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Weekly Reminder...
The Weekly Reminder is an informative tool to help people who read it consider what the man of God has said. This weekend’s articles are based on what was heard on January 17 & 18, 2009 in the Westbury assembly.written by Br. Samuel Philogene
“A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good.” (Luke 6:45)
Br. Antoine was helping us this weekend to question ourselves; are we really what we claim to be or how can we become what we have to be? How can I be a good man? We read in Luke that what comes out of my mouth is the result of what I have inside and what I have inside in itself is the result of what I incorporate in my mind. Let us not fool ourselves, the outside can tell us what we have inside. Some say “No, it doesn’t matter the way I live or dress, God knows my heart!” but Luke 6:45 rejects this idea. The way we think, the thing we incorporate in our mind will reflect in our lifestyle and people will see it. If I am influenced by a star I will start talking like him, dressing like him, walking like him, I will not need to tell you who my favorite star is but everybody will know it. That’s why Jesus says in Matthew 6:19 “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth” and in verse 21 He says, “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also”. Jesus once again let us know “that not which goeth into the mouth defiles a man but which cometh out of the mouth, this defiles a man” (Matthew 15:11). In Matthew 25:14-40, the parable of the talents, we can understand that we will be a good servant by doing the Master’s will, for the first two who did well the Master said, “Well done, good and faithful servant!”, but for the last one, “Thou wicked and slothful servant!”
I want to be a good and faithful servant to use all the talents that God gave me to help establish the church. God doesn’t want us to stay as we are when He called us but He wants us to grow because He gave us all the tools to grow; all things that pertain unto life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3). Like those servants, God gives us everything to succeed in our race to do good. So we just have to practice the word for the law is just, good, perfect (Romans 7:12). If we really practice the word of God It will lead us in one way, the good way. That’s why we read in John 15:16, that we did not come to God on our own but God chose us and establishes us that we should go and bring forth fruit. We also quoted Luke 8:11-15, the four different grounds, only the good one, the one which received the seed [the word of God], produces good fruit.
We saw in all those scriptures that when we really receive the word of God and apply it (not just hear it) we will be a good servant in the house of God. Many times during the message Br. Antoine emphasizes on the difference between hearing and listening. We are supposed to not only hear but listen, which means: give earnest heed, pay attention. So when we incorporate the word in our daily lives only good things will proceed from us. It is like growing fruits, what you sow that is what you will get (Galatians 6v7). So let us incorporate good things in our lives like the Holy Spirit. If we keep storing bad things they will proceed out and we will be an evil servant. See how Jesus spoke to the Pharisees in Matthew 12:34, “O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh”. We don’t want to be evil but good so let start today and God will help us.
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written by Br. Jean Leonidas
As children of God we are learning to be obedient in responding to the love that God has shown to us by sending His only Begotten Son. There is no better place for us to learn that but in the church where God has given us a man of His heart. I was encouraged last weekend as Br. Antoine gave us the scripture in 2 Chronicles 7:14. Showing us the reason we get in trouble with God is because we forsake Him. He said we should know what God wants us to do because when we don't do what He wants us to do we come short of the blessing of God.
The scripture in 2 Chronicles 7:14 states "If My people, which are called by My name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land". After hearing Br. Antoine explaining that scripture, I realized I can be part of the people of God and still be rebellious. I can be part of the people of God and still be rough necked and puffed up with pride. The scripture says "if My people", the "if" means they were the people of God but was not doing what they were suppose to do. This proves we can be in the church and not be doing what God want us to do. Just calling ourselves Christians doesn't make us right with God or be the people of God. When any Christian has applied 2 Chronicles 7:14, this proves that they are the people of God. Without having that connection with God, He will never testify that we are His. This is the reason God sends His words to us, to teach us His ways in order for us to know how to be His people.
Br. Antoine said “the word of God is always right”. He quoted Luke 8:11 concerning the seed sower who went sowing seed but the seeds fell on different kind of grounds. There was the ground by the wayside; there were the rocky ground; there were the thorny ground; and finally the good ground. Br. Antoine mentioned that the seed was good but it was the ground that had to be good. Only the good ground was able to produce fruit. If we are to be the people of God we have to be good, we have to be able to humble ourselves, pray, seek His face and turn from our evil ways then God will establish us to be in His kingdom when Christ returns. Br. Antoine also gave us Luke 6:45, to show us when we are the people of God we should produce good fruit. He said when God has changed our hearts and put His word in our hearts then there only can be good that comes out from us. Whether by word or deed, we would produce what is right in God’s sights since God Himself has done a work in our hearts.
We all came to God with evil dwelling inside of our hearts; there is nothing we could have done to please God. But after God has chosen us and placed us in the church, we are in a position where He is revealing His will to us. He placed the man of God to teach us His will. Br. Antoine said "when we know God's will, we are able to live a better life for Him". He quoted Colossians 1:8, where the apostle Paul was praying for the people of God. Paul was not praying for them to be rich in this world but for them to have the knowledge and understanding of the will of God. Br. Antoine said if we were to understand God we would be able to love Him more. He said "we would be able to deal with the problems of this world a whole lot better”.
May God help us as a church to be the true people of God with the knowledge and understanding of His will.
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written by Br. Samuel Damus
Many citizens of America were moved to travel to Washington D.C. to witness the inauguration of our 44th president because they believed in the campaign slogan “A Time for Change”. This slogan represents different types of change. But the change most Americans are looking for is a change from the current economic state that we are in now. They have hope that our current commander-in-chief may provide some relief. Both the president and the people of America realize that a change is needed if the United States of America is to get better. This change can only come about when we realize our problem and make moves to change our status for the better. Some look to Jesus as a guide when they need a way out of their troubles. We must believe in Jesus and have patience in what He says will come to pass. We learned that the problem is how we receive the word of God.
You must “believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be established; believe His prophets, so shall ye prosper” (2 Chronicles 20:20). This belief is what keeps us going, what keeps us holding on to what is said. In the parable of the sower, we see that our belief is necessary to hold on to the Truth, the word of God. The seed is the word of God which is heard and when we do not understand it the Devil quickly takes the word out of our hearts, “lest we should believe and be saved” (Matthew 13:19, Luke 8:11). When we do not understand how something works we are less likely to perform it. Faith is what get us pass (our) understanding and into performance. That is why it is important to “trust in the LORD with all our heart; and lean not unto our own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5). Understanding is important but we can not use our own understanding to understand the things of God (Isaiah 55:7-9); that is why God’s words are important to heed (Proverbs 2:6). Our belief in God’s words should not endure for a while, His word must take root in our hearts (Luke 8:13). When we sincerely believe we will have the patience to keep (practice) God’s counsel even if it takes awhile. In so doing, we will produce good works (verse 15).
Just like the citizens of America, we have labored hard to no avail. We are seeking rest but there is none in sight. Jesus promised us rest but not that we stop working. There is still a burden to bear (Matthew 11:28-30). This burden is the work that we were ordained to do (Ephesians 2:10; John 15:16). Jesus said, “Whosoever cometh to Me, and heareth My sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like: He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock” (Luke 6:47-48). If our foundation is not built on Christ then it is flawed. The only way to be established in His word is to believe and practice them, with much patience. To become productive a change must come and just like the rest of the country we must show faith, self-control and patience in our Head, Jesus Christ.
“If ye know these things, blessed are ye if ye do them” (John 13:17).
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