Just As A Ripple In A Pond...

"Just as a ripple in a pond, so does the sting of a painful memory fade away when we let it go."

I really like this quote. It made me think..if you've got a painful memory of the past that has kept you imprisoned, pick up that "painful pebble" and give it a great toss into the "water of forgiveness", let it go, and watch it disappear as that painful memory fades away! LEAVE IT THERE and walk away!

Assembling Ourselves Together...

Don and I just finished reading a new book by Dennis Callen, "Faith To Raise The Dead". I'm reading it again but slower this time hoping to get something new out of it. And I'm glad I started again.

I wanted to share about his take on Hebrews 10:24-25. "And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching."  The key words being 'assembling' and 'exhorting'.

You know the Scripture. We've heard it preached numerous times, especially when people are always 'missing' church. I think this Scripture is totally misunderstood. Even though we call our church gatherings an "assembly", the people are not assembled. They are gathered together. The way we are assembled together is through an intimate connection of friendship and fellowship. Let me explain further....

Using a factory as an example: We gather the parts together to build the final product, but until the parts are assembled together and connected, they cannot function for its proper use. All the parts are designed to operate together.

So with the Body of Christ. We love and accept everyone into the Body of Christ, but there are certain people we are suppose to be connected to in order for us to operate properly the gifts God has put in us.

Just think about this now, how there are so many churches who just have people gathered together, but not assembled (no connection through operation of the gifts). I see there are so many actually "forsaking the assembling of themselves together" and don't even know it, because they think gathering together is assembling....and it's not. We think just because we are attending church regularly, we are fulfilling this Scripture, but we can be GATHERED yet NOT ASSEMBLED. Interesting....huh?

Check out I Corinthians 14:26 -  How is it then, brethren? when ye come together (assemble), every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.

As far as exhorting, so many people out there already feel bad about themselves, so they don't need to be told all the time their faults. People need to hear more good about themselves, so it is good that we have each other to exhort or encourage one another.

I don't know about you, but my husband and I are finding it more difficult, as we get older and more mature in the Lord, to find the right people, of like faith, to be connected to. Some we have made a connection with, but life circumstances would some how take us in different directions. I am thankful that we have a few great connections still nearby, and I'm praying as time goes on, that we can have more and more connection, assembling, and ministry together with these individuals.

How about you? Are you attending a church regularly yet find yourself guilty of "forsaking the assembling of yourselves together" there? 


Blessings,
Connie J. Schmoll

Looking Unto Him

Do you ever think you really know someone – I mean really and truly know them and then all of a sudden you are taken back by something they do that is very disappointing and very hurtful? I'm talking about a person you really look up to.

I have experienced this numerous times and yet I still couldn't seem to get what the Lord was trying to teach me, until now.

Here I was, my heart crushed, another deep disappointment hovering over me like a cloud of gloom. When moments like these would happen, I found myself always withdrawing from everything and everyone – especially the person who disappointed me. I didn't like this pain that would come and I began to fear being around others – for fear of making myself vulnerable to be hurt again. I would lose trust in people.

The one thing that hurt me the most is once again I lost a true example for me to look to. My heart desired so much for a true example to follow, someone whose life was real! I guess I was more or less needing someone perfect (according to my standards that represented perfection). I realized the reasoning behind this was, if I could find this person and they accomplished this “perfect life”, then this could mean there was hope for me.

The Lord revealed to me through a friend that I was harboring inside of me fear – fear of always being a disappointment to people. Maybe I felt most of my life I had been a disappointment to everyone and therefore felt there was no hope for me of ever being any different – so deep inside there was this longing to find that someone who could show me proof that it could be done – a person could live their life without disappointing someone – then there would be hope for me.

I remember that night, I laid in my bed, my heart breaking from yet another disappointment! I cried to the Lord saying, “Why can't I ever find that person I need in my life – that true example?!”

The Lord softly spoke my name and replied, “Connie, I AM that perfect example! LOOK UNTO ME!” And He directed me to His Word, Hebrews 12.

The Lord has given us examples to follow in the Bible and we cross paths with many great Christians throughout our life, but God never expected us or them to be perfect. He gives us leaders, examples to follow but He is our ultimate example! We are to be like HIM! No one will ever project that image of perfection except Jesus Christ!

Once again, I had let my eyes look to people when I am to keep my eyes upon the LORD! And through this revelation, He also brought deliverance of fear....fear of being a disappointment. We are all going to make mistakes and disappoint someone unintentionally, and people are going to disappoint us, but that is why we must always “live to forgive” and always keep our eyes on HIM.

LOOK UNTO HIM....the AUTHOR and FINISHER of our FAITH!

Connie J. Schmoll