Micah Revealed- Our Story; Gods Glory

Greetings yet again, 

As I mentioned in my last post, I would be posting a few updates today. This will be number two and it is part two from "The Offering".

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Moving forward with this concept of "The Offering" I connected the character of Onesimus with the character Micah. 

Micah was an prophet of the Lord during a very dark time in the history of Judah. The sinfulness of  the people of Judah was becoming worse and worse everyday and would not listen to anything but their own selfish desires and when people tried they were shut down and insulted, tension became anger and anger became Hatred, figurative walls were put up between once very close friends and even families, it was not thing more than a complete disaster.

The people we not very loving at all and when Micah came on the scene he encountered all sorts of people saying you can’t do the lords work here, we don’t need it and rejected anything that Micah had to offer them. He persevered through it all, playing the bad cop so to speak until the end.

We see in several places in the book of Micah the Lords hand upon him.  In Micah 3:8 we see the promice that was placed upon Micah from the Lord...

“But I am filled with power, with the Spirit of the LORD, and with justice and strength, to tell the people of Jacob how they have turned against God, and the people of Israel how they have sinned” Micah 3:8 (NCV) 

In Micah 6:8 we see a really wonderful example of the message the Lord has place upon Micah's heart. This message would be met with even more hostility than most other messages.

“The LORD has told you, human, what is good; he has told you what he wants from you: to do what is right to other people, love being kind to others, and live humbly, obeying your God” Micah 6:8 (NCV)

In Micah 7:18-20 we see the prayer that Micah "offered" up to the Lord in-spite of knowing that he would not see the heart of Judah change in his lifetime. He trusted in the Lords promise and persevered until the end of his days.

  “There is no God like you. You forgive those who are guilty of sin; you don't look at the sins of your people who are left alive. You will not stay angry forever, because you enjoy being kind. You will have mercy on us again; you will conquer our sins. You will throw away all our sins into the deepest part of the sea. You will be true to the people of Jacob, and you will be kind to the people of Abraham as you promised to our ancestors long ago.” Micah 7:18-20 (NCV)

 Honestly, Micah could have dropped everything, he had no real earthly reason why he was doing what he did, he was simply keeping his focus entirely on God, and on Him alone. There are times even in our own lives that we feel running is the only option but when we have "offered" ourselves completely to God we can believe that HIS amazing love will get us through it. 

Micah saw a world in danger of being completely destroyed and today we are really in the same boat, our world it truly falling apart and embracing sinful desires. God calls us to "offer" ourselves to HIM and to stand upon the promises he has given us. Things are holding each and everyone of us back in our journey with Christ, so why don't we look to the light, give the glory to HIM completely and let me guide us out of the darkness that surrounds each and everyone of us. 

Just like Micah never gave in to the world around him we can "offer" the same determination to live for HIS glory each and every day of our lives.

Thanks again for visiting "The Gathering Room"

Stand Strong and continue to believe the teachings given to you... (2 Thes. 2:15b NCV),

M.E.

Onesimus Revealed- Our Story; Gods Glory

Greetings Everyone,

It's been just over a month since my last post and this is because I've been working diligently on a few other family things. However I'm here to day and will be posting a few things so hopefully this will make up for that lost month.

In one of my last post, I finished my detailed post on my first "conversation with our congregation this summer while our senior pastor was on his renewal leave. This post was called "Embrace Little Reminders".  Today I will begin to share the details of my second "conversation" with our congregation called "The Offering".

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"The Offering" was not a message about an offering of money or an offering of our talents per-say, it was a message about "The Offering" that God offered us through his only son and "The Offering" that God asks us to "offer" him through out our lives.

To present this "offering" to our congregation I used several different characters in scripture, Micah, Phillip, Jeremiah, Onesimus, Philemon, Peter and of course Jesus.  I began with sharing about the work that Onesimus did with Paul while he was on the run.

Philemon 1:11-16, Shows us an example of the relationship God wants to have with us, it reveals one of Gods deepest desires for us and reminds us that sometimes we let our fears and struggles keep us from GODS GLORY, but through GODS AMAZING LOVE we are able to find GODS GLORY again.

“Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me. I am sending him—who is my very heart—back to you. I would have liked to keep him with me so that he could take your place in helping me while I am in chains for the gospel. But I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that any favor you do would not seem forced but would be voluntary. Perhaps the reason he was separated from you for a little while was that you might have him back forever—no longer as a slave, but better than a slave, as a dear brother. He is very dear to me but even dearer to you, both as a fellow man and as a brother in the Lord.”

Even though Onesimus fled Philemon he became useful to Paul and his Ministry. We too can be useful to Gods Ministry if though we may have also fled from HIM. It was ultimately this work that brought Onesimus back to Philemon.

Onesimus' example in this instance gives us a wonderful example of "The Offering" God asks of us in our journey with him. The interesting fact here is that Onesimus is the one that delivered this letter to Philemon upon the request of Paul. In essence, Onesimus is "offering" himself back to Philemon through delivering this letter from Paul.

Regardless of the things of the past Onesimus comes back to his master, just as we can come back to God when we flee from paths of righteousness. It is only through Gods amazing love that we are able to do this.

Thanks again for visiting "The Gathering Room"

Stand Strong and continue to believe the teachings given to you... (2 Thes. 2:15b NCV),

M.E.