Time is something that we all know about.  But it is hard to tell exactly what time is.  Time is one of the factors that help us describe and locate any given event.  We say, for example, “On last Sunday we celebrated Sunday School Appreciation Day.”  We also ask, “What time do you have?”  Or with exasperation, we might exclaim, “I don’t have time for this!”  In the natural, we might say that time is one of the dimensions of the physical universe in which we live.  May I remind you, man is a spirit; that lives in a body, who possesses a soul.  With that said, then the above definition cannot be complete.  In the spiritual realm, time is a commodity in the commerce of the Kingdom of God.  It is the period between two eternities.  Time emanates from God, who sits outside of time and in His sovereignty, orchestrates time.

The wise man Solomon tells us in the book Ecclesiastes, chapter number three, there is a time for everything:  A time to be born, to die, to plant, to pluck up, to kill, to heal, to breakdown, to build-up, to weep, to laugh and the wise man continues through the weary round of life to illustrate that to everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.  Everything is appropriate in its own time.  Although God has planted eternity in the hearts of men, even so, man cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end.

Let’s examine time as the commodity of commerce in the Kingdom.  “But when the fullness of time was come, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.”  (Galatians 4:4, 5)

In eternity past, the God of the universe had you (and me) on His mind. Hear the Prophet Hosea:  “Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy:  break up your fallow ground:  for it is time to seek the Lord, till He come and rain righteousness upon you.”  (Hosea 10:12)   It’s time to live right, it’s time to act right, it’s time to seek the Lord in every area of our lives.  (In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.)

Question.  Are you aware of the time?  Hear the Apostle Paul:  “The time is short. (1 Corinthians 7:29)  “And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep:  for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.” (Romans 13:11)  Dear Ones, it is time to wake up and let the church be the church.

Be blessed as we spend our time wisely.

 Pastor J. Amos Jones

The Church is a building of which Jesus Christ is the chief cornerstone or foundation, “an holy temple in the Lord,”  “an habitation of God through the Spirit.”  (Ephesians 2:2of)

It is the fellowship of saints or people of God.  (1 Peter 2:9)  The Church is the bride of Jesus Christ, saved and sanctified by Him for union with Himself. (Ephesians 5:25f)  Indeed it is the body of Jesus Christ, He being the head or whole body, and Christians the members. (1 Corinthians 12:12f)  As the body, it is the fullness of Christ, who Himself fills all in all.  (Ephesians 1:23)  With the ownership of the Church clearly understood, we who are members must see ourselves as functioning members of the body of Christ.  Herein appears the relevance of the traditional marks of the Church.

• It is one (Ephesians 4:4, for Jesus Christ has only one temple, bride and body, and all divisions are overcome in death and resurrection with Him, and by endowment of His Spirit. In all its legitimate multiformity, the Church must seek unity corresponding to its reality, “Many members but one body.”
• It is holy, for it is set apart and sanctified by Himself. (Galatians 1:4) The Church is to attest to its consecration by the manner of its life and the nature of its service.  Hear what the Word says:  “But as He which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation:  Because it is written, Be ye holy for I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:15-16)  The Church is universal, constituted from among all people of all races, places and ages. (Ephesians 2:14)  Out of her diversity of membership and form, the Church is fully able to reach out to the “whosoevers” and every place and in every age.  (1940-2019)

There is relevance and the Church can identify with the local congregation and the Church universal.  At Friendship, we appreciate each congregation and see them as the Church in its own setting and each a manifestation of the whole Church.  This means that there is scope for great flexibility in organization and structure according to particular and varying needs.  For seventy-eight years, God has wrought a great work here at Friendship and He is not finished with us yet.

Be blessed as you walk in Him.

 Pastor J. Amos Jones

Sympathy sees and says, “I’m Sorry.”  Compassion sees and says, “I’ll help.”Jesus, the Master Teacher, gives us a beautiful lesson on compassion personified.  A certain man was descending by the robber-infested road leading down from Jerusalem to Jericho.  (Secular history records the dangers of the road from ancient times.)  These bandits were the meanest type of robbers.  They violently took from him his money and even his clothing, beat him up, and left him half-dead in this dangerous, bloody way.  Now, by chance a priest was going down that way.  He came alongside, took a momentary look, (Sympathy sees and says, “I’m sorry.”)  and passed on the other side of the road to avoid ceremonial contamination.  (Here is a vivid picture of ceremonial cleanliness at the cost of moral principle and obvious duty.)  And likewise, a Levite came down to the place and on seeing him, (more heartless even than the priest), passed on the other side. (Sympathy sees and says, “I’m sorry.”)  But a certain Samaritan, being on a journey, came down upon him and seeing him, took pity on him.  The contrast here is sharp between this despised Samaritan “dog” and the robed priest and Levite, the orthodox clergy of the Jews, supposed to minister religiously in matters of human welfare.  The Samaritan gave a demonstration of true neighbor-love.  Immediately on seeing the man he had compassion, a fellow-feeling or empathy for him.  Nor did he stop with mere looks of pity, but hastily administered first aid—binding up his wounds, pouring in soothing oil and antiseptic wine, the common household remedies.  Then he helped the man onto his own beast and walked beside him, until he came to an inn.  On arrival, he personally took special care of him.  At dawn the next morning, he paid the innkeeper for the expense of the night and said:  “Take good care of him, and, whatever you may spend in addition, on my return trip I will pay you.  Compassion sees and says, “I’ll help!” 

Be blessed as you walk in Him.

 Pastor J. Amos Jones

Musings with the Pastor.  Kudos to Sister Deanne Hodge and all of the wonderful people who made Black History month such a success.  The Black History Moments, the Black History Academy, the special presentation by Geneva Richardson (Candi), and the delicious “Pot-Luck” luncheon made for an outstanding celebration of Black History month.  God bless you.

Black History month has come and gone, but it is this Pastor’s desire that Black History will remain.  Even to the casual observer, there is a parallel to be found in the history of the African American and the history of the children of Israel.  Both histories reflect great suffering at the hands of their oppressor, the most vile expression of man’s inhumanity to man.  Praise be to God, we also find His great love and His great compassion.  Most of all, we find His great deliverance.  Just as God delivered the children of Israel from captivity in Egypt and Babylon with a high hand, so He did with and for people of color in this “the land of the free and home of the brave.”

“That this may be a sign among you, that when your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, what mean you by these stones?  Then ye shall answer them, that the waters of Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord; when it passed over Jordan, the waters of Jordan were cut off:  and these stones shall be for a memorial unto the children of Israel forever.”  (Joshua 4:6, 7)

When we dress in the old-fashioned garb of the time of slavery, this Pastor is reminded of the struggle and God’s continuing deliverance.

To God be the glory for all that we now enjoy.

 Pastor J. Amos Jones