City Church Tulsa

LITURGY FOR THE MOMENT: Part 7

A LITURGY FOR THOSE BATTLING ANXIETY

Prince of Peace, we come with restless hearts and racing thoughts.

The weight of worry presses down,

and we are consumed by what-ifs and worst-case scenarios.

As the deer pants for streams of water

so our souls thirst for You, the living God.You are the God who calms the storm,

The Shepherd who leads us beside quiet waters.

Deep calls to deep in the roar of Your waterfalls

Let waves of grace break over me.Teach us to cast our cares upon You.

When fear rises, remind us of your steadfast love.

When we falter, anchor us in Your unshakable presence.

Oh God our rock, meet us in the chaos and lead us into Your rest.

Amen.

Psalm 42:1-11 ESV

“As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God? My tears have been my food day and night, while they say to me all the day long, “Where is your God?” These things I remember, as I pour out my soul: how I would go with the throng and lead them in procession to the house of God with glad shouts and songs of praise, a multitude keeping festival.

Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.

My soul is cast down within me; therefore I remember you from the land of Jordan and of Hermon, from Mount Mizar. Deep calls to deep at the roar of your waterfalls; all your breakers and your waves have gone over me. By day the Lord commands his steadfast love, and at night his song is with me, a prayer to the God of my life. I say to God, my rock: “Why have you forgotten me? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?” As with a deadly wound in my bones, my adversaries taunt me, while they say to me all the day long, “Where is your God?”

Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.”

What the anxious need from themselves:

• Look back

• Look forward

• Look around

What the anxious need from those around them

• Comfort

• Care

• Encouragement

2 Corinthians 13:11 ESV

“Finally, brothers, rejoice. Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.”

1 Corinthians 12:24-26 ESV

“which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.”

1 Thessalonians 4:18 ESV

“Therefore encourage one another with these words.”

What the anxious need from God

• Everything he has promised and all he has given!

Message from City University on November 21, 2024

Message from City University on November 21, 2024

Message from City University on November 21, 2024

Message from City University on November 21, 2024

LITURGY FOR THE MOMENT

A liturgy for those consumed by noise

Father, we are surrounded by a constant stream of content,

an overwhelming amount of input.

We find ourselves hypnotized by glowing screens

and the escape that is found in our loud world.We repent for times of mindless scrolling.

We repent for seeking other voices above yours

We repent for numbing,

and hiding our full selves from your healing embrace.Good Shepherd, we believe You speak daily,

and we know Your voice.

Quiet our minds.

Still our hearts.

So we can hear You in every moment.

All the unhappiness of men arises from one single fact, that they cannot stay quietly in their own room. – Blaise Pascal

Contemplative Prayer: The practice of being in God’s presence through quiet and deep inward focus, moving beyond words, thoughts, and feelings to simply rest in the awareness of God.

Whatever you feed, you will develop a hunger for.

Whatever you starve will eventually wither and die.

If we are going to walk in the fruit of the Spirit and be agents of transformation in this world, we MUST develop a new paradigm for living in this world.

1) Know your identity as God’s beloved

Matthew 3:16-17

16 And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; 17 and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

Matthew 17:5

While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!”

2) Develop rhythms of engagement and disengagement

3) Surround yourself with intentional community

Message from City University on November 14, 2024

Message from City University on November 14, 2024

Message from City University on November 14, 2024

Message from City University on November 14, 2024