Psalm 27:14 (NLT)

Wait patiently for the LORD. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the LORD.

Psalm 33:4 (NLT)

For the word of the LORD holds true, and we can trust everything he does. He loves whatever is just and good; the unfailing love of the LORD fills the earth.

Psalm 37:7, 23-24 (NLT)

Be still in the presence of the LORD, and wait patiently for him to act…The LORD directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the LORD holds them by the hand.

I am a detail-oriented person. Some people call this obsessive-compulsive, organized, or even a neat-freak. Guess what? God is a detail-oriented person. That makes me go “Yes!” inside because that means organization and details are evidences of God’s presence in our lives.

Note: this doesn’t mean our homes aren’t dirty and the laundry is always folded, and the dishes are never piled in the sink, and our desks or personal space is always tidy. God’s details are all about paying attention to the people He loves—all of them! He’s the ultimate organizer when it comes to the details of our lives.

Psalm 37:24 reminds me of walking with my Mother and Daddy when I was a little girl—sometimes I would trip or stumble but if one of them were holding tightly to my hand, then I knew I would never fall down and hurt myself. That’s exactly how God is—He holds our hands so that as long as we’re holding on tight, we won’t fall down and hurt ourselves.

So where does patience fit in? It is pretty hard to escape the thing. God asks us to be patient with Him, just as He is patient with us. David says this over and over again in the psalms—that means it is something God wants us to “get.” When life is worrying us that is when we have to hold His hand and wait. Wait patiently in the face of any and every circumstance that is bigger than we can handle. Obviously, this is easier said than done. Even as I am typing this I realize that when a person looks for patience, one finds the perfectly irritating situation to test one’s responses. J It is comforting to know that as I walk, God is holding my hand.

Karyn Pugh

Tennessee

Pray Together: Many homeless people need our prayers as well as our helping hands.

Psalm 25:1-5, 29:3-4 (NLT)

“O LORD, I give my life to you. I trust in you, my God! Do not let me be disgraced, or let my enemies rejoice in my defeat. No one who trusts in you will ever be disgraced, but disgrace comes to those who try to deceive others. Show me the right path, O LORD; point out the road for me to follow. Lead me by your truth and teach me.”

“The voice of the LORD echoes above the sea. The God of glory thunders. The LORD thunders over the mighty sea. The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is majestic.”

I make it a point to read a Psalm every day—sometimes the same one for several days in a row. Psalm 25 and 29 are psalms of David. This means they were written by “a man after God’s own heart.” David is really good at putting into words the emotions that every person goes through at one time or another. David is also gifted in that he keeps the focus on prayer and praise. Even in his darkest hours, David praised God. I was driving to school one day, as I do Monday through Friday, and I was listening to the radio, as I do Monday through Friday. I have attached the lyrics to a song I heard by a contemporary group called Mikeschair. If you have the opportunity, find it on iTunes or look it up on an online radio. The song is titled “Let the Waters Rise.”

Don’t know where to begin
Its like my world’s caving in
And I try but I can’t control my fear
Where do I go from here?

There’s a raging sea
Right in front of me
Wants to pull me in
Bring me to my knees
So let the waters rise
If You want them to
I will follow You

Karyn Pugh

Tennessee

Pray Together: Pray for the many co-laborers in our WAC groups who are battling cancer.

“But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth” (Acts 1:8).

I previously mentioned about church being about community. However, our vision for the lost needs to go beyond the church walls and the area surrounding them. The church must have soul-winning and missions as part of its sphere of influence. The Great Commission should be as prevalent today as back when it was given. Our calling in the church is for us to have a passion for souls. It is great for churches to have big numbers. However, it is far greater for the church to labor for the salvation of souls and to make disciples. A church did that for you so you must be willing to do likewise. We can’t sing, “To the Regions Beyond” if we’re placing limits on where we personally are willing to go.

Sue Winchester

Missouri

Pray Together: Pray for Sarah Fletcher, TWG Editor, as she coordinates writers for the 2010-2011 Bible Studies.

“For we are labourers together with God” (1 Corinthians 3:9a).

Now that we are beginning to understand the place of our calling, it’s time to get to work. Our verse tells us we are to be “labourers together with God.” God calls and equips each of us with gifts and talents to further the gospel through the local church. The church needs willing workers. We are called to active duty for the Lord who is willing to work with us. Don’t get discouraged in your search for His Will for your life. You may find other tools of ministry while you zero in on something specific in service to Him. Our calling in the church is not for us to be a “pew warmer.” Plan on faithfully contributing your God-given skills to Him and His church.

Sue Winchester

Missouri

Pray Together: Pray concerning FWBIM’s new funding system. Convey to missionaries you regularly support that your giving will continue for as long as they are on the field.

“Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together” (Hebrews 10:25a).

We have touched on the call to assemble. We want to focus on the word, “together.”

Meeting together with kindred minds for the purpose of worship should set the church apart from the world. Sadly, the world seems to have crept into our churches. God intended the church to be about community and people joining together for public worship. Make it a matter of prayer if the church where you attend is not reaching out to the community.

Sue Winchester

Missouri

Pray Together: FWB chaplains rely on our prayers. The military is an open door for witnessing.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
(John 1:1)

In our verse for today, Christ is referred to as the “Word”. We shouldn’t ignore Him as we meet for worship. As important (and as trendy) as praise and worship are, these should never overshadow the teaching or preaching of the Word. Christ, the Living Word, should be the center of our church services.

Sue Winchester
Missouri

Pray Together: Pray today for Yvonne Hampton, former WNAC executive assistant, who is battling terminal cancer.

“God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.” (John 4:24)
This week we will expand on the points we made last week. To do so gives us an even clearer picture of how God originally wanted church to be. Today’s verse points out it’s not necessarily where we worship but how we worship. Our worship must coincide with God’s nature of being a Spirit. We need His Spirit to help us know how to worship. We want to please God with our worship so must be willing to learn more about Him and His Word. Can we do this outside of going to church to worship? I think not. I doubt anything the world would offer would meet this need. As God calls us to participate in His Church through the local church, we must desire to learn how to worship. Worship must be done “in spirit and in truth.”

Sue Winchester
Missouri

Pray Together: Praise God for the healthy, safe arrival of Madeleine and Emilie Price, twin daughters of missionaries Matt and Cristina Price. The girls are four weeks old today.