You are saved but are you following

Beloved,

Here we are on another Wednesday and we have so much to be thankful for. We have life as evidenced by you reading this email. We have life everlasting as evidenced by your confession of faith. We have hope in this world and hope for the world to come. We are blessed.

I pray that you are safe after the storm that swept through and kept us from gathering on Sunday. I am prayerful that we will all be together this upcoming Sunday. I always miss you when we are not together.

It is our common hope in Christ and confession of faith in God through Him that binds us together as a church family.

That church family aspect of our being is revealed in our membership.

But, we would be like any other organization without the focus on Christ and being Christians.

In Luke 9:23, Jesus put it this way, "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me."

My brothers and sisters, fathers and mothers, sons and daughters in Christ, are you following the Jesus that you profess or are you trying to get Him to follow you?

When we put our wants and desires above the working ministry of Jesus Christ and there is little evidence that we are truly working out our soul salvation, then we are not denying ourselves. We are simply seeking to do what we want and asking Jesus to say it is okay.

What is your cross?

What have you been asked to do that you could do that you will not do, complain about doing, or make excuses for not doing?

I am not trying to get on you or bring you down. We, including myself in the we, all have crosses to bear. And, sometimes, we want to lay them down and do our own thing. Sometimes it is so tempting to want to "do me".

But, Christ did for us on the cross what we should have done, died for our sins.

Whatever cross we have to bear for Him is miniscule in comparison. And, we should do it gladly as our way of showing our gratitude for all He has done for us.

You are saved and you are Christian; but, are you following Christ?

Today is a very good day to examine yourself and ask the question. Your best self awaits you and will only be found in you following Him.

I look forward to seeing those who are desiring to live their best life and follow Jesus at church service on Sunday.

Lord willing and weather permitting, we will also start HOPE Wednesday next Wednesday. I will have books to pass out on Sunday. I am hopeful and prayerful that those who are going to not only live saved but also follow the one who saved them will commit to showing up for HOPE Wednesday. Be there and bring someone with you.

And, remember, God loves you and I love you too.

Be blessed,

Rev. Cain