THE POEM
I knelt to pray but not for long,
I had too much to do.
I had to hurry and get to work.
For bills would soon be due.
So I knelt and said a hurried prayer,
And jumped up off my knees.
My Christian duty was now done
My soul could rest at ease.
All day long I had no time
To spread a word of cheer.
No time to speak of Christ to friends,
They’d laugh at me I’d fear.
No time, no time, too much to do,
That was my constant cry,
No time to give to souls in need
But at last the time, the time to die.
I went before the Lord, you see,
I stood with downcast eyes.
For in his hands God held a book;
It was the book of life.
God looked into his book and said
"Your name I cannot find.
I once was going to write it down...
But never found the time"
What the Church was like when the Church was like when it was like it was supposed to be the Church
Acts 2:42-47
1. A place where the group was experiencing God. A deep sense of awe came over them all. A feeling of fear came over everyone as many amazing things and miraculous signs happened.
Just think for a moment if you came to this Church and you believed that God was going to do something but you were not sure what it would be? In Chap. 3 they were going to a prayer meeting and they saw a need of a lame man. “What we do have we give you in the name of Jesus, ‘Rise up and walk.” Chap. 4 and after they had prayed the place they were at shook.” 5 When two people lied to God they were struck dead instantly. CH 8 There was a revival and a man from Ethiopia was saved. Philip was transported by the Holy Spirit through the air to another place after he baptized him. CH 12 Peter was arrested and would be killed the next day. The Church met and peter was released from prison by an angel. They could not even imagine that God had done this and he had to knock more than once to get into their prayer meeting.
The important aspect here is that when God is in Church we can not act or pretend or keep a mask on. God makes things real.
What would it be like if everyone came to Church with this in their thinking: “I am excited about going to church for God is going to do something and I will be there to experience it?”
God is not retired and He never takes a vacation. If you are having a problem it is not God but the Church of which the Bible says are the believers. That is something we can think for this week but we had better watch out when we come to church next week for if this gets a hold of us church will never be the same.
Look at what vs. 42 says, “The disciples were devoted to the teachings of the apostles, to fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer.” A. They were faithful to continue. There was always a growing hunger and thirst for God. The Bible was important and they wanted to learn all they could so their lives would reflect the presence of Christ to others. B. Faithful to a group of people. They met for fellowship which meant something more than just a club meeting. They shared needs and prayed and cared for each other. C. Faithful to remembrance. They broke bread in memory of what Christ had done for them on the cross and what that meant in bringing them together. Without the cross we have no meaning to gather together like we do. D. Faithful for Connecting. They were there for prayer and meeting God. If God did not show up there would be no church. Let us pause to think on that statement.
2. A place where people were caring for each other. “All the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people.” “At the same time, they praised God and had the good will of all the people.” They were a people who were committed to each other. They share everything had together and no one lacked anything. Wow what a place to be. I believe here is shown a church that shared their material possessions so all had clothes and food and shelter. If someone lacked someone else would simply sell something and give money to help another. It also was church in which they were able to share freely prayer requests that others to time to pray about. They were able to ask questions about spiritual things were able to leave with a better understanding for living right for Christ. They were joyful and humble. They took time to praise God. I mentioned this last week as being something that we know is the will of God. All the people enjoyed being with each other.
A PLACE FOR ME
There is a special place in life, that needs my humble skill,
A certain job I’m meant to do, which no one else can fulfill.
The time will be demanding, and the pay is not too good
And yet I wouldn’t change it for a moment -- even if I could
There is a special place in life, a goal I must attain,
A dream that I must follow, because I won’t be back again.
There is a mark that I must leave, however small it seems to be,
A legacy of love for those who follow after me
There is a special place in life, that only I may share,
A little path that bears my name, awaiting me somewhere.
There is a hand that I must hold, a word that I must say,
A smile that I must give for there are tears to blow away.
There is a special place in life that I was meant to fill.
A sunny spot where flowers grow, upon a windy hill.
There’s always a tomorrow and the best is yet to be,
And somewhere in this world, I know there is a place for me. Author unknown. as seen in Morning Coffee
3. IT WAS A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE WERE FULFILLING THE GREAT COMMISSION. Matthew 28:18-20 “Jesus came and told his disciples, "I have been given complete authority in heaven and on earth. [19] Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. [20] Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age."
“And each day the Lord added to their group those who were being saved.” It is remarkable for us to hear today that God was adding to the church daily those who were being saved. One has suggested the reason He is not doing that today is because we do not want Him to. I would add could it be because we have not prayed enough and asked Him to. James says it simply, “you have not, because you ask not.” Many today are weighed down with what one would say is a little mind set. We have not set our minds on heavenly things. “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.” Let me challenge you to Reach up, for his Help. Reach in, to become holy as He wants us to be. Reach out, that others may experience God as we do.
Are you like the church when the church was like the church was like it was supposed to be?
The Eagle that Cackled
There are different versions of this story, but they all make an excellent spiritual point. This version involves an old Indian man who found an eagle’s egg, which he placed in a prairie chicken nest. The eagle hatched with the chicks and grew up with them.
Thinking he was a chicken, the eagle did what the chickens did. He scratched in the dirt for seeds and insects. He clucked and he cackled. He flew in a brief thrashing of wings and a flurry of feathers, but he never got more than a few feet off the ground because he thought he was just a prairie chicken and wasn’t supposed to fly.
One day he looked up into the sky, and high above him he saw a magnificent bird hanging with graceful majesty on the powerful currents of air. "What a beautiful bird," the eagle clucked to his prairie chicken neighbors. "What is it?" "That’s an eagle--chief of all birds," cackled one of the chickens. "But don’t you give it another thought. You could never be like him."
And so the eagle, thinking he was just a prairie chicken and not able to soar into the heights, lived his life groveling and picking at the ground, never experiencing the exhilaration of flight and the majesty which was his by birthright.
Tragically, this is the picture of the average Christian today. With the ability to "mount up with wings like eagles" as Isaiah wrote (40:31), many are content to grovel in their problems and pick at their misfortunes when God wants us to rise into the heavenlies, where our Lord Jesus is seated at the right hand of God (Mark 16:19), and where we are seated with Him.(Ephesians 2:6).
Dr. Bill Bright
