Playtime is over. As our friend Dr. Jay Strack says, "It's time for the little girl to sit down, and the young woman to stand up. It's time for the little boy to sit down, and the young man stand up."
While many are making decisions this week, moving forward with Christ, abiding in Him; there are still some that are completely resistant to the Gospel...we need breakthroughs birthed in prayer. Please be praying with us today. Please cover the names of our students and leaders.
Praying that we see this life is really not about us as Rick Warren so simply put it. I pray that students honestly examine their hearts.
"We cannot play games with God, and at the same time experience spiritual awakening." Ronnie Floyd.
"Changed lives. Results from being in the holy presence of God. Changed attitudes, changed relationships, changed hearts. This is what can happen when we experience the supernatural power of God....When we repent of our willful desires to put distance between ourselves and God's holiness, He will change our attitudes toward our most cherished sins, and we will find ourselves in the center of a spiritual breakthrough. Only as we live in His presence will the power of the Holy Spirit enable us to change both our attitudes and our conduct. Instead of our self-worshipping nature wants to do, we will choose to do what God wants us to do...God will give us liberty. We will know the meaning of true worship. Our sinfulness, hopelessness, and insufficiency will come so clearly to the forefront that we, like the hearers of Jonathan Edwards's sermon-will know we are but one step from destruction. This is what can happen to us when we stand in awe of the holiness of God." Ronnie Floyd
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J.I. Packer says, "Holiness is the very purpose of regeneration: that believers become Christlike. Nothing defeats Satan's purposes for Christians like a a holy life, and nothing plays into his hands more than the failure to practice holiness. Holiness gives credibility to witness; lack of it negates the witness. True happiness comes only as a by product of holiness."
Praying for students to follow hard after Him today. When we experience true worship of God, our lives change. We begin to care more about the things of God than about what we want. I am praying for myself, all the same things this week, this time has been incredibly refreshing for me in so many ways. The quiet moments while Caleb naps in the morning and in the afternoon are incredible. Listening to the message via livefeed has been awesome! The Truth is being preached this week. He has been displayed. The Lord's speaking and I pray I will be found faithful.
Pray that today, students will being living out the gospel "as they go." There will be people hurting all around them, and me, today. Pray that we have His eyes for them and can offer them the love of Christ. This may mean for students, leaving their buddies/girlfriends awhile and taking some quiet moments with someone within the youth group who is hurting and pulling away for a bit to "bear one another's burdens." Maybe they bump into a vacactioner and strike up a conversation that points them to Christ even in the elevator. Praying "as we go" that they'd point to Him today. That they'd truly enjoy fellowship with oneanother while being on the lookout for divine appointments.
Also, please pray for "unity among the brethern." Pray that students would restore relationships this week. That they'd truly enjoy being together with one another.
Pray from Ephesians 4:12-32:
17:So this I say, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, 18being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart; 19and they, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness. 20But you did not learn Christ in this way, 21if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus, 22that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, 23and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.
25Therefore, laying aside falsehood, SPEAK TRUTH EACH ONE of you WITH HIS NEIGHBOR, for we are members of one another. 26BE ANGRY, AND yet DO NOT SIN; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27and do not give the devil an opportunity. 28He who steals must steal no longer; but rather he must labor, performing with his own hands what is good, so that he will have something to share with one who has need. 29Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear. 30Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you. Thanks for taking time to read and to pray. Breakthroughs are birthed in prayer!
"Prayer does not equip you for greater works.
Prayer is the greater work." Oswald Chambers
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