the associate reformed presbyterian

Prayer Emphasis 2013Past ~ Present ~ FutureKathy Folks, Columbia First - 2010-2012 ARPWM Spiritual Life ChairmanHoly, Holy, Holy! Lord God Almighty!(Trinity Hymnal #100, Hymnbook #11)Praise God the Father Almighty,Creator, Sovereign, Savior, Redeemer, Helper, GuideProphet, Priest and King.Praise His Holy Name!!!!Why do we pray? Because of who and what God is ... and ... who and what we are.We are His children. He is our God.Does prayer make a difference? Sometimes God has us wait for clear answers to prayer, but we are never to wait or delay in our obedienceto pray because we are commanded to pray. God hears every word a believer prays and His response is the very best for us. Prayer is animportant part of our relationship with God, binding us to Him.Do you have a sense of the majesty of God? Prayer is not a grocery list for items from God’s storehouse. Although He wants us to cometo Him with everything, prayer should be done in a humble spirit in reverence and worship. Prayer is duty, privilege and power, blessing,priority and worship.God is for us ...... Yesterday ...... Today ...... and all of our Tomorrows.........Gracious Lord, we come praising you, confessing our sinfulness. Thank you for the eternal provision you have made for us in Christ, thegodly heritage radiating from the prayers of scripture and the trenches of history, and the opportunity to enrich, strengthen, expand andexcite our faith and our prayer lives. In Christ we pray, Amen.Hymnal #347 - The Church’s One FoundationDay 1 - The Prayers of the Past:That We May Know Him – Who Is, Was and Always Will BeCarolyn Whiting, Columbia FirstThe ARP Psalter with Bible Songs #118D - Now Open Wide the GatesWestminster Shorter Catechism - Q. 4 What is God?What is God? Gathered in the Jerusalem Chamber, the Westminster Divines purposed to catechize the sacred truths of Scripture deliberatingthe question: “What is God?” How can it be that simple men should frame an answer that defines the Holy, Sovereign Creator? This comesonly by prayer. When they prayed the Father answered as George Gillespie began, “O God, thou are spirit, infinite, eternal and unchangeable,in thy being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness and truth”.What can we learn from scripture’s prayers? As we contemplate the prayers of the saints in the past, we grow in the knowledge of God forHe shows us in answered prayer, who He is, His works, His will, His ways. As we witness answered prayer, we can do no other than sing:Worship the King, our Shield and Defender, the Ancient of Days, pavilioned in splendor, and girded with praise.Why pray? Prayers of the past, written in scripture, demonstrate the faithfulness of God the Father fulfilling His holy, wise, eternal decreesby His infinite power and loving grace. He is steadfast and just, always keeping His covenant promises. Reading answered prayer we seethe love of God the Father, His tender mercy and goodness towards those He has called. We are grounded in the assurance that He is trustworthy,the fountain of all truth, and He loves us with an everlasting love. God instructs and urges us to come to Him in prayer, to not faint,to hold fast to the hope to which we are called -- not because of who we are or how we pray-- but because He is faithful and just, ruling overall things and His ways are perfect. The saints whose prayers we read are witnesses to God’s redeeming grace, and they testify to us thatwhen we come to the Father in prayer, His provision has been made through the cross of Christ, and He will forgive our sins and cleanse usfrom all unrighteousness.10 THE ASSOCIATE REFORMED PRESBYTERIAN