PASTOR NEWSLETTER
OCTOBER 2024
The Power of Prayer
The last two Sundays in September were great opportunities for intercessory prayer in our church family. Whether we were physically present in the sanctuary or praying from our homes, what a privilege it is for the body of Christ to come together to lift up a brother or sister in Christ in a great time of need. The spiritual discipline of prayer is one of the most important aspects of our walk with the Lord, and it is a discipline that needs to be nurtured and exercised each day.
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When you read the Gospels, you will find that Jesus spent much time in prayer, getting alone with His Father for encouragement, for worship and adoration, and for strength in the journey that would lead to His atoning death for our sins upon the cross. His disciples knew that prayer was an important part of Jesus’ life, so they asked Him one day to teach them to pray.
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What is often called the Lord’s Prayer is also called the Model Prayer, and those few words do give us much guidance in how to lift up our words and our heart before the Lord. The altar of incense in the OT tabernacle and temple represented the prayers of Israel. Prayer in the NT is guided by the words that we all can likely quote verbatim. May our prayers to the Father not be empty words, but the true longing of our souls as we bring Him adoration, confession, thanksgiving, and supplication. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 “16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
Upcoming Events!
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October 9: Quarterly business meeting after the Wednesday Bible study.
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October 13: Baby Shower for Erica Young from 2 to 4 P.M. in the Family Life Center
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October 16: Vaccinations available from Brett Hulgan after the Wednesday Bible study.
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October 20: High Attendance Day for Sunday School
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October 26: Fall Festival in the FLC. Specific times will be shared soon.
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November 3: Daylight Savings Time ends. Turn your clocks back one hour on Saturday, 11/ 2.
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November 13: Church-wide shoebox packing event for Operation Christmas Child.
FROM THE PASTOR'S DESK
How many times over the years have you attended a conference, a singing, a revival meeting, or some other religious gathering and have been especially inspired? We often leave a youth conference like ARISE or a senior adult gathering like the Fall Jubilee with a sense of deep connection to the Spirit and a desire to serve the Lord more fervently in all aspects of our lives. The singing is meaningful, the messages are inspiring, and the fellowship is just different in large gatherings of God’s people.
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I love to attend these conferences on occasion, for I believe they are times of refreshing, and we all understand that those times are needed. Yet I want to suggest to you that while these large events are impactful, every day can be just as impactful if we are dialed in to what the Word of God speaks to our hearts, how the Spirit of God guides and directs us, and how the Son of God would have us to live and serve each day of our lives.
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So just how can every day be like a day when we hear Jeff Laborg preach on the calendar of Christ’s return being right on time? How can every day be like a day when we hear Gold City sing about God building a church or Karen Peck sing about the Lord being there when we need Him? Here are some things that have been true in my life. I hope they are true in yours as well.
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A day without time in the Bible is a day that is missing an important part of our spiritual journey. In the 1,189 chapters that make up the completed revelation of Scripture, there are many lessons to be learned under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. As I type this newsletter, I think back to my time in the Word this morning. Jeremiah 45 is a tiny chapter in which Jeremiah encourages his scribe and friend Baruch. Judah has seen judgment from the Lord, and Baruch needed some uplifting. Jeremiah told his friend that the Lord would be with him and keep his life secure, no matter where they were in Jeremiah’s prophetic ministry. Isn’t it wonderful to know that God will never leave us nor forsake us?
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Prayer is another important aspect of a joy-filled day in the Lord. I can always strike up a conversation in most situations, but what a privilege it is to be able to converse with the Creator of the universe any time, anywhere, about anything. He knows my heart, but the Father also longs to hear our hearts through our words, both in our minds and from our lips.
When we pray, our fears can be relieved. When we pray, our faith can grow. When we pray, we can rest. When we pray, we can be at peace. When we pray, we can hand over our concerns to God. When we pray, we can gain confidence from the One who created us. When we pray, we can be healed. When we pray, we can receive guidance and direction. Again, the power is not in the prayer, but in the God to whom we pray.
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Let the Word, prayer, and regular church attendance be a daily part of your joyful life in Christ.