I HAVE attended Sunday School all my life! My mother sent me, along with my siblings who were close to my age, ever since we were old enough to go! We would walk! Today it is difficult to find a church with a Sunday School for all ages. And when you do, they are located too far from home. We are even fearful to send our children off by themselves. So the result is; Sunday Schools are far and few between.
I REMEMBER in March we would have an enthusiastic Sunday School program called March to Sunday School! You guessed it! It began the first Sunday in March. We had contests and prizes for bringing a friend; memorization; bringing your Bible; learning the books of the Bible and so on! In September the promotion was called Sunday School Roundup! That was because it was the end of Summer and vacations.
TODAY we don’t want to call it Sunday School but ‘small groups;’ and usually it is geared to adults. Our children, and teenagers are presented with other activities which don’t seem to have the same emphasis as learning the stories of the Bible and understanding God’s love, along with the steps to salvation. Our college and career young adults stop attending because the churches don’t have anything for them. We are losing young families for the same reasons!
A SINNER’S prayer is all that is needed and so the churches grow empty as the believers forsake the assembly. Yes, evil is in the land and we are becoming blind to what must be done for God’s Word to continue marching on!
WE WRITE books and read book after book explaining God’s truth, and leave our Bibles on the shelf. We choose a translation that is easy to read but neglect to question who the commentators are. We talk about the evil in our land, but still sit and watch the TV and neglect our families and neighbors when it comes to reaching them for the Lord.
WE TALK about the seekers and set about to disciple them, yet we neglect God’s people who need to be encouraged and lifted up. Jesus said; “Come unto me all who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest!” Matthew 11:28 Isn’t that amazing? Jesus calls you and the church doors are to be open, waiting for you to enter. Friend, I want to be there to welcome you and to show you God’s love!
TALK is okay but showing God’s love is what motivates the church and church growth. “For this is the message which you have heard from the beginning, that we should love, one another, and not be like Cain who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother’s righteous. Do not wonder, brethren, that the world hates you.” 1 John 3:11-13
HE WHO is born of God does not make sin the practice of his life. Even while we believers do sin, it is not our custom to be a part of the evil that is in our land. God said, we live in this evil world but we are not a part of it! Belonging to God’s Body gives us the edge we need as a child of God. We do not live a life of sin because the Son of God keeps us!
“EVERY SPIRIT which does not confess Jesus is not of God. This is the spirit of the anti Christ, of which you heard that it was coming and now it is in the world already.” 1 John 4:3 Evil is in our land because the anti-Christ is here. Everywhere we turn we are faced with a decision to accept what the world decree’s as legal. Everyday we must choose what is right or become tolerant of what is wrong.
I HAVE decided to follow Jesus! I can’t change the world but I can stand up for his kingdom; the church! I will be faithful and sincere in my walk! I will encourage and lift up the Saints until God calls me home. “Who is it that overcomes the world, but he, who believes that Jesus is the Son of God” 1 John 5:5 My prayer is “Thank you God for saving my soul!” By Jane Ann Crenshaw 3/8/14
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