Well, week 2 is in the books and week 3 is about to begin! Once again, this past week was very exciting... very busy... and very rewarding! I cannot begin to explain how God has been blessing me this week! New friends, new learning, deeper relationships... God is great!!
This week, one of the big things that we learned about was that of the actions of the Trinity in our lives and in our worship! This wasn't necessarily new to me, but bringing this back into my head and applying it to worship on Sunday was just so overwhelming today... It is so amazing to know that even though we go to church to worship God, God is already there and, in fact, He is the one that has gathered us there! His Spirit has prompted us to come and we worship in it's power! Christ is the bridge in which we are able to come before God. Only through His blood are we counted righteous and worthy to come before God and bring our worship. More than that though, Christ is there worshiping with us AND is seated at the right hand of God interceding for us (Romans 8:34) and perfecting our worship... presenting it to God as a perfect offering of worship! Isn't this amazing to think about? We truly couldn't worship God without God... He makes it possible for us to do that which we are created to do!!!
Outside the realm of school, work at Overisel has been wonderful! I have been blessed with such a wonderful church body and devoted praise team members! After some conversations today, I am encouraged by the directions that God is us directing us in, and that we are being open and willing to move in this direction!! I say this because of the resistance that many of us are feeling from the enemy. I often take this as a sign that we are moving with God and that God Himself is moving in this place because it has Satan upset and working against us.
If you think of it in the analogy of an army... if your army advances and the enemy ignores it because it doesn't see it as a threat, then there might be a problem with the army... but if the enemy is scared and does everything it can to thwart you, then you are considered a danger... and the enemy feels the need to try and stop you.
What does this mean for us? Well... it means that things aren't going to be easy, that Satan is going to do his best to try and move against us, and that ABOVE ALL we need to be praying hard! God is our source, our strength, and our protection... and we need to solidify that relationship, that we can draw from that power (Romans 8:31)!
It also means that we need to be upholding each other in prayer as well! I would like to ask that you be in prayer for us at Overisel, and for our leadership, as we prepare for our educational season, work on the Revolution service, and seek to reach people for Christ through our work at the church building and in our individual lives of worship and service as well. I would also like to ask you to pray for myself and for Bethany as we move forward with wedding planning while in this busy time of seminary and work and stuff as well...
I have to say that I am really excited to see what God has in store for us this school year!
As we enter this next week, I pray the truth of this blessing holds true in your heart: Jude 1:24-25, "To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy— to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen."
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Monday, September 5, 2011
Week 1...
The Lord be with you...
So, I can officially say now that week 1 is in the books. Count it, check it off, and call it history! The first week of seminary has proven itself to be both exhilarating and stressful all at the same time. I am really looking forward to all of the things that I am going to be learning about, all the ways that God is going to be growing me, and for some of the major accomplishments that will be made in this first semester!
First off, before I go any further, I have to again give a huge shout out to my now fiancee Bethany, whom I love so much! She has been a great support for me in these last few weeks leading up to the beginning of this school year! Well that may be partially due to the fact that I proposed to her and she has to be, I know it is also true that she is excited for me to get started as well! I LOVE YOU SWEETHEART!! Thank You for being such a support to me! God has truly blessed me with you!
I want to try and make it a habit to share at least one thing that I have learned or has been impressed upon me throughout the week and share it on this blog. This week I have learned two really important things!
The first is that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me! I have had my nose in books for approx. 3-5 hours a day in this last week... and I don't even like to read... and I'm not really quick at it either. But, by the grace of God, I have made it through, started reading faster, and have retained a vast majority of it as well! Whats more... I'm actually almost a week ahead in my reading right now!!
The second, and probably more impacting thing that I have learned this week is about how good we have it, and how much we complain about nothing! This first week in my church history class, I have been reading and learning about the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd century Christians and their struggles. First of all, these people couldn't even publicly be Christians without the fear of being dragged before a judge and forced to renounce Jesus or face torture/death, the latter being the more merciful of the two. Secondly, when they were caught and tortured, they rejoiced!! I mean things as gruesome as being forced to sit naked on a chair made of red hot iron until you denounce Christ... and we complain when church goes 5 minutes too long... I think that we as Christians often find ourselves complacent in our own little luxurious world. I don't know that I would be able to suffer whippings, beatings, or being burned like that without at least saying something bad...
That is all for now... I would like to ask continued prayers for finances for this year, and for God to continue to bless and strengthen me as I study!
Thank you for your prayers and support!
Grace and Peace...
So, I can officially say now that week 1 is in the books. Count it, check it off, and call it history! The first week of seminary has proven itself to be both exhilarating and stressful all at the same time. I am really looking forward to all of the things that I am going to be learning about, all the ways that God is going to be growing me, and for some of the major accomplishments that will be made in this first semester!
First off, before I go any further, I have to again give a huge shout out to my now fiancee Bethany, whom I love so much! She has been a great support for me in these last few weeks leading up to the beginning of this school year! Well that may be partially due to the fact that I proposed to her and she has to be, I know it is also true that she is excited for me to get started as well! I LOVE YOU SWEETHEART!! Thank You for being such a support to me! God has truly blessed me with you!
I want to try and make it a habit to share at least one thing that I have learned or has been impressed upon me throughout the week and share it on this blog. This week I have learned two really important things!
The first is that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me! I have had my nose in books for approx. 3-5 hours a day in this last week... and I don't even like to read... and I'm not really quick at it either. But, by the grace of God, I have made it through, started reading faster, and have retained a vast majority of it as well! Whats more... I'm actually almost a week ahead in my reading right now!!
The second, and probably more impacting thing that I have learned this week is about how good we have it, and how much we complain about nothing! This first week in my church history class, I have been reading and learning about the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd century Christians and their struggles. First of all, these people couldn't even publicly be Christians without the fear of being dragged before a judge and forced to renounce Jesus or face torture/death, the latter being the more merciful of the two. Secondly, when they were caught and tortured, they rejoiced!! I mean things as gruesome as being forced to sit naked on a chair made of red hot iron until you denounce Christ... and we complain when church goes 5 minutes too long... I think that we as Christians often find ourselves complacent in our own little luxurious world. I don't know that I would be able to suffer whippings, beatings, or being burned like that without at least saying something bad...
That is all for now... I would like to ask continued prayers for finances for this year, and for God to continue to bless and strengthen me as I study!
Thank you for your prayers and support!
Grace and Peace...
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