Sunday Reflections
Many times as we prepare for Sunday – everything goes wrong. Part of this is due to the fact that we meet in a temporary facility – and our equipment is bearing the burden of being portable. The main reason – I believe – that we face such adversity is because there is intense spiritual warfare. Understand, I’m not a hocus-pocus Christian that believes that Satan is hiding around every corner and he is the reason bad things happen. In actuality, I trust in a Sovereign and powerful God, and firmly believe that bad things happen because sin has tainted everything. However, the Bible is clear that Christians will encounter intense spiritual warfare – especially when God is doing great things. This was the case prior to the service yesterday. Volunteers got sick (almost all of them), fuses were blown, projectors were thought to be stolen, keys were missing, things were not where they were suppose to be – and the list can go on and on. These seem like minor issues – but when taken as a whole – these small problems can become dangerously discouraging.
Each Sunday I take about an hour to prepare myself mentally and spiritually – and go over my message one last time. Yesterday as I prayed about the things that were occurring all around our staff team, volunteers and the building as a whole – I read Romans 11:6. Paul tells us in this passage that basically – God’s grace would not be grace if works are involved. Meaning this: no matter how hard we strive and work – ultimately we stand on God’s grace. I am so thankful for that reality! Yesterday – even before most of you showed up for worship – we experienced a taste of the precious grace of God. Ultimately, I believe, that spiritual attack is necessary for those people (and churches) who wish to grow upward and outward. With that in mind we can confidently pursue the glory of God by standing on and having confidence in His grace.
So as for yesterday – it rocked!!! Awesome day, and God is definitely moving in the lives of many people. I’m overwhelmed to be a part of the River Hills Family!