Bev Sterk

Hey Ken... good to see you back on here...  thanks for pointing us back to the basics of loving God 1st, and then neighbors.  Amen, Amen!

I loved Doug's comment that he was "richer" for staying, and obviously not referring to his portfolio value, but richer in relational love for his neighbors and richer in experience (I'm thinking in trusting God and His ways is part of that), and in being obedient to God's call for his family.  That's God's economy.   It's eternal treasure.

I think what Doug shared is one way Acts 2:42-47 looks in today's culture.

I also had to think about going against everyone's advice some more.   I got a kick out of it because it is going against conventional "wisdom", and it made sense in a higher than the heavens God way (Is.55).  But it was also interesting and unusual because generally (but not always) the Holy Spirit will confirm significant decisions like that through other (generally Spirit led, but not always the case) people.  So as I'm studying guidance by the Holy Spirit, and His ways of confirmation, I will admit that that is unusual, and I'm glad you felt compelled enough to follow through.  I am curious about the process of your decision 10 years ago as well.  that fascinates me!  That helps me understand how the Holy Spirit "prompts"/guides us in many different ways.  I know what I've experienced, but i enjoy hearing and learn from listening to the "process" others went through as well.  Again, the 2008 timing is very interesting to me as well!

I know each of these specific testimonies are not what everyone or even many are called to, but I hope that by sharing them, it will inspire other believers to take that step of faith, whatever it might look like in their life that the Spirit is putting on their heart at this time, and these stories and God's goodness through them, will encourage whomever it might be, to possibly be a little more (do i dare say) "radical" about their faith and lifestyle.  =).   To go beyond human wisdom, man's understanding (Prov. 3:5-6) and walk in step with His Spirit, to follow that prompting that you are pretty sure is from the LORD!

Doug, again, thanks for sharing!  Like Karl shared, your post(s) continues to triggers thoughts =) for me as well!   I'm chuckling as I think of Ps. 37:4 - Delight yourself in the LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart in connection with you (a farm boy)  having the "opportunity" to buy a tractor and then using it for Kingdom purposes =).   I get a kick out of God's sense of humor =) and giving us a win-win opportunity.   I know how much fun I have driving tractor in our berry field after being in the professional "field" for about 20 years.    Oh, LORD, open the  eyes of our hearts to see how You want us to use the abundant blessings/talents you have given us for Your Kingdom purposes.

Another testimony that I was reminded of was, how the LORD has given my husband jobs where the people he is working for pay him almost immediately.  We have a construction business, and since 2008 (and before too, but it has been much more obvious since then), we  have seen God do amazing things with lining up work for him, and bringing clients that pay within minutes of getting the bill.  Every person we have worked for since last summer has paid in less than 2 weeks, and usually in less than 2 days, and several times the same day!  Since 2008, when construction businesses took a significant hit, he has been without work for only 1 hour (which was our fault).  We have not advertised, it has all been "word of mouth" so to say.  We have seen God's incredible provision and have experienced the wealth God tells us about in Prov. 3:13-18 through living Prov. 3:5-6.  Having said that, I think the next several months we are going to be tested again, on whether we will continue to trust in God with all our heart, or be tempted to lean on our own understanding.    As many of you might be experiencing yourself, cash flow has been a bit more difficult over the last several years, and we have been at the end of our liquid resources several times, after several years of decreased profitability .  Last fall, when we are at a similar place with cash flow concerns, (as I was re-reading this, I just caught the connection, that was about when we had a significant cash flow concern and it was about since that point everyone (construction related) began paying us in less than 2 weeks, thank You LORD! - hindsight is amazing =), anyway, when we were at a similar place with cash flow concerns last Sept., i remember telling God, "I can make cash flow happen 7 different ways" and so we went through my list, and each one was in some way leaning on our own understanding.   So, I shared this with another believer and the question was, how do you know that God doesn't want you to use any of those ways?  I replied, because each of the reasons He "gave" me trumped mine, and His made more sense in a super rational way.  But, as I walked away from that conversation, I prayed, "LORD, if these thoughts are really from You, please confirm it in some way."  That was about 4:30 in the afternoon.  At 6:30 I received a call from my husband.  His parents had just blessed us with a sizable gift to help with the kids' tuition!  That was our confirmation.   in 2 hours!

So, here we are again, about 14 mos later, looking at a cash flow concern.  Somehow God has helped us get through these last 14 mos, and we are going to trust Him to do so again, but my mind is already thinking, well if He doesn't, we can always do "my cash flow plan"....  Arghhh!!!  I think the LORD is helping me remember how He has come through again, and again, (and I haven't even shared some of the best ones with you yet!) to give us the courage to continue to trust Him with all our hearts! 

ok, the other concept that I keep going back to from Doug's post, is that he went against all advice.  Because of several other "conversations" I had in the last month and the concept of intentionally seeking the Holy Spirit's guidance being something the LORD is putting on my heart over the last several months, I went to Acts to read about Paul's "decision" to go to Jerusalem.   I had been thinking about this story for several reasons,, and thought  Paul had to be very compelled to go against prophetic warnings, knowing he would be arrested and possibly killed.  So Saturday, I read several chapters of Acts in the NKJV, and the phrase "Paul purposed in the Spirit" (Acts 19:21) caught my attention.  This phrase " happened' to catch my attention in a segment of an online sermon i "happened" to come across about 4 weeks ago.  That is the only time I recall every having heard this phrase before.  I mentioned it  yesterday  to a believer who has been a part of the crc for 60+ years, and they didn't remember ever hearing it before.  Another version stated he was "determined in the Spirit" and one was "compelled" by the Spirit.  So, not sure how that ties in with "stuff", but I always find it interesting how the LORD will use someone's thoughts to trigger other thoughts that He wants us to possibly pursue =).  A rabbit trail or the Spirit?  So I would love to hear anyones' thoughts on intentionally seeking the Spirit's guidance or what "purposed in the Spirit" might look like for today!   As well as more testimonies and insights on how Acts 2:42-47 looks like for us today!

Thank you Rich, for digging into the Logos/Word some more on this =) and sharing your thoughts and insights...

there's a time for each  - quiet, meditative worship, and loud, exuberant worship, and every level on the continuum between the 2...  it's like you said, we/crc seem to hang out on the quieter end, other than maybe when we hear the organ =)

here's something I posted somewhere on the network last year some time, but I'll post it again, because it is a beautiful example of high praise.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8KX2-J6uS-o