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[1698.70 --> 1700.22] My name is Ken Volkanant. |
[1700.76 --> 1705.22] For those who don't know me, I've been a member of this church for many, many years. |
[1705.22 --> 1711.84] And as I said this morning, the earlier service, kind of a real full circle moment for me. |
[1713.46 --> 1714.92] Actually, let me start with something. |
[1715.56 --> 1722.28] I'm going to invite our little ones, age three to grade three, to head up the Cornerstone class. |
[1722.28 --> 1738.34] And this group of little people who are stampeding out of here is part of the full circle moment for me. |
[1738.34 --> 1747.82] So very early in my days, coming to this church and becoming part of the community, I found myself serving in that day's version of Cornerstone. |
[1748.38 --> 1752.64] And I really loved working with the age three to five group. |
[1752.96 --> 1755.32] I just find those little people fascinating. |
[1755.32 --> 1762.52] So now God has blessed me with grandchildren in that same age group, and I continue in my fascination for them. |
[1762.84 --> 1771.10] And I so appreciate when they head up to Cornerstone that even in the next few minutes, they will be hearing about the love of Jesus and the love of God. |
[1771.60 --> 1774.52] And it will be part of their own growth and transformation. |
[1774.52 --> 1784.64] So the full story moment is that 15 years ago or so, when I was teaching, those grade threes, I started age three to five, had a little girl that was part of that group. |
[1784.76 --> 1785.58] Her name was Kyla. |
[1786.62 --> 1789.04] Her and her cousin Luke were in that group with me. |
[1789.70 --> 1793.70] She was super shy, cute, didn't say too much. |
[1793.86 --> 1800.10] And now today I'm seeing her up here singing a song that she wrote, praising the Lord and bringing glory to Him. |
[1800.10 --> 1810.82] And it should be a reminder to all of us that everything we pour into those children, including their time in Cornerstone, makes a difference and brings them to this place. |
[1811.34 --> 1816.28] So for those of you parents whose little ones have just headed up the stairs, be encouraged. |
[1817.12 --> 1818.72] You know, in 15 years they'll be up here singing. |
[1821.14 --> 1824.48] It's a very beautiful thing and a privilege for us to be able to serve in that way. |
[1825.06 --> 1826.58] So, happy Father's Day. |
[1826.58 --> 1833.80] All of you who are fathers out there, I love Father's Day because it's obviously nice to be a dad and to have a dad and those things. |
[1833.98 --> 1844.12] But we have a Heavenly Father and it's a really special thing to be able to use this day beyond the earthly father and think about the blessings we have in our Heavenly Father. |
[1845.14 --> 1850.58] And it reminded me of a verse that I always really appreciated, which I'll just share with you. |
[1850.58 --> 1858.44] What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent? |
[1859.10 --> 1863.02] Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? |
[1864.24 --> 1870.30] So if your child or your grandchild or a very good friend of yours comes to you and asks you for something, |
[1871.66 --> 1876.42] you will try to give them what they ask for to the best of your human ability. |
[1876.42 --> 1879.84] That's what we do for people who we love. |
[1880.68 --> 1883.80] And we have a Heavenly Father who loves us as well. |
[1883.90 --> 1887.26] And sometimes we make this whole thing about prayer a little too complicated. |
[1887.42 --> 1892.72] I think God is a Father and he's asking us to ask him what we want. |
[1893.48 --> 1896.36] And he's inviting us to ask him what we want. |
[1896.78 --> 1901.86] So as all of us come together in community prayer, I encourage you, have no fear. |
[1901.96 --> 1904.52] Be bold in asking God what it is you want. |
[1904.52 --> 1908.86] Now, he may not always give you exactly what you ask for. |
[1909.54 --> 1912.44] You may not get the fish and you may not get the egg. |
[1912.96 --> 1916.62] But know that you're not getting the snake and you're not getting the scorpion. |
[1917.04 --> 1922.36] And if he doesn't give you your fish or egg, he's got something much better in store for you that you don't even know you need. |
[1922.92 --> 1924.38] That's the good father we serve. |
[1924.46 --> 1926.14] And that's the good father we're going to pray to now. |
[1926.34 --> 1927.76] And I invite you to join me in prayer. |
[1927.76 --> 1936.12] Our Heavenly Father, we thank you that you are our Father and that you are good. |
[1936.78 --> 1943.56] We thank you that you invite us to come to you as little children and to ask you for the things we want. |
[1944.28 --> 1946.52] We confess we don't always know what to ask for. |
[1946.52 --> 1952.42] And sometimes it is just best for us to sit in silence before you as a loving and great Heavenly Father. |
[1953.44 --> 1956.94] But help us to be bold, to ask you those things that are at our heart. |
[1957.58 --> 1962.18] And by your Spirit, help us to live out those things in our lives. |
[1963.12 --> 1967.60] We thank you that you are our Heavenly Father, not just to us and not this community, but to the world. |
[1967.60 --> 1970.06] And Lord, as we look around us, we see a lot of disarray. |
[1970.58 --> 1972.36] We see wars and strife. |
[1972.50 --> 1973.38] We see suffering. |
[1974.10 --> 1975.34] And it brings us pain. |
[1976.16 --> 1983.82] We ask, Lord, we ask boldly that you would bring peace and healing in these very difficult situations. |
[1984.56 --> 1988.52] We ask that you would be present for those who are suffering, that they would feel your presence, |
[1988.88 --> 1990.90] and that you would give them your peace and healing. |
[1992.14 --> 1996.70] We pray, Lord, for those who are gathered in Grand Rapids this week at Synod. |
[1996.70 --> 1999.94] We pray, Lord, for those who are living in the world, wrestling with some difficult questions and issues. |
[2000.58 --> 2002.20] We ask, Lord, that you would give wisdom. |
[2002.34 --> 2010.24] We ask, Lord, boldly that you would give unity to those who are deliberating over important things that matter to our churches. |
[2010.80 --> 2012.28] Things that will help us to grow. |
[2012.92 --> 2015.30] We pray, Lord, for your presence and your wisdom there. |
[2015.82 --> 2017.06] Lord, we pray for this community. |
[2017.24 --> 2021.76] It is no accident that we are here in this church, in this place, on this piece of land. |
[2022.08 --> 2023.78] You have called us to this place. |
[2023.78 --> 2033.48] And help us, Lord, to be your instruments to serve those around us and to share the love of God and the salvation of Jesus Christ. |
[2033.78 --> 2038.00] To those who we have as our neighbors and those that live immediately around us. |
[2038.96 --> 2043.36] Father, we ask that you would be with those in our community here today that are hurting. |
[2043.36 --> 2047.26] Lord, for those who are struggling because of illness. |
[2048.46 --> 2051.32] The things that hurt us physically are hard, Lord. |
[2051.42 --> 2052.66] It's difficult to see you. |
[2052.70 --> 2056.76] But we come before you as little children and ask that you would bring healing. |
[2057.32 --> 2058.54] Healing to our lives. |
[2058.76 --> 2060.58] Healing to the pain that we experience. |
[2061.14 --> 2063.94] The healing that you can bring with your miraculous touch. |
[2063.94 --> 2074.66] We ask, Lord, for those whose pain is not physical, but where it is the agonizing difficulty of waking up every day and facing the day. |
[2075.22 --> 2077.04] Where dark thoughts take over. |
[2077.34 --> 2078.88] Where anxiety overwhelms. |
[2079.16 --> 2082.36] We ask, Lord, that by your spirit you would lift the darkness. |
[2083.04 --> 2090.12] That you would provide healing to those of us who struggle with the daily basics of living. |
[2090.12 --> 2097.18] You are a good father and we thank you that you invite us to ask of you boldly. |
[2097.84 --> 2103.84] And this morning, Lord, as we continue in the service and as your servant shares his word with us about the Holy Spirit. |
[2104.70 --> 2106.76] And how that makes everything different. |
[2107.36 --> 2109.26] Help those words to sink deep within us. |
[2109.38 --> 2114.34] Help us, Lord, to recognize the power that comes by you dwelling in us. |
[2114.72 --> 2115.86] And encourage us. |
[2117.04 --> 2119.12] Thank you for being a loving Heavenly Father. |
[2119.12 --> 2120.92] Thank you for listening to our prayer. |
[2121.32 --> 2125.06] We look forward to how you will answer these prayers of your children. |
[2125.54 --> 2126.96] In Jesus' name, Amen. |
[2136.32 --> 2137.00] Thanks, Ken. |
[2141.44 --> 2144.62] I appreciate that scripture that Ken mentioned before his prayer. |
[2144.62 --> 2146.88] Because it ties into our series. |
[2146.88 --> 2149.90] The thing that God promises that Jesus says in the passages. |
[2150.04 --> 2153.70] How much more will the Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask? |
[2154.36 --> 2159.28] And if you're visiting today or you're new to our church, you should know that we've been preaching a series on the Holy Spirit. |
[2160.10 --> 2161.92] And at the 9 a.m. my sermon wasn't short. |
[2162.00 --> 2165.14] I'm feeling a little bit of pressure to shorten that sermon at 11 a.m. |
[2165.76 --> 2168.88] But we've been looking at the way the Spirit moves in the church. |
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