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March 07, 2007
FROM THE COUCH
From the Couch
Preparing For The Weekend
As we all gear up for a big weekend at Zion with the coming of Ralph and Carolyn Partelow, I think that it’s important for us to prepare ourselves spiritually for the decision that we will face on Sunday. The calling of a pastor is a very important time in the life of a church body. It can be a time of excitement and anticipation about what God will do through the ministry of the new pastor. It is also a time when each member of the body needs to be armed with the full armor of God, as the enemy often concentrates many attacks on the unity and focus of the church. I believe that where God is working, the enemy is often lurking, waiting for God’s people to present themselves unprepared for an attack. I have seen God working recently in mighty ways at Zion, especially through faithful prayer. I have seen God honor prayers for healing. I have seen Him loosen spiritual strongholds. I have seen Him make perfect His strength in our weaknesses. I have seen His protection and blessing in the lives of many people. God is working mightily as we pray. The enemy is also working hard to see that we do anything but pray. So it’s important that each of us approach this weekend with diligence and preparation through much fervent prayer.
Each Sunday we pray together by reciting the Lord’s Prayer. We pray “Your Kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10). I believe this should be our model as we pray for the weekend. We should pray that God’s Kingdom come – that He should have rule in the hearts and minds of all people, especially us. We should pray that God’s will (not ours’) be done, here at Zion as well as in all of heaven and earth. We should pray that God would prepare our hearts and minds to be open and sensitive to His leading. We should also pray that God would deliver us from any temptation to act against His will, and that He would protect us from the concentrated spiritual attacks that come from the evil one (Matthew 6:13).
I pray that you will enter this weekend covered with the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and prepared to be used as God’s instruments. I pray that you will be greatly blessed as you enjoy spending time with the Partelow’s, and I pray that through each of us God’s will be done and His glory be exalted!
Pastor Steve
Posted by Jennifer Herrmann at March 7, 2007 05:19 PM