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Pastor's Blog
Friday, December 22 2023

Good Morning Very Loved, Forgiven, Purposeful Perseveres! Oh Yes! Pronounce that out loud over you and us with much joy and thanksgiving! Your are very loved creations of God--His masterpiece! When we confess and come to Christ in repentance we are forgiven--always! We were created for God's purposes and when we come to Christ, we are gifted and enabled to complete them. We come just as we are and grow into who we were created to be and now able to do all the great things we were created to do. Our part is to stop, repent, trust God, choose joy and persevere in faith, on step at a time, as we complete our assignments until He calls us home. The Good News is that we are able to do so because God is with us working all things together for good and guiding our steps, providing all we need each day, and empowering us to complete our assignments well. That just blows my mind sometimes! Praise God. Trust and follow well. Choose joy and be blessed and a blessing today! 

You know we were all one way and now another and as we run our races well we will grow into other ways as we journey to become more like Jesus. He has something good very day and stage of our lives. He sees you. Loves you. Is with you every step of the way from cradle to grave and has so many great plans for you. Rejoice! Yesterday I again had the pleasure of visiting our 103 year old member Doris Hausman. What a joy! She is still worshiping and serving our Lord as she can with what she got where she is at. That can be you everyday as well. Yes she is in a wheelchair in a nursing home but that doesn't matter. She knows and loves Jesus, prays all the time, brings joy to staff, residents and visitors and allows God to love through her. And that is all we need to choose to do as well. Does she have hard days? Sure, even hard hours, BUT she is able to repent when she grumbles and has a pity party, praise and refocus on God and choose joy as she allows Him to comfort, forgive and lead her to her next assignment. That's all God requires of us as well. Choose joy, trust, obey and be used as you are where you are with what you got. Live and love like Jesus! Period! Turn off the noise of circumstances. Choose joy and allow God to use you. That's Jesus' easy yoke that brings many blessings alive. Here's a photo from yesterday with daughter Sally. Notice Doris always carries a Jesus doll with her and even sleeps with Him as a reminder that he is with her always. He is with you always as well! remember that!

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Today this song came to my mind as I read Charles Stanley devo. More Love. More Power: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q539OrgDxk0.

As we continue to work on becoming who we were created to be and doing more of the things we were created for more better, we need God and His power. Still yourself today. Worship with this song and receive His love, power and strength to fulfill your purposes today and for the rest of your life. He is with you, for you, and cheering you on! And wanting you to choose more too. Hammer down!

Here are our devotionals for you today to contemplate with God and some friends. What's God saying to you? What do you need to repent of? Who might you help with refocusing and choosing joy? Who might help you? What is one thing that will help you to take the next step of faith? Do it! What is something measurable that God is revealing for you to do and what will you do about it? More of Christ and less of me! When I am weak, He is strong. Father, give us willing hearts, moving feet and more of You, more love, more power, more of You in our lives and more of You overflowing to others today. Come! Have Your way with me! Use me well and grow me into all You have planned for me! Thank You! I love You and rejoice to do what I can with what I got for Your glory! Bring more alive! Thank You as we seek to become more like Jesus and ask in His name for His glory. Amen!

We are learning to live and love like Jesus more better! PTL! Rejoice I say! More love and more power are available to you today--everyday! Rejoice and cry out for them and receive them with joy as you go, follow and love well!

Charles Stanley:

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ODB: read Isaiah passage. What's God saying to you? Let go, let God and move forward with him!

Forgiveness and Forgetting

I am he who blots out your transgressions . . . and remembers your sins no more. Isaiah 43:25

READ Isaiah 43:18–25

audio playLISTEN ONLINE

Jill Price was born with the condition of hyperthymesia: the ability to remember in extraordinary detail everything that ever happened to her. She can replay in her mind the exact occurrence of any event she’s experienced in her lifetime.

The TV show Unforgettable was premised on a female police officer with hyperthymesia—to her a great advantage in trivia games and in solving crimes. For Jill Price, however, the condition isn’t so much fun. She can’t forget the moments of life when she was criticized, experienced loss, or did something she deeply regretted. She replays those scenes in her head over and over again.

Our God is omniscient (perhaps a kind of divine hyperthymesia): the Bible tells us that His understanding has no limit. And yet we discover in Isaiah a most reassuring thing: “I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions . . . and remembers your sins no more” (43:25). The book of Hebrews reinforces this: “We have been made holy through . . . Jesus Christ . . . [and our] sins and lawless acts [God] will remember no more” (Hebrews 10:10, 17).

As we confess our sins to God, we can stop playing them over and over in our minds. We need to let them go, just as He does: “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past” (Isaiah 43:18). In His great love, God chooses to not remember our sins against us. Let’s remember that.

By Kenneth Petersen

REFLECT & PRAY

What regrets do you harbor in your memory and play over and over again? How can you give them to God and release the past?

Dear God, thank You for forgiving and forgetting my sins.

SCRIPTURE INSIGHT

God’s people in Israel and Judah were unfaithful. They’d stubbornly refused to repent and return to God (Isaiah 43:22-24). He’d warned them that He’d use foreign nations to punish them for their covenantal unfaithfulness (7:18-25; 10:3-6; 39:6-7). Against the backdrop of their severe chastening, He reminded them that as His chosen people, they had an unbreakable bond with Him and assured them of His unfailing love: “You are precious and honored in my sight, and . . . I love you” (43:4). God said He’d rescue, redeem, and restore them once the disciplining was complete (vv. 5-21). In His grace and mercy, He’d remove their guilt and forgive their sins (v. 25). This forgiveness wouldn’t be based on what they deserved but on who God is: “I do it because of who I am. I will not remember your sins anymore” (v. 25 nirv).

K. T. Sim

TWFYT: What's the most important thing for you to do today? Will you do it?

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UR: What can you give as an offering to God and blessing to Him and others, just as you are and where you are right now? Receive His sufficient grace as you journey forward in Christ!

Paul wrote, “[The Lord] said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’” - 2 Corinthians 12:9 (NIV)

Every Christmas I get a little depressed. In this season, Christians do many things to make life brighter for others. But I can’t do the majority of them since my age prevents me from driving or doing much physical activity.

One Christmas, however, I kept hearing the song “The Little Drummer Boy.” It changed my focus from what I can’t do to what I can. The lyrics of the song explain that the little drummer boy couldn’t buy a gift or do something brave for the Christ child, so he didn’t think he had anything to offer. But then he realized one thing he could do: play a song for Jesus.

So I quit thinking about what I can’t do and started concentrating on what I can do. I can pray; I can be cheerful and friendly to those I meet at the senior center; I can celebrate Jesus’ birth at my church. Sometimes God helps us to do things we don’t realize we can. And God will honor even seemingly small actions if they are done to glorify God. So like the little drummer boy who played his very best for Jesus, we can do our best and honor God with our service.

TODAY'S PRAYER

Dear Lord, help us do our best for you in whatever ways we are able. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

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Friday, December 22 2023
Good Morning Listening, Birthing Pray-ers! Be still and know. Listen, receive and birth God's will in prayer. Keep persevering at fulfilling your call to pray and as one of our key players in God's Good News Delivery Co. God is hearing and responding as He reveals what to pray and brings to life our prayers. Pretty cool, huh?
I often, like today, think I know where God is wanting to lead me for these blogs which are my journal notes from my quiet time each day. And as usual, God has revealed something slightly different as I listen, receive, process with Him and release His Word, will and plans in prayer. I don't know if I can emphasize enough the importance of the role of prayer warrior for our Good News Delivery Co and for God's Kingdom to come and will to be done in, through and around us. Keep persevering in prayer and know that you are a very valued and critical part of our Body and mission! Thank You!
SO let's start with Our Daily Bread (ODB) devo today reminding us of the nearness of God. He is very close and speaking to us all the time. Are we listening? Processing? Releasing? Look at their questions as they remind us of His peace He brings as we still ourselves, listen, understand and pray His peace and presence over ourselves and circumstances. Yesterday Mike reminded us of how we can know God's peace amidst the chaos and know He is with us, near and working all things together. Prepare your hearts to receive His wisdom, peace beyond understanding, and marching orders for the day. Turn off the noise by choosing hope, faith, joy and peace and then release His peace in prayer.
The Upper Room (UR) reminds us to pray without ceasing and to persevere in faith, praying, and following God to His best. We can learn perseverance, how to pray and how to become more like Jesus by practicing, just as we are, and working on growing into the fullness of these gifts. As I think about words to work on for next year, perseverance, prayer warrior, faithful servant are just a few God has brought to mind as ones that some of you (and maybe I) need to work on as we seek to Become More in '24. What's God saying to you? What may He be calling you to release in prayer today? What are you going to do about that?
Before engaging with these devos and God, start with praying through this daily devo/blog from Harvest Prayer about prayer. God has some great plans for you including powerful and productive times as you still yourself, listen, receive and persevere in prayer. St. Matts needs you and God has created you for such a time as this! I end with re-using yesterday's Harvest prayer blog as it informs and releases God's plans for us as we move forward into His plans and future for us. We can never pray enough!
One final note: Yesterday morning when I awoke, I was troubled about the future of our church and where workers would come from and with whom God wants us to connect and disciple. God stilled my spirit with this thought and then reminded me of it during my quiet time yesterday. He said, "I am giving you some workers that are recipients of bread. They want to serve and help. I am preparing and sending them. They have some purposes to discover and gifts to share. So I prayed into that. Last night I learned that two of these ladies that have been joining us in worship responded to Sarah's request for bread ministry help. PTL! Right? He reveals, hears and releases His will as we still ourselves, listen and release His will in prayer! He is at work through you and us! Keep at it harvest workers! Fruit is budding and growing! We have much to celebrate!
May you have a joy and peace filled day as you live, love, pray and serve like Jesus! Rejoice! God has chosen you, is preparing you and is working through you and your prayers! Thank Him! Rejoice!
Harvest Prayer Blog 12-18-23:

December 18 - Praying the Heart of God

“For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God” (Romans 8:19, NKJV).

Know God.

Know God’s heart.

Then:

Pray God’s heart into the creation.

Creation is waiting for that reality to be so—for the people of the Spirit to retake the rightful oversight of the creation under God the True Spirit. This is the paradigm for prayer ministry—to know the will from the clear teaching of the Bible and by the experience of the Spirit, and then to pray it into existence.

Praying Christians have known about this principle all their days of prayer. A burden to pray enters their heart. They know the person, and they are given some sense of how they are to pray. Then they pray until the intercession is accomplished.

Today ask God for Him “to initiate” in your praying. When you find yourself thinking of someone and offering a prayer, take this as God at work, reshaping your inner prayer life.

Father, I ask you to reshape my prayer life!  Initiate my prayers by placing people and situations upon my heart that You desire me to bring before You.  Help me to listen with my spirit as Your Holy Spirit leads me to intercede until Your purposes are accomplished.

--Adapted from Power Praying (Hearing Jesus’ Spirit by Praying Jesus’ Prayer) by David Chotka.

ODB:

My God Is Near

The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but . . . present your requests to God. Philippians 4:5–6

READ Philippians 4:4–7

For more than thirty years, Lourdes, a voice teacher in Manila, had taught students face to face. When she was asked to conduct classes online, she was anxious. “I’m not good with computers,” she recounted. “My laptop is old, and I’m not familiar with video conferencing platforms.”

While it may seem a small thing to some, it was a real stressor for her. “I live alone, so there is no one to help,” she said. “I’m concerned that my students will quit, and I need the income.”

Before each class, Lourdes would pray for her laptop to work properly. “Philippians 4:5–6 was the wallpaper on my screen,” she said. “How I clung to those words.”

Paul exhorts us to not be anxious about anything, because “the Lord is near” (Philippians 4:5). God’s promise of His presence is ours to hold on to. As we rest in His nearness and commit everything to Him in prayer—both big and small—His peace guards our “hearts and . . . minds in Christ Jesus” (v. 7).

“God led me to websites about fixing computer glitches,” Lourdes said. “He also gave me patient students who understood my technological limitations.” God’s presence, help, and peace are ours to enjoy as we seek to follow Him all the days of our life. We can say with confidence: “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” (v. 4). 

By Karen Huang

REFLECT & PRAY

How can knowing that God is near change your reaction of worry to one of peace? What specific requests can you present to Him?

Dear God, thank You for being near me. Because of Your loving presence, help, and peace, I don’t have to be anxious.

SCRIPTURE INSIGHT

Centuries before Paul penned the letter to the anxious believers in Jesus at Philippi (see Philippians 4:6-7), God inspired Asaph to write about the blessedness of His nearness (see Psalm 73:23-28). The psalmist’s faith had been challenged by what he’d witnessed around him (vv. 2-14). Those who were far from God—“the wicked” (v. 3)—were doing well for themselves. The writer’s perspective changed, however, when he “entered the sanctuary of God” (v. 17). Then he acknowledged, “You hold me by my right hand. . . . Whom have I in heaven but you?” (vv. 23, 25). He concludes by saying: “But as for me, the nearness of God is good for me” (v. 28 NASB). When we’re anxious by what’s going on around us, we can be encouraged by His nearness. Paul assures us that “the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7).

Arthur Jackson
UR: Learning to Whistle

Pray without ceasing. - 1 Thessalonians 5:17 (KJV)

I remember the struggle I endured learning to whistle. I spent days upon days trying with no success. But I was determined to succeed. I did not ask for help; I just blew and blew until it happened. It felt great to be able to whistle, and I practiced and practiced after I got the hang of it. It was a glorious time.

What I learned was perseverance — a spiritual directive found throughout scripture. God instructed Israel to continue trusting and believing. The New Testament writers encouraged believers to keep believing and living the word they had heard because Christ was going to return.

Being willing to persevere changed me from a kid who wanted to whistle to a kid who could not wait to hear what new sound my mouth and lungs could create. Additionally, perseverance for me became not just striving to know God’s word but allowing the word to change me into something better. (See Jas. 1:22.)

I keep wondering what new song I might hear from God’s Spirit if I continue to persevere in faithfully following Christ.

TODAY'S PRAYER
Dear God, help us to persevere in seeking and knowing the gifts of your grace. Thank you for Christ and those who demonstrate their faith by their perseverance. Amen.
Harvest prayer blog 12-17-23...Our Mission being released in prayer! Keep praying this to life! Thanks!

December 17 - Free Gift (Third Sunday of Advent)

Before you begin, meditate on this thought:  God has chosen to work through me.

Father how I thank You that because I have put my faith and trust in Christ, He has made me a new creation!  The old has gone--the new has come! This great redemptive work is from You Father, through Christ, for me!  My relationship with You has been made right and because of His finished work on the cross You do not hold my sin against me! Hallelujah! Praise Your holy name! (Pause and be thankful that Christ Jesus has saved you from your sin.)

Now Father I ask that You help me to understand what it means that because I am in Christ the message of reconciliation is lived out and proclaimed, through me!  May I be found worthy of the name “Ambassador of Christ” and faithfully implore others to be reconciled to You.

The free gift of salvation through Jesus that alone can make us to be the “righteousness of God” is good news that most around me need desperately to hear. I ask that You capture my heart again I pray, with the joy of this great salvation in You and open my lips that I might praise You and proclaim with great joy, the gospel message.  You are the God of all hope and I ask that I would overflow with hope through the power of the Holy Spirit and continually be prepared to give the reason for the hope that I have in You. 

This day I ask You Wonderful Counselor, that You open my heart and mind and give me ears to hear what You would say to me, what You would speak through me. Make me increasingly sensitive to Your voice and gentle promptings, and give me a willing, submissive spirit that I might obey.

Mighty God, may Your power be evident through the way I live and conduct my life, that I would truly live and move and have my very being in You alone.

Everlasting Father may Your fatherly embrace and great love be expressed through my life. In my conversations and interactions with the world around me, be glorified I pray.  May Jesus be seen through me in such loving ways that many are drawn to Him.

Prince of Peace in the midst of this chaotic fearful world, may the peace of Christ be spread through my life. Increase my trust and hope in You that I in turn might minister to those around me who are as sheep without a shepherd.

Give me Your heart. Your eyes. Your ears, O Lord. That in all things I might respond as Jesus would, and be a worthy ambassador of the gospel. In the name of Jesus, Emmanuel, I pray. Amen.

(2 Corinthians 5:16-21; Psalm 51:12,15; Romans 15:13; 1 Peter 3:15; Acts 17:28; Matthew 5:16)

--This Advent prayer was written by Tiece L. King, the author of Pray the Word.

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Friday, December 22 2023

Updates:

Sarah will be sending some out later. PTL! Maura (our granddaughter) is home and heading to day care today. Please continue to pray for full healing, health for Eric and Racheal and rest and refreshing. Thank you!

As soon as this sends, we are on vacation. PTL that the family doesn't need Karen to babysit today and that we can celebrate our 19th anniversary today and get ready for our flight to Florida early tomorrow. Pray for nice weather. It's suppose to rain all week down there and for refreshing and fun for us. Thanks!

Last evening I received a call from a distressed friend. She and her husband are going through a lot and both are depressed yet seeking God. I was able to refer her to Sarah (counseling should be with same sexes). Thank God for Sarah and her wisdom of resources and shepherding heart. Pray for her as she covers for me this week. Pray for this couple to find shalom, provision, wisdom, and joy.

Pray for Mike Laise. He is preaching for me on Sunday. God spoke to his heart yesterday and gave him a good word for Sunday. PTL!

Pray for all of us to continue to grow in faith and to be able to choose joy more quickly. I am including the Harvest Prayer from yesterday again below. It is a powerful prayer to pray over you and for others. Maybe share it with a friend in need. The couple above came to mind when I prayed it again this morning.

Good Morning Joy Choosing, Growing in Faith, Praying, Friends! This is the day the Lord has made! Rejoice and be glad in it! Joy and choosing joy continues to be the theme as we move toward God's shalom.

Below are our devos today that continue the themes of joy, faith, peace and the importance of small groups and huddling with friends. What's God saying to you and what will you do about it? Choose joy! Grow in trust! Follow God with some friends. Complete your journey here well! God loves you and created you for such a time as this. Rejoice! And receive His shalom. Amen!

Have a great week! Promise, no more blogs until next Mon. However, God will speak to you as you engage with Him on your own or with some friends. Rejoice! Shalom!

Harvest Prayer Blog: from yesterday.

December 10 - Peace, Be Still (Second Sunday of Advent)

Before you begin, ask God to reveal to your heart the ways that the enemy has robbed you of the peace that is yours because of Christ. Confess these things to Him and ask Him to pour out on you His peace that passes all understanding.  Ask Him to still the storms in your life and refocus your living.

I thank You Father, that Jesus Himself is my peace and that He has completely destroyed the barrier that separated me from You! How grateful I am that I have been reconciled to Him through His blood shed on the cross and now have peace with You.

Forgive me I pray, for the times that I do not cast my cares and anxieties onto You, but instead carry them myself and allow my heart to be weighed down and needlessly burdened. I ask that Your peace, which is beyond my ability to understand, guard my heart and my mind--cover me, because I am in Christ Jesus. I belong to You. Thank You Lord Jesus, for the peace that You give to me which is so very different than the fleeting attempts of the world to quiet my heart. Guard my heart by Your Holy Spirit, that I might not be afraid. Help me to learn to be still and know that You are God, to hear Your voice in the midst of the storms that I face saying “Peace, be still.” Keep me from fear and increase my faith. May my life be characterized by Your peace no matter what situation I might face, that You may be glorified in me and through me and receive the praise that is due Your name.

May I love Your Word that I might have great peace and not stumble.

May my mind be controlled by Your Holy Spirit and produce life and peace.

May Your strength and peace fill my life because I belong to You.

Lord Jesus, You are my Wonderful Counselor, You are Mighty God, the Everlasting Father incarnate and Prince of Peace! With You all things are possible. I invite You into the impossible situations of my life and ask that as I wait on You, You fill me with Your peace – for my hope is in You alone and I trust in Your great name.

(Ephesians 2:14; Colossians 1:20; Romans 5:1; 1 Peter 5:7; Philippians 4:7; John 14:27; Psalm 46:10; Mark 4:35-41; Psalm 119:165; Romans 8:6; Psalm 29:11; Isaiah 53:6; Matthew 19:26)

--This Advent prayer was written by Tiece L. King, the author of Pray the Word. This resource is available at prayershop.org. Use the code CONPSP3 at checkout to receive an additional 10% discount on the book.
 

Prayer Points

  • Praise God as the one whose arm is “not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear” (Isa. 59:1).
  • Thank God for the promise to hear you when you come to him in prayer.
  • Confess any sin which may result in his not hearing your prayers (59:2). If you are struggling in this area, commit yourself to regular, daily times of prayer and fellowship with God. Ask him to draw close to you as you fellowship with him.
  • God has long arms when it comes to salvation. No one is beyond his reach. Thank him for that truth and pray for one unsaved person you know. 

ODB:

God Is More than Enough

The women living there said, “Naomi has a son!” And they named him Obed. Ruth 4:17

READ Ruth 4:9–17

audio playLISTEN ONLINE

Ellen was on a tight budget, so she was glad to receive a Christmas bonus. That would have been enough, but when she deposited the money, she received another surprise. The teller said that as a Christmas present the bank had deposited her January mortgage payment into her checking account. Now she and Trey could pay other bills and bless someone else with a Christmas surprise!

God has a way of blessing us beyond what we expect. Naomi was bitter and broken by the death of her husband and sons (Ruth 1:20–21). Her desperate situation was rescued by Boaz, a relative who married her daughter-in-law Ruth and provided a home for her and Naomi (4:10).

That might have been all Naomi could hope for. But then God blessed Ruth and Boaz with a son. Now Naomi had a grandson to “renew [her] life and sustain [her] in [her] old age” (v. 15). That would have been enough. As the women of Bethlehem put it, “Naomi has a son!” (v. 17). Then little Obed grew—and became “the father of Jesse, the father of David” (v. 17). Naomi’s family belonged to Israel’s royal line, the most important dynasty in history! That would have been enough. David, however, became the ancestor of . . . Jesus.

If we believe in Christ, we’re in a similar position to Naomi. We had nothing until He redeemed us. Now we’re fully accepted by our Father, who blesses us to bless others. That’s so much more than enough.

By Mike Wittmer

REFLECT & PRAY

When has God blessed you beyond what you imagined? How has He shown you that He’s more than enough?

Jesus, You’re more than enough for me.

SCRIPTURE INSIGHT

The story of Naomi, Ruth, and Boaz takes place during the period of the judges (Ruth 1:1). Though we don’t know which judge presided during the days of Ruth, the contrast between the events of the book of Judges and the story of Naomi and Ruth’s redemption is striking. During a time when “everyone did as they saw fit” (Judges 21:25) and “did evil in the eyes of the Lord” (a phrase used seven times in Judges; see 2:11; 3:7,12; 4:1; 6:1; 10:6; 13:1), Boaz looked out for the good of another—a foreigner. In a setting of selfishness lies a story of compassion and grace.

J.R. Hudberg

UR:

From birth I was cast on you; from my mother’s womb you have been my God. - Psalm 22:10 (NIV)

For as long as I can remember, my father was not present in my life. During my childhood, I struggled and felt sad when we had homework regarding Father’s Day or when I heard from friends about how their fathers were the center of their families.

When I was in middle school, a friend invited me to church. Many of my friends and their families also attended the church. Occasionally, I was filled with longing when I saw the fathers there with their families.

In high school, I met a girl who loved God. One day she and I discussed faith. She had also been brought up by her mother, and she too had experienced the difficulties of not knowing her father. She told me that since becoming a Christian, she had come to know God as her father.

Her testimony deeply resounded in my heart, and tears streamed down my cheeks from the inferiority I felt for being without a father. She then shared with me scriptures that comforted her. That day I understood the spiritual meaning of having a heavenly Father who created me. And I was greatly comforted.

TODAY'S PRAYER

Father God, thank you for the comfort of knowing we have life in you. Help us to comfort our brothers and sisters as you have comforted us. We pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.TWFYT

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Charles Stanley:

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Friday, December 22 2023

Please pray for Mike Laise as he brings God's Word today and for Sarah as she leads worship. Pray for any kids that come to connect to God as we have no Children's Church teacher available today. Ask God to raise up a few more helpers for that.

Good Morning Teammates! Even though in many ways this week of vacation could be deemed the week from Hell for us, Karen and I were able to choose joy as we allowed God to give us rest, His peace beyond understanding and to experience His unfailing, even refining, love. Thank You Lord! In the midst of sickness, and a washout rainy week, we learned that Karen's ex-sister-in laws family had a major tragedy (we are still very close with this part of her ex's family and numb right now). Karen's niece and our kids cousin lost her two year old son in his sleep on Thurs. with no apparent cause at this time. We will be burying him Thursday. Please pray for the Henley family, especially Paige and Travis the parents. We just got their photo Christmas card on Friday. Ask our God of comfort and peace to come and be very real to them and to help us minister to them all.

I really had no intention of restarting my blogs until at least tomorrow, BUT GOD! He had other plans, so here I am trying to recount and recall all He has been revealing this morning. He awoke me with a headache and sore throat and a dream or vision of some plans for us, so I got up at 1:30. Please bear with me as this may get a bit long. (I guess He wanted to make up for lost time! Emoji Actually, He used this down time to bring to light a ton of things for me and for us together. I'm still trying to process and this blog will be an attempt to journal some of all He is revealing. Thanks Lord!) Lord open all of our hearts and minds to hear Your heart and discern Your revelation for us individually and as Your Body. Thanks! Lead us into much more of You and Your plans in 2024. And Lord bring dreams and visions to our St. Matts Vision team for our gathering in Jan. As we ask in Jesus' name and for your glory. Come! Amen

I think what God is showing me is that He does have a future and hope and some great plans for us that need some processing with the leaders of our church. We know that our bishop has called us to become a dynamic movement of God as we get to know Christ more and make Him know more all around us. We know His plans for us include learning to live and love like Jesus as we bring Him to life to those He is connecting us to. We know we need to find a few more connection points to those He is drawing besides our bread/pantry/clothing ministry. We have been praying and seeking and receiving. It's time to continue to do that as we move towards enacting His will, plans and way for us. Keep asking Him to reveal what's for now and what's for next and discernment and a willingness and hunger to become disciple makers. We are birthing in prayer His next steps for us. Keep up the good work team!

Over the past few years, God has been leading and growing us from B.E.L.L.S. and realizing He wants to use and is sending each of us. He has led us through several challenges as He continues to help us grow into the people we were created to be and preparing and readying us for our purposes for such a time as this. God really does have great plans for us being revealed each step of faith and growth with Him. Thanks Lord! We are completing the Become Me in '23 Challenge and God recently revealed to me that for next year He wants to expand on that with the Become More in '24 Challenge. More of Him and less of me! Become more of who we are in Christ and become more better at fulfilling our purposes. Amen!

Today He wants us to just listen, dream and receive as we sit at His feet prayerfully, open-heartedly and engage with Him through our devotionals. In each one he revealed a piece of the puzzle to me today. What's He revealing to you? Charles Stanley reiterates God's Mission or plan for us. ODB reveals the how to for growing into His plan. The UR speaks into His provision for this plan. (He always provides Where He guides and we are His provision too). And TWFYT reminds us of the cost we need to assess to see His plans come to life. As you study there today ask God to give you a word or two to work on next year and for some people to process with. As I finished my time with God the Harvest Prayer blog was in my email. End with praying that and save it to pray often. May God bless you with ears to hear, hearts to respond well and many dreams and visions of His plans for you and us. And may he bless us with others to process, pray and plan with. he is speaking and we do have a future and hope. may we all choose joy as we grow in faith and trust as he leads us to the new thing that is springing forth in our midst! Shalom!

Please pray for Mike Laise as he brings God's Word today and for Sarah as she leads worship. Pray for any kids that come to connect to God as we have no Children's Church teacher available today. Ask God to raise up a few more helpers for that.

Good Morning Teammates! Even though in many ways this week of vacation could be deemed the week from Hell for us, Karen and I were able to choose joy as we allowed God to give us rest, His peace beyond understanding and to experience His unfailing, even refining, love. Thank You Lord! In the midst of sickness, and a washout rainy week, we learned that Karen's ex-sister-in laws family had a major tragedy (we are still very close with this part of her ex's family and numb right now). Karen's niece and our kids cousin lost her two year old son in his sleep on Thurs. with no apparent cause at this time. We will be burying him Thursday. Please pray for the Henley family, especially Paige and Travis the parents. We just got their photo Christmas card on Friday. Ask our God of comfort and peace to come and be very real to them and to help us minister to them all.

I really had no intention of restarting my blogs until at least tomorrow, BUT GOD! He had other plans, so here I am trying to recount and recall all He has been revealing this morning. He awoke me with a headache and sore throat and a dream or vision of some plans for us, so I got up at 1:30. Please bear with me as this may get a bit long. (I guess He wanted to make up for lost time! Emoji Actually, He used this down time to bring to light a ton of things for me and for us together. I'm still trying to process and this blog will be an attempt to journal some of all He is revealing. Thanks Lord!) Lord open all of our hearts and minds to hear Your heart and discern Your revelation for us individually and as Your Body. Thanks! Lead us into much more of You and Your plans in 2024. And Lord bring dreams and visions to our St. Matts Vision team for our gathering in Jan. As we ask in Jesus' name and for your glory. Come! Amen

I think what God is showing me is that He does have a future and hope and some great plans for us that need some processing with the leaders of our church. We know that our bishop has called us to become a dynamic movement of God as we get to know Christ more and make Him know more all around us. We know His plans for us include learning to live and love like Jesus as we bring Him to life to those He is connecting us to. We know we need to find a few more connection points to those He is drawing besides our bread/pantry/clothing ministry. We have been praying and seeking and receiving. It's time to continue to do that as we move towards enacting His will, plans and way for us. Keep asking Him to reveal what's for now and what's for next and discernment and a willingness and hunger to become disciple makers. We are birthing in prayer His next steps for us. Keep up the good work team!

Over the past few years, God has been leading and growing us from B.E.L.L.S. and realizing He wants to use and is sending each of us. He has led us through several challenges as He continues to help us grow into the people we were created to be and preparing and readying us for our purposes for such a time as this. God really does have great plans for us being revealed each step of faith and growth with Him. Thanks Lord! We are completing the Become Me in '23 Challenge and God recently revealed to me that for next year He wants to expand on that with the Become More in '24 Challenge. More of Him and less of me! Become more of who we are in Christ and become more better at fulfilling our purposes. Amen!

Today He wants us to just listen, dream and receive as we sit at His feet prayerfully, open-heartedly and engage with Him through our devotionals. In each one he revealed a piece of the puzzle to me today. What's He revealing to you? Charles Stanley reiterates God's Mission or plan for us. ODB reveals the how to for growing into His plan. The UR speaks into His provision for this plan. (He always provides Where He guides and we are His provision too). And TWFYT reminds us of the cost we need to assess to see His plans come to life. As you study there today ask God to give you a word or two to work on next year and for some people to process with. As I finished my time with God the Harvest Prayer blog was in my email. End with praying that and save it to pray often. May God bless you with ears to hear, hearts to respond well and many dreams and visions of His plans for you and us. And may he bless us with others to process, pray and plan with. he is speaking and we do have a future and hope. may we all choose joy as we grow in faith and trust as he leads us to the new thing that is springing forth in our midst! Shalom!

Charles Stanley: Our Mission

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ODB: Read and meditate on Prov. 3: 5-18. WOW! Our how to!

Christmas Dilemma

For the Lord detests the perverse but takes the upright into his confidence. Proverbs 3:32

READ Proverbs 3:5–18

audio playLISTEN ONLINE

David and Angie had felt called to move overseas, and the fruitful ministry that followed seemed to confirm it. But there was one downside to their move. David’s elderly parents would now spend Christmases alone.

David and Angie tried to mitigate his parents’ Christmas Day loneliness by posting gifts early and calling on Christmas morning. But what his parents really wanted was them. With David’s income only permitting an occasional trip home, what else could they do? David needed wisdom.

Proverbs 3 is a crash course in wisdom-seeking, showing us how to receive it by taking our situations to God (vv. 5–6), describing its various qualities such as love and faithfulness (vv. 3–4, 7–12), and its benefits as peace and longevity (vv. 13–18). In a touching note, it adds that God gives such wisdom by taking us “into his confidence” (v. 32). He whispers His solutions to those who are close to Him.

Praying about his problem one night, David had an idea. Next Christmas Day, he and Angie put on their best clothes, decorated the table with tinsel, and brought in the roast dinner. David’s parents did the same. Then, placing a laptop on each table, they ate together via video link. It almost felt like they were in the same room. It’s become a family tradition ever since.

God took David into His confidence and gave him wisdom. He loves to whisper creative solutions to our problems.

By Sheridan Voysey

REFLECT & PRAY

What dilemma are you facing? What loving solution might God have for you?

Father God, please whisper to my heart Your creative solution to my problem.

SCRIPTURE INSIGHT

Proverbs 3 contains a father’s instruction to his son on the vital importance of wisdom and how humility plays a key role. In verses 11-12, the father highlights the importance of accepting discipline from God. These verses provide a classic example of how the New Testament engages with the Old. The writer of Hebrews quotes this passage while emphasizing the father-child relationship we enjoy with God. “Do not lose heart when [God] rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son” (Hebrews 12:5-6). The writer then notes, “Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father?” (v. 7). It’s fitting that an earthly father should offer his son advice with our heavenly Father’s correction of His children in view.

Tim Gustafson

UR: (Our Provision) 

If the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have. - 2 Corinthians 8:12 (NIV)

I once participated in children’s ministry at a church in an impoverished community. As Christmas approached, my colleague announced that the church would host a celebration and invite children from a local orphanage. Since the children in the church were in need themselves, I didn’t expect them to offer anything to the children from the orphanage.

On the eve of the Christmas celebration, I was surprised to see the children bringing gifts to church. It turned out that in early December, the children had worked together to collect discarded water bottles. They used the proceeds they received from recycling the bottles to buy gifts which they presented to the children from the orphanage. Our children opened my mind because they succeeded in doing what the verse above states. Even though our children were living in poverty, they gave what they had to the children in the orphanage to show their love and care.

It is easy to feel burdened by difficult circumstances and think, Why should I give while I am still lacking? However, God gives us the strength and the ability to do God’s will. We can all offer something to help the children of God.

TODAY'S PRAYER

O Lord, give us the strength and ability to do good for our neighbors. Amen.TWFYT: Count the cost

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Maybe start with this and end with this today!

Harvest Prayer blog:

December 17 - Free Gift (Third Sunday of Advent)

Before you begin, meditate on this thought:  God has chosen to work through me.

Father how I thank You that because I have put my faith and trust in Christ, He has made me a new creation!  The old has gone--the new has come! This great redemptive work is from You Father, through Christ, for me!  My relationship with You has been made right and because of His finished work on the cross You do not hold my sin against me! Hallelujah! Praise Your holy name! (Pause and be thankful that Christ Jesus has saved you from your sin.)

Now Father I ask that You help me to understand what it means that because I am in Christ the message of reconciliation is lived out and proclaimed, through me!  May I be found worthy of the name “Ambassador of Christ” and faithfully implore others to be reconciled to You.

The free gift of salvation through Jesus that alone can make us to be the “righteousness of God” is good news that most around me need desperately to hear. I ask that You capture my heart again I pray, with the joy of this great salvation in You and open my lips that I might praise You and proclaim with great joy, the gospel message.  You are the God of all hope and I ask that I would overflow with hope through the power of the Holy Spirit and continually be prepared to give the reason for the hope that I have in You. 

This day I ask You Wonderful Counselor, that You open my heart and mind and give me ears to hear what You would say to me, what You would speak through me. Make me increasingly sensitive to Your voice and gentle promptings, and give me a willing, submissive spirit that I might obey.

Mighty God, may Your power be evident through the way I live and conduct my life, that I would truly live and move and have my very being in You alone.

Everlasting Father may Your fatherly embrace and great love be expressed through my life. In my conversations and interactions with the world around me, be glorified I pray.  May Jesus be seen through me in such loving ways that many are drawn to Him.

Prince of Peace in the midst of this chaotic fearful world, may the peace of Christ be spread through my life. Increase my trust and hope in You that I in turn might minister to those around me who are as sheep without a shepherd.

Give me Your heart. Your eyes. Your ears, O Lord. That in all things I might respond as Jesus would, and be a worthy ambassador of the gospel. In the name of Jesus, Emmanuel, I pray. Amen.

(2 Corinthians 5:16-21; Psalm 51:12,15; Romans 15:13; 1 Peter 3:15; Acts 17:28; Matthew 5:16)

--This Advent prayer was written by Tiece L. King, the author of Pray the Word. This resource is available at prayershop.org. Use the code CONPSP3 at checkout to receive an additional 10% discount on the book.
 

Prayer Points

  • Praise God who has invited you into his circle of fellowship through Jesus Christ.
  • Thank him for his invitation to love him with your whole being (Mk.12:33).
  • Confess to God that sometimes you don’t love and honor him as you should.
  • Commit yourself to Deut. 10:12: “To fear the LORD your God, to walk in his ways, to love him, and to serve [him] with all your heart and with all your soul.”
  • Ask God to enable you fulfill that commitment today.
  • Pray that the knowledge of Christ will spread throughout the whole world, even as a tiny seed grows into a large and vigorous plant (Mk. 4:31). Pray for faithful preachers of the gospel (Mt. 24:14).

Charles Stanley: Our Mission

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ODB: Read and meditate on Prov. 3: 5-18. WOW! Our how to!

Christmas Dilemma

For the Lord detests the perverse but takes the upright into his confidence. Proverbs 3:32

READ Proverbs 3:5–18

audio playLISTEN ONLINE

David and Angie had felt called to move overseas, and the fruitful ministry that followed seemed to confirm it. But there was one downside to their move. David’s elderly parents would now spend Christmases alone.

David and Angie tried to mitigate his parents’ Christmas Day loneliness by posting gifts early and calling on Christmas morning. But what his parents really wanted was them. With David’s income only permitting an occasional trip home, what else could they do? David needed wisdom.

Proverbs 3 is a crash course in wisdom-seeking, showing us how to receive it by taking our situations to God (vv. 5–6), describing its various qualities such as love and faithfulness (vv. 3–4, 7–12), and its benefits as peace and longevity (vv. 13–18). In a touching note, it adds that God gives such wisdom by taking us “into his confidence” (v. 32). He whispers His solutions to those who are close to Him.

Praying about his problem one night, David had an idea. Next Christmas Day, he and Angie put on their best clothes, decorated the table with tinsel, and brought in the roast dinner. David’s parents did the same. Then, placing a laptop on each table, they ate together via video link. It almost felt like they were in the same room. It’s become a family tradition ever since.

God took David into His confidence and gave him wisdom. He loves to whisper creative solutions to our problems.

By Sheridan Voysey

REFLECT & PRAY

What dilemma are you facing? What loving solution might God have for you?

Father God, please whisper to my heart Your creative solution to my problem.

SCRIPTURE INSIGHT

Proverbs 3 contains a father’s instruction to his son on the vital importance of wisdom and how humility plays a key role. In verses 11-12, the father highlights the importance of accepting discipline from God. These verses provide a classic example of how the New Testament engages with the Old. The writer of Hebrews quotes this passage while emphasizing the father-child relationship we enjoy with God. “Do not lose heart when [God] rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son” (Hebrews 12:5-6). The writer then notes, “Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father?” (v. 7). It’s fitting that an earthly father should offer his son advice with our heavenly Father’s correction of His children in view.

Tim Gustafson

UR: (Our Provision) 

If the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have. - 2 Corinthians 8:12 (NIV)

I once participated in children’s ministry at a church in an impoverished community. As Christmas approached, my colleague announced that the church would host a celebration and invite children from a local orphanage. Since the children in the church were in need themselves, I didn’t expect them to offer anything to the children from the orphanage.

On the eve of the Christmas celebration, I was surprised to see the children bringing gifts to church. It turned out that in early December, the children had worked together to collect discarded water bottles. They used the proceeds they received from recycling the bottles to buy gifts which they presented to the children from the orphanage. Our children opened my mind because they succeeded in doing what the verse above states. Even though our children were living in poverty, they gave what they had to the children in the orphanage to show their love and care.

It is easy to feel burdened by difficult circumstances and think, Why should I give while I am still lacking? However, God gives us the strength and the ability to do God’s will. We can all offer something to help the children of God.

TODAY'S PRAYER

O Lord, give us the strength and ability to do good for our neighbors. Amen.TWFYT: Count the cost

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Maybe start with this and end with this today!

Harvest Prayer blog:

December 17 - Free Gift (Third Sunday of Advent)

Before you begin, meditate on this thought:  God has chosen to work through me.

Father how I thank You that because I have put my faith and trust in Christ, He has made me a new creation!  The old has gone--the new has come! This great redemptive work is from You Father, through Christ, for me!  My relationship with You has been made right and because of His finished work on the cross You do not hold my sin against me! Hallelujah! Praise Your holy name! (Pause and be thankful that Christ Jesus has saved you from your sin.)

Now Father I ask that You help me to understand what it means that because I am in Christ the message of reconciliation is lived out and proclaimed, through me!  May I be found worthy of the name “Ambassador of Christ” and faithfully implore others to be reconciled to You.

The free gift of salvation through Jesus that alone can make us to be the “righteousness of God” is good news that most around me need desperately to hear. I ask that You capture my heart again I pray, with the joy of this great salvation in You and open my lips that I might praise You and proclaim with great joy, the gospel message.  You are the God of all hope and I ask that I would overflow with hope through the power of the Holy Spirit and continually be prepared to give the reason for the hope that I have in You. 

This day I ask You Wonderful Counselor, that You open my heart and mind and give me ears to hear what You would say to me, what You would speak through me. Make me increasingly sensitive to Your voice and gentle promptings, and give me a willing, submissive spirit that I might obey.

Mighty God, may Your power be evident through the way I live and conduct my life, that I would truly live and move and have my very being in You alone.

Everlasting Father may Your fatherly embrace and great love be expressed through my life. In my conversations and interactions with the world around me, be glorified I pray.  May Jesus be seen through me in such loving ways that many are drawn to Him.

Prince of Peace in the midst of this chaotic fearful world, may the peace of Christ be spread through my life. Increase my trust and hope in You that I in turn might minister to those around me who are as sheep without a shepherd.

Give me Your heart. Your eyes. Your ears, O Lord. That in all things I might respond as Jesus would, and be a worthy ambassador of the gospel. In the name of Jesus, Emmanuel, I pray. Amen.

(2 Corinthians 5:16-21; Psalm 51:12,15; Romans 15:13; 1 Peter 3:15; Acts 17:28; Matthew 5:16)

--This Advent prayer was written by Tiece L. King, the author of Pray the Word. This resource is available at prayershop.org. Use the code CONPSP3 at checkout to receive an additional 10% discount on the book.
 

Prayer Points

  • Praise God who has invited you into his circle of fellowship through Jesus Christ.
  • Thank him for his invitation to love him with your whole being (Mk.12:33).
  • Confess to God that sometimes you don’t love and honor him as you should.
  • Commit yourself to Deut. 10:12: “To fear the LORD your God, to walk in his ways, to love him, and to serve [him] with all your heart and with all your soul.”
  • Ask God to enable you fulfill that commitment today.
  • Pray that the knowledge of Christ will spread throughout the whole world, even as a tiny seed grows into a large and vigorous plant (Mk. 4:31). Pray for faithful preachers of the gospel (Mt. 24:14).
Prayer Points taken from Patterns for Prayer by Alvin VanderGriend. 
Posted by: AT 02:48 pm   |  Permalink   |  Email
Friday, December 22 2023

Good morning Joyful, Rejoicing Worshipers! We will hear a lot about joy and rejoicing today during worship as we light the Joy Candle on our wreath and explore joy in the Gospel of John. I think back several years when we explored a different spiritual virtue each month. Maybe one of those virtues might be a word God is leading you to work on next year as you work out your salvation with fear and trembling and work on becoming more of the person you were created to be or doing more of the things you were created to do. God has plans for you and is at work in you and all around you to bring His perfect will and plans to life. REJOICE! The spiritual virtue for Jan. was joy. I think about how we get to choose joy often since that study and have been working on that virtue myself since then.

Joy is a choice we get to make despite our circumstances. Joy flows from an active faith life where we know God is always at work bringing His will to life, that He never forgets us, and is working all things together for good for those who believe. He is working ALL things together and may allow some trials, testing and hardships into your life as part of that working all things together. So, choose joy as you trust Him to be with you, carry you, teach you, prepare you, stretch you and use you for His glory and plans for you. Check out our devos below as they do tie to this theme of trust and joy and the peace beyond understanding that you can know in Christ. We will start with Harvest Prayer's blog for today about praying for that.

You all have purposes no matter your age, circumstances, faith level or gifts and abilities. God knows, cares and has something just for you just as you are. One of the most important purposes in our Good News Delivery Co. is the role of praying. Prayer is vital! And what's cool is everyone can pray and learn how to pray more effectively as you practice praying. Check out this quote from Harvest Prayer's blog today: 

Prayer Pointer
“Ministry without prayer becomes work in the power of the flesh. Prayer without ministry is complacent Christianity.” —Anonymous

May you grow in faith as you trust God more, choose joy and come to know His peace. Rejoice and worship well today! Shalom!

Harvest Prayer Blog:

December 10 - Peace, Be Still (Second Sunday of Advent)

Before you begin, ask God to reveal to your heart the ways that the enemy has robbed you of the peace that is yours because of Christ. Confess these things to Him and ask Him to pour out on you His peace that passes all understanding.  Ask Him to still the storms in your life and refocus your living.

I thank You Father, that Jesus Himself is my peace and that He has completely destroyed the barrier that separated me from You! How grateful I am that I have been reconciled to Him through His blood shed on the cross and now have peace with You.

Forgive me I pray, for the times that I do not cast my cares and anxieties onto You, but instead carry them myself and allow my heart to be weighed down and needlessly burdened. I ask that Your peace, which is beyond my ability to understand, guard my heart and my mind--cover me, because I am in Christ Jesus. I belong to You. Thank You Lord Jesus, for the peace that You give to me which is so very different than the fleeting attempts of the world to quiet my heart. Guard my heart by Your Holy Spirit, that I might not be afraid. Help me to learn to be still and know that You are God, to hear Your voice in the midst of the storms that I face saying “Peace, be still.” Keep me from fear and increase my faith. May my life be characterized by Your peace no matter what situation I might face, that You may be glorified in me and through me and receive the praise that is due Your name.

May I love Your Word that I might have great peace and not stumble.

May my mind be controlled by Your Holy Spirit and produce life and peace.

May Your strength and peace fill my life because I belong to You.

Lord Jesus, You are my Wonderful Counselor, You are Mighty God, the Everlasting Father incarnate and Prince of Peace! With You all things are possible. I invite You into the impossible situations of my life and ask that as I wait on You, You fill me with Your peace – for my hope is in You alone and I trust in Your great name.

(Ephesians 2:14; Colossians 1:20; Romans 5:1; 1 Peter 5:7; Philippians 4:7; John 14:27; Psalm 46:10; Mark 4:35-41; Psalm 119:165; Romans 8:6; Psalm 29:11; Isaiah 53:6; Matthew 19:26)

--This Advent prayer was written by Tiece L. King, the author of Pray the Word. This resource is available at prayershop.org. Use the code CONPSP3 at checkout to receive an additional 10% discount on the book.
 

Prayer Points

  • Praise God as the one whose arm is “not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear” (Isa. 59:1).
  • Thank God for the promise to hear you when you come to him in prayer.
  • Confess any sin which may result in his not hearing your prayers (59:2). If you are struggling in this area, commit yourself to regular, daily times of prayer and fellowship with God. Ask him to draw close to you as you fellowship with him.
  • God has long arms when it comes to salvation. No one is beyond his reach. Thank him for that truth and pray for one unsaved person you know. 

ODB:

God Won’t Forget You

I will not forget you! Isaiah 49:15

READ Isaiah 49:13–18

audio playLISTEN ONLINE

As a child, I collected postage stamps. When my angkong (Fukienese for “grandfather”) heard of my hobby, he started saving stamps from his office mail every day. Whenever I visited my grandparents, Angkong would give me an envelope filled with a variety of beautiful stamps. “Even though I’m always busy,” he told me once, “I won’t forget you.”

Angkong wasn’t given to overt displays of affection, but I felt his love deeply. In an infinitely deeper way, God demonstrated His love toward Israel when He declared, “I will not forget you!” (Isaiah 49:15). Suffering in Babylon for idolatry and disobedience in days past, His people lamented, “The Lord has forgotten me” (v. 14). But God’s love for His people hadn’t changed. He promised them forgiveness and restoration (vv. 8–13).

“I have engraved you on the palms of my hands,” God told Israel, as He also tells us today (v. 16). As I ponder His words of reassurance, it reminds me so deeply of Jesus’ nail-scarred hands—stretched out in love for us and for our salvation (John 20:24–27). Like my grandfather’s stamps and his tender words, God holds out His forgiving hand as an eternal token of His love. Let’s thank Him for His love—an unchanging love. He will never forget us.

By Karen Huang

REFLECT & PRAY

When were you clearly reminded that God never forgets you? How can His unchanging love give you hope and security in your present situation?

Father, thank You for Your constant love and presence. 

SCRIPTURE INSIGHT

The scope of Isaiah’s ministry is introduced in Isaiah 1:1: “The vision concerning Judah and Jerusalem that Isaiah son of Amoz saw during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.” While Isaiah’s ministry was largely localized to Jerusalem and Judah, it spanned decades and the rule of four different kings. J. A. Martin, writing in The Bible Knowledge Commentary, says: “Isaiah ministered for at least 58 years (from at least 739, when Uzziah died [6:1], to 681, when Sennacherib died).” Isaiah’s name means “Yahweh is salvation,” which is appropriate since his writing gives numerous prophecies of Jesus the Savior, including Isaiah 7:14; 9:6-7; and 53. The work of Jesus is clearly in view in Isaiah 53:5: “He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.”

Bill Crowder

UR:

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. - Luke 2:4 (NIV)

Every year, many of us enter the Christmas season with a vision of the perfect Christmas. We dream of smooth and safe travels, gatherings filled with laughter, no one sidelined by illness, gifts perfectly selected and joyfully received. But rarely do we get that ideal Christmas!

Even the first Christmas was not perfect. The government had issued a decree, so Mary and Joseph packed what they needed and made their way to Bethlehem. As she neared the end of her pregnancy, probably the last thing Mary wanted to do was leave her home and her community of friends.

Maybe in this first week of Advent some situations are already far from ideal. Family tensions, financial burdens, health challenges, work-place stress — any and all of these can steal our joy. But God comes to be with us in the life we have right now, not the life we wish we had. Circumstances we resent won’t change the truth of Christmas. The first Christmas in Bethlehem is a powerful reminder to us that God comes to be with us in places and circumstances that are sometimes less than ideal — offering us the light of eternal love.

TODAY'S PRAYER

Gracious God, we need your presence with us in all our circumstances. Come this Advent, we pray, and meet us in the reality we are living right now. Amen.

TWFYT:

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Wagner's Newsletter:

Greetings from cold and snowy Minnesota,

As we sit in the living room of Luke & Rachel’s home in Minnesota, holding our newborn grandson and watching the snow(!), it is hard to believe that classes at RVA finished just two weeks ago. Over the last few weeks, we have witnessed God’s perfect timing again and again.

A New Grandson

We arrived in the US just 10 days ago. Three days later, we were on a train to Philly where we boarded a plane to Minneapolis. Arriving that afternoon, we enjoyed family time together and made plans for the next day, as we anticipated waiting a few days for this little one to arrive. Those plans changed quickly as we joyfully welcomed Cayden Thomas into the world the very next afternoon! God’s perfect timing - amazing! Getting over jetlag while enjoying a large dose of baby snuggles has been a wonderful gift to our weary minds and bodies.

Finishing Up at RVA
Our last weeks at RVA were quite full, as expected, celebrating an early Christmas with concerts and fun parties before sending our dorm boys and students off for the December term break. We also had some unexpected things to navigate. Missy had been dealing with a cracked tooth since May. The repair worked for a time, but early in November it began hurting again. A week before our departure, she was having the tooth extracted. Thankfully, this is much easier and cheaper in Kenya where we have an excellent dentist. Again…God’s perfect timing as we could deal with the tooth before leaving and not have to figure it out in the US.
 
As part of the process of preparing to leave, we also scheduled regular physicals and other medical check-ups. The doctor that Brian was supposed to see was not available; and instead, he met with a different doctor. One of the questions that came up was a low resting heart rate that has been noticed in the past, but not really a big concern. This doctor decided to run some extra tests that turned up an issue for which Brian is not showing any symptoms. That led to even further tests right before we left Kenya, including a cardiac MRI on the morning of our departure. Again…God’s perfect timing, as these tests were easy to schedule, relatively inexpensive, and fully covered by our overseas insurance.
The Next Steps
Now that we have a diagnosis in hand along with extensive testing data, we are scheduling doctor appointments on this side of the ocean to figure out exactly what is going on and determine the best course of treatment. We’re thankful for our Kenya connections as one doctor contacted another, who contacted another and ultimately got Brian an appointment with a pulmonologist this next week. We are in the States, able to get excellent care, with the time and space needed to do the follow-up necessary…God’s perfect timing!
Prayer Requests
PRAY that the doctors will be able to discern the cause of the excess pressure in Brian’s heart and develop the best treatment plan. We are so thankful that this has been discovered before it causes any noticeable symptoms and long-term damage. PRAY with us for accurate test results, clarity on the cause, and good treatment options. We are grateful that we have time to work through this.
 
This next prayer request just turned into a PRAISE! Micah has been diligently searching for a car and prayed about several options with God closing the doors each time. Earlier today, he and Lynnsi purchased a car! We’re thankful for this provision for them which allows us to use our own car throughout the next nine months.
Upcoming Schedule
We will travel back to PA early this coming week and spend about ten days there before driving back out to Minnesota for a family Christmas. As our travel plans begin to solidify for 2024, we will share more frequent updates to let you know where we will be and when. We would love to have time together while we are in the States.
 
Thanks for standing with us in prayer. You are a blessing!
 
Brian & Missy
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Saturday, December 09 2023

Good Morning Praying Friends! You prayers are being heard and releasing God's power and will on earth and in the heavenlies. PTL!

Couple of updates:

Glad Ketner has been moved out of ICU to a regular room. She is alert and tries to talk but hard to understand yet. She will be moved to a rehab in the near future. Praise God for the healing that is coming and pray for shalom over her and family and for wisdom for the staff.

Maura Specht (Pastor Don and Karen's granddaughter) has been moved to CHOP for a higher level of care. She has RSV and is on oxygen.

The Canfield family and Caleb continue to heal from bad colds

Lori Rohrer has been able to move forward with resolution with insurance companies after her accident. the car that hit her was cited and deemed at fault. However the driver gave false insurance info. Pray for provision, resolution and shalom.

Pastor Don and Karen will be flying to FL Tues. (Lord willing) to visit his mom and Terry. There will be no blogs next week.Pastor Don is feeling exhausted and a bit under the weather. Pray for healing and for God to go before them with favor. (Mon is our 19th anniversary! WOW! How did I get so blessed! Pray for Karen--you can only imagine what it's like to live with me! Emoji)

Thanks for praying!

We light the JOY candle tomorrow. I love how God keeps bringing up the theme of joy and ties things together as we sit at His feet and engage with Him through our Bible readings and devotionals! I'm going to let you check them out and engage with God through your own quiet time. Remember to ask what's going on in this passage? What is God saying to me? What measurable thing will I do in response? Who can I process this with? God is speaking to your heart right now. Turn off the noise and tune out the chaos. Be still and know! He loves you and has some good things in store for you, even today, even in the chaos as He brings His peaceful presence and joy alive through your faith. Rejoice! 

See you tomorrow at 10 in person or on Zoom. Sounds like tomorrow will be a day filled with showers of blessings, God's downpours of love, and a day of being washed whiter than snow! Rejoice! Reign our Lord and King!

Let's start with the Harvest Prayer devo for today as we release God's will together! 

You Kingdom come Father! Your will be done! May we glorify You and pray as you would have us and worship by responding well to your leading today. Cleanse us. We are purified In Christ. Thank You! May we incarnate Your Son, joy, healing and hope today. Come. be glorified! Amen

December 9 - Opening Earth to Heaven’s Influence

“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will” (Romans 8:26-28).

Search the Scriptures and you will search in vain for any prayer in which Jesus didn’t know what His Father wanted done. There were a few times when He was surprised (e.g., the faith of the Roman centurion compared to the faithlessness of His own people). However, even in those instances, He would wait to understand what God wanted done, and then He would pray in perfect, sinless harmony with God’s purposes. Through that praying, the will would be done on earth, just as in heaven. His role, as the Second Adam (of both earth and heaven, dust and Spirit), was to bridge the two realms, invoking heaven’s presence and power through the mediation of His earthly nature.

Heaven and earth intersected in the man Jesus and opened earth to heaven’s influence. Through being joined to Christ Himself (by virtue of His atoning death and His Spirit residing within) heaven and earth intersect in us too. Our praying also opens earth to heaven’s influence as well. Through our intercessions, we act as a conduit through which the power of the Lord can flow through us to reshape the fallen creation back into something that suits God’s purposes. That is the thrust of Romans 8:18-30. We are to discern what God would have us pray, rather than simply to pray, “God do this, if it be Your will.”

Holy Spirit, I am a weak created being without Your power!  I am never at a loss for expressing my heartfelt needs to God because Your groaning bursts forth on my behalf, aligned with the perfect will of the Father.  You allow heaven and earth to intersect in me…a deep and holy realization!  How I give thanks for the privilege of praying the purposes of God into reality upon earth! 

--Adapted from Power Praying (Hearing Jesus’ Spirit by Praying Jesus’ Prayer) by David Chotka.
 

Prayer Points

  • Praise the God who lays claim to the entire world and all that live in it (Ps. 24:1).
  • Thank him for the food, shelter, and clothing that sustains you and gives comfort to your life.
  • Confess the times when you have failed to acknowledge God’s riches in your life.
  • Commit yourself to examining your acts of stewardship.
  • Ask God to give you a heart of liberality, knowing that all you have comes from him (1 Chron. 29:14).
  • Ask God to show your family new and creative ways to share the abundance of your lives with families who have much less.

Charles Stanley:

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TWFYT:

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ODB:

Be the Church

Let us consider how we may spur one another on . . . not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing. Hebrews 10:24–25

READ Hebrews 10:19–25

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During the Covid-19 pandemic, Dave and Carla spent months looking for a church home. Following health guidelines, which limited various in-person experiences, made it even more difficult. They longed for connection to a body of believers in Jesus. “It’s a hard time to find a church,” Carla emailed me. Within me rose a realization from my own longing to be reunited with my church family. “It’s a hard time to be the church,” I responded. In that season, our church had “pivoted,” offering food in surrounding neighborhoods, creating online services, and phoning every member with support and prayer. My husband and I participated and yet wondered what else we could do to “be the church” in our changed world.

In Hebrews 10:25, the writer exhorts readers not to neglect “meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but [encourage] one another.” Perhaps due to persecution (vv. 32–34) or maybe as a result of simply growing weary (12:3), the struggling early believers needed a nudge to keep being the church.

And today, I need a nudge too. Do you? When circumstances change how we experience church, will we continue to be the church? Let’s creatively encourage one another and build each other up as God guides us. Share our resources. Send a text of support. Gather as we’re able. Pray for one another. Let’s be the church.

By Elisa Morgan

REFLECT & PRAY

How can you be a help to those today who can’t gather in a church building? How does the church fill your need to be a part of a much larger purpose?

Dear God, please show me how to be the church.

Posted by: AT 08:46 am   |  Permalink   |  Email
Saturday, December 09 2023

Good Morning Thankful Pray-ers! Thank God it's Friday is pretty irrelevant for those who are retired, people that work on weekends and those serving the Lord 24-7. However, celebrating Thank God I'm Forgiven daily is a great exercise and helps to keep our focus right, our attitudes joyful, and our lives on track. This season between Thanksgiving and Christmas is usually a blur and a reminder of how quickly time moves along. Instead of getting all bound up in the busyness, stress, and even grief this season can bring, let us commit to stilling ourselves and focusing on God with much thanksgiving and praise. Try it and watch and see how your attitudes, actions and joy level changes. Be still, know and overflow with gratitude. He came so we might live! PTL! Enjoy the life you are living in Christ. Again I say rejoice! Joy to the world flows through joyful worshipers like us! Amen!

According to some Christmas songs and hymns 'tis the season of joy, the season of love, the season to be jolly and merry. We have the opportunity and get to choose joy because of Christ's coming, His finished work on the cross, and the gift of salvation and faith given to us. Rejoice! Choose joy today as you offer many thanksgivings and praises to our Father. We just completed reading through the Gospel of John challenge we began in Sept. PTL right? And we are winding down the Become Me in '23 Challenge where we have been working on words God led us to to help us to grow into the people we were created to be and to become better at fulfilling our created purposes. PTL! I have seen much growth and experienced that myself this year. God has used these challenges the past few years to help us grow in Christ and to teach how to go live and love like Jesus better. PTL and keep at it! What word is God revealing to you to work on next year as we seek to Become More in '24? Great fruit lies ahead as God uses us well and grows us into His greater things!

We are finishing up reading and meditating on John 20 and 21 this week. We've been asking the questions weekly, "What's going on in this passage? What's God saying to me? What is a measurable response I will pursue to what God is saying?" I added the challenge for you to process these things with someone besides what we have been discussing on Sundays. Why this challenge? To help us learn to hear God better and to understand how we can help others hear and grow as disciples of Jesus. We are commissioned to make disciples. How are we doing? "Discipleship is the process of becoming who Jesus would be if He were me." We are challenged to know Christ and make Him known as we work on becoming a dynamic movement of God. Those will continue to be challenges for us at St. Matts for the year and years ahead. What's your part?

The failure of many churches at vitality and growth has been created by the failure to make disciples. Church is not about gathering in a building an hour or two a week and listening to some talking head babble on about his thoughts. Church is about being Christ's body with Him as the head leading us to what's now and what's next in our journey to become disciples that reproduce disciples that reproduce disciples of Jesus. That happens as we adapt to our context and follow Jesus, becoming more like Him and doing the things He is doing. All of that takes prayer and each of us fulfilling our created purposes for such a time as this. What's your part? Talk to God about that and process with some others as you discover some measurable ways to move towards that. God has plans for us. Future fruit is beginning to blossom and bud. PTL! But we need to stay connected to God and following Him to His plans and new things along the way. We need to stay supple and open as we carry out our assignments and we need to keep checking in and evaluating how we are doing and what may need to change or be focused on. We even need to expect and be ready for some pruning along the way. That is being the best stewards of all God has given!

Last night our Support Team had a lengthy meeting as we sought God, worked through and tweaked our budget to follow His provision for us into 2024 and beyond. If the provision dries up, whether that provision is finances, laborers, or God's open door we need to know that, make His plans and adapt. God provides where He guides is a fact and what we need to focus on and adapt to constantly if we are to become a dynamic movement of God. And that is our goal and focus at St. Matts. Who knows what lies ahead? Only God but we get clues along the way as He reveals our next steps. Our leadership team is that vision team for us as well and are committed to meeting quarterly with the finance team next year to assess our progress and seek God's leading for what is now and what's next. We are committed to becoming a dynamic movement of God and flourishing in Christ well into the future or to pour ourselves out and do what we can with what has been given until there is no more and only God. We are learning to rely on Him more fully and follow well as we learn to live sacrificially and love lavishly like Jesus. Thank you for doing your part and choosing joy and to have an open-handed approach to follow Jesus with us. His best lies ahead! Amen!

Everything of value in Gods Kingdom is birthed from prayer and carried out through prayerful, faithful servants that love God and long for His Kingdom to come and will be done. Servants who do what they can with what they got as they follow the Holy Spirit to their created purposes for His glory. And that is our Good News Delivery Co. called St. Matts. Rejoice! Keep seeking, releasing, receiving, birthing and empowering through prayer as you move more fully into your purposes! God has some great stuff for you! Thank God I'm/You're  Forgiven and being used by God! Rejoice!

Prayer Pointer
“It is not possible to explain the power and effectiveness of the New Testament church without reference to prayer.” —Anonymous

Posted by: AT 08:44 am   |  Permalink   |  Email
Saturday, December 09 2023

Good Morning Obedient, All-In, Living and Loving like Jesus Believers! Oh that is us! Pronounce that out loud over you and us today and pray it expectantly with thanksgiving as you offer yourself to God as a living sacrifice, receive His best and go love like Jesus! What joy and satisfaction you can know as you live your life well in Christ! I'm going to let you spend some more time with our Daddy this morning as you engage with Him through our devotionals below. He was really speaking to me this morning! Thanks Lord! What's He saying to you and what will you do about it? Who is helping you on that journey and who are you bringing along?

I just want to let you know that Tue afternoon we celebrated the Bread/Clothing/Pantry volunteers with a nice luncheon and last evening we celebrated a great meal with all our other church volunteers. What joy and fellowship both days. Thank God for these faithful servants and for Him using and growing us. Pray for God to continue to speak to and lead us to His best and more of Jesus in 24. I am so honored to be called to this church full of love, prayer warriors and faithful, love-filled servants! What joy!

Be still, listen, receive, journal and share with some others what you are hearing as you turn off the noise and tune into God now. he loves you and is speaking right to your heart! Shalom!

I end with a great devotional and prayer form Harvest prayer that wraps this all up so well. God loves you and has great plans for you today...choose joy, trust and follow well to His best! Shalom!

Charles Stanley:

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ODB:

Giving like Christ

Offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God. Romans 12:1

READ Romans 12:1–3

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When American author O. Henry wrote his beloved 1905 Christmas story “The Gift of the Magi,” he was struggling to rebound from personal troubles. Still, he penned an inspiring story that highlights a beautiful, Christlike character trait—sacrifice. In the story, an impoverished wife sells her beautiful long hair on Christmas Eve to buy a gold pocket watch chain for her husband. As she learns later, however, her husband had sold his pocket watch to buy a set of combs for her beautiful hair.

Their greatest gift to each other? Sacrifice. From each, the gesture showed great love.

In that way, the story represents the loving gifts the magi (wise men) gave to the Christ child after His holy birth (see Matthew 2:1, 11). More than those gifts, however, the Child Jesus would grow up and one day give His life for the whole world.

In our daily lives, believers in Christ can highlight His great gift by offering to others the sacrifice of our time, treasures, and a temperament that all speak of love. As the apostle Paul wrote, “I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God” (Romans 12:1). There’s no better gift than sacrificing for others through Jesus’ love.

By Patricia Raybon

REFLECT & PRAY

What sacrificial gift have you received from someone that showed Christ’s love? What sacrificial gift can you give to others in return?

In my daily life, dear God, may I show others Jesus by sacrificing my needs for theirs.

SCRIPTURE INSIGHT

In Romans 11, Paul writes to the church at Rome about how the salvation available through Christ is offered to everyone: the faithful remnant of Israel (vv. 1-10) and the ingrafted branches of gentiles (vv. 11-24). And the hardened hearts of Israel will be softened so that all will embrace Jesus as Messiah (vv. 25-32). In the concluding verses (vv. 33-36), the apostle can’t help but burst into celebratory song over the wisdom, grace, and power of God.

Chapter 12 is a continuation of his reasoning. It begins with the word therefore, which is a classic literary signal that what’s coming is the result of what was said previously. Because God offers salvation to so many and because His wisdom is beyond scrutiny, those who’ve chosen Jesus should offer themselves as living sacrifices (v. 1), renew their minds so they’re not conformed to this world (v. 2), and be humble (v. 3).

JR Hudberg

UR: Something New

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus. - Ephesians 3:20-21 (NIV)

My spouse and I have two amazing children. As they grew older and more independent, I was thrilled by my increasing freedom. But when I realized they no longer needed my assistance as much, I felt a little depressed. I worried my life would continue without anything new. Then the Lord encouraged me to volunteer in my community. Since then, I have volunteered as a Bible study leader, tutor, mentor, and served in other roles. I’ve learned a lot, met many people, and experienced many new things.

Some stages of life can cause us to fall into monotonous cycles. The lack of variety in our lives might cause us to lose hope and become depressed. Yet we must always remember God has more for us. God knows us far better than we even know ourselves. When we feel stuck in our routine, we can ask our loving Father to show us something new. It might be a fresh way of thinking, a new way to live, or another unexpected change for the better. Every day is a gift the Lord has made for us to rejoice in. God has new mercies for us today, tomorrow, and far into the future.

TODAY'S PRAYER

Almighty God, forgive us for letting fear hold us back. Help us to accept the new experiences you offer us with joy and courage. In Christ’s name we pray. Amen.TWFYT:

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Harvest Prayer

December 7 - Come as a Devoted Child

God the Father wants to hear from us in prayer. I believe He wants us to stretch our hands to Him in humble submission to His authority, rule, reign, and loving kindness. He wants to commune with us as a daddy communes with his devoted child. He wants us to surrender ourselves to His godly judgment and will for our lives. God wants to bless us so that we can be a blessing to others. When we pray, let us pray to “our Father who is in heaven; holy is His name, and may His kingdom come.” When we pray to God the Father may we be transcended beyond the reality and connotations of our earthly father to an intimate, eternal relationship with the perfect true and benevolent, almighty God.

Benevolent, Almighty God, Your child is crying out to You!  I am longing to have faith to surrender my whole self into Your hands without holding anything back.  I’m not sure why I will trust You with some areas of my life and not with others, but I know that You are patiently loving me towards full surrender.  Thank You, Father, for You are True, Right and Perfect.  Holy is Your Name alone! 

--Taken from Giving Ourselves to Prayer: An Acts 6:4 Primer for Ministry (Chapter 4, God the Father and Prayer by Patricia A. Outlaw). This resource is available at prayershop.org. Use the code CONPSP3 at checkout to receive an additional 10% discount on the book.
 

Prayer Points

  • Praise God even in your weakness, believing that in Christ, when you are weak, then you are strong (2 Cor. 12:10).
  • Thank God for opportunities to serve him with perseverance and purpose.
  • Confess those times when you chose to believe that spiritual power comes from within you.
  • Commit yourself to appropriate “boasting” in your weaknesses so that Christ’s power might be made even more evident in your life (12:9).
  • Ask God to help you “delight” even in the tough times of life.
  • Pray that Christians in every part of the globe will be strengthened to do battle with the evil spiritual forces that are at work in our world. Pray for an outpouring of God’s power throughout his church worldwide.
Prayer Points taken from Patterns for Prayer by Alvin VanderGriend.
Posted by: AT 08:43 am   |  Permalink   |  Email
Saturday, December 09 2023

Good Morning Focused Friends of God! Try it! You'll like it! Turn off the noise and tune in to what your Friend has to share with you today! I worshiped God this morning by honoring His healthy rhythm of working from rest. I slept in until 7 this morning after a rough night. I have been awakening between 2-3 the last few weeks. God knows I have a crazy busy and long day today and needed some rest. I didn't get to spend as much time with Him as usual but it was quality time and I know He will be my Lord today and lead me to where I need to be, what to say and what to do. God is good at that! So, I won't be babbling on here sharing all i heard today even though in my brief hour of quiet time I heard plenty. Thanks Lord! I will let you discover for yourself the joy if sitting and listening and understanding.

Here is the Charles Stanley devo today as he verifies what I've been reminding you for a long time now--turn off the noise and tune in to God! ODB and UR follow. Have a blessed day! Come have some donuts with us this morning! And worship God well as you are by following His lead. Let every heart prepare Him room! May we learn to live sacrificially and love lavishly like Jesus and receive our daily marching porders from our Master! Amen! God loves you and has great plans for you today! What's He saying to you? What will you do about it!

I have seen God at work in and through many of you the past few days as you listen, receive, follow and allow God to use you! How awesome it is to be part of this Body of Christ! Keep living, loving and worshiping well! Shalom!

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UR: Prepare Him Room

To us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. - Isaiah 9:6 (NIV)

In October 1975 I had a near-fatal car accident and suffered a dislocated hip, a wounded knee, broken ribs, and facial lacerations. After multiple surgeries and two weeks in the hospital, I was released to recuperate.

When Advent arrived, m

emories of past Christmases engulfed me: gift-giving, letter-writing, baking, candy-making, pageants, parties, cantatas, caroling, and special worship services. I lay in bed with a tear-stained face and cried out, “Dear God, how will I ever get ready for Christmas?” Then familiar words sprang into my mind, “Let every heart prepare him room.”* I realized that the only preparation I truly needed was to prepare my heart to receive Christ anew.

And what blessings I received! My children were close by and helpful. I embraced the help of my sisters in Christ who worked around my home. I discovered ways to minister while I recuperated at home. When I was able to get around on crutches, I attended three events that made my Christmas season feel complete. Let us truly hear and respond to the call to prepare room for Christ in our hearts.

*Isaac Watts, “Joy to the World,” 1719.

TODAY'S PRAYER

All thanks and praise to you, Holy One, for the precious gift of Jesus Christ. Open our hearts to accept Christ anew and serve him joyfully. Amen.ODB

Saint Nick

“The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”). Matthew 1:23

READ Matthew 1:18–25

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The person we know as Saint Nicholas (Saint Nick) was born around ad 270 to a wealthy Grecian family. Tragically, his parents died when he was a boy, and he lived with his uncle who loved him and taught him to follow God. When Nicholas was a young man, legend says that he heard of three sisters who didn’t have a dowry for marriage and would soon be destitute. Wanting to follow Jesus’ teaching about giving to those in need, he took his inheritance and gave each sister a bag of gold coins. Over the years, Nicholas gave the rest of his money away feeding the poor and caring for others. In the following centuries, Nicholas was honored for his lavish generosity, and he inspired the character we know as Santa Claus.

While the glitz and advertising of the season may threaten our celebrations, the gift-giving tradition connects to Nicholas. And his generosity was based on his devotion to Jesus. Nicholas knew that Christ enacted unimagined generosity, bringing the most profound gift: God. Jesus is “God with us” (Matthew 1:23). And He brought us the gift of life. In a world of death, He “save[s] his people from their sins” (v. 21).

When we believe in Jesus, sacrificial generosity unfolds. We tend to others’ needs, and we joyfully provide for them as God provides for us. This is Saint Nick’s story; but far more, this is God’s story.

By Winn Collier

REFLECT & PRAY

What’s your experience with gift-giving—is it forced or free and joyful? How does Jesus’ life change your notions of generosity?

Dear God, I want to be generous, but I don’t always feel it. Please help me to practice true generosity.

SCRIPTURE INSIGHT

The biblical record includes very little about Joseph, Jesus’ earthly father. He’s mainly mentioned in narrative accounts of Christ’s birth. What we do see of Joseph, however, validates God’s wisdom in choosing him for his unique role. He was a man of the Scriptures and a man of grace: “Joseph . . . was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose [Mary] to public disgrace” (Matthew 1:19). He was a law-abiding citizen who made the trek to Bethlehem to register for the census with his pregnant wife (Luke 2:1-5). Finally, not only did he adhere to the laws of God, his heart and ears were open to His leading concerning taking Mary as his wife (Matthew 1:24) and protecting and settling his family (2:13-15, 19-23).

Arthur Jackson
Posted by: AT 08:42 am   |  Permalink   |  Email
Saturday, December 09 2023

(Sarah update below and Nov financial statement)

Good Morning Bold and Courageous Followers of Jesus! AMEN! Our devotionals tie to this today talking about the faith of Abraham and Joshua, both called to follow God in faith into the unknown. Walking by faith and not by sight seems to be a theme this week! Step by step our mustard seed size faith keeps growing as we follow Jesus step by step. We have a promised land we are heading toward and we are building treasure in heaven as we trust, obey and follow well. PTL! Be bold and courageous my friends!

We finish up our reading of the Gospel of John this week (20 and 21). Where are you seeing faith discussed and grown in these readings? How about Doubting Thomas? Is that you sometimes? How about Peter being restored. Imagine what that did for His faith journey! We see that reflected in Acts as he became a bold and courageous apostle on mission with God. Isn't that our life story? We were one way and now another and growing in faith and being used by God, just as we are. Then growing into the greater things He has for us. PTL! That is our mission in life and God is using you and us! This week we have the opportunity to bless and thank our servants. Today Bread, clothing and pantry workers and tomorrow all our other volunteers and servants. Thank God for all the workers and how He is using them to touch, bless and draw some of our neighbors. Pray for His continued provision and for our growing faith to seek, trust and follow Him well into the unknown like Abraham and Joshua. He does have great plans for us and good fruit is budding! PTL! (I am told we have had 8 different people from the Bread Ministry try us out. Several want to join. PTL! Who are you inviting to join us and bringing along? Pray for us to find some new connection points in '24 where we can serve neighbors and connect them to God. Thank Him for what He is already doing and what He plans to do as we follow in faith!)

See our devos below. Sit at God's feet for a spell. Listen, receive, reload, and go live and love like Jesus today! He does have something special for you and for someone you will encounter! Share that Good News as you live it! And ask God to unite you with a couple of close friends to process and grow with. As we will be seeking God for More in '24, part of getting to that "more" will require us processing, praying, and helping each other in small groups or huddles. Ask God to raise them up and to send you to some to join with.

Today at 10-11 on Zoom is our last huddle until Jan. All are welcome. This huddle has actually become a church plant of sorts as we have attendees from FL, Myerstown and our area that are unable to attend but have become a big part of our church. Pray for how God may want to grow this new church in the new year. Thanks! Groups like this may become a growing ministry for us. 

God is on the move! He's calling you to trust and step out in faith to follow Him to unknown blessings and opportunities today and always. Seek, listen, receive, trust and obey--for there really is no other way! have a blessed day of being a blessing! And may you be filled with the joy of the Lord each step of faith along the way! Shalom!

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Nov finances: As you can see we are running at above a $25,000. deficit for the year. Please consider your year end giving to bolster our general fund. All our other funds are good right now and we will let you know if there is a need. Yes we walk by faith and God will keep providing as we trust, obey and follow Him in faith. Maybe God is calling you to tithe? Even if not, He loves a joyful giver as we give back from what we've been blessed with! All we have is a gift from God!

St Matthew’s Financial Update

 

November

2023

Monthly

Revenue

Monthly

Expenses

YTD

Revenue

YTD

Expenses

General Fund   

$9,097

$12,193

$138,054

$166,326

 

The figures for the “General Fund” include all revenue and all expenses for the month.  This includes all revenue from offerings, rent, and other income.  The expenses reported above are actual expenses for the month.  The totals reported for Missions and the Rebuilding Fund are also included in the “General Fund” figures.

Missions 

$611

$1,030

$10,079

$14,330

Rebuilding Fund

$70

$0

$4,197

$8,224

Sarah Prayer Update:

Good evening, church family,

Here we are on the eve of the first day of the week. Hope your  Monday has been going well.

Just a few reminders of those that need our prayer support and encouragement:

Friend of Lisa Wenner's - Andy's husband, Jack is in his 70's and is suffering from dizziness, and a nasty sinus infection.  Prayers for healing.

Extended family member of Barb Schware's - Jackie is going through some marital problems - divorce 

She has an 8 yr old daughter and things have the potential to become messy. Prayers for Jackie, her daughter and family that is there to support her.

Ron Boyer - 41 year old - having testing done at Hershey Medical Center, testing currently for a heart transplant. Pray for a donor and his medical team.

Harry Waterman will be having a catherization procedure on Tuesday. Prays that it goes well and in the very near future he will have a valve replacement.  Praying for God's peace and comfort to surround him.

Caleb, His mom, Dani and grandmother Kathy Canfield, have all been dealing with a horrible cold since

Thanksgiving. Please pray for baby Caleb to be able to fight off this cold and for Dani and Kathy to feel themselves soon so are able to keep up with helping Caleb......He is our miracle baby.  

UPDATE as of TODAY: Caleb was to the doctor today and his lungs sound good, but his ear is beginning to start with an infection. He is on an antibiotic. Dani is also on medication to help with healing.  Kathy is asking for prayer to get this sickness out of their home!  

Ruth - the friend of Josie's that we were praying for housing for recently passed away. She had strong faith in

God so she has finally moved into her forever home!

Praises that were shared....let's continue to praise God for what He is doing:

Darlene Geiger has been ill recently and she is praising our Awesome God for healing and recovery.

Harry Waterman is praising the Lord for healing on his shoulder. It's feeling better and the pain has

diminished.

Sally Williams is thanking God for her mom and the energy she has. She is 103 years old and went out to eat

with the 'gang' where she lives.

Pastor Don and Karen's daughter, Lauren, has been able to find housing that is closer to her place of employment. She will be transitioning in January.  Please keep Lauren's parents in your prayers as they make this transition with her.

Praising God for providing a vehicle for Pastor Don

Yay God - our church family is able to support the ministry of Everlasting Life. And for this Christmas holiday, we have collected $400 to send to them to help with the Christmas dinner. Please pray for the take out dinner in your prayers: the volunteers, those that will be coming to receive a meal. They expect to pass our over 400 cooked meals.

Outreach opportunities:

The Kindness Project - we are continuing to collect items for the project. The Kindness Project helps Foster families settle in children that may come to their homes without any supplies/clothing.

  Items that have been suggested to collect are:   Twin bed sheet sets, New games for kids, Hygiene items, Gift cards for local stores.  

Thank you to all of you who have already brought items in for this project and have placed them on the back table.

Food Pantry - over the past several weeks we have been able to assist several families who were in need of food.  So our pantry supplies is growing thin. If you are able to assist with helping with this need, and can purchase a few cans of non-perishable food items to help with the pantry, please place them in the tote at the back of the sanctuary.  

Wednesday, December 5th - in our Fellowship Hall, 10:00 - 12:00pm - it's time for Coffee, Donuts, and conversation!   Why not plan to join.....it's a great opportunity to chat with some that just want to chat with

someone.  This time is a great time for us to share Jesus Love to those He brings into the Fellowship Hall.

I believe I have covered everything....

Let me just remind you that as we are in the Advent season, we, as His children are waiting with anticipation of Christ's return at the Second coming. As we celebrate the birth of our Saviour, we are honoring the sacrifice He made for us. As we gather around the manger, that is only part of our Advent season, We also need to 

journey to the foot of the cross.  May we all be intentional this year to take time during Advent to prepare our hearts. Remember that God laid aside His glory to become human because of His great love for you, and He WILL return one day to restore glory to His people.

Have a great rest of your week......keep an eye out for opportunities to share Jesus with others.

 Blessings,

    Sarah

UR: Stepping Out In Faith

Abram trusted the Lord, and the Lord recognized Abram’s high moral character. - Genesis 15:6 (CEB)

Abram was a man in a seemingly impossible situation. He had been commissioned by God to leave his father’s house and journey to an unknown destination. The commission came with a promise: God would bless him and his descendants immensely.

As wonderful as this promise was, it must have seemed just as impossible as the commission. Abram was advanced in years and his wife was barren. But despite the odds, Abram decided to believe the Lord. Abram took a leap of faith, trusting the word of an unseen God who made a never-ending covenant with him.

This is the kind of faith that pleases God. Faith requires that we do what God calls us to do, trusting that God knows our abilities better than we do. And God will back us with power and resources we otherwise wouldn’t have so that we can step out in faith to obey God’s call.

TODAY'S PRAYER

Faithful God, thank you for calling us to follow and serve you. Help us to rely on you as we step out in faith. Amen.ODB:

God’s Comforting Commitment

The Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9

READ Joshua 1:1–9

audio playLISTEN ONLINE

Years ago, our family visited Four Corners, the only place in the United States where four states meet at one location. My husband stood in the section marked Arizona. Our oldest son, A.J., hopped into Utah. Our youngest son, Xavier, held my hand as we stepped into Colorado. When I scooted into New Mexico, Xavier said, “Mom, I can’t believe you left me in Colorado!” We were together and apart as our laughter was heard in four different states. Now that our grown sons have left home, I have a deeper appreciation of God’s promise to be near all His people wherever they go.

After Moses died, God called Joshua into leadership and guaranteed His presence as He expanded the Israelite’s territory (Joshua 1:1–4). God said, “As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you” (v. 5). Knowing that Joshua would struggle with doubt and fear as the new leader of His people, God built a foundation of hope on these words: “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go” (v. 9).

No matter where God leads us or our loved ones, even through difficult times, His most comforting commitment assures us that He’s always present.

By Xochitl Dixon

REFLECT & PRAY

How has God recently comforted you with His constant presence? How does His commitment to be present help when you’re far from loved ones?

Ever-present God, thank You for comforting me with the promise of Your constant presence.

SCRIPTURE INSIGHT

Joshua, a leader from the tribe of Ephraim, was one of the twelve spies Moses sent to survey the land of Canaan. Moses changed his name from Hoshea, meaning “salvation,” to Joshua, meaning “Jehovah is salvation” (Numbers 13:8, 16). He’d been Moses’ aide since his youth (Exodus 24:13; 33:11; Numbers 11:28; Joshua 1:1). God commended Joshua as one who followed Him wholeheartedly. And Joshua and Caleb were the only two persons who were twenty years old or more when they left Egypt who were permitted to enter the promised land (Numbers 32:11-12). Even Moses wasn’t allowed to enter (Deuteronomy 3:23-29).

K. T. Sim

Charles Stanley:

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TWFYT:

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St. Matthew's EC Church

5th & Ridge Streets
P.O. Box 433
Emmaus, PA 18049
Telephone 610.965.5570
Email: stmattsecemmaus@gmail.com

ABOUT US

We are learning to live and love like Jesus. 

We are working on becoming who we were created to be and doing our custom made purposes well. 

We are part of the Evangelical Congregational Church http://www.eccenter.com/

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