The month of July is certainly a time of appreciation. First of all, we appreciate our saved and sanctified status in this chaotic world. God is a refuge, a shelter when we are afraid. Our faith in God as protector will carry us through all the dangers and fears of life. (Psalm 91:1-6) Moreover, we appreciate the Almighty God allowing us to be His instrumentality here in the earth realm. We partner with Him in the Revival and Soul Saving Campaign. We are called upon to pray, pay and witness. When we have done our part, we appreciate the faithfulness of God. “If my people, which are called by My name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” (2 Chr. 7:14) Again, we thank God for, and we appreciate His faithfulness. “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Romans 10:13) Also in July, we show in a demonstrative way, our appreciation to God for the Pastor He has given to the church. “And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.” (Jeremiah 3:15) Hear Paul’s instructions to the church at Thessalonica: “And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you; And to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake.” (1Thess. 5:12, 13a)

Lastly, but certainly not least, collectively, how we appreciate Deacon Leon Moore and the great work he does in the garden. Thank you, Deacon Moore, for the delicious vegetables. They are great!

Be blessed as we walk in Him.

Pastor J. Amos Jones

“We praise thee, O God, for the Son of thy love, for Jesus who died and is now gone above. Hallelujah, thine the glory! Hallelujah, Amen! Hallelujah, thine the glory! Revive us again.” With the words of William P MacKay’s “Revive Us Again” as a precursor, let us prayerfully prepare for our Revival and Soul Saving Campaign. First of all, let this Pastor remind you that Revivals are “prayed down” from the Father. In Psalm 85:6-7, the sons of Korah are asking God to revive their people, bringing them back to spiritual life. God is capable of reviving both churches and individuals. In Psalm 138:7, we are reminded that irrespective of our situation, how low we may feel, how much trouble we may find ourselves in, God will revive us and save us. In this meeting, there is revival and soul saving. Evangelism is the core function of the Lord’s church. It is a command of the Lord to be an active soul winner. Hear the Lord: “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.” (Proverbs 11:30) Child of God, you are a model of a meaningful life. Your life reflects the concern you have for the lost. Christ only, is the hope of glory.

We are 11 days away from the beginning of the Revival and Soul Saving meeting. As always there are three things that this Pastor asked of everyone:
(1) Pray for a move of God in the meeting, this includes praying for the evangelist. Pre-revival prayer is July 10th and 11th.
(2) Support the Revival financially. (We support our efforts.)
(3) Support the Revival with your presence. Be in attendance for the three nights and bring someone with you.

May God bless this Revival and Soul Saving Campaign.

Pastor J. Amos Jones

“So built we the wall; and all the wall was joined together unto the half thereof: for the people had a mind to work.”  (Neh. 4:6). This passage always reminds this Pastor of the men and women of Friendship. The work of rebuilding the wall progressed well because the people had set their hearts and minds on accomplishing the task. They did not lose heart or give up, but they persevered in the work.  In spite of opposition and/or discouragement, the work of the Kingdom goes on. The exiles faced a daunting task in the rebuilding of the wall, however, Nehemiah constantly combined prayer with preparation. On today we, the church, celebrate and honor our men. Men who have seen the vision and accepted the challenge. Men who know that here in the earth realm, God’s work must truly be our own. Men, like the exiles who are aware that they are God’s instrumentality. Nehemiah’s challenge to the people: “…Ye see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lieth waste, and the gates thereof are burned with fire: come, and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we be no more a reproach” (Neh. 2:17), is really in essence the challenge that the men of Friendship have accepted. The call is for Kingdom building. We can expect opposition because “our adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.” (1 Peter5:8) Men, thank you for your labor, it is not in vain. (But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.)  God bless you men, as you continue in him.

Pastor J. Amos Jones

The author of the book of Ecclesiastes, Solomon, refers to himself as the preacher, meaning “one who gathers or assembles.” Ecclesiastes, Solomon’s written sermon, is an analysis of life’s experiences and a critical essay about life’s true meaning. Solomon takes us on a journey through his life, and what a life he had, and in a summary statement he says all that he had done was “meaningless.” The lesson to be learned is life without God is meaningless. It does not matter what one achieves in life, how successful you might be, without God it is all vanity. Listen to the wise man: “Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and the vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.” (Eccl. 2:11) Solomon’s presentation, though  pessimistic, nevertheless shows that life is ultimately better with God. His presence does not shield us from all trouble, but it guarantees us that we will have His power to meet adversity.

What is the purpose of life? It is that we should fear the all-powerful God. To fear does not mean to cringe in terror, but to respect, revere and stand in awe of God because of who He is. Purpose in life starts with whom we know, not what we know or how good we are.   It is impossible to fulfill your God-given purpose unless you revere God and give Him first place in your life. Solomon says when all has been said, all has been done: “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep His commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil. (Eccl. 12:13-14) Amen!

Pastor J. Amos Jones

Psalms 46-48 are hymns of praise, celebrating deliverance from some great foe. Psalm 46 may have been written when the Assyrian army invaded the land and surrounded Jerusalem. (2 Kings 18:13-19:37) King Sennacherib of Assyria retaliated against King Hezekiah and the people of Judah because of their failure to pay an annual tribute.  The King of Assyria posed this question to King Hezekiah: “Who are you trusting to save you? Nothing can save you from my power.”  (2 Kings 18:19-20)  During difficult even deadly times, it is good to know that “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”  (Ps 46:1)  It does not matter how dire the circumstances may appear. For Hezekiah and the people of Judah, the outcome appeared bleak, nonetheless the people could say: “Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and through the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea.” (v2)  Although there is the specter of total destruction,  the child of God is confident that He is always there to help, providing refuge, security, and peace.

God’s power is complete and His ultimate victory is certain. He will not fail to rescue those who love and trust Him.  When it appeared the situation was hopeless, Hezekiah went to the temple and prayed. (2 Kings 19:1)  God answered Hezekiah’s prayer and delivered Judah. (2 Kings 19:35-36)

Dear ones, always let prayer be our first response in any crisis. Why? Because God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

Pastor J. Amos Jones