Rom 11:33-36

Oh, the depth of the riches
both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God!
How unsearchable His judgments
and untraceable His ways!

For who has known the mind of the Lord?
Or who has been His counselor?
Or who has ever first given to Him,
and has to be repaid?

For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things.
To Him be the glory forever. Amen.

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Father, your wisdom and knowledge are truly great, beyond anything any human can begin to comprehend. Your ways are not our ways and your thoughts are not our thoughts. May we, your people, conform our minds to yours through the power of your Spirit.

No man has ever met any need of yours because you are the all-powerful and all-sufficient God, the creator of every person and the one who meets our needs. You give us life; you give us food to eat and the talents with which we work; you give us salvation from our own sins. And you do things from your own grace and mercy. We owe everything to you.

May we bless your name and praise you forever.

Father, I come to you this morning to praise you and to ask you to work in the world according to your wisdom and love.

I pray that you would heal Madison from her ear infection. Show her your grace and care.

I pray that you would continue to look after Allen. I thank you that his knee is healing better than doctors originally feared. Help him recover and return to full strength.

I pray that you would continue to bless and care for the West family. Even as they have left the hospital, finally after all these months, they still need your care and watchful eye. Help Ella grow to live a happy, healthy life for your glory.

I pray that you would be with those families that have recently lost family members. Comfort Kim, whose brother died of Leukemia. Comfort Debbie, whose sister died; and be with that community. Comfort David, who lost a brother to cancer.

Father, I also ask that you meet the unspoken needs of your people. Show you power, mercy, grace and love to Marsha. Answer her prayers.

I pray that you would show yourself to Ms Wisher as she struggles with the news of her disease. If she is one of your children, help her know that you will never leave her nor forsake her, and that you have overcome the world. If she is not one of your children, I pray that you would call her to be part of your family.

I pray that you would reach out to Steve's father; take out his heart of stone and replace it with a heart of flesh; bring him to know you. Help our church reach out to him and show him your light.

Thank you God for the wonderful weather you have blessed us with recently. I pray that we would continue to receive rain to help us recover from our drought. And I pray for other areas suffering from drought. You are the Lord of all things, including the weather. And all things come from you.

I come to you this morning because I know that you are able to meet the needs of your people and you desire to meet our needs. Having sent your Son to serve as a propitiation for our sins, there is now no good thing you would withhold from us.

In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

A week's absence

OK, it's been about a week since I've posted. From the beginning, I wasn't sure if this whole prayer blog was going to work out. So far, I think it has been good to type out the prayers. But, this is also time consuming. But, it also provides a nice way to look back on prayers, and even repeat prayers. In the end, I want to keep plugging along, but I am still unsure about the long-term viability of the prayer blog.

In my last post, I mentioned writing to the author of a WORLD article. Since then, I was contacted for an editor about publishing my letter. So, all my readers (that's you Jennifer) can look forward to seeing that.

Now for the prayer....

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Great and glorious God, my Father in heaven, creator of the universe, I come to you in worship because I know you are all powerful, all gracious, all loving, all merciful and all righteous. If you were not all--the great I AM--there would be futility in asking of you. I could not approach you with faith that you can answer me. If you were not all good, I could not have faith to trust your answers to be good. But, you are both all and all good.

I am a sinful person whose very nature wants to rebel against you. Yet, you, in your infinite grace and mercy, chose to save me and call me your child. You chose to adopt me as a son. And that is why I can approach the throne of grace with confidence.

I thank you for a successful beginning to my biology classes. Be with me and guide me as I continue to learn and teach. Give me wisdom and strength to lead students in understanding your created world.

I thank you for the progress made in recent weeks with the building of our new dome. Help us be wise and made good decisions; help us find the right ways to invest your money in the home we will use to serve you and your people.

Bless Kori's sister Karla who is fighting cancer. Heal her; give her strength. Help her see your love and mercy through this time. Use this occasion to draw Karla and her family closer to you. May your will be done and may your name be glorified.

Bless Latrelle's father Alec and bring him better health. Be with his family and show your loving kindness.

Bless Alan Weese as he begins his service in the Army. This is a dangerous time for all the American service-members. Give them strength and courage. Keep them safe. Help them bring security to those places where they are sent.

And Father, I pray that you give the leaders of this country greater wisdom in how they use our troops. I pray for the President as he delivers his plan for the future of our nation. I pray that you would give the people of America greater wisdom to demand a government that fights for your values of justice, peace and righteousness.

Give your church a passion and commitment to stand up and fight for justice, peace and righteousness in government. Help you church be a light to the world. Too often, your church focuses on blaming the darkness for being dark when we should be looking to ourselves and asking why our light is so dim in the darkness. Give us a fire that burns inside us and illuminates the world around us.

Father, I continue to pray for the West family. Bless Josh and Tina West and their little daughter Ella. Help Ella continue to grow and strengthen. Give her family peace and draw them to you and show yourself to them in this time. If they do not know you, I pray that you would remove their hearts of stone and replace them with hearts of flesh. If they do know you, I pray that this challenge would be an opportunity for them to demonstrate your glory to everyone around them.
Bless Julie's brother Matt. Meet his needs in a way that makes your glory clear.

And I pray for the salvation of Steve's father Mark. Show yourself to him and replace his heart of stone with a heart of flesh. Adopt him as your child and give him a new life in Jesus.

Marriage on earth is a symbol of the church's eternal marriage to Jesus. So, bless our earthly marriages and help us lead marriages that honor their heavenly calling. Bless Ed and Tracy's marriage. Give them the grace and mercy to overcome whatever challenges threaten to tear apart what you have joined.

I thank you for the care you showed in Marsha's successful marathon. Now, she has a cold and I pray you would help her recovery.

I thank you for the blessing of Charlotte. Today, Jennifer and I watched her as she rolled over and over from her back to her stomach. I pray that you will help her continue to grow stronger; keep her healthy. Most importantly, though, I ask that you choose her as your child and when the time is right, call her to Jesus and give her a heart to respond and follow him.

And I praise you for the recent rains we have received in our area. After so many months of drought, we need the rain. Help us be thankful for your rain, and I pray you will continue to send the right amount of rain we need.

I ask you to prepare Debra for her upcoming surgery. And when the time comes, I pray you will be with the medical staff and give her a successful operation. Give her a good recovery and heal her.

I ask you to bless Lisa Hood's health. Make her strong and healthy. Bless her and show yourself to her.

I pray specifically for the members of my church. Give us a passion--a fire burning inside us--to worship you and glorify you. Give us a passion to know you better--to know you more deeply. Give us a passion for being a community of believers that encourages each other, corrects each other, and loves each other. Help us be a light in our city and our world. Give us a passion for your mission throughout the nations. I also pray for the Men's Ministry's upcoming BBQ. I pray you will bring many men to know you through this event and through the work of these men who reach out to their neighbors.

I pray for the ministry of Ionel. Help him find the financial resources he needs to continue his work in Serbia. Give your people a desire to give to your work. And I pray for the work of M and her friends in Asia. They work among the Muslim people--a challenging and often dangerous group to work among--yet they do so with grace and courage. Give them courage to continue to proclaim your good news. Continue to make paths for them to work through legal barriers and social barriers. More importantly, send your Spirit ahead of them to work through the spiritual barriers that block the hearts of so many people. Only you can change hearts, so I pray that you would do the work. As they plant and water the seed, I pray you will make it grow.

Father, you are truly great. May I come to know you better every day. Thank you for forgiving my sins and coming to me when I could not and would not come to you. I make all these requests known to you because of my faith that through Jesus you will hear and answer. Amen.

Psalm 32

Father, I am filled with joy because you have forgiven my rebellion against you. For years, I was your enemy, fighting against your authority. Still, I too often reject you and worship false idols. But, you are faithful to forgive me, and I praise your glorious grace.

Every day, I sin against you. I miss the standard of your perfection. I fall short of your glory. Yet, you do not hold my sin against me. Through Jesus, you have covered my sin. You look at me and see his atonement for my sins, and you do not find me guilty.

I celebrate you and your amazing grace! I am happy beyond comprehension. Yet, I ask you to give me even greater joy. Help me to see even greater joy in your grace. Help me to be so filled with joy that everyone around me sees what you offer. Make me a city on a hill to be a beacon for those around me. Help me show your glory so that more people will one day live eternally in your city.

Father, I know that everything I have comes from you. I thank you for the countless blessings you give me. I thank you for every thing I have, every breath I take. May I live my life for your glory. Help me to take up my cross and follow you. Give me boldness in proclaiming your greatness. Give me strength to resist temptation. Give me the love for others that would shine through me and draw people to you.

Father, I pray for the family of Scott Harvey. This is a difficult time as they deal with his death. His death shows us once again that we are not guaranteed tomorrow on earth. Help us to understand that we must use our time wisely for our eternal investment in your glory.

I also pray again for the family of Kamie Baker. Again, the death of a young parent shows that each day is a gift. Nothing on earth matters more than our eternal relationship with you. I pray that you would be with her family, especially Cheyenne, and bring them comfort that can only come from you. I pray this loss would bring them closer to you. I also ask you to be with family of the people injured in the other car. Heal them physically and spiritually.

And I ask you to continue blessing Josh and Tina West, and their little girl Ella. Help Ella recover and give her strength to grow up healthy and strong. Be with the medical staff and give them all wisdom and compassion. Guide them as they treat Ella.

I pray that you would be with Mike and Meredith. Meet their needs each day and show them that you are faithful. Bless them as they begin to build a marriage founded on you; help them build a marriage that would serve the world as a model of Christ's relationship with his bride, the church.

Bless Rhonda and her children and they begin to prepare for Frank's return home. Be with them as they reconnect with each other and family. Keep them safe and content as they travel.

Bless Leslie and she works through her math class. Help her succeed in school and achieve her goals.

Father, be with Latrelle's father Alec. Give him your mercy and healing. Bless his family.

And father, I ask that you be with those families who lost loved ones in the accidents on I-4 this past week. Be with those who are still in the hospital or have difficult recoveries ahead of them. Help everyone come to know you more through these events. Not even a bird dies apart from your will; I know you have a purpose in everything. May your purpose be done and may your name be glorified.

Father, bless my students as they prepare to finish their semester. For many of them, these are stressful times. They work so hard and are asked to do so much. Give them peace and help them succeed. And be with me as I work to finalize the semester. And bless me as I begin teaching a new subject.

I can approach your throne with confidence because of Jesus who is my advocate. I know that whatever I ask in his name, according to your will, will be done. Amen.

full of compassion and grace

Father, Creator of heaven and earth. Your majesty surrounds and fills your creation. Your glory engulfs your creation. You created the universe and set in place the laws the govern it (Jer 33:25). The earth is yours and everything in it (Ps 24:1). May all creation sing to your praise.

But father, through our sin, we have brought a plague upon the earth. The entire creation longs to be rescued (Ro 8:22). You created the earth and said it was good. You created man as the culmination of creation, and you said creation was very good. But, we sinned and brought disaster to ourselves and all creation.

Still, you did not leave us in that trap. We must all die, but you have worked so that we will not remain cast out from you (2 Sam 14:14). You sent Jesus to die for us. You raised him from the dead and gave us a new birth. You adopted us as children and gave us an eternal inheritance. May your church rejoice and delight in the amazing grace you have shown us. May we love you fully and live with unconstrained thanks for your greatness, your grace and mercy.

And father, may we turn our thanks into action for your creation. We live in a world where millions of people die every year because they lack clean water. We live in a world where malnutrition takes the lives of millions more. And still more lives are taken by simple diseases that could be easily prevented or cured if people had access to the care they needed.

I confess the sins I and so many in your church have committed by turning a blind eye to the needs of others. Awaken us to the cause of suffering people. Give us a heart that breaks over the suffering of others. Give us a heart that rejects the gluttonous and selfish focus in and around us. Give us a passion for helping those in such desperate need. Let us not be conformed to the pattern of the world any longer, but transform our minds to know your will (Ro 12:2).

Father, I ask that you bless and magnify the ministries of Christian organizations that serve your causes in the developing world. Groups such as Samaritan's Purse, Blood:Water Mission, World Vision, Compassion International, World Hunger Fund and others work to take your love across the globe. Help these groups find ways to use their resources efficiently and effectively. And put in the hearts of your people to provide the resources these groups need to do their work. And father, send your Spirit ahead of these groups to prepare the hearts of people to see your love in action through these ministries. Bless these groups so that they can save lives, but most importantly, bless people around the world by saving their souls.

And father, here in our own neighborhoods, there is great need. In my community, there are illegal workers struggling to survive. There are lonely people looking for hope. There are hurt people trying to heal. Give your people the strength, faith and wisdom to reach out to those in need in our own neighborhoods. May we preach good news to the poor, proclaim freedom for the prisoners, open the eyes of the blind and liberty for the oppressed (Lk 4:18).

Father, let us be a light to the spiritually blind around us. I pray you would open the hearts of my parents, Nick, Mark, Rick, Caroline, Jeri, Dawn, Frank, and Stacy. Show them your grace and draw them to you. Help me and other Christians be a witness for you to those who are still outcast from you.

I lift up to you again the desires of the friends and family. Give Mike wisdom to make the right decisions. Bring Frank home safe. Give comfort and healing to Nancy, Debra, Melanie and Ella.

Give your church wisdom and spiritual understanding so that we may know your will and bear fruit. May we glorify you along with all creation.

I pray in the name of my glorious savior Jesus. Amen.

from Psalm 145 and a newspaper

It's Sunday morning and I am back from teaching a Bible study on Psalm 145. And I just read a Baptist Press article on the spiritual changes at the Louisiana State Penitentiary.

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I celebrate your name God; you are my king.
Let me celebrate your glory always, forever.
You are great and mighty, loving and majestic, just and righteous.
You have been praised through the generations,
up to me,
let me continue your praises and pass them on to the future.
I want to praise you and make your glorious wonders known.
I want to share with joy the amazing nature of your works.
Let all your people praise you; let all the earth sing with joy for you.

Your greatness is beyond measure, more than any human mind can understand.
Let us place our trust in you because you are greater than any power.
I see so much I don't understand in the world;
in those cases, I must place my trust in your understanding,
in your greatness and goodness, in your unstoppable plan.

Before time, you planned creation; you planned to make your glory known.
You made Adam and planned to give him Eve.
And you planned to rescue them from their sin.
You have always had a chosen people.
You chose Abraham and gave him a nation.
You worked in the life of Job; you showed your power through his faith.
You chose Moses to bring your people out of Egypt.
You chose to carry them through the desert into the Promised Land.
You chose to save Daniel when he said death was little to him because he had you. And you made your greatness known to the king through your work.
You chose Jonah to carry your message to Nineveh; you were patient and loving with Jonah as he fled in the opposite direction. You were patient and loving with all the people of Nineveh; you warned them and heard their repentance.
You showed Jonah and all your people that you desire mercy more than sacrifice (Hosea 6:6)
Let your people, in view of your mercy, worship you by offering their bodies as a living sacrifice. Transform us show that we may know you (Ro 12:1).

From the beginning, from the sin of Adam, you promised salvation to your chosen people.
You gave us Immanuel.
You gave us a child who was human and God.
He lived the life we cannot live and died in our place.
But, you didn't leave him to rot in the grave.
His body did not see decay.
You raised Jesus from the grave and raised all your people with him.

You took us, a rebellious, unfaithful people, and you brought us to you.
You went out in search of your sheep.
You welcomed back those Prodigal children who flaunted their independence in ignorance.
You saved me, and I cannot help but be amazed.
You are truly more awesome, more glorious, more loving, more forgiving, more just, more righteous, more powerful, more wise than me.
I put myself in your control; I am your humble and joyful servant.
Help me to submit when my flesh wants to rebel.

May your praise be part of my life that the world would see you in me.
May I be a city on a hill, a lamp on a stand, so the world sees your glory.
Give me strength and boldness to proudly, faithfully, continually, effectively tell the world of your greatness.
Put in me a desire to share your wonders.
And send out harvesters into the field because the harvest is plentiful.

Father, I thank you for the great testimony of the missionaries in my life.
I thank you for their courage to go into dangerous locations.
Their faithfulness in following you, and your faithfulness is saving people through their work is a testimony for me to see.
I pray for M is Asia, who brings your name to the Muslim people. I pray for those who have come to know you through her ministry. Bless them and make them fruitful.
I praise you and your saints who have made the JESUS film available in 1,004 languages, truly bringing your good news to the ends of the earth. Be with those who are working to translate it into even more languages. Be with those who take the film and your good news out among the nations. Bring people from every nation to know you through this project and through the work of your church around the world.
I pray for Ionel who has faithfully served in various locations, but now lacks the funds to continue in his current ministry. I pray that you would meet his needs because there is nothing that stands in your way.
I thank you for the great testimony of George Muller who lived his life to show you can be trusted. You met his needs when he silently prayed to only you. Time after time, you met the needs of the children in his care. Time after time, you put in place answers to prayers before he even made them. You truly are a God who sees our needs even before we see our own needs.

Father, you are gracious and compassionate to your people.
May we be a blessing to you; and may we be a blessing to your world as we tell about you.
Your kingdom will last forever. Hallelujah.

You are a great help to those who suffer; you raise up those who bow down.
Father, I praise you for the work you have done in Angola, through your servant Warden Cain.
How great a testimony to your fame it is when an entire prison, the worst prison in our nation, becomes a place where you are known above all.

Truly, you set the captives free--not from the razor wires that encamp them, but from the spiritual darkness that enslaves them. Murderers and rapists turn their lives to you and become missionaries for you! Like in the life of Paul, you show that the most awful sins can be covered by the blood of Jesus. And you show that in Christ, we are all one. We were all sinners, we were all murderers in your eyes; for he who breaks one law breaks them all. You demand perfection. Nothing unclean can enter heaven and we were all unclean. Yet, while we were dead in our sins, you saved us. Through our faith in Jesus, we are saved, so that none can boast. It is you and you alone that deserves all the praise and glory and honor. You are our king and savior. You are our hope.

Father, I pray that the missionaries sent out from Angola, two by two, will change prisons around Louisiana. I pray that the truth that you change hearts, even the hearts of the most hardened criminals, would spread through the justice system. I pray that prisons around the nation would open their doors to you and your missionaries. I pray for the new seminary program in Mississippi State Penitentiary. May it bring you even more glory.

And I ask you to awaken in your people a thirst for righteousness and justice, that we would demand integrity in our justice system. I am thankful for the work of Project Innocence and so many people who have worked to right so many wrongs in our legal system. If only your people would rise up and demand accountability and truth, fairness and justice in our legal system. We are active in some political causes, but your people largely ignore injustices in our society. Forgive us this sin. Instill in us a love for the innocent--yes, we must fight for the innocent who are not yet born--but let us also fight for the innocent who languish in prison. It was a group of pastors who wrote a newspaper article condemning Martin Luther King Jr as he sat in a Birmingham Jail. Too often, your people forget the truth in your justice. Let us not ignore, anymore, the undeniable reality that countless people languish in jail for crimes they did not commit, and they have been forgotting by society. And let us not forget that while they may be countless to us, they are each known by you. Be with them and help them know that you are with those who are oppressed; bring them to rest in you and find their freedom in you regardless of the confines around them.

I also bring before you the needs of my friends who ask for the prayers of your saints.

Bless Nancy and bring her good through the medical tests she is undergoing.

Bless Jennifer and I in our building of our new home. Show us your faithfulness to meet our needs. Help us use our home for your glory, and no matter what, we first and foremost ask that your will be done.

Bless Jennifer's mother Debra, who will have surgery on her foot on the 24th. Heal her of the troubles she has had for so long. Show her that you truly are great--you can meet our needs--and that you are also compassionate.

Bless Frank and Rhonda. Bring Frank home safe. Bless their marriage as it can be difficult to spend so much time apart and then be brought back together. Let Rhonda demonstrate you through her relationship with her husband. Let her life be a testimony to you. Open Frank's eyes to you and save him. Again I pray that you would bless Frank's work in Iraq. He has spent so much of himself helping to bring safety to that nation; he has worked so hard to give the leaders of Iraq the skills they need to lead their nation in justice and safety. He wants desperately to see his work be successful. Give him success, but also help him know that it is not through his own strength, but through you that everything is accomplished (Dt 8).

Bless the Yungmann's as they make decisions that face them. Meet their needs and give them wisdom.

Bless the teachers who are working hard to prepare students. Bless them as they work toward the FCAT, but keep in their minds that teaching is not about the test, but about giving students the chance to reach their potential and fulfill the gifts and talents you have given them. May families come together with parents encouraging their children to learn and grow. May students come to school prepared and desiring to learn.

I know so many students come from broken families, families with few resources, or places with a host of other problems. But, you are above all these problems and can meet any challenge we face because you cannot be challenged by anything. Restore families, build our communities. Put it in the hearts of your people to share their resources with those who have less so that students can have the clothes they need, the food they need, the encouragement they need to grow in wisdom and stature. And may Christian teachers make an unmistakable difference in the lives of children as they model your love, grace, compassion, truth and glory to their students and colleagues. May your glory shine in the love your people show to others.

Be with Melanie White in this horrible time for her and her family. I cannot imagine the trials they face with this disease. I ask first that you would heal her. Show your glory, that you still do miracles. But, most importantly, your will be done; whatever happens, make your glory known; show yourself to be greater than any human trial, any disease. We follow your words in James 5:14 that those who are sick should ask your people to pray to you. Raise Melanie up according to your plan and wisdom.

In the same way, we pray for the family of Scott Harvey. Be with them in their time of sorrow. Comfort them. Show your compassion. And use this time to show your glory and bring your good news to any among that family who do not know you.

And be with the family of Danny Norris. They go through a very different course of suffering, but you understand their needs as well. You have a plan for their lives. Comfort them and bring them rest in you.

I pray for the salvation of Mark. Reach into his heart, take out his heart of stone, put in a heart of flesh. Write your word on his heart and save him. And I pray for the unspoken needs of Steve, as well. You know all our needs, and you work all things for our good.

You are a God who saves people. I ask you to show grace and bring salvation to my parents. Open their minds and hearts to you. Let me be a witness to them for you, but also bring other saints into their lives to share your glory. And I ask you to grant your grace and salvation to Jennifer's brother Nick. Show him you love him; show him the greatness of your goodness.

Father, I praise you for hearing my call to you. I praise you for your strength to answer prayer and your concern to give us all we need. May your name be shown great. May you be glorified. Your will be done.

And I ask all this in the name of Jesus.

Amen.