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Praying for us all

Dear Heavenly Father, here are my requests for the new year.

  • For the wife and me to have a great year together, with health and happiness, joy and usefulness.
  • For our children to be well, in body, spirit, family, and service.
  • For our grandchildren to receive the love and care they need to develop into your children.
  • For our families of origin to increase their faith.
  • For the spiritual, missional, and numerical growth of the congregation.
  • For new beginnings in our region.
  • For the brotherhood to be strong in faith, in truth, in love, in grace, in the Word of Christ.
  • For the people we love, for the brethren you have given us, for the lost who need news.
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I’d ask one thing

Of all the prayers that I could pray,
Requests that I could make,
I’d ask one thing: my dying day
At Jesus’ feet to wake.

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Our Lists

Our lists, O Lord, but not for Nick,
And not for tasks to do;
We seek no answer, clean and quick —
Our lists are made for you.

Our lists of stubborn sinners, of saints,
Of gospel doors and needs,
We ask and knock, with no constraints,
For where the Spirit leads.

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Mercies never ceasing

O God, come save without delay!
Keep Satan and his wiles at bay!
Nefarious forces surround us,
Temptations daily pound us!
Remember, Lord, we are but clay!

To you belong all power and praise,
Spiritual worship to you we raise!
Your mercies never ceasing,
Your blessings come increasing!
O God, how wonderful are your ways!

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We ask and know

Blessed Father,

When we ask of you in prayer, we know that you hear us and answer. We believe, O Lord, that we have received it.

Your promise is sure. You never fail. You are faithful in all you say. Your word is certain.

Thus, we believe you will give us what we ask, or better. We know the power is not in us. Not our righteousness, but your mercy leads you to answer us.

We submit ourselves to your will, as did the Lord Jesus. Your goodness causes us joy. Thank you, God of all mercies, for your presence and the demonstration of you glory.

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Come, O Lord!

God of ages past and eras to come,
God who is the fullness and the sum,
See us, your people’s suffering, every one,
Come save, O Lord, come save us!

Creator of earth and heaven, creatures all,
Of stars and moons, that centered burning ball,
Reach down to touch and heal the weak and small,
Come love, O Lord, come love us!

Sustainer of flocks and herds and animals wild,
The one who knows the harm of man and child,
Eternal God of nation long exiled,
Come live, O Lord, come live among us!

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This is what I ask you, Lord, to give me

Give me strength to resist the devil and take hold of victory in Christ that you have promised.

Give me wisdom to know right and timely words that will build others up and proper steps to take for the greatest blessing.

Give me courage to speak of Christ at all times, even when truth has a good chance of not being well received.

Give me your Spirit that he might produce in me the virtues of my Lord.

Give me glory to shine as a light on a hill that all may see your goodness e confess your wonderful Name.

Give me love to accept each person where he is and show him how to be accepted by you through obedience to the gospel of Christ.

Give me joy so that every day offers me your presence and the hope of receiving one of the eternal rooms that Jesus is preparing.

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Quieten our hearts and free us

Quieten our hearts, O Lord, with peace that rises from your Spirit, with joy that has salvation as its source, with love that flows from Jesus’ cross.

Free us from the desire to possess the things of this life, to control the lives of others, to follow our emotions and passions to destruction.

In service bind us. In trials and sufferings train us. Surrounded by the physical and material, open our spiritual eyes to see your power. For glory prepare us.

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We Rely on You

2 Chronicles 14.11 (VOTD)

O Lord, only you can help the weak,
Outnumbered by the enemy’s powerful force —
Come help us! For we rely on you, we seek
Your strength. In Christ we follow this course
Of life, this field of battle. In faith we speak.
O Lord, we know you as our living source.