Fasting
– Choose one meal to abstain from for today the particular purpose of praying.
– Let our hunger for food be a reminder of our hunger for Christ and wisdom from the Scriptures (Deuteronomy 8:3; Matt. 4:4; Luke 4:4).
– Let physical hunger grow our spiritual hunger to honor Christ together as a church in future conversations and decisions (Phil. 1:20; 1 Peter 3:15).
– Let our physical weakness remind us that we need God to lead us by His Word (Exodus 15:2; 2 Corinthians 12:9).
– If you have a medical condition that makes fasting unwise, feel free to simply pray.
Prayer
1. Contentment
Philippians 4:10-13 (ESV)
“10 I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. 11 Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. 12 I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. 13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”
– Life is messy and often difficult, pray that no matter what the future holds RBC and CWBC would be content in Christ and not our external circumstances.
– Churches are composed of sinners and therefore every church is imperfect; pray that both churches would have wisdom regarding how to balance solid commitment in relationships with sinners trusting in Christ and imperfect churches seeking to obey God’s Word.
– Pray that both churches would be more committed to Christ and the church than they are to preferences and subjective opinions.
– Pray that God would help both churches discern possible sources of discontentment and help RBC and CWBC to find contentment only in Christ and not worldly measures of success or failure.
– Pray that both churches would be marked by humility recognizing that we don’t deserve anything that we have.
2. Welcome One Another and Bear With One Another in Love
Romans 15:7 (ESV)
“7 Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.”
1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (ESV)
“4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”
– Pray that if the Lord would have us pursue a merger that we would be patient with one another and be so committed to one another that we would endure all things.
– Pray that that both churches would be marked by hospitality.
– Pray that both churches would be marked by rejoicing in the truth that bears the fruit of love that issues from a pure heart, good conscience and a sincere faith (1 Tim. 1:5).
– Pray that if we would pursue merger that our commitment to one another under Christ would exceed annoyances, subjective feelings and
– Pray that hospitality and commitment would be rooted in the gospel and nothing else.
3. Covenantal Agreement
Matthew 18:18-20 (ESV)
“18 Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.19 Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”
2 Corinthians 2:6 (ESV)
“For such a one, this punishment by the majority is enough.”
Amos 3:3 (ESV)
““Do two walk together, unless they have agreed to meet?”
– Pray that we would discern the ability to join one another in covenantal agreement in the following ways:
i. Unity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace.
ii. Brotherly love.
iii. Affection care and watchfulness.
iv. Faithfully warn, rebuke and admonish as occasion may require.
v. Not forsake regular gathering as a church.
vi. Not forsake praying for one another.
vii. Raise those under our care in the nurture and admonition of Christ.
viii. Encourage each other to seek the salvation of family and friends.
ix. Rejoice at happiness and bear each other’s burdens and sorrows.
x. Seek with God’s help to live carefully in the world.
xi. Deny ungodliness and worldly lusts.
xii. Work together to build up and support the local church.
xiii. Sustaining the worship of the church.
xiv. Sustaining the ordinances of the church.
xv. Sustaining the discipline of the church.
xvi. Contribute cheerfully and regularly to support the ministry of the local church.
xvii. Contribute to the relief of the poor and the spread of the gospel through all nations.
xviii. Commit to join another local church if the Lord would ever have us leave.