Caleb Update. God has been answering our prayers and, Lord willing, he will be homebound ! PTL! I got to visit Him and God answered prayers and got Caleb drinking and hydrating. PTL!
PTL for another great Weis day at the Bread Ministry with many physical, spiritual and emotional needs being met by God through us! We do have bread with Weis products the next two Wednesdays ( and New Year's Eves)
Clothing Closet is 9-12 and we have brunch after worship on at 11:30. Keep these in your prayers. Invite some friends!
Good Morning Gifted By God, Seeking Givers and Servants! Yes I thank God for you all! You guys rock as we invite God to come love through us and use us. We are doing what we can with what we have been blessed with. I made that note at the end of Our Daily Bread (below). What skills, abilities, gifts has God given you the heart to use for His glory and to bless many? Keep it up and share those stories! Who is He bringing to mind to reach out to and love? What will you do about that?Who are you inviting to experience God's love through us as we gather and worship? And while your at it, remember the reminder from the Upper Room (below) to keep seeking and asking. Seek first His Kingdom and He will add all you need to do what He created you to do for and such a time as this! And don't forget the Word for You (below) and their reminder to keep sharing. God gives so we can give and blesses so we can bless. As we do we are blessed back too and the cycle keeps going and many are blessed.
I want to thank the Support and Finance Teams for all they do and for voting to tithe $1000 this year to gift some of our needy bread people and others with Weis cards. They were received with much gratitude and often tears of joy. Maybe God has brought someone to mind for you to bless. What can you do with what you've been given and as you trust God to provide to go bless them? Ask Him and follow His lead and receive His joy and His peace as you trust Him. He promises to give back smooshed down, shaken and jammed with more blessings. He says to test Him on this. Have you? What great story might you have to share about that? We are called to go live and love like Jesus which includes sacrificial giving and stewarding well all His blessings. Step into your new nature more fully and ask for His help to do what He has planned for you and rejoice as you do, for God is with you! Amen!
Please pray for our Support team and your leaders and for our meeting as we seek God, budget and plan for the New Year. He has plans for you and for us as His Body. He has gathered us to use us and the gifts He has given us. Keep at it church and He will continue to bless and grow our fellowship and service. Do you realize that last year He allowed us 15 new members. this year we prayed boldly for 30. I think He has sent that many as we had several new members and attendees on Sundays (some have not joined yet but come and give and serve even). Then we have evenings as we approach 50 attendees some evenings. Half are not members but are gathering, fellowshipping, eating, praying and studying with us. That's the Acts 2:42 church. So really that is a church plant in our church and there are at least 10-12 new attendees most . evenings. And now we are partnering to support Adam Roberts' Church plant that started in his home and has outgrown it with around 25 people. PTL! Has God answered our prayers? Yes and smooshed down, shaken and overflowing as we humble ourselves, tithe/give sacrificially and love lavishly. And that's being just like Jesus! Amen! What's your part in all that? Thank God for gifting and using you and for all the answered prayers and many blessings. Keep seeking His Kingdom and allowing Him to use and love through you. He has great plans ahead for you and us! Let us continue to unite as His Body on mission--His mission and for His glory alone. Amen! I'm praying and praising for all of you! God has truly blessed us! Amen!
ODB:
Gifted by God
I have given ability to all the skilled workers to make everything I have commanded you. Exodus 31:6
Virtuoso composer Ludwig van Beethoven is one of the most celebrated musicians in history. Nearly two centuries after his death in 1827, his compositions are still among the most performed pieces. A study of Beethoven’s DNA, however, indicates he may not have been born with some of his abilities—as we might assume. When his genes were compared to those of 14,500 other people who’d shown an ability to keep rhythm (merely one aspect of musical talent), Beethoven ranked surprisingly low.
Beethoven also had ample opportunity and exposure to music (which developed the aptitude he did have). Yet neither talent nor opportunity fully account for God’s role in endowing us with the abilities we have. Our Creator equipped two men, Bezalel and Oholiab, with specific skills to be used in building the tabernacle. God filled Bezalel “with knowledge and with all kinds of skills—to make artistic designs” and appointed Oholiab “to help him” (Exodus 31:3-6). God gave “ability to all the skilled workers to make everything [He] commanded” (v. 6).
Few of us will work on projects as significant as God’s tabernacle. And our abilities may never be recorded in history’s annals. Yet God has equipped us with the skills, aptitudes, and experiences He wants us to share with the world. May we serve Him faithfully, in His strength and for His glory.
By Kirsten Holmberg
REFLECT & PRAY
What skills and abilities has God given you? How might you serve Him with them?
Thank You, Father, for the abilities You’ve given me. Please help me use them for Your glory.
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
Bezalel and Oholiab are mentioned again in Exodus 35-38, as the Israelites prepared to put into action the instructions God had given them. But the construction of the “tent of meeting” (31:7) wasn’t just for those specially gifted by God (v. 6). The entire nation had the opportunity to participate. Moses said, “From what you have, take an offering for the Lord” (35:5). Notice that the command was to give “from what you have.” Then Moses said, “All who are skilled among you are to come and make everything the Lord has commanded” (v. 10). The record says, “Everyone who was willing and whose heart moved them came and brought an offering to the Lord for the work on the tent of meeting” (v. 21). God has equipped each of us to contribute something, whether skill or time or material.
Tim Gustafson
UR: Don't Forget to Ask
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with , present your requests to God. - Philippians 4:6 (NIV)
The Bible study I was leading didn’t go well. People were distracted, and their comments were scattered. I couldn’t seem to bring their attention back to the study. As I drove home after the meeting, I felt discouraged. Why had things gone wrong? Then I heard the Spirit’s quiet voice: “Did you ask me to help you?” I realized that I had not. In my frustration I hadn’t thought to ask for God’s help in refocusing our attention. I hadn’t even asked God to guide me as I prepared the study.
Sometimes we don’t receive from God because we don’t ask. As I thought about how I could talk to God about my needs more consistently, I remembered Philippians 4:6 — “Bring up all of your requests to God in your prayers and petitions” (CEB). I needed to ask God for wisdom in planning and making decisions, both in my morning quiet times and throughout the day.
We can cling to God’s assurance: “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you” (Ps. 32:8). When we talk to God about our everyday needs, God will guide us.
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's Prayer
God of love, thank you for your presence. Remind us to talk to you often and ask for your wisdom. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
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