Wagner's letter below
AC installation commences today. PTL! And pray we are able to fix the sanctuary AC and sound as well.
Pray for our Support and Vision Team meeting Thurs that we would hear God, process and plan well and follow to His best.
Pray for me to be able to process well and share what God has been revealing to me about some new things He may have for us in the next few months.
Pray for revival and for God to raise up harvest workers as He brings in the harvest. Thank Him for all He has been doing and for His plans to prosper and grow His Church.
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Good Morning Christ Incarnating Co-Laborers! We are one as he is one! Yet we are uniquely created and gifted to contribute our parts to the whole and all for His glory! We all have a part from prayer warrior, encourager, server, helper, giver, steward, leader, teacher, disciple maker, and many more roles as varied as we are. We are one and we need each other and are better as we fulfill our purposes. We matter! You matter and God is at work. PTL! You are created, gifted, empowered and counted on for such a time as this! PTL! Follow Jesus today! Turn off the noise. Focus on Him with a determination to do your calling for today and each day to follow. That is to become more like Jesus and doing more of your purposes. It's living and loving like Jesus, just as you are (His easy yoke) for such a time as this. Amen!
Yesterday we didn't quite get through all of Eph. 4. Next week we will wrap that up and move into Eph. 5 as we discuss being the Light. The end of Eph. 4 talks about getting rid of all anger and hate and forgiving. How in the world do we choose that when we are so deeply hurt, so full of grief and in no way want to let go of that anger, hate, an not even consider forgiveness. Well first of all know that God loves you and knows all your hurts and tears and He wants to walk with you through this dark valley to the other side. he's collecting your tears in a bottle and waiting with open arms when you get to the place where you are able to invite Him into your pain and to come help you through. He knows and cares and is there. Until you get to the place where you can not lean on your own understanding, clinging to your pain and anger, and need for revenge and answers, you will stay mired in those dark places. Unforgiveness is like drinking poison and hoping the other person dies. Holding God at arms length keeps you from the peace and strength and comfort he is wanting to give. So, start by inviting Him into your pain, hurt, anger and hate. Ask Him to help you to forgive and release the pain. Ask Him to help you refocus and choose joy. These things are choices we are commanded to make so they are available to us and lead to healing and being able to move on. You may need some others to help you, hold you up and prayer, and listen as you vent and release. If you stay fixated, angry, hateful, you keep yourself mired in darkness and depression. You do nothing to resolve the issues and can be consumed. Satan loves to keep you there. Look at all the anger and hate being spewed all around us today. His ways are totally opposite the worlds. He says revenge is mine. Jesus commands us to love like He does, even enemies. We can only do that with His help and by releasing all to Him even those who hurt and persecute us. I love the verse that reminds us that if we give an enemy a cup of cold water, we will heap burning coals on their heads. Now that's not throwing the water in their face! But think about it...God's ways are best and healing. He knows, cares and will handle things. try your best to let go, let God and ask Him to come help you do so. he is gracious to do so and reminds us that when we have a thorn in the butt that His grace IS sufficient. We can choose joy and life. It's available to us and comes alive when we get to the end of ourselves and our pain and release everything to God. He's there waiting to comfort and help you to move on to life abundant that he promises. If you are struggling right now, talk to Sarah or me or a trusted close friend and walk together towards God's deliverance for this. I'm praying for you right now.
ODB discuss triggers and resentment and choosing to be more like Jesus. They use one of my favorite passages, Romans 12. Just start by meditating on that today.
Rom 12:9-18 Ask God to bring this alive for you today. Ask God to help you agape love. That's dying to self love that Jesus showed us.
9 Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. 10 Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. 11 Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically.
12 Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. 13 When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.
14 Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them. 15 Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all!
17 Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. 18 Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.
The Upper Room discuss the abundant life we are promised. Even when we are in hard places, we can draw close to God and know His love, peace, help and choose to release our anger and trust Him. Turn off the noise! And Charles Stanley reminds us that we are never alone. YOU ARE NOT ALONE! God has better for you--abundant life if you chose to receive it. He's waiting for you with open arms of love and help. Trust Him. Draw close. Be still and know. God has plans for you. Plans to prosper and not harm. He will deliver you and walk with you through whatever you are facing. Choose Him! breathe out the junk and give it to Him and receive His love.
ODB:
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Two faces at the table stood out—one contorted by bitter anger, the other twisted in emotional pain. A reunion of old friends had just erupted into shouting, with one woman berating another for her beliefs. The contention continued until the first woman stomped out of the restaurant, leaving the other shaken and humiliated.
Are we really living in a time when a difference of opinion can’t be tolerated? Just because two people can’t agree doesn’t mean that either is evil. Speech that’s harsh or unyielding is never persuasive, and strong views shouldn’t overcome decency or compassion.
Romans 12 is a great guide for how to “honor one another,” and “live in harmony” with other people (vv. 10, 16). Jesus indicated that an identifying characteristic for believers in Him is the love we have for each other (John 13:35). While pride and anger can easily derail us, they’re in direct contrast to the love God wants us to show to others.
It’s a challenge not to blame others when we lose control of our emotions, but the words “as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone” show us that the responsibility for living a life that reflects Christ’s character can’t be shifted to anyone else (Romans 12:18). It lies with each one of us who bears His name.
By Cindy Hess Kasper
REFLECT & PRAY
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What words of other people trigger anger or resentment in you? How can you turn a bad situation into a peaceful one?
Loving God, please help me to show Your love through what I say and do and whenever possible to live at peace with others.
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SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
As a rule, Paul’s letters to churches (Romans, 1-2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1-2 Thessalonians) are written in two major sections. The first section is more doctrinal, teaching his readers about the faith we have in Jesus. The second section is practical, revealing wise guidance for how we live out that faith. One teacher put it this way: the first section is about what we believe, and the second section is about how we behave. In Romans, arguably Paul’s most heavily theological letter, we find this pattern exemplified. In Romans 1-11, we’re taught what it means that salvation is by the grace of God through faith in Jesus. In chapters 12-16, he explains how those beliefs impact our conduct, with some attention to how our faith impacts our relationships. As you read Paul’s New Testament church letters, look for this pattern and see how the apostle crafted his message under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
Learn more about Paul’s letters to churches.
Bill Crowder |
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UR: Life Abundant
God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. - Genesis 1:31 (NIV)
For nearly 30 years I have suffered from chronic fatigue syndrome. This illness takes various forms for different people, and in my case I experience extreme fatigue with very little pain. But it stops me from doing things I want to do and serving the Lord in the way I would like to.
At times I have resented my illness, wanting to lead a full and busy life only to be pulled up short by my limitations. But sometimes I am able to look upon my illness as a blessing. It has stopped me from being proud since I can no longer rely on my own skill. I now have sympathy for others who are ill, which has made me a kinder person.
And I can pray. There is no shortage of people who need my prayers. When I say to someone, “I’ll pray for you,” I can mean it and do it. There is now time for me to listen to other people, to hear their woes and confidences, and then encourage them through emails, texts, or letters. The pace of my life is slower. There is time to listen to the birds and revel in nature. Even in the frustration of chronic illness, God is with me, helping me to live life abundantly.
Today's Prayer
Loving Father, help us to find your presence and blessing in our current circumstances. Give us strength and courage to trust you. Amen.
CS:
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| Harvest Prayer
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- Praise God as the Creator, Father, Savior, Lord, and indwelling Spirit of his church.
- Give thanks for “the holy catholic church, the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.”
- Reflecting with God on how you aid or damage his church, confess any sin he reveals.
- Commit to being a helpful member of God’s community.
- Ask him to work through you to serve and enrich others.
- Pray for each member of Christ’s body to excellently manage the treasures and gifts placed in his or her care.
- Ask God to prompt you to loving and generous service.
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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. |
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Wagner's news
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Greetings Friends,
As we prepare to return to Kenya in just 4 days, we wanted to share a condensed version of the message we have been sharing with churches while on home assignment these past 8 months.
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Then Jesus came to them and said, “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. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Matthew 28:18-20 (NIV) |
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The theme of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. This passage is not just an afterthought at the end of Jesus time on earth. It is the culmination of the entire narrative of the Bible up until that moment and it is the blueprint for how that narrative would continue to unfold and is still unfolding. God desires that He be glorified by all peoples (all nations), and He calls us to have a part in sharing the Good News with the world.
Make disciples. While missions’ messages often focus on the word “go”, we have focused on “make disciples”. RVA exists to “educate and disciple students”. Quite simply, a disciple is someone who believes in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, intentionally learns from Him, and strives to live more like Him. Discipleship is critical to laying a foundation for followers of Jesus who will in turn make more disciples. We have encouraged churches to focus on making disciples, especially with our children and youth. An RVA alumnus writes, “The core building block of missions anywhere is to make disciples. Churches are collections of faithful disciples, making disciples who make disciples.”
Reaching UPGs. Focusing on disciple-making is at the core of what we are called to do as followers of Jesus. It is easy to get distracted with many other good things and lose sight of the importance of making disciples. While this discipleship is not limited to just our families or churches, it does begin there. But we also need to recognize that Jesus clearly identifies the target audience in Matthew as “all nations”. This highlights the importance of seeking to reach Unreached People Groups (UPGs). Global Frontier Missions (GFM) has produced a video illustrating the idea of UPGs.
The Power of Multiplication. Another great video from GFM illustrates how one-on-one discipleship would be a far more effective way to reach the nations than mass evangelism. In fact, it has all the elements of a great video: a focus on missions, a math lesson, and a thought-provoking question to end. [Keep reading!]
Putting it into practice. This year, we have been personally challenged to focus on raising disciples with the boys entrusted to our care. We desire to be even more intentional about pointing our boys to the Bible as the authoritative source of truth and helping them to develop disciplines which will promote spiritual growth. |
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| In addition to the links above, here are a few more helpful resources that we would recommend. One of the great benefits of home assignment is that we break from our regular work and routine, giving us opportunities to read more and hear what God is seeking to teach us. Not surprisingly, many of these resources focus on discipleship. |
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- Raise to Release: A Missional Mandate for Parents, by Victor and Esther Flores. They encourage readers “to consider the implication the imagery of children as arrows has on parenting, world evangelism, and the glory of God.”
- GFM also has a free 5-week study on missions that can help you and your church better understand the Great Commission and your role in reaching the world for Christ.
- A podcast from the Culture Translator at Axis.org (an excellent resource for parents and anyone working with youth) interviewing Dr. Jeff Myers on the 3 Biggest Reasons Young People Choose Jesus. [Hint: one reason has to do with having a biblical worldview which comes from studying and knowing the Bible, part of the discipleship process.]
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| As a quick reminder, you can find links to many of these resources on our blog site. |
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| And so… “WHO IS YOUR ONE?” |
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| Who are you regularly meeting with as you follow Jesus’ command to “make disciples”? How are you growing together in your spiritual disciplines? Together, are you seeing God’s heart for the lost, for the unreached peoples of the world? |
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Thank you so much for your prayers! You are appreciated.
In His Service,
Brian & Missy |
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