3/18/08

Father, your power and glory are all around me. I see you working in the world in so many ways. Your grace and mercy are evident in the lives of friends who trust you through extreme trials. You are truly sufficient to meet all our needs. How can we not joyfully come to you in our times of need when we know you are the one who created the entire universe from nothing? Who else could possibly meet our every need? How can we possibly not come to you in our times of need when we know that you love us and showed that love by sending your son to serve as a ransom for us--rescuing us from our sins? Who else would possibly meet our every need? But, still, our sinful nature, our pride, our constant rebellion from your authority and power, leads us to try things our own way. How can we possibly come to you when our very nature puts us at war with you? Only through your calling and grace can we come to you; you change our hearts and draw us to you. Father, how thankful I am that you bridged the gap between us; when I was eternally lost, you came in search of me. Father, you sent your Son Jesus, who came down from eternal glory and lived and died for me, so that I could come to you. I pray that I would find my strength and security in you, rather than in myself. For I know that you are able to meet all my needs according to your glorious riches in Christ Jesus.

Father, I pray that you would be with Frank and he returns to Iraq. He is investing so many years of his life to this cause; bring him success and bring peace to that region. Help him prepare the security forces of that nation to maintain peace in their land. But, more importantly, change the hearts of the people there; for that is the only way true peace will come to them. And I pray that you would continue to bless Rhonda and her children through this difficult time. Give them peace in their hearts. And may they serve as a witness for you to Frank and others. I pray that you would bring people into Frank's life who can be a witness for you and show him your glory.

I ask that you would be with Marsha and her doctors; help them know what is wrong and how to fix it. Bring healing to Marsha. And work in the life of Joe to bring him to know you; change his heart so that he too could know the power of your love and grace.

I pray that you would bless Todd and Sheri as they search for a church. Help them have wisdom and discernment to find a church family that can meet their spiritual needs as well as offer a place for them to become part of a true community of people called out for your glory.

Father, please bless M in Asia as she reaches out to the people. Give her strength and peace in her heart through all the trying times; help her overcome every struggle. Your grace is sufficient. Give her success in her ministry according to your will. And I pray the same for all your missionaries throughout the world.

And Father, I pray that you would give Jennifer and me wisdom and discernment to know what is right in our lives; help us know which paths to take. We know that you, the God who would send his Son to die for us, would not then withhold anything we need to bring you glory. And we know that you would not hide your will from us. If anyone lacks wisdom, all he has to do is ask the one who gives generously; and so we ask you for your guidance in our lives.

We thank you for being not only great and powerful, but loving and gracious. While we were rebels deserving nothing but your wrath, you ransomed us through the death of Jesus; through his resurrection, you gave us eternal life. And now, we who were once your enemies, have become heirs with Christ to an unimaginable fortune of grace and glory. May we remember everyday we are here for you. May we remember that we are not here to be served, but to serve, just as Jesus modeled for us. Bless us as we enter the world each day to serve others for your glory.

I ask all these things in the name of Jesus. Amen.

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.

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.