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Tuesday, January 16 2024
10 AM on Zoom today Huddle resumes! All welcome!
Wed. 10 AM Bread distribution. 6 PM Family Ministries/Adult Huddle begins with dinner. Soups for a chilly night of warmed hearts gathering together to fellowship, study, pray and play. All welcome!
Sat 10-1: Clothing Closet
Good Morning Igniters of Revival Fires! Pray into that and continue to sow lavishly in prayers as you enjoy the abundant life in Christ--living, loving, teaching, leading and praying more and more like Jesus! John 10:10 reminds us that Jesus came so that all who will believe may not only have life but enjoy the abundant life. That's a promise to proclaim today! And as we live that sold out abundant life in Christ, we get to not only witness but be a part of His promised end times revival. PTL! Keep your focus right, your prayers flowing, and your feet following step by step in faith as you enjoy and bring to life this promised abundant life! AMEN!!!
All our devotionals are of worth today, especially as they lead you to be still and spend time with God. But I am only focusing on two: Harvest Prayer's revival prayer for day 16 and Charles Stanley's God's Purpose for Your Life daily devo. What might God be saying to you as you engage Him through these? What will you do about it?
Today in huddle we will probably discuss these and few other things more deeply as we reunite to study, pray, fellowship and plan. Join us! And possibly may do the same tomorrow evening as Family Ministry/Adult Huddle resumes at 6.
For a long time I've been trying to discern exactly how to share what God is saying to me and where He is wanting to lead me and us. He has great plans for each of us and our church that are coming to life and good fruit is budding. He's wanting to (and making some headway as we surrender to Him and His ways) help us grow into the people we were created to be, doing the things He has planned for us as we don Jesus' easy yoke and enjoy His abundant life. He's given us life, new life, and now wants us to grow to experience His abundant life as we live more fully for Him and walk more earnestly in His ways. Help us Lord! Help me!
Check our Charles' devo below and meditate on this as he put into words all I've been sensing and God has been leading us too. We can love God and enjoy this life, even the promised abundant life, if we choose. What might the abundant life feel like for you? How might you move towards it? Part of it will be living life as if Christ is all that matters, learning to become more like Jesus and allowing Him to live and love through you. Maybe as you contemplate this, He's leading you to know His shalom and promised rest for your souls and to a word or two to focus on this year to help you move towards your fuller potential? Talk to Him about that and process with some others. Are you hungry and thirsty for more? Panting after God's best for you like a deer longing for water? The Satisfier is available and so is His abundant life and so is the joy that comes from the deep soul satisfaction you can know as you grow in Christ and bring Him alive! That's revival as God's Word goes out and doesn't come back void and comes alive in and through you. PTL! Now the challenge is how do we bring this alive to others? Especially the importance of embracing this and choosing well as a child and young adult? Who may God be sending you to encourage with your experiences and these truths as you live your best life and help others towards theirs?
It's time to ignite some revival fires, maybe under your own butt, as you choose Christ's promised abundant life. That's choosing to live and love more like Jesus. Become More in '24! Do More in '24! Love More in '24!
Be Jesus More in '24!!! I'm praying for you! Choose the abundant life and start right now!
Charles Stanley:
Harvest prayer:
January 16, 2024 - Praying for Revival (Day 16): From Death to Life
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Death Valley is an expansive desert in California, known as the lowest, driest, and hottest location in all North America. It is a barren, desolate place that holds the record for the highest recorded temperature in the Western Hemisphere—a mere 134 degrees Fahrenheit!
In 2005, a rare torrential downpour deposited six inches of rain into the cracks of the rock-hard valley floor. Suddenly this lifeless desert blossomed with abundant and gorgeous flowers that had not been seen in 20 years! Dormant seeds, sitting underneath the soil for years and barely hanging on to life, were suddenly awakened when saturated with life-giving rain. The desert was alive, much like the promise of Isaiah 44:3–4: “For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour out my Spirit on your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants. They will spring up like grass in a meadow, like poplar trees by flowing streams.”
This is a picture of revival—when the Spirit saturates a church with God’s Word about God’s Son so that God’s people come alive to His glory in whole new ways.
God Almighty, I praise You for Your heart to pour out water on a dry and thirsty land! Send the refreshing waters of revival in our day! Please show me the areas in my own life, in my family and in my church that need an outpouring of Your Spirit. Saturate each area with Your Word and may a fresh wind of Your Spirit blow across my community and nation to extend the reign of Jesus Christ!
Pr a y e r Po i n t s:
• Praise God for His heart to pour out water on a dry and thirsty land! Ask Him to do it again with refreshing waters of revival in our day.
• Identify places in your own life, your family, and your church that need an outpouring of God’s Spirit—and invite Him to send a torrential downpour!
• Pray for your church to be saturated with God’s Word about God’s Son—and for your congregation to come alive to the glory of Christ.
• Pray for a Christ awakening that changes both your church and society.
• Pray for fresh winds of the Spirit to extend the reign of Christ to your community and nation.
--Adapted from Day 16 by David Bryant: Do It Again, Lord (30 Days of Hope-Filled Prayer for Revival) compiled and edited by Carol Madison.
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Tuesday, January 16 2024
Good Morning Gathered and Sent Surrendered, Faithful Servants of the Lord--Co-Laborers! Please Lord! Grow us as we gather. Equip us. Empower us! Send us to be your vessels of love, healing, hope and revival. Team us up with others--co-laborers and raise up some small group leaders. We are Your very loved children, longing to be used to advance your Kingdom and make disciples of Jesus. Come! Thank You for creating us and placing us right where you want us for such a time as this! Shepherd lead us and use us well for your glory. Amen!
And AMEN! Come Jesus us come! This morning as I sat down at my desk and pondered yesterday, Psalm 23 came to mind again...The Lord is my Shepherd. Is He your Shepherd? Are you allowing Him to lead you beside the still waters and restore your soul? Are you walking with Him through the dark valley today? Are you content in His provision and following His provision? I shall not want! Are you allowing Him to guide you in the paths of righteousness? Why? "For His name's sake!" Are you living up to the calling of being a sheep and allow the Great Shepherd to be your Lord? That's where revival begins as you humble yourself, even die to self and let go of control, for His names sake! So, surprise, as I open my Charles Stanley devo that begins with Palm 23:3. Oh, yes God is always speaking. PTL! Are we being still and listening? Are you allowing Jesus to lead you as you serve others for His name's sake? Are you working as if you are working for the Lord? Praying, serving, repenting as if for the Lord? God has great plans for you just as you are and is wanting to grow you to your fuller potential and His greater things. Rejoice! Surrender and live this life as if Christ is all that matters, because it's true! Engage Him through the devotionals below as you turn off the noise and tune into God. Ask Him to reveal a word for you to work on this year too. He has at least one! Come Jesus come!! Have all of me and grow me to my fuller potential in Christ and use me as I am, today right where you place me, for such a time as this. Bring revival and send me as you agent of it. Come! Thank You! Amen! (Pray the Harvest Prayer revival prayer at the end--earnestly for those prayers are powerful and effective!)
What's God saying to you today and what will you do about it? Who is He leading you to partner with? is He leading you to lead a small group? What word(s) is He leading you to for growth? How might He want to use you to advance His Kingdom? Who might He be leading you today? ASK! LISTEN! and receive! Then share and process that with Sarah, me, or your small circle of friends. And worship for all He is and will do! God is on the move! Hallelujah!
Charles Stanley:
TWFYT:
ODB:
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Actress Nichelle Nichols is best remembered for playing Lieutenant Uhura in the original Star Trek series. Landing the role was a personal win for Nichols, making her one of the first African American women on a major TV show. But a greater win was to come of it.
Nichols had actually resigned from Star Trek after its first season, to return to her theater work. But then she met Martin Luther King Jr., who urged her not to leave. For the first time, he said, African Americans were being seen on TV as intelligent people who could do anything, even go to space. By playing Lieutenant Uhura, Nichols was achieving a greater win—showing Black women and children what they could become.
It reminds me of the time James and John asked Jesus for the two best positions in His kingdom (Mark 10:37). What personal wins such positions would be! Jesus not only explained the painful realities of their request (vv. 38–40) but called them to higher goals, saying, “whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant” (v. 43). His followers weren’t to seek personal wins alone but, like Him, use their positions to serve others (v. 45).
Nichelle Nichols stayed with Star Trek for the greater win it provided for African Americans. May we too never be content with a personal win alone but use whatever position we gain to serve others in His name.
By Sheridan Voysey
REFLECT & PRAY
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What are your current personal and career goals? What doors could you open for others right now?
Dear Jesus, show me how to use my position to serve others in Your name.
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SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
James and John’s request to sit at Jesus’ right hand and left hand after He’s glorified (Mark 10:37) shows they didn’t yet understand that Christ’s path to glory would be through suffering. Jesus responded by referring to His coming “cup” and “baptism” (v. 38)—both metaphors referring to His future suffering for His people. He would drink the cup of suffering and identify fully with His people to save them—taking on the consequences of sin for their sake. In response to James and John’s request for honor, they’re instead promised that as Christ’s disciples, they’d suffer like Him (v. 39). And Jesus used this occasion to teach all His disciples about offering themselves in service (vv. 42-45).
Monica La Rose |
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UR: Working for the Lord
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord. - Colossians 3:23 (NIV)
Preparing to graduate from university and commissioned as a military intelligence officer in the United States Army, I envisioned a highly successful career in the armed forces. I experienced health issues during my senior year of college, however, and I was medically discharged. My plans were dashed. Reeling from disappointment, I accepted the first job I could find after searching for months. I found an entry-level position answering phones for a small business. I was disappointed and struggled with a poor attitude about my work. How will I possibly find fulfillment in a job like this? I wondered.
In Colossians 3:23, the apostle Paul encourages us to work at whatever we do with our entire hearts, as if working for the Lord. No job God has placed us in is unimportant. When we commit whatever we do to God, working willingly with everything we have, we honor God. Whether we are working as a CEO, custodian, teacher, secretary, or stay-at-home parent, God can help us to bear fruit for the kingdom. No job is small or insignificant because we do not serve a small or insignificant God.
TODAY'S PRAYER
Dear God, help us to commit everything we do to you and to remember that nothing we do is small in your eyes. Amen
Harvest revival prayer:
January 15, 2024 - Praying for Revival (Day 15): Come Upon Your People Again
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Our hearts are growing increasingly urgent about the need to pray for God’s mercy and grace in our country. This is the simple prayer that the Lord put on my heart:
Lord, throughout our nation’s history You have blessed us with times of spiritual awakening and revival. Your Spirit moved in our midst to restore godly worship. You empowered Your people to be witnesses to Your truths and to take stands for righteousness and justice.
Oh, God, do it again! Come upon Your people again in reviving power. Before our nation can be changed, our hearts must be changed. Turn us from selfishness and sin to Your loving ways.
Your Word tells us, Lord, that judgment begins in the house of the Lord (1 Peter 4:17). May Your mercy and grace also begin there. Pour out a spirit of repentance upon the Church in America. Forgive us for making our faith more about us and our comfort and preferences than about Your purposes on planet earth. Fill our pulpits with godly preachers who will proclaim Your Word fearlessly.
We will respond to Your Word as those who are called by Your name, humbling ourselves before You and in prayer, seeking Your face and turning from our wicked ways. Father, will You then hear from heaven and forgive our sin and heal our land (2 Chron. 7:14)?
We ask this in the powerful name of Jesus! Amen.
Pr a y e r Po i n t s:
• Praise God for His mercy and the many ways He has blessed our nation.
• Praise God for the way He has used this nation as a beacon of righteousness to the world and ask Him to use us again to reflect the love of Christ.
• Pray that God will use His Church to be a standard of righteousness and justice in a hurting world.
• Ask God to pour out a spirit of repentance on His Church that paves the way for revival.
• Pray for God’s blessing of the fulfillment of 2 Chronicles 7:14.
--Adapted from Day 15 by Dave Butts: Do It Again, Lord (30 Days of Hope-Filled Prayer for Revival) compiled and edited by Carol Madison.
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Sunday, January 14 2024
Worship live in person and on Zoom at 10 with Children's Church. (attached below is the handout in our bulletins for those joining on Zoom.) Today we begin our journey in learning about the Holy Spirit, Spiritual Gifts and what that all means to us as we seek to Become More in '24. We will have a lot of words to pick from as we ask God to reveal to us what He desires us to work on in '24 as we seek to become more like Jesus and doing more of what we were created to do. I'm excited! Hope you are too!
Good Morning Very Loved Masterpieces of God, Family, Friends, and Empowered Sent Ones of God! There is one thing I always pray to do and that is to love like Jesus--to incarnate or bring His love alive to all those He sends my way. We are commanded to love God and others just like Jesus does--sacrificially, lavishly. And I pray that that continues to grow and come alive in, through and around me. I pray that over all of you as well as we continue to grow in and work on living sacrificially, loving lavishly and being all in for God's ways like Jesus.
God is looking right into your heart and reminding you that He knows you and everything about you and still loves you with an everlasting love. Jesus has His arms wide open for you to feel His loving embrace as He calls you by name to come to Him. His hand is outstretched to you as you are sinking in the waves of the storm and reminds you to turn off the noise and chaos and focus on Him--the Prince of Peace. He is cheering you on and wanting you to grow into His purposes for you. He sent His Holy Spirit to help you and to gift you to grow into your fullest potential and do all He has for you. His Spirit not only equips, but empowers you to go love well, grow His Kingdom and Church and make disciples of Jesus as you complete your custom purposes and mission. What joy and blessings we know, are growing into and get to share! Man, God is so awesome and good--all the time! PTL! Prepare your hearts to enter His courts with praise today!
Times are hard but not unexpected as Jesus told us to be ready for all the trials, troubles and tribulations that are to come. Our devotionals continue the reminder to be ready, stay focused on Christ and to persevere in growling faith. Check them out below. God is weaving all things together for His purposes and the good of those who believe. Keep your eyes fixed on Him and your feet following. Be attentive and be still. Listen to hear His whisper and directions. Spend time with Him and in His Word so He can speak, you can respond and He can guide you step by step in faith. He has great plans for you! You know that but do you really believe that always--especially when in the storms? Prepare your heart by working on a growing relationship with our Lord and Savior. When you ask Him to be your Lord or the Lord of the day, you can be assured that no matter what happens, it is filtered through God's hands, part of His plan and will eventually help to lead us to His best. So choose joy always as you learn to die to self, take up your cross daily and follow Jesus earnestly! As we do, His peace beyond understanding overwhelms us and we find the strength, help and wisdom to continue on this journey to Christlikeness and for God's glory alone! He is worthy of a fully surrendered life of obedience and worship that will lead us to His best! Amen! and rejoice! Sing the hymn as a prayer today, "I Surrender All". He is worthy and will lead us to His best and prepare us for eternity with Him. Amen! A life well lived in Christ begins with surrender and grows as you seek Him more with all your heart. We are learning to live and love like Jesus. Lead us Lord! Thank You! Amen
I Surrender All: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SW8EA7DEQ2M
Harvest Revival Prayer Blog:
January 14, 2024 - Praying for Revival (Day 14): Hope Deferred
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Hope can be defined as the belief or expectation that something can or will happen. Proverbs 13:12 describes it this way: “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.”
How do we pray when hope seems lost, when a situation deteriorates rather than comes to resolution?
How can we keep from becoming discouraged and giving up when our nation slips further and further into darkness? How do we maintain confidence in the grace and love of God when judgment, logical consequences, and the downward slope of destruction seem inevitable?
There is a reason Paul reminded the Church at Rome: “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Rom.15:13). The God of hope wants us to overflow with hope, but it will require the power of the Spirit in our lives.
Just imagine: complete joy, total peace, and an abundance of hope! Isn’t that what we need?
I praise You God of hope, for You pour out joy and peace as I trust in You! Please give me renewed endurance in my prayer life to keep interceding even when I don’t see immediate evidence of revival. Pour out Your mercy on our nation even when it seems judgment is what we deserve.
Father, please increase my faith and inspire my prayers with “the assurance of things hoped for.” Send a wave of repentance and a flood of revival throughout the Church in this nation.
Pr a y e r Po i n t s:
• Praise the God of hope who pours out joy and peace when we trust in Him.
• Pray for renewed endurance in your prayer life to keep interceding even when you don’t see immediate evidence of revival.
• Pray for God’s mercy on our nation, even when it seems judgment is more appropriate.
• Ask God to increase your faith and inspire your prayers with “the assurance of things hoped for.”
• Pray for a wave of repentance and a flood of revival throughout the Church in this nation.
--Adapted from Day 14 by Jim Jarman: Do It Again, Lord (30 Days of Hope-Filled Prayer for Revival) compiled and edited by Carol Madison. This book is available at prayershop.org. Use the code CONPSP3 at checkout to receive an additional 10% discount on the book.
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Charles Stanley:
ODB:
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Nineteenth-century Scottish pastor, Thomas Chalmers, once told the story of riding in a horse-drawn carriage in the Highlands region as it hugged a narrow mountain ledge, along a harrowing precipice. One of the horses startled, and the driver, fearing they would plummet to their death, repeatedly flicked his whip. After they made it past the danger, Chalmers asked the driver why he used the whip with such force. “I needed to give the horses something else to think about,” he said. “I needed to get their attention.”
In a world overflowing with threats and dangers all around us, we all need something else to arrest our attention. However, we need more than merely mental distraction—a kind of psychological trick. What we most need is to fasten our minds upon a reality more powerful than all our fears. As Isaiah told God’s people in Judah, what we truly need is to fix our minds on God. “You will keep in perfect peace,” Isaiah promises, “all who trust in you” (Isaiah 26:3 nlt). And we can “trust in the Lord always, for the Lord God is the eternal Rock” (v. 4 nlt).
Peace—this is the gift for all who fix their gaze on God. And His peace provides far more than only a technique for holding our worst thoughts at bay. For those who will surrender their future, their hopes, and their worries, the Spirit makes an entirely new way of life possible.
By Winn Collier
REFLECT & PRAY
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Where do you normally fix your attention? How might you renew your gaze on God?
Dear God, my mind can be a scary place, and I fear so much. Please give me Your peace.
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SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
In calling His people to trust Him instead of trusting in other nations, God proclaimed Himself sovereign over all human history (Isaiah 24-27). He’s at work behind the scenes, orchestrating events to the triumphant outcome He planned for the end of time. He’ll judge and punish the wicked and the proud (24:16-23; 25:10-12) but will bless those who humble themselves and trust in Him (25:1-8). Isaiah 26 is a song of praise celebrating the salvation and blessings God will bestow on those who trust, obey, and honor Him (vv. 7-9).
K. T. Sim |
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TWFYT:
UR: Behind and Ahead
[The Lord] guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. - Psalm 23:3 (NIV)
I am facing south on a long, narrow strip of land that is nearly at the southernmost point of Africa. Sometimes it is calm and beautiful at Cape Point, but today it is buffeted by storms. The raging Atlantic Ocean is on my right and the turbulent Indian Ocean to my left. I have walked bravely but with trepidation to my present position below the towering lighthouse that has guided mariners for many years. Behind me is the solid bulk of the African continent, and far ahead of me, unseen beyond the horizon but certain in my mind, is Antarctica. I stand awed and exhilarated.
I liken my situation in this moment to my life in Christ. At times calm, at times buffeted and storm-tossed, I have walked bravely along a narrow path. But Jesus is my eternal beacon. If I listen carefully I can hear his voice calming the waters and bidding me to keep the faith, knowing that behind me is the solid ground of forgiveness, power, and love. Ahead of me, unseen and awesome but certain, lies eternity with Christ.
TODAY'S PRAYER
O God, grant us strength and guidance when we encounter the stormy gales of life. Help us to be beacons of your grace and shelter for others. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
Bulletin Insert: Words...
Become More in ’24 Challenge
Pray about and pick a word or two to work on: a “be” word to help you become who you were created to be and a “do” word to help you to work on what you were created to do
Possible words to work on
Words for ’23:
Faith, hope, peace, time, value, understanding, bold, change, patience, pause, energy, stewardship, useful, courage, relationships, restoration, rest, agape and discipleship
Spiritual gifts words:
1 Corinthians 12:8–10:
1. Prophecy 2. Serving 3. Teaching 4. Exhortation 5. Giving 6. Leadership 7. Mercy
1 Corinthians 12:28–30
1. Word of wisdom 2. Word of knowledge 3. Faith 4. Gifts of healings 5. Miracles 6. Prophecy 7. Distinguishing between spirits 8. Tongues 9. Interpretation of tongues
Romans 12:6–8
1. Apostle 2. Prophet 3.Teacher 4. Miracles 5. Kinds of healings 6. Helps 7. Administration 8. Tongues
Ephesians 4:11
1. Apostle 2. Prophet 3. Evangelist 4. Pastor 5. Teacher
1 Peter 4:11
1. Whoever speaks 2. Whoever renders service
My word(s):_____________________________
Saturday, January 13 2024
Good Morning Resting in the Lord, Preparing, Persevering, Faithful Followers of Jesus! Amen! May this be us Lord! You know us and call us by name to come rest and abide in Christ. You are preparing us to be used in this life and for our duties in heaven. Thank You! You are allowing the circumstances of our lives and this nation to grow us, mold us and teach us to persevere in faith. Thank You! Help us to always trust You, persevere in faith, choose joy and allow you to carry us to the other side of whatever we face. May we be your faithful servants as we learn to live and love like Jesus more fully and follow Him fully surrendered to You. Thank You! May Your Kingdom come and will be done in, through and around us today. May we be ready and willing to follow You. Come! Amen!
Today as I stilled myself and interacted with God through our devotionals and His Word and in prayer, it became evident of the thread through what He provided for study today. (See devos below and ask God to speak to your heart). He also affirmed to me His call to equip, prepare you and help you to be ready for the promised hard times ahead, yes even persecution that may come because of our faith and walk with Jesus. The way things are going it may not be very long before this nation is taken over by China or some anti-Jesus regime. Heck, it's already being led by anti-Jesus minions of darkness. Will you be ready and prepared to stand up for Christ, persevere, even lay down your life for your faith? Are you ready to stand up and live your faith out loud, even in captivity like Daniel? God keeps impressing on me the importance of preparing for that possibility. In days gone by we could never imagine that it could happen here. Yet here we are. Are you ready? If Jesus would come back next year would He find you persevering in faith and standing firm in Christ?
I don't want to be Donald Downer, but we are commanded to prepare and persevere in faith, to patiently endure suffering that produces growing faith. We are committed to becoming more like Jesus who endured and prevailed over all trials He faced, even death. We are working on growing into our new nature more fully and doing more of the things we were created to do. That's living this life as if Christ is all that matters. And that is the truth that motivates our commitment and obedience. Pursuing that will lead to opposition as the enemy and the culture around us rises up against Him. But fear not! Be strong and courageous! (That's a command given at least 365 times in the Bible so it's doable!) Christ has overcome death, sin and the world! He's already defeated Satan. And His Spirit lives in you to help and direct you. PTL! We are just waiting as we travel through this life representing Him. He is with us and in us! He is able to protect and carry us home. BUT GOD! But God has created us and placed us here to prepare for our next life and to bring people along and teach others how to persevere in Christ. And God spoke today through all our devotionals reminding us of this. Are you ready? Who are you helping to prepare? Be of good cheer! Chose joy as you endure and allow God to mold and use you. He does have great plans for you! What might that be for today? Talk to Him about that and commit to walking by faith and not sight into His future for you and us with His armor firmly affixed to our bodies and guarding our minds in Christ Jesus. Turn off the noise and focus on what really matters in this life--Christ and His good ways. Count your many blessings and choose joy and faith over fear and doubt. We know the Victor and He lives in us! PTL! Come Jesus! Your will be done! Amen!
Abide in Christ! Don't give up! Cast all your anxiety on the Lord. Know His peace beyond understanding, His new mercies everyday an His strength and wisdom to carry on. You can know deep rest for your soul and have confidence to stand firm, live sacrificially and love lavishly more like Jesus. He's equipped you, is with you and cheering you on! He has great plans for you that carry into our life in heaven with Him. Rejoice! This is not the time to coast along, shrink back in faith or turn back to the world in fear of offending someone or being ostracized! We are not of this world! We are in a battle and if we want to see revival, we need to be the bringers of it through Christ in us! Be strong and courageous. You were created for such a time as this! PTL! I'm praying for you, us and God's Body worldwide to rise up and shine bright in this time of darkness. We are overcomers! Pronounce that; believe that; and live like it! Amen
Harvest Prayer, Revival Prayer Blog:
January 13, 2024 - Praying for Revival (Day 13): Hope in Suffering
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The apostle Paul knew the secret and the cycle of hope:
“Since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us” (Rom. 5:1–5).
Are we hoping for national tranquility, church/ministry growth, or relief from our suffering? Or is our hope that “the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea” (Hab. 2:14)?
Paul wasn’t focusing on tranquility of the heart but on a relationship with God. We may feel more like lamenting than rejoicing in our suffering, but God tells us to persevere and to allow Him to lovingly transform our character through repentant prayer and grateful worship.
Ultimately, we will always cycle back to hope when we recall with Paul that God’s compassions never fail, and He continually pours His love into our lives.
Father, I praise You for the ways You strengthen me and reveal Your character in my times of waiting. In times of suffering, You renew my hope and peace in Christ! I ask You to continue to use my life for Your glory even as You fill the earth with the knowledge of Your glory! May Your overflowing and abundant love permeate every area of my life so that I may be a witness and an encouragement to others. Please give me a deeper relationship with Jesus that gives me hope to persevere and the faith to continually pray for revival and spiritual awakening.
Pr a y e r Po i n t s:
• Praise God for the ways He strengthens you and reveals His character in your times of waiting.
• Pray that in your suffering, God will renew your hope and peace in Christ. Ask Him to use your life for His glory.
• Invite God to fill the earth with the knowledge of His glory— even in our day!
• Pray that God’s overflowing and abundant love will permeate every area of your life—and be a witness to others of hope in Christ.
• Pray for a deepening relationship with Jesus that gives you hope to persevere and faith to pray for revival and spiritual awakening.
--Adapted from Day 13 by Kay Horner: Do It Again, Lord (30 Days of Hope-Filled Prayer for Revival) compiled and edited by Carol Madison.
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ODB:
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When I was studying in seminary years ago, we had a weekly chapel service. At one service, while we students were singing “Great Is the Lord,” I spotted three of our well-loved professors singing with fervor. Their faces radiated joy, made possible only by their faith in God. Years later, as each went through terminal illness, it was this faith that enabled them to endure and encourage others.
Today, the memory of my teachers singing continues to encourage me to keep going in my trials. To me, they’re a few of the many inspiring stories of people who lived by faith. They’re a reminder of how we can follow the author’s call in Hebrews 12:2−3 to fix our eyes on Jesus who “for the joy set before him . . . endured the cross” (v. 2).
When trials—from persecution or life’s challenges—make it hard to keep going, we have the example of those who took God at His word and trusted in His promises. We can “run with perseverance the race marked out for us” (v. 1), remembering that Jesus—and those who have gone before us—was able to endure. The writer urges us to “consider him . . . so that [we] will not grow weary and lose heart” (v. 3).
My teachers, now happy in heaven, would likely say: “The life of faith is worth it. Keep going.”
By Karen Huang
REFLECT & PRAY
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Who’s inspired you to keep going in your faith journey? How does their example encourage you to endure in times of trial and hardship?
Dear Jesus, help me to keep fixing my eyes on You. When I’m weary and losing heart, thank You for Your example.
For further study, read Going the Distance: Practices to Strengthen Your Faith.
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SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
Who are the “witnesses” the writer refers to in Hebrews 12:1? That’s a matter of some debate, but a plausible interpretation is that they’re the faithful believers who’ve gone before us. Now they stand as “witnesses,” while we on earth remain in the arena, competing in our race of faith (v. 1). We accomplish this by “fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith” (v. 2). This means that Christ is our leader as we live it out. The word pioneer in the Greek is archēgos. Other translations render it “author,” “champion,” or “originator.” The path Jesus took was far more difficult than the one we’re on. He bore the sins of the whole world, yet it led to His rightful place “at the right hand of the throne of God” (v. 2). Our race is difficult as well, but we know the joyful conclusion, for He’s blazed the trail for us.
Tim Gustafson |
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TWFYT:
UR: Making Time
Anyone who goes too far and does not continue in the teaching about Christ does not have God. Whoever continues in this teaching has both the Father and the Son. - 2 John 1:9 (CEB)
At our mountain cabin, nestled among the quaking aspen, we have a small pond. Every summer a family of ducks with several ducklings nests in the pond’s cattails, and we spend a lot of time watching them from our deck.
One day I watched as the ducklings played. Some of them explored on their own and then rushed to catch up; several scurried ahead, not waiting for their mother; and a few stayed beside the mama, mimicking her every move.
It occurred to me that their actions resembled my walk with God over the years. Many times I would lose focus, letting my Bible study and time with God take second place to more “urgent” matters. Eventually, I would realize my need to focus on God, so I’d hurry to catch up, hoping I hadn’t missed God’s message for me. Other times, I would be trying to get on to the next thing, so I would rush ahead in my studies, not taking the time to meditate on scripture and its meaning. But when I have stayed anchored to God’s side, following God’s leading and studying scripture, I have been rewarded. Whenever I take time to hear God’s voice in God’s word, I find my faith is stronger and more fruitful.
TODAY'S PRAYER
Faithful God, help us to block out distractions and take time to walk with you, anchoring ourselves in your word. In Jesus’ name. Amen.Charles Stanley:
Saturday, January 13 2024
Thank God I'm Forgiven! Thank God I'm Restored! Thank God for using you as His vessel of love, forgiveness, restoration and example! What stories we have to share of ALL God has and is doing and we will have many more to share AS WE CONTINUE TO ALLOW HIM, INVITE HIM TO USE AND SEND US! Thank God I'm forgiven and empowered to go love!
Good Morning Springs of Living Water and Lighthouses! That's God's pronouncement over us today in the dark, dry and weary land. We are redeemed, restored and sent to bring the Light to darkness and springs of Living Water to the thirsty. Today darkness continues to try to overcome our communities and nation. Many are weary and thirsty for some love, truth and hope found only in our Living Water, Jesus. We are commissioned to go, love and bring life where things are as dead. Satan and His minions are relentless and continue to lead to great sin, self-serving love, chaos and hopelessness. He is a liar and on mission to deceive and destroy. Many are entranced and consumed by his darkness and ways. BUT GOD! But we have the remedy and He lives in us! Many are becoming weary and need to sip some of the Living Water we have in us. We have the Light that drives back the darkness. Someone said, "God eagerly awaits the chance to bless the person whose heart is turned toward Him." We know and experience these blessing and we are sent to bring them to those God is drawing and are searching for Him and His Life, Light, Love, Hope and our help. On this TGIF Friday, commit to allowing God to use you to shine bright among those of the darkness and bring life and Living Water to the thirsty. Pray a covering over us. Pray for God to open our eyes to the thirsty and weary He is drawing out of the darkness. Pray for Him to prepare and use you well. Thank Him for redeeming and restoring and wanting to use you. Thank Him for preparing you for such a time as this. Revival begins on our knees and in each of us before it explodes around us. Pray for revival to explode around us and to be a firecracker that is part of that. Pray for blind eyes, deaf ears and hard hearts to be open to Truth, Light, Love and Life. Come Jesus Come! Send me! Use me! Bring revival and let it begin with me!
Check out the thread through our devotionals today. Do you see it? Turn off the noise and chaos of this day and tune into Truth, Love, Light and Life that comes from our Living Water and His Living Word! ODB reminds us that we are God's Workers. In the Become More in '24 Challenge God wants us to seek Him more and do more of our created for, custom made assignments each day. Do you know yours? God is always speaking, directing and bringing life to His plans for you and for us as His Body. Ask Him to direct you to the words He'd like you to work on this year to become more like Jesus and do more of your created purposes. God always draws me to Eph. 2:10...we are God's masterpieces, made new in Christ to do all He planned for us before we were born. We all have purpose and potential and we matter. What's your part and what are you doing about it? The UR reminds us of God's renewing, restoring power and how He restores us so we can restore others. Be refreshed in His Living Water today and then allow springs of Living Water to flow from you and refresh the thirsty.
Now all of this thinking may cause you to shrink back and grumble as you are set in your ways and comfortable. God is in the business of growing our faith by stretching us and leading us from being couch potato Christians to going, as His vessels, of life. Like the Bishop reminds us, to be a movement of God, people have to get off the couch and move with God. Are you willing. It all begins with little steps of faith. maybe those first steps are to turn off the TV and pick up your Bibles? Check out TWFYT's reminder to take control of the little things so God can lead you to the greater things He has for you. God is speaking and the darkness will never push back His Light and the dryness will never snuff out His Living Water. Where's your focus today? Grumbling pity party is where Satan loves to keep you. But Jesus has the words that bring life. He's speaking them over you wanting to speak them through you. Turn off the noise, receive His Living Water and Light and go love well today! Amen! TGIF! Who needs to know how to receive that Good News? God has great plans for you and us! PTL. Go light up your neighborhood and bring refreshing love and new life to the thirsty God is placing near you. Revival is coming! PTL! Go and join Him in it.
Today many will gather in Emmaus to gush over our president. Many of these are blinded and think the government has all the answers and put their hope in lies, deceit and man. Whichever side of the political fence you are on, we know man and his ways are folly compared to God's wisdom and ways. TURN OFF THE NOISE! Don't be deceived! The dominion of darkness controls this nation no matter who is president. Pray for deliverance and revival. We know Hope! We know Truth! And we know Life! Pray for the people of this nation to stop putting hope in man and their plans but to come to Christ, our only hope. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Trust Him. Turn off the noise and cry out for His Kingdom to come and will to be done and for Him to use you and us as His change agents and Good News Bringers. Ask God to lead you to one person who is weary and needs to be refreshed by the Living Water. This is the year of the Lord's favor and we are His vessels of Good news. What's your part in His Good News Delivery Co? What will you do about that? Start on your knees today!
Harvest Prayer Day 12 revival prayer:
January 12, 2024 - Praying for Revival (Day 12): Yet We Have Hope
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Jeremiah offers the consummate answer to life’s dilemmas—hope in God! The weeping prophet defines the anchor of our hope as the Lord’s infinite love, unfailing compassions, and abounding faithfulness:
“This I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness” (Lam. 3:21–23).
Jeremiah continues by recounting the reasons for his hope. He then challenges himself and the people of Zion to examine their ways, return to the Lord, and acknowledge their sin (vv. 25–42).
When divisiveness pervades a nation, this bright picture of repentance and hope, against the dark backdrop of despair, becomes a starting point for prayer. Even when the doors of prayer seem tightly shut, the foyer of weeping is always open.
The prophet’s hope confronts his sorrows. Faith debates fears. Night or day, the Lord God of heaven and earth demonstrates His extravagant kindness and inexhaustible faithfulness. God’s covenant love always wins the argument!
Jesus, I praise You that I can continually put my Hope in You as my Lord and Savior! Your great love keeps me from being consumed, and Your unfailing compassions are new every morning!
Oh God, renew my prayer and praise, even in the midst of disappointments that sometimes seem insurmountable in our nation. I ask for a spirit of weeping and repentance to overcome the Church and for a nation-transforming demonstration of Your extravagant kindness and inexhaustible faithfulness.
Pr a y e r Po i n t s:
• Praise God that we can always put our hope in Him as our Savior and Lord!
• Praise the Lord that His great love keeps us from being consumed, and His unfailing compassions are new every morning!
• Ask God to renew your prayer and praise, even amid disappointments that may seem insurmountable in our nation.
• Pray for a spirit of weeping and repentance to overcome the Church as a prelude to revival.
• Pray for a nation-transforming demonstration of God’s extravagant kindness and inexhaustible faithfulness.
--Adapted from Day 12 by Kay Horner: Do It Again, Lord (30 Days of Hope-Filled Prayer for Revival) compiled and edited by Carol Madison. This book is available at prayershop.org. Use the code CONPSP3 at checkout to receive an additional 10% discount on the book.
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ODB:
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In a refugee camp in the Middle East, when Reza received a Bible, he came to know and believe in Jesus. His first prayer in Christ’s name was, “Use me as your worker.” Later, after he left the camp, God answered that prayer when he unexpectedly secured a job with a relief agency, returning to the camp to serve the people he knew and loved. He set up sports clubs, language classes, and legal advice—“anything that can give people hope.” He sees these programs as a way to serve others and to share God’s wisdom and love.
When reading his Bible, Reza felt an instant connection with the story of Joseph from Genesis. He noticed how God used Joseph to further His work while he was in prison. Because God was with Joseph, He showed him kindness and granted him favor. The prison warden put Joseph in charge and didn’t have to pay attention to matters there because God gave Joseph “success in whatever he did” (Genesis 39:23).
God promises to be with us too. Whether we’re facing imprisonment—literal or figurative—hardship, displacement, heartache, or sorrow, we can trust that He’ll never leave us. Just as He enabled Reza to serve those in the camp and Joseph to run the prison, He’ll stay close to us always.
By Amy Boucher Pye
REFLECT & PRAY
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When have you experienced God’s redeeming action, such as Reza and Joseph did? How does Joseph’s story help you to trust Him more?
Saving God, You never leave me, even when I face the hardest of circumstances. Please give me hope and eyes to see Your work in my life.
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SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
In Genesis 39, the word translated “prospered” (v. 2) or “success” (vv. 3, 23) is the Hebrew word tsalakh. In Genesis 24, it’s used in connection with the mission of Abraham’s “senior servant” to find a wife for Abraham’s son Isaac (vv. 21, 40, 42). Elsewhere in Scripture, “success” is associated with obedience to the Scriptures. After the mantle of leadership had been transferred from Moses to Joshua, God told Joshua that he’d be “prosperous and successful” (Joshua 1:8) when he obeyed God’s law. In Psalm 1, the person who delights in the words of God “is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers” (v. 3). The success of God’s servants is based on God’s provision—His presence and His strength to obey Him.
Arthur Jackson |
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UR: God's Renewing Power
[The Lord] turns rivers into a desert, springs of water into thirsty ground. - Psalm 107:33 (NRSVUE)
One day, I looked across a valley and saw a garden of maize. I wondered why the garden had been planted in such a hot, sandy, and dry place. I was surprised there could be such green growth in an almost desert area. Then I learned that the farmer had dug wells to water his garden so that he was able to plant the maize and get a plentiful harvest.
When I seem to be stuck in barren situations, God is able to make waters spring up and bring me renewed life. Oftentimes, when we feel like we are dwelling in a desert, our needs overwhelm us. When our work seems not to be yielding anything good, we feel lifeless, barren, unfruitful. But God is able and willing to cause waters to flow in the midst of our deserts to give life, fruitfulness, and productivity — even where there seems to be no hope. So let us be encouraged by our powerful and loving God!
TODAY'S PRAYER
O Lord, may you create fruitful fields from the barren situations in our lives. In the name of Jesus. Amen.TWFYT:
Charles Stanley:
Saturday, January 13 2024
Sarah Prayer Email below
Good Morning Forgiven, Restored, Commissioned, Protected, Empowered, Sufficient in Christ, Bringers of Good News! Well Pastor Don, that sure is a mouthful! Maybe, but it's truth to pronounce over you, our church and God's Body! We are custom made for our custom part in bringing the Good News. We are made new and empowered by the Holy Spirit when we come to Christ to do all He has created us to do. (Eph. 2:10) What might that be? The Great Commandments and Great Commission--Love God, others and each other as Jesus loves and go make disciples in His way. That's our purposes. And their custom made for us and our gifts, abilities and circumstances, empowered with new everyday mercies. PTL! I think of Jesus' easy yoke for us weary and striving in our own strength--come to Him and find rest for your souls. Yoke to Him as you learn to walk in His gentle and easy ways. I think of Proverbs 3:5-6 and the reminder to stop leaning on your own understanding. God is always doing new things, new ways and all we need to do is trust Him and allow Him to direct our steps. I think of Solomon who said in Ecclesiastes how meaningless life is without God. And he would know as he pursued all kinds of things to find meaning and purpose for his life to no avail. He teaches that we should love God and enjoy life. We love God! Thank Him for His love and your faith. And we can enjoy this custom made life as we surrender to God and Jesus' ways and just allow Him to use you, as you are, for His plans today. And as you do He will grow you more fully into your created potential and use you as you grow into the greater things He has for you. PTL! So, stop striving in your own strength and follow God's lead, provision and peace (Jesus' easy yoke) and love well and enjoy life! Find soul satisfaction that you are God's forever and He is well pleased with you, His faithful child! AMEN! Go team!
We've been on this journey the past several years to become more like Jesus and to doing more intentionally the things He has for us each day. We are making progress and seeing some good fruit from that! PTL! The fruit showed up yesterday as we fellowshipped, ate some donuts together, shared the Good News with some, prayed with some, encouraged some, served all who God sent and loved well during Bread and Donut day. And like Acts 2:42-47 (read it prayerfully today!) the Lord added to their numbers daily. PTL! God is doing that through us as several people that we have connected to and are connecting to God have expressed interest in joining our church. And many others keep coming back to be fed by the Living Bread being distributed by His faithful servants weekly. God is on the move and using us as we love Him and others and enjoy this life we've been given. What JOY we are experiencing as God uses us just as we are with what He's given us! His grace and provision are sufficient! PTL! (our next donut day is Feb 14th...come and see what the Lord is doing! Or come and see at our next brunch Sun Jan 28th after worship and bring a friend! These new disciples are coming because someone saw God at work in them and invited them to come) Keep praying into all God is doing and for some new connection points for us this year as we seek to Become More in '24...more of Christ and His way and less of me! More Love! More Holy Spirit Power! More growth as disciples of Jesus. And more doing of the things He did! That's our mission as we learn to live and love more like Jesus everyday!
I am still processing our vision team meeting the other night. God spoke to us in volumes as He began to show us some open and some closed doors and some things to build upon. Thanks Lord! Continue to lead us and help us to hold loosely and follow well. It can be a wild ride as we "fly the airplane while building it"! But that is God's way as we let go and trust God to reveal as we follow Him step by step in faith. He reveals and provides as we take those daily steps of faith from our comfort zones and allow Him to lead us on the thrill ride of our lives! He's created us to accomplish our parts of His plans and purposes. He's given us the Holy Spirit and gifts to accomplish these as we follow Him into the unknown but promised awesome future. Tighten those seatbelts and your helmet of faith straps tight. Love God! Be all you can be in Christ, doing all He has for you--your custom made part in His Good News Delivery Co. that only you can do. And Enjoy the ride!
God has a plan and purposes along the way for each of us and us as His Body. He is working all things together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purposes, even those yet to come. We know who we are (or are discovering that as we step into our new natures more fully and our custom made purposes along the way to becoming more like Jesus). And we know Whose we are and are assured that He is with us always and we will be with Him always. Come Jesus Come! Send me! That's your prayer for today as you commit to let go and let God have His good way with you and use you well. Check out our devos for today below that thread through all of this as you spend some time with God today. Turn off the noise and chaos all around you. Be still and know He is God, He loves you and has great plans for you. And step into your anointing today! Love God and enjoy this life He's given you and live it with gusto and for His glory! Amen! Check out today's Harvest Prayer Revival prayer for today too talking about praying expectantly for a vision for revival. Yes, Come Jesus come and use me well today! Amen!
We are: Forgiven, Restored, Commissioned, Protected, Empowered, Sufficient in Christ, Bringers of Good News! (Did you notice how everyday since Kathy shared her "restored" testimony on Sunday how God brings up restoration every day in our devotionals! God is calling us to be restored and to become restorers of broken down lives all around us!) Come Jesus! Send me and use me for your glory as you revive and use me to bring love, joy, peace, hope, help and revival alive--Christ and His ways incarnate through me! Come! Amen!
Harvest prayer for Revival:
January 11, 2024 - Praying for Revival (Day 11): Ripe for Revival
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What might spiritual awakening look like in our day? Let’s keep it simple. Acts 1–2 reveals the qualities present whenever the Spirit revives His people and awakens the lost. In Jerusalem, Pentecost’s transforming power of the Spirit on His people arose out of sustained and earnest prayer. The transformation produced powerful preaching. That preaching resulted in profound repentance and faith. And that profound faith launched and sustained a radical way of life that impacted every facet of the city.
There are hopeful signs of a coming spiritual awakening. We should be deeply impressed with the quantity and quality of prayer being mobilized across our nation. The bride of Christ is waking up to the dangers in front of her. A unity, unlike any in previous generations, is forming. This unity is diverse, multiethnic, and multinational. The one thing missing, however, is vision.
I believe God will provide it, but we must pray for that united vision. I believe we are, indeed, ripe for revival and spiritual awakening. Let’s ask God to give us the vision to see what its fulfillment would look like. And let’s ask God to give leaders the wisdom to embrace it.
Lord, I praise You that there is always hope for another Great Awakening in my nation! Inspire my prayers with belief that it is in Your heart to do it again, in my day! Alert and prepare Your Church to pray with urgency and in great unity for a coming spiritual awakening. May the leaders in my church and all others be ready to embrace this vision. Show me how to pay attention in Your word, especially in Acts 1-2, to the ways Your Holy Spirit poured out life and power in the Church. Would you do it again, Father? Help Your distracted and complacent ones to become focused on praying hopeful prayers and give us a vision for revival that is diverse, multiethnic, and multinational. I long to see You pour out Your Spirit, Lord!
Pr a y e r Po i n t s:
• Praise God that there is always hope for another Great Awakening in our nation! Ask God to inspire your prayers with belief that it is His heart to do it again.
• Praise God for how He is alerting His Church to pray with unity and urgency for a coming spiritual awakening. Pray for your leaders to embrace such a vision.
• Pray through Acts 1–2 by paying attention to the ways the Holy Spirit poured out life and power to the Church. Ask Him to do it again.
• Pray that your church will be inspired to lift up hopeful prayers that go beyond distracted and complacent faith.
• Pray for a vision of prayer for revival that is diverse, multiethnic, and multinational.
--Adapted from Day 11 by Bob Bakke: Do It Again, Lord (30 Days of Hope-Filled Prayer for Revival) compiled and edited by Carol Madison. This book is available at prayershop.org.
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Charles Stanley:
ODB:
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“Please clean the front room before you go to bed,” I said to one of my daughters. Instantly came the reply, “Why doesn’t she have to do it?”
Such mild resistance was frequent in our home when our girls were young. My response was always the same: “Don’t worry about your sisters; I asked you.”
In John 21, we see this human tendency illustrated among the disciples. Jesus had just restored Peter after he’d denied Him three times (see John 18:15–18, 25–27). Now Jesus said to Peter, “Follow me!” (21:19)—a simple but painful command. Jesus explained that Peter would follow Him to the death (vv. 18–19).
Peter barely had time to comprehend Jesus’ words before he asked about the disciple behind them: “What about him?” (v. 21). Jesus replied, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?” Then He said, “You must follow me” (v. 22).
How often we’re like Peter! We wonder about the faith journeys of others and not what God is doing with us. Late in his life, when the death Jesus foretold in John 21 was much closer, Peter elaborated on Christ’s simple command: “As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do” (1 Peter 1:14–15). That’s enough to keep each of us focused on Jesus and not on those around us.
By Matt Lucas
REFLECT & PRAY
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How are you tempted to compare your faith walk with others? How will you keep your focus on Jesus today?
Heavenly Father, please continue to conform me into the image of Your Son.
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SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
After His resurrection, Jesus remained on earth for forty days before ascending into heaven. During this time, He “proved to [his disciples] in many ways that he was actually alive” (Acts 1:3 nlt). The New Testament records some eleven post-resurrection appearances of Christ. The risen Jesus met with different people for different reasons. He had unfinished business with all His disciples. The Passover weekend was a traumatic one for them, and every disciple had “deserted him” (Matthew 26:56). In fact, Peter had denied knowing Jesus three times (John 18:15-27), but Christ restored him (21:15-19). His disciples needed to be forgiven, restored, reinstated, and recommissioned to do God’s work.
K. T. Sim |
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UR: Love One Another
Put away . . . all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slander, together with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you. - Ephesians 4:31-32 (NRSVUE)
My day started with hurt and irritation from a friend’s critical remarks. While I ran errands my anger grew, and I began to develop a grudge. The grocery store parking lot was full, but I spotted an open space one lane over. I sped up and rounded the corner to grab it but then saw a car approaching with its blinker flashing. I scowled as I waited for the other driver to park. But to my surprise, the man stopped and waved me into the parking spot. I was grateful but unmoved by the gesture.
I raced through the store and found myself behind the same man in the check-out lane. He turned, smiled, and began emptying my cart for me while the cashier scanned his items. I stood amazed. I returned the smile and thanked him for both good deeds. He shrugged and said, “It doesn’t cost anything to be nice.” I cringed and felt my face go red as I remembered Jesus’ command: “Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another” (Jn. 13:34). I realized I was angry over something trivial, and a sudden rush of gratitude swept over me. I am thankful for the man whose acts of kindness had an impact on my attitude.
TODAY'S PRAYER
Dear Lord, help us to focus on being kind when things don’t go our way. May we always remember to love one another no matter what the circumstances. Amen.TWFYT:
Sarah Prayer Email:
Good evening warriors,
Here are a couple of prayer needs:
Friend of Lisa Wenner's, Carol is asking for prayer for her sister Lori Barefoot, and for Carol's father Mark Trimber.
Lori has been having episodes of tingling and numbness in her face and hands. She has had a number of test done,
but no answers yet.
Mark is in the hospital and has tested positive with COVID. He is extremely fatigued and weak, and has a bad urinary tract infection.
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Praising God for Harry Waterman's surgery going well. He is going good and is spending the night in the hospital, and hopes
to be discharged tomorrow (Thursday).
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Pray for those that are dealing with water in their homes. This can be very stressful to many. Thank God for people that
have and are coming to the 'rescue' of those in need.
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Praise God for Coffee, Donuts and Conversation time today. Good conversations and prayers were offered.
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Continue to pray for those mentioned on Sunday:
Barbara Shade, Howie Barley, Gladys Ketner, and any other church family members that may come to mind.
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Tim Schware made it safely to Eric's in Maryland and then the next day to Virgina. There were areas that were a bit
rough and he did see several accidents along the way but Yay God, He put a hedge of protection around him.
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The Vision team had a good meeting last evening. Please continue to pray for your Vision team as they seek God's
guidance and direction for 2024 and the future.
Have a great rest of your week, everyone!
Blessings,
Sarah
Proverbs 29:18 - Where there is no vision (no revelation of God and His word) the people are unrestrained.
But happy and blessed are they who keep the law of God.
Saturday, January 13 2024
It's DONUT DAY!!! Come and see what the Lord is doing through this ministry today at 10 and enjoy a treat, coffee and some conversations and prayers!
Sarah Prayer email below
Good Morning Sold Out, Intercessors and Prayer Warriors of the Lord! God is on the move in response to our praying and Jesus is busy interceding for us and releasing His will in, through and around us as we pray. Thanks Lord! Our devotionals today speak into praying! Check them out and know that your faithful prayers are power and effective! Keep up the good work! For many of you, praying is your part in our Good News Delivery Co. Thank you for your faithfulness. For some of us, God reveals His will and plans and what to release in prayer. Keep asking for God to guide your prayers to His plans and will and for stick-to-itiveness. Check out Charles Stanley's devo about our Intercessor, Jesus. He is able! PTL! And He wants to inform our prayers, decisions and ways as we pray and listen and process. Speak Lord, Your servants are listening! Bring Your dreams, visions and plans alive! Come Jesus Come! (check out this song as a prayer starter: Come Jesus Come! (Sometimes all we can do is fall to our knees and cry out for Jesus to come...and He will. he's able!) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UViC6DllCeA
We had an awesome Vision Team meeting. Thanks for praying and serving. Thanks for being faithful to seek God, adapt and your willingness to seek Him for more and adapt as we follow the Holy Spirit! God will restore and redeem as we heed His call to pray. He knows what we need even before we ask and even informs our praying. How cool is that! As we come with fully open hearts, seeking His plans and best, he loves to answer and work all things together for our and those who will come good. Come Jesus Com! have Your way with us! Enlighten our prayers. Give us Your heart, mind and spirit to pray and serve well. Thank You for leading and growing us. May we be Your people, always seeking more of You and following You more fully in the year ahead. Come Jesus Come! Use us well and grow us to your best and greater things! Amen!
Charles Stanley:
ODB:
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Abraham Lincoln confided to a friend, “I have been driven many times upon my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go.” In the horrific years of the American Civil War, President Lincoln not only spent time in fervent prayer but also called the country to join him. In 1861, he proclaimed a “day of humiliation, prayer and fasting.” And he did so again in 1863, stating, “It is the duty of nations as well as of men to own their dependence upon the overruling power of God: to confess their sins and transgressions in humble sorrow, yet with assured hope that genuine repentance will lead to mercy and pardon.”
After the Israelites had been captives in Babylon for seventy years, King Cyrus decreed that any Israelite who wanted to return to Jerusalem could return. When Nehemiah, an Israelite (Nehemiah 1:6) and cupbearer to the king of Babylon (v. 11), learned that those who had returned were “in great trouble and disgrace” (v. 3), he “sat down and wept” and spent days mourning, fasting and praying (v. 4). He wrestled in prayer for his nation (vv. 5–11). And later, he too called his people to fast and pray (9:1–37).
Centuries later, in the days of the Roman Empire, the apostle Paul similarly urged his readers to pray for those in authority (1 Timothy 2:1–2). Our God still hears our prayers about matters that affect the lives of others.
By Alyson Kieda
REFLECT & PRAY
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Why do you think God calls His people to pray for everyone? Who beyond your own circle can you pray for?
Dear Father, we’re in trouble. Please help and heal us.
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SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
In response to hearing about the struggles of the exiles who’d returned to Jerusalem (Nehemiah 1:1-3), Nehemiah prays a prayer of repentance for both his own sin and that of his nation (vv. 5-11). In his prayer, he finds hope in God’s past promises to restore His repentant people. In verses 8-9, the writer lifts up God’s promise to return repentant exiles to their land where they’d flourish once more if they’d fully commit to serving God (see Deuteronomy 30:1-4, 9-10).
Learn about the work God can do in us when we pray.
Monica La Rose |
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UR: Before We Ask
Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful. - Hebrews 10:23 (NRSVUE)
As I write, my beloved wife is undergoing her seventh surgery for breast cancer in just over three years. She has also endured 13 months of chemotherapy. After checking in at the hospital this morning, we prayed together.
Once she was taken back for anesthesia and surgery, I prayed earnestly for her and for all the doctors, nurses, and technicians involved in her surgery. I then read my daily devotional. When I completed that reading, it occurred to me that in my prayer life I have asked for many things. Although I do thank God for the gift of grace through Jesus Christ and for the many blessings of my life, I feel as though most of my prayers ask for a particular outcome for my loved ones, for those in need or suffering, or for myself.
I wondered if God ever tires of my many requests. So I turned to the Bible. In numerous passages I received assurance that God desires my prayerful requests. Those prayers tell God of my true and abiding faith in God’s grace. Paul said it well in his letter to the Philippians, “Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God” (Phil. 4:6). That is exactly what I am doing today. God is love, and I am most thankful for that and for God’s listening ear.
TODAY'S PRAYER
Dear Lord, you know what we need even before we ask. May our prayerful requests reveal our sincere and abiding faith in you. In Christ’s name we pray. Amen.TWFYT:
Sarah Prayer Email:
Good evening, Church family,
Jim Handfest is at Phoebe Rehab however he tested positive for COVID. He does not have any of the symptoms, but
has to remain in his room alone. And if you know Jim he is a people person. Please pray that he will heal soon, and that
they will continue his different therapies during this time. Also keep Kay in your prayers as she goes back and forth to
visit him.
** ** **
Tomorrow, at 9:30am, Harry Waterman is to report to the hospital for his valve transplant. He is very grateful
for those of you that called him to let him know that you are praying for him. He feels very blessed. Keep
Millidine in your prayers also. Keep his medical team in your prayers
** ** **
Vision team met this evening. We had some good discussion and ideas that we are praying on and into 2024.
So will you pray along with us to Seek God more in 2024; See what God wants us to do; Where does God want
to lead us into; help us to follow God's leading even though it sounds 'crazy'
** ** **
Gladys Ketner has pneumonia in one of her lung lobes. She is breathing okay, so symptoms are
minimal. Let's all pray for her healing.
** ** **
Okay everyone, stay dry!! Pray for those that may be experiencing water in their basements or leaky roof
May the Lord meet their needs.
Night and sleep well!
Sarah
Oh yea, don't forget to stop by the church tomorrow, between 10-12pm for coffee, donuts and conversation!
Harvest Prayer for Revival:
January 10, 2024 - Praying for Revival (Day 10): When God Doesn’t Respond
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Many believers today are getting desperate. Seeing the moral and spiritual free fall in the world around us and the declining condition of the Church in our land drives us to cry out to God. We need Him. We need His manifest presence. We need revival in the Church and spiritual awakening among the unbelieving. We need our nation to be restored to its Kingdom calling as a mighty, gospel-sending station to the world.
According to Scripture, the precursor to any great movement of God is always humble, repentant prayer.
Wouldn’t it be heartbreaking to learn that some things in our lives prevent our prayers from accomplishing what is so desperately needed? Wouldn’t it be devastating to find out that all our hard work in prayer is doing nothing to advance the Kingdom?
While Scripture contains hundreds of positive promises regarding answered prayer, God also outlines many things that will hinder our prayers. No one prays perfectly, and God is not playing with us. He does not make intercession so unattainable that only the super-spiritual can be effective. He understands our weakness. But He is also very clear about those things that can hinder our prayers.
Are we willing to evaluate the effectiveness of our prayer lives? And when God shows us areas of need, we can turn to Him in repentance and take the necessary steps to adjust our lives to encounter Him afresh in prayer.
Oh God, I praise You that You established this nation with a Kingdom calling to spread the gospel to the world. I rejoice at how the Holy Spirit is drawing more and more people to pray for revival and spiritual awakening. Help me to encounter Jesus in fresh ways in prayer that will revive and restore my soul. May my own church see more people praying with greater faith and belief than ever before, seeking God for a fresh move of the Holy Spirit throughout our nation.
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Tuesday, January 09 2024
Two prayer updates: Sarah's friend, Tara, that we have been praying for stepped into the arms of Jesus, fully healed and restored, yesterday afternoon. Pray for Sarah and Tara's family for peace, comfort and strength for the journey. Jim Handfest as been diagnosed with COVID even though he is showing no symptoms. He has been transferred to Phoebe for rehab and is in isolation in a small room. Pray for peace for he and Kay and for a speedy recover. Pray for wisdom for Kay as she oversees his care.
Dec. Financial Statement below.
Good Morning Restored, Visionary, Followers of Jesus! Living and loving like Jesus, just as you are. Seek Him for direction and guidance with willing hearts, hands and feet. Repenting and being restored and renewing your thinking as you seek Him and ask Him to examine your heart and ways is part of the process of becoming more like Jesus. We are making great progress but there is always more work to do on ourselves and for God's Kingdom to grow until we are called home to our next assignments. PTL for being with us, restoring us, speaking to our hearts, directing our steps and helping us all along the way! Rejoice!
"Restore" seems to be the theme since Sunday when Kathy shared her testimony. Check out today's Our Daily Bread below. The Jeremiah passages talks all about God's restorative love. His love is beyond measure yet very personal, always alive and active, cleansing, purifying, correcting, directing and overflowing from us. Who needs some love? Restoration? Salvation? Help? Pray into donut day tomorrow as that has been some of what God uses us to do as we bring the Bread of Life alive. Pray for courage to overflow God's love to someone He brings to mind today. Praise God for His love and keep building those gratitude lists. ODB reminds us that "Jesus is the ultimate expression of God's restorative love, giving peace and rest to those who turn to Him." Know Christ and His love and allow His love to come to life in and through you! We are reminded that many reject or turn from His love. But His love relentlessly pursues those who will respond, like me after I walked away from God. Ask Him to open your eyes to those He is pursuing and wisdom and courage to be His vessel. Or maybe you are being pursued. Stop running. Humble yourself and receive His restorative, forgiving love. What joy awaits you! PTL!
Tonight, Lord willing and electric stays on, is our vision team Zoom meeting. Please continue to pray into this. God has great plans for us to discern, receive and sow into as we steward well all His blessings and provisions. Thank you! And thank you to the vision team (our leadership teams) and your willingness to seek God, listen, prepare for tonight and willingness to help us continue on His path for us! It seems like the rest of our devotionals flow from our church being restored and led on its way to revival and speaks to our hearts about Jesus and His way. Charles Stanley reminds us Jesus is the key. And He is--always!!! Col. 3:11 reminds us that in this life Christ is all that matters and He lives in us and wants to love through us and grow His Kingdom. Seeking to discern how well we are doing with that is part of tonight's meeting and where He is leading us to from where we are with that. He has a good plan for each of us and us as His Body with many little purposes we get to join Him in daily and along the way. May we keep discerning where He is at work and where and how He has created and prepared us to join Him.
The Upper Room reminds us that God is our guide. Is He your guide? Is He guiding our church and what we are sowing into? That's some of what we will assess tonight. I know He is faithful to guide His willing servants and St. Matts has many willing servants choosing to do what they can with what God's providing. Thank you! They remind us, "It becomes crucial to allow God to guide us through the twisting and turning passageways of life so that we can find the path that will lead to joy that only God can offer." Yes we seek to choose joy always as we trust in God to lead us. We have experienced how He brings joy to those who ask and trust Him. PTL for we see that and experience that often coming alive through us at St. Matts. Thinking about that triggered the thought of all the joy-bringers that are engaging with many desperate, hurting people God is sending to us. And we see joy overflowing to many. PTL! It also triggered a reminder of the prophesy of Rosa who said that we should rename our church JOY Church. Would that bother you if we got rid of the antiquated saint name that many people reject and take on the name JOY that many are seeking and being drawn to? Pray about that. Every time we say our church name it would be pronouncing Joy over us and our ministries. We are really good at being people with overflowing love and joy that is drawing many to God! Thank Him for that! And remember, others experience joy and joy grows in us as we choose J-O-Y living: Jesus first, then Others, then Yourself. It's agape love of Jesus coming alive!
We are God's family on mission to reach, save and disciple His sent ones. (with much love and joy!). The Word for Your Today reminds us of some of the difficulties of growth: blending families, loving the unlovable and grafting them into our blended family. St. Matts, like this nation is a melting pot. We are already a mixture of many different people and God is drawing many more to our fellowship. Let us prepare ahead and plow the fields with prayer that love and joy would always be at the forefront of our DNA as we learn to live more and love more like Jesus, who welcomes all who will come into His family. May we become a House of Prayer for the Nations. That has been one of my and some of your prayers. For that to happen, all kinds from all tribes become part of our family. We are preparing to receive some new members and pray for many more to come. PTL! May we always be a welcoming, loving, inclusive Body of Christ overflowing with love and joy! Amen! TWFYT reminds us to prepare ourselves for more different types to join our family, listen to understand others needs and what ministers to them. and pray, pray, pray! Ask God to give you His plan for loving well as we meet needs and disciple many.
God has a plan that is coming alive before our eyes! PTL! Let us pray to, prepare to and plan to follow God as we live well in Christ and love, like Jesus, all who He is sending and grow His Kingdom exponentially. Pray for love and joy overflowing to continue to be what we are known for! And pray to be adaptive and inclusive as we travel with Jesus because we are building the airplane while flying it and some of His plans have not been revealed yet. We will also be encountering many fresh out of the world new believers that God has just begun working on. That involves the patient love God has shown us as He continues to restore and change hearts and grow us all to His best and His plans. Oh yes God is speaking! PTL! What's He saying to you and what will you do about it as you continue your journey to become more like Jesus, and doing more of the things He has for you, His way. Man, I'm excited! God is on the move! Rejoice! Choose joy! Love well! May we be known as JOY Church where Love and Grace abound and Jesus is alive! Amen!
ODB:
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“How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.” Those words from Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s Sonnets from the Portuguese are among the best-known poetry in the English language. She wrote them to Robert Browning before they were married, and he was so moved that he encouraged her to publish her entire collection of poems. But because the language of the sonnets was very tender, out of a desire for personal privacy Barrett published them as if they were translations from a Portuguese writer.
Sometimes we can feel awkward when we openly express affection for others. But the Bible, by contrast, doesn’t hold back on its presentation of God’s love. Jeremiah recounted God’s affection for His people with these tender words: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness” (Jeremiah 31:3). Even though His people had turned from Him, God promised to restore them and personally draw them near. “I will come to give rest to Israel,” He told them (v. 2).
Jesus is the ultimate expression of God’s restorative love, giving peace and rest to any who turn to Him. From the manger to the cross to the empty tomb, He’s the personification of God’s desire to call a wayward world to Himself. Read the Bible cover to cover and you’ll “count the ways” of God’s love over and over; but eternal as they are, you’ll never come to their end.
By James Banks
REFLECT & PRAY
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What are some of the ways God has loved you? How can you return His love today?
Thank You for loving me so fully and personally, Jesus! Help me to love You with my life today.
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SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
For the first twenty-nine chapters of the book of Jeremiah, the prophet warned the people of Judah of God’s punishment—the destruction of Jerusalem and their seventy-year exile to Babylon—due to their chronic unfaithfulness (see 1:14-16; 5:15-19; 6:22-23; 25:9-11). But then Jeremiah speaks words of comfort, encouragement, hope, and restoration. He prophesied of God’s people coming back to the promised land and to God (chs. 30-31). God promised: “The days are coming . . . when I will bring my people Israel and Judah back from captivity and restore them to the land I gave their ancestors to possess” (30:3). He would bring them back from exile (vv. 8-17), restore their land (vv. 18-24), and restore the people to Himself (31:1-6). “I will be the God of all the families of Israel, and they will be my people” (v. 1).
K. T. Sim |
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Charles Stanley:
UR: God Is Our Guide
You teach me the way of life. In your presence is total celebration. - Psalm 16:11 (CEB)
I remember one time when my children were young, we walked a maze. We followed the walled path; but when we neared what we thought was the exit, there was another wall. We had to back up and look for another way out. It was a bit difficult to reach the end, but with perseverance we reached the goal.
Life is like a maze. Many times, we ask God why certain things happen to us. We try to grasp difficult situations but are unable to understand them. We hurry here and there looking for the right path. Obstacles stop us in our tracks, and we don’t understand why we must backtrack or even face those obstacles in the first place. It becomes crucial to allow God to guide us through the twisting and turning passageways of life so that we can find the path that will lead to the fullness of joy that only God can offer.
TODAY'S PRAYER
Almighty God, show us the path that leads to the fullness of joy in you. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
TWFYT:
Year-end Financial Statement:
St Matthew’s Financial Update
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December
2023
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Monthly
Revenue
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Monthly
Expenses
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YTD
Revenue
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YTD
Expenses
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General Fund
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$18,089
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$18,886
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$156,143
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$185,212
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The figures for the “General Fund” include all revenue and all expenses for the month. This includes all revenue from offerings, rent, and other income. The expenses reported above are actual expenses for the month. The totals reported for Missions and the Rebuilding Fund are also included in the “General Fund” figures.
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Missions
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$902
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$2,030
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$10,981
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$16,360
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Rebuilding Fund
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$150
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$0
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$4,347
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$8,224
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Tuesday, January 09 2024
Sarah prayer email and Kathy Canfield's awesome testimony from yesterday below. Thank you Kathy! What an awesome testimony and example for us all. You stirred many to rethink their word they are working on and what God is doing! Thank you for the transparency and for sharing! (When do you want to preach again?)
Good Morning Maturing Followers of Jesus! May we always be maturing in faith, growing in Christ and doing more of His plans for us! Amen! Some of us are seasoned saints. Some of us are relatively infants in faith and many fall somewhere between these. Yet, we are one in Christ--His family--His Body. He is the head and we all fall in somewhere as a Body part. What part are you? We all need each other and are only as strong as our weakest member. How are we helping each other to mature and reach our fullest potential? Who needs to come be a part of this body? How receptive are we to newcomers and moving to God's new things? Pray for us to hear God and clarity of His answers as we prepare to meet as a vision team tomorrow. What's now and what's next that we can build on from who and where we are in Christ? How do we make disciples better and more of them? Is Christ the cornerstone of all we do? Where's His provision? Are we following the provision? Many things rattle through my head most mornings as I seek God for what's now and what's next. What is His plans for you and us and are we sowing into them? My Charles Stanley devo (below) started me deeper into this thinking and prayer as I prepare for our vision meeting tomorrow and the year ahead. What's God saying to you about the state of the Good News Delivery Co. called St. Matts? What might your part be? I'd love to hear!
As I read the Upper Room prayerfully today, Kathy's testimony and many of your stories came to mind. Life is hard and then we die--right? BUT GOD! He is with us, has great plans for us, gives us the opportunity to chose joy despite our circumstances and is working all things together for the good of those who love Him and are called to Him. PTL! What helps you get through? How has God carried you? Who needs to hear your story or experience God's love, care and encouragement through you? Are you able to refocus by counting your many blessings, looking for the blessing and choosing joy as you continue to persevere in faith and trust God? Check out TWFYT below about persevering. How can we help each other through the hard times to persevering faith? God is LOVE and has great plans for you and knows what you need to endure to get where He wants you. He is with you always. He wants to restore what the enemy has stolen and restore your soul! Will you let Him?
We will be working on Seeking More in '24, Becoming More in '24, Doing More in '24. Blessing More and being Blessed More in '24! How does God want to mature you in faith and grow you into the person He created you to be, doing more of the things you were created to do? That will be revealed as you seek Him more and listen more, receive more and go live and love more like Jesus in the year ahead. And that will involve friends on the journey with you and maybe even all of us working together. We are God's Good News Delivery Co.--His Body! He has great plans for you, His very loved child and He is at work. Will you allow Him to mature you and use you more in '24? Let's work on that together! Maybe God has some friends and accountability partners for you? Let us commit to working together to bless God, each other and others more in '24. Pray about the words God would like you to work on this year and share them with us and a few close friends. And then commit to working on them--working out your faith with fear and trembling is how the Bible challenges us. Become More in '24! That's God's plan custom made for you and us! Let's roll! Daylight's burning! One step at a time in faith daily leads to our destination in Christ! PTL!
Charles Stanley:
UR: Blessings with Burdens
We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him. - Romans 8:28 (NIV)
At age 22, our son, John, who had Duchenne muscular dystrophy, had surgery to insert feeding tubes. Loss of muscles, including those that control swallowing, created a condition that contributed to frequent pneumonia. John had also lost weight.
Two months after the surgery, with Thanksgiving approaching, I felt despondent because John could no longer join in family meals with us. The scripture reading at church about Jesus’ raising Lazarus from the dead took on new meaning, however. Instead of lamenting that John couldn’t eat, I thanked God that he was alive. How wonderful that God gave people the knowledge and skill to put all nutrients needed to sustain human life in a can!
John could not enjoy family meals as he once had, but he could laugh, talk, play games, defend his views, give advice, tell jokes, and watch his favorite football team. Although the ingenuity underlying tube-feeding that restored his life differed markedly from Christ’s miraculous raising of Lazarus, it allowed John to be with us for 11 more years and live to see his younger sisters become adults.
TODAY'S PRAYER
Dear God, thank you for helping us see how you can use even heavy burdens to restore life. Help us live one day at a time, trusting you to provide for us. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
TWFYT:
Sarah prayer email:
Good evening, church family,
Hope you are all doing well tonight and resting...especially those of you that helped with snow shoveling and/or
removal of snow from vehicles.
We had a nice day of Zoom worship, with 38 of you. It was great to have Kathy Canfield share with us how God has been
working in her life through 2023.
Here are some prayer requests that were shared today during worship:
Gary Bastan has asked for prayer for some of his relatives:
Barbara Shade - she is going through cancer testing and treatment.
Howie Barley - is experiencing vision loss and memory loss.
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Harry Waterman will be having aorta valve replacement surgery on Wednesday. Please pray for his medical team, and
for Harry and his family. May God's peace surround them.
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Gladys Ketner - she is at Lehigh Center.....let's have a card shower for Gladys, to remind her that her church family
is praying for her and thinking of her. The address is: Lehigh Center, Gladys Ketner - resident, 1718 Spring Creek Road,
Macungie PA 18062.
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Praises from Darlene Geiger - She is praising God for all your prayers and God answering them regarding her AFIB. She is also
amazed how God always provides for our needs, at just the right time.
I think we could all agree with Darlene and praise God for this too.
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Barb Schware has asked for prayer for her son Tim, as he leaves tonight/tomorrow (Monday) depending when you are reading this....he will be driving to Maryland to see Eric, and then leaves Tuesday to drive to Virgina, where he is attending college, and then attend class on Wednesday. May God put a hedge of protection around him....Safe travels Tim!
** ** **
Chris and Yvonne Muik are asking for prayer for their family. Several members of their family are going through some difficult
times. Chris and Yvonne have cared for foster children, and within the last week, the children they were caring for have been moved
out of their care. The children's biological mother has recently passed away, and for the children, it's a lot to process and deal with. May God be with them and those that will be making decisions.as to the future of their care. Praise God for the love of Jesus, that Chris and Yvonne has shown to the children.
Also Chris and Yvonne's daughter in law's uncle recently passed away and the family is dealing with a difficult and rough situation.
We have been asked to pray for this family, asking for God's wisdom to help and aid them as they have some decisions to make.
May we also continue to keep Chris and Yvonne in our prayers as they come along side of these family members, praying for them and offering their love to them. Chris and Yvonne both know that God is with them and He is in control.
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Tara Walters - friend of Sarah's is currently in ICU, very sick. She is tired and ready to go 'home to be with Jesus'. Please pray for God's mercy on her and lift up her family, for God's peace to surround them during this difficult and stressful time.
** *** **
Thank you, Kathy, for sharing your testimony and journey that you experienced through 2023. For those of you that missed her
sharing, Kathy will be writing it down so we can share her journey with you in the very near future.
** ** **
Please pray for our Vision Team as they will be meeting on Tuesday at 6:30pm
Also don't forget Coffee, Donuts and conversation on Wednesday from 10 - 12pm, in the Fellowship Hall of the church.
Hope you all have a great week!
Blessings,
Sarah
Kathy Canfield testimony: Restored
In December of 2022, when Don & Sarah started talking about goals for 2023. They asked us to think about a word that we could work on in 2023. The idea was to become more Me in '23. Focus on how Christ would want me to live. I sat in the pew and processed. I prayed about it. And then I really prayed about it. I prayed that no one, especially Don and Sarah, would notice my eyes roll, because the last thing I needed was another thing on my plate! I certainly didn't need to work on a "word" for 2023.
The first week in January of 2023 seemed to unfold quietly. Caleb, our grandson, was home from the hospital. Danielle, Caleb and Alex were growing into a cute little family. Caleb was born at 24 weeks gestation and spent about 3 1/2 months in the hospital. Mike and I were enjoying our retired life together.
So, I thought about a word for 2023.
Restore seemed like a good word to work on. That's a word that might bring life back to normal. I like normalcy. And since I prayed about it, RESTORE was the word. But, truly, I didn't even know what that meant in respect to God. I thought about those shows on TV that take an old home, rip it apart room by room and put it back with an updated modern look. You know, restore it. OK, Lord, You know what You are doing, whatever You think. But I should have known better than to think that RESTORE would mean going back to normal. Going back to the way things were. God doesn't ever "go back". He's always moving us forward, teaching us, growing us.
I knew that Caleb still had a lot of work to do developmentally and Danielle would need some help taking him to doctors and therapists. But that would be doable for me. I loved being a Grammie. I was ok helping her.
On the 10th day of January, our lives began to unfold, unravel. That terrible phone call basically told us that Danielle was moving back home. With Caleb. God gave them 6 weeks in their little home, together, as a little family. Six short weeks. Alex passed away. Twenty-four year old, soon-to-be son-in-law. Dead. How could this possibly be true?! But it was.
THIS is how we are starting 2023?! This is how You are going to work on RESTORE?! ARE YOU KIDDING ME, LORD??!!
Well, life just became more confusing, more complex. I became more isolated, yet busy. I focused on helping Dani. Helping Caleb. THEY needed me more than EVER! Forget this ridiculous word thing. Just put my life back to normal, Lord. I went into survival mode. I'm really good at tasking. I attended church, sometimes, came to Donut Day. Did my women's bible study at another church. I read Don's morning blogs.I would text Don & Sarah when we needed prayer for Caleb. Or Dani. But never me. I didn't need prayer. This lady, Kathy Canfield, never doubting God, strong, faithful, grew-up in the church, life-long, baptized believer in Christ Kathy! I didn't need prayer. Or anything for that matter.
BUT, I was confused. I didn't understand what was going on. I was depressed and my life was spiralling out of control! Chaos!! I wanted my house RESTORED! You and I agreed on this word, Lord!! You said this would happen! This was the 2023 focus word. Why is it not happening?? Restoration seemed so far away. I didn't want to go through any more pain. More so, I didn't want Dani to go through more pain. I just wanted NORMAL!!
My family started to notice. They were concerned. They would talk to me. So, I started to look at my life. I feel like Don and Sarah started to notice, too. Don started asking, "How is Kathy?" I would give the usual response, "I'm fine." However, I did start to change my attitude a bit. I started looking at things a little more positively.
Then in December, Pastor Don asked me, "How's Kathy? How's that word doing?" I seriously remember rolling my eyes. But then, at that moment, God opened my eyes. I said to Don, I didn't even know what RESTORE meant before! I was looking at it all wrong. Restore didn't mean going back to normal. It didn't mean getting "my house" in order. I should have been focusing my word on THE WORD. Christ's Word! The source of truth and The Living Word!!
I was so wrong!! I spent a whole year focusing on the wrong thing! Always get IN the Word, Kathy, get IN the Word!
So I did. A passage I memorized as a kid in Sunday School.:
Psalm 23:1-4
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.
HE RESTORES my soul.
He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake.
Even though I walk through the valley of THE SHADOW OF DEATH, I will fear no evil, for You are with me.
Ugh! Lord, forgive me for not trusting You and that You would take care of me through it ALL! You wanted me to give my soul to YOU to RESTORE!
And then, in Psalm 51:10-12
Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit in me. Don't cast me away from your presence or take Your Holy Spirit from me. RESTORE TO ME THE JOY of Your salvation and sustain me with a willing spirit.
I was thinking RESTORE meant something completely different. But when I started looking at things through God's eyes (and stopped rolling mine!), I realized I didn't need to be strong anymore. I don't need to have all the answers. I don't even need to know what's coming next in my life because God knows. God's strength is my strength. And God hears my cries! He wants to restore my soul, make it new, and then restore it to JOY. Inner JOY. Oh, Lord, yes, please!
Maybe that should be my word for 2024, JOY.
I'll pray about it.
Tuesday, January 09 2024
Let it snow! I always think of being washed white as snow when it snows! Maybe that's why I love it so much!
Good Morning Snowflakes! (I know some of you are thinking, "What a flake he is!" Maybe I am but I am a very loved, forgiven much, custom made, child of God. PTL! (So are you!) I am sent to touch many with God's love and help them to understand the Good News that they too can become white as snow. (So are you!) (Use me/us Lord!) And I think about how the harvest fields are white unto harvest and how God is bringing in the harvest and how we need more harvest workers and to sow lavishly so we can multiply the harvest. Are you a snowflake? Touching many with God's purifying love, beautifying the dead landscape around you, watering the sown seeds? Oh that we would become a dynamic movement of God doing those things and multiplying His harvest!
When I think of snowy days, I see a piling up of many blessings too and praise God for how blessed we are. I am also reminded of how eventually, like the melting snow, we are to use up His provisions until we have poured ourselves out and offered wisely, patiently our all for His glory. He has great plans for you, even on snowy days. What's He saying to you as you get to spend some time in His peaceful loving presence. Turn off the noise! (What's it matter if we get all rain or 100 inches? God is in control and has a plan.) All I see and hear when I tune into the hype is an example of the enemy's tactics to distract, rile us up, have us be all worried about things we can do nothing about. Turn off that noise! Be still as a snowy field. Know that He is God and that He is bringing His shalom to the chaos. Take advantage of this opportunity to spend more time with God, to encourage others and pray, to be still and receive, and to rest and renew. It's a great opportunity to focus on your blessing, praise God and build those gratitude lists. It's a great opportunity to thank God for the word He gave you to work on this past year, the growth towards it as you pursued His best for you, and to talk to Him about what words He may want you to focus on this year.
I love how God comes to life as I write these blogs after inviting Him to come write them through me! My original plan was to use our devos (I'll let you use whatever you have) to talk about how God is always with us working out His plans. My original salutation was going to be "Good Morning Followers of Jesus and Practitioners of His Way." WWJD? He loved well, made new life available, trained some disciples to carry on His Kingdom plan as they spread the Good News and He taught them the Way to do it but allowed them to do it the way they were created and then gifted and empowered to go love well like Him and make disciples. And here we are today! PTL! He has a plan for you and us and is making a way for fruit to come as we trust, obey, love well and go make disciples His way, just as we are with what we got. Let's pray into that and work on that more in '24! How can we help each other follow His way more in '24? How can we become more of who we were created to be and doing more of the things we were created to do? Talk to Him about that today and in the weeks ahead. Ask Him to give you two words: a "BE" Word to work on becoming more of who you were created to be and a "DO" word, a word to work on that will help you do more of the things you were created to do for such a time as this.
God has a great plan for you, just as you are. He has greater things instore as you follow His Way and grow into your purposes. PTL! Cry out for God to grow His Kingdom through you and us that we would see it multiplying dramatically like a blizzard and not just adding a dusting of new believers, Pray that we would become a dynamic movement of God and a disciple-making hub of prepared, equipped and sent out disciple makers. Pray for our vision team to understand where we are and where God is leading and to join Him on His mission for us. Thank Him for all He is and will do! What's He saying to you as you pray? Write it down and let's pray and discuss it. Come Lord! Revive us and bring revival. Prepare us and move us to follow You well into the future You have planned for us. Help us to sow lavishly of ourselves and your provisions and see exponential, blizzard-like expansion of Your Kingdom. May Your Kingdom come and Your will be done in, through and around us. Father, thank You! Jesus, we ask in Your name, to be our Shepherd, Teacher and Leader as we learn to live and love more like You in the year and years ahead. You are the Way and You bring the Word of Life. Bring them alive in and though us for Your glory. Thank You! Amen!
Yeah, I'm pretty cool with being a snowflake! I am different. That's how I was made. And I am not of this world. PTL! God has custom plans for me just as He created me. And the same is true for each of you. May you seek Him more in '24 and allow Him more access in '24 to you and His guidance! May you know His shalom more in '24 too. be still and know! Understand and follow well. That's His plan for you, snowflake!
Enjoy this day as you get to have more time with God and more time to encourage and pray for others! Allow His Shalom to fill you today! And worship!
Below are some words to pray about possibly working on this year: God has a plan just for you!
These are the words some of worked on in '23:
Faith, hope, peace, time, value, understanding, bold, change, patience, pause, energy, stewardship, useful, courage, relationships, restoration, rest, agape and discipleship
Here is a chart of Spiritual Gifts. Maybe there is a word there God is stirring you to explore and work on? (We will begin talking about spiritual gifts next week)
Biblical and theological overview
The New Testament contains several lists of spiritual gifts, most in the Pauline epistles. While each list is unique, there is overlap.
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Romans 12:6–8
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1 Corinthians 12:8–10
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1 Corinthians 12:28–30
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Ephesians 4:11
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1 Peter 4:11
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1. Prophecy
2. Serving
3. Teaching
4. Exhortation
5. Giving
6. Leadership
7. Mercy
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1. Word of wisdom
2. Word of knowledge
3. Faith
4. Gifts of healings
5. Miracles
6. Prophecy
7. Distinguishing between spirits
8. Tongues
9. Interpretation of tongues
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1. Apostle
2. Prophet
3. Teacher
4. Miracles
5. Kinds of healings
6. Helps
7. Administration
8. Tongues
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1. Apostle
2. Prophet
3. Evangelist
4. Pastor
5. Teacher
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1. Whoever speaks
2. Whoever renders service[10]
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