This week, we find ourselves in Matthew 8:28-34 and on the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee. Jesus and His disciples are in the Decapolis, a primarily Gentile region consisting of ten cities. While there, Jesus encounters two demon-possessed men who have proven to be a menace to society. As we might expect, Jesus exercises His authority over the kingdom of darkness and rescues these men from the clutches of Satan. However, whereas we’ve grown accustomed to people being drawn to Jesus’ authority and power, the response of the people on the eastern shore is anything but expected. In this passage, we’ll see that God’s grace is far reaching and response provoking.
In preparation for Sunday, please join with your church family in prayer as we humble ourselves before God and seek His grace. Remember that we have an alternate worship schedule this weekend (9:15am Bible Study & 10:30am Worship). Remember also that our Children’s Minister candidate, Michelle Rose (and her husband Wesley), will be in town for an “in-view-of-a-call” weekend.
Prayer Guide: Sept 1, 2019 – Matthew 8:28-34
1. Praise God for the His matchless love and far reaching grace. Thank Him for pursuing us when we were in rebellion against Him.
2. Thank God for the work of Christ in which He does not hold our sins against us nor treat us as our sin deserves.
3. Ask God to give us hearts like Jesus to pursue the hurting and the broken – to reach out to others with the love of God – and to serve where there is a need.
4. Pray for grace to respond appropriately to God’s grace. Pray that we would live lives of worship and obedience for His glory. Pray that we would be eager to proclaim the goodness and mercy of our great God.
5. Pray for people you know that are living in rebellion against God. Ask God to soften their hard hearts so that they would embrace the gospel.
6. Pray for our church family as we get to know Michelle Rose this weekend and prepare to vote to extend a call to her to serve as our next Children’s Minister.
7. Pray that those who visit our church will experience the warmth of our church family and be spiritually encouraged in God’s Word. Ask God to be gracious to our church family and to grow our Body as He sees fit.
8. Pray for a mighty and undeniable movement of the Holy Spirit whereby sin is confessed and repented of, souls are saved, and people are sanctified.