An Offering of Praise

Remember This post from last November? (Click HERE)   Remember the clues with this picture?

Well, I am back here to tell you how God is blessing this "Open Window" of new opportunity and ministry...

Go back to the Acts chapter two story of the first Christians in the first "church"...

"And they continued steadfastly 

in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship,

in the

BREAKING OF BREAD,

and in PRAYERS.

Then fear came upon every soul, 

and many wonders and signs were done

through the apostles.

Now all who believed were together,

and had all things in common,

and sold their possessions and goods,

and divided them among all,

as anyone had need.

So continuing daily with one accord in the temple,

and

BREAKING BREAD FROM HOUSE TO HOUSE,

they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart,

PRAISING GOD AND HAVING FAVOR WITH ALL THE PEOPLE.

And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved."

Acts 2:42-47

Back in November of 2014 we started a home Bible fellowship in our home.  In the beginning there was just one other couple and us...along with my mother in law as she is usually staying with us on the weekends...and our son if he is available...but that was it...two neighbors and our own family.  We believed that God was leading us to do this by faith...and to trust Him for the growth of our fellowship.

Today was a special day...we had our first after worship "pot luck" dinner...something all good church people do very well...and my heart has been so full of the joy of how God is blessing.  Here's a few pictures of the friends gathered here...sorry they are a little blurry...but you'll get the idea:

I think the thing that is so exciting to me is that when we moved to this house exactly three years ago, we didn't know what or how God was going to use this home, but we knew in our hearts that He had a plan,  Click HERE for the first post written from this home in 2012, we just didn't know what or when.

Today we exclaimed joyfully that we are seeing God's hand at work in our midst...bringing people into our lives that we could never have known before coming here, and blessing the faith venture of opening our home for worship and Bible study in ways that we could not have foreseen.  Little by little God is putting it all together.  We don't know where it will lead, but we are content and thankful for how it has developed thus far.  Time will tell what the next phase will be.

One of our new friends has a very lovely singing voice, and she so desires to use it for God's glory.  We were all awestruck as she sang "The Lord's Prayer" for the blessing for our meal today. It was almost too holy of a moment to even think about eating after that wonderful gift from her heart rendered to the Lord.  It dovetailed so beautifully with our lesson today from John 12:1-8, where Mary of Bethany anointed the feet of Jesus with a very costly gift of fragrant oil, and wiped His feet with her hair.  Jesus said that her gift was anointing Him for the day of His burial...as He was going to be crucified just a week later...although the disciples did not know that at the time.  It was a pure gift of love from her heart...and that is how we felt after our friend sang "The Lord's Prayer" so fervently and perfectly today.  An offering of humility and love for our Savior...preparing our hearts for the gift that He gave for us...His very life.

What a marvelous way to enter into the holy season of the Passion of the Christ...Easter...His death, burial, and resurrection...all done for us because He loves us so much...and He wants to spend eternity with us.

Lord, how can I say thanks for the things you've done for me?  "To God Be the Glory"..."My Tribute", written by Andrae' Crouch....this song expresses it beautifully.  

What is your offering of praise to the Lord for the things He has done for you? What a wonderful time to think about this...and to offer our thanksgiving to Him. 

More Clues...if you need them...

Last week's post left a few clues here... 

I mentioned last week that this little table was built by my husband's maternal grandfather, and was used for something very special in their home throughout the years.  My Mother-in-law, who is now 91 years old, has been spending her days between my brother-in-law's home and ours.  She has been with us for several weekends lately, and has shared her memories with us regarding the use of this little table in the home in which she grew up.


Today's clues are pretty revealing I think...

My husband's grandparents were members of a Bible fellowship known as the "Plymouth Brethren", which met in their home, and had a traveling evangelist come periodically to share God's Word and serve Holy Communion.  It was a time of true Christian worship, fellowship, and prayer, much like the very first church described in the 2nd Chapter of Acts...

"And they continued steadfastly 

in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship,

in the

BREAKING OF BREAD,

and in PRAYERS.

Then fear came upon every soul, 

and many wonders and signs were done

through the apostles.

Now all who believed were together,

and had all things in common,

and sold their possessions and goods,

and divided them among all,

as anyone had need.

So continuing daily with one accord in the temple,

and

BREAKING BREAD FROM HOUSE TO HOUSE,

they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart,

PRAISING GOD AND HAVING FAVOR WITH ALL THE PEOPLE.

And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved."

Acts 2:42-47

My husband has some very early memories of that precious time of fellowship with his mother and grandparents when he was a young child.  The influence of those Godly men and women who came to their home was very powerful, and helped plant the seeds in my husband's heart that later blossomed into the Call to serve God and to preach the Word...which he did faithfully for many years.

I am not sure just exactly what God is planning to do in our home at this time...but I will tell you this much, that which Jesus taught His disciples in the Gospel of Matthew 18:18-20...

"Assuredly, I say to you, that whatever you bind on earth 

will be bound in heaven,

and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.

Again I say to you that 

if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask,

it will be done for them by My Father in heaven.

For where two or three are gathered together

IN MY NAME,

I AM there in the midst of them."

This little table has come full circle... 

It is now a part of our home, and the blessing which was bestowed upon it so many years ago in the home of my husband's grandparents is being continued in our home.

All the clues are not complete yet, but we are walking day by day in faith,

trusting God to lead us and show us His plans.  This is just the continuation of the work that He began so many years ago... like over 2000 years ago!

Again, I say, Stay tuned for further developments...

and keep praying! God is at work in our midst.

I'd like to close this particular post today with the words to the song that we sang together this morning here in our home as we gathered together to worship the Lord...I found this song very comforting in light of the things that are happening in our world and nation today. Perhaps you will appreciate them also:

"O soul, are you weary and troubled? 

No light in the darkness you see?

There's light for a look at the Savior,

And life more abundant and free!

Chorus:

Turn your eyes upon Jesus,

Look full in His wonderful face,

and the things of earth will grow strangely dim

In the light of His glory and grace.

Through death into life everlasting

He passed, and we follow Him there;

Over us sin no more hath dominion--

For more than conquerors we are!

Turn your eyes upon Jesus,

Look full in His wonderful face,

and the things of earth will grow strangely dim

In the light of His glory and grace.

His Word shall not fail you-He promised;

Believe Him, and all will be well;

Then go to a world that is dying,

His perfect salvation to tell!

Turn your eyes upon Jesus,

Look full in His wonderful face,

and the things of earth will grow strangely dim

In the light of His glory and grace."

Written by: Helen H. Lemmel, 1922