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Some quick announcements this coming Friday. We do have our singles group. It'll be here underneath the tent And so if you are single you ready to mingle
This is the place for you to be and so we'd love for you to come and join us for that time of fellowship
Also, please be aware that the following Friday which is on the Religious and secular holiday of you know, good
Friday. That's the 29th. We will be here gathered To Celebrate and remember our dear sister
Sue who has gone to be with the Lord And so we will be having that memorial service on Friday March 29th, but what time will it be pastor at 5 o 'clock 5 p .m.
In the afternoon Please be sure to be here as we honor the memory of our sister, but also celebrate
That she's in glory and we give love grace and comfort to Her husband our pastor pastor
Josh, and so please join us for that occasion With that being said let's take a moment to Reorganize ourselves and prepare a time for sacred service
Call the worship this afternoon is from Psalm 92 verses 5 through 8 a
Greater your work so Lord your thoughts are very deep the stupid man cannot know the fool cannot understand this
Though the wicked sprout like grass and all the evildoers flourish. They are doomed to destruction forever
But you O Lord are on high forever Amen well church, let's
Sing together and let's stand for this hymn hymn 27 great is thy faithfulness
Shadow of turning with thee Changes not thy
Compassions they fill not as a Husband of forever will be
Great is thy faithfulness Great is thy faithfulness
Morning by morning New mercies, I see
O Lord have me, great is thy faithfulness
Lord unto me Summer and winter and springtime and harvest
Sun moon and stars in their horses above In the nature in manifold witness
Through thy great faithfulness mercy and love
Morning by morning new mercies I see
Great is thy faithfulness Lord unto me
Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth
Thine own dear presence to dear and to God Great for today and bright both for tomorrow
Blessings all mine Ten -thousand beside Great is thy faithfulness
Great is thy faithfulness Morning by morning new mercies
I see Amen church as you're standing, please turn to Luke's gospel chapter 13 and verse 31
Our text for this afternoon is gonna be Luke chapter 13 and verse 31 hear you this afternoon the word of the
Lord At that very hour some Pharisees came and said to him get away from here for here it wants to kill you
He said to them Go and tell that Fox Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow and the third day.
I finished my course Nevertheless, I must go on my way today and tomorrow and the day following for it cannot be
That a prophet should perish away from Jerusalem Oh Jerusalem Jerusalem the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it
How often I would have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings and you were not willing
Behold your house is Forsaken they tell you that you would not see me until you say blessed is he who comes in the name of the
Lord This is the Word of the Lord. You may be seated We're continuing our series through Luke this afternoon and just as we learned this morning
The call of Jesus Christ to the people of Israel in that day in a particular time
Was that the gate was narrow the door of salvation is indeed a narrow door and in particular for those who do not believe
And we see how in this narrative Jesus gives a stinging message of judgment against the
Jewish people Who are unrepentant and who are not accepting and embracing the
Messiah? As the proper and true king of Israel so he says to him that the first shall be last and last shall be first a reference to the order of King of kingdoms being recognized in God's kingdom
And so the Gentiles would be accepted into this new arrangement and they would be the ones left out
Should they continue in their unbelief and here we see that this is a very stinging political message
So if you doubt it in the context of what was stated this morning, well, this sounds more spiritual than political
No by no means, of course, it's a it's a spiritual truth That Jesus is sharing but it's also a political one because it says in verse 31 that very hour some
Pharisees came and said to him Get away from here for Herod wants to kill you Why would inherit want to do that?
clearly what Jesus is saying is sparking controversy Not just amongst the religious leaders and scholars of his day
But even among the political powers in that time and region So what we see here is that after Jesus calls
Israel to repentance once you write this in the next part of your notes here After Jesus calls
Israel to repentance the Pharisees warned him to flee because of Herod Consider this as Jesus makes his way through Israel He's bringing a consistent message about the kingdom of God and of repentance
Because looming large over Israel's future in this narrative of Luke is
Israel's in that's looming large over Israel's future is this God's righteous judgment against her for her unfaithfulness in the inevitable rejection of the
Messiah The Lord consistently throughout scripture provides ample warning and opportunity for repentance to a given people
To turn away from sin and wickedness God is patient and he's long -suffering
He demonstrates his kindness in the time that he gives us even people today the opportunity to repent before calamity strikes
For the Lord is merciful and it's filled with long -suffering and loving kindness So before his mighty hand of judgment comes down he offers his people escape by repentance
In no greater chance that he give Israel than by sending his only son
To be the final prophet and Savior of his people The Pharisees were likely not trying to give
Jesus any favors here by warning him Since in Luke's gospel anytime the Pharisees are mentioned, it's usually in a negative light in connotation
But they were likely demonstrating the scope not just of the religious and spiritual opposition of Jesus But also the political powers coupled with the religious opposition to Christ.
You see Jesus is the great unifier He's the great unifier and that people either gather under him by faith and repentance or They gather against him
But Jesus always unifies a people either for him or against him in other words
Jesus is polarizing He's a very polarizing figure no
Figure in history has been more polarizing than Jesus so polarizing is is he that even today a mere mention of his name will elicit a number of different reactions people will either worship or people will either be
Detested or ashamed Jesus off Reaction of Jesus offers many different This is many different responses, but it's usually always either for him or against him and so again
Jesus calls Israel to repentance and the Pharisees warned him to flee because of Herod seeing the political and the spiritual powers at at at work at that time were consistently
United against Christ and his kingdom Interestingly enough what Jesus goes on to say here in verse 32.
He says go and tell that Fox Behold I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow and the third day.
I finish my course Jesus calls her to what a fox
Now Jesus isn't like trying to be cute here. He's not saying Oh, you're a foxy guy or you're you know, you're a cool cat or something like that He's not he's not using that term in any way.
That is positive Jesus calls her to a fox and it's a epithet for a
Sly which write this in notes for a sly or crafty person You see the
Lord Jesus was not deterred By the brazen and veiled threats that came from the Pharisees or came by Herod the ruler of Galilee Jesus knew the religious and the political opponents were in cahoots against him but he also knew that there were threats were not going to deter his mission to go to Jerusalem and To be the
Passover sacrifice for the elect of God's people Our Lord goes as far as to use a well -known
Jewish idiom Calling Herod a fox Which had two meanings and uses at the time.
The first meaning was this like we asked you to write Someone who is sly or crafty
Clearly the Pharisees and Herod thought that they were being slick. They thought they were being crafty
They thought they were being smart and how they were approaching the problem of Jesus Christ Herod had recently beheaded
John the Baptist and Jesus was now in the crosshairs the other way that this common term was used and understood in this context was a
Fox was also an idiom for someone who thought themselves to be a lion But we're actually a smaller animal and Fox They thought themselves to be something bigger than they actually are
And I think both of these meanings have an appropriate usage here by the
Lord Jesus Christ one that Herod Finds himself or figures himself out to be crafty sly in some way
But he isn't and he also thinks of himself as something bigger than he actually is. He might think of himself as a lion but he is far from it a
Small Fox was not going to stop Jesus from following in finishing his earthly course If Fox will try and manipulate you with fear to try to keep you from your course so brothers and sisters don't
Listen to the foxes of life Who have all is it to use a common?
You know phrase in today's culture who are all bark but no bite because a fox is
No match for the lion of the tribe of Judah. Amen No Fox can deter the true line of God's people the true champion of God's people
Jesus is that great line Jesus is that great champion of his people and not even the religious or political powers will deter
Jesus from going to Jerusalem No one was going to stop him, which is why
Jesus says in verse 33 nevertheless I must go on my way today and tomorrow the day falling for it cannot be that a prophet should perish away from Jerusalem Jesus knew where he was heading.
Jesus knew what lied ahead in Jerusalem He says a prophet will not be killed outside of Jerusalem.
He knows his end is coming he knows that his life is coming to an end at the hands of his opponents and Yet he also knew that on the way there no one will be able to stop him
No one will be able to deter Jesus from following and finishing his course Such great confidence
Jesus had in the plan of the Father So we too in life
When we examine our own course our own life the own challenges and the own foxes of our lives
Must be determined and steadfast and recognizing that God has the final say in every matter and So don't be deterred by the foxes of life nor the difficulties and challenges.
This world throws at you know That God eventually has his way in all things
And Jesus knew this to be the truth and he said the Prophet should should not perish away
For it cannot be that a prophet should perish away from Jerusalem Jesus knew that Jerusalem Was not to be deterred
Now what you write this in the notes Christ again points to Jerusalem as a center of his mission
He's he dismisses heritage threats here in verse 33 because again as I've mentioned a
Fox's threat is no match for the lion's power and the lion's promise
Jesus is using irony here as Jerusalem was the place of the murder of many prophets most notably.
We've seen Jeremiah chapter 26 verses 20 to 23 Uriah is a prophet that is murdered in Jerusalem in Zechariah in 2nd
Chronicles chapter 24 verse 2022 Zechariah is a prophet that is murdered in Jerusalem in the legends of Jewish literature
The Prophet Isaiah is spoken of as being murdered in Jerusalem and so Jerusalem was the place in which the prophets were known to be stoned and put to death and Jesus knew that his destiny was to be put to death in Jerusalem not outside So no wonder he did not take heritage threat or the leaders of the
Pharisees their threats with much Concern because he knew where he would end up Along that line we've seen verse 34
Jesus laments Jerusalem by saying Oh Jerusalem Jerusalem The city that kills the prophets in stones those who are sent to it
How often or how often would I have gathered your children together as a hen? Gathers her bird under her wings and you were not willing
This is an interesting text of Scripture for many reasons Jesus is again heading towards Jerusalem.
What does he do? He mourns for it. He mourns for Jerusalem He says
Oh Jerusalem Jerusalem the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it
Christ is declaring Jerusalem's judgment for the violence against the
Saints and the messengers of God I want you if you can turn to Matthew chapter 23, we're gonna look at the synoptic account in Matthew's version in Matthew chapter 23
And we're gonna look at verse 34 In verse 34 of Matthew 23 notice what it says in Matthew's account of the same story
He says therefore I send you prophets and wise men inscribed some of whom you will kill and crucify and some of you will flog
In your synagogues and persecute from town to town so that on you May come all the righteous blood shed on earth and the blood of righteous
Abel and the blood of Zechariah the son of Barakaya Whom you murdered between a sanctuary in the altar
Truly I say to you all these things will come upon this generation verse 37
Oh Jerusalem Jerusalem The city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it
How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers a brood under her wings and you were not willing
See your house is left to you desolate This is a forewarning and foreshadowing of Jerusalem's eventual demise and destruction in the year 70
AD A lot of people debate about the Olivet discourse, which is Matthew chapter 24 where Jesus truly
I see you all these things will come upon this generation and so many people have theorized in the evangelical world and Cult such as the
Jehovah's Witnesses and the Mormons. Who is that generation? Who is that generation that has been referred to it must be the pre tribulation generation
It must be the post tribulation generation. It must be all these other generations friends Jesus answers the question
That is raised so often here in chapter 23 of Matthew when he says again in verse 35 so that on you
Whom he was speaking to that generation May come all the righteous blood shed on earth from the blood of the righteous able to the blood of Zechariah the son of Burkiah Who you murdered between the altars truly a city all these things will come upon this generation
This generation if you were listening to Jesus say these words
You would get no comfort in thinking to yourself. Oh boy those people in 2024 they really got it coming
That's not what they would have been thinking of they would have been thinking Boy, we're in trouble
But what we do so often especially when it comes to eschatological Expectations is that we put into the text our own perspective our own context so many people
Isagetha text instead of exegete attacks they read Into rather than reading out or taking out drawing out from the text
Which is why so many churches and denominations fall into eschatological errors when examining the end times
And so here Jesus answers who and what the mystery of the generation is
It's a generation of judgment that was coming upon that particular people at that particular time
Christ here in Matthew chapter 23 and in Luke chapter 13 is declaring judgment
Against Jerusalem for the violence that she has shed against the Saints and the messengers of God She will be held guilty for the bloodshed of all the righteous blood shed on the earth
Which is what is also alluded to in many chapters of the book of Revelation He predicts this disaster will fall upon that generation
You see the root cause of badass catology is reading into the prophecy with a 21st century mindsets
This is there's a Commentary that was produced in the 1800s called the finished mystery and it was a commentary on the book of Revelation this commentary
Tried to argue that in Revelation chapter 11 I believe where there is this vision of these locusts with the bodies or the
Locusts with the face of a man that comes out of the abyss and the way that this commentary
Interpreted this passage was that this was a reference to the modern -day locomotive
Yes, friends. The the monsters and the locusts that come out of the abyss are locomotives
No, I don't think so. You know what that is It's Brad. That's bad hermeneutics as bad
Eisegesis of the text they're reading into the text with there at that time 19th century perspective and so many times we read the scriptures in that same way through our lens through the lens of a newspaper
But friends the scripture speaks for itself scripture interprets scripture and so friends we must
For a lack of time we won't be able to examine the account of Jeremiah chapter 26 and 2nd
Chronicles chapter 24 But I encourage you to look at those passages in your free time so you could see how it is that in times past We see the martyrdom of the prophet
Uriah and the other prophets that were That were martyred in Jerusalem But one of the things
I want to draw out of those examples while we don't have time to examine the particular verses One of the things that I want us to examine is that things got so bad for the prophet
After he prophesied the truth. This is the prophet Uriah that he had to flee to Egypt John Calvin says this when a when
God wants to judge a nation. He gives them wicked rulers When God wants to judge a nation he gives them wicked rulers
And it's the job of the prophet to declare truth to give an opportunity for repentance
But also warned them of the impending doom Jesus is the final prophet of God's people and he knows he's about to be killed for his message
But he offers repentance and he calls judgment on these unrepentant people
Like King Jehoiakim of which it is referenced in the Old Testament and Herod Both of these men are like a fox
Trying to stamp out the Word of God trying to stamp out his messengers Though for instance in times past they had some success
Like Herod even with John the Baptist These men ultimately are unable to stop the preaching work in Jeremiah, they're unable to stop
God's judgment of Israel by Nebuchadnezzar and they were unable to stop Jesus Christ to fulfilling his mission by going to the cross in Jerusalem They were not able to stop what
God had ordained Beware of those who would try and deter
Either hinder or stop the proclamation of the gospel of Christ beloved beware of the foxes
Beware of those who would try to keep you from fulfilling your obligation and your ministry
What do we see at the conclusion of this text in our main text in Luke chapter 13 Similarly as we saw in chapter 23 of Matthew Jesus goes on to say how he wanted to gather
Jerusalem, but she was not willing Therefore certain calamity and destruction would fall upon her and again that was fulfilled in the year 70
AD verse 35 says behold Your house is forsaken Matthew's account says your house is desolate
Desolate You know what a desolation looks like? It's you know, if you've ever gone to like an old
Western town Where was populated heavily during the gold rush and you can go into these old towns and you go into these old houses and the
Beds are still there Maybe the old can of food is still on the old really rinkety dinky kitchen stove and It's just desolate
It's all covered of moss with with with rust with with spiderwebs and it's completely desolate and that's what will be
Jerusalem's reward desolation This desolation was for the house of Israel and I want you to write this in the notes
Israel's house was forsaken or desolate But there's hope
In verse 35 behold behold your house is forsaken.
I tell you you will not see me until you say Blessed is he who comes in the name of the
Lord? Israel's house was forsaken desolate until they bless the
Lord Jesus Christ Israel though first in the election of God's people will be last
To receive Christ and there I leave hope My I could be wrong in this but I leave an optimistic eschatological expectation that at the end of the age
God willing before the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ that we see a revival with the ancient people of God with the ancient with the
Israelites and the Jewish people that they just as them as the Gentiles have received
Christ in mass. So they too may hopefully by God's grace receive the gospel in mass
But what that means for us The elect made up of Jew and Gentile is that our mission is clear
Our proclamation is not simply to the Jew and it's not simply to the Gentile It is for the
Jew and the Gentile because the gospel is good news For the Jew and the
Gentile because God has taken the two in making one new man That's the hope and that's what
God has done in the church here we have a church made up of at least a
Jew and Gentiles we have in our midst the fulfillment of what
God has promised and so beloved May you find yourselves even today?
Being among those who bless the name of the Lord even today
Because there's salvation in no other name given among men by which we might be saved but the name of Jesus There are not two classes of salvation.
There's not two ways of salvation. There's not multiple ways of salvation There's one way to salvation and it's through Jesus So should there be revival amongst the
Gentiles or amongst the Jews? It will come by faithfully proclaiming the gospel of free grace in Jesus Christ That's the only hope for the
Jew and it's the only hope for the Gentile It's the hope of the world and the hope of the nations
May you come to know this hope and remember to beware the foxes. Let me pray
Sovereign Lord We do thank you for the warning that you have given in times past to a stiff -necked and stubborn people
When in times past your people have not heeded the warning of judgment and certain calamity fell upon them
May we receive your word as you have given us in the New Testament as a word of instruction for our good for edification so that we may see the sins and mistakes of people times past and be able to Escape the the wrath that is to come
Upon the sons of disobedience Lord help us in our endeavor to draw closer to you
Lord help us to resist the calls of the foxes of this world Who though they think of themselves to be lions or sly or crafty?
They cannot and will not Stop the work that you have ordained for your church
Lord help us to be steadfast like Jesus our eyes pointed toward Jerusalem Our eyes now being pointed toward the true
Jerusalem the heavenly Jerusalem spoken of in Hebrews chapter 12 Amongst which we see a throng of the ancient people of God and the modern people of God the church
We thank you Lord for all that you have done May your name receive all the praise glory and honor that is due in Jesus name.
Amen Well church, I think it'd be appropriate for us to speak of the great love of this incredible Savior And we're gonna join in hymn and 453 we can stay seated as we sing this hymn the deep deep love of Jesus Oh Oh Oh the best.
Tis an ocean vast of blessing, tis a haven sweet of rest.
O the deep, deep love of Jesus, tis a heaven of thanks to me.
And it lifts me up to glory, for it lifts me up to Thee.
Amen. Church, why don't we take a moment to reorganize ourselves, to smile, small groups of two or three or four, and we're going to take our first item of prayer, which is confession, our failures to call for repentance due to fear.
We'll organize ourselves, and then I'll open us in prayer. Alright, beloved, let's pray.
Again, our first prayer is a prayer of confession, our failures to call for repentance due to fear. Lord, indeed, you have not given us a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power, love, and a sound mind in which you've given to your people in Jesus Christ to have a bold spirit in order to proclaim boldly, without hindrance, as the
Apostle Paul in Acts chapter 26, the gospel of Jesus Christ. Lord, help us in our weakness not to fall prey to fear, but to rightly call to repentance the people of God and also the nations and the world.
As Lord, we understand that we are all sinners, and we fall short on a daily basis of thy perfect mark, and yet you give us kindness, grace, and mercy for today and for tomorrow.
May we continue to point people towards Jesus Christ, who is the only hope for the Jew and for the
Greek. Lord, help us in our weakness to make much of Christ so that in our weakness
Christ may be magnified. Lord, help us not to succumb to fear, but instead, with that power, love, and a sound mind, proclaim the excellencies of your grace.
And so, Lord, we pray that as we confess our failures, that we would recognize the call that Jesus gave and gives to all men to repent, to trust in him, and to commit ourselves to his kingdom.
May we do just that this afternoon, in Jesus' name, amen. Well, church, let's also consider our needs this afternoon, and particularly along the lines of the message that's preached, that we rely on our lion,
Jesus Christ, to overcome the foxes. Many challenges come as a result of persecution in this world and in this life, and yet we have confidence that though foxes arise against us, we have in our corner our chief, our champion in the line of the tribe of Judah, even
Jesus Christ, our Lord. And so, to pray for our needs, I'm going to ask Brother John Burchett to lead us in that endeavor.
I ask your forgiveness. I'm going to pray in a way—we weren't here last week. We haven't had much on our minds this week.
I know you guys have been here the last week, but there's a lot been on my mind and heart this last week.
I'm going to pray in that light. Father, we are thankful that you are almighty, that you love us, and that love is not dependent upon how we are doing, how we have done.
It depends upon the solid rock of Christ's finished work for us. Thank you for the example we've even heard today,
His willing to suffer, willing to have threats against Him, and willing to be thought very little of.
We pray, Father, you grow us in that example, that we might be more like Him, and that we would have in front of our minds what was in front of His mind, a glory set before Him, and that for that glory,
He was willing to go through difficulty beyond our comprehension. We thank you,
Father, for the events of this past week that have been those joyous and sad. We reflect on the life of our sister
Sue and the beginning of a new family, and we know that your providence is working through all these things.
We're thankful, Father, that as one once said, we are invincible until your purpose for us is completed, and that whatever we put our hands to do in serving you and living for you, that you will provide for us.
We thank you for carrying her father to the end, and that now she needs no more prayer from us, that we,
Father, have needs of those left behind. We pray for our pastor, for Jared, as they go through the continuation of their suffering.
When you pray, Father, you'd lift them up and be close to them, and for Jared especially, we pray,
Father, you'd give him cause to see the end of all flesh, and that he has an appointment with that same enemy.
We pray, Father, you'd bring to his mind all that he has been taught and learned, that you would answer surely the greatest prayer our sister has had, that he might be saved.
We pray for our pastor, that you'd provide for him, and that you'd help us, Father, to be the body that suffers with him, even as we rejoice with Sue and the entrance and the glory.
We pray, Father, that you'd be with us, that we would fulfill your purposes here.
We thank you again for the marriage of our brother Jesus, and we do pray that you'd bless them going forward, that they would be planted in a place where they can be useful.
We pray for ourselves, Father, as we were reminded, foxes all around, things that threaten to derail us from the purposes you have for us.
And we do pray, Father, you'd lift our eyes to see the lion that has gone before us, that is now interceding for us, and the spirit that he has sent that is working within us.
We pray, Father, you'd lift our eyes to see Christ, who is our life, and that we would be those going forward in his name and in his strength.
We pray in Jesus' name, amen. Well, church, we're also going to consider our church, our ministries, and that we would not be forsaken, but call on the
Lord, as it says in God's word, that he blesses those who he blesses, and who bless him.
As it is written, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Pastor Josh will lead us in that prayer.
The Lord has given us many ministries and many opportunities to proclaim Jesus Christ and his gospel.
Let's pray that we remain faithful to all those. Let's pray. Most gracious Heavenly Father, again, thank you for being a
God who provides. Thank you for being a God who sees and has concern for our needs.
And now, Father, we pray that you would look upon this body, this church, these members, and look to the opportunities that you have given us, the ministries that we have engaged,
Lord, and help us to faithfully carry out the responsibilities that you have ordained for us to have.
And Lord, as the thought just came during the preaching, a fox has so much more chance against a lion than the world does against you.
And yet we fear, we tremble. I pray that you would take away our fear of man, our concern for anything the world would do to us, that we would remain true to what you have given us,
Father. And so we hold up the ministries of this church. We ask,
Father, for them severally and individually, for the counseling, for the food pantry, for the weekly preaching,
Father, for the street ministry by the Planned Parenthood, for all these things that we do, for the singles, every forum, every outlet, every job you've given us to execute,
Father, may we do them to the glory of Jesus Christ, and may we do them without concern for what the world may think, what the world may do, how much they would like us to just leave and depart because we would fear them.
But Father, we will not. We stand firm because of Jesus Christ. We're on solid ground because of your word.
We are confident that you are working good through us. As small as we are, that Jesus Christ would receive all the praise and all the glory, and may we remain solid and confident and fixed and stayed upon those things that you've given us.
And may you, Father, work your glory through them. We pray in Jesus' name. Amen. Well, church, part of the message today in the morning and afternoon has been a message of judgment, and you see that as a kind of a major looming theme in Luke's gospel.
It's for the last couple weeks we've been praying that God will convict our leaders of the coming judgment. Just as he warned
Israel and Jerusalem of the impending doom, so too the
Lord Jesus beckons us as his witnesses to warn the nations of the coming judgment, that God will judge the world in righteousness through his appointed
Son, Jesus Christ. And so I'm going to ask Brother Ken to pray for us. Father in heaven, this afternoon lift up the
South American nation of Brazil. We thank you, God, that this mostly
Catholic country of almost 220 million people today has a relatively large evangelical professing
Christian population of more than 25 percent of the overall population. So we thank you, God. We ask that you would bless this nation with an increasing population of Christ followers.
God, strengthen the true faith of the saints in Brazil so that through them you would defeat the evils in Brazil of animism,
Afro -Brazilian cult worship, witchcraft, and cardicism, or high spiritism. God, make your people bold in preaching against the mixing of Christianity with these satanic -type practices like visiting of spiritist priests or guides with this emphasis on ecstatic spiritualistic experiences that allow possession by demons or oppression of these practitioners among your people.
Lord, forbid it. And we pray, God, that the wholesale rejection of these and other practices would occur because they hinder
Brazil from becoming a nation more fully committed to the exaltation of our Lord and Savior Christ and him alone.
Lord, make your church fully committed to and willing to expose these evil practices and beliefs that hinder Brazil from moving from darkness to the kingdom of your dear
Son, Lord, and let them see the sin and the darkness of a cult religion that is at the root of socialism that are tormenting
Brazil in this day. So help your church in Brazil to be the salt and light to the people in this country who are struggling with a large poverty -stricken population, violence and gangs, child labor, prostitution, many social ills that come from sin, iniquity, and false religion.
Lord, as they turn from ecstatic experience seeking of high spiritism, please do not let these
Brazilians turn toward the ecstatic experience seeking of Pentecostalism, thereby replacing one paganistic practice with another,
Lord. And so let their repentance of such practices be of true repentance that is unto salvation.
Give them real saving faith, faith in you and your Son, Lord, our blessed Redeemer, the Lord Jesus Christ. So we beseech you,
God, Lord, to bless your church in Brazil, the local churches in this country. We specifically ask that you bless the fire church that is south of Belo Horizonte, that in English is called the
Historical Reform Baptist Church, as well as its two church plants in the same area.
Lord, we pray that these churches would remain strong and bold in their declaration of the truth about the Lord of all, the only true
Redeemer, and friend of sinners unto the repentance and faith, which is the Lord Jesus Christ. Make them bold in confronting all sins and against the temptations to return to the animistic and spiritistic ways that likely came from local paganism and African animism.
Lord, give these fire churches great boldness and clarity as they preach along the lines of their recent sermons and classes in the areas of historically attested true saving faith, cessationism, eschatology, 500 years of reformation, the second coming of Christ, as well as books of Numbers, Proverbs, 1 and 2
Timothy, and of course many other books of your holy scripture. And let the entire population of 220 million people in Brazil come in direct contact with your eternal truth,
Lord, by the faithful preaching of your word in many churches and by the way of many Christians that you have planted in the land of Brazil.
Lord, we look to you to move mountains and bring every high and lofty thought and practice that sets itself up against you and the lordship of your
Son, our Savior, Lord Jesus Christ. Bring many multitudes of Brazilians, Brazilian sheep into your sheepfold.
Save Brazil from the coming destruction, Lord, and have mercy on this nation. Turn the multitudes, these multitudes into your humble servants and make them willing in the day of your mighty power.
Lord, closer to home we ask that you would be with our local state government, the co -equal branches of government that you have ordained in this state, the state of California.
Lord, you have ordained that your people here in this part of North America would live under a republic, the authority of a republic.
So we ask, God, that because we don't have a king or Caesar over us all, in your goodness and mercy that you have provided us these governing authorities and have a written law of the constitutions of the
United States just as your written word is a law and a principle for our earthly humanity presently alive on this earth.
So, God, we ask that we would see the need to submit to these authorities as ordained under your merciful hand so that we may lead peaceful and quiet lives while we dwell in our temporary abode here on earth and the temporary tents of our earthly bodies so that we may glorify you and preach the word with our every action and give testimony to the grace that is in our
Lord and Savior Jesus, God, your eternally begotten Son. So keep our conduct among the heathen honorable.
Let us give our Caesar his due so that we may walk properly before outsiders and to be dependent on no one.
So, Lord, let us see your goodness and kindness and mercy and be able to bless proper government ordained by you to enable your
Son's body, the church militant on the earth, to worship you as you have ordained and commanded and directed for us to live out the gospel in our everyday lives.
So please bless California and Sacramento and our county, local, municipal governments, and bless our
California judicial branch as expressed in the local Santa Clara County Courthouses.
And bless them, Lord, as they settle cases according to the laws of California and as they decide guilt and innocence of those accused of breaking the laws according to their criminal statutes and protect the rights of individuals who are made in your image,
Lord. Bless all the judges, attorneys, clerks, bailiffs, and many others who work in the
Santa Clara County Courthouses. Give them your spirit to understand fairness and equity, your spirit that is in righteous laws that you have ordained for our good.
And, Lord, save the souls of all these individuals for their eternal good and for our good and have mercy on them and us unto your praise and eternal glory.