We are aware of the impending snow storm that is predicted to start during worship or the congregational meeting tomorrow. At Noon today, the Support Team will make a decision regarding worship tomorrow. As of now we are leaning towards Zoom only worship due to potential treacherous travel. If that is the decision, the Congregational Meeting will move to before the Brunch next Sunday. So, watch for the decision around noon through this link and with One Call announcement.
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Good Morning Preparing, Readying, Followers of the Way! Oh Lord find us preparing and readying to follow Jesus and His way to bring revival and new life to our communities. May we become disciple making disciples of Jesus. Lead us, just as we are and grow us into our fullest created and gifted potentials. Your Kingdom come and will be done. Use us! Thank You! Amen!
This morning I finally had the time to have an extended time with the Lord. PTL! It has been a hectic and early week of allowing God to use me. I love when He does that and I have been praying, prepared and filled up before this busy season. But, I love my quiet time with the Lord that can extend to several hours each morning! How is your quiet time? Are you making space for God to speak, correct, fill and inform? Are you turning off the noise, being still, abiding in His Love daily? Try it, if not! Jesus got up early to get away with God and to spend time with Him in prayer, preparation, and to receive His daily marching orders. I want to be more like Jesus. Do you? It's awesome to sit at His feet daily and worship, pray and receive!
This morning God took me into some different devotionals to speak to my heart, inform me what to share with you and to affirm me. I love when that happens! Do you have a story of how God has done that for you? I'd love to hear it! We are Oaks of Righteous planted deep in Christ and His Living Word. We are watered with His Living Water. He is speaking to our hearts and calling us to break camp like the bishop reminded us last year when Joshua told the people to break camp, purify themselves and prepare to enter the Promised Land. You have a choice. Will you seek Him, listen, break camp and follow? The Promised Land lies ahead as God is calling us to come alive as disciple making disciples of Jesus and sent apostles to transform the world around us. I get all this from my quiet times and God begins all things with prayer and informs through quiet time with Him, just as he did with Jesus. So again, how's your quiet time and prayer life? What is God saying to you and what are you planning to do about it? Who are your partners? He has gathered us to prepare us and send us to transform the world. As we go, we are transformed more into the image of Christ and moving towards our created and gifted potential. We are poised to come alive in '25! What's your part? Pray into that. Discuss that with me and your partners. Pray some more and then follow the Holy Spirit step by step in faith! God's greater things and perfect plans for you and us are on the horizon! Great and lasting fruit is budding! Amen!
Lord, come! Have your way with me and lead our Body to its fullest potential in Christ. Unite us as you are One. May we have the faith to break camp and follow You step by step! Yes, Your Kingdom come and will be done! And prepare and use us well! bring in the harvest and raise up servants for it and from it! Lord, we are asking for at least 30 new servants that want to learn to walk in Your ways. We need you! Come! Thanks! Amen! And give us wisdom about gathering tomorrow. Thanks! Speak to us however we gather and lead us to Your perfect pans as we seek to come alive in '25. Amen
My Disciple Making devo from I to We:
Sarah Young
The Upper Room: Alone with God
If God is for us, who can be against us? - Romans 8:31 (NIV)
When I was 18 years old, I moved across the world. I left my small hometown for the city of Sydney, Australia. As I stepped off the plane, I felt afraid. “God, stay with me,” I prayed as I clenched my fists and looked up desperately to the sky. After a taxi ride that felt longer than it was, I set foot in my new home. The fear I had felt quickly turned into overbearing loneliness.
As I began to unpack, I pulled out my Bible. At the time, it seemed the only familiar sight in this strange, new country. Holding back tears, I decided to take a break from my unpacking and read God’s word, thinking it might comfort me. I came upon the story of Joshua leading the Israelites into the Promised Land. Sydney, Australia, was as new and unknown to me as the Promised Land was to Joshua. But God frequently reminded Joshua and the Israelites not to be afraid.
Once I finished reading, I felt a great sense of comfort. The Lord spoke to me through Joshua’s story, reminding me that I am never alone. Even when it seems that fear and loneliness are our only companions, God remains with us, holding us as we embark on any new adventure.
Today's Prayer
Ever-present God, help us remember that we are never alone because you are with us. Thank you for continuing to guide us each day. Amen.
Harvest:
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January 18 - The Holy Spirit Manifests Through Various Fruit
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But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. The work of the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer changes things about that person. There is a constant battle between the desires of the flesh that are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit that are against the flesh (Galatians 5:22-23).
The Spirit not only gives us the ability to stop doing evil things, but if we yield our life to the work of the Spirit, He will produce in us great spiritual fruit.
Holy Spirit, please give me an increased awareness of how important it is in and for my life to die daily to self so that I can live according to Your counsel and not give in to the temptations of the world. Would You move in my life to reveal areas where I am lacking spiritual fruitfulness? Show me and my church community how to live in such a way that the fruit we bear gives great glory to God!
--Adapted with permission from The Summit Church (thesummitchurch.org) we are inviting you into 21 days of prayer and fasting at the beginning of this new year! Each day will focus on a different biblical attribute of the Holy Spirit.
The founding pastor of Summit Church is Bill Elliff, who is now the pastor Emeritus and serves on the Executive Leadership Team of OneCry (onecry.com). You can find one of Bill’s books, The Essential Presence at prayershop.org.
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- Praise the one who is able to do immeasurably more than all one can ask or imagine.
- Thank God for what he is doing in your life and in the church in response to prayer.
- Confess little asking and weak praying.
- Commit yourself to asking and expecting much in Jesus’ name.
- Claim the promise that Christ will come to you and make his home in your heart if you love him and trust him.
- Pray that the countries currently banning the Bible may soon rescind these bans so that their people may have free access to the Bible.
Prayer Pointer
“Prayer should be the key of the day and the lock of the night.” —Thomas Fuller
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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) © 2025 is a free devotional published daily by OneCry Prayer. Find more resources at www.onecry.com
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