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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 24 & 25, 2009 in the Westbury assembly.written by Br. Samuel Philogene
What a great privilege to know that we are God’s people and we are in the God’s plan; it’s wonderful. We’ve been taught last weekend how we should consider the sacrifice of the cross. Jesus in His flesh made a way for us Gentiles to be partakers in what God is doing today. We read in 1 Peter 2:10, how in time past we were not a people but God in His mercy sent Jesus for us to be reconciled to Him through the blood of Jesus on Cavalry, we shouldn’t forget that. In Isaiah 53:6 we can read, “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on Him (Jesus) the iniquity of us all”. He was oppressed and afflicted for our sake so we can have the full privilege to come to the Father through the Son and know that God will hear our prayer. Jesus made the way for us to be called God’s people (Hebrews 10:19-20). We can’t take that for granted but we have to fight for it, and live worthy of the blood of Jesus and His name.
We can’t afford to crucify Jesus again. We are a great people, God’s people if only we live the way that God wants us to live. As we read in Luke 12:47-48, God gave us more, so more will be required from us. To be called God’s people it is not only a privilege but a great responsibility to do the Master’s will, to live in a way to please the Master, because God who called us is Holy we as God’s people have to be holy( I Peter 1:2, 15-16). To those who live in such a way God reserves great reward and eternal life (I Corinthians 2:9, Psalms 61:7).
Now being God’s people we are partakers in the great inheritance of God the Father, in all His promises we have assurance to take part. That is why Br. Antoine quoted John 14 where Jesus promised His disciples that He will come and receive them unto Himself that where He is they may be also. As God’s people today those words are for us, they are our strength, even though the cares of this life can blow us every day in different directions but we have the word of the Master (Jesus), He will come back. So we have something to hold on. This should give us confidence to suffer for Him and wait for Him until He comes for He is faithful to His word (Hebrews 10:23).
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written by Br. Jean Leonidas
We should have so much appreciation for God after the services we have had last weekend. We were reminded that we are the people of God and that we should live a life that is pleasing to Him. God was showing us that in living for Him there is a reward and that reward is to be in His kingdom. What was more of a comfort was to hear Br. Antoine quote John 14:1-3, where Christ said "Let not your heart be troubled". What a comfort to know Christ considers our troubles here while we are afflicted by what is going on in this world and that He did not only die for us and then go on vacation.
There was a time we were living thru our own concepts and our choices brought us far from God. It is amazing that at times we don't even know who we are but we are just going thru the motions of life like the waving sea that is being tossed to and fro (James 1:6). It really takes God to tell us who we are and suppose to be. Jesus once had to tell His disciples who they were. In Luke 9:55, Christ told some of His disciples that they didn't know what manner of spirit they were in. Well this weekend God was telling us exactly who we were and who we are supposed to be. Br. Antoine quoted 1 Peter 2:10, where it says "Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy". In time past living in the lust of the world we did not know God and did according to what our spirit was telling us to do. We lived an ungodly life and only thought of evil while we were not able to serve God in righteousness. What caught my eye while Br. Antoine was preaching was we thought we were o.k. while we were out in the world, we thought that was it until God gave us the opportunity to come to church. Br. Antoine said "we should always realize that it is the grace of God that we are here in the church". The scripture continued in saying "now we are the people of God", this means now we have an identity from God. The image that Adam had was lost thru the sin (by disobeying God) he committed in the garden. Now we are able to attain the image of God that was lost in the garden thru Christ while we are in the church persevering. This scripture was important because we must know who we are living for in order to know what our purpose is because our purpose can only com from Him. When we are baptized with His spirit, we become sons (and daughters) of His. As we know a father's job is to give direction to his children. Peter acknowledges that and that is why he said "but now we are the people of God". Br. Philogene said Sunday night "a lot has happened between the times we were not the people of God until now". Not only do we need to know that we are the people of God but we also need to know the mercy we have obtain thru Christ in order for us to be here. It was all God's choice, nothing we did or merit.
Br. Antoine said "nothing in this world should keep us from serving God" while expounding in John 14:1:3, He said "our hope should not be on this earth and we should always put our trust in Christ". He said that "Christ wanted His disciples to put there hope on the kingdom that is to be established and He Himself is the one that is going to come back for them". Br. Antoine further stated that "Christ will not send angel Gabriel to come get us but this is a personal affair between His people and Him". I thought of that and realized that we as the people of God are truly blessed because we are in the church being encouraged by the word of God. We can say that the encouragements we get in the church belong to the people of God. People out in the world go to many different avenues in search for a hope which will never satisfy them. The message was not trying to say everything will be easy for God's people but there is still a work we have to put in as the people of God. We must prove to God that the mercy He has given us was not in vain as Paul said to the Corinthians church in 1 Corinthians 15:10. That is why Br. Antoine quoted to us Luke 12:48, in the latter end of the scripture it says "To whom much is given, much is expected", this means when we think of all that God has done for us there should not be anything that we can't do for the people of God. God is expecting something from His people because when Christ returns, He will consider everything we have been doing and even what we have not been doing while we were in the church. May God help us to know who we are and what it took for us to be here; after all God is expecting so much from His people.
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written by Br. Samuel Damus
“Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know” (John 14:1-4). Jesus was talking to those that He died for; all those that the Father has given Him (John 6:37-40, 17:2). We learned last weekend that there is a preparation that must be done in our lives. Jesus came to earth that we may be free from the bonds of sin. His death on the cross was to free us from sin and the consequences of sins: death.
“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23). Jesus made a way for us, thru His sacrifice on Calvary. Knowing that all who sin must die He became our Way to remove us from the path of death. Because His sacrifice freed us from the bonds of sin we must now walk righteously before Him so that we do not return unto bondage. Jesus said, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin” (John 8:34). That is why the scriptures say, “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit” (Romans 8:1). We who were a slave to sin unto death have now become slaves to righteousness unto eternal life. We now live our lives in Christ because of this grace that was given unto us (Ephesians 2:1-5). When I think of the sacrifice that the Lord made for me I can’t help but consider the magnitude of His love. But as it is written “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him. But God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God” (1 Corinthians 2:9-10).
The place that Jesus is preparing for us cannot be obtained by this corruptible body for because of sin this body must die but because we walk in the Spirit our souls will live. (Romans 6:10). “For ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy” (1 Peter 2:9-10). Now that we understand that we have been made free from sin by Jesus’ precious blood, we are in debt to Him; to live our lives unto holiness so that we fulfill the Lord’s will (John 6:39, 40). Remember: “those servants, which knew his Lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to His will, shall be beaten with many stripes” (Luke 12:47).
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