Tag: Discipleship

Sunday Morning Prayer Guide

On By BrianIn Prayer Guides

I wrote the following guide for a Sunday morning prayer time.  The requests are all about asking God to prepare our hearts to worship Him.  I wonder what might happen in our lives and churches, if we prayed prayers like this each Sunday morning. So here is a prayer guide for your consideration as you prepare to worship the Lord this Sunday, and maybe the Sundays beyond.

Pray through God’s Word
Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you? Show us your steadfast love, O LORD, and grant us your salvation.
– Psalm 85:6-7

Pray for Myself
• A heart to worship the Lord for his great love and salvation
• God’s Word to convict, challenge, and comfort me this morning
• God’s help to encourage and build up others this morning

Pray for Our Church
• For people to come, and Holy Spirit to work mightily among us
• Growing joy and delight in the Lord, desire and thirst for God
• Deep hunger for the Word, and abundant grace to live it out
• Growing burden to pray – individually and corporately
• Reverent awe of our great and glorious God
• Gripped by the good news of Jesus’ death and resurrection
• Personal revivals leading to church revival
• Practical love and care for one another

Sermon Songs: Isaiah 59

On By BrianIn Isaiah Hymns

MusicNotes

Our Lord, He died and rose for you
To give you hope and make you new
So dare to be diff’rent today
In what you think, you do, and say

From violence, lying turn away
Be faithful to the Lord today
And for our nation kneel to pray
Proclaim Jesus: the only way

– From a sermon on Isaiah 59
(To the tune of “The Doxology”)

Will We Be Faithful?

On By BrianIn Book of Isaiah

In Isaiah 59:12-15, Isaiah addresses Israel’s sins in terms that could have been written to our country today. He speaks of sin, transgression, and iniquity, and it doesn’t take long to see the moral depravity of our own nation. He speaks of Israel walking away from God, and it appears that our nation is doing the same as it drifts back into paganism. Isaiah says truth has stumbled in the public square, and today people just don’t want to hear about God, His Word, or truth in our culture or our government. Isaiah says that the person who departs from evil makes himself a prey, and we see examples today of Christians who have refused to participate in evil being sued and even losing their businesses. And the question for the church today is: will we be faithful?

In a culture that celebrates sin, will we be faithful to turn from it? In a nation walking away from God, will we be faithful to follow Him? In a country that rejects truth, will we be faithful to stand for the truth? In a world that rejects righteousness, will we be faithful to walk in righteousness? Will we be faithful?

Today, as we gratefully remember our veterans who gave themselves for our country, will we as Christians faithfully give ourselves for our Lord? Will we be faithful?

Passion Points

On By BrianIn PASSION Points

Here are some good posts for your weekend reading:

Five Things Every Christian Should be Doing with God’s Word – Michael J. Kruger

17 Ways to Meditate on Scripture – Donald Whitney (via Justin Taylor)

Of Justice and Generosity – Kevin DeYoung

3 Choices in How We Respond to God’s Kingdom Agenda – Trevin Wax

Hope you have a great Lord’s Day!

Saturday: Pray for Our World

On By BrianIn Prayer Guides

Pray for our World:

  • Gospel to spread, people to be saved, and churches to be planted
  • A world-wide Great Awakening that transforms cultures
  • Unreached people groups to be reached with the gospel
  • Relief work in Nepal, Refugees in Syria and Iraq
  • Peace in Ukraine, Middle East, African countries

Friday: Pray for Our Nation

On By BrianIn Prayer Guides

Pray for our Nation:

  • Growing recognition of the hollowness of the idols of our age: money, material things, sex, homosexuality, technology, social media, fame, power, alcohol, drugs, entertainment, government
  • Growing openness and response to the hope of the gospel
  • Many in our country to come to Christ and grow in Him
  • Another Great Awakening that transforms lives and our country
  • President Obama and his Cabinet, Congress, and the Supreme Court – wisdom, follow truth, righteousness, and justice
  • Supreme Court decision on “same-sex” marriage
  • State – Governor Snyder, Legislature, Judicial – wisdom
  • Families – strong marriages, children, finances/work
  • Economy – national/state growth, job growth
  • Education – federal/state policies, curriculum, teachers, safety, public schools, private schools, home-school freedom
  • Entertainment/Media – Christian influence, positive impact

Thursday: Pray For Your Community

On By BrianIn Prayer Guides

Pray for your Community:

  • Growing openness and response to the hope of the gospel
  • Many people in our communities to come to Christ
  • Fruit from your church outreaches
  • A Great Awakening that transforms our community
  • Families – strong marriages, children, finances/work
  • Economy – local businesses, jobs
  • Education – local schools, teachers, safety, graduates