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

To those of us who are believers, the passages highlighting God’s initiation and purpose of our salvation should be both encouraging and humbling...

2 Timothy 1:9,10 - “[God] saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, 10 and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.”

If we are saved, it is because God saved us. God loved us when we were unlovely. And God gave us the holy calling of glorifying himself. Because of God’s own purpose alone. Because of God’s grace alone.

(Prayer)

Lord, there is no injustice on your part. You are holy and without sin or error. You who are all wise and perfect in love and grace - you have mercy upon whom you will have mercy. You have compassion upon whom you choose to have compassion. But you do have mercy! (Romans 9:14,15). And how grateful we are that it is not because of any quality within ourselves - no righteousness, no genealogical preference, no economic status that saves us, but it is all your effort and your will that saves us.

And you are faithful. Even when we are faithless, you remain faithful (2 Timothy 2:13). You are faithful to make your name known to us, faithful to fulfill your purpose and your promises, faithful to glorify yourself in us, for it is you who works in us, both to will and to work for your good pleasure (Philippians 2:13). Make our pleasure to reflect your own pleasure. Make our hearts to mimic yours. Make your gospel of salvation and living by grace-alone, outside of the law, inside of the life-giving law of the Spirit, rule in our lives daily.

You are faithful to never leave us (Hebrews 13:5). You are with us even to the end of this age (Matthew 28:20). You go to prepare a place for us, and you will come again and receive us unto yourself that where you are there we may be also (John 14:3). You are coming soon, to repay each one for what he has done (Revelation 22:12). And you are faithful, and you are just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).

Father, enable us to live godly lives through the power of your Son and your Holy Spirit. For from your Son, Jesus, and through Jesus and to Jesus are all things. To him be glory forever! Amen (Romans 11:36).