SEAC Prayer Journal

Flat Tire on the Motorbike Journey into the Villages, Laos, March 2014 Do Not Forsake Me, O Lord Psalm 38 (ESV) A Psalm of David, for the memorial offering How often do you feel overloaded by surroundings, criticisms, judgments, shame, and even sometimes our own communities?   As Disciples on this earthly journey our Refuge is here to lean on throughout all our struggles, hardships, judgments, shame, and community development. ·       Read through Psalms 38. ·       Reflect on each section ·       Write your own psalms of offering in your own words ·       Our Refuge is here to lean on. Surrender: Confession of Shortcomings 1. O Lord, rebuke me not in your anger, nor discipline me in your wrath!   2. For your arrows have sunk into me, and your hand has come down on me.   3. There is no soundness in my flesh bec...

Conference is coming up in about a month.  It surely will be a celebration of 10 years of a growing community.  We have so many reasons to give thanks to Father God who has been extremely good to us.  He has provided and given to each of us more extravagantly than any of us could have imagined. If you can stop and reflect for just one minute and consider the state of your current situation.  Did you ever believe that you would be serving or sitting at the table that you are at? At times we loose sight of what to be thankful for; we forget how to draw closer and align our hearts with our Father's heart.  It's an opportune time to take this into consideration as we approach the SEALS 2014....Let us reflect on the words to the song Closer by Bethel Music and Steffany Frizzell Gretzinger.... Verse: Your love has ravished my heart And taken me over, taken me over And all I want is to be With You forever, with You forever Chorus 1:  Pull me ...

In our Christian worldview, this week is called "Holy Week".  I am not only looking at the symbols, reminders, and the passages that we review during this week, the memorial, but I am looking further past the gift of Jesus's sacrifice on the cross.  This week I am challenged by the humanness of Jesus.  As one of my professors said in class this week,  "From upon the cross when Jesus says, 'Elio! Elio! lema sabachithana?"  which means "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me.'  He is actually shouting READ PSALMS 22 READ PSALMS 22!!!"   Psalms 22:1-2 1 says, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?  Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning? O my God, I cry by day, but you do no answer, and by night, but I find no rest."   I look back and see that holy week is not a series of symbols, how to be a better person, or recognized that "Yeah, I sinned this many times this year, and this sin was a doosey...

In all things, God is the Creator, the Author, and the Master Craftsman.  And as his servant leaders we are learning to mimic his craftsmanship.  As we practice, train, and discipline ourselves through life we are being refined from  beginners to advanced servant leaders following the examples of the master designer.  In the beginning he holds our hands on how to do things, and as we grow and develop he helps us redevelop and refine our technique.  He helps us with our skills, but he affirms and nurtures our gifting   Yes, because a Master Craftsmen cares for his apprentices.    In this analogy we see that God has been building up the Bride of Christ and as we know the harvest is ready but the workers are few.  May we know that we are the workers and we build each other up and the kingdom with care and authenticity, even through the growing pains stretching and branching out for the sake of God's satisfaction, our sanctifica...

The word spreads fast.  Facebook, Twitter, and the news have all been blasting the news of twin bombs in Boston.  The immediate thought is, "What is the world coming to, and how can this be happening again."  We think and remember the days of fear and chaos from 9/11.  Today we again are thinking of fear and chaos, Patriot's Day in Boston has not been blood stained with the two lives lost and the hundreds that have been injured and decapitated from the bombing.  In these types of situations how do we pray and approach the throne of grace? In remembering the pangs and pains of suffering of the Israelite people who went through genocide, slavery, bondage, and invasion we see and know that the character of God is just, fair, slow to anger, and quick to love.  We see and experience a God who is peace in chaos, and mercy in times of devastation. In anything and everything of course we can be praying for things like this.....relief...