Our Father which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done
in earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
But
deliver us from evil
:
For thine is the kingdom,
and the power,
and the glory, for ever.
Amen
Our exciting new sermon series centers on The Model Prayer in the wake of the events of Charlottesville, it's a reminder that one of Jesus' disciples said to him, "
Lord, teach us how to pray
." This series will concentrate on the portion of the Model Prayer that deals with petitions and intercession on behalf of others and ourselves.
For prayer is not only asking and receiving, but also giving thanks, adoring and praising the Holy One. There are two responsibilities in prayer - God's responsibility and our responsibility. you cannot have one without the other; prayer is both human and divine.
This coming Sunday's sermon is entitled:
Deliver Us From Evil
based on Luke 11:4
..."And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil...
Evil is a stubborn reality. The presence of evil in the world is restrained by the work of the Holy Spirit. The spirit of God works in the world to bring people to repentance of their sin, to guide those of faith and to bring glory to Christ through all.
One theologian prayed:
Lord, tempt me only to do good and to seek justice, when I am reluctant or fearful. Lure me away from temptations that cause more harm and do not lead to peace. And silence all voices within me but your own, that I may know the difference between the two. May my every action and thought be governed by love, and not driven by my sinful instincts.
Remember, people come to Church and to Christ because people invite them. A great opportunity is this Sunday at 8, 9:30 or 11 a.m.
Prayerfully submitted,
Dr. Kevin M. James, Sr.
