March 22nd Prayer Meeting

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SONG

SCRIPTURE AND DEVOTION

Tonight we are having a prayer meeting. We are going to seek the face of God.
We are at an exciting crossroads as a church and we are out of debt.
We also are experiencing immense amounts of physical and emotional suffering in our church body.
We are coming to God giving thanks and expressing our dependence tonight.
As we walk down the Lord’s model prayer for us this evening, we are going to say one word many times. That word is “Amen.”
2 Corinthians 1:20 ESV
For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory.
The word Amen reads exactly the same way in the Greek.
It is a word that means, “So be it.”
It is a vocal recognition that the Word of the Lord has been heard and agreed with.
In ancient Israel, “Amen” was primarily used in two ways:
It was a response of praise to who God is and what He has done
It was a response to prayer
And it is still used in the church this way today.
You will hear a pastor preach and proclaim the Gospel and someone might shout out, “Amen!”
That is a response to God and His work for us
And of course, we hear people say Amen at the end of their prayers all the time.
There may not be anyone who loved the word AMEN as much as Jesus.
You often see Him saying, “Truly, truly I say to you...” or “Verily, verily I say to you...”
The Greek word there is none other than AMEN.
This is Jesus saying, “Amen and Amen, I say to you.”
Because He is the Word made flesh, He doesn’t wait until the end to say AMEN.
He says it at the beginning of His statements because as God in the flesh, He knows that every word that proceeds from His mouth is the very truth of God.
In fact, this is Paul’s point in 2 Corinthians 1:20...
Every promise of God is proved true in His great Son, Jesus Christ.
So when we utter our Amens to God, we utter them through the name of Christ.
The full faithfulness of God is placed before us in the Person of the Son, Jesus Christ.
The promises of God are confirmed in Him.
So when we pray, we end our prayers with a confident AMEN, knowing that every promise of God that we are calling on is true in the One we utter through. They are true in Christ.
So with that in mind, I want to challenge you to say Amen early and often tonight.
Do not wait for the end of prayers.
Claim the promises of God in Jesus’ name as you hear them and desire to.
Say AMEN. Shout AMEN. Firmly state it—AMEN.
In the beginning and middle and end of prayers. If you hear truth you agree with, say AMEN.
Boldly. Do not be afraid.
Consider this eye-witness account from one of the Monday Night Prayer meetings at Spurgeon’s Metropolitan Tabernacle.

A large crowd was present as usual. But strangely, the meeting that week seemed dead. “All sang old tunes in an old-fashioned way. Nothing yet to explain the marvelous crowd. The Scripture was read, and the comment on it was good, but nothing surprising.… The prayers were in no way extraordinary.” Then Deacon Olney got up and read through the requests for prayer and led the congregation in prayer, but “the meeting was still dead.” Spurgeon then introduced his father who was also a minister and who spoke a few words. But the meeting dragged on. Every church will struggle with prayer meetings that feel dry and lifeless. The Tabernacle was no different.

At that point, Olney said to Spurgeon, “You had better take the meeting.” After a moment of silent preparation, Spurgeon rose to pray, and Fulton records the prayer in his account:

“Oh God! Here is the Devil doing his best to break up this prayer-meeting. I hear him saying ‘Spurgeon’s prayer-meeting is a failure. The Church is dead,’ he says. ‘Faith,’ he claims, ‘is dying out.’ I hear him, Lord, claiming that the people are satisfied with the collections, and the great congregations, and that they are letting go of the right hand of the Lord Jesus, in whom is all the might and power, now and forever more.

“It is a lie, O God. There is not a bit of truth in what the Devil claims. We trust in thee, Jesus.” Then he praised his Christ. He warmed to the theme. Then the Amens began to roll forth.

“Come, Jesus, lift us out of ourselves and into thee.”

“Amen!” was our united shout; it was done.

I don’t mean to recreate Spurgeon’s prayer meeting tonight. But I do mean for us to be serious about praying persistently and boldly and expectantly at God’s throne.
Let’s utter our Amens to God. We start with a prayer you can follow along with as we prepare our hearts to seek His face in the way He has called us to.
Through the model prayer of the Lord’s Prayer.

PREPARING TO SEEK HIS FACE

Prepare Me to Seek You to be read by Pastor Ben

PREPARE ME TO SEEK YOU

O Lord, teach me to pray, that I may call upon your name. Prepare my heart to seek, and open your ears mercifully to hear me.

Almighty and eternal Lord God, you are the Creator and Continual Preserver of all things, both in heaven and earth. By your gracious providence I was at first fearfully and wonderfully made, and even now you keep me and preserve me.

I am the workmanship of your hands, and I desire to humble both soul and body before your heavenly majesty.

So here in your presence, Lord, I confess my own unworthiness to come before you, to call upon you, or to perform the least duty that will concern your worship and glory.

Because my heart is polluted and unclean, I beg you to be gracious to me for Jesus Christ your Son’s sake. For the sake of his promise, truth, and mercy, have mercy upon me.

Pardon and forgive all the sins, iniquities, and trespasses I have ever committed against you, in what I have said or what I have done. Amen.

—Robert Parker

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SONG: Doxology

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PRAISE: HALLOWED BE YOUR NAME

My God, what can I say to you—except that I love you more than words can express?

I love you for what you are to all your creatures. In all their forms and every moment, they owe their life and happiness to you. It is far beyond what my narrow imagination can conceive, but everything they know is from you.

But I adore and love you far more for what you are in yourself.

Even after creating so much, your reserves of perfection remain untouched, and can never be used up. Your infinite perfection makes you your own happiness.

You are your own end. You are worthy of a respect that never depends on anything outside yourself.

You are first, most beautiful, and only. Greatest and only great.

Possess all my soul! And surely you do possess it.

While I feel your sacred Spirit breathing on my heart, causing me to love you, I also feel the reality of this human, animal life.

If ever I knew the appetite of hunger, my soul hungers after righteousness—and longs to be more like you (Matthew 5:6).

If ever I felt thirst, so also my soul thirsts for the living God—and pants for more of your favor (Psalm 42:2).

If ever I have longed for my bed after a long journey, my soul rests on your grace—and returns for rest in your embrace (Psalm 116:7).

And if ever I have enjoyed seeing the face of a friend, I rejoice in seeing your face, O Lord—and in calling you my Father in Christ.

That is who you are, and that is who you will be, for time and for eternity. What more can I do, but commit myself to you for both?

I leave it to you to choose my inheritance and order my affairs (Psalm 47:4). My only business is to serve you, and all my delight is to praise you.

My soul follows hard after you, God, because your right hand upholds me (Psalm 63:8). Let it still bear me up, and I will press on toward you, until all my desires are fulfilled in the eternal enjoyment of you! Amen.

Roll right into the Kingdom prayer without stopping...

KINGDOM: YOUR KINGDOM COME

THE KINGDOM IS YOURS

Whoever rules in any realm, the kingdom is yours.

They only rule by commission from you, and as substitutes under you. You are the supreme governor of them all. You are exalted as head above all.

Everything is yours, all that is in the heaven and in the earth—yours. Amen.

—David Clarkson

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Prayer for Missions at Each Table
Melody Warford: Pioneer Bible Translators; recently lost her mother—pray for the Scriptures to be translated into every heart language
Brian and Jerilyn White: Jinja, Uganda; training up pastors in the country and reaching their context through the Hana Moshi Primary School.
Pray that Satan would not be able to hinder the ministry there
Pray for administrative changes they are working through and the never-ending headache of working with the government
Sergei and Sveta Vashkevich: Reaching Ukranian refugees in Israel. Pray for fruit from this ministry.
Pray for the ministry transition that is still underway as Sergei went from Belarus to his new ministry location.
Orphan Helpers: Pray for the youth that are being saved and discipled in detention centers through the Success Academy.
Pray for the teachers who travel to the schools each day to each the youth the Gospel and the trade that will be their way out of the gang life.
Specifically pray for Francisco, who has worked with the young men at Sendero in El Salvador for nearly a decade and pastors the little church within the facility.
Pray God will bless his family and that his teaching would be used by God to sway hearts to Christ
Catalyst Colorado Springs: Pray for Adam and Ashley Roberts, our church planters in Colorado Springs, CO.
They had 18 at their first preview service, but much of the church has been sick recently.
Pray for the church as they witness to the lost in their community.
Pray for mature believers that move to the area to feel called to the work at Catalyst and join their ranks.
Good News Club and SES: Pray for fruit from the school year at Seaford Elementary School.
Pray that the efforts we make to be generous to Seaford Elementary with our parking lot and facilities would result in the community respecting our Gospel witness and visiting on Sunday mornings.
Pray for the SES Staff as they still mourn the loss of a beloved staff member.
Pray for the office staff as they undergo a difficult transition during renovation this Spring
Pray the efforts we are making to show kindness to them, will demonstrate the love of Christ
Peninsula Rescue Mission and Carenet Peninsula: Pray for both organizations as they build new facilities.
Pray about the possibility of Seaford Baptist financially blessing these organizations
Ask God to give us a heart for that work if we are supposed to give to it as a church
Sister Churches: Bethel Baptist Church, Nansemond River Baptist Church, Reformed Christian Fellowship, Christ Fellowship Williamsburg, Carrollton Baptist Church, Fox Hill Road Baptist Church, Poquoson Baptist Church, Temple Church
SBC Mission Leadership Team: Pray for wisdom on how to approach the mission budget now that we are debt free
Seaford Baptist Easter Outreach: Pray for God to win over the hearts of the lost in our community with our kindness and generosity on April 8th at the Mega Egg Hunt
Pray for God to bless us with a full church of believers, backsliders and lost people who are looking for truth on April 9th in our Easter service
The theme of the day will be how Jesus’ resurrection guarantees eternal life on the new earth to us.
Pray that the Spirit would cause everyone in the room to long for heaven.
Pray for the believers to worship and be edified, pray for the backsliders to remember their first love and pray for the lost to repent and trust in Christ.
Praying for the Lost
Members can say names out loud during a time of praying for the lost that will be started and end by Pastor Michael.

THANKSGIVING AND PETITIONS: DAILY BREAD

A time of counting blessings.
Everyone should spend time silently reflecting on the things that they are thankful for
Go over the church’s petitions
A time of silent petitioning
O Father, we lift up our eyes to the hills. Where else could we look for help? It has to be You. It has to be the Lord. The One who made heaven and earth. The One who holds the very fabric of existence together with ease in His might.
You are not in the habit of letting the feet of your children be moved when they are planted in You. When they are awake and alert feet, planted on Your promises.
When Your people are tired from being pilgrims in this strange world, You are not sleeping. You do not slumber.
We praise You Lord, for being our Keeper. We thank you for being closer to us than shadows of our bodies.
Thank You that the heat of suffering will not steal life from our souls in the day. Thank You that the coldness of suffering will not freeze our souls to death in the night.
You keep us from evil. You keep our lives. You keep our going out and our coming in.
And You will do that forever. Because we are your people and You are our God, just like the prophets said it would be.
And this is all true because You gave Your Son as the sacrifice. The once for all Substitution. Our help from the hills who died on the Hill.
And His blood will see to it that we have Your help and provision, from this time forth and forevermore. Amen.

CONFESSION: OUR DEBTS

Psalm 51 ESV
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet went to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba. 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. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice. Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit. Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you. Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, O God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness. O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise. For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. Do good to Zion in your good pleasure; build up the walls of Jerusalem; then will you delight in right sacrifices, in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings; then bulls will be offered on your altar.
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CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER READ TOGETHER

Most merciful God,
We confess that we are captive to sin and cannot free ourselves. We have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. For the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us, so that we may delight in your will and walk in your ways, to the glory of Your name. Amen.
Lord have mercy.
Christ have mercy.
Lord have mercy.
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FORGIVENESS: OUR DEBTORS

Matthew 6:14–15 ESV
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.
Father, when people sin and hurt me, It is frustrating. Sometimes, I respond by wanting to sit under the broom tree and sink into despair. Other times I respond in anger. Sometimes I want to run and bury my head in the sand.
Satan tempts me to think no one understands my feelings and that I am entitled to my bitterness. I am not.
You suffered and died for the sins of the nations. Every tribe. Every people group. The most precious and holy life for the lives of transgressors and sinners.
We want to demonstrate our faith in the Cross by forgiving those who sin against us in the same way that you have forgiven us.
We take your words serious about not forgiving us if we do not forgive.
Rip bitterness and a slowness to forgive out of our hearts and burn it up in the holy fire of sanctification.
Help us to forgive, Lord. Forgive those who have wronged us. Amen.

DIVINE PROTECTION: LEAD US NOT

Allow me both warn and encourage you from the Scriptures tonight:
Ephesians 6:12–13 ESV
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.
1 Peter 5:8 ESV
Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
1 Corinthians 10:13 ESV
No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.
1 John 4:4 ESV
Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
Revelation 12:3–6 (ESV)
And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven diadems. His tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven and cast them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she bore her child he might devour it. She gave birth to a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne, and the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, in which she is to be nourished for 1,260 days.
Let’s pray together:

I NEED YOUR PROTECTION

Blessed God! I flee to your almighty power.

You see me surrounded with difficulties and dangers, and stretch out your omnipotent arm to save me.

Today I put myself under your protection. Let me make the shadow of your wings my refuge. Let your grace be sufficient for me, and your strength be made perfect in my weakness.

I dare not say, “I will never forsake you, I will never deny you,” but I hope can truly say, “Lord, I resolve not to do it. I would rather die than offend you.”

Root out the corruption from my heart. In an hour of pressing temptation it might sway me to view things in a different light, and so might betray me into the hands of the enemy!

Strengthen my faith, Lord, and encourage my hope! Inspire me to opposing every thing that blocks my way to heaven. And let me set my face against all the assaults of earth and hell.

If sinners entice me, let me say no. If they insult me, let me ignore it. If they threaten me, let me not fear!

Give me instead a holy and ardent yet prudent and well-governed zeal to see others convicted and turn to you.

Let me never be ashamed to plead your cause against those who oppose the faith. As the psalmist says, “Make me to hear joy and gladness in my soul, and I will teach transgressors your ways, that sinners may be converted to you.”

My fears continue, Lord, but there is no one to blame but myself. I join you in blaming me for my folly.

Keep me, O Lord, now and always. Whatever age or place in life I attain, never let me think I am strong enough to maintain the combat without you.

And even in my young faith, never let me imagine myself so weak that you cannot support me.

Wherever you lead me, let me follow. Wherever you take me in life, let me work there faithfully. Let me fight the holy war against the enemies of my salvation. And let me fall fighting rather than abandon my post.

You are my glorious Redeemer, pioneer of my salvation, the great Author and Finisher of my faith. When I am in danger of denying you, as Peter did, look on me with your majesty and tenderness. Keep me from falling, or quickly lift me back up to God and my duty again!

Show me how to learn from my missteps and to humble myself in even greater diligence and caution. Amen.

AN ADDITIONAL PRAYER FOR JESUS TO PROTECT FAITHFUL CHURCHES IN OUR COUNTRY

A PRAYER FOR THE CHURCH

Most loving Father, we humbly ask that you would look down from heaven in great mercy upon your whole church, and every member of it. Be favorable to Zion, and build up the walls of Jerusalem.

Look with an eye of pity on the great ruins and desolation of your church. Heal up the wounds in all the nations. Regard it as your own flock, be gentle as to your own family, care for it as your own vineyard, love it as your own spouse.

Bless it with your grace, guide it with your Spirit, and defend it always with your mighty power.

Scatter, confound, and overthrow any forces that fight against the church, and have mercy on the church in this land. Bless us with true faith.

Deal with us, and with those who come after us, in your grace and favor, for the sake of your great name, and for the sake of our only Mediator Jesus Christ, to whom be all praise and glory, with you and the Holy Spirit, now and forevermore, amen.

—Arthur Dent

CONCLUDING DOXOLOGY

Let us stand together and proclaim with one voice:
FOR YOURS IS THE KINGDOM, THE POWER AND THE GLORY, FOREVER AND EVER. AMEN.

SONG

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