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JanuaryJanuary Connection Connection

In this Issue:In this Issue:

From the Heart of Your Pastor 1 Ministries | Events 2

Life Groups 3

www.sdcogop.comwww.sdcogop.com January 2012

sdcogop@yahoo.comsdcogop@yahoo.com

Samuel M. Zwemer has said that “Prayer is self-discipline. The effort to realize the presence and power of God stretches the sinews of the soul and hardens muscles. To pray is to grow in grace. To tarry in the presence of the King leads to new loyalty and devotion on the part of the faithful subjects. Christian character grows in the secret place of prayer.”

The secret place of prayer is what Jesus talked about as a place that really mattered to Him. A place of solitude where He would often withdraw into privacy and spiritual intimacy with His Father. Isn’t it interesting that Jesus used the religious hypocrites of His day as a warning about prayer. They loved to pray in public, for show, with loud voices, out of duty and pride, and Jesus made it clear that being seen by others was their reward (Matthew 6:5 ESV).

But with encouraging direction Jesus continues, “But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret.” The “secret place,” where God abides, where He sees into our hearts and minds. The room in which God is in touched with the things we think go unnoticed, but matter deeply to Him and us.

And by the way, Jesus added — “your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” (Matthew 6:6 ESV). Sowing in the secret place of prayer, reaps God’s rewards. You can tell people who pray in secret. Their countenance shines with the very Glory of

Bishop Jack Sheets Sr., Senior Pastor

God. They have a humble boldness, a gentle strength, the mind of Christ.

But too often the pace of life has paralyzed the power of our prayers. We have relegated our “quiet time” to spiritual fast food, micro-waved on the fly. A quick “bless me Lord” as we head off to bed or into a day of the unknown. Finding time to pray, much less a “secret place” is hard to do with the pressures of the world, and our much-too-busy lives.

Jesus understood this. When the “great crowds gathered to hear Him and to be healed of their infirmities” (Luke 5:15 ESV) there was the potential for His life to become frantic and a bit chaotic. Vs. 16 says that it was at those times that Jesus “would withdraw to desolate places and pray.” In the very next chapter, when the religious leaders were “filled with fury” and began to conspire as to how to kill Jesus, “he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God.” (Luke 6:10-12 ESV).

The “secret place.” The back side of the mountain, the space in life where it is just you and God. It is private, separate, alone. No show-and-tell there. No flowery words meant to impress, just raw, direct intimacy with our Creator. In the secret place, it’s God and you. Make room for God in your life, and make a room for God in your life – a secret place where you “worship the Lord in the splendor of His holiness” (Psalm 29:2 ESV). It will turn your life around.

San Diego San Diego New Life New Life Ministr iesMinistr ies

CC HURCH OF HURCH OF GG OD OF OD OF PP ROPHECYROPHECY

LocationsLocations

730 Concepcion 730 Concepcion Ave.Ave.

Spring ValleySpring Valley (619) 741(619) 741 --81668166

Sunday Meeting Times:Sunday Meeting Times:

•• Connection Cafe Connection Cafe –– 10:00am10:00am

•• Worship Worship –– 1 1 1:00 1:00 amam •• Servicio en EspaServicio en Espa ñolñol --

5:00pm5:00pm

WednesdayWednesday ::

•• iYouthz Youth iYouthz Youth Connection Connection 6:30pm6:30pm

2107 2107 I AvenueAvenue National CityNational City

(619) 474(619) 474 --60626062

Tuesday Tuesday Life GroupsLife Groups::

•• English Engl ish atat -- 6:30pm 6:30pm

SanDiego NewLife Church

JanuaryJanuary ConnectionConnection Page Page 22 of of 33

iYouthziYouthz YY outhouth Connection Connection

Come develop new Come develop new fr iendshipsfr iendships

and begin a spir i tual and begin a spir i tual journey.journey.

Wednesdays ~ 6:30pm www.iYouthz.comwww.iYouthz.com

The Art of Marriage

This six-week event begins Jan. 22, 2012.

Getting to the Heart of God’s Design ~ gives couples the opportunity to

look at their relationship in a whole new way. Weaving instruction from

respected pastors and Bible teachers together with compelling stories,

humorous vignettes, man-on-the-street interviews and more. The Art of

Marriage will help couples apply what the Bible teaches about marriage in a powerful way. It’s practical, funny, and

straight to the heart.

Cost is a low $10 per couple.

Espec ia l l y f o r Women

“Tea f o r t h e Sou l ” Bible Study The first Thursday of each month

January 5 at 6:30 p.m.

Coordinated by Rosy Barajas

Sundays 10am – 12pm

A place where Faith grows!A place where Faith grows!

To receive this

monthly publication online, send an email to

sdcogop@yahoo.com

Go Green! Save a

tree . . .

Recipe for a happy home 4 cups love 5 spoons of hope 2 cups loyalty 2 spoons of tenderness 3 cups forgiveness 4 quarts of faith 1cup friendship 1 barrel of laughter Take love and loyalty, mix them thoroughly with faith. Blend it with tenderness, kindness and understanding. Add friendship and hope, sprinkle abundantly with laughter. Bake it with sunshine. Serve daily with generous helpings. Notes: Serves more than enough to go around.

Prep and cook times are 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. . . .

When you grocery shop…

Remember Joseph’s Storehouse

Have a Need?

God cans everywhere are full of needs. Our churches worldwide

and our government need prayer. Join the forces who are

committed to fast and pray the first Tuesday of each month.

WANTED

We want and need more Life Group facilitators! Join us at 9:00 am on Sunday, Jan. 8

for tips and inspirations for successful small group

leaders.

40 Days

of Prayer

Jan. 1 – Feb. 9

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East Chula Vista Wednesday at 7:00 pm Ray Roybal (619) 690-0397 Jim Trípoli (619) 482-9410

National City English Tuesday at 6:30 pm Pastors on rotation

National City Español Tuesday at 7:00 pm Ezequiel Tagle (619) 267-0936

National City Español Juventud Tuesday at 7:00 pm Ezequiel Tagle (619) 267-0936

North County Sunday at 8:00 a.m. David & Claudette Dinkins (619) 267-8064

San Carlos Sunday at 6:00 p.m. Joel Drake (619) 466-7380

South East San Diego Sunday afternoons Michelle Wilburn (619) 249-3674

Spring Valley Español Wednesday at 6:30 pm Friday at 6:00 p.m. Ezequiel Tagle (619) 267-0936

At San Diego New Life Ministries, we want to be more than just a friendly church, we desire to be a church where you will cultivate friendships with people who will care for you, encourage you, challenge and pray for you.

ss Forty Days of Prayer To receive the complete guide, contact the church office.

1. Matthew 22:37, 38 2. Matthew 4:4 3. I Corinthians 9:24:25 4. I Corinthians 10:31 5. Hebrews 12:2 6. Isaiah 41:10 7. Joshua 1:9b 8. II Corinthians 4:16-18 9. Job 19:25 10. I Corinthians 2:14 11. II Corinthians 5:7 12. Lamentations 3:22-23 13. Matthew 20:28 14. Matthew 21:9 15. John 3:16 16. Hebrews 13:15-16 17. Romans 5:3-5 18. II Corinthians 5:14, 15 19. I Corinthians 15:3-6 20. Romans 12:12 21. Romans 5:1,2 22. Hebrews 11:1 23. Romans 8:24, 25 24. Romans 15:13 25. Colossians 1:22, 23a 26. II Thessalonians 2:16, 17 27. Psalm 27:4, 5 28. Proverbs 3:5, 6 29. Psalm 25:4. 5 30. Psalm 61:1-3 31. Psalm 143:10 32. Matthew 7:7, 8 33. Joshua 22:5 34. Matthew 5:37 35. Psalm 37:4-6 36. Proverbs 16:3 37. Ecclesiastes 5:4, 5 38. Matthew 6:33 39. II Corinthians 9:7 40. Acts 20:32