Prayers of the Church - 6/18


I am praying for my church again this Sunday

Holy and Gracious Father, You have orchestrated all of history by Your Word. You spoke, and all that we see came into existence. You called to us while we were dead in our sins, while we were your enemies, and that Word brought us from death to life. We confess that we have much to be ashamed of in your presence, but our hope remains fastened to Your death on the cross and Your resurrection, for we know that there you have once and for all cancelled our debt.

Lord in your mercy, Hear our prayer

On this Father's day, we remember and recognize the gift of fathers. We thank you for the men who have raised us, for all their sacrifices and prayers for us, and for Your work of shaping us and training us through their vocation. For those of us who are fathers, we praise you for the amazing blessing of children. We pray today for all of our fathers and those here who are fathers. Give them strength and courage to be able to lead their families and raise their children well. Most of all, we thank you for the glorious and gracious blessing that You make Yourself known to us as our Father. You have adopted us as Your sons, through Your Son's work on the cross, and we are amazed and in awe of this truth.

Lord in your mercy, Hear our prayer

We thank you for the blessing of all the freedoms we enjoy, especially the freedom to worship you openly today. We ask that you would watch over our nation and give our leaders wisdom and courage. We pray for our president George, the members of his cabinet, all members of Congress and the Supreme Court, and all of our state and local officials. There are many who would seek to use their power to destroy rather than defend the freedoms you've given us, and we ask that you would protect us where they would not.

Lord in your mercy, Hear our prayer

We pray for our brothers and sisters throughout the world, especially those who suffer for your name. Be with the harassed, tortured and martyred Christians throughout the earth, and give them and their families courage and boldness to preach the Gospel in the face of opposition. Preserve and strengthen their love for those who hate them, and make their work fruitful. We also pray specifically for the missionaries we support. Keep them safe from harm and use their ministries to spread the Gospel.

Lord in your mercy, Hear our prayer

We pray for Reformation Lutheran Church. You have been so gracious to this church and we thank you for continually working in our midst. We pray that you would strengthen our unity, that you would help us to build a strong community of believers that encourage and edify each other. We pray that you would watch over our new building project and that you would use it to draw new families to this church that they might be fed with the truth of your Word as we have been. We ask that you would watch over and care for our Pastor Russ, and Jamie and Abigail. Keep them healthy and care for them. Give Russ the dedication and wisdom to preach your Word to the fullest of his abilities.

Lord in your mercy, Hear our prayer

We pray for those in our church and our families who are sick or in need of Your care. We ask that you would comfort and heal them. Father, we know that you are with all who are suffering. Even when we do not understand what You are doing, we know you to be a gracious God, and we trust that we will rejoice in your finished work at the end of history. It is in this spirit that we humbly and silently bring before you the needs we have...

Into Your hands, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in Your mercy, through your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, who taught us to pray:

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 we 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 and ever. Amen.

Posted: Sun - June 18, 2006 at 07:03 AM | | | | | | |

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