November 1, 2020

Matthew 5-7 is called the Sermon on the Mount because Jesus gave it on a hillside near Capernaum.  It is the “Magna Charta” of Christianity.  In it Jesus proclaimed His attitude toward the law and His expectations for those who will be Kingdom dwellers.  In Matthew 5:38-42, Jesus teaches about retaliation, and in Matthew 5:43-48, Jesus teaches about loving enemies.  To many Jews of Jesus’ day: “That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.  And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also.  And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain” these statements were offensive.  Any Messiah who would turn the other cheek was not the military leader they wanted to lead a revolt against Rome.  Many today find it offensive to suggest that our political leaders could learn much from the Sermon on the Mount.  They are impressed with those that they perceive to be strong political leaders that are bombastic, bullies, narcissistic, and exudes a “macho” confidence.  Jesus tells us:  Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;”.   What a radical response to injustice and the end result is “that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven:”  “For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye?  do not even the publicans the same?  Dear ones, in this very toxic political climate, even if the political leaders do not learn from the Sermon on the Mount, we certainly must.  Jesus says in verse 48: “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.”  Not sinless perfection, but perfect in character, in holiness, in maturity, and in love.  We can be perfect if our behavior is appropriate for our maturity level – PERFECT.

Be blessed and be perfect.

Pastor J. Amos Jones

Jehovah God spoke through the Prophet Amos many years ago this admonition:  “But let judgement (justice) run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream.”  Then, as now, justice was perverted and those who try to do right are hated for their justice.  The law courts should have been, and should be, places of justice where the poor and oppressed can find relief.  The unfortunate, it is as Paul says of the Law of Moses in Romans 8:3: “For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in flesh:” The basic problem of our society is sin, and our Problem Solver has dealt with this issue once and for all times.  When I look at some of the lawsuits being filed today as an example, the Trump administration suing to end the National Census, the Texas GOP suing to end curbside and drive-thru voting, how needful it is for “Justice to run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream.”  We are not now there but this Pastor sees a reason for hope.  When I see the all inclusive involvement in the protest of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and many others, one will note that the moral arc of righteousness is slowly bending toward justice for all.  As was spoken by the prophet Amos “the day of the Lord” is coming and it will bring judgement (justice).  In spite of everything, GOD HAS SPOKEN.  As for you dear people, “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” (Gal. 6:9) “The Lord shall cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to be smitten before thy face: they shall come out against thee one way, and flee before thee seven ways” (Deuteronomy 28:7) Amen.

Pastor J. Amos Jones

The Fifteenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America states:

Section 1:  The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.

Section 2: The Congress shall have the power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation

The road from the inception of this amendment to full implementation has been fraught with insidious methods to deny the vote to those persons the Amendment sought to help.  Having said that, we are overcomers.  “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world” (1 John 4:4).  From the poll tax, the literacy test, “How many jellybeans are in the jar?” by the grace of God we have overcome these impediments.  There is, however, an impediment we must deal with (besides voter suppression) and that is voter APATHY (capitalization for emphasis).  During the 2016 election, about 62% of the electorate voted, another way of saying that is 38% of the electorate did not vote.  Why did they not vote?  There are many reasons and among those reasons are lack of interest, unconcern and indifference.

Dear ones, as we go into this election, let me remind you that the Lord is faithful, and He will establish you and give you the overcoming power to seek God’s spiritual reign here in the earth realm.  Let me remind you again, here on earth, God’s work must truly be our own.

Be blessed as you vote with Godly wisdom.

Pastor J. Amos Jones

October 4, 2020

We the People of the United States in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America”                      (Preamble to the Constitution).

When these illustrious words were written, they spoke to a narrow portion of the constituency, the white male.  People of color and women were not included in the “We the People.”  This exclusion was never the will of our Heavenly Father for His Kingdom.  “Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.”  This Scripture appears to be lost to many of our evangelical brothers.  Is it possible that these evangelical brothers might have missed Romans 8:14:  “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.”

Thank God our Constitution (The Bible) has always been inclusive.  And now it is our task that as we work to bring His Kingdom into the earth realm, that the tenets of His Constitution are followed by His subjects.  To put it simply, here on earth, God’s work must truly be our own.  We, who are His, are citizens of two governments, the Kingdom of God and the United States of America.  Our prayer must be Matthew 6:10:  “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.”

Just as the demographics of the “We the people” of the Preamble has changed and is now more inclusive, we the people of today must embrace Proverbs 14:34: “Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.”  Please remember this when your vote.

Be Blessed

Pastor J. Amos Jones

September 27, 2020

Many of us know what our intelligence quotient (I.Q.) is, but what is your love quotient?  The intelligence quotient is a number indicating a person’s level of intelligence.  Your love quotient is your ability to love as our Heavenly Father has set forth in his word. “Beloved, let us love one another:  for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.  He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love”.  (1 John 4:7-8)  The measure of our love should be the God kind of love; our love quotient must be agape love.  The test of our belief can be found in 1 John 3:18: “My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue, but in deed and in truth”.   Wow!  Do you see that?  In the body of Christ there must not be found any form of legalism and/or self-righteousness.  Again, hear the beloved disciple John, “Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another” (1 John 4:11).  What is your love quotient? Compare it to Paul’s treatise on love in 1^st Corinthians 13:4-8 (NLT) “Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude.  It does not demand its own way.  It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged.  It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out.  Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. …Love will last forever.”  So says the word of God, for the people of God!

Again, I ask:  What is your love quotient?

Pastor J. Amos Jones