Ramblings--20090928

CHBC Ramblings
Monday, September 28, 2009

A Good Day of Worship
I really was blessed by our worship time yesterday, especially when we opened up to the congregation the opportunity to share spontaneous “Words of Praise.” How wonderfully inspiring it was to hear a dozen or more people pop up from their seats (or speak from her wheelchair, in Sylvia’s case) to share a sentence or two of praise for our great God. From time to time we do this, and sometimes I am asked if I ask one or two members to begin the sharing. Though there would be nothing wrong with it, as it would give others a few moments to collect their thoughts—and I might do it if it took several moments to get started—I have never needed to do that. To me, these brief words of testimony were the highlight of our service.

Head, Heart, Hands, and Feet
In our seven part DiscipleLIFE Sermon Series, we are seeking to describe what a healthy disciple look like: there is balanced growth—head, heart, hands, and feet. In other words, a disciple LEARNS (head), a disciple LOVES (heart), a disciple SERVES (hands), and a disciple SHARES (feet). There are also stages of development: pre-birth, infant, growing, and mature.

Yesterday, we focused on the HEAD: Disciples Learn. A brief drama highlighted the problem when a part of our development is missing. We noticed several passages of Scripture that encourage us to know the Word and to use our minds. We looked at three habits that help us grow in the the HEAD: study the Word, receive training in ministry, and learn the disciplines that help us continually grow.

If you missed it, check it out on our website: www.clairmonthills.org.

This coming Sunday, our emphasis will be on the HEART: Disciples Love.

Live on 90% for 90 Days
Are you taking the challenge? Our Finance Committee is taking the lead from the Bible to challenge those who do not by habit tithe to try it for the months of September, October, and December. “Test me in this,” says the Lord. (See Malachi 3.6-12).

Prayer Is Powerful and Effective
That’s what the Bible says. So, why is it that people flock to concerts and other special events but prayer meetings are more often than not poorly attended? Does something have to have a “wow” factor to be important? Do we not “feel” something during our times of prayer? Is it that our prayer times themselves are too mundane and not bold in approaching God for the needs of our land?

I encourage you to take advantage of times for corporate prayer in addition to your own time of private prayer. Each Wednesday night after Church Supper we gather as a church to pray at 6:15 p.m.—most often we are around tables and pray for the needs of each other. Those who would rather pray silently than aloud are never put on the spot, but everyone is offered the opportunity to voice to God the concerns of his or her heart. (Prayer time is followed by a brief Bible study and discussion time; presently we are looking at the parables told by Jesus.)

On Sunday mornings at 9:00 a.m., a group meets in the Prayer Room (across from the All Purpose Room) for prayer. We filled the room up with eight people yesterday. We would love to overflow into a larger room as others come. We pretty much limit our prayer to the ministries of the day—our Life Groups (Sunday School Classes) and our Worship.

At the close of each Sunday morning service, our Deacon Ministry leads in a prayer time for any seeking prayer for themselves or others. You are invited to simply come to the front of the Worship Center (near the piano), and there are people who will pray with you about the needs you present.

There is also a Tuesday morning Men’s Prayer Breakfast at 7:30 a.m. in Conference Room 1. On a typical day we have a half dozen men who spend the first little while eating a sausage biscuit and having a time of fellowship, and then we turn our attention to prayer—for our church, for our nation, and for the sick and needy.

Can prayer become repetitive and even tedious at times? Yes, it can. So can eating, but most of us have not stopped. Jesus struggled mightily in prayer at times, which shows it is not always easy. Let me leave with the first verse of Luke 18. You can read the parable yourself if you wish. This verse simply tells the point he was trying to get across: “Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.”

Prayerfully yours,

Fred O. Pitts