Please find below the notes from the Elder's Prayer this past Sunday.

In our review of the Old Testament during Equipping Class, we’ve been considering over and again, God’s faithfulness to the nation of Israel. God’s faithfulness to His chosen man, Abraham - despite Abraham’s lack of faithfulness, God still preserved him and his family. Jacob, the trickster and supplanter, was protected and preserved. Each of his sons, preserved and blessed in Egypt, safely brought out of Egypt, crossed the Red Sea, fed in the wilderness, and though in themselves inadequate to do so, even unwilling to do so at times, they arrived at the promised land and miraculously subdued its inhabitants.

Through the Kings and the Chronicles, we witness gross disobedience and failure, and eventually destruction as Assyria and Babylon carry off Israel’s inhabitants. But God remained faithful, He preserved a remnant of people, a veritable handful of people to repopulate the land of promise. Despite all that Israel had done and not done, God was faithful.

But why was God faithful to Israel? Because of God’s promises. God was faithful, God gave hope for only one reason alone - God is faithful to Himself. God had made a promise, and He was going to keep it.
2 Kings 13:23. But the LORD was gracious to [Israel] and had compassion on them, and he turned toward them, because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and would not destroy them, nor has he cast them from his presence until now.

What finally wins God’s heart for His people is not the attractiveness of His people or their repeated temporary repentance. It is His own determination to be faithful to Himself and to His promises.

Is our own hope dependent upon our own character? Our goodness, our righteous qualities, our abilities, the standards we keep or who we know? Thank God it doesn’t! His promises to us are what make Him faithful to us. He said it, and so He will do it.

3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence,
4 by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature… 2 Peter 1:3

Are you without hope? Review His promises.
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. Romans 15:13
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. Romans 8:18
17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison,
18 as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:17
And in this eternal city, where the Lamb reigns, Jesus our Savior...
3 There will no longer be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him.
4 They will see his face…
5 ...the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever. Revelation 22:3
21 But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope:
22 The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end;
23 they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness! Lamentations 3:21

Standing on the promises I cannot fail, when the howling storms of doubt and fears assail. By the living word of God I shall prevail, standing on the promises of God!
Standing on the promises of Christ my King, through eternal ages let his praises ring.
Glory in the highest I will shout and sing, standing on the promises of God!

Psalm 136
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever.
Give thanks to the God of gods,
for his steadfast love endures forever.
Give thanks to the Lord of lords,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
To him who alone does great wonders,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
It is he who remembered us in our low estate,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
And rescued us from our foes,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
He who gives food to all flesh,
for his steadfast love endures forever.
Give thanks to the God of heaven,
for his steadfast love endures forever!