Good Sunday Mornin'

[Shortgrass]

We've sure had the wind last week. Last night it blew hard out of the south, catching an old tank liner from beside the shop and blowing it into the fence in my horse pasture tearing out about 100 yards of fence. Of coarse my horses found the hole, and were gone this morning. After an hour of looking, I found them a mile and a half down the road behind my neighbors tree break. Snappy is usually a little hard to catch, but she trotted right up to me and I haltered her. These ponies were ready to come home. Sometimes a Christian feels the need to get away and run down the road, but soon they discover that things aren't what they thought and are anxious to return to the flock. In the story of the prodigal son, the boy reached a point where he was ready to come home. A saved person can't stand to live in the hog pen, and if you cleaned the hog up and moved him to the Master's house, he would head back to the pig pen first chance he got. Our Father is always waiting and watching the road for the son who has wandered, just as I went looking for my lost horses. Have yourselves a good Sunday mornin', and a good rest of the week too.

 

[Triangle Bar]

Thanks for this week's message Shortgrass. Had lots of wind here yesterday also and this morning cold and frosty 26 F.

Have a good week.

 

[John SD]

Thank you as always for the Sunday message, Shortgrass.

Like your horses, sometimes we take advantage of our freedom and go astray doing things we know we shouldn't. The Lord comes looking for us and if we only trust Him like Snappy trusts you we can follow Him home again.

I hope everyone has a great week and has or will be blessed with some of this great rain.

 

[nr]

Do you think if those of us in church were more publicly open about our problems and failings, more open about our self-centered ways which keep us from doing what God wants us to do with our lives (which equals sin), that people would more easily return after wandering?

I've begun thinking this unintentional lack of openness presents a misleading Squeaky Clean appearance that helps no one in the long and short run. We have a time in our church, for example, where we can stand and ask for prayer or give a praise to God. Usually it is folks asking for prayer for health concerns for others or themselves, less often (hardly ever?) a public confession of failure and request for prayer to overcome a personal struggle.

The only place openness happens is in our smaller meetings and Home Groups where we truly let our hair down, but that doesn't help visitors and those who only come to the big Sunday worship services know that we all are struggling with something.
Just wondering what your thoughts are, Shortgrass. (and others)

 

[burnt]

Do you think if those of us in church were more publicly open about our problems and failings, more open about our self-centered ways which keep us from doing what God wants us to do with our lives (which equals sin), that people would more easily return after wandering?

I've begun thinking this unintentional lack of openness presents a misleading Squeaky Clean appearance that helps no one in the long and short run. We have a time in our church, for example, where we can stand and ask for prayer or give a praise to God. Usually it is folks asking for prayer for health concerns for others or themselves, less often (hardly ever?) a public confession of failure and request for prayer to overcome a personal struggle.

The only place openness happens is in our smaller meetings and Home Groups where we truly let our hair down, but that doesn't help visitors and those who only come to the big Sunday worship services know that we all are struggling with something.
Just wondering what your thoughts are, Shortgrass. (and others)

Right on!

Not only is confession good for the soul - it would likely do wonders for the image of the church as well. If we would learn to openly address our personal failures, there would be much less reason for those looking in to call us hypocrites.

You share a most valid thought here, nr.