Our Lord. God has not given us a spirit of fear, but that of power, love, and a disciplined mind. The gospel we should embrace informs us that we have been forgiven for our sins, we have been called with a holy calling, Jesus has abolished death and given us life and immortality in order to behold and share in the glory of God. When we know and embrace these things, there is nothing that can keep us down. In the coming weeks and months I hope to see us improve our commitment to embrace and share this gospel with others. Well, that’s all for now. I hope to see some of you this evening. But until we meet again,
Blessings and Peace
Pastor Jordan
29
Jan '18
Fine Points Monday Jan. 29, 2018
29
Jan '18
Greeting FB Members and Friends
Thanks for joining me for another edition of Fine Points and welcome back. Members and friends began receiving contribution statements yesterday. These statements are provided in order to give those who provided monetary contribution and gifts to the church an official record of what they gave in the last calendar year. As members of the body of Christ, we demonstrate our commitment to the well-being of the Church by our willingness to support it through our tithes and offerings.
Through the first 7 months of our fiscal year that began in June, our total giving as of December 31st was down about $1600 from the same period last year, but our expenses were also down by $1750 in the same period. As a result, the net different is only is $170.00. Which means we are on pace to end the year financially showing a small net increase over expenses just as last year. January financial figures are still in the process of being placed in our accounting system and we should have those figures shortly. In the meantime, let’s continue to be faithful in our giving and pray that God will continue to help us meet all of our financial obligations and responsibilities.
Now for a few closing thoughts from yesterday’s message entitled “Caring for Christ”. I must admit this one was touching for me more than usual because I could visualize the church as God’s Son who has been placed in my (or our) care. The love and care we give to the Son of God or neglect to give His Son God will be reciprocate in the judgement. The righteous, those who loved and cared for the Church like their own child, were puzzled when they were told of the kindnesses they had given Christ and wondered where and when did they see Him to do these things. They did not realize that the Church, Christ’s body and Bride, is the personification of Christ Himself. So whatever we do or fail to do for the Church we do or fail to do for Christ.
The members of the Church are His brethren and sisters. Let us therefore be all the more inspired to take care of the Church as one placed and entrusted in our care to love and nurture as our own child. Let’s provide for Him all things out of a heart of love and gratitude for He is the one who suffered and died for us so that we might have a seat in the kingdom of God. Let’s take care of Christ for He is the One who did, is and shall take care of us. Well that’s all for now and I hope you all have a blessed week and that something good expected or unexpected happens to you and the ones you love. Would love to read a comment from you. Look for the Sunday School preview Thursday. Men’s breakfast Saturday at 8:30 am at Golden Coral. Until we meet again,
Blessings and Peace
Pastor Jordan
