Sunday's Goings on...

No SGOOT this week as I haven't had a chance to listen to last Thursday's sermon. So it is from sgoot to sgo we go!

Maybe I'll get a chance to listen to last Thursday's this Thursday since there is NO CHURCH this Thursday. It is cancelled so we can have family time.

Now I could do a whole funny and sarcastic post on this. You know, I am a HOMESCHOOLER. Family time I have in spades. Intelligent scriptural teaching is what's in demand. hahahahahahaha

Ahem. Sorry. Family time. Okay!

So a new spin on gift giving this sermon...SO good. I got pegged once about being a good receiver years ago when I pridefully said "no I really couldn't" to someone giving me some money when I was broke. She said if "God hands you a gift, would you really say no?"

I have never forgotten that. It always surprises me on how many people won't receive due to PRIDE. Sometimes I cannot even get people to get in front of me in line at the store when I have a basket full and they have one item. "No, no", they say. I'm fine. I'm in no rush.

I told one guy, "You know? You miss the blessing." I think he thought I was a freak.

But I digress.

So we are good givers of gifts Pastor D went on to say from a quote....we need to be good receivers of God's gift. Do we realize what we have?

Kinda like the old cliche about the guy whose house is built on a field of oil but he never knows it. He's rich but doesn't know what he has. So is he rich or isn't he?

Well, technically yes. But he is not living-it-out.

If we have such a great gift in God but are not tapping into it and all that it is, we keep the oil field buried. And we shouldn't do that now should we!

I like the sound of "turning over the government of your life" to God. There is always some place, little or big, that we hold onto.

And I loved the "do what will matter in 1,000 years" comment. I am big on living with an eternal perspective (though I can get off track as well as the next guy) but really, if we did, said or acted out only what would matter in 1,000 years, I bet life would take on a whole new meaning. I call it "living above the line". I got discipled years ago by a wonderful ministry that taught this concept. This pretend eternal "line". What is above it is eternal and below it is worldly. Live above the line!



I have a real heart for the "Wonderful Counselor" name for Jesus as I had a hard core teaching from God on it. Years ago our wonderful old Baptist pastor left. I loved this man. I mean to say. I LOVED him. I was broken hearted.

So I used to follow him around as he had speaking engagements around area churches. I was watching him speak once up on a stage that had big flags hanging behind him on the wall and one said, "Wonderful Counselor". I sat there lamenting in my mind, "He IS a wonderful counselor, why'd he have to leave", etc. etc.

And almost audibly the Lord said to me, "Stephanie! WHO do you think that sign is talking about?!?"

Ouch. WHAT was I thinking???

I am so thankful that I can hear so clearly from the Lord. Hmmm, I wonder if it is because he is having to bring me into correction so much! Lol

I was freed in that moment and never had a pastor on a pedestal again after that day. I was also able to let him go and move on to the authority of our new pastor who ended up marrying Jeff and I and baptizing every one of our family and to this day is a well-loved family friend.

Wonderful Counselor...I also learned through never really having a "mentor" of sorts and ALWAYS wanting one that the best one in the world is right at our fingertips...right inside of us...gently whispering to us...or in my case, usually speaking to me in exclamation points. Lol

Need wise counsel? If it is not coming, it may be that God wants to counsel you Himself. A little one on one time goes a LOOOOOOONG way with the Lord.

Sigh. Peace.
Peace, peace, peace.
Thank you Lord!

Shalom Ya'll