It's Brunch day! Join us after worship! All welcome! Thanks to Lori and team for all the prep and good food awaiting!
Pray for Sarah as she brings the Word today and for Gail Reinsmith who will share some about her missionary service to NYC. And pray for the kids as they prepare to share the armor of God with us.
Good Morning Acts 2:42 Worshippers! Get your hearts ready to worship, praise, pray, abide and eat and fellowship as God's gathered Body! He is worthy of all praise. glory, honor and obedience and He has great plans for you and us to discover and step into with faith and determination. Amen! He is with us always! And He is working all things together for the good of those who believe. Amen! And we get to gather, worship, fellowship, pray and eat! How cool!
Check out and pray through the Connections blog as you prepare for the day ahead. And then engage with our devos for the day. God is speaking. What's He whispering to you? Worship! Trust! Obey! And find some teammates to process, plan and go with! He is enough and He is with you! He is our Good Shepherd who calls us by name and leads us forward to green fields, still waters and good fruit! PTL! and Amen!
Connections:
March 30 - Let Revival Begin in Me
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Gracious Father, to the degree I seek You will be the degree I experience You. Send revival. I need You, and I seek You with all my strength and might. Let me be constantly aware of a world that opposes You and Your people. Amidst all the challenges of the world, show me the importance of seeking You.
Father, let me understand when fear rises in my heart, it is a call to seek You. Thank You for Your promises, protection, and provision. Teach me dependency on You. In the face of adversity, teach me to seek You first and always. Drive me to my knees. Just as Jehoshaphat called a fast, Father, allow me to know when to fast individually and when to call a corporate fast.
Father, I volunteer for Your Word to judge me. Show me myself in light of Your Word. Use Your preacher, whomever You choose, to proclaim Your Word to me. Let meekness be my attitude, so I can receive Your Word. Let me yield to Your Word. I ask Your help.
Lord, teach me to ask You for help, but do not let pride prevent me from allowing people to help me if You choose to work through them. Show me those things that distract me from You, and allow me by faith to yield them to You. You are a mighty God. You are all powerful. You are sovereign. You are in control of everything. Thank You for Your mighty acts on my behalf and on behalf of Your people.
Thank You for Your Word. Thank You for the Holy Spirit. Thank You for Your deliverance. Oh, Lord, teach me to fear You. Even in a disaster, let me seek You; let me not forsake the church, the body of Christ. Let Your church stand before You, just as Jehoshaphat did. Let us stand before You, so we also can hear You and know Your truth. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit, as I yield myself to You. Keep me sensitive to Your Spirit, for Your glory, not mine. Increase my faith and understanding of Your Word. Amidst opposition and turmoil, let me be still so I can hear Your voice. Teach me, Lord, what it means to position myself in You, and let me claim Your promise.
I bless Your name. I praise You. Lord, I seek You. I bow before You, not just at church, but throughout the day. Let me bow before You, even in front of others, because You are my God. Let me worship You. Send revival, and let it begin in me. In Jesus’ name, amen.
--Adapted from Praying with Fire: Seeking His Presence through the Revival Passages of Scripture by Mark Partin. This book is available at prayershop.org. Use the code CONPSP3 at checkout to receive an additional 10% discount.
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ODB:
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The artist Degas suffered retina disease for the last fifty years of his life, switching from paint to pastel because the chalk lines were easier to see. Renoir had to have brushes placed between his fingers when arthritis made them clench like claws. And when surgery left Matisse immobile, he turned to collage, directing assistants to attach colored pieces of paper to a larger sheet on the wall. What followed in each case was a creative breakthrough: Degas’ Blue Dancers, Renoir’s Girls at the Piano, Matisse’s The Sorrows of the King, and other masterpieces. By adapting to their trial, beauty emerged from their infirmity.
In a similar way, Paul wasn’t planning to visit Galatia during his early missionary journeys. An illness forced him there (Galatians 4:13). Apparently, Paul sought a different climate, wound up in Galatia and, even though he was ill, started preaching. Ironically, the Holy Spirit performed miracles through him (3:2-5) and the Galatian church was born. This surprising outcome may never have happened without Paul’s illness.
What trial have you faced, and how did it change the direction of your life? By refocusing your gifts, you too may see God bring beauty out of your infirmity.
By Sheridan Voysey
REFLECT & PRAY
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How have you seen God turn illness and other trials into opportunities for service? How are both Paul and those artists examples to follow in times of trial?
Dear God, You are genius at bringing beauty out of infirmity. Here are my trials and my talents.
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SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
Christianity was birthed from Judaism. As more and more gentiles became believers in Jesus, the role of Judaism in the Christian faith became an issue. Judaizers, a group of Jewish teachers, taught that believers in Jesus must convert to Judaism and be circumcised to be saved (Galatians 5:2-6; 6:12). Paul wrote the letter to the Galatians to counter and condemn this false gospel (1:8-9), reminding them that “a person is made right with God by faith in Jesus Christ.” He said, “No one will ever be made right with God by obeying the law” (2:16 nlt) because “the righteous will live by faith” (3:11). Paul makes a personal appeal, reminding them how they had lovingly welcomed him and embraced his teachings fully when he first brought the gospel to them (4:13-14). The apostle warns them of the evil intentions of these false teachers in drawing them away from the true gospel (v. 17).
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UR: My Source
Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. - Matthew 6:34 (NIV)
I was feeling lost and alone, struggling with my faith and feeling unsure of my purpose. I had been going through a time of distress, dealing with financial complications and strained relationships. One night, overwhelmed and desperate for guidance, I opened the Bible and came across Matthew 6:25-34.
Reading that passage, I realized that I had been focusing too much on my problems and not enough on my faith. I had been worrying about things that were beyond my control and had lost sight of the fact that God was with me and would provide me with better possibilities. I took the passage to heart and started to focus on my relationship with God, praying and meditating on God’s word. Over time, I felt more peace and contentment, and I began to see a way through my difficulties.
The Bible can provide relief and direction during trying times, and concentrating on our faith can help us find peace and determination. So let us prioritize our relationship with God every day, believing in God’s provision and guidance. No matter our circumstances, we can make time for prayer and reflection and focus on God’s word as a source of well-being and relief.
Today's Prayer
Dear God, thank you for providing for us during times of crisis. We trust in your goodness and love to guide us through any challenge. Amen.
TWFYT;
Sarah Young
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