Empowering God,
Praise be to the Lord, for you have heard our cries. You are our strength and shield; our hearts' trust is in You who helps us. Our hearts leap for joy, and with our songs we praise you. You are the strength of your people, a fortress of salvation for your anointed ones. Thank you for your call on our lives to be your disciples and to follow you with our full hearts, minds, souls, and strength. Thank you for your Church - the Bride you have created to love and that you use to show your Power and Grace in this world. Thank you for the leaders you have set within the church - apostles, prophets, teachers, pastors, evangelists, healers, and many others whose gifts help to further the ministry of your Church. It is good to be part of the red-hot platoons of fire-baptized helpers who crowd around God's heroic leaders. Show us your most excellent way - your Way of Love - as your Church serves you. Clothe us with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Help us to bear with each other and forgive one another when we have a grievance against someone else - to forgive as you have forgiven us. May we be unified, peaceful, and thankful as we live in relationship with each other. Whatever we do, whether in word or deed, may we do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him, and under the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. In Christ's name we pray, Amen.
"Praise be to the Lord, for he has heard my cry for mercy.
The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me.
My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him.
The Lord is the strength of his people, a fortress of salvation for his anointed one."
(Psalm 28:6-8 NIV)
"And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? Now eagerly desire the greater gifts. And yet I will show you the most excellent way. If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal." (1 Corinthians 12:28-13:1 NIV)
"Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." (Colossians 3:17-21 NIV)
O! the infinite value of the humble gospel helpers. Thousands of people who have no gifts as leaders, are number-one helpers. How grand revival works moves along when red-hot platoons of fire-baptized helpers crowd around God's heroic leaders of the embattled hosts." - William Godbey
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