I had a nice day at school on Friday. Listening to little voices singing 'Fairest Lord Jesus' and 'You are My All in All', never ceases to thrill my soul. Every class is getting songs together to sing at the Recitatio in March.
On Friday eve, we went to Paul and Lisa Hoff~~~'s for supper. Our whole family went. What a beautiful house they live in. It used to be a tavern. The log walls are decorated with interesting artwork. Many animals that used to roam in the wild have their heads displayed for all to see. One of the supporting pillars in the room was a trunk of a cedar tree with its bark removed. Paul made homemade lasagne out of homemade noodles and sausage. We also had an amazing salad and warm garlic bread, sweet potato pie and homemade whipped cream. We really enjoy their company and couldn't believe how quickly the time passed. Paul and Linda are newish friends to us but they will be dear old friends some day.
On Sat., Susan and I cleaned the house. The Caldwells picked up Susan late in the morning and took her to Liberty Baptist Church where they enjoyed a 'Snow Day.' She had so much fun playing with her school and church friends in homemade snow.
Jade K~called me. It was so good to hear from her. I haven't seen her for many years.
It's interesting. I've been hearing from folks that I was friends with 15-25-30+ years ago; Hope, Holly, Carmel, Jade...I wonder what it means.
I went out to town to take a check to the bank and to help Dianna pick out glass frames. We had a nice afternoon of shopping at Walmart and talking with each other.
On Sunday afternoon, we watched a Monk Marathon. We decided not to go to the Daily Grind where our church is having a Super Bowl party. I have a problem with football. I gasp all the time. I see it from a medical viewpoint so I have no fun. I find it barbaric and hard as I look, I can see no common sense displayed at any given time. I see stradegies(sp?) that sometimes work but mostly I see potential tragedies. Maybe if I took some kind of tranquilizer...
Back to Sunday morning, our Pastor taught from 11 Cor. 4. Here are some of the notes I took intertwined with some of my thoughts as well.
Too often, we don't know who we are in Christ and we are hindered by obstacles that keep us from allowing the perfect gifts of God from being used through our imperfect vessel. We were the joy that was set before Him. We are the reason He endured the cross.
There are obstacles that keep us from our fullness in Christ.
1~The obstacle of the world.
When Joshua conquered Jericho, God told the Israelites that all the treasure in the city belonged to Him. Achan took some for himself and hid it in his tent and it caused all kinds of problems including death by stoning. What do we have hiding in our tent?
Hiding stolen treasure in our tent keeps us from experiencing all God has for us.
An interesting note: The walls of Jericho were five stories high at their lowest point. The top of the wall was so wide that 12 chariots could race side by side.
2~The obstacle of the flesh~Jesus wanted to wash Peter's feet. Peter said no. Jesus said, "You can have no part of me if you don't let me wash your feet." Peter said, "Then, wash me all over." Jesus said,"It's only necessary for your feet to be washed."
We are in the world but not of it. So our body is clean, but sometimes our feet get dirty as we trample the flesh and the world under our feet. The things that are under our feet can make their way up and become part of our thinking. Giving in to our flesh leads to death unless we put to death our flesh.
And this is the point that made its way into my heart.
The children of Israel were told to tear down the Ashtaroth (spelling?) poles that were set up in the nations that they fought. These poles symbolized that nation and were images of idolatry. They were told to destroy everything that would remind them of the people that lived there.
We are saved, but sometimes we keep an Ashtaroth pole in our lives to remind us of our past. Perhaps we use it as an excuse to really fulfill all the purposes of God in our lives.
Perhaps we use it as an excuse for our behavior that has a bit of folly in it.
Perhaps we are actually a little proud of that pole.
Perhaps we don't want to be responsible or forgiven. Perhaps we just want to be excused.
3~The obstacle of the devil.
The Gibeonites were some of the people that the Israelites were supposed to destroy. But they deceived Joshua into making a pact with them and the Israelites couldn't break it, even after they realized that these people did not come from afar but rather, lived next door. So, when the Israelites possessed the promised land, they had to live with a compromise of perfection-the Gibeonites. They couldn't inherit the whole land.
Do not allow any obstacles to keep you from receiving His promises for you.
Remember the three little pigs?
The reason the wolf couldn't blow down the third little house was because it was made of wolf-resistant material.
The same storm, the same wolf, faces all of us.
It matters whether or not we build our house of straw or brick.
It matters whether or not we build on sand or upon the rock.
A great price was paid in order for the King to call us His children.
We were purchased to be His children completely. We are meant to possess the land.
He shouldn't have to compete with the Ashteroth poles or Gibeonites or hidden stolen treasure in our lives.
We were the joy set before Him.
I want His joy to be complete when He thinks of me.
I want Him to have no sorrow over me.
O God, cleanse me from every idol, and from everything that sets itself up against you in my life.
Cleanse me from the world, the flesh, and the devil, so I can be full of You.
I will endure the cross of cleansing for You are the joy set before me.
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