is brunch after worship at 11:30 and new member installation
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Good Morning Seeking, Gifted and Following Students of Jesus and His Ways! Please Lord! Amen! You are custom made for such a time as this. God has gathered you into our Body for His plans and purposes. He is training and sending us in the ways of Jesus and to make disciples. He has gifted and empowered you to do all He created you to do and His Holy Spirit will guide you as you seek His face and follow His planned steps for you. That is His easy yoke! Be you and do what you're made to do. There you will find joy and peace and purpose for your life. Amen! Thank God for these! Keep seeking, using your activated gifts as you study God's Word and follow Jesus--the author and perfecter of our faith. Amen. Ask for wisdom and direction . Ask for partners and the gumption to be one for His glory. Be who you are created to be and ask for help to do well all He made you to do and has planned for you . Ask for faith and trust to follow well. I'm praying for you and us to be all that we can be in Christ and Kingdom impactors. Two devos below speak into this. Go! Live and love like Jesus as you are created and gifted to do. And worship Him! Amen!
I to We
Upper Room: Desiring Wisdom
Wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her. - Proverbs 8:11 (NIV)
What do you desire? Does wisdom top your list? If I were honest with God and myself, I would have to admit that although wisdom is on my list, it isn’t the first thing. My immediate wishes are more along the lines of peaceful relationships, not to be cut off in rush hour, or a waterproof phone since my last one broke after getting wet at the pool. While there is nothing wrong with desiring those things, Proverbs 8:11 challenges my choices and makes me wonder: why is wisdom so much more desirable than anything else?
As we read the book of Proverbs, we learn quite quickly why wisdom is supreme: it knows that the path to life is found by keeping God at the center of all we do and following God’s commands. By doing this, we can stay on the path that is blessed by God and find peace in our relationships, patience for the shortcomings of others, and contentment with what God has given us. However, the greatest blessing is that this path leads to eternal life, and there is nothing more precious than that.
's Prayer
Merciful God, help us set our hearts on following the path of your wisdom. Guide us to experience the blessings you have for us. Amen.
Larry Paul News
Hello to all of our family, friends, and partners,
We are back in the Philippines after being in the USA this summer. After Richard graduated from Faith Academy at the end of May, we traveled to the USA to visit family and meet with our friends and partners at our supporting churches. Enol and Brayden returned to the Philippines at the end of July so Brayden could start his Junior year (grade 11) at Faith Academy while Larry returned at the beginning of September so he could help care for his Mom and make sure Richard was enrolled and settled at Lehigh University. Larry's brother and sister have been taking care of their Mom since her health declined last year. We were able to help care for her while in the USA, especially with Larry extending his stay until September. Larry and his siblings are currently making plans to sell their childhood home so Mom can move to an independent living apartment where they have the services she needs. It's hard to make such a transition, so they're taking it slow to help her adjust to the new living situation.
Faith Academy's new school year started . We have over 560 students enrolled this year from 18 different countries! This is the largest enrollment in recent years. Larry's facilities team did a lot of work over the summer to prepare the campus for the new school year. They supervised the contractors finishing the 100kw solar panel system, the new parking lot, replacing half of a high school building's roof, converting 2 dormitories to co-ed dorms with separate sleeping areas for the boys and girls, renovating bathrooms to add PWD toilets, along with numerous smaller projects to prepare the campus for the new school year.
Larry continues to take the prescribed maintenance drugs to take care of his heart after his heart attack last December. He's also exercising and eating healthier to take care of himself. He's trying to reduce his stress but it's not easy with Richard off to college, his Mom's health needs, and his responsibilities at Faith Academy. He's already preparing for next year's campus projects which includes: adding another solar panel system, replacing the other half of the high school building's roof, and replacing a number of split air conditioning units with a large Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) system where one outdoor unit serves multiple indoor units. The Solar Panel system and roof replacement need to be done January to April to avoid rainy season so he's working on writing specifications and gathering bids so the necessary funding will be allocated for the projects. This is in addition to his "normal" tasks of running the maintenance, grounds, transportation, custodian, and security departments.
Richard is settling in at Lehigh University. Larry helped him moved into a dorm before he started a week of orientation to prepare for the start of college life. He likes his roommate and is making other friends on campus. He found a part-time job off campus so he'll be working about 16 hrs/week while going to school. He's excited because he made the men's volleyball club team. Lehigh does not have a varsity men's volleyball team, but the club team travels to other colleges to play in tournaments. We're so glad he's making friends and is still able to enjoy playing competitive volleyball.
Brayden started his junior year (grade 11) at Faith Academy in August. He's taking a few AP classes this year and preparing to go to college after he graduates next year. He's on the varsity volleyball team and enjoys playing with his friends and teammates.
Enol has been busy at our house in the Philippines working with a contractor replacing the galvanized piping with plastic piping in addition to the normal things that need to be done while living in the Philippines. Now that Larry's back and the pipes have been replaced she's able to volunteer at Faith Academy's Pre-K classes and monitoring the playground during lunch/recess.
Praises
Larry's ongoing recovery
Richard making friends and playing volleyball at Lehigh University
Brayden doing well at Faith Academy, both with schoolwork and volleyball.
Enol can volunteer at Faith Academy
God's continued provision for our needs
Prayer Requests
Larry's complete recovery from his heart condition
Finances for Richard to attend Lehigh University
Enol's sister Zeny, complete recovery from stroke, and her financial needs
Thank you again for your continued prayers and support of our ministry at Faith Academy in the Philippines.
PTL for new life! Gotta fly to Dr. appointment then Bread and prep for Chosen huddle . I have my heart ablation. Thanks for your prayers, but short or no blogs next two days. Just read these devos and be assured that you are God's masterpiece creted and empowered to do His will and sing His praises as you go and love like Him ! Rejoice. he's calling you by name! Shalom!
I to We
ODB
Coincidences and God's Care
Go away with your family and stay for a while wherever you can, because the Lord has decreed a famine. 2 Kings 8:1
Dante’s neighborhood in Manila was prone to flooding. On rainy days, the little boy reached school by crossing a makeshift wooden bridge put up by a neighbor. “Mr. Tomas helped the community get around,” Dante said. “He’d guide me on the bridge, shielding me from the rain.”
Years later, Dante joined a church north of Manila. Leo, his Bible study leader, mentored him. In a conversation about their childhoods, Dante discovered Leo was Mr. Tomas’ son! “There’s no such thing as coincidence,” Dante said. “God used the son of a man who’d blessed me to help me in my faith.”
A woman from the town of Shunem also experienced God’s providence. In faith, she’d followed the prophet Elisha’s advice, leaving home to avoid a famine (2 Kings 8:1-2). In doing so, she’d forfeited her claim to her house and land. Now, at the exact moment she was seeking help from the king about this matter, the king just happened to be talking with Gehazi, Elisha’s servant, about her.
Years earlier, Gehazi had seen the woman’s dead son raised to life. Now, Gehazi said, "This is the woman, my lord the king, and this is her son whom Elisha restored to life" (v. 5). The king then “assigned an official to her case” (v. 6) and returned her property.
We can trust in God and His care even when things may not go as we planned. Our sovereign God will help us.
By Karen Huang
REFLECT & PRAY
How does the Shunammite woman’s story encourage you? What does it say about God’s care?
Loving Father, thank You for caring for me.
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
God’s care for us isn’t limited to times of difficulty but is often felt most keenly in those times. For the Shunammite woman and her family, that care came in two layers. The first was Elisha’s warning of the coming famine that caused her to escape with her family to a place where food could be found (2 Kings 8:1-2). The second came upon their return to Israel and the restoration of their former property, possessions, and lost income (v. 6). The providential timing of the Shunammite and her son approaching the king at the moment Gehazi was telling their story is part of God’s provision for them as well (vv. 3-6). Whether in times of want or times of fullness, God cares for us.
Bill Crowder
UR: God with Us
The Lord said to Moses, “I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you and I know you by name.” - Exodus 33:17 (NIV)
I’m almost 30 years old, but I have never traveled alone — until now. I feel like I’ve been cooped up in my comfort zone. And as safe as that feels, I recognize that it hinders my growth. I’m at a point in my life where I want to challenge myself.
With my bags packed, I went to Mass before heading off on my trip. As I entered the church, I knew what my prayers would be — to ask for God’s guidance and to lay down my fears. During the priest’s message, he reminded us of the name Immanuel, emphasizing its meaning: God with us. (See Matt. 1:18-25.) This reminder was all I needed to calm my doubts and fears about my trip. I had not yet voiced my prayers, but God had answered me already through the priest’s message. God knows our prayers, as well as our doubts and fears, before we utter them.
In ’s scripture reading, Moses talks with God and asks for guidance and favor as he and the Israelites travel to the Promised Land. God assures Moses that God will be with them, even though they will not be able to see God. By faith we know that God is with us and always will be.
's Prayer
Dear God, thank you for being with us always. May our thoughts, words, and deeds glorify you. Amen.
Connection
- Rivers of Grace
Many feel guilty when they pray because they are truly guilty. The difference between an accusation of Satan and conviction from the Holy Spirit is this: Satan’s accusation is general, thus repentance is impossible. The Holy Spirit’s conviction is specific and leads to repentance. Confession of sin is not morbid self-introspection. Confession of sin is the result of the light of God shining in our hearts. He knows our ways. He leads us down the path of repentance into forgiveness. The great English preacher Charles Haddon Spurgeon said, “Repentance and forgiveness are riveted together by the eternal purpose of God. . . In the very nature of things, if we believe in the holiness of God it must be that if we continue in our sin and will not repent of it, we cannot be forgiven but must reap the consequences of our obstinacy.”
When there is sincere confession and true repentance, there will be a release of the rivers of grace upon the soul. As the soul of a man is flooded with divine grace, a new confidence begins to swell in his heart. There is a new boldness to approach God. He is clean and pure. And the pure in heart are blessed because they shall see God.
Prayer reaches a high level of intimacy. Love and gratitude flow from the heart that has been graced by God. The burden is lifted, and a quiet “hallelujah” is lifted from the lips of the person who walks and lives in the forgiveness of God.
Father, help me to walk in the freedom that repentance brings and not to allow the enemy to convict me and beat me up with guilt. May I understand the difference between guilt that is vague and conviction that is specifically designed by the Spirit to bring about my repentance. Help me to receive Your grace-filled forgiveness with joy and give me a deepening desire to walk in holiness before You.
Praise the Lord, the source of all song, and make music to his name.
Thank God for his love in the morning and for his faithfulness at night (Ps. 92:1-2).
Confess that you sometimes sing by rote. Commit yourself to focusing on what you sing.
Ask to feel God’s presence through music .
Pray that through the music, message, prayers, and sacraments, your congregation will feel one in body and spirit (Eph. 4:3-4) as it gathers to worship.
Prayer Pointer
“We must try to converse with God in little ways while we do our work; not in memorized prayer, not trying to recite previously formed thoughts. Rather, we should purely and simply reveal our hearts as the words come to us.” —Brother Lawrence
Prayer Points taken from Patterns for Prayer by Alvin VanderGriend. This book is available at prayerleader.com. Use the code CONPSP3 at checkout to receive an additional 10% discount.
Thank God I'm Forgiven! Amen! Start there in praise, , confession and repentance. You are loved, forgiven, redeemed, made right with God, and able to choose new paths of righteousness. PTL!
Me update: Surgery was postponed until the end of Oct because I took a med that wasn't on my med list and one you can't take a week before surgery. I was all prepared and ready to go to the surgery room. Thanks for praying! We believe there was a reason this happened and God arranged things for good. I'm still concerned about the procedure but now have better insight to help prepare my mind. PTL! It will be 2-4 hour surgery with about 6 hour recovery. (The recovery art is what scares me. I can't lay still that long--BIT God! He will help. Amen!)
is new member reception, Spaghetti Brunch and Sarah preaches. Keep all in prayer please and invite some friends!
Good Morning Impactful Servants of God! Amen! May we impact well and represent you better, Lord. Thanks! Amen. Just a quick blog as I have a zoom huddle in a few minutes. I'm just using my I to We devo. You can use yours, open your own Bibles or do whatever allows you to draw close to God and abide.
The I to We devo asks this hard question that took me deep in evaluation: "What leaves the room when you do". Are people glad you were there and sad you left or glad you left and not want to hang with you again? How might you need to correct? We are filled with the Holy Spirit and the joy of our salvation. Does that overflow like living waters to those around us? Or do they feel like they have a mouthful of sour patch kids or lemons. Are you a sweet aroma to God and others or a stench? That's enough to contemplate with God and your accountability partners. Are you using all God has given you to be a blessing? That is why you are created, gifted and transformed as you are--for His purposes and plans for you. That is always to bring love and joy and new life. Process that and thank God you're forgiven? What may need some refining or repentance. Start working on those things . Praying for you
Good Morning Chosen Ones! I have several devotionals from the Chosen Series. We are invited to come and see and to get used to different. We are encouraged as we see examples of children of God who have transitioned from one way to another to another because of their relationship with Jesus. We are chosen, forgiven, cleansed, filled with the Holy Spirit and gifted to serve and we are very loved. That love has drawn us to Jesus and transformed our lives. He chose us and we responded. PTL! I what ways have you seen God transform your heart or your ways? Write them down and add to your gratitude list. Thank God for them! Then share them with Sarah or me or your accountability/ministry partners. Then ask God who else needs to hear this and for opportunities and courage to do so. We are blessed to bless. We are transformed to be able to go love like Jesus. Thank God and humble yourself then follow Him to His best for you /this week/year! He knows you, chose you and is calling you by name to come and see and to join Him . he's gifted you to serve and to encourage others as you join with growing His Church. PTL! What's your part? Ask for Him to reveal and help you step into it. Ask Who He has for you to partner with. Then follow well. Many blessings await you as you use your blessings to be a blessing! PTL!
Jesus said in John 14:12(from Our Daily Bread ) Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me (that's you and us) will do the works I have been doing and they will do even greater things than these because I am going to the Father. (All things are possible for God even things we have no capacity to understand) (And because He gave us His Spirit. We have potential to do all He asks and gifted us to do) WOW! Mind Blown! The Word for You reminds us that God not only calls and gifts us to serve but that He wants to work through you. And for that to work well, we have to draw close to God and abide in Him and His Words as we prepare to follow Him to the good fruit He has for us. Amen! Then check out the excerpt from the I to We devo. God has placed us right where He wants us and gifted us to accomplish His purposes for us--just as we are and right where we are. PTL! Can you tell how God has guided us together for such a time as this? he has! PTL! And we all have a purpose in His plans. Amen! And finally the Upper Room reminds us how much we need each other and how our gifts are to be used to not only grow God's Church but to encourage each other. We are blessed to be a blessing. God has blessed us with all kinds of life experiences that grow us and He wants to redeem to bless others going through the same or similar things. How often has someone shared a struggle with you and you felt the pinch of I know! I've experienced that. And then kept quiet. God has gifted and blessed you with growing experience to be used to bless another. Ask for Him to do so and lead you to who He has for you /this week. And ask for courage and wisdom to share well. Then praise Him. He loves you, chose you, calls you by name and has great plans just for you. PTL! Trust and obey. Dwell and then go! Great fruit lies ahead and you will step into your role in His Good News delivery Company. Amen! I'm praying for you to know the joy and peace of being who you are created to be and doin what you are created to do. Amen! So be it Lord! Thanks!
ODB
Recognizing Jesus
Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? John 14:9
Richard Griffin was Queen Elizabeth II’s personal police officer for fourteen years. Accompanying her on a picnic in the hills near Balmoral Castle one day, they met two American hikers. “Have you ever met the Queen?” they asked, not recognizing the monarch in plain dress. “I haven’t,” the Queen quipped, “but Richard here meets her regularly!” Thrilled to meet someone close to royalty, the hikers then handed the Queen their camera, posed with Richard, and asked her to take a photo!
It isn’t the first time someone has been in the presence of an important person unawares. “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it,” Jacob said after encountering God in a dream at Bethel (Genesis 28:16). And when Philip asked Jesus to show the disciples the Father, Jesus replied, “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father” (John 14:9). Like the hikers, the disciples had been ready to hand Jesus the camera, not recognizing He was the one to zoom in on (vv. 10-11).
Like the Queen that day, Jesus hasn’t always been recognized for who He really is. Beyond a “wise teacher” or “great moral leader,” He’s God in the flesh and King of the world (1:14; 18:36). What a revelation it is when we discover it!
By Sheridan Voysey
REFLECT & PRAY
What would you say to Jesus if you met Him on a picnic trip? Who do you understand Him to be?
Dear Jesus, I praise You for being the King of Kings, Lord of Lords, and far more than I can ever grasp.
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
Lack of spiritual sight wasn’t limited to those closest to Jesus. The beginning of John’s gospel says this about people not being able to see Christ for who He is: “He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him” (1:10-11).
Yet Jesus had expectations for those who were closest to Him—those who’d heard His words, who’d seen and experienced His works. He rebuked His disciple for not recognizing Him: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time?” (14:9). When we honestly and prayerfully evaluate the words and works of Christ as seen in the Gospels, the Spirit can open our eyes and hearts regarding His identity as God’s Son and the King of Kings, and we’ll be welcomed into the family of God (1:12-13).
Arthur Jackson
TWFYT
I to We
UR: Encourage One Another
Continue encouraging each other and building each other up, just like you are doing already. - 1 Thessalonians 5:11 (CEB)
In I lost my 25-year-old son, Daniel, to ALS — also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. It was a dark time in my life. I knew God was there, but I questioned everything.
My son was a kind, encouraging, and loving person with a very generous heart. Daniel never lost his loving and caring nature. Even when the doctors told him there was no cure, he looked at me and said, “Mom, don’t you worry; God’s got a plan.” Even as he faced the future knowing he would never be well again, he gave me encouragement. Daniel reminded me to trust God no matter what. He helped me to remember how important it is to love and encourage one another.
God gave my son a heart to encourage others. “Encourage one another” may sound trite, but it can make all the difference in someone’s life. So let’s not hesitate to share an encouraging word. We never know whom we might help.
's Prayer
Dear Lord, teach us to encourage one another so that we may bless others and also be blessed. Amen.
Sarah Update:
Hi Everyone,
in worship we wrapped up our study of the book of James. I would encourage you to take time and go back through and
re-read the 5 chapters of James. Be reminded of what God has shared with us throughout this study......
One of the things I heard from God was "Come close to ME and I will come close to you! " James 4:8 We have to stay close to
God so we can remain STRONG!!!
Tell me what you heard!! I really want to hear....
This coming is our Spaghetti brunch!!!! Hope you are all looking forward to it. Keep Lori and team in your prayers as in their
spare time, they will prep for the brunch. Also, reach out to a neighbor or friend and invite them to come along with you to worship and
stay for brunch!!
Wanted to share the praises and prayer needs shared during worship :
Praises:
Yvonne and Chris Muik thank God for each of you, their church family for praying them through the past couple of difficult weeks.
They continue to need our prayers for healing and strength.
Marylou is praising God for helping Kris, her daughter, and surgeon, with her most recent stomach surgery. Surgery went well and she is home
recovering well. Also Kris and her husband celebrated the birth of their grandson. They were able to hear the lullaby play when the baby was born.
Harry and Millidine Waterman are getting stronger and feeling better everyday. They thank you, their church family for all your prayers. They hope to
see us all next week.
Gail and Houston Lichtenwalner are celebrating 40 years of marriage !!! Congratulations!
Nancy Wertman (Kay Paul's daughter) is praising God for the beautiful weather over the weekend and for family! They had a great time of the
family gathering together at Kay's home on .
Rosa Cruz is doing good in rehab.
Prayer Needs:
Dean is asking for prayer for Sissy Gilbert who is in rehab in Pennsburg Manor - Prayers for patience as she really would like to go home.
Pastor Don is having a doctor appointment on and an ablation surgery on his heart on . Prayers for peace and for all
to go well.
Pray for each of us to be open and ready to reach out to those who need some LOVE, some HOPE, and some PEACE. Always be ready
to share your story of your journey with Jesus! Each out and ask someone if you could pray for them......many need someone just to show
them that they care.
Barb Somers and Winnie Iobst both have asked for prayer for Judy (Barb's sister who is on hospice) she has lung cancer and is currently
at Saucon Valley Manor, being cared for. Please all of Judy's family and friends in your prayers and may God's peace rest overall during this
difficult time.
Continue to remember to pray for yourself, you know sometimes we get so caught up in praying for others, situations around us, that we FORGET
to pray for ourselves......it's so important that we are "prayed up" - it's like putting on the armor of God.....and putting on the protective bubble around us.
Prayer for us....so important! Do it ! DON'T FORGET!!!!
Hope and pray you all have a great week! Keep smiling and sharing Jesus!
Good Morning Products of God's Pruning! We are the branches of THE Vine--Jesus. God is the pruner and the Holy Spirit helps us to become what God created us to be and to do the things we are created to do. As we abide or dwell in the Vine and the Living Word, we are refreshed, informed, and prepared to go produce great fruit in Christ. AMEN!
I had all kinds of things planned for and then our arborist showed up to take down a huge tree beside our house. (Now I gotta go watch!) But the Holy Spirit brought to mind the old teaching from Pastor Al on the stump and the green shoot. There is new life being put out from the stump of St. Matts. We all still have a part to play whether part of the stump or part of the new shoots. We need to be praying, abiding, preparing, and going in Jesus' name to live and love like Him and lead others to His love and to be grafted into The Vine and be pruned and grow with is. There is much life in the stump yet and it is producing new shoots and can produce more as we seek and follow the Holy Spirit's lead. Amen!
There is a season for everything. No matter your season there can be life and life giving. There is Living Water flowing from us to others and the life giving sap of salvation in Christ. Sometimes we need some pruning. God takes care of that. It is always helpful if we receive that as a blessing and keep focused on Jesus and allow God to transform us to good fruit producers again. Like my tree, we were one way (dying) transformed to another (life giving fruit producers). My tree already has a vast root system that keeps putting up green shoots all over the yard. We can do the same. Pray into that and welcome God's pruning that will produce the fruit He desires, if we allow it and keep connected to THE Vine and following Him. Amen!
The other thing about being part pf THE Vine is that we are all connected as well. We need each other and can produce a great crop together. Who are your teammates? Do they need some help recovering from a pruning? They for sure need your life-giving prayers and encouragement! Abide in the Vine and receive life and then bring that life to others as you allow God to work through you. I'm praying for you all! Watch for the Harvester to be at work and join Him in bringing it in and helping it to be grafted into our Vine. Shalom shalom!
Good Morning Seeking, Gifted and Following Students of Jesus and His Ways! Please Lord! Amen! You are custom made for such a time as this. God has gathered you into our Body for His plans and purposes. He is training and sending us in the ways of Jesus and to make disciples. He has gifted and empowered you to do all He created you to do and His Holy Spirit will guide you as you seek His face and follow His planned steps for you. That is His easy yoke! Be you and do what you're made to do. There you will find joy and peace and purpose for your life. Amen! Thank God for these! Keep seeking, using your activated gifts as you study God's Word and follow Jesus--the author and perfecter of our faith. Amen. Ask for wisdom and direction . Ask for partners and the gumption to be one for His glory. Be who you are created to be and ask for help to do well all He made you to do and has planned for you . Ask for faith and trust to follow well. I'm praying for you and us to be all that we can be in Christ and Kingdom impactors. Two devos below speak into this. Go! Live and love like Jesus as you are created and gifted to do. And worship Him! Amen!
I to We
Upper Room: Desiring Wisdom
Wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her. - Proverbs 8:11 (NIV)
What do you desire? Does wisdom top your list? If I were honest with God and myself, I would have to admit that although wisdom is on my list, it isn’t the first thing. My immediate wishes are more along the lines of peaceful relationships, not to be cut off in rush hour, or a waterproof phone since my last one broke after getting wet at the pool. While there is nothing wrong with desiring those things, Proverbs 8:11 challenges my choices and makes me wonder: why is wisdom so much more desirable than anything else?
As we read the book of Proverbs, we learn quite quickly why wisdom is supreme: it knows that the path to life is found by keeping God at the center of all we do and following God’s commands. By doing this, we can stay on the path that is blessed by God and find peace in our relationships, patience for the shortcomings of others, and contentment with what God has given us. However, the greatest blessing is that this path leads to eternal life, and there is nothing more precious than that.
's Prayer
Merciful God, help us set our hearts on following the path of your wisdom. Guide us to experience the blessings you have for us. Amen.
Good Morning Students and Doers of the Word of God! Amen! Dwell in His Word and presence --everyday. Pray His Word in power! Be more than a hearer but a doer of His Word. Jesus is the Living Word and He lives in us and brings His Word alive! PTL! His Word cuts to the bone and marrow and does not come back void when pronounced and sent out for others to hear. Open your Bibles and meditate . Listen, receive and apply. As I'm writing this, Karen is upstairs with her open Bible--a daily practice. How often do you open and dwell in the Living Word. try it !
Just two devos to share below. Both speak about the sweetness of Scripture and allow Scripture to help you overcome. God speaks when we open our Bibles prayerfully. Try it. I'll start with the Psalm from Our Daily Bread. Meditate on that and the devos and be a doer of the Word and a powerful pray-er using Scriptures. Also wield teh Word against Satan and his attacks. Scripture is truly sweeter than honey! Amen!
Psalm 19:7-14
New Living Translation
7 The instructions of the Lord are perfect,
reviving the soul.
The decrees of the Lord are trustworthy,
making wise the simple.
8 The commandments of the Lord are right,
bringing joy to the heart.
The commands of the Lord are clear,
giving insight for living.
9 Reverence for the Lord is pure,
lasting forever.
The laws of the Lord are true;
each one is fair.
10 They are more desirable than gold,
even the finest gold.
They are sweeter than honey,
even honey dripping from the comb.
11 They are a warning to your servant,
a great reward for those who obey them.
12 How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart?
Cleanse me from these hidden faults.
13 Keep your servant from deliberate sins!
Don’t let them control me.
Then I will be free of guilt
and innocent of great sin.
14 May the words of my mouth
and the meditation of my heart
be pleasing to you,
O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.
ODB:
The Sweetness of Scripture
The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul. Psalm 19:7
On , 1959, a devotional article appeared in Our Daily Bread written by Dr. M. R. DeHaan. He wrote about how he yearned for a box of Cracker Jack candied popcorn. His intention was to relate it to the yearning for the Scriptures. But to his surprise, a few weeks later, boxes upon boxes of Cracker Jack popcorn began arriving at his office. His desire for Cracker Jack was satisfied by the loyal readers of his devotional.
Letting the practice of regular immersion in Scripture slip away is always easy. That’s why we need to yearn for something “sweeter than honey” (Psalm 19:10). The psalmist David encourages us to know that God’s words are “perfect, refreshing the soul”; they’re “trustworthy” and full of wisdom (v. 7). He explains that “the precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart” (v. 8).
Dr. DeHaan encouraged readers to make interaction with the Scriptures a habit, something they craved each day, just like sweet popcorn. It’s vital for us as well to develop a habit of meditating and reflecting on the Bible, and responding to its truths, in a regular manner. As God helps us, let’s be like David, who said, “May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight” (v. 14).
By Brent Hackett
REFLECT & PRAY
How “sweet” is the Bible to you each day? How can you share with others that the Scriptures are more precious than gold?
Dear God, thank You for Your Scriptures, for they point me to Jesus. Please help me be engaged with them each day so I’m reminded of Your truth.
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
In Psalm 19, David’s love for Scripture (revealed as law, statutes, precepts, or commands) is evident in the descriptive language he uses: it’s “more precious than gold” (v. 10); it refreshes us, makes us wise, gives insight, brings joy, warns, and brings rewards (vv. 7-11). We see a similar love for the words of God in Psalm 119:97-104. The psalmist, like David, describes the words of Scripture as “sweeter than honey” (v. 103). In them we find wisdom for living; they’re “a lamp to guide [our] feet and a light for [our] path” (v. 105 nlt ). In the New Testament, Paul says that “all Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). When we crave the sweetness of Scripture and read and meditate on its words, we too will delight in the Bible and reap its rewards.
Thank God I'm Forgiven!!! Amen! Man, God is so loving and kind to forgive us and make a way to be forgiven and considered righteous in His eyes through our relationship with Jesus. Jesus is the Way--PTL, Truth PTL, and Life PTL! I have found freedom in Christ! PTL! I am an overcomer in Christ! PTL! What are you thankful for ?
A=association--I am thankful for my association with God through Jesus
b=blessings--I am thankful for the many blessings of God including salvation and new life in Christ
c= you complete the alphabet and more in praise ! Build those gratitude lists!
Don't forget is National Back to Church . Who are inviting/bringing to come see that God is good? Many just need an invite. Ask God to lead you to one or two to invite or bring along.
Good Morning Saved, Redeemed, Made New, Forgiven friends of God! PTL!!!! Check out Our Daily Bread and Connection Blogs below about salvation and changed lives and pray for God to refine and use you and us. What an awesome and loving God we serve! And He wants to breathe the same life He breathed into us to others. Who needs to hear the Good News of Jesus and our salvation in Christ? pray into it and share it ! And invite someone to walk with you through this new life in Christ. The Upper Room teaches about Partners in Ministry. God keeps impressing on me the importance of this for us. Who are your partners? How might you join with some others? God has a plan for you and your team. Ask Him to lead you to the teammates and His plans together. And then go with joy! Check out The Word for You about laughter and joy and how it helps you, changes situations and is healthy and fun. Then try it as you go shining His light with joy and fun! Amen! Gotta fly! Shalom shalom--may you know the perfect peace and joy of your salvation and of sharing it . Go! Love and laugh like Jesus! Amen!
When a patch of irritated skin formed near my left eye, I used makeup to cover it. Temporarily this kept my problem a secret. After a while, though, the swollen red spot didn’t clear up, and I knew it needed medical attention. On the morning of the doctor’s appointment, I was tempted to apply makeup as usual, but I didn’t. I wanted the doctor to see the problem clearly and treat it so it could heal.
Have you ever tried to hide a sin problem? Maybe you’re aware that some action or thought is controlling you, but you’ve avoided praying about it or mentioning it to friends and family. Maybe you think it’s no big deal because many other people are dealing with similar issues. But it’s impossible to thrive spiritually when sin is secretly fouling up our lives. As Proverbs 28:13 says, “Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper.” Thankfully the verse continues, “but the one who confesses and renounces [sin] finds mercy” (v. 13).
It can be hard to adopt God’s view of our actions and admit that certain practices are wrong. However, His kindness eases the process of humbling ourselves. When we welcome the power of Christ’s Spirit into our struggle, we can reject the wrong that tempts us (Galatians 5:16-17, 22-24). As God guides us, change is possible, and our spiritual health is worth the effort!
By Jennifer Benson Schuldt
REFLECT & PRAY
As you consider confessing sin, why is God’s everlasting love encouraging? How might the enemy deceive you in your struggle with sin?
Dear God, please help me yield the areas of sin in my life to You.
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
Proverbs 28:13-14 focuses on the importance of confession—the good that comes to those who acknowledge their sins. This essential message is consistent with the Bible’s teaching elsewhere in the Old and New Testaments. Psalm 32 shares several words with the Proverbs passage: blessed,cover[conceal],confess. “Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord does not count against them” (Psalm 32:1-2). “I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord ’ ” (v. 5). First John 1:9 shares the encouraging sentiments of these Old Testament texts: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” Hiding our sin is unhealthy, but humbly bringing it to light through confession and turning from it leads to life.
Arthur Jackson
Connection blogs:
- Victory over Guilt
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).
The great hindrance to man’s fellowship with God is guilt. Guilt is mean and knows no end to its torture and destruction. Many suffer in hospitals from the agony of guilt. Many psychological and emotional disorders grow in a heart that has been planted with the seeds of guilt. Guilt can destroy a marriage, prompt suicide, or distort the human personality.
Guilt must be removed from our lives if we are to experience victory. There are two types of guilt: false guilt and true guilt. Quite often the man or woman of prayer struggles with false guilt. False guilt is general in nature and has Satan as its source. Satan, the accuser of the brethren, accuses us in general terms. He whispers in our ears, “You are no good. How can you pray? You are not worthy.”
The one who listens to such accusations will never become mighty in prayer. How can one repent of being “no good”? Only Jesus is worthy. Our access to God is never based on the worthiness of man; our access is based on the blood of Jesus. It is only by grace that we can approach God. Therefore, we must reject all false guilt when we pray.
Grace-filled Father, so many people I know struggle with their self-worth, or are uncertain of their salvation! Please show me how to pray for them, and then how to help them to gain victory over Satan’s lies! We are more than conquerors through Christ Jesus, but so many fall victim to bondage, or feelings of inadequacy! Your grace allows us to approach Your throne with confidence…indeed, we should live in the throne room, praying without ceasing! Thank You, Father, that the risen Christ lives IN us, and prays through us, even choosing to use us to fulfill Your plans and purposes! What better victory can there be than this?!
Praise your Father as the head over the entire family of believers (Eph. 3:14-15).
Thank God for the love he lavishes on you and others as he calls you “children of God” (1 Jn. 3:1).
Confess those times when you have felt comfortable in your own circle of Christian brothers and sisters and forgotten to reach out to others beyond your own “family.”
Commit yourself this week to gaining at least one new brother or sister in Christ.
Ask God to lead you to a person in your life who is ready to accept the gospel.
Ask God to fill all the outreach efforts of his church worldwide with his love, that Christians of all nations will “not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth” (1 Jn. 3:18).
Prayer Points taken from Patterns for Prayer by Alvin VanderGriend. This book is available at prayerleader.com. Use the code CONPSP3 at checkout to receive an additional 10% discount.
[Aaron] will speak to the people for you, and it will be as if he were your mouth and as if you were God to him. - Exodus 4:16 (NIV)
“Can you take care of the children on night?” asked a friend in my church. I was going to say no because I had no experience in children’s ministry, but then I thought, Why don’t I try? After all, this would be an opportunity to serve God. Before I agreed, I asked her if I would have a partner, and she said that I would. Praise God, the evening went well. The children enjoyed their time with my partner and me.
Later, I thought of Moses. Like me, he was not at all confident when God commanded him to bring the Israelites out of Egypt. He had no experience as a leader. But God understood Moses’ hesitation and provided a partner for him — his brother Aaron. With Aaron by his side, Moses fulfilled his command from God successfully. Finally, the Israelites escaped Egypt under Moses’ inspired leadership.
We cannot always do God’s work alone, but we don’t have to. Sometimes God gives us a partner. Scripture shows many examples: Eve for Adam (see Gen. 2-3); Deborah for Barak (see Judges 4); Silas for Paul (see Acts 15:40). God will bring us people who care for us and who will share our ministry with us.
's Prayer
Dear God, thank you for never leaving us to fend for ourselves. We thank you for people who care for us and help us in the work you have given us to do. Amen.
: Bread Ministry 10-12 (we will be helping to get around street work and could use some help)
6-7:30 pizza and ice cream party as we reconvene or. dinner gatherings for the Fall.
. Clothing Closet 9-12
is National Back to Church--who ya bringing/inviting to come and see that God is good, alive and active here?(We will be wrapping up our study of the book of James with James 5)
Good MorningPraying Servants!'s devotionals and blogs lead to this salutation and truth with some great insight and teachings about our roles in God's Good News Delivery Company and as a House of Prayer pray-er.What's God saying to you? How will you pray, prepare and follow Jesusas you are and doing what you are made to do?Talk to God about that and process with your prayer/accountability partners (you have a few of those, right? If not start praying for some and reach out and invite in.)
Startwith the Connection blog and prayer points. God has a plan He created you to be part of. PTL and seek His direction and marching orders for. The Upper Room talks about doing what you can with what you've been given and according to your lot in life. Your role could be as simple as greeting people with a wave and smile or praying for God's Kingdom to come and will to be done or asking for His help to discover and step into your part. Our Daily Bread reminds us that when we are weak, He is strong and that we need to ask for His strength and to then be willing to receive and operate from his strength. Remember He is God Almighty and you are not. We all need Him and His help. Humble yourself before him and receive just what you need and He has prepared for you. And The Word for Youreminds us to prepare well for life here on earth and in Christ. God's always up to something new and He is leading us from glory to glory, one way to the next as we grow to become more like Jesus and do more of what we are created to do in Jesus' way. You're working on those, right? We need to keep progressing and moving forward in Christ. He does have perfect plans just for you so rejoice, seek Him , humble yourself, and follow well and with your teammates too. Amen! All God expects of you is to put on Jesus' easy yoke and follow Him to become more of who you are created to be and do more of what you are created to do as you move from one way to another to the next in Christ.Seek Him and do what you can with what you've been given for.Amen!
Connection Blogs:
- The Work that Blesses
Genesis 2:15 states, “Then the LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it.”
The first thing God did the moment He created Adam was to put Him to work! Could it be true that the first focus of intimacy with God is bound up in the work God assigns us?
For too long in my own prayer life, I allowed the needs of others to dictate my prayer agenda. If I heard of someone sick or in crisis, they were who I typically interceded for. This did not follow the pattern of Scripture. Jesus taught us in the Lord’s Prayer to petition first “Your kingdom come, Your will be done.” The needle of His compass pointed toward what God wanted to advance His kingdom. Not surprisingly the majority of Jesus’ recorded prayer times relate to His next step in ministry (Lk. 3:21, 6:12-13, 9:28-31, 10:2, 22:41-43). He particularly prayed about His assignment.
This truth carried tremendous implications for organizing my prayer life. I had to make my assignment the first thing for which I interceded. You can identify your assignment in two ways. First, if God has given you a position of authority, everyone under you is your assignment. You are to be their servant in presenting them perfect in Christ (Col. 1:28). Second, you should identify what you do that blesses everyone around you. If you are a blessing, then it is actually God who is working through you to impact others. Once you identify your assignment you know more clearly the direction in which to focus your prayers, keeping in mind that God will also place a burden upon your heart to intercede for other people and situations in your path.
Father, when You breathed life into Adam, You called him to tend Your garden. Give me a clear focus as I pray for Your will to be done on earth, and lead me into my part of this kingdom work! Open my spiritual eyes wide so that I can see the people You have placed under my authority and in my path so that I might pray fervently for them. Show me how the things I do for You are blessing others so that I might pursue those things more diligently. Give me a passion to be a kingdom intercessor!
Give highest praise to God as the all-sufficient one, “El-Shaddai.”
Thank God for being the strength of your heart and your inheritance forever (Ps. 73:26).
Confess to him your reliance on material wealth or possessions to make you feel secure and satisfied.
Commit yourself to saying, “Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you” (73:25).
Ask God to help you grasp how completely his love and presence surround you in this day.
Ask God to reveal to you one person whom you should invite to worship this week or at least invite over for a meal or a cup of coffee.
Prayer Pointer
“It appears that God has so ordered life and the world that our praying is a vital part of his redemptive plan for individuals and the entire universe.” —Maxie Dunnam
Prayer Points taken from Patterns for Prayer by Alvin VanderGriend. This book is available at prayerleader.com. Use the code CONPSP3 at checkout to receive an additional 10% discount.
Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. - 1 Peter 4:10 (NIV)
My friend Dave suffers from severe Parkinson’s disease. He now needs a wheelchair, speaks in a whisper, and cannot lift his head. Although Dave has limitations, every weekday he gives what he has to hundreds of people in his community.
In the afternoon before school lets out, Dave wheels his chair down to the end of the driveway and waves to the buses filled with school children. When he feels strong enough, Dave tips his cap to the boys and girls who look forward to seeing their “driveway friend.” On most days the bus drivers slow down so the children can cheer and call out greetings like “I love you, Dave.” Dave was once a healthy man and an athlete. Even though he is now dependent on the people who once depended on him, Dave hasn’t stopped giving to others.
God doesn’t ask us to give what we don’t have, but God does expect us to give what we do have. Even when we feel cast
aside by declining health, limited finances, family estrangement, or other adversities, we still have gifts and talents God can use to minister to others. Remembering Dave’s wave, we can ask God to show us how to use what we have been given to bless others.
's Prayer
Dear God, help us to appreciate all that you have given us and to use our lives to bless others. Amen.
Her husband’s death began a period of transition for Nora. She took over his hardware business and cared for their three children on her own. “Be strong,” friends often told her. But what does that mean? she’d think. That I must deliver without fail in my responsibilities?
God gave great responsibilities to Othniel in a time of transition for the people of Israel. As discipline for the nation’s idolatry, God had given them “into the hands of Cushan-Rishathaim . . . to whom the Israelites were subject for eight years” (Judges 3:8). Under the cruel king of Mesopotamia, the Israelites “cried out to the Lord,” and “he raised up for them a deliverer” (v. 9)—Othniel, whose name means “God’s strength.”
As the first judge of Israel, Othniel had no predecessor to help him. This military leader had to guide the Israelites back to living out their covenant relationship with God and defend them from their enemies. But because “the Spirit of the Lord came on him” (v. 10), he succeeded. With God’s strength sustaining Othniel’s leadership, “the land had peace for forty years, until [he] died” (v. 11).
How can we truly “be strong”? It’s by knowing we’re not strong and by trusting God to give us His strength. His “grace is sufficient for [us], for [His] power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9). God’s strength works through us, doing things only He can do.
By Karen Huang
REFLECT & PRAY
How have you tried to “be strong”? How does Othniel’s story impact your understanding of strength?
Father God, please enable me to rely on Your strength.
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
Judges 2:10-19 describes a pattern throughout the book of Judges. When the people no longer “acknowledge[d] the Lord” or “remember[ed] the mighty things he had done for [them]” (v. 10 nlt), they descended into apostasy (abandoned their faith). So God would side with Israel’s enemies to defeat them (v. 15). Then He’d respond to the Israelites’ “groaning” (v. 18) by raising judges to save them. They were given safety while the judge was alive (v. 18), but once the judge died, the pattern would repeat itself (v. 19).
Judges 3:7-11 describes an example of this pattern. God’s anger led to the Israelites being under subjection for eight years (v. 8). When they cried out to God, He raised up Othniel to rescue them through the power of the Holy Spirit (vv. 9-10). As God gave strength to Othniel, we also can rely on His strength to do through us what He alone can do.
Good Morning Peace-Bringing Hands and Feet of God! Do you know peace and bring it into all the situations and relationships you experience. Are others thankful for your peaceful presence or glad when all that grumbling and complaining and bad news leaves them with your exit? Jesus said that he gives us peace and leads us to it. As such, peace lives in us and should come alive through us. Help me Lord! Forgive all the grumbling and negativity. Help me to speak life and bring Your peace alive always. Thanks! Amen! Check out The Word for You below about creating a peaceful atmosphere. There is so much chaos, strife and noise all around us. people need some peace and calm and we have the tools and ability to bring it, of we choose. Are you a peace bringer or chaos/strife stirrer? Talk to God about that and ask for help as you receive His peace to share it . Are you still working on Sarah's challenge about no grumbling and complaining? (I am) Help us be peace bringers like You our God of peace. Amen! Shalom shalom means perfect peace...may we know it and bring it . be still and know that he is the God who leaves us with peace. may we leave a peaceful atmosphere wherever we go . Amen
The Connection Blog and Upper Room both speak of ways to be peace bringers and Jesus' hands and feet that help, show love and compassion and fill others with His peace. Check them out and pray into them and process with some friends. What's God saying to you? What will you do about it? Be the Good News and peace bringer! Shalom shalom! (Dwell in and share perfect peace )
TWFYT
UR: Rescuing Hands
A Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. - Luke 10:33-34 (NIV)
One evening while checking on our cattle, my dad and I found an orphaned newborn calf with one of her hooves stuck in barbed wire. She was exhausted and unable to stand. We carried her through the pasture to our car, then drove her home, worried she wouldn’t survive the night.
Our family bottle-fed the calf for over a month until she could eat grain. She grew quickly and regained the ability to walk. Now she has raised calves of her own. She still remembers my father and walks up to him to lick his shoes.
Often when all hope seems lost, God reaches out to us through others to offer a rescuing hand. Recall how the good Samaritan assisted the man who was beaten half to death: first bandaging the man’s wounds, then placing him on his donkey and taking him to an inn to receive care.
Opportunities to spread the love of God to others abound. God may direct us to help others when they are struggling with illness, addiction, grief, financial hardships, or other difficult situations. Opportunities to receive help are also all around us. We never know how a life may be uplifted when we offer loving assistance.
's Prayer
Merciful God, help us to reach out to others when we witness their struggling. And may we not hesitate to reach out when we need a helping hand. Amen.
Connection:
- Being the Answer to the Prayers You Pray
It happens to all of us! We see a homeless person, come upon the scene of an accident…or hear of a family in financial need. Immediately, we may think to pray in each of these situations, "Lord, please help that person. Send someone to meet that need!" What if God wants to use you and your family to be the answer to your prayer? Are you prepared to back up your prayers with action if the Lord directs? I believe that our Father wants us to learn how to be the hands and feet of His Son to hurting or lost people.
Since Jesus lives in us we should consider as we pray what He would do to meet this need or help this person if He were physically present – because He is! He is physically present in the midst of every situation because He is incarnate – in us! Could this thought and realization change the way you respond to the prayers that you pray? Instead of thinking that you have done the right thing by praying and then moving along to the next activity of your day…do you need to take your prayer to the next level by listening to what the voice of the Spirit speaks to your heart? How many opportunities have we missed because we have not acted in response to the impulse of the Spirit urging us to make Jesus known in the midst of lives or situations?
I believe that many prayers we pray can be answered quickly and with amazing results if we become better listeners to the voice of the Holy Spirit. If we could learn to change our mindset as we pray, I believe we would be used of God in mighty ways to be His agents of transformation. Can you imagine how fulfilling and exciting your lives would be if your family would continually wait upon the Lord to see how He may want to use you to be the answer to prayers that you pray?
Gracious Lord, so often I feel like I’ve done my part if I pray for someone in need, or pray for someone who has requested it. Sometimes I’m not very good at listening to Your voice speaking into and through my prayer so that I am aware of the ways You intend to use me to be the answer. Please give me a compassionate heart to respond to the voice of Your Spirit on behalf of those for whom I am interceding. Tenderize my heart when I want my own way, or feel like I am too busy to meet the needs of others. Help me to fully grasp Your kingdom work in ways that will bring honor and glory to Your Name. I want to be Your hands and feet, Father. Here I am! Send me!
Good Morning praying friends! Please pray and keep knocking until God hears and opens the doors for us. Pray for revival (see link below). Pray we become His dynamic movement with a burning passion for Him and a missionary zeal to reach the lost. Pray for provision and connection to new people and harvest workers. Pray for protection. And just thank God that His Kingdom is coming and will is being done. Ask Him what you part is and for motivation and want to. Pray for our church leaders. Pray for our serving ministries. Thanks God for who he is and His perfect plans and just keep praising, seeking and knocking and know that He is God and His will will be done. Amen! Pray for shalom too! Amen!
: 10-12 Bread Ministry; 6-7:30 Pizza and Ice Cream Party in Fellowship Hall (ALL welcome)
. Clothing Closet 9-12
> National Back to Church (Our worship is 10-11) Invite a friend. Many are open to the invitation and in light of recent martyrdom of Charlie Kirk, many younger people are saying yes to Jesus. Many just need an invite! ( we finish up our study of James with chapter 5)
Good Morning Very Loved, Sent, Disciples and Apostles of Jesus--Followers and Doers of THE WAY! That's a truthful mouthful to pronounce over you and us and those God is sending! We are very loved (say it), sent (pronounce it), gathered to learn from Jesus and follow His Ways (declare it). We are disciples (students) and apostles (sent ones) Believe it! Be these! Do these! Proclaim them and live them! And don't forget your prayer partners and teammates to encourage, pray and go with. If you don't have any, ask God to guide you and some to join forces for Christ and to learn to do what he did, His ways. Amen!
This mornings quiet time took me deep with our devotionals (below) and the thread through them and they tie to Mike's great message from as well. Begin by dwelling in God's Love. Just be still (no works) and know He is Love and with you always! Long for Jesus' loving presence like our dogs are longing for Karen's return from her trip. Remember as the Upper Room reminds us that we are never alone. God is always with us! he promises and we know he is faithful and and His promises are true. He is Love and loves hanging with you! Amen! The Word for You reminds us to speak life (and know and believe that your words matter)! When we are weak and weary He is strong and our rest. Stop speaking curses over yourself or situation and start declaring life!
My quiet time began with thinking about how I feel like I am failing as a disciple maker and how we all need to understand and define what a disciple is and learn from Jesus how to make one. I always beat myself up and feel like I am failing God as His sent apostle and disciple maker. Part of that is that we need to be a disciple learning from Jesus and others first. How we define "disciple" determines if we are producing fruit as a disciple maker. How do you define what a disciple is? For me and the working definition we use is, "Discipleship: Becoming who Jesus would be if He were me." Are we? Are you allowing Jesus to live and love through you as He transforms you by His love? Most of us are learning to incarnate Jesus and do what we can with what we've been given to help others to know Jesus and become more like Jesus. Keep it up and let us determine to unite in apostolic teams sent to lead others to Christ and teach them to become like Him and do what he did--even greater things! We have to practice. We need others to help us. And we need to go! Then as we connect to people and them to Jesus we can baptize and teach. Please pray into this and ask for teammates, prayer partners and harvest workers. Thank God for the harvest He is sending too. Who is He leading you to and what will you do about it?
Mike reminded us to be like Elisha who asked for a double portion from Elijah and then fully committed to following God and spreading His prophecies. And he became a miracle worker. We can be too as we experience and participate in the miracle of new life in Christ! Amen! And like Joseph (and like Sarah reminded us the other week..."No complaining! Just trust God and His ways as you follow Him and wait in prayer for Him to move." God's plans will not fail and they include us. Heck, we were created to worship Him and for His purposes. He has saved and gifted us and is teaching and sending us! PTL! let our lives be a sweet aroma to God and produce the good fruit he has gathered us to produce. Amen! What will you be as God grows you? Who will be changed by there encounter of God's love through you? Pray into that and know His love and peace, wisdom and direction. Amen! I'm praying for you and can't wait to hear the ideas and stories God is leading you and us to! rejoice! This is the season God has made and we get to become all he created us to be by His grace! Amen. Let's change the world together!
Sarah Young
UR: Not Alone
Jesus said, “The Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” - John 14:26 (NIV)
My father was my first welding instructor. He taught me the basics, which became the foundation for my continued improvement. Then I went to welding school and worked with more experienced welders to learn my trade. Over the years, I gained skill and experience as I worked on more advanced welding projects. However, even as I improved, there were times when I would get stuck on a welding problem. I could always call my father, and he would give me advice on how to solve it.
Then my father passed away, and a couple of weeks after the funeral, I got stuck on another welding problem. As usual, I thought, I’ll call my father. I was halfway to the telephone before I realized that I couldn’t do that anymore. I suddenly felt very alone. I went back to the project, realizing I was now on my own and had to use my own skills to solve the problem.
I think this is how the disciples must have felt when Jesus said he had to leave them. John’s Gospel says they were “filled with grief.” They felt they would never again have a relationship with him or learn from him. However, Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit to be in relationship with us and guide us. We are not alone. We have the Spirit guiding us always.
's Prayer
Dear Father, thank you for sending the Holy Spirit to comfort us and guide us on life’s journey. Amen.
Early in the basketball season, the coach at our neighborhood middle school seemed to work hardest convincing his players to risk shooting the ball. “Shoot!” he pleaded from the sidelines. His players eagerly passed the ball. Dribbling was a favorite too. The season was half over before most of them would shed their doubts and try to shoot the ball to score. But “going for it” made all the difference. By obeying their coach, letting go of doubt, and trying—even if they often missed the target—they learned to win.
Jesus teaches us to let go of doubt to obey His call to make disciples. He explains, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:18-20).
In practical terms, this can mean stepping out of our comfort to share our story of what God has done for us. Or getting involved in the lives of our hurting neighbors, showing them Jesus’ love. Such approaches work, but only if we let go and try them.
Above all, we go in Jesus’ authority to attempt what may look hard—making disciples. But we need not fear. Jesus promised: “Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (v. 20).
By Patricia Raybon
REFLECT & PRAY
What fears and doubts do you have about making disciples? Why? How can you obey Christ’s call?
I need practice making disciples, dear Father, but please encourage me to let go of doubt and try.
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
The Gospels describe Jesus as a man who “taught as one who had authority” (Matthew 7:29) and one who “has authority on earth to forgive sins” (9:6). God has “granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those [God has] given him” (John 17:2). When Christ sent His twelve disciples out to preach, He gave them His authority to do the work (Matthew 10:1). Before He returned to the Father after His death and resurrection, Jesus entrusted to us the task of telling the world the good news. He commanded us to tell others about what He’s done for us and to disciple them (28:19-20). We can let go of doubt, for we’re not going out on our own. Christ promised, “Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (v. 20).
K.T. Sim
Sarah Update
Good evening, warriors,
Just wanted to update you on a couple of our prayer needs that were mentioned during worship:
Praises:
Eric Schware has gotten a job and begins his new Data Entry job in October. Please pray for him as he will be looking for
housing when his lease runs out in Maryland. He is thinking possibly moving closer home, perhaps the Lancaster area.
Diane Huber/Schwenk is home and receiving care by visiting nurses. This is very helpful to the family
Rosa Cruz is still in the hospital however she is doing pretty good. She is loving that she is able to share Jesus with those around her
Prayer needs:
Yvonne has been transfered into the rehab unit. She will be there for several weeks. Pray that she continues to heal and is patient with her healing
Chris (Yvonne's husband) is in the hospital dealing with issues pertaining to his diabetes and his foot. Prayers for wisdom for his medical team
Barb Schware has been having trouble with her ankle. She has a doctor appointment on . She would appreciate our prayers that this issues is
nothing serious.
Kay Behle is asking for prayer for her friend, Rodney who is dealing with Cerebral palsy. He is seeking his independence. () he has a
meeting with the folks at Good Shepherd to hopefully keep moving towards gaining more of his independence.
Lindsay - friend of Sarah and Neen's will be starting her first round of Chemotherapy, , . Please pray for this treatment to help shrink her
tumors and for His peace to surround her and her family.
The Waterman's are improving with their health and hope to be in worship . Yay God Harry no longer has COVID. Prayers for Millidine's knee pain
Lisa Wenner is challenging us all and praying for all Christians to live out Jesus' love to all, to get rid of the anger that is brewing throughout our world.
This past week was a difficult one with the reminder of the events of 9-11 and then the assignation of Charlie Kirk. Please pray for our world, and for the Kirk family.
Also pray for Tyler, the young man that was responsible for Charlie's death. There is much anger built up inside of his heart. Prayers that his youth pastor will be able
to continue to witness and share God's love with him.
Please continue to pray for our finances; for our outreach programs; for one another, for our health as we approach the cold and flu season. Pray for each other
as many of us are facing doctor/dentist appointments, uncertainty of employment, meeting the needs of our families. God will provide for each of our needs, may we
all trust and believe that He will!
Praying you all have a great week! Don't forget , of this week, is our pizza and ice cream gathering at 6:00pm in our Fellowship Hall. Invite a friend!
Blessings,
Sarah
Wagner's news
Greetings Friends,
A LOT has happened since our last update in June!! Here’s the latest news!!
AP Calculus
It’s been 16 years since Brian was first invited by the College Board to score Advanced Placement Calculus exams. He spent nearly two weeks in June first collaborating with other teachers to refine scoring standards for the free response questions and then leading his table group as they evaluated tens of thousands of individual questions over the course of seven days. Brian thoroughly enjoys the annual opportunity to network with so many teachers, always returning with fresh ideas for the Calculus courses and the math curriculum here at RVA.
During the final day of scoring exam questions, just 30 minutes from the conference center, our 2nd grandbaby was born to Rachel & Luke!!
JUDAH BENJAMIN arrived on th, making Cayden a BIG brother! What an incredible blessing that our grandson came a few days early, giving Brian three days to enjoy newborn baby snuggles before returning to Kenya! Micah & Lynnsi had already planned to be in the area at this same time, so they all enjoyed celebrating this precious new addition to our family together.
Coming HOME
During our last week of school, just two weeks after Brian returned to Kenya, Hannah & Jamie arrived back home for a visit! As our “Tribe of 9” finished the school year, we celebrated with a Mexican Fiesta, complete with a taco extravaganza, the Mexican Hat dance, and a pinata stuffed full of candy!
On the last day of school, the 6th grade class crossed the stage, receiving a Bible and certificate for successfully completing the course of study required to move on to grade 7. Our boys all finished strong, having grown both academically and spiritually throughout the year. We are SO PROUD of their perseverance through hard and challenging things; and there may have been more than a few tears shed as they moved out of our home later that day. We will miss our 6th graders as they move to another dorm and are thankful for the energy, laughter, and fun they brought to our home!
Alumni Weekend brought many former students back to campus to “walk down memory lane” with friends and staff from their years at RVA. We always enjoy watching sports games played between alumni and the current varsity teams. So much fun to cheer for Jamie as he scored a try in the rugby game and then watch both Hannah and Jamie as they played in the alumni field hockey game!
It encouraged our hearts tremendously to have long conversations with alumni we had in our dorms and classrooms years ago (some are now in their 30’s and 40’s), or those who were members of the classes we sponsored. What a joy to hear how God has been faithfully at work in their hearts and lives since they graduated from RVA. How grateful we are to have been part of their stories.
Kazakhstan & USA
After bidding farewell to the graduated Class of 2025 and spending a wonderfully relaxing time at the Kenyan coast as family, Brian was off to Kazakhstan to lead an AP Calc workshop for teachers. During the last year, he has had the privilege of teaching several online and in-person workshops, sharing best teaching practices for AP Calc which he has learned over 35 years of experience! While Brian was deep in conversation about limits, integrals, and derivatives, I was off to meet 6-week-old, Judah, and make new memories with big brother, Cayden. Before heading back to Kenya (which turned into an unexpected nearly 3-day European airport adventure!), I enjoyed a few days in PA with Micah, Lynnsi, and extended family.
MORE New Arrivals
With the start of a new school year, we welcomed many new staff, including a new school superintendent, along with 91 new students! Six of those new students are part of our dorm family this year, along with our one continuing from last year. We are excited to love, care for, and walk alongside this group of 4th through 6th grade boys!
This week we received a prayer letter from AIM’s new South America director. In the letter, he asked, “Why does God entrust us with tasks that go beyond our capacity to carry them out?” He went on to share, “The answer we’ve found is simple and profound: so that God may be exalted. The truth is, it wasn’t Moses who delivered the people from Egypt (Exodus 14:13–14), nor David who defeated the giant Goliath (1 Samuel 17:45–47), nor Esther who saved her people from death (Esther 4:14; 7:3–4). So, who accomplished all these wondrous deeds? The answer: it was God! He is the true deliverer, the invincible warrior, and the defender of His people. Moses, David, and Esther were merely fragile instruments, available in His hands, used by Him to reveal His power and fulfill His eternal purposes. And the same is true for us: if God uses us, it is by His grace and for His glory.”
Your prayers are a blessing as we step into a new school year:
Prayer Requests
New Arrivals!!
New school year – A new school year brings many new staff to our campus. PRAY for quick adjustments to life in Kenya and RVA, strength and energy to meet the responsibilities of each day, and time to rest and recharge each week as we head into a 13-week school term.
New students – SIX brand new 4th-6th grade boys in our dorm (out of 7), and 91 new students to RVA (~400 total enrollment). PRAY that each new student will feel loved, welcomed, and accepted as they transition to life at RVA.
New Superintendent – Our new superintendent, William Ripley, and his family arrived with many other new staff members in August. Relocating from Texas to the mission field is huge! PRAY that William will learn the rhythms and values of RVA as he seeks to provide vision and leadership going forward.
PRAY for our 7 dorm boys to feel secure, loved, and “at home” as we care for them this year.
PRAY for good balance as we serve students and families in a variety of roles both in and out of the dorm.
May God be exalted in all He’s asked us to do, by His grace and for His glory. Amen.
Sitting in the hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit, I visited with a mother as her newborn baby cuddled up against her chest. In this technologically advanced medical facility, the doctors had recommended a very low-tech “prescription” to improve and strengthen the child’s health—the new mom was to spend extended periods of time simply holding her daughter.
There’s almost nothing like the overwhelming love and tender compassion of a parent providing healing comfort for a child. We see this powerful imagery in the prophet Isaiah’s description of God with His people.
Even after prophesying impending exile for the nation of Israel because they’d rejected God (Isaiah 39:5-7), Isaiah emphasized to the people that God still loved them and would always provide for them. God’s tender compassion and secure care is evident in the beautiful metaphor where He is described as a shepherd who, much like a loving father, gathers His sheep “in his arms and carries them close to his heart” (40:11).
God’s presence grants us peace and protection and reminds us that He carries us close to His heart, like a newborn baby with its mother. As He “gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak” (v. 29), the Spirit’s healing comfort allows us to meet the challenges of each day.
By Lisa M. Samra
REFLECT & PRAY
What comes to mind when you think about the love of a mother for her newborn baby? How has God’s protective and loving care strengthened you?
Heavenly Father, I'm so grateful that You hold me close to Your heart.
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
Isaiah 40 signals a shift in this prophetic book. Up to this point, the prophecies have focused on the situation of the people of Judah and their looming judgment. They’ve repeatedly broken God’s covenant made with them through Moses. Now Isaiah looks far ahead, and the tone shifts dramatically. But what is this “reward” he refers to in verse 10? The context is militaristic: “the Sovereign Lord comes with power, and he rules with a mighty arm.” Hence, reward likely refers to the spoils taken in battle. And what is “his recompense” (v. 10)? It’s either the repayment God will give to His people when He restores them or the vengeance He’ll pour out on those who’ve oppressed them. Such militant language is ironic given the compassionate tone of so much of this chapter. God’s strength, appropriately displayed, enables Him to show us this great compassion and comfort as we meet the challenges of each day.
Good Morning Merciful Overcomers! Huh? Well these two greeting salutations come from two of our devotionals for that loosely thread together. What has God threaded together as you abide and use your Bibles and devos? We are hearers and doers of the Word, by His grace. His grace is sufficient. His mercy great. He is our stronghold and helper--our deliverer too! He promises to be with us always and working all things together for good. He promises to direct our steps if we humble ourselves and invite His wisdom to become ours. What an awesome God we love and serve, There are no other gods like Him! Amen!
We are blessed to be a blessing and as we bless we are blessed back. PTL! So many blessings. May we always steward them all well--time, talent and treasure, health, wisdom, spiritual gifts and all the blessings! Amen! The same goes for mercy that we are shown and sent to share. What's mercy (look it up!) "Compassionate kindness; forgiveness" that God has shown to us and expects us to share. As we do we position ourselves to be overcomers in Christ. He love like Him and he comes and helps us in our troubles and leads us on perfect paths as we humble ourselves and seek Him continually. He has great plans for you and us that we are created and gifted to do. The chief of these is to become more like Jesus and that means being a merciful overcomer! Amen
Check out The Word for You and Daily Bread below and receive His love and mercy. Load up on it and go share it . I'm praying for you! I'd love to hear your story of how God loved through you! Go! Love well. Bless and be blessed. Know joy and peace and share them! Amen!
TWFYT:
ODB:
Searching for Mercy
Then you will know that I am the Lord your God. Exodus 16:12
Her fans knew her as Nightbirde. Singer-songwriter Jane Kristen Marczewski won a following in 2021 on a popular TV talent show. In 2017, she’d been diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer. In 2018, she went into remission. She started touring, but months later the cancer returned, giving her little chance of survival. Amazingly she recovered and was declared cancer-free. But on , 2022, Nightbirde died.
During her difficult journey, she blogged, “I remind myself that I’m praying to the God who let the Israelites stay lost for decades. They begged to arrive . . . but instead He let them wander, answering prayers they didn’t pray. . . . Every morning, He sent them mercy-bread from heaven . . . . I look for the mercy-bread . . . The Israelites called it manna, which means ‘what is it?’ That’s the same question I’m asking . . . . There’s mercy here somewhere—but what is it?”
The exodus story reveals much about God’s mercy. First, His mercy was promised to the Israelites. “You will be filled with bread” (Exodus 16:12). And second, His mercy may surprise us. “They did not know what it was” (v. 15). Mercy often doesn’t look like what we think. But it’s mercy nonetheless. For the Israelites, it looked like morning manna. For Nightbirde, she wrote of the gift of a blanket from a friend, and her mother’s hands.
By John Blase
REFLECT & PRAY
How has God’s mercy surprised you? What might it mean for you to look for mercy ?
Merciful God, thank You for Your mercy. Please help me search for it.
The desert sojourn (Exodus 16:11-16) and God’s merciful provision of manna became an example or pattern of God’s intention as a royal shepherd to provide for His people (celebrated annually in the Feast of Tabernacles). The Good Shepherd in the Gospels continues to offer divine provision to believers in Jesus in their deserts (Mark 6:32-44), but only at the end of this present age will He wipe away every form of suffering and want for His faithful followers. Revelation 7 describes this future time: “He who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence. ‘Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The will not beat down on them,’ nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; ‘he will lead them to springs of living water.’ ‘And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes’ ” (vv. 15-17).
Thank God I'm Forgiven! Dwell on all the nuances of that praise and worship!
Prayer update on the Muik's...Chris was now admitted to St. Luke's Bethlehem while His wife is recovering at Lehigh Valley Cedar Crest. She will be there in aggressive rehab for the long haul. He is again having feet issues caused by his diabetes. Pleas keep lifting them. He will need assistance upon discharge as will Yvonne.
Good Morning Masterpiece! Amen! Thank God for being fearfully and wonderfully made in His image for His purposes. Thank God for activating and gifting you to accomplish those plans. PTL for teammates to grow an go with. Thank God for saving, forgiving and refining you! We are truly blessed! I think we can just stop there and worship ! Below find our devotionals for threading through these praises. He has a plan for you, Masterpiece! Guard your thoughts and check out Phil. 4:4-9 and how two devos use that verse . Don't be anxious but focus on God. Turn off the noise and worship! Then be ready to receive God's peace. He wants you to be you and to do what you are made to do His way and to know His shalom beyond understanding. Amen. Focus on these and worship, receive, trust and obey. May Love, peace, hope and joy overflow from you and light up and color the world around you! Amen! What's God nudging you to be or do or both . Trust and obey and know His peace. Amen!
TWFYT:
ODB
Guarding Thoughts in Christ
Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure . . . think about such things. Philippians 4:8
Lap after lap, Katie Ledecky was in a familiar spot during the 1500-meter freestyle race at the 2024 Paris Olympics. For some fifteen minutes, she was far ahead of the rest of the swimmers and alone with her thoughts. What was Ledecky thinking about during the long race? In an interview conducted immediately following her gold-medal-winning performance in which she set a new Olympic record, Ledecky said she was thinking about her training partners and saying their names in her head.
Distance swimmers aren’t the only ones who need to focus their minds on the right things. We as believers in Jesus also need to guard our thoughts throughout our faith journey.
The apostle Paul encouraged the Philippian church to “rejoice in the Lord,” not be “anxious about anything, but pray about everything (Philippians 4:4, 6). The result? “The peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (v. 7). Jesus, the Prince of Peace, helps put our worries and troubles in perspective.
Paul also encouraged believers: “Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things” (v. 8).
As we go about our day, let’s be aware of our thoughts. When we see God’s hand in our life, we can count our blessings and worship Him.
By Nancy Gavilanes
REFLECT & PRAY
What have you been thinking about lately? How can you honor God with your thoughts?
Dear God, may my thoughts be pleasing to You.
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
In this “joyful” letter (Philippians 1:4, 25; 2:2, 29; 4:1), Paul challenged believers in Jesus to “rejoice in the Lord always” (4:4). He explains why he’s rejoicing and encourages believers to do the same (1:18; 2:17-18; 3:1; 4:4, 10). When he first visited the Roman colony of Philippi on his second missionary journey about ten years earlier, he’d been falsely accused of disturbing the social peace of the city. Even though he’d been illegally beaten and unjustly imprisoned (Acts 16:20-24), he was a picture of calmness and peace, “praying and singing hymns to God” (v. 25). In Philippians 4, Paul says not to “worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. . . . Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise” (vv. 6, 8 nlt). As we focus our thoughts on what God’s done, we can worship Him even in the midst of trials.
K.T. Sim
UR: The Right Time
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with let your requests be made known to God. - Philippians 4:6 (NRSVUE)
The start of the spring season was very exciting for me because my yard was growing grass in places that had been bare for years. Because the grass was new, the man who maintains my yard told me I would need to wait longer to cut it. He explained that the new grass needed ample time to take root. My neighbor, who is a lawn expert, agreed. So for two weeks I watched my grass flourish; but soon it started to look more like a jungle! Every time I asked for it to be cut, I got the same reply — it’s not time.
I began to get impatient because my yard looked like a wild forest compared to the yards of my neighbors. Then God reminded me once again to be patient and trust the process. What looked wild to me was in the perfect condition for God to transform it into something beautiful — all in the right time.
I encourage us all to wait on God’s timing in the situations we face. What looks like chaos to us could be the perfect scenario for God to be God. God is aware of every challenging situation we encounter and already has a plan for resolving it. So let’s pray, be patient, and let God bring transformation.
's Prayer
Dear Father, help us to remain patient in every season and to focus on your guiding presence. Amen.
We will never forget--9/11 nor Charlie Kirk (RIP)!
Sarah Prayer Update Below
Good Morning. . Yes we will not forget and we will continue to pray for those who lost loved ones and for this nation and for God's Kingdom to come and will be done. Amen!
I never heard of Charlie Kirk, but many have including Pastor Mike who was hurt by this lose. He was martyred for His faith and for being vocal on college campuses about His love of Jesus and the better Jesus' way in life to love neighbors and reason together about faith. And the nation mourns and is reeling again. Come Comforter! Bring Your peace and justice. Amen!
engage with our devotionals below and sit at Jesus' feet a bit as we remember, lament and receive comfort and help in this time of trouble. May God bring His shalom over you and yours . Be still and know that He is God! Amen!
ODB:
Lamenting to God
See, Lord, how distressed I am! I am in torment within, and in my heart I am disturbed. Lamentations 1:20
I viewed the opening displays of the 9/11 Memorial & Museum in New York City with curiosity but kept my emotions in check. That changed when we entered the inner exhibit, which the curators have wisely closed off from children and those wanting to shield themselves from the more heartrending images. As I encountered story after story of heartbreak and loss, waves of lament rose within me.
When we witness or remember such destruction and pain, we can join the cries of those who have voiced their distress to God. This includes the words of anguish found in Lamentations, which many scholars believe the prophet Jeremiah wrote after the destruction of Jerusalem. In the tightly formed structure of this poem, he releases his sorrow and grief over the pain of God’s people: “See, Lord, how distressed I am! I am in torment within, and in my heart I am disturbed” (Lamentations 1:20). And yet he looks to God as the ultimate judge, knowing that only He can deal with the sins and destruction: “Let all their wickedness come before you” (v. 22).
This kind of honest crying out to God can help us to grapple with painful atrocities such as what happened on , 2001, or other current-day evil deeds. We look to God for help, hope, comfort, and justice.
By Amy Boucher Pye
REFLECT & PRAY
When you witness wickedness, how do you keep your heart tender before God? How might He lead you to pray for those who are hurting ?
God of truth and love, I know that Your heart breaks over the pain in the world. Please envelop me in Your grace and mercy and heal my wounds.
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
When we think of lament in the Bible, Jeremiah—known as the weeping prophet—comes to mind (see Jeremiah 9:1). However, he’s not the sole exemplar of lament in the Scriptures. Other examples are Job, David, and Jesus.
In Lamentations 1:20-22, the prophet Jeremiah expresses the rawness and weightiness of lament even in the choice of his words. It’s the consequence of something so powerful or heartbreaking—where something of value has been lost—that it prompts uncommon expression. Jeremiah exclaims, “See, Lord, how distressed I am! I am in torment within, and in my heart I am disturbed” (v. 20). The situation was such that it generated “groaning” (v. 21). Lament is the appropriate language of those who have personally come to grips with their pain and the conditions that caused it. As we grapple with pain, God invites us to express our honest, prayerful, and worshipful lament to Him.
Visit GO.ODB.org/091125 to learn how lament can help us praise God in the midst of loss.
Arthur Jackson
UR: The Great Healer
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. - Psalm 34:18 (NIV)
In 2011 as the tenth anniversary of 9/11 approached, I accepted my church’s invitation to share my testimony. My husband and I had witnessed the attack from our apartment nearby. We were evacuated and couldn’t go home for weeks following the collapse of the Twin Towers. Worst of all, a dear friend hadn’t made it out of the North Tower. I struggled with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in the aftermath. But with God’s help, the experience had redirected my life. I believed my testimony could point people to Christ.
Painful memories, mood swings, and changes in behavior can occur around each anniversary of a traumatic event. The closer we got to the anniversary, the more my anxiety overwhelmed me. I cried constantly, slept much longer than usual, and felt I was living in a dark cloud. I managed to give my testimony, but instead of rejoining the congregation for the rest of the service, I raced out the door and sobbed softly for the half-hour subway ride home.
Paul wrote about his trauma, and Christians know the suffering Christ went through on the cross for our sins. As Christians, we recognize that suffering can lead us to the power of the Resurrection. We know the great Healer cares more about our pain than even we do. In times of adversity, we can lean on the promises of Christ.
's Prayer
Dear Father, thank you for holding us close in times of suffering. Comfort us, and give us the assurance of your strength. Amen.
TWFYT:
Harvest Prayer Starters:
Prayer Points
Praise God as the one who holds out his arms to the world in welcoming love and invitation.
Thank God for having intervened in your life to bring you to a growing knowledge of his love for you.
Confess your sins of this past week, trusting in the power of Jesus’ blood to reconcile you with God.
Commit yourself to becoming more aware of God’s outreaching love toward your neighbors and friends.
Ask him to make you a minister of reconciliation (2 Cor. 5:18-21).
Pray for reconciliation among foreign missionaries and local ministries where leaders are at odds with each other. Ask God to unify them with a single-minded vision for his kingdom.
Sarah Update:
Good evening, family.....
Thank you so much for your powerful prayers over the past couple of days. Here are a couple of updates as Pastor
Don was able to visit with these folks :
Yvonne and Chris Muik - Yvonne had tripped and broke her femur.....they did surgery to repair her leg, and she is
in good spirits, some pain, but is doing good. She will be going to rehab shortly, and will be there a couple months.
Also Chris will possibly be needing some medical attention to his foot in the very near future.
Rosa Cruz who had a couple heart surgeries, is in good spirits and doing good. She is walking and moving around. It
will take a bit for rehab but she is doing well!
Diane Huber-Schwenk is possibly going to be discharged in the next day or so. She continues with her treatments and
following the advice of her medical team. Continue to pray for wisdom for the team and the family.
I spoke with Sandy Ritter who had a recent fall, is healing. Her wrist/arm is mending and doing better. She is hoping to be able
to attend worship, in person on .
I also was able to speak with Harry Waterman and he shared that while he is getting better, he still is lacking 'pep' but doing better,
and able do a few chores.
Millidine still has her cold but is getting over it. Her knee pain is the most bothersome. She has a doctor appointment next week to
see what can be done.
**
Each of these families wish to say a huge thank you for all your prayers for the past several days. They have been felt
Good Morning Connected, Content in Christ, Co-Laborers! Amen! Are you content and praising God for what He's provided? (Hint: That's everything you have!) Maybe you aren't content because you aren't very connected. Maybe you need some co-laborers to hold your feet to the fire, or, help you to realize all the blessings you have, or, to encourage you. We are one in the Spirit and one in the Lord and all we have is a gift from Him! He promises to provide all we need so if you are lacking something ask, or maybe you don't really need it? The more connected we are (pray without ceasing each day and abide in the Vine) the more content and healthy we will be. And the more ready and informed we will be about being about our Father's business and co-laboring for the Kingdom. Pray about that and process with some friends. And choose joy that flows from deep trust!
Just a couple of devo notes . I had an early huddle with Adam Roberts as we work on learning from a church planting friend of mine. Adam is planting a church in His home. Wish I could share all God revealed to us ! It would be a book and we only did one paragraph ! Before that huddle during my quiet time I began with my prayer calendar and this reminder...
God is working all things together, including, our provision, protection, situations and gifts for what??? His purposes! he is God and we are not. We love Him! But, do we trust Him? Are we moving when He says go and resting in Him when He says whoa? Sarah Young continues the train of thought with her Jesus Calling devo for . Walk in trust because God is with you and leading you to His best. Amen! And that leads to The Word for You 's reminder that we will never be enough and that's OK. In Christ we are more than enough because He is more than enough. I struggle with self-imposed high standards and expectations for myself and us. BUT GOD! He often has much different standards and expectations. What it all boils down to is be you. God made you, knows you and has plans for you just as you are and according to where you are in this life long journey to Christlikeness. Prov 3:5-6 came up . Yes stop leaning on your own understanding. Trust God and acknowledge Him in all you do and he will direct your steps to His best for you and others. Amen! Be you and live and love like Jesus just as you are is your assignment for and for all of this life. That Jesus' easy yoke and God has a yoke custom fitted for you. Put it on and His armor and follow Jesus . I'm praying for you!
It's DONUT DAY at the bread Ministry 10-12!!! Come on out for some fun, fellowship, donuts and coffee! God has plans for you when you show up!
Good Morning Long-Haul Travelers In Christ! There is a season for everything and seasons in our journey towards eternity and increasing Christlikeness. Do you know the season you are in and the plans God has for you in this season? (Check out TWFYT below). Do you ever think about how God has created you for such a time as this? There is always something for you to do no matter the season or circumstance you are going through. God custom made you for this day and the many seasons yet to face. Seek Him and allow Him to use you well and always. The UR reminds us that we are all priests of the Lord. Yes you are and He has ministry for you and everyday to discover and do. We are called to be more than hearers and good fruits awaits our faithful steps of trust and obedience. Amen! Ask God to show you the opportunities and for wisdom and boldness to step into them. Ask him to inform your prayers, open your heart and move your feet. Ask for His help to live and love more like Him just as you are in this season. And yes, we may struggle but ODB reminds us to take EVERYTHING to the Lord in prayer. When we are weak, he is strong. he helps, carries, protects, provides, leads and is with us always. Amen! He has great plans for you just as you are. he knows you and those plans and is calling you by name to come take His hand, put on Jesus' easy yoke and His armor and to walk with Him to His best for you and others . So, rejoice. Worship. trust and obey. And follow Jesus ! Amen! I'm praying for you and can't wait to hear the stories of how God has used you and of all the answered prayers! It's the year of God's favor and a day to rejoice, trust and be Christ as you go. We are in this for the long haul! persevere in faith as you go and know Jesus is with you always! Amen!
TWFYT
The UR: A Surprise Opportunity
You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. - 1 Peter 2:9 (NIV)
The printer got ahead of itself and started to print multiple pages at once — then it jammed. I took it to the technician I usually worked with, and he told me he would have to take it apart.
I went back the following day, hoping the printer was fixed because I needed to print the liturgy for ’s worship service. The technician explained that he had cleared the jam and gotten the printer running again. I was about to pay him when he said: “No need. When one receives a blessing, one should give a blessing. I read some of what you wrote as I extracted pages from the printer. I came to know about God as an adult, which was a great blessing for me; it changed my life. As I read some of your writings, I felt God was continuing to bless me.”
I was moved by this surprise from God. The technician and I had never spoken about our faith. But this encounter gave us the opportunity to speak about God and faith, give thanks for the presence of God, and recognize each other as kindred spirits. We had the assurance of knowing we are children of God.
's Prayer
Thank you, Lord, for opportunities to meet other people of faith and share in the joy of following Christ. Amen.
Anita Bailey’s heart was warmed when she got this social media message about her son Jalen: “I was a greeter at [church] and a young man with a child in his arms came up to me and put his arms around me. . . . I stared for a second, then I recognized him and said, ‘Jalen!' We embraced and chatted briefly. What a fine young man!” The greeter knew Jalen in his rebellious days when Anita and her husband, Ed, had felt powerless to save their son from the consequences of his unwise choices, which had resulted in twelve years in prison for him.
Though the Baileys felt powerless, they were not prayerless. And neither was King Jehoshaphat in 2 Chronicles 20. When harassed by a menacing coalition of enemy forces, he called a prayer meeting (vv. 1-4). “Our God, will you not judge them?” he prayed. “For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you” (v. 12).
Have you ever felt powerless or clueless in the face of circumstances that were out of your control? Why not call a prayer meeting—either alone or with others? That’s what Jesus did in the face of His coming crucifixion (Luke 22:39-44). Prayer space is the sacred place where the petitions of powerless people are offered to our almighty God in the name of Jesus.
By Arthur Jackson
REFLECT & PRAY
What’s keeping you from bringing your challenges to God in prayer? How can you partner with others in prayer for mutual support?
Almighty God of resurrection power, please help me in my powerlessness as I fix my eyes on Jesus.
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
The temple in Jerusalem is where the Israelites sought God in prayer during national crises (2 Chronicles 6:18-40). When Israel was threatened by a large enemy military coalition, Jehoshaphat assembled the nation at the temple and prayed for God’s help (20:1-12; see 6:34-35). Responding to the people’s faith, God assured them of victory: “Do not be afraid or discouraged . . . . For the battle is not yours, but God’s. . . . Stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you” (20:15, 17). Prayer is where powerless people offer petitions to an almighty God.
K.T. Sim
Connection Prayer blogs
- Prayer Born of Love
God is willing and able to use us to touch the lives of others in gracious and loving ways. Intercessory prayer will “put us in their shoes.” We will be drawn into their sorrows, and needs. We may not have the resources to bring healing, blessing, joy, and peace to them, but we know the One who does. He “is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine” (Ephesians 3:20). Through intercession we will release God’s power and grace into other’s lives. We will touch their lives in a way that non-intercessors cannot.
As we pray prayers propelled by love, we are one with Christ in His ongoing ministry of intercession. We are members of His body, and as such we share with Him in this ongoing work. Our prayers of intercession are an extension of His ongoing love-driven ministry of intercession.
When we truly love others we are committed to their ultimate good. Love means that we want them to be blessed “with every spiritual blessing in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3). We want them to have “everything [they] need for life and godliness” (2 Peter 1:3). We want them to enjoy the fruit of the Spirit and to be effective and fruitful. And knowing that God in His goodness is willing and able to grant such blessings, we willingly extend ourselves in prayer for those we love. That is intercession at its best. That is prayer born of love.
Loving Father, You have given me an incredible gift to unwrap in Your Presence! I have the ability, the privilege and the great responsibility to pray Your desires, hopes and dreams into the lives of others. As I grasp the reality of living continually in Your throne room, may the eyes of my heart be drawn to the people and situations around me that need Your touch. Help me to have great love for every man, woman and child living upon this earth , and for those yet to come!
Praise God as your mighty, protective, and loving Father.
Thank him for adopting you as his own son or daughter and for making you heir to all the promises given in Scripture (Gal. 3:26-29).
Confess those times you have forgotten who you are—a child of the Most High God.
Commit yourself to remembering each day that you have been born into God’s family and have “clothed yourself with Christ” (3:27).
Ask God to help you understand and appreciate your complete inheritance in Jesus Christ (Eph. 1:18).
Pray that the fathers you know will be able to reflect the Father’s love, compassion, and wisdom to their children, so that the entire family will grow to trust and love God.
Prayer Points taken from Patterns for Prayer by Alvin VanderGriend. This book is available at prayerleader.com. Use the code CONPSP3 at checkout to receive an additional 10% discount.
Rise and shine and give God the glory for this is the day He has made and we get to worship in it! Amen!
Good Morning Abiding, Fruit-Bearing Worshipers! Prepare your hearts to draw close, abide, receive, follow and worship . God has great plans just for you, maybe even for us, as we gather and are sent. PTL! Trust and obey . Check out the devo and blog that inspired this line of thought and just sit at God's feet and worship! Then, go live and love as you are designed as the fruit comes alive. You are God's masterpiece made for Him and His plans for you so be still, absorb from Him and allow Him to lead you to that good fruit and enjoy the journey.
Connection blog:
- Abiding
In Jesus’ last conversation with His disciples He said in John 15:5, “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.”
Abiding in Christ carries the core notion of connection and non-activity. A branch does no work except to receive from the vine the nutrients and pass them along. For Westerners one of our greatest failures as Christ followers is a lack of attentiveness to the vine. Our busy lives consume our energies, creativity, and time so there is little space to be with God. We make the mistake of equating God’s will with kingdom accomplishments rather than quiet attentiveness. Finding ways to be still allows for the Spirit to work naturally in our souls without expectation of gain. Sometimes a dry well is an invitation to simply sit quietly with God.
Father, when my well seems dry for a season, I long for Your rain to come! When my life is running on empty from the busyness of striving to serve You, slow me down and draw me near to Your heart. I want to be like Mary, sitting at Your feet…just listening to Your voice and soaking in Your words. I long to be like John, resting my head against Your chest, simply listening to Your heart beat. Send Your rain to refresh my weary spirit on days when, as Your branch, I struggle to abide in You. I don’t need any divine revelation , Lord…I just need You.
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 prayerleader.com. Use the code CONPSP3 at checkout to receive an additional 10% discount.
I’m sure about this: the one who started a good work in you will stay with you to complete the job by the day of Christ Jesus. - Philippians 1:6 (CEB)
One summer morning I noticed a lily blooming in my garden. It was such a pleasant surprise! This species of lily generally blooms during the rainy season, not during the scorching summer. But there it was, standing tall, waving in the wind.
Even though I had been unaware of it, my lily’s bloom had been developing for a long time. The plant’s cells organized to form a bud, nutrients and water nourished the plant, and the lily gradually grew a blooming flower. God had prepared the plant in advance to produce a flower, but the preparation was unseen.
Just like my lilies, life often brings beautiful, unexpected surprises that rejuvenate our soul. These events don’t happen out of the blue; they are all planned by the Lord.
Many times we wait hopefully on the Lord for our desires to be fulfilled. We may not even be aware of the preparation taking place in our lives. Who knows what is best for us better than the Lord? We might feel like our life is dull or unproductive, but as we wait upon the Lord, he prepares us for what is still to come. The next thing may unexpectedly bloom one day, just like my lily.
's Prayer
Caring God, we trust you with our needs and our desires. We lay our burdens at your feet, believing that you are preparing us for what lies ahead. Amen.
ODB:
Dependence on God
The kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Mark 10:14
“Oh, you look so serious!” I said to my ten-week-old granddaughter Leilani. She was studying my face with a knitted brow as I talked to her. “I’d be serious too,” I continued, “looking at this world. But you know what? Mama loves you, Daddy loves you, and Baba and Papa [our nicknames as grandparents] love you too. But best of all, Jesus loves you! And that means everything!”
Then it happened. Like a cloud letting the through, the furrow left her brow and her little face lit up with a smile that melted my heart. Like most grandparents, I’d like to believe she understood me, though that may be a stretch. But perhaps she caught some of the joy behind my words. The simple, innocent joy that shone on her face brought to mind Jesus’ words that we must “receive the kingdom of God like a little child” (Mark 10:15).
Jesus said those words as “people were bringing little children” to Him so He might “place his hands on them” and bless them (vv. 13, 16). But “the disciples rebuked them,” thinking Jesus too busy or important. That troubled Him (vv. 14-15).
Children are naturally humble and dependent. To receive God’s kindness to us in Christ, we too must turn from pride and admit our need for Him in everything. As we do, He exchanges this world’s hopelessness with the promise of life with God forever. And that should make us smile.
By James Banks
REFLECT & PRAY
In what ways do you need God? How can you declare your dependence on Him ?
Abba Father, please help me to humbly live in Your kindness and also share it with others.
In Mark 10:13-16, Jesus seized the moment to teach a very crucial lesson about how things function in the sphere of heavenly rule and order. “Let the little children come to me,” He said, “and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these” (v. 14). Christ’s illustration and teaching are consistent with the principle stated in the first beatitude: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:3). Bible teacher Kent Hughes offers these words: “What Jesus has in mind here is an objective state that every child who has ever lived, regardless of race, culture, or background, has experienced—helpless dependence. . . . Children of the kingdom enter it helpless, ones for whom everything must be done.” Those who are impoverished in spirit are those who are needy and know it. When we acknowledge our dependence on God, we come to Him with open hands and heart.
. Donut Day at the bread ministry 10-12 (Come and see what God might use you for!)
Sarah Update below
Good Morning Followers of the Way--Lighthouses! Amen! my prayer calendar reminded me that we are the Light of the World commanded to go shine bright so that people will see our good deeds and glorify God. What might hat look like for you ? Shine bright! Our Daily Bread reminds us that Jesus said that He is the way, the truth, and the life. He is the only way to the Father and eternity in heaven. Who needs to hear this or be reminded of this ? Ask God to direct your steps and to give you courage to share the Good news and the words needed to do so. Then share those stories with us so we can pray and praise! We've been studying James and he reminds us that our faith is shown to be effective by our good fruit. He calls us to be doers of the Word. Rosa got so excited about sharing that from my message the other week and wants to remind you that we discussed 1 Cor. 13, the love chapter, and how those good deeds and fruit flow from our love for God, each other and others. She has been spreading love and joy in the hospital and challenges us to do so wherever we are . Amen! Yes ask for help o go live and love like Jesus! He has a perfect plan for you and He will walk with you through it! PTL! Jesus is he Way and we are followers of the Way. Invite Him to come lead you and use you and then go love well!!! May God bless you and us with abundant and very good fruit as we trust and obey and follow the Way ! Amen! Be a love, peace and joy bringer! be Jesus in the flesh! Amen!
Connection blogs:
- Live at Peace with Everyone
"Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: ‘It is Mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord. On the contrary: ‘If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good" (Romans 12:17-21).
How will the unsaved most likely come into God’s kingdom – through your revenge, or by your loving acts and your prayer for them? This is an extremely important concept grasp, and to teach children, as their first response is often to hit back, think up revenge, cease friendship, etc., rather than praying, continuing to be kind, etc.
Sometimes I say unkind things to my husband that I would normally not say to him. Precious man that he is, he always responds kindly to me and is never harsh. He doesn’t try to get back at me or say something hurtful in response. What does this do in me? It drives me to God in repentance and then to my husband to apologize! How many arguments or hurtful situations in our families could be avoided by simply responding kindly instead of fighting back – submitting to God instead of to our natural human sinful flesh! It really works! I feel terrible for hurting my husband’s feelings or lashing out at him because he is kind! If he responded back to me in anger, I doubt I would feel very repentant. But because he responds in love, it brings me back into right relationship with him, and with God.
Loving Father, I know that praying for people I love, and for those who are lost, is Your way of accomplishing Your plans and purposes in their lives! Set my heart on a peaceful path when I am angered or upset…or when I have forgotten to pray for those who have not yet stepped into the light of Your glorious kingdom! Keep me from succumbing to feelings of anger, outrage or revenge. Help me to live at peace with everyone! Set my desire upon loving all people and desiring Your best for them! Keep me from being overcome by evil so that I may continually overcome evil with good.
Praise God for his love, which is with you both night and day (Ps. 42:8).
Give thanks for the songs of praise which God brings forth from you.
Confess that you sometimes don’t feel like reveling in God’s love or singing his praises.
Commit yourself to living every day in the light of that love.
Ask God to continue directing his love toward you.
Pray for believers in the federal governments of both the U.S. and Canada.
Thank God that he has placed his people in and near the seats of highest political power. Ask that they will be enabled to make a difference because they serve the Savior.
Prayer Points taken from Patterns for Prayer by Alvin VanderGriend. This book is available at prayerleader.com. Use the code CONPSP3 at checkout to receive an additional 10% discount.
When my friend Connor takes pictures on his old film camera, he doesn’t bother to find attractive lighting or airbrush blemishes or crop out anything unsightly. His photos are startlingly raw. They stand out in my social media feed next to heavily edited photos of gorgeous people and places. Though unconventional, his work is beautiful because it communicates truth about how things really are.
We all long for what’s real, but sometimes the truth isn’t attractive to us. Close to the time of His death, Jesus declared, “I am . . . the truth” (John 14:6). His disciples were wondering how they could get to the Father’s house that Jesus spoke so longingly about (vv. 2-3). They failed to see that Jesus standing in front of them was the answer. They struggled to understand that He would bring victory through His own sacrifice.
Isaiah prophesied that the coming Messiah would have no beauty or majesty, “nothing in his appearance that we should desire him” (Isaiah 53:2). Much of what Jesus said was so challenging and unexpected that it turned religious people against Him (John 11:45-48). Yet He gave an open invitation to know the truth and find real life. “If you really know me,” said Jesus, “you will know my Father as well” (John 14:7). In the midst of an airbrushed and unrealistic world, we can embrace that beautiful, raw truth !
By Karen Pimpo
REFLECT & PRAY
When and why have you sought superficial beauty instead of truth? How can you embrace Jesus’ words more and more?
Dear Jesus, I choose to follow You as the source of all truth.
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
In John 13-17, we encounter a scene best viewed with reverence and awe. These chapters contain Christ’s final instructions to His disciples before His arrest and crucifixion. Immediately after Judas had departed to betray Christ, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is glorified and God is glorified in him” (13:31). The reality of His violent death for us was the pivot point of Christ’s entire mission. At first, the disciples couldn’t accept this. The crucifixion brought the rawest truth they would absorb. Yet His death was essential to providing restoration to our heavenly Father. Jesus promised, “My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?” His words “I will come back and take you to be with me” (14:2-3) convey the culmination of that raw truth—eternal joy with our Father.
Tim Gustafson
Sarah Update:
Good evening, Everyone,
We had a good day at worship and it was great seeing everyone! I wanted to remind everyone of the praises and prayer needs that where
shared , so that we can be reminded to lift up these people and situation in our prayers throughout the week.
Praises:
Debbie Siegfried and Josie both praised God for family and for beautiful holiday weekend. Each of them got to spend quality time with their families.
All went well and a great time was had by all. Great memories. They were surrounded by His Nature and it was beautiful. Thanking God for these special
family opportunities!
Kay Behle praised God for great test results, all was benign
Mark Henninger praised God for his parents that brought him to worship at St Matthew's as a child, on up. And he continues to be a
part of this family
Kris Eichman is praising God for having less back pain after her procedure this past week. She is looking forward to having a few days at the Shore
this week.
Prayer Needs:
Harry Waterman is dealing with COVID but is now on the mend. Milidine has started with a bad cold, to date it has not been diagnosed as COVID.
Please keep them in your prayers for patience with their body and for Eric, that he remains healthy as he checks in on them,
David Mercer (financial advisor of Gary Bastan) his cancer has returned and may have to start Chemo treatments back up. He also has a turmor
on his hip that may need to be removed.
Sandy Ritter - as she continues to heal from her broken wrist. We miss you Sandy.
Rosa (Joy Lady) had to have open heart surgery this past weekend. Pastor Don was able to visit with her and she was in
good spirits. She was getting so excited talking about Jesus with Pastor Don, that the nurses came in and had to calm her down LOL
She will be having surgery again () Please keep her and her medical team in your prayers.
Pam Lesher (Friend of Neen's) is suffering from a really bad cold, cough and sore throat. Please pray for her healing.
Larry Paul headed back to the Phillipians . Praying for his safety through all the traveling. (He arrived safely and with luggage! PTL!)
Mark Haggerty (a connection of Sarah and Neen) He is dealing with 2 pinched nerves in his back, a torn muscles in his hip and a hernia.
He will be seeing his medical doctor on . Pray for healing and for his medical team as they plan
Diane Huber/Schwenk is in the hospital for testing. Please keep her and her family in your prayers as the medical team works on
finding treatment that would work.
Lindsay (Friend of Neen and Sarah) will be having a port put in surgically on . Prayers for peace
**
Just a reminder, is our Coffee, Donut and conversation day from 10 - 12pm during Bread Ministry. If you are free, why not plan
to come and join us!
Snippet from what I heard from 's message:
Humble ourselves, Obey God, and Trust Him
Be aware of the 'world' around us and do not let it influence you. Make sure you have the whole armor of God on.
Good Morning Connected to and Dependent Upon God Co-Laborers! Amen! May it be so Lord for me, these people and our gatherings. Thanks! Come! Fill us. Lead us. Inhabit our praises. Bring Your Kingdom and will alive in, through and around me and us. Thanks! May we fully rely on You as we seek You with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. Thanks! Amen!
Two things to contemplate . Start with my Scripture verse from my prayer calendar and then Sarah Young's devo. What's God saying to you as you abide and prepare for the day? What will you do about it. Choose joy as you rest in Him and receive His peace as you step into this day with joy and because He is with you always and has great plans for you . So rejoice! Prepare and then follow well . Amen! Don't be anxious! Trust and obey! he is with you and working all things together for your good. Amen!
Thank God I'm Forgiven! PTL! WORSHIP and invite God to come and inhabit your praise. He will!
Good Morning Redeemed Friend of God! He loves you so much (John 3:16)! He calls you by name and draws close as you draw close to Him. He is present and sent us presents (Jesus, Gifts, Abilities, His presence...)! Meditate on the below offerings for and rejoice as you enter this day with much and joy! Amen!
Sarah Young:
Connection:
Oh Christ, forgive my hardness of heart, and my stubborn grasp on my own concerns. Please help me to step into the plans and purposes of Your loving heart. May my prayer life be a stream that flows into Your river of love, pouring out upon my enemies, the lost, the poor, the orphaned, and the marginalized faceless people who drift across my path every day! Help me to focus upon them with Your eyes, motivated by love birthed from Your heart.
Praise God for the privilege of coming to him in worship and praise .
Give thanks with “shouts of joy and ” (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 prayerleader.com. Use the code CONPSP3 at checkout to receive an additional 10% discount.
Good Morning Loved, Called By Name, and Sent Followers of Jesus! Amen and PTL! We know these things and should thank God for them but do they inform your prayers and activated faith? Do you abide in and share the Love? Can you hear God calling you by name and when not still know He is calling you by name to love on you and not punish, to forgive and help repent, to empower and activate your actions? Do you know where, or even that, He is sending you? Are you following Jesus and His ways? Dep stuff to contemplate with God and process with your teammates ! Lord, thank You for Your Love, calling and sending of my church, my team and me! Come! Fill us and send us! Unite us on mission and your purposes. lead us in the paths of righteousness, for Your name's sake. Walk with us and make your self real to us in those dark valleys and even times of great joy! May we always draw close to You and know and experience that You are God. Come! Fill us and lead us and use us and for Your glory alone. Thanks! Show us the way and move our feet. bring courage and love alive. May we live and love like You always. Thanks! Your Kingdom come and will be done in, through and around me and us. Yes and we worship You with all our hearts and moving feet and joyful obedience. Amen!
Here are our devos for to begin your quiet time and for reloading and being informed before you take that first step of faith . Then Go! Live and Love like Jesus. He's lovingly calling you to go with Him! PTL! The questions is, will you? Grab your teammates and go. I'm praying for you to know God's shalom as you do. Amen!
UR: Through It All
Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. - John 1:3 (NIV)
When I was diagnosed with stage-four breast cancer at 27 years old, I became aware of God’s constant presence in a whole new way. God was with me during my suffering as well as my healing process and eventual remission, which I still celebrate over 20 years later. God was working through the doctors, my friends, and the other people who helped me during this major life crisis.
I used to think God was only present in the good, “holy” moments I experienced. But I discovered that God is always with me, regardless of whether I perceive God’s presence. I learned to reframe my thinking about who God is and God’s nature. Instead of thinking of God as distant, merely watching me fail as a human, I began to see God as scripture describes — everywhere and in all things.
God is always with us, and nothing can change that fact. No matter what we do or what happens in our lives, God guides and loves us through it all.
's Prayer
Dear God, thank you for being with us in sorrow and in joy. Help us to notice your presence and to trust that you are at work in our lives. Amen.
ODB:
Our Calling in Christ
Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the Lord. Ezra 7:10
Ginnie Hislop received a standing ovation as she received her master’s degree in 2024. Why? It came eighty-four years after she’d completed her coursework! In 1941, she needed only to submit her thesis. But her then boyfriend, George, was suddenly called to serve during World War II. The two quickly married and headed to his army outpost—leaving Ginnie’s nearly realized degree behind. But after a lengthy pause, she was finally able to complete what she’d started.
Ezra was a student of Scripture—one who truly had an “advanced degree” in God’s law—who’d been waiting years to return to Jerusalem from exile in Babylon. “Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the Lord, and to teaching its decrees” (Ezra 7:10). Zerubbabel and a group of Israelite exiles had been permitted to return from Babylon to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem decades earlier (2:1-2). And now Ezra, who had “the gracious hand of his God . . . on him” (7:9), was leading more exiles to Jerusalem. God would use him to reform and restore the proper worship of Him according to Scripture: “Ezra opened the book [of the Law]. All the people . . . bowed down and worshiped the Lord” (Nehemiah 8:5-6).
Ezra had to wait decades, but he completed his calling in God’s strength. In His power, let’s persist in finishing the work He has for us.
By Tom Felten
REFLECT & PRAY
What can you do to press on in your calling from God? How can you persist in His power and wisdom?
Dear God, please help me finish well what You’ve called me to do.
The book of Ezra records the two returns of Jewish exiles from Babylon. Zerubbabel, a descendant of David (Matthew 1:12), led the first return of fifty thousand in 538 bc (Ezra 1-6). Some eighty years later (458 bc), Ezra led another five thousand in the second return (chs. 7-10). Nehemiah, a contemporary of Ezra, led the third return in 444 bc. Ezra, a priest and a teacher well-versed in the law of Moses, faithfully taught the Scriptures to the people, leading them in two spiritual renewals (Ezra 9-10; Nehemiah 8-10). As God helped Ezra, He can help us persist in finishing the work He has for us.
Good Morning Team! Praying for you all and for God to grow us as united teammates--His Good News Delivery Company where we all are using our gifts to encourage each other and grow His Church. I have a busy day and need to git the road in a couple of minutes. Just wanted to remind you to pray for your teammates and for God to raise up small groups and teams in our fellowship. Acts reminds us that all the people met together and shared what they had and there were no needs. Is that us? What has God blessed you with to share? Time, Talent, Treasure? Try it! Check out the Upper Room and talk to God and find some teammates ! We are better together! May we keep striving at growing at being united in Christ and pursuing the things He has gathered and is sending us to do. Amen!
UR: Stronger Together
Live in harmony with one another . . . so that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. - Romans 15:5-6 (NRSVUE)
There are two sawmills in my state that cut and form desert mesquite trees for furniture. This distinctive wood has a vivid and striking spectrum of color, shapes, and swirls, but the mesquite is so dense that saw blades dull after a few cuts. Despite being difficult to work with, mesquite has greater structural integrity than other hardwoods because of its tight grain pattern, which makes the wood less likely to warp, crack, or split.
Several years ago a Bible drive at our church brought similar “structural integrity” to the congregation. We collected Bibles and other Christian literature to send overseas to believers hungry for the word of God. Congregants of all ages became strongly motivated with this assignment, scouring their homes for any extra Bibles and Christian resources. The project brought people together.
Unity within the body of Christ is an important message in Paul’s letters. It’s not just a matter of diverse people getting along but also sharing goals to bring glory to God. Like the mesquite’s dramatic beauty, superior strength, and tightly woven pattern, churches thrive when we live in harmony, participating together in spreading the love of Christ.
's Prayer
Dear God, bless all who organize outreach ministries. Thank you for all who work together to share the good news of your love with others. Amen.
Good Morning Followers of Our Wise and Faithful God and Followers of His Way! Amen! Pronounce that over you and us. Our vocalized words carry weight, especially when lifted as a prayer! This salutation flows from our devotionals for (below).
God created you and me for His purposes for such a time as this. In Hs wisdom He leads us to something new all the time. We are moving from "glory to glory" by His grace. And by His grace we were one way and now another and now moving to a new and improved self in Christ. Amen! Pronounce it. Believe it! Choose it! Know peace! God is in the business of transforming us into His image and empowering and growing us to fulfill our created potential. PTL! So, what's that look like for you? How about for your teammates? How has God gifted you to encourage them and grow His Church? Pray into these things and ask Him to lead you to His Way. Faith is active and will produce results as we step into it and our call. So who are you following? God or your own desires or, heaven forbid, Satan and the world? It's time to die to self, take up cross and follow Jesus as you are with an eye on who God wants you to become and the things He has planned for you. We are reminded in Ecclesiastes what matters in this life, "Love God and enjoy life." When we love God well and live out His plans for us His way we will be able to rest in Him and enjoy life! Amen! It's stopping the striving and putting on Jesus' easy yoke as we walk with Him. Doing that, leads to true joy and peace. Amen! Try it. You'll like it, follower of the Way! I'm praying for you as you engage with these devos and become more than hearers, but doers of the Word, God's way. Amen! I was reminded at the beginning of my quiet time of the greatest commandment that should inform all of our lives and choices: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength." What's that look like as you allow God to be God and lead you to His perfect plans? I can't wait to see!
I’m guessing many of you are like me and get aggravated when your computer is slow, or when fast food is less than fast. When I think I need an immediate deliverance from an unpleasant situation or circumstance, I quickly ask God for rescue and most often, I am left in the situation until it is resolved…and perhaps not the way I would have liked. I keep wanting to think that God is teaching me patience in those moments; however, I’m beginning to pay closer attention to what I already know – He wants me to change my expectations from wanting my answers to prayer to be according to my anticipated outcomes to using the mind of Christ He gave me: “‘For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?’ But we have the mind of Christ” (1 Corinthians 2:16). The mind of Jesus was always perfectly submitted to the will of the Father…it awes me to think this same mind belongs to me…if I will use it!
Patience (or long-suffering) is a fruit that doesn’t seem to ripen on my tree sometimes. When I need help, I want God to hear me quickly and deal with my situation perfectly, which would, of course, be exactly the way I think He should deal with it. Sometimes God has other answers in mind that I am incapable of understanding when standing in the moment of “need.”
Dallas Willard said, “Wanting God to be God is very different from wanting God to help me.” If I could grasp this, my praying would be very different much of the time! In my heart I know that my prayers should always be in alignment with the will of God, and that I need to lay aside my own agenda in deference to His plans and purposes. But there are just times when I need help from God and so I ask! I wish I could say that I always ask with a pure heart, expecting God to be God and then get out of the way. Often, my whiney prayer is to get my needs met according to my own human expectations. What if God has a higher and better outcome through my suffering…or by letting me experience waiting or pain or disappointment? Am I able to step aside and watch from God’s perspective as my situation plays out in the heavenlies, or am I so impatient that I miss an important lesson, or even a blessing?
James 4:3 says, “When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.” The writer of Proverbs states, “All a man’s ways seem innocent to him, but his motives are weighed by the Lord.” Ouch. When I want prayer to be about me…my need, my timing, my expectation, my way, my comfort, my desire, etc. instead of looking with anticipation for God to be all that He is in the midst of my situation, I’m asking with wrong motives. He holds my best interests in His heart. How can I ever think that my thoughts and ways are higher and better than what He intends? I wonder how often I actually screw up the perfect plans of God because I am impatient or ask selfishly.
ODB:
See What God Has Done
Suddenly a light from heaven flashed around [Saul]. He fell to the ground and heard a voice. Acts 9:3-4
Morse was the son of a Protestant minister and a struggling painter of landscapes. In the 1820s, he made a meager living as a limner—“an itinerant painter” of colonial America. But his was a life God led in another direction. Morse also had an interest in science. He learned about electromagnets, conceiving an idea that would change the world. In 1832, Samuel F. B. Morse conceived the idea of an electric telegraph and later went on to make the first working telegraph.
Probably the most dramatic biblical account of “career change” was that of Saul, who was “breathing out murderous threats” against believers in Christ (Acts 9:1). Jesus appeared to him in a great light (v. 3) saying that Saul was persecuting Him. Essentially, Saul was told to stop because he was under new orders now (v. 6). Saul did a U-turn in his life and assumed a new identity in Christ as the apostle who would eventually spread the gospel wherever he went.
Sometimes what we think is our future really isn’t. God leads us in another direction. Perhaps He needs to call us out of our sin. Or maybe it’s a change of ministry or vocation. When God redirects our lives, we do well to stop what we’re doing and follow our new orders. And as our new path opens before us, we might just echo the joy of the first dot-and-dash message of Morse’s telegraph: “What hath God wrought!”
By Kenneth Petersen
REFLECT & PRAY
How has God led your life in a different direction? What word has He given you to encourage others?
Dear God, please help me be open to Your leading as You guide my path and career in this current season.
The book of Acts contains three accounts of Saul’s conversion: 9:1-19; 22:3-16; and 26:9-18. Saul (later called Paul) made “murderous threats” (9:1) against those who “belonged to the Way” of Christ (v. 2). The second and third times we read of his conversion, Paul is giving testimony of how he turned to Christ. He admitted, “I persecuted the followers of this Way to their death” (22:4). The apostle would’ve continued in the way of opposition to Christ had not Jesus intervened (9:3-5) and led him in a different direction. At times, God will also lead us in a different direction for our good and His honor.
Tim Gustafson
UR: Divine Wisdom
In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps. - Proverbs 16:9 (NIV)
Our church community was trying to decide on a project to address the increasing environmental pollution in our area. I placed the issue before the Lord in my daily prayers until one day, I felt the Lord asking me, “Why not consider the welfare of those who are already taking care of my creation?” With the Lord’s guidance, we all agreed to conduct a medical fair for the garbage collectors of the city, a forgotten community that renders an invaluable service to our society.
One of the biggest challenges we faced was finding the necessary funds. We approached prospective donors and asked volunteers for support. With the Lord’s help, donations flowed in, and doctors and opticians volunteered their time. The city council authorities extended their full cooperation. Mobile medical testing vehicles were available to conduct health screenings. We were even able to provide attendees with a meal and with safety gear to use while working.
This project enabled us to share the love of God and to care for those who labor to keep God’s creation clean. Tasks that are too big for us to accomplish on our own become possible through the grace and guidance of the Lord Jesus Christ.
's Prayer
Dear Lord, we praise and thank you for giving us the guidance and wisdom to execute the plans you have for us. Thank you for opportunities to bear witness to your love and care. Amen.
TWFYT
Connections:
Prayer Points
Praise God for his indescribable love.
Thank God for loving you so much that he would sacrifice his own son.
Confess ways you have not been generous with your love in response.
Commit to offering even your very body as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God (Rom. 12:1).
Ask him to help you not to be conformed to the world but to be transformed by the renewing of your mind (12:2).
Pray for believers being persecuted for righteousness. Ask God to help them remember the heavenly reward, enabling all to rejoice and be glad even in the face of insults and false accusations for the sake of Christ (Mt. 5:10-12).
Prayer Points taken from Patterns for Prayer by Alvin VanderGriend. This book is available at prayerleader.com. Use the code CONPSP3 at checkout to receive an additional 10% discount.
Everyday: Everyday: Pray for us to come alive in ’25. Pray we become a dynamic movement of God led by pastors and laity who have a burning passion for God and missionary zeal to reach the lost. Thank God for this! Ask Him to come lead us!
: Prepare your hearts to worship and come enter His courts with ! Pray that we worship in Spirit and Truth and that the Holy Spirit brings God’s Word alive so that we would be more than hearers but doers of His Word. Thank God for inhabiting our praise and leading us!
: Pray that we would become a people of prayer and a House of Prayer for the Nations. Pray for our pastors and church leaders to always seek and follow God. Ask God to bring dreams and vision to us for His plans and servants.
: Thank God for the Holy Spirit in us and for His spiritual gifts sent to bless others and grow His Church. Pray we would discover and grow in our giftedness. Thank God for the Fruit of the Spirit He is bringing alive. Come Holy Spirit!
: Thank God for our servants! Pray that our Bread Clothing, Brunch, and Mid-Week Ministries would bless and connect to our neighbors. Ask God to draw many. Pray for donut day the 10th and night restart the 17th.
: Pray for our missionaries. Ask for us to become His missionary Good News Delivery Company to our neighborhoods. Pray for provision and protection and good stewardship. Ask God what your part is and for help to do it.
: Thank God for all He and is doing to grow His Kingdom through us. Thank God for leading and using us all!
: Pray for new opportunities to connect to outsiders and for them to experience the love of Jesus in us and be drawn to Him. Pray for 30 new attendees this year. Thank God for the harvest!
Good Morning Co-Laborers! This is a day to honor laborers and for a day of rest, family, friends and fun. Enjoy!
God used Sarah to give us a great reminder to choose joy. Thanks Sarah for the reminders! We were also reminded to stop grumbling and lift and praises as we refocus. We are called to speak life and joy over things, people and situations as we refocus on God and choose joy. ODB (below) discuss joy as well. Check it out and choose joy as you rest in the Lord and recharge. It's a great day to reload, refocus and rest in the Lord and His ability to work all things together for good. Yes rejoice! Don't let the devil or your own choices steal your joy. be ready for the attacks by staying grounded in God and His Living Word. And don't forget Sarah's challenge. Start ! "No complaining for two weeks. Boycott grumbling for two weeks." Help us Lord! Come in habit our praises and redirect our minds and help us to choose joy always. Amen! May we know Your shalom! No regrets! Choose joy that flows form the trust that God will redeem, restore, revive and work all things together for good. Yes rejoice! Amen! And shalom!
ODB:
Wishing for Joy
We proclaim to you the eternal life, which . . . has appeared to us. . . . We write this to make our joy complete. 1 John 1:2, 4
In her blog post “Regrets of the Dying,” Bronnie Ware outlines regrets she heard as a nurse caring for the terminally ill. Among them were “I wish I hadn’t worked so hard” and “I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.” Perhaps most intriguing: “I wish that I had let myself be happier.”
“Facing our own inevitable death is a fabulous tool for joy-filled living,” Ware writes. That’s sound advice, but what is the source of such joy? Where do we find ultimate meaning?
As a young man, John the disciple held a distorted view of life’s purpose. He and his brother asked Jesus, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory” (Mark 10:37). Their request only sparked dissension among the disciples (v. 41).
Decades later John held a drastically different view—one of love and community in Jesus. John saw Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection as foundational to everything. “We proclaim to you the eternal life,” he wrote (1 John 1:2). John told us about Jesus so that “you also may have fellowship with us” (v. 3). Then he added, “Our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. We write this to make our joy complete” (vv. 3-4).
Life can bring regrets. Jesus invites us to exchange them for the complete joy only He can give.
By Tim Gustafson
REFLECT & PRAY
What regrets do you have? What’s keeping you from letting Jesus make your joy complete?
Heavenly Father, I regret ____________. Please step into this pain in my life. I need the joy that comes from being united with You.
John wrote this letter to refute false teachers who said that Jesus wasn’t the Messiah and wasn’t a real human person (1 John 2:22; 4:1-3). The apostle testified that he’d personally heard, seen, touched, and been in fellowship with Christ, thus affirming His humanity (1:1-3). John also declared Jesus’ deity by calling Him “the Word of life” (v. 1), “the eternal life” (v. 2), and the “Son” of God (v. 3).
The same theme is seen in John’s gospel, which he wrote so that we’d “believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing [we’d] have life in his name” (John 20:31). Eternal life is the privilege and joy of knowing God and Christ (17:3; 1 John 2:25). Jesus promised that those who remained in Him would experience His joy to the fullest (John 15:11). He invites us to bring our struggles and regrets to Him and exchange them for His joy.
Come and worship! Rejoice in the Lord! This is the day He has made AND HE HAS MADE US FOR THIS DAY! WORSHIP!
Good Morning Worshipers! Hasn't God blessed us with some very beautiful days! PTL! He is the Lord of the Sabbath and the Sabbath was made for us according to Jesus. Abide. Rest. Revive. And enjoy this day! And come and worship live or on Zoom. God has a word for you and some great opportunities to be His hands and feet. Yes rejoice!
Check out our devos below. He is our Bread of Life! Allow Him to feed and sustain you. He loves you and reaches out for you even when you feel shame or that you are not worthy. None of us are worthy, yet He loves you and calls you by name to come abide and be restored and energized. Receive His love and help as you rest in Him and worship. He does have great plans custom made for custom you. Amen! Lean on Him and not your own understanding and choose joy . He is with you always. Amen! Come and worship!
UR: Bread of Life
[God] has told you, O mortal, what is good, and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice and to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God? - Micah 6:8 (NRSVUE)
I was sorting through papers and noticed a simple and delicious recipe for Irish soda bread that had been given to me by a friend. I decided to bake it for dinner. The recipe seemed easy enough: “Mix four cups of flour, one teaspoon of baking soda, a heaping teaspoon of salt, and two cups of buttermilk. Roll into a ball, place on a greased pie tin, and bake at 375 degrees for 50 minutes.” I inhaled the heady aroma as the bread baked. A thick slice of warm, buttered bread was my reward for following the recipe.
If only life were as simple as following a recipe, I mused. Then I recalled ’s scripture verse that instructs us to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with God. This basic recipe from God’s word says to fill the mixing bowl of our lives with honesty and integrity, spoon in a mixture of grace and mercy, and complete the process with an intimate but humble relationship with God. Bake the ingredients with love, and the result will be a life that is pleasing to God.
's Prayer
Dear Father, teach us to study your simple truths, to stir them into our hearts, and to share them with others. Amen.
ODB
Jesus Reaches for You
Jesus . . . reached out his hand and touched the man. Mark 1:41
Letty, a cleaner in an office building, was known for walking fast—really fast. In doing so, she could easily avoid people. Wounded by poverty and accustomed to condescension, she passed others with one hand reflexively covering part of her face. Her shame, in her words, over not being “like normal, beautiful, educated people,” was profoundly deep. When a woman at work extended her friendship, Letty began to heal.
A man with leprosy lived with a shame perhaps deeper than Letty’s. His disease rendered him revolting and ceremonially unclean by standards of the Mosaic law, separating him from mainstream society. The man’s wounds weren’t just physical; they were also lesions of the soul and spirit. With this woundedness, the leper approached Christ, begging, “If you are willing, you can make me clean” (Mark 1:40). Heal me, he was saying, but also remove my shame.
Jesus responded not with repulsion but with compassion. “I am willing,” He said, “Be clean!” as He reached out and touched the man (v. 41). Just like the friendship extended to Letty by a coworker, Jesus’ gesture was one of understanding all that the man had suffered and of acceptance despite it all.
We may walk through life hiding what we feel separates us from “normal, beautiful, educated people.” May we allow Jesus to touch and redeem these things that cause us shame. May we know that as God's children, we’re accepted and loved.
By Karen Huang
REFLECT & PRAY
What makes you feel shame? How can you entrust this to Christ’s redeeming love?
After Jesus showed compassion and healed the man with leprosy, He gave him “a strong warning: ‘See that you don’t tell this to anyone’ ” (Mark 1:43-44). He gave similar warnings in Mark 1:34; 3:12 (these commands were to evil spirits); 5:43; 7:36; 8:30; and 9:9. Why wouldn’t Christ want people to know He was the Messiah? Because it wasn’t yet time for His identity to be fully revealed. Jesus was still establishing His authority over our enemy the devil with His miracles and teaching. Christ understood how seeing these miracles might cause people to jump to the wrong conclusion about His mission and purpose. Regardless, He never sought publicity. In Mark 1, because the man spread the news of his healing despite Jesus’ warning, He chose to remain “outside [the towns] in lonely places. Yet the people still came to Him from everywhere” (v. 45). We’re always drawn to this one who lovingly removes our shame as we believe in Him.
Good Morning Worshipers! Prepare your hearts for a day of worship as you follow Jesus. Pray for Sarah and her message . Ask God for some partners in ministry and get out and shine ! Amen!
No more than that …dwell, worship and go love. Amen! I’m enjoying a Sabbath day as well as I rest in the Lord and let Him dwell in and use me. Amen! Come Lord Jesus! Prepare and use me well and may I glorify You. Amen!
Thank God I'm Forgiven! Praise God for your forgiveness and His love, mercy and grace as you begin your quiet time . Yes rejoice and celebrate God inhabiting your praise too.
Good Morning Forgiven and Redeemed of the Lord! Rejoice!
Check out the Connection Blog below about this and worship as you meditate and pray on our God who saves. Dwell in God's presence as you worship, receive and prepare for the day ahead. Ask for help to live, love like Jesus and even forgive as you have been forgiven. Check out the Upper Room. They end with this statement that had me going very deep for a bit and questioning myself with "Does my life reflect this?", "My life is an example of God's loving grace and redemptive power." Is your life a reflection of the love and mercy you have been shown? Thank God I'm forgiven! Help me to be more like You and to repent of all sin. Help me to reflect and incarnate You, Jesus! Come! Help us to choose well and what is right and glorifies you. Thank You! Help us to find accountability partners and some co-laborers to work through these things with as we seek to follow Jesus together! Unite us in Your love and mission of love. Thank You! May many be drawn to You by our loving relationship with You and each other. Thank You! Come live and love through us. May we glorify You! Amen!
Connection Blog:
- Personal Encounter with Jesus
Scripture states that our chief enemy is Satan. "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms" (Ephesians 6:12). Therefore, we should recognize that behind our flesh and blood enemies ultimately Satan is at work.
The Apostle Paul probably understood this concept more fully than any of the disciples or other believers. At one time, he persecuted the followers of Jesus, even casting his vote to have many put to death while he watched in approval. A case could certainly be made that Paul considered all believers to be his enemies and vice versa. But when God got Paul’s attention on the road to Damascus, which ultimately led to his salvation through Jesus, he grasped for the first time, the mercy of the Lord. He understood that the followers of Jesus were not his enemies, as God gave him tremendous insight about his real enemy – Satan.
Paul went from being an enemy of God to a child of God through a personal encounter with Jesus. He described the difference, from personal experience, to the Philippian church: "For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven" (Philippians 3:18-20a).
It is also important to remember that, like Paul, each of us was at one time an enemy of God: "Since we now have been justified by His blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through Him! For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to Him through the death of His Son, how much more, having been reconciled shall we be saved through His life? Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation" (Romans 5:9-11). Because we have experienced the mercy of God, should we not also extend it to others?
Merciful God, my life is whole and new since I began a relationship with Jesus, even when there are disappointments and struggles. There are so many who believe You to be their enemy, when Satan is the one who is making their lives miserable and dysfunctional. Please use me to bring Your light and mercy into the lives of those around me who are in the midst of difficult circumstances.
I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. - Romans 7:18 (NIV)
After my six-year enlistment in the US Navy, I found it extremely difficult to transition back into civilian life. Before I knew it, I was addicted to various drugs and living on the streets of Baltimore. I was completely lost and spiritually dead. During those times of self-inflicted misery, I would break laws to gain access to drugs. I was incarcerated repeatedly. But with each new incarceration, I gravitated to the Holy Bible, and the readings gave me hope. But then I would be released and before long I was using drugs again.
It wasn’t until I read Romans that things started to become clear to me. I realized that no matter how hard I tried, without prayer, faith, and Jesus, the chances of my finally breaking the cycle of addiction were minimal. I didn’t attend church as a child, but I found the Bible at the darkest times of my life.
, I am once again a homeowner. I have taken college courses and am an author. I read my Bible and seek to grow spiritually. As a way of giving back, I help others who are suffering from addiction. My life is an example of God’s loving grace and redemptive powers.
's Prayer
Thank you, Jesus, for coming to save us from sin. Help us to rely on your grace. Amen.
Good Morning Thoughtful Practitioners! I know I've see that somewhere but forget where. But doesn't that describe us? We are thoughtful. Now that word has several meanings. Thoughtful=pensive, contemplative, deep thinking. It can also mean showing kindness. Are you and our Body thoughtful? Yes! We spend time digesting and meditating deeply on God's Word. We process thoughtfully what He's saying and allow that processing to inform our prayers and actions. We are also kind and loving and thoughtful of how we treat and bless others. And those forms of thoughtfulness lead us to be practitioners who put into action what we have processed and thoughtfully planned as we stay connected to God and His plans. The Bible says He is mindful of us. He thinks about us all the time. Are we mindful of Him and practicing what we are learning? God just gave me this salutation and line of thinking. Thoughtfully process that with Him and allow the Holy Spirit help you practice what you are learning. Amen! That's how we learn to live and love more like Jesus and to follow His way(s). That's how we become His dynamic movement and begin to excel as His Good News Delivery Company. Amen! Come Lord! Teach and lead us !
The Upper Room talks about being unprepared. Check it out below. Are you trusting your own thinking and ways or Gods? Are you thoughtfully practicing what He is revealing, commanding, empowering and leading you to do. Try it ! And The Word for You reminds us to be thoughtful practitioners as we bless and encourage others and then are blessed back to be a blessing and blessed back again. What joy we find not leaning on our own understanding and instead thoughtfully encountering our living and active God and following Him to put into practice what He is teaching us. Amen! Thoughtfully consider who to bless and how and then go put those ideas into practice. How might God be using your time of thoughtfully engaging Him to prepare to go put His love into practice. Who might He be leading you to thoughtfully pray, prepare and practice with? He has some great plans for you to discover and thoughtfully process and put into practice!(and probably with some friends! Who are they?) PTL! and get to it! I'm thinking of you as I pray and listen to God. What's He saying to you? I'd love to hear! Have a blessed day blessing God and others! Amen!
UR: Unprepared
Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the Lord our God. - Psalm 20:7 (KJV)
I recently applied for a job that required a written examination. I would have one hour to answer 60 questions. However, no information was given as to the kind of questions that would be on the exam. So I did some online research, and I borrowed a book from the library. When I started the exam, though, neither the online research nor the library book had given me the information I needed. I simply had to do the best I could in the time allotted.
Life is like that, isn’t it? We wish we could study for future tests and trials; but when we are plunged into some unexpected circumstance, we find there is little we could have done to prepare. No comprehensive guide exists on how to survive after a spouse’s infidelity or how to live joyfully when suffering from depression. There are few stages of life we will go into feeling completely prepared.
So what do we do? We trust God’s love and guidance. We strengthen ourselves by reading and following God’s word, by spending time in worship and prayer. And when unexpected exams of life come, we simply do the best we can. Above all, we trust that the One who has our best interests at heart will help us navigate every test that comes our way.
's Prayer
Dear God, help us to know without doubt that all things are in your hands, even in times of severe testing. Amen.
Rita's Gathering for is cancelled. gathering is Sept. 17th with dinner in the fellowship hall at 6.
Note: We will be receiving new members at the end of Sept. If you are interested see pastor Don or Sarah.
See Sarah update below
Good Morning Persevering, Hopeful, Servants of the Lord! Amen! Ponder and pronounce that over you and our Body. We are persevering because of our hope and out of gratitude we serve with love. Yes indeed! And we continue to grow in trust as we follow Jesus and His Way and build treasures in heaven as we serve. Someday our faith will become sight and we will step into the role God has for us in eternity. Prepare now and build that treasure for future use as you trust, obey and serve the least of these. Check out Our Daily Bread below that speaks into this. The Upper Room addresses the serving part, our highest calling. It's serving the least of these and watching how God is at work and joining Him in blessing others, especially those in great need. at the Bread Ministry we have that opportunity and when we serve with clothing or pantry items. God is using us to be a blessing to many and he is being glorified and some are being drawn to Him as He loves through us. PTL! Please keep praying into these opportunities and for God to lead us to other ways to serve and connect to the least of these and those He wants to love through us. And as we do, we continue to build that treasure in heaven and prepare for eternity as we grow towards our fuller, activated and gifted potential in Christ. Amen! God has great plans for you and for us His gathered and sent Good News Delivery Co. What's the good news for one of your hurting neighbors and how might God want to love them through you ? Do it!
during our Zoom huddle we discussed the Chosen episode where Jesus talked to little James about why He has chosen to not heal James. I love the teaching found in this episode. How often have you cried out "Why God?" Or wondered why He chose to heal one person but not one you love? I think we all have felt this way at least once. And we know and will encounter many that lost faith because they never moved past their grief and hurt or chose not to walk through the dark valley focused on our Good Shepherd. How do we answer their questions and help them to refocus on our God who knows and cares and responds according to His perfect plans and timing. How do we even accept His "No" or "Not yet" and continue to focus on Him in trust and worship. There's part of it...build and use those gratitude lists for the times you are unable to praise. Start there even if you have to force yourself. Refocus through praise. In the episode Jesus respond to James that He could heal him and he would have a great story. And He said many have that story. But Jesus said that the Father trusts James with this malady, just like Paul and his thorn. How many people can God trust to endure and persevere and still love and represent Him. Are you one? It is helpful to prepare and determine ahead of time that you will always try to keep your focus on, trust and worship God no matter what. We know that someday we will be healed and that day may not be far off for many of us. So persevere and worship, trust and obey . Another way to refocus to to serve others as best you can with what you've been given. God doesn't waste anything we have to endure and will use us to help others through those same valleys. Paul and James remind us to rejoice always and keep serving. I'm always amazed how gratitude and serving others changes my attitude. Try it next time or maybe this time. God is for you and with you and He is working all things together for good, trust Him. He trusts you! And worship as you walk with Him . I'm praying for you and for God to lead you to one this week to bless. I'd love to hear how He responds your trusting, obedient, persevering hearts! May He bring you His shalom and help . And may you chose Him in trust and . Amen!
ODB:
A Beautiful Ending
I saw the Holy City . . . coming down out of heaven from God. Revelation 21:2
On a warm evening, I met up with friends in a downtown area. We were excited to eat at a restaurant that offered live jazz music outside, but when we arrived, the patio was full. Disappointed, we left and had to walk several blocks to find another place to eat.
On earth, disappointments come in all sizes, both big and small. Beloved pets pass away. Careers fizzle. Health problems occur. We lose relationships with loved ones. In our setbacks, we have God’s comfort, but our life stories don’t always contain the blissful endings we long for. Believers in Jesus, however, have the hope of a joyful eternity.
The book of Revelation records God giving John a breathtaking vision. John saw “the Holy City, the new Jerusalem” (21:2). “Prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband” (v. 2), it radiated God’s glory. God would inhabit the place along with all His people. In His city there would be no crime, no darkness, and no fear (vv. 25-27). Light, peace, and goodwill would abound.
On the night I met my friends for dinner, we ended up walking back past the first restaurant. White lights lit the sidewalk, and we stopped to listen to the music as we ate ice cream. I savored the moment, but we know that no earthly joy can compare with the ultimate ending believers will enjoy forever.
By Jennifer Benson Schuldt
REFLECT & PRAY
What are you most looking forward to in the next life? How does the promise of a joyful future encourage you?
Dear God, please help me see my pain in light of eternity, knowing You have a better future prepared for me.
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
God gave the apostle John a glimpse of “what must soon take place” (Revelation 1:1) when Jesus returns to rule the world as king and usher in eternity (vv. 1-3). Satan and the unbelieving, sinful world will be judged and punished for their evil and wickedness (chs. 4-20). John saw “a new heaven and a new earth” (21:1). Eight hundred years earlier, Isaiah had prophesied that God would create “new heavens and a new earth” (Isaiah 65:17; see 66:22). Scholars say both Isaiah and John are describing heaven or “paradise” (Luke 23:43; 2 Corinthians 12:4; Revelation 2:7), “God’s dwelling place” where God will live with His people forever (Revelation 21:3). Jesus affectionately called heaven “my Father’s house” (John 14:2). “Only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life” (Revelation 21:27) will be allowed to experience the fullness of joy in God’s home.
K.T. Sim
UR: Highest Calling
The King will reply, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” - Matthew 25:40 (NIV)
Tucked away on a peaceful street, our church stands far from the places where the rich and powerful dwell. But we have a wonderful opportunity being close to those who suffer most — people without houses, with addictions, in prison, grieving. Every day, we encounter these children of God who are often overlooked. When we serve them, we serve Christ himself.
The noise of daily life can lead us to focus only on our own needs and comfort. But Jesus urges us to look beyond ourselves and our worries. He invites us to see where people most need hope and healing. He is waiting for us there — in the widow’s tears, in the father’s trembling hands, in the child’s hungry cry. Serving the poor and wounded is our highest calling as Christians; it is how we express Christ’s love.
Our church may not impress the world with our money or status. But we can offer something priceless: God’s presence through our simple acts of service. As we feed the hungry and visit the lonely, we shine Christ’s light. The world may not see it, but loving those whom Jesus named “the least of these” is the core of our calling.
's Prayer
Loving God, open our eyes to see you in the faces of those who are forgotten and hurting. Lead us each day to live out Christ’s love through simple acts of compassion. Amen.
Sarah update:
Hi warriors....
Hey.....so what are you thankful for? When was the last time that you told God what you were thankful for?
I heard a preacher share this in a sermon of his, and it got me thinking......he said, " What would it be like if you
woke up in the morning and the thing or things you have left are what you thanked God for ?"
I think so often we get busy and focused on a whole bunch of stuff in our lives, that we forget to pause for a second
right when something happens and say, "Hey Thanks Lord, for answering that prayer" or "thanks God for helping me
find my keys" or "Lord, thank you for (so and so) for sending me an encouraging text, or helping me carry the groceries
in" There is so much to be thankful for that God meets our needs and supplies in time.....let's make a more conscience
effort in saying THANK YOU!!!
God has been answering prayers, hearing our prayers and He is on the move!
Couple of folks that are in need our prayers:
Millidine Waterman is having knee pain. Her doctor appointment isn't for a couple of weeks. Please pray that there is a cancellation
that she is able to get in and see the Doc sooner. Also keep her in your prayers - praying for perseverance and safety when walking.
Caleb got his staples our on . Prayers for complete healing
Brian - Debbie S brother in law had his surgery . The Surgeon feels all went well. He will have a long period of healing.....please pray that he
heals well and no infection.
Continue to prayer for our students and teachers. Praying that God will lead them to friends that know Jesus and can encourage one another.
Continue to prayer for one another. We are starting to head into the cold and flu season. Prayers for good health throughout the season.
Prayers for some of our church family members facing Doctor, dentist, surgeries, cancer treatments, in the near future.
Just a reminder - Rita's ice gathering scheduled for , has been cancelled.
Praying you all have a great, thankful rest of your week!
Good Morning Sheep! Baaa. I just wanna be a sheep. Ba ba ba ba. Amen! A sheep in the care of the Good Shepherd as part of His flock. and doing the sheep things He has for me . Baaa. Amen!
Too often I am that wandering sheep He needs to leave the 99 for. I'm off doing my own thing, my own way and oblivious that I have wandered from Him and His care and leadership. Ever happen to you? Has the Good Shepherd ever come searching for you like He has for me. He restores my soul and leads back to His path for His name's sake. Amen. maybe that happens more often then we'd like to admit.
We can forget that the Lord is our Shepherd and He supplies all we need. He makes our cups to run over with living water that refreshes the soul. He leads us to lush green pasture for nourishment. He walks with us always, even through the darkest valleys. His goodness and mercy will follow us all our days and we will step into eternity with him someday. PTL and Amen!
Spend some time with our Shepherd praising and praying through the 23rd Psalm. He is our Good Shepherd and He knows what's best for us each day. be still and know and allow Him to shepherd you. I'm praying for you and all of us in His flock. Amen! and Peace!
Good Morning Happy Ones! Are you happy? Are you able to choose joy in the hard times? We get to choose our attitudes. We are not manipulated robots and we are not left on our own when hard times come. Choose joy always is a command. And so choose joy and be happy. Enjoy life as you trust God to lead you and help you. Can you whistle while you work? Or while you rest? Start with whistling or singing, "I've got the joy, joy, joy, joy..." where? Down in my heart. Sometimes we just need a heart adjustment or refocusing? Sometime we need God or others to lead us out of our funk and to redirect to Him and joy. Where's your focus ? I'm choosing joy and going out to enjoy this great day in the Lord! Maybe whistle could be changed to worship while you work...do, da, do! Chose joy! Worship. And enjoy this day. God made it just for you and us and He has a perfect plan for this day! Amen! Rejoice and be glad in this day and keep your focus upon our good, good Father!
Then share your joy with some others. Joy can be contagious. And often, we have to choose joy despite hardships and circumstances. But PTL because we get to choose our attitude . My focus is on God and I am able to choose joy because I trust Him and know that He is working all things together for good--even if I have to endure some things. So rejoice and choose well as you trust God and keep focused on Him.
So, besides me, who needs and attitude adjustment? Don't make God get your attention. Turn off the noise. Focus on Him and choose joy . Yes rejoice! Then share how God blessed you by this. Someone needs to hear about your trust and ability to choose joy always. pray for someone to encourage and share the goodness of God through your story of His faithfulness always. I'm praying for you!
Happy , Happy Ones! Joy comes in the morning and it's morning! Share your hope and joy ! Amen and shalom!
Connection:
- Quality of Life
There is much talk about the quality of life in various nations. The communists said that the West had a poor quality of life because of high crime, drug abuse, and the breakdown of the family. The West said that the quality of life in a communist country was poor because of the lack of consumer goods, religious and intellectual repressions, and alcohol abuse. But my experience has found miserable people in both communist and capitalist countries.
Quality of life is not derived from circumstances, cultures, or political ideologies. Quality of life is found in the kingdom of God. Romans 14:17 states, “For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” Quality of life can be found in the inner man. God will not only provide us with daily bread for our basic human needs, but He will become the Bread of Life to our souls. The greatest need of our lives is God himself. He will feed us with manna from His kingdom— righteousness, peace, and joy.
Bread of Life, so often I judge the quality of my life by the quality of my possessions or the peace in my surroundings. You have provided me with everything I could ever want through my relationship with You! You are shaping my heart day by day as I learn how to enjoy simply being in Your Presence. May the circumstances of my life never interfere with the recognition that You will always provide for my needs, fill me with peace in times of struggle, and give me wisdom when I don’t know what to do. Thank You, Abba!
--Adapted from The Prayer Factor by Sammy Tippit.
Prayer Points
Praise God that he sweeps away your offenses like the morning mist (Isa. 44:22).
Give thanks that God is not unjust and will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you help others (Heb. 6:10).
Confess to him those secret things you do which you know are wrong but just haven’t been able to confess (Ps. 44:21).
Commit yourself to building others up with encouragement and ridding yourself of bitterness and anger, forgiving others as God in Christ forgives you (Eph. 4:29-32).
Ask God to help you be an imitator of him, living a life of love (Eph. 5:1).
Pray that God will give you his strength to “right some wrong” that you have committed against a family member or friend.
Prayer Points taken from Patterns for Prayer by Alvin VanderGriend. This book is available at prayerleader.com. Use the code CONPSP3 at checkout to receive an additional 10% discount.
It is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure. - Philippians 2:13 (NRSVUE)
I found myself in a hospital bed, recovering from a stroke and thinking, If I can just get through this. Thankfully, I had no paralysis or changes in my speech, but I did lose some peripheral vision. After eight days, I was able to go home. But there were many changes. I was bumping into things and had to teach myself how to maneuver all over again. But I got through it.
When we experience challenges, often we immediately think, I just have to get through this. We always want the trial to end and a good, carefree life to resume. But as I reflect on the trials of my life, I notice that the toughest times are typically when I can focus on God the best. I think of life’s hardships as construction zones in which we can rely on God in greater ways than we ever have before. My stroke affected me physically, but it also helped me spiritually. I have learned to thank God in all circumstances.
God is always with us, and what a joy it is to experience God’s peace in the trials we face! We need not fear the construction zones of life because they are opportunities for our faith to grow firm in the One who created us.
's Prayer
Dear God, thank you for being at work in our lives. Help us to trust that it is for our good and your glory. Amen.
ODB:
Being a Blessing
Always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else. 1 Thessalonians 5:15
During a heated game between two long-standing local high school soccer rivals, the Eagles and the Pioneers, the Eagles kicked the ball into the goal. The ball went into the net but exited the back of the net through a hole. The referee didn’t see the ball enter the goal, and seeing the ball outside the net ruled it was not a score. The Pioneers’ coach saw the goal and voluntarily confirmed the Eagles coach’s claim, even though he could have remained silent. The referee counted the goal. The Pioneers lost the game 3–2.
While it’s easy to speak up when it’s for our benefit, the Bible encourages believers in Jesus to “always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else” (1 Thessalonians 5:15). Going beyond our normal inclination to do good for our friends, the difficult aspect of this command is working to do good for even our rivals without benefiting from our actions or “expecting to get anything back” in return (Luke 6:35).
Doing good for a rival or competitor may mean speaking up for a coworker’s effort to complete a sale even if that means she might get the bigger bonus. Doing good might mean raking a neighbor’s leaves even if he’s unlikely to say thank you.
As we actively make an effort to do good toward others, we demonstrate that God’s love extends to everyone.
By Lisa M. Samra
REFLECT & PRAY
When have you helped the opposing team even when it meant a loss for you? How does this display God’s love?
Dear Jesus, please help me to strive to do good for others through the power of the Holy Spirit, even when it’s difficult.
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
In his final exhortation to the Thessalonian believers in Jesus (1 Thessalonians 5:12-28), Paul isn’t just giving unrelated, random instructions but is still instructing believers “how to live in order to please God” (4:1). They’re to “encourage one another and build each other up” (5:11), admonish the troublemakers, comfort the disheartened, strengthen the weak, and be patient with everyone (v. 14). Believers are to be radically different from non-believers when responding to those who’ve wronged or hurt them. Instead of pursuing retribution, believers are to “always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else” (v. 15). The church is a forgiven community, and a forgiven person is a forgiving person. Elsewhere, Paul writes, “As we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers” (Galatians 6:10). Doing what’s good for each person and the community is pleasing to God.
Good Morning Faithful, Loving Worshipers! Amen! Prepare your hearts to worship in Spirit and Truth. And let all we think, say and do be an act of worship always! Amen! Help us Lord!
There is much I thought God wanted me to share . However I am running late for church and I think He just said, "Be still and know I got this"! Amen to that. So dig in yourself and connect to the God of the Sabbath. What's He saying to you and how might He want you to reveal your faithful, loving worship ? Rejoice. Receive. Pray. And follow. Amen! Remember faith drives out fear. Ask for more faith and remember you are gifted to serve according to your faith. God is everywhere. Look for Him and join Him as you go and as you are. He loves you. He calls you by name and invites you to His best as He works all things together for good. So, rejoice, Be still, seek and follow . Gal. 5:6 says, 'faith works by love." Amen. 1 Cor. 13, the love chapter kept coming up . Read it. pray through it and then read it out loud with your name substituted every time you see love (Donald is faithful. Donald is kind...) then live it! it is the better way--LOVE. God is Love and Love lives in you with plans to love through you! Amen. So how are you responding to that, Faithful, Loving, Worshiper? Go live and love like Jesus as you act of worship . Amen!
Connection Blog:
- Faithful in the Small Things
It is important to spend time being quiet before the Lord. If we are doing all of the talking, we won’t be able to hear Him speak. "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth" (Psalm 46:10). I wonder how many instructions and promptings we miss because we don’t take the time to learn to distinguish the voice of the Shepherd! "My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me" (John 10:27).
When you sense that you have a word from the Lord and it agrees with the Bible, act upon it. God is not going to give us more than we can handle, and He will likely start us out slowly. As you are faithful in the small things, He will trust you with bigger issues. Maybe He will impress upon your heart to write a note to someone, or to make an encouraging phone call. If you didn’t actually hear directly from the Lord, you are still doing something that is like the character of Jesus living within you.
Lord Jesus, sometimes I long to do the big splashy deeds that make You known widely. But then, You quietly remind me that the smallest touch, a quiet encouragement, or act of mercy is living out faithful obedience within Your kingdom! Help me to be a servant that doesn’t need to live my life to be seen by men. Give me a listening heart to obey even the smallest task You choose to give me.
This is the day the Lord has made! Let us rejoice and be glad in it! Yes Rejoice!
Good Morning Fixated Worshippers! Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus is from the Hebrews passage found in Our Daily Bread devotional for . This is all that I am sharing , yet it is overwhelming to contemplate and meditate upon. ODB is below. But I am going to share Hebrews 12:1-3 below too. Really read and ask God to bring it alive to you. What's He revealing, saying and leading to in response? What will you do about it? Who will you process with? I'm praying for you to fix your heart on Jesus , die to self, take up cross and follow Him to His good plans for you. And those should lead to more rejoicing and worship! Amen! As I meditated on the passage and devo, Proverbs 3:5-6 came to mind ( don't lean on your own thinking...)and the reminder for the Holy Spirit that God is Jireh...enough, provider and provision. Amen! What did you hear or feel?
Hebrew 12:1-3, 12 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. 2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. 3 Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up.
ODB
Eyes Fixed on Christ!
Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus. Hebrews 12:1-2
Teaching his son to ride a bicycle, Andrew discovered, was frustrating. The five-year-old kept swerving to one side and falling. Realizing that this happened because his son kept looking to one side, Andrew had an idea. “See that pole?” he asked his son. “Just keep your eyes on it and pedal.” His son did just that, and this time he kept going and going!
The incident was a lesson for Andrew himself. Recounting what happened to his small group later, he concluded, "Whatever we fix our eyes on is where we’re headed." No wonder Hebrews 12:2 calls on us to keep “fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.”
Life’s responsibilities and routines can draw our attention away from our spiritual walk, as can sinful habits and obsessions that entangle us (v. 1). But if we keep our eyes on Jesus and ask Him to help us put Him first in our thoughts, decisions, and actions, He’ll guide us in everything we do and say, enabling us to stay close to Him in the race on earth. This can be challenging, but God desires to help us fulfill the roles He’s given us. He will give us strength to endure and overcome anything that opposes our walk so we won’t “grow weary and lose heart” (v. 3).
By Leslie Koh
REFLECT & PRAY
What’s the first thing you think or do when you have to make a decision or respond to a situation? How can you let your words, actions, and thoughts be guided by Jesus?
Dear Jesus, please help me to keep my eyes fixed on You as I go about life. Please also teach me to turn to You first, for You’re all I need.
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
The writer of the book of Hebrews encourages his readers by pointing to a gallery of “faith-filled” believers in the Old Testament (see Hebrews 11) and refers to them collectively as “a great cloud of witnesses” (12:1). Verse 2, however, urges the readers to fix their gaze on the premier example of faith—Jesus. He’s described as “the pioneer and perfecter of faith.” The term is pioneer (archēgos)—or author in some versions. One commentator defines it as a “chief leader—one that takes the lead in anything and thus affords an example.” Archēgos is used only four times in the New Testament: (Acts 3:15; 5:31 [Prince]; Hebrews 2:10; 12:2). The word translated “perfecter” (teleiōtēs) is used only in Hebrews 12:2. According to Thayer’s Greek Lexicon, Christ is the “one who has in his own person raised faith to its perfection and so set before us the highest example of faith.” By staying focused on Him, we have the perfect example to imitate.
Good Morning Confident Doers! Hmmm...is that you? Pronounce it out loud over you and our church! Say it with me, "I am a confident doer in Christ! Amen!" Now believe it and receive it and be it! I'm praying for you and us!
As I meditated on our devotionals and pondered and prayed for what God wanted me to share , the prayer for the Holy Spirit to "help my unbelief" kept coming to mind and showing up. We believe but often lack the faith or expectation to see God move or to use us. "I believe. Help my unbelief" is a prayer I often lift. I think about how often Jesus said, O you of little faith." Ouch! Right? But I do believe Lord! Help me to pray and watch expectantly for You to move, lead, heal, deliver, save and all sorts of things I am praying expectantly to happen. Grant me a deeper confidence AND TRUST THAT ALLOWS YOU TO WORK IN POWER AND ANSWER MY/OUR PRAYERS. THANK YOU. AMEN. Check out the Connection Blog and Prayer Starters and bein there . Ask for the faith to do the same things and even greater than Jesus and for the expectation and trust that he will answer because He will according to His will and timing. AMEN!
I'm also praying you discover and learn how God wants to use your spiritual gifts according tp the faith He has given you for such a time as this. he does have great plans for you, hear and respond to your prayers, and continues to mold you towards your fuller potential in Christ. yes praise, rejoice, believe and follow well doer! Remember God may ask you to be the answer to your prayers as He sends you to be His hands and feet and to live and love like Jesus! Yes Lord Come! Send me! Use me well for Your glory! Grow my faith and trust. Show me how to do the greater things with faith and confidence in You and Your abilities in and through me. Thanks!! Amen!
Connections:
- Anyone Who Has Faith
“I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father” (John 14:12).
If you are one of the anyone-who-has-faith-in-me persons of whom Jesus spoke, then you need to be on the lookout for places where Christ wants and needs to work. Is there a child who needs to be spiritually formed, a friend who needs encouragement, or a neighbor who needs Christ? If you pray, Christ will work! Are there spiritual leaders who need to be uplifted, fellow believers who need empowerment, or a church that needs to be revived? If you pray, Christ will work! Do you know of an anxious person who needs peace, a lonely person who needs befriending, a stranger who needs to be invited in, or a hungry person who needs to be fed? If you intercede, Christ will work; He will work in you and through you. You will be doing the kinds of things that Christ did. You will be doing them in His power. You will be co-laboring with God. With this promise Christ is placing the powers of heaven at your disposal. What a huge and important responsibility! What an awesome privilege!
Gracious Holy Spirit, I repent of my selfishness that keeps me from exercising the gifts You have given to me for the sake of others. There are those who could use encouragement and uplifting…and others who are struggling and need to be helped through a difficult time. Yet, I keep a safe distance – at arm’s length, because I might get sucked in to more than I think I can handle. Some people and much of life are messy and complicated, yet Jesus would step into the midst of the mess and reach out His hand to heal. May the heart of Christ be evident in me as I listen for Your kingdom instructions. Help me to lean into the mess, unafraid to be the hands and feet of the One who extended His hand to me!
Praise God for his teaching on the tongue (Jas. 3:9).
Give thanks that he promises protection from the lash of the tongue (Job 5:21) and healing from the tongue of the wise (Prov. 12:18).
Confess those times your lips have spoken lies and your tongue muttered wicked things (Isa. 59:3).
Commit yourself to God, who gives you the words that will sustain the weary (Isa. 50:4).
Ask God to help you love not just with words or tongue but with actions and in truth (1 Jn. 3:18).
Pray that the testimony of your lips overflowing in praise and your tongue singing God’s Word will be evident to non-Christians and point them to Christ (Ps. 119:171-172).
Prayer Points taken from Patterns for Prayer by Alvin VanderGriend. This book is available at prayerleader.com. Use the code CONPSP3 at checkout to receive an additional 10% discount.
Lisa and Freddie McMillan own a unique restaurant in Brewton, Alabama. They offer a full hot meal to all who stand in line—at no charge. This couple has invested from their own savings to make a difference for senior citizens who often go without meals and rarely enjoy a restaurant experience. A donation box receives contributions. Lisa says, “Sometimes we find nothing there. Sometimes a thank-you note. Sometimes $1,000. Always, we have everything we need. Our goal is to feed the need, restore dignity, and develop community.”
Caring for the needy can seem a daunting task—unless we depend on God! The Gospels include records of Jesus feeding thousands by inviting His disciples to participate: “You give them something to eat” (Matthew 14:16). In the book of Acts, we learn that in the early church, believers “shared everything they had” and “there were no needy persons among them” (4:32, 34). Many of them sold property and gave the proceeds to the apostles, who “distributed to anyone who had need” (vv. 34-35). Understanding that their possessions ultimately belonged to God, they voluntarily invested in the lives of others from what they owned.
God provides. Sometimes by His own hand and sometimes through the hands of His people. He feeds our need so that we can feed the need of others.
By Elisa Morgan
REFLECT & PRAY
How has God provided for you? How can you join God in providing for those around you?
Dear God, I’m so grateful for Your abundant provision in my life! Please help me to give to others from what You’ve given to me.
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
Twice Luke mentions the willingness of believers in Jesus to sell property and share possessions (Acts 2:41–47; 4:32–35). The Holy Spirit had come to Jerusalem as the city swelled with visitors for the Jewish feast of Pentecost. Overwhelmed by the apostles’ assurance that God was willing to forgive them, those who stepped forward to believe in Christ saw one another’s needs and felt one another’s pain. It was then, after again mentioning their mutual care, that Luke describes a husband and wife who tried to leave a false impression of generosity. Ananias and Sapphira were caught lying about the details of their gift, and suddenly both died (5:1–10). The generosity Luke emphasized was the result of those whose hearts had been changed by the Spirit of Jesus.
Good Morning Co-Laborers! Amen! May it be so Lord! Co-laboring for Your glory as we step into our created purposes and Your gifts. bring the supernatural alive as you empower us through the gifts You have given. lead us to be Your vessels as You shape us for our created purposes. Thanks Lord! Come! Bring revival alive and may it begin in me and Your Church. Amen!
That could be enough to pray through and meditate upon. What's God saying to you ? What will you do about it? Who will you process with? Are you an upfront or alongside equipper and disciple maker? God made you a certain way for His purposes for such a time as this and He gifted you to grow into those purposes. Worship, pray, prepare and go live and love like Jesus . It's a beautiful day (and week ahead) to get out and share His love and enjoy life! Check out the I to We devo below. Think about what God has for you and pray into it. And think about and pray through the Upper Room. Pay attention! God is always at work and at work all around you and in you. how will you respond ? Ask Him to reveal Himself as you go and to lead you to join Him and for courage to do so. Amen! He does have great plans for you and is a great day to be a doer of His Word and to go with some others to incarnate Jesus and His way to the world around you. Try i and share what happens! I'm anxious to hear how God has been using you and the plans He is clarifying for you and us. And then just worship as you trust and obey! Amen! And shalom shalom! Perfect peace to you!
I to We
UR: Paying Attention
Those who give to the poor will lack nothing, but those who close their eyes to them receive many curses. - Proverbs 28:27 (NIV)
My husband and I pulled into a rest area to eat lunch on our way home from a trip. An older woman near the restrooms, holding a cardboard sign saying, “Please help. Need gas money.” She stared at the ground, shoulders slumped forward. People passed her on their way to the restrooms, but nobody even glanced at her. It was like she was invisible.
She was limping toward her car when I handed her some cash with a quick, “God bless you.” I started to turn away when she said, “Would you pray for me?” I stopped and looked into her eyes. “Please pray that I can find a job,” she said. I promised that I would and then impulsively added, “Would you like me to pray right now?” I had never done anything like that before, and I’m not sure what made me say it, but the woman nodded. I asked God to help her to find a job and the assistance she needed. It felt awkward, but afterward the woman smiled and thanked me. “I know God will take care of me,” she said. As I walked away, I marveled at her faith. Would I still trust God if I had to beg for money? I vowed to remember this encounter and pay attention to each person I meet.
's Prayer
Dear God, open our eyes to see those around us and to offer help as you lead us. Amen.
Good Morning Gifted Intercessors and Servants--Doers of the Word! Do you pray and intercede for friends, family, your church and nation? That is being a doer by serving as an intercessing pray-er. In James that we have been studying we came across the teACHING ABOUT SHOWING OUR FAITH BY OUR ACTIONS. ACTIVE FAITH IS WHAT PEOPLE SEE. Prayer is foundational and essential for anything of value to transpire in the Kingdom and our lives. We are all called to pray, even fast and pray, but some of us are gifted to pray and intercede. We all have gifted and empowered roles in God's Good News Delivery co. Do you know your role? Do you know and use your gifts that are supernaturally given and empowered by the Holy Spirit? Let us determine to step into our anointing by beginning to really use our gifts for God's glory and for why they were given to us. I think of the question, "Is there anything God would ask you to do that you would say no?" Hope not, but we often resist and say no because God leads us out of our comfort zones. Ask for a cooperating spirit in you and take those first small steps of faith. God has custom plans and gifts for you to use and do. Let us reason together as well and keep praying in power and effectiveness. Check out the link to Harvest Kim's blog . And then the Connection blog about prayer. God is calling and speaking to the heart for some of us to become prayer warriors. Is that you? Let's talk about it and process that with some friends.
I'd love to do another spiritual gifts class for a few weeks this fall. You can find spiritual gifts tests on line and they usually explain the gifts that are revealed as yours. Try it and let's talk and pray about using them and growing in them. There are two kinds of gifts: equipping and supporting. You will have one or the other or a combination of both. Think about what you like to do, are good at doing, and what God has gifted you to do. They should compliment each other and be something you find enjoyable as you serve the church, encourage others and walk with them. Who are your praying, processing partners? Seek some and follow God's supernatural gifts to you best future in Christ. You are His masterpiece made and empowered for such a time as this! PTL! Put on your new, gifted nature more fully and go love and love like Jesus as you are created and gifted to do. And keep praying and praying for us to become a House of Prayer. Amen! Teach us Lord! Move us! Empower us! Send us with love, peace and joy! Amen! Be willing and remember, God is able to do immeasurably more than we can imagine both in and through our lives and our prayers. Receive and live and go! I'm raying for you to discover and step into your gifts and purposes more fully. What are you praying for in the Kingdom?
"And I will do whatever you ask in My name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father" (John 14:13).
Learn how to pray God’s heart. Praying just for the sake of making a religious noise, is not God’s intent for prayer. Praying to get something from God is also not God’s plan. Studying the Word and paying attention to the world around you is a key. See what God is busy doing and what He desires us to do as His people. As we pray those things that are close to His heart, He is pleased to answer! We know He wants us to love Him with all of our hearts, and to love others as we love ourselves. He wants us to pray for the lost and that His people will experience revival. We know that He wants unity in the body of Christ…and you and your family can probably add many others to this list.
Humbly expect and be willing for God to use you to be the answer to your prayers: If your heart never expects God to answer, there is literally no point in praying. James states, "But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man [or woman, or child] should not think he will receive anything from the Lord…" (James 1:6-7). When you pray in the Name of Jesus, believing that He has heard and will answer, you will see Him do amazing things – sometimes in and through you! Always remember that the ultimate goal of answered prayer is to bring glory to the Lord: "And I will do whatever you ask in My name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father" (John 14:13).
Lord Jesus, prayer is sometimes a complete mystery to me, especially when You work through me to be the answer! I am awed by Your power that You so freely give to Your people. Give me a heart that is able to believe and not doubt…and help me to live in Your perfect presence, expecting You to move in, through and around my life continually.
Give praise to Jesus as the manna that has come down from heaven, the bread of life who nourishes the hungry with himself (Jn. 6:48-51).
Thank him for taking care of your spiritual as well as your physical needs.
Confess those times during the past week when you have failed to come to Jesus in prayer in order to receive all that you need.
Commit yourself to spending more time in his presence.
Ask Jesus to show you his power to take care of all the desires of your heart (Mt. 6:33).
Pray for generous giving to meet the desperate needs of those stricken with famine, earthquake, war, floods, or other disasters. Ask God to use such giving as a powerful witness to the gospel (2 Cor. 9:10-14).
Good Morning Disciples! Are you a learner? Then you are a disciple learning from a teacher and trying to do the things they do their way. There are disciples of good and evil masters or teachers (rabbis) We are students of THE Master, The Teacher, THE King of the Universe! And he is the bestest, goodest teacher there is! PTL! Do you remember what it was like when you heard, "Come follow me" from Jesus? Many, maybe most, of us were just as clueless as the 12. But we followed and learned and grew in understanding and prowess at doing some of the things He did, His way. But we all still have a journey ahead of us and will never become fully like Him and grown into our fullest potential until we join Him on that great day of the Lord!
we heard a great message from our EC District Field Rep, Rick Sergi. I took lots of notes and have been pondering his message . Think about all the storms of life you have or are going through. Raging seas crashing in your boat. And there is Jesus--asleep! Wake up! Help! Don't you care? He is always with us even when it doesn't feel like it. He does care! He is active even when we think He abandoned us. Wake up! Maybe you should shake yourself awake and from the pity party. He has allowed this storm for a reason and often one we only learn of as we exit the storm and maybe even years later. He has great plans for us that require deep faith, deep roots driven deeper by the gales of life. PTL and trust always.
Who is this man? Yes who is this God/man Jesus to you? How has He carried you, delivered you, transformed you, revived you? Who needs to hear about that? We noticed something we never thought much about...there were other boats following and around Jesus' boat in the storm. Wonder what they thought when the wind and the waves calmed? Do we even care about these others that are drowning in this storm of life? God is with us and for us always and always working all things together for good. We know that in our heads but do we believe it with all our hearts and stand firm in faith with eyes focused on Jesus ready to follow anywhere? Who is this man? He is many praise worthy things!!! Creator. Sustainer. Deliverer. Provider. Storm-Calmer. Protector. All-Wise and Knowing. Good Shepherd. And many many more things! And He is with us always and He does care! PTL! So, where is your focus ? On the storm or on our Savior! Another name for Jesus that is just as praiseworthy as the others is Storm-Allower or Storm Bringer! The Lord gives and the Lord takes away. Praise be the Lord! You say it but do you praise in this storm? He cares and is with you in the boat. Trust and keep focused and worshiping!
Check out TWFYT's reminder to cast all anxiety on Him. Trust Him. And thank Him. He is working all things together for good for those who believe in Him. Do you believe that this man cares and is able and is working good? Receive His love and worship through the storms with eyes on Him. Determine beforehand to always keep your eyes on the Calmer-of Storms, our Deliverer, Helper and Friend! He knows your potential and is always wanting to move you closer to it. Often that requires the sinking deeper of roots from wind ravaged waves and storms. And remember, it helps to have some good friends to walk with you and help you stay focused and to pray for you. There are also people God has for you to share your story of faith that led to deliverance. He does not waste anything we go through! Amen! Who might He have for you to walk with and encourage ? Ask Him! And go live and love like Jesus! Amen!
Shalom shalom--perfect peace is available as you trust and follow . And check out the Connection Blog and the reminder to not forget about all those little boats around us that need to see our Lord and Savior at work in and through us faithful followers. Reach out in love and walk with someone towards Jesus and through the storm. I'd love to hear your stories about these things! Share them! I'm praying for you and praising God for your and our faithfulness and moving towards His very good plans!
Some years ago, I was in prayer when a burden for a teenager in the youth group came upon me. Let’s call the teen “Joe.” it was very nearly overwhelming and this burden would not relinquish its hold on my soul. After nearly an hour of prayer, it became clear that I needed to go and visit the teenager at his school immediately. I phoned my wife, who told me that she concurred with the action, and so I began to drive—about forty-five minutes from the church office. All the way, the burden of prayer grew more profound, until I was given a word for the young man. It was such a simple word that I questioned the whole trip. After all, it was something we heard every . I was to tell him that Jesus loved him!
I walked into the school and there was the very boy standing right by the entrance of the building by the office door. He saw me and very nearly fell over with surprise.
He said, “What are you doing here?”
I walked up to him and told him, “Joe, I need to tell you that you are profoundly loved of the Lord. He has commanded me to find you to tell you that Jesus loves you.”
He broke down and began to sob. Joe told me he couldn’t believe that I had just said that. Then he started to thank the Lord, right in the hallway.
What I didn’t know was his side of the story. Joe went on to tell me that he had been going through a horrible crisis of faith, rooted in the fact that he had suffered some terrible things. It was so very bad that he didn’t know if he believed in the love of God at all. And if God wasn’t love, he didn’t want Him. In fact, he rose that morning and from the depths of despair told God that he didn’t believe He loved him at all. Then he cried out from his soul, asking the Lord to send someone to tell him that He loved him, or he was going to take his life.
That was the moment my prayer burden for Joe began.
We saw the Lord’s glory. He heard his prayer. I heard His prompting and obeyed what I was given. The teenager understood that the Lord loved him and we discovered that we were one, not in all that we thought or said or did. Rather we were one in that we shared the presence and the power of the Lord profoundly. When we obey the promptings of the Lord that we are given, we taste a little bit of heaven here on earth and can say, “yours is the glory, forever!”
Lord of Glory, I wonder how many times You have prompted me to pray for someone, or instructed me to speak a word into someone’s life, and I have disobeyed You. My soul cringes at the thought of lost opportunities to impact others with Your love for the sake of Your glory! Thank You for using ordinary people like me to reach into the hearts of lost and hurting people, and help my heart to be open and prepared to respond with first-time obedience whenever You feel led to use me.
--Adapted from Power Praying by David Chotka.
Sarah update
Good evening, wow what a great day of worship and an awesome Word from the Lord, through Rick Sergi.
I wanted to share a few praises and some folks that are in need of our prayers
Praises:
Marylou is praising God for her great grandchildren healing after a week long of dealing with a virus. They were told it was a very
serious contagious virus among children. Another praise is that their three month old was protected and did not get sick! Yayay God!
Beth Kimbel (Neen's friend) is healing well after her surgery for breast cancer. She shared with Neen that she will only need to have
Radiation treatments. She also is a school teacher, who teaches in a Special Education class. She is really praying that she is able to
take her treatments and teach school. She is very grateful for all the prayers and encouragement that you have sent her way.
Harry Waterman is thanking God for his baptismal experience..... for it was 11 years ago that he was baptized. (, 2014)
Yay God for those that will help with our bread pick up. Jason is our regular person that picks up the bread, but he will be unable to
pick up this week, so Dean is willing to step in and help with pick up this week. Yay God!
Mike L didn't have a good night at the races. Yay God he was kept safe but his race car will need to have some work done to it.
Those in need of our prayers:
Richard Paul will be starting orientation () at Lehigh University. He will have orientation all week.
Prayers for him as he begins this new and exciting journey. Also, prayers for the Lord to provide financially for his college expenses.
Larry (his father) will be staying local until mid-September, to ensure that Richard is all settled in.
Caleb fell off a chair and hit his head on their curio cabinet. He needed to go to the ER to have his wound cleaned out and two staples
put in to help with the healing process. Prayers for Caleb, and family as they watch over him as he heals.
Lindsay - (Friend of Neen and Sarah) has been diagnosed with cancer. She will be undergoing chemotherapy and after they see the results
of those treatments, may be looking at a mastectomy. Lindsay is in her late 30's and has two children. Please keep Linsday and her family
in your prayers, through this journey.
Keith (husband of a friend of Sarah's) has a sever B12 deficiency. He is currently receiving B12 injections and hopefully this will help with
his memory and his work performance. He is a born again believer. Please pray for healing and for the family. His daughter starts her second
year of college .
Praying that you all have a great week! Looks like we may get a few rain showers, which the earth so desperately needs.
Also don't forget that we have a Harvest Table, at the back of the church. So if you have a good harvest from your garden and would like to
share some of the extras with us......bring it and place it on the back table.
Good Morning Ready to Worship Friends of God! Yes indeed! Amen! Prepare your hearts to worship as we gather shortly. That's it for . Come and worship! here's an oldy to help you focus on the reality of the salutation...you are a friend of God! PTL!
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