One Voice, United in Prayer

By Gary Keith, Lead Pastor

On May 1, 2014, LBF will once again gather to observe the National Day of Prayer. My hope is to gather several Upland Churches together in one location and pray together for the needs of our nation and our cities and us.

Why gather? Why pray? It was our first President, George Washington, who said, “The twin pillars of morality and religion are essential to support a successful society.” And it was John Adams, our second president, who said, “The general principles on which the fathers achieved independence were…the general principles of Christianity.” 

But it is not hard to see that today our nation has drifted far away from the statements of our first two presidents. Are we a Christian nation? I would say “no.” We are a nation of tolerance towards all religions with a growing hostility towards Christianity and a removal of our religious freedoms.

So what should we do? I think we should gather to pray. And when our nation marks out a specific day to gather and pray – I think it would be good to take advantage of this time and participate with millions of people around our nation and pray.

God says He saw the end from the beginning (Isaiah 46:10). God is omnipresent and there are no accidents because all things are according to the guidance of His will (Ephesians 1:11). Do we believe that? Do we believe it when tragedy strikes or we see a nation falling far from God? Do we believe that God is sovereign like David believed? Check out David’s words in 1 Chronicles 29:10-12.

With all of this in mind I want to encourage us to not let our prayers diminish. Instead, let us come together with a strong belief in God and His love and provision for our nation, our city, and our personal lives. Let’s come together to pray and send God our requests as a gathered church and maybe a gathered community.

Let me end with the words of Paul: “Thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourself fully to the work of the Lord, because  you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”

Hope to see you on Thursday, May 1 for a time of prayer at 7 p.m.!

Prayer Team Ministry Becomes a ‘Vital Part of Daily Life’

By Debi Merry, Prayer Team Leader

Each new year is welcomed with hope and expectation, plans for prosperity and stewardship, and resolutions to break old habits or develop new ones. Last year, we heard about a lot of opportunities to serve as our leadership challenged us to move out of our comfort zones, find God at work in our community, and join Him. It’s been a year of discovery as we stepped out to try a variety of activities to serve our church family and our community. Many of us are seeking a place to serve as we answer the call of our Lord and our leadership.

On October 20 we rolled out the Prayer Team Ministry in conjunction with the message series on the same subject, “In Jesus’ Name.” Immediately I began to see God at work answering prayer. Members of our church family were quick to volunteer and commit themselves to loving others by serving them in prayer. I saw changes in my own prayer life as I prayed for the submitted requests. God opened my heart and sharpened my spiritual vision as those I prayed for became more than names on a list. Those names became people I care for and in whose lives I am invested. The Prayer Team Ministry has become a vital part of my daily life and my walk with the Lord. I’ve heard much the same sentiment echoed by other members of the Prayer Team.

Would you like to join us? The commitment is simple: attend one brief informational meeting and confirm your commitment to the Prayer Team Ministry. Check your email daily for prayer requests (most requests will be emailed to you on Tuesday) and pray in the comfort and privacy of your home. 

Would you like us to pray for you or someone you love? Please let us know! All prayer requests are kept strictly confidential. Your name and request is heard only by heaven and the Prayer Team as we bring your requests before the Lord.

We would love to hear about answered prayer as well! We want to rejoice with you and give praise to God!

How can you reach us? There are several options, so choose the one that works best for you. Use the K.I.T. card found in your bulletin each Sunday, email me at prayer@lbfchurch.com, or go to the LBF website, lbfchurch.com > Connect > Prayer, and then either leave a request or indicate your interest in volunteering for the Prayer Team Ministry and we’ll do the rest! 

“With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints”
Ephesians 6:18 (NASB).

Why Pray?

By Gary Keith, Lead Pastor 

Christians believe that God is all-powerful, all-knowing, and loving, even if through our personal experiences we find that hard to embrace. So one of the natural follow-up questions to that statement is, ‘Why pray?’ If God is all-knowing and loving, why do I need to pray? That seems like a good logical question, right? Let me take the next few minutes of your time to share a couple of possible answers to that question.

In addition to the belief that God is all-powerful, all-knowing, and loving, we also believe that God wants a relationship with us. In fact, we believe that God has called us into a relationship with people. And relationships – good relationships anyway – require communication. They require talking to one another. You can’t have a good relationship with anyone without good, clear, and honest communication.

For the Christian, prayer is simply communication between a holy God and you. And throughout the Bible we’re taught the importance and role of prayer. Let me share just a couple of passages that talk about the importance of good communication between you and God.

1. God invites us and commands us to pray. In Matthew 6:5-15, Jesus, during His well-known Sermon on the Mount, gives His followers some instructions about prayer. He starts off by saying, “When you pray…” This is both an invitation and a command to pray. Jesus points out that God is in control. Knowing this encourages true faith, not anxiety and worry. We are not to presume on God’s automatic care, but rather we are to come in trusting dependence to ask for what we need (Matthew 7:7-11). Since God is Spirit and we cannot see Him, our communication encourages our faith and develops our closeness and dependence. In prayer, in asking we acknowledge our dependence on God. 
2. God reveals Himself to us through prayer. When we talk with God we learn more and more about His character. We learn about how His perfect will is working itself out in our own life. Psalm 143:10 says, “Teach me to do your will for you are my God. May your gracious Spirit lead me forward on a firm footing” (NLT). In prayer we deepen our understanding of God, which in turn deepens our faith and desire to devote ourselves to Him on a daily basis. 
3. God invites us to bring our burdens and needs to Him in prayer. A New Testament verse I come back to often is Matthew 11:28, which says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest” (NLT). These are the words of Jesus and the way we come to Him is through good and frequent communication. We have a God who is more than able to bring help to any challenge we face – God is a spiritual and physical healer. Like any healthy relationship, we would do well to keep a line of communication open. 

“Our mission (at LBF) is to passionately pursue LIFE in Jesus, and to lead our neighbors to do the same.” Communication with the source of this LIFE is essential to becoming a person who is living passionately for Jesus.

There is way more to talk about when it comes to prayer, but re-read these three reasons and then ask God how you can grow in your communication with Him. He wants to talk with us and help us today we as pursue LIFE in Jesus. Let’s make prayer a growing part of our passionate pursuit!

Continuing “Praying with Power and Purpose” From Titus III

By Julie Fachner 

Ladies, if you would like to go deeper with God and see your prayers become powerful, this is the study for you. We will pray blessings over our children, husbands, and homes. We will also cover areas we women struggle with. There will be prayer for hurts from our past insecurities and fears, that we all feel but do not have the “know how” to pray for.

If you feel stuck in your prayer life and want to see change, this is the study for you. We will also learn how to give thanks to our Father for the goodness in our lives and for bringing change, as we learn to seek His voice and pray! We will learn how to hold up one another in prayer and journal our bi-weekly time together, as we back up our heavenly requests with faith to see God’s goodness and change that can come about. Won’t you join us as we start this journey together?

Led by Michelle Flint and beginning Wednesday, September 26, we will meet every other Wednesday evening, from 7-8:30 p.m. in Mont Vista 1 & 2.

Reflections: June 23-24, 2007

Our hearts go out to the families who lost loved ones through the terrible car crash on Hwy 395 this past weekend. For more information on this tragic accident click here.

Please pray for the families involved and for First Presbyterian Church of Upland.

This accident has also touched our own church family as we are grieving with the Libutti family who lost their son Nick and with Karyn Chudasama who lost her sister Becca in this accident.
Many of you are wondering what you can do to help. We urge you to be an encouragement and support to the families involved.

Cards and letters for the Libutti family can be mailed to Life Bible Fellowship Church 2426 North Euclid Ave., Upland CA 91784
If you would like to express your thoughts and prayers of support and concern for the families involved, please click the comments link below.