8/2/2019 Devotion Week of March 26 2012

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SERMON NOTES:

Prayer Requests

Y For Fr. Joe Keefe in Rochester. Hestruggled with ALS and passed awayTuesday night. Pray for his friends andfamily as they grieve.Y For Ward Sessing who was recentlydiagnosed with cancer.Y Pray for Mona Buessing, PauletteZvoraks mother, who is receivingtests for a heart condition.Y For Josh Dochniaks Uncle Tim whowill be receiving surgery for prostatecancer.Y David Weems, who is strugglingwith job and personal issues.Y Emogene Evans, a friend of Paul &

Amy Moore, who recently suffered astroke.Y Pray for Ankur Chopra as hestruggles with personal issues.Y Pray for Kevin & NancyAmundsens brother-in-law HaroldMartin who was diagnosed with cancerand will be having 35 radiationtreatments.Y Tom Umscheid, the husband ofPastor Pauls cousin, who is going

through cancer treatment inRochester.Y Pray for John Thiessen as heundergoes chemo for hisureter/kidney/lymph-node cancer.Y Pray for Melanie Vosdinghsmother, Rochelle LeTourneau as sherecovers from open heart surgery.Y Pray for Sharon Hines as shecontinues chemo on her lung and livercancer.Y Carter Olson, age 7 who is in his

last two months of chemotherapy forbrain cancer. Please pray that Carter's

kidneys will remain strong and returnto normal function and that Carter willnot suffer any further hearing loss.Thank-you for prayers alreadyreceived.Y Pray for Jennifers sister RebeccaKlein as their family go throughdivorce.

Y Pray for Angelicas friend Ann, afriend and colleague, who is receivingtreatment for breast cancer.Y Pray for persons and processinvolved in property purchase for COL.

DEVOTIONDuring Lent a group is meeting onWednesday evenings at the office to go

through a study called, Unbinding theGospel. As part of that study the group isgoing through a forty day prayer journal.The following devotion is taken from thatprayer journal. The prayer journal waswritten by Martha Reese.

This prayer journal is a wonderful way toengage the Scriptures and to grow in faith.Enjoy!

Comments about the devotion can be

E-mailed to pastor@colpres.org.

Monday, March 26Read Mark 10:46-52Sit quietly. Breathe deeply. Exhale slowly.Then slowly read this story about Jesus and

the blind man named Bartimaeus. Read itagain and pay close attention to the details.What feels important in the story?

We all have blind spots in our lives. Whatare yours? What cant you see clearly?What do you do over and over because you

cant re-envision anything new? Whats

8/2/2019 Devotion Week of March 26 2012

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keeping you from seeing? What dont youwant to see?

Spend some time talking to God about

these questions today.

Tuesday, March 27

Read 1 Thessalonians 1:1-5Did you know that these first words of Paulto the Thessalonians are the earliest writing

in the New Testament? Notice the very firstwords. Paul sent a loving greeting thenshared, were always praying for you andfor your ministry.

The Quakers have a deep understanding of

the mystery and subtle power of ChristsSpirit. They do not demand or storm the

gates of Heaven. They wait upon the Spiritto work in the Spirits own time and ways.

Quakers describe intercessory prayer forpeople as, holding them in the light.

Try holding people in your hands today asyou pray. Imagine that you aresurrounding people with Gods love and

blessings. Try this with the variety ofministries at Chain of Lakes. Hold them inyour hands and imagine surrounding them

with love and blessings.

Wednesday, March 28

Read Psalm 66Joy is a deep and abiding understanding ofbeing Gods child. It isnt giddy happiness.It is the excitement and awe at the majesty

of God.

Try an experiment today. Carry some threeby five cards in your pocket. As you go

through the day, look for signs of Godswork, actions, power and glory. Every time

you see something that reflects God write it

down on a card. Consider sharing your cardwith a family member or friend.

Thursday, March 29

Read Hebrews 4:14-16The letter of the Hebrews is beautiful. It

explains who Jesus is, and the uniquesacrifice he made for usnot goats orcattle, but himself. The writer of this lettercalled Jesus the great High Priest.

Because Jesus made the ultimate sacrificebecause he poured out his own life for oursakes we can approach the very throne ofGod and receive mercy and forgiveness.

Try something today. Light a candle, close

your eyes and sit in silence for a minute toget centered. Then read todays passage

slowly. Then close your eyes and thinkabout it. What phrases felt important to

you? Write them down. Then pray for aminute and ask God to show you more.Read the passage slowly again. Didanything else seem important? Go backand ask God why those parts of the passageare more real for you. What in you needs

sympathy from Jesus? What are yourweaknesses? What in you needs mercy?

Read the passage a final time. Close youreyes and ask God for the mercy, grace,sympathy or forgiveness that you need. Be

as specific as you can be.

Friday, March 30

Read Numbers 6:22-27Light a candle, take a few deep breaths andread this blessing. Blessings in ancienttimes were very tangible. They were aspoken word that stayed with people and

places that were blessed. Blessings todayare very real and mysterious in ways that

we cannot understand.

Read the passage again and let it bless you.Think about the times you have felt blessed.Ask God to bless you right now. Ask God tobless the room in which you sit. Ask God to

make his face whine upon you, your family,and your house.

Take these words of blessing with youtoday. Consider writing them on a card andputting them in your pocket. As you walk

or travel today, silently bless the people andyour surroundings.

Saturday, March 31

Read 2 Timothy 1:1-5Timothy was a young Greek man who Paultook under his wing. Timothy helped Paulwith letters, he learned from Paul, prayed

with him, and acted as Pauls messenger tochurches when Paul was busy.

Someone passed on the faith to Timothy.Who passed on the faith to you? If theperson is still alive, consider writing him or

her a letter in thanks. If the person is notalive, tell someone else about this person.

To whom are you passing on the faith?

Passing on the faith can take a lot of prayerand love and care. This is a precious, livinggift that lives within you. Pray that you canpass on the faith.