Our Faithful God

Preparing Your Heart for Worship - November 12, 2017

This Sunday, our study of Romans reaches Chapter 11. We’ll be looking at the first 10 verses, but spend some time reading the entire chapter so that you get a feel for the overall direction of the chapter.  

As you think toward our time together - here’s what we’ll be doing this Sunday. Take some time to familiarize yourself with the songs we’ll be singing as well as the passage we’re studying so that we can all make the most of our time together. 

Creation Calls

A multi-generational choir will open our service with a song based on Psalm 19. As we saw last week, the gospel message, along with the revelation of who God is, reaches every corner of the earth. The beauty of the Lord touches all the earth. This song points us again to the reality of the universal proclamation of the gospel  

Behold Our God

As we continue worshiping - we’ll keep our focus on God and turn our thoughts to the throne room of Heaven where He sits even as you read this. When we gather together each Sunday and sing to Him, we join with those gathered around the throne, and indeed all of creation, as we exalt our God.

Crown Him with Many Crowns

Awake, my soul and sing - of Him who died for me....

What a great prayer for us all to pray as we strive to be engaged in exalting our Savior. What a joy and privilege it is each week to come together as brothers and sisters in Christ and sing to the Lord together!

Prayer of Praise

The more we sing of the wonders of who God is and all that He has done for us, the easier it is to praise Him in prayer. As always, remember that whoever is leading us, we have the privilege of joining them and praying along with them. When we say “Amen!” together at the end of the prayer, we’re all joining with them in saying “YES! I agree!” It’s a wonderful way to be unified as we approach the throne of grace. 

Worship through Giving - How Great Thou Art

The act of bringing your gift to the Lord is an act of worship. We are, as we bring our tithes and offerings, speaking of how great God is to us. As we give, we’ll also sing about how great God is. Let this truly come from our soul, singing “how great Thou art!”

Meditating on God’s Word

We are a church that is centered on the Word. We hear, read, study, memorize, and meditate on God’s Word. Each of these elements is present in our worship gathering in some way. 

Pastoral Prayer of Petition

I really do love being your pastor. This prayer of petition is a time to come to the Lord on behalf of the congregation as together we confess our sins, receive the assurance of pardon, and beseech the Lord to be actively at work in our lives. 

Grace Greater than Our Sin

There’s a reason that there are so many songs written about God’s grace. There’s a reason we love to sing them. And yes, there’s a reason that this hymn, written in 1911, remains. It’s a beautiful expression of God’s grace that has been poured out on us and covers all of our sin.

Speak, O Lord

This really is more of a prayer than a song. This should be our collective prayer as we get ready to hear God’s Word. The whole idea is that we are coming before the Lord and asking that the living, active, penetrating, transformative Word of God does in our lives what He intends for it to do. “Take Your truth plant it deep in us, shape and fashion us in Your likeness!”

Sermon: God’s Faithfulness

Romans 9-11 does stand as a “section” of Romans. Of course, it fits into the overall big picture and flow, but as we move into Romans 11, we are coming to the third division in this section of Romans. As you spend time reading this week, read through the entire chapter at least once, then go back and read verses 1-10 several times and think through these questions so as to make the most of our time together:

  • Who are God’s people?

  • What does “foreknew” mean?

  • What is the Elijah store referred to? 

  • Why does Paul mention it?

  • What is the relevance of the “remnant?”

  • Where else do we see the “grace vs. works” idea in Scripture?

  • What is meant by “the rest were hardened?”

  • Why does God close ears and darken eyes? What does it mean?

Great Is Thy Faithfulness

Another great hymn of the faith, this song celebrates God’s faithfulness. He never changes. He is always faithful to His Word. He is absolutely and completely trustworthy no matter what seems to be happening in our lives. What a beautiful song this is and what a beautiful doctrine it celebrates!

Be sure and continue to pray Colossians 4:2-4 daily and always be looking for the opportunities to share the gospel that the Lord brings to you.  

Be in prayer for:

• Rex, the worship team, and choir as they prepare to lead us in singing.  

• Pray that we all come together on Sunday with hearts prepared to engage in intense, focused exaltation of God. 

• Pray that we demonstrate holiness, unity, and love in both our personal lives as well as together as the Body.

• Pray for me as I prepare to preach God’s inspired, inerrant, sufficient, authoritative Word.

Rob