The Battle

Thank you for joining us for our Digital Worship Gathering! You can use the worship guide below to follow along with songs, prayers and readings. This week is the eighth in our series Present Hope.

See last week’s service here | Listen to previously recorded talks here | Want to join us on Zoom? Send us a message.

Call to Worship

We’ve come to worship,
to sing and pray and hear God’s Word, because:
God’s love lasts forever!
Even when God seems far away,
Even when nothing is going right, and we’re ready to give up, we know:
God’s love lasts forever!
When people treat us badly,
When we’re all alone,
and we feel like no one loves us, we know:
God’s love lasts forever!

Because of God’s everlasting goodness,
Because of God’s care and concern for humanity,
Because of God’s transforming powers and actions,
we gather as a community of faith and trust in God—
and we offer God our thanks and praise.
Let’s worship God together!

A Reading from Psalm 103

Come, bless the Lord with me!
Let’s remember together the many good things
that he does for us.
For the Lord is compassionate and merciful, filled with endless love.

He forgives all our sins,
and heals the sickness within us;
he saves us from a life of destruction,
and surrounds us with love and mercy.
For the Lord is compassionate and merciful, filled with endless love.

He fills our lives with good things,
and renews our strength.
He is righteous in all that he does,
and brings justice to those who have been wronged.
For the Lord is compassionate and merciful, filled with endless love.

He is not easily angered,
nor does he remain angry forever.
He doesn’t treat us as our sins deserve,
or punish us as harshly as he could.
For the Lord is compassionate and merciful, filled with endless love.

For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so strong is his love toward us.
As far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our sins from us.
For the Lord is compassionate and merciful, filled with endless love.

For he knows us, inside and out.
He remembers how we were made—from the dust of the ground.
Our lives on earth are short—like wildflowers in the field.
But God’s love is from everlasting to everlasting, from generation to generation,
to those who remain in relationship with him; who listen to his voice, and do his will.

Bless the Lord!
With all that we have and all that we are,
we bless your holy name!

Let us pray:

Gracious God, we are overwhelmed by the wonder of your mercy and love! You have so liberally poured out your unfailing and unconditional love upon us, and restored us to yourself through your forgiveness of our sin. Your words of peace—your shalom—has warmed our hearts, enlivened our minds, and encouraged our spirits—and for this, we praise and honor you with songs of joy.

Renewing God, your righteousness has smiled upon us with love and compassion, and you seek to guide us on our pilgrimage, so that we do not return to our foolish ways. We listen for your words of truth and peace, your guiding and blessed words of salvation, so that right living and right relationships can come together in the joy of your shalom.

Trustworthy God, we praise you for your many blessings in the past, and the way you have renewed and redeemed us. You have not only poured out your love, but your mercy has flowed over us in such a way that it encompasses us with its richness and glory. Because this has been our own personal experience of God’s goodness, we look with anticipation to future experiences of God’s gracious generosity and bounty.

Inspirational God, you prepare the way ahead for us, so that in peace and joy we may journey onwards to our home in you. Amen.

Feel free to read along with Paul when he reads this scripture:

^{1 Peter 5:6-11 (NIV)}

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.

Gift Offering

For financial gifts, use your bank’s online payment option to send a gift to Discovery, or have someone address an envelope (a good opportunity for digital natives) and place the stamp on it. Checks can be mailed to:

Discovery Church
7245 Eastern Ave SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49508

Please specify “general fund” or “missions fund” on the memo line.

Or, use this form to give online via the Christian Reformed Church’s site (our denomination). Be sure to choose Michigan- Grand Rapids- Discovery CRC from the drop-down list. You can give via credit card or automatic bank withdrawal. A 3% fee will be charged to Discovery.

For gifts of encouragement, write a note or draw a picture for someone who may need encouragement at this time. Have someone address the envelope and place a stamp on it. Or deliver it in person (keep that six foot social distance) to a neighbor or loved one.

For gifts of art, share a picture or video of your artistic response to the talk or your coloring page with us on Instagram (@discoverycrc) (parents permitting).

Blessing

Who can separate us from the love of God?
Can troubles or hardships, persecution, hunger,
poverty, danger, or even death?
The answer is nothing—absolutely nothing.
No matter what comes our way,
we have overwhelming victory through Him who loved us
and gave himself up for us.
So go into the coming week with hope and joy,
confident in the knowledge that God’s love goes with you.

Digital Prayer Pad

Prayer requests will be sent to Sara, our administrator, who will compile and distribute them to the congregation via email throughout the week as usual.

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