Let God's grace energize your life!

(Google Images)

WEDNESDAY  CHURCH 

on the Internet

(This is your mid-week Christian power

surge with Pastor Mike Fonfara.)

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Pentecost Season, Week 7

Welcome, Sisters and Brothers!

God's grace is a wonderful, yet confusing, divine gift. This old Church adage illustrates the conundrum. Whenever two Christians discuss grace, three opinions appear. Go figure!

God's grace is a marvelous tool by which our souls get energized. God powers us through love, forgiveness, encouragement, miracles, community, and countless ways unique to each individual Christian. How does God's freely given grace empower you?

This Wednesday Church on the Internet celebrates God's never ending love for undeserving followers like ourselves. Thank you for being a part of this faith fest.

Pastor Mike Fonfara
mefonfara@gmail.com



OPENING THOUGHT ...

"For the grace of God has been revealed, 

bringing salvation to all people."

- Titus 2:11  (The Book, Tyndale) 

WORSHIP ...

THE GATHERING

Wonderful One, we are thankful that you love us.

Wonderful One, we rejoice in your grace.

Wonderful One, join us as we gather to praise your holiness.

WE CONFESS OUR SINS AND RECEIVE NEW LIVES

Almighty God,

You are the divine energy that enlivens our lives. You bring joy into our days. Your grace makes our journeys amazing adventures. We try to live righteously as taught by the Bible. Unfortunately, we fall short of our good intentions. We sin. O God, please forgive us of our misdeeds. Renew our souls. Guide us to new lives with the power of your grace, which we experience as divine loving kindness. Thank You for your mercy!

Amen.

    

(Google Image)

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE - A Part of 2 Corinthians 12:9 (NIV)

"My grace is sufficient for you, for my 

power is made perfect in weakness."

MESSAGE              "We All Need God's Grace"

The following poem by Connie Campbell Bratcher illustrates why we all need God's grace. It is based upon the above Scripture sentence from 2 Corinthians.

"God's Grace is Sufficient"

In God's holy word we read,

His grace is sufficient to meet every need.

How clear this truth is brought into view,

When trials come, as so often they do.

It's in these times, to Him we flee,

Bowing in submission, on bended knee.

We then become His softened clay,

Ready for molding, as we humbly pray.

Heartache, tragedy, disappointment, and pain,

Are the Potter's tools for our spiritual gain.

Whatever hardships we encounter each day

Only conform us to His will and way.

Our Lord walks with us, as we go through it all,

Many times carrying us, lest we should fall;

And that truth which is simply believed before,

Now comes into focus even more;

For the written words on the pages we see

 Have truly become a reality.

And we know more fully what it's all about...

God's grace is sufficient without a doubt!!!

- Connie Campbell Bratcher

(as accessed on www.faithpoetry.com/faith1/

godsgraceissufficient on July 8,2013)

As we realize all of the ways in which God encourages us, motivates us, heals us, molds us, and strengthens us by His grace, we enjoy this grace and feel energized to tell others about our wonderful relationship with the Creator. That's the evangelism needed today!

Please, let God's grace energize your life.

Pastor Mike

CLOSING PRAYER

O God,

The demands of the day require abundant Christian skills. We rely upon your grace to equip us for faithful living. Thank you for your perseverance!
   

Amen.


BENEDICTION

Go into your days with God's peace and  grace, ready to give others what you have already received from the Almighty. May the power of God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit energize you for this task. Amen.

SACRED MISCELLANY

1. Here are a few quotes to think about.

A. "Faith is a living, daring confidence in God's grace, so sure and certain that a man could stake his life on it a thousand times."
- Martin Luther

B. "Grace is the enabling gift of God not to sin. Grace is power, not just pardon.
- John Piper

C. "God's grace does not mean that God benignly accepts humans in all their fallenness, forgives them, and then leaves them in that fallenness. God is in the business not of whitewashing sins but of transforming sinners."
- David Garland

D. "Our worst days are never so bad that you are beyond the reach of God's grace. And your best days are never so good that you are beyond the need of God's grace."
- Jerry Bridges

E. "I wish grace and healing were more abracadabra kind of things. Also, that the delicate silver bells would ring to announce grace's arrival. But no, it's clog and slog and scootch, on the floor, in the silence, in the dark."
- Anne Lamott, Grace (Eventually): Thoughts of Faith

2. Here's a really interesting poem with a positive twist on God's grace of friendship.

"Lord, Thank You"

Lord, thank You for loyal, loving friends

who are there in winter or springtime fair.

New acquaintances are easy to come by,

But true friendship is extremely rare.

A friend always sees the best in you,

Although they've known you at your worst.

They laugh with you in the good times.

When storms threaten, they'll be there first.

They'll offer a shoulder to rest your head

When tears are welling in your eyes.

They'll take a walk down friendship's path with you

And help chase away those stormy eyes.

Lord, thank You for all they gifts You give.

Each one makes our life seem more worthwhile.

But one of the finest gifts you've given us

Is the warmth of friendship's loving smile.

- Author Unknown
(Accessed from Pastor Mike's overgrown 
file of sermon illustrations.)

PASTOR MIKE'S LAST THOUGHT ...

In a small Texas town, a bar began construction on a new building to increase business. At the same time, the local Christian church started a 24/7 prayer campaign complete with petitions to block the bar owner's plans. Work continued right up until the week before opening when suddenly lightening struck the bar and burned all of it to the ground.

The church folks were smug in the opinions after that until the owner sued the church on grounds that the church was responsible for his burned business.

In replying to the court, the church vehemently denied all responsibility for or connection to the building's demise.

As the case made progress in court, the judge looked over the paperwork. One day, he made an interesting remark. He commented, "I don't know how I'm going to decide this, but as it appears from the paperwork, we have a bar owner who believes in the power of prayer and an entire church congregation that does not."

That's all for this week's edition of Wednesday Church on the Internet. Please come back next Wednesday, July 17th, when new Christian material will be published.

If you like this Christian effort, please tell others about it. Put a small notice in your church newsletter, tell your family about it, talk it up with your friends, share it to your Facebook, and - oh, well - use your imagination! The Wednesday Church blog address is as follows, www.wednesdaychurch.blogspot.com.

Let's pray and grow this ministry together!

If you have suggestions about positive ways that this effort could be improved or if you would like to contribute some material, I welcome them. Drop me a note at this e-mail address, mefonfara@gmail.com. 

Finally, thank you for being a part of the Wednesday Church family this week. Your presence is appreciated!

Pastor Mike Fonfara

mefonfara@gmail.com

("A Windy Day for the St. Joseph, MI Beach and Lighthouse" -

Photo by Pastor Mike)