Minor Prophets

As of late the Holy Spirit has been taking me through the minor prophets. The last time I went through was in bible college, and all i really remembered was an overwhelming sense of God's Judgement. I just finished Amos and today will be reading Micah. Amos and Hosea I found of particular interest so far. God through these prophets does project His Voice and sharply rebuke His people for their lackadaisical relationship to Him and incorporation of other gods (stress on little "g"). Then with a greater fervency than His rebuke He calls them back to Love, back to righteousness, back to the Spiritual.

As a side note, I met with our youth/kids pastor Shane, who is a great guy definitely in love with the people he ministers to and that seems genuine. Yesterday he and I met to talk about my possible involvement in the youth ministry their and among other things he gave me a book to as he said "help you get familiar with The Vineyard and its theologies and philosophies" which is called "Empowered Evangelicals, bringing together the best of the evangelical and charismatic worlds". I couldn't sleep well last night so i ended up reading most of it. Bottom line I find their theology lacking in a few areas and their philosophy of ministry passive. They do believe in the ministry of the Holy SPirit but not that baptism as a second work of grace seperate from the salvation experience but that there are "fillings" and God sovereignly choose when/if He will "Show up". I suppose i could say they have a mental understanding and spiritual and social acceptance of the Holy Spirit but no regular experience of Him.

I found myself a bit like Israel in the wilderness, God all around me, but very little manifestation.

Prayers: There is a trend of pretty abject poverty and abuse in this area carried along by several preachers and pastors who fall into temptations causing them to fall and then that news spreads like wild fire, so the Church in general does not have a safe or necessarily good reputation.

Praise God I have a job and i will be looking for a second one today my wife and Bella will be joining me FINALLY in just a couple days.