devotion week of february 27 2011

8/7/2019 Devotion Week of February 27 2011

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SERMON NOTES:PRAYER R EQUESTS F EBRUARY 20, 2011

Y For Erika Doehnick, as she broke herankle last October.

Y For Erika’s mom, Gloria Escoto, who

having knee issues.

Y For the family of Tony Amato. We’veprayed for Tony in the past as hestruggled with his MS, depression,drug and alcohol abuse. Tonypassed away this past weekend atthe age of 26.

Y Gene Moore, Paul’s uncle, who’shaving trouble with his health.

Y Jacob Mielke a 19 year old man who

is struggling with cancer. He isgetting chemoat the Mayo Clinic.

Y Peter Ralston, Faith Ralston’s sonwho is struggling with addiction.

Y For Steven Muhia’s family, sick wife,and children’s & familycommitments, and their strugglewith finances.

Y The Glasgow family and the birth of their new baby girl, Brielle.

Y Donna Mc Cullen, Ken Mc Cullen'swife as she goes through moreintense chemotherapy treatment.

Y The Pastor Nominating Committee of Community Presbyterian Church inPlainview as they discern who God iscalling to be their new pastor.

Y Gary Wassam as he looks for a job.

Y Bill Fink as he looks for a job.

Y Pray for continued courage onDwight Zvorak’s recovery fromalcoholism.

DEVOTIONThis past Sunday we celebrated CampSunday. Camp Sunday is a reflection of our commitment at Chain of Lakes tochildren and youth ministry.

Attending Camp is a wonderful andunique way for youth and children togrow in their faith.

The Bible has all sorts of stories about

children and youth. This week we aregoing to read six stories. These storiesdon’t give us a prescription for how todo youth and children’s ministry.However they can teach us how to valueyouth, support youth, and equip youthto be disciples.

Enjoy!

Comments about the devotion can be E-mailed to [email protected]

Monday, February 28Read Acts 20:7-12We all probably have had theexperience of Eutychus, that is, fallingasleep in church. We can imagine howthis happened. The story shares thatthere were many lamps in the roomwhere the group was meeting. Theroom probably became warm. Eutychuswasn’t captivated by the talk Paul wasgiving, and he fell asleep.

As a congregation we have an obligationto create an environment where children



2 3 4and youth don’t fall asleep duringworship or other activities. We can readin the story the harm that happened toEutychus because he fell asleep.Though children don’t die a physicaldeath when they become disengagedfrom a community, they do suffer harm.

Today as you pray, pray that we atChain of Lakes Church can create anenvironment where children and youthbecome fully alive. Pray that no child oryouth will fall asleep or become boredduring their participation. Pray that thechildren and youth at Chain of Lakes canbecome the people that God desires forthem to be.

Tuesday, March 1

Read Jeremiah 1:4-10Jeremiah was one of the most importantprophets in the Old Testament. Hetestified to the nation of Judah, pleadingwith them to come back to God.Unfortunately the nation didn’t heed hispleadings. Jerusalem was destroyed inthe year 587 and the people were takeninto exile.

Jeremiah was only a youth when Godcalled him to be a prophet. We don’t

know Jeremiah’s exact age, but mostpeople think he was a teenager. Thinkabout the trust that God had in youth asGod was willing to call a young personto bring God’s word to the people of Judah.

If God can trust Jeremiah to be aprophet even though Jeremiah was quiteyoung, we in the church can learn totrust youth. How you think we do atChain of Lakes in trusting youth. How

are we doing at living out our CoreValue of “Investing in FutureGenerations.” Today as you pray, praythat we can continue to trust and

develop youth, just as God did whenGod called Jeremiah to be a prophet.

Wednesday, March 2Read 1 Samuel 3:1-19Once again God called a young personto ministry in this call story of Samuel.

Samuel was a young person, the son of Hannah. Samuel had no idea that Godwas calling him in this story until EliSamuel’s mentorrecognized whathappened. Without Eli’s guidance,Samuel would not have known exactlywhat was happening to him.

As a congregation we play the same roleto youth and children that Eli played toSamuel. Many times youth and childrenneed adults to help them see what God

is doing in their lives.

Take a moment to reflect on a youthand/or child at Chain of Lakes Church.How do you see God working in theirlife? What are some gifts that you seethat youth and/or child exhibiting.Would you consider writing a note tothat youth/child today?

As you pray today, pray that you can bean Eli to this youth/child. Pray that God

will help you nurture that young personto become a complete child of God. Thursday, March 3Read Luke 18:15-17The disciples were upset at thebeginning of this story because of theway that children were viewed. Childrenwere valued for their economicpotential. They were seen as less thanhuman; in some cases they were viewedas property.

For Jesus to bless childrenand eveninfantswas quite a counter-cultural actby Jesus.

Consider these last two verses thatJesus said to the disciples, “Let the littlechildren come to me, and do not stopthem; for it is to such as these that thekingdom of God belongs. Truly I tellyou, whoever does not receive the

kingdom of God as a little child willnever enter it.”

Jesus was encouraging his followers toreceive the Kingdom with the awe andcuriosity of a child. How well do youview faith with such awe and curiosity?Today as you pray, pray that you canreceive the Kingdom like a child.

Friday, March 4Read Mark 9:33-37

In this story Jesus turned around theunderstanding of what it meant to begreat. Imagine in your mind Jesusgiving the disciples a lecture on what itmeant to be great. Greatness in Jesus’mind didn’t have anything to do withmoney or power; instead Jesus saidgreatness involved becoming like achild. He encouraged the twelveapostles to welcome children in hisname. “Whoever welcomes one suchchild in my name welcomes me, and

whoever welcomes me welcomes notme but the one who sent me.”

How are you doing personally atwelcoming children into your life? Howmany relationships do you have withchildren and youth?

Today as you pray, pray that you canwelcome a child/youth from Chain of Lakes into your midst. Today pray forthat child/youth. Ask God for ways you

can support the youth in that person’sjourney of faith.

Saturday, March 5



2 3 4Read Luke 2:41-52This is one of the few stories we have of Jesus as a child. We don’t have muchinformation about Jesus between thetime he was an infant and when hestarted his ministry as an adult.

It’s clear from this story that Jesus wasquite a precocious teenager. The storyshared that the leaders in the Templewere quite amazed at Jesus’understanding and answers to questionshe was given.

This story is an example of howteenagers can have quite a deep faith.Their age need not prevent them fromhaving a developed relationship withGod.

As you pray today, pray that we candevelop the type of church at Chain of Lakes where teenagers can develop amature faith. Pray that the teens atChain of Lakes will become discipleswho impact the world.

devotion week of february 27 2011

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