Protect Unity

I don't know who it will be today that I will need to be gentle and humble with but it will be someone. There is always someone. It is all too easy to be harsh or prideful when someone rubs the wrong way(by the way that someone could be me!). God says to use a soft answer...to overlook a fault...to make every effort to protect unity. To humble ourselves and consider others as better than ourselves. This is a Spirit-produced virtue. The flesh reacts opposite. The flesh and spirit are in opposition to each other and only the Holy Spirit can bring about true unity. I yeild today to God's Spirit. Help me to be completely humble and gentle and make every effort to protect the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace.

Spirit filled church

Sometimes I hear people speak about Spirit-filled churches. They usually describe things like music, someone speaking in tongues, or some other experience having to do with public displays of this or that. While I do not deny this is a way to describe spirit-filled worship, I would like to present another way of thinking about it.

As you pull in the parking lot someone shows you kindness and gives up a parking spot to you. Someone else sees you park and walks over to greet you and hands you a cold bottle of water showing hospitality. Next one of your friends gives you a big hug and reports that she has been faithfully praying for you this past week. A well-prepared children's worker checks in your kids where a gifted-teacher will teach today's focus truth while kids have fun. For the next hour your children are loved in practical ways and are introduced to Jesus.

Meanwhile you are in the audtorium worshipping God with others who have come for that same purpose. Challenging Truth is presented in engaging and creative ways. Love for God is expressed as people give offerings of grattitude so others can be reached for Christ. God's Spirit convicts you that you need to make changed in order to become more like Jesus. You surrender to God's promptings.

You leave the experience changed, uplifted, and inspired to go out and live differently this week. You are choosing to be filled by God's Spirit and you intentionally choose to touch others all week long until you recieve a recharge at church next week at your Spitit-filled church.

See you tonight @ 6:30 pm for a time of filling and renewal. Chilcare provided. Today's fasting focus is "Lord make us full of Your Holy Spirit". Bring food for or pot-luck dinner right after our prayer time.

fasting teaches me...

Every time I fast I regain focus, perspective, and closeness to God. During a fast, I totally get reminded of what is most important and and sometimes what is not. Denying myself every type of natural or physical fulfillment clears out all distractions and opens my spirit to connect with God. I find it extremely helpful in keeping my fire burning. Rather than weakening me it strengthens me. I recommend fasting as a regular practice to anyone who wants to deepen their relationship with God.

New Community Church is challenged to fast after dinner tuesday until dinner Wednesday after our Prayer gathering at 6:30 pm. Dinner is a pot-luck and childcare is provided.

Our fasting focus is that our church would be filled with the fire and passion of God's Spirit!

Don't put out the Spirit's fire!

1 Thessalonians 5:16-19 (NIV) Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not put out the Spirit's fire...

Above we see God's recipe for a life of passion for God. Choosing a joyful attitude, praying at every chance, and being thankful no matter what. This is what keeps the fire burning for God. Choosing to have a bad attitude (and my attitude is a choice) quenches fire as quickly as anything.

Any fire has to have oxygen to burn. No oxygen-no fire. Prayer is oxygen for the follower of Christ. If you want to fan the flame, pray. Devote yourself to prayer and passion returns. God's Spirit will fill you as you pray and ignite your spirit.

A lack of gratitude will also douse the flames in your life as well. Unthankful people are a drag and they drag others down as well. Limit your exposure to them or they will be like a wet blanket on your spirit. Thank God for everything-everything! Thanksgiving brings passion and renewed perspective. Try it and see if you don't get fired up.

Don't forget to join us for Wednesday Night Live every Wednesday @ 6:30 pm for prayer & fasting. Start fasting on Tuesday Evening and we will share a meal Wednesday night.

last night's prayer gathering

Last night a group (twice as many as last week) of hungry believers gathered at the church building for prayer. It was a great time! We fasted all day and came together to ask God for miracles on behalf of our church. We confessed our unbelief and asked for more faith. We worshipped and prayed for each other. We prayed specific prayers for big problems and asked for a response from God. We asked for specific miracles. Breast cancer, spinal abnormalities, financial mountains, depression, lupus, discouragement, deep wounds, restoration of vision, and more were our requests. I believe God has answered and is answering our prayers.

I believe that we made a significant "full step" forward in learning how to pray for supernatural power and miracles from God. Satan wants us to play it safe and accept things for the way they are. God wants us to "step" out on the dangerous waters and trust Him to show us how to walk on it. It is uncomfortable. It is challenging. It calls us to risk looking foolish. It demands audacious faith. It makes us come alive!

Last night I sensed a refreshing come over the people. We were close-close to each other and close to God. I sensed His pleasure. It felt good. I feel renewed. I look forward to more times of prayer like that!

miracles-do you believe?

Once a man had a demon possessed child. The demon did great harm to the boy. The man asked Jesus that "if He could" to miraculously heal his son. Jesus said, "If you can?" said Jesus. "Everything is possible for him who believes." Immediately the boy's father exclaimed, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!"

Overcoming unbelief can be a challenge. Even Jesus disciples did not have the faith to cast out the demon. There are times when our faith is weak. Maybe we have dealt with something for a long time and we feel stuck with it-it is NEVER going to change the enemy tells us. Or it just seems so big and we just feel ovewhelmed by it.

Someone wrote yesterday that our prayers reflect what we believe about God. I thought about that for quite a while. If that is true then how should that affect my personal prayers?

I have some miracles that I am asking God for. Two have to do with others and one has to do with a personal desire. I struggle with belief for my personal desire. May God grant me the faith to believe in His power to do over and above what I think is possible.

HELP ME OVERCOME MY UNBELIEF!

By the way cure to unbelief is found a little later in our story. The disciples asked Jesus why they could not heal and He said that "this kind of demon only comes out by prayer and fasting".

If you need a miracle and you struggle sometimes to have faith, fast and pray with us today and then join us tonight at 6:30 as we pray for miracles. We will have a pot-luck meal at the end of our prayer time.

Prayer time: Wednesday 6:30
Childcare provided
Potluck meal

faithful in prayer

Prayer can definitely be a challenge to stay faithful in. I know that I can experience challenges staying focused. Once again I return to love as the fuel. When you love someone you desire to communicate...to hear thier heart...to know what they want and do it. I almost always dial Michelle when I get in the car because I just want to talk to her. I love her.

So it is with prayer. Don't really need a reason other than I love God. I used to think I needed to pray a long time and it produced guilt during prayer rather tha joy. Now I just pray short prayers whenever about whatever. I also have alarms that go off on my phone to remind me at certain times to pray about certain things. I want to be faithful.

Please pray for our church to be faithful in prayer. We are pressing in more right now with special meetings on Wednesday night @ 6:30 as we fast and pray from dinner Tuesday until dinner Wednesday. Join us as we fast and pray for miracles!