I lost someone very close to me and I am having a hard time accepting it. My brother-in-law was like my brother, both in Christ and in our tight relationship. He was an amazing uncle to his niece and nephews and always ready to lend a hand. Ask almost any Christian in our congregation about their roofs (he had lots of roofing experience). But because of recent struggles he faced against some powerful demons, he fell as a warrior on the field of battle.
He wasn’t what we would stigmatize as a junky (it sickens me to write it). He was a very loving and caring person who simply faced a demon that most can’t understand. He didn’t always have to face this demon. His church family and mine let him be himself. He could feel safe and work on bettering himself. It was important to understand that it was not if he would slip again but when he slips up again. Further, what he does next. Unfortunately, his last slip lead to an accidental substance poisoning that ended his life at age 33.
So I prayed for strength and understanding through this and God lead me to some answers. To some very real truths. First, What happened, happened because it didn’t happen any other way. It’s a silly sounding truth the way it is written but it’s incredibly powerful. God has always been clear about his truths; arguing them means you will always be 100% wrong. The book of Job in the bible is a great example of this truth.
My take away from that truth is that I am not in control on the circumstance but rather my reaction to it. It still hurts knowing I’m not getting a text say, “Hey bro what’s up?” or someone coming over to help me with my summer renovation projects. Understanding the reality that someone is gone, even until Jesus return, doesn’t mean that it will be easy to cope with.
Paul the apostle discussed this very thing found in the book of Philippians chapter 2, verse 27 when talking about his friend Epaphroditus, “Indeed he was ill, and almost died. But God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow.” Doesn’t it seem odd that the apostle Paul would experience sorrow upon sorrow? He recognized that the world needs people in it be build relationships and experience love. When someone is gone from this world, that goes with it but only the memory remains.
For now, it is important to understand that the loss you experience, the sorrow and sadness is okay. It is reality. To argue it would only make you wrong and not change a thing. Because what happened, happened. From here, we learn new truths. We learn that they are no longer suffering or fighting the good fight. They can find true rest. We can find peace in knowing that they are finally at rest. Let us be sad that we lost someone so close and find acceptance in knowing it was exactly what needed to happen.
God is our strength. He will give to us whatever we need to continue to grow in our relationship with him. We need to ask through prayer.
In loving memory of Adam Bedell, 1987-2021
- Jeffrey Wright

Long ago about 2000 years ago in Israel, Jesus spoke to the Jewish people telling them that Gods’ church was comparable to sheep. The church is the people.

Did he say this because he was saying all people are dumb like sheep? I don't think so. I don't think sheep are dumb at all, but very good followers and I know Jesus doesn't think I am dumb.

Sheep were one of the greatest sources of their wealth at that time.
 
Not to mention their overwhelming amount of benefits and purposes sheep have.
 
We know that sheep provide wool. They also provide fertilizer, milk, food, and in those days ceremonial sacrificial sin offering.
 
It goes so much deeper than that, however. Why would we as people be compared to sheep?
 
The church is a welfare system to help everyone who is in need. The book of James in the bible, chapter 1 verse 27 says, “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”

You might also like, "The Consequence of Value"
 
Wool
Sheep provide wool. Jesus’ church has an obligation to clothe those who are in need. Giving up a part of us to help another person. It's a beautiful analogy.
 
Milk and Meat
The church is to feed those by producing milk and meat. We give up what we have to help share it with those who go hungry.
 
Spiritually, the church provides milk to the spiritual infant. The ones who are brand new to a relationship with Jesus.
 
Meat or food to those who are older and need sustenance in teaching and living more closely to God.
 
Fertilizer
The church helps fertilize the soil for future crops.

What I mean is that the Church will live every day doing. As a result it will help others to recognize truth and prepare the soil to produce good fruit.

Jesus also compares the church to good soil in the Parable of the Sower in Luke chapter 8 verses 1 through 15. I recommend the reading.

There's more on the Sower in, "Commitment"
 
Sacrifice
This is where things get interesting. Prior to Jesus’ coming, sacrificing animals was necessary to roll a person’s sins ahead. That is an interesting study of its own.
 
nevertheless, Jesus is compared to a sheep in the Old Testament book of Isaiah, chapter 53 verse 7,
“He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.”
 
This passage came to fulfillment many years after its writing in Jesus sacrifice for all people. To be the last sacrifice to remove sin from our lives through believing in him. I suggest reading Hebrews chapter 10 for more on this. (or click the link)
 
Jesus was compared to a lamb. That means he became like us.
 
To know more of Jesus Sacrifice read, "What Did Jesus Give up for You?"

He did it so that we no longer need to continue to sacrifice animals to roll sins ahead. He removed our sin through his sacrifice.
 
I do not believe God would use the bible to compare us and Jesus to sheep to suggest we are stupid and dumb creatures.
 
We need guidance from a moral lawgiver. I will agree with that but I know I am at least not stupid. If I follow myself, I may always choose what is not good for me if I base it on my own moral law.
 
The world and society will impose moral laws to abide by for the safety and protection of each other. Except, conflict arises when my moral law becomes more right than your moral law.
 
We need God to be our moral lawgiver. Our compass to guide our hearts.
 
We are not to selfishly keep our bountiful resources but to freely give to those who are in need. To help hungry children, widows, and disabled people. To be the example to those who want to live a better life.
 
However, there is more. More to write concerning the body of Christ which is his Church.

In the book of Acts of the New Testament, we find a very important verse: “…and the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.”

Christ came for everyone and after his death and resurrection, he sent out his apostles to the rest of the world. Which means everyone who isn’t of Hebrew decent.

First, to become Christian, we need to examine that very verse I quoted. We need to be saved. Being saved is quite the easy thing.

Step 1:
We must HEAR the Word. Without first hearing the Word of God we wouldn’t learn of sin. Romans 3.23; Romans 6.23 are good places to start to hear about sin. We need to hear about Jesus sacrifice and purpose. We then hear about faith. “Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.”-Romans 10:17. Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is the only message we must hear. Matthew 17.5; Hebrews 1.1-2; Matthew 28.18.

Step 2:
We must BELIEVE that message. Just hearing the Word of God will not save us. That’s like listening to a podcast once and then telling everyone you’re the expert. Believing is a fancy way of changing your way of thinking to be more focused on doing things for God in a Christian way. Yet, belief is not enough James 2.24, we must "do" what God demands, that is, His will which we find in Matthew 7.21!

Also read: Why we Do, What we Do

Step 3:
We must REPENT of our sins. Sin separates us from God (Isaiah 59.2) we need God's forgiveness, we must be willing to repent of our sins (don’t worry, the “best” Christians have sinned too… we are in it together). Repentance means "turning away from sin" and making the effort to sin no more (found in 1 Corinthians 6.9-11). We need to be willing to repent of our sins. It doesn’t happen overnight and it is sometimes a hard thing to do. It takes practice. Acts 3.19; Acts 17.30-31.

Step 4:
We must CONFESS our faith. To be saved we need to confess our faith in Jesus. Romans 10.9-10 can help where it says: “That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. [10] For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.” Jesus also told us this in Matthew 10.32.

Step 5:
We must be BAPTIZED. Baptism is one of those argumentative topics but I choose to let the bible speak about over me. (feel free to read these versus on your own).

• Baptism shows a clear and good conscience toward God - 1 Peter 3.21.
• Baptism washes away sins - Acts 22.16
• Baptism gives entry "into" Christ - Romans 6.3; Galatians 3.27 (personal favorite).
• Jesus, told us baptism is necessary and gave us a command in Mark 16.16. and also Matthew 28:19.
• Baptism is for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2.38)
• We should also realize that baptism is a burial or immersion--not sprinkling -  Romans 6.3-4 and baptism is for believers, not infants Mark 16.16 (again).

Step 6:
Last is to REMAIN in faith. It helps to think of faith as a marriage. We are faithful and do not cheat on our spouse. We are faithful to God and do not put other gods or objects (like money and more) as more important than God.
Becoming a Christian is a way of life to make a change to be like Jesus is for us. Faithful, Hopeful in the return and Loving to one another. It is a lifestyle change that makes us feel better and helps everyone out of love.

I do hope you reach out to us through our Contacts page to learn more or follow us on Facebook and connect with us so we can grow together in Jesus.