Prayers...

Prayers for the week of September 14, 2014

Heavenly Father, because of Your merciful nature, You have forgiven our insurmountable debt of sin, ransoming us with the death of Your Son. Set us free from harboring grudges and withholding forgiveness from those who have sinned against us, that we might forgive unconditionally, even as we have been unconditionally forgiven;  . Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayers.

Into Your hands, O Lord, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in Your mercy; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

“For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself.  If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord.  So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s.”  Ephesians 14:7-8

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A Prayer based on the Petitions of the Lord’s Prayer

“Give us this day our daily bread.”

In the Name of the Father and of (+) the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

O Lord, You give daily bread to all – faithful and wicked alike – even without our prayer. Yet, we are right to pray for our daily bread, that we might learn that it comes from You as the giver of all good things and so receive it with thanksgiving. To that end, lend your fatherly ear to my petitions:

·         For the ill, suffering, injured: O Lord, You promise that daily bread includes all our very life and health. Hear my prayer for those who are ill, suffering, or injured, especially Rebecca Freese, the sister of Richard Mulles*; seeks recovery after a stroke.  Sue Ail, niece of Kathy Hoppmann*; Sue’s struggle with cancer has gone beyond what medicine can do – we commend her to God. David Orkfritz, brother of Missy Kovacik* continues his I fight with cancer, which seems to be in remission, Vic Kovachovich,Sr. and also my neighbor Dale that they may, by Your grace, be given a portion of new health, or – if it be Your will – be given faith to bear their current affliction.

·         For the anxious, lonely: O God, You promise that daily bread includes all that we need to support this body and life, including defense from every evil.  Hear my prayer on behalf of Anne, Vickie, Dan, and Joe; grant them the trust that You provide for all of life’s cares and – as part of our daily bread – see us through all of life’s trials.  Give them the eyes of faith to see Your many blessings, daily given and renewed, even in moments of great anticipation.

·         For the mourning: O Lord, as You give, so You take away. Hear my prayer on behalf of Val Jones, Judy Rud, and Dorothy Thompson who mourn the death of loved ones. Comfort them with the promise that, though You have taken from them a loved one, so You continue to provide for them through Your bountiful goodness. Grant them the faith which clings to the Truth that not only give us all temporal blessings, but – grace beyond grace – gave Your only begotten Son to die our death upon the cross, that we might receive – not merely daily bread – but also the eternal inheritance of heaven.

·         For the rejoicing: O Lord, You give us daily bread that is beyond measure or understanding.  Hear my prayer of thanksgiving on behalf of Kim Wyatt*, transfer from Good Shepherd who today rejoices.  Grant hera a thankful heart that sees he blessing for what it truly is – a gift of daily bread that comes from Your hand, even as You freely give to satisfy the desire of every living thing.

Please bless our shut-ins especially Dorothy Bratton* , Doris Exner*, Irene Fehrman*, Bruce Morecraft and Janet Keller.

09/27/2014 - In light of recent events,  there has been a  prayer request asking that we remember in our prayers the Christians in the Middle East whom are suffering persecution and facing martyrdom for the Faith.

.... ‘Lord Jesus Christ, in this world of unrest and strife You founded Your holy Christian Church through faith as a kingdom of peace and joy.  You have established this worldwide communion of saints in which all believers are joined by the invisible bond of faith and in which we are gathered around Your Word and Sacraments.  I thank you for making me a citizen in Your holy kingdom through the cleansing waters of Baptism.  I praise You for Your goodness because You bestowed upon me and all Your children Your Holy Spirit.  Keep the flame of faith alive in all believers through the forgiveness and peace given us through Your precious body and blood in the bread and wince of the Sacrament.  Continue to fill us with the spirit of love and peace toward one another.  Make us the salt of the earth and the light of the world.  Fulfill among us Your promise that the gates of hell shall not prevail against Your Church.  Extend Your kingdom so that Your salvation reaches to the ends of the earth.  Hear us for the sake of Your truth.  AMEN.’   (Lutheran Book of Prayer p.144) .....

Hear my petitions, O Heavenly Father, for the sake of Your Son, who has promised us that all good things come from your fatherly hand and, thus, has taught us to pray, “Our Father, who art in heaven…”