Thy kingdom come…” (Matthew 6:9).
Praise
• “Behold, I am coming quickly!” (Revelation 22:7). Praise God for the many good things you see Him doing in His church right now to prepare us and the world for His soon return.
• Praise God for who He is and for what He has done in your life today, this past week, etc.
Confession
• Ask forgiveness for too often not making God’s kingdom and His righteousness your first priority in life, especially considering how soon Jesus is coming back (see Matthew 6:33 and 3:2).
• Ask God to show you any sin in your life that needs to be confessed; then take time to silently listen for His answer. Ask His forgiveness and joyfully accept His mercy.
Supplication and Intercession
• Plead for the Holy Spirit, that we may have power to witness for Christ. “You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8).
• Plead for yourself, and for every Adventist, to have a deep love for sinners that leads to active, passionate involvement in sharing Jesus on a regular basis.
• Pray that members will not be dependent on their pastors for spiritual growth and expect their pastors to do all the evangelism and lead all outreach ministries.
• Pray especially for local and world-wide evangelism and outreach efforts:
- Wise, Spirit-led plans - Effective, Spirit-filled programs
- Local church efforts - The church’s evangelistic organizations
- Health evangelism work - Supportive ministries’ evangelistic efforts
- Comprehensive evangelism efforts to reach major cities world-wide
• Pray for churches to have a growth cycle that involves all in evangelism, outreach, and discipleship.
• MTTC: For the 250-plus individuals trained in the International Field School in New York last year to be powerful leaders for outreach ministries in their home territories.
• Pray that God will orchestrate world events so that everyone has a chance to learn of Jesus, that His work can be finished, and His Second Advent can be soon! Pray especially for your local community.
• With several others, intercede for your five people and those on an intercession card. Pray the Scripture references listed and write down any others that God brings to mind.
• Pray for other requests that are on your heart.
Thanksgiving
• “The Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen!” (2 Timothy 4:18).
• Praise Him in faith for the miracles He is creating in answer to your prayers.
Suggested Songs to Sing
“Come, Holy Spirit”; “Seek Ye First”; “Jesus Is Coming Again” (SDAH #213); “Watch Ye Saints” (SDAH #598); “Rescue the Perishing” (SDAH #367); “Lift High the Cross” (SDAH #362); “Seeking the Lost” (SDAH #373).
Ellen White on the Lord’s Prayer
“Thy kingdom come…” (Matthew 6:9).
God is our Father, who loves and cares for us as His children; He is also the great King of the universe. The interests of His kingdom are our interests, and we are to work for its upbuilding.
The disciples of Christ were looking for the immediate coming of the kingdom of His glory, but in giving them this prayer Jesus taught that the kingdom was not then to be established. They were to pray for its coming as an event yet future. But this petition was also an assurance to them. While they were not to behold the coming of the kingdom in their day, the fact that Jesus bade them pray for it is evidence that in God’s own time it will surely come.
The kingdom of God’s grace is now being established, as day by day hearts that have been full of sin and rebellion yield to the sovereignty of His love. But the full establishment of the kingdom of His glory will not take place until the second coming of Christ to this world. “The kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven,” is to be given to “the people of the saints of the Most High.” Daniel 7:27. They shall inherit the kingdom prepared for them “from the foundation of the world.” Matthew 25:34. And Christ will take to Himself His great power and will reign.
The heavenly gates are again to be lifted up, and with ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands of holy ones, our Saviour will come forth as King of kings and Lord of lords. Jehovah Immanuel “shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one Lord, and His name one.” “The tabernacle of God” shall be with men, “and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God.” Zechariah 14:9; Revelation 21:3.
But before that coming, Jesus said, “This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations.” Matthew 24:14. His kingdom will not come until the good tidings of His grace have been carried to all the earth. Hence, as we give ourselves to God, and win other souls to Him, we hasten the coming of His kingdom. Only those who devote themselves to His service, saying, “Here am I; send me” (Isaiah 6:8), to open blind eyes, to turn men “from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and inheritance among them which are sanctified” (Acts 26:18)—they alone pray in sincerity, “Thy kingdom come.”
~ Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing, pages 106, 107.
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