Convocation 1st Day Morning Session

Archbishop Loren Thomas Hines

1st Day of Convocation, Morning Session

July 25, 2017

One of the weaknesses of the church today is that we don’t really take the time to understand God. Sometimes we think that things “just happen,” not realizing that God has a plan. Prior to creation, even before the foundation of the world, everything was planned by God.

It is unfortunate that we do not care about the past. In many schools today, history books have been changed.

If we do not know the past, we will not know the future, If we do not know the Old Testament, we won’t know the New Testament.

The perfection of God is awesome. He does not make mistakes. Everything has been established.

We were chosen to be holy and blameless. This was His plan for us – to be holy and blameless. When Adam failed, it was with a purpose. In order for us to be restored to God, Jesus Christ comes into the picture. The coming of Christ was God’s love and compassion for man.

In our society today, children are spoonfed. We don’t want them to struggle or go thru pain and suffering. So when they grow up, they become useless. But in real life, we are to pass thru these struggles in order to overcome.

God has set the course from the very beginning. He is the only one who can give us life. When we go our own way, this is when we get into trouble.

We should never lose our trust and faith in God. The enemy knows that if we are not following God or walking in God’s ways, he will attack us in our weakness. But we’ve got to believe that the enemy is already a defeated foe, and that the Holy Spirit dwells in us.

We always ask God for blessings when God has already given all things. We are a blessed people!

Scripture says that the things Jesus has done, we shall also do. And even greater because we are many. We need to take time to discover what God’s purpose for us is because He has set the course for our lives. He has established our footsteps (Psalm 119: 133).

The challenge to the church today is intense because Christianity has weakened. For one, the church has to establish unity so that the world can also be united. We are so divided when we should be ONE in Christ.

God leads us to the paths of righteousness (Psalm 23)

Jesus is the way and we should follow Him.

Follow in His steps (1 Peter 2:21)

God gives us wisdom. He reveals to us an understanding that is unknown to men who do not follow Him. Our relationship with Christ should be very close. Christ in us, the Hope of glory.

It’s not theology which is the most important thing. It’s not doctrine. It’s our relationship with Jesus Christ. And He wants us to walk in His footsteps.

It’s time for us to believe we are indeed children of God.

It’s time for us to prove we are His. To be like Christ.

God will not fail us if we just follow in His footsteps.