August 31, 2014
Stetson Memorial United Methodist
Church
Sermon
Series on “All My Day: A Summer of Prayer”
Inspired
by Marcia McFee
Sermon
9 of series-
“Intercessory”
Luke 18:1-8 NIV
Bible
Ephesians
6:10-18 Disciples’ Literal New Testament
“Standing In The
Need Of Prayer”
Let us pray… (Pray for God’s
illumination…)
The road is long
With many a winding
turn
That leads us to who
knows where
Who knows when
But I'm strong
Strong enough to carry
him
He ain't heavy, he's my
brother
All
we have to do is just turn on the News or pick up a News Paper and get our news
about what is going on in the world in which we live. I’m telling you, it is
scary out there. We hear about bombings, war, famine, hunger, disasters,
killings…the list just goes on. It is a little overwhelming to me. How can I
help? Where is God in all this? What does God want me to do? The list of
questions is never ending when I see the state of the world. But God does have
a plan and it begins with His people…it begins with Christians…it begins with you
and me…
This
summer, we are invited to pray “All My Days” and to make a habit of prayer
wherever you are. Each Sunday in worship we have focused on one of the steps of
the prayer beads. My continued hope is that our Summer Sermon Series “All My Days: A Summer of Prayer” will
help us learn a way of prayer that will bring us closer to the maker of all we
see.
I
hope we have learned a few things as we have been going through the beads on
the string. Let’s see…the Gold
Bead…which reminds us to begin with adoration ….the bumpy beady….that is to remind
us to let go and let God….the embrace of silence with the “holey Bead” …the steeping stone bead…our journey
of faith…the black...the black and white...the grey bead...we are to bring our
spiritual struggles to God….and the green bead, represents concern…not worries
but concerns. Remember the red bead from last week? We are to pray for the
lovable and not so lovable people in our lives…even those who do us harm.
This
week…it’s the three purple beads on the string. Now these beads are to remind
us to pray even more about those who are standing in the need of prayer. You
know…there are three purple beads but I don’t think it should stop at only
three. I believe it represents all those people and situations that come up in
our lives and we all know it usually is more than just three…
So on we go
His welfare is of my
concern
No burden is he to bear
We'll get there
For I know
He would not encumber
me
He ain't heavy, he's my
brother
The
scripture I read this morning is all about praying unceasingly. We are called
to continue in our prayer even when we don’t see anything happening. You
see…God is always working out His plan. God is always answering our prayers. We
have seen a lot of prayers being answered within our church but there are also
those prayers that we may never see
answered in our life time. But…but…God always answer prayer. He has said it
and I believe it. Believing is seeing and
through our believing we shall see the glory of God…
In
the Epistle of Ephesians, we hear more about this praying without ceasing type
of prayer. But it goes even further than that. It tells us the tools we are to
have in our lives…it tells us of the “Weapons
of Warfare” that God gives you and give me in this battle of Good over Evil.
It is found in Ephesians 6:10-18. Let me read to you about our battle armor
given to us by God for His glory…I am
reading from the Disciples Literal New Testament Bile this morning. I think it
really tells us of the strength that we have as we do battle in the world…
Ephesians
6:10-18 Disciples’ Literal New Testament (DLNT)
Finally,
Put On The Full Armor of God So You Can Stand Against The Spiritual Forces of
Evil
10 Finally,
become-strong in the Lord and in the might of His strength. 11 Put-on the full-armor
of God so-that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil, 12
because the struggle for us is not
against blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities,
against the world-powers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of
evilness in the heavenly-places. 13 For this reason, take-up the full-armor of
God in order that you may be able to resist on the evil day, and having worked
everything, to stand.
Stand
Armored With Truth, Righteousness, And Faith, Wielding God’s Word And Prayer
14 Stand [firm]
therefore, having girded your waist with truth, and having put-on the
breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having sandaled your feet with the
readiness of the good-news of peace, 16 with all these having taken-up the shield
of faith with which you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the
evil one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit,
which is the Word of God, 18 praying with every-kind-of prayer and petition at
every opportunity in the Spirit, and keeping-alert for it with all perseverance
and petition concerning all the saints—
I
think in reading this scripture we have a question to ask ourselves. Now…we are
told to pray with perseverance for all the saints right? Well…it is my thought
that we should also pray for those who are not saints…yet. Who are these would be saints? Who is our brother, our sister,
our mother, our father? It is the child in Bangladesh who lives in poverty and
hunger. It is those in our family’s that have not yet come to Christ. It is the
drug addict that just can’t seem to get to the other side. It is the mother who
is raising her children alone. It is those who do us harm. It is those who we
love and are sometimes not so lovable. It is anyone or anything that goes
against God’s “perfect order” of things. The list is endless.
If I'm laden at all
I'm laden with sadness
That everyone's heart
Isn't filled with the
gladness
Of love for one another
People
and situations in the world around us are standing in the need of prayer. Are
we going to sit idly by and watch? I was once told by someone who I thought was
someone who would pray for others no matter what. I was told that they only
pray for someone only if they knew Christ as their personal Savior. I asked them
what happens when they don’t. They told me they give them a chance to accept
Christ and if they don’t they won’t pray for them. What! If they don’t know
Christ how can they come to Him if we don’t pray for them? Maybe God will use
our prayer to show His glory to them and then they accept Jesus as their Lord
and Savior. Who are the saints? Who are
the saints of the future…?
Maybe…just
maybe…as we pray for people and situations out of our “realm of friends” there
will be a change in the way things are going in the world. Perhaps if we widen
our scope of prayer God will use us to bless others. Church of Jesus Christ…we have a mission from
God and that is to pray for others without ceasing…even pray those in who are
not part of the body of Christ. We are given the tools we need within His Armor
and strength to conquer all things if we just are persistent like that widow
who was looking for justice…just as our sisters and brothers are looking for
justice in their lives and have no way out. Perhaps we can pray them out of
their situation and the glory of God will be seen here on earth as His glory
fills heaven. Maybe…just maybe… Who is
standing in the need of prayer waiting for you?
Let
us pray…pray about those needing our
intercession…
It's a long, long road
From which there is no
return
While we're on the way
to there
Why not share
And the load
Doesn't weigh me down
at all
He ain't heavy, he's my
brother
Amen
====
August
31, 2014
Luke
18:1-8 NIV Bible
Ephesians
6:10-18 Disciples’ Literal New Testament
Sermon 9 of “All My Days: A Summer of Prayer”
Summer Sermon Series on Prayer
Three
Purple Bead – People You Love
children’s
message
-
Mystery Box –
-
by Pastor Ruth Foss
and sermon, “Standing in the Need of Prayer”
by Pastor Ruth Foss
sermon blog
meditation blog
“God’s Whisper” blog
Stetson Memorial United Methodist Church
August 31, 2014
&
1
John 3:11-18
“More
on Love and Hatred” (NIV)
Luke
6:27-36
“Love for Enemies” (NIV)
Hymn – “They’ll Know We Are Christians By Our Love”
Sermon 8 of “All My Days: A Summer of Prayer”
Summer Sermon Series on Prayer
Red
Bead – People You Love
children’s
message
-
Mystery Box – a stone with the word “unforgiveness” on it…
(from exercise from book study, Having a Mary
Heart in a Martha World)
-
God wants us to forgive;
God has forgiven us;
-
ask for forgiveness;
forgive even if they haven’t asked
by
Pastor Ruth Foss
and sermon, “The Loveable UnLovable”
by Pastor Ruth Foss
Stetson Memorial United Methodist Church
August 24, 2014
&
John
17:6-19
Christ’s
prayer for his disciples
John
17:20-25
Christ’s
prayer for all believers
Sermon 7 of “All My Days: A Summer of Prayer”
Summer Sermon Series on Prayer
Green
Bead – Your Special Concern
children’s
message
-
Mystery Box – picture of our cat Moe
sleeping
-
God wants us to be at rest, at peace
by
Pastor Ruth Foss
and sermon, “A Weight Upon the Heart”
by Pastor Ruth Foss
Stetson Memorial United Methodist Church
August 17, 2014
&
prayer
of the people printed in the bulletin,
including
the following prayer:
“For
our church that it may be safe for all people
and
an active witness to the truth of Jesus Christ.”
Genesis
32:22-28 Common English Bible
Psalm
139:1-14 NIV Bible
Sermon 6 of “All My Days: A Summer of Prayer”
Summer Sermon Series on Prayer
Grey,
Black and White, Day and Night Bead – Spiritual Struggles
children’s
message
-
Mystery Box – dog treats and squeaky
ball
-
God gives us treats
-
God wants us to play
by
Pastor Ruth Foss
and sermon, “G.W.E.” (God Wrestling Entertainment)
by Pastor Ruth Foss
Stetson Memorial United Methodist Church
August 3, 2014
&
Romans
10:12-15 (GOD’S WORD Translation)
Luke
12:12-15
Luke 12:1-6 Common English Bible
“The Long and Winding Road” The Beatles
Sermon 5 of “All My Days: A Summer of Prayer”
Summer Sermon Series on Prayer
Stepping
Stone Bead – Journey of Faith
children’s
message by Ellen Alward Dickinson
reading
story – A Black Bear and Four Boys
and sermon, “A Long And Winding Road”
by Pastor Ruth Foss
Stetson Memorial United Methodist Church
July 27, 2014
&
Psalm 37:5-7 (Common English Bible)
1 Kings 19:9-23 (NIV Bible)
Sermon 4 of “All My Days: A Summer of Prayer”
Summer Sermon Series on Prayer
Bead
with a Hole - Silence
children’s
message by Pastor Ruth Foss
-
Mystery Box - a blank space
-
God starts with a blank canvas,
God fills in the picture until a masterpiece
is created and we come home
and sermon, “Is Silence Really Golden?”
by Pastor Ruth Foss
Stetson Memorial United Methodist Church
July 20, 2014
&
Psalm 33:30-22
Psalm 25:1-3
Romans 8:30-32
Matthew 11:28-30
Sermon 3 of “All My Days: A Summer of Prayer”
Summer Sermon Series on Prayer
Bumpy
Bead – Letting Go
children’s
message by Pastor Ruth Foss
-
Mystery Box – a broken set of prayer
beads
-
God can make something beautiful of all the broken pieces:
-
Dad can you fix this? Yes I can…
and sermon, “In the Letting Go We Find”
by Pastor Ruth Foss
Stetson Memorial United Methodist Church
July 13, 2014
&
June 29, 2014
Psalm 105:1-6 Common English Bible
Exodus 15:1-3 The Living Bible
Psalm 89:1-18 The Message Bible
Closing Hymn – “As the Deer”
Sermon 2 of “All My Days: A Summer of Prayer”
Summer Sermon Series on Prayer
children’s
message by Pastor Ruth Foss
-
Mystery Box –
-
Sabbath rest, time with God outdoors, in nature
and sermon, “All My Adoration. . . !”
by Pastor Ruth Foss
Stetson Memorial United Methodist Church
June 29, 2014
&
June
22, 2014
Matthew
6:5-14
“Jesus
Teaches About Prayer” (NCV)
(including
Lord’s Prayer)
Romans
12:12
Ephesians
6:11-18
Sermon 1 of “All My Days: A Summer of Prayer”
Summer Sermon Series on Prayer
children’s
message by Ray Foss
-
God fills in the words we pray
based
on Upper Room Daily Devotional for June 9, 2014
Romans
8:26 (NRSV)
Romans
8:22-27
Upper
Room Daily Devotional
“Guided
by the Spirit”
by
Milly Ibanda
for
March and April 2014
-
spontaneous prayer, wait for God’s answer
(based
on Shanequa’s prayer for a puppy July 21, 2006)
opening
and welcome by Pastor Ruth Foss
and sermon, “Stop, Look and Listen”
by Sally Drew
Stetson Memorial United Methodist Church
June
22, 2014
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reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss for usage.
See all 32,050+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com
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