"For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building." I Corinthians 3:9

     In laboring together with God, we are laying a foundation, even Jesus Christ.   "For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ." I Corinthians 3:11.   Christ is the solid rock, the only fit foundation.   The wise man builds on the rock; the foolish man builds on the sand.   It makes no difference how well he builds.   It may be a little shack or a great palace or towering edifice.   If it is built upon the sands, it shall fall.   It cannot stand.

     You cannot count for ought, the great beauty of a church building nor the great prosperity of a religious work.   If it be not founded on the rock, Jesus Christ, it cannot stand before God's judgment.   Better to have a little cottage upon the rock, than a mighty palace upon the sand.   Better to be associated with a few, independent Baptist churches, founded on Christ, than with the biggest ecclesiastical system founded only upon man's ideas.

     In working together with God, we are building upon this rock, and the Word says, "But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon."   There is a work that shall abide, and there is a work that shall be burned.   I confess, that I believe, that there is very little abiding work being done today, even among Baptist preachers.

     We live in a day of lukewarm Christians, whom God says He will spit out of His mouth. (Revelation 3:16).   That letter to the church in Laodicea is applied, by most Bible scholars, to the very age and time in which we live.   We find the majority of churches and ministers to be proud, and boastful, believing themselves to be rich.   Preachers boast of money given them to travel about.   Some will not drive a car smaller than a Buick or a Cadillac, and fly first class on the airlines.   I hear of one Baptist preacher who declares he will wear nothing less than a twenty-five dollar necktie.

     The evangelists vie with one another for numbers.   Some make the decision pathway easy; just come forward and shake the preacher's hand and another is chalked up to the numbers they boast about.

     Others prance the aisles and literally drag the hapless victim to the altar, to make a false profession in order to escape.   A pastor reporting on the results of such a meeting by a so-called great evangelist, said that after the meeting, regular church attendance fell way below what it was before the meeting.   Where were these new converts?   He did not know.

     They say they are rich and have need of nothing, but God says they are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked.   O that our churches could see themselves with God's eyes and seek of the Lord, real riches, tried in the fire.   The real riches are spiritual riches, eternal riches, all that we have in Christ Jesus.   O that they might seek the white raiment of Christ's righteousness ~~ that is whiter than the snow, instead of going about trying to establish their own righteousness.

   Moreover, that they might seek the eye salve of the Holy Spirit that they might see.   Here is what we need, to truly work with God: the Holy Spirit in His rightful place in all our church work.

     Some so-called Baptists will call you a "Holy Roller" if you believe that the Holy Spirit still leads in the work of churches today, as He did in Paul's day.   If they do that, it is their loss.   I'd rather be a laborer together with God.

     To work with God means to be led by the Spirit of God, and without this leadership, all church work is done in darkness.   Through the Holy Spirit, God leads His people by the hand, and we walk with Him.

"So I go on~~not knowing; I would not, if I might; I would rather walk in the dark with God. Than go alone in the light; I would rather walk with Him by faith Than walk alone by sight."

God help us to walk the walk by faith.

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     Christmas Sunday, Bible Missionary Baptist Church of Portland, Oregon, will have services at the normal time with Sunday School starting at 9:45 AM and Morning Worship service starting at 11:00 AM.   A Christmas potluck dinner will be held between the Morning Worship service and the afternoon service, which will be Christmas Carols.   All are encouraged to attend.

Letters To The Editor

     The candy became known as a Candy Cane - a decoration seen at Christmas time. The meaning has faded, but still gives joy to children young and old, whom Jesus loves and treasures.

     Folks if you want to respond to something you have read in "Baptist Landmarks" please E-Mail your response to edit@BaptistLandmarks.org   Your response will be printed here.

     I would like to have a cartoon in each issue if possible.   If there is someone reading this paper who can draw cartoons that will cause us to laugh at the foolish things we sometimes do and cause us to think of how we could better serve our Savior, please E-Mail me and let me know.

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