The Worship Quote of the Week for (09/11/2007):

A Model Prayer: Colossians 1:9-14 We usually think of the Lord's Prayer (Matt. 6:9-13 and Luke 11:2-4) as the Bible's model prayer. Of course, the Scriptures include many models for prayer. The Book of Psalms is full of sung prayers. Today's WORSHIP QUOTE is a model for how Christians can pray for each other. In the opening of Paul's letter to the church at Colosse, the apostle expresses his thanksgiving to God for their faith and then voices his prayer for their growth, fruitfulness, strength, and confidence in the gospel--that they would be "fully pleasing to God." This is beautiful. Let's pray for each other like this. A MODEL PRAYER: COLOSSIANS 1:9-14 For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. — Colossians 1:9-14, The Holy Bible: New International Version. Grand Rapids, Zondervan, 1973, 1978, 1984. [This last Sunday, September 9, my wife and I had the joy of worshiping at the College Church in Wheaton, Illinois (the church my parents attended in the 1940s). One of the pastors, Todd Wilson, gave a wonderful exposition of these verses entitled "Fully Pleasing." You can listen to the message at www.college-church.org/pastsermons.htm . Click on "Recent Sermons" and look for "09.09.2007.Todd Wilson".] Have a great week! Chip Stam Director, Institute for Christian Worship School of Church Music and Worship The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary Louisville, Kentucky www.wqotw.org www.sbts.edu/icw =========================== WORSHIP QUOTE OF THE WEEK: To subscribe, unsubscribe, or view a complete index of worship quotes, please visit http://www.wqotw.org ===========================