WHERE ARE WE HEADED?

A few days ago my wife and I visited a young couple from our church who had just celebrated the birth of their second child. Before our visit we stopped by the grocery store my brother-in-law owns in Ashland and picked up a few items we thought this young couple might enjoy. We left the store and then made our way to their house. In order to get to their house we had to drive past my mother's house, the house I grew up in and where I lived until I was 22 years old, and continued down that road for another four miles or so until we arrived at our destination.

We had a great visit with this couple and their two children. Upon leaving their house my wife wanted to drive back into Ashland so we could eat supper at Chick-Fil-A. Now our Chick-Fil-A is located on the extreme northwest side of Ashland and in order to get there from this young couple's house it was closer to drive on out their road (Hwy. 503) to where it intercepts with Hwy. 207 and turn right and go back to Ashland through Flatwoods. When I turned right onto 207 my wife immediately asked me "Are you sure we are going the right way?". What did she mean by asking me such a question as that?!!! We were in my "old backyard" so to speak. I know my way around that area as well as I know my way anywhere! Of course we were going the right way!!!

I continued to think about her question the rest of that day. As I thought about it I also thought about it in regards to other areas of my life. Naturally I thought about it in regards to the Church. When I thought of her question in light of the Church my heart was troubled. I love the Church. I owe the Church so much. But I fear the Church is terribly misunderstood and abused by so many people today. The Church as I see Her in scripture is alive and well. She is strong and resilient. She is holy, blameless, free of spot, blemish or wrinkle. Yet there are people who would like to drag the Church in directions contrary to God's will for Her. There are also many who hold a dim view of the Church because they do not understand the true Church, the Church of scripture.

The Church of God is safe! Make no mistake about that. Jesus said the gates of Hell itself could not prevail against Her. But the church that man contrives, the one man tries to parade before the world, is another matter all together. The scary thing about this is the fact that most people have never "seen" the Church of scripture which must be seen through eyes of faith. The only church they have ever seen is the one man has contrived and what is being touted as the church by man today is troubling to say the least.

Time nor space will not allow me to address this subject in any detail so I will not attempt to do so. But I do want to encourage you to search the scriptures so that you might learn the true identity of the Church, God's church, The Church of God. As you read and study the scriptures ask God to open your eyes of understanding so that you might truly see for yourself the Church in all Her glory, splendor, holiness and beauty. She is perfect,contrary to what many believe and teach today, without fault or flaw. How could she be any less? She is the Body of Christ. If Christ was perfect then His Body must be perfect. She is also portrayed in scripture as the "Bride of Christ". I cannot imagine Jesus being married to someone beneath Himself.

There are those who claim to have been harmed by the Church in all sorts of ways but I am of the opinion the Church, in the true scriptural sense, did not do any thing contrary to the way of God. Some who claim to be Her children may have acted in hurtful ways (I have been hurt by some such as these myself) but they were not of the Church with a capital "C". They were of the "church" which is an entirely different matter. That is where the problem lies. Far to few people can tell the difference between the Church and the church. To the unknowing eye there may not appear to be much difference between the two. But to those who have truly "seen the Church" there is no comparison.

So where is the Church headed? Is She going the right way? She sure is! She can go no other way but the right way!! She is on Her way to Heaven. After all She has an appointment to keep there some day! As for the church that so many people are wrapped up in today I have no idea where she is headed. I know this, many people are being led astray and hurt deeply by the false doctrines and practices of this church. And unfortunately most people do not understand the difference. What we must concern ourselves with is making sure we do know the difference between the Church of scripture and the church that man has contrived and that we keep our eyes on the Lord and our feet on the path that He would have us trod. If we do those two things then we will always be in the Church for we will be one of those who comprise the Body of Christ.

When God showed me the Church many years ago I realized I could never be happy with any thing else. In essence I was spoiled but spoiled in a good way. My prayer for you is that you too will see the Church of the scriptures and that you will strive to make Her all that God intends Her to be.

Just something to think about.

Pastor Jordan

NEW KNEES

This year has been an interesting year thus far because of something my wife has experienced. She has been given two new knees. I say given, that is not entirely true. I am sure they have cost a bundle but her health insurance has paid the majority of the expenses incurred. Lynn has dealt with really bad knees for the past ten years but there is now "light at the end of the tunnel" for her. What a joy it will be to get up in the mornings and be able to walk around free of pain. We are so anxious for the healing process to complete itself so she can have a part of her life back that she has not known for many years.

As a pastor of twenty eight years I have been involved in a lot of people's lives that have dealt with debilitating pain and/or handicaps that have robbed them of some aspect of their lives. These problems have touched both young and old alike. Some have suffered terribly.

As Christians we have both a promise and a hope of better days ahead of us in a place we call Heaven. It is a place to genuinely look forward to. I never realized how much so until my experience with my heart problem last year. On April 11 I suffered a "light" heart attack (Whatever a "light" heart attack is. It felt pretty "heavy" to me at the time!) For the better part of an hour I honestly thought I was going to die. I was saddened by the fact I was about to leave my family behind (or so I thought) but at the same time I felt a sense of peace that, to date, I have never been able to adequately describe to any one. I was ready to go! As a matter of fact for the next few weeks following that day I almost felt cheated (if that is the right word to use) that I didn't get to go. It would kind of been like someone telling a ten year old "We are going to Disney tomorrow" and then they didn't take you.

It is obvious that God had other plans for my life and I am excited to see the fulfilment of those plans. But the day will come when every born again Child of God will make it to Heaven and what a day that will be. Each of us will be given a new body, incorruptible, eternal, never to wear out again!! There will be a lot of new knees, hips, backs, etc. given out when we get to heaven some day.

I sincerely pray that each and every person who might read this blog has made the necessary preparation to go to Heaven some day. All one must do is acknowledge to one's self they are a sinner and confess the same to God and ask Him to forgive them of their sin and invite Jesus to come into their heart to live by faith and then you will be well on your way to making Heaven your home some day. And what a day that will be when we finally get there.

Just something to think about.

Pastor Jordan