Do You Know The Who, What And Why of YOU?

Beloved,

How I missed you on Sunday and how I am so looking forward to seeing you again soon. We have the budget presentation this evening at 6:30pm. We have the Black History Program on Saturday and we have worship service on the last Sunday of February coming up. I plan on being there and I hope you will also.

We should come together often as a church family because coming together helps to remind us of who we are, what we are supposed to be doing and why we are supposed to be doing it.

If we spend too much time in the world that we are supposed to be in but not of, we will find ourselves being more like the world that we are in but not supposed to be of. And, in time, we will find that we are not only in the world but, as defined by our thoughts, words and deeds, we will be of the world too.

I pray that you understand that there is supposed to be a difference and the difference means everything in this world and the world to come.

The Apostle Peter revealed in 1 Peter 2:9, "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light."

Many people can lay claim on who they are. Among other categories, people are defined by race, color, creed, gender and national origin. That is natural.

We are called to more. Who are we? We are a chosen race (adopted into the family by Jesus Christ). We are a royal priesthood (given a charge according to our being Christian, Christ followers). We are a holy nation (the promise to Abraham fulfilled by God).

Many people can lay claim to a religion as to what they are. The world has many religions running the gamut of those who call God Allah, Yahweh, Jehovah. There are those who worship nature. There are those who give themselves to Satan. There are those who believe that there is something or someone greater than themselves. And, there are those who believe we are just an incredible cosmic occurrence without a god having anything at all to do with it. In the limited mind of humankind, that is natural.

We are called to more. What are we? We are God's own people, created in His image, saved by His grace, and being guided back to Him by the Holy Spirit.

Now, if you were feeling a little down on yourself, prayerfully, you now see that you are an incredible work in progress by the Master Creator who has made you for a purpose.

And, what is that purpose?

Many people can lay claim on what they want to do, want to be and want to have. With the possibilities offered in the world, that is natural.

We are called to more. Why did God invest so much into you? God has made you to proclaim His mighty acts. And, for you, His mightiest act was not giving you life. His mightiest act was not giving you a mind to think and achieve. His mightiest act was not making you handsome, beautiful, or any other attractive physical attribute. His mightiest act was not giving you that house, car, job, or any other part of creation. All of those things are natural. Saints and sinners alike can lay claim to any.

His mightiest act was calling you out of darkness into His marvelous light through salvation offered by His Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ, and providing a guide and counselor, the Holy Spirit. And, that is supernatural. And, when you will dare to speak of Him in reverence and faith, you are speaking into the natural world the power of the supernatural, one, true God.

Now, you might not be able to remember all of that. Just remember that you are a child of the most High God. Just remember that you are blessed and highly favored. And, just remember that God wants you to tell somebody that what He has done for you, He will do for anyone else.

I want to thank you all for your prayers during my surgery and now this journey of recovery. As I have prayed for and continue to pray for all of you, I ask that you please do the same for me. We will always be stronger together than we will ever be alone.

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

Be blessed,

Rev. Cain