Heavenly Father, we thank you today for your work in creation and the abundant blessings that we have as Your children. We thank You for the glorious gospel; the gift of your Son Jesus Christ as the one mediator between God and man. Thank you for the church, the company of the redeemed, and for the local church where believers gather to express their faith and obedience such as we do here at Northmount Baptist. Thank you for the gift of pastor, which Your Word says You gave to Your church "to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ" (Ephesians 4: 12,13). Thank You for Pastor Greg and his faithfulness to Your cause, for the Bible says, "it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful" (1 Corinthians 4:2). Thank You for his personal commitment to Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour and to the Word of God. Thank You for the love he has for his wife and family demonstrating a stable and healthy family. For the Scripture says of church leadership, "he must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him with proper respect" (1 Timothy 3:4). Thank You for his thoughtful exposition of Your Word, as he heeds Your call to "Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage--with great patience and careful instruction" (2 Timothy 4:2). Thank You for his leadership in our church service and the orderly manner in which he leads us, seeking to fulfill the Blibical call that "all things be done decently and in order" (1 Corinthians 14:40). Thank You for his interest in the flock under his care and the burden that he carries for Your people. Thank You for Jonathon, for his leadership with Your youth and children. May you continue to confir your richest blessing upon this ministry, upon Pastor Greg and Jonathon, as they seek to fulfill their call amongst us and thus bring You glory. In the powerful name of Jesus Christ we pray, AMEN.
Grant unto us, Lord, that we may set our hope on Thy name and open the eyes of our hearts that we may know Thee. We beseech Thee, Lord and Master, to be our help and succor. Save those among us who are in tribulation, have mercy on the lowly, lift up the fallen, show Thyself to those in need, heal the sick, turn again the wanderers of Thy people, feed the hungry, ransom our prisioners, raise up the weak, comfort the fainthearted. Let all nations know that Thou are God alone and that Jesus Christ is Thy Son and that we are Thy people and the sheep of Thy pasture. We praise Thee who are able to do these and better things than these, through Jesus Christ the High Priest and guardian of our souls through whom be glory and majesty to Thee both now and throughout all generations forever and ever. Amen. (St. Clement of Rome 100 AD)
A Prayer for a New Day
Dear Heavenly Father: Thank You for the new day that awaits me today, And for the new possibilities that You have put into my tomorrows. I rejoice this morning in the knowledge that with the nights come new days, With the winter comes the spring, and With the Cross comes the Resurrection. Just as the buds of green leaves appear on dry, barren trees, As the tender sprouts push their way through the stubborn soil, so, O Lord, may I feel the creativity You have planted within me push its way through my barren times, To bloom into a beautiful, new idea, a fresh concept, and an unexpected opportunity. Just as the shafts of sunshine send their bright, warm rays across the empty black night, so, O Lord, this morning send positive thoughts into my mind to erase the negative influences that have blinded me. Thank You, Lord, for new days and for new life. Amen
Nehemiah's Prayer 1:5-11
And I said: "I pray Lord God of heaven, O great and awesome God, You who keep Your covenant and mercy with those who love You and observe Your commandments, please let Your ear be attentive and Your eyes open, that You may hear the prayer of Your servant which I pray before You now, day and night, for the children of Israel Your servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel which we have sinned against You. Both my father's house and I have sinned. We have acted very corruptly against You, and have not kept the commandments, the statutes, nor the ordinances which You commanded Your servant Moses. Remember I pray, the word that You commanded Your servant Moses, saying, 'If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations; but if you return to Me, and keep my commandments and do them, though some of you were cast out to the farthest part of the heavens, yet I will gather them from there, and bring them to the place which I have chosen as a dwelling for My name.' Now these are Your servants and Your people, whom You have redeemed by Your great power, and by Your strong hand. O Lord, I pray, please let Your ear be attentive to the prayer of Your servant, and to the prayer of Your servants who desire to fear Your name; and let Your servant prosper this day, I pray, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man." For I was the King's cupbearer.
