As our church family begins this prayer adventure together, it's good to reflect on the "pattern" prayer that Jesus gives us in Matthew 6. Jesus' guide for prayer has been the basis of Joe White's sermon series throughout July. The prayer begins with community: “our Father.” And it begins with gospel: “our Father.”

It is a wonderful habit, to give thanks as we pray. With thanksgiving, we trust God for answers that we do not yet see, while expressing gratitude for his presence and for the blessings that he has already given.

I’m so thankful that God has blessed us with an inspired, hard-working staff team. While the work is often challenging, we know that we are dependent on the grace that is in Christ Jesus, and there is great joy and rest in that.

Without letting go of the truth of the gospel, Paul worked to find common ground with people for the sake of the gospel. This reminds us of the Lord Jesus Christ, who put on flesh to “move into the neighborhood.” He came “to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.”

As we continue to pray for the needs of our church and for fruitful ministry, may we remember that our prayers, ministry goals and plans are to be rooted in His Word.  Personally, and as a congregation, let us continually ask for a deeper love for His truth—that our roots would go down deep and drink from the benefits of the Living Water.

God loves his church, referred to in 1 Peter 5:2 as “the flock of God.” Elders who shepherd God’s flock have been made overseers by the Holy Spirit. And the church was obtained by the blood of Christ. What does it mean that elders are called to shepherd the flock of God?

Accepting one another doesn’t insist upon same-mind agreement on a particular issue. It does, however, imply that amidst our differences, we are to interact with others according to the same mind of Christ Jesus and his ways of love. 

Our hope for each small group is that they would offer gospel community, gospel growth, and yes, gospel hospitality. It’s such a great experience to know and be known, and to get to know people in their homes, sharing meals prepared by various members of the group. 

Jesus would view all of us through his lens of compassion. We all are like sheep without a shepherd. Millennials need for the Lord of the harvest to raise up laborers to love them, to show hospitality, to mentor them, to learn from them, and to introduce them to the good shepherd. May we all show the love and compassion of Christ for all generations, including the Millennials.

By reading, memorizing, reciting and meditating on the words of God, we effectively internalize his commandments and teachings, bringing God’s wisdom home to our wayward hearts.  These verses encourage us to spend time with God’s word, engraving it in our memories and treasuring it up in our hearts.

Every baptism is meaningful to all of us, far beyond our rejoicing in the baptism of an infant, or the profession of faith of an adult. It is a chance for all of us to reflect on our baptism and see it as a sign and seal of the gospel. Baptism reminds us of our cleansing from sin, our union with Christ, our membership in the body of Christ, and his mercy toward us.

According to Ephesians 4, it is the risen Christ himself who gives leaders to his church. We can praise God today for the many men and women who are serving the body as elders, deacons, deaconesses, community group leaders, staff, and serving team leaders.

God commands only what He also enables by the power of his Spirit … only what He knows is for our good … and only what He also rewards. Would you pray with me that He will graciously give His congregation at LBC the Spirit of cheerful giving that He “loves”, and along with it the fulfillment of the wonderful promises that attend this way of giving?

During Advent, we long for the coming of Christ, the light of the world. Galatians 4:4 reminds us , that he came when “the set time had fully come.” Christ was born under the law, and he perfectly fulfilled God’s law for us. The newborn babe became our redeemer.

As God blesses us with resources, it’s healthy to look beyond ourselves and share those resources. We can rejoice in young leaders who have served at LBC and then have planted new churches.

We, as followers of Christ, can do good for our city by shining the light of Christ in our neighborhoods, at our places of work, in our schools and in the public sphere.

For all of us, there is more to see and savor of Christ, more treasures of love to mine, more drinks of mercy for our soul, more victories for his kingdom, greater majesty to contemplate in song.

1 Corinthians 12:12-26 presents a beautiful vision for the church as the “body of Christ.” That vision dispels three modern myths about church.

Our surest safeguard against being enslaved by dangerous emotional extremes is the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We can come to God with all our troubles, and he will be faithful to fill our minds with truth as we commune with him.