Pastor's Message
I am thankful for the Kingdom of God!! It was such a wonderful blessing to meet and worship in the meeting house yesterday even though it was for Sister Janet’s passing.
I thought I would share my entry for today.
Hope you all are able to pen down your own blessings, we are such a blessed people to worship in spirit and in truth. Singing, praying, and preaching inside the walls of Meadow Creek Primitive Baptist Church. I know that the building is not the church but at Meadow Creek it seems to be very special. Sister Janet will be greatly missed but she is really resting with the King.
This Sunday the deacons are opening the doors of MCPBC for worship.
I was glad when they said unto me let us go into the house of the Lord, Psalms 122:1. It has been a while since the pandemic spread and we have been able to come together in person to praise the King. Although we are opening the doors for worship service this does not mean that the virus is cured or that we are free from catching this dreaded disease. It is easily spread and can be fatal. That being said we plan to exercise extreme caution.
We will practice social distancing, the deacons have designated specific pews for our seating safety, so families may sit together but others will be spread out. Once you enter the sanctuary the deacons will assist you to a seat so we may worship as safely as we can. Although the church will not distribute masks we encourage any one that feels they should wear one for their own safety or the safety of others to do so. Please remember to use hand sanitizer as needed. Also visiting with others should be limited to outside while maintaining our safe distance and sorry to say we will not have lunch or engage in our handshake.
And just like we have always observed common sense health guidelines like
‘staying away’ if you’re just not feeling good or running a fever it would be silly and unsafe not to practice that guideline now.
But rule number one is the same. Be in prayer for the service, that although a lot of changes are going on, the Spirit will be great, it will be felt like a mighty rushing wind lifting us all up that we may rejoice in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Continue in faith and pray for wisdom. I love you all and pray for your safety everyday.
I look forward to meeting with you soon.
In hope,
Brother Eddie
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Think about this.
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
The Apostle Paul wrote to the Ephesians, 6:10, finally - meaning hereafter, for the future, henceforth, from this point onward—finally my brethren be strong. Just as Paul wrote to the Ephesians he writes to us. To be strong. To be strengthened. Have might.
The world at this point in time seems to be very weak, don’t you think? It’s because it is weak. We are weak. Not knowing exactly what to do, how to act, how to cure this virus and sickness. Paul didn’t just say be strong he said, wrote, be strong in the Lord. The Lord is not at a loss. The Lord is not like we are - - we’re not knowing, he is all knowing. We are without wisdom, the Lord is wisdom. The Lord is just as sovereign right now as He has ever been. Let us not even for a moment lose sight of where our joy is founded, where our comfort lies, where our true happiness is and will ever be. It’s in the Lord, and he still is the Lord. When we are strong in the Lord, we are strong.
Paul also wrote Philippians 3:1, finally - - from this point onward, finally my brethren rejoice in the Lord. Oh yes, even now we can rejoice if we think about the Lord. But even better than just thinking about the Lord, Paul writes REJOICE in the Lord. We should be in a constant state of joy, and when we are, we are strong in the Lord.
Can you believe that there is an eternal reservation with your name on it being kept by the power of God in an eternal heaven? You say, I hope so, well me too... we hope by the power of God. Oh my, one day all the Lord’s people will be together virus free, sin free, all gathered together round the throne. Finally my brethren rejoice!
And at Philippians 4:8 Paul writes finally, brethren—- from this point onward, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Whew, that’s a lot of whatsovers! What is true? What is honest? What is pure? What is lovely? What is of good report? God’s word is true. God’s grace is lovely. God is always good to think on because God is always good. How miserable we would constantly be without knowing the goodness of God. We are always His and he is always ours.
Knowing that His eye is always on the sparrow, and I know he watches me...
I sing because I’m happy, I sing because I’m free, for his eye is on the sparrow, and I know he watches me.
Oh my, the Lord is always watching over us, always. Sister Civilla D. Martin knew it, didn’t she, when she wrote these words?
Finally, my brethren...
Now that’s a stimulus package!
In hope,
Brother Eddie
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Good morning friends it is worship time. I would like to share this with you this morning.
Collect your hymn book, and bible and pray.. We have so much to pray for, so much to be thankful for, so much to rejoice in. You may be thinking how can we worship like this, being apart, well. . . the same way we can while we are together—Hast thou not known? Hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? There is no searching of his understanding. He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary and the young men shall utterly fall:
But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles ; they shall run and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. Isaiah 40:28-31.
James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, instructs us that every, every, every, we all have an idea of what every means- ever been shopping for something and they were all out, you might say they are out of every one - - - that’s all of them, James says that every good gift and every perfect gift is from above. What is good, what is perfect is from above. What makes us good? What makes us perfect? Well James answers that question- things from above. Things from the Father of lights. God’s gifts to us are good and perfect. They will not fail they will not falter they will not err they will not come short because they are from God. In verse 16, James 1, James writes Do not err, my beloved brethren, because what came previously was the results of sin, death and separation. God did not cause sin, in verse 13 James writes; Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God, for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man. You see God has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places. God has saved us from the curse of sin. God has redeemed us. God has purged our sins. Now James wants us to see the surety of the gifts of God.
He writes with ‘whom’ is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. Let us study this. Aren’t you thankful there is a ‘whom’ in which there is no variableness. In this world in which we live it consists almost totally of variables. Variable or variableness has a meaning – variation, change, not consistent having no fixed pattern. We change, the weather changes, attitudes changes, stock markets changes, changes, changes, changes. Have you ever been asked to make a decision or a prediction and thought ‘there are so many variables, things that are changing, that I can’t even make a guess much less an educated prediction’. You see God’s promises to us are sure, there are no variables, FOR ALL THE PROMISES OF GOD IN HIM ARE YEA, AND IN HIM AMEN. The him is Jesus Christ and the bible teaches us that Jesus is the same yesterday and today and forever----no variableness. That’s why we think of Christ as a solid rock, a mighty fortress, a high tower, a shelter from the storm—Psalm 62:6-7 He ONLY is my rock and my salvation: he is my defense; I shall not be moved. In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God. Do you know of a hymn that starts out “My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and rightousness I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus’ name’?
I guarantee you do. The bible teaches that our salvation is as sure as Christ is sure and as sure as God is sure. Our salvation doesn’t have to do with our works or man’s ideas or schemes you know why, we’re not holy, we’re sinners - - - too much variableness. I would much rather have a house founded on that rock so when the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock , THE ROCK JESUS CHRIST. Let’s move on.
James further writes God’s surety to us is like a shadow that never turns. Have you ever seen a shadow like that, a shadow that doesn’t move or change (turn). Impossible you say. Well if we think of the shadows we naturally see we would say impossible. Have you ever been sweaty hot, thirsty and tired and found a piece of shade (the shadow of the tree) to rest under--- you know in not too long that shadow has moved or the shadow has gone away. If you have ever been on the beach and set up an umbrella to give a shadow so you can sit under it and not get sun burnt if you are out there long enough then you are going to have to adjust the umbrella because the shadow has moved you see there is a turning of that shadow. The shadow declines. The shadow passes away. The shadow is fleeting.
As a matter of fact the bible compares our lives on this earth as a shadow. Psalm 102:11 My days are like a shadow that declineth; and I am withered like grass. Psalm 109:23 I am gone like the shadow when it declineth. Psalm 144:4 Man is like to vanity: his days are as a shadow that passeth away,
and Job 14:2 He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not. You get the idea. These shadows are ‘turning’, declining, whithering, going, passing away and cut down. Again over and over in the bible we are so reminded NOT to trust in the things of this world, not to trust in man, to put our hope in ourselves, or religions of this world, they are all like the shadow.
But the bible refreshes us it doesn’t leave us without, it teaches us of another shadow- -one in which there is no turning. Oh yes there is such a shadow. David wrote in Psalm 57:1 when he fled from Saul: Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee, yea, in the SHADOW of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast.
Psalm 17:8 Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the SHADOW of thy wings, H A L L E L U J A H there is a shadow that does not turn, we rejoice in that shadow Psalm 63:7 because thou hast been my help, therefore in the SHADOW of thy wings will I rejoice. Isn’t this so wonderfully awesome!!
Now believe it or not the bible identifies this shadow. It is Jehovah. And a man shall be as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest, as rivers of water in a dry place, as the SHADOW of a great rock in a weary land. Isaiah 32:2.
Oh my with this shadow there is not turning. Our eternal life is not fleeting, declining, passing away or disappearing it is sure, there is no shadow of turning.
When I was going through the psalms thinking of the shadow of the great wings where David found refuge and help and a reason to rejoice I thought of the mighty eagle as he soars powerfully high in the sky with its outstretched wings able to see down below like he is overseeing everything. I thought of Christ, have you ever thought of Christ with outstretched wings, remember David, in the Psalms it is written in the shadow of his wings, where would that be- -- Christ with out stretched wings,
Christ with is arms extended. . . . . . east to west, lifted up, looking down, dripping blood.
Where is our refuge, reason to rejoice, and help…. In the cross at Calvary.
Isaac Watts wrote ‘When I Survey The Wondrous Cross’
When I survey the wondrous cross, on which the Prince of Glory died, My richest gain I count but loss, And pour contempt on all my pride.
We are under the shadow of the crucified Christ in which there is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. Jesus said, John 12:32, And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.
He was. We were. Amen.
In hope,
Brother Eddie