CVC has a 24 hour prayer chain going to ask the Lord for His blessing on our Easter services. If you haven't yet signed up to pray, this link is where you can go to sign up.
Lately, I've been waking up to pray at 3:45 AM. I thought I might share some insights about how the Lord led me to pray this morning in hopes that it might inform a few others at CVC who are wondering, "How might I pray better for our church and for Easter services?"
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I ask You, Lord God, that on Resurrection weekend we might have the capacity to glorify You in a way that You should be glorified. Give us hearts filled with praise, Lord Jesus, as we think about Your death and Your resurrection so that we might be saved and reconciled to God. Let us love You with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength and let us love our neighbor as we love ourselves.
I ask that Chad Allen, our lead pastor, be filled with the Holy Spirit, be anointed, and have with the old time preachers called "unction." May he speak the word of God with boldness. May none of his words fall to the ground. As he explains Your word, may it not return void, but may it accomplish the purposes for which You sent it. May he have clarity of thought and expression. May You use him not only as a seed–planter and a soil–waterer, but also a soul–harvester.
Cause our people at CVC to be burdened about those who don't know Christ, opportunistic when it comes to inviting people to attend our services, and bold to share a good word for Christ and for our church, CVC. Help us think of creative ways to be inviters and includers because we remember that what many of our friends need is a simple invitation. Remind us that when we invite people to join us at our Easter services, it's a simple way to invite people to new life in Christ. Teach us to leverage the fact that their sensitivities are already heightened to spiritual things.
Send people to CVC and to all our sister churches in Northeast Ohio. Send them from the north, south, east, and west. May people have a spiritual hunger that cannot be explained. May the soil in their hearts be soft. May the seed which will be planted bear fruit – 30 fold, 60 fold, and 100 fold. Do not let the enemy come and steal the seed. Instead, may there be a planting, a watering, and a harvesting that results in the salvation of many souls.
Bless the singers, the instrumentalists, and the technicians who will work hard to provide the praise and the atmosphere that will glorify You. Bless their preparation and the execution of their important roles in our services. Thank You for the sacrifices that so many volunteers will make throughout resurrection weekend to bring glory to You. May anyone who participates in our services – artists, greeters, ushers, teachers - have smiles on their faces, joy in their hearts, and a spring in their step.
Cause us to be fed from Your word as we reflect on the meaning of Your cross and Your resurrection. Cause us to understand that because of the message of Easter, everything changes. Feed our souls. Enlighten our minds. Give us feet to share the best news ever. Make us filled with joy. Make us more like Christ. Cause us to think more highly of You. Set us free from sin. Send us on your mission. Set our souls on fire. And do all this so that the fame and the name of Jesus Christ will be spread far and wide and deep and long.
In Jesus name, amen.
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