Prayers have been answered again this week. We have been praying that God would increase our donations toward the “One Mile for God’s Glory” Relocation and Renovation Campaign. Remember that our overall goal is $150,000 in donations coming from our membership and friends. Once this goal is accomplished, Mr. Walters, our benefactor, has pledged to match that amount dollar-for-dollar making our full campaign reach the milestone of $300,000. We believe this amount will sufficiently accomplish the full renovations for both Building #1 (Lower Building) and Building #2 (Upper Building). We have yet to project the cost for construction of the middle section (Building #3). We have received projections on the full construction of Building #3 in a range from $100 to $125 per square foot depending on how much of the work that will utilize outside contractors and how much we will be able to do ourselves.
 
God answered our prayers again this week because there have been donations in access of $8,500 received to be applied to the Campaign. Last Sunday, we received the largest single donation given to date toward the Campaign and it came from someone who is not a member of the church and did not make a pledge to the campaign. Remember, our membership pledged only 57% of the total $150,000 goal. To date, 81% of the total $150,000 goal has been received. God has been answering our prayers and sending donations through our members and friends over-and-above what we originally projected. The power of prayer and the leadership of God’s Holy Spirit has proven to be at work over-and-above what we all believed was within our means. With God, all things are possible (Matthew 19:26).
 
On Monday this week, a man I know and pray with regularly greeted me with these words, “I am so thrilled with what God is doing at Grace.” He put his hand in my hand and left a crisp, brand new 100- hundred-dollar-bill. Then he said, “Put this on the new building.” God is more than able to do whatever He wills to do. It seems that our prayers are in turn with His will. The more we pray, the more people God sends and the results keep coming again and again. What further proof do you need.
 
Are you ready for more proof? We have been praying for God to lead someone to us who can grant a land easement for the purpose of connecting our sewage waste water to the Hall County Sewer System. For months, we have sent letters and asked for meetings with people who can work with us to accomplish this need. Without this easement and connection, we cannot proceed with the land disturbance permit necessary to complete the parking lot extension to the rear of Building #2. Without this connection, the entire project we have been working toward and praying about would be in jeopardy.
 
This week, God has again answered our prayers. We have received tentative approval from Mr. Darrell Wiley of J and J Foods, to proceed with detailed plans to connect our waste water system to the cul-de-sac below our property. This is a major victory for us. We have learned through this that God is in charge and is using community business leaders to accomplish His plan for our church. Listen to what Jesus says,
 
“Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 18:19)
 
Keep on praying! Keep on trusting! Keep on loving each other!

It’s Wednesday night and I’ve just returned home from one of the most powerful prayer times of my ministry. Wednesday evening is the usual time which we schedule our church wide prayer service and Bible study. These prayer services are always good and provide a regular opportunity for our church family to pray for our members who are having health problems. We always pray prayers of praise for the ways God is blessing our church and ask for those attending to share praises about the way God is working personally in their lives. We pray for special needs and for the many upcoming ministries our church is anticipating. For instance, we prayed last night for today’s worship service and for the sermon I will be preaching this morning. We also prayed for the Sunday School Leadership Team meeting that is going be held this afternoon at 6:00.
 
I always look forward to hearing people pray for God to do His work here at Grace. I pray regularly for our church and for our members. It is a great encouragement to me personally to hear folks pray for me and for others. There is power released throughout the church, when God’s people pray together.  Listen to this challenging word from God,
 
“Is anyone among you suffering? Then he must pray. Is anyone cheerful? He is to sing praises. Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the power offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him. Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.” (James 5:13-16)
 
Practicing that scripture from God’s word, less the anointing of oil, is what we do on Wednesday nights at Grace. YOU SHOULD JOIN IN! Praying with others on Wednesday night will make you feel great.
 
Last night, one of our number was facing a medical procedure today, Thursday, September 20. He was suffering in pain. He asked for prayer. People gathered around him, laying their hands on him and asked God to heal him and give him peace during the procedure today. Also, last night, one of our number was having great stress about a family situation. We stopped the proceedings and prayed for this one member, asking God to intervene, and answer that particular need.
 
Following the service, our Deacon Body met specifically to pray for one of our families that is dealing with a very difficult issue. Every deacon in the room prayed for this family. I heard every deacon pour out his love and heart-felt concern for the members of one of our dear families. I was moved to tears. We should not face life’s difficulties, temptations and attacks from the evil one alone. The prayers of the church should accompany us when hardships and trials come. It was a spiritual mountaintop for me personally and for my ministry to hear our people pray last night for one another.
 
Max Lucado says, “Our prayers may be awkward. Our attempts may be feeble. But since the power of prayer is in the one who hears it and not in the one who says it, our prayers do make a difference.”
 
Last night during our praying together, hearing your prayers made a difference in me. PRAISE GOD!

The spiritual strength by which Abraham was truly blessed of God was His faith. The Bible says that Abraham
 
“…believed God and it was credited to Him as righteousness.” (Genesis 15:6)
 
Believing in truth beyond your understanding is the central ingredient in having righteous faith. The writer of Hebrews defined faith as,
 
“…being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see…by faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what is visible.” (Hebrews 11:1-2)
 
That is what faith is. It is believing in God, believing in His truth, and believing in His word even though you cannot see Him or touch Him. You can, like Abraham, hear His voice speaking to you. You can see evidence of His power and presence in the things around you. You know His touch, when you read His word and pray, in spite of the fact that you cannot actually see His physical presence. Faith is a SIXTH sense that connects you to God in a way that is as real as using any of your other senses.
 
For the twentieth anniversary of Larry King Live, Barbara Walters interviewed the man who became famous interviewing others. She asked him direct and revealing questions. Two of the most telling responses came when she probed about fear and faith. Walters asked King, “What is your greatest fear?”
 
He immediately replied, “Death.”
 
This interview occurred in 2005 when he was at the very top of his career and had much to lose, but none of that mattered compared to the fear of death.
 
Her follow-up question was, “Do you believe in God?”
 
King stated, “Not sure. I’m an agnostic.”
 
Listen again to the Bible’s definition of Faith:
 
“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” (Hebrews 11:1)
 
The alternative to FAITH and Larry King type FEAR. I would rather have the faith of Abraham than the fear of Larry King. Let’s worship God today in faith that He is in control and ready to pour out His blessing upon us.

Labor Day is a national holiday in which we celebrate the blessing of good honest work. The Bible says,
“Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.” (Colossians 3:23-24)

I like what Snow White and the 7 dwarfs sang about their work:
 

I’ve known people who no sooner do they start a job they begin to complain about it. There’s always a problem at work with folks like this. The boss doesn’t listen. The people I work with are clueless. The pay is terrible. I think it is impossible to complain about a job and whistle at the same time. We need more whistling at work these days.
 
I heard about a mother who walked into her teenage son’s makeshift weight room and watched him work out on the bench press. After seeing him move through several heavy repetitions, she asked, “Why is it you can lift nearly two hundred pounds, but you can’t pick up your socks?”
 
It is amazing how often we miss the small things in our work. Our culture rewards the starting players with extravagance. The CEO gets the bonuses at the end of the year. Privilege goes to those at the top of the cooperate food chain, but God sees you and knows what you do. God is the one who is impressed by your quiet faithfulness. He sees your honesty. God is impressed by the joy you have inside when you do your everyday work and do it well. Listen again to what God says, “Whatever you do, do your work heartily as for the Lord…”
 
Enjoy your Labor Day Holiday. You deserve it.