January 6~SPIRITUAL SOCIAL DISTANCING: CLEANSING IN PREPARATION 

2 Corinthians 7:1  “Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.”

Washing and cleansing our physical body is a constant normality to us.  This concept must also become a spiritual consistency.  We must purge and cleanse ourselves of anything that is not like God.  Cleansing requires elimination of any defilement that will pollute our body or spirit.  I urge you to pull off and separate today to ensure you make the ultimate final destination of heaven tomorrow.

Nicola Conwell

January 5~SPIRITUAL SOCIAL DISTANCING: KNOWING WHO’S IN CONTROL

Hebrews 10:22  “Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.”

An idle mind is the devil’s workshop.  In my experience, you should never try to live without Jesus.  When you try to go a day without Jesus, one becomes weak.  But, oOne week with Jesus heals the soul and strengthens the body.  “Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil.” (Proverbs 3:7)

Jesse Coates

January 4~SPIRITUAL SOCIAL DISTANCING: WE CAN BE SOCIAL, BUT DISTANCED!

2 Corinthians 5:21 “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”

In order to be righteous in God, we have to come out from among them and not do the same things as the old man did in the world.  We have to be DISTANT and DIFFERENT in order to become the righteousness of God and touch not the unclean thing.  In Him, we are righteous. 

Bridgette Johnson

January 3~SPIRITUAL SOCIAL DISTANCING: KEEP A SPIRITUAL DISTANCE

Psalm 119:9  “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.”

Cleansing implies that the way you are is polluted by what is going on around you.  First, our hearts must be renewed then we must transform our lives to make it clean and keep it clean from the corruption that is in the world.  We have to keep a spiritual distance. We, as saints, must make the Word of God our Rule, acquaint ourselves with it and resolve to conform ourselves to it, and examine our lives by the Word of God!  Finding strength and wisdom in reading God’s Word and doing what it says is the way to stay pure in a polluted environment.

Pearlie Bearden

January 2~SPIRITUAL SOCIAL DISTANCING: WHERE IS THE PEACE?

Hebrews 12:14  “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:”

We as believers are living in this world but are not of this world.  We are striving to be more like Christ, who alone can impart holiness and transform us to be like Him.  There is so much going on in the world today and when we truly sit down to take a look, you may say to yourself where is the peace?  We have to strive to follow peace with people in everyday life.  I encourage you on today to ask God to search your heart and take out anything that is not like Him! 

Sevanna Jones

January 1~SPIRITUAL SOCIAL DISTANCING: IT’S NOTHING NEW TO GOD

2 Corinthians 6:7-18  “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.  And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.”

For many, the term ‘social distancing’ became all too familiar in March of 2020, but spiritual social distancing is nothing new to God.  Soon after creation and even now, God has called a people out of a people.  He calls us to be separated and dedicated unto Himself, requiring that we be a people that will yield ourselves wholly to the principles, the statutes, the laws, and to the will of God.  Yielding wholly to God can only be accomplished with the indwelling Spirit of the Holy Ghost (the power of God) inside of us.  It builds up our spiritual immune systems as we turn our backs on the world’s system and go after the things God wants for our lives. 

Pastor Michael Bender

Dec 31 ~ WALKING LIKE GOD: FOLLOW HIS LEAD

Ephesians 5:1-2 “Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.”

The Greek word for walk means to tread around; which means we walk the same way day by day.  So let us consider the admonishment of Apostle Paul in Eph. 5:1-2, “Be ye followers of God as dear children: And walk in love as Christ hath loved us, and hath give himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to god as a sweet smelling savor.”  Brothers and sisters,  love is not just who God is, but love is what God does.  Let us make sure love is what we do!  We cannot walk like God until we love like God:  UNCONDITIONALLY and SACRIFICIALLY!!!!!

Norman Wilson

Dec 30 ~ WALKING LIKE GOD: OUR WALK

Psalm 23:4 “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil:  for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.”

God has equipped our walk with everything we need to live victoriously.  Oftentimes, we can become disconnected from God’s power in our walk because of trouble or the cares of the world.  We must maintain our walk with the Lord through prayer, love, and discipline.  Though we have been out of church and at home for awhile due to COVID-19, I thank God for my Pastor’s teaching and encouragement with the Word of God.  No matter what’s going on, God will always be with us (Psalm 23).

Viola Smith

Dec 29 ~ WALKING LIKE GOD: LIBERATED IN FAITH BY GRACE

Galatians 5:23 “Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.”

Paul’s desire for the Galatians and God’s desire for Christians to operate in grace, demonstrates the power that characterizes the truth and spiritual continuity of thoughts and actions.  Prayer and fasting cement the foundation that fuels the Spirit, to avoid sinful behavior, destructive situations, and angry voices.  God glorifies Himself by calling and enabling us, His people, to glorify Him through our holy conduct.  Repenting of sin and turning to holiness is expressed by glorifying God which is the beginning, and the ending of the whole matter.  God wants you to simply rest in His ability to heal, deliver, protect, and provide for you every day.

Earl Dean Locke

Dec 28 ~ WALKING LIKE GOD: KILLING MYSELF

Galatians 5:16 “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.”

In Romans 8:13, Paul admonishes us to mortify the deeds of the body in order to live through the Spirit. John 4:24 reminds us that “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.”  We, as believers, must daily seek to take off and kill out any carnality which would hinder us from walking like God.

Rosalind Wilbanks