"Glory be To God On High" - 2017


Glory be to God on high, and in earth peace, goodwill towards men; we praise you, we bless you, we worship you, we glorify you, we give thanks to you, for your great glory. O Lord God, heavenly King, God the Father Almighty. O Lord, the only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ; O Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, that takes away the sin of the world, have mercy upon us. You that take away the sin of the world, receive our prayer. You that sit at the right hand of God the Father, have mercy upon us. For you only are holy; you only are the Lord; you only, O Christ, with the Holy Spirit, are most high in the glory of God the Father. Amen.

Great King and Sovereign, look upon our country and the nations of this world; including East Timor; Ecuador; Egypt; and El Salvador. May all know your peace on earth, becoming men and women of goodwill.

O God of armies, send forth your angels to preserve and protect our firefighters, Law Enforcement Officers, and our military members.

Yahweh Rapha, Lord our healer, sustain and direct our doctors, PAs, nurses, First Responders, and specialists – chiefly those who are on call or working right now. Thank you for their help and availability; and may they know they are appreciated and do good work.

You whose steadfast love is great above the heavens; whose faithfulness reaches to the clouds (Psalm 108.4), provide for us the rains and showers we need that we may rejoice in your goodness.

O LORD who hears our prayer, who sees our tears, who is the One who heals us (1 Kings 20.5); presently some who are immobilized by tragedy…; unbearable conditions…; physical and mental anguish…; and privations…; several are carrying around deep sadness and grief…; and many families are in disarray and disrepair... Please raise them up, delivering and restoring them, hip and thigh, body and soul, inside and out, that they may find good cheer in you and in your kindness, and happily and freely serve you all the rest of their days.

O LORD, who invites all to seek you while you may be found; to call upon you while you are near; who bids the wicked to forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; who beckons all to return to you, that you may have compassion on them, and abundantly pardon them (Isaiah 55.6-7); by your Spirit’s enlivening, turn around the hearts and lives of those who have consistently rejected you that they would embrace Christ Jesus freely offered to us in the Gospel.

O our God, our rock, in whom we take refuge, our shield, and the horn of our salvation, our stronghold and our refuge, our savior who saves us from violence (2 Samuel 22.3); help your Church in this world, including this congregation, as well as First Christian Missionary Baptist Church; Free Will Baptist of Edmond; First Hispanic Baptist; and First Indian Baptist Church. May we remember that you are our peace and have drawn us out of our tribalism and ethnic pride, to become one new man in Christ. 

As you have been with us in the past, watch over us in the present and into the future. May 2018 be rich and full of your good pleasure. And may it be a year that sees us growing in grace and faith. We ask all of this in union with your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.

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