Good morning friends. I'm home! PTL! I'm also having computer issues now. So I'll let you spend your own time with God today. Check out the devos and sit at His feet a bit. He's speaking love over you a d has some cool things for you to discover today. 

I'll share more tomorrow but so much to organize and get together as I transition home after a week of refining and refreshing. God is so good and He's doing some heart surgery on each of us. Allow God heart and mind to come alive in you and through you today! Shalom!

Good Morning Recharged, Following God and Shalom, Co-Laborers! That's me right now and can be you, should be you, as well. Check out our devos for today. I am using the forwarded harvest prayer blog about peace...God's shalom...beyond understanding. The UR discusses being fully charged and ODB speaks of open doors as we follow God. May these speak to your heart like they have to me. We are learning to stay yoked to Jesus easy yoke, walking more fully in His ways as we follow better His peace. That is true worship as we learn to live and love more like Jesus in '24! And as we learn to follow Him better to His plans for us 

I'm still sitting here looking out my hospital room window and watching traffic building on 78. Life in this earth I the country is sure a hustle bustle. We need to learn to be still, choose rest and trust God more. Amen!

I'm doing great and actually may get to go home later today. I'm trusting God for that open door and I have such peace. Spending days resting and staying connected to God has brought such recharging and shalom. I had no idea how much I needed this reloading a d correcting. The Lord IS my Shepherd! And God keeps using me and sending me to patients open doors, staffs open hearts, and family members open to prayer and a word from God. And that recharges me too. Interesting that right now God used me to pray for abd be a blessing to a phlebotomist that is like I was the first days here. Running at full speed on own agenda. Sometimes we need to be still, breathe out the junk and breathe in shalom and the Holy Spirit.  But you know she's in that "the hurrieder I go the behinder I get" mode that I've lived through most of my life. Breathe out that junk. Invite Jesus to be the Lord of your day and week and life. When He is, whatever comes your way is His problem and allowed for His purposes. When you get to that place like I did eventually while here, peace comes, God uses you and joy and trust grow. It's a great place to be! It starts with dying to self and allowing God's plans to come to life in and through you. Amen. Now if I can just learn to get to that place quicker...maybe one of my new lifestyle choices. Chilling in the Lord. Amen. Please Lord!

As I sit here chatting with the Lord and you, I can't help but contemplate how many times I've gotten to the place where God is saying, time for a hospital stay, you aren't listening or recharging well. Lord, will I ever learn? Will you guys? We beat our bodies, thrash about trying to bless God, others, family, bosses, doing our own things for what? What really matters in this life? What allows us the most peace, joy and health? Walking with Jesus at His pace, into His purposes, His way.  (Read that again) What's God saying to you right now? What will you do about it? Maybe you have ve learned that lesson? Who needs your mentoring and praying?

God opens doors all the time! Are you prepared and ready to step through them? Are you moving at a pace to even notice and available to pause and step through? God's opened so many doors while He sat me down for a week. I am recharged and prepared, purified, and ready. And I am willing to honor and follow Him. What a blessing this week has been for me and some others. Now who is willing to keep me accountable to keep choosing and following well? We all need helpers in this journey to become more like Jesus and in seeing and stepping through those open doors . Who are you helping? Who is helping you?

The harvest is great! You are part of the harvesting company called st. Matt's. No matter who you are, your current circumstances or abilities, Jesus says, "Come as you are. I have some cool things for you today. Come and see!" Stepping through that open door brings peace beyond understanding and recharging that allows you to move towards God's best for you! Choose well, grasshopper! Shalom!

Thank you to all who are covering and working the funeral today for Harriet. God is using you! Lord willing I have a wedding to help set up Friday and wedding Sat. And we have brief new members class before brunch Sunday. I can't wait to hear how God is using you and the joys you have to discover and share as you step into your anointing. Smile! God loves you and is with you. I love you too and am praying for you. Shalom Shalom.

Sent from Yahoo Mail on Android

----- Forwarded Message -----

From: "Harvest Prayer Ministries" <

info@harvestprayer.com

>To: "

pastordon7@yahoo.com

" <

pastordon7@yahoo.com

>

Sent: Wed, Feb 21, 2024 at 3:59 AM

Subject: Peace Be with You

View this email in your browser February 21 - Peace Be with You “Do not be afraid, you who are highly esteemed,” he said. “Peace! Be strong now; be strong.” When he spoke to me, I was strengthened and said, “Speak, my lord, since you have given me strength.” (Daniel 10:19) The Prophet Daniel had a spectacular encounter with God when he was given a vision of an angelic being, who in all probability was the Lord Jesus in his pre-incarnate state. Daniel’s response was to lose all strength and fall down before the Lord. God dealt with Daniel’s fear in ways that are encouraging to us all. He spoke his peace to Daniel and everything changed. The Lord assured Daniel of his love for him and then spoke peace over him. With the peace of God coming into Daniel’s life, the Lord could speak of strength and courage, and it had real meaning to Daniel. It was in this place of peace where Daniel was strengthened that he could finally summon the courage to ask the Lord to speak to him. Do you suppose that it is often fear and lack of peace that prevents us from hearing what the Lord might be saying to us? We so often play the “what if?” game, which breeds fear and uncertainty to the point that we really don’t want to hear from God for fear of what He might say. His peace though, clears out those fears, brings strength, and puts us in a good place for the Lord to speak into our lives. God’s supernatural way for us to deal with fear is accepting his peace into who we are. Receiving his assurances of love as Daniel did, we hear his words of peace and our fears begin to melt away. Lord, I am so thankful that you understand the fears that I face. You don’t ever simply tell me to get over it. Instead, you assure me of your love and give me your peace. I confess my great need for this in our day of confusion and turmoil. I desperately need the peace that only comes from you. --Adapted from Prayer, Peace and the Presence of God (A 30-Day Journey to Experience the Shalom of Jesus) by David Butts. This book is available at prayershop.org. Use the code CONPSP3 at checkout to receive an additional 10% discount. Prayer Points Praise God as the giver of every good and perfect gift (Jas. 1:5, 17). Give thanks for the indescribable gift of his only Son. Confess any times when you have taken God’s gifts to you for granted. Commit yourself to searching Scripture for more knowledge of the “riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us” (Eph. 1:7-8). Ask that your heart’s thirst be quenched and your soul’s hunger be satisfied in God as with the richest of foods (Psalm 63). Pray that your congregation may have faith that “you will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion” (2 Cor. 9:11). Prayer Points taken from Patterns for Prayer by Alvin VanderGriend. This book is available at prayershop.org. Use the code CONPSP3 at checkout to receive an additional 10% discount. Share Tweet Forward Connection (Devotions for Everyday Life) © 2024 is a free devotional published daily by Harvest Prayer Ministries.  Subscribe Here Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.  You will seek Me and find Me  when you search for Me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:12-13 Our mailing address is: Harvest Prayer Ministries PO Box 10667 Terre Haute, IN 47801 Add us to your address book Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.

Good morning friends! It's been a long week already and only five days have passed. As I sit here awaiting routine heart catherization to explore my heart issues, I have peace, yet there are always those thoughts in the back of your head. Could this be the day that I step into Jesus arms? Have I completed my custom made mission well? Will I hear well done? Have I done all I can to bring some lost sheep into the fold? What should I have done differently? You know the types of questioning.

Haha so as I was writing that here comes my nurse trying to put a new IV in. I know it didn't hurt as much as Jesus or shed as much blood but she is now changing the sheets. She missed my veins twice. Praying it's not like that in surgery! Right before she came in my glasses broke. Sometimes all we can do is laugh!

So here's what I've been thinking. They are trying to figure out why my heart is only squeezing at 35%. I can't tell anything is wrong or that I have a fib as well. Our bodies are amazing at adopting. How's that relate to our Body of Christ, our church. Can we tell when people aren't operating at 100%? Do we know ourselves well enough to know we are not running at full song.? There's a reason God had me choose "earnest" as my word. Am I living earnestly for Christ and at my created purposes? There for sure some health things I will have to be more earnest at now.

Pause as I minister to the new phlebotomist sent to get IV in. Turns out she's the cousin of the you g race driver that died in Lehighton in a truck crash a few weeks ago. Please keep looking to God to be at work and join Him! Yesterday our dist EC rep came to visit and God used us to pray for a young cardiologist is getting married in a couple of weeks. God is always at work. Listen and be available.

Wow this blog is all over the place. Hope there is some value in my babbling. Know this...you are a special creation of God, very loved, always forgiven, and He has plans for you...some great, some small, some in between. Earnestly pursue Christ and His plans for you. Allow Him to live and live through you. 

Even at 35% it is still a heart 100% filled with Christ. Until He calls you home, live and live more like Jesus each day and allow Him to use you just as you are a d grow you to His greater things. That is a life well lived in Christ. Amen. And I vite someone, as many as you can, along on your journey. I'm praying for you and us!

I'm still not scheduled and it 6. Maybe I'll be here another day. Well it's a good day for a fast and prayer day anyway. Thank you all for stepping in and covering and helping while I'm out of service. God is using you. Thanks for allowing Him to! Hope to see you all Sunday and feasting together. If God has other plans, see you at the marriage feast of the Lamb! Shalom 

Good morning very loved praying friends. Here am I, live from my hospital room still yet filled with peace beyond understanding and joy overflowing. God is good. He is with me. And He is the Lord of my circumstances. I'm still here for His purposes. Amen

I don't know how to attached our devos from my phone so I forwarded today's harvest prayer one because you need to read, know and pray this today. Check out the prayer starters at the end as well. Good stuff. Then open your Our Daily bread devo on prayer as well. What's God saying to you? What will you do about it? 

God has great plans and purposes for you to discover today. Sometimes in spite of what you think, He is always at work, stirring things together for good of those who believe. That has never been more evident than to me during this extended stay. I was angry at first when I wasn't discharged Friday as promised but after inviting Jesus to be the Lord of my stay and me, He has used me several times to pray, encourage and bless from the prison. And I really do have peace and joy. Side benefit is im loosing weight and getting healthy. Although I still could go for a good cheese steak, that is not dominating my thinking anymore as I seek to make good and healthy choices 

And that's all God asks of all of us. Choose well in Christ. Choose healthy choices. Present your temple as a holy and pure offering for God to live and live through, as you are, where you are. He loves to do that and will encourage you as you do. Try it! God has lovingly prepared you and placed you right where He wants you for such a time as this. Rejoice. Surrender. Live and live well. Amen

Couple of notes: if I am still in the hospital tomorrow, there will be no zoom huddle because I can't do that from my phone. (Apparently urgent test need means within three days)

We are canceling Wednesday evening gathering due to facility being used for a funeral wed afternoon.

New member group will gather for ten min at front of sanctuary after worship Sunday. We will install new members during worship first sun in March, Lord willing!

Sarah will give an update prayer email soon. Thanks Sarah and Mike for covering for me. God had plans for you both as well!

Alright time to go do laps while I wait for my test and breakfast at 930...that's lunch time, but God has a plan in the waiting! Shalom shalom

Sent from Yahoo Mail on Android

----- Forwarded Message -----

From: "Harvest Prayer Ministries" <

info@harvestprayer.com

>To: "

pastordon7@yahoo.com

" <

pastordon7@yahoo.com

>

Sent: Mon, Feb 19, 2024 at 4:00 AM

Subject: God Wants to Talk with You!

View this email in your browser February 19 - God Wants to Talk with You! “What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us,” said Tozer.  Nowhere is this more true than in prayer. Our view of prayer is dramatically affected by our view of God’s character—particularly of His love. If we have a low view of God’s love for us, we will see our prayers as unimportant to Him. But if we understand the magnitude of His affection for His children, we will realize how much God longs for us to come to Him.         I have eight married children who have produced twenty grandchildren (and counting)! I’m sure I’m a very poor grandad, but my heart leaps every time the door opens and one of my kids or grandkids comes charging into the room. I love them! I want to know about their lives and be involved in their decisions. I want them to call me when they are in need. I’m concerned when I haven’t heard from them. I’m honored as they ask for my advice. I’m thrilled when I hear of their successes and saddened by their difficulties.          What touches them, touches me. If this is true of me in my imperfection, it is perfectly true of our Father in the perfection of His compassion. Psalm 138:8 says, “The Lord will accomplish that which concerns me. Your lovingkindness is everlasting…” What touches us, touches the Father as He longs to be involved in every detail of our lives.   Loving Father, because You are perfect in Your love and compassion, You can love me and those I love more deeply and far more completely than I could ever think or imagine. Your love surpasses any feelings I could ever have for my children, grandchildren, or other family members. Help me to love as You love, to care as You care, to be involved in the lives of those who are close to me in ways that are informed and fueled by Your mercy, compassion, and kindness. Continue to show me how much You long for me to come to You – sometimes not to ask anything at all…but just to be in Your presence. ---Adapted from Simply Prayer by Bill Elliff. This book is available at prayershop.org. Prayer Points Worship God with reverence and awe as a consuming fire blazing with holiness (Heb. 12:28-29). Give thanks for his plan to refine your faith through trials and tests (Jas. 1:2-4). Confess any times this week when you have not seen God’s purpose for you in these trials (Mal. 3:2-4). Commit yourself to submitting to God’s testing in your life. Ask God to strengthen you with his power (Eph. 6:10-11). Pray for those who are undergoing severe testing, that God may show them his purpose and strengthen them in their weakness (Heb. 12:7-13). Prayer Points taken from Patterns for Prayer by Alvin VanderGriend. This book is available at prayershop.org. Use the code CONPSP3 at checkout to receive an additional 10% discount. Share Tweet Forward Connection (Devotions for Everyday Life) © 2024 is a free devotional published daily by Harvest Prayer Ministries.  Subscribe Here Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.  You will seek Me and find Me  when you search for Me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:12-13 Our mailing address is: Harvest Prayer Ministries PO Box 10667 Terre Haute, IN 47801 Add us to your address book Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.

Notice: Zoom only church today at 10. With a foot of snow on top of piles of ice and snow, parking is a premium around the church. Join us with the choice to remain safe and warm at home (or wherever you may be). Thank you for understanding. Pray for pastor Mike as he brings the Word today 

Good Morning Giant-Slayers, Overcomes in Christ! Is that you? Maybe sometimes? Checkout our devos today. We all face giants. How we face them can fluctuate. Sometimes we can be like David with sling and stone. Sometimes we can be like ten of the spies that feared the giants in the promised land. Sometimes we forget that when we are weak is when we are strongest because God is strong for us. I've seen the fluctuation in approaching the giant in myself this week  I moved back and forth from standing firm with a few small stones to cowering in fear, to giving up and back again. Here's the thing though, God never changed and He was here with me through it all! PTL! And PTL for some friends and staff that were able to redirect me when my faith waivered or I got bound up in a pity party .

God is the Lord of my life! He has great plans for me, even sometimes taking me through a dark valley or three, He IS with me always! This giant is no match for my God! Amen! The having to change some diet things and lifestyle choices could be a giant that leads me way out of my preferences and comfort zone, but a really good thing to live a long and healthy life. Donald, stop fighting God and choose well, health, and life! Amen. Too bad it's not as easy as just saying it. Doing, requires, well, doing and choices--action. 

I'm starting to understand why God had me choose "earnest" and "agape" as my words for this year. And He's giving me great opportunities to choose to walk them out. PTL! And I'm praising for someone reminding me that I was slipping into running from this giant and a pity party. Shew...breathe out that junk Donald and breathe in a fresh breath of the Spirit and set your jaw earnestly, die to self, take up that cross and follow Jesus. Amen

You know God loves you and is with and for you --always! And no matter the giant or how weak you feel or how far out of your comfort zone, God is walking with you, before you, and upholding you in His strong right hand. Be strong and courageous. Let go of self, fear and doubt and step into that new bold and courageous giant slayer nature! God's plans will not be thwarted. And He has great ones for you and us! He has some others to walk with you and help you too! Really, the only giants God can't beat are the ones we won't let go of. What's holding you back? Let's be more like Caleb and Joshua who knew those giants were no match for almighty God. Let's leave Egypt behind and seek boldly after God's best this year! We are unstoppable in Christ as we link arms and stand firm with those few smooth little stones. Amen!

Thank you all for praying for and encouraging me and for respecting my request for privacy. I needed this time for introspection, correction and soul searching. God said rest and I was saying no again...think I'd learn! Hopefully, this time! And ahead lies, Lord willing, some healthy lifestyle choices. They have already begun ..well maybe after that one last cheese steak! 😄 

FYI, I was admitted Thurs with a fib and congestive heart failure. Thank God I came early, but should have come before shoveling Mon and Wed. (Note shoveling did not cause it, just heightened breathing issues) But I did choose to come... PTL! It has been determined that I have a hyper thyroid condition that caused the a fib that caused the fluid retention. Meds have already gotten rid of the water and are settling things down. PTL! I have the most mild and benign a fib. And now that they know why it started, we can address that. So several doc visits and medication adjustments await my discharge, hopefully this morning. I've calmed down, dyed to self, am choosing joy, and have asked God back to be the Lord of my stay. He used me yesterday to pray for and encourage my one doc and one nurse. Wonder what He has for me before I leave? Hope it's a legacy of faith well lived in Christ, no matter the giant!

One final thought.. please prayerfully ask God for your word(s) for the year and share those with Sarah, me, and your teammates. We want to pray, encourage, and remind when needed, like I was this week. Maybe like me, God hadn't released you fully from last year's word and will give you another that is the next step. Let us know. We are in this giant slaying journey together and it is an awesome adventure for sure! Come and see! And feel free to remind me when you see me slipping from dying to self, earnestly and living, loving and leading like Jesus more earnestly. Thanks! I can't wait to see what land flowing with milk and honey lies ahead for you and us! Come Lord! Be our Lord! Transform us more fully into Your best! Amen 

Good morning unique creations of God. I'm sitting here watching the beautiful snow fall from my hospital bed, wishing I could be out of this prison and playing in the snow. I'm watching the plow trucks clearing the lots, the slow traffic on 78 carefully persevering through the storm and I'm thinking if Sarah's snowflake making challenge. I'm also praying for Karen who may need to come pick me up later and the team clearing snow for clothing closet and church.

Then I read our devotionals (which I can't forward from my phone). How does Paul's thorn in the flesh and building each other up tie to this what do you think? What are you hearing?

We are all unique creations of God with uniquely created purposes. Some of us our out plowing, some shoveling and some staying out with a warm cup of cocoa. Some are out there fulfilling their purposes while persevering through some storm. Some are plowing away even though it seems futile as the snow piles up right behind the plow. Some are watching and praying. And some are out of control and forging ahead while others are making wise choices. 

Seems like we are all facing some sort of storm or trial today. Life and our efforts often feel useless, yet we carry on in Christ. Many have come to experience that God is sufficient and enough. Some have come to rely on His strength when weakest and He IS enough and knows best. And all of us need the eph. 4:29 building up and encouragement. Who are you cheering on? Who are you helping shovel out of some snowbank? Who are you plowing the path for in prayer and love and help?

Yes we all are facing something. Yes God is sufficient and enough. And we are family that need each other's uniqueness and unique love and help. As you rise and shine later this morning, the storm may be waning, but there is unique opportunities for us all to go live and live like Jesus today. Keep at it friends! God's not finished with you or is. He has great plans, even for today. He is with you always. And He has united us with co-laborers. And like fresh falling snow, we are beautiful together and unique individuals. Let us always consider that uniqueness and the unknown storms and love and encourage well. Amen keep plowing together too. We are making progress. PTL 

Good morning faithful prayer warriors. This is the day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it! It is TGIF praise day. Count your many blessings! I am! And you guys are on that list!. Thanks for all the prayers and encouragement!.

They are narrowing in on the cause of the a fib and fluid. It may be thyroid related. Today is a day of many tests and docs. Outside change I will be discharged today, probably tomorrow, depending how tests are able to be scheduled. Just another doc visit and very pleased with progress. The Lord is my shepherd. He is with me. (Now if only he would bring me a cheese steak and pizza).

So what's God saying to you today? What are you thankful for? Who are you processing with? God's got great plans for this day. I'm allowing Him to use me here while He heals me! PTL! May God be with you all today. Hope to see you Sunday, Lord willing. May God shalom be with you today. He's definitely a good good Father! Amen

Please note that Pastor Don is having some phone issues. I don't always get your messages right away. I am not ignoring you. Today, I got a phone message from yesterday and several texts from yesterday morning as well. I try to respond ASAP. If you are not hearing from me and need me ASAP please reach oout through someone else or try another way like email. Thanks

Good Morning Humble Servants! You know, that is a pretty apt description of our gathering of believers. We serve, love, spread joy and bring hope and help to many. God is using you and it shows. But humility can be a struggle for many of us. Pride is at the root of all sin as well. We are commanded to humble ourselves. As we seek to become more like Jesus. He is the prime example of humbling self. I mean, He is God and humbled Himself, laid aside His power and came as a servant. And as such, He knows all our struggles. He called the bold and brash and timid and meek to be part of the twelve and worked with them to teach them all to die to self, take up cross daily, and follow Him. For some that meant letting go of operating in their own strength and doing what they thought best, often without seeking direction. For others that meant getting out of comfort zones and going boldly to share the Good News and represent God on earth. But they learned to work together and accomplished much for God's glory and Kingdom expansion. I keep thinking of 1 Cor, 13's reminder that love is not proud or boastful. That's something I always need to work on!

What's your struggle today? For a few of us bold and brash ones, it could be slowing down and waiting on God and for many of us, it's dying to self and stepping out boldly when the Holy Spirit pinches you. The Good News is that God brought us together to be His Body that goes and loves well together. And we are doing pretty good at finding our balance with that. Check out our devos below speaking into the strongholds that bind us, our questioning God and learning to humble ourselves and follow Jesus well. What's keeping you from God's best for you (or others)?Humble yourself and work on becoming more like Jesus. It would be a great idea to work on this with some trusted friends too. God created you for some great things and He is with you always and brought you to this Body to fulfill your part. We are family and we are better together! PTL! Remember, Jesus' yoke is easy, but a yoke is still an instrument of labor to be used to plow. Keep plowing in prayer and service and allowing God to grow and use you! I'm praying for you and us to continue to become more like Jesus! Amen

God awoke me early to speak to my heart and to share with you. It's obvious that He is speaking and calling us to humble ourselves and follow well. As I was proof reading (yeah I do that some days!) the Harvest Prayer Blog popped up in my email. Yes God is speaking to me and us today. I preached recently on our need to humble and purify ourselves to be ready to move with God. It was a message about earnestly pursuing Christlikeness and readiness for when God says go. Begin today's time with God by humbling yourself and asking Him to speak to and direct your heart. Start with Harvest prayer's blog and see where God leads you today. He does have great plans awaiting! Are you ready? Let's roll! Daylight's burning!

Harvest Prayer:

Upper Room: WHY?

Job said to God, “Why then did you bring me out of the womb?” - Job 10:18 (NIV)

As I was recovering from shoulder replacement surgery, all was going well — that is, until I broke out in shingles. Anyone who has ever experienced shingles knows that the pain and general misery are a nightmare. I confess I was angry at God.

I could relate in a very small way to what Job experienced. And, like Job, my prayers began with “Why?” I was already extremely uncomfortable after surgery, and now this festering annoyance was getting worse each day! “Why, God? What am I supposed to learn from this?”

I’m happy to say that the shingles wounds have healed, and my shoulder works better than ever. But I still don’t understand what all that pain was supposed to teach me. Surely there is much in my life and in the world that just doesn’t make sense. Sometimes we are not given the answers to our “why” questions, but we can trust that God is with us. We can cry out to God with what we don’t understand and know that God loves us still.

TODAY'S PRAYER

Loving God, help us to keep trusting you when our lives seem to be overly burdened. Strengthen our spirits, and walk with us through our struggles. Amen.ODB:

TWFYT:

Happenings: Donuts and conversation at the Bread Ministry today 10-12. (lunch too for workers)

Tonight 6-7:30 dinner and video huddle for all who will come.

Saturday 10-1: Clothing Closet

Sunday after worship is our new members class. All who wish to know more about our church or to join are welcome.

Good Morning very Loved, very Loving, Servants of our God Who Is Love! This life really is all about LOVE! We don't need a man-made holiday--well maybe some do--to remind us to love. Loving God and others and even ourselves is a command that wraps up all the ten commandments are about and what God requires of us. LOVE! Today, another man-made season begins in some churches with Ash Wednesday and the start of Lent. Lent is celebrated in some churches as a season of pertinence and self-examination and fasting from some sinful choices. Do we really need a holiday or season to remind us that we are all sinners that fall short of God's standard and to confess and repent of sins. That, like loving, should be a daily thing. 

Start with focusing on Love. (maybe "loving" might be a word to work on this year) God is Love. Love lives in us and wants to love through us. Jesus modeled "agape" love. That's sacrificial, dying to self love as He laid His life down for us and our sins. He commands us to go agape like Him. Maybe focus on that the next forty days that lead to Palm Sunday. Yes, examine yourself and ask the Holy Spirit to bring to mind some things you need to repent of or work on and do it. That is part of becoming more like Jesus and allow God to shape you more fully into the person He created you to be. Become More in '24! Work on that and maybe focus on a word for the season.

Today, we will celebrate Fat Wednesday with donuts and love as we share and hang out with our neighbors in need. That's love in action that we are commanded to live. Come join us! Come share love and allow God to mold and use you as His vessel. That's what these days and seasons should be all about--love and loving like Jesus. Amen! Thank God for His love for you and for loving through you and ask for His help to do that better. He loves you and loves to answer prayers form the heart like that! Go! Love! Amen

Harvest Prayer Blog:

ODB:

UR:Ash Wed.

If you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. - Matthew 6:14 (NIV)

I had never given up anything for Lent because the practice did not seem meaningful to me.

Then one year on Ash Wednesday, my pastor challenged us to think differently about giving up something for Lent. He asked us to think of a person we were holding a grudge or anger or resentment against and invited us to forgive them.

Years earlier I had gone through a divorce. My spouse had cheated on me again and again. I had been deeply hurt. How could I ever forgive him?

I struggled with my feelings. Was I ready to release all the pain he had caused me? Finally I decided that, yes, I was going to forgive.

The pastor asked us to write on a piece of paper what we were giving up. I wrote it down, then folded the piece of paper. The congregation was then invited to burn our slips of paper in a bowl. It was one of the most meaningful Ash Wednesday services I had ever attended.

It wasn’t easy to forgive. And by forgiving him, I’m not saying that what he did was okay because it wasn’t. But deciding to give up my feelings of hatred and resentment was a freeing experience, and it still is. I could move on with my life without the weight of anger and resentment that I had been carrying around for years. So I would like to challenge you to give up something meaningful for Lent and surrender it to God. You won’t believe how liberating it is!

TODAY'S PRAYER

Thank you, God, for forgiving us. Help us to be as forgiving of others. Amen.

This is coming to you later because God blessed me with ten hours sleep until after 6 this morning. PTL! (Made up for super bowl lack of sleep!) and then we lost electric for a bit and I had to dig a trail for Maggie in the yard. OK so now we will try to get this out before next power failure.

Bread Min and Donuts tomorrow 10-12 and Huddle tomorrow night with dinner at 6. Both are still on!

Good Morning Washed White as Snow, Resting on the Promises, Zealots and Friends of God! Say what? How appropriate that today's Our Daily Bread uses the passage speaking about our forgiveness and being washed white as snow. (See below) I've been thinking about the words we are choosing for the Become More in '24 Challenge. Sarah and I have only heard from one or two of you about your word(s). The word God led me to for this year besides my two from last year which I will keep working on as well (agape and Disciple-maker) is "earnest". What is God leading you to work on? Today would be a great day to pause, seek Him, reflect and receive His word for you! Share those words with Sarah and me so we can pray and encourage you. Seek some friends to process, pray with, encourage and be accountable to as well. Learning and growing with others is part of God's best for us! Thank God for those He has gathered around us to worship, grow and serve with!

My word "earnest" ties to zealous. Check out Dave Butts Blog below speaking into being a zealot. When I first came to rebirth and being-made-new-faith in 2001, my sisters kept pleading with me to not become one of those Jesus freaks. They are coming to accept me as I am now and my zealous pursuit of Jesus and wanting to earnestly become more like Him. They haven't changed and need our prayers for salvation and new life. because of my zeal and pursuit of Christlikeness I am always changing as I grow into that. You guys have witnessed some of that growth and change. We are all on a journey. Please consider making it an earnest journey, standing on the promises, resting in your new nature in Christ and working on growing to your fuller created potential with me. It's been awesome so far as I shed the old and put on the new more fully. Come and see!

I guess part of this journey is learning to not really care what others think about me and finding my worth in Christ. Do you struggle with that? Do you feel like you don't measure up to other's standards? Don't fit in? Do you struggle with trying to please God? Trying to work your way and earn His favor? Are you loosing hope that you will never measure up or are worthless? Check out Charles Stanley's devo below. LISTEN...We will never measure up to God's standard. Never can! We all fall short. That's why God sent His Son for us. PTL! Right? Stop trying to meet some standard or become someone you are not created to be. Just be you in Christ and allow God to use you as you are and grow you into your fuller potential. He loves you. Forgives you. Sent His Spirit to help you and He knows your potential and His plans for you and is working all things together to get you there. Know this too...you will never reach that potential until yoi get to heaven. All he expects is that we keep pursuing Christ, keep growing into who we were created to be and keep working on doing more of what He created us to do. Now that can be a very hard thing for most of us! You know what I mean. What's this "let go and let God" thing? Our lives require much work at balance. We do have things we need to do on this earth that require earnest effort and work to survive and thrive. Yet God asks that we keep our focus on Him, be available and ready when He needs us to be His vessels of Good News, love, healing, hope, and help. Being citizens of two worlds is hard! That is exactly why we need God and to keep focused on Him and His ways, which are not like our ways. Be you and do what is required of you here as you work as if unto the Lord. But keep your eyes on Jesus and allow Him to live, love, use, and grow you as you are into your fuller potential. He has great plans for you and knows what you are facing. He loves you just as you are. He has and will forgive you! And He calls you from all the striving to His rest and healthy choices. This is a conversation that will require much more reasoning together with God and each other. Begin today with seeking Him and talk about it with some friends. Maybe even tomorrow night at dinner and huddle or tomorrow during donut day at Bread Ministry. Seek first the Kingdom of God and all things will be added to you. That's a promise. keep your focus right and be refreshed and ready. Stop striving in your own strength. Yoke yourself to Jesus' easy yoke. he came to set the captives free. That's us! PTL!

We are forgiven and washed white as snow! We have the Holy Spirit in us to help us and guide us to God's best. We are a friend if God--no longer slaves. Abide in Him and His love today. He's singing over you and speaking to your heart right now! Worship! Adore! And open your hearts and minds to what is His best for you and then earnestly seek that, zealots! Amen!

Are you a Jesus Freak? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQBIS2zWEz8 This oldy came to mind today as I seek to become more like jesus, leaving this world's ways behind as I long to become more like Jesus and doing all he created me to do. That is life and life abundant. What would Jesus do if He were me? That's what He wants. Allow Him to have all of you and live and love through you. He'll take care of the rest. Amen!

Dave's Blog:

Are You Zealous for God?

by Dave Butts

When you hear the word “zealot” what do you think of? Fanatic? Weird? Overly religious? Maybe an extremely emotional person? I think that most people would say of zeal that it’s just not who they are. Many people have a tendency to identify being zealous as an overly emotional or extreme personality type and would distance themselves from being labeled a “zealot.”

The Bible, however, looks at zeal not so much as an emotion, but as an expression of faith. You become zealous because you have come to know God. It is the awesome character and nature of God that creates zeal within those who worship Him. The more you know the Lord, the more you become zealous for him.

From this perspective, zealousness is more about earnestness toward God, consecration, and undivided service. To be zealous is to focus all our attention on one thing…or rather, one person…the person of Jesus Christ. Perhaps most important for followers of Jesus, to be zealous is not an option but a command. Consider these scriptures which speak of a zealous life:

• “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength” (Deut. 6:5).
• “Blessed are they who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart” (Ps.119:2).
• “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding” (Prov.3:5).
• “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart” (Jer.29:13).
• “Even now, declares the Lord, return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning” (Joel 2:12).

The greatest example of zeal is the One who knows the Father the best, our Lord Jesus. The prophet Isaiah spoke of the zeal of Jesus in Is.59:17: “He put on righteousness as his breastplate, and the helmet of salvation on his head; he put on the garments of vengeance and wrapped himself in zeal as in a cloak.”   In the gospels, John wrote: “His disciples remembered that it is written: ‘Zeal for your house will consume me”’ (Jn.2:17). Following in the steps of Jesus means becoming as zealous as He is.

Living the Christian life is not a casual attachment to religious activities. It is an all-out, loving desire to walk with Jesus day by day. With single-minded passion we draw near to Him and serve him with everything that is in us. Our prayer life moves from mundane requests to zealously seeing the purposes of God brought to earth by our cries of intercession. May it be said of us, as was said of our Lord, “Zeal for your house will consume us!”

Harvest Prayer Blog: (I love this prayer! Pray it earnestly)

Charles Stanley:

ODB: