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Saturday, January 18 2025
Good Morning Preparing, Trusting, Worshipers of God! Why this word from God to pronounce over us today? Well, first of all we are children of God because of our faith in Jesus and we know He has custom plans for each of us and us as His Body. We are preparing our hearts to trust, obey, follow and worship. Everything we do for God and His lory is an act of worship. (Cleaning the church to praying for His Kingdom to come and will to be done, from trusting him and stepping out in faith to do what he has for you today. May we grow in trust as we prepare to follow and offer ourselves and all we do as an act of worship today and always! Amen!
I have to get out to shovel and clean off our cars as we prepare to go visit the grand babies shortly. So, remember you are very loved and washed white as snow. God loves you beyond measure and has great plans for you today and always. Step into those as you still yourself, worship, listen and follow today. I'm praying for you. Check out the couple of devos below as you sit at His feet and then engage in prayer and submission with the Harvest blogs. God really does love and you matter. Today is the day of the Lord's favor! Seek and follow Him into it today! Amen! Worship!
Sarah Young
Upper Room: With God's Blessings
Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give your servant success today by granting him favor. - Nehemiah 1:11 (NIV)
A friend of mine recently went through a devastating divorce. Listening to her heartbreak, I felt sad and helpless. I was hundreds of miles away from her. What could I do? How could I help? I was overwhelmed and intimidated by the complexity of her need.
Nehemiah also faced a daunting task. When he heard that the wall of Jerusalem was broken down and its gates destroyed by fire, he knew he needed to do something. He felt hopeless at first, but Nehemiah went on to lead and complete the rebuilding of Jerusalem’s wall. Nehemiah’s situation shows us that with God’s blessing the impossible becomes possible. God gave Nehemiah courage and guided him.
All of us experience daunting tasks that seem too big to conquer alone. It is normal to feel overwhelmed and unsure. But we are not alone; God is with us. In times of need, we can trust that God will give us the strength to endure. God equips us for what God has called us to do.
Today's Prayer
Dear God, help us to turn to you when we are faced with what feels impossible, trusting that you will give us strength. Amen.
The Word for You Today:
I to We Devo:
Harvest blogs:
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January 11 - The Holy Spirit Empowers To Witness
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But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8).
For when we brought you the Good News, it was not only with words but also with power, for the Holy Spirit gave you full assurance that what we said was true. And you know of our concern for you from the way we lived when we were with you (1 Thessalonians 1:5).
The Holy Spirit is at work to get the Good News to people far from God. He is empowering believers to witness and then illuminating the truth of the message of Christ when we are faithful to share. The great news for the believer is that this isn’t something we have to work up, but we must simply cooperate with the Spirit already at work within us. This should give us confidence to open our mouths and proclaim the news of Christ because the Spirit is not just at work in us, but He is working in others and desires to give understanding to those who hear the message of Christ.
Holy Spirit, please teach me and empower me to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ effectively and powerfully. Put people in my path who desperately need You and give me the boldness I lack so that I can speak Your word with confidence!
--Adapted with permission from The Summit Church (thesummitchurch.org) we are inviting you into 21 days of prayer and fasting at the beginning of this new year! Each day will focus on a different biblical attribute of the Holy Spirit.
The founding pastor of Summit Church is Bill Elliff, who is now the pastor Emeritus and serves on the Executive Leadership Team of OneCry (onecry.com). You can find one of Bill’s books, Simply Prayer at prayershop.org.
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- Praise God for keeping his covenant promises to you.
- Give thanks that you have always been able to count on him in all circumstances.
- Confess any doubt you have had concerning God and his promises.
- Commit yourself to trusting the Lord and taking him at his word.
- Ask for his peace which transcends understanding to guard your heart and your mind in Jesus Christ.
- Pray that those who instruct within the church may be able to correctly handle the Word of truth (2 Tim. 2:15).
Prayer Pointer
“Embark upon no enterprise you cannot submit to the test of prayer.” —Anonymous
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Prayer Points taken from Patterns for Prayer by Alvin VanderGriend. This book is available at prayershop.org. Use the code CONPSP3 at checkout to receive an additional 10% discount.
Connection (Devotions for Everyday Life) © 2025 is a free devotional published daily by OneCry Prayer. Find more resources at www.onecry.com |
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Saturday, January 18 2025
Thank God I Am Forgiven Friday! You know the drill! begin with thanking God and worshiping for all the nuances of His love and forgiveness! What blessings we know as called by name, redeemed children of God in Christ!
NOTE: If you would like your year end giving statement please contact Debbie Siegfried:
siegfdeb@juno.com
Don't forget: Next Sunday the 19th is our annual congregational meeting after worship in the sanctuary. Your Support team approved the budget we will be presenting to you to vote on. (remember to vote you must be a member in good standing). The major budget discussion question we will face is your choice to retain and find a way to pay for our organist or not to. Patti's salary is equal to our budget deficit for 2025. (about $9000.) If we vote to retain her we will need tp come up with a way for you to pay her salary or to offset the deficit. Please pray into this and for our meeting next week.
Next we all of our regular ministries restart after the holiday break: Tues Zoom Huddle 10-11, Wed night dinner huddle 6-7:30, and Clothing Closet on Sat. 10-1.
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Good Morning Very Loved, Trusting, Led by the Spirit, Brothers and Sisters in Christ! Amen!
What's God whispering to you this morning as you humble yourself at His feet with open ears and hearts? He is always speaking life, even to things that appear as dead. He is always whispering His love over you and even corrects in love. He has great plans custom made for you that He will reveal and direct to one step of faith at a time. He is upholding you in His strong right hand, delivering you from sin, evil, addictions and sicknesses. Seek Him with all your heart and refocus to Him and His plans with praise and thanksgiving and open and humble hearts and ready hands and feet. Don't lean on your own understanding but acknowledge Him in all your ways and he will direct your steps. he does have plans to prosper and not harm and lead to a future and a hope. Be still and know then prepare and go into this day worshiped up, filled with love and ready to step into His purposes for you today. An rejoice for he is with you always! Amen! Thank God I am forgiven! Thank God He is calling me by name, redeeming things and loving on me and he is doing the same for you. Trust and obey! Walk in His love!
I'm going to allow you to engage your own way today and through your own devotional time. God is speaking to you and calling you by name. What's he saying? Who might you process that with? I'm pray ing you to hear and know and be strengthened in faith today and then for God to lead you to His perfect plans for you. Below are harvest's prayer starters. use them to launch you into a time of prayer and fellowship with our loving Father. then follow His Spirit prepared for today! Amen! rejoice! worship!
Harvest Prayer Starters
- Praise God for the depth of his wisdom and knowledge, and for his unsearchable judgments.
- Thank God for guiding and directing your ways.
- Confess any resistance on your part to do his will.
- Commit yourself to acknowledging him in all your ways (Prov. 3:5-6).
- Ask God for the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better and have the eyes of your heart enlightened, to know the hope to which you are called, the riches of his glorious inheritance (Eph. 1:17-18).
- Pray for the Spirit of love in your church that believers may be one, even as the Father and Son are one, so that the world may believe that God sent Jesus Christ (Jn. 17:21).
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| Prayer Points taken from Patterns for Prayer by Alvin VanderGriend. This book is available at prayershop.org. Use the code CONPSP3 at checkout to receive an additional 10% discount. |
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Saturday, January 18 2025
Please pray for our Support team meeting tonight as we prepare for our Annual Congregational Meeting on the 19th. Pray for God to lead our leaders and us as His Body. May we be the best stewards of ALL His blessings while sowing lavishly and following well.
Many of our members have been or are sick. Please continue to pray for healing, deliverance and a covering over us all to stay healthy and of protection from evil.
Some are also enduring some physical things that need prayer and deliverance. Keep praying and reaching out to encourage. We need each other to travel through all season well.
Larry Paul had good news that the heart meds are working and he will not need angioplasty. PTL and keep praying for him to transition well back to work as He serves the Lord as one of our supported missionaries.
PTL for another amazing day of ministry and fellowship at our Bread Ministry Donut day. Many were served and much serving, prayer, fellowship and connections happened. Thank God for using us to bring some love to our neighbors. Pray those connections continue to lead people to God.
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Good Morning Faithfull Friends of God! Oh how He loves us and we Him! He has created us to love and be in relationship with Him and others and to be His vessels of love, hope and help. We are doing pretty good with that and we are a very united Body of Christ moving on mission with Him. We are doing what we can with what we've been given and allowing Him to grow us both individually and as His Body into our fuller potential and His greater things. PTL! We have reached this sweet spot of unity in purpose and mission and in donning His easy yoke to go plow in prayer and plant seeds of faith. We are harvesters as He sends in the harvest and we are becoming disciple makers for His glory. We are uniting in His love and growing as His Good News Delivery Company. We are learning and doing our age and circumstance appropriate Kingdom duties. Can you see that? It's true and we can unite around that and our hope in Christ to spur each other on and grow together into the new things He has for us. I am so excited to see where He will lead you and us this year and even believing in prayer with thanksgiving that He can send 30 new members this year and expand His territory through us. Amen! Keep praying into that and seeking your part with a determination to follow Him one step of faith after another. He really does have great plans for you and us and continues to nurture and encourage us, His faithful friends. PTL!
It seems like God has taken me down several tracks with my quiet time devotionals today, yet there may be a thread through them as well. For sure spend some time with the Harvest Prayer blogs at the end. Use the prayer starters to focus your prayers for you and us. Let's start with Psalm 63 from ODB and process that before God. Worship and remember how wonderful and ever-present He is. You are known, loved, heard and cared for always. Begin with some praise to help refocus.
Psalm 63:
Maybe that's all the further God will lead you today? It is a great place to start for sure as you remind yourself and God of His love for you and how He holds you close and carries you through. ODB reminds us of His love and care always and how praise worthy He is. We discussed the other day about loving as we love ourselves done well begins with loving ourselves as God loves us. Check out TWFYT and their reminder to see yourself as valuable. This is not a prideful thing but seeing yourself as God does and receiving His love and help because in His eyes, you are worthy and valuable and He does have perfect plans for you, even today, for just as you are right now. As you trust and allow Him and yourself to love you, you will begin to grow and then flourish in his hands of love. Amen! Chuck Swindoll reminds us that we do matter and God does have perfect, custom plans for each of us and then as His Body. We all matter and we all have our parts to perform for His glory. Do you know yours? Ask Him and then process with someone. Pray for some small groups we will be starting soon to discover and learn how to use our spiritual gifts. (If you are being stirred to this, talk to pastor Don). Sarah Young has a wonderful word from God for you today: God is with you and for you and will lead you to His best if you allow Him. Joyce Meyer reminds us that receiving God's deliverance and healing is a choice. Jesus asked, "Do you want to be healed?" God loves you unconditionally and wants to lead you to His best. The question is, do you want that too? If so, open your heart and mind and ask the Holy Spirit to help you receive and respond well. He knows what you need. Are you open to that? Speaking of that, the Upper Room reminds us that sometimes that healing comes as we forgive and His help comes as we die to self and want to love as we have been loved. It can be easy to point fingers. But remember when you do there may be some fingers pointing back at you. Often the thing we despise most in another is the thing we are guilty of as well. Ask God to show you how to love like Him and as you have been loved. After all, none of us are or ever can be worthy of His love, forgiveness or saving grace, yet He does love and forgive. How can we help others who have gone astray or we don't like to know God's love? Pray into that. As believers and even as pastors and leaders, we are often challenged with this. We need to be discerning and wanting to help, but also wise not to allow the yeast of sin to get a foothold and grow in us or another. Church discipline is always intended for restoration someday. God has forgiven, redeemed and helps us correct. How might He be calling us to do so for another--even trouble makers and divisive ones. Sometimes they may even believe they are right and we are all wrong. Let us always seek shalom and restoration and to love as we have been loved. Remember, this life in Christ is a journey that begins with loving God and wanting to live for Him in His ways and then to love others as we love ourselves. For all of that we need God and His love, wisdom, discernment and help. Keep praying for us to represent Him well and to live and love more like Jesus. Amen! Love you all! Sarah and I are always available if you have a problem or need to process something and so is our PRC. Let us resolve to always stay united and moving in Christ for God's glory. Then all other things will fall into place. Amen! There is no greater love is this...a willingness to lay ones life down for another. We are pretty good and growing in that. Amen! May we always seek to live and love more and more like Jesus!
ODB:
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After another unexpected health setback, I joined my husband and others during a retreat in the mountains. I trudged up the wooden staircase that led to the tiny church on the top of a hill. Alone in the dark, I stopped to rest on a splintered step. “Help me, Lord,” I whispered as the music began. I walked slowly until I stepped into the small room. I breathed through the lingering pain, grateful that God hears us in the wilderness!
Some of the most intimate moments of worshiping God recorded in Scripture took place in the wilderness. While hiding in the Desert of Judah and most likely on the run from his son Absalom, King David sang: “You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you” (Psalm 63:1). Having experienced God’s power and glory, David deemed God’s love as “better than life” (v. 3), and it was the reason he committed to a lifetime of worship—even while in the wilderness (vv. 2-6). He said, “Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings. I cling to you; your right hand upholds me” (vv. 7-8).
Like David, regardless of our circumstances or the fierceness of those standing against us, we can demonstrate confidence in God by praising Him (v. 11). Though we’ll suffer, sometimes by no fault of our own, we can trust that God’s love is always better than life.
By Xochitl Dixon
REFLECT & PRAY
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How can knowing God loves you help when you’re feeling attacked or defeated? When has praising Him strengthened your faith during hard times?
My God, Your love is better than life!
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SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
David wrote seventy-five psalms, seventy-three of which bear his name. Acts 4:25 confirms he also wrote Psalm 2 and Hebrews 4:7 confirms he wrote Psalm 95.
Psalm 63 includes a note about its historical background. We’re told that David penned it “when he was in the Desert of Judah.” On several occasions, David retreated into the wilderness when he was fleeing from Saul (see 1 Samuel 23:14-15; 24:1) and also when his own son Absalom rebelled to usurp his throne (see 2 Samuel 15:13-30). When he wrote Psalm 63, he was probably fleeing from Absalom because David refers to himself as “the king” (v. 11), and he wasn’t yet king when Saul pursued him.
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TWFYT:
Chuck Swindoll
Sarah Young
Joyce Meyer
Upper Room: It's Not Fair
Jesus said, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” - Matthew 5:44 (NIV)
“I can’t believe how much trouble that woman is causing,” I complained to my husband. “She tries to get her finger in everything and is such a gossip, stirring up trouble wherever she goes.”
My husband listened carefully to what I was saying and generally agreed with me. But he asked me to consider something. He pointed out that Jesus loved her just as much as he loved me. That just blew my mind. How unfair! I thought. I was behaving well, and she wasn’t.
I prefer my husband to be supportive by always taking my side. I don’t like it when he’s reasonable and makes sense, requiring me to course-correct! He did give me a little help, though, by suggesting that I pray for eyes to see that woman as God does. Slowly, I began to open up to the idea. God began to show me that she was created in the divine image, just as I was. That alone is worthy of my respect.
Jesus challenges us to love those who are difficult to love. It’s easy to love those who agree with us. But God has called us to a higher standard. While we were still sinners, God loved us anyway. I remain a work in progress. With God by my side through prayer, I am learning that all persons are worthy of my respect.
Today's Prayer
Dear God, thank you for loving us. Help us to see everyone as worthy of love and respect. Amen.
Harvest Prayer:
January 9 - The Holy Spirit Can Be Resisted, Grieved and Quenched
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You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you (Acts 7:51).
And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption (Ephesians 4:30).
Do not quench the Spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:19).
When we study the Holy Spirit in Scripture much of the focus is on what the Holy Spirit does in us, and rightly so. For the blessings, power, and benefits the Holy Spirit supplies to the believer are immeasurable and vital for the Christian life. But is there anything we can do to the Holy Spirit? The short and unfortunate answer is, yes. In Scripture we see that we can resist the Spirit through disobedience. We can grieve the Spirit by how we treat our brothers and sisters in Christ, and we can quench the Spirit by despising His gifts and activity. While we cannot make the Holy Spirit do anything, we can cooperate with Him in what He desires to do. We can as Paul would say, “Keep in step with the Spirit” (Gal. 5:25). Let us be a people who do not oppose when the Spirit moves but choose to cooperate when He works.
Holy Spirit, please give me discernment to know Your perfect will and the desire to cooperate with You in God’s mission on earth. Show me any areas where I may be resisting, grieving, or quenching You! Please give me every spiritual gift I need today to accomplish Your purpose and will.
--Adapted with permission from The Summit Church we are inviting you into 21 days of prayer and fasting at the beginning of this new year! Each day will focus on a different biblical attribute of the Holy Spirit.
The founding pastor of The Summit Church is Bill Elliff, who is now the pastor Emeritus and serves on the Executive Leadership Team of OneCry (onecry.com). You can find one of Bill’s books, Prayer with No Intermission at prayershop.org.
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- Praise God that he knows everything in every age.
- Give thanks that he knows you by name and that you matter to him.
- Confess any attempt to conceal things from God.
- Commit yourself to openness and honesty before God. Invite him to search your heart and life (Ps. 139:23-24).
- Ask to be protected from the evil one and kept from a spirit of worldliness.
- Since faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God (Rom. 10:15-17), pray that your unsaved friends, neighbors, and relatives will hear the Word and respond in faith.
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Prayer Points taken from Patterns for Prayer by Alvin VanderGriend. This book is available at prayershop.org. Use the code CONPSP3 at checkout to receive an additional 10% discount.
Connection (Devotions for Everyday Life) © 2025 is a free devotional published daily by OneCry Prayer. Find more resources at www.onecry.com
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| EXPLORE MORE ONECRY RESOURCES AND SHARE WITH YOUR FRIENDS |
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OneCry Prayer (formerly Harvest Prayer Ministries)
OneCry Prayer (formerly Harvest Prayer Ministries) Email Forms
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Saturday, January 18 2025
Today is Donut Day at the Bread Ministry 10-Noon. Come and see what God is up to and pray for Him to use you and us to connect others to God.
Good Morning Known, Redeemed Children of God! I had my pastors huddle this morning and slept in until right before that so I only have time to develop and share one thought this morning and that is you are know and redeemed by God. PTL! Check out Our Daily Bread below discussing Jesus our forerunner. You know since He rose victorious from the grave and overcame death for us, no one every remains in the grave. In the blink of an eye we are in His presence in paradise or in torment. We get to choose which. He became death for us. PTL! We discussed Sunday how He was our firstborn in that He put on His resurrection body and stepped into eternity as our Lord and Savior. He is the Way--the only way to eternity in His presence. Worship Him! Draw near and abide in His love today and always. Share this Good News with others too. Contemplate and celebrate all thius means to you and those you love. We have been saved by grace and all who come to Jesus have that same opportunity. Our job is to become more like Him and to show others the way. We are His Good News Delivery Company and we all have a part to play. We are created to love and for such a time as this! God loves you and has great plans for you. PTL! Process that with someone today and pray and then go share His love. I'm praying for you and our church to become His dynamic movement doing just that. Cone and join he party! Amen!
Remember there is someone only you can enter into their world and reach for Christ. Ask God to show you who and the Way. Amen!
ODB:
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To improve her sign language skills, Leisa immersed herself in the world of the Deaf. Soon she learned the problems they face. The Deaf are awkwardly ignored by hearing people, expected to lip-read flawlessly, and routinely get passed over for promotions at work. Most public events go uninterpreted.
Leisa’s signing steadily improved to the point where she felt at home with the Deaf. At a party, a Deaf person was surprised to learn Leisa could hear. Before Leisa could respond, another friend signed, “She has a Deaf heart.” The key had been Leisa’s willingness to live in their world.
Leisa didn’t “condescend” to be with the Deaf. Except for her hearing, she was like them. But Jesus did stoop to reach all of us—to live in our world. He “was made lower than the angels for a little while” (Hebrews 2:9). Christ “shared in [our] humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil” (v. 14). In doing so, He freed “those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death” (v. 15). More than that, He was “fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God” (v. 17).
Whatever we face, Jesus knows and understands. He hears our heart. He’s with us in every way.
By Tim Gustafson
REFLECT & PRAY
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What does it mean to you that Jesus has experienced the same hardships you face? How might you step into someone else’s world for a while?
Thank You, Father, for the gift of Your Son, who brings me into Your family.
For further study, read Walk with Me: Traveling with Jesus and Others on Life’s Road.
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SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
Why does Hebrews 2:10 say that Jesus was made “perfect”? As God in human flesh, wasn’t He perfect already? According to scholar Marvin R. Vincent, the Greek word translated “perfect,” teleioō, literally means “to carry to the goal” and possesses the connotative meaning of “consummation.” The idea is that Christ was made “complete” by His suffering and death. He understands in the fullest way possible what we face in this difficult world. This provides us with a greater understanding of His words from the cross: “It is finished” (John 19:30). He’d completed the mission His Father gave Him to do.
Tim Gustafson |
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Saturday, January 18 2025
Good Morning Friends! I love you and so does God. He loves better than me but I try to love as commanded by Jesus, "Love as I have loved you..." That is agape love, sacrificial love, putting others first love, dying to self love and I think we can all struggle with that. The Greatest Commandment as identified by Jesus is our goal in life: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind and all your strength and love your neighbor as you love yourself." We say we love God and others and often do so pretty well, but, do we love ourselves? And I don't mean in a vain way but in the way that God loves us. This is a word from God to some of you today: "Be still in my presence and know how much I love you always and no matter what! I have created you for my love and to love and be in relationship with Me and others. I have and am calling you by name. You are mine! I have redeemed you and will continue to as you come to me in humility and repentance. Nothing will ever separate you from my love--NOTHING! I am Love and I love you and my love lives in you. Be still and know. Come to me weary child and find rest for your soul. You are mine and I have and will forgive you and not remember and my love never ends. You can't fully fathom or measure my love for you but I would have sent my Son to save you even of you were the only one on earth. Come and abide in my love today and know my peace beyond understanding. Come! And know this, you are created for such a time as this, just as you are to go love as I have loved you. Receive my love and go share it as I love you and love through you. I am with you always. I really love you!" WOW! Meditate on that! I asked God to write this blog and He used my fingers to speak to your and my heart. What Love!
This morning has been an amazing and deep time for me dwelling in God's love and wisdom. Thanks Lord! There's so much I want to share and yet, maybe, what I have shared is enough. Dwell in His love this morning (always too). Receive His forgiving, healing, restoring love today and know His peace. Some help to focus on God and begin your day abiding in His love come from our devotionals below. As I finished my quiet time I encountered Harvest Prayer's Kim's blog. Please engage God with praying through that. She summarized what I have been feeling and praying for me, you and us. We are very loved and sent to love. We are gathered as God's Good News Delivery Company and we all have our parts to play. That all comes to life as we abide in His love and allow Him to lead us always. May this be so Lord! Come! Inhabit our praises. Refocus us as we count our many blessings and help us to love as we have been loved--even ourselves! Thank You for loving, healing and using me! Thank You for Your patient love! Come! Fill me to overflowing with Your love. Amen!
I'm putting Our Daily Bread at the end and asking you to pray through this and maybe read and prepare Matthew 2 for Sunday. Yesterday I went deep in with the part where Herod had all the babies killed in Bethlehem in hopes of eliminating Jesus. He failed in that but not in causing deep grief for many. Job and His loss came to mind as I pondered and am preparing to share God's heart in response to what many non-believers and atheist's often ask, "How could a loving God allow evil or kill people?" This is a question we all need to wrestle through and overcome to stay rooted deep in Jesus and God's love. God is Love. He loves you. And yes evil is in this world and filtered through His hands. Yet He is Love. Contemplate His response to Job and ask for wisdom and His heart to minister to those who are devastated by loss. And determine in your heart to always keep your heart fixed on the God, who is love, no matter what evil you may face in the future. Also ask God to redeem your loss and use you to go love as you have been loved. Someone needs you and God's love. Help Lord! Amen! And pray for me as I wrestle with this and prepare for Sunday. Thanks! Check out the link in ODB about suffering: https://odbu.org/topic/ca211-01-lecture/?utm_source=Digital&utm_medium=ODB+Email%2C+app%2C+website&utm_campaign=2025+Jan+7th+ODB+Insight+-+Ten+Reasons+Suffering
But start first with praise and worship and abiding in Love! I'm praying for you right now!
Sarah Young
TWFYT:
UR: Garden of Grace
Jesus said, “I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit.” - John 15:5 (NRSVUE)
One of my favorite memories is of my dad sitting on a fresh bed of pine straw in the middle of his rose garden. With an unlit pipe in his mouth, he would spend hours clipping, spraying, and caring for his rose bushes. He grew the most beautiful fragrant roses imaginable. Dad loved to take them to work and put them on all the office desks. He also spread them throughout our house. I remember the rich fragrance of roses throughout our home, and every time I smell a rose, I think of Dad.
The problem with rose gardening is that rose stems have thorns. Every now and then Dad got pricked, and then he might say something I won’t repeat here. Still, he continued to love and care for his roses.
Through our scripture passage I understand Christ as the gardener in our lives. For me, the fruit is God’s grace growing within us and also allowing us to make a difference in the lives of others. Yet, like rose stems, our lives have thorns. Sometimes thorns prick me pretty good, and sometimes my thorns prick others as well. I find I need some time each day to focus on God’s grace in Christ. Jesus invites us to abide in his love, and I hope we can all find our own unique ways to do that each and every day.
Today's Prayer
Dear God, thank you for caring for us with the attentiveness of a gardener. Help us to abide in your love so that we may show grace to others. Amen.
Harvest Kim's Blog
PRAYER FOR THE NEW YEAR by Kim Butts
I have been prayerfully reflecting upon this past year and looking ahead to what God is holding in His heart for me in this new year. His faithfulness emerges so clearly out of the difficult places of the past season of my life. Psalm 86:11 begins, “Teach me your way, Lord, that I may rely on your faithfulness…” The way of Christ was to rely fully upon His Father for all things…nothing He did or said was apart from His Father. I’ve done plenty of things apart from God over the past few months, relying on my own ideas, strengths and wits rather than yielding myself fully and completely to the purposes of God so that He can show Himself faithful in the midst of all of my everyday circumstances. Fortunately for me…and I imagine for all of us, God is not only faithful, but also forgiving! “If you, Lord, kept a record of sins, Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness, so that we can, with reverence, serve you” (Psalm 130:3-4).
Our Father is faithful and forgiving. His faithfulness can be fully relied upon as we seek to learn His ways, as Jesus did. In the midst of difficulty, struggle, pain, loss, grief, joy, victory, transition or celebration – God is present. As I mentioned, there have been multiple times this past year when my record of wrongs – things done or left undone – needed to be submitted to God so that I could once again serve Him with reverence. How grateful I am that God is faithful to forgive me when I confess things that must grieve His heart. Renewed determination to be more like Christ this year has gripped me anew. I am focused on walking more carefully in the steps of Jesus day by day, keeping my eyes fixed upon the Faithful One.
Here is my prayer as I head into this New Year with a new resolve to be the person He has called me to be, the servant He desires me to be, and the child He loves no matter how many times I mess up: Teach me Your way, Lord, so that I may continually rely on Your faithfulness from moment to moment. Help me to keep short accounts with You whenever I fail to extend the love of Jesus to others, or when I find myself in weak moments that cause my heart to turn away from complete obedience to Your word and Your ways. Give me the strength to press into Your heart for lost people and nations, and to cry out to You for spiritual awakening, beginning in my own heart! Thank You, Father, for Your faithful, loving-kindness towards me so that I may serve You with reverence. May I be more faithful in this New Year to be Jesus to those I encounter, so that nothing I do or say strays from Your kingdom purposes. I ask this in the Name above ALL Names! Amen!
ODB:
Kenny stood before the congregation he’d left years before after he’d lost faith in God. He shared that his belief had been restored. How? God had touched his heart through the beauty and design he saw in creation. Kenny was in awe of Him once more through the witness of God’s general revelation seen in the natural world, and he now embraced the wisdom found in the special revelation of Scripture. After sharing his story, Kenny stepped into the tank of water at the front of the sanctuary. His father, tears of joy in his eyes, baptized him based on his faith in Jesus.
After he’d lost much in life, Job’s faith had also been shaken. He said, “I cry to you, O God, but you don’t answer. I stand before you, but you don’t even look” (Job 30:20 nlt). God “spoke to Job out of the storm” (38:1), declaring that it wasn’t about Him not seeing Job but that Job’s vision needed to be expanded as he considered God’s amazing, intricate creation. The “earth’s foundation” and the “morning stars” (vv. 4, 7) and all the creatures, plants, and waters found between (vv. 8-41), pointed to the one whom Job could trust—the God of amazing love and power. Job responded by saying, “My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you” (42:5).
When doubts threaten your faith in Christ, consider the magnificence of God’s creation. He reveals Himself in it if we only have eyes to see.
By Tom Felten
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How has God revealed Himself in creation? How are awe of God and faith in Him linked?
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SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
Job’s friends insisted that his suffering was caused by his sins (Job 3-37). Job relentlessly defended his innocence and sought his vindication from God (23:1-7). Instead of answering his questions, however, God asked Job a series of questions pertaining to His creation (chs. 38-41). Instead of providing an explanation as to why He permitted evil and suffering in this world, God revealed His character.
Job didn’t need to fully understand God’s ways, for no man can (Isaiah 55:8-9). He only needed to humble himself, seek to know God deeply, and trust Him wholeheartedly. His suffering taught him to run to God as the only sure place of refuge—the safest place to go for comfort, sustenance, and strength (Job 42:2-6). Job wasn’t given a reason for suffering, but he discovered that when life comes out short, God is enough (see Psalm 23:1, 4).
Find out more about why we believe in a God who allows suffering.
K. T. Sim |
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Don 
Rev. Don Kerns
72 Sunset Hill Rd
Saturday, January 18 2025
Good Morning Washed-White-As-Snow Bloggers! I love snowy mornings like this as they always remind me of God's amazing grace, loving mercy and sacrificial forgiveness! Yes, by God's grace, we are washed white as snow! PTL! and Amen! It's sometimes hard to believe that He would love me so much as to make a way to be forgiven and allowed into His presence. But it's true! What love we know and get to share! Start there with your worship today and this week. Amazing grace how sweet the sound...and reality! PTL!
This morning began with an awakening from the dogs and then them waking Karen early. This allowed God to redeem this time by allowing us to share a couples devotional we were going to start yesterday. I love beginning the day with God, Karen, Love and yeah, even sometimes dogs! Then it started to snow while I was engaged in my own quiet time in my prayer closet and Karen the same in her quiet space. God has been speaking as I stilled myself at Jesus' feet for a spell. That respite has continued for three hours and has led me through a great time with Karen, God and now to sharing what I heard with you. Isn't God great and loving and ever-present!
So where has He led today? As always there is a thread through my devotionals that I use and it is a thread that some of you are to process as well. Do you realize how intimately God is involved with your life and with our church Body? He is always speaking and directing. He uses us just as He created us and has gathered us to encourage each other, build up His Church and to team up to go love and make disciples like Jesus. I often contemplate that Good News Delivery Company idea that God led me to develop and I continue to allow Him to tweak. We are gathered for His purposes and we all matter. We all have custom made roles to play according to how we are created, custom gifted, and according to our season in life and circumstances. Thinking about that should lead to the idea of Jesus' promised easy yoke for all who come to Him. It leads me to worship, praise and deeper exploration of what He has for us now and next? As always during a new year, I tend to spend more time exploring, asking, listening and receiving from God what His plans are and then for how to plan, who is included and what are the next baby steps for some of you, me and some of us together. How does He want to use each of us to move towards our fuller potential in His Good News Delivery Co.? I know He wants to develop some new small groups and ministries in the next few weeks/months and I continue to seek Him for who, what, where and when. Please pray into this and ask How He may want you to partner with some to move to the fuller potential and greater things He has for you and your team and our Body. Then talk to me or Sarah and let's start pursuing this earnestly. This is the next step in becoming a dynamic movement and for coming alive in '25! Thanks Lord! Stir us. Lead us to dreams, visions and ideas and unite us in small groups and as a Body to keep seeking, discerning and following You well. Bring us alive in '25! Amen! Be earnest in your pursuit of Him and His plans and open and supple in His hands and watch what He will do!
So how does this thread through our devotionals below? See for yourself. Be still, humble and open as you engage with God prayerfully through them. He is speaking to you and may have a word for our Body or your small group as well. Thanks Lord! Expect the unexpected and start praying for BIG GOD things that may seem impossible for nothing is too hard or impossible for God! He is ABLE! Interesting to note that I thought I had plans laid out for our preaching calendar until Easter, BUT GOD. Two weeks ago He led me to change things. Yesterday we discussed Simeon and Anna and the people of faith God gathered that day to proclaim the Messiah had come and to prophesy some things. There were actually 5 gathered who were people filled with, touched and led by the Holy Spirit before the Holy Spirit was given to man. Simeon, Anna, Mary, Joseph and Jesus. Today two devos discuss he Epiphany or the coming of the wise men and next Sunday, instead of the plans I had, God has led to our discussing these events. (I was supple, God redirected and now affirmed to me that I was listening and chose to adjust from my plans to His. May we all be better at that!) The Holy Spirit comes to us as we step into faith in Jesus and He gifts, empowers, corrects and leads us to God's best. He leads us to go live and love more like Jesus and make disciples and teaches us to pray and fulfill our purposes in His Good News Delivery Co. PTL! Thank You Holy Spirit! Come and lead us to the best and perfect plans and our unique purposes and all for God's glory! Amen. We are united by God for His purposes and to reflect His love and light today! Let us be about His business as we take that Good News and His love to many! Come Lord! Have Your way with us and unite us in love and lead us to go love like You. Bring revival and new life alive all around us! Thanks! Amen!
Upper Room: The Unexpected
“My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. - Isaiah 55:8 (NIV)
The magi traveled far looking for “the one who has been born king of the Jews.” They sought him in Jerusalem, but King Herod sent them to Bethlehem where the chief priests and teachers of the law said the Messiah was to be born. There they found the baby Jesus, not in a palace but in a house, with his mother. Had I been one of them, I might have been disillusioned, but scripture gives no indication that they were disappointed by the humble scene.
When God’s answers are not what we expect, it can be disappointing. Our church experienced this during the long process of finding a new senior pastor. The church elders scheduled guest preachers for a couple of months and then arranged for an interim pastor to serve for a year while a search was conducted. But two weeks before the interim pastor was to arrive, he informed us that he would not be coming. We were back to square one!
This was not what we had expected, but it was a wonderful opportunity to practice trusting God. God’s answers may not be what we expect, but they are always perfect. Like the magi, we can receive them with joy.
Today's Prayer
Dear Lord, thank you for your awesome power and for your perfect, unexpected answers to our prayers. Amen.Sarah Evans:
Our Daily Bread:
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Phillips Brooks wrote the lyrics to the beloved carol “O Little Town of Bethlehem” after visiting Bethlehem. Brooks, pastor of a church in the United States, was so moved by his experience that he wrote this to his Sunday school students: “I remember . . . on Christmas Eve, when I was standing in the old church at Bethlehem, close to the spot where Jesus was born, when the whole church was ringing hour after hour with the splendid hymns of praise to God, how again and again it seemed as if I could hear voices that I knew well, telling each other of the ‘Wonderful Night’ of the Savior’s birth.”
In 1868, Brooks put his thoughts into a poem, and his church organist set it to music. The song spoke stillness and peace into the unsettling aftermath of the American Civil War: “O little town of Bethlehem / How still we see thee lie! / . . . The hopes and fears of all the years / Are met in thee tonight.”
Matthew wrote of our Savior’s birth in Bethlehem in Matthew 2. When the “Magi from the east” (v. 1) followed the star to Bethlehem (see Micah 5:2), “they were overjoyed” to find Jesus (Matthew 2:10).
Today, as we celebrate Epiphany, we too need the glorious news of our Savior’s birth. As the hymn reminds us, He came to “cast out our sin and enter in” and “be born in us.” In Him, we find peace.
By Alyson Kieda
REFLECT & PRAY
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Where in your life do you need the peace the Savior offers? What aspect of Jesus’ story touches you most?
Dear Jesus, thank You for the hope and peace You’ve brought to me.
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SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
Matthew’s gospel emphasizes gentile (non-Jewish) inclusion into God’s redemption story. His genealogy, for example, highlights three gentile women—Tamar, Rahab, and Ruth (Matthew 1:3, 5). And Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother, was previously married to a gentile, Uriah the Hittite (v. 6). In Matthew 2, gentiles—the magi (who may have been members of the Persian royal court)—come to worship Jesus (vv. 1-2). By highlighting gentile inclusion in Christ’s story, Matthew leads his readers to the good news that God’s redemption is for all people and His followers are called to “make disciples of all nations” (28:19).
Monica La Rose |
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The Word for You Today:
PrayerStarters
Saturday, January 18 2025
This Week:
Wed 10-12 Donut day at the Bread Ministry
Good Morning Worshipers! Let's get our worship on this morning! We remembered all God's blessings during 2024 and now look forward with expectation for all He has planned for each of us and us as His Body! Were some things hard, even very hard? Yes. Will that be the same in 2025? Yes. However we can and should still worship. praise and expect God to move in mighty and mysterious ways and even use the hard things to grow us, shape us and open the door for His loving presence, help and new things. Amen! So, get out those gratitude lists and let's worship and pray with expectation and thanksgiving! What are you thankful about? PTL! Prepare your hearts to come to worship in Spirit and Truth and enter His gates with thanksgiving, His courts with praise! Hallelujah!
This morning we are wrapping up our season of fasting and praying. The first thing I did was flip my Max Lucado calendar to find God speaking to my heart from this entry for today:
As one who is good at operating in my own strength and with a history (one that's being repented of) of forging ahead of God, I was reminded to whoa down, seek, listen, focus and follow the Holy Spirit at God's pace. I was reminded of my prayer to not be sent to a place where I could do things on my own, but one where I have to rely on God. He sent me to St. Matts. in response to that. As long as I stay attached to the Vine and focused and moving with God, things are great. He guides and provides. I am learning to go to that place first before over-reacting or running ahead and it is the perfect place to be. Fasting helps me to re-center and seek first His Kingdom and not lean on my own understanding. That is the perfect place to be: empty of self, seeking and dependent and moving with God in His strength. Thanks Lord! Are you connected to the Vine and moving or waiting with and on the Lord? He has perfect plans just for you and for us as His Body that come alive as we do. Be still and know, receive and follow well my friends in God's strength and timing. That is a goal for us as His Body as well. That is the only way to be about our Father's business and doing the things we are created, gifted and gathered to do well. Amen!
The rest of my devotionals flowed from that calendar reminder. Sarah Young reminds of the importance of deep fellowship and dependence on the Lord and the good fruit that comes from that. I can get very anxious waiting on the Lord and impatient as well. Chuck Swindoll reminded me that I often have to give all my junk thinking and anxiety to God. He is faithful to take that as His Word promises and bring peace. We can all struggle with feelings of inadequacy, especially because our best work and efforts come when we are weak and leaning on God. Joyce Meyer has a great quote to embrace and remember, "If you have done your best God will do the rest." We should all write that down and put it somewhere we will see it often. Are you doing the best you can with what you've been given? If so, PTL, relax and allow Him to lead you and provide as He guides. He knows the desires of your heart and the plans He has for you. Be still and know and let Him have His way with you and the situation. That is where trust and peace and joy can grow. He is able! Amen! TWFYT wraps up this session with the reminder that God is the answer and solution to any problem. Draw near to Him first or as soon as you realize that you need to refocus on Him. Then trust Him and allow Him to intervene and redeem the situation, you or whatever problem you perceive is happening. Nothing is too hard for our God! Amen! Draw near, worship, and trust Him. Then do what you can with what you've been given and He will lead you step by step to His better and greater things! Amen!
Today during my message we will encounter four people of deep faith. These four received the Holy Spirit and were guided by Him and His dreams and vision before the Holy Spirit was given to mankind as a result of faith in Jesus. We will look at Simeon and Anna and Mary and Joseph in Luke 2 today. We can know God and trust as they did for Him to answer. Often in unexpected ways. BUT GOD! He knows you, created you for such a time as this and is calling you by name to come to Him in faith and walk with Him one step of faith at a time. He really does redeem things and have great plans that flow even from the hardest of things. Trust Him and worship! Amen!
Sarah Young:
Chuck Swindoll
Joyce Meyer
TWFYT:
Saturday, January 18 2025
Tomorrow: We are colleting for Everlasting Life Ministries
Worship with Children's Church at 10
Wed. 1012 is our next donut day at the Bread Ministry. Come and see what God is doing through us!
Annual Congregational Meeting is Sun Jan. 19th after worship in the sanctuary and on Zoom. Remember you must be a member in good standing to vote. (Good Standing is when you attend worship regularly, give, and commune at least 2 of the 4 times a year with us.)
*Congregational reports will be distributed shortly to review before the meeting
Sunday Jan 26th is our next Two Peas in a Pod brunch. Look for sign up sheets or let Lori know you will attend. Brings some friends!
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Good Morning Fasting, Praying Servants of the Lord! We have two days left in our season of fasting and praying. What's God been doing in and through you during this time? He's been speaking and directing me and releasing some things in the heavenlies for sure! If you haven't spent any time fasting and praying, I'd like to encourage you to do so today and tomorrow. Maybe skip a meal or turn off TV for a half hour or hour and spend some extra time at Jesus' feet listening, receiving and releasing. We are fasting and praying to offer ourselves, our ministries and our church to God and to invite Him to be our Lord this year. We are seeking and praying for God to direct us to Come Alive in '25, for us to become a dynamic movement, for new connection points and ministry opportunities, for harvest workers, for some small groups to start and for His Kingdom to come and will to be done as He molds and shapes us for such a time as this! He has great plans for you and us as we draw close, invite Him in and allow Him to lead us. Amen!
Today I will list a few devos below for you to engage with or use your own Bibles and whatever for your drawing close to God and listening. The Upper Room reminds us to make room for Him. Sarah Young asks us to start a new habit of proclaiming (and out loud) our trust in God! TWFYT reminds us of the shaking that God is doing in you, around you and this nation for His purposes. Dry Bones are coming to life as His fresh breath of the Spirit moves about. And ODB reminds us that we are created to be givers--of self, time, talents, finances, as they are all gifts given by God to be used for His glory. We are learning to live sacrificially (agape love) and love lavishly (pour ourselves out for others) like Jesus. We receive our marching orders as we still ourselves, offer ourselves and earnestly follow His Spirit. Trust and obey as you receive. That's giving back to God what He's given. All we are asked to do is to do what we can with what we've been given in this season. Seek First His Kingdom and He will reveal, guide and provide all that's needed. Receive it and share it with love and in faith today! And this year! We will be His dynamic movement and we all have a part. What's yours? Ask Him as you empty yourself and open up to receive all He has for you and step out in faith and trust! Amen! I'm praying for you!
UR: Making Room
Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near. - Matthew 3:2 (NIV)
There’s something about the new year that feels full of hope and possibility. The anticipation of something new gives me the desire to clear out the clutter and create space — both physically and mentally — for what the year will bring.
John the Baptist was called to prepare Israel for the coming Messiah. He preached a message of repentance, urging people to turn their hearts toward God by clearing their lives of sin and making room to receive Christ. We, too, are called to prepare for Christ because God has work for us to do! We can prepare our hearts by repenting of our sin and giving our lives fully to God — clearing out the clutter that keeps us from following the Lord wholeheartedly.
If we want to see God at work in our lives, we must make room for God’s presence. What clutter do we need to clear from our habits, our schedules, or our hearts to create room for God’s Spirit to move in? God wants to begin something new in us, so let’s anticipate that gift by making room for it!
Today's Prayer
O God, show us what we need to clear from our lives to make more room for you. Amen.Sarah Young
TWFYT
ODB
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One year, the leaders of our congregation invited us to give gifts, in addition to our regular weekly offerings, to build a new gymnasium—a space we could use to minister to the families in our community. After prayerfully considering the medical expenses caused by living with a disability, I asked my husband, “Are you sure we can do this?” He nodded. “We’re not giving God anything that’s not already His,” he said. “He’ll provide all we need.” And He did! Over a decade later, our church family still has the privilege of serving Jesus by serving people in that facility.
In 1 Chronicles 29, King David showed the leaders of Israel his commitment to support his son Solomon as his God-chosen successor and the builder of the temple (vv. 1-5). Everyone followed suit, “gave willingly,” and “rejoiced” (vv. 6, 9). David praised God and declared that “everything in heaven and earth” belonged to Him (v. 11). He prayed: “Lord our God, all this abundance that we have provided for building you a temple for your Holy Name comes from your hand, and all of it belongs to you” (v. 16).
As we consider all God has done and given to us, specifically the gift of a personal relationship with Jesus, we can express our worship and show our gratitude and love by simply giving back to God, the Giver of all good things!
By Xochitl Dixon
REFLECT & PRAY
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How does acknowledging that all things belong to God change the way you view giving? How can expressing your gratitude through giving change you?
Loving God, thank You for being a generous and faithful provider.
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SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
David gathered “all the officials of Israel” (1 Chronicles 28:1) to address the temple project (ch. 28; 29:1-9) and to crown Solomon as king (29:21-25). David provided large amounts of the kingdom’s resources and also gave “[his] personal treasures of gold and silver . . . over and above everything [he’d] provided” (v. 3). Following his example, the leaders also gave their resources “freely and wholeheartedly to the LORD” (v. 9). He then led the whole assembly in heartfelt worship—praising God and extolling His greatness, eternality, power, glory, and sovereignty (vv. 10-13). David humbly acknowledged that God owns everything! Whatever they gave back to Him was simply returning to Him what He’d generously given to them in the first place (vv. 14-16).
K. T. Sim |
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Friday, January 03 2025
Thank God I'm Forgiven Friday! Can it be Friday already? The holidays sure have messed up our conception of days. But one thing for sure, very day can be a TGIF day as we thank God for His mercy grace, and forgiveness. Begin your day there--worshiping and overflowing with thanksgiving for all God is and has done for you! Every day we are forgiven! PTL! We are sinners saved by grace! PTL! God loves you so much that he made a way for you to be saved, made right, cleansed and ready for eternity with Him. Amen!
Good Morning Bold and Courageous, Carried By God, Faithful Ones of the Lord! Amen! What blessings we know and get to share because we are so loved and have stepped into His Love! Amen! With the short week, I have much on my Donald's Do List for today and gotta fly. But not before leaving you with some thoughts to ponder and pray through today. God is with you, knows you, calls you by name, loves you beyond measure and carries you when needed. he is our helper and friend and also our Potter that molds and shapes us and uses all kinds of sources for that end. He created us for such a time as this. he gifted and empowered us to change into Christ's image and to be change agents in this world. That all opened up on that cruel cross and became available to you at rebirth. What an awesome God we serve! he never leaves you nor forsakes you and walks with you through the darkest valley an celebrates with you on the highest mountains. PTL!
I've been seeing all these posts about people who couldn't wait to put 2024 behind them. Are you one of those who had a hard year? Well, in my mind, every year is hard, BUT GOD! We know that life will get progressively more vile, evil and dark, yet we know The Light of the World, the Prince of Peace, and our Help in times of trouble. We can and are enabled to choose joy always as we grow in trust that God knows, is with us and is in control. Sometimes we need to just stop and remember that. Sometimes we need the help of others to refocus. Sometimes we need to dig out those gratitude list and begin there and count our many blessings. Instead of focusing on the bad and hard things, what if we refocused to God and His multitude of blessings. Would your year end review be different? Joy to the World and Peace beyond understanding opened up when we received forgiveness and new life. We have something the world can never know because of our faith in Christ and His work for good on our behalf. Trust Him! Count your many blessings. And rejoice--again, I say rejoice, because you are able to choose joy and trust always! Amen!
Check out the devotionals bellow and refocus on god today as we continue our time of fasting and praying. God is right beside you with open arms and he is upholding you in His strong right hand. He has forgiven you and is working all things together for good! PTL! and Amen! What's God saying to you today and who are you processing that with and praying with. he has some teammates just for you and you for someone too. reach out share the love and receive it. You are very loved, redeemed and empowered children of our Savior and the King of the universe! Amen!
ODB:
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Fear woke me at 3 a.m. on the first day of the new year. The year ahead weighed heavily on me, overwhelming me with dread. Illness in the family had long wearied me, and now, thoughts of the future made me afraid. Will more bad things happen? I wondered.
Jesus’ disciples understood the fear of bad things happening. Even though their Master had prepared and reassured them the day before He died, they were still afraid. They fled when He was arrested (Matthew 26:56); Peter denied Him (John 18:15-17, 25-27), and they went into hiding (20:19). Their fear during the upheaval of Jesus’ arrest and crucifixion, as well as of persecution, led them to act contrary to His command to “take heart” and His promise, “I have overcome the world” (16:33).
But Christ’s death and resurrection proved His authority and power over life and death. He has the ultimate victory. Even though the sinful state of our world makes suffering a certainty, we can rest in the truth that all things are subject to the authority of our wise and loving God. Jesus’ presence is with us (16:32-33), just as it was with His disciples, who later confidently went on to share the gospel to the world. May God’s promise that He’s in control strengthen our hearts to trust Him in this new year and be courageous even when we don’t know what the future will bring.
By Karen Huang
REFLECT & PRAY
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What’s your response to difficulty, suffering, and trials? What would “taking heart” look like for you?
Thank You, Jesus, for helping me with my fears and for showing me how to live courageously.
Visit ODBU.org/OT315 for further study on suffering and trials from the book of Job.
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SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
In John 16, as Jesus addressed His disciples’ fears and the grief and suffering that would come during and after His death, it’s noteworthy that nowhere did He suggest they’d be rescued from experiencing fear and pain. As Christ faced death, they’d abandon Him in terror—“leave [Him] all alone” (John 16:32). The grief they’d experience from His death was unavoidable—they’d “weep and mourn while the world [rejoiced]” (v. 20).
Instead of a comfort based on escaping suffering, however, Jesus offered His disciples hope rooted in His resurrection (16:22). They couldn’t avoid the pain they’d experience, but because Christ has “overcome the world” (16:33), their suffering would be like that of childbirth—the pain wouldn’t be purposeless but would “turn to joy” (v. 20)—tremendous joy that “no one will take away” (v. 22).
Monica La Rose |
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Sarah Young
Upper Room: In Everything
In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it. - Isaiah 30:15 (NIV)
When I was a child, I often saw Javan munia birds in rural rice fields. Farmers consider these birds pests because they eat the rice. Sometimes farmers shoot at the flock with air rifles. Interestingly, when the birds hear the shots, they panic and bump into each other or get stuck in tree branches, causing their own demise.
When sudden change happens, sometimes I’m just like those birds. I react poorly out of shock and panic, and I run into problems. Once when I heard a rumor, I reacted in panic — only to realize later that the rumor was incorrect. Likewise, often when I heard good news, I would get too excited and make snap judgments that I ultimately regretted.
Then I read Isaiah 30:15: “In quietness and trust is your strength.” Instead of putting panic and emotion first, I learned that it is better to remain calm and trust God. As Proverbs 19:2 says, “Hasty feet miss the way!” So I learned to be still, try to think clearly, and pray. I learned to trust that even if I stumbled, God would not allow me to fall.
Today's Prayer
Dear God, help us not to follow our panic but rather to trust you in all circumstances. Amen.
TWFYT
Friday, January 03 2025
Fast and Pray: We begin a season of fasting and pray from today through Sunday. How is the Holy Spirit leading you to fast and pray the next few days? Do it earnestly! Maybe fast a meal or two a day? Maybe fast TV or some activity for an hour or two per day? Maybe fast food for the next few days? However you are led to fast and pray, the purpose is to empty yourself of something for a time daily to focus on God in prayer, listening, surrendering, receiving, releasing and contemplating with God. The purpose for our Body is to seek God for His plans for us for 2025 and to offer the first part of the year to Him in surrender and worship and to open space for Him to speak an direct us to His perfect plans. Be still and know. Empty yourself and listen. What's He saying? What will you do about it? Who are you processing with? One other reason is to seek Him for me/us to discern how to start some small groups that He is leading us to start soon. Ask for wisdom to do what He desires with those He is preparing to partner together. Ask for Him to stir some leaders. Pray for wisdom and discernment for me to invite some in to a deeper training and equipping. Seek for His plans and for them to come to life as He stirs us to His new and perfect plans to keep St. Matts growing and producing disciples of Jesus. Thanks! Then let us commit to process together what we are hearing and God is planning. Who are your teammates? What are His plans for a few of you to go live and love like Jesus? Where are some new connection points that will lead us to the 30 we are praying for Him to send in 2025. How does He plan to bring us alive in '25? Seek first His Kingdom and righteousness and He will provide all we need and answer our prayers and direct pour steps. I'm praying for this to be a dynamic time with God as He continues to lead us to become a dynamic movement. Pray for revival for you, us, our area and the nation and for your part in His Good News Delivery Co. to come alive.
Maybe begin with these songs to help you release yourself and focus on God? Maybe use these the next few days to begin your time of fasting as you turn off the noise and focus on God? I know these have helped me to focus this morning.
Open: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TA8VEKviMAE
Make Room: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxubPpU-iIA
Crowns Down: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pogDXVoLGLU
Good Morning Church! I want to encourage you to earnestly pursue God the next few days (all year really). He has created you for such a time as this. He is calling you by name. He has redeemed you. You are custom made for His custom purposes and He has great plans for you and has gathered us as His Body for some special purposes as well. We are His agents of change and vessels of love. Seek Him as you offer yourself to Him to have His way with you. Then let's process this together and with maybe a small group of others and work on bringing to life His perfect plans. I'd suggest using the daily devotionals as you open your Bible and seek Him with open heart and listening ear. He longs to reveal Himself, His plans and fill you with His love and wisdom overflowing. Will you still yourself and seek Him? Please do! I can't wait to process this with you in the next few weeks and to begin some small group ministries that He will use to lead us to some new connection points and His perfect plans! Amen!
Father, we still ourselves and offer ourselves, our church, and this year to you. Come! Fill us. teach us. Stir us, Your Kingdom come and will be done in through and around me and us. We long to glorify you and be about You and Your business of loving people and making disciples. Here I am Lord! Teach me. Prepare me. Send me. Be glorified. Amen!
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