Thanks for praying for Karen and me! We had a healthy, fun day celebrating her birthday! Pray for us as we transition back to work today. Thanks! We appreciate and feel your prayers! He leads us beside streams of Living Water! Amen!

Good Morning Attached to and Rooted in Christ Prayer Warriors! "Welcome back my friends to the show that never ends." (Emerson, Lake, and Palmer) Yes I'm on vacation; BUT GOD! He awoke me early, speaking to my heart about the words we say and the importance of agreeing with Him and pronouncing His truth and blessings over ourselves, others, situations and in powerful praying. So pronounce the truth of this salutation over yourself and our church and even your role in God's Good News Delivery Company: I am always attached to and sinking my roots deep into Christ, the True Vine, My Source of Life, Who is producing good fruit in me and through my powerful prayers and actions. Amen! Now believe it and live as if it's true! You are His masterpiece! You matter! You have great potential! You are a fruit producer in the way of Jesus! You are His, living for His glory! PTL! and AMEN!

Too often we get bound up in our, or our perceived, faults and inabilities. Stop it and turn off that noise! You are a very loved, known, forgiven, connected, masterpiece with many purposes to discover and accomplish. Pronounce and receive that today! Are you a sinner and unworthy? Sure; BUT GOD! What amazing love and grace we know! As we come to God with right hearts and sink our roots deep into Him through time in His Word and prayer, we grow in relationship, strength, ability and His power to do all He has for us. PTL! Abide! And prepare to flourish! Do we make mistakes? Every day! (well at least that's me) BUT GOD! He redeems. I had a boss tell me once, "There's no such thing as a stupid mistake, unless you make it a second time. Mistakes prove you are trying things." We are not God nor even close to perfect. We will mess up. That's ok. Get back at it. You are not disqualified.

Maybe you find yourself, caught by the bait of Satan, overflowing with bitterness directed to God, at others and maybe even your choices. Satan seeks to get you all bound up in bitterness. Can you remember the times you shook your fist at God in anger? It is often one of the stages of deep grief. Check out the Psalms, and their truthful assessments that turn to trust and praise and worship through all kinds of difficulties. Invite God into your pain. He knows, cares and promises to comfort and bring you strength to carry on. Eventually you start to crawl out of the dark pit and into your loving Saviors arms. He knows and is with you--always. Try to have that stored up in your brain and remember, no matter what, He is at work and will restore.

Yes God is speaking to me this morning and maybe to you as well. What are you hearing, learning, applying as you abide in Him? Process that with someone. And keep moving forward in Christ and towards your fullest potential and His greater things. Choose joy too! And His shalom will overwhelm and overflow from you. Amen! (I will probably not be blogging through the weekend. But don't be surprised if God has other plans or speaks to you in my time off. I am staying attached and praying for you and pronouncing God's favor and for will to be done through our Body. He's always busy. Are you always working from rest as you move from abiding to good and lasting fruit production? OK, time for a nap! Shalom!

Upper Room: Staying Rooted

Jesus said, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” - John 15:5 (NIV)

One summer, I planted a young tomato plant and placed a cage around it for protection. But the following morning, I found that deer had eaten all its leaves. It stood like a skeleton in the cage.

I decided to continue watering and caring for the plant since its roots were still intact in the soil. After many weeks, new leaves began to sprout. Eventually, the plant produced many delicious tomatoes.

That plant’s transformation from stark and skeletal to lush and fruitful reminded me of the power of staying rooted in God’s word. Having strong roots and being nurtured helped the plant to grow and produce bountifully.

This is just what Jesus taught about in today’s scripture reading. When we remain connected to Jesus, we will bear much fruit. We can choose to nourish our roots in the soil of God’s word and stay connected to the branch of Christ. Doing so enables us to endure and flourish through devastating experiences.

Daily time spent reading scripture, praying, and in devotion and meditation helps us to maintain and nourish our roots. Even when life breaks us down, our ties to the Lord continue to nurture our growth.

TODAY'S PRAYER

Gracious God, help us to stay grounded in you even when the distractions of this world threaten to uproot us. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Harvest Prayer Blogs:

The Word for You Today:

Charles Stanley: Two days of causes for unanswered prayers and wrong thinking

Our Daily Bread: Reminder that we can see and find God in His creation and through His Word. Redirect! Reconnect! Abide! Thrive! God is speaking and longing to connect to you--always!

Wagner's News below. (They visit us Sunday)

Pastor Don will be on vacation the next few days and a few days next week. Pray for Sarah as she covers for him. Blogs will be hit and miss next two weeks.

Good Morning Abiding, Choosing Well, Fruit Producers! Amen! Are you choosing well? Are you resting, abiding, dwelling in God's loving, restoring, informing presence? Are you working from rest or having no choice but to rest from work? God desires health for us-physical, emotional, financial and spiritual. He has healthy rhythms that lead to that and begin as we still ourselves and abide in His presence. Are you choosing well? I'm including today's and tomorrow's Charles Stanley devotions that speak into good choices and what God desires and enables in us. Be still and know and go live as an act of worship and obedience. Even when on vacation, Karen and I never neglect our quiet time with God. Sometimes in our busyness we need a reminder to slow down and abide. Please pray for us to realize that before God has to step in. Karen and have been sick the past two days. I don't think it's a result of over-busyness, just a stomach bug. However, we have chosen well to slow down and abide instead of pushing through busyness to get our agendas accomplished before vacation tomorrow. Appreciate prayers for good health and a fun day off for Karen's birthday tomorrow. Please pray I endure the heat well and bless her during our trip to Longwood. Thanks!

The Upper Room (below) reminds us that God will take care of us and promises to meet our needs. The question is, do we believe that and live as if it's true? Sometimes we have to catch ourselves when in the storms of life and turn to God by praising and worshiping. Are you humbling yourself and bowing before God as you recount all your many blessings? Keep building and using those gratitude list. Keep asking to be able to redirect your thinking and renewing your mind quicker by praising when storms begin. God will answer that prayer as you take every thought captive before Him and still yourself at His feet. Amen

The Word for You Today continues our teaching from Sunday and ties to today, Do you see the tie? Keep a clear conscience by listening to and obeying God and all those little Holy Spirit promptings along the way. Make sure your conscience is connected to God's heart by spending time with Him daily and make sure you are not chasing your own foolish ways. Turn off the noise and tune into God as you open His Word prayerfully and allow Him to inform your choices. Amen! Redirect. Abide. Reload. Then go.

I end with Dave Butts blog on the Lord's prayer. I noticed God drawing Sarah to use that Sunday and He's been leading me to it the past few weeks. It's a great model for how to pray and as we activate God's plans and bring His will alive in prayer and through our obedience. Come Jesus Come! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UViC6DllCeA

Abide as you prepare and follow, restore and regroup before the next move of God. See you soon! Shalom! God is with you and has great plans to discover that begin as you spend time at His feet. Amen! Come Jesus Come! Lead us to Your best ways and use us for Your glory. Amen!

CS: (2 days)

UR: Like A Bird

I know every mountain bird; even the insects in the fields are mine. - Psalm 50:11 (CEB)

When I suddenly became unemployed, I had no source of income and no immediate prospects. I watched my savings shrink and my dreams disappear. I sank into overwhelming debt. I would lie awake at night while visions of bills paraded through my mind.

One morning, I glanced bleary-eyed out the window where a tiny bird sang its cheery song then flitted on its way into the wind and rain. I marveled that such a delicate creature could sing and keep busy in spite of the perilous weather. “Let me be like that little bird, Lord,” I whispered, “who praises you in the midst of trouble.” Slowly my blessings filled my mind. I bowed my head to thank God for all I had. I realized worrying wasn’t improving my situation. Like the birds, I needed to keep moving, keep busy, and praise God for watching over me and working in my life.

Inspired by the bird, I kept my focus on praising God rather than allowing worry to keep me from worship. I didn’t want to waste my life worrying about my financial state when I could be living my life for God. I took action to change my outlook. I talked to my pastor about doing volunteer work instead of giving money. Financial help slowly came, but those days gave me wealth in new friends, new skills, and a stronger faith in God.

TODAY'S PRAYER

Dear Father, show us how to praise you with our hearts and actions each day. Amen.TWFYT

Dave's Blog

BRINGING HEAVEN TO EARTH

by Dave Butts

No matter how long I teach on prayer, I don’t think I’ll ever plumb the depths of the teaching of Jesus on prayer through what we call The Lord’s Prayer. In its simplicity it is packed with practical guidance for effective prayer. I believe that the focus of this prayer is the heart of Jesus’ other teaching as well…the Kingdom. Jesus’ lifestyle and teaching focused on the Kingdom of God. So it shouldn’t surprise us that when he teaches on prayer, he points us to pray about the Kingdom.

“Your Kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” Those simple, familiar words should both motivate and populate our prayers. As I hear those words I am motivated to pray for the advance and eventual triumph of the Kingdom of God over all other pretenders. I know I will someday see Jesus crowned as King of kings and Lord of lords, and I want to see Him acknowledged as such in the here and now of everyday life. I long to see all of creation begin to understand what it means for Jesus to be Lord.

As Kingdom praying begins to dominate my daily prayer life, I find that I have shifted from the “gimme” prayers that used to be pervasive, to a deeper desire for what pleases the Lord. The prayers seem to be “bigger” and less selfish. Even if the prayers deal with my own needs, they are now couched in yearnings that deal with Kingdom values.

Perhaps a good place to begin is to ask the Lord what is happening in heaven that He wants to see occur on earth. That is, after all, the way he phrased this prayer for us. From Scripture it appears that heaven is most of all, a place that is overwhelmed by an awareness of the Presence of God. The continual worship seen in heaven is the natural response to the Presence of God. Praying for an increased awareness of His Presence brings heaven to earth and can result in an amazing revival for the Church!

Harvest Prayer Starter:

Wagner's news:

Greetings Friends,  As we started writing, we realized that we had a lot to share…too much for a single email or blog. So, this update will be focused on ministry related news and the next one (in just a few days) will focus on personal news. Here’s what you will find in this message: RVA Update – flooding and staffing needs Prayer Cards and Missions Resources – help you and your church expand visions for missions Travel Schedule – where we will be and when over the next couple of months RVA Update Our staffing needs are being filled as God continues to faithfully provide. He always seems to provide exactly who is needed, often exactly when they are needed. There are still a few holes to fill…primarily high school girls’ dorm parents…some for the entire school year and one couple for just first term…late August through late November. PRAY that who God wants as dorm parents will become clear to everyone.   Thank you to those who contributed to relief for the flood victims. The rains have slowed in Kenya but it is still the normal rainy season. With the ground already over-saturated, even the normal rains can cause severe problems. Continue to PRAY for those whose lives have been devastated by the rains and for the rains to continue to subside. Prayer Cards and Missions Resources We did have new prayer cards printed in February. If would like a prayer card or several, please message us with your address and we will mail them to you. We will also be at the EC National Conference this week and will bring lots of prayer cards for churches.   We also have a blog site that has links for lots of great missions’ resources. There are videos, books and even a 5-session course on missions. We periodically update these links as we find high quality resources that can be used for building vision for missions in your churches. This is also a location where we post current prayer requests along with past updates. Travel Schedule Our time in the States for home assignment is rapidly coming to a close. We have a few more churches we will be visiting and places we will be. We would love to see you! Thursday, May 23 – EC National Conference, Messiah University Sunday, May 26 – St. Matthew’s EC Church in Emmaus, PA Saturday, June 1 – Twin Pines Camp in the Poconos Sunday, June 2 – Bethany EC Church in Tamaqua, PA Mid-June          Brian will be in Kansas City, MO for AP Reading                               Missy will be in Myrtle Beach, SC and Minneapolis, MN June 24-27 – Brian will be facilitating an AP Calculus APSI in Columbus, OH Sunday, June 30 – Rexmont EC Church in Cornwall, PA Mid-July            Coastal North Carolina Thursday, August 8 – Returning to Kenya!! Thank you so much for your prayers! You are appreciated.   In His Service,   Brian & Missy

Good Morning Filled with the Holy Spirit and Potential, Servants--Masterpieces of God! Now there's a great place to begin your worship this morning! You are filled with the Holy Spirit as a seal or guarantee that you belong to God because of your faith in Jesus. You are God's masterpiece, created with potential that is now activated because you have been made new in Christ. And that Holy Spirit has come to seal, and help you and He came with gifts custom tweaked for you to help you reach your potential. WOW! Right? The Word for You Today triggered this all with their Eph. 2:10 teaching and prayers. Do you realize how much you matter to God? Oh how He loves us! Amen! And as we dwell in His loving presence, He speaks to our souls and we can hear Him singing blessings over us. He affirms us and reminds us of our purposes He created, has enabled and will empower us to complete. As we do, we grow into our fuller potential in Christ and glorify God! Hallowed be His holy name! Amen! Be Me in '23 and Become More in '24 are all about being the people God created you to be and earnestly seeking Him for more this year and beyond. He has some amazing plans for you to discover and do! Amen!

I am so blessed and honored to be part of what God is doing in and through our Body! We are populated with prayer warriors, servants growing into potentials, and worshipers that are fulfilling their purposes and glorify God! You guys are doing what you are created to do for such a time as this! You are God's Hands and Feet doing what you can with what you've been blessed with and to do as The Upper Room discusses today. You allow God to stretch you and love through you as you seek to live and love more like Jesus. Our church is bucking the trends and a lighthouse to those being drawn by God and a beacon for struggling churches too. Thank you all for stepping into your roles as part of God's Good News Delivery Company and your created potential! You matter and have purpose and God is with you and using you! Thank you! And thank God for leading and using us! Your Kingdom Come and will be done! Amen

Charles Stanley reminds us of hindrances we can place upon ourselves as we often view ourselves unworthy of God's presence and His speaking to and leading us. We sometimes ask, "Why would He use a sinner like me?" Well, fact is that we are unworthy and deserving punishment and Hell. We all are sinners doomed to Hell. BUT GOD! He created you, knows, and still loves you enough to run to you with His forgiving, restoring, transforming love. PTL! He accepts you just as you are and longs to lead you to your fullest created potential with patient love! Now that should just lead to some worship and affirmation! You matter--ALWAYS! And are always loved! There are so many people around you that need to hear and come to believe this Good News! Talk to God about your part and process and plan with some friends. Then go, just as you are and love like Jesus--like you are loved. Amen

Our Daily Bread carries on this theme about forgiving yourself and forgetting the past. They remind us that God is the God of the present and your and our future too. Sure build on your past and don't allow Satan or your old nature to drag you back to living, if that's what you can even call it, in your past. God's always up to doing something new! Get your eyes out of the rearview mirror and look with anticipation out the windshield of the future God has for you and us. The Bible ask if we can see the new things that God is doing. Are you looking ahead with anticipation, expectation and thanksgiving in prayer and choices? Let's face it, times are hard and very hard for some of us. Things look bleak. BUT GOD! He is with you always and wanting to transform you and situations. Will you receive His loving help and redirection? Read and meditate on the Jeremiah passage today. He has great plans for you, just like for the Israelites. Yet they chose to keep sinning and distancing themselves from Him and they paid the price of captivity. But, when the time was right, He rescued and restored them. Is He stretching you? Are you obeying and choosing well? He does have great plans for you and for good! Choose well, my friends. He really loves you and longs for you to choose His best. You can know true joy in Christ and the satisfaction of living for Christ well.

Yesterday we discussed the folly and sin of many churches and denominations today that are like the Israelites that were sent to captivity. God's judgment is promised and on its way. Will He find you faithful and being about His business and continuing to work at becoming more like Jesus? That is my prayer! That me, you and our Body stand firm, live for Christ, found faithful and become world changers. May it be so Lord! Thank You for creating us for such a time as this and preparing and using your faithful servants. May that be us! Come! Fill us! Mold us! Use us! Change the world and bring revival! Glorify Your holy name! Amen! I included yesterday's Harvest prayer blog that ties all this together! Always remember that God loves you, is with you, for you, providing and protecting and cheering you on! Amen! You have a future and a hope and you matter! Rejoice! You are created for such a time as this and for completing the race God has for you well. Amen! Worship and choose to live and love more and more like Jesus! God is enlarging our territory in response to our prayers and choices. He's using unlikely people like us because of our good choices. Salvation, revival and God honoring great fruit are budding! PTL!

TWFYT:

UR: Hands and Feet

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters. - Colossians 3:23 (NIV)

Scripture tells us that we are to be the hands and feet of Christ. In the parable of the good Samaritan, who cared for a stranger alongside the road, Jesus shows us what it means to serve others. The Samaritan helped the man in several ways by tending to him physically as well as paying for the cost of his care. The Samaritan could have walked right by the man, just as others before him had done. But the Samaritan stopped and cared for the man.

How are we being called to help others today? Perhaps a neighbor needs help mowing their lawn or shoveling snow. Maybe a stranger alongside the road needs a meal. We can befriend someone who is lonely or volunteer when no one else is able or willing. We can give financially to meet a need. Each of us may be inspired to help serve in different ways. Let us all be alert for opportunities to serve as Christ’s hands and feet.

TODAY'S PRAYER

Dear Jesus, thank you for showing us how to be your presence to others. Bless those we serve in your name. Amen.CS:

ODB:

Harvest Blog (Sun)

Worship at 10 with Children's Church. Live in person and in living color on Zoom!

We received word that Hal Scanlin stepped into Jesus' arms last evening. His race has been run well. Let us keep Joan, Lenore and the whole family in our prayers.

Chris Muik has returned home to heal. Keep he and Yvonne in your prayers for healing, patience in the process, Provision and shalom.

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Good Morning Worshipers! Everything we do can be an act of worship, if done as for the Lord! May it be so Lord! Amen! Prepare your hearts to enter His court with thanksgiving and praise and continue to prepare yourself and all you do as an act of worship. Remember as Romans 12:1 reminds us, these bodies are God's temple--His dwelling place. May He find them worthy of His presence and thank God for His forgiving, cleansing love!

Many churches and denominations have strayed from God and His Word and Way. They have become more like the world and being about scratching "itchy ears" than living to truly bless and honor God. Forgive us Lord for anything we do that leads us or others from You, Your Truth and Your true Way! May we always be about You, Your business and doing what we are created to do as an act of true worship. May we honor You always and live and love more like Jesus everyday. May we become an act of worship in all we think, say and do individually and as your Body. Bless the EC denomination as they gather this week for National Conference and always as a denomination that stands firm in You, Your Word and Way. Thank You. Bless Kathy as she represents us. Bless our leaders. May they be men and women after Your own heart and led by the Holy Spirit to Your best. Revive us and may we become a true dynamic movement of Yours. Thanks! Amen!

Check out our devos below and sit at Jesus' feet and listen, receive and prepare your heart to follow Jesus well. What's He saying to you? Who are you processing with? What are you doing about what He's led you to? He has some great custom made plans for you and us as His gathered body! Amen! May we worship and follow well and go make Christ known and make disciples of Jesus! May we become His House of Prayer for the Nations! May the Holy Spirit always guide us and may we allow Him to use and speak through us, even when we don't know what to do or say. May nothing hinder us from becoming all God created us to be and doing what we are created to do. May we always be a sweet aroma to God as we stand firm and persevere in faith. Amen

TWFYT

ODB:

UR: Our Advocate

The Spirit helps us in our weakness, for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with groanings too deep for words. - Romans 8:26 (NRSVUE)

As I was reading about this verse in a Bible commentary, the word advocate jumped off the page. My mind went to the definition of a special education advocate. This type of advocate assists parents and teachers with developing a child’s Individualized Education Plan (IEP) to help them succeed in their schoolwork.

I recalled the time when my husband and I asked a friend, who is a special education teacher, to be our child’s advocate in an IEP meeting we attended several years ago. I felt an overwhelming peace knowing someone was there to support us when we weren’t sure what to say.

Looking back at this experience, I think about how God has given us the Holy Spirit as an advocate. We can come to God in prayer even with a burden that feels so big to us that we don’t know what to say, and our heavenly advocate will present our requests to God. The more I learn about God, the more I realize how amazing God is.

TODAY'S PRAYER

Dear God, thank you for providing the Holy Spirit as an advocate to support us when we don’t have the words to say. Amen.

CS:

I'm baaaack! My cardioversion was a success. PTL! Thank you all for your prayers and encouragements! I must be back to normal as I am so rested and God awoke me at 3 to come chat and write. At least yesterday and so far today, I feel great and ready to get back at it! PTL!

Today is the last day for the Clothing Closet until Aug 17. Pray for them to serve well today and to refresh in the weeks ahead. Pray for leaders and workers for this ministry to be raised up by God.

Tomorrow is worship with Children's Church at 10. Next Sunday is our last Children's Church until Sept. Pray for Children's Church volunteers to be raised up by God. In the fall CC will be for 12 and under only. If you are interested, let us know so you can get clearances and training.

June 2nd is our next new member installation day and our vote on AC for fellowship Hall.

June 9th at 10:30 at Community Park is our church picnic with worship

Pastor Don will be on vacation off and on the next two weeks, if he can't be reached please reach out to Sarah who will be overseeing things while he is off. Thanks Sarah!

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Good Morning Praying Friends Who Know Christ and Make Him Known! AMEN! Our EC motto is to know Christ and make Him known. How's that going for you? How are we doing as Christ's Body with that? Our vision statement is to become a dynamic movement of God led by us who have a burning passion for God and missionary zeal to reach the lost. We are on our way to this! PTL! Everything we do of importance and value, including getting to know Christ and making Him known, is birthed and sustained through prayer. Revival begins when one person prays earnestly. Check out our devotionals and blogs below tying this all together. Keep praying and getting to know God more so that will overflow to revival and others getting to know Him. That's how making disciples in the way of Jesus works too. Pray, receive, listen, process, plan and follow well today. Amen!

The Word for You Today begins with teaching us about how to know God. That is the beginning of true life and finding our purposes in life. We can know all about God but until we really get to know Him life is meaningless. We are His created masterpieces, made new in Christ, to do all the things He created us to do. (Eph. 2:10) It only makes sense to have a relationship with the One who made us. He teaches, gifts, empowers and directs our steps. When we stop relying on self and focus on Him and our relationship and through prayer too all that falls into place. Charles Stanley then reminds us about the importance of knowing His ways, as well as, knowing Him in all his faceted existence. He is--well--Everything! Creator, Sustainer, Shepherd, Helper, Leader, Source, Protector, Provider, Friend and so much more. Dwell in some of these today and worship as you prepare to follow His ways. One of my continual prayers is for me and us to come to know and follow THE Way. Jesus is the Way! His ways are best and He has a way just for you to follow! How cool is that! Get to really know Him and His ways and you will be well on your way to bringing Him to life to others and fulfilling your purposes too. And then check our Our Daily Bread. You are called and equipped and as you get to know Him and His ways, He will lead, teach, empower and use you and your abilities and talents to fulfill your purposes. PTL! Right? He has great plans for you! And the Upper Room reminds us that He always wants to lead in the right paths. As we persevere in surrendering and following Him well in faith He will lead us and perfect us as He uses us well, just as we are created. 

Man, can life in Christ get any better? The world has no idea what joy and life satisfaction they are missing out on! Who do you see God drawing and what will you do to make Him and His ways known? 

I am so thankful that God redeemed me and made me new and keeps growing me to fulfill why He created me! There is much joy in that and in helping others to get to know Him, their purposes and to step into His ways. Let us commit to keep working at this together as we go, make disciple and teach them all about Him and His ways and what a real relationship with God is all about. We are gathered as His Good News Delivery Co and will become His disciple making center as we get to know and make Jesus and His ways known. Amen! So be it Lord! Come! Fill us, transform us and use us as we birth and sustain all this in prayer and follow You. Amen. Only you can do what you are created to do and that grows and changes as you mature and persevere in your faith and your race throughout life. You were made for such a time as this! Rejoice and keep at it! Day Light is burning! God is with you! Enjoy the ride!

TWFYT:

CS:

ODB:

UR:

Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. - Hebrews 12:1-2 (NIV)

“Don’t take your eyes off the path; that’s the best way to ensure you’ll be safe,” our guide told us as we walked 45 minutes toward our destination. The path was indeed quite uneven. At the end of the excursion, I was one of the few who did not suffer any incident along the way. I accomplished the feat because I followed the instructions closely.

The guide’s simple directions reminded me of today’s scripture in Hebrews about “fixing our eyes on Jesus.” This brief instruction invites us to keep our eyes on the right path — the path God laid out for us in Jesus Christ.

The journey of life is full of difficulties, distractions, and “easy outs” that promise to lighten our burdens. But there is only one true path — the way of Jesus. He can guide our footsteps, fill us with purpose, and offer us eternal life.

TODAY'S PRAYER

Merciful God, thank you for being our source of hope, peace, and eternal love. As we fix our eyes on Jesus, we join in the prayer he taught us: “Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation” (Luke 11:2-4, NIV). Amen.

Harvest Prayer Blog:

Just a quick Thank God I'm Forgiven blog before I leave for procedure.

God loves and pursues you and you are forgiven and will be with Him forever. Meditate on the below devos and blogs today and thanks God for all His many blessing! I have great pace and God is in control! Thanks for all the prayers and encouragements! See you soon! Shalom!

Harvest Prayer Blogs:

ODB:

UR:

Jesus said, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” - John 16:33 (NIV)

On a recent family trip to Florida, we had a week of beautiful weather. But then the governor declared a statewide emergency because Hurricane Ian was on its way. I could feel my anxiety level rising. People who lived in the area began to talk of evacuation before the storm’s predicted arrival in three days. I was thankful we were leaving that day and would be long gone before the storm arrived. But I wondered, What must it be like for people who live here permanently to be in a constant state of anxiety during the hurricane season?

I live far from tornado and hurricane zones. But at the same time, life has many “storms” waiting in the wings most of the time. We get news of the latest calamity. Famines, floods, and fires fill the television screen. Will we have enough water, food, or even money in the future? But Jesus reminds us, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” We too can be overcomers when we give our worry and fear to God (see 1 Pet. 5:7). Doing so, we can live in peace, trusting that whatever happens God will guide, comfort, and strengthen us hour by hour, day by day.

TODAY'S PRAYER

O Lord, help us to live without fear, knowing that though storms will come, you are with us. Amen.

Next new member installation Sun June 2nd during worship. See pastor Don or Sarah for more info. June 2nd is also congregational meeting and vote after worship about AC in fellowship hall

FYI: No Blog tomorrow as I will be leaving early for outpatient heart surgery (cardioversion=shocking AFBIB back into rhythm). I covet your prayers! Thanks Gail for leading prayer with bread gals over me yesterday! That means a lot! For some reason I have these thoughts that tomorrow may be the end for me. I know I'm overmedicated and not thinking clearly lately. But many of you know from experience how easy it is to get all twisted up in your own thinking sometimes. I trust God and the docs and staff. This is a common and easy procedure. And if by some strange chance something happens, you know where I'll be and I'll be waiting for you, so rejoice! Joy comes in the morning! Turn off that noise and step into God's shalom, Donald! Amen!

OKAY! Enough of that foolishness, but these are my journal entries and I document my heart in many of them. I will be splitting my last week of vacation, before the July 1st reloading, over the next two weeks so blogs will be hit and miss the next two weeks. Know I am spending time with God and praying for you and I'll share when I am home and not on vacation. Plus we are celebrating Karen's birthday too! (How blessed I am that God brought us together and that she gave herself to me! What was she thinking? It had to be from God! Thanks Lord! I am soooo blessed!)

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Good Morning Friends! One of my most frequent prayer requests is for our church to become a House of Prayer (HOP) for the Nations. We are moving towards that! PTL! One of our focuses needs to be on loving all people that God loves well. Living and loving like Jesus is our goal. Check out Harvest Prayer blog about that below and pray to love and make disciples like Jesus. He was a friend of sinners and some very unreligious church outsiders. We are welcoming all kinds of people to our giving ministries (bread and clothing) and our fellowship meals on Wednesdays. Some are feeling comfortable enough with us and getting to know we are not judgmental, legalistic Pharisee-types that they are joining worship and the church too. Keep at it and keep praying into our growing as a HOP for the Nations and many to be drawn to God's accepting love. Thank God for what He's been doing, is doing and will do! PTL!

One of my daily prayer requests is that we start and develop small group ministry all over the place--houses, dinners, neighborhoods, maybe even in the building. How is God stirring you to that? I keep getting all kinds of ideas and people keep coming to mind to invite to a small group. Who are your people of peace that God is drawing together? Will you do something about it? Is this the summer God fires us up to do this? Talk to Him about it and share what you are hearing and feeling. Ask for His heart and mind and willing hands and feet.

One of my prayer requests for the past several years is that we learn to turn off the noise and chaos all around us and even in our heads and spend more time with God and in His Living Word filling our minds with His love, wisdom and truth. How's that going? I sometimes struggle but as  I pray to and ask to be made aware quicker when I am failing, God helps me catch myself much sooner and I am able to redirect my thinking and focus on Him better. PTL! It helps to be saturated in His Word and familiar with His voice to catch yourself quicker. It also conditions us to knowing when He is at work and inviting us to join Him. Just like Gail did yesterday when she stepped out of comfort zone and led prayer over me. Keep focused on God and tune out the noise. And we all have experienced that noise. How are you doing at redirecting your thinking and renewing your mind? Check out Charles Stanley's reminder about who you allow to speak into your life and The Word for You Today's reminder to be like Bereans and check all things I say and others say against Biblical truth. God is speaking to you all the time and has great plans for you. Stay focused on Him and working with like-minded believers to achieve all He has planned for you and us. Amen!

One last thought...will God carry on this work without me? If something would happen to me, would you guys continue the good works He has started? We all need to be developing our replacement and that comes through disciple making small groups. Jesus had 12 in His small group and since we aren't Jesus, our groups will probably be much smaller but He promises they can be as effective as He fills us and leads us and uses us. Pastor All paved the way at St. Matts, trained and released me to carry on and God keeps expanding that work that started at least ten years ago. Will it continue through me and you? We all have a role to play in His Good News Delivery and Disciple Making Co. What's yours? What are you doing about it? What can you share that we can celebrate as God uses you and works through you and all around you? We need to celebrate! That encourages us as we see that this is all really working and it motivates us to carry on. Amen!

That's all from the heart today. It is also what I am discerning from God that He has for us. What's God saying to you? Let's talk, pray and process together as we make plans to move from adding disciples to multiply them....from Emmaus to the Lehigh Valley, to the world! Amen! God is on the move!

CS:

TWFYT:

Harvest Prayer:

NEWS:

Tomorrow is our last zoom huddle for the summer at 10. All welcome!

Wed Bread ministry at 10-12

***Note: Wed night huddles are done for the summer (at least for now) Family Ministry will be doing monthly activities beginning in June. The adults may do an activity monthly outside the building or begin regathering of we air condition? Interested in helping to plan or lead something? Contact Pastor Don.

Sat 10-1 Clothing Closet (only a few left before summer break) Needed leaders and volunteers for Clothing and Bread Ministries. Contact Sarah, Don or Gina

Mark you calendars:

We have received a very generous offer of $10,000. to be used to air condition the fellowship hall. That leaves $5500.-6,000. for us to fund. We will have a congregational discussion and vote Sun June 2nd after worship. (You must be a member in good standing to vote)

Sun June 9th, 1030 am: Church Picnic with Worship at Community Park

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Good Morning Unique, Custom Made, Healthy, Sufficient-in-Christ, Servants of Our Creator! I just can't ever thank God enough for making me, who I am and for saving, redeeming, healing, gifting, filling, empowering, helping and sending me to go live and love like Jesus for such a time as this! Just meditate on that awhile. And God places us right where He wants us and even sends others to us for our help and encouragement  and for us to help and encourage. How cool. He placed us in His Body. We all matter and have a part to play and He's using us as we submit and allow Him to mold, shape and use us. What an awesome God! And how cool is it that we get to do these things just as we are! As we do, we grow to be more like Jesus, into our fuller potential and experience God's greater things for us! Man! I could just stop right here and have a boatload to ponder and praise for today! How about you? What's God doing in, through and around you? (or wanting to?) How about others He has for us to partner with? Are you getting any dreams, visions or ideas of things God may want us to plan and do? (Please share those with us!). God has some amazing things for you and us to discover and plan and then do. PTL!

Check out our devos below that thread through all of this. Be still and know. Meditate as you go. Keep your eyes and ears open for what God is doing that He wants you to join in with Him. Keep sharing those stories and ideas! May all we think, say, plan and do bring great glory to our Father in heaven! May His Kingdom come and will be done in the heavenlies and in, through and around us. May we incarnate Jesus and His love, just as we are, as we go live and love like Jesus. And may we grow to be more like Jesus and do more of the things He planned for us from long ago! I can't wait to see all the new things He is readying for us as we learn to die to self, take up cross daily and follow Jesus! Amen! 

God is calling you by name, even singing over you and He has given us His Word, His Living Word, the Bible to inform, refresh and guide us to His best plans! He makes us sufficient and use the unexpected to impact the world. He is redeeming and restoring all the enemy has stolen and work with us to lead us to great spiritual, physical, emotional, financial health and stewardship. We are the Light of the world as we follow God's Light and Love. Our God ROCKS! Amen!

UR: Unique Composition

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. - Psalm 119:105 (KJV)

Several weeks ago, my wife and I went to a piano concert held at a local music hall. The pianist was a young professional who had received the second award at the International Chopin Piano Competition held a few years ago. We were deeply impressed and listened to the beauty of the melodies of Chopin and Beethoven.

When I looked closely at the pianist following his musical score carefully, I likened it to the relationship between God and humankind. God created a special, unique composition for each of us, and we are expected to play the music carefully. The sheet music can be found in the Bible. If we neglect the written notes, we may fumble through life without attaining the joy God has created for us all. Encouraged and guided by God’s words in scripture, our lives will play the songs of love and grace God wrote for us.

TODAY'S PRAYER

Thank you, Lord, that you have composed special music for each of us. As we study your word in scripture, help us to learn and play our songs to glorify your name. Amen.ODB:

TWFYT:

CS:

Please pray for Chris and Yvonne Muik! Chris is having surgery this morning on his infected foot. Yvonne is still recovering from her accident and trying to push through to keep the house running. PTL they were able to replace their car. Pray for the surgeon and staff, healing an shalom for both.

Pray for moms and those grieving, as well, this Mother's Day weekend. This weekend can be a joy and a deep dark place for many. Let us celebrate and come beside and love like Christ.

Prepare your hearts and pray for our worship service tomorrow.

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Good Morning Patient, Praying, Seeking, Listening and Loving Servants of the Lord! God is in control and we are not God nor in control. His ways are not our ways. PTL! Right? I have a sign above my desk that says "All things are possible for God." (and the are!) Below it is a cross to remind me to die to self, take up cross daily and follow Jesus as I grow in trust and obedience to be more like Him and to allow Him to lead. (Help me Lord!) Too often I forget that and ignore my prayer to take every thought, type, choice and action captive before the Lord. As an out loud thinker I often have to say, type, write and reread and rethink things to know what I'm thinking and to process. That can be difficult for others. (Ask Karen!) These blogs are my journal notes for the day and often are unedited and pastor Don raw and processing. I share them as a reminder and example of how to journal and listen and process with God. Sometimes, I should edit and process with a few close friends before sharing! Maybe the last few days could be a good example as I wear my heart on my sleeve and share passionately with God and you what I am hearing and thinking.

 Sometimes I do something I pray I never will do and that is use this platform (and my sermons) as a  bully pulpit. I may have offended some of you and if so, please forgive me! Sometimes I presume on you and/or God and think I know best and need to remind of that. Forgive me! You all know how passionate I am about following God, growing His Kingdom and making disciples. Sometimes I can run ahead of God when I need to be still, listen, process and know that He is God. I've been on a lifelong journey towards trusting Him and often have to ask Him to forgive my unbelief and help me to stop and trust. As I do, He is faithful to help and affirm or redirect my choices. PTL! Case in point is the $10,000. donation offer for AC. To me that is affirmation that God is hearing our prayers, answering, and we are on the right track. But then here comes that wacky pastor wanting to coerce everyone to jump on board instead of trusting God to direct and lead to His best. Forgive me for allowing that to happen and flow through these blogs as a bullying of sorts. I have been repenting of that politically and need to do so more with allowing God to be the Lord of all and bring His plans to life His way and in His timing. So, help me and us Lord to be still, know you and grow in faith as we listen and process with others and make your plans. Lead us to be a disciple making hub and to grow your Kingdom as we learn to live sacrificially and love lavishly like Jesus. Amen! OK, enough of that. God has a plan for you and us. Let us seek and follow Him together!

Now there's one other issue (well probably many!) that I need you to pray for and cover for me. I always pray that I will not become a crotchety old man yet find myself being one a lot lately. Forgive me! I think it really started to kick in during my heart issue and hospital stay. It could be heart or med related? Something is off in me right now. Part of why I had stopped my meds was because of that. I am back on them all before my cardioversion next Friday. I really do believe much of it is drug induced depression and, well, crotchetiness.   I am finding myself fixated on things, grumpy, selfish and unable to redirect myself. Hopefully next week will correct the heart issue and I can get off all the meds. Please pray for me and for me to remember to die to self, take up cross daily (hourly) and follow Jesus and to catch myself quicker and redirect sooner. Pray for me to be more like Jesus and doing more of His will, His way. Thanks! All things are possible for God! Amen!

So here are the rest of my journal notes for today. Pretty cool how God spoke to my heart! Thanks Lord! Is He speaking to yours? Is there some correcting or something you need to take before Him? Is there someone or a group of close trusted friends that have permission to speak truth over you, pray and hold accountable? That is crucial in our walk towards Christlikeness! Pray for us to get some small groups up and running and to find some for you to partner and flourish with. That is part of God's best plans. Thank you to my accountability partners who have permission t speak truth in love and help me to get back on track!

Check out Charles Stanley's devo! This just spoke to my heart today and helped me to redirect, listen and pray better. Now to put it into action! Am I, are we, allowing God control? He will lead us if we allow. Come! Lead me Lord! Be my Lord! I release all to you! Forgive my unbelief and running ahead or lagging behind. Come! Have all of me! Amen. Our Daily Bread reminds us to stay the course. Let us not grow weary and let us seek and follow well! The Upper Room reminds us to be grounded in God's Word and to allow it to direct our steps and choices. Help me Lord to be in Your Word and follow what You are teaching better and more quickly! Thank You for Your Living Word that speaks to our hearts, informs our choices and is a light to our path! Amen. The Word for You Today, at least for me, is a reminder of the importance of small groups and encouraging and blessings those who help and bless us. Thank you to all of you who pray for and encourage me! Thank you for all of you who are seeking and following God and stepping into your roles that He created you for!. Thank God for the small groups He is raising up! Amen!

So there you have it! Love God! Love people! Go make disciples! As we follow and grow to be more like Jesus! May we always have patience with each other, encourage and pray for each other, and commit to co-labor together as we yoke to Jesus and grow at following Him and His best ways better. More of Him and less of me! One of my constant prayers is to become and lead us to be followers of the Way. Jesus is the Way! May we follow well! Amen! Shalom shalom! Perfect peace to you and yours and our fellowship. Amen

CS:

ODB:

UR: Following Instructions:

We’re praying this so that you can live lives that are worthy of the Lord and pleasing to him in every way: by producing fruit in every good work and growing in the knowledge of God. - Colossians 1:10 (CEB)

When we removed a 20-foot cedar tree from our yard, it left a cracked and discolored concrete retaining wall exposed.

Fresh paint and two trellises for climbing plants helped cover part of it. At first the vines we planted were spindly and weak, but we followed the planting instructions and with proper care and watering the vines started to grow. Over time, as we continued to follow the instructions, the foliage became full and lush with brilliant flowers.

When we first give our lives to the Lord, we may start out much like spindly vines — needing tending and cultivation to grow toward God. We begin to grow by spending time in scripture, then a number of changes begin to unfold. In time our lives become fuller, and the changes become evident for all to see. But as I learned by tending the flowering vines, we need to continue watering and cultivating our faith to keep growing in the knowledge of God and to become more like Jesus. We will never outgrow the wisdom found in scripture that leads us to abundant life with God.

TODAY'S PRAYER

Father God, thank you for providing us with everything we need to live an abundant life. Help us to remain rooted in your word and to grow in faith. Amen.TWFYT:

hARVEST PRAYER BLOGS:

Today:

10-12 Donut Day at Bread Ministry

6-7:30 Last Dinner Huddle of season

Good Morning Powerful, Patient, Praying, Purposeful, Peace-Following, Creations of God with Potential! Yes you can be! You're created to be. You are working on growing into your fullest potential. You have been empowered and have the potential to be all about God's purposes for you. That always takes prayer and usually patience as we fill up with Him and follow His peace. Amen!

Check out our devos below. What's God saying to you? What will you do about it? Who are the people of peace you are partnering with or He is sending to you? Dwell in His peaceful, reviving presence and follow Jesus to His best for you and others as you go live and love like Jesus today!. Amen! See you soon! Shalom!

CS:

ODB:

UR: One Day at a Time

Give us today our daily bread. - Matthew 6:11 (NIV)

I woke up one morning filled with anxiety about my finances. But I found great hope when I started reading The Upper Room. That day’s meditation was about how God’s promises shine in contrast to the clouds that overshadow us. When I finished my prayer and closed The Upper Room, I looked at the cover art — three women of different ages were collecting something white from above. I read the cover art interpretation and learned the women were gathering manna.

When the Israelites left Egypt, they faced many challenges, including what they would eat. God made food called manna rain down from the sky for them, but they could only collect the amount they needed for each day.

The same God who met the needs of the Israelites will provide for us too, one day at a time. Perhaps this is why Jesus taught us to pray, “Give us today our daily bread,” in Matthew 6:11 and why Paul wrote in Philippians 4:19, “My God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.” Praise be to God!

TODAY'S PRAYER

Dear God, thank you for faithfully meeting our needs one day at a time. Amen.

TWFYT:

Harvest Blogs:

gOOD mORNING Very Loved, Perfected by Love, Created with Purpose and Filled with Peace, Followers of Jesus! Yes the salutation comes right from our devotionals for today and is filled with truth about you that you should pronounce out loud and release in powerful prayer over you and our fellowship. Check out the devos below and sit at Jesus' feet and maybe with some friends to process what God's saying and what His plans and purposes are for you today that will flow from living and loving more like Jesus. Amen!

What a day in the presence of God yesterday in our fellowship hall! PTL! God sure is on the move and using us! He's speaking to our hearts and to others through us as we meet needs, pray, share a meal, encourage, answer questions, teach, and even make plans. We served 60-70 with bread and gave all bread away yesterday. We shared donuts, conversations, encouragements,  and prayer with many. The next donut day at the Bread Ministry will be Wed June 12th, 10-12. Mark your calendars and plan to join us.

Last evening we had another amazing night of fellowship, food and ministry as our adult and Family Ministry huddles gathered for dinner for the last time. I am very saddened that we cannot see the value of air conditioning the Fellowship Hall to continue this ministry through the summer! BUT GOD! He must have a plan but apparently has not revealed it to any of those who attend or they are not sharing their ideas because they don't feel qualified, capable or courageous enough to lead. We had 4 families (2 new ones) join us and Family Ministry and they are really connecting and wanting more. We had about 12-15 adults participate in the adult part with only 4 of us being members and 3 not yet members that attend Sunday regularly. So that is 8 outsiders that have been joining us. PTL! We are reaching our neighbors and having amazing ministry where they are getting to know us and God and being drawn to Him and our fellowship. PTL! Keep praying into this and for us to sustain a summer away and to reconnect in mid Sept. again. 

I will be proposing at tonight's Support Team meeting the motion again to air condition the Fellowship Hall before the pricing goes up 25% after the new year. Pray for wisdom and direction for us. We already have over $19,000. in our building fund with no foreseeable building expenses in the near future and the proposal to AC the downstairs was around $15,000. We already have the funds to sow into this future ministry and growth of our church. Pray for wisdom and God's will to be done.

The Vision team (which is all of our leadership teams) was tasked to pray about the air conditioning earlier in the year. Apparently God said no to them or not at this time. However maybe now is the time? Because of the heat that is coming we cannot/will not have ministry in the Fellowship Hall again until the fall. That means God has another plan for us. One to get together out of the building. However, He is apparently not leading anyone to host or plan any gatherings. So at this time the adult huddle will take a break for the summer until someone gets the nudge to host something for us. Some say they liked things we've done in the past like gather at a park to cookout and fellowship but are not sensing a call to plan or host anything at this time. The Vision team had all kinds of great ideas for things to try but no one felt called to lead any. I feel like God has called us out of the building to connect to neighbors and friends this summer but that I am supposed to step back from leading and doing it all to allow some of you to step into your purposes. I will be doing something once a month to try to reconnect to Family Ministries. This fall FM and adults will meet on separate evenings again as I am unable to minister well to both groups at the same time. My thinking is that if God is not raising up leaders for activities out of the building this summer, maybe He IS leading us to air condition the downstairs. maybe we were voting out of our preferences and not His? I can't say for sure, but where He guides, He provides. Where is he providing? let's do that as we follow Him and His peace to his best for us and others. he is working all things together for the good of those who believe or will believe. he has called us to go, make disciples. Where is provision for that? What will we do about it? And maybe he's saying just take the summer off? I highly doubt that but we need to be sure of His plans before we make ours!

Yes God has been on the move and using us and even bucking the worldwide trend and growing our fellowship. PTL! He has great plans and purposes for you and us to discover, plan and do. Seek Him and offer yourself to Him and join with some others to pray, discern and plan some fun outreaches this summer. Or pray for us to find a way to make the fellowship hall usable and comfortable for guests and visitors year round. I sure hate to stop this valuable and growing ministry for the summer unless that is God's plan. God does have a plan and purposes and we are not to lean on our own understanding but trust Him as we sow lavishly and He will direct our steps. What's He saying to you? What will you do about it? Who are you partnering with to plan and do some things? Seek first the kingdom of God! Then share what you are hearing with Sarah or me or some close friends and let us go and live and love more like Jesus this summer! Amen! Really meditate and pray through and receive from God as you spend some time with Him through our devos and then ask Him to lead you and us with His heart and mind to His provision and plans as we follow peace to His purposes for us. Thanks! I'm praying for you! God is waiting on us to discover and begin to step out in faith! Amen! Day light's burning!

CS:

UR: An Important Purpose

From Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by God’s will. - Ephesians 1:1 (CEB)

In many of the apostle Paul’s greetings to the early churches, he stated that he was an apostle of Christ by the will of God. While Paul recognized his life’s purpose, often as believers we feel less assured of our purpose and wonder if God is using us in our present circumstances. Sure, God called great theologians like Paul to serve God. But we who work in factories, drive trucks, care for children, do clerical work, teach, farm, and live in all kinds of circumstances can also be used by God.

God has a purpose for each of us just as God had a purpose for the young servant girl we read about in 2 Kings 5. She served the wife of Naaman, army commander for the king of Aram. Her faith changed the course of Naaman’s life and helped alter his hostile view of Israel.

Many of us can’t fathom how God could use us, but God is continually working in and through our lives. We don’t have to be great theologians to be used mightily by God. We just need to trust that we have been called to follow God, whatever our circumstances. We can trust that God has a purpose for our lives.

TODAY'S PRAYER

Faithful God, thank you for the ways you work in and through our lives. Help us to focus on how you might use us this very day. Amen.TWFYT:

Sarah Prayer update below

Good Morning Living Sacrifices! You know sometimes I so hate that Romans 12:1-2 passage. But often I need the reminder to die to self, take up cross daily and follow Jesus as a living sacrifice and sacrifice of praise. I often want to crawl off the altar and live for me. Forgive me Lord! Help me to be a living sacrifice and my life to be a sweet aroma as a sacrifice of praise! Thanks! Amen! Maybe you find yourself in that same position sometimes. Meditate on Romans 12. It contains one of my life verses and a how to do this. Rom 12:12, "Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer." (That's a command!) Now there's a great starting point of things to work on that could keep you busy all year as we work on growing more into the person you are created to be and doing more of what you are created to do. More in '24! Help us Lord!

Thinking of the Become More in '24 Challenge that flowed from our Become Me in '23 one, I wonder if you guys are embracing and trying to keep at it? I haven't heard of any words any of you are working on for this year as we work at dying to self and becoming all we can be in Christ. Is that something any of you are doing? It is God's will and best for us. You are a custom made masterpiece made new, empowered and gifted in Christ to go do the things God planned for you long ago for such a time as this. (Eph. 2:10). How's that going? Start with worship, praise and prayer that flows into the doing part. More of Him and less of you in '24. Earnestness as a living sacrifice is what God desires and what will lead us to our fuller potential, His greater things for us, and a great future in heaven. Amen!

Check out the devos below that flow through this thinking and led me to it as I invited God to write the blog today. Charles Stanley uses a word one of you chose for last year, "Useful". That person has been very useful to God and our fellowship! What are you working on and making headway at achieving? is there a new word to work on? Our Daily Bread speaks about the gifts God has given us. Why? To build His Church, encourage each other, and bless others. The gifts you've been given line up with how you are made and the plans God has for you. How cool! Ask Him to help you use them well as we plan to step out of the building this summer and go connect to others, lead them to Him and grow His Church. The Upper Room reminds us to keep trusting as we go. God is for us, with us and working all things together for those who love Him or will love Him. Trust and obey today! The Word for You Today reminds us about releasing our guilt, repenting and receiving God's pardon and peace. Don't sweat what you could of and should've done. Start fresh. receive and follow His peace as you get back on track at growing more like Christ and doing what He made you to do. He loves you and has great plans for you and us! Know and follow His peace and bring it to those He is sending your way. That's all He asks! trust, obey and go live and love like Jesus. Now that is true worship and being a living sacrifice! Amen! He has great plans for you, us and others out of the building this summer! What's he leading you to lead or be a part of as we go love and make disciples like Jesus. Shalom!

CS:

ODB:

UR: Father Knows Best

Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord. - Psalm 40:4 (NIV)

One winter in Texas we experienced a huge ice storm that no one was prepared for. During the storm my family stayed home with no electricity or water. We were getting restless at home, so I asked my dad if I could go to a friend’s house because they had power and water. But my dad said no because of the ice on the roads. I looked outside and didn’t see any ice. I was sure I would be fine. It turns out that ice was indeed covering the roads, and when I went outside to check, I slipped and fell on my rear end.

I should have trusted my dad because he obviously knew better than I did. The same is true with our relationship with God. God knows what’s best for us in every situation. Even when we think we know what’s best, we need to trust that God knows better and will take care of us.

TODAY'S PRAYER

Dear God, thank you for your faithfulness and for being with us in every moment of our lives. Help us to keep our focus on your will for us and to trust in you alone. Amen.

TWFYT:

Harvest prayer Blogs:

Sarah Update:

Good afternoon, everyone,

As promised, here are those that were mentioned in worship, yesterday that are in need of our prayer support:

Hal Scanlin - he is dealing with some health issues. He is at home, and taking it one day at a time. Also keep Lenore and their family in your prayers as their children make time after work to pop in and check on their parents.

Karen's mom (Pastor Don's wife Karen) is waiting test results. Prayers that the results will help her medical team now how to proceed with her care.

Darlene Skinner - is home and progressing. Continue to pray for her safety and strength building through therapy. Also keep her family in your prayers as they juggle their schedules to help with her care.

Harry Waterman - has gout and arthritis in his right foot. The doctor has given him some medication to help with the pain

Linda, Gary Bastan's relative had eye surgery today. Let's continue to pray for her recovery and vision restored.

The Canfield family is dealing with bronchitis.  Praying all will get through and over it soon and be back to a healthy bunch.

We prayed for the missing hiker yesterday during worship, and later last evening we received the news they had found the hiker's body. May we continue to pray for the hiker's family during this difficult time.

Josie is asking for prayer for her friend Helen (from Florida) who has been recently diagnosed with cancer.

Josie is also asking for prayer for another friend Darla, who has been living with chronic pain for the past 17 years.

Lisa Wenner has asked for prayer for a friend of hers, Shannon, who tried to take her own life. She is married and has two small children. Yesterday she was in a coma, but as of the update Lisa received this morning, Shannon has come out of the coma, and is currently being taken care of by therapists. Let's pray for this young family and for Shannon during this difficult time. May God put Christians in her pathway of healing.

Chris and Yvonne Muik and family - may God's peace surround them and may they sense His amazing arms of love around them.

Thank you everyone for praying for these folks.....and for continuing to pray for one another. 

if you are not doing anything on Wednesday, 10 - 12pm why not stop in at the church for a donut and a beverage......

Okay everyone, have a great evening....talk later!

Blessings,

  Sarah

It's Friday--Thank God I'm Forgiven! TGIF! And thank God that Resurrection Sunday came and death and the grave have been overcome and our sins can now be forgiven! Thank God that we don't need a priest to offer sacrifices for us or to lift our prayer because the curtain has been torn and God's presence is available always! Thank God for pursuing and saving us! Thank God for pursuing others through us and gifting and empowering us to be His hands and feet! Thank God for hearing and answering our prayers! Thank God we are known, loved and created for such a time as this! TGIF! What are you thankful about today? Tell our Abba Daddy!

Good Morning Praying Imitator's of Jesus--Children of Our All-Sufficient God! There's a mouthful of truth that ties directly to our devotionals today. As we flow from the National Day of Prayer to TGIF time with God, let us lift many praises and thanksgivings! Let us be still and know as we dwell in His peaceful, loving presence. Let us open our hearts and minds to receive all He has for us today. And let us commit to following Him all day to His best for us and others! Amen! Let us bathe this day, our situations and others, including this nation in prayer. Let us release all our anxious thoughts to the Prince of Peace. Let us always remember that God is with us and He is enough! Amen! He has great custom made plans just for you, His masterpiece, to discover, process and enact! PTL! What's He saying to you and who are you partnering with to bring that all to life?

Remember, the battle is the Lord's and He is sufficient, able, willing and partners with us to bring His perfect will and plans to life! Amen! Stand firm in faith and follow Jesus to His best for you today. What joy awaits us on the other side of our persevering in prayer and walking through in faith! PTL!

Here are our devotionals for today. Spend some time in them, God's presence in praise and prayer, and preparing to go live and love more like Jesus! Father, Abba, Daddy COME! Fill us to the fullest and overflow from us. Speak to our hearts. Help us persevere always in You and follow well to Your perfect plans. Not our will Lord, but Yours! Come! Inform and empower our prayers and us for this day! Amen.

Charles Stanley (God is all we need! Is He enough for you? Who needs to see that and be introduced to our Provision and Sufficiency?)

UR: Imitators (We have an example in Jesus and as we spend time with Him we become more like Him and He empowers our prayers and choices! Amen!)

Be imitators of God, as beloved children, and walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. - Ephesians 5:1-2 (NRSVUE)

A few weeks ago my daughter returned to work after the birth of her baby, and I started my new job: caring for my grandson. It’s only one day a week and leaves me physically exhausted, but I’m loving it. My grandson is not yet verbal or mobile, but he is alert and always learning. He watches, listens, and imitates. He smiles when I smile, and he tries to clap when I clap.

Children learn so much by imitation. Even as adults, we can easily begin speaking, behaving, and thinking like the people we associate with most. Spending time with people who speak and act in encouraging and edifying ways will help us to speak and act in similar ways.

Likewise, if we want to imitate Christ in our speech, actions, and attitudes, we need to spend time with him. We can do this by learning about his life through the Gospels, by sitting quietly in his presence, or by talking to him in prayer. Doing so is good for us and the people who spend time with us. The more we imitate Christ, the better examples we will be for others.

TODAY'S PRAYER

Thank you, Jesus, for living out an example of how to glorify God. Help us to imitate you in all things as we spend time with you and better learn your ways. Amen.ODB: (You and your prayers matter! Prayer warrior is a critical role in our Good News Delivery Co. Cover us and release God's sufficient power and perfect plans today. Thanks!)

TWFYT: (The Battle is the Lord's! Who are you partnering with in prayer and action to withstand the fierce attacks?)

Harvest Prayer Blogs: (really good stuff here to inform your prayers! Are you desperate for God and for His moving? Get in that prayer closet and release His power as you abide in Him and He informs your prayers and marching orders for the day))

Good Morning Righteous in Christ, Filled with the Holy Spirit, Saturated in the Word, Pray-ers and Vessels of God! Just think about that salutation as you engage with our devos below. We have put on Christ's righteousness because we are saved. Because we are saved we are sealed with the Holy Spirit and He guides us and our prayers and empowers us to go build the Kingdom. As we sit at Jesus' feet and meditate on His Word we are saturated in God's wisdom, direction and heart. As we pray and go we are His ambassadors that not only release His power and will in prayer but also action. We are His and He has great plans for us each day that come to life as we still ourselves, reload with His power and authority, pray and go. What are His plans for you today? What's He saying to your heart? What will you do about it? Who are you partnering with?

Please continue to pray into our summer outreach. How does God want to use you and us? Share what you are hearing and let us make plans together to connect to more neighbors. Pray for Children's Church workers and kids. Pray for us to partner with Revival Church to reach families in our neighborhoods. Pray for families to be drawn to Christ as we connect to them better. Thank God for using you and us. Pray for His will to be done and revival to come. Amen! Think about this, 40 year old's may be the last of those that were forced to go to church and remember when most people went to church. But they walked away and their families have no connection to God, church or Christians. Ask God how to connect to these families and to draw them and give us ideas. Pray for those over 40 that we seem to be connecting to. Ask God to continue that work and grow that ministry. Thank Him for the new servants He is sending. Pray that we would become a disciple making hub for the Lehigh Valley and a House of Prayer for the Nations. Thank God for custom making and gifting you to do your part for such a time as this! Thank Him for helping us to be and grow as a healthy church and ask for that to continue as we move from adding to multiplying disciples. Amen! See you all tomorrow! Shalom! Renew your thinking and follow His peace today!

Charles Stanley:

Harvest Blogs:

ODB:

UR: God Cares

Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? - Matthew 6:26 (NRSVUE)

My wife and I recently spent an afternoon relaxing on the porch swing just outside our front door. At one point we noticed a nest of baby birds near an upper corner of the porch. Every few minutes the mother bird returned to the nest to deliver morsels of food to the chicks. We wondered how such a delicate nest in such a precarious location could keep all those hatchlings from falling to the ground. That seemed like a miracle to us and still remains a mystery.

As we marveled at the sight of those birds and their nest, we recalled instances in our own lives when we too felt as if we were in a vulnerable nest, suspended high off the ground. We had no idea what was keeping us from falling, but we trusted that the nest God placed us in would be secure. It may not have happened right away, but like a mother bird, God always provided what we needed.

TODAY'S PRAYER

O God, thank you for tending to our needs day after day and year after year. We can surrender our fears and insecurities because we know you are watching over us. Amen.

TWFYT:

Good Morning Broken, Cared-for, Restored, Peace-filled, Worshipers! We are all broken and/or have been. We sow in tears, yet God collects our tears in bottles. He wastes nothing and is with us always. Life is hard! At times it really stinks! Sometimes all we can mutter is "Help!" to God. Even when it doesn't feel like it, He is always there pursuing us, loving us, wanting to help and comfort like a mother comforts her distressed baby. He's knocking at the door of your heart. Will you open the door? God knows and cares even when it doesn't feel like it. Still yourself and receive His love, comfort and peace.

You all know how I loathe Hallmark holidays. With Mother's Day coming, I've been praying about what to preach. Part of my issue is my empathy for those mourning, longing and struggling during any holiday. Many long to be mothers and can't. Some are mourning the loss of moms, and worse, a child. Some have terrible relationships with bad mothers. My tendency is to turn off the noise by preaching about something totally different during any holiday. Christmas, Valentines, Mother's Day and Father's Day can be very hard times for many. Let us keep our eyes open and be God's vessels of love, comfort, hope, help and peace. There are so many broken around us looking for some love, comfort and peace that we have in Christ. Check out our devos below and ask God how He wants to use you or how to receive His comfort and peace. He promises to turn our mourning to dancing, our sorrow to joy, and to redeem all the enemy has stolen. COME! Help! Amen

Prepare your hearts to worship! See you at 10 on Zoom or live with Children's Church. We are fast approaching our summer breaks. Ask God where He is leading you this summer and who to partner with as we go live, love. comfort and help those He is drawing. Pray for new connection points and opportunities. Thank God for the harvest and for raising up harvest workers (you!). Thank God for His provision as we follow that and His peace to new things He has planned for you and us. He is on the move and so are we as we continue to grow towards becoming a healthy, dynamic movement of God. Amen! May God lead and use you and us as he created you/us to do what we are created, gifted and empowered to do. Please Lord! Come! Use us! Amen!

ODB:

UR: God Cares

I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you. - Joel 2:25 (KJV)

Many years ago I was going through a very rough time, just coping day by day clinging to faith and trusting that God would help me soon. Then one day out of the blue when I was alone, this verse came into my mind: “I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten.” I received it as a promise from God that whatever I was going through would pass, and that God would restore what I had lost and bless me.

Years later, this verse is still vividly clear in my mind. As I look back now, I realize the Lord has indeed restored my life and blessed me in many ways. Through this verse, I’ve learned that God’s promise of restoration means that God can take what is broken and put it together again, making it better than it was before.

God has enabled me to use my past to help others today. As a life coach and youth mentor, I’m now able to empathize and understand better the challenges and helplessness others are going through without judgment or prejudice. God has indeed turned the ashes of my past to beauty — the beauty of helping those who are in the wilderness now. That in itself is a blessing.

TODAY'S PRAYER

Lord God, thank you for your promise that you will never leave nor forsake us when we are in the wilderness. Help us to trust in your promise of restoration. Amen.TWFYT:

 

Harvest Blogs:

Good Morning Faithful Good News Bringers! Please may that be me and us Lord! Persevering and faithful servants no matter what. Your vessels of love, healing, hope and good news as we go connect to the lost and weary and connect them to You and make disciples in the way of Jesus. Thank You! May we seek, see, hear, process, plan and follow You well. May we partner with others to pray, process, plan, go and be accountable. Bring dreams and visions of your plans for us this summer as we step out of the building, follow You and connect to new people. Bring in the harvest and raise up the harvest workers for the harvest is ripe and ready. Use us to comfort those who mourn, help the helpless, bring hope to the hopeless and joy to the joyless. Use us to connect others to you and make disciples. Help us to build on the strengths of the past, let go of the hindrances to the present and follow you to the new things you have for us as we run and finish our races well. Unite us in love and mission and may we yoke to Jesus and each other as we go. Thank You for creating us for such a time as this and for the great plans You have for us. Bring them alive and bring revival. Protect us. Teach us. Lead us. Use us well! Thank You! Thank You for calling us to Your love and sending us to live and love like Jesus! May we be all about Your business, just as we are, with what You've given, as we travel through each day. Come! Fill us! Use us well! May we grow to be more like you each day. Come! Have Your way with me today and be the Lord of me and this day. Amen!

Now that's a great starting prayer for today! Check out how the threads our devos together and be ready for God to move and answer these prayers! He has great plans custom made for you today! Rejoice! Go! Love! Amen!

UR: From Loss to Abundance

[The Lord has sent me to] provide for those who grieve in Zion — to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. - Isaiah 61:3 (NIV)

Following a fierce summer storm, my husband and I went outside to see an uprooted tree stretched across our yard. As we cleaned up the broken branches littering our lawn, I mourned the loss of the tree. On summer days we had rested under its shade, listening to the rustle of leaves in the breeze and the singing of birds in its branches. Now all that remained was an ugly stump. However, my husband took a more pragmatic view, realizing the tree’s absence allowed more sunlight to reach his vegetable garden. The plants would flourish with more sunlight to strengthen them.

Losing a tree cannot compare to losing someone or something precious, but it provides a picture of how God can turn loss into abundance. Amid the pain of significant losses in my life, God filled up the emptiness with an abundance of love. God gave me beauty and joy in spite of my loss and mourning, and praising God lightened the heaviness.

Where a tree once stood, now light floods our garden. Likewise, our scars of loss do not need to remain places of pain and darkness. Rather, they can be markers of where God met us and brought new light to our lives.

TODAY'S PRAYER

Dear Lord, thank you for comforting us when we are brokenhearted. When we mourn, you offer beauty, joy, and praise to fill us up. Amen.

CS:

TWFYT:

ODB:

Today is the National Day of Pray. A day set apart to pray for our nation. Here is a link to the broadcast: https://www.nationaldayofprayer.org/events/2024_broadcast

Seeking, Trusting, Accepted, Strong in Christ, Faithful Followers of Jesus! We are at war and although it may feel like it's physical battles we face, we are also reminded that we are battling against principalities and powers in the spiritual realm as well. We battle on our knees, ask for help to stand firm and to walk through whatever God has allowed in His strength and with His peace. We persevere in faith no matter what. And seek to choose joy as we grow in trust. Being a faithful Christian can be one of the hardest things we face. BUT GOD! He is pursuing us and with us always! Amen! And He has great plans for you, us and the world. Love and Light are eventually victorious. Jesus has overcome the world, death and the grave. Amen. We know the Victor and He is in us. He is our Source and Strength, our Shield and Rock! Put on His armor today and battle for our nation, loved ones and all who will come. Stand firm and push through. It will be worth it. Seek God for who He wants to pursue through you and for who He has for you to invite along on your journey! We are warriors and overcomers in Christ! Amen! Seek first the Kingdom of God. Don't lean on your own understanding but acknowledge Him in all your ways. Run your race well and bring some along on the journey. God pursues all who will come with love and acceptance. He has great plans for you to be part of that. Turn off the noise and focus on Him! I'm praying for you and us. Check out our devos below and the thread through this.

Yesterday we had another great day of ministry at the Bread Ministry. Next week is donut day. Plan to join us and allow God to use you to minister to others and to be ministered to as well. Last evening two grand moms accepted our invites and joined us for our dinner huddle. Family Ministries connected to three grandkids who want to return. One of the grand moms is a bit out there and going through all kinds of family and health issues. I prayed with her during bread min and she brought her grand daughter. She heard all about God and His love and her grand daughter felt very much loved and accepted. Pretty cool! Pray for this family and for a future of hope and love for the grand kids. The other grand mom was really connecting with our discussions and her grand kids felt very loved and accepted and can't wait to return next week. I shouldn't have to say this because we are brothers and sisters but one of our conversation starting questions was about race. When asked, she told us how hard it can be to be black in America. Her young grandsons were bulled at school because of their race. She has experienced all sorts of discrimination. They all felt the love and acceptance last night of people who are loved and accepted just as we are by Jesus. Pray they continue to feel love, grow in relationship with us and God and that we get really good at loving and accepting well as God answers our prayers to become a house of prayer for the nations and sends in the harvest.

Here's something we will encounter more and more as we reach generations of confused and even former Christians and the lost generations: This grand mom opened the door to Jehovah Witnesses who explained things from the cult thinking and gave them false Bibles (which the grand sons are reading). Many are hungry for love, acceptance and Truth that we have. We gave her a new Bible for each kid and asked her to dispose of those false ones. I should have given her a Bible and will next time. Pray they return and are open to Truth and God's love with us. As we looked around the room there were only four of us from St Matts and at least eight adults not from our church. How cool is that as God brings in the harvest and we minister in Truth and Love. Questions are being answered. Love and Truth distributed. Acceptance is being felt without finger pointing. People are coming just as they are to this expression of church on Wed evenings. Unfortunately, next Wed. will be our last one for the summer. (It was almost too hot to even be there last evening and very uncomfortable but we pushed through and God moved! PTL!) We are praying for how God wants us to gather and continue ministry through the summer as we reach out to neighbors and in small and large group gatherings. How does God want to use you this summer? What are you planning? Who is helping you? Family Ministries plans to try to meet once a month this summer beginning in June and we are looking for different ways for the adult huddle to continue as well. Pray for dreams, visions, workers and God's plans to come to life. He is moving! PTL! God has great plans for us as we step out of the building in faith and follow Jesus and join Him in the new things he is doing. And He is doing some amazing new things with plans for more for us to discover. Seek Him with a heart willing to follow! We had church last night in a whole new way. Ten years ago none of us members could even have imagined that we would experience what we did last evening. Let us praise, worship, seek, plan and follow well! Amen! God is so good and faithful to answer these earnest, expectant prayers! We are seeing that already! PTL! What's your part? Who are your partners? Turn off the noise and follow God's shalom!

CS:

ODB:

UR: Source of Strength

But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded. - 2 Chronicles 15:7 (NIV)

As I was growing up, my parents didn’t have much money, and we were always on a tight budget. Both my parents would wake up at 5:00 every morning and head to work. There were times when my dad wouldn’t come home for months. At an incredibly early age I was left with the responsibility of taking care of both my younger siblings.

I had to help my brothers pack their lunch for school, wait for them to board the bus, and then get ready for school myself. Arriving home after school, I would immediately rush to the kitchen and prepare food for my brothers because there were times when my parents would get home late. Some days I felt too tired to complete all these tasks, but I still managed not to complain and to help my parents all I could.

After one very hectic day, I was simply overwhelmed. My parents would always read the Bible to us, and that day I specifically remembered, “But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded.” I prayed and asked God for strength to continue.

Sometimes our responsibilities can overwhelm us and make us want to give up. It’s important to remind ourselves that God is here with us to give us strength and courage to persevere.

TODAY'S PRAYER

Heavenly Father, we ask for strength on the days when we want to give up. Keep us always aware of the hope and future you have for our lives. Amen.Harvest Prayer blogs: