Ask God who you should invite to either or both days and do it. We gather like the first church found in Acts 2:42 and as they did, ask God to do for us--grow our numbers daily as we gather, study, eat, fellowship and pray. AMEN! Please Lord! Use us and help us connect to those you are wanting us to invite or minister to. Thanks! Amen!
Good Morning Pray-ers! This month has been focused on learning to pray and I haven't sensed God letting up on answering our prayers for Him to teach us to pray. Seems everywhere I turn I am reading or studying something about prayer. How about you? Is God speaking to your heart about praying? Is He teaching you to pray? Is He informing your prayers? Are we praying like the early church? We get to practice that now with this blog, at Bread Ministry, and at Dinner Huddle where we continue our study of the Chambers book looking at days 16-20 and practicing different prayer disciplines. God loves us and wants to hang with us and hear the desires of our hearts as we abide and pray. Thank God for that and draw near and he will draw near to you .
Check out Our Daily Bread's teaching on being consistent pray-ers. Would you disregard government mandates to not pray or worship. Would you boldly swing open your shutters like Daniel and allow others to see you pray? Are others experiencing your prayers for them? Are you joining with others to pray? You know praying is for all of us, not just the pastor or select leaders. Someone asked me to pray over the bread volunteers before we begin to serve. You know if God gives you an idea to pray, just do it. He hears you as much as He hears me and He will use you too and bless you as you follow His nudges. And that flows into the Upper Room devo reminding us the need to encourage the encouragers. That may mean praying for the pray-ers with them. Or learning to bless, serve, pray and love like Jesus. You can do it and God sent His Spirit to you to help. It's an encouragement to me when I see you guys serving and praying and loving. God only expects you top try, not to be an expert. So He is saying to you and us --draw close, pray always, and trust me to teach and use you as you are. He is calling you by name to come dwell in His love, abide, receive and then allowing Him to use you, pray through you and love through you. Try it! Open the shutters of your heart and allow others to see you pray and experience your loving service and don't forget to invite them to come join us this week as we fellowship, feast, study, pray and serve. I'm praying for you to experience His loving help in new ways . Shalom!
ODB:
Power of Consistent Prayer
Three times a day [Daniel] got down on his knees, and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before. Daniel 6:10 Daniel 6:3-7, 9-11
Academy Award-winning actor Denzel Washington encouraged a group of young actors to begin each day with prayer, suggesting they “put your shoes way under the bed at night” to ensure they “gotta get on your knees in the morning.”
Developing a regular habit of prayer might take some thoughtful and even creative planning, but it’s a practice that has sustained God’s people throughout history—especially in difficult times. We see this in the life of Daniel, who served in King Darius’ administration. He quickly distinguished himself as the top government advisor, which angered local officials (Daniel 6:3). Out of jealousy they plotted to oust the prophet, but quickly realized the only charge that would stick was related to Daniel’s devotion to the “the law of his God” (v. 5). Even after the officials tricked the king into making it illegal for Daniel to pray, Daniel still “got down on his knees, and prayed . . . just as he had done before” (v. 10).
A consistent prayer life was essential for Daniel to experience God’s sustaining strength and peace (Psalm 29:11). It helped him to triumph over the forces seeking to destroy him. In the same way, establishing a regular time to meet with God in prayer and making it a daily priority can help cultivate our relationship with Him. During each difficulty we face, it’s His strength that will sustain us.
By Lisa M. Samra
REFLECT & PRAY
How has a regular pattern of prayer sustained you in difficulty? What example of prayer in the Bible encourages you?
Loving Father, please give me Your strength and mercy each morning.
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
Luke’s gospel includes snapshots of Jesus’ prayer life. As the news of His ministry spread, He “often withdrew to lonely places and prayed” (5:16). Prior to the selection of the twelve apostles, He “went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God” (6:12). And as was the case with Daniel, prayer was a prelude to a severe trial (Daniel 6:6-10). Before Christ faced the cross, He agonized in prayer in Gethsemane (see Luke 22:39-46). Being faithful in prayer cultivates our relationship with God, strengthens our soul, and helps us to be at peace during trials.
Arthur Jackson
UR: Encourage the Encouragers
Encourage one another and build each other up. - 1 Thessalonians 5:11 (NIV)
When I arrived at church, Joyce was already there. She had made coffee for school and had probably cleaned up the classroom, knowing her. Now she was walking around the sanctuary, greeting people with a constant smile on her face. I noticed that she made sure to speak with the elderly. She gave a hug to a woman in a wheelchair and to another woman with a walker. As church began, she slipped into the pew in front of me and turned to give me a hug and a smile.
After church, I asked her how she was doing. She hesitated a moment and then said, “Fine.” I asked again, “How are you really doing?” Dropping her smile, Joyce confessed that she was struggling. She felt lonely. She wondered if she really belonged in this church. Her words surprised me. She always seemed so upbeat. I had no idea she was hurting. I promised to pray for her and vowed silently to check on her regularly.
We all love the encouragers among us and appreciate the love they shower upon us. But do we consider that they also need encouragement? We can reach out not only to visitors and those who appear lonely but also to those who are so quick to reach out to us. They may need a listening ear and a sympathetic heart.
's Prayer
Dear God, help us to remember those who have encouraged us, and show us ways to encourage them. Amen.
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