While it requires no great theological insight to recognize the sovereignty of Almighty God it does require a deep, abiding faith, and absolute trust in Him that He is in control. 

The Psalmist tells us that:  “The earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof; The world, and they that dwell therein.  For He hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods.”  (Psalm 24:1,2)

Our God is the Creator, sustainer and Possessor of the whole world, and therefore worthy of worship and reverent loyalty as “the King of Glory.”  This is a message that was lost on some people at a recent precinct convention.  Ignorantly, these people submitted resolutions to control the actions of God through His people.  How feeble! 

As the people of the Most High God, we are governed by His laws and precepts found in His Word, The Bible.  It is not what we say or resolve, it is the acknowledging of Him.  We are required to be good citizens of this country, however, when there is conflict between things of this world and things of God, we side with the Lord. 

Jesus said we should “Render therefore unto Cesar the things which are Cesar’s; and unto God the things which are God’s.”  (Matthew 22:2)  Remember, in every circumstance of life, God is in control.

Dear Ones, “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.”  (Proverbs 3:5, 6)

Pastor J. Amos Jones

“Pilate saith unto Him, What is truth?  And when he said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I find in Him no fault at all.”  (John 18:38)

This question, what is truth, posed by a cowardly despot, is really a question asked by many in this cynical generation.  To many people today, truth is relative.  They, like Pilate, see truth as whatever the majority of people agree with or whatever benefits their own personal power or agenda.  When there no basis for truth, there is no basis for moral right or wrong.  Truth is not what I say, nor is it what you say is truth, in Jesus and His Word we have a standard for truth and for our moral behavior.  “Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on Him, if ye continue in my Word, then are ye my disciples indeed, and ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.  (John 8:31 & 32)

Jesus Himself is the truth that makes us free.  He is the source of truth.  “For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.”  (John 1:17) 

God’s revelation (Truth) comes through the life of Jesus.  Jesus is the personification of Truth.  He is the embodiment of Truth.  Jesus is the perfect standard of what is right.  Jesus frees us from the consequences of sin, from self-deception and egocentrism, and from deception by Satan.  He shows us clearly the way to eternal life with God.  As we seek to serve God, Jesus’ perfect truth frees us to be all that God meant us to be.

Dear Ones, let us walk in truth.

Pastor J. Amos Jones

Musings with the Pastor.

A big “God bless you” goes out to the Friendship family for an excellent 79^th Anniversary celebration.  What an outstanding, God honoring, worship service it was.  It was indeed a Psalm “66” event:  “Make a joyful noise unto God, all ye lands:  Sing forth the honour of His name:  make His praise glorious.  Say unto God, How terrible art thou in thy works!  Through the greatness of thy power shall thine enemies submit themselves unto thee.  All the earth shall worship thee, and shall sing unto thee; they shall sing to thy name.”  (Psalm 66:1-4)

Special thanks to Brother Jerome McWain who filled in so efficiently for Sister Josetta McWain.  Great job sir!  Kudos to Sister Ethel Malone, Sister Rosa Morrow and the Women of Praise.  Thank you ladies.  We certainly appreciate every person who contributed to this grand day.  This includes the program committee, the choir, the sound technician, and the food preparers and servers.  And we were truly blessed by our guest, Pastor Donzell Archie and the Oliver Chapel Church family.

Friendship, for seventy-nine years, God has used this Church as His instrumentality in this Four Corners area, and she has done well in representing the Master.  The torch has passed to this generation and it is now our time.

Let us continue.

Pastor J. Amos Jones

On today, the Friendship family celebrates the 79^th Anniversary of the Friendship Missionary Baptist Church.  For seventy-nine years this Church has been actively involved in Kingdom work and our heavenly Father has anointed and blessed that work.

The year was 1940 and the United States of America had  not as yet entered into World War II, but the war clouds were forming.  The nation was preoccupied with the possibility of war and a weak economy had many disturbed.  With this as a backdrop, God chose to plant Friendship Baptist Church in the Four Corners community.  It requires no theological insight to know that when the Omniscient God has spoken, let the Church say Amen.  With God, the trajectory is always up.

On this day as we come together to worship and celebrate this marvelous Anniversary and the goodness of the Lord, these words from Psalm 98 explodes in my spirit: 

“O sing unto the Lord a new song; for He hath done marvelous things: His right hand, and it’s holy arm, hath gotten Him the victory. The Lord hath made known His salvation:  His righteousness hath He openly shewed in the sight of the heathen. He remembered His mercy and His truth toward the house of Israel:  all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. Make a joyful noise unto the Lord; all the earth:  make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise.”

Dear members, during this 79^th Anniversary, let’s be a lot more exuberant, a lot more engaging, and just a little more generous

HAPPY  BIRTHDAY  FRIENDSHIP

Pastor J. Amos Jones

On next Sunday, Friendship Missionary Baptist Church will celebrate her 79^th Anniversary.  How good God has been to this Church.  How apropos are the words of the angel to Zechariah found in Zechariah 4:6:  “The he answered and spake unto me saying, This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, saying, not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.”  The key words are “by my Spirit.”  It is only through God’s Spirit that anything of lasting value is accomplished.  From a very modest beginning, with a very, very small membership, located in a rural area of Northern Fort Bend County, it did not appear that Friendship Baptist Church had much in her favor.  Scorned by some of the longer established congregations, services held in a very primitive “brash arbor,” tired and poor.  But actually we had God on our side!  This Pastor certainly knows NOT to trust his own strength or abilities.  That having been said, we do know that we can do all things through Christ who strengtheneth us (Philippians 4:13)

Please know this my dears, the Spirit of God is given without measure.  Human effort does not make the difference. The work of God is not accomplished in human strength.  It’s all God!  Hear a companion scripture:  “But I will have mercy upon the house of Judah, and will save them by the Lord their God, and will not save them by bow, nor by sword, nor by battle, by horses, nor by horsemen.”  (Hosea 1:7)

Dear Ones, we’ve come this far by faith, let us continue

Pastor J. Amos Jones