Our church has a dual purpose: to gather and perfect the saints of God in Norman and beyond. Yesterday, we prayed for gathering, now we turn to perfecting.

Perfecting: The Bible calls this sanctification. As we who were once sinners and strangers from the promises of God, now we have been united to Christ, called, justified, washed, and we desire to be transformed more and more into the image of Christ as we behold Him.

How do we pray for this? The think, feel, do triad is a good and simple, starting point. See how this triad is a simple summary of the great summary of the will of God:

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

Matthew 22:37-40

We are called to think, feel, and do with regard to our God and in service of our neighbor. Well, if is our work to do, why pray about it? Why not just get to work?? The answer is that a walk through the Bible will demonstrate that we don’t perfect ourselves, but God does the work of perfecting us, in and through us, ordinarily in context of the church and in cooperation with our prayers.

1 Thessalonians 5:23–24 (ESV): Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.

2 Thessalonians 1:11–12 (ESV): To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power, 12 so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Thessalonians 2:16–17 (ESV): Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, 17 comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word.

Philippians 2:12–13 (ESV): work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

Pray then for God’s work in you, your neighbor, in our speaker Dr Mark McDowell, all our members, and all our guests. Name as many specific people as you can. Pray for your pastor, your family, your leaders, your enemies, and for all men everywhere.

Think: Pray for God to give growth in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. Would God through our learning covenant theology help us better know Him and the duties he requires of us.

Feel: pray for God to give growth in the grace of the Lord Jesus, cultivating mind and heart of worship for God. May God grant assurance of Hie live and his peace which passes understanding.

Do: pray for us to be not merely hearers of the Word of God, but doers of His word. May we take up God’s armor being filled with his Word and Spirit that we stand against sin and temptation, being aware of sins of omission and commission and the believers’ daily work of repentance.

Four more days!!!

Thank you for participating in this ministry of Trinity Presbyterian Church of Norman!

Schedule:

Saturday:

5:15-5:30 Registration.

5:30-7:00 pm Lecture and Q&A on Saturday at the Memorial Union, 2nd Floor, 700 Asp. Park in the garage just North of the building or on the street to the east of the building. There are elevators and stairs inside the building to take you to the meeting space.

Following the lecture, all are invited to walk over with us to Pepe Del Gado’s on campus corner for informal conference activity.

Sunday:

Sunday School with Dr. McDowell, 9:30-10:15 428 W. Lindsey.

Worship with Dr Mark McDowell preaching, 10:30-Noon.

Lunch at 428 W Lindsey, following the service.