Prayer & Praise
O Lord, our heavenly Father, keep your household the Church continually in your true religion, that we who trust in the hope of your heavenly grace may always be defended by your mighty power; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, now and for ever. Amen.
““Cry aloud; do not hold back; lift up your voice like a trumpet; declare to my people their transgression, to the house of Jacob their sins. Yet they seek me daily and delight to know my ways, as if they were a nation that did righteousness and did not forsake the judgment of their God; they ask of me righteous judgments; they delight to draw near to God. ‘Why have we fasted, and you see it not? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you take no knowledge of it?’ Behold, in the day of your fast you seek your own pleasure, and oppress all your workers. Behold, you fast only to quarrel and to fight and to hit with a wicked fist. Fasting like yours this day will not make your voice to be heard on high. Is such the fast that I choose, a day for a person to humble himself? Is it to bow down his head like a reed, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? Will you call this a fast, and a day acceptable to the Lord?
“Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh? Then shall your light break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up speedily; your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry, and he will say, ‘Here I am.’ If you take away the yoke from your midst, the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness, if you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday. And the Lord will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.”
(Isaiah 58:1–11 ESV)
“The Lord is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life— of whom shall I be afraid? When evil men advance against me to devour my flesh, when my enemies and my foes attack me, they will stumble and fall. Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then will I be confident.
One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple. For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle and set me high upon a rock. Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me; at his tabernacle will I sacrifice with shouts of joy; I will sing and make music to the Lord.
Hear my voice when I call, O Lord; be merciful to me and answer me. My heart says of you, “Seek his face!” Your face, Lord, I will seek. Do not hide your face from me, do not turn your servant away in anger; you have been my helper.
Do not reject me or forsake me, O God my Savior. Though my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will receive me. Teach me your way, O Lord; lead me in a straight path because of my oppressors. Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes, for false witnesses rise up against me, breathing out violence.
I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.”
(Psalms 27:1–14 NIV)
““You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”
(Matthew 5:13–20 ESV)
These are the readings from todays Anglican calendar…
Michael
Thought of our conversation saying the Office this morning…
Duane,
Yes…interesting how the readings today reflect that…
“Scribes and Pharisees” …. I found myself wondering this morning if the world of Christianity – not the Church – has, after 2,000+ years, sunk to this level…
I know this is Michael and dusty’s prayer thread, but the Scripture readings took my mind down a different trail….
I’ve asked for prayer for my daughter’s fractured vertebrae and, against the odds, her MRI this week says it is healing pretty well. With tears I thank God for prayers heard AND i thank the pray-ers here, also
Em,
This is everyones’s prayer thread.
Thanking God for your daughters healing…a nurse with a bad back is a nurse in agony…
please remember in prayer…..
Em – daughter is healing from fracture spine
Babylon’s Dread – My ministry partner got ill manifesting mental instability. He is a stroke survivor so we returned early. He is now in hospital being tested for stroke. He is my friend of 25 years and was my co-pastor starting our church. Because of the coronavirus he’s in quarantine protocols – he has no symptoms of infection but all international returnees with illness go into these protocols. He is very confused and unstable.
Linnea – Would appreciate prayer…lots of joint and muscle aches as well as fatigue, that have gotten worse over the last few weeks. I have a full schedule this next week and really need strength to get through. Thank you!
Michael – I would appreciate prayer as well…life is pretty overwhelming right now.
Em- my nurse daughter took a nasty fall, cracked a vertebrae and there is no one else on staff at the hospital that can do her job, so she’s been working through it, sometimes wearing a brace… we need prayer that with so little respite her vertebrae will heal correctly…
BrianD – I lost my sister, and now a friend of the family (my mom)Sherrie has died of cancer. Please pray
Captain Kevin – Appreciate prayer. I’ve been in a Fibro/fatigue/depressed funk all week.
Also, I’m teaching piano and voice at a local studio, and need many more students to make things work.
Linnea – Would you pray for Greg? He and my husband play tennis. He was treated for an aggressive brain cancer and thought he was clear, but it has roared back. Please pray for healing and that he and his wife come to know the Lord. Thank you!
Xenia-+Pray for the churches of Sri Lanka
Paige – Asking for prayer for a family issue… God knows…. and the silencing of a lying gossip who is spreading slander about me to family members and others. It’s an on going issue that is quite perplexing, and apparently demonic. Twisted, delusional and strange.
I spoke to a trusted friend about the issue and was told “Satan has given XYZ power to turn people against you” and “XYZ has been used by Satan to destroy your former marriage and harm the church and now to divide your family”.
This XYZ happens to also be cyber stalking me here on the Phoenix preacher.
May God enlighten all souls to see and know Truth and walk in it by His Spirit.
cash – depression , PTSD
David H – I could use a prayer. I was diagnosed with Bell’s Palsy . Right side of my face is paralyzed. Prednisone and an antiviral.
Michael – heart aneurysm and a bad valve, bad back and neck issues.
Captain Kevin – Please pray for my oldest daughter. She is separated from her husband. This is probably the 3rd time in the 3 years they’ve been married. I’m not sure who is more at fault or if there is any abuse, so I just pray for God’s will. They are believers, I think.
JD – Marshal whose mother told him that she doesn’t love him
Linnea – Jon and Sarah. Please pray that they would know God’s love and would follow Him out of horrible lifestyles to freedom.
Michael, Rick, Joel, Dan, capt. Kevin, Owen – wand to hear from God in their prayer life
JTK- ongoing back issue.
David H – Aunt Ramona has Adenocarcinoma primary lung cancer.
Victor- chronic back pain
Linnea- sister salvation
Paige- 4 boys to be pleasing to God
Thank You for Your mercies Lord. Thank You for this place for all to pray and to praise Your holy Name. Give Michael blessings beyond measure for allowing us to come here in Your name
Em…so happy to hear of your daughter’s progress…keeping her in prayer.
Michael…keeping you in prayer, too.