A Rhema #1: "And They Continued . . . "

The visiting pastor, the speaker of the hour for our pastor’s appreciation program, took his text from Acts 2:42-43-46. I love this passage of scripture because it underscores for me the importance of fellowship within the church, the things we should have in common with one another and the connection that should be in place in our local assemblies. The subject the pastor presented to us from this text was “And They Continued.” It was the exact word that not only I needed but a word that seemed to resonate in the minds and hearts of the people in attendance.

“And they continued. . .”

As we look at this particular text, we begin to understand the standard that is being set for us by this first century church. Those new believers continued in the teaching of the apostles. They continued to share, practically and spiritually, with one another, to partner with one another in the pursuit of holiness and the edification of one another. They continued to partake of Communion together; they prayed together. They looked out for the needs of the body and if they had the means to meet the needs, they did not hesitate (“all things in common”) to give, selling their possessions in order that others would not suffer. Certainly this is a challenge to today’s church, to measure our “fellowship” against the standards established in this fledgling church. But this was not the only challenge the pastor presented to us. He challenged us to think about the direction of our lives today even as we show up to church every Sunday.

I have to ask myself, Has Donna continued in the fellowship or did she drop out from time to time, simply because she wasn't feeling it? “In what has Donna continued since she first knelt at the foot of the cross and confessed Jesus as Savior and Lord? Has her faith continued to grow in spite of the obstacles to it, or did she falter along the way when it looked like God had forgotten her place. Has she continued in those old thought patterns that put her needs first, ego driven desires that ignored the needs and hurts of her fellow believers, or has she learned “It’s not about me?” Has Donna continued in old habits, reverted to old responses and reactions when someone stepped on her toes, inadvertent or intentional (though my perception is often the injury is intentional). Has Donna been that good example of the one who is determined to follow Jesus daily, or has her witness, her negative witness, tainted the lives of others, especially those spiritual babes who are still on the milk of the word regardless of how long they have been in the church.

Life, as Langston Hughes writes, has not been a crystal stair for me or for many others. There have been torn places in the carpet and splinters and the climb has not always been easy, but in spite of these challenges, I have always been able to count on a sister or a brother to bring me a revelation, a confirmation or an encouraging word from God that He has not forgotten me. Sometimes the individual doesn’t even know how God has used them to move me out of my spiritual lethargy or weariness. Still, had these individuals not continued in the fellowship, in the pursuit of God and the edification of the body, it is very likely I would never have received God’s note of encouragement.

In spite of the fact that the years have passed by quickly, and are gaining speed even as I write, I want to be all that God is calling me as a member of His family and of the local assembly into which He has placed me. I invite you to join me in this Federation of the Saints as we continue to follow Jesus daily.

“And they continued. . .”

What a wonderful testimony to the faith of a people who were the very first to believe in God’s love and the power of redemption.

I Wonder As I Wander Pt. 1

I am feeling blah, blah, blah today. Blah, blah, blah and a just a little disconnected. I often rummage around in my head for those reasons as to why I feel the way I do when the blahs show up. After all these years I still have no answer for these unwelcome visitors. Maybe it's hormones. Maybe it a flu bug launching an attack against my immune system. Maybe it's too much busyness and not enough sleep. Maybe it's everything and maybe it's nothing at all. How, then, do I pull myself out of this pit full of blahs? This is a fantastic question to which I have absolutely no answer, but I know someone who does. His name is El Roi, He who sees all things and neither slumbers nor sleeps. An ever-present help at all times, our God can lift us up out of that pit to bring us back to a place of equilibrium and balance, a place where hope continues to reign and faith is the path upon which we walk. This also requires a conscious effort on our part to forget those things that are behind us and to keep pressing our way through all the stuff that life may throw at us. We must think on those things that keep us focused on the will and way of God. We have to think our way to faith, thinking on the promises of God while looking unto Jesus who is still the author and the finisher of our faith. Instead of rummaging around in my head for a rationale for my blahs, I instead must look beyond the hills to tap into the help that is always available to His children in spite of the blahs.