Peace

O Lord, we live in such turbulent times that it is frightening!  Our world is at unrest and our nation is split right down the middle.  How we long for peace in our lives - peace within the world, peace within our nation, peace with our neighbors and especially peace with you.  You have promised in scripture, "Peace I give unto you; not as the world gives, do I give unto you, so let not your hearts be troubles, neither let them be afraid."  Give us that peace, and then make us into peacemakers.  Amen.

Guide Our Leaders

Soverign God, guide the leaders of our nation that your will for our nation might be foremost in their minds, and their decisions will benefit the welfare of our people.  As they deliberate on actions that will impact not only our lives but the lives of those yet unborn, may your divine wisdom guide them to make the right decisions.  Motivate them to work for peace and prosperity, not only in our nation but around the world. For all people of the world are your children - our sisters and brothers - may we also remember that, and keep them in our prayers and in our hearts.  In Jesus' Name we pray.  Amen.

Help Us To Listen

Lord Jesus, forgive us for hearing your words of authority, yet listening to the voices of our world.  You healed those whio were blind; heal our "blindness" that keeps us from seeing the path that leads to eternal life.  You healed the dumb; heal us so we may speak to others of the wonder of your life and teachings.  You healed those who were sick; cast out those demons in our lives which make us "sin sick and weary worn!"  You healed those who were lame; heal us so we stop limping through life and walk tall and straissht as we lead others to the path of righteousness.  We cry out to you as did so many in years gone by, "Lord, have mercy on me!"  Hear our cry, O Lord.  Amen.

For A Stronger Faith

Loving God, we humbly ask that you bless your faithful everywhere!  Send down into our hearts the peace of heaven, and grant us peace in this life.  Give a richer life to all of us who are trying so hard to withstand the temptations of this life.  Deliver any of us who are in trouble because we took our eyes off of you.  Give hope to the hopeless and help to the helpless.  And forgive all of us for the sins we have committed, especially the sins of ommission.  Pardon and refresh each of us so that our faith might become stronger day by day because of your blessings.  In Jesus' name we do pray.  Amen.

Peace and Strength

God of all Grace:  Grant us your peace which passes all understanding, that the quietness which comes from being in your presence might flood over us and calm all our fears.  Draw near to us in this prayer time and surround us with your Spirit, that we might recover the strength that we have lost, and pass victoriously through all the troubles of this day.  Be with us now and always.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Prepare Us For A Better Life

O Merciful Father, grant us grace to feel shame for our part in a world which made it necessary for Christ to die on the cross!  Help us through our prayer life with you to prepare our hearts for deeper relationships with you and our neighbors.  Open our eyes that we may see Christ among us; enlighten our understanding that we may know him; and strengthen our wills that we may follow him.  Unite your people in fellowhip through our common life and our common need for your Grace.  Purify us by your cleansing power; and bless us by the indwelling of your Holy Spirit.  In Christ's most blessed name, we do pray.  Amen.

Sunshine of Your Presence

O God of Light, the weather all over our nation has been erratic and dismal - give us the light of your Presence to brigten our days!  We continue to pray for those in our nation who have been ravaged by snow and storms that have destroyed property, and taken lives.  Bless them with the awareness that even in the darkest days of our lives, your eternal light shines brighty on, and will lead us out of darkness into marvalous light!   And may it please you, O Lord, to reveal those ways that we can be used by you to bring relief to the stricken.  We pray in the name of Christ, our Lord.  Amen.

For Your Indwelling Spirit

Spirit of purity anbd grace: we thank you for the countless times your have guided us in the right path of life.  Continue to guide us, we pray, that we may not fear that which is ordinary.  Let our common task as one of your disciples of our time, cause us to follow the light of your holy purpose, and give us some part in your redeeming work.  Move us to speak and achieve those things that conform to your purposes, ever uniting us in your love and moving us ever closer to Jersus in whom we off ourselves anew every day.  Amen.

For Compassion and Strength

O God of compassion and strength, be especially close to the victims of the heavy snow storms in California and Washington and to those in Arkansas whose lives have been wiped out by the tornadoes last night.  Keep those who have been killed in your Holy care and comfort those who mourn their losses - both of property and of loved ones!  Only you can help them to survive and to pick up their lives to again live victoriously in your name.  Move the hearts of those of us who were spared such disaster so that we reach out to them and help them restore their lives in whatever ways we can.  Work through us to bring help and comfort to the stricken.  In Jesus Name we pray.  Amen.

Grant Us A Vision

O God, who through your Word incarnate has caused a new light to shine in the world, grant us a vision of your glory and power in your Son, Jesus Christ!  Shine into our hearts, O Loving Master, by the pure light of the knowledge of youWill.  Open our eyes so we may see you working in the world around us.  Enter into our minds and hearts so we better unerstand your teachings, and have the courage to live accordingly.  Help us overcome the temptations of this world, and to follow a spiritual life, thinking and doing things according to you Divine Wisdom.  In Jesus' name, we do pray.  Amen.

Dedication of Life

O God, as we look down the future years, make us sure that we place our lives where trhe need is greatest.  Deepen our love, that giving ourselves up wholly to your Will, we may serve you faithfully all the rest of our lives, becoming channels of your infinite love.  We pray in Jesus' Name.  Amen.

For Illumination

O Lord of Light, make our hearts pure so that we might feel your presence in our every day lives.  Reveal yourself to us anew this day so we might have our wills strengthened enough to live out our love for you, most gracious God!  Help us this day and every day to choose good over evil so that your glory and power might work through us to bring the gospel of Jesus Christ to all whom we meet.  It's in his name we do pray.  Amen.

Praise!

Almighty God, we lift up our hearts to you in prayer, asking you to bless us this day.  We thank you, O Lord, for this beautiful day and for the life you have given us to live to your glory.  May your Spirit manifest itself to us during this day, bringing us peace and courage to live lives of righteousness and service.  Call forth all that is best in us so that we may act according to your Will.  In the name of Christ Jesus, our Lord.  Amen.

Prepare Us For Service

O Holy and loving God, who has created each of us for a part in your divine plan for creation, take away our "blindness" which keeps us from discerning your Will for us!  Awaken our hearts and minds so we might perceive your presence in our every day lives - a presence that never slumbers,  a love that never fails and so unite us with your divine presence that we might live out our lives in your service.  Prepare us through our prayer life to serve you by serving our neighbors, bringing them your love through our presence with them.  In the name of Christ Jesus, we do pray.  Amen.

Fill Our Hearts With Love

God of all peoples and races, as we celebrate the birthday of the great civil rights leader, Martin Luther King, we are aware that there is still much that needs to be done before all people in our nation love and respect one another.  You came into the world to teach us how to love one another, help us to be worthy students of your teachings.  You even died on the cross to save us from our own sin and that of others, forgive us if we have not taken that sacrifice seriously enough so as to  become proponents of peace to all .  Conform our wills to your Will and fill our hearts with your love which includes all your children, everywhere.  Take our lips and speak your truth through them; take our lives and use them to spread love and brotherhood!  May we thus become vessels of your grace, witnessing to our neighbors, your truth and glory.  Amen.

Purity of Heart

We have just returned from Watertown South Dakota where I officiated over the funeral of Suzanne's brother-in-law, Dorward Schleuter.  If you read this prayer maybe you will also offer a prayer for comfort for our whole family at the loss of this dear one.

Almighty and everlasting God, you have created us for yourself so that our hearts are restless until they find rest in you.  Grant unto us purituy of heart and srength of purpose so that no selfish passion may hinder us from knowing your will, and no weakness from doing it.  Grant us your light that we may see life clearly and in your service find perfect freedom.  In Jesus' Name we pray.  Amen.

Scatter the Darkness

Heavenly Father/Mother, we praise you for your light which can overcome any darkness in our lives!  We especially thank you for sending your Son into our world to be the light which overcomes all darkness for us.  May that light also shine through our lives so we can be your servants through whom you bring light to all peoples and our nation. Let his Gospel live in our hearts so that we might pray and labor as we wait for your everlasting Kingdom.  In Jesus name.  Amen.

For Those Who Suffer

Gracious Father, today we pray for all those who suffer from physical pain and those who suffer from loneliness, frustration, unkindness or some other cause.  Give them the comforting assurance that all will be well with them and theirs; grant them the grace to forget self in the daily service of others, making their difficulties less important than the promotion of kindness and good will.  Teach us all anew  that it is in losing our lives in service of others that we find our highest joy.  We pray in Jesus' name.  Amen.

Grant Us Your Light

Almighty and everlastng God, grant unto us purity of heart and strength of purpose so that no selfish passion can hinder us from  knowing your Will and no weakness will keep us from doing it.  Grant us your light that we may see life clearly and in your service find perfect feedom.  In the Name of Christ Jesus our Lord we do pray.  Amen.

Grace to Follow the Prince of Peace

Gracious God, who by the leading of a star manifested your only Son to the Gentiles, mercifully grant that we, also might find our way to the Prince of Peace.  Grant us the grace we need to reach out to everyone in love and inclusiveness so others might experience the glorious light found in the Christ Child.  May the light of your glorious Gospel reveal him anew to us today that we might follow this Prince of Peace.  It's in His name that we offer this prayer.  Amen.

Grace To Face The New Year

Almighty God, as we come to you in prayer today, open to us the gates of that spiritual realm in which you dwell that we might feel your closeness and your love.  Grant that as we invite you into our hearts in prayer, we might feel your greatness over against our incompleteness; your rest all about us when we are overcome with restlessness.  Deliver us from bondage to sin and fear, and enable us, by your grace, to face life in this new year with the calm assurance that you walk beside us every step of the way!  We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord.  Amen.

For Comfort and Strength in the New Year

Merciful God, as we enter into this new year of 2012 we pray that you will help and comfort those who are enslaved by poverty, distress, sickness or in any sort of trouble.  May your living Word in Christ Jesus bring them strength and endurance in this new year.  May those who are in positions of power who can help relieve their distress, be moved by your Spirit to look after the poor and down trodden of our nation.  And may all of us look to you for guidance in this year, that we might follow your will for us.  In Jesus' Name we do pray.  Amen.

God's Powerful Presence

The gusts of wind outside today, O Lord of Creation, remind us of your gift of power through the sound of the rushing wind on Pentecost so long ago.   As we enter this New Year we eagerly await that gift of the spirit on us also, so we might be worthy servants in your kingdom here on earth.  Let us feel the power of your Spirit within us; let us be moved to take the good news of Christ into our world;  let us be unafraid to face the future because we have your presence going before us all the way.  Praise be unto you, O Lord, for with you there is life; apart from you there is nothing!!  Hear this humble prayer of supplication; and our prayers of praise.  Amen.