HE IS ALIVE!.

 This proclamation has thundered a message of hope across the centuries.  He is risen as He said He would!  Destroy this temple, and, in three days I will raise it up.  (John 2:19)

 He is faithful to His word.  In all things and in every way,  Jesus can be trusted to keep His word.  If He said it, He will cause it to come to pass.  He said He came that we might have life and that we might have life more abundantly.  Jesus has deep regard for your life and for my life, for it’s preservation, protection, provisions, perpetuity, and ultimately it’s perfection in glory.  Because He lives, we can have life in it’s fullest measure.  As the people of God, we have resurrection power.  “That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection,” Paul tells us in Philippians 3:10a.  We can (and should) experience His resurrection power in every facet of our lives.  That power will keep us and will also deliver us out of life’s difficult circumstances.  If it is a dying relationship, He is able to resurrect it.  Be it husband and wife, parents and children, neighbor and neighbor, or possibly man and God.  Fractured relationships are not the will of our heavenly Father.  Perhaps you have a need for a resurrection in your financial matters.  It does not matter how foreboding we might feel, we have His resurrection power in us.  Let Him live in your relationships.  Allow Him to quicken your financial matters.  He is alive and we enjoy His protection.  I know what the Chronicle, Time and Newsweek has to say about terrorist and terrorism, I’ve watched gasoline prices rise in meteoric proportion, but I choose to let the word come alive in my spirit.  The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear Him, and delivereth them.  (Psalm 34:7)

 Dear ones, Easter is Christ raised from the dead for our justification.  Easter is being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.  Easter is God has made Jesus to be sin for us, He who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.  Easter is because He is alive, salvation is provided for “WHOSOEVER” that’s you and that’s me folks.

 HAPPY   RESURRECTION   DAY.

Pastor J. Amos Jones

Scholarly, Insightful, Stimulating and Resourceful are some of the superlatives that can be used to describe the Sunday School here at Friendship.  Because the Word of God is timeless and we have teachers who are serious about “rightly dividing the Word of Truth,” our students receive information that will “equip” and “edify.”  The Bible is the basic textbook of the Sunday School.  A knowledge of the Bible is essential to scholarship in many fields.  The libraries of the world are to a large extent commentaries and elaborations on the principles laid down in the Bible.  It is truly a library within itself.  The man who knows the Bible is a scholar and if he adheres to it, a gentlemen.  Here at Friendship, you are taught not to read anything into the GOOD BOOK, if you wish to get anything out of it – just take it straight.  You cannot alter the Bible to fit you, rather you must change yourself to fit it; otherwise you will have Christianity’s conformity in reverse.  What you think of the Bible does not affect it—just you.  What you think of the Sunday School does not affect it—again, just you.  If it appears the Bible is too deep, you surely need the exercise it affords to think deeper.  If it looks too exacting, you definitely require its influence to keep from straying.  (Ahem), and if it seems dry, it might be that you have allowed too much dust to accumulate on it.  If you think Sunday School is not for you, THINK AGAIN!

 In the Sunday School, we are taught to DO RIGHT.  Right is not something just to verbalize on; it is something to be and do.  And the steps are simple:  know right, believe right and do right.  This will give one the basis to hope for attainment, because it is always linked with right.  Hear the big Book:  “Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.”  (Proverbs 14:34)  “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’. ” (Acts 10:34, 35)

 Do Right, come to Sunday School.

 Pastor J. Amos Jones

JOY!  What an amazing word in the life of a Christian.  Joy, the gladness of heart that comes from loving the Lord, whom we have not seen, yet we believe.  And in believing, we rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.

 The Bible tells us that Philip the evangelist preached Christ in the city of Samaria and crowds listened intently to what he had to say because of the miracles he did.  Many evil spirits were cast out, screaming as they left their victims.  And many who had been paralyzed or lame were healed.  And there was great joy in that city.  The gospel of Jesus Christ still brings great joy.  The new birth is the greatest miracle any of us will experience.  Jesus tells us that there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.  How awesome!  A repentant sinner coming to the Lord causes joy in heaven as well as in the earth realm.  For those of us who are in the family of God, the joy of the Lord is our strength (Neh. 8:10). 

 We are overcomers.  We are the victors and not victims.  We will not entertain the “victim mentality.”  As the people of God, we are assured that this joy we have is not contingent upon circumstances, life’s experiences, people that we know or don’t know or any such thing.  The word of God declares:  Therefore the redeemed of the Lord shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head:  they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away (Isaiah 51:11).

 We Americans are big-time “bottom line” people.  Well, here is the bottom line concerning joy.  The Lord is the source of our joy!  David, the sweet Psalmist of Israel, states that fact this way:  Thou wilt show me the path of life:  in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore (Psalm 16:11).

 Be blessed.

 Pastor J. Amos Jones

 “This too shall pass!”  How often am I reminded of the words of this axiom?  Particularly, when I am perched precariously in the chair in the office of my dentist do I remember that this a passing experience.  During the tough times of life, when we are confronted with life’s difficult challenges, when it appears that we are being swamped by the adversities of life, we need to be reminded that “this too shall pass.”  Whatever the situation is, however dark the circumstances might appear, there is always hope and a loving God who is faithful.  In tough times it’s good to know that the Lord is our shepherd.  He will feed us and gather us unto Himself.  Like a shepherd, our God will carry us in His bosom.  We can find great comfort in the sovereignty of God.  As children of the most High God, we shall not be in need.  We know that our God shall supply all our need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.  In the midst of whatever turmoil we are experiencing, He lets us rest in the sumptuous meadow grass and leads us beside the quiet streams. He restores our failing health.  The Lord helps us to do what honors Him the most.  During troubling times, there are several things we must know and embrace:

•  Number One: We must be assured of His perpetual presence.  “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me.”  (Psalm 23:4)
•  Number Two: We must trust His leading.  It is tremendously important that we understand the shepherd-sheep concept.  In this concept, the sheep are totally dependent upon the shepherd.  The shepherd provides the sheep with all that is needed.  (Need I remind you that our God is Jehovah-Jireh, the God who provides.)
•  Lastly, the Lord helps us do (and go through) what/that honors Him the most. “And we know that all that happens to us is working for our good if we love God and are fitting into His plans.”  (Romans 8:28 NLT)

 Good or bad, whatever happens, “This too shall pass.”

 Pastor J. Amos Jones

There is an awesome truth recorded in Philippians 4:17 that many very easily pass right by it.  Paul uses commercial language to describe “giving and receiving” (credit and debit) between the Philippians and himself. 

 During Paul’s second missionary journey, the Philippian Christians contributed to his ministry with gifts, in fact, Paul says they were the only contributors.  For a period of time, the Philippians had not contributed, not because they were lacking in concern, but they lacked opportunity.  At the time of this writing (the book of Philippians), Paul is in prison and has received a gift from the Philippian Christians.  Paul is genuinely appreciative for the gifts but is not ultimately dependent on them.  Their gifts involves them (the Philippians) in Paul’s troubles.  (A person’s gift to the Lord involves them in Kingdom work).  Paul says to the Philippian Christians; “You gave and gave.”  Please watch this:  The “investment value” of the Philippians gift is not primarily what Paul received, but the “spiritual dividends” they  received.  To the Corinthian Christians,  Paul says “God loveth a cheerful giver” (II Corinthians 9:7 [b]).  We do not “give to get,” however, there is the “Godly Recompense:”  “Give, and I shall be given unto you:  good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom.  For with the same measure that ye mete withal  it shall be measured to you again.”  (Luke 6:38)  Let me ask you, what is your “investment value?”  Are you receiving “Spiritual dividends” into your Kingdom Account?  Are you glad to receive them?

 Pastor J. Amos Jones