Thursday Devotion and Prayer Prompts

You are probably familiar with the old hymn ‘It Is Well’. It was written around 1873 by Horatio Spafford following a time of great grief for him. He had just lived through two major traumas.

The first was the great Chicago fire of October 1871, which ruined him financially (He had been a wealthy businessman) and the second was the death of all four of his children following the collision of their ship with another while crossing the Atlantic. Spafford’s wife ‘Anna’ survived and sent him the famous telegram, ‘Saved alone’.

Several weeks later as Spafford’s own ship passed the spot where his daughters died, the Holy Spirit inspired these words of comfort and hope. Be sure to sing through verses four, five and six.

"IT IS WELL WITH MY SOUL" 

When peace like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll,
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say,
"It is well, it is well, with my soul."

It is well with my soul;
It is well, it is well with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control:
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

My sin—Oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!—
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live:
If Jordan above me shall roll,
No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life,
Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.

But Lord, 'tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait,
The sky, not the grave, is our goal.
Oh, trump of the angel! Oh, voice of the Lord!
Blessed hope, blessed rest of my soul.

And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll.
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend;
Even so, it is well with my soul.

THURSDAY PRAYER PROMPTS: 

1. Pray for the safety and health of our new Worship Leader and his family as they move to NC.

2. Pray for a good time of transition as the new Worship Leader joins the Apex Baptist Worship team.

3. Pray for the development of and rehearsal time for the Christmas Production.

4. Pray for the continued development and maturity of the worship team: Instrumentalists, Singers, Tech personnel.

5. Pray the leadership will continue to follow the Lords leadership in the selection and presentation of music for worship each week.

6. Pray that the Apex Baptist congregation will be freed to worship in Spirit and in Truth each time they gather to praise the Lord.