Good Morning God,
Lord, we are going into a weekend you must really dislike. We are celebrating Halloween again, and bringing out the witches, goblins, ghosts and devils that give credence to the dark and evil side of life. Lord we know that there are a lot of folks who don't see these things as evil as such and think it is just "story book" or "child's play". But you know better, Lord, and some of your people know better, too. Even pretending about the dark side is something we are not to do. We are not to dabble in this stuff because it opens a door to the devil and makes it all the harder for all the good to triumph.
Lord, there is a verse in a song which says " And though this world with devils filled should threaten to undo us, we will not fear, for you hath willed your truth to triumph through us. The Prince of Darkness grim, we tremble not for him, his rage we can endure, for lo his doom is sure, one little word shall fell him". This little word is your Son, Jesus Christ. May you protect us, through him this weekend and everyday.
In Jesus name, Amen.
20101027
A Prayer for the Headlines for Wednesday, October 27
Good Morning, God,
From our county to foreign countries, Lord, the headlines are about very serious weather problems. From very high winds, hail and tornadoes here, to earthquakes and tsunamis in Indonesia, from flooding in Haiti to cyclones and hurricanes affecting many places, your created order is causing much disorder, Lord!
As one has observed, "Everyone talks about the weather, but no one can do anything about it." So, we take what is given to us and try to make the best of it, God. We try to "batten down the hatches" when the strong winds come." We try to take to safe shelter when the really big storms hit. We try to stay on solid ground when the shakes move us. We try to get out of the way when the mud comes sliding, the waves come crashing, and the power lines start snapping.
Lord, we do always pray for safety from all the storms of our life - the natural, the self-made and the man-made. As always, help us, Lord.
In Jesus' name, Amen.
From our county to foreign countries, Lord, the headlines are about very serious weather problems. From very high winds, hail and tornadoes here, to earthquakes and tsunamis in Indonesia, from flooding in Haiti to cyclones and hurricanes affecting many places, your created order is causing much disorder, Lord!
As one has observed, "Everyone talks about the weather, but no one can do anything about it." So, we take what is given to us and try to make the best of it, God. We try to "batten down the hatches" when the strong winds come." We try to take to safe shelter when the really big storms hit. We try to stay on solid ground when the shakes move us. We try to get out of the way when the mud comes sliding, the waves come crashing, and the power lines start snapping.
Lord, we do always pray for safety from all the storms of our life - the natural, the self-made and the man-made. As always, help us, Lord.
In Jesus' name, Amen.
20101025
A Prayer for the Headlines for Monday, October 25
Good Morning God,
There were headlines last week that asked the question "Do the Dead Greet the Dying". Another way to look at this is the question "Do the dying have glimpses of their loved ones" or of other things we might refer to a "heaven" or even "hell"? Lord, you know, and we can believe that you have given us the gift of somehow being able to see, and usually be encouraged by, what lies ahead of us in our dying and death.
We are assured by your Word that our life here, even though seventy, eighty, ninety or even a hundred years, is only a tiny, tiny fraction of the life in eternity we will experience. We are also assured that when we die with our sinfullness forgiven through belief in Jesus Christ that we will spend eternity with you and Jesus and the angels. So Lord, even though our end-of-life time is most often a mystery, we do have the hope and the promise that when we die loving you, you (and probably our loved ones) will greet us warmly and lovingly.. May we believe and understand this more fully.
In Jesus name, Amen.
There were headlines last week that asked the question "Do the Dead Greet the Dying". Another way to look at this is the question "Do the dying have glimpses of their loved ones" or of other things we might refer to a "heaven" or even "hell"? Lord, you know, and we can believe that you have given us the gift of somehow being able to see, and usually be encouraged by, what lies ahead of us in our dying and death.
We are assured by your Word that our life here, even though seventy, eighty, ninety or even a hundred years, is only a tiny, tiny fraction of the life in eternity we will experience. We are also assured that when we die with our sinfullness forgiven through belief in Jesus Christ that we will spend eternity with you and Jesus and the angels. So Lord, even though our end-of-life time is most often a mystery, we do have the hope and the promise that when we die loving you, you (and probably our loved ones) will greet us warmly and lovingly.. May we believe and understand this more fully.
In Jesus name, Amen.
20101022
Friday, October 22, 2010
Good Morning God,
Lord, today we want to be honest with you. We confess that our headlines are mostly "downer" and speak to us of a lack of living according to your standards, especially according to your ten commandments and your two great commandments. For if we honored you with all we did and didn't do what you said not to do, then did do what you said to do - honor our Fathers and our Mothers, basically the generations older than we are, and love our neighbors as ourselves, and love you above all, our headlines would be more beautiful, fun-loving, spirit-filled and encouraging.
Gracious God, fill us with your Holy Spirit that we will experience a great resurgence of Biblical faith and belief, and empower us to be not of this world where we live, work, play and worship, spreading how to live "the good life" by following your directions for the good life. Then, Lord, our headlines will change for the so much better.
In Jesus name we pray, Amen.
Lord, today we want to be honest with you. We confess that our headlines are mostly "downer" and speak to us of a lack of living according to your standards, especially according to your ten commandments and your two great commandments. For if we honored you with all we did and didn't do what you said not to do, then did do what you said to do - honor our Fathers and our Mothers, basically the generations older than we are, and love our neighbors as ourselves, and love you above all, our headlines would be more beautiful, fun-loving, spirit-filled and encouraging.
Gracious God, fill us with your Holy Spirit that we will experience a great resurgence of Biblical faith and belief, and empower us to be not of this world where we live, work, play and worship, spreading how to live "the good life" by following your directions for the good life. Then, Lord, our headlines will change for the so much better.
In Jesus name we pray, Amen.
20101020
A Prayer for the Headlines for Wednesday, October 20
Good Morning, God!
Lord, the headlines often speak of the consequences that result from a lack of discipline. We experience automobile accidents because we don't have the discipline to watch our speed or to not follow too close. We experience unwanted pregnancies and/or diseases because we don't have the discipline to use protection or to "just say 'no'." We begin a downward spiral to permanent disability or death because we don't have the discipline to stay away from drugs in the first place. We stand to lose privileges, education, respect, or possibly even our life, when we engage in drinking too much alcohol too quickly, called "binge drinking, especially when we are underage and don't have the proper discipline not to drink at all.
Thank you, loving God, for the gifts of discipline and disciplinarians. Inspire more of us to follow disciplined lives that lead to safety, health and success.
In Jesus' name, Amen.
Lord, the headlines often speak of the consequences that result from a lack of discipline. We experience automobile accidents because we don't have the discipline to watch our speed or to not follow too close. We experience unwanted pregnancies and/or diseases because we don't have the discipline to use protection or to "just say 'no'." We begin a downward spiral to permanent disability or death because we don't have the discipline to stay away from drugs in the first place. We stand to lose privileges, education, respect, or possibly even our life, when we engage in drinking too much alcohol too quickly, called "binge drinking, especially when we are underage and don't have the proper discipline not to drink at all.
Thank you, loving God, for the gifts of discipline and disciplinarians. Inspire more of us to follow disciplined lives that lead to safety, health and success.
In Jesus' name, Amen.
20101018
A Prayer for the Headlines for Monday, October 18
Good Morning, God!
It's Monday again, the start of another week. For folks at work, it is the start of working with each other and meeting the needs of the customers. The question is, Lord, how are the needs of the workers and bosses being met so that the needs of the customers are being met? Quality for the customer begins with quality in the workplace.
The headline asked the question, Lord, about managers who managed out of the "dark side". The research has always shown that positive personality qualities such as extraversion, emotional stability and conscientiousness were all desirable traits in a manager. But depending on the manager's position, other traits are desirable for some positions and not for others. For example, Lord, a manager who is thought of as "stubborn" may be just the person to get everything done. A manager who is thought of as precise and rule-adhering may not be good in the Sales department, but be excellent in the Accounting or Legal departments.
Lord, you gave each of us gifts and traits to be used in positive ways to better ourselves and others. May we take a look at these gifts and how we are using them to manage and follow.
In Jesus' name, Amen.
It's Monday again, the start of another week. For folks at work, it is the start of working with each other and meeting the needs of the customers. The question is, Lord, how are the needs of the workers and bosses being met so that the needs of the customers are being met? Quality for the customer begins with quality in the workplace.
The headline asked the question, Lord, about managers who managed out of the "dark side". The research has always shown that positive personality qualities such as extraversion, emotional stability and conscientiousness were all desirable traits in a manager. But depending on the manager's position, other traits are desirable for some positions and not for others. For example, Lord, a manager who is thought of as "stubborn" may be just the person to get everything done. A manager who is thought of as precise and rule-adhering may not be good in the Sales department, but be excellent in the Accounting or Legal departments.
Lord, you gave each of us gifts and traits to be used in positive ways to better ourselves and others. May we take a look at these gifts and how we are using them to manage and follow.
In Jesus' name, Amen.
20101013
A Prayer for the Headlines for Thursday, October 14
Good Morning, God,
Indeed, this is a good morning, for we are rejoicing at the successful rescuing of the 33 Chilean miners! Lord, what a blessing for the headlines - not only good news, but great news! We give you thanks for the brain power, the heart power, and the mechanical power that it took for the 33 to survive so long in the earth underground and return them to the surface, and for the countless people to survive the stress and waiting on the surface. Thank you for the health, safety, and rescuing of everyone involved.
Gracious God, these miners may feel "born again," like they have "come out of the womb" again. Lord, sometimes we feel that, after being in the midst of a crisis and having been saved from it, that we also have come out of the womb again, because we have felt surrounded by your love and care. Thank you for being with us in our crises, Lord. And, Lord, we pray that you will always surround us with the womb of your love every day and night, whatever our situations.
In Jesus' name, Amen.
20101012
A Prayer for the Headlines for Friday, October 15
Good Morning, God,
The headlines hardly mentioned it, yet they are the ones that encourage us to "be immunized," to "get our flu shots" as the influenza season approaches as sure as winter will follow the fall. This year, we are told, that there is plenty of serum to go around and that the H1N1 variety is already included with the normal, usual strains present in the vaccine. So, we are encouraged to get a little bit of the flu strain from a shot, in order to kick start our immune system to fight against the stronger, full-blown strain.
Creator God, we praise you because we are fearfully and wonderfully made. You know us full well; so well, in fact, that not a hair from our head may fall without your knowledge. You hem us in. You go before us; you are behind us. if we turn to the right our to the left, we run into you. Where can we go and not be able to be with you? Such knowledge is too wonderful for us; we can hardly imagine it!
Lord, may we rely on the knowledge of your constant presence and abiding love to protect us from all the influenzas of life, even as we rely on vaccines to protect us from just the flu.
In Jesus' name, Amen.
A Prayer for the Headlines for Wednesday, October 13
Good Morning, God,
The headlines every day have something about our politics in them, Lord. Often, it is about keeping religion out of politics, lest we run afoul of the law and/or run afoul of "political correctness." But you nor the founders of our nation never planned that politics and religion would never meet. In fact, you planned it that our political leaders and the laws that govern us would grow out of our faith and be supported by our prayers. You even provided a covenant promise with us: "If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves, pray, seek my face and turn from their evil ways, then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land."
Lord, our land, our homeland, the nation in which we live needs your blessing. May we be strengthened to do our part, as you say we ought, and give thanks as you do heal our land. . . and our politics. May we be a part of the political process by praying as a result of our faith.
In Jesus' name, Amen.
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