What are you thankful for and about?  For many, the answer is quite predictable.  We are thankful for life, health and for the many blessings our heavenly Father has bestowed upon us.  We are thankful to Him for our salvation, for our relationship with Him through our Lord Jesus Christ.  We thank Him for our spouse, our children, grandchildren, etc.  Those answers are obvious.  The question is, are we thankful when things are not so pleasant?  The Psalmist tells us:  “I will bless the Lord at all times:  His praise shall continually be in my mouth” (Psalm 34:1).  In good times and in times that are not so good, we know that God is working a work in our lives.  In times of adversity our character is developed and our faith strengthened.  In the down times of life, God demonstrates His awesomeness.  Hear the Apostle James:  “Dear brothers and sisters, whenever trouble comes your way, let it be an opportunity for joy.  For when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.  So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything” (James 1:2-4 NLT).   Dear ones, for this, I give Him thanks.

Pastor J. Amos Jones

For the past several weeks in the Bible Study, we have examined several aspects of “Know the …….” The initial study was “Know the Pastor.”  The scripture reference was I Thessalonians 5:12-13.  The word “Know” in the Greek is “Ginosko.”  The word in it’s application conveys the meaning:  “To have an intimate knowledge of.”  It implies more than a superficial acquaintance-ship.  Continuing with the theme, “Know the…., we then looked at “Know the Deacon.”  Did you know that in the Greek, the word deacon conveys the meaning, “One who serves”?  The most recent study has been “Know the Member”.  We looked at the “member” as ambassadors for Christ, as the “Body of Christ”, we see them as Christ sees them, Christians are “saints”, and we looked at members in the context of “It’s a Family Affair”.  This leads me to the members who do not normally attend weekly meetings.  This pastor exhorts you to “Know the Weekly Meetings”.  There is something in the Brotherhood, The Support Group, The Missions, Prayer and Teachers’ meeting and Bible Study for YOU!

Let me personally invite you to one or all of these meetings.  You will be blessed.

Pastor J. Amos Jones

Musings with the Pastor.  We thank our heavenly Father for the awesome move of the Holy Spirit on last Sunday.  He employed angels to provide divine protection as we traveled to Lufkin and returned.  (But you do know that He has given His angels charge over us, to keep us in all our travels.  They will hold us with their hands to keep the believer from suffering a mishap).  We praise God for the Spiritual awesomeness of the service.  The theme for the day was:  “Families making wise decisions”.  How apropos for a time when the family is under attack.   For the mighty move of God on last Sunday, I can only say, “WOW”.  Kudos to the women of Friendship for a very fine Women’s Retreat.  All of these events, the Women’s Retreat and the Men’s Conference, are all part of the discipling process.   We have been mandated by the Lord Jesus Christ to “disciple the disciples”.  A big “God bless you” and our thanks to all the teachers, speakers and facilitators, that participated in the Women’s Retreat and those that will participate in the Men’s Conference.  Lastly, men,your presence is requested at the Men’s Conference on Saturday, November 21, 2009, at the Ashwood Palms Resort, Bay City, TX.

Pastor J. Amos Jones

“What you see is what you get.” Heard that before? Dear ones, please know that statement is conditional. It is dependent upon who controls “What you see” If the one making the offer is Satan, the grand adversary of God and man, I can assure you that you will not get what you see. You see, Satan is the master illusionist. He is “the deceiver of the whole world” (Rev. 12:9). It is the intent of Satan to defeat the divine plans of grace purposed by our Heavenly Father for His creation and to seduce men to evil and their ruin.

Hear St. Paul in 2 Cor. 2:11: “Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.” The Deceiver will show you and me that which is not best for us and not in the Father’s will. The illusion is “this is good for me.” May I tell you “all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

Dear ones, stay in the Father’s will. Let Him give you the “good and perfect gift.” Be strong as you walk in Him.

Pastor J. Amos Jones

On October 11, 2009, we celebrated with the Ushers, true heroes of faith, their Annual Day.  The church was still in a state of “spiritual euphoria” following an awesome revival and soul saving campaign and the Ushers’ Annual Day Program was a fitting climax to a wonderful move of God.  This pastor is grateful to God for the wonderful members of the Usher Board.  Theirs is truly an example of people working without publicity.  Although they are highly effective in their service to this church, they do their jobs without revelling in the spotlight.  The Ushers have taken note of the essence of what David is saying in Psalm 84:10:  “For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand.  I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.”  Time spent with the Lord, even a minimal amount of time, far exceeds time spent anywhere else.  There is no comparison!

The humble service spent as a doorkeeper prepares one for kingdom dwelling.  The scripture tells us (Proverbs 18:12b) “Before honour is humility.”  Ushers, thank you and may God continue to bless you as you walk in Him.

Pastor J. Amos Jones