Introduction:

The subject of water baptism has long been called a great issue and no doubt has been made such by many church leaders of the past and present. In our study of it, let us first consider its importance, or the necessity of being baptized.

The Importance of Water Baptism:

Christian water baptism is an ordinance instituted by Jesus Christ. If it is not important in the plan of God, why did Jesus command it in Matthew 28:19? And why did Peter follow up by saying, “Be baptized every one of you,” and by commanding the Gentiles to be baptized (Acts 2:38; 10:48)? We must remember two points about the importance of water baptism. First, whatever Christ definitely established and ordained cannot be unimportant, whether we understand its significance or not. Second, Christ and the apostles showed the importance of this ordinance by observing it. Jesus walked many miles to be baptized, though He was without sin, saying, “For thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness” (See Matthew 3:13-16.)

It is true that water itself does not contain any saving virtue, but God has chosen to include it in His plan of salvation. Peter explained, “Baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ” (I Peter 3:21). According to Luke 7:30, “the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized.”

The Mode of Baptism

According to the Scriptures, the proper mode of baptism is immersion. “And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water” (Matthew 3:16). “And they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him” (Acts 8:38). “Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death” (Romans 6:4). A corpse is not buried by placing it on top of the ground and sprinkling a little soil on it, but by covering it completely.

According to the World Book Encyclopedia, “At first all baptism was by complete immersion” (vol. 1, p.651). And the Catholic Encyclopedia states, “In the early centuries, all were baptized by immersion in streams, pools, and baptisteries” (vol. 2, p.263). Immersion was not convenient after the Catholic church instituted infant baptism; thus the mode was changed to sprinkling. (See Encyclopedia Britannica, 11th ed., vol. 3, pp.365-66.)

Repentance identifies us with the death of Christ, and baptism identifies us with His burial. Coming forth from the watery grave of baptism and receiving new life in the Holy Spirit identifies us with His resurrection.

The Formula for Baptism

Jesus commanded His disciples to “teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost” (Matthew 28:19). He did not command them to use these words as a formula, but He commanded them to baptize in “the name.” The word name is used here in the singular, and it is the focal point of the baptismal command. The titles Father, Son, and Holy Ghost describe God’s relationships to humanity and are not the supreme, saving name described here, which is Jesus. “Neither is there salvation in any other; for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

Jesus is the name in which the roles of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are revealed. The angel of the Lord instructed Joseph, “She shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). Jesus said, “I am come in my Father’s name,” and, “The Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost,…the Father will send in my name” (John 5:43; 14:26). Thus by baptizing in the name of Jesus, we honor the Godhead. “For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily” (Colossians 2:9).

Luke 24:45-47 records that just before His ascension, Jesus opened the disciples’ understanding. It was necessary that their understanding be opened, and many today need this same operation in order to understand the Scriptures. Then Jesus said to them, “Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day.” The disciples had their understanding opened so that they could grasp the vast importance of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. Verse 47 describes the commission that Jesus then gave: “And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations [Jews and Gentiles], beginning at Jerusalem.”

Peter was one of that number to whom Jesus had spoken and whose understanding had been opened. After having listened to these instructions, a few days later he was inspired by the Holy Ghost to preach on the Day of Pentecost. The hearts of the hearers were pierced and, feeling condemned, they cried out to Peter and the other apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” (Acts 2:37). Peter did not hesitate but boldly answered, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost” (Acts 2:38). “Then they that gladly received his word were baptized, and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls” (Acts 2:41).

Some say that Peter told them to be baptized in Jesus’ name because they were Jews and this baptism was to make them acknowledge Jesus Christ. But let us go with Peter to the house of Cornelius several years later. Cornelius and his household were Gentiles, yet there again Peter “commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord” (Acts 10:48). (Most translations actually say, “In the name of Jesus Christ.”) If Peter was wrong on the Day of Pentecost, he surely had ample time to be corrected before he went to the house of Cornelius.

Was Peter wrong on the Day of Pentecost? When the hearers were prickled in their hearts, they spoke to Peter and to the rest of the apostles (Acts 2:37). This included Matthew, who wrote Matthew 28:19. Moreover, when Peter preached, he stood up with the eleven Acts 2:14). Matthew was there, yet we find no words of correction from him. He surely would have spoken up if Peter had disobeyed the Lord. But all the apostles understood and carried out the Lord’s commission. As Jesus said in prayer, “I have manifested thy name unto the men [the apostles] which thou gavest me out of the world…and they have kept thy word” (John 17:6).

The Samaritans, who were not Jews, were also baptized in the name of Jesus. Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them….”But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women…. They were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus” (Acts 8:5, 12, 16).

Let us see how Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, baptized. He went to Ephesus many years after the Day of Pentecost and found some disciples of John the Baptist there. “He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John’s baptism. Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus” (Acts 19:2-5). Although these disciples had already been baptized, the name of Jesus was so important as to cause them to be rebaptized in His name.

We do not believe that Paul changed the formula or mode of baptism when he baptized Lydia and her household (Acts 16:14-15) or the Philippian jailer. The latter came trembling and fell down before Paul and Silas, saying, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. And he took them the same hour of the night [shortly after midnight], and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway” (Acts 16:30-33). How can we doubt that Paul baptized these people using the same mode and formula that he used elsewhere, that is, immersion in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ?

Paul was not with the apostles when Jesus gave his finial instructions to them in Matthew 28:19 and Luke 24:47, yet Paul baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. How did he know what to do? He said that his gospel was not a tradition of men but a revelation from God. “I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ” (Galatians 1:11-12). Paul was chosen to bear Jesus’ name to the Gentiles, and he wrote many divinely inspired epistles to the church. To this apostle, God revealed the mystery of the church, “which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit” (Ephesians 3:5). Paul claimed to have divine authority: “If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord” (I Corinthians 14:37). And Paul wrote, Whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him” (Colossians 3:17). Water baptism is done in both word and deed. We cannot afford to overlook this command to the church.

The church is “built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone” (Ephesians 2:20). The apostles not only preached baptism in Jesus’ name, but they practiced it. Nowhere can we find that they baptized using the words “in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.” Instead, we find them baptizing in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. In baptizing in Jesus’ name, they fulfilled the command of the Lord in Matthew 28:19. Paul said, “But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed” (Galatians 1:8). Let this be a solemn warning to us.

Some say that they will accept the words of Jesus in Matthew 28:19 but not those of Peter in Acts 2:38. But Peter spoke on the Day of Pentecost under the anointing of the Holy Ghost. Peter was one of the apostles, and to him had been given the keys of the kingdom, so we have no right to discredit his words.

In Mark 7:8 Jesus said, “Laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men.” History tells us that it was not until many years after the apostles that the mode and formula of baptism in the name of Jesus Christ were changed. (See Hastings’ Dictionary of the Bible, vol. 1, p.241.) Which means more to you, the command of the Lord or the tradition of men?

Taken from the Word Aflame Tract “Why We Baptize in Jesus’ Name” #6109

I believe in simpleness. And because of that – I believe the Scripture has simple Truths that we must adhere to in order to make Heaven our home…

Belief in One True God

Repentance

Baptism in Jesus’ Name

Receiving the Holy Ghost

Living a Holy lifestyle

Prayer, fasting, Bible Reading, Church attendance.

I do what I can to compartmentalize the issues of life – especially the ones I cannot change. Basically, deal with the things I can and leave the ones I cannot to God. He is obviously much more capable of dealing with things than I. Sometimes it is difficult to trust Him to the degree that I leave it completely in His Hands, but that is what I must do…

I think the point here is that we should no doubt address the issues that will affect our Eternity and let many of the others fall where they may.

I have seen people in my time in the Ministry get so caught up with issues if you will that they seem to neglect the more weightier matters of life – salvation, obedience to God’s Word, Church Attendance, Obeying those that have rule over them, etc….

I’m not trying to be over simplistic here, but seriously – there only seems to be so much time allotted to us in a day – work, family, kids, etc. – time for prayer, time for studying God’s Word, time for witnessing – all seem to be dwarfed in the cares and affairs of this world…

So let’s look to simplify our lives a bit – learn to say “no” once in a while! It won’t kill somebody to look for someone else to help them fix their car or clean their garage or whatever it is that they can’t seem to do without you!!!

Slow down, smell the roses – relax…

And spend some more time with God – He missed you!

God speed,

Pastor Drake

I said, “TODAY is the day we bring the fight to him!!!!”

“It’s time we stopped sitting down, laying down and shutting up when the enemy of our soul is reeking havoc in our lives!!!

It’s time we pointed our index fingers in his face and command him by the authority given to us in Jesus Name to leave us alone!!! Satan get behind me!!! You have no place in my life. You have no place in the lives of my family, friends and coworkers.

Its time he stopped messing in our finances, in our marriages and our health!!! It’s time we take authority over him….

It’s time the devil heard our War Cry!!!”

Today we live in a day and time that is much different than that of our parents and certainly that of our Grandparents. Much like the Carman song of the 90′s, “We Need God in America Again” – the student problems in the 40′s and the 50′s were chewing gum and talking – but today it is a much different problem. It is a problem of Godlessness!

People are more concerned with being PC than they are for standing up for that which is right.

If God’s Word states homosexuality is a sin – then pray tell me – why is it not a sin in this century?

If God’s Word states lying, cheating, stealing, living an elicit lifestyle is against the principles of God – than please explain why this is not still the case today?

If God’s Word requires we repent, be Baptized in Jesus’ Name and be filled with the Holy Ghost – why is this not being preached in Churches across America today?!?!

I would to God that the Church would let the devil hear our War Cry!!!

Shout it loud, shout it clear – WE WILL OBEY GOD’s WORD – NO MATTER HOW POPULAR IT MAKES US!!!!

The Army says, “Hooah” as their war cry. The Navy say, “HooRah”. The Marines say, “Oo Rah“.”

1 Samuel 17:45 – Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.

David asked, “Is there not a cause?”

Church you and I have an obligation today. Our War Cry needs to be heard throughout your city….

The battle is raging and there is little time to rally the troops. Morale is low, supplies are low, and the troops are weak and tired. We must rally the troops!!!

There are guests and visitors that are tired of fighting with depression, weary of fighting against loneliness and weak from fending off addictions to alcohol and nicotine.

As we charge the enemy each day, can we let them hear our War Cry?!?!

Our weapons of warfare are not carnal – but mighty through God!!! Prayer, fasting, Bible Reading and Bible Studies – but when we are facing the enemy on the Battlefront, we send fear through the enemy’s camp by letting him hear our War Cry!!

It is truly time for this sleeping giant to awake – Church – we MUST arise – God is soon to be calling His Bride Home and there are sooooo many lost.

Without hearing your War Cry, they will remain lost….

God speed,

Pastor Drake

From 2001 to 2006, the U.S. Army used the slogan of “An Army of One” – indicative of unity.

All through the Bible we read of an Army of the Lord. In Joel we discover that God considers His Army to be those not who simply “know” His Word, nor those that “read” or even “quote” His Word – but those that EXECUTE His Word. (((Joel 2:11 – And the LORD shall utter his voice before his army: for his camp is very great: for he is strong that executeth his word: for the day of the LORD is great and very terrible; and who can abide it?)))

Very clear to me does the Word of God express ACTION as required to be in accordance with His Word.

As soon as I typed that I thought of the word, “Reaction” – or could it have been typed, “Re-ACTION“???

I ask the simple thought provoking question – how do you react to God’s Word? Do you take ACTION or do you simply allow It to pass you over, not prompting any change? God forbid that we ever get to the place in our relationship with God and His Word that it does not instill and invoke some sort of ACTION when we read or hear it!!!

His Word must change me.

His Word must move me.

His Word must challenge me.

If I am ever to become what The Lord wants me to be, I must defy complacency. I HAVE to get past inactivity in my soul.

Occupying a Pew on Sunday Morning does not make me a Christian; no more than sitting in an airplane makes me a pilot!

I’ll go further – Your Church “attendance” doesn’t make you right with God any more than wearing a uniform makes you a Soldier!

To be in An Army of One, you must think like a Warrior, you must act like a Warrior, you must walk like one, talk like one, live like one – YOU MUST BE ONE.

Deuteronomy 6:4 says, “Sh’ma Yis’ra’eil Adonai Eloheinu Adonai echad.” – literally translated to be, “Hear, O Israel: the Lord is our God, the Lord is One”….

We MUST allow ourselves to be a Warrior in the Army of ONE.

God was in creation the Father for us, in the New Testament the Son with us and in today’s dispensation the Holy Ghost IN US!! “One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism.” HE IS ONE!!!

And we are commanded to be ONE……..

ONE with Him.

ONE with His Word.

ONE in the Church. (In Acts 2, they were in ONE accord, in ONE place and then – the suddenly) If we are t expect the Suddenly to happen in our Church – we MUST become ONE….

Let the clarion call of the Holy host for unity, uniformity transform us to the revival our Forefathers of Pentecost once experienced!

Revival is here – we simply have to get rid of the “Ananias & Saphira” Spirit and the “Judas” Spirit that would try to creep its ugly head in to the Church….

Come on Holy Ghost!!!

God speed,

Pastor Drake

I don’t want to be too critical here – but with transparency, it is obvious that if there is a TRUTH (3 John 3) than there also MUST be a LIE. (2 Thes. 2:9-12)

On the Day of Pentecost, we find 120 believers were there to receive the Promise of the Father (The Holy Ghost) – which Jesus promised He would send (Luke 24:45-49). We also know that there were 500 people standing there the Day Jesus commanded them to go to Jerusalem.

The question has to aries – where did the other 380 go?!?! 500 were commanded, but only 120 went and stayed to receive the whole message!

I am of the persuasion that the 380 left, only having a portion of the Truth – a portion of the message of Christ. They believed on the Lord as their personal Savior. They believed in repentance and to a degree they even believed in Baptism (a Baptism of Repentance – such as John’s teaching.) However. they had not yet received the Promise of the coming Holy Ghost (John 7:37-39) and they had not yet been Baptized in Jesus’ Name as was commanded in Matthew 28:19 and Mark 15: 15-17….

Without seeming dogmatic – lest I be misunderstood, I am fully committed to the Word of God and keeping It’s accuracy and not attempting to “interpret”"….

But simple math tells me that there are over 3 times the number of folks out there that have only a portion of the Message…

With this being the situation – I am excited to know that Easter is a time for many folks to make their “Church Appearance”…. Easter, Christmas, Father’s Day, Mother’s Day – weekends like these people tend to go to Church when they may not otherwise choose to.

That excites me because I am completely convinced GOD will do something of the miraculous this weekend!!

The Springtime is a time when many of the annual flowers re-blossom or are reborn, if you will. The Springtime is the time when Christ was resurrected. And Springtime can be when souls all across our County can be reborn according to Scripture…

Repentance is a dying away of the “old man”.

Baptism is a typology of man being  buried with Christ.

Receiving the Holy Ghost is a resurrection of sorts – being born again of the Spirit.

THIS Easter can be someone’s chance at a completely new life! And I am excited to see what God has in store for us here in Jacksonville!

Don’t get me wrong – I love hearing the reports from across our Organization of the great things God is doing – but there’s just something about seeing someone experience God first hand!!!

Come on Holy Ghost – have your way this weekend!!

Bible study is not about the teachings of a church or a specific religion. It’s about opening the Word of God and sharing the treasures that lie within it. It’s through Bible study that others will discover these principles and this life the Lord desires us to have.

As individuals on today’s world, we are faced with enormous problems – marital, financial, emotional, and many others. We have to have something that will provide the help and the answers the people of this world need. Where do we find this help? The best place we can look is in the Word of God. It’s the only place we will find lasting answers to life’s dilemmas.

There is a deep deep desire and thirst within every one of us that can be satisfied only by Christ. Jesus said, “Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst again; but the water I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life” (John 4:14). The Bible gives us hope of life. It’s not life that will wither and die. It’s an unbelievable, everlasting life.

Paul said, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (II Timothy 2:15). Bible study is not about the teachings of a church or a specific religion. It’s about opening the Word of God and sharing the treasures that lie within it. It’s through Bible study that others will discover these principles and this life the Lord desires us to have.

Be Led by God’s Spirit

There are a number of settings and situations in which you may teach a Bible study. For practical purposes, I will primarily address the small group home bible study. The first and most important component to teaching a productive study is to prepare yourself a worthy lifestyle. We as teachers of the Word must have a consistant, daily devotion with the Lord – primarily prayer, fasting, and personal study of the Word. Without a closeness and sensitivity to the Holy Ghost, we may be relying on our own skill and knowledge to accomplish a very spiritual feat.

Know Your Audience

One of the most difficult parts  of a Bible study is actually finding a student or group of students to teach. There are many places to look, such as your family, co-workers or – my personal favorite – at the altar of your church.

Regardless of where the student is found, it is important that you immediately begin to build a rapport with this person. Although it’s not aways possible, making the effort to befriend him or her is always a good teaching practice because relationships are key to the success of your Bible study and the longevity of the discipleship process. If people trust you, they are mor apt to accept the truths you are sharing with them. The love you show in friendship provides the glue that makes the friendship stick. Finally, by knowing your audience, you will be able to better prepare your content to match their stage of life.

Study Before the Study

Before each lesson, you need solid preparation time. Shadowing another seasoned Bible study teacher, if one is available, is an excellent way to get ready to teach your Bile study.

Preparation should always include prayer, Scripture reading, and a deep study of the Word. Always study additional information on topics and Scriptures you will be teaching. However, keep in mind that no lesson should be longer than forty-five minutes unless extended by the student’s questions.

If you are using notes and resources from other people, be sure to know the information so well that you do not have to refer to the original resource during your lesson. Grasp and absorb the information so well that it flows from your heart during the study. The Word must come alive in you first before it will impact a student.

If you are a new teacher, it is very helpful to choose a proven published study, such as The Bible Made Simple (available at www.pentecostalpublishing.com), to initially simplify your study process. The Bible Made Simple provides a concise study of the Bible and man’s history in a thirteen-lesson format. You should also always be prepared with a one-lesson study on salvation, such as Salvation Made Simple (available at www.pentecostalpublishing.com). If you feel you may only have one opportunity to teach someone a Bible study, this study will get to the root of the matter.

Deliver the Message

Once you are teaching the Bible study and delivering the message, here are a few things to keep in mind:

• Open and close every lesson with prayer. The two most important themes we find in the Bible are God’s revelation of Himself to man and God’s plan of salvation for man.
• Understanding that your primary objective is to lead them to salvation. Pay attention to opportunities to pray with them and lead them.
• Stay in the Bible and present the facts.You don’t have time to debate, and you are not your student’s judge.
• Understand what the scripture is really saying and dont take it out of context.
• Don’t try to teach everything you know. Stay on subject and keep it simple.
• Strive for application, not just interpretation. Finishing the lesson is not as important as discovering concepts that can be applied to daily life.
• Don’t overdo it, but at appropriate times ask open ended questions to try to get your student involved in the lesson.
• Relax and teach informally. Don’t hesitate to express your love and concern for your student. “The Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10)

When Jesus called the first disciples, the first promise he made was, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men” (Mark 1:16, NKJV). It is very simple – our mission, the purpose for Bible studies, is to make disciples of Christ. PH

Ryan N. Franklin is a licensed minister, teacher, and pastoral assistant at The Pentecostals of Alexandria in Alexandria, Louisiana. Ryan has been in full time ministry for seven years. He is a long time Bible study teacher and author of The Bible Made Simple.

Article from the Pentecostal Herald March 2012 pg. 19

I recently posted this in another area online and felt it be appropriate to do so here as well….

Thanks for “listening” to the rantings of an “old man”…..

Revival will NOT come to our Church because we want it to.

Revival will not come to our Church because we pray for it to.

Revival will not come to our Church because we need it to.

Revival will come to our Church because we make it happen. God said in His Word that the harvest is plenteous, but the laborers few… there are thousands of hungry souls in our county and city – they NEED revival! They WANT revival!

But we must reach out to them.

Enough of our backwards, shy, self endulged, pride-filled ways… ALL are excuses and frankly just that – excuses…

We MST be busy about the Master’s business!

Souls are in the counter balance and it is within our hands to rescue them.

Outreach, Home Bible Studies, connecting with our Guests and Visitors and reaching out to those that are backslidden - all efforts that we must endeavor to be involved in an all efforts that God will bless with results!!!

Your Ministry is awaiting you – go ahead and see what God has in store for you!

If you don’t have a specific area in mind or don’t know which direction to take – feel free to stop by and ask – there are over 95,000 things to do in this City!!

God speed,

Pastor Drake

Greetings everyone and welcome to my first Blog as the Associate Pastor at TheUPC of Jacksonville, NC.

I am honored that I was voted in at 99% several weeks ago and we as a family are so happy to be a part of TheUPC of Jax!

Obviously I must have a lot of work cut out for me – with one person not voting us in, so we’ll get right to work!

Seriously though, we DO have a lot of work… I’m reminded of Scripture telling us that the harvest is plenteous, but the laborers are few….

After many conversations with Pastor Wallace, I am on a mission in 2012 – to enable and empower every person in our Church to fulfill their call in Ministry – whatever that Ministry may be.

I have the perspective that if God has chosen or selected someone to do something for the Kingdom of God, that our job as Leaders is to provide them the tools and the wherewithal to accomplish and fulfill that Ministry.

That said, we are certainly going to make a run of it in 2012. As this year is well under way, we have no time to tarry… we simply MUST be busy about the Master’s Business!

To those that are unChurched here in Jacksonville, NC (Onslow County) and you need a place to call Home – whether you are stationed here on a Base in the area, or whether you have decided to live here your whole life – come one by and check out the friendly atmosphere, the freedom in worship and the Presence of God!   And so I say to the Church here at TheUPC of Jax - get in line – we’re handing out plows!!! It’s time to go to work! Whether you are tilling, planting, watering and fertilizing, pulling weeds or bringing in the harvest – let’s all get shoulder to shoulder and see what God has in store for our City and County!

I was taught long ago and have read many times since in the Word of God that God deals with people on a very personal basis for how they use the talents he has given them. We will be judged on how we utilize what God has given us, what He has allowed us to be stewards over.

Many folks like to think this applies that is in regards to our finances, and although true – it typically is emphasized by folks that have a clean conscience in their giving. But many times there are people who are not in a position to give of their finances – particularly in these economically depressed times.

But rather than focusing on the negatives of the economy – let us focus on where we are able to give in other areas – such as our talents, our time and our treasures.

TALENTS

There are extremely talented people in Pentecost. I have also noticed that may times there is talent sitting in the pew that is not utilized. Whether that person had made mistakes in times past, or whether they never knew how to let someone know they wanted to be used of God in a specific area – regardless of the reason they are sitting there unused – they are sitting there in violation to the Word and desires of God!

We ALL must be busy about the Master’s Business – not just the Apostolic Elite – the Pentecostal Perfect!

TIME

Time is simply put the most precious commodity we have – so much so that I am almost reluctant to call it a commodity! You can’t buy more, you can’t trade for more and once wasted – you can’t get it back. Nothing you can do will get you more, but everything you do gives you less…. so I say we should obviously use it wisely – but further I will say we should go ahead and give it to God and allow Him to determine what it is allocated towards!

Tithing should not only be that of your finances – but also that of your time…. I know, I know – easy for the preacher to say huh – the guy whose “job” is working for God… but before you get too flustered at me – understand, I am willing to not only give God a “9-5″ for a paycheck, but I am willing to give Him the extra.

I heard it once said, the only difference between extraordinary and ordinary is W-O-R-K….

There are so many folks that have incredible talents that are under the radar in the Church, it’s time we enacted and enabled them to Service in the Kingdom….

Things such as the ability to walk around the Church after everyone is getting ready to leave and make sure the doors are all locked and the lights are all off. Things like walking around the Church building at lunch time and picking up all the loose debris that has blown in the with wind. Yard Care, painting, cleaning, washing windows, taking the trash out in the Pastor’s Office…

I’m reminded of  when we were in a Church in another City how that my wife asked me to stop by the store one time and pick up a case of water, a couple six packs of soft drink and a specific candy bar. When I asked her what it was for she told me it was for the Pastor’s Office. I said, “Ooh that’s nice that you’re doing that for him…” She informed me that my daughters and her had been doing that for nearly a year. Every week they would go in his Office and clean, dust, refill drinks and once in a while leave a treat! I never realized they were doing it – and odds are the Pastor didn’t know they were doing it – because it wasn’t to receive recognition – but simply to bless the Man of God!

Ooh that we could all use our Talents in such a fashion!

TREASURES

One thing that stands out to me in the Church is how people tend to really “hang on to things”…

Understandably – when a man works his whole life to get that nice car, fishing boat or motorcycle – he wants to keep it washed, waxed and polished up. Mostly he wants to go and enjoy it when the opportunity arises. My question is are you using the gift that God has blessed you with to turn around and bless Him back?

Take a new convert fishing, pick up a visitor in your nice new car or even loan your motorcycle to someone else in the Church…..

I say the things you don’t allow God to use, He may choose to remove.

So whatever it is that God decides to bless you with – give it back to Him and allow Him to continue to bless you!