This past weekend Gary, Britt, and I all travelled over to Vero Beach to attended Antioch's Annual Meeting. They invited in Elder Michael Gowens. We were blessed beyond measure, not only in the preaching, but in the good fellowship with friends that we don't see often enough. Friday night the crowd was a little small (and in my opinion that might have been the best sermon that I heard), but Saturday morning we had a great crowd.

Friday night Bro. Michael preached on Elijah and Elisha. He compared the ministry of each of these Old Testament prophets and illustrated how today's preachers need to have some of both in each of their sermons. He talked at length about how Elijah was given a harder message to preach. One of how the Lord was dealing harshly with his people for their stiff necked, hardhearted, and rebellious ways. He talked about how it is often hard to stand for the truth, particularly when it is not what people want to hear and even more so when we stand alone.

He used many examples throughout Elijah's ministry, but he most particularly drew from Elijah's experience standing against the prophets of Ba'al. He stood against the corrupt King Ahab and Queen Jezebel, and several hundred prophets of Ba'al. From 9 till 3 the prophets of Ba'al called upon him to accept their sacrifice, and Elijah taunted them a bit suggesting, that perhaps Ba'al had better things to do, was talking to someone else, had taken a vacation, was sleeping, etc. Then after a 3 year drought, Elijah took his sacrifice, and dosed it in water to the point that the sacrifice, wood, and alter were soaked and they even filled a trench around about it with water. He prayed and immediately fire came down from heaven and consumed the sacrifice and licked up all the water. Elijah stood alone, and showed great courage. In many ways we are to be like Elijah. (I Kings 18)

He then talked about Elisha ministry, that his was one of compassion. In each of the acts of Elisha his miracles toward others is born out of compassion. Elisha's message was "Yes, the Lord has punished us for our ways, but he has not utterly cast us off." He continually spoke of the goodness and mercy of God. If we honor Him and turn to Him that He is there. He told us while we must never bend on truth, and we must remind ourselves that there are grave consequence for our actions, yet God still remains faithful, he never says that he's had enough, we remain His children.

Friday night we stayed with the Gervasoni's. We visited and talked until 1 am, when we just had to hit the bed. They are such a gracious couple allowing us to stay with them and we talked about all sorts of things. They had several very unique fans that of course fascinated Britt.

On Saturday, Bro. Michael took Zechariah 3 as his text and painted the most amazing picture of God's judgement and mercy. In this chapter Zechariah sees Joshua the high priest (the best of the best) standing before God to represent and plead for all of Israel (God's children), and Satan stands by as the prosecutor to accuse him. Joshua in the best his has to offer stands before the Lord in filthy rags. Bro. Michael talked at length about how we have nothing beautiful or of worth to offer to God, how even the best of our best is undesirable to say the least. He asked us to imagine a court here in the US, how if we were accused we would do our best to act and look good and respectful to make others think that we were such things. But here Joshua has nothing but filth to present to the Lord. Everything that Satan can say is true that we are a brand plucked from the fire, that we were worth nothing, dirty, and were in a position of hell; but God in His infinite mercy didn't leave us there. He throws Satan out of court, and commands that Joshua be given the best clothing, and because of all that God does for him Joshua desires to walk after God and live the way he instructs. God tells him that if he will do these things, Joshua will receive even more blessings. Joshua did nothing to receive the pardon, but if he follows the Lord he will be given even greater blessings here. He then talked about just like Joshua we were set free, we were Barabbas, and Jesus paid the price, justice was fulfilled yet we didn't have to pay. It was a very moving picture.

Afterward, at lunch we all sat around visiting for a long while. Amber Ferrel and family were there and while all the kiddos ran around in the Church and played. We all sat around and visited and swapped stories, and just laughed and laughed. We don't make it over to Vero as often as we would like, but we sure are glad this was a meeting that we didn't miss.