Cause

October 18, 2020

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Our church, Life.Church, partners with local churches in places all around the world like Malawi. I recently got to travel to this beautiful, but economically impoverished country known as “the warm heart of Africa.” The entire trip was incredible, but I just have to tell you Leah’s story. She lives near Chitipa, which is so remote many organizations don’t bother to go there.

Four years before we met, a friend from her church invited Leah to join a small group called “Light.” But Leah was reluctant to join. To join the group, she’d have to contribute a little bit of money to a group savings fund each week. Her family could barely scrape by, and they didn’t even have money to educate their kids or make repairs on their thatch-roofed house. Still, her friends convinced her to give it a try, so she did.

After the group savings accumulate for a few months, any group member can borrow money, use it to do something valuable, then pay it back. After a year, the savings are shared out equally to the group, and it all starts over again. First, Leah borrowed a small amount from the savings pool to buy sugar cane in bulk. She sold it, paid the loan back to the fund, and had money left over.

She began to believe she could do this.

She started to dream again. She’d always wanted to learn how to make clothing but paying for the training had never been possible until she borrowed from the savings pool. With the money, she was able to pay for training and buy a sewing machine. She grew confident again. Leah again borrowed from the group to buy cloth, which turned into clothing and a nice profit. With her profits she purchased livestock for her family, replaced their roof, and bought a bicycle that her husband used to provide a taxi service.

I’m still not sure any of us realize how much of a fighter Leah must be. Let me tell you something you won’t forget.
In Leah’s village, clean water was a two-hour, back-breaking walk away. Then, about two months before we met, Leah took her hard-fought earnings and personally paid to have a well drilled in her own back yard so that more than 100 neighbors could have unlimited access to clean, life-giving water.

We all need a cause to fight for. Leah’s story inspires me to start with my family but not just stop there. I want to fight to give people near and far access to what they need for life.

Challenge: What cause are you fighting for? Are you fighting for anything beyond yourself? Anyone beyond your family? How can you team up with others?

Ponder: And don’t forget to do good and to share with those in need. These are the sacrifices that please God.
Hebrews 13:16 NLT

Credit: Life.Church

Content for the weekly inspirational bulletin is provided by Lyle Dietrich.

God Shows Up When We Pray

Do you pray for your spouse? We talk a lot about praying with your spouse but what about praying for your spouse? Pray for the things you know are important to your spouse. Ask your spouse what they would like you to be praying for them.

Pray for your spouse to grow in their relationship with Jesus. Those are just a few of the many ways you can begin to pray for your spouse. If you do, this is what God will do: He will show up. You will experience His presence in your marriage and a greater connection with your spouse.

Today’s One Thing: Begin to pray each day for your spouse.

If you like these series of tips and want to receive your One Thing Email please sign up at http://awesomemarriage.com/onething (It’s free!)

Our Daily Bread

Scars Tell A Story

See my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe………….John 20:27

The butterfly flitted in and out of my mother’s panda-faced pansies. As a child, I longed to catch it. I raced from our backyard into our kitchen and grabbed a glass jar, but on my hasty return, I tripped and hit the concrete patio hard. The jar smashed under my wrist and left an ugly slash that would require eighteen stitches to close. Today the scar crawls like a caterpillar across my wrist, telling the story of both wounding and healing.

When Jesus appeared to the disciples after His death, He brought His scars. John reports Thomas wanting to see “the nail marks in his hands” and Jesus inviting Thomas to “put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side” (John 20:25, 27). In order to demonstrate He was the same Jesus, He rose from the dead with the scars of His suffering still visible.

The scars of Jesus prove Him to be the Savior and tell the story of our salvation. The pierced marks through His hands and feet and the hollow in His side reveal a story of pain inflicted, endured, and then healed—for us. He did it so that we might be restored to Him and made whole.

Have you ever considered the story told by Christ’s scars?

By Elisa Morgan

REFLECT & PRAY:

Jesus, how I love the story Your scars tell to me—and to our world. May I learn to love You more and more through the story of Your scars.

**The WLCC service is set up to accommodate everyone during the pandemic:**
• Sunday Service: Starts @ **10:00 AM** at Old 690 Brewery at 15670 Ashbury Church Rd, Purcellville, VA
We have drive-in service where you can stay in your car, watch the service, and listen to Pastor Ray by tuning your car radio to 1610 AM.
• We also have numerous tables, spaced appropriately, for anyone wishing to attend the outdoor service in a more personable atmosphere.
• In the event of rain we will move under the covered roof portion of the building.
• WLCC continues to stream Sunday Service at 10:00 AM on Facebook and YouTube.

Wednesday Evening Study Group occurs every Wednesday at 7:30 pm. Join us for a lively discussion. Check your email for the online link to the meeting.

Western Loudoun Community Church is about being the church — not just some religious exercise. We are about fulfilling the Great Commission and living the Great Commandment.

Come see what all the laughter and joy is about – We’ll save you a seat.

Bulletin

Doing Good

October 11, 2020

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We’ll never completely agree with another person on everything. Not even our spouse or best friend. Of the nearly eight billion people in the world right now, there’s not a single person like you. That means there won’t be anyone with your exact viewpoint on life, politics, money, relationships, or religion. You are uniquely you, and so is the person next to you.

Even though we’re all different, we can still love others. Why is it important to love people when we clearly don’t see eye to eye with? Because Jesus said so. He said, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another” (John 13:34 NIV). When Jesus commanded us to love others, He didn’t say that we had to agree with them first. So, what does love look like?

Love considers others first.
Love looks for the best.
Love shows respect.
Love seeks unity.
Love isn’t selfish.
Love offers the best.
Love displays patience.

Loving others involves pain. Love means giving of yourself. Love means putting your heart out for someone to potentially wound. Love means being selfless and thinking about the needs of others before we think of our own. We’ll never love someone without discomfort accompanying it. It isn’t easy and is sometimes unnatural, but loving others is something we’re called to do as followers of Jesus. Even with those we don’t agree. Especially those with which we don’t agree.

There will always be things we have to “agree to disagree on.” It could be the way we do our finances—some of us choose to live debt free, others don’t. It could be when we decide to start or end our day—some of us are early to bed, while others stay up late. Or it could be more serious differences that concern politics, social issues, or current events. Loving others while disagreeing with them at the same time is possible.

Our Daily Bread

When We Are Weary

Let us not become weary in doing good……Galatians 6:9

Sometimes trying to do the right thing can be exhausting. We may wonder, Do my well-intentioned words and actions make any difference at all? I wondered this recently when I sent a prayerfully thought-out email meant to encourage a friend, only to have it met with an angry response. My immediate reaction was a mixture of hurt and anger. How could I be so misunderstood?

Before I responded out of anger, I remembered that we won’t always see the results (or the results we desire) when we tell someone about how Jesus loves them. When we do good things for others hoping to draw them to Him, they may spurn us. Our gentle efforts to prompt someone to right action may be ignored.

Galatians 6 is a good place to turn when we’re discouraged by someone’s response to our sincere efforts. Here the apostle Paul encourages us to consider our motives—to “test our actions”—for what we say and do (vv. 1-4). When we have done so, he encourages us to persevere: “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people” (vv. 9-10).

God wants us to continue living for Him, which includes praying for and telling others about Him—“doing good.” He will see to the results. By Alyson Kieda

REFLECT & PRAY: We can leave the results of our lives in God’s hands.

Meeting Needs – Your Spouse or God?

One of the ways that I see couples get into trouble is when they expect their spouse to meet needs that God intends to meet. For example, if I expect Nancy to love me unconditionally, she can’t — and won’t. But God can, and will. If Nancy expects me to always be there for her, I can’t and won’t, but God can and will. If I expect Nancy to always understand me, she can’t and won’t—but God can and will.

So what about you? What needs are you expecting your spouse to meet that God wants to meet? Don’t get discouraged, because we all can fall into the unreasonable expectations trap. When we do, we can get frustrated, discouraged, and angry, all because we are looking for something that is not there. Honestly, if I could keep my mind focused on God and let Him meet my deepest needs, my marriage would take a giant step forward—and so would my relationship with God.I need to do a weekly inventory of my current pressing needs. If I write them down and put a “G” by the ones God wants to meet, it changes my perspective and my attitude. When I believe God won’t let me down, I allow Nancy to meet the needs as a wife that God has equipped her to meet.

Today’s One Thing: What are you expecting your spouse to do in your life that only God can do? Let God do it!

If you like these series of tips and want to receive your One Thing Email please sign up at http://awesomemarriage.com/onething (It’s free!)

Content for the weekly inspirational bulletin is provided by Lyle Dietrich.

Uncategorized

Encouragement

October 4, 2020

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Salt sweat and blood iron mix in her mouth. Her left eye puffy and shoulders heavy, she’s barely keeping her guard up. She manages to block a volley of jabs. Then ‘ding!’ Sweet relief. She staggers to her corner and slumps on her stool. She swigs water while the trainer sets to work patching up a cut. ‘You can do this. You can do this! Remember what we’ve worked on: keep your guard up, keep moving. This is your round.’ The bell rings again. She leaps from her stool, bumps her gloves, and begins bouncing from one foot to the other. ‘I can do this.’

The boxing ring can be a lonely place – it’s just you and someone who wants to knock you out cold. Time in the corner between rounds is essential. You breathe, get patched up, receive encouragement, reflect on the round just gone, and look forward to the round ahead. That’s exactly how church can (and should) function. In 4:1-6, Peter talks about wrestling with temptation, and in 4:12-19 about suffering for being a Christian. In the middle of these, he deliberately talks about Christian community.

When God’s people gather, we share a love that is deep and practical, gracious, and forgiving (4:8). We joyfully spend ourselves on others. We use our gifts, skills, and resources to build up our brothers and sisters, recognizing all that we have comes from God and is ultimately for his glory (4:10-11). We look back at the week just gone, hearing God’s ‘well done’ for the good work we’ve done, his forgiveness for where we’ve strayed. We remember he was with us in the ring the whole time, and we thank him for that. Then we get set for the round ahead – how we want to approach it, who we’re going to live for when the bell rings.

Belonging to a church family matters. As you live for God on your frontline, week in, week out, you will see him working through you. But you might forget the game plan, and you’ll certainly take some hits on the chin. You need your Christian brothers and sisters. And they need you.

Reflect: Is there someone from your church or a Christian friend God might be calling you to encourage today, through a card, message, or phone call?

Our Daily Bread

Can We Relax?

Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid…….John 14:27

Darnell entered the physical therapist’s office knowing he would experience a lot of pain. The therapist stretched and bent his arm and held it in positions it hadn’t been in for months since his injury. After holding each uncomfortable position for a few seconds, she gently told him: “Okay, you can relax.” He said later, “I think I heard that at least fifty times in each therapy session: ‘Okay, you can relax.’ ”

Thinking of those words, Darnell realized they could apply to the rest of his life as well. He could relax in God’s goodness and faithfulness instead of worrying.

As Jesus neared His death, He knew His disciples would need to learn this. They’d soon face a time of upheaval and persecution. To encourage them, Jesus said He would send the Holy Spirit to live with them and remind them of what He had taught (John 14:26). And so He could say, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. . . . Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (v. 27).

There’s plenty we could be uptight about in our everyday lives. But we can grow in our trust in God by reminding ourselves that His Spirit lives in us—and He offers us His peace. As we draw on His strength, we can hear Him in the therapist’s words: “Okay, you can relax.” By Anne Cetas

REFLECT & PRAY:

Teach me, Jesus, to trust Your faithfulness, to know Your presence, to experience Your peace—to relax.

Essential Roles

At Awesome Marriage, we talk a lot about the essential roles that God gave a husband and a wife, but what about the other things that we do as a husband and wife in our marriages?

Nancy and I never sat down and said, “You do this and I will do that.” We just kind of let the whole process evolve. I mowed the lawn and we both planted flowers. She liked to clean the house but hated to vacuum, so I could do that. We never defined our daily
roles as man and woman, but by who was best at it, and who wanted to do it or did not want to do it!
This year with deadlines for a new book and the growth of Awesome Marriage, I have not run the vacuum in a while. It’s not like Nancy has been complaining because she hasn’t, but today I’m going to run the vacuum. What is something you could do today for your spouse that would lighten their load? Now that you have it, why not do it?

Today’s One Thing:
What is something you could do for your spouse today that would lighten their load?

_{If you like these series of tips and want to receive your One Thing Email please sign up at http://awesomemarriage.com/onething (It’s free!)}

Content for the weekly inspirational bulletin is provided by Lyle Dietrich.

**The WLCC service is set up to accommodate everyone during the pandemic:**
• Sunday Service: Starts @ **10:00 AM** Sharp at Old 690 Brewery at 15670 Ashbury Church Rd, Purcellville, VA
We have drive-in service where you can stay in your car, watch the service, and listen to Pastor Ray by tuning your car radio to 1610 AM.
• We also have numerous tables, spaced appropriately, for anyone wishing to attend the outdoor service in a more personable atmosphere.
• In the event of rain we will move under the covered roof portion of the building.
• WLCC continues to stream Sunday Service at 10:00 AM on Facebook and YouTube.

Wednesday Evening Study Group occurs every Wednesday at 7:30 pm. Join us for a lively discussion. Check your email for the online link to the meeting.

Western Loudoun Community Church is about being the church — not just some religious exercise. We are about fulfilling the Great Commission and living the Great Commandment.

Come see what all the laughter and joy is about – We’ll save you a seat.

Bulletin

Trust

September 27, 2020

wlcc

So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up……Galatians 6:9 NLT

One time I was at conference and the speaker was talking about how they had been in a dry season and were having a hard time hearing the voice of God. They said that while they were in that season, since they weren’t sure what step to take next or what direction God was calling them in, the only thing they knew to do was to continue living according to God’s Word.

To wake up every day in that season and say, “God, I give this day to you. Help me to live in a way that glorifies You.” I thought that was so powerful. That when we don’t know what to do, we can simply just do what is right. We can continue to be faithful with our every moment. I love how the sermon ended, too. They said that in that season, one day they woke up and heard God so clearly say, “It’s over.” That day that season ended, and God started to take them in such a clear direction. Sometimes we go through seasons that aren’t fun, that aren’t enjoyable, and that are just downright hard, but we are still called to be faithful in the waiting.

If you’re in one of those seasons, while you wait submit yourself to God, and choose to do the right thing.

Our Daily Bread

The Lord has done this………Psalm 118:23

I once heard about a student taking a class in preaching at a prominent seminary. The student, a young man who was a bit full of himself, delivered his sermon with eloquence and evident passion. He sat down self-satisfied, and the professor paused a moment before responding. “That was a powerful sermon,” he said. “It was well organized and moving. The only problem is that God was not the subject of a single one of your sentences.”

The professor highlighted a problem all of us struggle with at times: We can talk as if we’re the primary actor (emphasizing what we do, what we say) when in truth God is the primary actor in life. We often profess that God is somehow generally “in charge,” but we act as if all the outcomes depend on us.

The Scriptures insist that God is the true subject of our lives, the true force. Even our necessary acts of faith are done “in the name of the Lord”—in the Lord’s power (Psalm 118:10-11). God enacts our salvation. God rescues us. God tends to our needs. “The Lord has done this” (v. 23).

So the pressure’s off. We don’t need to fret, compare, work with compulsive energy, or feed our many anxieties. God is in charge. We need only trust and follow His lead in obedience. By Winn Collier

REFLECT & PRAY:

God, I’ve been paying lip service to You being in charge of my world. It’s exhausting, and I want to stop doing that. Help me trust You.

God’s Plan For Marriage – Never Changing

I love the story right at the beginning of the Bible about Adam and Eve living in the Garden of Eden. Here we see the first man and woman, placed in this incredible place, and the most amazing part of the story is that God Himself, the Creator of everything, came every single day to spend time with them.

Let that soak in a little. It is a perfect picture of marriage. It could have gone on like that forever, but it didn’t and things changed. Yet, I really believe with all my heart that God still wants you to love your spouse like He must have taught Adam and Eve to love each other. I don’t know what God said to Adam and Eve each day in the garden, but I am sure it had a lot to do with relationships; both their relationship with Him and with each other. When things changed for Adam and Eve, God’s plan for marriage did not change. God was all in with Adam and Eve, and He is all in with you and your spouse. He never changes.

Today’s One Thing:
Ask God to grow your love for each other today!

_{If you like these series of tips and want to receive your One Thing Email please sign up at http://awesomemarriage.com/onething (It’s free!)}

Content for the weekly inspirational bulletin is provided by Lyle Dietrich.

Bulletin

Strength

September 21, 2020

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Your **generous** support helps us to continue to provide meals to our local homeless shelter.
For more information please reach out to our benevolence team.

The one who is in [us] is greater than the one who is in the world. 1John 4:4

Several years ago, my sons and I spent a few days camping in the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness in Northern Idaho. It’s grizzly bear habitat, but we carried bear spray, kept our campsites clean, and anticipated no major grizzly encounters.

One evening, in the middle of the night, I heard Randy scramble around trying to get out of his sleeping bag. I grabbed my flashlight and turned it on, expecting to see him in the clutches of an enraged grizzly.

There, sitting upright on its haunches and waving its paws in the air was a field mouse about 4 inches tall. It had Randy’s cap firmly clenched in its teeth. The little creature had tugged and tugged until he pulled Randy’s cap from his head. As I laughed, the mouse dropped the cap and scampered away. We crawled back into our sleeping bags. I, however, fully adrenalized, couldn’t get back to sleep and thought about another predator—the devil.

Consider Satan’s temptation of Jesus (Matthew 4:1-11). He countered his enticements with the Scriptures. With each answer, Jesus reminded Himself that God had spoken on this issue and therefore He wouldn’t disobey. This caused the devil to flee.

Although Satan wants to devour us, it’s good to remember that he’s a created being like the little rodent. John said, “the one who is in [us] is greater than the one who is in the world” (1 John 4:4)

By David H. Roper

Credit: Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread

He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed…..Psalm 107:29

“Chasing tornadoes,” says Warren Faidley, “is often like a giant game of 3D-chess played out over thousands of square miles.” The photojournalist and storm-chaser adds: “Being in the right place at the right time is a symphony of forecasting and navigation while dodging everything from softball-sized hailstones to dust storms and slow-moving farm equipment.”

Faidley’s words make my palms sweat and heart beat faster. While admiring the raw courage and scientific hunger storm chasers display, I balk at throwing myself into the middle of potentially fatal weather events.

In my experience, however, I don’t have to chase storms in life—they seem to be chasing me. That experience is mirrored by Psalm 107 as it describes sailors trapped in a storm. They were being chased by the consequences of their wrong choices but the psalmist says, “They cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distress. He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed. They were glad when it grew calm” (Psalm 107:28-30).

Whether the storms of life are of our own making or the result of living in a broken world, our Father is greater. When we are being chased by storms, He alone is able to calm them—or to calm the storm within us.

By Bill Crowder

REFLECT & PRAY:

Thank You, Father, that You’re with me in my struggles and Your power is greater than any storm on my horizon.

Morning Habit

What if each day you thought of something positive you could do for your marriage? It’s something I try to think about every day. Why? I have seen how daily positive actions can do amazing things for my marriage. First, just thinking about doing something good for my marriage puts my relationship with Nancy in a positive light in my mind and makes me want to do something good for her. This type of attitude allows each day to be a new beginning, no matter what happened yesterday. Second, it lets Nancy know she is a priority for me. She knows I am thinking about her and about our marriage.

Don’t make this complicated. A positive thing can be something as simple as saying a few meaningful words: “I really missed you today while I was at work”; “You look really beautiful/handsome today”; “Let’s make sure we have alone time together this evening”; “What can I do to help you today?” It can be writing a text, a note, or a card, or doing a chore your spouse usually does. The whole idea of our “One Thing” emails is to give you ideas that will help you improve your marriage one day at a time. If you commit to doing something good for your marriage every day, I promise your marriage will be better.

Today’s One Thing:
Get in the habit of asking yourself every morning, “What can I do for my marriage today?”

DON’T JUST SURVIVE! – Your Marriage Was Meant To Thrive!

_{If you like these series of tips and want to receive your One Thing Email please sign up at http://awesomemarriage.com/onething (It’s free!)}

Bulletin

KINDNESS

September 13, 2020

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Unkind people cannot preach the gospel — it would be a sham. Our arms of kindness are the only ones God has to embrace others and the only way for people to know He cares. The fruit of the Spirit is not intended for passive acceptance, locked away for safekeeping. It is meant to invigorate and empower us to be “about our Father‘s work.“ Today, the need for the Holy Spirit’s fruit of kindness to blossom in our lives and nourish our wasting world is undeniable. People are hungry for the hope that they matter to someone — and they do, they matter to God and to us… He cares. And because He does, He lavishes His kindness on those who care about Him and on those who don’t.

Acts 14:16-17 explains, “In the past, he let all nations go their own way. Yet he has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy.” What a good God! For those who don’t believe that He lives and those who don’t even care if He does, our God still reaches in kindness. And His kindness isn’t dependent on the reciprocation of those He blesses with it, He is kind because that is who He is — a kindhearted God (see Matthew 5:44-46).

We are called and empowered to be the same way through the Holy Spirit. Millions of people will never open the Bible, but Christians are an open book to them, and we can open our lives to Galatians 5:22, allowing His fruit of kindness to blossom, grow, and feed their hungry hearts. Verses like Colossians 3:12 aren’t just flamboyant accessories, as “God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved,” we truly are called to clothe ourselves “with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” Kindness can glorify God and give a testimony without a word!

Our Daily Bread

When I was in college, I worked a summer on a ranch in Colorado. One evening, tired and hungry after a long day of mowing hay, I drove the tractor into the yard. Acting like the hot shot I thought I was, I cranked the steering wheel hard left, stamped on the left brake, and spun the tractor around.

The sickle was down and swept the legs out from under a 500-gallon gasoline tank standing nearby. The tank hit the ground with a resounding boom, the seams split, and all the gasoline spewed out.

The rancher stood nearby surveying the scene. I got off the tractor, stammered an apology, and—because it was the first thing that popped into my mind—offered to work the rest of the summer without pay.

The old rancher stared at the wreckage for a moment and turned toward the house. “Let’s go have dinner,” he drawled.

A scrap of a story Jesus told passed through my mind—a story about a young man who had done a terrible thing: “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you,” he cried. He intended to add, “Make me like one of your hired servants,” but before he could get all the words out of his mouth his father interrupted him. In essence, he said, “Let’s go have dinner” (Luke 15:17-24).

Such is God’s amazing grace.

By David H. Roper

REFLECT & PRAY:

What a privilege to be sons and daughters of the King!

Cool Hand Luke

Cool Hand Luke is set in the early 1950’s and tells the story of Lucas “Luke” Jackson (Paul Newman). Luke is arrested and sent to prison for two years to serve on a chain gang run by a very stern prison warden. Luke’s rebellious nature gets him in trouble with the guards and the prison’s leader but eventually Luke becomes a favorite of the other prisoners. When Luke learns of his mother’s
death, he makes plans to escape prison to attend her funeral. He escapes but is captured, returned to the prison and fitted with leg-irons. The captain is determined to make an example of Luke to the other prisoners and in his warning speech utters this classic line in reference to Luke’s rebellion: “What we have here is a failure to communicate.”

That line, “What we have here is a failure to communicate,” could be applied to a lot of marriages. In fact, at one time or another, it could be applied to almost every marriage. How is the communication in your marriage? In the movie, the line refers to Luke’s choice to not listen to his superiors. In marriage, it means
that we often do not do a good job of listening to our spouse. Experience tells me that when we listen to our spouse well, we understand them better and have less conflict. So today make a special effort to listen well to what your spouse is saying.

Today’s One Thing:
Today make a special effort to listen well to what your spouse is saying!

_{If you like these series of tips and want to receive your One Thing Email please sign up at http://awesomemarriage.com/onething (It’s free!)}

Bulletin

Prayers

September 7, 2020

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4 Year old grandson, Christian, calling Grandma on a Video Call

Grandma: Hello?

Christian: Hi Grandma!

Grandma: Hi my Angel! How are you?

Christian (with a smile): I’m good Grandma

Grandma: What’s wrong Christian? You seem sad.

Christian: I have a cold Grandma.

Grandma: I see your nose is running. Can Grandma pray for you right now?

Christian: Yes Grandma.

Grandma: Dear God, I lift up my grandson, Christian, to you for healing. Please touch him with your healing touch.

Then I looked up into the camera and I saw my beautiful baby boy with his hands clenched in prayer, his eyes closed, and a tear running down his cheek. OMG, my heart went out as I saw a little 4 year old being touched by the Holy Spirit!

What a beautiful and life changing moment!

Lord, if only every one of us could pray like my little 4-year-old Grandson!

Credit: Mary and Lyle Dietrich

Our Daily Bread

Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants!….Daniel 3:28

The comic book hero is as popular as ever. In 2017 alone, six superhero movies accounted for more than $4 billion (US) in box office sales. But why are people so drawn to big action flicks?

Maybe it’s because, in part, such stories resemble God’s Big Story. There’s a hero, a villain, a people in need of rescue, and plenty of riveting action.

In this story, the biggest villain is Satan, the enemy of our souls. But there are lots of “little” villains as well. In the book of Daniel, for example, one is Nebuchadnezzar, the king of much of the known world, who decided to kill anyone who didn’t worship his giant statue (Daniel 3:1-6). When three courageous Jewish officials refused (vv. 12-18), God dramatically rescued them from a blazing furnace (vv. 24-27).

But in a surprising twist, we see this villain’s heart begin to change. In response to this spectacular event, Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego” (v. 28).

But then he threatened to kill anyone who defied God (v. 29), not yet understanding that God didn’t need his help. Nebuchadnezzar would learn more about God in chapter 4—but that’s another story.

What we see in Nebuchadnezzar isn’t just a villain, but someone on a spiritual journey. In God’s story of redemption, our hero, Jesus, reaches out to everyone needing rescue—including the villains among us.

By Tim Gustafson

REFLECT & PRAY:

Jesus prayed for those who persecuted Him. We can do the same.

Trying to Change Your Spouse

I don’t know of a married person that has not crossed this boundary at some time in their marriage. We fall in love with our future spouse and we think that we are so alike and then in marriage we see all the differences.

I think God’s plan is for us to embrace each other’s differences and therefore to grow as a person, as well as growing our marriage. That is the goal but before many of us get there, we spend a lot of time and energy trying to change our spouse into who we want them to become. Where are you with this today?

Embracing your spouse’s differences or trying to change them? Your One Thing today is to pray for God to help you see your spouse through His eyes and then embrace the differences!

Today’s One Thing:
Pray for God to help you see your spouse through His eyes and then embrace the differences!

_{If you like these series of tips and want to receive your One Thing Email please sign up at http://awesomemarriage.com/onething (It’s free!)}

**The WLCC service is set up to accommodate everyone during the pandemic:**
• Sunday Service: Starts @ 9:00 AM Sharp at Old 690 Brewery at 15670 Ashbury Church Rd, Purcellville, VA
We have drive-in service where you can stay in your car, watch the service, and listen to Pastor Ray by tuning your car radio to 1610 AM.
• We also have numerous tables, spaced appropriately, for anyone wishing to attend the outdoor service in a more personable atmosphere.
• In the event of rain we will move under the covered roof portion of the building.
• WLCC continues to stream Sunday Service at 9:00 AM on Facebook and YouTube.

Wednesday Evening Study Group is on Summer vacation.

Western Loudoun Community Church is about being the church — not just some religious exercise. We are about fulfilling the Great Commission and living the Great Commandment.

Come see what all the laughter and joy is about – We’ll save you a seat.

Uncategorized

Love One Another

August 30, 2020

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A friend told me a true story that has stuck with him for over 20 years, and it goes something like this. A man and his wife, Cindy, were living life as usual. Going through their day, watching life pass by from this little rock we live on as it goes around the sun, year, after year, after year. Their marriage seemed healthy, and they loved each other to the max, but there was this one thing that drove him up the wall about Cindy. We all can have our pet peeves, and this was his; no matter how many decades he asked his wife to stop doing this one thing, she continued to do it, day after day, year after year. He struggled with how annoyed he felt at her, but nothing compared to the way he reacted on the 18th of November. Nearly every day of their married lives, she left her slippers right there in the middle of the floor, in front of the bathroom door, for him to trip over. No amount of effort could change her habit, and there those slippers were every morning, staring at him, mocking him, taunting him. It lit him up. Every. Single. Day. Except for the 18th of November.

On that fateful morning, he woke up and walked right past the bathroom door, and FINALLY, there were no slippers to trip him. That day, it was a slipper less doorway, free of the daily frustration that had harassed him all those years. But today he wanted nothing more in life than to trip over those silly slippers. He longed to see them there that day, because, on the 17th of November, Cindy passed away. Those slippers no longer annoy him, and it crushes him every single morning.

This little story wrecks me. It makes me think about that quote, “Enjoy the little things in life, for one day you’ll look back and realize they were the big things.”

So let me leave you with this encouragement; cherish your spouse. Love him/her with everything you have every day. Look past the trivial, the annoying, and the frustrating and love like today is your first and last day together.

Live It Out: answer this question instantly; don’t think about it. If you just found out that you only had a few hours left with your spouse, and those hours would be spent right where you are today, what would you do first? Would you simply hold your spouse close? Tell him/her how much you love and cherish them?, Take her/him on a date?, Let the world know how amazing she is or a million other things he does? Do it today. There’s no reason not to, and there are a billion reasons to do it.

By Kirk Cameron

Our Daily Bread

Be perfectly united in mind and thought…….1 Corinthians 1:10

The city of Texarkana sits squarely on the state border between Texas and Arkansas. The city of 70,000 inhabitants has two mayors, two city councils, and two police and fire departments. The cross-town sporting rivalry between high schools draws an uncommonly high attendance, reflecting the deep allegiance each has to their own state’s school. More significant challenges arise as well, such as disputes over the shared water system, governed by two sets of state laws. Yet the town is known for its unity despite the line that divides it. Residents gather annually for a dinner held on State Line Avenue to share a meal in celebration of their oneness as a community.

The believers in Corinth may not have drawn a line down their main thoroughfare, but they were divided. They’d been quarreling as a result of their allegiances to those who taught them about Jesus: Paul, Apollos, or Cephas (Peter). Paul called them all to oneness “in mind and thought” (1 Corinthians 1:10), reminding them it was Christ who was crucified for them, not their spiritual leaders.

We behave similarly today, don’t we? We sometimes oppose even those who share our singularly important belief—Jesus’ sacrifice for our wrongdoings—making them rivals instead of allies. Just as Christ Himself is not divided, we, as His earthly representation—His body—mustn’t allow differences over nonessentials to divide us. Instead, may we celebrate our oneness in Him.

By Kirsten Holmberg

REFLECT & PRAY:

God, help me to remain focused on You and Your sacrifice for Your people. May I not be distracted by the less important issues but call others to oneness as a community of faith.

Does This Ever Happen To You?

Does this ever happen to you? You are going to have a date night this weekend for dinner. You have the baby sitter scheduled (if you need one). That evening, you are both getting ready. It has been a hectic week and you both have been looking forward to a night out for just the two of you. The sitter arrives, you are both ready, and you pull the car out of the driveway. Everything has gone perfectly except that you never decided where to go for dinner. You ask your spouse where they would like to go and they say, “I don’t care.” Your spouse then asks you the same question and your answer is the same. Then you both ask, “What kind of food do you want” and both get the same “I don’t care” response. One of you mentions a place and the other says, “I’m really not in the mood for that,” and 10 minutes into a date you both looked forward to, you are both frustrated with each other and with yourself.

This has happened to us. It used to happen often. Usually it was the business of life that we let get in the way of doing a little planning. We would get frustrated and then start blaming each other. Many times we would have turned around and just gone back home but didn’t know what to tell the babysitter! So we came up with this idea. It was our plan for when we did not take the time to plan. Each of us wrote down five restaurants that we liked on small strips of paper. Then without looking at each other’s papers, we put them into an envelope and then into the glove compartment of the car. We agreed together that on a night we did not make a plan, we would draw one of the slips of paper out and that is where we would go. No questions asked. It was about two weeks later when we pulled out the first strip. Guess what? It worked!

Today’s One Thing:

Each of you write down five restaurants you like on separate slips of paper and put them all in an envelope. Now the next time you do not know where to go to eat, draw one out and go there!

If you like these series of tips and want to receive your One Thing Email please sign up at http://awesomemarriage.com/onething (It’s free!)

Bulletin

PRAYER

August 23, 2020

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Struggling at work? Do you have to home school or entertain your young children at home while trying to balance work from home? Maybe you don’t have a job? Are your finances depleted? What specific “situation” are you facing?

Pastor Ray: This is a faith moment in your life. You have left Egypt and are staring at the Red Sea. You can’t go back and don’t know how to go forward. This is the kind of dilemma God often uses to force us to rely on Him. But just as Moses wasn’t expected to make things happen on his own, neither does God expect you to do so. He is with you. He will go before you to lead the way. He will go with you to strengthen you. And He will protect you, by revealing the unseen things. Pray Always!

You were built for such a time as this. God has created you with gifts, talents, and abilities to Glorify Him. He has given you influence, platforms, and resources to represent and to reflect Him in the Earth. You were created for Purpose. You were intentionally and strategically planted in the Earth, by God, for such a time as this. Your birth was not by accident. The timing of your placement was not by happenstance. God planted you in the Earth for His Pleasure and Delight.

Don’t let your destiny wither and die by choosing to disobey God. Choose to obey Christ and walk forward in Purpose. Don’t hold back. You cannot stay silent. It pleases God when you choose to actively walk in your purpose. Walk in your call. You cannot hold back any longer. The gifts, talents, and abilities that God has placed in you must come forth. Stop hiding your gift. Stop hoarding your talent. God wants to shine through you so that the world will see and know that He is God. Let His Light shine through you.

Maybe, God gave you that position for such a time as this. Maybe, God gave you that role for such a time as this. Maybe, God has given you influence for such a time as this. Maybe, God gave you that platform for such a time as this. Maybe, God gave you that board seat for such a time as this. Whatever the case, use the gifts, talents, abilities, platforms, influence, and resources for such a time as this. Choose to obey Christ. Choose to Glorify God. Choose to move forward in your purpose and destiny. Don’t let your purpose die in the wilderness. You were called to do more. You were called to lead. Speak up. You were called for such a time as this.

Our Daily Bread

I have loved you with an everlasting love………Jeremiah 31:3

Nora was tiny, but “Bridget”—the belligerent, six-foot-tall woman glowering down at her—didn’t intimidate her. Bridget couldn’t even say why she had stopped at the crisis pregnancy center; she’d already made up her mind to “get rid of this . . . kid.” So Nora gently asked questions, and Bridget rudely deflected them with profanity-laced tirades. Soon Bridget got up to leave, defiantly declaring her intent to end her pregnancy.

Slipping her small frame between Bridget and the door, Nora asked, “Before you go, may I give you a hug, and may I pray for you?” No one had ever hugged her before—not with healthy intentions, anyway. Suddenly, unexpectedly, the tears came.

Nora beautifully reflects the heart of our God who loved His people Israel “with an everlasting love” (Jeremiah 31:3). The people had stumbled into the hard consequences of their persistent violation of His guidelines. Yet God told them, “I have drawn you with unfailing kindness. I will build you up again” (vv. 3-4). Bridget’s history is complex. (Many of us can relate.) Until she ran into real love that day, her belief had been that God and His followers would only condemn her. Nora showed her something different: the God who won’t ignore our sin because He loves us beyond imagination. He welcomes us with open arms. We don’t have to keep running.

By Tim Gustafson

REFLECT & PRAY:
Father, I so often take Your incredible love for granted. Forgive me, and help me to reflect that love to someone today.

Is there One Thing that makes a difference in a marriage?

I was talking to my pastor one day, and he asked me an interesting question. He said, “Is there something you think always makes a difference in a marriage?” My answer was yes. That “thing” is prayer. Most of you know that I consistently encourage couples to pray together. It changes the way we look at each other, our marriage, life in general, and God. I have seen prayer turn a marriage at the end of a rope completely around.

For those of you who have been around Awesome Marriage for any amount of time, I hope you are praying together every day. Last week I was talking to a husband and wife who agreed that praying together has made a huge difference for them. In the middle of the conversation, I asked them how often they pray for their marriage. It was not a setup question. I was just curious, but their answer surprised me. The husband said, “When we were struggling, our marriage was about all we did pray for, but now that things are better, we don’t pray for our marriage at all.” As I reflected on his answer, I realized how typical his response was. We pray about something when we are in a crisis; then as the crisis lifts, we move on to something else. Here are my thoughts: Marriage is the second most important relationship you will ever have. We live in a culture that is constantly attacking marriage. Why would we not pray for our marriage every single day?

Today’s One Thing:
Today begin to pray for your marriage daily!

If you like these series of tips and want to receive your One Thing Email please sign up at http://awesomemarriage.com/onething (It’s free!)

Bulletin

Surrender

August 16, 2020

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Our Daily Bread

We were . . . buried with him……..Romans 6:4

For twenty-nine years after World War II ended, Hiroo Onoda hid in the jungle, refusing to believe his country had surrendered. Japanese military leaders had dispatched Onoda to a remote island in the Philippines (Lubang) with orders to spy on the Allied forces. Long after a peace treaty had been signed and hostilities ceased, Onoda remained in the wilderness. In 1974, Onoda’s commanding officer traveled to the island to find him and convince him the war was over.

For three decades, Onoda lived a meager, isolated existence, because he refused to surrender—refused to believe the conflict was done. We can make a similar mistake. Paul proclaims the stunning truth that “all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death” (Romans 6:3). On the cross, in a powerful, mysterious way, Jesus put to death Satan’s lies, death’s terror, and sin’s tenacious grip. Though we’re “dead to sin” and “alive to God” (v. 11), we often live as though evil still holds the power. We yield to temptation, succumbing to sin’s seduction. We listen to lies, failing to trust Jesus. But we don’t have to yield. We don’t have to live in a false narrative. By God’s grace we can embrace the true story of Christ’s victory.

While we’ll still wrestle with sin, liberation comes as we recognize that Jesus has already won the battle. May we live out that truth in His power….By Winn Collier

REFLECT & PRAY:
Jesus, I know You’ve won the battle over evil and darkness. Would You help me to live this out?

Just move your mouth (Devotional)
Credit: Pete Briscoe of www.tellingthetruth.org

It is better to lose your pride with someone you love rather than to lose that someone you love with your useless pride. — John Ruskin

Have you ever noticed that 1 Corinthians 13 tells you two things about what love is:
Love is patient, love is kind. (13:4a)

And it tells you five things regarding what love is not:
[Love] does not envy,
it does not boast,
it is not proud.
It does not dishonor others,
it is not self-seeking. (13:4-5a)

The list continues; but if we pause there, it’s easy to see that love doesn’t put self first. It’s our new marriage mantra: In love, choose to lose.

Through years of providing marriage counseling to couples, I’ve noticed pride exists in most marriages—through one or both spouses. The word Paul uses for “pride” is the Greek Physioō. Physioo is having an inflated view of your own intellect and reason.

If you were a physioo man, you might think, Wow, she’s so lucky to have me! A physioo woman might say to herself, I wonder what would have become of him if he hadn’t hooked up with me? Physioo men and women both struggle with the words, “I’m sorry.”

If that’s you, then practice them this week in the mirror. Start simply. Just move your mouth; make the muscles work. Practice and repeat; practice and repeat. You’ll soon find that there are very few sentences that have a more powerful impact on a marriage than “I’m sorry.” For a more advanced version, you can add the words, “And I was wrong.” And if you want to take it all the way, sincerely and humbly add, “Please forgive me.”

Baby steps, my friends, because even baby steps take you places. If you desire to have a marriage that breaks out and grows, then pride must go.

God, I pray the language of repentance that ushered me into Your Kingdom would become the native language of my marriage. You promise that when I lack the words, Your Spirit will give them to me; when I struggle to speak, Your Spirit will make me bold. I ask that my apologies would be bold and often—that these apologies would be poison to any pride in my character. Amen.

Reflection:

1) Where can I let my spouse win in our marriage?

2) Is there anything I need to apologize for to my spouse?

3) In what way can I serve my spouse this week?

Do you know someone struggling in their marriage?

Most of us know at least one couple who is struggling in their marriage. Many of us know more than that. I talk a lot about the epidemic of infidelity in marriages and the harm it causes. Some of you have gone through it; some may be going through it now.

Infidelity saddens me, but I’m encouraged to see more couples than ever fighting to save and rebuild their marriages after an affair. I believe those of us whose marriages are healthy today have a two-fold calling: (1) We are to serve as marriage “lights” in this dark world, and (2) we should come together to pray for those whose marriages are struggling. That’s what I would like for us to do today. If your marriage is good today, join me in praying. If your marriage is struggling, join us in prayer—and know that we are also praying for you!

Today’s One Thing:

Pray together for miraculous healing in struggling marriages today!

If you like these series of tips and want to receive your One Thing Email please sign up at http://awesomemarriage.com/onething (It’s free!)

Bulletin

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Do you know someone struggling in their marriage?