Sunday Night, February 8

Expectation
Prior to the evening service there was that churning of our spirits in expectation as we met for intercessory prayer. The liberty of the prayer time spilled over into our worship once service began as needs were met and a completeness prevailed. We left knowing that, on this night, His will for the service was accomplished.

Message
A second reason came to me for the Maskil Psalms in preparing for this message. As you may recall when we started the session and the new focus I was unsure as to why the Lord was leading us this way. Then in preparing Psalm 78 the connection between the spirit of Elijah and the Maskil songs became evident in the need to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children. Such turning of hearts would bring a generational unity in Christ reflected on the Last Days.

Another reason for this time of instruction came this week: Before David picked up his bow of bronze; he secured himself in the Lord. God became his refuge, his stronghold, his high tower (Frangipane, This Day we Fight, page 19). Thus, as we enter into greater spiritual warfare it is imperative that God be our refuge.

“For who is God, but the LORD? And who is a rock, except our God? -- the God who equipped me with strength and made my way blameless. He made my feet like the feet of a deer and set me secure on the heights. He trains my hands for war, so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze” (Psalms 18:31-34).

Notice The past and present tense:

1. equipped me—that He has given us everything we need
   
2. made my way blameless—an understanding of grace
   
3. made my feet like a deer—empowered me to the utmost
   
4. set me secure on the heights—brought into His stronghold
   
5. He trains my hands to war—then he prepares me

Results: Spiritual power beyond our own abilities

A third reason, and one that ultimately brings us full circle back to generational unity: We can be destroyed by ignorance,“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you from being a priest to me. And since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children” (Hosea 4:6).

This is especially important in light of the opening Psalm 78 in sharing with the next generation and the spirit of Elijah in turning the hearts of the children to the fathers and the hearts of the fathers to the children. Therefore, we should be again encouraged to know that through obedience we are striding just where the Spirit desires His spiritual warriors to march!

A Warm Sunday

A Super Night
The continued provision by our Lord was again evident as the new vent-free 40,000 btu log set warmed our area of Winter Worship. Worship moved from being "unplugged"with a minimal amount of amplification and the Spirit warmed our hearts as heartfelt adoration combined with prophetic worship and prayer.

Word
Crimson House accepts the old statement, "All Spirit and you blow up; all Word and you dry up; but with the right combination you grow up." We are led by the Word as revealed by the Spirit. We live by faith and trust in the real God. He is taking us on a journey that is not governed by the natural eye or accomplished through our own strength. It is a journey that will give our Lord all the glory when the story is told. And there will be a story, but only because He has so chosen.

As the chapters continue to be written new players will be added, not to rewrite what He has already composed, but to fulfill what He is writing. Some players will depart, many having fulfilled their part in His plan for this place. In their role they were both blessed by what God is doing and were a blessing through the giving of themselves in ministry. However, none of us, from the pastor to the babies in the nursery, from the current congregation to those who no longer attend, are bigger than our God and what He desires to accomplish. It is all about giving glory to our God. Hence the reminder on the very front of our building, "To God be the Glory."

The message given at our last prayer meeting was from the Spirit as duly judged by all in attendance. I can especially attest to its validity since much of His word was a personal one to me and spoke of things only personally shared with Him in prayer. This I shared in our Sunday service two days later accompanied with the handout of the entire word given and my message text. In Acts we see where the interpretation of such a word can be conflicting (cf. Acts 21:10-14) but was not debated as to its origin. Ultimately their conversations concluded with "the will of the Lord be done" and, of course, it was.

Message
We reviewed the third of the Maskil Psalms, Psalm 52, written when David learned of Doeg's conversation to Saul that revealed his (David's) visit to Ahimelech. A visit that both continued Saul's pursuit of David and caused the death of Ahimelech and 85 priests.

Introduction
Even the malice (desire to inflict injury, harm, or suffering on another, either because of a hostile impulse or out of deep-seated meanness) of a Doeg may furnish instruction to a David.

Proverbs 11:9 "With his mouth the godless man would destroy his neighbor, but by knowledge the righteous are delivered."

Anchor Points

1. I am an olive tree...
2. I will praise thee forever, because you have done it
3. I will wait on your name
4. I will do this because it is good before Your saints