Prayer | toliveischrist.cc | The weblog of Jonathan Howes

Archive for the ‘Prayer’ Category

God is moving…

Posted in Bible, Graystone Church, Prayer on April 30, 2013 | 1 Comment »

People are coming to know Christ. Decisions were made last Sunday at Graystone. Allison Smith, Alan’s better half, led someone to Christ Monday. I’m hearing reports of people coming to faith in Christ through other churches and ministries in our community. PRAISE GOD!

Valley Town Church in Wilmington, VT (VERMONT!) had their largest attendance Sunday in their brief one year history, and 8 people crashed the waters of baptism. EIGHT lives changed for all eternity…in VERMONT…the most unreached state in the USA. I talked with Ben Presten right before Easter, and they are seeing people come to faith in Jesus every week. WOW!

Jersey Day at was the largest attended Sunday in Graystone history not including Christmas and Easter services. PRAISE GOD! Thank you for reaching out to your friends, family and teammates. God is using YOU to change lives for all eternity. Also, 6 people crashed the waters of baptism Sunday at our Ozora campus. I’m so proud of each of them.

This Sunday, May 5, we are having our very first baptisms at our new Walton campus. So far, 7 people are signed up to go public with their faith in Jesus Christ. PRAISE GOD! Sometimes I have to pinch myself to make sure I’m awake and not dreaming. I love being a part of God moving in people’s lives.

On Mother’s Day, several families are dedicating their children to God and committing to raise them in church and a Christian home. AWESOME! I am so proud of them. We have a new generation of families who are putting God front and center of their families. Priorities are shifting. And God is being glorified!

Orphans are being cared for. The needs of the poor are being met. God is answering HUGE prayers. Miracles are a happening in families. I could go on and on.

Take some time today and THANK GOD for all He is doing. Thank Him for allowing us to be a small part of it.

Look at the nations and watch — and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told.” Habakkuk 1:5

Read Full Post »

A Clear and Present Danger

Posted in Bible, Graystone Church, Prayer, tagged Boston Marathon Bombings, Faith in God, Terrorism on April 22, 2013 | 1 Comment »

Our world has changed! Because of technology, we can now watch national and worldwide events unfold on our TV screens and twitter feeds. Friday night, Julia and Jennifer were rocking out at the Taylor Swift concert. I wanted to take Julia, but Jennifer won out. :-) Joelan was at a friend’s house. So, Jessie and I were home alone. We shared a large bag of chewy sprees. She watched episode after episode of Lalaloopsie, and I watched 7 straight hours of live coverage of the man hunt for the #2 suspect in the Boston Marathon bombings.

I hung on every word. I imagined this terrorist at large in the Grayson/Loganville community…in my neighborhood. We recently activated our home security system. Are we in danger of a terrorist attack in Georgia? Are my kids safe at public school? Are they safe at private school? Should we home school? Would this make my kids weird and socially inept for life? Is there a better country in the world to live than the United States? If so, where? Are there more terrorist attacks now than 20 years ago? I’m not complaining next time I have to take my shoes off at airport security.

Honestly, I don’t think we are in any more danger now than we were 20 years ago. I do think we hear more of the bad stuff going on because of 24 hour news coverage. Just about everyone is connected to the internet at all times, except for my parents who complain about it and for whatever reason still forward me all their emails. Yes, there is a “Clear and Present Danger” in our world. We are in a battle. We are in a war. And as followers of Jesus Christ, we are right in the middle of it. But evil will not prevail. The victory is ours in Jesus Christ.

Our enemy and the terrorists want us to live in fear. But the #1 command in the Bible is Fear Not. We are not to be afraid, because God is with us. And if God is with us, who can be against us? God is the one who determines the day we are born, and He is the one who determines the day we die. It’s up the us to determine how we will live (I.e. the dash on our tombstone). Our lives are in God’s hands. Our kids’ lives are in God’s hands. I am more likely to die by a line drive baseball hit by Austin Meadows or Clint Fraizer, than I am to die from a terrorist attack.

Now, my heart goes out to all the victims of terrorism and their families. And I have been praying daily for those affected by the Boston Marathon bombings. I have also been praying for revival in New England ever since the Prestens, Caudells, and Hammacks moved to Vermont to plant Valley Town Church and start a church planting movement for Christ. Ultimately, I believe Romans 8:28…God can work ALL THINGS out for the good of those who love Him.

Fear Not…God is with US!

Do you trust Him?

Read Full Post »

Cool Easter Stories

Posted in God, Graystone Church, Missions/Outreach, Prayer, tagged Easter Sunday on April 1, 2013 | Leave a Comment »

I’ve already heard several cool Easter stories of people experiencing an “Ah Ha” moment. God is changing lives at both the Ozora and Walton campuses. There were 4 people who were spontaneously baptized in the clothes they wore to church and 24 people were baptized in all. PRAISE GOD!

There were 350 people at our Walton campus for our 10:30 Easter service at Loganville High School. WOW! This is a total God thing. It took Graystone Church over 4 years to grow to 300 people in attendance. Graystone Walton is less than one month old. We launched on 03.03.13. Also, there was not enough room for 350 more people at our Ozora Campus, so Graystone Walton is already creating opportunities for growth and impact at both campuses.

All 3 services were full at our Ozora campus with the 9:00am reaching overflow capacity. We brought in as many chairs as possible. People were standing in the back and over 40 people were watching the service on a flat screen TV in the lobby which became a make-shift overflow room. A big THANK YOU to everyone who came at 9:00AM and 12:00PM to make room for new people at 10:30AM. Without people making the shift to 9:00 and 12:00, 10:30 would have felt like Hwy 78 before the 20,000 egg Helicopter Drop (which was amazing but is another post for another day.) BTW, if you came at 9:00 or 12:00 and liked it, we would love for you to make this a normal part of your Sunday. It would be great to keep making room for new people at 10:30. :-)

As I said at the beginning of this post (I somehow got sidetracked…ADD maybe?), I’ve heard many cool stories of life change.

Here is one of my favorites so far…

3.5 years ago before we moved into the new building on Ozora Road while it was still under construction, our small Graystone Church family gathered at the unfinished building to pray. We prayed over, around and through the entire building. We prayed for every person that would walk through the doors and down the halls. We prayed over every kids room and for each child who came to experience the love of God. And in every place in the building (main auditorium, student room and kids rooms) where there is now carpet, we wrote in sharpie on the concrete floor the names of people in our community who we were trusting God to change their lives for all eternity. Well yesterday, a wife/mom from one of those families whose name was written on the auditorium floor was baptized. And guess where the baptism tub was sitting? Directly over the spot on the floor where her family’s name had been written in faith on the floor 3.5 years ago. God is good!

If you have any cool Easter stories, I would love to hear about them. It always increases my faith when I hear of God working in communities, churches and people’s lives. So, if you have a cool God story to tell, let’s hear it!

Read Full Post »

3 Quick Things about Easter at Graystone

Posted in Graystone Church, Missions/Outreach, Prayer, tagged Easter Sunday on March 14, 2013 | Leave a Comment »

Easter is one of our biggest and best services of the year at Graystone Church. Our creative team and staff team are working hard in preparation for a phenomenal day. We hope and pray that God will use Easter at Graystone to change hundreds of lives for all eternity. Easter is Sunday, March 31.

Here are 3 things I want you to know:

1. We are having baptisms on Easter Sunday. If God is leading you to go public with you faith through baptism, please contact nate@graystonechurch.com or let us know on your communication card. I cannot think of a better day to crash the waters of baptism than Easter Sunday.

2. If you attend the 10:30AM service at our Ozora Campus, please, please, please consider attending the 9:00AM or 12:00PM service on Easter Sunday. The 10:30 service is already FULL, and I know it will be the most popular service time on Easter Sunday. If you can make a small sacrifice so we can make room for others, I would greatly appreciate it. Thank you!

3. We will be having Good Friday Prayer Walks at both campuses at 7:00PM on March 29. This is an opportunity for us to thank God for his sacrifice on the cross and surround our churches in prayer. We will be praying for Easter Sunday and for God to do what only He can do!

P.S. Here’s the info on the Helicopter Egg Drop on Sunday, March 24 at 4:00PM.

Read Full Post »

God is building His church.

Posted in Bible, Discipleship/Spiritual Growth, Graystone Church, Missions/Outreach, Prayer on February 26, 2013 | 2 Comments »

Last Sunday at the Graystone Walton Preview Service, I shared the meaning behind the name “Graystone”. I taught that God is building His church (Matthew 16:18) on the foundation of Jesus Christ, the Living Cornerstone (1 Peter 2:4-9). And He is building His spiritual house with us, His people, who are “living stones”. The church is not a literal building. It is the people of God.

After the service, dozens and dozens of people signed the Graystone Walton stone signifying that they are “founding members” of the spiritual house (church) that God is building with Graystone Walton. Also, each person wrote a name of someone on a smaller stone as a step of faith trusting God that he/she will become a “living stone” as a part of God’s church. This is the person that each person will pray for this week and invite to the grand opening on 03.03.13.

Whether you are a part of Graystone Walton or Graystone Ozora, this is a HUGE Sunday to invite a friend or family member. Who is God leading you to pray for and invite to church this Sunday? Whose life do you want to see God do a special work?

Read Full Post »

42,000 Seeds of Faith

Posted in Bible, Graystone Church, Prayer, Vision on February 25, 2013 | 1 Comment »

On Vision Night 2013, I taught on sowing seeds of faith. Over the weekend, Graystone Church sent out 42,000 mailers (seeds of faith) inviting our community to 3 events:

Our new message series, Family Wars
The grand opening of Graystone Walton (03.03.13)
A 20,000 Easter Egg Helicopter Drop on Sunday, March 24th

Let’s pray for these seeds of faith to fall on “good soil” and for God to produce a harvest multiplying 30, 60, 100 times (Mark 4:8).

Family-Wars-Mailer-Back

Read Full Post »

“One of those days”

Posted in Bible, Graystone Church, Missions/Outreach, Monday Download, Prayer on January 28, 2013 | Leave a Comment »

Yesterday was one of those days that God reminded me of how much He has done in and through Graystone. I am so thankful to be a part of it.

We had our highest attended nonHoliday Sunday in Graystone history. Adam did a phenomenal job “preaching” his first sermon. KATB blew me away. We covered Loganville High School with prayer as we prepare to DOMINATE Walton County with the love of Jesus Christ (34 days until we launch Graystone Walton).

All the baptisms were beautiful. Seeing kids raised in a Christian home and committing their lives to Jesus Christ early. PRICELESS!

But the highlight of the day for me was seeing Jeff Buice crash the waters of baptism. WOW! God is sooooooooo good!

I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.” Luke 15:7 (Jesus speaking)

Read Full Post »

Drawing a Prayer Circle around Loganville High School

Posted in Bible, Discipleship/Spiritual Growth, Graystone Church, Missions/Outreach, Prayer, tagged Expansion Campus, Graystone Walton, Loganville High School, The Circle Maker on January 23, 2013 | Leave a Comment »

Just as the Israelites marched around city of Jericho, this Sunday, January 27 at 3PM we will be drawing a prayer circle around Loganville High School. We will be launching Graystone Walton on March 3, 2013 (03.03.13) in LHS, and we want to dedicate this facility to God. Our Walton Launch Team will meet this Sunday to “survey the land”, and we’ll have a time of prayer to trust God to use this place to lead hundreds of people to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. ANYONE and EVERYONE is welcome to join us as we pray over, around and throughout Loganville High School.

Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.” Matthew 18:19-20

Read Full Post »

The 40 Day Prayer Challenge

Posted in Discipleship/Spiritual Growth, Graystone Church, Prayer on January 16, 2013 | Leave a Comment »

The Graystone Elders and I will be taking on The 40 Day Prayer Challenge beginning Sunday, January 20. Our 40 days of prayer is in preparation of the launch of Graystone Walton and will lead us up to the grand opening on 03.03.13. We would love for any of you to join us. We will be following the daily plan in Mark Batterson’s book, Draw the Circle: The 40 Day Prayer Challenge. You can buy the book here.

Read Full Post »

Jesus is being worshipped in an old Universalist Church building.

Posted in Graystone Church, Missions/Outreach, Prayer, Vision on January 15, 2013 | 1 Comment »

God opened the door for Valley Town Church to rent an old vacant Universalist Church building. The building, which is over 175 years old and a historic landmark, sits in the heart of Wilmington, Vermont. It’s prior use was an art gallery. Valley Town is still pursuing the storefront for a coffee-house/church facility which has a lot more parking and space for children, but the old church building is a great intermediate church home.

Ben, Zac and the VT Team secured the old building last week and in two days got it ready for their first service. Even on short notice, they had their largest gathering in quite some time, and the new location has generated excitement and momentum for our first church plant. Personally, I think it’s cool that Jesus was worshipped in the Universalist Church building for the first time. Let’s continue to pray for God’s favor to be on Valley Town Church and for God to use them to DOMINATE Wilmington, The Valley and Vermont with the love of Jesus Christ!