Feels like Thursday since we gathered last evening instead of Wed for taco Tues worship. What a great night to gather, fellowship and worship and of course eat! Close to 40 of us did just that. God was present and we had a great evening! Thanks God and all who came!

Note: Wed Huddle is on Holiday break until Jan. 15th when we gather again to feast, fellowship, study and pray. Just like the church in Acts 2:42. Pray we continue to grow as this kind of church and through our table ministries. PTL! Last night our 15th new member for the year has asked to join!! God is on the move! Amen!

Tues the 3rd will be our last Zoom Huddle until Jan. 14th.

Saturday we gather at 10 to decorate the sanctuary, All needed and welcome!

Sunday is the beginning of our Christmas Giving Challenge. In the past we called this the Light 'em Up Challenge because we go out to bring some light to the darkness and help to the hopeless and needy. Pray for God to lead and use us!

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Good Morning Thanks-Living Friends! May we always live overflowing with thanksgiving and faithfulness that flows from our gratitude of what Christ has done and is doing for us! AMEN! God is on the move and He has custom made perfect plans for you to bring His love and Kingdom alive. PTL! Seek, knock, worship, receive and follow well today. I've already prayed for you.

I'm just sharing two devos and Psalm 103 that we used last night to begin building or to expand our gratitude lists. What are you thankful about? Write it down and save it to your heart. God is so worthy of all praise, glory, and honor, Yes rejoice, again I say it, PTL! May thanksgiving and God's love overflow you today and springs of Living Water gush forth as you go live and love more and more like Jesus! Amen and shalom!

Sarah Young

Charles Stanley

Psalm 103

TODAY is the last day to sign up to receive $50. next Sun to go be a blessing before Christmas. See bulletin board in sanctuary and sign up today!

Don't forget out Thanksgiving Eve Eve Taco Tuesday dinner and worship this Tues. All welcome. Bring a friend or three!

See at worship at 10 and brunch at 11:30 today!

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Good Morning Thankful, Focused and Faithful Servants of the Lord Almighty! AMEN! Come you thankful ones of the Lord and let us worship and praise with hearts overflowing today an always. Amen! Check out the flow and thread through my devotionals from a deep quiet time of worship this morning. Check Swindoll reminds us of spontaneous worship and how that broke our for the pilgrims in response to God carrying them through a very hard first winter. Sarah Young reminds us that thanksgiving can take the sting out of adversity as we shift our focus to our Father who is always with us and able. It's a reminder to keep building those gratitude lists to pull out in the hard times to help us shift our focus with thanksgiving and praise. Joyce Meyer reminds us to always choose to stand on our solid Rock, Jesus in faith and with much thanksgiving. Charles Stanley reminds that our God is worthy of all praise and worship and how near He is to us always. The Upper Room reminds us to turn off the noise, shift our focus and find shalom in the stillness. TWFYT calls us to never give up or quit. Breakthrough and deliverance are on the way! Remember the promise that no weapon formed against us will prosper and stand firm in faith with much trust and thanksgiving. God is able and worthy of all our trust and praise. Amen! What's He whispering to your heart today? Lift those thanksgiving praises and refocus on Him and His best for you. Keep at it and battling those demons and doubts and fears as you lift those praises. I'm praying for you! Shalom!

Check out this song to start your day...Hard Fought Hallelujah https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nd3r3sWPM84

Chuck Swindoll

Sarah Young

Joyce Meyer

Charles Stanley

Upper Room: Peace in Stillness

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

Last year I was in the hospital for surgery to have my gallbladder removed. It was my first time under general anesthesia; but lying obediently on the gurney, I breathed myself to sleep. Only after I woke up with a sore and bandaged abdomen did it occur to me what a gesture of trust I had made toward the doctors and technicians. I had put myself completely at their mercy. I had had complete confidence in their integrity and skill.

Why, then, when I was so ready to put myself in the hands of fallible human beings, am I so reluctant to trust in God’s integrity and care, to believe in God’s promises?

I think of this experience whenever I sit down to pray, attempting to surrender myself to God’s will. When my anxieties and petty concerns keep crowding in, preventing me from fully entering into quiet prayer, I try to let go, breathe, and feel myself held in a space of love. God provides me with care greater than any human physician. When I surrender to God, God calms my restlessness so that I can experience resurrection life.

Today's Prayer

Dear Lord, you are with us always. Help us find stillness in our restless souls so that we can know you and receive your healing power. Amen.

 The Word for You Today

Harvest prayers:

Tomorrow: Prepare your hearts for an Acts 2:42 kinda day! They gathered. Studied God's Word. Prayed, Ate and fellowshipped. We will do that beginning at 10 with worship and Sarah leading us through the Word. Then we get to gather downstairs and eat and fellowship. Who are you bringing along to our Pancakepalooza? Pray for God to bring someone to mind to invite and for no hindrances for those God is sending.

Only two weeks left to sign up ofr our Christmas Giveaway Challenge. (See sheet on bulletin board in back of sanctuary to sign up to receive $50. on Dec 1st to go bless someone or to give to the Kindness Project. God has great plans for us to go bless and show His love this holiday season! Join the fun!

Don't forget to update our directory at the back of the sanctuary. Are your address and contact info up to date? 

Sunday Dec. 22nd will be new member Sunday as we receive some new members. If interested in joining out fellowship, speak to Sarah or Pastor Don. Keep praying for God to send those He is drawing to Him through our Body. PTL that He has heard and sent new members and attendees in answer to our prayers we started last Dec. for 12 new members. He is faithful to hear and answer! PTL! and He is using us and growing our reach! Amen!

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Good Morning Joy-Bringers and Agents of Shalom! PTL that is us! We are so filled with joy and actively incarnating His shalom that many are noticing and being attracted to Him and our gatherings. So many weary and downtrodden are seeking Joy and peace that is only found in Christ and through His faithful servants (US!!!!)! PTL that He is positioning and sending us to live and love like Jesus and impart His love, healing and hope! We all have a part in this and are stepping into our custom made roles for bringing His love and Good News alive. Thank Him for that and keep offering yourself as His vessel. He is molding, shaping and using us just as we are for such a time as this. PTL! And He is blessing us as we allow Him to use us for His purposes made for each of us and us as His gathered people! I'm am so stoked at all God is doing and for the open doors He has showed us for bringing His Good News to our neighbors and those He is drawing. I just can't help but worship, praise and offer much thanksgiving! Keep praying for those God is sending you to invite to come and see and for courage to do so and for some teammates to travel with into the ripe harvest fields! We are springs of living water flowing to this dry and weary land! PTL!

My quiet time began today with this Scripture for the day and flowed through some of our devotionals to remind us that we are His and His stream of Living Water--a people filled to overflowing with His love, peace and joy and sent to be Christ to the Christ-less for such a time as this! Yes, PTL! And keep doing your part as you seek and follow Him to bless many and be filled with His joy and love overflowing. Rejoice in the Lord today and know His shalom and then go bring it alive! What story is God writing or wanting to through you? many need to hear these! Keep watching, joining, serving and recording all God is doing in, through and around you and be filled to overflowing Streams of Living Water, Joy Bringing, agents of Shalom! Yee Ha! We are in for the ride of our lives as God leads us to His best and perfect plans! AMEN!

Scripture of the day:

Our Daily Bread

Charles Stanley

Sarah Young

Harvest prayer Blogs

November 23 - Praying with Others Most of the praying we study in the New Testament was done in groups. Like sticks of wood that increase a fire, mutual intercession aids us in praying. Someone comes into the group and is terribly distracted, but another is focused and ready to pray. One is discouraged, but another intercessor’s prayers lift them before the meeting is over. We fuel each other in prayer. If you are not praying with others, you must. Start a group, join a group. Ask a godly older man or woman that you know is an intercessor to train you by praying with you. As a pastor for over 50 years, I have been absolutely astounded to discover countless pastors who never pray with their leaders and staff. How can we possibly expect to let the Head of the church lead His body if we are not talking to Him? How can we build genuine unity in a staff without united prayer? What are we training others to be if we never train them in prayer? Also, real unity—the kind that moves mountains—cannot be gained by administration or tasks alone. Get a group of people into the presence of God in sustained, well-led prayer and unity will be automatic. There will be a depth of unity that cannot be experienced any other way. Lord Jesus, teach Your people to pray! Teach Your pastors to lead in prayer and guide their staff and leadership in prayer so that You can accomplish Your purposes in and through them and their congregations! You desire unity among Your people, Father. Teach us how to come together in Your presence with a unified purpose to seek Your face! ---Adapted from Simply Prayer by Bill Elliff. This book is available at prayershop.org. Prayer Points Praise God, the one who is never far away from his children. Thank him for being close to you when you feel brokenhearted or crushed in spirit (Ps. 34:18). Confess your own unwillingness to have a God so near. Commit yourself to drawing near to God in daily prayer and fellowship (Jas. 4:8). Ask him to bless you by his presence throughout your life. Intercede for the great worldwide mission effort of the church. Ask God to raise up more workers to enter the harvest around the world. Pray specifically for missionaries whom you know or support financially.    Prayer Pointer “God does nothing on earth save in answer to believing prayer.” —John Wesley Connection (Devotions for Everyday Life) © 2024 is a free devotional published daily by Harvest Prayer Ministries. Subscribe here.

It's Thank God I'm Forgiven Friday! Woo Who! There is so much to contemplate with thanksgiving in just that truth! Yes you and I and all who will come to Christ are and will be forgiven! PTL! Spend some time with God and your gratitude list this morning as we begin our time together.

Good Morning Thankful, Abiding in the Living Word, Servants of the Lord! Yes and amen to that! Many of us have been traveling through some very hard times or we know some who are. Yet we are called to be thankful IN all things. Not for but thankful as God carries and walks with us through those dark, stretching faith, valleys. Having and choosing an attitude of thanksgiving shifts our focus from us to God and helps us to choose joy as we trust Him to work all things together for good. It's still hard but we have a better focus and attitude as we turn to God with thanksgiving on our hearts and lips. As we shift our focus up, we are more able to abide in God's Love and with His Living Word. Having Scriptures to lean on, inform our prayers and direct our steps and is critical to a life lived well and with God's peace. We can have confidence that He knows, cares and is with us working all things together for good and not harm. We are reminded of our blessed assurance in Christ as well. And then we can or are better able to choose to get busy serving which also helps shift our focus up as we join God in blessing others. Blessed to be a blessing and blessed back for being one is another step in the process of developing a thankful heart always. Thanksgiving is not just for a day but part of a life lived well in Christ everyday. Today's devotionals flow through this line of thought and thread it together. Prayerfully, thankfully engage God through them as you shift your focus to Him with thanksgiving and praise and as you open and abide in His Word and prepARE YOUR HEARTS TO GO LOVE LIKE JESUS. That's thanks-living. He is with you--always! He loves you even when it doesn't feel like it. So, rejoice and lift some praise today as you still yourself, turn off the noise and chaos and spend some time in the presence of the God who whispers His love to you. Then pray about who He is stirring you to reach out to to encourage, pray and walk with today or serve in some way. He does have great plans for you, even when it may not feel so great. Yes rejoice and receive His shalom this morning! I'm praising for you and prayed for you already. Shalom! Thankful, Abiding in the Living Word, Servants of the Lord!

Sarah Young

Charles Stanley

Upper Room: Repurposing Our Lives

“I took you from the ends of the earth, from its farthest corners I called you. I said, ‘You are my servant’; I have chosen you and have not rejected you.” - Isaiah 41:9 (NIV)

I enjoy turning recycled junk into art. I take items that are going to be discarded — vintage tools, hardware, old china, tiles, game pieces, aluminum cans, and other everyday objects — and I generate fresh, unique artwork that conveys a positive message. To redeem a once-valuable item that would have been thrown away gives me great satisfaction!

For a while, especially during the height of the pandemic, I felt insignificant, isolated, and purposeless. But then opportunities arose for service projects that I could do at home. I could glorify God and serve others by creatively rejuvenating old ways of serving. Even the little things we do can make an impact when we allow a loving heart and a spirit of service to guide us.

We may feel that we don’t have much to offer because we are broken, flawed, or lack confidence. But we can be recreated to glorify God, and our brokenness can be renewed. “We are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Eph. 2:10). Regardless of our age or abilities, when we seek opportunities to do good works, our lives can be repurposed to love and serve God.

Today's Prayer

Lord God, guide us to follow your purpose for our lives each day. Help us to look and listen for ways to serve you. Amen.

The Word for You today

ODB

Harvest

November 22 - Praying Through God’s Word  There are several excellent books on my shelf that directly address how to pray through the Bible. One is Praying the Bible by Donald S. Whitney, professor of spiritual formation and author of a number of books on the spiritual life. Actually, he has talked about this for years, and Praying the Bible is his most thorough look at encouraging Christ-followers to draw ever closer to God as we meditate upon his Word.  Whitney reminds us that the Holy Spirit lives inside of us and guides us in our prayers through the Scriptures. He encourages us to pray verse by verse. Wherever we are in the Bible, we can ask the Spirit’s help to apply it in our lives. Whatever, whoever comes to mind—again, as the indwelling Holy Spirit leads—we key off of the particular verse and use it as fuel for prayer.  While Whitney encourages us to pray through any portion of the Bible this way, he favors turning to the Psalms as Jesus did (see Matthew 27:46), and also as we see in the early church (see Acts 4:24–26). In Simplify Your Spiritual Life, he gave a practical demonstration of what this looks like: For example, if I were praying through Psalm 27, I would begin by reading verse 1: ‘The Lord is my light and my salvation.’ Then I would pray something like, ‘Thank You, Lord, that You are my light. Thank You for giving me the light to see my need for Jesus and Your forgiveness. Please light my way so that I will know which way to go in the big decision that is before me today. And thank You especially that You are my salvation. You saved me; I didn’t save myself. And now I ask You to save my children also, as well as those at work with whom I’ve shared the gospel.’”  When I have nothing else to say, instead of my mind wandering, I have a place to go—the rest of verse 1: “Of whom shall I be afraid?” Then I might pray along these lines: “I thank You that I do not have to fear anyone because You are my Father. But I confess that I have been fearful about____.” I would continue in this way, praying about whatever is prompted verse by verse, until I either complete the psalm or run out of time.  Father, You did not leave us alone here on earth! Not only did You send Your Spirit to be our teacher, but You gave us Your word! “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:5), and when I pray the words You have given, I always know that my prayer is in Your perfect will! Thank You for Your powerful word! --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 for all his mighty works (Ps. 46:8-10), for his power, his majesty, his magnificent splendor over all the earth. Thank God for this psalm’s very clear and uplifting picture of God’s grandeur. Confess that you sometimes live as if God were small, powerless, and expendable. Commit yourself to serving this grand and glorious God with humility and reverence. Ask God to reveal something of his splendor in your life this week. Pray that “the works of the Lord” might be so evident as to draw unbelievers to saving faith in Jesus Christ. Ask for spiritual blinders to be removed. Connection (Devotions for Everyday Life) © 2024 is a free devotional published daily by Harvest Prayer Ministries. Subscribe here.

 Sunday is our 2 Peas in A Pod Brunch (Pancake Palooza!) after worship. Who ya bringin'? All are welcome! Come join us for worship and then fellowship around the table. It's an Acts 2:42 type of morning! God has plans for you and us and for some who are yet to come! Rejoice and join Him and us!

Don't forget the 5-5-5 prayer challenge. Pray for 5 neighbors for 5 days a week for 5 weeks and ask God how He wants to use you to be an answer to some of thise prayers! Yesterday, he already answered one of mine as a lady from Bread Ministry was invited and joined us last night and connected to us and God a little more! PTL! (there is a spot to record answered prayers for this challenge. Keep praying, believing, responding as God leads and lifting thanksgiving!

You have two Sundays to sign up for our Christmas Blessing challenge. Sun Dec 1st, all who signed up will receive $50, to be used to write a story of how God used you to bless another or others. You can even team up with others and pool your money. OR you can opt to have the church give your $50. to the Kindness Project that helps foster families in the area. Pray into this and for God to multiply and use us and what He's given to go bless abundantly and have great stories of His loving faithfulness through us to share. (Remember this money comes from a tithe from our church for all God has provided for us this year. He truly does bless the tithing of His people!)

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Good Morning Grateful, Surrendered, Obedient and Trustworthy Vessels! AMEN!!! This salutation flows from our devotionals for today and from Harvest Prayer's blog. Did you catch the God thing in their blog? Last night at our Chosen gathering we saw the reenactment of Jesus getting the colt of a donkey for His triumphal entry and today's harvest blog uses that same Scripture to lead us in praise and prayer. What's God saying to you as you encounter their prayer starters? He's speaking to you and informing your prayers and praise! Pretty cool! I have been so blessed to be part of these Chosen gatherings and for how God uses me. The Holy Spirit is evident in me as He brings to mind and recalls Scriptures and God's teachings to answer the many questions and teach about each episode. I am humbled how God uses me! Thanks Lord! He can do the same for you as you store up Scripture in your hearts and the Holy Spirit brings them to mind as you answer other's questions and arguments. Thanks Lord! Come! teach us! Use us! Fill us to overflowing with You Love and Word. Thanks! Amen.

The rest of our devos flow together to speak to us about our hearts of gratitude and trust for who God is and all he has planned! he loves you and is leading you to His perfect plans and your purposes. Build those gratitude lists! offer your hearts, trust and much praise and thanksgiving to God today. He is so worthy! I gotta fly. May God bless you and speak to your hearts and fill them with gratitude and direct our steps. Shalom, shalom!

Harvest:

November 21 - Trustworthy Vessels “Go to the village ahead of you. As soon as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there that has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here soon’” (Mark 11:2-3). Jesus possessed accurate foreknowledge. Because He knew His disciples would follow His instructions, His disciples experienced “God adventures.” When we follow Jesus’ instructions, we won’t stumble. In fact, receiving His instruction and acting on it will create testimonial “God adventures.” Let us live as God’s trustworthy vessels knowing that the Lord’s leadings will prove accurate. Lord, I repent for every time I’ve ignored and disregarded Your specific instructions. I repent for every time I didn’t trust Your leadings. I repent for every time I partially followed You instead of following through on exactly what You indicated. I repent for any way in me that leaves me untrustworthy. I want to know Your will and implement it in any given situation.  Whatever the past, I declare I will be trustworthy. You can trust me, and I’m willing to prove it to You. Give me little things and let’s build trust. I want to receive Your accurate leadings.  I thank You that You will build me into a trustworthy vessel, that You can trust me with even more than transportation logistics (i.e., the donkey). I thank You for Your desire to trust me.  I praise You that You’re trustworthy. I praise You that You know the beginning from the end. I praise You that Your will, will be done on this earth. I praise You for the call You placed on my life. I praise You that it’s Your desire for me to complete the purposes and plans You designed for me before I filled my mother’s womb. I praise You for following through and “sealing deals.” You’re thrilling! I love 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. Prayer Points Praise God, the one who is your “light” and your “salvation” (Ps. 27:1). Thank him for shining his saving light in your darkness. Confess times when you’ve preferred to live in the darkness of sinful actions and habits rather than in the light of Jesus. Commit yourself anew to living in his light. Ask God to surround you every day this week with his light and salvation. Pray for Christian ministries which bring healing light into some of our society’s darkest corners. Pray for those who work with the homeless, with substance abusers, with the poor, with persons in mental institutions, and others. Ask that the love of Jesus will soothe every hurting heart. Connection (Devotions for Everyday Life) © 2024 is a free devotional published daily by Harvest Prayer Ministries. Subscribe here.

Joyce Meyer

Sarah Young

Charles Stanley

The Word for You Today

 The Upper Room: Our Advocate

The Spirit helps us in our weakness, for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with groanings too deep for words. - Romans 8:26 (NRSVUE)

When I was a child, my home environment was filled with violence. I felt completely insignificant. When I was only seven or eight years old, I was depressed and harbored dark thoughts bordering on suicide.

As I grew into a teenager, my childhood continued to haunt me, and I experienced lingering thoughts that I did not deserve to live. Then I learned about Jesus, a man who experienced great suffering at the hands of his peers and was crucified. I marveled at the great injustice he had suffered. I prayed earnestly, asking Jesus to take away my problems. But Jesus Christ taught me instead to forgive my aggressors. Eventually, I came to understand that they treated me the way they did because they could not give me what they did not have.

Even though my parents abandoned me, the Lord welcomed me lovingly with open arms. I learned that I cannot change people, but the Holy Spirit can. My advocate, the Holy Spirit, awakened in me the desire to commit to a new future and the belief that I could choose a new life in Christ. Thanks be to God!

Today's Prayer

Even before we cry out to you, great God of mercy, you already know our needs. Help us to accept ourselves as beloved children created in your image. Amen.

Sarah Update below

This Week:

Today is the day to begin the 5 week prayer challenge from the brochure I sent last week and was in the bulletin yesterday. Pray for 5 neighbors, 5 days a week for 5 weeks. Think about those God may be stirring you to invite to join us and pray into that too. Last year in December we began praying for 12 new members for this year. Yesterday, we heard of the 11th one God has stirred! How cool is that! God here's and answers! Think about how we have 11 new members joining us Sundays and participating in many ways as we serve! God is good! Praying for one more (actually for many more!) Join me!

Tues Zoom Huddle 10-11 (we will take our holiday break after our Dec 3rd gathering and resume in Jan.)

Wed:

Bread Ministry 10-12 (Note we will have a holiday schedule set soon since Christmas and New Year holidays are on Wednesdays this year)

Chosen and Family Dinner Huddle 6-8. This will be our last Wednesday until Jan. Next week we will gather for our Thanksgiving Eve Eve Taco Tuesday the 26th diner worship time 6-8

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Good Morning Faithful, Praying, Peace-Filled Servants of the Lord! That is us! PTL! There are many purposes and ways we are custom made to serve and in which we are serving. PTL! For some of us praying is our part in God's Good News Delivery Company. Thanks for being faithful to your purposes and call! BUT all of us are called to pray as well. Please use the prayer guide from the bulletin yesterday and begin praying for 5 neighbors. God is hearing and answering! Yesterday we heard Paul's warning from 2 Thessalonians 3 about the idle. Only you and God know for sure if you are an idle one. However I can testify that I don't really see that in us. We are all doing what we can with what we have been blessed with in this season of our lives. Thank you! I have never had the privilege of co-laboring with such faithful servants! You guys rock! Now some of us also have to learn to abide and rest in the Lord and work from rest and focus on the best things God has for you. Is there a good or better thing you can release? Maybe that is someone else's call and purpose and gifting? Talk to God about that and His best for you. How we serve should be a joy and the sweet spot offered to God out of gratitude and joy and love, not obligation. What things are dragging you down? What might God be leading you to do about that? Who might be your co-laborers to share the load with? Pray into these things. God has a perfect custom made plan just for you! And it will be a joy for you to be part of! PTL!

I was rudely awakened at 1 this morning with a vivid nightmare of Satan trying to break down my back door. I couldn't go back to sleep as I prayed the blood of Jesus over us and our house. Satan is prowling about and he will be after us as we earnestly pursue and follow God to His plans for us. Expect it! Pray on that armor! Stand firm in Christ and on Gods Word and promises. I often think about how Jesus told Peter that He was praying for him because Satan asked to sift him. I think about Job and what God allowed Satan to do to him as a testing and refining. It's bad enough dealing with the hard times we are in and then add Satan's schemes to the mix and it becomes very evident that we need God and that God is with us and for us and will help us in our time of trouble. Count on it! We are secure in Christ for eternity, yet as citizens of heaven and earth, we have many battles to endure. Stand firm and turn your sorrows and hurts over to God and refocus on Him as you count your blessings and lift praise. Be content in the Lord and what He has given you and give it back to Him as a sweet offering of praise that He loves.

I feel like I'm all over the place this morning. God has been speaking many things to my heart and as I try to narrow down what He wants us to hear today, I sense this..."I love you! I have redeemed you. I am calling you by name. I am with you always. I am all you need and I am enough. Dwell in my love today and always and I will make a way for you." PTL! Right? And so my devotionals for today follow in the order God put them. What's He saying to you? What do you have to lift in praise, receive in trust and go forth with to share in love? He really does have great plans for you (and us) and even for today and He will be with you--always! Trust, stand firm, receive, obey, praise and follow well, my friends! He has a great story to write through you! I can't wait to hear them! Shalom shalom! Perfect peace to you today! You are very loved and being held close always! Amen! It's time to fly!

As I laid in bed after my awakening this song kept coming to mind, "I Speak Jesus" Check it out as a starting point for praise and trust today. Jesus is all we need! Sometimes all we can pray is His name, "Jesus, Jesus, Jesus. Come!" Amen Begin with worship now... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SV4sYN173HY

Maybe play it again and draw close to our Savior. He is there with open arms of love speaking right to your soul!

Chuck Swindoll

Joyce Meyer

 Sarah Young

Upper Room: From Tears to Joy

May those who sow in tears reap with shouts of joy. - Psalm 126:5 (NRSVUE)

I was sick, and it was getting me down. I wanted to pray for help, but I barely had the energy to sit up or even string a sentence together. When I tried to pray, my words came out in a confused muddle. I felt so disconnected from God, just when I needed God the most.

Worse than my physical illness was the feeling that God wasn’t with me.

I knew this wasn’t the case; God is always with us. God knows our thoughts and hears all our prayers — even the garbled ones. But in this moment I just couldn’t feel it.

I told God how awful I felt, how I couldn’t feel God’s presence, how I was so tired of being unwell and unproductive. I began to say whatever was on my mind in a stream-of-consciousness style. Then I started to cry. That’s when I began to feel God’s presence again. I talked a bit more, cried some more, and I felt God’s presence a little more. My hurt and pain had been blocking me from feeling God’s presence. Each time I honestly prayed about whatever was on my mind, I felt a little bit closer to God.

Praying isn’t always easy. Words don’t always roll off the tongue. But with perseverance we can find ways to talk to God and restore our connection, just when we need it the most.

Today's Prayer

Dear heavenly Father, thank you for always being with us. Help us to feel the joy of your presence. Amen.

The Word for You Today

OUR DAILY BREAD

Charles Stanley

Harvest prayer:

November 18 - Prepare to See Greater Works “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples” (John 15:7-8). “You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you” (John 15:16). When a nation sends an ambassador to a foreign country they go in the name of the President of that nation and its people. Alone, they are just an ordinary person with no powers of their own. But when they come “in the name” of their country they carry all the authority of their President and nation. Of course, to be effective, this Ambassador must be trustworthy. he must know what the wishes of his Commander-in-Chief are. And, he must behave in such a way that does not discredit those he represents. But when he speaks, he speaks in the name of his President. When he asks, he asks on behalf of his President. He carries the authority of their name. There is no name higher than Jesus’ name! It is the Name before which one day every knee will bow. As believers, we come to the Throne Room not on the basis of our name, but Christ’s. His sacrificial death and resurrection have paved the way for us to come. We have a right to be there, not because of our perfection, but because of our union with Him and His invitation to come before the King. We enter in His name. The more we read His Word the more we know what He wants. Our will and prayers align with His. And, we pray with the right motivation—not to glorify ourselves, but Him. Think of this honor and this granted authority! We come as a representative of the King of kings. We ask on His behalf for His glory and the advancement of His kingdom. And we live to honor Him well. When you have thought and prayed through a request so fully that you can genuinely say, “Lord, I ask this not for MY name, but Yours. And I know You will hear this request.” Then, prepare to see greater works. King of kings, there is no other name that is higher than Yours! Bend my heart to resonate with Your authority, Your desires and kingdom purposes! I can hardly comprehend that when I pray, I am invited into Your throne room! May every prayer I utter be for Your honor and glory alone! ---Adapted from Simply Prayer by Bill Elliff. This book is available at prayershop.org. Prayer Points Praise God for the good gifts he gives to those who ask him (Mt. 7:11). Give thanks, even in the midst of pain all around, that God’s gifts are good. Confess your lack of quality time spent with God in prayer (Rom. 8:26). Commit yourself to modeling Jesus’ example of praying in solitary places (Mk. 1:35). Ask God to give you a real devotion to prayer—being watchful and thankful, making the most of every opportunity (Col. 4:2-5). Ask God to use emergency or crisis situations in the lives of unsaved people to bring them to the foot of the cross. Pray for eyes to see how you can help in such situations.    Prayer Pointer “One of the most common weaknesses of our prayer lives is the vagueness of our focus.  Petition saves us from that. It forces us to be specific, to be precise, to clarify our wants and desires.” —Maxie Dunnam Connection (Devotions for Everyday Life) © 2024 is a free devotional published daily by Harvest Prayer Ministries. Subscribe here.

Sarah update:

Good afternoon, church family,

I am sending out the prayer needs that were shared today during worship, so we can pray for them

throughout the week.

Praises:

    Very thankful for the crew that takes care of the Media part of our worship service. They work with the equipment, and the Zoom set up to make sure all are able to hear and see and enjoy the service.  Thank you, Debbie, Gary, and Travis.  We are very thankful for these willing servants of Christ. 

Thankful for Lori, who prepares our weekly bulletins, does the office work and assists with other projects that come up throughout the week.  Thank you Lori!!

(from Don): Thank you to all our volunteers! Yesterday we gathered after worship to celebrate and plan with our Children's Church team! Thank you all! Mike, Barb, Karen, Brittany, Travis and Tabby!)

Harry Waterman wasn't feeling well during the week, and Yay God he is much better now and he was 'delighted' to be in worship today!

Josie is praising God that she is doing well after a fall she had this past week. She is mending.  She is also praising God that her grandson, Greg is doing better with his back. He still has a ways to go with healing, but is showing signs of good progress.

Barb Schware is asking for prayer for her sister who will be having eye surgery this Thursday. Praying that all goes well

Kay Paul is asking for prayer for her daughter, Nancy, who has a blood clot in her lung.  

      She is also asking for prayer for her sister in law who is suffering with cancer.

  Also, Larry (her son) and Enol who are in the Philippians, as being slammed by typhoons. Please pray for their safety through the storm.

Lori Rohrer's grandmother (on her father's side) who is 94 years old fell and fractured her femur.  They have performed surgery today and she is headed to ICU now so they can keep a closer eye on her progress.  The future prognosis of whether her grandmother will be able to bear weight on that leg is unsure at this time.

May we all continue to pray for one another, as each of us have situations on our hearts, and are dealing with various matters/situations in our lives.

  Continue to pray for those in our church family dealing with treatments, therapy, etc.: Diane H, Larry, Bill, Houston 

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Praying you all have a great week. Always remember that you are NOT alone.....Our awesome Father is always with us and you have a church family that is surrounding you.

If you have any prayer requests, or would like to pray with someone, please do not hesitate to reach out to myself and/or Pastor Don........

Have a great week, everyone....choosing JOY through it all!!

Blessings,

  Sarah

Check out our holiday handouts attached at the bottom. Who are you praying for and inviting to come and see and experience the love of God and our joy? Remember to be praying for 5 neighbors for 5 days a week for 5 weeks. As you do God may lead you to invite someone to one of our activities! Keep praying and inviting! God is growing you and our fellowship. PTL!!! And Amen!

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Good Morning Abiding in THE Vine, Receiving, Growing, Good Fruit Producers! Amen! Several songs and teachings that popped up during my quiet time this morning reminded me that I am a branch, connected to THE Vine, Jesus. From Him flows the sap of living water and the nourishment needed to go do my part in His Good News Delivery Co. From Him my steps and prayers are informed. In Him I am covered and protected. In Him I am secure. As I abide and dwell in His loving presence I find rest and peace. I am also reminded that the idle and unfruitful are cut off and tossed away. May that not be me or us Lord! Sun. we heard Paul's warning to the idle and to avoid them. I struggle as I age and am able to do less and with guilt for resting, abiding and moving with Jesus. Yet that is the perfect place to be as my overzealous busyness is pruned and I focus on his best things for me. If only I had learned this earlier in life. Imagine what good fruit I would be producing today. BUT GOD! We know He made us and knows us and our shortcomings as well as potential in Christ. Maybe aging is part of His pruning that leads to being a more efficient producer. Maybe today, He needs to prune some of my idleness or transform and renew my thinking? We have learned and grown and know we can only do so much anymore and that our focus needs to be on His best and to choose to do His plans and not ours. We have been pruned and positioned for great fruit producing for such a time as this. Stop feeling guilty about not being able to do all you used to do. Stop beating yourself up for needing to rest in Christ more before being energized to go. He knows you, created you and knows the season and circumstances of your life and has accounted for those and your purposes in His Good News Delivery Co. He has a plan custom made just for you for such a time as this! PTL! Abide. Reload! And go as you are with Him to the fruit awaiting! How cool it is to contemplate and operate out of this reality and your seasoned true identity in Christ! Now herein also lies a warning for the idle and sluggardly. Daylights burning! You have a purpose in Christ that others are counting on. Ask God to motivate and move you to His perfect, custom made plans for you and a willing heart and moving feet. Maybe you need some spurring on and a prayer covering. reach out to some friends to walk with you. Maybe God is stirring you to come alongside and spur on. Seek Him and commit to your part.

I am blessed and filled with thanksgiving as I think about the productivity of our gathered and sent fellowship too. We do need each other and God has been blessing our unity in Christ and our purposes. PTL! I am thinking about Caleb right now. At 80, he said give me this mountain. With the help of God and His younger teammates he did conquer the land given to him by God when they entered the promised land. What land has God designated for you in this season of your life and who are your teammates? It's time to get moving. Daylight is burning and God has some perfect plans and purposes just for you. Seek first His Kingdom as you abide and keep your focus on Him as you dwell in Christ and sink your roots deep in Him. The fruit is coming! PTL! And you will hear, well done for doing your part well! I am stoked for what lies ahead for you and us as we come alive in '25! Amen! I can't wait to hear the stories of what God is doing in and through you and through our Christmas Giving challenge. In 2022 we called it the Light 'Em Up challenge. We know the Light of the World. He lives in you and me and comes alive through us to light up the world around us. We are Hid Lighthouses! Keep praying into that, into becoming a House of Prayer for the Nations, and for teammates to go be the Light. Oh what joy I can sense already as God moves through and use you and me and us for His glory! The harvest is coming AS WE STEP INTO OUR HARVEST WORKER ROLES! PTL! Abide! be still and know! prepare and go live and love more like Jesus and watch for how He comes alive in and through us in the year ahead! I am really excited and encouraged as God brings this to life to me and through us! What good fruit is coming! I can almost taste it! Can you?

OK, so what's God saying to you today? Maybe work through the devotionals below as God ordered them for us. I know He is speaking all the time. He is speaking to me all the time and to you. Can You hear His still small voice. Watch and listen for that voice that steers you this way or that for His glory! Rejoice and abide! Reload and go! You are created for such a time as this! Thank God and invite Him to have all of you. Amen!

Sarah Young

Charles Stanley

Joyce Meyer

The Word for You Today

The Upper Room: Rowing or Drifting

We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. - Hebrews 2:1 (NIV)

It was a warm spring day — perfect for fishing. I felt such peace as my husband and I drifted along the calm lake in our inflatable boat. The sun warmed my face, and the gentle breeze pushed us along. We were so focused on our fishing poles that we didn’t realize how far we had drifted. What I thought was a gentle breeze was much stronger than I realized. We were heading into the reeds!

We quickly began rowing to avoid getting stuck, but each time our aching arms forced us to stop rowing, the wind took over again and moved our boat. Wet, tired, and frustrated, we ended up in a place we didn’t want to go.

When I reflected on this later, it occurred to me that my relationship with God is like that experience on the lake. It requires focus to grow in my faith. If I’m not actively rowing toward Jesus, I can easily drift away.

It’s easy to get caught up in the winds of the world and end up going in a direction we don’t want to go. Our relationship with God, time spent in scripture, and our connection to the church body make the difference between moving toward God or drifting away.

Today's Prayer

Dear God, help us to keep our attention on you and not on the things of this world that cause us to drift away from you. Amen.

Our Daily Bread

Harvest Pray Tues link: https://mail.yahoo.com/d/folders/1/messages/233667

Today is Bread day from 10-12 and tonight is our last Chosen dinner huddle until the new year. starts at 6-8ish (next week we gather Tues at6 for our Thanksgiving Eve Eve Taco Tuesday dinner and worship time.)

Pray with us for what God will have us study after the new year.

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Good Morning Very Loved, Very Productive in the Lord Friends! Amen! Right! Pray with me...May that be us Lord! We know we are very loved and created for your purposes. Thank You! We know You have sent Your Spirit to us to gift and empower us to produce good fruit and it is coming alive! Thanks! Thank You for gathering us to be Your team of Good News and fruit bearing disciples ad apostles! We are students and works in process and progress and yet You are producing good fruit in and through us. Thank You! Father, we love and trust You and offer ourselves to You today. Your Kingdom come and will be done in and through and around us today. may many see you and be drawn as we learn to live and love more and more like Jesus. Protect us. Thank You! Provide and guide. Thank You and may we be the best stewards of all Your blessings! Lord go before us with favor as we pray for 5 neighbors for 5 days a week for 5 weeks. Inform our prayers and open our hearts to respond as You draw. Lord lead us with the Christmas giving and blessing challenge. Open our eyes to what you are doing and how to sow lavishly into your works. Lord, bless our finance team as they work on Your budget for next year. may we as a church, Your Body live sacrificially and love and sow lavishly like Jesus. Lord, thank You for new members and attendees and answered prayers. We asked for 12 and are at 11. Yu hear and answer and bless. Thank You. Send more and connect us to the harvest and raise up harvest workers from the harvest. We do know and are experiencing Ypour promise that You have good plans for us! Plans to prosper and not harm. Keep iit up Lord. We offer ourselves to you and ask that You would help us to seek first the Kingdom and Your good ways and not lean on our own understanding, so that, You would direct our steps to Your best and perfect plans You have created and gathered us to do. You ROCK! We love You Lord! Thank You for being our God, Savior, Lord and Leader and even Help in time of trouble. Your have greAT THINGS FOR US! Thanks! Come! Be glorified! May Jesus be lifted up and come alive in and through us today. Thanks! Amen!

God allowed me to sleep in this morning and I missed my 6 am huddle. BUT GOD! How nice to be refreshed and ready for this day that He has planned. I have just finished up my quiet time and need to get on the road to church to shop, cook, prep and be part of bread ministry. God's got this and I asked Him to be my Lord and Shepherd today. And He is and will for He has plans for me and us today. Invite Him in. Dwell in Him and His love. Receive His direction and go live and love like Jesus today. Then watch for how He'll use you and worship! He made you for such a time as this and is going before you today to lead you to His best. PTL! I can't wait to hear the stories of His love and faithfulness! Share them with us and others who need to hear of His loving faithfulness and good plans.

OK it's time for me to rock and roll. But before I go, below are the devos God ordered for us today as He is speaking to me and directly to some of you as you engage with Him through them and your quiet time. What's He saying to you and what will you do about it? His plans are perfect for you, His beloved, gifted, equipped and led child. He's calling you by name to come sit at His feet, reload for today and follow Him to His best and good and lasting fruit custom fitted for custom made you. PTL! Be still and know and then prepare to go live and love more like Jesus today! Amen! He's leading you to His best. Rejoice! Follow well today my friends! Shalom shalom!

Sarah Young

Charles Stanley

Our Daily Bread

Upper Room: Staying Available

In all your ways submit to [the Lord], and he will make your paths straight. - Proverbs 3:6 (NIV)

My ministry entails editing a newsletter to help inmates like me who are on death row. Recently, while I was organizing the next issue, an elderly inmate came to my cell and asked me to help him find his glasses. Though a little frustrated at the interruption, I went to help. An hour later, I had just sat back down when another person came to vent to me about his marital problems. I listened. After that, someone else called for me, also needing my time and energy.

I was getting irritated because I felt I couldn’t focus on editing the newsletter — the work God had called me to do. I prayed for peace, and God brought a verse to mind: “In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps” (Prov. 16:9). I realized that although my writing ministry is valuable, sometimes God wants me to serve in unpredictable ways.

It is easy for us to get locked into patterns of service and make ourselves unavailable to God. But we are not our own; we are God’s. There are many ways to minister, and God is always at work (see 1 Cor. 12:4-6). Our job is simply to maintain humble, willing, and obedient hearts that follow where God leads.

Today's Prayer

Loving Father, grant us the wisdom to see your guiding hand, and remind us to stay open to unexpected opportunities to serve. Amen.TWFYT

Harvest prayer Starters

This is the day the Lord has made! We get to rejoice and worship in it! PTL! Prepare your hearts to enter His courts with thanksgiving and His gates with praise! He is worthy! Amen!

Good Morning Worshipers! Worship is more than just adoring, praising and thanking. It is also obedience and faithfulness to God and who you are created to be and doing what He has planned for you overflowing from love and gratitude in us. Amen! Prepare your hearts to worship today, this week and the weeks ahead. Come offer yourself to our Creator, Savior and Lord! He does have perfect plans tailored just for you as you humble yourself and seek to allow Him to lead you to His best and perfect plans for such a time as this! Amen! Yes, worship!

Today we wrap up our study of 2 Thessalonians and move towards Thanksgiving and Christmas focused on our amazing God with hearts overflowing with love, worship and thanksgiving. What amazing, love, grace and mercy we have been shown and God offers to all who will come! PTL! I love the flow through my devotionals for today (below) that remind us of how much we are loved and how God wants to lead us to the greater things we are created for as we repent, trust, obey and live this life in worship. God is so kind and loving and He lives in You and me and helps us each step of faith along the way! PTL!

Let's start with the Upper Room's reminder that we are in God's loving hands as He provides all we need. The Word for You Today reminds us that we all are sinners in need of grace and to humble ourselves before our Almighty God to be forgiven and helped. Our Daily Bread reminds us that obedience is a choice and an act of worship. Sarah Young reminds us that there is NO condemnation for us believers! PTL! I love and strive towards enjoying the simple life as a sheep following my Good Shepherd! Charles Stanley continues the reminder that we are secure in Christ. We know that we are eternally secure. PTL! But sometimes we forget and need to be reminded and refocused. Are you sinning in your anger? That's one thing some of us have a propensity towards. It's one of those sins we are forgiven of, but may often need to repent. Joyce Meyer speaks into this this morning. Be better, not bitter. Bitterness is a tool of Satan. Be careful not to sin in your anger (even anger at yourself). Keep your focus up and trust God to handle things, guide you to righteousness and eventually bring His justice. Chuck Swindoll reminds us to choose joy and even to laugh, sometimes at ourselves. releasing anger, doubt and other sins becomes easier as we laugh, even at ourselves and refocus with some humor. God wants us to enjoy life and be happy and He has made a way for that as we release all to Him. humble ourselves and just worship! He loves that! And He loves you enough to remind you of His eternal goodness, love and help. Receive and focus on that! That should be a great place to begin your worship today! Amen! man, He really loves you and us! What joy and worship that leads to! Yes, rejoice! Amen

UR: In God's Hands

God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. - Philippians 4:19 (NIV)

The weather has recently changed from warm sunny days to gray chilly days and even colder nights. The leaves have fallen from the trees. With the falling temperatures and frost at night, it is likely that warm-weather creatures will struggle.

Usually, I am removing the dead flowers from my garden at this time of year. So I was surprised when I began my fall garden work and saw that the cosmos flowers with their bright orange and yellow blooms were still going strong. It was wonderful to see the bees and butterflies receiving a much-needed meal. Even as the seasons changed, the needs of these small creatures were still being met.

I remembered the times when I was out of work and could not see a way to pay my bills or feed my family. But God always provided for our needs.

As a Christian, I have learned to seek God’s help through prayer whenever I’m in need. I rely on Jesus’ promise in Matthew 7:7-8: “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.”

Today's Prayer

Thank you, Creator God, for your love, kindness, and grace. Our lives are in your hands, and we depend on you. Amen.

TWFYT

ODB

SY

Stanley

JM

Swindoll

Thank God I'm Forgiven Friday and it's the month focused on thanksgiving. Tell God how thankful you are for salvation, new life, His purposes, His patient and refining love, and for wanting to be with you always! At least start there and allow that to overflow into much thanksgiving an praise!

Good Morning Thankful Children of God! Come you thankful people come! Raise the song of harvest home! We begin our time with our Abba (Daddy) as Jesus taught us as we hallow (honor) His name. And as we ask for His Kingdom to come and will to be done, He informs our prayers and directs our steps as we unleash the power of heaven! He has great plans for you to discover today as you prayerfully stay connected and watch to join what He is doing around you. We have neighbors, family, friends, co-workers that we are sent to love like Jesus and as we pray, He prepares them and us. I love how easy this all is and how He works and uses us just as He created us to go love like Him! Praise God for our volunteers and pray God would be seen in the ministry of our Clothing Closet tomorrow. Pray we connect to the harvest He is sending and thank Him for new faces at worship and new opportunities we are experiencing to go and love like Jesus. He is definitely on the move! PTL! Unleash His power and purposes in prayer! Start praying for those God is sending and those He has for you to invite to our Thanksgiving Eve Eve or Christmas Eve services. Many are open this time of year. Pray hard into that with childlike faith and willingness to do your custom made part. Thank God for that and for His ever-present help and overflowing love. May we have His heart and mind as we go live and love more like Jesus. More in '24! More of Him and less of me as we live Christ earnestly today!

Check out the flow through my devotionals for today. Pray into what God is revealing and offer yourself as a living sacrifice to go as his Living Water. Our Daily Bread reminded me of the Christmas Giving challenge. (Opps I read tomorrow's. Use today's to start engaging prayerfully) You have two Sundays to sign up to join what God has planned to do through us this Christmas season to go be a blessing and connect to some neighbors. The Upper Room continues this line of thinking with a reminder of how simple it is to love like Jesus and share the simple gift of faith and His easy yoke. Charles Stanley reminds us of God's promises and purposes that come to life as we seek Him with open hearts and minds and willing feet. Joyce Meyer reminds us to approach life and our prayers with childlike faith and trust. And Chuck Swindoll reminds us to keep looking and watching in expectation for God to move. We are to be like a child expecting that most desired Christmas present. Yes Come, Jesus Come! Give us your heart and mind and willing, childlike feet that follow you in deep faith and trust. May we see you as the gift and open your presence and presents and use them well for your glory today and always. Thank You! May many praises and thanksgivings be lifted as we see you working all things together. Amen!

ODB:

UR> A Simple Gift

Jesus said, “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.” - John 15:12 (NIV)

One afternoon I was walking through a park when I saw a woman sitting on a bench. Her hair was in disarray, her face bore a sad expression, and her eyes were downcast. In the center of the park stood an hibiscus tree overflowing with large red flowers. Some of the flowers had fallen on the pavement, so I decided to gather a few and give them to the woman. I saw an immediate change in her demeanor. She said to me: “Thank you, kind lady; it has been quite a while since someone gave me flowers.” She got up from the bench with a smile on her face as she smelled the flowers and walked away.

After this experience, I could not help but think of the powerful message in John 15:12. Jesus was the greatest example of love, and he invites us to love one another in words and actions. Simple gestures like a gift of flowers, a kind word, a helping hand, or breaking bread with someone can brighten others’ spirits. May we never hesitate to be messengers of God’s powerful love.

Today's Prayer

Thank you, God, for your extraordinary love for us. Inspire us to love our neighbors as you have loved us. In the name of Jesus. Amen.

CS:

JM:

C. Swindoll

Harvest Prayer

November 15 - Devoting Ourselves to Prayer These all with one mind were continually devoting themselves to prayer, along with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers (Acts 1:14 NASB, 1995). Our life begins with prayer and is developed and sustained by prayer. If Christ is the Head of the church, how can we possibly say that we are a church if we do not let Him speak to us and spend large amounts of time communing with Him? The early church understood this. In Acts 1:14, you find them doing exactly what Christ told them to do in order to bring about all the results for which they longed. They were learning, just as they had seen for three years as they walked with Jesus, that the primary means of advancing the Kingdom was to commune with the Father. Notice each phrase: “These all” (No one was absent, for this was the highest priority.) “with one mind” (Prayer led them to unity. In prayer, selfish ideas were melted away and God’s ideas became important for everyone.) “were continually” (There was no thought of anything else—it was their habitual practice.) “devoting themselves” (To be devoted means to “be strong towards” and they were, individually, making the choice to pray together.) “to prayer” (The primary, foundational means of getting God’s work done.)  Sovereign Lord, prayer began in Your heart and is Your chosen way of communicating with Your people! I lift up my church to You and ask that we would all see prayer as our highest priority – because it is Yours. May we come to You continually in unity of mind and heart! Moment by moment and day by day may we devote ourselves to seeing Your purposes accomplished through the corporate, unified prayers offered up within our church community! ---Adapted from Prayer with No Intermission by Bill Elliff. This book is available at prayershop.org. Prayer Points Praise God for choosing the foolish things of the world to shame the wise and the weak things to shame the strong (1 Cor. 1:27). Thank God that your salvation does not depend on your wisdom but on his grace alone (Eph. 2:8-9). Confess your self-sufficiency (Lk. 16:11-13). Commit yourself to doing what the Lord requires of you to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God (Mic. 6:8). Ask God to show you clearly the depth of the riches of wisdom and knowledge of God (Rom. 11:33). Pray that your church leaders will show God’s wisdom by their godly lives and deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom (Jas. 3:13). Connection (Devotions for Everyday Life) © 2024 is a free devotional published daily by Harvest Prayer Ministries. Subscribe here.