July 1, 2020
For the next 15 days we will be reading through the Psalms of Ascent together as a church! The Psalms of Ascent are a collection of 15 psalms (Psalms 120-134) that pilgrims would sing on their way up to Jerusalem to worship. These songs are meant to instruct and prepare the hearts of the traveler to worship the Lord! As sojourners and aliens in this world, we too need to have our hearts prepared for and instructed in the worship of our God. Let’s meditate on these psalms and allow the Spirit of the Lord to move us to true worship as we seek Him together!
If Psalm 120 is a song of departure, this is a song of arrival! The pilgrim recalls his gladness when his companions invited him to come to Jerusalem to worship with them, and now he celebrates that the long journey is over and they have arrived! He marvels at the beauty of the city and prays for the peace and the unity which exist there to continue and to increase.
This psalm is a reminder of the great joy, blessing, and gift that is corporate worship. The psalmist cannot contain his joy and wonder at having arrived in the city where God dwells among His people, at having arrived to worship the Lord! There is a peculiar beauty, glory, and hopefulness when God’s people gather together to worship Him.
If this was true of the nation of Israel, how much more is it true of the church! There is a very real glory which is so easy to miss when we gather together in the name of Jesus to give Him praise! The Lord is present with us in a special way when we come together to worship.
The psalm makes it clear that we are to pray for the peace of God’s dwelling place, both for the sake of God’s presence and glory and for the sake of our fellow believers (v.8-9). During this season of not being able to gather together, let us not neglect to pray for our church. Let us earnestly desire to meet together face-to-face again, and let us seek each other’s good for the sake of the Lord!
Psalm 122
Let Us Go to the House of the Lord
A Song of Ascents. Of David.
122 I was glad when they said to me,
“Let us go to the house of the Lord!”
2 Our feet have been standing
within your gates, O Jerusalem!
3 Jerusalem—built as a city
that is bound firmly together,
4 to which the tribes go up,
the tribes of the Lord,
as was decreed for Israel,
to give thanks to the name of the Lord.
5 There thrones for judgment were set,
the thrones of the house of David.
6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem!
“May they be secure who love you!
7 Peace be within your walls
and security within your towers!”
8 For my brothers and companions’ sake
I will say, “Peace be within you!”
9 For the sake of the house of the Lord our God,
I will seek your good.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Family Discussion Question:
- What are some ways you can be praying for the church in general or for specific people within the church right now? How can you be someone who seeks the good of your brothers and sisters in Christ during this time?
Lord Jesus, thank you for being our refuge and our shelter during this time when we are not meeting together physically. Lord, remind us to pray for each other, to use whatever technology we have to contact each other, to stay connected. Remind us that we, your people, are Your church, not the buildings. Remind us to keep praying for our pastors, church staff and our ministries, and to do what we can to continue supporting them. I thank you and praise you that we are blessed to be a blessing to others in any way we can. In your name we pray, amen.
Amen!
Amen!
in these trying times we will celebrate when we can go to the house of the Lord! thank for for the blog
“In Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.” Romans 12: 5
Dear Heavenly Father,
Your Word is as poignant today as it was years ago and it will be in all of our tomorrows . I, as a believer, am so happy when I can go to church. Just the gathering of my friends and the fellowship and giving praise to You, lifts me up . But I know that the actual building is not the church but only the people. I so miss being with the body of other believers. Though we can’t be together at this time,
please help our church body as we manage our lives around all what is happening in our world. Keep all of us focused on You in every area of need. May we be mindful to keep giving of ourselves and our finances to keep our ministries and our leaders sustained. And please heal our land so that we can regather together once more. I will be so glad when they say unto me, “Let us go into the house of the Lord.” In Jesus’name. Amen.
Amen!???
Amen!!
Dear Lord, what a privilege it is to physically gather together as a church body…to worship You. Thank You for the technology that makes it possible to have on-line church during times such as these dear Father. I pray that my worship today is as pleasing to You as when we are all together at CFBC.
I pray, dear Father, that lost souls would see Jesus through us that leads them to an acceptance of our Savior…and that we are a fresh breath of compassion and encouragement to those whose paths we cross…
Amen.
Lord Jesus thank you for today. Wrap Your arms around the body of Christ. Abide in us Lord. Intercede to the Father for us. ThNk you Thank you. Bind the plans of evil against the church. And Oh how I also pray for peace for Jerusalem. Come Lord Jesus come and open our eyes and ears to the truth. In Jesus Name Amen.
Amem
May peace be within your walls and security within your towers!
Amen! And Abba please prepare the leadership in our Church as well as our congregation for change. Let our hearts be united as one as we live and breath for You King Jesus. We rejoice in Your presence and peace as we worship online when we cannot meet in person. Thank You Abba that You alone are sovereign and able to deliver us from all harm and evil intent. Let us be transformed by the renewing of our mines. Let us recall that ‘You have not given us the spirit of fear but of love, power, and a disciplined mind.’ In Jesus name, Amen.???
Amen, Amen!
Thanks to all for the awesome prayers.
Heavenly Father,
Thank you for this daily devotional and how each day it ministers to my life. I am truly blessed and humbly grateful for your love and protection during these unprecedented times. I pray that you would continue to protect your sheep and that we will hear your voice and stay on mission for seeking others to share the gospel. I pray for all churches that are speaking your truth to continue to be blessed and used to help others. I am also looking forward to the miracle of healing from this Coronavirus so that we can all meet together and sing praises to you. Thank you for your goodness and grace. In the precious name of Jesus, I pray. Amen
Praise God for our community of believers – founded on His Word and Love decades ago. Thank you Lord for blessing our community with leaders who are focused with purpose on your will and Word. Thank you for protecting our community of believers from evil and wrong. Praise God for provision of many campuses and bringing forth families to the buildings. Praise God for the languages used to worship including sign language for those without hearing. Lord our congregation has so much to be thankful for – I’m having a hard time ceasing my list of praises.
Lord please continue to provide for our community support center and the volunteers who faithfully distribute to those in our community who are in need – both physically and spiritually. Please continue to bless our pastor search committee with wisdom as they prepare for their selection of who you would like to lead our community of leaders and believers. Please continue to use our communities across North Houston as a beacon of light on a hill shining your love, hope, and salvation.
Beautiful prayer! Amen.
Praise God from whom all blessings flow; Praise Him all creatures here below; Praise Him above ye heavenly host ; Praise Father, Son & Holy Ghost! Amen & Amen!!
Good to know that you are here, Joyce……….Prayer Warrior that you are!
Lord thank you for technology so that church can be seen live to not only me and my husband but all those whom can not attend. Now churches have been force to close their doors again and only broadcast live this is of the enemy I rebuke it in the name of Jesus. How I long to go back to my church and worship you, but the church is just a building you are here with me always I miss my church family. God you are in control and we ask for you to rid this disease from attacking our land Amen.
This psalm really speaks to us today as we long to come together to worship again as a congregation. We are so very thankful for the technology that allows us to worship online as a church still and have the Word preached and to go out maybe even more far reaching than before. Praise the Lord He is not limited by any virus or pandemic and His Word still reaches the world and His Word will not return void. What a wonderful God and Father!
Lord, let us return to worship in your house, our church. In the meantime, help us continue being your church, the walking presence of the Lord, as your Spirit lives in and through us in our homes, neighborhoods and on-line.
I love my time alone with the Lord, but I miss worshiping together at church. Until we are able to gather together, may we be faithful in praying for our church and staff!
Amen.
AMEN!