Return of the Eagles

"...the head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow." Colossians 2:19 NIV

So, today as these four individuals shared, exactly WHAT support did they give the Body? How did they hold the Body TOGETHER? (After all, those two things define the work of the Body, while it is GOD’s job to cause it to then grow.)

When I hear these speak today, just as I listened to those last week, I can see the church about to burst at the seams. It’s not because we are growing numerically. It is because the walls can’t contain for very much longer what is being stirred within the people there. One of two things is going to occur; either the church will implode or explode.

Quick review: An implosion is an inward collapse of a hollow structure. That is a perfect description of the church when, having nothing of substance within, we eventually collapse upon ourselves. An explosion means there is so much energy built up within, that the walls can no longer contain it, resulting in a rapid expansion in volume with an extremely vigorous outward release of energy.

Since the choice is ours, I say we choose explosion over implosion!

Adrian gave God’s answer to our every objection to anything He asks of us: “Am I not sending you?” “Am I not sending you?”  His Grace is constant. Constant, never taking a break, never taking any time off, always the same for us. THIS is why “there is therefore no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus!” (Romans 8:1)

Chelsea brought focus to Philippians 1:29 “For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake,” and as I type this I am wondering who is reading this and also focusing the same way on the same verse?

To be GRANTED is to be given the PRIVILEDGE of “not only believing in Him, but also to suffer for His sake.” The privilege of suffering. Imagine. Our Father granting us the privilege of suffering.

Our Father who loves us? Why would our Father who loves us grant us THAT? The answer is: only if He knows it to be a privilege and a blessing to us. Only if He knows it contains within the experience something that we cannot obtain any other way.

Typing on my laptop as fast as my slow fingers would go, she also said:

Seek to renew our minds with the word of God.

Make sure to live in such a way as to be prepared to be judged.

Be prepared for trials as a result of our own sin.

Take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.

Be careful to control what comes out of our mouths.

Michael gave us an enjoyable pictorial review of his and Maureen’s recent trip through Scotland, then tied it in to the history of the church, the reformation, and particularly, the Bible.

And to walk the region of the world where some of the greatest heroes of faith gave their lives for the Gospel of grace and the Word of God…

Finally, Tonia shared her life’s history.

And as is often the case, it is a challenge to see and hear the online testimony she gives, powerful though it may be…But I encourage you, if you were not present, to grab some earphones and listen best you can, as it is powerful...

God is always working His plan, often completely unseen, unknown to us. As Tonia quoted from her aunt, we are “dodging bullets” and we don’t even know it until one day God pulls back the clouds, blows away the fog, and we find out that He was in control, right there the whole time.