David's Bucket » Resources http://davidsbucket.com Great teachings begin the conversation. Fri, 21 Nov 2008 16:36:08 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 en Dave & Lindsey’s Day http://davidsbucket.com/2008/11/14/dave-lindseys-day/ http://davidsbucket.com/2008/11/14/dave-lindseys-day/#comments Fri, 14 Nov 2008 14:04:57 +0000 David Alexander http://davidsbucket.com/?p=1306

One of the great honors of my life is the opportunity to participate in some wonderfully holy and sacred moments. Today, I have the privilege to share a few words at Dave & Lindsey’s wedding just prior to the moment when they take their wedding vows. Together with a whole community of family and friends who will celebrate this day with them, we will pray blessings on their marriage and the covenant they will make. I look forward to sharing these words which come from I John 4:7-12.

Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love. God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Beloved, since God loved us so much, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God lives in us, and his love is perfected in us. 

Congratulations Lindsey and Dave!

]]> http://davidsbucket.com/2008/11/14/dave-lindseys-day/feed/ A Prayer for Election Day http://davidsbucket.com/2008/11/04/a-prayer-for-election-day/ http://davidsbucket.com/2008/11/04/a-prayer-for-election-day/#comments Tue, 04 Nov 2008 10:00:43 +0000 David Alexander http://davidsbucket.com/?p=1218 Forgive us O Lord: A Prayer for American Politics

Forgive us O Lord, for being divisive rather than working to build unity. 

Forgive us O Lord, for striving to be right more than striving to be kind. 

Forgive us O Lord, when we desire to be understood more than to understand. 

Forgive us O Lord, for placing our hope in a person, a system, a government - rather than in you alone. 

Forgive us O Lord, for complaining about politics rather than thanking you for our freedom. 

Forgive us O Lord, when we use our mouths - and our email forwards - to tear down “the other.” 

Forgive us O Lord, for spending more time and energy thinking about the Empire than the kingdom. 

Forgive us O Lord for speaking poorly and wishing ill will on another candidate. 

Forgive us O Lord, when we are known more for following a party than for following the Risen Christ. 

Forgive us O Lord, for claiming that God is only on “our side.” 

Forgive us O Lord, for claiming and proclaiming that one political party completely and accurately represents the politics of Jesus. 

Forgive us O Lord, when we forget that the heart of the king is in your hands. 

Forgive us O Lord, for being more excited to speak to others about our candidate than about our Savior. 

Forgive us O Lord, when we think this prayer is for someone else we know and not for ourselves. 

Give us grace to treat others with dignity and respect, even in the midst of our differences. 

Give us wisdom - not just with what we say and do, but how we say them and do them - so that we may not represent our political party, but that we may represent the one who has given us True Life. 

Amen.
Source: Broken Stained Glass

]]> http://davidsbucket.com/2008/11/04/a-prayer-for-election-day/feed/ Praying for spiritual growth http://davidsbucket.com/2008/10/11/praying-for-spiritual-growth/ http://davidsbucket.com/2008/10/11/praying-for-spiritual-growth/#comments Sat, 11 Oct 2008 08:00:07 +0000 David Alexander http://davidsbucket.com/?p=1187 Prayer: Lord, we pray that as the Word of God is preached in the church and other Methodist churches tomorrow that You would bear fruit that will last forever.

Scripture: Isaiah 55:10-11

]]> http://davidsbucket.com/2008/10/11/praying-for-spiritual-growth/feed/ Stormy Relationship http://davidsbucket.com/2008/10/11/stormy-relationship/ http://davidsbucket.com/2008/10/11/stormy-relationship/#comments Sat, 11 Oct 2008 02:32:32 +0000 David Alexander http://davidsbucket.com/?p=1189 Tomorrow night, I will be sharing the final message from our Surviving the Storm message series. The following week, we are excited to have Rev. Julie Ann Allen coming as a guest speaker in all our worship services. I had the privilege to attend a meeting with Julie Ann today and visit a little bit about what she will be sharing next week. To give you a snapshot, seven years ago and four months after the birth of her second child, Julie Ann lost her husband in a tragic accident. As you can imagine, her life was changed forever. 

Next week, she’ll be coming to share her story. 

Tomorrow’s message is “Stormy Relationships” and here is a sneak peek at the story that we will be sharing.

]]> http://davidsbucket.com/2008/10/11/stormy-relationship/feed/ Praying for Unity http://davidsbucket.com/2008/10/10/praying-for-unity/ http://davidsbucket.com/2008/10/10/praying-for-unity/#comments Fri, 10 Oct 2008 08:00:57 +0000 David Alexander http://davidsbucket.com/?p=1185 Prayer: Lord, we pray for a healthy unity across the United Methodist Church such that the unbelieving world may see and believe in You.

Scripture: John 17

]]> http://davidsbucket.com/2008/10/10/praying-for-unity/feed/ Praying for renewed vitality http://davidsbucket.com/2008/10/09/praying-for-renewed-vitality/ http://davidsbucket.com/2008/10/09/praying-for-renewed-vitality/#comments Thu, 09 Oct 2008 08:00:52 +0000 David Alexander http://davidsbucket.com/?p=1183 Prayer: Lord, we pray that You would bring renewed vitality to the United Methodist Church and that You would daily add to Your church through professions of faith. 

Scripture: Ezekiel 37, Acts 2:47

]]> http://davidsbucket.com/2008/10/09/praying-for-renewed-vitality/feed/ Praying for ministry to the poor http://davidsbucket.com/2008/10/08/praying-for-ministry-to-the-poor/ http://davidsbucket.com/2008/10/08/praying-for-ministry-to-the-poor/#comments Wed, 08 Oct 2008 08:00:35 +0000 David Alexander http://davidsbucket.com/?p=1181 Prayer: Lord, we pray that You would use United Methodist churches to alleviate poverty, stamp out malaria and HIV/AIDS and minister to the less fortunate and overlooked in the name of Jesus.

Scripture: Matthew 25:40

]]> http://davidsbucket.com/2008/10/08/praying-for-ministry-to-the-poor/feed/ Praying for New Churches http://davidsbucket.com/2008/10/07/praying-for-new-churches/ http://davidsbucket.com/2008/10/07/praying-for-new-churches/#comments Tue, 07 Oct 2008 08:00:09 +0000 David Alexander http://davidsbucket.com/?p=1179 Prayer: Lord, we pray that You would raise up 400 new United Methodist Churches in America in places where there is no vibrant witness for the Gospel right now.

Scripture: Romans 15:20

]]> http://davidsbucket.com/2008/10/07/praying-for-new-churches/feed/ Praying for Young Clergy http://davidsbucket.com/2008/10/06/praying-for-young-clergy/ http://davidsbucket.com/2008/10/06/praying-for-young-clergy/#comments Mon, 06 Oct 2008 08:00:16 +0000 David Alexander http://davidsbucket.com/?p=1177 Prayer: Lord, we pray that You would raise up laborers for the harvest . And, specifically, we ask You to raise up 2000 young clergy in America and call them into the ministry of the United Methodist Church. 

Scripture: Matthew 9:37-39

]]> http://davidsbucket.com/2008/10/06/praying-for-young-clergy/feed/ Praying for passionate worship http://davidsbucket.com/2008/10/05/praying-for-passionate-worship/ http://davidsbucket.com/2008/10/05/praying-for-passionate-worship/#comments Sun, 05 Oct 2008 08:00:37 +0000 David Alexander http://davidsbucket.com/?p=1175 Prayer: Lord, we pray that United Methodist Churches across the globe would have an awesome encounter of worshipping You in Spirit and in truth today.

Scripture: John 4:24

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