SERMON NOTES: PRAYER REQUESTS
Y Continue to pray for Kevin and Nancy for
JANUARY 9, 2011
Y For Pete Machacek a college class mate
of Pastor Paul's who is grieving the death of
his father.
Y Jacob Mielke a 19 year old man who is
struggling with cancer. He is getting chemo
at the Mayo Clinic.
Y Peter Ralston, Faith Ralston’s son who is
struggling with addiction.
Y Dave Nyberg as he recovers at home
from his knee surgery.
Y Gina Irlbeck who will be having gall
bladder and hernia surgery this week.
Y Christina Glasgow as she goes through
her final month of pregnancy.
Y Nikki Gilman, Amy & Paul Moore’s
daughter-in-law- as she prepares to deliver a
son.
Y Mary Mc Namara—President of United
Seminary—who recently had surgery.
Y Change hearts and minds of our public
servants and media. More civility less hate.
Y For Gina Irlbeck’s co-worker, Rachel, who
will be undergoing surgery in a week.
Y Donna Mc Cullen, Ken Mc Cullen's wife as
she goes through more intense chemotherapy
treatment.
Y The Pastor Nominating Committee of
Community Presbyterian Church in Plainview
as they discern who God is calling to be their
new pastor.
Y Gary Wassam as he looks for a job.
Y Pray for understanding, peace,
acceptance and love for the Tse family.
Y Bill Fink as he looks for a job.
Y Stephen Muhia as he struggles with
finances.
their health and recovery.
Y Continue to pray for Bill Fink’s dad who is
struggling with his health.
Y Pray for continued courage on Dwight
Zvorak’s recovery from alcoholism.
DEVOTION
Evangelism is a topic that troubles many
Presbyterians. We want to see our
churches grow, but we’re turned off by
some of the approaches to Evangelism
that we see. We don’t want Evangelism
to be like a sales call. We’re often
concerned about offending another
person, so we choose to keep quiet
instead of sharing the Good News.
Ray Jones has a wonderful approach to
Evangelism. He talks about engaging
our culture, engaging the gospel,
engaging the community, and engaging
discipleship.
The following Bible readings and
devotional readings fits into this idea of
Evangelism.
An excellent process for using these
daily devotions is to:
1. Share an opening prayer where you
ask God to help you be open to the
working of the Spirit
2. Read the passage
3. Read the devotion
4. Spend some time writing a response
to the question or reflecting on the
question
5. Pray—please keep the prayer
requests written on the prayer sheet in
your prayers.
Thanks to everyone who has E-mailed
me comments about this devotion.
2 3
Keep them coming at
pastor@colpres.org.
Enjoy!!
Monday, January 17
Read Mark 10:46-52
Jesus’ question to Bartimaeus’ in verse
51 is a wonderful Evangelism question
for local congregations. It’s a question
that we ask the world, “What do you
want us as a church to do for you?”
Engaging the community on behalf of
Jesus is Evangelism.
It’s amazing that Jesus would even ask
Bartimaeus this question. Jesus knew
the blind man’s needs. Jesus
approached Barimaeus as a servant
would approach a master—certainly a
role reversal.
When local congregations are effective
in serving the needs of the world we are
participating in Evangelism in a powerful
way.
What needs do you see in the world?
How can we at Chain of Lakes meet
these needs with the heart of a servant?
Tuesday, January 18
Read Exodus 15:1-18
This is a high moment in the story of the
Israelites. They had just been delivered
from death by Pharaoh when the Red
Sea was opened. The Israelites thought
that they were going to die, but instead
were suddenly delivered by God. This
song of Moses (and some people believe
that Moses’ sister, Miriam shared this
song) is a story of what God had done.
Each of us has a faith story—times when
God worked in surprising and wonderful
ways in our lives. Knowing these stories
and then sharing them with others is
Evangelism. When we share our own
story we are engaging the gospel.
When are three or four times in your life
when God acted in a surprising and
wonderful way? Take a moment to
reflect on these instances. Knowing
these stories is a first step in
Evangelism. We can’t share what we
don’t know!
As you pray today, give thanks for these
times in your life when God acted in a
surprising and wonderful way.
Wednesday, January 19
Read John 4:7-30, 39-42
This is a long story and a story worth
reading through more than once. The
woman came to the well looking to draw
water from the well. Instead she
encountered living water in Jesus—a
different type of water that fed your
spirit and soul.
Notice what the women did as noted in
verse 28, “She said to the people, [the
Samaritans in her own town] ‘Come and
see a man who told me everything I
have ever done!’”
This woman was excited about Jesus
and couldn’t help but share that
excitement with others.
What excites you about Jesus? Spend
some time reflecting on this important
question. When you are excited about
Jesus, you can’t help but share that
excitement with others. Today as you
pray, give thanks to God for the
excitement that you feel.
Thursday, January 20
Read Micah 6:6-8
The question that the prophet Micah
asked God is an age-old question.
4
Basically Micah was asking God, “how
can I serve you.” (this is a paraphrase of
verse 6).
God told Micah that God wasn’t
impressed with the amount of people’s
service. (Can you imagine sacrificing
thousands of rams?) Instead God
shared a simple request for our service,
“do justice, love kindness, walk humbly
with God.”
When we do this we are doing
Evangelism. Doing justice, loving
kindness, and walking with humility is
the way of God. When we consistently
live in this way, others will notice us.
Over time they will ask us how we can
live in such a way. Our way of life will
entertain opportunities for Evangelism.
How is it going at doing justice, loving
kindness and walking humbly with God?
Friday, January 21
Read 1 Corinthians 15:1-11
The Apostle Paul shared his story of
encountering Jesus in these eleven
verses. Later in this chapter he shared
his understanding of the resurrection.
Paul knew that the gift of grace that
came through the resurrection was with
him. Look at verse 10, “his grace
toward me has not been in vain.”
How do you understand the
resurrection? In what ways do you see
grace exhibited in your own life?
Today as you pray, give thanks for the
resurrection and the gift of grace. Also
ask God for an ever deepening
awareness of this grace.
Saturday, January 22
2 3 4
Read Acts 8:26-40
Philip had the opportunity to share the
gospel with the Ethiopian eunuch.
Through his sharing the man was
baptized.

God wants us to share the gospel with

others. Our sharing is not necessarily a
sales call. Instead sharing the gospel
involves sharing times in our life when
God was active, meeting the needs of
the world in an attitude of service,
sharing our own excitement about Jesus,
living out Micah 6:8, and having a deep
awareness of grace that comes through
the resurrection.

Do you know of someone with whom

you could share the gospel? Could you
look for opportunities to share it? If you
don’t know of someone, could you ask
God for opportunities to share the
gospel? Just as the angel gave Philip an
opportunity, God is willing to give us
opportunities. Pray!!