Today: Zoom Huddle 10-11
Wed:
bread 10-12; Dinner Huddle 6-7:30
Sat. Clothing Closet 10-1
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Good Morning Praying Brothers and Sisters in Christ--Co-Laborers! Amen!
Yes I am still on a personal spiritual retreat as I stilling myself, turning off the noise and chaos and abiding in God's loving presence. I am being restored, redeemed and reloaded. I still expect to have some space to choose to do a blog or not for at least a season. These started with the intention to not be daily, but it seemed like God has been speaking daily and wanting to share some thoughts with you about our devotionals, walk and/or church through these blogs. And so, in obedience I allow God to write through me. Sometimes though, it may not be obedience to something revealed, just my thoughts I feel compelled to share. I have become weary and may even be striving in my own strength or thinking. Prov. 3:5-6 keeps rattling around in my head--Don't lean on your own understanding acknowledge God and allow Him to direct my steps, types, words and choices. That requires following Jesus' command to die to self, take up cross as I crucify some things and begin to follow Him purified and ready. That is part of what this retreat is about. The other part is that I have these very high expectations for me, you and our combined efforts. I keep espousing how healthy we are as a Body and celebrating our unity, love, joy as we gather, serve and go to live and love like Jesus. However, there is a hiccup in some of that unity, love and joy. (Satan keeps whispering to me, "Are we really healthy?") So, I am taking a step back away from the chaos, noise and disappointment to seek God and sit at His feet and allow Him to reveal His will and plans for me, you and us. And He is faithful to do so! PTL! It takes being humble, humbling and dying to self and abiding to hear His teaching and receive His loving affirmation or corrections. And so, here I am and writing from this time with Him this morning.
I pray in the absence of the blogs that you are still having your own quiet time, seeking God, listening, being still and knowing that He is God. He loves you and is speaking and wanting to lead you all the time! He is always with you and has great custom made plans just for you as well as us as His Body. Let us commit to dying to self, taking up cross daily, seeking, abiding and following earnestly individually and as His Good News Delivery Co.
Today God reminded me and wants to remind you that He is the Rock we build upon. Our sure foundation. He is God and we are not. Amen to that! Sometimes there are some "cracks" in our foundations that need His mending or strengthening. Do you have any cracks? (I kid often of the cracks in my head) Cracks can come as we stray from God or His commands, get mired in some hard things, do our own thinking and thing, or just out of neglect because things have been swell for a season. (It is swell with my soul!) That hymn, It is well with my soul, was written in the hardest of times of loss and sorrow. Are you at a place where you can sing that and allow God to mend those cracks? I'm working on that right now. Start with praise even in hard times. It is called a sacrifice of praise for a good reason! And God does inhabit our praise! PTL! Start there. I am. Check out ODB about this. Then Sarah Young reminds us of God's ever-present love with us. Meditate on that devo and receive His love and comfort and help to move on. And then the UR reminds us we need to get up. Faith grows as we take each next step with God from the cracked foundation. He is a helping, redeeming, always with us God. Abide in Him and His Word and wisdom as you offer your heart in praise and obedience. Get up from the abiding and follow God to His best and perfect plans for you. Turn off the noise. Be still. Invite in. Worship and then trust, obey and take that next step of faith. He is with you--always! And He is working all things together for good. he made you for His special purposes for such a time as this. Don't allow Satan to steal these. Cover each other, help each other, step out in faith. Then watch and see what He will do and has planned just for you. He's allowed this season for a reason. He knows, cares, and is with you--always! He is preparing you for your assignment.
God has also called us to become His people of prayer--a House of Prayer for the Nations. Check out the Harvest prayer stuff at the bottom. We need to start and build with prayer and then allow prayer to lead us and to release God's direction and blessings as He steers us through prayer. Pray without ceasing is a command! He will teach you and us to pray. And fruit, good and lasting fruit, buds from prayer, is fertilized with pray, grows with prayer, and then matures through prayer. Amen!
See you here the next time God says to write. Until then, I am seeking Him, interceding for you and our Body, and allowing Him space to speak, work, heal, and lead. Try it! Amen! In my absence think about and answer these questions: What is a disciple of Jesus? Am I one? How can I make disciples of Jesus? What's my part? Give some examples of how God has used you in the past year. Is there a time that I said "NO" to God? How do you want the Lord to use you? That should be a great time processing with God and some friends! He wants to reveal these type of things to you, mend the cracks and lead you forward. Will you allow Him? Start with praise and abiding prayer and see where he leads you! It will be great!
ODB
God—Our Sure Foundation
He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge. Isaiah 33:6
READ Isaiah 33:2-6
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With a crumbling kitchen and sagging floors, our house needed renovation. After large sections of it were demolished, builders began digging a new foundation. Then things got interesting.
As the builders dug, shovel loads of broken plates, 1850s-era soda bottles, even cutlery emerged. Were we built on an old garbage dump? Who knows, but as a result, our engineer said our foundations would need to be dug deeper or else cracks would appear in our walls.
Good foundations make for strong houses. The same is true of our lives. When the Israelites were shaken by their enemies, Isaiah prayed for them to stay strong (Isaiah 33:2-4). But their strength wouldn’t come from bravery or weapons, but by building their lives on God. “He will be the sure foundation for your times,” the prophet said, “a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge” (v. 6). Jesus said something similar, teaching that those who built their lives on His wisdom would withstand life’s storms (Matthew 7:24-25).
A sure sign our foundations need tending is when cracks like aggression, addiction, or marriage problems appear in our lives. When we seek security where it can’t be found or follow the wisdom of this age alone, we’ll be on shaky ground. But those who build their lives on God gain access to all His strength and treasures (Isaiah 33:6).
By Sheridan Voysey
REFLECT & PRAY
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What “cracks” in your life might reveal a faulty foundation? How is your foundation looking this week?
Father God, I praise You for being the surest foundation for my life.
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SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
The Hebrew word Yeshu’ah (“salvation,” “deliverance,” “rescue”) is a key word in the book of Isaiah. Noun and verb forms appear numerous times. This word occurs in the prayer in Isaiah 33:2: “Be . . . our salvation in time of distress.” It’s also used in verse 6 as a pronouncement about God: “He will be . . . a rich store of salvation.” In his commentary Isaiah: God Saves Sinners, Raymond C. Ortlund Jr. summarizes the book’s message with these words: “God is announcing to us through Isaiah: The Lord, for all that he is, saves, for all that’s worth, sinners, for all that we need. This truth is better than we give it credit for.” Isaiah 33:22 captures this truth well. “The Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our king; it is he who will save us.”
Arthur Jackson |
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SY:
UR: Get UP!
Jesus said, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” - Mark 2:11 (NIV)
“Ring!” goes the alarm. It is a sound most of us do not like much because it marks the time to leave a soft, warm bed to get up and start a new work day with its daily responsibilities. And yet, we get up and begin the day.
The Gospels offer several examples of how a command from Jesus is the impetus to go forward. To the paralyzed man who was carried by friends and lowered through the roof of a dwelling, Jesus said, “Get up, take your mat and go home.” To the deceased young daughter of Jairus, the synagogue leader, Jesus said, “My child, get up!” (Lk. 8:54).
“Get up!” What an empowering statement from our Savior to motivate us. Throughout the Gospels, the Lord calls people to active service: “Go . . . and preach” (Mk. 16:15); “hand over your coat” (Matt. 5:40); “give to the one who asks you” (Matt. 5:42); “make disciples of all nations” (Matt. 28:19). However we serve, the Lord promises always to be by our side in our journey. All we have to do is follow Jesus’ command and get up!
Today's Prayer
May your words continue to inspire us, O God, as we engage in active discipleship for the good of your kingdom. Amen.
Harvest Dave's blog:
Partnering with God
January 28 - He Is All You Need
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The road to true biblical Christianity isn’t easy. Going against the tide is beyond difficult. Persecution can be deadly. Standing firm to the end is what few will do. Life on the rocky Narrow Road is lonely; most take up residence on the sandy Wide Road. No, true biblical Christianity isn’t easy, but is made possible by Jesus’ death, burial, resurrection, and ascension.
It’s important to note that John never left the desert. Even when God launched his prophetic ministry, he remained in the desert. He was fully alive there. He didn’t stay because he was a social outcast, but because the desert gave him an intimacy with God he never wanted to lose. He didn’t leave the desert until he was carried to jail and killed. There’s life in the desert with Jesus. There’s death in the world without Him.
In the desert, all you have is God. He is all you ever need.
So what does a personally revived Christian look like? They’re pure, devoted, and fearless. They’re loyal to God and keep His commands. They cling to the cross and long for the return of Christ. While others let their love for the Lord, their brothers and sisters, and their enemies wax cold, they love with intensity.
They love truth, speak truth, and stand for truth. They stand stalwart against doubt and unbelief. They walk by faith and not by sight. They’re militant against lies and deception. They courageously swim against the tide of the world’s philosophies, movements, and culture.
While others are asleep to prayer, they’re mighty prayer warriors. They’re awake when others are asleep—and hungry for God when others don’t care. They pursue lives of holiness when other believers are steeped in compromise.
Father God, I would rather travel with You through the desert than settle into the comfort of the world. Shape me into a pure, devoted and fearless follower, loyal to all of Your commands. Show me how to continually love, speak and stand for Your truth! Teach me to pray, Lord! I want to be a mighty warrior for Your kingdom’s sake! Create in me a pure heart…to live a life devoted to holiness.
--Adapted from Thirsty: A 31-Day Journey to Personal Revival by Jamie Morgan. This book is available at prayershop.org. Use the code CONPSP3 at checkout to receive an additional 10% discount.
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Praying through the President’s First 31 Days
Day 9
Pray that the president would respect law and order in the U.S., especially as it relates to our first responders.
Every person is to be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves. For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good and you will have praise from the same; for it is a servant of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a servant of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil. Therefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of wrath, but also for the sake of conscience (Romans 13:1-5).
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- Praise God as the only true God who has revealed himself to you in his Word and through his Son.
- Give thanks for the Bible through which God reveals himself and his will for your life.
- Confess any failure to use and respond to that revealed Word.
- Commit yourself to meditating on the Word and allowing it to dwell richly in your heart (Col. 3:16).
- Ask that you may remain in Christ and his words in you, so that you can bear much fruit to the Father’s glory (Jn. 15:7).
- Pray by name for unsaved friends and neighbors that they may know the love of God, may believe in his Son Jesus Christ, and will not perish but have everlasting life (Jn. 3:16).
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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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