Consider the Lily: A Case for Stress-Free Religion

By Thomas J. Williams Jr.

Since the beginning of time, man has attempted to discover the key to unlocking the plan of God. Life would be much simpler if we were to have access to the mind of the giver of life. Wouldnt it be great if there was a simple clear-cut solution to lifes struggles? It is human nature to accept complicated answers to complicated questions but if you take a moment and Consider the Lily, you can begin to discover all there is to know of Gods will.

You can strengthen your relationship with Christ with a stress-free approach to religionto heed the words of our Lord and consider the lily. Beyond its beauty, its a very low maintenance flower and can thrive year after year without any constant attention. Through a systematic study of the Word of God, it is possible to maintain a calmer, more focused lifestyle; you too can thrive with little maintenance in a stress-free environment.

Stress is one of the leading causes of sickness, pain, and death. Stress-related illnesses are rampant in the United States. The prayerful study of Gods Word can provide a strong and meaningful antidote to our crazy and stressful world; we need to take the time to consider the lily to experience life at its best.

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Aug 1, 2011
• ISBN: 9781462035359

Thomas J. Williams Jr.

Thomas J. Williams Jr. was raised in New York City. He is a member of the Second Generation Church of God In Christ, the largest black Pentecostal organization in the world. He has been the Senior Pastor of the New Beginnings Church of God in Christ (First Church of God in Christ of Bridgehampton) since 1998. He currently lives in New York.

Book preview

For my mom who was the author of my life story, my wife, its editor and Joe, its proofreader…

I believe that you should always feel better when you leave church than you did when you first got there regardless of how you felt when you walked in.

Having been raised in the Holiness Church all of my life I have come to know and love the Lord with all of my heart. I have watched as the church has evolved from a source of comfort and relief to an additional source of stress. As a Pastor I have had to stand by helplessly as other more influential voices have misinformed and misguided sincere worshippers for whatever reason. I believe that we have gotten so far away from the rationale of religion that we have become more of a burden than a benefit. The yoke of Jesus is supposed to be easy, so why is it so hard?

I believe that if we understand that Church is meant to alleviate the stress of life more of us can be helped. It is important to me that my fellow believers learn to separate religion from their daily lives and know that we do not go to church to live right we go to church to worship and be assisted in living right.

Jesus did not tell us to make religion a priority but how we treat one another. Worship is for our good and it must not engender stress. To me there is no better example of a stress-free existence than in nature.

Although I am a Christian I believe that any religion that causes stress makes no sense. If your God is really God why would you be under stress to worship him? Is He God only when you acknowledge Him or is He God whether you acknowledge Him or not? If He created you, does He not know you? Will He not provide for you? What does He want from you that He did not give you? Worship is gratitude not servitude.

If I can take the stress out of worship for someone reading this book I will have done my job.

table of contents

INTRODUCTION

1. REST FROM STRESS

2. THE LILY AND SANCTIFICATION

3. MAKING IT PLAIN

4. DIVINE PURPOSE/DIVINE PROVISION

5. THE OPTIMUM OFFICE OF PRESCIENCE

6. STRESS FREE RELIGION

7. THE STRESS OF HYPOCRISY

8. THE MISSING INGREDIENT

9. THE FAITH OF GOD!

10. HOW THEY GROW!

11. THE APOSTASY OF RELIGIOSITY

12. CREATION AND RE-CREATION

13. THE NEED OF A NEXUS

14. THE TEN COMMANDMENTS – WORRY FREE WORSHIP!

15. FROM EMANCIPATION TO SUBJUGATION

16. JESUS, THE LESSON OF LIFE!

17. THE EXPLOITATION OF DESPERATION!

EPILOGUE

IBelieve that you should always feel better when you leave church than you did when you first got there regardless of how you felt when you walked in. If you were feeling bad you should feel good. If you were already feeling good you should feel " gooder" . Jesus declared that nothing, including the Devil himself should prevail against the church, so how can stress reign?

Church services should not make you feel guilty but forgiven. Like the cities of refuge in Israel ¹the church should be a true sanctuary, a shelter, a safe haven and a source of peace for all who dwell within her walls.

Prayer can be narrowly defined as a conversation with God and if God’s house is to be, a house of prayer2 it would follow that we should come to Church seeking to hear from God. Given that the outcome of being in His presence is fullness of joy; should not a visit to His house result in tranquility of soul?³

Stress-free religion has always been in the plan of God and it is evident that from the beginning God never meant for His people to serve Him in bondage. In His message through Moses God demanded that Pharaoh release the Children of Israel that they may serve me….4

introduction

"Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin. And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

Matthew 6:27-30

"And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit? If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest? Consider the lilies how they grow; they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. If then God so clothe the grass, which is today in the field, and tomorrow cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith?

Luke 12:25-28

Have you ever noticed the consistency with which the birds migrate southward every winter? There can be wars and rumors of wars, earthquakes, Tsunamis, hurricanes, economic distress, oil spills, disease, poverty, infant mortality rates, nuclear disasters, civil unrest, and other world crisis, yet there is no deviation from their pattern. The early hours of the day continue to resonate with the sweet song of the Lark in harmony with the magnificent evening ending melody of the nightingale. The Owl’s hoot persists and without fail millions across the country are awakened by the Cock’s crow. The Swallows still return to Capistrano every year and of course my Azaleas bloom every spring. Their consistency epitomizes true faith as they function stress-free and unencumbered by the cares of life. Global warming, air pollution, or even the possibilities of future starvation are never an issue or concern and have no effect upon the normalcy of their existence. As members of creation they appear totally dependent upon their creator to fulfill their mandated purpose.

There is something to be said about the fact that man is the only member of creation who continually displeases God and the only one who is displeased with God. It is this exclusively human trait that leads me to believe that during this sermon Jesus felt there was no qualified human personage who could embody the ideal of genuine faith that He sought to convey. Sin had so corrupted man that he was unqualified as an example of true fidelity therefore Jesus turns to nature and says; consider the lily.

Since the beginning of time man has attempted to discover the key to unlocking the plan of God. Life would be much simpler if we were to have access to the mind of the giver of life. Wouldn’t it be great if there was a simple clear-cut solution to life’s struggles? It is human nature to accept complicated answers to complicated questions but if you take a moment and Consider The Lily you can begin to discover all there is to know of God’s will.

My desire is not to necessarily change your relationship with Christ but to strengthen it through a stress free approach to religion. Your faith can likewise be touched if you take a moment to heed the words of our Lord and consider the lily.

I have always had a problem with the inability of people to separate Worship from religion. While I believe that a systematic study of the Word of God is imperative (I served a decade as the Dean of the O.M. Kelly Religious Training Institute and hold a number of degrees, including a Bachelors in Religious Education), I believe that worship cannot be learned or taught it must be experienced.

Living in Queens while serving as Pastor of the First Church of God In Christ of Bridgehampton for the past thirteen years my wife and I