ABOUT THE PICTURE.   Shown is the  front wall and altar in our Prayer Chapel.  The wall contains ten names of God.  The cross is crafted from wood saved from a white ash tree that was removed to facilitate building our new Community Center.   See ABOUT THE PRAYER CHAPEL (click on Prayer Ministry and About the Prayer Chapel or just page down) to read about the chapel itself.

OUR PRAYER MINISTRY
Prayer Ministry is growing at NUMC.  Many of the events you will find in other areas will have a functional set within Prayer Ministry through the conclusion of an event.  Our Prayer chapel was dedicated on November 29, 2009.  Communion is offered each Sunday promply at 10:40 except when it is included in the regular Worship Service.  See the notice board to the left of the Chapel door.  

To request prayer for yourself or another, send an email to numcprayers@gmail.com.  Please get permission before using a person's name and specific details.  Click on the plum email address to begin an email for a prayer request or to comment on this ministry's site content.

The Prayer Ministry tab is organized as follows:

1. Prayer Ministry Website Outline (you are here)
2. Fred's Threads, the devotional (one week retained)
3. Monthly Prayer List
4. About the Prayer Chapel
5. Weekly Prayer Requests

6. Daily Prayer Requests 


 

 

NOTE: The first text lines of newer material in this tab will be highlighted in a color. 

 

 

Saturday, September 11, 2010

Good Morning Faithful Praying People,

            Today’s Scripture, Galatians 5: 22-26 (NIV) which reads,

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,

faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control.  Against such things there is no law.  

24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its

passions and desires.  25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the 

Spirit.  26 Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

            Galatians 5:22-26, episode five: “26 Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.”  On occasion, someone says, “Thank you for…,” which may be the result of a special action you have taken or for sustained ordinary performance.  Paul says it is OK to accept and to give appreciation.  But he warns us about becoming conceited—look a me and all the good I have done.  Conceit on the part of one prompts others to react, often negatively, and, especially if the conceited one is in a leadership role, to compare accomplishments and “rewards” which results in envy.  When we are living a Spirit-filled life, we attribute our good actions to the Holy Spirit in us.

            However, as was stated earlier, we have to crucify our sinful nature each day—remind our selves where the fruit of the Spirit and all else originates—or we will be tempted to think that our accomplishments self generated.  The evil one is good at getting us to see a few appreciative remarks as “gold stars” and our focus become getting more gold stars.  Then others want a gold star, too.  In just a short time, a Spirit-filled group, even a church, can be led down the proverbial primrose path to self destruction when conceit and envy take over.

            History contains many examples of people that had God’s favor (lived a Spirit-filled life), evolved to an ego-filled life, fell from grace, and fell flat on their faces (if they were lucky).  King David is a good example.  He was God’s chosen among a chosen people.  He was given high office and on occasion took advantage of that office for his own benefit and fell from grace.  Instead of the Spirit-filled life, David began to live the sin-filled life.  In verses 19—21, Paul tells us. “The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like,” (NIV). 

            David is one who luckily fell on his face—prostrate at the feet of God—and begged for forgiveness…received forgiveness and returned to God’s favor…and went on to honor God.  You don’t have to be King David to come into the clutches of the evil one.  All you have to be is you—forgetting that you are God’s and basking in your own glory.  That is contrary to the Spirit and what is contrary to the Spirit is the sinful nature.    

            Two consecutive pastors at the church I attended as a teen in their testimonies stated that left to their own devices, they would have been dead.  One had awakened from a drunken stupor in a ditch in Korea with ice formed around him.  He saw the Light and reformed.  The other had driven while intoxicated, went off the road, down a hillside, and into a tree; he nearly bled to death and had a life changing revelation.  Both were just regular guys who one minute were full of themselves and the next were filled with the Holy Spirit—by the grace of God.  You can make the choice and be filled with the Holy Spirit right now.   

Selah [Pause and let it sink in]. 

            Please join me in our Saturday prayer. 

Prepare our hearts, O Lord, to join together with your whole congregation to praise and serve you.

Reveal your presence to all who will gather in adoration and self-offering. 

To those who cannot for good reason go gladly into your house, give your strength and consolation, that they may know of the concern of their communities of faith.

Make us receptive to your word for us, and enable us to know and do your will.

Bind your people together in a shared faith, a common witness, and compassionate service to the world; through Jesus our Savior.  Amen.

[Laurence Hull Stookey, This Day, A Wesleyan Way of Prayer.  (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2004), 106.) ] [Used with permission.]

God of Grace and God of Glory, TUMH, # 577, v 1 & 4.

1.  God of grace and God of glory, on thy people pour thy power;

Crown thine ancient church’s story; bring her bud to glorious flower.

Grant us wisdom, grant us courage, for the facing of this hour,

For the facing of this hour.

4.  Save us from weak resignation to the evils we deplore;

Let the search for thy salvation be our glory evermore.

Grant  us wisdom, grant us courage, serving thee whom we adore,

Serving thee whom we adore.

            The Sunday prayer is included for you to use tomorrow morning with the blessings of God.  You are invited to join in Holy Communion in the Prayer Chapel at 10:40 am.

   Friday, September 10, 2010

Good Morning Faithful Praying People,

            Today’s Scripture, Galatians 5: 22-26 (NIV) which reads,

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,

faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control.  Against such things there is no law.  

24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its

passions and desires.  25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the 

Spirit.  26 Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

            Galatians 5:22-26, episode four: “25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.”  Our friend Paul is saying that because we live the Spirit of the law and have crucified our sinful nature, all elements of our lives should reflect the change from pre-Christian or cultural Christian to active Christian.  No matter where a friend, neighbor, or coworker sees us—at home, at work, in the gym, at the mall, at a sporting event, at church—we have the same behavior, the same focus as an active Christian.  This may mean some significant changes on our part to keep in step with the Holy Spirit. 

            For example, at your child’s ball game—soccer, football, softball, basketball, etc.—the official/referee has made several calls you don’t agree with; in fact you have concluded that the official is either blind or determined that the other team will win with or without the official’s help.       

            RESPONSE 1: You scream at the official on every call; foul language that would turn an old-style Marine drill instructor’s ears red comes out of your mouth; even when the call goes your team’s way, you are on the official with something like, “You gave’m the game, so NOW you call it right!” only your version contains many of the more off-color adjectives. 

            RESPONSE 2: You would not use such foul language in church in the presence of God;  you realize the Holy Spirit resides in your heart, so He is with you 24/7—that is, what rules apply to behavior in church apply all day, every day.  Now instead of raising your blood pressure, risking a heart attack, and being a bad example for your kid—if your kid used the same language towards your mother that you “formerly” used on the official, you’d have a heart attack—you can relax while having a good time watching you kid have fun playing the game.  After all, it is a kid’s game; enjoy. 

            Your behavior in Response 1 is NOT consistent with your neighbor’s knowledge that you to church every Sunday.  Your neighbor adds that behavior report to the case file on you and is beginning to conclude you are just another two-faced Christian hypocrite. 

            On the other hand, your behavior in Response 2 IS consistent with your every Sunday church attendance.  Upon reviewing your case file, the neighbor concludes you are too old to be a Boy/Girl Scout, so maybe you are a real Christian.  Your exemplary behavior at the game has planted a seed that in time may bring your neighbor to be a Christian, too, or it reinforced that neighbor’s Christian faith. 

Selah [Pause and let it sink in]. 

            Please join me in our Friday prayer. 

On this day, Lord Jesus, the flesh which you took upon yourself for us and for our salvation was hanged by us upon the cross. 

There you suffered all things and died that we might have life and have it in the abundance of your astounding grace.

Blessed are you, Lord Jesus, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, throughout time and all eternity.  Amen

[Laurence Hull Stookey, This Day, A Wesleyan Way of Prayer.  (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2004), 106.) ]  [Used with permission.]

They’ll Know We Are Christians by Our Love,

The Faith We Sing, # 2223

1. We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord,

We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord,

And we pray that all unity may one day be restored:

And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love;

Yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our love.

2. We will walk with each other, we will walk hand in hand,

We will walk with each other, we will walk hand in hand,

And together we’ll spread the news that God is in our land:

And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love;

Yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our love.

3. We will work with each other, we will work side by side,

We will work with each other, we will work side by side,

And we’ll guard human dignity and save human pride:

And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love;

Yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our love.

4. All praise to the Father, from whom all things come,

And all praise to Christ Jesus, God’s only Son,

And all praise to the Spirit, who makes us one:

And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love;

Yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our love.

In His Service,

Fred

Your request to numcky@gmail.com powers our prayer warriors.

Thursday, September 9, 2010

Good Morning Faithful Praying People,

            Today’s Scripture, Galatians 5: 22-26 (NIV) which reads,

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,

faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control.  Against such things there is no law.  

24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its

passions and desires.  25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the 

Spirit.  26 Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

            This is the third message based on Galatians 5:22-26. First, I explained why I hold dear the fruit of the Spirit.  Then, yesterday the discussion centered on ritualistic observance of the law compared to Spirit-filled living.

            “24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires.”  You may be thinking, “Yes, Jesus was crucified for my sins, the perfect sacrifice that my sins may be forgiven.  But when did I crucify my sinful nature?”  The answer hopefully is “many times over the years” beginning with your baptism.  In the United Methodist tradition, the pastor asks three questions to the candidate for baptism; when an infant is baptized, the parents are asked the questions and reply for themselves and the child.

            “Do you renounce the spiritual forces of wickedness, reject the evil powers of this world, and repent of your sin?”

            “Do you accept the freedom and power God gives you to resist evil, injustice, and oppression in whatever forms they present themselves?”

            “Do you confess Jesus Christ as your Savior, put your whole trust in his grace, and promise to serve him as your Lord, in union with the church which Christ has opened to people of all ages, nations, and races?”

            By answering, “I do,” to the first question, you have put to death the sins in your past.  By answering affirmatively the second question, you put to death sins in the present.  And, by answering affirmatively the third question, you put to death sins in the future.

            Hopefully, as you hear these words spoken to others a few times a year, you internalize them, reaffirming the responses made by you or in your name at your baptism.  You also may hear these questions when persons join the local church; another opportunity for you to say, “Yes, Jesus, I do!”

            Crucifying the sinful nature with its passions and desires is not a one time act.  God gave us free will, the opportunity to make choices.  Daily, we have to make choices; sometimes, to paraphrase William Shakespeare, the question is, “To sin or not to sin.”  As you choose “not to sin,” you crucify that sin.  So, at least daily, if not more often, those three questions ought to become part of your private worship of God.  The more often you can triumph and crucify sin, the greater the time you spend living in a Spirit-filled life; the greater the time your life will be in harmony with God; and the more fruit of the Spirit you will receive.  That’s been in my experience.     Selah [Pause and let it sink in]. 

            Please join me in our Thursday prayer.  Consider especially how God will prepare your heart and what you can do to help Him by doing some pre-cleaning before the Almighty Cleaning Service arrives.  (Doesn’t everyone clean house before the cleaning lady comes?) 

God, your glory calls your people to adoration daily.

Guide and inspire all who plan and who will take leadership in the worship of our congregations when again we gather in prayer on the Lord’s Day.

To musicians, liturgists, preachers, and all others, give a full measure of your Holy Spirit, that they may glorify not themselves but you.

Prepare my heart and the hearts of all of your people to receive their ministries with joy and gratitude to you, and extravagant generosity toward others.

This we pray through Christ, the Risen One.  Amen

[Laurence Hull Stookey, This Day, A Wesleyan Way of Prayer.  (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2004), 105.) ]  [Used with permission.]

Just a Closer Walk with Thee, The Faith We Sing, # 2158

1. I am weak, but thou art strong; Jesus, keep me from all wrong; I’ll be satisfied as long as I walk, let me walk close to thee.

2. Through this world of toil and snares, if I falter, Lord, who cares?  Who with me my burden shares?  None but thee, dear Lord, none but thee.

3. When my feeble life is o’er, time for me will be no more; guide me gently, safely o’er to thy shore, dear Lord, to thy shore.

Refrain:   Just a closer walk with thee, grant it, Jesus, is my plea, daily walking close to thee: Lit it be, dear Lord, let it be.

In His Service,

Fred

Your request to numcky@gmail.com powers our prayer warriors.

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Good Morning Dear Praying People,

            Years ago, I went on a spiritual retreat that was different from anything I had done before or since.  We were divided into small groups and each group sat at a specific table throughout the retreat.  The table names were selected from a batch of characteristics that included Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self-control.  What became “my table” was Peace. That is intriguing, especially when you consider that my name, Frederic, in Saxon means peaceful prince—not that I was either peaceful or a prince.  I should have recognized those table names as a group, did you as you read them?  They are the fruit of the Spirit found in Galatians 5:22 which is included in today’s Scripture, Galatians 5: 22-26 (NIV) which reads,

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,

faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control.  Against such things there is no law.

24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its

passions and desires.  25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the

Spirit.  26 Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

            I now consider this retreat the pivot point in my relationship with God.  Not only did I sit at the Table of Peace, but, at the end of the event, I met a lady who prayed for me by name daily for a month before the retreat and every day of the retreat.  Wow!  That had never happened before.  Another “never happened before” was a confrontation with God; I suppose you could say I was testing God, but I wanted a sign that if I was to change my life significantly, that I was doing it because God was real; He gave me a sign all right!  An immediate bolt of lightning put out the electricity for several hours—the timing was perfect, not a coincidence.  Also, I was relieved of a burden I had carried for 33 years—one that effected my relationship with not only God, but with every person I met in those years—Dad had died when I was 12 and from that time until the retreat I had very few relationships (one) where I was vulnerable to being hurt again.  With the help of God and some of His angels, I dropped that burden at the foot of the cross where Jesus died.  Thirty-three years, by the way, is the age Jesus was when He was crucified.  What a release!  What a relief!  What a change came about!  The difference was like night and day.

            The fruit of the Spirit are precious to me.  They are a gift from God delivered by the Holy Spirit.  I can’t go to an orchard and pick them; neither can you.  When you surrender self to God, when you abandon “MY AGENDA” for God’s agenda, when you begin to love God and your neighbor, these fruit begin appearing in your life.  The fruit of the Spirit is like the box of grapefruit or the fruitcake the postal worker delivers each Christmas from Aunt Gail or Grandmamma—you didn’t order it, you may not even appreciate it, but there it is, a gift given in love.  The fruit of the Spirit is a sign that God exists, is real, and loves you and me.

            Please join me in our regular Tuesday prayer.  I hope these prayers are building a relationship—a bridge—connecting you and God and that you find fruit at the front door of your heart.

God, our rock and our salvation: 

Undergird us with your strength, lest we fail because we rely upon ourselves alone.

Assist us with your Holy Spirit that we may abide in your love and trust in your grace.

Spread upon us your transforming power; overpower us with your good will and forgiveness offered to us and to all through Christ our savior.  Amen.

[Laurence Hull Stookey, This Day, A Wesleyan Way of Prayer.  (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2004), 104.) ] [Used with permission.]

Come, Thou Almighty King, TUMH, # 61, v. 1 & 3.

1. Come, thou almighty King, help us thy name to sing, help us to praise!

Father all glorious, o’er all victorious, come and reign over us, Ancient of Days!

3. Come, holy Comforter, thy sacred witness bear in this glad hour.

Thou who almighty art, now rule in every heart, and ne’er from us depart, Spirit of  power. 

In His Service,

Fred

Your request to prayers@numcky.com powers our prayer warriors.

Monday, September 6, 2010

Good Morning Faithful Praying People,

            1 Now about spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant.  2 You know that when you were pagan, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols.  3 Therefore I tell you that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.  4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit.  5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord.  6 There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. 

1 Corinthians 12:1-6 (NIV)

            Paul begins Chapter 12 by saying, “Now about spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant.”  It seems self evident that not being ignorant is good.  So what is a spiritual gift?  C. Peter Wagner over several years developed this as a working definition of what spiritual gift means:

A spiritual gift is a special attribute given by the Holy Spirit

to every member of the Body of Christ, according to God’s

grace, for use within the context of the Body.

                                    C. Peter Wagner, Your Spiritual Gifts

            Are you are a member of the Body of Christ?  That is, have you accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior and are you joined with others in Christian fellowship?  If you answered yes, the Holy Spirit has given you a special attribute, a characteristic or talent, by the grace of God, for use in, of, and for the benefit of the Body of Christ.  Spiritual gifts are neither restricted to ordained clergy, nor to church leaders, nor to missionaries, nor are they given based on long service, nor lofty education, nor social status, nor wealth.  Each and every member of the Body of Christ is given at least one spiritual gift.  Not a member of the Body of Christ, no spiritual gift; member of the Body, spiritual gift.  The only qualifying factor for a spiritual gift is, “Is this person a member of the Body of Christ?”  It is that simple.

            Paul continues telling us there are several spiritual gifts but they are all given by the same Holy Spirit; there are several kinds of service that come from those spiritual gifts, and all serve the same Lord; there are several kinds of working that come from those spiritual gifts and service, and the same God is empowers the workers.  Over the next several days we’ll look at the several spiritual gifts and using them.

Join with me and pray in the Holy Spirit now our Monday prayer.

Remember, O Lord, all for whom we prayed while gathered yesterday in public worship.

Teach us how best we may serve them with deeds of love and kindness.

Forgive us for any whom we neglected in prayer; help us to open our hearts to the needs of all.

Grant that what you taught us to do we may both ponder and perform.

Bind into one company of hope and one community of service all that you have made and redeemed by the sacrificial life and death of Jesus, our risen Lord.   Amen

[Laurence Hull Stookey, This Day, A Wesleyan Way of Prayer.  (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2004), 103-104.) ] [Used by permission.]

Spirit of Faith, Come Down, TUMH, #332

1. Spirit of faith, come down, reveal the things of God, and make to us the God-head known, and witness with the blood.  ‘Tis thine the blood to apply and give us eyes to see, who did for every sinner die hath surely died for me.

2. No one can truly say that Jesus is the Lord, unless thou take the veil away and breathe the living Word.  Then, only then, we feel our interest in his blood, and cry with joy unspeakable, “Thou art my Lord, my God!”

3. O that the world might know the all-atoning Lamb!  Spirit of faith, descend and show the virtue of his name; the grace which all may find, the saving power, impart, and testify to human-kind, and speak in every heart.

4. Inspire the living faith (which whosoe’er receive, the witness in themselves they have and consciously believe), the faith that conquers all, and doth the mountain move, and saves whoe’er on Jesus call, and perfects them in love.

In His Service,

Fred

Your request to numcky@gmail.com powers our prayer warriors.

Prayer—Too Busy Not to Pray

Bill Hybels

Click on Sunday Schools and on Short Term Studies for class description.
Call the church office, 885-4481, to sign up.

For a description of the picture, see ABOUT THE PRAYER CHAPEL on the Prayer Ministry tab. 

The base prayer list for each month is found in THE MESSENGER, our church newsletter.  Follow the steps below to read THE MESSENGER on the church website:

Click on Newsletters in the blue menu strip 
Click on the Newsletter icon to open
Scroll through the Newsletter 

Please lift up these requests received in church this past Sunday . . .

... Teri Dowdy, who is having outpatient knee surgery this morning
... Debbie Donaldson, who has been diagnosed with cancer
... Jenny Gift's father
... Brian Walker's son, for courage to grow closer to God as he rebuilds his life
... Teddy Beile, who is having back surgery
... our military
... Nicholas Quillen and the Quillen family
... Barbara Phlegar, who is a caregiver
... Beth Shingledecker
... Jeanie Waldrop
... Ron Lang
... Sandy Nerald
... the Internet cafe
... a job
... financial peace
... family & friends of Jarmin Coyle who died 9/2
... Rona Magsig
... Brady Magsig
... the peace of the Holy Spirit
... Erica Wellner, who has a bruise on the bone of her foot & ankle
... the Graham family

Thank you for so faithfully serving your brothers & sisters in Christ by bearing their burdens in prayer!