Good day dear friends. Greetings from foggy and cool Mt. Wesley United Methodist Encampment in Kerrville, Texas. There is limited internet access here so yesterday I could not get to write my Tuesday ConCafe. I drove from SM here early and was in a meeting until 9:30 p.m. Please be in prayer for the Southwest Texas Conference Board of Ordained Ministry as we prepare to continue our work. Our own Kit and Leslie Tomlinson come to us (not in person, but through their respective committees) so please be in prayer for them and for all who would serve the Lord.
We continue to pray and study about how God can best prepare us for works of service and here are two study guides:
Tuesday: (I just noticed that in Sunday's The University of the Way/Sermon insert, I did not change Tuesday's study guide, so here is an internet exclusive!)
From 1 Corinthians 1: 4 I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that has been given you in Christ Jesus, 5 for in every way you have been enriched in him, in speech and knowledge of every kind— 6 just as the testimony of Christ has been strengthened among you— 7 so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ. 8 He will also strengthen you to the end, so that you may be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful; by him you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord."
Paul was a thankful man. For all and in all things he gave thanks. In this passage he is thanking God for the people who followed Christ Jesus. In them, because of their faithfulness, he could see God's grace. It was evident in their speech and the way they shared what they know (knowledge). And as a result of their faithfulness they had been rewarded with new gifts, "riches" Paul called them. And Paul knew that because of that faithfulness they woudl be strengthened even to the end, enjoying always the fellowship of Jesus Christ our Lord.
What do people see in you? Can they see a life lived in the "fellowship of Jesus" or in someone's else's fellowship? Is it evident in your speech and conversations that you know God and God's grace? If not, it's a lack of spiritual preparation as we discussed Sunday. If we turn ourselves over to PREPARE ourselves before God, God will use us. (P: Prayer (our talking to God) R: Reflection (letting God talk to us) E: Education (our learning all we can about God) P: Patience (Desired results don't always happen overnight, we have to be patient.) A: Adoration (making worship a daily part of our prayers and devotional time) R: Respond (once we know what God is calling us to, we respond) E: Enthusiasm: Being on-fire for the Lord and positive about all things!)
PRAYER: Come, Lord God and make us prepared to be people of faith. Let Your grace be seen in us as we seek You in all things. We pray in Christ Jesus' name. Amen.
Here's our pray guide for today:
Wednesday: For our day of prayer and purpose, I am asking everyone reading this to be in prayer and fasting for our church. We need to be the church that God has intended. Pray for God to share a clear vision in your life for what YOU as a church member or active worshipper, can be doing. Great will be the blessings if we begin to practice fasting as a means of God’s grace. Set aside at least a meal time (if you can physically do so; if you need to eat, by all means, eat.) You can give up a favorite food or an activity as a “fast.” To fast means to replace a phsycial nourishment with a spiritual one.
Have a great and blessed day!
e.v.
