Three Days
Compilation of our three days of prayer and fasting for Christ's Church in the South Bay
Monday
Bind us together, Lord
Bind us together
With cords that cannot be broken
Bind us together, Lord
Bind us together
Bind us together in Love
There is only one God,
There is only one King
There is only one Body,
That is why we sing.
Read Psalm 67.
1 May God be gracious to us and bless us
and make his face shine on us—
2 so that your ways may be known on earth,
your salvation among all nations.
3 May the peoples praise you, God;
may all the peoples praise you.
4 May the nations be glad and sing for joy,
for you rule the peoples with equity
and guide the nations of the earth.
5 May the peoples praise you, God;
may all the peoples praise you.
6 The land yields its harvest;
God, our God, blesses us.
7 May God bless us still,
so that all the ends of the earth will fear him.
How is this a prayer of blessing for the church?
What is the prayed outcome for blessing the church?
On Monday, we will focus our prayer on the issue of independence.
Independence: That God would exorcise our independent and competitive spirit and fill us fresh with the Spirit of unity displayed by growing bonds of affection between us. That we would be more than churches in the South Bay, but we would be the Church of Jesus Christ in the South Bay.
Holy Spirit, show us how our fierce independence as local congregations keeps us distanced from other believers. We confess that it often it comes with a sense of comparison or even judgment or competition. This is not unifying to your work and witness in the South Bay. Lord, have mercy.
Holy Spirit, we have only thought we had something to teach other Christians, without realizing how much we have to learn from other Christians. Forgive our hubris and grant us a humble heart and a willing spirit. Lord, have mercy.
Holy Spirit, you inspired Paul to write: “I urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all." (Ephesians 4). We have not. Our bonds of affection have not become stronger, but looser. We have imagined ourselves more like franchises catering to customers, more than outposts of the Kingdom—One Church—One Lord. Have mercy.
Jesus, you are the Lord of the Church, and today we want to declare our dependance on you. We want to be known more for our dependance on you than our independence from one another. We agree with your prayer to the Father, that we would be one, as you are one, that the world would know… (John 17).
Read and pray Psalm 67 to close.
Tuesday
Read Psalm 67.
1 May God be gracious to us and bless us
and make his face shine on us—
2 so that your ways may be known on earth,
your salvation among all nations.
3 May the peoples praise you, God;
may all the peoples praise you.
4 May the nations be glad and sing for joy,
for you rule the peoples with equity
and guide the nations of the earth.
5 May the peoples praise you, God;
may all the peoples praise you.
6 The land yields its harvest;
God, our God, blesses us.
7 May God bless us still,
so that all the ends of the earth will fear him.
Can we make “the nations be glad and sing for joy” or “rule the people with equity” or “guide the nations of the earth” or make “the land yield its harvest”? So much is beyond our power, but it is in our power to pray.
On Tuesday, we will focus our prayer on the issue of impotence.
Impotence: That God would replace our spiritual impotence with power from on high. That we would no longer look to ourselves or the experts for solutions to our malaise, but we would call on the Spirit who gives life and renewal to the Church.
Holy Spirit, in our insecurity and powerlessness…
We have turned to defensiveness,
We have become stubborn,
We have relied on our own methods instead of your means of grace.
We have hoarded resources,
We have been full of fear instead of being full of faith.
We have tried all of our solutions before supplication.
We have hired consultants, before consulting with you.
We have trusted experts, before trusting you.
We have been hesitant to speak truth for fear of being called a pejorative name.
Our problem is not that we are weak, or human, or that we have needs.
Our problem is that we don’t come to you with them.
Now we come to you. We don’t have enough, but you do. We don’t have the answers, but you do. We don’t have the power to change conditions in our congregations or communities, but you do.
Today we don’t ask you to empower us, we ask that you would be powerful in and among us.
Your word says, that we “will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon” us and that we “will be witnesses” here and everywhere. Acts 1.8
Your word says, “Not by might, not by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord.” Zechariah 4.1
Read and pray Psalm 67 to close.
Wednesday
Read Psalm 67.
1 May God be gracious to us and bless us
and make his face shine on us—
2 so that your ways may be known on earth,
your salvation among all nations.
3 May the peoples praise you, God;
may all the peoples praise you.
4 May the nations be glad and sing for joy,
for you rule the peoples with equity
and guide the nations of the earth.
5 May the peoples praise you, God;
may all the peoples praise you.
6 The land yields its harvest;
God, our God, blesses us.
7 May God bless us still,
so that all the ends of the earth will fear him.
If all you knew about God was from this Psalm 67. What could you say about him?
On Wednesday, we will focus our prayer on the issue of identity.
Identity: That God would remind us that our core identity runs deeper than denominational or non-denominational label, deeper than partisan affiliation, deeper than ethnicity or socio-economic category. We are Christ’s Church. We belong not to ourselves, but to the One who made us and gave his life for us.
Holy Spirit, you are the one that establishes us in our familial relationship with the Father, and allows us to cry, “Abba.” Galatians 4.6 and Romans 8.12.
And you inspire us to say something we would never naturally say, “Jesus is Lord.” 1 Corinthians 12.3.
Yet, we have often traded this primary identity for more surface-level identities.
We have categorized ourselves and others, and then, sometimes, demonized them.
We have prioritized our own preferences over deferential love for our neighbor.
We want to be a church that is known for your presence again.
We want to be known as belonging to you and you only.
Would you prune or weed any life that isn’t of you. Would you prepare us, like you prepare hard soil for planting and watering and reaping.
Hosea 10.12
Sow righteousness for yourselves,
reap the fruit of unfailing love,
and break up your unplowed ground;
for it is time to seek the Lord,
until he comes
and showers his righteousness on you.
—Break up the fallow ground
—Receive rain of blessing
—Harvest
Read and pray Psalm 67 to close.