It was great to be back last weekend. I truly miss our weekend worship services when I’m out of town, even if it’s for something like vacation (which was great).
This weekend we started our 2 part series called “Sound Bites – words of Jesus for the Public Square”. This series has morphed several times mostly due to changing circumstances in our context. Here’s a few highlights . I think I’ll save the additional thoughts for another post.
* The Worship in Each Service – we had some great worship moments. The set finished with that great Tommy Walker song “He Knows My Name”. This led to a great worship moment.
* Worship Moment – as I walked up to pray before the message, on Friday & each of the 3 services, i sensed that the Lord wanted a moment with His people. The experience of God speaking your name to You, is life-changing, direction-changing, destiny-shaping.
* Woship Moment, contd – as we lingered in the presence of the Lord, I felt like I received a word from the Lord in each service. On Friday, the thought was “test” – I assumed this was some kind of medical test. But the phrase came quite strongly, “you will pass with flying colors” – which didn’t make much sense for a medical test. After the service 2 people said they were facing a big work related test that would have big implications for their career in the next week. Here’s what one said (shared w/ permission)
God spoke to me though you tonight. The test I have been contemplating taking is a voluntary test that will cost me a lot of money, be really hard to pass, and therefore take a lot of time and effort in preparation. All that would certainly make me better at my job. Earlier this week, I talked myself out of taking it after speaking with someone who has already taken the test and they told me ‘pass it on the first time, or you’ll be sorry’. That allowed all the excuses in. The biggest question in my mind was ‘can I pass it the first time?’ Tonight God took the excuses away. When you said it, I knew immediately it was directed at me. I felt God saying ‘you need to do this’. I have no idea why or what’s in store. But now I know it has to be done.
We will be family camping at Carlsbad state beach for a few days starting Sunday. I hope to get some surf in. Now I have to bring my books…
Thanks a lot. Really.
* TOUGH MESSAGE – this weekend it was a tough message for me to come back on. This was a 2 part message, this weekend was kind of a part one. It was high on content, low on funny parts or great stories. I felt like the one of the servies in which I had any kind of rhythm was the 9:00. God seemed to use the talk though & it was important founational stuff.
It was great to be back!
