URC Weekly 10/10: Fuel the Fire
Hi Church,
Only two months ago (!) we were at the MORe XI Retreat. Before the school year started, with fewer cares in the world, we gathered with our sister churches at Big Bear to seek the Lord. Passion flowed upward from our hearts to heaven, and blessings rained down on us in an unmistakable way. Many gave their lives to Jesus for the first time, others recommitted to Him as Lord and Savior, and there was a special power in the bonds between all of the brothers and sisters. Talking to pastors and Youth Group students, I feel that we’re no longer at a spiritual peak, but we’re not dead, either. Still struggling and striving to put Jesus first, and now we can come together to fuel the fire…
1) MORe XI REVIVAL: THIS SATURDAY @ 5 PM @ SUNGLIM PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (970 N Virgil Ave., Los Angeles, 90029). The students will be so excited to see each of their leaders and staff again, so I hope all of you can make it. If you weren’t at the retreat, come join us! As Sam wrote on the facebook event page: Taco Man. Praise. The Word. Fellowship. Sign up on the event page, and be there! (http://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=145490338829633)
2) PRAYER MEETING: THIS THURSDAY @ 7:30 PM. Each prayer meeting is a mini-revival for me, and I never feel anything but the full presence of God there. As a church, we need to pray about the MORe Revival and church-wide needs. On an individual level, if you need prayer, know someone who needs your prayers, or it’s hard for you to pray on your own… let. us. pray.
3) LAUSANNE CONGRESS: THIS SATURDAY (10/16) TO MONDAY (10/25). This is a gathering of church leaders throughout the world, to set the global strategy in sharing the Gospel. The mission is beautiful: “The whole church taking the whole Gospel to the whole world.” The first Congress was in 1974, second in 1989, and the third will be this week in Cape Town, South Africa. This year, the Congress is making a shift away from North America as the definitive leader, toward a joint leadership with the other continents, especially Asia, Africa, and Latin America. PLEASE PRAY for the leaders to be one in heart, humble toward one another, and empowered by the Holy Spirit, that the Gospel make be taken to the whole world.
4) V-BALL WITH UMEC: THIS SUNDAY @ 2:30 PM @ UNION. Yesterday, we had so much fun playing V-Ball with our Youth Group. It was even better than I expected, and it turned into games with parents, students, and EM, with everyone trying to win but laughing throughout (depending on who won, the team huddled and chanted either “Pastor Sang-killers!” or “Commander-killers!” OK, maybe a bit over the edge, but all in the name of fun). Basically, my ideal afternoon with the church family. This Sunday, UMEC is coming over for a choir competition at night, but we decided to hang out in the afternoon. Bring your gear (whether you were on the team or not), and let’s reconnect with our sister church.
5) SCRIPTURE READING/OFFERING: Jessica Kim
6) DEVOTIONS: Ezekiel 31-36 (Judgment on Egypt for its pride, warning against looking out only for yourself or depending on your past righteousness, prophecy of restoration of Israel). From chapter 36:
24 ” ‘For I will take you out of the nations; I will gather you from all the countries and bring you back into your own land. 25 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. 26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. 28 You will live in the land I gave your forefathers; you will be my people, and I will be your God. 29 I will save you from all your uncleanness. I will call for the grain and make it plentiful and will not bring famine upon you. 30 I will increase the fruit of the trees and the crops of the field, so that you will no longer suffer disgrace among the nations because of famine. 31 Then you will remember your evil ways and wicked deeds, and you will loathe yourselves for your sins and detestable practices. 32 I want you to know that I am not doing this for your sake, declares the Sovereign LORD. Be ashamed and disgraced for your conduct, O house of Israel!
33 ” ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: On the day I cleanse you from all your sins, I will resettle your towns, and the ruins will be rebuilt. 34 The desolate land will be cultivated instead of lying desolate in the sight of all who pass through it. 35 They will say, “This land that was laid waste has become like the garden of Eden; the cities that were lying in ruins, desolate and destroyed, are now fortified and inhabited.” 36 Then the nations around you that remain will know that I the LORD have rebuilt what was destroyed and have replanted what was desolate. I the LORD have spoken, and I will do it.’
Fuel the fire on in your daily quality time, at our prayer meeting, at the revival, and let’s grow in passion for our Father.
