It all started last week on Tuesday, fever, sore throat, ache feeling, pain. You been there, I know you have. Well, I haven't been there for about 10 years, so it was a little unusual for me to be in that place.

So Pastor David, didn't you pray and ask God to heal you, well, let me think . . . YES . . .Why wouldn't I! And did he, yes . . The healing even today is on going. But I didn't was time in the healing time . . In my pain, I watched and prayed and thought and listened and learned. Here are just a few things.

The body is an amazing machine that God built. From it's ability to operate under extreme conditions. But from time to time, to fight the ugly that invaders, sometimes, it needs the body to slow down and say still to let what was designed from our creator to work.

Secondly, there are still a lot people that are worse then me. We have a gal that comes to our church that has been fighting a major illness for some time. During the same week I was at home sick, she was in the hospital sick away from her home and husband and kids. I'm not going to say that God nicer to me then her, but I will thank God that this time, I was able to kick this bug at home.

Thirdly, the church body really knows how to turn up the help lines when the main Shepard goes down. From a staff member speaking, to other members adjusting meetings that had been planed weeks in advance to others taking up the slack, God and His people are good.

Lots of other things I can mention but those are just a couple of things I learned. Where am I today, well after a shore set back on Monday, I'm feeling about 80% and feeling better every moment.

David

So it's another wonderful day here in the NW during the month of September. I have to say, I think one of the greatest months here in Oregon is the month of September. Mid to upper 70's cool evenings, the smeel and colors of fall . . .it's great.

Yesterday, we tackled the next weak link in our church. Even though I really our church is filled with people that pray, our evaluation team was right when they sugguested that we increase our corpreate prayer. Most people I think are hoping that when they go to church and they are sturggling in some area, that someone would be there and would listen to them. Further, I suspect that they would have no problem with someone, after listening to them, would ask the question "can I pray for you". I think most people would love for that to happen.

The Chapel needs to be a place were prayer is as common as any other element of corprate worship.

Lord help us as we move closer to you in corprate prayer.

I found this little artical on corprate prayer that you might find interesting.

PRAYER IS A LIFESTYLE
by Paul Grant

Yes, after 65 years as a Christian I'm learning new things about prayer. Also, that prayer can become a way of life. Prayer is both hugely comprehensive and magnificently pervasive. It can take over our lives. For God's pleasure. For our advantage. When it does we become uniquely transcendent in witness and work. We are on the earth; we are above its powers. We are heavenly-minded for earthly use.

Prayer is a discipline of many forms. I've had some adventures in my little odyssey of prayer. May I share some prayer formats with you? Here are some ways by which I have learned - and still learning - how to 'pray without ceasing' (1 Thess. 5:17). (These are not presented in any order of preference or priority).

* Connecting Prayer. 'Logging on' to God through Jesus Christ and the help of the Holy Spirit, John 14:13-14; Acts 4:29-31. He is the 'password'. In Him we have 'access' (Eph. 2:18) and we are virus-proofed.

* Communing Prayer. As friend to friend. He scrutinizes and confides secrets (Dan.2:47). Intimacy imparts certainty. "The joys we share as we tarry there no other has ever known" 2 Chron. 20:27; Isaiah 41:8; Jas. 2:23.

* Petitioning Prayer. I identify and nominate a specific need. He listens! He urges me to keep asking! Why? To expand my appreciation of His greatness over against the need Luke 18:1-8; Acts 12:5.

* Intercessory Prayer. For a person or social issue. Esther (A people) John 17:6-18. Intercession identifies God's intentions. It leads to an urge to merge with God's will in everything.

* Meditative Prayer. Our minds and hearts focus on issues and matters that are scanned and interpreted by God. We think through our prayers, Heb. 4:12; Psalm 139:23; 1 Chron. 28:9. The mind is transformed Rom.12:2.

* Walking & Working Prayer. As we engage in the routine duties and pleasures of life. Mordecai (Esther); Acts 17:16, 23; Psalm 8; Rev. 1:9-11. (Also, car-driving prayer. Especially for other drivers and passengers.)

* Bible Prayer. Incorporating the Scriptures into our words especially God's promises, Acts 4:24-30. Bible promises repel evil powers.

* Heavenly Language Prayer. Prayer in other (Divinely given) languages can give a particular strength or thrust to a mentally framed prayer, 1 Cor. 14:14-15. The mind surrenders to the Spirit.

* Written Prayer. Writing prayers leads to clarity in speaking our prayers. Short, focused prayers in your journal or diary. Refer to Paul's prayers in Ephesians, Philippians and Colossians.

* Musical Prayer. Many Christians, musically gifted, experience prayer rapture as they play. Each of us can sing our prayers. (Psalms of David). We can 'sing in the Spirit', 1 Cor. 14:15. Go ahead! Compose some song prayers.

* Impromptu Prayer. Spontaneously triggered by an experience, Jonah 2; Acts 9:19-19; Luke 2:25-35. This can be described as being 'led by the Spirit'.

* Observational Prayer. Praying as we look at people and events. (Go into a shopping mall to pray - NOT consume!) 'Watch' and pray, ie. The whole social scene; TV news; etc. Mordecai (Esther); Moses Deut. 34:1-5 (See previous chapters); Neh.1.

* Walking Prayer. In your neighbourhood or city, Neh. 1. Let the Spirit install in you a spiritual monitor for discerning how you can pray.

* Network Prayer. Over time develop relationships with like-minded colleagues in prayer. Set up mail, phone, email and prayer meeting times, Phil.2:19-30; Col.4:12-13; 1 Thess. 1:1-3.

* World Affairs Prayer. For nations, leaders, international events, global mission, revival, etc. See: the prophets, Joel 2; Ezek. 25- 32; John 17:20-26; Matt.25. (The press is a mess; the Bible is reliable).

* Warfare Prayers. One writer has termed this "the gift of battle". This is the affirmation and enforcement of Jesus' victory over hostile powers that contest for the lives of peoples. Acts 4:23-31 (The major New Testament model for group warfare prayer). Eph. 6:10-18. (The focus is on personal fitness for warfare). It is also an acknowledgement of God's engagement with evil-powers in the heavens, Dan. 10.

* Prophetic Prayer. Speak out God's purposes for world redemption over nations and peoples and international issues and events, Acts 2:14-36. Allow the Spirit to load you with a burden for a people group.

Each of these 'formats' of prayer are seen as being attainable in one's own personal, private prayer life. To close I propose three prayer formats that operate in the public domain. They are:

* Direct/Personalized Prayer. One to one. Praying for another person. This should be brief and specifically focused, eg. Acts 3:1f. The prayer may contain words of knowledge and wisdom. It is a "prayer of faith" James 5:13-18.

* Public Prayer. In a Christian or public gathering. The prayer is representative of all others present. Not personal. Nor an occasion for oratory (or assumed oratory!). Note the plural forms in Acts 4:23-31.

* Corporate Prayer. Groups praying together aloud or silently. See Acts 4:23-31 again. If 500 people pray aloud simultaneously God can unscramble it! Moreover, corporate prayer can be a seismic force in routing evil and spirit powers.

The first disciples asked Jesus, "Lord teach us how to pray" (Luke 11:1) Let's become known as prayer activitists. The real dynamic is not in today's trend to "Christian infotainment". Authentic, heaven-approved power is in Biblical prayer that leads to biblical witness.

The Willingness to look at the weakest link

This last Sunday, we started a series of talks that dared to look at our churches weakest links.

A year ago, we gathered a group of people together to look at how we can better our ways as we followed His ways. Based on there gathering and work. We remodeled our mission statement and dared to look at the area's of our church that needed adjustment to aling with the new mission statement.

Following the identifying of these area's, we ask groups of people to meet and suggest how we can do these area's better.

Pray for our church as we look and fortify our weakest links.

If you would like to see these weak links, please visit our churches web site www.thechapelonline.org and see what we are doing.

David

Finish lines are important!

Why would you run without a finish line? Weaken joggers, club chubs, competitive runners, no matter who you are, you run toward the finish line, don't we. It could be a time "I'm going to run for an hour", it could be a distance, "I'm going to run 5.3 miles", or "I'm going to run until I can't take another step". What ever you say, the moment you start you have that finish line in mind. I think it's no different with our souls. Why join the journey with Christ without a clear understanding and constant view of the finish line.

Following that thought, I discovered this devotion of the finish line. Enjoy and be changed

As a young teenager, I made many foolish decisions. Among them was the time I chose to run in the so-called "Ironman" race at our school. My Physical Education teacher had promised that all those who survived the Ironman would receive an automatic "A" in the class. Though my grade was already secure, as it happened, this same teacher was also my basketball coach at the time. He had made it clear that as players, all of us were expected to participate. Fortunately for us, the school was too poor to afford bikes and too wary of lawsuits to allow us to swim in the frigid waters nearby. So this "Ironman" would consist only of running, running, and more running! At the time, it sounded like fun and so I happily signed up. After all, I reasoned, how hard could it be to run a few miles around the school?

About halfway through the race, I found out. By then, the thought of being struck by a passing motorist was emerging as a pleasant alternative to the thought of completing the Ironman. As my aching body rounded a corner, I found myself running along the street that would eventually take me past the front of the school. Starting down the long street, my pace slowed a bit as I began to look around for a nice spot along the road where I could collapse and die. But suddenly, I saw something up ahead that caught my attention--GIRLS!! Unbeknownst to us at the start of the race, the organizers had set up an area outside the school doors where the girls would cheer us on and hand us a cup of water as we ran by. As I saw them in the distance, I knew that there was no alternative but to reach deep inside of myself and run with all of my might--at least until I rounded the next corner where I could safely die without being seen.

Happily, I was able to finish the race without requiring medical attention. In fact, the last half of the race seemed much easier than the first half. The cup of water and the cheers of encouragement I received from my classmates served to reinvigorated my weary body. I ran with a newfound strength, confident that I could make it to the end.

Life is a lot like a race. The Apostle Paul used this analogy frequently in his writings. In speaking to the church leaders at Ephesus, Paul tells them:

However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me--the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace. (Acts 20:24)

Later, as Paul was close to death, he was able to envision having crossed the "finish line."
For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day--and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing. (2 Timothy 4:6-8)

Paul reminds us that he is not alone in the race. All of us are invited to run. Some will run fast, some will run slow, and some will not run at all. Some will engage in great training, some will not. Some will run the race unharmed, while others will suffer injuries along the way. Those who choose to run, like Paul, can look forward to receiving their "award" from God.

Since the dawn of civilization, faith has continued to change ordinary spectators into runners. In the eleventh chapter of Hebrews, the author gives several examples of real-life faith:

The faith of Abel (v. 4)
The faith of Enoch (v.5)
The faith of Noah (v. 7)
The faith of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (vv. 8-12, 17-21)
The faith of Joseph (v. 22)
The faith of Moses' parents (v. 23)
The faith of Moses (v. 24-29)
The faith of Joshua and the people (v. 30)
The faith of Rahab (v. 31)
The faith of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, the prophets and others (vv. 31-40)

In each of these lives we see examples of faith lived out through life's trials and triumphs. For the writer of Hebrews, these men and women form a "cloud of witnesses" that testify to the faith we hold today. Understanding this, we too can be encouraged:

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. (Hebrews 12:1)

Just as a "cloud of witnesses" helped me to persevere through the physical struggle of the "Ironman" race, another "cloud of witnesses" surrounds us amidst the spiritual struggles of our lives today. As we study these people of great faith, together, their lives offer up cool water to our spiritually thirsty souls. They remind us that through faith we too can triumph over the obstacles--we too can overcome the sin in our lives. Through their testimonies, they cheer us
on, encouraging us to "run with perseverance the race marked out for us."

In a sense, the race we run is more of a relay. Those before us have run well, but now they stand on the other side of the finish line. The baton has been handed to us. For our part:
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
(Hebrews 12:2)

For Further Study: (choose one or more)
Study one of the lives of faith mentioned in Hebrews 11:3-40
Read Romans
Read 1 Corinthians .

God bless you as we run to the finish line.