We celebrated Lois' (our clerk) 80th birthday after meeting on First Day. Her son Mark decorated the downstairs dining area. It was a total surprise for her & great fun for all of us.
Salem Quarterly Meeting was held last Seventh Day. It was a blessed meeting. I have written below the gifts of ministry that were shared during worship.
Open thy heart to the shaft of Light that dispels hurt, fear, shame. May we be entirely open, laying all things before Him. Our Lord does & will speak directly to each one of us.
Why does it matter how we live here on earth? Didn't Christ Jesus do all the work for us? God is pure, He will always be pure. If it is our desire to one day become united with God, as individuals & as a people we must become free from sin. Jesus did not say He came to free us from punishment, but to "save us from sin. "Silver mixed with tin is not pure. It is made pure by washing 7 times in a fire. This is much like our hands which need to be washed often to be kept clean. It is also the way that our God works within us as we submit ourselves to the cross of Christ, by putting aside own wills to abide in His. Some things are uncomfortable to have removed. As His Church we need to let some things go in order to purify, for God's pleasure, rather than what is pleasing in our own eyes.
The Apostle Paul wrote, "All things are allowed, but all things are not expedient." A prophet of old time took a path that he was not shown. Even though he had clear messages from God as to what was right. In his state of self-will he could not see the sword of death drawn to take his life. In this same way we do not immediately see the angel of death in the times we choose our own paths.
