Bless me!

I got home about 5:00 yesterday afternoon. I was so not disappointed by my weekend! That doesn't come until you get back home and are forced back into the world! People who don't take time for spiritual retreats really should have their heads examined, or maybe that's why they aren't retreating cuz they're having to pay the head examining dude. It never fails to blow my mind that God always meets us where we are! Everything I heard this weekend echoed my emotional/spiritual state on so many levels! But, it's all good! My favorite part was when Pastor Dorothy spoke at the very end. I think they save her for last because she brings it full throttle! Her message was on Hope, she said people need hope, especially Christians! I think so many of us just get plan tired! We start doing a good work and the next thing you know we look up and it's been 10 years and we'll still teaching that same stuff, just to a different group. This is one of the pit falls of doing ministry. However, we need to remember that God has a plan for us, one to prosper and not harm us. You are the one that decided to teach that class weren't you? Did God call you into that? How? Did you get into the word and look for His will before or after you said Yes? Did you pick it then plead with God to bless the ministry of your hands? Yeah, well, been there got the T-shirt, still doing it, looking for new T-shirt's, so there! Here's the deal for me right now and maybe it's the deal for you too. I have the tendency of getting ahead of God, of thinking up what I want to do, or seeing what needs to be done. Then asking God to bless it instead of getting into the word and finding out what God has for me first. Just doing it all backwards. I read Watchman Nee today and he pocks me right in the eye.  Let me share the pocking with you so maybe you get some on you too!

Sin before God is of to kinds. One is the sin of refusing to obey when He issues orders; the other is the sin of going ahead when He has issued none. The one is rebellion: not doing what the Lord has commanded. The other is presumption: doing what He has not required. How much of our work for Him has been based on a clear command of the Lord, and how much simply on the ground that it was a good thing to do? We think that if only our conscience does not forbid a thing, or if it commends itself to us as positively good, that is reason enough to go ahead and do it. Brothers and sisters, do you not think that any servant awaits his Master's orders before setting out to serve Him?  
Thanks Watchman Nee, like I really needed to hear that. But you know, I need to hear it everyday, cuz I'm the one who jumps out in presumption. But how many people do you know that are in the choir and really should be an usher? Or have no business welcoming people but instead should be counting the offering or cooking soup. You know what I mean? So let's take a look at the word and see if God really has a plan for us. And while we're at it we can look for a time line and a check off sheet too! Sorry, that me jumping ahead again!