Prayer Effort 2/3/19
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Opening Prayer
Opening Prayer
Brief prayer asking the Spirit to lead
Key Ideas/ Ground Rules
Key Ideas/ Ground Rules
Thank you all for being here today…
I need to go over a few things with you. In the coming weeks some information will be brought forward, that I cannot divulge at this point, that may shed a different light on what we’re doing here, and I want to avoid possible misunderstandings others who may hear about what we’re doing here.
We are not forming an alliance, creating a “leadership team”, or starting a coup of any sort.
Over the last several weeks and months, Sarah and I have been feeling more and more burdened to pray for our church and its’ future with a group of people who share a similar burden…and so I thank you for being here.
There are a couple of things I want to cover briefly before we begin:
1. This is a collaborative prayer effort.
I know some of you all can pray fro an hour without even having to take a breath, but we have a limited time together so pray fervently and as the Spirit leads, but also respect others’ time - see this as an opportunity to hear one another’s hearts as we pray together.
2. This group, for now, will be invitation only. If there is someone whom you feel should be here, we’ll discuss as a group and invite them as deemed appropriate.
4. There will be sensitive and confidential issues discussed and prayed about during our meetings. Please use discretion.
3. There will be sensitive and confidential issues discussed and prayed about during some of our meetings. Please use discretion.
For now I’d like to meet once a month. There may come a time that I will ask to meet more often.
This is not required! If at any time you feel you need to drop out no one’s feelings will be hurt.
Key Passage
Key Passage
There’s a particular verse that I want to focus on tonight as we pray together:
I won’t always spend a lot of time doing what I’m about to do, but I wanted tonight to set the tone for what we’ll be about in the future, and I want us speaking a kind of common language as we talk and pray; and tonight’s emphasis will be an undercurrent of all that we talk about and pray about:
BUT, He d:
In the path of your judgments, O Lord, we wait for you; your name and remembrance are the desire of our soul.
English Standard Version Chapter 26
In the path of your judgments,
O LORD, we wait for you;
your name and remembrance
are the desire of our soul.
So before we begin praying, I want to help us have some common ground and common understanding as it relates to this verse.
is a prophetic statement of a song that is to be sung in Judah at some future time. It begins with “On that day...”. This is common OT parlance for indicating the Day of Judgement, or the Day of Salvation.
And when you read it in context, Chapters 24 & 25 are filled with really strong apocalyptic language, describing the end of time - some of this language has a strong counter-parallel in Chapter 26:
Behold, the Lord will empty the earth and make it desolate, and he will twist its surface and scatter its inhabitants.
The earth shall be utterly empty and utterly plundered; for the Lord has spoken this word.
The wasted city is broken down; every house is shut up so that none can enter.
For you have made the city a heap, the fortified city a ruin; the foreigners’ palace is a city no more; it will never be rebuilt.
and then you contrast that with
In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah: “We have a strong city; he sets up salvation as walls and bulwarks.
Isa 26:
or
Desolation is left in the city; the gates are battered into ruins.
compared with
Is
Open the gates, that the righteous nation that keeps faith may enter in.
another example
Isa
Isa 24:18-
He who flees at the sound of the terror shall fall into the pit, and he who climbs out of the pit shall be caught in the snare. For the windows of heaven are opened, and the foundations of the earth tremble. The earth is utterly broken, the earth is split apart, the earth is violently shaken. The earth staggers like a drunken man; it sways like a hut; its transgression lies heavy upon it, and it falls, and will not rise again.
He who flees at the sound of the terror shall fall into the pit, and he who climbs out of the pit shall be caught in the snare. For the windows of heaven are opened, and the foundations of the earth tremble.
Terror and the pit and the snare are upon you, O inhabitant of the earth! He who flees at the sound of the terror shall fall into the pit, and he who climbs out of the pit shall be caught in the snare. For the windows of heaven are opened, and the foundations of the earth tremble.
Terror and the pit and the snare are upon you, O inhabitant of the earth! He who flees at the sound of the terror shall fall into the pit, and he who climbs out of the pit shall be caught in the snare. For the windows of heaven are opened, and the foundations of the earth tremble. The earth is utterly broken, the earth is split apart, the earth is violently shaken.
Utter instability, compared with
You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.
Isa 26:
and
The earth is utterly broken, the earth is split apart, the earth is violently shaken. The earth staggers like a drunken man; it sways like a hut; its transgression lies heavy upon it, and it falls, and will not rise again.
Isa 24:19
and
The path of the righteous is level; you make level the way of the righteous.
Isa 2
In Chapters 24 - 25, God is destroying the arrogant and those who refuse follow His Law:
The earth lies defiled under its inhabitants; for they have transgressed the laws, violated the statutes, broken the everlasting covenant.
Isa 24:
And he will spread out his hands in the midst of it as a swimmer spreads his hands out to swim, but the Lord will lay low his pompous pride together with the skill of his hands.
Isa 25:
But, in Chapter 26, we see something different: it seems clear that God, through Isaiah, is showing that He wants to do something OTHER for those who follow Him. He wants to bring great blessing on the people who follow Him. And in v8, we see some of the key attitudes and practices of those for whom God is at the core of their motivations:
What do you see in this verse?
BeI’m going to speak in pretty broad generalities for a minute, then we’ll dial in a little deeper, and get a little more specific:
I’m going to speak in pretty broad generalities for a minute, then we’ll dial in a little deeper, and get a little more specific:
I’m going to speak in pretty broad generalities for a minute, then we’ll dial in a little deeper, and get a little more specific:
American Culture Shift
American Culture Shift
It used to be that, in America, you could meet someone for the first time and in the course of this first conversation ask them what church they went to. It was understood that people went to church - and most people did. That’s what you did - and in some ways, it’s what you HAD to do: if you were going to be a successful car salesman, your customer wanted to know you went to church every Sunday and the In the Garden was your favorite hymn, right? You were ABNORMAL if you didn’t go to church.
Not so today. It’s no longer assumed that you go to church, and now, more and more, those who go to church (particularly EVANGELICAL church) are strange, and even dangerous.
Not so today. Now
So for much American history, churches have been filled with people who sang the hymns and said the prayers, but at their core, self was the center of their affections. And we still see that today.
BUT, that is changing. The Bible Belt is broken and there is a great sifting going on in the church today. It’s getting harder and harder for nominal “christians” to sit in the pews on Sunday and try to defend the church’s stand on abortion or homosexual marriage on Monday. Nominal “christians” are embarrassed by the church’s stand on pre-marital sex - it’s archaic… and we see them leaving by the droves...
So, as this “sifting” is taking place, we, the Church, most be properly positioned to clearly, and with firm conviction, stand on truths; and be able to communicate them well. And we, the Church, must be able to earnestly say that God is at the core of our desires. That HE is the treasure of our hearts. That we delight in Him - not because (as John Piper would say), He makes much of us (although He does do that), but rather because He, through His grace, allows us to spend eternity experiencing the joy of making much of Him.
In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah: “We have a strong city; he sets up salvation as walls and bulwarks. Open the gates, that the righteous nation that keeps faith may enter in. You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock. For he has humbled the inhabitants of the height, the lofty city. He lays it low, lays it low to the ground, casts it to the dust. The foot tramples it, the feet of the poor, the steps of the needy.” The path of the righteous is level; you make level the way of the righteous. In the path of your judgments, O Lord, we wait for you; your name and remembrance are the desire of our soul. My soul yearns for you in the night; my spirit within me earnestly seeks you. For when your judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness.
Isa 26:1-
And so, thus, - a concise picture of a people who get this:
In the path of your judgments, O Lord, we wait for you; your name and remembrance are the desire of our soul.
The Lexham English Bible Chapter 26
Surely we wait for you in the path of your judgments, Yahweh,
for your name and renown are the desire of the soul.
Surely we wait for you in the path of your judgments, Yahweh, for your name and renown are the desire of the soul.
Lord, we show our trust in you by obeying your laws; our heart’s desire is to glorify your name.
Indeed, while following the way of Your judgments, O Lord, We have waited for You eagerly; Your name, even Your memory, is the desire of our souls.
Yes, Lord, walking in the way of your laws, we wait for you; your name and renown are the desire of our hearts.
In the path of your judgments, O Lord, we wait for you; your name and your renown are the soul’s desire.
Yes, in the way of Your judgments, O Lord, we have waited for You; The desire of our soul is for Your name And for the remembrance of You.
Lord, we show our trust in you by obeying your laws; our heart’s desire is to glorify your name.
Yea, in the way of thy judgments, O Lord, have we waited for thee; The desire of our soul is to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee.
What do you see in this verse?
Compare to
Faithlife Study Bible Chapter 26
The major sin and folly of Judah (and all the nations) was placing trust in themselves and their own power rather than trusting in and acknowledging Yahweh’s power. The theme of judgment throughout Isaiah is intimately linked with the theme of human pride and arrogance.
Word
Word
Dictionary of Bible Themes 1075 God, justice of
God’s justice is satisfied by the work of Jesus Christ
Ro 3:25-26 See also Isa 53:10-11; Heb 9:22; 1Jn 1:9; 2:1-2
God’s justice will be established in the reign of Jesus Christ
Mt 25:31-33 See also Isa 9:6-7; Ac 17:31; Rev 19:11-16
Judgment/Law/Justice/Word
Judgment/Law/Justice/Word
God’s justice is satisfied by the work of Jesus Christ
whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities.
Isa
Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.
Heb 9:
God’s justice will be established in the reign of Jesus Christ
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left.
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.
because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”
Dictionary of Bible Themes 9210 judgment, God’s
The nature of God’s judgment
Its certainty Ecc 12:14 See also Ps 7:11; Ecc 3:17; 11:9; Jas 5:9
Its righteousness Ge 18:25 See also Ps 9:7-8; 50:6; 96:13 pp 1Ch 16:33
Its impartiality 2Ch 19:7 See also Dt 10:17; Job 34:19; Ps 98:9; Ro 2:11; Eph 6:9
The purpose of God’s judgment
To display his glory Isa 5:16 See also Ex 14:4; Isa 59:18-19; Eze 7:27; 38:23; Rev 14:7
To vindicate the righteous 1Sa 24:12-15 See also Ps 7:8-9; Isa 34:8; Jer 11:20; 51:9-10; Rev 16:5-7
To defend the weak Ps 140:12 See also Ps 82:1-4; Isa 11:4; Eze 34:16-22
To bring salvation to his people Isa 30:18 See also Ex 6:6; Dt 32:36; Ps 76:8-9; 105:5-7 pp 1Ch 16:12-14; Isa 33:22
To punish sin Ro 2:12 See also Ps 1:4-6; Jn 12:48; Ro 5:16; Heb 10:26-30; 13:4
To turn people to God Isa 19:22 Temporal judgments may turn people to God and so save them from eternal judgment. See also 1Ki 8:33 pp 2Ch 6:24; 2Ch 7:13-14; Da 4:33-34; Hos 2:5-7; 1Co 11:29-32
The Nature of God’s Judgment
It is certain,
For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.
It is righteous
Far be it from you to do such a thing, to put the righteous to death with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?”
It is impartial
Now then, let the fear of the Lord be upon you. Be careful what you do, for there is no injustice with the Lord our God, or partiality or taking bribes.”
The purpose of God’s judgment
To display His glory
But the Lord of hosts is exalted in justice, and the Holy God shows himself holy in righteousness.
To vindicate the righteous
May the Lord judge between me and you, may the Lord avenge me against you, but my hand shall not be against you.
To defend the weak
I know that the Lord will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and will execute justice for the needy.
To bring salvation to His people
Therefore the Lord waits to be gracious to you, and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you. For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him.
To punish sin
For all who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law.
To turn people to God
And the Lord will strike Egypt, striking and healing, and they will return to the Lord, and he will listen to their pleas for mercy and heal them.
Name
Name
Renoun
Renoun
This is how I want to pray for FBC Lutz: That we would be a church that is steeped in, values, cherishes, lives for, meditates on, memorizes, fights for GOD’s WORD! That His Word would be central to our lives.
Remembrance: fame, renown, name of renown, i.e., what is well known, implying status or honor (; ; ; ; ; )
, Sing praises to the Lord, O you his saints,
and give thanks to his holy name.
, Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous,
and give thanks to his holy name!
, But you, O Lord, are enthroned forever;
That we would be a people who cherish GOD! His name. That we would see HIM as the prize, not just what He can do for us! (Heaven)
you are remembered throughout all generations.
, Your name, O Lord, endures forever,
your renown, O Lord, throughout all ages.
That we would be a people who are not satisfied until He is glorified. That His glory would be our mission, just as it is His mission! That we would run after it!
, the Lord, the God of hosts,
the Lord is his memorial name
Group Prayer
Group Prayer
[2] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.
[3] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.
[4] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.
[5] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.