Sharing Some Blessings and A Renewed Burden

 This week has held many blessings, but the greatest was the encouragement of the Evangelist Glen Weeks.  Some may think that the Gospel Meetings are just for the lost.  The truth is that all of us need to hear what the man of God has to say.  We don't have prophets like Elijah, but I've always thought that the Evangelists were the closest thing we had to them these days.  I think about all the times my parents drove us several hours to other Baptist churches to hear an Evanglist preach.  Sometimes it would be a whole week!  Some may say, "How boring!"  Actually, it really wasn't.  I LOVED it!  The Lord had a way of working in my heart through the preaching in those services in a special way.  There are times that our Pastor may preach the same thing, but we just seem to be listening extra careful when it's a guest preacher.  There are different styles with different ones and some just have a great way of holding your attention.  The way that Bro. Weeks starts singing a hymn in the middle of the preaching brings a smile every time.  It truly shows that he has a song in his heart.  He is singing to himself in Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in his heart to the Lord. If that song just happens to pour out, the sharing of it is a great blessing.  A reminder to the rest of us that the Joy of the Lord is our strength:).  I haven't been so strong lately, but the Lord has been teaching me quite a bit in those quiet times.  He's blessed through the prayers and meals of those around us.  In my weakness the Lord has shown Himself strong.  Some would be discouraged because there was only 1 first time visitor.  I say, "Praise the Lord" for that 1!  If you read missionary biographies, you will see that some only saw 1 person saved after they devoted their life to serving the Lord.  Was it worth it?  YES!  Some neighbors of ours came on Sunday night(they've come before) and it was a blessing just to know that they made an effort to come out once.  We aren't their home church, but they do come every once in awhile.  The greatest encouragement to me was the effort that was made by our own church people to come to more than one night.  I know it's not easy to drive into town at night, especially if you've already run errands and things during the day, but I pray that the Lord shows them it's truly worth it all.  There's a tendency when churches are so few and far between to get the idea that we're all alone, but evangelists and missionaries really help the world seem a lot smaller and when they bring news that people around the world know about us and are praying for us, that is a HUGE encouragement.  I had to miss some of the meetings with the nausea, but thankfully Scott was able to record them and I can hear the parts I missed.  So, although it's kinda sad to end the meetings, it isn't truly over because the Lord is still working with what we've heard. I pray that we, as individuals, and as a church, will yearn to hear more preaching.  To desire more time with the Lord each day and week.  To gather more as we see the day approaching-Hebrews 10:25.  It's amazing to me how people excuse this verse.  Instead of gathering more, most are down to a Sunday morning service.  Many stop Sunday School during the summer.  Isn't the day of the Lords' return closer than ever?  Maybe I've had too much time to think while sick, but time is what the Lord has been convicting me about.  If we're to give him 10% of all that we have, doesn't that include time.  How many of us are giving him 2 hours and 40 minutes of each day?  That's the least we can give to someone who gave his own life.  A Sunday morning message(service) is usually only 1 hour.  That leaves at least another hour and 40 minutes:).  I've been thinking back to how when I was younger that this is how a typical Sunday looked:
Get to the church by 9. 
S.S. at 9:45. 
Main service 11
Maybe a potluck
Rest Home service at 2(maybe time for a short nap:)
Choir practice at 5
Main service at 6
Usually have a family over after church for snacks and more fellowship

Many might think that that sounds crazy, but we THRIVED on ministry.  It was EASY to serve the Lord because the others in the church LOVED it too:).  The middle of the week we had Wednesday night devotion and prayer meeting/Patch Club for the younger ones and teen class for the others.  Thursday was Teen Visitation, but everyone was welcome.  Saturday was all church visitation and sometimes an all church workday(we thought this was fun too:).  There was a Ladies Bible study once a month, we watched the younger kids until we were old enough to attend.  Then we'd often have a special night for assembling Bible Institute Materials or putting tracts in flyers, etc... It sounds like we were addicted to the ministry:).  Believe it or not we volunteered to do most of this.  We looked forward to revivals, missions conferences, missionaries coming, etc...  Many think, why?  You probably missed out on all the activities in town.  No, we were in parades, went to baseball games that our siblings played in and music recitals, but we were always put into these extra curricular activities with the understanding that if they scheduled a game on Sunday or Wednesday night(or if there was a special meeting) that we 'd leave the game early(they were also told that if they were heard cussing around the kids that we'd be removed.  All the coaches that I remember agreed right away and were happy to have the boys on their teams.  Maybe it was because they were respectful, obedient and actually played really well:).  When we were older our school played Volleyball and Basketball against other Christian schools and believe it or not, the schedules never conflicted with church. A Youth Rally included a preaching session, skits, Bible quiz and food(a must for teens). Once again, I say it was easy to serve the Lord when surrounded by others with the same desire.  Has it been easy since leaving home and starting our own home?  I have to say, "no".  There aren't as many people who understand life revolving around ministry up here, unless it's other pastors families.  It seems to be a general understanding that that's what Pastors and their families are supposed to do.  Yes, but we're ALL called to assemble together, share the Gospel with others, pray without ceasing.  I'm just as guilty of neglect in these areas.  I think, if we can't even gather together for one hour to pray in the middle of the week, how are we praying without ceasing.  The Lord let me get sick and I can say that my prayers have increased over 50% when I'm awake.  Yes, there has been a lot of "please help me not to throw up!", but also the time to think about others, how they're doing and to remember them in prayer.  Especially for the kids, that God would help them to grow spiritually and keep them safe.  For the younger two, that they would get saved when they understand that they're sinners and that Jesus died on the cross to save them. We've become a people satisfied with everyday life(getting through another day of work).  Does that make us lukewarm?  We're not  dead spiritually, but we're not burdened for the lost souls around us.  I'm not trying to offend anyone that might read this.  It's writing out the thoughts and things that the Lord has been teaching me this past month.  Trying to make sense of what the Lord wants from me personally and hopefully encouraging anyone else that has been allowing everyday life to keep them from giving the Lord more.  I want to Look and Pray for opportunities to be used of the Lord.  People to witness to, Ministries we can share our prayers and money with, to give more and not "wish" at the end that I had given Him more.  So, that concludes my last blessing and that is the blessing of sharing the burden that the Lord has for the lost.  The blessing of regaining the desire to serve the Lord more.  The challenge comes when the kids are cranky or tired from a missed nap.  The temptation to stay at home, where life is easy...  God doesn't promise a reward to those who choose the easy life, He promises it to those who are faithful.  Please don't get me wrong.  I totally agree that our children are a MAJOR part of the ministry that the Lord has given us.  We don't plan to neglect them, we plan to INCLUDE them.  To get them excited about being a part of things, just as we were included growing up.  I don't regret a second of how I was raised.  I thank the Lord for my parents and pray that I can be half the parent that they were to me:).  Til next time...