Sunday, April 30, 2006

He Is The Pledge: A Prayer

I love you, O LORD, my strength.
The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer,
My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge,
My shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
I call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies. (Psalm 18:1-3)

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As we call upon your name oh LORD, we invite you to be in our midst. Quieten our minds and soften our hearts to the voice and guidance of your Holy Spirit who knows and searches us.

Thank you heavenly Father for the Easter season that passed by us a few weeks ago, and that the sadness and heaviness of Friday turned into joy and gladness on Sunday, when your Son Jesus arose and conquered sin and death.

Thank you that our faith in Jesus is not in vain, but that by your grace, through faith in Him, our sins are forgiven, and we are reconciled back to you. We praise you heavenly Father, for just as you raised your Son Jesus from the dead, so too one day you will raise us, and we look forward to the day when we can worship you in heaven. We are grateful that you work in our lives through the preaching of your word. May what we heard tonight serve to strengthen our faith and may it draw us closer to you.

We confess that we often times don’t get things right. We don’t delight in your good ways, but instead, we place ourselves at the centre of our lives. We are selfish and proud, and we give in to the traps laid out before us by the evil one. Centre our lives on you LORD, and help us to discern what is good and right in your eyes. Give us strength and discernment; so that we may faithfully walk the path you have set before us.

Lord, in your Mercy, hear our prayer!

Thank you for the city of Vancouver, and the many privileges we enjoy as a result of living here. Spring, warm weather, and sunny days give us more opportunities to go outside and enjoy the goodness of your creation. The mountains, the ocean, and the blooming flowers remind us of the words you spoke after you created the heavens and the earth and all that is in it: “and it was good.”

Help us to love the people of this city. Grant us boldness to share the name of your Son Jesus with our neighbours, and when our motivations are misguided, we ask that by your grace you would still use these situations to further your purposes for this city.

We also pray that local government and business leaders would acknowledge you as the source of all good things, and that they would conduct their affairs in ways that are according to your righteous ways.

Lord, in your Mercy, hear our prayer!

We are grateful for your church, and we rejoice with the many people all over the world who are coming to know your Son Jesus. Thank you for growing your church, and for raising faithful people who are eager to share the good news, even if at their own peril. Teach us, oh LORD, to lay aside the many things that distract us from sharing the gospel.

We pray for the church in Canada, and we ask that your Holy Spirit would perform mighty acts in this land. May there be a spiritual renewal grounded in faithfulness to Holy Scriptures and the accomplishment Jesus obtained on the cross.

We are also grateful for the work you did in our church during Easter through the services, the Bach Cantata, and the talks on the Da Vinci Code. May the word that was preached be like the seed that fell on good soil: may it yield much fruit, to the glory and honour of your name.

We ask that you would supply leaders for the upcoming Christianity Explored course here and for the Women @ 10 group. May people who are hungry for your truth have the courage to come to this course, and we pray for humility on our part to provide genuine hospitality.

Thank you for protecting the Artizo team that went to Calgary earlier this week, and for using your servants David and Eric to build up the future leaders of your church. We pray that you would lead all of our church leaders in truth and grace.

And finally, as we begin a new week, we silently entrust to your loving care those people you’ve placed on our hearts and minds.

Lord, in your Mercy, hear our prayer!

We love you Lord, for you are our strength, our rock, our fortress, and our deliverer. We take refuge in you, for you have saved us. Your name is worthy to be praised forever and ever.

Amen.
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Evening Service Prayer at St. John's Shaughnessy Anglican Church, based on I. Corinthians 15:12-20, and Psalm 18:1-3

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