Good Morning Powerfully Praying, Standing or the Word, Springs of Living Water of Yahweh Jireh! This salutation comes right from our threaded together devotionals from this morning (below). These thread through things we have been studying for awhile as well as our discussions at huddle last evening as God quilts us and our ministries into His masterpiece and we work on becoming, living and loving more like Jesus. Do you see it? What's God saying to you? Who are you processing with? What plans of God will you release in prayer as you stand on God's Word, refresh others and bring new life, hope, help and love that come from an overflowing relationship with our God who is enough--our Provider? Be still a bit and know. Listen, receive, process, release and enact His plans!

What's the threads? May be different for you. Process that with some others. This is what God revealed to me this morning:

The prayers of a righteous person are powerful and effective. Because of our faith in Christ we are considered righteous in God's eyes. PTL! So, our prayers are powerful and effective. They release God's power and will on heaven and earth. And they change us too. Nothing like time sitting at God's feet listening and praying to transform us and for releasing His will and power. Even when it feels like He is not answering, we need to remember He always does. Sometimes He says "yes", 'no', or "not yet". We are commanded to pray continually. Why? because God is always at work, wants to use us and the situations around us, and even change us or redirect us through our prayers and what He is doing. Prayer and time in God's Word, even praying Scripture, helps us to stand firm, defeat the enemy, be filled with wisdom and to direct our steps. Check out TWFYT and all the promises from Scripture to pray through and meditate upon. We are (or can be) powerfully praying, standing on God's Words servants of Yahweh. PTL!

As we are transformed and build on prayer and Bible study, the thoughts of Our Daily Bread and Charles Stanley devos and even our huddles the past few days thread from that to our hearts. Do you see it? What's God saying to you? I would suggest that you open your Bibles and meditate on the Isaiah 58:6-12 passage of ODB. Sounds like it's describing the things we are already doing and speaks into what lies ahead for us this summer. How cool is our God! As we pray, stand on His Word and sit at His feet, He leads us to our mission and His provision for us! PTL! We are sinking our roots deep into God and His Word, receiving nourishing provision and sent to bless others with what we've been given and blessed with. (read that again and pronounce it out loud) We are sent to rebuild society that has no idea who God is and what His love is like. They see it come alive through us as we serve, just as we are, where we are placed, with what we've been blessed with. We are doing some of this and there is more to come as we continue to work at becoming more like Jesus and doing more of what He created us to do and what He has for us. AMEN! God is calling us out of the building this summer to go to the places where He has placed us or is leading us to do what we can with what He's given to connect to others, bless them and show them and lead them to God's love. Pray hard into this and for wisdom for our Vision Team and Wed night Huddle and Family Ministries to multiply God's Kingdom right where we do life daily this summer. Do you live in or have a connection to Sr. Housing? Maybe He wants to start a Bible study or some way to serve your neighbors? Maybe it's some men's or woman's ministries? Do you go out to eat with some friends? Maybe He wants to connect you to the staff or customers? Maybe you play a sport and God has a way for you to serve and connect to your team? Maybe He wants you to host a picnic in your yard to connect to neighbors? The possibilities are limitless and will be connected to things you already do with some of the people you already do life with or who God is leading you to serve and serve with. It will be several small groups connecting to each other, others and God as we step out of the building and be Christ where God has placed you. It will be multiplying disciples. Beginning around Memorial Day, we will be stepping out of the building. Where is God leading you and with who? Pray into this and listen and process with others. We are God's well-watered gardens sent to refresh others--to seek and save the lost. Amen!

Now before you get all panicky, remember God is our strength and peace and is with us helping us to obey His command to be bold and courageous. Pray into that too! Charles Stanley reminds us that God is enough! Do you believe that? We all know it's true, but have we internalized it and are we standing on that Rock? He reminds us of how God helps us and what part of our mission is: "His goals [for you] are to love, lead you to a life that is fruitful and fulfilling, influence others around you, and to prepare you for eternity [where you will continue with what you are doing now]." There are four points to pray into as we prepare for our summer out being Christ's Body, as we move from isolation to distribution and from adding to multiplying disciples. Think about divide and conquer and the theorem of multiplication. God is enough and so are we with Him in us. When we are weak, we are strong because He is in us and with us. Amen! 

He has great plans custom made for you to discover and do this summer! PTL! What might they be and where is He sending you? What does He want to do right where He has placed you? Pray into this and process with some friends and begin making His plans with joy and much thanksgiving! This is the next step in becoming a dynamic movement of God and will be part of God's provision to fund His plans through our Body for years to come! PTL! What's He saying to you right now? What are you going to do about it? With who? How has God threaded all of this through you today? Share that with us. Follow Jesus and know Him and His peace and make Him known! Amen! What joy and great stories of God's faithfulness await us this summer! I can't wait!!!

Upper Room: The Power of Prayer

Pray continually. - 1 Thessalonians 5:17 (NIV)

There was a period of three years in my life when I faced the loss of my mother-in-law to cancer, the death of a dear aunt, and the reality that I would never give birth to a child. One Sunday morning while listening to prayer requests in church, I heard someone say, “Our prayers are working.” It angered me to hear those words. My prayers had not been answered. Were my prayers even heard? Why would the prayers of other believers be answered but not mine?

It took some time, but I came to realize that though my prayers did not reverse the outcomes of those situations in my life, my prayers did change me.

Prayer helped me deal with the passing of loved ones and encouraged me to love those who are here with me better. Prayer gave me the ability to open my heart and mind to the possibility of adoption; my husband and I now share our life and home with a beautiful son. God did hear my prayers.

The answers to our prayers may not be what we have hoped, but there will be answers. Do not give up on prayer; it is working.

TODAY'S PRAYER

Dear God, help us to believe that you hear us when we pray and to trust that you will answer. Amen.

The Word for You Today:

Our Daily Bread:

Charles Stanley:

Good Morning Seeking, Praying, Listening, Receiving, Processing, Repenting, Forgiven, Trusting, Joyful, Lighthouses! Start there talking to God about this truthful about you salutation. If it's not you yet, it can be if you pursue these healthy things from God. We all need someone to process with as well. So seek God for who and courage to do so. If you struggle with how to pray or with how poor of a pray-er you think you are, check at the Harvest Prayer blog below. Check out our other devos as you spend time with God and reach out to a trusted friend to process. God really loves you and wants to hang with you, share His heart with you and is preparing you for some great things today. Rejoice as you dwell in His presence. Watch for Him working around you all day and plan to join Him. Shalom!

Bread Distribution today from 10-12 and Dinner Huddle 6-7:30 for all ages! Come and see and experience love and fellowship! Bring a friend too!

UR: Guiding Light

You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. - Matthew 5:14 (NRSVUE)

Traveling on a ship at night gave me a new appreciation for the power of light. The lights on the ship shone brightly, but the open sea was dark and scary. I could not see anything, but I imagined the vast body of water. It made me feel helpless.

But then in the early morning, as we neared the port, we could see the light from a lighthouse on a hill. Through the darkness, the light in the distance guided our ship toward the port. That beacon made my heart leap with joy and gave me a sense of comfort.

Like a lighthouse in the dark, Christians can show God’s light to weary souls through our actions. Kindness allows people to experience the goodness of the love and life of our Savior Jesus Christ. When people are lost in the open sea of life’s struggles, the light of Christ shines bright. Many are weary, longing for rest and comfort. We can be a beacon for them, guiding them to find comfort in God.

TODAY'S PRAYER

Dear Jesus, help us to keep our lights shining amid the challenges we face so that we may help others find their way. Amen.ODB:

C.S.

TWFYT:

Harvest Prayer:

Wagner's news below. Zoom Huddle at 10 all welcome

Good Morning Pray-ers!

Pastor Don slept in and is behind again today. Today God is speaking to us about praying and giving some great examples below. Check out the Upper Room about getting alone, stilling self and connecting to God. What's God saying to you? What blessed opportunities is He allowing you to be still, sit at His feet a bit, receive, discern and know that He is God? Then check out today's Harvest Prayer Blog and then click the links to Dave's and Pam's Prayer blogs. God's speaking to us today about prayer and life in Christ and becoming more like Jesus is flowing right from my blog yesterday and Sun message...follow Jesus, know peace, pray without ceasing, Check them out and sit a spell like Mary in this Martha world and in God's shalom! Joy to you all! Shalom! Be you and allow God to love through you as you travel through this day! Amen!

UR: Precious Opportunities:

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. - Mark 1:35 (NIV)

Recently my husband and I took a trip by train through Montana and Idaho, then rented a car and drove down to northern California to visit my sister at her new home. I had never seen any of these places before, and the journey was a thrill to me. However, the change of routine completely disrupted my habit of starting each day with prayer and quiet meditation.

Back home in my comfy chair with the cat curled up by my side, I took up my daily practice again. I reflected that I had seen so many amazing sights yet had not taken time to marvel at the Creator. I had enjoyed the hospitality of my sister and brother-in-law but had not expressed gratitude to God for the good health and the means that allowed me to travel.

The Bible records that Jesus often went off to a solitary place to pray. Our Lord and Savior took time alone to speak with God. That loving relationship is open to me as well. I realized that my devotional time is not a routine that I must leave behind when I go on vacation. It’s a precious opportunity to thank God for all my blessings, speak whatever burden is on my heart, and ask for guidance every day.

TODAY'S PRAYER

Ever-present God, thank you for the opportunity to be in your presence day by day. May we never forget to thank you. Amen.

Harvest Prayer Blog:

https://mail.yahoo.com/d/folders/1/messages/209857

Wagner's News:

Good Morning Pursuers and Bringers of God's Shalom! Peace. Peace. God's Peace. We seek it. Long for it. Pray for it over others. We know it is God's promise--His peace beyond understanding--but too often don't receive it or we allow the chaos and tyranny of the moments to rob us of His shalom. God specializes in bringing peace to the chaos. Jesus is our Prince of Peace who invites the weary to come to Him and find rest. That is a promise and a command. "Come to Me and I will give you...!" We have talked about and know that when we are pursuing and following God well we will have peace. If we don't have peace, we need to pause, reset as we sit at Jesus feet, count some blessings and allow Him to redirect us. What is robbing your peace today? Is it something beyond your control and not of your making? Or is it caused by the noise and chaos you are allowing in and pursuing? God is calling both types by name to come to His shalom! In either case, we know the Prince of Peace who promises us His peace beyond understanding and rest for our weary souls. It is even possible to choose joy in the midst of all our angst as we redirect and renew our thinking and choose to trust God as our Lord and hand over all our anxious thoughts and meaningless worry and striving. 

Yesterday we talked about Jesus' invite and command to "Follow Me..." Are we doing that yoked to Him, receiving His help and peace or are we choosing to find our identity in worry, stress and anxiousness about things out of our control and things we cannot change. The image comes to mind of Jesus, being under so much pressure and anxiousness, in the Garden that His sweat was filled with blood from His brow. He asked His closest disciples to come comfort and pray with Him, but they fell asleep. (Who is crying out for you to come along side and strengthen? What are you doing about it?) God strengthened Him as He surrendered all His fear and anxiousness and brought His shalom beyond understanding that allowed Jesus to go boldly to the cross for us. God promises to do that for us as well. Will you pursue and allow Him to bring His peace and strength to you and your journey? He's right beside you waiting! 

Check out the Harvest Prayer blog. It's Dave's account of His journey through cancer. Eventually, He lost that battle but traveled through it already resting in Jesus and dwelling in His shalom. We can learn to do so too. Amen! Jesus is bidding us to come to Him, follow Him and know His peace and rest. So, it is available. Pursue it! Know it! Amen. (Maybe this will be all God has for you today. That's OK. Below the Harvest Blog are more of my journal notes with our devos for today. I'm praying for you and God's peace beyond understanding for you and for you to be His vessel of shalom)

Harvest Prayer Blog:

In our journey to become more like Jesus and the people He created us to be and doing our custom made tasks, we often share two quotes and Eph. 2:10 to remind us who we are in Christ. 1. "I am who I am because I am allowing I AM to be who He is in and through me." We always have a choice to allow God to live in and through us as He shapes us. 2. "Discipleship is the process of becoming who Jesus would be if He were me." Two ways for saying the same thing really. Life in Christ is full of choices. We talked yesterday about our choices to accept Jesus' invite to follow Him and to allow, even ask Him daily, to be our Lord and Rabi. Peace comes as we follow Him and allow Him to be our Lord, Teacher and Leader. Check out ODB below. Ask God to come be your I AM today. Eph. 2:10 reminds us that we are God's masterpiece, made new in Christ, to do what He created us to do. Allowing Him to be our Lord of all things leads to great peace and satisfaction in a life well lived in Christ as you are created for. Amen! Charles Stanley continues teaching with reminders that we are special, unique, designed perfectly creations of the God who has great plans for us! PTL! The UR reminds us that God Almighty is or Rock, our Fortress, our Hiding Place. He is our place of rest and peace in troubled times! Amen. And TWFYT is on day two of teaching how to rise above worry. God is really speaking to some of us today! Thanks Lord! He did thread all this together for us knowing some of us need to choose His peace and to dwell in it today and some of us are prepared and sent to bring His shalom and help others to head towards it. What an awesome God who knows you intimately, is calling you by name, even singing over you and wanting to fill you with His peace! Thanks Lord! We still ourselves and receive it and open our hearts and arms to share it. Come fill us to overflowing with your love, joy and peace today. Thanks! Amen!

ODB:

CS:

UR: Our Rock

Since you are my rock and my fortress, for the sake of your name lead and guide me. - Psalm 31:3 (NIV)

I live on an island with many beautiful beaches. When I feel the gentle rush of the waves, I reflect on the grandeur of God’s divine creation. Starfish and snails of all shapes and colors reveal God’s greatness and how detail-oriented the Creator is.

One day, filled with admiration as I walked on the edge of the beach, I found a unique rock. Many types of algae floated about, entangled with each other; but one type of small, living algae was attached to the rock. This find allowed me to reflect on how God also gives us abundant life in troubled times.

Just as the algae found the rock, its source of life, in spite of the turbulent waters, so we can find Christ. He is our rock, our strength and protection, who gives us abundant life amidst the challenges our lives can bring.

TODAY'S PRAYER

Creator God, help us always to remember that you are our rock and fortress. We pray as Jesus taught us, “Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.” (Matt. 6:9-13, KJV).TWFYT:

Good Morning Loving with the Heart of God Worshippers! As you prepare your heart for worship this morning lift some praises to our loving Father for giving us His heart and mind to go love like Him. Thank Him for overflowing love! Thank Him for using us well and for preparing us to go love more in '24. Thank Him for placing us here for such a time as this to be His hands, feet, help, and Good News Delivery people. Come! Now is the time to worship!

I've been beating myself up a bit, maybe prodded some by Satan, because I feel like I just keep sharing the same things--Go! Live and love more like Jesus! Build small group ministries that reach neighbors. Become a dynamic movement of God. But God just keeps revealing these messages to me for us. And will until we trust and obey. I thought I'd share something different this morning...BUT GOD! 

TWFYT reminded me to stop worrying and trust God. They reminded me to not worry about what others think or have or are doing. Focus on God and what He is doing and desires to do in and through me. PTL! He provides where He guides. Amen. You are part of His provision. Where's He guiding you? I ended my quiet time with the Harvest Prayer's Prayer starters and then blog. I'll add a couple from mine to theirs today as they really had me praying into our fellowship of believers. We are one! Well, supposed to be. Are we with fellow believers? The Church needs to reunite in Christ and for multiplying disciples together. Charles Stanley shows us where to start and what to build upon...intimacy with Jesus. Abiding in the Vine and choosing to live this life as if Christ is all that matters. Living life intentionally, earnestly through our custom-made created purposes for God's glory begins with deep intimacy. Our EC mission statement is to know Christ and make Him known. The make Him known part flows from really knowing Him and following closely as His plans come to and alive through you. ODB continues to speak to what God keeps revealing to me and I keep sharing. He's just not letting this go. He has plans for us and He is raising up Kingdom-minded leaders and small groups that will impact the places where they meet. God really wants us to get some small groups started and reaching and impacting our communities and contexts. They ask, "How have you teamed up with others to serve God? and Who can you support as they serve Him with their unique gifts?" Those are questions we need to answer, process and then enact this summer as we step out of the building and into our neighborhoods in small groups. Keep praying into that and start talking to your teammates about what, where and how. I'm really excited for this to begin and can already taste the fruit to come! The UR just reminded me of my attitude adjustment since the last election and how turning off the noise and constant hate-spewing has changed me and brought me great shalom. Who or what are you hating right now? Jesus commands to not sin in our anger and to love our enemies. Seriously, turn off the noise, hate-mongering and anxiousness-stirring and open your Bibles more and spend your time better at growing in intimacy with Christ and some Christ loving and honoring friends who will pray for and help you to go love--all people--like Christ. We are all made in His image and some are being drawn from their Christ-less ways through our love. Hating people and shunning them was a practice of the Pharisees and we see how Jesus felt about that as we open the Gospels. He said, come to me all you weary--weary of the finger-pointing, hate, shunning and unmeetable requirements to be found in God's favor. We are all sinners. Some have been saved by the grace of God. Who is He sending you to love to Him? Who needs to know His rest for their souls?

So where do we start? The Great Commandments: love God and love like Him and the Great Commission: go lovingly make disciples of Jesus. I don't think we can ever stop being reminded of these or ever stop working on them. We are all a work in process and progress and we need each other to live and love well and more like Jesus. God really loves us and is preparing us to reap His end times harvest. He is with us and has great plans that bring satisfaction, peace and joy. Where's your focus today? begin with worship and then be available and willing to go live and love more like Jesus with some friends. God will handle the rest! PTL and Amen! Shalom!

TWFYT:

Harvest prayer:

Charles Stanley:

ODB:

UR: The Power of Words

Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses. - Proverbs 10:12 (NRSVUE)

I only had one brother. He was six years older than I and joined the US Navy when I was 13. As we got older, we bonded over our common interest in ham radio.

On one of our family’s visits to his house, he and I retreated to his radio room and started talking. After a while he said, “You sure hate a lot of things.” His words stopped me cold; he was right. I hated how that politician acted. I hated that product. I hated my income taxes. I realized that even though I claimed to be a Christian, I was living a life full of small hatreds. I would like to say I have completely overcome that mindset; but while I never say I “hate” things anymore, I can still be critical of those who disagree with me.

Words of hatred and superiority can slip into our conversation, demeaning not only the subject of our talk but God’s word as well. “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver” (Prov. 25:11). All people were made in God’s image and deserve to be treated fairly and honorably. I have found if we look deep inside others, we may find people very much like ourselves.

TODAY'S PRAYER

O Lord, help us to avoid the trap of careless and negative words. Even when our words are critical, may we speak always with compassion. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Good Morning Fellow Servants of God's Good News Delivery Co.! Are you hearing God speaking to your heart? Are you processing with others, praying, planning, and following God into the places around you that He is at work? What's your part in His Good News Delivery Co? We all have a custom made part prepared specifically for us. And we begin with prayer, offering ourselves just as we are and then joining God as we travel through each day. He provides, protects, guides, stretches, grows, equips, empowers, prepares others and uses what we have been given to complete His perfect plans. Amen! I am so blessed to see how God is using many of us to share His blessings and spread His love and Good News. He has just begun to lead us to the next and new things He has prepared for each of us, small groups of us, and all of us together! PTL!

Talking to some of you, I am hearing that you don't know what your part may be. The parts are as varied and many as you and unique to you. Has God molded you, shaped you, equipped you, allowed you experiences, do what do you enjoy? Those are just some of the filters to use in discerning your part which will include how He made you and gifted you. Probably two of the most important tools in discerning your part is talking to God about it and processing with others. Others often see things we miss, hear God speaking encouragement or correction over you, pray for you, and hold you accountable to carrying through. We are family that God has gathered to prepare and use to expand His Kingdom, even today! PTL! God is calling us to earnestly pursue Him more in '24. Discern more. Plan more. Do more. Become more like Jesus and doing more of what He created us to do. 

It's obvious that this world is going to Hell in a handbasket. That is not what God desires for His creations. He is preparing you and us to be part of His rescue mission. He has a custom part in that just for you. So, pray into that and start looking for the others He is wanting you to partner with and reach out to them. They may be getting some of the pieces of the puzzle that you seem to be missing. Who are your peeps? What is your part? What are you doing about it?

God has really been doing a work in me and speaking to me as I surrender more of me to Him. I am convinced that He put me in the hospital to do some of His spiritual heart surgery. I am a different man since then. PTL! And I am learning my part and letting go of things that, though good and better things of God, are not His best for me or are other people's parts. He is preparing me for such a time as this to lead us to what's next. He's closed some doors and windows and opened some others. He's given me a change of perspective as I release some of my preconceived notions of what He wants me and us to do and let go of some of my plans to make room for His. And man does He have some great plans for us this summer and beyond awaiting you to step into your part! Check out the prayer in the Upper Room (below) today and pray into releasing your preferences, plans and busyness and be open to allowing God to adjust your thinking and plans to His. They are really good! So much peace comes as we let go and let God! Then process ODB (the one God had me study yesterday) about sharing your faith. WOW! God is speaking to each of your hearts and inviting you to come follow Him and He will teach you to fish for people. What is your response to that invite? Pray through these two questions...Where is God calling you to share your faith? How might He empower you to do this today?

We will be processing this over the next month or so and also with our Vision Team in April. In the meantime, pray hard into this and look around at what God is doing around you. Talk to Him about hosting or leading a small group that reaches the people around you or into the things you are already doing. God's got a custom plan just for you and for a group of friends. Talk to Him about that. I'd encourage you to reread and pray through the last two days blogs as well. God is revealing His plan for our summer out of the building and for our future as we change the world for Christ. It is time to move from isolation to distribution. And it's time to start really living out the purpose of where God has placed you and to do so with some friends. We all have a part! PTL! Ask Him to reveal yours and begin processing and planning! Amen! We are His Good News Delivery Co. sent out to rescue some souls right around us and change the world outside our doors. Amen!

UR: God's Shadow

Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. - Psalm 91:1 (NIV)

In Scotland, UK, where I was brought up, we don’t have a lot of warm sunshine. I remember as a teenager sitting outdoors sunbathing, trying to get a tan. I’d sigh with disappointment when a cloud obscured the sun temporarily, covering me in a cool shadow.

My feelings toward shadows changed dramatically when I landed in Madras, India, in May 1975 to serve on the staff of a teacher-training college. I stepped off the plane into what felt like a hot oven — 110 degrees Fahrenheit. Overhead was a cloudless blue sky. In what can be an oppressively hot and humid climate, people long for shadows which can offer shelter. The students used to sit in groups under the spreading foliage of trees to study together.

Likewise, in the warm, sunny land of Israel, where David composed his psalms, a shadow would be thought of as a gift, a comfort, a protection — something to be valued. How much more valuable, then, is “the shadow of the Almighty!” In God’s shadow, we find shelter and safety.

TODAY'S PRAYER

Dear God, thank you for the change in perspective new experiences can bring. Inspire us today to rest in your sheltering shadow. Amen.ODB:

Good Morning Teammates--Co-Laborers in Christ! I can't get last night's video and huddle discussion out of my mind. God woke me very early to contemplate this further with Him. (BTW for those wondering, at 3 am my blood sugar was 113 and my BP 118/70! God is my healer! and three donuts are OK!)

We had an awesome day of ministry and fellowship around the table in our Fellowship Hall yesterday! Around 65 people came for bread and donuts and about 70 some gathered around the tables for ministry and fellowship. Prayers were lifted and encouragements shared. Then last night around 25 gathered around the tables to eat, fellowship, watch a video and discuss, reason together and pray. Our fellowship hall is becoming a house of prayer for the nations. In between those two activities I had the honor of visiting some of our homebound as I did on Tues. as well. God is on the move and using us to share His love and help! PTL! We are reminded in the Bible to care for widows and orphans, feed the hungry, cloth those in need, visit the prisoners', shelter the homeless. We, by the grace and provision of God, are doing these things. Keep it up and keep stepping into your part--including praying, giving, and serving.

Here's an update: Nancy Bahr is doing well but lonely and bored. She says hi to everyone. Doris Hausman is doing great and still ministering and lighting up lives with the joy of the Lord at 103. She said to remind everyone that Jesus loves you and to keep loving Him and there is no retirement from sharing God's love! Darlene Skinner is sitting in a wheelchair and doing better but still has a long road to go in rehab from her spine surgery. She thanks everyone for their prayers. Harold and Maryanne Zanders say Hi and they miss everyone. They are able to get out and take walks and have some day trips planned for the late spring with their daughter. LaRue and Randy Schmidt say hi and follow what is going on at St Matts and pray for us. They attend a church close to them now. They have a man servant, Hesmond, who joins us for communion and prayer. He asked for prayers for His family to be able to get a visa to join Him. Next week I will visit some others. I know some of you are visiting, calling and sending cards to our homebound. They very much need and appreciate the love we show! Thank you!

A few other prayer requests: Houstin Lichtenwalner has a torn Ham string but does not need surgery and has been given the go ahead to work the farm. He will be pain a lot of pain for a long time, especially when sitting. Pray for a full and complete healing, pain relief and for wisdom and patience and for Gail as she cares for him. Bob from bread ministry has constant pain in his back and is ready to give up. We prayed for healing and relief and he left in tears. God is at work with his friend Patrick. Pray for God to continue to draw Patrick to His love and forgiveness. Pray for healing for Isabelle as she has been suffering a long time awaiting doc visit. Pray for provision for all those we served and for them to be drawn to God through us. A family is interested in renting the fellowship hall for family gatherings. Pray for more opportunities for this kind of income. Pray for the NA group that gathers in our building for deliverance and to be drawn to God as they walk away from addictions. Pray for the Clothing Closet ministry this Sat. Thank God for the new members that will be joining our church Palm Sunday. Thank you! And pray for God to lead us to summer connection points and ministry. Ask what your part is and for dreams and vision for where He wants us to connect to others.

I'm only sharing the Harvest Prayer blog below today. You can use your Bibles and devotionals to connect to and talk to God. I spent most of my quiet time talking to God about last night and His plans for us this summer. The Video we watched from Israel last night was about how God is always teaching and preparing His people to follow Him and spread His Good News. He moves from isolation to distribution (preparing and protecting from the outside influences to sending His prepared ones into the world.) That is why we are still here. (we are gathered to prepare and now sent to take the Good News to our neighbors) We are God's Good News Delivery Co. and we all have a vital part in that. What's yours? What's ours a a gathering of believers?

The thing that really got me during the video and is still being chewed on is the thought the host shared, "Are we living out the purpose of our place?" It sounded like he got ahold of one of my sermons. I love the affirmation that comes when others are hearing and sharing the same things we are hearing from God! Thanks Lord! The host reminded us that we are unique individuals with unique purposes from God and placed by Him right where He wants to use us for such a time as this. Sound familiar? God is speaking and He has gathered and placed us here, placed you here, for such a time as this! PTL! So are you, are we "living out the purpose of our place"? Talk to God about that and process that with some others! Why are you/we placed here? What does God have planned for us? What's my part/ our part together? What's next? What is the purpose of your placement here and are you doing that purpose? What about our Body called St. Matts.? God has some great custom made plans for custom made you, just as you are, for such a time as this. He wants to grow you and our fellowship. He wants to grow His Kingdom through us and has placed us here and is preparing us to make disciples today. He's already using us. How does He want to expand that? He's always up to something new? What might that be? Let's pray into and figure that out and start putting God's plans into action in this place, even today! Amen!

I shared last night how God has been using our Fellowship Hall and table ministry to grow our fellowship and ministry opportunities. We know that at least 90% of our ministry happens there. But since you voted to not add air conditioning most of that ministry will stop for the summer after Memorial Day. I shared how I am a bit frustrated by that, especially after we spent over $100,000 to fix a window that isn't even seen. Are we living the purpose of our place well? Are we stewarding God's blessings well while sowing lavishly into what He is doing? We always need to be evaluating and adjusting as God leads us to His new things for us. That's part of the task of the Vision, Finance and Support Teams and you as part of the Body--seeking God and supporting what He's doing. That's part of our role in His Good News Delivery Co. So, since the vision, support and finance teams determined that we should not invest in air conditioning. That means God has something else for us this summer. What is it and what your part? Where is God leading us this summer to fulfill the purpose of where He has placed or is sending us for such a time as this? Where do you go in the summer and how can we connect to and minister to people there? We talked about how we are starting to see the fruit of ministry and inviting people from the race track. Where do you hang out that needs some Jesus and love? Who do you hang with that might respond to an invite. Where can we gather in extreme heat or severe weather on a Wed. night and keep our rhythm going? What does God have planned for us as He moves us from isolation to distribution. He has a plan and has placed you right where He wants to use you. How can we come alongside and minister with you? Are we living out the purpose of our place? Are we stewarding the best while sowing lavishly and investing in what God is doing? Pray into this and let us plan together the next things, summer things, where God is sending us to distribute His Good News as we live and love more like Jesus! I am really excited to here what God is saying to you and processing and planning together! We are commissioned to go and make disciples. We saw how God prepared, and when the time was right, sent His people to share the Good News with the world with great success as He led them. Where's He leading us? What doors are being opened? Pray and listen and process that with us. Let's prepare and get ready to take His Good News to the world together! Let's maximize the purpose of our place! Amen!

Harvest Prayer:

Donuts and conversations at the Bread Ministry today 10-12. 6-7:30 PM Dinner Huddle. All welcome to either or both! Come and see God at work in, through and around us!

Good Morning Patient, Peaceful, Plodding Along, Priests unto the Lord! AMEN! Which of these do you need to pray into, work on with some friends and garb a more firm hold of? All are a choice we are able and empowered to make in Christ. PTL! Are you anxious, frustrated, mired in the chaos all around you that you can do nothing about? Turn off the noise. Choose trust and joy. Refocus on what God has for you today. Patiently follow Him to His best. Are you dwelling in the past and what used to be's? Forget what lies behind. Build on the good things. Choose to press forward with Jesus to God's new things for you and us. God is on the move! Join Him! Are you running ahead or lagging behind God? Be still, know and yoke to Jesus as we plod along one step of time in faith to what's next while sowing as we go. We are all priests of God. We don't need a mediator because the High Priest, Jesus, lives in us and is interceding for us right now, even when we don't know what to pray. Call on His name and pronounce His name over you and your circumstances! Jesus! Jesus! Jesus! There's just something about that name! We can be patient, peace-filled, plodding along with Jesus instruments of His! Choose peace and joy today! Start with meditating on and praying through our devos and blogs below! God really loves you and has great plans for you that come alive as you live and love more like Jesus! Amen! Start right now and partner with some friends!

Gotta fly! Back on normal time again and slept too late until 5:15 today. Need to be on the road already. Shalom! See you soon!

ODB:

UR: In God's Time

Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland. - Isaiah 43:18-19 (NIV)

One spring during my morning walks, I noticed my neighbor building a brick walkway from his porch to the street. Gradually over several weeks, I watched as he prepared the ground, poured gravel, and laid bricks. Then for some reason I could not perceive, I saw that he had ripped up half the path and piled the bricks in his yard. Eventually, the path was completed, and the mess was cleaned up. If I had not been paying attention, the finished path might have seemed to appear overnight. But I had witnessed the process: the planning, measuring, waiting, ripping up, and restarting.

The construction of my neighbor’s walkway illustrates that sometimes things don’t happen overnight — even when God is doing something new in our lives and inviting us to grow from it.

Isaiah 43:18-19 reminds me to keep my eyes open for how God is at work in my life.

Growth is a process — one step at a time. We can trust that God is always doing something new. As we become more aware of God’s presence, we can watch for the new things God is doing, give thanks, and proclaim God’s great work.

TODAY'S PRAYER

Dear God, we praise your name and proclaim the new and wondrous works you do in our lives. Amen.

Harvest Prayer blog:

Don't forget...Zoom Huddle at 10! All welcome! And donut day tomorrow 10-12!

Good Morning Seen, Known, Loved, Forgiven, Humble, Followers of Jesus! You are known by God and you matter! He is with you always and leading you to His best! Humble yourself before our Lord and Savior. Confess, repent and receive His loving forgiveness. Check out all our devos and especially the Harvest Prayer blogs and prayers. We are one in Christ. We are His Body. Each of us matter and we are created, gifted and empowered to love each other, spur each other on, and grow God's Church for such a time as this. He has plans for you and us! PTL! Choose to worship, receive and follow well as you prepare yourself for the day ahead in Christ! I'm praying for you and our fellowship! Go and love well today! Amen! And cover each other in prayer as you don God's armor. Thanks!

Harvest Dave's Blog:

(Recognizing the Places of Spiritual Attack)

 By Dave Butts

Several years ago I had the opportunity to write a book entitled The Devil Goes To Church. It’s been interesting to watch the responses of people who see the title for the first time. Most of them say, “The devil sure does go to church… especially mine.” Why this overwhelming awareness that Satan is somehow interested in what happens in churches? Maybe it’s because we’re seeing his hand at work in the church. This excerpt helps us understand why Satan is interested in your church and four ways that he attacks local congregations.

There is a very real reason why the devil goes to church. The Biblical worldview is of a great cosmic battle between the forces of God and the forces of Satan. Christians are those who have changed sides in the battle. Paul writes about this changing of sides in the second chapter of Ephesians: “…in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions – it is by grace you have been saved” (vv. 2-5).

The enemy of our God has become our enemy. We are not in a neutral position. When Christians gather as the church, we become a real threat to Satan. We are there to worship, to pray, to teach and to encourage one another to live and proclaim the Kingdom of God and as such, proclaim the enemy’s defeat. It is apparent that he will do all he can to prevent that from happening….

The real danger for us is being unaware of the enemy’s schemes. We approach every difficulty in church as though it is just a natural thing. When churches divide over whether or not to use hymns or contemporary choruses, it is not natural. When the flock turns on the shepherd, it is not natural. When the saints, called to live in love, spend their time criticizing and accusing one another, it is not natural. The devil has come to church!

…There is one obvious thing about Satan’s attacks – he is consistent. He does basically the same thing over and over again in church after church, down through the ages. We might categorize them in these memorable ways: Doubt, Deceit, Discouragement, Division.

Doubt

Sowing doubt has been one of the enemy’s weapons from the very beginning. In Eden, the serpent stirred up doubt in Eve, causing her to sin. He caused her (and Adam) to doubt God’s word, asking the insidious question, “Has God said…?” You can almost hear the oily voice continuing, “You don’t really believe that do you?” The same voice, the very same voice, is asking the same question today, causing Christians to begin to doubt God and His Word.

Doubt was the weapon Satan used against Jesus in the wilderness. Every temptation was preceded by the word, “if.” “IF You are the Son of God,” the enemy whispers, attempting to instill doubt into Jesus. He still uses the same attack.

Doubt can come in many forms. Sometimes it is the frontal attack on the veracity of the Bible. There are many in church who simply do not believe that all of the Bible is truly God’s inspired Word. But sometimes the most vicious attack comes on those who do believe in the Bible, but are then led into doubt as to the power of God’s Word. “Will that really work?” people ask. Whole segments of Scripture are robbed of their power as Christians relegate them to some other day or time, and fail to appropriate them for themselves. Be careful when trying to explain away a clear meaning of Scripture. It may be that the enemy is raising doubts.

Doubt is also raised as to the nature of God. When tragedies come in life (and they do), even Christians find themselves doubting the love or mercy of God. “How could a loving God cause (or allow) such a thing to happen?” The whispering enemy is again at work to cause God’s people to doubt the goodness or power of their God. We’re sometimes told that to doubt is natural. Not for those who have tasted of the goodness, mercy and power of God! Faith is the natural response to God. Look at Job and the almost inconceivable tragedy that changed his life. Though facing great loss and with tremendous grief, still he words one of the great faith responses in Scripture, “The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised” (Job 1:21).

Doubt also comes to the individual believer regarding his/her position in Christ. The enemy continually works at trying to separate us from Christ. He doesn’t have the power to actually do that, but he tries to instill doubt in us as to who we are in Christ. The best way to counter that is with the truth of God’s Word. Christian author, Neil Anderson has written much on this topic and has prepared a wonderful list of scriptures that affirm who we are in Christ:

• John 1:12 – I am God’s child.
  • John 15:15 – I am Christ’s friend.
  • Rom. 5:1 – I have been justified.
  • 1 Cor. 6:17 – I am united with the Lord and one with Him in spirit.
  • 1 Cor. 6:20 – I have been bought with a price; I belong to God.
  • 1 Cor. 12:27 – I am a member of Christ’s Body.
  • Eph. 1:1 – I am a saint.
  • Eph. 1:5 – I have been adopted as God’s child.
  • Eph. 2:18 – I have direct access to God through the Holy Spirit.
  • Col. 1:14 – I have been redeemed and forgiven of all my sins.
  • Col. 2:10 – I am complete in Christ.

Deceit

A second weapon that Satan uses against the Church is deceit. This should not surprise us since Jesus Himself described Satan as a liar. Satan delights in twisting the truth, confusing people and leading them into error. That’s rather obvious when you look at the condition of Christian doctrine, both within and without the Church. It may be as subtle as the lack of understanding concerning Christian grace or as obvious as those who deny the inspiration of the Bible.

The Apostle Paul speaks of difficult times for the Church in the last days, especially in regard to truth. We are warned of those who are “always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth. Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these men oppose the truth, men of depraved minds, who, as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected” (2 Timothy 3:7-8).

Like what you are reading? This article is a part of the text from the course “The Devil Goes to Church" at PrayerU.com, the digital learning site of Harvest Prayer Ministries. For more information on this course, click here.

This passage is so clearly being lived out in the Church today, that we can easily see the enemy’s handiwork. There is no shortage of Bible studies in our churches. But we debate the meaning rather than living out the intent of God’s Word. We have fallen into the trap that James warned us about: “Do not merely listen to the Word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says” (James 1:22). Studying Scripture without doing it is one of Satan’s great deceits.

This deception concerning the Word of God leaves the Church powerless and unable to function as God has intended. George Otis, Jr. delivers a scathing indictment of this powerlessness as follows:

“If ever there was a moment for the Church to stand up and be counted, that moment is now. Unfortunately, American Christendom is in the midst of a low, debilitated spiritual state. At almost every turn, supernatural power and insight have given way to religious inertia. Fellowships are growing numerically, but members are not maturing in character. There are programs aplenty, but little fear of God. Most ominously, modern believers seem oblivious to their own unhealthy condition. Having succumbed to the Laodicean Syndrome (see Revelation 3:14-17), they view their compromised state as normal – even blessed.

“A troubling, if predictable, consequence of this spiritual self-deception is that the Church has found itself unable to speak into the current crisis with any clarity or consistency. Burdened political leaders seeking direction from Christian clergy and prayer networks report receiving advice that ‘wanders all over the map.’ Needing wise men with keen understanding, these national decision makers are finding instead blind guides and flesh-clouded counsel” (George Otis, Jr. “Fading Light,” January 2003).

Discouragement

One of the main passages of Scripture that we often use to hit people over the head with to get them to attend church is Hebrews 10:25: “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another – and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” The focus of the passage however is not merely attending a meeting, but in the process, encouraging one another.

One of the very practical reasons for this scriptural command is to counter the enemy’s strategy of discouraging the believers. Many faithful Christians who have withstood the more frontal attacks of Satan in the area of morality, truth and righteous living, have found themselves blind-sided by discouragement. A few words of criticism here and there, a “down” day, a little loss of fresh vision, a program that didn’t go according to plan, and suddenly we find ourselves discouraged and wondering if we can go on.

Many great women and men of God have had severe bouts with discouragement and depression. Perhaps the clearest example is that of Elijah following his great victory over the prophets of Baal. In the wake of that victory, Queen Jezebel ordered his execution. In fear, Elijah ran and ended up in this situation in 1 Kings 19:4: “He came to a broom tree, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. ‘I have had enough, LORD,’ he said. ‘Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.’” Now that is serious discouragement from a great man of God. It took the intervention of the Lord Himself to bring Elijah out of that depressed mood.

You may not have sat under a tree with a desire to die, but discouragement can hit us all. The great word of God to the Church in this case is that we are called to be an encouragement to one another. We are to build one another up in our faith. Our gatherings need to be times of great encouragement. The church that is a place of support and edification is a place where the enemy’s plans have been thwarted.

There is an old story about discouragement called, “The Devil’s Tool Sale”:

“It was advertised that the devil was putting his tools up for sale. On that date the tools were laid out for public inspection. They had prices on them, and there were a lot of treacherous instruments: hatred, envy, jealousy, deceit, pride, lying, and so on. Laid apart from the rest of the devil’s tools was a harmless-looking tool, worn more than any of the others and priced very high.

“‘What’s the name of this tool?’ asked one of the customers.

“‘That,’ the devil replied, ‘is discouragement.’

“‘Why have you priced it so high?’

“‘Because discouragement is more useful to me than all the others. I can pry open and get inside a man’s heart with that when I cannot get near him with any other tools. It’s badly worn because I use it on almost everyone, since so few people know it belongs to me.’”

When we begin to understand that discouragement is of the enemy, we can begin to counter it using the weapons of our warfare. It is not natural for a Spirit-filled child of God to walk around discouraged. This is an attack of Satan to put us on the sidelines.

Division

Francis Frangipane writes, “If there ever was a false doctrine that was so widespread, so accepted in the Body of Christ, yet so contrary to the heart and teachings of Christ, it is the tradition of division within the Church” (Becoming the Answer to Christ’s Prayer, p. 2).

One of the most effective strategies of Satan has been to bring about division in the Body of Christ. It makes sense that the enemy would push for a splintered, divided Church, since Jesus desired exactly the opposite. The main focus of Jesus’ great high priestly prayer of John 17 was that His followers would be united. A strong, united Church is a testimony to the world of the love of God. Satan is doing all he can to destroy that testimony.

One of the main weapons we have against this attack is awareness of the enemy’s schemes. If we are unaware of the satanic nature of division, there is a greater tendency toward excusing it or just assuming that this is one of those things that happens occasionally in the church. When we see clearly though, that we as a church are under attack, then we will determine at all costs to guard against division. Members of a congregation are well-prepared to resist the enemy when, finding themselves in times of conflict, they begin to ask the question, “What is the enemy trying to do here?” Then, turning to the Lord, they ask the most important question, “Lord, how do we counter the attacks of the enemy against Your people?”

When a church finds itself facing issues that bring division, the prayer meeting is far more effective than the board meeting. Division always has a spiritual issue at its root and the enemy is always involved. It is heartfelt, heaven-sent prayer by the Body of Christ that will rout the devil and deal with the issues that are at hand.

I’ll never forget a church where I taught a prayer seminar in central Indiana. I’m so grateful I got there early that Sunday morning. As I walked into the church sanctuary, I was amazed to see about a dozen men walking around the room praying. They were laying hands on the pews and walking to the four corners of the room, praying for a new awareness of the Lord’s presence, a fresh moving of His Spirit, and for protection from the attacks of the enemy. What a powerful way for a group of Christian leaders to go on the offensive against Satan and to keep the devil from their local congregation.

How will you take your stand against the enemy?

Excerpted from The Devil Goes to Church: Combating the Everyday Attacks of Satan 

by David Butts, Harvest Prayer Ministries

Harvest Prayer Blog:

UR: God Sees Us

[Jesus] gave them strict orders that no one should know what had happened. Then he told them to give her something to eat. - Mark 5:43 (CEB)

In Mark 5, Jesus exorcised a demon, healed a woman of her hemorrhage, and raised a little girl from the dead. I would have guessed that after all that, Jesus would have rubbed his hands together and called it a day. Or maybe he would have sat back among a crowd to recount all that he had done. That is what I would have done. But that was not Jesus’ way.

Jesus was more concerned about the risen girl’s needs. She was not a project to him; she was not a means to make himself look better. Jesus saw the young girl as a person with needs and fears. While everyone else was ecstatic and shocked, Jesus saw that the girl was hungry and told her mother and father to give her some food.

In God’s eyes we are not means to an end. We are not just one of many pieces in the puzzle. To God, each one of us is a person with our own needs and fears. God is interested in even the tiniest details of our lives. In every moment, remember that there is nothing too trivial to bring to God.

TODAY'S PRAYER

Dear God, may we always remember that you are aware of our struggles every moment of our lives. As your people, we thank you for always caring about us. Amen.

C.S.

ODB:

TWFYT:

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