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2017-10-20 Devotional with Hymn, Prepare Yourself for Worship One comment

Jesus Among Us

Jesus, You have promised to gather with us,
even though we be only two or three.
But will we recognize You there?

You taught us this:

“Whoever receives one child like this in My name
receives Me.” (Mark 9:37, NASB)

“Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to
one of these brothers of Mine,
even the least of them,
you did it to Me.” (Matthew 25:40, NASB)

Jesus, You are among us in
the neediest,
the weakest,
the smallest.
You arrive disguised as those easiest for
self-centered eyes to overlook.

As we gather together, give me
Your loving eyes,
Your loving heart, and
Your loving hands.
As You arrive among us
disguised as the needy,
help me to
welcome You and
serve You
with all the joyful love You deserve. 

Listen and sing:
Hymn: Welcome, Jesus Christ!
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2017-10-13 Devotional with Hymn, Prepare Yourself for Worship No comments

Worship Like Jesus

“True worshipers will worship the Father
in spirit and truth;
for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers.
God is spirit, and those who worship Him
must worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4:23-24, NASB)

Father, I want to worship You
as You desire to be worshiped.
I want to worship You as Your Son worshiped You.
His worship rose,
not just from His lips,
but from His heart and life.
His worship was
prayer,
simple trust,
eager obedience,
loving service, and
complete self-sacrifice.
He worshiped You with all He was,
with all His
heart,
soul,
mind, and
strength.

Father, give me His Spirit.
Form in me His character.
Form in me His relationship with You.
Help me to worship You
like Jesus. 

Listen and sing:
Hymn: Father, Help Me Worship You
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2017-10-06 Devotional with Hymn, Prepare Yourself for Worship No comments

Feed Me, Lord

Father, as You feed my body so generously and faithfully,
You long to feed my soul.
In Jesus Christ You spread a rich banquet
for my true, eternal self.

You offer me
His Spirit,
His love,
His peace and joy,
His unbroken relationship with You.
You offer me everything that my being craves,
everything I will ever need,
everything You are.

Father, as I come to Your table today,
may I come hungry,
ready to be fed with
every song
every prayer,
every word.
Feed me with
the Spirit of Christ.
Feed me with
His body and
His blood. 

Listen and sing:
Hymn: We Taste Your Life and Long for More
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2017-09-29 Devotional with Hymn, Prepare Yourself for Worship No comments

Your Implanted Word
Matthew 13

As we worship, You will sow among us
Your Word,
Your precious, eternal, life-giving truth,
Your truth about Jesus Christ, Your Son.
Your Word will be read, sung, taught, and proclaimed.

O Father, help me receive it with an
open mind and
open heart.
Help me to listen as Your Spirit whispers it to me.
Help me to nurture Your implanted Word with
trust and
obedience.

Father, may the seed of Your Word
grow in my heart and life and
bear much fruit,
all to Your glory. 

Listen and sing:
Hymn: Bless This Seed
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2017-09-22 Devotional with Hymn, Prepare Yourself for Worship No comments

The Reason We Sing

Father, we sing to
praise You,
to give You some meager portion of all
the gratitude and
glory that we owe.

We sing to focus our
minds,
bodies, and
spirits on You
in all Your
beauty and
magnificence.

We sing to
remind ourselves who You are, to
strengthen our faith in You.

We sing to
know You better, to
open ourselves more fully to Your Spirit’s teaching.

We sing to testify to others just how
good,
loving, and
faithful You are.

Father, here in Your presence
Your greatness compels us to sing.
May we let nothing hinder us.
Nothing, Lord.
No distractions.
No petty personal preferences.
No judgmental attitudes toward our brothers and sisters.
No hindrances, Lord.
Our reasons for singing are so much greater than
any reasons to hold back.
Help us sing of You and Your truth with all the
heart,
soul,
spirit, and
physical energy You deserve.

We will sing, Father, because
we sing of YOU!

Listen and sing:
Hymn: The Reason We Sing
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2017-09-15 Devotional with Hymn, Prepare Yourself for Worship No comments

We Come Seeking You

We do not come for the music.
We do not come for the preaching.
We do not come for the people.

Father, we come hungry for You.
We come thirsty for You.

As we read,
speak, Father.
We are listening.
As we pray,
hear and answer.
We are looking up to You.
As we teach,
as we preach,
fill our minds.
Draw our hearts.
Reshape our lives.

Almighty God,
All-wise God,
God who truly, deeply, eternally seeks the very best for us,
we come seeking You. 

Listen and sing:
Hymn: We Come Seeking You
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2017-09-08 Devotional with Hymn, Prepare Yourself for Worship No comments

This Is the One We Follow

Father, as I prepare for worship,
help me see Jesus hanging on the cross.
Help me see Him as He truly was:
the blood,
the nakedness,
the pain wrenching His body.
Help me see Him humbled,
repulsive,
dying,
abandoned.

Father, remind me –
remind us:
This is our God.
This is His passionate love.
This is our Leader,
our Shepherd,
the One we imitate.
This is our goal,
our ambition,
our Way,
our Truth,
our Life.
This is the standard that guides our
every day and
every decision.

This is the way we deny ourselves.
This is the cross we carry.
This is the One we follow. 

Listen and sing:
Hymn: Christ Crucified
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2017-09-01 Devotional with Hymn, Prepare Yourself for Worship No comments

Each Person in Christ

Father, You inspire me with this vision;
You lift my eyes toward this possibility:
each person around me,
each person I know and love
fully in Christ,
trusting in Christ,
loving in Christ,
holy in Christ,
joyful, free, and at peace in Christ,
whole and forever one with Christ.

Father, how thrilling a thought!
Stirred by You,
I imagine it.
I desire it,
for You desire it.
I pray for it.
I long for it.

And Lord, I offer myself as Your instrument toward
this glorious goal:
each dear individual
complete in Christ.

Listen and sing:
Hymn: All in Christ
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2017-08-25 Devotional with Hymn, Prepare Yourself for Worship 3 comments

As I Sit among Your People

Father, when I next sit in the worship service,
surrounded by Your people,
give me Your eyes,
give me Your heart for them.
Move me as Jesus was moved by
their fears,
their needs,
their pain,
their struggles,
their grief.

Awaken me to them, Lord.
Move me
to pray,
to encourage,
to lend a helping hand,
to minister to their sorrow through my caring presence.

As I sit among Your people,
give me the
heart and
words and
overflowing generosity of Jesus. 

Listen and sing:
Hymn: Prayer of Intercession
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2017-08-18 Devotional with Hymn, Prepare Yourself for Worship No comments

Undistracted Love
Romans 15:7 

Father, when we gather before You,
You are not distracted by
our imperfect personalities,
our musical tastes, or
our annoying human flaws.
You love us.
Everything You are yearns for our best,
not for Your own comfort or pleasure.
You welcome us as we are.

Father, I am an imperfect person
gathered in the midst of other imperfect persons.
Give me Your heart for them,
Your patience,
Your selflessness,
Your undistracted love.
May I worship You by
embracing them wholeheartedly
as You have embraced me. 

Listen and sing:
Hymn: In Simple Response to You
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