Re: PRAYER

Good morning all,

Fifteen more days and Spring will be here!   We praise and thank God for having had a mild winter. Lord willing, we look forward to the beauty of Spring.

GIVING THANKS:

 

• Thanks to everyone who generously contributed to our collection of non-perishable food for the Spooner House!  They remain so grateful.  Keep the contributions coming. 

• Ron’s next challenge will be collections for the Bridgeport Juvenile Detention center. More details to follow.

REMINDERS:

 

• Tuesday March 8^th will be the next Ladies Bible class at 9:30 a.m.  Lisa and Mary Lou will begin a new study of 1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd John and Jude.   Watch for the zoom invite link!

 

• A Men’s Bible study will be held on Thursday evening, March 10^th at 7:30 via zoom.  Watch for the zoom invite link.

 

• Friday, March 11^th at 7:00 p.m. is the Ladies study on the book of Ephesians.   A great series of lessons on who we are, and whose we are!  Join us as we study the Holy Spirit at our next class.   Watch for the zoom invite link.   Lord willing for our April study we will be back at the building and possibly offer zoom as an option. 

 

• This Sunday we will have a brief meeting for the 150^th church anniversary planning session right after worship.  Thanks to all who have graciously volunteered already!  Things are coming together nicely and more details will be out soon.

 

• As we study the Life & times of Jesus, these are wonderful opportunities to invite friends, family & co-workers to join.  

 

• Bible classes for all ages from cradle roll to adult -10:00 a.m.

 

• Worship 11:00 a.m.

 

• Wednesday night bible study at 7:00 p.m. via zoom. 

Preach the word to the lost!

PRAYER REQUESTS:

• Tracie’s father Ray Edison passed away yesterday. Our prayers go out to Tracie, Jim and all of their family at this time.  Thanks to everyone who has kept Ray Edison in your prayers over this past year due to his declining health.  God is to be praised for his life!  A memorial service is planned for Wednesday.

• Continued prayers for Jennifer Ruiz who is still struggling with vertigo. She saw the ENT doctor yesterday & he said the cause of the vertigo is vestibular nerve inflammation in her left ear from when she had Covid in January.  She needs to go to vestibular therapy, then hearing & balance testing in April. She also went to the cardiologist yesterday & the cause of the heart palpitations, shortness of breath & dizziness could either be due to when she had Covid or possibly be Lupus. Her lupus inflammation numbers are high so they need to do an echocardiogram in a couple of weeks & at the end of this month, wear a heart halter device to make sure she doesn’t have cardiac arrhythmia. Her doctors have advised her to not to over exert herself, meditate, try not to stress and rest. It’s going to be a long recovery but they said she will get better with therapy and medication. She is thankful that she finally has some answers.  It has been exhausting for her, but her Faith remains strong.  She is grateful for each day and for everyone’s prayers.

• Continued prayers for Flo who needs to undergo more tests since she is still not feeling well.   It has been several weeks now.

• Joe Nuzzo will be having oral surgery on Thursday, March 10th.  He has an infection in his jaw .  He also needs an MRI on his lower back.   

• Joe Nuzzo also asked for prayers for his co-worker Theresa Schroeder who is having a baby girl this month. This is her first child & the baby’s name is Olivia Grace.   Joe works with her husband Al Garcia.  Several years ago Al’s kidneys were failing and he needed a new kidney.  Theresa was a perfect match and donated her kidney to Al.  He has had some challenges recently with the new kidney.  Prayers for this couple are appreciated!

 

• Continued prayers for Mel and our senior members as they deal with many health issues at this stage in their lives.

• Continued prayers for the refugees affected by the war in the Ukraine.  

 

Prayer is a true gift from God.  

As we walk by faith and not by sight, prayer helps us cling to the Father during all of our trials!

How do people get through their lives without prayer?

The images of the attack on the Ukraine are disturbing.   The news showed a Children’s cancer hospital that was trying to evacuate the strongest of the children to another facility.  They were not sure how to save the more sickly children.

For Christians, prayer is our way of coping with life by communicating with our Heavenly Father and connecting with Him on every level.  It is also an opportunity for us to Praise His Holy Name.

Can we truly appreciate the ability we have to communicate with God?  Can we truly grasp that when we pray, our words go before Yahweh the God of Moses, Isaac and Jacob?  the same God who breathed the universe into existence?

Jesus spoke of prayer and not only gave us a sample prayer, but He demonstrated prayer throughout His life.  The Son of God (who was God) , prayed to His Father. He shared His Praise, His gratitude, His heart, His concerns, His thoughts & fears, and submitted His requests to His Father.   

 Jesus tells us in Matthew 6:5-8

 “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.”

Vs. 9-13

“Our Father in heaven,

Hallowed be thy name.

Thy Kingdom come,

Thy will be done,

On earth, as it is in Heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread,

And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

And lead us not into temptation,

But deliver us from evil.”

Jesus teaches us that we are to pray in secret. What an amazing God we have that he desires to meet with us at all! But he loves us, and when we talk with him in secret, He hears us and is pleased.   

Can you imagine if your child never spoke to you? 

Luke 5:16 “But Jesus Himself would often slip away to the wilderness to pray.“

Mark 14:39 “Again He went away and prayed, saying the same words.“

All of us have a longing to know our Creator in a way that no one else is allowed into. It is critical that we set aside time to talk with him one on one. It is through the vehicle of prayer and in this quiet time, that our relationship with God will grow deeper, and our lives will radically be transformed.

Jesus also makes it clear that our prayers are more about having a relationship with the Father, than the words we say.  When we pray, it is more about what is on our heart than the words we use.   It’s about opening our hearts to God and letting him show us his plan for transformation in both our lives and in the world around us. 

Jesus also opens his prayer with Reverence.  We must have the highest regard and reverence for God as we share our prayers.  

John 17:1-25 “Jesus spoke these things; and lifting up His eyes to Heaven, He said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify Your Son, that the Son may glorify You, even as You gave Him authority over all flesh, that to all whom You have given Him, He may give eternal life. This is eternal life, that they may Know You, the only true God and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.”

God calls us to pray in order to develop and deepen our relationships with Him.  He wants to hear our hearts, even though He knows our words before we say them.    He desires to have a relationship with us, and prayer is the means to do so.  

Proverbs 2:1-5 “My son, if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you, making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding; yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.”

John 16:24 “Ask and you shall receive.” 

Paul instructs us on how to talk to God.  Colossians 4:2-6 “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us too, that God may open a door for our message so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt so that you may know how to answer everyone.”

 James 5:16-18 “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. Elijah was a man just like us.  He prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and id did not rain on the land for three years and six months.  And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.”  

When our loved ones, near or far,  are hurting, we can pray for them and gain comfort in knowing God hears our prayers and is there hope.

When we see horrific things happening in our world, we can pray for God’s resolve,  peace and His will to prevail. We are comforted by knowing He cares and is always working.

Philippians 4:6 “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Romans 12:12 “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.”

C. S. Lewis wrote, “I don’t pray to change God.  I pray because I have to.  I pray because I can’t help myself.   It doesn’t change God.   It changes me.”

Through prayer, God can bring our life into alignment with His vision and plans for us!   

 

LORD LISTEN TO YOUR CHILDREN PRAYING

 “Give ear to me and hear my prayer.” Psalm 17:6

Lord, Listen to your children praying

Lord, send your Spirit in this place

Lord, Listen to your children praying,

Send us love, send us power, send us grace.

ON BENDED KNEE

“For this reason I kneel before the Father.” Ephesians 3:14-15

On Bended knee we come. 

With a humble heart we come. 

Bowing down, before Your Holy throne.

Lifting Holy hands to you.  

As I pledge my love a new. 

I worship You in Spirit, I worship You in Truth

Make my life a Holy praise unto You.

On bended knee I come, 

with a broken heart I come; 

Bowing down before Your Holy throne. 

As I look upon Your face, show Your mercy and your grace. 

Change my life Oh Holy Spirit, make me fresh and ever new;  

Make my life a Holy sacrifice to you.

SWEET HOUR OF PRAYER

“O You, who hear prayer, to You all men will come.” Ps 65:2

Sweet hour of prayer!

Sweet hour of prayer,

That calls me from a world of care,

And bids me at my Father’s throne,

Make all my wants and wishes known.

In seasons of distress and grief

My soul has often found relief,

And oft escaped the tempter’s snare,

By Thy return, sweet hour of prayer.

Sweet hour of prayer,

Sweet hour of prayer, 

The joy I feel, the bliss I share,

Of those whose anxious spirits burn

With strong desires for Thy return!

With such I hasten to the place

Where God, my Savior, shows His face,

And gladly take my station there,

And wait for Thee, sweet hour of prayer.

Sweet hour of prayer!

Sweet hour of prayer,

Thy wings shall my petition bear,

To Him whose truth and faithfulness,

Engage the waiting soul to bless.

And since He bids me seek His face,

Believe His word, and trust His grace,

I’ll cast on Him my every care,

And wait for Thee, sweet hour of prayer.

DAY BY DAY

Day by Day,

Day by Day,

O Dear Lord,

Three things I pray…(things I pray)…

To see Thee more clearly,

Love Thee more dearly,

Follow Thee more nearly,

Day By Day

Let’s go to God in prayer with a new kind of commitment and heartfelt dedication!  

In Him,

Bruce & Paula