Psalm 119:65
You have done many good things for me, Lord, just as you promised.
This past weekend was a marathon of sorts for me.
I can't truly put into words the faithfulness and presence that God brought to me as I moved through it, but I truly understood that He was "driving the car" so to speak. I was simply along for the ride.
Saturday night's VRC was one more in a long line of seeing God work.
Taught from the book of Haggai, which was a first.
Spoke on the idea of completing something when you commit to starting.
The people, who'd been in captivity...taken away to a foreign country, had returned to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple. Kind of like entering into this new work of recovery after being a slave to addiction for a period of time. Anyway, these folks had been called to help rebuild the temple. Trouble was about a few months into the task, they quit. They reasoned (and that is a dangerous thing when we get together to collectively reason) among themselves that it wasn't time to complete the temple. So they turned from a God-called task, to the task of taking care of their own personal wants and desires. I've seen a lot of people enter into this new life, coming to realize that it is a lot of work to change. They become discouraged and begin to rationalize the need to return to their old lifestyle. Not a good thing.
Haggai was picked by God to be the voice that would speak on His behalf and encourage the people to return to the task they had been called to. The message seem to hit home as there were two who were saved . Always a payday when someone comes to the Lord.
Sunday found me speaking at Gadsden Vineyard's morning service. Doing this is like your Father giving you the keys to the car. Jim Bentley had asked me to speak for him and I was more than happy to oblige him. I was able to speak on the opportunity that may fall at the feet of the church if things in our society does go down the tubes. I shared that there was a lot of fear out there concerning the days ahead, and that fear only makes you selfish. you quit looking to God and began to think only of yourself. If the events in our nation do take us to the point of collapse, then such a time would be the ultimate opportunity for the church to rise up and meet the needs, physically and spiritually, of those who may not know our Jesus.
Sunday afternoon, I was asked to by the family to help officiate the funeral of Esther Finlayson. I've known the family for over 40 years. First came in contact with Clan Finlayson, when Jennie and I played together at the OTHER DOOR, a coffee house that use to be across the street from the Gadsden High School. Our church fed the family after visitation Saturday night, and it was wonderful to see the ones I had not see in years. There is a beauty and a peace when a family gathers after the death of their mother who was a tremendous believer. There was sadness...there were tears...but there was also laughter, and memories shared. The presence of God in that room was a sweet fragrance that filled the air with hope and promise that this death was merely a transition to the life God has promised to us all. Many thanks to the core leadership of Vineyard ReCovery for helping set up and serve the meal for the Finlayson family. You guys rocked it Saturday night.
Sunday night found me at Catalyst Recovery.
I had nothing to share.....
Sorry, it happens sometimes. You are called on to speak and the heavens are like brass. Nothing seems to be coming out...nothing seems to be going in. Usually in such times, all you can do is wait. And wait I did. I got to the church and went to my office. Taking out my Recovery Bible, I began to thumb through it and see if anything stuck out. It didn't.
But by as I stood up and moved to the front to speak, it arrived. John 3:16!!!
It wasn't just the fact that "God so loved the world", but rather it was the way God's love was demonstrated through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. At the end, there was a lot of ministry and prayer as people flooded down to the front. Seth and I got to pray for two of the young men who were at the Bridge, a local adolescent treatment center. They both had finished the program and were leaving this week to return home. They wanted us to bless them and pray that they remains strong and committed to their recovery.
As my head hit the pillow at the end of the day, I was grateful and just plain full of joy for all that God had allowed me to see and participate in this weekend.
Like I said....
It was a great weekend.
God on you....
michael b.
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