Thoughts from the weekend

Thoughts from the weekend:

As I mentioned in my sermon yesterday, George and I went to "Starved Rock" Illinois State Park and had a great time hiking. It's an interesting place, seemingly out in the middle of the Illinois plain, on the southern edge of the Illinois River (which runs from Lake Michigan to the Mississippi).

It was a perfect day. We walked along the rivers edge and then cut back and saw a couple of waterfalls.

When the kids were young, it was me who said, "keep up," "come on," "walk faster". Now the roles have been reversed. Now it is George and the kids who are saying, "keep up, Dad", "come on," although they say it with grace and love.

I love spending time with my kids!

Saturday afternoon we had a great men's barbecue here at the church. Played some catch. Others played some "bags". I really enjoyed the time of sharing and relaxing with the group of guys we have here at our church. Good group. Delicious hamburgers and hot dogs.

I was "jazzed" that a lot of our newer guys came, including some who has just accepted Christ. Speaking of which, we are seeing several people come to Christ in our church recently. This Sunday, June 7th, we will be starting a "new converts" class. Please be in prayer with me that all hindrances would be removed for our new friends to come to this class.

In the first service on Sunday morning, I felt checked by the Holy Spirit, stopped my sermon (almost in mid-sentence) and had us come to the altar and worship God. It's the first time I have done that here at Stone Church.

It was a "God-thing". We need times like that when we simply dwell in the presence of God - and - about twenty minutes in to the worship, the Spirit "came" and there was a sense of God "in the house." I can take you to the point in our worship where there was a real release of God's Spirit.

Second service, I did teach, again a wonderful time in conversation with God.

Let's not forget that we, in our relationship with God, are in a spiritual relationship, something that is beyond our physical senses of taste, touch, feel, smell and hearing.

May God continue to "pour out His Spirit" upon us as we humble ourselves before Him.