Sunday Feb. 23, 2025
Holy Spirit
Verse 1
There's nothing worth more that will ever come close
No thing can compare You're our living hope
Your Presence
Verse 2
I've tasted and seen of the sweetest of loves
Where my heart becomes free and my shame is undone
In Your Presence Lord
Chorus 1
Holy Spirit You are welcome here
Come flood this place and fill the atmosphere
Your glory God is what our hearts long for
To be overcome by Your Presence Lord
Misc 1
(Interlude)
Your Presence Lord
Misc 2
(Interlude)
Your Presence Lord
Your Presence
Oh God how we love Your Presence Lord
Misc 3
(Bridge)
Let us become more aware of Your Presence
Let us experience the glory of Your goodness (Lord)
Call to Worship
1 Kings 8:46-49
46 “When they sin against you—for there is no one who does not sin—and you become angry with them and give them over to their enemies, who take them captive to their own lands, far away or near; 47 and if they have a change of heart in the land where they are held captive, and repent and plead with you in the land of their captors and say, ‘We have sinned, we have done wrong, we have acted wickedly’; 48 and if they turn back to you with all their heart and soul in the land of their enemies who took them captive, and pray to you toward the land you gave their ancestors, toward the city you have chosen and the temple I have built for your Name;49 then from heaven, your dwelling place, hear their prayer and their plea, and uphold their cause.
Songs
By My Side
O my friend just stay with me
Stay with me
Stay with me
O my friend jus stay with me
by my side
O my friend just weep with me
weep with me
weep with me
O my friend just weep with me
By my side
Wherever I go, by my side
above and below, by my side
You know my faith gets low
when the waters rise
Please be by my side
Hold my hand and walk with me
walk with me
walk with me
Hold my hand and walk with me
by my side
Wherever I go, by my side
above and below, by my side
You know my faith gets low
when the waters rise
Please be by my side
New Every Morning
Verse 1
You are not what you have done
Or what has been done to you
You are something like the rising sun
Can't you see that you are new
Verse 2
You might have your father’s name
Or bear the shame he left behind
But there's new life flowing through your veins
Leave some room to be surprised
Chorus
You are new every morning
You are new every morning
Each day a resurrection waiting to break through
Verse 3
You could try just for a start
To put the judge back on thе shelf
All the lovingkindness in your hеart
Have a little for yourself
Chorus
You are new every morning
You are new every morning
Each day a resurrection waiting to break through
You are new
All My Days- Psalm 23
Walk me by the quiet waters
Lay me down in Your green pastures
Be my shepherd, be my comfort in the valleys low
Lead me on the path that's narrow
Guide me through the darkest shadow
I will fear no evil, You are with me where I go
You're here, You prepare a table before me
You're here in the presence of my deepest pain
You're here and my cup is overflowing
'Cause all Your goodness and Your mercy follow me
All of my days, oh-oh, oh
All of my days, oh-oh, oh
Walk me by the quiet waters
Lay me down in Your green pastures
Be my shepherd, be my comfort in the valleys low
Lead me on the path that's narrow
Guide me through the darkest shadow
I will fear no evil, You are with me where I go
You're here, You prepare a table before me
You're here in the presence of my deepest pain
You're here and my cup is overflowing
'Cause all Your goodness and Your mercy follow me
All of my days, oh-oh, oh
All of my days, oh-oh, oh
I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever
I won't want because You, You're my good shepherd
You restore my soul and my cup is overflowing
I will never walk alone for You are with me
All of my days, oh-oh, oh
All of my days, oh-oh, oh
All of my days, oh-oh, oh
All of my days, oh-oh, oh
All of my days
Teaching: Faith in Exile: Daniel 6
I King 8:30
“Hear the supplication of your servant and of your people Israel when they pray toward this place. Hear from heaven, your dwelling place, and when you hear, forgive.”
(1 King 8:46-49)
46 “When they sin against you—for there is no one who does not sin—and you become angry with them and give them over to their enemies, who take them captive to their own lands, far away or near; 47 and if they have a change of heart in the land where they are held captive, and repent and plead with you in the land of their captors and say, ‘We have sinned, we have done wrong, we have acted wickedly’; 48 and if they turn back to you with all their heart and soul in the land of their enemies who took them captive, and pray to you toward the land you gave their ancestors, toward the city you have chosen and the temple I have built for your Name; 49 then from heaven, your dwelling place, hear their prayer and their plea, and uphold their cause.
Daniel 6
It pleased Darius to appoint 120 satraps to rule throughout the kingdom, 2 with three administrators over them, one of whom was Daniel.The satraps were made accountable to them so that the king might not suffer loss. 3 Now Daniel so distinguished himself among the administrators and the satraps by his exceptional qualities that the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom. 4 At this, the administrators and the satraps tried to find grounds for charges against Daniel in his conduct of government affairs, but they were unable to do so. They could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent. 5 Finally these men said, “We will never find any basis for charges against this man Daniel unless it has something to do with the law of his God.”
6 So these administrators and satraps went as a group to the king and said: “May King Darius live forever! 7 The royal administrators, prefects, satraps, advisers and governors have all agreed that the king should issue an edict and enforce the decree that anyone who prays to any god or human being during the next thirty days, except to you, Your Majesty, shall be thrown into the lions’ den. 8 Now, Your Majesty, issue the decree and put it in writing so that it cannot be altered—in accordance with the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed.” 9 So King Darius put the decree in writing.
10 Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before. 11 Then these men went as a group and found Daniel praying and asking God for help. 12 So they went to the king and spoke to him about his royal decree: “Did you not publish a decree that during the next thirty days anyone who prays to any god or human being except to you, Your Majesty, would be thrown into the lions’ den?”
The king answered, “The decree stands—in accordance with the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed.”
13 Then they said to the king, “Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah,pays no attention to you, Your Majesty, or to the decree you put in writing. He still prays three times a day.” 14 When the king heard this, he was greatly distressed; he was determined to rescue Daniel and made every effort until sundown to save him.
15 Then the men went as a group to King Darius and said to him, “Remember, Your Majesty, that according to the law of the Medes and Persians no decree or edict that the king issues can be changed.”
16 So the king gave the order, and they brought Daniel and threw him into the lions’ den. The king said to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you!”
17 A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the rings of his nobles, so that Daniel’s situation might not be changed. 18 Then the king returned to his palace and spent the night without eating and without any entertainment being brought to him. And he could not sleep.
19 At the first light of dawn, the king got up and hurried to the lions’ den.20 When he came near the den, he called to Daniel in an anguished voice, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?”
21 Daniel answered, “May the king live forever! 22 My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, Your Majesty.”
23 The king was overjoyed and gave orders to lift Daniel out of the den. And when Daniel was lifted from the den, no wound was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.
24 At the king’s command, the men who had falsely accused Daniel were brought in and thrown into the lions’ den, along with their wives and children. And before they reached the floor of the den, the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.
25 Then King Darius wrote to all the nations and peoples of every language in all the earth:
“May you prosper greatly!
26 “I issue a decree that in every part of my kingdom people must fear and reverence the God of Daniel.
“For he is the living God
and he endures forever;
his kingdom will not be destroyed,
his dominion will never end.
27 He rescues and he saves;
he performs signs and wonders
in the heavens and on the earth.
He has rescued Daniel
from the power of the lions.”
28 So Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
King Darius -
Vulnerable to mistakes and manipulation due to unaddressed sin or hurt-
Daniel
A lifestyle of prayer
Commitment to structured routine
Do we believe in prayer?
Prayer in the face of crisis
Communion:
Head up to the front to take communion.
Head back to your seat and reflect on the following questions:
What lessons do you take from the characters of Darius and Daniel in this chapter?
What practical steps can you take to pursue a lifestyle of prayer?
What is the tone and attitude of your prayers? Can it shift to reflect more thankfulness and trust like the prayers of Daniel?
Benediction:
As we live as exiles in the world,
may we work for the welfare of our city,
lifting all things to God in prayer.
While we may encounter trials and tribulations,
let us remember who we belong to and where our faith lies.
Living lives allegiant to Jesus,
obedient to his ways,
and hopeful for his renewal of all things.
“Now to him who is able to keep you from falling
and to make you stand without blemish
in the presence of his glory with rejoicing,
to the only God our Savior,
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
be glory, majesty, power, and authority,
before all time and now and forever. Amen.” (Jude 1:24-25)