Prayer August 27, 2023

The Kingdom

Father,

When you created the world, you created human beings in your image to rule the earth as stewards and representatives of yourself. Adam failed and in him, we have all failed. But Jesus, obeyed perfectly. Jesus obeyed more commands than Adam and yet he obeyed just one perfectly: to love the Lord with all our heart, mind, soul and strength.

And Jesus did not do that for himself. He did it for others in the place of others. He did it so that all those who are united to him through faith alone by the Holy Spirit will receive the benefits of the obedience of Christ.

Jesus came to re-create, to renew and to re-establish the kingdom of God on the earth again. Lord, we look forward to the day of the fullness of the kingdom of God in the New Heavens and New Earth. In the meantime, we have outposts of your kingdom and windows into the life of your kingdom in the Church and in local churches.

May the Crossing be such a window. May the Crossing be a place where when people look in, they see a glimpse of the life to come that is already present in the community of people here. We are not a perfect church, no church is. But may the Crossing be a place where people can be authentic about their struggles with our common enemies of sin, the world and Satan and find a “grace-space” to learn, to grow and to mature in Christ. May we be the kind of people who help others when we see them beaten on the side of the road by their struggles that we stop to help. Such is the ethics of your kingdom and you told us to “go and do likewise” in your word because that is the way you showed us your grace.

Help us all to grow in this grace. To be renewed and transformed as we continue to read and study your word. Help us to live your word so that it is not just trivial knowledge in our minds; but that it produces the fear of the Lord to love and serve you in obedience.

Help our lives to be attractive, but also give us the words to say to tell others about the grace of God in Jesus.

We ask also that you provide a new place that we can all do this. Give us a new meeting space to be a light in world of darkness. In the meantime, may we continue to be faithful where we are at, where you have us.

Provision

As your kingdom continues to grow, Lord continue to provide for your people

We pray for the health of our brothers and sisters who are here or at home:

We continue to pray for, and thank you for the grace that you have shown to Dan. Continue to use him in service for your kingdom and let him enjoy life even though he lives with disease. Continue to let us benefit from all his labors in the gospel ministry

We also continue to pray for Rob Fry. Thank you that he is still able to enjoy your gift of music.

We thank you for our dear sister, Sofia. We thank you that you continue to sustain her by grace. We thank you that when trials do come, you are still with her. YOu never leave us or forsake us. We also pray for Eloisa, that you be with her and supply all her needs.

We continue to pray for Victor and Jose Martinez. Continue to strengthen them physically and emotionally with all they have endured through. May your goodness and mercy be upon them still.

We also pray for Michelle Taylor and the circumstances regarding her pregnancy. Though I do not know the details, you do and we pray that you be with her and the child in her womb.

Finally, as the school year is now in full swing, we pray for the safety of all our students and teachers. In a world of sin, no place is safe from its effects and we are naive to think we can hide from it. Be with our children however they are educated. Lord, give our children not just knowledge but wisdom. Help those who teach children to love and serve the communities they serve into. May they do it with grace and patience to deal not only with children but all the other responsibilities that come with teaching. Help those of who teach to do it in such a way that your are glorified in our labors.

All these things we pray for and ask in the name of the King of kings and the Lord of lords, Jesus Christ. Amen