Finally opened my blog site, and I’m noticing a poor pattern here.

Seriously, it’s just about everyday I think of something I need to blog about. What that means is, there’s something I want to either add to last weeks sermon, or some observation I just made, or I just witnessed a real-life answer to prayer and I want you to know it.  There’s always something.  I am a little intimidated to even think about making a list of such observations since I last wrote here. Yep, it’s that bad.  (Maybe a few highlights will show up if I can in fact get on this horse and stay on it for a while.)

I’ve mentioned before that I like to read either a chapter from Proverbs each day or one of the Psalms.  No matter what else I’m reading (currently the wild ride of King David), I like to keep the Proverbs open.  As you probably already know, the 31 chapters in Proverbs makes it easy to stay in the game.  You know life happens, you get busy, and you realize it’s been too long since you’ve had meaningful time in the Scriptures.  With the Proverbs, you simply pick up reading on the corresponding day of the month.  That’s not why I read it, but it’s probably what got me started and yes, it still helps.

Have you found yourself saying, “yep, it’s been awhile” since I …?  It’s not too late. If it’s about taking care of your soul by reading, meditating, enjoying some good worship music, then do it. Now. Today. Open the Bible and read a paragraph and stop for 5 minutes and think on it.  Has it been awhile since you’ve exercised, enjoyed your favorite meal, or written in your journal or spent time with someone near you?  Just do it. Today. Even if it’s simple.

Kinda like today’s blog.

We’re leaving in just a few minutes to teach the last session at the college, then this afternoon we’ll take the 2 hour drive to Bangkok and get on our flight to LA.  Once we arrive, we’ll rent a car and drive to Phx, arriving about 3 or 4am on Friday.  This might be a long day!

Thanks for praying for me while I’ve been here. It’s been wonderful and I’m grateful for all God is doing and has allowed us to be a part of here in Thailand. I’m ready to come home.

 

From our study in 2 Peter, I put a challenge out to our Grace Groups to make simple ‘observations’ from the first few verses on the false teacher.  Here’s what I came up with.

What’s said of the false teachers? V1-3

• Similar to false prophets of OT
• They WILL be among the church; sneak in
• They will operate secretly; deceiving
• They will bring in destructive heresies; this isn’t light stuff.
• They will deny Jesus (Christological confusion at best)
• They will bring destruction
• Upon themselves
• Swiftly
• They will be sensual; sexuality is exploited and perverted
• Others will follow their sensuality
• The truth will be blasphemed; truth takes a back seat to subjectivity, or experience
• They are greedy; never enough
• They will exploit the church
• They will lie; like Satan, the father of lies, the propagator
• Condemnation awaits them
• Destruction is in front of them

Go here to listen to the sermon and follow along with the Grace Group notes.

This past Sunday we finished our 5 week series on Elijah. Standing Alone with God. We finished with the idea of Passing it On. God led Elijah to Elisha so the ministry could carry on. Today, I want to give this space to a blog I recently read for an added perspective.
Thanks to one of our Gracers for passing this on from Chuck Swindoll’s blog.

Mantle of Power
by Charles R. Swindoll
Read 2 Kings 2:12–15

Elijah’s no-death contract suddenly went into effect. Elijah, prophet of power—gone. Elisha, prophet of double power—here, ready, and about to be used greatly by his God.

When a man or woman of God dies, nothing of God dies. We tend to forget that. We get so caught up in the lives of certain individuals that we begin to think we cannot do without them. What limited thinking! When even a mighty servant is gone, God has seven thousand who have never bowed the knee to Baal. He has them ready, waiting in the wings. Classic case in point: Elisha. God always has a back-up plan.

Think about it. Through the ages He has had His men and women in every era to carry on His work. Never once has God been frustrated, wondering, What will My people do now that he’s gone? Now that she’s no longer with them? Our Creator-God is omnipotent. He is never caught shorthanded.

Elisha may have been momentarily surprised and stunned, but that didn’t last long. Remembering Elijah’s words, he reached down and picked up the prophet’s cloak. Claiming the power that now was his, he crossed back over the Jordan and began his own prophetic ministry. God’s plan never missed a beat. Exit Elijah. Enter Elisha.

We can’t help but wonder if, in the years to come, Elisha didn’t stop and study that old mantle, calling to mind those great days of the past when his mentor and friend stood alone, representing God’s presence and proclaiming God’s message. The memory of the older Elijah—a man of heroism and humility—served to strengthen the younger Elisha, whom God destined to serve in even greater ways.

There are times, to this day, when I call to mind my granddaddy, L. O. Lundy. His wise words of counsel still linger. His life of quiet, deep character sometimes seems so close to me I can almost feel his warm breath on the back of my neck. Yes, to this day I miss him, but the mantle of his memory spurs me on to greater heights and deeper devotion.

The good news is this: I will one day see him. And we, together, will worship the same Lord face to face, ” . . . and thus we shall always be with the Lord.”

Whose mantle have you received? And what will you do with its inherited influence?

Reprinted by permission. Day by Day, Charles Swindoll, July 2005, Thomas Nelson, inc., Nashville, Tennessee. All rights reserved.

Apparently I took a 6 week break from blogging. Today, I break the silence, set up the keyboard, and get to work.

Summer in Flagstaff has been amazing, and there’s quite a bit going on in the Smith world and the world of Grace. For now, I simply say hello and forgive me if I send too much over the next few days. I feel like catching up. If you follow along on Twitter or FaceBook, you’ve probably not missed too much.

I know we say it all the time, but really, where did the summer go? It’s already August and therefore it’s time to focus on the fall season. Not sure I’m ready for that.

I realized yesterday as we were honoring our college grads that this week was rather significant for ALL our college students. This week wraps up another semester. Projects, finals, saying goodbye to morning classes, even if just for a few months, this week is about change.
I’m so thankful for each and every student that calls Grace home during their college years. You are a blessing to this body. You are a part of this family. We will miss you while you’re away, and we long to welcome you back after your summer of adventure.
Let’s pray for our students as they take finals this week, and as many of them embrace the change that awaits them.
To those sticking around here for the summer, I’m so glad you can enjoy a beautiful Flagstaff summer, and especially grateful we get to worship and serve together.
If you’re a college student, I’d love to hear from you! What are your plans?
God bless each of you!

If you can correctly identify this, you might win a prize. Please use comments below. Good luck.