U Matters - 16 September 2021 | U Matters

U Matters - 16 September 2021

by Rev Dr Michele Bland on September 16, 2021

U MATTERS

“Prayer is awe, intimacy, struggle—yet the way to reality. There is nothing more important, or harder, or richer, or more life-altering. There is absolutely nothing so great as prayer.” Tim Keller

The Apostle Paul reminds us that prayer is a fight to the finish.

"And that about wraps it up. God is strong, and he wants you strong. So, take everything the Master has set out for you, well-made weapons of the best materials. And put them to use so you will be able to stand up to everything the Devil throws your way. This is no weekend war that we’ll walk away from and forget about in a couple of hours. This is for keeps, a life-or-death fight to the finish against the Devil and all his angels.

"Be prepared. You’re up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it’s all over but the shouting you’ll still be on your feet. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You’ll need them throughout your life. God’s Word is an indispensable weapon. In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other’s spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out.” The Message ~Ephesians 6:10-18

The month of September is a month that we have set aside for prayer and we invite you to join. Pray daily using our Union Church prayer devotional, sign up for a prayer slot as we embark on 24-hour prayer - starting tomorrow 8:00am until Saturday 8:00am and/or join us at 22A Kennedy Road this Sunday at 12:45pm. Together let’s pray for our church, our city and the needs of the world.

Blessings, Pastor Michele

About the Author

Rev Dr Michele Bland

Pastor Michele came to Hong Kong in 1996 with her husband Glenn. Pastor Michele holds a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology, a Masters of Divinity, a Masters in Theology and a Masters in Psychology. Michele was ordained with the Canadian Baptist Convention, has advance standing in CPE (Clinical Pastoral Education), and before coming to Asia she was a youth pastor.

Pastor Michele was appointed Associate Pastor at Union Church in 2012 and became Senior Pastor in 2020. She is a trained Stephen Leader and has trained over 20 members of our congregation to become Stephen Ministers. During her time in Hong Kong, Pastor Michele served on the pastoral staff at another international church for over a decade and has worked in private practice. She has taught in hospitals in China, as well as seminaries in Hong Kong and Indonesia.

Pastor Michele has two university-aged children. Highlights have included working on a kibbutz in Israel, traveling to far off destinations and hanging out with her family. She loves good coffee and conversation.