Concert of Prayer

Christ

Ephesians 1:3–14 NASB95

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us. In all wisdom and insight He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth. In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will, to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ would be to the praise of His glory. In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.

According to His will:

We are Blessed, We are in Christ, We are Chosen, We are Holy, We are Blameless

We are Predestined, We are Adopted, We are Redeemed, We are Forgiven, We are Sealed

We have an Inheritance, We have a Purpose, We have His Grace, We have His Holy Spirit

We are the Church: Romans 8:16-17 says:

Romans 8:16–17 NASB95

The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.

Our identity is found in Him - Children of God

Take a minute to thank God for all of these Spiritual Blessings that He has bestowed upon us in Christ Jesus!

Pray for Family and Friends who do not share these Spiritual Blessings. Pray that they may come to a saving knowledge of Jesus so that they may know how high and wide and deep is the Love of Christ Jesus.

Pray that Christ Jesus through the work of the Holy Spirit will help us to know Him more deeply and to invite others to a saving knowledge of Him.

Ephesians 6:23–24 NASB95

Peace be to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ with incorruptible love.

Holy Spirit

Galatians 5:16–26 NASB95

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law. Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another.

Have you ever tried to walk along with a large crowd of people? Like at a professional ball game where everyone wants to get to their gate and get inside. No one wants to miss the beginning of the game. Your getting jostled about - pushed this way and that. Or, even worse you are caught up in it and can’t do anything else.

The crowd is like our flesh it pushes us along causing us to follow its desires and act according to its will. The only way to break free is to turn away from the crowd - turn away from our flesh and accept Christ Jesus as Lord and Savior. That will free us from the crowd and then His Spirit will help us to walk a different path. So we must have the Spirit of Christ in us and learn to walk by that Spirit.

Do not walk with the crowd - follow a different path the path the Spirit will lead you along - If we live by the Sprit, let us also walk by the Spirit.

Ask the Spirit if there is any unrighteous way in you. Repent of the things that come to mind and ask for forgiveness.

Ask the Spirit to fill you that you may walk by the Spirit.

Ask the Spirit to fill this place that it may be a beacon for the lost that they may know the Joy of Christ Jesus in them.

Galatians 6:18 NASB95

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brethren. Amen.

The Church

1 Corinthians 12:12–26 NASB95

For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many. If the foot says, “Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. And if the ear says, “Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired. If they were all one member, where would the body be? But now there are many members, but one body. And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; or again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” On the contrary, it is much truer that the members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary; and those members of the body which we deem less honorable, on these we bestow more abundant honor, and our less presentable members become much more presentable, whereas our more presentable members have no need of it. But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that member which lacked, so that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.

So what are you? A big toe, an eye, ear or a part that most people don’t think about unless it begins to cause them pain?

God has put us to gether as a body for His glory, our edification, encouragement and to make disciples of all nations. As members of this church we have publicly confessed our belief in our Lord Jesus and accepted the responsibility of supporting this church body both monetarily and by using our gifts and time to fulfill the Great Commission through it’s work.

As a member you can truly begin to grow as a part of the body. Each of us have gifts to bring to the table. Gifts that God knows we have and wants us to use; but if you stay detached from the body and simply hang around like a suit of clothes those gifts will be unused.

Become a member of this local body and let the Spirit use you.

Pray that the Father would raise up new members - both from current attenders and also from those who have not yet come to faith in Christ Jesus and begun attending here.

Pray that everyone here would be compelled to use their spiritual gifts for God’s glory through the work of His body the Church.

Pray that the Father would work in each and every heart here that a revival would break out in this town because of the work of this Church body.

Hebrews 13:20–21 NASB95

Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord, equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.