Deeper Still #3 - Kay Arthur

Kay Arthur was our second speaker of the weekend. She was excellent as well! She was the boldest speaker of truth I believe I've ever heard. She shared how burdened she was about that particular message, as it was a hard one. I would imagine that many toes were stepped on during that two hours.

She spoke on Truth... The Truth... The one and only Truth... getting back to The Truth. She kind of gave us a whirlwind tour of Jeremiah, actually! One of her bold statements is that it is not God's desire to bring judgement, calamity or catastrophe, but we leave Him no choice when we do not obey His word (based on Amos 3:6). Everybody I've always heard says, "Well, God did not intend to send that hurricane, but we live in a fallen world..." or other things like that. I've just never heard anyone be bold enough to speak that scary truth.

Based on that judgment from the Lord, she exhorted us to get back to the truth. Know the Word. Know God. And share the Word and our God with our children. That's my responsibility- not my church's.

She gave us seven things to do:
1 break up the fallow ground (the hardness of our soul) Jer 4:3
2 mourn over the sin in our lost world Jer 9:17-18, Ezek 9
3 pray Jer 36:7, 1 Tim 2
4 love God's word (and don't let "this is just a season" be an excuse for neglecting the word during the time of raising small children - She spoke pretty plainly here too! If we have time for shopping, tv, or Christian novels, [or the computer] then don't say we have no time for the Word of God! OUCH!)
5 love others as Jesus loves them Jer 31:3, John 13:34
6 introduce people to Jesus Jer 31:31, 33:1-9,15,17
7 rest in doing all God has called us to do

This message was my favorite of the weekend, I think. I had been enjoying more time in the Word already, and this has reminded me how important it is to know the Word...not just put in a few minutes a day.
I am often praying for the Lord to help me see people as Jesus sees them. It helps me be more gracious and get a lot less offended, though I'll not say I always manage those well!
And lastly, I'm praying for opportunities to be around people who don't know Jesus. Sadly, I have almost none! I know the Special Needs ministry at church is bringing people, but it's not nearly enough exposure. I'm praying that the Lord will lead me to people who don't know Him, and I need to be seeking out those opportunities.

So those are the highlights of Deeper Still! Beth Moore spoke last, but honestly, uummmmm, it wasn't my favorite?!? She spoke on John 1:4, but she covered a lot of stuff in her happy hyperactive fashion and I lost her in my after-lunch tryptophan flood. I did come away being very thankful that in her Bible studies she gives us fill in the blanks!

And you guys are probably really tired of this play by play, so I'll tell you quickly that our guest speaker at Charles Stanley's church was Newt Gingrich! That was pretty neat, actually. I have always felt very ignorant of the last 50 years of US history/current events, so I enjoyed his talk. He gave me a few great trivia items as well... always love those!