Lean On Me: "Catch Up"

Lean on me: “Catch Up” Blog message!

At the age of 39, I was told that I had stage three prostate cancer.  For one to imagine that those words sent shock waves through my mind, body, and spirit would be correct.  I was not devastated by the news, but surely shocked and uncertain of what could lay ahead.  One thing I knew was that I had to stick my chest out, hold my head up and press on.  After all, I am a Minister; I teach Bible study and preach the good news of Jesus Christ.  Surely, I had to be an example of the power of God.

I refused to cry; I refused to feel sorry for myself and truthfully I became a master at faking it until my surgery exposed me. This disease stripped me of everything I thought it was to be a man. 

I became bitter and angry; I cursed God in private. I was faithful in my service; I paid my tithes; I was active in ministry, but now--here I stand stripped of me.  I guess if I really knew God, I would have known that when I was down to nothing, he was up to something. What was he up to?  He surrounded me with a family of faith that prayed for me when I could not pray for myself, visited me when I was sick.  Bill Withers wrote a song titled Lean on me; the song says, “lean on me when you’re not strong, and I will be your friend; I will help you carry on.” A Christian means that we must be a friend who can be leaned on, which is what this family of faith is all about. I will feed you if you are hungry, give you a drink when you are thirsty and be a shoulder for you to lean on when you can’t stand on your own. 

 Elijah at the foot of the juniper tree asked God to take his life; he is on the run from Ahab.  God told him to get himself together and get back to the business of caring for his people.  God pointed out that it was not about me; it was about me knowing I had to get back in the race and be a shoulder for somebody else. As a family of faith we must be mindful that for us to truly be victorious, we have to lean on one another. Christ is the greatest example of one understanding that it is not about you; it's about the will of God.

So my question is, “Have you allowed somebody to lean on you?”   Maybe you are like me and have some catching up to do. 

Minister Al McCann | Third New Hope Baptist Church

“Catch Up:  Congregational Study and Worship”:  May 22-24, 2012

Gathering Time:  6:15 PM | Study Begins @ 7:00 PM with preaching to follow

New Life!

There are so many dead things around us and so many others that are dying. We are victimized by so many signs of death and their impact upon the way we live. While we know that death is one of the surest facts of life, there is a need for us to dispose of dead stuff as soon as we can. However, more and more of us are holding on to things that are no longer viable and alive. Life brings with it a certain amount of adventure and excitement. Life is loaded with awe and intrigue. Life offers us chance after chance to experience the fresh and dynamic. It should be our goal to experience life like never before. If you are one of those who have held on to something that has long since died, or even some non-productive habit or activity, or failed strategy; now is the time for you to let go of the dead stuff and take hold on the new life that the resurrection of Christ offers. Wow! What a wonderful time to release what isn't working for something that holds more promise. This is an excellent season for evaluating everything about ourselves and making changes as necessary. New Life in Jesus Christ means that death should not dominate us. We can begin by getting rid of dead things and embracing new possibilities. Thank You Jesus for the New Life that comes to us by faith in You. Amen. Pastor E.L. Branch