20190120.1 – Sunday – Meeting at South Adelaide

2019 0120.1 – Sunday – Meeting at South Adelaide

Today it was David Herman who gave the exhort at South Adelaide. 

The hall was full today, and everyone was quite pleased with him/herself because immediately when we walked in the side door we were confronted by the NEW floor coverings.

These floor coverings had been discussed endlessly by the members at South to make sure the “right” colour was chosen, and now, the deed had been done.

I mentioned that we all walked in the “side door.” We are all supposed to walk in the front door, but somehow the side door is always preferred instead of the front door.

This is a pity, because the front door gives a lovely entrance into the hall, through a nice wrought iron gate, past the lovely lawns and the palm trees and the wide entrance way, through the library and then into the main hall. 

But No, we all enter by the side door, and so past the kitchen and the toilets and the table tennis room and finally into the main hall.

Human beings are always “contrary.”

I walk across to the right side of the meeting hall and place my walker in the niche there.

Then I move through to the second row from the front where all the “oldies” chairs are.

There is a “pew” in the front and then four comfy chairs behind the pew.

Carol D sits in the first seat, Adrian in the second, me in the 3rd with and the 4th is empty and holds my bag and all my “things.” 

Then I have a little school desk in front of me so I can put my iPad and iPhone on it and take notes.

Kay R came up and sat next to me and we chatted away before the meeting.

Today was one of our special days when coffee and cake and biscuits (which I can never have, too many carbs) is served to everyone half an hour or so before the meeting and we all sit around and catch up with each other.

Then Adrian came in and jokingly says to Kay that he is always “put out” when he comes into the hall and sees someone sitting in “his seat.” 

He takes out a bottle of water and drinks some and sees me looking at him.

“I suppose you want some of my water? Well I don’t want to get your germs, so I’d better get you a glass of water.” 

“Yes, please,” I reply and then he goes and brings me a glass of water.

Then in walks Joseph C and takes a seat at the piano in the front of the hall.

This makes us ALL happy, because this means that Joseph is going to be playing the piano for they hymns and songs and Joseph is the most BRILLIANT pianist there is.

He makes the piano SING and evokes our BEST Voices and we know we are in for an absolute treat this morning.

The seats all fill up and the meeting begins (South Adelaide’s time, always 3 minutes after 11.00 am).

Everyone is happy because we know that the next person on the platform after the chairman will be Lucy D. 

She gives the announcements and welcomes everyone.

She is the most amazing persons. 

She is tall and slim with dark hair and a lovely smile, and a wonderful spiritual mind.

She says “Good morning everyone” and “everyone” says, Good morning Lucy in chorus together.

She makes us happy.

Mickey C is chairman for the days and he has done a LOT of preparation and every word he says is well chosen and to the point of today’s exhort.

The songs and hymns have been well-chosen as well, and add that to the beautiful music provided by Joseph, our spirits lift and soar heavenwards.

David has some problems with the technology in the place and can’t get his power points working at the beginning, but in the end he gets it all started and he is off with his usual sincerity trying to convey to us his message.

The reading he has chosen in 2 Chron 20v1-30, and Lyn S did the reading.

David began his talk by making a very strong blanket statement.

“Worship is the solution to all problems.”

He then quoted 2 Chr 20v17, where Israel is told to “Stand still and behold the salvation of the Lord.” And then v 20 “Believe  in the Lord your God and you will established….. and again….Believe in His prophets and you shall prosper.”

He then told the amazing story of how those who had been “appointed….those who should sing to the Lord…..they went out before the army!!”

Whoever heard such a thing?

What other army had ever been sent into battle with the vanguard being a group of priests in white garments singing the songs of Zion.

And we read in v 22, and “When they BEGAN to sing and to praise, “The Lord set ambushes against the people of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir.. and they were defeated.”

And I wondered what those armies had THOUGHT when they heard the beautiful voices of the priests singing. 

Would they not have thought, “What army is THIS that sings their people into battle.” 

They would have had goosebumps, they would have been terribly afraid, so that they started to fight against each other and so “every man’s sword was against his brother.”

And what would have ISRAEL thought when they just stood there, having to do nothing, and why? Because the battle was Yahweh’s not theirs.

All they had to do was to “Stand still and beyond the salvation of the LORD.”

And so, said David, this shows “the Importance of Worship.” 

The solution to all problems is to praise God, because ALL problems are spiritual problems.

Only God can bring lasting peace, joy, hope and provide for all our needs.

So we should worship him above all else.

Love, joy,  peace and grace are what god gives us, and he wants to bless us ABUNDANTLY.

Lam 3v17-20

We often think very negative thoughts, as David did when he wrote in Lam 3v17-20 that he felt bereft of peace, he had forgotten happiness, his endurance had perished, he felt he had no hope, he remembered affliction in his wanderings he had bitterness as wormwood and his soul remembers and bows down within me.

These are very negative thoughts, and David said that we tend to move in the direction of our most dominant thoughts.

So get rid of the negatives and as in Jer 6, remember that “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases.”

We should wait quietly for the Lord and be joyful, and hopeful. It we go in THIS direction it will lead us to joy.

So focus on the kindness and goodness of God and make worship part of every day.

Fill our days with singing, and praising, and dancing, and obey him and be generous in our private or open praising of our God.

Yet we can do all of those things and still not be praising God. If we do it to be praised of others, to be seen of others.

What matters is why we do things rather than what we do.

Let God be our portion and we will be “safe in God.” 

Let us drop all bitternesses of the past out of our lives knowing that God is in control of our lives, and fill our mouths with spiritual songs of joy and love.

Don’t rush into God’s presence with our needs first on our mind and lips, buy praise God first.

Think about all the things he is praiseworthy for and be specific and personalise bible verses. 

“You will never leave me or forsake me, so I will not fear,” and Psa 23, “You are my shepherd.”

Why worship God?

Because it helps us to believe that as in the bread and the wine, God has done all things for us in his son Jesus Christ.

And remember, WORSHIP is the one thing we will do FOREVER.

At the end of this wonderful morning meeting, I thanked God for David and his wonderful words.

And now I am sitting at INC cafe writing up my story for another day.

I love this place, it is so peaceful.