Incomparable power. Listening to God Friendship Through Prayer. Pouring Out Your Heart to God. Encore 2006 Women s Day

Transcription

1 nspirare Volume 1, Issue 3 Incomparable power Listening to God Friendship Through Prayer Pouring Out Your Heart to God Encore 2006 Women s Day

2 The Healthy + Balanced C Acts 2:42-47 ared nvicition Shared Responsibility Sha Com In the previous two issues of Inspirare we introduced the concep anced Church as described in Act 2:42. In this issue of Inspirare w look at the healthy and balanced church, specifically its incompa the devoted prayer lives of its members. We hope you will be inspi life that connects you to the inco Inspirare is a publ 172 all content copyright Bay Area Ch

3 hurch red mittment Incomparable Power t of the Healthy and Bale are continuing our our rable power derived from red to develop the prayer mparable power of God. ication of the Bay Area Christian Church 2 Gilbreth Road, Burlingame, CA (650) ristian Church 2005, All Rights Reserved Listening to God p.4 Friendship Through Prayer p.8 Pouring Out Your Heart to God p.12 Encore p Women s Day p.18

4 For God does speak now one way, now another though man may not perceive it. ~Job 33:14 (NIV) The Age of Distraction W e live in what many call the Age of Distraction (The Zen of Listening, Shafir). Ipods and mp3 players fill ears with headphones. IMs and offer instant access over cable lines. Television, cell phones, text messages, and the Internet provide an unceasing bombardment of images and information that can produce overload. Even the most focused person is vulnerable to the endless stream of distractions. The Washington Post recently reported that the average worker is interrupted six times every hour, and for many of us that number is low. Along with these external distractions, we are also faced with a wealth of internal distractions: being obsessed with time, selfconsciousness, ego gratification, insecurity, anxiety, and guilt. As Michael Nichols says in his book, The Lost Art of Listening: Contemporary pressures have, regrettably, shrunk our attention spans and impoverished the quality of listening in our lives. We live in hurried times, when dinner is something we zap in the microwave That s all we ve got time for. Running to and from our many 4

5 As you enter the house of God, keep your ears open and your mouth shut! ~Ecclesiastes 5:1 (NLT)

6 obligations, we close ourselves off from the world around us with headphones, exercising strict control over what we allow in. To listen is to pay attention, take an interest in, care about, take to heart, validate, acknowledge, be moved... appreciate (Nichols). It is essential for connection in relationships. Who hasn t damaged a relationship because of failing to listen? Perhaps the relationship most damaged because of our lack of attention and lack of listening is our relationship with God. As the scripture above states, God is always finding different ways to speak to us, even though we may not perceive it. The world s hopes are riding on NT Christians who will learn to listen to and follow God. Set aside a few undistracted moments and begin the journey of learning to listen to God. Developing an Ear for God The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, Samuel! Samuel! Then Samuel said, Speak, for your servant is listening. ~1 Samuel 3:10 (NIV) In 1 Samuel 3, God tries to speak to Samuel. However, because Samuel does not yet know God for himself, he mistakenly believes that a man, Eli, is trying to get his attention. As with Samuel, God is always trying to get our attention and speak to us. We regularly make the same mistake as Samuel and believe it is only human communication. As NT Christians, if we are going to be led by God, we must develop an ear for God. As Samuel listened, God raised him up and, as it states in 1 Sam 3:19, he let none of his words fall to the ground. Because Samuel paid attention to God, people paid attention to him. Have you worked on developing an ear for God? Since God speaks now one way now another, we have to work at developing an awareness of God s voice. God communicates to us through our spouse, children, parents, friends, extended family, circumstances, troubles, dreams, experiences, sermons, and prayers, just to list a few of the ways. However, the main vehicle God uses to speak to us is the Bible. The Lord continued to appear at Shiloh, and there he revealed himself to Samuel through his word. (1 Samuel 3:21) The reasons we don t listen to God and the Bible are the same reasons we don t listen to one another: pride, self-importance, and defensiveness. We will become good listeners only when we can acknowledge we have a lot to learn (Are You Really Listening? Donohue). The battle against our self-importance is won when we acquire empathy. The essence of good listening is empathy, which can be achieved only by suspending our preoccupation with ourselves and entering into the experience of the other person (Nichols). We have to develop empathy for God in order to understand what he is feeling, thinking, and communicating. When we read the Bible, we must not just listen for the things we want, but under- Right after his own baptism Ian MacGregor baptized his wife Marga Costa County February 12th 6

7 ret, Contra stand what is important to God. Perhaps our greatest battle is against defensiveness. We don t want to hear what s said because something in the message triggers hurt, anger, or fear (Nichols). Defensive, self-justifying responses come from internal feelings of guilt and deficiency. This is why prayer is such an important part of a relationship with God. We have to be open and pour out our hearts to God, so we can develop the reliance on his love and the trust required to listen and take his input. As we decide to trust God and to eradicate our defensiveness toward Him, we will also deal with our defensiveness toward other people. We have a shared responsibility in our fellowship to help each other develop an ear for God. Instead of just asking if someone had a quiet time (a daily Bible study and prayer time), instead ask, What is God saying to you? How is He speaking to you? How are you responding? Who is Your Heart Listening To? Sin whispers to the wicked, deep within their hearts. They have no fear of God to restrain them. ~Psalm 36:1 (NLT) My heart has heard you say, Come and talk with me. And my heart responds, Lord, I am coming. ~Psalm 27:8 (NLT) God speaks to our hearts but so does Satan, so who we listen to will determine who we are. Satan, using the attraction of sin, has access to the hearts of the wicked, and whispers messages of bitterness, anger, rage, jealousy, and pride. His whispers urge us to deceive, hide, and lie. Zechariah 3 portrays Satan at the right hand of Jeshua, the priest, making accusations in his ear. If we listen to these things, we will believe them and become them. At the same time, God s Spirit speaks to our hearts and beckons us to come and talk with Him, whispering words of encouragement, love, faith, hope, and promise. If we listen to God and his Word we will believe Him and become like Him. So who is your heart listening to? Active Listening The Sovereign Lord has given me an instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary. He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being taught. ~Isaiah 50:4 It is not enough to sit and passively listen to God. We have to be active participants. Morning by morning our ears must be awakened. Too many modern disciples have settled for a habitual, uneventful, distant relationship with God. Yet, just like us, God yearns to be understood. He longs to share his heart with us. The New Testament Christian launches every morning with new direction, insights, and convictions from God. He receives new missions, purposes, and energy. His weary heart is rejuvenated and refreshed. Intimacy is sustained because God is always able to share new pieces of his heart. The Lord confides in those who fear him; he makes his covenant known to them. Psalm 25:14 7

8 Friendship Through Prayer The one thing we know for sure about Paul is his devotion to prayer! He even began his walk with God in the book of Acts, praying and fasting for three days (Acts 9)! Right then his eyes were opened to the spiritual world, not just the world he saw in front of him daily. Paul experienced a whole new world through the avenue of prayer - a spiritual world that connected him to God in a friendship that would last for all eternity! Finding God Through Prayer! Paul found God through prayer and fasting. He wrestled in his relationship with God through prayer and fasting. He knew God through praying! He saw the world, himself, and his brothers/sisters differently because he prayed. Prayer opened the eyes of his heart. He created a deep connection with God through prayer. He found an emotional bond with God and man through prayer. He saw the spiritual world through prayer. He saw what could be - the power of God working in his life through prayer. His eyes, his mind, and his heart were changed through prayer. His faith was increased through prayer. His love increased through prayer. He became more through prayer with God! 8

9 I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. ~Philippians 1:3-5

10 Paul, in his letters to the churches, is constantly praying for his brothers and sisters! Consider the words he wrote to the church in Ephesus: For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power together with ALL the Lord s people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge - that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! ~Ephesians 3:14-21 When was the last time you felt compelled to kneel before the Father? What will it take to bring you to your knees and see your desperate need for God? Do you realize that prayer is the key that unlocks and activates the power of God living inside of you? Do you realize that prayer holds the power to remove the sins in your heart towards others and allows you to love others in Christ? Do you know the width, length, height, and depth of this love? Is this power inactive in your life because you refuse to give your heart to God in prayer? Do you lack power to influence or deepen your relationships? Do you lack love in your relationships? Prayer Purifies Our Relationships! How pure is your heart in your relationships? Do you constantly find yourself struggling to have a pure heart? Most of us think of impurity in our lives only as physical lust and sensuality and all the sins associated with these. But Paul introduces a new thought and teaching about impurity: Do everything without grumbling (complaining) or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation. Then you will shine like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life. ~Philippians 2:14-16 The Bible tells us how to be pure in our hearts. And without purity, we cannot see God (Matthew 5:6). How does impurity affect our relationships? Paul warns us that when we grumble, complain, and argue, we make our hearts impure! We become incapable of reaching out and shining in a warped, crooked, and corrupt generation. We cannot be pure and blameless! Grumbling about others and about the circumstances in our lives makes our hearts impure! Complaining (NIV) about others and about the circumstances in our lives makes our hearts impure! We cannot love others with this kind of impurity inside of us. The command is simple: Do everything without complaining or arguing (NIV) and this so that we may BECOME the children of God we are supposed to be! Especially in our relationships, we find an abundance of complaining and grumbling. We grumble and complain under our breath. We see and feel things we do not like and instantly turn to complaining. Grumbling has become a lifestyle for many of us! Brother Grumble (Sister Grumble), how are you today? Maybe this is how some of us ought to be greeted at church! How easy it is for us, especially the older we get, to turn to 10

11 light! We must be unique and different! Paul offers us an alternative to this lifestyle of complaining and grumbling. Instead of battling these in our relationships and seeing them destroy our love, our trust, and our faith, why not pray? Paul, in his letter to the Philippians, offers some specific things to pray about: Sarah Zinsman, Santa Clara County-Baptized March 31st grumbling and complaining, which almost always leads to arguing! Stop and evaluate how often you complain about people and/or circumstances during the week. Complaining about your husband/wife, your kids, your job, your finances, your neighbor, your boss...on and on! Of course, the Bible gives us many commands against grumbling and complaining. Here are just a few: Exodus 16:8 God hears all our grumbling against him! Numbers 14:27 & 17:5 God calls our grumbling wicked and will rid himself of our constant grumbling! John 6:43 & 6:61 God commands us to stop grumbling amongst ourselves! Lamentations 3:39 Why should any living man complain when punished for his sins? Do you truly believe that when you grumble, complain, and argue, your heart becomes impure and you are in sin? Do you believe that this is unholy and unacceptable before God? Grumbling, arguing, and complaining are forms of impurity, corrupting our hearts, filling us with ungodly responses. We are children of God, children of the Pray with thankfulness. (Phil 1:3) Pray that people will grow more and more! (Phil 1:9) Pray that disciples will have the discernment to make the best decisions! (Phil 1:10) Pray that you will die to your selfishness. (Phil 1:21) Pray to be like-minded, having the same love and being one in spirit and purpose! (Phil 2:2) Pray to value others above your own needs and your own wants! (Phil 2:3) Pray to have more humility in your heart and not always think you are right, your way is best, or your opinion is always true. (Phil 2:3) Consider others better than yourself! (Phil 2:3) Pray that you and your brother/sister will adopt the same attitude and mind of Christ! (Phil 2:5) Pray to remember your salvation came through fear and trembling - it still does! (Phil 2:12) Pray for God to work in people to will and act in a Christ-like manner! (Phil 2:13) Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing, by taking the very nature of a servant he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross! ~Philippians 2:6-8 11

12 The greatest and most important command found in Scripture is to love God. Oftentimes, in building our relationship with God, we find ourselves more frustrated than faithful, dutiful than devoted, or more distant than intimate. This debilitating spiritual condition results from attempting to love God with only our mind and strength without engaging our heart and our soul. When we insist on measuring our love for God based on doctrine, performance, effort, or achievement, then building a relationship with God becomes a frustrating experience. Jesus said in Mark 12:29-30 that loving God involves engaging our heart and our soul as well as our mind and our strength. Engaging the heart and the soul requires pouring our hearts out to God in prayer. David wrote in Psalm 62:8, Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him for God is our refuge. Pouring our hearts out involves emptying ourselves of the thoughts, troubles, and sins that hinder or harden our hearts, such as bitterness, disappointment, greed, lust, doubt, fear, anxiety, or unfaithfulness. This is done through prayer. The Scriptures are filled with powerful examples of prayerful men and women, such as Hannah (1Samuel 1:10, 15-16), Jeremiah (Lamentations 3:19-20), Job (Job 7:11), David (Psalm 40), Mary (Luke 1:46-47), and Jesus (Matthew 26:38) who poured out their hearts and souls to God. As they poured out their hearts to God, they were able to connect with God, find strength, surrender their will, and draw close to him. It is in prayer that we pour our hearts out to God. However, if you cannot identify the condition of your heart, it is difficult to come to God with 12

13 honest emotions and pour out your heart. Can you identify the condition of your heart? Here are several common heart conditions. 1. The Distressed Heart Psalm 77:1-12 (NIV) You may have a distressed heart if: You lack motivation and urgency to pray and engage with God You find yourself living in the past, fixated on the good old days rather than the opportunity-filled days God has in store for you. (Psalm 77.5) You never feel rested no matter how much you sleep (Psalm 77: 2-4). 4. You find yourselves at a loss for words, confused or too troubled to speak when someone asks how you are doing (Psalm 77.4). 5. You believe that God has failed to keep his promises and that he has left you (Psalm ). God wants to relieve your distress, but you must first express your need for Him and pour out to Him whatever is causing you distress. 2. The Congested Heart 3 John 2 (NLT) No one enjoys being sick. When our head or chest is congested, the accompanying chest pain Jesus replied, The most important commandment is this: `Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength. ~Mark 12:29-30 (NLT) 13

14 or sinus pressure hinders our ability to concentrate, think, rest, breathe, or communicate clearly. Similarly, when our hearts are spiritually congested by sinful thoughts, motives, attitudes, or behavior, the internal pressure arising from the guilt of these sins makes our hearts and our souls sick. Healing and forgiveness come when we pour out our hearts and souls to God (Psalm 32:3-6). Our souls will not be healthy unless our hearts are purified and healed through embracing open confession before God (James 5:16). It is only when we come clean before God, admitting our inabilities, weaknesses, unfaithfulness, and failures that we can appreciate and respond to God s continual faithfulness to us and enjoy being close to Him. (1 John 1:5-7). Examples of this are Solomon (2 Chronicles 6:36-39), the Israelites (Ezra 10:1-4), and Nehemiah (Nehemiah 1:4-7). William Eleazer, San Mateo County-Baptized February 19 Do you find yourself having reached rock bottom in life and in relationships? Have you lost your sense of purpose and feel that you are spiritually and emotionally bankrupt? Do you think you are experiencing a midlife crisis prematurely or have run out of solutions for your life or relationship problems? Does the condition of your relationships fill your heart with despair rather than joy, bitterness rather than gratitude? If this is the case, then you have a destitute heart. When we feel completely alone, at a loss for relationships, and at our wit s end where we see no way out, it is at this point that our greatest need is God. Psalm 102:17 tells us that God hears the prayers of the destitute. It is because of this conviction that Hannah was compelled to pray and pour out her soul to God in asking Him to bless her with a child in 1 Samuel 1. Throughout Jesus life, and especially when he was crucified, Jesus believed that God would hear His cries, and He trusted that God would take up his cause (Psalm 22, Luke 22:41-44; 23:34, 46, Hebrews 5:7). God was able to transform Jesus destitution into a victorious resurrection! Likewise, it is at our most dire moments that we come to grips with who we really are before God, and through expressing our desperate need for Him and for relationships, we find ourselves richly filled up by God! 3. The Destitute Heart Psalm 102: The Destined Heart Genesis 32:22-28 Perhaps the greatest challenge we face in our relationship with God is maintaining our vision and awareness of God s destiny for us. Like Jacob in Genesis 25-32, true understanding of God s will and the destiny he has chosen for our lives will not come without wrestling in prayer (Genesis 32:24). It took Jacob having to pour out to God his intense longing and desire for God s blessing, wrestling with God, to receive his blessing - his destiny. 14

15 Until we wrestle with God, pouring out our deepest desires, fears, regrets, and loves on a regular basis; we will fall short of understanding and embracing His plan for our lives. This was true in Jesus life (Matthew 26:39-42). He wrestled at Gethsemane to drink the cup of suffering and ultimately fulfill God s destiny for his life. and praying until you surrendered your will to Him? As we pour out all of our feelings, pains, fears, and joys to God everyday, He is then able to fill our hearts back up with His love, which gives us strength and encouragement! When was the last time you wrestled with God, pouring out your deepest desires and struggles Raymond Ong, Santa Clara County-Baptized March 5th 15

16 Encore! Prayer is such an integral part of building a relationship with God, and it will always be a part of our lives that requires continual attention and focus in developing a deeper relationship with God. This issue of Inspirare has been geared to help us develop more insight into our own interactions with God, and to provide the biblical context and practical direction needed to deepen our prayer lives. In addition to the studies and articles contained in this Inspirare issue, there are 15 more Bible studies found in the New Testament Christian Handbook (NTCH). (This publication, which was originally released in 2005, has been recently revised and can be ordered online at Just search for the title: New Testament Christian Handbook.) In the NTCH, you will find 15 Bible studies that will help you change your perspective on prayer, overcome hindrances to prayer, and develop a more engaging relationship with God. Here is a brief summary of several of the studies: Only Through Prayer If you have recently asked yourself why it s so difficult to change, or why it s so difficult to be close to God consistently, then this Bible study is for you. Intimacy in Prayer Our prayers indicate the condition of our spiritual life; they can tell us a great deal about what kind of relationship we have with God. The scriptures in this study should help you become more connected with God. Intimate or Impersonal: Your View of God This study will help you examine how your view of God impacts your approach to Him in prayer. It will also help you to determine whether you are experiencing an intimate or an impersonal relationship with God. Restored Through Prayer We all reach points in our relationship with God where we are in dire need of a revival, renewal, or restoration. This study will look at how your relationship with God and with others can be restored through prayer. Call Upon Me Many of us have probably asked the question, What does God want from me? These scriptures will help you to see that God wants you to have honest conversations with Him daily. Hope In Prayer What do you do when you begin to lose hope? Here you can find scriptures to help you to find strength in God during difficult times. Morning Prayer Are you having trouble finding the motivation to seek God in the morning? Here you will find scriptures that show you how to wake up hungry to know God. 16

17 Prayer and Action Do you find yourself waiting for things to happen? This study will show you how prayer can help you develop the faith that leads to action. Right Motives in Prayer Sometimes our motive to pray comes from selfish desires. This study helps us focus on the heart that God wants us to have when we pray. Pain and Prayer It s very difficult to pray when life starts taking its toll on our physical, emotional, and spiritual health. This study will help you fight through pain. Additional Studies in the NTCH: Urgency in Prayer, Frustration in Prayer, Eye- Opening Prayers, Failure to Pray, and Prayer and Prosperity. If you would like to purchase a New Testament Christian Handbook, visit our book tables during our Sunday Services. Or, to order online, go to and search for the title New Testament Christian Handbook. Juan Mercado, Alameda County-Baptized January 29th 17

18 Answered Prayers at Contra Costa Women s Day! God moved in powerful ways at Contra Costa s Women s Day event on Saturday, March 18! About 200 women brought over 330 friends and family members for an afternoon of great breakthroughs and answered prayers. Tammy Nakatani and Aja Dotson shared vulnerably about breaking through their past and Judy Weger preached an inspirational lesson about how a relationship with God can empower us to break through the guilt, fear, and regret that often control our lives. Her daughter Aubrey, a UC Berkeley student, then shared openly about the breakthroughs God helped her have when she decided to become a disciple as a teenager. After the lesson, the room came alive with breakthrough conversations as women at each table discussed breakthroughs they needed in their own lives. Perhaps some of the most faith-building stories are the stories of the specific prayers God answered before, during, and after the event. Build your faith by reading some of these stories from women in Contra Costa County! One woman was amazed that God answered her prayer to show her direction in her life by bringing her to her first Women s Day. She told one of the Christians that she could see how she needed Amy Bennet and her Mom a breakthrough and wanted to move forward. This woman came to church on Sunday after Women s Day, and was astonished because the title of the lesson was, Moving Forward. Incredulous about how God was working in her life, she set up a Bible study on the spot. Months ago, three single women in a household were facing a difficult decision about where to move. They prayed that God would guide them to a place where they would meet someone who was open to becoming a Christian. After they moved, one of the women invited her new neighbor to Women s Day. Her neighbor was so excited that she said she wanted to start studying the Bible before Women s Day. She is now very eager to get baptized and takes on every challenge necessary in order to get there. One of the young married women in Contra Costa met a woman last year on an airplane who was interested in coming to church. Unfortunately, 18

19 Contra Costa she lost the woman s number soon after she got home. Just this month, she decided to try to find the girl again. She remembered that the girl worked at a nearby shopping mall and decided to stop by. She prayed that the girl would be there, and she was! The girl enthusiastically made plans to attend Women s Day in Alameda County. Another college student decided to stand up in front of all her classes and announce Women s Day to all her classmates. After two weeks, a girl ed her and said she was definitely interested in coming. Later, she found out that another disciple had met the same girl a year ago and started praying for her to want to come to church. This girl was so inspired at Women s Day that she decided to start studying the Bible as well. Through inspirational preaching, sharing, and conversations, God reminded all the women of his incomparable power to change and transform our hearts. We are very excited to see the ways God will continue to work through personal Bible studies and prayer to change the hearts and lives of women around us. All smiles at Contra Costa Women s Day 19

20 With my God I can break through barricades. ~Psalm 18:29 We enjoyed refreshments, amazing performances and great conversations at beautifully decorated tables. The most inspiring miracle of the afternoon was seeing Beth Ang get baptized! Beth is a single girl and a long lost high school classmate of Ana Rita Marcos (a disciple in the singles ministry). They met up again for the first time in February when the singles ministry was doing a scavenger hunt in the city. She began coming to our Life Workshops and studied the Bible for 8 weeks. Beth brought 6 of her friends to Women s Day and it was very inspiring to see her baptized. One woman (who also starred in the break dancing portion of our prize give-away- it was hilarious!) said, I m going to do that (get baptized) really soon! Gail Ewell On Saturday, April 1st, the San Mateo County women participated in our 11th annual Women s Day event at the Hyatt Regency in Burlingame. God blessed us as 185 women brought over 330 of our friends and family! Antonette Hua and Gail Ewell did incredible lessons that helped us see our need for a spiritual break through by understanding the reality and effects of sin and inspired us to tell the truth and turn to God. In addition, Ellen Reinstein shared her life very powerfully and challenged all of us to find fulfillment in God, starting with studying the Bible. Bertha Geronimo and her 20

21 San Mateo 3 daughters Through Women s Day God answered many prayers for our friends and family. One woman invited her entire family to Women s Day. They came and used the event as an opportunity to break through deceit in their relationships by devoting the entire week leading up to Women s Day to prayer and fasting, and taking time afterwards to tell one another the truth about what was happening in their lives and relationships. God moved powerfully as the women on college campuses prayed fervently for their classmates and professors. Many friends attended the event and afterward opened up about painful personal challenges they face daily. They were inspired to deepen friendships with disciples and begin studying the Bible. We were excited to continue our Break Through conversations over dinner after the event; many women were inspired to begin studying the Bible, and quiet a few are now eager to get baptized! The next day, Sunday, April 3, we were happy to welcome some of our friends from Women s Day to church with us and even began studying the Bible that very afternoon! Beth Ang, San Mateo County-Baptized April 1st We are very grateful to God for providing us a great venue and the opportunity to bring out so many women to hear his word spoken. We also want to thank those who worked so very hard behind the scenes on the decorations, sound, setup, other preparations and cleanup to make our night a complete victory! We look forward to seeing God continue to work in many women s lives here in San Mateo and throughout the Bay Area! 21

22 Answered Prayers at San Francisco Women s Day N ~Ephesians 3:20 During the table discussions, many began to share vulnerably with each other. One woman said she related to one of the speakers that shared about being really introverted, she expressed how she is painfully shy and under any other circumstances would not feel comfortow glory be to God! By his mighty power at work within us, he is able to accomplish infinitely more than we would ever dare to ask or hope. The power of God was on display at the Women s Day in San Francisco on Saturday, April 8th. Over 350 women were in attendance. Ruth Saravia and Emily Lin shared their heartfelt breakthroughs in dealing with bitterness, religiosity, selfish ambition and the insatiable need for success. Gail Ewell then preached a compelling lesson from the Bible on the need for having breakthroughs from anxiety, breaking free in truth and not having to go through life held back by crippling emotions such as envy, fear and anxiety. Her lesson gave women hope that God can move in any possible situation and use it for good. With Scriptures such as Mark 5:24, where Jesus heals the woman hemorrhaging for 12 years, Gail illustrated how waiting for things to get better on their own just won t do. It was not until this woman allowed herself to see the truth and realized that she needed a real miracle to be well again, that she was able to experience Jesus healing power. God also worked through the hearts and efforts of disciples, such as Laschaunda, who not only is a mother to 5 children, but had 6 of her friends come to Women s day while directing the entertainment for the afternoon, that made the Women s Day such a powerful event that glorified God. There were many disciples who had to have entire tables reserved just to seat all of the friends they had invited. A gathering of friends at San Francisco Women s Day 22

23 San Francisco able participating in a table discussion like she did at that moment. There was another guest who came with her boyfriend s sister who could not stop shedding tears over how moved she was by all the love and support she was experiencing at Women s day; while deeply impacted, she expressed how she knows that she doesn t have a relationship with God and now wants to study the Bible to learn how to get close to God. Additionally, one of the campus girls brought her mother, and her mother was so impacted that she expressed how much she desires to have a breakthrough and wants to be baptized this year. Angelica Williams - Baptised at Women s Day they d like to get baptized soon. The San Francisco Women s Day culminated with a powerful example of a God-inspired breakthrough, as one of the disciples, Quantrice, was able to baptize her identical twin sister, Angelica! To God be the glory! By the end of the Women s Day, over 100 guests filled out response cards expressing a strong desire to know more about having a breakthrough and building a relationship with God. Over 40 of these women desired to set up a personal Bible study, while another 12 women expressed that 23

24 Answered Prayers Alameda County Women s Day was amazing from the moment the doors opened. Morgan Brown and Cecilia Coyne, the main speakers, gave their hearts and shared vulnerably. Morgan shared specifically about having a breakthrough in trust as well as a breakthrough in truth by exposing the lies that we tell ourselves. Cecilia shared powerfully about how God desires intimacy and that the only way to get there is being vulnerable with God and others. In answering the question of what inspired them the most about Women s Day, many replied that the speaker s vulnerability moved them. Our Breakthrough Conversations ensued as women opened up their individual fortune cookies to discover questions calling them to breakthrough. Women s Day would produce fruit. That Sunday, we were able to see Elba Garcia get baptized. Her husband is also studying the bible. Another sister, Celeste, is a young Christian who won Alameda County s Breakthrough Award at our Women s Night Out. Her husband became a disciple in February of this year, and her 90-yearold grandmother attended Women s Day. We are praying for her to get baptized this month. Alisyn s table was filled with women who all made God was definitely moving and answering many prayers before Women s Day even started. About 330 of our friends attended. However, on the Sunday before the event, a whopping 128 of them signed up that day! Moreover, we prayed specifically that Entertainment at Alameda Women s Day 24

25 Alameda a decision to study the bible. One woman at the table was met by Wendy at a café in Oakland. Wendy had called her for a month but didn t get a response. But she showed up and happened to be placed at a table with Alisyn, who lives one floor below from where she lives! One sister in the singles has been struggling in her faith for a while, but after Women s Day she came up and said, I need to be in some of those bible studies because I have been sitting around for too long. She said, I want to be used by God! Alameda Women s Day Alameda Women s Day 25

26 Answered Prayers How, then can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news. ~Romans 10:14-15 How do you know the Santa Clara women s ministry experienced the power of God this weekend? How do you know you have experienced a great Women s Day? How do you know women s hearts were touched and impacted by the Word of God? You know when you see: 198 disciples bringing 360 of their friends, neighbors, and family to this awesome event! 68 women sign-up to study the Bible to learn how to have a breakthrough in their relationship with God. Over 50 middle school and teenage girls come to hear about having a relationship with God! Women impacted by the preaching of openness and truth by Margo Colvin and the sharers. One single sisters housechurch of 10 women end up bringing 35 of their friends to hear God s Word. One married sister bringing her friend to Women s Day who has a son with special needs. They attend their own church, but their son does not like to go because he is made fun of by the other kids. She came back to church today, brought her husband and son! The son attended our Spiritual Resource Class and loved it so much! His parents are blown away by his response and are set up to study the Bible this week. Santa Clara Women s Day A woman who came to the event on Saturday commented at their table, Can I study the Bible this afternoon with someone? She studied the Bible that afternoon and was at church this morning! 26

27 Santa Clara Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work in us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen! Ephesians 3:20-21 Santa Clara Women s Day Even one of our single parents who is a postman reaching out and inviting a woman on his route to come to church and to Women s Day. She came to Midweek service, met a single sister that she already knew and came back Saturday to Women s Day! We are very grateful and inspired at how God moved so effectively to have so many women from all walks of life come and respond! There is much work to be done, but with our faith renewed in God s ability to move the hearts of women we will reap a tremendous harvest in the weeks to come! Santa Clara Women s Day 27

28 BACC Neighborhood Directory: San Mateo County Main Contact: Singles Campus Middle-School/Teens Foster City San Mateo San Carlos Belmont Half Moon Bay Redwood City Palo Alto/Menlo Park Santa Clara County Main Contact: Salinas Monterey Santa Cruz South San Jose Mountain View Central San Jose Sunnyvale Santa Clara Campus/Teens San Jose Singles San Francisco County Main Contact: San Francisco Families Daly City South San Francisco Sausalito Novato Sonoma San Francisco Campus/Teens/Singles Contra Costa County Main Contact: Pleasanton San Ramon/Danville Lafeyette/Walnut Creek/Concord Fairfield Delta Stockton Richmond Berkeley Campus/Singles Singles Alameda County Main Contact: Fremont/Union City Oakland Hayward Alameda San Leandro/Castro Valley Singles Campus/Teens Darryl and Tracey Howell Brian Nitta and Rosalind Lam Josh Weger and Morgan Brown Micah and Marylin Weger Mike and Kathryn Allen Stone and Marilee Eleazer Paul and Judy Tyson Ming and Sharon Siu John and Pam Taliaferro Tom and Connie Schaffernoth Todd and Veronica Singleton Greg and Kristi Bodzioch Bakari and Julie Holmes Joe and Auburn Velaxquez Tim and Kristina Wells Brigido and Leslie Torres Joel and Maria Yang Brian and Lynn Kling Song and Jennifer Chin Phil and Brenya Johnson Steve Lo and Cecelia Marte Jason and Michele Coulliette Ed and Michelle Marquez Patrick and Anita Cross Bobby and Joyce Diloy Dan and Shiloh Crowl Joel and Amber Kaplan Noble and Donna Cheng Nathan Pantoja Sam and Tenea Manuel Brock and Anne Roby John and Michelle Hafer DJ and Stacey Larsen Brian and Stephanie Wheeler Rizal and Maravic Ramos Dave and Christine Jones Roger and Michelle Poehlman Shane Ballew and Amy Bennet Drew Gephart and Adelaid Cheng Scott and Messer Moala Dan and Elsa Garcia Bernard and Tracy Jones Garry and Mia Duran Darryl and Yolanda Freeman Dave and Colleen Payne Dario Mercado and Wendy Beltran Martin Oji and Racheal Goins