Worship through Prayer
Heavenly Father,
You are truly worthy of the central place in our lives and our affections. You are God - and in your eternal power, your splendour and your perfect love - you stand apart from all others.
We worship you this morning because you are Eternal. You are not constrained by the passing of time. You stand outside of it and the passing of a thousand years is like a few hours in a day to you.
Unlike the powerful and mighty in our world, the years in no way bring change to you or your majestic rule over your creation. From everlasting to everlasting - you are God.
By comparison the longer we live, the shorter the span of our years appear to us. Your word tells us that we are like grass - that grows up quickly and then withers. Here nothing stays the same for long, we change, our family changes, our friends change, our circumstances change.
Our mortality should humble us and drive us to our knees in dependance upon you. Yet in so many ways we occupy ourselves with temporal goals in view.
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We believe and embrace the lie that we control our own destiny - and that if we try hard enough we can accomplish anything we want.
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We are often selfish with our time - using it to serve our own interests rather than your purposes and the interests of others.
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We often think about and use our money as if it is completely ours to use as we wish
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We accumulate possessions forgetting that moth and rust will destroy and will thieves will break in and steal.
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We often forget Jesus’ words that ...whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it.
Lord forgive us and help us. Forgive us for our short-sightedness.
Thank you for the Cross and the assurance of your mercy and forgiveness because of Christ. Thank you that He has born the penalty that we deserve and that we need not fear your anger. We thank you that we are now your Children, chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world, adopted into your family, and destined for eternal joy in the your heavenly Kingdom.
We ask this morning that you would teach us both individually and as a church to number our days aright that we might gain a heart of wisdom.
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May the reality of your sovereignty and our complete dependance upon you for our every breath inform the way that we live day by day.
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As the summer draws to a close and many of us anticipate the beginning of new things - school, jobs, sports - may we be determined to approach these things putting Christ in the center and his purposes paramount
As many of our children begin a new year at school over coming weeks we pray for them.
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We ask that your glorious power and works would be known by them. Bring the children to a personal knowledge of Christ and decision to follow him.
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We ask that you would help them to live as disciples of Christ amongst their friends. Give them increasing discernment and wisdom - and courage to go your way.
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Help the parents to persevere in training their children through instruction and discipline in the Lord. Give us wisdom when we don’t know what to do and encouragement from one another.
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We pray for school administrators and teachers in our city. May they recognize the stewardship they have been given and use their authority and roles for good in the lives of the children under their instruction.
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We pray for good role models for our children. We pray for Hector and others at FCA as they form relationships and speak of Christ. Use this ministry to encourage and bring the gospel to many.
We also pray that gospel would continue to go forth in the ripe harvest field of the Middle East.
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Thank you for the workers in that region who have obeyed your call to preach the gospel to the nations. Help them to persevere in learning the language, and building relationships with local people. Protect them from discouragement.
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We pray for the small group of believers who meet each Friday to open your word together. We pray for growth in maturity and courage to live as your disciples despite the high cost.
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We pray that the scriptures would be translated clearly and accurately and be available soon. Ask they you would build your church in that place.
Lastly, pray for Nathan as he comes to open your word in a few minutes. Please give us hungry hearts and help us to be doers of your word.
In Christ’s Name, Amen.
Worship through Prayer
Father, we praise you for your beauty and brightness. We praise you that you love and love perfectly. Father, you are beautiful, and you are light. Your character is pure and perfect. Your love is in complete harmony with your justice and with your mercy. You are free, and you use your freedom to love.
Father, we praise you for how you made a way for us to be free. We were enslaved to sin and deserving of your eternal judgement, but in Christ you absorbed the punishment, you gave us new life and removed the fear of rejection and death which kept us enslaved to sin. We praise you for how Christ, stood between you and us and took our sin away.
Father, we confess that we have used our freedom for sin. We were free to praise you, but we praised ourselves. We were free to praise you, but we blamed you for how you don’t give us what we long for. We were free to praise you, but we forgot about it because we were absorbed with idols. We were free to love, but we chose to look down on our neighbors. We were free to love, but we chose to insist on our own right, rather than showing meekness. We were free to love, but we used our words to get back out the people next to us. We were free to love you, but we chose to work for our career, family and money.
Father, forgive us our sin and enable us to use our freedom for love. Help us remember who you are and who we are in you. Help us not fear death or humiliation or loss, but love you with all our hearts, minds and souls and our neighbors as ourselves.
Father, we thank you for your forgiveness. We thank you for freeing us from sin, at immeasurable cost to yourself. Thank you for Jesus, our Lord, who took our sin, and made us a new creation. We thank you that we will get to share in your eternal glory and love. We thank you that we don’t get to do everything we want, but that you watch over us to keep us from hurting you, our neighbors and ourselves.
Father, we thank you, that in Jesus you made a way for people to live in peace and freedom, people from all nations, people-groups, status and races. We thank you that we are no longer in search of an identity or a home, but that we are in Christ and that you are preparing a place for us. We thank you for your body, the church, in which you display your manifold wisdom in front of powers and principalities.
Father we thank you for your churches Legacy Humboldt Park, led by CP, and Progressive Baptist led by CD, who are lights in Chicago even as the city and area are hit by a wave of extreme violence. We thank you for their presence there, in the midst of the darkness. We pray that they put their faith in you, proclaim the Gospel clearly and that the people in their communities would turn to your truth for salvation. We pray you empower them not to be afraid about what is going on, but to faithfully love one another even as they have been doing. We pray that you put an end to the violence in Chicago and bring reconciliation there.
Father we pray for freedom from sin in this country. We pray that people would not pursue their instincts and desires but pursue the love of Jesus. We pray that people would not use any freedoms provided by you to sin, but to serve one another, to hear one another and to bear with one another. We pray that you release the people of this country from slavery to money, power, sex and man-made images of happiness and prosperity.
Finally, Father we pray that you end racism in this country. We are saddened and angry that people would gather, as they are later today in this city, to claim that one race, the white race, is superior to another. You created us all in your image, irrespective of race and skin color. And yet, some people have deluded themselves into believing a devilish lie. We pray Father that this lie would fall and that nobody in this country would believe it anymore. We pray for reconciliation between people of different races, as well as for restitution, healing and forgiveness. We also pray, Lord, for people who have believed the lie of racism, that they would repent and believe the truth of Jesus Christ and be saved.
Father, given how easy it is for violence to break out, we pray that you make today’s demonstrations pass by without verbal aggression or physical violence. We pray that you give wisdom and self-restraint to all parties involved. We pray that no free publicity would be given to these lies, but that your truth would be proclaimed.
Father, you are building a kingdom of freedom. We pray that your churches in this city and this country would be a light pointing to the true freedom, the freedom to enjoy you and to love you and neighbor.
In Christ’s name, Amen.
Worship through Prayer
Oh God of our salvation, may all the earth shout for JOY to you, this morning. May we sing the glory of your name; may we give to you glorious praise. May we say, both now, this afternoon, tomorrow morning, and later this week…How awesome are your deeds! So great is your power that your enemies come cringing to you. All the earth will worship you and sing praises to you. Grant that we would come and see what you have done. From the formation of the heavens and the seas, to the lifting up of the mountains and the creation of plants, animals, and us…created in your image to be illustrators of your Love. Blessed are you, oh God. You have not rejected this prayer nor removed your steadfast love and faithfulness from us.
Forgive us, as we have already prayed, but pray again…forgive us of our many sins. Forgive us for our prayerlessness, how we so often depend upon ourselves and neglect you through daily, momentary prayer. Forgive us for our wandering eyes and our materialistic hearts. Teach us to not love the world like we so often do. Forgive husbands who have not loved their wives as Christ has loved the church. Forgive the wives who have not helped their husbands as Christ has helped us. Forgive our attitudes towards those that are not like us and teach us to be more loving, more patient as you are towards us. Forgive us, Lord for the ways our hearts can be bored at the thought of discipleship, Bible memorization, or evangelism. Train us to see, that all of our joys are found in you. Help us to not only agree that this is possible…but also, more tangibly see that it is real. All our joys are found in you.
We rejoice, oh Lord, in so great a salvation. How you cover all of our sin. The sins of yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Thank you Jesus that all of the Father’s promises are YES in you. Thank you that we do not have to live in the slavery of lies, but instead, we can live in the freedom of your victory over sin. Thank you for the Cross…thank you for the Cross…thank you for the cross where, in faith, we are washed, clean. And thank you for the resurrection that illustrates that sinners can be made new. We rejoice in so great a salvation.
As we consider these things, we can easily consider our brothers and sisters in Christ that likewise worship you all over this nation, today. We pray for them. We pray for our brothers and sisters of the Treasuring Christ Together Network…From Kaleo Church in San Diego, to City of Joy Fellowship in East St. Louis, up to Jubilee church and Cities Church in Minneapolis, down to Grace Church in Memphis, Treasuring Christ Church in Raleigh, Desiring God in Charlotte, and Covenant Life church and Heights church in Tampa…Lord, bless them as they gather right now. Grant that they would more discernibly KNOW your love for them and may they return, with loud voices, praise to you. May these churches see conversions this coming week as a result of the promises that are preached this morning. May these churches very practically help the hurting, serve the poor, and push back the darkness of their communities. May they raise up more leaders, and may they plant more churches both here and around the world. Bless, the work of TCT. And Father, grant peace and wisdom to Sean Cordell, Jordan Thomas, and others as they lead this network of churches we are so thankful to be a part.
Here in our own city. Flood Mercy of Christ Fellowship with visitors this morning as a result of their outreach yesterday in Lincoln Heights. May those visitors see and savor Christ. Bless the work of the Grace DC churches and the Renew DC churches. Give them unity, wisdom, and passion to reach their neighbors for the glory of Christ and the gladness of their souls.
For us, Lord, would you so shine your face upon us this morning? Would you make your word REAL to us. Through the preaching of our brother James, in just a moment, would you awaken us to the reality of YOUR immensity! Would you help us see that the beginning of knowledge is fear of the Lord. And from that, would you help us to not only know salvation…but REJOICE in our salvation. Will you convict unrepentant sinners. Direct the saints, and move us to attempt GREAT things here in Ward 3 because we more palatable know the riches of your grace.
Father, bless our brother J and our sister P as they continue their sabbatical. Would you give them insights into your word that are profound? And would you give them and their daughters rest that leads them to fight it out here in Tenleytown for the long haul?
Lord, I pray for J and M, J and W, and P as they have recently joined this church. May we serve them in the love of Christ. And may they do the same towards us. Lord, bring more and more to join with us here as we seek to make disciples that delight in the supremacy of Christ.
As they come in…would you give us a passion for your glory that results in a culture of discipleship…where people meet to talk about Jesus at lunches, breakfasts, and late night conversations. Would you grant that we would serve the poor, the sick, and the hurting? Grant that we might not be passive in our lives together as a church. But active in pursuing you, one another and our neighbors in prayer, in discipleship, and in acts of service.
And do it all, Lord….do all of this in order that CHRIST would be magnified! Make us long more for this…make us long more for His coming.
We love you, Lord, and we thank you that you first loved us. Amen.
Worship through Prayer
Adoration
Father, with love and authority, You speak life into being.
With mercy and grace, You freely call us out of death.
Only through the power of your word do we know life.
Only through the righteousness of Christ can we knoweternal life.
Neither man nor evil can thwart your eternal will or hold back your goodness.
With all wisdom, knowledge and faithfulness, You create new heavens and a new earth.
Only you can make and fulfill the promise of no more weeping or crying.
You have patiently listened to and heard the cries of injustice in this world, generation after generation, yet soon your complete and eternal justice will come.
You bring peace, because you are Peace.
We look to you, Father, and are glad.
Christ,
“You are the image of the invisible God... All things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible… were created through you, by you, and for you.
You are before all things and hold all things together. You are the head of the church.
You are the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything you might be preeminent.
For in you all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through you the Father reconciled all things to himself, making peace by your blood on the cross.” [Colossians 1:15-20]
We rejoice in You, Jesus.
Holy Spirit,
You give us new spiritual life. You sanctify and empower us. You lead us to know our Father’s perfect will. You help us to know Christ. You help us to understand the Word. You comfort us in ways no one else can. You give us the words to speak and the heart to act when the time is right. You are our helper and our counsellor. You fill us and will not leave us.
We adore you, Spirit. “Through You we eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness.” [Galatians 5:5]
Confession
As our hope is in you, Lord, we confess:
We have reflected the fallen nature of the world, rather than reflecting you and your character to those around us.
While we have repented, and put away the things of this world, this week we picked some things back up. We found them wanting. They never do really satisfy. Yet still we cannot completely let them go.
With impure thoughts and impure motives, we have selfishly sought our own satisfaction and our own worldly gain outside of your holiness and goodness.
We have let passion, evil desire, and unrighteous anger well up inside of us and overflow through our words and actions rather than confess our weakness and turn to you for patience, guidance, and strength.
We have desired what we do not have and let bitterness linger. This has robbed us of our contentment in You. We have been quicker to pass this discontentment on to others, than to speak of your Glory and your grace in our lives.
Forgive us, Lord. Quicken our repentance this week and grow our trust in You.
Father, thank you for offering your children assurance of pardon. Again and again.
You do not leave us in our doubts. You do not leave us on a scale weighing our works. But you look to the work of Christ on the cross, You see His righteousness and proclaim our forgiveness and our worth in Him.
“[We], who were dead in our trespasses…, [You] made us alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by the canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This He set aside, nailing it to the cross.” [Colossians 2:13-14]
Jesus, thank you!
Thank you for the victory over sin that we do know.
Thanksgiving and Supplication
We are grateful for the many children you have put under our care. Thank you for the initiative and wisdom you give Kathryn and the teachers in preparing for every lesson and activity. We thank you for the parents as they diligently seek to raise their children under your care and counsel.
We pray that each girl and boy would come to know you at an early age, and that they would make a difference in our city and our world to the glory of your name.
We pray for the unborn in our city and our country. We pray that they would all have a path to life. For expecting mothers and fathers in difficult circumstances, we pray that they would be able to prioritize the care of these precious lives. We pray that they would seek and receive any support that they need. For any children that cannot stay with their families, we pray that you would provide families that would enable them to grow up in loving homes and churches. We pray for those in our own church who are serving or seek to serve in this way through adoption, foster care or other means. May we come around them as a church supporting them individually and corporately.
We pray for unity in diversity in our church and churches across every ward and neighborhood in the District, Maryland and Virginia. May each local body of believers display the gospel in our diversity, such that a wondering world can only conclude that it is Christ alone who binds us together.
We thank you for Iglesia Biblica Sublime Gracia, encourage them through the preaching of your word this morning and their time together.
We pray for your work in the Middle East. Continue the development of a dictionary and a translation of the Bible in their own languages. May these efforts lead to gospel conversations and new churches worshiping you and proclaiming your name among the nations.
In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen.
