Raining Down Graces

The LORD fans the smoking flax aflame once again. Such encouragements couldn't have come at better times. I have many of these glorious helps from Father. You sow a seed and leave it there, you pass by the next year, a tree has grown. I have many times thought of taking down my social media accounts because of the difficulty in keeping up their maintenance them for want of time. I should not think of fruit in terms of human capacity but of fruit in terms of God's sovereign grace and providence.

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.