“Wake up, sleeper!
Rise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.”
(Ephesians 5:14 GW)
Each Sunday I leave home about 8:00 a.m. to drive into church, either for a rehearsal or a prayer meeting. In the middle of winter it’s still dark at 8:00 a.m. and in the middle of summer the sun has been shining for two hours. Winter or summer, dark or light, snowy, rainy, or clear, there’s one thing that’s consistent: there usually aren’t many cars on the roads. Actually, in my experience, Sunday mornings are the least traveled roads of the week. Every week I think of this with a bit of sadness. I wish Church was not only a cultural expectation – that everyone was in a good Christian Church on Sunday mornings – but that our culture as a whole was so hungry and thirsty for the things of Jesus Christ, that nothing would distract us from being in Church. Not sleeping in, or breakfasts out, or travel sports, or church hurt, or disappointments, or apathy or….. anything. I realize this sounds like a utopian dream, but I also know how much “Better By Far” it is to live life in relationship with God, and I want others to know that, too. So, today, let’s pray for Jesus’s Church. May the Holy Spirit wake up the sleepers and give them an urgency to be in a quality Church today!!
God of Love,
You are the Root and the Offspring of David, the bright Morning Star. You have invited us thirsty ones to come to you and drink deeply of the free gift of the water of life – the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. Thank you that you have called each of us to serve in local churches and each of our churches is an important part of your overall Body. Thank you that your Word doesn’t change – you are eternally consistent, the same yesterday, today, and forever – but your passion and creativity for the world you have created has no ends. Thank you for all the different people in your Church – no matter the denomination or ethnic group or other description. We believe that whomever has called on your Name for salvation, put their trust in you, is led by the Holy Spirit, and seeks to serve Christ is part of the Church. Thank you for the ways in which your Church is proclaiming the Gospel and making disciples, loving and caring for our neighbors, worshipping in Spirit and in Truth, and being Salt and Light to a world that desperately needs the influence of a Good and Loving God. Thank you that, throughout history, when your called, chosen, and deeply loved people have strayed from relationship with you, you have reformed, revived, and restored your Church. Help us to hold fast to the teachings this generation has received from past generations – to strengthen each other and remain true to the faith. We pray that today and each Sunday to follow you will stir a new hunger in Believers and Unbelievers to seek the Lord above all else. Wake people up with a desire and an urgency to be in a quality local church, and let that church be a place where your Word is proclaimed, your Spirit is moving, and they Worship you in Spirit and in Truth. Block anything and everything that seeks to keep people from being a regular part of a local congregation. We pray for the overseers of the Church to be good shepherds, guarding against untruths and proclaiming the word of God’s grace to build up the Church. In the name of Jesus we pray against any spirit of division that would come against the Church, but we pray that you would prune your Church for greater fruitfulness. Where she has gone astray from your Word and your Ways, or been taken captive by the spirits of this world, cause the leadership to come to repentance and cleanse the Body of that apostasy, false prophecy, and defilement. Pour out your Spirit upon men and women, young and old, so that we dream your dreams, see your visions, and perform your signs and wonders in this day and age. Reform, revive, refresh, and restore your Church for Kingdom impact in our world. You are exalted as first above every ruler, authority, government, and realm of power in existence! You are gloriously enthroned over every name that is ever praised, not only in this age, but in the age that is coming! And you alone are the leader and source of everything needed in the church. You have put everything beneath the authority of Jesus Christ and have given him the highest rank above all others. By the power of Holy Spirit, cause your Church, your Body on the earth, to be strengthened with your power, be rooted and established in love, and be filled to all the measure of the fullness of God. In the strong name of Christ we pray, Amen.
“If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.” (1 Corinthians 13:2 NIV)
If I continue to live in this life, my work will produce more results. I don’t know which I would prefer. I find it hard to choose between the two. I would like to leave this life and be with Christ. That’s by far the better choice. But for your sake it’s better that I remain in this life. (Philippians 1:22-24 GW)
“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star. The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life…The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people. Amen.” (Revelation 22:16-17, 21 NIV)
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” (Hebrews 11:18 NIV)
“So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.” (2 Thessalonians 2:15 NIV)
“And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.” (Matthew 16:18 NIV)
“They preached the gospel in that city and won a large number of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. ” (Acts 14:21-22 NIV)
“Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears. Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.” (Acts 20:28-32 NIV)
“I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought.” (1 Corinthians 1:10 NIV)
“Everything must be done so that the church may be built up.” (1 Corinthians 14:26 NIV)
“Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.” (1 John 4:1-3 NIV)
“I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
your old men will dream dreams,
your young men will see visions.
Even on my servants, both men and women,
I will pour out my Spirit in those days.
I will show wonders in the heavens
and on the earth.” (Joel 2:28-30 NIV)
“I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in leading the Gentiles to obey God by what I have said and done—by the power of signs and wonders, through the power of the Spirit of God.” (Romans 15:18-19 NIV)
“And now he is exalted as first above every ruler, authority, government, and realm of power in existence! He is gloriously enthroned over every name that is ever praised, not only in this age, but in the age that is coming! And he alone is the leader and source of everything needed in the church. God has put everything beneath the authority of Jesus Christ and has given him the highest rank above all others. And now we, his church, are his body on the earth and that which fills him who is being filled by it!” (Ephesians 1:21-23 TPT)
“I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being,so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” (Ephesians 3:16-19 NIV)
[Adapted from a post from February 21, 2021]