|
Saturday, August 10 2024
Good Morning Knowing Christ and Making Him Known Pray-ers! AMEN! So be it Lord! Knowing Christ and making Him known is our EC Mission statement. Hence we need to always ask, evaluate, discern and adjust to how we are doing with that individually and as His Body. So how are you doing with that? Are you striving in your own strength or abiding in Christ and going forth daily in a constant state of prayer like Jesus did when He walked the earth. Growing in intimacy with the Father, leads to growing in our knowledge of Christ and His ways and motivates us to go and make Him known. As we fellowship with Jesus we grow at becoming more like Him and the Holy Spirit informs our prayers and guides our steps. We put on His easy yoke and walk in stride with Him through our daily purposes and the journey to become more like Him. I am just so blessed and thankful as I grow in the knowledge of Christ, His ways and watching how God molds and uses me! Thanks Lord! What's your story about how that is playing out in your life and through our Body?
Today we will discuss the Ephesian's 4 call to unity of our Body and purposes while still retaining our individual calls and purposes. We are one, yet unique for His purposes. Amen! Let us continue to work at maturing in Christ together, helping each other find and step into our unique purposes in His Good News Delivery Co. and growing into our unifed purpose as His Body with many parts. We are uniquely one in Christ! Teammates! Co-laborers! Custom made for such a time as this for His glory and according to His purposes and plans. And here's the secret to success (well it's really no secret at all): praying and choosing to live and love like Jesus--following His example. Our devos today speak into the importance of the foundation of prayer and the role some of us are called to as prayer warriors. They remind us of dying to self and our own plans as we still ourselves, pray and allow God to inform our daily purposes and direct our steps. They speak about our individual and corporate purposes and staying united as we follow Jesus and encourage each other. Today's Ephesians 4 study speaks into our unity and maturity in Christ while fulfilling our individual purposes and callings too. I love how God is always threading things together as we still ourselves and fellowship with Him and each other! He does have great plans for you and us that have just begun to materialize. More will become visible as we continue to step out in faith, grow in our knowledge of Christ and our purposes and determine to always follow Him. He's leading us from being one way to a better way to an even better way! AMEN! I can't wait to see what He has planned as we process together with the determination to know Christ and make Him known and grow as His dynamic movement of revival! Amen! Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and He will add all kinds of awesome things for you and us and those yet to come!
Check out what I believe is the ordering of our devotionals that God has for us today speaking into the way to know Christ and make Him known more in '24. The Upper Room reminds us about finding our way in Christ and staying on His path or redirecting to it quickly when we get off on a rabbit trail. I'm always praying for me and our Body to stay on His path and to see and adjust quickly when we wander. Charles Stanly uses John 17:11's reminder that Jesus prayed for us to be one--united in Him. Funny how God had me include that earlier this week when I was preparing today's message about unity and being one in Christ and mission. Harvest Prayer teaches us about scheduling prayer and actually getting away and preparing yourself for the days activities just like Jesus did. It's being intentional as we follow in His footsteps or try to. We have to have balance in life and Jesus' easy yoke is doing things with Him and in His best ways. We need to reload if we are going to pour out! Our Daily Bread reminds us that we are not God and He wants to inform our steps and grow our understanding as we stay connected to Him and go with Him, allowing Him to steer. Finally The Word for You Today is about husbands and wives but since we are the Bride of Christ it can be applied to our church too. We are one and we need to keep working at that. That takes dying to self and agape loving like Christ. That is a lifelong process. Our love and devotion grows as we commit to the long haul and work for the good of each other. Some day we will celebrate the marriage feast of the Lamb with Jesus in heaven. PTL! Until then we need to keep praying, seeking, dying to self and following well. We are building treasure in heaven that grows as we die to self, connect more to and follow Jesus better as individuals and together. We are uniquely one! Amen! We need each other to be our best and do what we are created to do for us to flourish for such a time as this! Amen! What's God saying to you today? What will you do about it? Who are your teammates? Commit to knowing Christ more and making Him more known and begin with more prayer! Don't forget our EC day of fasting and prayer this Wed at noon in the Fellowship Hall and on Zoom. Let us become earnest in seeking and following together! Amen! Jesus is THE WAY! He bids us to follow and know His shalom and joy overflowing!
UR: Finding Our Way
If you stray to the right or the left, you will hear a word that comes from behind you: “This is the way; walk in it.” - Isaiah 30:21 (CEB)
On a recent family trip, we were unsure of the best route to take. We looked up directions on our phone, chose the recommended route, and began to follow the instructions. We trusted the directions to guide us, even avoiding traffic and accidents.
It would be wonderful if
we gave our Lord the same trust. God knows what is best for us. But too often we chart our own route and follow our own directions. Before we know it we become confused about what decisions to make and get caught up in difficult situations of our own making. Sometimes we have to enter unfamiliar territory before we commit to following the Lord’s directions found in scripture. The Bible includes stories and examples of how to lead our lives. Christ’s teachings lay out the road to our salvation.
Today's Prayer
Dear God, remind us that you alone are God. Help us to trust your guidance on the road to salvation and abundant life. Amen.
CS:
Harvest Blogs:
|
|
August 4 - The Necessity of Secluded Prayer
|
|
|
If a man is always available to everyone, he has little left for anyone. Mark, the writer of the second gospel, observed this in the life of Christ:
When evening came, after the sun had set, they began bringing to Him all who were ill and those who were demon-possessed. And the whole city had gathered at the door. And He healed many who were ill with various diseases and cast out many demons; and He was not permitting the demons to speak, because they knew who He was.
In the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and was praying there. Simon and his companions searched for Him; they found Him, and said to Him, “Everyone is looking for You.” (Mark 1:32-37)
There was an essential pattern in Jesus' life. He was amazingly accessible to people most of the time. During those moments, He breathed in constant prayer. His Father was telling Him what to say and do right in the middle of intense ministry (John 14:10). This can only occur with unceasing prayer, a practice He would later tell us is essential for fruitful ministry (John 15:1-16; I Thessalonians 5:17).
But Jesus needed more to sustain maximum effectiveness in ministry. He needed quiet, secluded, personal time with the Father. Since "all who were ill and demon-possessed were coming to Him" and "the whole city had gathered at the door," Jesus knew that the only way He could have undistracted time with the Father was, "early in the morning, while it was still dark.”
Lord Jesus, You allowed space for quiet, secluded personal prayer so that You could sit with and listen to the Father – even in the midst of some of the busiest times of ministry. Forgive me for not following Your obedient example. If You never did or said anything apart from the Father, why should I be so arrogant to believe that I am capable to do so!? Lead me to the inner sanctuary of rest on a regular basis so that I will be dependent upon You rather than upon my own thoughts and ideas. Only You know what is the most effective use of my time and talents to serve Your kingdom. Help me to slow down in order to lean into Your presence as deeply as Jesus did.
---Adapted from Prayer with No Intermission by Bill Elliff. This book is available at prayershop.org.
|
|
- As one who professes to “believe in the Holy Spirit,” praise God for his indwelling of all believers.
- Give thanks for his intimacy and power.
- Confess any tendency to rely on your own strength rather than God’s.
- Commit to becoming more sensitive to God’s ongoing presence.
- Ask God to increase your consciousness of continual companionship with him.
- Pray that the Holy Spirit will fill each of your family and friends, bringing a deep sense of his presence. Ask him to fill your household with his power.
Prayer Pointer
“Prayers not felt by us are seldom heard by God.” —Philip Henry
|
|
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. |
|
|
ODB:
“Dad, can I spend the night with my friend?” my daughter asked, getting into the car after practice. “Honey, you know the answer,” I said. “I’m just the driver. I don’t know what’s happening. Let’s talk with Mom.”
“I’m just the driver” has become a joke in our home. Daily, I ask my organized wife where I need to be, when, and whom I’m taking where. With three teens, my “moonlighting” as a “taxi driver” sometimes feels like a second job. Often, I don’t know what I don’t know. So, I have to check in with the master calendar keeper.
In Matthew 8, Jesus encountered a man who also knew something about taking and giving instruction. A Roman centurion, this man understood that Jesus had the authority to heal, just as the centurion had authority to issue commands to those under him. “Just say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me” (vv. 8-9). Christ commended the man’s faith (vv. 10, 13), amazed that he understood what His authority looked like in action.
So what about us? What does it look like to trust Jesus with our daily assignments from Him? Because even if we think we’re “just the driver,” each assignment has kingdom meaning and purpose.
By Adam Holz
|
What helps you to discern where and how God is leading you daily? What barriers sometimes get in the way of hearing and obeying Him?
Father, thank You that You lead me and guide my steps. Please help me to walk daily in dependence on You as You direct me according to Your plan and purpose.
For further study, read Making Decisions God’s Way.
|
|
|
|
|
|
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
After challenging the Pharisees’ teaching and the people’s understanding of the law by repeatedly saying, “You have heard that it was said . . . but I tell you . . .” (Matthew 5:21-48), Jesus demonstrated the true nature of God’s kingdom. He healed a man with leprosy, thereby touching someone who was unclean (8:1-4). Then He healed a centurion’s servant (vv. 5-13). The centurion would’ve been considered unclean because of his nationality (Roman) and was also despised as a representative of the occupying force of the Roman Empire. Yet it’s in this despised foreigner that Jesus finds a greater faith than anyone in Israel. Matthew says that He turned to “those following him” (v. 10)—the verb used to describe discipleship—and praised the centurion’s faith. The irony is that the man who was hated by the Jews was demonstrating to Christ’s own followers what it truly meant to have faith.
J.R. Hudberg |
|
|
|
|
|
TWFYT
|
|
LISTEN ONLINE
