January 05, 2020
Greetings and blessings to all of you. The beginning of the year has some of us making resolutions…things we are going to do or not going to do. Things we will change or not change. People we will speak to or just cut them off. Places we will go or not go. Some of this is good some of it is not so good. Instead of cutting off people…we should begin to consistently pray for them. And let us begin listening to the voice of God as we surrender our lives to Him. And what about deciding to fully participate in the church ministries in order to get out of ourselves and get into the life of a true Christian? That is exemplary; but I assert that one of the most important things we all must do beginning this new year is to COMMIT to read and study the Word of God. Not only will it teach us to fear the Lord and gain wisdom it will help us to lead a God centered life. God wants us to have a close relationship with Him. The way we can do that is to worship Him. How? By focusing on Him. What do you center your life around? If it is not God then you need to repent. God wants us to center our life around Him. There are two things that keep us from “loving God” with ALL our heart, mind and strength. It is complacency and apathy. Those two things it seems to have depleted the vitality of the Body of Christ. What can you and I do to change that? How can we as followers of Christ beginning this year be in touch with our risen Lord? Begin by reading your Word about heroes such as Moses, Abraham, David, Josiah, Hezekiah and other people of faith paying attention to their love of God. Were they always obedient? No! But what they had was an abandonment to the author and perfecter of our faith… Jesus Christ. Let them be your role models. Have you willfully chosen to give… to abandon... your life to Christ? Have you decided to listen to God all of the time? You cannot if you do not crave “the pure milk of the Word”. Have you outgrown the Gospel? Do you think you do not need the Book that has the power to change a person? “He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the Gospel of our Lord Jesus. (2 Thess.1:8-9) It is in the Book…read it, meditate on it; then apply it.
With the Love Of Christ
First Lady Vivian C. Currie
Pastor ALC