EChurch@Wartburg – 6.3.18

Welcome to a Gathering of EChurch@Wartburg

The TWW community would love to pray for you!

Please include your prayer request in the comment section of this post

http://www.publicdomainpictures.net/view-image.php?image=22086&picture=i-love-jesus

I Love Jesus

Here is our Order of Worship

A Prayer by William Barclay link
1907-1978 link

O God, you are our refuge
When we are exhausted by life’s efforts;
When we are bewildered by life’s problems;
When we are wounded by life’s sorrows:
We come for refuge to you.
O God, you are our strength.

When our tasks are beyond our powers;
When our temptations are too strong for us;
When duty calls for more than we have to give to it:
We come for strength to you.

O God, it is from you that all goodness comes
It is from you that our ideals come;
It is from you that there comes to us the spur of high desire and the restraint of conscience.
It is from you that there has come the strength to resist any temptation, and to do any good thing.

And now as we pray to you,
Help us to believe in your love,
so that we may be certain
that you will hear our prayer;

Help us to believe in your power,
so that we may be certain
that you are able to do for us
above all that we ask or think;

Help us to believe in your wisdom,
so that we may be certain
that you will answer,
not as our ignorance asks,
but as your perfect wisdom knows best.

All this we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen

A Prayer of Ambrose (c 339-97) link

O Lord, who hast mercy upon all, take away from me my sins,
and mercifully kindle in me the fire of thy Holy Spirit.
Take away from me the heart of stone,
and give me a heart of flesh,
a heart to love and adore thee,
a heart to delight in thee,
to follow and to enjoy thee,
for Christ’s sake.
In Jesus name,
Amen

Scripture Reading: 1 John 4:19 (NASB Bible Gateway)

We love, because He first loved us.

This week we are featuring a wonderful message by Abraham Wright. Abraham, who joined the Emmanuel Enid staff several years ago, filled in for Wade Burleson last Sunday.

The message of Grace changed Abraham’s life his senior year in high school and he then became obsessed with trying to reach his teammates with the same Good News of Christ that changed his life. Abraham has worked for a few churches and recently worked for Fellowship of Christian Athletes before coming to Emmanuel. He was born in Tulsa, OK and raised in Oklahoma City by a single mother.  Abraham grew up playing football and was able to play college football for the University of Colorado, where he got his B.A. in Sociology. He played one year for the Miami Dolphins in 2007 and was released after his rookie season. Abraham currently serves as Community Evangelist at Emmanuel Enid.

The Lord’s Prayer link

Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy Kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever.
Amen

The ​Aaronic Benediction link

May the Lord bless you and keep you;
may He cause his spirit to shine on you
and be gracious to you;
May He lift up His smile on you and give you peace.
Amen

Comments

EChurch@Wartburg – 6.3.18 — 11 Comments

  1. 17.5 years ago, I said “I do” to a stranger. A stranger that I found out later had lied to me every step of the way. I know now, that he didn’t even know he was lying because it was so natural to him. A way of life. I put on a front for a long time. I tried to play the part. Inside, I went numb. But then, a few years ago, he said he had come to know God. I got excited and backed him all the way. But this made him really more manipulative than before. He became more angry too. We didn’t do what we were supposed to do and we made him look bad to the church. So much has happened and now he says he doesn’t believe anymore. He spends his time at work and on video games. I’m still numb. I supposed to be in this for life. There is no feeling in me but numb. Sometimes anger. Sometimes despair. Mostly, I just want to be numb until it’s all over and I can die and be done with this life. We have three kids. I can’t bring myself to turn their world upside down. So I stay. I stay and I’m numb. And angry on some days. Today is one of them. Prayer? Somewhere in me, after all of the church dysfunction and pain, after all the marriage pain, I still believe Jesus is the way and the only hope I have. But I can’t get over feeling that I can’t love Jesus and leave this mess. It’s the fear I’m sure. The fear man put in me. Or maybe it’s God. I don’t know. So, if anyone is out there and wants to pray for a stranger, maybe you could when I’m not sure I can. I don’t know what to say anymore.

  2. Toiler, you have my prayers. Are you getting any counseling to help you sort through all of the confusion?

  3. Toiler, I hear your sorrow, anger, and pain. I was once where you are and spent a good deal of time crying and wishing I would die. I wish I could say it all turned out well, but it didn’t. I do have my faith that sustains me and enables me to pray with some compassion for those going through similar circumstances.

    Please know that you will be in my prayers and hope that you will find some peace and comfort as well as a satisfactory solution for your situation.

    Sending you a virtual hug….

  4. Toiler,

    Please know that I’ll be praying for you. If you need to email us confidentially, our contact information is at the top of our blog page.

  5. Toiler,

    Wow, so sorry for the difficulties. I second drstevej in suggesting you get some counseling, not from your church though. I will pray for you.

  6. Toiler: So, if anyone is out there and wants to pray for a stranger,

    Out there and praying for you. Don’t be a stranger, let us pray for you.

  7. Toiler – my story is similar to yours except that he keeps up the charade, reminding people frequently that he’s saved (probably because his life sure doesn’t show it). I am out because he left (but don’t feel free because of the children), but I went though the numbness, too, and chose to cling to Jesus when all else was black around me. I feel your pain and am also praying for you. God will give wisdom.

  8. Toiler,

    I knew a pain for 30 years that sounds similar to what you are trying to survive. I too felt I could not love the Lord and leave my husband. I prayed repeatedly, “Lord, please show me what is true, what is real, and what your heart is about those things.” And he did. I saw all the ways my husband was also leading a fake life. 2 books that helped me the most were: The Verbally Abusive Relationship by Evans and Why Does He Do That by Bancroft. Both helped me see a ray of hope in the fog of abuse b/c I slowly understood why I felt like I was dying inside. The tough part is that you can get so numb you can’t find the strength to take any action. May I suggest seeing a counselor at a DV shelter? It should be free at least initially and may help give you a jolt of life and hope. Please take care. Three years ago I would have never dreamed that I could feel as peaceful and content as I do today. It has bee hard but staying was gut wrenching hard also…You are cared about and prayed for!