The Prayer Link

There’s far more here than meets the eye.

The things we see now are here today,

gone tomorrow.

But the things we can’t see now will last forever.

~2 Corinthians 4:18 (MSG)~

CaringBridge: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/larkindorris/journal

Please pray for the prayers that people have but are unable to speak or put in writing. Sometimes people just have things on their hearts that they cannot share yet.

Pray for the many families in our area who are grieving the loss of a family member or dear friend.

TODAY’S PRAYER
INTERNATIONAL MISSION BOARD
APRIL 7, 2010

“But you are a chosen generation,

a royal priesthood,

a holy nation,

His own special people,

that you may proclaim the praises of Him

who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.”

~1 Peter 2:9~

WORLD LEADERS. “Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence” (1 Timothy 2:1-2). Please pray today for Chief Minister Tony Brown of Isle of Man (western Europe, between Great Britain and Ireland).

DECCANI MUSLIMS OF INDIA (deh-KAH-nee). Recently one local pastor stood and taught more than 40 others how to share Christ among the Deccani Muslims! This is an answer to prayer–to see others trained and rise to the challenge to train still others to make disciples from the Deccani Muslim communities. This has been a rare occurrence due to the historic “separateness” between religious communities in India. Many Christians remain passive towards the Muslim community–but not this one pastor! God has given him a growing passion to see God’s glory cover the Deccani Muslims as the waters cover the sea (see Habakkuk 2:14). Praise God for His answer to prayer: raising up others from within His church as laborers for the field–even training others to do the same! http://www.go2southasia.org/

NYUNGWE OF MOZAMBIQUE (NYUN-gway). Join the Nyungwe Team in giving thanks to God that the first teaching time in February went very well. As you prayed, the Holy Spirit moved in a mighty way as leaders studied God’s Word together. They also worked on how to give a testimony, and then everyone shared their testimonies with the group. One leader who had inherited the leadership of a church by default, even though he himself was not a believer, came to Christ through the testimony time! The group decided to have the next teaching time in September. Ask the Father to continue to work in the lives and hearts of these leaders.cknalls@gmail.com; http://thenalls.wordpress.com/

KneEmail

“At the name of Jesus every knee should bow…” Philippians 2:10

Mike Benson, Editor

GOD’S PLAN OF salvation has completely leveled the playing field…

In almost every area of life people have some kind of advantage.  In the system called Christianity, all so-called advantages disappear.  This is conclusive proof that God views the prominent people of society in the same way as factory workers and housewives.  Men may put more value on the converted souls of the rich, powerful, well-educated and “well-connected,” but God does not.

An elderly couple had worked in Africa for many years.  They were returning to the United States on an ocean liner.  On this same ship was President Teddy Roosevelt (he was returning from a big game hunting expedition).  The missionary couple watched the fanfare given the President and his entourage.  When the ship docked in New York, a band was waiting to greet him.  The Mayor was there to welcome him.  Several newspapers had sent reporters to cover his return.

During the commotion the missionary couple slipped quietly off the ship and found a cheap apartment.  They had no pension, were in poor health, and felt discouraged.  The husband was especially disturbed.  He could not understand how God would allow the President to be treated so well while the years of service he and his wife had offered seemed to be unnoticed and unappreciated.  He claimed that God was being unfair to them.  He bitterly complained to his wife.  She finally turned to him and said, “We’re not home yet.”  Brad Price

“And the base things of the world

and the things which are despised God has chosen,

and the things which are not,

to bring to nothing the things that are,

that no flesh should glory in His presence.

But of Him you are in Christ Jesus,

who became for us wisdom from God–

and righteousness and sanctification and redemption–

that, as it is written, ‘

He who glories, let him glory in the LORD.'”

1 Cor. 1:28-30

“The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.”

~James 5:16b~

CaringBridge

• http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/calliecole
• http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/kathyjothompson
• http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/larkindorris

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“At the name of Jesus every knee should bow…” Philippians 2:10

Mike Benson, Editor

SHE WAS A Christian woman with whom I’d been acquainted for many years…

In recent months her husband battled some serious ailments. In that time, she developed some conditions of her own. It seemed she was doing better. But her husband woke up one morning, and she did not. She was 81 years old.

But on the last day of 2006 he suffered a heart attack and died. He was 23 years old.These two sketches of real people illustrate a principle we’ve come to know all too well: life is fragile. Though it may seem we’re in the prime of life, enjoying excellent physical health, conditions can change with blinding speed.

An undetected illness surfaces, and carries a poor prognosis. An oncoming car fails to negotiate a curve and veers into our lane. A freak accident occurs on the job. Just when we thought life was going smoothly, the end comes.

James didn’t use the word “fragile” in describing the temporal nature of life, but his image carries the same idea. He wrote:

“Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit’; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away” (James 4:13,14, NKJV).

“A little time” may mean ninety years, but it may not. In view of eternity, any number of years begins to look puny. Even if we lived to be 500, it would be “a little time,” and then we would vanish away.

The lesson to be learned was not forgotten by the inspired writer: “Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that” (James 4:15).

His point: We need to live in view of God’s will. And God’s will is that we be reconciled to Him and live according to His will – every day.

This package contains items that can be easily broken. That’s why I’m asking the postal worker to handle it with care. Similarly, God warns us that our souls are enveloped in fragile containers. Before they break and spill our spirits into eternity, let’s make sure we’re ready.

Let’s live in a constant state of readiness. And if we vanish away today or twenty years from now, we’ll welcome the appointment, knowing we’re heading home!  Tim Hall at:http://www.forthright.net/heavenly_connections/fragile_-_handle_with_care_1.html

“Come now, you who say,

‘Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city,

spend a year there,

buy and sell,

and make a profit’;

whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow.

For what is your life?

It is even a vapor that appears for a little time

and then vanishes away.”

~James 4:13,14~

Make today count!

Anna Lee

There’s far more here than meets the eye.

The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow.

But the things we can’t see now will last forever.

2 Corinthians 4:18 (MSG)

Trisha Wilson thanks you for praying for the Easter party at her home Friday.  It went well.  Trisha was able to explain the real meaning of Easter to the children.

CaringBridge

• http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/adriannacavanagh

Continue to pray for the Gehringer family.

Continue to pray for Roger Pittman.  His pain continues, but it’s not time to go back to the doctor yet.

KneEmail

“At the name of Jesus every knee should bow…” Philippians 2:10

Mike Benson, Editor

I AM NOT a hunter…

In fact, no one could be more removed from that world than I.  However, a couple of years ago a friend took me to his hunting club to check on the “food plots.”  Of course, I had no idea what these were, but I quickly realized that they existed to lure unsuspecting deer to the shooting area by using their need for food.  Wow!  Who knew that eating could get you killed?  (Unless, of course, you have watched any of the Godfather trilogy…)

The idea is not original.  Anyone ever read Genesis 3?  The serpent introduces Eve and Adam to the concept of self-will and, through it, the failure of humanity.

The adversary is still at it today, and he uses the same strategy.  Why would he need something new when the original works so well?  Most of our disappointments, failures and shortcomings are the result of this same trap.  I have never met a person who gets up one morning and says, “Today, I will make a mess of my life!”  Life destruction should never be a conscious choice.  That said, why do we so often find ourselves caught and entangled in the web of sin?  Scripture tells us that the adversary “prowls the earth looking and watching…”  To makes matters worse, he understands our weaknesses and knows how to exploit them.

Jesus prayed in Matthew 6, “lead us not into temptation” (v. 13).  This has always been a curious verse to me.  Would God purposefully do that to God’s children?  No, but through our basic needs and desires, we often do it to ourselves.  And the adversary is glad to give us a little shove.  When we walk with the Lord, He can through Scripture show us the traps (i.e., food plots), even when they look appetizing and inviting…  (Shane Standford, Ronnie Kent)

“Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am tempted by God’; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.  But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.” James 1:13-14

Have a productive Monday!

Anna Lee