The Power of His Ressurection

“I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe.  That power is like [or "according to", ESV] the working of his mighty strength, which he extered in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at the right hand in the heavenly realms…”  (Ephesians 1:18-20)

This is marvelous–the same power that raised Christ from the dead is ours day to day.  This is the power we can cling to, power that is made perfect in our weakness (2 Cor 12:9).  What a great Father we have!

Let us imitate Paul and join with him in declaring, “I want to know Christ and the power of his ressurection…”  Philippians 3:10 (NIV)

Soma on for Veterans’ Day

Soma is still on!  Come to sing, pray, and relish God’s Word together after a break from classes.  Our topic is Imitating Fellow Citizens of Heaven:

“Join with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we game you.  For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ.  Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame.  Their mind is on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven.  And we eagerly wait a Savior from there,, the Lord Jesus Christ, who by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.

Therefore, my brothers, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, that is how you should stand firm in the Lord, dear friends!”

Philippians 3:17-4:1

Answered Prayer

We’ve prayed a lot of Joe Kyle Loemire, who had a pin break in his knee that required a potentially very dangerous surgery.  It sounds like his surgery this week went well beyond what anyone imagined. Praise God!

Pray that he would recover speedily.  (Getting around Pullman without being able to walk well is not an easy thing!)  Pray also that he would grow spiritually during this time, that though this he would be a blessing to his family and everyone he interacts with in the hospital, and that he would be able to keep up with academics while missing class.

Living Like Timothy and Epaphroditus

As we talked about this week in Philippians 2:19-30, Timothy took a genuine concern in the welfare of others.  He was looking out for the interests of Jesus Christ.  He was a living example of Paul’s commands in Philippians: “Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.”  “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourself. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.”  “Do everything without complaining or arguing, os that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine out like stars…”

In Epaphroditus too we see someone who deeply cares for others.  He longs for his home church.  When they are distressed, he is distressed.  Do we love our church that way?  Do we see “church” not just a place to spend Sunday Mornings but as other people, brothers and sisters?  Will we work like Ephaproditus to build it up and fight to see it grow as more and more come to know Jesus Christ and his awesome saving power?

Let us seek to imitate Timothy and Epaphroditus.  None of this is humanly natural (“Everyone looks out for their own interests…” v21), but let us run headlong toward God who “works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.”  He gives us the desire and the power to act.  Lord, give us that kind of love for others!

Revitalizing One Way Books: Proposal Draft

Based on a couple recent gatherings, Dan Snook, Liam Corcoran, and John Maxwell have put together a proposal to revitalize one Way Books.

Please take a look at it and share with others.  We want to know what you think!  If you believe there’s anything we should add, edit, or remove, please contact Dan Snook. This proposal will soon be presented to the board of CCM (Community Christian Ministries), the ministry responsible for One Way Books.

If you’re interested in getting involved in any way, we’d like to add a list of names and contact information to the proposal.  Let us know if you’d like to be on that list.  Because a revitalized One Way Books will take a good deal of volunteers, there will be many needs for service here.  We’ve been very encouraged by the response already–praise God!

Evangelism, Building up the Saints, Uniting the Body

If you’d like to get involved with the Ministry of One Way–Witnessing, Building up the Saints, and Uniting the Body–there will be another input/planning session there this upcoming Wednesday, October 15 at 6:00.

Please do pray for this ministry!

Where Sex and Meaning Meet: Audio

The entire talk is available at this link.  Other talks in this now-complete series, “Perceiving the Invisible God,” are available there as well.  If you didn’t get a chance to hear it, we strongly encourage you to listen!

Jeanette Hammer, who shares her testimony at the beginning, would love to meat with any ladies who would like to chat with her.  You can contact her by clicking here.

Where Sex and Meaning Meet

From Pastor Doug Busby:

Would you be, or are you, content with the most intimate of personal encounters meaning nothing more that a moment’s enjoyment followed by the distance and non commitment of relative strangers?

Would you like to be in the place where sexual intimacy and divine meaning come together, where the feeling of being transparent and open is met with the spiritual dimension to be that in person, and where the feeling of being committed to each other in the closest embrace is coupled with the reality of true covenant commitment known when the living God infuses your relationship with divine love?

Then come and hear the talk, Where Sex and Meaning Meet, Sunday at EFree. Services begin at 8:30 AM and 11:15 AM at 1234 S Grand Ave. Pullman, WA. Phone 334-7876.

One Way

Tomorrow (Thursday 10/9) @ 4:30, you are invited to One Way Books to talk about ways that One Way could connect with college students more effectively.  Tom and Matt, the director of the Community Christian Ministries, are very interested to hear your thoughts.  Pizza will be provided!

One Way is a very strategic location on campus, and we wish to use it to the fullest for the glory of God.  Your input is always welcome, and please do pray for this ministry.

Our Missionary in Bremerton

As read at Soma this evening, here is an update from our dear friend Daniel Frederick, who is now ministering in Bremerton, WA.  His blog is in our list of links, and it is entitled “in clear and glad surrender.”

——————-

Since I cannot spend a great deal of time detailing the days I will give a large scope of the ministry in Bremerton.  For all who do not know, I will quickly catch you up on how I ended up in Bremerton.  Plainly, it was because God is a Dad.  I confess that it was more than a Mormon styled “burning in the boosm” that brought me here, but it was also more than I can explain.  After I had been in Denver, Colorado for 1 1/2 months, having applied to seminary and been accepted, God put a mighty burden on my heart for the souls in Bremerton.  I had a vision of multitudes of people worshipping God, unhindered and exuberant.  People actually excited and in-love with God, gathering together to worship.  I am not talking about the half-hearted emo styled worship that we accept as a “mature” form of music and expression.  I pictured God raising up people that really loved Him with ALL there heart, ALL their mind, ALL their soul, and ALL their strength.  With that view God directed me to the ministry in Bremerton.  A ministry to the unlovely and unpopular.  All the rejects God loves so much, but we don’t have much hope for because they are such screw-ups (it may sound harsh, but look at your heart, that is how they are treated).  After 3 days of placing the matter before the Lord I was ready to return to Bremerton.  There are already numerous souls and stories to tell.  God is building up His church here:  elders are being established, a group of men are gathering nightly to pray for city-wide revival, there is congregational fasting each week, the spiritual needs of people are being addressed directly, the church seems always full of songs for of worship, and there is an abounding hope and joy in God.  In terms of evangelism:  there have been multiple encounters with visible demon possession, people with long-term bondage are being prayed for daily at the Coffee Oasis, teams of people are evangelizing and disciple target neighborhoods and houses throughout the city Monday-Friday, weekly Bible Studies, etc…

There is so much to say and I beg for your prayers.  Often there is very little or no separation between the physical and the spiritual world.  The battle has been very real.  We have guys receiving dreams (real dreams) and clear direction from God.  Every day I am encouraged to see staff brought to tears longing for the salvation of souls.  I have been taught and tutored by younger brothers and sisters in the faith who have given their whole life to Jesus and hold nothing back.  Still, there remain so many who do not enjoy this freedom in Christ because they believe the cunning lies of satan.  There are so many in bondage.  Please pray with us for their freedom.

I will end with saying that I hope you remember us as your brothers and sisters.  I know that some of the brief clips of “ministry” that I have written about may sound extravagant and intense.  I challenge you not to think of them as abnormal or “inner-city issues.”  So many in Pullman are dying, choked by the demons of alcohol and other addictions, lust or pride or vanity.  Fix your eyes on Jesus.  He alone is hope.  By His power and in His strength we will see lives changed and come to love Him and share with us in the privilege of calling out “Abba! Father!” in our times of need and of rest.

I love you all,   Daniel

ps. if you anyone wants to keep up on the ministry in Pullman the best way is to check out my blog:  dafrederick.blogspot.com.