Parakletos

After being out of town on weekends for about month now, visiting with our families' churches, Tori and I were finally home and ready to begin visiting local churches; looking for a new church home.

Our main interest - A Spirit-led church.

Sure, we have other things we like - AWANAS, young adults, good kids programs, etc - but the overiding desire is to find a Spirit-led church. You can just sense it. When you are among a body of believers whose true heart is to love and serve the Lord.

We have been in prayer about where we would end up. This morning the plan was to go to a church that is out towards Toccoa. I called this morning and turns out their service started at 10 AM. Thats the only service they have and thats earlier than we had expected. So it was already too late to go there. Even then, I said a quick prayer as I was ironing a shirt; that we would go wherever God wanted us to go today. So we decided on another church, Bethlehem Baptist, out in Clarkesville. Wow, I'm glad God led us there today.

Is it where we will end up going? Don't know. But I can't imagine why not. There were definitely two or more present (more like hundreds), and the Sprirt was definetly present. The Pastor has been there only a little less than a year. He was a missionary for a long time apparently. (From what I gathered about him in that short period of time.) And his heart and the passion in his sermon was undeniable. Not only him, but the other leaders in the church that spoke and even the layperson that prayed. It is so sweet to be with people whose sincerety is so effervescent. I definetly believe God led us there today. I think he confirmed that in a host of ways (the back-stories of which would take too long to type.)

At any rate, it was truely a worshipful time. Really was. Even the music was great. It's a pet peave of mine when congregations groan out hymns or songs not even thinking (and often not even knowing) what it is their mouths are saying. The music minister spoke about the songs we were singing, making sure the people knew what they were singing and why. Really nice. Can't wait to go back.

We actually did go back this afternoon. They were actually showing a movie. But the best part came after the movie, when the pastor got back up and talked about the Gospel message.

I especially appreciated this analogous story. I had never heard it before. This is the summary of it:

Back in the pioneer days in our country, people would often be trying to head west, many times crossing through the great plains. While doing so, there was a specific danger they had to watch out for. Wild fires. Wild fires were common in the great plains and very dangerous. With a push of the wind a wild fire could actually overtake a caravan of wagons and destroy them and the travelers. (Reminds you of the problems Californians often face.) So often times travelers were on the lookout for the first sight of smoke. As soon as they saw the smoke in horizon, they would round up the wagons and burn a giant circle of the tall grass around them; making sure they stayed in the middle of that burnt circle on the ground. As the raging wild fires would come, when they got to the travelers in the burnt circle, the fires would part - and go around the people. This is much like God's wrath that will one day fall on sinful man. But there is an important rule here; God's wrath will never fall where it has already been. And for those of us who have accepted salvation through Jesus, God's wrath has already fallen in its full force on Jesus on the cross; all the while Jesus having our names on his heart. And when God's righteous wrath comes to judge sinful man, it will not fall on us; having already fallen on Jesus.

That was a powerful analogy to me. I'll be sure to remember it. I tend to think in mental pictures like that, so I can really hang my hat on those.

Every once in awhile God touches us in our heart, and reminds us in a powerful, heartfelt way of what He did for us. Tonight was one of those times for me. I had to spend the remaining time in the invitation with a lump in my throat; only able to sing half the words in the stanzas.

Thank you God, for again tapping me on the heart, and reminding me of what you did - and who You are. G.R.A.C.E. - God's Riches At Christ's Expense - how true