Thank you for completing the Prayer Questionnaires this past Sunday. Through this simple survey of 4 questions, I learned that most of you are praying as often as you were before the sermon series on the Lord’s Prayer began. Some are praying more, but most continue to pray about the same. One person said, “I pray as often as I can.” From these responses, we can be grateful that our membership believes in the practice of prayer by praying as often as possible.
 
Most of our church family prays because they want to. There is within us a compelling desire to pray because God speaks to us and calls us to spend time with Him. The answer to this question was almost unanimous from all those of completed the questionnaire. People at Grace want to pray.  I praise the Lord for that.
 
There were 2 responses to the most important things in prayer that help us pray. “Calling God Father” was at the top of the list along with “Forgiveness of My sins.” Next in line came, “Looking forward to God’s kingdom coming here and in heaven,” together with “My forgiving others who have sinned against me,” and “God’s power at work in me.” When we pray, we use words like Father, Forgiven, Kingdom and Power. Some used the word Holy Spirit when talking about God’s power. You have helped me better understand not only WHY you pray, but also HOW you pray. I am humbled and grateful to learn more fully the prayer language this church family uses when it prays.
 
There was an open question which asked you to express your greatest prayer need. Responses like"

• “Reach Lost People,"
  
• “Remove self and allow the Holy Spirit to control,”
  
• “Moving of the Holy Spirit in me, Getting closer to Jesus, Strengthen my faith, doing better, God’s leading my prayers, and More of God and less of me”
  

were all stated.

I share all those pleas from the heart with you. We all can do better and be more in touch with God when we pray. It is a rich blessing to know that we share the same desire to have God more in control of our praying. Over and over, I heard you say, “More of God and less of me.” Maybe that is what happens when we pray. The more we pray, the more of God and less of me we get. That makes prayer worth everything we put into it.
 
Monday night this past week, our deacons met at the church to pray together. There was no business discussion. No planning and no reporting. Only praying and kneeling before God was done.

• We prayed for people within our church family.
• We prayed for healing and strengthening of those who are sick.
• We prayed that God would show us His truth.
• We asked God to establish His word within us all.
• We asked God to end dissensions, unite our church family, cause love to abound, forgive our sins, and send great revival to Grace.

 
This prayer meeting of deacons was a sweet fellowship, powerful outpouring and uniting of our hearts for the good of this church family. I cannot wait to see what God is going to do and how He chooses to answer the prayers of these wonderful men.
 
Listen once again to what the apostle John said about the power of prayer, “This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him” (1 John 4:14-15). Our church has prayed. We can be confident that God has heard. Knowing that God hears us, gives us great strength and expectation that God is ready to do amazing things in and through us. I look forward with joy to all that He chooses to do in coming days.

We praise God that COVID infections have dropped significantly in Georgia since September. Since September 12, reported cases per day throughout the state have decreased by 1,000. The number of people testing positive have declined as well. Hospitalizations have gone down by 20%. Unfortunately, reported deaths have remained the same not yet being impacted by the decline in infections and hospitalizations. Hall County currently reports 186 positive cases with 5 deaths over the past two weeks. Current trends are dropping both locally and across the state. We praise God for this good news.
 
Our deacon body discussed the positive outlook that currently exists due to the increase in vaccinations across the country. During the surge over the summer with the delta variant, you were asked to kindly and voluntarily wear a mask during services and Bible study to help keep yourself and others well. Thank you for stepping up and masking up even though it was inconvenient and bothersome to some.
 
Our Associational missionary, Jo Jo Thomas recently visited our church on Sunday Morning. When he entered, he noticed the sign encouraging mask wearing. He did not have a mask on, so he went back to his truck and got one to wear. I told him that our church has voluntarily worn masks for the most part because of our respect for our elder members and our love for one another. We can give thanks to the Lord for His great love for us demonstrated through the patient loving care we all have for each other, “Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant…does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with truth; love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things” (1Corinthians 13:4,7). We have come through these trying times due to COVID because of our love for God and each other. Truly, the Lord’s command to “…love one another as I have loved you” (John 13:34) has been true here at Grace.
 
In light of God’s love and in recognition of the unity of the Spirit and the love of Jesus, our Deacons unanimously recommend to our church family that the wearing of masks continue to be voluntary, but that those who have had COVID, been vaccinated, or are restricted from vaccines and other physical needs be free to not wear a mask during worship and Bible study if they so choose. Some will continue to mask-up due to personal and medical reasons. They should be encouraged to be true to their convictions. There should be no discrimination, “…there is no partiality with God” (Romans 2:11). Let’s all keep on loving and encouraging one another whether maskless, or not. We are the Body of Christ who have persevered these trying times because the love of Jesus never fails.

​What does real glory look like to you?
 
Robbie sees glory in the crimson reflection of the sun on the horizon at sunset. She’ll say, “Look at that! It’s beautiful. Isn’t that glorious.”
 
The mighty Red Coat band lights up Sanford Stadium with “Glory, Glory to Old Georgia” every time the Bulldogs take the field on a cool Autumn afternoon.
 
Many say that glory is rooting the home team on to victory and championship.

Others see glory in a new-born baby’s face resting peacefully in its mother’s arms.

Some see glory in a 14-point buck passing under their deer stand.

Stadiums rock in the glory of a game winning home run.
​
I know people who relish seeing the glory of a 12-pound bass mounted on the wall, or a well-groomed front yard, or a classic car spit-polished to perfection.
 
What does glory look like to you?
 
Let me tell you what glory looks like to Jesus, “The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as WE are one; I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as you have loved Me. Father I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world” (John 17:22-24). Glory to Jesus looks like you and me.
 
Can you believe that?
 
Jesus is the glory of God before the foundation of the world. He not only knows what glory looks like; He is God’s glory. He puts His glory in us, His children. Every time we come together to worship. Every time we bow our heads and pray, “Thine is the glory…” Every time we love our neighbor, give a cup of cold water, join in singing with other believers— “To God Be the Glory, great things He has done,” Jesus says, “Look at that. Listen to them. Now, that’s what glory looks like.”
 
When Israel was making its way through the wilderness toward the Promised Land, God showed up in the camp every night in a Pillar of Fire. Here’s how Moses described it, “The Lord was going before them in a pillar of cloud by day to lead them on the way, and in a pillar of fire by night to give them light. He did not take away the pillar of cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, form before the people” (Exodus 13:21-22).
 
This is the same glory which descended on Mt. Sinai when God gave Moses the Ten Commandments. It’s the same glory which the prophet Elisha saw descending from heaven to swish Elijah away in a “…whirlwind to heaven” (2 Kings 2:11). I believe it is the same glory which the disciples saw cover the face of Jesus, his clothes and everything before them on the Mount of Transfiguration. These hard, weather-worn, outdoor rugged men were so awe-struck they fell on their faces at the site of such glory.
 
Think about this - we do not just see and feel God’s glory, WE HAVE BECOME GOD’S GLORY. That’s what today’s sermon is about. Glory is not something you admire and get all goose-bumpy about. Glory is not something to feel nostalgic over or look forward to when you get old and gray-headed. Glory is now. Glory has been given over, transferred, passed on to you and me through the prayer which Jesus prayed in John, chapter 17. Glory is not what we will become someday. It is who we are right now. So, my word for you today is –