Last week you did not get a Monday Morning Blog. I was having computer issues, but I believe the kinks have been worked out. Last week Friendship Harmony celebrated its second anniversary as a fully constituted, fully functioning church. It doesn’t seem like two years, but indeed it has been. Friendship Harmony was actually launched on August 29, 2010, but it takes several months to work out the legalities. Sister Jennifer Horton of the Royal Palm Baptist Association was our guide through the process. I speak for our entire Church when I say, “Thank you,” to both Jennifer, and our local Director of Missions, Everett Rafferty. Without them, the process would have been very difficult.
This year we celebrated with the music from Fiddlin’ Bill. Bill sings and saws a hot fiddle. The folks jumped in with him and sang along to most of his songs. It indeed was a Christ honoring time.
What Christian celebration would be complete without food? There was a ton of it! The meal featured turkey, ham, stuffing, potatoes, and other delicious items. Desserts? There was enough to raise you blood sugar to a thousand. I took it easy on the desserts, but our Associate Pastor, Bob Felber, made his “Black Walnut Cake.” It is by far and away my favorite. I love black walnuts however you care to use them.
Yesterday, I continued the sermon series, God’s Doors. It was number two in a series of four. The notes are below and the video should be on YouTube by mid week. If you missed the notes from message one, from this blog scroll down to the blog from Monday, January 28. The video from part one, as well as other videos can be found at www.youtube.com. At their home page, type Friendship Harmony Baptist Church into the banner. Here are the notes from yesterday’s part two.
God’s Open Doors ©
various
Series: God’s Doors By: Pastor Vic Cooper
2 of 4
Intro: Last time we saw four different open doors. To refresh our memory they were a door of answered prayer, a door of utterance, a door of service, and a door of Heaven. Today we will look at a door of opportunity, a door of faith, and a door of hope.
I. A door of opportunity. Rev. 3:7-8 And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth; [8] I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.
A. Note: The Lord opened the door and put it in place.
B. Note also: The open door is a reward for faithful service.
1. “In this life, the greatest reward for faithful service is more opportunities for service.” Pastor Vic Cooper
2. In the life to come the reward will be the crown of righteousness. 2 Tim. 4:8a Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day…
C. Pray and ask God specifically for a door of opportunity.
II. A door of faith. Acts 14:27 And when they were come, and had gathered the church together, they rehearsed all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles.
A. You cannot come to Christ without faith. Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
B. You cannot have faith unless God gives it. (v27)
C. What it teaches is that, “You had no more to do with your spiritual birth than you did your physicial birth. Pastor B. J. Thomas
D. Pray and ask God for a door of faith.
III. A door of hope. Hosea 2:15 And I will give her her vineyards from thence, and the valley of Achor for a door of hope: and she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt.
A. Israel is being promised a future reversal of God’s attitude toward them.
1. The vineyards will grow in the very wilderness through which once they wandered.
2. The Valley of Achor was the site of Achan’s sin. Then it was a door of disaster. (Joshua 7) In the future it will be a door of hope.
B. Israel will be restored - God said so!
C. Pray and ask God for a door of hope.
Conclusion: A door of opportunity, a door of faith, a door of hope. The door is there - the door is open; what will you do.
I hope you are staying warm where you are. It is even cold here. As I write this blog, it is 49 degrees. I know for some of you that might seem warm right about now, but for us 47 feels like 27. By Tuesday we should be back into the low 80’s. By way of an announcement, we are trying raise $5000 for our building fund. Right now, Friendship Harmony meets in rented space. Because of that, we are limited as to what we can do. Many times we would like to have something on Saturday evening, or through the week, but we cannot. If you would like to help, please send your check to Friendship Harmony Baptist Church; 2296 Date Street; St. James City, Florida, 33956. Your gift is tax deductible, and a receipt will be returned to you. Please help us reach our goal! Have a good week and I’ll see you next Monday Morning With Pastor Vic!!!
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