A Scripture and a Prayer: “A Great Treasure”

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth … but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:19-21)

Prayer:

Lord, help us know where our true treasure lies. Help us stop looking to or at the world for satisfaction, and start looking to You and Your word. For Your word is the true treasure, flowing directly from Your heart to ours. Help us take to heart Colossians 3:1-2, which tells us to keep seeking the things above, where You, Jesus, are seated at the right hand of the Father. Therefore, help us set our minds on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. And this I ask in Your precious name, Lord Jesus. AMEN

A Scripture and a Prayer: “It’s Time We Walked the Walk”

“He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.” (1 John 2:6)

Prayer

Lord, the pressing need for this day is to grow more into the image of Your Son, Jesus. It is to live as He lived, in total dependence upon You, and to walk as He walked in spirit and in truth. Jesus, we thank You for giving us this wonderful example to follow. May we abide in You always, both saying and doing what is pleasing in Your sight.

But we also know that this is impossible by our own strength and understanding. Therefore, we humbly ask for the Holy Spirit’s empowerment to lead us into all truth and to be our guide in this world that is moving further away from You. And this we ask in Jesus’s name. AMEN

A Scripture and a Prayer: “Casting Cares”

“Cast all your care upon God, for He cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7)

Prayer:

Lord, how easy it is to rely on ourselves and our understanding of a situation, trying to find a solution and work it out. But unfortunately, we find ourselves falling short of the desired results, especially when we’ve been hurt or have experienced disappointments that have our anxiety Cast all your care levels skyrocketing. Thank you, therefore, for providing us with a way to deal with these issues, which is to give them over to You, knowing how much You care for us. What a blessing it is to have You carry these hurts, anxieties, and disappointments away and then give us the strength and grace to live this day for You. AMEN

A Scripture and a Prayer: “Are We Prepared”

“‘I overthrew some of you, as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and you were like a firebrand plucked from the burning; yet you have not returned to Me,’ says the Lord. ‘Therefore, thus will I do to you, O Israel; because I will do this to you, prepare to meet your God, O Israel!” (Amos 4:11-12)

Prayer:

Lord, are we prepared to meet You? It says that in the time of Noah, before God judged the world, the people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage. That is, they were living as if nothing would ever happen and would continue to live in sin without fear of the consequences. Yet You say, O Lord, that in the End Days, when Jesus comes again, it will be like the time of Noah. Help us, Lord, to know that Judgment is coming and that our life on earth is short, like a vapor. So, are we prepared when that day comes, and will we stand before You and hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant,” or “Depart from Me, I never knew you”? Help us, Lord, to prepare for that day through faith in Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. AMEN

A Scripture and a Prayer: “Our Living Example”

“To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.” (1 Peter 2:21)

Prayer:

Thank you, Jesus, for being the perfect example we can follow, just as You said, “I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.” Help us be servants who serve You by serving others. Please also help us live lives that are pleasing to You, knowing that we are now new creations in You, as You have broken the power of our past and sins through Your sacrifice on the cross. Finally, may we have the same mindset You had, doing nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regarding others as better than ourselves. Let us therefore empty ourselves of all that is of self so we can live entirely for You. AMEN

A Scripture and a Prayer: “Overcomers”

“I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the wicked one.” (1 John 2:14)

Prayer:

Your word, Lord, is truth, and when Your word abides within us, Your promise is that its truth will set us free. Truly, Lord, Your word living within us will help us overcome the strategy Satan has devised to bring us down and keep us from living a life of victory in You. I see this as Jesus Himself used Your word to defeat Satan’s tactics. Therefore, Lord, I want to thank You for the wonderful blessing of Your word, and humbly ask that You help us hide it within our hearts so that we would not sin against You. And this I ask in Jesus’s name. AMEN

A Scripture and a Prayer: “Make The Call”

“Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me” (Psalm 50:15)

Prayer:

Lord, may David’s prayer be ours today. “Hear my cry, O God; attend to my prayer. From the end of the earth I will cry to You, when my heart is overwhelmed; lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For You have been a shelter for me, a strong tower from the enemy. I will abide in Your tabernacle forever.” We pray this, knowing You hear Your people’s prayers when they call for help and will rescue us from all our troubles, especially when our spirits are crushed, for You are close to the brokenhearted. Therefore, on this day, we call to You in Jesus’ name. AMEN

A Scripture and a Prayer: “What’s Our Faith Costing”

“In view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.” (Romans 12:1)

Prayer

Lord, as I approach this, I remember King David said, “I will not sacrifice to the Lord my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing.” Knowing that what You desire most is a heart and spirit broken over sin, and also knowing that we owe You everything, may the words we speak in prayer and our hearts’ meditations on Your wonderful grace and faithfulness be acceptable in Your sight, You who are our Rock and Redeemer. And this I ask in Jesus’s name. AMEN

Sunday Morning’s Message: Unprecedented Faith – “The Babylonian 3: ‘Faith Under Fire’”

A Scripture and a Prayer: “What Easter Means”

“In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” (1 Peter 1:3)

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, on this day, a day we celebrate Your resurrection, may Your grace and mercy abundantly overflow into and out of our lives. Thank you, Lord, that through Your wonderful miracle of resurrection, You have brought us into Your family and placed within our hearts the living hope of our own resurrection when this life ends, knowing that death is merely a doorway into eternal life in heaven with You. There truly is no greater day, and may we show both this day and You the honor and glory You deserve. Because there is no other name under heaven and earth by which we can be saved. AMEN

Scripture and a Prayer: “Glorify God in the Challenges”

“We also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope.” (Romans 5:3-4)

Prayer:

Lord, acknowledging that trials and tribulations are part of life, as Jesus pointed out, help us to rejoice and give You glory for them. Our natural tendency is to complain and blame, but remind us of the grace You provide as You develop patience through these trials—patience that helps us build a more godly character. This, in turn, gives us hope for the future because we can rejoice knowing that You, Lord Jesus,, have overcome this world and any trials we face. And to this I say, “Thank You Lord.” AMEN.

A Scripture and a Prayer: “The Resurrection: Our Living Hope”

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” (1 Peter 1:3)

Prayer:

Lord and God of all hope, it is to You that we come today to lift our prayers and supplications, and to worship Your holy name. Lord, You overflow with grace and abundant mercy toward us, through sending Your Son, Jesus, to accomplish the forgiveness of our sins through His death on the cross, and to give us abundant life both now and for all eternity when He rose from the dead on the third day. Although we do not deserve it, You, Lord Jesus, came to give us this living hope through faith in You—a living hope of eternal life—because You are not dead, but alive. And for this living hope, we say thank you. AMEN

A Scripture and a Prayer: “Expect God to do Great Things”

“My soul, wait silently for God alone, for my expectation is from Him.” (Psalm 62:5)

Prayer:

Lord, as we approach Resurrection Sunday, I find it hard to contain my excitement knowing what You did, in how You died for us, and then rose from the dead to give us a hope that surpasses anything and everything that we could ever hope for. Therefore, we wait for You, because any and all hope comes from You alone. And in this hope, we wait, expecting a great and wonderful work to be done in our presence on this coming Sunday. May Your grace be poured out in abundance as we experience a great move of Your Holy Spirit. And so, we wait with great expectation of Your doing great things in the midst of Your church. AMEN

A Scripture and a Prayer: “No Greater Sign”

“A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.” (Matthew 12:39)

Prayer:

Jesus’s Resurrection is the greatest sign given.

Lord, help us to trust more and more in Your word where we would not go from one place to another seeking for some sign of You and Your coming. Your word already says that You, Lord Jesus, will return, and with great and precious promises (John 14:2-3; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18). And the sign You gave that we must trust in is the blessed hope You gave at Your resurrection. Therefore, Holy Spirit, help us give this sign to those who are lost so that they may have this same blessed hope before it is too late. And all of this I ask in Your precious name Lord Jesus. AMEN

A Scripture and a Prayer: “God’s Support System”

“If I say, ‘My foot slips,’ Your mercy, O Lord, will hold me up. In the multitude of my anxieties within me, Your comforts delight my soul.” (Psalm 94:18-19)

Prayer:

Lord, while we deserve the consequences of our sins, Your mercy is always present. Thank you, Lord, for being there when we slip and fall, because in Your love and mercy, You lift us up and set us not only on our feet but on the solid foundation of Your saving grace. When we were lost and far from You, You sent Your Holy Spirit, who led us not only to You but back into Your loving arms. When we are anxious and worried about what we see around us and what is happening to us, we are blessed not only to know but also to experience the comfort You provide to help us get through another day. May we always be aware of Your loving kindness each day. We ask this in Jesus’s name. AMEN

A Scripture and a Prayer: “The Right Connection”

I will lift up my eyes to the hills–from whence comes my help? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.” (Psalm 121:1-2)

Prayer:

Lord, thank you for being our ever-present help in times of trouble. Thank you for the wonderful assurance we have to approach Your throne of grace to receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Therefore, we look to You, who has created all things, and we come seeking Your deliverance from Satan and the powers of evil that follow. But we also seek Your infinite wisdom, grace, and mercy to lead us in the ways of Your kingdom and everlasting life. And this I ask in Jesus’s name. AMEN

A Scripture and a Prayer: “Fulfilled”

“In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people.” (Acts 2:17)

Prayer:

Lord, knowing that the Last Days began with Jesus’s death and resurrection, and now that the prophecies in Your word are coming true, along with those speaking about what will happen during those days becoming evident, we are truly living in the last of the last days. The season of Your return is upon us, and I ask that You pour out Your Holy Spirit on all people so they can see that the end is near and get their hearts and lives right with You. The reason is because once this life is over, there is no going back, and everyone will stand before Your judgment seat. Entrance into heaven will depend on a person’s belief in Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord. Jesus said that He is the only way, and there are no others. Come, therefore, Holy Spirit, and fill the land with God’s glory, and help guide the way. AMEN

A Scripture and a Prayer: “It’s Time We Walked the Walk”

“He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.” (1 John 2:6)

Prayer:

Lord, in this world turned upside down and inside out, what a comfort it is to know You have set an example for us to live for You and Your Kingdom. To accomplish this, You gave us Your Son, Jesus, who not only came to seek and save the lost—us all—but also to teach us how to walk for You in this world. The Great Commission tells us to go and make disciples, and to Peter Jesus said, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” To be those disciples, Jesus shows us the way: “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” So, Lord Jesus, help us to abide in You, and give us the strength to follow You so that we walk the walk and not just talk the talk. AMEN

A Scripture and a Prayer: “Hiding God’s Word Within”

“Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You!” (Psalm 119:11)

Prayer:

Thank you, Lord, for giving to us Your word and through the Holy Spirit teaching us what we need to know to live this life for You. Your word is truly medicine to heal the sickness of our souls and spirits, and how it helps in our fight against Satan and the forces of evil. Your word is also a light to guide us through the darkness of this world. Thank you, therefore, for giving to us Your word to nourish and protect us. And when we’re tempted, thank you for giving us Your word to keep us from acting upon that temptation and sinning against You. So, help us hide Your life-giving word in our hearts that we can effectively live for You. And I ask this in Jesus’s precious name. AMEN

A Scripture and a Prayer: “God Our Refuge”

“I cry to you, O Lord; I say, ‘You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living.’” (Psalm 142:5)

Prayer:

Lord, living in this world, we often feel overwhelmed by the chaos that confronts us, and we find ourselves adrift in the storms of life. But then we realize that we have You as a refuge in the storm; not only can we hold onto You, but You hold onto us when the winds and waves of outrageous fortune pound at our souls, bringing despair and confusion. Lord, thank You for being that refuge, fortress, and strong tower that we can run to and take shelter in. And thank You that through Jesus’s death and resurrection, we can boldly and confidently come before You and Your throne of grace, and find the mercy and grace we need in this time of need. Continue to light the way as You guide us to safe harbor. And this we ask in Jesus’s name. AMEN