"Clap Your Hands..." - 5 May 2019

(Today's prayer is wrapped about by Psalm 47)

Clap your hands, all peoples! Shout to God with loud songs of joy! For the LORD, the Most High, is to be feared, a great king over all the earth. He subdued peoples under us, and nations under our feet. He chose our heritage for us, the pride of Jacob whom he loves. O world rescuing God, thank you that in Christ Jesus all of us who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ, and that he himself is our peace, who has made both Jews and Gentiles, Billy Yanks and Johnny Rebs, Brazilians and Mexicans, Puerto Ricans and Cubans, Koreans and Japanese, Mongolians and Chinese, Republicans and Democrats – people from every tribe, tongue, and nationality, which he has redeemed, he has made us one by breaking down in his body the dividing wall of hostility (Ephesians 2.13-14). Be with your church all over this big, wide globe, including Heritage, your people in Venezuela, and Jones Chapel, Love Joy and Peace Church of God, Madison Street Church of God, and Philadelphia Church of God. Where, Lord, we have turned our backs to you and not our faces (Jeremiah 2.27), rectify and reform us; and draw together all of your people in a renewed unity that is centered on your Son Jesus Christ, and shaped by the sound words of our Lord and the teaching that accords with godliness, (1 Timothy 6.3). Hear our prayer, O Lord, and let our cry come to you (Psalm 102.1)!

God has gone up with a shout, the LORD with the sound of a trumpet. Sing praises to God, sing praises! Sing praises to our King, sing praises! We voice our desires for all who are down in the dumps, those recovering from ailments and antidotes, those unemployed or misemployed, those with looming tragedies on their horizons, those exhausted and expended, and others on our minds and hearts…. May they be strengthened and helped, so that they will shout your praises, and proclaim your compassionate greatness to all. And we voice our desires for those who are still in their sins…. That they would soon come to you with penitent hearts and steadfast faith, embracing and holding fast to your Son Jesus, to the unchanging truth of your Word, and to the fellowship of your church. Hear our prayer, O Lord, and let our cry come to you (Psalm 102.1)!

For God is the King of all the earth; sing praises with a psalm! God reigns over the nations; God sits on his holy throne. The princes of the peoples gather as the people of the God of Abraham. For the shields of the earth belong to God; he is highly exalted! We make supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings for all people, for kings, presidents, magistrates, prime ministers and all who are in high positions. May they be converted so that the princes will finally gather as your people, and that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. And from that milieu of peacefulness and lawfulness the Gospel may go forth brilliantly and unimpeded so that all people may be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2.1-4). We pray especially for Venezuela, Columbia, Sri Lanka, and other nations with trouble. Hear our prayer, O Lord, and let our cry come to you (Psalm 102.1)! In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.