WEBVTT 00:00:00.239 --> 00:00:02.319 Welcome to the Awakening Church podcast. 00:00:02.560 --> 00:00:06.879 We pray this message encourages you and provides the hope and light of Jesus Christ. 00:00:07.200 --> 00:00:07.839 Thanks for tuning in. 00:00:34.479 --> 00:00:35.679 We wanted a pawn. 00:00:42.240 --> 00:00:46.719 So if you came for controversial Jesus, then you're like, what about Jesus in marriage? 00:00:46.960 --> 00:00:47.920 That'll be next week. 00:00:48.560 --> 00:00:56.159 Um I think it was maybe Thursday morning, Jenny and I were talking. 00:00:56.560 --> 00:01:10.400 And like, you know, all of you are just kind of broken just over the state of our world, over the state of the war, over Israel and Palestine, over the loss of so much life. 00:01:10.480 --> 00:01:33.439 And I mean, you just zoom out from there, and you just think on the global scale and the you know famine that's ravaging northern Africa and Sudan and Somalia and Ethiopia and the wars that are civil, that are they're not so civil actually going on in Ukraine and the gang violence in Haiti. 00:01:33.519 --> 00:01:37.120 And I mean you just go, you just can go, and it's overwhelming. 00:01:37.680 --> 00:01:46.480 And then you look at our world in the US and the division, the polarization, the angst, and the anger. 00:01:47.519 --> 00:01:55.120 And then you go into like my world, your world, and I don't know what you walked in with. 00:01:56.959 --> 00:02:00.959 And the confusion and the turmoil and the uncertainty. 00:02:01.680 --> 00:02:05.920 And as Jenny and I were talking, she just looked at me and she said, What are we gonna do? 00:02:06.000 --> 00:02:08.800 Like a prayer and worship Sunday. 00:02:09.840 --> 00:02:12.879 And I said, I don't know. 00:02:13.520 --> 00:02:17.919 And I was thinking about our calendar, and then I'm like, there really isn't even time. 00:02:18.000 --> 00:02:19.919 I'm like, how bad is that as a church? 00:02:20.000 --> 00:02:21.360 Like, we don't have time. 00:02:22.479 --> 00:02:24.240 It's not acceptable. 00:02:26.240 --> 00:02:28.879 And so we decided let's pause. 00:02:30.000 --> 00:02:34.800 Because this is what my soul needs, and I think this is what your soul needs. 00:02:35.599 --> 00:02:37.919 And let's pray together. 00:02:38.400 --> 00:02:44.400 We believe actually that wherever prayer focuses, the power of God falls. 00:02:45.120 --> 00:02:51.919 Like James said it this way, that the prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. 00:02:53.439 --> 00:02:59.680 That when we pray at a church, we are most effective as a church. 00:03:00.479 --> 00:03:02.400 Oswald Chambers said it this way. 00:03:02.560 --> 00:03:05.759 He said, we do not pray in order to do the greater work. 00:03:06.000 --> 00:03:08.080 Prayer is the greater work. 00:03:09.439 --> 00:03:25.840 And then Jesus' disciples, the only recorded thing that we have of them asking Jesus isn't how to do miracles, isn't how to, you know, raise the dead or preach a great sermon. 00:03:27.840 --> 00:03:30.240 Jesus, would you teach us to pray? 00:03:30.479 --> 00:03:38.240 There's something about the intimacy and the connection and the power when you pray and we want to learn how. 00:03:39.680 --> 00:03:41.919 And then he said this to them. 00:03:42.319 --> 00:03:44.000 This then is how you should pray. 00:03:44.080 --> 00:03:46.479 And if you want to read along or pray along, you can. 00:03:52.080 --> 00:03:57.840 Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 00:03:58.159 --> 00:04:06.240 Give us today our daily bread, and forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors. 00:04:06.479 --> 00:04:11.759 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. 00:04:12.240 --> 00:04:17.600 For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. 00:04:18.160 --> 00:04:18.800 Amen. 00:04:20.000 --> 00:04:30.639 And so we're gonna take a season where we pray through that line by line, some friends that I dearly love who are gonna lead us in different seasons of prayer. 00:04:30.720 --> 00:04:33.360 And as we do that, I just want to encourage you. 00:04:33.519 --> 00:04:39.279 Um, if you need to stand, stand if you want to sit, if you want to kneel. 00:04:39.759 --> 00:04:42.079 Our communion tables are open. 00:04:42.319 --> 00:04:47.279 If at any point during the time you want to take partake in communion, please do so. 00:04:47.360 --> 00:04:49.839 There's a gluten-free option in the back. 00:04:51.199 --> 00:04:54.959 But we're gonna pray as a community and as a church. 00:04:55.040 --> 00:04:57.759 And I already know this because we've done this once already. 00:04:58.399 --> 00:05:00.319 Gosh, my soul needs it. 00:05:00.800 --> 00:05:02.240 And our world needs it. 00:05:03.040 --> 00:05:04.399 So let's lean in together. 00:05:04.480 --> 00:05:10.399 And so as we do, would you just take a moment to relax, to breathe? 00:05:10.560 --> 00:05:17.600 I want to just begin the way the Lectio app so often invites us to. 00:05:19.759 --> 00:05:25.360 As we enter prayer now, pause to be still. 00:05:26.720 --> 00:05:27.839 Breathe slowly. 00:05:30.000 --> 00:05:34.560 Recenter your scattered senses upon the presence of God. 00:05:38.240 --> 00:05:48.879 Jesus, as we meditate on the good news of your kingdom, make us a courageous and loving witness to your goodness. 00:05:49.839 --> 00:05:56.079 Empower us afresh in this moment through the gift of your Spirit. 00:06:55.519 --> 00:06:56.959 Holy is your name. 00:07:00.160 --> 00:07:03.040 Set apart is your name. 00:07:19.600 --> 00:07:22.319 Powerful is your name. 00:07:31.439 --> 00:07:40.000 So when we greet you acknowledging your presence, we say, Welcome, Father God. 00:07:44.000 --> 00:07:45.519 Welcome, Jesus Christ. 00:07:49.040 --> 00:07:50.480 Welcome, Holy Spirit. 00:08:14.000 --> 00:08:23.920 Acknowledging him in his rightful place, just inspire our worship so we can just take him in and worship prayerfully, prayerfully, worship whatever order. 00:09:09.200 --> 00:09:15.759 Give me vision to see things like he do. 00:09:16.399 --> 00:09:21.919 God, I look to you where my health comes from. 00:09:24.159 --> 00:09:25.279 Give me wist. 00:09:27.919 --> 00:09:30.480 You know just what to do. 00:09:30.879 --> 00:09:36.960 Oh God, I look to how won't be overwhelmed. 00:09:38.799 --> 00:09:45.279 Give me visit to see things like you do. 00:09:46.000 --> 00:09:51.519 God, I look too where my health comes from. 00:09:53.440 --> 00:09:54.879 Give me wist. 00:09:57.360 --> 00:10:00.000 You know just what it is. 00:10:00.879 --> 00:10:07.200 Give me wist 'cause you know just what it do. 00:10:07.919 --> 00:10:14.799 We need your wist 'cause you know just what it is. 00:10:30.159 --> 00:10:38.799 You're holy, there is no one like you, there is none beside you. 00:10:39.840 --> 00:10:43.759 Open up my eyes in order. 00:10:45.039 --> 00:11:07.039 Show me who you are and fill me with your heart and leave me in your house and on this eye. 00:11:08.320 --> 00:11:26.639 Open my eyes on me with your heart and me in your love to those family. 00:12:05.919 --> 00:12:07.679 Your kingdom come. 00:12:11.440 --> 00:12:18.559 Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 00:12:22.720 --> 00:12:56.320 Lord, our hearts ache and are heavy with everything that's going on in the world, with all the fighting, the war, the destruction, the loss of lives, the sorrow, the tears, and the darkness. 00:12:59.360 --> 00:13:18.639 Lord, in these times, our hearts cry, may your kingdom come in its fullest, and may you eliminate all the evil that's in this world and establish the new heaven and new earth. 00:13:21.360 --> 00:13:28.799 But until then, we pray, Lord, you reign in our hearts. 00:13:34.799 --> 00:13:36.639 You rule in our hearts. 00:13:36.799 --> 00:13:40.399 May your peace rule in our hearts. 00:13:42.960 --> 00:13:46.639 May your message dwell richly among us. 00:13:53.440 --> 00:13:57.840 May our hearts ache with what aches your heart. 00:13:58.320 --> 00:14:01.679 And break with what breaks your heart. 00:14:04.480 --> 00:14:08.080 May we surrender our will to yours. 00:14:09.039 --> 00:14:11.919 Your sweet will, Jesus. 00:14:14.720 --> 00:14:23.360 We know that you will for us is to love, to love you, and love our neighbor. 00:14:24.399 --> 00:14:29.519 And your word says that love does no harm to a neighbor. 00:14:32.240 --> 00:14:54.639 Jesus, teach us in our circumstances where we feel helpless, powerless to do anything, to choose to love, to abide in your love, and to extend your love to the needy. 00:14:59.759 --> 00:15:04.799 Your will be done on earth, Jesus, as it is in heaven. 00:15:06.240 --> 00:15:18.559 Would you take a few minutes and pray along these lines, along the lines of God's kingdom and his will on earth? 00:17:12.880 --> 00:17:13.759 Give us today. 00:17:15.759 --> 00:17:18.160 Give us today our daily bread. 00:17:22.640 --> 00:17:26.400 God, give us today our daily bread. 00:17:27.680 --> 00:17:42.480 I admit I don't know where to start my prayer since the requests are so immense and so desperate. 00:17:44.000 --> 00:17:53.680 But then I remind myself, I remind myself Abba, my Abba, you are the Almighty God. 00:17:54.720 --> 00:17:58.000 You are the all-powerful God of creation. 00:17:59.920 --> 00:18:10.480 So I bring to you the hardest, biggest please in my prayer, Father. 00:18:13.680 --> 00:18:19.200 Would you change the bitter hearts? 00:18:20.000 --> 00:18:45.759 Would you change the hearts that is filled with hatred and replace it, change it to hearts of forgive to forgiving hearts, to loving hearts, to compassionate hearts, Father. 00:18:50.400 --> 00:19:13.440 Father, I ask you to use all of us as Christians in a time like this to bring unity, to bring spirit of reconciliation, to bring wisdom. 00:19:14.799 --> 00:19:28.720 God, would you usher in a spirit of reconciliation, resolution, wisdom, unity in a time that it seems it's all impossible? 00:19:29.759 --> 00:19:50.880 We pray God for food for the hungry, for shelter for the homeless, for miraculous healing for those who are injured, and for miraculous peace that surpasses understanding for those who have lost their loved ones. 00:19:55.440 --> 00:20:04.640 Would you continue praying as your heart steers in this moment, in this next few moments? 00:22:00.960 --> 00:22:03.759 Who is moving on the waters? 00:22:07.759 --> 00:22:10.640 And who is holding up the moon? 00:22:14.960 --> 00:22:25.119 And who is peeling back the darkness with the burning light of noon? 00:22:29.200 --> 00:22:32.720 And who is standing on the mountains? 00:22:36.480 --> 00:22:39.279 And who is on the earth below? 00:22:43.519 --> 00:22:46.960 And who is bigger than the heavens? 00:22:50.559 --> 00:23:29.759 And still the lover of my soul, you are all I need yes, you are all I need, you are all I need yes, you are all I need And who is he that makes me happy? 00:23:33.200 --> 00:23:36.319 And who is he that brings me peace? 00:23:40.640 --> 00:23:43.920 Who is he that brings me comfort? 00:23:47.519 --> 00:23:58.000 He turns a bitter into sweet, and who is stirring up my passions? 00:24:01.920 --> 00:24:58.400 Oh he is rising up in me and who is filling up my hunger with everything I need, he is all thy and forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors. 00:24:59.839 --> 00:25:04.000 Church, if you are able, let's kneel before the Father as we make this appeal. 00:25:26.559 --> 00:25:31.119 And forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors. 00:25:33.200 --> 00:25:37.839 Church, will you hold this verse with your hearts and let it transform you? 00:25:38.799 --> 00:25:40.400 Let it break you. 00:25:44.240 --> 00:25:50.000 And forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors. 00:25:53.920 --> 00:26:13.039 Father in heaven, we wonder what would happen within our hearts, within our families, within our churches, our schools, our workplaces, our neighborhoods, our cities. 00:26:15.920 --> 00:26:26.240 Lord, we wonder what would happen across the nation, across the world, throughout all generations. 00:26:30.400 --> 00:26:37.759 God, we wonder what would happen if daily we humble ourselves before you in confession. 00:26:40.319 --> 00:26:48.240 And daily we surrender ourselves to the forgiving nature you have designed within us as a reflection of you. 00:26:53.359 --> 00:26:57.279 We are forgiven and we are forgiving. 00:26:59.200 --> 00:27:02.799 These two things are true of us in Christ Jesus. 00:27:07.279 --> 00:27:12.079 And forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors. 00:27:21.839 --> 00:27:25.279 That holds the power to redeem our brokenness. 00:27:26.799 --> 00:27:29.359 The power to heal and restore. 00:27:31.279 --> 00:27:36.720 The power to help us live in love and peace with you and with one another. 00:27:40.319 --> 00:27:45.359 God, we are desperate and aching for love and peace. 00:27:51.359 --> 00:27:57.680 And forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors. 00:28:04.640 --> 00:28:10.640 Lord, we ask that you break all barriers that keep us from humility and forgiveness. 00:28:15.599 --> 00:28:36.480 Whether that's pride, our hurts, our anger, our insecurity, God, whether that's self-righteousness or self-preservation, God. 00:28:40.480 --> 00:28:44.319 Would you name the barriers for us and break them? 00:28:50.079 --> 00:28:56.160 For we can't with our own strength, we can't do this with our own resolve. 00:28:59.359 --> 00:29:01.759 Apart from you, we can do nothing. 00:29:10.400 --> 00:29:15.599 Forgiven and forgiving are true of us in Christ Jesus. 00:29:15.759 --> 00:29:23.839 Lord, would you help us walk and live in what is true of us already because of the sacrifice of our Lord and Savior? 00:29:27.200 --> 00:29:29.759 Forgiven and forgiving. 00:29:47.200 --> 00:29:49.599 Through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. 00:29:52.960 --> 00:29:57.920 And forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors. 00:30:04.640 --> 00:30:07.279 Through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. 00:30:10.480 --> 00:30:15.519 Church, will you stay in this moment and continue with your personal prayers and supplications? 00:31:17.839 --> 00:31:38.240 How high the mountain I could not climb in desperation I turned to heaven and spoke your name into the night. 00:31:39.920 --> 00:31:52.880 Then through the darkness, your loving kindness tore through the shadows of my soul. 00:31:54.480 --> 00:32:00.720 The work is finished, the end is written. 00:32:02.240 --> 00:32:15.119 Jesus Christ my lord new could imagine so great a mercy. 00:32:16.319 --> 00:32:36.000 What heart could fathom such boundless grace, the God of ages step down from glory to wear my sin and bear my shame. 00:32:41.359 --> 00:33:18.079 I am forgiven the King of Kings calls me beautiful savior on your Jesus Christ my living cross means. 00:35:09.840 --> 00:35:15.199 You are a deliverer who has all the power to rescue us. 00:35:15.760 --> 00:35:19.920 Yet sometimes it's hard to see your power in our broken world. 00:35:20.400 --> 00:35:32.480 We remember together there is evil and an evil one, Satan, who lies, deceives, destroys, pretends to be light, steals, and kills. 00:35:33.039 --> 00:35:37.760 We remember together our ultimate struggle is not against flesh and blood. 00:35:38.079 --> 00:35:52.079 Although Satan wants us to think this, your word reminds us our ultimate struggle is against rulers, authorities, the powers of this dark world, and the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 00:35:52.639 --> 00:35:55.679 Help us keep this in mind as we pray. 00:35:55.920 --> 00:36:00.079 We pray against the evil one's plans and schemes in our world. 00:36:00.320 --> 00:36:49.760 And we remember together, every person on this planet, including all people in Israel, Palestine, in Ukraine, in our Congress, in Afghanistan, on our southern border, in Hawaii, in Sudan, in Ethiopia, every person facing war, living as refugees, facing oppression, grieving the loss of a loved one, feeling fear without safety, without basic necessities of food, shelter, and water, facing the after effects of natural disaster and poverty, and weighing decisions in the midst of those horrific circumstances. 00:36:50.239 --> 00:36:59.119 Whether it be leaders or people on the ground, every single one of them is precious and valued in your sight. 00:37:02.480 --> 00:37:09.519 Lead and guide us, all of us, away from temptation and trial into a more just world. 00:37:10.000 --> 00:37:14.239 Draw us and themselves and them to yourself. 00:37:15.440 --> 00:37:19.920 We as individuals and as a world so badly need your rescue. 00:37:20.559 --> 00:37:30.239 As our hearts and minds grieve and get angry at the death and the destruction and chaos, impossible situations. 00:37:31.440 --> 00:37:38.480 O Lord, hold us back and do not let us take paths leading to hate and prejudice. 00:37:38.719 --> 00:37:39.840 Deliver us. 00:37:40.800 --> 00:37:44.320 Passivity and inaction, deliver us. 00:37:45.039 --> 00:37:48.800 Despair and hopelessness, deliver us. 00:37:49.599 --> 00:37:54.079 Dehumanization and revenge, deliver us. 00:37:55.519 --> 00:38:01.360 In your deliverance, give us a new vision for what it looks like to follow you in these days. 00:38:02.320 --> 00:38:11.760 As we come close to you and pray, show us what truth, life, light, giving, and love looks like. 00:38:14.079 --> 00:38:27.039 As you pray, pick one or two specific places in our country or world and pray for God to lead and guide away from trial and to deliver and rescue from evil and Satan. 00:38:58.320 --> 00:39:00.400 And hey, we'd love to connect with you. 00:39:00.559 --> 00:39:06.559 Take a next step by filling out our virtual connection card at awakeningchurch.com slash card.