Dear Father, thank you for your mercy and the salvation you have given us in Jesus Christ. Please forgive us for all our sins and shortcomings. Draw us to You, and begin a new work of grace in all of us.
Make us the people you want us to be. Fill our hearts and minds, our church with your fresh wind and fresh fire.
In Psalm 139, the psalmist writes "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me,and lead me in the way everlasting."
Break our pride, soften our hearts, and fill us to overflowing with your Holy Spirit, O God. Do all this so that the name of Jesus will be exalted throughout the earth.
In His name we pray. Amen.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Friday, September 10, 2010
Jesus warned us ...
John 16:33 "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
Matthew 24:6 ... see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. NIV
keep your head and don't panic. The Message
Don’t be alarmed! God's Word
"Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong." 1 Corinthians 16:13
Dear Lord, I praise You for Your holiness and righteousness. Your ways are perfect. Help me to know the right thing to do when facing certain struggles in my life. Help me know when to stand firm and when to turn away. I trust You. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Micah 6:8, "He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." (NIV)
"A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger." Proverbs 15:1 (NIV)
1 Timothy 2:1 I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone— 2for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 3This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 5For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6who gave himself as a ransom for all men—the testimony given in its proper time. 7And for this purpose I was appointed a herald and an apostle—I am telling the truth, I am not lying—and a teacher of the true faith to the Gentiles.
8I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer, without anger or disputing.
Lord God, Heavenly Father, help us to be those men and women; children of God, that lift up holy hands in prayer, without anger or disputing. Help us, each and every one of us, to call out to you in prayer and petition, asking you for wisdom, comfort, discernment, and peace. Lord, keep Satan and his demons away from Your church at Good Shepherd. He is not welcome here amongst us! Send Your Holy angels that the Evil One will have no power over us! Convict hearts with your love, mercy and righteousness that we will all seek forgiveness for our thoughts, words, and actions. Help us to love one another as You have loved us. Help us to speak only encouraging words to each other, to build each other up according to others' needs, so that it will benefit those who are listening and watching. Lord, close the mouths of those that are not of you. Convict the hearts of anyone who is only out to prove something about themselves and are doing nothing to improve and restore the relationships that have been bruised and damaged. Most of all Lord God, we ask that You, with Your mighty hand and outstretched arm, open the eyes of everyone and teach them what it is to know You ... really know You, not just know about You, but really have that personal relationship with You, dear Jesus. You are our Rock and our Redeemer; the One who was and is and is to come. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayers. Amen.
Matthew 24:6 ... see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. NIV
keep your head and don't panic. The Message
Don’t be alarmed! God's Word
"Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong." 1 Corinthians 16:13
Dear Lord, I praise You for Your holiness and righteousness. Your ways are perfect. Help me to know the right thing to do when facing certain struggles in my life. Help me know when to stand firm and when to turn away. I trust You. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Micah 6:8, "He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." (NIV)
"A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger." Proverbs 15:1 (NIV)
1 Timothy 2:1 I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone— 2for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 3This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 5For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6who gave himself as a ransom for all men—the testimony given in its proper time. 7And for this purpose I was appointed a herald and an apostle—I am telling the truth, I am not lying—and a teacher of the true faith to the Gentiles.
8I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer, without anger or disputing.
Lord God, Heavenly Father, help us to be those men and women; children of God, that lift up holy hands in prayer, without anger or disputing. Help us, each and every one of us, to call out to you in prayer and petition, asking you for wisdom, comfort, discernment, and peace. Lord, keep Satan and his demons away from Your church at Good Shepherd. He is not welcome here amongst us! Send Your Holy angels that the Evil One will have no power over us! Convict hearts with your love, mercy and righteousness that we will all seek forgiveness for our thoughts, words, and actions. Help us to love one another as You have loved us. Help us to speak only encouraging words to each other, to build each other up according to others' needs, so that it will benefit those who are listening and watching. Lord, close the mouths of those that are not of you. Convict the hearts of anyone who is only out to prove something about themselves and are doing nothing to improve and restore the relationships that have been bruised and damaged. Most of all Lord God, we ask that You, with Your mighty hand and outstretched arm, open the eyes of everyone and teach them what it is to know You ... really know You, not just know about You, but really have that personal relationship with You, dear Jesus. You are our Rock and our Redeemer; the One who was and is and is to come. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayers. Amen.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Congregational Meeting Tonight
Father God, Wonderful Counselor, Prince of Peace, You are all-knowing, all-powerful, and always present! Help us to remember that Truth deep within ourselves, so that even during times when we don't "feel" it, we know, by the faith You've blessed us with, that You are there, in control, knowing and providing what is truly best for us at all times.
Lord God, you already know what will happen tonight. You know the motives and desires of the hearts and minds of every person who will be in attendance. Lord, put up Your shield of defense by sending Your angels to guard against any and all evil that may be present. Protect Pastor Tritten and all those who seek only to glorify Your Holy name from the evil one ... the one who only seeks to kill, steal, and destroy anything that is of You! Help us to discern good from bad and put Your words in Pastor T's mouth that will convict hearts to look only unto You for guidance.
Be with our pastor today, Lord, as he continues to prepare for tonight's meeting. Holy Spirit, calm his heart and give him Your unspeakable joy and peace as he goes about his day. Give him a sense of wonder and awe as You wrap Your arms around him and his family. Fill his mouth so that whenever he opens it, your words will be given to him so that he will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel ... and that he will declare it fearlessly, as he should, speaking the Truth in love, both humbly and boldly for You, Lord!
Father God, open our ears; those ears of everyone at GS .. those at the meeting and those that are not. Give us listening ears so that we can hear the Truth. Close mouths that are not going to speak the Truth. Allow only speech that is from You, oh God ... only that which will build each other up according to our needs, not according to any human plans ... only from You, Lord.
Holy Spirit, fill us with Your mercy and grace and Holy discontent so that we will know what is of You and what is sinful and only man's desires. Thwart any plan or desires that come from our sinful nature, whether it be pride, arrogance, selfishness, idolatry, or complacency. Fill everyone associated with GS with the fruits of Your Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Use those fruits within us so that we may bear only good fruit, seeking only to serve others and to help them meet Jesus ... and continue to know, love, and follow Him.
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit ... You are God alone ... help us to focus on that, knowing You are going to do great things amongst us ... great things to carry out Your Great Commission. Please, Lord, use Pastor T and Good Shepherd Lutheran Church and School and everyone associated with GS to go and make disciples of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Not to us, Lord, but all to and for You!
In the mighty and everlasting name of Jesus, we pray! Amen!
Lord God, you already know what will happen tonight. You know the motives and desires of the hearts and minds of every person who will be in attendance. Lord, put up Your shield of defense by sending Your angels to guard against any and all evil that may be present. Protect Pastor Tritten and all those who seek only to glorify Your Holy name from the evil one ... the one who only seeks to kill, steal, and destroy anything that is of You! Help us to discern good from bad and put Your words in Pastor T's mouth that will convict hearts to look only unto You for guidance.
Be with our pastor today, Lord, as he continues to prepare for tonight's meeting. Holy Spirit, calm his heart and give him Your unspeakable joy and peace as he goes about his day. Give him a sense of wonder and awe as You wrap Your arms around him and his family. Fill his mouth so that whenever he opens it, your words will be given to him so that he will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel ... and that he will declare it fearlessly, as he should, speaking the Truth in love, both humbly and boldly for You, Lord!
Father God, open our ears; those ears of everyone at GS .. those at the meeting and those that are not. Give us listening ears so that we can hear the Truth. Close mouths that are not going to speak the Truth. Allow only speech that is from You, oh God ... only that which will build each other up according to our needs, not according to any human plans ... only from You, Lord.
Holy Spirit, fill us with Your mercy and grace and Holy discontent so that we will know what is of You and what is sinful and only man's desires. Thwart any plan or desires that come from our sinful nature, whether it be pride, arrogance, selfishness, idolatry, or complacency. Fill everyone associated with GS with the fruits of Your Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Use those fruits within us so that we may bear only good fruit, seeking only to serve others and to help them meet Jesus ... and continue to know, love, and follow Him.
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit ... You are God alone ... help us to focus on that, knowing You are going to do great things amongst us ... great things to carry out Your Great Commission. Please, Lord, use Pastor T and Good Shepherd Lutheran Church and School and everyone associated with GS to go and make disciples of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Not to us, Lord, but all to and for You!
In the mighty and everlasting name of Jesus, we pray! Amen!
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Peace Prayer
written by St. Francis of Assisi, prayed by many before us ...
Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer ...
Lord, make us instruments of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let us sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is discord, union;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness light;
Where there is sadness, joy.
Grant that we may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Lord Jesus, in Your name we pray for the peace that transcends all human understanding ... the peace that only You can give. Amen
Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer ...
Lord, make us instruments of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let us sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is discord, union;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness light;
Where there is sadness, joy.
Grant that we may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Lord Jesus, in Your name we pray for the peace that transcends all human understanding ... the peace that only You can give. Amen
Sunday, August 29, 2010
O God, let us be a generation that seeks ...
that seeks your face, O God of Jacob ...
We bow our hearts
We bend our knees
O Spirit, come make us humble
We turn our eyes from evil things
O Lord, we cast down our idols
Give us clean hands
Give us pure hearts
Let us not lift our souls to another
O God, let us be a generation that seeks,
that seeks Your face, O God of Jacob
Lord, we thank and praise You for the gift of freedom to gather for worship in Your house today! Thank you for meeting us there as we humbly but boldly praised Your holy name with song! Thank you for providing Your Word to us in the three scripture readings and through Pastor T's preaching ... Your message was heard by many, Lord, and we pray that we will heed Your Word, drink in Your Grace, and seek to find our purpose as we are called to be fishers of men.
Lord, our time together was short and the week ahead is long ... Holy Spirit dwell within us so that we continue to seek Your face throughout our days in all we do.
Whether we are working, playing, meeting, attending classes, interacting with family, dwell within us so that we will boldly, but lovingly, open our mouths to share the Truth of Your love. Strengthen us, send Your holy angels to fight off Satan and all his evil, and help us to share with others everything we know about Jesus and what he has done for us so that we can all enjoy community with You now and for eternity!
Father God, as we put Your Word in our hearts today, help us to remember Your promise from Hebrews 13:8 "Jesus is the same yesterday, and today, and forever!"
Help us, dear Lord, as Your church, the people of God at Good Shepherd, to always, always seek Your face, bend our knees to You, bow our hearts in prayer to You, never seeking another and always casting down our idols, help us to be a generation that teaches the next generation what it is to truly know, love, and follow You, Lord Jesus. Help us to be doers of Your Word!
We lift all of this up to You now, Lord ... and also asking that You remind us with a burning desire in our hearts to come back to You often throughout each day to call on You, praying without ceasing! In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.
We bow our hearts
We bend our knees
O Spirit, come make us humble
We turn our eyes from evil things
O Lord, we cast down our idols
Give us clean hands
Give us pure hearts
Let us not lift our souls to another
O God, let us be a generation that seeks,
that seeks Your face, O God of Jacob
Lord, we thank and praise You for the gift of freedom to gather for worship in Your house today! Thank you for meeting us there as we humbly but boldly praised Your holy name with song! Thank you for providing Your Word to us in the three scripture readings and through Pastor T's preaching ... Your message was heard by many, Lord, and we pray that we will heed Your Word, drink in Your Grace, and seek to find our purpose as we are called to be fishers of men.
Lord, our time together was short and the week ahead is long ... Holy Spirit dwell within us so that we continue to seek Your face throughout our days in all we do.
Whether we are working, playing, meeting, attending classes, interacting with family, dwell within us so that we will boldly, but lovingly, open our mouths to share the Truth of Your love. Strengthen us, send Your holy angels to fight off Satan and all his evil, and help us to share with others everything we know about Jesus and what he has done for us so that we can all enjoy community with You now and for eternity!
Father God, as we put Your Word in our hearts today, help us to remember Your promise from Hebrews 13:8 "Jesus is the same yesterday, and today, and forever!"
Help us, dear Lord, as Your church, the people of God at Good Shepherd, to always, always seek Your face, bend our knees to You, bow our hearts in prayer to You, never seeking another and always casting down our idols, help us to be a generation that teaches the next generation what it is to truly know, love, and follow You, Lord Jesus. Help us to be doers of Your Word!
We lift all of this up to You now, Lord ... and also asking that You remind us with a burning desire in our hearts to come back to You often throughout each day to call on You, praying without ceasing! In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.
Monday, August 16, 2010
Phillipians 1: 9-11
"And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best (to approve what is excellent) and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ--to the glory and praise of God." (NIV with Lutheran Study Bible)
The Contemporary English Version says: "I pray that your love will keep on growing and that you will fully know and understand how to make the right choices. Then you will still be pure and innocent when Christ returns. And until that day, Jesus Christ will keep you busy doing good deeds that bring glory and praise to God."
Father God, this is our prayer: that you fill us with your holiness, that our love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that we may be able to discern what is best; approving only what is excellent in Your sight; giving us the spirit of discernment; that we make the right choices. Lord, make us pure and blameless for today and the day Jesus comes back! Fill us with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ!
Holy Spirit, how do we get that holiness we long to have? Through Your Word and Sacraments! Fill us with the desire to dig into Your Word every single day, Lord. Your Word is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path, Lord. Without it, we are fools! Get our attention ... the attention of each and every member of our church council, ministry leader, and member! Lord, abide in us, draw us near to you. Put that unquenchable desire in our hearts so that we desire more of You just as a child desires candy or a baby craves milk!
Help us trust You above anything else, Father. Help us climb out of this valley that we've been caught in for some time now. Reach down and pluck us out and shake us so that we see what is so obvious ... that You love us and want the best for us. Help us trust You in that. Help us to seek Your Kingdom first, knowing that everything else will fall in place and be provided for us ... just as You've promised.
Father, forgive us when we put our trust in our own strategy more than your promises, and help us to focus all the more clearly on living in Your Word and Sacraments. We need you, Lord. Help us focus completely on You.
In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
The Contemporary English Version says: "I pray that your love will keep on growing and that you will fully know and understand how to make the right choices. Then you will still be pure and innocent when Christ returns. And until that day, Jesus Christ will keep you busy doing good deeds that bring glory and praise to God."
Father God, this is our prayer: that you fill us with your holiness, that our love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that we may be able to discern what is best; approving only what is excellent in Your sight; giving us the spirit of discernment; that we make the right choices. Lord, make us pure and blameless for today and the day Jesus comes back! Fill us with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ!
Holy Spirit, how do we get that holiness we long to have? Through Your Word and Sacraments! Fill us with the desire to dig into Your Word every single day, Lord. Your Word is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path, Lord. Without it, we are fools! Get our attention ... the attention of each and every member of our church council, ministry leader, and member! Lord, abide in us, draw us near to you. Put that unquenchable desire in our hearts so that we desire more of You just as a child desires candy or a baby craves milk!
Help us trust You above anything else, Father. Help us climb out of this valley that we've been caught in for some time now. Reach down and pluck us out and shake us so that we see what is so obvious ... that You love us and want the best for us. Help us trust You in that. Help us to seek Your Kingdom first, knowing that everything else will fall in place and be provided for us ... just as You've promised.
Father, forgive us when we put our trust in our own strategy more than your promises, and help us to focus all the more clearly on living in Your Word and Sacraments. We need you, Lord. Help us focus completely on You.
In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
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