Right, it's a new year, but it's the same gospel. And so we want to posture ourselves in such a way that we can engage in this year. in a right way, in a meaningful way, in a God-glorifying way. And so what we've done and what we're going to do again this Sunday is we're going to pray. We're simply going to pray. This is a prayer Sunday and we've done them differently in the years. And so we're going to do it differently this year.
There's going to be a few people who are going to come up and are going to read some verses, some prayers from God's word. And then we're just going to pray those out. There's a ton of prayers in here. Good prayers. I say this a lot. Look, I love God's word. I really do. If you know anything about me, you know I love God's word. And these words, though they may be. Old words, they may be ancient words, they are not dead words.
They are very much a laugh. And so even as we read some of these prayers and then we pray in response to them, man, something is happening here. And so we're just saying we want to start the year right. So why not start by praying? And then next year we'll kick off the...
the series for the year, and we'll do all that fun stuff. In fact, we're going to have 21 days of prayer and fasting. I don't think we've ever done that here at Ruder Fellowship, and so we'll kick that off as well next week. And so there's a lot of exciting things that I want to share with you that are going to be happening in 20 years.
But before we get there, I'm like, no, no, no, no, hold on. Let's just pray for a moment. Let's just open up God's word and let's just pray. Because here's the thing. Here's the thing. Prayer is essential. It is essential. It is essential to our worship. Last year was the year of worship. This year we're just going to continue because we're so good. And here's the thing.
When you think worship, I want you to think more than just singing songs. A lot of us, that's where we stop. We go, no, worship is when I sing, and then there's all these other different things that I do. No, no, no, no. When you live your life for God, that is worship. And prayer is essential to that worship. I mean, just like the songs that we sing are essential. Here's another way to think about the songs that we sing.
How beautiful was that, that we sang that last song, and I could easily go to Revelation 4 and go, here's where we get it from. When we sing, it's just like prayers in melody. Prayer. is essential. In fact, the apostle Paul emphasizes the importance of prayer in the Christian walk. He goes, it's so important. It's so important to sustaining this ongoing relationship that we have with God. He commands this in 1 Thessalonians. He says this. He says, always be joyful.
Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. Gosh, there's so much in here. But I want you to see these three words. Never stop praying. It's essential. Here's the thing that we need to know about prayer. Prayer...
brings us into God's presence. Prayer brings us into God's presence. In fact, the author of Hebrews writes this. He says, let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. He points out that we have direct access to God because of Jesus Christ's sacrifice. He urges us then to make the most of this access. He tells us that we are to approach God and here's how we approach God.
approach God in prayer. And we do so with confidence and with boldness. And gosh, I want 2025 to be a year where when we pray, we pray with expectation. We pray with boldness, with confidence, because we are approaching the throne of God. We must think this way. We have to, we have to. Listen, prayer... opens the door to the throne room of God. Think about it that way. It opens the door to the throne room of God. Prayer.
Prayer provides us with a personal audience with the one who created the universe. how my heart, I hope that this is more than just words that I'm saying. It provides us with a personal audience with the one who created The universe, but not just that, the one who parted the Red Sea for the Israelites, the one who kept Daniel safe in the lion's den, the one who sent the great fish to swallow Jonah, the one who sacrificed his only son.
But the son who was raised from the tomb, prayer opens that door to him. And so here's what we're going to do. I'm gonna be brief. I'm gonna be very brief. And then we're just gonna spend some time praying. Reading God's word, praying. Reading God's word, praying. We're gonna do that from various prayers in the scriptures. Different kinds of prayer. And there's many kinds. There's prayers of lament. There's prayers of petition. There's prayers of thanksgiving. There are so many prayers.
But it's important to know that as we pray, there are some fundamental things that are happening. There are some fundamental things that we are believing. Let me give you three. Prayer directs our attention to God. It's so important for us to know that. Prayer directs our attention to God. Prayer recognizes the audience and it's the audience of one. And we need to know that that is an incredible privilege.
It's such a privilege to know that we get to come before the one who created everything. See, when we do this, it helps us to keep our priorities straight. when we pray it ensures that we don't get distracted why because our attention is on the one who's on the throne god is the first fruit of our prayers not Not the thing that you want in 2025. I'm not against you. Look, we can get into that. Let me get into it a little bit. Not even the healing that you are longing for.
God is the first fruit of our prayers. This is why most of our energy and passion and creativity should be directed towards praising God and expressing gratitude. to him for his impact on our lives and in the world around us. We're so consumed. We're so consumed with how many followers do we have? We're so consumed on how much money are we going to make this year. We're so consumed on will we be popular and will I get that accolade and will I get that promotion. We're so consumed on comfort.
It's about God and God alone. He's the Alpha and the Omega. He's the beginning and the end. It's about God and God alone. I mean, the psalmists. The psalmist provide an incredible master class on this matter. I mean, Psalm chapter three, verse three says this, but you, Lord, are a shield around me. my glory, the one who lifts up my head. It's like, it's you. It's you who does the work. It's you who should get the glory. Psalm 75 verse 1 says, we give thanks to you, God.
We give thanks to you for your name is near. People tell about your wondrous works. Not about me, not about my wondrous works, about your wondrous works. Here's one of my favorites, Psalm 145. Verse 8. The Lord is gracious and compassionate. slow to anger and great and faithful love. If you're familiar with the scriptures, you go, oh, that sounds very familiar. I feel like I've heard that before. Yes, it comes up in various places in the scriptures, but in Psalm 145 is where David,
David explicitly describes five distinct characteristics of God. I looked at the psalm and I went, okay, cool, let me try to summarize some of those. And those five characteristics, they all start with the letter G, okay? I hope it's helpful for you. God's greatness. Psalm 145, verses 1 to 6. God's goodness. Verses 7 to 10, God's glory. 11 to 13, God's guarantee. His guarantee how our lives would look so radically different if we believed what God says he will do, he will do.
And then God's grace. And so his greatness, his goodness, his glory, his guarantee, and then his grace. It's about God. When we pray, we... We can draw on the example of the psalmists who use their experiences. No problem, you can do that. They use their creativity. No problem, we can do that. They use all of that to focus their attention on God. So should we. And so number one, prayer directs our attention to God. And so as we're going to have...
Scripture read to us, and as we're going to pray, just remember, my attention needs to be on God. And so maybe for you, you're a little bit distracted this morning. Maybe for a moment, just now, just go, I'll pray for you. God, would you... cause our hearts to be focused utterly on you. That we've walked in here with so many different things on our minds. That we're thinking about tomorrow and the week after and this year. But God, in this moment, I'm asking that you would cause our hearts.
To be connected directly to you. In Jesus' name, amen. And so prayer directs our attention to God. Number two, prayer helps us acknowledge our position. Prayer helps us acknowledge our position. position. See, often when we turn to God in prayer, it's usually in response to circumstances in our lives. Can we be honest for a moment? A medical crisis, a broken relationship, a job need, a feeling of helplessness or hopelessness. And look, there's nothing wrong with that.
Absolutely nothing. God loves to hear from us. You know what the crazy thing is? Is he already knows. Right? He already knows. Most of the time when he's working in your life and he's doing those things and he's like, would you just come to me? He's going, this is happening in your life so that your attention might be focused on me. So go back to point one. But it helps us acknowledge our position.
Nothing wrong with prayer requests. Asking for things. But when we don't acknowledge our position, we can so easily, so easily land in a place where the relationship is, God, I'm going to tell you what to do and you better do it. God, I've got this assignment for you and I need you to complete it. God, let me tell you, let me tell you what's best for me. And I need you to show up and execute. And it happens like this, I'm telling you.
You'll sit here and you'll be like, I could never do that. And then you just listen a little bit. You get to like the fourth paragraph of your prayer and you're like, whoa, that's very demanding of you. Prayer helps us acknowledge our position. God is gracious. And he will respond to emergency requests. He will. But we must recognize.
That it's God who is seated on his throne, not us. We are on our knees before the throne. He is seated on the throne, but we are on our knees before the throne. Can you see? The difference. He is all-knowing. We are not. He is all-powerful. We are not. He is all-present. We are not. We are dependent. He is not. And so we must recognize that in our prayers. Focusing our attention first on God helps us maintain a pleasing. To him, a sense of humility and obedience.
But by praising him for his virtues and acknowledging his strength, wisdom, love, and ability to bring ultimate good out of any circumstance, we then gain clarity about our own situations. It's us. in that moment recognizing that whatever we're going through is under his sovereign hand and there is no better place to be. There is no better place to be than under the sovereign hand of God.
The Apostle Paul understood what it meant to recognize our place, our position with regards to prayer. He says this in Ephesians 3, verse 14. I'll only read the first part of it. When I think of all of this... When I think about who God is and his manifold wisdom and all that he's doing in and through the church, he says, when I think of all of this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father. That's his direct response.
I don't think, you know what, this could make a really cool Instagram post. No. You know, I can't wait to tell my family group. No, no, he goes, you know what, I'm going to start right. I cannot believe. That this is who God is and this is what he's done for me. And I fall on my knees before the throne of God. Paul's kneeling posture reminded him that he approached God as a servant in awe of all that God had done. And so should we.
Even if we don't have the opportunity to kneel physically, when we pray, our hearts should be bowed to God. And so prayer directs our attention to God. Prayer helps us acknowledge our position. And let me say this, that it's going to lead us to our last point. See, when we understand our position, we then understand our purpose. Okay.
Let me say that again. When we understand our position, only then will we understand our purpose. You know why many of us are going, I don't know what my purpose is, I feel so lost. It's because your position is in the wrong place. You're trying to sit on the throne and then trying to figure out what it is God's called you to. I need you to know that, one, you're not sitting on the throne. I have no idea what it is. It's a God of your imagination.
God is sitting on his stone and he's looking at you and he's going, you have no idea. I want to work in and through you, but would you position yourself rightly? And so prayer helps us do that. And when that happens, We understand our purpose. You see, prayer aligns our heart with God's. You want to understand your purpose? You want to know what your purpose is? You've got to align first and foremost. Align. It's not about your gifts.
Your personality traits. It's not about doing these tests and stuff and they're all great. I've done them all. Most of them. You understand your purpose is about aligning your heart to God's and prayer does that. The most profound example of seeking God's purpose and prayer comes from Jesus. Just before his arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus felt the weight of what he was about to endure. And so he began.
Praying. It says this in Matthew 26, verse 39. It tells us going a little bit farther. He fell face down. Guys, if the Son of God... can fall to his knees. I have no idea what we are thinking of ourselves to be like, well, you know, I'm too proper for that. Going a little farther, he fell face down and prayed. Watch this. My father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me. And I read this because I know how the story goes.
I go, no, that was for sure an understandable request. I'm going, Jesus, I get it. Me too. He was about to be pushed to the limits of human endurance. However, it is how Jesus ends his prayer that resonates with us. He follows his distressed plea. With these words. Yet not as I will. But as you will. He's going listen. If there's any other way. God would you.
Would you provide that? But you know what? Your will over mine. Your will over mine. Our hearts are so aligned. It's like, you know what? I'm in my purpose. I'm doing what you've called me to do. And we see that in a prayer. That even in his vulnerable state, Jesus prioritized aligning his will, his heart, his very being to God's. Will you? Will you? And I, oh, no, I'm going to say it. I'm going to say it.
that there are some of us, there are some of us where God has to remove certain things from our lives just so that we can come to the realization that our hearts are not aligned with him. And so for some of us, while we're busy praying and we're asking for these things, maybe take a moment and just say, Holy Spirit, would you help me discern and interpret some things in here?
Why are these things falling apart? It's God's going, I need you to see. You have no idea how that is an act of grace on your life. Go read Romans 1. You don't want God to just be like, well, then you do whatever you want. All of this is to align your heart to His. This must be the pursuit of our lives. To align our hearts to His. And prayer does that.
after we pour out our hearts to God, and we may say, no matter how urgent or important whatever it is that you're pouring out, your heart out to him is, My hope is that you would see that whatever it is that you are asking for, it is insignificant in comparison to saying, hold on, I want my heart to be aligned to yours. This should be our number one priority. And so, prayer directs our attention to God. Prayer helps us acknowledge our position. And then prayer.
aligns our heart with God's. And that's what I want us to be thinking about. As we navigate through this time, and we're just gonna, like I said, we're just gonna read prayers, read scripture. And then folks are just going to respond. Would our hearts be focused on him? And my hope is that everything that's happening, it would be more than just the Sunday. You would say, God, would this be...
Would this be my discipline? Would this be the rhythm of my life for 2025? My focus, my attention, my everything is on you. That I always understand my position. That I never get... I never get too puffed up. When things are good, things are good in my life, I never go, you know, look at what I did. But I would always recognize that I am on my knees before.
before the one who is seated on the throne. I mean, if that's what's happening in heaven, why on earth? Why on earth? I mean, we say, what's happening in heaven happened here on earth, and yet we're doing that and we're doing whatever we want.
And then God, would my heart align with yours? In the same way, and you'll hear some of these prayers, some of these individuals who pray, like you can hear their hearts. Yes, they're asking for some things, but they're going, you know what? But ultimately, my heart. my heart be connected to yours. And so let me kick us off. And then whoever's next, you know who you are. As I'm praying, you just come up, you grab the mic, you turn it on, you read the scripture.
And then you pray for us. And so the first one comes out of Ephesians. I love the book of Ephesians. Ephesians chapter one from verse 15. But what happens in the first couple of verses is Paul goes, let me tell you about.
the incredible heavenly blessings that you have in your possession because you are in Christ. And for many of us, we'll read that and we'll go, oh, he's talking about the new car that I'm about to get and the new office that I'm about to walk into. No, no, no, no. You see, what Paul is doing is he wants to move us from... the superficial to the spiritual. And he talks about redemption and forgiveness and adoption and our inheritance and the fact that we've been sealed.
And then he's blown away by that. Then he goes, listen, let me pause for a moment. I got lots more to say, but let me pause for a moment and let me pray. And so hear this prayer. He says, this is why since. I've heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints. I never stop giving thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers. I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The glorious Father would give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation and the knowledge of him. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened so that you may know what is the hope of his calling. What is the wealth of his glorious inheritance in the saints? And what is the immeasurable greatness of his power towards us who believe according to the mighty working of his strength?
He exercised this power in Christ by raising him from the dead and seated him at the right hand in the heavens. Far above every ruler and authority, power and dominion and every title given. not only in this age, but also in the one to come. And he subjected everything under his feet, appointed him as head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of the one who...
fills all things in every way. And so let's pray in response to that. Father God, I pray that there would be a... deepening in us so that we might recognize the relationship that we have with your son Jesus. And so would you deepen our knowledge of the word, not so that we might puff ourselves with it, but no, so that we might know you more.
We join in Paul's prayer for spiritual insight. We pray for wisdom that would help us navigate this life. And as we navigate it, that we would do so aligned to your will. God, we pray for an awareness of your presence. That you would open the eyes of our hearts. That we would see you for who you are. That we would recognize who you are. That we would know the many promises that have been scattered throughout the scriptures. That all of them are yes and amen in Christ.
And then God, would you empower us by your spirit? Would we recognize our need for your power in our lives? So that we might live courageously, that we might be bold in our faith, bold in our witness, that we might take steps of obedience towards the good shepherd. And so would we recognize that power, anchor ourselves in that power. Because all glory belongs to you. It's in Jesus' beautiful name we pray. Amen.
Good morning, church. 2 Chronicles chapter 6 verse 14 to 42 reads as follows. He said, Lord God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven. You have kept what you promised to your servant, my father David. You spoke directly to him. and you have fulfilled your promise by your power as it is today. Therefore, Lord God of Israel, keep what you have promised to your servant, my father, David.
You will never fail to have a man sit before me on the throne of Israel if only your sons take care to walk in my law as you have walked before me. Now, Lord God of Israel, Please confirm what you have promised to your servant David. But will God indeed live on earth with humans? Even heaven, the highest heaven, cannot contain you, much less this temple I have built.
Listen to your servant's prayer and his petition, Lord my God, so that you may hear the cry and the prayer that your servant prays before you, so that your eyes watch over this temple day and night. toward the place where you said you would put your name and so that you may hear the prayer of your servant, that your servant prays towards this place. Hear the petitions of your servant.
and your and your people israel which they pray towards this place may you hear in your dwelling place in heaven may you hear and forgive if a man sins against his neighbor and is forced to take an oath and he comes to take an oath before your altar in this temple, may you hear in heaven and act. May you judge your servants condemning the wicked man by bringing what he has done on his own head.
and providing justice for the righteous by rewarding him according to his righteousness. If your people, Israel, are defeated before an enemy because they have sinned against you, and they return to you and praise your name, and they pray and plead for mercy before you in this temple. May you hear in heaven and forgive the sin of your people Israel.
may you restore them to the land that you gave them and their ancestors when the skies are shut and there is no rain because they have sinned against you and they pray towards this place and praise your name and they turn from their sins because you are afflicting them. May you hear in heaven and forgive the sin of your servants and your people Israel, so that you may teach them the good way they should walk in.
may you send rain on your land that you gave your people for an inheritance when there is famine in the land when there is pestilence when there is blight or mildew locust or grasshopper when the enemies besiege them in the land and its cities where there is any plague or illness every prayer or petition that any person or that all your people israel may have
they each know their own affliction and suffering as they spread out their hands toward this temple may you hear in heaven your dwelling place and may you forgive and give to everyone according to all their ways since you know each heart For you alone know the human heart, so that they may fear you and walk in your ways all the days they live on the land you gave our ancestors. Even for the foreigner who is not of your people Israel.
but has come from a distant land because of your great name and your strong hand and outstretched arm when he comes and prays towards this temple may you hear in heaven in your dwelling-place and do all that foreigner asks you Then all the peoples of the earth will know your name to fear you as your people Israel do. And know that this temple I have built bears your name. When your people go out to fight against their enemies, wherever you send them.
and they pray to you in the direction of the city you have chosen and the temple that I have built for your name. May you hear their prayer and petition in heaven and uphold their cause. When they sin against you, for there is no one who does not sin and you are angry with them and hand them over to their enemy and their captors deport them to a distant or nearby country and when they come to their senses in the land where they were deported
and repent and petition you in their captors land saying we have sinned and done wrong we have been wicked and when they return to you with all their mind and with all their heart in the land of their captivity where they have been captive And when they pray in the direction of the land that you gave their ancestors, and the city you have chosen, and toward the temple that I have built for your name, may you hear their prayer and petitions in heaven, your dwelling place, and uphold their cause.
may you forgive your people who sinned against you now my god please let your eyes be open and your ears attentive to the prayer of this place now therefore arise lord god come to your resting place you and your powerful ark may your priests lord god be clothed with salvation and may your faithful people rejoice in goodness lord god do not reject your anointed one Remember your servant, David's act of faithful love. Let's pray. Dear Father, indeed, there is no God like you in heaven or on earth.
You who keep your covenant of love with your servants, who continue wholeheartedly in your way. We want to thank and praise you that you are a God who keeps his promises to his children throughout the ages and even today. We thank you, Father, for your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the final and eternal King in the line of David, who sits at your right hand, interceding for us as priest-king. We thank you, Father.
that because of Jesus' perfect sacrifice on the cross, we can pray to you like this, without fear of condemnation or rejection. Father, we thank you for your Holy Spirit that indwells each and every one of your children. Thank you, Father, that we can say with confidence that God does indeed dwell with his people. Father, we pray for our church here at Rooted, that we would seek your will always.
that we would seek to love and obey you as we love and serve one another. We pray for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit so that we would love, serve, and edify one another through the power of the Spirit. Father, you alone know our hearts. We ask for your forgiveness, Father, for where we have sought our own selfish desires instead of serving you and loving others, where we have withheld forgiveness and where we have allowed pride to get in the way of reconciliation.
Forgive us, Lord, as your people, and bring us into a right standing with you so that we can continue to walk in obedience to you and to you alone. We pray that as a church, we would seek to obey and honor you in this new year. Help us, Father, to be a people who are loving, gracious, patient and forbearing, giving and always found at your feet in worship, adoration and prayer. In your son's name we pray. Amen.
Morning church. I'll be reading from Psalm 77 and it reads as follows. I cry out aloud to God, aloud to God and they will hear me. I sought the Lord in my day of trouble. My hands were continually lifted up all night long. I refuse to be comforted. I think of God, I groan. I meditate. My spirit becomes weak. Selah, you have kept me from closing my eyes. I'm troubled and cannot speak. I consider the days of old, years long past.
At night I remember my music. I meditated my heart and my spirit ponders. Will the Lord reject forever and never again show favor? Has his faithful love ceased forever? Is his promise at the end of all generations? Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has he in anger withheld his compassion? Selah. So I say.
I am grieved that the right hand of the Most High has changed. I will remember the Lord's works. Yes, I will remember your ancient works. I will reflect on all you have done and meditate on your actions. God, your way is holy. What God is great like God. You are the God who works wonders. You have revealed your strength among the peoples. With power you redeemed your people. The descendants of Jacob and Joseph, Selah. The water saw you, God. The water saw you. It trembled. Even the depths shook.
The clouds poured down water. The storm clouds thundered. Your arrows flashed back and forth. The sound of your thunder was in the whirlwind. Lightning led up the world. The earth shook and quaked. Your way went through the sea and your path through the vast water, but your footprints were unseen. You led your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron. So church, I think there's this expectations that sometimes comes with this season, this time of the year.
It's this feeling of celebration. It's this feeling of newness. It's very, very elevated and even more so in the life of a believer. We look around us and... Everyone is reflecting. A new me. Everyone is reflecting on a decent past year. And an even better year this year. And yet maybe you are sitting here and you are reflecting on your life. And your life is a picture of despair, a picture of hopelessness, a picture of doubt. Your year isn't a year of...
20 thriving or it's 20 surviving. In the Psalm of Asif, we see that God's people are not immune. They're not immune to doubt. They're not immune to seasons of turmoil. But what sets Asaph apart is his response. And by extension, this is what sets the people of God apart as well. And what we see with Asaph is that he worships in two ways in this psalm.
First, he worships God by crying out to him. And this is basically acknowledging God for who he is. He's acknowledging that God sits on the throne, that salvation can only come from God. Hope only comes from God. And in the same breath, he's acknowledging that I'm an able God. I'm an unable. You are the one that's able. And in the second part.
He worships by remembering. He remembers God's mighty works in the past. He remembers what God has done for his people in the past. And so if you feel like Asaph this morning. You are in good company. God's word encourages us to bring our grief, to bring our doubt. In the same breath, we're invited to remember. To remember his goodness, whether it's goodness in what God has done in the past, in your immediate past, or in your past past, or in the past of some community people.
But God, remember, he brings us to this space and he invites us to remember. So join me in prayer as we pray along the lines of this psalm. Dear Lord, I thank you that your word does not run away from difficult topics of doubt and feelings of abandonment. Instead, it invites us to wrestle, Lord. It invites us not only to wrestle, but to wrestle and be freed. And so this morning as we wrestle, whether it's doubt, feelings of despair, abandonment,
inadequacy towards ourselves, inadequacy towards you, Lord. May we be comforted with the knowledge that you hear our cries. The prayer, Lord, here is that you would bind us up, Lord, that... When we look at the world around us, everyone is celebrating. Everyone looks to a new year, a new me. Maybe for me sitting here, I feel like it's all the same. It's the same discontentment. It's the same despair. May you bind us up, Lord.
Like Asif, may we bring the wrestle in our hearts and minds to your altar of grace. May we be reminded that true salvation can only be found in you and in nothing that the world offers. I pray, Lord, that the feelings of despair, hopelessness, discontentment, where things have not worked out for us, Lord. May we be overcome with the undisputable truth, the inescapable truth, the unchallenged truth, which is that Jesus Christ came. Jesus Christ died.
Jesus Christ was resurrected and Jesus Christ is coming again. And these are truths that we can remember for the rest of our lives, Lord. And these are truths that are anchored in our lives. And no amount of despair, no amount of hopelessness can take this away. No amount of discontentment, Lord, can change this truth. And so for us that came in here.
carrying a lot on our shoulders. May we be reminded, Lord, that we are looking back to a Christ that has died on the cross and taken our sin upon him. And therein lies our hope. And therein lies our assurance. And so, Lord, this Lord, we pray in your holy name. Amen. Good morning, church. Let's continue in the posture of prayer as I read from Luke 18, verse 9 to 14. He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves.
that they were righteous, and looked down on everyone else. Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The first you were standing and praying like this about himself. God, I thank you that I'm not like other people. Greedy, unrighteous, adulterous. Or even like this text collector. I fast twice a week. I give a tenth of everything I get. But the text collector, standing far off...
would not even raise his eyes to the heaven, but kept striking his chest and saying, God have mercy on me, a sinner. I tell you, This one went down to his house justified rather than the other, because everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.
Church, in this parable, we can see a comparison of two people much like us this morning in a gathering space where we worship God, where we are praying. The other one... is proud, comes in and is rattling their resume of all the things that they have done. to obey. They have given their 10th. They fast, so they're telling this to God. Meanwhile, the other man is there recognizing their sin. They walk into the space.
acknowledging that they're a sinner, that they actually have nothing to give to God, that all that they have can only come from God. And in a sense, acknowledging that they need for God. And it's clear that at the end, the one whose prayer results in being justified is the one who recognized their place in the presence of God.
just want to highlight maybe three things that we can pray around with this prayer. As in, like, how then shall we pray, having been shown these two people and their two prayers, and clearly... The other prayer did not please God. And the other prayer pleased God. And we can see that God is really looking at the heart. And let's look at three things that I want to pray around. This parable is telling us to...
Pray with humility, with honesty, and with hope. So in light of those three things, let us pray. Lord. We first of all want to acknowledge that you are God, that you are seated above the heavens, that God, we cannot even raise our hands and reach you.
That God, only through your son, Jesus Christ, do we have access to you. That even our prayers can even reach you because of what has been done for us on the cross. And so God, we acknowledge that without you and without the work of Jesus on the cross. We are simply lost and we are nothing. And so God, we acknowledge our place in light of you, you are Lord. So we come humbly before you, God.
acknowledging your authority and your power and your greatness, and that by all things, by your word, all things were made, all things, including us. So, God, we come with humility. In the same spirit of humility, Lord, we pray and remember what you say, that you oppose the proud and show favor to the humble. Will you show favor to us this morning, Lord? Lord.
We look to you. We come with broken hearts, with a contrite spirit. And we ask God that you would meet us in a true place of where we really are. not in our performances, not in what we want people to think of us, not what we want to put together to present to the world, but where we truly are as we sit here this morning. Will you come, Spirit of God? and meet us. May you break our hearts for places where we're pretending and we're performing, where you bring us to a place of repentance.
Lord, we pray that we would continue to be honest. May we be honest about our state of being God. That you already know our hearts. You already know our situation. There is no need to pretend or to perform. Lord, give us peace that we move in that assurance, in knowing that we are loved, in knowing that all has already been done for us. May there not be a space for lying. We pray against.
the whispers of the enemy, of accusations. We pray that we can find mercy today, right now. In Jesus' name we pray. We pray for hope. We pray not just blind hope, Lord. We pray. Because in you there's hope. There's hope because the truth is you are merciful. You have shown that to us over and over again. So God, we pray to a merciful God this morning and say, have mercy on us.
Because we are sinners. Forgive us, Lord. Forgive us, Lord. You say if we ask forgiveness, you will forgive us. So, Lord, we ask this morning, forgive your people. And give us new eyes and new hearts and new ways to look into what you have ahead for us and what you have planned for us. And so, Lord, may we be like the tax collector who is aware of his state of being.
May everything that we do when we tithe, when we fast flow from a heart that has been changed. May that obedience really flow from truth. And from a realization of who we are in light of who you are. Lord, we thank you that we can even pray to you this morning. May you hear our prayers. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen. Good morning, church. Let's continue reading David's Prayer of Repentance, Psalm 51. Be gracious to me, God.
According to your faithful love. According to your abundant compassion. Blot out my rebellion. Completely wash away my guilt and cleanse me from my sin. For I am conscious of my rebellion, and my sin is always before me. Against you, you alone I have sinned and done this evil in your sight. So you are right when you pass sentence. You are blameless when you judge. Indeed, I was guilty when I was born. I was sinful when my mother conceived me. Surely, you desire integrity.
in the inner self and you teach me wisdom deep within. Purify me with hyssop and I will be clean. Wash me and I will be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness. Let the bones you have crushed rejoice. Turn your face away from my sins and blot out all my guilt. God. Create a clean heart for me and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not banish me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore the joy of your salvation to me and sustain me by giving me a word.
willing spirit. Then I will teach the rebellious your ways and sinners will return to you. Save me from the guilt of bloodshed, God. God of my salvation and my tongue will sing of your righteousness. Lord, open my lips and my mouth will declare your praise. You do not want a sacrifice or I would give it. You are not pleased with burnt offering. The sacrifice pleasing to God is a broken spirit. You will not despise a broken and humble heart, God.
In your good pleasure, cause Zion to prosper. Build the walls of Jerusalem. Then you will delight in righteous sacrifice. Hold burnt offerings. Then bulls will be offered on your altar. Church, in this psalm, David, pleased for mercy before God, David had sinned by committing adultery. He murdered to cover up his sin. and hardened his heart against repentance. It took...
The great and bold confrontation from Nathan the prophet to get King David to come before God in great honesty and brokenness to confess his sins and plead for God's mercy. So in that spirit, let us pray. Holy Spirit, you know the sins we've committed, the sins we've chosen to excuse, the sins we're indifferent to. The sins we are unaware of. Break our hearts against our sins. Convict us and lead us into repentance. Holy Spirit.
Give us boldness and humility to name our sins right now. Bitterness, grumbling, unforgiveness, refusing to show grace, being impatient, dishonest, and willing to ask you for help. pride. Building our me-centered kingdom instead of seeking your kingdom. Idolatry of money, material success, work, career, and praise from men. Sexual morality and adultery in its many forms.
Give us the boldness and humility to name our sins, Holy Spirit. Father, we confess that we have chosen to disregard your ways and put our wicked desires before you. We have chosen to live in the filth of our corrupt thoughts, speech, and deeds. Forgive us. Holy Spirit, soften our hearts towards God's holiness and the goodness that comes with living according to your ways. Thank you, Father.
that through Christ Jesus' perfect sacrifice, our multitude of sins are covered. Our sins are met with mercy. Thank you Jesus for taking the punishment we deserve so that our standing with the Father can be restored. Thank you Holy Spirit that through faith in Jesus, through sincere confession, We can be sure that our sins are forgiven. We've been washed clean. We are purified. And we can enjoy fellowship again with God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
In Jesus' name, amen. Church, we thank God that he is full of mercy, that he is full of loving kindness. We thank him that he is good, that he is faithful. And as we rejoice in his character, we're going to read from Exodus chapter 15, Israel's song. Then Moses and the Israelites sang the song to the Lord. They said, I will sing to the Lord, for he is highly exalted. He has thrown the horse and its rider into the sea.
The Lord is my strength and my song. He has become my salvation. This is my God and I will praise him. My father's God and I will exalt him. The Lord is a warrior. The Lord is his name. He threw Pharaoh's chariots and his army into the sea. The elite of his officers were drowned in the Red Sea. The floods covered them. They sank to the depths like a stone.
Lord your right hand is glorious in power. Lord your right hand shattered the enemy. You overthrew your adversaries by your great majesty. You unleashed your burning wrath. It consumed them like stubble. The water heaped up at the blast from your nostrils. The current stood firm like a dam. The watery depths congealed in the heart of the sea. The enemy said, I will pursue, I will overtake. I will divide the spoil.
My desire will be gratified at their expense. I will draw my sword. My hand will destroy them. But you blew with your breath and the sea covered them. They sank like lead in the mighty waters. Lord, who is like you among the gods? Who is like you? Glorious in holiness, revered with praises, performing wonders.
You stretched out your right hand and the earth swallowed them. With your faithful love, you will lead the people you have redeemed. You will guide them to your holy dwelling with your strength. When the people's here, they will shudder. Anguish will seize the inhabitants of Philistia. Then the chiefs of Edom will be terrified. Trembling will seize the leaders of Moab.
All the inhabitants of Canaan will panic. Terror and dread will fall on them. They will be as still as a stone because of your powerful arm. until your people pass by lord until the people whom you purchased pass by you will bring them in and plant them on the mountain of your possession lord you have prepared the place for your dwelling
Lord, your hands have established the sanctuary. The Lord will reign forever and ever. When Pharaoh's horses with his chariots and horsemen went into the sea, the Lord brought the water of the sea back over them. But the Israelites walked through the sea on dry ground. Then the prophetess Miriam, Aaron's sister, took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women came out following her with tambourines and dancing. Miriam sang to them.
Sing to the Lord for he is highly exalted. He has thrown the horse and its rider into the sea. Let us pray. God we declare that you will reign forever and ever. God, as we begin a new year, we pray that you would help us to fix our eyes on you. Holy Spirit, that you would lead our hearts and our minds to the truth of who you are.
You are our mighty, victorious King. Lord, you made a way for the Israelites to walk through the sea on dry ground with the waters like a wall to them on their right and their left. That as the Egyptians were pursuing your people, you simply blew with your breath and the sea covered them. Lord, who is like you? glorious in holiness, revered in praises, performing wonders. God, you are a warrior. You fight for us and you are victorious.
In the midst of all we are feeling as we sit here this morning, whether we're feeling excited or expectant, whether we're feeling worried or anxious, whether we are already overwhelmed. whether we're feeling stuck, whether we're brokenhearted, whether we're feeling cautious or unsure. In the midst of all we are feeling, we pray that you would turn our eyes.
and our minds and our hearts to the unchanging truth of who you are, that as we remember and gaze on your beauty and your majesty, that we would again find rest for our souls. you are a promise keeper God you are who you say you are you do what you say you will do you are our strength and our song there is salvation in no one else as we read this song of praise
of celebration, of delight and wonder as we read the song of the sea. May we again be filled with joy and wonder as we are reminded that you are a God of victory. That Jesus, you are victorious over sin and death and Satan. We lift up your name in this place, King Jesus. We declare that there is no other name under heaven given to people by which we may be saved.
Because you died on the cross and rose from the dead, we have freedom, we have joy, we have life everlasting in you. Holy Spirit, we pray that you would help us every day. To live our lives full of freedom and joy and life. Confident that you are working all things for our good. That when life starts to feel overwhelming or situations feel impossible.
or the whispers of doubt and fear and worry start to get a little louder, remind us again that because of Jesus, we are beloved children of a mighty, wonderful, glorious King who is good. who loves us, who is victorious, and who is infinitely trustworthy. You are our God and we will praise you. You are our God and we will trust you.
You are our God and we will find rest in you. As we live our lives rooted and anchored in the truth of who you are and who we are in light of these truths, may others be drawn to you. And the hope... the forgiveness, the joy, and the peace that can only be found in you, our infinite, eternal, and good, good God. Amen.
Church, I'm going to read from 1 Samuel 2, verse 1 to 10, which is Hannah's prayer of praise. But before I do that, I don't want to make the assumption that everybody remembers who Hannah is. Hannah... as some of you might know, is or was Samuel's mother. Samuel, one of the great prophets in the Old Testament, who the Lord said would walk before his anointed forever and ever. But before she was a mother, she was actually barren.
She was childless. She had no children. She was married to a man, Alkanah, or Alkanah, depending on how you pronounce that. And Alkanah had two wives. One was Hannah, and the other was Penina. Penina was fertile. Penina had many children. And year after year, she would taunt Hannah. You have no children. What is your worth? What is it that you do for this household?
And year after year, Hannah would be praying, pouring out affliction before the Lord. Now, one of these years, Hannah prayed a specific prayer. She said, Lord of armies. If you will take notice of your servant's affliction, remember and not forget me and give your servant a son and I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life and his hair will never be cut. That is what Hannah said.
prayed, a woman prayed. Now this story is meant to remind us of all the patriarchal women in Sarah, in Rebecca, and also in Rachel, who were all barren. But God chose them to bear children through whom the promise he made to Abraham to make him into a great nation would be fulfilled. Samuel, as you know, would go on to inaugurate the kingdom of Israel and anoint David.
as God's chosen king. So this is the context to this prayer of praise that Hannah has been praying. I'm going to read from first, Samuel chapter 2, verse 1 to 10. My heart rejoices in the Lord. My horn is lifted up by the Lord. My mouth boasts over my enemies because I rejoice in your salvation. There is no one holy like the Lord.
There is no one besides you, and there is no rock like our God. Do not boast so proudly, or let arrogant words come out of your mouth, for the Lord is a God of knowledge, and actions are weighed by him. The bows of the warriors are broken, but the feeble are clothed with strength. Those who are full hire themselves out for food, but those who are starving hunger no more.
The woman who is childless gives birth to seven, but the woman with many sons pines away. The Lord brings death and gives life. He sends some down to Sheol and he raises others up. The Lord brings poverty. And gives wealth. He humbles and he exalts. He raises the poor from the dust. And lifts the needy from the trash heap. He sees them with noblemen. And gives them a throne of honor.
For the foundation of the earth are the Lord's, and he has set the world on them. He guards the steps of his faithful ones, but the wicked perish in darkness. For a person does not prevail by his own strength. Those who oppose the Lord will be shattered. He will thunder in the heavens against them. The Lord will judge the ends of the earth. He will give power to his king. He will lift up the horn of his anointed.
Dear Lord, we come before you this morning as we continue in a posture of prayer. Lord, as we're reminded of this story of this great woman, Hannah. who when faced with a terrible circumstance, Lord, where she was barren and could not bring forth children. She turned to you, Lord. She turned to you in prayer and she prayed, Lord of armies, remember your servant and give your servant a son. And Lord...
when she had gotten this son, she dedicated him back to the Lord. And Lord, may we learn from that, Lord, that when we ask for what we ask for, and you do indeed give it to us, Lord, because you're a good and gracious father, that we can dedicate it back. to you. So often, Lord, the gifts that you give us can take us away, Lord, from worshiping you because we are so pleased with the gift that we have received. May we be, Lord, those people that dedicate our gifts back to you, Lord, in worship.
in praise and in adoration lord because you are using those gifts to fulfill your promises you are using those gifts lord to outwork your plan of salvation in this whole world lord it just requires us to be obedient people lord so this morning Lord, I pray that as a church, we may be obedient. In 2025, the one thing above all else, Lord, is I pray that we may be an obedient people. People, Lord, that turn to you in prayer and make our requests clear, Lord.
but according to your will, so that, Lord, when we do receive them, Lord, we can dedicate them back to you. And we pray this, Lord, in the mighty name of our Lord Jesus Christ, our King and our Savior. Amen. Thank you, Aldo Bongani. Morning, church. I get the privilege of this morning of praying for us as a church, but praying Jesus' words for his church.
What a privilege it is. Pastor Oni mentioned earlier that Jesus is praying for us. He's interceding for us. That he's our good high priest. Amen? And so we're going to read Jesus' high priestly prayer this morning. This prayer that was said. over 2,000 years ago, and yet which is still relevant for us today. So the years come and go, 24 into 2025, and yet God's word is eternal, everlasting, and constant.
And it is for us today. It is for Rooted Fellowship today. It is for Pretoria today, the church in South Africa, the church globally. We're going to pray together. I'm going to read this prayer and then we'll pray. But what a privilege it is that our God loves us so much that he laid down his life and prays for us now. And so let's read this prayer together. Well, I'm going to read this prayer. You can follow along with me. It's from John 17. John 17, Jesus is about to go to be crucified.
He's with his disciples in the upper room. They've just shared the Last Supper. And then he prays this prayer, a significant prayer in Jesus' life and a significant prayer in a believer's life. And so let's read together. John 17. Jesus spoke these things, looked up to heaven and said, and he prays, Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify you. Since you have gave him authority over all flesh, so that he may give eternal life to everyone you have given him.
This is eternal life, that they may know you, that they may know you, the only true God and the only one you have sent, Jesus Christ. I have glorified you on the earth by completing the worth you gave me to do. Now, Father, glorify me in your presence with that glory I had with you before the world existed. I have revealed your name to the people you gave me from the world. They were yours. You gave them to me, and they have kept your word.
Now they know that everything you have given me is from you, because I have given them the words you gave me. They have received them and have known for certain that I came from you. They have believed that you sent me. And so, Lord, I pray for them. I pray for them. I'm not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, because they are yours.
Everything I have is yours and everything you have is mine and I am glorified in them. I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world and I'm coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by your name that you have given me so that they may be one. They may be one as we are one. When I was with them, I was protecting them by your name that you have given me. I guarded them and not one of them is lost except the son of destruction so that the scripture may be fulfilled. Now I am coming to you.
And I speak these things in the world so that they may have joy completed in them. I have given them your word. The world hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I am not praying that you would take them out of the world, but that you would protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them by the truth.
Your word is truth. As you sent me into this world, I also have sent them into the world. I sanctify myself for them so that they also may be sanctified by the truth. I pray not only for these, but also for those who believe in me through their word. May they all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us.
so that the world may believe that you sent me. I have given them the glory you have given me, so that they may be one as we are one. I am in them, and you are in me, so that... they may be made completely one, that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them as you have loved me. Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am.
so that they will see my glory, which you have given me because you loved me before the world's foundation. Righteous Father, the world has not known you. However, I have known you, and they have known that you sent me. I made your name known to them and will continue to make it known so that the love you have loved me with may be in them and I may be in them too. Amen.
We're going to pray in response. And family, as we begin to pray, I'm going to invite the band up to lead us in a bit of music while we pray. But let's bow our heads and pray together. Oh, good God. We are in awe of these, your words, Lord God. These true, glorious, infallible, beautiful words, Lord God, that continue to be true, that were spoken thousands of years ago, Lord God, and that hold.
Incredible significance in a believer's life, even to this day. As we come into 2025, Lord God, we remember these words, how good it is to reflect on them. Lord God. You are worthy of it all. We sang that before our prayer time today. You are worthy of it all. For from you are all things and to you are all things. You deserve the glory. And as we read this prayer, Jesus, your son, asks, Lord God, that you would glorify him.
and that he glorifies you. And we thank you, Lord God, in the Holy Spirit, you are glorified. We thank you, Lord God, that from this text, we can see that you are a God of unity, Lord God. You are a God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, three in one. unified, giving glory to one another, Lord God. Glory to the Father. And Lord God, you call us to glorify your name.
We thank you that we can come into this time now on the precipice of a new year and bring glory to your name. We glorify you, Lord God. We also see, Lord God, that you are a God of unity, a God of unity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Three in one, unified. And you call us, Lord God, to be unified. Lord God, through Jesus' work on the cross, through the Holy Spirit, you changed the world.
Father, through Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit, you are drawing many, many to you. You've drawn many to you. What a good God you are. What a gracious, merciful, loving God you are. We thank you. We praise you, Lord God. We thank you for your light, Jesus, that has come into this world. We thank you for the life, the eternal life that you have brought to believers.
into this world. We thank you, Lord God, that you have called us to go and share that light with others. And so as we come to the end of this time, as we come to the beginning of a new year, Lord God, would we be moved to be your salt and light in this world? To go and share that light, Lord God.
As Jesus prayed for his disciples that were there in the room with him, but even then he went on to pray for his followers that would come, us sitting in this room thousands of years later, Lord God. He prays that we would be unified, that we would... Take your light as a vehicle, Lord God, into this world. That your church would be the vehicle to bring hope, truth, glory to you and life. And so, Lord God, would we be that?
Would we say yes to that? In fact, church, I'm going to invite you to stand. Stand with us. We say yes, Lord God. We say yes. We want to glorify you in everything we do this year. We want to look to you, Jesus. We want to glorify you, Father. through Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit. Lord God, I pray for a Rooted Fellowship community. I pray, Lord God, that we would be unified, bringing glory to you in everything that we do this year, Lord God.
that you would use this church to draw many to you, Lord God, to bring hope, to bring salvation, eternal life, because, Lord God, we are in desperate need of a Savior. We pray, Lord God, for the global church at this time. Church in South Africa, church in Africa, church in this world, Lord God. Would you mobilize us? Would we be unified, Lord God? Would we have common unity in you?
Just as we look to the Holy Trinity and we see that, Lord God, would we bring glory to you through Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit. I pray, Lord God, for us. Seeking unity in our families, Lord God. For those of us here who need unity to come into your family, Lord God. I pray for those, Lord God. I pray for those of us needing your touch at work. Would you do that, Lord God?
I pray for those, Lord God, needing healing. Would you come and move, Lord God, emotional, spiritual, psychological, but mainly, Lord God, spiritual. Lord God, we thank you that in Jesus we have full healing. healing, Lord God, that heals our broken relationship with you and yet restores it, Lord God, so that we may know our eternal loving Father through Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit. You are our good King.
Our high priest who prays for us even now, even as we pray to you, you are praying for us. What a good king. What a good high priest. What an amazing, amazing God we serve. Amen. Lord God, we pray, Lord God. We pray that we never cease praying to you this year. In all things, we would be joyous. We would bring them, Lord, to you.
We thank you, Lord God, that you are a good God, our King who's never going to let us down. You are good. We love you, Lord God. In Jesus' beautiful, mighty name we pray. Amen.