Prayers 4 3 2011
*Membership Meeting, next Sunday, 1:30, Testimonies from 5 candidates for Baptism and Church Membership
*Lanna Coffee available for purchase today after worship; fresh beans hand carried from Chiang Mai by the mission team; new 1 cup coffee products to buy
*All-Church Spring Clean-Up, Saturday, April 16, 8:30; let Bill Leong know
*Pastor Chris Otani expresses deep appreciation for the lovely reception last Sunday and the generous love gift that she received; she wishes us well as we also pray and wishes her well as she serves Christ
Prayer Concerns
*5 Candidates for Baptism & Church Membership being interviewed by the Deacons today
*Mary Lee’s brother-in-law, John with lung cancer
*Give thanks for Dr. James Chuck’s rapid recovery
Prayer of God’s People
For these Lenten days when in our reflections, we may shake off the distractions of the world to journey with you, Lord God, we give you thanks for the suffering servant, Jesus Christ now and always.
Lord, we are blind to the suffering around us, excusing and explaining away what we see, drawing the curtain on what we don’t want to witness, accepting illusions too easily, and closing our eyes to what ought to be readily visible to us. We are deaf to the cries that encircle us, walling off the world with our electronic devices, and filtering out your pleadings with our busy schedules. Do for us what we ought to have done for ourselves. Speak to our hearts. Stir our consciences, so we have no choice but to see, hear, and touch the condition of the world all around us. Forgive us for our sins and awaken us so that Christ will shine through us.
May we become the voice of the voiceless, an advocate for the weak, refreshing water for the weary; may we bring hope to the hopeless, through the working of your good will in our lives. We give you thanks that you have given us a part, however small, in your grand plan for the restoration of the world.
We pray for those who have seen the light in Christ and have decided to live as children of light. Be with those who will be meeting with the Deacons today as they prepare for Baptism and joining the church of Christ on Palm Sunday. Strengthen and encourage them to trust their lives in your hands and to commit their lives in proclaiming your love in the world.
We lift up all those who are in need of your grace and merciful healing in times of illness and suffering. Be with Mary Lee’s brother-in-law John who is fighting cancer that his life is filled with hope and blessings. We thank you, Lord for how quickly James Chuck is back on his feet from his recent surgery so that he may continue to faithfully serve you as he has done all of his life. Bless…
As children of light, we pray in the name of Christ who is light and taught us to pray together, saying “Our Father…”
The Lord’s Supper
Paul tells us to “Walk as children of light.” Step out of the shadows and into the shining light; to cast our lives in terms of what we know God is calling us to do; to let the light of God and the Word of God to inform all that we do.
Sin loves secrecy. In secrecy, all the lies we like to believe face no opposition. In secrecy, it’s easy to convince ourselves that what we’re up to is harmless, deserved or otherwise normal. But pull that action out of the dark and shine God’s word on it, and you will see it for what is—sin. In this case, TMI is a good thing. Allow the light to shine allows the truth to reign.
But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, for anything that becomes visible is light” (13-14). When we come to the Lord’s Table, our lives are made visible in God’s eyes because we come with humility and confession to the grace of God’s love in Jesus Christ. We take what’s in darkness and let God’s light transform it to be godly—Godly TMI.
Benediction
As we depart from this place,
May our eyes be illuminated by Godly TMI,
May we flee from all darkness
And may our lives reflect the light of our Savior, Jesus Christ.
Amen. Go in peace.