John Bunyan, the author of Pilgrim's Progress, defines prayer as:
“Prayer is a sincere, sensible, affectionate pouring out of the heart to God through Christ, in the strength and assistance of the Holy Spirit for such things that God has promised, or that are according to God’s Word for the good of the church, with submission in faith to the will of God.”
What grace from God and what privilege that we get to bring this kind of prayer to God!
When we pray to God, we’re not trying to twist the arm of an unwilling god who could do us more good but is holding out on us, waiting for us to bring a sacrifice that will earn our way into his good favor. We’re not trying to manipulate a god by sounding earnest, throwing in some tears and denying ourselves of needed sleep.
The goodwill of the one true God cannot be bought with cheap sacrifices. There is no valve dampening the flow of His affection for you in Christ Jesus. God doesn’t need to be convinced to generously give you what is good for you.
But it is good for you to ask HIm. And it is good for you to ask Him with one another and for one another.
When we pray to God together, we come to our Father who has opened up prayer to Himself through the willing sacrifice of His Son, our Brother, the Lord Jesus Christ; to our Father whose Spirit dwells within us to help us pray; to our Father who delights to answer prayer that is in step with his perfectly wise and infinitely loving plan for His glory and our good.
And that is exactly what the church is going to do together on Sunday morning at 9am when we pray together. We’re going to pray together as family. To our Father.
Please take a couple minutes to look at the prayer guide so that you’re to share with and pray for one another. Pick one or two highlighted lines so that you are more ready to share with one another. (And please see a new section of praying through our member directory!)
I’m looking forward to praying with you!
Isaiah
Membership Class continues this Sunday, October 2nd. The class will meet at 9 a.m. in the Infant Room. Questions? Please contact us.
Baptism Class, October 2nd. Believers in the Lord Jesus Christ will demonstrate our submission to Him by being publicly baptized. If you have not been baptized as a believer, please attend this class at 12:30 p.m. Lord willing, we will have a baptism service in November.
Women of the Word. Ladies, join us on October 8th at 9 a.m. as we study the lives of women from the Bible and their great God. Guests and students 7th grade and up are welcome!
Equipping Hour, Fall Series. When God saves someone through faith in Jesus Christ, he does a miracle in their lives. Paul's two-word summary of the change that follows is "in Christ" or "in Him." The more you grasp the extent of the miracle of being "in Christ", the more you will glorify Christ with your life. Next week in Equipping Hour (October 9), we’ll explore the blessing of justification!
Bible Reading Project. Thursdays at 6:30am.
South Africa Missions Fundraising Continues - Fall Pottery Workshops.
No experience necessary! Details and sign up at tinyurl.com/summerpots.
This week we’ll begin a new section of prayer through our membership list!
Welcome and Call to Worship
Singing
Announcements
Missions Spotlight - Malaysia
Scripture Reading: Isaiah 41
Pastoral Prayer
Preaching of God’s Word: The World's Greatest Sermon - Luke 6:20-26
Singing