Prayers of the Church - 6/19


For my third week, I lead the prayers of my church

Holy and gracious Father, Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, Comforter and Counselor Holy Spirit, we praise You our triune God - three in person but one in unity and power. You alone are God and we give thanks to You today for your amazing power in creation, your mercy and grace in salvation and your excellent and tender work in our lives. We are in awe of the wondrous things you have done, and we rejoice that though you are so greatly transcendent, you have condescended to not only redeem us, but to claim us as your adopted sons and daughters. On this Father's day we thank you, our Heavenly Father, for being such a glorious and wonderful father to us. We long for the day when we can rejoice in the fulfillment of all your work and worship you in spirit and in truth without the blemish of sin.
Lord, in Your mercy, Hear our prayer.

Heavenly Father, we rejoice too even in our sorrows, as your Word has commanded us: "We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because Your love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us." We have family and friends who are struggling with difficult times in their lives - from illness and infirmity to the emotional pain of damaged relationships. We confess that all these problems are due to the corruption and death that our own sin has brought into this world, but we also know that you have rescued us from our sin and you use these times to sanctify and strengthen us as your Word promises. Be with all those who are hurting, and use this time to conform them more fully to the image of Your Son.
Lord, in Your mercy, Hear our prayer.

We also pray on this Father's day for our fathers. We thank you for their role in our lives and for how you have used them to shape us. We lift up all fathers to you, and all parents, that you would sanctify them and empower them to raise their children well. Give them the knowledge, the conviction, and the ability to be excellent fathers, that their children would better serve, love and praise you.
Lord, in Your mercy, Hear our prayer.

We pray for those in authority, in both our church and our nation. We ask that you would be with all the members of the church council, those who serve on committees, the missionaries we support, and everyone who is active in this church. Give them wisdom to carry out your will, and we pray that they would actively and anxiously long to serve you well. Guide them through the power and truth of your revealed Word. Be with our nation's leaders as well. Help them to promote righteousness and punish those who do evil. May they use their power fearfully and carefully, and preserve them from corruption.
Lord, in Your mercy, Hear our prayer.

Lastly, we lift up our individual concerns to you. We bring our prayers silently before you now, and ask that you would give our hearts rest in the grace of your Providence......

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 19, 2005 at 08:00 AM | | | | | | |

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