Here’s is a message that I sent out to my prayer group few days ago…I pray that it blesses you.
Hello friends! We had a good prayer session this past Wednesday. Even if you are not comfortable with speaking out your praise or prayers, please feel free to join us to listen in. There’s no pressure to speak.
Midweek corporate prayer meetings remind me of a Costco shopping spree. I usually see it as a challenge to grab as many items and requests as possible in our short amount of time together. It’s nice to see my fellow friends grab something that I didn’t ask for and yet I benefited from their requests. 🙂 And that is exactly what happens for you too, even if you don’t openly speak a word in the prayer meeting but join us.
Oftentimes we do what this devotional says we should do when we pray together. We remind God about His promises. I didn’t realize doing this in prayer gets His extra attention. 😃
https://260journey.com/a-great-prayer-to-start-your-day/
Prior to Covid, we met in my church or someone’s home, and our events would last for two hours. I miss the in-person fellowship and slower pace. But I understand that taking 2-3 hours is not possible for many of us. Even if our group cannot meet this way weekly, it is important to keep up with your fellowship with believers in other ways – for example, bible study groups, serving together in the church, etc.
I agree with this quote by Charles Spurgeon:
“I believe that every Christian ought to be joined to some visible church; that is his plain duty, according to the Scriptures. God’s people are not dogs, else they might go about one by one; but they are sheep, and therefore they should be in flocks.”
Please for the sake of your children and family, please do the minimum by joining a church community and supporting the church with your time, talents and resources. Please find your flock this fall semester. If our prayer group is your flock then please put our group meetings in your calendar for the rest of the semester.
Here are good resources for your encouragement and wisdom. These blessed me, and I hope it helps you too.
I read Francis Chan’s book written about the Holy Spirit and it was nice to hear in this podcast that he is still not sure about the Holy Spirit. Me too. 😂 It was reassuring to be reminded that we should simply ask for the Holy Spirit like a child asking a parent for good foods to eat, and don’t get suspicious about the gift giver, our God. Here is the podcast about the Holy Spirit by Francis Chan.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/crazy-love-podcast/id1007053996?i=1000622449454
I’m certain that the Holy Spirit is working on these college revivalshappening currently in two secular, state universities in Alabama and Texas. Let’s keep these universities and their students in our prayers please 🙏.
http://www1.cbn.com/cbnnews/us/2023/september/they-wanted-jesus-it-was-so-sincere-author-jennie-allen-shares-about-mass-baptism-at-auburn
This is a good short devotional about who we really are. First read this devotional, and then read the Times magazine article below about the man who is working very hard to keep his body alive forever.
After reading about him, please let’s pray for him too 🙏.
His story reminded me about the new movie on Elvis that I saw recently. It was a good movie but a very sad ending. Elvis’s only daughter, Lisa died few days after this movie premiere too. 😢
https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/elvis
I’ve shared this documentary with you while back but in case you’re new to our group or missed seeing it, please watch this documentary about theAzusa Street Revival. It’s pretty mind-blowing documentary.
https://youtu.be/lp-rjyDVrGU?si=StiJM9qGQXK1f67Z
Here is a good interview with Alice Cooper and his beautiful wife Sheryl. I’m still shocked that they never had infidelity in their marriage. As a touring and troubled famous rock star, I just assumed that is not possible. It must’ve been the power of their praying parents and grandparents then. Both are pastor’s kids. Please don’t ever lose hope about your children and grandchildren, no matter how far away they appear!
https://youtu.be/BjegR3Jg_Bo?si=8QwgP6efFSz-ngZF
Marriage relationship is toughest work ever because there are no breaks between two people. Before things get extremely difficult to repair your marriage; you must seek help, support and prayers. Focus on the Family has great resources for believing couples.
https://www.focusonthefamily.com/
If you don’t have a believing spouse like me, then it’s much more delicate and complicated. I think I’ve demonstrated that it’s possible to live a fruitful life in the Lord despite our core belief differences. Please reach out to me if you need some guidance and advice, and also prayers.
It’s the principal of “Hard-Easy” again. If you learn how to get along with your spouse despite your differences then other relationships such as your children, parents, in-laws, neighbors, co-workers, friends, church members, etc are much easier.
That’s about it for this week. Happy studying! God bless you abundantly.
Matthew 16:24-27 (NKJV)
Take Up the Cross and Follow Him
24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. 25 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.26 For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? 27 For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.
Galatians 5:22-23 (NKJV)
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
Journal of Faith 