I got the news this past week. The FBC Preschool/Children’s Minister Search Team is ready for us to meet a candidate! We will have an opportunity to do so on the weekend of January 12. There will be scheduled moments for parents and workers and for the church as a whole. Exciting answer to prayer. Made me remember all the times (over the years) that God has blessed by sending leaders to us.
Day 38 – Will you pray for the Ministers of FBCSA?
They serve so well. Without complaint. Odd hours. Will you thank God for their gifts and their energy? Will you ask Him to fill them with His Spirit and to protect and prosper their families? Will you ask for wisdom and vision? Will you hold them (by name) before God’s throne? If we are glad when new ministers come, we should also be faithful to pray for the ones who are already here. Will you? “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would not be profitable for you. Pray for us.” (Hebrews 13: 17-18)
Re: Verse reading – Luke 14:25-35 (day one)
Yes. But I had to get something straight first. On Sunday my child was denied entrance into Sunday School because…I, her parent, was going to church and not to Sunday School. The person denying her had identified us as visitors and apparently this seemed right to her.
I love the way the Lord spoke to my heart and helped me so, so much by this incident. As I heard Him say, sin will come… what is important is not your emotional response inside yourself but whether you seek Me so that I might teach you in that moment. His absolute unmoved declaration that sin will come is something I hope I never forget. I hope to become like My Father in this some day. Also, learning that I should not focus on trying to control my emotions, but instead focus only on Him… the One who really can calm my storm…so very helpful.
I heard a Pastor this week say, “Wives you are only as submitted to the Lord as you are to your husband.” Brave man he is. As I thought about this initially shocking statement… I realized how absolutely true it is. If the Lord says to submit… to your husband or to your leaders… then if you do not, you are not submitting to the Lord. Same thing about His command to love. The Bible is clear that we are not being honest if we claim to love and serve God but do not love and serve others…. because He has told us loving and serving Him looks like loving and serving others.
So now the choice. Do I walk in the wisdom of my flesh…. or do I walk by the Spirit and submit… once again focusing only on Him? This is what I had to get straight first.