“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
Hello, Centennial family! I hope y’all are well this week. Labor Day has come and gone, and though the season hasn’t changed yet, the schedule has! Being post Labor Day lets us know a few things. School is back in, our Wednesday nights are beginning, CARPY is in full force, we are beginning a new sermon series, it’s 2018 budget season, elder and deacon nomination season, the Women of the Church circles and studies are starting, choir practices begin, bell choir practices start up, regularly scheduled Sunday Schools are up and running, and that’s just off the top of my head! As we as a family roll into fall together, I have a few prayers. As y’all read them, it will be obvious that these are my prayers, but I hope they may be of some service to each of you. Will y’all pray similarly?
Prayer 1: Father, please be glorified in all the things I think, say, and do this fall. Thank you for allowing Centennial to dive into your Word in so many ways. Thank you for allowing Centennial to serve you and your people in so many ways. Glorify yourself in all our doings. Amen.
Prayer 2: Father, allow me to deepen relationships with my Centennial family. Help me to listen often, to remember well, and to engage meaningfully with others. Help me to seize opportunities for fellowship as they present themselves rather than passing them by for the sake of my own comfort. For your sake, Father, grow my relationships with my church family, that you might be glorified in the sweet fellowship of your saints in Jesus Christ. Amen.
Prayer 3: Father, grow me in wisdom and holiness. Help me to learn. Help me to always preach to myself first, to learn deeply from my Wednesday night lessons, and to receive well that which Andy teaches in my Sunday School class as well as that which Dan teaches in Tuesday morning Bible study. I cannot grow myself, so I ask for you to grow me by your Holy Spirit. Amen.
Prayer 4: Father, as things pick up in the fall, help me to continue to emphasize family time. Help me to be the husband and father you’ve called me to be. Keep me in your Word in private study. Busyness is no excuse, my Father, so help me to schedule well and to emphasize that which you deem most important. Amen.
Prayer 5: Father, will you please provide opportunity to get to know people outside of Centennial? More than that, Lord, will you provide opportunity for me to talk to them about Jesus Christ and even invite them to Centennial? If it be in your will, I would ask that many would come to faith in Jesus or reemphasize Jesus through your working at Centennial. Grant it to be so, my God, and all for your glory! Amen.
As I said before, these are a few of my prayers. These are not all of them, but they represent well some of things that have been on my mind. I hope they stir each of you to prayers of a similar nature.
What are your prayers? What are your hopes? I would love to hear from you! May God be glorified in them as we move forward together. We are His people, the sheep of His pasture! Blessings to each of you in the name of God the Father, Jesus the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
Jeremiah