All Filled Up and Overflowing!!!

I wish you had been with us tonight. I really do, because no words I write here could ever truly express my experience from tonight. It makes me think of a song that our volleyball girls sing during warm-ups... (think camp songs, think harmony, interesting harmony)

Fill up my cup and let it overflow,
Fill up my cup and let it overflow,
Fill up my cup and let it overflow,
Let it overflow with Love!

Tonight, our church hosted the local Baptist Association's Annual Worship and Praise gathering. Most churches in the Association 'move' their evening service to the host church. The Association does this once every year...tonight it was our turn. I wish you had been there --you would have been blessed.

We don't normally participate in this type thing, but since our church was hosting and Mr. Fix-It was encouraged to go by a friend and a Sunday School teacher, he deemed it worth the gas for the extra trip to town. I was kind of surprised --but was happy to go.

We walked in to a packed church and immediately saw two dear friends (who we met when we used to go to church with them at another church). So we sat down with them and the service started immediately (I think our Minister of Music was just waiting for us to arrive so he could start! LOL!) The choir loft was packed with probably 100 men and women from various churches and the Praise Team led worship. And I mean WORSHIP!!! We started out with Days of Elijah. Wow! No doubt the Spirit was alive and well in that place. Then after a few formalities, we sang Shout To The Lord and Standing On The Promises. Wow! My tears well up just thinking about it!

The choir sang a beautiful song called Lord, You're Holy that I had only heard once (this morning during the regular worship service). Think Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir --yes, it was that good. Is it okay if I say "WOW" again? With the added voices it was better tonight than it was this morning. I really liked that you could understand nearly every single word...sometimes with choir music that doesn't happen. Awesome!

The speaker for the meeting was Dr. Ted Traylor from Olive Baptist Church in Pensacola, Florida. Sorry, but he gets a double-WOW! Whew! He wore me out. When we weren't laughing, he was walking all over my toes. I'll try really hard to tell you the gist of his message...but you really had to be there. No doubt in my mind, God was there and speaking through this man.

Dr. Traylor started by reading Proverbs 14:4

Where no oxen are, the manger is clean,
But much increase comes by the strength of the ox.

Have you ever thought about this verse? I wish I could explain it exactly like Dr. Traylor, but he quoted his Ryrie study notes (after explaining that what is on TOP of the line is the infallible Word of God and what is written below the line is somebody's opinion and you'd best not get that mixed up!). Mr. Ryrie said something like if you want milk, you've got to be willing to shovel manure. You can't get milk without the cow...and cow's are...ummmm...messy.

He also spoke from Acts 11:19-26 about the birthplace of the church. We're so far from that model here in the good ol' U.S. of A. He went on to point out the characteristics of a church with Vision and Victory like the church in Antioch. These characteristics included:

1. A preaching church. Where the Word of God is rightly divided and preached at every program and service. Also, each Christian needs to be preaching the Word in their daily lives. We sure can't wait around for the preacher!

2. A welcoming church. This church must welcome all sinners...even if they look different from us. Duh! The Christians in Antioch brought together the Greeks and the Jews. I bet they sure had some fireworks! This might be where you need to shovel a lot of manure --mostly from the Pharisee's that are already members! Amen?

3. A teaching church. Where God's Word is preached we have to be willing to disciple and encourage each other to live as Christ.

4. A forgiving church. Refer to #2 and how we can't let petty things divide God's people. There was a lot more on this...but I can't remember the other points, I was too busy shoveling out my own heart. This was powerful.

5. A caring church. Social work without the Gospel is meaningless. But including the Gospel in our social work is more powerful than you can imagine! If the church truly fulfilled its role in loving people, we wouldn't need socialist government programs.

6. A changing church. Whew...this can really get on some toes! Who likes change? How often do we hear "'Cause we've ALWAYS done it that way!"? The church had better be willing to change if God says to change.

7. A praying church. How could we change our world if the Body of Believers joined together in true prayer?

So, from my muddled explanation, can you understand how painful, yet, exciting this message could be? Can you tell I'm filled up to overflowing? I needed that tonight. Wish you were there. How exciting to see God move among believers. Hmmm....makes me want to get busy shoveling some manure!



*****NOW*****

....drum-roll please....

I've got a giveaway! My FIRST giveaway!

Check back tomorrow for details.

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