We are once again humbled by Your awesome power, Your everlasting mercy, and Your gentle grace. Though our lives are stained with sin, You have washed us clean in the blood of our precious Savior Whom You sent to redeem us and restore us into fellowship with You. We praise You, Almighty God, and offer our lives in service to You in gratitude.
Lord, we pause from the tumult and the politics and the sweeping news stories of the day to pay homage to a great American, William H. Rehnquist. We thank You, Lord, for his life and for his service to our nation. Comfort his family in the days ahead and bless them with Your loving presence.
Father, We also ask that You would send more like him to serve in our Supreme Court. Speak to the President's heart that he may nominate yet another candidate to the Supreme Court who will honor the work of our forefathers when they penned the Constitution through Your inspiration. Let our Senators manage to put aside politics and personal agenda and the desire to create controversy and do what is right for our nation.
O Lord, we come to You on behalf of our brother in Christ, George W. Bush. Never has a man faced such an onslaught, criticized from all sides for every move he makes. Though he is imperfect as we all are, this is a good and compassionate man who studies Your Word and heeds Your voice. Yet many in our nation wish to destroy him both personally and politically. Give him strength, O Lord, and patience and persistence. Keep him on the narrow path of righteousness. Let him shake off the criticisms of the petty as dust from his feet and listen only to You. Bring him comfort and peace amidst the turmoil and the heavy burdens he bears. Watch over him and his family and keep them safe from harm.
Father, our hearts are grieved at the massive losses and suffering from Hurricane Katrina -- in Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana. We are grateful for the large numbers of people who are reaching out to these people in response to their tragedy. We ask that You give hope to the hopeless and sustenance to those who have lost everything. Minister to those responding to the catastrophe who are working long hours in horrific conditions and dealing with sights and smells and sounds that are almost too much to bear. Let them know Your peace that passes understanding even amidst the hideous things with which they must deal.
We are thankful, also, for our military who are serving both at home and abroad. They carry out their tasks with extraordinary courage and expertise. Bless them, Lord, and keep their families close to Your heart.
Lord, Your Word tells us that those things that are divisive are not of Your Holy Spirit. This alone tells us that many in our great nation do not know You because too many of our citizens seem to thrive on trying to divide our nation, turning one group against another. Lord, we pray for these people. Send the Holy Spirit to convict them of their sin and teach them the joy of salvation through Jesus Christ, our Lord, in Whose Name we pray. Amen.
Please join us in prayer.
2Ti 2:7 Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.
Lord, I stand behind President Bush. As my sister says, he is not perfect. No one is. But he is good, and he is Yours, and I am thankful to have him as our leader. May You lead the leaders and give them understanding where they lack; may they seek Your face.
America is in great need. We have extraordinary burdens placed upon us, burdens we alone are not able to carry, burdens You have allowed so as to draw us back to You, Who are the only possible answer to our needs.
I pray that what we are going through is a godly discipline unto us, and not a judgment. I pray for more time, more mercy, more grace, toward the ends of repentance and ultimate victory.
Give us - and Your Gospel - victory in the war on terrorism. Give us at home victory over humanism in all its forms, including immorality and the welfare state.
I raise up to You those who are suffering, particularly the hurricane victims, and our own Kitty Mittens. Make a way where there was none, to Your glory.
"May the Sacred Heart of Jesus be adored, glorified, loved and preserved throughout the world now and forever Amen."
Father, we pray that our President stays on your path and that you strengthen him in times of need. We pray too, Lord Jesus, that you open the eyes of those who too often are quick to criticize so they that may see their own failings. Father, we ask for your healing hand for our nation and your divine protection against the evil that surrounds us. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Psa 107: 4 They wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way; they found no city to dwell in.
Psa 107:5 Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them.
Psa 107:6 Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, [and] he delivered them out of their distresses.
Psa 107:7 And he led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city of habitation.
Psa 107:8 Oh that [men] would praise the LORD [for] his goodness, and [for] his wonderful works to the children of men!
Psa 107:9 For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.
We pray the above scriptures for those devastated by Katrina. Thank You, Lord, for leading them forth by the right way that they might go to a city of habitation.
We pray for our President as he seeks cooperation between federal, state and local agencies, and ask You, God, to empower the spirit of compassion and teamwork that characterizes our nation. We pray that the problems will be solved with the best possible solutions and that a spirit of unity and mutual servanthood will prevail.
Thank You, Father.