October 9, 2020 Prayer

Word of God,

You spoke and the universe was created; your Word became incarnate for our salvation; your Word is still alive and a two edged sword. But in this time and our nation words are used to hurt and to intimidate, not to build up or to genuinely discuss.  Words are used to divide. Help us to use words to unite. Help us be careful that we do not harbor hate in our hearts toward our fellow citizens. Help us to still love each other, even if we strongly disagree with others' ideas and positions.   I pray that our words would be kind, would tell truth, build up, and give grace.

In Christ's name I pray for peace.
Amen

"Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear." (Ephesians 4:29 ESV)

"Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit." (Psalm 34:13 ESV)

"I met those of our society who had votes in the ensuing election, and advised them...to take care their spirits were not sharpened against those that voted on the other side."

- October 6, 1774.  - John Wesley

“When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place. I have chosen and consecrated this temple so that my Name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there." (2 Chronicles 7:13-16 NIV)

October 8, 2020 Prayer

 

Jehovah Jireh, Our Provider,

Today we pray for the economy - of our world and our nation. We pray that policy-makers would make wise decisions that honor your Word. We pray that work and businesses would be honored and encouraged. We pray that you would help us repay our debts, as we are very aware that "The borrower is slave to the lender." Help our nation to make tough choices so we can honor promises made to veterans, elderly, and other vulnerable citizens, but not then burden current and future generations with more debt. Help us to make good choices so our economy can be healthy and everyone - from the poorest to the rich - can see your hope and provision.

Heal us we pray, Amen

2 Rich and poor have this in common:
    The Lord is the Maker of them all.

3 The prudent see danger and take refuge,
    but the simple keep going and pay the penalty.

4 Humility is the fear of the Lord;
    its wages are riches and honor and life.

5 

 The rich rule over the poor,
    and the borrower is slave to the lender.  (Prov. 22 NIV)

“When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place. I have chosen and consecrated this temple so that my Name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there." (2 Chronicles 7:13-16 NIV)

October 7, 2020 Prayer

 God of Wisdom,

We sing of your strength and love, for you are our fortress our refuge in times of trouble.  Tonight the two main vice-presidential candidates will face off in a debate.  I pray that you would help each of them to give concise, clear, and truthful answers to the questions presented.  And as Americans watch and listen, help us have eyes to see and ears to hear your wisdom.  May we prepare to vote in such a way as to honor your Word and your Kingdom. In Christ's name I pray, Amen.

"Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:32

"But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble." Psalms 59:16 NIV

"Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long." Psalm 25:5

“When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place. I have chosen and consecrated this temple so that my Name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there." (2 Chronicles 7:13-16 NIV)

October 6, 2020 Prayer

Holy God,

We know the weight of importance of this election, and we know that each vote is a piece of the final result. So, we pray that each legal voter who desires to cast a vote would be able to access a ballot, whether by absentee or in person. We pray that each legal vote would be safely returned on time and counted accurately. We pray that you would stop anyone who is not a legal voter from casting a vote and that there would be no snags in the postal service or any other stage of the return of those ballots. You said you desire integrity in our hearts. We pray that you would cause the election officials at every level of government of this nation to do their jobs with utmost integrity. From each township, to each county, to each state, to the national level, may there be no attempts at fraud, voter intimidation or harrassment, or lost, destroyed, or counterfeit ballots, In the name of Jesus we pray you would stop any election official that in any way interferes with legal voters casting legal votes or with the truthful counting of those votes. Cause anyone who tries to tamper with the election results to be exposed and convicted even before the election. In this day when so many are distrustful of the government and the voting system, we pray that this election would be without any corruption or fraud. We pray that, because of the integrity of the election officials and the election process, we may trust in a fair count of legal ballots and this election process. May your will be done and your Kingdom come, in Jesus's name. Amen.

"An honest witness tells the truth, but a false witness tells lies." Prov. 12:17

"People with integrity walk safely, but those who follow crooked paths will be exposed." (Prov. 10:9)

“When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place. I have chosen and consecrated this temple so that my Name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there." (2 Chronicles 7:13-16 NIV)

October 5, 2020 Prayer

 

Loving God,

You have always chosen humans to whom you reveal yourself.  Some like Abraham, Moses, and David had huge national responsibilities to carry out.  Others like Ruth and Samuel walked in faith in smaller, more local ways.  Your hand upon them and so many others steered your people from the time of the ancients until now.  And we need you to continue to steer and guide your people.   Specifically, we need men and women in political office that will seek your guidance and your heart for this nation.  We need quality, righteous, men and women who have the skills and heart for good governance.  From the local and county levels to the federal level, we pray that you would call people into campaigning and cause them to be elected into office so that they can serve those they govern.  May their hearts be soft toward you so that they can hear your voice and walk in your ways.  We pray they are not focused on self-aggrandizement, success, gaining power, or using their position for influence or wealth.  Instead, may they be continually seeking you so that they know your heart for the decisions they make and can be part of a system of good governance. So today we ask that you would cause us to elect into political leadership righteous men and women after your own heart.

In the powerful name of Christ we pray.
Amen.

"[T]here is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God." (Romans 13:1) 

"Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:26-28)

“When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place. I have chosen and consecrated this temple so that my Name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there." (2 Chronicles 7:13-16 NIV)

October 4, 2020 Prayer

 

God of Peace,

We thank you that your name is a fortified tower and that your righteous children can run to you and be saved.  We thank you for the call on our lives to pray for those in authority and so today we pray for President and Mrs. Trump.  Specifically, we pray for healing in their bodies from Covid-19.  We pray for godly and wise medical staff who attend them and that they would make good decisions for the care of Mr. and Mrs. Trump.  But we also pray that you would use this hospitalization as a time of reflection for Mr. Trump.  Give him a soft heart toward you and your Word.  Bring him to a place of humility before you so that he can examine his heart toward you and examine the words he uses in public address.   Help  him to realize that the words he use have the power of life and death and to choose life!  Help him to speak words over this nation that help to cool the passions and fire and help to unite her.  Help him to use his speech, attitude, and tone of voice in such a way that they build up this nation, and bring peace.  Show him that he doesn't wrestle with the flesh and blood of hostile media, jealous politicians, or people in opposition to you, but, ultimately, he wrestles with the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.  Cause your church to pray protection over him - body, mind, emotions, spirit, and words.  And may your Peace that passes understanding guard our hearts, mind, and nation in Christ Jesus.  We pray in his name, Amen. 

"Before a downfall the heart is haughty but humility comes before honor.  Proverbs 18:12 The tongue has the power of life and death,  and those who love it will eat its fruit." Proverbs 18:21 "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms."  Ephesians 6:12 NIV

“When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place. I have chosen and consecrated this temple so that my Name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there." (2 Chronicles 7:13-16 NIV)

October 3, 2020 Prayer

 

God of Order,

One month from today is election day in the U.S. With everything going on, we citizens expect the next 31 days to be tumultuous, at best, but with potential for a physical civil war.  Passions and tempers are running hot and distrust and anger abound.  Courts are rewriting election law and citizens may be confused as to when their ballots are actually due.  The acrimonious and pathetic presidential debate Tuesday did nothing to soothe the chaos and anger.  It does seem like, metaphorically, you have shut up the heavens so there is no spiritual rain; like you have commanded locusts to devour the good in our land; like you have sent plagues of fear, anger, and other darkness over this nation.  YET we know you do not cause these things; you only allow them when our sin needs corrected.  You call us to prayer. You call us to intercede for this nation and so, in faith and obedience, we humble ourselves and seek your face.  We pray in the powerful name of Jesus that you would turn the tide of this chaos.  We pray you would shut off the demonic spirits of fear, anger, bitterness, hatred, and violence and, instead, pour out a new outpouring of your Love and your Peace.  Purify this nation from all unrighteousness.  May your Light shine in the places of deep darkness and corruption in media, government, education, arts & entertainment, business, the family, and especially your Church.  Turn her from the way of darkness and chaos she is currently headed, and retrain her focus to be on Godliness, Mercy, and Justice.  Pour out your Harmony, Beauty, and Peace upon us we pray in Jesus's name.  Amen. 

"For God is the God of harmony, not confusion, as is the pattern in all the churches of God’s holy believers." (1 Cor. 14:33 TPT)

“When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place. I have chosen and consecrated this temple so that my Name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there." (2 Chronicles 7:13-16 NIV)