Saints,
Here is a bit of what I have written to my prayer supporters when I returned from my prayer retreat.
Wow what a week its been. First off I was battling moments of pain that were keeping me from functioning well. The long story is that I may have Celiac disease just as Levi does. So if I avoid all gluten (wheat, oats, etc.) then I should be fine. Maybe I will trim up a bit too?
As for the prayer retreat, it was located at a great bed and breakfast called The Green Tree Inn. http://www.greentreeinn.com/
Thankfully many of you were praying for me to not be distracted. Praise God that prayer was answered. For the entire study time my digestive ailments were minimal. Mind you early Wednesday morning became problematic and I left early. But Mr. Coffman, my host had the remote to the TV and God provided me discipline from checking the news.
Much of what God revealed to me covered a variety of things. Here area few bullet points
The village of Elsa, where it is located is much like a step back in time into the 18th and 19th centuries. It is in a very small valley that you can pretty much walk through. So it alone was a distraction.
- On a issue of pointing out someone's sin I need to wait for God to open an opportunity, rather than create one myself.
- Our church needs to celebrate salvation, and I am praying for whom to ask in a list of people to ask them to give their testimony on Sunday mornings.
- I have come away with a greater appreciation for what I have and a lessened desire for worldly trivialities.
- My heart is longing for our youth to know God, not by gimmicks or tricks. I sense I need to spend time with them talking directly to them about Christ working in them
- There is so much more I need to roll off onto God and just let it be. I also need to teach this to others seeing that often we have lost the gospel message. We have become so program centered that worship is losing its majesty for trivialities. Included in this is a deep understanding that ...
- We must return to having a Sabbath. All we do needs to be centered every week on worshiping God. Get our chores done early to worship God. Refuse parties and outing that interfere with God's worship. The Sabbath is made for man, for the purpose of being with his God. I haven't enough hard drive space to write upon this truth.
- Truth Matters, let us not be afraid to go to the scriptures and show people what God has said. If they still reject it their blood is not on our hands and we have glorified God rather than fain to popularity contests.
- We need reformation. What I mean by that is seen in the above bullet point. We tend to assume the gospel, and loose our moorings. Paul preached Christ and Him crucified, not how to sermons. Peter did the same as well as the others. Yes they gave direction and church discipline, but all coming back to the cross. We need reformation before we will see revival. We often quote 2 Chronicles 7:14 but do not do it. We fail to search the scriptures for correction. I for one found this to be liberating.
