Well another Sunday over and another week beginning. Thank God for another good day at church. One day in the week; just one day, but an opportunity to get together with other Christians; an opportunity to worship together and to study the Word of God together. My thanks to those who take this opportunity and who thereby encourage and add strength to the church.
Sunday Morning: Pastor John encouraged us with a message based on Ecc. 3.1 entitled "Knowing God's Season for your Life". Solomon had become preoccupied with other things that he missed out on many good seasons and at the end of his life declared that life was empty and meaningless. John encouraged us to not miss the seasons of God, and whatever season we go through in life to at least learn from it. He shared about the following seasons:
1. Wilderness Season (John 24.7) where there is nothing to sustain life. No prayer life; no reading of God's Word; no fellowship with other Christians. Some people have this wilderness season forced on them in different parts of the world, others make it a matter of choice!
2. Seed Season: Mal. 2.3 Corrupt Seed; Josh. 1.17 Rotten Seed; Mat. 13.37 Good Seed; John 2.21 Right Seed; Ezra 9.2 Holy Seed. We need to sow the right kind of seed, but we also need to prepare the ground (Hosea 10.12).
3. Rainy Season (Joel 2:23) when God pours on us both the former and the latter rain to water the ground and water the seed so that it produces good fruit.
4. Fruitful Season (Psm.1) As we delight ourselves in the Law of the Lord (the Word of God), we become like a tree planted by the water; a tree that does not wither; a tree that is evergreen; and a tree that produces good fruit.
5. Restful Season (Psm. 16.7) When we experience peace; stability and strength.
6. Harvest Season (Psm. 126.3) A time when what we have sown comes forth. Whatever God has sown in our lives brings forth greatness "whereof we are glad".
Sunday Night: I again continued with the series "Facing the Giants". Giants that confront us. This week I spoke on "Facing the Giant of Uncertainty". I have to admit I wasn't too sure about this one! The basis of the message is that we all face situations and choices where we think we know, but we're not that sure; we're uncertain!
If you are going to face down the giant of uncertainty there are two things that are essential:
1. Know who you believe. We looked at 2 Tim. 1:12 where Paul, writing to Timothy from prison, not certain whether he would ever be freed; not certain if he be flogged again; not certain if he would live or die, but could still say, "I know whom I have believed"
2. Know who you're following. The people of Israel were lacking in faith when they left Egypt, but they were following the right person as they followed Moses. It is vital that our faith is in God and that we are following the right person or persons.
Last week's Riddle/Question: I did try to make it easy! And while some got it spot on, yet others said 9 while the answer was 8. One person even suggested I was trying to trick everyone, because they said, (and I quote) "only cows graze"! AAAHHHHHH!!!
This Week's Question: Okay, here we go again, "There are 43 apples (that's 43 apples!); if you pick 3 of them, how many apples are there?"
This week's Bible verse: Proverbs 5:21 "A man's ways are in full view of the Lord, and he examines all his paths".
Jack's pat in the back: This week's pat in the back goes to Big Connor from the Falls for "just being there". Sometimes that's all you need to do; just be there. Another word for this is "faithful". Paul said to Timothy, "I thank Christ who counted me faithful".
Stay focused; stay strong; stay faithful; and keep being a God-influence.
Pastor Jack
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