“Staying Ready for Quitting Time” is a phrase that Chuck Swindoll uses in his book, RISE & SHINE—AWAKE-UP CALL.“
The License to the Gospel Ministry Certificate that hangs on my wall (along with Three Framed Degrees and an Ordination Certificate), tells me that it was signed by the Pastor of the Trinity Temple Baptist Church of Dallas on September 9, 1970. Five framed documents but the License to the Ministry was the most important. It was my start. It was a start that the Pastor, Deacon Body and Church Body had enough confidence in licensing this 20 year-old for the Gospel Ministry. It also taught me how the local N.T. Church is so important. Fifty years later I look back and I say to myself, “Finish well” “Stay Ready.”
Paul talks about “quitting time on earth.” “For the LORD himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the LORD in the air. And so we will be with the LORD forever.” I Thess. 4:16-17
What does Jesus say? “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your LORD will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into.” Mt. 24:42-43
Until He comes we need to think about three words: 1. Urgency: Stay Ready; 2. Consistency : Be Ready in and out of the seasons of life. 3. Simplicity: Just live life with a “Simple Faith.”
The Church Matters! Let’s talk about today.
Pastor Charles
229-9342
WE have an opportunity to help some families in Louisiana. We will talk about that today.
Thanks to Steve and Joel for speaking to our church last Sunday. Thanks to Jeff for leading the two services.
Observance of the Lord’s Supper today!
Sermon Notes: What is a Jesus Kind of Church? Matthew 16:13-19
- A Jesus Kind of Church is Victorious in Spiritual Warfare – verse 18
- A Jesus Kind of Church is a Church that Uses the Right Keys- verse 19.