Expectations

An expectation is the hope or dread of a future circumstance.  They vary in degree and longevity.  Today, I want to speak concerning the hope of future joys and triumph.  Each of us have expectations that we give very little thought to.  Such as, when we go to sleep we expect to wake up to another day or we sit down and expect the chair to hold us up.  However, there are many expectations that we dwell upon.  These give us great joy while we do not possess or see the end of the hope. 

Romans 8 says we are saved by hope, but hope that is seen is not hope.  For we do not hope for that which has already come to pass.  We do not hope for a rose that has bloomed.  We hope while the rose is but a bud.  There are timely, daily expectations that we long to have accomplished.  I greatly desire and am comforted by the thought of leaving work at the end of the day and coming home with my children to be together with my wife as a family.  Sometimes the events of the day or week prevent this from true.  Proverbs says that hope deferred maketh the heart sick.  If it is deferred enough, the hope will diminish to a degree that it may become  inperceptible or die.  We read in Luke 24 that the disciples of the Lord had hope it was he that should restore Israel.  Their hope had died when Jesus died.  Peter would write that he was begotten again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus from the dead.  Evidently his hope had died and was resurrected when Jesus was resurrected.   

The salvation that hope gives does not save us to heaven and has nothing to do with eternal salvation.  Otherwise it would never diminish and never grow.  It would be as constant and unchanging as Christ since his seed remains in us.  We are strengthen for the tasks we face every hour by the hope that they will be accomplished and have an end.  The tasks that continue many days have an end and expectation begins and grows as we see the "light at the end of the tunnel".  Solomon said the end of a thing is better that the begining.  we have experienced this truth.

One such expectation that saves me weekly is the expectation that Sunday is less than a week away.  I long for the fellowship and communion with my dear Lord, as well as with his saints.  We have regular meeting times and special meeting times.  Special meaning annual or randomly scheduled events.  We also have communions (Lord's Supper) and baptisms in which we observe the ordinances that the Lord put into his church.  These are very high days in my expectation.  Soon we will have the West Amite Association.  This gives us the opportunity to fellowship with friends and brethren that we do not see as regularly as we would like.  It gives us a very small glimpse of the second coming of Christ.  In a small way, every meeting time gives us that glimpse.  There is a gathering with the Lord and his people that is spiritual.  We rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory as we sing praise to our King, pray together in  his name, and hear the glory and might of our Saviour preached.  The larger the gathering the more it reminds me of the day that Jesus will come, himself, and gather his people out of every kindred, tongue, people, and nation. 
It is not a perfect picture, as there are those who will not be with us that have been the pillars and faithful examples in years gone by.  We miss their presence and long for the day when we will again see them in glory and power. 

The salvation that is found in our expectations are never as great and joyous as when they are fulfilled.  But there are many days of drinking from the saucer as we long for and expect to see our Lord and worship his holy name.  May we make a point to expect often and be refreshed together as many days as we can.  May we not let the affairs of this life entangle us and rob us from our salvations by hope.  Brethren, expect!  Our God is in the heavens, he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased.

Spring

As Spring has bloomed in Southwest Mississippi, I rejoice to see things which were dead come to life again.  We are blessed to see the beautiful picture of the resurrection.  Not only life, but vibrant, beautiful, majestic, glorious life.  The colors of Fall show our fall by age and death.  Gradually, we all fade as a leaf.  With it comes the beauty of wisdom and faithful worship.  But the beauty of Spring far out reaches the colors of Fall, as the beauty of the resurrection far outshines the beauty of life in the church.  Although the Spirit quicketh, it is surrounded by the body of our death.  In the resurrection, we will be changed in a moment into the glorious image of our Lord Jesus Christ.  While Spring is but a picture of the resurrection, it does reveal several things.  There are so many colors which bloom forth. Jesus said that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed as one of the lilies of the valley.  Each blossom is more glorious than any righteousness of man.  Each one is but a glimpse at the divine character of Jesus Christ our Lord.  I would not presume to identify every color with a characteristic.  However, with some colors there are certain aspects of the work of Christ that come to mind when I see the beauty of Spring.  The crimson colors of some of  my wife's roses and the fields of clover that I gaze upon as I travel the undulating roads of Mississippi remind me of the pure blood of Christ which was shed for me.  The white flowers of Spring make me ponder the righteousness of Christ and perfect obedience which he freely gave to me in the new birth.  The purples make me rejoice that my king reigneth and is coming back to receive me unto himself.  The golden yellows remind me that I have an inheritance with the saints of God in heaven.  So many wonderful beauties to behold, it is little wonder why we drink from the saucer.  Our God is so GREAT!

Special Meetings

There are moments, times, days, weeks, months, and, even, years that seem to be seasons of "Living in high cotton".  I know little of the cotton growing days of our past.  But I have heard the expression and can understand the sentiment.  In the church, we have regular meetings every week and regular meetings every year.  We, also, have special meetings that are scheduled from time to time.  Every one is a special meeting because our Lord Jesus Christ has promised to dwell with us.  He created the place with His own hands.  He has fashioned her according to His own liking.  He has completely furnished her with everything she needs.  She should not want anything else, especially from one that is not her husband.  It is a great, unspeakable joy to serve Him in His church with saints and friends and kindred.
Although we regularly meet and our Lord has promised to meet with us, we still observe that there are seasons of great adoration.  Recently, I (and I trust, we) have been made to enjoy such a season.  Mt. Gilead PBC in southwest Mississippi held our Winter Meeting, in the which we were made to feel a close communion with our Lord and a few of His children.  The messages were doctrinal and instructive.  They echoed the ancient teachings that have been taught throughout the years since 1873.  The week following, I again rejoiced in the message of grace at Macedonia PBC near Ackerman, Mississippi.  I attended two services but was lifted up beyond the sight of this world at the drippings of the gospel.  Please read and consider and meditate on I Corinthians 1: 30.  What a glorious text. 
The Lord willing, tomorrow we will gather with the good brethren of Plymoth PBC near Liberty, Mississippi to ordain a brother who has been set at liberty to the full work of a gospel minister.  The older I become the greater the thankfulness at times such as these.  The harvest is still as white as ever and the labourers as few.  But the Lord continues the same yesterday, today, and forever.  To see the gifts the Lord gives and strengthens His church with and to experience the glorious revival and renewing that reaches the children of God during prayer, singing, and preaching, grants me a peace that can only acknowledged by those of like precious faith who have experience the same.  All of those who have tasted such grace, mercy, and peace have been made to drink from the saucer.  May we have short and long seasons to continually drink from the saucer.
JLA

Early Morning Coffee

It has been some time since my last blog.  Do not think that I have a lack of things to be thankful for.  I am the most blessed individual on the face of the earth.  The Lord above has blessed me with every advantage this world could afford.  Chiefly, He has giving me eternal life through Christ Jesus my Lord.  Secondarily, He has blessed me to have heard and understood the gospel of my salvation.  I have never had a need in my life that the Lord did not provide for.  As Abraham called his name Jehovah-jireh, so my Lord has provided for me.

This morning my sweet wife brought me the largest cup that we own filled with one of the simplest joys and pleasures that it found on earth, steaming hot coffee brewed to perfection.  For various reasons, everyone cannot enjoy this simple pleasure.  Some are simply too young or too stubborn to give this delight a chance to enrich their lives.  Other just do not or have not acquired a taste for the "bitter" bean.  Regardless of your personal feelings about this liquid enjoyment, please consider how good and how great our God is.

God created Adam from the dust of the earth and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life. God then planted a garden containing every tree that is pleasant to look upon and good for food.  Therefore, in my humble opinion, God put the coffee tree there to be enjoyed without restriction.  The commandment that the Lord gave to Adam stated, "...the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die."  This commandment was coupled with a great blessing, namely, "Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat."  God did not withhold a single tree fit for food and that would enrich Adam's experience in life.  God's command regarding the tree of the knowledge of good and evil was a sovereign command.  No one could nor should question why God commanded.  Adam did not need to eat of that tree.  After all, he had the coffee tree.  He, also, had every other tree that was good and fit for food.

I consider that there is not one aspect of man that was left untouched by the fall.  We know Adam died in trespasses and sins the very day he ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  We know, 930 years thereafter, Adam died a natural death because of the sin that permeated his body.   The point I want you to consider, is that Adam's taste buds were also affected by sin.  I'm not sure I can prove it other than that sin is in our flesh.  Therefore, nothing tastes as good as it actually does because our taste buds are tainted with sin.  This could be the reason why many of you do not like the wonderful flavor of the coffee bean. I do not mean that coffee lovers, such as I, are not sinners.  For myself, I despise celery.  I know Elder David Montgomery is a sinner, he hates hominy.  Each, in our own ways, prove we are sinners by nature and practice. 

I consider God's goodness in a simple enjoyment of a single solitary "food".  Although, we possess a fallen nature, we still enjoy taste tremendously.  Every time you taste a food that is yucky, remember you are a sinner.  God made everything good, man messed the taste up.  And when you enjoy the goodness that our God created for man to enjoy in the foods we eat, remember you are drinking from the saucer.  When you remember you are drinking from the saucer, thank the Lord for all His kindness towards us.  God bless you.