O Lord, Mercifully Look Upon..." - 12 February 2017 AM and PM


Sunday morning:

O Lord Jesus Christ, our God, your mercies and loving-kindnesses have been from everlasting. You did become man and stooped to endure crucifixion and death for the salvation of all who rightly believe in you. You rose from the dead for our justification and ascended into heaven, and sit at the right hand of God the Father, from whence you shall come to judge the living and the dead; and as our great High Priest you regard the humble prayers of all who call upon you with their whole heart. Incline your ear and hear.

First of all remember your Holy Universal Church, which you have purchased with your precious blood, this congregation; these churches in the greater OKC area; Life Community Church; Life Covenant Church; Life Line Baptist Church; Life Restoration Center; Life Tabernacle; Living Faith Church; Living Waters Lighthouse; Christ Lutheran Church; and your servants who are under persecution for your sake and for the sake of your holy gospel. Confirm and strengthen your Church, enlarge and multiply her, keep her in peace, and preserve her unconquerable by the gates of hell forever. Heal the factions, quench the fuming of the God-haters, speedily uproot the weeds of heresy and bring them to nothing by the power of your Holy Spirit.

O Lord, mercifully look upon all ministers, pastors, Bishops and presbyters of your Church. May they build up and strengthen your people in all places, giving themselves faithfully to prayer and the ministry of the Word (Acts 6.4).

O Lord, mercifully look upon those who hate us and despitefully use us. Help us to love our enemies, to do good to those who hate us, to bless those who curse us, and to pray for those who abuse us. (Luke 6.27-28) Assist us to submit ourselves to every ordinance of man for your sake, whether to the President, or to governors and judges, including our State Senators, such as Roger Thompson, Greg Treat and Ervin Yen, as to those who are sent by you for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good. For we know and confess that this is your will, that by doing good we may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men (1 Peter 2.13-15).

O Lord, mercifully look upon all world rulers, to include Fuad Masum; Michael D. Higgins; Reuven Rivlin; Sergio Mattarella; Alassane Ouattara; Sir Patrick Allen; and Emperor Akihito; and on all other civil authorities. May their leadership lead toward peace and prosperity for all, as well as safety and security for your people in their lands.

O Lord, mercifully look upon our parents (…), our spouses (…), our brothers and sisters (…), our children (…), our relatives and our friends (…), and grant them your blessings both here and hereafter.

O Lord, mercifully look upon the aged, young, needy, orphans, widows, single parents, those in sickness and sorrow, distress and affliction, oppression and captivity, prison and confinement (especially these…..). Remember them, visit, strengthen, keep, and comfort them, and make haste to grant them, by your power, relief, safety, freedom, or deliverance, as they may need.

O Lord, mercifully look upon those who have never turned from their sins and believed in you, Lord Jesus, as well as those who have departed from the true faith and who have become dazzled by dissent and deviation (…), enlighten them by the light of your Holy Spirit, and bring them into the fold of your Holy Church. Amen.

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Sunday evening:

Almighty and indestructible God, you never grow old, and never succumb to Alzheimer’s or dementia; you never forget your promises, and never misplace your valuables; you speak, and your word is solid and sure; you plan out the end from the beginning, and all you have planned comes about. It is to you that we come, worshiping you in your greatness, adoring your majesty, singing your might, and offering ourselves as living, whole-person sacrifices, made holy and acceptable to you through Jesus Christ your Son, and in the power of your Holy Spirit. Now O Lord, hear our prayer.

Father, we implore your help and guidance for our denomination, this congregation and these PCA churches in Oklahoma: Christ Presbyterian Church-Claremore; Redeemer Presbyterian Church; First Reformed Presbyterian Church – Minco; Christ the King Presbyterian Church; and City Presbyterian Church.  Keep us from being swayed by the wooing, seductive voices of our age, those voices that beckon us to “go along to get along,” the voices that promise us “peace, peace” when there is no peace, those voices that tell us we can have respect and renown if we would but slide a smidgeon on this or skootch a bit on that. Like Jehoshaphat, may our hearts be courageous in the ways of the LORD. O Lord, hear our prayer.

Turn your eyes and cares onto those who are having trouble and turmoil in their marriages or with their children; those who find that life hasn’t gone where they had dreamed and are disheartened; and those who are in the ravenous grip of rapacious urges...Because you have not given us a spirit of fear, but the Spirit of power, love and self-control (2 Timothy 1.7), fortify them with the righteous resilience to work through their situation, looking above, where Christ is, seated at your right hand, and to turn neither to the right hand or to the left. O Lord, hear our prayer.

May your hand be on Txxxxx Wxxxx for good in all of the fund raising as well as in all the matters she needs to complete before she goes to Thailand. Also may your good, guiding hand be on Hxxx while he’s in Ethiopia; Jxxxxx Rxxxx, Mxxx and the kids in New Mexico; and Txxxxx in Australia. O Lord, hear our prayer.

Finally, take thought to our vocations, Lord. Those who are in transition or may well soon be (whether through lay-offs, graduations, transfers or job changes), make the way for them to have good, sturdy and steady jobs so they can care for their families. Those who are established in their work, may they prosper, glorify and enjoy you where they are. And those unemployed, may they trust you thoroughly, seek first your kingdom and righteousness, and see you open up new ways for them.  O Lord, hear our prayer.

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