My heart is overflowing about the tremendous day we had at Friendship Harmony yesterday! As you know, it was our first anniversary of being a fully constituted church. The Lord gave us a tremendous service. It was one of those days when you went home really rejoicing and feeling like you’d been to church --- church the way it’s supposed to be. We started the day with terrific attendance. I believe it was a record breaker. Last Thursday our visitation teams made over six hundred contacts. God honored their efforts by sending folk in. The Majestic Sounds Quartet from Wilmington, Ohio came to sing for us, and they did a fantastic job. Our people really enjoyed them, and have asked me to invite them back. This was our first time having outside singers come in, and I didn’t quite know what to expect. I knew the congregation would like them, but it is hard to book someone a year in advance when you do not own your own building. The civic association we rent from each Sunday has a full slate of their own activities, and we do not want to interfere with them. They have been really good to us, and we try to treat them with the utmost Christian courtesy and respect. We were also happy to have Jennifer Horton and Everett Rafferty from The Royal Palm Baptist Association with us. It is always good to see them. They both had a big hand in helping us through our early formation process. After the preaching service, we stayed and enjoyed a turkey, ham, and all the fixings fellowship meal. Our ladies, who are the best cooks in the entire Southern Baptist Convention, out-did themselves. The food was awesome! The pulpit stands about eight feet from the counter. Before church lots of food was brought in. The trouble I had was with the turkey. I love good turkey. The fumes from that bird were blowing right in the direction of the pulpit. It was tough breathing that in and trying to stay focused on the message.
My message yesterday was about going forward. As I was preparing it, I thought about when Friendship Harmony started and how far the Lord has brought us. I thought, “Where do we go from here?” The obvious answer is we go forward. I came up with a simple, three point sermon that would direct us as how to proceed. We go forward by standing, by walking, and by running. As I dug deep into the Scriptures to validate my three main points, it became very clear that I could not fit it all in with one sermon and do justice to the word of God. With the direction of the Holy Spirit, it was decided I would preach a three part series, with each week dedicated to one of the points. Below are the notes from yesterday as we looked at Going Forward By Standing Still. I hope they are of benefit to you.
Going Forward By Standing Still
Various Scriptures
Going Forward Series 1 of 3 By Victor Cooper
2/9-11/12
Intro: To Go for Jesus we must do three things: stand, walk, and run. This week we look at the paradox of going forward by standing still.
I. We stand to consider God’s majesty.
Job 37:14 Hearken unto this, O Job: stand still, and consider the wondrous works of God.
A. This is our starting point on our journey forward.
B. Considering God‘s majesty keep us focused.
Cf. Psalm 111:2 The works of the Lord are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein.
Adam Clarke Commentary --- The wondrous works of God—Endless in their variety; stupendous in their structure; complicated in their parts; indescribable in their relations and connections; and incomprehensible in the mode of their formation, in the cohesion of their parts, and in the ends of their creation.
II. We stand in the ways that have proven true.
Jeremiah 6:16 Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.
A. Stand in the ways of God’s righteousness.
JFB Commentary --- Idolatry and apostasy are the modern way; the worship of God the old way. Evil is not co-equal with good, but a modern degeneracy from good.
B. Why stand? To keep from moving in a wrong direction.
Quote: “If you’ve got a good horse, you ride him till he drops.” (Howard Cooper) i.e. Stick with what works.
III. We stand in the house of the Lord.
Jeremiah 7:2 Stand in the gate of the Lord's house, and proclaim there this word, and say, Hear the word of the Lord, all ye of Judah, that enter in at these gates to worship the Lord.
A. Be found in Church. Hebrews 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
B. Stand and proclaim the word of God..
1. They are of the utmost importance.
John 5:39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
IV. We stand in the wisdom of God.
1 Cor. 2:5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
A. The Book of Proverbs is an encapsulated version of the wisdom of God.
B. Read one Proverb a day corresponding with the date. For example on the 12th of the month, read Proverbs 12.
Cf Job 12:13 With him is wisdom and strength, he hath counsel and understanding.
As some of you may know, my mom, Alene Cooper, is currently in the ICU at Jewish Hospital in Cincinnati. She had to have emergency surgery this past Friday for a serious gall bladder issue. Hers was within hours of rupturing. Her vital signs are good, but she is having trouble keeping her blood oxygen numbers where they want them. She is on the respirator, but they are slowly trying to wean her off it. Also, she has infection in her blood, but those numbers too are trending downward. Please continue to keep her in your prayers. We will keep you updated on the Friendship Harmony Facebook page.
Next week Pastor Bob Felber will be preaching, and will return us to our prophecy series. If you are in the area, please come be with us. I hope you have a good week wherever you are. If you have to shovel snow, or fight with ice, please exercise caution and stay safe. Keep yourselves well and I’ll see you next Monday Morning With Pastor Vic!
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