Silas
Beloved of All
Your prayer reflects a deep love for the Lord, for His Word, and for your family and church, and I thank God for that burden in you.
It is right to pray that those who lead and teach would be devoted first to prayer and to the Scriptures, that their lives would match their message, and that they would faithfully intercede for the people entrusted to them and teach sound doctrine with integrity. When leaders walk closely with God in private devotion, the whole congregation is strengthened, established in the faith, and built up as the early church was when it continued steadfastly in the apostles teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread and prayer.
You are also right to long for worship in spirit and truth and for the anointing of the Holy Spirit who convicts of sin, teaches all things, and opens minds to understand the Scriptures. True worship and true understanding do not come from flesh and blood, but from the Father who reveals His Son, and from the Spirit who guides into truth. Faith comes by hearing the message of Christ, and that faith must rest on the fact of Gods Word, not merely on an emotional experience. The Word is the sure ground for faith.
Scripture shows that faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not yet seen. It is not simply a definition but a description of what faith does. It lays hold of what God has promised even before it is seen. Abraham showed this when he was willing to offer Isaac, trusting that God was able to raise him from the dead if necessary to keep His promise. Genuine faith comes first, and then works follow as the proof of that faith, not the price of it. We are saved by faith in Jesus Christ alone, apart from works, yet a real faith will produce a life of righteousness and love for Him. Works done out of love overflow from a heart that already trusts Him, and that is the kind of obedience God desires.
Repentance too is more than sorrow. It is a turning of the heart toward God that leads to new life, forgiveness of sins, and a new mind shaped by the Word. That is why a hunger for the Word, like newborn infants longing for pure milk, is so vital. As we receive the implanted Word with humility, it is able to save our souls, give vision and understanding, and keep us from lack of knowledge and deception.
I join you in praying for your household and for all who have not yet believed. God desires that none should perish but that all should come to repentance, and He draws people to His Son. Continue to pray and to believe God for the salvation of your loved ones, trusting that He hears when we ask according to His will. Pray also that nothing would distract or deceive them, that they would be kept from false teaching, temptation and the schemes of the evil one, and that they would not forsake gathering together with Gods people to hear the Word preached.
May the Lord keep you steadfast in faith even through affliction, and may your faith and love become known as the Word sounds out from you to others. The joy of seeing those we love walk in faith is one of the greatest encouragements God gives.
Let us pray together. Father, thank You for sending Your Son to be crucified for our sins and raised for our justification. Draw each member of this family to Yourself. Grant repentance and faith in Jesus Christ, the forgiveness of sins and newness of life. Give a hunger for Your Word and the Spirit of wisdom and revelation to know You. Protect them from the evil one, from deception, fear and lies, and keep them in Your truth. Raise up faithful shepherds who will pray, study Your Word diligently, and preach it clearly. Help Your people to gather faithfully, to remember the Lords death until He comes, and to worship You in spirit and truth. Establish us all in the faith that rests on Your Word, and let that faith be seen in lives of love and obedience. In Jesus name, Amen.
It is right to pray that those who lead and teach would be devoted first to prayer and to the Scriptures, that their lives would match their message, and that they would faithfully intercede for the people entrusted to them and teach sound doctrine with integrity. When leaders walk closely with God in private devotion, the whole congregation is strengthened, established in the faith, and built up as the early church was when it continued steadfastly in the apostles teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread and prayer.
You are also right to long for worship in spirit and truth and for the anointing of the Holy Spirit who convicts of sin, teaches all things, and opens minds to understand the Scriptures. True worship and true understanding do not come from flesh and blood, but from the Father who reveals His Son, and from the Spirit who guides into truth. Faith comes by hearing the message of Christ, and that faith must rest on the fact of Gods Word, not merely on an emotional experience. The Word is the sure ground for faith.
Scripture shows that faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not yet seen. It is not simply a definition but a description of what faith does. It lays hold of what God has promised even before it is seen. Abraham showed this when he was willing to offer Isaac, trusting that God was able to raise him from the dead if necessary to keep His promise. Genuine faith comes first, and then works follow as the proof of that faith, not the price of it. We are saved by faith in Jesus Christ alone, apart from works, yet a real faith will produce a life of righteousness and love for Him. Works done out of love overflow from a heart that already trusts Him, and that is the kind of obedience God desires.
Repentance too is more than sorrow. It is a turning of the heart toward God that leads to new life, forgiveness of sins, and a new mind shaped by the Word. That is why a hunger for the Word, like newborn infants longing for pure milk, is so vital. As we receive the implanted Word with humility, it is able to save our souls, give vision and understanding, and keep us from lack of knowledge and deception.
I join you in praying for your household and for all who have not yet believed. God desires that none should perish but that all should come to repentance, and He draws people to His Son. Continue to pray and to believe God for the salvation of your loved ones, trusting that He hears when we ask according to His will. Pray also that nothing would distract or deceive them, that they would be kept from false teaching, temptation and the schemes of the evil one, and that they would not forsake gathering together with Gods people to hear the Word preached.
May the Lord keep you steadfast in faith even through affliction, and may your faith and love become known as the Word sounds out from you to others. The joy of seeing those we love walk in faith is one of the greatest encouragements God gives.
Let us pray together. Father, thank You for sending Your Son to be crucified for our sins and raised for our justification. Draw each member of this family to Yourself. Grant repentance and faith in Jesus Christ, the forgiveness of sins and newness of life. Give a hunger for Your Word and the Spirit of wisdom and revelation to know You. Protect them from the evil one, from deception, fear and lies, and keep them in Your truth. Raise up faithful shepherds who will pray, study Your Word diligently, and preach it clearly. Help Your people to gather faithfully, to remember the Lords death until He comes, and to worship You in spirit and truth. Establish us all in the faith that rests on Your Word, and let that faith be seen in lives of love and obedience. In Jesus name, Amen.
