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Elder Thomas & Missionary Almedia Burgess
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February 2010
Is anything too Difficult in Obeying God?
It is another year and it seems like only yesterday that we celebrated the New Year and now we are in the 2nd month of 2010. Saying that means we as children of God must find ways to be obedient to him and trust him. Time is moving fast, it waits on no one. I know obey and trust seems a bit much for some people. But read what I have to say and hopefully you can come to your own conclusions about our God.
Ask yourself is Jesus’ call too difficult? Is it too hard? For just any human being, is it too difficult, but a Christian has the Spirit of God. God’s power is at work in us (Eph. 3:20). Through Christ we are DEAD to sin (Rom. 6) and we are crucified with Christ; He lives in us (Gal.2:20). Therefore I ask you this: is obeying God and overcoming sin in our lives too hard for us, not if we have faith in Him and trust Him, not trust ourselves or man, but trust HIM. If we have true faith in God, our faith causes changes in our lives. These changes are evident by what we do (James2:14-16; Eph.2:8-10), what we think ( Phil . 4:8; Col.3:1-3). What we say (Eph.5:25, 29) and what we delight in or take pleasure in (Psalm 1:1-2).
We must remember at all times to obey God and listen to his voice when he speaks to us. Listening to his voice is a constant reminder that we are to do all things according to his will and purpose. We as Christians know God’s voice. How do we know his voice from the enemy? By prayer and reading His word. We are to always pray to learn his voice when he is speaking to us. Praise and Worship him, learning to get closer to him and listen to the sound of his voice. Learn to be obedient to his word. How do we trust and obey him?
•By leaving all your cares with him and say (Lord I trust you)
•Leave all the bad and evil things to Him and say (Lord I trust you)
•Meditate on his word and say (Lord I trust you)
•Pray for deliverance each and everyday and say (Lord I trust you)
There will always be conflicts in our walk with God and sometimes difficult decisions. He never said the walk would be easy. Remember or don’t get the wrong idea: just because Jesus said his yoke is easy doesn’t mean we won’t suffer persecution. Jesus said that we will go through trials but with Him we have peace (John 16:33). He even gives us joy that enables us to rejoice at being counted worthy to suffer for him (Acts 5:41). Trials serve to prefect us (James 1:2-4).
God is always in control, we are not the leader in this walk, God is. To all the believers of his word, he will never leave you nor forsake you. Always, remember to say to Him that you have the faith and you believe. Because…Lord I trust you and there is nothing, and I mean nothing in my life that is too difficult that will keep me from obeying you.
January 2010
The Lord Has Need Of You
Scripture Reference Matthew 21:3
And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say,
The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them.
Happy New Year my friends, May God shower you this year with every good and perfect gift that He has destined for you. We have been favored to see another year and I thank God for His Goodness, Mercy and Favor. The television networks have completed their retrospective look back at the first nine years of this decade and you have probably looked back as well. What lessons did you learn, was your faith deepened, was your focus drawn to God? After the many tragedies that took place (911 Katrina, the economic collapse, the death of some of our legendary figures) every Church was packed to capacity for a while but then we went back to business as usual and God was put on a shelf again. Some accepted Christ because of the events and are now wondering what do I do now? May I make a suggestion, this year instead of a new years resolution that you will probably break before January is over...pick up the Bible and start reading it. Why? To find out what God has for you. You do realize that if you can read this, you still have the opportunity to ask God what do I do? Where do I fit in to your plan? More directly answer your question why me?
The scripture reference for this message can also be found in Mark 11:3 and Luke 19:31 and is the scene as Jesus is about to begin His Passion. He enters Jerusalem and says to His disciples in Matthew 21:2...Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto me. 3 And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them. 4 All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, 5 Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass.
To many times we have preconceived ideas of what is involved in doing anything for God, The irony is, our ideas are wrong each and every time. The Bible is full of people who had a small role in making whatever they did profound and monumental. In this message Jesus uses a colt (one time) and people (one time) who asked the question of the disciples...what are you doing with this colt. The disciples answer was what their Master told them to say...the Lord has need of them. These are bit parts in the play but crucial none the less.
You may not realize it but by saying yes to whatever God has for you, your role in the play of life could be you sending an e-mail you received (that someone sent you that blessed you) to someone else that suddenly enters your mind and because of your obedience in pushing the send button, someone gets blessed because of you. Funny isn't it that something you may consider trivial could have such a tremendous impact on someone else. Maybe your bit role is to tell your co-worker that is going through a tough period (and is now ashamed of it because she mentioned it to someone in confidence who has turned her plight into the office gossip) that God loves you and has not forgotten you. The Lord has need of you because you are unique with a special gift that no one else has that could help someone just like you were helped at some point in your life. Preaching behind a pulpit is only for those who have been called for that, real ministry is in the street, work, waiting for the bus, in the laundry mat, hair salon, grocery store.
The Lord has need of you, will you answer? Remember, your role isn't the lead in the play. No one may ever really know your name but allowing yourself to be used for His Divine purpose means the dash between the time you were born to the time you die will have everlasting meaning and purpose.
God Bless you,
Elder Thomas Burgess
December 2009
O Come Let Us Adore Us Him
I am listening to this song while preparing this message. In The Gospel of Luke chapter 2:1-7 we read about the decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world be taxed which caused Joseph to take his espoused wife Mary to Judea to be taxed. Mary is carrying the Holy Child and in verse 7, she brings forth her firstborn son and wrapped Him is swaddling clothes and laid Him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. I am purposefully using the capital H in referring to Him because she and Joseph new who He was and shortly so would the world.
Verse 8...Shepherds are abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night...verse 9: and lo the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them and they were sore afraid. Think about this, at this time in history, shepherding was one of the lowest and disregarded occupation one could have. Sheep are smelly, dumb, and full of mischief (sounds like us doesn't it) yet God so loved the world that he brought His only begotten Son first to those who were the least in society. Verse 10...the angel of the Lord admonishes the fearful shepherds to "fear not" for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy...the word tidings means news but not just news...good news and this good news also comes with great joy. Can you remember any incident in your life that caused you to burst with anticipation? Yes, I know, when your children were born. Proud fathers passed the cigars around and called everyone he knew with the good news...you had good tidings and great joy...the birth of my children was a blessing to me and my wife. To God however, the birth if His Son was to be a blessing to all people.
Just as I beamed with pride and joy at the birth of my children, showing everyone who passed the window where they were in the cribs...that one is mine...come see this most adorable baby and each of my children were the most beautiful ever born. It was and continues to be unforgettable in my memory. For God it was the same but no matter how much we as parents gush with excitement and the good news, it pales in comparison to verse 11...For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. I can see in my Spirit (as verse 12 states) God is saying...Go see Him, your sign that He is truly my Son? You will find Him wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. You won't be confused about Him being my Son because He is the only one in the manger...come look, isn't He beautiful?. In fact this baby was so adorable and important to the world that the entire heavenly host said "Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, good will toward men" verse 14.
Verse 15...the shepherds say one to another, Let us go to Beth-lehem to see what the Lord has made know unto us and they came rushing and found Mary, Joseph and the baby lying in a manger just as God had said. Verse 17...after witnessing the baby, they spread the news about the adorable child.
This Christmas, remember it isn't about toys or the jolly fat guy. It is about the most precious gift ever given. As I finish this message, O Holy Night is now playing and I can't help but saying thank you God. The line in O Holy Night says "fall on your knees, Oh hear the angels voices, O night divine, the night when Christ was born, O night divine. Grand parents and parents, take your family to church this Christmas season and be reminded just how much we should adore Him...Christ The Lord.
Merry Christmas and God bless you
Elder Thomas and Evangelist Almedia Burgess
November 2009
Thank You Lord!
During this season of reflection and thanksgiving, we have lost some giants that we never gave a second thought about not being with us. We also lost giants in our personal lives, those who had a direct impact in bringing us to where we are today. Among them were fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, big mama's and big daddy's and they will certainly be missed especially at this time of year. We would not be who we are if had not been for them so in spite of their loss in our lives, we have still tremendous reason to say "Thank You Lord"
We have faced difficult obstacles with the economy, jobs, keeping our homes and trying our best not to face foreclosure, for some it has been health issues (taking a page from today's headlines)...there have been deep valleys and huge mountains to face but as we started the trek up these seemingly impossible to handle mountains, I hear the lyrics to the Gospel song...For every mountain You brought me over For every trial You've seen me through For every blessing Hallelujah For this I give You Praise.
Christians have turned on other Christians because of ideological differences, calling each other names and throwing labels about them around like play dough never giving a thought about whom their negativity would harm. One of our little brother's was so hurt by the venom toward President Obama that he asked him during one of the President's visits "why do people hate you so much because God is love"...this young man brought tears to my eyes. In the midst of all this disrespect, children are learning lessons about us grown folks they should not have to deal with and no one seems to care. But Glory is to God that this young man had enough compassion to speak a simple biblical truth. Every so called Christian should fall to their knees begging God's forgiveness for their attitude and dislike toward their President (and he is their President too) and thank God for this young man's courage to speak what he did...personally I say "Thank You Lord" for this young man.
Though we are in military situations in the middle-east and our young people are fighting on several fronts, we as a nation should collectively be praying for God's divine protection on them and their families and that our President will be forever mindful to keep God first in everything he does. I believe he has and will continue to do so and for that I say "Thank You Lord"
Thank you for putting people in front of me who didn't believe they would get the car they really hoped and prayed for because of being mistreated by those out to scalp them or because of situations they were in beyond their control. You Father allowed me to minister to them about the need to have faith the size of a mustard seed and then watch them giving you the Praise, Honor and Glory when we were able to help them. I thank you Father for allowing me the opportunity to work for owners and managers who allow me to speak about you openly..."Lord I Thank You"
Thank you for allowing me to see the beauty of the changing seasons because it reminds me of just how magnificent you are. Only God during creation would be intelligent enough to include chemical components (that would be discovered thousands of years later) that cause leaves to turn from green to the most dazzling array of colors leaving you breathless in their beauty during this time of year. Then as these beautiful colors change even more and fall from trees either through their weight or from the wind, they have the nutrients even in death to provide nourishment to the trees and shrubbery. As they cover the ground and it gets colder they provide warmth to the ground in preparation for winter and the cycle begins again. "Lord I Thank you"
I thank you for my wife, for giving us 27 years together and will continue to Praise you for the years we have left, whatever number they may be...we both thank you for your goodness, mercy and your faithfulness toward us. In this season of Thanksgiving think about God's favor toward you and tell Him thank you. Another song has the lyrics...If you catch me on the street and you ask me how I'm doing today, it doesn't take long for my reply for my heart guides what I say...you see, I appreciate where I am and because I am not where I could be, these word express my gratitude...Yes I'm grateful because God has been so good to me...and you too.
God Bless You.
Employee Spotlight
Thomas Burgess - Your kind of Internet Guy
Employee of the Month - January 2009
After spending over 30 years in radio as an On-Air Personality / Program Director for some legendary radio stations in major and medium sized markets, I was introduced to the car business quite by accident…19 years later I am still at it. During these 19 years, the tenure at Lexus of Memphis by far has been the most satisfying.
I have been blessed to work with the best group of automotive professionals ever assembled in every department of this dealership. They have made my job so much easier and I have great friendships with all of them.
My life has taken a very dramatic turn during the last 6 years however after accepting my call to Ministry. I ran a long time from it but realized I had to accept His call because there was no earthly reason for me to be living after some of the things I had done in my life had it not been for Gods Grace and Mercy. My wife of now 26 years (Almedia) and I are both in Ministry now which makes for some great conversations. She stuck with me through some pretty tough times for which I will be forever grateful.
On my web site: http://www.thomasburgess.net/ is a link to “Something for Your Spirit” which is a message God has given me to share with anyone who wants to read it. I hope you will.
My customer base has grown quite a bit over these years and I have developed some truly wonder friendships. After handling the Internet Sales for Lexus for the past 2 ½ years, time to do things has become quite scarce but I am not complaining.
Please stop by and say ‘hello’ when you are in the neighborhood – or drop me a line and let me know how I can help you achieve your dreams of owning one of the finest vehicles ever made - A new or Certified PreOwned Lexus.
Thomas Burgess
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901-271-5118 – Direct line
901-826-1678 - Cell
