Week 2 and 3 Fellowship

 First of all sorry for the late post.   Early morning hours of Father's Day we had very bad storms come thru.  90+ mph winds, then lost power.   All I knew to do was pray for angels of protection around us we got the warning on phone said 2 hrs before arrival.   WRONG it was here in less than 13 minutes.   We rock n rolled for a little bit, however we only had a few small limbs down, my picnic table was turned upside down, blew my windmill down *unbroken*  across the street, they had huge hardwood trees down    I know that God had his hands on us.  At one point over 150,000 OK residence were without power.  We had 35,000 linemen from all over the country show up and give aid to help restore power.  There is still a few hundred without power 10 days later, it has been in the upper 90 with heat index into the 110 range.  Please say a prayer for those traveling that they can soon return home to their families.  

AND NOW FOR week 2 and 3 of FELLOWSHIP

Week 2 Proverbs 27:17 Iron sharpens iron, so another man sharpens another. 

 PROFOUND TRUTH:  we as individuals have the sound capacity to influence & sharpen each other.  In our journey of faith (I) we need this from each other, other Christians' with whom we are in fellowship with:    In ancient times iron was a vital tool for daily life used for many different purposes; sharpening weapons, farming tools.  Iron could not reach full potential without process of sharpening.  The process involved rubbing 2 pieces of iron together causing edges to become sharper and more effective.   We need influence, encouragement so that we may grow and mature.   God, NEVER intended for us to walk the spiritual journey alone,  He designed us as social beings, created for community and relationships, meant to come along beside each other, support, challenge and inspire each other, become the person God has called us to be.   As iron sharpens iron we sharpen each other with honest and edifying conversation.  When we work together in the ups & downs of life <think of the impact of positive relationship ever encountered with people in your (my) life; friend, mentor, fellow believer they spike words of  wisdom that really resignated with  you (me)?  Their words may have change perspection and pushed you to grow or affirmed the truth that God had already been speaking to your *my* heart , interactions have a way of shaping and molding us into better versions of ourselves.   

IMPORTANT TO NOTE:  The process of sharpening can be very uncomfortable just as iron rubbing iron causes friction and sparks, our interactions with each other might reveal areas in our life needing refinement.   Humbling or painful.  GOD uses those moments to mold and shape us to make us more like HIM.  Embrace the opportunity to live, learn, grow and to allow the Holy Spirit to work thru these relationships to sharpen our character to be more like him.   DONT FORGET we have a responsibility to sharpen other s with words, actions, attitudes all have the power to affect those around us, we can choose to build each other up or tear down, encourage/discourage, love/judge. 

REMEMBER:  bring out the best in others, bringing to God's love and truth.

Week 3  Hebrews 10:24-25 24And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

We are not meant to live out our faith alone; we are called to come together as a community of believers to encourage one another/ spur one another onto good deeds, love and to lift each other up in times of need and to celebrate each others successes. 

God created us to live in community with each other, when we can come together to worship, pray, study God's word we are strengthened in our faith and encouraged to be in the path that God has sat out for us.

When we neglect fellowship we can become isolated, discouraged and makes it easier for the enemy to come and convince us of lies that then take place in our hearts .

Fellowship, allows us to serve on another and to use our gifts/talents to build up the body of Christ.  When we work together, we can accomplish so much more than working on our own. Support one another in times of need, fun to celebrate in times of joy.    In our busy lives it is easy to become complacent, making excuses for not gathering with other believers.  We might be tempted to not attend church, small group meetings, ect, thinking we can grow our faith on our own.

THE TRUTH:  WE NEED EACH OTHER!  support, encouragement of fellow believers to strengthen our faith, and to  remind us of the truth.

Make fellowship a priority:  Encourage one another, lift up in time of need, spur in the time of victory, so that WE can continue to grow in our faith and be more like Christ intended us to be.

I am thankful for my fellowship through my bible journaling, and blogging, as well as attending church, and other church related gatherings.

June bible journaling: FELLOWSHIP

Jesus Prays for All Believers

20 “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.

SO THAT, the answer why fellowship and unity are so important:  So that the world may believe.

root meaning of FELLOWSHIP:   companionship, spirit of friendliness                                                                          Synonym: communion, rapport

root meaning of UNITY:  Quality or state of not being multiple, oneness, condition of harmony.                          Synonym: Orchestration, Symphony, Symmetry  (if a team of musicians are not in tune with each other imagine how awful the sound would be).

Sometimes even as Christians' we march to the beat of our own tune, oblivious to those whom we are hurting around us.  The world is watching, and longing for that fellowship and harmony. The one common ground that we have:  The foot of the cross, and before the throne of God.  Sweet harmony and unity are what we fill through fellowship and it spills out onto others.  We get that fellowship through; Church, friends, gatherings, but remember the benefits:   The world is watching and we never know who may be watching us or who may need a blessing.

Please be the blessing that other people need and that you shing to others so they will seek what we have.   

POINT THEM TO HIM!          

 

Renaissance Fair German Theme 52723

My life long friend invited me to the Ren faire it was so much fun!  This is the first time I have ever gotten to go to this one in OK.   I learned alot about the Renaissance era   

This was my German outfit for the day

This guy is way braver than me, esp when the whole thing lit with fire and he was running and jumping rope on the outside 

Beverly and I posing for a pic

This was kind of cool 

The Renaissance sword fighters were pretty cool...the one in the green is married to the twig fairy (at the bottom)

how I love the fairy wings

even a little fairy house (love how it looks like a bird house

this baby barred owl is only 10 weeks old he did a tremendous job, however when he was waiting for his snack, a *wild* Mississippi Kite came down and almost grabbed the poor baby owl, he was terrified afterwards.

The falcon (some kind of asian falcon) was only 6 weeks old, the blinder is to keep him calm

The jousting was fun, amazing how it can look so real since this was my first time being I got a flag to cheer this team on, and got to keep as a souvenir.

in the show she got killed but had time to pose for a pic with me *had to change clothes as it got way hot and muggy.   She told me honey I may get blood on you, me its ok it will wash.  Found out she is a local girl.  Who actually 2 yrs ago got her neck broken by her personal horses when she was working on them.

Twig fairy, thought she was deaf, because she used sign language, however twigs can't talk.   She is married to the Sward fighter in green.

Lots of shows to see, stores to shop at, and if you can't find something to eat wow I have never seen so many food places.  Had some very good German potato salad, a potato fried like potato chips was superb.

Jesus is the vine part 4

 This is a chapter of hope, the kind of hope that shows us the relentless love of God.   God's promise to Israel:  Rebuild, replant, dance and enjoy the fruits of the vineyard.  God gives us the same promises:     Everlasting love, and faithfulness; these are probably the most underserving things from the LORD.       He shows grace to all of us.     The next time your out driving around looking at the greenery from the crops planted, vineyards, orchards ect, remember God is at work in ways that we may not see right now.   If we believe His word and that we can trust he is faithful, loving, full of grace, kindness.   In His kindness He does not leave us on our own to face the hard times alone.                                                       PROMISE:   His faithful presence, relentless love, assurance of knowing that one day he will wipe our tears dry.    God draws us to himself and lovingly rebuilds our lives        

OUR Tears   Please listen to the enclosed song.

Jeremiah 31:3-5 NASB

3The Lord appeared to him from afar, saying,

“I have loved you with an everlasting love;

Therefore I have drawn you with lovingkindness.

4Again I will build you and you will be rebuilt,

O virgin of Israel!

Again you will take up your tambourines,

And go forth to the dances of the merrymakers.

5Again you will plant vineyards

On the hills of Samaria;

The planters will plant

And will enjoy them.

Thank you Father for your everlasting, faithfulness, and picking me up when I stumble, but most of all thank you for wiping away my tears over the last few years with the death of my beloved husband Gary and my first and best friend mama.   I know they both ran to you with arms wide opened and smiles on their faces.    

Thankful Thursday

 

Today's Verse for Thursday, May 25

Exodus 20:12

12 “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you.

Today I am thankful for:   My salvation, thank you Father for always being here for me. My health is improving daily, Food in the cabinets, a/c, dependable transportation, my animals, friends, family, all the birthday wishes, calls, and cards.   That we have been getting rain compared to the drought already started by this time last year.   The blooming flowers have been so pretty this year.  I am thankful for my church family  so much that we have to be thankful for.

    Praying for our country, lost souls, homeless people, veterans, financial freedom to those that need it, family members who are ill, friends who are needing direction.

Happy Memorial Day weekend and please remember to thank a Veteran, be safe.  I am blessed to be going to the Renaissance Faire with my best friend from school, this weekend theme is German, (I am almost 3/4 German so this should be fun even got a german outfit to wear)