Well it's been a week since my last entry, and a lot has happened. Don't worry, readers, I haven't forgotten about you.
The past week was one of transition. The Tuesday after the Fourth (that would be July 5 for those of you keeping score) I dropped my mother off at the airport, packed my truck, and headed back to Athens. It really hurt to have to leave Icthus, but I knew that coming back to my Watkinsville First Baptist Church family was a blessing. I returned to find that no less than 3 of my Fight Club buddies entered into dating relationships while I was gone. The number of single Fight Club guys is declining LoL. I'm happy for all of them. If you're reading this, you know who you are :) I was able to relax when I got back to Athens. God protected my apartment, so all glory to Him for that. I was able to clean up, get a haircut, buy groceries, etc. I started work on the 6th with great bosses and great co-workers. I'm blessed to have this job :) If you know me, then you know what job it is. I was also able to sit in on the WFBC middle school guys Bible study Wednesday night. We leaders just supervised, and it was awesome. I got to hang out w/ some good friends afterward too. Thursday I had work, and then I went to the "Epic" college Bible study that's going on this summer. "Epic" is the name, even though I use the adjective more than any person should. It's like Fight Club, but co-ed and with Christ Community Church tag-teaming with us. The small group I was in was intense. I had a great weekend spent with good friends. I attended my first ever "Honey-Do" wedding shower. It's a wedding shower for the groom. I always thought showers were feminine things. I am apparently wrong, and I can admit when I am wrong :) It was a great time. Congrats to the happy couple! You know who you are. So, needless to say, it's been a pretty busy week but a very good one :)
I didn't forsake Scripture, though my study declined in intensity :( I felt that loss. I read Psalm 19 and Psalm 20. Psalm 19:1 says "The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims His handiwork." That coincides with Romans 1:19-20 "For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For His invisible attributes, namely, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse." Basically, God is evident in His creation, and creation itself cries out to Him. The verse that sticks out to me the most is Psalm 19:14: "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer." That verse has been hanging in my bathroom at home my entire life. It's a lot to think about. My words and my thoughts, my desires should be acceptable in the Lord's sight. Most of the time they aren't, unfortunately. I can't claim ignorance. When I sin, I know I sin, and that makes it suck even more. That is a daily meditation that I need, and it ties back to Psalm 1:2: "but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on His law he meditates day and night." Sometimes I get so caught up in reading quantity of Scripture, I forget to meditate on a Scripture and apply it to my life. I am thirsty for Scripture, so I drink from the tap. Only, the tap is attached to a dam with an endless sea behind it. When I focus, I desire to drown in it. I desire to let the Spirit fill me to bursting so that I surrender control completely.
I had read Psalm 20 last week, but General Vic preached on it in church this Sunday. (God knows what He is doing!). I found out that the psalm was written by King David so that the congregation, the people, could sing it for him. That sounds conceited right? Well the psalm is written to all kings of Israel after David too, and the psalm lasted. As the king goes, so goes the people. We need to pray for our leaders. Romans 13 talks about how all authority is ordained by God, and that we should obey. We should obey even if it's tyrannical. God says vengeance is His. God destroyed Pharaoh's army in the Red Sea. God turned Nebuchadnezzar into a raving lunatic. God will have justice. Sometimes He will raise a leader to fight in His name, but make no mistake that it is His power doing it. I heard a sermon by Pastor Andy Stanley that said America isn't a Christian nation because we rebelled against our authority (England). I wouldn't call America a Christian nation, even if it is "one nation under God". Given the religious freedom it is "one nation under whatever god you choose". America is a country that happens to have Christians in it. Rome had Christians in it, and it fell. I'm not going to get political with this blog, but I have been convicted to pray for President Obama. He's our leader, and I pray he makes good decisions. The Israelites knew that if their king obeyed God, things went well for them. If the king disobeyed God, then it went ill for them. Read the Old Testament LoL. That does not mean we should completely relinquish our personal responsibilities to whatever government we are under. The connection is that Jesus is our eternal King. He is also a High Priest in the line of Melchizedek. Melchi was the only king/priest combination mentioned briefly in Genesis. Abraham tithed ten percent to him, so he must have been special. In the Israelite culture, the king could not be a priest. The offices were separate. When Saul performed the sacrifice w/o Samuel there, he was cursed and lost his crown. Jesus is the eternal High Priest King. His sacrifice was payment enough.
So, I'm back :) I'll continue to read and grow and share with you what God teaches me. Rock Haven Bible Camp is going on right now in Hasty, Arkansas, and Icthus Session 3 is going on right now in Blue Ridge, Georgia. My heart is divided between the two, and I am praying for both.
If you have any questions, e-mail me at: stuartlkingsley@gmail.com
For the Kingdom,
Stuart
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