This last weekend at our church we had a Power of Prayer Event.  We wanted to get our church praying together as a group over 8 hours, nonstop.  We accomplished this by assigning specific hours at two locations and had our people sign up for one of those hours.  At the end we had almost 50 people sign up to pray together as a church.  We prayed for our community, our church, our people, and the list goes on and on.

It is easy to draw a crowd at churches these days.  Cool music, free food, something to entertain.  I am truly humbled and excited to see how our church came together to pray and to experience the power of prayer.

Here is the prayer requests we put together for our event.  I look forward to see how God does great things in the lives of our people and in the body of our church.

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Remember P.R.A.Y.

Praise

Spend some time praising God for who He is.

Praise Him for what He has done.

Praise Him because He is God

Remember: Praise meets God’s desire for worship and deals

with our problem of insufficiency.

Repent

If there is a need to repent, do so.

God knows the specific details, no need to go into a step by step account of what needs repenting in

front of your group.

Remember: Repentance meets God’s desire for holiness and

deals with our problem of sinfulness.

Ask

Lets bring our requests to God.

Use the following requests and some that you have.

Ask spiritually, selflessly, significantly, specifically, and

repeatedly.

Remember: Asking meets God’s desire for dependence

and deals with our problem of powerlessness.

Yield

Have faith

Know that God hears your prayers and answers them to His plan and purpose.

Remember: Yielding meets God’s desire for faith and

deals with our problem of arrogance.

Prayer Requests

first things first…

• God, His kingdom, His plan, and His Word would be the focus of all we do.

for our community

• That Sunrise Church will have opportunities to shine as beacon of light in the East Valley.

• For the students, families that attend Sundance Elementary.

• For the staff and faculty of Sundance Elementary.

• We as a church would be aware of the people that have been supernaturally and strategically placed in our lives and that we would minister to them.

• That we would find ways to share Real Acts of Kindness with the people in our community and that we could point them to Christ in the process.

• The people we come in contact with in our community would see Christ in or actions.

for our church

• God would use Sunrise Church to impact the lives of the people in our community.

• God continues to bring new families to Himself through the ministries of our church.

• A good response from the people being invited to come to church, for the hearts of the people in the community to be open.

• Unity for the church.

• Our people will become connected to each other in love and grace.

• Community Groups continue to grow and bring our people closer together.

• Men’s and Women’s Studies continue to challenge people and to bring them to a greater understanding of God and His Word.

• Our Children’s ministry
  • That God would bring more workers and helpers.
  • That children would continue to be taught who God is and that He loves them.
  • For safety in the classrooms.

• Our Youth ministry
  • That God would continue to bring more families who have teens.
  • That the teens would grow closer to Go and closer to each other.
  • That God would empower the volunteers and leaders.

for our church leadership

• That God continues to guide the leaders of our church, and that our leaders are obedient to follow.

• Pastor Jay, our church staff, and our Elder Board.

• That God would bring up new leaders in our church.

• Our Church leaders would be empowered to serve.

• That they would be humble.

for our future

• Permanent Facility
  • God would reveal the right place for us to permanently do ministry.
  • Patience.
  • We would build good relationships with other churches in the area.
  • We would be diligent in prayer for the right course of actions regarding a permanent presence in the community.
  • While waiting for a permanent facility we would be diligently serving God and faithfully following Him.

for Easter

• Easter Services

• Outreach Events leading up to Easter (Plant Giveaway – April 16, Chocolate Bars, Invite Cards, Spring Fling – April 23, Easter Egg Hunt – April 24).

• Courage for our current attendees to invite friends and neighbors.

• That many new people would come to church and come to a personal relationship with Christ.

• Extra volunteers to help with ministry opportunities leading up to and at our Easter Services.

for our people

Candias – Wisdom for our girls as they make life choices, that God’s will would be done and His plan followed. For Anna

Lupe – Salvation of our children. Physical healing for daughters Erica and Yolonda.

Crystal – Pray for Michelle and her healing and recovery, God show the proper path.

Lisa – Pray for my dad, that he would have good days without struggle and pain.  For wisdom and endurance for Russ and I.

Ray  -Pray for my other in laws health.

Mary – a Job

Simon – Keena to find the love of Jesus in her heart

Danny – Pray for a better job, praise God that I was given a car and now I can get to and from work.

Kevin – My nephew James is battling addictions

Seven for Heaven Prayer Cards

Lonzo Jr, Nicole, Asron, Winston, Mary, Willie, Lavon, Bertran, Frances, Oscar, Will, Vini, Keena, Simon, Jerrod, Jackie, James, Nydin, Rhonda, Kelly, Desi, Christine, Ariel, Jim, Martha, Marie, Sandy, Cece, Dora, marty, Toni, Ruby, Joyce, Margaret, Debbie, Dorthy, Joy, Jodi, Barb, Tom, Lynn, Mark, Tim, Kelsey, Hannah, Ashley, Rachel, Natalie, Lanette, Dawn, Deanna, Corrie, Richard, Walten, Alissa, Jaime, Michale, Nancy, Rosie, Sedrick, Dennis, Kris, Nathon, Mason, Drew, Gigi, Carissa, Raymond, Luz, Virginia, Xochithl, Evette, Bria, Linda, Deserie, Felicion, Jose, Yonka, Christine, Anthony, Pat, Sergio, Richard, Jerry, Tommy, Rachel, Natalie, laura, Ray, Sara, Anthony, Emilia, Norma, Venian, Jolene, Dennis, Rod, Damian, Dorthy, Richard, Reychel, Elizabeth, Marie, Paul, Connie, Tine, Stevie, Bobbie, Robert, Dores, jana, Marsha, Bob, Don, Daniel, Carlos, Haydee, Oralea, Enriquez, Sandra, Denaloly, Seve, Rie, Kevin, Kristin, Cyndee, Debbie, Kat, Danny, John, Enrique, Liz, Jason, Anthony, Lorissa, Lisa, Eric, Louis, Rosariao, Marcelo, John, Jason, Lisa, Eric, Robert, Joseph, Lauisienna, Lisa, Louise, Carol, Barbara, Randy, James, Patrick, Mike, April, Chris, Teresa, Advian, Joe, Steve, Manuel, Cecilia, Brittany, Colleen, Dianne, Lisa, Paul, Ging, Robert, Ron, Adam

The best way to strengthen our faith and our resolve is to read what God has promised to those who pray. Here is a sampling:

Promises of Answered Prayer to Encourage Us to Pray with Hope

Jeremiah 29:11-13

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for wholeness and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. 13 You will seek me and find me. When you seek me with all your heart,

2 Chronicles 7:14

If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

Matthew 7:7-11

Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

Romans 8:26

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.

Isaiah 64:4

From of old no one has heard or perceived by the ear, no eye has seen a God besides you, who acts for those who wait for him.

Isaiah 65:24

Before they call I will answer; while they are yet speaking I will hear.

Jeremiah 33:3

Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.

Lamentations 3:25

The LORD is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him.

Psalm 145:18-19

The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. 19 He fulfills the desire of those who fear him; he also hears their cry and saves them.

Psalm 10:17

O LORD, you hear the desire of the afflicted; you will strengthen their heart; you will incline your ear

Psalm 34:15-17

The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous and his ears toward their cry. . . 17 When the righteous cry for help, the LORD hears and delivers them out of all their troubles.

Matthew 18:19-20

Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”

James 4:8

Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.

John 16:24

Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.

Psalm 37:4-5

Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. 5 Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act.

Psalm 38:15

But for you, O LORD, do I wait; it is you, O Lord my God, who will answer.

Psalm 102:17

He regards the prayer of the destitute and does not despise their prayer.

John 14:13-14

Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.

John 15:7

If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

John 15:16

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.

Matthew 21:22

And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.”

Psalm 55:16-17

But I call to God, and the LORD will save me. 17 Evening and morning and at noon I utter my complaint and moan, and he hears my voice.

Psalm 56:9

Then my enemies will turn back in the day when I call. This I know, that God is for me.

Psalm 50:15

Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.

Psalm 81:10

I am the LORD your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.

Proverbs 3:5-6

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

1 John 5:14-15

And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.

Philippians 4:6-7

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Zechariah 13:9

And I will put this third into the fire, and refine them as one refines silver, and test them as gold is tested. They will call upon my name, and I will answer them. I will say, ‘They are my people’; and they will say, ‘The LORD is my God.’”

Now that Nicholas is 2 ½ years old I find myself saying “no, you can’t do that,” or just simply “stop”  a lot more.

“No, you can’t jump head first off the couch.”

“Stop climbing the refrigerator. “

“Stop sticking your finger there.”

Sure my son is obviously a boy and boys do things that sometimes defy logic and really make you laugh.  But, he also lives uninhibited.  He is on GO mode.

What is it like to live unstoppable, to live in a way where “no” is something you just don’t hear.  Where the idea of stopping is not an option.  When I look at the modern church I think to myself, what would our world look like if we were unstoppable.  If there was no stopping the impact we as Christians could make on the world.

Too many times as Christians we say NO far to often.  Sure, you might be thinking to yourself “I never say NO to the church or to God.”  Your might not utter the words, but we say it far to often with our lives.  The way we live, the way we conduct ourselves as followers of Christ in the workplace etc etc..  We live as if we can’t do anything for the Kingdom of God.  We live lives that are led out of fear instead of faith.  Fear of what others will think, fear of what we will have to give up, fear of letting go of control.  So what do we do, we STOP.  We stop short of that point of full surrender, full obedience.

God wants us to be unstoppable and to have a life that is worthy of the grace and mercy we have been shown. The way I look at it is that we as Christ followers should respond in faithfulness based on what God has done for us, not based on what God can do for us.  It’s simple.  Through Christ we have new life.  We have hope.  We have forgiveness, restoration, the old is gone, and the new is here.  So it is heartbreaking to see Christians respond in a way that is so stoppable.

For the past few weeks we have been talking about what it would look like if we lived as if there was no stopping us.  If we lived in a way that let those around us who see us everyday know that no matter what the cost there would be no stopping us.  Imagine how things could be different.

When we live as if we are unstoppable:

We will see things we never thought we would see.

We will say thing we never thought we would say.

We will do things we never thought we would do.

We will experience things we never thought we would experience.

Story Family Maui Vacation 2010

Kuleana Resort: Kaanapali, HI

Travel Day

Scariest moment of the flight: Ten minutes after take off things seem to be going smoothly and uneventful when all of the sudden out of nowhere near disaster seems inevitable…the DVD player of Doug’s laptop is not working. Terror moves about the aisle as the passengers in 23D and 23F realize they might have to fly the remaining 5 hours with no DVD player. The flight crews try to calm down the passengers with free drinks, but nothing is working. Finally after a few moments Doug comes through like Jack Bauer in hour 23. Calm, cool, and assertive Doug starts BOLT, followed by UP and the flight was saved.

Highlight of the flight was getting to meet Chris Berman. That’s right The Swami. He is a really big guy. Catherine got to sit around and talk to his wife for a while. As soon as I heard his voice I know it was him. You don’t really notice him when he is not sitting on an ESPN set next to Steven Young and Mike Ditka. He didn’t say it himself but I know he was thinking it…”The EAGLES could…go….all…the…way.”

Day 1 (July 17, 2010)

Donuts, sea turtles saying “hi”, walking on the beach (“the one with waves”), sea shells, throwing sand, swimming in the pool (“the one without waves”), splashing around with mom and dad, lots of jumping into the pool with dad, an island mist of rain on and off all day, playing catch and “taking the sign”, reading books, the new Pixar movie has been crowned for the month — bring on “Toy Story”, boats far away, chocolate fudge bars for dessert, Fresh Hawaiian roles made by mommy, While Dad and Nicholas were in the pool we saw a baby frog stuck in the pool…so naturally we waited for the Wonder Pets to show up (Lenny, Tuck, and Ming Ming too), obviously they did not come .. so dad sprung into action and saved the baby frog. Nicholas said ”Thanks Dad for saving the baby frog for the Wonder Pets” We used teamwork and we sang the theme song together.

Day 2 (July 18, 2010)

Baby Beaches in Paia, Mama’s Fish House, Rain, Rain, Rain, throwing sea shells back in the ocean, Nicholas’ fort was a big hole in the sand, playing in the dirt, Some old people do not like cute kids who play loud in the pool, swimming by himself with his floaters and inner tube, Doug can’t BBQ hamburgers, luckily we had leftovers. Saw lots of big coral on the beach, Nicholas loves to throw everything back into the ocean, if it is not bolted down he will pick it up and throw it into the ocean.

Day 3 (July 19, 2010)

Played in the Banyan tree, threw more rocks, REEFDANCER, octopus, lots of fish, DIVERS!!!!! Maui Tacos, pool time, Baseball, naptime, Nicholas woke up after 20 minutes with his eyes still closed staggering down the hall he exclaims “more pool time”, watched the sunset on the beach, tried to build a sand castle, ended up building a huge pile of sand to jump in and roll down. Lots and lots of sand in the bed, early to bed, 2 am cries for chicken nuggets, (but that is to be expected when your son refuses to eat lunch and dinner)…

Day 4 (July 20, 2010)

Early to rise,(mom takes first shift 4:30 am – 6 am, dad takes second shift 6 am -7:30 am, Dad redeems himself from the BBQ incident and makes Bacon, eggs and pancakes for breakfast, NAPTIME already….Wake up “where are the donuts”, pool time, pool time, ”we’re not people we’re family,” pizza for dinner, Grammy bought Nicholas a kite, attempt #1 to fly kite = FAILURE. More time at the beach playing in the sand, big pile of sand for Nicholas to roll down, turtles, turtles, turtles,

Day 5 (July 21, 2010)

Rainforest adventure, Hiked the I’ao Valley, Hawaii Nature Center, Nicholas made it most of the hike, mom and dad carried him out, some guys were jumping off of the cliffs into the stream, very scary, Nicholas wanted daddy to try, luckily I did not bring my trunks, Nicholas pooped at the Nature Center bathroom (first one in a public place, got to celebrate the small milestones), RUBY’S for lunch, back to the Baby beach, VERY WINDY, attempt #2 to fly kite = FAILURE. “your gonna kill someone!!”, more pool time, Nicholas was totally flirting with girls 8x’s his age, went to see more turtles, saw and EEL!!!!!!! Catherine will most likely never set foot in the ocean again, traumatizing experience, bedtime stories on the patio overlooking the most spectacular view ever. “I need water, because I am growing”

Day 6 (July 22, 2010)

This was our last day so we took in as much as possible. First things first we packed and got that out of the way. Back to the pool because a day without swimming in the pool is just tragic for Nicholas while we are on vacation. Baseball, one last look for sea turtles, Nicholas named one Henry. Bubba Gumps for Dinner, Black Rock Beach at sunset (our last look at Maui beaches before we fly home) the perfect sight to end on.

Traveling Home (the red eye flight)

We got in line and waited and waited and waited, I started to complain and talk about how long this was gong to take until we got home and then the group next to us told me they were flying from Maui to Germany in one day…yes 24 hours of flying… I shut up. Flight left at 10 pm and Nicholas slept the whole way.

Maui was incredible and we had such a great time. It was nice to decompress with my family and spend some time just having fun and seeing what God has blessed me with. I love my family so much and I am so grateful for them and the time I can spend being a husband and a dad. Maui see you again soon.

By the time you guys read this we will have had 8 services under our belt.  Two weeks ago our Easter weekend was our highlight.   We had a total of just over 250 people show up this last weekend  (253 to be exact).  Two people prayed to receive Christ and we had 16 new households visit us.  All in all a great Easter weekend.  That weekend also allowed us to help out with a community event put on by the Beaumont Parks and Recreation District.  Each year they hold an Egg Hunt and Spring Fling Bazaar.  We were asked to run a children’s craft fair and help with some kids games. This was a great opportunity for us to interact with members of the community.  Several of the people who visited us were from contacts we made at this event.  We were able to see them the next day at our services and that was a very rewarding thing for our people to experience.  We also held a Family Festival after each of the services and used this as an opportunity to connect further with families.  We had food, bouncers and A LOT of kids running around.

Right now our biggest push is to get people connected in Community Groups.  We will be starting these this next week and hopefully as a result people will build even more relationships.  This past Sunday I was so blessed to talk to one of the new people attending our campus and he commented on our Spiritual Growth process and how he can really tell that Sunrise Church is dedicated to helping him grow.  It was a great conversation and I think it sums up many of the ones I have had thus far and it shows that the people in Beaumont really appreciate the ministries of Sunrise Church and what we have to offer.  I think this will be a trend for the future as more and more people hear about us and come check us out

Eight weeks ago (February 21, 2010) we met at the school for prayer.  We had about 40 people show up that day for prayer.  Before that we met in a hotel conference rooms, a community center, and room 161 at Sunrise in Rialto for information meetings.  Never once did we have more than 50 people.  Just seven weeks ago there really was no campus of Sunrise Church meeting in Beaumont. And now look at what God has done thus far.  He has blessed us in ways that I could not imagine and God has shown us that He has a place and a purpose for Sunrise in the East Valley and He will use us to transform lives and to save the lost.  God has been so faithful to us.

God is in the business of taking things that are broken and restoring them. Pieces of our lives that others have left in shambles. Past experiences that brought us shame and guilt. We often define ourselves by what we have done. The beauty of God is that we are defined by Christ. His love. His sacrifice. More people need to hear of these types of transformations. More people need to know that there is hope in Christ. Please feel free to share your story here. Share how Christ has transformed your life.

Most times in our world today we see people who are will to sacrifice, willing to love, willing to go the extra mile when it is convenient. We measure in our minds, and ask ourselves how much is this action going to cost me. Time, money, energy. What if we acted without regard to the cost? What if we loved and sacrificed because we were overflowing with a love inside us? A love that is shown to us by God and as a result the people around us are showered with love, with compassion. What would that look like? Who would love?

This is the beginning of our story when it comes to ministry in the East Valley. We officially started this last weekend. It was a long weekend, but it was well worth the hard work. On Saturday morning we showed up bright and early at 7:00 am and our trailer was delivered to us. This was our Church on Wheels package that was going to include everything we would need for the church. Even though it was raining and cold, you could not help but see the excitement on the faces of all the volunteers that showed up that morning. By the time most of them had shown up they could hardly believe that everything inside this multi-purpose room at Sundance Elementary belonged to us and it was what God had provided for us to reach out to the community around us. We spent most of the morning doing inventory and learning what items went in which carts. The morning really got interesting when the directions were given to begin to set up our church. Boxes were flying everywhere. Wrapping and packing materials were thrown all over the school. Outside every room was a pile of trash. At first it was hard to see what was coming together. There was so much commotion and so many bodies running around that the chaos seemed to be too much. Then as time went by our church was sifted to the surface and then someone said it, “ oh my goodness, it looks like a real church.” One of the ladies who was helping in the children areas made her way back into the multi-purpose room and said with so much passion and excitement what everyone was hoping to be true. That at the end of this set up time was it even going to look like a church. She runs out and gathers all the helpers from all the different areas and ushers them back into the main meeting area and the whole group just smiled. I hopped up on stage and shouted, “well, we did it, we just set up our church for the first time.” People cheered and as I looked around the room I could see that people were starting to understand, they were starting to get it. This image had been in my mind for months and now everyone had the same picture. SUNRISE EAST VALLEY was here and ready to do ministry, ready to let God use us to further His Kingdom. It was a divine moment.
The rest of the day was filled with excitement and wonder. People wondering who would come, wondering which people they had invited would show up. We wondered and we worked. We tore things down and set them up one more time. Each time we set it up people got more excited. Ideas started flowing and people were ready to see everything in action.
Sunday morning came early as well we were anticipating a strong turnout, but we thought they would be mostly from the Rialto campus of Sunrise Church. We met early and set things up and saw what things would feel like on a Sunday morning. The morning was cold, but you couldn’t tell by the faces of all the volunteers. On this day they were driven, they were ready to do this for real. They had been talking about having a church service in the East Valley for the better part of five months. This was the day, the day we had all been preparing for and waiting for. This is the day that the LORD had made. God really had orchestrated a lot of things in order to make this campus happen. We can’t help but look and see His hand in so many details and events leading up to this day. As the morning went on all the areas were set up and we were ready to pray for our day. We met at 9:30 am and came together as leaders and came before God and thanked Him for all He had done and asked Him to use us to do mighty things in order to further His Kingdom. After prayer we all got into our spots. Greeters were set, ushers were ready, coffee and donuts were brewed and sliced. We were anticipating this to be our soft launch and were not really thinking people outside of the Sunrise sphere of influence would show up. Boy, were we wrong. As 10:30 am approached we kept seeing new faces again and again. Apparently one of the mailers had gone out early and people were showing up. Everyone was so excited and was so friendly ready to say “hello” and to welcome new faces to our first church service and new face and new face kept coming in. By the end of the service we had just under 120 people show up. We were so excited to see that God had brought so many people into our lives and that we had an opportunity to welcome them into our community. Josh Martinez did and excellent job in leading us in worship through music and Doug Story brought us a message from the Old Testament. The message focused on challenging believers to be obedient and accomplish great things for God. All in all it was a great day. We hope that all who read this post can join us from time to time and that you would even take the initiative in inviting someone to join you at Sundance Elementary on Sunday morning. Please continue to pray for Sunrise Church and that we would continue to be faithful to the task God has laid before us. This was just the first weekend in what we hope to be a long journey of great memories and stories of transformed lives; Lives in which God has left His imprint on. Lets enjoy the journey together.