August Prayer - Day 11

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There is no Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for your are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.

—Galatians 3:28-29.

No Lesser Christians

by Molly Tilley

It’s so easy to get caught up in our own “little” world that we forget the larger story of our heritage in Christ. If we belong to Christ then we are related to Abraham and part of the covenant family of God. This is a family where there is no favoritism based on gender, ethnicity or economic status. Christ as our covenant head made that possible for all of us who believe in him. Because of him we are Abraham’s offspring and heirs according to the promise. There are no lesser Christians! Praise God today that you belong to God’s eternal family. Take time to savor that truth.

How to pray today:

• Thank God for the many stages of life represented in our congregation: older, younger, single, married, single again, from children to senior citizens! Pray that all would truly find a home at LBC, and a place to belong, connect, and grow.
• Thank God for the early stages of ethnic and international diversity in our church family. Pray that we would grow as a faithful gospel community where people of all backgrounds can flourish as part of our community.
• Have you noticed the many senior adults in our church? Thank God for the rich inter-generational connecting in our church family. Pray that our older adults will not only feel welcome, but that they would be able to share their wisdom and maturity with us, leaving a spiritual legacy for the future.

August Prayer - Day 10

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Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after the orphans and widows...

—James 1:27

Father to the Fatherless

by TJ Sellers

Nine years ago, I had the opportunity to help build an orphanage in rural Uganda. I remember feeling a deep sense of compassion each day for the children who would come out of the sticks to observe the construction of their future home. Now, I spend my days in a comfortable office building, often going months without even remembering there are orphans in the world. James reminds us of our Father's heart for the destitute and calls us to action. 

Pray that God would fill your heart with compassion for the orphans, widows, and oppressed around the world. Prayerfully consider what step you (and LBC) could take to care for those who are often overlooked. Perhaps that next step will include going on an upcoming mission trip to be reminded of the world's vast need for the hope of the Gospel.

How to pray today:

• Pray for our deacon team: Scott Crocker (chairman), Andy Vincent, Chris Kendall, Adam Mikkelson, Michael Ballenger, Drew Hallberg, Kyle Bourne, and Candice Holtz. Pray for them as they lead our church in deeds of love and mercy; congregational care; finances; volunteer teams; facilities; and global missions. Pray that God will continue to add new deacons and deaconesses to the team.

• LBC has sent missions teams to Baja, California, to partner with Peter and Jenny Boling, serving with Mission to the World. Praise God for raising up a church planting pastor for the new church plant in La Paz! Their names are Jose Luis and Ana Villasana and they arrive in La Paz on August 18th! Pray for them and their children: Jose Luis (19), Daniel (17), and Raquel (15), who will be making significant adjustments with the move to La Paz. Pray that the whole family will know God’s presence amidst all the challenges and difficulties.

August Prayer - Day 9

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Do not toil to acquire wealth;
    be discerning enough to desist.
When your eyes light on it, it is gone,
    for suddenly it sprouts wings,
    flying like an eagle toward heaven.

—Proverbs 23:4-5

Treasure in Heaven

by Joe White

I love how practical the Bible can be. This is certainly true when it comes to its teaching on money. In addition to appealing to our hearts (“the love of money is the root of all evil”, for instance), passages like this in Proverbs 23 appeal to our logic. In effect, this passage is saying, “Why make the pursuit of wealth your goal when you’re not going to be able to take any of it with you?” Similarly, Jesus appealed to our left brain when he said, "Do not store up treasure on earth, where moth and rust destroy… but store up for yourselves treasure in heaven" (Matthew 6:19-20). So much of our energy is spent acquiring wealth that isn’t eternal. What if we shifted our focus toward storing up treasures in the kingdom? What if today we sought out ways to be generous for the sake of others? What if we leveraged the resources God has given us toward making an impact? What if our true treasure was the gospel of Jesus Christ? Let’s spend some time today praying toward that end!

How to pray today:

• From our deacon team and elders: pray that we would all grow in the grace and joy of generous financial giving. Ask God to provide full funding for all the ministries of Lake Baldwin Church.

• Pray for those in our church family who are going through financial hardship or difficult medical challenges. If you can think of individuals, pray for them by name.

• Ed and Candice Holtz give leadership to Cru City, with a team leading ministries around the city. Pray for the development of “missional communities” among the homeless, high school athletes, business leaders, and more. Also, pray for the new podcast LiveAlive, which makes the Cru City witnessing training (Living and Telling) available to more people.

August Prayer - Day 8

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Lord you are my portion
    and my cup of blessing;
    you hold my future.
The boundary lines have fallen for me
    in pleasant places. 
Indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance. 

—Psalm 16:5-6

A Beautiful Inheritance

by Kayla Oliver

One of my favorite authors, Ruth Chou Simons, wrote, “I can’t drink from a cup that is already full of my own agenda and striving.” She got me thinking— How often do I try to fill my own cup with plans and expectations, only to become disappointed when my plans are thwarted and my expectations go unmet? You too?

Hopefully these verses represent good news! May we be encouraged by the truth that God holds our future. The cup he pours out is no longer a cup of wrath, but a cup of blessing thanks to Christ’s finished work. He himself is our inheritance! May we learn to deeply treasure the gift of Jesus, even as we wrestle to fully trust His plans. And may we rejoice with the Psalmist: “You reveal the path of life to me; in your presence is abundant joy; at your right hand are eternal pleasures.” (Ps. 16:11) This is a beautiful inheritance, indeed.

For prayer today:

• The elders have asked that we pray for the marriages at LBC. Our marriages are often under attack, and we all need to be strengthened. If you know of individuals going through family challenges, pray for them by name.
• Pray for our elders in their work of shepherding and giving oversight to our church: Richard Hostetter, Ed Holtz, Jim Cunningham, Mike Mikkelson, and Bart Johnson. Pray, too, for new generations of elders as we look to the coming years. Pray for individuals who meet the qualifications of 1 Timothy 3.

August Prayer - Day 7

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I sought the Lord and He heard me and delivered me from all my fears.

—Psalm 34:4

Prayer, the Antidote to Fear

by Richard Hostetter

I define fear as an assessment of our utter dependence on something outside of ourselves, which we cannot control and which threatens us. For me, it hits in the early morning when my defenses are low, or disengaged, or based upon some bad or potentially bad news. The antidote is prayer to our God and Father who controls every atom in the universe and knows our fears. He might not relieve the circumstances every time but He will relieve the fear when we seek him with all of our heart. My habit is first to praise Him for his mercy and to submit utterly to whatever His will may be. Then I cry out to Him to relieve me of the fear. Sometimes the relief is instant; sometimes He works relief in me by adjusting my thinking. Either way, HE IS FAITHFUL and will deliver us from all our fears.

For prayer today:

• Our growing youth ministry needs a new venue for Sunday nights! Mark’s efforts have been stymied so far, and he needs a breakthrough. Pray for a great place to meet!
• Thank God for the growing number of people in their 20s who have found a home at LBC. That said, we are in the early stages and we’d love to do a better job reaching and retaining people in this age bracket. Pray that God would turn these dreams into reality!

August Prayer - Day 6

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One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul. And after she was baptized, and her household as well, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” —Acts 16:14-15

The Lord Who Opens Hearts

by Mike Tilley

This is the account of the conversion of Lydia, a business woman in the city of Philippi, selling purple goods. I like the phrase, “the Lord opened her heart.” Isn’t that amazing? The moment you and I believed in Christ for salvation, it was because the Lord opened our hearts. In Lydia’s case, God had been at work in her heart prior to her hearing the gospel. She had been a “worshiper of God” or a “God-fearer.” She had been curious about God and even attended services, but she still needed to hear the gospel message and embrace it. We might wonder if people around us will ever open their hearts, and this could discourage us. But let’s remember that God has others like Lydia out there, whose hearts will be opened by grace. And she and her household were baptized! Later she hosted the fellowship of believers in her home. May the story of Lydia inspire our prayers today.

 

How to pray today:

• Many in our church are longing for their friends and family members to come to faith in Christ. Pray that the Lord will open hearts and that we will have the joy of seeing many believe the good news and be baptized.
• Let’s be praying for business owners in Audubon Park, Baldwin Park, and around our city. Perhaps they, like Lydia, will have their lives transformed and re-directed by the gospel.

August Prayer - Day 5

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Grace Day

Happy Sunday! There's no new post today—take a moment to catch up on anything you may have missed, and spend time in God's presence. See you for worship at 10:45!

August Prayer - Day 4

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By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth. —1 John 3:16-18

Good News for Imperfect Servants

by Katie Pollard

Let’s face it—Bringing “good news” to a city with thousands of unchurched people is daunting. The Kingdom assignment to care for the poor, fight injustice, and have a redemptive influence on society often seems like an impossible task. This passage challenges us to literally “put our money where our mouth is” and practice loving others by being generous with our resources. Open hands are a true indicator of an open heart.

What enables us to serve? Our best deeds and noblest intentions are still tainted by sin, but in Christ we have the perfect savior and servant. May we cling only to Jesus, who laid down his life for us. May we look to his faithfulness as we strive to lay down our lives for others. May we persevere with hope as we trust his promise to make all things new!

For prayer:

1. Thank God for our partnership with Glenridge Middle School, and the opportunity to assist their programs for homeless students. Take some moments to pray for the students who will receive backpacks and school supplies this month.

2. Often God allows our deacons to offer confidential assistance to individuals going through a medical crisis or a difficult economic season. Pray for our deacons as they use the deacons fund to offer a “cup of water” to people, all of whom are made in God’s image.

August Prayer - Day 3

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Both the one who makes people holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters. —Hebrews 2.11

Good News for Black Sheep

by Tim Inman

Just about every family has a ‘black sheep’—Someone who has ruined the family’s good reputation, and used up their share of second chances. Maybe you’re the black sheep, with mistakes that still echo in your family’s life and shame from falling short time and time again. One of the most precious truths of the gospel is that Jesus calls us his family even though, in truth, we’re a church made up entirely of black sheep. In fact, He delights over us even now, as he is making us new—in fits and starts, two steps forward, one step back. To this black sheep, that’s some very good news.

For prayer:

• Many of our community groups will be going through the new Discover Grace course this year. Pray that God would use this material to ground our congregation in the foundational truths of living by grace.
• Thank God for the children God has entrusted to us as a church! Pray that our congregation will increasingly see serving in SPLASH as the easiest and best way to fulfill our vows as a covenant family.

August Prayer - Day 2

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Like cold water to a thirsty soul,
so is good news from a far country.
—Proverbs 25:25

For the Thirsty

by Joe White

For every Christ-follower this is true: WE have the “cold water” thirsty people need. We have heard the good news—that God came to this world in the person of Jesus to live unto perfection, die unto sacrifice, and resurrect unto the making of a new world. Felt needs change as culture changes, but the deepest need within the heart of every last person we encounter is to know this good news. Lake Baldwin Church exists to proclaim this, not as put-together religious people, but as broken people who once were thirsty and have found in Christ the spring of living water. Today, pray for those at LBC who do not yet know Christ. Pray for your friends and families. And pray for the boldness to carry water to the thirsty, to carry the news from a far country.

How to pray today:

• Ask God, by His Spirit, to give us an increasing heart for those who do not yet know Christ. Ask him to give us the compassion of Christ.
• Many make a first-time commitment to Christ in their teen years. Pray that many teenagers will come to faith in Christ through our youth ministry in the coming year.

August Prayer - Day 1

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It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light to the Gentiles, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth. —Isaiah 49:6

A Greater Plan

by Mike Tilley

The people of God in Isaiah’s day had a limited view of God’s salvation. They thought mainly of the twelve tribes of Israel being restored. But God had a greater plan, one that would be fulfilled by his “servant,” the Lord Jesus Christ. He would be a “light to the Gentiles” and bring a salvation that would reach to the ends of the earth. Now we as a church are caught up in a plan that is greater than ourselves. May our hearts be captured by God’s larger story!

 

How to Pray:

• Pray that our church would be a light in a dark world.
• Pray that the light of the gospel will bring salvation to people around us in Baldwin Park, Audubon Park, and wherever God has placed us around the city.

2016 August Prayer Initiative - Day 31

Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace. (1 Peter 4:8-10)

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"The Community of Grace"

God’s grace transforms our hearts as it flows to us through the means of grace. In the past two days of blog posts we have seen how prayer and the Word of God are channels of God’s grace and power. Now we see from 1 Peter 4:10 that grace flows to us in community. What do we learn from this passage about the community of grace?

1. The community of grace is a loving community. When someone sins against us, our first instinct is to withdraw love. But when grace flows to us from God, we can extend that grace to others, even those who fall short of our ideal. “God loves the real me, not just the ideal me.” Now we can give that gift to others in an imperfect church. Is there someone God wants you to love today, in spite of real or perceived sin?
2. The community of grace is a hospitable community. Something happens when we share a meal with others. We savor the food, and we are also strengthened by the palpable sense of being loved. What if we all invited someone for dinner in the next couple of weeks? Let’s roll out the red carpet!
3. The community of grace is a gifted community. Have you thought lately about your spiritual gifts? We all have spiritual gifts, and God calls us to use our gifts to serve one another. When we do this we are “good stewards of God’s grace.” Amazing. God uses our heart, our humble efforts, our gifts to bring life and health to others. How are you using your gifts in the community of grace?

This Sunday during worship we will again affirm the Apostles’ Creed before the Lord’s Supper. We’ll say, “I believe in the communion of the saints.” Let’s savor those words, thanking God for the abundant grace he gives us through his people!

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How to pray...

• Thank God for the “communion of the saints” at Lake Baldwin Church. Thank God that his grace flows to us through the congregation in which he has placed us.
• Pray for the continued unity of Lake Baldwin Church. God has graciously spared us from drama and division. Pray that we would be diligent to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace (Ephesians 4:3). Specifically, pray that our love for one another would be greater than our sins against each other.
• Look around our church community, and thank God for the unique spiritual gifts that God has given to his people. Pray that we would rejoice in each other’s gifts, not preferring some gifts above others. Pray that we would all find a place to serve, using our gifts.
• If you are in a community group, ask God for ways that you can express your gifts to serve as part of that group. Pray that others in your community group will find joy as they use their spiritual gifts.
• Thank God for hearing the prayers of his people as we have united to pray daily during the month of August.

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For the Family

Imagine a special family dinner, maybe at Thanksgiving or on someone’s birthday, when it isn’t just your parents and siblings, but all your aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents, too. Think about what it’s like when your whole family sits down together around a big table. 

It’s fun, right? The food is amazing, and everyone talks and laughs because they’re so happy to be together. But maybe it’s sometimes a little awkward, too.

Maybe someone gets on your nerves because they chew too loudly and talk too much. Or maybe your great great great aunt is just kind of weird and you never really understand what she’s talking about. Maybe part of the family lives far away, so you don’t see them often and don’t know them very well. 

This is kind of what it’s like to be part of God’s family, the church. The church is not only the people we see on Sunday mornings, but everyone all over the world who follows Jesus. That’s a big family! And no one is perfect, so being in God’s family can sometimes be difficult or awkward. Sometimes we don’t get along or have a hard time understanding each other.

Even though we have many differences within our church family, we are alike because God has adopted us as his children. God made each of us uniquely, with special gifts and talents, and when we all live and work in unity, we can do much more together for God’s glory than we could by ourselves. 

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"The Community of Grace" - Mike Tilley

Mike Tilley is the senior pastor of Lake Baldwin Church, and has lived in Orlando since 1994. He and his wife, Molly, worked with a core group from the Baldwin Park community to plant Lake Baldwin Church in 2006. Mike loves teaching the Bible in a way that relates to real life. In his spare time, Mike enjoys good movies, long dinner with friends, snow skiing, hanging out with his kids and two granddaughters, and travel.

"For the Family" - Katie Pollard

Katie is the administrator and communications director for LBC. Katie and her husband, Joel, moved to Orlando from Nashville, TN in 2014, when Joel became the Director of Worship at LBC. They both grew up in Carrollton, GA and have been leading worship together since their youth group days. They were married in 2011 and have two children, Sam and Evie.

2016 August Prayer Initiative - Day 30

And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified. (Acts 20:32)

“This is grace gone wonderfully wild. This is the flood of God’s favor in which we discover the power and practice of the means of grace.”

— David Mathis, from "Habits of Grace"

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"The Word of His Grace"

As we take on the demands of life in a fallen world, we sometimes feel that we are “running on empty.” Those demands can come from outside of us, from difficult people or stressful circumstances. They can also come from our own hearts, where we struggle against the downward pull of sin, or the lies and schemes of our “ancient foe.” To meet the demands of reality, we need for God’s grace to replenish our capacity. Beyond saving grace, we need strengthening grace.

In Paul’s farewell words to the Ephesian church in Acts 20, he knew of the demands that would surely press in upon them, to wear down their faith and steal their joy. So he commended them to God, and to the “word of his grace,” which would be able to build them up and strengthen them. The word of grace is one of the means by which God floods our hearts with his favor.

It seems Paul had something similar in mind in Colossians 3:16: "Let  the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing songs and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God."

Jesus is the bread of life, and we feast upon him through the Word of God (Matthew 4:4) and spiritually as we commune with Him in the Lord’s Supper. When life drains us of energy and strength, when we are running on empty, let us draw upon the word of God’s grace for sustenance.

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How to pray...

• Give thanks for “the word of his grace” which strengthens us for the demands of life.
• Pray for the preaching of the “word of Christ” in all of our sermons this fall, right up through Advent. Pray for the next 3 sermons in the DNA series; and pray for the fall series on Philippians, which begins the last Sunday in September. Especially pray that the grace of the gospel would be expressed in each sermon, capturing our hearts for the life and work to which God has called us.
• Pray that the word of Christ would dwell richly in all of our community groups. Pray that we would all encounter Christ through his word in our “circles” of community.
• Pray also for our SPLASH kids and our LBC Youth, as a foundation is being laid for a lifetime of loving and following Jesus.

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For the Family

Do you ever feel really tired? After you have a busy day at school or spend an afternoon swimming in the pool your body might feel tired, which makes you want to lie down or take a nap. 

But what does it feel like when your heart is tired? Have you ever felt down when your feelings were hurt, or overwhelmed in a big, noisy crowd of people, or weary when things were really busy? Everyone feels this way sometimes, and the bible has good news about it.

In Matthew 11:28, Jesus said “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” He wasn’t really talking about rest for our bodies, like taking a nap; he was offering rest for our souls. When we know Jesus, our tired hearts are filled with God’s grace, which gives us strength when we feel overwhelmed or hopeless.

Talk about ways that you need God’s grace in your everyday lives. Pray that God will give you strength, peace, and hope when your soul feels weary.

Listen to this song at bedtime, and memorize Matthew 11:28 as a family.

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CONTRIBUTORS

"The Word of His Grace" - Mike Tilley

Mike Tilley is the senior pastor of Lake Baldwin Church, and has lived in Orlando since 1994. He and his wife, Molly, worked with a core group from the Baldwin Park community to plant Lake Baldwin Church in 2006. Mike loves teaching the Bible in a way that relates to real life. In his spare time, Mike enjoys good movies, long dinner with friends, snow skiing, hanging out with his kids and two granddaughters, and travel.

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"For the Family" - Katie Pollard

Katie is the administrator and communications director for LBC. Katie and her husband, Joel, moved to Orlando from Nashville, TN in 2014, when Joel became the Director of Worship at LBC. They both grew up in Carrollton, GA and have been leading worship together since their youth group days. They were married in 2011 and have two children, Sam and Evie.

2016 August Prayer Initiative - Day 29

Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:16)

“Thou art coming to a King,
large petitions with thee bring,
for his grace and power are such,
none can ever ask too much”

— John Newton

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"The Throne of Grace"

This month you’ve probably learned again that prayer is hard work! Often we are like the disciples when Jesus asked them to “watch and pray” in the garden. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. On the flip side, you may have also discovered that prayer is a source of fresh grace and mercy for our times of need.

We often think of grace as undeserved favor, our acceptance with God because of the work of Christ, apart from our works. This rich truth frees us from works righteousness and from performing to earn acceptance with God and others.

But grace is also a source of God’s strength and power. So we speak of prayer and other things as “means of grace.” In his book Salvation Belongs to the Lord, John Frame describes the means of grace as “channels by which God gives spiritual power” to his people.

This month, as a church family, we have prayed “large petitions” on behalf of the lost, the found, the city, and the world. We have been praying that his kingdom would come, that his will would be done on earth as it is in heaven. Let us give thanks that he hears even our feeble prayers!

The same King who answers our prayers for the advance of the gospel is also attentive to our personal needs. Even today we are all in a “time of need.” How encouraging that we can receive mercy and grace from the throne of grace!

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How to pray...

• How would you describe your “time of need” today? Take some moments to honestly talk with God about your needs, and offer prayers for fresh mercy and grace.
• The grace of God is also a source of strength and power for our congregation, as we pursue the vision that God has for us. Pray that his grace would shape and transform all of our hearts through prayer, through worship, through community, and through the Word of his grace.
• Ask God for the fruit of grace in each of our lives: a growing love for God and neighbor.

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For the Family

Lately we’ve prayed for lots of BIG things, like countries on the other side of the world! God made the entire universe and he is in control of it all, which is why we can pray for BIG things. Nothing is too big for God!

But did you know that God also cares about you and your personal needs? Nothing is too small for God!

Here’s what the bible says about God caring for small things: “Not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.” (Matthew 10:29-31)

Click HERE to download a coloring sheet with this verse!

This verse describes how God is paying attention to two very small things. First it says that he knows every time a sparrow falls to the ground. So if a nest falls out of a tree, God cares about those baby birds!

But then it says God knows how many hairs are on your head. Can you imagine trying to count how many hairs you have? That would take forever! But God loves you so much that he knows and cares about every detail about your life.

So if you’re worried about a spelling test or upset because a friend hurt your feelings, God is not too busy to hear about it. God also loves it when we take time to thank him for things that make us happy. The bible says that “every good and perfect gift” comes from God. Whether it’s a new friend or a delicious ice cream cone, we can thank God for every good thing in our lives.

Talk as a family, then pray together:

• What are some “small” things that you can thank God for today? Praise him for “every good and perfect gift” when you pray.
• What are some things that you’re worried about or that make you sad? Talk to God about those things. Ask him to comfort you when you’re worried or upset.

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Contributors

"The Throne of Grace" - Mike Tilley

Mike Tilley is the senior pastor of Lake Baldwin Church, and has lived in Orlando since 1994. He and his wife, Molly, worked with a core group from the Baldwin Park community to plant Lake Baldwin Church in 2006. Mike loves teaching the Bible in a way that relates to real life. In his spare time, Mike enjoys good movies, long dinner with friends, snow skiing, hanging out with his kids and two granddaughters, and travel.

"For the Family" - Katie Pollard

Katie is the administrator and communications director for LBC. Katie and her husband, Joel, moved to Orlando from Nashville, TN in 2014, when Joel became the Director of Worship at LBC. They both grew up in Carrollton, GA and have been leading worship together since their youth group days. They were married in 2011 and have two children, Sam and Evie.

2016 August Prayer Initiative - Day 28

And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end." (Revelation 21:6)

“Biblical salvation lies not in an escape from this world but in the transformation of this world.… No faith holds out a promise of eternal salvation for the world—the ordinary world—that the cross and resurrection of Jesus do.”

— Vinoth Ramachandra 

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"Because It's Done, We Can Do It"

Revelation 21 gives us a picture of the end of the story—a new heavens and new earth, every tear wiped away, God’s dwelling place here fully, the nations walking in the light. As we think about the good news of Christ for the whole world, it’s good to keep Revelation 21 in front of us. 
 
The word for hope in the New Testament means “expectant of a guarantee.” So the promise of Revelation 21 is not something we wish for; it’s something we bet on. “It is done,” Jesus says. “I am the Alpha and the Omega.” Which means no one gets the last letter, let alone the last word, but Jesus. 
 
What is this glorious ending that we can bank on? 
 
Well if you were hoping for harps and clouds and baby cherubs, you’ll be disappointed. (If that’s what you were hoping for, we should probably talk.)
 
When Jesus says in Revelation 21:5, “Behold I am making all things new,” He’s not talking about the kind of "new" that replaces the old. Bible scholars have pointed out that every time the writer of Revelation, John, uses that word "new", he’s not referring to something fundamentally different, but to the restoration of something that has fallen apart. 
 
The end of the story is THIS place. Only it’s THIS place restored. THIS place without sadness, without loss, without those knots in your stomach, without abuse, without abandonment, without hunger, without human-trafficking, without greed or cruelty or envy or idolatry or addiction or death. THIS place, made NEW.
 
Vinoth Ramachandra writes: “Biblical salvation lies not in an escape from this world but in the transformation of this world.… No faith holds out a promise of eternal salvation for the world — the ordinary world — that the cross and resurrection of Jesus do.”
 
So Revelation 21 isn’t wishful thinking; it’s a guiding reality. This gives us great confidence as we bring the good news to the world, because the end is already written, and it’s glorious. 
 
In the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics, Shaun White (everyone’s favorite red-headed snowboarder) dominated the half pipe event. Such was his domination that he had the gold medal locked up before his final run! As he lined up for his last ride down the half pipe, the commentators wondered if he would just cruise down the middle without doing any tricks. After all, the competition was over. He was already the gold medalist. But Shaun White did more than cruise. He upped his game completely. For his last trick, he busted out and landed a Double McTwist 1260, which had never before been landed in Olympic competition, and is arguably the best trick to be landed in the history of Olympic snowboarding. And he did it when he already had the gold medal lined up. 
 
I have a theory here: The reason that last run was his best ever was because he knew the end of the story. The gold was already promised. He was free. And free from the pressure to succeed, joy became his engine. And in joy, Shaun White took snowboarding farther than it had ever gone.
 
Revelation 21 is our guiding promise. We can move out into the world in joy because we know the end of the story. Even more, we know the Author of it—the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. Let’s go serve Him today.

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How to pray...

• Praise God for the hope of the gospel, that one day God will make all things new.
• Africa is a continent where many find it difficult to have hope. Pray for the work of Christians throughout Africa, meeting both physical and spiritual needs.
• Pray for Greg and Amy Justice, serving with International Justice Mission (IJM) in Accra, Ghana. They are working to address issues of justice related to children. Pray for physical safety as well as their work in the area of communications. 
• Pray for the strengthening of churches and the power of the gospel of Christ in the face of radical Islamic terrorism.

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For the Family

When we read books or watch movies, we never want someone to tell us how it ends, because part of the fun of reading a book or watching a movie is being surprised by the ending. But that’s not how Jesus wants us to live out our lives. 

Jesus tells us how the story of this lifetime ends, not because he wants to spoil the ending for us, but because the end is SO much better than what happens in the middle. It makes the stuff that’s happening in our stories more exciting and more fulfilling.

Because we know that the end will be so good, it also makes the bad things that happen now more bearable. 

As a family, talk about the hard parts of this life that you are excited to see “made new” when Jesus comes back. Parents, share with your kids some things that are hard for you now, like work, or sickness, or death, and how you look forward to those things being either restored or gone forever! 

Then talk about how you can live, even now, with hope that Jesus will fix everything, and how that hope is something we can share with everyone!

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Contributors

"Because It's Done, We Can Do It" - Joe White

Joe White serves as Assistant Pastor and part of the Sunday teaching team at Lake Baldwin Church. Joe and Tiffany (along with their children, Taylor, Lydia, and Jeremiah) recently moved back to Orlando after 6 years in Los Angeles, where Joe served as the Reformed University Fellowship pastor at UCLA. From 2005-2009, Joe did his graduate work at Reformed Theological Seminary, where he completed a Master of Divinity and a Master of Arts in Counseling. 

"For the Family" - Joel Pollard

Joel Pollard is the Director of Worship at LBC. He is currently pursuing a Masters of Divinity from Reformed Theological Seminary and intends to pursue pastoral ordination in the PCA after graduation. Joel and his wife, Katie, have been married since 2011 and have two children, Sam and Evie.

2016 August Prayer Initiative - Day 27

How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? (Romans 10:14 )

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"Christ’s Last Words and the Least Reached"

by Jill K, missionary to Asia

We hold dear the truth that God is sovereign over all things, including the gift of salvation. Does this mean that we shouldn’t care about missions or evangelism, since it is God who changes hearts? Absolutely not! 

The truth of the matter is that Christ commands us to teach others everything he has revealed to us. Sharing the good news of the gospel is absolutely our job and our joy… We just know that giving light, life, and saving faith to dead hearts is the work of the Spirit.

For some of us, this passion for global missions might be something new. Life is crazy-busy here in Orlando, and our connection to the world might be only as often as the next natural disaster or terrorist attack. For others of us, our passion and urgency about global missions can easily slide. We can become jaded, or the task can seem too big.

Scripture is clear, though, and we are challenged to think beyond ourselves. If we allow our hearts to be pierced by the truth of Scripture, we would be opened up to the need for the gospel among all peoples. 

Christ is the only way to salvation, to forgiveness, to right standing with God (John 14:6). All the peoples who have come into our land need to hear of Christ and most can hear or have access when the church shines bright and beautiful right here at home. May we never lose our zeal to be Christ’s ambassadors, imploring people right here to be reconciled to God. 

But there are entire people groups for whom there are no known Christian witnesses. No Scripture. No churches. Jesus commanded us to make disciples of every nation.  We still need to go to ends and edges of the earth, to the millions who have never heard. “And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard?”

So our belief in God’s sovereignty actually invigorates our evangelism as we cling to God’s promises: He has sheep from other pastures and his sheep will know his voice and will follow Him (John 10). God is the giver of Life! He has promised that there will be a great multitude from every tribe and tongue and people (Revelation 7). Trusting in these promises, we, his disciples, can step into seemingly hopeless lands with bold hope and with confidence that our labor is not in vain. 

As believers in Christ, let us live as boldly as these truths deserve. Let’s pray for the church to be built among Tribal peoples, Hindus, Unbelieving, Muslims and Buddhists. (THUMB: easy to remember and pray for, right?). Let’s pray for missionaries to be sent into the unreached harvest fields (Luke 10:2) and for receptive soil in these hard places (Matthew 13:5). Please pray for the strengthening and effectiveness of the servants who are sent out and ask “that the Word of God may speed ahead and be honored as happened among you” (2 Thess 3:1). And let’s pray for disciples far away and for those of us right here, that we may live lives “worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work” (Col 1:10). 

Come quickly Lord Jesus, and by your grace, enable us to live for the eternal gladness and glory ahead when we stand before you. “May the Lamb receive the full reward of His suffering.*”

*For the story of this quote, please see thereward.org

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How to pray...

• Pray for Matt and Jill K. and their family. Pray for their work in Asia, for creative outreach, partnering with new church planters, and reaching unreached peoples.
• Pray for John Hutchings and Emily Walker serving in East Asia. They are part of our church family, and they are teaching English and building relationships in their country.
• Pray for Japan, a nation that is historically resistant to the gospel. LBC has partnered with Mission to the World to do disaster relief. Thank God for the years of fruitful service of the missionaries there.
• Pray for those affected by the recent earthquake in central Italy. The death toll has risen to 278.

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For the Family

Today our prayers are focused on God’s work on the continent of Asia. Look at Asia on a world map… what a huge place! Over 4 BILLION people live in Asia, and they all need to hear about Jesus. Talk as a family:

• Have you had Chinese food before? What is it like? How is it different from American food?
• Can you imagine what it might be like to live in China as a missionary? Besides eating Chinese food every day, what do you think might be different about living there?
• Talk about how brave and creative missionaries are, and pray for them.

2016 August Prayer Initiative - Day 26

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. (Acts 1:8)

“We fear people because they can expose and humiliate us. We fear people because they can reject, ridicule, or despise us. We fear people because they can attack, oppress, or threaten us. These three reasons have one thing in common: they see people as ‘bigger’ than God, and out of the fear that creates in us, we give other people the power and right to tell us what to feel, think, and do.”

— Ed Welch

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"Witnesses"
part 2

Yesterday we talked about what Jesus has called us to do: be his witnesses. Today we’re looking at where Jesus has called us to do that: Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. 
 
So I guess we need to pack our bags?
 
Perhaps. God may very well be calling you to move to the other side of the world right now. If He is, you should probably go do that. 
 
But I think Jesus is talking about more than geography in this final charge to his disciples. In the book of Acts we read about Jesus’ followers living as witnesses—not only across geographic boundaries, but across social and cultural boundaries. When you read this verse in that light, it becomes incredibly relevant.
 
1. We’re called to be witnesses to our PEEPS.
 
Jesus sends his disciples to Jerusalem and Judea. That’s where they lived. That’s the sphere in which God had placed them. Go and witness to people in your spheres, Jesus was saying. Talk about me with your peeps. 
 
Our peeps are the people who are like us. We have similar passions and hobbies. We’re in a similar life stage. We brush shoulders regularly. Jesus is sending us as his witnesses into the spheres we already occupy. 
 
But there’s a real challenge to being a witness to your peeps: these are the people whose opinions matter most to you. The risk of being rejected or misunderstood feels powerful precisely because these are the people who accept and understand us. 
 
Jesus is always calling us to get uncomfortable for the sake of others. 
 
Jesus wants our peeps to know Him. 
 
2. We’re called to be witnesses to our PAINS.
 
Jesus sends his disciples to Samaria. That was a place they would never go, let alone live. That was a sphere they wanted nothing to do with. Jews and Samaritans had a rich history of not getting along. To the Jews, the Samaritans were a pain to be around, and vice versa. But Jesus challenges them:  Go and witness, even to the people you don’t like, even to the people who are a pain to be around.
 
Like our peeps, our pains present real challenges to our being a witness. These are people who rub you the wrong way. Their values feel incompatible with yours. The things they say and do are offensive to you. 
 
Jesus is always calling us to get uncomfortable for the sake of others. 

Jesus wants our pains to know Him. 
 
3. We're called to be witnesses to our PERIPHERY.
 
Jesus sends his disciples to the ends of the earth. The news of what Jesus had done was to extend through and beyond the regions and cultures with which they were most familiar. The disciples were called to push out into the periphery of their known world, to minister to people they knew very little about. 
 
So I guess we need to pack our bags?  Again, perhaps. 

But right here in Orlando we are surrounded by people who are very different from us. The challenges are obvious: These are people you don’t really understand. There are very real cultural barriers. Sensitivity and humility are required to make room at the table for people on the periphery of your world. 
 
Jesus is always calling us to get uncomfortable for the sake of others. 
 
Jesus wants people on our periphery to know Him. 
 

Acts 1:8 is about more than geography. It’s about showing and telling the love of Christ with those like us (peeps), those not like us (periphery), and even those we don’t like (pains). Why?  Jesus likes them all. A lot.

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How to pray...

• Pray for God to show you ways you can be “uncomfortable for the sake of others”.

• It’s hard to hate someone and pray for them at the same time: Pray for specific “Pains” in your life.

• Pray for humility to better understand people who are very different from you. Pray specifically for opportunities to build bridges with Muslims in our communities.

• Pray for the witnesses all over the globe who, relying on the power of the Spirit, are sharing the love of Christ with people on the “periphery”.

• Pray for the restoration of the Christian church in war-ravaged areas such as Syria and Iraq.

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For the Family

A good way for us to put this lesson into practice is in a place most kids visit on a daily basis: the school cafeteria!

I remember the school cafeteria as a place where I enjoyed great times with my best friends and got annoyed with the people I didn’t like so much. I also realize now that the room had many people who I knew almost nothing about. 

Talk with your kids: Think about the cafeteria at school. Do you sit with your best friends, your “peeps”? How are you showing them the love of Jesus on a daily basis? What about the people who really annoy you in the lunchroom… the “pains”... How could you show them the love of Jesus?

And finally, what about the kids who sit alone on the edge of the room, at the end of the table, or those kids who are ashamed to eat with others because they don’t feel like they fit in… How can you show those people the love of Jesus?

As a family, talk about these things:

• Think about your closest friends. Which of your “peeps” needs to be shown the love of Jesus? Pray for them.

• Think of someone who really annoys you. Remember that God loves that person, and pray that God will change your attitude so that you can be loving and kind.

• Think of someone who doesn’t fit in. Ask God for the courage to talk to that person and learn more about who they are.

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"Witnesses" - Joe White

Joe White serves as Assistant Pastor and part of the Sunday teaching team at Lake Baldwin Church. Joe and Tiffany (along with their children, Taylor, Lydia, and Jeremiah) recently moved back to Orlando after 6 years in Los Angeles, where Joe served as the Reformed University Fellowship pastor at UCLA. From 2005-2009, Joe did his graduate work at Reformed Theological Seminary, where he completed a Master of Divinity and a Master of Arts in Counseling. 

"For the Family" - Joel Pollard

Joel Pollard is the Director of Worship at LBC. He is currently pursuing a Masters of Divinity from Reformed Theological Seminary and intends to pursue pastoral ordination in the PCA after graduation. Joel and his wife, Katie, have been married since 2011 and have two children, Sam and Evie.

2016 August Prayer Initiative - Day 25

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses… (Acts 1:8)

“The changed person, who knows that he or she is a child of God and has received the ‘downpayment of the Holy Spirit,’ is the continuing evidence of God at work in our history.”

— Darrell Guder

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"Witnesses"
Part 1

During my junior year of high school, I went through evangelism training at my church. I think they called it, “How to Convince Someone They’re Wrong About Everything in 2 Minutes or Less”. That’s not what they called it. But that’s essentially what it was.

Equipped with the tools to argue and annoy, we jumped in a bus, headed to a crowded area, spread ourselves out so as to cover the most ground, and started asking people where they would go if they happened to die that night. Here’s how you can know you’ll be in heaven: repeat after me…

I want to be careful not to throw the baby out with the bathwater. Bathwater is gross, but babies are pretty awesome. Jesus has called us to go out, and He has called us to take his message (the most beautiful message the world has encountered, or ever will), but notice in Acts 1:8 Jesus doesn’t call us lawyers. He calls us witnesses. 

Lawyers argue. Witnesses testify. They testify to what they have seen, what they have experienced. Certainly good arguments have their place (see 1 Peter 3:15); we need to be ready to defend what we believe. But the job title Jesus gives us before he ascends to Heaven is that of Witness. 

Three things about being a Witness for Jesus:

1.    Witnesses POINT TO... 

We point to Jesus, not to ourselves. The Christian faith is not good advice on how to be a good person. It’s good news about how a good God comes to save us from ourselves. This means your life can be a wreck and you can still bear witness. In fact, you’ll probably be more effective for it. 

Whatever you’ve got going on in your junk drawer, Peter and Paul were bigger messes, I assure you. But they knew their own brokenness, and they knew that Jesus’ death and resurrection was holding them together. That’s what they talked about. They pointed to Him.
  
2.    Witnesses RELY ON…

Jesus is clear about whose power is behind our witnessing: the power of the Holy Spirit of God. Without that, we’re toast.

Think about it: The disciples, as a start-up team, were embarrassing—poor, uneducated, and cowardly. These powerless anti-heroes were sent as witnesses into a world governed by an empire that was diametrically opposed to their mission. The only way this start-up was ever going to get off the ground was by God’s power. And it did. Because the same power that raised Jesus from the dead was at work within the disciples.

If you’re a follower of Jesus, you have that same power of the Spirit of God within you. Let that sink in for a moment. If death was no match for God’s power, then we know God can use even our feeblest attempts at faith-conversations to plant the seeds of life in someone’s heart. God can bring awesome out of your awkward.

3.    Witnesses WELCOME IN…

We must not overlook the fact that the words in Acts 1:8 were addressed to a group. The early church was a communal witness. The way in which they did life together pointed to the one who had given His Life for them. 

Acts 2:42-43 says, “And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul…”  Pastor and theologian Sinclair Ferguson says it was really in response to the dynamic way this new community lived in Jerusalem that great awe came upon the people.

Bearing witness is not just about you going out. It’s about creating a culture of the gospel so people are invited in. Hospitality is evangelism spelled backwards. (Not really, but you get the point.) Most people aren’t argued or even preached into the kingdom of God; most people are welcomed into the kingdom of God. 

Point to, Rely on, Welcome in. Be a witness today. 

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How to pray...

• Pray for courage among our community to take the risk and live as witnesses for Jesus in our homes, workplaces, neighborhoods, etc.
• Pray for 3 people by name in your life who do not yet know the love of Christ.
• Thank God for the gospel going to the ends of the earth to reach your heart.
• Pray for the witnesses all over the globe who, relying on the power of the Spirit are pointing to and welcoming in. Pray specifically for gospel-centered churches in Europe, that they would be radiating centers of light on a dark continent.
• Pray for the pastors of international churches in Europe affiliated with International Christian Community (ICC). Pray for the annual Pastors and Families retreat in Nice, France in late October. Several from LBC will be serving at this retreat.

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For the Family

Have you ever seen a movie or TV show where someone is on trial in a courtroom? The “witness” is a person who comes to the trial to tell the judge what they saw or experienced. 

For example, if someone is on trial for robbing a bank, maybe the witness saw the robber run out of a bank and drive away in a car. The witness might tell the judge and jury what time of day it was, what color the car was, and which direction he went. The judge might ask the witness if the person on trial for the crime is the same person he saw run out of the bank, to make sure they have the right guy.

At a trial, witnesses help the judge and jury understand what really happened and who is telling the truth.

In the Bible, Jesus tells his disciples to be “witnesses” for Him. He challenged them to go all over the world and tell people what they had seen and experienced while Jesus was with them.

Just like the disciples, God wants us to tell people about Jesus and share what God has done for us. Just like a witness at a trial, our job is to tell the truth and help people understand what really happened when Jesus died for our sins and rose from the dead. We want them to believe the truth that God loves them!

Talk as a family:

• What are some good things God has done in your life that you could tell your friends about to point them to Jesus?
• Name a few friends who you could talk to about Jesus, and pray for them.

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Contributors

"Witnesses" - Joe White

Joe White serves as Assistant Pastor and part of the Sunday teaching team at Lake Baldwin Church. Joe and Tiffany (along with their children, Taylor, Lydia, and Jeremiah) recently moved back to Orlando after 6 years in Los Angeles, where Joe served as the Reformed University Fellowship pastor at UCLA. From 2005-2009, Joe did his graduate work at Reformed Theological Seminary, where he completed a Master of Divinity and a Master of Arts in Counseling. 

"For the Family" - Katie Pollard

Katie is the administrator and communications director for LBC. Katie and her husband, Joel, moved to Orlando from Nashville, TN in 2014, when Joel became the Director of Worship at LBC. They both grew up in Carrollton, GA and have been leading worship together since their youth group days. They were married in 2011 and have two children, Sam and Evie.

2016 August Prayer Initiative - Day 24

It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth. (Isaiah 49:6-7)

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"God's Heart for the Nations"

One need not drive very far in Orlando to see the need for God all around us. Only one or two miles away from our homes and workplaces we can vividly see brokenness. All around us are broken family relationships, cycles of poverty, and people who seem happy but are empty inside.
 
So why pursue foreign missions?  Since the beginning of the human story God has always sought for an intimate relationship with those who are made in his image, man and woman. He knows that we are made for Him and we can only be truly satisfied in Him. 

God’s blessing was never meant to be only for a few. In His promise to Abraham in Genesis 12, God said, “all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”  God did not intend his message of salvation to be only for Israel or Judea. He intended His salvation to reach the ends of the earth: to Spain, to England, even to the “New World.”  And therein sits Orlando, home of the “Magic Kingdom.”  But as magical as the City Beautiful is, even if the gospel were to transform every single person here in Orlando, God’s work would still not be done. 

God is about the business of Acts 1, bringing His salvation and making disciples in “Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”  We are to act justly, love mercy and share the good news with our Orlando neighbors. But then, as John Piper notes, what we do well here for local evangelism and mercy ministries, we can then “export” to serve the nations. 

When we see God moving in other parts of the world (as Hannah Rader testified to at church last Sunday) we are encouraged to live faithfully here. There is no necessary tension between local missions and global missions; they form a reciprocal relationship.
 
Therefore we go, send, and pray for foreign missions because God’s heart is for all the nations. And when we offer an account of our lives before the Lord, we don’t want to have pursued “too small a thing.”

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How to pray...

• Pray for the long-term missionaries that Lake Baldwin Church supports, Ross and Lindsay Stowers in Florence, Italy. Besides working with Cru administration (Agape) in Italy they are also reaching out to Italians through sports ministry and networking with other young families.
• Pray for the Syrian refugees in Greece that Hannah Rader spoke of last Sunday and that God would use these new Christians to spread the good news in those formal and informal refugee camps.
• Pray that God would show all of us at Lake Baldwin Church how to pray for, send others, and go ourselves to all nations with the good news of Jesus Christ.
• Pray for Davidson and Katie Jean-Rejouis, who visited us during the missions conference, as they prepare for their ministry in France. Pray for completion of their support, for their team in Toulouse, and for their work with worship and youth.

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For the Family

Ross and Lindsay Stowers are missionaries in Italy, supported by Lake Baldwin Church. They and their children were part of our church family when they lived in Orlando.

Take a moment to find Italy on the map. Explain that most of the people in Italy do not have a church family, and need to hear about Jesus. 

Invite your children to write a note to Ross and Lindsay Stowers and their children, Weston, Tessa, and Colton. Thank them for serving God in Italy. Then bring the note to church this Sunday and give it to Joy McGill. Joy and her family will be visiting the Stowers family in Italy in just a few weeks, and they would be happy to take notes to the Stowers family!

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Contributors

"God's Heart for the Nations" - Ravi Jain

Ravi Jain is a member of LBC and serves as the head of the Global Missions Team. He has been a calculus and physics teacher at The Geneva School since 2003 and has devoted his work to understanding the role of math and science in a Christian classical curriculum. Ravi enjoys reading, being outdoors, and traveling abroad. He spends most of his free hours enjoying time with his wife Kelley and their two sons, Judah and Xavier.

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"For the Family" - Mike Tilley

Mike Tilley is the senior pastor of Lake Baldwin Church, and has lived in Orlando since 1994. He and his wife, Molly, worked with a core group from the Baldwin Park community to plant Lake Baldwin Church in 2006. Mike loves teaching the Bible in a way that relates to real life. In his spare time, Mike enjoys good movies, long dinner with friends, snow skiing, hanging out with his kids and two granddaughters, and travel.

2016 August Prayer Initiative - Day 23

Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you judge the peoples with equity and guide the nations upon earth. (Psalm 67:4)

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"Let the Nations Be Glad"

I remember reading this verse for the first time, and thinking, "Yes, I want the nations to be glad! How can that happen?" There have been times in my life when I have believed (or acted as if I believed) that many things could make the nations glad. Maybe we can provide food, clothing, shelter or quality healthcare to make the nations glad. Or maybe if everyone was at peace the nations would be glad... 

The reality is that it's possible to do or have those things (which are all good things) and not be truly “glad” in the way God’s word describes. While it may seem that success, security, health or peace will make us glad, God has something much better for us. 

As C.S. Lewis wrote in The Weight of Glory, "It would seem that our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased."

So what will make the nations glad? The scriptures are clear that the nations (all people) will be joyful and fulfilled when we worship the creator. It is for our good that God wants us to delight in the One who can bring us true joy. We were created for his glory, and when we reject the idols around us and embrace him, we will be glad. Psalm 40:16 says, “But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who love your salvation say continually, ‘Great is the Lord!”

The best way we can engage in making the nations glad is by making God king of our individual lives. When we do that, we will buy into his plans, which include redeeming people from every tribe, tongue, and nation. We will share his glory with the nations, and his Spirit will cause them to worship him and be eternally glad. 

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How to pray...

• That we won't be pleased with the fleeting joys of this world, but that we will treasure Christ above all. Pray that the love of Christ would fuel our hearts for the glory of God being proclaimed among the nations.
• For Peter and Jenny Boling, missionaries and church planters in La Paz, Mexico. The Bolings serve with Mission to the World, and they hosted the LBC mission trip to Cabo in 2015. Peter also spoke at our first Missions Festival in January. Pray for fruitful work as the Bolings team up with a Mexican church planter in La Paz.
• Pray for the advance of the gospel throughout Latin America: in Brazil, host of the Olympics; and in Venezuela, a nation in crisis.
• Pray for church planting among the growing Puerto Rican population right here in Orlando. LBC and our partners look to God in faith for gospel work among the Latino population in coming years.

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For the Family

Look at a map of the world as a family and talk about the different nations of the world.  For the younger kids, help them find where you live on the map and talk about how long it might take by boat or plane to get to different places around the world. 

Have your child name all the different languages that they have heard about. 

The world that God created is so big and there are so many people. God is so amazing—he not only created everyone uniquely but he loves each person unconditionally and hears all the voices of all the nations.

Have your children point to a random place on the map and pray for that nation together. 

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Contributors

"Let the Nations Be Glad" - Andrew Balducci

Andrew Balducci and his wife, Ellen, moved to Orlando from Oxford, MS in 2011 to work with the General Counsel Office at the Cru headquarters. Andrew and Ellen are members of LBC and co-lead a community group for young adults, along with TJ and Anna Sellers. Andrew is a member of the Global Missions Team and participated in an LBC missions trip to Cabo, Mexico in the summer of 2015. 

"For the Family" - Michelle Crouse

Michelle Crouse has served as the director of LBC's children's ministry—SPLASH Kids—since the end of 2011. She and her husband Joshua were married in 2002 and have 2 children. Michelle grew up outside of Boston and graduated from James Madison University in Virginia with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. She loves being with kids and loves the opportunity to be a part of teaching children how much they are loved by God, and helping them grow in their understanding of what that means.