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We're excited that we will be joining together with members of the local and global church tomorrow for Gather25! It all kicks off tomorrow, February 28th and continues through Saturday, March 1st. Beginning at the W-SR Middle School, doors open @ 6:00 pm, with the service beginning @ 6:30 pm. Afterward, we will transition to the Riverwood Building around 10:00 pm, where all are invited to join throughout Saturday's sessions as well—whether for a couple of hours or the entire day!
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Let's dive back into our weekly series, Investigating Prayer! 🔎🙏
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The When of Prayer
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Life is full of expectations. For instance, if you are employed, you are expected to show up to work on time. If you are a student, you are expected to do your homework. If you are married, your spouse has certain expectations of you. And if you are a Nebraska Cornhusker football fan like me, you are expected to suffer.
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When it comes to prayer, there are also some underlying expectations. If you have an awareness and holy fear of God, one of those expectations is that you will pray.
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When, Not If
As we continue our Investigating Prayer series in Matthew 6:5-15, we hear Jesus thrice say, "when you pray..." (verses 5, 6, & 7) He doesn't say, "If you feel like praying." His words assume that you will come before the Father.
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Now, I don't point this out to try to make you feel guilty if your prayer life has been rather quiet. Rather, I want to encourage you to realize that the One True God wants you to come to Him in prayer. In Hebrews 4:16 (which we briefly looked at two Sundays ago), God tells us to approach His throne of grace with confidence because of what Jesus has done for us through the cross and empty tomb. My hope is that this truth might motivate you to make prayer a when and not an if.
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When Win
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As we saw a couple of weeks ago, Jesus tells us in verse 6 of Matthew 6 that we should find a "secret" place to pray (so that prayer isn't a show). This is obviously great advice as it comes from Christ Himself. Making a specific chair or couch or even the floor by your bed your place of prayer can do wonders for your prayer life.
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But Christ's words don't mean that you can only pray in the "secret" place. God invites us in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 to "pray continually." This means you can pray as you get dressed, as you drive in the car, as you sit in class, as you make dinner, as you hang with friends, as you read your Bible, as you basically do anything. God is not like your earthly dad who could only do one thing at a time. He is the all-present, all-knowing, all-wise God who can hear your prayers at the same time millions of Christ-followers around the globe are praying.
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Finding a "secret" place can be a big win for your prayer life, but hopefully it will only be the beginning of praying throughout your day.
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So, when can you pray? Anytime... including right now!
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Gather25 Event in Waverly
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Be part of a global Church gathering in Waverly! Gather25 begins tomorrow, February 28th—Saturday, March 1st. Beginning at the W-SR Middle School, doors open at 6:00 pm, with the service beginning at 6:30 pm.
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Afterward, we will transition to the Riverwood Building around 10:00 pm, and we are in need of some volunteers to help! Please explore these various needs to help us pull off this massive, multi-church effort!
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Pine Lake Work Weekend
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Work Weekend is an open invitation for men & women (age 18+) wanting to volunteer for various projects around Pine Lake Camps! This is a great opportunity to hang out and bond with others, spend time on their gorgeous 49-acre property, and take part in the life-change that takes place every year! If you are interested in volunteering, get started right here!
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Going Deeper Resources
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We want to equip our church family to go deeper in our relationships with God, deeper in being discipled by & in discipling others, and deeper in our commitment to see our neighbors come to know Jesus. Feel free to explore our ‘Going Deeper’ Resources right outside the office in the Lobby!
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Just for Fun
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Lent begins next week! If you are looking for something to pair well with you throughout this season of fasting, waiting, and preparation, we've got you covered—check out our "Lenten Tunes" playlist on Spotify!
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