Prayer Service 9-7-22

Adoration

Psalm 24:1 (ESV)

1 The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein,

Psalm 50:10–12 (ESV)

10 For every beast of the forest is mine, the cattle on a thousand hills.

11 I know all the birds of the hills, and all that moves in the field is mine.

12 “If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the world and its fullness are mine.

Genesis 1:29 (ESV)

29 And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food.

Genesis 2:15 (ESV)

15 The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.

31 This Is My Father’s World

Confession

Exodus 20:15 (ESV)

15 “You shall not steal.

God can exact this demand because all of creation ultimately belongs to Him!

Hence, he can assign:

Whatever he wants...

To whomever he wants!

Leviticus 25:23 (ESV)

23 “The land shall not be sold in perpetuity, for the land is mine. For you are strangers and sojourners with me.

Not just the Holy Land...

Also, the property of pagans:

Haggai 2:7–8 (ESV)

7 And I will shake all nations, so that the treasures of all nations shall come in, and I will fill this house with glory, says the Lord of hosts.

8 The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, declares the Lord of hosts.

Once he allocates it, it is protected as private property.

Exodus 22:1–14 (ESV)

1 “If a man steals an ox or a sheep, and kills it or sells it, he shall repay five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep.

4 If the stolen beast is found alive in his possession, whether it is an ox or a donkey or a sheep, he shall pay double.

5 “If a man causes a field or vineyard to be grazed over, or lets his beast loose and it feeds in another man’s field, he shall make restitution from the best in his own field and in his own vineyard.

6 “If fire breaks out and catches in thorns so that the stacked grain or the standing grain or the field is consumed, he who started the fire shall make full restitution.

7 “If a man gives to his neighbor money or goods to keep safe, and it is stolen from the man’s house, then, if the thief is found, he shall pay double.

10 “If a man gives to his neighbor a donkey or an ox or a sheep or any beast to keep safe, and it dies or is injured or is driven away, without anyone seeing it,

11 an oath by the Lord shall be between them both to see whether or not he has put his hand to his neighbor’s property...

12 But if it is stolen from him, he shall make restitution to its owner.

13 If it is torn by beasts . . . He shall not make restitution for what has been torn.

14 “If a man borrows anything of his neighbor, and it is injured or dies, the owner not being with it, he shall make full restitution.

The duty to respect private property goes even deeper...

...than making restitution for loss:

We’re obligated to preventative measures:

Deuteronomy 22:1–4 (ESV)

1 “You shall not see your brother’s ox or his sheep going astray and ignore them. You shall take them back to your brother.

2 And if he does not live near you and you do not know who he is, you shall bring it home to your house, and it shall stay with you until your brother seeks it. Then you shall restore it to him.

3 And you shall do the same with his donkey or with his garment, or with any lost thing of your brother’s, which he loses and you find; you may not ignore it.

4 You shall not see your brother’s donkey or his ox fallen down by the way and ignore them. You shall help him to lift them up again.

Common ways to violate the command unwittingly:

Borrowing and not returning

Not working diligently for your employer

Not paying your employee what they deserve

Stealing intellectual property

Cheating on your taxes

(Not rendering unto Caesar…)

Not rendering unto the Lord, the things that he requires:

Money

Time

Specific are of called service, etc.

The Remedy:

Ephesians 4:28 (ESV)

28 Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need.

Prayer of Confession

Thanksgiving

Psalm 23 (ESV)

A Psalm of David.

1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

2 He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.

3 He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

168 Psalm 23.

Supplication

Philippians 4:19–20 (ESV)

19 And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

20 To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Those in our community with COVID

Gentry Trantham: Recovery from heart transplant

Mark Watkins: Heart problems

Sheila Crisp: Surgery on the 13th

Martha Orr: Leukemia

Amy Lemon

Vicie Crisp

Hope Sanders

The preservation of the “nuclear family” in our society

The Lord’s help for our own families:

Proper ordering

Efficient functioning (individually and corporately)

God-glorifying fruit!

440 Doxology