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Dear Family in Christ,

This week in my personal time in God's Word I was led to the books of Ezra and Nehemiah.  In Nehemiah chapter 1, Nehemiah finds out that Jerusalem is in disrepair.  In response, the Bible says that Nehemiah wept, fasted and prayed before the God of Heaven saying: "...I confess the sins that we Israelites including myself and my Father's house have committed against You.  We have acted very wickedly toward You.  We have not obeyed the commands, decrees, and laws you gave Your servant Moses."  Notice he didn't say, "I confess the sins that those Israelites have committed against You."  He confesses not only his sins but also the sins of his father's house and of all of Israel!

Nehemiah continues his prayer saying: "Remember the instruction you gave your servant Moses, saying, 'If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations, but if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name.'  He ends his prayer by saying, "Give your servant success today by granting him favor in the presence of this man."

Our guest speaker this Sunday is Rod Handley, Founder and President of Character That Counts.  His message tells the story of King Hezekiah who after a long history of corrupt Kings in Israel did what was right in the eyes of the Lord as found in 2 Chronicles 31:21-22: "This is what Hezekiah did throughout Judah, doing what was good and right and faithful before the LORD his God.  In everything that he undertook in the service of God's temple and in obedience to the law and the commands, he sought his God and worked wholeheartedly.  And so he prospered."

Does God care about our everyday struggles?  Does He want to prosper us and help us succeed? I believe He does.  Is our idea of success the same as His?  Not always!  I can speak from personal experience when I say that aligning ourselves with God's will, struggling every day to become more like Him, and learning little by little to hear His voice will indeed make you prosperous, successful, and joyful even in the midst of your everyday problems and struggles!

Come this Sunday and become prosperous, successful, and Joyful!

Yours in Christ,

Alan Voss

 

Letter from Joice Trout, Pathways Children's Ministry Coordinator, Elder on Current Session, August 12, 2010

2010 brings many milestones in my life.  I turned 45 in June; in July Brent and I celebrated 25 wonderful years of marriage; our oldest daughter, Briana, turns 21; our second daughter, Kristina, starts her senior year in high school; our third daughter, Savanna, will start high school; our son, Geremia will be 11; we have lived in Missouri for 15 years; and I was baptized 15 years ago.  It's hard to believe all that has happened over these years, and at times it all seems a blur.   I look back and see a journey that I could have never imagined.  A journey of joy, a journey of sadness, a journey of wonder, a journey of curiosity, a journey of questioning, and a journey of fulfillment.  Sometimes that journey has been full of rocks and hills always climbing and I felt like I couldn't get on the right path, and at times that journey has been very straight, calm and clear. 

In John 4 verse 5-7 Jesus journeys to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph.  Jacob's well was there, and Jesus was tired from the journey and sat down by the well.  It was about the sixth hour.  At that same time a Samaritan woman came to draw water and Jesus said to her, "Will you give me a drink?"  Some of you may know the ‘rest of the story;' however, bear with me a little and read on.  This Samaritan woman was quite surprised that Jesus spoke to her because Jews did not associate with Samaritans.  However, Jesus knew this woman was going to be at that well and he knew everything about her.  He may have asked her to give him a drink; however it was she who needed the drink.  He spoke with her about quenching her thirst with the living water - namely Him, and how he could save her and give her eternal life.  Was this journey a coincidence?  No.  Jesus intentionally went to Samaria and intentionally sat down next to that well at that specific time.  He was there to meet that woman, teach her, and she responded by bringing others to him.  When we meet Jesus do you think it is a coincidence?  I don't believe so.  Jesus is very intentional with how He approaches us and very patient with us.  He is waiting for us to respond to Him.

Each of our journeys to Christ is very different.  Some of you were born into a Christian home and can't remember ever having a time without Christ in your lives.  Some of you may be very new to the Christian life and may still be unsure of exactly what it is all about.  Some of you came to know Christ later in your life.  Some of you go through the motions - come to church on Sunday and fellowship with other believers but your relationship with Christ has not grown.  No matter where you are in your walk with Christ, I pray that you are still growing and learning.  Christ meets us where we are no matter where we are in our journey; however, He doesn't want us to stay there, He wants our relationship with Him to grow.  I could bore you with my Christian journey, but I won't.  However, as I reflect back throughout my entire life I can see pieces or people in my life that brought me closer to God, either by a word or kind act or sometimes (it was needed) conviction.  As my relationship with Christ has grown I can see how, even when the road is rocky, I still have peace because I know He is in on the journey with me.  Christ is intentional, He chose us - we didn't choose Him - all He asks of us is to repent of our sins, turn and follow Him.  He has intentionally sought you out and called you to Him and has asked you to drink of His grace and mercy.  Are you intentionally seeking him out and growing your relationship with him? 

Isaiah 35:8-9 says

And a highway will be there;
       it will be called the Way of Holiness.
       The unclean will not journey on it;
       it will be for those who walk in that Way;
       wicked fools will not go about on it.

 No lion will be there,
       nor will any ferocious beast get up on it;
       they will not be found there.
       But only the redeemed will walk there,

So where are you on your journey today?  Are you taking time to get to know God better and build your relationship through worship, reading scripture and prayer?  Are you sharing with others what God has done in your life?  The highway to Holiness is there waiting for us and no matter how rocky or straight the path is; we should intentionally seek Jesus and build our relationship with him. 

I love the song by Chris Sligh called ‘Empty Me.'   The words are below and I use the chorus often as my prayer, especially for the ‘Lord to empty me of me so that I can be filled with Him.'  I need to get out of the way so that God can do a mighty work in my life.

Empty Me

By Chris Sligh

I've had just enough of the spotlight when it burns bright
To see how it gets in the blood.
And I've tasted my share of the sweet life and the wild ride
And found a little is not quite enough.
I know how I can stray
And how fast my heart could change.

Empty me of the selfishness inside
Every vain ambition and the poison of my pride
And any foolish thing my heart holds to
Lord empty me of me so I can be filled with you.

I've had just enough of the quick buys of the best lies
To know how prodigals can be drawn away.
I know how I can stray
And how fast my heart could change.

Empty me of the selfishness inside
Every vain ambition and the poison of my pride
And any foolish thing my heart holds to
Lord empty me of me so I can be filled with you.

Cause everything is a lesser thing
Compared to you, compared to you.
Cause everything is a lesser thing
Compared to you. So, I surrender all!

Empty me of the selfishness inside
Every vain ambition and the poison of my pride
Empty me of the selfishness inside
Every vain ambition and the poison of my pride
And any foolish thing my heart holds to
Lord empty me of me so I can be
Lord empty me of me so I can be filled with you.
Oh, filled with you.
Empty me.

 

Take time today to ask God to empty you of you, so that you can be filled with Him.  Know that He is on the journey with you, He is patient, but He desires that your relationship with Him grows.  He has sought you out, and you belong to our wonderful, mighty Savior.

Have a wonderful and blessed day!

Joice Trout

 

Letter from Jaye Pryor, Prayer Team Leader, Elder on Current Session, August 5, 2010

A few weeks ago some old college friends decided to meet in Des Moines for an overnight visit.  It had been far too long since busy lives had allowed us to get together.  We made several efforts, but the weekend just never came together.  This time the other two had definitely decided to meet, but I was sure I had too many commitments and could not free myself to go.  I just didn't have the energy to reschedule things.  But as the time drew near I started longing to be with my friends.  I told myself there would be other get-togethers  and that I couldn't possibly get everything rescheduled. However, the day of their intended meeting I woke up knowing that nothing would do but I had to join them.  That settled, and a few phone calls made, off I went, all the while wondering what the big deal was that I couldn't make it in the first place.  I thought my friends might chide me for the change of mind (they didn't), but even that didn't deter me.

One of the core elements of the Sabbatical for the congregation is the Prayer Retreat starting with dinner Friday night, August 6th. We intentionally held it close, at Stonecroft Ministries (a 15 minute drive), so people who could not be there both Friday night and Saturday could come for whatever time they were able to.  This is not just a prayer team event.  This is a time for all of us to withdraw from the usual activities and seek God's face .  What are we going to see in the face of God?  We are going to see His deep, deep love for us, His passion for us, His tenderness for us.  The retreat leader, who devotes his life to teaching people how to draw near to God, offers sessions that can teach us how to change the way we relate to God, how to be men and women (and youths) after God's heart, how to hear God's voice in scripture.  One of the session handouts is entitled "How to Spend a Delightful Hour with God".  You might be thinking "An hour, are you kidding?  I would just like to have five good minutes with God!"  But the thing is, we will never be able to spend any delightful time with God until we know how very much He loves us.  And we are never going to find that out until we "Be still, and know that I am God" (psalm 46:10).  We then will know it with our brains because we can read, listen, and comprehend and also because we know how it feels to be loved, regardless of what we do or have done, that He truly is Love and His Spirit abides in us. Understanding the extent of His love triggers a chain of responses in us that causes us to want to set aside everything that is an obstacle between us and Him.  We want to be holy, we want to be wholly His, we want to be whole, because anything less is simply not enough.  His Love fills us and fuels us to go into the world, claiming it for the One who gave all to save all.  I pray that we know that as individuals, and as a community of people, and that our thankful lives are a testimony to our understanding.  Then we will be able to "love one another deeply, from the heart." (1Peter 1:22)

If you can drop everything and come, give me a call.  816-863-3232.  Or, of course, just come.

Together in Him,

Jaye Pryor