Vespers Guide for Acts 19 (Click here for PDF) – When the Word of the Lord Prevails

During our Vesper service, we sing a hymn together, pray a Psalm, read a chapter of the book of Acts, share a devotional on the chapter, pray kingdom prayers using the chapter from Acts as our basis, and then we celebrate communion.

Here are some things to pray for our church from Acts 19:

Pray that God would instill in our congregation a hunger for the Word of the Lord. That we would hear it, read it, study it, meditate on it, and memorize it.

Prayer of Thomas Cranmer: Blessed Lord, who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning: Grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which you have given us in our Savior Jesus Christ

May the conviction of truth, the consecration of our hearts, real heart-felt communion with Christ, and greater confidence in his love result in our lives as we open ourselves to the Holy Spirit speaking to us in the Scripture.

Pray that the Holy Spirit would move in our midst convicting us of sin and shining the spotlight on the magnificent One, Jesus Christ the Lord, especially as we move towards Easter.

Take a moment to thank the Lord that we have one college student openly identifying herself as a Christian this coming Sunday and is being baptized upon her public profession of faith.

Pray that we would be intentional, logical, and patient in our conversations with our friends about Jesus. John Stott claims that our evangelistic efforts in the church today are too ecclesiastical (inviting people to church), too emotional (appeals for decision without an adequate basis of understanding), and too superficial (brief encounters with the expectation of quick results).

Pray that we might have the privilege of experiencing conversion growth as a church not just transfer growth.

Pray that the gospel would be reasonably, systematically and thoroughly unfolded in every place of influence in our country and in our world (namely major cities and universities). Pick one and pray for it. Maybe pick one where we presently have a missionary: For example: Bangkok, Thailand; Paris, France, Los Angeles, CA, Sofia, Bulgaria, Cambridge, Harvard, U of A.