"Blessed Be the God and Father..." - 14 January 2018


With Paul and all of the Apostles, along with the saints and martyrs who have gone before, and with our brothers and sisters world over, we lift our hearts in adoration: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. (Ephesians 1.3-10).

Build up, strengthen and fortify your church in all places, to include Friendship Baptist Church; Garden Addition Baptist; God’s Chosen People Baptist; and Good Shepherd Missionary Baptist church.

Cause the straying and stumbling to come back into your fold…; grab hold of those trailing off into heresy and right them…; give repentance to the schismatics…; and those who twist your Word to their own destruction and willfully corrupt your truth, bring their counsels to naught!

Give strength, health and hope to those who are weak and weary, sick and sore…

Govern and direct our country; guide and protect our President and Vice President; help our State; watch over our City; preserve us from folly and foes. And being reminded by the commemoration of Martin Luther King Jr, we pray: Almighty God, who has created humankind in your own image; grant us grace to fearlessly contend against evil and injustice, and to make no peace with oppression; and, that we may reverently us our liberty, help us to employ it in the maintenance and advancement of justice and truth in our communities, and among the nations, to the glory of your name.

Look kindly upon all nations, including Fiji, Finland and France. Turn them from plans and projects that are self-destructive; and steer them toward better ways and means for the good of their people and for the good of their neighbors.

Provide for all of our adult children who are in college, in the military, and in the corporate and educational world. May they mature with grace and strength and faith; may they flee the love of money, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. May they fight the good fight of the faith; and take hold of the eternal life to which they were called and about which they made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses (1 Timothy 6.11-12).

All we ask for your glory, our good, and the honor of Jesus. Amen.

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