Online Ministry for the Week 01/09 - 01/15 2017

PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION

Spirit of the living God, fall fresh on us. As you led Jesus to the waters of baptism in the Jordan, opened up the heavens, and came down upon him; fill us with your spirit also. Open our eyes and our ears that we today may hear afresh in our own hearts that voice from heaven which said to Jesus, “This is my beloved child, in whom I am well pleased.” Amen.

 

DAILY READING

• Monday (January 9, 2017): Psalm 89:5-37; Genesis 35:1-15; Acts 10:44-48
• Tuesday (January 10, 2017): Psalm 89:5-37; Jeremiah 1:4-10; Acts 8:4-13
• Wednesday (January 11, 2017): Psalm 89:5-37; Isaiah 51:1-16; Matthew 12:15-21
• Thursday (January 12, 2017): Psalm 40:1-11; Isaiah 22:15-25; Galatians 1:6-12
• Friday (January 13, 2017): Psalm 40:1-11; Genesis 27:30-38; Acts 1:1-5
• Saturday (January 14, 2017): Psalm 40:1-11; 1 Kings 19:19-21; Luke 5:1-11

• Second Sunday after the Epiphany, January 15, 2017

 

ABUNDANT HEALTH

Building Your Heart

For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. 1 Timothy 4:8 (NIV)

Your heart is a muscle, so when you challenge it, it will adapt and become stronger. Strengthen your heart as well as become young at heart by making active games and aerobic activities a part of your weekly routine.

—Exercise Physiologist Sean Foy

—The Daniel Plan brief excerpt from The Daniel Plan: 40 Days to a Healthier Life by Rick Warren, DMin; Daniel Amen, MD; & Mark Hyman, MD (Zondervan). © 2013 by The Daniel Plan. Used with permission. All rights reserved.

NIV DAILY

Calling (2 Corinthians 5:17)

The gospel tells us that every believer is a new creation and a child of God. It is out of this new identity that our sense of purpose and work flows. Knowing who we are is critical for knowing what we are called to do. The ability to discern our calling flows out of our relationship with the God who calls us.

God has spoken to us through the Scriptures and ultimately through his Son (see Hebrews 1:2). Not only that, but also the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit leads us into truth and helps us understand who we are in Christ and what we were created and redeemed to do.

Talk about calling is often reduced to the question, “What does God want me to do with my life?” Yet calling encompasses far more than just the answers to our questions about career and occupation. Calling concerns the whole of our lives.

Calling isn’t just a category for those who pursue some sort of formal ministry; it’s about God’s desire for all believers to live as ambassadors of his kingdom.

Connecting

Most people try to look for the perfect job, one that not only lines up with their gifts and passions, but also gives them a deep sense of purpose and significance. In doing so, we are often tempted to see work as the source of our identity rather than the expression of it. But for the Christian, work is far more than simply a way to use our talents. Neither is work the ultimate marker of identity. It is a way for us to live out God’s call on our lives.

The word calling conjures up for a lot of people the idea of some mystical experience or a grand task to perform. But the truth is that calling applies to day-to-day life, not merely to “significant” or “spiritual” work. If we turn to God only during the big-decision moments of our lives, we forfeit the privilege of experiencing the Holy Spirit’s role of leading us day by day.

The greatest gift in being called is knowing the Caller. It is this intimate knowledge that provides the insight and wisdom we need to make important decisions—both small and large—in our lives.

Taken from NIV Faith & Work Bible ©2017 HarperCollins Christian Publishing

PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING

Faithful God, you powerfully bring your saving help to all who cry in pain. You have drawn us into this church to be nurtured and to work together to offer encouragement and help to others. We are grateful that you enrich us with gifts of your Spirit and tangible resources to use for your will in the world. We devote ourselves anew to your service through Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we pray. Amen. (1 Corinthians 1:1-9)