March 2015 – JohnJFrady.com

10 Reasons You Should Go To Church

When I was a young Christian, I used to pray Psalm 27:4 which says, “One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.”

I had no idea He would take me so literally. Since coming to Christ almost three decades ago, I’ve spent most of that time serving in churches and ministries, mostly in worship ministry.

One thing I’ve noticed during that time is that often, even the most devout Christians, for one reason or the other, fall away from attending worship services on a regular basis.

So, in response, here’s my list of ten reasons you should go to church:

1. Christian Fellowship goes two ways: with God and with others. (1 John 1:3)

2. It’s one of the greatest habits (Hebrews 10:25)

3. For the opportunity to use your spiritual gifts to help others. (1 Peter 4:10)

4. Accountability. (Hebrews 13:17)

5. There are no self-sufficient Christians. (1 Corinthians 12:21)

6. To make a joyful noise unto the Lord! (Psalm 100)

7. To “devote yourself to the apostles teaching, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer.” (Acts 2:42)

8. To pray for others and to be prayed for (Matthew 18:19)

9. To express your love for God publicly (Psalm 22:22)

10. It’s what Jesus did (Luke 14:6)

There are possibly hundreds of other reasons to attend worship services (and small group meetings). Any that come to your mind today? If so, leave a comment.

P.S. If you live in the New Orleans area as I do, Easter’s a great time to start or restart attending worship. Let me invite you now to attend one of the 30 Easter Worship Services at Celebration Church. For times and locations, click Here

March 27, 2015 by johnfrady Categories: UncategorizedTags: 1 Corinthians 12:21, 1 John 1:3, 1 Peter 4:10, 10 Reasons You Should Go To Church, Acts 2:42, Celebration Church, Easter, Hebrews 10:25, Hebrews 13:17, John J Frady, Luke 14:6, Matthew 18:19, Psalm 100, Psalm 22:22, Psalm 27:4 2 Comments

The Selfish Decree of St. Patrick

On March 25, 433, St. Patrick stepped onto the shores of Slane, Ireland. He immediately demanded the opportunity to speak to the people of that city. His speech went something like this:

“Good people of the Emerald Isle! Henceforth on March 17th, or upon the weekend closest to that date, the rivers of at least one major city should be dyed green in my honor. People without the knowledge that the 3 leafed shamrock represents the Holy Trinity shall wear them proudly, along with shiny green top hats. I decree that everyone should skip church in order to attend parades where green beads and cabbages will be thrown to the massive crowds who have gathered to celebrate the anniversary of my death! Oh, and children who don’t wear green shall be pinched unmercilessly. Ok, that’s it. Let’s all get sloshed!”

Here’s a slightly more accurate account:

St. Patrick was born to Italian parents, residing in Scotland, in the year 387. When he was 14 years old, he was kidnapped by Irish pirates, taken to Ireland, and forced to serve as a shepherd. While there, he learned the language and the customs of the people. He also spent much time in prayer and soon dedicated his life to Jesus. Six years after his capture, he escaped captivity and begged a ship captain to give him passage. Even as he was escaping, he had a dream where the people of Ireland were calling out to him, saying, “We beg you, holy youth, to come and walk among us once more.”

Upon his return to England, Patrick began his studies for the priesthood and was later named as Bishop Patrick. He was then given the task of converting Ireland for the glory of God. He did arrive in Slane, Ireland in 433, and set about sharing the gospel with everyone he met. One legend says one Chief named Dichu tried to kill Patrick, but discovered that his arm was unable to move. Once he prayed with Patrick to give his life to Jesus, his arm relaxed and he could move it once again.

Patrick preached the Gospel across Ireland, living the life of a missionary and converting thousands. He planted churches across the entire island, training priests and overseers to lead them. St. Patrick served the Lord for the remainder of his life in Ireland, living most of them in poverty. He passed away on March 17, 461.

The following prayer is attributed to St. Patrick:

I arise today through the strength of heaven;

Light of the sun, splendor of fire, speed of lightning, depth of the sea,

Stability of the earth, firmness of the rock.

I arise today through God’s strength to pilot me;

God’s might to uphold me,

God’s wisdom to guide me,

God’s eye to look before me,

God’s ear to hear me,

God’s word to speak for me,

God’s hand to guard me,

God’s way to lie before me,

God’s shield to protect me,

God’s hosts to save me afar and anear,

Alone or in a multitude.

Christ shield me today against wounding.

Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,

Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,

Christ on my right, Christ on my left,

Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down,

Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,

Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,

Christ in the eye that sees me,

Christ in the ear that hears me.

I arise today through the mighty strength of the Lord of creation.

May we all be as focused on Christ as was St. Patrick.

March 17, 2015March 17, 2015 by johnfrady Categories: Church and Christian Life, MissionsTags: John J Frady, prayer, St. Patrick, St. Patrick's Day, The Selfish Decree of St. Patrick Leave a comment

“We Ain’t No Professionals” Ain’t Cutting It Anymore!

I saw a sign on a restaurant the other day proclaiming “The Only Thing Worse Than Our Food Is Our Service.” Unfortunately, I’d already ordered the pancakes.

The sign was right.

“I ain’t no professional” is a phrase I’ve heard once too often in my life in various capacities. I think it’s safe to say that if “You ain’t no professional then there ain’t no need to say it. Everyone already knows.”

The difference between the amateur and the professional is simple. The professional is willing to roll up his sleeves and go to work.

The word professional is defined by Google dictionary as someone “engaged in a specified activity as one’s main paid occupation rather than as a pastime.” This means the person is serious about it and is willing to work hard.

My profession for most of my life has been ministry. I’d be lying if I said I was always professional in every position I ever had. I sometimes found myself in places where I didn’t know what to do or who to trust and I often let my insecurities keep me from doing the work that needed to be done. In those moments, I was allowing myself to become an amateur.

The author of Proverbs 22:29 once wrote: “Do you see someone skilled in their work? They will serve before kings; they will not serve before officials of low rank.”

Some people want to reference the above verse and say that we shouldn’t associate with certain people. Believe it or not, they may be right, but not in matters of race, socio-economic status, or sports team affiliation. We should be careful with associating with those who are going to wastefully absorb our time and keep us from the professionalism we should strive to achieve.

In The War of Art, Steven Pressfield writes:

“Grandiose fantasies are a symptom of Resistance. They’re the sign of an amateur. The professional has learned that success, like happiness, comes as a by-product of work. The professional concentrates on the work and allows rewards to come or not come, whatever they like.”

It’s time to quit whining. It’s time to do the work that’s set before us. It’s time to be professional.

March 12, 2015 by johnfrady Categories: UncategorizedTags: Amateur, John J Frady, Professionalism, Proverbs 22:29, Steven Pressfield, The only thing worse than our food is our service 1 Comment