Compelled to Serve (Psalm 110:3)
Dear Members of the Our Savior Lutheran Church Email Prayer Chain,

Compelled to Serve

Your troops will be willing on your day of battle. --Psalm 110:3

One mark of a real, personal, dynamic relationship with Jesus during which God comes to His people in power, is that God’s people are compelled to offer their lives for His service. Many churches lack people who are willing to get involved in carrying out God’s redemptive work. The mission fields are crying out for Christians to go and share the gospel with those who’ve never heard it. What is needed is not more pleas for volunteers but an outpouring of the power of God. When God comes among His people in power, there is never a shortage of volunteers or resources for His work! 

When Christians today are asked what aspects of the Christian life are most important to them, missions – outreach – is not usually ranked as a priority. This is because we have lost track of why God called us in the first place. We were not saved from our sin simply so that we would gain eternal life in heaven. God delivered us so we would have a relationship with Him through which He could carry out His purpose to redeem a lost world 

Only the power of God can free us from our natural self-centeredness and reorient us toward the will and purpose of God. There is no need to pray that God would come in power. That is the only way He ever comes. We need hearts that are so responsive to Him that He will choose to demonstrate His power through us.

Is your heart so filled with love for God that you are watching for your first opportunity to say along with Isaiah, “Here am I. Send me!”?

REFLECTIONS

Where is your mission field – a friend, a neighbor, a co-worker, a relative?
Where is God calling you to serve – a Sunday School Superintendent, a Sunday School teacher, a Department Chair or department member, a ChristCare Leader or group member, a pastor, a teacher, a missionary?

PRAYER REQUESTS -- Week of August 10, 2008  

FOR THOSE WHO LOOK TO THE LORD FOR HEALING

Bob Kamman                    [Father of Scott Kamman] recovering at home from cardiac stent placement
Margie Allen                      [Sister of David Adams] suffered a stroke, prognosis poor
Don Kurth                         [Father of Sue Francik] Undergoing descriptive testing for cancer
Mike Kolb                         [Son-in-law of Carole & Ray Wahlbrink] Recovering from open heart surgery
Rick Prenatt                      Recovering from kidney stone surgery
Mim Hawkinson                 Fell and broke her hip, she is in pain but will not need surgery
Ben Hutto                         [Nephew of Bev Silletto] Negative Biopsy, dealing with health concerns

FOR THOSE WHO SUFFER FROM CANCER OR CHRONIC ILLNESS

Pam Russo                   [Sister of former member Danya Rogers] Diagnosed with Myeloma and undergoing treatment
Brock Douglas              [Brother of Tom Douglas] Recovering from additional surgery to remove infectious tissue and pain associated with surgery and his advanced stage of cancer and serious staff infection

FOR THOSE WHO MOURN

The Family of Ruth Mathus, family friend of Joe and Doris Deuth, who was called home on July 14.  Her husband Jim is in need of  prayers to continue on in life without Ruth.

PRAYERS OF THANKSGIVING

The church and school now have an American Heritage Girl Program for girls of the church and school.  

GENERAL PRAYERS

Pray for the return of students and teachers who start school and college this week.  May God’s presence with the students and teachers provide a safe and enriched environment for all.

AN ANSWERED PRAYER

God has called Chris Francik to serve as Sunday School Superinentent.We are most thankful to God for giving Chris the gifts and abilities to serve His kingdom in this way. We are also thankful for those who have already stepped up to teach Sunday School this fall. Give thanks to Leanne Hardin for the work she is doing in helping Chris get Sunday School for our children underway. You are all a blessing!

Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 1:2-8

In Christ,
Paul Nickel
Director of Christian Education
 

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