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Intentionally Created

Haley, Cindy and John's daughter, shared this observation from her weekend. It ties in with what Luke talked about on Sunday night--that the Lord really intentionally created us, that He has unique plans for each of us, and furthermore, that He takes care of us.

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The neatest thing happened while we watched Lottie (their Labrador Retriever) retrieve this weekend. First, know that Lottie was bred to retrieve- when she works, it’s with the work ethic that I think God created in humans, without the stress we work with (that came along when Adam and Eve sinned). Lottie LOVES retrieving. She is focused and determined and ready for action… so much that Bryan has to remind her to stay put.

When she went to retrieve one of her last birds, she had to put her head under to get a duck that was trying to swim away. She got it and looked up proudly at Bryan . Then the duck managed to get free and fell back in the water. Often ducks, when they are wounded, will take themselves to the bottom of the water and hold onto a reed and die there, instead of giving themselves up. This is what we thought was so cool- instead of staring down in the water and whining at the duck that got away, Bryan said she looked at him with eyes that said- “Dad- what next?”

We realized how sweet that is- to look at our father asking him always “ Dad, what next?” Because there is ALWAYS a plan. He knows- and Lottie knew this. She trusts that she can do her job the best by listening to his commands. The time she spends in training and with her master is directly correlated with the trust that she has in him to provide directions ( and for them to be right).

I want to do that- look at my Dad with eyes that say “what next?”

(to end the story, the duck was long gone & there wasn’t anything to do besides go on looking for the next duck that was floating in the pond. The neatest thing was how Lottie was so proud of her pile of ducks! She gets fulfillment and enjoyment from obeying the commands of her master- and a security of when things go wrong, Dad knows what to do.)

Prayer Summary, Wednesday November 17

On Wednesday night John led a discussion on 1 Corinthians 2--that we have the mind of Christ.

It is INCREDIBLE that we have access to the thoughts of God through the Holy Spirit. We can and already do have the MIND OF CHRIST dwelling in us.

John asked, what does it look like to have that? What does it look like to walk and live out the realities of 1 Corinthians 2?

Some things that were said was that having the mind of Christ comes with having a close and intimate relationship with Him, and that as our minds are transformed more like His we bring more of the Kingdom of Heaven to earth.

What do you think?

After we finished talking about this passage we prayed for those who were on our hearts, and for each other.

You are ALWAYS welcome to come to any prayer night...it is a sweet time of fellowship, worship, prayer, and encouragement.

What is "church"? Part II

The Church Is Not:
1. An organization made up of programs, systems, and methods dedicated to attracting monies and members to itself.
2. Buildings and offices, departments and positions, manipulated by hierarchies given to earthly display and self-aggrandizement for the purpose of being better accepted within chosen social spheres.
3. Another worldly institution dedicated to applying a balm of humanistic principles and solutions to man's personal and social ills.

The Church Is:
A family, a family much like the one described by Edith Schaeffer many years ago:
1. Family is the place where we no longer need to pretend that we are anything other than what we really are.
2. Where acceptance of each other is not based upon levels of performance.
3. Where we don't have to be afraid that our relationships will be broken.
4. Where our material possession are spontaneously shared.
5. Where our unique callings in life can be sought out and called forth with another's help.
6. Where each member's celebration or pain is felt by all.
7. Where we are free enough to admit we are needy, asking for help and expecting to receive it.
8. Where we are freed from the horrible burden of seeing life as a demand, as oughtness, as duty, instead as a gift, a feast, and a banquet.

And, periodically these families (microcosm) gets together with other families (macrocosm), as a family of families, maybe in a larger building, a tent, a warehouse, a gymnasium, wherever they can gather in a certain geographical sphere or given locale to celebrate like a family reunion encouraging one another at a larger scale and collectively worshiping God. But all of its strength, all its vitality comes not from the numerics of the gathering but rather from the family dynamics of the gathering.

Welcome to the Family,

John Gaultney

Courtesy of Third Day Churches

What is "church" ? Part I

The Church: Team Or Family?
What you call the church determines how you will relate to it. Some of the newer terms we have used to market the local church, and even solicit involvement and participation are the use of the common term "team." It gets printed on t-shirts, banner and baseball camps, whatever necessary to both foster morale and to esteem cooperation, it seems a "team" spirit works thematically for a missions project, an evangelistic endeavor or even an annual call to practical service.

But when we begin to call ourselves a team and not a family, too much shifts, and often too much is lost. A team is a group of people banded together for the express purpose of achievement, winning a game, accomplishing a goal, or completing a project. The Chargers are a team, so are the marines, and United Airlines. A team usually has a coach, an owner, and of course players, all trained to accomplish a task.

If the right guard keeps missing blocks, the coach is obligated to the owner and the other team members to bench him and even eventually replace or trade him. Sometimes when churches operate as teams, the leader (lead pastor) acts as a captain or a coach, sets up goals, and then initiates the action to achieve those goals. If someone gets in the way, misses a catch, sprains an ankle or is just plain too slow, he gets let go, dismissed from his charge, is asked to leave the game and is dropped from the team.

However, if the right guard is married to the coach's daughter, or is the son of the owner, that becomes a different subject. Now the team is a mixture of team and family and families operate on a different level.

Whereas teams are committed to achieving goals and winning games, families are committed to each other. In fact, the goal sometimes may be no more than simply sticking together. Staying committed, as a family, staying together particularly when things are not running smoothly means everyone at all times gets to play, because participating is more important than winning, and in family it is more important for the overall morale of the family that everyone makes it. Becoming someone in the family is more important than accomplishing something, even if that accomplishment is letting the opponent score and second goal when you turn the other cheek.

Churches, who set themselves up as teams, or even institutions, are missing the purposes of God. Churches are not teams committed to a common goal, even if that goal is as lofty as winning souls or sending missionaries. Churches are families, whose basic commitment to each other in order to accomplish anything. A son has a right to leave home, but a father does not have the right to fire him from his Sonship drive him away. The coach may bench an ineffective player, but in family when the game is over, we still eat at the same table. We are family first...team second.
Courtesy of Third Day Churches..

Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting, 11/10

Last Wednesday night we joined in the 24/7 season of prayer that was going on at Tribe Issachar (who had partnered with Redeemed ministries in this week of prayer). This season of prayer was focused on praying for the inbreaking of the Lord's justice.

ONE day after the season of prayer started it was published that a major crackdown on child-trafficking had happened:

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/11/08/national/main7034513.shtml

Life is a Treasure Hunt!