Shiloh Baptist Church

              As we approach a new decade with the onset of 2020, most of us begin with new resolves…things we will do no more; things we will do differently; things we will throw out; things we will no longer eat…. things, things, things. And we measure our success by looking at those same things declared over the previous years. But what I have found, personally, is that my disposable things have multiplied, and mostly because I never took the time to act on the declaration.  So, who is to blame for that?

You might say, ‘There’s enough blame to go around,’ since I did not have the time. I was too tired. It was too overwhelming. I had nobody to help me. But the weight of the burden can become so hefty, and unless we literally do something about it, we can be buried alive. You have seen the TV show, where hoarders have so much stuff that they cannot get out from under it. How much is our lives like that, even as we approach this New Year, and indeed a new Decade. One thing is sure. With the passing of every moment, we begin to realize that we do not have as much time as we think. The clock is ticking. There are still only 365 days in a year. 52 Weeks. 60 Seconds in a minute. 60 minutes in an hour. 24 hours in a day. 7 days a week, and one of them is Sunday, so that leaves even less time.

I sat at my desk the other day at work and I had a few minutes, with no pressing issues, I began to clean up some old items on my desktop. It was a simple as moving the item into the trash basket. With the flick of my wrist, it was gone. Old files that I had saved…. gone. Things that I deemed important…gone. Reference notes, and contacts…gone. It took all of five minutes. And when it was all said and done, and I shifted the remaining things around, I had so much more space. The sigh of relief left me feeling like I had accomplished something. I had ridden myself of years of accumulation, and it was wearing me down. I think we hold onto things because it gives us a sense of security. We know if it is there, we can always count on it. Even if it is ten years later, and we have not yet had to use it. I think we hold onto things because we are afraid to let go. It fills a space that might otherwise be left empty. I think we hold onto things because at least, we have something.

I am not making a declaration about resolves this year. I did that for the past decade. But I am emptying my mind, and stretching out my hands, un-balling my fists, breathing slowly, and waiting for the new thing. I am tired of holding my breath. Tired of tippy-toeing around. Tired of being scared that the bottom is going to fall out of my life, so I am letting go of those things. I want something new. Not new clothes. I have those. Not new shoes, I have too many already. But I want the newness of life that God has promised me. A new thing is a good thing. He is making a WAY for us in the wilderness. He is giving us streams of living water in times we are in wastelands. Second Corinthians 5:17 says it this way; “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here.”

John 13:34 says, “A new commandment I give you- Love one another as I have loved you.”

Jeremiah 31:31 says, “Behold, days are coming declares the Lords, when I will make a New Covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah…”

Ezekiel 11:19, says “And I will give them one heart, and put a new spirit within them and I will take the heart of stone out of their flesh and give them a heart of flesh.”

Isaiah 62:2, says “The nations will see your righteousness, and all kings your glory; And you will be called by a new name which the mouth of the LORD will designate.”

Ephesians 2:15, says “by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace…”

And finally, Revelations 21:5 says, “And He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new,” And He said, “Write, for these words are faithful and true.”

Truth is, I may not lose the 30lbs that I need to. I may not show up every Wednesday for Bible study. I may still be late getting to places where I need to be on time. I may not clean out my closet. But I want to truly get to the place where I stand only on God’s Word so that I can be moved into the new place where He is taking me to. A place He has chosen just for me. He has more for me than I can imagine, and I have side-tracked myself, for too many years now, so that I cannot see the forest for the trees. He is making me new again, by creating a new thirst in me for Him. He has not changed, but I have! This year I want it back. I want the newness of life that He first gave me when He called me out of darkness into His marvelous light. This year, this decade will be like no other, because our Faithful, True, and Living God has given us something new; another chance, to get it right!

 Submitted By Deaconess Irene Gardon

              If only I could get out of my own head…. l could walk in Victory, but here is the thing…….I have heard some preachers refer to their sanctified imagination in gist when preaching a sermon and one day while sitting at my desk at work I wondered, if using my sanctified imagination, what would happen if Faith and Fear got into a boxing ring on my behalf, who would win? Here is the thing, this kind of thinking is not something that we broadcast. It is one of the secret things if we are honest about it that we keep to ourselves. And we do not necessarily share it with anyone else. Anyway, real or imagined….in the Apollo Creed vs Rocky Balboa; or Ali vs Frazier fights each found the other to be a more worthy opponent. If nothing else you knew it was going to be a good fight, because of who was in it; and there could only be one winner. Here’s the thing, I’m not a boxing fan and I don’t buy into the hype, but I know a good fight when I see one. And usually the worthiest opponent, the one with the most training, the one who is most fit, and the one who is most tested…. wins. Many of us have been on this “Faith-Walk” for many years now. We have a working definition of what Faith is and how it works. We have the Bible, its references, and countless examples of how faith is played out in the lives of those who belong to God. They are and have been our shining examples, including Jesus Himself, but here’s the thing…. somehow when fear creeps in, or when we open the door to it, we fall into unbelief; quick, fast, and in a hurry. I want to be better. I want to believe more. I want to stop doubting. I want to stop being afraid. I want to stop holding my breath. I want to let go of what I have been holding onto that I think is my salvation, but here’s the thing… I am afraid……and I do not know if I can take a punch.

Pastor Jim, in our recent Spiritual Life Conference, made the most eloquent, impassioned, and factual case for Faith in Jesus Christ that I have ever heard. And it is not like I have not heard what he said before, but his persuasive, unapologetic offering stirred me and awakened my sleeping faith again, and I knew I had to get up again. My faith has been in the boxing ring so many times with my fear, that when the battle arises rather than fight, I have protected my faith by hiding it. Therefore, I am guilty of letting my fear win. Fear is a bully, and it takes us, hostage, in so many ways, and holds us for so many days until we are ashamed to admit it. When I have not had the solution to life situations concerning my health, my children’s well-being, or just life in general, I have held my breath, while fear punched the life out of me, even knowing that Jesus is a more worthy opponent. And here’s the thing, we all sat in silence for three nights, in Pastor Jim’s class, and listened intently to his proof that Jesus is a more worthy opponent, and that our faith is built on what God the Father planned for us, what Jesus, His Son purchased for us, and the protection that we have in the Holy Spirit of God, who continues to provide for us. We know that the Battle is already won, and in the end, we walked away in victory, proclaiming how good it was to have been there.

We often forget God’s presence and power when we face uncertain and difficult times. Our faith falters and we doubt that God is with us. Sometimes even doubting that He is real, and who He says He is. God knew that we would struggle with unbelief and He has spoken reassuring words to us through the Bible. When you begin to doubt and feel that you are not up for the battle we ought to “Let the Word of the Word Encourage us.” (Carol Antrom). Like me, I hope you will read these Bible verses and pray that God will renew your heart and mind toward who He says He is and who He says we are, and be encouraged as you see God move through all circumstances in life to grow our faith.

·         1 Thessalonians 2:13 – ”And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is indeed at work in you who believe.”

·         1 Timothy 4:10 – “That is why we labor and strive because we have our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, and especially of those who believe.”

·         Hebrews 11:1 – “Now faith is the confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”

·         Hebrews 11:6 – “And without faith, it is impossible to please God because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”

·         Isaiah 40:31 – “But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not faint.”

·         Isaiah 35:4 – “Say to those with fearful hearts, ‘be strong, do not fear, your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution, he will come to save you.”

·         2 Timothy I:7 – “For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love, and self-discipline.”

·         Romans 8:15 – “The Spirit you received does not make you slaves so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, ”Abba, Father.”

So here’s the thing, using your sanctified imagination … if Fear and Faith got into a fight on your behalf…who would win?

 Submitted By Deaconess Irene Gardon

If you have been a part of the Christian community for any length of time, you know that “Now Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1 KJV). Another version, says, “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” (Hebrews 11:1 NIV). If you have been a part of the Christian community for any length of time, you know that Faith has always been the mark of God’s servants, from the beginning of the world, and we know that where the principle is planted by the regenerating Spirit of God, it will cause truth to be received, based on the justification, sufferings, and merits of Christ’s sacrifice. What He has done, is the assurance that we can have, and it is in Him, whom our confidence lies. So, since we know this, why then do we sometimes doubt? Why is it that sometimes, we know; and sometimes we do not?!! It is rhetorical, and it is more of a question for me than you. Faith! How do I know it works? What is it that causes us to be firm in our “thinking,” and wavering in our stand? Today I had to come to terms with this again because I got some news that I did not necessarily like, and I found myself wondering…’Faith…. How Do I Know It Works? With all the evidence and proof that I have seen in my Christian Walk, and in my life in general, even without Christ, I feel that I should be at a place where the confidence that I have in Him, is without question. That thing breeds the question, ‘Am I trusting in Him, or Am I trusting in myself?’ It’s rhetorical; more of a question for me, than you. Because we do not live in a world unto ourselves, and we are part of a larger community, whether it be the Family of God, our own kinfolk, our lives will often overlap, and run into someone else’s, so that the trying of our faith is not limited to our own personal experiences, but theirs too. It could be that we are okay trusting God with our stuff …maybe; but when it comes to the lives of others or those that we are concerned about, does the faith works, there, too? Have you, ever wondered.?

My Big Momma (grandmother on my momma’s side) was a devout Christian woman based on what we knew about Christianity growing up in Alabama in the early 60s & 70s. She was a true missionary. She entrusted her entire life to Christ. Lord knows, she went to church all the time. Dressed the part. Sewed her own clothes. Paid her tithes. Took care of not only her children, but her children’s children, even dragging us (grands) to church, against our very strong will; and God knows she was a praying woman who loved her husband (who to my knowledge never darkened the door of a church). How I know faith works, is because today I am a devout Christian, and I believe it is because of the faith of Big Momma, to entrust us to the Lord. Aside from the fact that Jesus knew me, chose me, justified me before I was born, I believe that Big Momma held on to the conviction of things hoped for, and for that reason, I am saved today. Hallelujah! Big Momma did not live to see the evidence of her faith. She did not live to see the conversion of the many of us, her children and grandchildren, whose lives have been transformed.

When I got the news that my son had been downsized on his job, after 14 years of steady employment, I began to wonder if my faith would work, like my grandmother’s. Would it? When I got the news of a report concerning my daughter’s health, I began to wonder if my faith would work, like my grandmother’s. Would it have the same life-transforming effect? Would I live to see it? The same things that are the object of our hope are the object of our faith. It is a firm persuasion and expectation, that God will perform all he has promised to us in Christ Jesus. In faith, we can enjoy those things in the “now.” Faith is the guaranteed, proof to my mind, that I can believe what I cannot see, and may not live to see, because God has put His Word on the line. He is not a man that He can lie. I cannot see it, but by Faith, I believe that the situation concerning my son’s future is already set. It has already done. He sees this as an opportunity to pursue entrepreneurship, to start his own business; to be an owner and no longer an employee. I see missing paychecks and unpaid bills. I cannot see it, but by Faith, I believe that the situation concerning my daughter’s health is already done. She is confident that things will be alright, and she knows enough to entrust all things to God and not to worry.

I, the great woman of the faith like my grandmother, worry on one hand but pray on the other. I want things to be well for my children, and while I trust God with my stuff, I wonder if the same faith will take care of theirs. Truthfully, on some level, I feel like God owes me this one. That is not faith….is it? The Bible gives the most- true and exact account of the origin of all things, and we are called to believe it, and not to wrestle with a battle that is already won. Why do we struggle with “now faith,” when all that we see of the works of creation were brought into being by the command of God? It is rhetorical; and more for me than for you?

Submitted By Deaconess Irene Gardon