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Tuesday, October 10 2023
Good Morning Servants of the Most High God! We cannot serve two masters. That is a biblical truth. We can be wishy washy or double minded as the Bible reminds us. Too often we can tend to be more in the world than of it. We do have responsibilities as citizens of the Lehigh Valley, PA, and the USA that the law requires us to do. And we are called to steward well and meet the responsibilities of taking care of our families, residences, jobs while at the same time, being about the Father's business. How do we balance our responsibilities well as Kingdom citizens with those of having a dual citizenship on earth? That's the question of the ages, isn't it? How can we be all-in for God while we live here on earth? Help us Lord! It is a constant battle! But one that some have come to do well. So, we can too. Honestly, that will look different for all of us throughout all the stages of life.
Can you tell today that I am in a pensive place. Satan seems to be attacking and trying to steal my joy and focus on God and His plans for me and our church. I all bound up in things that I need to just give to God and trust and move on. Satan be gone! I am a child of the King that whooped your butt! I am an overcomer! I am enabled and empowered to be victorious in Christ, to serve Him and to live in this world as His reflection. I'm putting on that armor, tightening that chin strap and standing ready with His Sword and in my spirit.
Questions of faith and how to live well as a child of God often plague us, especially when life happens and Satan pounces on that seeking some to destroy. As the days get darker, more carnal and depraved it will also become harder to bring Light and walk in God's ways. Yes we are in a battle, BUT GOD! We know the Victor and we are His. Jesus is standing beside you whispering in your ear, You are mine! I got you!" God promises to hold us in His mighty hand. The Holy Spirit is living in us, directing us and reminding us of all the promises we have to wield against the enemy. Cast all your anxiety unto God and He will comfort you and bring you His peace. And pray on His armor today. Pray in the spirit at all times and keep on choosing to be all-in and trusting that God knows what He's doing and why things are happening. You were created for such a time as this and placed right where God wants you for His purposes. PTL! Worship. Fill up your faith tank. And go love well no mater what you are facing today. God knows, cares and is working all things together for the good of those who believe, even when it may not seem like it in the physical realm. Amen! Check out ODB below and David's prayer during a time of hurting. Continue to pray for Israel. The Lord promises blessings to those who pray for the peace of Israel. And continue to lean on the God who is always with you and always at work.
So how do we balance our dual citizenship today? What are your priorities? Someday, maybe sooner than later we will leave this world or Jesus will return for us. That is a fact and a promise. So in what are you investing? God promises to provide the essentials for life. Yes, we'd all like and work towards having more than the essentials. The trick is realizing when enough is enough and choosing trust and contentedness like Paul did. Karen and I used to pray a lot, as commanded, for God to give us just enough--not too little or too much. But we all know that in our minds, too often, enough isn't enough. That is the thing we all need God and others to help us with and our responses determine how well we are living out our dual citizenship according to Kingdom standards. Check out the UR below? Life is short. How well are you living.
All around us we see people that don't know God striving for all kinds of things to fill their emptiness, cravings and delights. But we are called to delight in the Lord and all things we need will be given. We were not placed here to out do the Joneses. Nor do we need all the things they clamor after to enjoy life in Christ. We know that, but it can be hard to live through that. Again, that is why we need encouragers, prayer warriors, and accountability partners in our lives. People of God helping each other to thrive as Kingdom citizens first and to let God handle the rest. We are learning to balance better and live more fully into our God-created potential and purposes. Let's stop the comparing game! Even churches do this as they tout what they are doing as if we are called to one-upmanship. Each church, as each individual, is a unique creation of God placed where they are for seasons of life. So the real question we need to ask is, "Are we doing all we can with all we got to honor God as we follow His plan for us?" I think for St. Matts. the answer is yes. Sure there's always more we can do. That will come as we continue to grow in Christ. But we are following peace and God's provision well. As He promises, when He leads us to new things, the provision will come as we step through that open door in faith.
Now our responsibility shifts to seeking God, discerning, and taking those first steps through the open doors. As we become equipped and ready for the greater things He will lead us there. BUT, we have to keep seeking and planning and following. There is no resting on our laurels in the Christian journey. The bishop has called us to become a dynamic movement of God. To do that well, we have to be willing to break camp from our comfort, be all-in with Christ, and follow the Holy Spirit to what's next. And Jesus promises to be with us apostles (sent ones) each step of the journey. So ask God to search your heart and cleanse the junk and help you to put on His armor and be ready to move into battle with Him as we enter His harvest field. And find some partners that God is raising up for you to march with.
In our reading through the gospel of John, we are encountering all the "I AM" statements of Jesus. He's proclaiming to be God and identifying aspects of God's character that He is incarnating and bringing to life before the watcher's eyes. In John 8:12 that we discussed Sunday, He said, "I am the light of the world." In John 9 that we are studying this week Jesus heals the blind man and the Pharisees get all twisted up about who Jesus is claiming to be. They are so focused on trying to live for God according to their standards and expectations that they totally miss that God is walking among them. They just can't accept it because He doesn't meet their preferences and standards. They are closed minded and hard hearted, like many around us today, even some church people and leaders. We asked Sunday for you to seek God for the answers to these two questions: Who is Jesus? How does He impact my life? Ask God to open the eyes of your heart to His Truths and how He desires for Jesus to affect your life and those around you. Jesus is the Light that brings sight to the blind. Pray for sight for the blind around us, even church leaders and members who are missing the new things God is doing. In John 9:39 Jesus said, "I entered this world to render judgement--giving sight to the blind and to show those who think they see that they are blind." Can you see? Do you want to? Who is this man to you? How is He impacting your life right now--today? Ask for eyes to see, mind to understand and a pure heart to go love like Him everyday. That is living as a child of Light in this world today and God blesses that. He promises! We were created for such a time as this for our part in expanding God's Kingdom. It's time to start worrying about that more than all the noise and darkness around us. Be the light! God's got the rest covered!
Our Daily Bread:
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“Most people carry scars that others can’t see or understand.” Those deeply honest words came from Major League Baseball player Andrelton Simmons, who opted out of the end of the 2020 regular season due to mental health struggles. Reflecting on his decision, Simmons felt he needed to share his story to encourage others facing similar challenges and to remind others to show compassion.
Invisible scars are those deep hurts and wounds that can’t be seen but still cause very real pain and suffering. In Psalm 6, David wrote of his own deep struggle—penning painfully raw and honest words. He was “in agony” (v. 2) and “deep anguish” (v. 3). He was “worn out” from groaning, and his bed was drenched with tears (v. 6). While David doesn’t share the cause of his suffering, many of us can relate to his pain.
We can also be encouraged by the way David responded to his pain. In the midst of his overwhelming suffering, he cried out to God. Honestly pouring out his heart, he prayed for healing (v. 2), rescue (v. 4), and mercy (v. 9). Even with the question “How long?” (v. 3) lingering over his situation, David remained confident that God “heard [his] cry for mercy” (v. 9) and would act in His time (v. 10).
Because of who our God is, there is always hope.
By Lisa M. Samra
REFLECT & PRAY
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How can you express your struggle to God when experiencing deep emotional anguish? How have you experienced His healing, mercy, and rescue?
Heavenly Father, give me courage to express my deepest pain and to welcome Your presence and healing into my situation.
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SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
The superscription to Psalm 6 tells us it was written by David, but we’re not given any information about what prompted him to pen this poem. The Bible Knowledge Commentary says, “This is one of the penitential psalms. David had been suffering from some illness that brought him near death. It’s difficult to associate this psalm, however, with any known event in his life.”
A penitential psalm is a song of repentance, where the singer pleads for forgiveness (see vv. 2, 4), but Psalm 6 also carries the strong overtones of lament, as David sorrows over his treatment at the hands of his enemies. And for this, he also seeks God’s grace and mercy. Even though we don’t know the specific events surrounding its writing, the psalm is deeply personal, as the author bares his soul to God and the world.
Dive deeper into this study of the different Psalms.
Bill Crowder |
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Upper Room: "I Can Serve"
Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens. - Psalm 68:19 (NIV)
Several months ago, my 49-year-old nephew passed away after years of dealing with a debilitating disease. I, along with so many others, drew strength from his testimonies about faith, hope, and peace. He was an example of how blessed we are to love and be loved by God, who bears all our burdens.
In Matthew 28:19 Jesus tells us, “Go and make disciples of all nations.” We are the hands and feet of Christ. Our testimony allows others to learn about the love and eternal life Christ offers.
I see so many problems in the world, and I often feel ill-equipped to help alleviate others’ burdens or provide comfort to them. Then I remember my nephew, who served God by starting a street ministry traveling in his wheelchair. Christ’s strength is in all of us — the gift of the Holy Spirit. So let us all do our best to share the comfort and love of Christ with those around us.
TODAY'S PRAYER
Dear heavenly Father, help us to serve you by sharing scriptures and examples of hope and comfort. Give us the strength to share our faith. We pray as Jesus taught us, “Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation” (Lk. 11:2-4, NIV). Amen.
Monday, October 09 2023
See Sarah's Prayer list and questions below from yesterday.
Thank you for praying for our prayer gathering yesterday. I was surprised that we had 7 show up and was not surprised that it was a powerful time of prayer and praise for our denomination, district and our church to become a dynamic movement of God! He has great plans for us, His beloved disciples and apostles! Keep praying, believing and joining Him as we go forth shining His Light into the darkness.
Tonight is our Lehigh District annual meeting. Please pray for God's wisdom and direction to come alive.
Tues 10-11 Zoom Huddle
Wed 10-12 Donuts and Conversations at The Bread Ministry (Fellowship Hall--all welcome!)
Wed 6-8 in the Fellowship Hall and Family Room Dinner, Family Ministries, and the Chosen Huddle (ties to our John 7 message from yesterday! How God-like!)
Good Morning Recharged Beacons! Hmmm? what can he mean by that? Thanks for asking!  Like Jesus, we need to reload to pour out God's love, grace, wisdom and help. We do that as we rest in Him, sit at His feet, recharge and then walk with Him into His plans for us each day. I love how God threads our daily devotionals (below) and Bible readings (John 9) together and speaks to our hearts and teaches us more about His healthy rhythms we can experience as we get to practice them. Over the past few months, God has been highlighting to me, and it has become a priority for our denomination to focus on personal care. It is a response to the very real problem faced by many churches, pastors and leadership, even congregants who have become overloaded, stressed, weary servants who are walking away from their calls, responsibilities, and even God in record numbers due to burnout. God's best healthy rhythm for us is working from abiding-in-Christ rest not overloading and being forced to rest. When we enter into this healthy flow we will find ourselves yoked to Jesus moving at His pace as He leads us from our time of reloading to fruit producing daily. This will often require a renewing of our thinking and changing of our ways as we die to self, crucify our plans and agendas and busyness and follow Jesus to His best and healthy ways for us. And remember, a yoke is an instrument of labor as we also need to get moving at Jesus' pace to get healthy. May we all choose health--spiritual, physical, mental, emotional, and financial--as we honor God's healthy rhythms and ways.
PTL for all the servants God has sent to St. Matts! PTL for mentors to me/us like Pastor Al! PTL for the permission and the focus the denomination is prioritizing for our churches, pastors and leaders about self care! PTL! I have been called to a church of servants where I can be a servant shepherd and have others to carry their God-ordained purposes and fulfill many of the needs of our church. I expect God to send more workers as we follow Jesus and His healthy rhythms and I am able to focus more on ministry needs. PTL and pray into that. Thanks Al for waking me up to my work-a-holic tendencies and helping me to learn to trust God, wait on Him for His provision of workers and resources and to focus on growing myself into the man God created me to be and doing the things at His pace that He has for me daily. Thank You Father for bringing me to Your rest, recharging me daily and helping me to trust You to be the Lord of each day and week and Your mission for me and Your Church! Thank You for all the answered prayers and allowing us to see Your faithfulness as we make You the Lord of our lives, days and choices. Come! Continue Your good work in and through me and Your Church. Thanks!!! Bless and refresh Your servants and bring in more as You bring in the harvest. Amen!
I was called to St. Matts as an answer to my prayers that God would call me to a place where I would learn not to do things in my own strength but to fully rely on Him--a call to a place where I would realize I could not do it all on my own. Sometimes I still try and sometimes I get so excited to get moving to what God is revealing and He reminds me that in His Kingdom, slow is fast and small is big. Little steps doing what seem like the little things He has for us each day leads to great fruit in His perfect timing! I am seeing it! I am learning to trust Him more! PTL! Are you? Proverbs 3:5-6 has become part of my learning to die to self and release myself and my agendas and ways to God! "Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Do not lean on your own understanding." It takes a lot of praying, dying to self, and growing in trust to get to this place! PTL that He is patient with us and helps us to see the good fruit of this as He brings verse 6 alive right before our eyes: "Seek His will in all you do and He will direct your steps." That is the hard work God expects of us--praying, seeking, knocking, listening and processing daily with right hearts and feet willing to follow Him to His best for you (and His Church) each day as you take up your cross and follow Him. He has great plans He custom made for you each day and for our church. They should not burn us out when carried out His best ways. And His plans for you are custom made for every season of your life. As we learn to trust Him and follow better we will experience the great fruit of the greater things He has for us! Amen!
Thank you again to all the servants doing their parts at St. Matts. You make my calling a pleasure as we co-labor in prayer, surrender to our Lord and serve together, each doing our part! (praying, funding, encouraging each other, doing your custom made parts, learning together to live and love like Jesus as we put our faith into action) Yes we are growing into the smooth running Good News Delivery Company, St. Matts Division, that God has created us to be. We trust Him and adapt as we follow Him to the new things He has for us. It can be hard to say goodbye to the things of old as we fondly look in the rearview mirror of our past. But we build on our strengths, and adapt to the new things God has for us in an ever-changing world. We learn to bring alive His Good News and love today in ways that connect to those being drawn from darkness to Light. As Paul reminds us we focus ahead on the things God has for us today and moving forward and find relevant ways to connect to those God is sending to us. What joy!!! You have no idea how much of a blessing it is to be co-laboring with you! Thank you! Thank you for your encouragements and willingness to adapt as we follow what God has for us! I am honored to co-labor with you! I thank God for you all the time! May God richly bless you and us as we continue to trust and allow Him to lead us to His greater things! Revival is at hand! This is the year of the Lord's favor. Rejoice! Keep at it! Our rewards will be great in heaven as we keep lavishly sowing God's love. Amen!
In John 9:3b-5 Jesus said, "We must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the One who sent us. The night is coming, and then no one can work. But while I am here in the world, I am the Light of the World." Who is this man to you? How is He impacting your life? We understand that God has assigned us tasks, custom made tasks. This is a command that comes with a promise: The End is coming and our time to work will be complete, but while those with Jesus in them are still on earth, His Light is still here and we have tasks to complete. We are His beacons shining out to light the way for all who will come. Time is short. Keep your focus and do so in healthy ways as we pour ourselves out as a drink offering to God. Complete your tasks well. God is with you always! Prayerfully read the devos below and ask God what He wants you to learn and put into practice today and ask Him to open your eyes to those He is leading you to and give you His heart, mind and willing feet. Amen! Gentle Shepherd, come and lead us!
Upper Room: Conversations with God
The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel, Samuel!” Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.” - 1 Samuel 3:10 (NIV)
I remember my dad telling me about the frustration he felt when he battled interrupted sleep as an older adult. I must confess that as a young adult, I didn’t fully understand my father’s feelings. I remembered his struggle, however, when recently I started experiencing the same problem.
It took me a while before I learned to accept this interruption by using the quiet time to listen for God’s voice in my life. Inspired by two church handouts on prayer, I began to pray and respond each night by writing in a prayer journal. What had begun as an inconvenience had suddenly been transformed into a cherished time with my heavenly Father.
Over the last year or two, these quiet times with God have given me direction when facing challenges in relationships with neighbors, co-workers, friends, or family members. These “interruptions” have also helped me to pray about problems or for the needs of others in my church and to give thanks for all that I have been given. Almost always, I return to bed content and at peace.
TODAY'S PRAYER
Dear Lord, thank you for the quiet times we have to listen for your guidance and direction. Amen.
Charles Stanley Devotional:
Our Daily Bread:
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Have you heard of #slowfashion? The hashtag captures a movement focused on resisting “fast fashion”—an industry dominated by cheaply made and quickly disposed of clothing. In fast fashion, clothes are out of style nearly as quickly as they’re in the stores—with some brands disposing of large quantities of their products every year.
The slow fashion movement encourages people to slow down and take a different approach. Instead of being driven by the need to always have the latest look, slow fashion encourages us to select fewer well-made and ethically sourced items that will last.
As I reflected on #slowfashion’s invitation, I found myself wondering about other ways I fall into a “fast fashion” way of thinking—always looking for fulfillment in the latest trend. In Colossians 3, however, Paul says finding true transformation in Jesus isn’t a quick fix or a fad. It’s a lifetime of quiet, gradual transformation in Christ.
Instead of needing to clothe ourselves with the world’s latest status symbols, we can exchange our striving for the Spirit’s clothing of “compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience” (v. 12). We can learn patience with each other on the slow journey of Christ transforming our hearts—a journey that leads to lasting peace (v. 15).
By Monica La Rose
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How are you tempted to find security by keeping up with the latest trends? What helps you find contentment in Jesus?
Dear God, thank You that I can surrender my anxious strivings in exchange for the peace of a quiet walk with You.
Learn more about developing a biblical worldview.
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SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
Colossians 3:5–11 helps us to see what needs to be “put to death” (v. 5) as believers in Jesus who’ve been united with Christ in His death and resurrection (vv. 1–4). Verses 12–17, however, focus on what needs to be “put on” (v. 14) as His representatives. The standard for our living is the character of Christ as seen in the qualities listed in verses 12–14. The standard for relationships in Jesus’ family is the peace of Christ (v. 15). The standard for instruction, correction, and celebration in community is the word of Christ (v. 16). And the standard for all that we do is to bring honor to the name of Christ (v. 17). When we clothe ourselves in such a way, it’s like wearing garments given by a gracious Father to His beloved children. And perhaps others will desire to know more about such a Father and want Him to be their Father as well.
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Shepherdess Sarah's Prayer letter:
Good afternoon everyone,
Hope that you are nice and toasty in your homes and enjoying the football game. It is definitely a Fall day today!
Here are a couple of the prayer requests shared today in worship.....
Lisa Wenner has asked for prayer for her boss, Ed Shelly. We have been praying for Ed....
He came through the surgery well. Pray that he will mend and heal, may God's peace surround him.
And may Ed be patient with his body as it heals and that his attitude will remain positive.
Friends of Neen and mine has asked for prayer for their son, who had triple by-pass surgery and is doing
good. He came through the surgery well.
Please keep him and his family in your prayers - praying that his healing goes well without any infections.
Karen Kerns' father Russ is home. Continue to lift him up and that he remains safe and that the dietary
department where he lives will be able to provide healthy meals that coincide with his diet.
Allison - co worker of Lisa Wenner - she is having some testing and blood work done on Friday to
see what is happening with her heart. Pray that God's peace will surround her and continue to pray
for Lisa as God uses her as His vessel of love and peace to her co-workers!!
Also Yay God - Lisa's feet are doing better - continue to pray for healing for her....as she is a 'sermon in shoes'
Ron Boyer continues to have heart issues. The medical team caring for him is trying different treatments
with him. They are changing his water pill. Hopefully he will see some improvement over the next couple of days
Darlene Geiger has asked for prayer for a woman she met in the parking lot - her name is Tammy and she is having
difficulty with her relationship with her husband. Pray for Tammy to receive the help and guidance she needs and for
both her and her husband to be reconcile their relationship.
Darlene is also asking for prayer for her husband, Jim. He has a persistent cough and she is asking that he trust God for healing
and see God's presences and to have peace.
Melissa Sullivan (DeLong) has asked for prayer for her Mother, Darlene Skinner as she is dealing with some health issues.
Barb Somers has asked for prayer for her sister, Judy who has Lung Cancer. She will be starting chemo in a couple of weeks.
Pray for strength and perseverance for Judy and for Barb as she comes along side Judy to encourage and support her
during this difficult time in her life.
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Take away questions from worship today:
Who is Jesus to you?
How does Jesus impact your life?
I am curious of your thoughts.....email or text me your thoughts!
Hey have a great evening and fabulous week!
Blessings,
Sarah
Don 
Sunday, October 08 2023
Today: Worship at 10 (live and on Zoom) with Children's Church. Today we will be discussing John 7 and 8 that we read during the week. (next week John 9-10).
Today: A Season of Prayer 2-4 in the sanctuary. All are welcome! Come and go as needed.
Good Morning Unique, Purposeful Followers of Jesus! What an amazing God we serve! PTL! He is a God of creative diversity where all of nature is created with beauty and purposes--us included. Eph. 2:10 continues to come to mind as I pray for you and our Good News Delivery Company called St. Matts. We are God's uniquely created masterpieces. We are made new in Christ which is a one time salvation new life and at the same time a growing into the new nature He created us to wear. We receive the Holy Spirit's help and gifts and become enabled to grow into our fuller potential at conversion. Why? To do the custom made things God has for us each day and throughout the days of our journey on earth. As we realize this and move towards the greater things God has for us, as we shed our old nature and earthly ways, we begin to find ourselves in that sweet spot that only comes from being and doing the things we were created to be and do, we find our peace, joy and purposes growing. It's hard to explain unless you have experienced it. Charles Stanley has done a pretty good job in his devo for today (below). We were born with great potential that is activated as we come to Christ in faith. Then we are enabled and empowered at that point to truly be who we were created to be doing the things we were created to do at each stage of life. What blessings, joy and shalom that brings as we step into that with God!
This is what the Become Me in '23 Challenge is all about. It is a passion God has given me to help us all find that sweet spot and us as God's Fellowship as well. He has created each of us and our church with great potential and His purposes are awaiting us as we grow in Christ. Our mission is to allow God to live and love through us as we become more like Jesus. Our denomination's vision is for all our churches to become a dynamic movement of God with a burning passion for Him and a missionary zeal for the lost. God has great plans for each of us and our church as He moves us towards that. Today from 2-4 we will be gathering in our sanctuary to pray into this and to release God's will, power, provision and wisdom. Join us and bring some friends! We will also be praying for any personal needs. Every movement of God was and is birthed from prayer. We are a praying church. For many of you, your purpose for this stage of life is to be a prayer warrior and God's provision for His plans. You have a very needed and powerful purpose in our Good News Delivery Company! Thank you for serving and for allowing God to grow you into your fuller potential for this season of your life! We need you and your prayers and provisions shared. Thanks again!
We were uniquely created for purposes for all seasons of our lives. God wants to fulfill our desires as we do His custom made purposes and gives us the help and ability to achieve them. PTL! He is preparing us for our eternal future and we are building our treasure in heaven to be used to worship God and be used to carry on His custom made purposes. What an awesome God! Life in Christ is good! We have much to worship and praise for and much to be excited about as we follow Jesus to what's next for us! In John 7 and 8 we will see today the example Jesus left for us for how to trust God amidst all kinds of chaos and focus on our mission and fulfill our created purposes well! Run well your race! Allow God to live and love through you and follow well to God's very best for you and us. Shalom! You can know it as you trust and obey each day.
Charles Stanley devo:
Saturday, October 07 2023
Clothing Closet today from 10-1
Sun. Worship from 10-11ish in person and on Zoom with Children's Church.
Sun. Season of Prayer 2-4 in the sanctuary. (Come and go as you please) Praying for our denomination, district, church and personal needs. Do you need some prayer? Come! Or bring someone who does.
See below Sarah Boyer's prayer requests. Continue to lift the Ron Williams family as they move through grief of the loss of Ron. We buried him yesterday. UPDATE on Karen's dad Russ: He is in the hospital because the facility he lives in refuses to cook heart healthy food. The menus are loaded with salt causing his fluid retention. Pray for healing for him and for the kitchen to be open to serving healthy choices to the elderly they serve. pray for wisdom for us as we try to fight for this . Thanks!
Sarah update:
Good evening,
I have two urgent prayer requests to share with you:
Lisa Wenner has asked for prayer for her boss, Ed Shelly. We have been praying for Ed....but
right now he is at the hospital having emergency surgery for a perforated colon. He isn't doing too
good. Please pray for his medical and surgical team and for his family. Pray also that he will mend
and heal, may God's peace surround him.
Friends of Neen and mine has asked for prayer for their son, who had triple by-pass surgery today.
He came through the surgery well, and has been able to communicate verbally with his family.
Please keep him and his family in your prayers - praying that his healing goes well without any infections
Karen Kerns' father Russ is in the hospital for testing. Prayers for the doctors and those reading the test
results and pray that they find out what is going on.
Thank you church family for your prayers!
Have a great evening and weekend!!!
Blessings,
Sarah
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Good Morning Worshiping, Products of Your Choices! Everything we do can be an act of worship from doing dishes, cleaning toilets, praying, encouraging, praising, obeying God, if all you choose to do flows from a heart of worship. God has created us free to choose. We are not robots. When He draws people to Himself they all have a choice to trust and believe or reject and walk away. We see the consequences of peoples choices throughout the Bible, history and present day life. We get to choose life or death, blessings or curses. We have chosen life in Christ! PTL! Everyday, 24-7, we get to choose if we will obey or go our own way. PTL that when we choose our own way, come to realize what we are doing, that we can choose to stop, repent, be forgiven and return to God's best ways. And He always chooses to forgive, restore, redeem and help us back on track and through the consequences of our poor choices. Check out ODB and CS devos below for more on our choices. And keep choosing life, blessings and obedience! And keep choosing to praise and worship. Check out UR below. Choose to count your blessings and praise with songs of old and new songs too. Worship with psalms, hymns, spiritual songs as you choose to praise no matter the storms or good times you find yourself in.
Last year we studied a spiritual virtue each month. The Jan. virtue was joy. We get to choose how we face life. Joy is a choice--a good and healthy choice that flows from trusting God no matter what. We discussed the importance of turning off the noise around us, whatever is causing the noise, and tuning into God by casting our anxiety and fear onto God and counting our many blessings in praise. We discussed how building gratitude lists can help us to have something handy to help us to choose to refocus with praise.
Here's a song to remind you that you can choose joy as you choose to worship in the storms of life: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7UE_EuFLj4
This year we are working on growing into the people we were created to be, doing the things custom made for us to do. We get to choose if we will die to self and the ways of this world and take up our crosses and follow Jesus. We get to choose how we live this life. May we all choose well today and always! Talk to God about that as you choose to be still, sit at His feet, receive and follow well. We get to choose if we live this life as an act of worship or not. PTL for freedom to choose and for helping us to know the best choices to make throughout each day! PTL for choosing you and us! Praise the Lord for being faithful to us no matter what! Here's one more very familiar hymn to offer in worship as you choose to trust and praise today, Great Is Thy Faithfulness! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vN6ZgZhMOR8
Choose to have a great day as you begin with praise, worship and stillness as you sit at Jesus' feet and receive His shalom, wisdom and strength to face this day. He is faithful and worthy of all glory, honor and praise! What an awesome God we serve! Choose to worship and rejoice in this day! Yes! PTL! Amen!
Upper Room (UR):
O sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things. His right hand and his holy arm have gotten him victory. - Psalm 98:1 (NRSVUE)
As a child I lived in a small house with five sisters, one brother, and my parents. We all shared many chores — cooking, hanging laundry to dry, and caring for the younger children. My parents, however, brightened our chores with music. When Mom sang spiritual songs in the kitchen or Daddy played guitar on the porch, the family would sing along. In time, we bought an old upright piano and learned to play. From those songs, I learned to turn my attention to Jesus when life grows difficult and to talk to God and meditate on scripture often.
In Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, he encouraged God’s people to sing (see Eph. 5:19). Maybe he was recalling the incident from Acts 16 when he and Silas were imprisoned in Philippi. At midnight, when Paul and Silas sang hymns, an earthquake shook the prison, the doors opened, and their chains fell off.
Now, many years later, I listen to inspirational music at lunch and find peace. In late afternoons, I play piano and find joy. On sleepless nights, I recall songs from my childhood and find rest. We can find comfort when we sing praise to God.
TODAY'S PRAYER
Holy God, thank you for accepting our praise, offered through joyful songs. Thank you for bringing us peace, joy, and rest through music. Amen.Our Daily Bread (ODB):
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A few weeks after the death of a dear friend, I spoke with her mom. I was hesitant to ask how she was doing because I thought it was an inappropriate question; she was grieving. But I pushed aside my reluctance and simply asked how she was holding up. Her reply: “Listen, I choose joy.”
Her words ministered to me that day as I struggled to push beyond some unpleasant circumstances in my own life. And her words also reminded me of Moses’ edict to the Israelites at the end of Deuteronomy. Just before Moses’ death and the Israelites’ entrance into the promised land, God wanted them to know that they had a choice. Moses said, “I have set before you life and death . . . . Now choose life” (Deuteronomy 30:19). They could follow God’s laws and live well, or they could turn away from Him and live with the consequences of “death and destruction” (v. 15).
We must choose how to live too. We can choose joy by believing and trusting in God’s promises for our lives. Or we can choose to focus on the negative and difficult parts of our journeys, allowing them to rob us of joy. It will take practice and relying on the Holy Spirit for help, but we can choose joy—knowing that “in all things God works for the good of those who love him” (Romans 8:28).
By Katara Patton
REFLECT & PRAY
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How can you choose joy in spite of your circumstances today? How is choosing joy similar to choosing life as God described to the Israelites?
Dear God, Giver of Joy, please help me to choose to follow You and believe and trust You this day.
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SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
In Deuteronomy 30:15, Moses used a figure of speech called metonymy where the effect stands for the cause. When he claimed to be setting before the people “life and prosperity, death and destruction,” he was presenting the effects of the Israelites’ decisions to help them see the significance of their choices. Obviously, no one would choose death and destruction. But their actions would lead either to life and prosperity or to death and destruction. In chapter 28, he lists the blessings for obedience (vv. 1–14) and the curses for disobedience (vv. 15–68).
J.R. Hudberg |
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Charles Stanley's God's Purpose for Your Life Devotional (CS): (Today's and Sunday's devos)
Friday, October 06 2023
REMINDER: The Rally Day envelopeswill be used to fund our new "IN" account to be used to purchase curriculum, teaching materials, and items needed for all of our "IN" gatherings and huddles.
St. Matts happenings for the weekend: Ron Williams funeral today 11am service. Clothing Closet tomorrow (Sat) 10-1, worship Sun at 10(discussing John 7 and 8. What's God saying to you?) and a season of prayer 2-4 in our sanctuary. Join us for one or all! Bring a friend!
T.G.I.F. Thank God I'm Forgiven! Amen! PTL! Hallelujah! We can know that we know that we know that we are forgiven, have new life in Christ, are putting on our new nature and His righteousness, and secure in our future destination! Praise be the Lord, our Savior, Lord, Creator, Sustainer, Helper, Friend and our righteousness. Our sins have been forgiven once and for all time and He is faithful to His promises to forgive, cleanse and direct repentant, soft hearts. He promises to take away our hearts of stone and give us soft hearts. He promises us the gift of His Spirit, our Helper and Advocate and Seal of Faith. We are God's masterpieces, made new in Christ and full of potential and ability to accomplish all His plans for us because of our believing, repenting, soft and willing hearts! PTL! PTL! Begin Your day with some praise and worship!
Good Morning Very Loved, Very Blessed, Worshiping, Other Worldly, Disciples (apprentices) and Apostles (sent ones) of Christ! We were created in love to go love like Jesus as we grow from being one way to another in Christ. We were born with great potential. As we put on our new nature and allow Christ to shepherd us and learn from Him, we put on His easy yoke and learn to walk well in faith and service with Him. PTL! We are learning to live otherworldly in this world. People talk about aliens from outer space all the time and illegal aliens too. But we are citizens of heaven and earth, aliens and strangers here learning to live for Christ as we carry on our responsibilities on earth. We are learning how to be in the world but not of it as we grow into good ambassadors of Christ. We all have a purpose in Christ and different purposes daily and, as we age. We have custom made purposes for who we were made to be in every season of our life in Christ! And we are equipped, provided for and helped to find and fulfill those purposes! PTL! We are apprenticing under Jesus and sent to live and love like Him as we grow into our fuller potential in Christ. As Pastor Al taught us it's like building the airplane as we fly it. That takes soft hearts and willing feet to tweak as we go and as we follow. God is for us and with us and can do way more than we could ever imagine! He does have plans to prosper, not harm. But we may need to go through some valleys and tweaking ourselves as we walk with Him. It is an honor and privilege to follow Him with you as we allow the Holy Spirit to lead us to our fuller potential and God's greater things for us! Yes PTL!
Check out our devos below as you worship, praise. listen, receive, learn and prepare for this day! You are loved, are learning and adapting and adequate in Christ! You have doable purposes custom made for you as you travel through this life. PTL and follow well today! Maybe meditate on these songs as you prayerfully open your Bibles and read and meditate on these devos. God is speaking to you, pronouncing love and favor over you and reaching out to take hold of your hand to walk with you. Reach out to Him with a soft heart, willing feet and open ears and eyes. Ask Him to help with that and for His will to be done, in, through and around you. COME! Amen!
Here's a couple of songs to end your time of prayer, praise and worship and to prepare your hearts to follow and serve well today:
Upper Room (UR): Love Notes
Neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. - Romans 8:38-39 (NRSVUE)
Early in our relationship, my husband gave me a card with a beautiful love note. After many years of marriage, I don’t need a note to know how much he cares. It’s evident in the things he does and the way he acts toward me every day. Even though we sometimes don’t come to terms in certain situations or have a disagreement, I know his love for me is steadfast and certain. I find great comfort in this.
God’s love for us is like the steady love my husband shows me, only greater. At times, like when I lost my job of twenty years, when I faced grief, or when I heard the words of a frightening diagnosis, I shook my fist at God wondering where God’s love had gone. Yet, it was there all along: in the kindness of a friend, in the skilled hands of a doctor, in the sunrise of a new day, in the blossoms that herald the promise of a new season. These are God’s love notes to each of us. Do we recognize them?
TODAY'S PRAYER
Gracious God, your love is at work in our lives at all times. May we be instruments of this love, sharing it at every chance through kind thoughts, words, and deeds. Amen.
Our Daily Bread(ODB):
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Eric heard about Jesus’ love for him while in his early twenties. He started attending church where he met someone who helped him grow to know Christ better. It wasn’t long before Eric’s mentor assigned him to teach a small group of boys at church. Through the years, God drew Eric’s heart to help at-risk youth in his city, to visit the elderly, and to show hospitality to his neighbors—all for God’s honor. Now in his late fifties, Eric explains how grateful he is that he was taught early to serve: “My heart overflows to share the hope I’ve found in Jesus. What could be better than to serve Him?”
Timothy was a child when his mother and grandmother influenced him in his faith (2 Timothy 1:5). And he was likely a young adult when he met the apostle Paul, who saw potential in Timothy’s service for God and invited him on a ministry journey (Acts 16:1–3). Paul became his mentor in ministry and life. He encouraged him to study, to be courageous as he faced false teaching, and to use his talents in service to God (1 Timothy 4:6–16).
Why did Paul want Timothy to be faithful in serving God? He wrote, “Because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people” (v. 10). Jesus is our hope and the Savior of the world. What could be better than to serve Him?
By Anne Cetas
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What have you learned about Christ that you want someone else to know? Who could use your help and whose help might you need?
Dear God, please give me a heart to bring Your hope to those around me.
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SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
Paul’s letters to Timothy include quite a few challenges to stop false teaching in its tracks (1 Timothy 4:1–7; 6:2–5; 2 Timothy 2:14–19). In his first letter, Paul gives Timothy the tools he wants the young pastor to use in dealing with falsehoods: “Devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching” (1 Timothy 4:13).
By keeping the Scriptures front and center in the churches that Timothy served, he offered an antidote to the “godless myths and old wives’ tales” (v. 7) that seemed to always plague the churches. Timothy’s best defense against incorrect doctrine was Scripture itself (2 Timothy 3:16).
Jed Ostoich |
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Charles Stanley:
The Word for You Today (TWFYT)
Thursday, October 05 2023
Good Morning Ready to Go Harvest Workers! Hi Ho Hi Hi it's off to work we go...whistling while we work and sing praises to Almighty God! Why? because we love doing the things God created us for and even though we may be walking through the valley, we will not fear for God is with us! Amen!
Check out ODB below and meditate on Philippians 1:21-30. What's God saying to you? Are you all-in-sold-out and ready to go if God is calling you? Are you living your life in Christ to the fullest as if Christ is all that matters? We have and can no the freedom from worry because we know God's love and promises that in the blink of an eye we will be with Him. PTL! Can you earnestly say, "For me to live is Christ and to die is gain."? That is our mission, hope and motivation. Enjoy your life in Christ. Love God and go live and love like Jesus with full abandon today! We are secure and God has great plans for you!
Gotta fly! Running late. Pray for my homebound communion visits today to be filled with God's love and presence. Pray for our Support Team meeting tonight for wisdom and God to lead as we continue to work at stewarding well ALL His blessings. Pray for the Clothing Closet Sat. to bring God's love alive as we meet needs. And pray for our prayer gathering Sun. from 2-4 for some to show up and for God to lead our intercession and prayers. Thanks!
Have a very focused and blessed day! God does have plans to prosper, not harm! He is for you and He is looking at you with great love and open arms. Shalom!
Our Daily Bread (ODB)
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During the coronavirus pandemic, many suffered the loss of loved ones. On November 27, 2020, our family joined their ranks when Bee Crowder, my ninety-five-year-old mom, died—though not from Covid-19. Like so many other families, we weren’t able to gather to grieve Mom, honor her life, or encourage one another. Instead, we used other means to celebrate her loving influence—and we found great comfort from her insistence that, if God called her home, she was ready and even eager to go. That confident hope, evidenced in so much of Mom’s living, was also how she faced death.
Facing possible death, Paul wrote, “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. . . . I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body” (Philippians 1:21, 23–24). Even with his legitimate desire to stay and help others, Paul was drawn to his heavenly home with Christ.
Such confidence changes how we view the moment when we step from this life to the next. Our hope can give great comfort to others in their own season of loss. Although we grieve the loss of those we love, believers in Jesus don’t grieve like those “who have no hope” (1 Thessalonians 4:13). True hope is the possession of those who know Him.
By Bill Crowder
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How would you describe your response to the threatening realities in our world? How could intentional hope change your outlook on the struggles of life?
God of all hope, please remind me of Jesus’ death-conquering victory.
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SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
In Philippians, Paul models the complete transformation that being “united with Christ” (2:1) brings. Even death can become an occasion to honor and draw closer to Jesus, to “not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him” (1:29). The apostle’s words that “to live is Christ and to die is gain” (v. 21) aren’t a death wish but a celebration of the freedom Jesus brings from a paralyzing fear of death. In both life and death, we draw closer to Christ as we follow His example of self-giving love (2:3–8), “becoming like him in his death” (3:10).
Monica La Rose |
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Don
Wednesday, October 04 2023
Good Morning Living Faith Ones! Yes the gift of our faith in Jesus is active and alive as we work on living and loving like Jesus everyday. Our faith journey is not just about knowing Christ and growing in knowledge of His Word and Way, but actually living out an active faith life as part of God's Good News Delivery Co. Our faith journey is one of knowledge and action custom made for custom made us at the season and situations we find ourselves in today. Know Christ and make Him known is our EC mission statement. I think we are well on our way to that and God has prepared us and placed us right where He wants us and we need to be to become a dynamic movement. It's all about just being you and loving like Jesus as you go about the day doing the things He did and has for you. Jesus prayed. Jesus equipped. Jesus provided. Jesus guided. Jesus met needs. And Jesus followed all God had for Him each day. And he gave us a new command to go (movement) and love as He did (action). He loaded up and then poured out Himself. Reload and rested and then poured Himself out. And everywhere He went He connected those God was drawing and leading Him to minister to the Father. He loved well--God, Himself, and all those God was drawing. That's our mission as we yoke to Jesus and walk through each day as His loving servant.
Check out ODB and TWFYT below and talk to God about your assignment for today as you abide in Him and go lovingly produce the good fruit He has ready for you! You are very loved! God has some great plans for you today or maybe some struggle to walk through with Him. No matter, He is for you nad has plans to prosper you and use you to grow His Kingdom. be still and know, refresh and receive. Then go and live and love like Jesus!
See you tonight at 6 for Family Ministries and the Chosen Huddle. Some great stuff ahead and we might even celebrate something God did through you today as He loved through you. And don't forget, Jesus sent the disciples 2x2. Who is He wanting to partner with you? Ask Him and follow well!
ODB:
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It was a natural step for Brett to attend a Christian college and study the Bible. After all, he’d been around people who knew Jesus his whole life—at home, at school, at church. He was even gearing his college studies toward a career in “Christian work.”
But at age twenty-one, as he sat with the small congregation in an old country church and listened to a pastor preach from 1 John, he made a startling discovery. He realized that he was depending on knowledge and the trappings of religion and that he’d never truly received salvation in Jesus. He felt that Christ was tugging at his heart that day with a sobering message: “You don’t know Me!”
The apostle John’s message is clear: “Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God” (1 John 5:1). We can “overcome the world,” as John puts it (v. 4), only by belief in Jesus. Not knowledge about Him, but deep, sincere faith—demonstrated by our belief in what He did for us on the cross. That day, Brett placed his faith in Christ alone.
Today, Brett’s deep passion for Jesus and His salvation are no secret. It comes through loud and clear every time he steps behind the pulpit and preaches as a pastor—my pastor.
“God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life” (vv. 11–12). For all who have found life in Jesus, what a comforting reminder this is!
By Dave Branon
REFLECT & PRAY
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What’s your story of faith? What led you to understand you needed Jesus?
Jesus, thank You for the gift of salvation and for those who pointed me to faith in You.
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SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
The apostle John’s letters (1, 2, and 3 John) are considered brief—particularly in comparison to Paul’s lengthy epistles and other letters, such as Romans and 1 Corinthians. However, even 3 John—the shortest of the biblical letters—would’ve been considered long by ancient standards. Scholar Randy Richards wrote: “The average letter in the first century was 87 words.” Meanwhile 3 John has 219 words in the Greek and is the shortest New Testament letter. First John—at 2,517 words—is still quite brief yet much longer than the typical first-century letter. That common brevity in ancient letters was due to several factors including the cost of hiring a secretary, the cost of papyrus and ink (which had to be handmade), and the difficulty in getting letters to their destinations.
Bill Crowder |
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TWFYT:
Tuesday, October 03 2023
Today join us from 10-11 on Zoom for Huddle (prayer, discussion, fellowship and study)
Join us tomorrow (Wed. from 6-8 for dinner, fellowship The Chosen Huddle and Family Ministries gathering.) Come as you are and bring a friend
Ron Williams service information: A Funeral Service will be held Friday, October 6, 2023, at 11:00 AM at Stephens Funeral Home, 274 N. Krocks Rd. Allentown, PA 18106. A Viewing will be held prior to the service from 10-11.
We continue to lift Sally and the family in our prayers.
In my sharing thanks for all of our servants yesterday, I forgot our Support Team (our board). All of our members do serve in various other capacities. You have elected a great team of servants to lead our church and God is using them well. Thank each of them and pray for them to have wisdom, discernment, and to follow Jesus and lead well as they lead us! President: Sarah Boyer. Lay Delegate: Kathy Canfield. Finance: Danny Reinsmith. Secretary: Lori Rohrer. Envelope Secretary: Debbie Siegfried. Missions: Joan Fenstemaker. Member at large: Barb Schware. Worship: Sarah and Pastor Don. Property: Co-leaders Danny and Don. Family Ministries: Pastor Don. Note: the Finance team volunteers are Danny, Debbie, Lori, Gail Lichtenwalner, and Gina Fuhrman. The Support and Finance Teams' purpose is to support and provide for the church's vision and provision. They along with our PRC constitute the Vision team that discerns and shares God's vision for us and evaluates how well we are doing and what may need to change as we follow God's plans for us. Thank you to all these servants! Keep praying for them to hear, lead and follow well!
Continue to thank God for all of our servants and for our church full of servants surrendered to and following the Lord well. Pray for God to bring His dreams and vision alive and for us to follow Him to His greater things for us! Here is a link from Harvest Prayer for how to pray for your pastors and leaders. May I suggest printing and using this often! We need your prayers and coverings! Thank you! https://www.harvestprayer.com/resources/church-prayer/prayer-and-care-for-pastors/-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Good Morning Movers and Shakers! We continue to seek, discern and move with God. We are positioning to be there as He shakes, rattles and rolls around our neighborhoods. We shake the heavenlies as we pray and move with Him. Satan is shaking in his boots as we follow well and as we join God in pulling people from his death grip. Continue to pray a covering of protection over our church and leaders and put on God's armor as you stand firm in Christ and join with Him in the battle for souls.
I like this Face Book post from The Word FM: Today's Word: You will tell His people how to find salvation through forgiveness of their sins. Because of God’s tender mercy, the Morning Light from heaven is about to break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, and to guide us to the path of peace. ~ Luke 1:77-79 (NLT)
Amen!
God loves you more than you can measure. He is at work all around you and always near. He is speaking to your soul right now. Turn off all the noise around you, even in your own head. (Remember Satan speaks loudest in your on voice in your head) Check out all our devos for today below. God is speaking just to you right now! What's He saying? What might you need to do about it? He has a Word just for you! Be still, receive and know that He is God!
Have an amazing time with God as you seek, listen and release His power in prayer! You are the vital and foundational part of our Good News Delivery Team. You are the key as you pray that unlocks God's plans. Thank you!!! Shalom!
Upper Room (UR): No Hole Too Deep:
Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. - Isaiah 59:1 (NIV)
One day while I visited a construction site with my father, my puppy wandered away. I heard him wailing and discovered he had fallen into a hole. I tried to retrieve him, but he was beyond my reach. My father promised, “It will be alright.” He lay on the ground and thrust his arm into the hole. He strained, he stretched, he grunted, and finally his fingertips hooked my puppy’s collar. Then he lifted my whimpering pet back into the light. I brushed my puppy clean and then hugged my father. The memory remains vivid — musty soil, warm summer sun, and fear clenching my body.
That day, I believed my dad could do anything. The recollection of my earthly father’s strength encourages me to have greater trust in my heavenly Father. Even after decades of following Jesus, I sometimes think my heart embraces fear more readily than faith. But I remind myself that I am neither lost nor alone. When I see no way out, I remember the strong arm and long reach of my Savior.
No disaster can put us beyond God’s help. So when we are frightened in the dark, trapped by poor choices, over our heads in trouble, God’s arm is long enough to reach us, and God’s hand is strong enough to save us.
TODAY'S PRAYER
Heavenly Father, thank you for holding us in your hand and lifting us when we fall. Give us faith to trust you even when we are afraid. Amen.
Our Daily Bread (ODB):
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The optometrist helped three-year-old Andreas adjust his first pair of glasses. “Look in the mirror,” she said. Andreas glanced at his reflection, then turned to his father with a joyful and loving smile. Then Andreas’ father gently wiped the tears that slipped down his son’s cheeks and asked, “What’s wrong?” Andreas wrapped his arms around his father’s neck. “I can see you.” He pulled back, tilted his head, and gazed into his father’s eyes. “I can see you!”
As we prayerfully study the Bible, the Holy Spirit gives us eyes to see Jesus, the “image of the invisible God” (Colossians 1:15). However, even with our vision cleared by the Spirit as we grow in knowledge through Scripture, we can still only see a glimpse of God’s infinite immensity on this side of eternity. When our time on earth is done or when Jesus fulfills His promise to return, we’ll see Him clearly (1 Corinthians 13:12).
We won’t need special glasses in that joy-filled moment when we see Christ face-to-face and know Him as He knows each of us, the beloved members of the body of Christ—the church. The Holy Spirit will infuse us with the faith, hope, and love we need to stand firm, until we gaze at our loving and living Savior and say, “I can see You, Jesus. I can see You!”
By Xochitl Dixon
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What has the Holy Spirit revealed to you recently as you’ve read the Bible? How has your growth in the knowledge of God changed you?
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SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
The King James Version translates 1 Corinthians 13:12 this way: “For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face.” Of note is the word darkly, which the NIV translates reflection. The word in the Greek is ainigma (only used here in the New Testament), from which we get the word enigma. It means “an obscure saying, something dark, abstract.” It’s believed that Paul may have had Numbers 12 in mind when he used this term. God affirmed Moses and his ministry with these words: “When there is a prophet among you, I, the Lord, reveal myself to them in visions, I speak to them in dreams. But this is not true of my servant Moses . . . . With him I speak face to face, clearly and not in riddles; he sees the form of the Lord” (vv. 6–8).
Learn more about Moses’ journey with God.
Arthur Jackson |
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Monday, October 02 2023
Sept financial statement below. Note: Rally Day envelopes will be used to fund our new "IN" Fund which replaces the Sunday School Fund. We use this fund for teaching materials, craft supplies, and food and supplies for our IN and Huddle gatherings.
Yesterday, Sarah and I were surprised and very blessed as Kathy praised God for our service and prayed over us. Thank you! You have no idea what that means to us and to Karen and me as well as she was blessed and prayed over as well. But our church isn't built on just one or two servants. We are a team. God's Good News Delivery Co. where all have a part to play and many are doing so very well. Thank You all! Praise God for Gina Fuhrman and her whole serving team at Bread Ministry, Clothing Closet and pantry. Gina, Gail Lichtenwalner, Millie Flexer, Mary Rehm, and all those non-members Karen, Barb, Sue and others) Thank you all!!! We are connecting to new people through their loved shared well and we are being God's hands and feet reaching in loving help. Thank You Lori Rohrer, our volunteer secretary and Two peas in a Pod chef. Lori just updated our website and Face Book presence. Check it our at http://www.stmatthewsec.com! People can now learn more about us, find our calendar and even read my daily blog. New families find churches on line and we are now positioned more relevantly to be considered. Thanks for all you do Lori! Then there's Debbie Siegfried, our envelope secretary and media guru making sure our zoom connections work as we reach around the country to those worshiping God with us. Thanks to Gary Bastian for keeping all our Sunday media working and for opening and preparing our building to welcome us each Sunday. Then there is the whole property Team that keeps our building operational and clean and welcoming. (Danny Reinsmith, Marshall Rehm, Jason Fuhrman, Tim Derr, Mike Canfield, and Craig Siegfried). And thanks to our Children's Church teachers Mike Laise, Barb Schware and Karen Kerns making sure our kids are meeting God and growing in Jesus as they teach Sundays and now Wednesday evenings. Thank you!. We also can't forget our vital team mates, our prayer warriors and our tithing fund-ers! You rock! We are a giving and praying church! PTL! We are family! We are a team! We prosper as we serve and worship together! Thank you to everyone!!! (sorry if I missed anyone! I always worry about that when I list our servants by name) One last thank you and that is for our Pastoral Relations Committee (PRC) that help Sarah and me be our best, stay on track and help with and concerns you raise. (Danny Reinsmith, Kathy Canfield (our lay delegate too), Gina Fuhrman, and Gail Lichtenwalner). What great servants we have! PTL and thank all for all they do to help us to continue to grow into the greater things God has for us! You are all appreciated and you are fulfilling your custom made purposes so well! Thanks again for being you and loving well!
Good Morning Very Blessed, Set Free Masterpieces Who Do the Master's Work! That's you, right? Proclaim it brothers and sisters, because it is an apt description of who you are in Christ and what you and we do as the Master's very loved, very blessed servants. We are blessed to be a blessing and get blessed back as we bless. The angel pronounced over Mary that she was a blessed and highly favored servant. I am pronouncing that over you and our church right now! Receive it and live it! It's an awesome circle of blessings that leads to much love shared and much praise lifted. Times are hard and many of us have struggles. We can keep a healthy focus as we praise, even in the storms and count our many blessings. I think of Paul's thorn in the flesh that was used by God to keep him humble as he served and worshiped. God's grace is sufficient for all of us and His mercies are new every morning. PTL!
Check out the UR below and the reminder to keep your focus up by counting your blessings and worshiping our All-Knowing Helper and Rock. Pray for those you know who are struggling right now to remember to trust God and lift praise. Then there is ODB's (below) reminder that we are God's masterpieces. We are works of art in process, allowing God to form us more fully into the finished piece of art He has in mind. I think of the Potter and the clay! I think of how old masterpieces are being restored and made new or back to their original glory. God is so God, ain't? Also check out my Charles Stanley devo for today as well as TWFYT reminding us that we are being made new in Christ (Eph. 2:10) and sent to complete our custom made missions. Only you can be you and God has something special just for you today. PTL! Go and love like Jesus.
As I read these I was reminded of our Chosen episodes from last week and this week. (Wed at 6). Last week, The Baptist said to Andrew and Joanna that when Jesus speaks there's always something there just for you. What is it? Jesus is speaking to you. What's he saying? Yesterday He spoke to us through the red letters of our Bibles, but you don't need red letters to hear His loving voice. Be still and know! I think of this week when we will watch Jesus sending the twelve out two by two as he empowered them to go do His works (just like He does for us) and how He ministered to little James. We may pause and replay that this week because it brings alive so well God's love, grace and wisdom as He uses even the handicapped to go love and bless. (You should really come check that out with us Wed!!!) God loves you so much just as you are and has great plans custom made for you today. Receive and share His love well this week! And then let's celebrate all God is doing through His loving servant Good News Delivery Co called St. Matts!
Rejoice and be glad in this beautiful day that God has given us. Thank Him for using and sending you! Thank Him for our servants church and the harvest workers He is raising up as He brings in the harvest. Ask Him to empower an embolden you to go, just as you are, His masterpiece in process, and ask Him to love through you well today. Amen! Jesus is lovingly gazing at you right now and knows all you will accomplish and He is smiling! He really loves you! Amen! Go! Be who you would be if you were Jesus! Be you and love well!
UR (Upper Room): Counting Blessings
Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life. - Psalm 23:6 (NIV)
One evening I saw my sister writing notes in her phone. Curious, I took a peek at what she was writing. It was a list of good things that happened to her that day. My sister was counting God’s blessings one by one. When I asked her why, she answered, “So I can always be thankful to God.”
Starting in January 2021, I had many troubles — one blow after another. I was stressed, and as a result it was hard for me to be thankful to God. Then I remembered my sister’s example to count God’s blessings. So every night I tried to give thanks to God for at least one blessing. At first it was difficult. I would wonder, What blessing did I receive today? But, day by day, I came to realize that God’s blessings were abundant. No longer was I stressed. I gave thanks to God and felt content.
In today’s scripture reading, David celebrates God’s presence in his life. Even though he faced many troubles, David knew God’s goodness was with him every day. Life has many troubles, but it also has many blessings. We can give thanks to God always.
TODAY'S PRAYER
Open our eyes, God, to the abundant blessings you give us every day of our life. May we always give thanks to you. Amen.ODB:
|
Writing in The Atlantic, author Arthur C. Brooks tells of his visit to the National Palace Museum in Taiwan, which contains one of the largest collections of Chinese art in the world. The museum guide asked, “What do you think of when I ask you to imagine a work of art yet to be started?” Brooks said, “An empty canvas, I guess.” The guide replied, “There’s another way to view it: The art already exists, and the job of artists is simply to reveal it.”
In Ephesians 2:10, the word handiwork, sometimes translated as “workmanship” or “masterpiece,” is from the Greek word poiēma, from which we derive our word poetry. God has created us as works of art, living poems. However, our art has become obscured: “As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins” (v. 1). To paraphrase the words of the museum guide, “The art [of us] is already there, and it’s the job of the Divine Artist to reveal it.” Indeed, God is restoring us, His masterpieces: “God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive” (vv. 4–5).
As we go through challenges and difficulties, we might take comfort in knowing that the Divine Artist is at work: “It is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose” (Philippians 2:13). Know that God is working in you to reveal His masterpiece.
By Kenneth Petersen
REFLECT & PRAY
|
|
What are some of the ways that you, as God’s artwork, have become dimmed? How do you feel He’s working in your life these days?
Creator God, thank You for making me one of Your masterpieces.
|
|
|
|
|
|
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
Ephesians 2:1–10 contains three significant shifts. First, Paul speaks of a shift from death to life: “Because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions” (vv. 4–5). The second shift is connected to the first. When we were brought from death to life, our actions changed. We shifted from following “the ways of this world” (v. 2), being “disobedient” (v. 2), and “gratifying the cravings of our flesh” (v. 3) to “good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (v. 10). Finally, Paul switches between the second person you and the first person us. This unites all who call on the name of Jesus into one family.
J.R. Hudberg |
|
|
|
|
|
Charles Stanley Devo:
TWFYT (The Word for You Today)
Sept financial statement below. Note: Rally Day envelopes will be used to fund our new "IN" Fund which replaces the Sunday School Fund. We use this fund for teaching materials, craft supplies, and food and supplies for our IN and Huddle gatherings.
Yesterday, Sarah and I were surprised and very blessed as Kathy praised God for our service and prayed over us. Thank you! You have no idea what that means to us and to Karen and me as well as she was blessed and prayed over as well. But our church isn't built on just one or two servants. We are a team. God's Good News Delivery Co. where all have a part to play and many are doing so very well. Thank You all! Praise God for Gina Fuhrman and her whole serving team at Bread Ministry, Clothing Closet and pantry. Gina, Gail Lichtenwalner, Millie Flexer, Mary Rehm, and all those non-members Karen, Barb, Sue and others) Thank you all!!! We are connecting to new people through their loved shared well and we are being God's hands and feet reaching in loving help. Thank You Lori Rohrer, our volunteer secretary and Two peas in a Pod chef. Lori just updated our website and Face Book presence. Check it our at http://www.stmatthewsec.com! People can now learn more about us, find our calendar and even read my daily blog. New families find churches on line and we are now positioned more relevantly to be considered. Thanks for all you do Lori! Then there's Debbie Siegfried, our envelope secretary and media guru making sure our zoom connections work as we reach around the country to those worshiping God with us. Thanks to Gary Bastian for keeping all our Sunday media working and for opening and preparing our building to welcome us each Sunday. Then there is the whole property Team that keeps our building operational and clean and welcoming. (Danny Reinsmith, Marshall Rehm, Jason Fuhrman, Tim Derr, Mike Canfield, and Craig Siegfried). And thanks to our Children's Church teachers Mike Laise, Barb Schware and Karen Kerns making sure our kids are meeting God and growing in Jesus as they teach Sundays and now Wednesday evenings. Thank you!. We also can't forget our vital team mates, our prayer warriors and our tithing fund-ers! You rock! We are a giving and praying church! PTL! We are family! We are a team! We prosper as we serve and worship together! Thank you to everyone!!! (sorry if I missed anyone! I always worry about that when I list our servants by name) One last thank you and that is for our Pastoral Relations Committee (PRC) that help Sarah and me be our best, stay on track and help with and concerns you raise. (Danny Reinsmith, Kathy Canfield (our lay delegate too), Gina Fuhrman, and Gail Lichtenwalner). What great servants we have! PTL and thank all for all they do to help us to continue to grow into the greater things God has for us! You are all appreciated and you are fulfilling your custom made purposes so well! Thanks again for being you and loving well!
Good Morning Very Blessed, Set Free Masterpieces Who Do the Master's Work! That's you, right? Proclaim it brothers and sisters, because it is an apt description of who you are in Christ and what you and we do as the Master's very loved, very blessed servants. We are blessed to be a blessing and get blessed back as we bless. The angel pronounced over Mary that she was a blessed and highly favored servant. I am pronouncing that over you and our church right now! Receive it and live it! It's an awesome circle of blessings that leads to much love shared and much praise lifted. Times are hard and many of us have struggles. We can keep a healthy focus as we praise, even in the storms and count our many blessings. I think of Paul's thorn in the flesh that was used by God to keep him humble as he served and worshiped. God's grace is sufficient for all of us and His mercies are new every morning. PTL!
Check out the UR below and the reminder to keep your focus up by counting your blessings and worshiping our All-Knowing Helper and Rock. Pray for those you know who are struggling right now to remember to trust God and lift praise. Then there is ODB's (below) reminder that we are God's masterpieces. We are works of art in process, allowing God to form us more fully into the finished piece of art He has in mind. I think of the Potter and the clay! I think of how old masterpieces are being restored and made new or back to their original glory. God is so God, ain't? Also check out my Charles Stanley devo for today as well as TWFYT reminding us that we are being made new in Christ (Eph. 2:10) and sent to complete our custom made missions. Only you can be you and God has something special just for you today. PTL! Go and love like Jesus.
As I read these I was reminded of our Chosen episodes from last week and this week. (Wed at 6). Last week, The Baptist said to Andrew and Joanna that when Jesus speaks there's always something there just for you. What is it? Jesus is speaking to you. What's he saying? Yesterday He spoke to us through the red letters of our Bibles, but you don't need red letters to hear His loving voice. Be still and know! I think of this week when we will watch Jesus sending the twelve out two by two as he empowered them to go do His works (just like He does for us) and how He ministered to little James. We may pause and replay that this week because it brings alive so well God's love, grace and wisdom as He uses even the handicapped to go love and bless. (You should really come check that out with us Wed!!!) God loves you so much just as you are and has great plans custom made for you today. Receive and share His love well this week! And then let's celebrate all God is doing through His loving servant Good News Delivery Co called St. Matts!
Rejoice and be glad in this beautiful day that God has given us. Thank Him for using and sending you! Thank Him for our servants church and the harvest workers He is raising up as He brings in the harvest. Ask Him to empower an embolden you to go, just as you are, His masterpiece in process, and ask Him to love through you well today. Amen! Jesus is lovingly gazing at you right now and knows all you will accomplish and He is smiling! He really loves you! Amen! Go! Be who you would be if you were Jesus! Be you and love well!
UR (Upper Room): Counting Blessings
Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life. - Psalm 23:6 (NIV)
One evening I saw my sister writing notes in her phone. Curious, I took a peek at what she was writing. It was a list of good things that happened to her that day. My sister was counting God’s blessings one by one. When I asked her why, she answered, “So I can always be thankful to God.”
Starting in January 2021, I had many troubles — one blow after another. I was stressed, and as a result it was hard for me to be thankful to God. Then I remembered my sister’s example to count God’s blessings. So every night I tried to give thanks to God for at least one blessing. At first it was difficult. I would wonder, What blessing did I receive today? But, day by day, I came to realize that God’s blessings were abundant. No longer was I stressed. I gave thanks to God and felt content.
In today’s scripture reading, David celebrates God’s presence in his life. Even though he faced many troubles, David knew God’s goodness was with him every day. Life has many troubles, but it also has many blessings. We can give thanks to God always.
TODAY'S PRAYER
Open our eyes, God, to the abundant blessings you give us every day of our life. May we always give thanks to you. Amen.ODB:
|
Writing in The Atlantic, author Arthur C. Brooks tells of his visit to the National Palace Museum in Taiwan, which contains one of the largest collections of Chinese art in the world. The museum guide asked, “What do you think of when I ask you to imagine a work of art yet to be started?” Brooks said, “An empty canvas, I guess.” The guide replied, “There’s another way to view it: The art already exists, and the job of artists is simply to reveal it.”
In Ephesians 2:10, the word handiwork, sometimes translated as “workmanship” or “masterpiece,” is from the Greek word poiēma, from which we derive our word poetry. God has created us as works of art, living poems. However, our art has become obscured: “As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins” (v. 1). To paraphrase the words of the museum guide, “The art [of us] is already there, and it’s the job of the Divine Artist to reveal it.” Indeed, God is restoring us, His masterpieces: “God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive” (vv. 4–5).
As we go through challenges and difficulties, we might take comfort in knowing that the Divine Artist is at work: “It is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose” (Philippians 2:13). Know that God is working in you to reveal His masterpiece.
By Kenneth Petersen
REFLECT & PRAY
|
|
What are some of the ways that you, as God’s artwork, have become dimmed? How do you feel He’s working in your life these days?
Creator God, thank You for making me one of Your masterpieces.
|
|
|
|
|
|
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
Ephesians 2:1–10 contains three significant shifts. First, Paul speaks of a shift from death to life: “Because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions” (vv. 4–5). The second shift is connected to the first. When we were brought from death to life, our actions changed. We shifted from following “the ways of this world” (v. 2), being “disobedient” (v. 2), and “gratifying the cravings of our flesh” (v. 3) to “good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (v. 10). Finally, Paul switches between the second person you and the first person us. This unites all who call on the name of Jesus into one family.
J.R. Hudberg |
|
|
|
|
|
Charles Stanley Devo:
TWFYT (The Word for You Today)
Sept financial statement below. Note: Rally Day envelopes will be used to fund our new "IN" Fund which replaces the Sunday School Fund. We use this fund for teaching materials, craft supplies, and food and supplies for our IN and Huddle gatherings.
Yesterday, Sarah and I were surprised and very blessed as Kathy praised God for our service and prayed over us. Thank you! You have no idea what that means to us and to Karen and me as well as she was blessed and prayed over as well. But our church isn't built on just one or two servants. We are a team. God's Good News Delivery Co. where all have a part to play and many are doing so very well. Thank You all! Praise God for Gina Fuhrman and her whole serving team at Bread Ministry, Clothing Closet and pantry. Gina, Gail Lichtenwalner, Millie Flexer, Mary Rehm, and all those non-members Karen, Barb, Sue and others) Thank you all!!! We are connecting to new people through their loved shared well and we are being God's hands and feet reaching in loving help. Thank You Lori Rohrer, our volunteer secretary and Two peas in a Pod chef. Lori just updated our website and Face Book presence. Check it our at http://www.stmatthewsec.com! People can now learn more about us, find our calendar and even read my daily blog. New families find churches on line and we are now positioned more relevantly to be considered. Thanks for all you do Lori! Then there's Debbie Siegfried, our envelope secretary and media guru making sure our zoom connections work as we reach around the country to those worshiping God with us. Thanks to Gary Bastian for keeping all our Sunday media working and for opening and preparing our building to welcome us each Sunday. Then there is the whole property Team that keeps our building operational and clean and welcoming. (Danny Reinsmith, Marshall Rehm, Jason Fuhrman, Tim Derr, Mike Canfield, and Craig Siegfried). And thanks to our Children's Church teachers Mike Laise, Barb Schware and Karen Kerns making sure our kids are meeting God and growing in Jesus as they teach Sundays and now Wednesday evenings. Thank you!. We also can't forget our vital team mates, our prayer warriors and our tithing fund-ers! You rock! We are a giving and praying church! PTL! We are family! We are a team! We prosper as we serve and worship together! Thank you to everyone!!! (sorry if I missed anyone! I always worry about that when I list our servants by name) One last thank you and that is for our Pastoral Relations Committee (PRC) that help Sarah and me be our best, stay on track and help with and concerns you raise. (Danny Reinsmith, Kathy Canfield (our lay delegate too), Gina Fuhrman, and Gail Lichtenwalner). What great servants we have! PTL and thank all for all they do to help us to continue to grow into the greater things God has for us! You are all appreciated and you are fulfilling your custom made purposes so well! Thanks again for being you and loving well!
Good Morning Very Blessed, Set Free Masterpieces Who Do the Master's Work! That's you, right? Proclaim it brothers and sisters, because it is an apt description of who you are in Christ and what you and we do as the Master's very loved, very blessed servants. We are blessed to be a blessing and get blessed back as we bless. The angel pronounced over Mary that she was a blessed and highly favored servant. I am pronouncing that over you and our church right now! Receive it and live it! It's an awesome circle of blessings that leads to much love shared and much praise lifted. Times are hard and many of us have struggles. We can keep a healthy focus as we praise, even in the storms and count our many blessings. I think of Paul's thorn in the flesh that was used by God to keep him humble as he served and worshiped. God's grace is sufficient for all of us and His mercies are new every morning. PTL!
Check out the UR below and the reminder to keep your focus up by counting your blessings and worshiping our All-Knowing Helper and Rock. Pray for those you know who are struggling right now to remember to trust God and lift praise. Then there is ODB's (below) reminder that we are God's masterpieces. We are works of art in process, allowing God to form us more fully into the finished piece of art He has in mind. I think of the Potter and the clay! I think of how old masterpieces are being restored and made new or back to their original glory. God is so God, ain't? Also check out my Charles Stanley devo for today as well as TWFYT reminding us that we are being made new in Christ (Eph. 2:10) and sent to complete our custom made missions. Only you can be you and God has something special just for you today. PTL! Go and love like Jesus.
As I read these I was reminded of our Chosen episodes from last week and this week. (Wed at 6). Last week, The Baptist said to Andrew and Joanna that when Jesus speaks there's always something there just for you. What is it? Jesus is speaking to you. What's he saying? Yesterday He spoke to us through the red letters of our Bibles, but you don't need red letters to hear His loving voice. Be still and know! I think of this week when we will watch Jesus sending the twelve out two by two as he empowered them to go do His works (just like He does for us) and how He ministered to little James. We may pause and replay that this week because it brings alive so well God's love, grace and wisdom as He uses even the handicapped to go love and bless. (You should really come check that out with us Wed!!!) God loves you so much just as you are and has great plans custom made for you today. Receive and share His love well this week! And then let's celebrate all God is doing through His loving servant Good News Delivery Co called St. Matts!
Rejoice and be glad in this beautiful day that God has given us. Thank Him for using and sending you! Thank Him for our servants church and the harvest workers He is raising up as He brings in the harvest. Ask Him to empower an embolden you to go, just as you are, His masterpiece in process, and ask Him to love through you well today. Amen! Jesus is lovingly gazing at you right now and knows all you will accomplish and He is smiling! He really loves you! Amen! Go! Be who you would be if you were Jesus! Be you and love well!
UR (Upper Room): Counting Blessings
Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life. - Psalm 23:6 (NIV)
One evening I saw my sister writing notes in her phone. Curious, I took a peek at what she was writing. It was a list of good things that happened to her that day. My sister was counting God’s blessings one by one. When I asked her why, she answered, “So I can always be thankful to God.”
Starting in January 2021, I had many troubles — one blow after another. I was stressed, and as a result it was hard for me to be thankful to God. Then I remembered my sister’s example to count God’s blessings. So every night I tried to give thanks to God for at least one blessing. At first it was difficult. I would wonder, What blessing did I receive today? But, day by day, I came to realize that God’s blessings were abundant. No longer was I stressed. I gave thanks to God and felt content.
In today’s scripture reading, David celebrates God’s presence in his life. Even though he faced many troubles, David knew God’s goodness was with him every day. Life has many troubles, but it also has many blessings. We can give thanks to God always.
TODAY'S PRAYER
Open our eyes, God, to the abundant blessings you give us every day of our life. May we always give thanks to you. Amen.ODB:
|
Writing in The Atlantic, author Arthur C. Brooks tells of his visit to the National Palace Museum in Taiwan, which contains one of the largest collections of Chinese art in the world. The museum guide asked, “What do you think of when I ask you to imagine a work of art yet to be started?” Brooks said, “An empty canvas, I guess.” The guide replied, “There’s another way to view it: The art already exists, and the job of artists is simply to reveal it.”
In Ephesians 2:10, the word handiwork, sometimes translated as “workmanship” or “masterpiece,” is from the Greek word poiēma, from which we derive our word poetry. God has created us as works of art, living poems. However, our art has become obscured: “As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins” (v. 1). To paraphrase the words of the museum guide, “The art [of us] is already there, and it’s the job of the Divine Artist to reveal it.” Indeed, God is restoring us, His masterpieces: “God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive” (vv. 4–5).
As we go through challenges and difficulties, we might take comfort in knowing that the Divine Artist is at work: “It is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose” (Philippians 2:13). Know that God is working in you to reveal His masterpiece.
By Kenneth Petersen
REFLECT & PRAY
|
|
What are some of the ways that you, as God’s artwork, have become dimmed? How do you feel He’s working in your life these days?
Creator God, thank You for making me one of Your masterpieces.
|
|
|
|
|
|
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
Ephesians 2:1–10 contains three significant shifts. First, Paul speaks of a shift from death to life: “Because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions” (vv. 4–5). The second shift is connected to the first. When we were brought from death to life, our actions changed. We shifted from following “the ways of this world” (v. 2), being “disobedient” (v. 2), and “gratifying the cravings of our flesh” (v. 3) to “good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (v. 10). Finally, Paul switches between the second person you and the first person us. This unites all who call on the name of Jesus into one family.
J.R. Hudberg |
|
|
|
|
|
Charles Stanley Devo:
TWFYT (The Word for You Today)
St Matthew’s Financial Update
|
September
2023
|
Monthly
Revenue
|
Monthly
Expenses
|
YTD
Revenue
|
YTD
Expenses
|
|
General Fund
|
$7,855
|
$18,729
|
$114,580
|
$138,541
|
The figures for the “General Fund” include all revenue and all expenses for the month. This includes all revenue from offerings, rent, and other income. The expenses reported above are actual expenses for the month. The totals reported for Missions and the Rebuilding Fund are also included in the “General Fund” figures.
|
Missions
|
$576
|
$2,030
|
$8,391
|
$12,270
|
|
Rebuilding Fund
|
$295
|
$3,365
|
$3,810
|
$4,859
|
St Matthew’s Financial Update
|
September
2023
|
Monthly
Revenue
|
Monthly
Expenses
|
YTD
Revenue
|
YTD
Expenses
|
|
General Fund
|
$7,855
|
$18,729
|
$114,580
|
$138,541
|
The figures for the “General Fund” include all revenue and all expenses for the month. This includes all revenue from offerings, rent, and other income. The expenses reported above are actual expenses for the month. The totals reported for Missions and the Rebuilding Fund are also included in the “General Fund” figures.
|
Missions
|
$576
|
$2,030
|
$8,391
|
$12,270
|
|
Rebuilding Fund
|
$295
|
$3,365
|
$3,810
|
$4,859
|
St Matthew’s Financial Update
|
September
2023
|
Monthly
Revenue
|
Monthly
Expenses
|
YTD
Revenue
|
YTD
Expenses
|
|
General Fund
|
$7,855
|
$18,729
|
$114,580
|
$138,541
|
The figures for the “General Fund” include all revenue and all expenses for the month. This includes all revenue from offerings, rent, and other income. The expenses reported above are actual expenses for the month. The totals reported for Missions and the Rebuilding Fund are also included in the “General Fund” figures.
|
Missions
|
$576
|
$2,030
|
$8,391
|
$12,270
|
|
Rebuilding Fund
|
$295
|
$3,365
|
$3,810
|
$4,859
|
Sunday, October 01 2023
Today we celebrate worldwide communion at 10 am with Children's Church in person and on Zoom. We are also collecting for Everlasting Life Ministries. (If communing with us on Zoom have your elements ready for communion. Crackers, bread and juice)
Below find Brian and Missy Wagner news letter
Good Morning Prayerfully Meditating Students of the Living Word! Jesus is the Living Word. Everything was created through Him and for Him. He holds all things together. John 1 teaches us that in the beginning was the Word. When God spoke creation into existence, His Living Word created. If you have a red letter Bible, Jesus' words are written in red. Today during worship we will be focusing on, meditating on, and processing the red letters of John 6:26-69. The Holy Spirit brings alive God's Living Word to us and we will ask Him to do so today as we contemplate this "hard teaching" of Jesus. God is speaking all the time through His Living Word and all three of the Godhead, Father, Son, and Spirit are present and can be heard and understood as we prayerfully meditate on His Word and process it with others. What's He saying to you?
This year we have been challenged to read through the Bible in a year and now reading and studying through the Gospel of John for the rest of the year. We are prayerfully meditating on God's Word and beginning to learn to hear His voice, understand and do what He says. It's all part of the Become Me in '23 challenge as we work on growing into our true created identity and doing the things we are created to do. Check out TWFYT below. They share some helpful tips for beginning students of the Bible. Our focus on prayerfully meditating and processing through the Gospel of John is partly to help us learn how to use God's Word to disciple others. These thoughts can be applied to that as well. Are you hearing God? You can as you pray, meditate and open His Living Word! Note this too: What you are hearing may be different from others as the Holy Spirit highlights things just for you. He may also highlight things for others and even our fellowship. Look for others to process with. Plan to join us each week as we engage with God's Living Word in huddles Tues and Wed and Sundays during worship. God is always speaking. We just need to make time, turn off the noise and tune in.
This week we will be reading Ezekiel 1-21 and John 7 and 8. Consider prayerfully opening God's Word and meditate on what He is saying to you as you study with some others and process to put into action what God is revealing just for you. As we study John we are asking three questions of what we read. We can apply these three questions to any Scripture we read: What's going on in this passage (are there any promises or commands?)? What's God saying to me? What specific and measurable steps will I take towards doing this? Invite God to speak to your heart and direct your steps as you still yourself and listen. His Word is so sweet and powerful and effective when pronounced and released in prayer.
Today, let us prepare your hearts for worship and release some of His powerful words as we use some prayer starters from my prayer starter book, Patterns of Prayer by Alvin Vandergriend:
"Shout Hallelujah! to the Lord God Almighty. Praise God for His power and glory. Thank Him for salvation (Rev. 19:1). Confess how rarely recently you have meditated on God's wisdom and strength. Commit yourself to thinking more about what you can do for God, rather than what God can do for you. Pray for family members and friends who hold God at arms length. [remember, we are praying for God to give us five people that don't know Him or walk in His ways, for someone to bring along to any of our gatherings and for God to add to our numbers weekly those who are being saved.] Plead for personal peace and joy in Christ, so they will want what you have. Pray for your worship leaders to be sensitive to those with unusual personalities or special needs. Many parts form God's Body (1 Cor. 12:12-31). [Pray for us to become a house of prayer for the nations including all who God sends] Pray that Christians will be willing to examine and change even time-honored forms of worship--if such changes draw unbelievers to God and salvation and growth. [Thank God for our openness to trust and follow God to His new things!] Pray that unsaved people who feel empty will find salvation and be drawn to God through our worship and obedience. [Thank God for all our servants at St. Matts who go, welcome, and love like Jesus!]
Phillips Brooks said, "Prayer is not conquering God's reluctance, but taking hold of God's willingness." Amen! We hear what He wants us to pray and release His willingness as we prayerfully meditate and study His Word. His Word does not come back void and the prayers of His righteous in Christ servants are powerful and effective. Thank God for that and process and pray with others, even today. God is willing and able to do way more than we can imagine! Amen!
Next Sunday Oct 8th from 2-4 we will have a season of prayer in our sanctuary to release God's willingness and power. We will be praying for our denomination, district and churches to become a dynamic movement of God as prophesied by our bishop. We will also be praying for and releasing God's willingness for individual needs as well. Pray into this day. Plan to join us. Bring some friends along. Prepare the soil in prayer.
TWFYT (The Word for You Today)
Wagner's news:
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We welcomed these 5th and 6th grade boys into our home and hearts at the end of August as a new school year began. Two are brand new to RVA and three returned to our dorm from last year. They are so much fun to have around and have transitioned well into school. When not in school, they love to play board games, build with Legos, ride the zipline across the playground, and jump on our trampoline. Their parents all serve in three East African countries, sharing the love of Jesus with those they meet. We are already heading into the sixth week of this new school year with midterm break just around the corner.
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Spiritual Emphasis Week is held every year just after midterm. RVA invites a speaker and visiting worship team to come for five days to share Jesus in a focused and deliberate way. This year is especially exciting for us as the speaker is an RVA alumnus who we have known for many, many years, and it will be a blessing to hear from him now. The worship team is coming from one of our Pennsylvania supporting churches who has been praying faithfully for our family and RVA students for more than twenty-five years! How cool to think that this church was praying during the years our speaker was a student here on this campus!
Would you commit to praying diligently for our students during SEW? We know the evil one will be trying to distract, discourage, and fill minds with doubt. |
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- PRAY that RVA students might know Christ more fully during this time (Eph 1:17-18)
- PRAY that RVA students will delight in God’s Word and not neglect time in it (Psalm 119:9-16)
- PRAY that RVA students will know Christ’s love and let it dwell in their hearts (Eph 3:16-19)
- PRAY that RVA students will be able to discern what is best and be filled with righteousness (Phil 1:9-11; Rom 12:1-2)
- PRAY that RVA students will love to meet with other believers and be a contributing part of the body (Heb 10:25; Rom 12:3-8)
- PRAY that RVA students will fight temptation and bear much fruit (1 Cor 10:13; Col 1:9-12)
- PRAY with thankfulness and joy for RVA students, confident that God will complete the work HE started in them (Phil 1:3-6)
- PRAY that RVA students will raise up in their youth and do even greater things for God’s Kingdom (John 14:12; 1 Tim 4:11-16)
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| As was mentioned in our July update, we will be returning to the States for an 8-month home assignment, early December 2023 to early August 2024. We have already scheduled several church visits and conferences and would like to remind you to contact us directly in the next few weeks if you’d like us to come and share with your church or small group. We really enjoy sharing with smaller group gatherings, so feel free to ask about daytime or evening events during the week. We are excited to connect and share the exciting ways God is moving all over Africa. |
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| Some more ways to PRAY! And maybe YOU can be part of the answer to these PRAYERS! |
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As we prepare to land in PA just two months from now, we still have one BIG need. We are looking to purchase a mid-size, reliable vehicle, with good gas mileage, as we will be traveling many miles to visit with family, friends, churches and RVA alumni. Please contact us if you have any good leads for us to explore. Above all, would you commit to PRAY with us for the right vehicle?
We are also still waiting for confirmation on who will be covering our dorm for the two terms we are away. PRAY for God to reveal the couple he has chosen to love and care for our fabulous five! We are thankful that Missy has been able to begin training the one who will be stepping into the Admissions Director role. PRAY for clarity and understanding as there’s a lot to learn in a short period of time.
Finally, it would be great if someone would like to teach a couple of AP Calculus classes for at least one term (from January through March) or even the remainder of the year through July. Perhaps you or someone you know is a retired Calculus teacher who wouldn’t mind leaving behind some cold winter weather for some African sunshine and 32 amazing students in Calculus AB and BC. PRAY with us that someone will respond to this opportunity soon. Please reach out to us directly if you or someone you know might be interested.
All of our grown kids and their spouses are doing well and we are so looking forward to spending quality time with them soon. PRAY that God would orchestrate our travel schedule with solid blocks of time to visit with family. PRAY, too, for good health for Luke, Rachel, and our grandson coming soon! Isn’t our Father so good to bless us with this precious gift at the very beginning of our home assignment?!
You, too, are a blessing! Thank you for your prayers.
Brian & Missy |
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