Lakeview Christian Center

Praying Psalm 96

Sing a New Song

“Oh sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth! Sing to the Lord, bless His name; tell of His salvation from day to day” (Psalm 96:1-2)

-God to bless this morning’s time of worship with His presence
-Those reluctant to worship expressively would be freed to celebrate
-Anthem of salvation (v. 2) & exploring the “glories of Calvary” through song
-God to give us a “new song” — a fresh understanding, experience, and appreciation of who He is and what He has done
-Our corporate worship to display the greatness of god and the magnitude of grace

Declare His Glory Among the Nations

“Declare His glory among the nations; His marvelous works among all the
peoples! For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; He is to be feared above all gods” (Psalm 96:3-4).

-God to use us in spreading a passion for His name
-God to bless Sovereign Grace’s efforts to extend the church to the most
unreached people
-Lord “to be feared above all gods” (v. 4) in nations trapped in idolatry
-Young & old in our church to sense a burden for local & global missions
-All in our church to experience the joy of declaring God’s glory among
the nations

Leading & Following

“Long my imprisoned spirit lay,
Fast bound in sin and nature’s night;
Thine eye diffused a quickening ray
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee”
—Charles Wesley

Followers

“As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, ‘Follow me.’ And he rose and followed him” (Mark 2:14)

-Hearts of submission to Christ and to leadership
-Sheep who know the Word of their Shepherd and respond to His voice
-Followers of Christ who conform to the image of Christ
-Delighters in God and in the nearness of His presence
-Church to be a culture of leading & following

Leaders

“Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. …Pray for us, for we are sure that we have a clear conscience, desiring to act honorably in all things” (Hebrews 13:17-18)

-The Pastoral team (Keith, Peter, Matt, Jeff, Pete)
-Covenant Group leaders & extended leadership team
-The raising up of new leaders
Pray for……
…Spirit empowerment for God’s calling on their lives
…Strength to lead in the church and in the home
…Trust in God for daily responsibilities
…Faith in God as they meet resistance
…Protection from the attacks of the Enemy

The Explicit Spirit

The Spirit’s work this morning

“And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness” (Acts 4:31)

-Illumination of the preached Word
“…no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God” (1 Cor. 2:11)
-Conviction of sin (John 16:8) and assurance of the Gospel (Rom. 8:16)
-Manifest presence in our gathered worship (1 Cor. 14:25)
-Awakening sinners with the miracle of regeneration (John 3:8)
-Distributing gifts throughout the body (1 Cor. 12)
-Freeing prisoners in bondage to sin (2 Cor. 3:17)
-Glorifying Christ as Lord of all
“No one can say ‘Jesus is Lord’ except by the Holy Spirit” (1 Cor. 12:3)

The Spirit’s ministry every day

“…[We] walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. …For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God ” (Romans 8:4, 14)

-Dependency on the Spirit for every moment
-Spirit-filled lifestyle of obedience, wisdom, and self-sacrifice (Eph. 5:18)
-Boldness in personal witness and every-day evangelism
-Continually renewed by the Spirit and washed by the Word (Titus 3:5)
-Lives characterized by love and joy (Gal. 5:22)

Serving & the Summer Calendar

Community Carwash Outreach

-An army of volunteers seeking to serve
-Blessing for neighborhood & surrounding community
-Testimony of the presence of Christ working through us

Vacation Bible School

-Display of the love of Christ through the care for the children
-Big truths about God to be presented in a clear way
-Parents to be served as we reach out to their kids
-An influx of new families into the church as a result

Open House Sunday

-Visitors to feel a sense of community when they are with us
-Light of the Gospel to shine in the hearts of unbelievers (2 Cor. 4:6)
-Those who are weary of self-works to find rest in Christ (Matt. 11:28)
-Our joy & fruit of the Spirit to be evidence of God’s work among us

The Battle of Thoughts
2 Cor. 10:5

Battling the Attack on Truth

“We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God…” (2 Cor. 10:5a)

Defending truth in an age of…

-Marginalizing the clarity of Scripture and the knowability of God
-Belittling the preached Word and the proclamation of the Gospel
-Man-centeredness and the denial of God’s sovereignty
-Confusion about the Gospel and the work of Christ
-Emphasizing personal spirituality at the expense of the local church
-Muddling gender roles and the attack on Biblical manhood/womanhood

Battling our Functional Theology

“…and take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ” (2 Cor. 10:5b)

Fighting thoughts that…

-Temporary pleasures of sin are more satisfying than the joy of Christ
-Current situations of difficulty are outside the realm of Providence
-Past records of sin are beyond the reach of grace
-Our “common sense” and worldly wisdom are above the authority of God’s Word
-Another’s sin against me is greater than my sin before God
-Hidden sin will go away when I am ready to deal with it
-My husband/wife/child/friend will never change/repent/believe/come home/be healed

Praying with the Psalmist

Psalm 13 - How Long, O Lord?

“How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long…must I have sorrow in my heart?” (Psalm 13:1-2)

-Comfort for those who are suffering or are in a dark season (v. 2)
-Afflicted to experience a renewed sense of God’s nearness (v. 1)
-Those experiencing depression to be assured by God’s promises
-Those who suffer to be given a heart that trusts in the steadfast love of God, rejoices in His salvation, and sings in His sanctuary (v. 5-6)

Psalm 20 - Petitions for Grace

“May the Lord fulfill all of your petitions!” (Psalm 20:5)

-Protection in all of its forms (v. 1-2)
…From the seductive world and the lure of sin
…From doctrinal errors and ideas that shipwreck faith
…From functional unbelief and resistance to God
-God to sustain faith and empower ministry
-God to honor our worship and sacrifice (v. 3)
-Fresh joy and gratefulness for our salvation (v. 5)
-Removal of confidence in man— looking to God for victory (v. 7-9)

Psalm 145 - Passing the Baton of Faith

“One generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts” (Psalm 145:5)

-We would be a church that speaks unashamedly about the glory of God and the salvation He has wrought (v. 1-3)
-Constant streams of downward flow—fathers to sons, mothers to daughters, older to younger, singles to families—of celebrating the works of God (v. 4-5)

Praying the Scriptures

Texts to Consider

Take some time to read through a few of these passages, and pray out what the Lord brings to your mind through His Word.

Hebrews 10:19-39

Ephesians 3:14-21

Psalm 46

Psalm 13

John 10

Romans 12:1-8

Various

Mother’s Day 2009

“Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her” (Proverbs 31:28)

-Mother’s to experience the pleasure of God in their service
-Families to truly honor their mothers and grandmothers
-Young mothers in the church continually growing into women who are…
…Laboring diligently for the cause of Christ
…Having “theology in their minds and backbones of steel” (Piper)
…“Holy women who hope in their God” (1 Peter 3:5)
…Havens for their family and lovers of their homes
…Strong women with tender hearts

Reviving Spiritual Disciplines

“My soul thirst for God, for the living God” (Psalm 42:2).

-A people who characteristically thirst for God
-Daily experiencing God through His Word
-Growing in our knowledge of Christ and the Gospel
-Committed to the practice of personal and intercessory prayer
-Meditating on the character and attributes of God
-Fasting from the pleasures of earth to pursue delight in God
-Families who worship the Savior together regularly
-Pursuing the means of grace through serving others, participating in fellowship, and receiving the preached Word

Loving the Local Church

“God is not just saving individuals and preparing them for heaven. Rather, He is creating a people among whom He can live and who in their life together will reproduce God’s life and character” —Gordon Fee

Temple of God

“In [Christ] the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit” (Eph. 2:21-22)

-People of holiness who reflect God’s character
-Church distinguished by God’s manifest presence
-Church structured on the cornerstone of Christ
-Gathering as a place for God to dwell by His Spirit

Members of the Household

“So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God” (Eph. 2:19)

-Loving the church as Christ loves the church
“Every Christian should have his church enclosed within his heart, and be affected with its maladies, as if they were his own, sympathize with its sorrows, and bewail its sins” —John Calvin
-Valuing the corporate gathering & functional church membership
-Practicing Biblical fellowship & “iron sharpening iron”
-Cultivating an atmosphere of leading & following
-Serving the family of God as well as those outside the family

Praying the Beatitudes

Matt. 5:1-11

Students of Jesus

“Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. And he opened his mouth and taught them” (v. 1-2)

-Men and women committed to and living by Christ’s teaching
-Hearts that long to be directed by the rod & staff of their Shepherd
-Church filled with people who “receive with meekness the implanted Word, which is able to save your souls” (James 1:21)
-Abiding in Christ’s Word, and so proving to be His disciples (John 8:31)

Poor in Spirit

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. …Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (v. 3-5, 10)

-Eyes lifted from temporal possessions and pleasures to the eternal hope
-Fostering an atmosphere of humility and self-forgetfulness
“Naked, come to Thee for dress; helpless, look to Thee for grace”
-Gospel-comfort for those in the Body who mourn over sin
-Those suffering to hear Christ’s proclamation of “Blessed” over their life

Hunger & Thirst for Righteousness

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. …Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” (v. 6, 8 )

-More of Jesus Christ, our Righteousness! (1 Cor. 1:30)
-A church that displays the holiness of God
-Grace-motivated, joyful obedience to the commandments of Jesus
-Purity that is rooted in satisfaction in God