(Don’t forget the live stream from PTP. Tuesday at 2:30 EST)
Cups are overflowing in Sevierville, TN this week as Polishing the Pulpit is well underway. I sat on the front row of a ginormous auditorium tonight and sang “I am Resolved” after hearing a wonderful lesson entitled “Why I Love the Church of Christ.” It’s true. I am resolved. I am resolved to seek more holiness through my days, to win more souls for Him, to be closer to my sisters in Jesus and to be more like Him in my home. I am resolved. Being with over 3000 people who are strengthening their resolves to walk in His ways is the foretaste of heaven that makes the final destination more real and more motivating than it has ever been before. I really want to go there. Sitting there on the front row flanked by my children on each side, my son-in-law and nieces on down the row and listening to my husband preach, I felt like I was almost there. “Almost heaven” is really not West Virginia at all. It’s PTP!
I really want to have the devil firmly and finally banished from my world on one glad morning. Spending some time with members of my family in the Lord who are suffering great pain, remorse, fear and sorrow this week has made my hatred for the devil increase. I just want to be done with Him. The excruciating and debilitating emotional pain that sin brings in the lives of people is a second great motivator for me to keep living and teaching His will every day and in every venue afforded.
One lady I spoke with tonight is from Michigan. She expressed this: “I have never been in a place where there was so much needed teaching on such a variety of subjects. I feel kind of like my spirit is just in shock. I feel kind of spiritually overwhelmed in a good way. My emotions are just brimming!”
On Tuesday at 2:30 EST/1:30 CST, the Digging Deep Podcast will be brought to you live from Polishing the Pulpit. I hope you can join us! We will congratulate those who are here live with us and have completed the Sanctification study in its entirety. We will introduce the new study for 2013-2014 and show you where to find it online, so that you may begin the new study with us in September. I am more than a little excited about this. I hope you can join us! His providence in this fellowship and study continues to bless so many. To Him be all the glory.
Here are the words on a bookmark that was distributed in our ladies session today. The session was called “Blockbuster Passages about Sanctification.”
Sometimes Sanctification Means…
Refusing popularity…
Choosing persecution…like Elijah.
Refusing peace…
Choosing confrontation…like Joshua.
Refusing riches…
Choosing less…like Moses.
Refusing rest…
Choosing struggle…like Caleb.
Refusing acclimation…
Choosing anonymity…like the woman of Shunem.
Refusing anonymity…
Choosing leadership…like the three Hebrews.
Refusing leadership…
Choosing submission…like Sarah.
Refusing exaltation…
Choosing humility…like Paul.
Refusing the best…
Choosing what’s left…like Abraham.
Refusing to fight…
Choosing to lie down…like Isaac.
Refusing to break…
Choosing to build…like Jochebed.
Refusing to obey…
Choosing to pray…like Daniel.
Refusing to remain…
Choosing to change…like Zaccheus.
Refusing the devil…
Choosing the Lord..like Job.
Refusing ruin…
Choosing restoration…like Ezra.
Refusing security…
Choosing risk…like Esther.
Refusing discouragement…
Choosing perseverance…like Nehemiah.
Refusing to stay silent
Choosing to speak…like Peter.
Refusing the easy way out…
Choosing the cross…like Jesus.
C. Colley