Well, I don't want to blog too much about our church services yesterday at Idlewild Baptist Church because I'm certain you'll be able to read that information at www.convertedbeliever.blogspot.com. However, I would like to share that God is bringing together separate learning events and passages of scripture in my life to drive home one important lesson in my life: He is enough.
On the surface, these three words can seem trite and cliche, but when applied to a consecrated heart in total faith, this scritpural truth finds profound meaning. Last night, Pastor Scott took our little flock to James 1: 5-8. Here's what I take from this passage: To live a life seeking to confront problems or seek wisdom on my own is to be double minded (Js. 1:8). More specifically, to wake up every morning and seek the Spirit in prayer, in reading His word, and studying Spurgeon (et al) is not enough. This quiet time with my Savior is not to be confined to a moment where I seek encounters with Him for spiritual growth. This time should breed wisdom (which is God-given and God-centered straight from scripture), wisdom that finds its way into every situation every day. My dealings with people all day should be scripture lived out! God wants me to ask Him with no doubting. In other words, at work, my actions will be based on the lessons from scripture that He teaches me, not solely on profession-specific books, i.e. "What Great Principals do Differently," etc.
God opened my eyes to this in a lesson on Psalm 95, Hebrews 4:11-13 yesterday morning. It was reinforced in James last night. And guess what? This morning my devotion took me to Psalm 67. Spurgeon uses this Psalm of Thanksgiving for a fruitful harvest to encourage us to seek God in all things, because "God, our God, shall bless us." He will hear our cries and give so freely of Himself. Has He not already demonstrated that?
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Great stuff, John. It is humbling and exciting how God is using this ministry for great growth in your life, and I pray in others. What you took away from both services was exactly what I had taken away in my studies, just with a little different application due to our different contexts. This is great, because it is revealing the fact that God is teaching us both how to "contextualize" what we are learning. Praying for you dude, and appreciate your willingness to surrender to Jesus and seek his face daily. Also, the music was awesome yesterday, specifically yesterday morning. I really felt like you led us to a place not of performance, but of worship. For that, I am eternally grateful.
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