Teri is out of town so I took the opportunity to clean out some junk from the garage and give it a thorough straightening up . . . spiders – yuck!
I found some great (and not so great) stuff:
- “hey! I was lookin’ for that picture . . .”
- “my softball glove – awesome!”
- “now I’ve got two of those dealy-bobs!”
- “why was I saving 13 empty plastic jars again?”
- “hey! here’s our family cassette tapes of Christmases past”
- and “what’s this … a tape of an old prayer meeting?”
- “hmmm – let me play it and see what it is . . .”
So, I listened. The date of the tape was February 23, 2000. It was a tape of a prayer meeting from our old church in Southern California the Wednesday before about 50 of them drove 450 miles up to Placerville to be here for my “setting in” as the new pastor at Westside. The title of the tape was “Prophetic Words for Steve & Teri.”
Southlands (our former church) spent a whole prayer meeting praying for us and they brought the tape up with them when they came the following weekend. Man, I almost forgot how those people prayed!
It was very refreshing and encouraging, to say the least, to listen (and join in with) their prayers some 14 years later. I honestly don’t ever remember listening to it.
By the way: when you pray for your region, you ARE agreeing with the prayers of the saints that have walked before you – you’re not the only one praying for your city. What a blessing it is to pray! We come into agreement with – who knows how many others – who have prayed what you are praying for! God honors that friends.
Well, what did the tape say?
Here’s what our friends from Southlands prayed for us at Westside on that evening over 14 years ago:
They prayed that:
- that we’d be a prophetic people: hearing God and responding in obedience
- our church would look forward: and not be stuck in the past
- God would give clear steps of vision in order for Steve to lead
- that we would not be a clone of any one church – but live out God’s plan for Placerville
- that Jesus’ Name would be lifted loud and clear throughout the Placerville region
- that God would add mighty men and women of God to partner with Steve & Teri
- that limiting ceilings would be busted off of what we “think” God can do in the future and break off what limits us today
- that our church would be known for passionately loving Jesus in this region
- that our people wouldn’t be “stuck in the pews” but get out and represent Jesus
- that God would bring the broken and restore them, and bring the lost to find Jesus
That’s 10 for 10 folks!
God has fulfilled each one of those prophetic declarations over us!
That was one terrific prayer meeting!
I would say that I found a gem in my old garage. It reminded me that:
“it is The Lord who builds His church, not us.”
We are just the caretakers, one waters and another sows but God brings the increase!
So remember:
- God is good.
- He answers prayer.
- He is faithful.
- Jesus is Lord.
- His Spirit still moves, heals, restores, rescues, saves and brings us great joy in the midst of the storms of life.
- Let’s praise Him!
I love how Eugene Peterson puts it in The Message:
Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we’d better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. 2 Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. 3 When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls!
Hebrews 12:1-3
Never give up! Always look to Jesus – the Author and Finisher of our faith! And: Pray – Pray – Pray!!
I love you guys . . .
Steve 🙂