Devotion to Community

23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
Hebrews 10:23-25

We live in a time where Christians seem to think that a commitment to gathering, to meeting corporately as a community of faith is something that is unimportant. As a pastor there is no question that this type of attitude can be frustrating. And to be clear not because I have a concern for numbers but because I have a concern for the growth and development of the people of God. When I read what the author of Hebrews writes it is oddly comforting to know that they had the same issue in the first century; ‘not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some’. Apparently it’s not a new issue, but it is an issue that will be detrimental to the spiritual development of followers of Christ.

One of the truths about this calling that we might not consider is that the call to a commitment of gathering with believers is a spiritual discipline. It takes discipline to make this a part of our lives. It is easy to get distracted and busied with the activities of our lives. It is easy to fall into times where we feel like we’re not getting anything out of it. It is easy to find ourselves in conflict with fellow members of the community of faith and get hurt or frustrated and as a result just choose not to gather. Its in these times it takes a discipline of commitment to live in obedience to living in community.

The author of Hebrews makes this clear. The gathering as a body of believers, in the community that the word of God establishes, is the means by which we are challenged by others and we challenge others (‘stir up one another to love and good works’), it is the means by which we encourage others and are encouraged by others. The declaration is this commitment isn’t simply about what you receive but what you also give so when we neglect to be a part of this exchange the entire community, every individual, suffers.

Is it always convenient? No. Is it always easy? Of course not. Do we find ourselves sometimes even in conflict? Unfortunately, yes. But obedience to the word that produces disciples of Christ requires us to push through, to not neglect meeting together.

This is a discipline of our faith. As much as prayer, as much as worship, as much as giving, as much as forgiveness, and when we discipline ourselves in obedience to God’s word we will be blessed and we will be a blessing to others.

Devotion to Personal Prayer

“Yet the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” - Luke 5:15-16

Luke 5 has this description of Jesus. This statement about the personal discipline of Christ’s life is incredibly insightful. Jesus ‘often’ withdrew to the lonely places and prayed. Just in this we see a consistent practice of His spiritual life. And when you see that He does this, even in the face of ministry opportunity (people came to hear Him and be healed by Him BUT he ‘often withdrew to lonely place and prayed’) you see the incredible value He placed on this discipline.

When you think about the practices of your own faith, how often can this be said of you? I think this declaration about the life of Christ is particularly important to reflect upon when considering the disciplines of our faith for two very specific reasons;

The first is simply because of who He is. Jesus Christ the Son of God and the incarnation of God in our midst, OFTEN withdrew to lonely places to pray. I cant help but be struck with the thought that if Jesus, the Son of God, the incarnation of God in our midst felt the need to OFTEN withdraw and pray, how much more do I in my PROFOUND state of humanity have such a need. He believed, clearly, that to do what God was calling Him to do, in the flesh, required these times of intimate communication with the Father so that He would be empowered to heal the sick and teach the lost. . You can never overlook the example Christ sets for us in our humanity as He lives in His humanity. If He needed these times so do we and so when we struggle this might be why.

The second thought that strikes me when reflecting on Christ’s example of frequently withdrawing to prayer is the statements Christ makes throughout the book of John. Repeatedly we find in John’s gospel Christ saying, ‘I only say what the Father tells me to say, I only go where the Father tells me to go, I only do what the Father tells me to do’. How can he be so confident that this is true? Because Jesus often withdrew to lonely places to pray. In these moments he is tuning His ear to the leading of the Father through the Holy Spirit. He is becoming attentive to the instructions being given from the Father through the Holy Spirit. If we want to be used of Christ in powerful, impactful ways we have to spend time hearing the voice of God through communion with the Spirit. To know where to go, how to pray, what to say, to be led of God by the Holy Spirit we have to spend time listening and learning His voice, understanding His heartbeat and responding to His leading.

Personal prayer times, resting in His presence, seeking His guidance and yes making requests is essential to walking in the Spirit by faith. Set as your goal to be a person of whom it can be said, they often withdrew to lonely places to pray. Your Christian walk will be stronger and more dynamic as a result.

Fervent Prayer Devotional #5: Pray in the Spirit at All Times

Over the course of this week, our church has been focused on prayer and we’ve had a number of excellent posts directing our focus.

We began with our need to approach prayer with the concept of seeking relationship over rewards and gifts. Doing so with the perspective of God as Holy, Eternal Creator, All Powerful, Majestic, and all knowing. Having this reverent view of God creates confidence in his ability to handle all things, and will guard our hearts against flippant, selfish prayers.

In another post, we also saw that through the grace of God, he calls us friend, and we are to call him Father. That the “Creator of All” desires for us to have a close, intimate relationship with him, coming as we are.

Yet another post shared the close connection between prayer and fasting, and how fasting can aid our prayers. And yesterday we were reminded to persistently seek God in prayer, even to ask for good things.

Now some people may look at this list and notice “contradictions”. First, see God as Holy, Awesome, All Powerful, but also as tender Father, Friend. The purpose of prayer is to seek relationship, not for gifts… but then also ask him for good things.

When is it appropriate to pray to God as friend? When is it right to ask for good things? When should we fast?

I believe that the answer is found in Eph 6:18: “Pray at all times in the Spirit with every prayer and request…” This passage is not talking about praying in tongues with every prayer and request, but rather that all prayer should be in step with the Spirit allowing Him to guide our prayers in every situation and need. We do this by asking God to reveal his will in situations, by asking the Holy Spirit to show us how and what to pray for. In doing so, we will not gratify the desires of our flesh (Gal 5:16) and we will not shape our prayers to our own desires. If we pray in the Spirit every time we approach God in prayer, we do so in submission to our relationship to Him. This will then guide our requests for good things, inform us when it is time to fast, and to see God as Creator, Father, and Friend. It is the epitome of “let Thy will be done” to trust God to guide our prayers and how we should pray in every situation.

Fervent Prayer Devotional #4: Ask, Seek, Knock

Matthew 7:7-11 states, 

7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

Danny Akin once said that, “prayer is the great blessing that puts our impotence in touch with God’s omnipotence, our lack in touch with his supply, and our needs in touch with his riches.”

What I love about this passage in Matthew is that it is an open invitation to us as children of God to boldly approach the throne of grace (Heb 4:16). Prayer is an invitation to bring requests before our God who has everything we need. 

Notice how in Verses 7 and 8 Jesus commands us that we should pray persistently. Did you notice the three words He uses? Ask. Seek. Knock. All three of these verbs are present imperatives. These are the ways in which we are instructed to pray by Jesus. Danny Akin brings the idea of persistently praying to life by stating, “Ask and keep on asking is the idea. Seek and keep on seeking. Knock and keep on knocking. When you pray like this, God promises to answer.”

Look again at what verse 7 says, “Ask and it will be given to you, seek and you will find. Knock and the door will be open.” 

Jesus gives us such confidence in whom we are praying to in these verses. When you pray, you are praying to a heavenly Father who is so much better than any earthly Father. This allows us not only to pray persistently but to pray expectantly! Even flawed fathers will seek to meet the needs of their children. What dad would give his son a stone if his son asked for bread (vs. 9)? Or what dad would give his son a serpent if his son asked him for fish (vs. 10? How much more so will your heavenly father give good gifts to those who ask him (vs. 11)? What confidence this gives children of God to pray expectantly! We have a heavenly Father who is perfect and trustworthy and wants us to come to Him!

Finally, did you notice that beautiful promise that comes out of verse 11? God wants to give his children good gifts! So ask, seek, and knock! God hears us when we pray. In fact, Proverbs 15:8 states that He delights in our prayers. In these verses, Jesus invites us to persistently and expectantly pray to a good Father who not only listens to his children, but gives good things to those who ask!

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Fervent Prayer Devotional #3: Fasting for Fervent Prayer

Fervent Prayer Week echoes an Antioch church experience recorded in Acts 13:1-3, where the Holy Spirit showed up in the middle of a church fast and worship service. Mercy Hill Church will fast and pray during Fervent Pray Week. Why did the Antioch Church fast while they worshipped? Was fasting a regular practice in the early church, or did they hold a special fast to seek new direction for missionary outreach?  What purpose did fasting serve? What are the implications of fasting for the church today?

Fasting was a normal practice in early Christian worship. The Holy Spirit spoke to the Antioch church leaders as they were fasting. The text does not disclose how the Spirit spoke. Perhaps one of the Antioch prophets received a revelation. The sequence is clear, however. After a revelation about gentile missions, they completed their fast, prayed and then commissioned Barnabas and Saul. Fasting appears to be a normal practice. After fasting, the Antioch church unified behind this new mission.

A church discipline manual discovered in 1873 dating back to the first century purports to be teaching from the Twelve Apostles to the Gentiles. It is simply called, The Didache (the Teaching).  Church fasts are required in The Didache for the sake of church persecutors, and 2-day fasts are required for those being baptized and the baptizer.  Specific instructions are given for frequent fasts:

Let not your fasts be with the hypocrites (probably referring to the Jewish Synagogue), for they fast on the second and fifth day of the week; but ye shall fast on the fourth day, and the preparation day (Friday).(Chap 8, 1).  

Fasting supported communion with God through bodily humiliation. Cassian’s conversations with monastics in the desert of Scete in Egypt in 420 AD give us a clue to the purpose of fasting. Abbot Moses taught fasting and the other spiritual disciplines to achieve purity of heart in order to contemplate God’s pure love:

Those things which are of secondary importance, such as fastings, vigils, withdrawal from the world, meditation on Scripture, we ought to practice with a view to our main object, i.e., purity of heart…. (Conferences Part 1, Conf 1, chap 7).

In another conference, Abbot John explained why Egyptian monks fasted during Lent and feasted during Eastertide, the fifty days between the resurrection and Pentecost. Fasting and prostrate prayers brought to mind sin and Christ’s death on the Cross, while Feasting and upright prayer celebrated Christ’s resurrection and the Feast of Firstfruits (Pentecost occurred on the barley harvest). Fasting, therefore, was a form of bodily humiliation.  

Fasting restrains impulsive behavior and encourages church unity. Compare the Antioch church which commissioned Paul’s missionary career to the Jerusalem Church where Paul’s missionary career came to an end (Acts 21:17-26). Antioch fasted and prayed before they sent Paul on mission. Jerusalem neither fasted nor prayed before sending Paul to the Temple on an almost fatal public relations stunt.  Luke’s narrative is very discrete because Paul was still in prison facing charges that arose from this event when Luke wrote Acts, but enough can be deduced to determine the causes of this disaster. Despite prophetic exhortations (21:4) and warnings (21:11) against the visit, Paul went up to Jerusalem on Pentecost AD 57 bearing a large monetary gift from the gentile churches. Initially Paul was warmly received by James and “thousands” of Jewish believers. With no thanks or even mention of the gift, elders in Jerusalem proposed Paul sponsor religious purification rites for four anonymous Jews. Their proposal exposed Paul to enormous risk from the religious establishment for no benefit other than public relations. That Paul agreed to their proposal signifies the depth of his ambition to comply with the Jerusalem church at all costs. Paul’s modern biographer, John Pollock, remarks:

“‘Let love be without dissimulation,’ [Paul] had recently urged the Romans. Never do evil that good might come, he had taught; yet now he would reject his own advice. In no way was his love for the Jews more evident than in this error of judgment at Jerusalem” (The Apostle: The Life of Paul, p 241).

The failure was not Paul’s only. No sign of the “thousands” of believers appeared at Paul’s lynching in the Temple or heresy trials afterward. Personal ambition and church disunity combined to derail Paul’s ministry and the growth of the Jerusalem church. The failure of judgment in Jerusalem could have been averted if the elders and Paul fasted and prayed for God’s leading. As it turned out, Christ had to visit Paul in prison after his arrest to assure him that he would bear witness in Rome despite the failure in Jerusalem (Acts 23:11).  

Implications of fasting for the church today:

• Fasting is secondary to the main goal of union with God. Diet is not a pathway to God. “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God,’” said Jesus. A person can work with food all day long and not lose a sense of being filled with God’s love. Brother Lawrence (1614-1691) bore witness to The Practice of the Presence of God in his job as a cook in the Order of Discalced Carmelites in Paris.

• Fasting can prepare the heart for union with God. Christ fasted from food for 40 days before his contest with Satan. Fasting today prepares the heart for communion with God through bodily humiliation.  Weakness restrains direct action and promotes discretion. Hunger pangs remind us of the consuming desire for food that drives most of life.  It is a humiliating admission. Satan used food to tempt Eve and Jesus. 

• Group fasts bring church unity. Though food is a created good, it has spiritual power to distract us from unconditional love of God. Unconditional love assumes fear as a prerequisite to release us from the worldly distractions. Godly fear protects the exclusive glory of the God we love. Love is incompatible with slavish fear. Slavish fear arises fear of disapproval. Unconditional love of God is compatible with godly fear. God commanded Israel 

“[To] fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul…” (Deuteronomy 10:12).

Godly fear draws people together.  Paul’s instructions to “work out your salvation in fear and trembling” are addressed to the church as a whole, not to individuals (Phil 2.12).  Fear freezes a group together in awe and silence.  All distractions fall away.  Fasting is a bodily expression of fear and weakness.  Group fasting can bring a group together in fear and trembling before a loving God. 

Pray for church unity this week at Fervent Prayer and practice fasting as a sign of our desire for unity before God.  Who knows? Maybe God will provide new revelation for Mercy Hill Church mission. 
 

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Richard Foster’s instructions for Fasting (Celebration of Discipline, p 57)

    As with all the Disciplines, a progression should be observed; it is wise to learn to walk well before we try to run. Begin with a partial fast of twenty-four hours’ duration; many have found lunch to lunch to be the best time. This means that you would not eat two meals. Fresh fruit juices are excellent to drink during the fast. Attempt this once a week for several weeks. In the beginning you will be fascinated with the physical aspects of your experience, but the most important thing to monitor is the inner attitude of the heart. Outwardly you will be performing the regular duties of your day, but inwardly you will be in prayer and adoration, song, and worship. In a new way, cause every task of the day to be a sacred ministry to the Lord. However mundane your duties, for you they are a sacrament. Cultivate a “gentle receptiveness to divine breathings.” Break your fast with a light meal of fresh fruits and vegetables and a good deal of inner rejoicing.

    After two or three weeks you are prepared to attempt a normal fast of twenty-four hours. Drink only water but use healthy amounts of it. Many feel distilled water is best. If the taste of water bothers you, add one teaspoon of lemon juice. You will probably feel some hunger pangs or discomfort before the time is up. That is not real hunger; your stomach has been trained through years of conditioning to give signals of hunger at certain hours. In many ways the stomach is like a spoiled child, and a spoiled child does not need indulgence, but needs discipline. Martin Luther says “…the flesh was wont to grumble dreadfully.”9 You must not give in to this “grumbling.” Ignore the signals, or even tell your “spoiled child” to calm down, and in a brief time the hunger pangs will pass. If not, sip another glass of water and the stomach will be satisfied. You are to be the master of your stomach, not its slave. If family obligations permit it, devote the time you would normally use eating to meditation and prayer.

    It should go without saying that you should follow Jesus’ counsel to refrain from calling attention to what you are doing. The only ones who should know you are fasting are those who have to know. If you call attention to your fasting, people will be impressed and, as Jesus said, that will be your reward. You, however, are fasting for far greater and deeper rewards. The following was written by an individual who, as an experiment, had committed himself to fast once a week for two years. Notice the progression from the superficial aspects of fasting toward the deeper rewards.

1. “I felt it a great accomplishment to go a whole day without food. Congratulated myself on the fact that I found it so easy….

2. Began to see that the above was hardly the goal of fasting. Was helped in this by beginning to feel hunger….

3. Began to relate the food fast to other areas of my life where I was more compulsive…. I did not have to have a seat on the bus to be contented, or to be cool in the summer and warm when it was cold.

4. Reflected more on Christ’s suffering and the suffering of those who are hungry and have hungry babies….

5. Six months after beginning the fast discipline, I began to see why a two-year period has been suggested. The experience changes along the way. Hunger on fast days became acute, and the temptation to eat stronger. For the first time I was using the day to find God’s will for my life. Began to think about what it meant to surrender one’s life.

6. I now know that prayer and fasting must be intricately bound together. There is no other way, and yet that way is not yet combined in me.”

    After having achieved several fasts with a degree of spiritual success, move on to a thirty-six-hour fast: three meals. With that accomplished, it is time to seek the Lord as to whether he wants you to go on a longer fast. Three to seven days is a good time period and will probably have a substantial impact on the course of your life.

    It is wise to know the process your body goes through in the course of a longer fast. The first three days are usually, the most difficult in terms of physical discomfort and hunger pains. The body is beginning to rid itself of the toxins that have built up over years of poor eating habits, and it is not a comfortable process. This is the reason for the coating on the tongue and bad breath. Do not be disturbed by these symptoms; rather be grateful for the increased health and well-being that will result. You may experience headaches during this time, especially if you are an avid coffee or tea drinker. Those are mild withdrawal symptoms that will pass though they may be very unpleasant for a time.

    By the fourth day the hunger pains are beginning to subside though you will have feelings of weakness and occasional dizziness. The dizziness is only temporary and caused by sudden changes in position. Move more slowly and you will have no difficulty. The weakness can come to the point where the simplest task takes great effort. Rest is the best remedy. Many find this the most difficult period of the fast. 

    By the sixth or seventh day you will begin to feel stronger and more alert. Hunger pains will continue to diminish until by the ninth or tenth day they are only a minor irritation. The body will have eliminated the bulk of toxins and you will feel good. Your sense of concentration will be sharpened, and you will feel as if you could continue fasting indefinitely. Physically this is the most enjoyable part of the fast.

    Anywhere between twenty-one and forty days or longer, depending on the individual, hunger pains will return. This is the first stage of starvation and the pains signal that the body has used up its reserves and is beginning to draw on the living tissue. The fast should be broken at this time.

    The amount of weight lost during a fast varies greatly with the individual. In the beginning a loss of two pounds a day, decreasing to one pound a day as the fast progresses, is normal. During fasting you will feel the cold more simply because the body metabolism is not producing the usual amount of heat. If care is observed to keep warm, this is no difficulty. It should be obvious to all that there are some people who for physical reasons should not fast: diabetics, expectant mothers, heart patients, and others. If you have any question about your fitness to fast, seek medical advice.

    Before commencing an extended fast, some are tempted to eat a good deal to “stock up.” That is most unwise; in fact, slightly lighter than normal meals are best for the day or two before a fast. You would also be well advised to abstain from coffee or tea three days before beginning a longer fast. If the last meal in the stomach is fresh fruits and vegetables, you should have no difficulty with constipation. 

    An extended fast should be broken with fruit or vegetable juice, with small amounts taken at first. Remember that the stomach has shrunk considerably, and the entire digestive system has gone into a kind of hibernation. By the second day you should be able to eat fruit and then milk or yogurt. Next you can eat fresh salads and cooked vegetables. Avoid all salad dressing, grease, and starch. Extreme care should be taken not to overeat. It is good during this time

to consider future diet and eating habits to see if you need to be more disciplined and in control of your appetite.

    Although the physical aspects of fasting intrigue us, we must never forget that the major work of scriptural fasting is in the realm of the spirit. What goes on spiritually is much more important than what is happening bodily. You will be engaging in spiritual warfare that will necessitate using all the weapons of Ephesians 6. One of the most critical periods spiritually is at the end of the fast when we have a natural tendency to relax. But I do not want to leave the impression that all fasting is a heavy spiritual struggle—I have not found it so. It is also “…righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Rom. 14:17).

    Fasting can bring breakthroughs in the spiritual realm that will never happen in any other way. It is a means of God’s grace and blessing that should not be neglected any longer. Wesley declares,

“…it was not merely by the light of reason…that the people of God have been, in all ages, directed to use fasting as a means:…but they have been…taught it of God Himself, by clear and open revelations of His Will…. Now, whatever reasons there were to quicken those of old, in the zealous and constant discharge of this duty, they are of equal force still to quicken us”

Fervent Prayer Devotional #2: Pray Like Jesus

Sometimes, the hardest part of praying is simply starting. Where do I begin? What should I say? Do I go right into asking God for things? Do I start with thanksgiving? Again, where do I begin?  

First, let me remind you a bit of the heart of prayer in what Pastor Tommy shared with us yesterday. Prayer is first and foremost about pressing into God Himself.  Pressing past this “natural life” and into His wonderful and gracious presence, in which He loves to meet with His people.  He calls us friends (John 15:15), and loves us like a good Father loves His children (Luke 11:13).  When we meet with our best friends or have coffee with Dad, do we worry about formalities and saying everything perfectly? Not at all.  We simply come to them as we are, enjoy being in their presence, and speak with them from the heart. I encourage you to do the same in prayer.  Be humble in His presence, but also, ENJOY spending time with the One who saved you and redeemed you, and who loves to care for you.  Keep it simple. 

But, I understand that sometimes, to get started, it’s helpful to have a framework or reference point when engaging in prayer. Many of us have used the Lord’s Prayer for direction in our prayer life, where in Matthew 6, Jesus literally says, “When you pray, pray like this:” (Matthew 6:9). The beautiful words that follow have been a great model and template for many dear saints.  Today, I want to revisit some of the words in Jesus’ “other prayer,” the High Priestly Prayer in John 17, and see if we might find some guidance in our own prayers this week.  Remember, this is Jesus praying to the Father, and much of His prayer is for His followers, those who have and will believe on Him. 

JOHN 17:1-26

1 When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, 2 since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. 3 And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. 4 I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. 5 And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.

6 “I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. 7 Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you.8 For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. 9 I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. 10 All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them. 11 And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. 12 While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.13 But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves. 14 I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 15 I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. 19 And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth.

20 “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, 21 that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, 23 I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. 24 Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. 25 O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me. 26 I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.”

In light of these words, let us pray together today - as those whom the Father has given to Jesus - the way that Christ, himself, prayed for us: 

• Pray that we would receive the Word with humility and joy, that we would keep the Word, and that our receiving and keeping would be marked with abandoned obedience (v.6,8

• Pray that we would be kept in Him and in His name.  That we would never wander or be lost. (v.11)

• Pray that the Joy of Christ would be fulfilled in us. (v.13)

• Pray that we would be kept from the evil one. (v.12,15)

• Pray that the Word of God would wash over us (Eph. 5:26-27), and that we would be sanctified by it. (v.17,19)

• Pray that we would carry His beautiful Word out into the world, that they, too, would receive the Word and believe. (v.20)

• Pray for unity in our Church that reflects the wondrous unity of the Triune God. (v.11, 21-23)

• Pray that the deep love of Christ would be in us and that the world would know that we belong to Christ. (v.26)

Fervent Prayer Devotional #1: Intro

I came across a quote from Professor Charles Ringma that I think captures a prevalent mindset that we as Christians often embrace as we look to engage in prayer: “Whatever form and shape prayer takes, our first concern is not to press God for the things we think we need or the matters we are concerned about, but rather a quest for God's presence and relationship.”

Prayer ultimately is ‘a quest for God’s presence and relationship’. That is a good thought, an inspiring thought even. That prayer is not about getting it’s about abiding. It’s not simply about receiving from God but it’s about knowing God. If you have been around Mercy Hill for any period of time you will hear me talk about the importance of seeking the face of God beyond the hand of God. The idea that it’s about being in relationship with Him and not simply getting from Him. That’s good, right? That’s a noble idea right? I think about that and it seems like that is the right view we should have. Pray so you can be in His presence.

And yet there is something that is not a pithy quote from a book or from a sermon that gives me some pause on that idea, that causes me to stop and think about that idea a little more. Prayer is about the presence of God and relationship? Then I read Isaiah 6: I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. 2 Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3 And one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!” 4 And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. 5 And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!” 6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. 7 And he touched my mouth and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.” 8 And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.”

Prayer is about the presence of God? And then I read Revelations 4: After this I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven! And the first voice, which I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet, said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” 2 At once I was in the Spirit, and behold, a throne stood in heaven, with one seated on the throne. 3 And he who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian, and around the throne was a rainbow that had the appearance of an emerald. 4 Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and seated on the thrones were twenty-four elders, clothed in white garments, with golden crowns on their heads. 5 From the throne came flashes of lightning, and rumblings[a] and peals of thunder, and before the throne were burning seven torches of fire, which are the seven spirits of God, 6 and before the throne there was as it were a sea of glass, like crystal…. (8) and day and night they never cease to say, “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!”

You see time and time again I read about the majestic, awesome, holy, otherness of God. How he is above us and beyond us, how with a word he spoke life into existence, how Job says His voice thunders and the world trembles, how the song of the Exodus says ‘with a blast of his nostrils the waters of the Red Sea piled up’, how in God’s presence Moses removed His sandals and when he asked to see God’s glory the Lord responded and said: And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. 20 But,...“you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live.” Prayer is about the presence of God? Seek HIs face in prayer?

The reason I bring this up is because as we go to prayer I believe we are too steeped in an ideology, a belief about God that diminishes our prayer life. And I am not talking about the idea we said earlier, the idea that we should see prayer as primarily about His presence or we should see prayer as an opportunity to seek His face and not just His hand. I actually think that is true but that we should see the sober meaning of that truth. I think Dr Ringma’s contention that we should see prayers first concern as a quest for God’s presence is right but what I find to be wrong are the quotes that say ‘we should pray to God like we are talking to our friend’. Unless your friend is all knowing, all powerful, perfectly holy and reigns in majesty over all, I don’t think that idea is accurate. The truth that we should see our prayer as primarily about HIs presence is true, we just need to have a true vision of the majestic holy presence we seek. This is important because unless we see the power in His presence our prayer life suffers and when we have a true vision of the presence of God it benefits our prayer life greatly. Let me give you a couple of key examples of why I believe that true vision benefits our prayer life.

A true vision of the holy nature of the presence of God causes us to value the gift of prayer. We have devalued prayer when we don’t understand the profound value of prayer, So many of us treat it flippantly, even as a burden and I think a contributing factor is us not understanding the precious, unworthy, gracious gift that is prayer. Access to the presence of God is a gift given by Jesus Christ that prior to Christ’s work was rare, nearly impossible, because of God’s majestic holiness. When Jesus died Matthew 27 records that the veil of the temple that seperated the people from the Holy of Holies, the place where God’s presence dwelled was torn in two. During the lifetime of Jesus, the holy temple in Jerusalem was the center of Jewish religious life. The temple was the place where animal sacrifices were carried out and worship according to the Law of Moses was followed faithfully. Hebrews 9:1-9 tells us that in the temple a veil separated the Holy of Holies—the earthly dwelling place of God’s presence—from the rest of the temple where men dwelt. This signified that man was separated from God by sin . Only the high priest was permitted to pass beyond this veil once each year to enter into God's presence for all of Israel and make atonement for their sins. The tearing of the veil at the moment of Jesus' death dramatically symbolized that His sacrifice, the shedding of His own blood, was a sufficient atonement for sins. It signified that now the way into the Holy of Holies was open for all people, for all time, both Jew and Gentile. And what makes this such a glorious reality is that the nature of God did not change because of the work of Jesus, only our access to Him did. He is still that Holy God and we, except for the work of Christ, are men with unclean lips living among men with unclean lips. Come before Him with reverence, with humility, with gratitude and with awe. He is still the God of Isaiah, and still the God of Moses, and still the God of Job. It is that same Holy God to whom we have access as we pray.

Another important benefit we receive when we have a true vision of the nature of God is that:

A true vision of the majestic nature of the presence of God inspires us to believe in the power of prayer. Because we have lost sight of the majestic nature of God as we reflect in prayer I feel we have lost sight of His power to answer our. Imagine the confidence Moses brought to Egypt after the the burning bush, imagine the faith Moses had to face the wilderness after getting a glimpse of the glory of God. The power of God did not change because of the work of Jesus only our access to it did. The veil has been tore but the Majesty of God has not been diminished

He is still the God of Isaiah, He is still the God seen in Job and still the God of Revelation. He is still the voice who spoke creation into existence, He is still thunder that shook the foundations of the earth, He is still the pillar of fire that led the Israelites in the wilderness, He is still the hand that healed the leper. The glory and power of God that mesmerized the servants of God is available to us as we go to prayer this week. There is no burden you face today that the arm of God is too weak to carry, no need His arm is too short to reach.

As we go to prayer this weel let me leave you with a quote from Charles Spurgeon: “…prayer is neither a mere mental exercise nor a vocal performance. It is far deeper than that - it is spiritual transaction with the Creator of Heaven and Earth."

It is to that Creator of Heaven and Earth we bring our prayers.

Fervent Prayer: MH Buildings

Today, we are asking the church to join together and pray for some specific provisions from God. Throughout Scripture, God’s people have sought and trusted the leading and provision of God for places of worship. Whether it was the building of the tabernacle, temple, or the walls in Nehemiah’s day, it was all because of God’s timing, direction, and provision. At this time, all three campuses: Bayview, Lake Country, and Rock County find themselves facing the need for a new location. Finding a new building for just one location can be daunting, but we rejoice that God has been building and blessing His church to the point that we need three! We ask that you join us in trusting for God’s provision and guidance as he has led us to this point, and will lead us beyond.

“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Matthew 6:33 ESV

First, pray that these future spaces would glorify Christ, and not Mercy Hill

That they would be used to equip the saints (members of MH) for ministry

That people would be ministered to, and find healing through Jesus

Please pray for guidance and wisdom in finding possible buildings and locations

Pray for financial provisions needed to purchase and renovate spaces

Pray for favor with owners, inspectors, contractors, officials, and new neighbors

Pray against any opposition, or complications that would hinder the process

Fervent Prayer: Missions/Seeking the Lost

“For the Son of Man came to seek and save what was lost” Luke 19:10

In Luke 19 is the story of Zacchaeus, the tax collector, who wanted see who Jesus was and climbed up a tree to do that. Jesus stops at the tree and tells Zacchaeus that he must come to Zacchaeus’ house today. Those who were around observed this and stated “He has gone to be the guest of a ‘sinner.’” Zacchaeus responds by “repenting” of the way he was cheating others through his tax collecting and states “Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.” Jesus responds by saying, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and save what was lost.”

Before this, in Luke chapter 16 it states “Now the tax collectors and ‘sinners’ were all gathered around to hear him. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, ‘This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.’” Jesus responds by telling 3 parables, the parable of the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son. Each of the parables end with rejoicing because what was lost was found, “…I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents” (Lk 15:10).

These stories show us God’s heart for seeking those who are lost. In Jesus’ first coming, he was sent by the Father to do just that and complete a mission of not only teaching us who God is and what His kingdom is like but also to be the long-awaited Savior who could reverse the curse of sin for fallen humanity. Through his death on the cross and resurrection from the dead, he became the atoning sacrifice for our sins and made a way possible for us to be redeemed children of our Creator God.

But the story does not end there. With those very first disciples he birthed the church which was given the same mission to seek the lost in the world and proclaim the good news of what he has done for us. After his resurrection and shortly before his ascension back to heaven he charges the disciples with this mission. “Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matt 28:18-20). Also in John’s gospel “Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you” (Jn 20:21-22). Our God is a missional God who continues to send his messengers into His fallen creation to bring the good news of His mercy upon us through the sacrifice of His own son which redeems us and allows for our adoption back into His family. This continues to be our mission today. 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!” Rom 10:14-15. Lord, let us be instruments in your hands to bring your message to the lost!

Fervent Prayer: Ripple Effects of Addiction and Prayer

“About that time Herod the king laid violent hands on some who belonged to the church. 2 He killed James the brother of John with the sword, 3 and when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. This was during the days of Unleavened Bread. 4 And when he had seized him, he put him in prison, delivering him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending after the Passover to bring him out to the people. 5 So Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church.” Acts 12:3-5

Acts 12:1-19 shows us the struggle that Peter experienced while he was arrested. Peter was seized, imprisoned, and held in chains, and restrained by squads of soldiers. As I read the scripture, I love how verse five says…

5“So Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church”

Chapter 12:1-19 describes how Peter was imprisoned, physically trapped & powerless, and what seemed to be in a hopeless situation. “But earnest prayer for him was made to God by the Church” The Church came together to pray and fast. Verses, 7 – 17 tells us how the power of earnest prayer caused the impossible of the supernatural power of God cause the chains of bondage from Peter to fall.

This is what I mean by the ripple effects of Prayer and Addiction.  You see, addiction not only affects the person addicted, it also affects their family, friends, church, their entire lives, in other words it's makes a ripple effect! But so is with prayer, the power of praying believers can make incredible ripples in the heavenly realm; as the church earnestly prays for our addicted.

Unfortunately, we tend to do the opposite with the addicted, we often isolate ourselves from them, we consider them lesser than us, they become outcast, we give up on them. But even worse, we may not even think that the power of our earnest prayers can make an impact on their lives as far as them being delivered from the chains, bondage and their imprisonment from their addiction.  The Church prayed and fasted for Peter and God delivered him from what seemed to be an impossible and hopeless situation.

Let us not give up praying earnestly for those who are struggling from the chains and bondage of addiction, God has the power to deliver them from the negative ripple effects of addiction and convert them to God glorifying ripple effects that can even help others.

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Lord, you are our deliverer. We can do anything through Christ who strengthens us…but, we must take the first step. We must realize we have a problem and a need… and we must ask for help. Lord I ask, that you will give each person the courage to face up to their problems and to have a strong desire to change.

Father, remove the influences that hinder the addicted from coming clean and who perpetuate their addictions. We ask in Jesus’ name, that you will protect them from the world and the enemy, protect them from themselves and from the things that keep dragging them down. Father, I know many self medicate so they won’t have to deal with  the pain in their life. I pray that you will give them the courage and strength through the power of the Holy Spirit to face down their demons and hurts… and to clean out the wounds once and for all, so they can be free to be the person that you’ve called them to be…to be free from the sickness and pain that keeps them in bondage.

We ask for healing in families and relationships that are being torn apart by the destructive ripple effects of addiction. We ask for protection for those family members that are in harm’s way because of their loved one’s addictions. Please pour out your grace, mercy and healing power on each person that are under the chains of addiction or have been affected by someone with an addiction.

Amen

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Helping an addict through recovery can seem overwhelming, but they don’t have to do it alone. Mercy Hill Celebrate Recovery in Bayview (a Christ-centered, 12 step recovery program for anyone struggling with hurt, pain or addiction of any kind), we meet every Monday night at 6:30pm You can browse the resources at https://cr.mercyhill.org or contact us at (414) 755-6772 or email us at cr@mercyhill.org.

Fervent Prayer: Marriages (Families under attack!)

OUR ENEMY

Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love Me, because I came from God and I am here. For I didn't come on My own, but He sent Me. Why don't you understand what I say? Because you cannot listen to My word. You are of your father the Devil, and you want to carry out your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning and has not stood in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he tells a lie, he speaks from his own nature, because he is a liar and the father of liars. Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me. Who among you can convict Me of sin? If I tell the truth, why don't you believe Me? The one who is from God listens to God's words. This is why you don't listen, because you are not from God."   John 8:42-47 HCSB

First of all, our enemy is the Devil. But secondly we ourselves are our own enemy when we cannot listen to the Word of God and will not believe Jesus and instead carry out the wishes of the enemy of our soul, the Devil.

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LIGHT

In Ephesians chapter 5 and the beginning of chapter 6 Paul is giving instructions to husbands, wives, children, parents, fathers, slaves (employees), and masters (bosses), to wake up.

Get up, sleeper, and rise up from the dead, and the Messiah will shine on you.   Eph 4:32 HCSB

The Holy Spirit wrote through Paul that in our past the Lord Jesus was the light that shined into our darkness. But now, today we are instructed to “walk as children of light” and to not “participate in fruitless works of darkness.”

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light— for the fruit of the light results in all goodness, righteousness, and truth— discerning what is pleasing to the Lord. Don't participate in the fruitless works of darkness, but instead, expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what is done by them in secret. Everything exposed by the light is made clear, for what makes everything clear is light.   Eph 5:8-14 HCSB

This blog is titled, “Marriages (Families under attack!).”  I suppose that is true but every one of us is under constant attack by that roaring lion – the Devil – who has been a “murderer from the beginning.”  Go ahead and read through Ephesians 5:1–6:9 and you’ll see what light vs darkness looks like in marriage, as a husband, a wife, a parent, a father, an employee, and as a boss. I think you’ll see what living in this life is really about.

Get up, sleeper, and rise up from the dead, and the Messiah will shine on you.   Eph 4:32 HCSB

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WAR

The Holy Spirit has acknowledged that the Devil is seeking to murder us but that our Lord Jesus has vast strength and has given us all we need to stand against the Devil’s tactics. Our God is clearly stating that we are in a war “against the world powers of this darkness.” So if this be the truth then clearly we must be a people who listens to our Lord Jesus for He said…

The one who is from God listens to God's words.   John 8:47 HCSB

So let’s do that please.  I understand that you are in a war. But sincerely I appeal to you to be one who is listening to the Word of God and are of the Light. Please do not give up the battle against darkness and let Light who is Jesus be lifted up for all to see. “Listen” to how the Holy Spirit finishes the letter to the Ephesians and to us.

Finally, be strengthened by the Lord and by His vast strength. Put on the full armor of God so that you can stand against the tactics of the Devil. For our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world powers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens. This is why you must take up the full armor of God, so that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having prepared everything, to take your stand. Stand, therefore, with truth like a belt around your waist, righteousness like armor on your chest, and your feet sandaled with readiness for the gospel of peace. In every situation take the shield of faith, and with it you will be able to extinguish the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is God's word. With every prayer and request, pray at all times in the Spirit, and stay alert in this, with all perseverance and intercession for all the saints.   Eph 6:10-18 HCSB

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PRAY

Please pray for yourself and for your brothers & sisters that we are able to hear and listen to the Word of God. And pray too for the saints that may be “opposing themselves” and “that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil.”

…be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.   2 Tim 2:24-26 KJV

Fervent Prayer: Leadership

 ” Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They sent Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brothers”  Acts 15:22 ESV

As we have been studying the book of Acts, we see a continuous theme of a commitment to prayer and seeking the leading of the Holy Spirit. This passage begins: ’Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church. . .’  It seemed good, because they had prayed about it and felt led by the Holy Spirit to send these men. Likewise, let’s pray that every decision that our leadership makes at Mercy Hill is guided by the Holy Spirit. The passage then names the two men being sent (Paul and Barnabas) as well as two additional men added to the team (Barsabbas and Silas). Just as the four men needed to be unified in their objective, we can pray for unity amongst the staff at Mercy Hill. 

The book of Acts has ample evidence that this brand new Body of Christ was already involved with what we might call ‘staffing’.  The details may be different today, but just as in the Acts 15 passage, there are people at Mercy Hill who have been called to serve in positions of leadership. However, it is only through the empowering of the Holy Spirit, not through their own talents and strengths, that they can serve effectively. We can pray that they are so equipped.

“Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” 1 Corinthians 15:58 NIV

Because the passage implores the brothers and sisters to stand firm, it is clear that the possibility exists to not stand firm. We can pray that those in leadership stand firm. And lastly, ‘know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain’. It is common for people in leadership to feel discouraged. One reason is that they are keenly aware of how much is still to be done. Pray that God continues to encourage.

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Today, let’s focus our prayers on our Leadership:

• Pray that the elders decisions would always be guided by the Holy Spirit.

• Pray that our teaching pastors in all three locations will be inspired by the Holy Spirit.

• Pray for unity amongst our staff.

• Pray for the ministry leaders, that they will be equipped for they have been called to do.

• Pray that our Sunday School teaching has eternal value for our children.

• Pray that our leaders are encouraged.

Fervent Prayer: Providence - God’s Provision

We can read, study and research a lot about God’s provision. We can reflect looking back in our own lives or the lives of others how God’s provision has been made visible. However, it’s often much more difficult to trust, to live out today, knowing God is our provider. He’s our provider today as much as he was yesterday. This is difficult.

I’d challenge us to reflect on God’s provision today through prayer and scripture. To help us to reflect on this, I’d ask we start with Matthew 9:11: “Give us this day our daily bread…” there can be so much in this one verse we could reflect on.

Known to be someone that prayed often, every day, Martin Luther was once asked for advice on how to pray. So in true Martin Luther fashion, he wrote a letter to help provide guidance. I’d encourage you to read that letter. Today, I’d like us to reflect on his response to verse 11 of the Lord’s Prayer below.

The fourth petition. "Give us this day our daily bread." Say: "Dear Lord, God and Father, grant us thy blessing also in this temporal and physical life. Graciously grant us blessed peace. Protect us against war and disorder. Grant to our dear emperor fortune and success against his enemies. Grant him wisdom and understanding to rule over his earthly kingdom in peace and prosperity. Grant to all kings, princes, and rulers good counsel and the will to preserve their domains and their subjects in tranquility and justice. Especially aid and guide our dear prince N., under whose protection and shelter thou dost maintain us, so that he may be protected against all harm and reign blessedly, secure from evil tongues and disloyal people. Grant to all his subjects grace to serve him loyally and obediently. Grant to every estate-townsman or farmer-to be diligent and to display charity and loyalty toward each other. Give us favorable weather and good harvest. I commend to thee my house and property, wife and child. Grant that I may manage them well, supporting and educating them as a Christian should. Defend us against the Destroyer and all his wicked angels who would do us harm and mischief in this life. Amen."

Here is an excerpt from Martin Luther in his letter “A Simple Way To Pray:”

The nature of God’s provision is well reflected in Luther’s letter. Several elements that stand out when reflecting on God’s provision are:

1. God’s blessed peace.

2. Wisdom and understanding to rule, notice it’s not about looking for prosperity; but rather managing what we have.

3. The grace to serve.

4. The ability to display charity and loyalty to each other.

5. Wisdom to manage our household well and protection against the enemy.

These are just a few. All of which, seem reflective of God’s characteristics as it relates to his provision. Very countercultural to how we see provision today. The intention of asking God to give us our daily bread ultimately can be viewed as follows:

1. A declaration that he is our provider and not us.

2. A reflection that this isn’t just about us, but rather asking he provide so we in turn can provide for others.

Hopefully today, you too can reflect on what God’s provision means for you. What’s our understanding of the intention of this declaration? Is it simply to be comfortable today? Or is there more we should be considering?

Fervent Prayer: Gratitude and Praise

Do you see it? Do you notice it? Can you feel it? Or has life and the circumstances of your life - the struggles and pains, or even the joys and triumphs - overshadowed it? You probably ask, “What is he talking about - what is ‘it’?”

I’m talking about grace. I’m talking about mercy. I’m talking about the deepest love. I’m talking about Sonship.

“It” is the reality of our position as sons and daughters and all that is afforded us because of Christ and His sufficient work on the cross. It’s the fact that we were once lost, enslaved to sin, and dead in transgressions, but God - who is rich in mercy - loved us and sought us and made us alive with Christ. And in Christ and His promised Holy Spirit living inside of us… we lack NOTHING.

Today’s prayer emphasis is centered on prayers of gratitude and praise. It reminds me of Paul’s instruction to the Thessalonian church:

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Hear those words. God’s Church is to rejoice all the time, pray all the time, and give thanks all of the time - no matter what is going on - and it’s God’s will for us that we do.

However, so often gratitude and praise are not readily on our lips. Often, our eyes lower from the glory of Jesus to the things of this world, to our circumstances and trials, and we lose sight of magnitude of Christ and all that He’s done for us. This week, let us “fix our minds on things above” as it says in Colossians 3. Let us fix our eyes on our glorious Redeemer who has given Himself for us completely so that we might lack nothing. Let us see the fullness of who He is and find our satisfaction in Him alone. And in turn, let us rejoice and give thanks for all that He is and all that He’s done!

Rejoice always. Pray all the time. Give thanks in all circumstances. For this is the will of God for you.

Equip: The Promises of God

It was a reading assignment in my 8th grade year and I wasn’t interested in completing it.  My lack of interest was not result of being a poor student, as my sufficient report card showed.  Rather my disinterest stemmed from a theological objection.

My grandfather Howard had died the year before, after a long hard battle with lung cancer.  I watched as this faithful man of God suffered in a way that no one should.  Even in his last days in the hospital his faith never wavered, using the visitations of friends and family far and near as an opportunity to share the Gospel.

So here I was in my Christian School English class given a book titled, The Prayer of Jabez.  If you are not familiar, the prayer of Jabez is found in 1 Chronicles 4:10. It states;

“Jabez called upon the God of Israel, saying, “Oh that you would bless me and enlarge my border, and that your hand might be with me, and that you would keep me from harm so that it might not bring me pain!” And God granted what he asked.”  

From this prayer, Author and Bible teacher Bruce Wilkerson penned the best-selling book I was assigned to read.  As a Church attending, Christian School Educated, 14 year old from a broken home, whose father was a fallen minister, coming off the most difficult loss to grieve in his life, you could forgive me for being a little jaded in my reading of The Prayer of Jabez.  Within the first 7 pages I knew the claims of the book were eisegetic and formulaic. I couldn’t believe what I was reading when the claim was made,”"I want to teach you how to pray a daring prayer that God always answers."(p. 7, emphasis added)  He goes on, "This petition has radically changed what I expect from God and what I experience every day by his power" (p. 7) In all fairness to the author, The Prayer of Jabez, was not simply another health, wealth, and prosperity book.  As you read you are encouraged to pray the prayer in order to gain ministry opportunities and see God do the miraculous.  But when read with any honest measure, taking this prayer and making it a ritualistic genie to rub creates a false sense of who God is to us.  

The reality is that life is full of highs and lows, victories and struggles, miseries and joys.  If you approach God with a formula of unlocking his blessings by praying a magic prayer, you’re going to be left disappointed in Him, as well as, yourself.  At a certain point praying the prayer of Jabez or anything like it becomes similar to a Scientist’s approach to faith and life with the Scientific method.  Generally speaking, the scientific method is summed up in these 4 steps with its application in parentheses:

• Ask a Question. (How can I be blessed by God?)

• Do Background Research. (Ignore the majority of Biblical examples of God’s servants who suffered and narrow in on a couple who “prayed correctly”)

• Construct a Hypothesis.( If I pray the “Jabez Prayer”  I will be healed or successful in my endeavors)

• Test Your Hypothesis by Doing an Experiment. (Pray the Jabez Prayer over and over and wait for results)

• Analyze Your Data and Draw a Conclusion. (Result A: I succeeded or was healed, so continue praying the prayer.  Or Result B:  You failed or continue to suffer so maybe add another variable, like never speaking negative things, to the formula and repeat the steps)

After watching my grandfather struggle through chemo, radiation, and the ensuing sickness, I saw a man whose faith in the promises of God was for something much more than healing that never came.  If living the right way would have brought healing he had it covered.  He was a man of integrity and service. But in spite of these qualities  he carried no sense that God owed him anything.  Nor was there anything missing in his approach to God.  It’s impossible to know his private thoughts, and I’m sure he had his moments of immense anger toward God, but his witness to all the world was that the promises of God that sustained him were futuristic. When I use the word ‘futuristic’ I don’t mean a delayed gratification.  No, the futuristic hope in God’s promises were such that he presently was changed by, in spite of circumstances.  

The futuristic promises of God are such that sustain us in the here and now.  As believers we partake in the already life giving power of the gospel, but the not yet glorification and joy of the presence of our eternal King.  Just because there will be no more tears, does not mean we don’t currently mourn, but we do not mourn as others do, we mourn with the knowledge of the promises of God to have the final word.  Hebrews 10:34b-39 put it like this:

“and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one. 35Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. 36For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised. 37For,

“Yet a little while, and the coming one will come and will not delay; 38but my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.” 39But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.”

In the time since my grandfather’s passing I have seen God do some amazing things.  My nephew was miraculously healed of a blood clot from a botched surgery to remove cancer. I have seen friend with broken limbs made whole again. God has continually blessed me with provisions beyond what I could ask. I am not advocating to believe only in the future hope of the resurrection, but to trust the sovereign will of God in all our circumstances.

Hebrews goes on to say it perfectly:

“These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. 14For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. 15If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. 16But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.”

Fervent Prayer: Church Planting

"And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles."  Acts 2:42-43 ESV

From the birth of the Church in Acts, we see what the new gathered Body of Christ focused on: God’s Word (apostles’ teaching), community (fellowship and breaking of bread), and prayer (communing with God).  Thus, from the very beginning of Mercy Hill, these verses have been close to our hearts and has helped define and shape our mission of being the Church.  Keeping our focus on the simplicity of the Gospel, as taught in Scripture, and proclaiming that Good News both from the pulpit and through personal relationship, is a big part of what I think makes Mercy Hill Church the amazing community that it is.  And it seems that God is stirring the hearts of others all over southeastern Wisconsin who desire to see churches planted that are committed to the beauty and simplicity of the Gospel.  God has been building His Church with people ready to be His Church, and because of this, we are excited for what God is doing through the church planting efforts here at Mercy Hill.  

Today, let’s focus our prayers on the area of church planting:

• Pray that God would continue to build His Church here and abroad
• Pray for our current church planting efforts/connections:
• Mercy Hill Rock County, Janesville (Josh and Angie Dostal)
• Imago Dei, West Milwaukee (Pete and Kristy Ziolkowski)
• Nuovo Vita, Salerno (Justin and Abbey Valiquette)
• Pray that God would provide to expand His Church:
• Leadership, resources and finances
• Pray that we would continue to train and equip leaders for church planting
• Pray that God would continue to make His mission clear to our churches
• Pray that God would clearly direct our Elders in future church planting efforts

Fervent Prayer: Financial Commitment and Provision

Hopefully throughout your time at Mercy Hill, you’ve sensed and heard that why we give matters more than what we give. We emphasize this every Sunday during worship. And through the example in Luke 21, the Bible gives us many reasons to be generous. Today I’d like to highlight one of those reasons; to care for others. 

Matthew 6:33 says to “seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”  “These things” referring to essentials like food, water, clothes. The author, Craig Blomberg in his book Neither Poverty nor Riches states the following:

“As the community of the redeemed seeks first God’s righteousness standards, by definition they will help the need in their midst.”

We see this play out in Acts 4 with the early Christians when it states “ There was not a needy person among them.”

In January, we communicated highlights as to where our finances were for 2016 and the general direction for 2017. What excites me about this year are two things; we will be celebrating 10 years since launching Mercy Hill and our hearts for church planting continues to be a part of who we are. What was written as our mission then still holds true today,

“Mercy Hill is committed to a philosophy of church that values community and focuses on the development of people rather than the expansion of the organization.  We are not focused on building a church, but rather, focused on being the church.”

Being the church to our community, sharing and living out the Gospel. This continues to be made possible by God’s gracious provision and your continued submission to gracious giving.

To reiterate what we shared last month; we ask you spend time today in prayer and in discussion with your families to continue to discern where the Holy Spirit is leading you in terms of engagement with the broader church, whether through finances, serving at church, or serving in a community group. Let’s continue to “seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness.”

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Fervent Prayer: Outreach

“... The Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go. And he said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest…” (Luke 10:1-2)

Throughout Holy Scripture, it is clear to us that we have been commissioned by Christ to go forth into the world as his ambassadors (2 Cor 5:20). As we do this, we are to proclaim the Gospel wherever we go, endeavoring to raise up disciples as we ourselves follow after Christ who is with us “to the end of the age” (Matt 28:19,20).

Today our prayer focus turns to our efforts as Mercy Hill as we reach out to the local communities of Bayview, Lake Country, and Rock County with the love of Jesus Christ and the message of the Gospel.

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Please join us in prayer for local outreach and our 20/20 projects:

1. That the Holy Spirit would grant wisdom and direction in projects of evangelism and relief care where the need is greatest.

2. That the financial provision needed would be provided for by God and through his saints.

3. That many within our church would hear the call of God to action on his behalf and respond as Isaiah did by declaring “Lord, here I am! Send me.”  (Isaiah 6:8)

And please join us in praying that above all, the work would be anointed and blessed by God, for His Glory and the salvation of the lost. Soli Deo Gloria!

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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: Community

The term community has become a buzzword in our culture. Millennials are said to desire it, employers seek to build it, sociologists bemoan its demise, and churches have rediscovered its value. But as with most buzzwords: when you hear it often enough it gets lost in the noise.

Some communities form around political affiliation or social activism. Others develop because of ethnic or cultural commonality. Some are built around common interests or hobbies. But no matter what its foundation, what holds a community together is its sense of belonging. That we come from this place, believe this thing and are headed in this direction.

When we define community within the Church, we are talking about the relational unity that is derived from our common salvation in Jesus Christ. It necessitates that those within a particular body have that sense of belonging. But where does that sort of unity come from?

Godly unity is given by the Holy Spirit (Eph 4:3), leads us into deeper faith in Christ (Eph 4:13), stirs us to sacrificially love our church family (Rom 12:10) and demonstrates the glory of God to the world (John 17:23).

This sort of supernatural unity allows for people from all walks of life, all backgrounds and experiences, all races, ethnicities and classes to walk with one another in love. Not because of all the things we have in common, but because of the One person we have in common. It reorients our life and allows us to put aside distractions and agendas for the sake of the Gospel.

So as we pray about the topic of community today, let’s pray that these would be the elements that would be demonstrated at Mercy Hill. That we would see the unity given to us by the Holy Spirit, around Jesus, for the good of the church and as a witness to the world.

Pray for our community groups to dive deep into the Word. Pray that we would be open to deep, challenging, encouraging relationships in our own lives. And pray that we would not sacrifice the gift of unity for the folly of our own agendas.

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