Tuesday, September 28, 2010 40 Days of Prayer & Impact: 12 Days to Launch

Today, there are 12 DAYS before the Encounter Grand Opening on 10-10-10. We are asking you to join us in what God is doing in these last 40 days.

Pray with us. Act with us. Imagine the impact we could have in Helena if each one of us is individually involved in making Helena a better place. Imagine the lives that could be touched. Imagine how the spiritual landscape of our community could be changed even BEFORE the grand opening.

Does Your Heart Burn Within?

Today, we are looking at Luke 24:32 ...

They said to each other, "Didn’t our hearts burn within us as [Jesus] talked with us on the road and explained the Scriptures to us?"

I've been working on a press release for local Helena media to announce the upcoming Encounter Grand Opening on 10-10-10. The headline reads, "New Encounter Church promises to 'ignite' Helena" and I can't help but think of the disciples who were traveling on the road from Jerusalem to Emmaus after Jesus was crucified.

Jesus appeared and began to walk with them, but they were unaware that it was Jesus. And during that walk, Jesus "took them through the writings of Moses and all the prophets, explaining from all the Scriptures the things concerning himself." Not until Jesus vanished, were their eyes opened and they realized He was Jesus.

Our hearts burn when we walk in His presence.

TODAY'S PRAYER

Our desire at Encounter is for people to encounter God — to experience Jesus firsthand. Does your heart burn within you as you experience His presence? Our prayer today is for God to grant us a burning heart which desires to see Him and know Him in each and every situation in your life — at home, at work, at the office, at the marketplace, at school, in your neighborhood, and in your church.

TODAY'S IMPACT

We firmly believe that God is not boring. In fact, it may be a sin to make God seem boring. If we are truly experiencing God's presence in worship, the scriptures will come alive to us and our hearts will burn within.

When is the last time you had a conversation like that with a friend? Instead of simply engaging academics and sharing information, speak of the way your life has changed — and is being changed — through Jesus. Nothing is more exciting than that fire that has been "ignited" within you.

We invite you to be a part of something greater than yourself. Connect with a people discovering what it means to follow Jesus in the context of real life. Our Grand Opening is just 12 days away on 10-10-10 and we would be honored if you could come celebrate with us.

Got questions? What to find out more? Contact us for some conversation over coffee.