Seeing the Multitudes (Matthew 5:1-2 )
Dear Members of the Our Savior Lutheran Church Email Prayer Chain,

I am sending this email out late because I have been out of town since Friday and have only just returned home.

Seeing the Multitudes

“Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. And he opened his mouth and taught them.” –Matthew 5:1-2 

Christ sees people far differently than we do. Throughout the Gospels we see a pattern in the way Jesus taught His disciples. Whenever He saw the multitudes, Jesus would reveal to the disciples what was on His heart for the people. Jesus wanted His disciples to share His love for the people. The disciples did not always understand all He was telling them, but He assured them that later the Holy Spirit would reveal the significance of His words (John 14:25-26). When the multitudes began pressing in on Him, Jesus would get alone with His disciples and teach them about God’s love. 

You will experience this same pattern as you walk with Jesus. When God places you in a crowd, you may sense the Holy Spirit impressing upon you the heart and mind of God for those people. Perhaps your Lord will lead you to a solitary place where He shares with you His compassion for the people you have been with. He may reveal to you His will for the people and invite you to join Him in His redemptive activity. He may place a burden on your heart to pray for them. If you are among people and are unmoved by their spiritual condition, God may develop your love for them so that you are prepared to minister to them as He desires. 

The next time you are in a crowd, listen to what the Holy Spirit is saying. You may discover that God has much on His heart for those people and that He is waiting for one of His disciples to respond to His prompting.

REFLECTIONS

When was the last time you were in a crowd? Did it cross your mind that the Holy Spirit might be speaking to you while you in that crowd?
Do you have a “burden for souls” of the unsaved? If not, pray for that burden and direction for action.

PRAYER REQUESTS -- Week of June 29, 2008  

Please continue to pray for the Lord to lead members of our congregation to serve Him through:

1. Volunteer to become the Chairperson of the Department of Parish Education.
2. Two persons to serve as Co-Superintendents of our Sunday School
3. Volunteers to lead Summer Sunday School classes.

FOR THOSE WHO LOOK TO THE LORD FOR HEALING

Christopher       [Nephew of Peggy Cullnan] Being evaluated for the debilitating disease of neurofibromatosis.   

FOR THOSE WHO MOURN

The family of Jerry Woods, Father of Debbie Garvue, was called home this week and received a Christian Burial on Saturday.   
The family of Doug Phillips, cousin of Steve Lindgren was called home after being diagnosed 2 weeks ago     with metastatic cancer.  
The family of Evelyn Rye, Evelyn’s brother was called home last week and received a Christian burial this week. 

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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