Secret Prayer Concluded
Secret Prayer
Last week I gave some thoughts as to the value of secret prayer. Jesus warned against letting our deeds of righteousness, and our prayers, be done to receive the applause of men. Last week I gave some thoughts concerning the value of “secret prayer.” I will continue with this thought this week and draw it to conclusion.
People are creatures of habit. We cannot help but form habits. Some of the habits we form are good, others are bad, but we all have them. Developing a habit of secret prayer soon forms a habit that lends itself to the development of close communion and fellowship with God. It would seem to me that once the habit of close fellowship with God has been formed, one cannot help but be influenced by the constant presence of God. The Proverb writer tells us, “He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.”
With the help of habitual close communion with God, secret prayer also preserves us from many evils. Do we not read that the source of our problems is our own passions? How can a person be filled with pride while asking God for His grace and mercy? How difficult would it be to ask God for forgiveness and still seek revenge? The heart that is filled with envy, jealousy, and revenge has not power to win others to Christ.
If private prayer is not already a part of your spiritual discipline, I urge you to try it and see if there is not a difference realized in your own life.
Dennis
Gordon and Vivian Herrmann are in Grover Beach this morning. Gordon will be preaching at the morning worship service.
JULY PANTRY ITEM - Your choice
SIGN UP NOW!
If you can bring a dish or cookies to help with the Wednesday night dinners, please sign up on bulletin board in foyer. Just once a month would be a big help.
WEDNESDAY FAMILY MEAL MENU
(Serving time 6:30 – 6:45 PM)
Cook’s Choice
BULLETIN PREPARATION
Your secretary will be preparing the bulletin early this week. For this week only please have all bulletin information in the secretary’s basket or e-mailed to her no later than Wednesday evening, 7:15 PM. Thank you for you cooperation
REMINDER
We are updating the directory information. The sheets are on the table in the foyer. PLEASE CHECK the information we have for you and your family. If everything is correct please make a check mark by your family name. If not - make the changes and/or additions. Please add your email address (if you have one). The pages will remain in the foyer through the month of July. There is a possibility that the computer may have deleted some names & information when we were preparing the work sheets. If so please add your name & information on the sheets at the end of the listings.
JULY BIRTHDAYS – 2/Darlean Savoy - 4/Bonnie Dougherty-6/Jennifer Lane-7/Karen Belmore-10/Howard Dunn- 10/Karina Sehpard- 17/Dante Surra- 20/-Jamiya Leonard- 21/Rudy Lopez- 22/Josie Schofield- 22/Desiree Coles - 22/Richard Powell- 27/Alfred Oseguera, Jr- 27/Ricardo Lopez-28/Chandler Senior- 31/Gary Roberts- 31/Janet Kliest
JULY ANNIVERSARIES – (10)Dennis/Sandy Russell -(26)Richard/Pauline Powell-(30)Dan/Karina Shepard
In Our Prayers…
Martha Morris – Recuperating at home – Medical tests showed no cancer
Russ Schofield – Recuperating at home following heart procedure this past week.
Dick Belmore – Scheduled for surgery this past Friday
Ray Hooks – Continues to recuperate from fall (In Missouri)
Mary Anderson (Lincoln/Tunnell) requests prayer regarding her macula degeneration.
Irene Murphy - LaVonne McBroom’s aunt, Irene Murphy is recuperating from her hip operation at Kimberly on West Cook.
Pray for the safe return home of all who are traveling during this long holiday week.
SERVING OUR COUNTRY
Andy Savoy – Serving in Iraq
Michael Warford - Serving on ship in the middle east (Susan Pratt’s nephew)
CONTINUE TO REMEMBER
Paul/Jean Mynard – Russ Schofield - Karen Wheeler Belmore - Merle Gordon – Ray Hooks - Howard Dunn - Sonya Roberts - Waneen Wolff - Carol Strutz - Linda Ross - Jerita Blackmore – Dana Barbarick – Monty Cartwright - Mattie Hamburger –Linda Hampton (Walt Wittman’s daughter) - Norman Light’s sister, Jane (cancer) –Austin (Neighbor of the Dunns)-- Ken Dickey (Wayne Barbarick’s nephew) -–Pam Peralez – Pearl Keith – Monique Hernandez
FOR THE RECORD – LAST WEEK
ATTTENDANCE:
Sunday AM.136 Class .52 PM.27 Weds..N/A
FINANCE
Budget:...................................$2,862.15Contribution:............................$4,261.92YTD Budget:............................$73.206.12YTD Contribution:.....................$73.760.87 Over/Under (+/-):....................+$554.75
Please make checks payable to Church of Christ
In order for your notice to be in the bulletin please have your information in the secretary’s slot (in the copy room) no later than Wednesday evening(8 PM) or e-mailed to gardcart @aol.com no later than Thursday Evening.
Last week I gave some thoughts as to the value of secret prayer. Jesus warned against letting our deeds of righteousness, and our prayers, be done to receive the applause of men. Last week I gave some thoughts concerning the value of “secret prayer.” I will continue with this thought this week and draw it to conclusion.
People are creatures of habit. We cannot help but form habits. Some of the habits we form are good, others are bad, but we all have them. Developing a habit of secret prayer soon forms a habit that lends itself to the development of close communion and fellowship with God. It would seem to me that once the habit of close fellowship with God has been formed, one cannot help but be influenced by the constant presence of God. The Proverb writer tells us, “He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.”
With the help of habitual close communion with God, secret prayer also preserves us from many evils. Do we not read that the source of our problems is our own passions? How can a person be filled with pride while asking God for His grace and mercy? How difficult would it be to ask God for forgiveness and still seek revenge? The heart that is filled with envy, jealousy, and revenge has not power to win others to Christ.
If private prayer is not already a part of your spiritual discipline, I urge you to try it and see if there is not a difference realized in your own life.
Dennis
Gordon and Vivian Herrmann are in Grover Beach this morning. Gordon will be preaching at the morning worship service.
JULY PANTRY ITEM - Your choice
SIGN UP NOW!
If you can bring a dish or cookies to help with the Wednesday night dinners, please sign up on bulletin board in foyer. Just once a month would be a big help.
WEDNESDAY FAMILY MEAL MENU
(Serving time 6:30 – 6:45 PM)
Cook’s Choice
BULLETIN PREPARATION
Your secretary will be preparing the bulletin early this week. For this week only please have all bulletin information in the secretary’s basket or e-mailed to her no later than Wednesday evening, 7:15 PM. Thank you for you cooperation
REMINDER
We are updating the directory information. The sheets are on the table in the foyer. PLEASE CHECK the information we have for you and your family. If everything is correct please make a check mark by your family name. If not - make the changes and/or additions. Please add your email address (if you have one). The pages will remain in the foyer through the month of July. There is a possibility that the computer may have deleted some names & information when we were preparing the work sheets. If so please add your name & information on the sheets at the end of the listings.
JULY BIRTHDAYS – 2/Darlean Savoy - 4/Bonnie Dougherty-6/Jennifer Lane-7/Karen Belmore-10/Howard Dunn- 10/Karina Sehpard- 17/Dante Surra- 20/-Jamiya Leonard- 21/Rudy Lopez- 22/Josie Schofield- 22/Desiree Coles - 22/Richard Powell- 27/Alfred Oseguera, Jr- 27/Ricardo Lopez-28/Chandler Senior- 31/Gary Roberts- 31/Janet Kliest
JULY ANNIVERSARIES – (10)Dennis/Sandy Russell -(26)Richard/Pauline Powell-(30)Dan/Karina Shepard
In Our Prayers…
Martha Morris – Recuperating at home – Medical tests showed no cancer
Russ Schofield – Recuperating at home following heart procedure this past week.
Dick Belmore – Scheduled for surgery this past Friday
Ray Hooks – Continues to recuperate from fall (In Missouri)
Mary Anderson (Lincoln/Tunnell) requests prayer regarding her macula degeneration.
Irene Murphy - LaVonne McBroom’s aunt, Irene Murphy is recuperating from her hip operation at Kimberly on West Cook.
Pray for the safe return home of all who are traveling during this long holiday week.
SERVING OUR COUNTRY
Andy Savoy – Serving in Iraq
Michael Warford - Serving on ship in the middle east (Susan Pratt’s nephew)
CONTINUE TO REMEMBER
Paul/Jean Mynard – Russ Schofield - Karen Wheeler Belmore - Merle Gordon – Ray Hooks - Howard Dunn - Sonya Roberts - Waneen Wolff - Carol Strutz - Linda Ross - Jerita Blackmore – Dana Barbarick – Monty Cartwright - Mattie Hamburger –Linda Hampton (Walt Wittman’s daughter) - Norman Light’s sister, Jane (cancer) –Austin (Neighbor of the Dunns)-- Ken Dickey (Wayne Barbarick’s nephew) -–Pam Peralez – Pearl Keith – Monique Hernandez
FOR THE RECORD – LAST WEEK
ATTTENDANCE:
Sunday AM.136 Class .52 PM.27 Weds..N/A
FINANCE
Budget:...................................$2,862.15Contribution:............................$4,261.92YTD Budget:............................$73.206.12YTD Contribution:.....................$73.760.87 Over/Under (+/-):....................+$554.75
Please make checks payable to Church of Christ
In order for your notice to be in the bulletin please have your information in the secretary’s slot (in the copy room) no later than Wednesday evening(8 PM) or e-mailed to gardcart @aol.com no later than Thursday Evening.
Labels: Secret Prayer
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