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

I’m going to use the first 11 verses of Titus 3 as the basis of my prayer.  Let’s Pray.

Father you inspired Titus to write, “Remind them to be subject to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good deed, 2 to malign no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing every consideration for all men. “  We need this reminder too.  We are forgetful, just as the original audience was forgetful.  It is not natural for us to be submissive to human authorities or to each other.  Forgive us when we fail to exemplify these distinctly Christian virtues to the lost world around us in our speech and deeds.   Help us to be people who are zealous to do good work, unwilling to malign others, peaceable and gentle people who intentionally and actively prefer others.

Your word says “3 For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another.”  If we repent and place our trust in Christ and Him alone, these words describe our former self.  We are now new creations in Christ, but may we never forget what we have been saved from by your grace.  Help us to love and engage those described here who are yet to be transformed by your saving grace.

Titus goes on to say “4 But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, 5 He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”  God humble us with this truth.  It is by your generous kindness and your extravagant love that we might be saved. It is only by the righteousness of Christ that one can be saved.  No works or deeds by man can satisfy our debt.  Only Christ.  Thank you Father for Christ and your abundant mercy towards us as people who stood in rebellion against a Holy God.  Salvation comes by the Holy Spirit’s work, not ours.  Transformation depends not on human deeds.  We are made heirs.  We do not earn such an inheritance.  It is possible only by overwhelming grace that surpasses our ability to describe.  Thank you Father for your grace.

Your word continues in verse 8  “8 This is a trustworthy statement; and concerning these things I want you to speak confidently, so that those who have believed God will be careful to engage in good deeds. These things are good and profitable for men. 9 But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and strife and disputes about the Law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. 10 Reject a factious man after a first and second warning, 11 knowing that such a man is perverted and is sinning, being self-condemned.”  Father help us to see good deeds do not save us, yet they are a mark of those whom you have saved.  I pray we as a church would be serious about doing good deeds for your glory.  We know you might use these good deeds for the purpose of reaching the lost and making your name known.  Help us to make that connection this week as we interact as your ambassadors in the world.  I pray that we would be grounded in your word so to be able to discern correctly when faced with foolish controversies.  I pray we would be proclaimers of truth while not being quarrelsome.   We need your help to discern well and represent you well to those whom we have influence.