Wednesday, 02 November 2005

Hi Everyone. Sorry I didn’t post last night. It was our monthly church leadership meeting at our Pastor’s house and we didn’t get home until midnight.

Thanks to all of you who prayed for my Dad. Surgery went well. I talk to him today and he sounded really good. The doctor did have to make a regular incision instead of doing it laproscopically (sp?). We had hoped otherwise.

Let’s see what happened yesterday…hmmmm. Not much. I had intended to do the “wally world” run but talked myself right out of it. Went today instead. It just wears me out. I think I’m just overwhelmed by all the stuff to choose from and then having to find a place to put it once I get home!

Had lunch with Vanessa and Doyle today at our local “North Oak Dairy Queen”. It is locally owned though it is the Dairy Queen franchise. We always see someone in there we know. Unlike other Dairy Queens it has its own flavor by offering “Sweet Tea”. They have some other “in house” things they make but you can still tell it’s a Dairy Queen.

After lunch came home and made a list of what I needed. Checked “My Ebay”. I had been outbid on some items, won a couple and looked to see how my endurance saddle was fairing. The listing ends tomorrow. I’ve had a few bids but all under the reserve I set. I’ve had several emails asking me additional questions about it too. I have 23 “watching” it right now. My prayer is that God will let it sell for at least the reserve I have on it. I’d like to get more….if I was a “real woman of faith”, I’d be believing for more! I don’t know what I’m going to do if it doesn’t sell. Maybe wait a couple of weeks and try again.

I’m going to try to list my other saddle…the one with the horn tomorrow or Friday.

Worship tonight was good and so was the teaching. The person who led worship tonight also had the teaching. She called her teaching “Systems of Equations”. Sue is a former math teacher and related a math equation to our relationship with God. I won’t be able to do the teaching justice. I did take notes.

Here’s some of the notes I took.

There is a purpose and timing of God. God does certain things at certain times.

Psalm 127:1-2 Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows; for so He gives His beloved sleep.

She said when we do things in the flesh that is what you do…rise early, stay up late and eat the bread of sorrows.

Ecclesiastes 3:11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end. I know that nothing is better for them than to rejoice and to do good in their lives, and also that every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his labor – it is a gift of God.

She asked how many of us were enjoying our labor. Most of us said “no”. She went on to say “God doesn’t want us to be driven. God doesn’t want to drive us He wants to “tend” us. (I personally thought this was good!) She also said “God is steady, consistent, dependable…He doesn’t change.”

Malachi 3:6a For I am the Lord, O do not change; therefore you are not consumed.

Sue was using the analogy of the math grid the “y” axis and “X” axis and the point that they “intersect. If they don’t intersect then you have “parallel lines” which you don’t want because there is “no solution”. She did a great job of making the spiritual analogy.

She went on to say that there are five things that cause us to intersect God

1.      the blood of Christ.

Ephesians 2:12,13 that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

Psalm 73:27,28 For indeed, those who are far from You shall perish; You have destroyed all those who desert You for harlotry. But it is good for me to draw near to God; I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all Your works.

Psalm 145:18-19 The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth. He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him; He also will hear their cry and save them.

God always initiates. He’s the initiator.

Jeremiah 31:3 Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you.

2.      Repentance

3.      Loving wisdom

Proverbs 2:4,5 If you seek her (wisdom) as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures; then you will understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God.

4.      Knowing Him in the place of worship
 

5.      Trouble (causes us to intersect God.

Psalms 91:14-16 Because he (us) has set his (our) love upon Me (God), therefore I will deliver him (us); I will set him on high, because he has known My name. He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him, and show him My salvation.

I think I butchered this teaching but maybe you can get some nuggets at least from the scriptures.

Blessings to each and everyone of you!