3-Day Bible Reading Plan: Intercession is the Heartbeat of God.
“This moment is a perfect example of what is called ‘intercession’. I know that’s not a word we hear very often in our day to day, but it basically means to pray for someone else, bringing to God’s throne the concerns, the case, the burdens, of someone else. Think of my dad going to negotiate on my behalf with Guy. That’s a good analogy for intercession. Now this is a particularly crazy example of intercession, because of how forward Moses is with God. Rarely does someone speak as confidently to God as Moses does here. But I want to probe this example of intercession, because I think throughout Scripture, we see intercession is actually a sort of pipeline into the heart of God. In fact, this is my Big Idea for today: Intercession is the heartbeat of God.” - Pastor Jacob
Day 1:
Passage: Exodus 32:9-16 - “And the Lord said to Moses, “I have seen this people, and behold, it is a stiff-necked people. Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them, in order that I may make a great nation of you.” But Moses implored the Lord his God and said, “O Lord, why does your wrath burn hot against your people, whom you have brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? Why should the Egyptians say, ‘With evil intent did he bring them out, to kill them in the mountains and to consume them from the face of the earth’? Turn from your burning anger and relent from this disaster against your people. Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants, to whom you swore by your own self, and said to them, ‘I will multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have promised I will give to your offspring, and they shall inherit it forever.’” And the Lord relented from the disaster that he had spoken of bringing on his people. Then Moses turned and went down from the mountain with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand, tablets that were written on both sides; on the front and on the back they were written. The tablets were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, engraved on the tablets.”
Quote from Sermon: "Intercession is the heartbeat of God." - Pastor Jacob
Cross References:
Genesis 18:22-33 - Abraham intercedes for Sodom and Gomorrah
Numbers 14:11-20 - Moses intercedes for the Israelites after they rebel
1 John 2:1-2 - Jesus is our intercessor with the Father
Reflection Questions:
How does the story of Moses interceding for the Israelites make you feel about God?
Do you ever feel like interceding for others, even when it's difficult?
What does it mean to you that intercession is the heartbeat of God?
Day 2:
Passage: Romans 8:26-30 - “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. 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 among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.”
Quote from Sermon: "The Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans." - Romans 8:26
Cross References:
Hebrews 7:25 - Jesus is always interceding for us
John 16:13-14 - The Holy Spirit will guide us in prayer
James 5:16 - The prayer of a righteous person is powerful
Reflection Questions:
How does the Holy Spirit help you in your prayer life?
Have you ever experienced the power of intercessory prayer?
How can you grow in your practice of interceding for others?
Day 3:
Passage: James 5:13-18 - “Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit.”
Quote from Sermon: "The life of God is painted for us in the Person of Jesus, and what we find is that we worship a God who always lives to pray for us." - Pastor Jacob
Cross References:
1 Thessalonians 5:17 - Pray without ceasing
Philippians 4:6-7 - Do not be anxious; pray about everything
Matthew 7:7-8 - Ask, and it will be given to you
Reflection Questions:
What are some practical ways you can incorporate prayer into your daily life?
Who are some people you can commit to praying for on a regular basis?
How can you encourage others to grow in their prayer life?
Grow Deeper
How do you feel reading Exodus 32:7-16? What questions about God does it raise for you?
Have you ever found yourself praying for someone in your life out of sheer concern for them?
What does Jesus’ prayer in Luke 23:33-34 teach us about God?
What do you think it means that the Spirit intercedes for us with unutterable groans (Romans 8:26)?
Is there someone in your life you feel led to pray for on a more consistent basis?
How does it feel to know that Jesus is interceding even now?