Looking Up
THIS WEEK’S DEVOTIONAL – PRAYER CHANGES THINGS
By Gwynn Barger
READ EPHESIANS 1:15-20
HEBREWS 4:16
Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Our family at Ascension Lutheran Church in Haddon Heights, New Jersey believes prayer changes things. As a congregation we have seen the power of prayer. We personally felt the true power of prayer this year.
PHILIPPIANS 4:6
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
Some people pray that a loved one who is sick will get well. Others pray for good fortune to come their way. Some offer prayers of thanks for the blessings God has bestowed. Still others pray that God will guide them and be with them.
At one time or another we have offered all of these prayers. But these are not the prayers that showed us God’s true awesomeness. When our travel team met in January we talked about praying and were asked to pray for you, our brothers and sisters in Namibia.
PSALM 145:18
The LORD is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth.
We didn’t know you. We didn’t have any idea who you were, what you looked like, anything about you. And yet when we started praying for you, we were with you and you were with us. We think of you daily. We could not wait to see you face to face.
It is our humble opinion that “with God all things are possible and all things are possible only with God.” It is only through prayer and God that we could “know” you. You were a stranger living 11714 kilometers of 7279 miles away. And yet through prayer, through God, we came to know you.
That, our friends is the true awesomeness of prayer!
All of the meetings are closed with the following African blessing as prayed for Gwynn and Taylor by our congregation this past Sunday:
May God go with you! GO NICELY; MAY YOUR PATH BE SWEPT OF DANGER. God go with you, and may you escape from the mishaps ahead! MAY YOU GO WITH GOD! Let God bear you in peace like a young shoot! MAY YOU MEET WITH THE KINDLY DISPOSED ONE! May God take care of you! MAY GOD WALK YOU WELL! May you pass the night with God! MAY YOU REMAIN WITH GOD. May God be with you who remain behind! MAY YOU REMAIN WITH GOD! Amen.
MARTIN LUTHER QUOTE FOR TODAY ON PRAYER:
Pray …. and Let God worry.
PRAYER LIST
Mildred Evans
George Heiser
Mary Krouse
Augie Longo
Charlie Rowntree
OUR FAITHFULNESS IN STEWARDSHIP
Last Week
Year To Date
Needed
$2,861
$85,840
Received
$1,286
$73,355
OUR FAITHFULNESS IN WORSHIP
Last Sunday - 52
SERVING THIS SUNDAY
July 25, 2010
10:00 a.m.
One Worship Service
at 10:00 a.m.
Altar Server
Alec Gromen
Altar Server
Ian Gromen
Greeter
Greeter
Gladys Seeds
Lee Seeds
Lector
Eric Landis
Comm Assistant
Don Beineman
Comm Assistant
Doug Belling
Usher
Joe Bush
Usher
George Edwards
Counter
Peggy Higman
Counter
Eric Landis
Altar Guild
Ruth Brennan, Anna Sharp
LOOKING UP DEVOTIONALS: Writers are “always welcome” and are encouraged to share. Just include a scripture, your devotional and a closing prayer. That’s it. You may contact Linda Forman or Julie Landis for more information.
WHERE DOES THE NAME Looking Up COME FROM?
If you want to see the source of the title, read Acts 1:8-11, the event of Jesus' Ascension. We also like to say at Ascension that "things are looking up!"