Pray Together: Pray for the many retired missionaries who’ve spent countless years service others.

WNAC lost a great friend earlier this week. Yvonne Hampton went to be with her Lord. She will be greatly missed.

As I thought about this saddness, I also thought of the joy. We have a blessed assurance that we will one day be reunited with those who have gone before us. Praise God for His promise.

Pray Together: Pray for safety for the leaders of our denomination as they travel many miles.

“Let all things be done decently and in order” (1 Corinthians 14:40).

As we labor with God through the local church, we desire to give of our time, talents, and gifts for His glory. We never want to quench the Spirit, but, we don’t want to cause any chaos as well. There has to be a sense of order, but not to the point we become so rigid that the Spirit is programmed out. Our calling in the church is to follow His leadership for the unity of the Spirit.

God has something for each of us to do and desires us to work together in peace and harmony.

Sue Winchester

Missouri

Pray Together: Commit to pray for each member of your Sunday School Class for a week.

“Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law. And if they learn anything, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in church” (1 Corinthians 14:34-35).

At the time of our verses, Paul was dealing with women who were causing much chaos in the church. They were being very disruptive in church with their outbursts and questions. If this was going to continue, Paul felt it was far better to just tell the women to keep silent in the church. It was going to compel husbands to become learned in the scriptures and affairs of the church so they could answer their wives questions at home.

Not every woman in the church caused problems, but the ones who did, Paul dealt with them according to God’s Word. God’s Word is always the final authority.

There have been times when women have had to stand in the gap when there weren’t enough men to carry out the work of the church. These women felt the call of God and God used them in a mighty way. I think back through the years of various women in our own denomination who were pioneers. These women didn’t dominate, they led by example. As you answer the calling of God in today’s church, ask God to help you make your contribution in a godly manner.

Sue Winchester

Missouri

Pray Together: Pray the TWG studies will make a life changing impact on lives.

“For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints” (1 Corinthians 14:33).

Today’s verse reinforces yesterday’s devotion. Paul was concerned that disorderly and unregulated worship would bring dishonor to the name of God. Men, as well as women, were speaking out of turn and doing things they felt God leading them to do whenever they wanted. Confusion was ruling the services and confusion is not of God. When God is invited to take charge of the service, there will be unity and harmony. If anyone truly feels God is revealing something to him or her, God will give them the discernment when and how to present it.

Sue Winchester

Missouri

Pray Together: Plans are underway for WNAC’s 75^th Anniversary Celebration during the 2010 Convention in Oklahoma City, OK. Pray for wisdom in this process.

“How is it then brethren? When you come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying” (1 Corinthians 14:26).

Along with the order of honor, churches both in Paul’s time and today have problems with exercising gifts with their congregations. There is nothing wrong with diversity as long as it doesn’t cause chaos. The last part of today’s verse helps resolve the issue. “Let all things be done unto edifying.” If what we feel led to do doesn’t build others up in the faith, we must pray for God’s Will to be done. There must be an orderly way of conducting church. In our calling in the church we will always need to be part of a solution instead of a problem.        

Sue Winchester

Missouri

Pray Together: Our WNAC staff: Danita High, Sarah Fletcher and Diane Conn carry heavy loads; let’s uphold them daily in prayer.

“But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God” (1 Corinthians 11:3).

The past two weeks we have dealt with defining the purposes of the church and how God intended it to be. The next two weeks we will be dealing with some issues that may tend to be a bit controversial. It was such controversy that caused Paul to address problems at the church in Corinth and possibly other churches he planted. There may be churches today that may be struggling because of these same problems. God has always had a plan to avoid problems. His ways and plan do not change with the times.

When God instituted His plan of order, it was never meant to give less respect to women. It was, more or less, an order of honor. It was not to show who was going to be boss. If men and women are in Christ, there will be mutual respect. It won’t matter who is head because God is over all. Unfortunately, to some churches, in Paul’s time, it mattered. In some churches today, it is still an issue. When we fail to do things God’s way, we ask for unnecessary problems. Your calling in the church will depend on you doing things according to His plan.

Sue Winchester

Missouri

Pray Together: It’s not too early to pray about a unique way to celebrate Christmas this year.