14 August 2007
The Storm before the Calm
No, I’m not confusing this well known phrase. I realize we usually think of the calm before the storm. It’s just that, with the Christian life, it’s almost always the other way around.
Hip, hip Hurray!
Hip, hip Hurray!
Neither do I. In fact, I hate it. It can be more bruising than 13 rounds with Joe Frazier. But you know what? In the Christian life it’s going to come. You can count on it.
8 Comments currently posted.
Tasha Via says:
Lance Ratliff says:
Odd isn’t it that your own sermon this past Sunday should guide you at the memorial service. I am sure you will search for just the right words at the memorial service this week as many of us have this week when invitng friends to join us this Sunday. The Holy Spirit will guide you in bringing comfort to the Hage family. This weekend is gonna be big and I can not wait.
Melissa Dudley says:
This Friday night, the girls and I will have the worship team out at Music on the Green at Providence Promenade. 7:00 (If it doesn’t rain, God willing!). I say this to encourage our church family to come out with their friends and family they are trying to get to church this weekend. Also, many, many times after our sets we are stopped by folks who have lots of questions as to why we are out there, and what church we go to. This is a GREAT opportunity for our church family and the worship team to invite unchurched people to Southbrook…..especially this weekend! It’s a non-threatening atmosphere and you wouldn’t believe how receptive people are! I really feel the Lord speaking to me that we have a responsibility at MOTG this Friday to invite everyone to the services this weekend. But we need some help. If you can’t come out, please pray for the concert, that God will use us to promote HIM and that he’ll move through the crowd, touch hearts and change lives. I know lives will change this weekend but it’s important to recognize opportunity and seize the few moments we have to witness and invite. The concert this Friday is one of those opportunities to invite!
Please be in prayer for Clayton and the staff this weekend.
Christine Malone says:
Our family is in prayer with you Rob, for all you mentioned. Southbrook might be getting hit a little this week, but as always God has us in his watch, and will protect us as we continue to seek his glory.
Michael says:
Having friends and family we have invited, this weekend is VERY near and dear to our hearts. It is NOT surprising that our Enemy is out to ruin the weekend, but I love how this blogging place gives us strength in numbers (wait a minute, I thought numbers were not important).
Here is yet another reason why it is SOOOOOOOOO important that people have small groups they are part of, have accountability partners, and are actively engaged at church. Satan is going to attack, that is naive to think otherwises, but with numbers we can overcome far better than without.
mommajoy3 says:
http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=9e7c4b40cf5a13cea6ca
I share this video clip because it really touched my heart. What a reminder of the way we should all be about what God has done for us. Southbrook is blessed and satan knows it. He’s bad and mad but he’s defeated. How wonderful it would be to regain that child like excitement about learning the scripture and standing on the word during the storms that each of us face, persistant in wanting to “get it right”, with God’s help and loving guidance. I pray that everyone who comes this weekend will be excited, ready to hear with open ears what God has for us as believers.”SURELY” God knows all of our needs and he is sovereign and in control. “SURELY” he loves us and he is working his plan through the staff, lay leaders and believers in Christ.
Nigel says:
Refreshing to see blame actually be placed correctly. Satan attacks, not God. Evil happens for one of two reasons 1) disobediance to God, 2) Satan having a go because he is the temporary ruler of this world.
Usually when bad happens all we hear is “who can know the mind of God” or some variation.
Are we finally getting it that we are on enemy territory? Let’s pray so because this is a stumbling block to many!!
Kim says:
This is a cool story so stick with me. OK, so I have worked on my person for a LONG time! Each time we pray to bring our person to church she bails on me. I wrote her name on the light tower, threw her name in to the fire, pray for her all the time, have others pray for her. So on the sunday that we wrote on the CD’s I wrote her name, cried, prayed… I didn’t put it all together until today…DUH on me ( but she needed it most today, another answered prayer).
So this is the story…
The day after we first wrote names on the CD’s, my friend attended not one but 2 AA meetings for the very first time! To this day has been to 2 a day, now 12 days later! Days ago pastor Rob you posted photo’s of the CD’s, well you captured part of my friends name. I thought this is cool, I need to share it witrh her! Well after a few days of forgetting, no e mail address ( my computer was on the blink) and the Devil doing his job. I dawned on me today, 12 days later(I can be slow some times)!!!! That she started going to AA meetings the day after I wrote her name on the CD and prayed ( again) for her. Today I put it all together sent the e-mail for her to go to the link to view the photo, then proceeded to explain what the photo was and what events happened at church to make her name appear on the CD. While I would love to say that she was all in, I cannot, but I now have the biggest seed I have ever been able to plant in a garden I thought may never grow!!!
We have huge hope,
Thank you GOD,
Thank you Pastor Rob!
She now hase a link to your web site & I hope she continues to read!
Keep being led & keep praying!
IT’S WORKING!!!!!
We’re praying hard core for this weekend too, as well as the leadership in the church. It is interesting to see how hard Satan is trying to get in the way, because he KNOWS God is going to show up in a big way this weekend!