August Newsletter: Church Talk

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Sunday -9:15 AM Bible Study / 10:30 AM Worship Service / 6:00 PM Evening Service --- Wednesday - 6:15 Bible Study & PBYF

by: Elder Randy Waters

08/01/2026

0

"And he said, Amos, what sets thou? And I said, A basket of summer fruit. Then said the Lord unto me, the End is come upon my people of Israel; I will not again pass by them any more." Amos 8:2
Summertime is a fruitful season! Peaches and watermelons, cantaloups and boiled peanuts are not only good to eat but are also contagious! But summertime fruit, as delicious as it is, doesn't keep very well. Fresh fruit needs to be eaten and enjoyed in season and will surely spoil quickly if left alone.

God, here in the book of Amos, compares His people to a basket of summer fruit that has not been eaten, and likens that to their disobedience and unfaithfulness. So, the Lord says through the prophet Amos that He will just pass by them and let them spoil, just like a basket of summer fruit will if not consumed.

The lesson here for us as His church is that the blessings of His grace which produce the fruit of His Holy Spirit in our lives should not be put in a basket just to look at, but are to be shared and enjoyed. Jesus warned believers about putting their light under a basket in the sermon on the mount. Here, God is warning us about putting our fruit in a basket.

We have heard that it's not good to put all your eggs in one basket, but it's even worse to put God's blessings in a basket. In other words, don't try to keep God's blessings to yourself. Fruit on the shelf is about the same as keeping fruit to ourselves. God does not bless us individually or collectively so that we can accumulate a pile of blessings. Rather, He blesses us so that we might bless others. The very rea- son we are comforted when we are uncomfortable is not so we can be comforted, but so we can comfort somebody else. Jesus Christ didn't die on the cross for Himself but He did so for somebody else, us!

But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. Isaiah 53:5 There may be times in our lives when we just don't want to be bothered. No doubt, we all need sometime, but we shouldn't let this "quiet" time, but we shouldn't end up as "quitting time". Sometimes we may not even want God to bother us! But He will, for we are His. He bought us with His own blood. The worst case for any human being is that God has nothing to do with them. That is a horrific situation and should cause us to hurry to our knees and plead for His presence. There is a wonderful hymn we sometimes sing entitled"Pass Me Not, O Gentle Savior." The first verse says it all: "Pass me not, O gentle Savior, hear my humble cry, while on others thou are calling, do not pass me by."Be thankful God is calling you to do something, and it doesn't have to be such a big calling either. It may be to pray or repent, or to help someone. Just a text or phone call to give an encouraging word may be just the fresh fruit grace someone needs today. If God puts someone or something on your mind, don't run from it or table it, act upon it, else it may spoil.The reason we don't do more than
we do is that we're afraid we will do something wrong. There is nothing as wrong as wasting grace and that's what happens when we wait for everything and every body to get just right before we make our move. Anyone who has never failed probably has never done very much either. Actually, God uses failures! That's all He has to work with.Learning to live for Jesus is not easy and requires a constant effort on our part along with a committed dependence on the Holy Spirit to help us do what He has called us to do. We can be sure God has plenty for us to do, else He wouldn't have saved us and left us living on Earth. God looks for and expects His people to be fruitful. He even prunes His vineyard just so it will bring more fruit. The kingdom of God is a fruitful kingdom. The church of the Lord Jesus Christ is precious to God and is the only rea- son the world is still existing as we know it. The church is the fruit of His Holy Spirit and is the apple of God's eye.

For the Lord's portion is his people; Jacob is the lot of his inheritance. He found him in a desert land, and in the waste howling wilderness; he led him about, he instructed him, he kept him as the apple of his eye. Deuteronomy 32:9Surely it would take a lot to cause God to walk away from the people he cares so much about. But it has happened and continues to happen because of our disobedience. God withdraws His Spirit from us some- times, though He will never absolutely or ultimately leave. Actually, His leaving us alone may be the most severe chastening He does to His own. The reprobate mindset of many so called Christians today can be no less than the judgement of Almighty God.

Ripe for Repentance

The church today is ripe for repentance, but repentance is rare. A serious hearted Christian would acknowledge the fact that he or she sins every day. Yet, most of us haven't repented in years. This is because we don't feel guilty enough about our sins and we have been influenced more by the tolerance tables that have been set up right in the sanctuaries of God's house. Jesus Christ turned some tables over once because people were making the church a business place instead of a place of prayer and worship.Maybe it's time we turned our lives and our problems, especially our sin problems, over to God through repentance. It makes spiritual sense for us to repent every day if we sin every day, and we do. We know that often the best time to pray is when we don't feel like praying. Like- wise, the best time to repent is when we don't feel like praying. Likewise, the best time to repent is when we don't feel like repenting. The patriarch Job offered burnt offerings and sacrifices as repentance for his children just in case they had sinned against God. The lack of repentance may be the biggest problem the church faces today. The greatest problem any- body can have is not to have any problems at all.The problem we have is sin! Jesus Christ came to this earth from Heaven to solve that problem. He did that on the cross of Calvary. Had He not done so, repentance would mean nothing, but since He took our place on the cross, we are not only forgiven and justified finally and forever, but we also can enjoy fellowship with our Holy, Heavenly Father every day by confessing our daily sins.I like to eat a banana with my shredded wheat in the morning for breakfast. Sometimes when I peel the banana, I find a bruised or bad spot on it. I do not throw the whole banana away though. I just cut off the bad spot and enjoy the rest of the fruit. One bad apple will spoil the whole bunch. And one sin destroys much good. May the good Lord show us our sin and grant us the grace to repent.Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Psalm 139:23

Reason for Rejoicing

I enjoy fruit, especially when it's fresh and in season. A few years ago I planted several peach trees in my backyard. This year was the first year of significant yield and those trees brought lots of joy to me and my family. Any golfcart ride with my grandchildren had to include a trip to the peach trees. First, to see the blooms, then to notice and gently touch the "baby peaches." Finally, to actually pick that just right and juicy fruit and eat it right off the tree. The ones I took in the house and placed in a bowl on the cabinet never tasted as good as the ones eaten fresh picked. And, if those in the bowl were left there very long, little spots of rot would be noticed and very soon those ended up in the trash can.Life, both spiritual and natural, are gifts from God and are given to live. Every believer is a planting of the Lord and the fruit produced is to be eaten and enjoyed right off the tree. Jesus said by their fruits you shall know them as He warned of false prophets. What Jesus meant was actions speak louder than words. Likewise, fruit, especially spiritual fruit, brings more joy when consumed than when kept in a crystal bowl.As redeemed children of God, we sure have more reasons for rejoicing than we do complaining. Joy is one of those fruits of the spirit that yields best with some pain. I think that's why we keep it to ourselves so to speak. Joy not shaken will sour quickly, but when we spread joy, it's contagious. Try smiling at someone and most likely they will smile back at you.

The Bible teaches us to rejoice always no matter what. The way to do that is not to be so concerned about what you've got, but be thankful for what's got you — namely, God's unconditional, everlasting, drawing love. Jesus faced the pain of the cross with joy because He had the end in view. I wouldn't think of cutting down my peach trees now just because the peaches are gone. I am already looking for ward to next summer. The Lord always gives us something to look forward to, even though we may not be able to see it just yet. His promises are sure and will never spoil. They are not to be put in or kept under a basket, but are to be believed. They are true whether we believe them or not. When we believe them we rejoice. When we doubt them, we worry.

Ready for Reverence

I knew a farmer who told me that he and a couple of his friends would take a day off dur- ing the summertime and go "crop looking." He said that the trip was not a planned route, but would cover several counties. He described the event as a time of comradery with his friends but also resulted in an occasion to complement other farmers for their work and innovation. The "crop looking" day generated respect for other farmers and probably was motivational to the lookers.

We would all do well to reflect more than we do, especially on the things God has done for us and to us, as well as to others. One place which affords our attention to what God has done, is the church. Everybody ought to take one day of the week and go “crop looking.”

Worship is not about us, the preacher, the choir or the deacons. Worship is about God! Creation is full of God’s fingerprints but the church is full of God’s fruit. The first day of the week is a celebration of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ who is described as the first fruit as well as the first born of many brethren. The church assembly is the place we see God’s people planted in rows. It’s where we see grace wearing britches and dresses and we hear melodious sounds from mouths opened for mercy.

Worshipping God basically is one way we share our faith. Gathering together in Jesus’ precious name strengthens our faith be- cause He promises to be right there with us when we do.

“For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” Matthew 18:20

Being together for the purpose of glorifying God is also motivational. Seeing what God has done and continues to do in the lives of others makes us all want to do better. Coming to church exposes us to the fruit of the cross and includes preaching, praying, singing and fellow- shipping. It’s all from God though and to realize that makes us ready for reverence and causes us to look for His love.

A basket of summer fruit may be pretty to look at but won’t last long in the basket. God is not as impressed with looks as we are. The best way to benefit from the fruit of God’s blessings is to serve Him. The most effective reverence we can give to our God is to obey Him. Excuses rivet our reverence for God while service readies us for what’s ahead. May the Lord impress us with the cause for Christ; and, that will prevent us from being a basket case!

Brother Randy


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"And he said, Amos, what sets thou? And I said, A basket of summer fruit. Then said the Lord unto me, the End is come upon my people of Israel; I will not again pass by them any more." Amos 8:2
Summertime is a fruitful season! Peaches and watermelons, cantaloups and boiled peanuts are not only good to eat but are also contagious! But summertime fruit, as delicious as it is, doesn't keep very well. Fresh fruit needs to be eaten and enjoyed in season and will surely spoil quickly if left alone.

God, here in the book of Amos, compares His people to a basket of summer fruit that has not been eaten, and likens that to their disobedience and unfaithfulness. So, the Lord says through the prophet Amos that He will just pass by them and let them spoil, just like a basket of summer fruit will if not consumed.

The lesson here for us as His church is that the blessings of His grace which produce the fruit of His Holy Spirit in our lives should not be put in a basket just to look at, but are to be shared and enjoyed. Jesus warned believers about putting their light under a basket in the sermon on the mount. Here, God is warning us about putting our fruit in a basket.

We have heard that it's not good to put all your eggs in one basket, but it's even worse to put God's blessings in a basket. In other words, don't try to keep God's blessings to yourself. Fruit on the shelf is about the same as keeping fruit to ourselves. God does not bless us individually or collectively so that we can accumulate a pile of blessings. Rather, He blesses us so that we might bless others. The very rea- son we are comforted when we are uncomfortable is not so we can be comforted, but so we can comfort somebody else. Jesus Christ didn't die on the cross for Himself but He did so for somebody else, us!

But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. Isaiah 53:5 There may be times in our lives when we just don't want to be bothered. No doubt, we all need sometime, but we shouldn't let this "quiet" time, but we shouldn't end up as "quitting time". Sometimes we may not even want God to bother us! But He will, for we are His. He bought us with His own blood. The worst case for any human being is that God has nothing to do with them. That is a horrific situation and should cause us to hurry to our knees and plead for His presence. There is a wonderful hymn we sometimes sing entitled"Pass Me Not, O Gentle Savior." The first verse says it all: "Pass me not, O gentle Savior, hear my humble cry, while on others thou are calling, do not pass me by."Be thankful God is calling you to do something, and it doesn't have to be such a big calling either. It may be to pray or repent, or to help someone. Just a text or phone call to give an encouraging word may be just the fresh fruit grace someone needs today. If God puts someone or something on your mind, don't run from it or table it, act upon it, else it may spoil.The reason we don't do more than
we do is that we're afraid we will do something wrong. There is nothing as wrong as wasting grace and that's what happens when we wait for everything and every body to get just right before we make our move. Anyone who has never failed probably has never done very much either. Actually, God uses failures! That's all He has to work with.Learning to live for Jesus is not easy and requires a constant effort on our part along with a committed dependence on the Holy Spirit to help us do what He has called us to do. We can be sure God has plenty for us to do, else He wouldn't have saved us and left us living on Earth. God looks for and expects His people to be fruitful. He even prunes His vineyard just so it will bring more fruit. The kingdom of God is a fruitful kingdom. The church of the Lord Jesus Christ is precious to God and is the only rea- son the world is still existing as we know it. The church is the fruit of His Holy Spirit and is the apple of God's eye.

For the Lord's portion is his people; Jacob is the lot of his inheritance. He found him in a desert land, and in the waste howling wilderness; he led him about, he instructed him, he kept him as the apple of his eye. Deuteronomy 32:9Surely it would take a lot to cause God to walk away from the people he cares so much about. But it has happened and continues to happen because of our disobedience. God withdraws His Spirit from us some- times, though He will never absolutely or ultimately leave. Actually, His leaving us alone may be the most severe chastening He does to His own. The reprobate mindset of many so called Christians today can be no less than the judgement of Almighty God.

Ripe for Repentance

The church today is ripe for repentance, but repentance is rare. A serious hearted Christian would acknowledge the fact that he or she sins every day. Yet, most of us haven't repented in years. This is because we don't feel guilty enough about our sins and we have been influenced more by the tolerance tables that have been set up right in the sanctuaries of God's house. Jesus Christ turned some tables over once because people were making the church a business place instead of a place of prayer and worship.Maybe it's time we turned our lives and our problems, especially our sin problems, over to God through repentance. It makes spiritual sense for us to repent every day if we sin every day, and we do. We know that often the best time to pray is when we don't feel like praying. Like- wise, the best time to repent is when we don't feel like praying. Likewise, the best time to repent is when we don't feel like repenting. The patriarch Job offered burnt offerings and sacrifices as repentance for his children just in case they had sinned against God. The lack of repentance may be the biggest problem the church faces today. The greatest problem any- body can have is not to have any problems at all.The problem we have is sin! Jesus Christ came to this earth from Heaven to solve that problem. He did that on the cross of Calvary. Had He not done so, repentance would mean nothing, but since He took our place on the cross, we are not only forgiven and justified finally and forever, but we also can enjoy fellowship with our Holy, Heavenly Father every day by confessing our daily sins.I like to eat a banana with my shredded wheat in the morning for breakfast. Sometimes when I peel the banana, I find a bruised or bad spot on it. I do not throw the whole banana away though. I just cut off the bad spot and enjoy the rest of the fruit. One bad apple will spoil the whole bunch. And one sin destroys much good. May the good Lord show us our sin and grant us the grace to repent.Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Psalm 139:23

Reason for Rejoicing

I enjoy fruit, especially when it's fresh and in season. A few years ago I planted several peach trees in my backyard. This year was the first year of significant yield and those trees brought lots of joy to me and my family. Any golfcart ride with my grandchildren had to include a trip to the peach trees. First, to see the blooms, then to notice and gently touch the "baby peaches." Finally, to actually pick that just right and juicy fruit and eat it right off the tree. The ones I took in the house and placed in a bowl on the cabinet never tasted as good as the ones eaten fresh picked. And, if those in the bowl were left there very long, little spots of rot would be noticed and very soon those ended up in the trash can.Life, both spiritual and natural, are gifts from God and are given to live. Every believer is a planting of the Lord and the fruit produced is to be eaten and enjoyed right off the tree. Jesus said by their fruits you shall know them as He warned of false prophets. What Jesus meant was actions speak louder than words. Likewise, fruit, especially spiritual fruit, brings more joy when consumed than when kept in a crystal bowl.As redeemed children of God, we sure have more reasons for rejoicing than we do complaining. Joy is one of those fruits of the spirit that yields best with some pain. I think that's why we keep it to ourselves so to speak. Joy not shaken will sour quickly, but when we spread joy, it's contagious. Try smiling at someone and most likely they will smile back at you.

The Bible teaches us to rejoice always no matter what. The way to do that is not to be so concerned about what you've got, but be thankful for what's got you — namely, God's unconditional, everlasting, drawing love. Jesus faced the pain of the cross with joy because He had the end in view. I wouldn't think of cutting down my peach trees now just because the peaches are gone. I am already looking for ward to next summer. The Lord always gives us something to look forward to, even though we may not be able to see it just yet. His promises are sure and will never spoil. They are not to be put in or kept under a basket, but are to be believed. They are true whether we believe them or not. When we believe them we rejoice. When we doubt them, we worry.

Ready for Reverence

I knew a farmer who told me that he and a couple of his friends would take a day off dur- ing the summertime and go "crop looking." He said that the trip was not a planned route, but would cover several counties. He described the event as a time of comradery with his friends but also resulted in an occasion to complement other farmers for their work and innovation. The "crop looking" day generated respect for other farmers and probably was motivational to the lookers.

We would all do well to reflect more than we do, especially on the things God has done for us and to us, as well as to others. One place which affords our attention to what God has done, is the church. Everybody ought to take one day of the week and go “crop looking.”

Worship is not about us, the preacher, the choir or the deacons. Worship is about God! Creation is full of God’s fingerprints but the church is full of God’s fruit. The first day of the week is a celebration of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ who is described as the first fruit as well as the first born of many brethren. The church assembly is the place we see God’s people planted in rows. It’s where we see grace wearing britches and dresses and we hear melodious sounds from mouths opened for mercy.

Worshipping God basically is one way we share our faith. Gathering together in Jesus’ precious name strengthens our faith be- cause He promises to be right there with us when we do.

“For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” Matthew 18:20

Being together for the purpose of glorifying God is also motivational. Seeing what God has done and continues to do in the lives of others makes us all want to do better. Coming to church exposes us to the fruit of the cross and includes preaching, praying, singing and fellow- shipping. It’s all from God though and to realize that makes us ready for reverence and causes us to look for His love.

A basket of summer fruit may be pretty to look at but won’t last long in the basket. God is not as impressed with looks as we are. The best way to benefit from the fruit of God’s blessings is to serve Him. The most effective reverence we can give to our God is to obey Him. Excuses rivet our reverence for God while service readies us for what’s ahead. May the Lord impress us with the cause for Christ; and, that will prevent us from being a basket case!

Brother Randy


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