Bring Your Offering

Give to the Lord the glory he deserves! Bring your offering and come into his courts. (Psalm 96:8 NLT)

Today's meditation:

• Even in the tight spots, God is in control, and if we focus upon him instead of ourselves, we will see the light of his glory.

Pray today:

• For faculty and staff, especially for Emmanuel's leadership, to relinquish control to the Lord, to remember that Emmanuel College belongs to him.
• For faculty, staff and administration to bring to the Lord the greatest offering we have, namely ourselves, to worship and work in his name and for the glory of God.
• For the right perspective that looks to the Lord, recognizing our inability to see at times, but trusting his limitless view.
• And give thanks for being granted another year of provisional membership in the NCAA Division II.

Pray First! Pray Through!

Your Pathway

Your road led through the sea, your pathway through mighty waters - a pathway no one knew was there. (Psalm 77:19 NLT)

Today's meditation:

• God knows the path we should walk - even if it is not conventional or it seems illogical - and ours is only to follow it.

Pray today:

• For Emmanuel Colleges's final NCAA appeal today at 10:00 a.m., for those of us who make the appeal to have the right words to say throughout the process.
• For favor with the committee responsible for the final decision, for a decision that admits Emmanuel College to active membership.
• For God's will to be done regardless of what we think his will is, for faith and courage to face God's future for Emmanuel College. Not my will, but yours, O Lord. 

Pray First! Pray Through!

Great Calm

Jesus responded, "Why are you afraid? You have so little faith.!" Then he got up and rebuked the wind and waves, and suddenly there was a great calm. (Matthew 8:26 NLT)

Today's meditation:

• Storms bring destructive forces into our lives where wind and rain cause damage and where people suffer pain, but no matter the storm, whether literal or figurative, when we turn to Jesus, he speaks peace and calm into our spirits, helping us face any challenge that remains.

Pray today:

• For continued recovery from the destruction caused by hurricanes Irma and Harvey, for abundant resources to get to those in need quickly, for protection from future storms.
• For great calm within, no matter what we see, hear, or experience, for complete trust in Jesus who knows our circumstance, who sees our need, who is our help.
• For our faith to be larger than our foe, for perspective coming from a faith-view, God's point of view, for Jesus to rebuke our storms of doubt and debt, to change bad to good - suddenly.

Pray First! Pray Through!

Place of Escape

I would hurry to my place of escape, far away from the wind and storm. (Psalm 55:8 NCV)

Today's meditation:

• Whether the disasters we face are natural or man-made, we can find refuge and comfort by turning to and depending on our loving God.

Pray today:

• For the people and property of Emmanuel College as we face what is left of Hurricane Irma, for protection from harm, for peace of mind.
• For students, staff, and faculty to be protected from the dangers of the storm, for the storm to lose its power and intensity, for the rain and wind to be less than expected around the College, for no tornadoes to be spawned in our area, for the atmosphere to be calmed and returned to normal.
• For all the many people left in the wake of the hurricane who have suffered loss, for recovery to be quick, for both the victims of the storm and those who are working in disaster relief to find the strength and resources they need.

Pray First! Pray Through!

Another Place

When they finally opened the door and saw [Peter], they were amazed. He motioned for them to quiet down and told them how the Lord had led him out of prison. "Tell James and the other brothers what happened," he said. And then he went to another place. (Acts 12:16b-17 NLT)

Today's meditation:

• Where one miracle ends, another begins, that is, if we cover every challenge with prayer and continue to move as he directs.

Pray today:

• For the prayers for Emmanuel College, offered by so many people, to be answered by God's miracle in God's timing, for the miracle to come through the door of God's sovereignty, for release from the prison of debt, for our bondage to end.
• For the story of the miracles at Emmanuel College to be told, for these miracles to build the faith of others who need to be freed from their prisons.
• For the miracles at Emmanuel College, both in the past and those yet to come, to enable us to move to another level of service, to a greater place of influence, to an ever expanding and continuously improving mission and ministry for our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Pray First! Pray Through!

Amazed

[Rhoda] ran back inside and told everyone, "Peter is standing at the door!" "You're out of your mind!" they said. When she insisted, they decided, "It must be his angel." Meanwhile, Peter continued knocking. When they finally opened the door and saw him, they were amazed. (Acts 12:14b-16 NLT)

Today's meditation:

• How often do we pray obediently, but with little faith and even less hope that anything will change? Then, God shows up! Amazing!

Pray today:

• For the people of God to be faithful in their praying as well as full of faith, and to keep on praying for Emmanuel College, and if the door fails to open, to keep on knocking until it does or until he shows us a different door.
• For God to take us by surprise, to show up when we expect him to and even when we don't.
• For there to always be among us those who insist that the miracle is here, close at hand, standing at the door, for encouragement to the faint of heart, for amazement to lift our spirits because the miracle is ours.

Pray First! Pray Through!

At the Door

[Peter] knocked at the door in the gate, and a servant girl named Rhoda came to open it. When she recognized Peter's voice, she was so overjoyed that, instead of opening the door, she ran back inside and told everyone, "Peter is standing at the door!" (Acts 12:13-14 NLT)

Today's meditation:

• It's good to tell others about the miracle standing at the door, but even better to let the miracle in.

Pray today:

• For serious prayers and intensive prayer meetings for Emmanuel College, for miraculous answers and outcomes, for faith to believe that nothing is impossible for God.
• For overflowing joy in the wake of miracles, for each miracle to lead to more faith, more joy, and more open doors.
• For obedient responses, for the ability to seize opportunities, for proactive passage through the doors God opens, whether facing challenge or celebration, whether still looking for a miracle or having just been through one, never retreating, always advancing.

Pray First! Pray Through!