"The Increase of Love in the Family"

Call to Worship: We come together this day, drawn by the light of God’s love! In God’s eternal kingdom, darkness and despair are vanquished. In God’s eternal realm, peace and hope reign! Let all the people praise God with their music and their voices! Let all the people praise God with their deeds of loving-kindness! Praise be to God.

Opening Prayer:

How magnificent the sight must be! The vision of John proclaims a crystal river flowing from God’s throne, comforting light, peace and hope for all God’s people. Darkness is vanquished. Open our eyes and our hearts to catch a glimpse of this vision. Help us to place our trust in you, that we may faithfully serve you, knowing what awaits our eyes in glory.

Offertory

Lord, with a cheerful heart, I sow my seed.

Today, I planted it in good ground.

I believe my needs are met,

my family is blessed, and I’m expecting a supernatural harvests in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Prayer

Holy God, we do come to praise you this morning! You are just and fair.  You bless us with so many gifts, today and every day. We’re grateful for eyes which allow us to see your saving power at work   both in our nation and in all the nations of the earth. May we rejoice when we see your gracious love at work,    and celebrate when we recognize the ways you guide us. May your saving power be known among all nations!   AMEN

1 Thessalonians 3 New International Version 3 So when we could stand it no longer, we thought it best to be left by ourselves in Athens. 2 We sent Timothy, who is our brother and co-worker in God’s service in spreading the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith, 3 so that no one would be unsettled by these trials. For you know quite well that we are destined for them. 4 In fact, when we were with you, we kept telling you that we would be persecuted. And it turned out that way, as you well know. 5 For this reason, when I could stand it no longer, I sent to find out about your faith. I was afraid that in some way the tempter had tempted you and that our labors might have been in vain. Timothy’s Encouraging Report

6 But Timothy has just now come to us from you and has brought good news about your faith and love. He has told us that you always have pleasant memories of us and that you long to see us, just as we also long to see you. 7 Therefore, brothers and sisters, in all our distress and persecution we were encouraged about you because of your faith. 8 For now we really live, since you are standing firm in the Lord. 9 How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy we have in the presence of our God because of you? 10 Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you again and supply what is lacking in your faith.

11 Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus clear the way for us to come to you. 12 May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. 13 May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones.

Benediction: Beloved of God, go to be a blessing. Bring the good news of forgiveness and healing to this hurting, lonely world. Bring hope to all, for God’s love is poured out for all God’s people. Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.