Virally
Going Global
September
7, 2014
Stetson
Memorial United Methodist Church
Sermon
Series on “All My Day: A Summer of Prayer”
Inspired
by Marcia McFee
Sermon
10 of series-
“Global”
Psalm
67 NIV Bible
Isaiah
56:4-8 NIV Bible
“Virally Going
Global”
Let
us pray. . . (Pray for God’s
illumination. . . )
Have
you ever seen the stuff they have on YouTube these days? Some
of it is pretty funny but some of it is really not very nice. Some of those
videos make fun of others where as some of them are pretty cute. You can
actually put something on YouTube and it just goes
crazy...some of those videos are like a virus and just spreads all over the
world with “likes” and such. There's one that come to mind and it is of this
cat. The owner asks if it wants a bath and the cat sounds as if it is saying
“no”...No, no, no, no, no... It is pretty
cute. But why does so much well...stupid or mean stuff go so viral? There are
some videos that have such meaning to it but humanity doesn't think it is
important enough to have it go “viral”...so to speak. Where is humanity's
priorities?
Last
week...I was saying all we have to do is just pick up a paper or watch the news
and we hear about bombings, war, famine, hunger, disasters, killings. . . the
list just goes on. And how it is a little overwhelming to me. I talked about
how God does have a plan and it begins with His people. . . it begins with
Christians. . . it begins with you and me. . . praying for others. We need to
remember those around the world and pray for them and what they may be going
through.
This
summer, we have been working though the prayer beads that were made and
learning a different way to pray...a way that helps remind us what we should be
praying for. I hope we have learned a few things as we have been going through
the beads on the string. Let’s see. . . the Gold Bead. . . which reminds us to
begin with adoration . . . .the bumpy beady. . . .that is to remind us to let
go and let God. . . .the embrace of silence with the “holey Bead” . .
. the
steeping stone bead. . . our journey of faith. . . the black...the black and
white...the gray bead...we are to bring our spiritual struggles to God. . . .and
the green bead, represents concern. . . not worries but concerns. Remember the
red bead from last week? We are to pray for the lovable and not so lovable
people in our lives. . . even those who do us harm. And last week we
talked about the three purple beads on the string...the ones that remind us to
pray for those “who are standing in the need of prayer.” And we are not
just limited to the three beads..they are there to remind us that there are
those who are needing...waiting...for our prayers for and about them.
The
next bead is the Blue Green/ Blue/ Green Bead. It is there to remind us to pray
for the world. God gives us a glimpse of what is going on in the world and what
we need to pray for by us watching the news and reading the paper. Now I myself
have trouble with this at times. I see all the evil in the world and I just
don't want to hear about it. I just want to block it out. But...but...how
can you and I know what is needed in the world if we hide from it. We as
Christians need to be “on top” of what is going on in the world around us
because we are not of the world but we are in the world and need to be part of
it only in the fact that it is in the need of our prayers.
The
scripture I read this morning is all about praying for the world. It is about
Christians...about you and me, praying for God's Kingdom come...here on earth.
This is a call to intercessory prayer for the world, not just those in our
circle of friends and family. We are praying for the nations and all people and
that they would come to know God as their God and Jesus Christ as their Lord
and Savior. We are calling for the nations to praise God for who He is and the
blessings He bestows. We are calling
down the blessings of God on all of His creation...We need to be virally going
Global in our prayers.
In
the book of Isaiah, chapter 56 verses 4-8, we hear about what can
and will happen as we pray of others and pray for the world.
Isaiah
56:4-8 New International Version (NIV)
4
For this is what the Lord says:
“To the eunuchs
who keep my Sabbaths,
who
choose what pleases me
and
hold fast to my covenant—
5
to them I will give within my temple and its walls
a
memorial and a name
better
than sons and daughters;
I
will give them an everlasting name
that
will endure forever.
6
And foreigners who bind themselves to the Lord
to
minister to him,
to
love the name of the Lord,
and
to be his servants,
all
who keep the Sabbath without desecrating it
and
who hold fast to my covenant—
7
these I will bring to my holy mountain
and
give them joy in my house of prayer.
Their
burnt offerings and sacrifices
will
be accepted on my altar;
for
my house will be called
a
house of prayer for all nations.”
8
The Sovereign Lord declares—
he
who gathers the exiles of Israel:
“I will gather
still others to them
besides
those already gathered.”
As
we virally go Global in our prayers, people and situations in the world around
us are changed. But there is a catch...it may not
happen in our time...in our vision...but it will happen in God's time and in
His vision. We just need to trust in His word... As I said last
week...maybe God will use our prayer to show His glory. As we persevere
in prayer God will hear and changes will begin. If we give up on the world...if
we stop praying because of what is seen in the temporal world, how can the
eternal things come to pass? If we concentrate only on the brokenness around
us...how can there be healing?
Maybe.
. . just maybe. . . as we pray for world, it will change. Perhaps if we
persevere in prayer the glory of God will be seen. My prayer
partners in Christ, can we agree here? Can we step out with one another and
pray for the world around us...not just our own backyard? Maybe if you and I
begin this journey others will join. Maybe just maybe it will be like that old
Faberge commercial “And they tell two friends and so on and so on and so on.”
Maybe we can cause our own virus as we virally go Global with our prayers. But...but...it
begins with you and me as we agree that the prayers of God's people will be
heard and God will act on His promises. Let's start a
virus for our God and our Risen Lord, Jesus Christ and see how infectious we
can truly be. Maybe just maybe, we too can hit over a million likes as we
virally go Global in our prayers. Perhaps others are waiting to share our
“Prayer Tube” on their “FW”...their faith walk with Christ... Perhaps maybe if
we just...
Let
us pray. . . pray about the world and it's people...
Amen
====
September
8, 2014
Isaiah
56:4-8 (NIV)
Psalm 67 (NIV)
Communion
&
Sermon 10
of “All My Days: A Summer of Prayer”
Summer
Sermon Series on Prayer
Blue
Green Bead – The World
children’s
message
- Mystery
Box – a bolt, a nut, and a washer
- they are not useful for their intended
purpose alone
- we need all
three to hold things together strongly
- the church is
like that – each of us has gifts
- named some of
the gifts of individuals – song, smile, faith, joy, encouragement, laughter,
prayer warriors
- the church
needs all of us nuts to be bolted together
- Jesus is the
washer . . . He washes us clean
- we need all of
us together
by Pastor
Ruth Foss
and sermon, “Virally Going
Global”
by Pastor Ruth Foss
sermon blog
meditation blog
“God’s Whisper” blog
Stetson Memorial United
Methodist Church
September 7, 2014
&
Luke
18:1-8 NIV Bible
Ephesians
6:10-18 Disciples’ Literal New Testament
Sermon 9
of “All My Days: A Summer of Prayer”
Summer
Sermon Series on Prayer
Three
Purple Bead – People You Love
children’s
message
- Mystery
Box – a bag of purple beads
by Pastor
Ruth Foss
and sermon, “Standing in the
Need of Prayer”
by Pastor Ruth Foss
Stetson Memorial United
Methodist Church
August 31, 2014
&
1 John
3:11-18
“More on
Love and Hatred” (NIV)
Luke
6:27-36
“Love for
Enemies” (NIV)
Hymn – “They’ll
Know We Are Christians By Our Love”
Sermon 8
of “All My Days: A Summer of Prayer”
Summer
Sermon Series on Prayer
Red Bead
– People You Love
children’s
message
- Mystery
Box – a stone with the word “unforgiveness” on it. . .
(from
exercise from book study, Having
a Mary Heart in a Martha World)
- God
wants us to forgive; God has forgiven us;
- ask
for forgiveness; forgive even if they haven’t asked
by Pastor
Ruth Foss
and sermon, “The Loveable
UnLovable”
by Pastor Ruth Foss
Stetson Memorial United
Methodist Church
August 24, 2014
&
John
17:6-19
Christ’s
prayer for his disciples
John
17:20-25
Christ’s
prayer for all believers
Sermon 7
of “All My Days: A Summer of Prayer”
Summer
Sermon Series on Prayer
Green Bead
– Your Special Concern
children’s
message
- Mystery
Box – picture of our cat Moe sleeping
- God
wants us to be at rest, at peace
by Pastor
Ruth Foss
and sermon, “A Weight Upon the
Heart”
by Pastor Ruth Foss
Stetson Memorial United
Methodist Church
August 17, 2014
&
prayer of
the people printed in the bulletin,
including
the following prayer:
“For our church
that it may be safe for all people
and an
active witness to the truth of Jesus Christ.”
Genesis
32:22-28 Common English Bible
Psalm
139:1-14 NIV Bible
Sermon 6
of “All My Days: A Summer of Prayer”
Summer
Sermon Series on Prayer
Grey,
Black and White, Day and Night Bead – Spiritual Struggles
children’s
message
- Mystery
Box – dog treats and squeaky ball
- God
gives us treats
- God
wants us to play
by Pastor
Ruth Foss
and sermon, “G.W.E.” (God
Wrestling Entertainment)
by Pastor Ruth Foss
Stetson Memorial United
Methodist Church
August 3, 2014
&
Romans
10:12-15 (GOD’S WORD Translation)
Luke
12:12-15
Luke
12:1-6 Common English Bible
“The Long
and Winding Road” The Beatles
Sermon 5
of “All My Days: A Summer of Prayer”
Summer
Sermon Series on Prayer
Stepping
Stone Bead – Journey of Faith
children’s
message by Ellen Alward Dickinson
reading
story – A Black Bear and Four Boys
and sermon, “A Long And Winding
Road”
by Pastor Ruth Foss
Stetson Memorial United
Methodist Church
July 27, 2014
&
Psalm
37:5-7 (Common English Bible)
1 Kings
19:9-23 (NIV Bible)
Sermon 4
of “All My Days: A Summer of Prayer”
Summer
Sermon Series on Prayer
Bead with
a Hole - Silence
children’s
message by Pastor Ruth Foss
- Mystery
Box - a blank space
- God starts with a blank canvas,
God fills in the picture until
a masterpiece
is created and we come home
and sermon, “Is Silence Really
Golden?”
by Pastor Ruth Foss
Stetson Memorial United
Methodist Church
July 20, 2014
&
Psalm
33:30-22
Psalm 25:1-3
Romans
8:30-32
Matthew
11:28-30
Sermon 3
of “All My Days: A Summer of Prayer”
Summer
Sermon Series on Prayer
Bumpy
Bead – Letting Go
children’s
message by Pastor Ruth Foss
- Mystery
Box – a broken set of prayer beads
- God
can make something beautiful of all the broken pieces:
- Dad
can you fix this? Yes I can. . .
and sermon, “In the Letting Go
We Find”
by Pastor Ruth Foss
Stetson Memorial United
Methodist Church
July 13, 2014
&
June 29,
2014
Psalm
105:1-6 Common English Bible
Exodus
15:1-3 The Living Bible
Psalm
89:1-18 The Message Bible
Closing
Hymn – “As the Deer”
Sermon 2
of “All My Days: A Summer of Prayer”
Summer
Sermon Series on Prayer
children’s
message by Pastor Ruth Foss
- Mystery
Box –
- Sabbath
rest, time with God outdoors, in nature
and sermon, “All My Adoration.
. . !”
by Pastor Ruth Foss
Stetson Memorial United
Methodist Church
June 29, 2014
&
June 22,
2014
Matthew
6:5-14
“Jesus
Teaches About Prayer” (NCV)
(including
Lord’s Prayer)
Romans
12:12
Ephesians
6:11-18
Sermon 1 of “All My Days: A
Summer of Prayer”
Summer
Sermon Series on Prayer
children’s
message by Ray Foss
- God
fills in the words we pray
based on
Upper Room Daily Devotional for June 9, 2014
Romans
8:26 (NRSV)
Romans
8:22-27
Upper
Room Daily Devotional
“Guided
by the Spirit”
by Milly
Ibanda
for March
and April 2014
- spontaneous
prayer, wait for God’s answer
(based on
Shanequa’s prayer for a puppy July 21, 2006)
opening
and welcome by Pastor Ruth Foss
and sermon, “Stop, Look and
Listen”
by Sally Drew
Stetson Memorial United
Methodist Church
June 22,
2014
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Contact me at Ray Foss for usage. See all 32,150+ of my poems
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