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| Vol. 13 No. 2 February 2011 | Page 11 |
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| Vol. 13 No. 2 February 2011 | Page 11 |
Dean Kelly
It was Monday. Oh, yes, in every way it was Monday. No need to go into all that was making it a real Monday, but it had not been fun. I was on the way home from Mobile and I stopped at a rest area to take a break and to try to deal with one of this particular Monday’s crises. As I pulled up, it started pouring down rain. I jumped from the truck and headed into the building. My phone was running out of battery power as I made a call I needed to make, and I did not want to make while driving. I realized it was low, and ran out to the truck to get a wall-plug that I had with me (hadn’t gotten a car charger yet). As I neared the truck, I reached in my pocket, and stopped right there in the rain. My keys weren’t there. I went on and looked in the passenger window, and there in my locked truck, right there in the ignition, were my keys. About an hour and $65.00 later, I had my keys and completed my call.
While I stood for a few minutes letting my phone charge some more, I must have looked pretty perplexed, because a fellow who was walking by said to me, “Whatever is worrying you, just take comfort that you have not just driven 350 miles, one way, to absolutely blow a job interview.” He continued, “I took a 16 hour training course, and practiced and practiced for the interview. The first part went fine, but then it all fell apart. I expect my rejection letter will follow closely behind my return home. One lesson I’ve learned – get some rest the night before you have a job interview.” I told him, “Maybe it was not as bad as you feel, and maybe it will be OK.” That was kind of weak, but what else could I say? Actually, I knew the best thing I could do was listen.
Sometimes, we get so lost in our own problems, big or small, that we forget that others around us are trying to make it through Monday, too. I can, however, make it through the Mondays of life. I cannot solve all of the Monday problems on Monday, but many of them can be solved with help from those that I love, those who are my true friends, and above all, with faith in God. I know some Monday problems are beyond “solving.” Those I have to learn to overcome, and to deal with, and to not allow them to dominate my life and my thoughts.
If somebody you know is having a “Monday,” take a minute to listen, and to care. If you are having a “Monday” as you read this, then just settle down, take a deep breath (try not to kill anybody), and look really forward to “Tuesday.” After all, it is just a Monday, and Lord willing, better days lie ahead. “ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God” (2 Corinthians 1:3-5).
Mark N. Posey
The Church is the most glorious institution in existence! God’s Word reveals the church in promise (Genesis 3:15; Ephesians 1:4-5), prophecy (Daniel 2:44), preparation (Matthew 16:18; Mark 9:1), perfection (Acts 2:41-47) and preservation (Revelation 12-22). Christ is the head of the church (Ephesians 1:22-23), Savior of the body (Ephesians 5:23), theme of the Bible (Luke 1:68) and key to both the inspiration (John 12:48) and interpretation (Luke 22:27, 44-45) of Scripture. Truly, Christ is the center of both the Bible and the church. The goal in church-growth must reflect our desire to be a Christ-centered church. This means Christians must strive to be:
1. A Converted Church. Christians must be more than convinced, they must be converted; converted to Jesus not preachers, elders, deacons or anyone else. We must be converted to Jesus (Acts 3:19; 1 Corinthians 1:18)!
2. A Convicted Church. The pulse of a local congregation must beat in unison. We must have “one heart and one soul” (Acts 4:32). We must be “likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind” (Philippians 2:2). We must stand together on the solid rock of Jesus (Ephesians 6:10-11; Matthew 7:25).
3. A Cooperating Church. The letter “I” does not appear in the word team or church. We are all a part of the body of Christ. We must work together (1 Corinthians 12:12-27). The Christians on Pentecost “were together, and had all things common” (Acts 2:44). If we do not work together, we will segment and separate. However, there must be “no division among you” (1 Corinthians 1:10).
4. A Compassionate Church. God intends for us to be servants, not to be served (Mark 10:45). We are commanded to “visit the widows and orphans”(James 1:27), those inside and outside the Church (Galatians 6:10), the hungry and naked (James 2:14) and our neighbors (Luke 10:29-37).
5. A Commissioned Church. God loves our soul so much that He “gave His only begotten Son”(John 3:16), revealed His inspired Word (2 Timothy 3:16), manifested His amazing grace to all (Titus 2:11), provided a life example in Jesus (1 Peter 2:21) and answered the question: “What must I do to be saved?” Therefore, since God said, “go ye,” that means, “go me.”
May God help us to live in such a way to always bring Him honor, glory and praise. May we always strive to be a Christ-Centered Church.