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.