ADORATION – Reflect on God’s Greatness
GOD CREATED EVERYTHING – The whole of creation came into existence through the will and power of God.
Revelation 4:11 You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being
John 1:3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.
Praise the Creator God
Praise and Thank God for His good creation. Praise Him that He created solely through His will and power. Give praise to Him for specific aspects of His creation.
CONFESSION: Confess your sins to God and receive his continued mercy.
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9
THANKSGIVING: Giving thanks to God for his specific blessings in our lives.
“Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.” Psalm 100
SUPPLICATION: Bringing our requests to God.
- Bring your personal prayer requests to God.
- Pray for Austin & Jenni and their family as they serve overseas.
- Pray for their new team members to get their visas sorted so that can integrate into the team.
- Ask God to speak to you as you read the scriptures.
SCRIPTURE READING:
2 Corinthians 2 New International Version
So I made up my mind that I would not make another painful visit to you. 2 For if I grieve you, who is left to make me glad but you whom I have grieved? 3 I wrote as I did, so that when I came I would not be distressed by those who should have made me rejoice. I had confidence in all of you, that you would all share my joy. 4 For I wrote you out of great distress and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to grieve you but to let you know the depth of my love for you.
Forgiveness for the Offender
5 If anyone has caused grief, he has not so much grieved me as he has grieved all of you to some extent—not to put it too severely. 6 The punishment inflicted on him by the majority is sufficient. 7 Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. 8 I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him. 9 Another reason I wrote you was to see if you would stand the test and be obedient in everything. 10 Anyone you forgive, I also forgive. And what I have forgiven—if there was anything to forgive—I have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake, 11 in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.
Ministers of the New Covenant
12 Now when I went to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ and found that the Lord had opened a door for me, 13 I still had no peace of mind, because I did not find my brother Titus there. So I said goodbye to them and went on to Macedonia.
14 But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere. 15 For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. 16 To the one we are an aroma that brings death; to the other, an aroma that brings life. And who is equal to such a task? 17 Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, as those sent from God.
SCRIPTURE REFLECTION:
This week in our worship services we had a parent/child/church dedication. Seventeen children were dedicated to the Lord in a ceremony signifying that these children are both our gift and our stewardship. If you are a part of River Community Church then these children are your gift and they are your stewardship. Put away any vague and shadowy types of spirituality that doesn’t involve you actually being involved in the real lives of real people. Frequently you will hear things like “I’m spiritual but not religious.” It sounds profound but it is empty of substance. Religion is “faith practiced in community.” There is no biblical spirituality without biblical community. Biblical community is not watching worship (in person or online) it is living a life of sacrifice. Paul wrote in Romans “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.” (12:1). Spiritual worship involves our “bodies” offered as living sacrifices. This means…brains, mouths, hands, feet…our actual, practical lives…given away to others in actual acts of sacrificial service. Rejoice in the gifts of the next generations that God has given our church. Step into the stewardship that these gifts require of us.