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SERMON NOTES:PRAYERREQUESTS

JUNE5, 2011

Y Pray for Tiffany Chopra to havethe strength and faith to knowthat God knows what He is doing

with her life.Y Pray that the right choice will bemade regarding the new propertyfor our church.

Y Pray for Ben Simmer, a youngman just graduated from collegeand has MS with worsening sideeffects. Pray for new treatmentsto become available and a cure.

Y Pray for all whom at Chain of

Lakes who look for jobs, inparticular, Lee Bliss, Bill Fink andGary Wassam.

Y For Nicholas LaMay, Angelicasnephew, as he transitions backwith his mother and receivesmental health treatment.

Y Pray for health in the Sabahhousehold. (on-going)

YJane Zech (Barb & Lee Blisscousin), and her family. Jane issuffering from brain cancer and isin hospice care.

Y Virginia Schober, Amy MooresAunt, who is recovering from abroken vertebra and needs towear a halo until mid-June.

Y Carole Lloyd as she recovers athome after successful surgery.

Y Pray for Angelica Van Iperensfriends, Paula and Ruben, and

they struggle with infertility andlimited resources to treat it.

YDonna Mc Cullen, Ken McCullen's wife as she goes throughmore intense chemotherapytreatment.

DEVOTIONActs 2 is one of the most powerfulpassages in the Bible. Its a story of thebirth of the church. We celebrate thisstory on Pentecostthe celebration wehad this past Sunday.

At the beginning of the story the peoplewere gathered to celebrate a Jewishholiday. At the end of the story thepeople were united as a faith community,empowered by the Holy Spirit.

This week as you read this chapter beespecially aware of how what happened tothis early community can also happen tous at Chain of Lakes Church. Enjoy!

Comments about the devotion can be e-mailed to pastor@colpres.org.Monday, June 13Read Acts 2:1-4The community was gathered in Jerusalem

to celebrate the Festival of Weeks,Shavuot. This was a harvest festival thattook place fifty days after the Passover.See Exodus 23:16. This was a requiredfestivalso all Jewish males traveled toJerusalem.

During this festival heaven broke intoearth. People have interpreted these fourverses in vastly different ways. One pointthat everyone can agree on is the Spiritbroke into the gathered communitys livesin a dramatic way. This drama could haveonly been instituted by God.

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We have probably had moments in our lifewhen the Spirit broke into our life in adramatic way. These moments dont takeplace oftenperhaps only once or twice inour lives. As you pray today, talk to Godabout one of these moments; share the

story of this experience with a close familymember or friend; ask that person aboutone of their moments.

Above all give thanks to God that Godcares so much that God is willing to breakinto our lives in an unexpected way.

Tuesday, June 7Read Acts 2:5-13The story goes on to list the nations fromwhich people had come to travel to

Jerusalem. These people were amazed atwhat was happening. Look at theseversesAnd how is it that we hear, each of us, inour own native language? 2:8In our own language we hear themspeaking about Gods deeds of power2:11bDespite all of us this sound, people couldunderstand each other. A deepconnection existed among the peoplesomething that was amazing, perplexing,

and caused some to question its meaning.Others were more cynical and thoughtthat the entire group was drunk.

The connection is something to ponderdeeply. Its a connection brought on byGod. Its a connection of understanding.Its a connection that every localcongregation desires.

Today as you pray, pray that God wouldbreak out in this connecting way in local

congregations. Pray that God would breakout this way among the people at Chain ofLakes Church. Pray that our community

will understand each other in a profoundway.

Wednesday, June 15Read Acts 2:14-21Its interesting that Peter is the disciplewho stands up and interprets for the

people what was happening. This was themoment where Peter became a leader.Peter had spent three years with Jesus; hewas part of the inner-circle of Jesusdisciples; he had denied Jesus three times;then in a moving scene he had beenassured by Jesus that he was loved.

All of these experiences gave Peter theauthority to stand up and explain whatwas happening.

Peter saw the events as a living out ofwhat had been predicted by the prophet,Joel. The passage in Joel is Joel 2:28-32.

We have had faith experiences that giveus authority to speak. We havent spenttime with the physical presence of Jesuslike Peter did, but we still have had timesthat give us authority. What faithexperiences have you had that arememorable in your life? How do theseexperiences give you a sense of authority?

Consider making a list of theseexperiences and then listing how theexperience gives you authority. Above allpray over these experiences. Pray thatthe Spirit will use them for good.

Thursday, June 16Read Acts 2:22-36Peter shared a basic description of theidentity of Jesus. If you have a friend orfamily member who is interested inlearning more about Jesus, the first part of

this passage would be a good one toshare. Paraphrasing what Peter said Jesuswas:

A human given great deeds ofpower, wonders and signs that Goddid through him.

A human who was killed accordingto the plan of God. He was killedby people who operated outside ofthe law.

God raised Jesus up thus freeingJesus from death. It wasimpossible to keep Jesus under thepower of death.

The last verse is a clincher on who Jesusis. Its worth committing to memory.Therefore let the entire hose of Israelknow with certainty that God has madehim Lord and Messiah, this Jesus whomyou crucified. Acts 2:36As you pray today, spend some timethinking about your own beliefs about

Jesus. Do your beliefs correspond withwhat Peter taught? Above all give thanksfor Jesus.

Friday, June 17Read Acts 2:37-42The people were moved by Peterspreaching and asked the question, Whatshould we do? Peter encouraged them tobe baptized. Over 3,000 people werebaptized.

The four parts of verse 42 are some of thebasic ingredients of a strong faithcommunity.They devoted themselves to the apostlesteaching and fellowship, to the breaking ofbread and the prayers. Acts 2:42

How do you think were doing at Chain ofLakes at these four basic ingredients of achurch? On a scale of 1-10 with 10 beingthe highest what you rate us on teaching,fellowship, breaking of bread and prayers?

As you pray today, pray that we at Chainof Lakes can always do well on these fouringredients.

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Saturday, June 18Read Acts 2:43-47These verses share the power of what canhappen in a community. Things werehappening in the community that no onecould imagine. The beauty of a local

congregation is God can do things thatcan far surpass what we could everbelieve could happen. When we gather incommunity we believe that God is going todo something special among us.

As you pray today, spend some timeasking God to do something special atChain of Lakes. Pray that we can be opento being surprised by God. Weve alreadyhad many times that we have beensurprised by what God has done. Lets be

prepared to be in awe again!