<!–[endif]–>

With all the recent mention of revival in our church one question that comes to mind is simply “what can we do to make our congregation grow?”

Acts 2:46-47 says:

46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,

47 Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

And Jesus said in John 12:32:

And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.

We have to be continually praising God, and lifting Him up, and He will add to the church daily such as should be saved.

WARNING! This is NOT an excuse to be lazy and just expect God to fill the pews, we have to do our part in outreach, witnessing and the like. It takes a total commitment on everyone’s part to see spiritual growth take place (it’s not just about numbers…) whether you are considered a “youth” or not.

Ps 133:1

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!

Paul and Apollos were fellow workers in the faith. Paul started the church in Corinth, and Apollos came in behind him and worked with the Corinthian church while Paul continued with his missionary journey. Members of the church starting choosing sides with either Paul or Apollos but in 1 Corinthians 3:6-7 Paul addresses the issue by saying:

I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.

We have to do our part regardless of what position or place we have in the Church. In ourselves we aren’t much, but if we put our best effort forward, God will do the rest, and bring the INCREASE.

- Bro. Wesley Combs

Acts 23:11

And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome.

There is awesome power when God says something; after all He SPOKE all of creation into existence. But what does it mean when God says something to us, or even better, promises us something? Everyone loves to have a promise or learn that God is going to bring forth something in their life, and everyone has a different promise given to them. A promised return for a child that has gone astray can be revitalizing for a parent longing to see them come back to the Lord. However, it’s easy to lose site of that promise or forget it all together when it doesn’t happen overnight and we can get discouraged after several weeks, months, or even years of waiting. It is crucial that we realize what God has spoken will come to pass no matter what.

In Hebrews chapter 6 Paul recounts a promise that God made to Abraham:

“For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself, Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee. And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise. For men verily swear by the greater: and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife. Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath: That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:

The Bible tells us that it is literally impossible for God to lie. He CAN NOT do it. Not only that, but the Bible also tells us that whatever God says will come to pass. Isaiah 55:11 says “So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it”. The spoken word cannot come back to Him void.

The first scripture I mentioned talks about the Lord telling Paul that he still had to bear witness of Him in Rome. When we read that scripture in its context we learn that over 40 people have conceived a plot to kill Paul. But, the Lord promises him that he still has to preach about him in Rome. How can Paul preach in Rome if he is killed before he gets there? God can’t lie. What God says can’t come back to Him void, so obviously God had to make a way of escape for Paul, and that is exactly what He does. God came through on His promise!

But that wasn’t it for Paul. He had to endure countless hardships before he got to Rome, including a shipwreck and being bit by a poisonous viper. But none of these things could have stopped him, if it did God’s word would have been void, and His promise to Paul would have been a lie.

Acts 28:3-5 says

“And when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid them on the fire, there came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on his hand. … And he shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm.”

The Bible is full of examples of God’s Word coming to pass. It may not be when we want it, but it will happen.

2 Peter 3:9

“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise”

- Bro. Wesley Combs

 We are on a meticulously uncharted journey; one that began with spiritual rebirth and continues to carry us through the vast waters of time. God simplified the voyage for us, making the directions clear and unquestionable, when He deemed the path we are to take to be straight and narrow. No detours——no curves. No alterative routes. Just walk straight ahead on a narrow, unmistakable road.”

                  Each of us faces difficulties. We all “go through” trying times that test our stamina and seek to undermine our principles and erode our foundations. Many times we get stuck–mentally and spiritually–on our present location. We find ourselves in the heat of the battle, the middle of the storm, the depth of the valley, and we forget “through” simply means what it says ——it’s a temporary state of being, never meant to become permanent or dominant. It’s a space that is a minute in the gaze of God’s vision. “Going through” does not signify defeat; instead it declares a future victory. It’s time we direct our spiritual eyes to what is beyond the “through” and focus on the joys and triumphs that await on the other side of “through.” In the 23rd Psalm, David reveals his understanding of “going through” an undesirable experience: he confronts death and refers to it in this manner. “Yea, though I walk through the valley of death, I will fear no evil.” His reassuring words still echo a message of hope. Something beautiful, something too wonderful even for the Psalmist’s words lay beyond “through.” It’s called heaven. There’s just some things we must work our way “through” to get to the reward waiting beyond. When we do, heaven waits.

To be continued: