Bring chairs, a blanket, a hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen!
This Sunday, May 11th, is Mother’s Day. Interestingly, the background to our study in Acts 12 is that a prayer meeting is being held at the home of a mother - John Mark’s mother. It reminds us that so often in life, somewhere in the background a mom has been praying, and women have been faithfully praying not only for their families but for the family of God.
Acts 12 is a time of great persecution against the Christians in Jerusalem. One of the apostles, James, is executed by Herod Agrippa. Peter, the apostle, is arrested and faces the same threat. The Christians in Jerusalem are obviously rattled by these events. Yet, it’s clear that God is not rattled at all. The God to whom we pray in times of deep crisis is clearly on the throne. His purposes are being advanced. He will build his church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.
Prayer is driven by an awareness that there is no event in our lives that is outside of the Father’s providence and will not ultimately work for the glory of God and the good of His people. It’s not the disciples who are at risk here but God’s enemies. Prayer is meant to be a sanctuary for the people of God. It is a haven of rest in the storms of life where we are reminded that God has us and will not let us go.
This Sunday’s message is called, Our Unshakable God. Let’s come and sing, celebrate, and recalibrate our hearts around the truth that in our darkest moments and uncertain times, God is unshakable. We are going to be worshiping outside this week. One outdoor service at 10 a.m. Bring a chair if you can or a blanket. Bring your Mom and a friend!
In Christ,
Kevin Dibbley, Senior Pastor
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