In response to last weekend's sermons on Luke 18, the Brier Creek Campus blog has been posting thoughts on prayer by different members of their campus staff.  Contributing staff members include:

1) Spence Shelton--Summit Small Groups

2) Sarah Carver--Summit Kids

3) Tori Summers--Summit Worship

Lots of great thoughts there for you to think through.  Click here to check it out.

Since we were not able to cover every question about prayer during the weekend message , here are some suggested resources that will help you grow in your personal prayer life. I have read all of these and have been challenged greatly by the authors of each book.

The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers & Devotions
 
Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire by Jim Cymbala
 
Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth by Richard J. Foster
 
Prayer: Finding the Heart’s True Home by Richard J. Foster
 
How to Develop a Powerful Prayer Life by Gregory R. Frizzell,
 
A Praying Life: Connecting with God in a Distracting World by Paul E. Miller
 
Prayer: Does it Make Any Difference? By Philip Yancey
 

I want to see and be a part of a huge movement of God. Some of you have been persistently knocking & asking since our days at Homestead Heights…you persistently prayed for God to move and look at us now! Out grew a High School! Multisite! Church Planting!
 
Wake up! We are in the midst of God moving..here in RDU and around the world. Our church has experienced 31% increase since last year.
 
Yes we have growing pains and a building that is about to be too small…but I am convinced that we haven’t even begun to see what God wants to do! What would it look like if everyone at the Summit, at every campus would believe that God was close, powerful and willing…what if we all prayed desperate, bold, impossible prayers like the widow in Luke 18?
 
Please join me and others as we cry out to God on this city’s behalf. Please pray for the future of the Summit campus and how we can reach those who don’t know God wants to be present in their lives too.
 
It’s not that we don’t know how to pray… Many of us just don’t pray. Commit this week to start praying! 

Post by:
Ryan Doherty
Campus Pastor
Cole Mill Campus

During the Still Standing series our staff team will be posting their daily interactions with the chapter of Proverbs scheduled to be read that day. .

Day 62: Proverbs 31
Danielle Eggleton

So we’ve walked through the book of Proverbs twice over the course of the past two months together (Beginning July 21st believe it or not).  And usually once people get to the end of something, they then take time to look back- right? Or at least it’s generally wise to do so in order to reflect.  As I pondered this idea, LOOKING BACK took on several forms.   

As I LOOKED BACK over Proverbs 1, where we began, and I observed these themes in vs. 2-6: wisdom, understanding, giving instruction, receiving instruction, giving prudence to the simple, listening, and learning.  But the heart of it all came in verse 7, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge… “   Look carefully at how many of these themes show up throughout Proverbs 31.

This key theme is spelled out very practically in this last chapter.  Verse 3 “Do not give your strength to ______, your ways to things that destroy kings”- Fill in the blank – what “things/idols/distractions” do we pour our strength into when Fear of Man nor anything else should replace the Fear of the Lord in our lives.  Or in verse 21 “She is not afraid of snow for her household” shows us that we should not be driven by fear of circumstances, but rather trust/fear the Lord.  Verse 25 “Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come” illustrates that the fear of the Lord produces JOY.  Lastly, verse 26 “ She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue” demonstrates exactly what Proverbs 1:7 said from the beginning- the fear of the Lord produces wisdom. 

J.D. suggested, at the Forum on “The Call”, to make a spiritual timeline of our lives to see the things that God has taught us.  LOOK BACK over the timeline of just the past 62 days and ask yourself that same question…  I hope what you find is encouraging… I hope what you find is a God who loves you… and I hope what you find is the Gospel at the very core of it all.

During the Still Standing series our staff team will be posting their daily interactions with the chapter of Proverbs scheduled to be read that day. .

Day 61: Proverbs 30
Abby Dunn, Evening Campus Worship Team

Growing up, the word humility got thrown around a lot at church, but was never quite explained.   From how it appeared, humility was synonymous with weakness, meekness, and maybe a little bit of depression mixed in.  Folks would even joke about the danger of praying for humility, because God just might answer that prayer!

 But as I look at Proverbs 30, verses 1-6, Biblical humility seems to be something far more comprehensive and encouraging.  The writer starts by confidently confessing his stupidity.  But instead of leaving the focus on his own failures, as we might assume humility would entail, he points us toward the Author of all wisdom and strength, the One who is "a shield to those who take refuge in Him." (v. 5)  As Christians, this is an encouraging reminder that our identities are not found in what we accomplish or fail to achieve, but in what God has done on our behalf through Christ's work on the cross. 

 Biblical humility is recognition of our weaknesses, but an even greater recognition in God's strength.  For me, this has been encouraging and freeing, because as I seek to cultivate humility in my own life, it's not something I have to force myself to do or even be scared of - it comes simply through beholding what Christ has accomplished for me.  

During the Still Standing series our staff team will be posting their daily interactions with the chapter of Proverbs scheduled to be read that day. .

Day 60: Proverbs 29
Matt Clark, Church Planting Team

My wife and I find ourselves about 5 weeks away from having our first child!  Our days recently have been filled with birthing classes, reading books about raising children, and praying for wisdom on how to raise a godly child. We are looking everywhere for practical advice on how to best care for our baby.  There are few better places to find this instruction than Proverbs 29.

We are finding that everyone has their own ideas and preferences about how to raise a child.  However, when God’s Word gives us warnings about parenthood, we better pay attention!  One of the themes of Proverbs 29 is the blessing that results from a commitment to discipline and the ruin that comes to those who neglect it.  Soloman tells us that faithful discipline will give to the child wisdom (v. 15) while at the same time it gives the parents peace and delight in their hearts (v. 17). To neglect discipline would bring shame upon the parents (v.15).

In our discipline, are we to teach our children to fear us?  No, the goal of our discipline is to teach our children to fear and trust the Lord (v. 25).  Parents are called, however, to be priests and prophets in their homes.  We are given the charge (v. 18) to proclaim the Word of God to our children and each other, and to shepherd our children’s hearts as instructed by God.  Verse 18 makes it clear that the result of neglecting this command would be for our children to “cast off restraint” rather than to experience the blessing that comes from following God’s law.

Look through the rest of Proverbs 29 and identify other practical principles for us to learn and to pass on to the next generation.