Good Morning Disciples! Are you a learner? Then you are a disciple learning from a teacher and trying to do the things they do their way. There are disciples of good and evil masters or teachers (rabbis) We are students of THE Master, The Teacher, THE King of the Universe! And he is the bestest, goodest teacher there is! PTL! Do you remember what it was like when you heard, "Come follow me" from Jesus? Many, maybe most, of us were just as clueless as the 12. But we followed and learned and grew in understanding and prowess at doing some of the things He did, His way. But we all still have a journey ahead of us and will never become fully like Him and grown into our fullest potential until we join Him on that great day of the Lord!
we heard a great message from our EC District Field Rep, Rick Sergi. I took lots of notes and have been pondering his message . Think about all the storms of life you have or are going through. Raging seas crashing in your boat. And there is Jesus--asleep! Wake up! Help! Don't you care? He is always with us even when it doesn't feel like it. He does care! He is active even when we think He abandoned us. Wake up! Maybe you should shake yourself awake and from the pity party. He has allowed this storm for a reason and often one we only learn of as we exit the storm and maybe even years later. He has great plans for us that require deep faith, deep roots driven deeper by the gales of life. PTL and trust always.
Who is this man? Yes who is this God/man Jesus to you? How has He carried you, delivered you, transformed you, revived you? Who needs to hear about that? We noticed something we never thought much about...there were other boats following and around Jesus' boat in the storm. Wonder what they thought when the wind and the waves calmed? Do we even care about these others that are drowning in this storm of life? God is with us and for us always and always working all things together for good. We know that in our heads but do we believe it with all our hearts and stand firm in faith with eyes focused on Jesus ready to follow anywhere? Who is this man? He is many praise worthy things!!! Creator. Sustainer. Deliverer. Provider. Storm-Calmer. Protector. All-Wise and Knowing. Good Shepherd. And many many more things! And He is with us always and He does care! PTL! So, where is your focus ? On the storm or on our Savior! Another name for Jesus that is just as praiseworthy as the others is Storm-Allower or Storm Bringer! The Lord gives and the Lord takes away. Praise be the Lord! You say it but do you praise in this storm? He cares and is with you in the boat. Trust and keep focused and worshiping!
Check out TWFYT's reminder to cast all anxiety on Him. Trust Him. And thank Him. He is working all things together for good for those who believe in Him. Do you believe that this man cares and is able and is working good? Receive His love and worship through the storms with eyes on Him. Determine beforehand to always keep your eyes on the Calmer-of Storms, our Deliverer, Helper and Friend! He knows your potential and is always wanting to move you closer to it. Often that requires the sinking deeper of roots from wind ravaged waves and storms. And remember, it helps to have some good friends to walk with you and help you stay focused and to pray for you. There are also people God has for you to share your story of faith that led to deliverance. He does not waste anything we go through! Amen! Who might He have for you to walk with and encourage ? Ask Him! And go live and love like Jesus! Amen!
Shalom shalom--perfect peace is available as you trust and follow . And check out the Connection Blog and the reminder to not forget about all those little boats around us that need to see our Lord and Savior at work in and through us faithful followers. Reach out in love and walk with someone towards Jesus and through the storm. I'd love to hear your stories about these things! Share them! I'm praying for you and praising God for your and our faithfulness and moving towards His very good plans!
Some years ago, I was in prayer when a burden for a teenager in the youth group came upon me. Let’s call the teen “Joe.” it was very nearly overwhelming and this burden would not relinquish its hold on my soul. After nearly an hour of prayer, it became clear that I needed to go and visit the teenager at his school immediately. I phoned my wife, who told me that she concurred with the action, and so I began to drive—about forty-five minutes from the church office. All the way, the burden of prayer grew more profound, until I was given a word for the young man. It was such a simple word that I questioned the whole trip. After all, it was something we heard every . I was to tell him that Jesus loved him!
I walked into the school and there was the very boy standing right by the entrance of the building by the office door. He saw me and very nearly fell over with surprise.
He said, “What are you doing here?”
I walked up to him and told him, “Joe, I need to tell you that you are profoundly loved of the Lord. He has commanded me to find you to tell you that Jesus loves you.”
He broke down and began to sob. Joe told me he couldn’t believe that I had just said that. Then he started to thank the Lord, right in the hallway.
What I didn’t know was his side of the story. Joe went on to tell me that he had been going through a horrible crisis of faith, rooted in the fact that he had suffered some terrible things. It was so very bad that he didn’t know if he believed in the love of God at all. And if God wasn’t love, he didn’t want Him. In fact, he rose that morning and from the depths of despair told God that he didn’t believe He loved him at all. Then he cried out from his soul, asking the Lord to send someone to tell him that He loved him, or he was going to take his life.
That was the moment my prayer burden for Joe began.
We saw the Lord’s glory. He heard his prayer. I heard His prompting and obeyed what I was given. The teenager understood that the Lord loved him and we discovered that we were one, not in all that we thought or said or did. Rather we were one in that we shared the presence and the power of the Lord profoundly. When we obey the promptings of the Lord that we are given, we taste a little bit of heaven here on earth and can say, “yours is the glory, forever!”
Lord of Glory, I wonder how many times You have prompted me to pray for someone, or instructed me to speak a word into someone’s life, and I have disobeyed You. My soul cringes at the thought of lost opportunities to impact others with Your love for the sake of Your glory! Thank You for using ordinary people like me to reach into the hearts of lost and hurting people, and help my heart to be open and prepared to respond with first-time obedience whenever You feel led to use me.
--Adapted from Power Praying by David Chotka.
Sarah update
Good evening, wow what a great day of worship and an awesome Word from the Lord, through Rick Sergi.
I wanted to share a few praises and some folks that are in need of our prayers
Praises:
Marylou is praising God for her great grandchildren healing after a week long of dealing with a virus. They were told it was a very
serious contagious virus among children. Another praise is that their three month old was protected and did not get sick! Yayay God!
Beth Kimbel (Neen's friend) is healing well after her surgery for breast cancer. She shared with Neen that she will only need to have
Radiation treatments. She also is a school teacher, who teaches in a Special Education class. She is really praying that she is able to
take her treatments and teach school. She is very grateful for all the prayers and encouragement that you have sent her way.
Harry Waterman is thanking God for his baptismal experience..... for it was 11 years ago that he was baptized. (, 2014)
Yay God for those that will help with our bread pick up. Jason is our regular person that picks up the bread, but he will be unable to
pick up this week, so Dean is willing to step in and help with pick up this week. Yay God!
Mike L didn't have a good night at the races. Yay God he was kept safe but his race car will need to have some work done to it.
Those in need of our prayers:
Richard Paul will be starting orientation () at Lehigh University. He will have orientation all week.
Prayers for him as he begins this new and exciting journey. Also, prayers for the Lord to provide financially for his college expenses.
Larry (his father) will be staying local until mid-September, to ensure that Richard is all settled in.
Caleb fell off a chair and hit his head on their curio cabinet. He needed to go to the ER to have his wound cleaned out and two staples
put in to help with the healing process. Prayers for Caleb, and family as they watch over him as he heals.
Lindsay - (Friend of Neen and Sarah) has been diagnosed with cancer. She will be undergoing chemotherapy and after they see the results
of those treatments, may be looking at a mastectomy. Lindsay is in her late 30's and has two children. Please keep Linsday and her family
in your prayers, through this journey.
Keith (husband of a friend of Sarah's) has a sever B12 deficiency. He is currently receiving B12 injections and hopefully this will help with
his memory and his work performance. He is a born again believer. Please pray for healing and for the family. His daughter starts her second
year of college .
Praying that you all have a great week! Looks like we may get a few rain showers, which the earth so desperately needs.
Also don't forget that we have a Harvest Table, at the back of the church. So if you have a good harvest from your garden and would like to
share some of the extras with us......bring it and place it on the back table.
