Dover Assembly of God
1.5.2020 | Promises Found Through Prayer
Locations & Times
Dover Assembly of God
4790 Carlisle Rd, Dover, PA 17315, USA
Sunday 10:30 AM
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January 5, 2020
Welcome to Dover Assembly!
We are so glad you have chosen to attend Dover Assembly this morning. It is not by accident that you are here. We believe that God has allowed you to be here so that you might receive all that He has for you. We pray you are blessed as you allow the Lord to work in your life.
THIS WEEK
Sunday
9:00 am ~ Coffee & Donuts
9:30 am ~ Sunday School
10:30 am ~ R.O.C.K. Children’s Ministries
10:30 am ~ Worship Service
1:00 pm ~ Spanish Service
6:30 pm ~ Week of Prayer
Sunday—Tuesday
6:30-7:00 pm ~ Week of Prayer in Sanctuary
Monday
7:00 pm ~ Deacon Board Meeting
Wednesday
6:30 PM ~ FAMILY NIGHT
Saturday
6:30 pm ~ Saturday Night Spanish Service
UPCOMING EVENTS
Week of Prayer
We are going to start the New Year off like we do every year, with prayer. The Assemblies of God week of prayer begins on Sunday, Jan 5 and goes through Saturday, Jan 13. Mark your calendars! We will have evening prayer services Sun. through Tues., 6:30 to 7:00; Wed. services as usual.
~ Sun., Jan. 5 ~ Worship and Prayer (6:30-7:00)
~ Mon., Jan. 6 ~ Worship and Prayer (6:30-7:00)
~ Tues., Jan. 7 ~ Worship and Prayer (6:30-7:00)
~ Wed., Jan 8 ~Worship and Family Night services
~ Thur-Sat ~ Church will open during the day to come and pray at your leisure
Women of Purpose Annual Birthday Celebration
All ladies are encouraged to join us for our annual birthday celebration on Friday, Jan 24, 6:00 — 8:00 pm here at the church. Please sign up at the Women’s table in the upper foyer.
Women of Purpose Spring Tour
This year’s District Spring conference will be held at Christian Life A/G on Saturday, Mar., 21. Please mark your calendars for this date! More information coming!
Human Life Services
Join us on Sunday, Jan., 26 as Human Life Services will minister and share testimonies of women who have been helped by this tremendous organization! We will receive a special offering to bless this important ministry. Due to the possible sensitive nature of this service, parents, use your discretion as to whether or not you want your children to remain with you in the service. All are welcome to remain in the R. O. C. K. Room.
BODY NEWS
Annual Business Meeting
As we prepare for our annual church business meeting on Sunday, Jan. 19, we ask that you pray for the election of our new deacon board members. The following have been nominated and have accepted the nomination to run for our 2 open positions.
~ Mark Crumrine
~ Pete D’Agostino
~ Keith Housseal
PRAYER NEEDS
Please take time to review and pray for those on this list. Drop them a card or call to set up a time to visit. They will be blessed!
~ Gladys J.
~ Beulah S.
~ Phil & Murina S.
~ Marian T.
~ Olga K.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Jan 5-8 ~ Week of Prayer
Jan 7 ~ Deacon Board Meeting
Jan 19 ~ Annual Business Meeting
Jan 24 ~ Annual Women’s Birthday Dinner
Jan 26 ~ Human Life Sunday
Feb TBD ~ New Life for Girls
Mar 21 ~ Women’s Spring Tour
Welcome to Dover Assembly!
We are so glad you have chosen to attend Dover Assembly this morning. It is not by accident that you are here. We believe that God has allowed you to be here so that you might receive all that He has for you. We pray you are blessed as you allow the Lord to work in your life.
THIS WEEK
Sunday
9:00 am ~ Coffee & Donuts
9:30 am ~ Sunday School
10:30 am ~ R.O.C.K. Children’s Ministries
10:30 am ~ Worship Service
1:00 pm ~ Spanish Service
6:30 pm ~ Week of Prayer
Sunday—Tuesday
6:30-7:00 pm ~ Week of Prayer in Sanctuary
Monday
7:00 pm ~ Deacon Board Meeting
Wednesday
6:30 PM ~ FAMILY NIGHT
Saturday
6:30 pm ~ Saturday Night Spanish Service
UPCOMING EVENTS
Week of Prayer
We are going to start the New Year off like we do every year, with prayer. The Assemblies of God week of prayer begins on Sunday, Jan 5 and goes through Saturday, Jan 13. Mark your calendars! We will have evening prayer services Sun. through Tues., 6:30 to 7:00; Wed. services as usual.
~ Sun., Jan. 5 ~ Worship and Prayer (6:30-7:00)
~ Mon., Jan. 6 ~ Worship and Prayer (6:30-7:00)
~ Tues., Jan. 7 ~ Worship and Prayer (6:30-7:00)
~ Wed., Jan 8 ~Worship and Family Night services
~ Thur-Sat ~ Church will open during the day to come and pray at your leisure
Women of Purpose Annual Birthday Celebration
All ladies are encouraged to join us for our annual birthday celebration on Friday, Jan 24, 6:00 — 8:00 pm here at the church. Please sign up at the Women’s table in the upper foyer.
Women of Purpose Spring Tour
This year’s District Spring conference will be held at Christian Life A/G on Saturday, Mar., 21. Please mark your calendars for this date! More information coming!
Human Life Services
Join us on Sunday, Jan., 26 as Human Life Services will minister and share testimonies of women who have been helped by this tremendous organization! We will receive a special offering to bless this important ministry. Due to the possible sensitive nature of this service, parents, use your discretion as to whether or not you want your children to remain with you in the service. All are welcome to remain in the R. O. C. K. Room.
BODY NEWS
Annual Business Meeting
As we prepare for our annual church business meeting on Sunday, Jan. 19, we ask that you pray for the election of our new deacon board members. The following have been nominated and have accepted the nomination to run for our 2 open positions.
~ Mark Crumrine
~ Pete D’Agostino
~ Keith Housseal
PRAYER NEEDS
Please take time to review and pray for those on this list. Drop them a card or call to set up a time to visit. They will be blessed!
~ Gladys J.
~ Beulah S.
~ Phil & Murina S.
~ Marian T.
~ Olga K.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Jan 5-8 ~ Week of Prayer
Jan 7 ~ Deacon Board Meeting
Jan 19 ~ Annual Business Meeting
Jan 24 ~ Annual Women’s Birthday Dinner
Jan 26 ~ Human Life Sunday
Feb TBD ~ New Life for Girls
Mar 21 ~ Women’s Spring Tour
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January 5th, 2020 - Pastor Jeff Bender
Today is the first day of Week of Prayer. This doesn’t mean that we only pray one week a year. It means that we spend extra time praying for specific things.
Two weeks ago we talked about Promises Kept -- that God follows through on the promises He made to us in scripture.
However, many of those promises are conditional. By that I mean, the promises are kept in response to prayer.
Two weeks ago we talked about Promises Kept -- that God follows through on the promises He made to us in scripture.
However, many of those promises are conditional. By that I mean, the promises are kept in response to prayer.
There are promises that are only received through continuing prayer. We're going to focus on three of those things today.
There are countless things for which we pray, too many to enumerate here, but we will look at three of them.
a) Prayer for Souls
b) Prayer for Provision
c) Prayer for Healing
There are countless things for which we pray, too many to enumerate here, but we will look at three of them.
a) Prayer for Souls
b) Prayer for Provision
c) Prayer for Healing
The 10 Most Wanted cards we pass out yearly are just that, the Top 10 people that you are praying will come to know Christ this year. You may carry those names year to year, but the important thing is not to give up.
E.M. Bounds who wrote several volumes on prayer said this:
“Talking to men for God is a great thing, but talking to God for men is greater still.”
In Acts 2, Peter had just spent time in the upper room, praying. He was baptized in the Holy Spirit and then . . .
E.M. Bounds who wrote several volumes on prayer said this:
“Talking to men for God is a great thing, but talking to God for men is greater still.”
In Acts 2, Peter had just spent time in the upper room, praying. He was baptized in the Holy Spirit and then . . .
He proceeds to preach to them. He had been praying to receive the gift from the father.
What was it to be used for? Jesus tells us in Acts 1 . . .
What was it to be used for? Jesus tells us in Acts 1 . . .
The power or the gift of the Holy Spirit gives us the ability to share with other people, and it is ONLY through the Holy Spirit that we can have any effect.
Human might and energy is not enough to accomplish God’s work.
Human might and energy is not enough to accomplish God’s work.
This doesn’t mean we sit around and wait for God to do something. It means we keep praying, keep witnessing and keep living Jesus before them and trust God to do it.
One plants, one waters, God gives the increase.
One plants, one waters, God gives the increase.
When we pray for those who we want to know the Lord, we are calling down the power of heaven to touch their hearts and minds.
It’s not by our wisdom, our knowledge, our eloquence or our ability to answer any and all questions (although we should be ready to)
We trust that God (by the Holy Spirit) will use us, or what we say or do to reach them.
This is one of those prayers that we don’t have to know God’s will.
It’s not by our wisdom, our knowledge, our eloquence or our ability to answer any and all questions (although we should be ready to)
We trust that God (by the Holy Spirit) will use us, or what we say or do to reach them.
This is one of those prayers that we don’t have to know God’s will.
So when we pray for someone to come to faith, we are praying God’s will.
Andrew Murray another prayer writer said this:
“Each time before you intercede, be quite first and worship God in His glory. Think of what He can do and how He delights to hear the prayers of His redeemed people. Think of your place and privilege in Christ and expect great things. But beware in your prayers, above everything else, of limiting God, not only by unbelief, but by fancying that you know what He can do. Expect unexpected things ‘above all that we ask or think’”.
No one is above God intervening in their life.
Andrew Murray another prayer writer said this:
“Each time before you intercede, be quite first and worship God in His glory. Think of what He can do and how He delights to hear the prayers of His redeemed people. Think of your place and privilege in Christ and expect great things. But beware in your prayers, above everything else, of limiting God, not only by unbelief, but by fancying that you know what He can do. Expect unexpected things ‘above all that we ask or think’”.
No one is above God intervening in their life.
This is an excerpt from Christianity.com. It is based on something almost 200 years ago, but we believe God doesn’t change. The same God that worked 200 years ago is the same God who worked 2000 years ago. There’s no reason to believe that God is any different today than 200 or 2000 years ago.
George Mueller was not always a person of such great faith and good character. As a young boy growing up in Germany in the early 1800s, he often stole money from his dad. As a teenager, he sneaked out of a hotel twice without paying for the room. One time he was caught by police and put in jail. As a Bible college student, George loved going to bars, drinking, gambling, and being the life of the party. He also loved making fun of people, especially Christians.
One day, a friend invited George to go to an off-campus Bible study. He went only because he wanted to make fun of the Christians later. But to his surprise, he liked the Bible study. For the first time, he saw people who really knew and loved God. He attended each evening. Before the end of the week, he knelt at his bed and asked God to forgive his sins.
George's friends saw a change in him immediately. He no longer went to bars or made fun of people. He spent more time reading his Bible, talking about God, and going to church. Soon he found that his friends did not want to be around him anymore.
We talk about a changed life, a transformed person.
Not only is this evidence of what Christ should do in a new believer’s life, it is a prime example of how the person you least think would come to know Jesus can actually be saved.
George Mueller was not always a person of such great faith and good character. As a young boy growing up in Germany in the early 1800s, he often stole money from his dad. As a teenager, he sneaked out of a hotel twice without paying for the room. One time he was caught by police and put in jail. As a Bible college student, George loved going to bars, drinking, gambling, and being the life of the party. He also loved making fun of people, especially Christians.
One day, a friend invited George to go to an off-campus Bible study. He went only because he wanted to make fun of the Christians later. But to his surprise, he liked the Bible study. For the first time, he saw people who really knew and loved God. He attended each evening. Before the end of the week, he knelt at his bed and asked God to forgive his sins.
George's friends saw a change in him immediately. He no longer went to bars or made fun of people. He spent more time reading his Bible, talking about God, and going to church. Soon he found that his friends did not want to be around him anymore.
We talk about a changed life, a transformed person.
Not only is this evidence of what Christ should do in a new believer’s life, it is a prime example of how the person you least think would come to know Jesus can actually be saved.
We Christians usually say that God supplies all of our needs. We say that, but do we truly believe it?
Again using George Mueller’s testimony:
“The children are dressed and ready for school. But there is no food for them to eat," the housemother of the orphanage informed George Mueller. George asked her to take the 300 children into the dining room and have them sit at the tables. He thanked God for the food and waited. George knew God would provide food for the children as he always did. Within minutes, a baker knocked on the door. "Mr. Mueller," he said, "last night I could not sleep. Somehow I knew that you would need bread this morning. I got up and baked three batches for you. I will bring it in."
Soon, there was another knock at the door. It was the milkman. His cart had broken down in front of the orphanage. The milk would spoil by the time the wheel was fixed. He asked George if he could use some free milk. George smiled as the milkman brought in ten large cans of milk. It was just enough for the 300 thirsty children.
How many of us live that way, day to day? Do we take things for granted because we’ve always had them, or do we thank God for them just as if they were miraculously delivered to our door?
Again using George Mueller’s testimony:
“The children are dressed and ready for school. But there is no food for them to eat," the housemother of the orphanage informed George Mueller. George asked her to take the 300 children into the dining room and have them sit at the tables. He thanked God for the food and waited. George knew God would provide food for the children as he always did. Within minutes, a baker knocked on the door. "Mr. Mueller," he said, "last night I could not sleep. Somehow I knew that you would need bread this morning. I got up and baked three batches for you. I will bring it in."
Soon, there was another knock at the door. It was the milkman. His cart had broken down in front of the orphanage. The milk would spoil by the time the wheel was fixed. He asked George if he could use some free milk. George smiled as the milkman brought in ten large cans of milk. It was just enough for the 300 thirsty children.
How many of us live that way, day to day? Do we take things for granted because we’ve always had them, or do we thank God for them just as if they were miraculously delivered to our door?
God provides for our material needs through a job. He allows us to earn a living and exist here on earth.
The question becomes, does God provide or does the job provide?
If we believe that God provides, the job is just a mean by which he does that. If your job is taken away, then God will use another mean by which to provide.
God is the provider, not the job.
The question becomes, does God provide or does the job provide?
If we believe that God provides, the job is just a mean by which he does that. If your job is taken away, then God will use another mean by which to provide.
God is the provider, not the job.
You know the rest of the story, the widow had no food, so Elijah put her faith to the test . . .
Not only did God provide for Elijah like he promised, he provided for the widow.
And lest we think this was only for the Old Testament . . .
And lest we think this was only for the Old Testament . . .
So we have all been beneficiaries of God’s blessings. Whether we acknowledge it or not.
Imagine if we stepped out in faith and trusted God for more.
Imagine if we stepped out in faith and trusted God for more.
Nothing causes so much confusion as this. It is pretty plainly written, understandable, but it doesn’t always work out, does it?
One commentary says this about the verses we just read:
The prayer offered in faith, or in the exercise of confidence in God. It is not said that the particular form of the faith exercised shall be that the sick man will certainly recover; but there is to be unwavering confidence in God, a belief that he will do what is best, and a cheerful committing of the cause into his hands. We express our earnest wish, and leave the case with him. The prayer of faith is to accompany the use of means, for all means would be ineffectual without the blessing of God.
This means that since the Bible says we are to do this, we do it, we pray for those who are sick.
What happens after we are obedient, and keep praying, is up to God.
One commentary says this about the verses we just read:
The prayer offered in faith, or in the exercise of confidence in God. It is not said that the particular form of the faith exercised shall be that the sick man will certainly recover; but there is to be unwavering confidence in God, a belief that he will do what is best, and a cheerful committing of the cause into his hands. We express our earnest wish, and leave the case with him. The prayer of faith is to accompany the use of means, for all means would be ineffectual without the blessing of God.
This means that since the Bible says we are to do this, we do it, we pray for those who are sick.
What happens after we are obedient, and keep praying, is up to God.
God uses all means to heal -- doctors, medicine, etc -- because all of those would be ineffective if God didn’t bless them.
So we pray for the doctor's wisdom and direction and that the medicines work as promised. We ask God’s blessings on the means we use to be healed.
We have all heard testimonies and maybe some of us have had miraculous healings.
The point is, we are to pray without ceasing, because God said to and we leave the results up to Him.
So we pray for the doctor's wisdom and direction and that the medicines work as promised. We ask God’s blessings on the means we use to be healed.
We have all heard testimonies and maybe some of us have had miraculous healings.
The point is, we are to pray without ceasing, because God said to and we leave the results up to Him.
What we do know is that God does respond to prayer, we just don’t know how or when.
John Wesley said: “God does nothing except in response to prayer.”
It is no different with healing. It takes perseverance and unity.
John Wesley said: “God does nothing except in response to prayer.”
It is no different with healing. It takes perseverance and unity.
Thank you for joining us!
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