Our Resurrection Weekend services begin with our Good Friday Evening Gathering, March 29 at 7:00 pm, and conclude with our regular Sunday activities on Resurrection Sunday Morning, March 31!

Elder's Prayer

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

One of the ways we love our Redeemer back as we just sang, while on earth as we wait for eternity would be to obey His commandments.

In the Scriptures, anytime the phrase "with all of your heart" has been used, it is only used in the context of divinity: YHWH (LORD) or God (Elohim) or Lord (Kurios : koo'-ree-os). Here are some commandments that require us to give our everything literally in obedience.

  • Search after the Lord with all your heart (Deuteronomy 4:29)
  • Love the Lord with all your heart (Deuteronomy 6:5)
  • Serve the Lord with all your heart (Deuteronomy 10:12; 1 Samuel 12:14)
  • Be careful to do the commandments of God with all your heart (Deuteronomy 26:16)
  • Turn or return to the Lord with all your heart (Deuteronomy 30:10; 1 Samuel 7:3)
  • Trust in the Lord with all your heart (Proverbs 3:5)

When we study the immediate context of these commandments, we can see how God expects the action in context to be fulfilled "with all our heart".

For example, Proverbs 3:5 says, 5Trust in the Lord with all your heart,

How do we do that practically? The verse goes on to say, and do not lean on your own understanding.

  • We don’t have to lean on our fallen judgments or do what seems best to us as in the days of Judges. Instead we can rely on God who is eternal, Omniscient and Almighty. We can cast all our cares upon Him.

6In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths.

  • Like Jesus did, the countless number of times, He pointed to the Father – to explain why He was doing what He was doing or to correct the misunderstanding of His opponents or to teach anyone who would listen, the intent and heart of the Father as expressed in the pages of the law.
  • Like the apostles did in their writings. The rightful place God had in the life of apostle Paul enabled him to complete the race successfully and to keep the faith till the end.

7Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.

  • We who are called to count others more significant than ourselves in humility (Philippians 2:3), when we choose the fear of the Lord like Joseph did, like Daniel did, we will be empowered by the Holy Spirit to hate all evil and turn from it.

Jesus our master modeled "with all your heart" obedience for us. Would you emulate Christ today? Let’s pray.

Holy Father, thank you for glorifying your Word above all else. Thank you for your clear commandments in the written Word of God. Thank you for your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ who modeled it for us and enabled us to obey them in Him. Thank you for your Holy Spirit who helps us to understand Christ’s teachings and obey your commandments.

At this point, I lift up the veterans in our midst, in our congregation and across the country. Thank you for their brave service to the one and only United States of America. I specifically pray for those who have been struggling with PTSD and other illnesses because of their war-time service. Please provide a Biblical support system around them as they recover. In their lifetime, may they find Jesus if they are not believers already or strengthen their faith if they have been born again and thus become true heroes of faith. I also pray for those who have been struggling to adjust to the civilian life, find and keep a job. Please provide them wisdom, skills and favor in your eyes as you have provided the tabernacle and temple builders that they may be employed and provide for their families.

Please help all of us to return to you with all our heart, search after you with all our heart, love you with all our heart, serve you with all our heart, to be careful to do your commandments with all our heart and to trust you with all our heart.

This we pray in the matchless name of our Savior Jesus Christ, Amen.