Sunday Evening Pastoral Prayer - 29 September 2013

{Feel free to use this in your congregational, family, and personal prayers-Mike}

Adoration and Intercession:  Paul Miller reminds us in his book, “A Praying Life”, that the beginning of the Lord’s Prayer, “Our Father”, draws us to the encouraging conclusion that “[y]ou are the center of your heavenly Father’s affection. That is where you find rest for your soul” (34). That’s what our shorter catechism says, in a bit different way, “to draw near to God with all holy reverence and confidence, as children to a father, able and ready to help us” (Q and A 100). Let us now draw near.

O our God and Father, who turns rivers into a desert, springs of water into thirsty ground, and a fruitful land into a salty waste; and yet you also turn deserts into pools of water, parched land into springs of water; who, when your people are diminished and brought low through oppression, evil and sorrow, raises up the needy out of affliction, making your families like flocks, making the upright to see your replenishing work and to be glad, and bringing all wickedness to shut its mouth (Psalm 107.33-43); we thank and adore you: “O ye heights of heaven, adore Him; Angel hosts, His praises sing; all dominions bow before Him And extol our God and King. Let no tongue on earth be silent, every voice in concert ring - evermore and evermore.”

O GOD, the Creator and Preserver of all mankind, we humbly beseech you for all sorts and conditions of men: that you would be pleased to make your ways known to all humankind, your saving power unto all nations (Psalm 67.1). To this end, we ask you to fortify the work of our Missionaries, Reformed University Fellowship at OU, OSU and Univ. of Tulsa, as well as our Mission to North America Disaster Relief work (Rick Lenz, Laura Atherton and others). O Lord, hear our prayer.

We pray for the good estate of your Church universal {including God’s Time Tabernacle of Joy and Peace; Good Shepherd Ministries; Gospel Celebration Fellowship; Grace Baptist Church and Grace Bible Church}; that she may be so guided and governed by your good Spirit and holy Scriptures, that all of us who profess and call ourselves Christians may be led into the way of truth, and hold the true faith in unity created and produced by the Spirit, in the bond of peace (Ephesians 4.3), and in righteousness of life. O Lord, hear our prayer.

Looking across our world, and even at our own nation, our hearts are laden with grief and concern, Lord God. Evil, corruption, bigotry, and brutality seem to be on the rise – and that’s just in the Governments. Then on the streets, rioting, bloodshed, criminal exploits, drug-running, bombings and human trafficking run amuck, threatening the peaceful and vulnerable, taxing law enforcement and straining justice systems. Please raise up leaders in every land who will promote and bring about peace, stable economies, and decency. And turn the hearts of the inhabitants of each nation, that civil-sanity would be restored. O Lord, hear our prayer.

Holy God, by your right hand and holy arm, you rescued your people from the ham-fisted tyranny of Pharaoh; set them free from the oppression of Eglon king of Moab, from Jabin king of Canaan and his Army commander Sisera; you protected and delivered Jerusalem from Assyria in the days of Hezekiah, and later, your brought liberty to the Jews when hounded by Antiochus Epiphanes IV. You intervened on your people’s behalf when hunted down by Saul of Tarsus – even converting him; and years later you captured the heart of Constantine, thus making your people safe in the Roman Empire. Lord God, you are mighty to save! Save your people, O Father, save your people in Pakistan, Syria, Egypt, Lebanon, Kenya, Nigeria, and wherever else their life is in peril. O Lord, hear our prayer.

Finally, we commend to your fatherly goodness all those who are any ways afflicted or distressed, in mind, body, or estate; [especially ….] that it may please you to comfort and relieve them according to their various needs, giving them patience under their sufferings, and a joyful release and deliverance out of all their afflictions. O Lord, hear our prayer.

All of these prayers we offer through Your Son, Jesus Christ, as we now sing:

Hear our prayer, O Lord;

Hear our Prayer, O Lord.

Incline thine ear to us,

and grant us thy peace 

(Trinity Hymnal 728).