The Order of Worship – July 26, 2026

This is the 207th Day of 2026.
There are 158 more days remaining in 2025.

Filled with the Holy Spirit,
we are a people of prayer
committed to love one another
and equipped to share Christ’s love throughout the world.

Prelude:

Welcome & Announcements:

This month’s mission focus is Ballas Family Community Kitchen
Bible Study is all new at afaithtalk.com on Tuesday!
Call to Worship: Are You Washed in the Blood (G)

Responsive Reading: Psalm 119:129-136
Light and understanding

¹²⁹ Your decrees are wonderful; 
therefore my soul keeps them.

¹³⁰ The unfolding of your words gives light; 
it imparts understanding to the simple.

¹³¹ With open mouth I pant, 
because I long for your commandments.

¹³² Turn to me and be gracious to me, 
as is your custom toward those who love your name.

¹³³ Keep my steps steady according to your promise, 
and never let iniquity have dominion over me.

¹³⁴ Redeem me from human oppression, 
that I may keep your precepts.

¹³⁵ Make your face shine upon your servant, 
and teach me your statutes.

¹³⁶ My eyes shed streams of tears 
because your law is not kept.
Praise the Lord

Opening Hymn: Praise to the Lord, The Almighty…No. 139 (F)
Verse 1

Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation!
O my soul praise him, for he is thy health and salvation!
All ye who hear, now to temple draw near;
join me in glad adoration!

Verse 2 

Praise to the Lord, who o’er all things so wondrously reigning
bears thee on eagle’s wings, e’er in his keeping maintaining.
God’s care enfolds all, whose true good he upholds.
Hast thou not known his sustaining?

Verse 3

Praise to the Lord, who doth prosper thy work and defend thee;
surely his goodness and mercy here daily attend thee.
Ponder anew what the Almighty can do,
who with his love doth befriend thee.

Verse 4

Praise to the Lord, who doth nourish thy life and restore thee;
fitting thee well for the tasks that are ever before thee.
Then to thy need God as a mother doth speed,
spreading the wings of grace o’er thee.

Verse 5

Praise to the Lord! O let all that is in me adore him!
All that hath life and breath,
come now with praises before him!
Let the amen sound from his people again;
gladly forever adore him. 

Affirmation of Faith:
The Apostle’s Creed..No. 881

I believe in God the Father Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth;
and in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord:
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified,
dead,
and buried;
the third day he rose from the dead;
he ascended into heaven,
and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty;
from thence he shall come to judge
the quick and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.

Gloria Patri…Page 70

Glory be to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen. Amen.

Praise Song: Wonderful, Merciful Savior (C) 

Wonderful, merciful Savior
Precious Redeemer and Friend
Who would have thought that a Lamb could
rescue the souls of men
Oh, You rescue the souls of men
You are the One that we praise
You are the One we adore
You give the healing and grace Our
hearts always hunger for
Oh, our hearts always hunger for 

Counselor, Comforter, Keeper
Spirit we long to embrace You
offer hope when our hearts have
Hopelessly lost our way
Oh, we’ve hopelessly lost our way
You are the One that we praise
You are the One we adore
You give the healing and grace Our
hearts always hunger for
Oh, our hearts always hunger for
Almighty, infinite Father
Faithfully loving Your own
Here in our weakness You find us
Falling before Your throne
Oh, we’re falling before Your throne
You are the One that we praise
You are the One we adore
You give the healing and grace Our
hearts always hunger for
Oh, our hearts always hunger for
You are the One that we praise
You are the One we adore
You give the healing and grace
Our hearts always hunger for
Oh, our hearts always hunger for

Pastoral Prayer
Contact us here to add your concern to our prayer list.

The Lord’s Prayer:

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name.
Thy Kingdom come,
Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory,
forever. Amen.

Anthem: Wash O God Our Sons and Daughters…#605 (F)

Offertory

Doxology:

Praise God from whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heavenly hosts;
Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Amen

Children’s Moment
Children’s Song: Here I Am to Worship (D)

Light of the world You stepped down into darkness,
Opened my eyes, let me see
Beauty that made this heart adore You
Hope of a life spent with You

Here I am to worship
Here I am to bow down
Here I am to say that
You’re my God
You’re altogether lovely
Altogether worthy
Altogether wonderful to me

King of all days Oh so highly exalted
Glorious in Heaven above
Humbly You came to the earth You created
All for love’s sake became poor

Here I am to worship
Here I am to bow down
Here I am to say that
You’re my God
You’re altogether lovely
Altogether worthy
Altogether wonderful to me

I’ll never know how much it cost
To see my sin upon that cross
I’ll never know how much it cost
To see my sin upon that cross
Here I am to worship
Here I am to bow down
Here I am to say that
You’re my God
You’re altogether lovely
Altogether worthy
Altogether wonderful to me

Here I am to worship
Here I am to bow down
Here I am to say that
You’re my God
You’re altogether lovely
Altogether worthy
Altogether wonderful to me
Here I am to worship

Prayer for Illumination
Lord, open our hearts and minds by the power of your Holy Spirit, that as the Scriptures are read and your Word is proclaimed, we may hear with joy what you say to us today. Amen.

Gospel Reading: Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52
Parables of the reign of heaven

³¹ He put before them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in his field; ³² it is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.”

³³ He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour until all of it was leavened.”

⁴⁴ “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which someone found and hid; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.” 

⁴⁵ “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls; ⁴⁶ on finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.”

⁴⁷ “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and caught fish of every kind; ⁴⁸ when it was full, they drew it ashore, sat down, and put the good into baskets but threw out the bad. ⁴⁹ So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous ⁵⁰ and throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

⁵¹ “Have you understood all this?” They answered, “Yes.”

⁵² And he said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like the master of a household who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.”

Leader: The Word of God for the people of God
All: Thanks be to God

New Testament Reading: Romans 8:26-39
Nothing can separate us from God’s love

²⁶ Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. ²⁷ And God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

²⁸ We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.

²⁹ For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn within a large family. ³⁰ And those whom he predestined he also called; and those whom he called he also justified; and those whom he justified he also glorified.

³¹ What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? ³² He who did not withhold his own Son, but gave him up for all of us, will he not with him also give us everything else? ³³ Who will bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies.

³⁴ Who is to condemn? It is Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us. ³⁵ Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? ³⁶ As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep to be slaughtered.” ³⁷ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

Leader: The Word of God for the people of God
All: Thanks be to God 

Sermon Text: 1 Kings 3:5-12
Solomon’s Prayer

⁵ At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night, and God said, “Ask what I should give you.”

⁶ And Solomon said, “You have shown great and steadfast love to your servant my father David because he walked before you in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart toward you, and you have kept for him this great and steadfast love and have given him a son to sit on his throne today.

⁷ And now, O LORD my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David, although I am only a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in. ⁸ And your servant is in the midst of the people whom you have chosen, a great people so numerous they cannot be numbered or counted. ⁹ Give your servant, therefore, an understanding mind to govern your people, able to discern between good and evil, for who can govern this great people of yours?”

¹⁰ It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this.

¹¹ God said to him, “Because you have asked this and have not asked for yourself long life or riches or for the life of your enemies but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, ¹² I now do according to your word. Indeed, I give you a wise and discerning mind; no one like you has been before you, and no one like you shall arise after you.”

Leader: This is the Word of God for the people of God
All: Thanks be to God

Sermon Title:  “Solomon Most Wise” 

Closing Hymn: God of Grace and God of Glory…No. 577 (G)

Verse 1

God of grace and God of glory, on thy people pour thy power;
crown thine ancient church’s story;
bring her bud to glorious flower.
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage,
for the facing of this hour, (of this hour)
for the facing of this hour.

Verse 2

Lo! the hosts of evil round us scorn thy Christ, assail his ways!
Fears and doubts too long have bound us;
free our hearts to work and praise
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage
for the living of these days, (of these days)
for the living of these days.

Verse 4

Save us from weak resignation to the evils we deplore,
let the search for thy salvation be our glory evermore.
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage,
serving thee whom we adore, (we adore)
serving thee whom we adore.

Filled Up and Poured Out

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