Worship tomorrow at 10 in person and on Zoom with Children's Church. Pray for and consider helping with Children's Church. We are getting some little ones which requires an extra adult. Talk to Mike or Don about that. We are finishing up our study of 2Thessalonianschapter 3.
Keep praying for rain and for us to be springs of living water in this dry and weary land! I began this morning's quiet time as God led me to this Scripture from Isaiah 58:11, 11 And the Lord shall guide you continually and satisfy you in drought and in dry places and make strong your bones. And you shall be like a watered garden and like a spring of water whose waters fail not. AMEN!
Good Morning Well Watered, Springs of Living Water! Please Lord! May that be me and us! Refresh us and water this land too. Fill our wells and aquafers. Fill us too to overflowing! May springs of living water flow from us and bring refreshing and new life alive. Refresh us too. May our roots sink deep into you and draw up that living water to overflowing. Bring revival and may it begin in me and us! Thank You! Amen!
So what is God saying to you this morning as you open His Word prayerfully and expectantly and as you sit at His feet and dwell in the Vine? You know, God really is speaking to you and us all the time. PTL! He wants to speak to your heart, bless you, encourage you and direct your steps to His best for you and for those He is sending to you for some watering. Ask Him to come, speak and direct you today. He is the Good Shepherd who leads you and us beside the still waters and to the green pastures. Thank Him for that. Then, turn off the noise and still your spirit as you spend some time beside the still waters of His love. AMEN!
God blessed Karen and me with a day off yesterday to enjoy each other, some fun things and to be refreshed. We all need to take time for some self care and restoration before we can be more fully prepared to go and be about His business and our daily chores. How are you making space and allowing Him to restore your soul? Maybe this would be something to begin processing with some others? Have you been asking God who your partners might be and doing something about it? He made us to be co-laborers. Thank Him for that and seek His direction for who and then invite someone to journey together with you. I'm really praying into that as I believe that is God's next step for our fellowship in our journey to become His dynamic movement. Start with abiding time with Him and then follow Him refreshed to what's next for you and for us too as His Good News Delivery Co. Please pray for God to open up some time and space in people's sch edules in 2025 and some willing people to gather to go deeper and journey together.
Check out the flow and thread that God led me through with the devotionals I used this morning. He is definitely speaking and desiring to lead me, you and us to His best for such a time as this. Thanks Lord! Begin with The Upper Room's reminder that He has sent out His Special Invitation just to you. He's doing the same for our fellowship as He calls us to intimacy with Him and each other as the starting point for this day and our missions. Joyce Meyer uses our true identity verse of Eph. 2:10 with her reminder that we are blessed and get to live the good life in Christ and do the things we are created to do. PTL! Jesus' easy yoke leads to the good life as we start believing and living out of our true identity that we are really loved and we matter and have purpose. PTL! Charles Stanley reminds us that that good life begins, grows and flourishes as we spend time with God in His Living Word. The Holy Spirit opens up the Word and brings it to life in and through us and uses it to inform our prayers and steps and perseverance. Thanks Lord! The Word for You Today continues teaching us that our words and pronouncements really do matter. Are you casting blessings or curses over yourself and circumstances and even others? Start pronouncing God's truths and promises over you, others and your day, circumstances and steps. Read 1 Peter 4:7-11 and pronounce the truths from it over you as you open Our Daily Bread and pray into God directing you to His plans for you today to go live and love more like Jesus. You know, Jesus is really our example of dwelling in God, His Word and bringing His Truths to life. As you spend time with Him and in His Word you will become that well watered garden that overflows with Living Water that refreshes and blesses others. That leads to growth and some really good fruit. PTL! I have been praying, releasing and pronouncing this over myself, you and our fellowship. God has something special just for you today! How cool is that! Rejoice, abide and then follow well!
What is God saying to you now that you've spent some time with Him? What will you do about it? Who are you teaming up with? May we all be His well watered gardens spewing Living Water everywhere we go! Amen!
UR: A Special Invitation
Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” - Matthew 11:28 (NIV)
“Sister, will you come to my dinner on July 24th?” my friend asked. I had met this friend in a Christian fellowship group in 2019, but I later joined a new group and did not see her much anymore. It took me a moment to remember that her birthday was in July. She was inviting me to be part of the celebration. For me, that was a special and unexpected invitation.
In a similar way, each of us has received a special and perhaps unexpected invitation from Jesus, our Lord. Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened.” Thankfully, Jesus’ invitation has no deadline. We can come to him at any time, bringing our burdens, frustrations, and problems. For those who accept his invitation, Jesus promises rest, healing, and comfort.
Just as I immediately and excitedly accepted the invitation to my friend’s birthday party, my response to Jesus’ invitation is swift and grateful. Everyone who is weary and burdened can accept Jesus’ call to lay down their burdens and find rest.
Today's Prayer
Dear Jesus, thank you for the peace you give us when we respond to your invitation and your promise. Amen.
Joyce Meyer:
Charles Stanley
TWFYT
ODB
When Krystal first started work at a Virginia coffee shop, she served a customer named Ibby. Because Ibby is hearing impaired, he placed his order using a typed note on his phone. After Krystal learned Ibby was a regular customer, she determined to serve him better by learning enough American Sign Language so he could place his order without writing it down.
In a small way, Krystal showed Ibby the kind of love and service Peter encourages us all to offer one another. In his letter to believers in Jesus who’d been scattered and exiled, the apostle indicates that they ought to “love each other deeply” and use their gifts “to serve others” (1 Peter 4:8, 10). Whatever skills and abilities He’s equipped us with are gifts we can use to benefit others. As we do, our words and actions can bring honor to God.
Peter’s words were especially important to those he wrote to, for they were experiencing a season of pain and isolation. He encouraged them to serve one another during the time of distress to help them bear up under their trials. Though we may not know the specific pain another person experiences, God can help us to show empathy as well as graciously and cheerfully serve one another with our words, resources, and abilities. May God help us serve others as a reflection of His love.
By Kirsten Holmberg
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When have you experienced the kind of hospitality Peter encourages? Who could you serve with your words, skills, and resources today?
Father, please help me to serve those around me with all that You’ve given me.
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SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
Peter tells his readers (believers in Jesus scattered due to Roman persecution; see 1 Peter 1:1) to use the gifts they’ve received, such as hospitality, serving, and speaking (4:9-11), “to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace” (v. 10). In Romans 12, Paul includes prophesying, serving, teaching, encouraging, giving, leading, and showing mercy (vv. 6-8). In 1 Corinthians 12, he notes “there are different kinds of gifts . . . service . . . [and] working, . . . but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work” (vv. 4-6). The Spirit gives spiritual gifts to all believers in Jesus. These include messages of wisdom and knowledge, faith, gifts of healing, miraculous powers, prophecy, distinguishing between spirits, speaking in different kinds of tongues, and interpretation of tongues (vv. 8-11). All gifts are to be used to benefit and build up others.
Alyson Kieda |
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Karen and I beginning the Berks County Best Kept Secrets Tour yesterday. The director of that caught us and shared our photo on her daily blog.
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