Last week, my message was on the acrostic
BIBLE = Believers’ Instructions Before Leaving Earth.
I provided five specific statistics (my favorite subject!) last week that supported why everyone should read and trust in God’s Word presented in the Bible. There were a few additional comments made from that source I used last week. I felt those examples were also worthy of presenting so I wanted to share them as well, so I am making this topic my first ever 2-part TGIF message. Below are the additional statistics I want to share with you. Note that I am also adding my own comments this week to each of the following three statistics.
6 – Love is mentioned 310 times. This statistic is a powerful reminder of the centrality of love in the Bible. It speaks to the importance of love in the Christian faith, and how it is woven throughout the scriptures. It is a reminder that love is the foundation of the Christian faith, and that it should be a guiding principle in our lives.
I would like to add here that I believe Covenant Church has survived for 36 years now due to the love our members have for Jesus Christ and for each other as well which leads to the service our church members and friends have offered to Him and many others throughout our entire history. Today, I believe we still follow this commandment to love by our commitments to Him and to each other both inside and outside our church family. May God continue to bless our church and may we continue to share our love through the words that appear on our church letterhead The Little Church With A Big Heart.
7 – There are about 185 songs in the Bible. This statistic is a testament to the sheer volume of wisdom and insight contained within the Bible. It serves as a reminder of the sheer breadth of knowledge and understanding that can be found within its pages, and the importance of taking the time to explore and appreciate its contents.
I would like to add here that Covenant Church takes a back seat to no other church in the music it offers through our services. The sermon always follows right after the Special Music that is provided by the Sounds of Hope, named for founding member Don Hope when he was called home to heaven. I can’t begin to tell you the number of times that the music receives an Amen!!! from the congregation, followed by the Pastor for that day suggesting we could just go home now, implying that there is no need for a sermon after that special music. That has been the case for most of the Covenant Church history. The Sounds of Hope have been providing our church music for almost 30 of our 36-year history, consistently led by Tina since its inception. This musical group was quite large for many years, and even produced two awesome Christian CDs that we distributed for free to many people for a number of years.
The number of singers has slowly declined over the years but still produces the same high quality Godly messages that it has throughout its history. I get to pray with this group each Sunday morning before church and I always thank all of them for their incredible and valuable continuing commitment to Covenant through their uniquely superb contribution.
In addition, Rose has been our church pianist for about 20 years now. It is ironic that just last Sunday our “sermon”, made at the request of Pastor Don, was for Rose to choose and play her favorite Christian hymns. The hymns Rose chose were Softly and Tenderly, Just As I Am, Amazing Grace, Just A Closer Walk With Thee, It is Well With My Soul (my personal favorite), How Great Thou Art, Jesus Is Lord Of All, and My Tribute. Note that before each song, Tina told where the song came from and when each one was written. Note that the first six of the eight songs were all written in the 18th or 19th centuries, so have withstood the test of time like the Bible. Only the last two songs were contemporary songs having been written in 1966 and 1972, respectively. Covenant Church has certainly been blessed with musical talent and leadership throughout its history!
8 – The phrase “do not be afraid” appears 365 times. This statistic is a powerful reminder of the Bible’s message of hope and courage. It speaks to the idea that no matter what life throws at us, we can always find strength in the words of the Bible. This statistic is a testament to the power of the Bible’s words and the comfort they can bring to those who are struggling. It is a reminder that we can always find solace in the Bible’s words, no matter how difficult life may seem.
I would like to add here that it seems the last three years have shaken our country and the world tremendously, first with COVID and then due to the transforming geopolitical nature of our country and world. The frequency of the above phrase written in the Bible tells us of its importance in our lives and to understand that there is only one consistent and strong answer to this fear and anxiety – God! I have addressed this topic numerous times the past three years, each time pointing out that God is our answer for both our hope for the future and our peace that we want to have in our lives right now. We also see numerous books being published today on this very topic, one of which I recently reported on in a TGIF titled Calm Moments For Anxious Days by Max Lucado. The true answer to finding your personal peace in today’s seemingly upside down world is to have a personal relationship with your Savior and Redeemer Jesus Christ.
Philippians 4:4-7 – Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! 5 Let your gentle spirit be known to all people. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and pleading with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.