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June 14, 2009AM

Psalm 27:4-9

Worship Basics – Prayer

 

Adoration Reflection:

Prayer, more than anything else, tells me that worship is not about me.

 It is about “Our Father.”

  It is about adoring God.

   “Hallowed be thy name.”

    It is recognizing that there is more to this world than meets the eye.

     Prayer sees there is more to this service than the sound of our own voices.

      “Thy kingdom come!”

       In English that sounds like a command.

        But it really is an invitation.

         That is what the opening prayer of each service is.

          It is an invitation to God to advance into my life and into this world.

           It is an expression of our unwillingness to be excluded from God’s

           presence.

           Where He is we want to be.

            Where we are we want Him to be.

             We invite Him to be sovereign over our lives.

              “Thy kingdom come” is a wonderful expression of adoration.

               God I trust You to reign and rule in my life.

                I desire to be in the care of my heavenly Father.

                 Complete Your presence in my life!

                  What is your prayer to God this morning?

                   Let’s make it one of adoration!

 

Confession Reflection:

“Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”

 That is a confession.

  It is saying that not all is right in the world.

   There are some things that need to change.

    Might there be some things that need to change in your life?

     Might there be some of your attitudes that will never be found in heaven?

      Might there be some or your actions that will never be found in heaven?

       Romans 3:10-11, 19-20, “Basically, all of us, whether insiders or outsiders, start out in identical conditions, which is to say that we all start out as sinners. Scripture leaves no doubt about it:

   There's nobody living right, not even one,

This makes it clear, doesn't it, … that we're sinners, every one of us, in the same sinking boat with everybody else? Our involvement with God's revelation doesn't put us right with God. What it does is force us to face our complicity in everyone else's sin.”

        Prayer isn’t about changing God’s mind.

         Prayer is about changing us – “Thy will be done.”

          Prayer changes the person who prays.

           Some people don’t want to pray because they don’t want to change.

           Are you one of them?

            If so you are going to miss so much.

             You are going to miss what it means to be thankful.

              You are going to miss opportunities of making a real difference.

               What do you need to confess to God?

                Where does your life need to be more heavenly?

Thanksgiving Reflection:

Out of Adoration and Confession comes Thanksgiving.

 Jesus prayed that we receive our daily bread and forgiveness.

  These are our two greatest needs.

   Life on earth depends on bread.

    Life for eternity depends on forgiveness.

     We recognize that we are totally dependent on God for everything.

      And what other response can be made besides gratitude?

       Gratitude for our daily bread.

        As we give our offerings we acknowledge God’s provision.

         We only give what we have first received from God.

          And so we pray prayers of gratitude especially at the time of offering.

           Thank You God for this day’s bread.

           Thank You, Father, for this day’s provision.

            Thank You, Dad, for enabling me to touch the lives of others.

             If you don’t need bread today, be thankful.

              But then start to look around for someone who does.

               You may be the answer to their prayer for daily bread.

                Jesus is praying God open our eyes to the needs of others around me.

                 Give us a heart for the poor.

                  Make me compassionate and generous through my daily bread.

                   Help me to make sure there isn’t someone hungry around me.

                    Free me from my own resources, my tastes, my preferences.

                     As we give may we rejoice in the presence of the Giving God.

                      Forgive us as we forgive those who have sinned against us.

 

Supplication Reflection:

“Lead us not into temptation.”

 That is the prayer for the masses.

  We pray not only for our own protection for but the protection of others.

   We see the temptations that plague our friends and family.

    What temptations are enticing your neighbour?

     What is Satan trying to throw into their lives to destroy them?

      We pray, ‘God, free them from temptation.’

       God give us all strength to resist Satan.

        This is a prayer for the salvation of those around us.

         Only Jesus can help you resist temptation.

          Only Jesus can help your neighbour resist temptation.

           Pray for their salvation.

Earlier this week I was reading the Bible out on our deck.

 Last week Pastor Elliott challenged us to make an appointment with God.

  We committed to reading the Bible every day.

   How did you do?

    Well I was reading and the cat and dog were out on the deck with me.

     Levi, our dog, was sitting at my feet as I read.

      I was stroking his head and rubbing his ears, and reading God’s word.

       I noticed the cat was trying to entice the dog away from my feet.

        I was trying to have a sacred moment.

         Finally the dog couldn’t take the cat’s actions any more.

          He went to the cat and was immediately greeted with a swat in the face.

           As quickly as the dog left, he was back at my feet.

           And then I read this verse from Psalm 27.

“I'm asking God for one thing, only one thing:  To live with him in his house my whole life long.  I'll contemplate his beauty; I'll study at his feet.”  (v. 4)

            At that moment I saw my dog’s desire to be at my feet.

             That’s the only place Levi wanted to be.

              He learned that at my feet no cat would attack.

               And so we pray lead us not into temptation.

                Deliver us from evil.

                 Lead us into the work that Jesus is longing to do.

                  Who are you bringing before God with that prayer?

                   Do you care that temptation is enticing them farther from God?

The Psalmist only wanted to study God at His feet.

 The worship basic of Scripture.

  That’s what made the Psalmist content.

   He desired only one thing, just one thing, to spend his whole life with God.

    A big part of that was being in the house of the Lord with His word.

But then I read verse five.

“That's the only quiet, secure place in a noisy world, the perfect getaway, far from the buzz of traffic.”

 That is where we are right now.

  Getting away from the noisy world in prayer.

   Getting out of the pressure of a fast paced world.

    Who doesn’t long for that?

     And God offers it to us every day through prayer.

      The only place you will find spiritual security is in prayer.

       Paul says to pray without ceasing.

        And yet we rush into the traffic of life day after day without it.

         No wonder we feel crushed by the noisy world.

          Without prayer we detour around the perfect getaway.

           Let’s quit by-passing prayer for a few minutes here today.

           That way we understand David’s gladness as he went to the Lord’s house.

            The house of the Lord for David was a place of prayer.

             If this is not a place of prayer, we are stealing from God.

              We are even stealing from ourselves.

And then I read verse 6.

“God holds me head and shoulders above all who try to pull me down.  I'm headed for his place to offer anthems that will raise the roof!  Already I'm singing God-songs; I'm making music to God.”  (v. 6)

Next Sunday will be the worship basic of praise.

 Learning at God’s feet with study leads to praise.

  Praying for others in supplication leads to praise.

   We celebrate the work that God is doing to transform our lives.

    We celebrate the work that God is doing to transform other’s lives.

     You know the ending of the Lord’s prayer – “For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.  Amen”

Then I read verses 7-9.

“Listen, God, I'm calling at the top of my lungs:  ‘Be good to me! Answer me!’  When my heart whispered, ‘Seek God,’ my whole being replied, ‘I'm seeking him!’  Don't hide from me now!”  (vs. 7-9)

 We want to see God’s kingdom enter this world.

  We want to see people’s lives touched by God.

   We want people to know who God is and live in His family, the Church.

    Who do you need to pray for this morning?

     Maybe you discovered you need to yield yourself to God for forgiveness.

      Maybe God has revealed to you someone you can pray for.

       As we close our service the altar is here for you.

        It is a place to pray.

         Won’t you come as we close the service with “If My People … .”

          Mark Driscoll says, “Prayer is trusting God enough to be able to say, ‘Your will be done.’”