Hello Folks,
     Two Sunday nights ago I started a series on the Beatitudes and have found them to be very interesting, at least for me.   One of the tidbits that I came across was the thought that the term blessed could be translated as "Oh the bliss" so in Matt 5:3 it would read "Oh the bliss of the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."  It is seen as a present reality rather than just a future hope.  Jesus is actually giving to us the message that we are kings in His kingdom and it is our bliss to currently be participants and recipients of His wonderful grace.  Oh the bliss of the person who walks in the kingdom of God.
     One of the questions that is circulating among pastors is who will be the new General Director of the Church of God Reformation Movement.  There is a committee in place that is working on this providing the right answer to this question.  They have interviewed numerous leaders and groups within the church as well as providing a questionaire for anyone to answer that would so desire to do so.  While I have no doubt about the good intents and the tremendous efforts that are in place to do this right I am also convinced that unless the church prays we will not see the right results.  Man's efforts are expected and needed but only God can place someone in the body where He would have them to be.  I ask you to pray concerning this issue.
     Recently I received a call from someone about an individual who had used my name as a reference.  It was an interesting conversation and during that time I had found that the leadership of the local congregation had given permission to their state ministries to make the final decision of who would be their pastor.  I wonder if this is a good precedent to set into place.  Is this the method that God would have us use where the governance of the local church body is concerned?  I realize that many are calling for the end of the autonomy of the local congregation but I would warn each of us to be gravely concerned about what we allow to take the place of autonomy.  I wonder what we will look like in a couple of generations?

Have a great day,

H. G. Rudd