First Baptist Church of Vineland, NJ

Welcoming, Witnessing & Winning for the Kingdom of God

“If a man's business requires so much of his time that he cannot attend the Sunday morning and evening services, and Wednesday night prayer meeting, then that man has more business than God intended him to have.”

James Garfield, one of the Presidents of the United States, is a good example of not having more business that God intended him to have, in reference to keeping the Lord's appointments.  During the first week of Garfield's presidency, a member of this cabinet insisted that he should attend the cabinet meeting which had been called for 10:00 AM on a Sunday.  It was a matter dealing with a national crisis, but President Garfield refused on the grounds that he had another appointment.  The cabinet member insisted that he break his appointment since the meeting on Sunday was of national importance.  Still, Garfield refused.  Then the cabinet member remarked, “I would be interested to know with whom you could have an appointment so important that it cannot be broken?”  But President Garfield replied, “I will be as frank with you as you have been with me.   My engagement is with the Lord, to meet Him at His house, at His table, at 10:30 AM tomorrow, and I shall be there.”  President Garfield sanctified the Lord's Day; the crisis passed and our nation survived.

The importance of worship was very evident in the life of President Garfield.  How important is it in your life?  How can we stay on the straight and narrow path that Scripture tells us to follow if we do not spend time with Him?

Every farmer knows that to plant a straight row, one must fasten his eyes on a object at the far end of the field and head toward it.  Down in the flatlands of the Mississippi Delta, one farmer could see nothing in the distance on which to fasten his eye.  Studying the horizon in front of him, he noticed what seemed to be a small, dark stump at the end of the field.  He headed his plow toward it.   As he neared the end of the field he looked back to check his row.  It was the most crooked one he had ever plowed.  His ‘stump’ was a rabbit enjoying his dinner!

May we follow the Lord Jesus Christ and not the things of the world!  Nothing and nobody can match the Lord Jesus Christ.  We are told in Scripture that we are to be “Steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord for as much as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.”   I Corinthians 15:58

If you want to learn more about how to keep on the straight and narrow come on out to the House of the Lord whenever you can!

God's best to each and everyone.

Pastor Bob

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