Our 40 Days of Prayer & Fasting are almost over! To conclude this special season in the life of our church, we are having an all night prayer gathering from 8:00pm Friday, November 17th until 7:15am Saturday, November 18th. Learn more and sign up on the event page for a time to come pray with us.
Lord, I know not what I ought to ask of You. You only know what I need. You know me better than I know myself. O Father, give to Your child what he himself knows not how to ask. Teach me to pray. Pray Yourself in me.
François Fénelon
Begin with Adoration
This week we are going to continue to let the great hymns of the Church teach us about adoration. After reading the lyrics to this hymn, use it like an Old Testament Psalm, allowing the words to become your own words of adoration and praise.
Sing Praise to God Who Reigns Above
Sing praise to God Who reigns above,
the God of all creation,
The God of power, the God of love,
the God of our salvation.
With healing balm my soul is filled
and every faithless murmur stilled:
To God all praise and glory.What God’s almighty power hath made,
His gracious mercy keepeth,
By morning glow or evening shade,
His watchful eye ne’er sleepeth;
Within the kingdom of His might,
Lo! all is just and all is right:
To God all praise and glory.The Lord is never far away,
but through all grief distressing,
An ever present help and stay,
our peace and joy and blessing.
As with a mother’s tender hand,
God gently leads the chosen band:
To God all praise and glory.Thus, all my toilsome way along,
I sing aloud Thy praises,
That earth may hear the grateful song,
my voice unwearied raises.
Be joyful in the Lord, my heart,
both soul and body bear your part:
To God all praise and glory.Johann Jacob Schütz (1675)
Continue with Confession
This week, we will trust the Spirit to use Proverbs 28:13 to prompt our confession. The power of sin is in its “secrecy” where it holds us captive to thoughts like “if someone really knew they would not love me” or “I am the only one with such a wicked heart” or even “I don’t know that God can forgive me again.” Every one of these statements is a lie. Proverbs 28:13 is true:
Proverbs 28:13
He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper,
But he who confesses and forsakes them will find compassion.
As the Spirit brings any sin to mind, confess it (agree with God that it is sin) and turn from it (repent). Thank God that He forgives our sin and cleanses us from all unrighteousness on the basis of the finished work of Jesus and the promise of 1 John 1:9.
Now offer words of Thanksgiving
Start by adding one to two things to the list of things you are grateful for that happened in 2017.
Continuing with Psalm 116:12…
What shall I render to the Lord
For all His benefits toward me?
Psalm 116:12
We render thanks and gratitude. Consider the “benefits” of God toward you, and thank him specifically for them. For example, another benefit of God toward us is that His thoughts toward us outnumber the sand (Psalm 139:17-18). “God, thank you that I cannot count your thoughts toward me, which means you care about me more than I can imagine.”
Conclude with Supplication & Intercession…
…if prayer is the heart of religion, then petition is the heart of prayer.
Herbert Farmer
Let’s begin by praying for people we know or have some measure of relationship with who do not yet know Christ. Use the list we made a few weeks ago when we listed people we know who have not come to faith in Christ.
Secondly, as we explained yesterday, let’s pray for those who may think they are Christians, but they have never personally put their faith in Christ’s life, death and resurrection, trusting Him alone for a right standing with God.
Now, considering your own needs, is there something you need from God for this day? Ask Him…
We will conclude our time of supplication and intercession by praying for specific prayer requests that our lay leaders are praying for Fellowship. We are making their prayers our corporate prayers…
- That people will grow in Christ and be so filled with the Spirit, to be able to step out of comfort to love, lead, serve, teach, and welcome the hurting and lost with grace and truth. That we will go out and find them, because they may not come to us. Please Jesus, guide our steps and hearts and words.
- That the body would truly know the gospel and the freedom that comes from no longer having to try harder, but to walk in freedom and life change that was purchased for us on the cross. And then we would go and live this freedom to the world—where we live, work, and play.
- In a time of hurting and unrest in our world, we would shine the light and love of Jesus so brightly in our city and around the world that people are drawn to Him, wounds are healed, and divisions are broken down—all through God’s Spirit in His people in this church.
- Obedience to Christ in our decisions and in our smallest interactions.
