Yesterday we had an awesome time in worship. For me-the older I get- the more precious First Sunday becomes for me. Though each and every opportunity and Sunday the Lord blesses me to see I thank Him for the sacrifice of our Savior, 1st Sunday is of particular importance.
We had quite a few visitors with us this past Sunday. I felt as if I struggled with the message; but my wife said I did a great job. To God be the glory! My only prayer is that my approval rating with my Heavenly Father was satisfactory. I shared from Mark chapter 9 in dealing with the man with the son who possessed 'a dumb spirit' or what Matthew describes as 'a lunatick'. The entire theme and thesis of the message was the recognition of our own inadequacy and delivering our issues, vices and abnormalities to the Master. Jesus Christ alone posseses the prerogative and ability to deal with the source; not just the symptoms.
It is one of those rare preaching experiences where I thought the message would be exhortative and exciting but it became clear to me that it was a pastoral message. More than this, I saw VERY CLEARLY that the word was convicting hearts and challenging others in their spiritual walk.
My voice has been acting up--I suffer with sinus and allergy issues. So I struggled yesterday to finish the message. Thankfully, we made it through. I am laying low today - I begin revival tonight and trying to preserve what little voice I have for the message.
5 comments:
Pastor Kraig,
I rejoice wiht you abour the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit through worship and word. I thank God to be in the lineage of a progressive and prophetic preacher such as Kraig L. Pullam. It does not yet appear the great things God has in store for your life and ministry. I will be praying that God strengthen you for the revival responsibility you have on tonight. I am confident that God will use you mightily.
Your Brother... Kevin
Hey Kraig, good to that Cornerstone was blessed in worship on yesterday. And I would have to agree with Dee, you did do a good job. No, I wasn't present but I trust her honesty.
Praying for you tonight.
Preach the Word.
Tony R.
Doc,
Usually our wives are a good barometer for determining whether we hit a homerun or went straight to flunkersville. Trust her!!! Keep going.
Bless you Pastor! I'm praying for you and the revival!!
It is amazing how some things happen. In our Morning worship we had a LONG TIME member to attend that we hadn't seen in church for over two years. We didn't know where he was or how to inquire. No relatives that we knew of.
We didn't hardly recognize him. He is a Viet Nam Verteran who returned mentally challenged due to war trauma and very heavy drug use because of his war experiences. While absent from church he has bottomed out. He doesn't even know who or where he is.
He sat on the third pew by the isle right behind me. I didn't fully notice at first who he was. But after he started disrupting the service I knew the voice. It was Brother Riley. He pulled his trousers off first. This is when the Deacons were alerted. The Pastor was in full gear of his sermon and didn't notice. By the time two of the Deacons reached him he was very loud with obscenities coming out of his boxer shorts at the same time. He was sweaty, smelly, diseased, frail, just skin over bone.
He frightened me. My Grandson Kory sat next to me and I told him to move with me down to the other end of the pew while the Deacons handled the problem.
They finally removed him from the service. I don't really know what was done on the outside. After the service we asked where did he go and nobody knew. I immediately felt very ashamed and quilty. Riley was where he was supposed to be for help. Did we do what we were supposed to do? I think not.
Still having all this on my mind I open this blog and see at the same moment we were dealing with a "lunatick", you were preaching about the one in the multitude who brought his Son with a dumb spirit. As I read I feel even stronger that we should and could have done more for this member.
This has challenged me to pray for another opportunity for us as a church body to minister to him in some way to bring about the help and cure that he needs. Thank you Pastor Kraig for bringing this to me. May the Lord always use you, to challenge those of us to use the power we have as believers to bravely face and conquer the tests God brings before us.
As time gets harder we will see more of this. As a church family, a plan should already be in place to handle a situation such as this.
Thank you for allowing space for my comment. Sorry it was so long.
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