Good morning friends,
I would like to encourage each of you from the gospel according to St. John, the 5th chapter. For one year, my wife and I woke up every Sunday morning to our same routine. We would get up at 5:00 A.M., get dressed, load the car with sound equipment, offering pans. . . . etc. Then we would drive from Hernando, MS to Memphis to pick up a couple who would ride to Jackson, TN with us every week. We would get to Jackson, unload the car, set up for worship and begin service prompt at 9:00. We did this every week for one whole year. In a years time. . . . we had 3 people to actually join the church. One joined when we first started and the other two (who lived in Memphis) joined after I announced in February that we were relocating ministry to Memphis, TN. Our attendance averaged anywhere from 4 to 8 or (on a good Sunday) maybe 10. We did that for one whole year. We did not experience growth. We did not impact the city of Jackson. The cost for the ministry (for the most part) came out of our own home. We made so many sacrifices in following God's plan for our lives. We did not see any fruit of our labor but we were faithful and consistent in coming. I remember one Sunday I had to preach in Memphis @ 11:00 A.M. Our musician there was also a minister who played for us at 9:00 and for his home church at 11:00. We drove to Jackson, started service, did praise & worship, left the service in the hands of the musician who would also deliver the word of God that morning, got back in the car and drove back to Memphis to speak at 11:00. We kept coming. Finally we began ministry in April and in our first full month of ministry we took in 12 or more members. My good friend and brother said that it is possible that God wanted to see your faithfulness to 1, before blessing you with many.
Many times we feel like our coming is in vain. . . . . but whatever you do. . . . "Don't Stop Coming". Oft times it will be a sacrifice. There are times that we feel like there is no use in coming to church, or coming to prayer service of coming to revival services or bible study or choir rehearsal. What's the point? I can miss a couple of weeks. I can miss a couple of Sundays. But you must be consistent in your walk with God. You must be faithful even when it's convenient to just "do you". The reason you can't stop coming is because you never know like the man at the pool of Bethesda, which time you come that you will receive what it is that you need from God.
There was a man who had been at the pool of Bethesda sick for 38 years. The water was only troubled once a year. . . . and every time the angel of the Lord came to trouble the water, someone would beat him to the pool and receive their healing. But he kept coming. After ten years of absolutely nothing happening, he kept coming. After twenty years of other people there receiving their healing. . . . he kept coming. After thirty years of listening to the enemy of his mind tell him that he would NEVER be able to get to the pool because of his infirmity. . . . he didn't stop coming. The enemy will talk to you and tell you that you are making a complete fool of yourself. And he will get in folk around you and use them as his mouth piece. And some of these dummies aren't even aware that they are allowing the enemy to use them.
When they tell you it will never work, you will never qualify, you will never graduate. . . . when others around you receive their healing, get married, get the new home, get the better job and you are still where you were last year and the year before that. . . . . .Don't Stop Coming! You miracle may have been delayed but I promise, you have not been denied. For He that shall come . . . . will come. So, don't cast away your confidence. It has great recompense of reward. Keep coming. Keep pressing. Keep fighting. Keep believing. . . . beyond rejection, beyond foreclosure, beyond ridicule, beyond unemployment. . . . just keep coming. And you may never make it to the pool. . . . . but because of your persistence. . . . . the pool may just come to you. For the word says that Jesus appeared unto the man and said. . . . . "You want to be made whole". . . . . . .and that day. . . .he got up, took his bed with him and was made whole. We are looking for our miracle to come from one place but God will defy laws, rules, protocol and order. . . . . that if you can't make it to the pool. . . . since HE IS (in my preaching voice) the living water . . . . .he will make it to where you are.
Brothers and sisters, be encouraged in the Lord. what ever you do, "Don't Stop Coming".
I received a call from a pastor friend of mine here in Memphis on Saturday evening, and after telling him what we would be speaking on Sunday, he asked me if I would mind if he preached the same message (John 5) at his local congregation. I told him that I didn't mind and I'm told it was truly a blessing. That said: Please share with others the blessings that you receive in these devotions. God's word reaches far beyond the four walls of our local assembly. All the glory, honor and praise belongs to God.
Be blessed,
Pastor Mike
No comments:
Post a Comment