Is my job important?

Have you ever heard of Tertius? No? Don't feel bad. He is not well known, though he plays a major role in scripture. He wrote the epistle to the Romans. What? You thought the Apostle Paul wrote Romans, didn't you? After all, it is probably his most famous epistle. Romans 10: 9-10 is quoted as much as John 3:16. But what does this have to do with Tertius? The answer is that he penned down the words of Paul.

                          Romans 16: 22 - I Tertius, who wrote this epistle, salute you in the Lord.

The word of Romans come from Paul's mind and heart, no doubt. He is clearly identified as the author in the first lines of the book. Those of us who believe in the Holy Inspiration of scripture also understand that these were not really Paul's words, though we can see Paul's personality come through. These are the words the Holy Spirit spoke through the Great Apostle Paul, the apostle to the gentiles. And what important words they are!

What would the message of Christianity be like without the message of Romans 10? All who call on the name of the Lord, both Jew and Greek can be saved (Romans 10:12).

How many discouraged Christians have taken courage from Romans 8:28 - All things work together for good to them who love God!

And what about Paul's famous soliloquy on the wretched man in Romans 7? Surely we have all felt this way!

Yes, Romans is an important book for the New Testament Christian. Many of us would probably say it is our favorite book of the New Testament, for various reasons. I submit the thought to you today that we wouldn't have the book of Romans if not for a man named Tertius. For whatever reason, Paul needed help to pen down his letters. Some say that Paul was blind. Whether for this reason or some other, Tertius filled the role of Paul's scribe.

Surely, someone else could have filled this role, you might think. Can I offer you my personal opinion? I have come to believe that God chose the writers of scripture for their uniqueness. Inspiration of the Holy Ghost does not mean that the writers became robots. I believe it means that God moved on men who were sensitive to his will to write what he said to write. But because we are all human, he knew their thoughts would take a certain form. This does not damage the infallibility of scripture. It simply means that God allowed men to take part in his plan. From the way Tertius signs the letter, it is evident that he was an important part of this epistle. In what way, we can't be sure. He may have simply wrote everything Paul spoke verbatim. He may have taken notes, composed the letter, and then mailed it. Regardless, we know that a man named Tertius helped to compose one of the greatest letters of all time. Surely, his own writing style helped to shape the letter.

Tertius wasn't an apostle; at least the scripture doesn't call him one. Tertius is not mentioned anywhere else in scripture. There are no Biblical tales of Tertius healing the sick or raising the dead. He may not have even been a preacher. He seems to be insignificant. There was no way Tertius could have known that the words he penned would be read in every Christian church down through the centuries. He could not have known that Sunday school children would memorize these words or that scholars and theologians would debate them. Perhaps he thought that he was simply penning a private letter from a pastor to his congregation. I don't think even Paul realized the impact that his letters would have on the world. Yet the fact remains; Tertius helped Paul to spread the gospel around the world.

Are you feeling insignificant? Do you feel like nothing you do makes any difference? Perhaps you are keeping company with a man named Tertius? Your work may be much more important that you realize.  Everyone matters in God's kingdom. Be encouraged!Only eternity will reveal the rewards.

Blessings,
Spanish Pastor Jones
 

The Scientific Method and Bible Study

II Timothy 2:15 - Study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman that does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 

Here are a few thoughts I had about Bible study. I hope it helps you as it did me. 

The scientific method is a process of verifying a theory. The basic steps are:
1. Ask a question
2. Research
3. Construct Hypothesis
4. Test Hypothesis
5. Analyze Results and Draw Conclusions
a. hypothesis is correct
b. hypothesis is incorrect

This method can be used to to gain Biblical knowledge and understanding.
1. I have an idea about what the Bible teaches on a subject.
Example: What does it take to be saved?
2. Research - What have others said? What is my personal experience?
3. Construct an opinion
4. Test hypothesis - This is when we search out the scripture to see what it says. We must be unbiased if we are to discover if our ideas are correct or incorrect.
5. Analyze results - Do my opinions line up with what the Bible teaches.? I should see what the Apostles taught and what Jesus taught. What grandpa or pastor teaches does not equate what the Bible teaches.
a. Was my previous assumption correct?
b. If my previous assumption was incorrect I must be willing to change.

Borrowed from:
Stone, P. (2012). The Plan: God's Pattern for the Ages. USA: Xulon Press.

We must all be willing to evaluate our personal ideas and convictions in light of God's word. We humans are influenced by family values, personal experiences, and education, and culture. These views do not always line up with God's word. Am I ready and willing to change my views if they do not line up with scripture. This is what it means to be a true disciple. God help me to always be willing to re-evaluate my values and beliefs in light of the word of God. 

Blessings, 

Sullivan Jones 

God never changes

Malachi 3:6 - "For I the Lord do not change."
James 1:17b - "The Father of lights with whom there is not  variation of shadow due to change."

God never changes. He is "immutable." We humans are always changing. Our bodies change. Our financial situations change. Our emotions and sense of contentment certainly change. Technology seems to change every week. As soon as a new phone comes out it is obsolete. (My iphone wants to update about once a month.) Yes, change is inevitable in this world.

It should be a source of comfort to us that our God is always the same. He is always loving and full of mercy. We can always count on him to meet our needs, to give wisdom and direction, and to keep his promises. God knows the past, the present, and even the future.

It is amazing how accurate the word of God is. One example is from the book of Daniel. It was written around the sixth century BC, or more than five hundred years before the birth of Christ. Yet it so accurately predicts events more than four hundred years into the future that critics want to say it is a book of history. Only God could write history before it happens. This is the kind of God we serve. A good who knows the end from the beginning. And the most awesome part is that he cares about each of us. There is no need to worry today. Our God is an unchanging rock in whom we can trust.

God never changes!

Thankfully,

Sullivan Jones

Who is guilty?

Earlier today someone posted an article on Facebook about the attacks in Paris. It seems that at the time of the first attacks the people at the rock concert were singing a song called "Kiss the devil". The lyrics of the song  ask "who will love the devil and who will sing his song?" Then they answer, "I'll love the devil and I'll sing his song." The article contained a picture of youth with two fingers in the air, making a sign intended to imitate the devil's horns. One comment under the article articulated my first thought, "I guess they met the devil quicker than they thought."

Another person who read the comments thought the article was very inappropriate. They felt as if the writer was placing the blame for the attacks on those singing the song, as if they asked for the attacks. When I read this I was heartbroken for the young people. Surely they did not know that such a thing was about to happen, even as they naively sang a song inviting the devil into their lives. I am not naive enough to think that the song they were singing had anything to do with the attacks, I just grieve that a group of young people went to meet their maker while singing such a song.

Even as I read the account I thought of Jesus words in Luke 13: 1-5:

Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. Jesus answered, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.”

Apparently the scenarios Jesus spoke of were well known to his followers. It is evident from the few verses we have that many wanted to place the blame for this tragedy on those who died. After all, weren't they suffering the judgment of God for their sins? Jesus answer should make us all stop short. "Except you repent you will all likewise perish."

All of us have committed sins according to Romans 3:23. Not one of us can claim to have never sinned. Without the mercy of God all of mankind is collectively doomed to perish. We all deserved death for the sins we committed and it is only because of God's grace that we do not receive it.

If there ever was a time that our world is in need of prayer it is now. We must pray for those in government and those trapped under the fist of the giant evil that is slowly overtaking our world. Only a genuine move of God's Spirit can change anything. Let us pray that we will not be caught up into the foolishness and wickedness of the hour. Let us pray for those who are hurting after loosing loved ones. Let us pray for those Christians who are being persecuted in lands that are hostile to the gospel. Let us pray that government leaders would have Godly wisdom to make decisions that are for the common good. Most of all, let us ask God to forgive us all so that we do not all likewise perish.

Prayerfully,

Sullivan Jones

Bewitched

Did you know?
The TV show "Bewitched" from the sixties and seventies had a decidedly Jewish theme. The screenwriter, Sol Saks, was a Jewish man from New York. Here are just a few Jewish themes.

In several episodes there was a Menorah on the living room wall of the Stephen's home. Samantha, a witch, tries to look like a mortal. She uses her nose to do magic. In one episode she and her husband fantasize about what would happen in she was known to the world. There might be a witch burning if the neighbors knew about her. In another episode Darren introduces Samantha to a plastic surgeon that does "nose jobs." He insinuates that she probably already knows him, making a jab at the things she can do with here nose. The list goes on...

The Jewish meaning is clear. Samantha, as a witch, represents a Jewish woman who tries to look like a gentile. She is married to a "mortal", meaning she is in a mixed Jewish-Gentile marriage. The nose is also a pun since Jews are stereotyped as having big noses. If the neighbors, i.e. Christians, knew who she was, she might be in danger. The undertones continue but I think you get the picture ...

As I recently discovered this it made me ponder our treatment of not only the Jewish people but everyone who is not like us. I find it sad that so many atrocities have been done to people in the name of Christ through the centuries. The Christ that I purport to follow, while being God in flesh, is a God of love. He went out of his way to talk to a Samaritan woman at Jacob's well. He welcomed Greeks and healed a Syrophoenician girl of a horrible disease. Surely a Savior that did such things would not advocate mistreatment of anyone, least of all his own flesh and blood people, the Jews.

Lord help me not see anyone as a "witch" just because he or she is different than I am. While I do not have to agree with everyone's religion I can love just the same. After all, Jesus said we would be know as His disciples by our love. Lord, help me to love.

In Christ's Service,

Spanish Pastor Jones

When bad things happen to good people

Matthew 5:45 - He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

Why do bad things happen to good people? There is not always an easy answer but I would like to share a thought on the subject. We live in an imperfect world. Much of what is wrong in our world is a product of mankind's sinful state. That does not mean that any individual person has sinned more than another. It means that the evil in our world is a product of man's original sin.

God created a perfect paradise for man to live in. Adam and Eve introduced sin to the world and our world drastically changed. We don't know all that the change entailed but we can deduce a few things. Before this time there was no sickness, no death, no pain, etc. The ground grew only good fruits. Thorns and thistles are part of  because of the curse that sin brought (Genesis 3:18). Basically everything bad happened because of sin. I am convinced their were no poisonous spiders and no deadly snakes. Everything was perfect!

What about sickness? Why do some people suffer sickness when others seem to be well their whole lives. Is it because of personal sin? In John 9:3, the story of a man born blind, Jesus made it clear that sickness is not necessarily caused by personal sin. Rather we humans are products of thousands of years of humans living under the curse of sin. People with high blood pressure have children and pass the trait on. Two people whose genes aren't compatible get married and they have a handicapped child and so forth. And yes we know that certain lifestyle choices do make things worse but this is not always the case either. We see seemingly healthy people get stricken with cancer while others are spared.

There is a temptation in our world to blame things on God. God, why did you let this happen? The bottom line is that God gave man a free will. Unfortunately, man chose to participate in sin and allow evil to enter our world. Much that we suffer  is a result of that evil and not a result of God's judgment.  The struggles we go through are usually neither our fault nor God's fault but the result of an imperfect world.

So does this mean God is absent from the whole process. No it doesn't. He is able to heal. Many of us can attest to witnessing great miracles. But God doesn't always heal everyone and many times we don't understand why He doesn't. One thing I can say is that God is fair and just. He never makes mistakes. We must be careful not to blame God by saying He isn't fair or just. Why does he allow bad things to happen to the righteous. It may be to show the unrighteous that He is fair.

There are people who have been faithful to God through very difficult circumstances while others turn their backs on God in the slightest trial. By allowing His children to go through difficulty, God is assuring the sinner that He will not be able to claim innocence on judgment day. He will not be able to say He couldn't live for God because life was too hard. God will be able to point to others who were faithful unto death and use them as an example of faithfulness. Just thing about it - you may be in a trial and wondering what you did to deserve this. It probably doesn't have very much to do with you. It maybe that God is using you as a testimony of His faithfulness to someone else.

We often pray for God to use us for His glory. We want to witness to others and win souls to Christ. Yet we don't often consider that the trials we go through might be God's way of using us. What greater testimony is there to the unbeliever than to see a Christian persevere under great difficulty. The next time you find yourself in a trial you might want to consider this: "God, am I being used to show your faithfulness to another?" If so, give me the strength to endure so that someone else will see your glory in the miracle.

Yours in Christ's Service,

Rev. Sullivan Jones






 

Do we all have a mansion in heaven?

John 14:2 - In my father's house are many mansions ...

I recently read a story about an American living in Japan who became confused about the meaning of mansion. It seems the Japanese have adapted the word mansion (manshon) to mean a private apartment. In his perplexity the man did some researching and arrived at the conclusion that this more closely resembles the original meaning. The word mansion comes to English from the French word "masion" which means house. In time, one of its uses came to be mansion-house to refer to a grand manor and this is the usage that came to America. We Americans like to shorten everything so we dropped "house" from the expression and mansion came to mean the abode of the rich.

But is that the meaning conveyed in John 14:2? The Greek word moné actually means dwelling places. The usage is somewhat like the Japanese one for a private house or apartment. So what exactly did Jesus mean? A look at the context will help us to understand His intended meaning.

Jesus was speaking in John 14 of his ascension to heaven and the promised sending of the Holy Spirit to dwell in the heart of the believer. He says specifically in verse 17 that though this Spirit dwelled with them (Jesus was with them) but He would one day dwell in them. While Jesus was on the earth God's Spirit dwelt in only one human being - Jesus himself. But once the Holy Spirit was sent, God's Spirit dwelt in many Spirit-filled humans. Therefore, there were many dwelling places in God's house. No longer does the believer have to be content with having God near but now God lives inside of us all.

There is also another meaning of the English word mansion chosen to translate moné. In the time of the KJV translators many houses were still made from straw, mud, and dung. The word mansion is akin to the word mason which means a hewer of stones. So an early mansion likely meant a house made of stone. It was a more permanent home. This meaning can be seen in Jesus' conversation with his disciples. In John 14:16 Jesus tells his disciples that the Holy Spirit would abide with them forever. Though Jesus time among his disciples was short while he was in the flesh, when His Spirit returned to live in them it was a permanent dwelling.

The meaning is clear. The Holy Spirit will never forsake the believer. We can trust in the abiding presence of Christ. God's Spirit is always with us. He will always lead us so long as we are sensitive to his will.

So does that mean I don't get a mansion in heaven? The answer can be found in the description of the New Jerusalem in Revelation 20 and 21. The New Jerusalem definitely fits all the descriptions of the "mansions" Jesus spoke about. It is at once a permanent dwelling place and a place of splendor. It will be a place where God's children will live in harmony forever. And it is beautiful to boot.

What a promise the Christian has! God's Spirit lives inside of us, making each of us a mansion in the here and now. And there is a permanent mansion awaiting us in the New Jerusalem! I don't know about you but that excites me! I am a mansion and I have a mansion - what a promise!

In Christ's Service,

Sullivan Jones 

Hurry up, Jesus!

"Hurry up, Jesus!" Have this thought ever crossed your mind? We sense a similar frustration in those who surround Jesus in the story of Lazarus. Remember Lazarus? He is the friend of Jesus who was dead for four days before Jesus shows up and resurrects him. The point seems to be that Jesus intentionally delays his visit to Lazarus. He receives word that his friend is sick but doesn't show up for four days. By then Lazarus is dead. His family is distraught, to say the least. They did not understand that Jesus intended to perform a miracle. They only knew that He had not come when they expected him too.

They just didn't understand!

St. Augustine once said in a sermon, "We are talking about God. What wonder is it that you do not understand? If you do understand, then it is not God." Sometimes God defies, outlasts, or overturns our expectations. But is He any less God? Is He any less at work? John’s gospel assures us that no matter what, Jesus is always working on our behalf (John 5:17).

Waiting. Confusion. Frustration. All we may have are the words of God's love without the immediate evidence of action to back it up. These are occasions and challenges to face the reality of life in this world and the reality that miracles do not always occur in the manner we expect. All we may have is the promise of God's love. Is that enough in your moments of crisis? It's okay to voice our frustrations and anger to God. It's ok not to have all the answers. Indeed, as a result of the death of Lazarus and the desperation of the ones he loved, it is said that Jesus 'also grieved' and 'he cried' (11:33, 35). Perhaps, we can take comfort that when God does not act the way we expect, it is enough to know his love is still there. But if that is still not enough, perhaps we can take solace that Jesus understands our pain. As a man Christ fully experienced our pain both emotionally and physically.

The reality of life is that there will be situations we do not know how to deal with. There will always be situations we do not understand. But who would want to serve a God He can control. I would rather serve an all-powerful God, even if I have to trust without understanding at times. Is there a situation you need some understanding about? Tell Jesus about it today! You might not get the answer you would expect. You just might get something even better!
 Lord, when life spins into a "holding pattern," allow me to trust that you are at work. In the hidden places, the shameful places, the empty places – allow me to trust that you are at work. I ask in the name of Jesus, Amen.

Emboldened to Preach the Gospel!

As I sit here contemplating this day, a federal holiday in America, I also contemplate all that it means to be an American. To me, more than anything else, it has always meant freedom of religion. It has meant that I have freedom to worship without hindrance from the government. No one has been able to tell me that I can not read my Bible or that I can not worship as I want and when I want. It has been a privilege when I consider all the people around the world who have not held that privilege. As a child I remember reading about communism and wondering what we would do if this became a reality in America. How would I act if I could not worship openly or read my Bible? Today this threat seems more real that it ever has before.

In the last week social media and the papers have exploded with different opinions over Ms Kim Davis, the clerk who is in jail for refusing to issue marriage licenses to homosexual couples. I have been so disturbed since her arrest that I must admit I have struggled to think of anything else or to sleep. This lady is a sister in the Lord and my heart hurts that this is happening to her. Just to clarify, I do mean that she is a sister. We believe the same thing. I too am an Apostolic Christian. That means that I believe in baptism in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins. I believe in the infilling of the Holy Ghost with evidence of speaking in other tongues. I believe in gender distinction in dress, short hair on men, and long hair on women. There is much more but you get the picture. Sister Kim Davis and I are part of the same church and as such she is my sister. If one member suffers, we all suffer (I Corinthians 12:26.) Who would have ever thought this would happen in America?

I could be very discouraged that this is happening. I could even be fearful. If this is allowed to continue, what happens next? What happens when it is considered a hate crime to speak against homosexuality? With the current hate crime laws written the way they are, this is certainly a possibility. Will it be a federal crime in the near future to preach that homosexuality is a sin? As it stands, it is definitely against all this politically and socially correct. Yet the Bible is clear on the subject and I for one will never stop preaching what the word of God says. I can preach this truth in love but it would not be love for me to stop preaching what the Bible says. Will I be the next one in jail? Am I prepared for that?

As I have pondered these things I began to think of all the men and women, both in scripture and otherwise, who have spent their time in jail for the faith. It is definitely not a new occurrence, even in the United States. The pages of human history are stained with the blood of martyrs that God himself will one day vindicate. With such dark thoughts as these it would seem that the church has undergone much defeat, yet nothing is farther from the truth. Neither a jail cell nor the blood of a martyr signifies defeat for the child of God or for the Christian church.

In times of great persecution God's church has always grown stronger. It was the blood of the martyr Stephen that caused the first century church to leave the comforts of Jerusalem and take the gospel into Judea and Samaria. It was the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70 that caused Christians to spread throughout the Roman empire and preach Christ to its farthest corners. (And Incidentally, it was the Christian church that eventually caused the Roman empire to topple.) In the words of Justin Martyr, "The more we are persecuted, the more do others in ever increasing numbers embrace the faith and become worshippers of God through the name of Jesus." Persecution has always caused the Christian faith to grow and so will it always do. 

As we read our Bibles, do we ever think about how much of it was written from a prison cell? This morning I was reading from the book of I Timothy when something stood out to me. In verse 15 Paul reminds Timothy that all of Asia minor has turned away from him. Then he rejoices that Onesiphorus was not ashamed of his chains. His Chains! Such a simple but powerful statement. Apparently the church in Asia was either too afraid of persecution, or too ashamed that their leader was in jail to stand behind him. Thank God for faithful Onesiphorus! He was not ashamed (or afraid) to seek Paul out in jail and minister to him. 

Paul wrote some of the most powerful of his epistles from a jail cell. Though I am sure he would much rather have been anyplace else, God turned this situation to the good of the whole church throughout the centuries. After all, what would our Bible be like without Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon? What would the book of Acts be like without the story of the Philippian jailer? 

How is God's church supposed to act in times of persecution? (And believe me, that is what the arrest of Kim Davis is - persecution of Christians, plain and simple.) Jesus told us in Matthew 5:12 that we are to rejoice in such times. Rejoice? Yes, rejoice! We are to rejoice that God is in control. We are to rejoice because God knows how to turn the situation around. We are to rejoice because all things work together for good to those who love God and are called according to his service. 

Do I rejoice that Sister Davis is in jail? No, my heart is broken over it. Not only because our sister is in jail but also for what is happening to America. Yet I rejoice because I know that in the midst of great trouble God's church has always had great revival. We have prayed for years for God to shake America and send revival. If this is what it takes then I say let's have revival! Let me say "thank you, Sister Davis." You have taken a stand that most would not be willing to take. The battle lines have been drawn and you have been willing to be on the front lines. In the words of Paul, may others be emboldened to speak the word without fear because of your bonds. 

The judge who ordered Ms. Davis arrested has said that she will remain in jail until she acquiesces. She has said she will never do this no matter how long it takes. Let us pray that God will give her the strength to live up to those words. But not only her, I pray that a fighting spirit would get ahold of Christians across America. The liberal agenda has wanted a fight and the church of God is more than able to give it to them. We will not fight with physical weapons but we will fight with prayer. We will fight by preaching the gospel and we will fight by being emboldened to witness at every opportunity. 

In closing, let me say this. One of the couples who sued Ms Davis said they were afraid that her arrest would cause her supporters to rally behind her and strengthen their resolve to fight. I pray that this is exactly what happens. God strengthen our resolve not to bow to the peer pressure of this world but to preach with boldness no matter the cost. After all, God is on our side! 

In Christ's Service,

Sullivan Jones 







 

How to Have Joy!

John 15: 10-12
If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my father's commandments, and abide in his love.
These things have I spoken unto you, that your joy might be full.
This is my commandment, that ye love one another, as I have loved you.

The writer of the book of John is known in church history as the apostle that Jesus loved. Indeed the writings of John contain much of the New Testament's teaching about the love of God and a Christian's love to his fellow man. It is John who quotes some of Jesus most famous words: "By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, by your love for one another." (John 13:35) Yes, John had much to say about love. In chapter 15 John gives us the secret to having true joy in our lives and connects it to the love we should have for one another.

These things have I spoken unto you that your joy might be full ... that ye love one another, as I have loved you.

When we begin to show the love of God to one another it causes us to have joy. You know that good feeling that you get when you have done something for someone else. It is not just a tingly feeling. It is the reciprocated joy that comes from passing along the love of God to another of his children. God intended it to be that way. He loves for his children to love one another and to lift one another up. He never intended for anyone to feel alone in this life. One of the prayers Jesus prayed in John 17 is that his followers would be one as He was one with the father. It is God's will for everyone to feel love and feel a part of the family of God. It is the responsibility of us all to help that happen.

Do you feel disconnected? Perhaps you feel as if you have been forgotten. No one has called in a while. Are you wondering if people still care about you? The best way to overcome those feelings is to reach out and connect with someone else. Send a note to someone who is going through a battle. Let them know that you too have been through some hard times but you know God brought you through and he will bring them through. Perhaps you don't feel up to visiting a nursing home. Maybe you are not the type to talk on the phone. You can still encourage someone else. With social media it is easier than ever before. Send someone an instant message on Facebook and let them know they are in your prayers. You will be surprised how good it makes you feel.

Do you need something from God? John 15: 7 says, "If ye abide in me and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you." We love to quote that scripture when we have a need but the context of the chapter connects our needs to the needs of others. If you encourage someone else you might be surprised how quickly God meets your needs. And you will feel better in the process. This isn't just a psychological trick; these are the words of Jesus.

Share his love with another today and it will come back to you. Try it - you won't be disappointed!

In Christ's Love,

Sullivan Jones
 

Life is too short to worry about being happy

Job 7:7 - Remember, O God, that my life is but a breath; my eyes will never see happiness again.

This little-known verse from the book of Job reminds us of something very important. Happiness is a temporary pursuit that soon leaves us. Job recognizes that his life is short. He laments that when life is over he will never again see happiness. Sounds kind of pessimistic, doesn't it?  That is what the pursuit of happiness does to us. Happiness is that temporary state of satisfaction when we have reached a goal or  acquired a new toy. But it doesn't last. Why? Because like everything else in this life, happiness is fleeting. Here today, gone tomorrow.

I am currently writing a research paper on suicide. In my search for relevant information I found this article from Time Magazine dated April 25, 2011. "Why the Happiest States have the Highest Suicide Rates." Yes, you read that correctly. Those states (and countries) that testify to being the happiest on surveys consistently have the highest suicide rates. These are states like Hawaii where most of us dream of living a carefree life on the beach. They are countries like Norway and Denmark with free health care, low crime, and high incomes. Yet these places have some of the highest suicide rates in the western world.

Why? Because happiness is an emotion that can change like the wind. It simply doesn't last. What makes us happy today will make us miserable tomorrow. Life is like that. The Christian knows that there is only one source of true contentment in the world. That is found in a lasting relationship with Jesus Christ. We say it so often it has become a cliché - There is joy in Jesus! But do we really believe it? Are we so caught up in the pursuit of materialism that we are in the same roller coaster as the rest of the world. On a high today because of some new toy and in the pits of despair tomorrow.

Peace of mind doesn't come from having money in the bank. (Money in the bank is good.) Satisfaction doesn't come from achieving our  educational goals. Those countries and states with high suicide rates have high levels of education. It doesn't come from free health care. The Nordic countries have excellent health care. The bottom line is that peace of mind comes with being content. Contentment is an attitude of thanksgiving for what God has given us.

Am I saying we shouldn't have nice things? No. Am I saying we shouldn't dream big dreams? Again no. As the song says, "If you're going to dream, dream big." I am simply reminding us that possessions don't bring contentment. Happiness doesn't bring peace. Only a relationship with God can satisfy the soul. One thing worth considering. Those states where people confessed to being unhappy  were found to have the lowest suicide rates in the country. My theory is that people in these places had something to dream about. But when life gives you everything you want, what else is there to live for.

 Amazing, isn't it?  Are you spend your life in the pursuit of one more material "blessing." Maybe it's time to slow down and rethink life a little. After all, life is too short to be wasted on trying to be happy.
Yours in Christ's Service,

Rev. Sullivan Jones

A good name

Proverbs 22:1 - A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold.

Many people aspire to greatness in our world. Usually this means one thing - money. When we think about someone being successful we automatically want to know how much money he is making. We all talk about how money isn't the most important thing but our actions show differently. When we hear about some movie star paying 10 million dollars for a house we marvel. A while ago I heard talk that a movie star gave a well known televangelist a million dollars. The talk went something like this - "do you know what I could do with a million dollars?" Then the dreaming starts. The truth is most people will never see anything near that kind of money in a lifetime.

What is it about money that has that kind of sway over us? After all, money isn't inherently evil. We need money to get along in life. Even the Bible says that money answers all things (Ecclesiastes 10:19). It makes life a lot less stressful when we have money. I know there are a lot of people in poverty around the world but I wouldn't wish it on anyone. I don't ascribe to the belief that asceticism makes us more spiritual. I can do a whole lot more for the kingdom of God with money than without it.

Yet there is something  so much more valuable in this world than money. That is a good name. What is a good name. It is simple - when people hear a name they respect it. Why? Because they know the person who has that name keeps his word. If he says something he does his best to follow through. If he can't, he apologizes and tries his best to make it right. As the old saying goes, "a man's word is his bond." When a man has that kind of reputation it is so much better than money. There are people in the community that have money and everyone knows they got it dishonestly. People might envy their money but no one would want to trade places with them. Why? Because they are talked about behind their backs. People tell jokes about them and snicker when they are out of sight.

Every now and then we find a person who is as poor as Job's turkey yet commands great respect. How? Usually it is because this person is a person of prayer and wisdom. A person who treats everyone the same regardless of  one's station in life. And believe it or not, this person is at times able to change things in the community more than the person with money. People will listen to someone they can trust. Someone who doesn't repeat gossip and break confidences. Someone who always has a smile ready and is truly interested in each soul. And one more thing - if someone were to lie on that person, no one would believe it because they know it is out of character. That person's good name speaks for itself.

All of us have made mistakes. We have repeated things we shouldn't have and have made judgment calls we shouldn't have made. But if we are striving to be that person of integrity it will show out every time. Most people know that everyone makes mistakes and are willing to give a second chance. None of us is perfect but we should all strive to be honest and have a good name. Not necessarily to make a name for ourselves but so that Christ will be glorified in us. God help us to be people of integrity that follow through to the best of our ability with what we say we will do.

God Bless,

Rev. Sullivan Jones

Mistaken Identity - God knows my name!

Have you even been mistaken for someone else? My wife and her three sisters resemble one another and their mother so some people get them mixed up. I knew her long before we were anything more than fellow church members and I never thought they looked that much alike; apparently they do to some. As for me, I can't think of but one time that I was mistaken for  someone else.

A guy had just moved to our church from somewhere in west Texas.We met on his first Sunday at the church out in the foyer.  He walked up, lit up in a smile and asked, "when did you get here?" I must have looked confused because I didn't remember ever meeting him. After a minute he turned red and said, "I think I've mistaken you for someone else. Is your name _________?" After learning I was not a friend he had made at camp he explained that "the resemblance was remarkable." That was a first for me though they say everyone has a twin.

One thing I am glad about is that our heavenly father does not get us confused. Have you ever wondered how he keeps us all straight? With all the billions of people on the planet he knows each of us by name. Not only that, he knows the number of the hairs on our heads daily. Amazing! He also knows which of us are his children and which aren't. The scriptures tell us that he has a book, called the book of life, and that the names of the redeemed are written in that book. One day we will all stand before him to be judged. He will open the book (whether literally or figuratively it doesn't matter) and search for our names. If my name, Sullivan Jones, is not written there I will not enter into that heavenly paradise he has prepared for his redeemed. I will be separated from him forever and sent into everlasting sorrow.

Since I know my name is there I have no need to fear. I am His and He is mine. The scripture says that no one or nothing can talk me out of the palm of His hand (John 10:28.) Just to make it clear I don't believe in eternal security no matter how much I sin, but I do believe that my God is big enough to keep me. Isn't it a comforting thought! The God who holds the heavens and the earth spellbound by His words knows my name and will never mistake me for another. When I need him, He will be near. And most of all, on that day when he gathers his sheep unto himself, I will not have to fear being forgotten for God knows my name!

Trusting Securely in Him,

Sullivan Jones

Thy Kingdom Come, Thy Will Be Done

Pray then in this way . . . Your kingdom come,  your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 
Matthew 6: 9-10 

The words above come from the most famous prayer in Christendom, The Lord's Prayer.  Millions of people across the world will collectively pray the Lord's Prayer ever Sunday. But how many will stop to consider what it really means? Do we really understand the words we speak when we ask God to let his will be done on earth as it is in heaven? The word kingdom gives us a key to this verse. Kingdom is a political term referring to the way society is governed. This verse has several implications.

1. First it could be looking forward to that time when Jesus will come and establish his kingdom fully on earth. So the prayer is a vision of the future. Jesus was reminding his disciples that he would return and set things right in this world. It was a promise to hold on in the difficult times.

2. At a second level it is a vision of how a Christian should live his life. Jesus gives us direction in the sermon on the mount as to how we should live. In 1896 Charles Sheldon published his classic "In His Steps" in which a pastor challenged his congregation not to do anything Jesus wouldn't do. He asked the newspaper to report only what Jesus would report and leave out the gossip. He challenged the stores to sell only what Jesus would sell, etc. In a short time the entire town was in an upheaval because they realized how many of their daily activities went against "what Jesus would do." It is worth thinking about.

3. On a third level, I see the prayer as a petition for God to intervene in the lives of men. Often we find ourselves in situations that we feel powerless to change. As much as we know would like our situations to be different, we don't see how they could be. This part of the prayer reminds us that God is a king. If we ask him to, He will come into our situations and make changes that we can not make. When we pray for God to be King in our situation there is nothing that can stand in the way. He is a King and He will show his power when one of His children asks him too. The only stipulation is that we must be willing to surrender control to Him. If he asks us to make some changes so He can work, we have to obey. If you have a problem you can't fix, start by asking Jesus to be King. You might be surprised how quickly your situation turns around.

God is a King, but He is also a gentleman. One day Jesus will come back and set everything right in this world. But I am convinced that He wants us to allow Him to be King our individual lives now. None of us can right all the world's wrong but we can start with ourselves by praying,

"Let your will be done in me as it is in heaven."

Blessings,

Sullivan Jones 

Do I look like my father?

There is a Facebook app I have seen the last few days called the Like Parent app. It is supposed to show which parent you look like. Perhaps because of this, and because Father's day is approaching, I have been thinking about my dad. My dad has been with the Lord for more than 20 years now and I don't think of Him everyday.  But there are days ... When I do something that reminds my sister of him and she says, "you are acting like Hubert." Or when I need someone to work on a vehicle I think of him. He was one of the best mechanics I ever knew. I am told I look like my father (forgive me for bragging but he was a handsome man) and I'm told I act like him at times. So this got me to thinkin'. How much do I remind people of my heavenly father?

The born again child of God has a heavenly Father as well as an earthly father. So I wonder, do I remind other people of my heavenly father the way I remind them of my earthly father? The Bible gives us a list of the characteristics of God in Galatians 5:22-23. They are called the fruit of the Spirit. Here are a few of them.

Love
Joy
Peace
Gentleness
Kindness
Patience
Self-Control

These are things I hope people can see in me. In fact, Jesus said that others would know we were Christ's disciples by our love for each other. I think what he was trying to tell us is that the child of God should have some characteristics of the Father. The more we walk with God the more like him we will become. We tend to be more patient, more understanding, more compassionate when we spend time with God in prayer and in his word.

There is another father the Bible talks about. He is the father none of us want to be like. The Bible calls Satan the father of lies among other things. In John 8:44 Jesus tells the Pharisees that they are of their father the devil? How could he say this? Because they were showing the fruits of their father. These are listed in the same chapter of Galatians. They are called the works of the flesh.

                                  Hatred, jealousy, murder, envy, just to name a few...

 This is the default setting of humanity. We are born with these things in us. We don't have to learn them. They just come naturally. But the Spirit of God has a way of remaking us into His image. Little by little, as we yield to Him, His Spirit softens us and we begin to show God's traits rather than the traits of the enemy.

As father day approaches I hope I am reminding others of my father. I know I will never be just like Him on this earth. There is always something else He has to work out of me. But I pray everyday that I can at least remind someone of Him so that they can get to know Him as I do.

Sincerely,

Sullivan Jones

Carrying the Ark in the Desert

Does the world ever seem to big? Life's troubles seem to mount up until there is just no end to the frustration? Maybe it is because we are trying to carry our problems on our own. Allow me to relate a story from the Old Testament.

Many of us know the story of the children of Israel wondering around in the desert for forty years. They lived as Nomads with tents, camels, etc. They also had a special tent that was reserved for the worship of Jehovah. There was a special box called the Ark of the Covenant that went with them wherever they roamed. It was kept veiled behind a curtain until it was time to move. Then there were special instructions about how to carry it. The priests had to carry it by hand. There were rings on the Ark and poles inserted through these rings. Four priests would gather around this ark and carry it on their shoulders.

I heard this story all my life in Sunday School but never realized the miracle behind it until I heard someone explain it. The box was only about 3ft 9 in by 2 ft 3 in. It wasn't that big. But there was a solid gold lid on this ark. There are different estimates but some say that the lid alone weighed several hundred lbs. So imagine this - four men carrying a big wooden box, covered in gold, with a solid gold top through the desert heat. How utterly impossible! How could four men carry a box weighing between three hundred fifty and six hundred lbs on their shoulders at all, let alone in the desert heat. But this is where the miracle comes in.

You see the presence of God surrounded the Ark of the Convenant. When the camp was set up the cloud representing God's glory hovered over the Ark. When it was moved, the presence of God was with it. The answer to the riddle is in the presence of God. When the priests, acting according to God's command, stepped up and picked up the box, it lifted. The presence of God made the Ark light enough for those four men to carry it.

The application for us today is simple. If you feel you have a burden to big to carry, give it to Jesus. His presence will make your burden light. He is big enough to carry both you and your burden and never get tired. When you are going through a battle you might have to have a few more prayer meetings but that is what trials are for - to make us spiritually stronger. The extra prayer will serve you well. On the other side of the trial you will realize God carried you the whole way through.

He is a big God! Give him your burdens today and just see how much better you feel!

Trusting Jesus Daily,

Sullivan Jones

Count Your Blessings

I Thessalonians 5:18 - Be thankful in all circumstances.

Life can be a struggle. None of us is exempt. Flat tires, dead batteries, and the like happen to all without discrimination. If we allow them to, these things can drain our energy and purpose. Sometimes the simplest things can make the whole world sour. We can began to think that everything is wrong when so much is right. Sometimes we just have to stop and look at life from a new perspective.

There is an old song that says, "when you're worried and you can't sleep, count your blessings instead of sheep." There is always something to be thankful for. And truthfully most of us have far more to be thankful for than to complain about. Be thankful! It's free and it never hurt anyone!

Thankfully,

Sullivan Jones

What is the Biggest Problem in our World?

At the moment I am taking a class called "Understanding Contemporary Society." It is one of those sociology classes where one discusses all the social ills of the world and the different proposed answers to society's problems. This week one of my discussion questions went like this:

a. W. E. B. DuBois saw the color line as the foremost problem of the 20th century. What did he mean by the color line?
b. In your opinion, is the color line still the foremost problem? Why or why not?

This question was not easy to answer because it stirs up passionate feelings in many of us, and not always for the same reason. But my answer would be no. The biggest problem in our world is not color or racism. The biggest problem in our world is the sin of selfishness. I could argue that this sin is what Paul meant by the love of money being the root of all evil.

You see sin is a desire to do what I want to do no matter who it displeases or hurts. We call it selfishness but really it is sin. That was Eve's problem in the very beginning. She wanted to have the glory that belonged to God so she ate the fruit that she thought would make her equal with God. The same problem is present today.

Our society is consumed with "me-ism". It's all about me. Whatever makes me feel good is the best thing for everyone else. None of us is exempt. We have a natural default to be selfish. Every other ill in our society, e.g., crime, racism, sexual abuse, human trafficking, you name it, is an offspring of our natural default to think only of what makes us feel good.

The only antidote to this selfish disease it to be filled with the love of Jesus. The love of Jesus can take the most hard-hearted individual and make him/her as meek as a lamb. The love of Jesus will cause people of different skin colors to worship together, cry on each other's shoulders, and eat in one another's homes. It will cause formerly bitter enemies to come together as true friends.

Some might say that I am taking about an ideal that can not be reached. While it is true that some will never accept Jesus as Lord this does not stop us from preaching. In the same sense we should not be hindered from spreading the love of Jesus because of the callousness and indifference of the world around us.

The Bible says that the love of God is poured out into our hearts by the Holy Ghost. What this world needs is an old-fashioned Holy Ghost revival that will fill us all with the love of God. That will take care of more of society's problems than all the social programs in the world.

Sincerely,

Rev. Sullivan Jones

How Accurate is the Bible?

There has been much said in the last few decades about the validity of the Bible. Many books have been written to try and discredit the Bible. Movies have been made that make the Bible seem like a fairy tale. So can we believe the Bible? Can we have confidence that the New Testament we hold in our hands is the Bible that the Apostles wrote? Is our Old Testament the same as it was in the time of Jesus. I believe the answer to be yes. The following excerpt from a classmate's blog explains why I believe this.

The Accuracy of Scripture

All New Testament copies have a whopping 99.5% accuracy rate. Although there are about 300,000 individual variations of the text of the New Testament, this number is very misleading. Most of the differences are completely inconsequential-spelling errors, inverted phrases and the like. A side-by-side comparison between the two main text families, that is, the majority text and the modern critical text shows agreement a full 98% of the time. Of the remaining differences, virtually all yield to vigorous textual criticism. This means that our New Testament is 99.5% textually pure. In the entire text of 200,000 lines, only 40 lines are in doubt which equals about 400 words, and none affects any significant doctrine. We can have confidence that the Bible we hold in our hands is accurate.

The Bible has withstood the test of time from critics. Its prophecies have proved to be true. It is scientifically and historically accurate. Its teachings are affective in any culture and any timeframe in history. The Bible is truly the word of God and we can have confidence in it! Do you need an answer? Searching for peace? Struggling with a relationship? Open your Bible and you will find the answers you need. God's word works every time!

Blessings,
Sullivan Jones

Healing Rain is Falling Down

I John 4:18 - There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out all fear; because fear has torment. He who fears is not made perfect in love.

Fear is a very real thing. Sometimes it is almost tangible. All of us have experienced it at some point in our lives. Whether it be anxiety about an upcoming meeting or fear of disease, fear is real. It can paralyze our faith in God and cause us to make foolish decisions. The person who is afraid does not think rationally. Fear is an ugly thing but there is an antidote: Faith

Faith is the "knowing" that God loves me and will take care of my situation. Faith is rooted in love. When I understand how important I am to God then I understand that He will do everything in His power to make sure I am cared for. Zechariah 2:8 lets us know that we are the apple of God's eyes.  Imagine that! A God who can do anything and all of His attention and love is focused on me!

Lately I have been experiencing some medical, um "difficulties", shall we say?   The worst part of feeling any kind of undiagnosed pain is the not knowing. Our imaginations run wild with us. We always tend to think the worst. I suppose it is just hard wired in our DNA to always imagine the worst possible scenario. But situations are rarely as bad as they seem. Our adversary, the devil, would like to convince us that things are much worse than they are. Yet God is bigger than our obstacles and He knows how to see us through every situation.

This morning I awake with a song in my mind. The lyrics are

"Healing rain is falling down, Healing rain is falling down.
I'm not afraid, I'm not afraid."

I realized suddenly how true this is. God is a healer and I choose to believe in his ability to heal rather than in my irrational fear of what might be wrong with me. If you need a healing today (whether physically, emotionally, or otherwise) why not sing this with me as an expression of your faith in God. It will also serve as a sign to the nagging enemy of fear to back off and leave you alone.

"Healing rain is falling down ..... I'm not afraid."

Psalm 23: 4 - I will fear no evil for thou are with me.

Wisdom - The Most Important Thing

Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding. Proverbs 4:7 

Our world is full of choices. Knowledge is everywhere. The internet has brought the world within in reach with the click of a button. If you want to know about penguins or polar bears, no problem. Just pull up Mr. Google and "Voila." (By the way, did you know that penguins live at the south pole and polar bears at the north pole? They will never have a chance to meet.)

Yet with all this knowledge there is very little wisdom. Wisdom, in my own simple definition, is the ability to take all this vast array of knowledge and break it down to where it can be applied to our lives. What is the best thing to do right now in my situation? Which car do I buy? What doctor do I go to see? Can I afford to buy this? And the list goes on .....

There will always be questions but thankfully there will always be an answer. Things become  much clearer after a time of prayer and reading God's word. Are you concerned about something? Uncertain about the next move or whether to move at all? Ask God for wisdom and spend some time reading his word. You might find that things are much simpler than you originally thought.

Yes, knowledge is important but wisdom is the most important thing.

Seeking Him Daily,

Sullivan Jones 

The Author of Faith

Hebrews 12:2  - Looking unto Jesus the author ... of our faith. 

Have you ever noticed how prone we humans are to be negative. It is almost as if we were hardwired to believe the worst. We have a pain and think cancer. We hear an odd noise in the car and think the engine is about to blow up. We hear thunder pop and think something has exploded. You get the picture. Our arch enemy, the devil, will spare no expense to make us think things are much worse than they are. It is his job to sow fear, confusion, and doubt into the heart of a child of God. He is constantly looking for a way to cause us to worry.

Jesus, on the other hand, is the author of every good thing in our lives. He fills us with peace, joy, and hope. When we spend time in his word and in prayer we are infused with supernatural strength that gives us courage and makes us bold. We come away from a time of prayer with clarity of mind that often surprises us. We make better decisions after talking to Jesus for just a short while. He hears our prayer and gives guidance when we ask him for it.

Our lives are an open book with a fresh page turned every day. If we give in to worry, fear, and the lot, that days story will be one of misery and gloom. But if we begin the day with God, he will write faith onto the pages of our hearts. No matter what we come in contact with through the day we will have the answer for Jesus always foresees every situation, good or bad. Why not let him write some faith into your heart today? Give Jesus the pen (control) of your life today. Our lives are telling a story and no one can tell a story like Jesus. After all, he is the author (and finisher) of our faith.

In Faith,

Sullivan Jones 

How to Feel Good About Yourself

Matthew 20: 26-27
Whoever will be great among you, let him be your minister . And whoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant.

All of us like to feel important. It is important to feel important.  We need to feel like what we do matters. We need to feel like we are an important member of the team. Everyone gets at least some sense of self worth from knowing that he/she is making a difference.

Some people so feel the need to be noticed and appreciated that they become the "class clowns." There is always another joke to be told or prank to pull. As long as someone is laughing the clown will keep acting out. The reason is simple. He feels the need to be appreciated and important.

You can always tell when someone lacks a sense of importance or self worth. That is the person who is always belittling others. The person with little self worth will make others the brunt of his jokes. Many times this person does not even realize why he feels the need to pick on others. Still others find their sense of self -importance in how much money they make, how many degrees they can earn, and the list goes on.

Are you feeling useless and unimportant? Wishing you could be more involved in your church, community, etc? Feeling unappreciated at work? I challenge you to find someone and do something nice for them this week. Maybe a co-worker is going through a struggle. Perhaps a friend or family member needs a bit of encouragement. It could even be a random act of kindness to a stranger in the grocery store. (Often those random acts are not random at all, but God inspired.) Why not try today and see if you can make someone else feel special. You'll feel better for it, I promise.

Abundantly Blessed.

Rev. Sullivan Jones

A Servant in God's House

For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness. Psalm 84:10

These words of the great King David have captured our imagination for centuries. It is not everyday that a king would admit to be willing to change places with a servant yet that is what David says in this verse. There have man many attempts to define what the psalmist meant by doorkeeper; let's suffice it to say that he meant servant.  Being a servant in the house of God might sound poetic in this line of scripture but in reality it was everything but picturesque. Servant's cooked meals and washed clothes for the priesthood. Servant's carried water and firewood; servant's emptied the remains of an animal after a sacrifice. You get the picture. In David's day worship to Jehovah required much more than it does today, at least in a physical sense. The position of servant was not the most prestigious in the temple.

Now to dwell in the tents of the wicked, that is another story. When I think of a tent, I think of camping but this is not what David meant. The Ark of the Lord in his time was housed in a tent. (Later Solomon built the temple after the layout of this tent.) The priest were allowed to go into the first section of the tent, called the Holy place. Beyond that, behind a heavy veil, was the Holy of Holies which contained the ark of the covenant. For all intents and purposes, this Holy of Holies was the only place where one could commune with God on a "face to face" basis and it was off limits to everyone but the High Priest of Israel. The high priest could only enter this Holy of Holies once a year.  Even David as King could not go into the Holy Place. The priesthood to Jehovah was limited to the tribe of Levi and the high priest had to be a direct descendant of Aaron, Moses' brother. This certainly excluded David since he was from the tribe of Judah.

Contrast this with being a pagan priest. Almost anyone could become a priest to a religion other than Jehovah. In fact, kings were often the high priest's to pagan religions. Many times pagan tribes worshipped not only the god their king represented but the king himself. No doubt David knew this. He could have become a king-priest to another other god and not have to depend on a priest. But he knew that it would profit nothing because the presence of Jehovah could be found in no other place than the tabernacle of the Lord. In light of this David's words take on much more significance. He was saying that he would rather worship on the outskirts of the temple dedicated to the one true God than to be in a place of honor to a false god.

There are those who love to ridicule Christian worship. It doesn't make sense to bow down to a God I can't see or sing praises to a God I can't physically touch. Many things about our worship style defy the logical mind. It would sometimes seem easier to seek another way to worship, one that leans more to gratification of fleshly desires. It would certainly be more popular,  for in our day fundamental Christianity is less popular everyday. Yet the presence of God is what draws me back to God's house to worship every time. We don't have to have the best choir; the pastor doesn't need to be the most educated or the finest orator. My fellow church members don't have to be the most prestigious in the community. As long as I can feel God's presence as I worship I will say like David, "I would rather be a servant in God's house than to be in a place of honor where His spirit isn't found." Wouldn't you?

In Christ's Service,

Rev. Sullivan Jones
 

Behold He Comes

Sometime after I dozed off to sleep I had a rather strange dream. In it I saw thousands of people lying  face-up as if they were asleep, superimposed over a globe. I began to see these people do the opposite of a shooting star. They would literally burst into a stream of light and stream up into the heavens. I knew that I was looking at the rapture. I knew these people were being caught up in the twinkling of an eye and I knew that they all had the Holy Ghost. I said Lord what about the people who have the Holy Ghost who have not been baptized in Jesus name. The next moment I saw another person "shoot off." Then I heard the Lord say, "there are so many people that are going to be baptized in my name before my coming. They are going to receive this revelation." When I awoke, the words, "behold he comes" were going through my head. 

I believe the coming of the Lord Jesus is so close upon us. There are so many who do not realize how close we are to the rapture of the church. God is about to take his church out of this world. The things that are about to come upon this world are frightening and yet so many are so oblivious. We who are a part of the the church of the living God are so prosperous compared to every generation before us. We live in nice houses and have good educations. Very few people look down us for speaking in tongues anymore. We are caught up with technology and Facebook. Our lives are filled with entertainment and gadgets. There is very little that we really need. If there are difficult times ahead of us I pray that we would be ready for them. The coming of the Lord is so soon. 

Behold He comes! 

Prayerfully, 

Sullivan Jones 

Innocent Until Proven Guilty

If you have ever talked to someone who has been in jail you know that they probably didn't do the crime. They were framed. Someone else set them up or they took the rap for a friend, etc. Even if they did commit the crime the law was probably unjust anyway. After all, "a man should be able to have a little fun without the law interfering", right? I promise that if you were to interview the population of any prison you would get the same results. Framed!It is in the fallen nature of humanity to try and protect ourselves. We will justify almost any kind of wrongdoing, often by pointing out the wrongdoings of others. Well, what I did wasn't any worse than what someone else did. You know the drill.

There is coming a day, however, when all of us will have to confess to the sins we have committed. II Corinthians 5:10 says that we must all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. On that day the books of our lives will be opened (Revelation 20:12.) Everything we have ever done or thought will be recorded there for all the world to see. (Just the thought of that once made me want to run and hide. What about you?) But then another book will be opened called the book of life. This book of life contains the names of all who have been born again of water and Spirit. Those who have had their sins washed away by repentance and baptism in Jesus name and who have been filled with God's spirit will find their names in this book. And I am convinced that once our names have been written in the book of life, the pages where our sins were written down have been blotted out forever. They will not be held against us because they will be covered by the blood of Jesus Christ.

All of us are guilty before a Holy God. We can make excuses of our sins down here on this earth but excuses do not work in heaven. When you stand in court on that day you had better have a good lawyer that is willing to take your case. There is only one lawyer who meets the qualifications to plead our cause before God and that is Jesus Christ. I John 2:1 says that if we sin we have an advocate (lawyer) with the father, the Lord Jesus Christ. If you know you have sinned you can come to Jesus and confess your sin. He will be faithful and just to forgive your sin and to cleanse you from all unrighteousness.

There are some who think that they will be able to plead ignorance on the day of judgment. They will say they were never taught what God's word had to say about salvation. (Some think that those in heathen lands will be exempt from the requirements of scripture). Yet all of us know that ignorance of the law is no excuse in any courtroom in the world. When anyone decides to live in a certain place it is his responsibility to learn the law of the land and abide by it. Well, our God owns this whole earth and he has set certain laws in his word that are required of us all. It is each person's individual responsibility to find out what that law says and obey it. Certainly, it is not our responsibility to be the judge for God will be the judge on that day. But it is our responsibility as Christians to warn the lost (and one another) about what the law says so that each one will have the chance to obey it.

If you know you have broken the law there is a penalty to be paid. In our human courts the penalty for each crime is different. But in God's court, he that is guilty of breaking one commandment is guilty of breaking them all (James 2:10). As hard as it is to imagine, the one who tells a little white lie is just as guilty before God as the rapist and the murderer. The penalty for all sin is eternal separation from God in a place of torment with fire and brimstone forever. It may sound harsh but it is the law and who among us can tell God, the creator of the universe, that his laws are too harsh.

The only escape from this day of judgment is the refuge that we find in Jesus. He has provided a plan of salvation in his word that will pay the penalty for our sins and alleviate our debt to God for breaking his word. If you are worried about the state of your soul today you have a chance to make it right with God. According to the Bible this plan includes repentance for our sins (asking God to forgive us), baptism in the name of Jesus Christ for the washing away of those sins, and being born again by the infilling of the Holy Ghost. If you already a Christian and know that some things in  your life are not right, you can repent of those things and God will put them under the blood of Jesus.

Don't take a chance with your soul today. It isn't worth the price. Know the law and obey it. It is the only thing that will stand up on that day when excuses won't do!

In Christ's Love,

Rev. Sullivan Jones 

How Many Languages are There in the World?

Psalm 65:2 - O you who answer prayer, to you will all people come.

There are by some estimates about 6,500 spoken languages in the world. Some of them have many millions of speakers and some have less than a 1,000 speakers still living. Those of us who believe the Bible story of Genesis 11 understand that there was a time when everyone on earth spoke the same language. Because of man's disobedience to him, God confounded their language and sent confusion among them. Out of the languages God created at the tower of Babel (however many there were) have evolved the thousands of languages known today. I am a linguist and love the study of languages. Yet the intriguing part to me is not that there are so many languages but that God understands every one.

No matter the amount of education or the lack thereof, God understands our speech. He understand Chinese, English, and Papua New Guinea pigeon equally well.  He hears and understand the cry of the PHD candidate and the prayer of the illiterate as equal. Flowery words are not as important to him as the tune the heart sings. The sincere prayer made in imperfect jargon will reach God quicker than a dissertation from a heart that is far from him. If you feel you don't have the right words to express yourself to God, just use the words you have. I promise He will understand them and he will respond to your prayer.

No matter your need today, God sees and hears and knows what you need.

God bless,

Sullivan Jones

Where can I find God?

Karen's mother was startled to find her five year old going through a new Bible storybook and circling the word GOD wherever it appeared on the page. Stifling her first reaction to reprimand the child for defacing a book, she quietly asked, "Why are you doing that?" Karen's matter of fact answer was: "So that I will know where to find God when I want him."
Wouldn't it be nice to have her confidence that all we had to do was open a storybook and find God waiting for us? The truth is, we do have such a Book~~the BIBLE!

Many times life throws us questions for which we don't have the answers. It is not always so easy to just open the Bible and find the answer waiting on the page. Sometimes it happens that way and sometimes it doesn't. But what does happen every times is this: When I begin to read the Bible I am reminded of how great my God is. I am reminded that he knows all the answers. I am reminded that I can trust him to show me the way. When I consider this I start to repent for trying to figure things out on my own and I ask him to show me how to handle a situation.

And he always does. The answer may come through a long forgotten memory verse popping into my head. It may come through a message I hear or the lyrics to a gospel song. Most often for me the answer comes unbidden into my mind when I am least expecting it. More times than not,  this word comes early in the morning when I first open my eyes. It is not exactly a voice but it is a knowing of how to handle a situation. I have learned to recognize this as the "voice of God."

 When this answer comes, it usually comes through a part of a verse of scripture that I must look up. When I look it up and read the passage, I find the answer that I seek. Yes, God's word holds the answers. The more of his word we read and memorize, the easier the answers will come. Are you needing an answer today? Break open the book of life and begin to read. You may be surprised what you find!

Sullivan Jones

Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem!
Psalm 122:6

The Power of Prayer

Psalm 5:3 - My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord. In the morning I will direct my prayer unto thee and look up.

The following story was taken from a book by Joy Haney called "Power of Speaking Positive." It is a testimony to the power of prayer. It takes place during WWII.

An airplane carrying captain Edward Rickenbacker and his crew fell into the Pacific Ocean and no trace of the wreckage could be found. There they were with three rafts, which they tied together at night, with no food except a few oranges.

Rickenbacker had been raised in a Christian home and knew the power of prayer. On the second day one of the boys found that he had a Bible in his pocket. The men organized little prayer meetings during the morning and evening and took turns reading the Bible. They humbly prayed for deliverance.

On the eighth day, within an hour of their prayers, a seagull landed on the Captain's head. He reached his hand up gently and caught it. The men wrung the bird's neck, plucked it and ate every bit, bones and all. They then used the innards for bait and survived off of the fish they caught.

On the 21st day they were spotted by searching planes and rescued. It goes without saying that the rescue was miraculous. The men were nothing but a dot on the surface of the ocean. When news of the rescue flashed around the world people wanted to know how they survived. The simple answer was, "we prayed." Rickenbacker acknowledged that their deliverance came through prayer and Bible reading. He wrote a book called "Seven Came Through" about their experiences.

One of the their favorite passages during this time was Matthew 6 - "Take no thought saying, "what shall we eat or what shall we drink" ... Can you imagine being lost in the ocean and praying that prayer. Yet it worked. If God can feed 8 men lost on a raft in the middle of the ocean what can he do in your situation? The answer is simple - Anything you believe him for! We serve a God of miracles. If you need something today and the answer seems like it would take a miracle, ask the God of miracles and see what he will do.

HE NEVER FAILS!

Trusting Him Daily,

Sullivan Jones
 

He knows the way that I take

Job 23: 10 - But he knows the way that I take. 

Have you ever felt like a stranger? I remember my first impression of Honduras. I arrived in the country late in the day and by the time I was in the Missionary's vehicle it was completely dark. The streets seemed so narrow and I had the feeling of landing on a foreign planet. Though he was probably driving normally, I felt like the missionary was flying and I didn't know how we could avoid an accident before getting where we were going. It was exhilarating because I was living my dream of spending a year abroad but terrifying because I felt so lost. The idea of being in a place where I didn't know anyone and didn't know my way around was overwhelming at first. I didn't know it at the time, but I was feeling the first waves of culture shock.

As Christians we can feel the same way at times about life itself. The world we live in is such a big place and people do not always share our values for the things of God. We can feel like we are navigating the streets of life in the dark, without knowing how to get where we need to go. That first night in Honduras I was totally dependent on the missionary and I was glad that I could trust him to take me where I needed to go. In the same way, we can trust God to take us where we need to go in this life. We may not always know the way, but the good news is we don't have to. God always knows what we need and he always knows how to get us there.

Lord, I thank you today that though I don't always know my way through this life you are always with me and always provide what I need. Even as David prayed in Psalm 23, you prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. I trust you today to keep me safe and provide for me. In Jesus name, Amen.

A Clean Heart

Psalm 51:10 - Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit in me.

Since I was a small child Psalm 51 has  been on my favorite portions of the scripture. It is a psalm of repentance and of turning from self. The psalmist pleads for God's forgiveness and mercy.  Some say that it was written by David after his sin with Bathsheba and murder of her husband Uriah. In some ways it is a psalm of grief for things that can not be undone.

I pray verse 10 of Psalm 51 often but not necessarily because I have sinned some great sin. I recognize that are so many reasons that I need my heart cleansed. I find myself distracted from the pursuit of God's Spirit by a love for material things. It is in my human nature to become greedy and dissatisfied with life. I can become proud and short-tempered. A host of other sins await to pounce upon me when I least expect it. Yes, I need God to continually cleanse my heart so that my motives are pure before him.

The next part says, "renew a right spirit in me." This is a right attitude. I often find that, if I search carefully, there are traces of a wrong attitude in me. Perhaps I feel that someone has slighted me when that really wasn't their intention. I feel that what I am asked to do at work is not fair. Maybe my boss is too demanding or my co-workers do not respect me. (Note: I have a great boss and great co-workers at both my secular and ministerial jobs.) If I search my heart I will find that the problem truly lies with me. Perhaps I have not prayed enough so my flesh is showing rather than my God's Spirit. Yes, my attitude and my spirit need continual renewing.

All of us are on a path toward perfection but none of us has arrived yet. We need the daily presence of the Holy Spirit to work in us and keep our spirits humble. We need the wisdom of the Scriptures to guide the way and we need fellowship with people who will encourage us to do the right thing. I can identify with David in his prayer for a clean heart and a renewed spirit; can't you?

Prayer: Lord, help me today to have a right spirit and attitude. Forgive me for the times when I have had a wrong attitude to my fellow man and help me to show your love to everyone I meet today. Amen!  

Holy Ghost or Holy Spirit

Have you ever wondered about the difference between Holy Ghost and Holy Spirit?  I was raised in the Pentecostal church and we have most often used Holy Ghost. By contrast, many other denominations use the term Holy Spirit. Is there a difference? Not really.

At the time of the King James Bible both Ghost and Spirit were used interchangeably. The Greek word in the New Testament is Pneuma. There are two English words that that can translate the one Greek word: Ghost and Spirit. Ghost is from English, which is a Germanic language. Compare the German Geist and the Dutch geest. Spirit comes to us from Latin spiritus via French esprit which both mean the same as Ghost. So Holy Ghost and Holy Spirit are two ways of talking about the presence of God.

The important thing to understand is not the term involved but who the Holy Spirit is. He is not a thing. He is the presence of the creator in action and especially as he involves himself with man. In the Old Testament the Spirit of God hovered over the waters of Genesis One. The Spirit of God talked with Abraham and moved on the prophets. The Spirit of God hovered over the Tabernacle of Moses, etc. In the New Testament the Spirit of God lives within the hearts of those who have been born again. According to Acts 2, 8, 10, and 19 those who were filled with the Holy Spirit spoke in tongues as the Spirit spoke through them.

The Spirit of God living in the heart of a believer gives guidance, wisdom, understanding, and direction. He is a comforter is times of loss and courage in times of fear. He will be whatever we need him to be because He is God.

A friend of mine taught me to pray, "Holy Ghost, show me such and such when I am in a place of decision." In addition to big prayers, I have said "Holy Ghost show me where my keys are", etc and it has worked. This is not to minimize the Holy Ghost to trivial things but I believe God cares about everything that bothers me. If you need strength, direction, wisdom, or anything else you can pray for the Holy Spirit to be the light and He will light the way.

Prayer for the guidance of God's Spirit:

Lord, I pray that you would let your Holy Spirit guide and give me wisdom today. Give me strength over temptation and to accomplish the tasks I must do throughout this day. Help me to be sensitive to your voice and be obedient to you. Let your Spirit illuminate your word that I may understand it. In Jesus name, I pray. Amen!

When You Don't Have the Answers

When You Don’t Have the Answers

When I lived in Honduras I conducted a weekly prayer meeting and Bible study in the home of a lady in the church. Here name was Maria and she lived with her daughter Maira in a barrio in a rough part of the city. They were precious people who loved God. Though the house was small it was always clean and this Bible study was the highlight of my week.

In addition to her daughter Maira, Maria had a son. He was a drug addict who I had been told lived in the streets. I had never met him. One night we returned late from a church function to a death message. Maria’s son had been found dead. I didn’t learn the details of the death but I do remember the funeral because it was the first one I had taken part in.

In most Central American countries funerals are quite different than in North America. The bodies are not embalmed so they must be buried within 24 hours. The family goes to the funeral home, picks out a casket and waits while the body is prepared. They usually wake the body through the night, having a service sometime that night or the next day. Then they go to the graveyard and have a service similar to what we would do here in the U.S. The main difference is that they wait until the casket is buried before leaving the cemetery. I have often thought this practice to be harder on the families than if they left before the body is buried.

We arrived at the funeral home to find the family already gathered. Sister Maria saw me, grabbed me in a hug, and begain to wail, “Mi muchachito, (my little boy) he went to hell.” I prayed with her and tried to comfort her as best I could. There were no words that I could really say. I didn’t have all the answers.

I stayed with her and a hand full of others through the night at the funeral home. After daylight the family members who had gone home returned. We had a short service where I officiated. The whole service was probably fifteen minutes. By this time I was bone tired and everything seemed surreal.

I resisted the urge to give an answer because there were no answers to give. I simply talked about the love of God and assured them that he would bare their griefs. I talked about the holiness of life. Maria had several small grandchildren and I emphasized that God had given hope for a future generation through the children born into the family.  Many times we as Christians feel weak in trying times because we feel compelled to give an answer. We seem to think that the unchurched expect us to have an answer for everything. I think they know that we do not have such an answer. We do ourselves and them a discredit when we try to come up with an answer.

I am convinced the best thing we can do for people in such times is just to be there and show our love and concern. We can let them cry on our shoulders and pray with them. We can let them know that God is concerned and the Holy Spirit is a comforter. If we are asked “why” it is best to answer honestly; “I don’t know.” The greatest witnesss that we can give is when people see us go through difficulties and yet we have peace.

Recently a fellow minister contacted me for advice on how to conduct a funeral for a five-week-old baby. The baby was born with health problems and did not make it. Naturally the family was devastated. I gave him the same advice. Don’t act like you understand when you don’t. Just be there to help the family make decisions and offer your support. Let them know that God loves them and will help them through their grief. Talk about the sanctity of life and assure them the baby’s short life was not a waste. Above all just be there and they will appreciate you for it.

Do you know someone who is going through a hard time? You may not feel like you are strong enough to be the comfort they need. You don’t have to be. You just have to care and that makes all the difference in the world. The next time you are confronted with a similar situation why not pray this prayer:

“Lord, help me to be a comfort to this family. Help me to show them through my love that you love them more than I ever could. Comfort them in their grief and give me the right words to say. In Jesus name, amen.”