Good Morning Humble, Child-Like Servants Like Jesus! AMEN!!!! Is that you? Does that reflect our church? It does and it can. Jesus came and turned the world right-side up. His ways are not like ours. The Kingdom we live in operates differently than this world. We are to be in it but not of it. We are to be like Jesus. That's dying to self, taking up cross daily and crucifying things of this world, putting on your new nature more fully and being ready and willing to follow Jesus to His good plans for you and us and those around us. Help us Lord! Your Kingdom come and will be done in, through, and around me and us. Thanks! Bring Light that drives back the darkness. Bring revival and new life. Bring Your Love alive and overcome the hate, lies, deceit and attacks of the Enemy. May respect, humility, hope and unity rise above the chaos and unite many more into Your family. Help us to do our parts too. Thanks! We need you and this world needs You to flip it right-side up. COME! Help! Lead! Amen! Who are you praying for that needs some Love and to know our Hope? What might God have for you to do about that? Who does He have for you to team up to bring His Kingdom in power? Talk to Him about that. Humble yourself, receive His grace, circumcise your hearts and come as a child--His child and follow our Shepherd well, sheep of His fold. Meditate on the devotionals below and put on love and go live and love like Jesus more fully. Come as you are and allow transformation and receive His help and go make disciples. Start by being one! Amen. His grace is sufficient for you! Receive and share it! We are...sheep. He is the Shepherd. And we are...Humble, Child-Like Servants Like Jesus!
ODB:
Following Jesus in Humility
Unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 18:3
Near our home is a famous garden where we often take walks with a young boy our family cares for. His favorite area is the Children’s Garden, which has a small door large enough for him to run through but small enough to force me to crouch. He laughs as I drop to my knees and wiggle through the small opening to chase him.
The small garden gate reminds me of Jesus’ object lesson in Matthew 18, where He calls a little child to His side to explain the type of person who will enter the kingdom of heaven (v. 2). It was a bold example, for in Christ’s day to be a child was to be inconsequential and overlooked. Unlike, their opinions and desires didn’t matter. Jesus uses this description to highlight our human tendency to be noticed and seek power and influence.
Of course, Jesus wasn’t asking His disciples to become children again but rather pointing to the traits that mark those who serve him. The biggest marker is humility—the person who “takes the lowly position” (v. 4) and serves others.
The small garden door is a reminder that humility doesn’t come naturally to us. Believers in Jesus, however, are to be this way. We’re to follow our Savior, who modeled this way of living by making “himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant” (Philippians 2:7).
By Matt Lucas
REFLECT & PRAY
In what areas of your life do you thrust yourself to the forefront and seek to be noticed? How can you learn to live more like Jesus?
Dear Father, please forgive me for my pride and self-interest. Help me to be a little child who runs to You.
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
Companion passages in Mark 9:33-37 and Luke 9:46-48 shed light on’s Bible reading from Matthew 18:1-4. Jesus and His disciples had been traveling to Capernaum on the north shore of the Sea of Galilee. When they arrived, Christ asked them, “What were you arguing about on the road?” (Mark 9:33). His question was merely rhetorical. He knew full well what they’d been discussing. Mark tells us that “they had argued about who was the greatest” (v. 34). In so doing, the disciples showed how badly they misunderstood what Jesus’ kingdom was about. Hence, they asked an unhelpful question: “Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” (Matthew 18:1). It was then that Christ “called a little child to him” (v. 2). Children wielded neither the power nor the influence the disciples valued and sought. Jesus’ mission inverts our natural understanding of what’s important. He calls and helps believers in Him to be humble, like little children (vv. 3-5).
Tim Gustafson
Upper Room: Never-ending Grace
The Lord said, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” - 2 Corinthians 12:9 (NIV)
When my husband was diagnosed with ALS, we faced a decision: would we dwell on the negative and challenging aspects or make each day the best day possible, knowing that the next one would not be easier? It was a difficult and heartbreaking journey as he was slowly stripped of the ability to perform daily tasks — eventually even walking, eating, sleeping, and breathing. However, even on the darkest days, we experienced God’s sustaining grace in remarkable ways.
During this time, I was gifted a journal titled “Grace.” Initially, I rejected the idea of recording my days, as my time and energy were consumed with caretaking. But then, as day after day we saw God’s goodness and grace, I decided to keep a journal of thanks for God’s guidance, protection, and love throughout our journey. I made bulleted lists of the compassion and love bestowed on us. I noted the help we received unloading my husband’s walker — and later his power wheelchair — as we arrived forworship, the home-repair services done at no charge, and the food that a friend delivered to us weekly for over a year.
These acts of compassion and love reminded us of the promise of God’s everlasting love. Indeed, God’s grace is more than sufficient. It’s life-changing and extraordinary.
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's Prayer
Dear Lord, we thank you for the promise of your endless grace and for the ways we see it manifested in our daily lives. Amen.
TWFYT
One Cry Connection blogs:
- Waiting for Heaven to Open
The Word of God is the one indispensable tool for waiting on God. If we are to meditate on God’s character and works, we must have a clear understanding of who He is and what He has done. If our view of God is incorrect, then we will have weak and perverted prayer lives. A thorough study of history shows that the church becomes ineffective when she forsakes Scripture. Scripture is a testimony of Jesus. Therefore, it is necessary to spend time daily in the Word.
Andrew Murray stated, “Little of the Word with little prayer is death to the spiritual life. Much of the Word with little prayer gives a sickly life. Much prayer with little of the Word gives more life, but without steadfastness. A full measure of the Word and prayer each day gives a healthy and powerful life.”
We need to come into the presence of God with a Bible in our hands and praise in our hearts. As we wait quietly before the Lord, heaven will open. Prayer has the ability to deeply touch the soul of man. It is as timeless as eternity. Prayer reaches back into history and moves the faith of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob into the present. It leaves its impact on future generations. It transforms tragedy into triumph. Prayer has the Word of God as its only limitation.
Lord, Your Word testifies to the greatness and glory of Your Son, Jesus. It is Your Word that brings power and clarity to Your people, the Church. Help me to honor Your Word with my heart through obedience to its precepts and commands as I grow to know You more fully. May I sit quietly before You…waiting for heaven to open!
--Adapted from The Prayer Factor by Sammy Tippit
Prayer Points
Praise God, “the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light” (1 Tim. 6:15-16).
Thank him for being the light of the world.
Confess any areas of your life that you may have been ashamed to bring into the light of God’s truth.
Commit yourself to living as a child of the light.
Ask God to fill you with the fruit of light: all goodness, righteousness, and truth (Eph. 5:9).
Pray that the missionaries your church supports may be like shining stars in dark places as they hold out the word of life (Phil. 2:15-16).
Prayer Points taken from Patterns for Prayer by Alvin VanderGriend. This book is available at prayerleader.com. Use the code CONPSP3 at checkout to receive an additional 10% discount.
Great day of worship! It was so good to be able to worship in person, together!!
I wanted to update you on a few things:
We received an email from Steven and Faye Nixon......Holly, Faye's daughter whom we have been praying for through her cancer journey, passed
away early. Please keep Faye, Steven and Holly's family in your prayers during this difficult time. As we learn about Holly's services,
we will let you know.
Josie C is asking for prayer for her friend, Ellen - she is suffering with unidentified internal bleeding making her very weak and tired. She is
currently in the hospital as the doctors are trying to figure out what is going on.
Ruth Guldner remains in the hospital. Her kidneys are not working properly. Please continue to pray for her medical team to discover what
next steps are. Please continue to keep Ruth in your prayers. Also prayers for Nanci and their church family as they support and encourage them
Terry has a biopsy, to gain more information regarding his pre-pancreas cancer. Yay God that Pastor Don's sisters are able to be
there in Florida to support Terry and care for "Mom" (Jane) You are in our prayers Terry!
Everlasting Life Ministries sent us a thank you card, telling us that they are very grateful for our financial and prayer support. They have been
able to assist many homeless and low-income folks in center city Allentown.
Lisa W. shared how she misplaced her checkbook, she prayed and asked for God's help. Because of a search to find her cat's toy under her refrigerator,
she FOUND her checkbook!! God has a sense of humor. God will answer the small prayers as well as the big ones!! God is good!
THERE IS A NEED, CAN YOU HELP?
The Bread Ministry really is in need of another pair of helpers to do a pick up at the Wegman's docks.
The need is for the volunteers, ONE TIME PER MONTH, to go to the Wegman's off of Tilghman Street
and pick up the already boxed items that are staged on the docks.
The boxes can be picked up between the hours of 9:00am and 1:00pm, on Tuesdays.
The number of boxes may vary according to the amount of product they are donating.
Please, pray about this and if God is asking you to help out.....please speak with Gail, or Pastor Don/Sarah
This ministry is very important to our community as there are many people all around us that are in need.
Thank you for praying about this.......
Don't forget to think about your favorite or famous soup! , for brunch we are doing a souper-bowl
We are asking as many of you that can, to participate, and make your favorite soup and bring it to church on the 22nd.
(if you have a crockpot, bring your soup in it) if not we can warm it on the stove top.
We all will help judge the soups. The top three soups will be awarded! Sooo, come on, pull out that favorite soup,
gathering the ingredients and be prepared to 'COOK' !!! Looking forward to trying YOUR soup!!
Please sign up on the signup sheet on the bulletin board at the back of the church if you are making your 'best' soup
to share!
Okay everyone, thank you for praying for each other! Have a great week! Watch out for God-Winks throughout
your day!
Blessings,
Sarah
Pastor Don
Rev. Don Kerns
72 Sunset Hill Rd
Boyertown, PA 19512
484-338-0009
God Loves You!
John 3:16
Good Morning Humble, Child-Like Servants Like Jesus! AMEN!!!! Is that you? Does that reflect our church? It does and it can. Jesus came and turned the world right-side up. His ways are not like ours. The Kingdom we live in operates differently than this world. We are to be in it but not of it. We are to be like Jesus. That's dying to self, taking up cross daily and crucifying things of this world, putting on your new nature more fully and being ready and willing to follow Jesus to His good plans for you and us and those around us. Help us Lord! Your Kingdom come and will be done in, through, and around me and us. Thanks! Bring Light that drives back the darkness. Bring revival and new life. Bring Your Love alive and overcome the hate, lies, deceit and attacks of the Enemy. May respect, humility, hope and unity rise above the chaos and unite many more into Your family. Help us to do our parts too. Thanks! We need you and this world needs You to flip it right-side up. COME! Help! Lead! Amen! Who are you praying for that needs some Love and to know our Hope? What might God have for you to do about that? Who does He have for you to team up to bring His Kingdom in power? Talk to Him about that. Humble yourself, receive His grace, circumcise your hearts and come as a child--His child and follow our Shepherd well, sheep of His fold. Meditate on the devotionals below and put on love and go live and love like Jesus more fully. Come as you are and allow transformation and receive His help and go make disciples. Start by being one! Amen. His grace is sufficient for you! Receive and share it!
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