+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!
E100:18.b – Paul to the Leaders
The Love of Money – 1 Timothy 6:3-21 (NLT)
1 Timothy 6:3 Some people may contradict our teaching, but these are the wholesome teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. These teachings promote a godly life. 4 Anyone who teaches something different is arrogant and lacks understanding. Such a person has an unhealthy desire to quibble over the meaning of words. This stirs up arguments ending in jealousy, division, slander, and evil suspicions. 5 These people always cause trouble. Their minds are corrupt, and they have turned their backs on the truth. To them, a show of godliness is just a way to become wealthy.
6 Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth. 7 After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can’t take anything with us when we leave it. 8 So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content.
9 But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.
Paul’s Final Instructions
11 But you, Timothy, are a man of God; so run from all these evil things. Pursue righteousness and a godly life, along with faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight for the true faith. Hold tightly to the eternal life to which God has called you, which you have declared so well before many witnesses. 13 And I charge you before God, who gives life to all, and before Christ Jesus, who gave a good testimony before Pontius Pilate, 14 that you obey this command without wavering. Then no one can find fault with you from now until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again. 15 For,
At just the right time Christ will be revealed from heaven by the blessed and only almighty God, the King of all kings and Lord of all lords. 16 He alone can never die, and he lives in light so brilliant that no human can approach him. No human eye has ever seen him, nor ever will. All honor and power to him forever! Amen.
17 Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment. 18 Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others. 19 By doing this they will be storing up their treasure as a good foundation for the future so that they may experience true life.
20 Timothy, guard what God has entrusted to you. Avoid godless, foolish discussions with those who oppose you with their so-called knowledge. 21 Some people have wandered from the faith by following such foolishness.
Father, when I get overly anxious about having the latest gadget or the newest fashion I usually overlook the fact that I have so much already at my disposal. So much, in fact, that I struggle to properly manage my possessions and can be overwhelmed with clutter.
Thank you for the people who live with less so that others can have more; more of the basics of life and the provisions needed to reach others with the Gospel message. Contentment from You cannot be packaged and sold, but it can be a way of life as we align our priorities in accordance to Your will.
Teach us the great gain we experience by setting our heart’s affections not on this world’s changing and peril-stricken economy, but by storing up treasures in heaven’s economy where eternal riches never perish, spoil or fade. May that precious truth help us find contentment in a discontented society.
In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen.
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“First” – Lauren Daigle
Closing Sentence
Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. – Matthew 6:33
+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!
+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!
E100:18.a – Paul to the Leaders
Elders and Deacons – 1 Timothy 3:1-16 (NLT)
Leaders in the Church
1 Timothy 3 This is a trustworthy saying: “If someone aspires to be a church leader, he desires an honorable position.” 2 So a church leader must be a man whose life is above reproach. He must be faithful to his wife. He must exercise self-control, live wisely, and have a good reputation. He must enjoy having guests in his home, and he must be able to teach. 3 He must not be a heavy drinker or be violent. He must be gentle, not quarrelsome, and not love money. 4 He must manage his own family well, having children who respect and obey him. 5 For if a man cannot manage his own household, how can he take care of God’s church?
Pastor Fred Ferreira with Family at Ordination Third Baptist Church, Fall River, MA
6 A church leader must not be a new believer, because he might become proud, and the devil would cause him to fall. 7 Also, people outside the church must speak well of him so that he will not be disgraced and fall into the devil’s trap.
8 In the same way, deacons must be well respected and have integrity. They must not be heavy drinkers or dishonest with money. 9 They must be committed to the mystery of the faith now revealed and must live with a clear conscience. 10 Before they are appointed as deacons, let them be closely examined. If they pass the test, then let them serve as deacons.
11 In the same way, their wives must be respected and must not slander others. They must exercise self-control and be faithful in everything they do.
12 A deacon must be faithful to his wife, and he must manage his children and household well. 13 Those who do well as deacons will be rewarded with respect from others and will have increased confidence in their faith in Christ Jesus.
The Truths of Our Faith
14 I am writing these things to you now, even though I hope to be with you soon, 15 so that if I am delayed, you will know how people must conduct themselves in the household of God. This is the church of the living God, which is the pillar and foundation of the truth.
16 Without question, this is the great mystery of our faith:
Christ was revealed in a human body and vindicated by the Spirit. He was seen by angels and announced to the nations. He was believed in throughout the world and taken to heaven in glory.
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Prayer
Faithful Father, we joyfully lift up the families of our Pastors and Church Leaders.
Holy Spirit, we ask You to fill their homes with Your gentleness, peace, joy, and Godly order. We lift up their marriages and we ask You to bless them psychologically, emotionally and sexually. Bless their children to mature academically, socially, emotionally and spiritually.
Lord, strengthen and encourage those families who feel overwhelmed by the ministry. We ask that You protect our Pastors, Church Leaders and their families from the onslaughts of the devil and the disrespect of people. Please help them to maintain balance in their public and private lives.
Father, help our Pastors, Church Leaders and their families to not yield to temptation; but deliver them from the evil one.
We ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen.
“Come Holy Spirit ( I need Thee)”
O Holy Spirit, descend plentifully into our hearts. Enlighten the dark corners of our neglected dwelling and scatter there Thy cheerful beams.(St. Augustine)
Closing Sentence
The Lord bless us, and keep us from all evil, and bring us to everlasting life. Amen.
+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!
+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
We can ask God for help whenever we need to, today or any day. God is always concerned for us.
Opening Prayer:
Heavenly Father, with the prayer your Son taught us always on our lips, we ask, we seek, we knock at your door. In our every need, grant us the first and best of all your gifts, the Spirit who makes us your children. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever.
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“This Kingdom” -Hillsong | Darlene Zschech
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A Reading from the Old Testament: Genesis 18:20-32 (NLT)
[God shows his justice as he heeds Abraham’s plea on behalf of the righteous minority.]
So the Lord told Abraham, “I have heard a great outcry from Sodom and Gomorrah, because their sin is so flagrant. I am going down to see if their actions are as wicked as I have heard. If not, I want to know.”
The other men turned and headed toward Sodom, but the Lord remained with Abraham. Abraham approached him and said, “Will you sweep away both the righteous and the wicked? Suppose you find fifty righteous people living there in the city—will you still sweep it away and not spare it for their sake? Surely you wouldn’t do such a thing, destroying the righteous along with the wicked. Why, you would be treating the righteous and the wicked exactly the same! Surely you wouldn’t do that! Should not the Judge of all the earth do what is right?”
And the Lord replied, “If I find fifty righteous people in Sodom, I will spare the entire city for their sake.”
Then Abraham spoke again. “Since I have begun, let me speak further to my Lord, even though I am but dust and ashes. Suppose there are only forty-five righteous people rather than fifty? Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five?”
And the Lord said, “I will not destroy it if I find forty-five righteous people there.”
Then Abraham pressed his request further. “Suppose there are only forty?”
And the Lord replied, “I will not destroy it for the sake of the forty.”
“Please don’t be angry, my Lord,” Abraham pleaded. “Let me speak—suppose only thirty righteous people are found?”
And the Lord replied, “I will not destroy it if I find thirty.”
Then Abraham said, “Since I have dared to speak to the Lord, let me continue—suppose there are only twenty?”
And the Lord replied, “Then I will not destroy it for the sake of the twenty.”
Finally, Abraham said, “Lord, please don’t be angry with me if I speak one more time. Suppose only ten are found there?”
And the Lord replied, “Then I will not destroy it for the sake of the ten.”
__________
A Reading from the Psalms: Psalm 138:1-3, 6-8 (NLT)
I give you thanks, O Lord, with all my heart; I will sing your praises before the gods.
I bow before your holy Temple as I worship. I praise your name for your unfailing love and faithfulness; for your promises are backed by all the honor of your name.
As soon as I pray, you answer me; you encourage me by giving me strength.
_____
Though the Lord is great, he cares for the humble, but he keeps his distance from the proud.
Though I am surrounded by troubles, you will protect me from the anger of my enemies. You reach out your hand, and the power of your right hand saves me.
The Lord will work out his plans for my life—for your faithful love, O Lord, endures forever. Don’t abandon me, for you made me.
__________
“Psalm 138” – The Psalm Project
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A Reading from the Letters: Colossians 2:12-14 (NLT)
[The Colossians were concerned about Jewish laws. Paul insists that Jesus has over-ridden all the old requirements.]
For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized. And with him you were raised to new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead.
You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross.
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A Reading from the Gospels: Luke 11:1-13 (NLT)
[If we pray persistently for God’s help, it will be given.]
Once Jesus was in a certain place praying. As he finished, one of his disciples came to him and said, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”
Jesus said, “This is how you should pray:
“Father, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon. Give us each day the food we need, and forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. And don’t let us yield to temptation.”
Then, teaching them more about prayer, he used this story: “Suppose you went to a friend’s house at midnight, wanting to borrow three loaves of bread. You say to him, ‘A friend of mine has just arrived for a visit, and I have nothing for him to eat.’ And suppose he calls out from his bedroom, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is locked for the night, and my family and I are all in bed. I can’t help you.’ But I tell you this—though he won’t do it for friendship’s sake, if you keep knocking long enough, he will get up and give you whatever you need because of your shameless persistence.
“And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.
“You fathers—if your children ask for a fish, do you give them a snake instead? Or if they ask for an egg, do you give them a scorpion? Of course not! So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.”
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“Come To Me” – Jenn Johnson // Bethel Music
I am the Lord your God, I go before you now. I stand beside you. I’m all around you. And though you feel I’m far away, I’m closer than your breath. I am with you. More than you know.
I am the Lord your peace, No evil will conquer you. Steady now your heart and mind, Come into my rest. And oh, let your faith arise, And lift up your weary head. I am with you, Wherever you go.
Come to me, I’m all you need. Come to me, I’m everything. Come to me, I’m all you need. Come to me, I’m your everything
I am your anchor, in the wind and the waves. And I am your steadfast, so don’t be afraid. Though your heart and flesh may fail you, I’m your faithful strength. And I am with you, Wherever you go.
Don’t look to the right or to the left, keep your eyes on me. You will not be shaken, you will not be moved.
I am the hand to hold, I am the truth, I am the way. Just come to me, come to me, Cause I’m all that you need.
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Intercessory Prayer:
Merciful God: you always listen to and answer our prayers. Hear us now as we approach your throne of grace –
+ That the young people from around the world may come to you in Krakow this week…. Lord, hear us.
+ That Christians everywhere may realize that you are our only hope and rely on your help…. Lord, hear us.
+ That Christians may abound in generosity and share what we have with the the hungry and dispossessed…. Lord, hear us.
+ That Christians may recognize the image of God in everyone, especially in indigenous peoples around the world…. Lord, hear us.
+ That those who are on our hearts and minds today may feel the presence of your Spirit…. Lord, hear us.
+ That all the members of our families may experience your blessing and peace…. Lord, hear us.
+ That all who have gone before us in faith may share in Christ’s power and be raised up to eternal life…. Lord, hear us.
God of glory and majesty, you answer the prayers of those who call out to you: be with your people in their every need, through Christ our Lord. Amen.
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“Our Father” – Jenn Johnson // Have It All
Our Father in Heaven | Hallowed be Your name | Your Kingdom come quickly | Your will be done the same
On Earth as it is in Heaven | Let Heaven come to | Earth as it is in Heaven | Let Heaven come
Let Heaven come, let Heaven come
Yours is the Kingdom, Yours is the power | Yours is the glory forever, amen | Yours is the Kingdom, Yours is the power | Yours is the glory forever amen
Benediction:
To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. – Revelation 1:5b-6
+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen
+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!
Opening Sentence
I will give you a new heart, and put a new spirit in you.
Morning Reading: 2 Peter 3:13-15 (NLT)
According to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.
Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace. And count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him.
Prayer
God’s gift was not a spirit of timidity, but the Spirit of power and love, and self-control. With complete confidence we pray: Father, send us your Spirit.
+ Praise be to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ: in Christ you have given us every spiritual blessing.
+ By the power of the Holy Spirit, may Christ be born again today in our hearts.
+ May your Spirit lead us forward to open the eyes of the blind, to proclaim the Word of light, to reap together the harvest of life.
+ May our striving for your kingdom not fall short through selfishness or fear: may the universe be alive with the Spirit, and our homes be the pledge of a world redeemed.
All-powerful, eternal God, splendour of true light and never-ending day: at this return of the morning hour, chase away the night of sin and fill our minds with the glory of your coming. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
“Waiting Here For You” – Christy Nockels
Blessing
The Lord bless us, and keep us from all evil, and bring us to everlasting life.
+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!
+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!
E100:17.e – Paul to the Churches
The Supremacy of Christ – Colossians 1:1-23 (NLT)
Greetings from Paul
Colossians 1 This letter is from Paul, chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and from our brother Timothy.
2 We are writing to God’s holy people in the city of Colosse, who are faithful brothers and sisters in Christ.
May God our Father give you grace and peace.
Paul’s Thanksgiving and Prayer
3 We always pray for you, and we give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 4 For we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and your love for all of God’s people, 5 which come from your confident hope of what God has reserved for you in heaven. You have had this expectation ever since you first heard the truth of the Good News.
6 This same Good News that came to you is going out all over the world. It is bearing fruit everywhere by changing lives, just as it changed your lives from the day you first heard and understood the truth about God’s wonderful grace.
7 You learned about the Good News from Epaphras, our beloved co-worker. He is Christ’s faithful servant, and he is helping us on your behalf. 8 He has told us about the love for others that the Holy Spirit has given you.
9 So we have not stopped praying for you since we first heard about you. We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding. 10 Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better.
11 We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy, 12 always thanking the Father. He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to his people, who live in the light. 13 For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, 14 who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins.
Christ Is Supreme
15 Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, 16 for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see—such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him.
17 He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together. 18 Christ is also the head of the church, which is his body. He is the beginning, supreme over all who rise from the dead. So he is first in everything.
19 For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ, 20 and through him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ’s blood on the cross.
21 This includes you who were once far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions. 22 Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault.
23 But you must continue to believe this truth and stand firmly in it. Don’t drift away from the assurance you received when you heard the Good News. The Good News has been preached all over the world, and I, Paul, have been appointed as God’s servant to proclaim it.
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“In Christ Alone” – Kristian Stanfill | Passion 2013
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Prayer
Heavenly Father: Thank you for graciously including me in your family through faith in your Son, Jesus Christ. It is through him that I approach your throne of grace; Lord, hear my prayer –
That I may grow closer to you and come to know you better.
That I may grow in spiritual wisdom and understanding of your will for my life.
That I may live in a way that honors and pleases you.
That I may live in the light as a citizen of your Kingdom.
That I may live confidently with the end in mind, my home in heaven.
That I may love the people I encounter today, as you have loved me.
That the truth of your wonderful grace may continue to change my life.
That the Good News of your grace may continue to change lives around the world.
That I may be strengthened with your power to patiently endure every adversity.
That I may be filled with joy as one who has been forgiven and set free in Christ.
Heavenly Father: May your Son, Jesus Christ have supremacy in every aspect of my life – today and forever. Amen.
Closing Sentence
The Lord bless us, and keep us from all evil, and bring us to everlasting life.
+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!
The Peanut Gallery 