Raining Down Graces

The LORD in His tender mercy has once more breathed upon the smoking flax and caused its faint ember to burn afresh. Such encouragements have often come unto me in seasons most needful, arriving not a moment too late, but in that wise providence of the Father who knows well the precise hour wherein His child is weary and near unto fainting. I have received many such gracious helps from His hand—those quiet mercies which seem small unto the eyes of men, yet are glorious refreshings unto a discouraged soul.

I have often considered the matter of labor and fruitfulness, and have found my own thoughts too frequently governed by the feeble judgments of human reason. A man casts a seed into the earth and departs from it; he leaves it there unseen and forgotten beneath the soil, and when he passes by in another season, behold, a tree has risen where once there appeared nothing but bare ground. So does the Lord often work in ways hidden from our sight.

Many a time have thoughts arisen within me to lay aside my labors and remove the social media platforms I have, because of the burden of maintaining them and the want of strength and time to keep them as I imagined they ought to be kept. Yet I perceive that herein my heart has erred, for I have too often reckoned fruit according to the measure of human ability rather than according to the sovereign grace and providence of God.

And he said, “The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground. He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; he knows not how. The earth produces by itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear.

Mark 4:26-28

I have been graciously accepted at VPSM, an answer to prayer all by itself. Father has continuously blessed my desire to be equipped for the kingdom's use. Since we began 3 years ago I have always sought to be under biblical church authority. To learn as a layman, not to teach as a minister. But along the way were painful but priceless lessons that taught me, aside from emphasis on true doctrine, church government was of equal importance for the proper oversight of the body of Christ. 

It should definitely not rest on the shoulders of one man, as my past two experiences have shown. Biases tend to manifest unchecked. The congregation is kept silent for fear of repercussions on their membership status; and red flags are taken down, and questions swept under the rug without explanation. 

We have come under the guidance of faithful brethren: Vanguard Presbyterian Church - working with Lubbock Reformed Church in Texas under Rev. Ryan Denton, - not of one particular church - but a gathering of many churches looking out for the biblical governance of all under its wing. There is an established order, where scripture is above all human ordinances, there are teaching elders, ruling elders, and deacons, and the presbytery has a voice on all church matters thereby enabling us to do what we are commanded to do: let everything be done decently and in order (1 Corinthians 14:40). I praise God for leading us to paths of righteousness for His name's sake.

Father has seen to it that we are growing not in worldly terms but in the heavenly realms of awe and wonder in lavishing us with His graces. The nightly family worship time has begun its work in the hearts of the children and has been the complete provision of what we previously lacked in simply holding Sunday services. The word of God is read in our homes, His goodness talked about, and His praises sang back to Him from the Psalter - daily and intentionally - such as it should be. 

I haven't read these new additions. But when I receive something from the LORD it is always for some future use that I find myself thanking Him for sending it. It is good my God knows my needs and sends it before I even have the opportunity to use it.