Applying Sunday and Praying for Honduras and Associate Pastor Search

Sunday we watched one victory split two hearts. Jonathan heard the same song Saul heard, and Jonathan took off his royal robe and handed it to David, while Saul started watching him. "Saul eyed David from that day on" (1 Samuel 18:9). Envy is grief over the grace God gave somebody else, and God carved His verdict on it into stone at Sinai: you shall not covet anything that is your neighbor's.

So here is the week's assignment, and it has two halves. First, watch for the sting. It shows up small, in a scroll past somebody's good news, in a name you can't hear praised without something tightening in your chest. When it comes, call it what verse 9 calls it. You're eyeing somebody. Second, make the robe move. Pick the person whose blessing has been hardest for you to watch, and celebrate them this week, out loud, on purpose, to their face.

Pray for Honduras
One more robe move is open to all of us this week: our team is in Honduras serving among children who need what every child in the Tri-State needs, the good news of Jesus.

Praying for them is not a lesser assignment while they do the real work. It is the work. Paul, the greatest missionary in the New Testament, begged the churches for it: "Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored" (2 Thessalonians 3:1). The word speeds ahead on the prayers of the people back home.

So pray specifically this week. Pray that the word of the Lord speeds ahead in Honduras and that our team speaks it boldly and clearly (Ephesians 6:19). Pray for their health, their stamina, and their unity. And pray for the children by name where you know names, because Jesus said, "Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God" (Mark 10:14). Ask God to let a generation of Honduran children meet the Anointed One this very week.

Associate Pastor Search Update
Thank you for praying with us through this season of searching. Your shepherds have kept bringing candidates before the Lord, and we've sat down with several godly men. At this point, though, we don't sense the Lord leading us to move forward with any one of them for the posted position, and we'd rather wait on His timing than get ahead of it. The position is still open, more resumes came in this week, and we're reading through them prayerfully. We're also thankful for the staff God has already given us, and for their faithful work this summer, much of it the kind nobody sees. Keep praying with us as we trust the Lord to provide the shepherd He has for us.