Congregational Prayer - 24 August 2014

Lord God, who fills our mouth with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy; who has done great things for us for which we are glad; who has often restored our fortunes like streams in the Negeb. May those who sow in tears reap with shouts of joy! May they who goes out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, come home with shouts of joy, bringing their sheaves with them (Psalm 126). O Lord, hear our prayer.

 Lord, righteous and almighty God, remember your weather-beaten and tempest-tossed Church on this earth. Restrain her enemies, destroy their wiles, and hinder their violence! Preserve your saving truth to them and their children, and grant them to praise you with a joyful heart, even in the face of martyrdom and mayhem (Adapted from, “Reading the Psalms with Luther,” 127). O Lord, hear our prayer.

 We beseech you on behalf of this congregation; as well as Ebenezer Baptist Church; Emmanuel Baptist at S. Walker Ave and at N. Kelley Ave; Emmaus Baptist; and Evangelistic Baptist Church of Christ: along with our Reformed chaplains; Britton Price, Earl Vanderhoff, Dick Fisher, Mark Brooks, Michael Oliver, Bill Lamkin, Kevin McCarty and Andrew Spriensma; Lord Jesus, abide with your people in these latter evil days. Grant to your Church true shepherds and faithful pastors who preach your Word in its purity, and who lead your people in the way of truth. Preserve the souls of your children from being deluded by worldly wisdom and the teaching of men who walk after their own thoughts, and keep your flock steadfast in your Word to the end (Adapted from, “Reading the Psalms with Luther,” 66). O Lord, hear our prayer.

 Creator and Provider, we have received hopeful amounts of rain this year, but we continue to beseech you for more because our grazing lands, prairies, aquifers, springs, lakes and wells are still low or outright dried up. Fill up our lack that we may be refreshed and satisfied with your goodness. O Lord, hear our prayer.

 On that one Sabbath day, in the Synagogue, you restored a man’s withered hand, showing that you are Lord even of the Sabbath, as well as Lord of life and health (Mark 3.1-6); restore those whom we pray for – those with withered hearts and souls, as well as those with debilitating weaknesses, and draining ailments. O Lord, hear our prayer.
Again, Lord God, we cry out to you whose eyes are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good (Proverbs 15.3): see the evil being done in our days – evil against your people and others; evil inflicted in the name of religion; evil plotted and acted out on the unarmed and vulnerable; evil being advanced in adjudication and legislation; evil lurking in out-of-the-way places and out of sight settings. O God, see the evil, hear the groans and silent whimpers; rise up and roust evil out. And Lord, grant us to be part of the remedy. O Lord, hear our prayer.

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