The Future Is As Bright As The Promises Of God

‘“Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.” When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.” With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day. ‘ Acts 2:36-41

Pastor Rurel Ausley preached the message today at Crosspoint Church in Niceville, Florida: “The Future is as bright as the promises of God.”

When the church formed during Pentecost in Jerusalem, Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, preached the first sermon after the death of Jesus and the result from that sermon was 3000 added to the church. As part of today’s service, my wife Tracy and I stood in front of the church to join Crosspoint officially with approximately 12 others, so this message was a good tie to joining the church.

So, the question at hand is: What makes a good church?

Is it a church that has a worship band?

Or how about a choir?

Does the church have pews, or do they have chairs?

Do they use a hymnal, or do they sing contemporary music?

Do they use the NIV, or are they KJV only?

So, where do we go for the answer? As with any question about faith, it should be the Bible itself.

‘They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.’ Acts 2:42-47

When we look at the church that started that day on Pentecost, we see the characteristics of a good church. The early church members devoted themselves to:

• The apostles teaching
• The fellowship
• The breaking of bread
• Prayer

The definition of ” devote “ means to “give all or a large part of one’s time or resources to.”

The definition of ” devoted “ is “very loving or loyal” or “given over to the display, study, or discussion of.”

This devotion is something that happens when Jesus changes the heart. When I was broken and Jesus picked me up, my heart changed. He is still working in my heart, and I love to spend time in God’s Word, listening to great preaching, and studying the Bible with other believers.

A heart genuinely submitted to the Lord will possess the desire to be around others in the church. And it won’t be any other way.

Does this mean that you like everyone you come in contact with at the church?

No, there will be those who may not have been saved but feel obligated to a religion they may have grown up with.

The problem is that we can not see the other person’s heart, BUT God can. It is not even our place to be seeking these people out anyway. Our responsibility is to serve those around us.

‘I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong— that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith. ‘ Romans 1:11-12

The reason for the fellowship is to encourage each other, as Paul so eloquently puts it in Romans 1.

In most cases, when we come into the church, we will need to be encouraged more often than not, but as we grow spiritually, we will become more encouraging to those around us. It should be an upward progression for us.

‘His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins. ‘ 2 Peter 1:3-9

1. A good church will have outstanding leadership, not just the pastor. The leadership will focus on teaching from the Word of God. It is by God’s Word that change happens in the heart.
2. A good church will have high standards for its members. These standards will be based on the Bible. A church growing spiritually is an effective witness to the community it serves.
3. A good church is a group of people who have committed to whatever God asks. Our mission found in Matthew 28 is to make disciples and baptize them in the name of the Lord. This happens when the membership is “ALL IN.”
4. A good church is where people are in harmony. Harmony should be based on sound Biblical doctrine, not individual preference.
5. A good church is marked when the people who give their lives to God learn how to give, in both money and time.
6. A good church is not perfect. You will be sorely disappointed if you are looking for the perfect church.

None of this matters if we are not growing spiritually as individuals.

One of my favorite sayings is from John F Kennedy’s Inaugural Address:

“Ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country.”

Not only does this thinking pertain to our country, but it should be a mindset that we should have in our churches.

Heavenly Father, thank You for Your saving grace and mercy.

I pray that with every day that passes, You draw us closer to You through Your Word.

I pray that Your Word will affect my mind and attitude and that it becomes as natural as breathing in and out.

In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray, Amen!! 🙏❤️