Dedication Devotional Guide

8/7/2019 Dedication Devotional Guide

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D EDICATION D EVOTIONAL G UIDE

Illustration by Sally Nurse

WESTPORT ROAD CHURCH OF CHRIST

.To God be th e Glory


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OUR DEDICATION DEVOTIONAL GUIDE

This devotional guide was written with the purpose of uniting ourentire church. Our desire is that our church family be focused inprayer and thought, together and united. It is our prayer that thework and expense that has gone into our new building will be usedfor the glory of God and this building be used to further His workfor His church here at Westport Road Church of Christ. We alsopray that anyone God sends through our doors feels welcomed andloved.

This is intended as a family devotional guide. As the buildingdedication date draws near, this 30-day devotional guide will help

our family focus together. Begin with Day 1 on Friday, March 18,2011. Read a devotional thought daily through to Day 30.

God has given us an amazing blessing and we are most grateful!

To God be the Glory!

The Prayer Ministry


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DAY 1

IS IT BIG ENOUGH?

The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands... Acts 17:24

What was our prayer ministry thinking when they chose thatpassage? Here we are, excitedly awaiting the day we begin meetingin a larger, newer building one made with human hands. Arethey reminding us that it isnt a temple? Its steel and wood andpaint and fiber; it isnt the dwelling place of God. It isnt thechurch; its where the church meets. So church buildings arenttemples, and are no more holy than our houses or workplaces places where the church spends even more time.

True, but probably not what they had in mind, and not what Paul issaying to the people of A thens, is it? He isnt talking about church

buildings at all. Hes looking at all those massive temples in theircity, and hes saying theyre not big enough! Gods presence cantbe constrained. Heaven and earth arent large enough to serve asGods temple. The building well soon be meeting in is not a homefor God, but a tool Hes provided to be used by His church forworship, teaching, fellowship, outreach and service.

Lord God, Thank You for answering our prayers and overcoming all

the obstacles that stood in the way to seeing this tool come tocompletion. Truly, You are Lord of the heaven and earth! Keep usunified and motivated to use it to glorify Your Name!

Arnis Pape is the husband of Connie and father of Daniel and Ann,and has served the Lord as our preaching minister since 1997.


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DAY 2

GODS PLANS ARE GOOD

For I know the plans I have for you , declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart .. Luke1:37

How often do you breeze by this passage? How often do youassume that His plans are actually your plans with the addedbenefit of a Divine Backer? Have you ever seen this passage, thenlooked at your life and doubted that it would ever happen?Sometimes I forget about this passage, about what it truly meansthat God has plans for me. They are not vague, half-formednotions, but detailed plans. Astounding, isnt it?

The Lord and Creator of the universe has detailed what He wantsfor you. And it is not a distant model of pure white that will be putin your life if you do what you are supposed to. It is an interactivemodel, full of warmth and life. He wants to be there every step of the way, wants to share in your every sorrow and your every joy.He wants to walk through the garden with us again. So He tells ushow to find Him. Our hearts cannot be kept distant when we pray.Ive prayed like that before, my words were true but my heart justwas not participating. Have you done that? Its time to let it go.

Whatever it is that you are holding away from God, hidden in yourheart, let it go. The Father wants and loves every part of you, andneed you to lay it all the good, the bad and the ugly at His feetso we can start fresh in the new life He wants us to have. Trust me,you wont regret it.

Mary Lira is the daughter of Jan and Danny Lira. She grew up atWestport Road Church of Christ and is currently a graphic designstudent at Harding University.


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DAY 3

SILENCE

But the Lord is in His holy temple, let all the earth be silent before Him... Habakkuk 2:20

I so often feel like Habakkuk. I look around me and see the chaosin the world and wonder what is going to happen to all of it. We aredeluged with constant noise from voices, traffic, television, internet,car radios - well, I could go on and on. We are assaulted spirituallyby the permissiveness of some of our societys practices and by thedisaster around the world that bring such sorrow and grief toinnocent people. And we battle our own private disorder as well:fear, busyness, lack of confidence, lack of faith. I sometimes feel,as Habakkuk did, great confusion and dismay.

But when I sit in silence before my Lord, and just listen to HisSpirit inside of me, I know that all is well. He is in control. When I

look through His eyes, I see the magnificence of the world He hasmade and the power He has in my life and the lives of His people. Iknow that the world is under His control and that He istriumphant. When I keep my eyes on Him, Im no longer torn downby the disorder around me; instead, I am at rest in His arms.

Dear Father, Thank You for the gift of silence and peace. Help us todraw near to You and quietly worship You. Help us to keep our

eyes on You and find comfort and rest in Your eternal plan.

Carol Leigh has been at Westport Road Church of Christ for 43years. She describes herself as a seeker constantly looking ateach experience as a way to know God more intimately.


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DAY 4

WE ARE GODS TE MPLE

Dont you know that you yourselves are Gods temple and that Gods Spirit lives in you? .. I Corinthians 3:16

Shake off your daily routine, humble yourself and read that again.

The Almighty Creator of the universe in you. GOD, who blesses uswith life, gives us purpose and (knowing we will fall along the way)redeems us with His blood! A temple is a place to fall on your

knees in amazement or prayer a place to raise our hands, voicesand minds higher. Our Redeemer brings His dwelling place to ourphysical bodies. Amazing! Yet, when we need to put our house inorder, it is very humbling. Jesus showed that Hes not shy aboutclearing the temple. What do you need to change today to increaseyour faith? Make this your priority.

Watching our new church building come together has been quite ajourney. Its taken years of talking, planning, buying, preparingand building. Many people have spent long hours trading visions,forming compromises and carrying out the plan. But what does itsay if our effort for any earthly structure surpasses our desire toserve in Gods Kingdom? If we are to rise to Gods calling in ourlives and in our community, the strength of our church must besomething other than steel, padded seats and well-designed

acoustics.

Father God, You are mighty and You promise to live in me.Empower me to live faithfully according to Your will. Inspire me tolook beyond myself and get to work for Your kingdom. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Clay Williams is a medical student. He was born and raised a

member of Westport Road Church of Christ. He is engaged to aninspiring Christian woman named Erica.


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DAY 5

PEACE IN THIS PLACE

And the splendor of the latter house will surpass the splendor of the former, says the Lord of Hosts. In this place I shall grant prosperity and peace. This if the word of the Lord of Hosts... Haggai 2:9

This passage speaks of the rebuilding of the temple underZerubbabel, who was encouraged by God, who said, But now,Zerubbabel, take heart. I am with you and My Spirit remainsamong you.

Halleys handbook says this is distinctly a Messianic vision.Haggais mind was on that Temple, but his words were Gods words.And Gods mind, in a sense deeper perhaps than even Haggaihimself realized, was on another temple, yet to be, of whichSolomons temple and Zerubbabels temple were but dim pictures:the church built not of stones, but of souls of the redeemed the

church of fadeless, endless, ineffable glory. (Ephesians 2:20-21:You are built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, withChrist Jesus himself as the cornerstone. In Him the whole buildingis bonded together and grows int o a holy temple in the Lord.)

Let us pray that His Spirit will remain with us as we give Him theglory and use this building to bring the lost to Christ.

Ruth Anderson moved to Louisville with her family of one son andfour daughters in June 1963 and welcomed another daughter inAugust of that same year. Her husband came to Louisville to beginthe new pulmonary section at the U of L School of Medicine. Herhusband and children were all baptized here. She is lookingforward to the new step in the history of Westport Road Church of Christ.


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DAY 6

CONSECRATE OUR HEARTS

I have heard the prayer and plea you have made before me: I have consecrated this temple which you have built, by putting my Name there forever. My eyes and My heart will always be there ..I Kings 9:3

My body is the temple of the Holy Spirit.

As we enter this new building and ask God to consecrate it that Hisname, His eyes and His heart would be there forever I want to rememberthat this building is really made up of individuals. Without us, what good

is a building, and without the Holy Spirit within us, what good are we?

It is good to be physically fit for the Holy Spirit so he can have a healthyplace to reside, but what about deep in our souls? Even whenunexplainable sickness and pain rack our bodies, the Holy Spirit still resides within us. How much has pride, bitterness or selfishness takenhold, blocking us from being who we can be for the Lord?

May we focus our hearts on surrendering to God every part of who we are,inwardly as well as outwardly. Let this be our goal as we enter a fresh newbuilding, dedicated to His service.

Lord,Teach us how to be healthy and strong. Cleanse our hearts and rid us of whatever displeases You and hinders Your intentions for us.

In all things we want to be vessels ready to follow Your calling. Consecratethese temples and put Your name within our hearts. As we enter the newbuilding, let us remember where You truly reside and desire to work.

In Jesus Name, Amen

Laura Grady is a Home Manager. Her main ministry is her husband, herfive kids, and her home. She enjoys marriage mentoring and financialadvising. She would like to be a part in helping all at Westport Road

Church of Christ develop a passion for something God has called them to.She and her family have been at Westport Road Church of Christ for 15years.


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DAY 7

BUILDING UPON THE ROCK

Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it has its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against the side of that house, and it fell with a great crash..Matthew 7:24 -27

How important it is to build a building on a great foundation. It ismore important for our lives to be built on a great foundation.

The wise mans is the one who hears Jesus words and puts theminto practice. Both men heard the same words. The wise man

wanted to do what God said, and the foolish man wanted to do it allby himself. The wise man did what Jesus said he had built hislife on a good, solid foundation. The foolish man had built his lifeon that which wouldnt endure. Therefore, we should practice andhave faith in Jesus and do what He says. If you do that, yourChristian life will be built on a foundation that will last. Never stoptrying to be the wise man, because he did what God said. If youfall, get right back up, because He will forgive you.

Dear Lord, Thank You for this new building and what You will dothrough it. Help us all to live a life with You as our foundation.

Daniel Delaney is 10 years old and was baptized on his 10 th birthday, January 9, 2011. He is the oldest son of Jeff and Andreaand brother to Andrew and Addison. He is a 4 th grade student atBowen Elementary and has been at Westport Road Church of Christ for most of his life.


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DAY 8

SONG OF UNITY

Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker . .. Psalm 95:6

When I think about this scripture, the thought that immediatelycomes to my head is singing. Singing is my passion, and everySunday morning and Wednesday night, I look forward to praisingGod through song with my church family. God is now blessing uswith the opportunity to fill our new auditorium up with people that

long to praise God with us and grow together in unity. This verse isan invitation to come and bow down to our God, to sing His praises,for He is the only One Who deserves our praise. As we are eager toopen the doors to our new building, our hearts should cometogether as one, thanking our Father for blessing us continually asa church and as a family. Let us fill the church with voices singingand rejoicing together because of all He has provided for us.

Dear Father, We thank You for giving us voices to sing and knees tobend. Please continue to bless this family and help our unity togrow stronger through worshiping You. Lead more people into ournew building, and use us to show them your love.

Edie Graves is 15 years old and has been at Westport Road Churchof Christ since she was born in 1995. In her words, she has

watched us grow and has been inspired by many people. One of her gifts is listening to peoples struggles and praying for them.


11/33

DAY 9

PRAISE/GIVE/WORSHIP

Ascribe to the Lord the glory due His name. Bring an offering and come before Him. Worship the Lord in holy array .. I Chronicles 16:29

How often during the day do we think about praising God, our nextoffering to Him, or worshiping Him? We often get so bogged down in theday-to-day that we forget the directive we are given in I Chronicles 16:29 simply summarized, praise/give/worship. Some people live a life of praise/give/worship.

Thelma Green was a sister I came to know at the Manhattan Church of Christ where Ray and I met and were members when we lived in NYC wholived a praise/give/worship kind of life.

A widow of modest means, Thelma taught me not to get so caught up inthe days problems and tasks that you forget to praise God and give Hisname due glory throughout each day. Worship Him in holy array whereyou are. He is omnipresent, so He is always where you are. Church is notthe only place we praise, give to and worship God.

Thelma, while preparing a meal or just visiting, would hum a hymn orwhisper a prayer. As we inhabit our new building, lets pr aise and worshipthe God of the universe daily, and give His name the glory due it every day.Whether we give money or time, give freely. No offering is too small, andremember that worship is personal between each of us and Him.

Dont shelve God for the week and pick Him up on Sunday. Youll miss alife of praise/give/worship that provides encouragement through good andbad times.

Bonita K. Black-Rivera teaches womens and childrens classes at thechurch as needed, leads a prayer group, and chairs the benevolenceministry for the church. She is married to Ray and they have one son,Scotty, age 6. She is also an attorney. She and her family have been at

Westport Road Church of Christ since 1998.


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DAY 10

THE SPIRIT-LED WORSHIP

God is Spirit and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth...Ephesians 1:18 -19

Dear Lord, Our Heavenly Father,

I lift up each person at Westport Road Church of Christ to You, andI ask that You will empty each of us of self and fill us with YourSpirit. Open the eyes of our hearts that we may see You and come

to know You better. Help us to spend time alone with You daily andto read Your Word and be led by Your Spirit. Help us to give up ourcontrol and allow You to be in control of every area of our lives.May You be Lord of our lives. Draw us into a closer, deeper, moremature relationship with You. Take the blinders from our eyes andhelp us to truly see You. May You reveal TRUTH to us and lead usdown Your path for us. Help each of us to understand who You areand fall in love with You, accept You as our Lord and Savior, and bepassionately devoted to You all of our days.

In Jesus Name, Amen.

Gail Massey is the wife of Brown and mother to Katie and Sara.She teaches the hearing impaired. Gail and her family have been a

part of Westport Road Church of Christ since 1998.


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DAY 11

REJOICING.A SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINE

Serve Yahweh with gladness! Enter His presence with rejoicing!.....Psalm 100:2

Service often we associate such a word with weariness and fatigue. Weaspire to find work that brings us happiness and contentment, but thedemands of life often compel us to settle for mere subsistence. When thisbecomes the status quo of our lives, it is easy to imagine the idea of serviceas being something of an inconvenience or emotional burden. To serve God

with gladness no doubt requires we reflect on the ways in which we chooseto live our lives.

For the Psalmist, service evokes radically different associations. Theprospect of participating in the work of God is something about which onehas great cause to rejoice! The project is carried out in the midst of thanksgiving; outward expressions reveal an inner disposition of devotionand affection. How is this achieved? Does the exhortation to serve withgladness belong exclusively to the ideal world of the Psalmist?

Perhaps the Psalmist, too, had daily struggles with which to contend.Perhaps the Psalmist knew the difficulty of maintaining such a positiveposture. What if we were to read the Psalmist's words as instruction?Serving those whom God desires to touch and doing so with a properattitude no doubt requires spiritual discipline developed through ritual

observation. A sentiment like the Psalmist's does not develop overnight. If we heed the words of the Psalm and embody their advice (dare this meanwe actually sing them?!?), they become, in time, a reality in our lives.

Joseph Kelly is a student at Southern Baptist Theological Seminarystudying Old Testament Theology. He and his wife, Laura, have beenattending WRCC since the summer of 2010. He teaches adult Bibleclasses, often focusing on texts from the Old Testament.


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DAY 12

LIVING LIFE WELL

Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts ..Colossians 3:16

I suppose youd figure assigning a verse about singing to the worship guywould be the natural thing to do. And, traditionally, most of us have usedthis as a worship verse. But I want to call our attention to the versessurrounding it. Listen to some of these phrases:

cloth yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness andpatience Bear each other. forgive one another put on love Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts Let the message of Christ dwell among you

with gratitude in your hearts do it all in the name of the Lord .

These are all statements about living life, not just worship. Or maybe it isbetter put by saying worship is more about living life that just Sundaymornings. I wonder what it would be like if we take with us to the newbuilding the phrases in the passage. How much more powerful will ourcollective worship be as we are living these things in li fe! Well bring withus on Sundays the power of the Holy Spirits work in us. As I await thefirst notes to be heard in our new building, I know that our church, onethat already sings well, will shake the rafters with our voices as wepractice these things, and that we truly will teach and admonish oneanother with all wisdom through psalms, hymns and songs from theSpirit

Doug Lalli is a member and minister at Westport Road Church of Christ.He and his family have been here since 1997. In his words, he has the

honor of helping lead our church in our worship assemblies.


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DAY 13

GIFTS FOR GODS GLORY

Not unto us, oh Lord, not unto us, but to Your Name give glory, because of Your mercy,because of Your truth ..Psalm 115:1

We all love the excitement of receiving gifts and often wonder with great excitementwhat some gifts may be like if we ever did receive them. The excitement of the newbuilding is all around us, and so much preparation has gone into the development of this new building. Contributions happen in many different ways, and God has providedeach of us with various talents to use in the service of our Lord.

It is amazing to think how God has brought each member at Westport Road Church of Christ together to serve in a different way! Many have contributed to this effort throughthe devotion of their time, thoughtful prayer and allocation of money contributed tomake the development of the new building expansion possible.

Time is a precious gift that we are all equally given. With this gift of time, each personhas the ability to use their own unique talents. For some, the devotion of this time istheir way of giving back to God. Some chose to give up self for the ability to serveothers and to God, using their time devoted to completing whatever task is necessary.How we use our gift of time is a talent to consider.

Prayer is the most powerful blessing we all are capable of using for good and somethingthat each of us is equally given along with our time. It is a great comfort to know thatwe can talk to God with prayer at any time, about any situation, as He will listen. Godhas heard the prayers of the church and listened to our hearts. God has answered ourprayers and provided a way to make the new expansion possible.

Many of us are blessed with good jobs that earn various levels of income. Theabundance of this income has given some the ability to provide the contribution neededto make this new expansion a reality. Even though we may not all have the money togive as much as we wish, it is important to remember that our talents are blessings

from God, and for some, the ability to give monetarily is their talent.

As the days lead up to completion of the new building expansion, we have so much tobe thankful for to God because He has provided us with the blessings and talents weneed to make everything possible. We need to be mindful that none of this would havebeen done without God, and remember that every good thing comes from above.

Jennifer, Luke and Caroline Puckett came to Westport Road Church of Christ inFebruary 2010. Luke is a Doctor of Chiropractic and teaches anatomy class at variousmedical colleges in Louisville. Jennifer is a domestic engineer who works from home

and is also a hair stylist. Their beautiful daughter, Caroline, is still in diapers andlearning to talk, but she loves to sing and dance.


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DAY 14

EXPANDING OUR HORIZONS

In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds, and praise your Father in Heaven..Matthew 5:16

A strong command given by Jesus to all his disciples. We think of thisstatement and we envision early church leaders and members as theystood before men being persecuted, tortured and even killed for theirbeliefs. Their light shone through all of their suffering and dedication toGod and His Son.

We, in our world, are not faced with the persecution and immediateprosecution. So how do we let our light shine to the world and our belief in Christ and his teachings? This is our challenge as a person, group andcongregation. Do we study and learn, but not share? Do we makeourselves comfortable in our own building, group and friends? Or, do we,as Westport Road Church of Christ has, embark on a journey where weexpand our horizons, be more inclusive and open our doors to all whowish to worship God in fellowship with other Christians? Westport Road

Church of Christ started in the 1950s when we expanded and moved fromthe safe confines of the St. Matthews neighborhood to what was thenconsidered the outer reaches of Louisville. We expanded our buildingseveral times to accommodate a growing congregation, expanded ourhearts and our arms to fellow Christians who were in the area, andexpanded our programs to be more inclusive of our neighborhood andneighbors.

Now we have expanded our building in the years 2010 and 2011. Thisexpansion is not for our own comfort, but rather to enlarge ourcongregation to include more people, families and friends. We are lettingour light shine through our building and through our programs toencourage those around us to see God and to learn of His life and His Son.

Once again, our church has proven that our light does shine, that we havenot hidden it under a basket, and that we are here for one purpose, andthat is to glorify God and to encourage all others to find Him.

Gary Gilmour has been a member at Westport Road Church of Christ formore than 30 years. He is the husband to Carol and father of Karina. Inhis words, Long-Time Member, Worker and Christian.


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DAY 15

OUTREACH

Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most out of every opportunity..Colossians 4:5

Here at Westport Road, everyone is completely aware of the greatexcitement that comes along with seeing the new building rise. Butwhat is all this buzz about? Sure, it looks nice and all, but thischurch family is so crazy about the new building because we all

now have more room to bring our secular friends and family intothe body of Christ, the most important mission given to us abouttwo thousand years ago by the greatest man ever to walk the earth,Jesus Christ.

What goes on inside the building is going to be what draws thecrowd we are looking for. There is no doubt in my mind that withthe wisdom from our elders and the loving hearts from our youngermembers, we will become successful in what we are called to do.

It is true that the above scripture uses the terminology outsiders ,but it is also true that if we do our part with hearts full of love andthe Spirit of God, there will be no group called the outsiders.Everyone will be one with that thought in mind. One life. One love.One sound of praise and glory to the Lord. A TRUE church family.

Hold onto something sturdy, because God is about to take over.Just watch Him do His thing! Casting all your worries on Him,because He cares for you..I Peter 5:7

Brad Browning is 16 years old and a high school sophomore atSaint X. He has attended Westport Road Church of Christ since hewas born and has been an active part of the youth group since 6 th grade.


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DAY 16

A LOVE SONG

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another..John 13:34 -35

Dear God,

I pray that You bless my heart so that I may love others as I should. I pray thatYou soften my heart and break down the walls so that I may follow Yourcommands to love all around me. I know at times my heart can be hard and cold.Those are my weakest times, and I pray, Lord, that You will soften it. Help me to

love my brothers and sisters in Christ and forgive them, to not hold grudges. Helpme to love others so that they know that we Christians are disciples. Bless ourlives and the lives of others. I love You, Lord.

And in Your Son, Jesus Christs , name I pray, Amen.

Amazing Love (Psalm 139)Verse 1 : How could You love someone like me? So many flaws, for I doubt and Isin, though You seem to still care for me. It is said that You have searched me andknow me. You know when I sit and when I rise. Y oure familiar with all my ways ,

oh Lord.Verse 2 : Such a big world, such a huge place. Out of so many people, You knowme so well. You know my doubts, my fears, all of my emotions. You are the onlyOne who can mend the cracks in a broken heart, the only One who knows mysoul.Verse 3 : Where can I go from Your Spirit? Where can I flee from Your presence? If Igo up to the heavens, You are there. If I make my bed in the depths, You are there.If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there,Your hand will guide me.Verse 4: You give me hope for a better life. You give me love so my heart willsurvive. So search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxiousthoughts and lead me to the way of everlasting.

Chorus: Because Y our love is so amazing, I cant seem to fathom, and the joy thatYou give me is un like any other thing. And when I m in the darkest places, You rethere, shining Your light. Your love is everlasting

Sharee Nurse is 15 years old. In her words, My life has changed dramatically

because of Westport Road Church of Christ. They gave me another family. Welove one another and really do show it. The youth group here is my family, mybrothers and sisters, and I love them so much.


19/33

DAY 17

A DIRECT LINE TO GOD

For you have been called to live in freedom; not freedom to satisfy your sinful nature, but freedom to serve one another in love. Beware of destroying one another..Galatians 5:13 -15

A friend is always there to take your call.

God does not use an answering machine. God does not have a call-waiting signal. God never puts you on hold. God answers me

whenever I call to Him. If I want to speak with God, I must listenfor His voice. I can ask Him about anything.

Sometimes the answer is no. Sometimes the answer is wait.God does not always give me what I ask for, but He always gives mewhat I need.

Love one another, for love is of God.He who loves is born of God and knows God.He who does not love does not know God,For God is Love. God is Love.

Father,Help us to open the doors of our homes and our hearts to those inneed. Bless our home with Your presence.

In Jesus Name, Amen.

Felicia Mayfield and Pat Mitchell are mother and daughter.Felicia (daughter) has three children and Pat has five children.They have been at Westport Road Church of Christ off and on since1980. Pat was one of the original teachers at Browns LaneChristian Academy.


20/33

DAY 18GODS ADMONITION

Rejoice in the Lord always, I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your

gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God,which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus ..John 13:34 -35

It is wonderful for us to know that God is always present and nearto us in all our endeavors. We should be happy in this knowledge

and show it in our actions.

Dear Heavenly Father, in whom we live, move and have our being,help us to always be gentle, kind and uplifting in words and deedsto those we meet, whether friend or stranger.

In Christs Holy Name, Amen

Nell W. Carnahan is a native of Ruston, Louisiana. She has been aChristian since her younger years and was the daughter of Christian parents and the mother of Christian children. She hasbeen a member at Westport Road Church of Christ since 1995, isactive with the Speeders and just celebrated her 94 th birthday.


21/33

DAY 19

WE ARE GODS EYES AND GODS HANDS

May the God of endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus..Romans 15:5

As Christians, we are called not only to love God with all our being,but to also love our neighbor as ourselves. Love for our fellow manis easy when the person generally looks and thinks like we do. Itgets more challenging when they have alcohol on their breath orprofess to follow Allah.

It is not our place to judge or put value on anyone. That is Godsjob. It is our job to love. Jesus never turned His nose up to aprostitute, tax collector, drunkard, agnostic or adulteress. He love,healed and forgave.

Our love has to be blind to color, creed, religion, sexual orientation,personal choice, or social status. For God does not showfavoritism. He handcrafted all of us in His image and loves us allthe same.

What unifies us is not our political views or where we go to church,but rather our dependence on the same holy grace a grace that looks past a detestable lifestyle of difference of opinionto show compassion and acceptance.

Give to the poor. Love the godless. Befriend the outcast. Andforgive the person that irritates you the most. The singer Jewel saidit beautifully in her song Hands. She said, We are Gods eyes,Gods hands.in the end , only kindness matters.

Nicole Flikkie came to Westport Road Church of Christ in 2003.Nicole describes herself as a woman once widowed, but allowed a

second change to be a wife to a wonderful man a man who shareswith her four exciting and amazing children. A woman blessedbeyond anything she could ask or imagine.


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DAY 20

THE HOPE AND POWER THAT IS OUR INHERITANCE

I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and His incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of His mighty strength... Ephesians 1:18-19

We are frequently caught up in the intellectual pursuit of knowing thewords of God without understanding the power that these wordsrepresent. Paul is challenging us to move beyond simple comprehensionto a deeper reality, where the eyes of our hearts are fully engaged. This isbeautiful language to describe what happens when we completely embraceand understand with our hearts and emotion; it becomes our passion.Paul prayed that our hearts would be open to an amazing truth: The hopethat is our inheritance. This is a very different kind of hope than we areused to. Most of our ideas about hope imply some uncertainty, thatsomething might be true, that someone will like us, etc. But Paul ispraying that we will see our hope in Christ as a confident expectation, an

absolute truth. It isnt enough to simply understand with our minds. Notuntil we move this truth from our minds to the core of our hearts will wefully experience the power that God offers. Once we make that journey,there is nothing that we cant accomplish. Our hearts will burn with thetruth, and this truth will transform our lives.

Paul prayed with beautiful and moving language that we would see andunderstand the deeper, eternal reality of our hope in Christ. This hope isour delight and our confidence. Our inheritance means that we will havean eternity to learn and experience God. As we dedicate our new facilities,let us also dedicate the eyes of our hearts to understanding the power wehave to transform not only our lives, but the community we are part of.

T. Cantrell teaches Philosophy at the University of Louisville. She andher husband, Kerry, have attended Westport Road Church of Christ since2006.


23/33

DAY 21

THE MANDATE FOR CHRISTIAN UNITY

Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called ..Ephesians 4:3 -4

People today try so hard to be individuals, to show that they are uniqueand special. In doing this, it is easy to forget the importance of unity.

According to Merriam-Webster, Unity is

A condition of harmony: accord

Continuity without deviation or change (as in purpose or action

The quality or state of being made one: unification

A totality of related parts: an entity that is a complex forsystematic whole

Isnt it comforting to think of us as living in harmony? That if we worktogether towards a unified purpose without deviating from that path, wecan actually feel at peace. The definition above does not say uniformity ormention being identical. It speaks of oneness in which each part of thewhole comes together. We each are an important part of this church. Insome way, we can each give of our unique talents to keep our congregationon that unified path to glorifying God.

In 2005, I moved 228 miles away from the place I still call home. One of my first priorities was to find a new church family. I visited many different

Churches of Christ congregations, but I knew the first moment I walkedinto Westport Road Church of Christ that I had found my place. I have feltacceptance, peace, harmony and encouragement each time Ive walkedthrough the doors. And I am proud to be unified with you.

Heidi Heiss is a school counselor at Taylorsville Elementary in theSpencer County School System. She has been a member of Westport RoadChurch of Christ since 2005. She teaches and helps with the ChildrensChurch.


24/33

DAY 22

SHINING AS STARS

Do everything without com plaining or arguing. ..Philippians 2:14 We all have known people both in the faith and outside the faith who seemto be constant complainers. Nothing ever seems to go right, or no oneseems good enough to them. I sometimes wonder what goes throughtheir mind that makes them so unhappy or unsatisfied with everything.Do they expect too much? Are they too self-centered?

Im not sure about anyone else, but myself, I try to avoid those types of people if I can. The constant complaints or arguing will eventually wearme down and have an effect on me that I dont like. If Im around themlong enough, the behavior tends to rub off on me, and I find myself lookingat the negative side of everything.

Dont get me wrong, there are some people who have struggles in their lifemore than most people, and maybe they have a cause to complain orargue. These folks need an empathetic heart, prayers, and our support.

The complainer needs our prayers, too, that their hearts will change forGod and that they will see the glass half full and not half empty.

Whenever I get down, I ask God to work on my heart and rid me of Satansinfluence. No matter how bad I think I have it, I always hear of or seesomeone else who has it a lot worse than I do, and I never hear a negativeword come from their mouth. They have just as much effect on myattitude as the complainers do, but in a good way. It is my prayer that allof us at Westport Road Church of Christ will have our hearts focused onpleasing God and letting our light shine to those who are seeking arelationship with Jesus.

Larry Ellison is currently an elder at Westport Road Church of Christ. Heand his wife, Diane, have been members for the last 18 years. Larry andDiane have been married for 34 years and have three grown sons .


25/33

DAY 23

FAITH IS ENOUGH

The apostles said to the Lord, Increase their faith!.Luke 17:5

At first glance, it would appear that at pivotal points in our lives, weshould ask God to give us more faith. But when you read thefollowing verse, Jesus denounces this mentality. Faith is not reallymeasured by God (Mark 11:22-23). When we ask God to give usmore faith, we are ultimately questioning His power. Blessed arethe poor in spiritBlessed are the meek (Matthew 5:3,5). We dont

need to be stronger; we dont need more. We must realize that itsthe quality and authenticity of faith that God embraces.

We are small, and even as a united body, we alone can do verylittle. But if we give what we have --- all that we have --- then Godcan do His will. Does God have control of your budget? Does Hedetermine how you spend your time? Is He praised by the use of all

of your gifts? Or have you just given Him portions?As our congregation moves, does God have the right to do whateverHe wants to do? Do we choose His plan over ours ---regardless of how that looks for us? Are we willing to let not only ourselves, butour plans die so that we can fully live in Him? (I Corinthians 15:31;Colossians 3:3). As long as we be lieve with everything Hes givenus, His grace will be enough to move mountains.

Joshua Jennings is a college student and a follower of Christ. Heand his parents, John and Debbie, and sister, Katie, have been atWestport Road Church of Christ for 11 years.


26/33

DAY 24

ARMOR ALL

And pray in the spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lords people.Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should...Ephesians 6:18 -20

This passage is at the conclusion of Pauls exhortation for Christians to put onthe whole armor of God. Although the passage does not associate prayer witha specific piece of armor, such as a helmet or sword, prayer is undoubtedly amust have weapon i n fighting against the de vils schemes.

The devil seems to love the strategy of divide and conquer. He has used itfrom the time of Adam and Eve. He must hate it when we pray for ALL theLords peopl e especially if we let the Lord decide who His people are.

Earlier in Ephesians, Paul indentified the mystery as being the fact thatthrough Jesus, all nations are heirs of Gods promise; that Jews and Gentiles

are one body. (Eph. 3:6) Many powerful people of that day did not want to hearthat message. That is why Paul was literally an ambassador in chains.

Why might we be hesitant to make this gospel known? Cant think of the rightwords? Social acceptance? Political Correctness? Not sure I reallyunderstand it all perfectly? Will words be given to me instantaneously, or willI need to study, meditate, pray and practice? Do we allow these fears torestrain us as much as any iron chain could?

God, we ask that You give us courage to speak, even when we are afraid, andgive us words to help heal whatever may separate people from You. When weare tempted to speak words that would divide Your people, give us patience,wisdom and a mouth that will not open. We ask a special blessing upon ourministers, that they would fearlessly make known Your message of reconciliation.

Ernie Williams met his wife, Patricia, in the auditorium of Westport RoadChurch of Christ, where they were married in December 1976. This church

has been a huge influence in the growing up of their three grown sons.


27/33

DAY 25

ELD ERS DIRECTIVE

To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder and a witness of Christs sufferings who also will share in the glory to be revealed: Be shepherds of Gods flock that is under your care, watching over them not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock...I Peter 5:1 -3

It is interesting to reflect on Peters counsel to elders of the earlychurch. Peter actually received these instructions from JesusHimself, as recorded in John 21:15-17. Three times Jesus askedPeter: Do you truly love me? and each time Jesus respond s toPeters affirmation: Feed my sheep or Take care of my flock.

As always, Jesus the Good Shepherd led by example. His lifeand death was and is the ultimate example of self-denial and

personal sacrifice for the good of the flock. It is a s oberingcommand to Peter, and in turn to us, to emulate this life.

Peter obviously is characterized as one of the more human orfallible apostles in the Gospels. He lived up to his charge andultimately was martyred for his beliefs and teachings, as foretold byJesus in the immediately following passage (John 21:18-19).Through faith in Him and by the work of the Holy Spirit, all things

are possible. I pray that we, as individuals and as a church, mayhave this measure of faith.

Brent Baldwin describes himself as embarrassingly blessed with abeautiful, vivacious wife, Tara, and four beautiful children. He is aphysician and has attended Westport Road Church of Christ since2004.


28/33

DAY 26

POWERFUL PROTECTION

Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devils schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of the dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms ..Ephesians 6:10 -12

Like the Ephesians, Pauls words of encouragement help Westport

Road Church of Christ as we embark on the final stages of ourlong-awaited journey into the new church home. We, as members,are strong in the Lord and we believe in His mighty power. We loveChrist and are committed to serving Him.

We also understand that we are in a constant battle with the forcesof darkness and we need to take a united stand against theseforces. Thankfully, God has provided us with the armor for ourstand. He has given us the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the footgear to spread the good news, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation and the swords Spirit for spreadingthe word of God.

Let us pray our armor will protect us and show us the way so thatour love of Christ and our desire to serve Him will be an example to

all. We are grateful, God, for Your many blessings upon us and forthis opportunity to better serve You.

Elizabeth Wagner has been attending Westport Road Church of Christ for about 3 years and was baptized 2 years ago. HerChristian journey was renewed with baptism, and with the lovingsupport of members and friends, she has found a new meaning to

her life and the opportunity to serve God.


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30/33

DAY 28

NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE

For nothing is impossible with God .. Luke1:37

As we are ending our building campaign, it is fitting to think of thispassage. At the beginning of our campaign, some may have hadreservations about how successful we would be due to the economicconditions, but we did it with God!

This scripture is perfect for everyday life. Marriage is hard,

parenting is hard, balancing is hard, and living in the Spirit is hard.Thats why we need God, Who can provide the strength we need inour lives. Luke 1:37 is a perfect life motto verse. I can only imaginewhat this world would look like when life got hard if all believerswould say and believe for nothing is impossible with God.

What challenges in your life look impossible? Read Luke 1:37 andknow.nothing is impossible with God!

William E. Summers V is a local banker who helped with thefinancing of the new construction. He is married to Lori and theyhave a daughter, Avery. William has been at Westport RoadChurch of Christ since 1995.


31/33

DAY 29

TO BE SENT

Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always to the very end of the age... Matthew 28:19 -20

Often, as I read the Lords final teaching to his followers, I feel I am at adistance from His words. On some level, we all recognize that this greatcommandment is intended for each of us, but the grand scope of Hismessage, for me, conjures thoughts of the great missionaries who packedtheir coffins as they traveled to the unknown dark continents and learnedthe languages of the world.

As Jesus chose His words, he chose to use a present continuing form of the word GO. It should not con jure thoughts of a specific mission tripany more than thoughts of work and school during our daily lives. Jesus,here, commands His followers to adopt an ongoing lifestyle of disciple-making, a lifestyle of mission.

Lord, Thank You for giving our lives purpose. Thank You for instillingwithin us a reason to rise every day, a reason to go to work and a reasonto love the world around us. Father, thank You for promising to go withus, as we know that when we speak on Your behalf, it is You who gives usthe words and it is You who gives us the strength. Creator, thank You forgiving us talents, passions and joys; help us to use them to further YourKingdom. Thank You for sending us on a mission, some to faraway lands

and some to the worlds in which you placed us naturally. Thank You,whether we speak Your name by treating our coworkers with respect,treating the homeless with dignity, learning a foreign language, or simplyloving difficult people. This is Your creation, we are Your people, we loveYou, and we love to do Your work. In Jesus Name, Amen.

R. Alan Boyle was raised in a pew at Westport Road Church of Christ. Hehas worked with the youth group and is now a missionary to people in

Chicago who have been hurt by the Church. He is married to Sara andthey have a daughter, Grace.


32/33

DAY 30

TO SUM IT UP

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever, Amen.. Ephesians 3:20 -21

As we begin to worship in our new facility, it is only natural to lookback over the past several years and see what it took to get us tothis point. It begins with a dream, followed by much planning and

preparations, two fundraising campaigns, some anxiety, andconsiderable hard work by a lot of people. Our prayer all along hasbeen for this project to be Gods and that it will not be an end in itself, but a tool to grow the Kingdom and bring glory to ourHeavenly Father. As a congregation, we were able to accomplishthis project, but in reality, we all know that it was Him who is ableto do exceedingly abundantly above all we ask or think. Too manytimes, obstacles were overcome by the power of God, and ourchurch family gave beyond what was reasonable to expectaccording to the power that works in us. Therefore, we give gloryto God as the church of Christ Jesus for His generous blessings.

So now the real work begins. We are to utilize our new facility tohelp build the Kingdom here. Can this be accomplished? Will wesee success? If we believe what Paul has written and live it out, we

will succeed to Gods glory. Our Heavenly Father , Who made theuniverse, is certainly able to strengthen us for the task. He hasgiven us power in the Holy Spirit, Christ to dwell in our hearts, andstrength derived from knowing how immense the love of Christ is.We must refrain from depending on our own abilities and realizethat His power is already at work in us. Will God bless us withgrowth at Westport Road Church of Christ? I believe that He will,exceedingly abundantly beyond our wildest dreams.

Randy Noblitt and his wife, Peggy, have attended Westport RoadChurch of Christ since 1987. He has served as a Shepherd for thelast 5 years and looks forward to many more.


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Documents

Dedication Devotional Guide