October 23, 2007

 

To my Brothers and Sisters of the WV Emmaus Community,

 

      I would like to propose a "prayer challenge" that I feel that God has led me to say to the entire Emmaus Community.

First, let me say that I Love the Lord with all my heart and since my pilgrim walk in 2001, I have heard people saying that we have had a difficult time in getting past community members to a gathering; it has been difficult to get pilgrims (especially men) to the mountain for a weekend; we are recycling the same people who want to serve on a team because there is no "new" pilgrim involvement in the Emmaus Community, etc.

     During the October, 2007 Gathering, it was felt by some of those that were in attendance that we had "church". This, in my opinion, has not been experienced for a long time. The Gathering that was held had people leaving with a "uplifting" that only the Holy Spirit can provide. Now to top it off on the next Sunday morning, during the Sunday School hour to be exact, my class is currently studying the Prayer of Jabez ( 1 Chronicles 4:9-10 ). God placed in my heart that we, as the Emmaus Community, start to pray this prayer as a community so we can experience a blessing that only God can provide.

  Let us examine this prayer:"Jabez called out to the God of Israel, 'Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain. And God granted his request'".

   I firmly believe that we, as the Emmaus Community, begin to pray this prayer, this WV Emmaus Community will be blessed.

How??

 First, if we each place this prayer in our hearts, we can each do miracles because we are willing to do the will of God and in this case, to preach the good news to those who have not heard the Good news of JESUS Christ. We need to ask God to bless us and enlarge our territory so that we also have the capability to invite future pilgrims to the mountain so that they can get that "spark" that we received when each of us took our walk.

Second, once the pilgrims receive that spark and return to the world on their 4th day walk, they have the chance to spread the good news to others because it will be God's blessing. The more people that we  touch in todays world, the greater the chance that we will see more pilgrims come to the mountain because of the desire of wanting to have an Emmaus experience.

Finally, the more people that we have involved in the community, the attendance increases at the gatherings; more people wanting to team, etc.

  I believe that the amount of people once again becoming active in the community will flourish because we have followed up on our duties as a Sponsor to the new pilgrim and getting them to the post-weekend gathering.

  So, I am proposing that we initiate this challenge for the Emmaus Community for the upcoming year. Why?

   I want to say first that the Emmaus Community has done the correct thing by going to the National Model and I am 100% behind that decision. I also think that sometimes we put our primary focus on the rules and regulations that the National Model has asked us to do and we sometimes put God behind the National Model.

  We need to change our PRIORITY as a community...we need to put God first and then the National Model will take care of itself because God will bless our current rules that the National Model provides.

  Please remember that before the National Model, WV Emmaus is a great community because God touched peoples lives in a way that only He can. After the National Model, WV Emmaus community is a great community because God is placing His blessing on us.

   In closing, I am asking that each of you come to God with an open heart. Pray for the WV Emmaus Community and pray for yourself. God will bless each of us greatly because God granted Jabez his request.

 

DeColores,
Scott Sassaman

Assistant CLD

WV #69