The Morning Prayer, August 21, 2011

Let us rouse ourselves to take hold of God, Isaiah 64:7(ESV) to seek his face, Psalm 27:8(ESV) and to ascribe to him the glory due his name. Psalm 29:2(ESV)

ADORATION AND CONFESSION

O you whose name is the LORD, who alone is the Most High over all the earth. Psalm 83:18(ESV) O LORD our God, you are very great! You are clothed with splendor and majesty, you cover yourself with light as with a garment; Psalm 104:1-2(ESV) and yet to us you make darkness your canopy, Psalm 18:11(ESV) for we cannot draw up our case because of darkness. Job 37:19(ESV)

To us belongs open shame, because we have sinned against you. Daniel 9:8(ESV) If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared. Psalm 130:3-4(ESV) With you there is steadfast love! Yes, with you, our God, there is plentiful redemption, and you will redeem Israel from all his iniquities. Psalm 130:7-8(ESV)

Lord, all our longing is before you, and our sighing is not hidden from you, Psalm 38:9(ESV) even the sighs and groanings too deep for words; for, you who searches the heart knows what is the mind of the Spirit. Romans 8:26-27(ESV) Lord, we come to you, as the poor tax collector that stood far off and would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his cheat; and we pray his prayer, “God, be merciful to us sinners.” Luke 18:13(ESV) O God of infinite mercy be merciful to us! And meet with your people in worship. Amen.

PASTORAL PRAYER

Our souls bless you, LORD. Let all that is within us bless your holy name. Psalm 103:1-2(ESV) Your goodness is your glory, Exodus 33:19(ESV) and because of your goodness all your works give thanks to you and all the saints bless you. Psalm 145:10(ESV) Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears us up. God, you are our salvation. Psalm 68:19(ESV) O how wonderfully did your goodness and loving kindness appear! You saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to your own mercy. Titus 3:4-5(ESV) We had destroyed ourselves, but in you, and you only, was our help. Hosea 13:9(KJV) We thank you that having bore the sin of many, Christ makes intercession for transgressors, Isaiah 53:12(ESV) and prays, not only for those who were given to him when he was on earth, but also for all those who will believe in him through their word; that we may all be one. John 17:20-21(ESV) Grant that we are one…

Lord, build up and protect your church. Do good to Zion in your good pleasure; build up the walls of Jerusalem. Psalm 51:18(ESV) Peace be within her walls and security within her towers. For our brothers and companions’ sake, we now ask, “Peace be within her.” Psalm 122:7-8(ESV) Yes…

Lord, we pray for the peace and purity of your church. Let your Spirit be poured out upon your churches from on high, and then the wilderness shall become a fruitful field; Isaiah 32:12(ESV) then justice will return to the righteous, and all the upright in heart will follow it. Psalm 94:15(ESV) Let what remains be put into order, Titus 1:5(ESV) and let every plant that is not of our heavenly Father’s planting be rooted up. Matthew 15:13(ESV) Within your church…

Lord, we pray for the officers of your church. Teach all who serve in your name how they should behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, 1 Timothy 3:15(ESV) that they may not preach themselves but Jesus Christ as Lord, 2 Corinthians 4:5(ESV) and may do their best to present themselves approved to you, workmen who have no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15(ESV) Make them good examples to the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity; 1 Timothy 4:12(ESV) and let them purify themselves who bear the vessels of the Lord, Isaiah 52:11(ESV) and let HOLY TO THE LORD be written upon their foreheads. Exodus 28:36(ESV) And we ask for those outside the church or estranged from you…

Lord we pray for enemies of the gospel and all those who disgrace Christianity by their vicious and immoral lives. O teach transgressors your ways, and let sinners return to you. Psalm 51:13(ESV) O give them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, 2 Timothy 2:25(ESV) the truth as it is in Jesus, Ephesians 4:21(ESV) the truth which accords with godliness; Titus 1:1(ESV) that they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil. 2 Timothy 2:26(ESV) We especially pray for wayward brothers and sisters. Let those who are straying like sheep return to Jesus Christ, the Shepherd and Overseer of our souls. 1 Peter 2:25(ESV) Hear us…

Lord, we pray for our friends and those who love us. We wish for all those whom we love in truth, that all may go well with them and that they may be in good health. We especially pray that it will go well with their souls. 2 John 1:2(ESV) May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with their spirits. Philemon 1:25(ESV) Finally…

Lord, we pray for the good of this nation, the United States of America. Restore this nation to yourself, O Lord GOD of hosts, and let your face shine, that we may be saved! O stir up your might and come to save us! Psalm 80:2-3(ESV) God, be a wall of fire all around this nation and the glory in the midst of this nation. Zechariah 2:5(ESV) Let your gospel be the glory of this nation. Isaiah 4:5(ESV) We beg in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ that there may be no divisions among us, but that we be united in the same mind and the same judgment. 1 Corinthians 1:10(ESV)

CONCLUSION

Now, Lord, direct our hearts to your love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ. 2 Thessalonians 3:5(ESV) God of Israel, grant us the things we have requested of you. 1 Samuel 1:17(ESV) We entreat your favor, O God, with all our heart; be gracious to us according to your promise, Psalm 119:58(ESV) for in your favor is life; Psalm 30:5(ESV) yes, your steadfast love is better than life itself. Psalm 63:3(ESV) Amen.

A Prayer for Faith

Heavenly Father, by Your Son Jesus Christ, you have given us a true faith and a sure hope: Help me to live like those who believe and trust in the communion of the saints, the forgiveness of sins, and the resurrection to everlasting life. Strengthen this faith and hope in me all the days of my life; through the love of your Son Jesus Christ, our Savior. Amen.

A Prayer for a Spiritual Mind

Almighty God, You alone can order the unruly wills and affections of sinful men: Grant me the ability to love what You command and desire what You promise. As the waves of this world crash over me, the ebb and flow of life, anchor my heart to the One in whom true joys may be found, our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Missions Report

CARL & BECKY CHAPLIN
MAY – JUNE 2011

CHAPLIN CHECK-UP

from Riga, Latvia

e-mail: cdc2849@gmail.com (Carl)
radch5@gmail.com (Becky)
Blog: www.latviachaplins.blogspot.com

MTW missionaries in Latvia & Lithuania
Phone: 601-724-5728 (reaches us in Latvia)


SUMMER ARRIVED THIS WEEK-END (5/21) J AND WE WENT BIKE RIDING! (Lots of others did also)


--got us all in the mood for our summer activities which we have been planning for months with Martins & Anda Martinson. Please pray for ALL these activities; and especially for hearts to be changed, and drawn to love the Lord.
Unless the LORD builds the house, the builders labor in vain. Ps. 127:1

IT ALL BEGINS--- on Mon. (5/23) with the arrival of DR. MARK BOLYARD from Union Univ., Jackson, TN.

~He will have talks on Faith & Science to teens, young adults, and medical students (both in Latvia & Lithuania)
~There will be discussion times, prayer walks, and other interaction in both Riga & Kaunas, Lithuania

*****
BRAD & CALEB arrive May 28th

SO much is planned for them they (& we) really need your prayers. Brad & Caleb’s main responsibility will be discipling our present teens & young adults and involving them in outreach to others.

Activities planned: Lots of time spent with these people; helping with Light Café; weekly one-day activities, hikes, camps, week-long baseball training in a sports facility, and activities in parks. (Photo from last year)


*****

REV. RON & GAYLE CLEGG are to be here June 22 – 28 to speak at the church’s Family Camp in Latvia & a 2-day conference in Lithuania for seminary students. Ron is pastor of Parkview Pres. In Lilburn, Georgia.

~Family Camp for the Reformed churches is always great with over 100 attending. It is over some the longest days of the year (& believe us these are long days!), so plenty of time for teaching and activities (who sleeps?). Here is a photo from last year with Mark Bolyard (on end), Carl & Becky, and many others.

After the Family Camp, Ron will go to Vilnius, Lithuania with Carl for a conference. PLEASE PRAY FOR BOTH THESE ACTIVITIES.
*****
FAMILIES & MOMS’GROUP - Hard to have Moms’ group during the summer when Moms need to be with children, BUT plans are moving forward for a series of Parenting Seminars this fall.
PRAISE God for our wonderful team of 4 couples who are working to get details ready. PLEASE PRAY that all the talks can be translated and we will find a “good voice” to record them.

TEEN GIRLS – Since both our interns are guys, Anda hopes to spend special time with the teen girls each week this summer. Pray this works out.
*****
IN ADDITION—
Work on Lux Mundi continues (luxmundi.lv) – more articles up! More articles being translated.

Baltic Reformed Theological Seminary will continue with courses in June. Dr. Mark Vanderhart will have an intensive course on “Post-Exilic Prophets.” PLUS he is offering a 6-week Greek class for those interested (thru middle of July). Please pray for these courses.

Truly a very packed next 6 weeks. We pray for grace, wisdom, strength and God to work mightily.
“Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit.” Say the Lord Almighty. Zechariah 4:6

*****
We end with GOOD NEWS! Not only are we well and doing fine, but we are soon to have teammates!! Robert & Jeanne Smith have set the third week of July as their arrival in Riga!! We praise God for this.

This is in exactly two months! Pray as they have much to do both before they come and after they arrive.

Together for God’s Kingdom work in the Baltics,

Carl & Becky Chaplin

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Sechlers’ Signpost June 6, 2011

UPDATE

We just want to update you on our present status since we arrived in Mississippi for our Home Ministry Assignment (HMA). Needless to say, our travels have been hampered due to medical procedures that Sharon has undergone since we arrived. In our last Sechlers’ Signpost, we shared with you that she had been hospitalized for a procedure (A VATS Pleurodesis) which means a procedure that drains fluid from the chest cavity, right side, and then ‘glues’ the pleura to the inside of the ribcage to prevent fluid from building up and compressing her lung which causes shortness of breath.

Since we have been in Mississippi, she has had one chemo treatment and two Thoracenteses procedures. Her Oncologist, as well as we, believe that the chemo will ‘kick in’ and help stop the cancer cells, especially in the thoracic region where she has had the biggest problem. Ultimately we do trust our Great Physician to do His will. During this time, she has lost a considerable amount of weight and we are really working on building her strength so we can begin our normal reporting. Her next Chemo treatment is scheduled for this Thursday. Please pray. Her appetite is improving and we praise Him for that.

All the above being said, these situations have hampered our wish to begin reporting to our ministry partners. We are also supposed to attend a re-entry conference at Ridgehaven in NC in July and we are hoping and praying that Sharon’s physical condition will be improved enough for us to attend this conference. We are hoping that we can seek God’s will for our future ministry at this conference, since there will be Mission to the World representatives present to discuss future ministry opportunities, as well as past, with us .

Please pray for us as we trust Him for His healing and His leadership in our lives as we seek to do His will. We will keep you updated as time goes on.

We praise God for your faithfulness in your willingness to partner in ministry with us. Your continued prayers and financial support are gratefully appreciated.

Our HMA address is: 7054 Attala Road 4167 Sallis, MS 39160

Phone numbers are: 662 289 7212, 917 683 7039 or 917 683 7079

We ask in Christ’s great love and mercy for you to pray with us.

Your fellow servants for Kingdom growth,

Dick & Sharon

Romans 11: 33-36
Oh the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable His judgments, and His paths beyond tracing out! “Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been His counselor?” “Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him?” For from Him, and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever! Amen

Persisting In Prayer

Is prayer often the first thing to go when life gets busy? Are you one of those people who would say, “You know, my prayer life could be better than it is.”

This is part two of the Family Life interview with Paul Miller. It is a well spent twenty minutes. Listen to it while you eat lunch. You won't be disappointed.

Paul Miller discusses why we don't persist in prayer. He begins with a spiritual diagnosis instead of time management suggestions. The problem with prayerlessness is not self-discipline, which most people think, “If I were more spiritual.” The key to having a praying life is having a permanent sense of a poverty of spirit, “I can’t do life on my own." Then, he begins to encourage us in a way that engenders persistence in prayer.


Listen to Part Two here.
Listen to Part One here.

"Christ Alone" Is A Benefit To You

Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you. (Galatians 5.2, ESV)

"The person who is not moved by these considerations to leave the Law and the confidence in his own righteousness for the liberty in Christ, has a heart that is harder than stone and iron.

"Paul does not condemn circumcision in itself. Circumcision is not injurious to the person who does not ascribe any particular importance to it. Neither are works injurious provided a person does not attach any saving value to them. The Apostle does not say that works are objectionable, but to build one’s hopes for righteousness on works is disastrous, for that makes Christ good for nothing.

"Let us bear this in mind when the devil accuses our conscience. When that dragon accuses us of having done no good at all, but only evil, say to him: “You trouble me with the remembrance of my past sins; you remind me that I have done no good. But this does not bother me, because if I were to trust in my own good deeds, or despair because I have done no good deeds, Christ would profit me neither way. I am not going to make him unprofitable to me. This I would do, if I should presume to purchase for myself the favor of God and everlasting life by my good deeds, or if I should despair of my salvation because of my sins.” – Commentary on Galatians, Martin Luther, translated by Theodore Graebner

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May your Easter (Resurrection Sunday) be one of celebration as you reflect on all Christ endured in order to pay the price for our sins. We are so thankful that the Lamb’s sacrifice was enough to satisfy the demands of our holy and just God. He is risen!

As we have shared in churches this year, we have shared about God building His church among the Inapang people. Below is an update from Bill and Kelley Housley who work among the Inapang in regards to the Good Friday celebration that the believers had. We thought it might encourage your hearts as it did ours.

Thanks for your prayers and support for our family. We are in the midst of getting things together to ship to Papua New Guinea for this next four-year term. Pray for Brian as he completes the paperwork and gets our stuff on a truck soon. Pray that there will be room on the container for the things we intend to ship.

1 Peter 1:3 “All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by His great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead.”

Because He lives,

Brian and Arlita Burnham and Family

Brian and Arlita Burnham
Melissa, Nathaniel, Megan & Micah, Caleb, Joshua, Jonathan, Joel & Nicole
13421 Deerfield Trail
Derby, KS 67037
Phone: 316/776-9295

Serving the Lord with New Tribes mission in Papua new guinea!

"And you will be a light to guide the nations.

You will open the eyes of the blind.

You will free the captives from prison,

releasing those who sit in dark dungeons.

I am the Lord; that is my name!

I will not give my glory to anyone else."

Isaiah 42:7-8

Good Friday! He has risen! He has risen indeed!

Today the 4 churches of the Inapang people gathered together to worship. Several days before, some of the men and boys got together and built some bush shelters around the gathering building so that everyone would have shade to sit under. Today, hundreds of Inapang believers gathered here in Itutang. It was not all the Inapang believers, but there were believers from each of the 4 churches in the Inapang Language Group - Itutang, Mbongen, Ziangaret and Isarakan.

Each church brought several songs they had composed and sang them. Then several Itutang teachers and several Mbongen teachers taught the Resurrection story. It was a good time of fellowship for everyone.

After the lesson was over, about 100 people from the various churches played what we would call Bible trivia. Matthew and Kletus stood in the middle and asked questions from the Old Testament and the Gospels while everyone raced to answer them.

What a difference the Lord makes in a community! For one, to see the communities gathering, not for war or bickering, but to worship the ONE TRUE GOD, it was nothing short of a miracle. Secondly, listening to the questions they were asking, I had to think hard just to come up with the answers in my head before they did. What a joy to see how the Lord has been at work over the last few years!

Please continue to pray for the Inapang churches. They will begin the process of taking the gospel to 2 more of the Inapang villages in June - Poneke and Ongi. Also, be praying for the process of translation. That the Lord would give wisdom to our translation team. Also, that he would give us wisdom as we seek to train the guys in translation principles so that they can become more and more involved. Also, be praying that we would be wise disciplers as we seek to equip the church to reach not only those of the same language group, but also the different language groups around them.

To encourage you, I wanted to close with several prayer requests and praises from last weeks' service here in Itutang. A man prayed for our Bible teachers, that they would teach well. And one person prayed for the young people. He said that mobile phones were like idols!!! ( I am not even going to comment on that) . One man was so thankful that they do not have to do custom sinful things to make their food grow. One lady was thankful that her child did not get hurt falling off her porch and several men were thankful for the grace of God and specifically that it surpasses our sin! You can tell that the gospel has reached into every aspect of their lives! Praise the Lord!

Thank you for partnering with us and for being part of the Inapang team!

MARANATHA! The King is coming! Let's be found giving all for his glory

and fulfilling his last words to us as he ascended to prepare our home in HEAVEN!

By God's Grace and For His Glory~

Bill for the Housleys

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Missions Report

Sechlers’ Spring Signpost - 2011

“For God’s gifts and His call are irrevocable.” Romans 11:29 NIV

Can you believe that it’s already Spring? We are still having cold weather mixed with warm weather, so one day it seems like winter and the next seems like spring.

Things have been quite busy and challenging since Christmas. Since we knew that we would be leaving for Home Ministry Assignment by May 1st, we have been busy arranging ministries here for the time we are gone from the field. We will miss our students but look forward to a time with each of you and a time of reflection and planning on the future ministry.

If you have not set up a time for us to come and visit you during our HMA, please e-mail us or call us. We would love to have a time to share with each of you. You can e-mail us at: richardksechler AT gmail.com or call us at 917- 683-7039. After the first of May, we can also be reached at: 662 – 289 – 7212.

Also, during the last couple of weeks, Sharon spent some time in the hospital to have fluid drained from her chest. Many of you have been praying for her, and we ask you to continue to pray. She is doing much better and overcoming very sore ribs.

Please pray for our students and for the volunteers who will be working with them while we are away.

Please pray for more volunteers to step up and help those already committed.

Please pray for our travels while on HMA.

HMA address is as follows:
7054 Attala Road 4167
Sallis, MS 39160

“Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed” Proverbs 16:3, NIV

Cynicism: Low Level Doubt

This radio broadcast was referred to in the morning service. It would be a worthwhile listen for anyone who can spare twenty minutes.

Paul Miller, the Executive Director of seeJesus, discusses how prayer is hard work. Additionally, he talks about the following issues:

1) The why, when and how-to's of prayer
2) The need to talk unreservedly to God as children do their fathers
3) The danger of giving into cynicism when it appears God isn't listening or not following our plan

Click here to listen to the program.

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