I’ve been fielding a lot of photo comments and requests over the past few days, so today I plan to include a short set of slides with a few fall images from this weekend.
I’m still walking around with my mouth hanging open, just enjoying the fall colors. All I can say to Florida is this: “Fall! It’s a great idea; you really should try it some time.”
OMG WEEKEND: But it’s been an “Oh My Goodness!” weekend all around. Friday evening with our Koinonia small group; Rebekah’s Saturday spiritual retreat with around 40 church leaders; Sunday morning’s worship services that left everyone tingling; then the privilege of hosting over 20 people for dinner in our home in the evening.
The best comment after church was this, from one of the ushers: “How wonderful to be scrambling to find extra chairs on ‘Commitment Sunday.’ This is a Sunday we’re used to seeing people stay away!”
So we re-covenanted as a church, looking forward into 2014, overflowing with belief and anticipation. Rebekah spoke on the amazing words from 2 Corinthians 1:
“For – as surely as God is faithful – in Jesus every one of God’s promises is a “Yes.” For this reason it is through him that we say the ‘Amen,’ to the glory of God. But it is God who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us, by putting his seal on us and giving us his Spirit in our hearts as a first installment.”
If this is just the first installment… well, all I can say is, “Look out!” Because – as surely as the fall colors captivate me – God is working his purposes out here in Wake Forest and it is, in all respects, a beautiful thing.
Peace, promise, love, and blessings – DEREK
While I am admiring the lovely view of your home I can’t ignore the fact that your wife Rebekah spoke from 2 Corinthians !: My pastor Dr. Joshua Beckley also spoke yesterday morning from 2 Corinthians 1:3-7. The message is “You Were Helped To Help Others”. The gist of the message is that the purpose of God’s comfort to me is for me to be able to comfort others who needs the same comforting that I’m experiencing from God. Rebekah’s message seems to put the finishing touches to God’s message to his Church and the message being…”But it is God who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us by putting his seal on us and giving us His Spirit in our hearts as a first installment. I’ll be reading you!!!
Good observation, Corky!
The verse about being a comfort is my mother’s all-time favorite. Good stuff all around in 2 Corinthians 1!
Thanks – DEREK
Amazing! The same colors I experiened in South Korea.
Can’t figure out how to share them on this space.
I really enjoyed your posts from Korea. Glad you had such a meaningful experience!
Sent from my iPhone
Hi Derek,
Thanks for sharing this blog. I also have had God highlighting to me 2 Corinthians 1 v 18, at the end of Oct. Whilst at our very new CCK church plant back into Hove, I asked a devoted couple of ladies to pray with me to hear God’s voice more, and the enemy’s lies less. As we prayed I heard an audible whisper of the voice of God just above and behind me saying ‘ Yes, Yes and Amen’ I was so surprised I had to look behind to see if anyone was there! As yet I had only heard the promptings of God though my thoughts, as I listen to him.
Then on the 18th of November, I shared my experience with a another cell/house group I have been going to from Jubilee church Barcombe, our conversation was about ‘obedience, – taking every thought captive’ 2 Corinthians 10, (The church is set in the country side..I love the tangible feel of the presence of God there, I think as it has a history of revival in the 1970’s, and they just worship the Lord there in spirit and in truth). We spend some moments on this, and pastor shared his conclusions of the verse of 2 Corinthians 1 with us, I was left in wonder in a new way of God’s promises of ‘Yes’ to the things we pray and desire to do in him, that bring him glory, not to mention the amazing way he brought it to my attention.
So many are his promises in the Word! If I pick just one promise: at pentecost to the believers, some 120 prayed for 10 days in the room waiting as Jesus had instructed them to, for the promise they were to receive. After much prayer and patience receiving the Holy spirit, with joy an overflow of praise and tongues were on their lips, bringing glory to God, and in that one day alone 3000 people were added to the believers!
I love it you were enjoying these verses too.
We are also experiencing the Lord drawing more and more people together across our county to pray, waiting and asking the Lord to guide us in our praying. Several churches have been planted across Brighton in the last couple of years, there is a momentum of growth and a passion for Jesus reaching more people in their local communities, this stretching across the denominations.
I pray for you in all that you do:
Strength for today
And Bright hope for tomorrow
Blessing all mine
and 10 000 besides
Great is his faithfulness
Lv Ruth