Worship through Prayer

Infinitely glorious God, we come to you this morning. We praise your name. We confess our sins knowing that in Jesus Christ we have forgiveness and pardon and peace and forever joy. How glorious and gracious you are, O Lord God Almighty.

Your Word tells us that thanksgiving glorifies your name. So, this morning, we give thanks. We thank you for life and breath. We thank you for food to eat and clothes to wear. We thank you for rays of sun and drops of rain. We thank you for songs to sing. We thank you for your perfect Word, the Bible. We thank you for budding flowers and blossoming trees. We thank you for the beauty of art and those who are creative. We thank you for the coherence of math and for those who understand it. We thank you for the various tastes of our tongue: sweet, sour, savory. We thank you for the smell of lavender and of freshly baked cookies. We thank you for this church family and the many ways you are at work in us and through us. We thank you for the 50+ ladies that went on the women’s retreat.

For the glory of your name, Lord, use us to advance the good news of Jesus Christ. Give us the boldness and courage to speak of Christ with our neighbors, classmates, co-workers, family members and friends. Give us the grace to speak with convictional kindness that we might show the excellencies of Jesus Christ. Use us Lord, to advance the gospel to our neighbors and to the nations. We pray for the gospel work in Northern Iraq. Continue to use R&E, J&J, K, L and the other workers to speak of Jesus Christ crucified and resurrected. Grant them favor with their neighbors and friends. As they speak of Jesus give them appropriate words and understanding of a language not of their native tongue. We pray for the translation of the Bible. For the sake of Jesus Christ, see that this work is completed soon. We pray for other faithful churches in DC – Capitol Hill Baptist, GraceDC, Redeemer City, Redemption Hill, Veritas Church, Pillar DC – bless these brothers and sisters as they seek the exalt Jesus Christ.

We pray for our life together as a church. Holy Spirit fill us anew this day that we might pursue and promote and protect our unity in the gospel. Give us the grace to rejoice at each other’s happiness and tenderly bear each other’s burdens. Give us the humility to not seek our own preferences. Give us words of wisdom to encourage each other, and when necessary, exhort one another. Let us consider how to prioritize gathering with the church body on Sunday mornings, even when seems inconvenient. Let us consider how to give generously of our finances being reminded we cannot worship both God and money.

Use each one of our Community Groups as a place where we help each other mature in Christ and mutually care for one another. We pray for our CG Leaders: D&M, D&L, C&F, E&J, D&H, N&W, D&P, N&C, T&M, L&L, E&J. Give these brothers and sisters the grace to lead with joy and stir us up for love and good deeds. We pray for our deacons: M, D, S, M, and L. Thank you for the selflessness of these brothers and sisters who work behind the scenes. Bless them, we pray.

Father, this morning we are mindful of the brokenness of the world. As missiles fly and refugee camps overflow, we are reminded of the fragility of life. We pray for world leaders as they make decisions literally regarding life and death for so many. Surround President Trump, Prime Minister Theresa May, President Emmanuel Marcon with wise counselors. Bring peace to the turmoil in Syria. We plead, O Lord, we plead for your sovereign grace to abound in the brokenness of this world.

And as our Lord Jesus, taught us, 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.

by Kathryn Feliciano

Worship through Prayer

Father, We praise you for your mercy and for your justice!

Father, in your mercy you created a people for yourself, a people made of people who did not deserve to be loved, a people made of people who did not know what it meant to be a people, a people of people who didn’t belong together. Father, you created your church to show your glory and to share your love. In your mercy, you sought out rebellious sheep and had mercy on them when they themselves didn’t want to be saved or desired you. You were fed up with their misery and saved them.

Father, in your justice, you fought against evil and didn’t close your eyes to it. We praise you for the fact that you are a God of justice, who works hard at accomplishing justice. We praise you that you are not arbitrary or capricious, but careful, patient and thoughtful. Father we praise you for how you did justice in your Son to save sinners who had rebelled against you. Out of your own great love, you showed them grace at great expense to yourself to accomplish justice. Our sin was great, but your mercy and justice were greater.

We are thankful Lord that you made us part of your people. You didn’t turn against us to destroy us, but to save us. You took pity on us and we are grateful. We thank you for your people, the church, which you have assembled and for the privilege to see and experience your grace as part of it.

We thank you for our brothers and sisters whom you have saved. We thank you for our brothers and sisters who are not like us, who like other things than us, who have different political views, who have different skin colors, who have different types of jobs, who have different histories. We thank you because through our brothers and sisters we see you grace and are encouraged to obey you more and to love you more.

We thank you for our brothers and sisters who offend us through their actions and words, we thank you for our brothers and sisters who let us down and for our brothers and sisters who forget about us. We thank you because by loving our brothers and sisters we can learn to love like you love. And we can learn to be merciful and to be just as you are merciful and just.

For, Father, we don’t know how to love, we don’t know how to be merciful and we don’t how to be just. Even if we look at the past week, we loved our idols more than our brothers and sisters.

We considered ourselves better than people of different political views, with different life habits and from different socio-economic conditions. Our mercy was as good as our ability to think of ourselves superior. When it came to doing justice, we called for what advantaged us, forgetting the other’s own grievances. We acted out of fear of what might happen to us or what we might lose and not out of a love for what is right. We wanted to get back at the other person because they treated us poorly. We rewrote the history and the memory of our relationships to demean the other person in our and other people’s eyes. We lumped people together based on group dynamics. We envied the position and status of our neighbor and called for a justice that decreases them and lifts us up.

Father, forgive us our sin! Forgive us for being selfish, self-centered and disobedient. Have mercy on us. Enable us to learn love, mercy and justice.

We thank you for Jesus, that you accomplished mercy and justice and that we can now be part of your family and receive forgiveness.

We pray, Lord, for love. We pray that you enable and empower us to know what love is and what it looks like. We pray that we rest in your grace, not in our own good deeds and so-called sacrifices which do not measure up to a drop of your grace. Lord, enable us to be merciful and just and to grow in doing mercy and justice. Help us not do the mercy and justice of the mob in the public square, but your mercy and justice.

Father, in your Word, you have given us all we need to know truth, love, mercy and justice. Help us rest in, eat and devour your Word in seeking wisdom to love our neighbors. Father, help us defeat sin one day at a time as we practice loving our neighbors as revealed in your Scriptures. Help us love, have mercy and do justice by the obedience you have called us to.

Father, in this divided and compass-less society we live in, we pray that Restoration Church would be a light. We pray we would be faithful in sharing the Gospel and our love for one another would be real and visible.

In particular, Father, just as you intended the church to be a place where both Jews and Gentiles live together, we pray that Restoration Church and believing churches in this country would be a light of love between people of different skin colors and backgrounds. Father, grant us to obey you daily in loving people of different skin colors and backgrounds. Grant us knowledge and obedience in how to make justice where justice is due.

Father, our society looks like Judges. Truth is in the eye of the beholder, everybody doing what is right in their own eyes. The weak and the poor are trampled upon and justice is not served. Divisions between people are on the rise. Father, have mercy on this country! Pour out your grace in the form of spiritual awakening! Grant our leaders knowledge of truth to fight against evil and do justice!

In Christ’s name, Amen.

by Kathryn Feliciano

Worship through Prayer

Father,

We praise you that your words are true. We can be sure of this because of the fact of the resurrection. Christ overcame death, and we can have great hope this morning.

According to your word, the profile of world history is defined by the massive turning points of the fall of humankind, Christ’s earthly life, death and resurrection, and his future return and promise of a heavenly kingdom.

Lord, so much was lost in the garden when our ancestors chose to reject your good word and go their own way. On that day, death entered our world through their first sin. And subsequently, the beauty and wonder of your world has been stained by pain, suffering, sin and death. All of us know and experience this on a daily basis - and yearn for it to be different.

Today, we praise you for Christ and his work for us.

• He came to into our broken world.

• He experienced it - he cried with us, experienced pain and suffering - and ultimately drank the bitter cup of death itself.

• All this was not merely to empathise with us. He died to deliver us from death.

• We praise you this morning for this boundless demonstration of your love. You offered yourself up to death that we might be freed from death and experience life in all its fullness.

In the event of the resurrection we see a demonstration of Christ’s victory over the tyranny of death. On the first easter morning for the first time since the fall, a human being who would never die again, walked on the earth. And we believe your promise this morning that ‘Whoever believes in Christ, though he die, yet shall he live’ in the same unending way.

Confess, we often settle our hopes and dreams on so much less than the hope of your eternal kingdom.

Forgive us for undervaluing the things that are ultimate in value.

• We confess that we look for life in many wrong places. Against all reason, we hope in tangible immediate things.

• We presume that our physical lives will be long and arrogantly plan as if the time we have is our own.

• We place security in healthy diets, frequent exercise and skilled doctors - as if this life is ultimate. Yet you call us to invest our lives now in the life to come. You tell us: "For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it."

Forgive us for clinging on to our lives - rather than being willing to lose them for your sake.

Father we pray that hope of a better world under you eternal rule would permeate our lives more and more:

• We pray for those amongst us who struggle with hopelessness and depression. Help them Lord. May your promises be a comfort each day and may we as a church to love and support them.

• We pray for those here whose bodies have pain and sickness; we pray for healing and we pray this reminder of the fallenness of our would create in them eager anticipation of Christ’s kingdom where there will be not more crying and pain.

• We pray for the lonely, that they would not despair. May our church increasingly be a place where know, love and care for one another reflecting that we are tied together through Christ in a family tighter than blood.

We pray that the hope of the resurrection would be seen and experienced by the Bedhini kurds of northern Iraq. In a time when their hopes of national identity and independence have been dashed, cause them to hear the gospel, read the bible and draw them to yourself. Encourage and strengthen those who are giving their lives to this end - and may we too partner sacrificially with them.

As we turn to your word in a few minutes, we ask that you would help Nathan as he preaches, and us to listen with eagerness.

Amen

by Kathryn Feliciano

Worship through Prayer

Oh Heavenly Father, this church has been brought here by your Divine Grace. This is nothing any of us have achieved. We are repenting and believing in Christ and submitting ourselves to Him and to one another only because you have willed it to be and worked it in us for your good pleasure and our joy.

You are Sovereign, You are Powerful, You are Mighty and you are merciful. Your Glory is so heavy that if every person on planet earth were to try and stand up underneath it, we could not hold it up. If you were to manifest yourself to us in this moment every single one of us would shudder!

It is only because of the work of Christ and the presence of His Spirit in our lives that we can approach you in prayer, for we are sinful people. We rely on your gracious aid to solemnly and joyfully covenant with one another. As we celebrate the history of this church, we celebrate YOU…because the story of this church is the story of your might and your mercy.

Towards that end, Lord, as your people, would you move in such a way as to grant us more of a will to work and pray for the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Our unity has been tested in the last year and it will be tested again this year. Grant that each of the 129 members of this church and the ones that will come in would do their part build our unity in Christ.

May we walk together with one another as a church in brotherly love…not acquaintance kind of love. Not ‘me-centered’ kind of love…no, brotherly love, family love. Exercising an affectionate care for one another. Not a legalistic, self righteous watchfulness, but an affectionate care and watchfulness for one another. May we admonish one another and call sin, sin, and help each other as we walk the narrow road in this difficult world.

Father, grant that we would cooperate with and submit ourselves to the elders of this church. Lord, I pray that for myself. As an elder, may I submit to J, N, and C. And Lord, thank you for these brothers…oh what a gift they and their wives are to this church.

Father, grant that we would not forsake assembling together here each Sunday. Keep us from seeing church as nothing more than an obligation, a necessity. May these assemblies come to be one of the highlights of our weeks. May your people here at Restoration Church be more attentive to their traveling schedules so that our hearts would not harden as we are kept from each other and you in these assemblies.

May we as a church raise the children under our care. I pray that not only for the parents, but for the single’s and the marrieds without children. Help us all to see that we all have a role to play in teaching the children of our church the Gospel. May we find more and more people sign up to teach the Gospel in Restoration Kids. And may we all live our lives out in front of them so they know what a Christian man or woman looks like.

God, I pray especially that we would be a church that REJOICES at each other’s happiness. That is so rare today. We live in a place and time where we often loathe or are jealous at other’s happiness. Cause us to REJOICE at other’s happiness. Give us a frame of spirit like that. Turn us away from ourselves and toward the good of others in Christ Jesus. And may we help bear the many burdens that we all carry. May this be a place where people who weep, don’t weep alone. Where people that doubt can ask questions. And where people who are in want can find plenty.

May we as a church sustain the worship that the Scriptures teach. Father, we’ve seen all kinds of false worship in Judges. We’ve seen how people say they are yours but then worship other gods. May that not be said of us. May we sustain a white hearted passion that loves YOU above all else…not the god that is so dominant here in our culture, the god of self.

Father work in us in such a way as to steward our gifts to the service of this church and the community at large. Thank you Lord for the many ways that happens every week in the life of this church.

Grant that we would contribute cheerfully and regularly to the support of this church and the spread of the Gospel. Father may we be sacrificial in giving our money…may we use our treasures to show where our heart actually is.

May we always agree to the Statement of Beliefs and the understanding of Discipline and therein helping foster a bright light to the world of what the Gospel is and who is in it.

Lord, as people move from here…may they quickly and joyfully join up with other Gospel loving churches. And help us to not despise the ministry of caring for other churches by sending our members there…but help us embrace the joy of sending people to other communities for the joy of Christ.

Lastly, Father, I pray you’d grant converts born to you in the coming year. I pray for REVIVAL to break out in the world, in this city, and in this church. Heal marriages, redirect lifestyles, kill worldiness, and grant that THIS church would be HOLY…not conforming to the world, but instead conforming to the word of Christ.

You’ve been so good to us for so long. From J&L to J&E. From A to K. From J&T to J&K. From A&A to C&B. You have sustained this church and you are sustaining it.

Oh how good it is to consider what you will do in us in the coming year. Move…we pray…move in ways that only could be described by the power of your great might! And do it all, Lord…do it all for the sake of your GLORY, and not ours. We ask in Jesus name.

by Kathryn Feliciano

Worship through Prayer

Heavenly Father, we come to you this morning in the name of your eternal Son, Jesus Christ. We come with new life wrought by the Holy Spirit. Holy, triune God, we praise you for who you are. Your love is inexhaustible. Amen. Your compassion unending. Your mercy beyond comprehension. Come, nourish our hearts with the riches of your grace and the wonders of your love shown to us in your unwavering faithfulness to save and satisfy your people. Amen.

We come with hearts full of thankfulness. Thank you for dark chocolate and good coffee. Thank you for flowers that bloom and the sun that rises. Thank you for the eternal joys of salvation and the blessing of gospel community. Amen. We are grateful for music and the laughs of children. We are grateful for the Bible. We are grateful for naps. We are grateful for flavors of food and the changing of seasons. We are grateful for an empty tomb and the reality of heaven. Amen.

Holy Spirit, sever the rebellious weeds in our hearts that make us more aware of what we don’t have than what you have provided. Untangle the gripping weeds of discouragement and cynicism that make us focus on what we don’t like rather than savoring all you are at work. Amen. Erase our vain regrets and sinful lusts and selfish hopes with the indelible ink of your grace shown to us in Christ Jesus. Change us, Lord, one degree of glory to another that we might love you with all of our heart, mind, soul and strength, and love our neighbor as ourselves. Amen.

Father, for the glory of your name, for the fame of Jesus Christ, work wonders of grace in and through our church. Give us the grace to cultivate unity in all our diversity. Give us the grace to put gospel priority over personal preference. Give us the grace to prefer one another rather than just looking at our own interest. Amen. Give us the grace to get the plank out of our own eye before talking about the spec in a brother or sisters’ eye. Give us the grace to speak tender gospel words to build others up. Give us the grace to intentionally disciple other members even when it’s inconvenient to our schedule. Give us the grace to raise our children in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. Amen.

Father, for the glory of your name, for the fame of Jesus Christ, work wonders of grace to spread the gospel. We pray for Ryan and Sophie as they prepare to go to Albania. Use them Lord, to encourage the workers. In divine providence, allow them to have gospel conversations. Save the people of Macedonia we pray. Raise up an indigenous church among the Behdini Kurds and among the Yazidi in Iraq. Strengthen pastors and churches in Haiti. Send members of this church to unreached peoples in United Arab Emirates. Amen.

Continue to use the many faithful churches in our city to advance the good news of Jesus. Bless Redeemer City and Church of the Advent and 4^th Presbyterian. Lavish your grace upon Veritas Church and Church of the Resurrection and Mercy of Christ Fellowship and Anacostia River Church. We pray for all the pastors and church planters who will gather in our office tomorrow – use us to be a blessing and encouragement, we pray. Amen.

Father, this morning we pray for this nation’s government. We pray for President Trump. Grant him wisdom, discernment, self-control and humility. Surround him with men and women who give wise counsel. We pray that he would use his power and authority for the good of all your image bearers. We pray this for all the elected officials who determine the laws of this land. And we pray for places around the world in turmoil. Bring peace in Syria and Turkey and Northern Korea. Bend the hearts of the world’s leaders toward true righteousness and justice. Amen.

We continue to lament the racism that’s so prevalent in this nation and around the world. We decry the wicked evil of thinking one skin color or race is better than another. We pray for an end to any form of racism or prejudice. Father, we pray for our black brothers and sisters, who experience personal and systematic racism and injustices. We pray for immigrants who face uncertainty and ridicule. Give us all compassionate hearts and listening ears. Remove any pride or ignorance that we might weep with our brothers and sisters who weep. Remind us Lord that all people – no matter their race, gender, religion – are created in your image and worthy of dignity and respect. For the glory of your name in Christ Jesus, use this church as a people that defy cultural norms – a place where Christ defines us and unites us in the blood-bought hope of the gospel. Amen.

And it’s because of gospel we praise you this morning. We praise you for the glorious hope and incomparably beauty that Jesus, life, death, burial, resurrection and return promise us. Because of your outrageous love and sovereign power, we delight ourselves in you today. We pray all of this in the name of majestic, mighty merciful name of Jesus. Amen.

by Kathryn Feliciano