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T he P ortland O bserver • J anuary 19, 1994
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God Can’t Use Complacent Christians
by
M attie A nn C allier -S pears
W hen I was a very little girl,
grow ing up in the south, I can rem em
ber som e o f my grandm other M ary ’s
unselfish actions, in the once small
com m unity of G onzales, Louisiana. I
can rem em ber a tim e when we had
gone to stay for the sum m er; as w e did
on a yearly basis.
My G ranny and Papa John loved
us dearly. W hen we would arrive, via
a big black train called the “ow l” , our
Papa John w ould flag dow n the train
by standing on the tracks and w aving
a kerosene lantern, late in evening, or
by w aving a large piece o f cloth, in the
day lit hours. The big train w ould
slow dow n and the conductor would
gather us up and hand us dow n, sin
gularly, to our grandpa who was stand
ing at the door w ith out stretched
arms. I do believe that we had the
bibbest grandpa in the whole world;
but, th a t’s an entirely different story.
A fter Papa John had extracted us
from the train, w e w ould be trans
ported in a big horse draw n w agon or,
later on, in a big black autom obile
that was so big and spacious that our
feet couldn’t touch the floor.
W hen we w ould arrive a t the
farm, Papa John w ould blow the horn
to announce our arrival. T hen, as we
pulled up to the big, w ide gate, to the
outer yard, Papa John would get out and
open the big gate. We, my sisters and
brothers and me, would try to peer over
the big seats in the car to see what Papa
John was doing. He would yell, “ You
chullen, se’ down in dey!” We would
scurry back to our seats and wait for Papa
John to drive the car into the yard.
Papa John removed us one by one
from the car. He would instruct the
taller ones to open the gate to the
inner yard w hile he got the luggage
out. O ur G randm a Mary would be
w aiting in the doorw ay with a dress
on that had yards and yards o f m ate
rial. When we would hug her, we would
all hug at once like little piglets crowd
ing around a mama sow at meal time.
After kissing every child, she
would ask, “ Are you hungry?” Our
Granny would have so much food
prepared ju st for us. She knew what
each child liked — so, she would have
som ething for each appetite. The big
middle room, heated by a giant wood
stove, had a table laden with goodies.
The sm ells that ju st lingered in the air
were unm atched by anything anyone
would ever smell in their whole, en
tire lifetime. “Hum-hum good!”
One year, as we w ere awaken in
the m orning, G ranny cam e into our
room and told us that she w ould not be
at home because she had to go to Miss
So and S o’s (can’t rem em ber her
name) house because she was ill. We
saw G randm a M ary take a satchel,
put on her coat and leave the house.
W e lay there, in our beds, and quizzi
cally w ondered what we were going
to do with G ranny out o f the house.
Papa John had already gone out into
the field to do his morning plowing.
Before G randm a M ary left the
house she rem inded us each to be
good children. She also gave each
child instructions for the day. Plus --
Papa John was still about. Granny
was gone for nearly a week. She would
com e home in the evenings, prepare
dinner and adequate food for the next
day. W ith a hug and a kiss, she would
be off again.
W e knew that ourG randm a Mary
loved us - but, her love for us did not
detour her duties as a strong Christian
woman. As she sat in her big rocker
with one o f us nestled on her wide,
soft lap, she would explain why she
had to go off like she did. She said
that, as Christians, we are obligated
to lake care o f one another. Miss “ So
and So” had no children. She had no
one to take care o f her. So G randm a
Mary felt that it was her Christian
duty to care for her until she was able
to get about on her own. She said that
God would be pleased with what she
did even if people did not think well
o f what she did. She oft times said,
“We have to do what pleases G od.”
My G randm a Mary was a totally
committed Christian woman. She took
care o f her home and she made time
to care for others in the community.
She made it her business to know
w hat was happening in the com m u
nity so that - if there w as anything
that she could do to assist, she would
be right there in the thick o f things or
she would walk over to som eone’s
house and solicit their assistance. She
said that we had to help one another.
I can rem em ber my G randm a
M ary organizing a sew ing circle to
make quilts or pillow cases and sheets
or clothing for those less fortunate.
She would cook extra at dinner time
so she could send some food over to
som eone’s house. She would stand on
the bayou bank and pray for the sick.
My sisters and brothers and me would
stand inside the fence and watch her
as she would lift her arm s into the air
as she prayed.
She had unshakable faith. My
little brother, Ronald, had asthm a
real bad. Mommie and Daddy had
taken Ronald to many doctors w ith
out any results. G randm a Mary told
M ommy to send R onald to her.
Mommy sent B u tte’ (R onald) to
Granny. She knew that prayer would
bring about change.
G randm a M ary took Ronald
down to the bayou. This time she took
here fishing pole with them. It was
just she, Butte’, the fishing pole and
the Lord. As she prayed, she baited
her hook, flung it into the bayou. She
continued to pray. She caught a large
fish with a big, big mouth. She held
this fish in her hands and instructed
Butte’ tobreatheintothefish’sm outh,
w hile she held it opened. W hen his
breath went into the fish’s mouth, she
hurled it back into the water. She
believed that God would let the asthma
go into the fish and away from B utte’.
She believed. She stayedon that bayou
bank and thanked the Lord for bless
ing her grandchild. Ronald has not
had asthm a since that day.
D on’t be afraid if you appear
different to everyone. As a Christian,
you are different. The scripture tells
me that we are a peculiar people.
[DeuL 14.2 & Titus 2:14] The dictio
nary defines peculiar as “uncommon,
unusual, distinguished in nature or
character from other (others being
transgressors or sinners).
D on’t worry about it if people
talk about your not being like the
• ...
you have joined the crowd and you
look so much like them that you are
not noticed. “Oooo - oooo-oooh!” N ow ,
that’s real bad when you c a n ’t tell the
Christians from the sinners.
Stop sitting by w atching things
happen, sticking your head in a hole
like the ostrich and let the world go to
hell on a greased slide.
Christians! W ake up! Stand up
and be counted! Do the work o f Him
who sent you. Christ said in M atthew
7:24-26, “All who listen to my in
structions and follow them are wise,
like a man who builds his house on
solid rock. Though the rain com es in
torrents, and the floods rise and the
storm winds beat against his house, it
w on’t collapse, for it is built on rock.
But those who hear my instructions
and ignore them are foolish, like a
man who builds his house on sand.
For when the rains and floods com e,
and storm winds beat against his
house, it will fall with am ighty crash.”
PRAYER
Dear Lord
Hear us as we pray!
There are many
who need you this day.
But more than that
our M aster and Friend,
Be a shield
around us each day.
Protect us
from the fiery darts
we pray.
In the Holy and precious name
o f Jesus.
Amen!
Scripture O f The W eek: M at
thew Chapter 7
others. You d o n ’t want to be like the
others any way. People are going to
hell in a hand basket. T h at’s right!
All bunched up together. They are
wanting so badly to be like the others
not taking into account where the
others are leading them. Have you
ever tried to turn around in a crowd
and go the other way? You can’t do it.
The crow d’s continued movementand
occasional pauses affords you no way
out until you have reached a destina
tion. Many tim es you find that you
have arrived some place and it w asn’t
your intentions to go that far.
Be careful that you don’t become
too comfortable in the world and start
taking on the appearance of the world.
Think about it! Pray about it!
Ask yourself this question. Is this
w hat God wants me to do? Stay on the
path o f “righteousness”. Matthew 7:13
reads - “ Heaven can be entered only
through the narrow gate! the highway
to hell is broad, and its gate is wide
enough for all the multitudes who
choose its easy way. But the Gateway
to Life is small, and the road is nar
row , and only a few ever find it.”
[TLB] These words were spoken by
Jesus C hrist to the multitude in his
Sermon on the Mount.
Big is not always better!
Be totally committed! Dare to be
different for the Lord! I remember a
statem ent that Rev. John H. Jackson
m ade during one of his many ser
mons, he said, “D on’t worry if people
are talking about you. W hen you
should worry, is when they stop talk
ing.” If no one is complaining about
your Christian walk - then, maybe
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The Brotherhood Department
Of The
Greater St. Stephen MBC
Is Sponsoring
Cat Fish or Fried Chicken Dinner
(And All The Fixin’s)
d u n e ta / M onte
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NE
M A L L O R Y
R I S T
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W o m e n 's Bible Class
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1 0 :4 5 am
M e n 's Training Leadership
Call 281-8117 For Delivery
Or Dine In At
The Greater St. Stephen
Fellowship Hall
3535 N. E. Mallory Ave.
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S a ftL it d/iuxa/i
W e d n e sd a y p ra y e r meeting
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103 NE Morris St., Portland, OR 97212
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Sunday School -9:30am
Sunday Morning Wor
ship Service -1 1 :00am
■ Sunday School Teacher's
Meeting Tues - 6:30pm
1 Bible Study Wednesday -
6:00pm
> Prayer Meeting
Wednesday - 7:00pm
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7 :0 0 pm
Church Phone Number
287-7457
288-1092
Restoring New Testament Christianity
‘Serving The Lord With Gladness’
Dec. R.L. Mitchell, President
Rev. G.L. Black I, Pastor
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¿M issionary
^Baptist Olijurclj
M allory Avenue
Christian Church
"Come to m e oil y o u w ho o rc
w e a ry a n d h e o v y la d e n oi id I
will g iv e y ou r e s t . ”
8 1 0 1 N. Fiske Avenue • Portland Oregon 9 7 2 0 3
Study Fhone: 2L 3-1311
Church Phone: 289-0147
Sunday Service
10:45
Dr. Joe S. Hardie, Pastor
\Ne Invite You To Come And Worship With Us.
The Church Where Everybody is Somebody And Christ
Is All.
We W elcom e You to T he
(Sveatcr J^am t
¿fiífttsstímarg b a p tis t (CI|urct|
“Serving The Lord
With Gladness”
Psalm 100:2
Sunday School
9 :3 0
Bible Study
9:45am Sunday School
11:00am Morning UUorship
7:30pm Tuesday Bible Study
and Prayer
Inter-racial C ongregation
Killingsworth Chapel
430 N. Killingsworth
Portland, Oregon 97217
503-283-1976
Lombard Chapel
3018 N. Lombard
Portland, Oregon 97217
503-283-0525
A V E N U E
Saturday, January 21, 1994
11:30 Until 5:00 PM
Bible Study
9 :3 0 am
M orning W orship
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C h u r c h O f f ic e 1 1 6 N E S c h u y le r S t. • ( 5 0 3 ) 2 8 4 - 1 9 5 4
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Cem etery - d h m o u a f fía t den
A Teaching Church With A Reaching Ministry
Dr. James E. Martin, Senior Pastor
O fC H
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Worship Services 8:00am & 11:00am,
Church School 9:30 to 10:30 am,
Bible Study, Wednesdays, 116 NE Schuyler, 10:30am & 7:00pm
Radio Ministry each Sunday, 8:00am on KBMS
CHURCH
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Has moved Sunday services to
Family Life Center,
8725 N. Chautauqua Blvd.,
at Willis Blvd.
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B A B T IS T C H U R C H
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M T . O L IV E T
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6:00
Evening Service
7:00pm
Pastor. Ro. lamnsC I
nise Hell
126 NC Alberto Portland, OR 9721 1 (503) 288-5173
Faulkner
Sunday School 10am
Morning Worship 11:05
Wednesday
Prayer & Bible Study 7pm
Rev. G.L. Black I Pastor
3605 N.E. Mallory Ave.
(503)281-8117 Portland,
OR 97212
Rev. and Mrs. G.L. Black I
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