♪ When tides of sorrow rise ♪ ♪ My joy ♪ ♪ When trials are abounding ♪ ♪ Your faithfulness ♪ ♪ My refuge in the night ♪ ♪ Your faithfulness ♪ ♪ My refuge in the night ♪ ♪ Oh Lord, my rock and my redeemer ♪ ♪ Gracious savior of my ruined life ♪ ♪ My guilt and cross laid on your shoulders ♪ ♪ In my place you suffered, glad and dying ♪ ♪ You rose the grave and death are conquered ♪ ♪ You broke my bonds of sin and shame ♪ ♪ You rose the grave and death are conquered ♪ ♪ You rose the grave and death are conquered ♪ ♪ You broke my bonds of sin and shame ♪ ♪ Oh Lord, my rock and my redeemer ♪ ♪ May all my days bring glory to your name ♪ ♪ Bring glory to your name ♪ (gentle music) ♪ The love of God is greater far ♪ ♪ Than time or pen can ever tell ♪ ♪ It goes beyond the highest star ♪ ♪ And reaches to the lowest hell ♪ ♪ The guilty pair bowed down with care ♪ ♪ God gave his son to win ♪ ♪ His erring child he reconciled ♪ ♪ And pardoned from his sin ♪ (gentle music) ♪ The love of God is greater far ♪ ♪ Than time or pen can ever tell ♪ ♪ It goes beyond the highest star ♪ ♪ And reaches to the lowest hell ♪ ♪ The guilty pair bowed down with care ♪ ♪ God gave his son to win ♪ ♪ His erring child he reconciled ♪ ♪ And pardoned from his sin ♪ ♪ Oh God, how rich and pure ♪ ♪ How measureless and strong ♪ ♪ It shall forevermore endure ♪ ♪ The saints' and angels' song ♪ (gentle music) ♪ Could be within the ocean filled ♪ ♪ And were the skies of parchment made ♪ ♪ Were every stock on earth a quill ♪ ♪ And every man a scribe by trade ♪ ♪ To write the love of God above ♪ ♪ Would drain the ocean dry ♪ ♪ No kind of throne contain the whole ♪ ♪ No stretch from sky to sky ♪ ♪ Oh God, how rich and pure ♪ ♪ How measureless and strong ♪ ♪ It shall forevermore endure ♪ ♪ The saints' and angels' song ♪ ♪ Oh love of God, how rich and pure ♪ ♪ How measureless and strong ♪ ♪ It shall forevermore endure ♪ ♪ The saints' and angels' song ♪ ♪ It shall forevermore endure ♪ ♪ The saints' and angels' song ♪ (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (gentle music) (gentle music) ♪ Who has held the oceans in his hand ♪ ♪ Who has numbered every grain of sand ♪ ♪ Kings and nations tremble at his voice ♪ ♪ All creation rise ♪ - Good evening, church family.

Let's all rise together. (child crying) (gentle music) ♪ Christ alone my hope is found ♪ ♪ He is my light, my strength, my song ♪ ♪ This cornerstone, this solid ground ♪ ♪ Firm through the fiercest drought and storm ♪ ♪ What heights of love, what depths of peace ♪ ♪ Tears are spilled when striving's ceased ♪ ♪ My comfort, my all in all ♪ ♪ Here in the love of Christ I stand ♪ (gentle music) ♪ In the name of Jesus Christ the Lord ♪ ♪ Who took on flesh and form ♪ ♪ As a God in helpless fear ♪ ♪ This gift of love and graciousness ♪ ♪ Sworn by the ones he came to save ♪ ♪ To own the cross as Jesus died ♪ ♪ For man the God was satisfied ♪ ♪ For heaven received on the last day ♪ ♪ Here in the love of Christ I live ♪ (gentle music) ♪ Here in the ground, through the cloudy day ♪ ♪ Light of the world by darkness day ♪ ♪ Where is he now, where is death ♪ ♪ How far will he roam as he stands ♪ ♪ As he stands in victory ♪ ♪ Since Christ has lost his grip on me ♪ ♪ Will I await and do his might ♪ ♪ While with the precious blood of Christ ♪ (gentle music) (upbeat music) ♪ No guilt in life, no pain in death ♪ ♪ This is the power of Christ to me ♪ ♪ The vice prescribed to fight no breath ♪ ♪ Jesus commands my death ♪ ♪ I have no scheme of fear ♪ ♪ He never doth leave my prison ♪ ♪ To return what comes below ♪ ♪ Here in the power of Christ ♪ ♪ I have no scheme of fear ♪ ♪ He never doth leave my prison ♪ ♪ To return what comes below ♪ ♪ Here in the power of Christ ♪ - Let's pray together.

Father, what a privilege it is that we can come and rejoice, glorify your name. We ask Lord God that you may continue to remind us of who you are, of your faithfulness to us, of you God being a thrice holy God that deserves honor, worship, dedication in our lives.

Lord, I thank you Lord that you gathered your church to pray, to sing these songs, to shift our attention to the most important thing is you. I pray Lord God that you ready our hearts, that you give our hearts softness, that we may be spiritually sensitive Lord God as we think through what we do and why we come.

I pray Lord God that we may be intentional, that you as you examine our hearts Lord, can see our motivations. I pray Lord God that they may be pure. So God, I thank you again that you gathered your church corporately to spend extended time in prayer. We need it Lord God.

We need to rely on you. Help us Lord God see our utter failures, our other inabilities to do anything fruitful outside of you. So God, I pray that you be exalted, that this time may be a joy filled time of celebration of your name, of who you are, as we hear about what's going on in the world.

We pray Lord God for soberness and prayers for many, many brothers and sisters around us and around the world. So God, ultimately we pray that this time, this worship service, this praise and prayer may be fruitful and you may be pleased. It's in Christ name we pray, amen. (upbeat music) ♪ Father of Christ ♪ ♪ The Lord of Hosts ♪ ♪ Barging out of darkness ♪ ♪ You have filled me with peace ♪ ♪ Giver of mercy ♪ ♪ You're my help in time of need ♪ ♪ Lord I can't help but sing of you ♪ ♪ Faithful to us ♪ ♪ Faithful forever you will be ♪ ♪ Faithful you are ♪ ♪ All your promises in this the name ♪ ♪ All your promises in this the name ♪ (upbeat music) ♪ Beautiful Savior you have brought me near ♪ ♪ You pulled me from the ashes ♪ ♪ You have broken every curse ♪ ♪ Blessed Redeemer you have sent the families near ♪ ♪ Lord I can't help but sing of you ♪ ♪ Faithful to us ♪ ♪ Faithful forever you will be ♪ ♪ Faithful you are ♪ ♪ All your promises in this the name ♪ ♪ All your promises in this the name ♪ ♪ Faithful you are ♪ ♪ Faithful forever you will be ♪ ♪ Faithful you are ♪ ♪ All your promises in this the name ♪ ♪ All your promises in this the name ♪ (upbeat music) (upbeat music) ♪ I will ask ♪ ♪ I will ask ♪ ♪ Your promise is my confidence ♪ ♪ It is faithfulness ♪ ♪ I will ask ♪ ♪ Your promise is my confidence ♪ ♪ It is faithfulness ♪ ♪ I will ask ♪ ♪ Your promise is my confidence ♪ ♪ It is faithfulness ♪ ♪ Faithful you are ♪ ♪ Faithful you are ♪ ♪ Forever you will be ♪ ♪ Faithful you are ♪ ♪ All your promises in this the name ♪ ♪ All your promises in this the name ♪ ♪ All your promises in this the name ♪ (soft music) ♪ There is no song we could sing ♪ ♪ To honor the weight of your glory ♪ ♪ There are no words we could speak ♪ ♪ To capture the depth of your beauty ♪ ♪ Jesus there's no one like you ♪ ♪ Jesus we love you ♪ ♪ Ever adore you ♪ ♪ There's no one like you ♪ ♪ Jesus we love you ♪ ♪ Ever adore you ♪ (soft music) ♪ There is no sin in the earth ♪ ♪ If it ain't stretch of your mercy ♪ ♪ How can we thank you enough ♪ ♪ How you have loved us completely ♪ ♪ Jesus there's no one like you ♪ ♪ Jesus we love you ♪ ♪ Ever adore you ♪ ♪ There's no one like you ♪ ♪ Jesus we love you ♪ ♪ Ever adore you ♪ ♪ There's no one like you ♪ ♪ Jesus we love you ♪ ♪ Ever adore you ♪ ♪ There's no one like you ♪ ♪ Jesus we love you ♪ ♪ Ever adore you ♪ (soft music) (upbeat music) ♪ All we have ♪ ♪ All we need ♪ ♪ All we want is you ♪ ♪ All we have ♪ ♪ All we need ♪ ♪ All we want ♪ ♪ Is to last a while ♪ ♪ All we have ♪ ♪ All we need ♪ ♪ All we want ♪ ♪ Is you ♪ ♪ Jesus, there's no one like you ♪ ♪ Jesus, we love you ♪ ♪ Ever adore you ♪ ♪ There's no one like you ♪ ♪ Jesus, we love you ♪ ♪ Ever adore you ♪ ♪ There's no one like you ♪ ♪ Jesus, we love you ♪ ♪ Ever adore you ♪ ♪ There's no one like you ♪ ♪ Jesus, we love you ♪ ♪ Ever adore you ♪ - Amen, you may be seated.

(baby crying) Good evening, everybody. I wanna take a brief moment to introduce our brother, Alex Han, to you. He's gonna be coming up to share. There's probably a good number of you who, it's already been some time, so don't know him. Alex has been, he came to our church all the way back in 2004 as a college student at UCI.

And after having spent time in the church, growing and learning, he went to the Master's Seminary to get his MDiv. And then at Berean, he served in the college ministry. He served with the ministry to China and the mission shifts that are happening. And then so after some time, they went out with the heart to go do ministry overseas.

It's already been many years out doing ministry. They got involved in working with the IMB. And during this time, obviously there are lots of transitions and things that are happening. Those things I'll leave for him to share. But I wanna take a moment just to warmly welcome him. So would you please join me in welcoming him up to the pulpit.

(audience applauding) All right. It's an extra step. Good evening, everybody. And it's really great to be back here with you guys. I'm really just privileged to be able to worship with you again after probably a year and several months being in Taiwan. And so I'm really grateful for this opportunity.

If you could turn your Bibles to Psalm chapter 47, we're not gonna be just staying in this text, but this is a text I want us to read together and we'll open it to prayer with. And my goal for this evening is just to raise awareness of what's going on overseas, to raise awareness of what's going on in our family's lives, and ways in which we can pray for the churches and for the work being done in China.

And so we're in Psalm chapter 47. I have not yet converted to the NASB. I am still in my ESV. So we'll be reading from the ESV. That's okay. Clap your hands, all peoples. Shout to God with loud songs of joy. For the Lord, the most high, is to be feared, a great king over all the earth.

He subdued peoples under us and nations under our feet. He chose our heritage for us, the pride of Jacob, whom he loves. God has gone up with a shout, the Lord with the sound of a trumpet. Sing praises to God, sing praises. Sing praises to our king, sing praises.

For God is the king of all the earth. Sing praises with a psalm. God reigns over the nations. God sits on his holy throne. The princes of the peoples gather as the people of the God of Abraham. For the shields of the earth belong to God. He is highly exalted.

Let's pray. Heavenly Father, we thank you so much for a time for us to gather together, to worship you and to pray, to pray to you, to come to you, to your throne of grace, to lay down before your feet, supplication after supplication, Lord God, of things that are outside of our control, but it's all in your hands.

And so, Lord God, as we come before you tonight, would you use this time to stir within us a desire to see your name proclaimed to the earth, to this world, to the nations, Lord God. We understand the situation that we're all in with the pandemic, where we are aware of just all of the troubles we see in our world today, but God, please use this night to shed light, to shed light into seeing how you are working, not just here in America, but in the nations.

And so, Lord God, we pray and ask for your blessing for this time, in Jesus' name we pray, amen. I chose this psalm because if you were to ask missionaries or oversee workers what drives them, what motivates them, it's typically this image where the nations are worshiping God, right?

Where the nations are acknowledging God for who he is, that he is the king of all the earth, right? That is like the biggest hope, the greatest desire for any missionary that you meet. In fact, the IMB vision, if you were to ask the president of the IMB what the vision is for our organization, you would have to turn to Revelation chapter seven, verse nine.

So would you turn there with me, Revelation chapter seven, verse nine. (pages rustling) Revelation chapter seven, verse nine says, "After this, I looked and behold a great multitude "that no one could number, from every nation, "from all tribes and peoples and languages, "standing before the throne and before the lamb, "clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, "and crying out with a loud voice, "Salvation belongs to our God, "who sits on the throne and to the lamb." I'm not much of a vision caster, I don't think that's my gift, but if the Bible is giving me a vision as to what our goal is as a missionary, or even as just Christians in general, right?

Revelation chapter seven, verse nine and 10 is that, is that vision, to see the nations, right? Praising God, praising the lamb. Now, again, for many of you, as Pastor Mark has introduced me, we had previously lived in China for three and a half years, we were in Beijing, and we were primarily just doing a lot of evangelizing, discipling, just teaching God's word in various contexts.

And it was after those three and a half years where we decided to come back to America and to join with our current organization, and as a result of that, we moved to Taiwan, and we moved to Taiwan primarily to learn Chinese, right? Because our hope and our desire is to go back into China and to keep serving the Chinese, whether it be preaching the gospel, whether it's bringing God's word to them.

And so for a long time in our church, we've been doing a lot of ministry in China, it was like the big thing, every summer, going out to go to China, and it's still a great task that needs to be done. In fact, if we give just a statistical breakdown, 1.4 billion people live in China, right?

And to give you a little bit more perspective, that's 12% of the world population living in one country. And so I know it's hard to get visas to get into China, it's a very arduous process, but once you get that visa, wow, man, you have access to 12% of the world's population.

You can just go there whenever you want. In addition to that, because of the large population in China, China is known for their ethnic minorities. Right, ethnic minorities, which consists of many different people groups who have never heard who Jesus is, who has never heard the name of Jesus.

In fact, more than half of the country's people groups, right, this term people groups refers to like a group of people that have the same culture, possibly the same language, right? And so there will be no obstacles to reach to them if you were to speak to them in their native tongue, okay?

So in China, more than half of the country's people groups has not yet been reached, nor have active church planning taken place in the last two years. Though China is considered a big country, you could see why China is such a big component when we think about Revelation chapter seven, verse nine, when we think about the tribes and the peoples and the language and the nations.

But if you guys have been keeping up with the news, then you also know that right now, things happening with or against China has been very, very adversarial. In fact, this is unprecedented times in terms of the pandemic and heightened security. In fact, we're hearing more and more of just overseas workers are being either kicked out or not being allowed to return.

And we're finding that there is just many, many hurdles in terms of ministry. In fact, as you may have already know already, there is just, the government is taking more control over how things are being done. In fact, it seems like they want to eliminate the diversity that is within China, right?

I'm hearing more and more stories of just, if you speak this language at school, you're not allowed. Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, for example. I know you guys think Inner Mongolia, isn't that a country? No, it's a province within China. And they used to teach Mongolian in their schools and now they're not, right?

As an attempt to control the culture, an attempt to control the ethnic minority there. Churches are doing their best in the pandemic. They are trying to meet online like you guys are, right? As many of the US churches are doing as well. But they're also being shut down, right?

In fact, I heard a story of a church being, service being shut down mid-service. Again, this was all done online. And so we see that we are in a unique time in history. In fact, we haven't seen something like this since 1953, when the government, the Chinese government actively expelled overseas workers.

However, we do know that the churches in China have not given up. In fact, they are persevering even more so, as I think as any church's DNA would also have this persevering spirit within them. Despite the opposition, the churches in China continue to meet for fellowship and ministry. In fact, I'm hearing stories of churches still sending out their missionaries within China to reach out to unreached people groups, which for me, that's mind-blowing considering the pandemic, considering the heightened security.

And yet people are still going forward to bring the gospel to those who have not heard. (silence) And so the work in China is still going on. Just because the pandemic has happened, because there is opposition from the government, God's work doesn't stop. And that is a tremendous encouragement for all of us.

As for us, as for our family, well, I mean, our original goal was to go back into China in August, right? And instead, God shifted our flight plans and we came back to America instead. And so we have completed language and we praise God for that. It was very, very hard, especially going from a Beijing accent to a Taiwanese accent.

If you guys are Chinese, you guys know there is a difference and I thought I had my fourth tones down, but I don't know, Taiwan changed me. I got a little soft. I didn't lose my Beijing hwa though, I still had my R's. And so we're grateful that we finished language and we learned a lot.

In fact, yeah, I was really honored. I was privileged to get an opportunity to preach in Chinese. I mean, that was really hard to do. It took me about three weeks to recover from all that. But to have that opportunity, the pastor just said, "Yeah, I think I understood what you're saying." And I'm like, "Oh, great, keep the bar low." But as I said, our original plan was to go back into China in August, but because of the pandemic and other issues outside of control, we are unable to do that.

And to be honest, as much as the pandemic has affected many of us in so many different ways, the pandemic has also affected our family in terms of where and when, right, where and when. And I'll be honest, this is probably like the most unstable time period of our family's history, not knowing where and when we can go.

I mean, I was originally convicted about China back in 2007, right? And we're now in 2020, 13 years. And if you were to ask me, "Hey, Alex, where are you going?" I'll tell you, I'm going to China. I don't know where in China, but I'm going to China. I knew exactly where I was going 'cause I thought I was where I felt God was leading me.

And this is probably the first time in 13 years where I can honestly say, "I don't know where I'm going." But it's not here, it's not in America. It's somewhere out there. And I don't know when I'm going, right? And so for our family, this is probably one of the most unstable periods in our time, but that's okay.

That's okay. Because the Bible describes the Christian life as being a sojourner, right? Walking through the land, right? And I think it's really cool. And it's a really cool position to be in, to be able to experience that and to understand what it means to trust in the Lord, to trust in the Lord's plans.

'Cause I can develop all the plans I want, but Christ is the one who will establish them. And so we're grateful for Berean. No one could have predicted this. No one could have seen this happening, but we're so thankful for you guys for serving us so well as we came back.

People were asking me, "When you guys came back, "and we're getting furniture and all this stuff." And I'm like, "Man, our church came in a clutch." And I'm so grateful for all of you guys who've helped. So as much as we're uncertain of when and where, one of my prayers for us is that God will continue to raise up workers at Berean Community Church, right?

To go over there, right? To go to the nations, to be challenged, to be convicted, to see the nations come to know Christ as their Lord and Savior. Pastor Peter recommended this book to me a long time ago. It's written by James Frazier. He was a missionary to the Lisu people in China.

And it's a book called "Mountain Rain." And one of the quotes that continues to strike me is that solid, lasting missionary work is done on our knees. Solid, lasting missionary work is done on our knees. While people going out into the field may be the physical evidence of missionary work, it's really the power of that work is done through prayer.

And so with that, I would like us to pray for China tonight. And I'm gonna have, there's four topics here that I want us to look at. The first prayer topic is to pray for the spiritual health of the churches in China. As you guys can imagine, the amount of pressure that the leaders would have.

I mean, I'm pretty sure the leaders in America, the pastors of American churches know this pressure as well. But the pastors and the leaders of the churches in China need our prayers, need our support. Pray that the churches in China to have a growing presence in their gospel witness and in their disciple making, right?

A unique opportunity is presented to show how Christ is all. Even though opposition is at its strongest, we know that the church will not crumble. And so we need to pray for the spiritual health of the churches in China. Secondly, pray for the government. Pray for the government, I know, right?

They're doing so many atrocities, causing so much trouble. I mean, ask my son how the coronavirus started and he'll tell you. Nonetheless, those government leaders, the government itself still needs our prayers. So we pray for the government leaders that the gospel could be shared with them and that they would believe.

And pray for the government leaders who may be Christians. Right, there might be Christians in the government and they're being pressured left and right to comply with the communist values and beliefs. Pray for them, pray that they will remain faithful to Christ in the midst of this time period.

Third, pray for the raising up of overseas workers from China. The churches in China are now in a position where they can actually send workers overseas, right? There are many countries that a Chinese passport has easy access to, more easier access to than a US passport. And so many churches in China are starting to see that and they are trying to raise up workers.

And so we need to pray that God would raise them up. Pray that churches in China will continue to carry the gospel to the unreached. Pray that God would raise up believers in China who will carry the gospel to the nations. And lastly, pray for the raising up of missionaries to go into China.

I honestly believe that we are now in a shift in terms of what the missionary work looks like. You know, I think the traditional way can still work, but I also believe that there needs to be a change. There's gonna be requiring a new generation of workers to be sent in, right?

It may not be the traditional like, oh, I'm just here as a student, but you're 40 years old, you know? How are you supporting your family of five as a student? I have a really rich uncle. Okay. You know, that might not fly anymore. You know, maybe the next generation have to be working professionals, right?

Or college students who could get into China more readily, easily, right? To be able to do that work. And so those are the four prayer topics that I want us to help please pray for in terms of what's going on overseas. And so, yeah, thank you. (audience applauding) - All right, so we're gonna take some time to pray for Pastor Alex and his family.

And also, along with these topics, we're gonna be praying for the Tong family as well. They're kind of in a similar situation where they are waiting to go back into China. They don't know when either, so they're stationed out actually in Taiwan. But again, for security reasons, we're not allowed to share the details, but again, Pastor Alex and his family will not be going directly into China.

So just kind of continue to pray for that family. But one thing I do want to encourage us as we pray for them, and then after I give maybe about three or four minutes to pray, Pastor Mark is gonna come and just kind of wrap up that topic. And then afterward, I will come and give another topic to pray, and then another leader will come and wrap that up.

And we'll do that about five times before we wrap it up. But one thing I want to encourage you is, as we pray for these missionaries, sometimes we think that missionaries, because they packed up their bags and went overseas, they're like a special breed of people. They're not like the rest of us, right?

They struggle like everybody else. They're tempted like everybody else. They get discouraged like everybody else. They have struggles raising their children. They have marriage issues. They have issues with loneliness. They have financial issues just like everybody else. The only difference is they chose to make the Great Commission the greatest priority in their life over their personal safety.

And so they're living out their life faithfully overseas as they're sacrificing many of the things that you and I enjoy here. So everything that you and I struggle with, they struggle with. So as we pray for them, remember all those things. And on top of the things that we wrestle with, the lack of accountability, lack of community, that constant moving around, feeling lonely, without direction, sometimes spiritual fatigue, that happens to everybody.

So I really want you guys to lift up that family. You can imagine not knowing where they're gonna go, not being in their own homes, having small children in the house. And so if you guys can take some time to pray, along with all of these things, pray for that.

Pray for the Tong family as well. And then after about three or four minutes, Pastor Mark is gonna come up and he's going to wrap this part for us, okay? All right, so let's take some time to pray. (gentle music) >> All right, please join me in prayer. Our God, we lift up to you, Pastor Alex and Jen.

Lift up to you, Harry and Linda. And we request, Father God, that you will strengthen them and allow them, Father God, to be encouraged by your sovereignty. Lord, in the midst of circumstances that change and situations that feel completely out of their power, we pray, Father God, that their confidence truly would be on you.

We also pray, God, that during this time as they're here stateside, that God, you would build them up. Lord, that you would cause them to be strengthened in every way, that especially also in their private devotion and their relationship with you would be all the more bolstered. God, their affection for you, their vision and commitment to serve you in every way possible, will continue to thrive.

And Lord, would you then use them in every way, that they'll temporarily hear, or as they go, that you will cause your light to shine through them. We also do lift up the China to you, particularly the Christians who are there in the churches, that God truly, underneath pressure, persecution, and uneasiness, Lord, you would cause them to be all the more reliant upon you.

That their dedication to you would grow, and that, God, you would strengthen the churches to disciple people, Father God, to be committed to your truth, to your word, and to your gospel. We do pray, Father God, for the government. God, that although as an entity, it almost feels to us, Father God, so far from what it should be.

And yet, Lord, we recognize that there are, Lord, you work in ways where there are officials or individuals who, although in the place of power, rather than rejecting you, rather than rejecting any authority above themselves, God, that you would cause those individuals to submit to you. And we pray, Father God, that truly you would bring your truth, you would bring repentance, and God, cause people to be under your love and your salvation.

Again, all the scenario and situations surrounding ministry there, we know, Father God, there is uneasiness and worry, but we lift all those things up to you, knowing, God, that your salvation and your truth is so powerful. We thank you, Lord, in Christ, and we pray. Amen. - We're going to be praying for India.

And again, I posted up, I think, a couple of weeks ago, the latest update when we got... I did get an email from Pastor Sake about the ministry that they're engaged in. And so, they are... Because of transportation, the COVID situation is much harsher than here. And so, they have to sometimes walk into the villages.

They can only go to the main roads. And so, a lot of the smaller rickshaws that they use to get into villages are not available. So, they're actually walking, you know, tens and, you know, I mean, long time. If you've been to those villages, you know how long it takes to get into these villages.

So, they are actively still doing ministry, but just much harder. And the persecution is obviously increasing. And so, the last update I gave, you know, they came into our training center and basically targeted a couple of our pastors, and they were beaten, and they had leg injuries. And so, they said it's getting better, but again, they're not fully healed.

But in the midst of that, they're taking the gospel to the villages. So, you know, as we are challenged, you know, like, again, our primary concern that we want to make sure that our children are saved, we want to make sure that we're healthy, that we have our jobs, and those are our constant concerns.

But I think, you know, true fellowship is to be able to suffer with those suffer and rejoice with those who are rejoicing. And so, let's take some time to pray as if those are our brothers and our sisters, our uncles, our fathers, and not to pray like those people over there, but these are people that, again, that we are doing ministry with.

So, let's really, really, like, have a spirit of praying with urgency for them, for what God is doing. So, I want to read a passage, and then I want you to pray in these lines. Paul asked for prayer. Apostle Paul, 2 Thessalonians 3, 1, 2, 3, says, "Finally, brethren, pray for us that the word of the Lord will spread rapidly and be glorified, just as it did also with you, and that we will be rescued from perverse and evil men, for not all have faith, but the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil one." Let's pray along these lines that there will be a sense of urgency, not only in them, but in us, to spread the gospel, and that in the midst of spreading this gospel, that God would protect them so that they can do this more rapidly.

So, let's take some time to pray, and then Elder James is going to come up in about four minutes, and he's going to wrap us up in prayer for that. Okay? Let's pray. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ All right, let's pray.

Father, our deep desire, Lord, is that your word would be honored. We receive so much joy, Lord, when we see someone who is lost come to faith. And so, Lord, it is heartbreaking right now, Lord, to see so many people confused. But, Lord, even now, we know very well that you are actively at work, that even now, Lord, many are coming to you.

Lord, as we consider our brothers and sisters in India, how even before the pandemic, Lord, their life was not easy. And their life has only gotten much more difficult since the start of this pandemic. But, Lord, it would appear that their faith has grown even stronger, that despite situational difficulties, Lord, that they are moving forward, advancing the gospel, even with long journeys, Lord, where their feet are sore and they're blistered.

But all they could think about, Lord, is what you're going to do in these other villages. We thank you so much for them, Lord. We thank you for just their love for you and how, Lord, despite the 33 million gods that are worshipped in some way, shape, or form in India, Lord, that they know the true God.

And so, Lord, as they continue, we pray, Lord, that even though the darkness is thick, that as the light is just shining brightly in their lives, in their speech, that your word would cut many people, that it would bring many to repentance, Father. And that as they come to repentance, that you will continue to sanctify these new believers, raising up more workers, Lord, and just multiplying faithful believers in that region.

We know, Lord, that many of the families are suffering directly because of their faith in you. Would you comfort them? Would you continue to remind them that this life is short and that the sufferings of this life are not worthy to even be compared to the glory that is going to be revealed?

And that one day, very soon, Lord, that this life will seem almost like a forgotten bad dream, because we will be with you forever. Thank you so much for what you're doing. We thank you in advance for what you will do. We pray, it seems, in your name, your son.

Amen. Okay, before I get to the next topic, one of the things that I really want to encourage you, when you pray, a casual prayer is not answered. Okay? And let me make that crystal clear. A casual prayer where you come before God nonchalantly with your mind wandering, you know, because of our casual attitude toward God, like first and foremost when we come to God, we need to recognize who it is that we are talking to.

He's not it. He's not something from a distance. So sometimes the way we sit, our posture, you know, it's kind of like, "God, you know, can you answer my prayer?" Like God says, "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." So the casual prayer is not a prayer.

A prayer is recognizing, first and foremost, who it is that we are talking to. Right? And so when we pray, if you notice that your posture isn't consistent with who you are talking to, and I'm not saying that we need to get on our knees and we need to be yelling out, and I'm not saying that, is your attitude casual in the way that you pray?

Is there a sense of urgency? We can't pray for urgency for the gospel to spread and pray in such a way where it doesn't reflect, like we don't really care whether he answers his prayer or not. So I want to encourage you again to learn how to pray. If you have a hard time praying, that you need to, maybe you need to kind of like, to take a step back and ask, "Have I really determined to pray tonight?

Have I determined to come to the Lord and to cry out to him for these prayers?" And so along with that, again, this is just an encouragement to make sure that we are praying with the attitude that's consistent with what it is that we're praying about and who it is that we are praying to.

I want to take some time to pray for gospel opportunities. Right now, as you guys know, because of all the stuff that's going on, the COVID, the marching, the political divide, because of all the stuff that's going on, one of two things are happening to everybody. Either you are being sobered by what's going on and there's a kind of a turning in your heart that you really need to cling to God.

And so it's causing you to long for fellowship, long to be in the word, long to participate in what's going on, or you're drifting. You probably have already drifted because the tide is strong. And so your heart has become callous, you know, like whether you're there or not, it's just kind of like, "Ah, hopefully things will get back to normal." And so, again, all the more why we need to be absolutely anchored to Christ.

Right? And so you'll notice if you are not spiritually sober, every other thing that you're going to be watching on TV or the Internet is probably upsetting you. You're getting triggered by somebody saying something that you don't agree with. And there's this growing sense of like discontent of what's going on.

So we really need to protect our heart that that's not our primary thought. But along with that, if you're staying spiritually sober, you'll notice that there is a growing and hungering and thirsting for something more than this world from the non-Christian world. So there are more people interested, and it's much easier to share the gospel.

So if you have people around you that you've been praying for, even casually been praying for, my bet is it'll be much easier for you to share the gospel with your coworkers, with your family, friends, you know, your neighbors, than it's probably ever been. And so we really need to stay spiritually sober, right?

So that what God is doing behind the scene, that we just don't let it pass. That we're not hoping that the world would go back to normal, but that when he stirs things up, it's an opportunity for us to take advantage of that, right? And so Colossians 4, 2-4, it says, "Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving, praying at the same time for us as well, that God will open up to us a door for the Word, so that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ, for which I have also been imprisoned, that I may make it clear in the way I ought to speak." So let's take some time to make a list in our head, who is it around me that I have an opportunity to share the gospel with, and to pray for them.

Again, pray with them fervently, with urgency. Don't pray for the salvation of somebody that you love in a casual manner, right? Pray consistently with what you are praying for, for the salvation of their souls, that they would not be judged. And so let's pray with that urgency, pray for opportunity, and when God does give you the opportunity, that you would have the boldness to be able to share the gospel with them, graciously, but clearly.

So let's take some time to pray for that, and Elder Phillip is going to wrap us up in about four minutes. Let's pray. Dear Heavenly Father, I just want to thank you, Lord God, as we're gathering here, Lord, to pray. And what we're praying for is so important. Father, I pray for forgiveness, Lord, for being hardened, Lord God, for not praying, Lord, being so nonchalant, walking in existing, Lord God, and just so worried about our own concerns, Father, when there are those around us who for eternity will be in hell.

They don't know you, Father God. And Lord, it's hard to see, Lord, when we see with fleshly eyes, but give us spiritual eyes, Lord, as Christ had compassion, for he knew what the future was going to be, Father. And Lord God, we thank you for the Gospel, for what Christ did on the cross, Lord God, and gave us a ministry to the lost, Father.

And what an amazing picture it is when we see, Lord, in Revelations, there will come a day, Lord God, whether we speak or not, that every people group, people of all nations, Father God, will be gathered together, countless, praising you, glorifying you, Father God. We pray, Father, that among them is named our family members, our coworkers, our friends, the people that are around us, Lord God, that because--not because of what we said, but because you desire to use us to speak the Gospel.

So I pray, Father God, that you cause us first to pray. Cause us to pray for our own hearts to be solved, so that we might see the need and the bankrupt state that this world is in, Father. Even though people might have everything in a worldly sense, Father God, we know that they are suffering because without Christ, without God in their life, they have no future, they have no help, Father God.

That we pray, Father, that first of all, you would convict us, Lord, the need, Father, to preach the Gospel. Give us the boldness to speak, Father. Break us, Lord God, so that we might see the sinfulness and the brokenness of this world. And... And the greatness of your Gospel.

So we pray, Father God, it would help us to be the light, be the ambassador that you have called us to be, Father. And forgive us, Lord God, for being... (sniffles) So negligent. So pray, Father, that you would cause and raise up your believers, your Bereans, Father God, to be that voice.

Give us the courage and the boldness and the conviction that the Gospel is needed. We pray for open doors. We pray, Lord God, that we would be in our knees and we would pray that we will see, Father, and we will have a vision, Lord God, and when that day comes, and we will say, "Yes, Lord.

"Yes, the people that we are around, Lord, "can join us in praising you and glorifying you." So we thank you, Father God. And, Lord, let--let--pray that this prayer, that it doesn't end here, Father, that it would continue, that we need the working of your Holy Spirit to convict us.

There's nothing more important than what we are doing right now. Pray, Lord, if we are not moved right now, Lord God, help us so that we might pray. So we thank you for a day like this. We thank you for times like this, Lord God. We can pray together and feel your presence and see your word, Lord God, so mightily and strong.

So thank you, Heavenly Father, and be with us, Lord God. May we continue to pray, continue to be moved, and continue to be obedient, Lord God, to your calling. I pray all this in Jesus' name. Amen. - Next, we're gonna take some time to pray for our college ministry because this is a welcome week that's coming, and so they have plans to reach out, and obviously, with all the different circumstances.

So I asked Pastor Nate to kind of explain what they're doing so we can pray more effectively for them. - Okay, so welcome week is coming up for college, and it is probably the strangest welcome week on record for us because of the pandemic. We don't know who's going to be around, and this coming week, all week long, we're gonna be on the campuses, just two.

We're gonna be at UCI, and we're gonna be at Chapman, going around, trying to see if there are people that we can reach out to. And so there are a lot of things that we can be praying for, but with the welcome week, and especially coming off a prayer topic like we just prayed for, would you pray for our college students?

I don't know if it's gonna be a redundant prayer, but if you can remember, and that harvest really is plentiful, and these campuses are a battleground. It's a war zone. There's so much battle for supremacy in these places, and our students are right there. They're right in the middle of that.

For many of us who are out of that, we've kind of established these are our jobs. I'm married, we have children. We're looking forward to different things like that, but for many of these students, actually, they're right there in the middle of it, and they need our prayers. These college students of ours, there's the enemy that really wants to sift them and to be there and to sow discord, to sow confusion, so if we could pray for in them a steadiness that comes, an anchoring on Christ, a biblical worldview, and a love for the Lord above all things.

We have about half, a little less than half of our students also who are away, who aren't going to be with us physically, but who've been joining us all the way back since March, virtually, on both Fridays, Sundays, and different things that we've been doing, but they are very much in need of our prayers as well.

It's hard to be so far, and so if you could pray specifically for the students who are part of our ministry, but who are very removed from us. There are a lot of temptations that come, and there's a great temptation to disengage with, and there's a group here that are beginning to engage, and it feels very different, like being here and being away, and so the church being a gathering of believers, we've been spending a lot of time praying for those students, so if the whole church could join us in prayer for those students specifically, we are in need of much of it.

We don't want to be a college ministry that's removed from the rest of the church here. They are our future. I don't mean to sound cheesy with that, but they really are the future. We want them to be men and women who are being formed and shaped right now for kingdom cause, so if we could pray for them, I'll be back to pray.

Close. All right, let's pray, and then Pastor Nate will come and wrap us up, okay? ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ Heavenly Father, God, you're so good, and God, even as we pray to you for our college students, what a bold prayer that we can pray, asking you to help them.

Father, who are we, God, and who are these students? Father, we thank you that you care, that you love your people. Father, you desire to grow and to empower and to embolden. Father, you are a transcendent God, and yet you are ever so close to us, and God, we ask you, Lord, to be close to these college students.

Oh, Father, help them to feel your nearness. Help them not to just go into your word and engage it as they would another textbook and a long line of books that they have. Oh, Father, that they would be able to see clearly. Lord, the enemy wants them. Oh, Father, the world is loud in their ears, and there is a temptation, God, to just go along, or Father, maybe to disengage the world altogether and to hide at church.

Father, maybe there is the temptation of just looking into their own future and desiring to just have a piece of this world, and just live life until the end. But God, I pray that these college students would be so much more. Lord, would you fill them with your spirit?

Would you remind them of who they are? Oh, Father, would you save each of them, and God, draw them into your kingdom. Open their eyes, not just to see their own depravity, but everything around them. Father, that they may be men and women who are strong, who are courageous, who hold the line, who are able to discern right from wrong, who look different than the culture and the friends and the world around them.

Father, help them to be not a pleaser of man, but a God-pleaser. Father, help them to find satisfaction not in the things of this world, but in the things that only you can provide. And at the end, God, that they would be so satisfied in you alone. God, this school year is going to be weird.

It's a strange time for them, and there is a temptation to grow inward in these things, but I pray, God, that you do great things for your name through this group. And Father, I pray, Lord, that even this coming week, that you'd give great opportunity, and that we would not shrink back at those opportunities, but our college ministry would go into UCI, and Chapman specifically, to be bold.

And Father, we pray that you'd be, even now, making fertile ground, individuals that we would come across, that by the light that these college students are shining, they may come to know Christ, all God, to multiply your glory in this world. So Father, we pray for this school year.

God, we entrust it all to you, though we can't see, you know everything. And so we trust in you, and we're so grateful, God, that you truly, indeed, are a good God. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Okay, so fifth and final thing that we want to pray for before we ask the praise team to come back up and lead us in closing.

I want to read Ephesians 6, 10 through 18. I'm just going to read the beginning and the last part of it. It says, "Finally, be strong in the Lord in the strength of his might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. With all prayer and petition," verse 18, "pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints." If with all that has been going on, that you have not given thought to the spiritual battle, the demonic work that's going on, that may already be an indicator that spiritually you've just kind of drifted.

The Bible tells us in Ephesians to recognize that our real struggle is not against flesh and blood. It's not about politics. It's not about what we see physically. They said there's a spiritual battle going on. There's satanic work that's happening right now. There's a satanic work that's happening at a global level.

There's satanic work that's happening at a national level. There's satanic work happening in the churches. And there's satanic work happening particularly in your life. And if we're not sober, all that is going on at the end of it, we can find ourselves so drifted far away from God and that everything that Satan has been doing in the end, the end product is that we become numb.

The churches become divided. We've jumped into causes that we don't fully understand. And in the end, Satan's work has been completed. Right now, what's going on? As you guys know, if you've been paying attention, Breonna Taylor's verdict came out yesterday. So you have a part of community saying that that was unjust.

You have another part saying that it was completely just. Right now, again, and I don't say this flippantly, there is clear satanic work in the midst of all of this. No matter what your opinion is, if you don't stay sober and you don't test the spirits, that you don't examine the Word of God, and you don't test the information that you're getting, you're going to easily be consumed.

Whatever your leaning is, Satan is going to use that to take you to whatever direction he wants to take you. So we must stay sober. We're going to try to address this in a more specific way going forward because we've addressed it in the very beginning. We wanted to make sure that our church kind of stays intact and we keep our eyes on the Word of God and make sure that we're not going to be tossed back and forth.

Since then, so much more has happened, and the tender is already laid. What's happening now is just a precursor of what we foresee happening in the coming months. And so the churches have already been divided. You have men of God that have a godly reputation who are speaking one way very powerfully, very convicted, and then you have other people on the other side speaking also with conviction.

We have our thoughts, and we are going to, at some point, make it more clear and point out very specific things that we have seen in the last month, things that we've read, things that we've seen, a lot of things that we've seen, again, about the BLM movement, about the critical race theories.

These are things that we've been examining and we've been talking about, but there is very deeply embedded satanic work in these things. I'm not saying that everybody who has jumped on this has that bent, but there is clear satanic work that is embedded in all of this stuff. And so I want to make that very clear.

And I'm not asking you to just take my word for it. We're asking you all the more to examine everything, to test everything, to test the spirits, that is this from God, or is this the work of our enemy trying to destroy the church? And so we really need to be sober.

So there is a national work, there is an international work that's being done, but personally, when you pray, have you been aware that we have an enemy, a roaring lion seeking someone to devour, and that someone is you, it's me. They don't want Christians to be glorifying God. They don't want us to be dedicated in building up the church and preaching the gospel.

So have you been aware that there is an enemy actively attacking you? And so if you have not been, we need to pray. We need to pray, right? He says to make sure. When he said this in the book of Ephesians, everything that you and I are experiencing, the division in the church, the heavy persecution, hostility toward the spreading of the gospel, false gospel, heresy, all of these things were also true in the first century, but more intense.

So he was warning the church not to get caught up thinking that if you had enough people, if you had the right strategy, if you put your effort into this, he would say, "No, all of these things are good, but don't forget that the real struggle is not against flesh and blood." And that's why he says you have to pray.

You have to be in the Word, and you have to pray. You have to pray with urgency. And so again, I'm going to think beyond just tonight. I have a hard time praying at my house, so I just kind of come, break away, and make sure I take some time to pray in my office in the morning or in the afternoon.

When you're praying, where are you praying? When are you praying? Are you praying deliberately? Or are you praying just kind of as things come by? And so I think if there's any time where there is a dire need for us to really be committed to pray, it's now, not just this evening.

This evening is to remind us that we need to pray. So let me read this passage one more time, and then let's take some time to pray. Then after that, I'll pray, and then we'll ask that praise team to come back and we'll wrap it up for us. "With all prayer and petition, pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints." So let's take some time to pray, and then I'll wrap us up.

Father, we pray for spiritual soberness. We pray, Father God, that you'd open our eyes, that the spiritual reality would become more real to us, that we would not walk by sight, but walk by faith. Lord, help us to number our days, to know that all that we are tempted to have, all the comfort and safety, Lord God, that we desire so much, Lord, in light of eternity, Lord, would truly become rubbish.

Help us to know, Father God, that we are not living in peace times, but that there's always been a spiritual battle. We thank you, Father God, with COVID, with the divisions in this country. We pray, Father God, for the unrest, Lord, that we see all around us, that in the midst of all of this, we thank you, Father God, for opening our eyes, reminding us, Lord, that in the spiritual realm, that the battle is much stronger and is much more fervent, Lord God, than we can imagine.

Lord God, we pray that you would help us to engage in prayer, engage spiritually, engage in prayer, engage spiritually, Lord God, not with our might, not with our intellect, not simply with our politics, but spiritually help us, Lord God, to put on the full armor of God. Help us to know what we believe, what we confess, that in season and out of season, Lord, that we would be ready to make defense of what it is that we profess.

Help us, Lord God, not to drift along from week to week, being entangled with things that ultimately don't matter. Help us, Lord God, to ache for those who are lost. Help us, Lord, to battle for souls, to see them come to Christ. Help us, Lord God, as a church, to learn what it means to follow Jesus Christ.

Lord, I pray that you would stir in us a sense of urgency, urgency, Lord God, that our time here is short, that tomorrow is not promised, that we will live today, Father God, for the things that count for eternity. Help us not to live day to day, week to week, month to month in regret, but to really be poured out in things, Lord God, so that when the time comes for you to call us, that we would eagerly await for you to say, "Well done, my good and faithful servant." So I pray, whether we are young or whether we are older in age, that you would help us, Lord God, to live with perspective, that our faith would not simply be wishful thinking, but the reality of which we base all that we pursue.

Help us, Lord God, to be spiritually engaged with you, that we would not run, that we would not watch from a distance. Help us, Lord God, to know what you are doing and to trust you with all our hearts. And as the world runs to safety, that knowing, Father God, that our eternity is secure, that we would live our lives, Lord God, courageously for your kingdom.

So, Lord, we pray for revival in our generation, revival in our church, revival in our families. Lord, we don't have the strength, we don't have the discipline. Lord, sometimes we don't even have the will. So we pray, Father God, that you would be merciful to us. Lord, as we pray, Father God, that you would help us to commit to pray, to be devoted to pray, Lord, that we would recognize how helpless we are without you.

And so we ask, Lord, that what we do tonight and what we did tonight, Lord, would serve as a reminder to us when we go home, that this is something that we must do in private, that as we wrestle together, Lord God, corporately, that it would strengthen us to wrestle privately.

Lord, we pray for our missionaries, we pray for Pastor Alex, Lord God, and his family especially as they are here. I pray that you would give them the rest that they need. But I pray, Father God, that though they are resting, I pray that a sense of urgency in their hearts would not be squashed, but that a greater sense of love for you, greater sense of love for the lost, that even as they are waiting, Father God, for their next assignment, that you would allow them to have plenty of opportunities here, Lord God, to share the gospel and bear much fruit.

And so we pray for your grace for them, we pray for grace, Lord God, for our church. And again, Father God, for our college ministry, as many souls will be coming into town, Lord, even in this difficult situation, I pray, Father God, that you would cause them to be fruitful, prayerful, and kingdom-minded in all things.

So we just want to thank you. We love you. We want to love you more. Help us, Father God. Help us draw near to you with sincerity. Help us, Lord God, to worship you genuinely in spirit and in truth, that we would not go from Sunday to Sunday, Father God, without giving too much thought of what it is that we're doing.

Help us to live as if you are coming tomorrow. We thank you, Father God. May Christ's name be exalted through us. In Jesus' name we pray, amen. Church family, let's all stand together as we sing this last song.