Good Morning Abiding, Resting, Preparing Followers of the Way! Please Lord! May I be that and all You created me to be as I learn to follow Your way better. Thanks! Amen. Have your way with me as you trach me your good and healthy ways and rhythms. Thanks!

I had no intention of doing any blogs the rest of the week, But God! He spoke to me through several devos for today that He wanted me to share with you, especially since I awoke at 3 and everyone is still in bed. We got here late afternoon yesterday and after unload just had a wonderful time disconnecting and relaxing. It is so needed as the busyness of life and work for Karen, our daughter Lauren and me is a very present thing. Jesus got away, rested and even took naps as He recharged for work and busyness ahead. We honor God when we do that. Often we forget that or don't give ourselves permission to rest ad reload. Two Chosen devos I am using talk to us about the battle between choosing God's ways or our own. The battle is real. Sometimes we have to force ourselves to rest and abide/ Charles Stanley talks about choosing rest. I want to share this with you who are weary and overworked. And the ODB ends with two important questions we need to answer. "How should being a child of God affect you? And What will you do this week to live out your status and responsibility as His child?" Ponder those and choose well, my friends. I'm signing off now and going back to nap before the others awake. Chill! Relax! Rest in the Lord! That glorifies Him as much as working for Him! Rest, abide and find balance and His shalom! He loves you and says, "Come to Me and rest!" Amen!

Here's a great song to kick start your quiet time today! We can be an honest offering as we surrender to God and His healthy ways! Amen! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPqqIDnjDKY

God is speaking! Was just ready to hit send when Harvest blog popped up! Check out these links!

Retreat to Advance

The Power of Silence

CS:

ODB

Pastor Don and Karen are on vacation this week. If you have a need, please reach out to Sarah. Thank you! We hope to disconnect and recharge as we retreat to a lake house in the Poconos. Prayers appreciated for that and health. Thanks! Pray for our Maggie to have peace at pet sitter too.

Good Morning Children of the Most Hight God! rejoice and be glad in the day and celebrate your life in Christ! As I PREPARE TO DISCONNECT, God leads us into to tracks through our devotionals today. They do tie together because we are so loved that God made a way for us to be forgiven. then Jesus commands us ti live like Him which means forgiving as we've been forgiven. Check out the devos below and meditate on them as we begin this week at Jesus' feet asking to live and like like Him more in '24.    

The Upper Room reminds us that we are filled with God's love. This week Karen and I are recharging and reloading our tanks with a spiritual retreat with Jesus as He bless us with His refreshing love. Our Daily Bread reminds us to abide, to dwell, to rest in Jesus and His love. They remind us of the importance of journeying with others as we seek to follow Jesus more and go share the Good news that brings our hope and joy alive. As we encounter worldly people or deal with those who have hurt us, The Word for You Today reminds us to leave the judging to God. We really don't know people's hearts, do we? Ask Him to help with that and to bring discernment too. As leaders, we are called to be discerning. Some of us are dealing with that with someone who wants to be part of our fellowship, yet needs to be under church discipline nd repent of some things before that can even be entertained as a possibility. God convicted me that I need to be discerning, loving and forgiving. Is He at work in her heart? yes. We await to see how she responds to that drawing and allow Him to have His way, judge and forgive when she repents. And we ask fo rHis help to love like that. Charles Stanley expounds on the thought of the power of forgiveness. Help us Lord to love, forgive, be discerning and wise and follow You always and your ways. Thanks!

That's enough to meditate on and apply today. may God speak to your heart this week and help you to live and love more like Him! I'll be praying and praising for you! Shalom!

Maggie says to have a great week! Dog spelled backwards is God! She reminds us that he is always watching, just like she is always watching Karen! Sometimes during Karen's quiet time, she lays on her Bible. May we abide in His Word, rest in Him and keep our eyes on Jesus always! Amen!

UR: Filled with God's Love

[God] gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. - Isaiah 40:29 (NIV)

When I was growing up, gas stations were called “service stations” or “filling stations.” When you drove in, an attendant would come out to your car and ask you what you needed. My dad would always answer, “Fill ’er up!” The attendant would then pump the gas, check the oil level, check the air in the tires, and clean the windshield. Dad would never let his car get below a half tank of gas. He said, “You never know what might happen, and you might end up somewhere without a filling station close by.”

Dad died two years ago. When I pulled into a gas station recently, recalling his care for his cars made me think about my spiritual health. Do I let my tank get more than half empty before I turn to God for spiritual nourishment? I realized that, at any time of day or night, wherever I am, whenever I’m feeling low, all I have to do is turn to the Lord. God will not only restore my spirit but also supply all my needs (see Phil. 4:19).

Today's Prayer

O Lord, our God, when we are down and our spirits are empty, remind us to turn to you for hope and strength. Thank you for being our rock and our redeemer. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

ODB:

TWFYT:

CS:

Shalom!

Note: Pastor Don and Karen are on vacation/spiritual retreat this week. Pray for health, refreshing and abiding in Christ. Thanks

There will be no Tuesday Zoom Huddle or Wednesday evening dinner huddle this week. We resume next week. There may or may not be blogs as God leads.

Pray for Sarah as she covers for the week and Mike Laise as he prepares to bring God's Word next Sun.

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Good Morning Reborn in Christ Transformed Disciples and Apostles! Amen! May we enter His courts with thanksgiving today as we remember with much gratitude all the blessings of new life and help to become more like Jesus and to go make disciples! We are created for God's purposes. We are custom made, gifted, and prepared to do the things God created us to do. Man what a blessing to walk in the sweet spot of being who you are in Christ and allowing Him to use you! Yes rejoice and worship in Spirit and Truth today!

PRAY FOR GOD TO REACH OUT AND GRAB THE HEARTS OF PEOPLE WE ARE CONNECTING WITH AND TO SOFTEN THEIR HEARTS AND OPEN THEM TO HIS LOVE. MAY HIS LOVING INVITE BE IRRESISTABLE TO THEM. Amen! Ask Him to tear down all strongholds and hindrances for them to come. Pray that He would use us and grow our connections to those He is drawing. Pray for our table fellowships to grow as disciple making opportunities as we put into action Acts 2:42 (They studied the apostle's teachings and prayed as they fellowshipped and ate around the table). God has a custom made plan for you with that and He has some new things to discover and try as we seek more connection points to those not yet here for all of us. We are His Good News Delivery Co. sent to live and love and make disciples like Jesus and we all have a part in that. PTL! Prepare to go love like Jesus.

Check out the Upper Room's reminder about new life in Christ available to all who will come. And The Word for You Today's reminder of how God transforms trash to treasure and those who come with surrendered hearts. Charles Stanley reminds us of the things we know we are called to do as Christ's surrendered, all-in servants--things to disciple others with. We know we are crated by Love to love and to be who we are created to be as we allow God to love through us. That's Jesus' easy yoke! Put it on as you worship this morning and prepare to go live and love like Jesus more in '24. Amen!

This morning there will be an opportunity for some to step into new life in Christ. pray into that and pray for God to draw some to His love today. Pray he would use you too and maybe help you to recommit to Him more earnestly. As we study Philippians 2 today we are reminded of the need for tender hearts filled with compassion as we choose to live Christ--incarnate Him and His love. Amen! Come! Let us worship our King and commit to walk in His love to those He is drawing. Amen! He does have great plans just for you! Rejoice!

UR: New Life

If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! - 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV)

Yesterday was a beautiful, sunny spring day, and I took the opportunity to ride my bike around a lake. One of my favorite parts of such rides is looking at the trees, plants, and lovely views. This time I particularly noticed all the new spring leaves and the blossoms on the trees. As I marveled at this abundant new life, my mind turned to the new life offered to us by our Savior Jesus Christ.

Zacchaeus experienced this new life in a dramatic way after climbing a tree to see Jesus and having Jesus invite himself to his home. Zacchaeus’ experience with Jesus changed his life, leading him to repay his debts to the people he had cheated in the past.

If we follow Jesus’ teachings and get to know him as a personal friend and Savior we, too, can find ourselves transformed and able to live in a new way. Through reading the Bible, prayer, and joining in fellowship with other Christians, we also can be equipped to serve God in new ways and to make a difference in our world.

Today's Prayer

Loving God, draw us closer to you as we seek to follow Jesus. Help us to share with others the new life you offer us all. Amen.

TWFYT:

CS:

Sarah Update below

Good Morning Different, Refined, Renewed, Redeemed, Focused on the Lord Worshipers! Amen! I awoke this morning thinking about being different. We talk about getting used to different and sometimes, how you guys persevere through a "different" type of pastor with a chuckle. I am so thankful for the grace you have shown to allow me to become who I am created to be and to work on doing the things I am created to do as God's sent servant to lead St. Matts. people through the Jordan to the Promised Land of God's abundant life in Christ contextualized for our gathered fellowship and to minister to those yet to come. Think about that...we are different in many different ways by the grace of God and He is using that to expand His Kingdom and to incarnate His love, Word, and hope to many around us. PTL! In Philippians 2 that we will study tomorrow, Paul asks, "Are your hearts tender and compassionate?" that flows from belonging to Christ, the comfort of His love and the fellowship we have in the Holy Spirit. I think that describes us! PTL! We are different from the world--united, kind, loving, compassionate, and focused on following Jesus together doing what we can with what we have been given. Amen! We are different from the world and different from what we were as His gathered Body just a few years ago. He has redeemed us and is refining us, renewing our thinking as we stay focused on Jesus and following Him! We were one way and now another and it's all because of Him! PTL! We are unique--different! What's God saying to you about that? Rejoice and keep focused on Him with a supple heart and willing feet to step into some new and different things He created us for. I am so encouraged by God and you, circumstances, and the new things He is stirring in you and us to try as we travel yoked to Jesus together. He really does have great, all be it different than what we could think or imagine, plans for you and us. PTL!

Many of us have and some of us are traveling through some very hard, refining, stretching things that have and are causing us to stay focused on our Redeemer and His plans. He is preparing us for some hard things to come and to make us usable for His plans. Charles Stanly talks about our being unshakable in these times of shaking. It is obvious that we are in a time of shaking...BUT GOD! Keep choosing trust and joy and just worship in the storms. He inhabits our praise, holds us in His strong right hand and is lifting us up out of the pit. Well, He wants to. Will you keep focused and invite Him into your journey? Someone will look at you in your storm grounded in God and say, "Well, that's different!" and possibly be intrigued enough to talk to you about your joy and hope. My Max Lucado calendar has this great reminder for today: "God's solution to any challenge is simply this: a grateful spirit. No mist is so thick that the sunlight of appreciation cannot burn it away." Amen! Praise today--always!

It can feel very different from what we are used to to praise in the deep valley. But doing so leads to a different mindset and frees us to let go, forgive, and choose to trust and walk with Jesus through whatever. He will redeem that and use us and our experiences to minister to others too. Shift your focus from grumbling, anger, fear, isolation to trust and the hope only found in Christ by praising. Try it. It's so unworldly--different from what we are used to and refreshing. I was one way and as I praised in the storm God led me to another and brought me joy and hope. Amen!

The Word for You Today continues the challenge to different things. There is so much noise, chaos, divisiveness being spewed about stirring us to hopelessness and fear and anger. Turn off that noise! Still yourself and know that He is the God who is speaking in a way that we can only hear as we quiet our souls. What is He whispering to you today? Be still and know! Ask Him to quiet your spirit and for the trust to turn off the noise and keep focused with open ears and hearts. He does have different plans for you to lift you out of the muck and place your feet on the Rock. Amen! Sarah Young reminds us that Jesus is calling you to come sit in His peaceful, loving presence. Will you? She reminds and maybe corrects me from using a bully pulpit or beating people over the head with God's Word and pharisaical demands. Please pray I never do that or to repent quickly if I do. God is Love. He speaks healing love over you. He is not demanding and sees you cloaked in Jesus' righteousness. He's whispering come to me you weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest for your souls. How different is that from what many have come to expect! "Be still in My love, Jesus invites,  as you begin to remember and recount to Me your many blessings and you will find rest for your souls." Can you hear that inviting whisper?

Our bishop has reminded us from when Joshua was ready to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land, to break camp. For healing and deliverance and revival there needs to be movement towards the new and different things God has planned. What camp might you need to break to be able to step out in faith into the overflowing Jordan and see God make a way through? Check out Our Daily Bread's reminder that we need to choose to step out in faith to experience the breakthrough and experience God's different plans. Try it. Our journey is one step at a time in faith with focused grateful hearts. We can walk on water if we keep our focus on Jesus! Man that sure is different! Yes we were one way, maybe even camped out in anger, fear, depression, hopelessness, confusion, but we can be another way and experience God's different and better plans by worshiping and taking that first step of faith. The parting of your Jordan awaits!

Oh my, God sure had a Word for me and you today, eh? What's He lovingly whispering to you today? Who might He be partnering you with in this journey? Remember all of Israel crossed the Jordan together. We not only need our Good Shepherd, but each other too. He leads us together beside the still waters and wants to restore our souls. He has something different ahead for each of us and for our Body. PTL! Be still and know and then go in faith as you step into your Promised Land. Amen! In Philippians 1 Paul said, "For me to live is Christ..." Yes! You can choose to be different! Allow Christ to live in your heart, lead you and live and love through you today! What love! Rejoice! You are made for such a time as this! It's time to live Christ!

Charles Stanley:

TWFYT:

SY:

ODB:

Harvest:

September 7 - Discern the Times On face value, the Pharisees, Sadducees, disciples and others during Jesus’ time didn’t glean the true meaning of His acts and words. They couldn’t discern the spiritual times and the changes ahead for the world. The Sign of the Times. . . . . . . . . . . . Matthew 16:2-4 “When evening comes you say, ‘It will be fair weather, because the sky is red,’ and in the morning, ‘It will be stormy today, because the sky is red and darkening.’ You know how to judge correctly the appearance of the sky, but you cannot evaluate the signs of the times. A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.”  The Identity of Jesus. . . . . Matthew 16:13, 15, 17-19 “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” … “But who do you say that I am?” … “You’re blessed, Simon son of Jonah, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but my Father in heaven! And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever you release on earth will have been released in heaven.”  The Betrayal of Jesus. . . . . . . . . . Matthew 17:22-23 “The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. They will kill him, and on the third day he will be raised.” God won’t withhold wisdom when we ask for it. Unfortunately, many times we evaluate situations and Jesus’ words by the flesh and not by the Spirit. We need to analyze all things by the Spirit so that we can discern the times. Lord, I repent! I repent for not correctly evaluating the signs of the times. I repent for every time I’ve applied my fleshly perspective to a situation, instead of Your Word. I repent for when I’ve used my authority in an unrighteous manner to influence people. I repent for any time I acted as a hypocrite. I repent for reacting poorly to Your communication and not seeing You for who You are. I declare I will know the signs of the times. I declare I won’t be ignorant or a hypocrite. I declare my life will coincide with what You’re doing. I declare I will practice repentance and celebration of who You are. I declare when You share things with me, I won’t be emotional, but put my trust in You and align with Your will. I do ask You, Lord, for wisdom concerning every circumstance in my life and especially in understanding Your Word and the times. I declare I will have a deep knowing of who You are.  I thank You for answering Word-based prayer. I thank You that when I’ve thought, spoken, or done wrong, You’ve never abandoned me. I thank You I will be a bearer of Your truth and help others to rightly gauge the times, Your Words, and Your person. I love You, Lord. --Adapted from Praying What Jesus Says by Natasha Miller. This book is available at prayershop.org. Use the code CONPSP3 at checkout to receive an additional 10% discount. Prayer Points Praise God as the one who protects you from life’s roaring waterfalls and waves (Ps. 42:7). Give thanks that even in the stormy times of life God is always near. Confess those times when you’ve questioned God’s presence or doubted his protection. Commit yourself to staying by his side no matter what comes your way. Ask God to lead and guide you through the stormy as well as the calm seasons of life. Thank God for the work and witness of missionaries around the world. Pray that they will go on the wings of a praying church back home. Intercede especially for world missionaries supported by your church. Prayer Points taken from Patterns for Prayer by Alvin VanderGriend. This book is available at prayershop.org. Use the code CONPSP3 at checkout to receive an additional 10% discount. Connection (Devotions for Everyday Life) © 2024 is a free devotional published daily by Harvest Prayer Ministries. Subscribe here.

Sarah update:

Good evening, everyone,

I have a few things to share with you.....

   Thank you to those of you who have been praying for Jameson, the 10 year old boy who was taken to CHOP because of a cancerous tumor at the base of his brain.  ( I do apologize, that I wasn't able to get this prayer request out to all of you as I was not near my laptop, to access the whole warrior list. But to those of you who I was able to text, thank you very much for jumping on to this. And praying for Jameson.)

   Jameson did have his surgery, and they were able to get all the tumor, the only place the cancer might have spread into would be his spinal cord.  They will be checking into this within the next two weeks.  

May we continue to prayer for his family and medical team and that there will be no impairments.

** ** **

Ruth Guldner has been dealing with COVID. She has had a couple of rough days with coughing and congestion, but yay God she is on the mend.  May we continue to pray for her for full complete healing and strength returned.

** ** **

Continue to Pray for Josie's friend who is dealing with having to make some serious decisions regarding her cancer

treatment. 

** ** **

Pastor Don has been meeting with several folks regarding the roof, and what needs to happen. Several folks on the Support Team has meet with Brian who is helping us to work on a new insurance policy.  And we are grateful to those that have stepped in to help give guidance and direction with this situation.   Continue to pray for the situation, and remember we all know that God is in control!  

** ** **

We hope that you have a good weekend and look forward to seeing you in worship on Sunday!

Blessings,

  Sarah

Thank God I'm Forgiven Friday! PTL! Get out those gratitude lists or start one! God is always good and worthy of all praise and glory and honor. Thank God we are forgiven, made new and enabled to go love like Him! What's on your list?

Good Morning Worshiping in the Storm and Praising for the Mountaintops Redeemed of the Lord! Amen! Check out Harvest Prayer blogs and start there today ad we enter His courts with thanksgiving. Let's just leave it with that for today. You can open your Bibles and other devos and worship and pray. Maybe even read through Phil. 2 prayerfully for Sunday. How about some worship time to prepare your hearts. God does inhabit our praise! Worship! Rejoice! Receive! Follow! Today is the day the Lord has made. We get to worship and follow Him in it! PTL! Invite Him in and worship today. He is standing at the door of your heart and knocking. Open that door and invite Him in!

Come Jesus Come! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wu4VV54ZcFo

Harvest:

September 6 - Giving Thanks Builds Faith Thanksgiving is an important component of prayer. As you develop in your prayer life, you need to continually remind yourself of what God has done for you. Luke 17 recounts the story of Jesus healing ten lepers, only one of whom came back and thanked Jesus for what He had done. It made quite an impression on Jesus. One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan. Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.” (verses 15-19) Other versions of Scripture translate the word praise as glory. In other words, thanking God for what He has done in our lives brings Him glory. Offering thanks does two other things as well. First, it builds our faith. As we recall God’s goodness in the past, we can believe Him to move again. Because we remember God’s faithfulness, we believe Him for the future. In his classic book Prayer, Ole Hallesby said, “If we have noted the Lord’s answers to our prayers and thanked Him for what we have received of Him, then it becomes easier for us, and we get more courage, to pray for more.” Second, being thankful removes pride and replaces it with humility. Remember, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6; see also Proverbs 3:34). God who hears and answers, please pour thankfulness into my heart so that I will continually praise You for Your goodness in my life! Remove pride and replace it with deeper humility. Grow my faith in Your faithfulness! Help me to recognize when You are at work and to recognize each grace-filled act that touches my life so that You alone will receive glory! --Adapted from The Power of Personal Prayer (Learning to Pray with Faith and Purpose) by Jonathan Graf. This book is available at prayershop.org. Use the code CONPSP3 at checkout to receive an additional 10% discount. Prayer Points Praise God as the one who lifts your soul up from the depths of despair and discouragement (Ps. 42:5). Thank him for being your Savior and your God. Confess those times when you’ve chosen not to allow God to wipe away the tears of distress. Commit yourself to praising God every day for his tender mercies. Ask God to keep you from becoming downcast in your soul. Ask God to cause many around the world today to “put their hope in God” (Psalm 42:5) and thus be able to confess with believers in every land “my Savior and my God” (Psalm 42:11). Prayer Points taken from Patterns for Prayer by Alvin VanderGriend. This book is available at prayershop.org. Use the code CONPSP3 at checkout to receive an additional 10% discount. Connection (Devotions for Everyday Life) © 2024 is a free devotional published daily by Harvest Prayer Ministries. Subscribe here.

Sat 10-1 Clothing Closet

Sun Worship 10 AM    Study Philippians 2

Sun evening we are invited to join Revival Church for an evening of worship and ministry beginning at 5

Pray about the possibility of combining wit Revival Church and CRU to do Light in the Night Trunk or Treat again this year. Ask for God's direction and favor and our unity to bless others together, bless God and each other. Watch for details

Keep praying for God's favor and provision with roof and insurance. there were some signs of promise and breakthrough yesterday. PTL! The insurance adjuster is coming tomorrow to assess our loss.

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Good Morning Worshipers! God inhabits our praise, is with us always, loves us eternally and is working all things together for good! PTL! He is with you right now and as you still yourself at His feet, open His Word prayerfully and converse with Him, His peace and love will overwhelm you, His presence and His instructions will become very real in this quiet place. Amen! What's God saying to you right now? Worship! Celebrate. Follow well from the abiding to the fruit for today. Psalm 16:11 says, "You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with the joy of Your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand." Amen and PTL! I love the Upper Room devo for today (below) Look for God's presence and the "dust of His feet" as a reminder that He is with you, making a way, and taking away with Him your anxiety, pain and sin. Amen!

What a day of ministry and moving of God yesterday! PTL! It was a day for me of God's overflowing love and presence. God was so real and close and directing my prayers, words and ministry. He was speaking to and encouraging my heart. He provided, guided and used me. PTL! I began with an encouraging time and praying for some brothers and sisters in the Lord in a zoom huddle at 6. I had an amazing time of God using me and watching Him use some of you as we had donut day fellowship. I heard testimonies of how God used one of our timid members and gave him wisdom and words to speak about the gospel to some Muslims at the Allentown fair, It's a cool story of how God set up this encounter and used him. (Talk to Gary B about how God blessed and used him.) He has plans for each of us, will direct our steps and give us words of life to share. PTL! He's writing your story and giving you stories to share. Watch for Him to be at work and allow Him to use you. God sent an adviser to me to inform and direct regarding the reality of our roof, next steps and to help me with the process of overseeing that as your new property manager. (pray that goes well as I jump right into this). PTL! (Thanks Houstin!)

At noon some gathered in person and on zoom for our EC day of fasting and prayer led by our bishop. It was a great time of prayer and will become the norm as the bishop gathers us on zoom the first Wed. of the month and leads us in prayer. Watch for details for Oct. Keep praying for our denomination and our church to become a dynamic movement of God, anchored on God's Word and focused on making disciples like Jesus did.

One of our prayers and something I believe God is leading us to develop is for our building to become a house of prayer for the nations. We had prayers lifted during our donut fellowship, during the bishop led prayer and later in the day (get to that in a minute). During donut day I was approached by Pastor Cheri about renting our fellowship hall on Sat. evenings to hold their worship services. They are a small church that has been meeting in a fire house. Pray for God's will and plan to be evident and come to life to both of us. We now have our blending pot of a church, the Revival India church in our building and the possibility of an Afro American church worshiping on premise. Keep praying for God to build us as a house of prayer for the nations and for unity of ministries in our building. That would also be some of His provision with rent. Keep praying for His provision and for us to bless others and sow lavishly and welcome with open hearts and minds to the new/different things God is doing.

Yesterday afternoon Pastor Danny from Revival and Matt Kay from CRU and I gathered to pray and seek God for what He has for us together. Let me tell you, the Holy Spirit fell upon us as we gathered around the sanctuary piano to worship and pray. God is on the move! There were some prophetic proclamations over me and our church. God is on the move! Revival is at hand, new life is coming and drawing many to our gatherings from up and down our streets. As we were wrapping up and praying for our unity and how t serve together, God led us to the possibilities of us coming together to do the Light in the Night Trunk or Treat again. We are all excited for what God wants to do as we come together as His Body and bless our neighbors. So pray into that. We are working out details. Start thinking about how to decorate your trunk and how to bless neighbors. Share your thoughts. Pray for a coordinator for favor with the borough to close our street again and for connections to fire and police departments and their willingness to join us.

Then last evening about 20 of us gathered to eat and fellowship and it was a fun and refreshing night. We will be off next week due to my vacation but resume in earnest Sept. 18 and start the Chosen and Family Ministries again Sept 25th. Pray into these opportunities and our Two Peas Brunch Sun Sept 29th after worship. God is on the move, guiding, providing, building and present. He is using us and has great plans to discover and plan as we follow Jesus and join with others to be His hands and feet. PTL! He is our provision and some of you and some yet to come are part of that provision! PTL! Pray for boldness to share your ideas that God may be stirring--want to have an exercise huddle, knitting huddle, craft fellowship? Whatever. Talk to God, some friends and us and let us fill our building with worship, fellowship and discipleship as we connect to new people and connect them to God! Yes rejoice! God is on the move! Seek first His Kingdom and He will add all things He has planned and we need. Amen! What a mighty and awesome God we serve! Rejoice! Worship! Seek! Pray! And determine to always follow well! Amen

UR: The Dust of God's Feet:

The Lord hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet. - Nahum 1:3 (KJV)

I was watching the clouds with my grandfather one day, looking for shapes in them. My grandfather asked me, “Do you know what clouds are?” I thought, Clouds form when water evaporates. But before I answered, my grandfather said, “Clouds are the dust of God’s feet,” and he explained that this was in the Bible. This gave me a sense of wonder. If the clouds were the dust of God’s feet, then it was as if God had passed through wherever I saw a cloud!

I thought about this repeatedly throughout the week. I even found the Bible verse my grandfather referenced. Then on a day filled with anguish and frustration, I went out to the porch of my house, looking for clouds. I felt restored as I watched gigantic clouds pass over my head. That cloudy day no longer seemed so bad — in fact, it felt freeing. “God has already been here,” I repeated to myself as I watched the sky until my neck hurt. The wind carried the clouds away in time, and my anguish went with them. I went back inside feeling grateful and inspired.

Today's Prayer

Lord God, guide us out of trouble, and help us to see signs of your presence. Thank you for all you do for your servants and for inspiring us in every way. In Jesus’ name. Amen.Harvest:

September 5 - A Place of Deep Surrender It is easy to speak of surrender sitting in a nice chair in an air-conditioned auditorium. These are not unmeaningful times and often are incredibly legitimate. But look at Jesus. He knew—with full realization—what was before Him. He faced the suffering with reality. And, He found that reality in a place of prayer. He also knew that this path would bring glory to the Father and deliverance to those He had come to save. In the greatest act of surrender ever experienced by mortal man, Jesus cried out, "Not my will but Thine be done." Deep distress is often the pathway to deep surrender. God hears our distress and will meet us where we are, but He does not always deliver us from the suffering. This life is brief, and He has purposeful places for us beyond our understanding. They are most often pathways that open the gate to bring salvation and life to others. So, what should we do when we find ourselves in such a place? We should "fall on [our face] and pray" as He did. We should face the reality squarely, without silliness or false hopes. We should take others with us to pray (even if they may fall asleep, not knowing the depth of what we are experiencing). And, if we are to be used as our Firstborn Brother was used to glorify God, we must come to the blessed place of full surrender to God's will. But we must also know that, at the end of suffering, there is joy! Jesus was the One, "who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of God" (Hebrews 12:2). The will of God is always best for all concerned, even though the path to its acceptance may be painful. Joy comes in the morning! We must remember this, and gladly go to this sacred place in prayer. Holy Spirit, show me what step or steps of surrender I am needing to take right now! Teach me how to have the humility to prayerfully release whatever I need to bring to You in both good times and seasons of suffering. Give me greater faith to believe You always have the best possible outcome in Your heart, even if it means I don’t get answers that I want. May Your kingdom come and Your will be done in my life! ---Adapted from Prayer with No Intermission by Bill Elliff. This book is available at prayershop.org. Prayer Points Praise God for the privilege of coming to him in worship and praise today. Give thanks with “shouts of joy and thanksgiving” (Ps. 42:4) for God’s many benefits. Confess your occasional lack of enthusiasm in devotion. Commit yourself to “festive” times of personal worship. Ask God to meet with you on those occasions. Ask that the devotional experiences of your family and friends will be characterized by joy. Pray that the Spirit will enliven their walk with God. Prayer Pointer “Prayer is a shield to the soul, a sacrifice to God, and a scourge for Satan.” —John Bunyan   Prayer Points taken from Patterns for Prayer by Alvin VanderGriend. This book is available at prayershop.org. Use the code CONPSP3 at checkout to receive an additional 10% discount. Connection (Devotions for Everyday Life) © 2024 is a free devotional published daily by Harvest Prayer Ministries. Subscribe here.

Today:

10-12 Donut Day Ministry at the Bread Ministry

Noon-12:30 ish: Fasting and Prayer for the denomination led by our bishop on Zoom and live from my computer in the Fellowship Hall (what's God wanting you to fast? For m it's lunch. But no need to fast, always a need to pray) See link below

6-7:30 Dinner Huddle and fellowship in the Fellowship Hall (it's called that for a reason!)

Good Morning Gathered Community of Jesus Followers! Amen! We need each other and are sent with Jesus to others to build community and fellowship with Him, the Father and each other. Jesus said, "Love God and others" and commissioned us to go make disciples as He did. The early Church modeled how as Luke tells us in Acts 2:42, "They met together constantly studying the apostles teachings, praying and eating and fellowshipping together, and welcoming others into their fellowship as God grew their numbers daily." May that be us Lord! May we live and love and welcome like Jesus and make disciples in His way together! We are Your family following You into our mission field. Lead us! Prepare us! Use us well! and add to our numbers those being saved daily. Teach us and excite us to  make disciples. Thanks! Your Kingdom come and will be done in, through and around me/us today for Your glory! Thanks. Come Jesus Come!

Busy day and I am late. Only one devo to meditate on and then Harvest Prayer blog to pray through. The Upper Room today reminds us we were designed for community and we will have several opportunities to choose to do that today! How cool! God is speaking all the time and leading us to His perfect plans. Our easy yoke is to be who God made us to be and allow Him to use us for the things we are created to do. It's a true joy when you find that sweet spot! Solomon reminds us that our purpose is to love God and enjoy life. Amen. May that come alive today as we gather and allow God to use us throughout this day to bring to life Jesus, His love and His way. Amen! Come join the fun, prayer, and fellowship! God has a part just for you today.

See you soon! Shalom!

UR: Designed for Community

Encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. - 1 Thessalonians 5:11 (NIV)

When I was in college, I participated in a volunteer program in Thailand with a group of 20 other students where we helped teach English to children in local daycare centers and schools. One weekend our group hiked through a beautiful jungle. At one point we needed to cross a turbulent, 4-foot-deep river.

Many of us were hesitant, and when someone in the group attempted to cross, he quickly lost his footing. It was clear that the current was far too strong for us to maneuver on our own, so we all linked arms and crossed the river together. When one of us lost our footing, the two people on either side helped them back on their feet. Without one another, we wouldn’t have made it across.

While I haven’t literally had to hold on to others like this in many years, I have faced challenges since then that I couldn’t have endured alone. God didn’t design us to go through life on our own; we need others. Jesus himself demonstrated the importance of community through maintaining a close group of disciples. We need God first and foremost, but we need others too — to lean on and to allow them to help lift us up.

Today's Prayer

Dear God, help us to lean on you as we not only lift others up but allow them to lift us up too. Thank you for designing us for community. Amen.

Harvest:

September 4 - Walking Faithfully with God We know that Adam and Eve walked in the Garden with God (Genesis 3:8) and that Noah, despite living in a sin-affected society, “walked faithfully with God” (Genesis 6:9). The Bible gives us plenty of examples of what this walking-and-talking relationship looks like so we know what we’re aiming for.  In the Old Testament, we are introduced to a man named Enoch who had just such a relationship with God. Enoch made a brief appearance in the book of Genesis. We don’t learn much about him, but what we do find out is this: “Enoch walked with God after he fathered Methuselah 300 years and had other sons and daughters. Thus all the days of Enoch were 365 years. Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him” (Genesis 5:22–24; Hebrews 11:5; Jude 14–15). Interestingly, Enoch’s name surfaced amid a genealogy. It was at a time when people lived upwards to 800 and 900 years. So Enoch might have been middle-aged, as it were, when “he was not.” Yet he was a person—a living, breathing human being, just like us. He is a powerful example to us in how he walked and talked with God: Day after day and year after year, he was faithful to his God, well pleasing to him. A future psalmist would well describe the kind of life Enoch lived this way: “Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord, who walks in his ways!” (Psalm 128:1). Then .  .  . one moment he was praying, praising, and pleasing God; the next he was gone. I once heard someone say that God said, “You know, Enoch, we’re closer to my home than yours. Let’s just go there!” I want to be walking with God so closely that that’s what I hear when the number of my days is up! Eventually the search was called off; Enoch was nowhere to be found.  Holy Father, I long to have the kind of relationship You had with Adam and Eve in the garden before sin entered into the world…and to have spent the kind of intimate time with You that Scripture indicates Enoch did. Walking in such a beautiful fellowship with You moment by moment, day after day and year after year must have been the most incredible experience! May the passion of my worship, adoration and conversation with You continue to grow until one day I am “no more” on this earth, but swept into Your glorious presence in heaven. --Adapted from Walking and Talking with God: A Simple Way to Pray Every Day by Dean Ridings. This book is available at prayershop.org. Use the code CONPSP3 at checkout to receive an additional 10% discount. Prayer Points Praise God for his constant presence with you every day. Thank him for always being near you even in times of extreme difficulty (Ps. 42:3). Confess those times when you’ve doubted God’s loving presence. Commit yourself to seeking his face every morning in prayer and meditation. Ask God to go with you throughout this day. Pray for all the leaders in your congregation: your pastor, elders, deacons, ministry heads, and others who come to mind. Pray for God’s obvious presence in their lives. Prayer Points taken from Patterns for Prayer by Alvin VanderGriend. This book is available at prayershop.org. Use the code CONPSP3 at checkout to receive an additional 10% discount. Connection (Devotions for Everyday Life) © 2024 is a free devotional published daily by Harvest Prayer Ministries. Subscribe here.

This week:

Today Zoom and in person Huddle 10-11.

Wed. Bread Ministry Donut Day 10-12

EC Day of Fasting and Prayer to become a dynamic movement of God on zoom or in person 12-12:30. We will click this link and join our bishop as he leads our prayer time. 

Hello EC Family,

Join us on Wednesday, September 4^th for the monthly EC Day of Prayer & Fasting.  Bishop Randy will be hosting a live guided prayer experience from 12:00-12:30(Eastern) via Zoom focused on our vision of being a disciple-making movement.  Click the button below to join the meeting.

Meeting ID: 821 6318 1677

Passcode: 262172

 Wed evening 6-7:30 Dinner Huddle all welcome

Sat 10-1 Clothing Closet

Good Morning Very Loved, Known, Redeemed, Empowered Child of the King of the Universe! Amen! Meditate on the richness of that today! You are eternally loved, known and you matter and have purpose. God hears us, brings shalom ti the chaos and leads us as we humble ourselves and sing His praise! Amen! He informs our prayers and steps as we dwell in his love and wisdom and ask for Him to be our Lord and Shepherd and to teach us to live and love like Him--sacrificially, extraordinarily. Start with our devos below and work your way through the harvest prayer stuff as you spend some amazing time at Jesus' feet this morning and prepare to walk with Him through this day and the chaos around you. he is our Shalom and Good Shepherd! Amen

Walk in Love and be His peace and joy bringers to the confused and lost world today. You are crafted and empowered to go transform the world by His love. Amen!

ODB:

UR: Maintaining Peace

If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. - Romans 12:18 (NRSVUE)

Every Saturday I go out for dinner with my family. One family member always wants Chinese food, but I enjoy trying different cuisines. It is challenging to pick a restaurant we all enjoy. Instead of arguing, I always suggest we eat at restaurants that serve a variety of foods. This way we can enjoy our time together rather than wasting time arguing.

In his letter to the Romans, Paul stated how important it is for us to maintain good relationships with others, however hard it might be. With God’s peace in our hearts, we can find ways to prevent quarrels that only cause enmity. When we open our hearts to the Lord, the Spirit can help us create peace in every disagreement so that small matters don’t develop into big matters.

We will still experience conflict, but God’s wisdom can help us know how to react. With the help of the Spirit, we can find solutions to our troubles so that we can remain at peace in our relationships and enjoy the beauty of God’s love all the time.

Today's Prayer

Dear Lord, inspire us with your wisdom and peace so that even in difficult moments, we can find serenity and joy in you. Amen.TWFYT:

Harvest 

The Practice of Extraordinary Love by Kim Butts: The Practice of Extraordinary Love

September 3 - Prayer Initiated By the Spirit So Jesus said, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and I do nothing on My own initiative, but I speak these things as the Father taught Me. And He who sent Me is with Me; He has not left Me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to Him … I speak the things which I have seen with My Father.” As mentioned before, effective prayer is a loop that begins in heaven, travels through our hearts and minds and returns to heaven. Jesus always did and said what His Father was initiating. The activity did not begin with the man, Jesus, but with the Father to the man and through the man. In this way, Jesus was constantly doing His Father’s will and His prayers were perfectly aligned and stunningly effective. If you want to be heard, listen first! Find out what the Spirit is saying and then pray in alignment with Him. God always answers prayers that He initiates! Lord Jesus, may I be a good listener when You speak and an obedient follower when You give instruction to my mind and heart. Thank You that You never leave me alone in the midst of difficult or confusing circumstances. My desire is to do Your will just as Jesus taught through Your word. I never want to act in my own strength, but only to do what is in Your good, pleasing and perfect will. ---Adapted from Simply Prayer by Bill Elliff. This book is available at prayershop.org. Prayer Points This week, meditate on Psalm 42 each day. Today, praise God as the one who quenches your deepest spiritual thirst (42:1-2). Thank him for being the living water in your life. Confess times in your life when you’ve passed by God’s streams of water and settled for Satan’s stale pond instead. Commit yourself to quenching your thirst in the living God alone. Ask him to meet with you in prayer today. Pray that your own thirst for a closer relationship with God might draw others to him. Ask God to get you out of the way so that they might see Jesus clearly and drink deeply of him. Prayer Pointer “Whether we like it or not, asking is the rule of the kingdom.” —Charles H. Spurgeon   Prayer Points taken from Patterns for Prayer by Alvin VanderGriend. This book is available at prayershop.org. Use the code CONPSP3 at checkout to receive an additional 10% discount. Connection (Devotions for Everyday Life) © 2024 is a free devotional published daily by Harvest Prayer Ministries. Subscribe here.

Jesus said, "Come to me all you who are weary and I will give you rest for your souls." Amen! I think about that on Labor Day as we get to have a day of rest from our work here in the world--well some of us get off. Thank God and pray for all our military and their families, all our first responders, medical field workers, retail and restaurant workers who are out there carrying on and laboring to serve you. We had our family picnic on Saturday and actually get to rest today. PTL! But picnics and family gatherings can be wearying, especially if you are hosting (and expensive!). Sometimes we have to choose rest, find different days to sabbath, or even choose to nap sometimes. Jesus took naps and got away by Himself to recharge and rest. He bids all of us who are striving in our own strength or trying to work our way to salvation to come rest in Him. He said that His yoke of labor is easy and he is gentle and that we can find rest for our weary souls. Amen! I find that I have to make time to rest and I have to start my days abiding in His rest before I am ready to go out and love like Him.

Good Morning Resting in Christ, Abiding in His Presence, Slaves! Sometimes in our work-a-day world we can feel like slaves, right? I worked with a guy at a job with very hard, physical labor who said, Lincoln freed the slaves!" as he quit after a day and a half. Yesterday we looked at Philippians 1 and thought about what it means to be a slave to Christ and to live our lives for Christ and as His representative as Paul said, "For me to live is Christ..." How's that going? Are you feeling like an obligated/forced slave trying to earn God's favor or like you're working for a hard taskmaster? Or are you thinking about how we are so blessed and want to align ourselves with the gentle master, Jesus, as more like a willing indentured servant. Put on that easy yoke this morning! But a yoke is an instrument of labor. But it's easy as it's designed to fit us perfectly and for the things we are made to do. PTL! And we get to choose to put it on and walk with Jesus at our side. How awesome! And He gave us gifts, a Helper and His promises to be our gentle Shepherd. Amen! PTL!

I had this long blog in my mind for today with all kinds of devotional tie-ins to attach. BUT GOD! He said that today I need to chill, let go of my agendas and allow you to rest in Him as He leads you. So, have at it as God leads. He is speaking His love over you, calling you by name to come and rest in Him and His loving presence. So rejoice and rest, weary slaves. His yoke is easy and custom fitted to you. Yes rejoice and rest in Him. Refresh and sine bright today as you live and love like Jesus, just as you are. Amen! Shalom!

Prepare your hearts to worship and to enter His courts with praise and thanksgiving as we gather to worship in person and virtually tomorrow at 10. We will be discussing Philippians 1. What does it mean to choose joy in suffer as we choose to live as a slave to Christ? What does it mean to you when Paul said, "To live is Christ and to die gain?" How is that showing up in your life and choices? Some deep stuff to ponder! Father, prepare us to learn to live and love more like Jesus as His slave. Come! Amen!

Don't forget we will collect for Everlasting Life Ministries tomorrow as well.

Good Morning Wonderfully Made, Sold-Out, Slaves of Christ! Please Lord! May that be me as I learn to live and love more like Jesus and make disciples like Him and Paul. Cleanse me. Prepare me to Serve. Move me with You. Use me well for Your glory. Come! Thank You for creating me for such a time as this and for preparing me to serve with You and others. Bring revival and may it begin in me! I worship You and long to be Your vessel as I am and as I have been created to be. Help me to live and love and make disciples like Jesus. Inform my prayers and direct my steps. Lead me to my co-laborers and unite us on Your mission as we grow more like You. Thanks You! Your Kingdom come and will be done in, through and around me! yes Come! Amen! Earnestly seek Him, pray like Him and follow Him today. He does have great plans just for you and for us together! PTL!

Jesus is inhabiting your praise right now. He is looking deep into your heart reminding you that He has chosen you, redeemed you, and is calling you by name to come sit at His feet as you put on His easy yoke prepared just for you. How awesome is that! You are so loved and blessed. Dwell in that love as you prepare for the day and year ahead. Turn off the noise and walk away from the chaos as you still yourself and learn to know what it means that he is your God! meditate on these devotionals attached below as you sit at His feet, seek His face and prepare to follow Him. he does have an awesome plan just for you, His masterpiece. You are being made new and enabled to go fulfill your purposes. You matter. Step into your anointing and find some friends to travel with through this life as you work on living and loving like Jesus and becoming His sold out servant. Amen!

Chuck Swindoll reminds us that God is totally trustworthy. Start there and remind Him and yourself of that fact in prayer and praise:

Charles Stanley reminds us from the Eph. 2:10 passage that has become part of our true identity and reminder of His plans for us. You are His handiwork:

Sarah Young reminds us how God uses our weakness to make us strong and exhibit His power and strength to a watching world. When we are weak, He is strong! Stop leaning on your own understanding and ask for His wisdom and strength

One more today from the Upper Room's truth that God is all we need. He is enough and all we need. Seek and thirst after Him. Be still and cry out for His presence to overwhelm you right now and to be ready to walk in it throughout this day. he loves those kinda prayers and heart of surrender!

O God, you are my God; I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. - Psalm 63:1 (NRSVUE)

My vision blurred, and everything looked yellow and green. I felt like I would be sick and might fall down on the basketball court. I could hardly recognize anyone and struggled to walk in a straight line. Training under the hot sun had gotten to me.

The coach told me to sit down, and I drank some water. After I had a drink, I began to feel better. This experience reminded me just how essential water is.

Water brings us relief, nourishment, and replenishment. God does the same for believers. Without water, we would have no vitality, restoration, or even life, especially during an arduous undertaking.

In Psalm 63, David was in a state of great difficulty and turmoil and wrote about how his soul thirsted for God.

A life without fellowship with God is like a life without water: it is impossible. Like David, let us learn to thirst for and seek God like our lives depend on it.

Today's Prayer

O God, guide us so that our hearts will always seek you above all else. Amen.May God bless you with His presence, peace and love overflowing today as you surrender to Him and invite Him to have all of you and to direct your steps today. he is able, even when you can't fathom how or why! He loves you and custom made you for His special projects for today. rejoice and dwell in his love today! Amen!

Prayer Pointer
“Front-line prayer meetings are battle stations in which the prayer warriors themselves are changed.” —The Praying Church Sourcebook

Joe Toy Update below

Worship today at 10 live and on Zoom

Wed is not only donut day at the Bread Ministry but also our EC fasting and prayer day for the denomination and our church (noon live in the fellowship Hall and on Zoom. (You don't have to fast to pray, but consider how God wants to have you pray. Maybe I need to fast some donuts)

The Wed evening is our dinner huddle and fellowship at 6. All welcome!

Sat 10-1 is our Clothing Closet

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Good Morning Praising, Worshiping, Prayer Warriors! Amen! God inhabits our praises and offering thanksgiving changes us and our focus. Yes PTL! Rejoice! Begin with this praise song to help you focus and prepare to worship today! This is the day he has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it! Thank You: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nL0uwYFJ3Bk

Focus on the great blog from Harvest prayer as we keep lifting powerful praise as we engage with God through our devotional time this morning. Then check out The Word for You Today which speaks about songs of deliverance and singing as we go. Chuck Swindoll reminds us that God is with us always no matter what we are feeling or facing and Sarah Young refocuses us to God with the reminder that He is always with us. The Upper Room reminds us to praise God for and to receive His Courage and Strength. Joyce Meyers reminds us that we have and can use the mind of Christ in us. God is Wisdom and Wisdom dwells in us. Charles Stanley reminds us to turn off the noise and tune into and listen to God.

Yes keep praising and worshiping as you prepare your hearts for today and invite God to inhabit your praise, open your mind and to bring wisdom, courage and His plans alive in and through you today. He loves you and has some great plans for you. Worship! Prepare and keep singing His praise as we drive back the darkness and shine bright! Amen! Come Lord! We love You, worship You and seek to have Your heart and mind as we seek after Your greater things for us and our ministries. Come! provide and guide! We love you and praise Your holy name. Amen

September 1 - The Power of Praise Adoration and praise are powerful spiritual warfare weapons. Satan hates it when we praise God. Why? Because he wants to be worshiped instead! When we worship God, Satan runs. Psalm 8:2 tells us, “From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise because of your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger.” When we praise God, the enemy is silenced! Psalm 149:6-9 indicates that praise in our mouths works to “inflict vengeance on the nations and punishment on the peoples, to bind their kings with fetters, their nobles with shackles of iron. . . This is the glory of all his saints.” Second Chronicles 20 contains an amazing story of the power of praise. When faced with a powerful enemy—too powerful for his armies—King Jehoshaphat called for a time of fasting and prayer during which God revealed He would bring victory. Somehow Jehoshaphat got the crazy idea (it had to come from God) to march against these armies with singers in the front of his army. The singers lifted beautiful praises to God: “Give thanks to the Lord, for his love endures forever” (20:21). The result? The opposing armies began attacking each other. The army of Judah didn’t even have to fight! That’s the power of praise! Make it a regular part of your prayer life. Worthy Father, thank You that when we give You all the praise and glory, the Devil MUST flee! You have given us an amazing gift that has the power to bring victory into every situation we face. Help me to worship when I am faced with opposition, danger, or seemingly impossible circumstances. --Adapted from The Power of Personal Prayer (Learning to Pray with Faith and Purpose) by Jonathan Graf. This book is available at prayershop.org. Use the code CONPSP3 at checkout to receive an additional 10% discount.

TWFYT:

Swindoll:

Young:

UR: 

I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, “Do not fear, I will help you.” - Isaiah 41:13 (NRSVUE)

When I was 70 years old, my doctor told me that I had a hernia and would have to undergo an operation. Prior to that I had not experienced any health issues. When I was told that I would need an operation, I was very frightened. But my doctor told me there was no alternative.

On the day of the operation, my fear caused my blood pressure to increase. They could not operate until my blood pressure came down, so another patient was taken in for surgery before me. My family members waited and prayed for me. I prayed as well.

Soon I experienced God’s presence and felt that God was reminding me that because Jesus suffered and died, he understood my fear. At that time my fear vanished, and when they checked my blood pressure, it was back to normal. My operation was successful. Praise be to God.

When we face difficult situations, we can remember that our great God is always with us and will provide us with courage and support. Praying to our living God, we find new hope and strength.

Today's Prayer

Dear God, thank you for giving us courage during difficult situations. Please provide courage to all those in need. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.Meyers:

Stanley:

Joe Toy update:

“Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this scripture preached Jesus to him.”   August 2024

Dear Friends, A few weeks back our outreach team was at the Moore Square Bus station, which is one of our regular locations.  As usual we had our sign which reads, “Free Bibles.  If you need prayer just ask.” A young man came up to me and asked for prayer and upon asking about his request, he stated, “I need to be saved!” After spending time with him going over the gospel he began to cry as he began to see how he had let sin ruin his life and it was now time to turn to the Lord.  He called out to the Lord right then and there to be saved.  I have seen him a few times since then and he is remaining true to his new found faith. PTL.  We sow much gospel seed at the bus station through preaching, conversations, literature distribution and free Bibles being picked up by those who need them.  There are many lives being changed by our team who share Christ faithfully at this needy area in Raleigh. One of our prayers is for the Lord to add workers to our outreach team.  Recently, we have had the help of students from Southeast Seminary at many of our outreach events.  We have been out at the Galaxy Con Convention, the Packapalooza Street Festival and Friday Night on White Street events. With their assistance, we are reaching many more people with the gospel.  Nate is the point man for these teams and is always seeking to recruit a team.  This has been a great partnership and provides them opportunities to share their faith and develop a love for the lost.  Also, it allows us to mentor the next generation in keeping their eyes on the mission, which is for the church to be a rescue station for the lost.  These young men are full of zeal and boldness,which can be seen in their willingness to engage people in gospel conversations.  They are a great asset to our work in Raleigh. In late July into August, I was blessed help Mark Johnson train a group of five young men in Ocean City, MD.   It was awesome to see two fourteen-year-old young men grow in their faith. In the beginning of the week they were timid and as the week progressed you could see them boldly pass out tracts and engage people in conversation.  It is always awesome to see such young men preach.  One man in the crowd approached Luke and asked,  “How old are you son?”  And when Luke replied, "Fourteen," the man shook his head in astonishment and then encouraged him to keep on. One college student on our team has been with us for seven summers.  The depth of his preaching and his devotion to Christ are amazing.  What a blessing to see his spiritual growth over the years. These guys were a blast to work with and many folks heard the gospel at the board walk in Ocean City, MD over the summer.  It is a great place to make Jesus known. We have already been on the campuses of UNC and NC State this semester.  We have given out hundreds of gospel tracts and have had numerous conversations already.  It has been also cool to see some of our Christian friends again and get caught up.  Stephen Brock was sharing the gospel with one young lady, who professed faith in Christ right there and then.  She stated, “I believe that you are the answer to my mother’s prayers.” One of our good friends, Michael, who is a grad student boldly shared his testimony on the campus of UNC as we were there.  The Lord is doing many amazing things in the lives of the students on these campuses. Abortion ministry is always a tough go, but we are glad to support those dedicated to this work.  Recently, as we were at Jones Franklin abortion mill,  Peter had been offering help to the women. A young woman approached Peter and she confided that she wanted to keep her baby and was feeling pressured into abortion.  She stated, “I have been praying to Jesus to give me a sign to help me and here you are.” This is one of those spiritual "Wow" moments.  After talking to her Mom on the phone she was headed for home.   Thanks so much for your prayers and support in spreading the gospel.   God Bless!

Our mailing address is: 57 N Chaucer Way Kittrell, NC  27544   Contact:  EMAIL Facebook:  OAMPhilly                     JoeToy Website:    OAMPhilly Open Air Ministries, Inc. What happens weekly with OAM, Inc.? ​ ​You can follow the outreaches here: OAM Facebook page

Good Morning Growing in Trust, Sacrificial Followers of Jesus! Dying to self and taking up cross as we grow in trust and follow Jesus is imperative for a life lived well in Christ. It's part of running our races well both individually and as a church. Often it takes stilling ourselves, turning off the noise, seeking God earnestly and sitting at His feet to be able to redirect to His best and to hear His directing whispers. It's how we receive His shalom and choose joy despite circumstances and how we know what he desires and requires of us. Such is the morning for me today. Where do I begin? What should I/we do? What are you teaching me/us? I surrender all. You are Enough, Provision, All-Knowing Wisdom, Leader with great plans. Come! Amen!

So...yesterday was an awesome day of ministry at Bread and dinner huddle, especially with the new air conditioning on the very hot and humid day. Thank you to all who gave to provide so we can have ministry year round around the table in the fellowship hall! In spite of some unnerving news we were able to enjoy a great day serving, fellowshipping and praising the Lord. This morning I've been sitting at God's feet seeking what to do and what He desires me to share in this blog and to do today. Let me elaborate...I have promised to always keep you informed of what is going on in and with church and our building and with what I believe God is leading us to. So here goes...

A few weeks ago we received a notice from our church insurance company that when our policy expires Oct. 15th they are cancelling our policy due to roof issues. Today insurance companies use satellite images to determine things without physically inspecting. We knew of no roof issues but hired a roofing company to do an inspection. (PTL! They waived the $450. inspection fee and did this for free--they are a Christian company with connections to a member) Well the results were worse than expected. Our roof was last done almost 25 years ago after the explosion. The whole roof is in very bad condition and needs to be redone ASAP. A very rough estimate is that it could cost up to $150,000 to repair. OUCH! They suggest trying to file a claim with the insurance company since some hail and wind damage is evident. Today, I will attempt to file a claim. Pray for God to open their hearts to provide some coverage. Due to the age of roof, I expect not, BUT GOD! The roofer will go on the roof with their adjuster to point things out if they send one. Pray for God's provision! Earnestly! This needs to be done before winter as there are some leaks and potential leaks immanent. God promises to provide for our needs. Remind Him of that in prayer and supplication. There is financing available, which we will need. Pray for our support, property and finance teams to have wisdom for how to proceed. God could be testing our faithfulness to trust Him, choose joy and do what we can with what He's given as we steward well all our blessings. We have been praying to grow in trust and joy and to steward well all His blessings. He is giving us an opportunity to grow in those. PTL! (Yes PTL, even in the storms!) Pray for provision for new insurance as we are also working on that already. New insurance will require a new roof as well. So there is the honest truth of our reality. Also know that we have been annually running at a budget deficit and need to borrow from our investments to cover that yearly (around $20,000). I know God is able and will guide and provide as we seek, trust and follow Him. Amen! We all need to be praying and trusting and doing what we can. Pray for us to connect to many new people and connect them to God as they join our fellowship and will be part of His provision as they give and serve. Seriously, God does have very good plans for us and we have begun to see the fruit of seeking, trusting and following Him. May we continue that and pray expectantly with thanksgiving for what He is and will do--even in this stretching of faith and faithfulness! Amen! Thank Him for counting us worthy of this stretching. He is doing a good work in us as He prunes, we abide and He keeps preparing us for the great fruit to come! Rejoice!

Now, exhale. Still yourself at His feet and receive His insight, wisdom, blessings, direction and shalom. We know what is and we know Jireh--God is or provision and enough! Amen! Still yourself and begin your time of prayer with worship. He is faithful. I believe He is always able:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPf4G0OtAws

Now, let's take some time to move through our devotionals for today. God is speaking to you, to me, to us this morning. Trust. Believe. Receive His wisdom, direction, and peace. Keep seeking Him and choosing joy no matter what. He is always able and will carry out His good plans. I believe He is already providing and guiding us to His perfect plan, provision and revival. Amen! He is holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty. Jireh! Shalom. Amen! Prayer warriors, now is your time to fulfill your purposes and the rest of us are called to seek, pray with thanksgiving and grow in trust that God will provide.

Sarah Young reminds us that God is calling us to demonstrate our trust in Him. It's a call to sit at His feet no matter the  storm and allow Him to restore our souls, peace and lead us to His direction. Charles Stanley reminds us of the path to peace by acknowledging our trust in God and releasing control. Yes we need to do what we can and He will lead us to that. BUT there are things that we have to release control of and trust God to know Him and His peace more as we see Him respond, lead and provide. Amen! The Upper Room reminds us that God WILL bless us and that even in the most challenging storms, as we trust and grow in trust, God will fill us with joy as we see Him respond. Amen! We may not be able to conceive how but we can have faith that when we let go, trust God and allow Him to steer, He will lead to His best and many blessings to come. PTL! That's enough for today. Be still and know! Earnestly seek Him and His provision and protection. He is able! He is enough! He is our joy! Amen! End your time of prayer, praise and worship with praying through the Harvest blogs today as God is calling us to surrender, seek, trust, and follow Him. It's time to worship!

SY:

CS:

UR: I Will Bless You

[God] said, “I will certainly bless you and multiply your descendants.” So Abraham obtained the promise by showing patience. - Hebrews 6:14-15 (CEB)

2022 was a very hectic year, filled with unpleasant events. War broke out in my home country, Ukraine, and I realized that I could not cope on my own. I decided to go wherever God would lead me.

By the end of the year, I was living with friends. They were in the process of moving to a new house. It meant a lot of hustle and bustle — dirt from construction, struggles with finances, and problems in the family.

Despite the challenges of the move, my heart was filled with joy for my friends’ new home, which they received as an answer to prayer. I felt at home there. I loved to spin yarn in their kitchen and warm myself near the cozy stove. We celebrated the new year in prayer — with a circle of friends and my spiritual family. Thankfully, I had enough money for everything I needed — even for the traditional Ukrainian Christmas table. God has indeed blessed me. God is always faithful.

Today's Prayer

Dear God, thank you for helping us to grow in faith. Even if the process of blessing and multiplying means hardships, your way is always best. Amen.Harvest:

August 29 - Where Is Your Place of Surrender? Do a quick scan of the Scripture and you will notice that men and women were placed on purpose by God in various environments. Adam and Eve in the Garden, Abraham in Canaan, Moses in the bulrushes—God put people where He desired to accomplish things that could have happened nowhere else. And, He does the same with each of us. Often we don't see our geography as such and we resist and run from these places. But we must be wise to God’s greater agenda. If we are to experience all God has, we must embrace each environment, even if it’s hard. Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to His disciples, "Sit here while I go over there and pray." And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee and began to be grieved and distressed. Then He said to them, "My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death; remain here and keep watch with Me." And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me, yet not as I will, but as You will." (Matthew 26:36-39) Jesus knew what lay ahead. The deepest suffering any human would ever experience was His to drink. The man, Jesus, looked at this cup with dread. He "fell on His face" in prayer. Another gospel writer says that before this time of wrestling was over, His sweat became like great drops of blood. Although He could have, God did not deliver His Son from this place. The Father could have swept in and rescued Jesus from this painful night of prayer and the events that were to follow. But for Divine, world-changing reasons, this cup was Christ's to drink. There are times when God knows we must go through such wrestling as we face the possibilities of following God. These times are not random, but deliberate, just as it was with Jesus. Almighty, All-Knowing God, who am I to blame You for anything that I must walk through when Your only Son went to a gruesome and brutal death for me! Help me to willingly lay down my comfort for Your purposes, knowing that You have a bigger plan than I could ever know or comprehend. Give me a willing heart to follow You no matter where that journey leads me. Teach me to trust You without doubting Your goodness and love, even when there is suffering or discomfort attached. ---Adapted from Prayer with No Intermission by Bill Elliff. This book is available at prayershop.org. Prayer Points Praise the Lord as the one who owns the earth and everything in it (Ps. 24:1). Thank him for making it part of the inheritance of the meek (Mt. 5:5). Confess aspects of your life where you do not have the meekness of submission to Christ’s Lordship. Commit yourself to being filled and controlled by Christ. Ask him to properly bring the areas you influence under his influence. Pray for any in your circle who are “out of control” or merely under the control of themselves. Ask God to reign in your home. Prayer Points taken from Patterns for Prayer by Alvin VanderGriend. This book is available at prayershop.org. Use the code CONPSP3 at checkout to receive an additional 10% discount. Connection (Devotions for Everyday Life) © 2024 is a free devotional published daily by Harvest Prayer Ministries. Subscribe here.

Thank God I'm Forgiven Friday! What are you thankful about concerning your forgiveness, new life in Christ, eternal hope, communion with the Father, Son and Spirit, and your gifts and empowerment to encourage, build up and serve? PTL! Build those gratitude lists. God is always good, full of love, mercy and grace and our wisdom to worship and respond in faith. Amen!

Roof and Insurance updates: We have been given a claim number and will be scheduling a visit with an insurance appraiser. Next week we start the process of securing new insurance. Please keep earnestly praying for God's provision, our wisdom and discernment and God's directing favor. Thanks!

PTL Sarah has completed a rigorous week of jury duty and is sabbath resting today!

Sunday we collect for everlasting life ministries during worship at 10. We begin our journey through the book of Philippians with discussing Philippians chapter 1. Read and study that for Sunday.

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Good Morning Saved By Grace, Redeemed, Enabled Saints! Yes rejoice for we are saved, made new and being made new in Christ and empowered, gifted and enabled to do all the things God created us to do! Yes rejoice! Meditate on all the facets of that saving grace and new life and just worship today! Here's a great worship song to begin this TGIF Friday: Thank You! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2qUoZKxC9s

And this one as we worship through it! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBeivKtQ0RM

As we begin this day and enter His courts with worship, praise and thanksgiving, we still ourselves at His feet and talk to Him through our prayerful time with our open Bibles and hearts and devotional quiet time. He always inhabits our praises and is always there speaking and singing love over us, informing our prayers and steps for the day, and wanting to just hang out with us even when we are going through some hard things! He loves you, has redeemed you and is calling you by name. He reminds, "You are mine!" Come! Dwell in my love today." What an awesome, praise-worthy God we know and serve and walk with! He is the Living One who sees you wherever you are and calls to you to come and be loved. He says, "I take great delight in you and rejoice over you with singing." Amen!

The Upper Room reminds us how God loves when we ask Him questions and He answers and directs us with the truth that He has great plans for you and us to discover, ponder and step into. The Word for You Today carries on the theme of seeking, questioning and listening to our Wisdom as He teaches and informs and directs. Our Daily Bread reminds us of His wanting to use us and that He provides and guides even as we wonder how. We can trust Him and He will use what we offer Him as we use what we are given for His glory. He is enough and our provider and guide, even our help in times of trouble. Be still, submit and surrender as you die to self and follow Jesus to his best for you and those He loves. Charles Stanley and Harvest Prayer finish our quiet time with reminders of the power in prayer that flows from fellowship with the Father and allowing Him to inform our prayers and direct our steps. Keep seeking, knocking and praying in power, even worshiping in the storms! And open your heart and mind to hear and receive and follow through. God does have great plans for you and us, His beloved children! Yes rejoice, be glad in this day, pray in power for His Kingdom to come and will to be done, watch for Him to move and prepare to join Him throughout today. He has some great stories to share through you of His faithful love! Rejoice!

UR: Questions

I know the plans I have in mind for you, declares the Lord; they are plans for peace, not disaster, to give you a future filled with hope. - Jeremiah 29:11 (CEB)

Most days when I get up, I grab a cup of coffee, my Bible, and my journal. Journaling my prayers and thoughts in a spiral notebook has become my habit. I like to start the page with the date, day, and year. This helps me organize my day and allows me to look back to see what I was thinking or how God worked through my prayers.

I realize my desires are not always in line with the Creator’s will. I’ve become intentional about asking God questions. Stating my concerns in the form of a question instead of always asking for help or blessings to do what I have in mind changes the way I look at my day. It’s a subtle shift in attitude that makes it feel less stressful when things don’t happen as I envision. Questions make my prayers open-ended, allowing my mind to receive the gift of grace instead of trying to seize it. This practice leaves an open window for the Holy Spirit to flow through my day.

Today's Prayer

Loving God, thank you for this day and the lessons you provide for us in scripture. We welcome your guidance when we have questions. Amen.TWFYT:

ODB:

CS:

Harvest:

August 30 - Fellowship with the Father “For I have not spoken on my own authority, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment—what to say and what to speak. And I know that his commandment is eternal life. What I say, therefore, I say as the Father has told me.” —John 12:49–50 What exactly is a walking-and-talking relationship with God, and why should that be our goal? In the simplest terms, it is fellowship with him that lasts all day. It is being mindful that he is with us, that we are never alone, and that any time is a good time to strike up conversation with him. Let me illustrate.  My wife and I love to take long walks together. This is our time not just to be together, side by side, but to talk about everything in our lives. As our relationship has grown and matured through the years, so have these cherished times together. As with parents everywhere, while we were raising our four children, life became very busy. We would often save up all our words for the “unopposed time” our long walks allowed. At times it seemed like we were just running through a list of things we had saved up over the course of the week, checking items off our to-do lists. There wasn’t much time for getting beyond the surface issues of raising our kids. Now that the kids are married and starting their own families, we often enjoy our talks over morning coffee or dinner, but we still like to take our walks. It’s just that now we’re not as likely to have as much to say. So sometimes our walks are mostly in silence, except to point out something that grabs our attention or to share something that just came to mind. Here’s what I’m getting at: Whether we are walking and talking about the pressing issues of our lives or simply spending time together in silence, we are aware of one another’s presence and absolutely enjoy one another’s company.  This is a picture of a walking-and-talking relationship with God. The conversation may be quite different depending on what’s happening in your life. At times, you may need to go through a “list” of things you need to talk with him about, or he may bring to mind things he wants to talk to you about. Sometimes your prayers will feel relaxed and unhurried. At other times, your prayers may be more urgent and focused. At still other times, you may enjoy sweet fellowship with him in which you quiet your heart and simply listen. He might point out some unique part of his creation, for which you can express joyful appreciation. Above all, God desires that we walk and talk with him all day, every day.  Father, just as walking and talking with people I love and enjoy being with, I want to have special times with You. Sometimes we can talk back and forth…sometimes I will be quiet and listen…and sometimes, I just want to be quiet in Your presence without either of us having to say anything at all. Show me how to “be” with you continually in all of these ways as You show me new things about Yourself and Your beautiful creation. --Adapted from Walking and Talking with God: A Simple Way to Pray Every Day by Dean Ridings. This book is available at prayershop.org. Use the code CONPSP3 at checkout to receive an additional 10% discount. Prayer Points Praise Jesus as the righteous one. Thank God that “you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption” (1 Cor. 1:30). Confess any desire to dabble in unrighteousness in any corner of your life. Commit yourself to hungering and thirsting for righteousness, asking God to fill you (Mt. 5:6). Pray that the righteousness of Christ will shine through you so clearly and consistently that those around you “see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven” (5:16). Prayer Points taken from Patterns for Prayer by Alvin VanderGriend. This book is available at prayershop.org. Use the code CONPSP3 at checkout to receive an additional 10% discount. Connection (Devotions for Everyday Life) © 2024 is a free devotional published daily by Harvest Prayer Ministries. Subscribe here.