As we communicated yesterday, there will be no in-person service and no livestream today because of the weather. I hope everyone is in a safe place. Below is the guided prayer experience I promised to provide to help you make the most of your quiet at-home sabbath day.
The guide below can be extended or personalized in various ways. For example, you might want to start out your time with God by listening to some worship music. The guide below is fluid enough that you can shape it to be a 20 minute block or a two hour block. Do whatever seems best. Some of you may want to join others in the prayer experience or just do it on your own. Some of the themes may not be suitable for small children, but parents can reword as needed to help children understand.
Some tools that would be good to have with you in this guided prayer are the following:
A paper Bible
Notebook and pen
Comfortable chair
Quiet space
Strong coffee (optional)
Be Still
Being still is always a good way to begin your time with God. It’s tempting to rush into the King’s presence and start rambling. Take some time to quiet your soul. Breathe in the idea of who you are speaking to. Let your mind take you beyond your house, beyond the town you live in, beyond the stormy clouds above, beyond the atmosphere of earth, beyond the sun and moon and stars. Remember that the universe in all its vastness cannot contain God. He is over all things. And yet, He is near to each of us this morning. We don’t need to yell to be heard. We can whisper. We can pray in our minds. He hears perfectly.
“Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. (Selah) Psalm 46:10-11
Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. To draw near to listen is better than to offer the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they are doing evil. Be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth. Therefore let your words be few. Ecclesiastes 5:1-2
Thanksgiving
Another important way to begin your time with God is by remembering the good things God has lavished you with. The opposite of this—which we all fall into at times—is to think about everything we don’t have. Or to think about what others have that we don’t have (jealousy, yikes). But it’s good for us to set our focus on all the wonderful things the Lord has given to us. Use your notebook and make a list if you like lists. Or, write a thank you note to God. Another way to do this is to praise through a psalm like Psalm 103, for example. Be specific about what you are thankful for. Remember the little things. Thank Him for creating you. And especially for dying in your stead so you could be forgiven.
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Philippians 4:8
Confession
It’s important before requesting anything of God that we make our hearts right. Jesus taught this in the great Our Father prayer—“forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespassed against us.” I don’t think we need to grovel in guilt daily but there’s a place for honesty. How have we missed the mark? Maybe we are angry with someone. Maybe we didn’t give 100% on the job this past week. Maybe we said an unkind word. Maybe we exposed ourselves to questionable content. Maybe we sort of ignored God this week. God already knows everything we do, including every hidden secret thing, but we need to humbly confess our sins to God in order to be in right relationship with Him. It’s not that different from the way we make things right with a person in our lives. We admit, own, and apologize for our mistakes. Take some time to do that. I think it’s best not to do this out loud or in written form. Psalm 51 would be a good psalm to get you going if you want to read that through. Or, just make these simple verses your prayer.
Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting! Psalm 139:23-24
Ren Family
Some of you receiving this may not live locally and may not even attend Renaissance Church, so this prayer point will perhaps not be as relevant to you. We find ourselves in a strange season. The pandemic drags on as we are now experiencing a third wave of Covid cases. Many are weary and feel a sense of disconnect with God and the purposes of God. Many have had bouts with anxiety and depression. Some find themselves in a spiritual drought. I see the days ahead as a time of rebuilding. Nothing has been on my heart more these days than strengthening a sense of family in our community.
Take some time to remember your brothers and sisters. Sit quietly and bring to mind as many faces of Ren people as you can. As you project the face of the person in your mind, pause and pray for them. It doesn’t have to be a long prayer, even a sentence is good. As you see the person in your mind, be also listening to the voice of God. The Lord might give you a verse or word of encouragement for the person. If He does, and you have the person’s number, maybe send them a text. It could make their day! Also, be open to hearing God tell you to do a particular thing for someone. If that happens, write it down and do it this week.
I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might … Ephesians 1:16-19
People around us
Now let’s take our prayers outside the church family to the people around us. I’m talking about neighbors, coworkers, classmates, family and friends. The Lord has planted each of us in a unique mission field. Some of us have smaller spheres of influence (dozens) and others have larger (hundreds). But we all have people around us that God has put in our lives. Many of these people need to be reconciled to God. They need to be forgiven and come into peace with God. Many of them are unaware that they are not prepared to stand before God in eternity. Some of them even have serious struggles happening now like illness, grief, mental illness, broken relationships, financial hardships, addiction, and so on.
Take some time to, again, bring a person to mind. I would encourage you to just focus on one person at a time. Think about them for a moment. Consider their struggle. Feel for them. And then begin praying for them. Instead of trying to pray for the 1768 friends you have on Facebook, I’d encourage you to focus on a handful. Maybe a half dozen, give or take.
Now, as you pray for people you may hear God’s voice or even be given pictures or metaphors. Tread cautiously with these. Don’t rush out and text them something that will totally freak them out. Like, “Hey, I know you aren’t a Christian but I was praying for you and I saw a picture of a vulture swooping down to eat you. I’m not sure what it means though. Have a nice day!” Yeah, don’t do that :)
But, sometimes God does give us important things to communicate to people. Before you share it you might want to run it by your spouse or an elder. Is the message clear or confusing? Does it seem like something Jesus would say to the person?
First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time. 1 Timothy 2:1-6
Afghanistan
There are so many overwhelming things happening around the world. I think of the destructive wildfires on the west coast. I think of the earthquake in Haiti. I think of millions perishing from Covid. I think of people without clean water. I think of the refugee crisis. I think of people in extreme poverty, without food. I think of people suffering without basic medical care. I think of domestic abuse behind closed doors. I think of young girls and boys kidnapped and forced into sexual slavery. It’s a messed up world, and it’s hard to think about these things. But prayer can make a difference.
I imagine most of you have been following the happenings in Afghanistan in recent days. We pulled out American troops and the country of almost 40 million people was quickly overtaken by the Taliban. When the Taliban ruled in the 90’s there were unthinkable atrocities that I’m not even going to mention here. The Afghan people, especially women, are in great fear. Stories are coming in telling of violence against women and those associated with anti-Taliban movements. People are fleeing the country but the airport is in absolute chaos. The Taliban is making promises that they will rule peacefully—but no one believes them.
Take some time to sit with this. Lament. Pray for the women. Pray for children. Pray that God’s kingdom would come. Pray for the Christians, many who have fled into hiding in the mountains. Pray for our government to know what to do. Pray for the most evil individuals in the Taliban to be overwhelmed by the presence of Jesus and lay down their violence.
The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. James 5:16
Rejoice!
Because this is a heavy note to end on I would recommend spending some time focusing on who God is. Remind yourself of His greatness. Remind yourself of how He is at work renewing all things. Remind yourself of His goodness and mercy. Reflect on the future city whose designer and builder is God (Heb 11). Skim through Revelation 21-22 and drink in the hope of future glory. A better world is coming! He is making all things new! Hallelujah!!!
He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away. Revelation 21:4