Retreating Forward

A friend told me about his church's leadership retreat. For 2 days, church leaders pulled away for a time of prayer, planning, and worship. He told me, "This retreat is really going to help us move forward as a church." The notion of retreating in order to move forward may sound funny, but often you have to pull back and regroup before you can make meaningful forward progress.

Jesus practiced "retreating forward" quite frequently, spending time alone in prayer with the Father. Matthew 14:23 tells us that "when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there."

In this fast-paced, get-ahead world, it's easy to wear ourselves down--pressing ahead and moving forward at all costs. But in order to be truly effective as Christians, we need to retreat into God's presence in order to find the resources to move forward in our service for Him.

Praises:

Oil spill in gulf stopped

Answered prayers for little girl who drowned

Prayer Requests:

Teachers/Administrators/Students - back to school

The Answer to Arguments

Foolish people are always fighting, but avoiding quarrels will bring you honor. -- Proverbs 20:3

"Bear with each other, and forgive each other. If someone does wrong to you, forgive that person because the Lord forgave you." (Colossians 3:13)

Unity doesn't begin in examining others but in examining self. Unity begins not in demanding that others change, but in admitting that we aren't so perfect ourselves...

The answer to arguments? Acceptance. The first step to unity? Acceptance. Not agreement, acceptance. Not unanimity, acceptance. Not negotiation, arbitration, or elaboration. Those might come later but only after the first step, acceptance. ~ from In The Grip Of Grace by Max Lucado

Remember that Christ loved us while we were yet sinners. How can we who are sinners saved by grace offer anything less than love to those with whom we disagree?

Praises:
Pastors calling and leading people to pray

Prayer Concerns:
Reaching the lost
Unity in the body of Christ

Let Freedom Ring

When we confess our sins and accept Christ's sacrifice on our behalf, we become children of God. As children, we inherit certain privileges. We have the right to call the sovereign God of the universe 'Our Heavenly Father'. We have ready access to God's presence where we can bring all our concerns.

On July 4th, as you celebrate the freedom of our great nation, celebrate also, your freedom to enter God's presence in prayer.


Prayer Focus - Leaders in Government

Praises - Freedom to Worship

The Place of Prayer

They went back to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives...They all continued in prayer together. Acts 1:12, 14

Do you desire power for your life?...It will come as you pray. For ten days the disciples prayed. Ten days of prayer plus a few minutes of preaching led to three thousand saved souls.

In our typical "revival", we tend to invert the numbers. We're more prone to pray for a few minutes and preach for ten days! Not the apostles. They lingered in the presence of Christ, never leaving the place of prayer, yet look at the fruit of their work.

Better said, look at the fruit of God's spirit in them.

We can only wonder what would happen today if we, who still struggle, did what they did: wait on the Lord in the place of prayer.
~Max Lucado from Come Thirsty

The Shepherd's Example of Witnessing

During this season of Advent, we have been looking at the lives of the main characters in the Christmas story in order to learn from the examples they set for us. In Mary, we saw a wonderful example of trust. Joseph’s life was an extraordinary example of obedience.

What can we learn from the shepherds? A host of angels appeared to these simple sheep herders, announcing the birth of God’s Son and telling them to go to Bethlehem. The shepherd’s exhibited both trust and obedience because they went to Bethlehem and indeed did find Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus. The shepherds also exhibited a striking example of witnessing for God.

In Luke 2:17 we read, “When they had seen Him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed.” The shepherds didn’t waste any time sharing God’s message of hope with others.

How often do we worry about finding the right words, or possessing enough biblical knowledge before we feel “Qualified” to share God’s good news? Pray and ask God for opportunities to share your faith with others. Then follow the shepherd’s example of witnessing.

Prayer Focus:

Christian Fellowship

Prayers:

Praises:

Joseph's Example of Obedience

This Advent season, take some time to read the events surrounding Jesus’ birth in the first two chapters of Matthew as well as in Luke. One of the most notable characteristics of Joseph’s behavior is his obedience to God. When an angel appeared to Mary, she displayed great trust in God’s plan. Over the course of Jesus’ birth and earliest years, Joseph received three angelic visitations. All three of these “angel-grams” required Joseph to take actions that were quite extraordinary.

Joseph’s faith was not a passive mental agreement, but rather an active and immediate obedience to God’s message. In each case, Joseph “did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him…” (Matthew 1:24). No doubt, Joseph had been praying about his engagement to Mary. Perhaps he had even been asking for God’s direction.

How often do we pray and ask for the Lord to lead us? How often do we respond to God’s leading in the way that Joseph did—by actions of prompt obedience to what God is asking us to do?

Spend time this season in prayer. Then be prepared to follow Joseph’s example of obedience.


Prayer Focus:
Letting the Christmas story speak to our hearts


Prayers
People who are grieving for loved ones
Soldiers overseas during Christmas
End of semester exams - students & teachers

Praises
Young people who are following Christ
A pastor stepping out in faith to follow God's call

Mary's Example of Trust

As we journey through the Advent season, it is a fitting time to examine the attitudes and actions of the main characters in the Christmas story.

Let’s begin with Mary, a soon-to-be-married young woman. She is visited by an angel who tells her God is pleased with her—so pleased in fact that He has chosen her to give birth to His own Son. To say Mary was taken by surprise would no doubt be an understatement! She could easily have rebelled or grudgingly seen this as some type of punishment. She could have said, “No way, I have other plans for my life!” But, she did none of those. I

Instead, she asked for some details and then responded with “I am the Lord’s servant. May it be to me as you have said.” (Luke 1:38) A short time later, we find her praising the Lord in the beautiful words of the “Magnificat”.

Does this Christmas season find you facing unplanned circumstances? Follow Mary’s example of trust in God. Look for His plan instead of your own. Praise Him for giving you a new life within and pray for that new life to grow within you each day.


Prayer Focus

• Churches to reach out during Christmas season

Prayers

Praises