But Jesus said, “Let her alone; she has kept this for the day of My burial. 8 For the poor you have with you always, but Me you do not have always.” John 12:7-8

 What if Jesus knocked on your door to come and stay 24 hours with you? What would that look like? Would you get a busy serving, or would you let Him guide and direct what happens? We would get busy for many of us, but we can learn a lot from Lazarus, who was dead four days and raised from the dead by Jesus. Lazarus now knows what it is to be really alive, and it is not busyness but stillness sitting at the table with the Lord Jesus. Jesus has Lazarus’ undivided attention, and we need to know that it is okay to show up to sit and listen to him. As we look to post COVID-19, things will speed up in search of a new normal. Let that new normal be more time with Jesus. Jesus’ coming was that we could come to him and find rest (Matthew 11:28). Even as Jesus prepared for His final week before His death, He was changing attitudes, perceptions, and activities of all those He encountered. He continued to shepherd and give a glimpse of the table He is preparing in the presence of our enemies (Psalm 23:5). Submission to the Lord is a good place, but many of us don’t see it until we have a catastrophic life event. 

 When Jesus comes into our lives, it is never an ordinary event. In fact, He brings value to our living experiences that no earthly thing could buy. This truth is demonstrated by Mary’s devotion to the Lord Jesus. She not only anoints Him with costly oil, but she wipes his feet with her hair. Both of these acts exhibit extreme gratitude for the Lord’s value and worth to who she is now. She experienced the truth of the gospel shared and lived out through the raising of her brother Lazarus (Luke 4:18-19). Her sacrifice revealed her reality of Jesus Christ being her King and her Lord, whose gospel feet are beautiful (Romans 10:15). Mary saw that her rightful place was at the Lord’s feet. Our lives are to be a living sacrifice to God and not to money.

The character difference between Mary and Judas is exposed, not to condemn Judas but to reveal an opportunity for Him to grow. The Lord could have sent him away, but any dialogue with the Lord is an opportunity for transformation if our hearts are willing. Judas is known for his self-interest and doing what he wants by any means necessary. Yet, Judas did understand that helping the poor was a good thing and the right thing to do (Deuteronomy 15:11). The problem was that Judas is missing this valuable moment in time to focus on Jesus and misunderstood than any serving we do must be an outgrowth of our devotion to the Lord. Loving the Lord with all of our being is commanded of us. In other words, there must be with an intensity in our loving relationship with God. Judah was invited to a place of humility so that the right elevation and caring can happen for him (1 Peter 5:6-7).

 What does loving the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind look like for you? Our love must be complete and undivided. When all of our heart, mind, soul, and strength express our full devotion to the Lord, we will be free to get in place at His table, at His feet, or in humble service to Him. In His preparation, He continues to prepare others to follow Him. Get in place!

Because He lives,

Pastor Reggie Sheppard

Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. (Galatians 6:2)

There is so much hurt, suffering, and pain being experienced by so many today. How can the Church be ever ready to meet the needs of those who are suffering? It is evident that a competitive atmosphere does not bring harmony to the fellowship. It may be welcome in athletics or other secular venues, but not among the family of God. Our relationship with others must be an expression of the depth of our relationship with God. Irritating and inflaming others so that quarrels and infighting ensue is not keeping in step with the Spirit of God. We must stop comparing ourselves with one another as if one of us is better and worse (Gal 5:27-28). There must be unity and harmony as we witness to the world the power of God and the ministry of reconciliation and oneness he has given us. Social divisions or gender prejudices are not acceptable in Christ’s Church, for we are all one in Christ Jesus (Gal 3:28).

The weight of real struggles can fall upon any one of us, and a defeated brother or sister in Christ should be a problem for every believer. Sometimes we all can become overwhelmed by our circumstances, and our faith starts to shrink, causing us to lose hope. We can grow weary and even begin to wonder if going on is worth it. We long for the better day and life we hoped for, but the pressures to give up are coming from every side. As we wait on the Lord sometimes, we must encourage ourselves in the Lord, like David. But for those of us who are well, we must help those who are overwhelmed—letting them know that these light momentary afflictions are preparing for us an eternal weight of glory. Love never gives up on anyone, and for this reason, we help carry the heavy load of our brothers and sisters. Gospel Fellowship lightens the heavy burden of those suffering and in sin without condemning them. He who is without sin let him cast the first stone; correction is not to punish anyone but that they may be restored to the fellowship (John 8:2-11). 

Unhealthy pride is a problem in the community of faith; it elevates self over others and creates the false narrative that similar shortcomings and failures are no longer possible for some. Conceit and selfish pride are an evil trap, and we can become so consumed with self and spiritually blinded. We can become unresponsive to the reality that there is none good but God and that all have sinned and come short of His glory. Any success and elevation that has come our way are only by God’s gracious and all-powerful hand and not of ourselves. It is a trap that all of us can fall prey to, that somehow we have arrived at a place where we can no longer be tempted to sin and fall. Yet, as we access God’s grace, our strength and pride are redeemed in his power made perfect in us to sustain and keep us. Gospel fellowship lifts others, knowing it could be any one of us in the same’s shoes. All of us can be tempted and fall (1 Cor 10:12-13). Member’s and leader’s community responsibilities do not replace a person’s responsibility for personal decisions and actions before God. It is everyone’s responsibility to do our creative best where we can with our own life! It is a sin to avoid your responsibilities while seeking the help of others.

Bear one another burden (weight of suffering and sin) and so fulfill the law of Christ (Gal 6:2). The Church is where we model Christ’s love as we help share the heavy load through encouragement by coming alongside one another. We don’t pick up stones to condemn; we help each other stand up from underneath the weight pressing you down and cause you to stumble and fall. When we come together is to help lighten the heavy load that may be on someone letting them know that they are not alone. Sometimes the weight is an overwhelming thought or feeling that you can’t get up from under. Sometimes the weight is discouragement because there are too many things for you to carry all at once. Love gives balance to our community and individual responsibilities (1 John 2:14-17). You are not alone! Turn from loneliness, turn from fear, turn for guilt and shame, turn from the love of this world. Turn to the love of God in Christ Jesus. Turn to the love that never gives up on you. Turn to the love that will never fail. Turn to love! Gospel fellowship is a faith community turning to the power of Christ’s love to bring unity and harmony among us.

Because He lives,

Pastor Reggie Sheppard

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23

 A saying comes to mind, “fruit does not fall far from its tree.” In other words, you can know children’s quality of character by their parental influences. You can realize one’s behavior from their source of guidance and direction. Loving one another is the Christian brother and sister’s proof that we are of the Father stock and Spirit. However, living right cannot be carried out without help, nor can we produce what is required of us to be fruitful in our relationships alone. Jesus says, “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing (John 15:5).” Instead of producing gospel fruit in relationships, we can become consumers; instead of givers, we can become takers until we are nothing (Galatians 5:15). The effects of sin disconnect us from the fellowship and sweet communion with Christ the True Vine, who is the source of our living union with the Father.

What is holding back gospel fruit and breakthroughs in many people’s lives and relationships is a denial of the corruption that is still present with us. Our old sinful nature is showing up when it wants and demanding satisfaction. The presence of sin in us can cause us to condemn ourselves even though we have been changed in Christ Jesus. But our God is Alpha and the Omega. He is the God who helps us deal with our past, helps us stay grounded in our present, and helps us to be filled with hope for our future; there is no condemnation in Him (John 3:17; Rom 8:1-2). Our new pattern of life is fresh and young, but our old ways are stubborn and resistant to the needed change happening within us. We are no longer spiritual cannibals and can look up now from the lowlands of despair, hungry and thirsty for our spiritual food and the life that it brings. We have learned that prayer works, love works, forgiveness works for the peace, and other gospel fruit to be produced in us and made effective around us.

There is a song by Rev. Timothy Wright that says, “trouble don’t last always, and weeping may endure for a night, but keep that faith it will be alright.” God promised never to leave nor forsake us, not that we won’t have problems. He is not taking the problems away but proving himself faithful with us through our trials. The most important thing we must recognize is that the change in us as we walk and talk with him through our problems is producing spiritual fruit in us (Gal 5:22-23). Through all of your difficulties, the gospel fruit produced in you shows your spiritual diet and whose Spirit you are walking.

What Scripture are you turning to help guide you to produce the character you need in your situation? The truth about Christ’s love and personality is express in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 saying, “love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things; love never fails.” Keep in step with the Holy Spirit, applying God’s wisdom as He fills you and enables you by producing gospel fruit in you. He will produce in you the qualities necessary for your spiritual life; the love, the joy, the peace, the patience, the kindness, the goodness, the faithfulness, the gentleness, and the self-control you need as followers of Christ and children of God.

Because He lives,

Pastor Reggie Sheppard

Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. Galatians 4:7

Freedom from bondage and oppression can ring hollow when the provisions needed for redemption and restoration are lacking or nonexistent.  Yet, when the needed provisions are found, life can be enjoyed with freedom being the boundaries upon which we experience the favor of God.  Freedom by the way of the gospel message forecast the will of God that we can align ourselves with His purpose and plan for our lives. As we respond in faith to God’s word and His redemptive plan for us, He makes the needed provision in us and around us. Gospel freedom is a new living experience we are born into through faith in the Lord and wrought of God’s powerful presence transforming us from the inside out. However, as we mature with God’s help, we are both learning to live free and unlearning to live in bondage (Galatians 4:1-3).  As God’s word takes root in our hearts we begin to grow up and into our spiritual garments fashioned for us even before we were born.

There is an old saying, “you can teach and old dog new tricks.”  It suggests that those who have had a traditional pattern of life cannot learn new or are reluctant and refuse to embrace a new pattern of living even though it may be prescribed and fruitful. In the United States there are over 400,000 children in foster care and about 115,000 of them are waiting for adoption having no families to return.  Adoption means a new parental experience and relationship, a new identity, under a new authority, and a new life and future. God prepared the world for His Son, so that all who receive Him would have a right to become children of God (Galatians 4:5-5; John 1:12). Gospel freedom is shaped by the word of God releasing us from the shackles that once limited us and begins the essential healing to become who we are destined to be in Christ Jesus.

As children of God, as we grow in Christ, we are maturing to receive our new freedom with appreciation and gratitude. Rules and regulations are not what make us free, but it is our growing relationship with the Father through Christ Jesus.  Therefore, we must watch and pray for the flesh is weak, but the Spirit is strong (Matthew 26:41). God has loving patience as we grow, be patient with yourself and watch Him provide all you need to keep moving forward.  Christ’s coming marks the time in redemption history that the opportunities of the Law have past and the opportunities of God’s grace have come to all who believe.

You may have thoughts and feelings of discouragement because things are taking longer than you would like them.  Use your gift of time wisely remembering that distractions can come disguised as opportunities. Remember, the more seasoned you become in Christ the more you will be able to recognize and weigh the difference between good ideas and God’s ideas. Embrace each opportunity to share your hope.  Why, because giving an on-time word to those who need us the most is how breakthroughs happen. Be courageous watching God turn the bitter waters sweet. Pattern your life as the Father sees you not as slaves or outsiders, but as both sons and heirs of the promise through Christ Jesus.

Because He lives,

Pastor Reggie Sheppard