Singing in the Rain Edition

Well, it's not snowing so that should make some people happy. I could live without the mud though--especially the muddy pawprints that I have to clean up every time Rocky comes in! Oh well. . . .

For your viewing pleasure today, here's a little "Singing in the Rain Remix"--some may think it's cool while others may think it's a crime. Either way, I think it's fascinating!




Here's the question and answer from yesterday:
Mon, Feb. 9- What process was used to pick Matthias as the 12th apostle?
Acts 1:26, “Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.”

And here's the question of the day:
Tues, Feb. 10- In the last days, what will God pour out on all people?

And here's the reflection of the day:
If you were to take a survey of pastors and ask them what their favorite passages of Scripture are, I'd bet Acts 2 would make almost every "Top 10" list. Jim Davison mentions (on p 7 of the Year of the Bible participants guide) that Acts "tells us the story of the growth and development of the earliest church during a period of about thirty years from the time Christ departs in glory." (Christ "ascended into heaven and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father almighty" in Acts 1.)

This is the vision that every pastor has for the church that he or she serves:

--v 41 Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.
--v 42 They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
--v 43 Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles.
--v 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need.
--v 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts,
--v 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

This is a group of people who witnessed firsthand the Pentecost event--the Holy Spirit filled them, they saw the tongues of fire, and they heard strangers speaking their language. This shared experience drew them together, closer together but also closer to God.

But this movement is not of human initiative; it is God's initiative. The Holy Spirit is the source--the motivating force--that "transforms a small band of believers into convinced and effective witnesses to the Christ" (Davison, p 7).

This is why churches survive; this is why churches thrive--because of God's initiative in the transformation of ordinary people into "convinced and effective witnesses to the Christ." That is my hope, my prayer, my goal for Frankfort Church. It is my prayer and hope for ALL churches around the world.

So, the question to ponder today is: what does it mean to be a convinced and effective witness? How can we live that out each day?

Stay dry out there!
Allison