Please find below the notes from the Elder's Prayer this past Sunday.

Intercession

Lord, we come before you this morning secure in the knowledge that we are your church-eternally invincible, called by You to be reconciled to you through Jesus Christ our Lord-now and forever.

We do not stand on our own, but are powered by the Spirit’s breath nourished under the covenant of your grace.

Though we live in an age, not unlike others, where we face trials and temptations-where disease of all sorts impacts our health and may even take our earthly lives-we need not fear.

There are wars, even today, caused by man’s sinful desires-and we pray it would be Your will to restrain those who threaten and act upon those threats.

Your word tells us You are able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to you through Christ because he lives to make intercession.

We pray He would intercede in the lives of the oppressed and the oppressors and they would humble themselves under Your mighty hand-bowing to you as Lord that your name be hallowed and your will be done.

There have been and there will be until your Son returns, broken relationships in each of our lives, often caused by our sinful desires as well as the sins of others-but we are reminded that in Christ, we are new creations-the old has passed away and the new has come.

We have been reconciled to you, Lord, through Him and because of that are given the ministry of reconciliation so we no longer live for ourselves but for Him who died for our sake and was raised-help us to live for You as ministers of reconciliation through Your gospel.

Help us to deny ourselves and take up our cross and follow you every single day You give us on this earth.

Help us to trust that those You foreknew you also predestined to be conformed to the image of Your Son and you will use all these things and more, to do so.

And, as the apostle Paul reminds us, let us be confident that the good work you’ve begun in us will be brought to completion in the Day of Christ.

You, O Lord are invincible and may we, as your church, rest securely in that promise-we ask these things in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Men-at this time please gather the morning offering.