Morning Chapel Prayer Playlist
Morning Chapel Prayer Today
Worship leader…
Morning, everybody. It’s always good to be here.
A definition of worship is to “kiss the feet”
I was thinking, partially because of the first song we’re going to do about the woman who poured out her oil on the feet of Jesus, and how she was a really good example of what worship really is. There’s a definition in the Greek of worship, and one of the definitions is basically to “kiss the feet.” Kiss the feet of Jesus.
Kiss the feet is an intimate act…
Well, that takes intimacy. It takes vulnerability on our part. And it also has nothing to do with music. Your worship music should come from that place. And it should flow out of that place. But she worshiped without a song, without a band, without a church. In the midst of people going, “She shouldn’t be doing that. That’s a waste.”
And I love Jesus’ response. That what she did for Him was invaluable to the point where everybody would know for all of time. That’s how much our worship means to Him. So even in these few minutes that we sing together, you can take that posture with you all day long. We can be a living sacrifice. I believe Romans 12 says that.
So Lord, we come to you.
We bring our worship, we bring our lives, we stop and pour out our own oil and we kiss your feet.
For you alone are worthy.
Pastor Heather…
I was curious… as we were singing that song, I just did a quick search. I thought, “Did anybody use the word Abba in the Bible before Jesus to refer to God?” And He was the first one to refer to God as Abba. Before it was Father, like the Father of Abraham, in that respect. But Jesus was the first one to use that really intimate term, Abba, which is… I guess some people say Daddy, but more appropriate would be Papa or dearest Father. It’s a real intimate, loving, and respectful name for God. And so I love that.
And then after that, of course, Paul uses it. And I think it’s in some other epistles. But before that, our relationship with God, as you know… I should say the Jews’ relationship with God is He was Father Abraham or the Father of Abraham, and it was very, I would say, servant to master kind of relationship.
The first time Abba is used is when Jesus used it in the Garden…
And then Jesus comes, and what does He do? He walks out this life as an example for us. And, of course, He shed His blood, and He made a way of reconciliation to our Father, our Papa, our dearest Father, and He shows us how He walks. And if my search is correct, which I’d have to study this out… So study it for yourself. But if the search is correct, it says the first time that word “Abba” was used was when He was in the Garden of Gethsemane.
And so you think of the power of that, what Jesus is about to do. I mean, He revealed God as our Father while He walked on earth. I know there were many times He called Him “Father,” and we are sons and daughters, and He walked out that relationship. But the first time, according to my search, I’m going to study this out more because I couldn’t fully study it with the five minutes I was standing there. But Jesus cried that out when He was in the Garden of Gethsemane praying, “Let this cup pass from Me.”
And so think of that intimate moment, what He’s about to do. He knows what He’s about to do. He knows what’s coming. And He’s saying, “Papa, my dearest Father, if there’s any other way.” But I love that picture of intimacy that because of what He did, because…
He took that cup
He went to the cross
He sweat drops of blood
He took that pain on
And because He did, we could be reconciled that we could be sons and daughters of God, that we could have that same relationship and right standing with God that Jesus had.
He’s our Abba Father as well…
And so just think about that for a moment. He’s your Abba, your Papa, your dearest Father. And because of what Jesus did, because God the Father sent His one and only Son, for He so loved you that He sent His one and only Son to die, to open that door that you could have that same intimate relationship between a Father and His child.
Prayed…
And so we receive that now.
We say thank you, Father. Thank you, Abba, Papa, dearest Father…
Father God, we thank you, that we can have that same relationship with you.
We receive that love and we say thank you that we could have that closeness to have your power abiding in us.
Pastor Heather instructs…
Let’s just allow that revelation to sink in right now. You have the Holy Spirit of God, His very Spirit living inside of you making your spirit alive is available to you. It’s inside of you.
Prayed…
So we thank you, Father. Just remind us to keep that right perspective.
We’re seated with you in heavenly places.
We’re not down here walking around by ourselves trying to figure things out.
You’ve given us your Holy Spirit to guide us in all things, to show us all things to come.
Your anointing is on us to break burdens and yokes.
You’ve given us all authority to speak to anything that would come up against your plan in our lives.
So you’re not only in us, but you’re around us, you’re upon us.
You’ve given us angels to protect us.
You’ve given us the armor of God to keep us safe.
You’ve given us your Word, sharper than any two-edged sword, to divide between things that are right and wrong.
You’ve given us everything we need to walk in the purpose that you called us to.
You’ve given us gifts and callings specific for our lives. You’ve placed those things inside of us.
So we say thank you, Father, you’ve endowed us with every good gift from above.
Instruction…
Just reverence that now. Think of all the goodness He’s poured out on you. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow you all the days of your life. You have favor that surrounds you like a shield. Greater is He that’s in you than he that’s in the world. You are above and not beneath. You’re the head and not the tail. You’re blessed going in and blessed going out. No weapon formed against you shall prosper. You’re more than a conqueror through Christ Jesus.
Prayer to focus on Him…
Thank you, Father, that you’re the lifter of our heads. Help us to raise our heads, to get our eyes back on you, get our eyes off of the problems, off the distractions, off the plans of the enemy, off strife, division, all those things that are just trying to swirl around us and make us feel heavy, make us feel down, get our eyes, get our soul downcast. We say, “No, no, don’t be downcast, oh my soul, for we will see your goodness in the land of the living.”
Thank you, Father, that you withhold nothing from us. Nothing. You’ve given all things freely. And so we thank you, Father.
Instruction…
I just feel there’s just such an awareness and a reverence of how good He is and what He’s done for us. Not because we deserve it, not because we earned it, but because of what Jesus did, because of the blood of Jesus, and because He calls us His own, and He drew us unto Himself.
Prayed…
So thank you, Father, that you drew us unto yourself, that you called us long before all eternity… long before time began, you called us. You saw us. You formed us in our mother’s womb. You had a purpose. You had a plan. And so now we just remind ourselves—our minds, our wills, and our emotions that our Abba Father has lovingly lavished all things upon us. He’s not withhold a thing from us.
He says to ask, keep knocking…
He says, “Ask. Keep knocking.” And so today, we thank you, Father. As we get ready to ask, as we get ready to knock, we just have a heart filled with gratitude. We just come with gratitude, thanking you for all the beautiful things that you’ve given us.
Question…
What would you want to pray today? Where do you want to go today?
Word came forth…
Be exhorted today, body of Christ. Be edified and exhorted. For the Lord your God is with you. Be bold and courageous, for the Lord your God is with you. He shall go before you. He charges out before you into battle. Long before you know there’s even a battle at hand, He’s already gone out. He’s already won it. He’s already fought it. So be bold and courageous. For would I not equip you to do the very thing that I’ve called you to do? Would I not already have given you everything you need to walk into that thing that I’ve asked you to do?
A word came…
I hear Him say, “So cooperate, cooperate, cooperate. For lo, I am with you always. And you don’t have to understand every step. You don’t have to understand because I have the plan. You don’t have to understand. Just step out. Step out. That idea, that thing that you just keep turning around in your mind. Step out. Make a move today. Do something to get that started today. Create some momentum today. Yep, yep, the time will never be perfect. The weather will never be perfect. The money will never be perfect that you feel that you can do it. No, step out. Step out in faith. Once you step out, that thing will come, the thing that you’ve been believing. It requires a step of faith, a step of obedience. Before you know, steps two, three, four, five. Take step one. Just take the step now. Yeah, you have nothing to fear. For surely I will go with you. Surely I’ve already gone before you and made a way. So trust today. Trust today that I’ve made that way.” I hear Him say.
Word continues…
Yeah, I just hear Him saying, “Oh, my child, you’re safe. You’re safe under the shadow of My wings, just like a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, you’re safe.”
Prayed and exhorted…
Yeah, just receive that. Just receive that. You’re safe. You’re safe in His presence, under the shadow of His wing. You’re safe.
Our protector. Our defender. You meet every need. Like a good, good Father.
Yeah, so we have nothing to fear.
Oh, thank you, Father.
I feel led to read Psalm 139 from the Amplified Classic…
1 O Lord, you have searched me [thoroughly] and have known me.
2 You know my downsitting and my uprising; You understand my thought afar off.
3 You sift and search out my path and my lying down, and You are acquainted with all my ways.
4 For there is not a word in my tongue [still unuttered], but, behold, O Lord, You know it altogether.
5 You have beset me and shut me in—behind and before, and You have laid Your hand upon me.
6 Your [infinite] knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high above me, I cannot reach it.
7 Where could I go from Your Spirit? Or where could I flee from Your presence?
8 If I ascend up into heaven, You are there; if I make my bed in Sheol (the place of the dead), behold, You are there.
9 If I take the wings of the morning or dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
10 Even there shall Your hand lead me, and Your right hand shall hold me.
11 If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me and the night shall be [the only] light about me,
12 Even the darkness hides nothing from You, but the night shines as the day; the darkness and the light are both alike to You.
13 For You did form my inward parts; You did knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I will confess and praise You for You are fearful and wonderful and for the awful wonder of my birth! Wonderful are Your works, and that my inner self knows right well.
15 My frame was not hidden from You when I was being formed in secret [and] intricately and curiously wrought [as if embroidered with various colors] in the depths of the earth [a region of darkness and mystery].
16 Your eyes saw my unformed substance, and in Your book all the days [of my life] were written before ever they took shape, when as yet there was none of them.
17 How precious and weighty also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How vast is the sum of them!
18 If I could count them, they would be more in number than the sand. When I awoke, [could I count to the end] I would still be with You.
19 If You would [only] slay the wicked, O God, and the men of blood depart from me—
20 Who speak against You wickedly, Your enemies who take Your name in vain!
21 Do I not hate them, O Lord, who hate You? And am I not grieved and do I not loathe those who rise up against You?
22 I hate them with perfect hatred; they have become my enemies.
23 Search me [thoroughly], O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts!
24 And see if there is any wicked or hurtful way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
Prayer of thanksgiving…
Thank you, Father, that there’s nowhere we can go that is not surrounded by your presence.
Thank you, dearest Father, for loving us that way.
Ending comment…
Thanks so much for joining us today. My name is Heather Sibinski. I’m one of the pastors here at Living Word. Have a blessed day.
