Conference Weekend

I know the title doesn't sound too exciting, but boy the lack of excitement in the title is the polar opposite of the conference which so happened to be amazing. And the thing about it is there was only hymns, people praying, and people speaking. You are probably asking yourself well- what was so exciting about it if that's all there was? My response to you would be because that's all there was in the presence of the Lord. Where two or more are gathered in His name- there He will be. There was no clutter- no pumping up of your faith- no froofroo music- no fluff. The speakers didn't have an agenda- they had the Word which according to the verse I'm trying to memorize is quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword. One speaker spoke from the book of Hebrews and the other out of 1 Samuel. And just to prove how amazing the Lord is... these guys didn't get together and discuss what they were going to speak on, but the thoughts flowed so well together- they kept referencing what the other was speaking on. And if that isn't incredible enough- the last two conferences I participated in prepared me for this one and those were one and a half years ago and two years ago.

Both brothers compared those situations to the church's condition today which is a pretty sad condition. The messages out of 1 Samuel focused on Hannah, Eli, Samuel, and the people of Israel. Hannah- here is a woman who doesn't step out of her God-ordained place (not inferior) and He chooses to put her prayer in the second chapter! She doesn't pray out loud nor does she get frustrated at the priest who blatently tells her that she's drunk! She recognizes the God given authority of the priest even though he has failed in his role. We see the quiet and gentle spirit that God finds precious and beautiful in a woman and He blesses her. Sometimes our leadership fails at their role, but it doesn't mean that we have to step out of ours. The spiritual situation today in our churches is caused by men and women stepping outside their God-given (and it's a privilege to be given) roles. One is not any less important than the other and I fear that the feminist movement has taken the quiet and gentle spirit out of our women because they try so hard to be like a man in leading and in the end become something they were not meant to be or do (if you're curious to discuss this subject I would be happy to explain from the word why I've come to this conclusion).

Eli- here is a priest who is not faithful in his role. He chooses to lift up his sons instead of lifting up the Lord. The priest was the "go between" as far as communication goes with the people. God speaks to His priest and the priest speaks to the people. God had enough of Eli and stopped speaking to him- THAT is a very sad situation. The Lord instead begins to speak to Samuel- this child. Eli had seen the debauchery his sons were involved in- even to the point of making the people stumble! The Lord even said that it would be better for a millstone to be tied around your neck and be thrown into the sea than to make one of His little ones stumble! That is a grave statement (no pun intended). That is what the church does today! They leave behind the simplicity of the NT church and place all these expectations on you and so many Christians say forget going to church anymore- I'll just stay at home- it breaks the heart of our loving Lord! He paid such a heavy price and because of certain wolves in sheep's clothing, and even unknowing believers, some have gone astray.

Next would be Samuel- this consecrated child. His mother saw the situation in Israel and prayed that the Lord would use her son (she specifically prayed for a man-child). God uses the failed priest to bring up His appointed prophet- and it says that not a single word fell to the ground that came from Samuel's mouth. That means everything that Samuel said had purpose and came to pass. He was set apart- consecrated. In a time when men lived however they wanted to- Samuel chose to follow God and live differently and because he did the Lord used Samuel mightily. God brought about a change in the people of Israel because one boy listened and lived as though he blieved God when God spoke. That should be an admonishment and an exhortation to believers today.

Finallly the people of Israel- there's a lot ot say about them, but the crux of the message would be they got away from the Lord and worshipped things- even so far down as to believe the ark of the covenant could save them in battle. The ark is just a box that has no power to save. The building you go to has no power to save, the way you feel during a praise service has no power to save- you can feel so spectacularly great and still be so spectacularly LOST if you do not know personally the one to whom you are singing to. But fortunately for Israel they got to the point where they told Samuel to pray for them to God so that HE can save them. Wade through the feelings, the pomp, the music, the stuff... there you will see God in His amazing simplicity because the only way He said you can come to Him is through Jesus Christ His Son.

For space sake I will try to be brief on the second speaker's message: live like you believe when God speaks. Religion and faith have always been at odds. Religion is sight oriented and faith is not. Even Christ says that those who have not seen and believe are blessed. Religion is work oriented and sometimes you work so hard at being so religious, but religion will not save you. You say you believe in God, well even the demons believe in God and TREMBLE. You must KNOW God. Hebrews 11 and 12 were the main passages the speaker referenced.

Cain, he said, was like religion- trying to be reconciled with God by your own labor from a cursed earth. Abel, he said, would represent faith- recognizing the need to be reconciled to God by another.

Next was Enoch- God said judgement is coming and the reason Enoch was translated was because He believed what God said AND WALKED with Him. He walked differently because God spoke and Enoch believed when God spoke.

Finally for time sake the speaker stopped with Noah- we know what happened with Noah. Noah evangelized for over a hundred years with less than ten converts (his family). In today's church that would be considered pitiful results. Hardly any of us live to see 100 and only 8 converts?! But God says well done my good and faithful servant. Noah started to build more than a hundred years before ANY sign of the flood (judgement) and even though he was made fun of Noah remained faithful. He believed when God spoke and lived accordingly.

We are living in the times before the judgement. We see the signs everywhere and yet we live like God hasn't told us it's coming. It's coming and we need to live like these two men did. We need to live like people are going to die and go to hell because they don't know Jesus Christ. We need to live like Jesus is returning soon and after that the judgement. This world has not known the true wrath of a HOLY and JUST God. Mt. St. Helen has NOTHING to what is coming. But God has made a way through Jesus Christ to be saved. Most of you know John 3:16- memorized it as a child- live like what God said is true because it is. Believers- it's hard sometimes, but as Hebrews 12:1-3 puts it...

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aisde every weight, and the sin which doth also so easily beset us, and let us RUN with patience the race that is set before us. Looking unto JESUS the author and finisher of our faith; who for the JOY that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

I see that weight and sin are two different things in verse 1. The bible says we are sojourners- strangers in this land- that our home is NOT here. The word "rapture" has the conatation of being ripped away from. We don't want to be ripped away from this world- we want to be taken. Oh that the Lord would not have to rip me away- that I would live as though Heaven is my home and I'm just visiting.