Young Adult Summer Leadership Experience

Dear Tabernacle Family,

I wanted to take this opportunity to tell you about the exciting five days we have planned for the next generation of The Tabernacle. Join Tabernacle Young Adults and The Tabernacle this summer for the Young Adult Summer Leadership Experience - YASLE 2021, August 6-11, as we press into the revival and awakening God is doing in our generation. This experience is open to high school juniors and seniors through age 30. Expect five days of impactful times of presence driven worship, prayer, teachings, small groups, impartation, hands on experiences, community, fun and so much more. Last year we saw true discipleship and transformation with long-lasting fruit in the lives of the young people who took part of this amazing experience. I have expectation in my heart that God will not only do it again, but the fruit will be even greater. Please be in prayer for not only those attending, but the ministry team and all involved. VISION > TRIBE > SHIFT > FREEDOM > ACTION. Register TODAY here: https://thetab.shelbynextchms.com/external/form/612ba33a-cd51-478a-92fb-e5fa7979d14c See you at YASLE! Michael Wulf Young Adult Ministry Director

Why Pray For Our Next Generation?

“When we pray it is a dialog not a monologue, God's voice in response to mine is the most essential part.” - Andrew Murray

Prayer is our communication with God. When we pray, we connect to Him. And when we pray for our children, it allows God to move on our children’s behalf. We should consider prayer as a privilege as a parent. Nothing you do for your child will be more important.

Mark Batterson said, “Prayer turns ordinary parents into prophets who shape the destinies of their children.”

Prayer will change the course of your child’s life. I remember a question that was asked to me once, “Why pray? Millions and millions of people don’t pray and they are doing just fine in life.” It caught me off guard, I thought for a moment and answered with the story about Abraham, how a prayer saved a family and a generation.

Genesis 18-19:29. Here is the quick JCBID (Jenn Cupicha Breaks It Down) version:

God was going to destroy the city Sodom and Gomorrah because their sin was very naughty. Abraham humbly pleaded with God that if there were even 50 righteous in the city, would he spare it? God said yes, even though his plan was to destroy it! Abraham must have known the character of that city because he kept pleading with God. Then Abraham busted out his inner auctioneer and started asking God, If even 45, how about 40, do I hear 30, then 20, and going once, twice, how about 10? Every iime asking if God would spare them and every time He answered, yes. Those were some bold prayers he prayed. Abraham wasn’t trying to barter with God, he was literally interceding! Interceding for a generation of righteous people to be spared in that sin-filled land. Our amazing God granted his request and found a righteous man hanging out in that very naughty land. Through Abraham’s cry to save the righteous, God brought Lot and his family out of the city before it was destroyed. As we dig a little deeper, we discover that Lot’s lineage is traced all the way to Jesus.

Prayer is powerful, and it can move the heart of God and change the course of a life. Sometimes all God wants us to do is ask. I know this because I have 5 kids. My kids have to ask to get something they want. Let me give an example: One day my youngest asked for a cookie, I said yes and gave her a cookie. The 2 younger kids heard her and asked for a cookie as well: they received a cookie too. A while later, the teens found out the younger sibling had cookies and they didn’t. Suddenly it came, ‘whine heard around the world.’ “Why didn’t we get a cookie??” My response was, “Well, you didn’t ask. I would have given you a cookie too but you never asked.” It saddens me to think that there are prayers that go unanswered simply because they go unasked.

John Wesley once said, "God does nothing except in response to believing prayer." Jesus told us in John 16:23-24, “In that day, you will no longer ask me anything. Very truly I tell you, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.”

God wants us to ask. James tell us this in James 4:2: “you do not have because you do not ask.” He wants you to ask! This doesn’t mean every prayer gets answered just because we pray it. Some prayers are a no or a not yet; it's not always a yes. But we will never know if we never ask. Let God hear you pressing and praying for your children, you can change a life and a generation, all you have to do is ask!

In His Name,

Pastor Jenn Cupicha

2 Chron 7:14 , Ps 145:18, Luke 6:12

One Nation Under God

Today we celebrate our nation’s independence. Our founders crafted an eloquent and articulate declaration that laid out the framework of how our nation would be different than any other nation on the earth. They believed that a new government, a new way of life, needed to accompany how this nation was to be established. As Christians, we also enter into a new way of life, under the governance of our King, Jesus. His Kingdom supersedes any earthly governance, and King Jesus gives us clear commands for how to live on this earth. ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ Matthew 22:37b-39 NKJV

The Apostle Paul doubles down on these commands of King Jesus when he wrote to the church at Colossae, laying out the framework for the Character of the New Man.

12 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. 14 But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. 15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. 17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. - Colossians 3:12-17 NKJV

In a nation that is currently struggling to find common ground and unity on anything frankly, could we, the Body of Christ, the Church, Citizens of Heavens, sojourners in the state of New York lead our nation by example? Above all the things that divide us, can we put on love, which is the bond of perfection? What would happen to our neighborhoods, workplaces, families, communities, even our nation, if we let the peace of God rule our hearts and were thankful? I know our nation has its problems, I won’t fantasize otherwise. I’m deeply convinced though that if we would pursue love we will see the United States of America.

God has blessed our nation. Let us be the generation that pursues a loving unity that transcends politics, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, gender, identity, and any other societal outcry that is seeking to divide us. The bond of perfection is in love, the Love of Jesus, who while we were still sinners died for us.

Celebrating one nation under God,

Pastor Joshua Ogle