Opening Prayer: Almighty God, help me to become a worthy citizen in your kingdom, a cooperative soldier in your fight, and a well-trained athlete running the race for Your Son, in whose name I pray, Amen.

Read: Philippians 2:1-11

Reflect: I will be preaching from this important passage for the next several weeks, I would encourage you to consider committing it to memory.

Prayer: for the church, for others, and for myself

Hymn: “Lead On, O King Eternal”

Lead on, O King Eternal.
The day of march is come.
Hence-forth in fields of conquest
They tents shall be our home.
Through days of preparation
Thy grace has made us strong
And now, O King Eternal,
We lift our battle song.

Lead on, O King Eternal,
Till sin’s fierce war shall cease,
And holiness shall whisper
The sweet amen of peace.
For not with swords’ loud clashing,
Nor roll of stirring drums;
With deeds of love and mercy,
The heavenly kingdom comes.

Lead on, O King Eternal.
We follow, not with fears;
For gladness breaks like morning
Wherever Thy face appears.
Thy cross is lifted over us;
We journey in its light.
The crown awaits the conquest;
Lead on, O god of might.

Closing Prayer: Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Let all the people say, “Amen! Praise the Lord”

Opening Prayer: Almighty God, help me to become a worthy citizen in your kingdom, a cooperative soldier in your fight, and a well-trained athlete running the race for Your Son, in whose name I pray, Amen.

Read: 1 Timothy 6:11-16

Reflect: Paul uses images of both citizens and soldiers in this passage. How does Paul relate Christianity to fighting as a soldier? How does he relate Christianity to living as a citizen of a nation or land? How do these metaphors inform the way we walk in our relationship with Christ?

Prayer: for the church, for others, and for myself

Hymn: “Lead On, O King Eternal”

Lead on, O King Eternal.
The day of march is come.
Hence-forth in fields of conquest
They tents shall be our home.
Through days of preparation
Thy grace has made us strong
And now, O King Eternal,
We lift our battle song.

Lead on, O King Eternal,
Till sin’s fierce war shall cease,
And holiness shall whisper
The sweet amen of peace.
For not with swords’ loud clashing,
Nor roll of stirring drums;
With deeds of love and mercy,
The heavenly kingdom comes.

Lead on, O King Eternal.
We follow, not with fears;
For gladness breaks like morning
Wherever Thy face appears.
Thy cross is lifted over us;
We journey in its light.
The crown awaits the conquest;
Lead on, O god of might.

Closing Prayer: Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Let all the people say, “Amen! Praise the Lord”

Opening Prayer: Almighty God, help me to become a worthy citizen in your kingdom, a cooperative soldier in your fight, and a well-trained athlete running the race for Your Son, in whose name I pray, Amen.

Read: Hebrews 12:1-3

Reflect: What is our motivation for running the race? What does Paul suggest we do in order to run as well as we can? What would it look like for you to “lay aside every encumbrance”?

Prayer: for the church, for others, and for myself

Hymn: “Lead On, O King Eternal”

Lead on, O King Eternal.
The day of march is come.
Hence-forth in fields of conquest
They tents shall be our home.
Through days of preparation
Thy grace has made us strong
And now, O King Eternal,
We lift our battle song.

Lead on, O King Eternal,
Till sin’s fierce war shall cease,
And holiness shall whisper
The sweet amen of peace.
For not with swords’ loud clashing,
Nor roll of stirring drums;
With deeds of love and mercy,
The heavenly kingdom comes.

Lead on, O King Eternal.
We follow, not with fears;
For gladness breaks like morning
Wherever Thy face appears.
Thy cross is lifted over us;
We journey in its light.
The crown awaits the conquest;
Lead on, O god of might.

Closing Prayer: Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Let all the people say, “Amen! Praise the Lord”