Join us at 10 AM Sunday Mornings for Prayer

Dear Grace Church and people from the Wyoming-Forest Lake, MN community:

Every Sunday morning at 10 (immediately following the Sunday school time) we spend time in prayer in the sanctuary. We pray for the morning service, for the sermon in particular, the coming week and the special prayer requests of people in the congregation.

Please join us. This is a helpful way of preparing your hearts for the corporate worship of God's people (the service starts at 10:30).

Don't pass over the gracious and amazing invitation that God has given to us in prayer. Last night I was talking this over with my oldest son, Paul, and he said it this way (in answer to the question - why do we pray before the service?) - "because God does the work and He told us to ask." Amen! Do we really ask? Do we really believe that He will do the work? Do we really know Who we are talking about when we doubt?

God does the heavy lifting and He instructs us to ask, seek and knock and it will be answered, found and opened to us.

Imagine what God intends to do in your heart, in the heart of your family, in the hearts of the people of Grace Church, and in the hearts of our community when we give ourselves to corporate (and private) prayer.

Here is a helpful prayer and meditation to ponder that helped my heart and spirit this morning. Please pray this for yourself and others this morning as you come to the Worship of God in the Word.

Psalm 119

25 My soul clings to the dust;
give me life according to your word!
26 When I told of my ways, you answered me;
teach me your statutes!
27 Make me understand the way of your precepts,
and I will meditate on your wondrous works.
28 My soul melts away for sorrow;
strengthen me according to your word!
29 Put false ways far from me
and graciously teach me your law!
30 I have chosen the way of faithfulness;
I set your rules before me.
31 I cling to your testimonies, O Lord;
let me not be put to shame!
32 I will run in the way of your commandments
when you enlarge my heart!

Pray for Your Preacher

This Sunday I preached a sermon entitled "Hear the Word" from 2 Timothy 4:1-5.

At the beginning I asked the congregation to pray for me in regards to my charge to "preach the word."

Here are the five things I asked them to pray for:

1) Pray that I would preach the Word with accuracy. Pray that I would not add to it or leave something out.

2) Pray that I would preach the Word with clarity. Pray that I would be given a gift and I would work hard to make the truth clear and understandable (use of words and language).

3) Pray that I would preach the Word with power. Pray that I would have what the old timers called “unction in the pulpit.” Pray that God would use His Word to bring life.

4) Pray that I would preach the Word with perseverance. Pray that I would not be weary in well doing but faithful regardless of apparent fruitfulness.

5) Pray that I would preach the Word with my life. Pray that my walk would match a faithful preaching of the Gospel.

2 Songs - I Need You and Because

The more I grow in my faith towards Christ, the more I realize my desperate need for Him in all things. This is why I love this song that we sang for the first time last Sunday. We will sing it again tomorrow (Sept 13). You can listen to and read the lyrics to "I Need You" by Kristian Stanfill here:

I Need You - Na Band

I am frail, broken easily
Without fail, my strength keeps failing me
All alone, I'm powerless
To lift myself from the pit that I am in

I need You, Jesus
I need You, Jesus

From Your throne in heaven's light
Descended down into my broken life
To right the wrong, to make a way
To bear the load that I deserved to bear alone

I need You, Jesus
I need You, Jesus
I need clean hands
I can't, You can
I need You, Jesus

On the cross on our behalf
The Son of God bore the Father's wrath
And by His blood, the scars and pain
The perfect Son, took the fall and took our place

In His grace and unfailing love
The risen King gave His hand to us
To lift us up, from the pit
And set our feet upon a rock that ever stands

The Kids learned this song, BECAUSE, during VBS and sang it for us last Sunday. We will sing it again this Sunday. It is the Gospel! I want my kids singing these words. I want myself singing these words.

Because He gave His life,
Because He bled and died,
Because He rose again, I come…

And I admit to God I am a sinner
And I repent and turn away from all my sin.
I believe that Jesus is the Son of God
And that He came into the world to save us all.
I confess my faith in Jesus as my Savior and my Lord
And I do this because of His great love.

Because He loves me so
Because He makes me whole
Because He is my friend, I come…

For the wages of sin is death
but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ…

So will you admit to God you are a sinner?
Will you repent and turn away from all your sin?
Will you believe that Jesus is the Son of God
And that He came into the world to save us all.

Will you confess your faith in Jesus as your Savior and your Lord
Will you do this? Will you do this?
Will you do this because of His great love?

Songs We Will Sing Tomorrow Online

Songs we will sing tomorrow on Youtube:

All I Have Is Christ from Sovereign Grace Ministries on Vimeo.

The Lord's Supper - Not Just That Thing You Do

This Sunday, June 28th, we will be observing the Lord's Supper (also called Communion).

It is important that we prepare our minds and bodies and take serious this meaningful "ordinance". The Lord's supper is not just some thing we do...it has a lot of meaning.

Observe the following by Wayne Grudem (compiled by Dave VanAcker):

The meaning of the Lord’s Supper.

1. Christ’s death. When we participate in the Lord’s Supper we symbolize the death of Christ because our actions give a picture of his death for us. When the bread is broken it symbolizes the breaking of Christ’s body and when the cup is poured out it symbolizes the pouring out or Christ’s blood for us (1 Corinthians 11:26).
2. Our participation in the benefits of Christ’s death (Matthew 26:26). That is, in taking part in the Lord’s Supper we are acknowledging the fact that we are united with Christ in his death and therefore in the blessings of his life.
3. Spiritual nourishment (John 6:53-57). The spiritual nourishment, so necessary for our souls, is both symbolized and experienced in our participation in the Lord’s Supper.
4. The unity of believers (1 Corinthians 10:17). This is remarkable in the local church. It is even more remarkable when we realize that this is the practice, and has been the practice, for all Christian churches for the past 2000 years.
5. In the Lord’s Supper Christ affirms his love for me. Having instituted this ordinance and inviting us to participate, we acknowledge that it is an example of Jesus affirming his love for us.
6. In the Lord’s Supper Christ affirms that all the blessings of salvation are reserved for me. Again, the Lord’s Supper is meant to remind us of the present and greater future blessings that await all whom Jesus invited to participate (all Christians).
7. In the Lord’s Supper I affirm my faith in Christ. Taking part in the Lord’s Supper is an outward sign that we remain faithful to Jesus.

1 Cor. 11:27-34 says about our coming to the Lord's Supper...

• We must not take in an unworthy manner
• Therefore we must examine ourselves
• In examining ourselves, we must discern the body -- look at our relationships with others in the church and reconcile fractured relationships before we eat of the table
  

Man Up - Sermon for Father's Day

This Sunday I will preach, Lord willing, a sermon for Father’s Day (June 21st) called “Man Up!” – Being a man of God, the Word, responsibility and grace.

1 Timothy 6:11 But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness.

Please start your Father’s Day with worship with God’s people.

Join us for worship at Grace Church, Wyoming MN

9:15 - Sunday School
10:30 - Worship Service

Treasure - Free Song by Luke Pehoski

My sermon text for tomorrow is:

Matthew 13:44-46 "The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

(45) "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, (46) who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.

I came across a song that Luke Pehoski (a.k.a - Pastor Luke to some) wrote a few years ago and I hope we can sing the song soon at Grace Church. It fits so well with the sermon and discipleship to Jesus Christ--our Treasure.

Here is the song:


You can download it for free here.

Lyrics:

Treasure
Lyrics and Music by Luke Pehoski

Jesus be my treasure, be my one consuming passion
Jesus consume my actions, Lord be my only all

For Lord, You are sufficient
Teach me to thirst for You
Lord, You’re magnificent
The One and only True

Source of pleasure, hope forever, satisfying passion
Be my complete, final joy, every need fulfilling

May I never truly rest, Nor be complete in seeking
Lord ever increase my hunger for You, all my days

This Sunday's Sermon - "The Joy of Discipleship"

Here are a few details about this Sunday's sermon:

"The Joy of Discipleship"

Matthew 13:44-46

Read or listen to this or past sermons here

Pastor Daniel Patz Preaching

Worship Tomorrow at Grace Church - May 17th

Tomorrow I plan to get back to Ephesians. Here is some of my sermon info ( from www.gracewyoming.com)

“You Have a Calling

On Your Life?

Ephesians 4:1; 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12

Ephesians 4:1 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called.

The lyrics can be found here.

Kids Choir

• Mighty, Mighty Savior

Welcome and Announcements

Worship in Music

• Spirit of the Living God
• And Can It Be?
• Hope of the Nations
• Grace Unmeasured

(Children ages 3 through 2nd grade dismissed)

Worship in Word
“You Have a Calling on Your Life” Ephesians 4:1

Offering

• Where You Lead Me

Benediction

Preparing for Corporate Worship - Sunday, May 3rd

You can find the songs we will sing tomorrow here.

We will be having a pot providence (luck) tomorrow following the worship service. After he meal we will have a preach church business meeting.

Please pray for me as I prepare to preach from Galatians 6:6-10.

Here is a video we showed last August in regards to the power and importance of corporate worship.

Upcoming Sermon

Here is the information for the upcoming sermon this Sunday from our church website at www.gracewyoming.com

Sermon this Sunday, May 3rd

“Giving, Sowing, Reaping and Eternal Life”

Galatians 6:6-10

Read or listen past sermons here.

Pastor Daniel Patz will be preaching
Sunday School 9 AM; 10:30 AM Worship

Worship Music as an Instrument for Salvation

C. H. Spurgeon on the selection of songs for the worship service:

I TRUST, my brethren, that we all feel very deeply the importance of conducting every part of divine worship with the utmost possible efficiency. When we remember that the salvation of a soul may hang, instrumentally, upon the choice of a hymn, we should not consider so small a matter as the selection of the psalms and hymns to be a trifle. An ungodly stranger, stepping into one of our services at Exeter Hall, was brought to the cross by the work of Wesley’s verse. — “Jesu, lover of my soul.” “Does Jesus love me?” said he: “then why should I live in enmity to him?”

From Lectures to My Students -- "On the Choice of a Text"

Please pray for Matt Howard and me as we plan the worship service each week -- including the selection of songs. We try to post them ahead of time each week at www.gracewyomingmedia.com.

Tomorrow's Sermon - How We Must See Ourselves

Tomorrow, Lord willing, I will preach on the parable of Jesus from Luke 18:9-14. Here you find the story of two men who pray--a Pharisee and a tax collector (seen in this piece of art). Each are on the different sides of the ethical ladder of their society. Both long to be accepted by God in their prayers but only one goes to his home justified (or accepted by God).

Jesus told this parable because saw so many who trusted in themselves for their righteousness and showed contempt for other people whom they compared themselves (usually outward "gross sinners").

Studying and meditating on this text has been quite challenging, convicting and encouraging.

Tomorrow, by looking at this parable, I want to point out the difference between "religion" and Christ--and the many implications.

Tonight I plan on reading Spurgeon's sermon on 1 Cor. 4:7 - "Pride Catechized and Condemned."

New Song this Sunday - "Grace Unmeasured"

Lord willing we are going to introduce a new song this Sunday morning at Grace Church.

The song's title is the same as the name of this Blog.
For your edification and the church as a whole, (if you are part of Grace Church) I encourage you to listen to this song a few times and read through the words before Sunday morning.

You can buy the download of this song for $0.99 here.

Here is the the whole song that you can listen to for free online.

I have also included the lyrics down below:

Grace Unmeasured - Sovereign Grace Music

Words and Music by Bob Kauflin
Lyrics

Grace unmeasured, vast and free
That knew me from eternity
That called me out before my birth
To bring You glory on this earth
Grace amazing, pure and deep
That saw me in my misery
That took my curse and owned my blame
So I could bear Your righteous name

Grace paid for my sins
And brought me to life
Grace clothes me with power
To do what is right
Grace will lead me to heaven
Where I’ll see Your face
And never cease
To thank You for Your grace

Grace abounding, strong and true
That makes me long to be like You
That turns me from my selfish pride
To love the cross on which You died
Grace unending all my days
You’ll give me strength to run this race
And when my years on earth are through
The praise will all belong to You

© 2005 Sovereign Grace Praise (BMI).

Pray for Your Pastor Each Weekend

If I am your pastor, please pray for me each weekend. Pray for me throughout the week and especially on Saturday (as I finish preparing my sermon through prayer) and on Sunday while I deliver God's message through preaching. If I am not your pastor, pray for your own pastor who will get up and proclaim the Word this weekend. If you don't have a pastor who preaches the Word -- for your soul's sake -- FIND ONE!

Be like the "illiterate lay-brother" in this story that Charles Spurgeon gives in his book to pastors (Lectures to My Students). He writes:

A certain preacher, whose sermons converted men by scores, received a revelation from heaven that not one of the conversions was owing to his talents or eloquence, but all to the prayers of an illiterate lay-brother, who sat on the pulpit steps, pleading all the time for the success of the sermon.

I pray that God would raise up many "pulpit step sitters."

"Brothers and sisters, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored..." (2 Thess 3:1)

Howie's Worship CD to Download

Howie Holm served on the worship team at Grace for more than eight years before going home to be with the Lord on March 21st, 2009. He and his family recorded this album during the summer of 2006. Many of us at Grace have been blessed by these songs. Howie's family has given us permission to share them with you. We know that Howie would love to know the God to whom he is singing in these songs. Please download and share freely (as he so joyfully did).

All songs are in mp3 format. To play the songs simply click on the download button below. To save the songs to your computer right click on download button and then click on "save target as...".

See here for source page at www.gracewyomingmedia.com

1	Introduction	2:14
2	I Love You Lord	3:17
3	Blessed Be Your Name	3:40
4	Open The Eyes of My Heart	3:06
5	How Great Is Our God	4:09
6	When I Look Into Your Holiness	3:57
7	How Great Thou Art	3:32
8	Here I Am to Worship	3:34
9	Awesome God Medley	4:42
10	Shout to the Lord	3:37

Praying for Your Preacher

Please partner with me and Dave as we preach the Word of God. Pastor Dave is preaching tomorrow morning and his sermon is entitled - "Lesson on Prayer from the Saints."

Here are the things I asked you to pray for me in last week's sermon:

1) Pray that I would preach the Word with accuracy. Pray that I would not add to it or leave something out.

2) Pray that I would preach the Word with clarity. Pray that I would be given a gift and I would work hard to make the truth clear and understandable (use of words and language).

3) Pray that I would preach the Word with power. Pray that I would have what the old timers called “unction in the pulpit.” Pray that God would use His Word to bring life.

4) Pray that I would preach the Word with perseverance. Pray that I would not be weary in well doing but faithful regardless of apparent fruitfulness.

5) Pray that I would preach the Word with my life. Pray that my walk would match a faithful preaching of the Gospel.

God Energizes Preaching!

I don't know if you have heard or heard of James McDonald (of Harvest Bible Chapel) but he is a powerful preacher of the Word of God.

I urge you to download this sermon by McDonald called "God Energizes Preaching."

Download it, please and listen.

In this sermon, McDonald does a masterful job of defining and discussing the importance of preaching and the fact that God has ordained it to be practiced by His church and that He works mightily through preaching.

In this sermon he addresses the preacher and the preached. The whole sermon is worth its weight in gold.

God Energizes Preaching

James MacDonald: God Energizes Preaching I download I

Preparing for Corporate Worship- The Lord's Day

Here are some suggestions from the brochure I gave out two weeks ago about preparing for corporate worship (see whole brochure here):

THE LORD’S DAY - SUNDAY
RISE EARLY ENOUGH – Get up early enough to spend some quiet moments praying and thanking
God for the Day and opportunity to worship together with saved sinners. You want to avoid
feeling rushed.
TALK – Avoid hurtful and unedifying words but instead look for opportunities to build up with your
words as you prepare to go to the church building. Show forbearance to one another in love for
Jesus’ sake.
EAT HELPFULLY – Breakfast is an important meal for your body. Eat to the glory of God. Watch
what you drink so that you or your kids do not have to take unnecessary and distracting trips to the
bathroom.
LEAVE EARLY – Leave so that you can arrive at least 15 minutes before Sunday School or the
Worship Service. Please consider coming to Sunday school/Berea.
FIND A SEAT – As soon as possible look for a seat several minutes before the service begins. Sit
closer to the front if possible and keep others in mind. Sit and quiet yourself in preparation for the
corporate worship of God. Teach your kids to sit quietly with you during this time (they can spend
time with their friends afterwards).
PRAY – Declare your dependence on God and ask Him:
• To help you see and savor Him this morning.
• To help you worship Him in Spirit and in Truth.
• To satisfy you this morning with His unfailing love in the Gospel of Jesus.
• To work mightily through His Word, prayer and songs.
• To anoint Luke, the musicians and the preacher with Holy Spirit power.
• To produce fruit for the glory of God and joy of all people.
LISTEN/OBEY – Listen carefully and prayerfully to what is said and sung. Concentrate. Ask God
to help you love His word more than the greatest riches on earth. Take notes. Help your kids take
notes or use the kid’s bulletin. Listen to the Word with humility and teachability.
ENCOURAGE – Look for opportunities to greet and encourage others afterwards. Possibly get
together with people to share food together. Look to talk to someone who you don’t know or don’t
regularly talk with. Make plans to get together with someone this week.
INTERCEDE – Pray for the word to convict and give life to yourself and others as a result of the
preaching. Pray for encouragement for the preacher in Jesus’ name.
TALK/OBEY – Talk with your family about the service. Talk with others about the worship and
word. Look to be a doer and not a hearer only.
REST – Make it a habit to get rest during this day. Take a nap. Thank God for the rest that he provides
for us by His grace.
THANK – Thank God for the gift of worship on the Lord’s Day. Ask Him to continue to grow your
love for Him and for His Church.

Preparing for Corporate Worship - Lord's Supper

Please be in prayer for Grace Church and yourselves as you come to worship God corporately this Sunday morning. In order to help you prepare your mind for the songs and preaching of the Word we list the sermon text and song lyrics on the church web the Friday before. Here is the links to the song lyrics and the sermon texts. You can access these resources weekly at this page (or see the tab above labeled "Grace Sermons").