Join us for huddle today 10-11 live in the fellowship hall and on zoom.

Pray for Sarah. She got called and chosen yesterday for jury duty for at least the week. This is very hard on her physically and she is already preparing her legs and body for a long day and week as I write this. Pray God's favor and blessing over her to sustain her, keep pain at bay and for a short time in court. Ask for His strength to endure. Pray for God to use her well too.

I received a call from Linda, Glad Ketner's daughter expressing how lonely and depressed Glad is. I usually am able to visit our homebound quarterly and the next scheduled visit is the end of Sept. So, Sarah suggested a "thinking of you" card shower. And maybe some could visit. She has no phone. She is in Parkland Manor, 4636 Crackersport Rd. Allentown, PA 18104

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Good Morning Abiding, Still, Knowing, Receiving, Worshipers! Amen! He is the Vine and we are His abiding/dwelling branches. As we turn off the noise and turn from the chaos we can hear His still small voice and whispers and truly know that He is God and He is with us, informing our prayers and steps for today. As we still ourselves and listen we come to know He is truly God and become familiar with His voice and receive instruction as we go. He loves you and has great plans for you for today. Stop and still yourself and abide some in His love. Allow His presence to wash over you and fill you for the day ahead. I can testify to these truths and the benefit of quieting my soul, worshiping (God does inhabit our praise), listening and learning. I then am better able to follow Him and His provision for the day. Thanks Lord! I am listening. Come! Speak! Direct to Your perfect plans for today. May I know Your shalom and dwell in it all day as I continue to fellowship with you throughout today. Thanks! Amen! Send me and use me well!

I suggest making this a Harvest Prayer Day and spend some time in their blogs and prayer guides for today. And then our devos (below) Start with Sarah Young's Jesus Calling:

Here's a link to their blogs: https://www.harvestprayer.com/the-voice/ and https://www.harvestprayer.com/the-discipline-of-solitude-in-everyday-life/

Harvest:

August 27 - You Are the Dwelling Place of God Adoration and praise develop within us a deeper sense of intimacy. When we voice thoughts of praise and adoration to God, we are drawn into His presence. Our praises set the tone for intimate contact with almighty God. Psalm 22:3 says that God “inhabits” the praises of His people. The Hebrew word for “inhabit” may also be translated “enthroned,” opening the passage to show us its meaning: God creates a dwelling place among those who praise  Him. . . . Here is a magnificent truth! Just as God is sovereign whether we worship Him or not, He will indwell us mightily and majestically whether we are feeling happy or sad—when we praise Him. Praise constructs a Throne room in our hearts where the Sovereign God declares He is pleased to dwell. In my own prayer life, when I start with adoration and praise, I know something happens. I have a greater sense that I am connecting with God, more of a sense that He is there with me. And it is generally true that the longer I worship Him, the more powerful my prayer time is. Sometimes I’ll play a worship CD to aid me. I sing along with it or simply meditate on the lyrics as they are sung. It never ceases to bring peace to my spirit and to create love for God in my heart. I have to admit that, despite knowing this, I often rush right into petition. Perhaps it is my busyness, perhaps it is my selfishness (I must get right away to what I need), or perhaps it is a fear of intimacy. Whatever the reason, I need to constantly remind myself to simply worship God in prayer. It makes all the difference! Majestic Father, I want You to be at home in me always! Help me to draw near in the wonder of worship without rushing quickly on to my own needs and requests. Nothing I have to do is more worthy or worthwhile than spending significant time drawing near to You. Teach me the discipline of lingering in Your presence, beholding Your beauty and worshiping at Your feet. --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. Prayer Points Praise “God, from whom all blessings flow!” Thank him for making his blessings available to you in Christ Jesus. Confess that you are spiritually poor in yourself. Commit yourself to gratitude to God for replacing your poverty with all the treasures of “the kingdom of heaven” (Mt. 5:3). Ask for a renewed appreciation for this tremendous, gracious exchange. Pray for those caught in addictions to drugs, sex, self-reliance, etc., to admit that they are powerless to overcome these evils by themselves. Ask God to use you this week to point at least one person to him and his resources.    Prayer Pointer “Prayer becomes a battleground where we wrestle with what it means to live God’s life in the world.” —Maxie Dunnam Prayer Points taken from Patterns for Prayer by Alvin VanderGriend. This book is available at prayershop.org. Use the code CONPSP3 at checkout to receive an additional 10% discount. Connection (Devotions for Everyday Life) © 2024 is a free devotional published daily by Harvest Prayer Ministries. Subscribe here.

UR: In God's Image

Jesus said, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” - John 13:34 (NIV)

I don’t like birds. If I see a bird flying anywhere close by, I think it’s going to attack me. For the past few weeks, my husband and I have been watching a little wren outside our dining room window. She hops around on the leaves of the begonia, looks in at us, and occasionally pecks at the window. Despite my fear of birds, I can appreciate this one. I enjoy watching her from inside and acknowledge her as one of God’s wondrous creations.

Similarly I have met people that I don’t like. But Jesus tells us to love one another as he has loved us. Jesus loves us as creations made in God’s image.

If I can acknowledge that a little bird that I am fearful of is a marvelous creation of God, how much more should I be able to love a person who is made in God’s likeness? If I pay attention to people as closely as I have this wren, I will give myself the opportunity to get past my first impressions, to notice others doing something kind or beautiful, to see in each person the reflection of our loving God.

Today's Prayer

Dear Lord, help us to see beyond our negative reactions to people. Help us to see how they reflect you. Amen.

ODB:

CS:

TWFYT:

Thanks Sarah! Thanks for covering during our sick day. We had a stomach bug and felt it best to rest at home and not contaminate others. Karen and I are both better and will be ready for the week ahead. Thanks for your prayers!

This Week: 

Tues 10-11 Huddle live in Fellowship Hall and on Zoom. All welcome!

Wed. Bread Distribution 10-12

6-7:30 Dinner and fellowship for all families and adults. We begin our fall return to huddles on Wed.

Worship Sun. 10 Am in the sanctuary and on zoom

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Good Morning Refined, Redeemed, Delivered, Secure Children of the King of the Universe! God took me through many devos todays as I found some old ones and saw how He threaded three new ones through our normal ones. God is speaking to you, to us, this morning and pronouncing His love, that patiently corrects, stretches, refines, delivers, redeems and grows us in Christ. PTL! We have read and know He does all these, but sometimes it's hard to keep our focus and joy when being stretched and molded. God is for us and has great plans for us that will take us through the refiners fire and deep waters and even through the darkest valleys. he is and will be with us always and is always good, even though it may not quite feel like that at times of stretching. We have prayed for His Kingdom to come and will to be done in, through and around us and we can expect Him to answer that according to His plans and in ways He knows are best to get us to our fuller potential in Christ. Amen--so be it Lord! Come! Have Your way with me! Amen!

Yesterday Sarah brought a great word and reminder from Eph. 6 that Satan will and does attack and that we need to be cloaked in the armor of God and to put that on daily in prayer. We need to sharpen our swords by spending time in His Word and internalizing and memorizing it to use against all attacks. God will allow testing and Satan will attack God's faithful ones. Expect it and be ready. Satan also loves to drag down and away from God those who are being tested and refined. Don't allow that. Tighten on that armor and stand form as God molds you. Don't loose hope but keep seeking Him and resting in His love as you stand firm in Christ. God loves you and has great plans for you for such a time as this and just as you are. But He also wants to lead you to the greater things which will require some refining fire and stretching love. Receive it with joy and in faith knowing God is for you--always.

I have much to do this morning and am running way behind so I will just leave you with some of our devos for you to work through with the Holy Spirit and maybe some friends. What's God saying to you, very loved one? What's he wanting to do in, through and around you to bring His Kingdom and will alive? Who is helping you process? Be still and know He is the God who is love and always with you. he has great plans for you that will require some refining and stretching and he has some friends to walk with you and Jesus through whatever deep waters and dark valleys you are in. PTL! We all need each other to lean on and walk with. Start with this worship prayer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysLvmPCE9KA

You are chosen by God who is calling you by name and who will redeem and deliver you. he will stretch and grow you and He has given you His Spirit and others filled with His Spirit to walk with through this life and all the battles. Tighten on that armor in prayer and walk in His strength and power to victory ad you allow Him to lead you to your best. he does have great plans for you! Jesus is the way, the truth and the life and He promises to be with you always.

There is definitely a thread through all God is revealing to us today through our devotional quiet time. We are His and He is refining us and leading us to His best in such a loving way that is best and custom prepared for custom us. PTL! We are...Refined, Redeemed, Delivered, Secure Children of the King of the Universe! We are loved. We matter. God has great plans for each of us and us together that He is bringing to life! PTL! Don't loose hope. Choose joy as you trust and invite Him to shape you for His great plans for you. Yes Come! Have Your way with me Lord! You know best! help me to cooperate with Your Spirit and find some friends to walk with. Your Kingdom come and will be done in, through and around me and always for Your glory. May I honor and worship You always. Amen!

You are God's workmanship--masterpiece being made new in Christ to accomplish all he created you to do. (Eph 2:10) PTL!  COME!

TWFYT:

 

ODB:

CS:

UR: Safe in God's Embrace

In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety. - Psalm 4:8 (NIV)

When I was young, I often had nightmares that woke me. Feeling anxious, I would knock on the door to my parents’ room, and my mother would calm me, giving me a hug. After my fear started to subside, she would take me back to my room and sleep with me for the rest of the night. Knowing my mother was there with me, I then was able to sleep peacefully.

I think this is what the psalmist experienced. He could forget his burdens and enjoy peace at night by putting trust in the Lord. When we have a hectic day, our emotional and physical energy is used up; we may feel angry or worried so that even at night we are still thinking about the events of the day. However, when we turn our eyes to God and share our struggles, God’s presence can fill us and bring relief for the soul.

The presence of my mother beside me, guarding me from my fears as I slept, provided me peace. In much the same way, remembering God’s presence provides me peace today. When our strength is limited and our minds are filled with worries, we can reach out to God and rest assured that in God’s care, we need not dwell in fear.

Today's Prayer

Dear God, life is full of hardship. But when we put our trust in you, we can rest peacefully knowing that you are our protector. Amen.Sarah Evans

Harvest Prayer:

Good Morning Armor-Clad, Prayer Warriors, Incarnators--Missionaries of Almighty God! Amen! We are the Light that drives back the darkness. We need to put on His armor and prepare for battle and walk in confidence in the protection of our Almighty. Amen! Today Sarah wraps up Ephesians 6 for us discussing our available armor. Put it on in prayer, stand firm in Christ and go take back what the enemy has stolen! Check out this song about that as you prepare for worship, prayer, and battle! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tW6j_oKLYuU

I want to focus on one thing this morning from Our Daily Bread. Read the associated Scripture 1 Cor.3:1-9 and meditate on what God is saying to you? We may be receiving some new members from Methodist churches that just voted for anti-biblical things. Think about what Paul says in this passage. In 3:1 Paul calls the readers "worldly" and as people who choose to not live by the Spirit. They have grieved the Spirit by their choices because they are "people who tolerated blatant sin in their church." Ordaining and marrying homosexuals, transgenders, binary (whatever that is) and anything to do with LBGOXYZ is wrong, against God and His standards. It is sin and they are promoting and endorsing things opposite what God clearly teaches and we are commanded to not be involved with. Sure love the sinner. All are welcome here, but we will not endorse these sins nor help them to not feel the pinch of the Holy Spirit. If that offends you,  well, what's God saying to you? These things are sins not to be practiced nor tolerated in His Body. People opposed to these sinful ways and what the Methodist church just endorsed as ok are being asked to leave, and not very politely. Sin is offensive to God and should be to us. We all are sinners in need of a Savior and we must always be confessing and repenting of those sins, not endorsing them.

We will always stand solid on God's Word, not water it down, nor endorse sin as ok. Count on that! I will not endorse that. Also know, we are all sinners, but by the grace of God, hell bound. We will also call all sin as sin--gluttony, pride, deceit, lying, whatever and teach about how to repent, turn from these evil ways and come back to fellowship with God and our Body. Repent and believe the Good news and you will be saved is our message. Not, do what you like and we will comfort you in your sinful choices. Amen!

You can spend time with our other devos and with your open Bible. I am ending with that and asking for you to pray that we and our denomination would never waver from calling sin, sin and standing firm in Christ and on His Word. Amen! We are choosing to live, love, teach and lead like Jesus and committed to standing firm in Him, on His Word, and in His ways. Amen! We are called to help sinners transition to repentant followers of Jesus. May we model that well!

Choose today who you will follow. As for me and my house, we will follow the Lord, not the world and we will stand on His Word always. Amen!

1 Corinthians 3:1-3

3 Dear brothers and sisters, when I was with you I couldn’t talk to you as I would to spiritual people. I had to talk as though you belonged to this world or as though you were infants in Christ. 2 I had to feed you with milk, not with solid food, because you weren’t ready for anything stronger. And you still aren’t ready, 3 for you are still controlled by your sinful nature. You are jealous of one another and quarrel with each other. Doesn’t that prove you are controlled by your sinful nature? Aren’t you living like people of the world? 

Harvest:

August 25 - Love On Its Knees We all want to leave a mark on this world in some way. Do you desire to be known as one who knows what it means to “pray and not lose heart,” as Jesus put it (Luke 18:1), and to “pray without ceasing,” as Paul the apostle said (1 Thessalonians 5:17)? Will yours be the prayers that linger before the Lord, affecting people’s lives, even long after you’re gone? There are often challenges to be faced that could keep us from leaving such a legacy.  One key challenge, for example, is that we live in a land affected by the evil one. While nonbelievers live as if God does not exist, sometimes believers live as if the devil does not exist. Jesus came because we live in a sin-affected society. C.S. Lewis put it this way: “Enemy-occupied territory—that is what this world is. Christianity is the story of how the rightful king has landed, you might say landed in disguise, and is calling us all to take part in a great campaign of sabotage.” This is why we need to be “up to date” with God—in constant communion and communication with him—and why we need to pray not only for others but for ourselves as well.  This is a call to intercession. Oh, that there would be more men and women who walk and talk with God about everyone in their world. Dick Eastman, international president of Every Home for Christ, put it well: “Intercession is basically love praying. In the very truest sense, intercession is love on its knees. When we love someone we seek his very best.” This is Jesus’ example, and we would do well to live, love, and lead like our Lord as men and women who “always pray and never give up” (Luke 18:1). As a result, may we see our own lives and our world change in ways we can only begin to imagine! Heavenly Father, I want to be a person who prays and does not lose heart! Please teach me to persevere in prayer by increasing my passion for Your holiness and for the lives of others – believers as well as unbelievers! Train me in warfare prayer that never gives up and is always willing to step into enemy-occupied territory and redeem what belongs to You! Show me how to love like this, Lord! I want to be an overcoming, armor-dressed intercessor whose great love for others compels me into fervent intercession! Thank You for hearing and answering my prayer! Prepare me to step out in faith as You answer! --Adapted from Walking and Talking with God: A Simple Way to Pray Every Day by Dean Ridings. This book is available at prayershop.org. Use the code CONPSP3 at checkout to receive an additional 10% discount. Prayer Points Praise God that he sweeps away your offenses like the morning mist (Isa. 44:22). Give thanks that God is not unjust and will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you help others (Heb. 6:10). Confess to him those secret things you do which you know are wrong but just haven’t been able to confess (Ps. 44:21). Commit yourself to building others up with encouragement and ridding yourself of bitterness and anger, forgiving others as God in Christ forgives you (Eph. 4:29-32). Ask God to help you be an imitator of him, living a life of love (Eph. 5:1). Pray that God will give you his strength to “right some wrong” that you have committed against a family member or friend. Prayer Points taken from Patterns for Prayer by Alvin VanderGriend. This book is available at prayershop.org. Use the code CONPSP3 at checkout to receive an additional 10% discount. Connection (Devotions for Everyday Life) © 2024 is a free devotional published daily by Harvest Prayer Ministries. Subscribe here.

Good Morning Dwelling in His Presence, Peace-Filled, Joy Bringers! Please Lord! May that be me and us today. May we sit at Your feet and dwell in Your Love and Peace. May Joy overflow from us as we grow in trust and go live and love like You with You. May Your shalom overwhelm us as we abide in you. Come! Amen!

Do you know His peace and love intimately? You can as you still yourself, dwell in His loving presence and receive His shalom. Try it! Turn off the noise. Be still and choose to abide as you sit at His feet in conversation and quietness. You can hear His still small voice that comforts and speaks love over you. You are His! He chose you and wants to bless you as you spend time with Him and walk with Him through each day. He does have plans to prosper and not harm you, even when He allows some hard things to come your way. Choose worship first always. He is Love and always with you and working all things together for good and your growth. PTL! Choose joy as you grow in trust of the only One who knows you intimately. Abide as you prepare for this day. What's He saying to you this morning? Maybe write it down, pray through it and allow that to direct your steps today. Maybe process that with some others too. He really does have some great plans custom made just for you. And He is always good and near, Amen! Draw close and He will draw close to you. He's knocking on the doors of your heart. Open them and invite Him in.

Spend some time in His presence this morning as you spend some time prayerfully engaging with our devos for the day. Charles Stanley reminds us to let Him in. We can be real good at shutting Him out or drowning out His whispers with all kinds of noise. Turn off the noise. Still yourself. Invite Him in with an open heart and mind to receive what He's revealing. Our Daily Bread reminds us that we are made new in Christ and can choose to shed our old nature and walk in the new. You are His masterpiece and He is molding you into your newness in Christ and for the good plans He has for you. Rejoice and let go of your expectations and allow Him to work. The Upper Room reminds us of the fresh mana we can have daily as we still ourselves and feast on His Living Word. Prayerfully open your Bibles and talk to Him. Maybe read the verses attached to our devos or read Ephesians 6 that Sarah will reach on tomorrow. (Pray for God to prepare and use her well) Put on His armor and don't allow the enemy to steel you away or fill your mind with lies. God is Truth. Dwell in His Truth today. Harvest Prayer speaks into this today. Spend some time in using their prayers and prayer starters as you dwell in His presence and Word this morning and know His peace and grow in His love and joy. He has some great things in store for you. Yes, prepare your heart and focus for this day He has made. Amen! Rejoice! be still and know. Prepare and go in His strength and love today. Put on that easy yoke of Jesus and walk with Him today. What joy we can know as we do! Shalom!

CS:

ODB:

UR: Fresh Mana

Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. - Matthew 6:34 (NIV)

Sometimes I feel overwhelmed with problems. There is only so much time in a day and so many days in a week, and I ask myself how and when I can possibly do one more thing.

God intends to give us all the help we need, but only one day at a time. This has been God’s message all along, even in the days of Moses, with the daily manna that fell from heaven. I can easily get stuck in a mindset of trying to solve tomorrow’s problem today rather than slowing down my anxious thoughts and just asking for help today. It’s hard for someone like me to do this, but the guidance Jesus gives is to take one day at a time — to ask God for our daily bread. I have learned to take only this day’s concerns and bring them to God, asking for help just for today. Then I do the same thing tomorrow — and each tomorrow to come.

Each new day we can bring all our cares to God. Because God loves us and cares for us, God desires to meet us with fresh manna each day to lift our burdens. As we learn to trust that God will provide what we need today, we can release our grip on tomorrow, laying all our anxieties on God one day at a time.

Today's Prayer

Dear God, we surrender the worries of today to you, and we trust you to take charge of all that burdens us. We know you will do the same for us tomorrow. Amen.Harvest Blogs:

Thank God I'm Forgiven Friday! Amen! What amazing grace our Abba Father has shown to a wretch like me! Thanks Lord!

Good Morning Confessing, Repenting Saved By Grace, Forgiven Loved Ones of the Lord! Hallelujah! Often we struggle to understand that Jesus' sacrifice covered for all time the sin of repentant followers like us. Sometimes it's hard for someone to come to Christ because they can't conceive how God's amazing grace and love works. Some can never seem to let go of the guilt and compulsion to try to earn forgiveness and give up. May God help us to receive His forgiveness, extend it to others and help many to receive and walk in His loving forgiveness. Amen. Check out the thread through our devos for today speaking into this. What's God saying to you and what will you do about it? Who might help you to have some clarity or accountability in your repentance. 

Start with harvest Prayer's blogs and truths. We are created, called, gifted and empowered to go love like Jesus and to live on this earth as citizens of heaven. Our often failure at this may lead to guilt and feeling we will never qualify to be God's and His vessels of grace. Then work through Our Daily Bread's reminder to have a repentant heart. Charles Stanley reminds us that God is always loving, wise and kind and His ways and thoughts are not like ours. Stop limiting God or trying to stuff Him into the box of your understanding. The Upper Room wraps this all together with the reminder that in Christ, we are a new creation. It reminded me pf Eph. 2:10, "You are God's masterpiece, made new in Christ (that means forgiven and reborn--a new creation with new potential) to do all He created you to do." Amen! Thanks Lord! Your sins are forgiven and erased. You matter and have purpose because of God's great love for you and all who will come. Amen! Remember our words matter and carry great power and our own thinking can get in the way often. Proclaim and pronounce God's love, mercy, grace and forgiveness over you and others and ask for help to live powerfully forgiven in Christ sent to make Him known. Repent mean to change the way you think and act--it's renewing your mind. Ask for help with that and start pronouncing blessings and God's promises over you and circumstances and others too. Walk in the power of His love and forgiveness today!

Walk in His love, grace and joy today and know His peace beyond understanding. He really loves you and has great plans just for you just as you are! PTL!

Harvest:

August 23 - Be Kingdom Minded Jesus brought the Kingdom of God to the physical dimension. He wanted His followers to understand how it functions, and how to live within it. He wanted them to become kingdom minded followers: The Mustard Seed. Mark 4:30-32 “To what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable can we use to present it? It is like a mustard seed that when sown in the ground, even though it is the smallest of all the seeds in the ground—when it is sown, it grows up, becomes the greatest of all garden plants, and grows large branches so that the wild birds can nest in its shade.”  Like Little Children. Mark 10:14-15 “Let the little children come to me and do not try to stop them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.”  Called to Love. Mark 12:29-31, 34 “The most important is: ‘Listen, Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ The second is: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”… “You’re not far from the kingdom of God.” When we understand how the Kingdom of God operates, we can engage it, be encouraged by it, and flourish in it as we live. We can also love others who belong to the kingdom. Lord, first and foremost, I repent for when I’ve ignored and not valued Your kingdom. I repent for insensitivity to Your Holy Spirit and any time I’ve lacked the faith to recognize the Kingdom of God growing in a person or a territory. I repent for not receiving Your Kingdom like a child. I repent for every time I haven’t loved You with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength, and when I haven’t loved my neighbor as myself.  I declare I will be a kingdom-minded follower of Christ. I declare I will see and know the Kingdom of God in people and territories. I declare I won’t doubt the influence and power of sharing the Kingdom of God with others. I declare I will live with childlike faith. I declare I will receive the Kingdom of God with childlike faith. I declare I will love You, Lord, with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength. And I will love my neighbor as myself. I’m so grateful, Lord, that You make all this possible.  Thank You for transforming and blessing me with the right perspective: with eyes that see, with ears that hear, with a heart and a will aligned with Yours. I want to be the vessel You can depend upon.  I praise You for making me a powerful vessel that understands Your Kingdom— a person who loves You and others righteously and fervently. You’re worth it! --Adapted from Praying What Jesus Says by Natasha Miller. This book is available at prayershop.org. Use the code CONPSP3 at checkout to receive an additional 10% discount. Prayer Points Praise God for his unconditional love (1 Corinthians 13). Thank him for showing you in Christ how to love others unconditionally. Confess your lack of love when you’ve failed to meet God’s standards and requirements. Commit yourself to allowing his love to flow naturally through you, resulting in spontaneous acts of love (1 Jn. 3:18). Ask God to let the Holy Spirit work in you daily so that “love deeds” are a “natural” way of life. Pray that God will help you do something spontaneous today to reflect his love to one who is outside of the family of God (Lk. 6:27-31).    Prayer Pointer “True prayer is a way of life, not just a case of emergency.” —Anonymous Prayer Points taken from Patterns for Prayer by Alvin VanderGriend. This book is available at prayershop.org. Use the code CONPSP3 at checkout to receive an additional 10% discount. Connection (Devotions for Everyday Life) © 2024 is a free devotional published daily by Harvest Prayer Ministries. Subscribe here.

ODB:

CS:

UR: New Creation

So then, if anyone is in Christ, that person is part of the new creation. The old things have gone away, and look, new things have arrived! - 2 Corinthians 5:17 (CEB)

Today’s quoted verse helps me know I am forgiven of my past sins and mistakes. Though I had shared the good news of Christ with my brother, for a long time he could not accept the forgiveness of Jesus. Many times I told him that Jesus loves him, and he would say, “A wicked man like me? Your Jesus must be desperate.” My brother could not believe that Jesus would love a thief and a drug addict.

This had been going on for some time. I had been praying for him nonstop. One day while meditating on 2 Corinthians 5:17, I went to my brother and explained to him that in Christ, the old is gone. His face brightened. He received Jesus as Lord of his life. I have kept reminding my brother that the old has gone and his sins have been forgiven and will not be remembered anymore (see Isa. 43:25).

Today my brother is active in church, and he is full of life. He is off drugs and is dealing with his addiction step by step. Glory to Jesus. Knowing that we are new creations in Christ gives us confidence to approach God’s throne of grace. We can lay aside our guilt and worship God freely without any condemnation.

Today's Prayer

Thank you, Lord, for the new life we have in you. Thank you for forgiving our sins. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Good Morning Abiding, Trusting, Growing, Good Fruit Producing Christ Followers! Oh yeah baby! That's us, by the grace of God! Rejoice! Celebrate, Adore! Continue to grow in trust, obedience and good fruit production! We are His Fruitful Good News Producers! God is surely on the move and using us in amazing ways as we just go as we are and allow Him to guide and use us. PTL! What an amazing day of ministry yesterday! I am so stoked at the things God is doing and how easy His yoke really is as we allow Him to mold, teach and use us. Please keep praying into all the ministry God is doing inside our building and as we go out. He is definitely on the move and using us, His surrendered, faithful, fruit producers! You have to make it a point to join us as we distribute bread, gather around the table and minister to each other and go out as His Body to shine bright! Next week you have several opportunities to pray into and join as we gather Tue at 10 for huddle in the fellowship hall and on zoom, hand out bread Wed from 10-12, and gather for our restart of dinner huddle Wed from 6-7:30. Pray for God to prepare the way, draw many, use us, bring revival and connect many to Him. We have and will have many things to celebrate as we share the stories of what God is doing. I am not even aware of everything he did yesterday, but we all have stories to share and celebrate! Here's one: Patrick that we are praying for to come to Christ shared with me how during the week, he didn't know how it happened but this movie came on his TV> Now we all know it was God at work answering prayers and drawing Patrick and his wife Sharon (Pray for her too). The movie was the Left Behind about how the world will be when Jesus comes back and removes believers from the earth. Patrick was compelled to watch and drawn to pray the prayer of salvation they shared at the end. WOW! PTL! Pray for Patrick to be drawn to our or a good church to help him grow as a disciple. Yes! God is on the move and using us! Rejoice! Then all kinds of ministry happened at Pastor Don's pizza lunch. We will try this agin in the near future. pray for Go's direction and provision. It always amazias me how God sits the right people with us as we scatter around different tables and then ministers through us. PTL! Come join us as we allow God to use us to produce good fruit. Develop your own story of what God is doing in, through and around you.

Pronounce who you are and what God is doing as you abide, trust, grow and produce good fruit in Christ and for His glory. The words we say out loud, and even think, really do matter and are a way to pray powerfully as we pronounce out loud our thanksgivings and ascribe to God all He is and is and will do and bring to life His promises.. Try it! Say out loud, "I am an Abiding, Trusting, Growing, Good Fruit Producing Christ Followers!" Amen! Believe it and keep or start living out these truths just as you are and as you are created to do. he has great custom made plans just for you. The harvest is white as unto harvest (pronounce that) and He is bringing in the harvest and using us as His harvest workers (pronounce that too)! PTL!

I have to run to an appointment. Check out the devos for today. God is speaking. What's He saying to you? What will you do about it. What will you pronounce and pray out loud today. he is on the move and invitng you to join Him! Rejoice! Submit! Follow well! Pronounce His blessings out loud. And be prepared to have many stories of His faithfulness to share! Amen! We are Abiding, Trusting, Growing, Good Fruit Producing Christ Followers! 

harvest:

August 22 - Adoration Fuels Trust in God Jeremiah provides a good example of the importance of adoration. The prophet’s prayer recorded in Jeremiah 32 came at a time of extreme distress. He was being held captive by King Zedekiah in the royal palace in Judah for delivering unpopular prophecies. An enemy was about to overrun the city and drag the people off into captivity in Babylon. In the midst of this, God told Jeremiah to buy a plot of land as a symbol that He would eventually restore the people to their land. Seen in the light of all his problems, Jeremiah’s prayer is astounding. He began with praise: “Ah, Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you. . . O great and powerful God, whose name is the Lord Almighty, great are your purposes and mighty are your deeds” (Jeremiah 32:17-19). He then went on and on, simply naming various deeds God had done for Israel over the centuries. The amazing realization: Jeremiah never asked God for a thing! “Jeremiah tuned his heart to God by talking to Him,” comments Lee Brase. “Through this process of talking to God, Jeremiah was able to come to a clearer understanding of Him. When he better understood God, he was able to accept what God was doing—even though it was devastating.” Adoration, in a very real way, helps us to trust in God. When we remind God of His character, of how great He is, of who He is, we are also reminding ourselves of those things. Our love for God increases, and our faith to believe He can and will act in our lives rises to a higher level. Father God, sometimes I bring long lists to You and forget that You are first worthy of all of my worship. Help me to remember always that simply being in Your presence is more important than anything I need or want. Please give me a deep desire to remember all You have done, all You are doing and all You will do. That alone causes my faith to rise and my love for You to increase! May I always bless You and know that nothing is too hard for You. I give You all of the glory Lord! For You are worthy! --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. Prayer Points Praise God that even though you were once an enemy of God, he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death (Col. 1:21-22). Give thanks that you are now alive with Christ, without blemish and free from accusation (Col. 2:13). Confess your failure to live up to that holiness, praying, “God, have mercy on me, a sinner” (Lk. 18:13). Commit yourself to rejoicing when you are called to share in the suffering of Christ (1 Pet. 4:13-14). Ask God to help you see the victory you are given in Jesus as you trust the Holy Spirit to guide you in being his image-bearer (1 Cor. 15:57). All churches experience the pain of divorce, broken homes, and death. Pray that those who have overcome such difficult experiences as these may effectively reach out to others in similar situations.   Prayer Points taken from Patterns for Prayer by Alvin VanderGriend. This book is available at prayershop.org. Use the code CONPSP3 at checkout to receive an additional 10% discount. Connection (Devotions for Everyday Life) © 2024 is a free devotional published daily by Harvest Prayer Ministries. Subscribe here.

Sarah Young:

Charles Stanley:

ODB:

UR: Good news

Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. - Luke 2:11 (NIV)

Watching the evening news can be troubling. More often than not, the news reports what’s wrong with the world — crime, war, or natural disasters. However, one news program I regularly watch features events that are inspiring — unselfish acts of kindness, humanitarian aid efforts, and medical breakthroughs. In a world where so much is troubling, it is heartening to hear good news.

The best news the world has ever received is the good news of salvation Christ offers. Jesus came to us to establish a spiritual kingdom and point the way to God. This is good news for everyone. Whoever we are, whatever our race, nationality, or social standing, we can experience the new life Christ offers by acknowledging our need and accepting God’s gift of salvation.

Today's Prayer

Dear Lord, in times when we are overwhelmed by troubling news, help us to focus on the good news of salvation and the new life you offer us. We pray the prayer you taught us, “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one” (Matt. 6:9-13, NIV). Amen.

TWFYT

Today:

Bread Ministry 10-12

Noon-1ish Pizza lunch with Pastor Don--all welcome to feats, fellowship and chat and pray

6 PM    Rita's hangout

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Good Morning Learning Sent As You Are Followers of Jesus! We are Disciples and Apostles of the Lord! We are seeking first His Kingdom and righteousness and allowing Him to transform us into His image and to prepare and use us for His glory. Amen! What's Jesus saying to your heart today? What is He leading you to do about that. Who is He sending you to and with since we are His Team on mission. He's prepare you and some opportunities to discover and step into today. Could it be at one of our gatherings? Pray to have His heart and mind, insight and courage to follow well to your custom made part today. Amen! Come! I can't wait to see how He wants to teach and use me and us today!

This morning I awoke thinking the sun was rising and I overslept. However, it was 3 AM. The moon light was driving back the darkness just as we are sent to do. We have the opportunity to shine very bright and be His Light all the time but it seems even more so in this election season. There is all this drama, attacking, confusion and darkness stirring in a whirlwind around us. It's hard to associate with "friends" of different political views. Turn off that noise and receive Jesus' peace. God always wants to bring His shalom to the chaos and that is part of our mission. Jesus commands us to love like Him. he loved Pharisees, Sadducees, Romans, Judas Iscariot, Pontius Pilot, and all the common folk. he didn't approve of their choices and corrected in love, but He loved and offered forgiveness. Ask for His help and wisdom for how to be peace, joy, and love bringers. Encourage and help each other too. Our times are no different than when Jesus and the early church walked the earth and His Church exploded into a movement of God. Pray to be a part of that as His mission continues today and he has a custom part for you today. That takes dying to self, seeking first His Kingdom and an earnestness to stand firm and follow well. I don't think it will ever be easy but Jesus has an easy yoke fitted just for you to walk with Him in to today. Will you put aside you and put on that yoke? How does He want you to change the world? With love, peace and joy as you make disciples one soul at a time and as you allow Him to transform you into His image and lead you to His plans for you this day to be His Light. Amen! (As far as the election...study what you believe honors God and which candidate will do that the most. They are just a man and a woman. Which is being led by God and will honor Him with their policies, practices and life more of the time? Choose that. And then let all that chaos behind as you seek to follow Him to light up someone's heart and life today.)

How is God calling you to glorify Him today? How does he want to teach, prepare and send you? Sit at His feet and open his Word prayerfully and receive His instruction for the next step of faith. God does have some awesome custom plans for you. Seek out and do those and you will know His peace and joy and be overflowing with and walking in His love. Amen. Start with the Upper Room's call to Seek First. Embrace Our Daily bread's teaching to be encouraged and seek God assisted endurance for your purposes as you take that next step in faith. And then pray to see the open door before you that The Word for You Today discusses. May he illuminate your heart mind and path as you surrender, cast your anxiety to Him and receive His loving encouragement and directions. yes put on that easy yoke and go be who He created you be and do what he has planned for you today. Amen! I'm praying for you and for you to see God at work today and to have a willingness to join Him.

Begin with preparing your heart with some worship and invite Jesus in to your heart: Tremble: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SzZZb6RbLJs 

UR: Seek First

Seek first [God’s] kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. - Matthew 6:33 (NIV)

The purple loosestrife is a tall plant with a dramatic, purple feathery flower on top. But for all its majestic beauty, the purple loosestrife is an invasive species where I live, and it is a menace. A single plant can produce over 2 million seeds yearly! Removing purple loosestrife from the environment requires hard, physical labor.

As I was thinking about this plant and the negative impact it can have, I was reminded of my Christian walk. Many times I have allowed beautiful things to invade my life. However, I often found my time with the Lord being pushed aside by this busyness. I liked staying busy because I thought it would make others see me as important. I lost my perspective. My pride kept me focused on seeing only what others saw in me.

Matthew 6:33 tells us to seek first the kingdom of God and everything else will be added. So I knew I would need to stop and refocus my priorities. Was I seeking God first? Oftentimes, I had to get rid of the good so that I could allow the best to come into my life.

Removing anything that isn’t from God is vital. It is a life-long process but one that is crucial if we are to live the life Christ calls us to.

Today's Prayer

Father God, help us to see and reorder anything that might distract us from our mission of glorifying you. Amen.

ODB:

TWFYT:

Sarah Update below

Good Morning Submitting Servants of the Lord! Notice I said "submitting" because it is a constant process of dying to self and taking up cross daily, surrendering to Jesus, and following Him well. We are a work in process and progress individually and as a church. What would it look like if you were a fully surrendered, submitted servant? I ask that of God often--show me Lord what Your will and plan is and move me to pursue it earnestly. It's praying to see the open and closed doors and to know if you need to stop trying to open a closed one or step through an open one. It takes cooperation with the Lord and an openness to the Holy Spirit's work in you and around you. Maybe you are struggling a bit with surrendering. Start with this song as a song of prayer and offering of yourself to God. Have It All: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPqqIDnjDKY Ask for help to surrender as you still yourself in worship this morning. What's God saying to you? What will you do about that? Who is helping you? Who is He sending you to help? Father, You can have it all...I surrender all...come! 

Funny how God uses things sometimes. Karen was cleaning out some of her study books and handed me back a 5-minute family devotional to be used to grow with God as a family. God awoke me at 1:30 this morning with an irresistible call to get out of bed and fellowship with Him (I'm still here at 6 but ready for a nap soon). The first thing I did was randomly flip open that devotional and God spoke to my heart as I read Genesis 7:1 when God told Noah and his family to get in the boat. It was time. The lesson is about obeying God when the world around you says you're nuts for doing what He says. Would I, would you have the faith to spend 100 years building a boat when it has never rained before? In many ways, that is what it's like to earnestly follow Jesus today as we buck the tide of a people out of touch with God and headed to hell. Let me tell you, this lesson reminded me of the importance of having good friends to process with. Build a boat? Are you nuts Kerns? Well. maybe, but I'm going to trust God and do what He says. Will you help me? God is leading me to follow Him through some open doors and to build something He is still revealing. We've talked in the past about flying the airplane while building it. It's definitely like that! I am committed to earnestly pursuing Him as I lead you. And I sure could use some help and some accountability! Wanna help? The devo ends asking, "Is there something God might be asking you to do? Or something you are doing that doesn't line up with His Word? What is that and how can we pray for one another to be obedient in that area?" God is speaking to more than just me this morning. Be still, listen, receive and let's process together...maybe tomorrow at Pizza Lunch? Now how do I make nails Lord and what wood should I use?

So as I worked my way through our devotionals, God raised up the Word for You Today's teaching about when God opens a door (below). I firmly believe that God is opening up a window of opportunity for us!  Are you seeing the open door before you and willing to step through? Too many times I find myself busy trying to force open a door that has closed. I pray that God helps me to realize that more quickly and look for the open door of where He is at work and for Him to move me to step through it with Jesus. Have you ever experienced that? Pray for us to have discernment and a willingness to see with spiritual eyes and step through the open doors that are coming our way.

Charles Stanley reminds me of the years I spent as a prodigal, off doing my own thing and how God came running to me when I woke up and asked to come back. It stirred in me the picture of my parents praying for me and believing i would return and praying for life into things that were as dead. God heard those prayers sowed in tears and answered my dad's prayers three years after dad left this earth. Don't stop praying, believing and praying life over things that are as dead. To the untrained eye and hardened hearts our church could have been seen as dying, BUT GOD! He has brought life and continues to open doors as we pray, trust and respond to his Spirit by doing what we can with what He's given as He leads. I was dead but now am alive, reborn and made new because of believing prayers and my willingness to finally step through that door. There are doors of new life opening around us! Do you see them? Pray into that and ask for eyes to see and hearts to respond well and for us to keep follow God and doing what we can with what He's given. Amen!

Our Daily Bread reminds us of our call to influence others for Christ and how that comes to life as they witness how we walk in obedience and love. So, are you? Are we walking in obedience and love? Is the Living Word being incarnated through us as it comes to life in us? Are we doers of the Word? Here's the cool thing, that is all part of Jesus' easy yoke He has just for you. He created you, gifted and is empowering you to live His Truth and be His Living Word to those around you that don't know Him and just as you are. And for some of us we are to even teach others His Word and make disciples as part of our easy yoke. Pray for God to bring His Word alive to and through you and us and for us to be doers of the word as we fulfill our custom made purposes. Amen!

God is calling you by name. Are you hearing Him? He may not be calling you to build a boat but He is speaking love over you and wanting to help you step into your purposes and His plans for you. He has gathered you with some others to process and journey with. He has given you His Spirit to help. May we all step into His plans and purposes for us and through all the open doors along the way. Good and abundant fruit is blooming because we have been faithful so far! PTJ! Let us run with endurance the race set before us. Amen! I can't wait to process with you what God is speaking to your heart and to share what He's doing in mine. He really does have great plans for you and us. See that open door? Step through it! Follow His peace and provision. Revival is on the way! PTL! May God open your ears and heart today and move your feet. He is speaking! What's He saying? Let's talk about it! I'm praying for you and waiting on the Lord. Build a boat! Sure Lord by Your grace and with Your help. Amen!

TWFYT:

CS:

ODB:

Sarah Prayer update:

Good evening Warriors,

Just a couple of reminders and updates, for those that are in need of our prayers.

Yvonne and Chris Muik are celebrating the birth of their grandson, Christopher. Both mommy and baby are doing well.  Congratulations Yvonne an Chris

Several of our church family members are have tests done or doctor appointments this week. May we continue to keep them in our prayers, and pray for good test results.  John Chobot, Marylou, Ramon

Patrick, one of our participants from the Bread Ministry is truly SEEKING.....may we pray that the Lord's voice is clear and loud in his heart and he will respond.....

Praises were mentioned for how well the first clothing closet Saturday went. And for how well the Coffee, conversation, donuts time went......what a great time ministry happening.

Mark, Dean's brother in law, had his surgery and is back home and doing well.    However, on a sad note, Mark's son, who was 36 years old, passed away. He is leaving behing a wife and toddler.  He had a migraine headache which lead to a stroke.   Please keep this family in our prayers......during this difficult time.

Reminders:

Wednesday - in the Fellowship Hall - 12 - 1:00pm, Pizza lunch and study with Pastor Don. All are welcome!

Wednesday evening - at Rita's ice, 6:00pm - time to hang out. Wear your St Matthew's tee shirt, if you have one......

everyone is welcome whether you have a St Matthew's tee or not.

I believe that is all the updates, for now......

  Have a good evening....and a great rest of your week!

Blessings,

   Sarah

This Week: 

Wednesday:

 10-12 Bread Ministry

Noon-1: Pizza Lunch with Pastor Don (Food, fellowship, conversation and prayer) All welcome.

6 PM: Rita's refreshing hangout outreach. All welcome. Wear your St. Matts shirts!

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Good Morning Persevering Travelers! We are traveling with Jesus through our time here on earth as His representatives and that takes persevering faith. Amen and help us Lord! Yesterday we were reminded of Jesus' command and commission to love as He has loved us and to go make disciples and of our call to Spirit-led relationships as we follow Jesus and His examples. It's a call to agape as Jesus agapes us. That's sacrificial, lavish, radical love. And our call to submit to each other which involves dying to self and perseverance as we keep working at living and loving more like Jesus and doing the things He created, gifted and is empowering us to do. We discussed how we may struggle with that at times as our circumstances overwhelm us or may lead us to feel useless, unqualified, or off on some rabbit trail. It's a call to repentance and changing the way we think as we renew our thinking and turn back to Jesus and His plans for us. It sure is a journey that is often much like a roller coaster ride than a smooth train ride. It's a reminder that we need to keep seeking and following Jesus with an open heart and mind led by the Holy Spirit. That involves traveling with others and through relationships in Spirit-led, God-honoring ways. Help us Lord! You alone are the Way, the Truth, and the Life that we seek, need, and want to follow well. Help! Amen!

If you were present yesterday at worship, you experienced the falling of the Holy Spirit on your weeping pastor as we worshiped through the closing praise song, "The Jesus Way" (click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARSGgC9iQb0) Be still and begin your time with worship as you submit yourself to God and His ways. We are seeking Jesus and to earnestly walk in His ways. The Holy Spirit fell upon and convicted your pastor yesterday that there is no way to do that without Jesus and the Holy Spirit and opened my mind to my failure often as I choose my way, my agenda and of my lack of ability to do anything of value without God. It was a reminder how much I want to and yet fail and how great God's love is for me and how that love seeks to refine and mold me and lead me to His Way. I was also sensing this weeping of some of you in your souls and spirits for God's help as you deal with and are wanting to travel with God through some dark valleys and your inability at present to invite Him in, submit to Him and allow him to work. I was sensing Jesus saying, "Be still child and know My Love. I know you. I love you. I am calling you by name and will redeem this. Come!" He was speaking that to my weak heart to me but also to some of you. Be still. Invite Him in. Ask for His help to submit to Him and His ways. He wants to help you, is waiting with open arms that will embrace you with His love and peace beyond understanding.  He really does have great plans for you for a future and hope. Will you invite Him in to whatever you are facing today. Begin with praising in the storm and stilling yourself. His new and improved things await.

When Karen came down to my office for our morning kiss, she found me almost two hours into my quiet time and only about halfway through my devotional time. She found me very deep into God's presence and I told her how much He was speaking to me and tried to explain, like I do with you, what He was saying and I was experiencing. Sometimes it's just hard to fully articulate all He is saying or elaborate on what I am sensing until I spend more time in His presence listening. It is always helpful to have someone to process with, especially with us out loud thinkers. Maybe another hour passed and I went up to grab a banana and found Karen in the midst of her quiet time. She asked what I was hearing. I said, "Submit. Die to self." I am hearing that as our take away from yesterday. I asked her what she was hearing and praying and she said, "self control." The word came that it takes self control to submit and surrender and die to self and self control is a fruit of the Spirit that is available for us to put on, step into more fully and learn to exercise and live out. And just like the Spirit-led relationships we discussed, we need the Spirit, who is very willing, to help us in our earnest quest to Christlikeness and his best for us. Come Holy Spirit! Have Your way with me. Cleanse me. Help me to submit, die to self and want to and work on following Jesus and His best ways with self control and earnest focus. I need you! I cannot do this without you! HELP! COME! Thank You! Your will, Your way, for Your glory alone! Father, I surrender all. Help me to and forgive and help me through my unbelief and unwillingness to surrender and submit as I die to self, take up my cross today and follow you. COME! Amen!

I've already started what could be a book today on all God revealed and spoke to my heart. His presence is so real. His desires for me and for us are coming more into focus. He really does have great plans and life abundant for each of us to discover and step more fully into. And He desires deeply to help some of you through some hard stuff. How can I help you? How can you help a friend? How can we pray for each other, encourage each other, hold each other accountable? Help us Lord!

God keeps leading me into this almost indescribable deepness or richness as I earnestly seek Him and ask for His help to sink my roots deep, deep into His living waters and put on Jesus' easy yoke for me. What a blessing and yet how hard it is to put into words. I know He is leading me and us to some amazing fruit and abundant life in Christ. I'm just not sure how, what, when, with whom yet. So I continue to seek. I really need to sit down with a few to discuss and discern and pray before moving forward. Help me Lord to take every thought, word, type, choice and action captive before You. Lead me to my team and those You are sending to disciple too. I need You, others and clarity and accountability. Help! 

I'm letting you use whatever devotionals and Bible readings God is leading you to today. He is speaking and it is love He is speaking and singing over you. Listen! Below are some songs to prepare your hearts for a move of the Holy Spirit that will help to renew your thinking and change your heart as the Holy Spirt is invited in to speak to your heart and inform your prayers. Come Lord!

Make Room: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxubPpU-iIA

Don't forget Jesus is calling you by name and He has said that you are His friend. He is at work redeeming and wanting to help you. Be still and receive His love...

Friend in Jesus: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwWOWgmdcxY

You are made for more! Jesus is waiting for you to sit at His feet and allow His love to wash over you, transform you and lead you to His perfect plans for you--His greater things--abundant life in Christ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOhOVl-ZKb4

We are made for so much more than we can imagine. God is with us always and wanting to help us be ready and able to move to His very good plans. We do have a future and hope but it may require us to persevere through some very dark hard times, not alone but with Jesus on our way there. Don't give up on Him. He hasn't given up on you! Amen! Humble yourself before Him. Be still and really know that He is the God who loves you and is with you. He is our Rock! PTL! Stand firm and ask for help to persevere. Look for and reach out to some friends to pray and help. Jesus is looking into your hurting heart right now and saying, "Come to Me all who are weary and find rest for your souls." He is gentle and loving and waiting to put His arm around you, hold you up and walk with you to what's next. Die to self, surrender, submit, invite in and be still and know that He is Your God who is gentle and who is Love and discover the future and hope He has just for you. I am praying for you and me! I am here and so is Sarah and I'm sure some of your friends when you are ready to talk. Come Jesus Come! We need you! You are the Way, the Truth and the Life. I come to You! Help! Bring Your plan for me to life! Thank You! Amen

Plan for Me: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ELwaho1WWI

Come Jesus Come: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UViC6DllCeA

Jesus loves you! believe and receive it today! Come Jesus Come! Abide in His love! Know His peace! Amen

Harvest:

August 19 - Do You Hear Him? Every place in this world God created is proclaiming God, but most do not recognize it as such. And most do not—upon hearing His voice—give Him the glory He deserves. Men call the world around them “nature.” The Bible calls it “God’s Voice.”  Seven times in Psalm 29, David speaks of the "voice of the Lord" speaking through the mighty things he sees and hears happening around him. David heard God's voice in the thunder, lightning, earthquake, and storms. He heard God's voice in the temple where everything around him was shouting, "Glory!" He heard and saw God as he realized his King was sovereign over everything. Creation showed him that "the Lord sits as King forever." And He saw God as the One who was "giving strength to His people" and blessing His people with the gift of peace. He recognized the Source behind what He was experiencing personally and what His people were experiencing. The proper response is seen in the opening lines of this Psalm:  Ascribe to the Lord, O sons of the mighty, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. Ascribe to the Lord the glory due to His name; worship the Lord in holy array. (Psalm 29:1-2) To "ascribe" means to recognize who is the rightful Creator and Author of these things. We are to so understand the voice of God in nature that we realize He is the cause behind it all.  And there is but one response: "Worship the Lord in the majesty of holiness." We are to let His voice draw us to bent knees, lifted hands, raised voices, surrendered lives in true worship. And if we are hearing Him all day, we will be worshiping Him every hour! Glorious Creator God, You alone are King forever! I bow my heart and my life before Your glory and strength! Turn my attention towards Your beautiful face continually, all day long! Help me to step away from anything that threatens to take my thoughts off of You and show me how to worship the majesty of Your holiness  in spirit and in truth! ---Adapted from Prayer with No Intermission by Bill Elliff. This book is available at prayershop.org.

Prayer Pointer
“Make prayer the time to give yourself this day as a gift to God.” —The Praying Church Sourcebook

Good Morning Worshipers! Are you ready to worship in Spirit and Truth this morning? Prepare yourselves and offer yourself as a gift to God and as an act of worship. Sometimes offering praise is a sacrifice but we are called to offer a sacrifice of praise. God inhabits our praise. Shift your focus from the chaos, noise and your circumstances to God as you count your many blessings and offer that sacrifice of praise that is a sweet aroma to Him. Empty yourself. Humble yourself. Bow before our King, Creator, Author of Life, and Prince of Peace. Abide in His love this morning. Allow Him to speak His love over you and rest in it. Come, Let us worship as we enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise. Amen!

Hallelujah! Praise be the Lord! Check out Our Daily Bread below. Join the chorus of praises being lifted worldwide and heaven-wide to our awesome God. He is always worthy of all praise, all glory, and all honor. Amen! Hallelujah! Then contemplate the Connection prayer thoughts from Harvest Prayer. Are you good soil? Are you plowing and sowing in prayer and actions? Might your soil need a little fertilizer of His Word? Are you fertilizing, watering, weeding, preparing soil and sowing lavishly? Good Fruit awaits us and our earnest efforts. Talk to God about you and your soil and how to tweak the PH levels of your faith. Ask how to prepare the soil in prayer and praise. Ask who needs some watering and fertilizing. Ask Him to raise up our fellowship to be one of lavish sowers and plowing pray-ers. Amen! I can taste the good fruit already budding. He does have great plans awaiting us and much good fruit awaiting our earnest efforts.

The rest of our devos flow and speak into the hard thoughts of the struggles of many of us from yesterday's blog. God is speaking. Listen. receive and process with some friends. Worship too for God is at work and always working to bring about His good plans for you and us. Amen! Hallelujah! The Upper Room asks, "WHY?" They remind us that we can always trust God even when we can't see Him or feel His loving presence. Some of you need to understand and embrace this and the rest of us need to ingest this as we prepare for hard times to come. God is Love. And is always redeeming and working to bring about His best for us and knows what has to occur for that to transpire. Sarah Young reminds us to expect adversity. Jesus told us to expect it too. That is why we need to prepare our hearts and minds to stay connected to God no matter what and to persevere in faith always. Charles Stanley reminds us to walk with Jesus. That's the only way to endure and persevere. And I end with a page from my Season 4 of the Chosen study about unanswered questions. God's ways are not ours and that's hard to accept sometimes. Jesus is the answer to everything...remember Sunday school when every time you could answer a question with Jesus and be right? It's true. Jesus! Jesus! Jesus! proclaim His name. Praise His name. Cry out His name in prayer. Trust in the name that is above all names. Jesus! Hallelujah! Amen!

ODB:

Harvest Blog:

August 18 - Be Good Soil Jesus told power packed stories, the parables. Through these stories, He explained the Kingdom of God versus the kingdom of darkness. Jesus emphasized the effects of dwelling within proximity to each kingdom. To illustrate his point, He told them the parable of the sower. Luke 8:5-15, 18 “A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell along the path and was trampled on, and the wild birds devoured it. Other seed fell on rock, and when it came up, it withered because it had no moisture. Other seed fell among the thorns, and they grew up with it and choked it. But other seed fell on good soil and grew, and it produced a hundred times as much grain.” As he said this, he called out, “The one who has ears to hear had better listen!” … “You have been given the opportunity to know the secrets of the kingdom of God, but for others they are in parables, so that although they see they may not see, and although they hear they may not understand. … “Now the parable means this: The seed is the word of God. Those along the path are the ones who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in a time of testing fall away. As for the seed that fell among thorns, these are the ones who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the worries and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. But as for the seed that landed on good soil, these are the ones who, after hearing the word, cling to it with an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with steadfast endurance.” … “So listen carefully, for whoever has will be given more, but whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has will be taken from him.” Jesus wants to share the secrets of His Kingdom with us and there are ways we can prepare ourselves for what He shares. We want to be good soil: people who hear the word about the Kingdom of God, understand it, and bear fruit from it. Lord, You amaze me with Your desire to share secrets of the Kingdom with me. I want to hear them. I repent for any time I’ve disregarded or treated a “Kingdom seed” with disdain. I repent for when I’ve lacked understanding and didn’t search out a matter. I repent for allowing trouble or persecution to destabilize me and my relationship with You. I repent for not adamantly pursuing You. I repent for any lack in my character. I repent for allowing worldly cares and the seductiveness of wealth to distract, deter, and degrade the truth.  I desire to be good soil. I declare I will listen to Your words. I declare when I hear the Word, I will seek to understand it. I declare I will bear fruit from what gets sown into my life.  Lord, thank You for sowing words of the kingdom into my life. Thank You for sharing the secrets of the kingdom with me. Thank You for helping me be someone You can trust. I praise You that when You speak, I listen. I praise You that You desire to share intimate details with me. I praise You that You want me to bear fruit and influence others. You’re holy and worthy, and I adore You. --Adapted from Praying What Jesus Says by Natasha Miller. This book is available at prayershop.org. Use the code CONPSP3 at checkout to receive an additional 10% discount.

UR:

When it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a deserted place, and the hour is now late; send the crowds away so that they may go into the villages and buy food for themselves.” - Matthew 14:15 (NRSVUE)

When my daughter became blind, I prayed and believed that God could heal her. Thousands of prayers later, God had not restored her sight. The question haunted me: Why doesn’t God heal her?

In Matthew 14:15, after a long day of ministry, the crowd that had gathered was hungry. The disciples asked Jesus to solve the problem by getting rid of it. But Jesus had something else in mind. Instead of dismissing the crowd, Jesus redeemed the situation by feeding them all. Imagine if Jesus had acquiesced to the disciples’ request — we might not have one of the most memorable miracles in all of scripture.

Does that mean it’s wrong to ask God to remove difficult circumstances? No. Scripture is full of praying prophets, priests, and kings. Even Jesus asked God to “take this cup from me, yet not my will, but yours be done” (Lk. 22:42).

It’s hard to let go of our desires, but I learned that when I surrender my situation to God, miracles happen every day. Now, a decade later, my daughter is still blind, and she has found her calling in Christian ministry. Instead of worrying about what we don’t understand, we can praise God for what we do know: God loves us.

Today's Prayer

Dear God, help us to remember that we can always trust you, even when things are not going our way. Remind us of your faithfulness and presence. Amen.SY:

CS:

Chosen 4 study