Worship through Prayer
Heavenly Father, as we just sang moments ago, we behold your greatness; your people gather together in adoration of you; we marvel at the works of your hands; we delight in you because nothing can compare. Father God, yours is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, because all of your creation found here on this earth and in the expanses of the universe is yours. Yours is the kingdom, and you are exalted as head above all. Both riches and honor come from you, and you rule over all. You hold all power and might, and it is by your hands that all are made great and given strength.
But we again, confess, that we have not loved you with all of our hearts, souls, mind, and strength. Although we say with our lips that there is no other name under heaven by which we can be saved but your son Christ Jesus, we often look to other people and things to give us comfort and joy. Some of us look to our spouses, our children, our careers, our possessions, our academic degrees, our intelligence, our wealth, and other things as our identities and the source of our confidence and joys. Although we acknowledge that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life, we often look for convenient shortcuts that meet our busy schedules; we check the boxes in our devotions or Bible readings rather than meditating on the rich life giving words you desire to nourish our souls with; instead of obedience to your Word, we look to ourselves to reason out truths that make us feel better about ourselves when we fail; we fail to look to your life giving grace, given to us through Jesus Christ on that cross, and instead try to win you over with a checklist of works.
But, Father, you know the condition of our hearts, the sins that we wrestle with day in and day out. We are so grateful to you, faithful God, for knowing us better than we know ourselves; rather than leaving us up to our futile vices, you took action and brought us back to you through your redeeming grace. Thank you, Father God, for deeming us as your chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, and a people you call your own. Thank you, Father God, for building your church upon which Christ Jesus is the cornerstone, which can never be shaken. Thank you for the faithful members of this church, who, by your grace, exemplify love, joy, serving hearts, and humility. We thank you for our pastors and elders who love Jesus and faithfully preach the Gospel. We thank you for our sister churches, here in DC, who are gathered together to worship to you; thank you for their leaders who delight in Christ and proclaim the saving and amazing grace. We pray for Temple Hills Baptist, Redemption Hill, Fourth Presbyterian, Capitol Hill Baptist, Church of the Advent, Iglesia Biblica Sublime Gracia, Anacostia River. We pray that your Spirit would empower them to find the joy in spreading the Good News across D.C., Maryland, and Virginia, and beyond. That you would fill them with wisdom in your Word and the love that abounds more and more with knowledge and discernment.
We also pray for all the authorities that you have placed over us, Lord God. Whether it is President Maduro during the political unrest in Venezuela or President Trump during this time of negotiations, we pray that you would move hearts of these authorities to know your righteousness, your mercy, and your justice. We pray for those affected by the government shutdown, that your church would shine the light of Christ for those who may be in a time of darkness. We pray for our governments to work for your people and not their own interests and gain. We also pray for protection of all image bearers, Father God, which you gave to all humankind (those who are citizens, those who are immigrants, those in the womb and those outside of it). We pray that authorities would recognize the dignity of your wondrous works when you created man and woman.
Thank you, Lord, showing us mercy through your son Jesus Christ, who you exalted, so that those who turn to him would know and confess that he is Lord of all and that our hopes would not be of this world, but He ushers in with all of his fame and glory. We love you God, thank you for Jesus your son, and the guidance of your Holy Spirit. We pray these things in Jesus Christ’s name, amen.
Worship through Prayer
Heavenly Father,
He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.
The incarnation, life, death and resurrection of Jesus, reveal to us the things that are of supreme importance.
Our minds are occupied with many things; many problems both big and small. Yet - Christ’s mission reveals humanity’s biggest problem and provides a full and complete solution to it. He was born to die - for our sake. To bear our sin. And the resurrection; the fact that on a day in history the author of life destroyed death changes everything. Because of this fact, we live in hope. Sin and death no longer reign over us. Though we die - yet shall we live. Christ’s eternal Kingdom has been established. He will return and we will look forward to the day when we will enjoy him in a perfect sinless world.
We thank you that Christ entered our world to be our Saviour.
-
He denied himself that we might be satisfied;
-
he became poor that we might become rich, was insulted, miscreated,
cursed that we might be blessed, -
he experienced injustice that we might be vindicated by the One who
judges justly.
He willingly took up a Roman instrument of torture - a wooden cross and carried it toward the place of his own execution. He did not return the ridicule. He entrusted himself to his heavenly Father. Thank you, Lord.
You call us to follow in his footsteps. To take up our cross and follow you. To lose our lives - in order to find them again. This could not be farther from the messages of self fulfillment that we hear from the world around us. We confess this morning that our expectations and attitude towards our lives are often shaped more by the World than by Christ.
-
Instead of thinking of our life as something to be spent in your
service, so often, if we are honest, we spend it pursuing our own
goals and desires. -
We often aspire to self actualization when you call us to become
less that He might become greater. -
This week when we have been mistreated, we have often retaliated in
our thoughts, words and even actions -
When insulted we have returned insult
-
We have paid back evil for evil when you call us to do good and
entrust ourselves to the one who judges justly.
Help us to evaluate our goals and aspirations clearly and carefully in light of your command to take up our cross and follow you. May we expect, and accept the prospect of suffering for your sake. Give us courage when we are fearful of where you might lead us. Give us confidence in your boundless love for us.
May the furrows of our daily lives increasingly follow Christlike paths:
-
Increase our eagerness to serve one another for your
sake -
Help us even this week find ways to bear each others burdens
cheerfully. -
May we not retaliate but rather be kind peacemakers
-
such good lives - that they may be a compelling testimony to the
truth of the gospel
We pray for all those suffering/ impacted by the shutdown. Help us as a church to care for any in our midst who need help. We pray for resolution to this impass and that our government will be again funded to do the things that are necessary for safety and prosperity.
As the K’ return to the city where they serve you in Central Asia. Fill their hearts with a joyful expectation of the gospel transforming people and the formation of a BK church. May this city increasingly feel like home to them. Help us to partner with them effectively and in encouraging ways in 2019
We pray for discipling more relationships amongst us in 2019. Help us to prioritize spending time with one another for each other’s progress and joy in the faith. Help us to persevere in this and be deliberate. May your Spirit work amongst us and bring a harvest of good fruit.
We ask all these things in Christ’s name, Amen
Worship through Prayer
Great are you Lord. We gather to proclaim your worth and rejoice in your lavish love for us. We praise you that you are completely happy in yourself. Father, Son, and Spirit enjoying eternal fellowship with each other – needing nothing and no one. Your love is bountiful. And it overflows into creation. We praise you that you are the Creator. You put the stars in their place, and set the boundaries for the oceans. We praise you for your creativity – for the simplistic beauty of daisies, for the taste of coffee, for the joy of laughter, for the goofiness of duck-bill platypuses, for the silliness of squirrels, for the unsearchable depths of space and physics. We praise you because you are the Covenant Maker – you not only create things, you created a people for yourself. We praise you because you are the Covenant Keeper – you’re fulfilling every promise in Christ Jesus.
This morning, we praise you for your sovereign, steadfast love shown to us at Restoration Church. Thank you for sustaining our ministry another year, another week. We rejoice in the many ways you use the radical generosity of our members to advance the gospel locally and globally. Give us the grace to keep making disciples, keep planting churches, to get the gospel to the B’s by going, sending and supporting. Bless x and x as they travel back to Central Asia. Give them grace upon grace as they settle back into life in a foreign land. Make it feel more and more like home even as they navigate unfamiliar culture in a language they’re still learning to speak. For the glory of Christ, raise up men and women from this congregation to labor alongside the gospel workers in xx and in other unreached places.
Thank you for your grace that’s so evident in the ways our members care for each other physically and spiritually. Thank you, Lord, for the text message and emails and phones call that were exchanged just this past week as members mutually cared for and encouraged one another. As members meet in the coming weeks to share life, read the Bible together, discuss good books with each other, build our faith. Holy Spirit, make Jesus more and more precious to us. Give us the eyes to see and savor Jesus for who he truly is – our sufficient Savior, our resurrected Lord, our gracious King, our faithful Friend, our Bridegroom.
This week bless C, J&C, and E. For the glory of Jesus, bring unwavering gospel joy to D&P, to W&L, W, Beth, and A&K. Use these brothers and sisters to spur all of us on all the more that our joy in Jesus might be full and we might be fully convinced of his enduring, unending love for us.
We pray this morning that your grace would be upon the Ks. Even as they gather with another church in Florida at this very moment, astound them with your grace. Holy Spirit, settle their souls. Give them a deep, abiding rest. Refresh them in Christ. Solidify N&A’s identity as your son and daughter, not as church planter and planter’s wife; not as pastor and homeschooler. Give them sweet family memories during this sabbatical that they might increasingly look forward to heaven, enjoying the entire family of God forever.
As we gather and worship you this morning, O Lord, we rejoice that we do so in the universal gospel bond with other local churches in this city and around the globe. Bless the saints at Waterfront Church, Pillar DC, Redeemer City, Anacostia River Church. Pour out your grace upon Capitol Hill Baptist, 4thPresbyterian, Temple Baptist, Washington International Church. Continue to use Iglesia Biblical Sublime Gracia to spread the gospel to Spanish speakers in Columbia Heights. We pray for our persecuted brothers and sisters at Early Rain Church in Chendgu. Give them grace and use even their oppression to advance the good news of the risen Jesus Christ. We pray for the countless Christians around the globe suffering for the name of Jesus. Encourage them. Holy Spirt, grant them the grace to be like Moses who suffering for Christ a greater wealth than the treasures of this world.
Father, your word commands us to pray “for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.” Grant wisdom and a sense of justice to all leaders around the world who are charged with serving people made in your image.
We also pray for the leaders of this country. Grant all elected officials wisdom and a divine sense of justice. May these leaders pursue not just personal gain or political agendas, but that which will help all your image bearers flourish. We pray for president Donald Trump, for all Senators and Representatives. Bend hearts toward true justice and righteousness for all people. End the divisiveness in this country. Surround these men and women with people who give wise counsel that promotes the dignity and equality of all people.
Even as we pray for the government, we do not hope in it. Let us, Lord, let us as Christians be a light of hope and happiness. We praise you that King Jesus is on the throne right now and forever more. We praise you that he is reigning and he is soon returning to restore all things back to perfection. We pray rejoicing and resting in his name, the name of Jesus. Amen.
Worship through Prayer
We praise You for every seat that has been filled here, today. For each mind and heart that fills the presence of this room, we thank You! Father, as we gather together, we praise You for this day and Your purpose in it. Reset our agendas, refocus our intentions and our hearts to You!
We praise You for both the local and the universal church. We know that when your people gather together, You always have a divine agenda and we love You for that, Father!
In the days of this new year, may we feel Your love - love that surrounds us, love that will not let us go but will instead bring us back – back to Your side, back to Your will, back to Your way!
As we look back over the last year, we are not proud of the mistakes we made. And, we are not proud of some of the things we did and said. Too often, God, we are more conscious not of our triumphs and successes but of our failures…We seek Your forgiveness for the blindness of our hearts, for the wrong choices that grieved You and took away from our own happiness. Will You forgive us, Father?
Humbly and gratefully we open our hearts to receive Your grace which surpasses all of our understanding. We thank You for Your Spirit which comes to bring us refreshment, cleansing, and perfect peace - Your faithfulness, power, might, and provision none can withstand –open our eyes to the salvation you have brought us in and through your son, Jesus Christ! And, help us to rejoice in your whole creation so that through it we may learn to serve you with gladness.
God, you made us in your own image and redeemed us through Jesus. But, like sheep we all have gone astray. Like sheep, we all are tired – tired of missing Your path and stumbling along paths of our own choosing. Take away the arrogance and the hatred which infect our hearts; break down the walls that separate us; unite us in bonds of love; and work through our struggle and confusion to accomplish your purposes on earth.
Let Your will be done; Father! Steer our desires and motives to align with Your righteous will. Help us to know and understand the full scope of your character and will. Take what we have prepared and multiply our efforts as only You can. And, remind us of Your faithful provision when our efforts fail us or fall short. Guard our hearts and minds from pride and selfishness. Keep agape love at the forefront of our minds. May all glory go up to You!
We pray for your holy Church; that it may be so guided and governed by your Spirit that it may be led into the way of truth, and hold the faith in unity of spirit, in the bond of peace, and in righteousness of life. Where it is corrupt, purify it; where it is in error, direct it; where it is right, strengthen it; where it is in want, provide for it; where it is divided, reunite it – do this for the sake of Jesus Christ your Son, our Savior!
We pray for our troubled world held captive by suspicion, fear, animosity, and greed among many other things. May Your Spirit strive mightily with the leaders of the nations as they seek to provide the people of the earth peace with one another. Almighty God guide the nations of the world into the way of justice and truth and establish among them Your peace which is the fruit of righteousness so that we may become the kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Impress upon our minds and hearts that until we are at peace with You, we can be at peace with no one; freedom can exist nowhere unless it exists everywhere; the strength of nations does not lie in armies or technology or economy but in the integrity of its people - peace is born out of righteousness - the trouble with our world still has to do with our hearts and the desires of our hearts - make us willing to be changed from the inside out, Lord!
Lift our eyes to seek You first today and always. Help us to surrender our urge to achieve, understand, and be known. And, help us to seek You and Your peace above all else. Renew strength and give us godly courage to obey You without questioning. And, forgive us for striving beyond our means causing us to worry to the point of anxiety.
Restore our hearts to Your truth and let it fuel our faith in You as a good Father and a steadfast provider, sustainer, protector and shield. Inspire and empower us through Your Word to be better witness of Jesus so that all may know the power of His forgiveness and the hope of His resurrection now and forever. May all glory go up to You today and always. In Jesus’ Name, Amen!
Worship through Prayer
Heavenly Father,
During this season when we remember the birth of Christ, we are reminded that his birth came as the fulfillment of promises that you had made centuries before.
We say we’ll do things, and though we are well intentioned, we often fail to keep our promises. You Father are entirely different to us - you do everything that you say you will do. Your promises are sure and certain, a solid foundation that we can base our lives upon and upon which we place our hope for the future.
Matthew tells us that Jesus is the Son of David and the Son of Abraham.
As the Son of Abraham, he came as the promised descendant through whom all the nations will be blessed. He was born to die, to be cursed that we might be blessed. In Christ, the blessing of Abraham comes to us who believe, - so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith in him. Through Jesus we are made sons of Abraham - and heirs of the promise of your blessing for now and for eternity.
We confess that, though we know that we are blessed in Christ, we often look for blessing and hope in other places. We so often believe the lie that possessions and experiences will fulfil us. Forgive us Lord.
This Christmas, help us to be still and reflect upon the blessings that we have in Christ. We are blessed in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing - in Christ. Cause us to understand this better and experience your love we pray. Cause us to experience your preciousness.
As the Son of David, Jesus came to claim the crown of a kingdom that would have no limits of time or space. A dominion and rule magnificent and awe inspiring. The kings of israel failed to be the righteous kings they should have been - but Christ came as the truly perfect righteous king. Shrouded to many the guise of an ordinary, humble man. He was a king who rode a donkey and willingly wore a crown of thorns - for our sake. But - the king who was declared with power to be Son of God through his resurrection from the dead. And who has been given power and glory. The King of kings and Lord of lords. As did the shepherds and wise men; we worship you this morning.
We confess that we don’t think enough about your Kingdom and rule. We are often casual about submitting to you in obedience. Our own way often seems more appealing to us because it appears to yield more immediate rewards. Forgive us Lord. Help us to remember the kind of King you are; powerful yet humble and patient, righteous and yet full of grace. Grow us in joyful obedience knowing that your yoke is easy and your burden is light.
As many of us spend time with family and friends this week, we ask that we would be reflecting the Christmas spirit of Christ denying and humbling himself for others. Help us prefer the needs of others above our own. May our conversation be full of grace - and give us opportunities to speak about the hope we have in Christ.
The things you permit in your sovereignty are sometimes mysterious to us. This morning we pray for the people of Indonesia affected by last night’s tsunami. Comfort those who mourn. Help rescuers find and save people. May your church display the love of Christ in the midst of loss and despair.
As we near the close of another year, we give thanks to you for many answered prayers. We thank you for the continued gospel witness of Restoration Church; for the many ways we’ve been taught from your word, worshipped with your people, been encouraged by the community of believers. For 2019 we pray for an increased culture of us discipling one another. Help us all, to be deliberate in spending time with one another for each other’s spiritual benefit. May our conversations be increasingly helpful for building one another up according to our many needs. Help us to be mindful of visitors; may restoration church continue to be a welcoming place for those who are new. And Father we pray for the children in our midst; we pray that RC may be a compelling community for our children that models and instructs them in what it means to be a follower of Christ.
We ask all these things in Christ’s name, Amen.
Worship through Prayer
Glorious God, we rejoice in all that we have in you. Father, Son, and Spirit, we praise your holy name. How marvelous you are! How astounding is your grace.
For the glory of Christ Jesus continue building up the body of Christ here at Restoration Church into the fullness of Jesus. Give us the grace to use our words in such a way that we build each other up. Give us words to comfort the broken, and counsel the confused, to encourage the weary. Holy Spirit, fill us with timely truths from Scripture that we might continually speak God’s word to each other. We pray that each one of us would be marked by gentleness and humility. When we sin against each other, let us be quick to seek forgiveness. When we are sinned against, even by a brother or sister inside this church family, let us be quick to extend the forgiveness that we enjoy from Jesus.
We pray for those of us this morning that have been hurt by others. Heal us with your grace. Surprise us with how the balm of the gospel brings warmth to our souls – even this morning. And, give us, Lord, give us the needed grace to extend mercy and grace to those who have hurt us.
We pray for those of us who are harboring bitterness – perhaps this is from being wronged and perhaps this is because of our own pride. Either way, give us the grace to put away malice and bitterness – not because we have to, but because in Christ Jesus we get to – this does not have to define and enslave us. Holy Spirit, increasingly conform us to the image of Jesus that we might see and savor him above all things.
We rejoice in the many ways you are using us to advance the gospel to our neighbors and the nations. We pray that many would come to faith in Jesus because of the ways you, O sovereign Lord, use us. This Advent season give us opportunities to talk about Jesus with family, friends, co-workers, classmates and neighbors. Let our speech be seasons with salt that we might help people understand the true, biblical Jesus and all the hope he offers. We pray for Campus Outreach – continue to use O, S, and L to make disciples at AU. Bless our brothers B at Chi Alpha and Andrew at CRU. Bless T as she continue to labor for Young Life here at WWHS.
For the glory of Christ, we also pray that you’d raise up more workers from this church to take the gospel to unreached places. Raise up men and women to join the gospel laborers in the Middle East. Use our church to continue supporting R&E, J&J, W&C as they labor for Jesus.
Lord, we pray for the persecuted church in China, Specifically we pray for the 100+ members of Early Rain Covenant Church in Chengdu. We pray for the pastor Wang Yi and his wife. We praise you for his bold testimony and unwavering commitment to preach the gospel of grace even when threatened. Holy Spirit, just as you did in Acts, use this persecution for the propagation of the gospel to many. O great God, for the glory of your name, advance the gospel far and wide until all peoples, tribes, nations and tongues here.
We pray this as we pray together:
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For yours is the kingdom, and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.
Worship through Prayer
Worship through Prayer
Merciful and gracious Father, we come to you this morning with boldness and confidence through our faith in Jesus Christ. From the depths of our soul, we sing with the psalmist, “Bless the Lord, o my soul, all that is within us, bless the Lord.” You are infinite, yet intimately love us. You are beyond comprehension, but have reveled yourself in Christ Jesus. You are eternal, yet so patient in time with us. We praise you, this morning. Father, Son, and Spirit, eternally pure, just, gracious, holy, joyful. All glory be to your name.
For the glory of Christ advance the gospel in us and through us. We pray that for the gospel to continuing advancing in the Middle East. Bring the New Testament in the local languages, so that it might be published and widely distributed. Give the translators much grace as they work on the Old Testament as well. Raise up an indigenous church that might plant more churches for the glory of Jesus. Holy Spirit, raise up more workers to take the gospel to unreached places. Even from our own church, raise up men and women to exalt Jesus where he is currently unknown. Use the funds that we give to the International Mission Board, the Treasure Christ Together, 9Marks, HaitiLove to advance the gospel and build healthy churches.
We pray for continued gospel advancement in and around our city. Bless our brothers and sisters at The Well in Silver Spring, Arlington Baptist, Cherrydale Baptist, and McLean Presbyterian. Grant grace to our brother Jeremy McLain as he labors for the gospel in NE DC. Bring another man to serve as an elder alongside of him. O Lord, display your manifold wisdom through the saints at Union Church, McLean Bible, the District Church, and Church of the Advent. Father, we praise you for the glorious gospel work at Iglesia Biblica Sublime Gracia. Grant Alejandro and Juan much grace as they pastor that church. Continue using our Spanish-speaking brothers and sisters to bring people to faith in Jesus for the glory of Christ and the joy of his people. Raise up more financial partners to help support this work and provide a new meeting space that they might gather to exalt Jesus together.
We praise you Triune God, for the many ways our church is rooted and grounded in love. Give us deep desires to not just learn about Jesus but to grow in our love for Jesus. Holy Spirit, remind us that you do not just call us to a list of commands, but to a love for Christ – a love that surpasses knowledge. Give us the grace to be a people who rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep.
We pray for those of us this morning, we are weary, tired, downcast, those of us who are mourning and are just generally sad. Would you comfort us with the hope of Christ this morning. Holy Spirit, give us gracious, compassionate words to speak to one another – words that build up, and encourage and console. We pray for those of us who are excited and rejoicing and all seems to be going well. Give us the grace to praise you in the midst of happy times and not forget you, our God who provides us with all things. Let the happy moments of this life make us yearn even more for the eternal joy that awaits us in heaven.
Holy Spirit, give grace to those of us who are more aware of our failings and what we haven’t done than your love for us in Christ and what he has done. Through your word, and through each other, remind us that we are precious in your sight; we are chosen, adopted, lavished with love; that in Christ we have an eternal inheritance. Give grace to those who are struggling with the deep hurt of sins committed against them. Put trusted friends in our lives that will help us as we wrestle with the shame of being violated and taken advantage of. Let us speak the truth in love to each other that we might build each other up in love.
We rest and rejoice this morning in the truth of who are in our union with Jesus – alive, clean, whole, pure, loved, cherished. And because we are secure in this identity, we freely confess our sins and struggles. We confess the ways we have been sensual and greedy this past week. We confess our impurity and hardness of heart. We confess our selfishness and pride. Forgive us, O Lord. We confess harsh words spoken in self-righteous defense. We confess fear of man and hoping in the things of this world. We confess doubting, or even at times denying, your goodness and grace and unfathomable love for us in Christ. Forgive us, O Lord.
And we praise you that because of Jesus, we don’t have to wonder if you forgive and love us. We know, we know, we know, that you love us so there is a blood-stained cross where sin was payed and Satan was defeated. We know that because there is an empty tomb on earth, the throne in heaven is occupied. And because of this we rest and rejoice looking to Jesus, our treasure, our delight, our hope and salvation. We pray all these things in his wonderful, mighty, merciful, name. Amen.
Worship through Prayer
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. We come to you this morning in the name of Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit. Perfect Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, you are the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End, and everything in between. We praise you this morning. Your love is beyond measure. Your justice inscrutable. Your compassion never fails. Your holiness unmatched. Hallow your name in Iraq and in India. Hallow your name through underground churches in China and open air churches in Africa. Hallow your name by raising up men and women from this church to carry the gospel to the nations.
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, you will be done on earth as it is in heaven. This morning, Lord, we plead for your perfect will to be done here on earth. We grieve yet more reports of shootings and violence. We lament the religious persecution happening around the globe. Fires rage, wars continue, famines go without end, diseases spread. Racism and prejudice practiced often yet so often unnoticed. Abuse runs rampant. We lament and grieve. We release our burdens and worries to you.
Give us the grace to live today in light of the great Day when everything will be united, peaceful, and complete in Jesus. What a blessed Day that will be—no more divided self, but a united heart; no more discord in anything, but the beauty of God in all things; no more meanness anywhere, just the kindness of your kingdom everywhere.
We pray your gospel spreads through healthy churches here in our city. Bless our brothers and sisters at Church of the Advent, Redeemer City and Waterfront Church. Give grace to District Church, Veritas City and Redemption Hill. We pray for the Treasuring Christ Together network. Use the brothers and sisters in this network to foster healthy gospel churches that plant churches that Christ might be treasured. Advance the gospel on college campuses. We pray for O, S, and L as they labor at American University for the glory of Christ. Bless the efforts of B as he leads Chi Alpha and A as he leads Cru.
Father, for the glory of Christ, we pray that each member of Restoration Church would actively and humbly and winsomely and regularly share the gospel of Jesus Christ. Grant us the grace to cultivate meaningful relationships where we declare and display the saving, satisfying grace of Jesus. This morning, Lord, we pray for the elementary children in our church. Grant saving faith to C, O, S, E, W, I, T, J, E, S, Z, J, M, A, and C. From this early age teach these little ones to see and savor Jesus that they might rest in him all their days.
Our Father in heaven, give us this day our daily bread. We come to you this morning fully dependent upon you. You sustain our every need. We praise you for the many ways you have met our needs this past week. We have eaten food and slept in beds. We have clean water to drink. We have loved and been loved. We have enjoyed the aroma of coffee and the sweetness of chocolate. We have seen the leaves change color and the sun shine brightly. We rejoice in these good gifts. Open our eyes to behold the small wonders all around us.
Shift our focus from the immediacy of our fears and hurts, to the grandeur of who you are. When the cares of our hearts are many, remind us that your consolations outnumber them. We pray for those of us who are weary and downcast. Meet our needs in Christ that he might lift our spirits. Use us to speak words of hope and comfort and love to one another. As a church family give us the grace to care for each other well both physically and spiritually. We rejoice with those of us who are encouraged. Spur us on all the more that we might delight in Jesus and help others do the same.
Our Father in heaven, forgive our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Lord, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed; we have not loved you with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength; we have not loved our neighbor as ourselves. Forgive us, Lord. We confess the greed that grips our heart and the harsh words that come from our lips. We confess our immorality and pride. We confess our self righteousness and sinful comparisons. We confess longing too much for the comforts of this world while neglecting to hope in the world to come. We plead your forgiveness by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. Take his death as ours as we receive his righteousness. We rejoice in the life we have in the resurrected Christ. We rejoice that by our adoption in him, we call you “Abba, Father” and we rest in your unconditional love for us.
Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.Holy Spirit, we praise you that by your work in us, we can take up the armor of God and fight against the schemes of Satan. Give us the grace to do that this week. To put off sin and cultivate godliness. We praise you for the unity of the gospel we have and ask that you, Holy Spirit, would knit us together all the more that we would enjoy Jesus together even as we navigate the trails and hardships prevalent around and inside us.
For yours is the kingdom and power and glory forever and ever. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
Worship through Prayer
Prayer of Lament
Psalm 13:1 How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?
Psalm 38:9-10 O Lord, all my longing is before you; my sighing is not hidden from you. My heart throbs; my strength fails me, and the light of my eyes--it also has gone from me.
Almighty compassionate Father, in the name of Jesus, we come to you today with cries of lament and sighs of sorrow. Our hearts are troubled, our world is broken; we yearn for peace and flourishing, yet it so often feels so far away.
We feel the effects of death and disease as they assault our loved ones. At times we feel alone and isolated. God, we’re also exhausted by the physical, mental and emotional trials brought upon many of us. We think of those who are battling physical and mental illness, disease, and disability. We grieve the anxiety that ravages our lives, the darkness of depression that bleeds into every part of our soul, the highs and lows that destroy our relationships, all of it, makes us feel less than human.
And we confess that we often struggle to see you in the midst of these trials. Along with the Psalmist we confess our soul refuses to be comforted, our spirits faint in sorrow. How long, O Lord, until you return and wipe away every tear from our eyes?
How long, O Lord, until you return and put an end to all violence—whether it’s in the streets of Pakistan or the villages of Syria; whether it’s in a yoga studio in Tallahassee or a synagogue Pittsburgh? How long until there’s no more shootings based on skin color, no more violent threats based on political ideologies, no more persecution based on religion?
How long before there’s no more no more warring nations, no more ruthless dictators? How long, O Lord, before there’s no more assaults, no more abuses of power, no more trafficking of your image bearers? How long, O Lord, until there’s no more racism – both in our hearts and in our institutions? How long, O Lord, until there’s no more ending of life before birth? How long until there’s no more children in foster care? How long until there’s no more fights over immigration and debates over one ethnicities worth versus another?
We long, O Lord, to see all tribes, tongues, people and nations together forever. When will the dawn break on the Day of Jesus’ return to restore all things back to the way they are supposed to be, unbroken fellowship with you and each other on a renewed earth? We grieve today, but we grieve with hope because of Jesus. We have hope because sin is paid for, Satan is crushed, death is defeated. We have hope because you, O Lord, are forever faithful. So even in the midst of sorrow, we pray and sing and say, “It Is Well with our Soul.”
Prayer of Supplication
Gracious God, we rejoice in your grace to us. We thank you for the many ways you are at work in and through our church family. Thank you for your grace that is growing D and H, F, T, and C into the image of Jesus Christ. Thank you for the grace that motivates the humble service of C&E, M&T, S, C, and so many others. Thank you, Lord, thank you for the unity we have in the gospel of Jesus Christ. Holy Spirit continue to knit our souls together that we might serve each other sacrificially, encourage each other regularly, speak to each other with kindness, and given generously.
Use our Community Groups as places where we help each other mature in Christ and mutually care for one another, both physically and spiritually. Give us the grace to be open and vulnerable with each other – bearing our sorrows, confessing our sins, applying the hope of the gospel to each other.
Thank you for the children of Restoration Church. For the glory of Christ, give us the wisdom and passion to disciple the youngest ones among us. Thank you for the many members who faithfully teach and care for our children each week.
We praise you that we have the joy of serving alongside other faithful churches here in DC. Bless the saints at Capitol Hill Baptist and 4thPresbyterian. Build up our brothers and sisters at Grace DC, Redemption Hill, Redeemer Arlington, Rock Creek Church and Church of the Advent. We pray for our bother J as he perseveres in the hard work of planting Mercy of Christ Fellowship. Bring him more laborers; bring him men to serve as elders alongside of him. Bring him men and women to serve as deacons and every day disciplers. For the glory of Christ advance the gospel NE DC.
And advance your gospel among the Middle East. Sovereign Lord, we plead for the full and complete and accurate translation of the Bible into Behdini. Grant grace to Mike and E&J and so many others as they labor for this eternally important work. We pray for R&E. Surprise them with your grace and refresh them during their last two months stateside. We pray for J, J, W, C, K and L as they remain. Give them deep friendship with locals. Give them opportunities to explain the person and work of Jesus in a winsome way. Grant faith and repentance to many local people; raise up an indigenous church for the glory of Christ.
This morning, Holy Spirit, as we turn our attention to Ephesians 3, open the eyes of our hearts that we might behold wondrous things from the Word. Because we do not live by bread alone, but by every word from the mouth of God, we ask that you would feed our souls with morning with the soul-satisfying, joy-producing, feast of Christ Jesus. Grant our brother Nathan grace as he preaches your word to us.
We pray all of this in the name of Jesus. Amen.