PRAY IT! Prosper My City

To be honest, there have been times when, in my humanness, I wanted God to withhold blessings from my enemies.  There, I said it.  I do not think I am alone in feeling this way.  A quick browse through the Psalms shows many passages where the psalmist is crying out for deliverance, and for foes to be struck down.  Yet, in Jeremiah 29, we encounter God's instruction to His people on how to live with the enemies who had, for the time being, conquered them.  In verse 7:  "Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile.  Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper." 

What?  Whaaaaat?  Pray?  For God to prosper them?  For good things to happen to them?  Yes.

We do not have to hunt too hard for the prayer application here.  "Pray to the LORD for it"... it does not really get more specific and un-complicated than that, now, does it?  God is so nice, that He even included an explanation for those who may have had a similar reaction of surprise and confusion.  "Because if it [the city] prospers, you too will prosper." 

Our "city" is not some nameless, faceless, thing.  It is made up of people.  Real people with whom we may or may not agree.  Real people who from time to time make mistakes.  Real people whose decisions may result in negative consequences for us.  Real people who may or may not love Jesus.  And we have been called by God to pray for them all. 

Could it be self-destructive to not pray for the city in which we live?  If the city prospers, so do we.  If we withhold prayers of blessing for our city, is it like withholding God's blessings from ourselves as well... cutting off our noses to spite our faces, so-to-speak?  Is it possible the very deliverance we are seeking may come about through prayer of blessings for those who are troubling us rather than prayers for them to be struck down?

Jesus,
Release an abundant blessing upon my city.  Use your blessing to draw people to You.  May millions see that You are the Giver and respond by giving their lives to You.  Prosper my city. 

Amen.

PoC Prayer Service, 7pm.  Why not?

Pastor Celia

FAMILY IT! — Wednesday Family Devotion — “One of These Things”

Supplies: Bible; several similar objects and one item that is different

TRY

Do you remember that old game from “Sesame Street”?  Three of these things belong together; three of these things are kind of the same.  One of these things is not like the others…  (That song will now be going through your head for the rest of the day.  You’re welcome.)  Play a quick version with your kids.  Gather some items that “are kind of the same” and on that is “not like the others.”  For younger children it could be as simple as three forks and a spoon, or three green toys and one red one.  For older kids you could try to amp up the challenge (a marker, a pen, a pencil and a straw—three writing utensils and one not; or scissors, knife, razor and spatula—three cutting tools and one not; etc.)  See what associations they can make and applaud creativity.  Then ask your kids, “Would you rather be one of the three things that belong together, or the one that’s not like the other?  Do you like being kind of like the people around you or do you prefer to stick out as unique/different?”

Most people prefer to be part of a like-minded group.  It’s that whole “birds of a feather” mentality.  We are drawn to people who are similar to ourselves.  Soccer players hang out with other soccer players.  Ballerinas hang out with other ballerinas.  When you look in most lunch rooms, you will see this trend play out.  Second graders sit with second graders.  Band geeks sit with band geeks.  (Go band!)  Why do you think that is?  Share your ideas with each other.  How can that tendency be used for God’s glory?  How might it hinder the Good News message?

READ

Our passage this week is from a time when the Israelites were wrestling with their exile, taken captive in the pagan world of Babylon.  Read Jeremiah 29:4-7 and see what God has to say to His chosen people.  Paraphrase for younger children.

THINK 

The Israelites have been shaken out of their group.  The band geeks have been forced to sit at the jock table…and they don’t quite know what to do with themselves.  And then God steps in and tells them to eat up.  He encourages them to claim a chair, get comfy, and get on with lunch.  He doesn’t want them to give up their identity; in fact, that’s part of the point.  They are to be themselves in the midst of others.  Talk about marching band maneuvers while surrounded by football players.  Worship the one true God in a neighborhood where everyone else worships 7-10 gods.  Live life well and help the people around you do the same.

APPLY

Have you ever been in a situation like the Israelites?  Take turns describing times when you felt completely out of place, like you didn’t belong.  What did you want more than anything else in that moment?  It is so comforting to be with people who are like us, especially in the church.  We like our church friends because they get that “Jesus” part of us.  But if we’re going to make more disciples, more Christians, we may have to be around people who are different—people who don’t  get that “Jesus” part of us.  Now, that doesn’t mean we have to run out and force ourselves into people’s lives.  Ballerinas don’t have to join the soccer team.  In fact, I’d advise against that.  But if God puts you in that situation, be ready to bloom.  Don’t just sit quietly, hoping He changes your seat.  Be you—the you God made and the you God sent.  It may just be that those “other three things that belong together” start looking and sounding a little like you.

PRAY

Loving Father, thank you for making me a part of a Christian family.  We are blessed by the support we get from others who know you like we do.  I know at times, though, I may be the odd one out.  In those times, God, help me not to run and hide, not to blend in with my surroundings, but to keep being me—the me you sent.  Lord, grow me and, through me, grow my school, my neighborhood, my job, my family—all for your glory!  Amen.

REPLY

Did you and your family enjoy this devotional blog?  We'd love to know about it!  Our hope is to continue providing this weekly opportunity for families to do a devotion together.  If your family did this devotion, please shoot us an email, text or just post a comment to this blog.

Breathe in Culture -- A Message from Pastor Todd

Dear PoC God-loving City-lovers,

I’m so proud to be a part of your church family!  What a great week to obey the Lord in loving our city!  Getting caught in the middle of God’s plan is awesome!!

As a 30-something preacher in the ISU Philosophy department, I stuck out like a sore thumb.  Everyone was quite aware of my presence and even though I tried to keep it hidden for some time, word of my “occupation” quickly got out.  It wasn’t long before the other students and some of the professors began picking my brain on matters of faith and such.  Every single last one of them were kind and wonderfully “philosophical”.  I enjoyed many stimulating conversations.  Very seldom did I have to start from scratch since most of them had some sort of frame of reference from which to draw.  Some grew up in church.  Others had read the Bible.  Most of these conversations were pretty easy.  Until one of my professors asked me to lunch.

I was thrilled to go.  This professor was actually a little younger than me and was a fantastic teacher – truly gifted.  In fact, he was my favorite.  We met in the school cafeteria.  He began to ask me if I was comfortable in the Philosophy department.  He just assumed that I might be experiencing some sort of “persecution” because of my faith.  I assured him that everyone was really kind and open.  I talked to him about how surprised I was that there didn’t seem to be any gossip or hurtful behavior like I expected to find in the “secular” world.  He agreed and said that those who are in the philosophy department are generally open and kind.  It was true.  Honestly, I often find out city’s kindness refreshing.

Then he asked me about my faith.  He wanted to understand.  Now I wasn’t under any illusion that this was a salvation-opportunity.  He was just very inquisitive and very very interested in things of this sort.  I did, however, feel a bit of pressure.  I wanted to represent Jesus and the Gospel well.  So, I began by trying to find out what his frame of reference was.  I found out that he and his family did not go to church . . . ever, that he didn’t know anybody that did, that he never read the Bible (not even once), and didn’t really think it was a “book of note”.  The more I quizzed him, the more I realized that there really wasn’t anything that I could work with.  As I toured the culture of his frame of reference and asked the Lord to help me, I didn’t see anything to which I could relate . . . until . . .

I asked him about his love for philosophy.  I asked, “What first drew you to study philosophy and why do you find it so meaningful?”  In his wonderfully proper manner, he said, “Well, that’s really two different questions.  First, I’ll tell you what drew me to philosophy.  So, he did.  It didn’t take long and honestly, I don’t remember much of what he said, but then he said, “Now your second question was ‘why do I find philosophy meaningful’?  I don’t know if I’ve ever considered how meaningful philosophy is to me.  I’m sure it does have meaning because I’ve devoted my life to it, but knowing your background, Jeremy (my first name), I suppose you are implying a broader use of the word ‘meaning’.”  He cracks me up!!  I love him!  I thought, “Why, YES.  Yes, I am.”

I said, “Yes.  By ‘meaning’, I mean “peace”.  Does philosophy bring you peace?”  He laughed.  He said, “Ah, peace . . . well-being.  Isn’t that what everyone wants?  You know, I’d have to say that it does not bring me peace.”  Then I heard myself ask him, “Have you ever known anyone who seemed to be ‘at peace’”?  He thought for a long time and said, “You know, I believe I’ve only known one person.  I had an aunt who impacted me when I was younger.  If anyone had peace, she did.  She wasn’t in my life very long in an influential way, but yes, she’d have to be the only one.  That’s an interesting question.  I haven’t thought of her in a long time.”

Our time ran out and we cleared the table and got ready to return to class.  Just before we parted ways, he said, “You know, now that I think about, my aunt – she was a Christian too – like you.  Yes, I’m sure of it.”  Then there was some silence between us for a second before he said, “I’ll have to think about that some more”.

On Sunday we’re going to talk about Paul when He was in Athens.  On prior trips he could reason with not-yet-believers using scripture, but not in Athens.  The philosophers in Athens didn’t value Scripture.  So Paul had to look around, breathe in culture and trust God to lead him.

Look around, breathe in the culture.  Who knows what God will lead you to use.  Get caught!

Can’t wait to see you Sunday.  I’m praying for you.

Pastor Todd         

EXPLORE IT - Jeremiah 29

Have you ever felt like God has placed you somewhere you didn’t want to be?  Maybe you are in a job you don’t like or maybe you’re going through a season of unemployment and it’s a struggle.  Maybe you feel like you are in the desert and you haven’t heard from God in a long time and you thirst for an oasis of His Word.  Our passage, Jeremiah 29, is just that. 

Jeremiah 29 shares with us the contents of a letter the Prophet Jeremiah wrote to the Israelites who are in exile.  The main message of Jeremiah’s letter?  “Bloom where you are planted.”  The Israelites had lost their homes and had been taken to a strange land with strange customs.  Many of them had put their lives on hold, waiting for things to get better.  They were waiting to get married, have children, build houses, basically they were sitting around twiddling their thumbs until…  Maybe you can relate.

Jeremiah’s letter came and told the exiles to stop wasting time.  The Israelites were right where God wanted them and they needed to be obedient and keep living life.  They needed to settle down and become productive members of this new society they were in instead of pouting like toddlers.  There is also a warning to not be swayed by the religion of this new culture.  Even though they may sound like prophets of Yahweh God, He did not send them!  They are also encouraged to pray for Babylon, the city of their exile, that it would prosper.

Jeremiah’s letter is not only instructive, telling the exiles to get a move on, but it is also encouraging.  The letter reminds them of God’s promise to bring them home from Babylon after seventy years.  Then Jeremiah’s letter includes one of the best known passages in Scripture, “’For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’” (Jeremiah 29:11).  Even in the midst of exile, the Israelites had God’s promises on their side.

We too are called to “keep on keeping on” in the midst of trial and struggle.  As long as you are seeking God and following after Him, you are right where He wants you to be.  God doesn’t want you to stop living until…  He wants you to “bloom where you are planted!”  Make friends, get involved, buy a house, get married, have children – whatever you’ve been putting on hold, get to it!  God knows you are struggling and He is with you.  The cool thing?  He knows what’s coming next!  He knows His plans for you and they are to prosper you, not to harm you.  I can only imagine God in Heaven getting excited for you - for what’s about to happen right around the corner!

I'm praying for you and for your approaching corner!!

Blessings,
Pastor Amy

READ IT! - Monday Reading - Jeremiah 29

Yesterday, the sermon included the following scripture.  

Let's review it together today.

Jeremiah 29

New Living Translation (NLT)

A Letter to the Exiles

29 Jeremiah wrote a letter from Jerusalem to the elders, priests, prophets, and all the people who had been exiled to Babylon by King Nebuchadnezzar. 2 This was after King Jehoiachin, the queen mother, the court officials, the other officials of Judah, and all the craftsmen and artisans had been deported from Jerusalem. 3 He sent the letter with Elasah son of Shaphan and Gemariah son of Hilkiah when they went to Babylon as King Zedekiah’s ambassadors to Nebuchadnezzar. This is what Jeremiah’s letter said:

4 This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says to all the captives he has exiled to Babylon from Jerusalem: 5 “Build homes, and plan to stay. Plant gardens, and eat the food they produce. 6 Marry and have children. Then find spouses for them so that you may have many grandchildren. Multiply! Do not dwindle away! 7 And work for the peace and prosperity of the city where I sent you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, for its welfare will determine your welfare.”

8 This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: “Do not let your prophets and fortune-tellers who are with you in the land of Babylon trick you. Do not listen to their dreams, 9 because they are telling you lies in my name. I have not sent them,” says the Lord.

10 This is what the Lord says: “You will be in Babylon for seventy years. But then I will come and do for you all the good things I have promised, and I will bring you home again. 11 For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. 12 In those days when you pray, I will listen.13 If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. 14 I will be found by you,” says the Lord. “I will end your captivity and restore your fortunes. I will gather you out of the nations where I sent you and will bring you home again to your own land.”

15 You claim that the Lord has raised up prophets for you in Babylon. 16 But this is what the Lord says about the king who sits on David’s throne and all those still living here in Jerusalem—your relatives who were not exiled to Babylon.17 This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: “I will send war, famine, and disease upon them and make them like bad figs, too rotten to eat. 18 Yes, I will pursue them with war, famine, and disease, and I will scatter them around the world. In every nation where I send them, I will make them an object of damnation, horror, contempt, and mockery.19 For they refuse to listen to me, though I have spoken to them repeatedly through the prophets I sent. And you who are in exile have not listened either,” says the Lord.

20 Therefore, listen to this message from the Lord, all you captives there in Babylon. 21 This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says about your prophets—Ahab son of Kolaiah and Zedekiah son of Maaseiah—who are telling you lies in my name: “I will turn them over to Nebuchadnezzar for execution before your eyes. 22 Their terrible fate will become proverbial, so that the Judean exiles will curse someone by saying, ‘May the Lord make you like Zedekiah and Ahab, whom the king of Babylon burned alive!’ 23 For these men have done terrible things among my people. They have committed adultery with their neighbors’ wives and have lied in my name, saying things I did not command. I am a witness to this. I, the Lord, have spoken.”

A Message for Shemaiah

24 The Lord sent this message to Shemaiah the Nehelamite in Babylon: 25 “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: You wrote a letter on your own authority to Zephaniah son of Maaseiah, the priest, and you sent copies to the other priests and people in Jerusalem. You wrote to Zephaniah,

26 “The Lord has appointed you to replace Jehoiada as the priest in charge of the house of the Lord. You are responsible to put into stocks and neck irons any crazy man who claims to be a prophet. 27 So why have you done nothing to stop Jeremiah from Anathoth, who pretends to be a prophet among you? 28 Jeremiah sent a letter here to Babylon, predicting that our captivity will be a long one. He said, ‘Build homes, and plan to stay. Plant gardens, and eat the food they produce.’”

29 But when Zephaniah the priest received Shemaiah’s letter, he took it to Jeremiah and read it to him. 30 Then the Lordgave this message to Jeremiah: 31 “Send an open letter to all the exiles in Babylon. Tell them, ‘This is what the Lord says concerning Shemaiah the Nehelamite: Since he has prophesied to you when I did not send him and has tricked you into believing his lies, 32 I will punish him and his family. None of his descendants will see the good things I will do for my people, for he has incited you to rebel against me. I, the Lord, have spoken!’”