*crowd noise* I'm sweating. Oh my goodness. That night window was so heavy. Did you see Garry just one man that thing? I saw you try to and I'm like oh my god. Look at me compared to him man. I'm tiny. He's got like the back muscle of the least man.

No one works out those muscles back there. Except Garry. I could not. I could never. You guys are a small team. That's what's going to happen. *crowd noise* My name is Ashley. My wife and my daughter extremely like the king and the elephant. Nice. Love it. King. *crowd noise* Alright.

*crowd noise* My heart is beating. Oh one more time. *crowd noise* Split second. Hello hello good evening. What's your name? Carolyn. Carolyn I promise to forget your name in the future. *laughter* That's good. Aww. Hey she's awake. *crowd noise* So small. *crowd noise* Such a smallish. So small. I know.

I don't know if she's waving or if she's just like being vibrated by Tim's pads. Look up Carolyn. She's waving. I know. She's watching. She's watching your every move. *laughter* Oh oh Alex look what you did. Yeah. She's got you. She said feed me. Makes sense. *crowd noise* Did I?

*crowd noise* Did you feed me? *crowd noise* Let's start our praise prayer service tonight. *crowd noise* We'll begin our service with a song called Worship. So let us continue to come forward as we sing this song. *crowd noise* *music* *music* *music* ♪ I'm a man, you a woman, and a song ♪ ♪ For my song is the sound ♪ ♪ It is the wood you have defined ♪ ♪ Since you've touched much deeper with it ♪ ♪ If you wait any longer ♪ ♪ You're looking into the hunt ♪ ♪ I'm looking back to the offer of a virgin ♪ ♪ 'Cause I'm so in love with you ♪ ♪ 'Cause I'm so in love with you, Jesus ♪ ♪ I'm so in love with you, leave me that thing ♪ ♪ 'Cause I'm so in love with you ♪ ♪ 'Cause I'm so in love with you, Jesus ♪ (laughing) ♪ 'Cause I'm so in love with you ♪ ♪ Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh ♪ ♪ Can you let this word ♪ ♪ No one can express ♪ ♪ How much you deserve ♪ ♪ No one we can afford ♪ ♪ All I have is your gold ♪ ♪ Every single breath ♪ ♪ I'm a man, you a woman, and a song ♪ ♪ For my song is the sound ♪ ♪ It is the wood you have defined ♪ ♪ You said, "Congratulations, great birthday" ♪ ♪ You've been waiting for me ♪ ♪ You're a legend, it's good to know ♪ ♪ I'm looking back to the offer of a virgin ♪ ♪ 'Cause I'm so in love with you ♪ ♪ 'Cause I'm so in love with you, Jesus ♪ ♪ I'm so in love with you, Jesus ♪ ♪ 'Cause I'm so in love with you ♪ ♪ 'Cause I'm so in love with you, Jesus ♪ ♪ I'm looking back to the offer of a virgin ♪ ♪ 'Cause I'm so in love with you ♪ ♪ 'Cause I'm so in love with you, Jesus ♪ ♪ I'm so in love with you, Jesus ♪ ♪ 'Cause I'm so in love with you ♪ ♪ 'Cause I'm so in love with you, Jesus ♪ (gentle music) - Good evening, everybody.

Well, it's a privilege for us to come together for prayer, and as you know, we have these pre-audited, so we can gather our hearts together, lifting up our God, and raising up our voices in prayer. Tonight, we will be encouraged by the word, and we'll have extended time to go to God in prayer.

Interestingly, one of the things that we will do again as we come before is to remove the white chairs for those who wanna come forward, and to kneel as you are in prayer, and we'll actually do that. A periodic is a meal, a mass will have to be a meal, because some people are just so obedient that way.

And as you know, it's not necessarily something is because we want it, but we want each individual to express what they feel. We want each individual to show and mean what they say and say. And so in that case, that's why I'm structurally speaking that people will actually stand and raise their hands to the sky, and lift up holy hands when you pray, or you'll find that they'll close off their face prostrate before you.

It's all variety, because it is ways we can react to God in our real life, amen? And so with that said, please do not feel outnumbered. We're gonna dim the lights, we don't want you distracted by people or anything else, but that we will really read your letters to us.

Let's go in prayer as we prepare for this time. Heavenly Father, we thank you guys so much. Lord, you are so great, so powerful. There is nothing, not even the greatest of kingdoms, and not even the most private of hearts, the hearts of man, that is outside of the reach.

And therefore, God, we trust you. Lord, therefore, with faith and hope we pray. And so we ask that this evening, as we join our hearts to render to you all the various requests, things that are happening in our lives. We ask that you would be merciful. Also, Lord, as we lift up these songs of praise, God, that is not so much from a period of dissonance, but rather knowing that you are disproving.

Regardless of how we came here today, we want to lift to you a simple sacrifice from the time of our inheritance. We thank you, God, for your grace and we pray. Amen. - Let us all rise as we sing these praise songs. (gentle music) ♪ By grace of God somehow I stand ♪ ♪ Where even angels fear to cry ♪ ♪ And by divine redeeming love ♪ ♪ Before the throne of God above ♪ ♪ He pulls me close with a little scarlet hand ♪ ♪ Into his everlasting arm ♪ ♪ God's recognition ♪ ♪ And your recognition grips my heart ♪ ♪ And it's insensitivity to despair ♪ ♪ I hear a voice that scatters fear ♪ ♪ Through the great high anthem of his name ♪ ♪ Oh, praise the one who provides for me ♪ ♪ And gives shelter eternally ♪ (gentle music) ♪ We are approached for a throne ♪ ♪ Where there's a self-proclaiming home ♪ ♪ By your blood I come ♪ ♪ For welcome has grown ♪ ♪ Into the arms of majesty ♪ ♪ A rider rests at his side ♪ ♪ A warrior in a man's world has died ♪ ♪ A rider rests with his brother ♪ ♪ And gives respect to his heart ♪ ♪ His righteousness ♪ ♪ For thousands years ♪ ♪ For thousands of years ♪ ♪ A rider to take his place ♪ ♪ We are approached ♪ ♪ For we are approached for a throne ♪ ♪ Where there's a self-proclaiming home ♪ ♪ By your blood I come ♪ ♪ For welcome has grown ♪ ♪ Into the arms of majesty ♪ ♪ We are approached ♪ ♪ For we are approached for a throne ♪ ♪ Where there's a self-proclaiming home ♪ ♪ By your blood I come ♪ ♪ For welcome has grown ♪ ♪ Into the arms of majesty ♪ ♪ He holds me close ♪ ♪ He holds me close ♪ ♪ When hell started ♪ ♪ Into his everlasting love ♪ ♪ He holds me close ♪ ♪ When hell started ♪ ♪ Into his everlasting love ♪ ♪ For we are approached for a throne ♪ ♪ Where there's a self-proclaiming home ♪ ♪ By your blood I come ♪ ♪ For welcome has grown ♪ ♪ Into the arms of majesty ♪ (soft piano music) - Sing it, sing it.

(soft piano music) ♪ Oh Lord my God ♪ ♪ When I in awesome wonder ♪ ♪ Consider all ♪ ♪ The works thy hands have made ♪ ♪ I see the stars ♪ ♪ I hear the rolling thunder ♪ ♪ Thy power throughout ♪ ♪ The universe displayed ♪ ♪ Then sings my soul ♪ ♪ My Savior God to thee ♪ ♪ And I'll regret thou art ♪ ♪ And I'll regret thou art ♪ ♪ Then sings my soul ♪ ♪ My Savior God to thee ♪ ♪ And I'll regret thou art ♪ ♪ And I'll regret thou art ♪ ♪ And when I leave ♪ ♪ And let God's son ♪ ♪ Spare me ♪ ♪ Send him to die ♪ ♪ Highest cares can take it ♪ ♪ That on that cross ♪ ♪ By my burden gladly bearing ♪ ♪ He led and died ♪ ♪ To take away my sin ♪ ♪ Then sings my soul ♪ ♪ My Savior God to thee ♪ ♪ And I'll regret thou art ♪ ♪ And I'll regret thou art ♪ ♪ Then sings my soul ♪ ♪ My Savior God to thee ♪ ♪ And I'll regret thou art ♪ ♪ And I'll regret thou art ♪ ♪ When the cross shall come ♪ ♪ When we shall have acclamation ♪ ♪ And take me home ♪ ♪ What joy shall fill my heart ♪ ♪ And then I shall bow ♪ ♪ With humble adoration ♪ ♪ And there proclaim ♪ ♪ My God I'll regret thou art ♪ ♪ Then sings my soul ♪ ♪ My Savior God to thee ♪ ♪ And I'll regret thou art ♪ ♪ And I'll regret thou art ♪ ♪ Then sings my soul ♪ ♪ My Savior God to thee ♪ ♪ And I'll regret thou art ♪ ♪ And I'll regret thou art ♪ ♪ Then sings my soul ♪ ♪ My Savior God to thee ♪ ♪ And I'll regret thou art ♪ ♪ And I'll regret thou art ♪ ♪ And I'll regret thou art ♪ ♪ And I'll regret thou art ♪ (gentle music) ♪ I'll regret God ♪ ♪ I'll regret God ♪ ♪ I'll regret God ♪ ♪ I'll walk you by my holy law ♪ ♪ Omen all ♪ ♪ That great to reign ♪ ♪ Conquer every rebel power ♪ ♪ Let no vice or sin remain ♪ ♪ That resists your holy law ♪ ♪ You have loved and purchased me ♪ ♪ And made me yours forevermore ♪ (gentle music) ♪ Those blinded by my sin ♪ ♪ Have no ears to hear your music ♪ ♪ And I know your love within ♪ ♪ Have no taste for heaven's fruit ♪ ♪ Let your spirit be my ♪ ♪ Open up your word to me ♪ ♪ The gospel of your son ♪ ♪ Gave me endless hope ♪ ♪ And peace ♪ ♪ Help me now ♪ ♪ Help me now to live a life ♪ ♪ That's dependent on your grace ♪ ♪ Be my heart ♪ ♪ And guard my soul ♪ ♪ From the evils that I face ♪ ♪ You are worthy to be praised ♪ ♪ With my every thought and deed ♪ ♪ O great God of highest heaven ♪ ♪ Glorify your name through me ♪ ♪ You are worthy to be praised ♪ ♪ With my every thought and deed ♪ ♪ O great God of highest heaven ♪ ♪ Glorify your name through me ♪ (gentle music) - Amen, you may be seated.

Okay, I would like to give a brief encouragement from the scriptures from Romans chapter nine, verses one through five. From Romans chapter nine, verses one through five. And by way of thinking through this, when we think about our Christian faith, there are a lot of people who seek to summarize our Christian faith in one simple statement or one essence or foundation.

For example, it's all about love, right? It's all about serving people. It's all about loving others or something like that, right? But to us, that category, it's difficult when we're trying to summarize all of our Christian faith into one thing, one concept, one character trait, that one foundation. Because you and I both know, it's much broader than that because Christianity can be more better summarized within one person, the person, the Lord Jesus Christ.

And in a way, if people try to summarize Christ in one facet, one character, one trait, they would be doing him a disservice. But instead, for us, we're saying everything that Christ does. And we ask the question throughout different circumstances of life, what would Christ do in this situation?

It's because our Christian life is summarized by we are followers of the Lord Jesus Christ. And therefore, because we're followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, it's not just simply what he does we're following, it's also his attitude that we're following. It's also his perspective. It's his judgment. It's Christ's discernment.

It's even how he feels. We wanna react to things the way that he would. We wanna feel the way that he feels when he judges and sees people, even. And so, we think about, tonight, Jesus's heart for the lost. And we know that a huge part of following Christ means that every single one of us, we need to break for the lost, amen?

We know that our hearts should also long to such a degree that we would take initiative, we would make plans, and we will go pursue the lost in our lives. We would not only do that, but we would avail ourselves to welcome, to exercise hospitality, to have open arms, and even to commune, and sit down and dine and continue to serve those who are lost.

And with that same vein, Apostle Paul, in Romans chapter nine, verses one through five, he expresses his heart, his heart attitude, when he thinks about his fellow Jew, his fellow countrymen, and he says this. Romans chapter nine, verses one through five. I'm telling the truth in Christ, I'm not lying.

My conscience testifies with me in the Holy Spirit that I have great sorrow and unceasing grief in my heart. For I wish I could, that I myself be a curse, separated from Christ for the sake of my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh, who are Israelites to whom belong the adoption as sons, and the glory and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the temple service, and the promises.

Those whose are the fathers, and from whom is the Christ according to the flesh, who is overall, God blessed forever, amen. Okay, so in jumping down into a passage in Romans nine, we know obviously, Apostle Paul, through the Book of Romans, has laid down the foundations of the gospel.

In the beginning chapters of Book of Romans, he essentially laid down that every single person is bound in sin, right? Revealed that each individual, no matter whether Gentile or your teacher of the law, you're underneath this condemnation to such a degree that our depravity is slavery, that we are enslaved to sin.

But thanks be to God, there is absolute freedom, and thanks be to God, there is no condemnation in Christ. In chapter eight of the Book of Romans, after having laid out that salvation is by faith, he has, in beautiful fashion, described the incredible security that is found in the unfailing love of Christ.

That when God has set upon his people his promise, it is an unbreakable chain. That each individual that God ministers to, they're going to be elected, they're going to be washed, and they're going to be glorified, okay? In thinking through that in context, there is this question then that is raised, and that's what he's answering in chapter nine, and that question essentially is, but what about the Jewish people, in the sense that so many of them, actually the entirety of Jerusalem, that when Christ came, they cried for his crucifixion?

And in current standpoint, although the Jewish people have received incredible persecution, many of them have already rejected Christ. So what gives, okay? And what's very interesting is to this question of Apostle Paul reassuring that God's promise is true, and Apostle Paul demonstrating that God is faithful to all of his promise, okay?

He begins by expressing his heart. He begins by expressing emphatically his emotion, and that's what I want to draw our attention to tonight. Apostle Paul says again in verse one, "I am telling the truth in Christ, I'm not lying. "My conscience testifies with me in the Holy Spirit "that I have this great sorrow." I mean, if you think about a way to emphatically state something, he says, "I'm telling the truth in Christ, "I'm not lying," which is redundant, "my conscience testifies in the Holy Spirit." This would be a lot like Jesus saying, "Verily, verily, I say to you," right?

"Listen, listen, please listen." And what he's trying to get us to understand is he has this incredible sorrow and unceasing grief, okay? So as a first point that I want to highlight and encourage us with is again, if we're following Christ, we too, paradoxically as Christians, will regularly feel great sorrow and unceasing grief.

We must follow Christ's sorrow with grief in our heart. Why? Because paradoxically, yes, the Christian life is much about rejoicing. In view of the incredible grace and mercies of God, when we look at God and then when we look at us, there should be incredible joy that is inexplicable and beyond any circumstance, amen?

And yet paradoxically, we're going to see increasing sorrow, increasing grief in our hearts because the light of Christ will open our eyes. Will open our eyes to the sufferings of man, but more so open our eyes to the deserved consequence of sin in this life. Is this a wicked and perverse generation?

Yes. Does that cause us incredible grief? Yes. If you take a look at Luke chapter 19, verses 41 through 44, if you recall, Jesus' heart was incredibly grieved. When he looked upon Jerusalem, it says in Luke 19, 41, "He saw the city and he wept over it, "saying, 'If you had known in this day, "'even you, the things which make for peace, "'but now they have been hidden from your eyes, "'for the days will come upon you "'when your enemies will throw up a barricade against you "'and surround you and hem you on every side, "'and they will level you to the ground "'and your children within you, "'and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, "'because you did not recognize the time of your visitation.'" I want us to take a moment to meditate and think.

We have heard this kind of story before, that when Christ looks upon a fallen city, like a mother hen, he grieves. He actually weeps over the city, yes? But then now there's that challenging question for us. Is the state of our heart and condition of our soul, when we see the generation, when we see the current even state of our country, when we see all kinds of paganism, all kinds of fallenness, one of the questions I ask is, what is the state of my heart?

You know, what's really interesting is, nowadays when I watch TV, if I'm listening to radio on my drive, I will be honest with you, there is an incredible temptation for me to absolutely harden my heart. I hear heading, news lines, et cetera, et cetera, of something horrendous that was done.

And I heard on the radio, I heard on YouTube, someone say this silly line, you play stupid games, you win stupid prizes. And in my head, I just chuckled and laughed, and then I realized that was in my heart, just confessing to you. Now, the fact of the matter is, is that statement true?

100% it's true. Scripture literally says, you reap what you sow. Scripture literally says, what you put in is what you're gonna get out. You have your just dessert, okay? However, I want you to meditate on the fact that Jesus is looking upon Jerusalem, an entire city and mob, which is gonna call for his crucifixion.

And he weeps over the fact that these people are going to experience the full consequence of their rejection. And he mourns. Do you not understand you have completely missed, you didn't recognize your visitation. And so to us, how silly, if I said it out loud, you play stupid games, of course you're gonna win stupid prizes, as one who was also a slave to this world.

Right? How silly of me to have only that attitude, given that my Savior looking upon people who will cry out for his own death is weeping. Now again, this is why little platitudes of, oh, you know, Jesus is only this or only that, we can't put him in a box because you have this incredible nature in which he knows the exacting nature of God.

He knows the perfect faithfulness of God to his holiness. And yet he grieves knowing where the whole city is headed. They're headed for destruction. And so I wanna challenge you, do not react to the things that you see in this world with just the same kind of reaction any commentator would.

And you also need to reflect on the fact that even Apostle Paul, he's just a man. And he's now crying, and he's trying to emphatically say, trust me, I'm not lying to you. In my heart is sorrow and grief for you. But let me ask you the question, of any other group, which group persecuted him the most?

Of any other people, which people gave him the hardest time? And at this juncture in the book of Romans, who has already been his greatest antagonist? A passage in Philippians answers that question. In Philippians chapter three, verse two and six, Apostle Paul says, beware of the dogs. Wow, that's an incredible statement to say.

Beware of the evil workers. Beware of the false circumcision. You know who he's talking about. For we are the true circumcision, who worship in the spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus, and put no confidence in the flesh, although I myself might have confidence even in the flesh.

If anyone else has a mind to put confidence in the flesh, I far more circumcise the eighth day, the nation of Israel, tribe of Benjamin, Hebrew of Hebrews, as to the law of Pharisee, as to zeal, a persecutor of the church, as to the righteousness which is in the law, found blameless.

Now, I highlight that because Apostle Paul, in defense, he's saying, these people think that I'm preaching the gospel out of what, because I can't do anything else, I can't make money? Because I was a licentious sinner and I couldn't hold the law and I couldn't be a good Jew?

And he's defending himself, saying, no, it's not because I lacked anything. As a matter of fact, you wanna go toe to toe, I could've been the best of any of you, right? But in saying that, what he's gonna say is, so I want you to actually know that in my heart I have genuine sorrow.

You live in a system that, yes, has rules, policies, has standards and culture, has history and legacy, but it doesn't have Christ. And that, in his eyes, brings sorrow, it brings grief, it brings pain, brings worry, it brings sleepless nights, right? And in that way we're challenged. As followers of Christ, Apostle Paul set a model for us to follow Christ.

Even those who would pain us and hurt us, are we grieving for them? Is there anybody in your life by which because they've caused you so much pain, because they've caused you so much inconvenience, so much burden, that you have said, perhaps in the more deeper recesses of your mind, it would be so much better if you weren't here.

But rather, are we moved with compassion? Are we moved with such zeal? Are we moved with such composure of Christ that we would weep and have sorrow and be willing to carry that burden of love? There are some people we have very little hope whether they would turn. It's been too long waiting.

There are some people who, there's just no signs of repentance, forget that. I mean, for them to admit one thing wrong, maybe. If we follow in the attitude of Christ, we are going to be willing to bear the sorrow of caring for their soul, even if it looks so bleak.

Next, as a point two, we recognize the intention of the gospel. I'm just gonna say intention of the gospel. I didn't know exactly how else to describe what he's saying. Take a look, and what he says is, "For I could wish that I myself were accursed, "separated from Christ for the sake of my brethren, "my kinsmen according to the flesh." And if you take a moment to think about that, it sounds wrong, doesn't it?

If you take a moment to think about it, it sounds so wrong. How could you, as a man, again, Apostle Paul's not an angel. He's for sure not Jesus himself. He's a man. And he says, "I wish I could be accursed for you." That sounds almost wrong. How can he say that?

Well, first, again, going to the idea and theme that we must follow Christ in his example, Christ in his attitude, Christ in his intent, we remember his own words that in Mark 10:45, Jesus said, excuse me, "The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, "and to give his life as a ransom for many." Likewise, then, in following Christ's example and his following Christ's intent, Apostle Paul defends himself.

Another example is from 2 Corinthians 12:19, where Apostle Paul says in defense, because they were accusing him, like, oh, you're not an apostle. Oh, you don't have the authority. Who gave you that right? Apostle Paul says, "All this time, you have been thinking "that we are defending ourselves to you.

"Actually, it is inside of God "that we have been speaking in Christ "and all for your upbuilding, beloved. "For I am afraid that perhaps when I come, "I may find you to be not what I wish, "and may be found by you to be not what you wish, "that perhaps there will be strife, jealousy, "angry tempers, disputes, slanders, "gossips, arrogance, and disturbances." Now, the reason why I bring this up is because earlier I mentioned, what is he saying by saying, I wish I was accursed for you?

Is he saying, kind of like when two bros who have been friends for a long time says, hey, you and me, ride or die, I'll take a bullet for you. Is that what he's saying? Loyalty, right? Sense of friendship. And I'm gonna tell you, no. Apostle Paul, very specifically, in his mind and his eyes, are focused on the perspective that these individuals could have wealth, health, and longevity, but without Christ, they would be dead.

What they need to avoid is to avoid the consequence of God and being accursed from Christ, and what they need to gain is very specifically the only salvation that is found in Christ, amen? And so, I ask you, in your eyes, in following Christ and the example of Apostle Paul, when you see the people in your workplace, in your school, and in your family, who have a good education, a good marriage, a good family, and they seem to do well, do you feel like, ah, they're good, eventually they'll come around?

Do you feel like they're okay? Part of the reason, you guys know that, I myself personally have been very against things like social justice, et cetera, et cetera, and part of the reason why is because there's a grave difference in perspective. What grieves my soul is not simply poverty, right?

And it shouldn't be yours. What grieves your heart and makes you cry shouldn't just be suffering. Now, is that important? Yes, but to every single one of us, we're not just saying, hey, I'll die for you for any cause, any reason, I won't die for you just so that you would have a better life, I won't die for you just so that you would have more money or health.

For us, the only reason why we would self-sacrifice is because what's good for a person is the salvation of their souls. And so I wanted to give you that perspective because I really feel like we live in a generation where people literally are going to tell us, oh, all you have is religious talk?

Even for those who are poor down in the streets, you're gonna come and just preach the gospel? You're gonna come and just invite them to church? People in their current perspective are gonna think, you know what's the solution is, just simply economy. You know what's the solution is, is a community, is a sense of relationship.

No. Every single soul without Christ is gonna receive eternal damnation from God Almighty. And if that's the case, then I have no qualms about disrupting someone's life to say, hey, I'm not just trying to sell you a cheap car, I'm not trying to sell you on better finances or better career, I'm trying to give to you the only thing that is worthy of eternity, amen?

And that being the case, I wanted to take time tonight to make sure, especially because we have a mission team out trying to evangelize to young people who are in college and younger, especially because our theme of the year is pray and proclaim. I want us to make sure that we follow in Christ's heart attitude, that we're willing to suffer just simply the burden of care and sorrow in our heart and the grief in our soul.

And what's more, we wanna have every intention. If some of you guys struggle with things like, oh, I don't know, I don't wanna make my friend believe that all I care about is preaching the gospel, yes, you do. Yes, you do. You wanna run the risk of having your friends feel like, did you just become friends with me to share the gospel?

Yes, I did. Did you take me out to lunch just so that you could share the gospel? Yes, 100%, thank you for noticing. Because outside of that, I don't actually have a lot to give you. Even my friendship is temporary. The love of the community is temporary. Outside of the gospel, I have no other intent.

Like, what other intentions that's so grand do I have for you other than that you would know my savior, amen? Let's take a moment to pray. Our God and Father, we pray that you would give to us such conviction of the unimaginable weight of the gospel of Christ because he shed his holy blood for us.

And I pray, Father God, our hearts would cry out. Our hearts, Lord God, would truly mourn over those who are not saved. Help us, Father God, to have eyes that are not just physical but truly spiritual and led by your spirit. That when we check to see if someone is doing well, we're not just simply asking about their jobs.

Help us, Father God, to make sure that everybody around us will see the light of Christ. It is your design that we would carry it. It is your design that we would speak it boldly. Give us conviction and courage in our day. In Christ's name, amen. Okay, at this time, we're gonna do just a shift.

So those of you guys who are up here, and those of you who wanna come forward, please go ahead and do. We're gonna stack away the white chairs upon these dollies. And those of you guys who are designated to be helpers, please go on and come up. Start stacking away the white chairs here so that we have space to roam and space to kneel, okay?

We're also gonna put up just a couple points for you guys. So give that a second. (audience clapping) (audience clapping) (audience clapping) (audience clapping) (audience clapping) (audience clapping) (audience clapping) (audience clapping) Okay, good, thank you. So again, for those of you who want to come forward to kneel or to just sit near the front and pray, please go ahead and make your transition now.

I wanna encourage you just to really just cry out to God and pray for the people who are in your lives that lift them up by name. And again, some of you have been praying for people, especially in your families, who have been praying for a long time. Remember, we absolutely first and foremost believe in a sovereign God.

There is no place where God is not sovereign. And so with hope in our heavenly Father, we pray for them. Also, as you guys know, the team in Korea, they hit the ground running and their schedule was packed. They're right in the middle of their retreat and in this international student retreat, they said that 50% of them are Christians, but 50% of them are not.

Please pray for fruitful conversations. Next week, right after they finish the retreat, they're gonna be doing a lot of street evangelism, but it's the rainy season, and so they're gonna be playing by ear what they can do and what they can't, but please pray that God would, as he said in various parts of scripture, there are people that his spirit is already working on.

And in that way, we hope that there is some divine appointment for them to have conversations with people and that those would be fruitful as well. Pastor Peter has mentioned that upon observing and learning, there's been just a lot of opportunities that seem to be available and open, but obviously there has to be discretion and wisdom of what to pursue.

So also continue to pray for focus, energy, and perseverance. As you guys know, we are people beset with weakness and just a little fatigue, lack of sleep, no food, and all of a sudden we can be knocked off our course, so let's pray for perseverance and a lot of focus for them.

What we'll do is, for 15 minutes, please go ahead and pray. Pray for your own heart and all the various things that we mentioned. After 15 minutes, I'll come back and open it up where our elders and pastors will be up at the front to pray for you, and then after that, we'll end up with the closing praise.

So while the AV team sets some music in the background, let's go ahead and pray. I'll say a brief prayer to open us into that time. Our God, we join together as a church, acknowledging, Lord, that you are sovereign over all the earth and universe, and you're sovereign over salvation.

And so, God, we lift up our prayers to you, and we pray, God, that truly in your mercy, you would hear us. In Christ's name, amen. (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) - As you continue to pray, we'll have our elders and pastors come to the front, spread out through the front stage area.

If you need prayer, please come up and request prayer. But also, if you're sitting there at your chair and you need prayer, this is a good time to pray for one another. Please go ahead and look to a neighbor and pray for each other as you need, okay? So let's continue on in our prayer.

And again, if you need prayer, go ahead and come on up to the front. (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music)