Chapters
four
and
five
of
the
book
of
Revelation
contain
an
amazing
description
of
heavenly
worship.
John
saw
a
throne
in
heaven
with
a
rainbow
surrounding
it.
Flashes
of
lighting
and
sounds
of
thunder
were
coming
out
of
the
throne.
There
were
four
living
creatures
who
day
and
night
proclaimed:
“Holy,
holy,
holy
is
the
Lord
God,
the
Almighty,
who
was
and
who
is
and
who
is
to
come”
(4:8).
John
also
saw
twenty
four
elders
who
knelt
down
and
cast
their
crowns
before
the
throne
saying:
“Worthy
are
You,
our
Lord
and
our
God,
to
receive
glory
and
honor
and
power;
for
You
created
all
things,
and
because
of
Your
will
they
existed,
and
were
created”
(4:11).
John
saw
God
the
Father
as
the
One
seated
upon
the
throne
with
a
scroll
sealed
with
seven
seals
in
his
right
hand.
He
saw
God
the
Holy
Spirit
as
seven
lamps
of
fire
burning
before
the
throne.
He
saw
God
the
Son
as
the
Lamb
who
was
slain.
One
of
the
elders
called
John’s
attention
to
the
Lion
of
the
Tribe
of
Judah,
the
root
of
David;
when
he
looked,
he
saw
a
Lamb
who
was
slain.
An
angel
was
asking:
“who
is
worthy
to
take
the
scroll
from
the
hand
of
the
One
sited
on
the
throne?”
Nobody
in
heaven
or
on
earth
was
worthy
to
take
the
scroll.
Finally,
one
of
the
elders
said
to
John
that
the
Lamb
who
was
slain
was
worthy
to
take
the
scroll.
When
the
Lamb
took
the
scroll
something
remarkable
happened.
The
whole
creation
worshiped
the
Lamb.
Like
a
symphony
in
crescendo,
the
four
living
creatures
and
the
twenty
four
elders
were
followed
in
praise
by
the
thousands
upon
thousands
of
angels,
who
were
followed
by
every
created
thing
in
heaven,
on
earth,
and
under
the
earth.
9
And
they
sang
a
new
song,
saying,
“Worthy
are
You
to
take
the
book
and
to
break
its
seals;
for
You
were
slain,
and
purchased
for
God
with
Your
blood
men
from
every
tribe
and
tongue
and
people
and
nation.
10
“You
have
made
them
to
be
a
kingdom
and
priests
to
our
God;
and
they
will
reign
upon
the
earth.”
(Revelation
5:9-‐10)
We
are
purchased
people,
bought
by
the
blood
of
Jesus
to
be
a
kingdom
of
priests
to
worship
Him.
Having
a
time
to
worship
God
privately
is
something
that
all
believers
can
and
ought
to
do,
but
having
the
experience
of
worshiping
God
corporately
with
believers
from
other
races,
languages,
and
nationalities
is
like
participating
in
a
heavenly
experience.
Jesus
redeemed
us
from
every
tribe
and
tongue
and
people
and
nation.
Together
we
can
worship
God.
I
am
so
glad
that
at
Apex
Baptist,
we
are
willing
to
experience
a
piece
of
heaven
worshiping
God
with
people
from
different
races,
languages,
and
nations.
Currently
during
the
time
of
worship
in
our
en
Español
ministry,
the
Lord
has
given
us
people
from
11
different
nations.
We
have
a
new
song
to
sing,
the
song
of
the
redeemed,
the
song
of
praise
and
gratitude
for
having
all
of
our
sin
forgiven
and
for
making
us
a
new
creation
in
Christ.
We
have
a
new
position;
he
has
made
us
a
kingdom
of
priests
and
we
will
reign
with
him.
What
a
privilege
and
honor!
TUESDAY
PRAYER
PROMPTS:
1. Pray
for
wisdom
for
pastor
Alex
to
lead
our
en
Español
ministry.
To
finish
his
doctoral
work
(comprehension
exams
in
October
7
& 8,
and
for
dissertation).
2. Pray
for
leadership
development
in
the
different
ministries
en
Español;
women,
men,
married
couples,
singles,
worship,
greeters,
youth,
life
groups,
home
groups.
3. Pray
for
numerical
growth;
that
we
develop
a
heart
to
reach
out
to
the
lost.
4. Pray
for
spiritual
growth.
We
want
to
emphasize
the
vital
aspect
of
being
a
disciple
of
Christ.
5. Pray
for
increasing
integration
with
the
English
speaking
church
as
we
transition
to
a
new
schedule
of
services.
We
want
to
have
the
opportunity
to
serve
and
interact
with
other
ministries
in
the
church.
6. Pray
for
the
Medical-‐Dental
Van
ministry
(April
11-‐12,
2014).
Pray
that
we
can
recruit
volunteers
to
serve
in
the
different
medical-‐professional
capacities,
dentists,
dental
hygienists,
dental
assistants,
medical
doctors,
optometrist,
and
nurses.
Tuesday, August 20, 2013
Monday, August 19, 2013
Monday Devotion & Prayer Prompts
In
the
past
few
weeks
I’ve
read
the
New
Testament
book
of
Acts
again,
and
God’s
word
continues
to
scream
at
me
that
American
“Churchianity”
is
not
biblical
Christianity.
At
the
end
of
almost
every
chapter,
I
said
“WOW,”
either
to
myself
or
just
bursted
it
out
loud.
Certainly
there
are
some
“WOW”
things
happening
in
some
American
Churches,
but
those
are
the
exceptions
rather
than
the
norm.
In
Breakout
Churches,
Thom
Rainer
reports
that
8
out
of
10
American
churches
are
in
decline
or
erosion
(174)
–
Yuck!
So what was different about the Early Church? What made it so powerful? I believe there are many lessons we can learn from them, but we must note at least two. First, prayer was a major priority for first century Followers of Jesus. The Early Church was born during a prayer meeting (Acts 2). The early Church prayed and God showed up to save souls, to purify the Fellowship (Ananias & Sapphira), to heal the sick, to set the captives free and so much more. In the American Church prayer is often neglected, stagnant, minimal or an after thought. Let’s pray boldly this week – just as the Early Church did.
Secondly, the Early Believers lived the Gospel. They didn’t just understand that their purpose was to advance the Kingdom of God – they did it. The researchers behind Breakout Churches found inconsistencies in declining churches’ in their willingness to practice their beliefs. “The clearest example of this reality was in the area of evangelism. They might believe that Christ is the only way of salvation, but they are unwilling or unable to share the Gospel with non-‐Christians” (177). In contrast, Breakout church members, like Early Church Members, “are passionate about reaching others for Christ personally” and “do not expect all evangelism to be done by the staff or a select few from the church” (177).
The early church prayed fervently, then put feet to their prayers and “turned the world upside down” (Acts 17:6) -‐ good lessons!
MONDAY PRAYER PROMPTS:
1. Lord, forgive us for being lame in our prayer lives. May we make prayer a top priority in our personal lives, in our families and in our church.
2. Set us free Father from our timidity, our insecurities, our fears and from our unfruitful past. Lord Jesus, wreck us with your love. As we pray, give us “Christ-‐like eyes” to see others as you see them. Then, grant us wisdom and sensitivity to respond redemptively.
3. Lord we certainly pray defensively for the protection of our students, but like the Early Church, we also pray for their boldness. Their schools are tough, but ripe, fields for evangelistic harvest. Empower them to be salt & light on their campuses. Give them persistence & courage and help them to work together to advance your Kingdom’s Glory. Help us as parents and church leaders to equip our children for evangelistic success and to model a disciple-‐making lifestyle.
4. Give us wisdom Father as we sharpen our church’s mission efforts. Use us to be a blessing to our local, regional and global ministry partners.
5. The Bible is our guide for our individual lives and for our church. Grant us courage to follow its examples and principles.
So what was different about the Early Church? What made it so powerful? I believe there are many lessons we can learn from them, but we must note at least two. First, prayer was a major priority for first century Followers of Jesus. The Early Church was born during a prayer meeting (Acts 2). The early Church prayed and God showed up to save souls, to purify the Fellowship (Ananias & Sapphira), to heal the sick, to set the captives free and so much more. In the American Church prayer is often neglected, stagnant, minimal or an after thought. Let’s pray boldly this week – just as the Early Church did.
Secondly, the Early Believers lived the Gospel. They didn’t just understand that their purpose was to advance the Kingdom of God – they did it. The researchers behind Breakout Churches found inconsistencies in declining churches’ in their willingness to practice their beliefs. “The clearest example of this reality was in the area of evangelism. They might believe that Christ is the only way of salvation, but they are unwilling or unable to share the Gospel with non-‐Christians” (177). In contrast, Breakout church members, like Early Church Members, “are passionate about reaching others for Christ personally” and “do not expect all evangelism to be done by the staff or a select few from the church” (177).
The early church prayed fervently, then put feet to their prayers and “turned the world upside down” (Acts 17:6) -‐ good lessons!
MONDAY PRAYER PROMPTS:
1. Lord, forgive us for being lame in our prayer lives. May we make prayer a top priority in our personal lives, in our families and in our church.
2. Set us free Father from our timidity, our insecurities, our fears and from our unfruitful past. Lord Jesus, wreck us with your love. As we pray, give us “Christ-‐like eyes” to see others as you see them. Then, grant us wisdom and sensitivity to respond redemptively.
3. Lord we certainly pray defensively for the protection of our students, but like the Early Church, we also pray for their boldness. Their schools are tough, but ripe, fields for evangelistic harvest. Empower them to be salt & light on their campuses. Give them persistence & courage and help them to work together to advance your Kingdom’s Glory. Help us as parents and church leaders to equip our children for evangelistic success and to model a disciple-‐making lifestyle.
4. Give us wisdom Father as we sharpen our church’s mission efforts. Use us to be a blessing to our local, regional and global ministry partners.
5. The Bible is our guide for our individual lives and for our church. Grant us courage to follow its examples and principles.
Sunday, August 18, 2013
Hopes for the Congregational Fast at Apex Baptist Church
During the week of August 18-24 our church will be praying and fasting for a spiritual breakthrough in our personal lives and in our church body. Anyone who fasts should consult their doctor before going an extended amount of time without eating. There are many different types of fasts that members of our church will participate in.
First, some will do what is called a “normal fast.” These people will only drink water and fruit juices during the fast. Others will do what is called a “partial fast.” This type of fast is when a person only eats fruits and vegetables.
Other people will abstain from something other than food for the purpose of prayer. The goal of any fast is to abstain from something in order to spend time in focused prayer to God. In his book, The Power of Prayer and Fasting, Dr. Ronnie Floyd offers nine outcomes or results of the congregational fasts that his church has done. My hope is that God would stir in our hearts and accomplish these same things.
1. Focus – I pray that God delivers great clarity to our congregation. We are in a wonderful season of ministry and I pray that He allows us to focus on the things that He desires and that we would not be distracted.
2. Wonder – I pray that we get a bigger glimpse of God than we have ever understood before. I am specifically praying that this would affect the way we worship.
3. Sensitivity – I pray that we will be more in tune and sensitive to the Holy Spirit in our lives. I pray that we will follow where he leads us.
4. Unity – A church wide fast will unify us to accomplish the mission God has for us. I am praying that God brings generations together in unity of purpose and direction through this fast.
5. Growth – I pray that God will grow every person participating spiritually through this week. I pray that this fast is spiritual fuel that will launch many into a new season of growth.
6. Anticipation – I am praying that this will affect the worship services in that we will come expecting God to speak to our hearts and then respond to Him.
7. Enlargement – I am praying that God enlarges our vision as we pray and fast. My prayer is that God helps us see the harvest fields ready for harvest.
8. Engagement – I am praying for a renewed engagement in our church. I am praying God would urge many who are not serving into service.
9. Advancement – I pray that the Gospel will advance across the street and around the world because of this week of prayer and fasting.
*First posted at www.johnmarkharrison.org on 8/17/2012
First, some will do what is called a “normal fast.” These people will only drink water and fruit juices during the fast. Others will do what is called a “partial fast.” This type of fast is when a person only eats fruits and vegetables.
Other people will abstain from something other than food for the purpose of prayer. The goal of any fast is to abstain from something in order to spend time in focused prayer to God. In his book, The Power of Prayer and Fasting, Dr. Ronnie Floyd offers nine outcomes or results of the congregational fasts that his church has done. My hope is that God would stir in our hearts and accomplish these same things.
1. Focus – I pray that God delivers great clarity to our congregation. We are in a wonderful season of ministry and I pray that He allows us to focus on the things that He desires and that we would not be distracted.
2. Wonder – I pray that we get a bigger glimpse of God than we have ever understood before. I am specifically praying that this would affect the way we worship.
3. Sensitivity – I pray that we will be more in tune and sensitive to the Holy Spirit in our lives. I pray that we will follow where he leads us.
4. Unity – A church wide fast will unify us to accomplish the mission God has for us. I am praying that God brings generations together in unity of purpose and direction through this fast.
5. Growth – I pray that God will grow every person participating spiritually through this week. I pray that this fast is spiritual fuel that will launch many into a new season of growth.
6. Anticipation – I am praying that this will affect the worship services in that we will come expecting God to speak to our hearts and then respond to Him.
7. Enlargement – I am praying that God enlarges our vision as we pray and fast. My prayer is that God helps us see the harvest fields ready for harvest.
8. Engagement – I am praying for a renewed engagement in our church. I am praying God would urge many who are not serving into service.
9. Advancement – I pray that the Gospel will advance across the street and around the world because of this week of prayer and fasting.
*First posted at www.johnmarkharrison.org on 8/17/2012
Saturday, July 27, 2013
New Service Times Coming in September!
We are so excited to announce that beginning Sunday, September 8 we are going to move to three Worship Service hours on Sunday mornings! Each Worship Service hour will also include Life Groups and preschool care.
Service times will be:
- 9:00 AM -- 10:00 AM
- 10:15 AM -- 11:15 AM
- 11:30 AM -- 12:30 PM
God is moving in Apex and we can't wait to see what He's going to do next!
Monday, July 22, 2013
Kingdom Rock Photos
We had an awesome week of Kingdom Rock VBS with over 150 leaders and 460 children! Here are a few photos:
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Monday, July 8, 2013
Monday, July 1, 2013
Our Church and the Supreme Court Marriage Decisions
Download this document to read some suggestions on how our church can respond to the Supreme Court Marriage Decisions.
Click Here.
Click Here.
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