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Friday, May 10 2024
Sarah Prayer update below
Good Morning Living Sacrifices! You know sometimes I so hate that Romans 12:1-2 passage. But often I need the reminder to die to self, take up cross daily and follow Jesus as a living sacrifice and sacrifice of praise. I often want to crawl off the altar and live for me. Forgive me Lord! Help me to be a living sacrifice and my life to be a sweet aroma as a sacrifice of praise! Thanks! Amen! Maybe you find yourself in that same position sometimes. Meditate on Romans 12. It contains one of my life verses and a how to do this. Rom 12:12, "Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer." (That's a command!) Now there's a great starting point of things to work on that could keep you busy all year as we work on growing more into the person you are created to be and doing more of what you are created to do. More in '24! Help us Lord!
Thinking of the Become More in '24 Challenge that flowed from our Become Me in '23 one, I wonder if you guys are embracing and trying to keep at it? I haven't heard of any words any of you are working on for this year as we work at dying to self and becoming all we can be in Christ. Is that something any of you are doing? It is God's will and best for us. You are a custom made masterpiece made new, empowered and gifted in Christ to go do the things God planned for you long ago for such a time as this. (Eph. 2:10). How's that going? Start with worship, praise and prayer that flows into the doing part. More of Him and less of you in '24. Earnestness as a living sacrifice is what God desires and what will lead us to our fuller potential, His greater things for us, and a great future in heaven. Amen!
Check out the devos below that flow through this thinking and led me to it as I invited God to write the blog today. Charles Stanley uses a word one of you chose for last year, "Useful". That person has been very useful to God and our fellowship! What are you working on and making headway at achieving? is there a new word to work on? Our Daily Bread speaks about the gifts God has given us. Why? To build His Church, encourage each other, and bless others. The gifts you've been given line up with how you are made and the plans God has for you. How cool! Ask Him to help you use them well as we plan to step out of the building this summer and go connect to others, lead them to Him and grow His Church. The Upper Room reminds us to keep trusting as we go. God is for us, with us and working all things together for those who love Him or will love Him. Trust and obey today! The Word for You Today reminds us about releasing our guilt, repenting and receiving God's pardon and peace. Don't sweat what you could of and should've done. Start fresh. receive and follow His peace as you get back on track at growing more like Christ and doing what He made you to do. He loves you and has great plans for you and us! Know and follow His peace and bring it to those He is sending your way. That's all He asks! trust, obey and go live and love like Jesus. Now that is true worship and being a living sacrifice! Amen! He has great plans for you, us and others out of the building this summer! What's he leading you to lead or be a part of as we go love and make disciples like Jesus. Shalom!
CS:
ODB:
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Decades ago, I went to a college retreat where everyone was talking about a personality test. “I’m an ISTJ!” one said. “I’m an ENFP,” another chirped. I was mystified. “I’m an ABCXYZ,” I joked.
Since then, I’ve learned a lot about that test (the Myers-Briggs) and others such as the DiSC assessment. I find them fascinating because they can help us understand ourselves and others in helpful, revealing ways—shedding light on our preferences, strengths, and weaknesses. Provided we don’t overuse them, they can be a useful tool God uses to help us grow.
Scripture doesn’t offer us personality tests. But it does affirm each person’s uniqueness in God’s eyes (see Psalm 139:14-16; Jeremiah 1:5), and it shows us how God equips all of us with a unique personality and unique gifts to serve others in His kingdom. In Romans 12:6, Paul begins to unpack this idea, when he says, “We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us.”
Those gifts, Paul explains, are not for us alone but for the purpose of serving God’s people, Christ’s body (v. 5). They’re an expression of His grace and goodness, working in and through all of us. They invite each of us to be a unique vessel in God’s service.
By Adam R. Holz
REFLECT & PRAY
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What gifts has God given you to serve others? If you’re not sure what your gifts are, who might help you get a better sense of those God-given gifts?
Father, thank You for the gifts You’ve given me. Please help me to embrace the ways You’ve equipped me to love and serve others in Your kingdom.
Find out how you can understand yourself and others.
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SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
Romans 12 marks a turning point in Paul’s letter. Previously, the apostle had been explaining the work of God in salvation, describing Jesus as the second Adam who came to redeem what had been lost through our first parents’ disobedience in Eden (5:12-20). Now he turns his attention to the way this salvation is to be lived out by those bought by Christ’s sacrifice. It starts with the redeemed becoming a “living sacrifice” (12:1), whose focus is on being useful to God in the lives of others. This is followed by a list of spiritual gifts to equip God’s children in service to others (vv. 3-8). Another list of spiritual gifts appears in 1 Corinthians 12:7-11, and a list of leadership roles (gifts to the church) is found in Ephesians 4:11. Through these provisions, the Spirit enables us to fulfill our function in our spiritual service.
Bill Crowder |
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UR: Father Knows Best
Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord. - Psalm 40:4 (NIV)
One winter in Texas we experienced a huge ice storm that no one was prepared for. During the storm my family stayed home with no electricity or water. We were getting restless at home, so I asked my dad if I could go to a friend’s house because they had power and water. But my dad said no because of the ice on the roads. I looked outside and didn’t see any ice. I was sure I would be fine. It turns out that ice was indeed covering the roads, and when I went outside to check, I slipped and fell on my rear end.
I should have trusted my dad because he obviously knew better than I did. The same is true with our relationship with God. God knows what’s best for us in every situation. Even when we think we know what’s best, we need to trust that God knows better and will take care of us.
TODAY'S PRAYER
Dear God, thank you for your faithfulness and for being with us in every moment of our lives. Help us to keep our focus on your will for us and to trust in you alone. Amen.
TWFYT:
Harvest prayer Blogs:
May 7 - Be at Peace with Him
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So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. (2 Peter 3:14)
There is much confusion regarding the Second Coming of Jesus. Some have never heard good teaching about this important topic. Many have never seriously considered the Second Coming of Jesus and have collected in their minds a wild assortment of beliefs and ideas that may or may not match the teachings of Scripture. What will help us all are these simple instructions from Peter on how we should live in anticipation of Jesus’ return.
First of all, Peter makes the assumption that Christians are looking forward to the coming of Jesus. For many, I’m afraid, this is an incorrect assumption. We too often find ourselves firmly at home in this world, and not at all looking forward to Christ’s return. I’m convinced that one of the most important yet ignored biblical doctrines is that of the imminent return of Jesus. The early Christians modeled for us the power of living a life that looks eagerly for the return of Jesus, while at the same time passionately living out the life of Jesus in everyday acts of love and service. Are you looking forward to the return of Jesus?
With the Second Coming as a desire of our lives, Peter then tells us that we should be found spotless, blameless, and at peace with him when he returns. I love that Peter doesn’t get caught up in controversies regarding timing and events but focuses on the lifestyle that ushers in Christ’s return.
Being spotless, blameless and at peace does not speak of perfection but of relationship. An intimate, right relationship with Jesus now will lead to looking forward to the face-to-face relationship of the Second Coming in the future.
The finished work of Christ upon the cross allows us to be without spot, without blame, and at peace with God. We cannot have these things apart from Jesus. But we must note that Peter commands us to make every effort to be found with these characteristics in our lives. We accept Christ and all that he is and offers, and then through his Spirit, we bring these attributes to fullness in our lives. Looking forward to his coming causes us to make every effort to be found practicing in our lives what it means to be spotless, blameless, and at peace with God.
To train yourself to look forward to the Second Coming, each morning as you wake ask the Lord, “Is it today that you return?” Put the last prayer in Scripture on your lips each day: “Come Lord Jesus.”
Lord Jesus, I long for your return. Forgive me for getting too comfortable here in this world and forgetting the truth of your soon return. Show me how to live in a way that not only prepares me for your return, but also points others to you. I want to be spotless, blameless, and at peace with you when you appear in Glory.
--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.
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- Glorify God as the beginning and end of all things, the Alpha and the Omega.
- Give thanks for his love for you—a love that has kept you in mind since the beginning of the world and will continue to hold you when this world has passed away.
- Confess those times when you have seen yourself and your needs as the beginning and end of your existence.
- Commit yourself to giving God the highest place in your life and heart.
- Ask God to reveal his glory to you so that you cannot help but praise him with your whole heart.
- Pray that worship services all over the world will glorify the name and power of Jesus rather than promote lesser things.
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| 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. |
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Sarah Update:
Good afternoon, everyone,
As promised, here are those that were mentioned in worship, yesterday that are in need of our prayer support:
Hal Scanlin - he is dealing with some health issues. He is at home, and taking it one day at a time. Also keep Lenore and their family in your prayers as their children make time after work to pop in and check on their parents.
Karen's mom (Pastor Don's wife Karen) is waiting test results. Prayers that the results will help her medical team now how to proceed with her care.
Darlene Skinner - is home and progressing. Continue to pray for her safety and strength building through therapy. Also keep her family in your prayers as they juggle their schedules to help with her care.
Harry Waterman - has gout and arthritis in his right foot. The doctor has given him some medication to help with the pain
Linda, Gary Bastan's relative had eye surgery today. Let's continue to pray for her recovery and vision restored.
The Canfield family is dealing with bronchitis. Praying all will get through and over it soon and be back to a healthy bunch.
We prayed for the missing hiker yesterday during worship, and later last evening we received the news they had found the hiker's body. May we continue to pray for the hiker's family during this difficult time.
Josie is asking for prayer for her friend Helen (from Florida) who has been recently diagnosed with cancer.
Josie is also asking for prayer for another friend Darla, who has been living with chronic pain for the past 17 years.
Lisa Wenner has asked for prayer for a friend of hers, Shannon, who tried to take her own life. She is married and has two small children. Yesterday she was in a coma, but as of the update Lisa received this morning, Shannon has come out of the coma, and is currently being taken care of by therapists. Let's pray for this young family and for Shannon during this difficult time. May God put Christians in her pathway of healing.
Chris and Yvonne Muik and family - may God's peace surround them and may they sense His amazing arms of love around them.
Thank you everyone for praying for these folks.....and for continuing to pray for one another.
if you are not doing anything on Wednesday, 10 - 12pm why not stop in at the church for a donut and a beverage......
Okay everyone, have a great evening....talk later!
Blessings,
Sarah
Friday, May 10 2024
Brain and Missy Wagner update at bottom.
This week we begin to wrap up our indoor activities (except bread and clothing) for the summer.
Tues Blog will continue until end of month.
Wed evening is our last indoor dinner huddle until fall. We are looking to do some things at least once a month out of the building this summer. What's God leading you to host or plan with some friends to connect to neighbors? Family Ministries will be doing their own once a month activities.
This Wed is donut day at the Bread Ministry. Come and join us! Ask God to use you and us!
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Good Morning Love, Grace, Wisdom, And Peace Receivers and Bringers! Fill up to pour out! There is so much meat in our devotionals for today and they thread together too! Do you see the thread and feel the love, grace, wisdom and peace you can load up on to share? Check them out below and reload and pray ahead for how to share.
I began with the Scripture from Our Daily Bread. There are all kinds of promises to cling to in John 14:15-21. Check it out as you meditate on and internalize these truths. John 14:15-21, 15 “If you love me, obey my commandments. (here's a command. Do you love Him? Show it by your obedience--Donald! And with obedience comes blessings and these following promises can come to life! Amen!)) 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. 17 He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you. 18 No, I will not abandon you as orphans—I will come to you. 19 Soon the world will no longer see me, but you will see me. Since I live, you also will live. 20 When I am raised to life again, you will know that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. 21 Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them.”
What's God saying to you? What will you do about it? Who are you processing with and accountable to? We are loved, pursued, have the Holy Spirit in us, are accepted and we matter! Take that to heart!
The Upper Room reminds us we can have eyes to see God at work and dwell and grow in His grace and even learn to share it like Jesus. Amen! Jesus is our example and leader. We are recipients of much grace. Pray for eyes to see, minds to know how, and Jesus' heart to respond to those He has placed around you. Grace. Grace. God's grace! How amazing it is! And how He wants to bring it alive to and through you! PTL!
The Word for You Today discusses the gift of God's peace. It's truly not like the peace we find in the world. AMEN! There are some commands and promises in the verses they use as well. (see below) Remember peace is a gift you need to receive. Turn off the noise and chaos and dwell in love, grace and peace today. Load up on them to share with others too. Take heart! Christ has overcome the world and He lives in you bringing alive His love, grace, wisdom, Word and peace. Dwell in them, receive them. Then ask how to share them. He loves those prayers. As you do these things, you will not only know His best for you but follow His peace to bring it all alive to others. That's His plan and our mission: living and loving more like Jesus! He has great plans for you today and this week that begin as you dwell in His love, grace, wisdom, Word and peace. Amen and shalom shalom--perfect peace to you today! Allow Him to fill you and use you this week! Amen!
And finally check our Harvest prayer's blog and prayer starters. We are one in Christ and we have a mission to do--love like Jesus. We are also to pour out and give back from all the blessings God has given us. Pray into that and allow God to use you well to be His love, grace, wisdom, Living Word, and peace. Go light up the world. Amen!
ODB:
During our wedding ceremony, our minister said to me, “Do you promise to love, honor, and obey your husband, until death do you part?” Glancing at my fiancé, I whispered, “Obey?” We’d built our relationship on love and respect—not blind obedience, as the vows seemed to suggest. My husband’s father captured on film that wide-eyed moment when I processed the word obey and said, “I do.”
Over the years, God has shown me that my resistance to the word obey had nothing to do with the incredibly complex relationship between a husband and wife. I’d understood obey to mean “subjugated” or “forced submission,” which Scripture doesn’t support. Rather, the word obey in the Bible expresses the many ways we can love God. As my husband and I celebrate thirty years of marriage, through the power of the Holy Spirit we’re still learning to love Jesus and each other.
When Jesus said, “If you love me, obey my commandments” (John 14:15 nlt), He showed us that obedience to the Scriptures would be the result of an ongoing loving and intimate relationship with Him (vv. 16-21).
Jesus’ love is selfless, unconditional, and never forceful or abusive. As we follow and honor Him in all our relationships, the Holy Spirit can help us see obedience to Him as a wise and loving act of trust and worship.
By Xochitl Dixon
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How does seeing obedience to God as an act of love and trust change your view of His desire for obedience? How has God proven that you can trust Him?
Dear Jesus, please help me love You and others through obedience to the Scriptures.
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SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
John 13-17, known as the Upper Room Discourse, is theologically rich, contributing to our understanding of the Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. An example of this is seen in John 14:16-17 where Jesus, the Son, says, “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever—the Spirit of truth.” Of note in this discourse is the teaching about the Holy Spirit (pneumatology). In verse 16, He’s referred to as “another advocate” (paraklētos). Other versions translate this word as “comforter.” What’s in view is someone who’s called to aid, assist, or help another. During Christ’s ministry on earth, He was the helper from heaven. In His absence, one just like Him, the Spirit, would function in that capacity. Because of this, Jesus could tell His followers, “Do not let your hearts be troubled” (vv. 1, 27).
Arthur Jackson |
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UR: Eyes to See
Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen. - 2 Peter 3:18 (NIV)
Our Bible study was going to be about the word grace. We were asked to share a verse about it, and I chose 2 Peter 3:18.
The morning of the Bible study I looked out my apartment window. A large gray sack was lying in the parking spot next to my car. Was it a person? I didn’t see any movement. I looked out a while later and saw a dingy, disheveled man standing by his sleeping bag. He was one of the many people who are homeless in our city.
I was outraged. Much money and effort has been spent on addressing homelessness in our city, yet many people remain on the streets. I took a photo of him and sent it with an email to my landlord.
Then I felt an inner twinge. Whatever his situation, he was a human being, sleeping on the pavement.
I thought of 2 Peter 3:18 and
began to pray, asking for guidance. I felt my heart soften. How would Jesus respond? I thought about Jesus’ actions in scripture and knew that Jesus would want me to pray.
Two weeks later I met a young woman holding a sign asking for help. I prayed for her and felt encouraged to talk with her. Her story surprised me, and she welcomed prayer. As we prayed together, I felt God’s peace and joy.
TODAY'S PRAYER
Dear Jesus, open the eyes of our hearts to see others as you do. Help us to grow in the grace and knowledge of you. Amen.
TWFYT:
Harvest prayer blogs:
May 6 - Recognizing Our Oneness in Christ
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There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise. (Galatians 3:28–29)
I remember the day when I heard Pastor Jim Cymbala correct the pastors in the room, me included, for making distinctions in the body of Christ by highlighting our denominational differences. He said that God doesn’t relate to us as Baptists, Pentecostals, Methodists, or any other name. He sees us “in Christ.”
Denominations are something we’ve made up, according to Cymbala. It made sense. It also makes sense to apply this same rationale to racial divisions. God doesn’t relate to us, nor does he make any distinction between us based upon our skin color or country of origin. He relates to us in Christ. Why do we let race—something that God refuses to divide us over—divide us in the family of God? Let’s dive into this prayerfully:
Father, you are the Creator of every tribe and nation, and every skin color known to man. You created us to uniquely display your beauty through a diverse body. Yet we have failed to celebrate our diversity, and have sinfully divided over the color of our skin. We are wicked and need the healing power of Jesus Christ to forgive and restore us. Many have been wounded by racial divisions. And we have been party to some of these wounds. I repent today. I ask that you would so unify your people, of every race and tribe, in Christ Jesus, that the color of our skin and the country of our origin would never be what unites nor divides us. May we reach higher in faith, in keeping with your unchangeable Word, to stop making distinctions and to celebrate our true oneness that you purchased in Christ Jesus.
In you, Jesus, there is no black, white, brown, red or yellow. We are simply your people, called by your name. May our relationships simplify around Christ and may divisions fade. In Christ, we are now family. We are eternal family who will live together in the joy of our Master in a new heaven and new earth forever and ever. Nothing will hinder our complete unity. Do this same work now. O Holy Father, I pray for a racial oneness on earth as it is in heaven. I know there are no divisions in heaven. Your people are completely one with you and with one another. Do this sovereign and essential work here, now, in our community. May your church brightly lead the way in humble unity, building relationships across racial and denominational lines. May you glorify your name as your people come together in this challenging hour of human history. May your people lead the way to true and lasting unity through Jesus.
--Adapted from Praying God’s Word Over Your City: 40 Days of Prayer for A Transformed Community by Trey and Mary Anne Kent. This book is available at prayershop.org. Use the code CONPSP3 at checkout to receive an additional 10% discount.
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- Praise God, who is the source of all wealth and prosperity on earth (1 Chron. 29:12).
- Give thanks for all the material blessings God has given to you.
- Confess any occasions when you have tried to “store up for yourself treasures on earth” (Mt. 6:19).
- Commit yourself to remembering that wealth and possessions, and the ability to enjoy them, are a gift from God (Eccl. 5:19).
- Ask him to open your eyes to new opportunities to use your possessions for the benefit of others.
- Pray Eph. 1:18 for any unsaved person you know, asking especially that his or her spiritual eyes will be opened to see the eternal treasure of life in Christ.
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| 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. |
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Rift Valley update:
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Greetings Friends,
We’re so grateful for the prayers going out all over the world for Kenya, RVA, and the surrounding community. Heavy rains continue. Last night, another mudslide took out part of the fence surrounding our school. Cyclone Hidaya is predicted to bring even more rain starting tomorrow. God is at work in the hard.
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This was posted on RVA’s social media sites today:
“Wow, and thank you! So many of you have been volunteering your time, donating goods and money, and praying for our community. Your generosity has covered hospital bills and supplied drinking water, clothes, shoes, and linens for our friends and community members impacted by Monday’s landslide. Meanwhile, our students keep showing up in the best way. They’re sorting clothes, prepping food, and shoveling mud to clear roads, and as soon as they finish one task they ask again, “How can we help?” We’ve always known they’re a compassionate bunch, and this week that has clearly shone through. While we’ll keep meeting immediate needs, the bulk of recovery work lies ahead as people try to rebuild their homes and lives.” |
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If you’d like to give, you can still do so through RVA’s benevolence fund: https://usgiving.aimint.org/donate/rva-general-program. Please check the box to leave a note and type “Flood Relief” in the notes section.
As the rain continues to fall, please keep on praying. PRAY that the rain will ease. PRAY that God will spare our community from further loss. PRAY that He will be near to those who are grieving. PRAY for wisdom and discernment.
Thanks for remaining faithful in prayer with us,
Brian & Missy |
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Friday, May 10 2024
Good Morning Broken, Cared-for, Restored, Peace-filled, Worshipers! We are all broken and/or have been. We sow in tears, yet God collects our tears in bottles. He wastes nothing and is with us always. Life is hard! At times it really stinks! Sometimes all we can mutter is "Help!" to God. Even when it doesn't feel like it, He is always there pursuing us, loving us, wanting to help and comfort like a mother comforts her distressed baby. He's knocking at the door of your heart. Will you open the door? God knows and cares even when it doesn't feel like it. Still yourself and receive His love, comfort and peace.
You all know how I loathe Hallmark holidays. With Mother's Day coming, I've been praying about what to preach. Part of my issue is my empathy for those mourning, longing and struggling during any holiday. Many long to be mothers and can't. Some are mourning the loss of moms, and worse, a child. Some have terrible relationships with bad mothers. My tendency is to turn off the noise by preaching about something totally different during any holiday. Christmas, Valentines, Mother's Day and Father's Day can be very hard times for many. Let us keep our eyes open and be God's vessels of love, comfort, hope, help and peace. There are so many broken around us looking for some love, comfort and peace that we have in Christ. Check out our devos below and ask God how He wants to use you or how to receive His comfort and peace. He promises to turn our mourning to dancing, our sorrow to joy, and to redeem all the enemy has stolen. COME! Help! Amen
Prepare your hearts to worship! See you at 10 on Zoom or live with Children's Church. We are fast approaching our summer breaks. Ask God where He is leading you this summer and who to partner with as we go live, love. comfort and help those He is drawing. Pray for new connection points and opportunities. Thank God for the harvest and for raising up harvest workers (you!). Thank God for His provision as we follow that and His peace to new things He has planned for you and us. He is on the move and so are we as we continue to grow towards becoming a healthy, dynamic movement of God. Amen! May God lead and use you and us as he created you/us to do what we are created, gifted and empowered to do. Please Lord! Come! Use us! Amen!
ODB:
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Leaving home one morning, Dean found some friends waiting with balloons. His friend Josh stepped forward. “We entered your poems in a competition,” he said, before handing Dean an envelope. Inside was a card that read “First Prize,” and soon everyone was crying tears of joy. Dean’s friends had done a beautiful thing, confirming his writing talent.
Weeping for joy is a paradoxical experience. Tears are normally a response to pain, not joy; and joy is normally expressed with laughter, not tears. Italian psychologists have noted that tears of joy come at times of deep personal meaning—like when we feel deeply loved or achieve a major goal. This led them to conclude that tears of joy are pointers to the meaning of our lives.
I imagine tears of joy erupting everywhere Jesus went. How could the parents of the man born blind not weep for joy when Jesus healed him (John 9:1-9), or Mary and Martha after He raised their brother from death (11:38-44)? When God’s people are brought into a restored world, “Tears of joy will stream down their faces,” God says, “and I will lead them home with great care” (Jeremiah 31:9 nlt).
If tears of joy show us the meaning of our lives, imagine that great day to come. As tears stream down our faces, we’ll know without doubt that the meaning of life has always been to live intimately with Him.
By Sheridan Voysey
REFLECT & PRAY
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When was the last time you wept for joy? What do you think the meaning of life is?
Father God, thank You for the joy ahead for those who love You.
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SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
Two themes dominate the Prophetic Books of the Bible—discipline and restoration. After the prophet Jeremiah warned the Israelites of God’s judgment and discipline due to their wickedness and sin (Jeremiah 1–29), he assured them that later God would also restore them (chs. 30–33). He would be their God and they would be His chosen nation once again (31:1). He would also bring them back to the promised land after the Babylonian exile (30:1-3; 31:8-9). Israel would be restored to enjoy the privileges and blessings as God’s “firstborn son” (31:9).
K. T. Sim |
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UR: God Cares
I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you. - Joel 2:25 (KJV)
Many years ago I was going through a very rough time, just coping day by day clinging to faith and trusting that God would help me soon. Then one day out of the blue when I was alone, this verse came into my mind: “I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten.” I received it as a promise from God that whatever I was going through would pass, and that God would restore what I had lost and bless me.
Years later, this verse is still vividly clear in my mind. As I look back now, I realize the Lord has indeed restored my life and blessed me in many ways. Through this verse, I’ve learned that God’s promise of restoration means that God can take what is broken and put it together again, making it better than it was before.
God has enabled me to use my past to help others today. As a life coach and youth mentor, I’m now able to empathize and understand better the challenges and helplessness others are going through without judgment or prejudice. God has indeed turned the ashes of my past to beauty — the beauty of helping those who are in the wilderness now. That in itself is a blessing.
TODAY'S PRAYER
Lord God, thank you for your promise that you will never leave nor forsake us when we are in the wilderness. Help us to trust in your promise of restoration. Amen.TWFYT:
Harvest Blogs:
May 5 - Inviting God into Our Daily Needs
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“Give us this day our daily bread.” (Matthew 6:11)
It is a mark of our independence that we never invite God into the simple, daily needs of our life. We think we can handle things, which is our most deadly deception. Often people will say, “God is not interested in the details of my life.” Apparently, they have not read their Bibles or studied the words of Christ:
“Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! (Matthew 6:26)
God cares about every part of His creation and has the capabilities to meet our every need. But we must give Him access. We must let Him in.
Ole Hallesby in his classic book on prayer cites Revelation 3:20 as one of the most important verses on prayer in the Bible. Christ is speaking to the church and says …
“Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.”
Hallesby writes …
“It is not our prayer which draws Jesus into our hearts. Nor is it our prayer which moves Jesus to come in to us … All He needs is access. He enters in of His own accord because He desires to come in. And He enters in wherever He is not denied admittance … To pray is nothing more involved than to let Jesus into our needs. To pray is to give Jesus permission to employ His powers in the alleviation of our distress. To pray is to let Jesus glorify His name in the midst of our needs.”
Christ wants us to let Him in wherever there is a need. So, Christ tells us to pray for our “daily bread.” It is beautiful in prayer to realize that He cares about our needs—both big and small—and wants us to come to Him every day with every need.
As we let Him in, He supplies. And, since He is the sole supplier, He gets more and more glory and the world around us gains a right opinion about God.
Father, I want to declare my complete dependence upon You! Forgive me for the times when I attempt to meet my own needs rather than ask You for help. Keep my heart in a posture of thanksgiving recognizing that everything I have or ever will have is from You alone.
---Adapted from Simply Prayer by Bill Elliff. This book is available at prayershop.org.
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- Praise your Father as the God of gods and the Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries (Dan. 2:47).
- Give thanks for the mystery of salvation through Christ, which has been revealed to you through God's Word and Spirit (Eph. 3:3-6).
- Confess that there are times when you do not rely on his wisdom and insight in your daily struggles.
- Commit yourself to spending more time in God’s Word and prayer, seeking to understand the mystery of your life in Christ.
- Ask God to fill you with a spirit of wisdom and revelation (Eph. 1:17).
- Pray for those you know whose minds have been blinded by the gods of this age, unable to see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ (2 Cor. 4:4).
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| 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. |
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Friday, May 10 2024
Good Morning Righteous in Christ, Filled with the Holy Spirit, Saturated in the Word, Pray-ers and Vessels of God! Just think about that salutation as you engage with our devos below. We have put on Christ's righteousness because we are saved. Because we are saved we are sealed with the Holy Spirit and He guides us and our prayers and empowers us to go build the Kingdom. As we sit at Jesus' feet and meditate on His Word we are saturated in God's wisdom, direction and heart. As we pray and go we are His ambassadors that not only release His power and will in prayer but also action. We are His and He has great plans for us each day that come to life as we still ourselves, reload with His power and authority, pray and go. What are His plans for you today? What's He saying to your heart? What will you do about it? Who are you partnering with?
Please continue to pray into our summer outreach. How does God want to use you and us? Share what you are hearing and let us make plans together to connect to more neighbors. Pray for Children's Church workers and kids. Pray for us to partner with Revival Church to reach families in our neighborhoods. Pray for families to be drawn to Christ as we connect to them better. Thank God for using you and us. Pray for His will to be done and revival to come. Amen! Think about this, 40 year old's may be the last of those that were forced to go to church and remember when most people went to church. But they walked away and their families have no connection to God, church or Christians. Ask God how to connect to these families and to draw them and give us ideas. Pray for those over 40 that we seem to be connecting to. Ask God to continue that work and grow that ministry. Thank Him for the new servants He is sending. Pray that we would become a disciple making hub for the Lehigh Valley and a House of Prayer for the Nations. Thank God for custom making and gifting you to do your part for such a time as this! Thank Him for helping us to be and grow as a healthy church and ask for that to continue as we move from adding to multiplying disciples. Amen! See you all tomorrow! Shalom! Renew your thinking and follow His peace today!
Charles Stanley:
Harvest Blogs:
May 4 - Representing Christ
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Praying in the name of Jesus means three things, according to prayer leader Alvin VanderGriend:
First, we are authorized to be Christ’s representatives. . . we represent him. When we stand before the throne, the Father recognizes us as persons who stand in the place of his Son. That makes us acceptable.
Second, we come to God on the basis of Christ’s merit. You and I have no claim on God, but Christ does. He merited the Father’s favor by his perfect life and sacrifice. When we come in Jesus’ name, we are identified with him.
Third, we come asking according to Christ’s will. We have the mind of Christ in us, so what we ask is what he would ask. He is asking us to ask for him. We are able to ask what he would ask because our wills are in sync with his will.
This means that we have an awesome responsibility. We are representing Christ—His will and wishes. That means we need to be constantly growing in His Word in order to know what His will and wishes are. We need to be always praying for God to conform us into the image of Jesus so that we will be worthy of this awesome responsibility.
“To pray in the Name of Christ,” wrote Samuel Chadwick, “is to pray as one who is at one with Christ, whose mind is the mind of Christ, whose desires are the desires of Christ, and whose purpose is one with that of Christ. . . . Prayers offered in the Name of Christ are scrutinized and sanctified by His nature, His purpose, and His will. Prayer is endorsed by the Name, when it is in harmony with the character, mind, desire, and purpose of the Name.”
Lord Jesus Christ, my heart is humbled by the knowledge that when I come before the throne of grace, I do so in Your name and through Your authority! I have been given the astonishing privilege of aligning my prayer with the plans and purposes of God the Father through the prompting and power of the Holy Spirit. May I always seek to pray for God’s kingdom to come and His will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. Help me to lay aside any selfish desires and in humility be diligent about reading, soaking in and obeying Your perfect and holy word so that I will look like the One in whose image I have been created!
--Adapted from The Power of Personal Prayer (Learning to Pray with Faith and Purpose) by Jonathan Graf. This book is available at prayershop.org. Use the code CONPSP3 at checkout to receive an additional 10% discount.
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- Praise God, whose name is great among the nations (Mal. 1:11).
- Give thanks that the gospel has reached around the world and into your heart.
- Confess any sin that has hindered you from gaining a clear vision of God’s work in the world.
- Commit yourself to God’s plan for the gospel to be preached in the whole world (Mt. 24:14).
- Ask God to use you in that plan.
- Boldly intercede for the work of gospel missions worldwide. Pray by name for world missionaries whom your church supports. Ask God to protect them and prosper their work
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| 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. |
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ODB:
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A routine wellness check for little four-year-old Calvin revealed a few unexpected spots on his body. During the visit, he was given some shots, and the injection site was covered with a bandage. At home, when the time came to remove the small adhesive covering, Calvin whimpered with fear. Seeking to console his son, his father said, “Calvin, you know I’d never do anything to hurt you.” His father wanted his son to trust him more than fearing the removal of the bandage.
Four-year-olds aren’t the only ones who grow faint in the face of discomfort. Surgeries, separation from loved ones, mental or psychological challenges—and more—prompt our fears, sighs, cries, and groans.
One of David’s fear-filled moments was when he found himself in Philistine territory while fleeing a jealous King Saul. When he was recognized, he was anxious about what might happen to him (see 1 Samuel 21:10-11): “David . . . was very much afraid of Achish king of Gath” (v. 12). Reflecting on this uncomfortable situation, David wrote, “When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. . . . In God I trust and am not afraid” (Psalm 56:3-4).
What shall we do when life’s discomforts stir up our fears? We can put our trust in our heavenly Father.
By Arthur Jackson
REFLECT & PRAY
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What situation is presently making you fearful? How can you rest in His care as you bring your fears before your loving heavenly Father in prayer?
Dear God, in my humanity and frailty, I’m fearful. Help me to see and experience Your love and care even in the midst of my trials and discomfort.
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SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
The psalmist David’s name appears on 73 of the 150 psalms. And New Testament references indicate he also wrote Psalms 2 and 95 (see Acts 4:25; Hebrews 4:7). Most of his psalms lack background information, but 13, including Psalm 56, give details on their setting. The superscription ascribes Psalm 56 to David and states: “When the Philistines had seized [David] in Gath.” He so feared King Saul that he entered enemy territory. There the servants of Achish, the king of Gath, recognized him and informed the king. Terrified, David “pretended to be insane in their presence; and . . . acted like a madman” (1 Samuel 21:13). It worked. He was released (vv. 14-15) and escaped to the cave of Adullam (22:1). Though fearful, he put his trust in God (Psalm 56:3).
Alyson Kieda |
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UR: God Cares
Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? - Matthew 6:26 (NRSVUE)
My wife and I recently spent an afternoon relaxing on the porch swing just outside our front door. At one point we noticed a nest of baby birds near an upper corner of the porch. Every few minutes the mother bird returned to the nest to deliver morsels of food to the chicks. We wondered how such a delicate nest in such a precarious location could keep all those hatchlings from falling to the ground. That seemed like a miracle to us and still remains a mystery.
As we marveled at the sight of those birds and their nest, we recalled instances in our own lives when we too felt as if we were in a vulnerable nest, suspended high off the ground. We had no idea what was keeping us from falling, but we trusted that the nest God placed us in would be secure. It may not have happened right away, but like a mother bird, God always provided what we needed.
TODAY'S PRAYER
O God, thank you for tending to our needs day after day and year after year. We can surrender our fears and insecurities because we know you are watching over us. Amen.
TWFYT:
Friday, May 10 2024
It's Friday--Thank God I'm Forgiven! TGIF! And thank God that Resurrection Sunday came and death and the grave have been overcome and our sins can now be forgiven! Thank God that we don't need a priest to offer sacrifices for us or to lift our prayer because the curtain has been torn and God's presence is available always! Thank God for pursuing and saving us! Thank God for pursuing others through us and gifting and empowering us to be His hands and feet! Thank God for hearing and answering our prayers! Thank God we are known, loved and created for such a time as this! TGIF! What are you thankful about today? Tell our Abba Daddy!
Good Morning Praying Imitator's of Jesus--Children of Our All-Sufficient God! There's a mouthful of truth that ties directly to our devotionals today. As we flow from the National Day of Prayer to TGIF time with God, let us lift many praises and thanksgivings! Let us be still and know as we dwell in His peaceful, loving presence. Let us open our hearts and minds to receive all He has for us today. And let us commit to following Him all day to His best for us and others! Amen! Let us bathe this day, our situations and others, including this nation in prayer. Let us release all our anxious thoughts to the Prince of Peace. Let us always remember that God is with us and He is enough! Amen! He has great custom made plans just for you, His masterpiece, to discover, process and enact! PTL! What's He saying to you and who are you partnering with to bring that all to life?
Remember, the battle is the Lord's and He is sufficient, able, willing and partners with us to bring His perfect will and plans to life! Amen! Stand firm in faith and follow Jesus to His best for you today. What joy awaits us on the other side of our persevering in prayer and walking through in faith! PTL!
Here are our devotionals for today. Spend some time in them, God's presence in praise and prayer, and preparing to go live and love more like Jesus! Father, Abba, Daddy COME! Fill us to the fullest and overflow from us. Speak to our hearts. Help us persevere always in You and follow well to Your perfect plans. Not our will Lord, but Yours! Come! Inform and empower our prayers and us for this day! Amen.
Charles Stanley (God is all we need! Is He enough for you? Who needs to see that and be introduced to our Provision and Sufficiency?)
UR: Imitators (We have an example in Jesus and as we spend time with Him we become more like Him and He empowers our prayers and choices! Amen!)
Be imitators of God, as beloved children, and walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. - Ephesians 5:1-2 (NRSVUE)
A few weeks ago my daughter returned to work after the birth of her baby, and I started my new job: caring for my grandson. It’s only one day a week and leaves me physically exhausted, but I’m loving it. My grandson is not yet verbal or mobile, but he is alert and always learning. He watches, listens, and imitates. He smiles when I smile, and he tries to clap when I clap.
Children learn so much by imitation. Even as adults, we can easily begin speaking, behaving, and thinking like the people we associate with most. Spending time with people who speak and act in encouraging and edifying ways will help us to speak and act in similar ways.
Likewise, if we want to imitate Christ in our speech, actions, and attitudes, we need to spend time with him. We can do this by learning about his life through the Gospels, by sitting quietly in his presence, or by talking to him in prayer. Doing so is good for us and the people who spend time with us. The more we imitate Christ, the better examples we will be for others.
TODAY'S PRAYER
Thank you, Jesus, for living out an example of how to glorify God. Help us to imitate you in all things as we spend time with you and better learn your ways. Amen.ODB: (You and your prayers matter! Prayer warrior is a critical role in our Good News Delivery Co. Cover us and release God's sufficient power and perfect plans today. Thanks!)
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“Prayers for an upcoming brain scan.” “That my kids would come back to church.” “Comfort for Dave, who lost his wife.” Our card ministry team receives a weekly list of prayer requests like these so we can pray and send each person a handwritten note. The requests are overwhelming, and our efforts can feel small and unnoticed. That changed after I received a heartfelt thank-you card from Dave, the recently bereaved husband, with a copy of his beloved wife’s obituary. I realized anew that prayer matters.
Jesus modeled that we should pray earnestly, often, and with hopeful faith. His time on earth was limited, but He prioritized getting away by Himself to pray (Mark 1:35; 6:46; 14:32).
Hundreds of years earlier, the Israelite king Hezekiah learned this lesson too. He was told that an illness would soon take his life (2 Kings 20:1). In distress and weeping bitterly, Hezekiah “turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord” (v. 2). In this instance, God’s response was immediate. He healed Hezekiah’s sickness, added fifteen years to his life, and promised to rescue the kingdom from an adversary (vv. 5-6). God answered his prayer not because Hezekiah was living a good life, but “for [his] own honor and for the sake of [his] servant David” (v. 6 nlt). We may not always receive what we ask for, but we can be sure that God is working in and through every prayer.
By Karen Pimpo
REFLECT & PRAY
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Who in your life needs prayer today? How can you remind yourself to pause and pray more frequently?
Heavenly Father, thank You for listening to my prayers.
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SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
Hezekiah witnessed the power of prayer when he cried out to God and He answered him (2 Kings 20:5-6). Prayer is also a prominent theme in the New Testament. Jesus encouraged it, and His life modeled it. The one who taught us to address God as “Father” in prayer (Matthew 6:9; Luke 11:2) did so Himself when He prayed: “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth” (Matthew 11:25). Christ’s blueprint for prayer included prayer regarding temptation and protection from evil: “He fell with his face to the ground and prayed, ‘My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will’ ” (26:39). Jesus modeled praying for our enemies (Luke 6:28) and said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (23:34).
Witness the power of prayer in James Banks’ class.
Arthur Jackson |
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TWFYT: (The Battle is the Lord's! Who are you partnering with in prayer and action to withstand the fierce attacks?)
Harvest Prayer Blogs: (really good stuff here to inform your prayers! Are you desperate for God and for His moving? Get in that prayer closet and release His power as you abide in Him and He informs your prayers and marching orders for the day))
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As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening. They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.”
He called out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him. When he came near, Jesus asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?”
“Lord, I want to see,” he replied.
Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God. (Luke 18:35-43).
Here we find the account of a desperate pray-er—a blind beggar. When he heard that Jesus was passing by, he cried out for mercy. When other people tried to silence him, he "cried out all the more.”
His desperation made him shameless. He must have thought Jesus was his only hope. He must have believed that Jesus could actually change his life. And, he must have known that his opportunity was fleeting.
Jesus hears cries like this, and he described the blind man’s desperate cry with one word: faith. When faced with external pressure to quit praying, this man’s belief in Jesus caused him to increase his cry.
An African pastor once said to one of my friends, “In our country, we did not cry out to God until there came destruction. I wonder when the American church will turn and cry out to God? Will it be at the point of desperation or destruction?”
God is looking for people of persistent, desperate faith. Faith is the key that unlocks the door and makes room for God. And faith expresses itself in desperate cries.
Prayer that will never give up. Prayer that cries out all the more.
God who hears and answers prayer, You are the only One with the power to heal and to change the lives of desperate and damaged people! Please grow my faith so that I will come to You consistently and persistently in prayer! I also lift up my nation, Lord! May Your people cry out to You day and night and never give up! Please don’t allow us to become discouraged or deterred! Help us to get past our focus on self and make space for Your power to be demonstrated in our midst!
---Adapted from Prayer with No Intermission by Bill Elliff. This book is available at prayershop.org.
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- God sends his teaching like rain and his words like the dew (Deut. 32:2).
- Praise God for being your teacher (Ps. 71:17).
- Thank God for the privilege of receiving his instruction through his Word.
- Confess any lack of attention you’ve paid to God’s teaching.
- Commit yourself to listening closely to what God has to say to you.
- Ask God to reveal himself more clearly through his Word each day.
- Ask that God will shower the blessings of salvation on unsaved people in your community as they learn of Christ.
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| 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. |
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Friday, May 10 2024
Good Morning Faithful Good News Bringers! Please may that be me and us Lord! Persevering and faithful servants no matter what. Your vessels of love, healing, hope and good news as we go connect to the lost and weary and connect them to You and make disciples in the way of Jesus. Thank You! May we seek, see, hear, process, plan and follow You well. May we partner with others to pray, process, plan, go and be accountable. Bring dreams and visions of your plans for us this summer as we step out of the building, follow You and connect to new people. Bring in the harvest and raise up the harvest workers for the harvest is ripe and ready. Use us to comfort those who mourn, help the helpless, bring hope to the hopeless and joy to the joyless. Use us to connect others to you and make disciples. Help us to build on the strengths of the past, let go of the hindrances to the present and follow you to the new things you have for us as we run and finish our races well. Unite us in love and mission and may we yoke to Jesus and each other as we go. Thank You for creating us for such a time as this and for the great plans You have for us. Bring them alive and bring revival. Protect us. Teach us. Lead us. Use us well! Thank You! Thank You for calling us to Your love and sending us to live and love like Jesus! May we be all about Your business, just as we are, with what You've given, as we travel through each day. Come! Fill us! Use us well! May we grow to be more like you each day. Come! Have Your way with me today and be the Lord of me and this day. Amen!
Now that's a great starting prayer for today! Check out how the threads our devos together and be ready for God to move and answer these prayers! He has great plans custom made for you today! Rejoice! Go! Love! Amen!
UR: From Loss to Abundance
[The Lord has sent me to] provide for those who grieve in Zion — to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. - Isaiah 61:3 (NIV)
Following a fierce summer storm, my husband and I went outside to see an uprooted tree stretched across our yard. As we cleaned up the broken branches littering our lawn, I mourned the loss of the tree. On summer days we had rested under its shade, listening to the rustle of leaves in the breeze and the singing of birds in its branches. Now all that remained was an ugly stump. However, my husband took a more pragmatic view, realizing the tree’s absence allowed more sunlight to reach his vegetable garden. The plants would flourish with more sunlight to strengthen them.
Losing a tree cannot compare to losing someone or something precious, but it provides a picture of how God can turn loss into abundance. Amid the pain of significant losses in my life, God filled up the emptiness with an abundance of love. God gave me beauty and joy in spite of my loss and mourning, and praising God lightened the heaviness.
Where a tree once stood, now light floods our garden. Likewise, our scars of loss do not need to remain places of pain and darkness. Rather, they can be markers of where God met us and brought new light to our lives.
TODAY'S PRAYER
Dear Lord, thank you for comforting us when we are brokenhearted. When we mourn, you offer beauty, joy, and praise to fill us up. Amen.
CS:
TWFYT:
ODB:
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Even after Jesus had set my son Geoff free from years of substance abuse, I still had worries. We’d been through much together and my focus sometimes remained on his difficult past instead of the future God had for him. Parents of addicts often worry about relapse, and one day at a family gathering, I pulled Geoff aside. “Remember,” I told him, “we have an adversary, and he’s powerful.” “I know, Dad,” he responded. “He has power, but he has no authority.”
In that moment, I was reminded of Jesus’ incomparable authority to rescue us from our sins and transform our lives as we look to Him. Immediately I thought of His words to the disciples shortly before He returned to His Father in heaven: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go . . .” (Matthew 28:18-19).
The crucified and risen Jesus has made a way for us to come to Him no matter what our past may be. He holds both our past and our future. Because He’s promised to be with us always (v. 20), we can be assured that He’ll accomplish His purposes and that our lives are in His unfailing hands. Jesus gives us unparalleled hope, a hope so good we can’t keep it to ourselves. The devil and the world may have some power for a little while, but “all authority” belongs to Jesus forever.
By James Banks
REFLECT & PRAY
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How does Jesus’ authority give you hope? What has He done for you that you can share with someone today?
Thank You, dear God, for calling me to You in love. Please lead me to someone I can share Your love with today.
For further study, read Hope: Discovering the One True Source.
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SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
In the Gospels, Jesus is described as a man who “taught as one who had authority” (Matthew 7:29) and “has authority on earth to forgive sins” (9:6). The Greek word exousia carries the meaning of “authority, power, the right to control or govern; dominion, the area or sphere of jurisdiction.” Christ called twelve men, discipled them, and then “sent them out to preach” (Mark 3:14). He “gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases” and instructed them “to proclaim the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:1-2). As the Son of God and Son of Man, Jesus has been given “all authority in heaven and on earth” (Matthew 28:18), for God granted “him authority over all people” (John 17:2). We’re also armed with His authority—although ours is limited—to go into the world and tell others about Him and disciple them (Matthew 28:19-20).
K. T. Sim |
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Friday, May 10 2024
Today is the National Day of Pray. A day set apart to pray for our nation. Here is a link to the broadcast: https://www.nationaldayofprayer.org/events/2024_broadcast
Seeking, Trusting, Accepted, Strong in Christ, Faithful Followers of Jesus! We are at war and although it may feel like it's physical battles we face, we are also reminded that we are battling against principalities and powers in the spiritual realm as well. We battle on our knees, ask for help to stand firm and to walk through whatever God has allowed in His strength and with His peace. We persevere in faith no matter what. And seek to choose joy as we grow in trust. Being a faithful Christian can be one of the hardest things we face. BUT GOD! He is pursuing us and with us always! Amen! And He has great plans for you, us and the world. Love and Light are eventually victorious. Jesus has overcome the world, death and the grave. Amen. We know the Victor and He is in us. He is our Source and Strength, our Shield and Rock! Put on His armor today and battle for our nation, loved ones and all who will come. Stand firm and push through. It will be worth it. Seek God for who He wants to pursue through you and for who He has for you to invite along on your journey! We are warriors and overcomers in Christ! Amen! Seek first the Kingdom of God. Don't lean on your own understanding but acknowledge Him in all your ways. Run your race well and bring some along on the journey. God pursues all who will come with love and acceptance. He has great plans for you to be part of that. Turn off the noise and focus on Him! I'm praying for you and us. Check out our devos below and the thread through this.
Yesterday we had another great day of ministry at the Bread Ministry. Next week is donut day. Plan to join us and allow God to use you to minister to others and to be ministered to as well. Last evening two grand moms accepted our invites and joined us for our dinner huddle. Family Ministries connected to three grandkids who want to return. One of the grand moms is a bit out there and going through all kinds of family and health issues. I prayed with her during bread min and she brought her grand daughter. She heard all about God and His love and her grand daughter felt very much loved and accepted. Pretty cool! Pray for this family and for a future of hope and love for the grand kids. The other grand mom was really connecting with our discussions and her grand kids felt very loved and accepted and can't wait to return next week. I shouldn't have to say this because we are brothers and sisters but one of our conversation starting questions was about race. When asked, she told us how hard it can be to be black in America. Her young grandsons were bulled at school because of their race. She has experienced all sorts of discrimination. They all felt the love and acceptance last night of people who are loved and accepted just as we are by Jesus. Pray they continue to feel love, grow in relationship with us and God and that we get really good at loving and accepting well as God answers our prayers to become a house of prayer for the nations and sends in the harvest.
Here's something we will encounter more and more as we reach generations of confused and even former Christians and the lost generations: This grand mom opened the door to Jehovah Witnesses who explained things from the cult thinking and gave them false Bibles (which the grand sons are reading). Many are hungry for love, acceptance and Truth that we have. We gave her a new Bible for each kid and asked her to dispose of those false ones. I should have given her a Bible and will next time. Pray they return and are open to Truth and God's love with us. As we looked around the room there were only four of us from St Matts and at least eight adults not from our church. How cool is that as God brings in the harvest and we minister in Truth and Love. Questions are being answered. Love and Truth distributed. Acceptance is being felt without finger pointing. People are coming just as they are to this expression of church on Wed evenings. Unfortunately, next Wed. will be our last one for the summer. (It was almost too hot to even be there last evening and very uncomfortable but we pushed through and God moved! PTL!) We are praying for how God wants us to gather and continue ministry through the summer as we reach out to neighbors and in small and large group gatherings. How does God want to use you this summer? What are you planning? Who is helping you? Family Ministries plans to try to meet once a month this summer beginning in June and we are looking for different ways for the adult huddle to continue as well. Pray for dreams, visions, workers and God's plans to come to life. He is moving! PTL! God has great plans for us as we step out of the building in faith and follow Jesus and join Him in the new things he is doing. And He is doing some amazing new things with plans for more for us to discover. Seek Him with a heart willing to follow! We had church last night in a whole new way. Ten years ago none of us members could even have imagined that we would experience what we did last evening. Let us praise, worship, seek, plan and follow well! Amen! God is so good and faithful to answer these earnest, expectant prayers! We are seeing that already! PTL! What's your part? Who are your partners? Turn off the noise and follow God's shalom!
CS:
ODB:
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The “monster” in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is one of the most widely known literary characters, captivating our cultural imagination. But close readers of the beloved novel know that a strong case can be made that Shelley actually portrays Victor Frankenstein, the delusional scientist who created the creature, as the real monster. After creating an intelligent creature, Victor denies him any guidance, companionship, or hope of happiness—seemingly guaranteeing the creature’s descent into desperation and rage. Confronting Victor, the creature laments, “You, my creator, would tear me to pieces and triumph.”
Scripture reveals how different the true Creator of all things is—with unchanging, tireless love for His creation. God didn’t create on a whim, but out of love created a beautiful, “very good” world (Genesis 1:31). And even when humanity turned from Him to choose monstrous evil instead, God’s commitment to and love for humanity didn’t change.
As Jesus explained to Nicodemus, God’s love for His creation was so great He was willing to give even what was most dear to Him—“his one and only Son” (John 3:16)—that the world might be saved. Jesus sacrificed Himself, bearing the consequences of our sin, so “that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him” (v. 15).
We have a Creator we can trust with our hearts and lives.
By Monica La Rose
REFLECT & PRAY
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How does God’s commitment to His creation impact you? How can you respond to His love for you?
Dear God, thank You for being a good Creator who I can trust.
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SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
In John 3:10, we sense Jesus’ frustration with Nicodemus, who, as a well-educated Pharisee (“Israel’s teacher,” as Christ put it), should’ve understood the Scriptures better than he did. Nicodemus was also a member of the ruling council, the Sanhedrin (v. 1), which plotted to have Jesus arrested and executed. But we must give Nicodemus credit for several key points. First, he came to Christ with his questions (vv. 4, 9). Second, his dialogue with Jesus must have taken root in his heart, for later he spoke in defense of Christ when his colleagues were clamoring for His arrest (7:50-51). And third, he courageously identified with the Savior—at a time when the disciples had fled in fear—by joining Joseph of Arimathea to take Jesus’ body from the cross and give Him a respectful Jewish burial (19:38-42).
Tim Gustafson |
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UR: Source of Strength
But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded. - 2 Chronicles 15:7 (NIV)
As I was growing up, my parents didn’t have much money, and we were always on a tight budget. Both my parents would wake up at 5:00 every morning and head to work. There were times when my dad wouldn’t come home for months. At an incredibly early age I was left with the responsibility of taking care of both my younger siblings.
I had to help my brothers pack their lunch for school, wait for them to board the bus, and then get ready for school myself. Arriving home after school, I would immediately rush to the kitchen and prepare food for my brothers because there were times when my parents would get home late. Some days I felt too tired to complete all these tasks, but I still managed not to complain and to help my parents all I could.
After one very hectic day, I was simply overwhelmed. My parents would always read the Bible to us, and that day I specifically remembered, “But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded.” I prayed and asked God for strength to continue.
Sometimes our responsibilities can overwhelm us and make us want to give up. It’s important to remind ourselves that God is here with us to give us strength and courage to persevere.
TODAY'S PRAYER
Heavenly Father, we ask for strength on the days when we want to give up. Keep us always aware of the hope and future you have for our lives. Amen.Harvest Prayer blogs:
May 2 - Peace in Strange Places
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Then the Spirit clothed Amasai, chief of the thirty, and he said, “We are yours, O David, and with you, O son of Jesse! Peace, peace to you, and peace to your helpers! For your God helps you.” (1 Chronicles 12:18, ESV)
It was a tough time in Israel. In effect, it was civil war between those loyal to King Saul battling the young, but anointed David and his small band.
One day, a group of warriors from Benjamin and Judah came to David’s stronghold to join him. David confronted them, wondering if they were for him or against him. It was at this tense point that the Spirit of God stepped in and spoke through Amasai. In that context of warriors signing up to do battle, the Spirit spoke a message of peace.
The peace that Amasai spoke to David was not talking about war stopping in Israel. It was more about the peace that David had because of God’s presence with him, which then brought peace to those who allied themselves with David. It is peace in the midst of turmoil, not peace that comes from the absence of hostilities. It’s a peace we all need to discover.
We so often feel that turmoil, conflict, or disorder is a sign that we have done something wrong. But we need to realize that these things are a part of what it means to live in this fallen world. Jesus, who modeled perfect peace for us, was so often surrounded by turmoil and attacks. He warned us that in this world, we would face tribulation. And yet, the peace of Christ comes to us regardless of the hectic, crazy world that surrounds us.
For us, as with David and Amasai, we must pay careful attention to the Spirit who speaks peace in the middle of war. The peace of God is not a matter of withdrawal from life or the avoidance of conflict. It is watching to see where God is moving and going where God is going. Amasai saw through the Spirit that God was with David and his helpers and that this was where peace was to be found. Yes, there still was hard fighting ahead and a throne to be won for David, but the presence of God with him ensured that God’s peace would ultimately prevail.
Lord, help me to want to run after you, seeking your face always. That’s where peace is to be found. Give me the strength to endure difficult times and to accept your peace while I am walking through those times. Help me to pay attention to the leading of your Spirit and to move always in your direction, being confident that your peace accompanies me on that path.
--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.
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- Praise God for communicating with you in his inspired Word.
- Thank him for providing a “lamp to [your] feet and a light to [your] path” (Ps. 119:105).
- Confess any doubts you’ve harbored concerning the authority of God’s Word in your life.
- Commit yourself to treasuring the words of God more than daily bread (Job 23:12).
- Ask God to feed you spiritually as you look to his Word for guidance throughout this week.
- Think of one specific family. Pray that this family would set aside time every day for family devotions and prayer. Ask God to make this practice a blessing in their family life.
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| 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. |
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Friday, May 10 2024
Zoom Huddle 10 AM today. All welcome!
WED: 10-12 Bread Min. 6PM dinner Huddle All welcome!
Sat 10-1 Clothing Closet
Sun 10 am worship live and on Zoom with Children's Church
PRAYER Need! Children Church workers. There will be no children's church from June -Sept. We could use a few workers if we want to keep it open. In the Fall Children's Church will be for 12 and under only. If we have more than 6 kids we will need a second adult to assist. We could use some teachers/leaders for teen class too or they will remain in worship. All children's workers are in the process of renewing clearances. They are free if you are interested in helping. See Lori for info. There will be a training for all children's workers in Sept.
PRAYER Need: For God to give us dreams and visions for His plans this summer and for willing servants to lead some outreach gatherings.
Check out Kim's Blog at the bottom for how to pray blessings over our body and each other. Good Stuff!
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Good Morning Pursued, Love-Filled, Love Bringers! The Theme continues of God's awesome pursuing love with our devotionals this morning. God is pursuing us and wanting to speak to our hearts as He prepares us to be part of His team of pursuers. He is preparing and sending us to go love like Jesus as we join Him in what He is doing all around us daily. Who do you see Him pursuing and who is the Holy Spirit pinching you to engage with? What will you do about it?
Man just meditate on 1John 4:15-21 from Our Daily bread today. I spent a long tome processing this with God. Maybe you won't even get past that but our other devos do thread through it.
1John 4:15-21,
15 All who declare that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God. 16 We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love.
God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. 17 And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world.
18 Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love. 19 We love each other because he loved us first.
20 If someone says, “I love God,” but hates a fellow believer, that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see? 21 And he has given us this command: Those who love God must also love their fellow believers.
Wow! What's God saying to you this morning? What's He leading you to do in response? Who might you be processing this with and planning to put in to action? Talk to God about all of that. That will help you to turn off the noise and focus in on God! It will help to inform your prayers and choices too.
ODB is all about how we can't out love God. They ask, "How has knowing God loves you helped you to love others? How can you show love to others this week?" So???? God is love. His love pursues us and others and pursue through us as we live and love more like Jesus. How cool is that! Charles Stanley reminds us of the importance of giving love today with the reminder that as we give and sow, we will receive back. We love because God first loved us and we can give love because we are loved so much and it's what we are created to do. I just love how things all work together in God's Kingdom and how He invites and empowers us to join Him as He pursues in love! The Upper Room reminds us how we are called to serve with gladness. There's a wanting to, I can't help but, serve the Lord attitude and motivation because of His overpowering love for us. And as we serve and love we are blessed back and encouraged to keep at it. You know, that's stuff to focus on today instead of all the hate, lies, noise and chaos. That's enough to keep us busy! Amen! What's on your Christian bucket list and how can we help each other achieve some of those? (Maybe start a list and share it with some others! I have a pretty extensive list going even before I read this and God keeps leading me to new ones!)
TWFYT speaks about vision and planning and overcoming distractions from following God to His best. We often need to deal with conflict, issues and differing ideas in a good and loving way. God is not a God of chaos but of peace and wisdom and joy. We do our best to nip in the bud any conflict and dissension and resolve all conflicts biblically and ASAP. If you have any concerns remember our PRC is here to help and so is your support team and pastors. We are all wanting to seek and follow God well and to His best. It will take all of us dying to self, taking up cross and following Jesus together to do that well and biblically. Eph. 4:15 reminds us that all we do needs to be done in love and not for our own needs or ways or agendas but to honor God and love each other well. God pursues us in love and wants to love through us. Are we pursuing Him, His ways, and His plans or our own? Ask for His heart and mind and for us to stay unified and doing His plans His way--in love! I struggle with sometimes trying to get people on board with my plans and visions without consulting God and seeking His plans fully and His timing. (Karen calls me a smooze! Like a used car salesman) It's great to have a team of co-laborers to help me process and redirect and doing so in love. I am getting better at that and that's all God asks, but I have to keep after it or I can be all about my business my ways instead of God's and His ways. We are called to become more like Jesus. We are created for that actually and to love like Him. He has great plans for us! Let us stay yoked to Him and each others as we all do our parts to go live and love more like Him! Amen? AMEN! Let's pursue Him and His best together and allow Him to pursue through us as we go about His business daily, His ways, in His timing! Follow peace and share the love! Amen! Let us determine to live out Eph. 4:15 as part of our mission.
Ephesians 4:15 , Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church.
ODB:
When my now-grown son, Xavier, was in kindergarten, he stretched his arms wide and said, “I love you this much.” I stretched my longer arms wide and said, “I love you this much.” Planting his fists on his hips, he said, “I loved you first.” I shook my head. “I loved you when God first put you in my womb.” Xavier’s eyes widened. “You win.” “We both win,” I said, “because Jesus loved both of us first.”
As Xavier prepares for the birth of his first child, I’m praying he’ll enjoy trying to out-love his son as they make sweet memories. But as I prepare to be a grandmother, I’m amazed at how much I loved my grandson from the moment Xavier and his wife told us they were expecting a baby.
The apostle John affirmed that Jesus’ love for us gives us the ability to love Him and others (1 John 4:19). Knowing He loves us gives us a sense of security that deepens our personal relationship with Him (vv. 15-17). As we realize the depth of His love for us (v. 19), we can grow in our love for Him and express love in other relationships (v. 20). Not only does Jesus empower us to love, but He also commands us to love: “And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister” (v. 21). When it comes to loving well, God always wins. No matter how hard we try, we can’t out-love God!
By Xochitl Dixon
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How has knowing God loves you helped you to love others? How can you show love to others this week?
Loving Savior, thank You for loving me first so I can love others.
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SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
The books of John; 1, 2, and 3 John; and Revelation were all written by the apostle John (one of the “sons of thunder”; Mark 3:17), who refers to himself as “the disciple whom Jesus loved” (John 13:23; 19:26). But rather than boasting, John seems to point with assurance and perhaps amazement to the knowledge that Christ loved him despite his failings. In our text today, John declares: “God is love” (1 John 4:8, 16). Because of His perfect love, we need not fear our future or eternal destiny (vv. 17-18). By dying on the cross, Jesus made a way for us to be with Him (vv. 9-10; John 3:16). Nothing can separate believers in Christ from God’s love (Romans 8:38-39). In response, we’re called to love others (1 John 4:11, 20-21). Through the Spirit, we have assurance of His love and are empowered to love others (v. 13; Romans 5:5; Galatians 5:22).
Alyson Kieda |
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UR: Bucket List
Serve the Lord with gladness; come into his presence with singing. - Psalm 100:2 (NRSVUE)
In recent years, it has become popular for people to make a “bucket list.” In other words, a list of things they want to do before they die or “kick the bucket.” What if we were to make a “Christian bucket list” — a list of ways we can use our gifts to provide meaningful service for the Lord’s work?
I once heard a Christian leader pose the question, “What makes your heart sing?” I have a number of things on my Christian bucket list that do exactly that. For example, in memory of my late son, I serve on short-term mission teams with an international Christian disability ministry. We deliver and customize wheelchairs for people in need around the world. It brings me much joy to see people experience mobility, many for the first time. It is also a joy to work and worship with other Christians around the world. Writing meditations for Christian resources in hopes that something I share might be helpful to others is another activity that makes my heart sing.
God blesses each of us with skills, interests, and experiences that uniquely equip us to serve. When we find ways to serve that draw on those gifts, it can truly make the heart sing.
TODAY'S PRAYER
Dear Lord, thank you for the gifts and talents you give to each person. Help us find ways to serve you joyfully and effectively. Amen.
TWFYT:
Kim's Blog:
2 Thessalonians has become one of my favorite books of the Bible. It is filled with blessings to pray for and over others! What I love about these verses is how simple it is to adapt each prayer for believers wherever they may be and whatever circumstance in which they find themselves. It is easy to change pronouns or put in the names of the person/persons you wish to pray for as you bring them to the throne of God with His kingdom purposes for them in your heart and upon your lips:
2 Thessalonians 1:11-12: “…we pray for you always that our God may count you worthy of your calling, and fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power in order that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.” Example: “Bill, I pray that our God may count you worthy of your calling…etc.”
2 Thessalonians 2:13-14: “But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth. And it was for this He called you through our gospel, that you may gain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Example: Tina, I always give thanks to God for you, as a sister beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you…etc.”
2 Thessalonians 2:16-17: “Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us eternal comfort and good hope by grace, comfort and strengthen your hearts in every good work and word.” Example: “Joe, may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who has loved us…etc.”
2 Thessalonians 3:5: “And may the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the steadfastness of Christ” Example: “Sarah, may the Lord direct your heart into the love of God…etc.”
2 Thessalonians 3:16: “Now may the Lord of peace Himself continually grant you peace in every circumstance. The Lord be with you all!” Example: “Don, may the Lord of peace Himself…etc.”
I can’t think of one of these prayers I would not want someone to pray over my life. Blessing people in prayer is a powerful way to reassure, inspire or support other believers. These prayers can also become part of your personal prayer time, praying over individuals, couples, families, your church, the churches in your community, government officials…well, you likely get the idea! Example: “Father, I lift my pastor, Tom, up to You! May You count him worthy of your calling, and fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power in order that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in and through his life…etc.”
Perhaps you could look over these Scriptures and ask God to assign each one to someone you know: family members, pastors, missionaries, people you work with, friends, etc. If you can’t personally seek them out to pray over them, call or email these prayers of blessing to them. Who knows how much encouragement each one of us could give to the body of Christ today if we all take this challenge! If just ten of us do this, fifty people will receive power, peace and/or purpose from God’s Spirit. I’ll go first!
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Kim's Blog:
2 Thessalonians has become one of my favorite books of the Bible. It is filled with blessings to pray for and over others! What I love about these verses is how simple it is to adapt each prayer for believers wherever they may be and whatever circumstance in which they find themselves. It is easy to change pronouns or put in the names of the person/persons you wish to pray for as you bring them to the throne of God with His kingdom purposes for them in your heart and upon your lips:
2 Thessalonians 1:11-12: “…we pray for you always that our God may count you worthy of your calling, and fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power in order that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.” Example: “Bill, I pray that our God may count you worthy of your calling…etc.”
2 Thessalonians 2:13-14: “But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth. And it was for this He called you through our gospel, that you may gain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Example: Tina, I always give thanks to God for you, as a sister beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you…etc.”
2 Thessalonians 2:16-17: “Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us eternal comfort and good hope by grace, comfort and strengthen your hearts in every good work and word.” Example: “Joe, may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who has loved us…etc.”
2 Thessalonians 3:5: “And may the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the steadfastness of Christ” Example: “Sarah, may the Lord direct your heart into the love of God…etc.”
2 Thessalonians 3:16: “Now may the Lord of peace Himself continually grant you peace in every circumstance. The Lord be with you all!” Example: “Don, may the Lord of peace Himself…etc.”
I can’t think of one of these prayers I would not want someone to pray over my life. Blessing people in prayer is a powerful way to reassure, inspire or support other believers. These prayers can also become part of your personal prayer time, praying over individuals, couples, families, your church, the churches in your community, government officials…well, you likely get the idea! Example: “Father, I lift my pastor, Tom, up to You! May You count him worthy of your calling, and fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power in order that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in and through his life…etc.”
Perhaps you could look over these Scriptures and ask God to assign each one to someone you know: family members, pastors, missionaries, people you work with, friends, etc. If you can’t personally seek them out to pray over them, call or email these prayers of blessing to them. Who knows how much encouragement each one of us could give to the body of Christ today if we all take this challenge! If just ten of us do this, fifty people will receive power, peace and/or purpose from God’s Spirit. I’ll go first!
Don 
Friday, May 10 2024
Surprise!!! I have a follow up cardiologist appointment tomorrow (mon) and need to leave by 6:45 so I thought I would do tomorrow's blog this afternoon. Well it's really Sun Blog part two. You will need to read your own devotionals and spend some time with God yourself tomorrow. Unless God gets me up at 3 or 4. (Hope not, but He often does)
Good Afternoon Very Loved, Pursued by God, Fellowship of Believers! What a great message we heard today from Sarah about God's pursuing love! And what a great time of feasting and fellowship we had at the brunch celebration after worship! Thank you Sarah! And thank you Lori and the whole two peas in a pod Family Ministries team! And thanks to all who helped to clean up! Lori estimated that 84 meals were served altogether with take out. I wish I could hang out at all the tables! What a great fellowship and family!!! This will be our last brunch until Fall but we will have a church picnic June 9th where we get to hang out and feast and fellowship. Watch for details!
Kathy shared during praise time about the love and encouragement she feels and the love that flows from our family of believers. We are love! (Pronounce and believe that! It's true!) Thank you all for being so loving, kind thoughtful and responsive to co-laborers that need prayer, encouragement and help! You ROCK! I have never experienced such love and care from a church family before! We are love, joy, encouragement, hope and help bringers! AMEN! Keep it up! We need each other!
Sarah reminded us about how much we are pursued by God always. We may run and/or try to hide from Him, but He loves us too much to let us escape His love! God's love will always pursue us. We have three choices: run, hide or surrender. He's always right there wanting us to turn to Him and receive His love. Too often we try to run and hide as we pursue our own selfish ways and pleasure and try to block God out or try to ignore Him. But He is relentless. I think about how I tried to do that for over 20 year, BUT GOD! He was there pursuing me, waiting for me to stop running and stop trying to hide and to turn to Him in surrender. He received me with open arms and led me into my new nature and His much better ways! Sarah reminded us that when we realize that we are trying to avoid God, run or hide, we need to stop and turn to His pursuing love and be restored, healed and set free. Yes and He loves us so much that His love is a purifying, just love and there may be some consequences to walk through with Him as we repent and begin to trust Him. He will lead us to His best and we will overflow with His love if we let that happen!
Sarah asked two questions to ponder: What does God want us to pursue? (even this summer as we step out of the building). What is He pursuing in you? I might add, Who do you see Him pursuing that He wants you to be a part of His rescue team? He has great plans for you! He is always pursuing you to lead you to His best. Are you pursuing His best? It's such a joy when you do and when you allow Him to have His way with you and as you walk with Him and in His best ways. God pursues you with a forgiving restoring love. He pursues you with everlasting love. He pursues you with perfecting love. He pursues you with sacrificial love. He pursues you with healing, accepting love. God is love and love pursues you always. Stop trying to run and hide and turn to Him and abide in His love today--everyday! We are made for His love! Pursue it! Receive His love and then go share it! What a joy that is! Remember, nothing can separate us from His love unless we choose to allow it to. DON"T! He's pursuing you and wants to pursue others through you. Allow His love to transform you and your situations and then to flow from you to others as you learn to live and love more like Jesus! Amen!
Yes what love we experienced today! God definitely pursued us and united us in His love! PTL! Thank you all for your love and willingness to allow God to love through you! Love you all!!!
I decided to copy tomorrow's devos below. maybe they thread through this or will speak to your heart about where you might be trying to run or hide from God. Or maybe they are the thread for a new day for how to live and love more like Jesus? I didn't engage with them yet so I don't know. But I do know this, God is pursuing you and wanting to speak to your heart and inform your prayers and choices. Will you let Him? Pray about it and invite Him in. Jesus is knocking at the door of your heart right now! Shalom!
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ODB:
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TWFYT:
Don
Friday, May 10 2024
Thank God I'm Forgiven Friday! PTL! What are you thankful about today?
It was Friday, but Sunday is coming! Rejoice! Things aren't always as they appear in God's Kingdom. Be still and know that He is God. Seek and keep knocking for the door will be open to you is a promise. If you hear the knocking, open the door and let Jesus in. He wants to come in to you and refresh you, hang with you and even feed you! PTL! Turn off the noise and tune into shalom! You are God's creation. He's calling you by name and has great plans for you to discover and grow into. That all began when you realized Jesus died for you and you invited Him into your heart. Spend some time worshiping and resting in your Savior and King today! Begin with those gratitude lists. I started with about 30 thank you's as I praised God for all that He is and does and His many, many blessings upon me/us and that just flowed into an awesome time of worship, dwelling, listening and receiving. Below are some journal notes from my time with God. Do you journal? You should try it sometime, even if it's just writing down your gratitude's for the day to carry with you and build your day upon.
I'm thankful that God created me in His image. I'm thankful for His created variety and that He made me unique for His unique purpose for me for such a time as this! I'm thankful that He is with me always working together all things for good and according to His will. I'm thankful for forgiveness and new life in Christ and for God growing me to be more like Him. I'm thankful that Jesus leads me beside still waters, refreshes and restores as I dwell in His presence. I'm thankful for His healthy rhythm of leading me from rest to fruit production. I'm thankful for pruning and renewing of my mind that allows me to grow and be transformed more into His image. I'm thankful for all of you and for God bringing us together to worship, learn, grow and go make disciples of Jesus. I'm thankful that He wants me to come just as I am and uses me just as I am but also wants to grow and change me. I'm thankful for His patient love! I'm thankful for the harvest He is sending and new workers He is raising up. I'm thankful for answered prayers, even the no, or not yet answers. I' thankful that He is a God that is always doing something new and that we can discover and follow Him to it. I'm thankful for all the dreams and visions of His plans that He is bringing to you and me and that we can know them and work with others to process, plan and do them well. I'm thankful He is leading us out of the building this summer and that He has some great plans and new things for us to try. I'm thankful that I can't do it all and that He has led me to stop trying as I allow others to step into their anointing and gifts and begin using them. I'm thankful for our leadership team and the wisdom God has given us to seek and follow Him and plan to bring His plans alive as we steward well and wisely all His blessings. I'm thankful for Karen and our growing love for God and each other. I'm thankful that God has ministry for us together and apart and that He uses us. I'm thankful for His provision and protection for us. I'm thankful we are able to get away and recharge more often. I'm thankful for friends and ministries outside the church including the race track. I'm thankful for all God is doing as He teaches me and us to live, love, teach, lead and make disciples more like Jesus. I'm thankful that He is leading us to that more in '24! And the list continues! He is our Healer, Helper, Sustainer, Provision, Protection, Wisdom, Creator, Savior and Lord! Hallelujah! What are you thankful about? There is so much! Amen!
Check out the thread through our devotionals below! Wow! God speaks as we still ourselves at His feet and listen! PTL! How does He want you to apply what He's saying today? Who does He have for you to process, plana nd partner with? What are you going to do about it? Start with praise and then begin to follow step by step as you yoke to Jesus with some friends! He has great plans for you in this life but is preparing you for what He has in the next. PTL! He has some co-laborers for you. PTL! We are better together. PTL! He receives you just as you are and has plans for you just as you are for such a time as this. These plans include receiving and helping newbies to come to Jesus and be changed. God's in the business of helping us and others to shed the old nature, step more fully into the new and grow all to His eternal purposes! PTL that we were one way and now another and growing into our fuller potential! PTL that He is sending some raw material to us to help to become like Jesus. PTL that we are accepting and loving of all and patient like Jesus with His confused, lost, rebellious and wayward children. PTL that He has great plans He will carry out to completion and that they include you and all who will come! Just PTL and worship and may you offer yourself as an offering--a sacrifice of praise today! Amen!
What can you add to these lists as you spend some time at Jesus' feet and meditate on the devos? Come! Let us worship the Lord! And may our lives be a sacrifice of praise as we learn to live and love more like Jesus everyday! Amen!
Here's a great tune: Sacrifice of Praise: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DAGqSzwMU7g
CS:
ODB:
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Rescue workers cooperated to help three men stranded on an island in Micronesia. Teamwork was necessary because a widespread health crisis required them to limit their exposure to each other. The pilot who first spotted the castaways radioed a nearby Australian Navy ship. The ship sent two helicopters which provided food, water, and medical care. Later, the US Coast Guard arrived to check on the men and deliver a radio. Finally, a Micronesian patrol boat taxied them to their destination.
We can accomplish a lot when we work together. The Philippian believers pooled their efforts to support the apostle Paul. Lydia and her family welcomed him into their home (Acts 16:13-15). Clement and even Euodia and Syntyche (who didn’t get along) all worked directly with the apostle to spread the good news (Philippians 4:2-3). Later, when Paul was imprisoned in Rome, the church gathered essentials for a care package and delivered it via Epaphroditus (vv. 14-18). Perhaps most importantly, the Philippians prayed for him throughout his ministry (1:19).
The examples of believers serving together in this ancient church can inspire us today. Cooperating with fellow believers to pray and serve others as God leads and empowers us accomplishes much more than we could ever do on our own. It has been said, “Individually, we are one drop. Together we are an ocean.”
By Jennifer Benson Schuldt
REFLECT & PRAY
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When have you served well with other believers in Jesus? What’s the basis for the spiritual bond you share with them?
Dear God, please show me how to join with others who are serving You.
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SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
Named for Philip II (father of Alexander the Great), the city of Philippi lay in Macedonia. The church in Macedonia received high praise from Paul. Not only were the Macedonians quick to respond to his needs, in this case they were the only church to do so (Philippians 4:15). Additionally, he notes, “You sent me aid more than once when I was in need” (v. 16). Indeed, in 2 Corinthians 8, Paul pointed to the economically poor Macedonian church as an example for the wealthy church in Corinth: “In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity” (v. 2). This is the context in which the apostle writes the oft-quoted verse, “My God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19).
Tim Gustafson |
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UR: No Questions Asked
Jesus said to [the disciples], “There’s no need to send them away. You give them something to eat.” - Matthew 14:16 (CEB)
My church operates two food pantries. One is for USDA food and requires income verification. The other provides food donated by local grocery stores. I especially enjoy serving in this pantry because we feed anyone who comes seeking food. We do not ask their income, why they need the food, or any other such questions. We ask how they are doing and try to brighten their day with loving smiles and words of encouragement along with the food.
In the Gospel stories of Jesus feeding the multitudes, there is no record of Jesus asking the people if they needed food or if they were believers. He simply asked his disciples to feed the people.
As I serve in the food pantry, I know that I am quietly preaching a sermon on the love of Jesus. Some of the people we have fed now help us with this ministry, even though they are not members of our church. Standing with them to feed others is one of my great joys. I am grateful to be able to minister in this way, no questions asked.
TODAY'S PRAYER
Dear Lord, as you have poured out your grace on us, so may we freely share your love and grace with others at every opportunity. To God be the glory. Amen.
TWFYT:
Harvest Prayer blogs:
April 26 - Contend for Godly Children
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Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate. (Psalm 127:3–5)
Psalm 127:3–5 tells us that our children are like arrows in a warrior’s hand, taking down our enemy, waging war against injustice and shining boldly for the glory of his name. These verses, while powerful, prove to be heartbreaking for many as we see the children of most Christians living as less than conquerors. Our God has designed the family to be one of his greatest weapons to wage war against sin and destruction. He has called our children to be mighty in and for him. Let’s fight for them in prayer. Let’s believe that Jesus can apprehend their hearts and make them revivalists who live with power and love in a weak and hate-filled world.
Our Father, thank you for our children. We know that it was your providence and your grace that created them and placed them in our families. We are grateful for the honor of raising them, guiding them and loving them. We repent of every way we have failed to honor you in our homes. We ask forgiveness for exalting material gain, social status and even education as more important than knowing you. Today, would you begin a work of deep and lasting change in our children? Would you turn their hearts to you and make them bold witnesses of your love, power and truth? Make them agents of change, weapons of grace in a dark and depraved world. Use them to bring many to salvation. Protect them from every assault of the enemy and embolden them with the power of your word to fight the good fight of faith. Open the eyes of their hearts to know the hope to which you have called them and to live in the inheritance that has been purchased for them through your blood.
Give us hearts for adult children who may not have godly parents to pray for them. Open wide our hearts to welcome them into our circles of prayer and to cover them daily. Empower and equip this next generation to wage war against all injustice and to stand strong in the power of your might. Use them to bring revival and to spread the loving message of your gospel throughout the earth. We thank you for sharing this next generation with us; we are grateful to join with them so that all the earth may rejoice in you.
--Adapted from Praying God’s Word Over Your City: 40 Days of Prayer for A Transformed Community by Trey and Mary Anne Kent. This book is available at prayershop.org. Use the code CONPSP3 at checkout to receive an additional 10% discount.
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- Praise God as the God of truth.
- Thank him for replacing the facades of your life with the substantive realities of his truth.
- Confess any time you’ve rejected difficult aspects of that truth for the appealing glitter of Satan’s lies.
- Commit yourself to honesty with God, other people, and yourself.
- Ask God to lead you into fuller and fuller application of his truth to your lifestyle.
- Pray that such truth-oriented living will break through the lies the Deceiver has used with unsaved neighbors. Ask God to speak his truth in love to one of them through you today.
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| 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. |
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