So FBCH has embarked on a journey in 2013-- a journey where we are pulling our Bibles off of the shelf and reading them.  We call it the 2013 Challenge.  Every now and then, the Holy Spirit takes over, and we end up with a coincidence like this one.

Today's scripture reading is actually my sermon text for Sunday.  Check out what Becky Faulkner, our childrens minister had to say on the church's blog "The 2013 Challenge" about 1 Thessalonians 5:19-22

Vs 19 says, “Do not quench the Spirit.” We have spent a good bit of time as a staff, talking about the Holy Spirit. I have come to realize that I can be pretty in touch with the Holy Spirit in my own life and that makes me feel like maybe I am doing something right, BUT I also have come to realize that I can just as easily “quench” it. When I don’t raise my hand in worship even though I am feeling led to. When I don’t consult with the Holy Spirit before I make a decision I know I shouldn’t be making alone. When I don’t spend time in prayer and focus with the Holy Spirit. All of these things build up. Eventually I realize that I have pushed that voice inside me so far down that I can barley hear it. Does that ever happen to you? I know that getting back into my routines and back in touch with that voice isn’t easy but it is always possible and most definitely necessary if we want to experience the true gift God has given us. He wants us to be happy. He wants our decisions to be easier (not easy!) to make. He wants us to have more joy in everything we do. He gave us the Holy Spirit as a guide to make all of that possible.
Have you spent your 5 mins with God, asking Him to “silence all other voices but his?”
Becky