Prayer

23 April: Tuesday Refocus

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“For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.” - Romans 12:3

God has uniquely gifted and wired every follower of Christ. We are given gifts by the Holy Spirit not for selfish ambition, but for building up the body of Christ. For God’s glory, and for the good of His people and His world. Thinking of myself with sober judgment means I can celebrate the gifts of others without despairing of the gifts I perceive I do not possess. It means that I can also acknowledge the way God has gifted me without boasting in myself or belittling others.

Each of us is more than our gifts. But we are given gifts to spend selfishly but to invest selflessly.

Father, may we use the gifts you have entrusted to us for your glory and the good of your Church and your world. Amen.

Amen,

AB

Pastoral & Prayers of the People

Often when our church is exploring the addition of new liturgical rhythms in our corporate gathering, I will be tasked with creating a one sheet for our elders and staff to review. Most recently we’ve been looking at incorporating a Pastoral Prayer - also called, Prayers of the People - during worship. What follows is a one sheet ‘On Pastoral & Prayers of the People’

People do not know how to pray. Even the disciples ask Jesus to teach them to pray (Luke 11:1-13). If one of the primary aims of the corporate gathering is the spiritual formation of the people of God, we must learn to incorporate prayer intentionally; and not - as seems to be all too common - use prayer as a transition between various elements of the gathering.

Overview:

  • The Pastoral Prayer or Prayers of the People is a form of intercessory prayer.

  • Offered on behalf of the congregation with varied levels of participation and involvement from the congregation depending on the goal.

  • Structured and purposeful in aim and scope, but can be extemporaneous, with the freedom to engage the unique cultural moment, as well as the needs of the congregation.

  • Shepherding happens in obvious and subtle ways that outlast the moment.

  • People are taught a framework to know how to pray, and how to move through prayer.

  • People are allowed to give voice to the parts of their hearts, lives, experiences, struggles, and joy that they may find difficult to place within any other part of the corporate worship gathering.

Format: 

  • A general, guided framework: (BCP, The Anglican Church in North America #140)

  • The universal Church, the clergy, and people

  • The mission of the Church

  • The nation and all in authority (local, state, federal)

  • The peoples of the world

  • The local community

  • Those who suffer and those in any need or trouble

  • Thankful remembrance of the faithful departed and of all the blessings of our lives

  • If guided: The leader reads each framework prompt (e.g.: Lord we pray for the elders of our church: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John…), pausing to allow the congregation to offer prayers silently. To conclude the section the leader offers something like: ‘Lord in your mercy…’ The congregation responds with something like, ‘Hear our prayer.’ These guided prayers rely heavily on the framework, but the content can be adjusted, or added to on the spot (e.g.: ‘We pray for there to be peace between Israel and Gaza…’)

  • Written: said in unison with the congregation, or as a call and response.

  • Extemporaneous: the leader prays using the framework as the guide to their extemporaneous prayer offered on behalf of the congregation. Like lines on a highway, the framework is used to shape the direction of this kind of pastoral prayer, without drawing attention to the framework itself - while still keeping the prayer ‘in its lane,’ and intended purpose.

16 January: Tuesday Refocus

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“Calm me, O Lord, as You still the storm. Still me, O Lord, keep me from harm. Let all the tumult within me cease. Enfold me, Lord, in Your peace.” - Celtic prayer

The rest and rescue we most desire cannot be found in created things. Both within and without the ground of our being and beneath our feet is sand. Shifting, sinking. No amount of interior exploration, or exterior distraction can level out the most unsettled places of our souls.

But there is good news, there is hope - Christ our Savior is a firm and fixed hope, an anchor for our souls (Psalm 18:1-2, Hebrews 6:19). Upon the throne of grace is seated a Savior who lives to make intercession - daily bearing us up at the right hand of the Father (Hebrews 4:16, Hebrews 7:25, Psalm 68:19, Romans 8:34). Righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne, and steadfast love and faithfulness go before Him (Psalm 89:14). Even in the chaos of the world and our hearts, no one can be snatched from the hand of the Savior (John 10:28).

Father, in the middle of storms within and without, may our gaze be fixed, my our lives be anchored, my our souls rest in the life, death, resurrection, and intercession of Your Son, Jesus. In His name, amen.

Wrestling and resting,

AB

9 January: Tuesday Refocus

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“Teach me to listen, Holy Spirit, for your voice; in busyness and in boredom, in certainty and doubt, in noise and in silence. Teach me, Lord, to listen. Amen.” - John Veltri, SJ

Sheep recognize the voice of the Shepherd (John 10:27). In the whispers and the wind (1 Kings 19:11-13), in the busyness and the boredom, in the certainty and doubt, in the noise and the silence - our Shepherd is speaking and speaking through His Word, speaking through His Spirit, speaking through His people, speaking through creation.

“Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world (Hebrews 1:1-2).”

May the voice of the Good Shepherd ring unmistakably through our souls in 2024.

Speak Lord, your servant is listening. Amen.

Listening,

AB

Tuesday Refocus: November 14

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“The battle of the spiritual life is lost or won in prayer time.” - E. Stanley Jones

There is no doubt we are in a battle. But this is a battle not against flesh and blood - but against rulers, authorities, cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places (Ephesians 6:12). If this is a spiritual battle, why do we often look to physical means as our weapon of choice?

When we take pride in self-sufficiency, prayer is a hammer of humility to our hearts. In prayer, I recognize that I am incapable of accomplishing the things that truly matter within and without. Prayer is long, slow, faithful, deep work in the midst of a world that expects visible, external results.

Father, may prayer be the first, and continual work of our spiritual battle. Amen and amen.

In prayer,

AB

5 November: Liturgy + Set List

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  • ALL CREATURES OF OUR GOD AND KING

    Call to Worship: Romans 12:1-3

  • HOLY IS OUR GOD

  • A THOUSAND HALLELUJAHS

    There is a day coming when there will be an endless hallelujah, an eternal ‘praise God!’ that will come when every knee bows and every tongue confesses that Jesus Christ is Lord. That day will not be a gathering just of the local body of believers but will be the global Church - followers of Jesus from every tribe, tongue, nation, and language. Today is the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church. Those brothers and sisters around the world who lose their lives and their livelihoods, their families, and communities for following Jesus. Scripture tells us that we are to remember those who are in chains as though we ourselves are in chains. And so together we are going to pray for our brothers and sisters around the world this morning - specifically those who face the most extreme and acute persecution:

Father, there is nothing that can separate us from Your love. Not tribulation or distress. Not persecution or famine. Not nakedness, danger or sword. And still, these realities are all too present for many of our brothers and sisters around the world who are persecuted because of their faith in Jesus Christ. 

Jesus, You know the suffering of Your Bride - because You are the man of sorrows, the one acquainted with grief, You were despised and rejected, beaten, tortured, deserted, and killed. As our brothers and sisters around the world share in Your sufferings, would You draw them near to Your glory? Would they count the loss of all things as nothing in comparison to knowing You?

Would they live in the promise of Your words in Matthew:

“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on My account.”

Holy Spirit, let us not use our freedom to be free of the burden to pray, to think, to act, on behalf of our brothers and sisters around the world who are in chains for the sake of the gospel. We take a moment now to silently pray on behalf of our brothers and sisters suffering for their faith….

*A list of the 50 countries that experience acute persecution based on the 2023 World Watch List

Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayers. Thank you, that neither death, nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation can separate us from Your love in Christ Jesus. Amen and amen.

(Based on Romans 8:17, Romans 8:35-39, Isaiah 53:3, Philippians 3:8, Matthew 5:10-11)

Sermon: Mark 12:13-17

I think it would be a missed opportunity to encourage you to walk out those doors and pray for your leaders and not take a few moments here and now to pray for our leaders. I will read these words first so you can hear this prayer, and then I will invite you to pray these words with me:

O Lord our Governor, whose glory fills all the world:
We commend this Nation to your merciful care, that we may be guided by your providence, and dwell secure in your peace. Grant to the President of this Nation, the Governor of this State, and to all in authority, wisdom and strength to know and to do your will. Fill them with the love of truth and righteousness, and make them continually mindful of their calling to serve this people in reverent obedience to you; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, world without end. Amen.

Occasional Prayer, 37
For The President And All In Civil Authority Book of Common Prayer

  • IS HE WORTHY

  • HOLY FOREVER

Benediction

The First Work

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Ready or not, Sunday is coming.

Whether you lead worship as a volunteer, bi-vocationally, or have been freed up to lead worship full-time, there are countless practical details that need to be handled before a Sunday service. I tend to be task-driven, so I find powering through a checklist quite satisfying. In fact, I even created a worship leader checklist you can download for free here. Yes, there are many things to do: set lists to build, teams to schedule, lyrics and sound to set up, planning meetings, follow up, and communication. But the longer I lead worship, the more I begin to be convinced that my first work in leading worship is not the tasks, but to become a person of prayer.

Be before do.

Be a worshiper before leading sung worship.

Be present with and to the Lord.

Serve in the secret place before a public space.

We serve out of who we are. We serve out of who we are becoming. In every area, our lives can be ruled by the tyranny of the urgent. How do we continue to choose the good portion even when our time is limited and our tasks are many?

My hope is that prayer increasingly feels more like an anchor instead of a detour to my week, my life, and my ministry responsibilities. I hope that for you as well.

Tuesday Refocus: October 31

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“Let nothing disturb you, let nothing frighten you, All things are passing away: God never changes. Patience obtains all things. Whoever has God lacks nothing; God alone suffices.” - Teresa of Avila

In prayer we come face to face with our need, and face to face with God’s sufficiency. 

We wake up to our shortcomings and his boundless grace.

We taste and see that He is good and He does good.

Hallelujah, amen.

Praying,

AB

Tuesday Refocus: October 24

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“People will mock those who prioritize prayer. Gather and pray anyway.” - K.A. Ellis

If we are honest, prayer can feel unproductive. Even the most devout Christians can believe their time is better spent laboring in ministry, laboring in the community, laboring in work, rather than laboring in prayer. Prioritizing prayer can seem like an excuse to avoid the ‘real’ work.

But if it is in prayer that our hearts are revealed, are priorities are realigned, our desires are exposed, our lives are surrendered, we become aware of our desperate need and dependence upon the Holy Spirit, and we grow in affection for the Person of God - why would we ever cease to pray? Why would we prioritize anything other than prayer?

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” - 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

We are invited to pray without ceasing. This constant flow of communication to our Father is right and good. But perhaps it is easier to speak than to be silent. Perhaps it is easier to pray without ceasing than to cease and pray.

In high school, I took a missions trip to Peru. There was an American 20-something who had lived in Lima, serving with a church for a year before we arrived. Our team of 20+ quickly dwindled to single digits as many were so sick they could barely crawl out of bed each morning. I remember she said to me, “Maybe God brought your team all the way to Peru not so that you could serve, but so that you could pray. So that you could pray for these people, this community, and this country.” This young woman who had left her own country, raised support to live and serve in this community, who wept through singing worship songs in English - because it had been more than a year since she could sing in her heart language - believed the real work was not our English classes, vacation bible schools, and street evangelism - it was prayer. Prayer was not the lesser work of our preparation but was the invitation to deeper work.

Father, what a gift to be your children, what a gift to approach you with boldness and confidence. May we never cease to pray, and may we cease to pray. In Christ’s name, amen.

Praying,

AB

Tuesday Refocus: October 17

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“The end of your praying is not to inform God, as through he knew of your wants already; but rather to inform ourselves; to fix the sense of those wants more deeply in your hearts, and the sense of your continued dependence on Him who only is able to supply all your wants. It is not so much to move God who is always more ready to give than you to ask, as to move yourselves, that you may be willing and ready to receive the good things he has prepared for you.” - John Wesley

If we are willing, prayer is one of the purest places to hear our hearts. 

“For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks…” Matthew 12:34

When we drop the pretense and approach the throne of grace with confidence as Christ invites us (Hebrews 4:16), all our longings are laid bear before God (Psalm 38:9). Our desires are realigned, and our delight is in the Lord (Psalm 37:4).

Father, you know all things. You know our every word before it is on the tongue. You see through to the motive of every heart. Would You, in Your kindness reveal our hearts to us? Would You, in Your kindness give us new hearts, new desires, and lives that are more open and obedient to You? For the glory of Jesus, amen.

Praying,

AB

Tuesday Refocus: October 10

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“Prayer is primarily and fundamentally surrender.”  - E. Stanley Jones

Often we turn to prayer when we have run out of options. The force of will, the problem-solving self has found its edges, borders, and limits - and so we come to the One without limits. And it is in prayer that we recognize all the things we grasp with clenched fists have been held by the One who upholds the universe by the word of His power (Hebrews 1:3).

Father, help us find the end to self in coming to you. May we experience joy in surrendering our lives to the one who loves and cares for our every need. In Christ’s name, amen.

Praying,

AB