Sunday, August 18, 2013

General Prayer Pentecost 13 Proper 15



Lord God heavenly Father, we long for Your salvation and hope in Your Word.  As we come to You in prayer grant us confidence in the promise of Jesus that you will hear and answer us for his sake:

Lord of hosts, help us to turn a deaf ear to all of those false prophets who speak lies in Your name and grant us a willingness to listen to those who speak Your Word.  Bless the colleges and seminaries of the church as they train men for the Holy Ministry so that there would always be those men who would speak Your Word faithfully.

We rejoice that You are the God of steadfast love who comforts Your people.  We pray that You would comfort those who stand in need of your help and heal those who are ill, especially Keaston.

Encourage us in our faith and strengthen us in our discipleship by the great cloud of witnesses who have come before us, testifying to Your faithfulness.  Grant us courage to follow their example and step out in faith.  Especially do we ask Your blessings on J.A. and Bernice as they celebrate their anniversary that their love for one another and You would grow through the years they share together.

Thousands of years ago Egypt’s king decreed the death of the children of the Hebrew slaves and yet the parents of Moses preserved his life out of love for him and faithfulness towards You.  Grant that it would be so in our own nation today that parents would love their children and preserve their lives. 

Watch over those who are persecuted for their faith in You.  Grant them courage to make the good confession of faith, counting their faith in You more valuable than their own life.  Comfort their families and remind Christians throughout the world that these persecuted brothers and sisters need our support and prayers.

We give You thanks and praise for the faithfulness of Your Son Jesus Christ that compelled him to go to the cross and die for our sins and for the peace that now exists between us and You on account of that sacrifice.  Make us people of peace in our neighborhoods and communities, bringing the fruits of his death and resurrection to bear on all of our human relationships.

Open our eyes to the signs of the times so that we would be prepared to meet Your Son Jesus when he comes again and stand before him unafraid and unashamed and until that day grant that we would run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus as the Author and Perfecter of our faith.  It is in his name that we pray.  Amen.

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