Sanctified and Sent (John 17:17-18)
Dear Members of the Our Savior Lutheran Church Email Prayer Chain, 

Sanctified and Sent

Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. – John 17:17-18

God will always sanctify you before He sends you. The Father set aside the twelve disciples and made them holy by the truth, His Son. As they related to Jesus, the truth (John 14:6), the disciples were refined by that truth and were prepared to be sent out to preach the gospel. Jesus challenged their ambitions (Luke 9:46-48), chastised their lack of faith (Matthew 17:19-20), refuted Satan’s influence (Matthew 16:23), and denounced their pride (Matthew 26:33-35). When Jesus had finished preparing them, the disciples were sent out in such power that their world was never the same again.

Satan will try to convince you that your sin renders you useless to God. That is a lie from the author and father of lies. As soon as you sin, the deceiver will whisper, “You failure! You are now of no use to God.” This can bring a deep sense of defeat and hopelessness to a Christian. Yet there is no freedom that compares to a soul set free by God’s grace. When God’s people allow God’s truth to realign them to God’s will and God’s ways, then the power of God will be released through them the same way it was through the first disciples.

The truth will set you free. The truth is: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9), and we are restored to usefulness to God.

REFLECTION

What lies are Satan using in your life to derail you from living out God’s purpose for you?
What two phrases sum up your goal for the past year? How does this relate to God’s purpose?

PRAYER REQUESTS -- Week of April 20, 2008

FOR THOSE WHO SUFFER FROM CANCER OR CHRONIC ILLNESS:

Judy O’Neil   [daughter of Nora Horecny] Recovering from cancer surgery

FOR THOSE WHO MOURN

The Family of Don Orsini, Don’s Mother Vera was called home on Wednesday, and received a Christian burial this weekend.

FOR CHURCH WORK

Congregational Voter’s Meeting – Please Pray that the Ministry Plan (Budget) adopted by the congregation will be a reflection of God’s will for our congregation.

Pray that God will move the hearts of some of our members to volunteer for the positions of the Chairperson of Parish Education and Sunday School Superintendents. God is working in the hearts of people out their moving them to let Him work through them in this way.

May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. --Hebrews 13:20-21

In Christ’s Kingdom Together,
Paul Nickel
Director of Christian Education
Our Savior Lutheran Church
 

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