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- Sunday morning Bible class: TREASURED IN MY HEART led by Linda Krinks
- Sunday morning assembly singing, praying, worship, and fellowship perfectly connected everything we've been talking about together both on the blog and/or in person.
- Sunday morning assembly sermon on ISAIAH 40 preached by Steve Sikes as a first in a 2 month series on Isaiah.
- Out of state friends from Indiana joined us at worship and then their family of four came to our home for lunch and fellowship
- Evening surprise "pounding" for returning France missionaries who have moved here to be part of our church family.
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Colossians 1:11-23 "...joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the KINGDOM OF LIGHT. For He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the KINGDOM OF THE SON He loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
- He is the image of the invisible GOD
- the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by Him and for Him.
- He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.
- And He is the head of the body, the church;
- He is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything He might have the supremacy.
- For God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him,
- and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through His blood, shed on the cross. Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now He has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in His sight, without blemish and free from accusation...
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...if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the HOPE held out in the gospel."
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Okay, so there's alot to meditate on today through my LIGHT experiences from yesterday. Feel free to take one, some, or all and find COMFORT AND HOPE for your journey:
1. TREASURED IN MY HEART - Linda Krinks continued from last week as she shared that strongholds from her past continued to "push my buttons". Two scriptures that really helped:
- Hebrews 4:16 helped, "Let us therefore draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and may find grace to help in time of need."
- Psalms 103:11-12 "For as high as the heavens are above the earth,So great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear Him. As far as the east is from the west,So far has He removed our transgressions from us."
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Throughout the richness of Linda's class, here are some things that she learned along the way from the beginning of her journey as a christian and her journey as a mother (they began about the same time):
- Be proactive for yourself (this will help your whole family, too): sit at feet of Godly teachers (take notes); be mentored by Godly christian sisters; get into the Word of God - read the Bible and apply it to your life; read christian books to help you in your walk out of darkness, like THE BLESSING by Gary Smalley; become an active part of the body of Christ by volunteering for a "job" that's yours - Linda and Greg began teaching the 2-3 year olds Bible class; don't expect too much or too little from yourself; look for GOD STOPS - look to see where God is working; be aware of the battle and satan...so, keep your eyes fixed on Jesus; go to http://www.lisawhelchel.com/
- Be proactive for your children (this will help you, too) : set clear boundaries for your kids up front and give realistic consequences...don't use the removal of church or church activities as a consequence; find something to help you with family activities-Linda used a book called FAMILY NIGHT TOOL CHEST; send kids to christian camp; let other christian families love your children; be hospitable-have others in your home; try not to "fix" everything for your children...teach them to talk to God...encouraging them with words like, "God needs to hear from you about this"; choose not to speak with sarcasm to your children (little ones don't understand it and can take it personally); be constantly aware of "teachable moments"; pick your battles; have "church bags" for your kids full of things that they can use during the assembly to help them connect and not distract; say "I love you"
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One of Linda's stories that really stood out to me was when Linda, a child of divorce since the age of 4, learned from her dad (when she was 28) that she had a half sister. It was after this that Linda wrote her dad a long letter. The next week, she received a phone call from the Sherriff's dept. in his town. Her dad had passed away and they were able to find next of kin by finding her letter in his mailbox. Also, in some of the things that were left behind by her dad was a scrapbook that he had kept on her and her sister - even though he had been out of the picture for all those years. This brought some measure of COMFORT to Linda, knowing that she had not totally been forgotten.
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Linda concluded with James 1:12, reading it as if it were read to a group of women, " Blessed is a woman who perseveres under trial; for once she has been approved, she will receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to those who love Him."
.Thank you, Linda, for being transparent about your life and matters of the heart! You brought much COMFORT AND HOPE to many through your two lessons.
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(NOTE: Linda and Greg shared with me last night that they went to see FIREPROOF on Saturday and highly recommend it. Once again, I cannot encourage you enough to take your husband and go see this movie!)
.2. SUNDAY MORNING ASSEMBLY - How Great is our God! Our singing, yesterday, included some "oldies" that connected with so many of my thoughts in the last few weeks...
- OUR GOD, HE IS ALIVE included words like "framed the worlds with His great might"; "Whose voice the prophets heard"; "the God Who we should know; Who speaks from His inspired Word"; "in Him, we live and we survive"; "He is our God, the GREAT I AM"...
- FARTHER ALONG hit me instantly as it brought to my memory that this was the other song that my dad (last Sunday's post) loved. It includes words like, "tempted and tried we're oft made to wonder why it should be thus all the day long. While there are others living about us, never molested tho in the wrong"; "Farther along we'll know all about it, farther along we'll understand why...cheer up my brother, live in the Sonshine...we'll understand it all by and by..."
- HE LEADETH ME has been my "theme song" at times throughout my life with words like "He leadeth me: O blessed tho't! O words with heavenly COMFORT fraught! Whate'er I do, where'er I be, Still tis God's hand that leadeth me."
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The richness of the morning could have stopped there, yet we communed with each other in memory of our LORD and prayed to our Heavenly Father together as we were filled with COMFORT AND HOPE.
Then, Steve brought us a lesson from Isaiah...
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3. STEVE'S SERMON - ISAIAH 40 continued one of the themes that had already been so evident yesterday morning - COMFORT and HOPE! This sermon was entitled: A MESSAGE OF COMFORT AND HOPE IN TROUBLED TIMES! Steve introduced it as an ongoing theme that is continued by Isaiah from chapters 40-66. I hope you have time today to read Isaiah 40. Wow! What a picture of our GOD. I have put Isaiah 40, in part, at the end of this post for your reading. Steve's lesson went like this:
- Isaiah 40:2 - Sins are forgiven!
- Isaiah 40:3-5 - God is coming!
- Isaiah 40:6-8 - The WORD of God stands forever!
- Isaiah 40:9-11 - God is coming to pay back enemies, to reward faithful, and is coming like a shepherd!
- Isaiah 40:12-26 - God is OMNI...God is Omnipotent (all powerful); God is Omnipresent (all present -everywhere!); God is Omniscient (all knowing).
- Isaiah 40:27-31 - God gives strength!
Steve gave us great COMFORT and HOPE as he guided us through this chapter but also gave us greater perspective in two other ways: 1. With his blog / bulletin article (see http://www.cochrist.org/index.php/stevesblog/. ) And, 2. In looking at this galaxy below and learning how amazing it is. Steve said that this galaxy is not as important to God as how He views each of us and His love for us. He shared this picture from our post from a while back of God's creation.. ttp://momstransformed.blogspot.com/2008/10/how-great-is-our-god-let-all-earth.html
The Sombrero Galaxy (28 million light years from Earth) was voted best picture taken by the Hubble telescope. The dimensions of the galaxy, officially called M104, are as spectacular as its appearance. It has 800 billion suns and is 50,000 light years across.
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4. SWEET FELLOWSHIP - I love the daily and weekly fellowship that takes place among believers in the KINGDOM OF LIGHT. Yet, there is something very special when it happens with brothers and sisters who you haven't seen in a while, yet have a rich history with. Such was the case yesterday with a family of four from Bloomington, Indiana who came for a visit - first, to share the assembling of God's saints with us and then, to come to our home for extended fellowship.
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Have you ever been driving in a dense fog and been frightened that you would not make it out alive? Such has been the case in my spiritual life on numerous ocassions.
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Even though, I am journeying in the KINGDOM OF LIGHT, I have not reached my final destination, so along the way there will be tears, pain, discouragement, grief....fog! It was at one of those times in my life when Steve and I were walking through a dense spiritual fog and God provided sisters and brothers to help light the way. They truly helped us survive!
Our visitors, yesterday, have been some of those lights. Our time together yesterday was short but, oh, so sweet! Christian friends who know how to give COMFORT and HOPE!
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5. SURPRISE "POUNDING" FOR NEW FAMILY - Aren't surprises wonderful!?!??!!!! Last night was no exception. One of our new families has been missionaries in France for 20 years and are returning to the states to settle in Pitman and worship with us. Last night, they thought they would be hosting a Life Group in their new home for the first time. Instead, they hosted the church! Surprise! We brought food for supper, gifts, and "pounds" of different kinds of staples to fill their pantry. Cars lined the block. The weather was warm which allowed many of us to stand outside to eat. Steve led us in a BLESSING for this family and their new home. Then, we sang: "BLESS this house, O Lord we pray, Make it safe by night and day . . . BLESS these walls so firm and stout, Keeping want and trouble out . . . BLESS the roof and chimneys tall, Let Thy peace lie overall . . BLESS this door that it may prove, Ever open, To joy and love . . . BLESS these windows shining bright, Letting in God's Heavenly light, BLESS the hearth, a blazing there, With smoke ascending like a prayer! BLESS the folk who dwell within, Keep them pure and free from sin . . . BLESS us all that we may be, Fit O Lord to dwell with thee . . BLESS us all that one day we may dwell, O Lord! With Thee!"
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Isn't that what it's about...that one day we will dwell, oh Lord, with thee...what COMFORT AND HOPE...where there is NO MORE NIGHT!
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Isaiah 40
15 Behold, the nations are like a drop from a bucket,
And are regarded as a speck of dust on the scales;
Behold, He lifts up the islands like fine dust...
21 Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
Has it not been declared to you from the beginning?
Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth?
22 It is He who sits above the vault of the earth,
And its inhabitants are like grasshoppers,
Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain
And spreads them out like a tent to dwell in.
23 He it is who reduces rulers to nothing,
Who makes the judges of the earth meaningless.
24 Scarcely have they been planted,
Scarcely have they been sown,
Scarcely has their stock taken root in the earth,
But He merely blows on them, and they wither,
And the storm carries them away like stubble.
25 "To whom then will you liken Me That I should be his equal?" says the Holy One.
26 Lift up your eyes on high And see who has created these stars,
The One who leads forth their host by number, He calls them all by name;
Because of the greatness of His might and the strength of His power Not one of them is missing.
27 Why do you say, O Jacob, and assert, O Israel, "My way is hidden from the LORD,And the justice due me escapes the notice of my God"?
28 Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The Everlasting God,
the LORD,
the Creator of the ends of the earth
Does not become weary or tired.
His understanding is inscrutable.
29 He gives strength to the weary,
And to him who lacks might He increases power.
30 Though youths grow weary and tired,
And vigorous young men stumble badly,
31 Yet those who wait for the LORD
Will gain new strength;
They will mount up with wings like eagles,
They will run and not get tired,
They will walk and not become weary."
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Andrea adds more COMFORT AND HOPE in her post today:http://mom4boys.blogspot.com/2008/10/in-light-of.html
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