Do you believe Genesis 1 & 2

Our family was so thrilled to hear John's messages on Sunday. While he was on vacation this summer the church had wonderful speakers whom we enjoyed quite a lot. But, because of where John had to stop within the series in Luke, it felt like a cliff hanger at the end of a seasons tv show. Bad analogy I know, but I'm not sure there is any other way to explain it.
The morning message was about the Character's on the Road to the Cross - Only the first two were discussed. The 'they' who took Christ away, and the man Simon of Cirene. I appreciated how the people came to life and 'jumped off the page'. How even in the cruelty of the Cross God had orchastrated everything. Simon was intrumental in bringing the Church to Cirene and then through others to Antioch where Paul was sent from. This one mans salvation was instrumental in taking the gospel to the world.
The evening service had the Enfield band play the worshp songs. I have never heard the service be so 'loud' in their singing. It was something. John then preached on the 'theology of creation'. The question posed was "Do you believe Genensis 1 & 2?" That you must to believe the rest of the bible. That you need to understand that believing this sets your foundation for the gospel and that by not believing the beginning you weaken your faith and can waffle on what scripture says in any other portion.
After service Crossroads hosted the Plaza fellowship. I love these times. We met a new couple and had a wonderful time talking with both of them. We will have them over soon I am sure.

Random musings from this week

This week has had both highs and lows. The highlight: watching my children improve their techniques in swim, finding out a lost sheep has been found and restoration is in process, spending time seeing the Creation around me, and working hard to overcome personal sin. The Lows: finding out that someone is not doing well spiritually, mentally, nor physically and hasn't been for awhile. I'm fighting the desire to place excuses and ask the WHY God?! questions that try to push themselves to the front of my heart when I ponder the situation. My heart weeps for the soul and wants answers to the 'how could it happen' with this situation and yet knows that all sin begins with a wrong view of God and an exalted view of self. Some of the situation was beyond this person's control and I weep even harder that they had to endure it and yet know that the evil can be meant for good. Right now I can't know what that good is. I cling to the promises of the Word knowing that someday we may see the answers. He IS Faithful. He IS Trustworthy, He IS in Control, He does Love, and He Does Care. I pray that the valley will show the heart it's needs and seek Him who can guide thru this Valley. Only complete turning to His Truth can overcome the sad and heartbreaking situation that has been learned of.
I long to solve the problem for them. Knowing that I can't, nor can I even be there is difficult to accept. But accept I must, and trust God even more. Why does it seem that so many around me appear to be in so many testing situations. I believe that God is teaching me to pray and pray fervently - going before the throne to wrestle with God both for those whom we care so much about and the need to trust Him fully. He is testing many and yet at the same time He is testing us all. Do I pray enough, believing that He does answer? Do I remain steadfast even when the answer is no? And do I truly trust His good and perfect will in the lives of both myself and those around me? If the answer is yes then I must remain trusting Him, not falling apart when the world around appears to be, or things go less than smoothly. I have been reminded that this world holds no promised ease, otherwise we wouldn't long for heaven. If life remained 'innocent' like the childhood years then we would not see the need nor have the want to fix our eyes on heaven.