Friday, December 24, 2021

An Advent Letter on Christmas Eve

Friends, 

As we come into the last week of Advent 2021 I wanted to say something. 

I heard someone say last night that 2021 has been worse than 2020. I don’t know if that’s true for you or not. I know that for many these pandemic years have taken a significant toll on mental and emotional health, cracks in the seams of family relationships have become chasms, the lonely have felt more lonely and cut off than ever, financial struggles from lack of work have burdened to the point of breaking, and church attendance has atrophied. If you feel those frustrations, you’re not alone. I know some lucky few have actually found the pandemic a time of odd rest from business and hurried lives that has afforded them more time with family, less pressure from work, and even a time for reflection and setting new directions. 

Whichever your experience has been, you know the longing of anticipation. Anticipation that the pain and heartache will end, anticipation in beginning the new journey, anticipation at being set free from pandemic restrictions, anticipation of the new season right around the corner. Our whole world has groaned under this pandemic in one way or another, as life as we knew it got put on pause and societal ills got put on magnify. 

I feel anticipation of things we’re planning in the next few years. In fact, I want to say specifically to my friends involved with church planting: I hope you feel anticipation for the first time we get to have worship in Yukon. I hope you feel anticipation for seeing people in Bethany and Mustang and Yukon come to Christ. I hope you feel anticipation for making Christ known in our little corner of the woods. Our work for Christ won’t change the world (that’s God’s job), but the Holy Spirit will use our worship and work, our fellowship and fun, our service and sacrifice to change a few people’s worlds in our little corner of Oklahoma that God has given us as a gift. We get to participate in seeing the New Creation break in where God has called us to be.  

But we don’t see that in fulness until the actual return of Jesus. That’s Advent. Seeing the light, knowing the hope, smelling the goodies, but not getting to taste it until Christmas. Until Christ comes. Until the Last Day. 

I know some of my friends that don’t believe in the Jesus stuff I believe in will read that last part and cringe a little. The Last Day. Like Judgement Day? Yeah, like Judgement Day. I know you’ve heard condemning, mean-spirited people talk about Judgement Day and how sinners (maybe they were pointing at you, talking about you, which is why it felt especially offensive) are going to hell. No one likes to be talked to that way, and most people will rightly walk away from someone that yells at them that God hates them. When I talk about Judgement Day, I’m anticipating a day when all wrongs will be put right. A day when all the pain will stop. A day when every tear will be wiped from every eye, and death will be no more. Neither will there be mourning nor crying anymore for all the mental and emotional health problems, relational chasms, loneliness, struggles, sickness, arguments, disagreements, racism, -phobias, pandemics, pressures, and pains will have passed away, and you can finally experience that blessed time of never-ending celebration, opportunity, prosperity, and happiness. (See Revelation 21, especially verses 1 through 8. And even when you get to that uncomfortable stuff about people bring thrown into the fire: Do you not want murderers, the sexually immoral—like child molesters and rapists—or liars like conmen and swindlers brought to justice? That’s the Judgement Day I’m talking about. The day of never ending feast where wine and joy will flow and all the brokenness will be gone. 

But that day only comes with Jesus. We look forward to his return, just as the Israelites looked for the coming of their Messiah. Admittedly, their Messiah didn’t do things the way they expected or when they expected. Their Messiah came to a poor family in out-of-the-way Nazareth, lived in obscurity, and then died on a cross to pay for the sins of His People. But Revelation is clear that the next time he comes it will be quite a bit more, shall we say, flashy. And we know he has the power to do this because Jesus didn’t stay dead. He rose again from the dead after dying on the cross, proving Jesus is the indeed the savior of the world everyone has been and is waiting for—whether they realize it or not, Jesus is the resolution to all our groaning. 

But in the meantime. We wait. We anticipate. We hope. And I guess I just wanted to write to encourage you: keep waiting, keep anticipating, keep hoping; your hope will not be put to shame. Let your hope in Jesus fuel love for God, love for those around you, and love for the place God has called you right now, in whatever circumstances right now. Keep taking your struggles, pains, and tears to God in prayer. I know it’s taking forever. But healing is coming. I know it’s been hurting for a long time, but relief is coming. I know you want things fixed now, but justice and righteousness are coming. This hope is for you. It may be dark now, but light is coming. Jesus is coming. And that makes me want to celebrate. 

I hope you have Merry Christmas. 

Wes

Thursday, October 29, 2020

A PRAYER BASED ON Exodus 22:21-27, Deuteronomy 34:1-12, Psalm 90; Leviticus 19:1-2, 15-18, Psalm 1; 1 Thessalonians 2:1-8; Matthew 22:34-46, and BCP2019 Collect

Almighty and everlasting God, you govern all things both in heaven and on earth: Mercifully hear the supplications of your people, and in our time grant us your peace;

Father, we are but a moment in time, but you are forever. We may do great things, even as Moses did, and yet after a short time of mourning the world moves on. May we be ever so satisfied with the fact that you see us and know us, that we would ever lead faithfully and never think too highly of ourselves. Would you give churches pastors full of the Spirit and bless the work of of their hands for the growth and prospering of your kingdom and those souls within in their cities. Lead pastors to constantly remind your people that you have been and will be their dwelling place in all generations. I pray their work would never be in vain, but that they would walk approved before you, speaking the true gospel, being affectionate toward the people you give them, always considering them dear.

Holy Spirit, so teach the people of our churches to number their days that they may get a heart of wisdom; satisfy them in the morning with your steadfast love, that they may rejoice and be glad all their days. Let you work be shown to them and through them, let your favor be upon them and establish the work of their hands; oh yes, for churches establish the work of their hands and guide them such that they would be a beacon to tier communities, leading many to Christ; flourishing in holiness. Always protect the people of churches from sins of injustice, and give them hearts to love and value what you love and value. If there be any sin known or unknown where they have wronged or oppressed, may they remember how you deliver them from the devil, and create a picture in them of the gospel in their repentances. So work in them that they indeed would be a holy people, for you, their God, are holy. Work in their hearts that they would delight in you and your law, have their way established as the righteous; that they would love you with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength, and love their neighbor as themselves;

I pray all this through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.  Amen.

Sunday, June 28, 2020

Pastoral Prayer for June 28, 2020 from Psalm 89 and BCP-19 Proper 8

O God, Blessed Trinity,
I will sing of the steadfast love of the LORD, forever;
with my mouth I will make known your faithfulness to all generations.
For I said, “Steadfast love will be built up forever;
in the heavens you will establish your faithfulness.”
You have said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one…”
We thank you that in Christ, all your church is your chosen. We thank you that in Christ we can be before you as Son and Daughters, and we pray for the growth of your church. Here at Heritage, we continue to ask that even in the midst of pandemic, somehow, before this year is out, rather than decline, we would see 10 news families and 12 believer’s baptisms. We thank you that even in this we’ve had new visitors.
We pray that Bible believing, Jesus loving, gospel preaching churches all over Oklahoma and the world would see this sort of growth.
Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne;
steadfast love and faithfulness go before you.
In the midst of pandemic, turmoil also rages in our nation. Calls for justice go up. Where justice needs to be meeted out, you say the authorities are meant to be your servants: give authorities wisdom to bring justice and remove those agents and systems that would hinder justice. Where hearts celebrate and long for that which is evil, change hearts or bring them down. We thank you that even now there is movement where people are standing up and saying, We must no longer celebrate that which was wicked; there are people admitting that they did not realize that harm they did. That’s you at work.
Blessed are the people who know the festal shout,
who walk, O LORD, in the light of your face,
who exult in your name all the day
and in your righteousness are exalted.
For you are the glory of their strength;
by your favor our horn is exalted.
We lift up to you today those suffering from terminal diseases and their families. Soon those in Christ will indeed walk in the light of your face. As they prepare for death would you draw those who don’t know you to faith in their final hours, that your name would one day be praised when we find out just how big your grace is; provide the dying comfort that, as terrible as death is, death is not the end; for the Christian, to be away from the body is to be with you, and you promise that one day you will raise them who trust in you up in glory, with new bodies that will never die again. Praise you, thank you. Hasten that resurrection, Lord. I especially raise up to you Teresa who’s cancer will be taking her any time now, and we lift others up to you now…
I pray for the families and mourners of those who have already died. To be separated by death is a terrible thing. I can only imagine it is all the more terrible for those who don’t actually have resurrection hope. Would you use people’s deaths, whether from COVID or otherwise, to draw people’s minds and hearts to consider the purpose of their life and face their own mortality, use pastors performing funerals to boldly and compassionately proclaim the gospel and, Holy Spirit, draw people to hope even in the tears. I pray for the family and friends of my friend Frank who I hope has joined you now, and thank you that it seems you truly did draw him to peace in these last couple of years. We lift others up to you…
Remember how short my time is!
For what vanity you have created all the children of man!
What man can live and never see death?
Who can deliver his soul from the power of Sheol?
Only you, Lord.
O God, your never-failing providence sets in order all things both in heaven and on earth: Put away from us all hurtful things, and give us those things that are profitable for us; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. 
Blessed be the LORD forever!
Amen and Amen.


Sunday, May 31, 2020

Pastoral Prayer for Sunday May 31, 2020 (Pentecost Sunday) from BCP2019, Acts 2:1-21, Genesis 11:1-9, Numbers 11:24-30; Psalm 104; 1 Corinthians 12:3-13; John 14:8-17, John 20:19-23, John 7:37-39

Bless the LORD, O my soul!
O LORD my God, you are very great!
You are clothed with splendor and majesty,
covering yourself with light as with a garment,
stretching out the heavens like a tent.
Almighty God, through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, you revealed the way of eternal life to every race and nation: Pour out this gift anew, that by the preaching of the Gospel your salvation may reach to the ends of the earth;
But on this Pentecost Sunday, the division between race and nation is very visible, especially here in the United States. Please have mercy and let justice roll down like roaring waters. May cool heads prevail and may there be real movement to address systemic racism and social breakdown. Father, once upon a time at Babel you divided the people as a judgment upon them for trying to be God, and since that day you have been reuniting and reconciling the one human race. Would you do so today. May Your Spirit rain peace upon our country where right now outrage is sparking violent action, and would you, by your hand, protect people as they decide how best to respond, keep people safe today as the protests continue in Oklahoma City and in our nation: especially we pray for Moose and other police officers and national guard that seek only to protect and serve (…), give them wisdom and safety; and we pray for our black friends Dominique, Clifford, Jasper, and more (…) and especially we pray for Christian ministers who are black; here in Oklahoma City: Ernest, Michael, Derrick; and in our denomination: Mike Higgins, Thurman Williams, Wy Plummer, Carl Ellis, and many more; all these who feel the constant weight of being Christians who want to see reconciliation, but who know the constant fear that comes simply because they are black, even though they are those who seek to live righteous lives. Preserve them. Use their actions, and ours, to bring change. 
Bring down those who would use this as an opportunity for wickedness, vandalism, violence, and manipulation. As you brought people from many languages and ethnicities to become One People in Christ 2000 years ago upon the day of Pentecost, would you do so today, uniting people of all ethnicities, bringing justice where there is injustice, balance where there is imbalance, and peace to our nation.
But in all of this, we have a particular prayer for your Kingdom, that you would bring people to know Jesus Christ, for that is what brings true and ultimate reconciliation with you and with others. I continue to ask you for 12 baptisms of new believers and 10 new families this year at Heritage; but most of all I ask that in our City, nation, and world your name would be made known, lifted up, believed in, and you would draw many to faith. We lift up to you some of those we would like to see you save now. (…) Holy Spirit, come upon them as you’ve come upon us. And Lord Jesus, come soon!
May the glory of the LORD endure forever;
may the LORD rejoice in his works,
May my meditation be pleasing to him,
for I rejoice in the LORD.
Let sinners be consumed from the earth,
and let the wicked be no more!
Bless the LORD, O my soul!
Praise the LORD! Amen.


Sunday, April 26, 2020

Pastoral Prayer for 2020.4.26 Based on Psalm 116 and ACNA BCP 2019

Father, may our hearts say
“I love the LORD, because he has heard
my voice and my pleas for mercy.
Because he inclined his ear to me,
therefore I will call on him as long as I live.”
But chiefly are we bound to praise you for the glorious resurrection of your Son Jesus Christ our Lord; for he is the true Passover Lamb, who was offered for us, and has taken away the sin of the world; who by his death has destroyed death, and by his rising to life again has won for us everlasting life.
But many of us today feel like we’re still in the middle of darkness, we say,
  “The snares of death encompassed me;
the pangs of Sheol laid hold on me;
I suffered distress and anguish.”
There are people suffering from this quarantine, spiraling into depression, loneliness, alcohol abuse, drug abuse, child abuse, spousal abuse. Lord, have mercy and deliver people from these vices. We lift some of these and ourselves up to you now, […] Holy Spirit, draw their hearts to call upon Jesus, that they would say,
“Then I called on the name of the LORD:
“O LORD, I pray, deliver my soul!”
  Gracious is the LORD, and righteous;
our God is merciful.”
As we start to consider opening up our countries, states, and cities again, give wisdom to those who lead, the Wold Health Organization, the CDC, Presidents, Governors, Mayors, and all officials, to make wise decisions regarding what are the right steps to keep people as healthy as possible, but also to care for the financial well being of their places. We especially pray for President Donald Trump, Dr. Anthony Fauci, Governor Kevin Stitt, Mayor David Holt, and others […]
The LORD preserves the simple;
when I was brought low, he saved me.
Return, O my soul, to your rest;
for the LORD has dealt bountifully with you.
  For you have delivered my soul from death,
my eyes from tears,
my feet from stumbling;
I will walk before the LORD
in the land of the living.
  I believed, even when I spoke:
“I am greatly afflicted”;
I said in my alarm,
“All mankind are liars.”
  What shall I render to the LORD
for all his benefits to me?
I will lift up the cup of salvation
and call on the name of the LORD,
I will pay my vows to the LORD
in the presence of all his people.
Father, there are many today that we would like to see pray this prayer, to put their faith in you and find salvation. I pray for my friend Nigel, for family members, and for my dear neighbors in my own neighborhood whom I care about. We lift up to you those we want you to draw to salvation. […] O God, let us see 12 believer’s baptisms before this year is out. May many churches see the growth of the Kingdom brought about because of your hand on this pandemic. We trust you.
O LORD, I am your servant;
I am your servant, the son of your maidservant.
You have loosed my bonds.
I will offer to you the sacrifice of thanksgiving
and call on the name of the LORD.
Praise the LORD! 
Almighty God, you gave your only Son to be for us both a sacrifice for sin and an example of godly living: Give us grace thankfully to receive his inestimable benefits, and daily to follow the blessed steps of his most holy life; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.  Amen.

Saturday, March 28, 2020

Pastoral Prayer for 2020.3.29 Based on Psalm 130

Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD!
O Lord, hear my voice!
Let your ears be attentive
to the voice of my pleas for mercy!
You bid your faithful people cleanse their hearts, and prepare with joy for the Paschal feast; that, fervent in prayer and in works of mercy, and renewed by your Word and Sacraments, they may come to the fullness of grace which you have prepared for those who love you.
If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities,
O Lord, who could stand?
But with you there is forgiveness,
that you may be feared.
  I wait for the LORD, my soul waits,
and in his word I hope;
my soul waits for the Lord
more than watchmen for the morning,
more than watchmen for the morning.
Because we can trust you, O Lord, we lift up to you in this time of distress: Those that are ill; Front line workers; Those without work and wondering how they will make it; Kids in abusive or neglectful homes, likely made worse by the stress of our current situation; Our government and those in positions to make hard decisions; Our pastors and churches; Those with family members that are sick or dying but who cannot be with them because of the virus; Those who are postponing things like funerals indefinitely; People missing out on important life events like weddings, graduations, births, and other big life events, (I think of my friend Catherine, who is valedictorian, yet will never get to walk or give a valedictorian speech); we pray for First responders and our superb medical professionals; we ask for your Holy Spirit to work in us Faith over fear; we also seek to humble ourselves under this time of pandemic, and see those around us asking big questions, and for your grace to rightly present the gospel in new ways that speaks to their hearts and minds, that we would have wisdom in the ways we would communicate and comfort people and point them to Christ and offer them hope, as this pandemic that is under your control and will, continues. We ask you to bring it to an end soon and let us return to normal life.
Holy Spirit, help God’s People to hope in the LORD!
For with the LORD there is steadfast love,
and with him is plentiful redemption.
And he will redeem his church
from all their iniquities.
Almighty God, you alone can bring into order the unruly wills and affections of sinners: Grant your people grace to love what you command and desire what you promise; that, among the swift and varied changes of this world, our hearts may surely there be fixed where true joys are to be found; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.  Amen.

Sunday, February 23, 2020

Pastoral Prayer 2.23.2020 based on Exodus 24:12-18 Psalm 2 or Psalm 99 2 Peter 1:16-21 Matthew 17:1-9, and BCP2019


God, our King, you rule over all the nations and all that happens within them. We praise you that because you delight in your people and your creation we never need to fear that events have spiraled beyond your will. Nonetheless, we wonder at many of the things happening in our world.
We pray that you would bring the pandemic that is the coronavirus COVID-19 to an end; especially we pray for those in China and the Wu-Han province, that you would return life to normal there. Above that, we pray that you would continue to strengthen the Church in China, and embolden the Christians there to preach the gospel, to serve their country, and pray and work for it’s flourishing, and that by your hand the government there and in many other countries would allow for the flourishing of the spread of the gospel and the Church. We lift up other countries to you now. [Pause]
Because you reign over all things, we pray for you to lead our country this year as we come to another presidential election. We pray that you would keep Christians from giving into the hatred and harrowing that has become so common in our culture. May we and those elected kiss the true king, Jesus Christ, rather than any candidate, and tremble before you, Triune God. We commit never to exalt leaders, but to 
Exalt the LORD our God;
worship at his footstool!
  Exalt the LORD our God,
and worship…;
for the LORD our God is holy!
We pray for the leaders of our own churches and for the flourishing of the church in Oklahoma: PCA churches, Baptist churches, Pentecostal Churches, Methodist Churches, non-denominational churches and every church that would proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ and preach the Word of God, “knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” Strengthen Bible believing churches and correct those churches far from your Word.
We ask for Heritage’s flourishing and encouragement, we ask that we get the privilege this year of seeing 12 new believers baptized this year, as people believe in your great name! And may other churches see many more conversions!
Also, Lord, because you are the God whose very touch brings healing, salvation, and grace: we praise you for John Wion’s new heart and the success in Jason Byrd’s surgery, and ask that you would bring the same healing touch through doctors and your miracles to Gary Peabody. We pray silently now for others who we know need your healing. [Pause]
O God, who before the passion of your only-begotten Son revealed his glory…: Grant that we, beholding by faith the light of his countenance, may be strengthened to bear our cross, and be changed into his likeness from glory to glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.  Amen.

Saturday, January 25, 2020

Pastoral Prayer 1.26.2020 Based on Isaiah 9:1-4, Amos 3:1–11, Psalm 27, Psalm 139, 1 Corinthians 1:10-18, Matthew 4:12-23, and BCP2019


God, our God, the only God, we approach you as your people who delight that you have shone yourself so that we know you:
Through Jesus Christ our Lord, who took on our mortal flesh to reveal his glory; that he might bring us out of darkness and into his own glorious light.
May your light shine into our hearts and into our world. We ask for your guidance in the many things going on in our lives, we stumble in the dark, and need your righteousness, love, and wisdom to guide us, and we lift some of these up to you now….
We also ask that you bring people walking in darkness to know the light of Christ. May we as a church get the privilege of seeing at least 12 new believers baptized this year, as your gospel brings more and more people and nations to rejoice. As you bring Edmond and Oklahoma City more and more into the light of your Kingdom. We lift up to you now some that we want you to regenerate and bring to salvation. …

There is much going on in the world that brings us fear.
The LORD is my light and my salvation;
whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the stronghold of my life;
of whom shall I be afraid?
Though an army encamp against me,
my heart shall not fear;
though war arise against me,
yet I will be confident.
Would you now bring justice and peace to our country and to the world: we lift up to you especially, the impeachment preceding, that justice may be done, whatever justice is; we lift up to you Brexit, that wisdom may be had, and other world events, we lift up to your our friends in Australia as they face continuing wild fires, and other things…
We thank you Lord that while Christians may have a myriad of opinions leading to different political parties and different denominations, we have one Lord, Jesus Christ. It is into His name we have been baptized, not Trump’s, not Warren, nor anyone else, but Jesus. So we ask that you would help restore civility to our society, most of all in your church, so that even where there are denominations Presbyterians would love Baptists who would love Pentecostals who would love Methodists and so on, so that the world would see us as One church in Christ and our witness would be strengthened.
Restore civility in how our country would talk to each other about politics: between Democrats and Republicans and other political divides. And may Christians especially, always share their opinions and beliefs, even where true Christians disagree in secondary matters, like mere politics, speak to each other and to the world in a way that does not reflect poorly upon our gospel witness. And in speaking that way, would you make us fishers of men, spreading the light of your glorious grace into the world right here in Oklahoma City and Edmond and Oklahoma. 
Where we have failed:
Search us, O God, and know our hearts!
Try me and know my thoughts!
And see if there be any grievous way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting!

Give us grace, O Lord, to answer readily the call of our Savior Jesus Christ and proclaim to all people the Good News of his salvation, that we and the whole world may perceive the glory of his marvelous works; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.  Amen.


Saturday, November 30, 2019

Pastoral Prayer for December 1, 2019 based on Isa 2:1-5, Ps 122, Rom 13:8-14, Matt 24:29-44, and BCP


O God, as we enter this season of thinking about your coming, both your first and your last, we pray Come Jesus Come. One day righteousness will be established all over the earth, but today there is terror, and those that would try and bring us panic for their benefit. Holy Spirit, keep us calm, may Christians ever be firm upon the rock as we face the different struggles and news items of each day, and through that, may others wonder how we can face the world with such confidence, and with such a lack of worry.
We come up to you today and ask that you bring peace to our hearts in all things. 
Because you sent your beloved Son to redeem us from sin and death, and to make us heirs in him of everlasting life; that when he shall come again in power and great glory to judge the world, we may without shame or fear rejoice to behold his appearing. 
Especially we ask that as you grow our next generation, you would lead may of them into the ways of godliness. You love the little children, and so do we, and as our own children grow, would you draw them to deeper and deeper faith. As our children go into schools and into life would you use them to bless our cities and towns and neighborhoods and our nation. Would you use your church and use campus ministries to draw many of the next generation to faith. We pray especially for RUFs in Okahoma, for Scott Morris at OU, Shane Hatfield at OSU, and Caleb Harlin at the University of Tulsa. Use them to reach students for Christ and equip them to serve the world and the church for your glory. 
We pray for Lee and Pam Nichols as they begin travels doing ministry. As they go to serve your church in underserved places, to build things to serve, may they always do so with a heart of joy and gladness in the gospel. May serving you never become more of a burden than the burden of thankfulness for what you have done for them in Jesus Christ.
We pray for the conversations that were had this last week over family dinner tables and amongst friends. May those who do not you be intrigued by Christians celebrating. We have so much to celebrate, and we ask that as we practice feasting with others, we would also bear witness to our reason for such great joy.
For others who are hopeless, because they were alone, they had no meal, they have no family, they wonder if anyone loves them, would you deliver them from despair. Lord, there are people who to us are nameless, but you know them all. Be near to the brokenhearted and depressed as we enter this advent season. We pray especially for your mercy during the holidays, when suicide rates go up, and we ask that you give encouragement to the discouraged, deliver those that would consider harming themselves through good friends, through moving them to reach out for help, and ultimately, through the gospel, show them that there is eternal salvation, that makes living this life right now worth it, and a joy.
Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which your 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 living and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.



Sunday, November 17, 2019

Pastoral Prayer for Nov 17, 2019 based on Isaiah 65:17-25, Isaiah 12, Malachi 4:1-2, Psalm 98, 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13, Luke 21:5-19 and BCP2019


Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, how we look forward to a day when we will be purified, your glory will be seen clearly, we will see you face to face, there will be no more suffering or death, every tear will be wiped from every eye. Oh wow, please, bring that day soon.  For now we are surrounded by sickness, suffering, affliction, brokenness. We have so many needs, and we lift up to you now the places where we need your hand and your healing. [Pause]
Lord, we thank you that you are the God of our salvation who brings comfort even to the darkest places.
Give thanks to the LORD,
call upon his name,
make known his deeds among the peoples,
proclaim that his name is exalted.
   “Sing praises to the LORD, for he has done gloriously;
let this be made known in all the earth.
Shout, and sing for joy, O inhabitant of Zion,
for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.
We rejoice with all your peoples all over the world this morning. We are glad that your name is being worshipped the world over. In some places they are quiet and contemplative, and in some places it is rowdy and there is loud clapping. In some places there are drums and rock music and in others there are only voices to lift up your name. And in it all, each in their own way, they glorify your name. Thank you for the myriad ways that people can worship you and that you accept them all because of Jesus Christ. We pray this morning and ask especially that you bless the preaching and worship at Life Church, City Pres, Faith Bible Church, Redeemer Pres, The Well Church, Shawnee Pres, Henderson Hills Baptist Church, First Minco, Crossings Community Church, Christ the King Pres, Oasis Church, Grace Pres, Victory Church, Spring Creek Assembly of God, Christ the King Catholic Church, and all the churches of Oklahoma City and Edmond this morning.
  Oh sing to the LORD a new song,
for he has done marvelous things!
His right hand and his holy arm
have worked salvation for him.
The LORD has made known his salvation;
he has revealed his righteousness in the sight of the nations.
He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness
to the house of Israel.
All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation of our God.
  Help us today to learn what it is to practice righteousness. Where are you calling us to serve this week? What are you calling us to sacrifice this week? Please do not let us have a faith of mere words, but we know what it is to worship you in deed, taking up our cross and following you. Where can we suffer for you this week Lord? We are willing if you will lead us, because we know you come to bring comfort and victory soon!
Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth;
break forth into joyous song and sing praises!
Sing praises to the LORD with the lyre,
with the lyre and the sound of melody!
With trumpets and the sound of the horn
make a joyful noise before the King, the LORD!
  We ask that you guide our government in particular today Lord. America is not a chosen nation, America is no better than any other nation, and like other nations before it, it will eventually fall. And yet we love our country Lord, and there is a time of turmoil now. Even in this room there are polarizing thoughts regarding what should be happening and who did what. But we know that you are the King of all, and we simply ask that you preserve your church through all that happens, and bless your people to grow in whatever comes. Give our legislators wisdom to do what is right and just, whatever that might be.
Let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
the world and those who dwell in it!
Let the rivers clap their hands;
let the hills sing for joy together
before the LORD, for he comes
to judge the earth.
He will judge the world with righteousness,
and the peoples with equity. 
Stir up, O Lord, the wills of your faithful people, that bringing forth in abundance the fruit of good works, they may be abundantly rewarded when our Savior Jesus Christ comes to restore all things; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.