Write a letter

Wednesday, March 18, 2020
19 of 40 Lenten Journey
Today's readings: Acts 4 and page 55
in Terry Teykl's book: Acts 29
larryjameson.blogspot.com

Dear Prospect, Trinity,
and Asbury Church family,

Good morning Church!

We are all coming to terms with
a new reality, and some of us
have it harder than others.
Each and every one of us
can do SOMETHING POSITIVE,
SOMETHING GOOD today.
We can pray,
we can read a chapter of  Scripture.
We can do one practical thing
today to help somebody.

There are a lot of children
in our three congregations,
and in our neighborhoods,
that have very little to do
because their routines
have been disrupted.

Here is something you can
do to be a blessing.
WRITE A LETTER TO A CHILD
YOU KNOW,   TODAY.
Put that in the mailbox.
Children don't get mail,
normally.  But these are
not normal days are they?

And to the children of our
churches, I encourage each
of you to write a letter
to an adult you look up to.
Do that today.
And put that in the mail box.

All of us can start a new
routine of putting at least
one letter in the mail
every day.  Take ten minutes
out of your boring day
and give those minutes to
someone who needs a blessing.

Yesterday, Sue and I
put labels on about
four hundred offering
envelopes.  I am working
to write a bulk mail letter
to every address I have for
the families of Prospect,
Trinity, and Asbury.
We all need to be reminded
to send an offering
to our church. If we all
give a little,
our ministries will
continue at Prospect,
Trinity, and Asbury.
In today's Bible reading
verse 33 says,
  "With great power the apostles 
  continued to testify to the 
  resurrection of the Lord Jesus. 
  And God’s grace was so 
  powerfully at work in them all 
  that there were no needy persons 
  among them."

Pray for me, and for the
key leaders at Prospect,
Trinity, and Asbury.
We are meeting on Zoom
this week to make plans
as a church to figure out
how we can lift up the
name of Jesus in the midst
of a national emergency.

Remember to call someone
in your small group today,
and also someone new who
lives nearby.
Be warm.  Be yourself.
Say, "I'm just checking in.
How are you doing?" 
God will open doors
for you if you do this.

Please share these daily
messages with your friends
and family.  Forward this
email to a friend
and encourage them to get
involved in the Neighbors
Network we are forming.

Prayer by Larry Jameson
Dear God, bless the parents
and the children in our 
neighborhoods. What they are
going through is very hard
for them. Bring them a word
of inspiration, and a sense
of hope that things will get
better.  In the name of 
Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Acts 4  (NIV)
Peter and John Before the Sanhedrin
1 The priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to Peter and John while they were speaking to the people. 2 They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people, proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. 3 They seized Peter and John and, because it was evening, they put them in jail until the next day. 4 But many who heard the message believed; so the number of men who believed grew to about five thousand.

5 The next day the rulers, the elders and the teachers of the law met in Jerusalem. 6 Annas the high priest was there, and so were Caiaphas, John, Alexander and others of the high priest’s family. 7 They had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them: “By what power or what name did you do this?”

8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people! 9 If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a man who was lame and are being asked how he was healed, 10 then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. 11 Jesus is

“‘the stone you builders rejected,
    which has become the cornerstone.’

12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”

13 When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. 14 But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say. 15 So they ordered them to withdraw from the Sanhedrin and then conferred together. 16 “What are we going to do with these men?” they asked. “Everyone living in Jerusalem knows they have performed a notable sign, and we cannot deny it. 17 But to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people, we must warn them to speak no longer to anyone in this name.”

18 Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John replied, “Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges! 20 As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.”

21 After further threats they let them go. They could not decide how to punish them, because all the people were praising God for what had happened. 22 For the man who was miraculously healed was over forty years old.

The Believers Pray
23 On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them. 24 When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. “Sovereign Lord,” they said, “you made the heavens and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. 25 You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David:

“‘Why do the nations rage
    and the peoples plot in vain?
26 The kings of the earth rise up
    and the rulers band together
against the Lord
    and against his anointed one.’

27 Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. 28 They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen. 29 Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. 30 Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”

31 After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.

The Believers Share Their Possessions
32 All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. 33 With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all 34 that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales 35 and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need.

36 Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means “son of encouragement”), 37 sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet.