Fervent Prayer: World Missions

Mercy Hill leadership believes that one of the core functions of the Church is to be involved in the ministries of world missions.

Some Christians might say, “Why should we be involved in ministries overseas when there are plenty of people that need to hear the Gospel and be saved right here in the United States!?”

While that is most certainly true there is both mandate and model from Scripture that we are to be involved in taking the Gospel to the people of all nations.  It is quite clear from God’s story in Scripture from the Old Testament to the New that he desires to forgive, redeem, adopt, and sanctify people from all the nations he has created so that we all may worship him as our Lord and King.  

Indeed, this is the picture we see in John’s vision of the future that he recorded in the book of Revelation.  The four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fall down before the Lamb and state “for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation,” (Revelation 5:9 ESV).  

A little later John sees those who have come out of the great tribulation:

"After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!"(Revelation 7:9-10,ESV)

What a wonderful picture of celebration and exultation from God’s mosaic, people from thousands of different and varied cultures and languages worshipping their Creator, their Savior, their Redeemer!  

So it seems that God will most definitely accomplish this in the culmination of all things.  So why do we need to be involved then?  This reminds me of the story of William Carey. He was a lay Baptist pastor in 18th century England who went on to become known as the “Father of Modern Missions”.  It was believed by most in the Church at that time that the Great Commission was only a command to the apostles and that those in other “heathen” nations were of no concern to them.

When Carey presented the idea of going abroad with the Gospel to a group of pastors, one of them replied, “Young man, sit down.  When God pleases to convert the heathen, He will do it without your aid or mine.”  Yes, God is certainly sovereign and He will accomplish His will.  The question is, will we be obedient to follow His commands to make disciples of all nations and be used as instruments in His hands?  

Along with Paul we must ask:

"But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!"(Romans 10:14-15, ESV)

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With this in mind, we pray:

Lord, we pray that you use the people at Mercy Hill Church to help bring the good news of our Savior Jesus Christ to people from every nation, tribe, and tongue.  We pray that you show us how to partner with our brothers and sisters in the church around the world to bring the Gospel to their nations.  We ask that you give wisdom, strength, and endurance to the missionaries that we support around the world.  We pray that you continue to raise up people among the body at Mercy Hill to be part of your mission to reach “people for your name” among the nations.  Finally, we pray that you help Mercy Hill to reach people from other nations who live amongst us here in our own communities. Amen.

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Fervent Prayer: Confession & Commitment to Spiritual Disciplines

"Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come."  1 Timothy 4:7-8 (ESV)

I came across an interesting quote from John Maxwell:

"Look at our society, everybody wants to be thin but nobody wants to diet, everybody wants to live long but nobody wants to exercise. Everybody wants money yet seldom will anyone budget or save their money."

It’s an interesting observation about our society but I think it has a corollary in the life of the Church. Everyone wants to be Godly but nobody wants to take Paul’s advice and train themselves for godliness. It would be hard to find a true follower of Jesus who will not confess their desire to continually progress in godliness. However, the commitment to spiritual disciplines that produce the progression of godliness is something we too often neglect. And that truth can have tragic consequences. When I read Scripture I see the encouragement to progressively grow in our knowledge of Christ, to progressively grow in our righteousness, to progressively grow in faith. I understand instinctively from my experience that this is meant to combat the reality that the believer’s spiritual life is never static. If we are not progressing towards Christ we will be regressing towards the flesh. We, individually as believers and collectively as the church, will suffer for it.

This is why it is essential that we face the call in Christ to train ourselves for godliness and recommit ourselves to the spiritual disciplines that help to produce in us this godliness that is of value in every way. There is a long list of spiritual disciplines that many find valuable for the production of godliness in their lives but there are 3 specifically that as pastor at Mercy Hill church I would like to see us commit ourselves to in 2017:

1. Personal and Corporate Prayer
   The call to prayer is often made but too rarely received. Prayer is not an incidental spiritual activity but an essential pillar for spiritual growth. This year commit yourself to responding to a greater degree to the call to prayer. Make sure you set time aside every day specifically designed to be quiet in communion with God but in addition I am asking you to expand your investment in prayer in the corporate setting. Mercy Hill needs to be a praying church. Participate in our all church prayer events if you aren’t already, participate in pre-service prayer if you aren’t already, participate in our prayer and fasting times if you aren’t already. AB Simpson states is well: Prayer is the link that connects us with God.
    

2. Study of God’s Word
   We need to be people who study God’s word. I want you to note that I said study not simply read. Far too often we read because we have to, but to learn requires the investment of study in order to implant the truth in a transforming way. The discipline of studying God’s word requires a humble spirit, recognizing that the chief end is not merely to amass information, but to experience it, learn from it, and be changed by it.
    

3. Fellowship in Celebration and Community
   In my life I have learned that the most powerful instrument for growth has been to come in fellowship with fellow believers. Participation in the fellowship of the Church is vital to spiritual development. This participation calls for a commitment to the times of celebration. Times when we worship together, hearing the teaching of God’s word, sharing and serving with one another in the gathering of the church. And times when we fellowship in smaller communities. Where we gather to pray for one another, to share our hearts and hurts lifting each other up. The greatest sermons the Spirit of God has ever delivered to me was through His working in the life of a brother or sister.

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Dear Heavenly Father,

We come before you in humility and repentance acknowledging the truth that our willingness to train for godliness has rarely matched our need for it. We repent of the fact that we have continued to elevate the desires of the flesh above the call of the Spirit.

Help us Father, by your Holy Spirit, to change our course. Help us Father, by your Holy Spirit, to embrace the disciplines of faith that we know will transform our spirit lives. Help us Father by your Holy Spirit to enter your holy of holies through the gift of prayer, to cherish the treasure of your Word by faithful Study and to commit to our place in your community with contentment and joy as instruments of the Gospel whether we are single or married, may you empower us to find fellowship as we commit to your community.

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Fervent Prayer: Day 6 - "For Yours is the kingdom"

“For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen” Matthew 6:13

The prayer culminates in an acknowledgment of who God is as our Creator God, Heavenly King, and Sovereign Ruler of the Universe. It also reminds us that God’s kingdom will be the final kingdom that will overtake all others and last for eternity. We can be assured that God’s kingdom is coming and will never end! This was prophesied much throughout the Old Testament. When Daniel interpreted King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of the statue, he stated, “In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever” (Dan 2:44). King David’s prayer also reflects this as he praised God when he was commissioning Solomon to build the temple, “Praise be to you, Lord, the God of our father Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, Lord, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all. Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all. Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name” (1 Chron 29:10-13).

Also Paul in his explanation of the order of the resurrection states of Jesus, “Then the end will come, when He hands over the kingdom to God the Father after He has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. For He must reign until He has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death” (1 Cor 15:24-26). And this is the hope that God gives us, that the Messianic King that was prophesied to come, has now indeed come and has delivered His salvation to His people and that He will be coming a second time, not to die as a sacrifice, but to bring His kingdom to completion, extinguish sin, death, and the devil, and reign as the true King of the universe. So we say along with John at the completion of the book of Revelation, “Come Lord Jesus!”

Fervent Prayer: Day 5 - "And lead us not into temptation"

The Lord's prayer teaches us some basic but very important aspects to our day-to-day walk with the Lord. However, an aspect that is often misunderstood is found in Matthew 6:13:

"And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil."

The misunderstanding is that we are to pray for the Father to help us avoid any (or all) temptation.

Let's start with God's nature in regards to temptation as seen in James 1:13 reads:

"Let no one say when he is tempted, 'I am being tempted by God,' for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one."

So God doesn't tempt us nor can He place sinful desires in our hearts for He has no sin.

That said, He may bring us to the presence of temptation within our lives. Proverbs 20:24 says: "A man’s steps are from the Lord." But He doesn't tempt nor put the desire in our heart. In fact, I'd argue that due to the nature of sin and its presence in this world and in our hearts, there isn't a day that goes by where temptation or an opportunity for disobedience is present.

Ultimately, what the prayer teaches us isn't to avoid temptation but that the temptation doesn't take us in. Our prayer should be that we not be lead into the temptation itself and that we find strength and guidance in God when faced with temptation.

Fervent Prayer: Day 4 - "Forgive us our debts"

"and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors." Matthew 6:12

Immediately following the ‘Our Father’ model prayer that Jesus gave in Matthew chapter six He adds, “For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” Most of us would respond to this with wonder at how this can be. We understand that God can forgive but can I? I trust in God but I do not have that same confidence in me that I will forgive. I needed to be saved from my slavery to sin and I need help. Can I really forgive?

In Luke we learn more about forgiveness from Jesus where He says, “Pay attention to yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him, and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, saying, 'I repent,' you must forgive him." The apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith!" ---Luke 17:3-6

Okay, now I’m seeing a connection to a brother who repents to me I must forgive. If my brother sins against me over and over again then I must forgive over and over again. But let’s pay attention here to what Jesus said, “If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents forgive him.” Jesus is telling me to go to the one who sinned against me and tell him about it. Then if my brother receives it and repents to me then I must forgive my brother. I must admonish the one who sins. I have a step to take to rescue my brother! We don’t just forgive over and over again only, we correct over and over again and if my brother repents of the sin, then I am to forgive every time.

So if you are holding back forgiveness from someone ask yourself, “Did I tell them what they did wrong to me?” Think about our salvation we have freely received from God our Father through Jesus by the Holy Spirit. The Lord told us we sinned and needed to repent. We then accepted the truth, repented, and our God forgave us.

The apostles said, “Increase our faith!” in response to instruction on forgiving others. Let us trust in our God, consider the forgiveness He has bestowed on us because we repented, and obey His instruction to correct those who sin against us. Then if they repent, we are in debt to extend forgiveness back to them.

Let the mercy, grace, and peace of God be with us all through the Lord Jesus Christ!

Fervent Prayer: Day 3 - ​“Give us this day our daily bread"

"Give us this day our daily bread." Matthew 6:11 NKJV

As we look at today’s portion of the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6, we notice a request. We notice a petition for provision. In the instruction Jesus gives, we are taught to acknowledge our need and ask God for our daily necessities. There’s a part of me that finds this kind of odd. Think about it. God already knows everything about us (Psalm 139); God knows our hearts (Proverbs 21:2, 1 Kings 8:39); God knows our thoughts (Psalm 139, Psalm 94:11); He knows what we need BEFORE we ask (Matthew 6:8, Luke 12:22-34). God knows exactly what we are going through (Hebrews 4:15) and what we need before we tell him about it. So then, why are we instructed to pray for our “daily bread” or these “necessities” of life. Here’s what I think:

It’s less about the actual “bread,” and more about acknowledging the provider and sustainer of life itself: God himself in Christ Jesus.

By making the petition for “daily bread,” we are acknowledging that He is the giver of all things, Jehovah Jireh - my provider, and we need him to sustain us in all things. We are acknowledging his Lordship and his beautiful roles as Father and Shepherd.

Please take note that it is “daily” bread, that is, bread enough for the day. The Greek word used here in Matthew is an interesting one and is only used here and in the parallel passage in Luke 11. It means “a daily and needed portion of food, that which suffices for each day.” We are to not live in need or in want, nor are we to live in excess, but as the Psalmist writes in chapter 23, “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.”

HE IS ENOUGH. He shall supply all my needs.

So today as we go to prayer, I’d like us to examine our hearts and ponder a few things:

• Is Jesus your provider, your sustainer and your Bread of Life (John 6:48)? Have we surrendered to his Lordship and provision in all things?
• Before we assume we know what we need, let’s ask God to reveal our deepest, truest needs.
• With thanksgiving in our hearts, let’s bring our requests before God (Philippians 4:6), asking for our daily bread.

FERVENT PRAYER: DAY 2 - "Your will be done"

"Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." Matthew 6:10 (NKJV)

Today’s verse for fervent prayer week is one of immense value for us living today. First, it points towards a future time where Jesus returns, rids the world of sin and death, and rules for an eternity of peace. (Isaiah 9:6-7) Following this model prayer can bring us great hope for the future despite the dismal outlook of news stories, terrorist attacks, mass shootings, and other symptoms of the world spinning out of control. It is good and vital for us to pray and remind ourselves that through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, our sins have been paid for, and our lives bought through his sacrifice. That, though we still live on this earth, we look forward to and pray for a time that He returns and the great spiritual war that we are in the midst of finally comes to a complete and total end. Yet until that time we find ourselves as appointed ambassadors of Jesus, representatives and living testimonies of the great hope and peace that He will bring, advocating to anyone that will listen to turn to Jesus and find hope (2 Cor 5:20). And in this role as ambassadors we find the second application of this verse to be of immediate value to our lives here on earth.

In our verse for today the english word for “kingdom” doesn’t completely portray the full meaning of the Greek word “basileia”. This word has a deeper meaning of royal power, kingship, dominion, and rule. It doesn’t mean the “kingdom” in the medieval castle-type sense, but rather the right and authority to rule over a kingdom. Thus when we pray “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven”, we are praying that the authority and ruling power of God would be recognized and obeyed on earth the same as it is in heaven.

In his sermon “ A Heavenly Pattern for an Earthly Life”, Charles Spurgeon had an interesting concept to ponder. He wondered what sort of life a person would lead if they had spent time in heaven and came back to earth. Take a moment to think about that. You’re standing in heaven, surrounded by the heavenly hosts, angels and saints. Joining with them you glorify God, worshipping him, crying out “Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord God Almighty”. Then looking at you directly, Christ on the throne asks you to go and complete some task. Any task…. Do you hesitate? Do you question? Or standing in the full glory and presence of God, would you immediately obey? How do you think someone having experienced the full glory of God would live here on earth? What would their priorities be?

Now come back and consider our present lives on earth. Do we have that same obedience? Do we have that faith? If God asked us to complete a task would we obey without question? What if He asked us to lay down our lives? What if He asked us to sell everything and follow him? What if He asked us to be generous? To feed and clothe the poor? To be kind and loving towards one another? To forgive? To be selfless?

If you are like me, you will find yourself struggling with some of the above, perhaps at times with all of them. Partially this is because we do not see the full glory and presence of God, but rather dimly while here on earth (1 Cor 13:12). The core reason that we hesitate, rebel, or ignore the things that God is calling us to do through scripture is because of sinful and selfish desires. It is because of the idols that we place ahead of Jesus in our lives, such as financial security, personal safety, comfort, or even entertainment.

It is for these reasons, that in the model prayer, Jesus taught us to pray “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” In praying this we ask for God’s help, strength, conviction, grace, and mercy as we desire to be obedient ambassadors here on earth. Ambassadors that obey the rule and reign of Christ, with the same faith and fervor that the heavenly host has. To be sure, this can only happen through the assistance and power of the Holy Spirit, and it is for this which we pray today and every day.

Fervent Prayer: Day 1 - "Hallowed be Thy name"

"After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name." Matthew 6:9

“Our Father which art in heaven”
The Lord’s Prayer begins with one of the most well-known lines in all of Scripture. For some, these words present a familiar comfort. For others, they carry little more significance than the rote, bedtime prayers of their childhood. Yet, Jesus begins His instruction on prayer by saying that we are to “pray like this”. Of all the concepts and truths with which Jesus could have begun His prayer, why did He begin like this?

It shows us our identity
In verses 7-8 Jesus draws a distinction between the religious, who believe that the number or intensity of their prayers is what causes them to be heard, and those who are true children. Jesus is indicating that your ability to go to God does not rest in your religious devotion, but in your accepted position as a child of God. In Matthew chapter 6 Jesus makes twelve separate references to God as “Father”. Not king, not ruler, not creator; though all those titles would be accurate. Of all the titles that Jesus could have instructed us to use, He chose “Father”.

Because of Jesus’ sacrifice in my place on the cross I am made perfect and righteous in the sight of God. I am accepted and and adopted as His child. So if someone is struggling in their prayer life they should first ask, “What is the basis for my acceptance in the sight of God?” If my acceptance is conditional, based on my achievement, then I do not have a familial relationship with God, but a business relationship. Prayer for the Christian is not a transaction wherein my behavior is exchanged for God’s attention; it is the humble call of a child to a father.

“Hallowed be thy name”
To hallow something is to treat it as sacred and set-apart. For the Christian there is awe at the idea of being God’s child. Many Christians struggle with this concept because of the messiness of their own lives. There is a fascination at the idea that we are known this deeply and still loved so perfectly.

It gives us our confidence
Our identity as children of God grants us a very special confidence when we pray. In Matthew 6:8, Jesus says that we are to pray knowing that, “your Father knows what you need before you ask him.“ Is there anything more emboldening than to understand that God knows everything I need before I even go to him in prayer? God sovereignly begins to work on my behalf before I even ask. Yet, God still invites me into the process. Jesus’ statement is reminiscent of what God said in the book of Isaiah, “Before they call I will answer; while they are yet speaking I will hear” (Is. 65:24). Before I open my mouth with a request God is already working to bring out his perfect will in my life, that through his plan I may find joy in Him.

If you are struggling in your prayer life you may have lost sight of your basis for going to God in the first place: that you are an accepted son or daughter with an open invitation to share your need with a loving Father. And that your loving Father has a hallowed name: the name of God who knows our deepest needs and has the ability to work in them before you even ask.

But this is much more than a declaration of the holiness of God. When Jesus says that we are to pray that God’s name be hallowed, He is suggesting that we plea for this understanding in our own life. That we would be struck by the wonder and grandeur of our God. That we would see God for who He truly is. To see God’s name as hallowed will lead us to boldness in our prayer life.

Written by: Jonathan Mosier

Fervent Prayer: Health & Healing

"Praise the Lord! 
For it is good to sing praises to our God; for it is pleasant, and a song of praise is fitting.
The Lord builds up Jerusalem; he gathers the outcasts of Israel.
He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.
He determines the number of the stars; he gives to all of them their names.
Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; his understanding is beyond measure."  Psalm 147:1-5

Because the people had rejected God and had turned away from His Word they were exiled out of Jerusalem and out of all the land promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Psalm 147 is a song the people sang in the days of Nehemiah. They rejoiced and were in awe of their God who brought the nation back to the Promised Land and to Jerusalem. God did not just bring them back but built them up again as seen in the story of the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem, in spite of many enemies and obstacles. God did it! So the people rejoiced with a great celebration and praised Him who did this wonder. They realized their own sinfulness and rejection of God in their past. They realized they were here because of God’s great love and power:

they were here, in the Land again,
they were here, in Jerusalem again,
they were here, with their God again.

Let’s read now from Luke similar words Jesus spoke to the people of God at a much later time than the days of Nehemiah.

"And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read. And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written,

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."

And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. And he began to say to them, "Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing." 

And all spoke well of him and marveled at the gracious words that were coming from his mouth. And they said, "Is not this Joseph's son?"

And he said to them, "Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, 'Physician, heal yourself.' What we have heard you did at Capernaum, do here in your hometown as well."

And he said, "Truly, I say to you, no prophet is acceptable in his hometown. But in truth, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heavens were shut up three years and six months, and a great famine came over all the land, and Elijah was sent to none of them but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian."

When they heard these things, all in the synagogue were filled with wrath. And they rose up and drove him out of the town and brought him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they could throw him down the cliff. But passing through their midst, he went away." Luke 4:16-30

At Capernaum, Jesus healed the sick, the lame walked, and the blind could see. Here in Nazareth Jesus knew they did not believe in Him; they wanted signs and miracles, not Him. His first words were favorable, but then Jesus went on to tell them about two individuals. God performed signs and miracles for Zarephath the Sidonian and Naaman the Syrian but no one from Israel. The dark hearts of those in Nazareth were then revealed in their fury and murderous intent because no signs or miracles were going to happen for them.

So what is health and what is it to be healed? Let’s say we were in great health plus all our wants were fulfilled. Would that be health? What is the healing that God the Father brings to His people? These verses from Hebrews might help us understand a little better what being healed and having health looks like.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons?

"My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives."

It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed. Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no "root of bitterness" springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled; that no one is sexually immoral or unholy…" Hebrews 12:1-16

So what is health and what is it to be healed? To endure our Father’s caring discipline, so we will lay aside the weight of sin that is clinging to us so closely, that we may see God and share in His holiness. Through our Father’s discipline, we are being healed to not only walk, but run with endurance the race that is set before us looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith. 

So like those in Nehemiah’s time, we are aware of our past sins and failures and even our present ones. And yet, we realize we are here because of our God’s great love and power:

we are here, saved into His Kingdom,
we are here, with brethren loved by Him,
we are here, with our God.

So it is good that we lift up our hands and stand strong and walk straight by His grace, with His peace, and in His holiness. We are in awe of our God who brought us to this place where He is. Therefore, let us…

"Praise the Lord! 
For it is good to sing praises to our God; for it is pleasant, and a song of praise is fitting.
The Lord builds up Jerusalem; he gathers the outcasts of Israel.
He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.
He determines the number of the stars; he gives to all of them their names.
Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; his understanding is beyond measure."  Psalm 147:1-5

Fervent Prayer: Missions

"Now to him who is able to establish you in accordance with my gospel, the message I proclaim about Jesus Christ, in keeping with the revelation of the mystery hidden for long ages past, but now revealed and made known through the prophetic writings by the command of the eternal God, so that all the Gentiles might come to the obedience that comes from faith—  to the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen." Romans 16:25-27

In these final words of Paul in his letter to the Roman church he summarizes his message in an exultation of praise to God that the mystery of Christ has been made known to the nations and that this mystery foretold in the Old Testament prophetic writings results in their faith and obedience and “… glory to the only wise God.”  It is evident throughout the Scriptures that God desires worship and praise from all nations and desires to lavish his mercy upon peoples from every corner of the earth.  The nations are mentioned hundreds of times and in over 40 books of both the Old and New Testaments. God chooses Abram to found Israel and tells him “…I will make you a great nation and I will bless you and make your name great so that you will be a blessing…and all the peoples of the earth will be blessed through you” (Genesis 12:2-3).

Through the Psalms and the Prophets we see God’s desire to have mercy on the nations and bring them into his family.  “Sing to the Lord, praise his name; proclaim his salvation day after day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples” (Psalm 96:2-3). “All the nations you have made will come and worship before you, O Lord; they will bring glory to your name” (Psalm 86:9). “I will perpetuate your memory through all generations; therefore the nations will praise you for ever and ever” (Psalm 45:17).  Through Isaiah, God proclaims, “It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept.  I will also make you a light to the Gentiles, that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth” (Isaiah 49:6); “…I am coming to gather all nations and tongues; and they will come and see my glory” (Isaiah 66:18).

In the New Testament we see the revelation of the mystery and Jesus as the light proclaimed in Isaiah.  Jesus quotes Isaiah when clearing the temple, “My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations” (Isaiah 56:7, Mark 11:17).  Jesus also, in his final instructions to his disciples, tells them to “make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19), to “preach the good news to all creation” (Mark 16:15), to be witnesses of his death and resurrection that “…repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations…” (Luke 24:47), and that “…you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8).  Finally, John tells us what he saw in his vision of the culmination of all things “…a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people, and language standing before the throne…and they cried out in a loud voice: “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” (Revelation 7:9-10).  

Let us pray that God continues to lavish his mercy on the nations and reveal the mystery of the gospel of his son Jesus Christ through his church!  

Lord, we ask that you guide and move Mercy Hill church to bring the gospel of your Son, Jesus Christ, to the nations of this world for your ultimate glory!

Fervent Prayer: Justice & Poverty

"But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him? 18 Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth." 1 John 3:17-18 (ESV)

Isn’t it amazing how God hears the cries of His Church and answers prayer?  God be praised! I’ve seen God faithfully answer prayer in my own life and in so many lives at Mercy Hill.  He is faithful to His Church.  But how does He do it?  How does God chose to answer those prayers many times?  Sometimes it’s through the miraculous and unexplained, but more often it’s through the stirring of His Church that needs are met.  I feel like sometimes we have a “genie” mentality in the way that we view prayer.  We pray; and magically, God does.  It’s almost as if we forget that He uses the hearts and lives of His Church to meet needs and answer prayer.  God’s love for His people drove Him to meet our deepest and greatest need through the brutal cross, and that same love should motivate us to meet needs around us - to the Glory of His name!

Today, as we focus our prayer on Justice and Poverty, here’s how we can pray:

Pray for justice and those in poverty in our city and around the world.  
Justice and poverty encompasses many different ideas and hurts: such as racial reconciliation, food and hunger issues, human trafficking, homelessness, genocide, global poverty, clean water efforts, and terrorism.  I realize these are heavy and very broad topics.  Do your best to be specific and intentional with your prayers.  Pray for God’s hand over our city and our world.

Pray for God to stir your heart and the hearts of His Church.  
God wants to use His church to answer prayers to the Glory of His name.  It’s a big part of our mission.  Ask God to open your heart to what He might be calling you to in the areas of outreach and missions.  Pray that the Church surrenders to our calling and lives boldly and selflessly to the Glory of Christ.  I’ve got a feeling that if we can do this we will see many answered prayers, especially in the areas of Justice and Poverty.  

"Love that consists only of words is utterly worthless, if it is true love, it must prove itself by kind deeds and gracious actions."  - C.H. Spurgeon

Fervent Prayer: Ministries

"Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen." Hebrews 13:20-21

Our focus today is on ministries. All too often, ministries in churches can just be seen as departments in an organization. To some degree, this is true. Usually a ministry has a leader, a team, and a specific focus that serves as a branch to a larger organization. Based on that definition, I can see how a ministry is a department. But we know it's much more than that. If you simply take a look at verse 21:

...working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

He works in us. What we do should be the Lord working in us... not us dictating to the Lord the work that should be done. Secondly, the work being done should be pleasing and this can only be accomplished through Jesus. Lastly, it's about Him. For and to His glory (so that He is plainly seen). 

So please pray for the ministries at Mercy Hill Church for the following specific areas:

Focus
That we may be focused on what is pleasing to the Lord. That we don't fall trap to the "standard" programs and convention offered by churches because it's popular. That the work done is truly what the Lord is calling us to as a body.

Leadership
That the Lord raises leaders and that the hearts of those he's raising be open to serve and be the Church; not self-serving and about "building something." Also for the current leaders in place. 1 Peter 4:11 says "...whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies." May we pray for our leaders of each ministry that they serve by the Lord's strength and not their own.

Humility
Philippians 2 reminds us of Christ's humility. Specifically verse 3: Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. At the heart of our ministries, there should be the mindset that we're "being the Church." Meaning we are pursuing what is pleasing to Him through Jesus for His glory. For this to happen, all those who serve must continuously seek humility.

Fervent Prayer: Government

"First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. 3 This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time."  1Timothy 2:1-6 ESV

Today we are continuing our week of focused prayer by praying for governments and authorities. At times, praying for those in governmental authority may feel pointless, especially when those we are praying for don’t know God or share our personal political views.  But regardless of what our own feelings may be, Scripture directs us to be in subjection to the governing authorities (Romans 13:1-4, 1 Peter 2:13-14). And in our text for the week, Paul writes to Timothy and instructs him to pray for all people as well as those in “high positions”. 

The reason that Paul gives is “that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.” Paul recognized that, despite a corrupt political system, the government is responsible for keeping public order and prosecuting those that break laws.  He was directing Timothy (and us) to pray for the leaders so that they would rule in a way that allows for peaceful, godly lives. This includes praying that elections, law making, and judicial decisions would create a political environment that allows for freedom to worship and the ability to live according to Biblical standards. In addition, because God desires all people to be saved, we should be praying that our leaders come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. 

Please join us today as we lift up our national, state, and local leaders in prayer. Pray that they would come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.  Pray that they would have wisdom in law making, interpreting, and enforcing.  Pray that we continue to have peaceful freedom of worship in our country, states, and cities. And pray that our persecuted brothers and sisters throughout the world would be allowed greater peace in worshiping our God. 

In addition, please pray for all of the law-enforcement officers within our country.  With the nationwide controversies, new threats have arisen against those that have sworn to protect the public.  And with the recent random attacks, their dangerous jobs have become even more hazardous.  Pray for these officers and their safety. Pray that they would have wisdom and caution in all circumstances, and that they would uphold justice with restraint and accountability. 

Fervent Prayer: Church Leadership

"Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you. 18 Pray for us, for we are sure that we have a clear conscience, desiring to act honorably in all things." Hebrews 13:17-18

The word “leadership” brings with it a fascinating dichotomy in perspective. There is the classic idea that leadership is about bringing rescue to those in need, demonstrating courage in the face of danger, or taking charge of a desperate situation. That view brings to mind names like Abraham Lincoln, George Patton or Aaron Rodgers. And while no one would argue that, in their given contexts, these men demonstrated tremendous leadership abilities, the passage above hints at a very different view of leadership altogether.

Throughout the Bible true leadership is described as living a life of sacrificial service to others. We see the greatest example of true leadership in the life of Jesus Christ himself who came to this Earth, “not to be served, but to serve” (Mark 10:42-45). That humble demonstration of service set the precedent for what church leadership should look like. True leaders are called to love and serve the church; not for personal gain, but to set an example of that humble, loving sacrifice of Jesus (1 Peter 5:1-3). Furthermore, leaders are to live lives that are honorable with a clear conscience, avoiding behaviors and attitudes that detract from the truth of the Gospel
According to Hebrews, once this kind of leadership has been established, the church is to submit to that leadership. Submission in this context doesn’t mean to blindly follow. Far from it. Even the best human leadership is tainted by the effects of sin, and we are called to obey the Bible as our ultimate authority. Rather, Hebrews calls us to submit and follow the leaders of the church knowing that they are ones who humbly desire what is best for the church. Ultimately, the leaders of the church will give a personal account to God for the things that they do. Leaders will answer for how they teach, how they use their leadership, and how they treat their brothers and sisters within the church. So, with that in mind, here’s how you can pray . . . 

Pray for humble, Spirit-led, Christ-honoring Leaders
As a leadership we want to be marked by humility and a desire to bring God glory in everything that we do. We want to be open to the moving of the Holy Spirit and be sensitive to His will for us, our families and our church. We want the love and grace of Jesus to drive us in our teaching and in our lifestyles. Pray that God would continue to raise up men and women in this church who would live lives of sacrificial service to others.

Pray for faithful, mindful, Gospel-focused submission
As a church we want to follow the instruction that we’ve been given to faithfully submit to Godly leadership. We want to be a blessing to our leaders knowing that they will give an account before God for each and every one of us. We want to be a thoughtful people, thoroughly devoted to the Word of God so that we don’t get drawn away by pride, error or foolishness (Acts 17:11). We want to live out the Gospel of grace in our lives- forgiving, loving, and looking out for one another.

Fervent Prayer: Repentance

"As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting. For you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us.  For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death. For see what earnestness this godly grief has produced in you, but also what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what punishment! At every point you have proved yourselves innocent in the matter."   
2 Corinthians 7:9-11

The practice of repentance is a central discipline of the Christian life. One of the most consistent messages of Jesus Christ throughout His ministry was to call people to repentance. (Matthew 4:17). In fact, imploring people to “repent or perish” (Luke 13). As followers of Christ this isn’t an odd call because to come to our salvation one of our first acts of faith was to repent, but so often we do not make the act of repentance a consistent discipline of our Christian walk, which is a pity. In the same way greater victory is discovered in repentance at that moment when we come to Christ, victory can be found in the practice of daily examination and repentance. 

Interestingly, Jonathan Edwards, who was the catalyst of the Great Awakening in the United States, established a list of seventy resolutions that aided his spiritual discipline. In resolution 37, he "Resolved, to inquire every night, as I am going to bed, wherein I have been negligent, what sin I have committed, and wherein I have denied myself: also at the end of every week, month and year."  Undoubtedly this consistent practice of self examination and repentance was a key to his spiritual growth. 

During this week of prayer I would encourage you to pray prayers of repentance. There is no better example than David’s prayer in Psalm 51:

"Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment. Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow."  Psalms 51:1-7

Fervent Prayer Week: Church Leadership

Hebrew 13:17-18

¹⁷Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.¹⁸ Pray for us, for we are sure that we have a clear conscience, desiring to act honorably in all things

         This passage, along with many others, shows the great tension found in church leadership. Elders in the church are to be people of character, maturity, compassion and courage having a responsibility before God for the spiritual condition of the church. But ultimately church leaders are like any other member of the church. They are people striving to serve as the body of Christ for the body of Christ. Far from being supermen they are simply stewards who have a responsibility to care for the church. A true leader is to be a disciple of Christ and is to follow his example to serve and sacrifice for others.

         As such it is vitally important that we, as a church, consistently spend time in prayer for our elders and church leaders. Regardless of the area of ministry each leader is integral to the function and heart of the church. We ought to pray that God would protect the hearts and minds of our leaders; keeping them from the sin, pride, self-reliance and religiosity that can so easily distract. We ought to pray that God continues to raise leaders from within the body of Christ: men and women devoted to the Word and to the church. In all these things we should pray that our leaders fulfill their responsibilities with joy and grace as a reflection of God’s love and mercy on us. Finally, we must all consider where God would have us serve His mission. No one is exempted from the call to serve, and true leadership is service.