07/12/2020 Newsletter

Pray For One Another

To request prayer, email mosaicnazarene@gmail.com or call/text (520) 709-0815

Our pastors and their families

The world as we all continue to navigate this Covid-19 pandemic.

Susie Kimbal

Barbara Gionfriddo's dear friend's Sister

Barbara Gionfriddo's friend's Mom

Karen Springer

Phillis Bacon

Judy McGinnis

Barb Keeler's sister Frankie

Judy Baker

Brenda and Karen's brother, Wes

Alice MacKenzie

Judy's Baker's great grandson

Merritt's sister-in-law, Cheri

The many unspoken requests

Make sure you're a part of our Facebook group to get prayer requests as they come in: https://www.facebook.com/groups/21109057279

Holiness Today

Wistful Coveting and Christlike Humility

“In their hearts humans plan their course, but the LORD establishes their steps.”

Proverbs 16:9

I have been praying for a friend who is experiencing devastating loss as she watches someone she loves slip away. I have observed her journey, trying to uphold her through messages, prayers, and by asking my prayer group to pray for her even though they do not know her. She has gracefully carried on this long, hard struggle, but it has been heart-wrenching to watch her journey. Her solid, undiminished faith is a beam of light for all who know her.

One day, as I was praying and feeling so burdened for the turn of events in her once-admirable life, I heard God whisper. His whisper is loving and gentle, but that day, the impact of His message to me was forceful and deafening—I had to hold my breath. God reminded me that my thoughts about my friend have not always been so sympathetic and admirable.

He whispered: “Robin, remember five years ago? Remember your thoughts about your friend?” The Lord’s whisper to me reminded me that I used to envy this friend’s life. Jealousy is a frightening emotion that a pastor or a missionary would not readily admit and should not inwardly experience. However, God humbled me with His reminder that I was once jealous of my friend who was now going through such a difficult time. Suddenly, irony, destiny, and guilt melded into one emotional explosion as I was struck with the awareness that coveting had slinked into my soul; I was humbled.

God has gifted each of us individually to carry out His design for our lives in order to build His Kingdom—we don’t need to covet the life of another!

How willing are we to carry the life gifted individually to us with dignity and care? How precious and unique are the circumstances God has allowed in our lives? Have we taken advantage of His good gifts, even the painful interruptions, in order to carry out His plan and glorify Him?

The human soul longs for recognition and acceptance as it strives to succeed. On our own, these desires can lead to coveting and jealousy. Yet as Christ-followers, we must place even those natural desires at His feet. Many times, it is with ease that we tend to glance at the lives of those around us. We can covet their victories without understanding their personal struggles. Tragically, often we waste time reviewing the journey of others while ignoring the thousand small but important victories God has won for us. May the Lord forgive us!

Christ’s call to perfection is beautiful and persistent. He calls us out of our heads, our thoughts, and even our natural longings and pulls us toward Him, His desires, and His plans. May it be so.

Robin Brunson Radi, with her husband and children, serve as Global Missionaries for the Church of the Nazarene in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Written for Coffee Break.

https://www.holinesstoday.org/wistful-coveting-and-christlike-humility

Bible Reading Plan:

Week 29

Can you believe that we are over halfway through our Bible reading plan? If you've been keeping up with this schedule, WAY TO GO! I pray that God is blessing you.

If you haven't kept up or haven't even started, it's not too late!!

Pick up bookmark ONE in the church lobby and join at your own pace.

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. Bookmark SEVEN is available now!

Use bible.com OR the YouVersion ap p

Day 197: Isaiah 13-17

Day 198: Isaiah 18-22

Day 199: Isaiah 23-27

Day 200: 2 Kings 18

2 Chronicles 29-31

Psalm 48

Day 201: Hosea 1-7

Day 202: Hosea 8-14

Day 203: Isaiah 28-30

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.