Near and Far Faith

It means threatening, warning, worrying, or gloomy.

I got this morning and it looked sunny out. I love morning. I don't necessarily like getting up, but once I'm there, I love just soaking in the morning environment. Off in the distance though, this morning, over the Bethlehem hills were some decently dark clouds. I'm watching them move towards us (the green is the hills).In church, the Holy Spirit gives us ominous feelings. Something is coming. It a warning. It's a thought that says "you are about to enter a time when you WILL NEED GOD. So take precautions." The problem is that most of the time we ignore that feeling or forget about it. I'll admit, it's easier for me to say "I'll deal with it when it gets here." To selfishly think that I have what it takes spiritually. If I did then why would I need the warning.

I love the story of Peter walking on the water in Matthew 14. The part that gets me is verse 30 - But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted. Where were the wind and the waves when He was in the boat? We're not talking cruise liner here. It's an over-sized dinghy. He didn't think about the challenge before he jumped ship. The only way I've ever heard this passage taught is that we should "get out of the boat" like Peter. No. Peter obviously did something wrong - he simply didn't honestly look at what was about to challenge him.

This is a big week for Carpenter's. Friday we're having a benefit concert for The Children's Home of Easton. Dan Deblass has taken so much weigh off my shoulders that I'm ridiculously grateful. It's for a great ministry, it's catered, there's a rocking band doing the concert... Then Sunday we start Lost. I'm excited about the lives that God's already changing through these things that haven't even happened yet. My cashier at Walmart last night asked me "How much do we pay at the door Friday" (yeah we're charging to get into church Friday night - $10 per person, $20 per family). There is potential this week for huge community change - life change. Satan's going to come at our families, our lustful temptations, and anything else that will distract us.

Heed the warning of the spirit. It's ominous for a reason. Don't go blindly into the pack of wolves.