the Pastor's pen - SEPTEMBER 2023

Greetings to Everyone,


    I hope in the Lord that everyone is getting along well. The drama is well underway, and the effects of the efforts will always follow. I believe the Lord will take the message portrayed and use it mightily to all who come. I believe decisions will be made by many, whether salvation or re-dedication and quite possibly restoration. I also believe that the drama will and should affect us at Lanier too. The longer hours, extra efforts, demands and work will surely test us. It will test your physical strength and spiritual wellness certain to reveal where each of us are in our walk with Christ Jesus.


    Part of our trouble in life is trying to add something good to an already over busy schedule. Rather than restructure our priorities we choose to just pile on more and then we are unable to give the Lord our best not to mention our attitude suffers. In Philippians, 2:12 – 18 the apostle Paul made it clear that Christians should obey the Lord in all things for He has the final word, and He should. Part of working out your salvation with fear and trembling is taking the ineffective in your day-to-day affairs of life and imputing the work of God in your life out of gratitude for the good things God has done. Doing more doesn’t mean letting everything else we do go by the wayside, nor does it give us the right to develop and attitude because of it.


    There are times when emergencies trump normal, but the drama is not an emergency. It is a prayer sought decision for our church to undergo and we should do it and do it well, as unto the Lord, pleasing the Lord in our actions and attitudes. Aside from the drama our service unto the Lord for His church should look the same way. Serve the Lord with gladness. Regardless of what position we hold or talent we possess or committee we serve on we do not need to do it with a complaining or argumentative attitude.


    We cannot do everything the Lord wants done and needs to be done during our times for Sunday school, and before or after or during our Sunday morning, Sunday evening, and Wednesday night services. Each person bears the responsibility beyond position to help with the functioning of the church and to help meet the needs of others. Everyone can help pick-up, clean-up, serve, and be proud to be a working member of your church. Get off the pew, greet visitors and even follow up with a visit. (Not on FB, X or whatever...) Check on one another if someone is missing and you do not see them. Everyone can be kind to everyone and express thankfulness for one another. Philippians 3:16 only let us live up to what we have already attained.


    Living up to what we have attained is what I now express in this monthly letter. I think we know better...we just choose not to. I think we can do things...we just won’t. I think we hear...we don’t obey. I think we see … we choose to look the other way. There are times we do … though begrudgingly. We are to shine like stars in a crooked and depraved generation around us. We can do better, we should do better, we will do better!


    To all that are faithful, fruitful obedient to Christ thank you.


In Christ

Bro. Mike


*REMEMBER: Hard task take time; impossibilities just take a little longer!