Sarah Prayer update below. Sarah is taking a Sabbath today and I will probably forget these at prayer time

Wagner's update below

Good Morning Focused, Praying, Followers of Jesus! Turn off the noise. Focus on God. Remember in this life Christ really is all that matters! As we focus on Him and learn to follow, He will use us to be His light and to bring hope, love and joy alive. Amen! Our devotionals speak into this today. Check them out below.

Charles Stanley begins our time with the reminder to set our minds on things above--not earthly things. As we do and learn to live more fully for Christ we come to experience, as The Word for You today reminds us, God answering our prayers. The Upper Room reminds us as does Harvest Prayer to believe that what we pray for will be given, if we pray earnestly and according to God's will. He is a miracle working God! Amen! Believe! And nothing is too small for God! He wants to bless you! Our Daily Bread ends our devotional time with the reminder that we are God's representatives on earth today and He has custom purposes for us to do for such a time as this. We are sent to bless and encourage as we use what we've been given for His glory. It's also a reminder to run our races well until we are called home. We are placed in this Body of Believers for God's purposes. Those purposes come to life as we pray and as we go. Some of us are gifted and some of us have a purpose in His GN delivery co. to pray. But all of us need to pray with focus. God opens doors, guides, informs and refreshes us as we seek, listen, receive, follow and rely on Him through prayer. He made us for His purposes and wants to bless us and help us do them. What an awesome God we serve!

Today we will study Ephesians 2 together during worship and next week Ephesians 3. I like how our devos seem to be hitting on Ephesians this week. Today Eph. 3:20's reminder from the UR how God brings glory to His name by doing way more than we could ever imagine or ask. We are created and called to ask and follow. As we do, we will often find ourselves being amazed at all God is doing as He answers our prayers and directs our steps. God is cheering you on and providing and guiding! PTL! Let us commit to living out our salvation and purposes joyfully, earnestly as we glorify God and fulfill our purposes! Amen! See you soon! Shalom! Shalom! Know His perfect peace as you trust and follow and worship today!

CS:

TWFYT:

UR: Unexpected Provision:

Glory to God, who is able to do far beyond all that we could ask or imagine by his power at work within us. - Ephesians 3:20 (CEB)

January 14, 2016, was the day of the International Kite Festival. As superintendent of a hostel, I wanted to provide a good meal of undhiyu (a traditional Gujarati curry) to the students at the hostel. I phoned a shopkeeper to discuss the matter, but due to the high price, I decided instead to order a snack called khaman-jalebi. Although the children were pleased to have the snack and kites to play with, I was disappointed because I could not offer the traditional meal I had intended.

In the afternoon, I received a phone call from the same shopkeeper, and he offered me undhiyu for the hostel students. He told me that he understood I had to change my order because of the high price, and he wanted to provide that special food for the students.

On hearing these words, I was overjoyed and thanked God. On that day, students and staff were fed sufficiently with undhiyu. Later, I shared these words with the students and thanked God for the way the promise in Ephesians 3:20 was fulfilled for us.

TODAY'S PRAYER

Lord God, thank you for the ways you provide for us. Strengthen our faith so that we fully depend on you. Amen.

Harvest:

July 21 - Leaning on the Father God wants to be engaged in everything in our lives. Big and small. And there are huge residual effects when we pray about everything … when we pray without ceasing. Jesus said, "Up until know you've asked for nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, so that your joy may be made full" (John 16:24). Simple, daily prayer about the small things is more than just a mere request to God. It is one of His ways of training us to turn to Him constantly. To show us the “breadth and length and height and depth” of His love. To know God. To teach us to lean on His breast for matters great and small. To fall in love with Him all over again. I know a young man who has been saved from a deeply rebellious life. As He came to Christ, he thought you were supposed to pray about everything. And so, he prays all day long. He prays for his co-workers at work. He prays about his finances and his relationship to his wife. He prays for random people he meets. He prays about the words that come out of his mouth. He prays about what he puts into his mouth. And, He seeks to listen carefully to the Lord and do precisely as He instructs. Unceasing prayer. And, guess what? God answers his prayers! All day long. In fact, he bombards me with stories, almost every day of God’s answers. The residual of this unceasing prayer is that his days are filled with great joy, such a contrast to his former life! I know this for a fact, for he is one of my sons. He is continually joyful because he is continually communing with the God who loves him (which would make anyone joyful) and continually receiving answers from the God who provides for him (which brings unceasing joy.) We have many joyless Christians because we have many prayerless Christians. You may fall into that camp and, if so, it’s time to change—for your sake and His, and for the sake of a watching world. A joyless Christian is an oxymoron and a poor testimony regarding our big God. What prayers have you not asked of God, simply because you thought it was insignificant? Ask Him right now! And ask the Lord to help you keep a running dialogue with Him today about everything. Prayer-Answering Father, I worship You for all that You are! How blessed I am to know that You want to know even the smallest details of my life. You care so deeply for me that I can bring any request into Your throne room! Help me to remember that every moment of every day should be lived prayerfully and expectantly. Give me ears to hear Your voice in response to my prayers, and a grateful heart to praise You for each answer – even if the answer is “no,” or, “not yet.” ---Adapted from Prayer with No Intermission by Bill Elliff. This book is available at prayershop.org. Prayer Points Glorify the Lord, who is gracious, full of compassion, and gentle with the weak (Ps. 116:5). Thank God for rescuing you during those times when you needed his help, even when you didn’t ask for it (116:8). Confess the times when you have been impatient with others in need. Commit yourself to remembering throughout this day God’s compassion for you and to reflecting that compassion to others. Ask God to help you fulfill this vow. Ask God to make the congregations in your community centers of kindness, where those in need will find the hands of Jesus ministering to them. 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:

Sarah Prayer update:

Here are the updates that I have for those that need our prayer support:

From Barb Sommers:

  Brenda Stauffer - (sister of Doreen Raudenbush who is a member of St Matthew's.)

     Brenda is battling cancer and recent has had a burst ulcer.  Pray for her healing and strength

  Larry Raudenbush is a home now, on Hospice.

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Prayers for Harry Hebig's family - Services will be on Monday, with calling hours from 10 - 11 and the service will follow at 11:00am.  Bachman, Kulik and Reinsmith on Elm St in Emmaus.

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Prayers for our church family members that are traveling: Schware Family, Siegfried family.

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Keep our church family Rita's ice event on Wednesday. May we share God's love to those we come in contact with. May people see Jesus in each of us.......

Wagners:

Greetings Friends, “You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! Trust in the LORD always, for the LORD GOD is the eternal Rock.”  ~Isaiah 26:3-4 It is hard to believe that we will be boarding an airplane and returning to Kenya in just under 3 weeks! We do have a few events remaining on our schedule… Upcoming Schedule Friday, 26 July – sharing at Manbeck’s EC Church in Rock Thursday, 1 August – sharing at Bethany EC Church in Ashland Thursday, 8 August – returning to Kenya New RVA Video We are excited that a new recruiting video for RVA has been released. You can view the video here. This video is so new that we have only shared it with one church. You are welcome to share it with your church! Praises! We’re grateful for our time of home assignment to: Rest, Reconnect, Recharge, Regroup, and finally, Retool. By retool, we mean that we’ve equipped ourselves with the tools, knowledge, and resources that will be helpful to continue in the ministry roles God has called us to in this next season. Brian had the opportunity for networking and conversations with AP Calculus teachers for nearly three weeks while scoring AP exams and leading a four-day workshop for calculus teachers wanting to sharpen their skills. Missy has completed a three-month course on education consulting for cross-cultural workers in preparation for a new role that she will be starting with AIM next month. We have both read quite a few books that have really challenged our hearts and minds. Rejoice with us that we feel ready to return to Kenya. Prayer Requests Quality time with family as we wrap up our time in the States. We were so blessed to spend last week with Rachel, Luke and Cayden; and with that, the difficult “see ya laters” have begun. Soon we will be 8,000 miles and more than a few time zones apart. We are looking forward to spending time with our other kids and extended family during the next two weeks. Restful sleep at night and productive days to complete the tasks that need to be finished prior to leaving. Quiet moments to prepare our hearts and minds to re-engage with the ministry and community we love at RVA. We are excited to teach, love, and focus on the discipleship of our nine elementary dorm boys. Thank you so much for your prayers! You are appreciated.   In His Service,   Brian & Missy

Harry Hebig service is Monday with visitation from 10-11 and service at 11 at Bachman, Kulig and Reinsmith's Emmaus location. I will be doing the service and appreciate your prayers

Received word from our HVAC guy that all equipment is expected in by the end of July. Lord willing, the FH will have AC by early August and we can get back at it. Ask God for ideas to reach out before that and even after we are back in the building. Ask Him to raise up workers and leaders for the harvest.

Next Tues Family Ministries is having a pool party. Pray for fair weather.

Wednesday is our Rita's night at 6 to gather and to try to connect to some neighbors. Ask God to oversee all this and connect us to some He is drawing. (In the event of rain we will meet at the Creamery near The Way to Emmaus Christian store)

Don't forget to see Gail L. and order your T-shirts we will wear whenever we gather out of the building. Think about being God's light and living and loving more like Jesus as you wear them!

Tomorrow is worship at 10 live and on Zoom. We will be discussing Ephesians 2.

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Good Morning Joy-Bringing, World Changers! AMEN! That describes who we are created to be. What's your part in that today? I have a different prayer focus for each day. Every Saturday I pray for us to be joy bringers and world changers. Man, the world sure needs some joy today, especially during these divisive political posturing times. One of my Saturday prayers flowed from the last presidential election and my anger and attacking. I pray that I would turn off the noise and take every thought, word, type, and action captive before the Lord. I pray that I would stop grumbling and complaining and start pronouncing life into people around me. I haven't fully achieved this yet, but what a difference four years has made in my choices, joy level and peace. Remember when we studied the virtue of joy a few years ago? Joy is a choice and becomes available as we grow in trust that God is in control and with me always. It takes dying to self and agape love. Are you able to chose joy today? How about bringing joy and life alive in this dry and weary land? As we do, those God is drawing and those who are realizing that hate and attacking and trying to control others is not good or healthy and are getting tired of it will be drawn to the refreshing joy and life we bring. And then we can start some relationships that can lead them to our Prince of Peace, the Joy of the World , the One who changed us--Jesus! And that my joy-bringing friends can change the world. Keep praying for joy, life and Jesus to come alive as we live and love more like Jesus. Talk to God about some correctives you may need to take today. Ask for help to turn off the noise and focus on Him and His Living Word. Ask to have His heart and mind, to take thoughts captive and to bring life and love alive that will change the world. Pray for revival too. Ask God for ideas for how to connect to those He is drawing and sending to us and thank Him for the harvest He is sending us into. Thank Him for all He is doing, providing and His guiding.

The Upper Room today (we should have them shortly available in church) Reminds us that we are in very dark times. Some of us have been in that very dark valley too. BUT GOD! He is with us, holding our hands and guiding us through. I am reminded that we are the light of God sent to light up the darkness and guide others to our Light Source. Jesus is our hope and promises help in times of trouble and sometimes uses us to do so. Our Daily Bread reminds us of the importance of our words. Are your words building up, encouraging and bringing life? What we say and pronounce does matter. Even the words we say about ourselves. Pronounce in prayer that you will choose joy and bring it, that your words will build up and bring life and that you will live and love more like Jesus. Say it! Believe it! Choose it! Live it! Check out the Harvest Prayer blogs about embracing and bringing life and use the prayer starters to help focus your praying today. The Word for You Today reminds us that we are disciples=learners and we always have more to learn. Ask God to bring His presence, knowledge and wisdom alive to you and us. And Charles Stanley reminds us that God is always speaking and in ways that we can understand. What's He saying to you today? Write it down and discuss and process with some others. As you do, begin making His plans to go live and love and make disciples like Him because we are apostles=sent ones too. Ask that you and our Body would be joy bringing, world changing, servants that live and love more and more like Jesus. Amen! God has great plans for you and us to do so! Rejoice! Choose joy! Know peace! Amen!

Upper Room: Navigating Darkness

God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” - Hebrews 13:5 (NIV)

My friend Julia and I boarded the subway train in Mexico City, chatting about our day. We were on our way back to our apartment. The crowded train was racing along when suddenly there was a shuddering jolt and everything stopped. The earth was quaking and we were instantly plunged into the deepest darkness I have ever experienced. The shaking stopped, but the lights remained off and the train was stuck between stations, many feet below ground. For about 10 seconds there was shocked silence, then people began crying out. I heard a woman scream. Panic rose in me until I felt Julia’s hand in mine. My friend reached out to me in the darkness, reminding me that I was not alone, and I felt comforted.

There have been times in life, like when my son died, that I felt I had been plunged into darkness. The way ahead seemed strange and unnavigable. During those times I felt the Lord take my hand and lead me through the “valley of the shadow.” We are never alone as Christians. The Lord has promised never to leave us or forsake us. God can be trusted to stand with us during the darkest time.

TODAY'S PRAYER

Dear Lord, help us to trust in your presence even if we don’t sense it. Show us others who need comfort and reassurance so that we may offer your love to them. Amen.

ODB:

Harvest:

July 20 - Embracing Life “And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” (John 17:3)  The very first gift God gave us is life. Human history begins with the Lord forming Adam’s body and breathing life into it. Then, at the focal point of history—the cross of Christ—God makes a way for our spirits and our bodies to live again. Our nation’s Founders were right to recognize the fundamental truth that God cherishes human life, that it is an inalienable right which earthly authorities are entrusted with respecting and defending. We believe that God will secure and bless our land as we revitalize a culture that honors the sanctity of human life. Every one of our individual stories—not to mention our collective story as the human race—starts with God forming and breathing life into us. He gave us bodies and spirits. And He designed us to live with Him eternally.  Every one of us lost hold of that gift. We all—from Adam to the hundreds of thousands of new lives being born on the very day you are reading this—we all have gone astray. We all are stained by sin. We all make choices that set us on a road to physical and spiritual death.  But God. God didn’t give up on us. He so cherished us—the lives He breathed into existence—that He devised a radical plan to save us. At the cost of His own life, Jesus atoned for our wrongs. And then He rose. He rose from and defeated death and made a way for us to live again!  That is good news, friends! It’s a message of love. It’s a message of hope. And it’s a word that the people of our land desperately need to hear and to embrace.  It’s no secret that we as individuals and as a nation have made choices that are sending us down a dangerous path. If you are beginning this work of intercession, then this reality is probably already heavy on your heart. But remember: Death does not have the last word. Jesus conquered death. He is the way, the truth, and the life. That is a victory worth declaring!  I praise You, Lord, that You have breathed life into me! You made a way for me to escape the wages of sin and to live again! Would You also break into the day of each of my loved ones who have yet to call You Savior and Lord? Allow them to see how much You love them and want them to be filled with life. Lord Christ, You are risen! I declare Your amazing victory of life over death. I ask, Father, that every eye in our nation would be opened and that all hearts will embrace the love, hope, peace, and joy of that reality. May the leaders in our nation help our society to choose a path of life! --Adapted from We Declare: 31 Days of Intercession for America by David Kubal. This book is available at prayershop.org. Use the code CONPSP3 at checkout to receive an additional 10% discount. Prayer Points Praise the God who knows the depths of your heart and sees all the secret places there. Give thanks that he hears the prayers of many people all over the earth and listens to all of our cries for help. Confess to God the days in this past week when you have not made sufficient time for prayer for yourself and others. Commit yourself to remembering his deep love for you and all people, and ask the Spirit to make that awareness grow into a habit of praying without ceasing “on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests” (Eph. 6:18). Ask God to hear and answer the prayers of the unsaved, “so that all peoples of the earth may know [his] name and fear [him]” (1 Ki. 8:43). as a God who listens and responds. 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.

TWFYT:

CS:

Thank God I'm Forgiven! Thank Him for using sinners like us to reach sinners like us and lead them to His mercy, grace, forgiveness and eternal life! meditate on what the implications of all of this are for you and what God may be wanting you to repent of and/or do.

Good Morning Forgiven Much, Loved Extravagantly, Sent Ones! Amen! Pronounce that over you and us. Believe it. Be it more in '24! Jesus said follow Me and I will give you rest for your souls. That is His easy yoke we've been discussing recently. Work on being who you are created and gifted to be in Christ and follow Him to your created purposes. This sweet spot in Christ and your identity brings peace, joy, and satisfaction that's hard to explain. 

Check out Harvest's blogs on following Jesus and pray the prayer at the end. Engage with the Upper Room devo and remember, Jesus took naps. Taking times of rest and refreshing can be hard for us driven work-a-holics. I know. I owned my own business for 15 years and took little vacation. growing up my dad worked two jobs and we only could afford to take day trips. In my 20 and 30's my vacations were usually two to three days to go do something. I have no idea how to get away and unplug and do nothing. It drives me crazy. Yet we are called to work from rest like Jesus. For some of us going away to an isolated place and sitting around for a week is recharging. And for some, like me, that drives us crazy and we would rather just keep working. It's hard for Karen and me who recharge differently to plan good vacations and times of rest and recharging. But we try. Today is my day off and I am going to be doing all kinds of yard work. That is recharging to me even though I beat my body. Tomorrow I do my chaplain stuff at the track, That is so recharging. What ministers to your soul and spirit that allows recharging? Make time for it. It is healthy to work from rest. The Word for You Today helps us think about making the right choices. Are you choosing well? Are you choosing God's best for you? Who helps you see the blind spots when you're not? Be still and know that He is God. Seek first the Kingdom ways. Don't lean on your own understanding. What is God's best and how are you preparing to do that? Are you able to get still enough to hear God's voice and process before forging ahead into your plans and agendas? Our Daily Bread reminds us of the brokenness many of us are traveling through. Yet God is there preparing and walking with us and wanting to use that to grow us and bless others. You are created for His purposes and he knows how to get you there. And His purposes include blessing all kinds of other people. Taking care of widows, orphans and foreigners is part of our ministry that God is blessing because it is part of His plan. How might he want to use your brokenness to refocus and bless others? Do it! Sometimes when we don't rest and recharge, we end up in the hospital, sick, depressed--broken. I know! And God uses that memory to push me to push you to work from rest. I struggle with taking vacations that bless Karen too. God uses that brokenness to lead me to better choices. I struggle with all this open border, illegals stuff. yet they are here to stay. So how might God change our thinking and want us to bless them? Pray into that. That could be part of our next ministry? Charles Stanley reminds us that God is always good and every good and perfect thing comes from Him--it's a gift, like our salvation, new life, and growth as disciples and apostles. It's a reminder to trust and obey. We are a work in process and progress. He has great plans for us that flourish and grow as we seek, trust, obey and follow His examples well. Thanks Lord! Help us grow in trust and obedience and be a blessing to you and many. help us to live and love like Jesus more in '24.Amen!

What's God saying to you? What will you do about it? He has great plans that will bless you, Him and others. Chose well today as you worship and live and love like Jesus! You can know His peace, rest and joy! Shalom!

Harvest blogs:

July 19 - Follow Me Jesus recruited a known cheat, a thuggish tax collector named Matthew (Levi) as a disciple. Then, to the abhorrence of the “righteous” religious leaders, He walked to Matthew’s house and broke bread with the tax collector and his sinner friends. When Jesus proclaims in Matthew 9:9, “Follow me,” He invites sinners to journey with Him, and the invitation isn’t cold and detached, but warm and relational. Compassion drenches every word and deed of Jesus, so instead of exacting His power to punish, He extends a hand of fellowship.  Simultaneously, while ministering to sinners, He teaches the righteous how to behave in a godly way. In Matthew 9:12-13 Jesus says, “Those who are healthy don’t need a physician, but those who are sick do. Go and learn what this saying means: ‘I want mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I didn’t come to call the righteous, but sinners.” The righteous can’t judge a sinner into being a follower: not effective. The righteous can follow Jesus’s example: Jesus as the Almighty, Righteous God loves a sinner into following Him. His love doesn’t condone sin but looks past it to love (spend time with) the person. His love and kindness bring that individual to repentance. Lord, You’re amazing. I repent for every time I’ve judged a person or situation. Help me, Lord, to look at others through Your eyes and treat sinners as You treat them. Reorganize my impulses and inclinations so I represent You well. I declare that with Your wisdom, I will be merciful. With Your empowerment, I will love sinners into a right-standing relationship with You. With Your steadfastness, I will courageously fellowship with, yet live an uncompromised life before sinners. Thank You for making this possible. I praise You for living inside of me. I’m not my own, but Yours. I praise You for the blood making me righteous in Your sight. I praise You for the life You gave me. I praise You for seeing all I do and am purposed to do in You. You’re my all in all. Praise the Holy One, the Righteous One, the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. --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 Praise the Son of God, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Thank God for the depth of the riches of that wisdom and knowledge (Rom. 11:33). Confess those areas of your work or personal life for which you have forgotten to ask his wisdom and guidance. Commit yourself to calling out for insight and crying aloud for understanding, to looking for it as for silver and searching for it as for hidden treasure (Prov. 2:3). Ask God to let his discretion protect you and his understanding guard you. Intercede for the parents you know who are struggling with raising their children, that God will open their hearts to his wisdom. 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.

Upper Room: Work and Rest

Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” - Nehemiah 8:10 (NIV)

I grew up on a farm, where responsibility and hard work were high priorities. These values were so highly prized that I still struggle with taking time and resources to spend on recreation and relaxation.

After studying the Bible, I came to realize that God often instructed the people to take time from their work to celebrate and enjoy life. We need times like this to rejuvenate ourselves so we can continue with our life’s occupation and our work for the Lord. We read in Mark 6:31-32 that even Jesus took his disciples away from ministering to a large crowd so they could be physically replenished.

After a revival during Nehemiah’s days, God’s people were instructed to eat, drink, and celebrate. Then Nehemiah adds, “For the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Replenishing our bodies with rest and our souls with nourishment are spiritual disciplines that Christians need to follow so that we maintain the strength we need to follow God’s call on our lives.

TODAY'S PRAYER

Lord God, provide us with nourishment, rest, and recreation so we can have the resources to serve you and others joyfully. Amen.TWFYT:

ODB:

CS:

Sarah email and challenge below (*thanks Sarah)

    *One correction, I believe Harry Hebig's service is at the Emmaus location. Will know for certain today when obit is published.

Study and meditate on Ephesians 2 this week as we will be discussing Sunday

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Good Morning Pursuers of God's Customized Vision and Plans and Doers of His Word! Amen! Check out Sarah's message about pursuing God's vision and plans for you. They are custom made for you for such a time as this and part of Jesus' easy yoke for you. PTL! We are reminded in Eph. 2:10 that we are God's masterpieces. We are made new in Christ. And that God wants us to do the things He has planned for us since He created us. Understanding your purposes needs to be followed by doing what God reveals. Sarah's picture of the stagnant lake reminds me of the Dead Sea. Why is it dead? Because nothing flows out. It takes in all kinds of nutrients and fresh living water that builds up, stagnates and dies because there is no outlet. How often have we heard teachings on doing and being doers of the Word? A lot, I believe. We have all this head knowledge about the Bible and know God, but unless we follow Him out and allow Him to use us to make Him known, we stagnate and eventually become useless for His purposes. But here's the promise, God knows, loves and has great plans custom made for you for today and everyday to follow. And He promises to guide us and be with us as we take those steps of faith to go and make Him known. PTL! We can do nothing of value without Him. So, seek first the Kingdom and His righteousness and then put on that easy yoke and go practice living and loving like Jesus and watch how He uses you, just as you are. Next thing you know, you'll be growing into His greater things He has planned for you and you will be known as springs of Living Water! Amen! 

What's God saying to you as you seek Him and His plans for you and our Body? What will you do about it? Who is helping you process, plan and go? Pray for God to raise up your co-laborers and to connect you to a small group. Pray for us to get some prayer ministry and small groups started in the next few months. That is the vision God has given me for our Body--gather, pray, process, prepare and go make Him known. He has a perfect part in that just for you! Wonder what it might be? Whatever it is, it will be a joy because you were crafted to do it and God will be with you! Amen!

Our EC motto is to know Christ and make Him known. As we work on the EC vision of becoming a dynamic movement of God, it will be built upon seeking and knowing God and will only come to life as we go and make Him known. We all have a custom part in His Good News Delivery Co. What's yours? Seek Him and process that with some others today. He promises to go with you, guide you, and make Himself known to and through you. Check out the rest of our devos below and the Harvest blog on revival. God is speaking and weaving us together for such a time as this. May we be earnest in our pursuit to grow at becoming more like Jesus and living and loving like Him. Amen!

Yesterday was a unique Bread Ministry Day. they are all different, really. I always pray for God to use me and connect me to those He is sending and for Him to use me well. He always answers those prayers and in different ways each week. PTL! Your part could be to pray for God to open doors, draw people to Him and for us to connect to them and them to Him? Your part could be helping to serve the bread and greet people? Your part could be sitting there watching for the ones God is sending to you and allowing Him to use you? Maybe your part is helping to pick up the bread and set it up? Or maybe God has another plan for your day? Seek Him and follow well everyday!

Yesterday, God sent Joan, Karen Latch's sister. Joan usually stops in for a bit to get bread and chat and visit her sister. Yesterday she was there when we opened and stayed until we closed. She needed to be out of the house and around God's people that care. They rent an apartment in their basement to her husband's best friend. Monday that man waited for them to leave for dinner and committed suicide in their driveway. They are devastated and have no clue why. He obviously premediated everything, no one knows why. People passed in and out while we hung out and chatted. Then Amber and Arianna stopped in and sat down with us and shortly after Chuck joined us. We just sat and chatted. Chuck was hurting from having a funeral for a friend Mon. Amber and Arianna are praying for healing and peace for Ramone. It was just a time to sit, listen, chat and encourage. Then God sent an angel in a new face of a young Christian mother and her 6 month old. Shortly baby Asa (named after the King that brought revival to Israel) was on Joan's lap. Joan had been a NICU nurse for years and loves kids. God, Asa and this young mother were used by God to bring some peace and a heaven sent distraction for a few minutes. As bread ministry ended, and the others left, I was able to pray with Joan and for her husband. Now how hard was that? Jesus' easy yoke sometimes means just to show love, care, concern, share a listening ear and to just allow Him to place you right where He has planned for you to be, just as you are. Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and He will direct you to what He has planned for you. Here I am Lord. Send me! Use me as I am. Bless others and You as I allow you to love through me. Thanks! Amen! What's your plan for me/us today? Lead us and be our Shepherd. Come! Bring revival and may it begin in me and through our Body. Amen!

Sarah email:

Good evening, church family,

Just a few things to share with you:

Harry Hebig is finally home, in the arms of Jesus. His services will be on Monday, July 22 with visitation from 10 - 11am, and the service will begin at 11:00am at the Bachman Kulik Funeral Home, 1629 Hamilton St Allentown

Please continue to keep Harry's family in your prayers during this difficult time.

Mary Rehm had her shoulder surgery today. I spoke with her this evening, and she is home and resting. Dealing with some pain. She is scheduled to being therapy on Friday. Pray that she gets a good night's rest. She is very thankful for Marshall being there to assist her.  You both are in our prayers!

Bread ministry went well today. Please continue to pray for all the volunteers that it takes to make the bread

distribution take place and bless many families.  

Continue to pray for those that are still without electricity due to the storms that have passed through. Also pray for the safety of all the workers who are cutting down trees and repairing the electrical lines.

Marylou Snyder is a proud grandmother......her grandson, Matthew Bachert. He has been working towards becoming an EMT on the National Registry.  A few weeks ago he passed the practical part of the test. Yesterday, he took the final exam and he passed!!!  Matthew Bachert is certified as an Emergency Medical Technician.  Congratulations, Matthew!  Marylou is sooo proud of him!!

Don't forget to pop a birthday card into the USPS box for GLADYS KETNER, She will be celebrating her birthday on Saturday.  Let's le her know that we are thinking of her.

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Where are you going?

Many of us like to write out a list to help us accomplish things, things that need/should be accomplished in your day.

I like to have lists as I like to check or cross the items off as I accomplish them.

Some have said that if they don't have a list, or agenda to follow, they fear their day would be wasted, as they wouldn't know what to do with their time.

The list gives them direction, provides guidance and helps hold them accountable for their day.

We could say the lists we make, whether daily or weekly could be called our "VISION"

Vision is defined as the act or power of anticipating that which will or may come to be.  Think about it, if we didn't have a vision of what we wanted to get completed, we may just end up sitting on the sofa or our favorite chair all day long........

 Even our awesome God tells us that it's necessary for us to have a vision - to know where we are headed.

Provers 29:18 says, Where there is no vision {no revelation of God and His Word} the people are unrestrained. But Happy and blessed is he who keeps the law (of God)

God wants each of us to seek out His vision for each of their lives; for our church families.   For if we don't have a vision from God, as to where He wants to use us or take us, we become like a stagnant pond - that is filled with water that just sits there.

Eventually the water becomes yucky and bug infested and not good for anything. You can't swim in it, you can't drink it, and it's not even pretty to look at.   If we don't ask God for HIS VISION for our lives, we will become like that pond - nothing is flowing in (God's Words are not flowing into our hearts/minds) and nothing is flowing out (meaning there is no evidence being shown to the world around us, of our Love for God. There is no evidence that we even have a relationship with Jesus Christ.

We Need to have a vision as we travel on our Jesus Journey - 

May I challenge you today, that if you are unsure of your vision for Christ, and what it is...... ASK HIM.   ASK Him to open your eyes and heart so you may see your vision being revealed to  you by your Heavenly Father.

Whatever He shows you is His vision for YOUR life - know you are not alone - He will help you to work through it.  He will not leave you alone - As Jeremiah 29:11 says " For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

If you discovered your VISION a while back and have seemed to have forgotten it or you have never really sought out what your vision is.....now is the time! May I challenge you, today, to find some quiet place to sit and ask God -  "what is Your vision for me?"

Prayerfully open your heart and ears to receive what God is going to tell you!!!

That is all I have for now, praying you all have a great rest of your week!

   Blessings,

    Sarah

Harvest:

July 18 - Awakening from Spiritual Slumber There have been six seasons of great revival and spiritual harvest in America to date. Historians debate the dates and the extent of each has varied. The First Great Awakening                1735-1742 The Second Great Awakening           1800-1825 The Prayer Revival                            1857-1858 The Welsh Revival                             1904-1905 The Jesus Movement                        1969-1971  Notice that every 50-60 years in our history God has graciously come in power to our nation bringing the course correction that we desperately need.   The telling mark of these movements have not been just the change in the churches, but the rapid expansion of the gospel. Awakening implies that a man is in a spiritual slumber, unable to find God. God in His grace quickens his heart, bringing him to an awareness of his sin, a deep desire for repentance, and faith to believe in Christ. In times of national spiritual awakening this happens with stunning speed.   In the First Great Awakening 15% of the population was saved. Do the math on your city or state and you will see the massive nature of such a movement. During the height of the 1857 revival, it was reported that 20,000 people a week were coming to faith in Christ! In the Welsh revival, 100,000 people experienced salvation in 9 months, fulfilling the vision God had given to Evan Roberts in prayer, and this happened the a country that is the size of a small American state. That Awakening literally swept around the world, dramatically affecting America as well.   Records of the largest denomination of its time, the Southern Baptist Convention in America, show that more students and teenagers were baptized in 1969-1971 than any moment in that denomination’s history—before or since. This was during the Jesus Movement.   If you long for millions to be saved, pray for a nationwide, spiritual awakening.   Lord of the Harvest, awaken Your people again! Thank You for what You have done in the past to draw people to Yourself. I give you thanks for awakening sleeping churches and calling generations of believers to cry out to You for the lost. Do it again, Lord! Hear the prayers of Your people, and give me a deep desire to see another nationwide spiritual awakening that leads to millions of salvations.   ---Adapted from Simply Prayer by Bill Elliff. This book is available at prayershop.org. Prayer Points Praise the Lord Jesus, who will be “revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels” (2 Thess. 1:7). Thank him that he will come to restore justice and righteousness in the earth. Confess the times when you have not lived in awareness of Christ’s coming again in power and judgment. Ask him to help you desire and look forward to his coming, and commit yourself to preparing yourself and others for “the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among all who have believed” (1:10). Ask the Spirit to give the churches in your community a sense of urgency in bringing the good news of Jesus’ death and resurrection to the unchurched and unbelieving in their neighborhoods. 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.

Upper Room: Broken Crayons

The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. - Psalm 51:17 (NRSVUE)

At the end of each school year, my mom would put all the broken crayons from the classroom in a container for me to use at home. I never liked broken crayons, but those broken crayons still colored.

My granddaughter, Arianna, is an artist. For a project, she once took brand-new packs of crayons and broke them on purpose into different lengths. She then carefully arranged the pieces on a piece of wood until a picture emerged: a child’s hand and an adult’s joined together with a butterfly hovering above them. The beauty of the colors and the amount of work that went into the piece of art are apparent to all who view it.

God wants to make us new — to transform us. Even when we feel broken and useless, God still has a purpose for us. In Paul’s letter to the Romans, he urged them to offer their “bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God” and to “not be conformed to this age, but to be transformed by the renewing of the mind.” Just as broken crayons still color and can be repurposed into something beautiful, God can transform and redeem our brokenness.

TODAY'S PRAYER

Dear God, thank you for helping us to find new purpose even when we are broken. Transform us so that we may serve you well. Amen.Our Daily Bread

TWFYT:

CS

Shalom! God loves you and has great plans for you! Rejoice!

Good Morning Gathered and Sent Disciples and Apostles of Jesus! AMEN! We are placed here and gathered to worship and be taught by Jesus. And He has sent us with His authority to share Good News, make disciple making disciples as we model and teach how to walk in Jesus' way. We are created, gifted and empowered for such a time as this to be all we are created to be and do. And we get to do this together and with Jesus leading us. How cool is that easy yoke! be you and Christ and allow Him to lead you to His best plans. We are His Good News Delivery Co. sent to bless many! Check out our devos about this below. Pray for our outreach on Wed. at 6 at Rita's (or the Creamery) and come be you and love like Jesus. Pray for new connection points and for us to step out in faith and invite God to use us well. Amen!

Shortly we will be studying Ephesians 1 as we gather to worship and study the Apostle Paul's teaching, to fellowship and to pray. All we need to do is eat together to be fully an Acts 2:42 church. And we will do that Wed. and once the AC is installed. God is using and growing us. PTL! Let us commit to follow well and help each other as we seek to go and make disciples and grow as disciples. Amen! See you soon! Shalom!

CS:

UR: The Hills

I lift up my eyes to the hills — from where will my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. - Psalm 121:1-2 (NRSVUE)

I spent many of my early years in the American Midwest. Some consider Midwestern states flyover country, but this does not accurately depict the land or its rich resources. The Midwest has beautiful prairie grasslands, abundant wildlife, meandering rivers, and fields of corn, soybeans, and wheat. In addition, the region is not all flat. There are varied and fascinating hills in the Midwest — bluffs overlooking a river, hills of tall grasses and wildflowers, sand dunes, and rugged rock formations.

Though the hills in the Midwest are not huge, each has its own richness and striking beauty. When I stand at the foot of these hills, they seem close and reachable. This reminds me that when I look to the Lord, it is like looking to the hills, for the Lord is close and within reach.

Whenever I am in need of help, I often think of the hills. I lift my eyes to the Lord and recognize that the Lord is the source of my help. No matter where we are, if we are in need, the Lord is near. We can always look up to the Lord, who watches over us.

TODAY'S PRAYER

Maker of heaven and earth, we know that our help comes from you. Watch over us and guide us. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.ODB:

TWFYT:

Harvest

July 14 - Jesus Wants To Be Known At the appointed time of 30 years old, Jesus revealed Himself and His ministry. He healed. He forgave. He understood people’s hearts. He knew their thoughts. He responded to faith. He was the Son of Man. He was God. Yet, this list merely scratches the surface of His identity. In Matthew 9:2, 4-6 Jesus says, “Have courage, son! Your sins are forgiven.” ... “Why do you respond with evil in your hearts? Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven’ or to say, ‘Stand up and walk’? But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins” ... “Stand up, take your stretcher, and go home.” Jesus heals and forgives. We can seek Him as our safe place. No matter what we’ve done, we can approach Him with sincerity of heart and receive forgiveness and reconciliation. And yet, Healer and Forgiver are only two aspects of who He is. He is so much more. Lord, I desire to know You fully. Show me how to know, pursue, and draw closer to You. Forgive me for not taking our relationship seriously. I repent. Take me to the next level of understanding about who You are and how You operate.  You have incredible authority, including healing and forgiving sins. Reveal the fullness of Your authority and the authority You granted to me. I declare that godly fear will overtake me so I can be wise. I desire godly love to fill me so I may be like You. I desire Godly zeal to characterize me, so I take nothing for granted, and I dedicate my time on earth to Your will. I’m thankful that You desire to lead me, Lord, on Your righteous path so all my days glorify You. I’m thankful You will answer my plea to fully know and experience You. I praise You that I’m fully known to You. You know every thought, every impulse, and You still love me. --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 Praise God for his marvelous goodness. Thank the Lord for being a refuge in times of trouble (Nah. 1:7). Confess your own failure to show goodness toward others. Commit yourself to bearing the fruit of goodness through the power of the Holy Spirit (Gal. 5:22). Ask God to enable you today to “taste and see that the LORD is good” (Ps. 34:8). Pray that good will win out over evil in every area of our society. Ask that righteousness and justice will permeate the fabric of our culture so that God will be glorified and praised. 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.

Worship tomorrow 10am live in person in our air conditioned sanctuary and on Zoom from the comfort of your home! Join us and invite some friends!

    *Start reading Ephesians chapter 1 as we begin our trek through some of the Apostle Paul's letters to the early church. Ask God to speak to you as you read. Record what He's saying or any questions and come prepared to study how the early church learned to follow God and not lean on their own thinking or ideas.

Don't forget our gathering at Rita's Wed at 6. Be ready to move to the creamery across from Weis in the event that the expected bad weather comes. Let's put on the St Matts T shirts and go shine bright while enjoying some fellowship and cool treats! (That's putting on Jesus' easy yoke too!)

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Good Morning Patient, Worshiping, Followers of the God Who Leads Us! AMEN! This salutation flows right from our devotionals for today (below). Prayerfully meditate on them and notice how our God who speaks brings His Living Word alive and threads it through His plans for us. What's He saying to you? What's He have planned for you? Who are your processing, planning, going partners? I believe God is opening some doors for you, me, and us together. Seek first His Kingdom. Die to self, take up cross and crucify your own thinking and ways and commit to don Jesus' easy yoke and follow well and with some friends. I am amazed at how God is bringing the reality of His easy yoke alive to us! Thanks Lord! His easy yoke is stepping more fully into who you are created to be and doing the things He created you to do with Him and some friends for such a time as this. It's easy because it's made just for you at whatever season of life or circumstances you are journeying through too. It just flows naturally from who you are in Christ and brings such joy and many blessings to God, others and yourself as you follow Jesus and run your race. Thank God for this and ask Him to continue to lead you to His greater things as He grows you to be more like Jesus.

You know as I continue to sit at Jesus' feet and receive and process, it becomes very apparent that He does have some great plans for me, for some of you and for us together. He is informing, hearing and answering prayers and bringing His plans to life as He begins opening the new doors for us to discover and step through in faith. Can any of you perceive that? Is He giving you some ideas or stirring you to pray into something or process and plan with some others? Wherever God guides, He provides. Amen! Often that provision comes as we step boldly through an open door in faith and pray His provision into existence with our mustard seed sized faith. Those of you called to pray as part of your role in our Good News Delivery Co. please get at it and pray we see the open doors and step through in faith and for God's provision to come as we go. Some of you are called to step through some new door opened just for you. Do it! Some of you are called and prepared to lead us through an open door. Do it! Some of you are to remind us that some doors are closing and to refocus. Do it! We all have our custom made purposes and we need each other to process, pray, plan and go in God's power. Let us do that together earnestly! I am convinced that is why God wants us to Become More in '24 and Do More in '24 and become more like Jesus as we go. What's He revealing to you to work on, pray about and/or encourage others to do? Are you His provision for the things beyond those new doors? What's His easy yoke for you and for us as a Body?

Check out TWFYT about open doors. Then meditate on ODB reminder to begin with worship and prayer before we go. I have some ideas of things I believe God is planning for me and us that need patience and prayer before we go. I am reminded of Caesar K's teaching about slow is fast and small is big in God's Kingdom ways. I often pray for myself to remember this and wait on the Lord and also pray that I don't miss Him moving and neglect joining Him and also, that I stop banging my head against the closed doors. Be still and know is followed by process and go in God's perfect timing. The UR carries on the theme of patient waiting. But waiting does not mean doing nothing. It's abiding in the Lord, worshiping, discerning, praying, preparing and readying for the good fruit to come when God says go. Where are you in the good fruit production process? Whose helping you prepare, discern, praying for you or whoaing you down as needed? CS reminds us that God is always with us. That's in the waiting, preparing and going--always with us! Amen! God is with you and us. PTL! No matter what we are facing or celebrating, he is there working things together. He is the strength in our weakness and He inhabits our praise and He is with us every step of the way. PTL! How might He want to direct your steps today? What will you do about that? I pray it would be obedient praying, processing, planning and following! Amen.

God is on the move! New doors are opening and some are closing. Keep worshiping, praying, sitting at His feet and patiently following Him! Great things are coming! Rejoice! I am so excited an can't wait to share and process with some of you the things He is planning for me and us! Let us not grow weary or weary ourselves but step into our new nature and God's custom plans more fully as we don Jesus' easy yoke! Amen!

TWFYT:

ODB:

UR: Patient Waiting

Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. - Ephesians 4:2 (NIV)

In the summer before my senior year of high school, I worked as a waitress at an inn in New Hampshire. As I sat on the front porch steps waiting for my father to come for me, the warm sun was peering through the leaves of the tall elms, and the soft breeze gently tousled my hair. I was content to wait patiently.

A guest leaving the inn noticed me and said, “Patience is a virtue.” That encounter has remained with me. I pondered it, realizing that in that moment it was easy to be patient. Waiting on the inn steps, I had no fear that my father would not come for me. I trusted in his concern for me, and I knew he would not abandon me. My father soon came, and I relaxed in the warmth and comfort of his presence.

I have also learned to await patiently the Lord’s direction in my life. Our heavenly Father cares for us, too, and our patience and expectant waiting is never in vain. When we realize that God is in control of our lives, we can release our tensions and frustrations to God. We will never be abandoned.

TODAY'S PRAYER

Dear heavenly Father, thank you for always being patient with us. Help us to wait patiently and trust that you will guide us as we await your answer to our concerns. Amen.CS:

Sarah blog below and its' reminder that God is always with us and the call to embrace and remember that always! Keep her in your prayer at the loss of a dear friend and former co-worker and pray for their family

Awesome day of ministry at bread and donut day yesterday! Thank you all who hung out and allowed God to use you! Next one is Wed Aug 14th

Next Wed at 6 we will gather in our St. Matts T-shirts and chill at Rita's Emmaus (if severe weather, we will move to the Creamery (ice cream shop up the street) If you would like to order a T-shirt see Gail L. Ordered shirts are expected Sunday.

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Good Morning Friends!

Please spend some time in our devotionals for today and Sarah's blog. I gotta fly to go visit our granddaughter early today. But God really has threaded all of these through Sarah's blog and is speaking to our hearts today. I have to share that in ODB's passage I saw something I missed before (1 Tim. 1:14 "The grace of the Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love THAT ARE IN CHRIST." do you understand that we are given abundant grace no matter what we face and we are given the faith and love that are in Jesus! WOW! He fills us with His love and gives us His faith. We can wield that to endure whatever we face as we remember Christ is always with us and always working things together for good! AMEN! Charles Stanley reminds of our true identity we get to put on when we are reborn in Christ. The Upper Room reminds us to give God our heavy burdens, don Jesus' easy yoke and travel light. An TWFYT reminds us to trust God and honor Him in all we do. he is worthy!

Meditate on these, journal what God is saying and process with some friends! Have a blessed day! Quote of the day from yesterday< "Your a pastor? Why are you so happy?" Let the world see the joy of the Lord in you today! Surprise them with your love and joy!

ODB:

CS:

UR: Packing Light

Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” - Matthew 11:28 (NRSVUE)

On my last vacation, I was going to be out of town less than a week, so I decided to take only a carry-on and a personal item. However, after packing the essentials and many nonessentials, my bags were overstuffed and weighed down, which ultimately placed more stress on me than if I had chosen not to carry the bags.

Emotional baggage, like physical baggage, has the power to weigh us down and cause stress. When we choose to carry more than is necessary, we are telling God that we don’t need help because we can handle it all on our own. However, it doesn’t have to be this way.

Today’s quoted verse encourages us to bring our burdens to God, while Psalm 55:22 says, “Cast your burden on the Lord and he will sustain you.” These verses highlight the fact that by handing our burdens to God, we receive strength and rest. Let us give our burdens over to God and accept God’s offer to carry them.

TODAY'S PRAYER

Compassionate God, thank you for lightening our burdens and giving us strength and rest. Give us wisdom to accept your help each day. Amen.TWFYT:

Sarah Blog:

Good evening, everyone,

Have you ever had one of those times when you lost something, and you looked everywhere to find it?

Perhaps it was your keys, wallet, checkbook, a book, the TV remote........

And you couldn't imagine where that item could be - I know of a few people who couldn't find their glasses, only to be told that they were on top of their head.  OR perhaps you are looking for your cell phone and later only realize you are talking on it.

But we search all over for that lost item and retrace your steps and places you already looked and the second or possibly the third time, when you are looking, there is the item, right there where you had previously looked.

Each of us probably experience this at least once/twice a week - some of us, perhaps more often.  I was thinking how often in our Jesus journey, we experience the same thing......How many times do we have experiences in our lives, situations that arise, difficult moments, health issues - and we ask, "Where is God?"  We have a difficult time "Seeing God!"

Many times, we are looking for the bigger picture or perhaps we are having tunnel vision or satan is distracting us, luring our attention away from God and what God is doing in our lives/through our situations.

Satan wants us to focus on what we are able to physically see - whatever is happening right in front of us, pain, troubles, uncertainties, financial stress, unanswered questions.

As God's children we need to work hard every day to follow through with obeying/keeping focus.  Hebrews 12:2 says "Let us keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, on whom our faith depends on beginning to end."

Jesus reminds us that no matter what is going on in our lives - in Deuteronomy 31:8 and Hebrews 13:5-6 He promises that "I will never leave you nor forsake you."  God promises He is always with us -  It's with our physical eyes that we see what's going on around us - BUT GOD....has also given us spiritual eyes - spiritual eyes that help us see/make us aware of the spiritual things that are happening around us but are invisible to our human eyes.

In our world, the big request is usually "Show me the evidence" - we have all grown accustomed to only believing what is right in front of us, what we can physically see.   Truth of the matter is - God is always working; working in our circumstances, working to help our finances; working to heal us...

If you and I would believe this, it would help us to maintain our HOPE in Him, and THEN we will SEE; recognize the evidence of His work, in His time, His way!

Joyce Meyer once said, "When I get discouraged because of a problem, I have been praying about, I would say out loud, "GOD IS WORKING"

The bible says if you will believe God is working, even when you don't see it or feel it, then God keeps working.

Hebrews 11:1 "Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see."

                Vs 6 "And without faith it is impossible to please God; because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and rewards those who earnestly seek Him."

God is always with us, through whatever we are going through - JOY, Sadness, Difficulty......God is always right there!

May He open our eyes, so we are able to recognize His presence.  Try to always walk in the knowledge that God is right beside you and His presence makes you UNSHAKABLE!

May we be able to say "I know the Lord is always with me. I will not be shaken, for He is right beside me!" Psalm 16:8

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Prayer needs:

Mark Henninger had his cataract surgery and all went well. Continue prayers for healing and patience as he heals

Prayers for the Burke family - I learned today that a friend and coworker of mine, from Goodwill, who just recently retired, we on an Alaskan cruise.   Her husband, daughter, grandchild, and herself went white water rafting. A landslide in the river, caused the raft to flip and become lodged. Unfortunately, Debbie's (my friend) injuries were to sever and she did not make it. Her husband, daughter, grandchild and raft guide are in the hospital in serious condition. Please keep this family in your prayers and the Goodwill family as they have learned of this tragic news.

Great time at Coffee, Donuts, Conversation today. 60 people passed through our doors to receive bread. And there were several church family members and bread volunteers there to greet them and share Jesus' love with them.

I believe that is all for now......

  Stay cool....keep praying for rain!

Blessings,

  Sarah 

Harvest: