Humbled to Pray

What’s on my heart today are the people listed on our weekly Prayer Update and many more that we could not include in this week’s Prayer Update. I am humbled to know them and to pray for them. I am humbled to bring them before you, our community that prays. I am in awe at what they do in such hard circumstances. I am humbled at the fruit the Lord brings from their labors. I wish I could introduce each one of them to you personally. They are champions for the King in their part of the world.

Would you like to join our prayer team? Click here.
​
Ask the Lord which one or two of those mentioned in this week’s Prayer Update you can pray for regularly.

Thank you for praying. I am humbled that you do pray for these people.

Maranatha,

Advertisements

Love and Accountability

 

We like “love”. Jesus loved us and gave himself up for us. But we are not fond of accountability. Jesus loves us and, in His great love for us, He holds us accountable. I pondered these thoughts this week as I spent some time reflecting in this passage:

“Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.” (Eph. 5:1-6)​

Many are out there, in the name of Jesus, only referring to Jesus’ love. They are deceiving Christians by not also declaring His accountability. Take a few minutes to read and reflect on this passage. What comes to mind? Are there any areas of your life where you know the Lord will hold you accountable for living the way the world lives?

May He grant you grace and peace in your walk with Him.

Maranatha,

Strength and Power

I am constantly amazed as I recall all that He has done for us in Christ. This week I pondered this passage:

“For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” (Eph. 3:14-21)

What stands out to me is that in Christ, I have access to strength and power. Not the world’s kind but the Jesus’ kind of strength and power. This is amazing to me.

Take a few minutes to re-read the passage and look at all we have available to us in Him. Then take a few minutes to thank Him.

Maranatha,

Stacy

So Grateful

In the last week, I have been pondering the truths of Ephesians. I am constantly amazed at all that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit have done, continue to do and will do on my behalf and on behalf of all who are in Christ.

Consider just these five truths:

1. He chose us in Him (1:4)
2. He adopted us as sons (1:5)
3. He blessed us (1:6)
4. He lavished the riches of His grace on us (1:7-8)
5. He made known to us the mystery of His will (1:9)

I spent a few minutes with a man in Atlanta a few weeks ago. We talked about how as we grow older we are more amazed at all He has done for us. This is true. We both shared how grateful we are for new insights we are seeing on a regular basis.

Take a few minutes to read this passage and offer your praise and thanks to Him.

Maranatha