Worship
Next Sunday
January
15, 2012
Preaching:
Pastor Stephen Magee
Sermon
text: Acts 9:10-16
Sermon
title: “Here I am, Lord”
Music:
Opening
hymn 53 Praise to the Lord, the Almighty
Preparation
398 Christ, Whose Glory Fills the Skies
Response
670 If Thou But Suffer God to Guide Thee
Closing
580 Lead On, O King Eternal
Confession
of Faith: Heidelberg Catechism
Old
Testament Passage: Esther 4
Preparation
Guide
Sunday:
Review morning sermon
(evening service @ 5pm)
Monday:
Acts 9:10-16
Tuesday:
1 Kings 13:1-10
Wednesday:
1 Kings 13:11-34
Thursday:
Esther 4
Friday:
Exodus 20:2-3
Saturday:
Acts 9
Suggested
Bible Study and Prayers
(Passages
that we will refer to in next Sunday's worship)
1
Kings 13
Great God, You
have spoken to Your people for centuries. Your prophets even spoke
about future days centuries into the future. How can this be?
Surely You know all things. You have certainly planned all things.
Father, it is a great privilege that You have given to some men the
task of proclaiming Your Word. May Your teachers within Your church
consider the fearful responsibility that they have to live in accord
with the truth that they proclaim. Grant to these servants unusual
discernment, that they might recognize the difference between what is
right and the lying words spoken by those who claim to represent You.
Father, we thank You for the completed Word that we have in the
Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments. Help us to take it all to
heart, and to test all things according to this completed Word.
Build Your Kingdom, and grant faith to men by the hearing of Your
Word.
Acts 9
Glorious
Lord, You can take a man who is breathing threats against You and
Your people and make him into a great servant of the Word. Blessed
be Your Name. You help such a man to see the truth that he once
condemned. The power of Your gospel changes men, softening proud
hearts, and making them willing to suffer for the Name that they
hated. Remove from our eyes any remaining spiritual blindness. Help
us to see even more clearly that Jesus is Your Son. He is the only
Messiah, and this is clearly shown through even the Old Testament
Scriptures. Grant that our ministers would preach boldly among men
who may be seeking to kill us. Grant us peace and joy in the comfort
that comes from Your Truth and from the Holy Spirit. Make us know
Your love for us so fully that we cannot help but be overflowing with
good works. Remove far from us all ungodly hatred, self-centered
distractions, and laziness. Take away all false excuses that we used
in earlier days to reject so many great opportunities to serve You.
Esther
4
Father, what can
we do to express our grief concerning the persecution of Your church
throughout the world? We mourn in Your presence for the attacks
against Your kingdom. The details of the plans of the wicked are
deeply disturbing to us. We bring our plea for help to You. We know
that we have a duty to pray for our brothers and sisters who are in
distress. Help us to do this work with diligence. We will not keep
silence. Perhaps we have come to the kingdom for such a time as
this. If we perish at the hands of Your enemies, we perish. Our
bodies and souls are always in Your hands, and we trust You.
