We have really begun to make some progress with the down stairs remodeling project. We have one side of the basement completely framed, and hope to be able to make a big dent on the other side Thursday. Please continue to pray for us as we make progress. It’s really exciting to see what God is doing in our church. I am so looking forward to baptizing David and Paul Sunday. What is happening in our remodeling is also happening with our members.
I must say, I love to see the changes being made in the basement. Even though it is not a finished product at this moment, it is a sign of the things to come. There is dust everywhere. Rubble litters the floor. The wires are hanging down everywhere. However, in the midst of the rubble, dust, and destruction there are signs of what is to come as we see new walls being raised up. If you have not seen it, I would encourage you go to down in the basement and see the transformation as it takes place in the life of our Church.
It would be alright if you never saw the step by step transformation that is happening in the basement, but there is another transformation taking place in the life of our Church that you really can’t afford to miss. There are people all around you who are being transformed into the image of Christ. They still make mistakes. Their lives are sometimes full of rubble and dust, but I would remind you, they are not a finished project. They are a work in progress, just like you are. I love watching this process take place in the life of a Christian. God is constantly tearing out the old and raising up the new. We are not yet what we should be, but He is continually molding and forming us into His image. And listen to this beautiful sentence, “He who began a good work in us will continue it until the day of Christ. How wonderful are those words. It is a sure thing. God finishes what He starts. Wooo Hoooo!
What grieves me terribly, is to see those who claim the name of Christ, yet this process is not taking place in their lives. That would be like me saying that we are remodeling the sanctuary. Those of you who see our sanctuary every week would have a problem with that statement. You could say, “I’ve not seen any evidence of change to our sanctuary.” You could even call me a liar. However, if I told you we are remodeling the basement, you could go down and look and see evidence that we are remodeling the basement. Even though it is not a finished product, you can see evidence that the process has begun. It may be a slow progress, but it is progress none the less. So it is with everyone who has been born again.
There are two things I want to mention in closing. The first is, “do you see and feel this process taking place in your life?”. Are you daily, being changed into the image of God? You can feel it, because it is both painful and joyful. It hurts when God tears out sin and rebuilds holiness in its place. But oh! the joy that feels your soul, because it is proof that you are His, and He is yours. Hallelujah! If this is not happening in your life, I want to urge you to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ!
The other thing, is that our church is full of people who are a work in progress. We are all being conformed to the image of Christ. We should be encouraged when we see this process happening in others around us. We should be there to help them fight the good fight of the faith. We should be there to cry with them as God tears sin from their lives. We should teach them to give glory to God for what He is doing in their lives. The reconstruction in the basement makes me happy, but the reconstruction I see in myself and those around me makes me much happier.
Is this process taking place in your life? That’s the question!
In Christ,
Toby
The tournament is not until tomorrow, but I thought I would go ahead and let Dave Reynolds know that I will be beating him. He really thinks that I’m going to let him win again, but that is not going to happen. If you know Dave’s number, I want to encourage you to call him and let him know what I have said. Tell him that he has no chance in beating the master fisherman, TOBY JENKINS. It’s not prideful if its true. LOL!!!