Tuesday, November 29, 2016

No Room for Division

This is no room for division. This room is the one where the saints gather in the name of Jesus, by His shed blood, in the forgiveness of sins, both received and granted.

This room is where sinners made saints gather to eat a holy meal because they have been made holy by a holy God. This room is where man has been reconciled to God through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. We have died in Him. We have been raised in Him. We live with Him.

This room is where sinners before God and sinners against one another have been reconciled with one another. Thus, the members of this room are one in Christ Jesus. This is no room for division for in this room there is no room for division.

Eating Prayer

Our Father, this Table is a table of remembrance and thanksgiving. You have remembered us for good because of the shed blood of Jesus. We respond with thanksgiving and gladly receive our true food, the Lord Jesus, Himself. Feed us in Christ. Make us strong. Fill us with gratitude until we overflow that we might do all things for the sake of Christ, in whose name we pray. Amen.        

Thanks

O, Lord our God, maker of Heaven and Earth, glory to Your name. You fill us with might in the inner man. Your mercies are new every morning. You clothe us in the righteousness of Christ. You feed and sustain us, preserve our souls and enable us to persevere unto the end. We give you thanks and continue to ask You to meet our every need in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Confession

Our Father, we confess that we have sinned against You in thought, word and deed, both in what we have done and in what we have left undone. Like Peter, our eyes often turn from You and so we ask for healing and forgiveness in the name  of our Redeemer, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Neither Give Place to the Devil

How do you give place to the devil? Several ways. First, through accepting sin. Don’t do that. Don’t steal. Don’t lie. Don’t commit adultery. Don’t kill or murder in the heart through hatred. Do not forsake the Sabbath. Don’t worship false gods or make idols. Honor your mother and father.

But there are other ways to give place to the devil. He is primarily an accuser. He accuses the brothers when God has justified them. And when you give place to the devil in this way, you let the devil accuse you and then you become an accuser of the brethren, the very brothers and sisters that Jesus died for. This makes room for anger, and bitterness and wrath and clamor. Such things that ought not to characterize the church of Jesus, or Providence Church. Let not such devilish things be named among us. If they have been or are, let us confess and repent of them so that we do not give place to the devil.

Praise


Our Father who art in Heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom has come on Earth as it is in Heaven. The Lord Jesus is ruling at Your right hand. The rulers of the Earth shake their fist at Jesus but You hold them in derision and laugh. Father, grant that we would be faithful citizens of Your Kingdom, preaching and teaching the gospel of the Kingdom, believing that You will accomplish all that You have promised, even until every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Amen.