I Had A Good Friday

Friday was a good day. Actually, it usually is a good day. I often get to take the day off and I usually get to spend it with Martha. We look forward to our Fridays.

This past Friday was particularly good.

Many of you know I emphasize the unity, harmony, and service of the church. I encourage small group Bible Studies (we call these Bible Fellowship Groups) and I encourage the emphasis of the church as the body of Christ.

This past Friday I saw all of that come to fruition. Almost everywhere I turned I saw the body of Christ at work, ministering in His name.

It started with going to a local hospital and visiting two families with new babies. One baby is a healthy little boy and the other is a premature girl with serious difficulties. In each case, the church–primarily but not exclusively through Bible Fellowship Groups–has ministered in the name of Christ. Each family expressed what the church has meant to them.

If that is all that had happened Friday, it would have been a good day.

From there, I dropped by the church building to check in at my office. As I left the building, I saw our deacon chairman headed to his car. He had given his week to minister to our children at their summer camp–a great example of New Testament deacons. World Changers finished their week of intense ministry on Friday as well. We also have a mission team in Bogota, Columbia, teaching English as a second language and sharing their faith in Christ.

Later, I called to talk with a family who lost a loved one. The woman I talked with expressed how deacons, pastors, and her Bible Fellowship Group had been a blessing to her family.

The day became even better.

My Friday ended with a phone call from a different woman who is taking care of aging parents. Some of the men of her Bible Fellowship Group rented a rental truck, drove to Baton Rouge, and packed up her parents and brought them to our area. Then 13 other members met them at the new home to unpack and provide care and nurture for this elderly couple.

Our member on the phone said, “All I could do was cry and say ‘thank you.’ ”

By the time I finished that phone call, I couldn’t wait for the next call about how God’s people are going about doing God’s work.

God has called you and me to be the church. He has called us to love, serve, and minister in His name.

Wherever you live, please find a group through which you learn to be the hands and feet of our Lord Jesus.

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6 Responses

  1. One of the things I have come to appreciate is the application the Apostle Paul put to the words of Christ. This weeks sermon is yet another example. Perhaps as you preached from Romans 13: 1-7 you will address the transitional summation found in verse 8: “Owe no man anything, but to love one another; for he that loves another has fulfilled the law.”

    As I pondered that verse in the context of Jesus’ prayer for His disciples, the verse the Character of God the
    Apostle John revealed in his message to the Body/Bride elevated John 17:17 at this particular point in time for me. “Sanctify them through Thy Truth; Thy Word is Truth.

    So I think of Matthew chapter 5, John chapter 1, James chapter 1&5, 1 John chapters 1&2 and Mark chapter 4.

    As I reflect on these, knowing there is no conflict in the Character of God or His Word I consider the Psalms and specifically the duties of the “Watchman” as revealed in Ezekiel 33 where human behavior and relationship with God and His is illuminated. All with the remembrance of Jeremiah’s confession: “Remembering my affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall. My soul has them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me. This I recall to mind, therefore have I hope. It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not.”

    Yes, by God’s Grace we go; every day is a new adventure. Morning by morning, new Mercies I see. We were not created to go it alone as we were created for fellowship in the Body and Bride, One in Him. Different from the tribes of the world, isn’t it?

    Thank you for sharing an uplifting Friday!

    Blessings

  2. Hello Pastor Bailey,

    Thank you for your daily blog. I read them every morning during reflection and prayer before I start my day. I find your subjects very interesting and also I learn a lot more about scripture. My communication professor said I should go to your website and I am so glad I did. I am a student at Liberty University and taking online classes. I am working towards two four year degree programs in Religion and Psychology with a minor in Christian Counseling. With the Lord’s constant care and love for me, I am one class away from finishing my first year, after being out of school for almost 20 years, with a 4.0 GPA and I also made the Deans list. I am so blessed because my wife and I, in April, we celebrated our 1 year anniversary. Once again, thank you Pastor for your website. God Bless You.

    1. David, thanks for your affirmation. I appreciate your taking the time to make a comment.
      How blessed to be able to help someone else. Please thank your professor for the recommendation.
      Congratulations for doing so well in your work. When I taught at seminary, I found returning students (not straight out of HS) were motivated and prepared for the hard work required to do well.
      May God bless you.

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