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Tuesday, March 26 2024
Happenings:
Zoom Blog at 10 today. All welcome
Family Ministry/Adult Huddle with dinner 6pm tomorrow. All welcome as we discuss the events of this week and receive the Lord's Supper together.
Sun 10 am Festive Resurrection Sunday Family Worship with Communion. Live and on Zoom. Bring some friends! Come as you are!
Good Morning Fiends of Jesus! How's that relationship going? Are you working on really connecting to Him and enjoying hanging out? It is the most blessed place to sit at His feet. Make some time for that as a daily priority. He wants to be your friend and to hang out with you all the time!
Our devos today are kinda all over the place. I'll allow you to use whatever you use for your own personal time with Jesus today. Maybe you even finished already and are about your daily routine. Don't forget to include your Friend in all you do today and watch for where he wants you to join Him. ODB reminds us of the basics of knowing Scripture and spending time with Jesus as we work on growing in faith and like Him. The UR reminds us that He is with us all the time. He promises to never leave nor forsake you! Amen! Contemplate the Harvest Prayer blog as you finish your quiet time in prayer. Shalom!
ODB:
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For decades, McDonald’s ruled fast food with their Quarter Pounder burger. In the 1980s, a rival chain cooked up an idea to dethrone the company with the golden arches. A&W offered the Third Pound Burger—larger than McDonald’s—and sold it for the same price. Even more, A&W’s burger won numerous blind taste tests. But the burger bombed. Nobody bought it. Eventually, they dropped it from the menu. Research revealed that consumers misunderstood the math and thought the Third Pound Burger was smaller than the Quarter Pounder. A grand idea failed because people missed the basics.
Jesus warned of how easy it is to miss the basics. Religious leaders, scheming to trap and discredit Him during the week He was crucified, posed a strange, hypothetical scenario about a woman who was widowed seven times (Matthew 22:23–28). Jesus responded, insisting that this knotty dilemma wasn’t a problem at all. Rather, their problem was how they didn’t “know the Scriptures or the power of God” (v. 29). The Scriptures, Jesus insisted, aren’t first intended to answer logical or philosophical puzzles. Rather, their primary aim is to lead us to know and love Jesus and to “have eternal life” in Him (John 5:39). These are the basics the leaders missed.
We often miss the basics too. The Bible’s main aim is an encounter with the living Jesus. It would be heartbreaking to miss it.
By Winn Collier
REFLECT & PRAY
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How do you miss Scripture’s basics? How can you return to the basics . . . to Jesus?
Dear God, sometimes I get lost even amid good things. Please help me.
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SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
Matthew 22 contains one of the many examples in the Gospels of a “shame/honor contest.” Much of the Eastern world today is still rooted in the concept of shame and honor because those cultures are more defined by community expectations than by individual rights. In Western culture, however, the individual is more prominent. In a shame/honor contest, the goal is to take honor from someone and bring shame on them. This requires an audience—the community.
In Matthew 22, the religious leaders attack Jesus in front of the crowds with a series of questions intended to dishonor Him in the eyes of the people (v. 15). Christ answers with irrefutable wisdom, and the religious leaders fail in their attempts to shame Him.
Bill Crowder |
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UR: God Goes with You
Be strong and bold; have no fear or dread of them, because it is the Lord your God who goes with you; he will not fail you or forsake you. - Deuteronomy 31:6 (NRSVUE)
“Where did all the days go?” I wondered aloud as I stared at my planner. As a soon-to-be mom with only a month left before my expected due date, I was growing more anxious each day. I had so many things I had not yet prepared. Our finances were tight, which made me all the more intimidated about our new responsibilities and our future hospital bill. On top of that, I had never taken care of a baby before. An incredible sense of insecurity and helplessness crept into my heart. I felt overwhelmed with feelings of inadequacy.
My husband heard my question and came to me. He embraced me and patted my back to comfort me. He read something from my planner that I had written a few weeks back: “Be strong and bold; have no fear or dread of them, because it is the Lord your God who goes with you; he will not fail you or forsake you.”
I have known this verse for so long that at times I have felt extremely casual toward it. However, in that moment of great fear, it consoled me. It was as if my heavenly Father had come to hold me and remind me in that exact moment: “I go with you.” I no longer needed to live in dread of my insecurities.
TODAY'S PRAYER
Loving Father, thank you that you will never leave us or forsake us. Help us to live in this truth daily. Amen.Harvest Prayer Blog:
March 26 - Give God Your Undivided Attention
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For those who have come by faith, Christ—through His death and resurrection—has taken us by the hand and walked us into the Throne Room. God is on one side, we are on the other, and Jesus has introduced us to the Father. We once were at war with the One on the throne, but now we have “peace facing God!” What a glorious privilege! What an unspeakable honor!
Pause as you enter and look around. As you gaze throughout the Throne Room you will see Christ seated at the right hand of the Father and you will notice that He “always lives to make intercession” for His children. Angels hover around the throne. Praise is unending. Let the wonder of this environment overwhelm you. Your heart will begin to be filled with worship.
As you have entered, begin to pray. Filled with this vision, you will probably not rattle off meaningless rituals. You are going to “close the door and pray TO YOUR FATHER.” There is a singular direction. You are not praying to others. Your whole vision is filled with the Almighty. You are directing your prayers to the One who is seated upon the Throne!
Rosalind Rinker said, “I have discovered that prayer’s real purpose is to put God at the center of our attention and forget ourselves and the impression we are making.” This posture changes everything for us in prayer. We are looking at Him, and Him alone. Everything else pales in comparison to this vision.
If we will enter in like this, giving God our undivided attention, the greatest reward will be God Himself.
Father, my heart is filled with worship as I consider what Your throne room must be like in reality. I don’t have to wait until the end of my life to experience some of what Your word says is truly taking place right now in heaven. Help me to focus on the lovely description of the place where I will spend all of eternity! I can’t even comprehend the beauty of it! For the rest of my life, my deepest desire is to be in Your presence!
---Adapted from Simply Prayer by Bill Elliff. This book is available at prayershop.org.
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- Praise God, who is perfect in beauty and holiness (Ps. 50:2).
- Thank him for making everything beautiful in its time (Eccl. 3:11), including your own life.
- Confess those times during this past week when your words or actions did not reflect to others the beauty of Christ.
- Commit yourself to being transformed into his likeness (2 Cor. 3:18).
- Ask God daily to change the ugliness of sin in your life to his loveliness.
- Pray that the spirit of worship may fall upon all who enter your church’s sanctuary on Sunday, that they may desire “to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple” (Ps. 27:4).
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| Prayer Points taken from Patterns for Prayer by Alvin VanderGriend. This book is available at prayershop.org. Use the code CONPSP3 at checkout to receive an additional 10% discount. |
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Kim's Blog:
8 Scriptural Prayer Practices to Engage God
By Kim Butts
Over the past several years, God has been stretching my creativity and my imagination in prayer. It has been such a refreshing season of growth for me, as I am one who, in the past, tended to get stuck in comfortable ruts.Like many of us, I grew up praying with my head bowed, eyes closed and hands folded in my lap. I was often told that this posture came about as an effective way to keep children from doing what they shouldn’t do during prayer time. The practice continued into my adulthood, as I was never taught another way. Even in worship services, it is common to hear the admonition to “close your eyes and bow your heads” as we are led in prayer.
As I studied the Bible, I discovered multiple examples for utilizing our bodies and our voices in prayer. This started a rich practice of utilizing the numerous ways God’s people in Scripture and throughout the ages sought and responded to Him in prayer and intercession.
I highly recommend letting the Holy Spirit speak to your heart and guide you (and/or your family, small group, etc.) into what may seem unusual or strange to you at first, but which may give your prayer lives fresh life! Following each, I will give you one or two suggestions for utilizing the practice.
1. Bowing Your Head or Body
Bowing heads or bodies shows reverence and submission to God as an act of worship– Genesis 24:26-27 (Abraham’s servant bowed low in worship to God when his very specific prayer had been answered); Exodus 34:8-9 (Moses bowed his body toward the earth and made his request before God).
Consider putting on some worship music and bowing before the Lord as an act of reverence before Him. Consider a prayer request that is close to your heart and offer it to God in this posture. See if this position brings your prayer to a different level as you consider the God on the other end of your prayer.
2. Kneel
Kneeling has always been a universal sign of submission and obedience – Daniel 6:10 (Daniel knelt three times a day, praying and giving thanks); Luke 22:39-44; Matthew 15:25; 2 Chronicles 6:12-14.
Pray for your unsaved family and friends as you kneel before the Lord. If you feel led to, spread your hands toward heaven, as King Solomon did.
3. Raise Hands
Raising or spreading out our hands as a sign of both praise and petition – (The Hebrews used their hands to show their dependence upon God and their respect for Him. Lifting up holy hands was the common prayer posture among the Jews and the early Christians. Lifting their hands symbolized an expectant attitude and trust in God–that He would fill their empty hands with His blessings) Exodus 9:29; Exodus 17:10-13; 1 Kings 8:54-55; Psalm 63:4; Psalm 141:2; 1 Timothy 2:8.
Pray for the leaders of your nation, your state, and your community. Lift up holy hands as you do. Pray that God will give them wisdom and discernment. Pray for their health and protection. Pray for their families.
4. Stand
Standing is a sign of reverence and respect – 1 Chronicles 23:28-31 (The Levites were instructed to stand every morning and evening to praise the Lord); 2 Chronicles 20:2-9; Luke 18:9-14.
Stand alone or with others and give praise to God. Take turns thanking Him for all of the blessings He has brought into your lives. If you want, say short sentence prayers like this: “Lord, I praise You for_____.”
5. Lie Prostrate
Lying prostrate before the Lord – This is a position taken in times of deep, intense, emotional prayer. There is no more humble position than this one. Deuteronomy 9:18-20, 25-27 (Moses lay prostrate before God for 40 days and nights); 1 Chronicles 21:16-17; Matthew 26:39.
Think of some deeply important needs–your own or someone else’s. Perhaps someone is struggling with a life-threatening disease or some kind of life crisis. Perhaps sin has been weighing you down–this would be an appropriate position in which to confess and ask the Lord for forgiveness. Or maybe you need to ask God something very important. Come before the Lord on behalf of these requests, and lie face down before the Lord. You can pray quietly by yourself or pray out loud with others.
6. Look Up
Looking up – (Jesus looked up when He gave thanks for the loaves and fish) Mark 6:39-44.
As you give thanks for a meal, look up to heaven as you do. Spend time thanking the Lord for the way He has provided everything you need–your food, your clothing, your housing. Look toward heaven when you pray.
7. Pray Quietly
Spend some time praying quietly. – 1 Samuel 1:9-18 (Hannah prayed quietly before the Lord).
God is perfectly capable of hearing our thoughts when we pray silently. There are times when praying in this way is very appropriate. We need to learn as an individual or a family to be comfortable with silence, because out of silence the Lord often speaks very clearly.
Spend some time in silent prayer. Ask the Father to speak to your heart. If you have trouble concentrating, picture Jesus in your mind and concentrate on Him.
8. Shout
Shout your praise to the Lord – Psalm 66:1-4 (The director of music was directed to shout for joy before the Lord in this psalm.) Psalms 71:23; 95:1; 98:4-6. It is certainly appropriate to cry out to the Lord in times of desperate prayer. It is also appropriate to raise our voices in praise!
Try praising God in a loud voice, saying Acts 4:24: “Sovereign Lord . . . You made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them.”
Conclusion
It is important to learn that if we seek the Lord, He will be found by us (1 Chronicles 28:9). It is also important to know that our Heavenly Father rewards those who seek Him in faith: “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6). Model this passage: “Glory in His holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice. Look to the LORD and His strength; seek His face always” (1 Chronicles 16:10-11).
–Kim Butts is the co-founder of Harvest Prayer Ministries.
Tuesday, March 26 2024
Good Morning Friends in Christ--Brothers and Sisters in the Lord! I am so thankful for you and our relationships and even our co-laboring! God has sure blessed us and our Body! Yesterday, we received 6 new members who are already serving with us. PTL! There are some others already waiting to join when we do it again at the end of April. We fellowshipped and connected to 70 during brunch after worship too! What a great day of food, fun, fellowship and worship! Thanks to all who cooked, served, worshiped, and joined us! Invite some friends to Resurrection Sunday worship and communion this Sunday! We are gathered by God together and sent to love like Jesus together for such a time as this! PTL! He has great plans for us and will continue to guide and provide as we continue to walk and grow in faith into our fuller potential in Christ! PTL and keep praying into that! God is on the move! Hallelujah! Jesus has invited and commanded us to "Follow Me". Continue to do so, by His grace, always! Amen!
This morning, God took me on two tracks that sort of thread together from our devotionals and my quiet time. God has a Word for some of you today, maybe all of us! Yesterday we discussed continuing to accept Jesus' invite and follow His command to "Follow Me" even through the most confusing and hardest of times. Can we even imagine what it was like for the thick headed, slow learning disciples (as Jesus described them) during this week before the resurrection? Many of us have been through or are traveling through some very hard and confusing times as well. What's it like to trust God one step, one baby step, maybe one crawl, at a time in faith as we choose to continue to follow Jesus always? Maybe you can't even move right now as all the wind in your sails is gone and all the breath sucked out of you in despair and grief? Be still and know is all I have to offer you right now. I am here if you need someone to sit with you awhile and I am praying. Who might God be sending you to strengthen and walk with--maybe carry a few steps in prayer and help? Jesus prayed for Peter because Satan wanted to sift him and the others and did so. Jesus told Peter that He prayed for him and for when he came back to faith to strengthen his brothers. Peter ran away after denying Jesus, but came back, gathered his brothers and was restored by Jesus and then helped his brothers to walk by faith again. We can do that too, even after the most horrible failures. BUT, we need to get out of our heads, out of what the world is telling us, tell Satan to get lost, still ourselves, return to God and fill our minds with His Word and wisdom. Then you need to be open to receive His restoration. And we will probably need to accept some strengthen help of some of our brothers and sisters. Jesus is standing on the shore with open arms calling to you to come.
I began my quiet time with a new study I am doing from season one of the Chosen. WOW! Get used to different for sure! Check out this song from yesterday. The Jesus Way: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wfm5_CVOKLs
Will you trust and follow always and choose to walk in the Jesus way always? Talk to God about that! Worship in the storms. Get out those gratitude lists, refocus and choose well. I'm praying for you, my friends. I'm here if you need to talk.
The Chosen season one begins with Mary Magdalene being delivered from demons processing her. Jesus calls her, as He does with you, by name. He knows you and everything about you. He formed you in the womb. He is ready to deliver you. Come! They use Isaiah 43 in a flashback to Mary's childhood as her dad teaches and loves on her before he suddenly dies while she's a little girl. She clung to that verse, even through all the wondering and wandering from God. Jesus spoke it over her. Is He speaking this to your heart today? From Isiah 43: "Thus says the Lord your God.
He who created you...
He who formed you...
'Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by name,
you are mine...
I will be with you...
For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, Your Savior." I say, AMEN!
Meditate on this. Memorize it! This is your true identity in Christ! Redeemed, restored, cared for, loved created child of God! You belong to God! He knows you and calls you by name. He is making a way to your deliverance. You are precious to Him and you matter. Be still and know! Fear not! Come to Him right now! He's there! Can you sense His loving presence? Can you feel His loving, healing, delivering embrace?
Turn off the noise around you and in your head. Tell Satan to beat it. Listen for that whisper..."Come all you who are weary and I will give rest to your souls. Follow Me." Amen!
Who is this man, Jesus to you? Your answer changes everything! Check out Charles Stanly's and The Word for You Today devos speaking into this. God forgives and restores. Walk by faith always! And then contemplate Our Daily Bread and Upper Room devos showing a way to help get out of the pit...serving, loving like God, using your gifts, just as you are, where you are. God loves you so much you cannot measure how much. He is with you always, loving on you and wanting to take your hand in restoration and wants to help you. Will you trust and follow always?
"Thus says the Lord your God.
He who created you...
He who formed you...
'Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by name,
you are mine...
I will be with you...
For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, Your Savior." I say,
CS:
TWFYT: 
ODB:
Love God by Loving Others
Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me. Matthew 25:40
READ Matthew 25:31–40
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The Alba family experienced the rare occurrence of birthing two sets of identical twins just thirteen months apart. How did they juggle their parental responsibilities as well as their jobs? Their community of friends and family stepped in. Grandparents on both sides took a set of twins during the day so the parents could work and pay for health insurance. One company gave a year’s supply of diapers. The couple’s coworkers donated their personal sick days. “We couldn’t have done it without our community,” they agreed. In fact, during a live interview, the cohost removed her mic and ran after one renegade toddler, continuing the communal investment!
In Matthew 25:31–46, Jesus tells a parable to make the point that when we serve others, we serve God. After listing acts of service, including providing food to the hungry, drink to the thirsty, lodging for the homeless, clothes for the naked, and healing for the sick (vv. 35–36), Jesus concludes, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” (v. 40).
Imagining Jesus as the ultimate recipient of our kindness is true motivation to serve in our neighborhoods, families, churches, and world. When He prompts us to sacrificially invest in the needs of others, we serve Him. When we love others, we love God.
By Elisa Morgan
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How might you serve Jesus in your community today? How can you love God by loving others in your path?
Loving God, please open my eyes to the needs of others around me so I can help meet them and love You better.
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SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
In the parable typically referred to as “the sheep and the goats,” Jesus describes separating people when He returns as one would separate “the sheep from the goats” (Matthew 25:32). The two groups are separated based on their care of others. The group identified as “righteous” (v. 37) and the other group both address Jesus as “Lord” (vv. 37, 44). This would have reminded hearers of Christ’s words in Matthew 7:21—that “not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.”
Monica La Rose |
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UR: Using Your Gifts
In Joppa there was a disciple whose name was Tabitha, which in Greek is Dorcas. She was devoted to good works and acts of charity. - Acts 9:36 (NRSVUE)
When my mother passed away, I inherited her sewing basket, filled to the brim with thread, needles, and every conceivable sewing accessory. I was pleased to have this keepsake, but I cannot sew a stitch! I have always admired individuals who possess sewing skills, those like Dorcas, whose story of generosity is recorded in Acts.
Dorcas was not only talented at sewing, but she unselfishly shared the garments she made with friends. In fact, Dorcas was so admired for her generosity that the apostle Peter immediately left the nearby city where he was ministering to come to Dorcas’s house when he heard that she had died. There several widows proudly showed Peter the clothing Dorcas had sewn for them. When Peter brought Dorcas back to life, Acts records that many people came to believe in the Lord.
I cannot help but believe that many came to know Jesus as Savior through the gift of Dorcas’s sewing. While I am not a seamstress, I have other gifts I can use to share the love of Christ. We all have gifts that we can use to help others to know Jesus.
TODAY'S PRAYER
Dear Lord, help us to use our gifts to do good and to help those in need. Amen.
Tuesday, March 26 2024
Tomorrow is Palm Sunday worship at 10 am live in person and on Zoom. We will receive new members during this service (Don't for get your rocks!). After worship, join us for brunch in the Fellowship Hall! All welcome! Invite a friend!
Good Morning Peace-Bringing, Extravagant-Loving, Powerful Disciples and Apostles of Jesus! That is our Church and that flows from prayer, relationship, time in God's, and processing with teammates. Pronounce this salutation over you and us in prayer and out loud. We are students and sent ones of Jesus. We are sent to incarnate, bring alive, and distribute His peace, love, Good News, hope and help and we are doing so already! PTL! And He has so much more for us as we learn, discern and follow Him! Pray into that! What's your part, distributor? Where does He want to use you as you go about your daily routine? Where has He sent you to be more intentional in your distributing? How does He want to bring to you and then incarnate through you His peace, love, and Good News? He is our power source and He has some great things ahead for you and us today and this year as we earnestly seek to become more in '24 and be used more powerfully. Amen!
Check out our devos below and process them with God and some friends and then go and live and love more like Jesus today! He is with you! Amen! Invite Him to be your Lord today.
Harvest Prayer Blog:
March 23 - Let Your Peace Come
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If the home is deserving, let your peace rest on it; if it is not, let your peace return to you. (Matthew 10:13)
Jesus had peace within him. He could not only speak of peace, but could offer it to others. And in a wonderful transference, he gave that ability to his followers. When the peace of Christ becomes a living reality within us, we not only speak of it, but we offer it to others. In practical ways that means we pray God’s peace for others, we model living in peace in front of others, and we offer the good news of the Prince of Peace to those who do not know him. When we do this, we become distributors of the peace of God!
One very practical and historical way of doing this, and of regularly reminding ourselves that we can indeed give peace, is the “passing of peace” during a worship service. I did not grow up in a church tradition where this was practiced, but I find it to be a helpful way of speaking peace into others’ lives and receiving peace from others.
The following excerpt gives some insight into this ancient and modern practice:
“Christian worship is filled with profound actions: heads bowed in prayer, arms raised in praise, standing in reverence during a Scripture reading, coming forward to give an offering. One ancient and significant gesture in worship is the passing of the peace. Passing the peace is a tradition rooted in Scripture that embodies our identity as peacemakers (Matt. 5:9; 2 Cor. 5:20) and trains ours hearts, hands, and tongues in the ways of peace.
From the beginning Christians have exercised this practice. Peace be with you’ is a greeting Jesus himself used with his disciples (Luke 24:36; John 20:19, 26). The apostle Paul opened each of his letters with the words “Grace and peace be with you” (Rom. 1:7; 1 Cor. 1:3; 2 Cor. 1:2).
Today in many congregations, we may pass the peace during a mutual greeting, after words of assurance, prior to celebrating the Lord’s Supper, or at the conclusion of a worship service. At these times we leave the comfort of our seat, turn to our neighbors, grasp their hands, and speak the words, ‘The peace of the Lord be with you’ and receive the words in turn, ‘And also with you.’
The gesture is simple, but the meaning is profound. When we extend our hand to another, we identify with Jesus, who extended his life to the point of death to make peace with humanity (Col. 1:20-21).
What’s more, in the midst of divisions, we symbolize our unity through handshakes and hugs (Eph. 2:14-21). Likewise, when we regularly pass the peace, we practice God’s call to make every effort to maintain the bond of peace (Eph. 4:3).”
—from ReformedWorship.org, Issue 99, March 2011
Whether you choose to “pass the peace” in worship gatherings or not, we all need to accept our role as those who are emissaries of the Prince of Peace. We live out his peace in our lives. We look for ways to give his peace to others. We learn to shout with the angels outside of Bethlehem long ago, “on earth peace, good will toward men” (Luke 2:14).
Choose today to whom you will give the peace of Christ. Ask the Lord to open the door for you to do so.
Lord, thank you for giving me your peace. You literally spoke it into being in my life and I am so grateful. Help me to carry your peace with me wherever I go. Forgive me when I have failed and instead brought division and dissension. Show me how I can give your peace to those around me today.
--Adapted from Prayer, Peace and the Presence of God (A 30-Day Journey to Experience the Shalom of Jesus) by David Butts.
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ODB:
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My seatmate on the flight told me she was nonreligious and had immigrated to a town that was home to numerous Christians. When she mentioned that most of her neighbors went to church, I asked about her experience. She said she could never repay their generosity. When she brought her disabled father to her new country, her neighbors built a ramp to her house and donated a hospital bed and medical supplies. She said, “If being a Christian makes one so kind, everyone should be a Christian.”
Exactly what Jesus hoped she’d say! He told His disciples, “Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). Peter heard Christ’s command and passed it on: “Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God” (1 Peter 2:12).
Our neighbors who don’t have faith in Jesus may not understand what we believe and why we believe it. Don’t sweat it, as long as there’s one more thing they can’t understand: the extravagance of our love. My seatmate marveled that her Christian neighbors continue to care for her even though she isn’t, in her words, “one of them.” She knows she’s loved, for Jesus’ sake, and she gives thanks to God. She may not yet believe in Him, but she’s grateful that others do.
By Mike Wittmer
REFLECT & PRAY
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Who do you know who needs Jesus? How can you love them for His sake?
Heavenly Father, let Your light shine through me.
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SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
In the books of 1 and 2 Peter, the apostle Peter writes to comfort and encourage Jewish believers in Jesus “who are living as foreigners” (1 Peter 1:1 nlt)—known as the Jewish diaspora—throughout Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey) and are now facing persecution because of their faith in Christ (vv. 1, 6). As a disciple of Jesus, Peter understood, for he too was persecuted and even jailed three times for sharing the gospel. The apostle most likely wrote his letters around ad 62-65 from Rome, where it’s believed he was martyred during Emperor Nero’s rule. At this time in the Roman Empire, Nero initiated a great persecution of believers in Jesus who were tortured and killed for their faith. Peter wrote to encourage believers in Jesus to live in such a way that nonbelievers would be drawn to Him—with lives characterized by good deeds, even though they were far from home and in difficult circumstances (2:12).
Alyson Kieda |
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UR: Our Source of Power
The people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned. - Matthew 4:16 (NIV)
It is six o’clock on a cold winter morning, and I am in darkness. The power will be off for more than two hours, as our national power grid is no longer sufficient to supply the needs of our population. To eke out and share the available power, we have rotational power outages known as “rolling blackouts” or “load-shedding.”
But the world outside is not completely dark. In the street, the bright lights of cars move boldly through the darkness. These vehicles carry within themselves a power source that constantly regenerates.
I liken these vehicles to faithful Christians, who relentlessly move forward in an often dark world. When the power of the world is no longer sufficient to sustain us, we have a continuous and never-failing power source available to us — the light of Christ. We carry Christ’s love within ourselves and regenerate it through studying scripture, worshiping, and loving others even as we move forward in the darkness.
TODAY'S PRAYER
Source of Light, we praise you and thank you for all the beacons that you place along our path to direct us and lead us to your never-failing light and love. Amen.TWFYT:
Tuesday, March 26 2024
Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna!
Worship at 10 with Children's Church followed by brunch. All welcome!!!
(Wagner's update below)
Good Morning Worshiping, Trusting, Followers of Jesus! Who is this man to you? How has following Him changed your life? Will you follow Him always, even through the promised hard times? We will discuss today the examples and lessons of the disciples of Jesus this crazy, up-and-down week and beyond of trusting and following Jesus always. Come and see! Shout hosanna with welcoming, trusting always hearts! Hosanna! Get those palm branches ready!
Check out our devos below describing following our King always. He came lowly on the colt of a donkey but will come back on a mighty war horse. He's always doing the unexpected and the followers are about to experience the craziness and confusion of their King, the Messiah, doing very unexpected things--things beyond the imagination or wheel house of all who were gathered in Jerusalem for the Passover celebration. Our Passover Lamb has come. Hosanna! The time is right. the History of the universe was about to be changed forever. Come and see! Will you trust and follow Him always?
UR: Palm Sunday
They took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord — the King of Israel!” - John 12:13 (NRSVUE)
Soon after Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, a crowd of excited people followed him to Jerusalem. As Jesus rode in on a donkey, I wonder if Lazarus walked along with the crowd, waving palm branches to signify that Jesus was a great deliverer. I imagine that first Palm Sunday would have been personal for Lazarus as he walked with and worshiped his friend and hero who had just given him new life.
Easter is my favorite holiday because it reminds me of how I once moved from death to life. When I first prayed asking Jesus to forgive my sins and come into my life, I had a momentary sensation of warm oil pouring over my head. I felt inner peace, as if I had just walked out of a tomb, and I began to hunger for more, reading scripture as if it were God’s personal letter to me.
We all can welcome Jesus’ entry into our lives every day. He is our Lord and Savior, our personal deliverer, who conquered death and called each of us out of a tomb. We can trust in him each day to deliver us, bring peace to our minds, and lead us to an abundant life.
TODAY'S PRAYER
Dear Jesus, we welcome you into our lives today. Thank you for giving us victory over sin and death. Amen.
ODB:
Renaissance in Jesus
Unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. John 12:24
READ John 12:23–26
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We know Leonardo da Vinci as the renaissance man. His intellectual prowess led to advances across multiple fields of study and the arts. Yet Leonardo journaled of “these miserable days of ours” and lamented that we die “without leaving behind any memory of ourselves in the mind of men.”
“While I thought I was learning how to live,” said Leonardo, “I was learning how to die.” He was closer to the truth than he may have realized. Learning how to die is the way to life. After Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem (what we now celebrate as Palm Sunday; see John 12:12–19), He said, “Unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds” (v. 24). He spoke this about His own death but expanded it to include us all: “Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life” (v. 25).
The apostle Paul wrote of being “buried” with Christ “through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his” (Romans 6:4–5).
Through His death, Jesus offers us rebirth—the very meaning of renaissance. He has forged the way to eternal life with His Father.
By Tim Gustafson
REFLECT & PRAY
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How do you measure the value of your life? How might you need to change those values?
Dear Father, I can find meaning and purpose nowhere else but in You.
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SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
In the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke), Jesus predicted His death at least three times. The first prediction followed Peter’s declaration of Jesus as the Messiah (reported in Matthew 16:21-23; Mark 8:31-32; Luke 9:21-22). The second and third instances are found in Matthew 17:22-23; 20:17-19; Mark 9:30-32; 10:32-34; and Luke 9:43-45; 18:31-34. These gospels all record Christ explicitly saying that He would die at the hand of the teachers of the law and would rise three days later.
The predictions in John’s gospel, however, are more subtle (12:7-8; 13:33; 14:25-29). In John 12:23-36, Christ’s death is predicted in somewhat poetic language. Jesus said that “the hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified” (v. 23) and that seeds need to die to produce more grain (v. 24). Each of the gospel writers recorded their stories for a deliberate purpose and to serve an intentional end.
JR Hudberg |
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Chas. Stanley:
Harvest Prayer Blog and prayer starters:
March 24 - God Waits for Those Who Will Listen
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God is talking all the time. He is not silent, but there are few who get quiet enough to hear Him. There are few who listen.
All around you right now are radio waves filled with music and talk. They are loud and incessant, but you walk through your day, blissfully ignorant of their presence. If, though, you turn on a radio receiver and dial into the right channel, you will immediately realize that this communication has been going on all along. It was there, waiting for you.
God is here. You can leave the receiver dialed to Him constantly and hear the dialogue of His love, encouragement, and direction. To go there means you must lay down other voices and distractions and give Him your attention. You must tune away from every idol and loud, competing voice. He is here, but He will not be heard if you do not refuse the noise around you. (This is one of the great values of fasting from the incessant voices of the world. Your soul is humbled and quieted by a refusal of the world’s noise. In the quietness, God can be heard in exquisite ways.)
You must do whatever is necessary to listen for His voice. And, it must be highly intentional, fueled by a deep understanding of your spiritual poverty and need. You must pray, not just with a bowed head or bended knee, but with a heart that is gladly tuned to Him throughout every moment of the common day. You must realize that prayer is not a part of the Christ-life, it is the Christ-life, and you must sacrifice everything to still each competing voice.
If you do, you will find the sweetest, most intimate words that a human can experience. You will be surprised at its refreshment and joy. Amazed at its consistency. Stunned that it is so personal. Awed by how perfectly God knows exactly what you need to hear, every second of the day. And, you will wonder why you have waited so long to pray without ceasing.
Loving Father, how I long to hear Your voice! Teach me to listen with attentiveness and a deep desire! May I bow my heart before You and seek You consistently and continually! Help me to persevere in prayer…to expectantly wait for You! Show me how to quiet my soul and spend time in stillness. Teach me to long for all that You are and to joyously wake in the morning with eager expectation. May the last voice I hear as I close my eyes at night be Yours!
---Adapted from Prayer with No Intermission by Bill Elliff. This book is available at prayershop.org.
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- Praise God because he is the encourager and comforter of his people.
- Give thanks that God loved you and by his grace gave you eternal encouragement and good hope (2 Thess. 2:16).
- Ask forgiveness for all those times when fear and anxiety replace the courage that God gives.
- Commit yourself to seeking God’s encouragement to face every obstacle in your life.
- Ask God to encourage your heart and strengthen you in every good deed and word (2:17).
- Pray for special encouragement for teachers as they educate. Pray that parents will be supportive of teachers who seek what is best for students.
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| Prayer Points taken from Patterns for Prayer by Alvin VanderGriend. This book is available at prayershop.org. Use the code CONPSP3 at checkout to receive an additional 10% discount. |
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Wagner's update:
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Greetings Friends,
We’re thankful for your prayers which filled our hearts with peace and encouragement going into Brian’s heart repair on Thursday. The procedure went smoothly without complications even though the hole was larger than anticipated. Give thanks to God with us for His protection over Brian’s health over so many years as we were completely unaware of this defect. Brian is feeling great with little to no discomfort from the procedure. His resting heart rate is no longer registering low when sitting and is remaining steady. This is what originally prompted questions at his routine physical back in November. Brian will have several follow-up appointments over the next months. We’d be grateful for your continued prayers.
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“O our God, we thank you and praise your glorious name!” I Chronicles 29:13
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The choice to serve at RVA, is the choice to serve strategically as a teacher, dorm parent, nurse, maintenance supervisor, administrator, office staff, and more(!), enabling missionaries to make Christ known among Africa’s remaining unreached peoples, knowing their children are being taught and discipled well.
There are still a few critical needs for the 2024-2025 school year.
Dorms: High School girls (G9/10), High School boys (G9/10), Elementary girls (G5/6)
Teachers:Elementary teachers (G4 and G5), Academic Support Coordinator, Spanish teacher, PE teacher
Other: HS Principal, Elementary Principal, College & Career Coordinator, Student Travel, Child Safety team member
Learn more here:
https://us.aimint.org/serve/rva |
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Check out our website for previous updates and more resources, including our upcoming travel schedule. We would love to connect.
Thanks for your prayers!
We appreciate YOU!
Brian & Missy |
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Tuesday, March 26 2024
It's Thank God I'm Forgiven Friday! What are you tankful for today? As we approach Holy Week and as I completed homebound communion visits, Jesus' sacrifice for me, for you, for all who will come to Him in faith is very much on the forefront of my thinking, praising and quiet time. Spend some time contemplating the cross, your forgiveness, God's sacrifice, and your hope as you lift some praise today. Lifting praise and thanksgiving helps to redirect our thinking and renew our minds as well. PTL for that and keep building those gratitude lists and keep them handy.
Good Morning Very Loved, Forgiven, Adopted, Made New in Christ, Gifted, Empowered, Sent, Heirs of the Throne of the Most High God! The King of the Universe created you in love to go love like Him and He is with you always and wants to be with you for eternity. Rejoice and may your life be offered back as a sacrifice of praise for His lavish love! Amen! He brought us together and placed us where we are to be His hands and feet together for such a time as this! How cool! We are one in the Spirit. We are one in the Lord...and they'll know we are Christ's ones by our love! Amen.
Our Abba Daddy continues to speak to our hearts and thread us together through our devotionals today. Really spend some time meditating on them. Talking to God about them. Then processing them with some others. What is God whispering in your ear today? How is He exciting you? What dreams and visions is He bringing alive to you? What will you do about that? He has custom made great plans for you today and for us as His Body for the rest of the year and beyond as we seek to Become More in '24. More Jesus. More power. More fruit. More lavish love. I'm praying for you and us. Prepare your hearts and begin processing and planning with some others today! Go! Live and love more like Jesus and watch for the fruit that is budding in you to blossom! Rejoice!
Charles Stanley is our starting point today. You need to know, understand, embrace and operate out of your true identity before good and lasting fruit can grow, bud and blossom. Yesterday's is here too and worthy of thinking about again as well. God is our provider and enough! Amen! "God's goal for you is to love you, lead you to a life that is fulfilling and fruitful, influence others around you, and prepare you for eternity." Amen! That comes alive and is lived out through you as you embrace and step more fully into your new, true identity in Christ. Shed the old! Put on the new and go live and love more like Jesus. It is the best and abundant life God promises us!
Our Daily Bread reminds us of the next step--LOVE! As we began today contemplating the lavish love of Jesus and His example of agape (dying to self) love, we are reminded that love is an action that we need to take. Who around you or which family members will you encounter the next few weeks needs to know God's lavish love? We know love and He lives in us and has commanded us to love like Him. What's His plan for you to put love into action, just as you are, where you are, according to your circumstances? Who is He wanting you to partner with? Pray hard into that and keep talking to God about that and looking for some others to process, pray, plan and go love lavishly with! We know John 3:16-17, but do you know and put into action First John 3:16-18? Meditate on that some today.
The Upper Room speaks into our opportunities to serve. I love Col. 1:10! I'm praying that over me, you and our Body. May we live lives worthy of the Lord. May we produce good and lasting fruit as we grow to know Him, understand how we are made and His custom plans for us and put them into action! Amen! Pray to make space in your schedule for God to work and to use you and for a willing and available hearts to respond well. Pray to work from rest, not have to rest from work, to become a normal healthy rhythm for you. Pray you don't become a couch potato or miss God's appointments for you. Pray for some good accountability and prayer co-laborers. Ask God to open your mind and to bring dreams and vision for ideas for you to be used right where you are and for where your daily routine takes you.
Harvest Prayer's blog speaks into unity of believers and living on purpose together with even other churches and believers. We see some of that happening at bread and clothing ministries as half the servants are from other churches. Same with our Wed. night dinner huddle. PTL! Seek Him for more opportunities to combine forces with others and to go love lavishly well together in unity of the Spirit! Pray for Revival Church and for wisdom for us and them to know if we should open our sanctuary for them on Sun. evenings. Pray that if we do, that we would partner well together to grow in serving the least of these and reaching the marginalized and lost and making disciples together. God brought to mind to me the other day how we have been praying for revival. It's just like Him to send Revival Church knocking on our door! Thanks God! Unify and use us well!
We end with The Word for You Today's reminder and teaching about standing on God's Word. Meditate and pray through the Scriptures included in their devo. We are called to move from isolation to distribution of God, His love, His blessings and His help. We are called to abound in good works and to step into our custom purposes. That goes best when done with others, begins with prayer and is built on our solid Rock, Jesus. We are commanded to steward well all of God's blessings while sowing lavishly and trusting Him to provide where He guides. Pray into that. Stand firm and on His Word and pray to become better doers of it!
He does have great plans made just for you! What love! Rejoice and prepare! I'm praying for you and for all of the above to become part of our DNA because it is part of Jesus' DNA and He lives in you! May you all know the joy and satisfaction of your salvation and of living out of your true identity and in your created purposes well! May you know the peace that comes from walking in God's best for you! And may you go live and love more like Jesus! May good and lasting fruit become what we are known for! Amen!
Charles Stanley:
ODB:
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What would cause someone to help a competitor? For a restaurant owner named Adolfo in Wisconsin, it was the opportunity to encourage other struggling local restaurant owners adapting to Covid regulations. Adolfo knew firsthand the challenges of operating a business during a pandemic. Encouraged by another local business’ generosity, Adolfo spent his own money to purchase more than two thousand dollars in gift cards to give away to his customers to use at other restaurants in his community. That’s an expression of love that’s not just words but action.
Building on the ultimate expression of love demonstrated by Jesus’ willingness to lay down His life for humanity (1 John 3:16), John encouraged his readers to also take the next step and put love into action. For John, to “lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters” (v. 16) meant demonstrating the same type of love exemplified by Jesus—and that would most often take the form of everyday, practical actions, such as sharing material possessions. It wasn’t enough to love with words; love required sincere, meaningful actions (v. 18).
Putting love into action can be hard because it often requires personal sacrifice or disadvantaging ourselves for another person. Enabled by God’s Spirit and remembering His lavish love for us, we can take the next step of love.
By Lisa M. Samra
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How have you experienced love in action? How can you take the next step to love someone in a practical way?
Dear Jesus, please help me to follow Your example and take the next step to demonstrate genuine love in my actions today.
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SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
In 1 John 3, the author focuses on the concept of love lived out in practicality. Like Cain, a lack of love-in-action is comparable to hatred and murder (v. 15). Instead, the author appeals to the example of Jesus, whose act of laying down His own life demonstrates the kind of love we should live out as His children. But what does that love look like practically? The letter makes it very simple: care for the physical needs of fellow believers (vv. 17-18).
And lest we think that the words of 1 John 3 are only a recommendation, it’s important to remember that God took Israel to task—destroying their wealth and sending them into exile—in part because the wealthy failed to care for the needy among them (see Amos 5:11–12). God deeply cares for the poor and marginalized, and we demonstrate Christlike love when we show them that same care.
Jed Ostoich |
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UR: Opportunities to Serve
We’re praying this so that you can live lives that are worthy of the Lord and pleasing to him in every way: by producing fruit in every good work and growing in the knowledge of God. - Colossians 1:10 (CEB)
After enjoying the first few months of retirement, I found that days of fun and relaxation do not always bring the peace and contentment I thought they would. Some days I have too much free time on my hands. It’s frustrating for me not having a schedule.
As I have taken this to the Lord in prayer, asking for guidance about how to spend my time, I have received a surprising answer. I have learned that even those unscheduled hours have God’s purpose stamped on them. Sometimes the purpose may be to teach me patience or to have a positive attitude no matter what is happening — or not happening — that day. The Bible says we are to “give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thess. 5:18, NIV).
As I have accepted unplanned times of rest and relaxation, God has given me peace. I’m not rushing through my day, and I have the glorious privilege of spending more time studying scripture and in prayer. Having a more leisurely pace to my days has opened up new opportunities to serve: taking ice cream to a friend recovering from surgery, helping friends clean and pack for a move, or sitting with a cancer patient during chemo treatments. I have found God’s peace in the unplanned moments.
TODAY'S PRAYER
Almighty Father, our time is in your hands. Help us to serve you each and every day. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
Harvest Prayer Blog:
March 22 - Seek God for Unity of Spirit
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I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call—one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. (Ephesians 4:1–6)
To walk in a manner worthy of the Lord is to walk unlike the world, and even unlike much of the church world. The high calling upon us is to walk in humility, gentleness, patience, and love. These are the building blocks of true, Jesus-glorifying unity. Many of us have been raised in a culture of independence, in families with deep brokenness, and live where division is commonplace. Now we are born into a kingdom, a family, where unity is the atmosphere and grace and love are the fuel for this blood-bought oneness in Jesus Christ. Let’s contend for this unity. Seek God for our lives, families, churches, and communities to display the unity he calls for and empowers us to enjoy.
Father God, I seek you today with my whole heart for your people in my community to walk in a manner worthy of our calling. Cause us to overflow with love, patience, gentleness, and humility. I ask that our Jesus communities and families would shine forth in contrast to this world, a symmetrical and consistent love expressed in deep and lasting unity. Today, enable me and your people to bear with one another. Open our eyes to see that, together, we are one body, and that each one of your people is joined together in this one body that we might live and work in complete agreement. Praise you that your one Spirit has filled all your people. Your Spirit makes us one. We all carry and are filled with the same unifying Holy Spirit. Today, may your Spirit overflow in your people, shining forth the one hope that belongs to us all. May your hope in us be shared clearly and purely with the watching world. Our unity rests in our one Lord, one faith, and one baptism. There is so much more that unifies us than divides us. Manifest your Spirit of unity in your church in our community this day.
--Adapted from Praying God’s Word Over Your City: 40 Days of Prayer for A Transformed Community by Trey and Mary Anne Kent. This book is available at prayershop.org. Use the code CONPSP3 at checkout to receive an additional 10% discount.
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- Praise God that he graciously chooses people to belong to him!
- Give thanks “that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Rom. 8:28).
- Confess to the Father any doubts or objections you may have about how he works things out.
- Commit yourself to the one who chose you in Christ before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight (Eph. 1:4).
- Ask that “he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Phil. 1:6).
- Pray that governmental officials may not be tempted by power or money. Ask God that those who have fallen to these temptations may be changed or removed from their positions.
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Tuesday, March 26 2024
Good Morning Seeking, Praying, Listening, Receiving, Processing, Repenting, Forgiven, Trusting, Joyful, Lighthouses! Start there talking to God about this truthful about you salutation. If it's not you yet, it can be if you pursue these healthy things from God. We all need someone to process with as well. So seek God for who and courage to do so. If you struggle with how to pray or with how poor of a pray-er you think you are, check at the Harvest Prayer blog below. Check out our other devos as you spend time with God and reach out to a trusted friend to process. God really loves you and wants to hang with you, share His heart with you and is preparing you for some great things today. Rejoice as you dwell in His presence. Watch for Him working around you all day and plan to join Him. Shalom!
Bread Distribution today from 10-12 and Dinner Huddle 6-7:30 for all ages! Come and see and experience love and fellowship! Bring a friend too!
UR: Guiding Light
You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. - Matthew 5:14 (NRSVUE)
Traveling on a ship at night gave me a new appreciation for the power of light. The lights on the ship shone brightly, but the open sea was dark and scary. I could not see anything, but I imagined the vast body of water. It made me feel helpless.
But then in the early morning, as we neared the port, we could see the light from a lighthouse on a hill. Through the darkness, the light in the distance guided our ship toward the port. That beacon made my heart leap with joy and gave me a sense of comfort.
Like a lighthouse in the dark, Christians can show God’s light to weary souls through our actions. Kindness allows people to experience the goodness of the love and life of our Savior Jesus Christ. When people are lost in the open sea of life’s struggles, the light of Christ shines bright. Many are weary, longing for rest and comfort. We can be a beacon for them, guiding them to find comfort in God.
TODAY'S PRAYER
Dear Jesus, help us to keep our lights shining amid the challenges we face so that we may help others find their way. Amen.ODB:
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A woman rescued Rudy from the animal shelter days before he was to be euthanized, and the dog became her companion. For ten years, Rudy slept calmly beside Linda’s bed, but then he abruptly began to jump next to her and lick her face. Linda scolded him, but every night, Rudy repeated the behavior. “Soon he was jumping on my lap to lick my face every time I sat down,” Linda said.
As she was planning to take Rudy to obedience school, she began to consider how insistent Rudy was and how he always licked her in the same spot on her jaw. Sheepishly, Linda went to a doctor who found a microscopic tumor (bone cancer). The doctor told Linda that if she’d waited longer, it probably would’ve killed her. Linda had trusted Rudy’s instincts, and she was happy she did.
The Scriptures tell us repeatedly that trusting God leads to life and joy. “Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord,” the psalmist says (40:4). Some translations make the point even starker: “Happy are those who make the Lord their trust” (v. 4 nrsv). Happy in the psalms communicates abundance—an erupting, effervescent joy.
When we trust God, the ultimate result is deep, genuine happiness. This trust may not come easily, and the results may not be everything we envision. But if we trust God, we’ll be so happy we did.
By Winn Collier
REFLECT & PRAY
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What makes it difficult for you to trust God? How does it alter things if you begin to really believe that trusting Him leads you to happiness?
Dear God, I want the kind of happiness that only You can bring. But it’s hard for me to trust. Will You help me?
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SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
We’re given no background on Psalm 40 aside from the notation in the superscription. Within the psalm itself, however, we see two dominant themes—suffering and rescue. The psalm opens with praise for God’s rescue in the past (vv. 1-3). That praise then sets the stage for David’s expectation of further rescue in the future from his present troubles (vv. 11-16). In between, the singer invites his audience to likewise root their trust in God and His mercy (vv. 4-10). The conclusion (v. 17) gives us a picture of David’s desperation and his confidence in God’s care as he affirms, “But as for me, I am poor and needy; may the Lord think of me. You are my help and my deliverer; you are my God, do not delay.” These themes, particularly the theme of God’s expected rescue, are common in David’s psalms and offer us great encouragement in our own dark seasons.
Bill Crowder |
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C.S.
TWFYT:
Harvest Prayer:
March 20 - Just You and God
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While I am a proponent of a morning “quiet time” (a set time each day to read Scripture and pray), I encourage struggling and beginning pray-ers to find what works for them. Don’t force yourself into a pattern that might not fit who you are. Do you walk each day? Pray while you walk. Do you have a commute each day? Pray while you drive. You do not have to sit in the same chair in your living room for prayer to be effective.
But my mind will wander if I pray when I walk or drive, you might be thinking. So what?! When you walk with a friend and are deep in conversation, plenty of things might interrupt your conversation—another person coming toward you, a squirrel darting across your path, a siren in the distance. You pick your conversation up again. The same can happen if you’re praying. In a real sense, Jesus is walking with you. If something interrupts your conversation, simply start talking again.
Prayer is not as difficult as we often make it out to be. Just talk about what’s on your mind—and listen. No special words, no props needed. Just you and God.
Lord, keep me from the need to be “perfect” when I pray or from feeling inadequate if something interrupts my time with You. Help me to persevere in Your presence, and to not make prayer harder than it is! Show me how to find spare moments in my day to reach out to You – moments that might otherwise be wasted time. Whisper into my ear whenever there is an opportunity for us to talk with one another and let me be willing and able to walk with You whenever and wherever I find myself.
--Adapted from The Power of Personal Prayer (Learning to Pray with Faith and Purpose) by Jonathan Graf. This book is available at prayershop.org. Use the code CONPSP3 at checkout to receive an additional 10% discount.
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- Praise the Lord, who is your strength, your rock, your fortress and your deliverer (Ps. 18:1-2).
- Give thanks that “the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength” (1 Cor. 1:25).
- Confess your desire to rely upon your own strength.
- Commit yourself to doing everything through him who gives you strength (Phil. 4:13).
- Ask God to cause you to serve him with the strength that he provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ (1 Pet. 4:11).
- The gospel is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes (Rom. 1:16). Ask the Lord to apply this power to individuals whom you know are without it.
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Tuesday, March 26 2024
Good Morning Powerfully Praying, Standing or the Word, Springs of Living Water of Yahweh Jireh! This salutation comes right from our threaded together devotionals from this morning (below). These thread through things we have been studying for awhile as well as our discussions at huddle last evening as God quilts us and our ministries into His masterpiece and we work on becoming, living and loving more like Jesus. Do you see it? What's God saying to you? Who are you processing with? What plans of God will you release in prayer as you stand on God's Word, refresh others and bring new life, hope, help and love that come from an overflowing relationship with our God who is enough--our Provider? Be still a bit and know. Listen, receive, process, release and enact His plans!
What's the threads? May be different for you. Process that with some others. This is what God revealed to me this morning:
The prayers of a righteous person are powerful and effective. Because of our faith in Christ we are considered righteous in God's eyes. PTL! So, our prayers are powerful and effective. They release God's power and will on heaven and earth. And they change us too. Nothing like time sitting at God's feet listening and praying to transform us and for releasing His will and power. Even when it feels like He is not answering, we need to remember He always does. Sometimes He says "yes", 'no', or "not yet". We are commanded to pray continually. Why? because God is always at work, wants to use us and the situations around us, and even change us or redirect us through our prayers and what He is doing. Prayer and time in God's Word, even praying Scripture, helps us to stand firm, defeat the enemy, be filled with wisdom and to direct our steps. Check out TWFYT and all the promises from Scripture to pray through and meditate upon. We are (or can be) powerfully praying, standing on God's Words servants of Yahweh. PTL!
As we are transformed and build on prayer and Bible study, the thoughts of Our Daily Bread and Charles Stanley devos and even our huddles the past few days thread from that to our hearts. Do you see it? What's God saying to you? I would suggest that you open your Bibles and meditate on the Isaiah 58:6-12 passage of ODB. Sounds like it's describing the things we are already doing and speaks into what lies ahead for us this summer. How cool is our God! As we pray, stand on His Word and sit at His feet, He leads us to our mission and His provision for us! PTL! We are sinking our roots deep into God and His Word, receiving nourishing provision and sent to bless others with what we've been given and blessed with. (read that again and pronounce it out loud) We are sent to rebuild society that has no idea who God is and what His love is like. They see it come alive through us as we serve, just as we are, where we are placed, with what we've been blessed with. We are doing some of this and there is more to come as we continue to work at becoming more like Jesus and doing more of what He created us to do and what He has for us. AMEN! God is calling us out of the building this summer to go to the places where He has placed us or is leading us to do what we can with what He's given to connect to others, bless them and show them and lead them to God's love. Pray hard into this and for wisdom for our Vision Team and Wed night Huddle and Family Ministries to multiply God's Kingdom right where we do life daily this summer. Do you live in or have a connection to Sr. Housing? Maybe He wants to start a Bible study or some way to serve your neighbors? Maybe it's some men's or woman's ministries? Do you go out to eat with some friends? Maybe He wants to connect you to the staff or customers? Maybe you play a sport and God has a way for you to serve and connect to your team? Maybe He wants you to host a picnic in your yard to connect to neighbors? The possibilities are limitless and will be connected to things you already do with some of the people you already do life with or who God is leading you to serve and serve with. It will be several small groups connecting to each other, others and God as we step out of the building and be Christ where God has placed you. It will be multiplying disciples. Beginning around Memorial Day, we will be stepping out of the building. Where is God leading you and with who? Pray into this and listen and process with others. We are God's well-watered gardens sent to refresh others--to seek and save the lost. Amen!
Now before you get all panicky, remember God is our strength and peace and is with us helping us to obey His command to be bold and courageous. Pray into that too! Charles Stanley reminds us that God is enough! Do you believe that? We all know it's true, but have we internalized it and are we standing on that Rock? He reminds us of how God helps us and what part of our mission is: "His goals [for you] are to love, lead you to a life that is fruitful and fulfilling, influence others around you, and to prepare you for eternity [where you will continue with what you are doing now]." There are four points to pray into as we prepare for our summer out being Christ's Body, as we move from isolation to distribution and from adding to multiplying disciples. Think about divide and conquer and the theorem of multiplication. God is enough and so are we with Him in us. When we are weak, we are strong because He is in us and with us. Amen!
He has great plans custom made for you to discover and do this summer! PTL! What might they be and where is He sending you? What does He want to do right where He has placed you? Pray into this and process with some friends and begin making His plans with joy and much thanksgiving! This is the next step in becoming a dynamic movement of God and will be part of God's provision to fund His plans through our Body for years to come! PTL! What's He saying to you right now? What are you going to do about it? With who? How has God threaded all of this through you today? Share that with us. Follow Jesus and know Him and His peace and make Him known! Amen! What joy and great stories of God's faithfulness await us this summer! I can't wait!!!
Upper Room: The Power of Prayer
Pray continually. - 1 Thessalonians 5:17 (NIV)
There was a period of three years in my life when I faced the loss of my mother-in-law to cancer, the death of a dear aunt, and the reality that I would never give birth to a child. One Sunday morning while listening to prayer requests in church, I heard someone say, “Our prayers are working.” It angered me to hear those words. My prayers had not been answered. Were my prayers even heard? Why would the prayers of other believers be answered but not mine?
It took some time, but I came to realize that though my prayers did not reverse the outcomes of those situations in my life, my prayers did change me.
Prayer helped me deal with the passing of loved ones and encouraged me to love those who are here with me better. Prayer gave me the ability to open my heart and mind to the possibility of adoption; my husband and I now share our life and home with a beautiful son. God did hear my prayers.
The answers to our prayers may not be what we have hoped, but there will be answers. Do not give up on prayer; it is working.
TODAY'S PRAYER
Dear God, help us to believe that you hear us when we pray and to trust that you will answer. Amen.
The Word for You Today:
Our Daily Bread:
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Ole Kassow of Copenhagen loved bicycling. One morning, when he saw an elderly man sitting alone with his walker in a park, Ole felt inspired by a simple idea: why not offer elderly people the joy and freedom of a bike ride. So, one sunny day he stopped at a nursing home with a rented trishaw (a three-wheeled bike) and offered a ride to anyone there. He was delighted when a staff member and an elderly resident became the first riders of Cycling Without Age.
Now, more than twenty years later, Ole’s dream to help those who miss cycling has blessed some 575,000 elderly people with 2.5 million rides. Where? To see a friend, enjoy an ice cream cone, and “feel the wind in their hair.” Participants say they sleep better, eat better, and feel less lonely.
Such a gift brings to life God’s beautiful words to His people in Isaiah 58:10–11. “Help those in trouble,” He told them. “Then your light will shine out from the darkness, and the darkness around you will be as bright as noon.” God promised, “The Lord will guide you continually, giving you water when you are dry and restoring your strength. You will be like a well-watered garden, like an ever-flowing spring” (nlt).
God told His people, “Some of you will rebuild the deserted ruins of your cities” (v. 12 nlt). What might He do through us? As He helps us, may we always be ready to help others.
By Patricia Raybon
REFLECT & PRAY
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In your town or city, who needs help? What simple assistance can you offer them today?
Dear God, please show me a simple way to help others so they can find life in You.
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SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
One of the more common accusations from the prophets to the people of Israel and Judah was that their religion was merely about performance. They were going through the motions of devotion to God without demonstrating it by their actions. Isaiah confronts the people for their display of piety without showing concern for their fellow Israelites. They were fasting, covering themselves in sackcloth and ashes, and bowing their heads in a show of humility (Isaiah 58:1-5). Yet God calls for a fast that frees the oppressed and cares for the needy, not a false show of piety. Jesus also warns about a false show of piety when He speaks of fasting (Matthew 6:16-18).
J.R. Hudberg |
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Charles Stanley:
Wednesday, March 20 2024
Wagner's news below. Zoom Huddle at 10 all welcome
Good Morning Pray-ers!
Pastor Don slept in and is behind again today. Today God is speaking to us about praying and giving some great examples below. Check out the Upper Room about getting alone, stilling self and connecting to God. What's God saying to you? What blessed opportunities is He allowing you to be still, sit at His feet a bit, receive, discern and know that He is God? Then check out today's Harvest Prayer Blog and then click the links to Dave's and Pam's Prayer blogs. God's speaking to us today about prayer and life in Christ and becoming more like Jesus is flowing right from my blog yesterday and Sun message...follow Jesus, know peace, pray without ceasing, Check them out and sit a spell like Mary in this Martha world and in God's shalom! Joy to you all! Shalom! Be you and allow God to love through you as you travel through this day! Amen!
UR: Precious Opportunities:
Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. - Mark 1:35 (NIV)
Recently my husband and I took a trip by train through Montana and Idaho, then rented a car and drove down to northern California to visit my sister at her new home. I had never seen any of these places before, and the journey was a thrill to me. However, the change of routine completely disrupted my habit of starting each day with prayer and quiet meditation.
Back home in my comfy chair with the cat curled up by my side, I took up my daily practice again. I reflected that I had seen so many amazing sights yet had not taken time to marvel at the Creator. I had enjoyed the hospitality of my sister and brother-in-law but had not expressed gratitude to God for the good health and the means that allowed me to travel.
The Bible records that Jesus often went off to a solitary place to pray. Our Lord and Savior took time alone to speak with God. That loving relationship is open to me as well. I realized that my devotional time is not a routine that I must leave behind when I go on vacation. It’s a precious opportunity to thank God for all my blessings, speak whatever burden is on my heart, and ask for guidance every day.
TODAY'S PRAYER
Ever-present God, thank you for the opportunity to be in your presence day by day. May we never forget to thank you. Amen.
Harvest Prayer Blog:
March 19 - God Is Working
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There are things that God plans to do through no other means but prayer. He reminds us of this continually in order to bring us back into constant communion with Him. He not only invites us, He makes outlandish promises:
- "Everything you pray for, believing you will receive!" (Matthew 21:22)
- “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man will accomplish much!” (James 5:16)
- “Whatever you ask in My name I will do it so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask for anything in My name, I will do it.” (John 14:13)
- “Until now you asked for nothing in My name; ask and you will receive so that your joy may be full.” (John 16:24)
It sounds too amazing to be true. It is the invitation of a Father intent upon bringing us to Himself. But prayer without ceasing? This is the fantastical part. We can imagine ourselves praying occasionally. Praying when there is an urgent crisis. Praying when we need heavenly fire trucks to rush to our aid. But, without ceasing? With no intermission?
Amazing Lord, You invite me to come to You continually – day and night! As King David has taught in the Psalms, there is nowhere I can go that is apart from You! Because You are omnipresent, I can step into Your presence anytime and anywhere! Help me to believe what You have promised and teach me to ask according to Your will and in the Name above all names! The more I seek You, the greater my joy will be! What a wonderful promise! Help me to see You working all around me, and show me how to come alongside of Your kingdom purposes.
---Adapted from Prayer with No Intermission by Bill Elliff. This book is available at prayershop.org.
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- Praise the wonderful God who causes mountains and hills to burst into song and all the trees of the fields to clap their hands (Isa. 55:12).
- Give thanks that the Lord “comforts his people and [has] compassion on his afflicted ones” (Isa. 49:13).
- Confess any lack of joy which you may have and admit to God your failures to receive his joy.
- Commit yourself to considering all of life as pure joy, whatever the circumstance, since Jesus Christ is alive and victorious over all.
- Ask the Lord to restore to you the joy of his salvation (Ps. 51:12), so that you may be a prime exhibit of Christ’s life-changing power.
- Pray that your family and friends may have Christian joy. Ask God to help them to discipline themselves in the Christian faith and grow together in genuine love.
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Prayer Points taken from Patterns for Prayer by Alvin VanderGriend.
Dave and Pam Butts' Blogs: Being Still in a Busy House and A Prayer Concerning God's House |
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https://mail.yahoo.com/d/folders/1/messages/209857
Wagner's News:
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Greetings Friends,
We want to begin this update by expressing our deep appreciation for the kind words of sympathy expressed by so many of you as we remembered and celebrated Missy’s mom. It was a blessing to be loved and cared for by family and friends as we walked through these unexpected weeks of grief and loss. God has been so good and faithful in gently carrying us through this time.
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| We spent the first full week of March in Peachtree City, Georgia, at the US home office of Africa Inland Mission. We were serving as the missionaries-in-residence for ENGAGE AIM, a week of orientation for missionary candidates to learn more about AIM and explore various ministry opportunities in Africa. We enjoyed meeting new friends and reconnecting with old ones who we served alongside of in Kenya. As part of the worship and prayer time each morning, we were asked to share a devotion with the group. We chose to focus on different names of God (Yahweh/Jehovah – I AM Who I AM, Adonai – The LORD and Master, El Roi – The God Who Sees, Jehovah Shalom – The LORD Our Peace, Jehovah Jireh – The LORD Will Provide) and were mutually encouraged as we shared examples from the Word and then from our own lives of God’s grace, peace, goodness, faithfulness, and provision during our twenty-seven years of ministry in Kenya. He IS who He says He IS! |
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| From Georgia, we headed to Waxahachie, Texas, to attend the MK Synergy Conference. Every three years, this conference brings together caregivers and educators of missionary kids with goals to foster networking, encourage each other, share resources, process the latest research, and brainstorm strategies together. In our group devotions each day, we explored Scriptures that show us the heart of our Good Shepherd, Jesus, and how we can follow His example in shepherding our MKs well. Engaging in many conversations with others throughout the week, our hearts and minds were recharged as we shared the many reasons why we love doing what we do with MKs! |
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| GETTING TO THE HEART OF THE MATTER |
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| We have answers! Through the medical testing in January, doctors have been able to clearly identify the source of the concerns related to Brian’s heart. It is a congenital heart defect that can be repaired with a procedure the surgeon keeps referring to as “common”. We are grateful that the repair of this heart defect has become simple enough to be an outpatient procedure and would appreciate your prayers on March 21st when the repair is scheduled. |
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| Following Easter, our speaking schedule and travels will increase. Here are some specifics of where and when we will be speaking along with some broad brushstrokes of trips when we might be able to connect. Get in touch with us for more detailed information OR if you’d like to schedule a time to get-together! |
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April 6-9 Northwest PA and eastern OH
April 7 – Delightful EC Church, Southington, OH
April 6-9 – Grace EC Church, Knox, PA
April 13-14 – Grace Community Church, Willow Street, PA
April 15-26 – Travel to Blue Springs, MO with possible stops along the way in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, Missouri, and/or West Virginia
April 28 – Bethany EC Church, Lehighton, PA
May 5 – Emmanuel EC Church, Bethlehem, PA
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May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine on us – so that your ways may be known on earth, your salvation among all nations. ~Psalm 67:1-2
Thanks for partnering with us as we seek to make His Name known among all nations!
Brian & Missy |
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Wednesday, March 20 2024
Good Morning Pursuers and Bringers of God's Shalom! Peace. Peace. God's Peace. We seek it. Long for it. Pray for it over others. We know it is God's promise--His peace beyond understanding--but too often don't receive it or we allow the chaos and tyranny of the moments to rob us of His shalom. God specializes in bringing peace to the chaos. Jesus is our Prince of Peace who invites the weary to come to Him and find rest. That is a promise and a command. "Come to Me and I will give you...!" We have talked about and know that when we are pursuing and following God well we will have peace. If we don't have peace, we need to pause, reset as we sit at Jesus feet, count some blessings and allow Him to redirect us. What is robbing your peace today? Is it something beyond your control and not of your making? Or is it caused by the noise and chaos you are allowing in and pursuing? God is calling both types by name to come to His shalom! In either case, we know the Prince of Peace who promises us His peace beyond understanding and rest for our weary souls. It is even possible to choose joy in the midst of all our angst as we redirect and renew our thinking and choose to trust God as our Lord and hand over all our anxious thoughts and meaningless worry and striving.
Yesterday we talked about Jesus' invite and command to "Follow Me..." Are we doing that yoked to Him, receiving His help and peace or are we choosing to find our identity in worry, stress and anxiousness about things out of our control and things we cannot change. The image comes to mind of Jesus, being under so much pressure and anxiousness, in the Garden that His sweat was filled with blood from His brow. He asked His closest disciples to come comfort and pray with Him, but they fell asleep. (Who is crying out for you to come along side and strengthen? What are you doing about it?) God strengthened Him as He surrendered all His fear and anxiousness and brought His shalom beyond understanding that allowed Jesus to go boldly to the cross for us. God promises to do that for us as well. Will you pursue and allow Him to bring His peace and strength to you and your journey? He's right beside you waiting!
Check out the Harvest Prayer blog. It's Dave's account of His journey through cancer. Eventually, He lost that battle but traveled through it already resting in Jesus and dwelling in His shalom. We can learn to do so too. Amen! Jesus is bidding us to come to Him, follow Him and know His peace and rest. So, it is available. Pursue it! Know it! Amen. (Maybe this will be all God has for you today. That's OK. Below the Harvest Blog are more of my journal notes with our devos for today. I'm praying for you and God's peace beyond understanding for you and for you to be His vessel of shalom)
Harvest Prayer Blog:
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Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. (Psalm 34:14)
Today I am in the midst of an intensive chemotherapy treatment to deal with my aggressive cancer. I can’t imagine anything more designed to steal peace than chemo. It doesn’t just affect the body with harmful side-effects, it also creates a whole new way of life for the patient.
In a situation like this, I’ve learned how practical Scripture is regarding peace. It doesn’t just happen.
Though it is a gift of God, it is to be asked for, received, cultivated, and pursued. All too often in the Christian life, we can fall into an unhealthy passivity. It sounds spiritual to say something like, “let go and let God,” but that’s rarely how we grow spiritually. The Apostle Paul presents an active spirituality that is “pressing forward,” not kicking back and relaxing.
I know that for me personally, pursuing peace during chemotherapy has meant looking for Scripture passages that teach me more of what the peace of God is. It has meant actively praying those scriptures regarding peace into my life on a daily basis, asking Jesus Christ to bring those things to pass within me.
It has also meant listening to the testimony of other believers who have sought and found the peace of God.
Without a doubt, the most powerful thing I have learned regarding pursuing peace is that it means pursuing the presence of Christ. Again and again, I have found myself waking through the night with a passion to get up and worship the Lord. Seeking his face has meant walking in his peace. As I have delighted myself in his presence, fear always leaves and is replaced by the peace that is beyond understanding. And it is not just through the night hours. Worship throughout the day has become a way of life as I pursue peace.
Determine today how you will pursue peace. Bring that to Jesus in prayer and ask him to bless your pursuit.
Lord, I delight in the fact that you both give us peace and at the same time ask us to pursue it. We all run after those things that are important to us. Your peace is so vital to our lives and well-being. I draw near to you today, enjoying your presence and accepting the peace you so freely offer.
--Adapted from Prayer, Peace and the Presence of God (A 30-Day Journey to Experience the Shalom of Jesus) by David Butts.
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In our journey to become more like Jesus and the people He created us to be and doing our custom made tasks, we often share two quotes and Eph. 2:10 to remind us who we are in Christ. 1. "I am who I am because I am allowing I AM to be who He is in and through me." We always have a choice to allow God to live in and through us as He shapes us. 2. "Discipleship is the process of becoming who Jesus would be if He were me." Two ways for saying the same thing really. Life in Christ is full of choices. We talked yesterday about our choices to accept Jesus' invite to follow Him and to allow, even ask Him daily, to be our Lord and Rabi. Peace comes as we follow Him and allow Him to be our Lord, Teacher and Leader. Check out ODB below. Ask God to come be your I AM today. Eph. 2:10 reminds us that we are God's masterpiece, made new in Christ, to do what He created us to do. Allowing Him to be our Lord of all things leads to great peace and satisfaction in a life well lived in Christ as you are created for. Amen! Charles Stanley continues teaching with reminders that we are special, unique, designed perfectly creations of the God who has great plans for us! PTL! The UR reminds us that God Almighty is or Rock, our Fortress, our Hiding Place. He is our place of rest and peace in troubled times! Amen. And TWFYT is on day two of teaching how to rise above worry. God is really speaking to some of us today! Thanks Lord! He did thread all this together for us knowing some of us need to choose His peace and to dwell in it today and some of us are prepared and sent to bring His shalom and help others to head towards it. What an awesome God who knows you intimately, is calling you by name, even singing over you and wanting to fill you with His peace! Thanks Lord! We still ourselves and receive it and open our hearts and arms to share it. Come fill us to overflowing with your love, joy and peace today. Thanks! Amen!
ODB:
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Jack, a professor of philosophy and literature, had a brilliant mind. He’d declared himself an atheist at the age of fifteen and in adulthood adamantly defended his “atheistic faith.” Christian friends tried to persuade him. As Jack put it, “Everyone and everything had joined the other side.” But the Bible, he had to admit, was different from other literature and myths. About the Gospels he wrote: “If ever a myth had become fact, had been incarnated, it would be just like this.”
One Bible passage became most influential to Jack—Exodus 3. God was calling Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. Moses asked God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh?” (v. 11). God responded, “I am who I am” (v. 14). This passage is a complex play on words and names but reflects God’s eternal presence from the beginning. Interestingly, later Jesus echoed the same when he said, “before Abraham was born, I am!” (John 8:58).
Jack, better known as C. S. Lewis, was deeply persuaded by this passage. This was all that the one true God should need to say—simply that He is the “I am.” In a life-changing moment, Lewis “gave in, and admitted God was God.” This was the beginning of a journey for Lewis toward accepting Jesus.
Perhaps we struggle with belief, as Lewis did, or maybe with a lukewarm faith. We might ask ourselves if God is truly the “I am” in our lives.
By Kenneth Petersen
REFLECT & PRAY
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What does it mean to you to hear God say, “I am ”? How might it influence your days ahead?
Dear God, I come to You in awe of who You are. You are the “I am” in my life, and there is no other.
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SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
God’s name is more than just a way to identify Him. It’s also a revelation of His person and character. When Moses encountered Him in the burning bush, God identified Himself as “I am who I am” or the “I am” (Exodus 3:14). Scholars say the Hebrew can also be rendered as “I will be what I will be.” One of the amazing realities contained in this title is that God is beyond time. Even more, He’s completely unaffected by it—though in His mercy He chooses to work within time. This reality is reaffirmed in the New Testament, where we read, “I am the Alpha and the Omega . . . who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty” (Revelation 1:8). In the person of Jesus, our timeless God stepped into time to give us an eternity unbounded by time.
Bill Crowder |
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CS:
UR: Our Rock
Since you are my rock and my fortress, for the sake of your name lead and guide me. - Psalm 31:3 (NIV)
I live on an island with many beautiful beaches. When I feel the gentle rush of the waves, I reflect on the grandeur of God’s divine creation. Starfish and snails of all shapes and colors reveal God’s greatness and how detail-oriented the Creator is.
One day, filled with admiration as I walked on the edge of the beach, I found a unique rock. Many types of algae floated about, entangled with each other; but one type of small, living algae was attached to the rock. This find allowed me to reflect on how God also gives us abundant life in troubled times.
Just as the algae found the rock, its source of life, in spite of the turbulent waters, so we can find Christ. He is our rock, our strength and protection, who gives us abundant life amidst the challenges our lives can bring.
TODAY'S PRAYER
Creator God, help us always to remember that you are our rock and fortress. We pray as Jesus taught us, “Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.” (Matt. 6:9-13, KJV).TWFYT:
Wednesday, March 20 2024
Good Morning Loving with the Heart of God Worshippers! As you prepare your heart for worship this morning lift some praises to our loving Father for giving us His heart and mind to go love like Him. Thank Him for overflowing love! Thank Him for using us well and for preparing us to go love more in '24. Thank Him for placing us here for such a time as this to be His hands, feet, help, and Good News Delivery people. Come! Now is the time to worship!
I've been beating myself up a bit, maybe prodded some by Satan, because I feel like I just keep sharing the same things--Go! Live and love more like Jesus! Build small group ministries that reach neighbors. Become a dynamic movement of God. But God just keeps revealing these messages to me for us. And will until we trust and obey. I thought I'd share something different this morning...BUT GOD!
TWFYT reminded me to stop worrying and trust God. They reminded me to not worry about what others think or have or are doing. Focus on God and what He is doing and desires to do in and through me. PTL! He provides where He guides. Amen. You are part of His provision. Where's He guiding you? I ended my quiet time with the Harvest Prayer's Prayer starters and then blog. I'll add a couple from mine to theirs today as they really had me praying into our fellowship of believers. We are one! Well, supposed to be. Are we with fellow believers? The Church needs to reunite in Christ and for multiplying disciples together. Charles Stanley shows us where to start and what to build upon...intimacy with Jesus. Abiding in the Vine and choosing to live this life as if Christ is all that matters. Living life intentionally, earnestly through our custom-made created purposes for God's glory begins with deep intimacy. Our EC mission statement is to know Christ and make Him known. The make Him known part flows from really knowing Him and following closely as His plans come to and alive through you. ODB continues to speak to what God keeps revealing to me and I keep sharing. He's just not letting this go. He has plans for us and He is raising up Kingdom-minded leaders and small groups that will impact the places where they meet. God really wants us to get some small groups started and reaching and impacting our communities and contexts. They ask, "How have you teamed up with others to serve God? and Who can you support as they serve Him with their unique gifts?" Those are questions we need to answer, process and then enact this summer as we step out of the building and into our neighborhoods in small groups. Keep praying into that and start talking to your teammates about what, where and how. I'm really excited for this to begin and can already taste the fruit to come! The UR just reminded me of my attitude adjustment since the last election and how turning off the noise and constant hate-spewing has changed me and brought me great shalom. Who or what are you hating right now? Jesus commands to not sin in our anger and to love our enemies. Seriously, turn off the noise, hate-mongering and anxiousness-stirring and open your Bibles more and spend your time better at growing in intimacy with Christ and some Christ loving and honoring friends who will pray for and help you to go love--all people--like Christ. We are all made in His image and some are being drawn from their Christ-less ways through our love. Hating people and shunning them was a practice of the Pharisees and we see how Jesus felt about that as we open the Gospels. He said, come to me all you weary--weary of the finger-pointing, hate, shunning and unmeetable requirements to be found in God's favor. We are all sinners. Some have been saved by the grace of God. Who is He sending you to love to Him? Who needs to know His rest for their souls?
So where do we start? The Great Commandments: love God and love like Him and the Great Commission: go lovingly make disciples of Jesus. I don't think we can ever stop being reminded of these or ever stop working on them. We are all a work in process and progress and we need each other to live and love well and more like Jesus. God really loves us and is preparing us to reap His end times harvest. He is with us and has great plans that bring satisfaction, peace and joy. Where's your focus today? begin with worship and then be available and willing to go live and love more like Jesus with some friends. God will handle the rest! PTL and Amen! Shalom!
TWFYT:
Harvest prayer:
March 17 - One Before the Throne
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After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands. (Revelation 7:9)
The beauty and majesty as described in heaven will be astounding. Every color and each texture will emanate the glory of God. Every sound and rhythm will carry the message of his wonder, but none will show forth his glory more brilliantly than the faces of those he has redeemed.
The sad reality is that today we are separated not merely by distance and language, but by a large chasm of misunderstanding, suspicion, and apathy. The enemy of our souls has worked a deception on our hearts and minds to keep us from experiencing the glory of God together. He has whispered lies and we have believed that we are more different than we are the same. We have allowed hurt and ignorance to lead us into grave sin and have marred the image of Christ by our hatred and our indifference.
Jesus has a better plan. Jesus has made a better way for us to live and love as one. What miracle of grace would the world behold if we were united as one people under Jesus? Let’s ask him to free us of our sin and unite us so we may worship together and display his glory to a world who desperately needs to know him.
Powerful and wise Father, we thank you that in your wisdom you created us with a variety of beautiful distinctions and lovingly placed us all over the world. Show us how to come together for the glory of your name and the salvation of many. Please forgive us for our selfishness and the many ways we have exalted our own preferences and backgrounds above your plan to unite us in you. Give us humble and forgiving hearts so we may offer the grace we’ve been given to all who would hurt and offend us.
We know that it is through our unity that many will see and be drawn into your loving arms. Show us how to creatively and faithfully find ways to unite as one body with one purpose and vision to make you known all over the world. We exalt you as Creator, Lord and Savior and commit to making your name famous and followed. We pray that your name will be known and received among unreached people and that you will send us boldly and compassionately to everyone’s world with your gospel. Equip us with all that we need to bring to you the reward of your sacrifice.
--Adapted from Praying God’s Word Over Your City: 40 Days of Prayer for A Transformed Community by Trey and Mary Anne Kent. This book is available at prayershop.org. Use the code CONPSP3 at checkout to receive an additional 10% discount.
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- Praise the Lord, who made and cares for heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them (Ps. 146:1-6).
- Give thanks for his personal care for you.
- Confess instances of putting ultimate trust “in mortal men, who cannot save” (146:3).
- Commit yourself to putting your hope in the Lord your God.
- Ask God to help you hand your cares to him through daily prayer.
- Pray your church grows as loving people who genuinely administer God's care to all people. Ask for wisdom for your leaders and small groups.
- Pray that God will continually prompt his people to join him in caring for those oppressed or otherwise in need (146:7-10). Ask God to grant corporate and individual wisdom, persistence, and love in seeking to extend his kingdom.
- Pray that the witness of God's people will be consistent in word and deed. Ask God to guide you in helping specific people in your neighborhood to put their trust in the caring God you know intimately.
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Charles Stanley:
ODB:
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When I joined a group of Christian children’s book authors who prayed for one another and helped spread the word about each other’s books, some people said we were “foolish for working with competitors.” But our group was committed to kingdom-minded leadership and promoting community, not competition. We shared the same goal—spreading the gospel. We served the same King—Jesus. Together, we’re reaching more people with our witness for Christ.
When God asked Moses to choose seventy elders with leadership experience, He said, “I will take some of the power of the Spirit that is on you and put it on them. They will share the burden of the people with you so that you will not have to carry it alone” (Numbers 11:16–17). Later, Joshua saw two of the elders prophesying and told Moses to stop them. Moses said, “Are you jealous for my sake? I wish that all the Lord’s people were prophets and that the Lord would put his Spirit on them!” (v. 29).
Any time we focus on competition or comparisons that hinder us from working with others, the Holy Spirit can empower us to shrug off that temptation. When we ask God to nurture kingdom-minded leadership in us, He spreads the gospel around the world and can even lighten our loads as we serve Him together.
By Xochitl Dixon
REFLECT & PRAY
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How have you teamed up with others to serve God? Who can you support as they serve Him with their unique gifts?
Holy Spirit, please make me a kingdom-minded leader committed to working together to reach more people with the life-saving message of the gospel.
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SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
As Numbers 11 begins, it had been more than a year since the Israelites escaped out of Egypt (10:11-12). They’d spent almost a year at Mount Sinai (Exodus 19:1; Numbers 10:11), where Moses received the Law, the people rebelled by crafting a golden calf, the tabernacle was built, and the priesthood was established. The Israelites were the beneficiaries of God’s daily care through manna and a cloud that guided them during the day and a pillar of fire at night. But soon after leaving Mount Sinai, the people “complained about their hardships” (11:1), and God judged them with fire. After His judgment subsided, some began to “crave other food” (v. 4). Moses grew tired of their complaints and cried out to God, “I cannot carry all these people by myself” (v. 14). As a result, He instructed Moses to choose seventy leaders to help share the burden (vv. 16-17).
Alyson Kieda |
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UR: The Power of Words
Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses. - Proverbs 10:12 (NRSVUE)
I only had one brother. He was six years older than I and joined the US Navy when I was 13. As we got older, we bonded over our common interest in ham radio.
On one of our family’s visits to his house, he and I retreated to his radio room and started talking. After a while he said, “You sure hate a lot of things.” His words stopped me cold; he was right. I hated how that politician acted. I hated that product. I hated my income taxes. I realized that even though I claimed to be a Christian, I was living a life full of small hatreds. I would like to say I have completely overcome that mindset; but while I never say I “hate” things anymore, I can still be critical of those who disagree with me.
Words of hatred and superiority can slip into our conversation, demeaning not only the subject of our talk but God’s word as well. “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver” (Prov. 25:11). All people were made in God’s image and deserve to be treated fairly and honorably. I have found if we look deep inside others, we may find people very much like ourselves.
TODAY'S PRAYER
O Lord, help us to avoid the trap of careless and negative words. Even when our words are critical, may we speak always with compassion. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
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