A Prayer

John 15:1-7

I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

Lord, I acknowledge that as I abide in You, I am fruitful.  Thank you for making me fruitful because I daily abide in Your presence through praise, worship, prayer, and meditation of Your Word. My obedience to Your Word brings my blessing. Lord Jesus, You chose me, appointed me and planted me for the purpose of producing lasting fruit. Right now I ask the Father in Jesus Name for that fruitfulness.

-PD

A Believer, A Witch, A

Seeker and A Healing

We don’t have to go on tour to minister…
Just ask Gloria or Suzi or each other, “how was God present to you and through you this week…

Thursday an elderly Whiz Kid tutor thanked me for praying a simple prayer of healing for her the week before—she received a healing and seemed quite surprised!

Friday we went “treasure hunting” Fri am: stopped at Starbucks and asked the manager if he knew the meaning of his name (Micah) and if he was a follower of Jesus—yes to both. Then I spoke to a witch who believed Jesus was the one cast out of heaven. Last of all I went back through the check out just to give a simple word to a cashier that God wanted her to know He was with her and she was not alone. She said she hasn’t been practicing her faith but just got this job and knows she is being blessed.

Practice makes permanent
I like the sound of that—“practicing our faith.” Sometimes I practice unbelief, disobedience, laziness, worry, fear, negativity, etc… Practicing our faith is much more fruitful and joyful. Last week Gary Cake said we need to see ourselves bearing fruit. So how was your practicing this week? Prayer? Service? Giving? Witness?

Remember why Jesus had to suffer: the outcome of his agony is the triumph of the life of God in us and through us to hurting people – resurrection joy! He answered forever the problem of evil (why people suffer) and gave us the antidote for the problem of hypocrisy—His grace teaches us and helps us in all our weaknesses.

Please pray for yourself and for us to have Courage: it’s our theme for MC tour this next month. Courage is not the absence of fear but acknowledging it, asking for help (grace) and going ahead to do what is right in spite of fear and doubt and the devil’s lies in our minds. How did Jesus embrace and overcome suffering? 

Declare and pray these Scriptures over yourself and us:

“Love compels us.” 2 Cor 5:14
“Since we have hope we are very bold.” 2 Cor 3:12
“They spoke boldly for the Lord who bore witness of His grace granting signs and wonders.” Acts 14:3
“His grace gives us unfailing courage and a firm hope to encourage you and strengthen you always to do and to say what is good.” 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17
“You shall go out with joy and be led forth with peace.”
“Those who go forth weeping bearing precious seed shall doubtless come again rejoicing bringing fruit with them.”
Love motivated Him. We ask that grace and love motivate us all with courage. “The righteous are bold as a lion” Jesus is the Lion who makes us bold in love.

Courage proves love and love proves courage. 

-PD

MCOKC (Master's Commission) 

Tour Schedule and Prayer List

Master's Commission is a discipleship training school for young adults.  Every Spring, they go on a ministry tour around the nation.  Below is a schedule of their stops and what they will be praying for so that you may agree with them in prayer.  For more information about Master's Commission, check out http://www.mcokc.com/ or http://www.facebook.com/mcokc

Vinita, OK - April 18

We pray that as the Four Square Church gives away 500,000 diapers to help people from the community surrounding the church, that this would be a blessing to the community and could possibly encourage them to  attend the church regularly.

Collinsville, MO - April 24-26

We pray for a constant presence of the Lord to be on the church and as a result, for that presence to spread throughout the community.

Toledo, OH - April 26-28

We pray for a greater expression of the Lord’s love to be within the body of Christ

Ithaca, NY - April 28-May 1

We pray for blessing, prosperity and unity for the Church.

Columbus, OH - May 1-3

We pray for the Lord’s encouragement when reaching the community in a purposeful way.

Newport, KY - May 3-7

We pray for a call out to the hearts of the younger generation and their purpose in the Father’s house.

Lansing, MI - May 7-10

We pray for anticipation of the Lord’s movement within the church and community.

Winchester, KY - May 10-14

We pray for the continual movement and transformation of the drug coalition fighting drug use/abuse in the community.

Louisville, KY - May 14-17

We pray for the expression of God’s love to burn fervently within the hearts of the body of Christ. 

Christ is Risen! He is Risen indeed!

1 Corinthians 15: 51 Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. 53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. 54 When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:

“Death is swallowed up in victory.”

55  “O death, where is your victory?

O death, where is your sting?”

56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.58  Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

Romans 6:1-7 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin. (ESV)

Ephesians 4:1-16 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— 5  one Lord, one faith, one baptism...15 speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16  from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.