Prayer for Today, Sunday, July 31

God of All Time,

You have commissioned us, as Your faithful children, to be Your agents where we live, work and play. Jesus said, “You are the salt of the earth…You are the light of the world”. Often we miss the mark, O God, and we pray for forgiveness. Others are looking to us to see the love of Christ embodied in our actions and words. Others are looking to us as bearers of Your grace and peace. It is a huge responsibility, but it is also a joy to carry the Good News of Your acceptance and forgiveness into the world. Bless us, loving God, as we seek to be a blessing to others. In Jesus’ name we pray. AMEN.
____________________________________________________

Vacation Bible School begins tomorrow evening with a meal at 5:15 p.m. There will be activities and classes for all ages.

Come to worship today and bring a friend with you.

Look around when you come to church. We have the opportunity to welcome angels in our midst. Will you extend radical hospitality?

The scripture for today (we are in week 36 of our Bible readings) is Romans 12:1-8:
I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect. For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of yourself more highly than you ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another. We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us: prophecy, in proportion to faith; ministry, in ministering; the teacher, in teaching; the exhorter, in exhortation; the giver, in generosity; the leader, in diligence; the compassionate, in cheerfulness.

The psalm for the week is Psalm 115:
Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to your name give glory, for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness.
Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?”
Our God is in the heavens; he does whatever he pleases.
Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands.
They have mouths, but do not speak; eyes, but do not see.
They have ears, but do not hear; noses, but do not smell.
They have hands, but do not feel; feet, but do not walk; they make no sound in their throats.
Those who make them are like them; so are all who trust in them.
O Israel, trust in the LORD! He is their help and their shield.
O house of Aaron, trust in the LORD! He is their help and their shield.
You who fear the LORD, trust in the LORD! He is their help and their shield.
The LORD has been mindful of us; he will bless us; he will bless the house of Israel; he will bless the house of Aaron;
he will bless those who fear the LORD, both small and great.
May the LORD give you increase, both you and your children.
May you be blessed by the LORD, who made heaven and earth.
The heavens are the Lord’s heavens, but the earth he has given to human beings.
The dead do not praise the LORD, nor do any that go down into silence.
But we will bless the LORD from this time on and forevermore. Praise the LORD!

Grace and peace,

John McLemore

Prayer for Today, Saturday, July 30

Wonderful God,

You are present to us in so many ways, particularly are You experienced in the depth and breadth of human relationships. We all are created in Your image. When we look into the face of a relative, friend, neighbor, and even a stranger, we see Your reflection. Forgive us, O Lord, when we look past and through some of those around us. Forgive us, Loving God, when we act as if certain others have no significance. Our arrogance and aloofness condemns us. Open our eyes, Creator God, so that we might see. Open our hearts that we might care. Open our spirits that we might compassionately engage. For it is in Jesus’ name we pray. AMEN.
_____________________________________________________________

This morning we will honor and bury Novella Weber. Please pray for her son, Gary, and his family.

Wednesday family and friends will gather at 2:00 p.m. to honor the life and faith of Nieva Munkres at Ladusau-Evans Funeral Home.

Tim Simpson, Sue McClendon and Elbert Wheeler are all still hospitalized at St. Mary’s hospital. Please pray for each of them.

Tomorrow, during Sunday School at 9:00 a.m., I will teach the second and last session of Disciples 101 (revised) in the Multi-Purpose Room. The Boomer Class is participating and bringing food. A good time will be had by all.

VBS “Shake It Up” begins with a meal at 5:15 p.m. on Monday. There will even be a class for adults. All are invited.

The scripture for today is Romans 11:33-36:
O the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!“For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?”“Or who has given a gift to him, to receive a gift in return?”For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever. Amen.

Grace and peace,

John McLemore

Prayer for Today, Friday, July 29

O Lord of All Creation,

The Apostle Paul tell us . . . “For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we will see face to face”. Forgive our hubris, O Lord, when we believe we can know and understand everything about You, about reality, about all creation. There is great mystery. We are often surprised by Your presence in life. We see glimpses of Your eternal truths. Our life with You cannot be reduced to formulas and theorems. From neutrinos and quarks to distant, unseen galaxies there is great mystery. Within love and radical compassion, there is great mystery. Within birth, life, death and resurrection, there is great mystery. May we embrace You, O Lord, in the midst of that which we cannot know or understand and may we trust in You. In Jesus’ name we pray. AMEN.
________________________________________________

Please pray for the family of Novella Weber. Her funeral is tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. in the chapel.

Nieva Munkres died yesterday. Her funeral will be Wednesday at 2:00 p.m. at Ladusau-Evans Funeral Home.
Please pray for her son, Ned, and his family.

Vacation Bible School begins Monday evening at 5:15 p.m. There will be classes and activities for all ages.

We are still collecting fans and money for fans. Our goal is 50 fans. We have delivered 37 and more money is on the way.

Disciples 101 Part II is this Sunday in the Multi-Purpose Room. We had a good group last Sunday, but there is always room for more. The Boomer class is bringing food. Join us Sunday at 9:00 a.m. We will have a great time.

The scripture for today is Romans 11:25-32:
So that you may not claim to be wiser than you are, brothers and sisters, I want you to understand this mystery: a hardening has come upon part of Israel, until the full number of the Gentiles has come inland so all Israel will be saved; as it is written, “Out of Zion will come the Deliverer; he will banish ungodliness from Jacob.”“And this is my covenant with them, when I take away their sins.”As regards the gospel they are enemies of God for your sake; but as regards election they are beloved, for the sake of their ancestors; for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. Just as you were once disobedient to God but have now received mercy because of their disobedience, so they have now been disobedient in order that, by the mercy shown to you, they too may now receive mercy. For God has imprisoned all in disobedience so that he may be merciful to all.

Grace and peace,

John McLemore

Prayer for Today, Thursday, July 28

O Great God,

We know You in that which is seen and that which is unseen. You are a mystery, yet Your presence is often times palpable. There are times in our lives when our need for You is great. Come to us in our need, O God. You are eternal. Forgive us, we pray, when we seek solace, comfort and assurance in the temporary and mundane. Sometimes those among us are so distraught by the tragedies of life that they cannot seek You or be comforted by their faith. May our faith be sufficient for them as well as ourselves. May we surround them, the grieving, those in pain, the suffering and the lost, with our love and our faith in You. May our trust in You lift them up so that, eventually, they may come to You again. This is our prayer in Jesus’ name. AMEN.
______________________________________________________

Tim Simpson had back surgery on Monday. Please pray for Tim as he recovers.

Birdene Schoonover has fallen a few times in the last few days. Please pray for Birdene.

Sue McClendon is doing some better. Elbert Wheeler is still hospitalized, but no visitors for Elbert. Please pray for Sue and Elbert.

Carolyn and I are struggling with a decision about our 16 ½ year old dachshund. Please pray for us and all those pet owners whose animals are part of the family.

Please pray for those living and working in this heat.

We delivered 37 fans on Tuesday to the Salvation Army. Our church responded in an amazing way, as usual. Our goal is 50 fans. If you would like to drop one off at the church, leave it in the southwest corner of the loggia. If you would like to write a check, just put “fans” in the memo line. We were able to purchase Galaxy box fans for $14.88 each. Of course when the church buys them there is no tax.

The scripture for today is Romans 11:11-24:
So I ask, have they stumbled so as to fall? By no means! But through their stumbling salvation has come to the Gentiles, so as to make Israel jealous. Now if their stumbling means riches for the world, and if their defeat means riches for Gentiles, how much more will their full inclusion mean! Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I glorify my ministry in order to make my own people jealous, and thus save some of them. For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead! If the part of the dough offered as first fruits is holy, then the whole batch is holy; and if the root is holy, then the branches also are holy. But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, a wild olive shoot, were grafted in their place to share the rich root of the olive tree, do not boast over the branches. If you do boast, remember that it is not you that support the root, but the root that supports you. You will say, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.”That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand only through faith. So do not become proud, but stand in awe. For if God did not spare the natural branches, perhaps he will not spare you. Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God’s kindness toward you, provided you continue in his kindness; otherwise you also will be cut offhand even those of Israel, if they do not persist in unbelief, will be grafted in, for God has the power to graft them in again. For if you have been cut from what is by nature a wild olive tree and grafted, contrary to nature, into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these natural branches be grafted back into their own olive tree.

Grace and peace,

John McLemore

Prayer for Today, Wednesday, July 27

Dear Creator God,

Forgive us, O Lord, for our reluctance in sharing our faith. In many ways we seem to have lost our mandate to “make disciples”. Help us understand, Dear Lord, that our culture is begging for a connection with the Divine, yet the path for most is not clear. We are well suited to invite and welcome people into a place where the environment fosters an encounter with You, or at least that’s what we think. Stir us, Dear God, to open our eyes, to move beyond disagreements, to truly welcome the stranger in our midst, to provide a model of deep spirituality, and to witness to Your grace. Touch us, we pray, through our worship, study, service and fellowship, so that we will want others to have the same experience, an encounter with You. This we pray in Jesus’ name, AMEN.
_____________________________________________________

Please pray for the family of Novella Weber. She died on Monday, July 18, in Tampa, Florida, and her funeral will be in our chapel this Saturday at 10:00 a.m. She was 100 years old. Novella came to Central as a high school student. She left with her family to go to Ft. Worth when Champlin transferred her husband in 1956. She came back to Enid and Central in 1980 after his death and stayed until 1995, when she moved to Florida to be near her son, Gary.

The scripture for today is Romans 11:1-10:
I ask, then, has God rejected his people? By no means! I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin. God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Do you not know what the scripture says of Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel?“Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have demolished your altars; I alone am left, and they are seeking my life.”But what is the divine reply to him? “I have kept for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal.”So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace. But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace would no longer be grace. What then? Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking. The elect obtained it, but the rest were hardened, as it is written, “God gave them a sluggish spirit, eyes that would not see and ears that would not hear, down to this very day.”And David says, “Let their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a retribution for them; let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see, and keep their backs forever bent.”

Grace and peace,

John McLemore

Prayer for Today, Tuesday, July 26

Most Amazing God,

The Greek word which we translate as forgiveness (aphiemi) literally means “to let go”. Some say when it refers to Your forgiveness it is better translated “to wipe from memory”. In Jeremiah and in Hebrews it is stated You “will remember their sins no more”. Help us to understand, O God, when You forgive You forget. Our earnest prayer this day, O Lord, is that we be forgiven. There are times when we seek Your forgiveness but refuse to forgive others: family, friends, strangers, even enemies. May we earnestly strive to be forgiving people. May we see the goodness in others and wipe from our memory others transgressions against us. Jesus even employs us to pray to You, forgive our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Give us strength, Dear God, to forgive as we have been forgiven. In Jesus’ name we pray. AMEN.
______________________________________________________

Pray for our Mission Camp team of seventeen as they do their work in Stillwater.

The scripture for today is Romans 10:5-21:
Moses writes concerning the righteousness that comes from the law, that “the person who does these things will live by them.”But the righteousness that comes from faith says, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down)“or ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).But what does it say? “The word is near you, on your lips and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim);because if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved. The scripture says, “No one who believes in him will be put to shame.”
For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all and is generous to all who call on him. For, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”But how are they to call on one in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in one of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone to proclaim him? And how are they to proclaim him unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”But not all have obeyed the good news; for Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our message?”So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the word of Christ. But I ask, have they not heard? Indeed they have; for “Their voice has gone out to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world.”Again I ask, did Israel not understand? First Moses says, “I will make you jealous of those who are not a nation; with a foolish nation I will make you angry.”Then Isaiah is so bold as to say, “I have been found by those who did not seek me; I have shown myself to those who did not ask for me.”But of Israel he says, “All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people.”

Grace and peace,

John McLemore

Prayer for Today, Monday, July 25

Most Gracious God,

The Lord’s Prayer, from the lips of Jesus, prays that Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Jesus’ words in the Gospel of John tell us that You love the world. The Book of Revelation suggests Your kingdom will reside in our midst. Draw us in, Divine Presence, to Your eternal embrace. Draw us in, O Lord, to Your present and future work in the world. May our focus be on ushering Your Reign into the present day and into our present culture as we care for the poor, proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind. May Your will be done. We pray in Jesus’ name. AMEN.
___________________________________________________________

Please pray for our 15 youth and 2 adults who left the church at 6:30 a.m. and are driving to Stillwater for Mission Camp. I told them, as they left, how proud we are of them. May they be safe. May they have a wonderful time.

Thank you to Sue and David Dell, who hosted 27 elders in their home yesterday evening. It was a very good meeting.

Danny Corn is home after receiving a pacemaker. He will return to work as soon as we receive a doctor’s release which states what he is capable of doing. Connie Oltmans will return from vacation on Wednesday. Thank you to Don Johnson, Suzy Floyd and John Wheeler for filling in the gaps.

Elbert Wheeler and Sue McClendon are still hospitalized. Please pray for them.

The Special Gifts Committee meets this evening at 6:30 p.m.

Remember VBS for all ages begins one week from today.

The scripture for today is Romans 9:30 – 10:4:
What then are we to say? Gentiles, who did not strive for righteousness, have attained it, that is, righteousness through faith; but Israel, who did strive for the righteousness that is based on the law, did not succeed in fulfilling that law. Why not? Because they did not strive for it on the basis of faith, but as if it were based on works. They have stumbled over the stumbling stone, as it is written, “See, I am laying in Zion a stone that will make people stumble, a rock that will make them fall, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”
Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. I can testify that they have a zeal for God, but it is not enlightened. For, being ignorant of the righteousness that comes from God, and seeking to establish their own, they have not submitted to God’s righteousness. For Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.

Grace and peace,

John McLemore

Prayer for Today, Sunday, July 24

O Divine Presence,

It is a new day and we rejoice. We pray for Your blessing to be upon us, O Lord. We honor You and praise Your name, particularly as we gather in community to bring our worship to You. Help us today, Loving God, to be peacemakers and to be meek. May our lives reflect the teachings of Jesus and may we critique the values and norms of the culture when they are counter to Your will. We pray for strength, courage and the will to be faithful witnesses. In Jesus’ name we pray. AMEN.
_______________________________________________________

We continue to pray for Sue McClendon and Elbert Wheeler who are still hospitalized. Danny Corn has been released from the hospital and is at his home.

We continue to pray for the family of Shera Shirley. Her funeral was yesterday and her interment will be today at 9:10 a.m. at the old Enid Cemetery.

Remember to bring a fan to church to give to those in need. They will be distributed through the Salvation Army. If you want to write a check, just mark “fans” in the memo line.

I am teaching “Disciples 101 (revised)” in the multi-purpose room for the next two weeks. New members, prospective members, seekers and long time members are all invited and welcome. The class begins at 9:00 a.m.

Don is preaching in the 8:00 a.m. and 10:15 a.m. traditional services. Today is my monthly turn in R & R.

There will be an Elders Meeting today at 5:00 p.m. at the home of Sue and David Dell, 217 Deer Run.

The scripture for today is Romans 9:19-29:
You will say to me then, “Why then does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?”But who indeed are you, a human being, to argue with God? Will what is molded say to the one who molds it, “Why have you made me like this?”Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one object for special use and another for ordinary use? What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience the objects of wrath that are made for destruction; and what if he has done so in order to make known the riches of his glory for the objects of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory—including us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles?
As indeed he says in Hosea, “Those who were not my people I will call ‘my people,’ and her who was not beloved I will call ‘beloved.’”“And in the very place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’ there they shall be called children of the living God.”And Isaiah cries out concerning Israel, “Though the number of the children of Israel were like the sand of the sea, only a remnant of them will be saved; for the Lord will execute his sentence on the earth quickly and decisively.”And as Isaiah predicted, “If the Lord of hosts had not left survivors to us, we would have fared like Sodom and been made like Gomorrah.”

The Psalm for this week is Psalm 95:
O come, let us sing to the LORD; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!
Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!
For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods.
In his hand are the depths of the earth; the heights of the mountains are his also.
The sea is his, for he made it, and the dry land, which his hands have formed.
O come, let us worship and bow down, let us kneel before the LORD, our Maker!
For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. O that today you would listen to his voice!
Do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah, as on the day at Massah in the wilderness,
when your ancestors tested me, and put me to the proof, though they had seen my work.
For forty years I loathed that generation and said, “They are a people whose hearts go astray, and they do not regard my ways.”
Therefore in my anger I swore, “They shall not enter my rest.”
Grace and peace,

John McLemore

Prayer for Today, Saturday, July 23

O Lord of All,

The first creation story tells of Your rest on the seventh day. Carrying that concept into the mortal world we understand that the work of the week is sufficient to sustain us on the Sabbath, yet this is a concept almost forgotten in the modern world. We don’t take time to rest, to reflect, to ponder the beauty and wonder of creation, and to worship You. Help us to visit again the concept of Sabbath, a time for resting and a time for honoring You. Worship is never an option for the faithful followers of Jesus. Rest and leisure sustain us. Please forgive us, O Lord, for missing the mark. Help us to honor You as we worship You and honor the Sabbath. In Jesus’ name we pray. AMEN.
___________________________________________________

Please pray for Danny Corn. He received a pacemaker yesterday and will likely be dismissed from Bass Hospital today.

Please pray for the family of Shera Shirley. Her funeral is this morning at 10:00 a.m. in the sanctuary.

In response to the continuing heat we are activating “Fan Central” (see attached flyer). Please consider bringing a gently used or new fan to the church. We will take these to the Salvation Army to be distributed.

ALSO, the CWF is collecting school supplies again this year. Staples is having a huge sale, beginning tomorrow, on school supplies. Of course other retailers will have good prices as well.

The scripture for today is Romans 9:1-18:
I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience confirms it by the Holy Spirit—I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my own people, my kindred according to the flesh. They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises; to them belong the patriarchs, and from them, according to the flesh, comes the Messiah, who is over all, God blessed forever. Amen.
It is not as though the word of God had failed. For not all Israelites truly belong to Israel, and not all of Abraham’s children are his true descendants; but “It is through Isaac that descendants shall be named for you.”This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as descendants. For this is what the promise said, “About this time I will return and Sarah shall have a son.”Nor is that all; something similar happened to Rebecca when she had conceived children by one husband, our ancestor Isaac. Even before they had been born or had done anything good or bad (so that God’s purpose of election might continue, not by works but by his call) she was told, “The elder shall serve the younger.”As it is written, “I have loved Jacob, but I have hated Esau.”
What then are we to say? Is there injustice on God’s part? By no means! For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”So it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God who shows mercy. For the scripture says to Pharaoh, “I have raised you up for the very purpose of showing my power in you, so that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth.”So then he has mercy on whomever he chooses, and he hardens the heart of whomever he chooses.

Grace and peace,

John McLemore

Prayer for Today, Friday, July 22

Amazing Grace,

We often feel lost and isolated from You, usually as a result of decisions we have made. We feel guilty, yet many times we continue the same behavior. Forgive us we pray. Come to us in our weakness and heal our broken souls, O God. We realize our relationship with You depends on us. You are always ready to receive us into Your embrace with love and forgiveness. May we turn to You this day. In Jesus name we pray, AMEN.

___________________________________________________

Jackie Batchelder had kneecap repair surgery yesterday. She will have a 90 day recovery period. Please pray for Jackie.

Shera Shirley’s funeral is tomorrow morning at 10:00 a.m. in the Sanctuary. The funeral team is preparing a meal for 70 people. The cancer “Transitions” group and the Emmaus team are also meeting at the church. It will be a full day.

Carolyn’s sister, Kathi Miller, has recently been diagnosed with asbestosis. Please pray for Kathi.

The Young Adults had their second Bible Study yesterday evening using material entitled “The Gospel According to Pixar”.

The Elders meet this Sunday at 5:00 p.m. at the home of David and Sue Dell, 217 Deer Run.

The scripture for today is Romans 8:31-39:

What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not withhold his own Son, but gave him up for all of us, will he not with him also give us everything else? Who will bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? It is Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us. Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep to be slaughtered.”No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Grace and peace,

John McLemore

Prayer for Today, Thursday, July 21

God of All Creation,

We find comfort in the routine of daily living. Life is always easier when we know what to expect, but surprises and changes are also a part of our journey. We are sustained by our faith and trust in You, O God, because You are there when the pace of life is normal, and You are there when the unexpected occurs. We seek to live lives that make a difference. May our witness to Your love and grace prevail during the sameness and during the surprises. We ask this in Jesus’ name. AMEN.
_____________________________________________________

Please continue to pray for the family of Jacob Burrell. We hosted a large number of people from his memorial service yesterday, as well as a large number for the family meal. A special thanks to the Funeral Committee for their “over and above” generosity in reaching out to a family that had no church home.

Shera Shirley’s funeral is Saturday at 10:00 a.m. Please pray for her family and friends.

Elbert Wheeler and Sue McClendon are both in St. Mary’s hospital. Jackie Batchelder is having knee surgery today at the Surgery Center. Tim Simpson is having back surgery on Monday. Please pray for all these members and friends.

The Elders will meet at 5:00 p.m. on Sunday at the Dell home 217 Deer Run.

The scripture for today is Romans 8:18-30:
I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God; for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now; and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.
Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. And God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.
For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn within a large family. And those whom he predestined he also called; and those whom he called he also justified; and those whom he justified he also glorified.

Grace and peace,

John McLemore

Prayer for Today, Wednesday, July 20

O Loving God,

In the haste of life we pause to give You thanks. May we slow down Lord and enjoy the wonder of creation, family, friends and life. And, may we add, please, God, send us rain. In Jesus name we pray. AMEN.
________________________________________

Jackie Batchelder fell and broke her knee cap. She will have surgery tomorrow morning at the Surgery Center. Please pray for Jackie.

Jackie has also asked for prayers for her friend, Lorie Flyingout, who is battling cancer. We will add her to our published list of cancer patients.

Sonya Waldrip’s uncle died. This was her father’s last surviving brother. The funeral will be in Texas. Please pray for Sonya and her family.

Tonight we have WWNF, and Ice Cream Social and a Board Meeting.

Today we have the memorial service for Jacob Burrell and Saturday we will have the funeral for Shera Shirley.

Don’t forget the Disciples 101 Class. A flyer is attached.

The scripture for today is Romans 8:1-17:
There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do: by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and to deal with sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, so that the just requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For this reason the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law—indeed it cannot, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh; you are in the Spirit, since the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.
But if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit that dwells in you. So then, brothers and sisters, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh—for if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, “Abba! Father!”it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God,
and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ—if, in fact, we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.

Grace and peace,

John McLemore

Prayer for Today, Tuesday, July 19

Spirit of the Living God,

Fall afresh on us. Use us as Your caring and compassionate agents in the world. In the midst of difficult personalities, harsh words, and painful moments, may we maintain a loving spirit. In the midst of controversy, may our hearts be open to Your guidance. Even as the situations of life frustrate and anger us, may Your Spirit of peace and reconciliation prevail. . .through us. It is in Jesus name we pray, AMEN.
________________________________________________________

Please continue to pray for the Burrell and Shirley families. Both families are sorely grieving. I met with the Burrell family last night and a couple of Jacob’s friends. The tragic death of someone so young is numbing. The Bar Association read a resolution yesterday regarding Shera and her many accomplishments. She will be greatly missed by the entire community.

Lana Ellis is having a CAT scan on her arm which she injured in a bicycle accident. She is in a lot of pain. Please pray for Lana.

Vera French is still undergoing medical tests. Please pray for Vera.

There is a Board Meeting tomorrow evening at 7:30 p.m. The WWNF meal is at 6:00 p.m. followed by an ice cream social and bingo at 6:30. We will have a full and fun evening at Central Christian Church.

The scripture for today is Romans 7:14-25
For we know that the law is spiritual; but I am of the flesh, sold into slavery under sin. I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree that the law is good. But in fact it is no longer I that do it, but sin that dwells within me. For I know that nothing good dwells within me, that is, in my flesh. I can will what is right, but I cannot do it. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I that do it, but sin that dwells within me. So I find it to be a law that when I want to do what is good, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God in my inmost self, but I see in my members another law at war with the law of my mind, making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with my mind I am a slave to the law of God, but with my flesh I am a slave to the law of sin.

Grace and peace,

John McLemore

Prayer for Today, Monday, July 18

Merciful God,

We approach this day with eager anticipation. There will be opportunities to love, to play, to laugh, to cry, to work, to care for someone and to witness to our faith. Help us, O Lord, to embrace the opportunities to share Your love. Our thoughts go out to those who must work in this oppressive heat, to those who lack adequate shelter and to those who are limited in their ability to find relief. We pray for the farmers and gardeners who are struggling with the drought, and, O Lord, we pray for rain. In Jesus name. AMEN.
_______________________________________________________

Shera Shirley’s funeral will be Saturday at 10:00 a.m. with the interment of her ashes on Sunday morning.

Jacob Burrell’s memorial service will be on Wednesday at 11:00 a.m. in our sanctuary. Dorothy Bracher and her “crew” have graciously agreed to provide a meal for the family who has no church home, what a wonderful, gracious and generous gesture.

Please keep the Shirley and Burrell families in your prayers. Both deaths were quite unexpected. Shera was 55 years old and died during the night last Thursday in her home. Jacob was 23 years old and was killed in a single vehicle accident on I 35 south of Guthrie on last Friday morning.

Jameson Davis is having his wisdom teeth removed on Wednesday. He is understandably nervous. Please pray for Jameson and for a successful surgery.

Please pray for Luke Anton who begins a new job today.

For the next two Sundays I will be teaching “Disciples 101 (revised)” in the Multipurpose Room during the Sunday School hour. New members, prospective members, seekers, and long time members are invited to attend.

The first Board Meeting of the new program year is this Wednesday, July 20, at 7:30 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall. We will have a few brief reports and then spend some time continuing a discussion we began at the Board Leaders' Retreat about the internal culture of our congregation. We will be done by 8:45 p.m. or before. Please make every effort to attend.

The scripture for today is Romans 7:7-13:
What then should we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet, if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.”But sin, seizing an opportunity in the commandment, produced in me all kinds of covetousness. Apart from the law sin lies dead. I was once alive apart from the law, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died, and the very commandment that promised life proved to be death to me. For sin, seizing an opportunity in the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me. So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and just and good. Did what is good, then, bring death to me? By no means! It was sin, working death in me through what is good, in order that sin might be shown to be sin, and through the commandment might become sinful beyond measure.

Grace and peace,

John McLemore

Prayer for Today, Sunday, July 17

O Divine Presence,

We are so blessed and we give You thanks. Sometimes the trials and tribulations of daily living overwhelm us and we look past those people, events, places and attitudes that come to us as blessings. Forgive us, O Lord, when we are that shortsighted. May we approach today with open eyes and open hearts. May we embrace all of life and celebrate the goodness, Your goodness, that we encounter. In Jesus name we pray. AMEN.
___________________________________________

The Church Leaders Retreat was a great success. We had 50 people present. No specific plans were made, rather we began to “stir the pot” by 1) discussing the main function/mandate for the church, 2) reflecting on the internal culture of Central Christian Church, and 3) considering what it means to equip and empower lay leadership.

Please continue to pray for the families of Shera Shirley and Jacob Burrell. Both services are pending.

The scripture for today is Romans 7:1-6:
Do you not know, brothers and sisters—for I am speaking to those who know the law—that the law is binding on a person only during that person’s lifetime? Thus a married woman is bound by the law to her husband as long as he lives; but if her husband dies, she is discharged from the law concerning the husband. Accordingly, she will be called an adulteress if she lives with another man while her husband is alive. But if her husband dies, she is free from that law, and if she marries another man, she is not an adulteress. In the same way, my friends, you have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead in order that we may bear fruit for God. While we were living in the flesh, our sinful passions, aroused by the law, were at work in our members to bear fruit for death. But now we are discharged from the law, dead to that which held us captive, so that we are slaves not under the old written code but in the new life of the Spirit.

The Psalm for this week is Psalm 10:1-14:
Why, O LORD, do you stand far off? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?
In arrogance the wicked persecute the poor— let them be caught in the schemes they have devised.
For the wicked boast of the desires of their heart, those greedy for gain curse and renounce the LORD.
In the pride of their countenance the wicked say, “God will not seek it out”; all their thoughts are, “There is no God.”
Their ways prosper at all times; your judgments are on high, out of their sight; as for their foes, they scoff at them.
They think in their heart, “We shall not be moved; throughout all generations we shall not meet adversity.”
Their mouths are filled with cursing and deceit and oppression; under their tongues are mischief and iniquity.
They sit in ambush in the villages; in hiding places they murder the innocent. Their eyes stealthily watch for the helpless;
they lurk in secret like a lion in its covert; they lurk that they may seize the poor; they seize the poor and drag them off in their net.
They stoop, they crouch, and the helpless fall by their might.
They think in their heart, “God has forgotten, he has hidden his face, he will never see it.”
Rise up, O LORD; O God, lift up your hand; do not forget the oppressed.
Why do the wicked renounce God, and say in their hearts, “You will not call us to account”?
But you do see! Indeed you note trouble and grief, that you may take it into your hands; the helpless commit themselves to you; you have been the helper of the orphan.

Grace and peace,

John McLemore

Prayer for Today, Saturday, July 16

Most Amazing God,

Life is a journey through the valleys and sometimes over the mountain tops. Our path has many twists and turns. There are times when the travel is easy and there are times when we don’t think we can take another step. Sustain us when the road is bumpy and uncertain, we pray. Help us to find our inner strength and courage when we don’t know what is around the bend ahead. May we rejoice and give You thanks each day, regardless of where we find ourselves and may the Spirit of the Christ be our companion on the way. In Jesus’ name we pray. AMEN.
__________________________________________________________

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family of Shira Shirley, who died quiet unexpectedly sometime Thursday night.

We also offer our prayers for the family of Jacob Burrell who died in a vehicle crash in Oklahoma City yesterday morning.

Please continue to pray for Sue McClendon, who is in St. Mary’s hospital recovering from a stroke.

Please also pray for the Church Leader’s Retreat that occurs today from 9:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. at Christian Church of the Covenant. All participants are to enter the church from the east.

The scripture for today is Romans 6:15-23:

What then? Should we sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God that you, having once been slaves of sin, have become obedient from the heart to the form of teaching to which you were entrusted, and that you, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness. I am speaking in human terms because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to greater and greater iniquity, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness for sanctification. When you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. So what advantage did you then get from the things of which you now are ashamed? The end of those things is death. But now that you have been freed from sin and enslaved to God, the advantage you get is sanctification. The end is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Grace and peace,

John McLemore

Prayer for Today, Friday, July 15

O Lord our Lord,

How majestic is Your name in all the earth. We come as those seeking an understanding of You and as those seeking an experience of You. We understand that faith is a matter of mind and heart. Forgive us when we focus only on one or the other. Our prayer today is for clear thoughts and life transforming encounters. Help us to open ourselves totally to You. May we comprehend You and know You. May we feel Your embrace. We stand before You expectantly and hopefully. Come to us, we pray, through the power of Your Holy Spirit. In Jesus’ name, AMEN.
___________________________________________________

Please pray for the Church Leader’s Retreat that takes place tomorrow at Christian Church of the Covenant.

The Cancer Transitions Group also meets tomorrow in our Fellowship Hall.

This is the day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it.

The scripture for today is Romans 6:1-14:
What then are we to say? Should we continue in sin in order that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin go on living in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Therefore we have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be destroyed, and we might no longer be enslaved to sin. For whoever has died is freed from sin. But if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. The death he died, he died to sin, once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore, do not let sin exercise dominion in your mortal bodies, to make you obey their passions. No longer present your members to sin as instruments of wickedness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and present your members to God as instruments of righteousness. For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.

Grace and peace,

John McLemore

Prayer for Today, Thursday, July 14

God of Amazing Grace,

Your love for humanity is boundless. The scriptures bear witness to Your continued efforts to be in relationship with Your people, even when they continue to drift or run away from You. Sometimes we are not different, O God. The gap between us is widened by our subtle embrace of values and attitudes that are not of You. Forgive us, we pray. You free us and the decisions we make are ours. It is so easy to slip into self-centeredness, possessiveness, and even greed. May we recognize the power of Your Presence with us, the wonder of Your love and the foolishness, by the world’s standards, of Your grace. Today we turn into Your embrace and open our hearts to You. Cleanse us, Loving God, and make us one with You. In Jesus name we pray. AMEN.
______________________________________________________________

It was a good General Assembly. Now we can’t wait to get home. We should be in Enid this evening.

Please pray for our Church Leader’s Retreat that occurs on Saturday.

The scripture for today is Romans 5:12-21:
Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death came through sin, and so death spread to all because all have sinned—sin was indeed in the world before the law, but sin is not reckoned when there is no law. Yet death exercised dominion from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sins were not like the transgression of Adam, who is a type of the one who was to come. But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died through the one man’s trespass, much more surely have the grace of God and the free gift in the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, abounded for the many. And the free gift is not like the effect of the one man’s sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brings justification. If, because of the one man’s trespass, death exercised dominion through that one, much more surely will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness exercise dominion in life through the one man, Jesus Christ. Therefore just as one man’s trespass led to condemnation for all, so one man’s act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all. For just as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous. But law came in, with the result that the trespass multiplied; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, just as sin exercised dominion in death, so grace might also exercise dominion through justification leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Grace and peace,

John McLemore

Prayer for Today, Wednesday, July 13

God of all peoples and places,

Conflicts seem to rage within us, O Lord. There are times when our multiple loyalties pull us in different ways and each demands our time and resources. We want to serve the needs of our nation, our communities, our job, our family, our friends and our church. Our priorities are rearranged by circumstance and need. Unfortunately we place our devotion and service us to You near the bottom of the list. Forgive us we pray. Help us, Dear God, to open our hearts to You so that You might sooth our souls and give us clear direction. We hear Jesus’ words when he said “But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” May seek You, O God. In Jesus name we pray. AMEN.
_____________________________________________________

The General Assembly come to a close today and Carolyn and I are headed back to Enid. It has been a wonderful experience. I am energized and hopeful.

Tonight is WWNF.

The Board Retreat is this Saturday and our first Board meeting of the new program year is one week from today.

The scripture for today is Romans 5:1-11:
Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.
For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. Indeed, rarely will anyone die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person someone might actually dare to die. But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us. Much more surely then, now that we have been justified by his blood, will we be saved through him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more surely, having been reconciled, will we be saved by his life. But more than that, we even boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Grace and peace,

John McLemore

Prayer for Today, Tuesday, July 12

O Holy One,

You are at work in the world. May we have the insight, strength and determination to join with You in what You are already doing. The values of the culture often stand opposed to Your grace and peace, yet You are still there, working in people’s hearts and lives. Help us as people of faith and as the church to move beyond the boundaries, the walls, the fences that separates us from those in need. May we reach out as compassionate followers of Jesus and be the living Body of Christ for the world. It is in His name we pray, AMEN.
_______________________________________________

Good worship at the General Assembly yesterday evening. Brian McClaren, one of my favorite authors on the Emerging Church, was the preacher. Still seeing lots of friends and colleagues.

Kandy sent the following email:

John, here is the news for today— July 11, 4pm

Sue McClendon—in St. Mary’s room 586
Elbert Wheeler—in St. Mary’s room 225
Maribel Moore—who was supposed to have surgery on July 12th—it has been postponed.

Please pray for our hospitalized.

The scripture for today is Romans 4:13-25:
For the promise that he would inherit the world did not come to Abraham or to his descendants through the law but through the righteousness of faith. If it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. For the law brings wrath; but where there is no law, neither is there violation. For this reason it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his descendants, not only to the adherents of the law but also to those who share the faith of Abraham (for he is the father of all of us,
as it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations”) —in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist. Hoping against hope, he believed that he would become “the father of many nations,” according to what was said, “So numerous shall your descendants be.”He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was already as good as dead (for he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah’s womb. No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, being fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. Therefore his faith “was reckoned to him as righteousness.”
Now the words, “it was reckoned to him,” were written not for his sake alone, but for ours also. It will be reckoned to us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was handed over to death for our trespasses and was raised for our justification.

Grace and peace,

John McLemore

Prayer for Today, Monday, July 11

O God of Grace,

Often we are conflicted in our understanding of You. Some understand You as judgmental and reigning down fire on Your enemies. Some see You as loving and bringing healing and wholeness to all creation. Some see You as the patron of the wealthy and powerful. Others see You as One who has a passion for the poor and outcast. We know You are more than we can ever comprehend or understand. Forgive us, Loving God, when we believe You are our possession, when we act as though we know You completely. May we look to Jesus for the best reflection of You. May the model of His life be our guide. May the Christ provide a glimpse of You. It is in His name we pray. AMEN.
______________________________________________

We saw Fred Craddock, Shannon Arensman, Kevin Arensman, Allison Phillips Roebuck and the Bottrells yesterday, all who have had a connection to Central. As I have said on many occasions, the General Assembly is a big family reunion. Of course Dr. Craddock’s preaching is worth the trip by itself.

The scripture for today is Romans 4:1-12:
What then are we to say was gained by Abraham, our ancestor according to the flesh? For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.”Now to one who works, wages are not reckoned as a gift but as something due. But to one who without works trusts him who justifies the ungodly, such faith is reckoned as righteousness. So also David speaks of the blessedness of those to whom God reckons righteousness apart from works:“Blessed are those whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the one against whom the Lord will not reckon sin.”
Is this blessedness, then, pronounced only on the circumcised, or also on the uncircumcised? We say, “Faith was reckoned to Abraham as righteousness.”How then was it reckoned to him? Was it before or after he had been circumcised? It was not after, but before he was circumcised. He received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. The purpose was to make him the ancestor of all who believe without being circumcised and who thus have righteousness reckoned to them, and likewise the ancestor of the circumcised who are not only circumcised but who also follow the example of the faith that our ancestor Abraham had before he was circumcised.

Grace and peace,

John McLemore

Prayer for Today, Sunday, July 10

Empowering God,

Much in our culture draws us away from You. We are encouraged to be self-serving, self-centered consumers. Gadgets and trinkets that make life “easy” are waved before us. Those ageing and ill are removed from our sight and many are forgotten. Wealth is worshipped and the dollar has become an idol. Forgive our compliance, O Lord. May we look to Jesus as our model, the One who dealt with outcasts, sinners, the sick and the poor. As Christians, may we critique the values of the dominant culture and become agents of Your peace. In Jesus’ name we pray, AMEN.
________________________________________________________

The General Assembly is underway. Centralites present are Valerie Driscoll, Devon McAnally, Nancy Phillips, Carolyn and me. Already we have seen numerous colleagues and friends. Please pray for the Assembly.

Congratulations to Haley Steinert and Justin Williams who were married yesterday in our Sanctuary.

The scripture for today is Romans 3:21-31:
But now, apart from law, the righteousness of God has been disclosed, and is attested by the law and the prophets, the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction, since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; they are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a sacrifice of atonement by his blood, effective through faith. He did this to show his righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over the sins previously committed; it was to prove at the present time that he himself is righteous and that he justifies the one who has faith in Jesus. Then what becomes of boasting? It is excluded. By what law? By that of works? No, but by the law of faith. For we hold that a person is justified by faith apart from works prescribed by the law. Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, since God is one; and he will justify the circumcised on the ground of faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith. Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law.

The Psalm for this week is Psalm 11:
In the LORD I take refuge; how can you say to me, “Flee like a bird to the mountains;
for look, the wicked bend the bow, they have fitted their arrow to the string, to shoot in the dark at the upright in heart.
If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?”
The LORD is in his holy temple; the Lord’s throne is in heaven. His eyes behold, his gaze examines humankind.
The LORD tests the righteous and the wicked, and his soul hates the lover of violence.
On the wicked he will rain coals of fire and sulfur; a scorching wind shall be the portion of their cup.
For the LORD is righteous; he loves righteous deeds; the upright shall behold his face.

Grace and peace,

John McLemore

Prayer for Today, Saturday, July 9

O Divine Presence,

You ordained Your church to be Your agent in the world. Sometimes we succeed and share joy, hope and peace as we bear witness to Your grace. Sometimes we are perceived as judgmental, isolated and aloof. Forgive us, Loving God. Often we are the only picture others get of You. Empower us to extend forgiveness and acceptance in Jesus name. AMEN.
______________________________________________

Greetings from Nashville. It is a beautiful morning here.

I received the following email from Tim McAnally:
John, Here is an update. My Dad, Ira McAnally had the bone scan and they found some spots where the prostate cancer had migrated. They are doing hormone treatment. After the holiday he started having hip pain and no fractures were found but he is unable to put weight on his right hip and leg. Please continue to pray for him. Tim

Below is a hospital update from Kandy:
John, Here is what I have found out as of 4pm on Friday (8th) afternoon

Sue McClendon is still in St. Mary’s (rm. 586)
Elbert Wheeler is still in St. Mary’s (rm. 225)—has not been released yet.
Robert Shaw is in St. Mary’s (rm. 300)—had gall bladder surgery yesterday, has not been released yet.
Phil McCoy has been released from Bass Integris.
I don’t know if you knew LV Powell had been released from the hospital to Golden Oaks skilled nursing (rm. 135)
Judy Jorden’s son’s father-in-law (Mat Robins) has severe pancreatitis. He is in rural Kentucky where medical treatment is limited.
Myrla Powell was supposed to have eye surgery last week—but it has been postponed again to August 10th.

I think that is all. Have a safe and wonderful time! Kandy

Hailey Steinert is getting married this evening in the Sanctuary. Please celebrate with Hailey and Justin as they begin a new life together.

The scripture for today is Romans 3:9-20:
What then? Are we any better off? No, not at all; for we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under the power of sin, as it is written: “There is no one who is righteous, not even one; there is no one who has understanding, there is no one who seeks God. All have turned aside, together they have become worthless; there is no one who shows kindness, there is not even one.”“Their throats are opened graves; they use their tongues to deceive.” “The venom of vipers is under their lips.”“Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.”“Their feet are swift to shed blood; ruin and misery are in their paths, and the way of peace they have not known.”“There is no fear of God before their eyes.”
Now we know that whatever the law says, it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. For “no human being will be justified in his sight” by deeds prescribed by the law, for through the law comes the knowledge of sin.

Grace and peace,

John McLemore

Prayer for Today, Friday, July 8

Lord of Life and Love,

We humbly come before You with our personal and private prayers. You know us, O God, and that thought frightens us, because we know what can be found in the deep recesses of our lives. We are humbled and ashamed when those thoughts, attitudes, and experiences come under Your scrutiny. We pray for forgiveness. May we be assured that there is more grace in You than sin in us. Today we turn into Your embrace and seek to lives of joy, hope and peace. In Jesus name we pray. AMEN.
___________________________________________

I received the following update fro Kandy:
John, here is an updated hospital list, as dictated by Don.
Sue McClendon moved from St. Mary’s ICU to rm. 223 on Wed. to rm. 586 on Thurs.
Elbert Wheeler hospitalized since the 4th of July—Don doesn’t know what the issue is- some sort of infection---in
St. Mary’s 225.
Robert Shaw—successful gallbladder surgery on the 7th at St. Mary’s –will be released the 8th.
Phil McCoy—released from ICU to rm. 237 on Wed. with no side effects from stroke. Released to home on Thurs.
Both he and Vickie in good spirits.
Kandy

Carolyn and I spent the night in eastern Arkansas. We should be in Nashville by mid afternoon.

The scripture for today is Romans 3:1-8:

Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the value of circumcision? Much, in every way. For in the first place the Jews were entrusted with the oracles of God. What if some were unfaithful? Will their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God? By no means! Although everyone is a liar, let God be proved true, as it is written, “So that you may be justified in your words, and prevail in your judging.”But if our injustice serves to confirm the justice of God, what should we say? That God is unjust to inflict wrath on us? (I speak in a human way.)By no means! For then how could God judge the world? But if through my falsehood God’s truthfulness abounds to his glory, why am I still being condemned as a sinner? And why not say (as some people slander us by saying that we say), “Let us do evil so that good may come”? Their condemnation is deserved!

Grace and peace,

John McLemore

Prayer for Today, Thursday, July 7

O God our God,

You have given us everything. Give us one thing more…..a grateful heart. May the way we live our lives be our gift to You. May our hearts be a reflection of Your love. May our witness invite others into an acceptance of Your life transforming grace. In Jesus’ name we pray. AMEN.
_______________________________________________________________

Please pray for the family of Travis Billings.

Phil McCoy, Vickie (Harris) McCoy’s husband, had a stroke. The clot buster drug has worked and he should be released from ICU at St. Mary’s hospital today. Please pray for Phil and Vickie.

Sue McClendon has been moved out of St. Mary’s ICU to a regular room. Please pray for Sue and her family. She will have a long road to recovery.

Davida Whitsett has been released back to Golden Oaks.

Please continue to pray for L.V. Powell.

Carolyn and I are off to points east. Please pray for all those travelling to the General Assembly.

Today’s scripture is Romans 2:17-29:
But if you call yourself a Jew and rely on the law and boast of your relation to God and know his will and determine what is best because you are instructed in the law, and if you are sure that you are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, a corrector of the foolish, a teacher of children, having in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth, you, then, that teach others, will you not teach yourself? While you preach against stealing, do you steal? You that forbid adultery, do you commit adultery? You that abhor idols, do you rob temples? You that boast in the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law? For, as it is written, “The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”Circumcision indeed is of value if you obey the law; but if you break the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision. So, if those who are uncircumcised keep the requirements of the law, will not their uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision? Then those who are physically uncircumcised but keep the law will condemn you that have the written code and circumcision but break the law. For a person is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is true circumcision something external and physical. Rather, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly, and real circumcision is a matter of the heart—it is spiritual and not literal. Such a person receives praise not from others but from God.

Grace and peace,

John McLemore

Prayer for Today, Wednesday, July 6

O Great God,

There is so much darkness in the world, in our lives and in our souls. Forgive us, Dear Lord, when we choose those actions and thoughts which lead to darkness. The Gospel of John records Jesus as saying “I am the light of the World. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.” Today, O God, empower us with Your Spirit so that we might choose light and life! In Jesus name we pray, AMEN.
_________________________________________________________

Cindy Carlson sent me the following email yesterday morning:
Gene came home yesterday. Still in pain w/recovery ahead. One of his visitors from church left a straw golfing cap. I brought it home w/me & will try & drop it by church office this wk. Cindy

Please pray for Gene’s successful recovery from hip surgery.

L.V. Powell isn’t doing well. Please pray for L.V. and his family. L.V. is in St. Mary’s.

There are WWNF activities this evening. Come for the meal at 6:00 p.m., the “Connect All” game night, or the Bible Study.

The new Young Adult Bible Study meets at 6:30 tomorrow night at the Wheelers. If you have questions or want directions, call John or Sally at the church 233-1214.

Carolyn and I are off to points east tomorrow morning. Please pray for us as we travel.

The scripture for today is Romans 2:1-16:

Therefore you have no excuse, whoever you are, when you judge others; for in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, are doing the very same things. You say, “We know that God’s judgment on those who do such things is in accordance with truth.”Do you imagine, whoever you are, that when you judge those who do such things and yet do them yourself, you will escape the judgment of God? Or do you despise the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience? Do you not realize that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? But by your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath, when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed. For he will repay according to each one’s deeds: to those who by patiently doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; while for those who are self-seeking and who obey not the truth but wickedness, there will be wrath and fury. There will be anguish and distress for everyone who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. For God shows no partiality. All who have sinned apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but the doers of the law who will be justified. When Gentiles, who do not possess the law, do instinctively what the law requires, these, though not having the law, are a law to themselves. They show that what the law requires is written on their hearts, to which their own conscience also bears witness; and their conflicting thoughts will accuse or perhaps excuse them on the day when, according to my gospel, God, through Jesus Christ, will judge the secret thoughts of all.

Grace and peace,

John McLemore

Prayer for Today, Tuesday, July 5

O God of All Creation,

Today we seek Your guidance. The word is changing so rapidly. New technology is amazing for some and frightening for others. The financial concerns of the nation and the world are very real. Politics has been reduced to winning and losing, while the public is held hostage and yearning for statesmen to make the best decisions for the country. Some are concerned that there might be more days than paycheck. Some are dreading a call from the doctor’s office. In the midst of it all, You are our God. Guide us through the storms and squalls of life, O Lord. May we allow Jesus to be our Polar Star to guide our way. You promise us strength for the journey as we turn into Your embrace. Guide us this day, we pray. In Jesus name, AMEN.
_____________________________________________

I hope everyone had a good July Fourth celebration. The music and fireworks at Meadowlake were wonderful.

Please continue to pray for Sharon Watkins as she bikes toward Nashville and the General Assembly.

The scripture for today is Romans 1:18-32:
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and wickedness of those who by their wickedness suppress the truth.
For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. Ever since the creation of the world his eternal power and divine nature, invisible though they are, have been understood and seen through the things he has made. So they are without excuse; for though they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their senseless minds were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools; and they exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling a mortal human being or birds or four-footed animals or reptiles. Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the degrading of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. For this reason God gave them up to degrading passions. Their women exchanged natural intercourse for unnatural, and in the same way also the men, giving up natural intercourse with women, were consumed with passion for one another. Men committed shameless acts with men and received in their own persons the due penalty for their error. And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind and to things that should not be done. They were filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, covetousness, malice. Full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, craftiness, they are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, rebellious toward parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. They know God’s decree, that those who practice such things deserve to die—yet they not only do them but even applaud others who practice them.

Grace and peace,

John McLemore

Prayer for Today, Monday, July 4

O God of All Nations,

We rejoice and give You thanks for the wonderful blessings we in the United States have received. We have abundant resources, a profound history, and a great people. May we be united in the cause of liberty and justice. We thank You for all those who have served this country in times of war and in times of peace. We thank you for the military personnel, the Peace Corps members, the diplomats, and the statesmen. There are times, o God, when we, as a people, have not lived up to the standards and goals of our fore bearers. We confess our sins. Please forgive us. Set us on the right path, dear God. May the power and influence of this great county be used for good, tolerance and peace. We offer this pray in Jesus name, AMEN.
_____________________________________________________

This is the day the Lord has made, Let us rejoice and be glad in it.

We welcome the Monsees family into the membership of Central Christian Church.

Please have a joyful and safe July Fourth holiday.

The church office is closed today and I am now on vacation.

The scripture for today is Romans 1:8-17:
First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed throughout the world. For God, whom I serve with my spirit by announcing the gospel of his Son, is my witness that without ceasing I remember you always in my prayers, asking that by God’s will I may somehow at last succeed in coming to you. For I am longing to see you so that I may share with you some spiritual gift to strengthen you—or rather so that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine. I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that I have often intended to come to you (but thus far have been prevented), in order that I may reap some harvest among you as I have among the rest of the Gentiles. I am a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish—hence my eagerness to proclaim the gospel to you also who are in Rome.
For I am not ashamed of the gospel; it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who has faith, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed through faith for faith; as it is written, “The one who is righteous will live by faith.”

Grace and peace,

John McLemore

Prayer for Today, Sunday, July 3

O God of All That Is,

From everlasting to everlasting, You are God. You sustain us and comfort us with Your Divine Presence. On this Lord’s Day we honor You with our worship. Thank You, Lord, for all our blessings. Thank You for freeing us from the bonds of sin and death. Thank You for the Christ who showed us Your love and who showed us how to live. In His name we pray, AMEN.
________________________________________________

May we pray for safe travels for our members and friends and a safe holiday for all.

Please pray for our services of worship which occur today. May they provide an environment where God is experienced.

Let us offer thanks for this great nation as we prepare to celebrate Independence Day.

Please pray for our General Minister and President, Sharon Watkins, as she bikes from Indianapolis to Nashville for the General Assembly.

The scripture for today is Romans 1:1-7:
Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy scriptures, the gospel concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh and was declared to be Son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness by resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for the sake of his name, including yourselves who are called to belong to Jesus Christ, To all God’s beloved in Rome, who are called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Psalm for the week is Psalm 14:
Fools say in their hearts, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds; there is no one who does good.
The LORD looks down from heaven on humankind to see if there are any who are wise, who seek after God.
They have all gone astray, they are all alike perverse; there is no one who does good, no, not one.
Have they no knowledge, all the evildoers who eat up my people as they eat bread, and do not call upon the LORD?
There they shall be in great terror, for God is with the company of the righteous.
You would confound the plans of the poor, but the LORD is their refuge.
O that deliverance for Israel would come from Zion! When the LORD restores the fortunes of his people, Jacob will rejoice; Israel will be glad.

Grace and peace,

John McLemore

Prayer for Today, Saturday, July 2

God of Grace,

Today we yearn for the embrace of Your Everlasting Arms. There are times when we feel our footing is unsure, the path ahead is shadowy, and our resolve is lacking. In such times may Your presence sustain us. May we feel the solid rock of Your love, grace, and peace under our feet. May the light of Christ illumine our path and may our resolve be sure as we share a Christian witness to a rapidly changing and unfamiliar world. In Jesus name we pray, AMEN.
_________________________________________

Our campers and counselors are home safe and sound from a week of Junior Camp and CYF Conference.

Please pray for our church as we gather for worship tomorrow and as we are scattered by vacations, family reunions and holiday travel.

The scripture for today is Matthew 28:1-20:
After the sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And suddenly there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord, descending from heaven, came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. For fear of him the guards shook and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has been raised from the dead, and indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him.’ This is my message for you.”So they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came to him, took hold of his feet, and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”
While they were going, some of the guard went into the city and told the chief priests everything that had happened. After the priests had assembled with the elders, they devised a plan to give a large sum of money to the soldiers, telling them, “You must say, ‘His disciples came by night and stole him away while we were asleep. ‘If this comes to the governor’s ears, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.”So they took the money and did as they were directed. And this story is still told among the Jews to this day.
Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Grace and peace,

John McLemore

Prayer for Today, Friday, July 1

Loving God,

Many times we feel like the younger brother who demanded his inheritance, squandered it in a foreign land, and wanted to come back as his father’s servant, only to be greeted by overwhelming grace and love. Inside we feel unworthy. Inside we know the ways we have dishonored You. For some of us it is a series of “little” sins: prejudice, gossip, meanness to others, demanding our own way, looking past those in need, and so on. For others of us the sins are “bigger”. In reality it makes no difference. Our sin separates us from You. May we realize You are like the father in the parable. Your love and grace are foolish by the world’s standards. You see us coming back up the road and you run to greet us. You stop our rehearsed speech asking to return as a servant so we can eat. You embrace us with your generosity. Now we understand. There is more grace in You than sin in us. And we give You thanks. Today we turn down that road home. In Jesus name we pray, AMEN.
_______________________________________

Please pray for our hospitalized and ill: Davida Whitsett, L.V.Powell, Sue McClendon, Gene Carlson, and Ira McAnally.

Please pray for our cateress, Suzy Floyd, and her family. Suzy’s sister, Laura Seal, died on Monday.

Please pray for our church as new leaders officially “take office” today. Pray for Devon McAnally, Roy Smith, David Eck and Beth Henneke --- our new Board officers. We will have a Church Leader’s Retreat on July 16. Please pray for all those who participate, that we might truly discern what God is calling our church to be and do.

The scripture for today is Matthew 27:57-66:
When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who was also a disciple of Jesus. He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus; then Pilate ordered it to be given to him. So Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn in the rock. He then rolled a great stone to the door of the tomb and went away. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there, sitting opposite the tomb. The next day, that is, after the day of Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate and said, “Sir, we remember what that impostor said while he was still alive, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ Therefore command the tomb to be made secure until the third day; otherwise his disciples may go and steal him away, and tell the people, ‘He has been raised from the dead,’ and the last deception would be worse than the first.”Pilate said to them, “You have a guard of soldiers; go, make it as secure as you can.”So they went with the guard and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone.

Grace and peace,

John McLemore