Rejoicing in Our Relationship Luke 10:17-42

Well, good morning everyone and welcome to Faith Bible Church, I guess we have a special Hello to Jim Fisher Jimmy as most of us calling and a shout out and a wave to you and wishing you well and for recovery

Jimmy and we miss you and Although your sign isn't always in the seat.

We know you're there with us But we just our thoughts and prayers are with you today and and always okay

For announcements today Prayer meeting this evening at 6

Summer Bible study continues on the 22nd at 530 going through Hebrews Again, Penny is our missionary

Penny Hardin that we support through BMW biblical ministries worldwide. They're based in Atlanta, Georgia and many of you may not have grown up in a church, but a lot of missionaries most missionaries are supported through a core organization that kind of manage manages life here and they help provide the support and where the money's come from to send that back out into the mission field and So pennies through BMW Not the car, but you can look them up.

And if you want to get a little background on that It's easy to remember, right? So be praying for her and her ministry with the deaf community in the

Bay Area. She was based in Vallejo. I wanted to share this morning and pastor does an excellent job of Bible or morning

Bible study on Sunday mornings at 930 I encourage you if you haven't tried it to come out start your

Sunday a little earlier if you're able, of course but Today it was

Psalm 74 and in my Bible it has the main heading a plea for relief from oppressors and Even in their time, of course, this is

David's time written by ASAP who is a worship leader talks about Pleading with God, you know, but then acknowledging

God's role and God His involvement in creation and what he's done over time and redeeming his people and caring for his people

But with that in that in mind, I wanted to read Psalm 46 verse 1 1 through 3

God is our refuge and strength a very help present help in trouble Therefore we will not fear even though the earth be removed and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea

Though its waters roar and be troubled though the mountains shake with its swelling

Isn't that great to remember in this time in this age of? What we're going through in our country in the world right now it can be it can be overwhelming to think and just to see things kind of deteriorate, but God is our refuge.

He will be there. No matter what and Romans 8 24 says so we were saved

So for we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is Not hope, but why does one still hope for what he sees?

But if we hope for what we do not see we eagerly wait for it with perseverance

Likewise the the spirit also helps in our weaknesses for we do not know what we should pray for as we ought

But the spirit himself makes intercession for us with groanings, which cannot be uttered

So we have the Holy Spirit with us always no matter what's happening And even though we can't express our concerns and our fears and all that we have the

Holy Spirit there Speaking interceding for us, isn't that incredible?

What a tool we have what a blessing we have in the Holy Spirit, and that's what we do this morning as we lift our voices as we open his word that God made us for praise and for worship and that's what we do

We're getting ready for heaven is what we're doing as I've shared before. So let's open it in a word of prayer

Lord God, we thank you father that you have brought us here today Lord with all the troubles in the world and all the cares and even in our personalized father

There's some that are really hurting father and things that are unspoken But Lord you are in their midst you are present with them father

We pray that they would call upon you that they would lean on you They would trust you father for your grace and for your mercy father

So bless them this day father bless each one Lord that we can Come together as we shared father to give you praise to give you glory and honor for you are worthy of Every ounce of what we can give you father.

So father, we we pray that you would go before us this morning We pray that you would bless those that are not here with us

Lord like Jimmy father that you would bless him and Panera and many others father

Lord that are your children and we just Rejoice with them father and pray that they would be encouraged this day so God be with us now as we worship you in spirit and in truth and that you would just Be pleased with our offerings father.

So God bless our time today. We pray in Jesus name. Amen So if you'd all please stand together

Our first song is behold our God again. We are here

Our praise glorifies God and You know, don't be bashful or afraid to lift your voice

You may not have the best voice in your eyes in the world But God doesn't listen to our the tone of our voice.

He just listened to listens to the heart. So sing from the heart and And make this your song

Good morning Good morning Scripture reading for today is 1st

Peter 1 10 through 12 That's 1st

Peter 1 10 through 12 of Which salvation the prophets having inquired and searched diligently

Who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you? Searching what or what manner of time the

Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify When it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow

Unto whom it was revealed that not Unto themselves but unto us they did minister the things

Which are now reported unto you By them that have preached the gospel unto you with the

Holy Ghost sent down from heaven Which things the angels desire to look into may

God add his blessing to the reading of his word We are all ministers by the power of the

Holy Spirit to minister to those around us. Let's stand together Please turn with me to Luke chapter 10 verses 17 through 24

Luke chapter 10 verses 17 through 24 Then the 70 returned with joy saying

Lord even the demons are subject to us in your name and He said to them.

I am the Lord and I will give you the kingdom and the power and the glory and the honor of God I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy and nothing shall by any means hurt you nevertheless

Do not rejoice in this that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven

In that hour Jesus rejoiced in the spirit and said I thank you father Lord of heaven and earth

That you have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and revealed them to babes

Even so father for so it seemed good in your sight All things have been delivered to me by my father and no one knows who the son is

Except the father and who the father is except the son and the one whom one to whom the son wills to reveal him

Then he turned to his disciples and said privately Blessed are the eyes which see the things you see for I tell you that many

Prophets and kings have desired to see what you see and have not seen it and to hear what you hear and have not

Heard it This is the word of the Lord Let us pray Father we're thankful that We get to follow

Jesus Not because of the authority over the dark domain that we're given which is true but rather that we get to know the one true

God that we get to have fellowship with one true God and live and rejoice in it and Help us to align our hearts to you

Rather than our own selfish desires in Jesus name Amen So this passage picks up after Jesus commissioning of the 70 disciples 70 followers some translations have 72

And that's because there are various Greek manuscripts that exist either as 70 or 72

But I don't think that's quite too important as to which one

The point is that Jesus discipleship increased from the 12 being sent out to 70

What really shows is that Jesus ministry is not meant to be an exclusive club

But rather it's meant to be open to anyone who trusts in Jesus Christ Now These 70 disciples actually returned are quite successfully their ministry was a success and they talk about it and When they rejoice in the authority they had over even the demons

Jesus actually redirects them to rejoice in something greater and Dare to rejoice in who

God is Rather than what he offers

They are to rejoice in their relationship with God Rather than the gifts from God the center of it all in Christian ministry is one's relation to God and This is really important this morning

Because it is tempting To chase after things from God rather than God himself

When I when I became a new Christian I was just learning so many new things.

It seemed like every sermon I was hearing was something I've never heard of before But after a year or two

You get familiar With certain texts that are chosen to be preached more than once There are passages where you

You've heard before after a while and Me and my foolishness

Decided You know It's it's it's not good that I'm not learning anything new from this preaching

I'm not learning anything new from this sermon Because my focus was on just the new knowledge of God Now the knowledge of God is important and I think we need to all pursue that But when that becomes the ultimate thing,

I have misplaced my priorities And this can be with anything it can be with worship songs

Right, oh I I only choose this church because of how the worship song makes me feel

Now is it important for the worship song to be godly and God -honoring for sure But that need not to be

The main reason why you go to church In the end

Jesus focus here the main reason ought to be Your encounter with the

Living God the songs that we've sang today

Fit really well, how can us? sinners have a relation with the

Holy God That's got to be the main purpose that we gather here this morning

There will be sermons in which the materials are repeated. I've repeated illustrations and applications before I've repeated quotations before I've repeated even certain texts before And at this very church, but the reason why we gather here every morning is that we get to hear from God We get to see the scripture unpacked

Even if it's for some of you you might have heard this passage preached multiple times

Yet you are here this morning because you get to encounter the Living God through his word when we gather

Sing godly songs to each other We get to experience who

God is That's the main purpose The main point of this text is that Jesus messianic ministry is powerful

But our true source of joy is our relationship with God through Christ Jesus messianic ministry is powerful, but our true source of joy is our relationship with God through Christ First despite our greater authority over Satan we rejoice in our new heavenly security in Christ Despite our greater authority over Satan we rejoice in our new heavenly security in Christ last week

Jesus commissioned the 70 to proclaim the nearness of God's kingdom

All throughout the regions in which he was going to visit Now they have returned and they're sharing their stories

Their stories of great deeds that they've seen Now then the 70 returned with joy saying

Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name They returned joyfully because of their ministry successes under Jesus authority

Even the demons submit to his name without him being physically present

That is some authority When I teach there are kids who misbehave

But when the headmaster walks in that room There's no peep that is because of his authority

He's a respected man and he wields a lot of authority But that depends on his physical presence

With Jesus only his name Only you mentioned him and the demons submit to him.

What kind of man is he now? It is important to clarify that Jesus name is not a magic word.

We must not treat it that way Just because you say Jesus name doesn't mean you get everything you want

For example in Acts 19 the seven sons of Sceva Jewish Man, right sons above priests.

They try to cast out Demon a demon are using Jesus name

Right like a magic spell However, the demon has no effect there's no effect of it in and the demon if in fact replies

Jesus I know and Paul I recognize but who are you? Soon after the demon overpowers all seven of them and they have to run away naked

Now the demons when they submit to the disciples in Jesus name They're doing this because they directly represent

Jesus Right, the sons of Sceva were not representing Jesus. They didn't even know who Jesus was

The disciples belong to Jesus They are followers of Christ However, the sons of Sceva were not followers of Jesus They had nothing to do with Jesus other than they wanted to use his name to do ministry the disciples of Jesus minister under his authority and This is similar to just as a king's official would exercise kingly authority when accomplishing the king's mission

Christ disciples work under his authority when accomplishing Jesus mission

The authority comes from the relationship with Jesus Not from a magic word

Now in verse 18 Jesus reveals the nature to true nature of his authority.

I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven and This is likely a reference from Isaiah 14 verse 12 in one sense

That Isaiah passage is a direct judgment against the Babylonian King for its cruelty and destruction of God's people

Yet in another sense it is a judgment against who is actually behind that Babylonian King Satan himself ultimately

Satan is behind anyone and anything that challenges God's people and God So this is the passage from Isaiah 14 12

How you are fallen from heaven? Oh Lucifer son of the morning

How you are cut down to the ground you who weakened the nation's? What Jesus is saying here is that Jesus himself witnessed

Satan fall from heaven He saw Satan's lightning fast defeat

Right fall like lightning is a figurative language to show that Satan was just kicked out immediately when he rebelled there was not really a fight

Right Satan really did not pose any challenge to God He just felt like lightning.

He didn't even stand a chance against God and This is to explain what kind of authority

Jesus disciples are working under They're directly challenging the dark side and this also hints at his

Jesus Pre -incarnate existence after all how could a man around in his 30s right witnessed a fall of Satan which happened?

thousands of years ago, right After creation Nearly almost right after creation

Then verse 19 further expands the authority granted to the disciples Behold I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy and nothing shall by any means hurt you

Now this verse is not permission to start handling snakes during a

Sunday worship services Rather the snakes and scorpions actually represent the evil forces that oppose

Human humankind, but not only that oppose God Right.

They are the opposition and for the first time in history under Jesus authority humans in mass

Have a fighting chance against Satan and his demons Not only a fighting chance but an assured victory

But the evil forces can be defeated there to be trampled Right, that's fatal

Now the word trample actually is deeply theological Because it goes back to God's promise in Genesis 3 15

After Adam and Eve rebelled against God and it's a judgment against the serpent who is

Satan God says the offspring from Eve was a single offspring would crush trample the head of the serpent

While the head of the serpent crushes the foot of the offspring one is

Fatal the other is a wound the offspring of course is

Jesus He is the woman's offspring who would trample on the head of the serpent and not only is

Jesus victorious over Satan But also his disciples as well

By being part of Jesus side the disciples get to taste

Jesus victory with him the coming of Christ sealed the end of Satan's reign and Christ's disciples are not victims anymore, but they are victors in Christ In fact this trampling language gets used in Romans as well where it's applied to the church.

The church will trample the head of the serpent as Christ's body we get to partake in Christ's victory

Which was sealed when he died for our sin on the cross and rose from the dead

Satan could have no power over anyone if He couldn't hold

Jesus down now despite such a great reason to rejoice and celebrate

Jesus focuses on something greater Nevertheless do not rejoice in this that the spirits are subject to you, but rather Rejoice because your names are written in heaven

For Christians, our true reward is not the authority and power. Although that's really wonderful and great

But a relationship our true source of joy is not that the demons submit to us wherever we go

But that we securely belong to God because Jesus died for our sin and rose from the dead

The idea that our names are written in heaven Means that our names are written in God's book of life this book is the census right the record of anyone who belongs to God's kingdom and It records all who securely belong to him

They are personally and Permanently sealed and are known by God They are ever so secure in God's protection and provision and this is juxtaposed to Satan Who fell from heaven like lightning?

None of Christ's disciples will ever fall from God's secure grasp

While the disciples Will permanently belong to God Satan fell from heaven like lightning

That's a juxtaposition here now

This is important to talk about because you may know of Christians whose focus is on challenging demons or principalities

Nowhere in the Bible are we called to partake in a separate ministry of challenging demons and principalities

Now you're sent out to make disciples of all nations to proclaim the gospel that Jesus Came to save by dying on the cross and you might get

Spiritual attacks from that But that's not the main point fighting the spiritual attacks is not the goal of the ministry

It's the gospel spreading and making of the disciples But you will see in some denominations and certain individuals

Their goal is to directly oppose demons and they might scream they might yell out things and their goal is that how one day they might cast out even higher ranking demons as To know how they would know which one's higher ranking demon or not.

I have no idea However, that's the misplacement of the true focus

The true focus ought to be on Christ By whose authority you challenge the kingdom of Satan?

You challenge the kingdom of Christ by following Christ Not by you going out there trying to Encounter anyone who seemingly may be possessed

Now for this church, I know I don't think there's anyone at this church doing that but for this church

There is still a temptation to focus on something some part of ministry

Rather than the focus on the one who sends us as ministers

We may see countless souls trust in Christ because of our ministry

We may see many further commit themselves through baptism

And those are wonderful things to celebrate but Our greater our daily greater reason to rejoice is

That we belong to God through Jesus Christ sacrifice in the best of days in the most successful times of our ministry our

Reason to rejoice because we belong to God that we have a relationship with the

Living God trumps any success that we may encounter One day this hall may be filled with people and that's a great thing to celebrate that so many want to hear

God's Word and So many want to be disciples, but the true reason to rejoice is your personal relationship with God and that's something you have right now and That's something you'll have tomorrow.

That's the most important part of ministry you may one day write a book and That will bless the church

Your articles will be published in Christian journals and they will immensely edify the body of Christ You may one day write a hymn or a

Christian song that will richly praise the Lord all over the nations However Even if that day comes

The true source of joy is not the new book deal or how many churches sing your song

Rather it is the fact that you are Received and loved by God That God calls you his child

That God calls you his son and daughter that you are eternally secure in Christ And there's nothing that Satan can do to take you away because you're sealed in heaven

That's the true reason to rejoice Because that is the most important part of Christianity It's not what you end up accomplishing for God But what

Christ has accomplished for you and compared to what

Christ has accomplished for you. How can anything what we do?

Be a source of a greater joy Than Christ's accomplishment on the cross second

Jesus rejoices that his father saves those who depend on him so that they may personally partake in his messianic ministry

In response to his interaction with his disciples this time

Jesus rejoices in that hour Jesus rejoiced in the

Spirit and said I Thank you father Lord of heaven and earth that you have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and Revealed them to babes

Even so father for so it seemed good in your sight

This is another triune interaction that we see between God the Father God the

Son and God the Spirit The three persons of the Trinity each divine intimately interact with one another

This is not someone who's talking to himself. We were Carolyn and I were talking about that earlier, but rather There are three persons of the

Trinity and each member loves one another and talks to one another

Works with one another now God the

Son Jesus rejoices in the Spirit by praising his father

Right the Holy Spirit the third person of the Trinity allows Jesus to give thanks to his father

Because the Holy Spirit dwells in the Son Jesus is never without the

Holy Spirit and The Holy Spirit allows the

Son To commune to have relationship with the Father and this is a divine delight

This type of rejoicing is closely tied to the eschatological fulfillment of God's promises and salvation it's not just a hint of happiness because you had a good day, but rather Jesus is

Thankful grateful to the uttermost because he is seeing God's promises fulfilled in him

The world is getting restored through him the world that has been under bondage of sin and death and Satan is finally being freed in the person of Christ and His disciples get to be a part of that Now the content of Jesus praise and Thanksgiving is that God the

Father has revealed Jesus messianic ministry to the unassuming unskilled people rather than the arrogant elites

Jesus knew that it was God the Father who was working through these 70 disciples

Because they themselves could not rely on their own power They were not capable on relying on their own strength

Now why else would they rejoice in verse 17? That's because God worked through them right

They had authority in Jesus name. They were not rejoicing at their own power.

Now. These men were not educated These men did not have any authority in themselves

These men were babes in faith They had to completely depend on God because they knew they could not depend on themselves

Hence God graciously provided for them God graciously protected them

God graciously worked through them God graciously saved them and and this is really important because Christianity is not about Having the highest level of theological education it's about relationship with Christ and Knowing his will through devotion to scripture devotion to discipleship devotion to the church at this church and also

At a Christian school. I'm I teach a part -time People here and also students there don't have the highest theological education

They don't have the knowledge of Greek and Hebrew and Aramaic the original languages

But I've heard clearer gospel presentation from some of you here

Than those with PhDs at my seminary. That's because God Works through the babes

God reveals himself his message to the babes and when

I even mentioned some of the Theological heresies really just false teaching either here or even at school

You or even students there right middle school students They're shocked that anyone could misread scripture that way.

What do you mean that Jesus did not die for our sin? What did he die for?

Yet a lot of the PhDs and many seminaries struggled to find out what Jesus truly died for Right out of the mouth of the babes now verse 22 further reveals the divine relationship between the

Son and the Father all Things have been delivered to me by my father and no one knows who the son is except the father

And who the father is except the son and the one whom the son will reveals

The one whom the son wills to reveal him Now this is an amazing passage amazing verse that screams

Christ's divinity Many crooked theologians may perversely avoid seeing

Jesus in this verse as God Yet in this verse, you cannot see

Jesus as anything else, but God himself Look at what

Jesus is claiming here first God. The Father has given everything to Jesus the Son This is it this includes authority.

This includes power and glory Now one may wonder how would this fit the

Old Testament passage like Isaiah 42 8? Right. I am the Lord.

That is my name. I will not share my glory with anyone else.

I Will not share my glory with anyone else Or the praise do me with idols if Jesus were just a normal human being

Luke 10 22 would directly contradict Isaiah 42. How could

God Give all things to Jesus the Son But this is the same

God in Isaiah 42 who claimed that he will not share his glory with anyone else Jesus has to be

God Who is worthy of the divine glory and honor and there is in fact some some hints of this triune nature in the

Old Testament Genesis 1 let us

Make men in our image The very next next verse he made men in his image

Why the change plural to singular one more

Daniel 7 14 Daniel sees a vision a heavenly vision the thrones are placed

Why does the heaven have multiple thrones If there's only one

God perhaps we have a triune

God in fact Jews To this day.

They do not encourage reading Daniel 7 14 without the guidance of an experienced rabbi

Because it doesn't make sense in their theology What really shows is that Jesus has to be

God? Or God the Father would be sharing his divine glory with someone who's just a created being

God is making a Creature into God which is idolatry

Either you have to accuse God of idolatry Because idolatry is making anything that's not

God into God Or Jesus is God So naturally he shares

God the Father's divine glory second The knowledge of God is exclusively restricted to the

Son and the Father This is important because mere creatures cannot understand who

God truly is yet. Jesus knows God the Father Only the

Son knows the Father Not only that the Father knows the Son we get a glimpse of this triune relationship third

Jesus has the prerogative to reveal the Father to anyone. You cannot know who

God is without Jesus And this is really similar to what the

Apostle John records in John 14 6 I Am the way and the truth and the life

No one comes to the Father except through me Anyone who claims to worship

God, but does not worship Jesus Is worshiping a false

God. This may sound harsh This may sound exclusive But that is what

Jesus is saying Only Jesus the Son can reveal the

Father to anyone he wishes Without the

Son no one can approach the Father No one can have any relation with the

Father without the Son What Jesus is saying if you want to know

God approach the Son If you want to meet God look to the

Son Jesus is the only way We live in a pluralistic society where It is extremely extremely

Offensive to claim that Jesus is the only way to God but that is

Jesus Claim that's precisely what he's saying You can't know the

Father without Jesus You can't know the Father except unless Jesus reveals the

Father to you You can't go to the Father without Jesus and after the prayer

Jesus turns to his disciples to bless them Blessed are the eyes which see the things you see

For I tell you that many prophets and kings have desired to see what you see

And have not seen it and to hear what you hear and have not heard it Because the disciples can experience

God's favor upon them Jesus pronounces his blessing upon them the coming of Christ Started a time in history in which all the great figures of God's people in the past looked forward to Moses was one of the greatest prophets in the

Old Testament He witnessed so many signs and wonders God talked to him clearly not through visions and dreams yet The coming of Christ and his ministry is what

Moses would have longed to see King David was feared on the battlefield in his youth he could go against anyone and He trusted that God would deliver and he did

God worked powerfully through him and No matter who his opponents were

Yet King David was looking forward to his greater son

Jesus What Moses and David only dreamt of the 70 unnamed

Unassuming lowly men experienced Only because they knew

Jesus Christ Only because they trusted in Christ and this is where we find ourselves this morning

We too like the 70 our disciples of Christ And we get to personally know

God at a level that Moses and David longed for Moses spoke to God face to face yet He longed to experience

God's presence that we do through Jesus Christ in the

Holy Spirit It's not that Jesus God dwelt among them

It's not that God did not dwell among them in the Old Testament he did the tabernacle the temple

Mount Sinai but it's at what intense level and Intimacy does

God dwell among us now? because What Jesus has done?

To take away our sin from us so that the Holy God could dwell in each of you personally

Without you being zapped to death. That's a privilege

You don't have to go to me to find out what God wants you to do in your life

You can go to God directly You don't have to go to a prophet or a priest to hear from God You can open up the

Bible and the author of the Bible who dwells in you will make clear What he wants you to know

And some of you might have experienced it already. There might have been passages that were just so difficult to understand

But you went directly to God and asked what does this mean God? There's some way or someone

He's explained it It's because you have a personal Relationship with God if you believe in Jesus Christ what this means is

That for Christians If the Sunday gathering is just for the community where you feel loved and you hang out with the people you like with the same political views

We're missing the point of Christianity The church is a great community.

No doubt about that but Having a community cannot be the main reason why we gather every

Sunday morning For Christians if the Sunday gathering is just for the emotional experience that you need

During the worship music We are also missing the point of Christianity Some churches try to cater to this

Desire by dimming the light turning on the fog machines with the keyboard

That doesn't sound like piano. I don't know. I don't even know what instrument it sounds like but sets the mood and As the pastor is praying they're slow

Chords softly playing in the background and you feel that emotional relaxation

Relaxation However, that's not the main purpose of the

Sunday gathering For Christians our main reason to gather to worship every

Sunday morning Is that we get to encounter the Living God through Jesus Christ?

It is Jesus who graciously reveals his father to us It is

Jesus who has graciously died on the cross so that you do have a relationship with God that you're reconciled that Broken relationship is fully healed

That he when you approach God You don't have to be scared that there's a leftover wrath that would be poured on you

Because every ounce of it was poured on Christ his son and Jesus draws his people to God not because we're talented

Not because we are pure but because he is compassionate and loving and Every time believers gather in his name it need not be even in this building

It could be at a Bible study in someone's house Could be in someone's backyard for fellowship.

You get to meet the God the Father whom Jesus reveals and only in Christ You get to know

God the Father Only in Christ you belong to the Father only in Christ You get to experience

God the Father's love for you That goes beyond the love of any human fathers the loyal love that does not leave his own daughter and son the loyal love

That allows you Guarantees you to go forward into his throne room without any fear of judgment the loyal love

That allows you to go to him even in your sin so that you can confess knowing

That he will compassionately forgive. That's why we gather on a

Sunday morning You get to experience God yourself personally

That's what Moses and David longed for That's what Jesus was rejoicing about You didn't have to be the high priest you didn't have to be a theological elite

You could be a theological babe in Christ and you could experience the fullness of God in Christ and This morning that is the biggest privilege that anyone has

There is no other

Experience that's greater than the very experience of meeting

God on a Sunday morning Let us pray father.

We're thankful That you have provided Jesus Who died for our sin on the cross so that we may have a relationship with you that we can be fully

Reconciled through Jesus and in the Holy Spirit we can Commune with you at any time anywhere with anyone in Christ Father we pray

That you would help us to experience your loving presence this morning

That you would speak to us through your word and that you would Make even our personal prayer time even sweeter

Knowing that we are speaking to the one true living God in Jesus name