December 31, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

WE THANK THEE, O Lord, for the work of each year, and for the rest of each night. We will lay us down both in peace and sleep, for Thou, Lord, only, make us to dwell in safety. Keep watch around us throughout this coming year, to protect us against the assaults of the evil one, to suggest to us holy thoughts, to defend us from all dangers, to lead us in the perfect way of peace, and to prepare us for the happy service of a new year. For Jesus' sake.

Amen.

December 30, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

God of all blessings,
source of all life,
giver of all grace:

We thank you for the gift of life:
for the breath
that sustains life,
for the food of this earth
that nurtures life,
for the love of family and friends
without which there would be no life.

We thank you for the mystery of creation:
for the beauty
that the eye can see,
for the joy
that the ear may hear,
for the unknown
that we cannot behold filling the universe with wonder,
for the expanse of space
that draws us beyond the definitions of our selves.

We thank you for setting us in communities:
for families
who nurture our becoming,
for friends
who love us by choice,
for companions at work,
who share our burdens and daily tasks,
for strangers
who welcome us into their midst,
for people from other lands
who call us to grow in understanding,
for children
who lighten our moments with delight,
for the unborn,
who offer us hope for the future.

We thank you for this day:
for life
and one more day to love,
for opportunity
and one more day to work for justice and peace,
for neighbors
and one more person to love
and by whom be loved,
for your grace
and one more experience of your presence,
for your promise:
to be with us,
to be our God,
and to give salvation.

For these, and all blessings,
we give you thanks, eternal, loving God,
through Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.

- Vienna Cobb Anderson

December 29, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

Dear Lord, I come with a thankful, yet fearful heart; thankful for your generous provision in the past, yet fearful of the uncertainty that surrounds me today. In the midst of this trial I ask not only for my daily bread, but also for my spiritual bread – the faith to wait patiently when your timing is not my timing – the wisdom to know the difference between my wants and my needs – and the gratitude that flows from remembering that every good and perfect gift I’ve ever received has come from your hand.

Pastor Larry Osborne

December 28, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

O my God, I know that you love me. And I know that you want me to be happy, safe and secure, But sometimes it's so hard to find you in all my troubles. I know that there are many people worse off than me, But please help me with my problems. I'm so worried, God. Please help me find the support I need. Please help me not to worry too much. Please help me to be humble enough to accept help from others. Please help me to stay away from the "what ifs" and the "if onlys." Please help me to remember to help others, even when I still need help. And please help me to trust in your loving kindness, your care and your grace. Because I know that you love me, and you know that I love you. And if all you want to give me right now is your love, Please let that be enough for me. Amen.

James Martin

December 27, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

Today I pray for our nation. I ask that you would give our President wisdom beyond his own understanding and the courage to chose the right path no matter how narrow the gate. I pray for all in authority over us that you would give them the grace and strength to stand against the temptation to use power as a weapon but rather to carry it reverently as one would a child. I pray for the spiritual leaders of our country that they would hear your voice and know your heart. I pray that they would lead from their knees and by that simple grace bring each one of us to our knees before your throne. Have mercy on our nation Lord, In Jesus name, Amen

Written by Sheila Walsh

December 26, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

Father God, I come into your presence so aware of my human frailty and yet overwhelmed by your love for me. I thank you that there is no human experience that I might walk through where your love cannot reach me. If I climb the highest mountain you are there and yet if I find myself in the darkest valley of my life, you are there. Teach me today to love you more. Help me to rest in that love that asks nothing more than the simple trusting heart of a child. In Jesus name, Amen

Written by Sheila Walsh

December 25, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

Nativity Prayer of St. Bernard of Clairvaux

Let Your goodness Lord appear to us, that we
made in your image, conform ourselves to it.
In our own strength
we cannot imitate Your majesty, power, and wonder
nor is it fitting for us to try.
But Your mercy reaches from the heavens
through the clouds to the earth below.
You have come to us as a small child,
but you have brought us the greatest of all gifts,
the gift of eternal love
Caress us with Your tiny hands,
embrace us with Your tiny arms
and pierce our hearts with Your soft, sweet cries.

St. Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153)

December 24, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

Christmas Eve Prayer

Loving God, Help us remember the birth of Jesus,
that we may share in the song of the angels,
the gladness of the shepherds,
and worship of the wise men.

Close the door of hate
and open the door of love all over the world.
Let kindness come with every gift and good desires with every greeting.
Deliver us from evil by the blessing which Christ brings,
and teach us to be merry with clear hearts.

May the Christmas morning make us happy to be thy children,
and Christmas evening bring us to our beds with grateful thoughts,
forgiving and forgiven, for Jesus' sake.

Amen.

Robert Louis Stevenson

December 23, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

Dear Lord, I am tired. I sit here surrounded by ribbons and paper, gifts and tags and I struggle to feel the spirit of giving. I can barely remember which gift is for whom and at moments it all seems so far from your birth. Help me to take this moment to think of the many gifts you have given to me, the many ways your grace has blessed my life. Help me to remember that each gift is a tiny mirror of the generosity I see so clearly in your life and of the many ways you shower me with such lavish and undeserved love. Let me sit here for just a moment and feel that joy in my heart. Thank you. Thank you.

December 22, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

What joy this brings me, Lord. Thank you for guiding me into the kitchen for some time of silence with you. The room fills with wonderful smells and I share tastes and samples with my family as they make extra trips through the kitchen on days like this. Thank you for each and every one of these special people in my family. They are like the ingredients of my own life, adding spice and heat and wonderful flavor and melding together into a unique dish designed to glorify you.

You know, God, cooking is quite a bit like my life. It's messy, I get careless and sometimes things don't turn out as I had planned. But in the mess of my life, that's where I can turn to you. Help me when I have to deal with being so imperfect. Bless me with humility when I grapple with my own poverty. Let me feel how deeply you love me, even when all I have to offer is scorched and humble.

Be with me Lord, in this kitchen today. Help me to take the time in this intimate silence with you, to pray for each person who will eat this food. Allow me to remember all of those around the world who have so little food, and bless those who share what little they have.

December 21, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

I sit here with my list, Lord, and I know I need help finding a balance. I am so looking forward to Christmas Day, with the family here, the company, the wonderful celebration. But, Lord, there is SO much to do! When will it all get done? How will I maintain any semblance of inner peace in this "peaceful" season?

I think, Lord, that I need some balance in my life. I feel so torn between wanting to cook and fill my house with wonderful welcoming smells, and wanting to finish decorating the house. I have shopping to do, the house to clean and cards to write and mail. When? How?

Help me, guide me, Lord. Help me to set priorities around doing those things that will bring me closer to you. Maybe my house really is clean enough, or maybe I can ask my family for help. Can the cards wait until a quiet afternoon after Christmas? Can my house decorations be simpler? Is there more than a little ego involved when I want so desperately to have my house "magazine perfect" for the holidays?

Help me rediscover the joy of simplicity, Lord. Help me to remember what I am celebrating. Help me to find it in my heart to call out, "Come, Lord Jesus."

December 20, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

Pour forth thy power, O Lord, and come:
Assist us by that mighty power,
so that by thy grace and merciful kindness
we may swiftly receive the salvation that our sins impede:
Who livest and reignest with thee
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
ever one God, world without end. Amen.

December 19, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

They are coming! Oh, dear Lord, like the Wisemen wandering toward the stable, visitors are heading to my house. I am so excited about this visit. But I can get so side-tracked about how my house looks, or the food that I serve. I can only keep this prayerful with your help.

Help me to stay humble this Advent and Christmas season. You invite us into the humility of the stable where you were born. Help me to remember that humble-ness and the simple joy of your birth. Let me stay focused on my guests, not on myself and my worries about my house. Guide me in rejoicing in who these people are and in loving them freely.

December 18, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

Thank you. What a gift this morning from you as I watched the blazing sunrise through a cloudy winter sky. It is hard getting up these dark mornings, Lord, and yet you gift me with a sight that I miss at other times of year, when the weather is warmer and the sun rises before I get up. I stared out the window at the red and purple light, gloriously framed by the gold of the rising sun. "Be still, and know that I am God" was the only thing that came to me. I watched in silence, filled with a sense of your presence in my life.

I am filled with gratitude this day for such a treasure and could feel it and see it as a gift from you. Thank you for your love. Today, let me carry a sense of how much you love me to send me such a gift. Let that awareness of your love change the way I treat others today. Let me be more reverent in the irritations of the day. I ask your help to move through my errands and holiday preparations today with peace and a sense of your sunrise in my heart. Your glory fills my spirit and I want only to give thanks with my life this day. Amen.

December 17, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

Adopted from Halfway through Advent - have I missed it?

Dear Jesus,

It's more than halfway through Advent and I'm not sure what happened. I really wanted to make this a reflective and calm season, preparing for your birth and pondering how you came into this world in such a stunningly humble way. But it's so busy and I'm distracted and sometimes even short-tempered with those I love the most. Where are you in THAT?

I am discouraged and wish I could start over. But as I sit here in the rare moment of silence, I contemplate your birth. In a bed of straw, with the smell of manure everywhere. It's a mess in that stable ... and come to think of it, my life is a little messy, too. I suddenly see that it is not just into the mess of the stable but into my mess that you enter the world. You came into a humble place and that humility is often where I live my life - feeling guilty or distracted and wishing I were a better person. But if I stop thinking of myself and focus on you, I realize that there you are, waiting to love me, even though I have so many unfulfilled good intentions about prayer, so many desires of how to change this fleeting Advent season.

I can begin Advent today and make this season deeper by making room in my heart for you. I can take just a moment before I get out of bed in the morning and feel the empty place in my life I so often fill with my busy-ness. It is there I need you the most. Come, Lord Jesus. Come into that dark and lonely spot in my heart. You know what my needs are more than I do. Let me feel your love. If I only carry that thought with me each day, it will prepare me for Christmas.

Thank you, Jesus. It's not too late. You are waiting to enter my life today, where ever I let you in. Help me to open my heart in these remaining days. Amen.

December 16, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

Purify our conscience, Almighty God,
by your daily visitation, that Thy Son Jesus Christ,
at his coming, may find in us a mansion prepared for himself;
who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.

1979 Book of Common Prayer

December 15, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

Stir up thy power, O Lord,
and with great might come among us;
and, because we are sorely hindered by our sins,
let thy bountiful grace and mercy speedily help and deliver us;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
to whom, with thee and the Holy Ghost,
be honor and glory, world without end. Amen.

1979 Book of Common Prayer

December 14, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

Merciful God,
who sent thy messengers the prophets to
preach repentance
and prepare the way for our salvation:
Give us grace to heed their warnings
and forsake our sins,
that we may greet with joy
the coming of Jesus Christ our Redeemer;
who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.

1979 Book of Common Prayer

December 13, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

Stir up our hearts, O Lord,
to prepare the paths of thine Only-begotten Son:
that we may worthily serve thee
with hearts purified by His coming:
Who livest and reignest with God the Father
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
ever one God, world without end. Amen.

December 12, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

Almighty God,
give us grace that we may cast away
the works of darkness, and put upon us the armor of light,
now in the time of this mortal life
in which thy Son Jesus Christ came
to visit us in great humility;
that in the last day, when he shall come again
in his glorious majesty to judge both the quick and the dead,
we may rise to the life immortal;
through him who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost,
one God, now and for ever.

1979 Book of Common Prayer

December 11, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

You are our eternal salvation,
The unfailing light of the world.
Light everlasting,
You are truly our redemption.
Grieving that the human race was perishing
through the tempter's power,
without leaving the heights
You came to the depths in your loving kindness.
Readily taking our humanity by Your gracious will,
You saved all earthly creatures, long since lost,
Restoring joy to the world.
Redeem our souls and bodies, O Christ,
and so possess us as Your shining dwellings.
By Your first coming, make us righteous;
At your second coming, set us free:
So that, when the world is filled with light
and you judge all things,
We may be clad in spotless robes
and follow in Your steps, O King,
Into the heavenly hall. Amen.

Unknown Author, 10th century

December 10, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

Father, all-powerful God,
your eternal Word took flesh on our earth
when the Virgin Mary placed her life
at the service of your plan.
Lift our minds in watchful hope
to hear the voice which announces his glory
and open our minds to receive the Spirit
who prepares us for his coming.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

December 9, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
ever faithful to your promises
and ever close to your Church:
the earth rejoices in hope of the Savior's coming
and looks forward with longing
to his return at the end of time.
Prepare our hearts and remove the sadness
that hinders us from feeling the joy and hope
which his presence will bestow,
for he is Lord for ever and ever. Amen.

December 8, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

Father in heaven,
the day draws near when the glory of your Son
will make radiant the night of the waiting world.
May the lure of greed not impede us from the joy
which moves the hearts of those who seek him.
May the darkness not blind us
to the vision of wisdom
which fills the minds of those who find him.
We ask this in the name of Jesus the Lord.

December 7, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

Father in heaven,
our hearts desire the warmth of your love
and our minds are searching for the light of your Word.
Increase our longing for Christ our Savior
and give us the strength to grow in love,
that the dawn of his coming
may find us rejoicing in his presence
and welcoming the light of his truth.
We ask this in the name of Jesus the Lord.

December 6, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

Stir up thy power, O Lord, and come,
that by thy protection we may be rescued
from the dangers that beset us through our sins;
and be a Redeemer to deliver us;
Who livest and reignest with God the Father
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
ever one God, world without end. Amen.

Such a Happy Girl!

Bailey loves going to the two churches we serve. The smaller church has a great nursery and the larger church has both a great nursery and day school. Bailey participates in the life of both churches and gets to experience all of the activities that are available to our children. She was at one of the nurseries recently on a night where we had meetings and a class and was having an absolute blast.

The pictures to the left show how much she loves hanging out at our churches. I hope that that enthusiasm stays with her for years and years to come!

December 5, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

God our Father,
you loved the world so much
you gave your only Son to free us
from the ancient power of sin and death.
Help us who wait for his coming
and lead us to true liberty.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen

Liturgy of the Hours, Saturdays in Advent

December 4, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

All-powerful God,
help us to look forward in hope
to the coming of our Savior.
May we live as he taught,
ready to welcome him with burning love and faith.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen

Liturgy of the Hours, Fridays in Advent

December 3, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

Lord Jesus Christ,
who is, who was, and who is to come,
we pray for the virtue of hope,
that amidst the trials and difficulties
of this world,
we may keep our hearts fixed
upon you, who reigns over the cosmos.
May your grace enliven us,
strengthen us,
and defend us,
as we await your coming in glory. Amen

David Bennett

December 2, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

Father, in the wilderness of the Jordan
you sent a messenger to prepare people's hearts
for the coming of your Son.
Help me to hear his words and repent of my sins,
so that I may clearly see the way to walk,
the truth to speak, and the life to live for Him,
our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen

December 1, 2009

Here is today's prayer (8th Century Advent Evening Hymn):

Come, Sun and Savior, to embrace Our gloomy world,
its weary race,
As groom to bride, as bride to groom:
The wedding chamber, Mary's womb.
At your great Name, O Jesus, now
All knees must bend, all hearts must bow;
All things on earth with one accord,
Like those in heaven, shall call you Lord.
Come in your holy might, we pray,
Redeem us for eternal day;
Defend us while we dwell below,
From all assaults of our dread foe.

November 30, 2009

Here is today's prayer (Catholic Prayer of Christ's Triple Coming):

Lamb of God,
You once came to rid the world of sin;
cleanse me now from every stain of sin.
Lord, you came to save what was lost;
come once again with Your salvific power
so that those You redeemed will not be punished.
I have come to know You in faith;
may I have unending joy
when You come again in glory.

New Saint Joseph People's Prayer Book

November 29, 2009

Today is the first Sunday of Advent and every day between now and Christmas, I invite you to join me in these special prayers of waiting and anticipation. Some will be prayers about our pace and the things we do this season while others will include some classics from a variety of traditions to help focus us on Christ's coming birth and promised return.

Here is today's prayer (The Great "O" Antiphons):

O Wisdom,
Holy Word of God
You rule all creation with power and true concern.
- Come teach us the way of salvation.

O Sacred Lord
and leader of ancient Israel
You communicated with Moses at the burning bush
and gave him the law on Mount Sinai
- Come to set us free by Your mighty arm

O Root of Jesse
raised up as a sign of all peoples
in Your presence kings become mute
and the nations worship before You
- Come to deliver us and do not delay

O Key of David
and Royal Power of Israel,
You open what no man can shut,
and You shut what no man can open.
- Come and deliver Your people
imprisoned by darkness and the shadow of death

O Radiant Dawn
You are the brightness of eternal light
and the Sun of justice.
- Come to enlighten those who sit in darkness
and in the shadow of death

O King of the Gentiles
and the long-for Ruler of the nations,
You are the cornerstone Who make all one.
- Come and save those whom You have created

O Emmanuel
our King and our Lawgiver
You are the Desired of the nations
and the Savior of all men.
- Come to save us, O Lord, our God!

November 28, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

Prayer for Healing

O God who are the only source of health and healing,
the Spirit of calm
and the central peace of this universe,
grant to me such a consciousness of Your indwelling
and surrounding presence
that I may permit You
to give me health and strength and peace,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

November 27, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

Prayer for Employment

God, our Father,
I turn to You seeking Your Divine help and guidance
as I look for suitable employment.
I need Your wisdom to guide my footsteps along the right path,
and to lead me to find the proper things to say
and do in this quest.
I wish to use the gifts and talents You have given me,
but I need the opportunity to do so with gainful employment.
Do not abandon me, dear Father, in this search,
but rather grant me this favor I seek
so that I may return to You with praise and thanksgiving
for your gracious assistance.
Grant this through Christ, our Lord.

Amen.

November 26, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

Thanksgiving Day Prayer

Heavenly Father, on Thanksgiving Day
We bow our hearts to You and pray.
We give You thanks for all You've done
Especially for the gift of Jesus, Your Son.
For beauty in nature, Your glory we see
For joy and health, friends and family,
For daily provision, Your mercy and care
These are the blessings You graciously share.
So today we offer this response of praise
With a promise to follow You all of our days.

Mary Fairchild

November 25, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

Dear Lord,
as my life declines
and my energies decrease,
more than ever hold me by Your Power,
that I may not offend You,
but daily increase in Your Love.
Give me strength to work in Your Service
till the last day of my life.
Help me to ever have
an increasing dread of venial sin,
or whatever would cause
the slightest withdrawal of Your love,
all day long,
and at night keep me close to Your Heart;
and should I die, ere the morning breaks,
may I go rejoicing in that vision
of Your entrancing beauty,
never to be separated from You.

Amen.

November 24, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

Dear Lord, through Your Apostle, St. Paul, You've taught us that there are three great virtues, Faith, Hope and Love, but the greatest of all is Love. Help me to understand that in order to love You and to love my neightbor, I must be alive. Father, help me to value my life, and all life, and give me courage to respect, defend, and, if necesssary, die to protect the right of everyone to live as You will them to.

Amen.

November 23, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

O God, King of all kings, and Governor of all things, whose power no creature is able to resist, to whom it belongeth justly to punish sinners, and to be merciful to those who truly repent; Save and deliver us, we humbly beseech thee, from the hands of our enemies; abate their pride, assuage their malice, and confound their devices; that we, being armed with thy defence, may be preserved evermore from all perils, to glorify thee, who art the only giver of all victory; through the merits of thy Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

November 22, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

Prayer in time of Need

Jesus, do not leave me alone in suffering.
You know, Lord, how weak I am.
I am an abyss of wretchedness,
I am nothingness itself;
So what will be so strange
If You leave me alone and I fall?

I am an infant, Lord,
So I cannot get along by myself.
However, beyond all abandonment I trust,
And in spite of my own feeling I trust,
And I am being completely transformed into trust,
Often in spite of what I feel.

Do not lessen any of my sufferings,
Only give me strength to bear them.
Do with me as You please, Lord,
Only give me the grace to be able to love You,
In every event and circumstances.

Lord, do not lessen my cup of bitterness,
Only give me strength
That I may be able to drink it all.

Amen.

November 21, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

Prayer in time of Debt

Almighty, everlasting God,
we beg of You to help us soon to pay off our debts to our fellowmen.
Give us strength and courage to persevere until the last penny is paid.
Give patience to those to whom we are in debt,
and let them not treat us unjustly.
Help us have great confidence in You and in the workings of Your providence,
trusting that You will always direct things to our greatest good.

Make us also fully realize that no debt to our fellowmen
can begin to equal the debt that we owe You on account of our sins,
to say nothing of the immense debt we owe You
for the gifts of Your Divine grace.
These we could never pay at all but for the coming of Your Son,
our Lord, Jesus Christ.
To Him be all honor and thanksgiving, now and forever.

Amen.

November 20, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

Prayer for World Peace

Lord, we pray for the power to be gentle;
the strength to be forgiving;
the patience to be understanding;
and the endurance to accept the consequences
of holding to what we believe to be right.

May we put our trust in the power of good to overcome evil
and the power of love to overcome hatred.

We pray for the vision to see and the faith to believe
in a world emancipated from violence,
a new world where fear shall no longer lead men to commit injustice,
nor selfishness make them bring suffering to others.

Help us to devote our whole life and thought and energy
to the task of making peace,
praying always for the inspiration and the power
to fulfill the destiny for which we and all men were created.

Amen.

November 19, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

Prayer for the Disabled

God of compassion,
in Jesus Christ you cared for those who were blind or deaf,
crippled or slow to learn.
Though all of us need help,
give special care to those who are disabled,
particularly those we name in silence...
By our concern may they know the love you have for them,
and come to trust you;
through Jesus Christ who came to heal.

Amen

November 18, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

Prayer for a Birthday

God our Father,
the birth of your Son Jesus Christ
brought great joy to Mary and Joseph.
We give thanks to you for (name) whose birthday we celebrate today.
May he/she ever grow in your faith, hope, and love.
We ask this in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Amen.

November 17, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

Prayer for Students

God of Light and Truth,
thank you for giving me
a mind that can know
and a heart that can love.
Help me to keep learning every day of my life,
for all knowledge leads to you.
Let me be aware of your presence
in all things and at all times.
Encourage me when work is difficult
and when I am tempted to give up;
encourage me when my brain seems slow
and the way forward is difficult.
Grant me the grace to put my mind to use
exploring the world you have created,
confident that in you there a wisdom
that is real.
Amen.

Charles Henderson

November 16, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

Prayer for Teenagers

With each new day that dawns I am growing up, O Lord.
It's not too soon to start thinking of what I want to be.
It's very hard, I think,
to make the right decision
but I pray that you will help and guide me.
Show me what to do,
let me share, someday,
my talents where they're needed.
And when you show me,
give me courage to be generous enough
to do what you want.

Amen.

November 15, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

O Lord,
In this time of need, strengthen me. You are my strength and my shield; You are my refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. I know, Father, that Your eyes go to and fro throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts long for You. The body grows weary, but my hope is in You to renew my strength.
I do not fear, for You are with me.
I am not dismayed or overwhelmed, for You are my God. I know You will strengthen me and help me; that You will uphold me with Your righteous hand. Even as the shadows of illness cover me, I feel the comfort of Your strength, O Lord.
Amen.

November 14, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

Jesus, Your array of miracles,
A true manifestation of Your Divinity,
Draws the admiration of searching souls.
Never let it be said, "Miracles do not exist!".
You are the living example of such actions.
Bless me with the faith to always believe,
To affirm the Supreme Power of Your miracles,
Be they of a physical or spiritual nature.
Grant me the aptitude to instantly perceive
The source of all supernatural occurrences,
So only Your Excellence shall be glorified.
Jesus, my existence is a wondrous miracle!

Amen.

November 13, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

Almighty God, and merciful Father, to whom alone belong the issues of life and death: Look down from heaven, we humbly beseech thee, with the eyes of mercy upon this child now lying upon the bed of sickness: Visit him, 0 Lord, with thy salvation; deliver him in thy good appointed time from his bodily pain, and save his soul for thy mercies' sake: That, if it shall be thy pleasure to prolong his days here on earth, he may live to thee, and be an instrument of thy glory, by serving thee faithfully, and doing good in his generation; or else receive him into those heavenly habitations, where the souls of them that sleep in the Lord Jesus enjoy perpetual rest and felicity. Grant this, 0 Lord, for thy mercies' sake, in the same thy Son our Lord Jesus Christ, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end.

Amen.

November 12, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

O heavenly Father,
Almighty God,
we humbly beseech Thee
to bless and sanctify this house
and all who dwell therein
and everything else in it,
and do Thou vouchsafe to fill it
with all good things;
grant to them, O Lord,
the abundance of heavenly blessings
and from the richness of the earth
every substance necessary for life,
and finally direct their desires
to the fruits of Thy mercy.
At our entrance, therefore,
deign to bless and sanctify this house
as Thou didst deign to bless the house
of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob;
and may the angels of Thy light,
dwelling within the walk of this house,
protect it
and those who dwell therein.
Through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

November 11, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

O Holy Spirit, You are the Third Person of the Blessed Trinity. You are the Spirit of truth, love and holiness, proceeding from the Father and the Son, and equal to Them in all things. I adore You and love You with all my heart. Teach me to know and to seek God, by whom and for whom I was created. Fill my heart with a holy fear and a great love for Him. Give me compunction and patience, and do not let me fall into sin.

Increase faith, hope, and charity in me and bring forth in me all the virtues proper to my state of life. Help me to grow in the four cardinal virtues, Your seven gifts, and Your twelve fruits.

Make me a faithful follower of Jesus, an obedient child of the Church, and a help to my neighbor. Give me the grace to keep the commandments and to receive the sacraments worthily. Raise me to holiness in the state of life to which You have called me, and lead me through a happy death to everlasting life. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Amen

November 10, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

Prayer for a Carer

Now I raise me up from sleep,
I thank the Lord who did me keep,
All through the night; and to Him pray
That He may keep me through the day.
All which for Jesus' sake, I say. Amen.

November 9, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

Marriage Prayer

We thank you, O God,
for the Love You have implanted in our hearts.
May it always inspire us to be kind in our words,
considerate of feeling,
and concerned for each other's needs and wishes.
Help us to be understanding and forgiving
of human weaknesses and failings.
Increase our faith and trust in You
and may Your Prudence guide our life and love.
Bless our Marriage O God,
with Peace and Happiness,
and make our love fruitful for Your glory
and our Joy both here and in eternity.

Amen.

November 8, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

Magnificat


My soul doth magnify the Lord : and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
For he hath regarded : the lowliness of his handmaiden.
For behold, from henceforth : all generations shall call me blessed.
For he that is mighty hath magnified me : and holy is his Name.
And his mercy is on them that fear him : throughout all generations.
He hath showed strength with his arm : he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He hath put down the mighty from their seat : and hath exalted the humble and meek.
He hath filled the hungry with good things : and the rich he hath sent empty away.
He remembering his mercy hath holpen his servant Israel : as he promised to our forefathers, Abraham and his seed, for ever.
Glory be to the Father,
As it was in the beginning

Amen.

St. Luke I.

November 7, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

Love prayer

God, my Father,
May I love You in all things and above all things.
May I reach the joy which
You have prepared for me in Heaven.
Nothing is good that is against Your Will,
and all that is good comes from Your Hand.
Place in my heart a desire to please You
and fill my mind with thoughts of Your Love,
so that I may grow in Your Wisdom and enjoy Your Peace.

Amen.

November 6, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

Lord, support us all day long
until shadows lengthen,
evening comes,
the busy world hushed,
the fever of life is over
and our life's work is done.
Amen.

November 5, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

Friendship Prayer

Father, I ask you to bless my friend reading this right now! Lord, show them a new revelation of Your love and power. Holy Spirit, I ask You to minister to their spirit at this very moment.

Where there is pain, give them Your peace & mercy. Where there is self-doubting, release a renewed confidence in Your ability to work through them.

Where there is tiredness, or exhaustion, I ask You to give them understanding, patience, & strength as they learn submission to Your leading.

Where there is spiritual stagnation, I ask You to renew them by revealing Your nearness, and by drawing them into greater intimacy with You.

Where there is fear, reveal Your love, and release to them Your courage.

Where there is a sin blocking them, reveal it, and break its hold over my friends' life.

Bless their finances, give them greater vision, and raise up leaders, and friends to support, and encourage them.

Give each of them discernment to recognize the demonic around them, and reveal to them the power they have in You to defeat it.

I ask You to do these things in Jesus name!

November 4, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

Fireman’s Prayer

When I am called to duty, God,
wherever flames may rage,
give me strength to save a life,
whatever be its age.
Help me embrace a little child
before it is too late,
or save an older person from
the horror of that fate.
Enable me to be alert,
and hear the weakest shout,
quickly and efficiently
to put the fire out.
I want to fill my calling,
to give the best in me,
to guard my friend and neighbor,
and protect his property.
And if according to Your will
I must answer death's call,
bless with Your protecting hand,
my family one and all.
Amen.

November 3, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

Disturbed Prayer

O Christ Jesus,
when all is darkness
and we feel our weakness and helplessness,
give us the sense of Your presence,
Your love, and Your strength.
Help us to have perfect trust
in Your protecting love
and strengthening power,
so that nothing may frighten or worry us,
for, living close to You,
we shall see Your hand,
Your purpose, Your will through all things.

St. Ignatius of Loyola

November 2, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

I asked for strength that I might achieve;
I was made weak that I might learn humbly to obey.
I asked for health that I might do greater things;
I was given infirmity that I might do better things.
I asked for riches that I might be happy;
I was given poverty that I might be wise.
I asked for power that I might have the praise of men;
I was given weakness that I might feel the need of God.
I asked for all things that I might enjoy life;
I was given life that I might enjoy all things.
I got nothing that I had asked for,
but eveything that I had hoped for.
Almost despite myself my unspoken prayers were answered;
I am, among all men, most richly blessed.

Amen.

November 1, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

Anglican Collect for All Saints

Almighty God,
who hast knit together thine elect
in one communion and fellowship
in the mystical body of Your Son, Christ our Lord:
Give us grace so to follow Your blessed saints
in all virtuous and godly living,
that we may come
to those ineffable joys
that thou hast prepared for those
who unfeignedly love thee;
through the same Jesus Christ our Lord,
who with thee and the Holy Spirit liveth and reigneth,
one God, in glory everlasting. Amen

Book of Common Prayer, 1979

Halloween Fun!

I spent the afternoon preparing and then participating in the Trunk or Treat event at the United Methodist Temple. Erica and Bailey were there too (along with hundreds of others!).

Here is a picture of Bailey and momma, all decked out for Halloween:





For a complete run of pictures from the event, check out Encounters' Facebook page at www.facebook.com/encounters

October 31, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

Gracious God,
you have called us to be the Church of Jesus Christ.
Keep us one in faith and service;
breaking bread together
and telling the good news to the world;
that all may believe you are love,
turn to your ways, and live to your glory;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen

October 30, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

O God, when I have food,
help me to remember the hungry;
When I have work,
help me to remember the jobless;
When I have a home,
help me to remember those who have no home at all;
When I am without pain,
help me to remember those who suffer,
And remembering,
help me to destroy my complacency;
bestir my compassion,
and be concerned enough to help;
By word and deed,
those who cry out for what we take for granted.
Amen.


A Thanksgiving Prayer
by Samuel F. Pugh

October 29, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

Litany of Thanksgiving

Let us give thanks to the Lord,
for he satisfies the thirsty,
he fills the hungry with good things,
and he heals the afflicted.
Let us celebrate his abundant goodness.

We thank you, gracious Father,
that you provide for all our needs,
for food on our tables,
for the clothes on our bodies,
for the beds we sleep in,
for the dwellings that shelter us.

We praise you, Lord,
for all your gifts that go beyond our basic needs,
for the things that make our work easier,
for the conveniences of modern life,
for the beauty and pleasure that you bring into our lives.
Thanks be to God!

October 28, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

Make Me an Instrument of Your Peace by St. Francis of Assisi

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love,
Where there is injury, pardon
Where there is doubt, faith,
Where there is despair, hope,
Where there is darkness, light,
Where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much
seek to be consoled as to console,
not so much to be understood as to understand,
not so much to be loved, as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
it is in dying that we awake to eternal life.

October 27, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

God give me your eyes so I might rightly perceive the world around me and see what you have called me to do this day.

God give me your heart so I might respond in compassion to those I have failed to engage or respond to in the past.

God give me your strength so I might persevere the awaiting storms.

God give me your peace so that I may be a gift of peace to others.

God, today let there be simply more of you and less of me.

It is in Christ's name I pray. Amen.

October 26, 2009

Here is this evening's prayer:

"We praise and thank you, O God,
for you are without beginning and without end.
Through Christ, you created the whole world;
through Christ you preserve it.
You made the day for the works of light
and the night for the refreshment of our minds and bodies.
Keep us now in Christ; grant us a peaceful evening,
a night free from sin; and bring us at last to eternal life.
Through Christ and in the Holy Spirit,
we offer you all glory, honor, and worship,
now and for ever. Amen."

From the Liturgy of Evening Prayer, Syria, 4th Century (United Methodist Book of Worship #574-5)

October 25, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

Direct me now, O gracious Lord,
To hear aright Thy holy Word;
Assist Thy minister to preach,
And let Thy Holy Spirit teach,
And let eternal life be found
By all who hear the joyful sound. Amen.

October 24, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

Faithful Shepherd, feed me
In the pastures green;
Faithful Shepherd, lead me
Where Thy steps are seen.

Hold me fast and guide me
In the narrow way;
So, with Thee beside me,
I shall never stray.

Daily bring me nearer
To the heavenly shore;
May my faith grow clearer.
May I love Thee more!

Hallow every pleasure,
Every gift and pain;
Be Thyself my Treasure.
Though none else I gain. Amen.

October 23, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

As a little child relies
On a care beyond his own;
Knows he's neither strong nor wise,
Fears to stir a step alone,—
Let me thus with Thee abide
As my Father, Guard, and Guide!
Amen.

October 22, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

Almighty God, Thy Word is cast
Like seed into the ground;
Now let the dew of heaven descend
And righteous fruits abound. Amen.

October 21, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

Abide, O dear Redeemer,
Among us with Thy Word
And thus now and hereafter
True peace and joy afford. Amen.

October 20, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

Abide with me! Fast falls the eventide,
The darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide!
When other helpers fail and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, O abide with me! Amen.

October 19, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank you for this treasured child of mine. Although you have entrusted him/her to me, I know he belongs to you. Like Hannah offered Samuel, I dedicate my child to you, Lord. I recognize that he is always in your care.

Help me as a parent, Lord, with my weaknesses and imperfections. Give me strength and godly wisdom to raise this child after your Holy Word. Please supply what I lack. Keep my child walking on the path that leads to eternal life. Help him to overcome the temptations in this world and the sin that would so easily entangle him.

Dear God, send your Holy Spirit daily to lead and guide him. Ever assist him to grow in wisdom and stature, in grace and knowledge, in kindness, compassion and love. May he serve you faithfully with his whole heart devoted to you. May he discover the joy of your presence through daily relationship with your Son, Jesus.

Help me never to hold on too tightly to this child, nor neglect my responsiblities before you as a parent. Lord, let my committment to raise this child for the glory of your name cause his life to forever testify of your faithfulness.

In Jesus' name I pray.

Amen.

October 18, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

Dear Lord,
My fear has trapped and consumed me. But I am tired of living under the weight of my fears. These verses reassure me of your presence and confirm that you are able to deliver me from my trouble. Please give me your love and your power to replace these fears. Your perfect love casts out my fear. I thank you for promising to give me the peace that only you can give. I receive that peace now as I ask you to still my troubled heart. Because you are with me, I don't have to be afraid.
Amen

October 17, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

Dear Lord,
You know the temptations that I am facing today. But your Word promises that I will not be tempted beyond what I can bear. I ask for your strength to stand up under the temptation whenever I encounter it. Your Word also tells me you will provide a way out of the temptation. Please, Lord, give me the wisdom to walk away when I am tempted, and the clarity to see the way out that you will provide. Thank you, God, that you are a faithful deliverer and that I can count on your help in my time of need.
Amen

October 16, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

Prayer for stress and anxiety

Dear Lord,
I need you now because I am full of stress and anxiety. Reading your Word brings comfort, as I ask you to come and take my heavy burdens. I take each burden, one by one, and lay them at your feet. Please carry them for me so that I don't have to. Replace them with your humble and gentle yoke so that I will find rest for my soul today. I receive your gift of peace of mind and heart. Thank you that I can lie down tonight in peace and sleep. I know that you, Lord, will keep me safe. I am not afraid because you are always with me. Please keep me daily, Lord, in your perfect peace.
Amen

October 15, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

Prayer for the Work Day

Almighty God, thank Thee for the job of this day.
May we find gladness in all its toil and difficulty,
its pleasure and success,
and even in its failure and sorrow.
We would look always away from ourselves,
and behold the glory and the need of the world
that we may have the will and the strength to bring
the gift of gladness to others;
that with them we stand to bear
the burden and heat of the day
and offer Thee the praise of work well done.

Amen.

--Bishop Charles Lewis Slattery (1867-1930)

October 14, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

Disturb us, Lord, when
We are too well pleased with ourselves,
When our dreams have come true
Because we have dreamed too little,
When we arrived safely
Because we sailed too close to the shore.

Disturb us, Lord, when
With the abundance of things we possess
We have lost our thirst
For the waters of life;
Having fallen in love with life,
We have ceased to dream of eternity
And in our efforts to build a new earth,
We have allowed our vision
Of the new Heaven to dim.

Disturb us, Lord, to dare more boldly,
To venture on wider seas
Where storms will show your mastery;
Where losing sight of land,
We shall find the stars.

We ask You to push back
The horizons of our hopes;
And to push into the future
In strength, courage, hope, and love.

-- Sir Francis Drake (1540 - 1596)

October 13, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

Prayer for Peace

Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace;
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master,
grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood, as to understand;
to be loved, as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

Amen.

--St. Francis of Assisi (1181-1226)

October 12, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

Prayer of St. Richard of Chichester

Thanks be to thee, my Lord Jesus Christ,
For all the benefits thou hast won for me,
For all the pains and insults thou hast borne for me.

O most merciful Redeemer, Friend, and Brother,
May I know thee more clearly,
Love thee more dearly,
And follow thee more nearly:
For ever and ever.

--St. Richard Chichester (1197-1253)

October 11, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

The Act of Contrition

O my God,
I am heartily sorry for
Having offended Thee,
And I detest all my sins,
Because I dread the loss of heaven,
And the pains of hell;
But most of all because
They offend Thee, my God,
Who are all good and
Deserving of all my love.
I firmly resolve,
With the help of Thy grace
To confess my sins,
To do penance
And to amend my life.

Amen.

--Reverend James Gibbons (1884)

October 10, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

Lord, today I have no words to grieve that which grieves you and the world...I have inadequate words to praise and honor you...I have too few words of gratitude...I wrestle to find the words I want to use. Compassion, gratitude, thanksgiving, praise, pity, concern, worry, hunger, thirst, are all words that I might use to describe my situation today. Some of these words are for you...some of these words are about me and you...and some of these words relate to the world I see around me. Holy Spirit, intercede for me this day; speak on my behalf. Draw me close to you, and continue the work of grace that you have begun in me. Do this not for my sake, but for the sake of Him in whose name we pray. Amen.

October 9, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

Holy God, we call on you as provider and sovereign Lord of our lives. We ask that you would place a hedge of protection around us...that you would be with us in our coming and going this day and always. Grant us the courage to live our lives in you and for you. Keep us from going astray in our day to day lives. Let us find our rest, our comfort and our refuge forever in you. We ask these things in Christ's holy and precious name. Amen.

October 8, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

Gracious God, your word teaches us that Paul had learned to be content in all things. Today we ask for that same level of gratitude and contentment in our own lives. Teach us that more is not the answer. Allow us to recognize that gratitude can be had for the little things and the nothings that we have in our lives. Draw us so close to you that we see that our joy and contentment is fulfilled in you alone. We ask this in Christ's name. Amen.

October 7, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

Gracious God, today we pray again for our students and our teachers. Open the hearts of our young ones that they would use the good gifts of their intellects and imaginations for growth and creativity. Empower our teachers with insight and grace. Place a hedge of protection around students and teachers alike. Allow there to be a spirit of peace to rest on our schools. And finally Lord, may even our learning and teaching be to your glory. In Christ's name we pray. Amen.

October 6, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

Holy God, we fear that the devil is trying to get a foothold in our lives by creating doubt...doubt in what you are doing and can do in and through our lives...doubt about what you can and will do in the lives of others...doubt about the vision you have given us. God, let us lean into you this day like never before. Let all of our fears and doubts be washed away in the outpouring of your Holy Spirit into our lives. Let us be freed from this bondage of fear and doubt, that we may continue our paths of joyful obedience and rest easily in you. It is in the holy and precious name of Jesus that we pray. Amen.

October 5, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

Let us not be confused today, O Lord, by our own designs and self-importance. Help us to recognize ourselves as created and you as Creator. With right vision, grant us the gifts and graces necessary to do what you have called us to. May we always remember that our labors are unto you. It is in Christ's name that we pray. Amen.

October 4, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

Holy God, tonight I witnessed another child of yours return to a life in you through your church. It is a blessing to be a part of what you are doing in our midst. I cannot help but be grateful for the discernment, courage, and faith that you placed in the lives of those who communicated your grace to this child of yours. Help us to be ever mindful of those around us. Give us your eyes to see their hurting and grant to us the gifts and graces to be able to reach out to them with your truth. Take away our fears, that we may never be afraid to extend a simple invitation. In Christ's name we pray. Amen.

October 3, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

Gracious Savior, today we pray for those we know who wrestle with all types of addiction in their lives. We have witnessed our friends and family members in bondage in ways that we sometimes struggle to understand ourselves. What we have witnessed, we wouldn't wish on anyone. What we have seen breaks our hearts as we are sure it must break yours.

Pour out your Holy Spirit into the brokenness of the lives of the addicts that we name before you in our hearts. Draw them to a place of wholeness in you. Eradicate any thought in their mind or desire in their heart that would cause them to act out in their addiction again. Free them from the bondage of addiction with the power that only you have. Fill the holes in their hearts and spirit that only you can fill. Heal them in your grace and permit them to know real joy once again. It is in the holy and precious name of Christ we pray. Amen.

October 2, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

Gracious God, today we pray for the willingness to open ourselves up even more to you. Penetrate our hearts with your words. Pierce us with your love. Tear down the walls that we have erected around us and allow us to be authentic with you and with one another. Empty us of all of those things that stand in the way of our relationship with you and with others. Then fill us with all that is holy and of you, that we may be filled to the point of overflowing and that out of that overflow, we might reach others with your saving grace. In Christ's name we pray. Amen.

October 1, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

Gracious God, today we pray for every person that comes through the doors of our churches. We would ask that you would open their eyes, their ears, and their hearts to the grace and mercy that you have in store for them. We would ask that all distractions are removed from their coming and their going. That they would be prepared and ready to worship you in our midst. We pray that you would prepare a message for them in song, in proclamation and in fellowship. May the prayers offered reach them and penetrate deep into their hearts. May they come into our midst---no your midst---and be forever changed; transformed from broken to whole, grieving to joyful, empty to overflowing. We ask these things in Christ's name. Amen.

September 30, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

Father God, today we pray for those who lead our churches. May our preachers have boldness as they proclaim the gospel. May they have discernment in ordering the life of your church. May they have wisdom beyond their normal capacity. May they have compassion so abundantly, that they no longer fail to see those in need. May they be found to be righteous in your sight. May they lead with vision. May they serve with humility. May they know rest and experience joy in their service. May they stay the course when others are bailing out. May they have the strength to face adversity. May they be used as vessels of your mercy and grace. We ask these things not for their sake, but to the end that your kingdom might grow exponentially and that all honor and glory remain yours both now and forever. Amen.

September 29, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

Lord of all creation, we pray today for those who lead us. We pray that they would become good stewards of the resources that they oversee. We pray that they would have broken and contrite hearts. We pray that your vision would be their vision. We pray that they would have discernment and wisdom beyond their normal capacity. We pray, dear God, that no matter what city, county, state, province, or country they lead in, that they would with hearts that are yours. Lord, make them vessels of your mercy and grace; agents of your compassion and justice. Use the leaders of this world to call peace out of chaos and to help usher in your kingdom. We pray in the holy and precious name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

September 28, 2009

It has been an amazing 24 hours. There were at least 5 people that rededicated their lives to Christ at Men's Emmaus Walk #125 and then I get home after a long day of church to find that my friend D-Man was baptized this morning. So this prayer is for them and for those who will follow in their steps.

Here is today's prayer:

My Lord and my Savior, we have witnessed the movement of your Holy Spirit in our midst in the days that have gone by. Help us to be diligent in our journeys with you. Continue to indwell us with your Spirit; to guide us and aid in our discernment. Continue to unleash the gifts you have placed in us, that we may not become islands unto ourselves, but rather strong links in the chain of faith. Continue to nurture within us the grace and mercy that comes from your Son alone. Help us to abide in you so that the world around us may know true grace, true mercy, and true love. In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - with all honor and glory forever yours. Amen.

September 27, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

Gracious God, we pray today for the new relationships that you have placed in our lives. We give you thanks for our new friendships and acquaintances. We ask that you guide us in relating to one another. Grant us compassion for our fellow sojourners. Give us your eyes to see those around us as you do. Help us to come alongside others in the same ways that you have done in the person of Jesus. Help us to encourage and support our new friends. Permit us to abide in you that our relationships might be what you have intended them to be. We ask these things in the holy and precious name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Amen.

September 26, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

Precious Lord, today the word hunger has been on my mind.

As I think back on the meals that I was able to partake in yesterday, I give thanks for the blessing that those meals have been to me. I give thanks for their nourishment. I give thanks for the people I was able to eat with. As I look forward to today, I give you thanks for the meals that are already before me.

As I eat and give thanks, I can't help think about the millions of people that have only one meal a day. And as I continue to eat and plan meals, I cannot get the image out of my head of the millions more that will have no meal at all today. Gracious God, my heart aches for these folks today. I call on you to provide for those in need. Teach us how we can be a part of feeding those who are hungry. Pour out your Holy Spirit into the lives of those who control the food and prevent it from getting to the hungry. Soften their hearts and help them, and us, to feed the world.

Physical food is not the only hunger on my mind today, my Lord. There is another hunger that we all are prone to suffer. It is the hunger that your holy scriptures remind us of when we read that we "do not live on bread alone." Help us in our hunger for you. Help us to seek you out in our hunger and desire for spiritual nourishment. Let us feast on your Word and at your table and be nourished and transformed. We ask these things, not for our own selfish sake, but for the sake of the one who lived and died and rose again; that all honor and glory of our nourishment and growth might be yours, both now and forever. Amen.

September 25, 2009

In the past few days, we have heard about a teacher who was stabbed to death at a school not far from where we used to live and an auto accident that took the lives of many not far from where we currently live. Today, my heart aches for those who have lost loved ones this week. To that end, here is today's prayer:

Holy God, there are people that are hurting in our communities because of the losses they have sustained over the past few days. We ask that you pour out your Holy Spirit into the lives of those who have recently lost loved ones. We ask that you come along side of them and wrap them in your eternal mercy and grace. We pray that with every breath they take, they know that you are there. Grant them the strength and the courage they need to acknowledge their human loss and to grieve. Grant them the perseverance necessary to navigate these stormy waters. Grant them peace, dear God, and restore their joy in you.

Precious Savior, grant to the rest of us the necessary compassion, boldness, love, and grace to come along side of those suffering in this way. Allow us to quiet our tongues. Permit our presence to be your presence. Grant us discernment and wisdom regarding when and how to speak and to help. Use us as vessels of your unending love.

We ask these things in one voice and one spirit, together as brothers and sisters in Christ, and solely for his names' sake. Amen.

September 24, 2009

Part of learning to pray and growing in our prayer lives is actually doing it (praying that is). So for the next couple of weeks (at least) I will be sharing with you my own prayers. These topics and issues are close to my heart. These printed words are words of conversation that I have with God both publicly as a pastor and privately as a follower of Christ. I hope that they help to give voice to the countless millions that are praying along similar lines all over the world.

Here is today's prayer:

Holy God, we pray today for the provision of those that find themselves unemployed or under-employed. Grant them the fortitude, grace and strength to make it through today.
Make hope a reality in their lives through your provision.

Give those with greater resources discernment and wisdom regarding how they can truly love their neighbors in the reality of this ever present and true need. Grant them the compassion and grace to act in micro and macro ways to bring healing and wholeness to these places of not enough.

We ask these things in Christ's holy and precious name. Amen.

More details about Encounters

Over the last couple of days, we have come across a number of people that are still unclear about what Encounters is and what it is not. In an attempt to help clarify, I want to offer the following details:

Encounters is the name that we have given to a very large outreach program here at the United Methodist Temple. Currently, there are a number of different ministries that are occurring under the "Encounters - an outreach of the United Methodist Temple" label.

#1 - Saturday evenings we are having a worship service (currently taking place about every other week, but scheduled to be weekly after the first of the year). This is a third worship service at UMT and is open to EVERYONE. The service follows a different order of worship and has a different style and feel to it, but it is a worship service that is open to anyone that wants to come. At this service, we preach a relevant gospel message that is applicable to everyone. This is not, I REPEAT IS NOT, just a service for folks in recovery. This is a service for anyone wanting to grow in their relationship with Christ (just like any other service here at the Temple).

#2 - On Thursdays we are offering a Bible study that we are currently calling Midweek Encounters (but the name is subject to change) that discusses the 12 steps of recovery from a biblical perspective. Because the steps came out of the scriptures we feel that they have some relevance to all Christians whether they are in a 12 step program or not. We believe that the 12 steps are 12 steps to a life of freedom in relationship to Jesus Christ and as such, everyone can benefit from studying them. Very basic Christian principles are at the heart of these steps. Things like honesty, faith, hope, love, confession, amends making, etc are all taken directly from the scriptures. These are things that all Christians are directed towards. As such, this class is open to anyone that wants to explore the relationship between the scriptures and the steps as it relates to their lives.

#3 - Came to Believe is the name of our Christian 12 step meeting that is specifically directed towards people in recovery. It operates like any AA, CA, NA or other 12 step group, but is open to people wrestling with any kind of addiction. This is a place where we can hold one another accountable to our programs of recovery and process what is going on in our lives from week to week. It is also a place where we do not have to check our relationship with Christ at the door.

#4 - Random Acts of Kindness are just our ways of being missional and evangelistic. Maybe a better way to put it is that these are additional opportunities to reach out to our community with the love of Christ. Sometimes this means taking care packages to families waiting in ICU, while other times it means working on a house (painting, etc). Through small gifts of service we are able to share the love of Christ with people in our communities.

#5 Lifegroups - Because the larger faith community meets on Saturday evenings, they miss out on Sunday school opportunities. Lifegroups is the small group version of Sunday School. These groups get together to pray for one another, study together, and serve together. These little communities help keep people from becoming disconnected in the larger community of faith here at the United Methodist Temple.

I hope that these descriptions have been helpful. I would ask that you do me a favor: if you are still unclear about any of the new outreach ministries or about our new worship service, please ask. It is important that everyone know and understand what is happening. With the right information, we can help direct people to the best fit for their worshiping and growing needs here at the Temple. To meet with me or find out more information about these happenings, please call the church office or email me at acts242@hotmail.com.

Many thanks and many blessings,

Russell

September 23, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

O God, our Father, help us this day to treat all men aright.

Help us to be a good example to those who are younger that we are; to be respectful to those who are older than we are; and to be at all times courteous to our equals.

Help us to be obedient to those who are set in authority over us; and to be just and fair and kind to any over whom we have control.

Help us to be sympathetic to those in distress, to be helpful to those in trouble, and to be kind to those in need.

So make us all this day to go about doing good as our Master did. This we ask for Thy love's sake. Amen.

From William Barclay's The Plain Man's Book of Prayers, page 66.

September 22, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

O God, our Father, help us to walk with wisdom all this day.

Help us never to flirt with temptation, and never to play with fire.
Help us never needlessly or thoughtlessly to put ourselves into a position in which temptation has the opportunity to exert its power over us.
Help us never to allow our eyes to linger, or our thoughts to dwell, on the forbidden things, lest their fascination be too strong for our resistance.

Help us to walk every step of today looking ever unto Jesus, that His light may be our guide, that His presence may be our defense, and that His love may be our strength and inspiration. This we ask for Thy love's sake. Amen.

From William Barclay's The Plain Man's Book of Prayers, page 56.

September 21, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

Eternal God, grant that we may count it a day wasted when we do not learn something new, and when we are not a little further on on the way to goodness and to Thee.

Help us to try to do our work better every day.
Help us to try to add something to our store of knowledge every day.
Help us to try to know some one better every day.

Grant unto us each day to learn more of self-mastery and self control.
Grant unto us each day better to rule our temper and our tongue.
Grant unto us each day to leave our faults farther behind and to grow more nearly into the likeness of our Lord.

So grant that at the end of this day, and at the end of every day, we may be nearer to Thee than when the day began: through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

From William Barclay's The Plain Man's Book of Prayers, page 52.

September 20, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

Eternal God, who has given unto us the gift of this another day, help us to use wisely and to use well the time which Thou has given unto us.

Help us not to waste time on the wrong things, and on the things which do not matter.
Help us not to spend time in idleness, so that the hours go back to Thee unused and useless.
Help us not to put off until tomorrow that which should be done today, and ever to remember that we cannot tell if for us tomorrow will ever come.

Help us to do with our might each thing which our hand finds to do, and to do it as unto Thee, that we may come to the evening time with nothing left undone, and nothing badly done: through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

From William Barclay's The Plain Man's Book of Prayers, page 48.

September 19, 2009

Here is today's prayer (it is an evening prayer, but with some modification could work as an examen for the previous day):

O God, our Father: as we look back across this day, we ask Thee to forgive us if today we have made things harder for others.

Forgive us if we have made work harder for others, by being careless, thoughtless, selfish, and inconsiderate.
Forgive us if we have made faith harder for others, by laughing at things they hold precious, or casting doubts on things they hold dear.
Forgive us if we have made goodness harder for others, by setting them an example which would make it easier for them to go wrong.
Forgive us if we have made joy harder for others, by bringing gloom and depression through our grumbling discontent.

Forgive us, O God, for all the ugliness of our lives; and tomorrow help us to walk more nearly as our Master walked, that something of His grace and beauty may be on us. This we ask for Thy love's sake. Amen.

From William Barclay's The Plain Man's Book of Prayers, pages 44-45.

Facebook and other Social Media - Must see Video

I get asked by colleagues in ministry all the time about why I am connected to Twitter and Facebook and other forms of social media. A friend recently sent this video to me and I thought that I would share it with you. It is called Social Media Revolution:



You may not be an innovator (I'm not---I am usually an early adopter); you may actually be a late adopter...but my thought is this: Don't ignore this revolution!

September 18, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

O God, our Father, save us this day from all the sins into which we so easily and so continually fall.

Save us from demanding standards from others which we never even try to satisfy ourselves.
Save us from being very easy on ourselves and very hard on others.
Save us from making excuses for things in ourselves which in others we would condemn.
Save us from being wide-open-eyed to the faults of others, and blind to our own.
Save us from taking for granted all that our loved ones do for us, and from never realizing how much they do and how much we demand.

Help us through this day to try to do to others what we would wish them to do to us, and so help us to fulfill the law of Jesus Christ. This we ask for Thy love's sake. Amen.

From William Barclay's The Plain Man's Book of Prayers, page 42.

September 17, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

O God, our Father, before we go out on the duties and the tasks of this day, we ask Thee to direct, to control, and to guide us all through its hours.

Grant that today we may never for one moment forget Thy presence.
Grant that we may take no step, and that we may come to no decision, without Thy guidance, and that, before we act, we may ever seek to find Thy will for us.

Be on our lips, that we may speak no evil word.
Be in our eyes, that they may never linger on any forbidden thing.
Be on our hands, that we may do our own work with diligence, and serve the needs of others with eagerness.
Be in our minds, that no soiled or bitter thought may gain an entry to them.
Be in our hearts, that they may be warm with love for Thee, and for our fellow-men.

Help us to begin, to continue, and to end this day in Thee: through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

From William Barclay's The Plain Man's Book of Prayers, page 38.

September 16, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

O God, our Father, who has bidden us to be lights in this dark world, help us throughout all this day to be a help and an example to all whom we meet.

Help us to bring comfort to those in sorrow, and strength to those who are tempted.
Help us to bring courage to those who are afraid, and guidance to those who do not know what to do.
Help us to bring cheer to those who are discouraged, and encouragement to those who are depressed.

And grant that, as we move among men and women this day, they may catch a glimpse in us of the Master, whose we are and whom we seek to serve. This we ask for Thy love's sake. Amen.

From William Barclay's The Plain Man's Book of Prayers, page 34.

September 15, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

Eternal and everblessed God, who are the Lord of all good life, we do not know what will come to us and what will happen to us today. Whatever comes to us, be Thou with us to guide and to strengthen, to comfort and control.

If temptation comes to us, give us grace to overcome evil and to do the right.
If we have to make important decisions, give us grace ever to choose the right way, and to refuse the wrong way.
If it will be difficult to witness for Thee, give us courage never to be ashamed to show whose we are and whom we serve.
If things go well with us, keep us from all pride, and keep us from thinking that we do not need Thee.
If we shall know sorrow, failure, disappointment, loss, keep us from all despair, and help us never to give in.

O Thou who art the Light of the World, be Thou with us today, whatever light may shine or shadow fall, that we may ever live and walk as children of the light: through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

From William Barclay's The Plain Man's Book of Prayers, page 32.

September 14, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

O God, our Father, who hast bidden us to live in fellowship with one another, keep us from everything which would make us difficult to live with today.

Help us never thoughtlessly or deliberately to speak in such a way that we would hurt another's feelings, or wound another's heart.

Keep us from all impatience, from all irritability, and from a temper which is too quick.
Keep us from eyes which are focused to find fault and from a tongue which is tuned to criticize.
Keep us from being touchy, and quick to take offense, and slow to forget it.
Help us not to be stubborn and obstinate, and keep us from the selfishness which can see nothing but its own point of view, and which wants nothing but its own way.

Grant unto us all through this day something of the grace and beauty which shone upon our blessed Lord.

Hear this our prayer, for Thy love's sake. Amen.

From William Barclay's The Plain Man's Book of Prayers, page 28.

Systematic Theology - Eschatology

Eschatology

Many theologians believe that our hope is “ultimately rooted in God’s presence” (Rieger, 176). There is some disagreement as to whether that presence is a current or future reality. Some suggest that the kingdom that we seek when we say the Lord’s Prayer is both now and then (Gonzalez, 161). Others, however, suggest that “more important than last things is the union of the soul with God here and now” (Pöhlmann, 60). To be sure, the reign of God is a reign of love and that love involves a different order of reality (Gonzalez, 162). I believe that the reordering of reality has already begun in our world through the in-breaking of God’s kingdom in all the ways that we have discussed God’s activity up to this point. The fullness of that reordering, however, will not occur until Christ returns. Such thinking leads immediately to questions of what happens when we die, heaven and hell, ultimate ends, and the parousia. These questions are personal, communal, and cosmic in nature; and it is to these last things that we now turn.

First, let us remember that our lives are radically altered by our faith in and commitment to God through Jesus Christ. That means eternal life begins at our acceptance in faith. But this is an already and not yet proposition. Our lives are reordered through justification and sanctification, but there is more beyond this life. In saying this, we must be cautioned against the tendency to reduce the gospel message to a get into heaven free type of message. None-the-less, there is life after death for both the believer and the non-believer. The believer will be in the presence of God, in body and spirit, for all eternity. The non-believer will experience eternal separation from God. These existences are respectively referred to as heaven or hell. Scripture tells us that there will be a new heaven and a new earth (Rev. 21:1). The old will pass away and the new will come; but I believe that in our finitude we are completely unable to grasp what that looks like. The greatest point of this new heaven and new earth is that the reordering of our love will be complete as we love God, each other, and creation the way that we were meant to.

Yes, I said hell. It seems that if we are to truly honor the way that God has revealed himself to us, then we must take seriously the claim of human freedom. For freedom to be true freedom, humans must be able to choose not to embrace God. While salvation is offered to the world through Jesus Christ, redemption only comes to those who embrace this gift of grace. Not embracing grace is an eternally serious continuation of a person’s chosen distortion of their original design. By choosing, these persons remain separated from God. These that are eternally separated will exist in hell. Fires that forever burn but never consume are difficult to fathom. What is fathomable, however, is how horrible it would be to be separated from God, from others, and from creation for all eternity. That is the reality of hell, regardless of its décor and activity; and that is scary enough! Although the reality must be conceded that hell exists, we ought never to cease praying that when it all ends, hell is empty.

Getting to these places or states of eternal existence is a question that has baffled theologians for thousands of years. I do not believe, as Luther did, that we go to sleep and nothing happens until Christ’s return; nor do I believe as Calvin did, that we go immediately to our full reward or punishment (Placher, 332). Additionally, intermediate states such as purgatory are tenuous. Instead, when death comes, those in Christ continue to be in Christ as our souls go on to be in the presence of God. Those not in Christ, begin to their eternal separation from God. Neither of these states is fulfilled, however, until Christ returns. Upon the arrival of the parousia those in Christ will be fully restored to the newly created order, including the bodily resurrection. How God will accomplish this is a mystery. We must trust that the Creator of the universe is capable of bringing about and faithful to bring about, what he has promised.

As already alluded to, the final destiny of all things is not fully complete until all of the created order is redeemed and there is a new heaven and a new earth. If we are to take seriously our commitment to God in his entirety, our commitment to God’s activity within the world, then we must admit that all of creation (not just humanity) benefits from God’s saving grace. Anything less could not be considered to come of God.

I look forward to your comments.

September 13, 2009

Here is today's prayer (designed especially for evening prayer, but could be used in the morning as an examen for the prior day):

O God, our Father, we thank Thee for this day which is passing from us now.

For any glimpse of beauty we have seen;
For any echo of Thy truth that we have heard;
For any kindness that we have received;
For any good that we have been enabled to do;
And for any temptation which Thou didst give us grace to overcome;
We thank Thee, O God.

We ask Thy forgiveness for anything which has spoiled and marred this day.
For any word which now we wish that we had never spoken;
For any deed which now we wish that we had never done;
For everything which makes us ashamed when we remember it;
Forgive us, O God.

Eternal God, who givest us the day for work and the night for rest, grant unto us, as we go to rest, a good night's sleep; and wake us refreshed on the morrow, better able to serve Thee and to serve our fellow-men.
This we ask, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

From William Barclay's The Plain Man's Book of Prayers, pages 24-25.

September 12, 2009

First published in 1959 and having gone through numerous reprints, William Barclay's The Plain Man's Book of Prayers has been a resource of prayers for fifty years. Although the language could maybe be a little more modern, there are some really great prayers contained in this little book. So for the next couple of weeks, we are going to go "old school"!

Here is today's prayer:

O God, our Father, who ever makest the light to shine out of the darkness, we thank Thee for waking us to see the light of this new day. Grant unto us to waste none of its hours; to soil none of its moments; to neglect none of its opportunities; to fail in none of its duties. And bring us to the evening time undefeated by any temptation, at peace with ourselves, at peace with our fellow-men, and at peace with Thee. This we ask for Thy love's sake. Amen.

From William Barclay's The Plain Man's Book of Prayers, page 24.

September 11, 2009

This just seemed like an appropriate prayer for today:

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and the wisdom to know the difference.

Amen.

September 10, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

O Lord, draw my life into conformity with your will.
Help me to remember and respond to Jesus' word, "A new
commandment I give to you, that you love one another;
even as I have loved you, that you will also love one
another (John 13:34).

Bring my life into sharply focused love. Integrate my
living around its true center. May every expression of my
life be a reflection of your grace and goodness.

Give "style" to my life, the style of Jesus Christ who
came as a servant, who happily gave himself, who lived
humbly, recreatively, faithfully, challengingly.

Simplify my wants.
Enrich my sense of community.
Make me participant in the lives of those in need.
Give me sensitive awareness and tenacious
strength to do what is right.

Form me by your will; order my living. Give clear
purpose to my life.

In the name of him in whose image we seek to grow. Amen.

~Thomas A. Langford Prayer and the Common Life, pg. 90

September 9, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

We thank you, O Lord God, for our families, for life
bound together, for love to give and to receive, for care
and readiness to respond, for common responsibilities and joy.

I pray for each member of my family. May we all keep
growing and spiritually maturing. Hear my prayer for _________
and _________ and __________ (Insert Family Members' names)

We pray for the larger human family,
for sensitivity to need,
for resolution to act and speak
from loving motives.

Hear our prayer for ________ and _________ and _________ (Insert specific requests for the larger human family)

We pray for our family in Christ, for life changed by your love and for shared commitment. With thanksgiving, we commend our family into your keeping.
In Jesus' name. Amen.

~Thomas A. Langford Prayer and the Common Life, pg. 75

September 8, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

Most gracious God,
our lives are enriched by other lives.
We receive our lives from you and we grow
as our communion with you grows.
We also receive life from other persons and we
grow through friendship and sharing.
Enrich us in every meeting, in every shared moment.

Help us to give love freely and to accept love gladly.
May we seek out and live within meaningful relationships.
Where friendship is lacking, lead us to new
opportunity and new experience of life together with
other people.

Good relationship is one of your choice gifts.
May our lives be enriched by those human relationships
you intend for us. Lead the right persons
into our lives, make us receptive and responsive to
them. Lead us to those others whom we can enrich by
our friendship.

In the name of our companion, Jesus Christ. Amen.

~Thomas A. Langford Prayer and the Common Life, pg. 70

September 7, 2009

Here is today's prayer:

O Lord, help me to see and understand myself properly
in relation to other people. I set myself in your will and
seek to find myself as your child. Melt me, mold me, fill
me with your gracious love.

Let me relax into your keeping. Remove anxiety, renew
me by your love. For these few minutes, let me not rush,
or press for results, or talk too much. Help me to trust
your sovereign goodness, to breathe deeply of your spirit.
It is good to spend time with you, to rest in your sustaining
presence.

As I think and read and pray, may I do it in the quiet
confidence that my life rests in you.

In the spirit and name of Jesus. Amen.

~Thomas A. Langford Prayer and the Common Life, pg. 65

Bailey and Salsa

We went to Tropical Grill this evening with family from out of town. As anyone who has ever had Mexican food or shrimp with us knows, if there is a red sauce to be dipped, Bailey is all over it. We first discovered this with a friend at Casa Ole. Well, tonight was no different. After dipping numerous chips into bowls of salsa (consuming far more salsa than chips), Bailey finally got tired of all the work, got a spoon from mommy and began to spoon salsa from one bowl to another between big bites of salsa from the spoon for herself.

She is definitely daddy's girl!





On another note, Bailey was eating bell peppers tonight and I thought it was a good time to introduce her to jalapeños (especially as much as she likes salsa). Needless to say, this was not a good idea. Bailey made several funny faces, spit out what little bit of pepper she had in her mouth and then drank lots of tea and ate some tortilla. Please don't worry, Bailey insisted, "its not hot any more" and went back to eating bell peppers.

Playtime with Bailey

Bailey and I had an opportunity to play just a little before mommy, aunt stephanie, and grandma Joyce got back from shopping and this is the little creation that we came up with for Mrs. Potato Head:



Its good to be 2!