A Word From Pastor John~
How can we be the church this week? The church is not bound by a physical building. We are the church.
We are reminded this week that God tends to use times of trial and hardship to work in our lives. We know that many in our church and community are hurting. There is job loss, kids out of school, people unable to get out.
How can we be there for each other this week?
Pray For One Another
Our pastors and their families
The world as we all continue to navigate this pandemic.
Val Jordheim's daughter, Erika
Dawn & Frank Sundstrom
Tonya Fleming's great nephew, Ben
Cory Echenbarger
Erin MacDougal
Terry and Cristy's family
Barbara's family
Alisha
Lillian Brock
Kara & Frank Mathey's daughter
The Mobleys and LeAnn's sister, Hope
Talma's son KC
The many unspoken requests
Bible Reading Plan: Week 13
It's vitally important you read the Bible. It gives you the foundation you need to stand firm against the enemy's schemes. It's our Sword of the Spirit! (Ephesians 6:17)
If you're not currently on a reading plan, just read Ephesians this week.
This year, we are reading through the Bible chronologically using The Bible Recap Plan in YouVersion.
Take a bookmark from the front lobby if you'd like to keep track that way and go through at your own pace.
Use bible.com OR the YouVersion app
Day 85: Joshua 12-15
Day 86: Joshua 16-18
Day 87: Joshua 19-21
Day 88: Joshua 22-24
Day 89: Judges 1-2
Day 90: Judges 3-5
Day 91: Judges 6-7
Before you read God’s Word today, seek His help with these 5 prayers:
1. God, give me wisdom, knowledge, and understanding. 2. God, let any knowledge I gain serve to help me love You and others more, and not puff me up. 3. God, help me see something new about You I've never seen before. 4. God, correct any lies I believe about You or anything I misunderstand. 5. God, direct my steps according to Your Word.
Mission Minute
Choose Faith over Fear
“What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?” Matthew 8:27
Think about the disciples hanging out with Jesus on a boat when a life-threatening storm erupts on the water. They’re unprepared to face it and, panicking, realize they might die. The entire time this is happening, Jesus is sleeping peacefully.
Instead of looking at Jesus’ reaction to their situation, the disciples allowed their situation to dictate their reactions.
After begging Jesus to do something, He calms the storm… But not before asking them, “Why are you afraid?”
His gentle rebuke over their lack of faith wasn’t because they didn’t believe Jesus could save them from the storm, but because they struggled to believe He would see them through it.
When we find ourselves in storms we can’t control, how do we respond with faith? Here are three encouraging truths to remember:
1. God has power over every storm.
If the wind and waves don’t concern Him, then they shouldn’t frighten you. You might not be able to change your situation, but you can choose to faithfully trust God in the middle of it.
2. Fixing your eyes on Jesus leads to peace.
Are you looking at the size of the storm, or turning towards the One who can calm it? It’s only by focusing on God, who knows every outcome, that you can navigate any situation with His wisdom and peace.
3. Jesus is always in your boat.
It’s easy to focus on your fears when you can’t control your future. But thankfully, Jesus knows your future, and He’s always by your side. And, He calls you to live by faith, not by sight.
Whenever you find yourself overwhelmed by life, you always have two choices: you can focus on your circumstances, or fix your eyes on Jesus.
If you choose to look to Jesus above everything else, you will begin to see that the storms you face are not nearly as powerful as the Savior choosing to walk through the storm alongside you.
Adapted from YouVersion
Blessings!
Talma Harmon
Missions Advisory Council
Opportunities to Give and Serve
Help get Bibles to the Navajo speaking
people in prison here in Arizona: Serve God by serving your church:
Holiness Today Article
Rooted in Christ
“I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong.” —Ephesians 3:16-17, NLT.
God continually gives us opportunities to minister to those around us. He gives us eyes to see the scars they bear and the burdens they carry. Perhaps their struggle is with an addiction, an abusive relationship, or an unplanned pregnancy.
"Jesus is calling us to minister to others from a place of God-dependency instead of self-sufficiency."
When we put our faith in action, the life of Christ is released from deep inside of us and we become a dwelling place for His love. When His love lives inside of us, it becomes the source of our strength and the root of our life. And when we are rooted in Christ, He gives us the wisdom to know what to say.
As access to abortion increases, God’s people are embracing His call to be His hands to those who are hurting, His feet to those who need resources, and His heart to those who need answers. He is the vine, and we have the privilege of being His branches.
Because we are rooted in Christ, the Living Alternatives Pregnancy Resource Center is able to provide a peaceful place for women to grow in their faith and prepare for the birth of their babies. We provide a safe place for them to slow down the momentum of the decisions that have brought them to this place and really listen to the Lord — to hear that He has a plan for their lives and a hope for their futures.
Precious God, we long to live in Your fullness and serve You from a place of faith — to be fully rooted in You. We ask You to strengthen us by Your Spirit. We long to open ourselves daily to the presence of Christ so that He can live in us and be invited into every interaction and each conversation. With both feet planted firmly in You, help us to consider the extravagant dimensions of Your love — to experience its breadth, see its length, plumb its depths, and rise to its heights.
“Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.” —Ephesians 3:20-21, NLT.
Sherry Sherwood is CEO of the Living Alternatives Pregnancy Resource Center.
Written for Coffee Break.
Congregation Corner
-sorry, no one submitted anything this week.
If you would like to write something for this section, let me know! Anything God may be showing you this week, a favorite scripture, or even a devotional page or song you really enjoyed, just email me: mosaicnazarene@gmail.com
Upcoming Events
New! UPDATES page (for all your Covid-19 time Mosaic news)..... go HERE
This Week
