Get Ready for a Spiritual Body Building

February 16, 2011 by 2 Comments

February 9, 2011

During these past few weeks, we have been exploring this whole idea of how each person has “a calling”. Finding out what that is, is a whole other story. Living our purpose has often been a focus for our times of prayer on Wednesday evenings.

What is our purpose? Where to start on our search for understanding our calling as Christians? We’re beginning with a spiritual workout.

Here is a resource we’ll be using often during these next few weeks:
Kim A. Johnson who has had extensive experience with Church Leadership wrote a book called Spiritual Body Building. Its principles will serve as our outline during the next few weeks. The lessons in Johnson’s book help believers understand their identity, their roles and how to accomplish God’s overarching purpose as His followers.

When it comes to our weekly exchange, House of Prayer Experience is a place to “practice” ministry with one another through listening to and praying with one another. Everyone has a part to play in God’s House. Let’s get ready.

Filed Under: children in prayer meeting, discipleshipflc, house of prayer, kim a johnson, spiritual body building

"It felt like angels"

February 4, 2011 by Leave a Comment

February 2, 2011

Pastor Vatel and the community of H.o.P.E draws close around a dad who’s young adult son has passed away. Pastor Patterson says a prayer on behalf of all. See the quilt wrapped around Randy? It’s to remind him and his wife Mary that through their grief, they are wrapped with love and prayers.

We are called to pray for each other. Just in case you have doubts about your worthiness to do so, here’s the text from James chapter 5 reminding us that Elijah, the man of prayer,was a human being just like us. Scriptural Passage HERE.

Here are a few principles* we shared tonight on how to pray for someone who is going through an illness:

1. Sometimes, we’ll tell each other: “I’ll pray for you”. Don’t wait. If okay with them, say a prayer of thanks for this person, and ask for God to bless them with_______.

2. The blank space above leads me to the second point: ask the person what he or she would want you to pray for.

3. Use touch: For example, place a hand on his or her shoulder. Of course, use discretion when praying with someone of the opposite sex whom you are not familiar with. In this case, you might choose to have someone be with you if you’re a woman praying for a man,or vice versa.

4. Don’t interfere with their medical treatment. Even if they were healed, you would encourage them to be checked out by their current physician, and not impose your opinion on their course of treatement. Even Jesus sent the lepers back to the pharisees to be checked out and be cleared officially.

5. Surrender your life to God. Ask for your whole being to be renewed. Surrender the person to God’s will. God’s plan for our ultimate healing is sometimes evident here, but for sure will be completed after this life on earth. One day.

Please see this link detailing Larry and Tammy’s testimony and their first visit to the House of Prayer Experience**. CaringBridge is a free website where people who are going through significant health challenges can receive encouragement from family and friends.

Please feel free to send Larry a note HERE!

Thank you to Randy, Larry, Tammy, Judy, Roxana, and others who opened their hearts tonight, and gave us the privilege of praying for and with them.

Thank you to you for being a House of Prayer…for ALL people!

Inspired and blessed by the gifted voices of Restoration,a local music ministry.

*I’m really endebted to Dr. J. Bauer for inspiring this list through his lectures at Andrews Theological Seminary a few years ago!
**See Tammy’s journal entry dated Thursday February 3, 2011.

Filed Under: caringbridge.org, children in prayer meeting, forestlakechurch.org, grief, intercession, loss