Books
New Release! Soaring Servants: Women in God's Service by Linda Sedrick Pearson is now available at PS Publishing.
Heartless and Without Strength
By Linda Sedrick Pearson
Are you to the point where you don’t have the heart to go on? Are you tired and without the strength to fight the everyday battles that come against you? Do you feel like you are all alone? Do you feel like you don’t have anyone who cares about what happens to you?
You don’t have to continue on heart less, weak and alone. There is someone who cares. Child, you don’t have to continue fighting battles alone.
Jesus Christ cares for you. He cares so much that he came in the flesh to die on the cross for you. He loves you so much that he lives for you.
Do you want a relationship that won’t fail? Do you want a relationship with someone that won’t leave you? Asked Jesus to come into your heart and life.
Do you think this is phony? It’s not! I know from experience of living without him and living with him. I have been on both sides of the fence. Believe me when I tell you and sweeter tasting on Jesus’ side.
No, I’m not after your money. No, this is not a con. I do not have any hidden agenda.
The only thing I want is for you to search deep within yourself. If you find that there is something missing, if you are not satisfied with your life, and if you want to know more about Jesus, contact me. It’s up to you. When you get tired of struggling on your own and tired living the life that you have been living, contact me. There is a better way. That way is Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Savior of the world.
Church is NOT a Building
“Upon this rock I will build my church,” (Matthew 16:18) “and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”
The rock is the foundation plan to life. It is the salvation plan of God for all mankind. Salvation never wavers. It is people who waver, not God’s plan of salvation.
Salvation is the rock upon which all faith, hope, spiritual gifts, and all else from God is built upon. And salvation is “Christ, the Son of the living God,” (Matthew 16:16)
All those who will be saved are saved throguh believing and accepting and receiving Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. That is the foundation of our faith. That is the rock Jesus was telling Peter about in Matthew 16:18. When saved (when you receive the free gift of payment for your sins) Jesus Christ, the Rock of your salvation, protects you. The gates of hell, which is all evil and wickedness, will not win because it is all battling against that Rock – Jesus Christ.
So, now that we have established what the rock mentioned in Matthew 16:18 actually is, let’s look at what the church is NOT. First, it is NOT a building made with hands, although we use the word “church” to refer to a meeting place where a local body of Christians gather for Bible study, prayer, praise, teaching, and preaching.
Matthew 18:17 is talking about how the people (“the church”) should handle a situation if there is a sin against one Christian by another Christian. First back up to verse 15 in Matthew chapter 18. The Christian that was sinned against is to go alone to the Christian that harmed him or her and try to work out their problem in a Christian manner (verse 15). If the Christian that committed the sin does not correct the offensive behavior, then the one that is sinned against should go back to him or her and this time take one or two other Christians with her as witnesses to confront the offending Christian (verse 16). If the offender still does not listen, then Matthew 18:17 says to “tell it to the church.”
Now, this is one verse that shows us that the “church” referred to is NOT a building. Common sense tells us that we would not stand in front of a building and speak to it about someone offending us or about troubles we are having between one another. Or suppose you do believe that one speaks to a building. That is possible. Any of us could stand in front of, or inside of, a building and speak to it.
Let’s look at verse 17 again in Matthew chapter 18. It continues on to say “…but if he neglect to hear the church…” In order to “hear the church,” the church must be speaking. Right? Does a building speak? NO! So how can a person “hear the church?” It means that the people are “the church” and they are speaking about this matter and how to deal with it.
Next, let’s take a look at Acts 20:28. “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.” We need to break this down and take a look at the different phrases given here that helps us understand that the church is a group of people and not a building.
Let’s look at the phrase “feed the church of God.” This means that the people are to be fed both spiritually (always) and physically (as needed). Does a building hear teaching and preaching (spiritual feeding)? NO! Does a building eat food (physical feeding)? NO!
Moving on, the next phrase to look at is, “which he hath purchased with his own blood.” In this verse the word he is talking about Jesus. Jesus purchased the church of God with Jesus’ own blood. Did Jesus come to die on the cross and shed his blood for a building? Absolutely NOT! He came to shed his blood and die for people, for us. So we are to “feed the church of God” or in other words, “feed the Christian people.”
One more verse, in case you are still not convinced that the church is NOT a building (even though we call some buildings churches). Colossians 1:18 reads, “And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the first-born from the dead; that in all things he might have the pre-eminence.” Jesus Christ is the “head of the body.” He is the head, we as Christians are the body. We, the people, are who God uses as His tongue, mouth, hands, feet, eyes, ears, heart, and all other parts of the body as God has need to use. We are “the body” mentioned in this verse. It is NOT a building made with hands, but instead is a group of saved people. These people are saved by the Lord Jesus Christ who died on the cross for our sins. When you accept the free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ, you receive eternal life and become a child of God. You also become one in that body – groups of Christian people joined together by one Head – Jesus Christ! This is done so that Jesus “might have the pre-eminence.” Pre-eminence means first place. Jesus Christ is to have first place in all things.
(Written by Linda Sedrick Pearson.)
Be Prepared
God expects us to be prepared at all times. Prepared for what? Several things. First, we are to be prepared to by accepting the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior. That is step one.
Next, we are to study our Bibles daily and know the word of God. This prepares us to battle the temptations and trials that come against us. We are to pair this with constant prayer. These tools will prepare us for spiritual battles.
We are also to be prepared by knowing what we believe and why we believe it so that if someone asks we have answers. As Christians, we should always be able to tell exactly what we believe. Do not say, “I believe what my church believes.” That is not an answer. If that is what you usually answer, think about what exactly does your church believe.
Questions to Ask Yourself and Answer
- Do you believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God?
- Do you believe that Jesus was born of the flesh to a virgin (she had not had sex with any man)?
- Do you believe that God, through the Holy Spirit, impregnated the virgin, Mary?
- Do you believe that Jesus Christ took on the sins of everyone and those were nailed to the cross?
- Do you believe that Jesus Christ is our gift from God so that we can be saved?
- Do you believe that Jesus is the only way to heaven – He is the only way to cross the gulf of sin that separates us from God?
- Do you believe that you cannot do enough good works to make it to heaven?
- Do you believe that baptism does not save you?
- Do you believe that no matter what you do, you cannot be good enough to make it to heaven on your own merits?
- Do you believe that you have to confess your sins to God and accept (receive) Jesus Christ as your Savior in order to be saved?
If you could answer yes to everyone of those questions, you are close to being prepared. I say “close” because I do not know if you do daily Bible study and prayer. Those are important tools that feed our spiritual bodies and we must have a daily diet of each one.
Be prepared, stay prepared. Grab that Bible, carry it with you. Read it during the day. Read it in the morning with your breakfast. Read it in the afternoon with your lunch. Read it in the evening with your evening meal. Read it at bedtime. With each reading, pray. Pray for God to give you understanding and knowledge of what you read.
Resurrection Message
Did you know women were the first to speak the resurrection message? Read Luke 24:1-12. They ran to tell the apostles that Jesus is risen! Peter and some of the others did not believe them, but this was a true message. Peter and the others ran to the empty to see for themselves. Were they wrong not to believe the message the women delivered? No. We should always search things out for ourselves to know what is truth.
How wonderful it must have been for Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Mary (mother of Jesus) to be the first to proclaim, “He is risen!” (Matthew 28:1-8). They had no better message to deliver.
We also have no better message to deliver than the resurrection message! How wonderful to carry the gospel of Jesus Christ, including the resurrection message to the whole world. Remember Him always. Christians, stand up and shout from your rooftops, “HE IS RISEN!”
Easter is not about bunnies, eggs, and baskets. It is about a risen Savior – Jesus Christ! Remind all of this message and never stop proclaiming that we do serve the one and only risen Savior!
Witnessing
by Linda Sedrick Pearson
A witness is someone who testifies of things he knows because the witness has personally seen, heard, and experienced what he testifies about. He does not tell of things he does not personally know about. It has to be things he has personally experienced through his own eyes and ears.
If you have been struggling with how to witness to others, just tell what you know about God the Father and his Son Jesus Christ. Read 1 John 1:1-4 and those verses, written by the apostle John, tell you how they witnessed. They witnessed about things they knew, heard, and saw. Continue reading
He Shall Save His People from Their Sins
Matthew 1:18-23 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily. But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
Thank God for sending us His Son, Jesus Christ. Thank Jesus, for leaving a beautiful wonderful life in heaven to come and live on earth as a man, to be tortured and suffer for our sins, and to take upon him all our sins. Thank Jesus for dying on the cross for us. For giving us grace and mercy, I thank God. For acknowledging us and taking care of us, I thank God.
For He shall save his people from their sins – and He did! He died on that cross – nailing all our sins with him. We are forgiven if we just accept and ask him to include us. The gift of salvation is free to us. It cost Jesus his life! The gift is not yours until you reach out and take it. You have to receive the gift before it becomes yours. Jesus is holding it out to you. Won’t you reach out and grab the gift of salvation today?
Every Remembrance of You
Philippians 1:3-6 I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy, For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now; Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
These were Paul’s words to the Christians of Philippi. He was accompanied by Timothy (Philippians 1:1). I could not have expressed my feelings for my readers any better than these verses. As you read, think of this as me speaking directly to you, dear reader. I pray that these words will bring you comfort through times of trouble.
I like to especially remember verse 6, “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.” Jesus Christ is able to keep you. God gave you to him and he took that gift seriously. He protects us with his very life. After all, he gave his life for us on the cross.
Until next time,
Linda Sedrick Pearson
Giving Without Expecting Anything in Return
Luke 6:30-35
Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again. And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise. For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them. And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same. And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again. But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.
Christians are supposed to give to others not expecting to be paid back. This means we are to give money, not loan money, to others. We are supposed to give of our time and ourselves to help others and not expect others to give back by helping us.
Those who have not accepted Jesus Christ as Savior do that. They lend money – then expect to be paid back, usually with usury (interest). As Christians, we are to give it – not lend it. A loan is expected to be repaid. It means that you gave expecting a person to repay you that loan by a certain date.
A gift is something that is given to someone. The gift is offered and the person receiving the gift accepts it. The person that gave the gift should not expect that gift back – and should not expect payment for that gift. If that is the case, it no longer becomes a gift. It becomes a purchase.
Jesus Christ’s death on the cross is a gift that was given to us. He purchased our lives because He gave His life expecting us to accept Him as payment for our sins. He is our gift. Our job is to reach out and take that gift. We do not have to pay for the Gift (Jesus). If we did, He would no longer be our Gift – He would be a purchase. He freely gave us the gift of His life. We cannot do anything to repay Him for that gift. He completed the transaction with His death on the cross. The only thing He expects us to do is accept the Gift!
That is the same way we are to be with others when we give something to them. We are to only expect them to accept the gift, no strings attached. We are not to expect anything else in return for what we give to them.
Until next time,
Linda Sedrick Pearson
Don’t Hoard Your Riches
Ecclesiastes 5:15
As he came forth of his mother’s womb, naked shall he return to go as he came, and shall take nothing of his labour, which he may carry away in his hand.
You can spend your life chasing after riches, but when it comes your time to die you cannot take those riches with you. This verse tells us that as we came out of our mothers’ wombs so we will die (with nothing in our hands).
This tells me that we are spending our time on the wrong things. We should be working on helping others through encouragement, spreading the gospel, and other things that apply to salvation. Those are the treasures we build up in heaven. By helping lead others to the Lord Jesus Christ, we are promoting the kingdom of God.
Now, this doesn’t mean that we don’t have to work to support ourselves while we are here. It does mean that we are not to hoard our riches and expect to keep all those earthly things safe. The only safe thing is salvation in Jesus.
