The Encounter Church ministry has come to a close. Read more here.

Thursday, October 7, 2010

40 Days of Prayer & Impact: 3 Days to Launch

What??!! Only THREE DAYS before the Encounter Grand Opening. 10-10-10 is so close now, I can almost taste it.

As we have been counting down 40 Days of Prayer & Impact, we have been hoping to prepare you to impact our community in a tangible way.

There are only a few days for you to join in with what God is doing through an amazing group of people. First, pray with us. Then, let's intentionally take an active part in seeing the spiritual landscape of our community changed even BEFORE the grand opening.

Becoming Right With God

Today, we are looking at 2 Corinthians 5:21...
For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.
About this passage, Oswald Chambers wrote, "Sin is a fundamental relationship; it is not wrong doing, it is wrong being, deliberate and emphatic independence of God." And therein lies our problem. It is not so much about the behavior, but deeper to our very being. We are broken. We are not right with God.

Too many churches seem to be in the business of "sin management." Trying to help people stop a particular behavior. There are religious rules and checklists to follow. But such an attempt is futile unless we address our very being. Instead, Encounter Church is founded on one central focus. Not an idea, but the person of Jesus. Because it is the person of Jesus that "became the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God."

We believe that when people encounter God, they being a journey of discovering who Jesus is. And as we draw closer to Jesus, He draws closer to us — transforming our very being into something completely new. He makes us right with God.

We are focused on being a Jesus-centered community of faith.

TODAY'S PRAYER

Are you right with God? Despite your sin and brokenness, have you allowed, accepted, trusted that Jesus was a sin offering for you? If not, your prayer today is to ask God to help you understand and trust in this simple truth. If you are having trouble understanding, pray for the opportunity to talk to someone who can help you come to terms with what Jesus has done for you.

If you have already trusted in this truth, you are made right with God. However, you would be lying if you are experiencing complete victory over the sin and brokenness in your life. It is a process and although you are no longer in bondage to sin, it can still be a struggle. Your prayer today is for victory over these sin issues, addictions, and struggles that you are experiencing. Ask God to help you break the strongholds in your life.

TODAY'S IMPACT

The same truths apply to those around us in our workplaces, schools, stores, and community. Your impact today is to open your eyes to the ones struggling around you. A broken marriage, an addiction, even bondage to stress are evidence of the sometimes unseen struggle that wages in our hearts. First, pray for those you encounter today as the need becomes evident. Second, you may even be able to speak into their life. You may be able to help them understand, that focusing on behavior is futile until Jesus makes them new. It is only then that they can be made right with God.

Join this Saturday as we serve our community for the Downtown Helena Kids Fall Fest this Saturday from 10am-2pm. Then, you are invited to step beyond yourself into something greater through Encounter Church. Come and bring some friends to the Encounter Grand Opening this Sunday at 5:30pm.

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