(soft piano music) (people chatting) (soft piano music) (people chatting) (soft piano music) (people chatting) (soft piano music) (people chatting) (soft piano music) (people chatting) (soft piano music) (people chatting) (soft piano music) (people chatting) (soft piano music) (people chatting) (soft piano music) (people chatting) (soft piano music) (people chatting) (soft piano music) (people chatting) (soft piano music) (people chatting) (soft piano music) (people chatting) (soft piano music) (people chatting) (soft piano music) (people chatting) (soft piano music) (people chatting) (soft piano music) (people laughing) (soft piano music) (people chatting) (soft piano music) (people chatting) (soft piano music) (people laughing) (soft piano music) (people chatting) (soft piano music) (people chatting) (people laughing) (soft piano music) (people chatting) (soft piano music) (people chatting) (people laughing) (soft piano music) (people chatting) (soft piano music) (people chatting) (soft piano music) (people chatting) (people laughing) (soft piano music) (people chatting) (soft piano music) (people chatting) (soft piano music) (people chatting) (soft piano music) (people chatting) (soft piano music) (people chatting) (soft piano music) (people chatting) (soft piano music) (people chatting) (soft piano music) (people chatting) (people laughing) (soft piano music) (people chatting) (soft piano music) (people chatting) (soft piano music) (people chatting) (soft piano music) (people chatting) (soft piano music) (people chatting) (soft piano music) (people chatting) (soft piano music) (people chatting) (soft piano music) (people chatting) (soft piano music) (people chatting) (soft piano music) (people chatting) (soft piano music) (people chatting) (soft piano music) (people chatting) (soft piano music) (people chatting) (soft piano music) (people chatting) (soft piano music) (people chatting) (soft piano music) (people chatting) (soft piano music) (people chatting) (soft piano music) (people chatting) (soft piano music) (people chatting) (soft piano music) (people chatting) (soft piano music) (people chatting) (soft piano music) (people chatting) (soft piano music) (people chatting) (soft piano music) (people chatting) (soft piano music) (people chatting) (soft piano music) (people chatting) (soft piano music) (people chatting) (soft piano music) (people chatting) (soft piano music) (people chatting) (soft piano music) (people chatting) (soft piano music) (people chatting) (soft piano music) (people chatting) (soft piano music) (people chatting) (soft piano music) - Good evening, church family.

Happy Friday. We'll now be starting our praise and prayer. Let me pray for us before we start. (smacks lips) God, I praise you for who you are. God, you are holy, you are just. There's no sin that can be justified before you. God, that you sent your son to die for our sins.

God, that we may be justified and even be able to have a relationship with you. God, without Christ, there's nothing that we can do to please you. So I pray for tonight that all our hearts would reflect upon this. God, that we would have hearts of thankfulness that this time of worship would be pleasing to you.

So thank you, in Jesus name I pray, amen. Let's all stand up for a time of praise. (upbeat music) (soft music) (upbeat music) ♪ Who can light the fires of a thousand burning suns ♪ ♪ Blazing in the heavens ♪ ♪ There is only one, he is our God ♪ ♪ Who commands the nations ♪ ♪ Building up and tearing down ♪ ♪ Silencing his rivals ♪ ♪ There is only one, he is our God ♪ ♪ He is our God ♪ ♪ Holy, you alone are holy ♪ ♪ Matchless in your glory ♪ ♪ Holy God ♪ (upbeat music) (soft music) ♪ Who would come to save us ♪ ♪ When we turned away his love ♪ ♪ Conquer us with kindness ♪ ♪ There is only one, he is our God ♪ ♪ He is our God ♪ (upbeat music) ♪ Holy, you alone are holy ♪ ♪ Matchless in your glory ♪ ♪ No one is like you ♪ ♪ Worthy, you alone are worthy ♪ ♪ We adore you only ♪ ♪ Holy God ♪ (upbeat music) ♪ Now to the king on the throne ♪ ♪ Who was and is to come ♪ ♪ And to the lamb who was slain ♪ ♪ Be glory ♪ ♪ Now to the king on the throne ♪ ♪ Who was and is to come ♪ ♪ And to the lamb who was slain ♪ ♪ Be glory ♪ ♪ Now to the king on the throne ♪ ♪ Who was and is to come ♪ ♪ And to the lamb who was slain ♪ ♪ Be glory ♪ ♪ Holy, you alone are holy ♪ ♪ Matchless in your glory ♪ ♪ No one is like you ♪ ♪ Worthy, you alone are worthy ♪ ♪ We adore you only ♪ ♪ Holy God ♪ (upbeat music) (soft music) (soft music) (soft music) (soft music) ♪ Who has held the oceans in his hands ♪ ♪ Who has numbered every grain of sand ♪ ♪ Kings and nations tremble at his voice ♪ ♪ All creation rises to rejoice ♪ ♪ Behold our God seated on his throne ♪ ♪ Come let us adore him ♪ ♪ Behold our king ♪ ♪ Nothing can compare ♪ ♪ Come let us adore him ♪ (soft music) ♪ Who has given counsel to the Lord ♪ ♪ Who can question any of his words ♪ ♪ Who can teach the one who knows all things ♪ ♪ Who can fathom all his wondrous deeds ♪ ♪ Behold our God seated on his throne ♪ ♪ Come let us adore him ♪ ♪ Behold our king ♪ ♪ Nothing can compare ♪ ♪ Come let us adore him ♪ (soft music) (soft music) ♪ Who has felled the nails upon his hands ♪ ♪ Bearing all the guilt of sinful men ♪ ♪ God eternal humble to the grave ♪ ♪ Jesus savior risen down to reign ♪ ♪ Behold our God seated on his throne ♪ ♪ Come let us adore him ♪ ♪ Behold our king ♪ ♪ Nothing can compare ♪ ♪ Come let us adore him ♪ (soft music) ♪ You will reign forever ♪ ♪ You will reign forever ♪ ♪ You will reign forever ♪ ♪ You will reign forever ♪ ♪ Behold our God seated on his throne ♪ ♪ Come let us adore him ♪ ♪ Behold our king ♪ ♪ Nothing can compare ♪ ♪ Come let us adore him ♪ ♪ Behold our God seated on his throne ♪ ♪ Come let us adore him ♪ ♪ Behold our king ♪ ♪ Nothing can compare ♪ ♪ Come let us adore him ♪ ♪ Our king ♪ ♪ Our king ♪ (soft music) (music ends) (silence) (silence) - I love you, oh Lord, my strength.

The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I call upon the Lord who is worthy to be praised and I am saved from my enemies. Join me in prayer.

Father, we are gathered here tonight wanting to just worship, wanting to bless your heart. And Father, undoubtedly, just we are all coming in here with different emotions and with different things that are on our minds and our hearts. But we wanna gather tonight really to understand your heart and to just grow, to commune and fellowship with you first and foremost, and in turn, just be more effective in loving those around us.

Help us to pray tonight. Lord, we are willing, we are eager, so would you lead our time that we have together in Jesus name we pray. So every day in our family, we say I love you to each other often. To my kids, I say that almost as like a kind of a goodbye.

I love you, bye. And just even to my wife, like in the morning when she goes off to work and things like that. And it is not that we don't mean it, but sometimes those words are said out of habit. And sometimes it's said simply to like reassure our kids or my wife that, you know, just I'm committed to you.

But we say it often, regularly, and special occasions roll around. And we just passed Valentine's Day, I wrote my wife a card. And I don't start out with I love you, it starts with something like a happy Valentine's Day, this is our what, like eight, 19th Valentine's Day together and something mushy.

And with on this special occasion, I don't want to say things that I don't mean. It is a card. And what's interesting is as I am penning the different qualities of our life together that I've grown to appreciate, the different aspects of my wife that I've grown to admire and enjoy, and all the trials and the ups and downs that we've gone through that I get to kind of reflect on as I'm writing, by the time I get to the closing I love you, it's interesting what happens to my heart.

It changes. And it's not that I didn't mean it before, but I think the content of that phrase, just there's a little extra depth there. And I share that because Psalm 18 is written kind of like that. Just there's an I love you, oh Lord, my strength. And it's a longer Psalm.

And it goes into all the details of why David is praising and extolling and loving the God of his strength. And Psalm 18 was written after the Lord delivered David out of the hands of his enemies and especially out of the hands of Saul. And Psalm 18 is full of praise to God and specific praise to God.

And I'd like to imagine David is thinking like, who am I to be loved by God? I was the youngest brother just tending the sheep, minding my own business, and of all the people in this great nation of Israel, he chooses me to lead. And who am I to represent him before this giant in front of this army?

Who am I to just lead these people? And for some reason, God's given me great success. And yet, even in the trial of having to deal with my adversary, King Saul, who I have respect for, but he keeps coming after me. And I don't need to defend myself against him because God is taking care of that.

Who am I? And it's almost like just a knee-jerk reaction, explosion in prayer and praise, and it starts with, I love you, O Lord, my strength. And we're fickle. We're easily distracted. And when we say, I love God, it's not that we're not sincere about that, and it's not that we don't mean it when we just say it, even in casual passing.

But sometimes it helps to reflect on just the things that he's been faithful to me in, recently, the things that he's been so kind to me in over the last seasons of my life, and in the totality of my life, to pluck me out of despair and to save my soul.

He is so good. And so we want to start tonight by just reflecting. And the first thing I want you guys to pray over, if I can have the next slide, is to just confess that the Lord is the refuge to whom we turn in times of trouble. And to say, God, there's nothing good in me outside of Christ.

There's no person, no institution I can trust outside of you. And I cling myself, and I cleave to you tonight. Remind me afresh of who it is that I'm praying to. So confess that the Lord is a refuge to whom we turn. The second thing in your time of prayer, I would like you to praise God for his great salvation.

And if that's become something that you share and say, and it doesn't just strike awe in your heart, ask for that joy to be rekindled. Praise God for the blessings and the successes in your life. Pray for help in the areas of weakness. And perhaps if you are in a season of loss and trial, pray God that he would be glorified as you grieve, as you suffer, as you mourn, that he would be glorified just even in that process.

So we're gonna do it like January, where we're gonna give you a few minutes to pray. The prayer team is gonna just lead us just in a time of music where we get to just pray. And after a couple minutes, they're gonna start singing the song that we've selected to kind of go along with the prayer points.

And then after this first round, I'm gonna ask Pastor Nate to come up and just pray for us as a representative prayer. So why don't we go ahead and declare to the Lord why we love him and ask God for reminders a plenty tonight. For reasons for praise. Okay, and let's do that.

(soft music) (soft music) (soft music) (soft music) (soft music) (soft music) (soft music) (soft music) (soft music) (soft music) (soft music) (soft music) (soft music) (soft music) (soft music) (soft music) (soft music) (soft music) (soft music) (soft music) (soft music) (soft music) (soft music) (soft music) (soft music) (soft music) (soft music) (soft music) (soft music) ♪ Oh Lord, my rock and my redeemer ♪ ♪ Greatest treasure of my longing soul ♪ ♪ My God, like you there is no other ♪ ♪ True delight is found in you alone ♪ ♪ Your grace, well too deep to fathom ♪ ♪ Your love exceeds the heavens ♪ ♪ Your love exceeds the heavens ♪ ♪ Reach your truth, a fount of perfect wisdom ♪ ♪ My highest good and my unending need ♪ (soft music) (soft music) ♪ Oh Lord, my rock and my redeemer ♪ ♪ Strong defender of my weary heart ♪ ♪ My sword to fight the cruel deceiver ♪ ♪ And my shield against his hateful darts ♪ ♪ My song when enemies surround me ♪ ♪ My hope when tides of sorrow rise ♪ ♪ My joy when trials are abounding ♪ ♪ Your faithfulness, my refuge in the night ♪ (soft music) ♪ 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, bled and died ♪ ♪ 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 broke my bonds of sin and shame ♪ ♪ Oh Lord, my rock and my redeemer ♪ ♪ May all my days bring glory to your name ♪ ♪ May all my days bring glory to your name ♪ (soft music) (indistinct) - God in the world and in our lives, and God, as we gather together, there's a lot of people around us.

And Lord, we can't see it all. Father, we come to you though, without understanding or knowing everything, at least knowing this, God, that you're here with us and you are our strength, you're our rock, and you're our refuge. Father, we confess to you that we've been looking, trying to find our rock and our refuge in other places.

Father, help us open our eyes, let us see. Lord, help us to stop struggling so much, trying so hard, Father, with our own strength to muster up faith and courage. Lord, allow our eyes simply to see you, that we might instinctively cling to you. That we might instinctively cling to you, call out for you.

Lord, we feel like everything is so far out of our control right now. And that is our reality, and God, I pray that tonight you'd help us to draw near to you. Lord, thank you. We do love you. God, we love you with all our hearts. God, all we want is you.

And so, Father, would you teach us to set aside all the busyness, all the other places that we've been perhaps turning to for peace, that we might find our comfort in you. Lord, help us to stop trying to be so strong of our own accord. Help us, Lord, to stop trying so hard to fight out of the darkness by ourselves.

God, be our light. Guide us, Father. Help us to look up and see that you are our Father who desires to lead, to embrace, to love us. Lord, help us to be able to see all the things that are going on in the various trials, in all the different ways.

God, that we might not be people who are constantly trying to convince ourselves of theological truths. But, Lord, we are people who see you and simply believe. God, would you simplify our prayers tonight? Would you simplify our desires? Lord, help us to just look up to you tonight and to sing, to praise you, and to pray to you and long to be near you.

In Jesus' name we pray, amen. I want to read Psalm 2, 1 through 6, for us. It reads, "Why are the nations in an uproar "and the peoples devising a vain thing? "The kings of the earth take their stand "and the rulers take counsel together. "They take counsel together against the Lord "and against his anointed, saying, "'Let us tear their fetters apart "'and cast away their cords from us.' "He who sits in the heavens laughs "and the Lord scoffs at them.

"Then he will speak to them in his anger "and terrify them in his fury, "saying, 'But as for me, "'I have installed my king upon Zion, "'my holy mountain.'" Just historically, the more intelligent and the more powerful a people's, a city, and a nation gets, the more self-reliant they become, the more arrogant they become, and traditionally, the more greedy they become.

And almost to where they foolishly think there's nothing that could knock us off this pedestal. And here in Psalm 2, we see that the creator of the universe who is enthroned in the heavens is watching all this, knowing that there's nothing that's out of his control. He is omniscient, he is omnipresent, he is omnipotent, and these puny creatures are rebelling, are scoffing, and are causing chaos.

And they think they're at the center. And the reason I share this psalm with us tonight is that there are a lot of things that the sin of man is causing chaos in in the world around us today. And a lot of people on their social media profiles are talking about Ukraine, they're putting up the blue and yellow, "Pray for Ukraine," and I wonder if actually they pray.

They just put that up. But for us, we need to be watchful, we need to be hopeful, yes, and we need to be sober. As we see the things that are unfolding around us, starting even with the little things, to even like the scientific things, even the vaccine, the politics, global crises, and all of these things, we need to kind of calm down, not to place any blame, but to pray to God for him to move, for him to show his goodness, and for him to show himself to be God.

And so tonight, we're gonna be praying for these three prayer topics. First, pray for our city and our state, that the Lord would give wisdom to the governing authorities. And whatever comes to your mind, ask God to be glorified in the things, and that he would empower and enable his people in these cities, in these states, really to shine the light of Christ.

The second request that I would like for us all to beseech the Lord together in is pray for our nation, that there would be revival, that the light of Christ would shine in the darkness, and pray that God would raise up wise and selfless leaders who love and fear him.

And with that, also please pray for the churches around us. That God would raise up just godly men and women, spiritual warriors who will know how to fight, when to fight, what to fight. So pray for them. Third, pray for those suffering because of the crises that we see in various parts of the world.

Pray for the believers in those nations to persevere and to shine the light of Christ in their local contexts. There are videos and things of popping up of Christians trying to minister, even in the Ukraine and in this context now. And my encouragement really is to pray that God would be glorified, that the name of Jesus Christ would move powerfully in Europe, and that God would use his saints, whether in life or in death, really to proclaim his truth.

So let's pray for those things. And then we will sing praise together. And then I'm going to ask Elder James Hong to come up and pray. But even when we start singing, if you really feel burdened to continue to pray, by all means, please do so. Okay, so we're going to join together and pray for these three topics.

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We have brothers and sisters, perhaps even fighting in the Ukrainian army. We probably even have them in the Russian army, having to think over making difficult decisions, Lord. We know that some are protesting. Lord, we know that some are praying for the Ukrainians, Lord God, under this mess. And amidst this, Lord, we are so thankful for the promises in your word, that these are not just random events, that sinful man is not in control, but that we are indeed, Lord God, marching forward to the culmination of history when all flesh, all spiritual, all angels, all demons, everyone will see, Lord God, your blessed kingdom.

And as every kingdom has risen and has fallen, yours will remain. And we are so thankful. We look forward to the day, Father, when the government will be upon his shoulders and there will be true justice, there will be true peace, and every eye will see, every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord of Lord and King of Kings.

And so until that time, Father, we pray for our brothers and sisters, Lord, in every nation, that they would remain faithful, that even in the midst of tragedy, Lord God, they would remember that you are in control and that you are good, and that during this time, that above all else, Lord God, they would endeavor to share the good news of Jesus Christ, that we would see Russian soldiers sharing the good news of Jesus Christ, that we would see Ukrainian civilians and soldiers sharing the good news of Jesus Christ, that world leaders would be informed of the good news of Jesus Christ, and that they will be held accountable, Father.

This gospel that is so precious, that cost the very life, Lord God, of the only begotten, help us, Lord God, to see the urgency and spread this good news to everyone we know, to connect it with every part of our very life, Father. And in so doing, remembering, Father, again, that you are in complete control of all things.

Thank you, Lord, for being who you are. We pray all these things in the name of your Son. Amen. In this third section, we're going to be praying that we as a church are watchful and prayerful and sober. And I want to read Matthew 24, 4-14 for us. It reads, nearly the beginning of birth pains.

Then, they will deliver you to tribulation and will kill you and you will be hated by all nations because of my name. And at that time, many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another. Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many. Because lawlessness is increased, most people's love will grow cold.

But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved. This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations and then the end will come. This passage is descriptive and not prescriptive. There's not necessarily an application that we can make from this.

Most of it is a detailing of what's gonna happen. And some of you, as we are reading this, might think, oh man, this feels very familiar. And so, just in terms of being mindful, that we may be living in the beginning of the end, but Jesus says, don't be frightened.

And he says a couple things that are hopeful for us that will happen. That the gospel's being preached. That it's gonna go forth. There is no human effort that can withstand that. But there's a lot of distractions that will come into play. And Satan's strategy is always to divide and conquer and distract.

But the gospel's gonna continue to go forth. And when I read this passage, primarily, as a local church, being watchful, being sober, being prayerful, what is it that we must do? Primarily, we need to help people to persevere. We need to help people to grow in salvation. We need to do our best to prevent love from getting cold and calloused.

And we need to preach the gospel. God is on his throne. He is absolutely in control. Things that are happening are not surprising to him. But for us, our call is not to be sidetracked, but to stay watchful, sober, and mindful that he is sovereign and that he loves sinful people and he is saving souls.

And our call is just to remain faithful to whatever task he's called us in our perseverance and in our participation with the Great Commission work. So the first couple things that I want us to just lift up, I have the prayer points up. Pray that our leaders will lead well in watchfulness, in courage and boldness, and in Christ-like love.

Intercede on behalf of the leaders of the church. And if you have friends who are at other churches, who are, who may be leaders at other churches, pray for them as well. Pray that God would keep men of God sober, faithful, and perseverant. Secondly, you guys know that our young adults are now all on their way up, if they're not already there, to retreat.

Pray for our band members that the retreat will be a time where fears are stilled, where passions are rekindled, and where hearts are refreshed. I'm sure there are a lot of different distractions and things that are going on, but pray that that place will be protected and that God will really minister well to our brothers and sisters that are there.

Pray for the strengthening of the various affinity groups in our church, especially to the one that you belong to. And also pray that God will raise up the next generation of godly men and women in our youth and our children. I don't feel like I'm in this generation that's gonna receive and feel the heaviest of persecutions.

My prayer for Maddie and Karis really is my kids, that when they have to fight, and the fighting is a lot more severe, that they would know how to fight well. And I'm praying for wisdom on my end to train them to fight well. And can you join me in praying also for the future of our children?

That they would be a generation that really knows the word of God, loves the word of God, lives it out, and helps others to do the same, especially as the world grows more and more hostile. So pray for these things. If you feel like, man, that's a lot to pray for in two, three minutes, just focus on one, and just pray passionately.

And then at the end, after we sing, Elder Phillip will come up and close our time for that third round. (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) ♪ In Christ alone my hope is found ♪ ♪ He is my light, my strength, my song ♪ ♪ His cornerstone, the solid ground ♪ ♪ Firm through the fiercest drought and storm ♪ ♪ What heights of love, what depths of peace ♪ ♪ When fears are stilled, when strivings cease ♪ ♪ My comforter, my all in all ♪ ♪ Here in the love of Christ I stand ♪ ♪ In Christ alone, who took on flesh ♪ ♪ The fullness of God in helpless babe ♪ ♪ His gifts of love and righteousness ♪ ♪ Was scorned by the ones he came to save ♪ ♪ 'Til on that cross as Jesus died ♪ ♪ The wrath of God was satisfied ♪ ♪ For every sin on him was laid ♪ ♪ Here in the death of Christ I live ♪ (soft piano music) (soft piano music) ♪ There in the ground his body lay ♪ ♪ Light of the world by darkness slain ♪ ♪ Then bursted forth in glorious day ♪ ♪ Up from the grave he rose again ♪ ♪ And as he stands in victory ♪ ♪ Since curse has lost its grip on me ♪ ♪ For I am his and he is mine ♪ ♪ Bought by the precious blood of Christ ♪ (soft piano music) (soft piano music) ♪ No guilt in life, no fear in death ♪ ♪ This is the power of Christ in me ♪ ♪ From life's first cry to final breath ♪ ♪ Jesus commands my destiny ♪ ♪ No power of hell, no scheme of man ♪ ♪ Can ever pluck me from his hand ♪ ♪ 'Til he returns or calls me home ♪ ♪ Here in the power of Christ I'll stand ♪ ♪ No power of hell, no scheme of man ♪ ♪ Can ever pluck me from his hand ♪ ♪ 'Til he returns or calls me home ♪ ♪ Here in the power of Christ I'll stand ♪ (soft piano music) (indistinct) (indistinct) - All right, let's pray.

Heavenly Father, I just wanna thank you, Lord God, for giving us the privilege to gather together as a body, as a church, so that we could pray. And you have called us to pray, Lord. Called us to seek your face, Lord God, only by the power that is given to us through the blood of Jesus Christ, the precious lamb, Lord, who became a sacrifice for our sins, a substitution, Father God.

Lord, as we meditate on that, Father, Lord, we know that in our own strength, or even our limited words, Father, that we can't, by our own power and strength, Lord, seek to achieve what Christ has achieved, Lord God. So we come to you in prayer. We come to you in humbleness, acknowledging our weakness, acknowledging, Lord God, that you are our strength, and only by your power and your strength, Lord God, that can we even make it a day, Father God, that we are sinners before a holy and holy God, Father, that we are weak, that we are weak in our discipline, we are weak, Lord God, in our faith, but Lord God, we look to Christ and what he has done on the cross, and we just thank you, Heavenly Father.

And that's all we could do is lift the words of praise for you are worthy, Father God. I just pray that for our church, Lord, one of many, many churches, Lord God, what distinguishes us, Lord, from any other church that is around our community in this world, Father, it doesn't.

Lord, I pray, Father, from the leadership down to every member, that you would cause us, Lord God, to consider our identity in Christ, what we have received in Christ. So I pray for our leadership, Lord, that you would keep our leadership humble, you would keep our leadership, Lord God, hungry and dedicated, Father God, to the word and just to prayer.

Father, we pray, Lord God, that you would watch over them, that you would cause them, Lord God, to grow in you and to continue to rekindle the first love. Pray, Heavenly Father, for the BAM retreat as they are gathering together, Lord. I pray that they would realize what a special moment it is, Lord, to get away from the world and the distractions, Lord God, to take time to worship, to pray.

Lord, I pray, Father God, that there will be a strong sense, Lord, of heaviness, Lord God, the weight of the gospel, the weight, Father God, that will cause them to reconsider and rekindle, Father. So we pray for our brothers and sisters at that retreat. Pray for Pastor Mark, Lord God, as he leads, Father, that we would see your spirit working in our BAM ministry.

We also pray for our other affinity groups, Lord God, the couples, especially, Lord, as young couples and married and as they have children, as going through various different stages of life or business and tiredness. Father God, I pray that you would give them soberness to understand, Lord, that Satan is trying to cause them, Lord God, their desire for you to be cold.

But I pray, Lord, that they would be alert, sober, and to make that much more of an effort to seek you. And in their tiredness, that you would comfort and give them strength, Lord God. Also, we pray for our young ones, Lord God, that you would first give the conviction to our parents, Lord, to each parent, Father, to live in such a way that will be an example to our young ones, Lord God, so that we might raise a generation who will take the mantle of the gospel and do more than we have, Father, that they would be convicted because of the examples that they have seen.

So I pray, Lord, that you would raise up young, hungry, Lord, your soldiers, Lord God, ambassadors in our young ones, Father. So I just wanted to thank you and acknowledge, Lord, your goodness, and I pray all this in Jesus' name, amen. - All right, for our last round of prayer topics, before we break off and pray together, I wanna read Colossians 4, 2-6 as an exhortation to us.

It reads, "Devote yourselves to prayer, "keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving." So just by way of reminder, our praise and prayer night doesn't end here. You take that home and that you lift up at home these topics and that you continue to do so. So 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.

Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of your opportunity, and let your speech always be with grace as though seasoned with salt so that you will know how you should respond to each person. So this is the prayer request of a missionary in prison who's asking that God would help him to speak clearly.

To speak clearly, that which is humanly difficult to speak, the mystery of Christ. And so we're gonna be praying for just the proclamation of the message of God to unbelievers. We're gonna pray specifically for this. The first prayer point is just, we have upcoming the evangelism outing at the source and the spectrum that'll take place at the beginning of March and April.

So pray that the teams that go, it is daunting to go and just approach strangers, but pray that God would give them not just boldness, but a lot of compassion so that they're not treating people like projects, but really souls to be saved. So pray for that. And there are loved ones in your life, I'm sure, that don't know Christ.

So pray for their salvation. Also pray that you will take advantage of the opportunities to share the gospel with them, especially with the Pastor Week and Easter coming up, that you would be bold and sensitive to the opportunities that avail themselves. Third, we're gonna be praying for our Indian pastors and the ministry that is taking place in India, where the suffering and the persecution is a constant, it's a given.

And let's pray that they would bear much fruit. And let's pray that God would empower them to continue to speak, and that their children and their children's children will also take the baton and just grow to really be passionate conduits of the gospel of Christ. And we're gonna pray for two families that we love, that the Han family, Pastor Alex and his family that are here, pray for them, that God would hasten the day where they actually can get back into their field, and pray that God would help them to maximize their time here.

And for the Tongs as well, for Harry and Linda, that God will open up doors for them to return to the field that they desire to go back into, and in the process of waiting, that God would help them to be fruitful. So pray for those things, and then I'll wrap it up after we take a time of praise as well.

(gentle piano music) (gentle piano music continues) (gentle piano music continues) (gentle piano music continues) (gentle piano music continues) (gentle piano music continues) (gentle piano music continues) (gentle piano music continues) (gentle piano music continues) (gentle piano music continues) (gentle piano music continues) (gentle piano music continues) (gentle piano music continues) (gentle piano music continues) (gentle piano music continues) (gentle piano music continues) (gentle piano music continues) (gentle piano music continues) (gentle piano music continues) (gentle piano music continues) (gentle piano music continues) (gentle piano music continues) (gentle piano music continues) (gentle piano music continues) (gentle piano music continues) (gentle piano music continues) (gentle piano music continues) (gentle piano music continues) (gentle piano music continues) (gentle piano music continues) (gentle piano music continues) (gentle piano music continues) ♪ Who, oh Lord, could save themselves ♪ ♪ Their own soul could heal ♪ ♪ Our shame was deeper than the sea ♪ ♪ Your grace is deeper still ♪ ♪ Who, oh Lord, could save themselves ♪ ♪ Their own soul could heal ♪ ♪ Our shame was deeper than the sea ♪ ♪ Your grace is deeper still ♪ ♪ You alone can rescue ♪ ♪ You alone can save ♪ ♪ You alone can lift us from the grave ♪ ♪ You came down to find us ♪ ♪ Let us out of death ♪ ♪ To you alone belongs the highest praise ♪ ♪ You, oh Lord, have made a way ♪ ♪ The great divine you healed ♪ ♪ For when our hearts were far away ♪ ♪ Your love went further still ♪ ♪ Yes, your love goes further still ♪ ♪ You alone can rescue ♪ ♪ You alone can save ♪ ♪ You alone can lift us from the grave ♪ ♪ You came down to find us ♪ ♪ Let us out of death ♪ ♪ To you alone belongs the highest praise ♪ ♪ To you alone belongs the highest praise ♪ ♪ You lift up our eyes ♪ ♪ You lift up our eyes ♪ ♪ You're the giver of life ♪ ♪ You lift up our eyes ♪ ♪ You lift up our eyes ♪ ♪ You're the giver of life ♪ ♪ You lift up our eyes ♪ ♪ You lift up our eyes ♪ ♪ You're the giver of life ♪ ♪ You lift up our eyes ♪ ♪ You lift up our eyes ♪ ♪ You're the giver of life ♪ ♪ You lift up our eyes ♪ ♪ You lift up our eyes ♪ ♪ You're the giver of life ♪ ♪ You lift up our eyes ♪ ♪ You lift up our eyes ♪ ♪ You're the giver of life ♪ ♪ You lift up our eyes ♪ ♪ You lift up our eyes ♪ ♪ You're the giver of life ♪ ♪ You lift up our eyes ♪ ♪ You lift up our eyes ♪ ♪ You're the giver of life ♪ ♪ You alone can rescue ♪ ♪ You alone can save ♪ ♪ You alone can lift us from the grave ♪ ♪ You came down to find us ♪ ♪ Let us out of death ♪ ♪ To you alone belongs the highest praise ♪ ♪ To you alone belongs the highest praise ♪ - Take the last 10 minutes or so just to pray for each other.

So if you guys can just grab, maybe just one or two people, if you're here with just your spouse or your family, you guys just pray together. If you're here just alone, maybe partner up with one or two people and just intercede for each other. This is not a time to share your life story, it's a time to pray.

And so we're gonna take about 10 minutes to do that, and then we'll call you back up, we'll stand, we'll praise, and then we'll wrap up our evening with that, all right? And so 10 minutes. (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience laughing) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience laughing) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) Okay, you have another 30 seconds.

(audience chattering) It goes verse one, chorus, verse two, chorus, and then your solo. Verse one, chorus. Verse two. Verse two, chorus, and then solo, and then chorus. (audience chattering) Okay, I invite you all to stand for our closing songs, and I wanna end with a reading of Psalm 150.

It's a short psalm with just six verses, but it would be only appropriate as we've entrusted our burdens to the Lord to just end the night in praising him and just really submitting ourselves to his sovereignty. And here's what Psalm 150 says. Praise the Lord, praise God in his sanctuary, praise him in his mighty expanse, praise him for his mighty deeds, praise him according to his excellent greatness, praise him with trumpet sound, praise him with harp and lyre, praise him with timbrel and dancing, praise him with stringed instruments and pipe, praise him with loud cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals, let everything that has breath, praise the Lord, praise the Lord.

We're gonna wrap up just with two songs of praise, and as we sing these songs, may they remind you just of his goodness and his kindness, especially if you are in a time of struggle and trial. All right, let's praise together. (gentle music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) ♪ God is able ♪ ♪ He will never fail ♪ ♪ He is almighty God ♪ ♪ Greater than all we see ♪ ♪ Greater than all we ask ♪ ♪ He has done great things ♪ ♪ Lifted up ♪ ♪ Feeded the grave ♪ ♪ Raised to life ♪ ♪ Our God is able ♪ ♪ In his name ♪ ♪ We overcome ♪ ♪ For the Lord ♪ ♪ Our God is able ♪ (upbeat music) (upbeat music) ♪ God is with us ♪ ♪ God is on our side ♪ ♪ He will make a way ♪ ♪ Far above all we know ♪ ♪ Far above all we hope ♪ ♪ He has done great things ♪ ♪ Lifted up ♪ ♪ Feeded the grave ♪ ♪ Raised to life ♪ ♪ Our God is able ♪ ♪ In his name ♪ ♪ We overcome ♪ ♪ For the Lord ♪ ♪ Our God is able ♪ (upbeat music) ♪ Lifted up ♪ ♪ Feeded the grave ♪ ♪ Raised to life ♪ ♪ Our God is able ♪ ♪ In his name ♪ ♪ We overcome ♪ ♪ For the Lord ♪ ♪ Our God is able ♪ ♪ Lifted up ♪ ♪ Feeded the grave ♪ ♪ Raised to life ♪ ♪ Our God is able ♪ ♪ In his name ♪ ♪ We overcome ♪ ♪ For the Lord ♪ ♪ Our God is able ♪ ♪ Lord ♪ ♪ Our God is able ♪ (upbeat music) ♪ Worthy of every song we could ever sing ♪ ♪ Worthy of all the praise we could ever bring ♪ ♪ Worthy of every breath we could ever breathe ♪ ♪ We live for you ♪ ♪ Jesus, the name above every other name ♪ ♪ Jesus, the only one who could ever save ♪ ♪ Worthy of every breath we could ever breathe ♪ ♪ We live for you ♪ ♪ Live for you ♪ ♪ Holy, there is no one like you ♪ ♪ There is none beside you ♪ ♪ Open up my eyes in wonder ♪ ♪ Show me who you are and fill me with your heart ♪ ♪ And lead me in your love to those around me ♪ ♪ Worthy of every song we could ever sing ♪ ♪ Worthy of all the praise we could ever bring ♪ ♪ Worthy of every breath we could ever breathe ♪ ♪ We live for you ♪ ♪ Jesus, the name above every other name ♪ ♪ Jesus, the only one who could ever save ♪ ♪ Worthy of every breath we could ever breathe ♪ ♪ We live for you ♪ ♪ We live for you ♪ ♪ Holy, there is no one like you ♪ ♪ There is none beside you ♪ ♪ Open up my eyes in wonder ♪ ♪ Show me who you are and fill me with your heart ♪ ♪ And lead me in your love to those around me ♪ ♪ Holy, there is no one like you ♪ ♪ There is none beside you ♪ ♪ Open up my eyes in wonder ♪ ♪ Show me who you are and fill me with your heart ♪ ♪ And lead me in your love to those around me ♪ (soft music) ♪ I will build my life upon your love ♪ ♪ It is a firm foundation ♪ ♪ I will put my trust in you alone ♪ ♪ And I will not be shaken ♪ ♪ I will build my life upon your love ♪ ♪ It is a firm foundation ♪ ♪ I will put my trust in you alone ♪ ♪ In you alone ♪ ♪ And I will not be shaken ♪ ♪ I will build my life upon your love ♪ ♪ It is a firm foundation ♪ ♪ I will put my trust in you alone ♪ ♪ In you alone ♪ ♪ And I will not be shaken ♪ ♪ Holy, there is no one like you ♪ ♪ There is none beside you ♪ ♪ Open up my eyes in wonder ♪ ♪ Show me who you are and fill me with your heart ♪ ♪ And lead me in your love to those around me ♪ ♪ I will build my life upon your love ♪ ♪ It is a firm foundation ♪ ♪ I will put my trust in you alone ♪ ♪ And I will not be shaken ♪ ♪ I will build my life upon your love ♪ ♪ It is a firm foundation ♪ ♪ I will put my trust in you alone ♪ ♪ And I will not be shaken ♪ - Let's pray.

God, this is our desire that we be anchored in Christ, that in anything we would trust in you and you alone. God, continue to show us who you are more and more each day, that we can help but marvel at the God who we worship. Please teach us, God, in the midst of our busyness of our day-to-day lives, to cling on to you.

God, that we remain sober-minded through your word and through our prayers to you. God, if we have been drifting or in a place of apathy, I pray that we may look upon the salvation that you have given us, the salvation that is imperishable, that will not fade away, that our joy would be renewed.

So we thank you for everything, in Jesus' name we pray. Amen. (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering)