Lakeview Christian Center

When you pause to consider that God is infinitely strong and can do all that he pleases, and that he is infinitely righteous so that he only does what is right, and that he is infinitely good so that everything he does is perfectly good, and that he is infinitely wise so that he always knows perfectly what is right and good, and that he is infinitely loving so that in all his strength and righteousness and goodness and wisdom he raises the eternal joy of his loved ones as high as it can be raised—when you pause to consider this, then the lavish invitations of this God to ask him for good things, with the promise that he will give them, is unimaginably wonderful.

Listen to this sermon from John Piper.

On Tuesday nights, starting at 7p, if anyone would like to join us we will be praying during the Alpha meeting, interceding on behalf of those who will be attending. Prayer will be in the choir room next to the auditorium. We hope to see you there!

Code Word: ALPHA

The corporate prayer gathering on Saturday, September 8th will be dedicated to a special time of prayer for the Alpha course and those who have been invited. Many who are considering responding to an invitation or have been considering Christ are only a prayer away from the Kingdom of God. But those prayers MUST be prayed, they must be full of faith, and they must be persistent and prevailing!

Consider these thoughts from Michael Green in his book, “Sharing Your Faith”:

[Prayer] is one of the main ways in which Western Christianity is distinguished from African, Asian, and Latin American expressions of the faith. We rely on technology, on books, videos, organization—in a word, on making things happen. People in the two-thirds world are often deprived of these props, which is a good thing because it makes them rely on God to make things happen. Thus you find the level of faith, the commitment to prayer, and the practice of fasting infinitely more developed in these continents than in our own. It is no surprise that the gospel is spreading much faster and deeper there than it is in the West. … Where do we find nights of prayer in our Western churches that are commonplace in Africa and Asia? Where do we find the seriousness of purpose that is prepared to go without food for days in order to meet with God? … Are there people you are praying for daily? People for whom you cry out to God with deep concern—and sometimes skip a meal in order to do so? That is the first step in seeing them won to Christ. It never happens without prayer.

If you’ve invited someone to attend the Alpha course, then you simply must make prayer the priority at this time! If you’re concerned that the lost come to know freedom from sin, escape from judgment, and fullness of life that Jesus promised to His followers, then you simply must make prayer the priority at this time!

Time & Location: 9:00 AM, Saturday, September 8th at First Assembly auditorium.

On Mondays, the targets from the corporate prayer gathering on Saturday at 9a will be posted here. Here are this past weekend’s targets:

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“The Life We Were Meant to Live”

“And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. …And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. …And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.” (Acts 2:4; 42-44; 47)

A Spirit-Filled and Empowered Church (v. 4; 43)

-Manifest presence of the Holy Spirit in our local gathering – in corporate worship, the preaching of the Word, and the fellowship of the church
-Empowerment of the Spirit in our daily witness
-Fruit of the Spirit that demonstrates that we are a joyful, set apart church
-Gifts of the Spirit that edify, equip, and serve our church

A Praying, Fellowshipping, and Discipling Church (v. 42)

-Church to be characterized by a mission-minded prayer life
-Lives that testify to the importance of the gathering and fellowship of the church
-An atmosphere of discipling and being disciple – being trained in the Gospel while training others
-A Church that is “devoted to the apostles’ teaching” (v. 42) – students of the Word of God and disciples of truth

A Self-Sacrificing, Kingdom-Minded, Risk-Taking Church (v. 44-47)

-Giving that demonstrates that the kingdom of Christ is our greatest priority
-Sacrificial lives that are others-oriented
-Faith to be “risk-takers” for God’s economy
-That as we step out in dependence upon God, he would “add to our number daily” (v. 47)