"O Lord, Who Knows the Thoughts and Intentions of Our Hearts" - 14 October 2018



O Lord, who knows the thoughts and intentions of our hearts, we pray for the besieged and beleaguered peoples in our world, suffering from floods, droughts, tsunamis, hurricanes, unemployment, military threats, fears and pestilence. Please establish peace, justice, recovery and efficient economies in all lands, for the good of all, so that the Gospel of Jesus may spread unchecked, and that your Church may dwell securely in peace and quietness.

Guide our own leaders in this country to throw off selfish programs, cut-throat tactics, and dastardly devices; and to put on what is truly legitimate and will promote evenhanded integrity.

Give ear to our concerns as we pray for those who are in unbelief and for those who have disserted the Christian Faith….may they turn around and believe in your Son Jesus Christ, and have everlasting life.

We pray for our enemies that you would lead them and us from prejudice to truth; and deliver them and us from hatred, cruelty and revenge to faith, hope and love; and in your good time enable us all to stand reconciled before you through Jesus Christ your Son.

For your Church in all places, this congregation, Shields Blvd Baptist Church, Soldier Creek Baptist, Solomon Temple Baptist, and Sooner Baptist Church. Our desire is to see all who claim to be your people, to be holy, whole and health-giving in Jesus Christ. Therefore those who have stumbled into errors that dishonor you and create schism, restore them to your way of truth; those who have allowed their desires and ambitions to squeeze out brotherly love and create fights and wars, reinstate them in the cross-shaped ways of Christ; those who are towing the line and promoting decent doctrine and genuine godliness, encourage them by giving grace to the humble as you withstand the proud; and those who are standing firm against the pressures and persecutions of the world, strengthen them that in life and in death they may remain faithful witnesses.

Look upon the many seminaries in our land, those institutions that educate and form leaders for your church, especially the various campuses of Reformed Theological Seminary, Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary, and Covenant Seminary. May these seminaries have the instructors, administrators and money they need to function well. May each campus be an environment of thoughtfulness, decorum and genuine godliness.

LORD, since your eye is on those who fear you, on those who hope in you steadfast love, that you may deliver their soul from death and keep them alive in famine (Psalm 33.18-19), we intercede on behalf of those with cancer, MS, diabetes, Crohn’s, dementia, and other ailments…lift their hearts, grow them in the Christian virtue of defiant hope – a godly defiance against hopelessness and hollow despair, and do bring them lasting relief.

Thank you for inviting us to pour out our prayers, and promising that as we pray in Jesus’ name you hear us and will answer us. Amen.

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