See, I told you that, at some point today, I would get this blog out.
Today has been a busy wife/house mom day. Well, at least busier than usual. But that's how I like it. Despite the outrageous price of gas, I need reasons to get out of my house once in a while. I like being busy.
First I went to Bible Study Fellowship for the first time with a friend. It was actually a lot of fun. I got to see some people I either hadn't seen in years, or had only heard of through my ministry.
But, of course, the best part was the Word. I'm really excited for the motivation to get into the word, and then discuss it with a group of women who are going through, or have gone through the same thing I am now. It all reminded me of the early church, but I'll come back to that.
Then I got to go pick up the key to my husband's truck, which he didn't leave me this morning. Thank God for the friend who drove me up there. Then I got to drive myself up there to have lunch with him and do a little shopping.
Not to promote the company that pays the bills, BUT Earthfare is having a great sale this week. 1 quart almond milk, 1 dozen eggs, 1 half gallon orange juice, 1 box of cereal, and a granola bar, all for $5. Sign up for the weekly freebies here and receive the coupon in your email, along with way more awesome deals.OK, commercial over. Promise :P
Last but not least I got to go to the Fresh Market and do a competitor shop for my husband, since he didn't have his truck, and we are trying to head out of town to Birmingham as soon as he can get off. It was interesting. Like a scavenger hunt. :P
BUT ANYWAY! Now I am sitting here trying to write a blog about how I am encouraged byt the early church. Today I read through Acts chapters 2 and 10. I know, skipping around a bit, but I pretty much already had these two stories on my mind. The star one of my favorite Bible characters, Peter. I know, we rag on Peter a lot, but from the point of view of someone who really relates to his personality type, lay off a little. :P
In chapter 2, we witness the baptism of the Holy Spirit. I don't have to tell you, but it's AWESOME! The Father gifted us with his holy presence INSIDE of us. We are empowered to preach the gospel to all, like he commanded, just like the disciples spoke the Good News, and all understood. (Acts 2:1-12) Wow. Just wow.
Following this occurrence, Peter is able, through the power of wisdom and discernment which we have through the Holy Spirit, to explain this strange new thing to the people. (Acts 2:14-47)
Then, through the power of the Holy Spirit, Peter is able to receive this amazing vision form God. Luke describes it like this:
"As they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour to pray. And he became hungry and wanted something to eat, but while they were preparing it, he fell into a trance and saw the heavens opened and something like a great sheet descending, being let down by its four corners upon the earth. In it were all kinds of animals and reptiles and birds of the air. And there came a voice to him: “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.” But Peter said, “By no means, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean.” And the voice came to him again a second time, “What God has made clean, do not call common.” This happened three times, and the thing was taken up at once to heaven." (Acts 10:9-16)
I love this. At first Peter doesn't understand the meaning of the vision. Granted, Peter very rarely understood anything on the first try. He had to stick his foot in his mouth a couple times before the concepts ever stuck in his brain. But, alas, as is life sometimes for all of us.
He doesn't even really get it until after the following story of Cornelius, the Roman centurion, who accepts the salvation of Jesus Christ into his life, despite the fact the he is not of the chosen people, the Jews. It is then that Peter understands that God has opened up his family to all people, to every nation, like he said.
I love this for two reasons. the obvious one being that I am not a Jew. Thank you, God! You opened your family to me, despite my history, and you made it possible for my future to bright. The second reason is that we are now blessed with the diversity of God's family. Hopefully, anyone can walk into a church and be accepted as equally as any other.
This is where we come back to BSF. So many DIFFERENT women, from different backgrounds and walks of life, coming together to fellowship in the relationship, wisdom, and family we have with and in Christ. The community that makes up the Christian body is full of so many different people, all of whom God made different and special.
God is so creative! Just look around you. I can barely doodle while ont he phone for more than five minutes, without running out of something to draw. (Then again, I am probably too left brained for that. I'm usually taking notes.)
Similarly, each and every one of us in God's diverse family is granted the same wisdom and discernment Peter had been given through the Holy Spirit. We can discern god's will for our lives and understand his truths in his Word because of this great gift. And when we don't understand, we can come together in our Christian family and work through it together.
Praise God for his Holy Spirit in you, as well as his family around you. How has the wisdom and discernment of the Holy Spirit manifested in your life recently?
Last but not least I got to go to the Fresh Market and do a competitor shop for my husband, since he didn't have his truck, and we are trying to head out of town to Birmingham as soon as he can get off. It was interesting. Like a scavenger hunt. :P
BUT ANYWAY! Now I am sitting here trying to write a blog about how I am encouraged byt the early church. Today I read through Acts chapters 2 and 10. I know, skipping around a bit, but I pretty much already had these two stories on my mind. The star one of my favorite Bible characters, Peter. I know, we rag on Peter a lot, but from the point of view of someone who really relates to his personality type, lay off a little. :P
In chapter 2, we witness the baptism of the Holy Spirit. I don't have to tell you, but it's AWESOME! The Father gifted us with his holy presence INSIDE of us. We are empowered to preach the gospel to all, like he commanded, just like the disciples spoke the Good News, and all understood. (Acts 2:1-12) Wow. Just wow.
Following this occurrence, Peter is able, through the power of wisdom and discernment which we have through the Holy Spirit, to explain this strange new thing to the people. (Acts 2:14-47)
Then, through the power of the Holy Spirit, Peter is able to receive this amazing vision form God. Luke describes it like this:
"As they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour to pray. And he became hungry and wanted something to eat, but while they were preparing it, he fell into a trance and saw the heavens opened and something like a great sheet descending, being let down by its four corners upon the earth. In it were all kinds of animals and reptiles and birds of the air. And there came a voice to him: “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.” But Peter said, “By no means, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean.” And the voice came to him again a second time, “What God has made clean, do not call common.” This happened three times, and the thing was taken up at once to heaven." (Acts 10:9-16)
I love this. At first Peter doesn't understand the meaning of the vision. Granted, Peter very rarely understood anything on the first try. He had to stick his foot in his mouth a couple times before the concepts ever stuck in his brain. But, alas, as is life sometimes for all of us.
He doesn't even really get it until after the following story of Cornelius, the Roman centurion, who accepts the salvation of Jesus Christ into his life, despite the fact the he is not of the chosen people, the Jews. It is then that Peter understands that God has opened up his family to all people, to every nation, like he said.
I love this for two reasons. the obvious one being that I am not a Jew. Thank you, God! You opened your family to me, despite my history, and you made it possible for my future to bright. The second reason is that we are now blessed with the diversity of God's family. Hopefully, anyone can walk into a church and be accepted as equally as any other.
This is where we come back to BSF. So many DIFFERENT women, from different backgrounds and walks of life, coming together to fellowship in the relationship, wisdom, and family we have with and in Christ. The community that makes up the Christian body is full of so many different people, all of whom God made different and special.
God is so creative! Just look around you. I can barely doodle while ont he phone for more than five minutes, without running out of something to draw. (Then again, I am probably too left brained for that. I'm usually taking notes.)
Similarly, each and every one of us in God's diverse family is granted the same wisdom and discernment Peter had been given through the Holy Spirit. We can discern god's will for our lives and understand his truths in his Word because of this great gift. And when we don't understand, we can come together in our Christian family and work through it together.
Praise God for his Holy Spirit in you, as well as his family around you. How has the wisdom and discernment of the Holy Spirit manifested in your life recently?
By the way, I forgot to elaborate. Going to birmingham to determine the gender of the baby. stay tuned for results :)
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