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Friday, September 27 2024
TODAY 10-11 Zoom Huddle. All welcome.
Please find attached the link for Tues prayer for our Light in the Night Trunk or Treat Oct 25th. Leading up to the event Revival Church and St. Matts will be praying into the event every Tues at noon and 6:30 PM. Join when able and let us sow lavishly in prayer into this event. God has some great plans for us to unleash in prayer! This will begin next Tuesday Oct. 1.
Topic: Light in the Night Prayer Call Time: This is a recurring meeting Meet every Tues at noon and/or 6:30 PM 
 Join Zoom Meeting   Meeting ID: 985 238 1129 Passcode: prayer
Good Morning Dwelling in His Presence, Standing on His Word, Followers of the Living Word, Jesus! Amen! Jesus is always speaking to you and most often through times spent with Bibles open. We dwell in His loving presence daily with open Bibles. That enables us, informs us, our prayers and actions and as we hide His Word in our hearts we are better able to stand firm in Christ and Truth. We become accustomed to hearing His still small voice and are able to see Him more clearly at work around us and that leads to being in a state of prayerfulness all day. Yes and Amen! Check out this link to a Harvest Prayer blog today about developing an evangelistic outreach through prayer. We need to keep praying for the harvest and workers and for God to show us our parts in His Good News Delivery Co. Reaching Out by Reaching Up
What a great starting point for the thread through our devotionals for today. God is always at work and working all things together for our good. That is often evidenced by the way He uses study materials and our Bible time and prayer time to speak to our hearts. Today, He sure did that for me and I hope for you as well. What is He revealing to you this morning and what is your plan to do it?
My family has been praying through a very stressful situation, yet we know God is with us and will bring His provision, protection and justice. Amen. It is helpful for me to redirect to things of God. I often use the verse used in the Chosen from Isaiah 43:1-3. Maybe start there today as well as you begin your journey with Jesus today. 
But now, listen to the Lord who created you. The one who formed you says,
“Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine.
When you go through deep waters,  I will be with you.
When you go through rivers of difficulty,  you will not drown.
When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up;  the flames will not consume you.
For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.
I gave  a ransom for your freedom;


How comforting as we embrace and pray through these truths. Jesus is calling you by name and He knows all you are dealing with and will deliver you. Promise! He has already ransomed you and reminds you that you are His! PTL! He created you for such a time as this and He's leading you to your fuller potential. PTL!
Sarah Young from He Jesus Calling devo continues this thought...focus on God. It is helpful to remember that we are in the world but not of it and that Jesus said to not worry for He has already overcome the world! Amen! Charles Stanley continues the thread with the reminder that God's Word is alive, active and healing! Satan accuses but the Holy Spirit convicts in love and leads us to repentance. God knows our struggles and burdens and promises to comfort us and that comes alive as we dwell in His presence and Word and with others to help too. Our Daily Bread reminds us that we need each other. We sure do! Check it out. Who might you help today? Who might you invite in to help you. (Start with Jesus and ask Him to send help or send you). The Upper Room reminds us that sometimes we have to step put of our comfort zones if we really want to know God, His Truth, enact His promises, and share ourselves with others or receive help we need. The Holy Spirit is given as our helper, comforter, revealer of truth. Trust Him! Invite Him to work in and through you today. All of this culminates with The Word for You Today's reminder that we are sent with Good News or to be the Good News as we help others. What's your part in God's Good News Delivery Co?
No matter what we are facing, or how far from God you feel, He is there and singing over you reminding you that you are known, loved and He is calling you by name. He has great plans just for you that are brought to life as He molds and shapes you. His Spirit is always at work and wants to help you and bring boldness to go live and love like Jesus. PTL! Yes rejoice! Fix your thoughts on things above and receive His love, grace, mercy and help today! Amen! Where does our hope come from? My hope comes from the Lord! May yours as well! He is able! He will! Amen!
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ODB:

Together in Jesus

In Christ we . . . form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. Romans 12:5

READ Romans 12:1-5

Most of the three hundred residents of Whittier, Alaska, live in one big apartment complex, and that’s why Whittier is called a “town under one roof.” Amie, a former resident, says, “I didn’t have to step outside the building─the grocery store, notary public, school, and post office were on our ground floor, just an elevator ride away!”

“Because life there was so comfortable, I often wanted to keep to myself, thinking I didn’t need anyone,” Amie shares. “But the residents are so warm. They look out for each other. I learned that they need me, and I need them.”

Like Amie, we may at times want to keep to ourselves and avoid community. The latter seems less stressful! But Scripture says that a believer in Jesus should have a healthy balance of solitude and fellowship with other believers. The apostle Paul likens the body of believers to the human body. Just as each body part has a distinct function, every believer has a distinct role (Romans 12:4). Just as a body part can’t exist alone, a believer can’t live the life of faith in isolation (v. 5). It’s in the midst of community that we use our gifts (vv. 6-8; 1 Peter 4:10) and grow to be like Jesus (Romans 12:9-21).

We need one another; our togetherness is in Christ (v. 5). With His help, as we “look out for each other,” we can cultivate a deeper relationship with Him and show others His love. 

By Karen Huang

REFLECT & PRAY

How has community in Jesus helped you in your walk with God? How have other believers encouraged you?

Dear God, thank You for my brothers and sisters in Christ.

SCRIPTURE INSIGHT

Paul wrote Romans to believers in Jesus living in Rome—a city steeped in the practices of pagan worship. Those pagans brought offerings of meat and drink to their gods hoping that the sacrifice would earn a bit of mercy. And those listening to the apostle’s letter for the first time would have immediately recognized his emphasis of “sacrifice” (12:1).

But the apostle upends the expected order of things. For the believer in Jesus, mercy comes first—not sacrifice—and it’s freely given. Paul made that argument throughout the first part of the letter, and it’s why he begins this section with “therefore.”

So, therefore, on account of God’s great mercy, we offer sacrifice. And that sacrifice isn’t the meat of a goat or cow; we offer ourselves. Paul doesn’t mean we climb onto an altar but that we offer the whole of ourselves as a gift to our merciful God.

Jed Ostoich
UR: The Power of the Holy Spirit

I stood in front of you with weakness, fear, and a lot of shaking. My message and my preaching weren’t presented with convincing wise words but with a demonstration of the Spirit and of power. - 1 Corinthians 2:3-4 (CEB)

I spent most of my life being painfully shy and terrified of taking risks. So several years ago, when God called me to be a Bible teacher, I resisted and refused to use my spiritual gift. I wrestled with insecurities and feelings of inadequacy. The thought of stepping out of my comfort zone made my stomach clench with severe anxiety.

God has brought me a long way by demonstrating that God can give me the words to speak and the grace to obey despite my inner turmoil. Opportunities that would have terrified me before don’t intimidate me as much now because God has proven to be faithful. God held my hand as I took small steps of faith and said yes to teaching opportunities. Every time, the Spirit gave me power over my fear and the words to speak.

If God calls us to do something outside our comfort zone, the Holy Spirit will help us. We are vessels for God’s glory. We can trust in the power of the Spirit and step out in faith.

Today's Prayer
Faithful God, remind us to trust in the power of your Spirit within us, and help us to move forward in faith today. In the name of Jesus. Amen.
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St. Matthew's EC Church

5th & Ridge Streets
P.O. Box 433
Emmaus, PA 18049
Telephone 610.965.5570
Email: stmattsecemmaus@gmail.com

ABOUT US

We are learning to live and love like Jesus. 

We are working on becoming who we were created to be and doing our custom made purposes well. 

We are part of the Evangelical Congregational Church http://www.eccenter.com/

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