Kick butt Christian Band….good stuff

Just a couple of things I am thinking about at the moment….

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
2 Corinthians 4:16-18

“It is often advantageous to us also to have no way open to us, to be straitened and hemmed in on every hand, and even to be blinded, that we may learn to depend solely on God’s assistance and to rely on him; for, so long as a plank is left on which we think that we can seize, we turn to it with our whole heart. While we are driven about in all directions, the consequence is, that the remembrance of heavenly grace fades from our memory. If, therefore, we desire that God should assist us and relieve our adversity, we must be blind, we must turn away our eyes from the present condition of things, and restrain our judgment, that we may entirely rely on his promises. Although this blindness is far from being pleasant, and shews the weakness of our mind, yet, if we judge from the good effects which it produces, we ought not greatly to shun it; for it is better to be “blind” persons guided by the hand of God, than, by excessive sagacity, to form labyrinths for ourselves.
Calvin

The past few weeks have been amongst the strangest in my ministry life…and thats saying something.
Let me recap in short form.

At Inglewood Community Church we have had the busiest three months I can remember. Pictures in the Park, AGM, coming off a busy Christmas, Baptisms, Church Camp, salvations….and the busiest we have ever been at our Sunday Services.

A few weeks back at Church I stood up to encourage people to sit towards the front, so visitors don’t have to make the embarrassing trip down the front to find a seat. As I was saying that, I realised there were no seats left anyway. Thats our biggest crowd ever.

This should make me feel happy right? And everyone tells you, ‘its a good problem to have’. But the truth is I felt overwhelmed, stressed, sad, unsure of myself. As a Church we need to make some serious decisions about our future. I am about Church Growth. If a church is growing, it is a healthy Church. But our growth this year has been quick.

Also, and in a strange way, something else affected me. I had promised my son that I would take him on a ‘daddy son’ fishing trip before he had to go back to school. Due to some unfortunate and unavoidable circumstances, that could not happen. That was a regret.

So I felt I needed to take my son away, but I also felt guilty about leaving the church for 3 or 4 days. Explaining to people why I was going away, when they are all busy, focused on ministry, and looking for leadership, was not easy. Not that they made it hard, it was what was going on in my head that was the problem.

But I went away, and that was the start of things getting better, and they needed to. Because I was in a deep funk.

Clem and I went to Myalup for a camping/beach holiday. Just spending time listening to the ocean roll in while sleeping in my tent did me good. So did a few walks along the beach praying, fishing and swimming. I don’t want to pretend this was a spiritual retreat, it was not. More like stress leave. But I did pray.

I am not out of the woods yet, but God has been speaking to me clearly, even from the start of this year. His word to me was clearly, ‘I am going to bring things to you’. So far He has. People to church, a trip to Sydney, and next…where our Church is going to go next.

I am waiting on Him. Even writing this blog post and knowing it will go public is helping.

But I am working out what it is I want to share.
Suffice to say that problems come in all different guises. Sometimes problems are because things are going very well.
Sometimes problems come because you need a break.
Sometimes problems come and you don’t even know what the problem is.

Looking forward to this weeks message…
here is an excerpt…
“Growing up hearing about Joseph there was always something that confused me.
Why was he noble for wanting to abandon Mary at her point of need?
I never understood why the Scriptures called him a good man for wanting to quietly divorce her?
Why is that noble?
And I have to be honest I have heard a number of pastors speak on that and mention it a lot and never heard the answer….ever
Now I know there are lots of mature Christians who are here this morning and do know the answer…do know what the bible meant. So if you are one of those, please bear with me, because for me as I have prepared this message for this week…it has been somewhat of a revelation to discover the answer…to ponder…
This morning we are doing a character study on Joseph. we are going to listen to his story…”

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