Prayers 5

Almighty God, our Heavenly Father we come with gratitude and thanksgiving into your Holy presence. We acknowledge that we are truly blessed, even though too often we fail to see those blessings that are ours. We give you thanks for your longsuffering and mercy, for your great grace and marvellous love toward us in Christ Jesus. We thank you that with each new day, you provide new gifts, the necessities for life and living. We acknowledge that there are none of us “self sufficient” for we depend on you for the very breath we take and the air we breath. Sustain our world and our lives a little longer so that we may be spared to share with many the eternal truths of your word and the blessed and liberating Gospel of Jesus Christ. Do not deal with us as we so often deserve, but Lord, pardon and forgive our foolish ways, our indifference to the needs and cries of others, and our selfish motives, and our sinful actions. Empower and enable us by your Holy Spirit to walk in love toward you and our fellow travellers along the road of this life, so that when it is over we may hear that “well done” at the throne of Heavenly Grace. Help us to redeem the time because of these evil days, and make the most of every opportunity to serve you and work for you in the great Harvest Field of our world. Like the early disciples give us a Holy Fire within so that our hearts might burn with a fresh urgency to spread the Gospel of the Kingdom, and the love of Christ. We thank you for your Church, and our part in it, bless your people as they worship and fellowship, grant them that lift towards heaven that their hearts might know the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. Bless the music of the Church, that in word and song we might blend our voices in harmony with the praise of Heaven.

Bless your Holy Word to our hearts today as we read and meditate upon it, and may your word and words be the source of our faith and the security of our souls and the joy of our living. For we ask all these things in the precious name of Jesus and for His sake,

Amen

Prayers of Intercession

Father in Heaven, we praise you for your wisdom love and power to do for us and in us and through us the things we often cannot do for ourselves. We come before you acknowledging that you are all sufficient, and that you are able to make up what is lacking in our humanity, for you are greater than we are, and you are sovereign both of earth and of heaven. So then Lord we come boldly and reverently before you to plead and pray for those less fortunate than we are ourselves. Wherever in our world there is need of Divine intervention, and of your Godly presence to turn around human circumstances and human need, grant it today for your Great Glory and our greater good. You have entrusted to us a holy responsibility for the maintaining of our world and the equal distribution of its wealth and resources. Yet to our shame, many of our brothers and sisters are in need and go hungry, while we have bread enough and to spare. Help us understand how best and how better we can share and motivate others to share, so that there may be enough for all our nations, and help us to keep to the laws of nature as well as your holy laws. We thank you that while we are not under the law, the law was given for our example. Direct and guide our law-makers in these times of crisis to make good the mistakes of others, and to find ways to reduce the burden of cost and care on many homes and many families at this time. Forgive us wherein we have at times sown the seeds of greed and selfishness and unfortunately we must reap what we sow! Help your Church to preach a strong message of Confidence in God at this time, for we are truly grateful that You who have been our help in ages past will be our hope for the days to come. So Lord we bless your Holy name that there is never a time when we as your Children may not have confident hope in your unfailing kindness and your unending love. Lord, you have given us many promises to sustain us in dark days, and we pray that you will continue to be the true light of our lives, and the hope and help and health of our nation.

We ask these things in the name of Jesus who taught us when we pray to say … “Our Father, who art in heaven…..” Amen