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.

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. 

PASTORAL PRAYER NOV 3, 2019 Based on Psalm 23, 2 Samuel 7, Romans 8:1-11, Luke 12:8–12 and BCP1979

O LORD our shepherd, we thank you that in the midst of our chaos and uncertainties, we can know that you have an eternal purpose that cannot be thwarted for those who abide in Christ. We thank you that it’s not we who lead ourselves, but you who lead us beside still water, make us to lie down in green pastures, restore our souls, you who leads us in the paths of righteousness for your name’s sake. We are also very glad that though we often walk in the valley of the shadow of darkness and doom, wondering what is to come, we need fear no evil for you are truly with us, your rod and staff do comfort us. We lift up to you now many places where the darkness seems to be creeping in. [Pause]

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever. For those who trust, we believe, help our unbelief. For those who don’t, show yourself to them, draw them to Christ, and give them the comfort and assurance of salvation that let’s us know that while we may face incredible darkness in this life, there is a sure hope in the resurrection to come.

Father, as the weather turns cold this fall moving into winter, we can’t help but think of many who are homeless, even in our city. Sometimes of their own making, sometimes not, those made in your image suffer, they have no food, no warm house, and we can only do so much to help so few people. Lord, I know you’ve said the poor we will always have with us, but we long for the day when all poverty will end. This winter, be with those homeless, use this church to provide what you will to help those we can. Also bless the many organizations that seek to help people put their lives back together, feed and house people: Project 66, Restore OKC, the Salvation Army, CityCare, the Red Andrew’s dinner, other churches that are well resourced, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and plenty of other organizations that you use to provide relief for the poor and suffering, the cold and hungry. We also ask you where you to lead us to places you are calling us to provide relief, what are ways can serve and bring provision and share the gospel? [Pause]

We also lift up to you Christian marriages. Especially in this church, there are strong marriages and struggling marriages. We ask you to heal brokenness, connect wounded hearts, restore trust, bring repentance. Use those strong marriages to encourage the weak marriages. Marriage is a glorious picture of your gospel, but in our broken world, it nonetheless often does not show all that it should. Protect our marriages. Comfort those who are single but long for marriage. Let those who are content in singleness remain so and not feel ashamed. We lift up to your our marriages, and other marriages we know of now. [Pause]

We ask you to work in us, Holy Spirit, that we may be more and more assured of our glorious inheritance in Christ and the forgiveness of our sins, and in seeing your grand generosity to us, you would move us in heart and body to be about glorifying your name with all that we would do. There are places where we’re not sure what you’re calling us to do, but we trust you to guide us to do what will please you. We lift up to you the places we need guidance now. [Pause]

Almighty and merciful God, it is only by your gift that your faithful people offer you true and commendable service: Grant that we may run without stumbling to obtain your heavenly promises; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.