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written by Br. Dely Exantus Jr.
It was a privilege to attend the fellowship meeting in Mississauga, Ontario (Canada); as we all came together once again to glorify and magnify the wonderful name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Br. Singh started the service with a powerful scripture in the book of the 2 Timothy 4:6 where the apostle Paul was in the last stage of his mission and his departure was at hand. He called Timothy in verse 1 and charged him before God and His son Jesus who shall judge the living and the dead with an "oath". An oath that has a lot of weight to it. Timothy is to present himself before Jesus and give an account and be judged for this responsibility. A responsibility in verse 2 that ordered Timothy to preach the gospel and to be instant in season and out of season. Br. Singh was digging deeper when explaining to us how Timothy was not to focus on popular opinion of what others may want him to say, but instead be fearless of telling them what God wanted them to hear. Paul knew that the journey was not easy for himself. He wanted to make sure that Timothy had fully understood the importance of the responsibility that he would carry on his shoulders. He gave us another scripture in Ephesians 1:4 which tell us that we are to be holy. Holiness is what God wants from us. The message that Timothy would preach is not to make them happy but to make them holy. It must bring change in an individual life. Holiness comes before happiness, not the other way around. Many people in their prayer would say "Lord if you do this for me or give me this I would serve You with all of my heart, soul and spirit". But we were being taught to give God first our hearts, minds and souls in everything that we do. Seek His spirit first, and then happiness will come.
Br. Johnny Miller from S. Carolina told us that the prophet Daniel had an excellent spirit and he prayed that God would give us a spirit just like that. He gave a tremendous testimony on how God changed his spirit and his life from doing drugs and drinking beer in one hand while carrying the bible in the other hand. He went on to say how he grew up in the church with his family, but ended up affiliated with the wrong group of people. He thanked God for pulling him out from darkness and bringing him into the light. He encouraged us to keep praying and asking for a right spirit from God.
Br. Glenn Goodwin talked in Matt. 5:3-11 about the blessings for those that are poor in spirit; those who are willing to lose some in order to gain some. What can we lose? What can we give up in order to be empty on the inside and cause us to mourn for something greater? We were learning that we can't have a meek spirit unless we mourn. We can't mourn unless we are poor in spirit. We need to empty out our lives in order for God to fill it up. We need to find the wrong attitude within our lives and get rid of them. We need to examine the conditions of our lives; are we doing the will of God or are our hearts divided? David said to the Lord "Unite my heart to fear Thy name" (Psalms 86:11). Only a heart that is divided can be restored and be united. And only God can restore and unite a heart. So, let us seek God who is the Restorer of our hearts and souls. He can take our stony hearts and change it into a heart that can be humbled that we may be poor in spirit.
Br. Preston from Washington D.C. told us that it is quick and easy to say that "the doctor said", take this prescription at a specific time, but hard and rare to say "the pastor said", read your bible and come to church on time. We are more concerned about what the doctor said instead of worrying about what God is saying through the man of God. He gave us a scripture in Psalm 89:48 which states that all living man will die one day. We all know how much time we have been given but we do not know how much we have left. So, make each day count and serve the Lord right. Give Him your best "in season and out of season".
Br. Richard from Elmont, NY was using Stephen, a seventeen year old young man in Acts chapter 6, to show us how he stood before the high priests and counselors of his time and was not afraid to talk about the gospel. He encouraged us not to be afraid but to stand and continue the work just like Paul called on Timothy to do. We should not try to find convenient ways to serve God. That's how the system out there is operating. But as Christians, we should be different. Those brethren in the book of Hebrew 11 were different for Jesus.
My pastor Br. Antoine Clairant was telling us that it takes God to make you stay in the church these day. Many see the church as a drying land, but it must be important for us to understand the value of the church. We must reach for the next level and seek for God's spirit to help us get there.
This convention was a tremendous blessing for my life. It helped and encouraged me to know and understand that no matter what the circumstance may be that I must continue living for God. I was being reminded that we all have a responsibility to fulfill. The pastor will preach, but it is up to us to receive; to open our hearts and allow the message to work in our lives and to do what is necessary to change. When we come to church, the message that we hear must change our lives but we must come before His presence with a desire and an empty heart asking Him to fill it up.
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