Church Bulletin – May 31, 2020

HEARTFELT PRAYER

“Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens.” Lamentations 3:41

It is so easy to let our prayers become routine and repetitious, and we need to remember that God listens more closely to our hearts than the phrases from our lips. The Lord Jesus cautioned us about this: “But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him” (Matthew 6:7-8).

Many people will lift their hands to pray or prostrate themselves on the ground. Some will stand; some will kneel. Some shout, some pray silently, some even leap and dance. Some will write out their prayers and then read them to an audience; others will pray eloquently and at great length. But the thing that counts far more than posture or eloquence is our attitude of heart. We must lift up our hearts to the Lord, not just our hands or our voices. Then He will hear in heaven!

We need to feel as the psalmist felt: “As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God” (Psalm 42:1). Our hearts need first to be right, of course—pure and true in His sight. “Call on the Lord out of a pure heart” (2 Timothy 2:22). “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me” (Psalm 66:18). “Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith” (Hebrews 10:22).

Our prayers must also come from a believing heart. “Let him ask in faith, nothing wavering.” Otherwise, “let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord” (James 1:6-7). With these conditions met, the Christian is ready to pray, but then he must pray from deep within his pure, true, believing heart, and God will answer. “The effectual fervent [one word in the Greek, energeo] prayer of a righteous man availeth much” (James 5:16). – Dr. Henry M. Morris

The Lord's Day Services

Sunday, May 31, 2020

9:00 a.m. Bible Class – Dr. McClelland – via SermonAudio, click here

10:00 a.m. Morning Service – Dr. Saunders – via SermonAudio, click here

4:30 p.m. Preservice Prayer Meeting – via Zoom

5:30 p.m. Evening Service – Dr. Saunders – via SermonAudio, click here

Weekly Announcements

Monday, June 1 – Wednesday, June 3, 2020

7:30 p.m. Congregational Prayer Times – via Zoom

We are setting aside these three nights for corporate prayer for our congregation. Please plan for you and your family to be in attendance each night if possible. There will be a new Zoom meeting ID and password for each night.

Advanced Announcements

Sunday, June 7th

9:00 a.m. Bible Class – Dr. McClelland – via SermonAudio

10:00 a.m. Morning Service – Dr. Saunders – via SermonAudio

4:30 p.m. Preservice Prayer Meeting – via Zoom

5:30 p.m. Evening Service – Dr. Saunders – via SermonAudio

Wednesday, June 10, 2020

7:30 p.m. Bible Study & Prayer Meeting – via Zoom

FPCNA Mission Board Appeal - Pandemic Relief

In light of this current pandemic of Covid-19, the FPCNA Mission Board is appealing to our churches for an emergency offering to help our missionaries and the families connected with their works. All of us have been affected to some degree by this virus and yet we know that there are those more needy who need our help. The Mission Board is asking for a denominational appeal so that funds can be carefully distributed and monitored.

The Children's Catechism

Q4. How may you glorify God?
A. By trusting in Him, loving and obeying Him.

The Shorter Catechism

Q4. What is God?

A. God is a Spirit¹, infinite², eternal³, and unchangeable⁴, in his being⁵, wisdom⁶, power⁷, holiness⁸, justice, goodness, and truth⁹.

1. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. (John 4:24).

2. Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection? (Job 11:7).

3. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God. (Psalm 90:2).

4. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. (James 1:17).

5. And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you. (Exodus 3:14).

6. Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite. (Psalm 147:5).

7. And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. (Revelation 4:8).

8. Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: (Revelation 15:4).

9. And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children’s children, unto the third and to the fourth generation. (Exodus 34:6-7).