I am aware, from my limited human perspective, that we are running out of time. Okay, I know God is sovereign and His timing is perfect, but I feel a sense of urgency because this Wednesday is week five. After Wednesday, we have only three weeks remaining. These verse came to mind,
And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. -2Corinthians 4:3-4I know this is true, but I feel this on Wednesday nights. I feel the gospel is veiled. I feel Satan has blinded their minds. He wants to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ. But I also feel that the gospel is slowly being unveiled. I don’t think any guests have stopped coming; at least there hasn’t been any sizeable drop-off. In fact, if anything, I sense an eagerness to understand, and see, and know this God-man called Jesus. So please pray, pray that God would unveil the gospel and allow the light of the gospel to shine brightly in their hearts.
Last Wednesday
We have reached the half-way mark of EC. Thus far people have heard of their inability to earn God’s favor, that God is sovereign, and holy, and just, and loving, that we are all sinners in need of a Savior, and that Jesus Christ came into the world as the Son of God to save sinners.
The group I sat in had at least four, maybe six unbelievers. Their questions were good. The big question of the night was,
“What about those who never hear about Jesus Christ? Is doesn’t seem fair that those who never hear are condemned.”The problem is our sin. Unbelievers are not condemned because they haven’t heard or believed, but because they have sinned against a holy God.
This Wednesday
This Wednesday we are looking at Jesus and asking the question, “The Cross: Triumph or Tragedy?” Our answer is that the cross is God’s glorious triumph because of Jesus Christ and his life, death, and resurrection. I will talk about his perfect life, his substitutionary death, and his life-giving resurrection that uniquely qualifies Jesus as the unique Savior. This is the densest of the EC talks, so pray that God would give me the words to speak clearly and understandably by the power of the Holy Spirit so that those who would not otherwise understand will understand and believe in Him.
Prayer for THIS Wednesday
- Pray for clarity, understandability, and illumination for this Wednesday’s message. Pray that God would unveil the gospel and let them see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ.
- Continue to pray that God would continue to bring people back to hear the gospel on Wednesday and that He would bring back those who did not come last Wednesday.
- Pray for health. Many people are getting the flu. Some of my discussion group leaders our sick. Pray for health for the guests and workers.
- Continue to pray for the new birth; that God would supernaturally breath spiritual life into those who are dead in their trespasses and sins.
- Continue to pray for the EC workers and children; that God would provided everything we need to care for the children and it would be done with great joy.
- Pray for everyone serving, but especially the discussion group leaders and helpers, that they would be used by God as His ambassadors. Pray that they would demonstrate the love of Jesus, pray that they would know when and how to answer questions, pray that God would give them spiritual eyes to see what is behind every question, pray for a combination of faith, patience, gentleness, and boldness. Pray that God would make His appeal through them; be reconciled to God!
