Freewill Mission Church Of God In Christ - Monrovia,CA

<HTML> <HEAD> <META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=windows-1252"> <META NAME="Generator" CONTENT="Microsoft Word 97"> <TITLE>Freewill</TITLE> <TITLE> </TITLE> <META NAME="Template" CONTENT="C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Templates\Web Pages\Web Page Wizard.wiz"> </HEAD> <BODY BACKGROUND="/Image6.gif" bgcolor=#66cc66> <B><FONT SIZE=6><P ALIGN="CENTER"><IMG SRC="/art/anim/welcome/welcome2.gif"> <P ALIGN="CENTER">To Freewill Mission Church </P> <P ALIGN="CENTER"> of </P> <P ALIGN="CENTER">God in Christ</P> </FONT><P ALIGN="CENTER">422 Royal Oaks Drive<BR> Monrovia, CA 91016 USA<BR> 626-358-1564</P> </B><H2>Staff / Leaders </H2> <TABLE CELLSPACING=0 BORDER=0 WIDTH=450> <TR><TD WIDTH="21%" VALIGN="MIDDLE"> <P><B><FONT SIZE=4>Pastor </B></FONT></TD> <TD WIDTH="79%" VALIGN="MIDDLE" COLSPAN=2> <B><FONT SIZE=4><P>Logan H. Westbrooks</B><BR> </FONT></TD> </TR> <TR><TD WIDTH="21%" VALIGN="MIDDLE"> <B><FONT SIZE=4><P>Minister </B></FONT></TD> <TD WIDTH="55%" VALIGN="MIDDLE"> <B><FONT SIZE=4><P>(Tray) W. Watford Sr.</B><BR> </FONT></TD> <TD WIDTH="24%" VALIGN="MIDDLE"> <P><A HREF="mailto:trayww@cs.net">Send an Email...</A><BR> </TD> </TR> <TR><TD WIDTH="21%" VALIGN="MIDDLE"> <B><FONT SIZE=4><P>Elder </B></FONT></TD> <TD WIDTH="55%" VALIGN="MIDDLE"> <B><FONT SIZE=4><P>Fred Derden</B><BR> </FONT></TD> <TD WIDTH="24%" VALIGN="MIDDLE"> <P> </TD> </TR> <TR><TD WIDTH="21%" VALIGN="MIDDLE"> <B><FONT SIZE=4><P>Secretary</B> </FONT></TD> <TD WIDTH="55%" VALIGN="MIDDLE"> <B><FONT SIZE=4><P>Gloria Weatherby</B><BR> </FONT></TD> <TD WIDTH="24%" VALIGN="MIDDLE"> <P> </TD> > </TD> </TR> </TABLE> <B><FONT FACE="Arial"><P> </P> </B></FONT><P ALIGN="CENTER"> </P> <P> </P> <H2>Weekly Schedule</H2> <TABLE CELLSPACING=0 BORDER=0 WIDTH=396> <TR><TD WIDTH="55%" VALIGN="MIDDLE"> <P ALIGN="CENTER"><B><FONT SIZE=4>Sunday School</B></FONT></TD> <TD WIDTH="45%" VALIGN="MIDDLE"> <B><FONT SIZE=4><P ALIGN="CENTER">9:30 a.m. Sunday</B></FONT><BR> </TD> </TR> <TR><TD WIDTH="55%" VALIGN="MIDDLE"> <B><FONT SIZE=4><P ALIGN="CENTER">Morning Worship</B></FONT></TD> <TD WIDTH="45%" VALIGN="MIDDLE"> <B><FONT SIZE=4><P ALIGN="CENTER">11:15 a.m. Sunday</B><BR> </FONT></TD> </TR> <TR><TD WIDTH="55%" VALIGN="MIDDLE"> <B><FONT SIZE=4><P ALIGN="CENTER">Y.P.W.W. Classes</B></FONT></TD> <TD WIDTH="45%" VALIGN="MIDDLE"> <B><FONT SIZE=4><P ALIGN="CENTER">5:00 p.m. Sunday</B><BR> </FONT></TD> </TR> <TR><TD WIDTH="55%" VALIGN="MIDDLE"> <B><FONT SIZE=4><P ALIGN="CENTER">Prayer Bible Band</B></FONT></TD> <TD WIDTH="45%" VALIGN="MIDDLE"> <B><FONT SIZE=4><P ALIGN="CENTER">7:00p.m. Tuesday</B><BR> </FONT></TD> </TR> <TR><TD WIDTH="55%" VALIGN="MIDDLE"> <B><FONT SIZE=4><P ALIGN="CENTER">Family Fellowship Night</B></FONT></TD> <TD WIDTH="45%" VALIGN="MIDDLE"> <B><FONT SIZE=4><P ALIGN="CENTER">7:00 p.m. Friday</B><BR> </FONT></TD> </TR> </TABLE> <P> </P> <I><FONT SIZE=3><P> LAST UPDATED 01/01/02 <HTML> <HEAD> <META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=windows-1252"> <META NAME="Generator" CONTENT="Microsoft Word 97"> <TITLE>Weekly letter 1</TITLE> <META NAME="Version" CONTENT="8.0.3410"> <META NAME="Date" CONTENT="10/11/96"> <META NAME="Template" CONTENT="C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\HTML.DOT"> </HEAD> <BODY TEXT="#000000" LINK="#0000ff" VLINK="#800080" BGCOLOR="#ffffff"> <P> </P> <P> </P> <B><FONT SIZE=5><P ALIGN="CENTER">Back This Thing Up!</P> <P ALIGN="CENTER">Take Me Back Lord!</P> </FONT><FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=4><P ALIGN="CENTER">Minister William Tray Watford 6/2000</P> </FONT><I><FONT FACE="Arial"><P ALIGN="CENTER">Lesson Text: Luke 15: 11-21</P> </I></FONT><FONT SIZE=4><P ALIGN="CENTER">Our African American culture is rich and very diverse and over a long period of time we have developed a specialized way of communicating amongst ourselves, we call it "slang" or back in the old days we called it "jive talking". Recently I heard a song that some rapper group sings, using the phraseology "back that thang up". The song is very popular among the young folk and very sexually suggestive and derogatory towards our young girls in particular and all women in general. The word of God says that "man can mean it for evil and God use it for good"! The Lord, on today intends to use it for good! For the purposes of this treatise, "this thing will be defined as such; this life, my life, your life, this behavior, your behavior, and my behavior.</P> </B></I></FONT> <B><P ALIGN="CENTER">Scripture: And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! Luke 15: 17</P> </B><P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Has there ever been a time when you were not yourself? That was the time when you acted in a way that was not typical of your usual behavior. Did you scream or yell at someone when you didn’t mean to? Did you hit or push someone when that was not your intention? Did you do something completely stupid, something that was outside of your normal way of doing things? Did you get caught up in drugs and alcohol, lying, stealing, prostitution, in an adulterous relationship? If you have ever done something that does not fit your self-definition of who you are, then you know what it means to be something other than yourself.</P> <P ALIGN="JUSTIFY"></P> <P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">One of the most difficult tasks for youth is defining themselves. One of the most difficult tasks for the new or baby <B>Christian </B>is defining who they are. The word of God says that the believer must come to the Father with a childlike expectation and dependency. Children generally have a respect for authority and depend on adult's instructions in order to grow into productive members of society. <B>Let those who</B> <B>have eyes to see, see and those who have ears to hear, hear.</B> Childhood and adolescence by their very nature, are very difficult years because they are years of uncertainty. Children have no definite idea who they are, why they are here, where they are going and what it is going to be like when they get there. As soon as they think they have defined themselves, the definition changes. As most youths have not clearly defined themselves. Most Saints have not clearly defined themselves either. Both groups tend to look for role models. These are the people whose lives impress them. They watch and observe their role models closely. They study them, learn their habits, strengths, weaknesses, and history. Often they begin to dress like them and repeat slogan phrases and catchwords used by their role models. </P> <P>Young adults on the other hand, are awakening to the reality of who they are. <B><I>1 Cor. 13:11</B></I> <I>"<B>When I</B> <B>was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.</B>"</I> Many have pursued their storybook images of their idols, only to discover that what works well for their television, music, sports industry role models <B>[the world at large] </B>doesn’t always fit with what they are feeling about themselves deep down on the inside, <B>in their Spirit</B>. <B>When you are in the wrong place, the right place, your God given place is unoccupied.</B> Maturing young adults are better able to define themselves as a result <B>of studying to show thyself approved. </B>Thus gaining a clearer understanding of who they are, why they are here and where they are going, the choices being <B>Holiness or Hell!</P> </B><P>The Christian, including youth, young adult and adult who suddenly find themselves able to define themselves by the standards of God, <B>know that there have been times when they</B> <B>have been everything except what God intended for them to be. Those were the times when they were not themselves by His standards, but rather the standards of friends. </B>As Christians we strive to know our selves better through Christ. Once we discover that we are off track, we quickly halt our movement in the wrong direction, back up and start over again! <B>I AM TALING ABOUT REPENTENCE</B>! You see we know who we are. We know where we’re going. <B>We’re Children of the King, on our way home. </P> <P>You see this parable of the prodigal son illustrates the impatience of youth, "age not being relevant to Whom that was, from the beginning" and the love of God. </B>Jesus related the parable of the prodigal son to demonstrate God’s love. The father in the context of the parable, represented God’s love, had two sons. The younger son demanded his share of what would be his inheritance while his father yet lived. By law, the younger son could expect to receive one third of his father’s properties. However, he was only entitled to his share after his father’s death. The son asked for his part early.</P> <P>The son, totally focused on himself, demanded and received his share. Upon receiving his share he left and lived in what is described in <B>verse 13 as a "far country".</B> There, he wasted his substance on riotous living. After spending his inheritance he fell upon hard times only to learn that those whom he thought were his friends had abandoned him. He had fallen to the point of feeding hogs which for a Jewish boy, was considered the lowest of insults. In hunger, he had reached a point to where he considered eating the slop of the hogs until <B>"he came to himself" in verse17.</P> </B><P>When he came to himself, the prodigal son realized how far he had drifted from his family’s instruction. Then he determined, he purposed his heart that he would stop, go back home and mend fences he had broken down with his family. I can hear him cry out now Lord back this thing up! Take me back where first believed! Once home, he found his father waiting to receive him and celebrating his return.</P> <B><FONT SIZE=4><P>Now all of what has occurred is a result of a desire, a wanting to be free!</P> </B></FONT><P>This parable reflects the feelings of many youth today, who privately say, "I can’t wait until I leave this house! I want to be free. Not wanting to discriminate against our young people, If the truth were known, grown-ups, so called believers are saying the same about the church. Some of you grown folks are saying the same thing in private about your spouses. Some of you grown-ups are saying the same thing publicly to your children! <B>I might just want to teach a little today! </P> </B><P>Generally, teens want to be free of the demands of their parents. They want to be free of restrictions on the use of the telephone. They want their own phone. <B>They want to be free of rules about cleaning the house. They want their own house that they can clean when they feel like it, if ever! </B> They want to be free of the constant scrutiny of their clothing. They want to wear what they want, when they want, wherever they want, whenever they want! <B>They want to be free to come and go as they please without permission or oversight! They want to do their own thing! They want to make their own rules.</P> </B><P>In this same rebellion, baby Christians have been heard to say, "I want to be homosexual and Christian too", or "my husband is not doing well financially, I can do bad by myself", "I'm not giving that begger any money". All of these statements are violations of the Christian faith, disobedience to God is not an option for a Christian.</P> <P>The prodigal son of the parable wanted to be free from all rules and regulation. He wanted to free to choose his own friends and chart his own destiny. He wanted to do a new thing! He wanted to have fun!</P> <B> <P>But you see my darlings Freedom is not free. This is a fact that young people fail to recognize Someone pays for freedom! The freedom that we as African Americans enjoy, someone paid a price for it! The freedom that some husband wants from his wife and children! Someone must pay for it! The freedom from sin! Jesus paid for it. Jesus went to Calvary and bought for a price, His life! </P> </B> <P>The freedom that some so-called Christians want is from strict adherence to God’s call to Holiness. That behavior is going to judged! Someone is going to pay for it. The freedom to use the phone comes when one pays the monthly bill for the phone. The house note or rent where the phone is connected, the utilities that make the phone feasible etc. Someone must pay!</P> <P>Freedom is not free! Someone pays! Many youth desire freedom without responsibilities that go along with freedom.</P> <B><P>Many So-called Christians desire freedom that is in Christ without the responsibilities that being in Christ demands! When we as believer feel the fire cooling off, When we become aware that our efforts are mediocre, when our attitude is lukewarm! We need to ask Christ to back this thing up! Back this thing up Lord! We need to ask Christ take us back to a place where we first were saved! We need to ask God to stir up the gifts! Stir them up Lord! </P> <P>Finally brothers and sisters, the parable notes that the son reached a pivotal point in his life’s direction.</B> The text says, "when he came to himself". That is the point where he must have said to himself. " I’m going the wrong direction. It ‘s time to back this thing up! He made a 180 degree turn and began the long walk back to that which he knew was right!</P> <P>There is a lesson here for the youth, for young adults, for adults in the church who still think they are youths, they only need to watch this young man and learn how to back this thing up! First of all he had regain his right mind! Those who regain their right mind are able to see things with a clearer eye. They are able to understand the way the world works and the value of their own life’s experience.</P> <P>He had to ignore the temptation that the hog slop presented to his eyes. He realized that the hog slop was not going to fix his problem. You see the hunger that he was experiencing was a hunger of the heart. He had to obey the hunger that was in his heart! He came to the conclusion that he needed to back this thing up! He realized that he needed God to take him back!</P> <P>The son decided that before he could get this thing backed up there were some things he had to straighten out and other things he needed to turn loose. <B><FONT SIZE=4>"Luke 21</B> The son said to him, "Father, I <B>He said I have</B></FONT> <B><FONT SIZE=4>sinned against heaven and before thee...."</FONT>The father was overjoyed to have his son returned as is Jesus when a sinner repents. </P> <FONT SIZE=4><P ALIGN="CENTER">Luke 24 ..this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.</P> </B><P ALIGN="CENTER"></P> <P ALIGN="CENTER">Take me back Lord! Take me back dear Lord! Take me back Lord where I first received you!</P> < </FONT></DIR> </DIR> </BODY> </HTML> </FONT><U><P> </P></U></BODY> </HTML>  <TABLE WIDTH=97 CELLPADDING=0 CELLSPACING=0 BORDER=0> <TR><TD><A HREF="http://hitometer.netscape.com"><IMG WIDTH=97 HEIGHT=50 BORDER=0 ALT="" SRC="http://hitometer.netscape.com/Images/s_top.gif"></A></TD></TR> <TR><TD> <A HREF="http://hitometer.netscape.com"> <script language="JavaScript1.1"> </script><noscript><img WIDTH=97 HEIGHT=15 border=0 src="http://i35.netscape.com/c.cgi?B2499335$2408400" alt="Hitometer"></A></noscript> </TD></TR></TABLE>  </BODY> </HTML> <P ALIGN="CENTER"><BR> Freewill Mission Church Of God In Christ is associated with: COGIC<BR> for additional information, see the<A HREF="/denomlst.htm"> denomination links</A>.<BR> <BR> For information about this page contact: <A HREF="mailto:trayww@pacbell.net">trayww@cs.net</A><BR> <BR> <br><hr><center>This page has been accessed: <b>5875</b> times since Wed Sep 29 13:21:51 1999.<br><hr>Search for other churches in the <a href="/ch_srch.htm#top" target=_top>Church Directory</a><br> <br>To apply for a FREE Web page like this for your church <a href="/appform.html" target=_top>Click Here.</a><br> <br>This Web page is sponsored by <a href= "/index.html" target=_top>Net Ministries</a>.<a href="/index.html" target=_top><br><IMG align=absmiddle hspace=4 src="/art/minilogo.gif"width=124,height=46 alt="[Net Ministries Home]" border=0></a></center></body></html>