Thursday, January 20, 2011

General Prayer Epiphany 3, Series A


Lord God heavenly Father, we come to You in prayer to call upon Your name, praise You for Your righteous works, and worship You for your goodness:

We thank You for the work of those who proclaim Your righteousness throughout the world. Bless pastors and teachers, chaplains and missionaries as they tell the Good News of Your Son Jesus. Because so many people walk in the darkness of unbelief, continue to raise up workers for Your harvest field and equip us to bear witness to You as we have opportunity.

Since You desire that the coming generations would know You and serve You, You have ordained marriage and family as the foundation for our common life together. Strengthen the marriages and families of this congregation, that our homes would be places of godliness and love for one another. We especially ask Your blessing upon Craig and Helen as they celebrate their 30th wedding anniversary. Continue to bless them in body and soul and draw them ever closer to one another and you in love.

We confess You O Lord to be our true King and the Ruler of the nations. Bless and guide those who govern the nations of the world as Your ministers and those who bear the sword in defense of our nation. Give them gifts of wisdom and reason that they may govern justly. We especially pray for our own nation, its leaders, and our fellow citizens. Rid us of our national sins—especially the grievous sin of abortion—and lead us to support those agencies and ministries that keep before us the value of all human life.

Because we are united in Christ, grant unity to Your church on earth and especially to our own congregation. Help us to always regard one another as dearly loved brothers and sisters in Christ. Grant us the same mind and the same judgment on those things that are truly important and a willingness to live in peace and yield to one another on those things that do not matter.

As Your Son Jesus healed those who were afflicted by various diseases of body and soul, continue Your healing work among us. Especially do we ask Your healing for those who are ill in our own congregation and those near and dear to our own hearts. Bless the work of all medical personnel with your gifts of wisdom, skill, and compassion. Comfort those who mourn with the promise of the resurrection—that death is not the end for us but all who believe in Jesus will rise to eternal life.

Heavenly Father, Your Son Jesus Christ calls us to repentance, announcing that the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Help us by the Holy Spirit to turn from our sins and renew a firm faith in the powerful salvation Jesus has provided for us as a gift in His death and resurrection so that we can lead holy lives. As the disciples who worked by the Sea of Galilee, help us to so order our lives that Jesus’ call to discipleship would always come first in our lives.

Whatever else You see that we need, whatever is good for our neighbor and redounds to your glory, grant to us dear Father in heaven for the sake of Your Son Jesus Christ who taught us to pray:

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