WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:22.260 Hi, and welcome to the Willow Ridge Church weekly podcast. 00:00:22.780 --> 00:00:25.880 This is where you can find audio for our current and past sermons. 00:00:26.080 --> 00:00:31.260 We hope that you enjoy this week's installment, and be sure to check back next week to hear the latest message. 00:00:31.680 --> 00:00:32.440 Thanks for listening. 00:00:46.220 --> 00:00:53.400 Hopefully each of you were able to get one of the prayer guides that we've got distributed out amongst you guys in the congregation. 00:00:53.400 --> 00:00:57.260 If you don't have any, we'll see if we can get you one. 00:00:57.480 --> 00:01:00.160 They might be back there at the tables that are there. 00:01:00.920 --> 00:01:09.180 When we were kind of kicking around some ideas of what to do, as this is a new year, it's a new Sunday on a new year. 00:01:10.000 --> 00:01:23.780 And God, we really felt impressed on us as a church staff to go this direction, not only to give you guys an opportunity to come and to gather together on what can typically be kind of a busier day for us and enjoy a meal and have this time together. 00:01:24.160 --> 00:01:30.800 But then first and foremost, to start the year off, I believe in a way that is going to glorify and honor God. 00:01:31.560 --> 00:01:34.820 How many of you, let's a quick show of hands, we're all family in here. 00:01:35.220 --> 00:01:39.140 How many of you already have a New Year's resolution that you've made? 00:01:39.320 --> 00:01:41.640 Whether it's just one or ten of them, you got them, right? 00:01:41.800 --> 00:01:42.320 Raise your hand. 00:01:42.400 --> 00:01:45.060 Let me see all the people who are committing to something. 00:01:45.360 --> 00:01:46.440 That is wonderful. 00:01:46.700 --> 00:01:47.300 That is wonderful. 00:01:47.540 --> 00:01:49.360 I just raised my hand as an example. 00:01:49.580 --> 00:01:52.540 I haven't come up with any yet, and I'm not really good at them anyways, right? 00:01:52.540 --> 00:01:54.000 But here's what I know, right? 00:01:54.340 --> 00:02:00.160 There's some of you that are going to go into the new year, and you're going to crush your resolution. 00:02:01.140 --> 00:02:04.140 365 days, you're going to do whatever it is that you said you're going to do. 00:02:04.460 --> 00:02:07.680 You're going to achieve the goal that you said that you were going to achieve. 00:02:08.520 --> 00:02:12.040 And then some of you are going to wake up at 5 o'clock in the morning tomorrow and go, 00:02:12.360 --> 00:02:13.480 Nah, I ain't doing the gym. 00:02:13.560 --> 00:02:14.040 You know what I mean? 00:02:14.560 --> 00:02:15.500 That's just where we are. 00:02:16.460 --> 00:02:19.040 And I found that as I talk with, and even in my own life, 00:02:19.040 --> 00:02:23.620 one of the things that God just kind of brings to the forefront of my mind each year 00:02:23.620 --> 00:02:25.280 is how the Lord can grow me in prayer. 00:02:26.100 --> 00:02:29.100 But also when I talk to people, I find that this is a topic, 00:02:29.240 --> 00:02:32.780 this is a spiritual discipline that's very intimidating for people. 00:02:33.540 --> 00:02:37.300 And so what we wanted to do this morning is not only come together as a church 00:02:37.300 --> 00:02:39.860 and lift up the name of the Lord together 00:02:39.860 --> 00:02:44.160 and be in prayer strategically around some specific topics, 00:02:44.720 --> 00:02:50.400 but we also wanted to do it as a family so that we can help each other and encourage each other. 00:02:51.060 --> 00:02:54.760 And so as you look at your prayer guide, I hope that that's a tool that you can use today, 00:02:54.880 --> 00:02:58.400 but I hope it can be a tool that you can take from here and use 00:02:58.400 --> 00:03:02.200 or maybe even model it and adapt it to the things that the Lord's laid on your heart. 00:03:02.540 --> 00:03:06.620 But what we're going to do is we have six different topics of prayer that we're going to go through. 00:03:07.140 --> 00:03:10.460 We're going to spend, you're going to spend quietly as I lead you through this, 00:03:10.460 --> 00:03:17.560 you're going to spend time to about two minutes in quiet prayer between you and the Lord. 00:03:18.140 --> 00:03:25.420 And then we'll come back together for prayer corporately together that I'll lead at the end of each one of these topics. 00:03:26.080 --> 00:03:30.640 But this past week, as I was studying about prayer, I came through and we know that prayer is important, 00:03:31.180 --> 00:03:35.920 but I didn't know until this week specifically some of the details that the scripture gives us 00:03:35.920 --> 00:03:39.020 of the certainty of how important it is and how much God wants us to pray. 00:03:39.020 --> 00:03:45.220 I didn't know until this past week that there are over 650 prayers listed in the Bible. 00:03:46.180 --> 00:03:49.260 650 recorded prayers in scripture. 00:03:49.960 --> 00:03:56.600 And then also in scripture are 450 recorded answers to prayer. 00:03:56.820 --> 00:03:58.600 Now I'm going to go ahead and just sidebar real quick. 00:03:58.700 --> 00:04:01.800 That's something that the Lord laid on my heart that as I journal throughout the year, 00:04:01.960 --> 00:04:04.760 I'm really good at journaling my prayer request. 00:04:04.760 --> 00:04:11.840 I'm really bad about taking note and journaling how God answers and when God answers those prayer requests. 00:04:12.120 --> 00:04:19.020 But not only do we see 650 prayers listed in the Bible, but we see 450 recorded answers to prayer. 00:04:19.720 --> 00:04:26.200 The first time prayer is mentioned in the Bible is found in Genesis chapter 4 verse 26. 00:04:26.920 --> 00:04:34.320 The Bible records Jesus praying at least 25 different times in his earthly ministry. 00:04:34.640 --> 00:04:42.860 And Paul who writes most of where we gain a lot of our theological study and theological disciplines from in his writings. 00:04:43.080 --> 00:04:49.740 He was 41 times that Paul mentions and commands that we pray. 00:04:49.740 --> 00:04:55.360 Now that's not just 41 times that we're commanded in all scripture, but 41 times that Paul commands it. 00:04:56.520 --> 00:04:57.620 And we're all a little different. 00:04:58.600 --> 00:05:00.520 And we all like to pray differently. 00:05:01.340 --> 00:05:05.600 And prayer can and should be done differently for each of us. 00:05:05.660 --> 00:05:10.140 But what it shows here in scripture is that how we pray is even listed. 00:05:10.220 --> 00:05:14.080 So the Lord gives us by the different ways that we position our body. 00:05:14.340 --> 00:05:17.760 That the Bible lists that we can pray while we sit. 00:05:18.400 --> 00:05:20.920 The Bible says that we can pray while we stand. 00:05:21.460 --> 00:05:23.900 The Bible says we can pray while we kneel. 00:05:24.560 --> 00:05:29.480 The Bible even calls us to pray with one's face pointed toward the ground. 00:05:29.840 --> 00:05:33.900 And the Bible calls us to pray with one's hands lifted up. 00:05:34.420 --> 00:05:37.540 And so what do I come to the conclusion of all of these different things? 00:05:37.720 --> 00:05:39.200 The different types of prayers. 00:05:39.360 --> 00:05:41.300 The different ways that we're called to pray. 00:05:41.540 --> 00:05:42.960 The different prayers that are listed. 00:05:43.260 --> 00:05:45.540 The different prayer responses that are recorded. 00:05:45.820 --> 00:05:47.640 Here's the one conclusion that I come to. 00:05:47.920 --> 00:05:50.420 God wants his people to pray. 00:05:51.480 --> 00:05:54.940 And that's what I hope that we're going to be about this morning. 00:05:56.580 --> 00:05:59.880 Capturing and understanding the heart of the Lord. 00:06:00.680 --> 00:06:02.020 And so if you've got your prayer guide. 00:06:02.160 --> 00:06:04.160 We'll go ahead and begin to look at this. 00:06:05.180 --> 00:06:08.380 And where we're going to begin this morning is a prayer of thanksgiving. 00:06:09.400 --> 00:06:10.340 I don't know about you. 00:06:10.400 --> 00:06:11.660 But I find sometimes. 00:06:12.020 --> 00:06:13.880 If I'm being honest and transparent. 00:06:14.680 --> 00:06:17.360 That my prayers can be a little selfish sometimes. 00:06:18.220 --> 00:06:20.340 I come to the Lord with this is what I need. 00:06:20.800 --> 00:06:22.060 This is what I want. 00:06:22.560 --> 00:06:24.160 Or probably most importantly. 00:06:24.160 --> 00:06:25.760 This is what I like to complain about. 00:06:25.820 --> 00:06:26.040 Right? 00:06:27.300 --> 00:06:29.780 And so I want us though to move into a different mindset. 00:06:30.660 --> 00:06:32.200 And to begin with a prayer of thanksgiving. 00:06:32.760 --> 00:06:35.040 Psalmist writes in Psalm 7, 17. 00:06:35.940 --> 00:06:39.720 I will give to the Lord the thanks due to his righteousness. 00:06:40.440 --> 00:06:45.120 And I will sing praise to the name of the Lord most high. 00:06:46.020 --> 00:06:49.240 And so in just a moment we're going to go into a time of prayer together. 00:06:49.480 --> 00:06:53.200 And you'll see that I've given you three bullet points that you can pray through. 00:06:53.320 --> 00:06:56.280 Now you don't have to use these three bullet points. 00:06:56.600 --> 00:07:02.820 But what I would like us to do in unity and in accord together as a church body is come to the Lord and thanks. 00:07:03.260 --> 00:07:08.020 Maybe you thank the Lord for his love for you, his grace, his mercy, his faithfulness, and his salvation. 00:07:08.740 --> 00:07:15.720 Maybe you thank the Lord for this past year, both the challenges and the blessings, and how he's been faithful through it. 00:07:16.360 --> 00:07:18.640 Or maybe you need to thank him for this coming year. 00:07:19.340 --> 00:07:27.280 Thank him for the opportunities he will provide for you to serve and to worship him and to grow in his relation, and to grow in your relationship with him. 00:07:27.780 --> 00:07:33.720 But we're going to begin our prayer time together by going before the Lord in a time of thanksgiving. 00:07:34.200 --> 00:07:37.400 Would you bow your heads and offer those prayers to him? 00:07:37.400 --> 00:07:38.020 Thank you. 00:07:38.020 --> 00:07:38.020 Thank you. 00:08:07.400 --> 00:08:08.020 Thank you. 00:08:08.020 --> 00:08:08.020 Thank you. 00:08:08.020 --> 00:08:08.020 Thank you. 00:08:37.400 --> 00:08:45.020 Thank you. 00:08:45.020 --> 00:08:47.020 Thank you. 00:08:47.020 --> 00:08:56.640 Thank you. 00:08:56.640 --> 00:09:04.260 Thank you. 00:09:04.260 --> 00:09:13.880 Thank you. 00:09:13.880 --> 00:09:39.840 Lord, we come to you this morning. 00:09:40.800 --> 00:09:42.600 We're thanking you for who you are. 00:09:43.880 --> 00:09:56.200 Lord, your love for us, your grace and mercy shown to us, your faithfulness to us, Lord, and for the good, sweet gift of your salvation. 00:09:58.200 --> 00:10:13.800 Lord, may we enter into this year by living a lifestyle of praise and worship to you, of thanking you for your kindness and your gentleness toward us and who you are and your love. 00:10:13.880 --> 00:10:14.880 Thank you, Lord. 00:10:14.880 --> 00:10:14.880 Lord, as we face the challenges and who you are and your love. 00:10:14.880 --> 00:10:25.880 Lord, as we face the challenges and the battles of this past year, Lord, we know that you were there with us, building us and strengthening us and growing us through it all. 00:10:25.880 --> 00:10:37.880 Lord, we thank you for the many blessings that you bestowed upon us and that you so freely gave to us, Lord, and we thank you for both the challenges and the victories that we experienced. 00:10:37.880 --> 00:10:42.880 Lord, as we face this upcoming year, may you be who we keep our eyes on. 00:10:42.880 --> 00:10:51.880 May we ever be reminded of your kindness and your grace and your compassion and your gentleness to us. 00:10:51.880 --> 00:10:55.880 Lord, may we see opportunities to serve you. 00:10:55.880 --> 00:10:58.880 May we see opportunities to worship you. 00:10:58.880 --> 00:11:06.880 And Lord, may we desire above all else to grow in our relationship with you, our Father who loves us. 00:11:06.880 --> 00:11:11.880 God, we thank you for your beauty and for who you are. 00:11:11.880 --> 00:11:13.880 And it's in Jesus' name we pray. 00:11:13.880 --> 00:11:14.880 Amen. 00:11:14.880 --> 00:11:15.880 Amen. 00:11:15.880 --> 00:11:16.880 Amen. 00:11:16.880 --> 00:11:17.880 Amen. 00:11:17.880 --> 00:11:22.880 The next prayer I know we're going to have today is our prayer for the lost. 00:11:22.880 --> 00:11:31.880 I know a lot of you carry a close friend, relative, an acquaintance, maybe even a co-worker who you know is far from the Lord. 00:11:31.880 --> 00:11:38.880 And this morning what I would like for us to do is to spend some time in general praying for the lostness that's around us. 00:11:38.880 --> 00:11:43.880 As we see the brokenness in the world, the pain, the hurt, the suffering. 00:11:43.880 --> 00:11:49.880 We know that the reason for this is the sin that fills those and that sin that fills their hearts. 00:11:49.880 --> 00:11:52.880 And what they need above all else is Jesus. 00:11:52.880 --> 00:11:55.880 Paul was burdened for this as well. 00:11:55.880 --> 00:11:58.880 And it's why he writes about those whom he loves dearly. 00:11:58.880 --> 00:12:11.880 In Romans chapter 10, verse 1, he says, "Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved." 00:12:11.880 --> 00:12:25.880 You know, as we pray for the lost, maybe we begin for a prayer for ourself that God would give us the heart of Paul, that God would give us his heart to be burdened for those who are far from him. 00:12:25.880 --> 00:12:34.880 So I want to encourage you this morning to pray for those who God has placed in your life who do not have a saving relationship with Jesus Christ. 00:12:34.880 --> 00:12:44.880 Pray that God would give you the opportunity, the words, and the boldness to share about your relationship with Jesus with them. 00:12:44.880 --> 00:12:48.880 And then pray that God would give them an opportunity to hear the gospel. 00:12:48.880 --> 00:12:53.880 Maybe from you, maybe from another person, or maybe by an invitation to a church. 00:12:53.880 --> 00:13:04.880 But that this year, God would give that man, that woman, that child the opportunity to see, to hear, and to respond to the gospel of Jesus Christ. 00:13:04.880 --> 00:13:09.880 Would you bow your heads as we go to the Lord and pray for the lost? 00:13:09.880 --> 00:13:39.860 Thank you. 00:13:39.880 --> 00:14:09.860 Thank you. 00:14:09.880 --> 00:14:39.860 Thank you. 00:14:39.880 --> 00:15:09.860 Thank you. 00:15:09.880 --> 00:15:20.360 God, what a wonderful privilege it is that you give us to be the messengers of the gospel. 00:15:21.640 --> 00:15:29.780 Lord, may that truth of your word resonate deep into our very being, that not only did 00:15:29.780 --> 00:15:38.300 you save us, but you called us on mission to go and through the power of the Holy Spirit 00:15:38.300 --> 00:15:45.400 who lives in us to be your witnesses, all where you place us. 00:15:46.340 --> 00:15:51.920 And so Lord, we thank you for what a wonderful privilege it is that you give us to carry the 00:15:51.920 --> 00:15:52.300 gospel. 00:15:53.440 --> 00:15:58.920 God, I ask that you would burden our hearts for the lostness that surrounds us. 00:16:00.180 --> 00:16:08.640 Lord, everyone in here knows a neighbor, a friend, a family member who is far from you. 00:16:10.300 --> 00:16:18.340 Lord, I pray that we would have such a desire for them to know you, that we pray for, we seek for, 00:16:18.640 --> 00:16:25.240 Lord, that we look for opportunities to share our story of Christ with them. 00:16:26.240 --> 00:16:46.300 Lord, we look for opportunities to engage them in a conversation, to invite them to church or to our small group or just maybe across our dinner table where we can talk more with them about Christ. 00:16:47.300 --> 00:16:56.540 Lord, God, open our eyes to see those around us who are hurting and who are searching for many answers in many different ways. 00:16:57.540 --> 00:17:00.740 But the answer that they need is not what they long for. 00:17:01.500 --> 00:17:04.440 The answer that they need is Christ. 00:17:05.840 --> 00:17:09.800 God, we thank you that we were once lost, but now we are found. 00:17:10.580 --> 00:17:14.380 And may we carry that message wherever you send us. 00:17:15.120 --> 00:17:16.440 And it's in Jesus' name we pray. 00:17:17.300 --> 00:17:17.540 Amen. 00:17:19.060 --> 00:17:22.560 Next, we're going to enter into a time of prayer for our church. 00:17:23.320 --> 00:17:24.240 I love our church. 00:17:24.840 --> 00:17:40.120 I love that you and I are church family, that we are brothers and sisters in Christ, that God has brought us together to be the unique body of Christ that we are in Lexington, South Carolina, to minister here and to see people come to know the Lord. 00:17:40.600 --> 00:17:49.460 And as we gather together this morning, I want us to take that opportunity to pray for our church, to pray for one another. 00:17:49.460 --> 00:17:52.880 Paul writes in Colossians 1, 9 through 12. 00:17:52.880 --> 00:17:53.500 He says, 00:17:53.500 --> 00:18:06.260 And so from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will and all spiritual wisdom and understanding. 00:18:06.260 --> 00:18:31.480 So as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power and according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in life. 00:18:31.480 --> 00:18:35.760 And so as we take time to gather together, we want to lift each other up. 00:18:36.400 --> 00:18:37.940 On here we've got several things listed. 00:18:37.940 --> 00:18:43.980 I want to invite you and encourage you to pray for the ministry leaders of this church, both staff and volunteers. 00:18:44.700 --> 00:18:48.960 It takes a lot of people to do what we do week in, week out. 00:18:49.520 --> 00:18:51.480 Pray for us as we make decisions. 00:18:51.820 --> 00:18:53.340 Pray for us as we lead. 00:18:53.640 --> 00:18:58.840 We desperately need to cling to the Lord and we covet your prayers that you offer. 00:18:59.640 --> 00:19:09.400 Ask God to bless and strengthen and to grow our church as we see Christ and to continue to see us pointed and our eyes locked on him. 00:19:09.980 --> 00:19:20.060 But I think most importantly, pray that God would use this church as a light, as a hope to the brokenness of the people who were in this community. 00:19:20.520 --> 00:19:26.120 And that we would then point them not to us, but that we would point them to Jesus. 00:19:26.980 --> 00:19:29.300 Would you go before the Lord in prayer? 00:19:29.640 --> 00:19:30.640 Thank you. 00:19:30.640 --> 00:19:30.640 Thank you. 00:19:30.640 --> 00:19:30.640 Thank you. 00:19:30.640 --> 00:19:30.640 Thank you. 00:19:30.640 --> 00:19:31.640 Thank you. 00:19:31.640 --> 00:19:31.640 Thank you. 00:19:59.640 --> 00:20:00.640 Thank you. 00:20:00.640 --> 00:20:00.640 Thank you. 00:20:00.640 --> 00:20:00.640 Thank you. 00:20:00.640 --> 00:20:00.640 Thank you. 00:20:00.640 --> 00:20:02.640 Thank you. 00:20:02.640 --> 00:20:03.640 Thank you. 00:20:03.640 --> 00:20:04.640 Thank you. 00:20:04.640 --> 00:20:05.640 Thank you. 00:20:05.640 --> 00:20:06.640 Thank you. 00:20:06.640 --> 00:20:07.640 Thank you. 00:20:07.640 --> 00:20:07.640 Thank you. 00:20:07.640 --> 00:20:08.640 Thank you. 00:20:08.640 --> 00:20:09.640 Thank you. 00:20:09.640 --> 00:20:09.640 Thank you. 00:20:09.640 --> 00:20:09.640 Thank you. 00:20:09.640 --> 00:20:10.640 Thank you. 00:20:10.640 --> 00:20:11.640 Thank you. 00:20:11.640 --> 00:20:11.640 Thank you. 00:20:11.640 --> 00:20:13.640 Thank you. 00:20:13.640 --> 00:20:14.640 Thank you. 00:20:14.640 --> 00:20:15.640 Thank you. 00:20:15.640 --> 00:20:16.640 Thank you. 00:20:16.640 --> 00:20:17.640 Thank you. 00:20:17.640 --> 00:20:18.640 Thank you. 00:20:18.640 --> 00:20:18.640 Thank you. 00:20:18.640 --> 00:20:19.640 Thank you. 00:20:19.640 --> 00:20:20.640 Thank you. 00:20:20.640 --> 00:20:20.640 Thank you. 00:20:20.640 --> 00:20:21.640 Thank you. 00:20:21.640 --> 00:20:22.640 Thank you. 00:20:22.640 --> 00:20:23.640 Thank you. 00:20:23.640 --> 00:20:24.640 Thank you. 00:20:24.640 --> 00:20:24.640 Thank you. 00:20:24.640 --> 00:20:24.640 Thank you. 00:20:24.640 --> 00:20:25.640 Thank you. 00:20:25.640 --> 00:20:25.640 Thank you. 00:20:25.640 --> 00:20:26.640 Thank you. 00:20:26.640 --> 00:20:27.640 Thank you. 00:20:27.640 --> 00:20:28.640 Thank you. 00:20:56.620 --> 00:20:57.620 The body of Christ. 00:20:57.620 --> 00:21:06.620 What a pleasure and joy it is to pastor here and to belong here. 00:21:06.620 --> 00:21:10.620 Lord, I lift all of the families up to you. 00:21:10.620 --> 00:21:15.620 Lift up all of our leaders and our volunteers. 00:21:15.620 --> 00:21:21.620 Lord, and I thank you so much for who they are and the investment they make in my life. 00:21:21.620 --> 00:21:26.600 Lord, as we look into this year, Lord, we thank you for your faithfulness and how you've 00:21:26.600 --> 00:21:31.600 blessed us, how you've grown us, how you've strengthened us as a body of believers. 00:21:31.600 --> 00:21:34.600 Lord, and we look forward to your faithfulness and seeing how you are going to do that. 00:21:34.600 --> 00:21:39.600 And Lord, may we never forget that it is not out of our work, that it is not out of our 00:21:39.600 --> 00:21:43.600 power, that it is not out of our talent, that the kingdom of God is grown, but it is 00:21:43.600 --> 00:21:46.600 out of the will and the work of the Lord. 00:21:46.600 --> 00:21:49.600 And I thank you, God, that we get to be a part of that. 00:21:49.600 --> 00:21:54.600 Lord, I thank you that in all of the things that we're, where we could be, Lord, you've 00:21:54.600 --> 00:21:57.600 brought us here and make this place home. 00:21:57.600 --> 00:22:03.600 God, I pray that Willow Ridge and this coming year, more so than any year before, will be 00:22:03.600 --> 00:22:06.600 a light of hope, a beacon of the gospel to this community. 00:22:06.600 --> 00:22:11.600 I pray that men and women and children would come to faith in Christ, not because they 00:22:11.600 --> 00:22:16.600 were coerced into a set of beliefs, but because the Holy Spirit worked in their heart and drew 00:22:16.600 --> 00:22:21.600 them to you, Lord, and they were radically and deeply and permanently saved. 00:22:23.600 --> 00:22:27.600 And they now identify as sons and daughters of the living God. 00:22:27.600 --> 00:22:30.600 Lord, I thank you for this church. 00:22:30.600 --> 00:22:34.600 Pray that you would use us in a powerful, powerful way. 00:22:34.600 --> 00:22:37.600 And it's in Jesus' name we pray. 00:22:37.600 --> 00:22:38.600 Amen. 00:22:39.600 --> 00:22:40.600 Amen. 00:22:40.600 --> 00:22:43.600 Next, we're going to move into prayer for our missionaries. 00:22:44.600 --> 00:22:50.600 Paul, while he prayed for the churches that he planted, Paul also asked prayer for a missionary, 00:22:50.600 --> 00:22:53.600 for himself being a missionary and a church planner. 00:22:53.600 --> 00:22:57.600 Look at his prayer request in Colossians 4:3-4. 00:22:57.600 --> 00:23:05.600 "At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, 00:23:06.600 --> 00:23:13.600 to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison, that I may make it clear 00:23:13.600 --> 00:23:16.600 which is how I ought to speak." 00:23:17.600 --> 00:23:22.600 You know, it warms my heart every time I have an opportunity to speak to not just our missionaries 00:23:22.600 --> 00:23:24.600 that we partner with, but any missionary. 00:23:25.600 --> 00:23:26.600 Because this is their heart. 00:23:27.600 --> 00:23:32.600 That God would give them opportunities wherever he has placed them to be able to proclaim the gospel. 00:23:33.600 --> 00:23:39.600 And so we're going to spend some time lifting up these men and women and families that are scattered all over this world. 00:23:39.600 --> 00:23:48.600 On here we have listed our missionaries that we partner with, but I don't also want us to forget the organizations that we partner with as well. 00:23:49.600 --> 00:24:01.600 Black Mountain Children's Home, who has so many different men and women who are ministering to the broken and the hurting of those kids who were found in the western mountains of North Carolina. 00:24:02.600 --> 00:24:09.600 But also, as we're a Southern Baptist Church, to pray for our international missionaries that are all over this world, 00:24:09.600 --> 00:24:18.600 ministering to and sharing the gospel in some of the most hard reach places where you could lose your life for proclaiming the gospel of Christ. 00:24:19.600 --> 00:24:20.600 And they do it faithfully. 00:24:21.600 --> 00:24:31.600 We pray for our North American Mission Board missionaries, many of them church planners, planning churches in difficult-to-reach areas like the Stockmans in Salt Lake City, Utah. 00:24:32.600 --> 00:24:35.600 Where Christianity there is at the single percentage. 00:24:35.600 --> 00:24:37.600 It's not a part of the culture. 00:24:37.600 --> 00:24:38.600 It's not a part of the norm. 00:24:38.600 --> 00:24:41.600 But we pray for them and their faithfulness. 00:24:41.600 --> 00:24:45.600 So as we take this time in prayer, go before the Lord. 00:24:45.600 --> 00:24:51.600 Pray that God would bless their ministries, bless their families, bless their marriages, and bless them personally. 00:24:51.600 --> 00:24:57.600 But also pray that God would send them the workers they need into the harvest which God is preparing. 00:24:57.600 --> 00:25:00.600 Would you bow your heads as we go before the Lord in prayer? 00:25:00.600 --> 00:25:01.600 Thank you. 00:25:01.600 --> 00:25:01.600 Thank you. 00:25:01.600 --> 00:25:01.600 Thank you. 00:25:01.600 --> 00:25:01.600 Thank you. 00:25:01.600 --> 00:25:02.600 Thank you. 00:25:02.600 --> 00:25:02.600 Thank you. 00:25:30.600 --> 00:25:31.600 Thank you. 00:25:31.600 --> 00:25:31.600 Thank you. 00:25:31.600 --> 00:25:32.600 Thank you. 00:26:00.600 --> 00:26:27.600 Lord, while we are all called to take the gospel where we are, Lord, there are those who have been called out and sent to places far from their home, to live amongst a people who are different than them. 00:26:27.600 --> 00:26:34.600 Lord, who are to take on a special calling in their life, Lord, one that we know as missionaries. 00:26:34.600 --> 00:26:54.600 Lord, and while on a piece of paper in front of us is a short list of individuals and families and organizations, Lord, we know that you're using many different denominations, many different missionaries, many different families all over this world to carry the hope of the gospel of Christ. 00:26:54.600 --> 00:27:01.600 Lord, I pray for all of them as they go, Lord, that they would be encouraged. 00:27:01.600 --> 00:27:07.600 Lord, the number may not be where they would like it to be. 00:27:07.600 --> 00:27:14.600 The threat that they receive might have put a sense of unsettledness in their spirit. 00:27:14.600 --> 00:27:21.600 Lord, the news they got this morning might not have been the news that they were hoping for. 00:27:21.600 --> 00:27:27.600 But, God, they don't cling to any of those things as their hope, or they cling to you. 00:27:27.600 --> 00:27:32.600 Lord, I ask that you would bless them and bless their ministries and their families. 00:27:32.600 --> 00:27:36.600 Lord, strengthen their marriage, strengthen their relationship with their kids. 00:27:36.600 --> 00:27:38.600 Lord, strengthen them personally in their walk with you. 00:27:38.600 --> 00:27:43.600 And, God, I pray that you would send more workers to them. 00:27:43.600 --> 00:27:53.600 Lord, maybe an individual or a family here who feels called to go maybe for a week, maybe for a year, maybe for their lifetime. 00:27:53.600 --> 00:28:00.600 To go to be obedient, to take the gospel, maybe where it's never been proclaimed before. 00:28:00.600 --> 00:28:05.600 And we'll give you all the praise and honor and glory. 00:28:05.600 --> 00:28:07.600 And it's in Jesus' name we pray. 00:28:07.600 --> 00:28:08.600 Amen. 00:28:08.600 --> 00:28:09.600 Amen. 00:28:09.600 --> 00:28:22.600 Next, we're going to go into a time of prayer for our schools, but also our elected and local, state, and national leaders. 00:28:22.600 --> 00:28:28.600 I know these topics can oftentimes be ones that are controversial. 00:28:28.600 --> 00:28:30.600 Of who do we like or who do we not like? 00:28:30.600 --> 00:28:31.600 Who do we agree with? 00:28:31.600 --> 00:28:33.600 Who do we not agree with? 00:28:33.600 --> 00:28:38.600 But God's word calls us to lift them up and to pray for them. 00:28:38.600 --> 00:28:41.600 1 Timothy 2:1-4. 00:28:41.600 --> 00:28:51.600 It says, "First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people. 00:28:51.600 --> 00:29:02.600 For kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. 00:29:02.600 --> 00:29:16.600 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." 00:29:16.600 --> 00:29:34.600 This might need to be a verse that we read every day before we send an email of complaint, before we make a Facebook post out of anger, that we begin by prayer for those. 00:29:34.600 --> 00:29:40.600 So I want to encourage you to pray for our local, for our state, and for our national elected leaders. 00:29:40.600 --> 00:29:45.600 Ask God that they would seek to glorify Him as they lead in their office. 00:29:45.600 --> 00:29:49.600 Pray for our schools and our leaders in our schools. 00:29:49.600 --> 00:29:57.600 Pray that our students would be safe and given an opportunity to learn and grow as contributors in our community. 00:29:57.600 --> 00:30:00.600 And pray for unity amongst people. 00:30:00.600 --> 00:30:05.600 It's God to unify and bring together all, even those who have sought to divide. 00:30:05.600 --> 00:30:07.600 Would you go before the Lord in prayer? 00:30:07.600 --> 00:30:08.600 Let's pray for our children in prayer. 00:30:08.600 --> 00:30:08.600 Let's pray for our children in prayer. 00:30:08.600 --> 00:30:09.600 Let's pray for our children in prayer. 00:30:09.600 --> 00:30:10.600 Let's pray for our children in prayer. 00:30:10.600 --> 00:30:11.600 Let's pray for our children in prayer. 00:30:11.600 --> 00:30:12.600 Let's pray for our children in prayer. 00:30:12.600 --> 00:30:13.600 Let's pray for our children in prayer. 00:30:13.600 --> 00:30:14.600 Let's pray for our children in prayer. 00:30:14.600 --> 00:30:15.600 Let's pray for our children in prayer. 00:30:15.600 --> 00:30:16.600 Let's pray for our children in prayer. 00:30:16.600 --> 00:30:17.600 Let's pray for our children in prayer. 00:30:17.600 --> 00:30:18.600 Let's pray for our children in prayer. 00:30:18.600 --> 00:30:19.600 Let's pray for our children in prayer. 00:30:19.600 --> 00:30:20.600 Let's pray for our children in prayer. 00:30:20.600 --> 00:30:21.600 Let's pray for our children in prayer. 00:30:21.600 --> 00:30:22.600 Let's pray for our children in prayer. 00:30:22.600 --> 00:30:23.600 Let's pray for our children in prayer. 00:30:23.600 --> 00:30:24.600 Let's pray for our children in prayer. 00:30:24.600 --> 00:30:26.600 Let's pray for our children in prayer. 00:30:26.600 --> 00:30:27.600 Let's pray for our children in prayer. 00:30:37.600 --> 00:30:43.600 Let's pray for our children in prayer. 00:30:43.600 --> 00:30:45.600 Let's pray for our children in prayer. 00:30:45.600 --> 00:30:47.600 Let's pray for our children in prayer. 00:30:47.600 --> 00:30:49.600 Let's pray for our children in prayer. 00:30:49.600 --> 00:30:51.600 Let's pray for our children in prayer. 00:30:51.600 --> 00:30:52.600 Let's pray for our children in prayer. 00:30:52.600 --> 00:30:54.600 Let's pray for our children in prayer. 00:30:54.600 --> 00:30:56.600 Let's pray for our children in prayer. 00:30:56.600 --> 00:30:58.600 Let's pray for our children in prayer. 00:30:58.600 --> 00:31:00.600 Let's pray for our children in prayer. 00:31:00.600 --> 00:31:02.600 Let's pray for our children in prayer. 00:31:02.600 --> 00:31:04.600 Let's pray for our children in prayer. 00:31:04.600 --> 00:31:06.600 Let's pray for our children in prayer. 00:31:06.600 --> 00:31:27.600 Let's pray for our children in prayer. 00:31:28.600 --> 00:31:31.600 God, we come to you this morning. 00:31:31.600 --> 00:31:35.600 We lift up our leaders to you. 00:31:35.600 --> 00:31:41.600 Lord, those who know you and those who don't. 00:31:41.600 --> 00:31:45.600 God, we pray that as they make decisions, 00:31:45.600 --> 00:31:50.600 they will be the decisions that glorify your name. 00:31:50.600 --> 00:31:52.600 Lord, for those who know you 00:31:52.600 --> 00:31:55.600 and whose identity is found in Christ, in Christ alone, 00:31:55.600 --> 00:31:59.600 Lord, I pray for their boldness to lead in the power 00:31:59.600 --> 00:32:01.600 and the truth of the gospel, 00:32:01.600 --> 00:32:05.600 whether it's at a national, state, or local level. 00:32:05.600 --> 00:32:07.600 Lord, for those who do not know you, 00:32:07.600 --> 00:32:09.600 I pray that there's an individual, 00:32:09.600 --> 00:32:11.600 whether it serves on their team 00:32:11.600 --> 00:32:15.600 or maybe even a person that they'll encounter at a coffee shop, 00:32:15.600 --> 00:32:20.600 that would share with them the hope of Jesus Christ. 00:32:20.600 --> 00:32:30.600 And God, I pray that their hearts would be opened and respond to your grace and your mercy. 00:32:30.600 --> 00:32:38.600 Lord, I pray for our schools, for our students, for our teachers, for our leaders. 00:32:38.600 --> 00:32:44.600 I pray for our homeschoolers, those who are in private school, Lord, and those who are in public school. 00:32:44.600 --> 00:32:49.600 Lord, I pray that this wonderful tool of education that you give us, 00:32:49.600 --> 00:32:53.600 Lord, where their minds can grow and they can learn 00:32:53.600 --> 00:32:57.600 and then they can go into society and be who you called them to be 00:32:57.600 --> 00:33:03.600 and do what you've called them to do, all for your name and all for your glory. 00:33:03.600 --> 00:33:06.600 Lord, strengthen our teachers. 00:33:06.600 --> 00:33:12.600 Give them the hope and the resolve and the reminder of what a blessing they are to these individuals. 00:33:12.600 --> 00:33:20.600 Lord, be with our leaders in these schools as they make decisions that oftentimes aren't popular, 00:33:20.600 --> 00:33:23.600 but, Lord, need to be the decisions that are made. 00:33:23.600 --> 00:33:27.600 Lord, may they be ones that glorify you. 00:33:27.600 --> 00:33:34.600 Lord, as a people, may we move away from the things that the world seeks to divide us 00:33:34.600 --> 00:33:39.600 and may we find unity in Christ and in Christ alone. 00:33:39.600 --> 00:33:42.600 And it's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen. 00:33:44.600 --> 00:33:48.600 At the end of this next time of prayer, we're going to take the Lord's Supper together. 00:33:48.600 --> 00:33:52.600 So if you don't have one, you can feel free to move back to the back and get one. 00:33:52.600 --> 00:33:58.600 But as you do, what we're going to pray about moving into that time is a time of prayer for ourselves. 00:33:58.600 --> 00:34:01.600 This is where we get to pray about us, right? 00:34:01.600 --> 00:34:09.600 But we're going to ask that during this prayer time, maybe the list of things that we normally pray for are pushed to the side. 00:34:09.600 --> 00:34:16.600 And that instead, as we look for all the things, how we want to grow and improve ourself in 2023, 00:34:16.600 --> 00:34:21.600 we can begin by seeking the personal repentance that we need. 00:34:21.600 --> 00:34:30.600 Asking God to show us the sin that's in our hearts and asking him for the ability and the power of his spirit to grow, 00:34:30.600 --> 00:34:35.600 to display more of the fruit of the spirit in our life. 00:34:35.600 --> 00:34:37.600 Second Peter 3:18 says, 00:34:37.600 --> 00:34:43.600 "But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. 00:34:43.600 --> 00:34:49.600 To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity." 00:34:49.600 --> 00:34:54.600 So in just a moment, we'll go into time of personal prayer together. 00:34:54.600 --> 00:35:03.600 And during that time, I'd like to ask you to encourage you to use that time as you prepare your heart for taking the Lord's Supper. 00:35:04.600 --> 00:35:10.600 Asking the Lord to forgive you, seeking the repentance that you need from the sins that we commit. 00:35:10.600 --> 00:35:17.600 But then also asking him to set your feet on the path that he has for you, the path of obedience. 00:35:17.600 --> 00:35:19.600 I'll conclude in a brief prayer. 00:35:19.600 --> 00:35:23.600 And then after that, we'll take our Lord's Supper together this morning. 00:35:23.600 --> 00:35:25.600 Would you go before the Lord with me in prayer? 00:35:25.600 --> 00:35:26.600 Thank you. 00:35:26.600 --> 00:35:26.600 Thank you. 00:35:26.600 --> 00:35:26.600 Thank you. 00:35:26.600 --> 00:35:27.600 Thank you. 00:35:27.600 --> 00:35:28.600 Thank you. 00:35:55.600 --> 00:35:56.600 Thank you. 00:35:56.600 --> 00:35:56.600 Thank you. 00:36:25.600 --> 00:36:26.600 Thank you. 00:36:26.600 --> 00:36:26.600 Thank you. 00:36:26.600 --> 00:36:27.600 Thank you. 00:36:55.600 --> 00:37:08.600 Lord, we come to you in closing. 00:37:08.600 --> 00:37:14.600 Lord, as we prepare to partake in the Lord's Supper together. 00:37:14.600 --> 00:37:21.600 Lord, we first come in the spirit of brokenness and repentance. 00:37:21.600 --> 00:37:35.600 Lord, through the power of your Holy Spirit, open up our eyes and our minds to the areas of our life that do not glorify you and that do not exalt your name. 00:37:35.600 --> 00:37:47.600 Lord, bring us to a place of repentance where we acknowledge the sin that is there, where we lay it before you. 00:37:47.600 --> 00:37:52.600 Lord, and we ask for the strength to pursue the things of you. 00:37:52.600 --> 00:38:03.600 Lord, may we stop settling for the lives of this world to realize that we have the sufficiency of Christ before us. 00:38:04.600 --> 00:38:13.600 Lord, we thank you that you are faithful to forgive, that you seek to bless us and to love us. 00:38:14.600 --> 00:38:29.600 Lord, and in every area where we've chosen less than you, Lord, we're sorry, and we thank you that you choose us. 00:38:29.600 --> 00:38:46.600 Thanks again for listening to the Willow Ridge Church weekly podcast. 00:38:46.600 --> 00:38:49.600 We hope that you enjoyed listening to this week's message. 00:38:49.600 --> 00:38:58.600 If you'd like to learn more about who we are or explore additional resources, visit us online at www.willowridgechurch.com 00:38:58.600 --> 00:39:01.600 or by searching for Willow Ridge Church on Facebook and Instagram. 00:39:01.600 --> 00:39:02.600 Thank you.