| From the Church on the Hill by D. Eric Williams Pastor, Cottonwood Community Church pastor@CottCommChurch.com Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, For He has visited and redeemed His people, And has raised up a horn of salvation for us In the house of His servant David, As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets, Who have been since the world began, That we should be saved from our enemies And from the hand of all who hate us, To perform the mercy promised to our fathers And to remember His holy covenant, The oath which He swore to our father Abraham: To grant us that we, Being delivered from the hand of our enemies, Might serve Him without fear, In holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our life. (Luke 1:68-75). Our Father in heaven, you are blessed and the source of all blessings. The greatest blessing we have received from you is salvation in Jesus Christ. In this time of year when we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ we are reminded that, you have visited and redeemed your people (Luke 1:68). Yes, you take care of your people. You have set us free from the power of sin and death. And you have done so by providing a powerful savior - in the flesh - a fulfillment of the promises made to your servant King David. Indeed, you informed your people throughout the centuries as you spoke by the mouth of your holy prophets, who have been since the world began (Luke 1:70). Lord God you have given us a Savior that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us (Luke 1:71). The greatest enemy we face is death itself and because of Jesus’ sacrifice, we are free from the fear or death. Lord, we know we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers in high places. We also know those powers use the unregenerate to war against your people. So, Lord God, save us from the enemies of your Son, from the enemies of the kingdom of God and from the enemies of your Church. For you have promised to give your people an eternal king and we thank you that Jesus is the reigning king of the universe. You have promised to cherish your people as your own Bride and you have promised to give your people the entire earth as a possession. Yes, we ask you to perform the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember your holy covenant, the oath which He swore to our father Abraham (Luke 1:72-73). Deliver us, oh Lord, from our enemies. Deliver us from those who hate you and your people. Give us victory as your Gospel of Jesus Christ and his kingdom goes forth, killing the old man, making a new creation of your former enemies. And being delivered from the hand of our enemies, we pray that we might serve you without fear, in holiness and righteousness before you all the days of our life (Luke 1:74b-75). We pray these things in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Amen.
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