10/3/13- Prayers of Thanksgiving

Preschoolers at LMPC Pray a Prayer of Thanksgiving
Preschoolers Encouraging us: "Pray Y'all!"

T is for Thanksgiving.    This type of prayer is just like the holiday named for it.
We tell God all the things He has done for us and given to us for which we are thankful.
It is important to praise God for: our material possessions and work our bodies and their health
our family and friends our church home  our relationship with Him Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross
our eternal life through Him… You get the idea…the things we can thank God for are endless…

Prayers:
“My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful
    of the humble state of his servant.  From now on all generations will call me blessed,
   for the Mighty One has done great things for me— holy is his name.  His mercy extends to those who fear him,
    from generation to generation.  He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
    he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. He has brought down rulers from their thrones
    but has lifted up the humble.  He has filled the hungry with good things  but has sent the rich away empty.  He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants forever,
    just as he promised our ancestors.” Based on Luke 1:46-55   (These are the words of Mary after the angel
  told her she would bear God’s son.)

Lord, what can I say? You have spoken to me, and You have healed me. I will walk humbly all my years
because of this anguish of my soul. Lord, by such things people live;  and my spirit finds life in them too.
You restored me to health and let me live. Surely it was for my benefit that I suffered such anguish.
In your love you kept me from the pit of destruction; you have put all my sins behind your back.For the grave cannot praise you,  death cannot sing your praise;  those who go down to the pit  cannot hope for your faithfulness.The living  - they praise you, as I am doing today; parents tell their children about your faithfulness. The Lord will save me,
    and we will sing with stringed instruments all the days of our lives in the temple of the Lord.  Isaiah 38:15-19
  (Prayer of Hezekiah after a life-threatening illness)

Who am I, Sovereign Lord, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far?  And as if this were not enough in your sight, Sovereign Lord, you have also spoken about the future of the house of your servant—and this decree, Sovereign Lord, is for a mere human!  What more can David say to you? For you know your servant, Sovereign Lord.  For the sake of your word and according to your will, you have done this great thing and made it known to your servant.
How great you are, Sovereign Lord! There is no one like you, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our

own ears. And who is like your people Israel—the one nation on earth that God went out to redeem as a people for Himself, and to make a name for Himself, and to perform great and awesome wonders by driving out nations and their gods from before your people, whom you redeemed from Egypt? You have established your people Israel as your very own forever, and you, Lord, have become their God. And now, Lord God, keep forever the promise you have made concerning your servant and his house. Do as you promised, so that your name will be great forever. Then people will say, ‘The Lord Almighty is God over Israel!’  And the house of your servant David will be established in your
sight.
Lord Almighty, God of Israel, you have revealed this to your servant, saying, ‘I will build a house for you.’ So your servant has found courage to pray this prayer to you. Sovereign Lord, you are God! Your covenant is trustworthy, and you have promised these good things to your servant. Now be pleased to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue forever in your sight; for you, Sovereign Lord, have spoken, and with your blessing the house of your servant will be blessed forever.  
II Samuel 7:18-29

GUIDE/COMMENTARY ON THE PRAYERS

October 3 – Prayers of Thanksgiving

Based on Luke 1:46-55 This Scripture passage is known as the Magnificat. It is Mary’s song of praise in response to knowing she will bear the son of God. It is often sung at Christmas.

Isaiah 38:15-19 This is a prayer of King Hezekiah of Judah. Hezekiah had fallen ill and the prophet Isaiah had told him to prepare for death. Hezekiah prayed for his life and the Lord granted him fifteen more years of life. As a sign of this, the Lord commanded the sundial to retreat ten steps.

II Samuel 7:18-29 This is another prayer of David. Perhaps one of the reasons he is called a man after God’s own heart is because he was such a man of prayer and so many of these prayers were recorded for us.  Here David is thanking God for building him a “house” - the promise that the “House of David” will rule over Israel forever. Christians believe that Jesus, who rules and reigns eternally over His church, the new Israel, is the fulfillment of that promise.

   





















  

10/2/13- Confession

Tonight, Wednesday, 10/2/13- There will be a Service for Healing and Wholeness tonight 6:30 PM in the sanctuary. 
Pray especially for Tracie Stewart's mother who is having cancer surgery today.

Here is a Youtube devotional video for 10/2

There are many types of prayer.
Using different types of prayers helps you have a balanced prayer life.  Some forms of prayers may be easier for you; others harder. But as you relate to God in different ways your relationship will deepen. One of the easiest ways to deepen your prayer life is
ACTS I  stands for: ADORATION CONFESSION THANKSGIVING SUPPLICATION
INTERCESSION
We will learn more about these each day and practice each using the Scriptures.

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Prayers and Prayer Guide for October 2
C is for Confession. These prayers tell God how sorry we are for our sins. We talk to God about our struggles with sin,
and seek God’s help overcoming these sins. It is not just saying “sorry” but involves true repentance.  Biblical repentance involves a change in direction, a change in behavior, a change of heart.  In Hebrew the word for repentance means a literal U-turn – a fleeing from sin and a placing oneself squarely on God’s path. Confession is made in the assurance of God’s grace, but also knowing sin is a serious action that requires a change in behavior.

Morning Prayer:
High and Holy God, who lives forever, who lives in a high and holy place, but who also lives with us if we are
humble and repentant:  restore our confidence and hope,
give us life  and do not continue to accuse us;
do not be angry forever.  You were angry with us
because of our sin and greed, because we were stubborn
and kept going our own way; But now you heal us and help us.  You comfort those who mourn,   you offer peace to all,
both near and far.    Based on Isaiah 57:15-19

Ever since I was a child, you loved me.  You called me -
    but the more you called to me the more I turned from you.
    Yet you were the one who taught me to walk.
    You took me up in your arms, but I did not acknowledge that you took care of me.
You drew me to you with affection and love.
You picked me up like a little child and held me to your cheek.
You bent down and fed me. Yet I insisted on turning away from you.
But you have cried out concerning me even as I deserved destruction.
How can I give you up? How can I abandon you? All my compassion is aroused.  I will not carry out my fierce anger   For I am God, and not human - the Holy One among you.     Therefore, help me to return to you, Lord,
 for my sins have been my downfall. Forgive all my sins and receive me graciously  for in you the fatherless find compassion. 
Heal my waywardness and may I love you freely.
For the ways of the  Lord are right.      Based on Hosea 11 and 14


I am too ashamed and disgraced, my God, to lift up my face to you, because our sins e higher than our heads and our guilt has reached to the heavens. From the days of our ancestors until now, our guilt has been great. Because of our sins, we and our kings and our priests have been subjected to the sword and captivity, to pillage and humiliation at the hand of foreign kings, as it is today.
But now, for a brief moment, the Lord our God has been gracious in leaving us a remnant and giving us a firm place in his sanctuary, and so our God gives light to our eyes and a little relief in our bondage.  Though we are slaves, our God has not forsaken us in our bondage. He has shown us kindness in the sight of the kings of Persia: He has granted us new life to rebuild the house of our God and repair its ruins, and he has given us a wall of protection in Judah and Jerusalem.
But now, our God, what can we say after this? For we have forsaken the commands you gave through your servants the prophets… What has happened to us is a result of our evil deeds and our great guilt, and yet, our God, you have punished us less than our sins deserved and have given us a remnant like this.  Shall we then break your commands again and intermarry with the peoples who commit such detestable practices? Would you not be angry enough with us to destroy us, leaving us no remnant or survivor?  Lord, the God of Israel, you are righteous! We are left this day as a remnant. Here we are before you in our guilt, though because of it not one of us can stand in your presence.”    Ezra 9   
  (A Prayer of Ezra)
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Based on Isaiah 57:15-19 In this passage of Scripture the prophet Isaiah is comforting those who are humble and have repented of their sins. God’s people have been engulfed by their own idolatry and as a consequence they are harming themselves and others. Oppression and immortality are destroying them.  But in the midst of this chaos, there is hope and peace. God will build up, comfort, heal and grant hope and peace to all those who seek Him.

Based on Hosea 11 and 14 Hosea was a prophet to the Northern Kingdom known as (Israel or Samaria). A prophet speaks the Word of God. It is not telling the future and often prophets are called to literally live God’s Words by using their lives as an illustration. Therefore, Hosea was called to love and marry Gomer, a prostitute who was untrue to him. This was a vivid way to show the nation of Israel that she had forsaken her true husband, God, for idols. Yet God continued to love Israel as Hosea did Gomer.  This Scripture passage shows God as a caring parent to a wayward toddler and shows God’s incredible love for us despite our worst behavior.

Ezra 9 Ezra was a powerful priest who was serving the kings of Persia during the exile. He requested to return to Jerusalem in Judah (the old southern kingdom) and rebuild the temple. But in the midst of this great miracle of the people returning home just as the prophets foretold, there is sin and disobedience.  The people continue to intermarry with pagans and take on their customs and gods. This prayer is a confession of this sin and it reflects Ezra’s anguish over this situation.