ACCEPTABLE WORSHIP

Early this morning, Brother Singh reposted a message that had impacted Brother Brian Wisdom in Africa, entitled 'Self-Denial, a Necessity' (2-12-2019). In that message, our Pastor introduced the concept of five soils that affect Christ's church. These soils represent different heart conditions when receiving God's word. While Jesus only spoke of four soils, as recorded in Matthew's gospel (wayside, stony ground, thorny ground, and good soil), our Pastor added a fifth type —ABSENTEEISM— to emphasize the importance of regular church attendance in maintaining a fertile heart for God's word.

Water the message from Wednesday entitled "JESUS," our elders encourage the congregation to focus on the only name under heaven by which men can be saved. He came to do the Father's will, not his own. We are urged to, "Fulfil our Pastor's by by being l"ikeminded, having the same love,  being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. (Phil. 2:2-3)

The Apostle Paul warned of "the perilous times "we live in (2 Timothy 3:1). Brother Singh stresses that if we ever needed a genuine experience with the Lord, it is now! Yet, many people misunderstand the reality of an authentic experience with Jesus. They presume that a little emotional involvement in a worship service is bona fide evidence. But, they are wrong!

God touched Sister Carol Smith's mind to exhort our assembly to be grateful that God delivers messages to our assembly through His messenger, Brother Singh! She acknowledges that we can become prisoners of traditionalism and very resistant to change. Therefore, God occasionally purges His church to institute change. She is encouraged and blessed by the elderly and infirm saints who literally pull themselves up the steps by the railing to worship in the house of God. As we draw closer to the return of Christ, our assembly has grown in sobriety and perseverance, determined to endure to the end.

Brother Singh asks a sobering question: "When I preach, do you fall asleep spiritually?" Like Paul, he asks, "Because I tell you the truth, am I your enemy?" Too many of us live in a spiritual fantasy world. Others, like the elders in Israel, carry their own stumbling blocks. "The word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their hearts and put the stumblingblock of their iniquity before their face: should I be enquired of at all by them?" (Ezekiel 14:2-3).

Sister Violet Kabiti, Chipata, Zambia, wrote a note of appreciation to Brother Singh following Wednesday's lesson. She said, "Hey, this "if" is getting into my bones! If God saw religious Israel as people who sat in darkness, in the shadow of death, how is He seeing us? If God used the sage to go look for the Savior who had been born in a manger by passing Kings and Priests of that day, if God allowed Jesus to be born in a manger, not a palace and sent angels to announce His birth to the shepherds, where do we stand?

In this captivating lesson, our Pastor invites us to imagine living in Israel just before the commencement of Jesus' ministry. Religion abounded, but two branches of Judaism were predominant: Pharisees believed in the resurrection of the dead and an afterlife, while Sadducees did not believe in either. Other sects of Judaism also flourished, but none was as influential as the primary two.

It is difficult for modern Christians to grasp the nuances of an ancient culture.

Chaos grips the world in the spring of 2025, a period Jesus described as "the beginning of sorrows." Yet, of all the generations of God's elect since the Garden of Eden, He chose our generation to endure this period of human history under the faithful leadership of His servant, Desmond R. Singh.

In this lesson, our Pastor prepares his followers to face an uncertain future in faith and common sense.

Every elect child of God desires to please our heavenly Father. Yet, we are vacillating, often fickle, and sometimes rebellious. We live in trying times, bombarded by countless challenges. Thus, overcoming the world, our fallen nature and the devil cannot be accomplished by human endeavor, for it is "not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts." Help us, O God. Your children cry unto you for mercy and strength.

Right and wrong spirits develop in Christ's church. We can develop the spirit of Timothy or Judas. A Judas spirit will sell his Pastor for financial gain, and a spirit of Joab will undermine the authority of God's anointed ministry. If our attitude is correct, we will learn to submit to the Pastor's spirit and value it, for God shapes it for our development.