Rhythms of Grace

Emmaus Road Community Church Rhythms of Grace—Adopt a Ministry in Prayer Until December 31, 2022

Ministries at Emmaus Road Community Church: Discipleship/Journey Groups Kid’s Klubhouse Youth Ministries Pastoral staff Connections/Outreach Elders Rhythms of Grace Prayer Ministry Worship Team Tech Team Greeters/Hospitality Missions Facilities

Would you consider praying for one or more of the ministries of Emmaus Road weekly (or more as the Holy Spirit directs you) until the end of 2022? Prayer starter:    Father, I come today asking for more of Your Holy Spirit in the _________ministry of Emmaus Road Community Church.  Fill each leader and each disciple afresh with the presence and power of the Holy Spirit.  Help each one to be increasingly radical in putting to death our sinful natures that the Lordship of Jesus might be fully established and there is greater room for the work of the Holy Spirit in our hearts and in our church.  (add your own prayers as you are led…)

The Rhythms of Grace team is continuing to seek the Lord for wisdom in calling Emmaus Road Community Church to be a “house of prayer for all nations.” (Isa. 56:7) Please join us in this prayer. We would love to have several others join our team as we mobilize the saints in prayer. If you feel a calling from God to join us, please email us for more information: rhythmsofgrace721.com

Ways to get involved:

Corporate prayer : Sundays, 8:15am Church Sanctuary

Weekly prayer conference call: Wednesdays, 8:30am, dial: 717-908-1948 access code: 775792# *6 to mute/unmute

Learn more about prayer: We have a subscription to PrayerU, a comprehensive “school of prayer” that includes videos and other helpful prayer resources. We invite you to set up a free subscription by clicking here.

Submit a prayer request or join our team to pray for the requests of others: We have a team ready to pray for you. Requests can be sent to thericksjourney@gmail.com

1 Thessalonians 5:17-18 NIV

¹⁷ pray continually, ¹⁸ give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Prayers for Our Pastors

Lord, I come to You on behalf of the Pastors of our community today.  I pray that each one will dwell in the shelter of the Most High and rest in the shadow of the Almighty.  May their declaration be: “Lord, YOU are my refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust.”  (Psalm 91:1-2)

Lord, help each Pastor in our community to trust in You with all of their heart and not to lean on their own understanding.   Help them to submit to You in all of their ways so that You can make their paths straight. (Proverbs 3:5,6)

Lord, I pray that the Pastors of our community would  come together in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ . Bring Holy Spirit agreement with no divisions among them so that they would be perfectly united in mind and thought for the sake of the fulfillment of Your Great Commission. (1 Corinthians 1:10)

Lord, help the Pastors of our community to present themselves to You as those approved, workers who are not ashamed but who correctly handle the word of truth. (2 Timothy 2:15)

Lord, thank You for Your faithfulness!  Please strengthen each Pastor in our community and protect them and all that concerns them from the evil one. (2 Thessalonians 3:3)

Lord, fill our Pastors with joy and peace as they place their trust in You each day.  Cause them to overflow with hope by the Holy Spirit  that will draw others to you.  Empower them to be bearers of Your Good News. (Romans 15:13)

(add your own prayers…)  In Jesus’ Name, AMEN.

We are beginning this post to record the great things the Lord is doing in our midst. The Lord is great and GREATLY TO BE PRAISED! Ask Him to open the eyes of your heart and to reveal Himself to you. If you have a “God sighting” to report in the form of a “glory story”, please send it to rhythmsofgrace721@gmail.com. Even just a few sentences of testimony can encourage someone else.

“Glory Story” #1: During the preparation for our recent Day of Prayer for Emmaus and the World on November 13, 2021, I knew that the Lord was asking me to seek Him and to write a prayer “guide” to mobilize others in prayer. I wrote a draft and then shared it with our intercessory team for additions and corrections. But when I went to write the final edition, something precious and supernatural happened. I could feel the manifest presence of the Lord in a very tangible way. He just showed up and I found myself with hands raised at my computer in pure worship of my Abba. I could feel His pleasure and even His anticipation of meeting with His people on that day. At the end of the day, when we gathered in prayer with the Elders, I again could feel His pleasure in our sanctuary. All I can say is “WOW! Lord, You are so good!” ~Gina

“Glory Story” #2: When Emmaus Road Community Church was launched back in 2003, we used to sing a particular song…”Did you feel the mountains tremble…?” I felt them tremble a few Sundays ago when the children led the congregation in the singing of Joy to the World. The congregation was in full voice. I felt the Spirit of God in our presence. I felt His pleasure—there was a true joy coming from our hearts. We were exalting our Lord together and it was powerful. I love having the children participate up front, although it’s not something we can do every Sunday. When we do though, the purity of their worship is palpable. Did you feel the mountains tremble? I did. ~Carol

Praying in Jesus’ Name

Written by Carol Kobulnicky

“…no one comes to the Father except through me.” – Jesus (John 14:6)

“Jesus Christ has brought every need, every joy, every gratitude, every hope of men before God. He accompanies us, and brings us into the presence of God.” – Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Last fall, our church small group (aka Journey Group) studied the book, Love to Pray: A 40-day Devotional for Deepening Your Prayer Life by Alvin Vandergriend. This summer, our Fellowship of Christian Graduate Students here at the U of Wyoming studied it as well. In addition to the book, there is a DVD featuring high quality speakers who know much more about prayer than I do. We watched those too. I will read the book again, as I know I will continue to learn more. It’s so rich with God’s truth about prayer and it’s filled with prayer prompts and actions to take in response to these truths. 

What does it mean that we pray in Jesus’ name? Jesus tells us that it is only through Him that we can approach God, the Father. In the Book of Hebrews, we are instructed to “approach the throne of grace with confidence so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16) The only reason we can confidently enter the throne room of the King is because of Jesus and what He’s done for us. 

The author of Love to Pray lays it out so clearly in three points: 

1. As believers, we come to the Father not because of our own accomplishments, but on the basis of Christ’s merit. He paid the price for our sins by living a perfect life and laying down His life as a perfect sacrifice. When we pray to the Father, we are identifying with Jesus. 
2. We’re also “authorized to be Christ’s representatives”—given permission to act in His place. 
3. And last, we come to the throne “in accord with Christ’s will.” With the mind of Christ in us, by the power of the Holy Spirit, we have the ability to ask what He would. 

Heavenly Father, 

You are holy O God. You welcome us to your throne and you promise to hear and respond. We thank you for this amazing access to you. We are in awe that our faith in Jesus and in His life and sacrifice makes this possible. Let us never take this for granted. Help us to truly have the mind of Christ. We know that you desire to hear our prayers, even though you know our thoughts. You want us to ask, and to ask again on behalf of ourselves and others, to impact your world. You don’t grow tired of us. Thank you.

In Jesus’s authority, on the basis of His merit and in accordance to His will, we pray. Amen.

written by Gina Gibson

Psalm 59:9 You are my strength, I watch for you; you, God are my fortress…

Let’s be honest…the world we live in right now seems like what some would call “a hot mess!”  It is easy to “watch” the world events and become very discouraged.  But notice that the Psalmist says he is “watching” for God.  I encourage you to take your eyes off the world and spend some extra time with the Lord.  I know it can be hard in a world that demands our time for work, family, and other responsibilities.  Be intentional in taking some time to just be silent with the Lord and then ask Him to open your eyes to “see” what He is doing.

Several weeks ago, while in a prayer time with friends, I could “see” a picture of a runner.  When my daughter Jessica was in high school and college, she was a champion runner.  She was intense when she was in a race and it made her a winner.  The Lord reminded me that a good runner gets in their zone (mentally), stays in their lane(physically), and keeps their eyes on the finish line.  We are runners, too, but in a spiritual race.  This is what Paul tells us…Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win.  1 Corinthians 9:23

Ask God to help you stay focused.  Ask God to open your spiritual eyes and to help you watch for Him.  I think you will be surprised at what you will “see”!

Prayer: Lord, as we wait upon You, help us to be ever “watching” for You.  We know that You are at work in Your Church and in our lives.  Most days we feel like we only see through a “peephole.”  Open our spiritual eyes in a wider way so that we can see more clearly what You are doing.  We want to agree with You!  In Jesus’ Name, AMEN

Written by Carol Kobulnicky

If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! —Matthew 7:11

I was recently in need of an electric knife—to cut upholstery foam to redo the cushions in my 28-year-old couch. I was sad I hadn’t saved an old electric knife I could have had from my mom when she recently scaled down her belongings. I tried not to dwell on that. I asked God if He would be willing to provide one. Afterward I felt compelled to go and look at our local Goodwill. It felt like a long shot in our relatively small town but I believed God would provide it if He chose to. I searched the shelf with kitchen electronics. Lots of crockpots, a rice maker…but no electric knife. 

I walked away slowly and decided to look around. I found myself glancing down into the deep bins that hold a multitude of plasticware. I told God I was fine with not finding an electric knife, and that I knew I could purchase a regular bread knife to devote to the cause, even if it would be inferior for the job. Then I suddenly looked up and saw a complete Cuisinart electric knife set sitting precariously on the four corner edge of the bins. I laughed out loud!  At other times in my life, I may have thought: “I can’t believe it!” But the reality is that I could believe it, I did then and I do now. I believe God provided that electric knife for me. 

I bought it for $8. It’s as good as new and lists for $175 new on Amazon. It feels extravagant. 

As I continue to reflect on this answer to prayer, I am realizing deep down in my soul that God truly delights in giving good things to His children. I am moved to realize more deeply than ever that God cares about my little life. My ask was nothing like some prayers that I continue to pray—for spiritual and physical needs for myself and my family—far more important prayers. This electric knife ask was a simple, conversational prayer. I believed God could provide this for me—not that He should—and that He was capable of orchestrating it. I know I feel Him smiling. My faith grew that day because of that one little prayer and how God decided to answer it.

And one more thing, when I think of that electric knife that was my mom’s—we donated it to a Goodwill back in my hometown in Wisconsin. It makes me smile to think it may be blessing someone else right now who was in need of it. 

Lord, I confess too often that I don’t ask. I have been guilty of having the mindset that You do not care for the little things of my life, but You do. I’m utterly convinced of that and I’m convinced more now than ever that You desire for us to ask for the little things—because in the same way that I would delight in getting my own child something they are wanting or needing, You delight in providing for us. Help me to trust in You more and more and to receive from You all that you offer. In Jesus’s Holy Name. Amen.

I was recently praying with a friend from Psalm 71 when the words of verse 2 inspired my prayer:

In your justice, rescue and deliver me;
listen closely to me and save me. (Psalm 71:2 CSB; emphasis mine)

My prayer that day became “Lord, sometimes I don’t even have words to offer to You. There just aren’t any words! Holy Spirit, help me to articulate the deep sighs in my heart.”

I had never really thought about asking the Holy Spirit to give me the words in those “wordless” times of deep sighing. I know that when I can finally articulate the “ache” in my heart (and sometimes it takes time) I can begin to find freedom. Identifying the ache and being able to wrap words around it causes a spiritual lightbulb of revelation to switch on. Job 37:19 assures me that it is right to pray this way:

Teach us what we are to say to Him; We cannot present our case because of darkness. (Job 37:19 NAS)

As I end today, it is good for me to remind myself that I serve a God Who not only hears me but Who LISTENS to me! The dictionary tells me that listening is “to hear something with thoughtful attention.” And on those days when the words are not quite there, it also brings comfort to know that He hears even my slightest sighs. Martin Luther said “God is quick to catch the sigh of the heart. (Commentary on the Epistle to the Galatians, 61) J.C. Ryle wisely stated, ““Fear not because your prayer is stammering, your words feeble, and your language poor. Jesus can understand you.”

Are you struggling with words in prayer today? Fear not, friend! Join the rest of us who struggle, too. Why not ask God for the words?

Sending spiritual hugs today!
Gina

by Carol J. H. Kobulnicky

Incline my heart to your testimonies, and not to selfish gain!  Psalm 119:36 ESV

O my brethren, do not seek to find in circumstances the explanation of prayerlessness; seek it where God’s Word declares it to be, in the hidden aversion of the heart to a holy God.  —A. Murray

Conviction.  There it is. I’ve been distant from God the past several days. Not to say I haven’t prayed at all—I have.  But it hasn’t been relational, joy-filled time spent with God.  That’s the kind of prayer the Lord desires for us.  That is the kind of prayer in which God transforms.

Never underestimate the power of a single verse of Scripture and/or a simple quotation.  Reading this from a daily calendar I have, prompted me to head first to Psalm 119 and then to research who this man was.  

The word “heart” is used 15 times in Psalm 119, and it refers to what rules the entire person—where our desires come from, our intellect, our feelings and our will.  Inclining my heart to God’s testimonies, to His Word means I’m going to align my will with His. It is casting myself on Christ to be transformed and to do His will. And it’s something we need to continually do. 

Andrew Murray (1828-1917) was a faithful servant of God whose life prayer was, “May not a single moment of my life be spent outside the light, love, and joy of God’s presence.”(1)  His faithful service includes 60 years of ministry in South Africa, including founding, and teaching in, theological seminaries for men and women, as well as writing more than 200 books and tracts on Christian ministry and spirituality.  

When I think about what fruit my life is bearing, I agree with Murray that to do so requires that I continually cast myself on Christ.

Father, help me to incline my heart fully to Your testimonies, to what you say, to Your Word—to cast my life on Christ. Forgive me for times when I blame circumstances and allow them to pull me away.  Help me to truly delight in You. May not a single moment of my life be spent outside the light, love and joy of Your presence.  In Jesus’s Name. Amen.

(1) Andrew Murray: Leading student in Christ’s school of prayer. Christian History. Christianity Today online. URL: https://www.christianitytoday.com/history/people/innertravelers/andrew-murray.html

Exodus 33:11 Thus the LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend.

In a recent personal time with the Lord, I was considering what it means to “submit” to Him. As I often do, I wrote the word “SUBMIT” down the side of my journal page and sought some words as an acrostic. This is what I wrote:

S tay

U nder the

B est shade

M aking God your

I ntimate friend and

T rusting Him

This really started me thinking about what it means to have God as an INTIMATE Friend. The dictionary tells me that “intimate” means, “closely acquainted; familiar, close.” I asked myself, “Am I closely acquainted with God?”

A few weeks ago, the Lord spoke to my heart and said, “I am the Fountain without a cap.” I understand that to mean that I can be as closely acqainted and intimate in our friendship as I desire. That really thrills me, but I also realize my responsibility in this friendship.

When I want to develop an intimate relationship with a human friend, I spend time with them. I have often sat across the table from friends in a restaurant and spent several hours sharing life. That has fostered intimate friendships.

I want that kind of friendship with God and even more so. It is amazing to me to think of the God of the universe calling Moses aside privately for some “face” time. (see the verse I shared above) It is even more amazing to me that He wants the same kind of relationship with me. I don’t know about you, but I can say that this very exciting for me!

Prayer: Lord, it is hard to fathom that You want an intimate friendship with me. You created me so that You could have fellowship and I long for that fellowship, too. Help me to know how to really foster an intimate friendship with You. I love You, Lord, and I thank You for the gift of eternal life that You purchased for me at the cross. I’m asking to know You more, In Jesus’ Name! AMEN!