April 11, 2021

An arrogant, self-absorbed, young man came to an old sage with an intriguing question.  You see, it was the intent of the young man to embarrass the old man who was known for his wisdom.  The young man came to the sage and said, “Old man, the bird I have in my hand, is it alive or is it dead?”  The young man had said to himself, “If the old sage says the bird is alive, I will immediately crush it, and it is a dead bird and if he says the bird is dead, I will open my hand and allow the bird to fly to freedom.”  The old sage answered with the wisdom that only comes from God, “Young man, the life of the bird is in your hand.  You control whether the bird is alive or if it is dead.”

Dear ones, if I may draw from that story, much of our lives are in our hands.  In Genesis 1:26, we are told that: “And God said, let us make man in our image, after our likeness:  and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.”  Our Heavenly Father has given us dominion, the right to rule and to reign with Him.  Let us understand that “We have been raised up together, and made to sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:” Be blessed as you walk in the awareness of almighty God.  

Pastor J. Amos Jones

March 28, 2021

Dear ones, we are now one year into the coronavirus and God has been faithful.  The following is a reprint of From the Pastor’s Desk for March 22, 2020.

“All we have to fear is fear itself” (Franklin Delano Roosevelt, 32 President of the U.S.A).  How right President Roosevelt was then, and how true that statement is today.  For many, and that includes some believers, the fear of the coronavirus has literally petrified them and they are incapable of acting in a required or expected manner.  Fear has traumatized them.

How many times in scripture does the Lord Jesus tell His followers to “fear not”? Answer:  Enough for us to get the message.  “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind (wisdom)” (2 Timothy 1:7).  Paul mentions here three characteristics of the believer that will help us overcome our fear of the coronavirus or any other malady: Power, love, and a sound mind (wisdom).  These are available to us because the Holy Spirit resides in us.  Fear, my brothers and sisters, is a negative faith.  Fear says the worst is going to happen, while faith says God has everything under control.  Faith says: “For He will save you from the trap of the fowler, and from the deadly pestilence.  He will cover you and completely protect you with pinions and under His wings you will find refuge; His faithfulness is a shield and a wall (Psalm 91:3-4 AMP).  Fear questions God’s word and the God of the word.  “So faith comes from hearing [what is told], and what is heard comes by the [preaching of the] message concerning Christ (Romans 10:17 AMP).

Dear Ones, all we have to fear is fear itself.

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Again, how faithful is our God!

Pastor J. Amos Jones

March 7, 2021

“Saying, When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell corn? and the Sabbath, that we may set forth wheat, making the ephah small, and the shekel great, and falsifying the balances by deceit?” (Amos 8:5)  These merchants kept the religious holidays, but not in spirit.  They couldn’t wait for the holidays and Sabbaths to be over so they could go back to making money.  Their real interest was in enriching themselves.  In the text, the Lord God is spelling out the hypocrisy of His people Israel and He is holding them accountable for their actions.  This passage of scripture literally reverberated in my spirit as I listened to Gov. Greg Abbot announce he is lifting the states coronavirus restrictions.  To quote the governor, “Open Texas 100 percent.”  Effective Wednesday, March 10, businesses across the state will be able to open at capacity.  Additionally, the statewide mask mandate is being lifted.  While we all want to go back to what we perceive is normal, it is the opinion of this Pastor that this is not the time to relax the coronavirus restrictions, particularly the mask mandate. It appears to this Pastor that the governor’s actions were callous in light of the 516,000 lives that have been lost to COVID-19.  In his announcement the governor said “This does not remove personal responsibility, personal vigilance is still needed to contain COVID.”  Let me emphasize the need for personal responsibility.

Dear members, let us continue to wear the mask, practice social distancing, wash your hands and get the vaccine when it is available to you.  Hear the word of the Lord: “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear:  because fear hath torment.  He that feareth is not made perfect in love.” (1 John 4:18)

Pastor J. Amos Jones

February 28, 2021

Last Sunday was our designated Women’s Annual Day.  We did not celebrate appropriately because of water leaks in the building.  That notwithstanding, we praise God for Spirit filled, Holy Ghost led women, who are a blessing to the and in the Kingdom of God.  Women have always contributed significantly to the furtherance of the Kingdom.  The New Testament is rich in examples of Godly women used mightily by the Lord in the early church.  It has been this Pastor’s good fortune to have known and to know, Godly women who model the examples of the women in the early church.  What a blessing women are, and have always been! 

When this Pastor came to Friendship in 1973, there were caring, working, warm, and loving women who loved the Lord and His church, (and there still is), and sought the best for their new Pastor.  Women like Addie Lee Dogan, Minnie Ola Branch Johnson, Clara Ellis, Melvina “Susu” Ennis, Katherine Holloway, nurturers indeed, and blessed with many talents.  There were also talented workers like Verdell Cooper, Ivy Miller and Catherine Miller; and we cannot forget Julia Walton and Sadell Persons.  How faithful our heavenly Father has been.

Throughout these wonderful forty-eight years, God has always provided women who love Him and seek the advancement of His Kingdom.  This Pastor is truly grateful to the Lord for the caring, working, warm and loving women of 2021.  Women who love the Lord and are totally engaged. 

Dear ladies of Friendship: “The Lord bless thee, and keep thee:  The Lord make His face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:  The Lord lift up His countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.”  (Numbers 6:24-26)

Pastor J. Amos Jones

Feburary 14, 2021

During February, as we reflect on our ethnicity and the contributions made by people of color that enhance this people planet, we should also consider our “Genesis” conection.  So God Created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them. (Genesis 1:27)  Our pedigree flows back to the sixth day of creation.  Further clarifying the “Genesis” connection:  And the sons of Noah, that went forth of the ark, were Shem, and Ham, and Japheth: and Ham is the father of Canaan. (Genesis 9:18).  And the sons of Ham; Cush, and Mizraim, and Phut, and Canaan. (Genesis 10:6).  For too long in the history of Western Civilization, persons of African descent have been stereotyped in negative ways which have caused them to question not only their own identity but also their part in God’s plan of salvation.

When we look again at the descendants of Ham: Cush (biblical Ethiopia, in other words, the Sudan, Mizraim (Egypt), Phut (Libya), and Canaan (Palestine (Israel)), we find that they inhabited North and Northeast Africa and were the original inhabitants of these regions.  Also, within the Hamitic lineage, the son of Cush, Nimrod was known to be an eminent hunter and architiect.  Nimrod, grandson of Ham and the mighty hunter before God, was the first man to try to build his way to heaven. (Gen 11:1-9)  Nimrod managed to draw and begin work on a gigantic tower that would allow him and his fellow servants to see heaven as well as earth.  This tower was built in a city called Babel, in the beginning of his empire.  Downright awesome for a man from Africa?  Not really, it’s a “God thing.”  Is it not interesting that the land the Lord described as “a good land and a large (land), flowing with milk and honey”, the Promised Land” is the land that was inhabited by the descendants of Canaan, son of Ham.

Dear ones, as we explore Black History during the month of February, know this:  Our roots go back to the dawn of creation.  Our history might not have been accurately recorded, but it hasn’t been stolen.  It is what it has been, conversely, your future and my future is not determined by what someone says or does not say, or what they do or what is not done.  Again, let us go back to the “Genesis” connection: “Let them have dominion”.  We have been blessed to have dominion!  Walk in that blessing.

Pastor J. Amos Jones