(September 8, 2009)

Prayer House News!

Our ladies are praying this morning. Join them if you can at 9:00am.

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Come My Beloved!
Taken from Prayer Can Change Your Marriage

Have you ever wondered why opposites attract? I’m sure we’ve all heard about two people who are sure they are in love and, consequently, get married. Then after a couple of months, they look at each other and ask, “Why in the world did we get married? We are complete opposites!”

It happens quite frequently, but it doesn’t imply that one partner is inferior to the other or that one is all good or all bad.

Think of this; Jesus has called us His bride and yet aren’t we completely opposite of Him?
When you consider opposites, you are dealing with strengths and weaknesses. By nature, weakness cannot resist strength. If weakness could resist it wouldn’t be considered weak.

Therefore one person’s weakness is drawn to another person’s strength. So you are drawn together but you are completely opposite one another.

Being opposite does not mean you are mismatched. When my wife and I were going through our pre-marital counseling with our pastor he made a statement that I have never forgotten. He said, “Once you are married, neither one of you will become all that God wants you to be without the other.”

God had a purpose in bringing you and your mate together. Often we look at our mate and wish they would change when in reality God wants us to change and He is using our mates personality to bring that change in us. What strengths does your mate have that you need to learn to draw from?

Psalms 139:23-24
Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

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Medication: A Merry Heart

Paying the Bill

A patient at the dental office where I was a receptionist stopped by my desk to pay her bill.

She began rummaging through her purse, as so many patients did when they had a check to write.

"Do you need a pen?" I asked, offering her the use of mine."Yes, thank you," she replied.

She took it, put it in her handbag, and proceeded to pay in cash.

(September 7, 2009)

Prayer House News!

Happy Labor Day! FYI our offices are closed today, in fact this blog update is coming to you from Shawano, WI. Our family is taking a day to get away. We'll be back tonight.

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We had a powerful wrap-up of our study of Revelation. The spirit of God was convicting all of us about our service to Him. There were a number of "words" regarding our prayer lives and how much time we are actually praying for our "lost" family members. If you weren't there you could just pray for a couple of hours and I'm sure you will sense the same thing we sensed.

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This is Family Week at Prayer House. That means some of the normal busyness will subside until next week. Following Family Week we will be launching a number of new classes for our Wednesday nights. VBS is over and Awana is kicking off a new season. Our College group is re-grouping at Pastor Chad's new home. And our adults are beginning a new series on the Rapture. SWAT is still breaking records and challenging the youth.

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If you want to join with me for a one-day prayer conference in Milwaukee this coming Saturday check out the details on the side bar of this blog. Meet me at 7:30am in our parking lot and we will car-pool.

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Come My Beloved!

Taken from Prayer Can Change Your Marriage

There are two basic types of seekers.

There are seekers who are beggars and there are seekers who are lovers. Seekers who are beggars look to the hand. Seekers who are lovers look to the eyes.

I once lived in an area of a large city where there were many “street people.” Many times they would approach me looking for a handout. I noticed that they never looked at my eyes, they were only interested in my hands. They wanted to know what my hands could bring out of my pockets for them.

Seekers that are lovers are different. Lovers look to the eyes. I remember dating the woman whom later became my wife. We were in Bible College at the time. Whenever I would drop her off at the dorm after a date she could give me a look that would set me off for a whole week.

That look told me she loved me. When you are in love all you need to know is that the one you love loves you in return. The eyes tell that story.

Throughout His written Word, God says in essence, “You who love me, seek my face.” Yet today, many Christians persist in seeking only His hand. So we must ask ourselves this question; Am I really in love with Jesus or in love with what Jesus can do for me?

2 Chronicles 7:14
If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

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Medication: A Merry Heart

"A lady came up to me on the street and pointed at my suede jacket. 'You know a cow was murdered for that jacket?' she sneered. I replied in a psychotic tone, 'I didn't know there were any witnesses. Now I'll have to kill you too.'"

"If your parents never had children, chances are you won't either."

"Our bombs are smarter than the average high school student. At least they can find Kuwait."

"I'm a psychic amnesiac. I know in advance what I'll forget."

"Thou shall not kill. Thou shall not commit adultery. Don't eat pork. I'm sorry, what was that last one?? Don't eat pork. God has spoken. Is that the word of God or is that pigs trying to outsmart everybody?"

"I ask people why they have deer heads on their walls. They always say because it's such a beautiful animal. There you go. I think my mother is attractive, but I have photographs of her."

(September 4, 2009)

Prayer House News!

I had a wonderful time in prayer last night.

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Please pray for Ruth Riutta. She is having surgery today.

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Will NBC be surprised??

*Here's your chance to let the media know where the people stand on our faith in God, as a nation..

NBC is presently taking a poll on "In God We Trust" to stay on our American currency.

Please send this to every Christian you know so they can vote on this important subject.

Please do it right away, before NBC takes this off their web page. Poll is still open so you can vote

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10103521/

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Devotional

Earlier this week we put out a request to help someone buy a stove for their home. They had been without one for the past year. On the same day of the request someone gave us the $350.00 for the stove. Sue Puder and her daughter Cori went to Sears and purchased one for her. The following is her thank you to us.

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Dear Reverand Auch,

I don't know where to start or where I can find the words to express how grateful I am for not just the stove, but the message that the stove brought my family. I have been sick on and off for 20 years, but the worst challenges intensified over the last three years.

About two months ago I had woken up and collapsed. I was completely numb on one side. Did I have a stroke? A brain tumor? What could it be? When I told my employer about the fall, I was told that "it was all in my head". All of the sudden people who I thought were friends actually began looking for ways to verbally and emotionally attack me when I became weepy telling them how frightened how I was.

I was so confused.

Why now? Why now that I am already so frightened and so tired from (what I now know is advanced) Multiple Sclerosis and being poked like a pin cushion by doctor after doctor? The emotional and physical exhaustion was overwhelming.

My husband was having to travel week after week, so I was alone for long periods and barely able to keep up with trying to keep my job and the very basics of parenting and home-making. At one point, I contacted a person I thought was a friend and told her that I couldn't even wash my dishes. I was losing my strength and coordination. I was dropping and breaking dishes and I didn't have te strength to even unload the dishwasher. I could barely wash my hair, fold laundry.... My "friend" who doesn't work replied "oh heavens, I am just soooo busy these days.

Maybe in a few weeks you'll feel up to me stopping by and having some tea." I was flabbergasted.... I just got through telling the person I considered one of my best friends that I couldn't even do my dishes and how exasperasted I felt not having family close by at a time "like this" and how I couldn't afford to hire help to clean the house and do the lawn and all this person could say was "maybe in a few weeks, I'll stop by and we can have tea?"

The loneliness and despair set in deeper and deeper. Then I sent a letter to my church explaining that I just cannot physically handle everything myself, especially with my husband having to travel week after week. I asked with help mowing the lawn, walking the dog and a few things that my 12 year old could not do for me day after day. While my daughter was being a great help, she still is just a 12 year old.

Week after week after week passed, I did not even get a call from my own congregation. Not one person stepped forward to help. The reality that I meant nothing to the people in my congregration plummeted me into the deepest depression I had ever faced in my life.

No matter how much I read and re-read Romans 8:28 and so many of my other favorite scriptures, I just could not get past my need to have a person reach out and care about me. Even though I know that God never fails us and that his timing is perfect, I did not know how much more loneliness I could bear.

I won't bore you with all the other medical issues that were uncovered, as well as work and life issues, but this part is relevant to my thank you note.... A few months ago, I had broken our stove while trying to clean it. It would have cost more to fix it than replace it with a decent used one. As time allowed, I looked in the newpaper and internet to find a used one and could not find any in my price range.

I went to an appliance store that generally has used stoves and nothing... Then....Susan Puder came by one day last weekend to pick up Cori after she babysat for me. Susan asked if there was anything she could do for me. I knew that Susan struggled with back pain so I felt bad to ask for any help. But then I realized that perhaps she could help me watch the newspapers and miscellanous ads for a used stove.

So, I asked her to keep her eye out for a used stove. Just imagine my shock when only a couple of days laters when Cori and Susan brought by a birthday card with a picture of a new stove as well as the Sears receipt for the pictured stove!!! I was stunned. Speechless! I thanked Cori and Susan and as soon as I heard the door shut as they left my house, the tears of gratitude started flowing.

My husband, a computer systems, logical skeptic (a "reluctant" Christian) was also speechless. I asked him if this was "speaking" to him. He told me that it was pretty hard to deny that my prayers were heard. Much more than my prayers for a new stove... but my prayers that God would hear the deep loneliness that was boring a hole in my heart.

And this is the part where I run out of words because no work or collection of words could express my gratitude for the kindness, love and generousity I have received from your congregation.

This kindness has brought me comfort and peace beyond description. I feel like my heart has been set free from the bondage of sadness and loneliness that I allowed to creep into my mind, body and soul. I feel replenished and renewed.

I have been reminded that God's timing may not be what we want, but always what we need. Thank you, thank you, thank you... for opening your hearts to me and my family. Please know that this kindness will uplift me for years and years to come. In His Preciousl Love,Darci

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Medication: A Merry Heart

Defensive Driving Course

One of my co-workers got a speeding ticket and was attending a defensive-driving course to have points erased from his license.

The instructor, a police officer, emphasized that being on time was crucial and that the classroom doors would be locked when each session began.

Just after one class started, someone knocked on the locked door. The officer opened it and asked, "Why are you late?"

The student replied, "I was trying not to get anotherticket." The officer let him in.

(September 3, 2009)

Prayer House News!

Good news! There's no news! You know the old saying, "No news is,,,,,um,,,,,no news,,,anyway, there really isn't anything thing to write about.

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Come My Beloved!

taken from "Prayer Can Change Your Marriage"

Shortly after I developed my prayer life I began to pray, “God, I don’t want anything else; I just want you.”

I quickly realized the cost of having my prayer answered. I sensed God speaking to my heart saying, “If you really want me, you are going to have to give up your love for things.”

Until that moment, I didn’t realize just how attached I was to many of the “things” in my life, perhaps even more attached than I was to Him.

As I opened myself to Him, God began stripping away my love for things. This didn’t mean I had to part with the things themselves, just with my love for those things.

I learned that Christians can possess many things, and there is nothing wrong with that. It’s when things possess the Christian that he is in trouble.

When God is our objective, when He is the reason we spend time in prayer, then we will spend much time simply worshipping Him. However, if things are our objective we won’t spend much time worshipping God but rather, worshipping what worship can get us. There is a growing tendency to worship the act of worship rather than God.

Matthew 15:8-9
"`These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain;

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Medication: A Merry Heart

Said the first hangman, "Man we have been busy lately." "So true," said the second hangman, "but it looks as though we will be getting a break soon!"

"Why is that?" queried the first hangman.

"Apparently, no one has been convicted of a terrible crime lately," the second hangman responded, "so it looks as though we can take a break from noose making."

"Well you know what they say," said the first hangman, "No noose is good noose."

(September 2, 2009)

Prayer House News!

On Tuesday I put out a need for a new stove. A lady from Kenosha named Darci has been without a stove in her home for over a year. Yesterday someone called me and said that the $350.00 we were looking for is in the mail! PTL! Isn't that something?

I love it when God speaks to someone's heart and they actually obey God. I pray that they will be doubly blessed for their obedience.

Thanks Cori Reuter for making us aware of this need. God used your compassion to meet someone's need.

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Tonight is our mid-week classes at 6:30pm.

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Have you noticed all the things we have going on at Prayer House for this month. Check out the side bar to see which thing pertain to you.

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Did you know that you can always go to our churches web site to view all the details of what is going on in our church. You see the latest church bulletin as well as see our current church calendar.

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Come My Beloved!

Many people say they want God or that they want to worship God. But why?

Consider this question; “Do you want God, so you can use God to fulfill your own ends, or do you want God, so God can use you to fulfill His own ends?”

There is a world of difference between the two. If you want for former, you really don’t want God.

What you really want is a genie who will obediently grant your every wish. That’s not really a relationship that’s an arrangement.

It seems more people have arrangements with God than relationships today. We have learned that God is merciful and compassionate. Subsequently, we have taken advantage of that and seek things from Him more than we actually seek Him.

We should be asking God for a heart that seeks Him only.

Jeremiah 24:7
7I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the LORD. They will be my people, and I will be their God, for they will return to me with all their heart.

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Medication: A Merry Heart