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Confidence in Troubled Times
The theme of our final week of prayer is "Confidence In Troubled Times." As we enter this week of prayer and approach the Thanksgiving holidays our nation is going through the most difficult economic times in generations. This week our readings and prayers will claim the promises of God to provide for His children at all times. This week's guide was prepared by Dan. Let us remember as we go about our daily lives to "give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5: 18. o DAY 36 (Sunday, November 23) PRAYER PROMISE: "I urge, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone - for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness." 1 Timothy 2:1-2 IN: Intercede today on behalf of our president-elect. Whether we personally voted for him or not, Barack Obama will soon be the leader for us all, and he will face great challenges and make decisions that affect us all. We pray he will make wise decisions that bring stability and security to our nation, so that we might practice our faith freely and lead peaceful and quiet lives. IN: We pray for safety for the president and his family. We pray that he will surround himself with advisors who possess wisdom and integrity. And we pray that all of our government's leaders might put aside selfish motives and seek the best interests of our country. PRAYER AGENDA: Thank God today for the loving service provided by our Care Groups * Ask the Lord's special blessing on those who are mourning the loss of loved ones * Pray for the work of Wes & Airiel Woodell as they establish a campus ministry in :CitySan Francisco . o DAY 37 (Monday, November 24)
PRAYER PROMISE: "Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, 'Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you .' So we say with confidence: 'The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?" Hebrews 13:5-6 PR: Thank you, Father, for your unending love for us. We thank you for the confidence that comes from knowing that you will provide for us. We praise you for all of the gifts you have showered on us throughout our life, and the many occasions in the past when you have brought us through troubled times. SG: Father, we confess that the economic troubles in our country have made us afraid. We hear the constant drumbeat of gloom on the news, and we are anxious about the future. Help us to remember your promises, and to be content with what we have. Grant us more trust, and take away our anxious thoughts. PRAYER AGENDA: Ask God to bless Lewis & Carole Whatley as they work with our Cub Scouts * Pray for those in our church family who are unemployed and seeking work, that they might find the job they need. * Pray for the leaders in our community who are seeking to attract new jobs to this area. o DAY 38 (Tuesday, November 25) PRAYER PROMISE: "I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread. They are always generous and lend freely; their children will be blessed" - Psalm 37:25-26. SG: Father, we know that you have provided for us in the past, and that you have promised to do so in the future. We affirm our faith in your goodness and we place our lives in your care. We thank you for good health, good friends, and a good church family. IN: Give us more faith. We are weak, we are frail, and it is difficult for us to let go of our fears. Help us especially to be conscious of the tender hearts of our children, and to avoid creating insecurity in them. Lord, help us to model a trusting faith in our families, so that our sons and daughters may be blessed. PRAYER AGENDA: Pray for those in our church family who are single and who would like to find a marriage partner. Ask God to raise up a suitable person with whom they could share their life, and pray that they will be patient enough to wait until they have found a good Christian mate. o DAY 39 (Wednesday, November 26) PRAYER PROMISE: "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God that transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7 SG: Father, we ask for your peace. In these troubled times, we pray that you will guard our hearts and protect us from being dragged down by worries and fears, doubts and depression. Help us to be less self-centered and more Christ-centered. SG: We especially ask that you grant us the gift of gratitude. Enable us to not only present our petitions to you with confidence, but also with thanksgiving. Help us to not become so focused on what we don't have, and the requests that we have not yet received, that we forget to be grateful for all the blessings we have been given. PRAYER AGENDA: Ask God's special blessing today on those in our church family who are struggling with depression. Pray that the Lord will give them a special measure of his grace * Ask God to grant wisdom and patience to those who are working in our Recovery Ministry. We pray that many souls will be saved, and lives reclaimed, through this good work.
A THANKSGIVING PRAYER: "Our Father, thou hast given us so much. Do please give us one more thing....a grateful heart!" - George Herbert
Give
thanks with a grateful heart
ANOTHER PERSPECTIVE ON THE CURRENT CRISIS We are reeling over this economic crisis—a seven billion dollar bail-out plan and, we are told another stimulus package is in the making. We are wondering now what is going to happen to our 401k's. What if some of this was our own fault? But the truth is this might not be such a "bad thing." I would submit that what we are experiencing might not necessarily be a bad thing. Most humans (Christians, too) only look up when they have been sucker-punched and are lying face-up on the floor. That's when we tend to see the eternal through the temporal. Will we as a nation get through this? I suspect we will. Over the last 100 years, stocks have gained value in every 10-year period, including during the Great Depression. Will there be pain in the meantime? I suspect there will be. The question is: How will I respond to this tempest in the teapot of eternity? What if this causes Christians to again become salt? What if we led by example? What if we bought fewer 'extras?' What if we paid off our credit cards, bought cars we could afford, and saved more than we spent? What if we always had money to give to others - and were truly "ready unto every good deed?" -Steve Diggs Nashville :City, Tennessee
"Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share" - 1 Timothy 6:18-19 DAY 40 (Thursday, November 27)
PRAYER PROMISE: "The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not be in want.....you prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies, you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows" - Psalm 23:1, 5
PR: As we look at our holiday tables today, filling with an abundance of food, we thank you, Father, for all of the material blessings we have received here in :country-regionAmerica : for our freedom, our jobs, our homes, our health, and all of the good things we enjoy. Even with the bad economic news, and in spite of our diminished portfolios, we know that we remain a rich people. Thank you, Lord, for cups that overflow!
Haven’t got a
lot of riches |
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11/9/2008 |
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