This is pretty crazy, in the few weeks that we have been attending Elevation I have had several topics that God has laid on my mind and heart to blog about and Craig has beat me to both of them from the pulpit! Lol. I asked him via text if he was hacking into my phone (I put all of these ideas when they come to me in my notepad on my phone) for my ideas.
It really isn't a coincidence, but I believe a God given confirmation of what Craig is preaching on and what God has been laying on my heart, and on the hearts of the people I love dearly in my life.
Diana and I love to serve. We will serve in just about any capacity that is needed. She will works with the kids, me NOT so much. We both enjoy helping with the Youth, and so we volunteered to help out with the Lazer Kraze event this last weekend.
As many of you know I have been a bit under the weather. Saturday we got up around 9 got ready and headed out for a day of outdoor sporting events. First my niece Celia's softball game, which they won 6-5 in the bottom of the 7th! Then my daughter Julie's soccer game which they won 3-2!! Julie was not feeling well either, but bless her heart, she didn't want to let her team and more importantly Coach Angie down by not being able to play. So she stuck it out!!! Very proud of her!
So after all of that we headed straight over to Lazer Kraze, and by the time we got there I was wiped out! I also started having some abdominal pain. It wasn't very pleasant. We decided we too were going to stick it out as long as we could. We made it over to the room, and the kids all sat at their table, and Brent was out arranging some things for the games, and Candy was talking to us about the upcoming Youth Camp. As we were talking we noticed that the kids were sitting there with their pizza's in front of them, patiently waiting to pounce on them. Candy quickly said to Brent "Let's pray so these guys can eat".
The funny part is I really felt God telling me that is exactly how we act sometimes with our faith or more importantly with attitude to serve. We can have all these talents and all these abilities that God has given us to use to serve His kingdom, and we just patiently wait to use them (usually when someone asks us, or tells us to) instead of actually getting off our (as Craig put it) sanctified behinds and putting them to use ourselves.
Craig's message on serving yesterday was phenomenal. I truly enjoy listening to him bring us God's word. Quite frankly he was right on about his message.
In case you missed it he taught on Ephesians 1:3-11
3 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. 4 Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. 5 God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. 6 So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son.[b] 7 He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. 8 He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding.
9 God has now revealed to us his mysterious plan regarding Christ, a plan to fulfill his own good pleasure. 10 And this is the plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ—everything in heaven and on earth. 11 Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God,[c] for he chose us in advance, and he makes everything work out according to his plan.
This passage has one of my favorite topics in it. I love the topic of us being predestined. I actually had this conversation with a previous Pastor who shared different views of the definition of predestination, and of how God has predestined us. I totally agree with how Craig defined and explained predestination and how God has (way before we even born, conceived a purposeful destiny in and through us). God chose me to be a part of Elevation, God chose me to be in Blanchester, God chose me to lead this family, God chose me to write this blog for you to read. Bottom line is GOD CHOSE ME, and guess what HE CHOSE YOU TOO!!
As I was preparing this blog and doing my typical prep, I was reading in Hebrews 12, and came accross this verse...
Hebrews 12:28-29
28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, 29 for our “God is a consuming fire.”
I love the definition of Reverence... "a feeling or attitude of deep respect tinged with awe"
Isn't this how we should be in our attitude of serving the One who created us?
No comments:
Post a Comment