Monthly Archives: January 2024

2024 A 21 DAY SPIRITUAL JOURNEY: DAY # 9

Posted on by under Pastor Wrinkles

This year as our church approaches its annual 21 days of fasting and prayer God has given us direction that we are to fast and pray that we would be prepared. We have been given a congregational sentence that comes through the many prophetic words which have been spoken to us over the last year or so. That sentence says: “Prepare! Prepare! Prepare! Prepare you Spirit (come out of the decay of your strongholds). Prepare your Souls(Prepare to practice and feel compassion). Prepare your facility (your structures, infrastructures and plans). Prepare for the storm (Pray for action plan, Pray for a spirit of perseverance). Prepare your witness (know your gifts, earn the right to speak, build your relationships with those outside the church, build your example). Prepare your hope and faith (think hope, speak hope, act in hope). Prepare your love (love each other, love the people in your towns, love those who disagree with you, love through the doors that open).“

seven prepare statements will be broken down into three days each of brief devotionals we will pray into over the next 21days.

DAY 9- Prepare your plans (your structures, infrastructures and plans)

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

When we talk about preparing our plans what are we talking about? We are talking about our mission, our vision, our core values and the execution of those things.

Let’s refresh our memory about the writing on the wall.

OUR PURPOSE: Souls Saved and Lives Changed! How are you doing in this arena? Are people coming to Jesus because of your witness? Are lives being changed because of something you are doing?

OUR VISION: To know Jesus and to make Him Known! How are we doing? Are people coming to know Jesus in relationship because of us? Because of you?

OUR MISSION: While doing life together • We will Reach the Lost • By Sending the Found • As We Discover Our Gifts • To Change this World! Three years ago we began doing life together with each other in DLT groups. Two years ago we began reaching out to our community to do life together with them. This year we must really begin to understand and use our gifts in community to change the worlds around us. THIS YEAR WE ARE SENDING THE FOUND DEEPER INTO COMMUNITY.

DO YOU KNOW WHERE GOD IS SENDING YOU?

DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOUR GIFT IS AND HOW TO USE IT ONCE YOU ARE IN THE PLACE GOD WOULD SEND YOU?

2024 A 21 DAY SPIRITUAL JOURNEY: DAY #8

Posted on by under Pastor Wrinkles

This year as our church approaches its annual 21 days of fasting and prayer God has given us direction that we are to fast and pray that we would be prepared. We have been given a congregational sentence that comes through the many prophetic words which have been spoken to us over the last year or so. That sentence says: “Prepare! Prepare! Prepare! Prepare you Spirit (come out of the decay of your strongholds). Prepare your Souls(Prepare to practice and feel compassion). Prepare your facility (your structures, infrastructures and plans). Prepare for the storm (Pray for action plan, Pray for a spirit of perseverance). Prepare your witness (know your gifts, earn the right to speak, build your relationships with those outside the church, build your example). Prepare your hope and faith (think hope, speak hope, act in hope). Prepare your love (love each other, love the people in your towns, love those who disagree with you, love through the doors that open).“

seven prepare statements will be broken down into three days each of brief devotionals we will pray into over the next 21days.

DAY 8- Prepare your infrastructures (your structures, infrastructures and plans)

Photo by Laura Tancredi on Pexels.com

There is a certain sense, when we talk about preparing our structures that we understand we are talking about very practical activities. We understand it means to clean our bathrooms before company arrives. It means to stock up on some extra groceries in expectation of guests. We can even understand the very practical nature of preparing our hearts to be more intentionally welcoming when guests arrive at our church door(make sure you introduce yourself to the new people). But what does to mean to prepare our infrastructures? What even is an infrastructure?

Infrastructure-the basic physical and organizational structures and facilities of a community.

In community/ church life there are three kinds of Infrastructures we are concerned with preparing:

1. Soft Infrastructure- These are our financial systems. In preparing these we are strengthening the congregants heart of generosity and the leadership systems concerning stewardship or gift management. As we prepare we confront the strongholds of poverty, self-centeredness and entitlement.
2. Hard Infrastructure-
These include our churches facilities, access and communication systems.
How easy is it for our people to get into and out of the church building? How easy is it for new people to find their way around the building?
What if a person cannot drive or has no car? Can they come to church on Sunday? Can they come to your DLT group? How?
How do we communicate important news in our congregation? Is our method effective?
3. Critical Infrastructure- These we will define as our emergency procedures. How do we function in an internal emergency? How do we respond to an emergency a community wide emergency?
What are our security protocols?
Should our community experience some sort of disaster are we prepared to intentionally help? How?

IN LIGHT OF THESE QUESTIONS WHAT QUESTIONS COME UP IN YOUR HEART? WHAT ARE YOU PRAYING FOR TODAY CONCERNING OUR INFRASTRUCTURES?

2024 A 21 DAY SPIRITUAL JOURNEY:DAY#7

Posted on by under Pastor Wrinkles

This year as our church approaches its annual 21 days of fasting and prayer God has given us direction that we are to fast and pray that we would be prepared. We have been given a congregational sentence that comes through the many prophetic words which have been spoken to us over the last year or so. That sentence says: “Prepare! Prepare! Prepare! Prepare you Spirit (come out of the decay of your strongholds). Prepare your Souls(Prepare to practice and feel compassion). Prepare your facility (your structures, infrastructures and plans). Prepare for the storm (Pray for action plan, Pray for a spirit of perseverance). Prepare your witness (know your gifts, earn the right to speak, build your relationships with those outside the church, build your example). Prepare your hope and faith (think hope, speak hope, act in hope). Prepare your love (love each other, love the people in your towns, love those who disagree with you, love through the doors that open).“

seven prepare statements will be broken down into three days each of brief devotionals we will pray into over the next 21days.

DAY 7- Prepare your facility (your structures, infrastructures and plans)

WHAT ARE WE PREPARING FOR?

This next step of preparation seems to be intensely practical and external. We are being asked by God tho prepare our facility…our building(s). For the last six days we have been seeking to prepare our hearts, to make internal changes that will help us to be spiritually and emotionally ready for what is to come. This preparation is different. We are being asked to prepare our church building and our personal homes. For what?

  1. FOR GREATER USE- I don’t know all of what we will be approached for, but I do believe our community is going to need our building for public uses. We need to make sure our building is ready for increased usage
  2. FOR HOSPITALITY- This goes for both our homes and for our church building. The Scripture over and over calls us to show kindness and hospitality toward fellow believers and to strangers. We must prepare to have open doors.
  3. FOR SACRED DUTY- I guess this goes back to more of a mental and spiritual preparation, but we must never forget what God has given us a building and homes for. We have what we have so that we may share the good news, the story of Jesus Christ. We must always look for the God connection as we prepare our facility for use, hospitality and sacred duty.
    • What does God really want to use our building and our homes for?

2024 A 21 DAY SPIRITUAL JOURNEY DAY#6

Posted on by under Pastor Wrinkles, Uncategorized

This year as our church approaches its annual 21 days of fasting and prayer God has given us direction that we are to fast and pray that we would be prepared. We have been given a congregational sentence that comes through the many prophetic words which have been spoken to us over the last year or so. That sentence says: “Prepare! Prepare! Prepare! Prepare you Spirit (come out of the decay of your strongholds). Prepare your Souls(Prepare to practice and feel compassion). Prepare your facility (your structures, infrastructures and plans). Prepare for the storm (Pray for action plan, Pray for a spirit of perseverance). Prepare your witness (know your gifts, earn the right to speak, build your relationships with those outside the church, build your example). Prepare your hope and faith (think hope, speak hope, act in hope). Prepare your love (love each other, love the people in your towns, love those who disagree with you, love through the doors that open).“

seven prepare statements will be broken down into three days each of brief devotionals we will pray into over the next 21days.

DAY 1: PREPARE YOUR SOUL TO PRACTICE AND FEEL COMPASSION.

Photo by Kevin Malik on Pexels.com

WHICH COME FIRST, THE FEELING OR THE PRACTICE?

Is it always necessary to feel compassion before we practice compassion? Is there a place where we practice compassion simply because it’s the right thing to do regardless of how we feel about it?

The answer to that question is….OF COURSE. The book of James teaches us, “17 If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.” James 4:17

There are many things we do in our Christian walk that go against our “feelings”. Walking in the Spirit means letting the spirit (that part of us that connects to the Spirit of God) lead rather than our souls (our logic, personal will and emotions). We begin walking in the Spirit by coming to know and obey the commands and principles of the Bible. After a time of such practice we can begin to hear the voice of God directing us in the place of prayer.

What I have discovered is that when I practice walking the way the Spirit leads, my emotions line up with the Word, but if I wait to obey God until I feel like obeying Him my “feelings to want” godliness never grow.

2024 A 21 DAY SPIRITUAL JOURNEY: DAY#5

Posted on by under Pastor Wrinkles, Uncategorized

This year as our church approaches its annual 21 days of fasting and prayer God has given us direction that we are to fast and pray that we would be prepared. We have been given a congregational sentence that comes through the many prophetic words which have been spoken to us over the last year or so. That sentence says: “Prepare! Prepare! Prepare! Prepare you Spirit (come out of the decay of your strongholds). Prepare your Souls(Prepare to practice and feel compassion). Prepare your facility (your structures, infrastructures and plans). Prepare for the storm (Pray for action plan, Pray for a spirit of perseverance). Prepare your witness (know your gifts, earn the right to speak, build your relationships with those outside the church, build your example). Prepare your hope and faith (think hope, speak hope, act in hope). Prepare your love (love each other, love the people in your towns, love those who disagree with you, love through the doors that open).“

seven prepare statements will be broken down into three days each of brief devotionals we will pray into over the next 21days.

DAY 5: PREPARE YOUR SOULS TO PRACTICE AND FEEL COMPASSION.

Photo by RDNE Stock project on Pexels.com

WHAT CAN I DO TO BUILD THE HEART OF COMPASSION?

In Matthew 9 the Bible says, “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”

A heart of compassion starts with God moving on that heart to see things the way He sees them. When we see a need that is the beginning of God moving on our hearts to build compassion. The recognition of the need is the first step.

When we begin to pray for God to send someone to meet the need we further align ourselves with His plan, because I promise you He wants to help.

I love that Jesus told the disciples to start praying for God to send someone to help and then as God He sent them into the very harvest field they were praying about…

Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.

5 These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. 6 Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. 7 As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy,[a] drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give. Mat. 10:1, 5-8

When we learn we are the answer to our own prayers for help for others and then become willing enough to actually do something rather than make excuses we will have gained a heart of compassion.

2024 A 21 DAY SPIRITUAL JOURNEY:DAY #4

Posted on by under Pastor Wrinkles

This year as our church approaches its annual 21 days of fasting and prayer God has given us direction that we are to fast and pray that we would be prepared. We have been given a congregational sentence that comes through the many prophetic words which have been spoken to us over the last year or so. That sentence says: “Prepare! Prepare! Prepare! Prepare you Spirit (come out of the decay of your strongholds). Prepare your Souls(Prepare to practice and feel compassion). Prepare your facility (your structures, infrastructures and plans). Prepare for the storm (Pray for action plan, Pray for a spirit of perseverance). Prepare your witness (know your gifts, earn the right to speak, build your relationships with those outside the church, build your example). Prepare your hope and faith (think hope, speak hope, act in hope). Prepare your love (love each other, love the people in your towns, love those who disagree with you, love through the doors that open).“

seven prepare statements will be broken down into three days each of brief devotionals we will pray into over the next 21days.

DAY 3: PREPARE YOUR SOULS TO PRACTICE AND FEEL COMPASSION.

Jesus was known as a man of compassion. Compassion is the movement of concern, love, pity. It is an emotion that results in action. Kind actions devoid of the emotions of concern, love and pity are not compassion. Further feeling concerned or loving or pitying without doing something as a result of those emotions is also not compassion.

Jesus did the things He did because He loved people and He pitied their condition. “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” Matthew 9: 36

We must be like him!

WHAT ARE YOU PRAYING MORE FOR, COMPASSIONATE FEELINGS OR COMPASSIONATE ACTIONS TO FOLLOW THROUGH?