Praise is due you, O God, in Zion, and to you shall vows be performed. O you who hear prayer, to you shall all flesh come. When iniquities prevail against me, you atone for our transgressions. Blessed is the one you choose and bring near, to dwell in your courts! We shall be satisfied with the goodness of your house, the holiness of your temple!1
Indeed God alone is worthy of praise. You shall fear the LORD your God. You shall serve him and hold fast to him, and by his name you shall swear. He is your praise. He is your God, who has done for you these great and terrifying things that your eyes have seen.2 He is the King of kings and Lord of lords.3 God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.4
As you have taught your disciples, we too pray to Our Father.5 Yes, you gave us the assurance that if we pray according to your will, you hear us.6 May you open our eyes and minds to your Words preserved through Scripture and understand it that we may pray according to what you will.
Father, thank you for the finish work of your Son. He himself said, “It is finished.”7 Through Jesus, you have chosen us as a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for your own possession, that we may proclaim Jesus who called us out of darkness into your marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people, once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.8
Lord Jesus, you left us an example by preaching the good news of the kingdom of God everywhere.9 You admonished Peter, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.”10 You came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.11
Holy Spirit, continue to guide us12 and as we obey, may you help us be molded in the image and likeness of Jesus.13 May we bear your fruit.14 May our desire to please you15 take precedence over our fears,16 that we may intentionally engage the people around us, that they may be established in biblical principles, that they may be equipped to do the work of ministry, and that they be empowered to go and, likewise, make disciples.17 May your words fall in good soil and yield a harvest of a hundredfold,18 fruit that abides. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.19 AMEN
Notes:
1. Psalm 65:1-4
2. Deuteronomy 10:20-21
3. Revelations 19:16
4. Philippians 2:9-11
5. Matthew 6:7-13
6. 1 John 5:14-15
7. John 19:30
8. 1 Peter 2:4-10
9. Luke 4:43
10. Luke 5:9-11
11. Luke 5:32
12. John 14:26
13. Romans 8:29
14. Galatians 5:22-25
15. 2 Corinthians 5:9
16. 2 Timothy 1:7
17. Steve Murrell, The Manila Miracle: Chapter 30, Make Disciples, p. 112-115
18. Matthew 13:8; Mark 4:8; Luke 8:8
19. John 15:16
