Aug./Sept. 2024  St. Matthew’s Prayer Guide

Pray for St. Matt’s to become a house of Prayer for the Nations and for many to embrace their power and purpose in praying

Pray that we become a dynamic movement of God led by pastors and laity who have a burning passion for God and a missionary zeal to reach those who don’t yet know Christ

Pray we become a disciple making hub for the area.

Pray for small groups to be started in the building, homes, and businesses around the area. Pray for leaders for them.

Pray we find new connection points to our neighbors and start growing friendships. Pray we bring joy and love alive.

Pray for harvest workers to be raised up from the harvest that is coming. Thank God for the harvest. Pray for twelve new members by Christmas and that we connect them to God.

Thank God for His provision and protection. Pray we continue to sow lavishly while being the best stewards of all His blessings.

Pray for our Bread and Clothing ministries to connect to neighbors and meet needs. Thank God for the volunteers.

Pray we would grow in our relationship with Christ and for ideas to and people called that want to make Him known.

Pray for our Wed. night ministries and our Sun. 2 Peas in a Pod Brunches to flourish and connect people to God.

See the St. Matts prayer guide for the month attached below (Will have handouts of this tomorrow at worship) and begin praying for these regularly and earnestly. Start with the Harvest prayer excerpt asking Jesus to teach you/ us to pray. We are moving toward Jesus' desire for us to become a house of prayer for the nations. PTL!

Worship tomorrow at 10 am live and on Zoom. We will be studying the end of Eph. 4 and the beginning of Eph. 5. Prepare you hearts for worship in Spirit and Truth!

Good Morning Redeemed Children of the Good Good Father! God is good all the time! We need to often remind ourselves of that as we experience and endure through some very hard things He allows. God is always good! Amen! He has redeemed us and continues to redeem us through circumstances and life. We are His--ALWAYS! He loves us--ALWAYS. He is good--ALWAYS! Amen! Be still and listen for His still small voice whispering love over you right now. Relax in His healing, holy, sustaining, redeeming, loving presence. Redirect your thoughts to Him. Focus on God and the truth that He is always love and always good and always with you. Breathe out all the junk. Hand it all to Him. Breathe in a fresh breath of the Spirit. receive His comforting, loving, helping presence. And just dwell there for a time. Be still and know! You ARE His. He's calling you by name. He has redeemed you and is restoring all the enemy has stolen. Amen!

Jesus is all we can muster in prayer sometimes. That's the perfect place to start. Come! Jesus! Be still and worship with this song. Taking Back What the Enemy Stole: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tW6j_oKLYuU

I Speak Jesus: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBIz8vDMG20

I know many of you are moving through some very hard times right now. You have many questions of God. We may never know the answers to why or how this side of heave, BUT we do know the God who loves us, calls us by name and has allowed whatever for His good purposes. We have to refocus on Him and move towards that place of love and joy again. It is a journey. Pray for God's promised comfort, strength, peace and help. Redirect your thinking and renew you mind as you still yourself in His love. Be still and know the God who has said, "My grace is sufficient for you." Find some friends to sit with you too. Friends reach out to a hurting, struggling friend right now, pray for them and for wisdom how to just sit in God's loving presence with them. Refocus, Receive, Refresh, Rejoice, Remain in God who is always good and with you. Amen! 

Come Jesus Come: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdhDtTOfG9o

Check out the thread through our devotionals today that led me to hear God wanting to pronounce these things over you/us. He is speaking right to your heart this morning in love and with much grace. He is working ALL thing together for good. He is Love and He is always good. He is there when we are weak and at the end of ourselves. Come Jesus. Be still and know. We have often prayed for His Kingdom to come and will to be done. Sometimes for that to happen we need to endure and persevere in faith. Praise in the storms and He will inhabit your praise. Stand firm in His love and your love and trust of Him. God is with you! Be with Him. Dwell in His love. And reach out to some friends to walk with through whatever you are facing. Be available too! Come Jesus come! You are always good and always with me. You are love! Come! Amen!

Always: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhMOQ2Vk-4Q

Harvest excerpt:

God has made a way for us to be in a right relationship with him. He desires for us to walk and talk with him. From cover to cover in the Bible we see men and women who realized that God is there, he cares, and he listens and responds to prayer. 

As Jesus’ disciples prayed, so may you and I ask of him, even right now, “Lord, teach us to pray” (Luke 11:1).

Lord Jesus, there is so much I will never know about prayer this side of heaven, but I long to grasp whatever You will teach me in this life! Show me how to align myself with Your will as You guide me towards Your heart. I want to pray what You desire me to pray, and intercede on behalf of the people, situations and nations that You place in my path and in my heart. Lord, teach me to pray!

--Adapted from Walking and Talking with God: A Simple Way to Pray Every Day by Dean Ridings. 

Charles Stanley:

Upper Room: The Old Barn

The Lord says, “Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God; I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will uphold you with my victorious right hand.” - Isaiah 41:10 (NRSVUE)

It was a crisp, cool morning in early November. Under the newly fallen autumn leaves, a hint of frost covered the ground. As I sipped a steaming cup of hot chocolate, I had an urge to go on a drive through the countryside.

As I drove along narrow and unpaved back roads, I spied the remnants of a dilapidated barn, surrounded by dying weeds and naked trees. Its shingles were missing, its once-bright red paint had transitioned to a deep-dark reddish-brown; what looked like a formerly functional tractor was now tarnished with rust and was leaning to one side.

The longer I stared at the barn, the more I began to think about the words of the prophet Isaiah, who brought God’s assurance to the people of Israel: “I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will uphold you with my victorious right hand.”

Sometimes we can find ourselves like that old barn: leaning to one side, abandoned. But if God can save Israel from devastation and defeat, then God can certainly redeem us today. When our spirits are sagging, God’s presence and power help us to stand firm once again.

Today's Prayer

Dear God, thank you for supporting, strengthening, and helping us in our times of weakness. May we always remember to call on you when we start to lean too far. Amen.Our Daily Bread:

Today from 12 noon we will gather beside the Fellowship Hall and on Zoom to join in our bishop called day of fasting and prayer to become a dynamic movement of God. Join us as we empty yourselves and cry out in prayer with us. Check out the harvest blog about prayer being our foundation. God has called us to become a House of Prayer for the Nations and His dynamic movement of revival.

Darlene Geiger has asked for prayer for her heart surgery this morning. Pray for success, shalom and wisdom for staff.

Pray for connections to continue to grow and God's presence and salvation to fall during our bread ministry this morning.

Pray for our Vision team meeting tomorrow evening for God to come and lead and His will to be done.

Good Morning Transformed, Growing, Praying, Teammates! God is transforming us from one way to another to another as He grows us in response to our prayers. Praying is our foundation for anything of God to come alive and flourish. Jesus is our cornerstone that we build upon and He is the capstone or keystone that completes and ties us all together. He's the alpha and omega--beginning and end and really everything in between. Amen! He has gathered us as His disciple and apostles and worshipers. We gather to worship, learn and prepare to go make disciples and change the world. He has custom made plans as part of that He created you for. Worship, thanksgiving, praise, prayer, growing relationships, and love flow as we meditate on who He is, our true, empowered identity in Christ and His awesome plans for us! God is on the move! Let us continue to seek and follow more in '24 and more earnestly. Amen!

Praying to be more earnest has led me to some amazing places in the Lord and with this hunger and thirst for more as He pours His Spirit out on me and leads this open and willing heart to more--much more in '24 and for beyond. COME! Have Your way with me! Move me to earnestly follow You! Thank You Amen! Pray that with me with and ask for an open and willing heart and learn to experience the deep love and moving of God to his best! He has much more for us as we earnestly seek to become His dynamic movement and determine to allow Him to lead and send us. Join me! Talk to me about what He is stirring in you. Let us seek and discern together and work on His plans for you and us.

I cannot even fully explain what I have been experiencing as I have been allowing Him to transform, refine and lead me to His next things. I do know, and Karen can confirm, that I was one way and God is in the process of transforming and leading me to a new way and His plans for me and us. I cannot help but just wanting to spend time with Him more, dwell deeper in His presence, and prepare for what's next for me and us. COME! The past two days I physically beat my body as I spent Monday weeding and trimming bushes for over six hours in this heat at the church. Then yesterday I had to repair a wall from leaking and mow at home before the coming flooding rains, again in this heat and humidity. I poured myself out and was exhausted and hurting. I could hardly wait to get to bed to allow my body to recover both nights. BUT GOD!  He got me up at 1:30 the last two mornings. Let me tell you, my body has not fully healed but I am compelled to get up and just abide in Him. He is lovingly faithful to speak to my heart, inform my thinking and prayers and prepare me for the day(s) ahead. And man is He speaking! I find myself using three other books and resources each morning besides our devotionals. It is now three and a half hours since I sat down at my desk and began to commune with God in worship, prayer, praise and study. I am so blessed and refreshed! Now I had a very hard time standing up, but I'm back at it working on this blog, preparing for my zoom pastors huddle at 6 and to head to church for bread and prayer day. God is so good and kind! I am refreshed, filled with His presence and being readied for the day ahead as His loved servant sent to love, lead, teach and pray like Jesus! How cool is that! Who'da thunk earnestness would be so awesome! His love is refining and amazing! He has awesome plans that come alive as we abide in His presence. Now the prayer is that I could articulate well what He is saying and wanting me to share to help, inspire and teach. I guess I'm fasting some sleep the past few days, yet being renewed and refreshed and carried through by His love and sufficient grace. He has been invited to be the Lord of me, my schedule and my day and He said sure! Today, He has been revealing what to share here, what to pray into existence and release in power, some things for our fast and prayer today and somethings to share with our Vision Team tomorrow, along with some sermon thoughts for Sunday. Funny how they all have a thread through them as God continues to speak to and lead me.

Now I know this may get long, but God wants me to share some things about our devotionals for today that actually still tie to the past few days from our Ephesians 4 study and questions about how to forgive, get rid of anger and hate and obey God's commands to love like Jesus. What's He been saying to you and who are you processing with? Be still. Abide. Listen. Process. Plan and follow. Those are the steps to an earnest, fruitful life in Christ. Meditate on Eph. 4 and 5 as we will discuss these Sunday. I had plans to just breeze through the chapters, but God may be wanting us to dwell here a bit. We'll see as we follow His Spirit together. Funny God thing: I've been compelled to open a book my friend wrote about disciple making and church planting again. I had put it down a few years ago after barely starting it. God's timing is amazing as I started into it again more earnestly! God blessed me to see Him writing about many of the things I have been hearing from God and experiencing lately. Yesterday's reading lead to his explaining a lot about Eph. 4 and calling us to read, reread, and memorize Ephesians. I've been seeing how Paul's teaching about the APEST gifts of Eph. 4 changed his thinking and how he is now applying that to his church plants. Pretty cool! Thanks Lord for teaching and affirming! God has been taking me much deeper into this study and expect to see some of that Sunday as we finish Eph. 4 and begin Eph. 5.

Now for our devos for today. God is still speaking to our hearts and answering some questions about how to overcome anger, hate and unforgiveness. Did you see that when you talked to Him through your time with them? Our Daily Bread reminds us that His is a voice we can trust. Turn off the noise and chaos. Still your self die to your own understanding and ways and listen and receive. He is speaking love, maybe correction, and direction to and over you. The Upper Room reminds us He wants to help us to change our hearts and minds as He purifies in and with love. TWFYT is still about marriage and can me applied to our marriage to Christ. What a joy and blessing that is! But great marriages always take work, prayer and God at the center. I love the reminder that we have to work on and learn the "art of openness and allow yourself to be vulnerable [die to self], transparent, and ready to trust..." That is true worship and faith come alive in Christ! Amen! Charles Stanley is reminding us of the transforming love of God that wants to lead our surrendered souls to His best as He works on conforming us to His image and our acceptance of our true identity in Christ. He works from the inside out. Do our lives reflect His transforming love at work inside of us? We are a work in process, and hopefully, progress. Are we allowing Him to lead us to His best as we shed the old and step more fully into our new nature? Come Lord! have all of me! Change me! Mold me! refine and purify and lead me to Your best! Come! Amen!

That's enough for today to absorb. Dwell in His presence and allow Him to speak to and transform your heart and direct your steps. The rest of what I studied ties to more teaching about how to forgive and move away from anger, hate and fist shaking at God for us to discuss on Sunday. Be still and know! God is speaking love over you right now. Listen. Hear. Receive. Process. And follow well today my friends. I'd love to hear and I know Sarah would to, to hear what God is revealing to you right now. Write it down and pray through it and share it. What's your story of being in the process of being transformed from one way to another, from one glory to another? Someone needs to hear that story and experience God's delivering, healing, encouraging love through you! Please commit to doing that as you sit at Jesus' feet and then put on His easy yoke and walk with Him to the harvest field of today. Amen! COME! Shalom shalom!

Harvest prayer:

August 7 - Prayer Is Your Foundation If someone gave you money to build a home, you would develop your plans with an architect. But you might discover that the money they provided was not enough. Back to the architect you’d go. You would downsize one room or another, maybe even deciding that some rooms would be nice, but unnecessary. But there is one part of the construction you could not eliminate: the foundation. Even though unseen, everything depends on a solid foundation.   Most churches have multiple components. There is the worship ministry, the preaching ministry, the children and student ministry, the missions ministry. Off to the side—peripheral at best—is the prayer ministry. It is small and even non-existent in most churches and a sign of our urgent need for revival. It illustrates a foundational conviction we must embrace: Prayer is not a side-room … it is the foundation!   Study the Scripture and see if this is not so. Read the 650 passages on prayer in your 1,000 page Bible and determine where prayer should fit in your life and your church. Pick up any biography of a great Christian leader and you will instantly see that prayer was never peripheral. They lived and moved in unceasing prayer and it was the primary secret of their power with God and man.    Father, You created us for Yourself and designed prayer as the way You accomplish Your purposes on earth as it is in heaven! It is a mystery to me that through imperfect flesh, You accomplish Your perfect will, but I believe it because Your word says it is true over and over again! Prayer must always be my foundation, and the foundation of my family! Lord God Almighty, I also ask You to open my eyes and the eyes of the leaders in my church to see that prayer is NOT a side-issue, but the firm foundation upon which everything else is built.  ---Adapted from Simply Prayer by Bill Elliff. This book is available at prayershop.org. Prayer Points Read Ps. 40:1-3 and praise your Redeemer and Savior. Thank God for lifting you up out of the mud and mire of sin. Confess those times you’ve desired to return to the slimy pit of sin. Commit yourself to living in such a way that others may “see . . . and put their trust in the LORD.” Ask God to enable you to stand firm on the Rock of Jesus Christ. Pray that Jesus the Rock will be the foundation and cornerstone of your family. Ask especially that teens you know will find a firm place to stand in Christ. Prayer Points taken from Patterns for Prayer by Alvin VanderGriend. This book is available at prayershop.org. Use the code CONPSP3 at checkout to receive an additional 10% discount. Connection (Devotions for Everyday Life) © 2024 is a free devotional published daily by Harvest Prayer Ministries. Subscribe here.

ODB:

UR: A Change of heart

The mouth speaks what the heart is full of. - Matthew 12:34 (NIV)

One Saturday, I invited some friends over for breakfast. The smell of coffee and bacon filled the air as we gathered together.

The conversation eventually turned to our jobs. As I shared my frustrations about the setbacks I had experienced over the past year, I startled myself with the vitriol in my words. But I quickly reassured myself, I’m just having a bad day.

Later, as I began gathering the dishes from the table, words from Matthew came to mind: “The mouth speaks what the heart is full of.”

Maybe my angry words were more of a reflection of the current condition of my heart than I wanted to admit. I began to see how the frustrations and setbacks at work had led to unchecked anger and hard-heartedness. My spiteful words revealed not just a bad day but a heart that needed the attention and redemption of Christ.

It’s easy to pass off careless words as a “bad day.” But if we carefully examine our words to see what they reveal about our hearts, we can then humbly ask Jesus for truth, healing, and transformation in our areas of weakness.

Today may we invite the Savior into those places of our hearts that need his truth, then allow him to soften and redeem both our words and our hearts.

Today's Prayer

Dear Lord, fill our hearts with your love and truth so that all the words we say will bear good fruit and bring glory to your name. Amen.

TWFYT:

CS:

Good Morning Praying Friends of God! Have you ever contemplated deeply just what it means that Jesus called you "friend"? Think about all the facets of being His friend today. That should lead to all kinds of praise on this gloomy day. Growing in friendship with Jesus blossoms as we pray and spend time in His presence. His loving friendship overflows from us and draws others to becoming His friend. He was called a friend of sinners. PTL! Right? Think about some other friends of Jesus that you know and how He may be leading you into a deeper friendship and ministry together. I think we can all say that we have been mad at a friend at least once in life. How do you mend those friendships? Humble yourself, confess, repent and work at restoring that relationship--just love on them and receive their love. That works the same way with our friendship with Jesus too. Think about all the lonely, friendless people around you. How might Jesus be leading you to befriend someone and share His friendship with them. Investing in friendships is crucial today. And investing in our friendship with Jesus is vital for our health. So, what is your Friend leading you to do today about any of this? Will you listen and try it, trust and follow His advice? He is a true Friend with your best interests at heart. Rejoice and love on Him some this morning! It's a great day to fellowship with our Friend and some of His friends and maybe even to lead someone to friendship with Him. Amen! Who's your Buddy?

Our devotionals for today speak into growing our relationship with Jesus and the importance of some good practices for growing as His friend. The Word for You Today speaks about our daily bread and nourishing our souls and minds as we sit at Jesus' feet and prayerfully open His Living Word. He is the Bread of Life! Feast on Him and His Living Word everyday. Hunger and thirst after that friendship as you study and pray. The rest of our devos discuss praying and it's vital importance. Check out Charles Stanley's reminder of just how important prayer is. I believe Jesus is calling us to work on His wish that His Church would become a House of Prayer for the Nations. How is your Friend inviting you into your part in that? Our Daily Bread reminds us about confessing and repenting as we pray and spend time at Jesus' feet and with others. God is calling us to start some small accountability groups and this speaks into that as we pray for each other and seek to grow in Christ and love like Him more. The Upper Room reminds us to be in a constant state of prayer and how our prayers can change things and even bring healing and help. Prayers and a growing prayer time with our Friend, Jesus, changes us too! Amen! Harvest Prayer reminds us the power of prayer over Satan and enemy attacks and shares some great prayers to engage with and remember for those dark times. Satan be gone! Come Holy Spirit! Fill us with Light and Love. Jesus bring Your wisdom alive and lead us today as we spend time with You in Your Word and in prayer and praise. Come. Father, thank You for hearing and answering our prayers! Lord prepare us, send us and grow us in You. Use us for Your glory. Grow our friendship with you and lead us to others to befriend and love on like Jesus. Thanks! Amen!

TWFYT:

CS:

ODB:

UR: Continued Prayer

By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has completely healed him, as you can all see. - Acts 3:16 (NIV)

On June 4th, 2018, my blood pressure increased, and my body began feeling weak. I informed my son and my nephew, who is a hospital nurse. They immediately admitted me to the hospital, where I was placed in the cardiovascular intensive care unit and then underwent surgery. When I opened my eyes, my family members, pastors, and friends were around my bed.

The prayer and mission committee started praying for me. And because of a pastors conference in the city, many pastors and leaders also visited and prayed for me. I also prayed, but I felt that it was time for me to end my work in children’s ministry. However, our great and kind God heard our prayers, and I recovered. To my surprise, dozens of churches invited me to help with vacation Bible school ministries and to speak during Passion Week meetings.

In today’s Bible reading, we see the faith of the friends of a paralyzed man. In much the same way, I believe the prayers of churches, friends, and relatives brought me healing. God’s grace, my wife’s care, and much prayer also provided encouragement to me. For Jesus Christ, nothing is impossible.

Today's Prayer

Loving God, thank you for the healing and care you provide. We ask for comfort, healing, and peace for those who are ill. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.Harvest:

August 8 - Power Over Satan While walking the earth, Jesus cast out demons. The Pharisees entertained thoughts that He really was performing the works of Satan. Scripture shows us the truth: A Divided Kingdom (Luke 11:17-23) “Every kingdom divided against itself is destroyed, and a divided household falls. So if Satan too is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? I ask you this because you claim that I cast out demons by Beelzebul. Now if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. But if I cast out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has already overtaken you. When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his possessions are safe. But when a stronger man attacks and conquers him, he takes away the first man’s armor on which the man relied and divides up his plunder. Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.”  Blasphemy Against the Spirit (Luke 12:10)  “And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but the person who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.”  Deliverance from Evil (Luke 8:30–33)  “What is your name?” He said, “Legion,” because many demons had entered him. And they began to beg him not to order them to depart into the abyss. Now a large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside, and the demonic spirits begged Jesus to let them go into them. He gave them permission. So the demons came out of the man and went into the pigs, and the herd of pigs rushed down the steep slope into the lake and drowned. Jesus preached. Jesus healed. Jesus cast out demons. He wanted to expand the Kingdom of God on earth by throwing demons out of spaces, namely people and territories. He shared an illustration, demonstrating how casting out demons works. Contrary to what Jesus’ accusers said, His works emanated from God, not Satan. He also said if they blasphemed Him, they could be forgiven, but if anyone blasphemed the Holy Spirit, they would not be forgiven. The blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is attributing His work to being the work of Satan. Lord, I repent for any thought, act, or word that has attacked and misjudged a man or woman of God doing Your work. I will not blaspheme the Holy Spirit. I declare I will be like You. I will cultivate an understanding and awareness to discern what is or isn’t of God.  I thank You, Lord, that You walk with me and that I can grow sensitive to You. I thank You that You will ensure that I recognize You and Your hand in every situation. I thank You that I will know without a doubt what is of You and what is of Satan. I thank You that like Christ, if necessary, I will cast out demons in Jesus’ name.  I praise You that You want this for me. You want me to be like You, and as I submit to Your will, You will transform me to be more like Jesus. --Adapted from Praying What Jesus Says by Natasha Miller. This book is available at prayershop.org. Use the code CONPSP3 at checkout to receive an additional 10% discount. Prayer Points Read Ps. 73:23-26 and give praise to the one who holds you every day by your right hand. Thank God for guiding you by his wise counsel. Confess any time you have desired some earthly trinket more than the riches of your heavenly Father. Commit yourself to staying close to God today. Ask God to be “the strength of [your] heart and [your] portion forever.” Pray for any unsaved friends or relatives by name. Ask that they will embrace the peace that comes with having God hold them by the hand. Prayer Points taken from Patterns for Prayer by Alvin VanderGriend. This book is available at prayershop.org. Use the code CONPSP3 at checkout to receive an additional 10% discount. Connection (Devotions for Everyday Life) © 2024 is a free devotional published daily by Harvest Prayer Ministries. Subscribe here.

Good Morning Forgiving Because We Have Been Forgiven Much, Incarnaters of Agape Love! Okay, what's this all about Pastor Don? It seems God has us on a track that began Sunday as we studied Eph. 4 and thinking about how in the heck we can forgive when we are angry, and how we can chose love when we hate. It all boils down to trusting God and allowing Him to help you love, forgive and choose joy and His best. How Lord? HELP! We are commanded to love like Jesus, even enemies and to pray for persecutors. We are to forgive as we have been forgiven and even pray for that in the Lord's Prayer. We are commanded to incarnate Christ, His agape love, and to allow Him control. Pastor Don, I thought you said Jesus' yoke is easy? I'm weary, angry, hurting, depressed. Letting go of this pain and forgiving seems impossible, not easy and I don't think I want to. What's the deal? I want to but find it almost impossible and such a heavy burden. Help me Lord! Yep! That's the perfect place to start. Die to self, crucify that anger, hurt and unforgiveness and beg for Jesus to lead you to love and forgive like Him and His easy yoke for you to put on as you strap yourself to Him. He does promise rest to the weary and heaven knows we are weary and in need of closure and rest.

Let's start with Eph. 4:17-32 that we didn't get to Sunday: ... 21 Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, 22 throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. 23 Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. 24 Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy... 26 And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.”
 Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, 30 And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption.

31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. 32 Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.

No way Pastor Don! I don't want to. I don't think I can? Listen child of God, God has forgiven you much. Choose His ways. That doesn't mean you need to become chummy chummy again. Forgiveness opens the door for you to heal and move on to better things. Put them or the situation in God's hands and ask Him to help you to die to self, love, forgive and follow Jesus to what's next. He is faithful to answer those prayers!

God must really want us to discuss these things as He has been highlighting His Word and bringing it and His love to life. So many hurting people around us, maybe that is some of us in this season. He again has threaded our devotions all through this for a second day. He is speaking LOVE to your heart today. or he is trying. Will you allow Him in, trust and obey, receive? For others of us this needs to me a reminder from God that helps us prepare and be ready to continue in trust like Job. The Lord gives and takes away, Praise the Lord, my soul. Joshua before entering the Promised Land challenged the Israelites to choose who they would trust and worship and follow. He said to be strong and courageous and challenged them to choose to worship and follow God no matter what, like he and his family. Prepare your hearts to be ready to do that when those wilderness times come. God will always be with you and always love and accept you when you choose to trust Him and open your wounded heart to His caring love.

Our Daily bread reminds us that God is in control--always. Even when we face devastating loss like Job, we can, we need to, choose to praise the Lord and giver of life and of all we have. Stand on His promises and obey His commands even when you don't want to. He is faithful and there with you. The Upper Room continues with the reminder that Satan is prowling about try to destroy us. BUT GOD! He is our protector, deliverer, help in times of trouble and does allow things to stretch our faith and grow us--hard things. Are you ready for whatever? Set your heart and mind on God and His ways. Turn off the noise and chaos and focus on the Prince of Peace and His helping love. The Word for You Today continues to talk about the agape love required for marriages to flourish, but can be applied to the church since we are the Bride of Christ. They speak into how to agape love and forgive. For some, the marriage or relationship can never be healed nor restored, nor should it be. That's the place where we really have to just pour ourselves out to God and allow Him to help us forgive and move on. It's a journey much like Job experienced. Don't be like Job's wife and want to curse God and die. We may feel like that for a season in our grief. But if we, like Job, have determined to always trust God, we can get to the place of being able to follow God and grow in trust again. Charles Stanley reminds us of another way to refocus--PRAY!  Praising in he storm and praying for those who mistreat you help you to refocus to God and to receive His loving help. Doing that changes you. I love the way the Chosen deals with disappointment, grief and shaking our fists at God and others. It helps us to remember that the disciples were with Jesus and had to learn how to adjust to all kinds of hardships and unanswered questions while growing in trusting Jesus. This life is hard! BUT GOD! Choose to trust Him and ask for help for your unbelief and grace to carry you through to His best ahead. Prepare your hearts. Open your hearts. Receive His agape, forgiving, comforting, strengthening Love. He really does love you beyond measure and has some really good things for you even if that requires some devastating hardships to endure. Determine now to always persevere in faith and gather some teammates to help you. He is there and will always be. So rejoice, pray and grow in trust. Maybe reach out to some others to help you in this journey or maybe reach out to lovingly walk with another (and ask God to help you not be like Job's finger-pointing wrong friends but to bring shalom) 

God loves you and is with you always. His love, comfort, joy and peace are always available. Always remember that! I'm praying for you right now. Shalom!

ODB:

UR: Autopilot

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. - 1 Peter 5:8 (NIV)

While I was in the US Navy, I taught a course on the automatic pilot system used for naval aircraft. This system enabled an aircraft to fly at a preset altitude, attitude, and heading without pilot input. However, should another aircraft or obstacle appear in the path of the aircraft, the system would not change course to avoid the obstacle. Even though the aircraft could fly itself, the pilot had to be alert to any impending danger and take action.

Sometimes we put ourselves on autopilot, going through the motions of life without any input from God. When we stop listening for God’s direction, we can easily run into trouble. Judges 16:20 says that the Lord departed from Samson, and he didn’t know it. Although Samson was to be set apart from birth, he ended up as a slave in Philistia. The challenges of life can easily disrupt our journey if we are not paying attention. When we keep our focus on God, we realize that God is constantly talking to us, providing course corrections to keep us in God’s will for our lives.

Today's Prayer

Faithful God, keep our eyes open and focused on you. Make us aware of the obstacles around us, and guide us on the path that you would have us take. Amen.TWFYT:

CS:

Wagner's letter below

AC installation commences today. PTL! And pray we are able to fix the sanctuary AC and sound as well.

Pray for our Support and Vision Team meeting Thurs that we would hear God, process and plan well and follow to His best.

Pray for me to be able to process well and share what God has been revealing to me about some new things He may have for us in the next few months.

Pray for revival and for God to raise up harvest workers as He brings in the harvest. Thank Him for all He has been doing and for His plans to prosper and grow His Church.

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Good Morning Christ Incarnating Co-Laborers! We are one as he is one! Yet we are uniquely created and gifted to contribute our parts to the whole and all for His glory! We all have a part from prayer warrior, encourager, server, helper, giver, steward, leader, teacher, disciple maker, and many more roles as varied as we are. We are one and we need each other and are better as we fulfill our purposes. We matter! You matter and God is at work. PTL! You are created, gifted, empowered and counted on for such a time as this! PTL! Follow Jesus today! Turn off the noise. Focus on Him with a determination to do your calling for today and each day to follow. That is to become more like Jesus and doing more of your purposes. It's living and loving like Jesus, just as you are (His easy yoke) for such a time as this. Amen!

Yesterday we didn't quite get through all of Eph. 4. Next week we will wrap that up and move into Eph. 5 as we discuss being the Light. The end of Eph. 4 talks about getting rid of all anger and hate and forgiving. How in the world do we choose that when we are so deeply hurt, so full of grief and in no way want to let go of that anger, hate, an not even consider forgiveness. Well first of all know that God loves you and knows all your hurts and tears and He wants to walk with you through this dark valley to the other side. he's collecting your tears in a bottle and waiting with open arms when you get to the place where you are able to invite Him into your pain and to come help you through. He knows and cares and is there. Until you get to the place where you can not lean on your own understanding, clinging to your pain and anger, and need for revenge and answers, you will stay mired in those dark places. Unforgiveness is like drinking poison and hoping the other person dies. Holding God at arms length keeps you from the peace and strength and comfort he is wanting to give. So, start by inviting Him into your pain, hurt, anger and hate. Ask Him to help you to forgive and release the pain. Ask Him to help you refocus and choose joy. These things are choices we are commanded to make so they are available to us and lead to healing and being able to move on. You may need some others to help you, hold you up and prayer, and listen as you vent and release. If you stay fixated, angry, hateful, you keep yourself mired in darkness and depression. You do nothing to resolve the issues and can be consumed. Satan loves to keep you there. Look at all the anger and hate being spewed all around us today. His ways are totally opposite the worlds. He says revenge is mine. Jesus commands us to love like He does, even enemies. We can only do that with His help and by releasing all to Him even those who hurt and persecute us. I love the verse that reminds us that if we give an enemy a cup of cold water, we will heap burning coals on their heads. Now that's not throwing the water in their face! But think about it...God's ways are best and healing. He knows, cares and will handle things. try your best to let go, let God and ask Him to come help you do so. he is gracious to do so and reminds us that when we have a thorn in the butt that His grace IS sufficient. We can choose joy and life. It's available to us and comes alive when we get to the end of ourselves and our pain and release everything to God. He's there waiting to comfort and help you to move on to life abundant that he promises. If you are struggling right now, talk to Sarah or me or a trusted close friend and walk together towards God's deliverance for this. I'm praying for you right now.

ODB discuss triggers and resentment and choosing to be more like Jesus. They use one of my favorite passages, Romans 12. Just start by meditating on that today.

Rom 12:9-18 Ask God to bring this alive for you today. Ask God to help you agape love. That's dying to self love that Jesus showed us.

9 Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. 10 Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. 11 Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically.
 12 Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. 13 When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.

14 Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them. 15 Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all!

17 Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. 18 Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.

The Upper Room discuss the abundant life we are promised. Even when we are in hard places, we can draw close to God and know His love, peace, help and choose to release our anger and trust Him. Turn off the noise! And Charles Stanley reminds us that we are never alone. YOU ARE NOT ALONE! God has better for you--abundant life if you chose to receive it. He's waiting for you with open arms of love and help. Trust Him. Draw close. Be still and know. God has plans for you. Plans to prosper and not harm. He will deliver you and walk with you through whatever you are facing. Choose Him! breathe out the junk and give it to Him and receive His love.

ODB:

UR: Life Abundant

God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. - Genesis 1:31 (NIV)

For nearly 30 years I have suffered from chronic fatigue syndrome. This illness takes various forms for different people, and in my case I experience extreme fatigue with very little pain. But it stops me from doing things I want to do and serving the Lord in the way I would like to.

At times I have resented my illness, wanting to lead a full and busy life only to be pulled up short by my limitations. But sometimes I am able to look upon my illness as a blessing. It has stopped me from being proud since I can no longer rely on my own skill. I now have sympathy for others who are ill, which has made me a kinder person.

And I can pray. There is no shortage of people who need my prayers. When I say to someone, “I’ll pray for you,” I can mean it and do it. There is now time for me to listen to other people, to hear their woes and confidences, and then encourage them through emails, texts, or letters. The pace of my life is slower. There is time to listen to the birds and revel in nature. Even in the frustration of chronic illness, God is with me, helping me to live life abundantly.

Today's Prayer

Loving Father, help us to find your presence and blessing in our current circumstances. Give us strength and courage to trust you. Amen.

CS:

Wagner's news

Greetings Friends, As we prepare to return to Kenya in just 4 days, we wanted to share a condensed version of the message we have been sharing with churches while on home assignment these past 8 months. Go and Make Disciples Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20 (NIV) The theme of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. This passage is not just an afterthought at the end of Jesus time on earth. It is the culmination of the entire narrative of the Bible up until that moment and it is the blueprint for how that narrative would continue to unfold and is still unfolding. God desires that He be glorified by all peoples (all nations), and He calls us to have a part in sharing the Good News with the world.   Make disciples. While missions’ messages often focus on the word “go”, we have focused on “make disciples”. RVA exists to “educate and disciple students”. Quite simply, a disciple is someone who believes in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, intentionally learns from Him, and strives to live more like Him. Discipleship is critical to laying a foundation for followers of Jesus who will in turn make more disciples. We have encouraged churches to focus on making disciples, especially with our children and youth. An RVA alumnus writes, “The core building block of missions anywhere is to make disciples. Churches are collections of faithful disciples, making disciples who make disciples.”   Reaching UPGs. Focusing on disciple-making is at the core of what we are called to do as followers of Jesus. It is easy to get distracted with many other good things and lose sight of the importance of making disciples. While this discipleship is not limited to just our families or churches, it does begin there. But we also need to recognize that Jesus clearly identifies the target audience in Matthew as “all nations”. This highlights the importance of seeking to reach Unreached People Groups (UPGs). Global Frontier Missions (GFM) has produced a video illustrating the idea of UPGs. The Power of Multiplication.  Another great video from GFM illustrates how one-on-one discipleship would be a far more effective way to reach the nations than mass evangelism. In fact, it has all the elements of a great video: a focus on missions, a math lesson, and a thought-provoking question to end. [Keep reading!]   Putting it into practice.  This year, we have been personally challenged to focus on raising disciples with the boys entrusted to our care. We desire to be even more intentional about pointing our boys to the Bible as the authoritative source of truth and helping them to develop disciplines which will promote spiritual growth. More Resources In addition to the links above, here are a few more helpful resources that we would recommend. One of the great benefits of home assignment is that we break from our regular work and routine, giving us opportunities to read more and hear what God is seeking to teach us. Not surprisingly, many of these resources focus on discipleship. Raise to Release: A Missional Mandate for Parents, by Victor and Esther Flores. They encourage readers “to consider the implication the imagery of children as arrows has on parenting, world evangelism, and the glory of God.” GFM also has a free 5-week study on missions that can help you and your church better understand the Great Commission and your role in reaching the world for Christ. A podcast from the Culture Translator at Axis.org (an excellent resource for parents and anyone working with youth) interviewing Dr. Jeff Myers on the 3 Biggest Reasons Young People Choose Jesus. [Hint: one reason has to do with having a biblical worldview which comes from studying and knowing the Bible, part of the discipleship process.] As a quick reminder, you can find links to many of these resources on our blog site. And so… “WHO IS YOUR ONE?” Who are you regularly meeting with as you follow Jesus’ command to “make disciples”? How are you growing together in your spiritual disciplines? Together, are you seeing God’s heart for the lost, for the unreached peoples of the world? Thank you so much for your prayers! You are appreciated.   In His Service,   Brian & Missy