Fellowship "Elbow Bump" for April 23
Our World Belongs to God
Yesterday we began looking at of Our World Belongs to God: A Contemporary Testimony. We continue today with paragraph 2:
1. As followers of Jesus Christ,
living in this world—
which some seek to control,
and others view with despair—
we declare with joy and trust:
Our world belongs to God!
2. From the beginning,
through all the crises of our times,
until the kingdom fully comes,
God keeps covenant forever:
Our world belongs to God!
God is King: Let the earth be glad!
Christ is victor: his rule has begun!
The Spirit is at work: creation is renewed!
Hallelujah! Praise the Lord!
[For God’s faithfulness, see, among many passages, Psalm 89, 117, 145; Romans 8:31-39; and Hebrews 10:23. For the victory of God in Christ and the rule of Christ, see 1 Corinthians 15:54-57, Philippians 2:9-11, and Revelation 1:13-18. For the Spirit’s work renewing creation, see Genesis 1 and Romans 8.]
These are amazing words for which volumes could be written. Read carefully the Scriptures they reference, and you will see that most of them were written in the crises of their own times—thus making them even more pertinent to today. In our situation, we affirm that our world belongs to God! Father, Son, Holy Spirit continue to be with us in covenant, faithful rule and renewal, up to this day, and forever. Hallelujah! Amen!
Click for today's song, “Praise to the Lord, the Almighty.”
Almighty God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, we worship you. Thank you for keeping covenant love with us. Praise you for your victorious, renewing rule. In our present crisis, we find our joy in you.
We pray today for educators who are jumping many hurdles to help their students; we pray for their students, that they may overcome the challenges of distance and learn beyond the curriculum. We pray for our government leaders, that you would give them special wisdom as they talk about easing restrictions. We pray for your peace on all who are quarantined in difficult or even violent situations.
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come,
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
Forgive us our debts,
As we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
Click here for God’s blessing in song.
Pastor Mark
PS – My online office hours today will be 11am-noon, and 1-2pm, and again tomorrow from 1-2pm. Drop by and say hello! Tomorrow from 11-12, please join us for online prayer using the same Zoom link.