NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER

This year’s theme of the National Day of Prayer is “One Nation Under God,” based on Psalm 33:12: “blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord.”

National Day of Prayer Chairman Shirley Dobson notes: “At this perilous and uncertain juncture in our country’s history, it is critical that we remain in prayer. The American people continue to be plagued with challenges that defy simple answers, and our hope lies in humbly seeking the Almighty’s guidance, protection, and blessing — not only on the National Day of Prayer, but throughout the year.”

Why We Pray
As American troops stormed the beaches of Normandy, President Franklin Roosevelt called for our nation to unite in prayer. He also offered a prayer to prepare each citizen for the road ahead. “Let our hearts be stout, to wait out the long travail, to bear sorrows that may come, to impart our courage unto our sons wheresoever they may be. And, O Lord, give us faith. Give us faith in Thee.” The victory that followed on June 6, 1944-also known as D-Day-began the march to Berlin. Eighteen months later, WWII was over and one of the world’s greatest evils had been defeated. The prayers of a nation had been a powerful force.

Prayer has always been used in this country for guidance, protection and strength-even before we were a nation or a handful of colonies. The Pilgrims at Plymouth relied on prayer during their first and darkest winter. Our founding fathers also called for prayer during the Constitutional Convention. In their eyes, our recently created nation and freedoms were a direct gift from God. Being a gift from God, there was only one way to insure protection - through prayer.

President Abraham Lincoln knew this well. It was his belief that, “it is the duty of nations as well as men, to owe their dependence upon the overruling power of God.” When it came to the fate of the nation, he practiced what he preached. Before the battle of Gettysburg, he turned to God in prayer. “I went to my room one day and I locked the door and got down on my knees before Almighty God and prayed to him mightily for victory at Gettysburg.” Won by the Union, Gettysburg was one of the turning points in the war that ended slavery and kept the states united. Today the need for prayer is as great as ever. Our nation again faces battlefields, along with an epidemic of broken homes, violence, sexual immorality and social strife. As the heroes of our nation did in the past, we must again bow our heads in prayer. We must ask the Lord to bless our leaders with wisdom and protection, and that we will have the fortitude to overcome the challenges at hand. If Roosevelt, the Pilgrims and Lincoln never underestimated the power of prayer, neither should we.

If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray
 and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven,
and will forgive their sin and heal their land. - 2 Chronicles 7:14

The National Day of Prayer is an annual observance held on the first Thursday of May, inviting people of all faiths to pray for the nation. It was created in 1952 by a joint resolution of the United States Congress, and signed into law by President Harry S. Truman. Our Task Force is a privately funded organization whose purpose is to encourage participation on the National Day of Prayer. It exists to communicate with every individual the need for personal repentance and prayer, to create appropriate materials, and to mobilize the Christian community to intercede for America’s leaders and its families. The Task Force represents a Judeo Christian expression of the national observance, based on our understanding that this country was birthed in prayer and in reverence for the God of the Bible.

It is our goal that you, your family and friends would participate in the National Day of Prayer. We pray that the event impacts your life, and that praying for our nation moves from a one-day event to a lifetime endeavor. So join us on the first Thursday in May and pray with conviction that God would continue to shed His grace on thee.

GLORIA DEI NEWS

NO/LOW COST HOME REPAIR HELP
Home repair help is available at no or low cost for seniors, those living with disabilities and in some cases low-income families, living in the Twin Cities Metro Area. Now is a good time of year to apply for these programs. There are four major programs operating in the Twin Cities area, each with specific types of work that it will provide and eligibility requirements.

METRO PAINT-A-THON paints the exterior of homes and garages. If you need painting, contact Molly Chandler at mchandler@gmcc.org or 612-276-1579. Metro Paint-A-Thon is a program of the Greater Minneapolis Council of Churches. Application deadline is early May.

A BRUSH WITH KINDNESS helps with painting and home repairs. For more information call 612-788-8169 or download from the website at www.tchabitat.org/abwk. A Brush with Kindness is a program of Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity.

HEARTS & HAMMERS helps with exterior painting, moderate carpentry and landscaping to restore the weatherproofing, security and overall appearance of the home. To request an application visit the program website at www.heartsandhammers.org or call 952-922-2451. Applications accepted year-round.

REBUILDING TOGETHER-Twin Cities helps with carpentry, electrical, plumbing, energy efficiency, painting/wall repair, roofing repairs, appliances, general yard work. The Safe At Home program of Rebuilding Together helps with accessibility –grab bars, ramps, etc. For questions or applications please contact by email, homeowners@rebuildingtogether-twincities.org or call 651-776-4273.

Income guidelines vary by program. If you have difficulty reaching these programs or would like help finding out which program is the best fit for your needs contact NE Senior Services at 612-781-5096 and our volunteers will help you and mail the applications to you.

NORTHEAST SENIOR SERVICES ACTIVITIES
Exercise Class - Join us for exercise sitting on a chair, stand & balance moves, easy marching, dyna-band strength work. Easy, gradual progression. Monday & Friday, 1:00 to 1:40 p.m. First Class is Free. Fee: Suggested donation of $5.00 per class. Location: 2510 Cleveland ST NE, Minneapolis (In NE United Methodist Church)

CREST VIEW
Open House – “Swing into Spring” – May 12 – 9 am to 1 pm

60th Anniversary Worship Service,
Sunday, May 20th at 3 pm
Service of gratitude for 60 years of serving older adults
St. Matthew Lutheran Church, 4101 Washington Street NE
Featured vocalist is Robert Robinson

WANTED!  USED KID’S SOCCER UNIFORMS Our friend is participating in “Doctors Without Borders” and is going to Guatemala to help the children in need.  Soccer is a big sport, and they can’t afford jerseys and are requesting donations.  They will take any team color, year or size.  If you are interested in donating, please let me know.  I will need them by June 1st. Thank you, Renata

FROM THE PASTOR

“Redeem the time because the days are evil.”

Ephesians 5:16

I had many thoughts on what to write for this article… the National Day of Prayer, Ascension and Pentecost, not to mention the days set aside to honor Philip, James and Matthias are this month as well, as our remembrance of our Armed Services Sunday and Memorial Day all occur this month. Yet when I read the article that follows from former Minnesota Twin pitcher, Frank Voila, I couldn’t help but pass on what he shared.  

A long, long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, I wasted my time being a high school student. I skipped classes, did the least amount of work required to skirt by, quit baseball my junior year, earned a Ph.D. in passing notes during lectures, and was never able to muster the courage to befriend the girl that I had a two-year crush on.

Incidentally, I was a pitcher for my high school baseball team. And like many other young dudes, my dream was to play in the Majors. So when I saw myself on TV for the first time, my first reaction was to pinch myself.

Anyways, when the day came when many of my classmates were being rewarded with full-ride scholarships, I was crestfallen. I had wasted my time as a high school student. Well, dear Christian, you can do the same with your walk with the Lord. You can waste your time as a Christian.

Paul exhorts us to “redeem the time because the days are evil.” (Ephesians 5:16) Make no mistake: It takes time to know the Lord. It takes time to learn to live before Him. It takes time to grow in His life. And you can easily waste that time. In fact, there are specific things that you can do (or neglect) that will throttle your spiritual life.

Namely...10 Ways in Which You Can Waste Your Time Being a Christian:

1. Allow yourself to be bitter against someone who has hurt you.
   Bitterness will destroy your spiritual life and take others down with you (Hebrews 12:15).

2. Use your time, your money, and your resources only for yourself and your needs.
   In other words, live life for yourself (and your immediate family) rather than for others.

3. Spend little to no time with the Lord in solitude – just you and Him alone.
   Fill your life with all sorts of other activities. Stay busy.

4. Neglect reading the Scriptures.
   They reveal Christ and contain God’s life (John 5:39; 6:63; 2 Timothy 3:16). They are food for your spirit. To neglect them is to starve your spirit.

5. Defame others or misrepresent them or their work (especially fellow believers).
   Don’t go to them directly if you have a concern or problem and ask them for clarity. (And if you do go to them, don’t listen to what they have to say.) Be not deceived: To speak ill about or misrepresent another follower of Jesus is to speak ill about or misrepresent Jesus Himself. And He doesn’t take it kindly (Matthew 25:40; Acts 9:1-4; Titus 3:2).

6. Rarely (or never) read books with spiritual depth
   ...or listen to Christ-centered messages by other servants of God. Forget the contribution of the body of Christ, past and present. Throw out spiritual education. Live under the delusion that all you need is the Holy Spirit and your Bible.

7. Have no fellowship or relationship with other believers.
   Live as a solo Christian. Use the excuse that you can’t find any other Christians who love Jesus like you do.

8. Let envy and jealousy take hold of your heart and drive your actions.
   Envy and jealousy is often the root behind slander. Incidentally, countless Christians don’t know what slander looks like and fail to recognize it when it’s right in front of them. Engaging in or listening to slander proves toxic to your spiritual life.

9. Never learn from your mistakes nor take responsibility for them.
   Blame others instead. And never apologize to the people you’ve wronged.

10. Waste every crisis that comes into your life.
    A crisis is a difficult and unwelcome opportunity to discover Jesus in a new way. Don’t look for the hand of God behind the crisis or submit to it. Forget James and Peter who both said, “Humble yourself under God’s mighty hand, and He will exalt you.” (1 Peter 5:7; James 4:10) Instead, Blame God.

The above is in no particular order. And many other points can be added to the list. But each of these is a sure-fire way to hamper your growth in Christ and waste your time being a follower of Jesus.

As Frank’s title of this article warns, “Don't Waste Your Time Being a Christian” instead “redeem the time because the days are evil”  for  Christ has redeemed you. The Resurrection is God’s seal that what Jesus did for you on Good Friday was the perfect sacrifice to atone for our sins. As we bask in the grace of this Easter season, let the Holy Spirit lead you into a new understanding of what it means to be and live life as a child of God.  

FRANK VIOLA is a popular conference speaker and the best-selling author of numerous books on the deeper Christian life, including "Revise Us Again," "From Eternity to Here," "Epic Jesus," and "Jesus Manifesto" (co-authored with Leonard Sweet). His blog, "Beyond Evangelical," is rated as one of the most popular in Christian circles today: www.frankviola.org

MAY– DAILY BIBLE READING PLAN

Read Through the New Testament in 100 Daily Readings

This is a daily Bible reading plan that invites you to share in all the benefits of a regular, steady diet of God's Word. The arrangement of this full-text New Testament into 100 daily readings makes it easy for you to delve into these sacred words consistently. So if you are hungry for God, come, be fed! – 20 minutes per day – Sundays used to catch up! – Starting February 1 ending May 26 (Pentecost Eve)

WORSHIP SCEDULE FOR MAY
10:00 am Sunday Mornings

WE CARE SO WE SHARE

Dear Church Family,

“You certainly get enough experience doing the byegones in your church family.  Well you can take comfort in knowing you won’t have to write mine, as I’m much younger (one year and four months) than you are.  I probably will be writing yours!”  How many times did I hear: “Now you can believe what you want, but you’re getting it from a Heyer authority.”?

Each of us has special memories of this faithful, long suffering, church family brother.  Many were shared at the celebration of his life on April 14th. During his many years he served side by side with all of us, encouraging us, making us laugh, reaching out in welcome to each stranger who entered our door.  He drove many miles to serve our church.

One time he commented that he checked his usher list, when he was an elder.  He said it made a difference what shirt he wore on Sunday.  If it were the more casual group, the shirt could be colored, but if he served with the very proper undertaker group, out came the white shirt and tie.

Your reporter and his Muriel shared a name, but called each other “the other one”.  Each of us found we were married to men who enjoyed reading aloud.  Bob commented how “his other one” sat and did her beautiful stitching while he read, thus completing many projects.  When Bob inquired what the less talented other one did, he was readily told “she went to sleep”.

He sang.  He baked.  He drove little old ladies.  He always had the tables preset and coffee pot ready to go on so many occasions.  A quote from Millie House:  “He simplified things for all of us.” 

It would be his request to keep this simple so I will comply.

Our love and gratitude for sharing him with our church family.

To God be the glory!  Happy Mother’s Day!