I will offer several opportunities over four weeks to gather in person and/or on Zoom to help you understand and grow in your gifts. Sessions will be about an hour. Plan to attend all four weeks.
Tuesdays 6PM in person with dinner in Fellowship Hall March 11,18, 24, April 1 (Maybe on Zoom too?)
Wednesday Noon with lunch in person after Bread Min. and on Zoom March 12, 19, 24, April 2
Possible Wed, Evenings with dinner huddle (in person only) Same Wed. dates. Depends if group wants to pursue this. We will discuss next Wed.
***Please let me know of your interest and availability!***
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Good Morning Fellow Journeyers! Yes I am on a spiritual retreat (of sorts). God has rearranged our plans but I am finally able to get away, abide and listen and receive from God--well for the first time this morning and man has it been good! I've been busy, very busy the past few weeks, feeling pressured to do more, and definitely under attack by Satan. Some of the problem has been not stilling myself, abiding and reloading for the day or not taking time to put on that armor in prayer before stepping into the battle zone of each day. Some of the stress comes from doing things that are not mine to do and that robs some of you from your call and using your gifts This retreat is to rectify some of that and to reload for the journey through Easter. I had to start at the cross this morning and crucify some things as I die to self and abide in Christ's love and wisdom. We all need to reload after pouring ourselves out and prepare to go do it again. It's best to do that daily but also to take some seasons to recharge as well. Jesus took naps and got up early to pray and fellowship with the Father before stepping into the day God had ordained. God rested on the 7th day. That's why we need to sabbath as well. He made the sabbath for us. Are you taking time to abide and rest in Christ? Are you spending time daily in refreshing prayer and fellowship with the Father? Start there--daily. Die to self, take up cross daily is a command to be prepared to follow Jesus well. AMEN! I was sitting with my dogs praying this morning and God reminded me of His unconditional love for me, just like the dogs show. They are always happy to see me and hang out. But they can also feel neglected and sad when I get too busy to notice them or spend time with them. It's the same with God. he loves when we can't wait to run to Him and hang out and he notices when we get too busy for Him too. I pray that my tail is always wagging to come to God and hang out! Sometimes, that means making time. But man is it worth it!
I could share all my devos from this morning with you because God sure used them to speak to my heart and refresh me for today. He wanted me to share this with you. It is critical for all of us to be still, abide, reload and then go as we follow Jesus to the plans for each day. Sometimes even a nap during the day is needed as well! We tend to take on more than is intended for us and allow the tyranny of the urgent and our busyness to rob us of God's best and of peace and joy. I was headed there and would have crashed and burned had I not scheduled this week for me. I know many of you can relate. I have learned from experience that if I don't catch myself in time and take time, God will give me the necessity to rest in a hospital bed or sickbed. I don't want to go there again! I was sick over the weekend and am recovering today as I still myself and abide. Yes God is good and I am learning. Are you? I want to bless Him and choose His best and hang with Him all day. (That's putting on Jesus' easy yoke and walking at His pace to what he has for me)
As I ended my deep quiet time today God led me to Dave Butts blog (below) Please spend some time with that! THINK ABOUT OUR CHURCH. We were on the track of decline like most churches. But God heard our prayers and witnessed our earnest hearts to change that crash course. Something rare is happening as we were able to let Him steer the rudder and turn the ship around. God is growing our fellowship and prospering our ministries as we pray, listen, trust Him, make His plans and allow Him to grow us into the people we are created to be and doing what we are created for more earnestly. PTL! And thank you all for allowing God to use you and us! May we continue to seek and follow well. He does have some great things ahead for us to discover and grow into! I feel it in my bones! Do you? We are learning to live and love like Jesus and it shows! we are becoming His dynamic movement and He has plans for us to come alive in '25! PTL!
With all of that, Satan notices and hates it. He attacks and tries to derail God's work through disrupting our unity, love and commitment. I think about Dave's blog and discussing Nehemiah and the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem. We need to put on that armor and be ready always for attack as we rebuild the church. We need each other--all of us--to do our parts and to uphold, cover, pray for and encourage each other. Say it with me...Satan BE GONE! Turn off the noise. Pray on that armor. Focus on God and may we continue to seek His Kingdom above all else and choose His healthy ways as we steward well all His blessings--mind, body, soul, spirit, gifts, time, talent and finances. May we be about our Father's business of growing His Kingdom, making disciples and helping each other! May we truly live and love more like Jesus and keep abiding and following well. Amen! I'm excited! I'm praying for you and those yet to come. Join me in that.
Join me! Let's start with those spiritual gifts tests and classes. I also have a great study that I'm willing to do with those of you God is drawing. It's a 30 days of drawing close, learning to pray and to offer yourself more fully to God. Talk to me! What's God saying to you? He said to me to abide and prepare to roll! He does have great things ahead! And He has plans for us to build His House of Prayer for the Nations and disciple making hub as we continue to seek, follow and work together. We are His Body and we need each other! Let us continue the journey together!
Sarah Young
Joyce Meyer
Chuck Swindoll
Upper Room: I AM
God said to Moses, “I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am has sent me to you.’” - Exodus 3:14 (NIV)
One day I decided to change the background images on my desktop. While I explored the possibilities, I found a series of photographs, each featuring a path winding through woods, climbing high mountain passes, or twisting through dunes toward the seashore. Each photograph seemed to explore a facet of creation — each a beautiful moment captured in time. Like Moses in front of the burning bush in Exodus 3, I stopped and marveled at each scene.
Too often on our life journeys, we become preoccupied by negative past experiences or anxious visions of the future and don’t appreciate the beauty of the present. In doing so, we miss much. God is not simply I was or I will be but I AM.
There is more richness around us than we realize. Perhaps we will catch the song of a blackbird, the glow of a fiery sunset, the movements of a caterpillar, or the aroma of fresh bread. And as we do, we may also glimpse something of God: creativity, majesty, goodness, even humor. God knows our struggles but has a plan for us and promises to be with us. Even now, God may be calling us toward new challenges and a chance to make a difference.
Today's Prayer
Father God, give us eyes to see the wonders around us and the courage to respond when you reveal yourself. Amen.
Our Daily Bread (Read the Ephesians passages! God is speaking!)
A ride-sharing customer shared that he had endured a driver eating the world’s smelliest fruit, another driver who was bickering with a girlfriend, and one who tried to get him to invest money in a Ponzi scheme. In each case, instead of a poor rating, he gave the drivers five stars. He explained, “They all seemed like nice people. I didn’t want them to be kicked off the app over my bad rating.” He gave false reviews—keeping the truth from the drivers . . . and others.
For different reasons, we might withhold the truth from others. But the apostle Paul encouraged the Ephesian believers to lovingly speak the truth to one another as new creatures in Christ. This required cultivating habits of “righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:24)—living lives that were set apart for Him and that reflected His ways. They were to replace lying with telling one another the truth because lies divide and disrupt, while truth unites us as believers. He wrote, “Each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body” (v. 25).
Jesus empowers us with the courage to resist lying and giving one another “fake ratings”—things that can disrupt our unity with other believers. Living a life of love, as He guides us, will lead to our sharing “kind and compassionate” expressions of truth (v. 32).
By Marvin Williams
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When are you tempted to withhold the truth from other believers? Why is it vital to share what’s honest and true?
Dear God, please help me to be authentic in my relationships out of love for You and others.
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SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
In Ephesians 4:17-32, Paul contrasts the deceptive ways of ”the devil” (v. 27) with the truth of God’s ways. The “Gentiles” (who don’t believe in God) are lost in “the futility of their thinking” (v. 17) and “darkened in their understanding” (v. 18). Paul notes how this “ignorance” is “due to the hardening of their hearts” (v. 18). This reflects their conscious choice to reject God’s truth. In contrast, we’ve been “taught . . . the truth that is in Jesus” (v. 21) so that we will “put off [our] old self” and “its deceitful desires” (v. 22). We’re to live in God’s truth.
Tim Gustafson |
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Shalom shalom! God loves you and so do I!
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