Words from Isaiah

 Comfort, comfort my people,

    says your God.

Speak tenderly to Jerusalem,

    and proclaim to her

that her hard service has been completed,

    that her sin has been paid for,

that she has received from the Lord’s hand

    double for all her sins.

 

A voice of one calling:

“In the wilderness prepare

    the way for the Lord;

make straight in the desert

    a highway for our God.

Every valley shall be raised up,

    every mountain and hill made low;

the rough ground shall become level,

    the rugged places a plain.

  And the glory of the Lord will be revealed,

    and all people will see it together.

For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”

A voice says, “Cry out.”

    And I said, “What shall I cry?”

 

“All people are like grass,

    and all their faithfulness is like the flowers of the field.

  The grass withers and the flowers fall,

    because the breath of the Lord blows on them.

    Surely the people are grass.

  The grass withers and the flowers fall,

    but the word of our God endures forever.” Isaiah 40:1-8

Psalm 146

 

Praise the Lord, my soul.

I will praise the Lord all my life;

    I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.

Do not put your trust in princes,

    in human beings, who cannot save.

When their spirit departs, they return to the ground;

    on that very day their plans come to nothing.

Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob,

    whose hope is in the Lord their God.

He is the Maker of heaven and earth,

    the sea, and everything in them—

    he remains faithful forever.

He upholds the cause of the oppressed

    and gives food to the hungry.

The Lord sets prisoners free,

     the Lord gives sight to the blind,

the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down,

    the Lord loves the righteous.

The Lord watches over the foreigner

    and sustains the fatherless and the widow,

    but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.

The Lord reigns forever,

    your God, O Zion, for all generations.

Praise the Lord. Psalm 146

Wednesday morning Bible study bookmarks

Over the years of Wednesday morning Bible study, I've made bookmarks from scripture, prayers, phrases, etc. that have stood out to us. Enjoy these by clicking on each photo to view larger!

 

Reconciliation

Romans 5: 4-5 And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.

Romans 5: 10-11, For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.

In my life, I have prayed for hours about reconciliation. Asking God to heal old disagreements, to renew relationships, to provide the strength to forgive another and for compassion when I ask for forgiveness. In preparing to write this devotion I thought about the conflicts present in the world today and the challenges of reconciliation. In the past few weeks I have noticed a strong and recurring feeling of irritation. It is as though the strife that has been brewing politically, vocationally, and even religiously seems more intense, or perhaps just more troublesome. Since this irritation feels almost universal, I have blamed the unrest on my personal human response, from long hours at work, or particularly stressful conversations or situations. After surrendering to prayer and acknowledging that some of this persistent irritation is certainly internal, me not letting things go, or becoming frustrated by the outcome of a situation that I cannot control, there are other parts of it that are external and are impacting my distress. 

When searching for a verse to help me endure this challenging time I was comforted by the verses from Romans about strength of character and our reconciliation to God. In agitated times I need to remember the need for endurance and strength and know that God is with me. When I become frustrated or afraid, I need to remember that I have hope that reconciliation is possible in every part of my life. In moments when I am disappointed, I need to let go of the unrest and either walk away from the issue or try a new approach or solution. 

With the turmoil in our world today I know that I am not the only once experiencing these feelings and that as Christians, we are all praying for relief from many of the same problems and symptoms. 

Prayer: Resilient and mighty God, please give me strength to endure the challenges before me. Help me to find outlets for my frustration. Help me to see your work in the world. When I am frustrated or irritable, help me to show love instead of anger.  Amen.

Christi Moock (reprinted from 2017)

Staying Positive

Keep your thoughts on whatever is right or deserves praise: things that are true, honorable, fair, pure, acceptable or commendable. Philippians 4:8 

This verse is on my refrigerator as I need to see it often. It especially speaks to me, to my tendency to see and even dwell on the negative or shortcomings of myself, my life, my spouse, my daughter, granddaughter, friends. I so wish I had rose colored glasses and could only see a "rosy" picture of my world and of others. My sister and I tease about having rose colored glasses often. 

This verse helps remind me that I can have rose colored glasses. Paul's words encourage me to see myself, others and situations in a positive, more grateful way. When I do that, I feel contentment and joy, just as Paul directed and God wants for me.

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, the author of love and joy, thank you for all the goodness and wonderful people in my life. Just as you do not judge harshly but instead forgive and love us always, guide me to do that with the people in my life. I long to be a source of validation and encouragement for all, especially for those closest to me.

 

Connie Barry (reprinted from 2017)

Waiting Before Working

Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed. Proverbs 16:3 

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6 

 

The “Jesus Calling” devotion book by Sarah Young sits on our bathroom counter. I read the devotion during my morning routine, somewhere around putting on the moisturizer or drying my hair. Her August 29 devotion has stuck with me:

“Demonstrate your trust in me by sitting quietly in My Presence. Put aside all that is waiting to be done and refuse to worry about anything. This sacred time together strengths you and prepares you to face whatever the day will bring. …When you spend time with me, I restore your sense of direction.” 

Ouch!  So reading, pondering and talking to God about the devotion in the midst of my morning routine is probably good, but I think God wants my full attention before I even begin my day. I need to work on that.  Being a morning person, I usually say a quick “Good Morning Lord” before heading to the shower and going over the day’s list of things to do. Reading the devotion falls somewhere in the middle.

During an extremely overloaded time at work, I began praying “What project is next Lord?” He would answer that prayer with what needed to be done at that moment. I kept asking that question all day long and He was faithful in answering all of them. 

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for always waiting on me to call your name. I want to be close to you but so often do not stop long enough to enjoy a conversation with you, only a quick thank you or short prayer. You feel just like I do as a parent when I cherish a small quick conversation or visit with my children. Forgive me. “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” (Lamentations 3:22-23).

Amen.

 

Cathy Schapmann (reprinted from 2017)

When Does the Journey Begin?

Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you.  I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. Genesis 12:1-2

When and where does the journey to Christ begin? It could be creation of heaven and earth or creation of humankind or Noah and the flood. It seems to me that this journey begins with Abram and Sarai. The Lord says go and they went. They took everything they had and left their home and went to Canaan as God had told them. They had no map. They had no GPS or On-Star. They had their trust in God, their faith and each other.

What an incredible undertaking. How often has the Lord told us to do something and we have ignored it or made excuses. Like, “Use me Lord, but not right now”.

Prayer: Dear Lord God, help us to listen for your call and to respond so that we may be a blessing to others as we have been so richly blessed. In Jesus Name we pray. Amen

Kathy Kuehn (reprinted from the 2013 Advent Devotional)

Words from Psalm 80

 

 Restore us, O God;

    make your face shine on us,

    that we may be saved.

Return to us, God Almighty!

    Look down from heaven and see!

Words from Hebrews

They desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one {and God} has prepared a city for them. Hebrews 11:16

Unexpected Insights

Trust in the the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6  

The steps of a man are established by the Lord, when he delights in his way; though he falls, he shall not be cast headlong, for the Lord upholds his hand. Psalm 37:23-24   

Call to me and I will answer you and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known. Jeremiah 33:3  

Recently my car situation has been in limbo. This has changed everything about my ability to run errands, get to work, and feel independent. Facing this has made me reconsider how much I can "make do" with what I have. This reminds me how creative my brain can be, and I rejoice at its wonders. 

At the end of the summer, one of my cars became disabled, and I was trying to donate it; but I could not find the title in all my moving boxes. It was amazing to me to see how much I had accumulated, and how difficult it was to organize. I saw how debilitating this can become. I also found a lot of forgotten treasures which are so much more valuable than a certified document. 

The search process had been lengthy and fruitless, and eventually I had to procure a duplicate title. Cleaning out the car was a burdensome chore, because there were still vestiges of a trip to Rochester, Minnesota last year when my daughter and I stayed for two months (during which she received her fourth liver transplant). But I realized as I was lugging bags of pillows and umbrellas and scrapers and a shovel and all sorts of human necessities that I need to challenge myself in order to be more resilient. I patted myself on the back as I rested after that chore and looked forward to the next bit of discomfort that would help me grow. 

On the appointed day for pickup the tow truck did not show. So I still had to plan for uncertainties. And that can be rather freeing. How much does it really matter? Why should I invest too much dependence on things going as planned?

The back-up car needed work in order to be drivable after the first one tanked. The AAA tow truck driver delivered it to a repair place that was different from the one where I had made an appointment. At the end of the day, I called the repair shop only to be told that my car wasn't there. So, AAA and I had to call and search a number of nearby places to see if my car had ended up there, since the tow truck driver couldn't be reached. These things can happen, and it makes for more work, but it also makes for a good story. Also, the place where my car ended up did a good job of fixing it, and I had it back in no time. I was glad to find a reliable repair place that was within my budget.

 

In the ensuing month, the back-up car developed more issues. One of them involved taillights staying on, and the battery drained. AAA gave me a battery boost and told me to drive directly to the repair place; I managed to find a place open on Sunday, so I felt pretty lucky. But they couldn't actually work on the car until Monday. I hadn't really accomplished what I felt I had needed to do. But the right things happened, only a day later than I had hoped.

 

During this time I was relying on my daughter for trips to and from work. It was nice to have time to talk with her, and I enjoyed looking out the window at the sights I often miss while focusing on driving. I was able to sip coffee and nibble on snacks.

 

Then more issues arose with the car, and because there was a risk of the engine overheating I was told I shouldn't drive it. At this point, I realized that my '92 Geo Prizm might not be worth the $600 it would probably cost to fix it. I have had to restructure my thinking about continuing to maintain something that doesn't really serve its purpose. The car has no airbags, and doesn't travel well over 45 mph.  It doesn't really need my allegiance, even though it reminds me of my mother, from whom I inherited it. 

 

So now I am looking into buying a reliable car. My recently retired friend has been chauffeuring me, and we have had jolly drives reconnecting. When we were in high school, she used to come pick me up and drive me to school. I am reminded of how much I enjoy starting the day with her. She is such a light in my life, and I love being cared for by someone so generous and fun. We always have lots of chances to laugh on the drive, and it is an uplifting way to start and end my day. 

 

Even something as mundane as our transport away from home and back again can reveal something as great as God's presence.  I look forward to more road trips with surprises. 

Prayer: Thank you for creating my hands and continuing to hold them. Thank you for giving me eyes, and fresh sights to amaze them. Thank you for interrupting my steps to show me something new about your world and the life you have given me. Learning new things keeps me alive and present, and newly aware of your grace. Let my inconveniences move me closer to you. Amen.

 

Mollie Manner (reprinted from 2017)

Renew My Strength

But those who hope in the Lord

    will renew their strength.

They will soar on wings like eagles;

    they will run and not grow weary,

    they will walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40:31

In reading a devotion in The Upper Room, I could relate to the author’s plea to God: “I don’t know how to do it all. Right now, I just want to give up. Please help me.”

I can think of some situations in my life in the past year or so where this was certainly the case:

• Recently I contracted Covid. My prayers that first day were to just get through {it} and feel better. 

• When my mother died, I knew the day of her funeral would be difficult. I felt peaceful and renewed by God and my family all day.

• Feeling overwhelmed by tasks, in whatever situation I may find myself.  Often just having a full calendar can be stressful.

Sometimes what we need is just a boost into the next day. The next hour! One step at a time.

In Anne Lamott’s book “Help, Thanks, Wow” she asserts that there are three essential prayers (and every prayer is a version of these).

·      Help! where we ask for intercession and assistance from God,

·      Thanks, where we give God our thanks and gratefulness for what he’s done  in our lives and where we appreciate what we have, and

·      Wow, which is essentially worship, or being in awe of God and his power. 

Often, my prayer is simply, “Help!”. One prayer God never fails to answer is that He is always with us. That’s not to say we always feel his presence, but he is always with us, helping us to get to the next moment. 

In our current Wednesday morning Bible study, No Other Gods: The Unrivaled Pursuit of Christ by Kelly Minter, one of our activities was to look up fifteen scripture references to fear and write down its antidote. As you may have guessed, each set of verses spoke of God’s companionship and calming presence in our lives. While needing strength isn’t always the same as fear, we can know that God will be with us when we call on Him in each situation.

Prayer: Dear Lord, help me to press ahead into the next step, whatever that may be. Maybe it’s just the next hour. Renew my strength and continue to be with me. Amen.

Donna Gustafson

Humility Leads to Contentment

“I don’t mean to say I am perfect.  I haven’t learned all I should even yet, but I keep working toward that day when I will finally be all that Christ saved me for and wants me to be.  No, dear brothers, I am still not all I should be.” Philippians 3:12-13 

When Paul wrote this Scripture, he was an older man in prison in Rome. He was near the end of his life, a mature person. Yet he said he hadn’t arrived. He was still growing and learning. His life’s experiences did not take him to a finish line, though I am sure he learned much from them. And he continued to grow toward “being all Christ wants me to be”. 

I can relate to this scripture so much. As a teacher, I have always prided myself on being a lifelong learner. I love to read, take classes and participate in Bible Studies, learn from others, set personal goals for physical, emotional, and intellectual growth. I take pride in striving to learn from life and “be better”. 

In 2019, I suffered a cardiac arrest from a medicine I was taking for heart failure. I was dead for a total of 35 minutes. Expert care from Steve, LFR, CHI staff and later Tabitha Rehab all helped to save and restore me. A lot of hard work from me also went into that, which I was glad to put forth. I am to this day beyond blessed, thankful, and grateful! God was beyond good to me. My brain was not damaged, but part of my colon died instead, which is not much of a problem at all for me, since the initial surgery. The word miracle has been used often by family and friends and even by medical staff. 

Since that time in my life, I have tried to nurture a grateful heart daily, which I do some days better than others. I feel I need to continue to grow physically and be all that I can be. I want to give back by continuing to learn and grow in every way I can. I want to be more helpful and kind to others daily. I don’t think of a finish line or an end goal but just a lifelong choice, a purpose. Being prideful is not helpful to me but instead I always know I can do better. I need to pray for direction and guidance. 

We should do regular checkups on ourselves and our lives to see where we can improve, or what we need to work on. “Test yourselves to make sure you are solid in your faith…give yourselves regular checkups. You need firsthand evidence…that Christ is in you. Test it out. If you fail the test, do something about it.” (2 Corinthians 13:5-9). This requires humility, which will lead to better inner feelings about ourselves and our lives. 

Prayer: Father God, thank you for all you have given me. Help me be worthy of all those gifts daily by continuing to guide me toward a life pleasing to you. I want to be humbly grateful and thankful daily.

Connie Barry

 

They Never Died

And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him. Genesis 5:24 

Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked with God. Genesis 6:9 

By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death; he could not be found, because God had taken him away. For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. Hebrews 11:5-6

As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind. Elisha saw this and cried out, “My father! My father! The chariots and horsemen of Israel!” And Elisha saw him no more. Then he took hold of his own clothes and tore them apart. He picked up the cloak that had fallen from Elijah and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. 2 Kings 2:11-13

And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth. Revelation 11:3

Enoch was one of only two men who it is said, “walked with God.” He and Elijah were the only two men that were taken straight to heaven by God and never died.

Can you imagine seeing someone taken up into heaven like Elisha did? Obviously, Elijah did not need his clothes anymore. We would be astounded, but our God can do what seems impossible. Our God is our rock, our fortress, our deliverer, our strength, our buckler, the horn of our salvation and our high tower (Psalm 18:2). Nothing is impossible for our God.

“Days of Praise” says perhaps Enoch is one of the two tribulation “witnesses” whose messages are so much like those of Enoch and Elijah who will be martyred, resurrected, and then taken up to heaven directly from Earth as told in Revelation.

Prayer: Dear Father in Heaven, please help us to have some of the faith of Enoch and Elijah. In Jesus name, Amen.

Sandra Hilsabeck

Be Fruitful and Multiply

God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him, male and female He created them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.” Genesis 1:27-28

Children are a heritage from the LORD, offspring a reward from him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one’s youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. They will not be put to shame when they contend with their opponents in court. Psalm 127:3-5

They are always generous and lend freely; their children will be a blessing. Psalm 37:26 

Our newest great granddaughter, mother 16, father 15, inconvenient, but loved by all. 

Rev. Ben Sheldon, President Emeritus of Presbyterians for Life says:

God’s intention is that we multiply and fill the earth. One of the most pernicious lies that sociologists have foisted off on the public is that the earth is becoming overpopulated. What kind of a sadistic god would create the earth and human creatures on it, only to have them literally reproduce themselves into oblivion? The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is our divine Creator, has commanded us to multiply and fill the earth and far from letting the population get out of control, He has, in fact given his human creatures a dominical role over all the lesser creatures.

The ‘birth control’ movement, which had its beginnings with Margaret Sanger in the early years of the last century, has led, in many parts of the world, to a birthrate that is drastically below the normal replacement rate. God’s Word assures us that children are a blessing. The spread of the contraception mentality that has so permeated our culture is, undoubtedly, a factor in the ready acceptance of abortion. God’s commandment to multiply and fill the earth has never been withdrawn.

Prayer: Dear Lord, help us accept the gift of children and give him thanks for every baby who is born into the world. In Christ’s name we pray.

Sandra Hilsabeck

Psalm 107

 

 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;

    his love endures forever. 

  Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story—

    those he redeemed from the hand of the foe,

  those he gathered from the lands,

    from east and west, from north and south. 

  Some wandered in desert wastelands,

    finding no way to a city where they could settle.

  They were hungry and thirsty,

    and their lives ebbed away.

 Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble,

    and he delivered them from their distress.

  He led them by a straight way

    to a city where they could settle.

  Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love

    and his wonderful deeds for mankind,

for he satisfies the thirsty

    and fills the hungry with good things.  

Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love

    and his wonderful deeds for mankind.

Let them sacrifice thank offerings

    and tell of his works with songs of joy. 

  Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble,

    and he brought them out of their distress.

  He stilled the storm to a whisper;

    the waves of the sea were hushed.

  They were glad when it grew calm,

    and he guided them to their desired haven.

  Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love

    and his wonderful deeds for mankind.

  Let them exalt him in the assembly of the people

    and praise him in the council of the elders. ~selected verses from Psalm 107

Praise in Song

The Lord is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him.  Exodus 15:2

Recollections of my mother inevitably involve singing. Chores at home were nearly always accompanied by the humming of some tune. Long car trips with restless children were made tolerable with countless renditions of “Down in the Valley” and “I See the Moon, The Moon Sees Me.” No matter where I sat in my hometown sanctuary, it was easy to pick out my mother’s voice in song. Mom’s singing voice once prompted the pastor and choir director of that small Iowa congregation to tell the story of a famous opera singer who was asked at a social function to sing for the attendees. He provided a beautiful performance of “The Lord’s Prayer.”  All present expressed great admiration for his voice and the performance. Later an older woman joined the group and was also asked to share a song. Completely unaware of the professional singer’s earlier performance, she selected exactly the same piece. Although her voice was far from the professionally trained musician’s, her offering left the group speechless and some near tears.  Several listeners, apprehensive that the famous singer might take offense at being outdone, were surprised by his response to their apologetic expressions. “It’s OK,” he said. “She knows the composer.”

Prayer: Like Moses, we often hesitate, literally or figuratively, to sing with full voice, believing that we will not measure up to the talents of others. Help us to know you as the composer of all and to respond in ways that will share the music of your love with those around us. Amen

Alinda Stelk (reprinted from the Eastridge Daily Devotion book, 2008)

Words from Corinthians

For God is not a God of disorder but of peace 1 Corinthians 14:33 NIV 

Psalm 4

 

Answer me when I call to you,

    my righteous God.

Give me relief from my distress;

    have mercy on me and hear my prayer.

 

 How long will you people turn my glory into shame?

    How long will you love delusions and seek false gods?

 Know that the Lord has set apart his faithful servant for himself;

    the Lord hears when I call to him.

 

  Tremble and do not sin;

    when you are on your beds,

    search your hearts and be silent.

  Offer the sacrifices of the righteous

    and trust in the Lord.

 

  Many, Lord, are asking, “Who will bring us prosperity?”

    Let the light of your face shine on us.

  Fill my heart with joy

    when their grain and new wine abound.

 

  In peace I will lie down and sleep,

    for you alone, Lord,

    make me dwell in safety. Psalm 4

Yearning for the Lord

How lovely is thy dwelling place, O Lord of hosts! My soul longs, yea, faints for the courts of the Lord; my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God. Psalms 84:1-2

I stretch out my hands to thee; my soul thirsts for thee like a parched land. Let me hear in the morning of thy steadfast love, for in thee I put my trust. Teach me the way I should go, for to thee I lift up my soul. Psalms 143: 6, 8

Just before dusk one day, I glanced over to my neighbor’s house. There was someone with a black helmet and a black jacket sitting quietly on a motorcycle in their back yard. He was facing their driveway and seemed to be looking at the street beyond. A few days later, I noticed the neighbor’s teenager wearing the helmet and jacket. He was riding up and down the small hill of their back yard on the motorcycle. Finally, one day I saw the teenager wearing the helmet and jacket sitting on his back patio with his mother filling out forms. I thought how much this young man yearned for the day he could be riding the motorcycle on the streets, racing up hills, and looking cool in his black helmet and jacket.

Many of us yearned for the day that we could re-enter our church and worship together while the Covid pandemic was raging. Certainly, being able to worship together on the internet was a good substitute, but it could not replace shaking hands, giving hugs, and communicating face to face. It could not replace sitting in the midst of friends, singing praises to the Lord together, hearing each other pray, and communing together as a community of believers.

As our church continues to make changes in the new normal of protecting ourselves and each other from infectious disease, let us thank God for our being able to meet again in Christian fellowship—our souls longing to be with God and the fellowship of believers.

Prayer: God, you are our maker, our redeemer, and our friend. Help us during this time of renewal to satisfy our yearning for being together in worship and the fellowship of believers. Amen

Nancy Hall

Let God In

But when you pray, go into your room, close the door, and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done is secret, will reward you. Matthew 6:6

When sleep evades me, I often seek our all-season porch. There I sit in a comfortable chair warm or cool according to the season. The darkness surrounds me and sometimes the rain patters on the skylights above me.

That is my place and time to have a serious talk with God. I can be frightened about something, dreading something, nervous about the future or just thinking too much. As I mull over my problem, I ask for help and I find myself relaxing and at peace. After letting God in, I often slip back into bed and sleep until the morning dawns on a new day and the birds greet the rising sun. 

Where do you go to talk with God? I know I pray at other times, but this is a special time and place. Do you have a special time and/or place? Matthew warns us about praying in public. He talks about being hypocritical. Do you ask for help, forgiveness or just want to feel that everything will be okay? Try whispering a prayer before you tackle a really hard problem in your life. Let God in. 

Prayer: God, help us to be humble and let you into our lives. Let us pray with meaning and love for you and your son. Amen.

Carolyn Olsen

Happy July Fourth/Independence Day!

 

Who We Are in Christ

"Through Christ, you are part of His chosen people. You're part of the royalty of God, holy in His sight. You belong to Him forever and ever. You've received mercy, you live in His light, and you have what you need to minister to others. This is your identity."

This reminder was in lesson two of our current study, No Other Gods, by Kelly Minter. 

~ Wednesday morning Bible study (click on photo to view larger)