Good morning: Have you called a friend this morning, texted Mom and Dad, emailed a son or daughter? We like to stay connected with others. But have there been times when you didn’t reach out because you didn’t want to bother someone or because you didn’t think they could help with the situation you were facing? Did they later say, “You should have called. You didn’t have to fix the problem on your own. I would have come right over to help”? Have you talked to the Lord this morning? He urges us to call on Him. He promises, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you” (Lk. 11:9). He wants us to always stay connected. “Pray without ceasing!” (1 Thess. 5:17). Excuses get in the way. We think that our concern is too little a thing to bother God with. Yet Jesus says that the Father is concerned about every sparrow and assures us that we are worth more than many sparrows. Sometimes we may hesitate to pray because we think that a sickness or heartache is too big even for God to do anything about. Yet after telling Mary that she would conceive the Son of God by the power of the Holy Spirit and that her relative Elizabeth was going to have a baby in her old age, the angel messenger added, “For nothing is impossible with God” (Lk. 1:37). Do you limit your prayers for fear that God will grow impatient with listening to you? Don’t worry, for the Father never tires of hearing from His children for whom His Son sacrificed His life on the cross. Not sure how to express what’s in your heart? The Spirit is there to help. “The Spirit helps us in our weakness...The Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express” (Rom. 8:26). Today let’s pray without ceasing to the heavenly Father. Let’s praise Him for His boundless love. Let’s thank Him for another day of grace filled with His blessings. Let’s call upon Him in every situation trusting that He will provide all that we need and more. Yours in Christ, Pastor Block party tonight! Join us for our first ever block party tonight from 6:30-8:30. Invite a friend. Enjoy the fellowship along with food treats, lawn games, and music. Our teachers will be on hand to answer questions about our day school program and to give tours of the classrooms. We pray that this will be a good opportunity to become better acquainted with our neighbors and to share the blessings of the gospel. The Sunday service will be at 9 a.m. The Lord’s Supper will be offered afterwards for those who may not have been able to attend last week.
