All right, let me explain. As you guys are coming in, I'm going to keep explaining. If you are sitting on one of these seats, it's with the expectation that you're going to be on the ground when we pray. If for whatever the reason that you can't get on the ground, you will be sitting in the back or in the back, the other, in the room area.

So if you are sitting here, it's with the understanding that you will be. And then this front area is going to be used for prayer. We're going to be asking later on if you want to be prayed for or you're going to walk around and pray for others, we're going to ask you to come to this area.

So as you're coming in, I'm going to keep explaining. So make sure that people-- and you're going to have to sit because we only have set up just enough chairs. So you will have nobody in between you, meaning that you can't have your Bibles or your stuff sitting next to you to create a gap.

So don't put anything other than the person on the seat. Unless you're saving it for somebody, somebody is going to come and sit. So every seat is going to be taken that is set up right now, just to give you a heads up, including the front. We need some of you to sit in the front row, the very front row to the left or to the right.

So basically, we start at 7, what, 735? And I'm going to go probably about 25, 30 minutes each. About 25, 30 minutes. And then I'm going to just have them pray. I'm going to explain that and pray. And then 10 minutes before the end, Pastor Nate, Pastor Mark, and I, Peter, and I, each one of us are going to come represent us in prayer.

And that will be it. So the third one I pray, that will be it. I'm going to-- Yeah, closing something, and then that will be it. So mine will be the closing prayer. I'm not coming in on that all. (chattering) (gentle music) (chattering) (chattering) (gentle music) (chattering) (gentle music) (chattering) (gentle music) (chattering) (gentle music) (chattering) (gentle music) (chattering) (gentle music) (chattering) (gentle music) (chattering) (gentle music) (chattering) (gentle music) (chattering) - All right, as you guys are coming in, I'm gonna explain, if you are sitting up here in any of the front, the brown chairs, that's with the understanding that when we're having time to pray that you're gonna be on the ground.

And for whatever reason, you can't or you're not expected to do that, you can sit in the back area or in the back room, okay? And because we don't have enough chairs, there is no space, okay? So if you have bag on a seat that you're not gonna sit in, can you please put it underneath your seat?

Because unless you're saving it for somebody, okay? So we don't have enough space, so every seat is going to be taken. If you do have small children that won't be participating in the prayer, if you can help us by not taking those seats and sitting in the white chair somewhere so that when it's time for prayer, okay, yeah, you're gonna have to take, every seat is gonna be taken, and then there's gonna be overflow in the white chairs, okay?

So if you feel awkward with the person sitting next to you, you're gonna have to get over it today, okay? Every seat's gonna be taken, okay? There's some front seats here for the people who are coming in a little bit later. Please come sit in the front up here, okay?

Over there, oh, there's people there already, okay. We're gonna give it a few more minutes before we get started, but if we can have some people sit up in the front here as you're coming in, because we need to fill these front side. Again, every seat's gonna be taken, so if you have a seat in between you hoping no one will sit, it's not gonna happen.

Might as well choose who you're gonna sit next to, okay? So if there is a seat next to you with nobody sitting there, please fill those seats. Again, as I said, we only have about, I don't know how many, 100, 200 chairs, and we usually have over 300, okay?

Which means people who are coming in late are gonna have to sit on the white chairs, and then I'll explain. If later on, and I'm gonna explain again one more time, the front space here is left for prayer, where we're gonna ask later on if you want to be prayed for to come up to the front, and if you wanna just kinda move around and freely pray for other people, we're gonna ask you to come up to the front.

So if you are planning to do that, sit closer to the front, okay? So when I ask you to come, you guys can be easier to come to the front, okay? Like I said, every seat's gonna be taken, so if you are coming in, let's say if you're sitting by yourself and there's two spaces next to you, or there's one in between and one in between, can you guys kinda scoot over so we can make space for other people?

Okay. And if we can have the service team who'll set up the chairs, if you guys can go get some more white chairs, we're gonna run out of chairs, okay? I don't know if the other team is out getting chairs. So just have the chairs ready back there, okay?

(faint speaking) There's two seats up in the front here. Is that open? It's open, okay. There's two seats up in the front. If you guys have seats in between, can you scoot over? Okay? If you have seats next to you that nobody's sitting in, can you scoot over all the way?

Unless you're saving that seat for somebody. There's a couple seats here. There's a few seats here. Okay, there's some... Okay. Okay, come on in. (faint speaking) Yeah, so later on, when we get on the ground to pray, you can just, we can just move out the white seats. So we'll put more white seats in the back.

There are still seats here. There's two seats over there. Okay. There's two seats over there, and there's two seats over here. Okay. Is that seat taken right there? It's taken? This seat right there, is it taken? Okay. Yeah, there's some seats over here, so come on in, fill it in.

As I said, we are gonna run out of seats, and I deliberately made it uncomfortable, so. (faint speaking) This is planned. Okay. Try to find seats somewhere, or sit on the white chair for now. You can grab the white chairs and put it, go onto the sides too. If the back there is crowded, you can just grab the white chairs, and there's some space in the left, and just go sit over there.

If you have to sit in the aisle with the white chairs, you can do that too. Okay. When we begin to pray, we're gonna get rid of them anyway. So if we, yeah, okay, there's more seats back there. Yeah, set some white chairs over here on the side, and maybe some more white chairs in the aisle.

(faint speaking) We can put two more aisles here, right here, down this, in the middle. (faint speaking) We can put some more right here too, in the middle. (faint speaking) (soft piano music) Okay. (soft piano music) ♪ I will trust my Savior Jesus ♪ ♪ When my darkest hours before ♪ ♪ Trust Him when my strength is low ♪ ♪ For I know that my Savior is near ♪ ♪ I will trust my Savior Jesus ♪ ♪ When my darkest hours before ♪ ♪ I will trust my Savior Jesus ♪ ♪ When my strength is low ♪ ♪ For I know that Savior Jesus ♪ ♪ Is the safest place of all ♪ ♪ Jesus, only Jesus ♪ ♪ Help me trust you more and more ♪ ♪ Jesus, only Jesus ♪ ♪ May my heart be ever yours ♪ ♪ I will trust my Savior Jesus ♪ ♪ He has set His way in space ♪ ♪ And I know the path He's chosen ♪ ♪ Leads to everlasting rest ♪ ♪ Jesus, only Jesus ♪ ♪ Help me trust you more and more ♪ ♪ Jesus, only Jesus ♪ ♪ May my heart be ever yours ♪ (upbeat music) ♪ Oh, on that cross ♪ ♪ Oh, on that cross ♪ ♪ How it was seen ♪ ♪ I can go now ever trusting ♪ ♪ In the one who died for me ♪ ♪ What could I bring ♪ ♪ For your gift is complete ♪ ♪ So I trust you, simply trust you ♪ ♪ Lord with every part of me ♪ ♪ Jesus, only Jesus ♪ ♪ Help me trust you more and more ♪ ♪ Jesus, only Jesus ♪ ♪ May my heart be ever yours ♪ ♪ Jesus, only Jesus ♪ ♪ Help me trust you more and more ♪ ♪ Jesus, only Jesus ♪ ♪ May my heart be ever yours ♪ Let's pray.

Father, we come before you this evening, thankful Lord God for an opportunity to gather as your church to pray, to sing these praises to you for you are worthy. You are so worthy of our praise. Lord God, humble us. Help us realize Lord God that we cannot, we cannot live this life Lord God without your strength, without your spirit's empowerment.

We ask Lord God for brokenness. We ask for perspective. We ask Lord God that we can experience you and see Lord God how great and awesome you are. Help us Lord God put away the distractions in our mind and our hearts. Help us to fix our gaze upon Christ.

We ask Lord God that this time of singing, this time of prayer may be sweet. That we may have true fellowship with you. That you bless our hearts Lord God, that you magnify yourself through this time of prayer. Knit our hearts together Lord God, to realize Lord God that there's so much happening around us Lord God, that we can easily fall into.

But we ask Lord God that you, that you give us the desire Lord God to honor you in every aspect of our life. So we thank you and entrust this time to you. It's in Christ's name we pray, amen. Church family, why don't we stand together? We're gonna sing these few songs together.

(upbeat music) (upbeat music) ♪ From the brightness of his glory ♪ ♪ From the brightness of his glory ♪ ♪ Jesus, the son of God descends ♪ ♪ Takes on the nature of a servant ♪ ♪ Jesus, obedient to death ♪ ♪ Father, the Father will to crush him ♪ ♪ As a sacrifice for sin ♪ ♪ He satisfied God's justice ♪ ♪ And in victory rose again ♪ ♪ You are highly exalted ♪ ♪ Name above all names ♪ ♪ Worthy of all praise ♪ ♪ You are reigning in glory ♪ ♪ Jesus, you're the king over everything ♪ He's exalted.

♪ Exalted to the highest place ♪ ♪ Given the name above all others ♪ ♪ The Father name ♪ Sing it out. ♪ The tomb is empty ♪ ♪ The tomb is empty, Christ is risen ♪ ♪ Jesus, the lamb once crucified ♪ ♪ The angels never cease to worship ♪ ♪ Jesus in heaven glorified ♪ To him.

♪ To him belongs the power ♪ ♪ The wisdom, might and strength ♪ ♪ All glory, Lord ♪ ♪ All glory and dominion ♪ ♪ To the Lord of every age ♪ ♪ You are highly exalted ♪ ♪ Name above all names ♪ ♪ Worthy of all praise ♪ ♪ You are reigning in glory ♪ ♪ Jesus, you're the king over everything ♪ He's exalted.

♪ Exalted to the highest place ♪ ♪ Given the name above all other names ♪ ♪ The Father name ♪ ♪ Our knees will bow ♪ ♪ Our knees will bow ♪ ♪ Our toes proclaim ♪ ♪ That you are Lord of all ♪ ♪ Our knees will bow ♪ ♪ Our toes proclaim ♪ ♪ That you are Lord of all ♪ ♪ Our knees will bow ♪ ♪ Our toes proclaim ♪ ♪ That you are Lord of all ♪ ♪ You are highly exalted ♪ ♪ Name above all names ♪ ♪ Worthy of all praise ♪ ♪ You are reigning in glory ♪ ♪ Jesus, you're the king over everything ♪ ♪ Exalted to the highest place ♪ ♪ Given the name above all other names ♪ ♪ All other names ♪ ♪ Oh, kneel me down again ♪ ♪ Here at your feet ♪ ♪ Show me how much you love humility ♪ ♪ Oh, spirit be the star ♪ ♪ That leads me to you ♪ ♪ The humble heart of love ♪ ♪ I see in you ♪ ♪ You are the God of the broken ♪ ♪ The friend of the weak ♪ ♪ You wash the feet of the weary ♪ ♪ Embrace the ones in need ♪ ♪ I want to be like you, Jesus ♪ ♪ To have this heart in me ♪ ♪ You are the God of the humble ♪ ♪ You are the humble king ♪ ♪ You are the humble king ♪ ♪ Oh, kneel me down again ♪ ♪ Here at your feet ♪ ♪ Show me how much you love humility ♪ ♪ Oh, spirit be the star ♪ ♪ That leads me to you ♪ ♪ The humble heart of love ♪ ♪ I see in you ♪ ♪ I see in you ♪ Sing it out, you are the God.

♪ You are the God of the broken ♪ ♪ The friend of the weak ♪ ♪ You wash the feet of the weary ♪ ♪ Embrace the ones in need ♪ ♪ I want to be like you, Jesus ♪ ♪ To have this heart in me ♪ ♪ You are the God of the humble ♪ ♪ You are the humble king ♪ ♪ You are the God of the humble ♪ ♪ You are the humble king ♪ ♪ Come let us worship and bow down ♪ ♪ Let us kneel before the Lord our God our maker ♪ ♪ Come let us worship and bow down ♪ ♪ Let us kneel before the Lord our God our maker ♪ ♪ For he is our God ♪ ♪ And we are the people of his pasture ♪ ♪ And the sheep of his hand ♪ ♪ Just the sheep of his hand ♪ Sing it out one more time, come let us worship.

♪ Come let us worship and bow down ♪ ♪ Let us kneel before the Lord our God our maker ♪ ♪ Come let us worship and bow down ♪ ♪ Let us kneel before the Lord our God our maker ♪ ♪ For he is our God ♪ ♪ And we are the people of his pasture ♪ ♪ And the sheep of his hand ♪ ♪ Just the sheep of his hand ♪ ♪ And the sheep of his hand ♪ ♪ Just the sheep of his hand ♪ Amen, you may be seated.

(congregation applauding) (bell tolling) If I can have the lights turned on. For prayer time we'll keep it like this, but okay, that's good. So I know some of you guys were wondering why did I all of a sudden want to do this? And some of you guys were probably grumbling, why is he making us get on the ground?

So I'm gonna give my case for it and then you can grumble afterwards. So let me just kind of give you a breakdown of what's gonna happen tonight. After I give my exhortation and explanation, we're gonna take some time afterwards to pray and hopefully you brought something. If you didn't bring anything, you have good news, you should be fine.

Otherwise, take off your jacket and then you can put it down, okay? If you don't have anything. And those of you who can't for physical reasons or whatever, you guys can just kind of pray in your seat so it's not like you have to do this. And then about halfway through, you're gonna have about 40 minutes to pray, but in the halfway mark, our praise team's gonna come up and they're gonna lead us in one song.

And then after that, we're gonna invite people to come up in this front area, okay? And if you would like for the leadership to come and pray for you, you can come up in the front and we'll ask you briefly, how would you want us to pray for you?

Then afterwards, you can either go back to your seat or you can stay up here and pray for one another, okay? You can move around and pray for your friends and pray for your family members. And it doesn't have to be limited to up here. You can move around and if people are praying, there's plenty of, there should be plenty of room to move around.

So that's how it's going to be. That's how we're gonna be doing that. Are you guys not gonna go down there? Okay, they're gonna stay here, so don't pretend like they're not here, all right? Second Chronicles 7, 13 to 15. This is a text that we're gonna be looking at.

If I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people, and if my people who are called by my name humble themselves and pray, and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven.

I will forgive their sin, heal their land. Now my eyes will be open to the ears, attentive to the prayers offered in this place. So let me pray for us. (pastor whispers) Heavenly Father, we pray for your grace. We pray for devotion. I know, Father God, that every soul in this room has urgent things to pray for, whether we feel they are urgent or not.

Help us, Lord God, to make this a house of prayer. So give us strength, give us insight that we may draw closer to you. In Jesus' name we pray, amen. So why am I asking you to kneel today for prayer? This may be strange to you, but it is not strange to the world.

And it may be strange to us, but it is not strange to previous generations. The way we pray is uniquely us, uniquely this generation, it is uniquely Western. If you do any traveling, you'll notice that predominantly kneeling prayer is the most common way that people do pray. So we're the ones who are oddballs, to be honest, not the norm.

I'm gonna give you three reasons why I'm gonna ask you to pray. And I'm not saying that from this day forward that when you pray or when we pray that we're gonna pray this way, but for the purpose of understanding why we're doing this today, I'm gonna give you three things from this text.

First of all, it is a posture of desperation. The text that we read is the dedication of the temple. And God says to Israel, "If I shut up the heavens." He doesn't say if it just shuts up. He doesn't say if famine comes or the rain doesn't come. He said, "If I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, "or if I command the locusts to devour the land, "or if I send pestilence among my people." In other words, when you realize how desperate you are.

When I put you in a position where you have to pray, when I allow certain things to happen in your life, when I withhold certain things that you are desperate for, when I do this, and he says, "Why does he do this?" In order to get our attention. In order to get our attention, he says, "When you recognize your desperation," he says, "then you come to pray." The truth of the matter is, we don't need a famine to be desperate.

We don't need to be having financial problems or to get sick. I know for a fact that every single one of you has something that you're desperate for. Every single one of you. Now, it may not look different, it may not sound different, but every single one of us do.

Maybe you are aware of it. Some of you have just come to accept it. Now, there may be other things in your life, but there's two things that are very specific that he says that we need to be desperate for. And that is, we need to be desperate to conquer our sins.

In 1 Thessalonians 4.3, it says, "For this is the will of God." I mean, how often do you pray for the Lord's will? Am I gonna marry this person? Should I go to that school? What should I do? But here it says clearly, "This is the will of God." This is the will of God.

As much as we pray for his will and job and circumstance, relationships, the Bible does not make clear who you ought to marry. The Bible does not make clear what job you ought to have, where you should go. But this is clear. "This is my will," he says, "that your sanctification, your holiness, "that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality." That is not a wish, that is not a suggestion.

He said it is his will. Now, especially because our church is young, and you don't have to be young to be struggling with this. I think in our generation, one of the primary ways that you are being attacked, that we are being attacked, is sexual promiscuity, whether with your body, with your eyes, with your thoughts, with your ears.

Sexual immorality is so rampant in our generation that every single church, every single Christian has been in some way compromised. And the scary thing is, most churches and most Christians have just accepted that that's normal. It is not. It is not the will of God. If you're sitting here because of habitual sexual sin, you are desperate.

You sought out counsel, accountability, read books, but you are desperate. You need the power of God. You need the power of God. You are desperate. Hebrews chapter 12 where it says, therefore, since we have so a greater cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us.

The sexual sin, and again, it's not the only sin, but the sexual sin so easily entangled. You don't have to do much. You don't have to seek it out. You don't have to be determined. It comes looking for you. It says every encumbrance, everything that leads you there, everything that causes you to compromise, he says lay it aside and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.

This sin is so serious, he says in Hebrews chapter four, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin. How have we allowed in our generation that sexual immorality is so casual that it's spoken of even up in the pulpit, even pastors?

Like it's just art. Everybody struggles with it. What God desires is that you feel bad. No, it is not the will of God. We are desperate. And so kneeling before the Lord is a posture of desperation, to pray with desperation. Lord, help me, deliver me. I want to conquer this sin.

I want to conquer this sin. I am begging you to help me to conquer this sin. This evening when we pray, we get on our knees and we should be in a posture of desperation, crying out to God for help. When you're desperate, you don't come to the Lord casually.

When you're desperate, you don't pray casually. You don't approach him casually. We need to be desperate about those who are lost. We say we believe this. And there's people that you love. I mean, you love them. Your mom, your dad, your brother, your sister, your son, your daughter. You love them.

You would give your life for them. You love them so much. But how desperate are you in prayer for them? We need to be desperate. And even if they're not our brothers, even if they're not loved ones, even if they may be people that we don't even like, he says, "Not much as it is appointed "for all men to die once.

"After this comes judgment." This is not a slap on the hands. This is not time out. He says it's eternal fire, gnashing of teeth. And there is no relief. We need to be desperate. When we pray for our loved ones, that we don't pray casually, we don't pray like, if you answer it, okay, if you don't answer it, that's fine.

No, we need to pray in such a way where I cannot stop praying until you answer my prayers. So when we kneel, it is a position of desperation. If, knowing all of that, your heart has become so hardened, you're doing Bible study, memorizing Scripture, you're part of church, but you're not desperate to pray for them.

And pray for desperation of your own heart. Something has gone seriously wrong. And we can confess this and feel nothing for the lost. So if you can't pray desperately for your family and friends who don't know Christ, then you need to be praying desperately for yourself, 'cause you are the one who is in need of prayer.

So whether we are praying for our loved ones or whether we are praying for ourselves, we need to pray with desperation. Secondly, it is a posture of humility. It says, if my people were called by my name, when you recognize your desperation, if you're called by my name, and humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, it says we need to humble ourselves.

Okay? So kneeling is a posture of humility, that we are coming not to simply banker or friend, but it says to the throne of grace. The reason why we're coming to him is because he is above us. He's greater than us in authority and in power and in honor.

And so our posture should represent humility. So he says, if my people, he didn't just just pray, but he says humble themselves and pray, that we are coming to the throne. In our indesperations, in our culture, everything has become so casual, especially in California, that sometimes we give more consideration and respect to Starbucks barista.

How do we address them? How do we talk to them? We don't want to offend them. And yet we don't give a much thought about approaching the throne of God. You know the word glory? Bible says all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Glory basically literally means weighty, something serious.

So if salvation is to be restored to that glory, means for his children to recognize the weightiness of his presence in our lives. Weightiness of what it is that we are actually doing. We are coming in the presence of a thrice holy God, desperate for him to answer our prayers.

Sometimes our casualness in the way that we approach God already nullifies what we're going to pray for. Because it already establishes that we don't know who we're praying to. Even before we utter a single word, we already are projecting that this time of prayer is without recognition that it is in the presence of a thrice holy God.

You know in Africa, they say that one of the most dangerous animals are hippos. You know people say, you got lions there, you got all kinds of dangerous animals, but it's hippos. And the reason why the hippos are so dangerous is because people don't think it's dangerous. So if any of you have ever been to Africa, you'll see hippos just roaming around, just randomly in some lake.

And you may be tempted to go near to the hippo. And that's how most people get bitten or killed by hippos. Hippos are very territorial. So they're docile, they're slow, you know they're always almost moving in slow motion. But their bite has 2,000 pounds, twice the strength of an average lion.

They said that they can get up to a speed of 19 miles per hour. So when they want to move, they can move. And they said an average adult male athlete, average, runs about 18 and a half miles. So again, average. Meaning a hippo can easily run down if it gets angry.

And that's the reason why so many people die, because they don't recognize the danger of the hippo. When we come to the Lord in prayer, many in our generation do not recognize who we're praying to. There's a casualness about coming to him that causes us to be reckless with our words, the content of our prayer.

And sometimes we pray for other people to hear in the presence of a holy God. First Corinthians 3, 16 and 17, Paul says to the Corinthian church, because they were in fighting, and their pride was getting in the way, and the way to warn them about what they were doing and the consequence, he says, do you not know that you are the temple of God, and that the spirit of God dwells in you?

In other words, do you understand what your gathering is? Do you understand what your salvation means? Do you understand what union with Christ means? Do you understand what has happened to you? That that holy God that you could not even approach now is dwelling in you. In other words, understand the weightiness of what it is that you have.

If any man destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him. Just as Jesus was jealous for his father's house, he says, God is jealous for the church. For the temple of God is holy, and that is what you are. So we kneel because we are desperate, and we kneel because we recognize who it is that we are coming to.

Thirdly, the kneeling is a posture of devotion. That we're dedicated to do this. We're not just doing this because it's Friday. We're not doing this 'cause my other plans fell out or everybody else is kinda doing it. We need to be committed to pray. Jacob, the name of Jacob means one who wrestles with God.

You think that was by accident? That God named him that? The one who wrestles with God because God wants his people to wrestle, to seek him with all their heart, to want nothing more than to have him near, to be desperate for him more than anything else. And so his story teaches us to be wrestling with God, to contend with God.

Proverbs 8, 17, it says, I love those who love me and those who diligently love me. Diligently seek me, will find me. It doesn't say those who simply find, look for him, it's diligently seek him. Kneeling is a posture of devotion. I'm going to pray. I'm going to seek him out.

Jeremiah 29, 13, you will seek me and find me when you search me with all your heart. Not just when you're alert, not just when you're not tired, not just when you're young, not just when you're healthy, not just when you're not distracted, but with all your heart. Let me ask you a question.

Don't say it out loud, but I want you to think it to yourself. I can't pray when or if. And finish that sentence in your mind. I can't pray when or if. Let me ask you another question. I can't go to work when or if. I can't care for my kids when or if.

Or I can't go to church when or if. I can't study the Bible when or if. Now I pose that question to you because of all the things I presented to you, the easiest thing for us to neglect is prayer. Because we say, "I can't pray because I'm tired.

"I can't pray because I'm too old. "I can't pray because it's too late. "I can't pray because there's not enough time. "I can't pray because there's too many people around me. "I can't pray because it's too noisy. "I can't pray because there's a lot of children around me. "I can't pray because I gotta make breakfast.

"I can't pray because I have to read my Bible." And it doesn't take much for us to fill in those blanks and say, "I can't pray because." But imagine if we were that easily thwarted from our path and say, "I can't take care of my kids if they don't listen to me.

"I can't feed my kids if they don't wake up in time. "I can't take them to school "if they don't put on the right socks. "I can't go to church if it rains. "I can't go to church if my car has some problems." Imagine what the rest of our life would look like if we so easily gave in.

With every other thing that we consider important, we push ourselves, we make it work, because not doing it is not acceptable. Prayer, of all the things that I have mentioned, should be on the top. I have to pray. I have to pray. And that's why we are devoting ourselves to pray this evening.

Don't pray for things that you don't care about. Don't make a list of things to pray and check it off and you don't really care, not really if God answers this or not. Pray for things that matter to you, even if it's just one thing. When you come before the Lord and you're gonna petition God Almighty, make sure it matters.

So this evening, when we come to God in prayer, recognize the desperation. Humble ourselves before the Lord. You're not doing it for me, you're not doing it for each other, but before God, and be committed, committed to pray. If you fall asleep, go get a drink. If you don't know and your mind keeps wandering, persevere, remember scripture.

If your knees hurt, get up and stretch or come back. If people around you are praying too loud and it's bothering you, move away. But don't stop praying. Be devoted to pray. So let me ask you, those of you who are able to get on your knees. Again, I'm not mandating this.

To commit yourself to pray this morning. And if I can have the lights turned down. And I want you to really search your heart. What is it that you need to pray for? If you're struggling in sin, and you become callous, cry out to God. I am desperate, help me Lord, help me.

I'm so sick and tired. I'm desperate. Cry out to God. If you have a loved one in your family, that do not know the Lord. If that doesn't make you desperate, what's gonna make you desperate? Come before the Lord and cry out. Don't worry about what other people are gonna think.

Don't let the thoughts of pride prevent you from crying out to God. If you wanna pray out loud, pray out loud. Don't worry about the people around you. Show God that you mean business. Let him hear you. And cry, cry out. Let me start us off. And I'll give you the rest of the time to pray.

And as I mentioned, later on I'll invite you to come if you wanna be prayed for. Heavenly Father, we come before you because we are desperate. Lord, we live in such lives of comfort. There's no war, there's no persecution. We have warm houses our children are taken care of.

And because of that, sometimes we forget how desperate we are. So please, Lord, open our eyes, soften our hearts, remind us of our desperation so that we would pray with a sense of urgency. Help us, Lord God, to humble ourselves before your throne. That you are a God of power.

You created this universe. If you will, you can do anything. Help us, Lord God, to pray in such a way that we recognize that who we are meeting. Help us, Lord, to be devoted to pray. Not to simply put in our time, not to simply go down the list of things, but with desperation, with urgency.

Help us to learn to pray with endurance. So we entrust this time to you and ask for your Holy Spirit to groan with words that we cannot understand on our behalf, that you would teach us how to pray. In Jesus' name we pray, amen. Let's pray. (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) ♪ I'll bring you more than a song ♪ ♪ For a song in itself ♪ ♪ Is not what you have required ♪ ♪ You search much deeper within ♪ ♪ Through the way things appear ♪ ♪ Before looking into my heart ♪ ♪ I'm coming back to the heart of worship ♪ ♪ And it's all about you ♪ ♪ It's all about you, Jesus ♪ ♪ I'm sorry, Lord, for the thing I've made it ♪ ♪ When it's all about you ♪ ♪ It's all about you, Jesus ♪ ♪ When the music fades ♪ ♪ All is stripped away ♪ ♪ And I simply come ♪ ♪ Longing just to bring ♪ ♪ Something that's a word ♪ ♪ That will bless your heart ♪ ♪ I'll bring you more than a song ♪ ♪ For a song in itself ♪ ♪ Is not what you have required ♪ ♪ Is not what you have required ♪ ♪ You search much deeper within ♪ ♪ Through the way things appear ♪ ♪ You're looking into my heart ♪ ♪ I'm coming back to the heart of worship ♪ ♪ And it's all about you ♪ ♪ It's all about you, Jesus ♪ ♪ I'm sorry, Lord, for the thing I've made it ♪ ♪ When it's all about you ♪ ♪ It's all about you, Jesus ♪ - This is the King of Endless Word.

♪ King of Endless Word ♪ ♪ No one could express ♪ ♪ How much you deserve ♪ ♪ Though I'm weak and poor ♪ ♪ All I have is yours ♪ ♪ Every single breath ♪ ♪ I'll bring you more than a song ♪ ♪ For a song in itself ♪ ♪ Is not what you have required ♪ ♪ You search much deeper within ♪ ♪ Through the way things appear ♪ ♪ You're looking into my heart ♪ ♪ I'm coming back to the heart of worship ♪ ♪ And it's all about you ♪ ♪ It's all about you, Jesus ♪ ♪ I'm sorry, Lord, for the thing I've made it ♪ ♪ When it's all about you ♪ ♪ It's all about you, Jesus ♪ ♪ I'm coming back to the heart of worship ♪ ♪ And it's all about you ♪ ♪ It's all about you, Jesus ♪ ♪ I'm sorry, Lord, for the thing I've made it ♪ ♪ When it's all about you ♪ ♪ It's all about you, Jesus ♪ ♪ I'm sorry, Lord, for the thing I've made it ♪ ♪ When it's all about you, Jesus ♪ ♪ I'm coming back to the heart of worship ♪ ♪ And it's all about you, Jesus ♪ ♪ I'm sorry, Lord, for the thing I've made it ♪ ♪ When it's all about you, Jesus ♪ ♪ I'm sorry, Lord, for the thing I've made it ♪ ♪ When it's all about you, Jesus ♪ ♪ I'm sorry, Lord, for the thing I've made it ♪ ♪ When it's all about you, Jesus ♪ ♪ I'm sorry, Lord, for the thing I've made it ♪ ♪ When it's all about you, Jesus ♪ ♪ I'm sorry, Lord, for the thing I've made it ♪ ♪ When it's all about you, Jesus ♪ ♪ I'm sorry, Lord, for the thing I've made it ♪ ♪ When it's all about you, Jesus ♪ ♪ I'm sorry, Lord, for the thing I've made it ♪ ♪ When it's all about you, Jesus ♪ (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) - All right.

(gentle piano music) Our pastors are going to lead us in a time of corporate prayer. So if I can ask you guys to get back in your seats, then Pastor Nate is going to come and pray for the theme of our church, evangelism and prayer. And then Pastor Peter is going to come and pray for our Sunday worship, for the ministry that's going on in our church.

And then I will pray for the leaders of our country and wrap us up in prayer before our worship team leads us. So if I can invite Pastor Nate to come. All right, let's pray. Father, we gather because we have nowhere else to turn. And we pray to you, Father, because we are so weak.

And God, we cry out to you and we are desperate for you because you are all we want and you're all we need. And Lord, as we come to you in prayer, as that's been our desire for years now, God, we take a look and wonder at how far we've come and we look and see at the state of our own hearts.

And God, we lay ourselves down again and say again how much we need you. Father, would you continue to work in our hearts to change us, that our prayers might be heavy with the entirety of our hearts. And so God, we pray that we would be a church that prays.

And Father, that it would not be an emotion-filled night. It would be the breath that's in us. And God, I pray for our theme, that not only in just prayer for all the things that we need, but God, that we would be ever expanding into a heart that resembles yours.

God, that our prayers would be your kingdom come and your will be done. That our prayers would not be just what I want or what my heart is filled with, but it would be what your heart is filled with. And God, that we would look upon the words that you've penned in your word and that we would have that heart.

And God, that you would cause us to open up our lips and it would be the things that you want, that you desire salvation to fall upon this world. And so God, we pray that we would be a church that builds this kind of culture, that has that kind of heartbeat, that sharing the gospel, Lord, would come out because it is squeezed out of us.

Father, that's what we want, because that's what you want. And God, as we pray to you, I pray that our hearts would change more towards yours and that we wouldn't draw you towards ours. Father, we pray that our church would do evangelism and would share the gospel because it is not just something theoretical that we are called to do in obedience, but it would be an overflow of our hearts.

God, that our prayers to you in evangelism would be desire-filled, that it will be because we see you clearly, we know what you want, we know who you are. Father, that we would see so clearly your beauty, your worth, your value. And God, that we would so long for this world to see that of our God.

We pray, God, that our sharing of the gospel would be personal and not theoretical, that it will overflow out of our love for you. God, that we would be speaking to people of the God we love, of the God who's changed us, who's changed our lives, who's opened our eyes, who's been gracious to me, who's been compassionate and kind to me.

God, that it wouldn't be just apologetics. Lord, it would be intimate to us that those around us might see the impact you've made in our lives, that you have upended us, that you have wrecked us, that you have changed us, and that every desire of our hearts now go along a different flow.

We pray, God, that we would not be ashamed of the gospel, that we would not operate out of a fear of man. God, that we look up at you and not just see a great God, but a fearsome God, a God who hates sin. And so when we come across people, we would not just be trying to win over people with winsome words that are so contrived, but Lord, that we would present a God who hates sin, and God, that we won't shirk back in fear towards what they might think of us, that we would not be so afraid of how we might be seen, but Lord, that we would be pleading with people to turn away from their sin and to repent and to confess before a God whose judgment is coming.

Father, we pray, God, then for urgency. God, that our hearts would break and that we would fear for those who have yet to receive reconciliation and peace with you. God, that it might cause our lives to change, that we wouldn't be following after everything else that the world is following, that we wouldn't waste time just going after just random things, but Lord, that our hearts would constantly be going after those who are still under your judgment.

We pray, God, for all of the things that we're trying to do as a church, Lord, to remember these things. God, we pray for the evangelism training and the outings that we're going out on all this month. God, as we go out to these different places, to UTC, to South Coast Plaza, to Newport, to Huntington Beach, to Orange Circle, to Irvine Spectrum, Lord, that as our teams are going out, as we're going out two by two, sharing the gospel, Lord, that you would open doors for the gospel to be both preached and for hearts to be reached.

We pray, God, that we would have faith in your word, that it is so strong to change the hardest of hearts and that we would go out as people who have faith in your word. We pray, God, that there would be boldness in your children and that we would go out not in fear again, but in joy and in hope and in a longing for people to turn away from their sin and to receive the great grace that can come from the only God who can save.

God, as we train that we would be a surrendered people who are emptied of self, people who aren't just going out evangelizing as a second and side thought, but Lord, that we would be people who are done pursuing after the things of this world and that we would be wholly be used by you.

God, we pray for our missionaries, for each one that's out there. We pray, God, for our summer missions team to Korea. We pray, God, that even as you've called us here to reach out to the different locations that are around, to our coworkers, to our family and friends, God, that if we want to resemble your hearts, we also need to have a global desire.

Father, that we want your word to reach out to the ends of the earth. I pray, Father, that we wouldn't limit your reach in us, that you would even raise up people here in this room that would desire for that gospel to be taken, that we would lay down our lives wherever and however.

And so, God, we pray for our missionaries, for our India pastors, pray for Pastor Alex and all the others. God, we pray, Father, that you would place in them a strong desire, Lord, not to forget what you've called them to. Give them boldness and courage and strength, and in those times of darkness and need, would you help them, God, to know your peace.

Father, we pray for them to be able to see fruit, and we pray, God, more so for continued faithfulness in them. In those moments where they want to give up, in those moments where the enemy tries to lead astray, God, that you would strengthen them, and that you would cause them, God, to turn to you and cling to you again and again and again, and that they would never give up.

Father, we pray for more workers in this harvest. God, we look out at a world, and we pray, God, that you would strengthen them. God, sometimes we want to give up, but Father, we again place our faith in you and raise us up, God, to not look out with natural eyes but with spiritual ones.

Father, that you would cause us to share the gospel, and you would cause this church to be your hands and feet, and you would make this church, and God, your church universal, that in a time when the world seems so dark, raise up more and more workers in this harvest.

Father, that we would lay down our careers, our dreams and our aspirations, our hopes, our desires, fully and wholly towards you. And God, until the day we can see you again, Lord, that you would keep us faithful. Amen, God. In Jesus' name I pray, amen. Father, we draw before you, asking you to protect this church, that you would use this church.

Lord, we know that you love us, and you called us to worship in spirit and in truth. And as our numbers grow, Father, there is great temptation just to perform, to be efficient, to be professional. And there's a lot of pressure to do things the way in which our instinct and our gifts and our abilities would dictate.

But Lord, would you remind us again and again and again that apart from you we can do nothing? So would you guard and protect this pulpit, first and foremost, that every man that stands here, proclaiming, "Thus saith the Lord," that you would help every man that comes to this pulpit to be a man of integrity, a man who has saturated the words on the page with many tears and with much prayer and much supplication, that the desire would not be to manipulate or to tickle any ears, but to feed the sheep.

And especially, Lord God, for Pastor Peter, as his shoulders become heavier and heavier, I pray for much grace, that you would give him health, that you would give him zeal, and that you would give him an even greater love for the sheep that are in this fold, that when he prepares each week, Lord, that they would be your words that he proclaims.

And Lord, I pray also for the praise team that prepares week in and week out. And there is great pressure to be more musical than ministerial. So I pray, Father God, that every member on the team, whether they're singing or they're playing an instrument, Lord, they would not be up here performing, but they would first have a posture of humility and a posture of worship.

And I pray especially for those who are gifted in music, that you would cause them to be trembling and fearful, knowing that they are being used to draw people into the throne of grace, into your presence. And I pray that every Sunday, Lord God, that you would protect this service so that it would not be lip service that is offered.

It would not just be formality that is presented, but it really would be worship that is done in spirit and in truth. And I pray also, Lord God, for all the children that are coming through our doors into our churches. Father, they are all growing up in prosperity and comfort, in good homes.

There is no desperation for a savior. But Lord, we know that in due time, the world is going to have great appeal. So we pray for our next generation of children that you would raise up an army of mighty men and women who know your word, who love your word, who practice your word, who proclaim it, and who have a great zeal for your renown.

So I pray, Lord, as all the Sunday school teachers, they're busy, they're running around, tending to needs. May they never burn out. May you remind each and every one that it is not by might, not by power, but by your spirit. And I pray, Father God, that you would make us a prayerful people.

And I humbly and fearfully ask for brokenness, that you would cause our teachers to break, that the sanctifying work of the spirit would be evident in every teacher that is here. Lord, this is your church. You love it. And we pray as we are undershepherds and as we are stewards of this family here at the church, may we minister on your behalf, in your stead, faithfully.

And we pray, Lord God, that you would bear fruit in a way that honors, magnifies, and exalts Christ. Father, may your renown be the very heartbeat of the ministry here at the church. And I pray this in Jesus' name. And I'll close this up in prayer. Lord, as you told us to pray for those who are in authority that we may live peaceful and quiet lives, Lord, in the past years, we have seen, Lord, persecution and hatred toward your name, Lord, increase.

And wickedness increase beyond imagination. Lord, we have seen the church's love for you grow cold. More concern, Lord God, of how the world would view us than you. Lord, we pray for President Biden. If there is any knowledge of you, help him to know that you are real, that he is accountable for what he does, the decisions that he makes.

I pray that the fear of your name would grip his heart, that he may make decisions, policies, Lord God, that would honor you, that we may truly be able to live peaceful and quiet lives in a free country, Lord, that you have blessed for so many years, that we may gather together in worship to proclaim the truth, Lord God, for the gospel, that we would not live, Lord, in fear of the government's tyranny.

And so we pray, Father God, for wisdom and authority, Lord God, that is above him, that he would recognize that. We pray, Father, for Governor Newsom, Lord God, as a perversion, Lord, of sexuality that this state represents. I pray, Father God, the power of the gospel, that he also proclaims to know, we grip his heart, let him know, Lord God, that he will be accountable for the decisions that he makes.

I pray, Father God, that as Christians, that we would not, Lord, live in despair, knowing, Father God, that you are sovereign, Lord, that you are Lord, that you cannot, that we cannot be touched beyond what you allow. Help us to live in confidence, Lord God, to knowing, Father, that you are sovereign, you are Lord.

And so we pray, Father God, that you would show yourself mighty. We pray for the churches, Lord, that they would be, Lord, as they proclaim, to honor you, to worship you in spirit and in truth. Bring true revival, true repentance, true holiness, true proclamation of the gospel, and true worship.

Lord, as we end this prayer meeting, I know that so much has been lifted to you. Lord, we have brothers and sisters in this room who have ailing parents. Lord, as they cried out to you in desperation, would you be their comforter? Would you draw near to them? Lord, we have children in our congregation who do not know you.

You know, Father God, that the pain that they're in, wanting so desperately more than anything in this world, to see their children come to Christ. As they cried out to you, would you please answer their prayers? Give us the joy of bringing them to Christ. Give us the joy of baptizing them, that we may run this race together with them.

Lord, I pray for those who are struggling with sin and the destruction that these sins have brought into their lives. Deliver them as only you can deliver them, that there would be true purity. That if they covet anything else, if they're tempted by anything else, that your power would be enough for them.

Lord, we lifted up so many needs. Before we seek human counsel, better thinking, better wisdom, better community, help us, Lord God, to be men and women, to recognize we're desperate, to humble ourselves, and to seek your face, to turn from our wicked ways, to be devoted, Lord God, to make this place a household of prayer.

In Jesus' name we pray, amen. Let's all stand up for the closing praise. Splendor of the King, Clothed in majesty, Let all the earth rejoice, All the earth rejoice, He wraps himself in light, And darkness tries to hide, And trembles at His voice, And trembles at His voice, How great is our God, Sing with me, how great is our God, And all will say, how great, How great is our God, And age to age He stands, And time is in His hands, Beginning and the end, Beginning and the end, The God of three in one, Father, Spirit, Son, The Lion and the Lamb, The Lion and the Lamb, How great is our God, How great is our God, Sing with me, how great is our God, And all will say, how great, How great is our God, Name above all names, Name above all names, Worthy of all praise, And my heart will sing, How great is our God, One more time, name above.

Name above all names, You are worthy of all praise, And my heart will sing, How great is our God, How great is our God, Sing with me, how great is our God, And all will say, how great, How great is our God. All right, thank you. We'll see you guys Sunday.

If some of you guys can stick around and help us to put the chairs back, okay? And if you need to go, if we can ask you guys to go to the cafe area, 'cause we'll need the space to be able to put things back. Okay? (audience chatter) (audience chatter) (audience chatter) (audience chatter)