Dear Church,

This month, God  willing, our Focus is going to be looking into God’s Word and examining what it means to be a Christian and living the Abundant Life. Being a Christian should mean more than a profession of Faith.  It should be a lifestyle set apart form the world, from your spiritual conception to its completion.  All who profess Christ will not enter the Kingdom of God.  All who profess Christ will not reap the rewards of a life Worth Living. Who then? Matt. 7:21 “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven” Those who live their lives and do the will of God can expect not only to enter into the Kingdom of God but live a life that is both rewarding and successful in all aspects. The reason so many Christians fail to live a fulfilling life, where joy excels and happiness and successes are a part of everyday life, is usually attributed to two major reasons. One is after conversion or “Profession of Faith”.  They do not stick around and be discipled on the things of Christ that leads one on the path of success.  I believe we could all agree that an education is important.  How else could we read, add and subtract.  A carpenter needs to be instructed on how to measure and cut, nail and fasten objects together.  And so it is with the Christian life.  We need to be taught on how to live, act, and construct our lives so that all the pieces work together and the things that matter most are in place.  The other is obedience to God’s Word.  Many Christians suffer loss, setbacks, and failure which lead to weak Christians venerable to the attacks of Satan, all because they are not obedient to God’s instructions on life. Discipleship is a life long endeavor, because all aspects of our lives are covered in God’s Word. From our infancy as a Christian to its completion, there is much to be gleaned from God’s Word for a babe in Christ and to one that has matured and lives life unto the end serving God. The Christians that follow this lifestyle seem most happy and fulfilled living a life of purpose. As for me, there are those that I look to that give me hope as I go into the next arena of my life.  The Senior Years of a Christian can be most rewarding.  By this time we should have learned a few things to avoid and how to over come life’s bumps. Park Memorial has produced some awesome Seniors that have served God faithfully and the Good News is God has not let them down.  They are the ones that would rather wear out than rust out, they don’t make excuses, they are over comers.  To the Babe in Christ, stay and be instructed, for mature Christians stay close to God and begin to give back, and for our Seniors that haven’t given in, thank you for being an example to us all showing us the way. The next few weeks we are going to be discussing why Christians Succeed Living The Abundant Life. You are invited to come listen, share, and learn what God has in store for those that Love Him.