Wed 10-12 Bread Ministry
Sun Worship 10 Am live in person and on Zoom. Children's Church summer break begins. There will be activities for kids in the upstairs nursery (unsupervised)
* New member installation during service. (If interested talk to Pastor Don r Sarah)
* Discussion and vote for Fellowship Hall A/C
Sarah update:
Good evening Church family,
Here is some exciting news......
A Yay God moment - today following our worship service, I had the opportunity to speak with many of you that were in attendance. I was speaking with someone, who wishes to remain anonymous. They believe in what is happening within St Matthew's church families' lives and how God is moving and motivating us to reach out to Live and Love like Jesus to those around us, taking time to listen, and share the love of Jesus. As they shared this with me, they told me that they would like to make a $3000.00 donation towards the installation of the AC in Fellowship Hall.....so we, as a church family may continue to reach OUT and draw those in need IN.
So far to date, St Matthew's has been offered a $10,000 donation and now $3000 towards FH air conditioning installation. This means that the balance left for the installation is approximately $3000.
I would ask you to spend time this week, in conversation with our Lord, regarding this matter. Talk with our Lord, but may I also ask you to take time to Listen to His voice. Ask Him what He wants for St Matthew's.....ask Him to change your heart into seeing and understanding His will and Plan.
May you all enjoy the remainder of your Memorial weekend.
Enjoy.....
Blessings,
Sarah
Thank you God, for sending your Son, for giving of His life, for the greatest sacrifice, that we might be free.
((Pastor Don note) I think God is leading us and answering many prayers! What's He saying to you? Ask Him His plans for us and to raise up harvest workers and leaders as He brings in the harvest! Praise Him for the harvest and our servants! And His provision! Pray we follow His provision and His peace as we learn to go make disciples and live and love more like Jesus. God is on the move! )
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Good Morning Bringers of Peace! AMEN! Fill us with Your peace overflowing that we could bring Your peace, Your shalom, into all situations and to all those around us that need Your peace beyond understanding. Bring your promised comfort, peace and strength to those who are mourning. Bless all those fighting for our freedoms here and around the world with Your peace, wisdom and strength. Bless and provide for their families and may they know your peace. Be with our wounded warriors and vets and provide for their needs. May they know you and Your peace and our love and appreciation. May we never forget the sacrifice of Your Son and those like Him who laid down their lives for our freedoms. Thanks Lord! Amen!
I wasn't going to do a blog today as I enjoy the holiday off--BUT God! What great news we received yesterday as God continues to show us His provision and begins to reveal His plans for us and the use of the building! $13,000 in donations toward the $15,500. needed) PTL! for His provision! Ask Him to guide our voting Sun and to bring His plans alive for the summer and beyond. Check out this prayer and praise song, God is up to something! Pronounce it in prayer as you seek Him for guidance to your part in His Good News Delivery Co. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9VCyWKZLoA
TWFYT speak about the essence of leadership. Man I long to have God lead me as I lead us to His plans and will and to disciple making. I really appreciate their 2nd point about a leader takes others along. That is my passion. We are a team and need to move together to God's best plans and help each other through our struggles, discerning and serving. Who are you partnering with? Ask God who He has for you to lead into their promised land and make plans to do something about it.
Harvest prayer's blog is all about peace and following peace. The world needs to know the peace of Jesus! But so do many of us believers. Man Satan loves to twist us up in anxiety, unrest and weariness. And our own minds often keep us anxious and unpeaceful. breathe out that junk! Turn off the noise as you hand your anxious thoughts to God. Ask for His peace and help to dwell in it. Breathe in His promised peace and then ask how you can help others to know this gift of peace. Shalom=perfect peace. We can know that! Amen! If you are struggling what can you do? Who can you turn to? The Prince of Peace, Jesus! Do what 1Peter 5:6-11 reminds us, "humble yourself." Die to self, sacrifice anxiety and worry on the cross daily and follow the Prince of Peace to His promised rest. Reach out to someone for help too. Then stand firm in faith and help others too. Faith! Stand firm in faith! God is for us and with us! Know shalom!
TWFYT:
Harvest Blogs:
May 27 - Peace at All Times
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Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with all of you. (2 Thessalonians 3:16)
I love the various names given to Jesus in Scripture. The Lord of Peace is one of my favorite names. It speaks to his character as well as his mission. Jesus demonstrated peace consistently in his life. Then on the cross, he accomplished the greatest peace-giving mission on the planet by tearing down the dividing wall both between God and men and that which divides men from each other. His name, Lord of Peace, fits perfectly.
Paul takes this powerful name and makes it into a blessing for us to use, not only by accepting it into our own lives, but by sharing it with others. Before you begin to bless others, the first thing that must happen is accepting the Lord’s peace in a personal and practical way into your own life. What Jesus wants to give us is pervasive peace. Listen to how Paul says it: “give you peace at all times and in every way.” No exceptions to this gift. It’s not a matter of peace when we feel like it or when everything is going fine. It is peace at all times and in every way. That is what each of us may have if we accept the gift of peace from Christ.
Then we notice that the word “may” at the beginning makes this a blessing which we can then pray over others. Whom do you know who needs peace at all times in every way? Just about everyone you know?
We need to have the courage to speak this blessing over others. It is a gift of peace that should not be kept to ourselves. Giving this blessing doesn’t require you bow your head or close your eyes. Memorize it and speak it over those who need it. Perhaps you could simply write out a blessing of peace and send it to them by mail or email.
The key to this peace is found in the last sentence of this verse, “The Lord be with all of you.” It is the Lord’s presence that brings and assures peace. Perhaps one of the most powerful ways you can experience peace is simply to picture the Lord sitting with you. Allow the sense of his presence to change your emotions and feelings. This experience is not strange; you are simply acting on the truth of Scripture. Colossians 1:27 reminds us that Christ in us is the hope of glory. Spend time aware of his presence and watch his peace flow into you.
There are several biblical blessings of peace that my wife and I like to pray, but our favorite is what is often called the Aaronic blessing in Numbers 6:24-26, “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.”
Each day, select someone who you might bless with peace. Whether you see him or her in person and can physically bless him/her, or you have to send the person a text or email, make sure you pass along the peace the Lord has given to you.
Lord Jesus, I thank you that your presence brings peace. You are my Lord of Peace and I gratefully receive your gift of peace at all times and in every way. Show me how to bless others with your peace.
--Adapted from Prayer, Peace and the Presence of God (A 30-Day Journey to Experience the Shalom of Jesus) by David Butts. This book is available at prayershop.org. Use the code CONPSP3 at checkout to receive an additional 10% discount.
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- Glorify the Son of God as one who is worthy to receive all power, wealth, wisdom, strength, honor, glory, and praise (Rev. 5:12).
- Thank him for having given up all this to die on a cross in your place.
- Confess any times when you have put your own interests above those of God and others.
- Commit yourself to being a faithful disciple of Jesus, finding your life by losing it for him and the gospel (Mk. 8:35).
- Ask Jesus to help you understand what it means to deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow him.
- Pray that family and friends will be kept from a materialistic lifestyle that serves money rather than God (Luke 16:13).
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Prayer Points taken from Patterns for Prayer by Alvin VanderGriend. This book is available at prayershop.org. Use the code CONPSP3 at checkout to receive an additional 10% discount.
Connection (Devotions for Everyday Life) © 2024 is a free devotional published daily by Harvest Prayer Ministries. Subscribe here. |
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ODB:
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When my friends Al and Kathy Schiffer flew their iconic, World War II–era airplane to airshows, it was the reactions of the elderly war veterans that meant the most to them. They would come by so they could talk about the wars they served in and the airplanes they flew. Most of their battle stories were told with tears in their eyes. Many have said that the best news they received while serving their country were the words, “The war is over, boys. It’s time to go home.”
These words from an earlier generation relate to the war believers in Jesus are engaged in—our good fight of faith against the devil, the enemy of our souls. The apostle Peter warned us: “Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” He tempts us in various ways and uses discouragement in suffering and persecution to try to draw us away from our faith in Jesus. Peter challenged his first readers and us today to “be alert and of sober mind” (1 Peter 5:8). We depend on the Holy Spirit so we won’t let the enemy cause us to surrender the fight and bring us down.
We know that one day Jesus will return. When He comes, His words will have an effect similar to that felt by wartime soldiers, bringing tears to our eyes and joy to our hearts: “The war is over, children. It’s time to go Home.”
By Anne Cetas
REFLECT & PRAY
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What help do you need from God to resist the devil’s schemes? How could your fellow believers help you?
Almighty God, You’re far greater than anyone or anything that stands against me. Please help me to rely on Your strength and power.
For further study, read Know the Enemy: Revealing Truths about Satan.
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SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
What does the New Testament tell us about our “enemy the devil” (1 Peter 5:8)? First, it gives him a variety of names: “Satan,” which means “accuser” or “adversary” (Revelation 12:9-10); “Beelzebul, the prince of demons” (Matthew 12:24); “the god of this age” (2 Corinthians 4:4); “the ruler of the kingdom of the air” (Ephesians 2:2); “the evil one” (2 Thessalonians 3:3); “the great dragon” (Revelation 12:9); and the “ancient serpent” (Revelation 20:2; see 2 Corinthians 11:3).
Second, Satan’s mission is “to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). He’s opposed to God and seeks to drive a wedge between humans and God. Thus, he’s an especially dangerous foe to believers in Jesus. He hopes to tear down our confidence and trust in God and deter us from our mission of spreading the gospel. He also controls those opposed to God who resist the gospel.
Alyson Kieda |
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UR: Stand Firm
If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, “Be uprooted and planted in the sea,” and it will obey you. - Luke 17:6 (NIV)
One day our pastor visited our home to read the Bible, share encouraging words, and pray. When he was about to leave, Lakshmi, our domestic helper who is of a different faith background, ran up to him and asked him to pray for her son who was suffering from shoulder pain. Her love for her son and her desire for his healing prompted her to approach boldly this man whom she perceived as a man of God. Our pastor consoled Lakshmi and prayed in her native language, and she was comforted and encouraged.
This reminded me of the story of the Canaanite woman who approached Jesus, pleading for her daughter who was possessed by a demon. Even though she did not know Jesus personally, her love for her child overcame any hesitation. Jesus applauded the Canaanite woman’s faith and taught us an important lesson: God’s grace and love are immeasurable and unconditional for all.
We can learn much about faith from the resilience of these women. We need not give up in times of suffering and pain. We can trust that God’s salvation is available to us all. And we can put our hope in God, who cares and loves beyond our comprehension.
TODAY'S PRAYER
Merciful God, thank you for protecting and sustaining us. Strengthen our faith so that we may walk obediently with you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
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