WEDNESDAY CHURCH
on the Internet
(This is your mid-week Christian power
surge with Pastor Mike Fonfara, D.Min.)
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
Pentecost Season, Week 8
Welcome, everyone on a Christian journey!
We are all travelers. If you are a religious person, your living becomes a journey in obedience to the Almighty. Some of us stay at home. Some of us frequently travel. Some of us do a little bit of both. What is your faith preference?
However we chose to live out our faith journey, we mature in our understanding of God's presence, work, and grace in the present. The more we see and learn, the more we thank God for travel mercies!
Today's Wednesday Church on the Internet praises God for divine love every day no matter where we are along life's path. Whether your are on the road or still at home thinking about your faith journey, thank you for being a part of today's praise congregation!
Pastor Mike
OPENING THOUGHT ...
"No part of planet Earth lies outside of God's reign.
The Almighty is all-mighty everywhere!"
- Pastor Mike
WORSHIP ...
THE GATHERING Psalm 100:1-3 (Tyndale, The Book)
"Shout with joy to the earth, O earth. Worship the Lord with gladness. Come before him, singing with joy. Acknowledge that the Lord is God! He made us, and we are his. We are his people, the sheep of his pasture."
WE CONFESS OUR SINS AND RECEIVE NEW LIFE
Almighty God,
You have raised Jesus from death to life,
and crowned him Lord of all.
We confess that we have not bowed before him,
or acknowledged his rule in our lives.
We have gone along with the ways of the world,
and failed to give him glory.
Forgive us and raise us from sin,
that we may be your faithful people,
obeying the commands of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who rules the world,
and is head of the church, his body.
In his name we pray, Amen.
and crowned him Lord of all.
We confess that we have not bowed before him,
or acknowledged his rule in our lives.
We have gone along with the ways of the world,
and failed to give him glory.
Forgive us and raise us from sin,
that we may be your faithful people,
obeying the commands of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who rules the world,
and is head of the church, his body.
In his name we pray, Amen.
- The Church Leaders' Guide
(Google Images)
TODAY'S SCRIPTURE Psalm 121:8 (NIV)
The Lord will watch over your coming
and going both now and forever.
MESSAGE "God Goes With You!"
This fact is no secret. Life is dynamic! Life energy causes changes in all living creatures from the smallest cell to the biggest organism.
Human life never stands still. You can be as stiff as a statue or running as fast as an Olympic sprinter and be changing.
Spiritually, religious people - especially Christians - are always on a journey. They are moving to fulfill the divine purpose for their birth.
You and I are on this journey. As Christians, we have a divine mandate to accomplish God's reason(s) for our being here. Our journey has more to do with obedience, compassion, forgiveness, kindness, prayer, worship, and faith than money, power, materialism, success, fame, egotism, and greed. We are doing God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit's business!
On this journey, we are not alone. God's Holy Spirit goes with us blessing us with travel mercies. These travel mercies are sometimes small gestures of care, grace, beauty, a good meal, a safe trip, and minor gifts beyond number. At other times, God's travel mercies reach great importance as healings, miracles, epiphanies, survival, marriage, births of children, friendships, and life changing divine interventions that change our lives. Most of God's travel mercies lie between the small and the big. Can you think of some travel mercies - small or big - that God has provided on your life's journey?
How can we respond to God's kindnesses bound-up in the divine travel mercies enjoyed? It's simple. Stop what you are doing right now and praise God for travel mercies received!
Pastor Mike
CLOSING PRAYER
Loving Creator God,
Life is our amazing journey and wonderful adventure! We praise You for travel mercies of grace along our way. You are right with us in many forms. With love, we say, "Thank You! Thank You! Thank You!"
Amen.
BENEDICTION
Let us rejoice and be glad for God travels with
us guiding our paths and sharing Heavenly mercy.
(Google Images)
SACRED MISCELLANY ...
1. Use Pastor Mike's travel prayer.
O God,
When I
travel, may your presence follow me, your eyes watch over me, your
angels protect me, and your grace keep me in a good mood.
Amen.
2. Use these key Christian tips on your trip.
- Pray often for good health, travel safety, and a merry heart.
- Pack a Bible and devotional booklet for daily use.
- Be friendly to all you meet.
- Be kind and generous to the people who serve you.
- Let patience be your guide.
- Be positive all of the time.
- Have fun!
3. Remember, a merry heart brightens the day. Please enjoy these simple jokes.
- As the plane stopped at the gate, the Captain made this announcement, "As you exit the plane, make sure to gather all of your belongings. Anything left behind will be distributed evenly among the flight attendants. Please do not leave children or spouses."
- This was heard on a Southwest Airline flight. "Ladies and Gentlemen, if you wish to smoke, the smoking section on this plane is on the wing. If you can light 'em, you can smoke 'em."
- An old, senior Senator called and had a question about the documents he needed for his trip to China.
After a lengthy discussion about passports, he was told that he needed a visa. "Oh, no I don't. I've been to China many times and never needed on before.
Again, he was told that his stay required a visa. He looked angry and replied, "Look, I've been to China four times and every time they have accepted my American Express."
PASTOR MIKE'S FINAL THOUGHT ...
"Our lives are Christian journeys to bring honor to God. Let's praise the Almighty for ample travel mercies given along the way!"
- As the plane stopped at the gate, the Captain made this announcement, "As you exit the plane, make sure to gather all of your belongings. Anything left behind will be distributed evenly among the flight attendants. Please do not leave children or spouses."
- This was heard on a Southwest Airline flight. "Ladies and Gentlemen, if you wish to smoke, the smoking section on this plane is on the wing. If you can light 'em, you can smoke 'em."
- An old, senior Senator called and had a question about the documents he needed for his trip to China.
After a lengthy discussion about passports, he was told that he needed a visa. "Oh, no I don't. I've been to China many times and never needed on before.
Again, he was told that his stay required a visa. He looked angry and replied, "Look, I've been to China four times and every time they have accepted my American Express."
PASTOR MIKE'S FINAL THOUGHT ...
"Our lives are Christian journeys to bring honor to God. Let's praise the Almighty for ample travel mercies given along the way!"
That's all for this week's Wednesday Church. Come back next week - Wednesday, July 24th - when new church material will be posted.
Please invite others to visit Wednesday Church. Sharing it to Facebook is helpful. If you prefer, share this blog address:
www.wednesdaychurch.blogspot.com. Let's grow this nibistry together. Thanks again for visiting Wednesday Church on the Internet!
Pastor Mike Fonfara, D.Min.
(Google Image)
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