Sunday Morning Review 18

Dear heavenly Father,

Thank You for bringing me friends to support me in all the ways I need.  Thank You for Regan's insistence that I take care of myself, Edye's constant support and June's admonishment to not be anxious and to pray, PRAY, PRAY!  Forgive me for my anxiety and fear that I allowed to build up over some silly dental work.  Thank You for staying with me in that dental chair and calming my nerves as the enemy was trying to electrocute me by way of anxiety.  Thank You for being my strength when I cannot stand on my own.

Guide Dan and I as we work through our current financial crisis.  Help us to be faithful to our budget and to You in how we budget and how we work to stick to it.  Help me to stay focused in all of my own budgeting: My time, my talents and my resources.  Help me to gather the knowledge that I need and then to take the next step in putting it, not just to good use, but to Godly use. Help me to truly use all that I have and all that I am, to Your glory.

Help me to see that every decision I make in regards to how I spend money, how and what I eat, how or if I take care of my physical body, how often I pray or read your word, and whether I snap and complain or rejoice and be patient, EVERY SINGLE DECISION, is a choice to obey or disobey.  Every action I take and every thought I follow will either glorify You or aid the enemy.  This is a war that we are waging.  Lord, help me to be a warrior who is all for You and not some wishy-washy double agent.

Commander of all that is good and just, let EastLake be Your army in this constant battle against evil.  Let us take up the armor of Your word to shield us from sin.  Let us make a weapon of Your grace, to shine a light in those shadows where the enemy is strong.  Let our decisions as a church be an example of Your wisdom, not only in who we hire, but in why and how we hire them.  Let Matt's inspiration help us to slay our doubts and to see the ways we are helping the enemy. Help all of us at EastLake to burn for You.  Help us to see that every action is a choice.  Will we glorify You?  Or are we working against You?  Lord, help us to see those choices in how we love our kids, treat our friends, love our enemies and welcome strangers.  Lord, strengthen us in Your grace as we battle public opinion and stereotypes kindled by well-meaning but misguided souls.  Lord, please clearly show us our path that we may not come to the same forks and go astray.

And Lord, as You strengthen and guide us all here at EastLake, help us to carry Your love beyond our Sunday service and our growth groups.  Let our every action be a testament to Your love that all who see us get a little taste.  Let those little appetizers of love draw folks to us as the smell of BBQ brings them to South Park on Friday.  We pray that You'll hold back the storms that we may electrify the air as we worship You.  Help us use this great opportunity to open the invitation to folks we didn't even know to invite.

Let us not lose sight of You in our excitement.  Let those who know us come to know You through us and take those next steps to know You more as they let go and step away from the pain of life alone without You.

Amen