Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Current progress
I am doing well. I preached for the second time this Sunday. Yes it was on Joshua 1:1-9 again, but it was a totally different congregation and a slightly different sermon so it's okay, I promise! A lot of missionaries tend to preach the same message tons of times when they come back to the states because they're typically in so many different congregations that they all need to hear the same message. Any way, Brian Thomas, the missionary I'll be serving with in Macedonia is flying in from Michigan this weekend to meet me and speak at my 2 home churches. I'll admit that I'm a little nervous to meet him. He'll be the authority over me for the next 2 years and that should put a little righteous fear in any man I think. After this weekend, I'll be at my church for Easter Sunday (more than likely at least), but the following Sunday I am scheduled to go visit a church in Shelter Cove. I won't be preaching per se, but I will be assisting the pastor with his sermon illustration. He's preaching through Acts and he will be at the part where Paul gets his call to Macedonia. I don't really know what I'll be doing, but I know I'll be allright. I'm really looking forward to it. After that, I don't have anything scheduled until the 29th where I'll be teaching Sunday school for 2 Sundays. Then I have another bye week, and then I'll be in Montana for a wedding. The following Sunday, my girlfriend will be arriving (a few days before of course). This takes me through May with only 2 weekends off. It's exciting to be doing this kinda stuff. I haven't even called the pastoral friends that I have in Fresno, Stockton, Castroville, and Morgan Hill. Wow, I'm going to be busy! But hey, that's how God is working and raising up support for my trip and I'm very grateful!
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
So much happenning!
If I were to write about everything that I want to, we would be here a while. To sum it all up, God is amazing. Psalm 139 says:
"O Lord, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O Lord. You hem me in - behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. If I say 'Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,' even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you. For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand. When I awake, I am still with you. If only ou would slay the wicked, O God! Away from me, you bloodthirsty men! They speak of you with evil intent' your adversaries misuse your name. Do I not hate those who hate you, O Lord, and abhor those who rise up against you? I have nothing but hatred for them; I count them my enemies. Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."
I don't want to go into details yet, perhaps over the next few days I can make notes about all that is going on with me. Know that I am growing in Christ. I have done many new things and will do many more things on the horizon. I am busy, and as such have found that each minute thing has a purpose and I am striving to be purposefully loving in each place. It is hard, but God knows me. I love this psalm. I think I may try to memorize it...
Until tomorrow perhaps....
"O Lord, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O Lord. You hem me in - behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. If I say 'Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,' even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you. For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand. When I awake, I am still with you. If only ou would slay the wicked, O God! Away from me, you bloodthirsty men! They speak of you with evil intent' your adversaries misuse your name. Do I not hate those who hate you, O Lord, and abhor those who rise up against you? I have nothing but hatred for them; I count them my enemies. Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."
I don't want to go into details yet, perhaps over the next few days I can make notes about all that is going on with me. Know that I am growing in Christ. I have done many new things and will do many more things on the horizon. I am busy, and as such have found that each minute thing has a purpose and I am striving to be purposefully loving in each place. It is hard, but God knows me. I love this psalm. I think I may try to memorize it...
Until tomorrow perhaps....
Monday, March 5, 2007
I Will Be Busy!
With the current events taken into account, I have rescheduled my preaching time at my parent's church. I will be preaching there next Sunday. The following Sunday, I will be in Missouri. After that, I believe I will be preaching at the night time service at my Redway church. After that, Brian Thomas, the missionary I will be serving with while in Macedonia, will be preaching at my parent's church Sunday morning (April 1st) and my Redway church on Sunday night. I still have to call Rohnerville Assembly and schedule a time to go up there and speak. Oh, and I need to send out a second newsletter in the end of March! Needless to say, I will be busy!
Saturday, March 3, 2007
Trial By Fire
When you preach for the first time, it is hard enough. You are responsible for bringing the word of God to the ears of the congregation and for challenging them with God's truth. A daunting task and responsibility indeed. Tomorrow, I will be doing this. I will be speaking the truth to the congregation. It gets harder though. I'm not just being put through this trial, but I am going to be doing it to a congregation that has just last night, lost their shepherd. He passed away after a heart attack. This is God's will, but that doesn't mean that it won't be hard. I've shed my tears. It hurts, but these people still need to be shown God's love through His word.
Pray for grace and God's guidance in my words. Pray that I can speak with compassion and use wisdom in how I would best approach the situation. I am not sure what will happen at service tomorrow, but given the pulpit, I will be ready to preach. It is my trial by fire. Everyone goes through one and this is mine.
God, take my mouth and anoint my words that they may bring comfort and love to this hurting congregation. Help me to be able to point them back to you if I am indeed called on to do so.
***Update***
I won't be preaching tomorrow. I got a phone call and they have other things they want to take care of. I will be rescheduled, but I know it still won't be easy going back there any time soon. It will still be a tough place to preach for me. I still think it will be a trial by fire.....
Pray for grace and God's guidance in my words. Pray that I can speak with compassion and use wisdom in how I would best approach the situation. I am not sure what will happen at service tomorrow, but given the pulpit, I will be ready to preach. It is my trial by fire. Everyone goes through one and this is mine.
God, take my mouth and anoint my words that they may bring comfort and love to this hurting congregation. Help me to be able to point them back to you if I am indeed called on to do so.
***Update***
I won't be preaching tomorrow. I got a phone call and they have other things they want to take care of. I will be rescheduled, but I know it still won't be easy going back there any time soon. It will still be a tough place to preach for me. I still think it will be a trial by fire.....
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