Sunday Morning Devotional: Week 18

Your Weekly Rest and Reset

If I could hear Christ praying for me in the next room, I would not fear a million enemies. Yet distance makes no difference. He is praying for me. (Robert Murray McCheyne)

This Week’s Scripture

·         Isaiah 49:1-7
·         Psalm 40:1-11
·         1 Corinthians 1:10-9
·         John 1:29-42

Adoration

Psalm 40:1-2
I waited patiently for the Lord;
    he inclined to me and heard my cry.
2 He drew me up from the pit of destruction,
    out of the miry bog,
and set my feet upon a rock,
    making my steps secure.

A Mighty Fortress Is Our God (verse 1)
A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing;
our helper he amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing.
For still our ancient foe doth seek to work us woe; his craft and
power are great, and armed with cruel hate, on earth is not his equal.
(Martin Luther)

Take time now to offer God your praise and worship.
 
Confession

The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’ (John 1:29-30)

Our heavenly Father, for deafness to thy call; for slothfulness in service; for indifference to the needs of others; for unwillingness to bear our brother’s burden; for our faltering witness for thee; Lord have mercy upon us. Amen. (The Book of Worship for Church and Home)

As David did in Psalm 139, ask the Lord to search you and know you through and through. Confess the sins God brings to mind, knowing you are forgiven and that He will cleanse you from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).

Thanksgiving

Loving Shepherd of our souls, we give you thanks for your followers in every land and for your grace given them in Christ Jesus our Lord. Thank you for enriching them in all speech and knowledge of you, even as many of them are under persecution for their life and witness for you. We praise you that they are not lacking in any of the gifts needed to serve you and we pray you will sustain them to the end, that they might be found guiltless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. In his most holy name we pray. Amen. (from 1 Corinthians 1:4-9)

Spend some time reflecting on the prayer of thanksgiving above and then thank God for who he is and the many ways he has poured out his goodness and grace in your life.
 
Supplication (Petitions – prayers for yourself)

·         Give me greater love for those who are hard to love.
·         Help me to be compassionate and kind to those in need, even when it’s inconvenient.
·         Pour out upon me your courage and boldness to love those who do not know you and to share with them your Gospel, in word and deed.
·         Today’s events and interactions with others, planned and unplanned
·         Other needs
 
Supplication (Intercession – prayers for others)
​
·         My family
·         My family and friends who do not have a saving relationship with Christ
·         For those in my other spheres of influence who do not know Christ
·         For evangelists around our city, country, and world who risk much in sharing the good news of Jesus Christ with those who are lost
·         Other needs
 
The Lord our God we will serve, and his voice we will obey. (Joshua 24:24)

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What We Believe

(from the Catechism of the Global Methodist Church)
Week 18

Question 29: What is the church? 

Answer: It is the redemptive fellowship in which the Word of God is preached by those divinely called, and the sacraments are duly administered according to Christ's own appointment. (Jer. 1:5; Acts 2:41-47; 1 Cor. 11:23-27; CoF V.) 

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