What are you worth?

What are you worth?

To the world you worth is measured by your assets. You worth is based on the possessions you own, the money in the bank, the credit you have, etc... If you had money, a car, and a home you would be considered to be valuable or rich. If you were homeless without even a change of clothes you would be deemed worthless. 

To God, you are worth everything because that’s what he has given for you. When you and I were unlovable and enemies with God He gave his son to die so that we could have life. "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.” Romans 5:8-9 

So I ask again, “What are you worth”. You are priceless!

With much love and prayers, 

Pastor Anthony 

Be the Change

Today I ask, “Do you want to turn a good group into a great one”? To change a group you must bring words of love, encouragement, and affirmation.

"Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones." Proverbs 16:24

“Would you like to change a great group into an awesome one”? Become part of that group and not just in it. Being in a group and being a part of the group is different. Being “in” the group means you are there, but being a “part” of the group means you are actively participating with the group. A group becomes better when all parties are participating together.

These principles work not only with groups but also with individuals. Do you want a great relationship with someone then speak words of love, encouragement, and affirmation with them. Experience firsthand how that relationship will turn from good to great.

You want that relationship to go from great to awesome then try being a part of their life instead of just being in it.

I feel that part of the problem with the world today is that to many people are satisfied with just having a good life or relationship, we (society) have failed to achieve a great status because we have forgotten how to speak words of “Love, Encouragement, and Affirmation” (there are times I fail miserably here).

Society has gotten to be so self-centered that it’s all we can do to be “in” someone’s life much less be a “part” of it. You see this in work places, churches, and even in families.

It’s time to break this descending cycle!

I encourage you to become someone who speaks words of love, encouragement, and affirmation while becoming apart of a life or group.

Who is the Church

Who is the Church?

I ask upfront that you forgive me for venting in this post.

Who is the church? The answer may surprise you. The church isn’t the nice brick and mortar building you meet in for corporate worship. Many people believe that this is the church and their understanding would be wrong. The “Church” is the body of Christ where he is the head (Colossians 1:18). Therefore if you are a blood bought born-again believer in the Lord Jesus Christ you are a member of the church.

 Unfortunately many believe that if you don’t sit in the same building with them that you aren’t a member of the church. Being a member of these different buildings or congregations doesn’t mean that a your not a member of the church. What membership to these different places mean is that you choose to gather with them for corporate worship and also enjoy their fellowship.  I have been a member of many brick and mortar buildings and congregations such as Faith Baptist, Gilbert Street Baptist, Fairview Baptist, New Beginnings Baptist, and now Riverview Baptist as I have followed the Lord directing my life in service to him. Being members of these different places doesn’t mean that I don’t want to associate or fellowship with you. What it means is that God has another place for me to better serve him for the purpose of growing the kingdom and reaching lost souls.

This is a matter that is very personal to me and it really chaps my backside the way people act if you aren’t a member of their congregation. I have been unfriended on facebook and even shunned in public because I chose to move membership to another corporate body for worship. I’ve had “brothers” and “sisters” that have been at my house every other week for years, whose children were best friends with my children, whom we were always doing stuff together as a big family,  just walk away when we decided to change our building of corporate worship. While talking to one individual about their family and mine getting together for breaking bread and fellowship they informed me that “we no longer have anything in common since we no longer attended the same building for worship”. My family have been out in public and been ostracized by other members of these other buildings. They would turn and go another direction to avoid communication and fellowship. After a while we began to believe that we may have done something wrong and began to seek forgiveness for whatever we may have done to find out there wasn’t anything. We also began watching as others were being ostracized by people for the exact reasons we were.

This post is not for you to feel sympathy for me or anger for others. I am stating this because it is so wrong for supposed children of God to act like this. Again I say that if you are a blood bought born-again believer in the Lord Jesus Christ you are a member of the church; His Church. We should begin to act like the church, a body, and a family of God and Christ.

The Bible tells us in  1 Corinthians 12 that there is but one body having many members making up only one body. According to this if we all profess to be worshipping Christ and him alone the we are one body. Just as there are many parts to the body that make up the body and causes it to function as a body there will be many different buildings or congregations that form to do their part in the building and functioning of the body.

1 Corinthians 12 goes on to say that we are all to be different (not everyone is a foot or a hand) while at the same time unified in performing their specific functions for the body. The only way the body is going to truly fulfill its purpose is to begin living and acting like the body Christ intended.

In my humble opinion it is past time for those that claim to be of the body of Christ (the church) to grow up, humble themselves, repent, and seek the guidance and will of God. We need to being living by the commandments that Christ have given us starting with John 13:34 “A new commandment I give unto you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another”! The Bible also tells us that if a man (person) says they love God but hate their brother they are a liar because if they don’t love their brother then they cant / don’t love God (my paraphrase of 1 John 4:20). If you aren’t loving (having fellowship and communion) your brothers and sisters in Christ then your aren’t living according to the Word and therefore may need to examine yourself to see if you be of the faith (2 Corinthians 13:5).

I love you and I’m praying you’ll receive this with the same heart of humility and love as I’m hoping to send it.

Handling Burdens

Everyone has stuff or junk (Burdens, struggles, cares, concerns, worries, etc...) of some sort. It’s what we do with this stuff that is important. Some people are ashamed of their stuff and put it in a bag faithfully dragging it behind them. Others see their stuff while putting it on a cart proudly and boastfully pushing it before them everywhere they go. Then there are still others who has stuff, pausing only long enough to acknowledge it before releasing it to the Lord (the only one who can truly carry the weight of it).

Which one are you?

The Bible says that if you are the first person that you should cast your cares and troubles upon the Lord.

(Proverbs 12:25 Anxiety in a man's heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad. 1 Peter 5:7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. Philippians 4:6-7 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.)

It also says if you are the second person to stop being proud and lay it down at the feet of the cross.

(Proverbs 3:34 Surely he scorneth the scorners: but he giveth grace unto the lowly. James 4:6-7 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. 1 Peter 5:5-7 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.)

And if you find yourself as the third person praise God that you’ve laid it at His feet and found the peace and joy that comes by allowing Christ to carry our loads.

(Psalm 55:22 Cast your burden on the Lord, And He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved. Isaiah 41:13 For I, the Lord your God, will hold your right hand, Saying to you, ‘Fear not, I will help you. Matthew 11:28-29 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Philippians 4:6-7 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.)

I pray that you find JOY today. I pray that you’ll lay you stuff at the foot of the cross and leave it there for Christ to carry the burden.  I love you all and will be praying for you.