Striving for the ministry

Leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection.
Hebrews 6:1
The writer to the Hebrews long ago pointed out that some professed Christians were marking time and getting nowhere! They had had opportunity to grow—but they had not grown. They had had sufficient time to mature, yet they were still babes. Unfortunatly this is becoming a more and more common practice in our "Christianity" today.
It is possible to have motion without progress, and this describes much of the activity among Christians today. It boils down to this—it is possible that we may attend church for a lifetime and be no better for it. I think we can say that most Christians have no clear end toward which they are striving.
A Christian cannot hope for the true manifestation of God while he lives in a state of disobedience.The obedient Christian will yield to God as the clay yields to the potter and will welcome every moment in church.
Help us not to become satisfied with laziness, or complacent with growth. We need ever more to determine we are going to surrender ourselves to the potters wheel.
- Brandon Harrison
associate pastor - currytown baptist church

A Sure Foundation

For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 3:11

There is only one foundation on which the Church and the Christian life can be built. That foundation is Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 2:4-7 4To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, 5Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. 6Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. 7Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,) (Ephesians 2:20 20And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;)

. He is the one whom God sent to save us, (John 3:16 16For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.) He is the "way, the truth, and the life," the only way to God (John 14:6 6Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.) The Lord Jesus Christ is the name above all names, the name at which every knee will bow (Philippians 2:5-11 5Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.)

His is the only name by which we must be saved (Acts 4:12 12Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.)

Let's take time today to specifically honor Jesus as Lord with our hearts, our words, and our actions.


- Brandon Harrison
associate pastor - currytown baptist church

Curiously Wrought

When we discover the majesty, and grandeur of Almighty God, the God who hung the stars, knows every grain of sand on the shore, knows every hair and it's demise on our heads, it is amazing to think that he would create, and Love, unworthy dust such as us. Think of this - "And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul." Genesis 2:7

We are God's creation. He fashioned and formed our original ancestors out of the dust of the ground. He molded each of us and created each of us in our mother's womb - "For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb. I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.  My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them." Psalm 139:13-16.

Like Adam, God fills us with his breath and blesses us with life. We are his workmanship, his artistry, made to experience life in all its fullness. - "The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." John 10:10,  and created to do His work in His world - "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." Ephesians 2:10.

He Hears Me

It is never easy looking back and realizing we are on the wrong path, seeing that our actions have and are hurting others. It is also an even greater joy to know that even though we have strayed off the path, that God in all his infinite wisdom knew long before that we would walk away from him, yet because of His marvelous grace he is waiting with open arms to welcome us back!

Let's look at the life of Jonah for a moment and realize that in the midst of his self-made dispair, that God heard his lowly cry. (Jonah 2:1-2 And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the LORD, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice.)

Jonah was disobedient, rebellious, and selfish. He had run from
the Lord. He had shunned the Lord's command. He had endangered the
lives of those on the ship where he had tried to hide. Yet even in
the middle of his rebellion, God heard his cry, - (Psalm 40:1 "I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.") and delivered him (Psalm 143:9 "Deliver me, O LORD, from mine enemies: I flee unto thee to hide me.").

If you are in rebellion, if you are seeking to hide some secret and all-consuming sin, please know the Lord wants to ransom and redeem you! - (Psalm 26:11 "But as for me, I will walk in mine integrity: redeem me, and be merciful unto me.") Things won't be easy, but coming back to the Lord means ultimate redemption and deliverance.

In "His" Image

"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created
he him; male and female created he them". - Genesis 1:27 We are made in God's image. Not just the man. Not just the woman. Both male and female are made in God's image! Incredibly, this is not just true before the Fall.

When God made us in the womb of our mothers: "For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb. I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them." - Psalm 139:13-16 he made us in his image, "Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man."  - Genesis 9:6.

Because people are precious to God, because we reflect something of the character of our Creator, each person is to be valued. None is to be denigrated, belittled, or cursed "Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.
Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh."
- James 3:9-12. People are precious, not only to God, but also to us because in some special way they reflect his image.

He's Holding Me!

"Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to
present you faultless before the presence of his glory with
exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and
majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen."-Jude 1:24-25
      
What a great cluster of truths are found in this one prayer of
blessing. Our eyes are first drawn to what God can do for us --
prevent us from falling and present us before his glorious presence
in joyful perfection. But on closer inspection, our hearts are
drawn to the description of our incredible God: the one who is
able, the only God, our Savior, the one who lives in glory and
majesty and power and authority, the one who has communicated to us
through Jesus our Lord, and the one who exists before all ages and
who is alive now and who will be forevermore. Our blessings as
God's children are incredible, but the reason why they are is that
our God is beyond incredible, awesome, and wonderful. Our words
cannot do him justice. Our brightest insights cannot comprehend the
glory he has. Yet despite his grandeur, he loves you and me in our
finite mortality!

A Leap of Faith

Isaiah 28:16

¹⁶Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste. Is a Oak tree, like a great foundation? I would believe that it is, considering the overwhelming size and root system that occurs in them. Today I was watching a group of squirrels run around gathering nuts and what not, even though it's already winter, and by now there should have already been snow, but I digress. Still these squirrels were gathering, running to and fro from nut to nut, and from tree to tree.

Something that I found intriguing as I watched these beautiful, funny looking creatures would take a leap of faith, and would jump from tree to tree, and limb to limb with no hesitation, and no regard of whether the tree would hold them up or not. I opened with the verse from Isaiah stating "a sure foundation" what a wonderful thought, a foundation that is sure means we can depend on that foundation to hold, stand firm, and last, no matter the storms, wind, heat, water, and so on and so on.

Just as those squirrels would jump from limb to limb without hesitation, faithed truly in knowing those tree's would hold them, so should we rely in faith on our God who can uphold us as He stated in Hebrews 1:3 "Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high"

May we always be reminded of the majesty and security of God, and always consider the God of the universe in every decision we make, and every step we take.