Friday, November 14

Petitions to Our Heavenly Father:

Attribute: God is Almighty

Definition: (El Shaddai) All powerful, having unlimited power; omnipotent
We praise you because you are the almighty, all-sufficient God!

Hymn # 577 Almighty God, Your Word is Cast

"Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, O LORD, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all."

1 Chronicles 29:11

Verses to Read

Psalm 147:5
2 Corinthians 12:9
Ephesians 3:20-21
Psalm 62:11
Psalm 89:8-13
Jeremiah 32:17
Colossians 1:10-12
Ephesians 1:18-21
Matthew 19:26

For our children:

________ did you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding you can not fathom. He will give you strength when you are weary and increase your power when you are weak. Even though you grow tired and weary, stumble and fall; because you have hope in the LORD, He will renew your strength. And ____, you will soar on wings like eagles; and you will run and not grow weary, and you will walk and not be faint. (Isaiah 40:28-31)

Amen

Specific Prayer Requests for Ms. Sellers and the 4th Graders:

• Health for extended family members especially grandparents and great-grandparents.
• Love for others outside of themselves.
• Joy and contentment in everyday things.
• Peace that passes all understanding. Patience for children as they wait for things, their turns.
• Kindness as the students interact with each other daily.
• Goodness in thoughts, words and deeds.
• Faithfulness in Bible study, worship and prayer, in spending time with one another.
• Gentleness with each other in all circumstances.
• Self-control in the classroom.

School Requests

• Healthy school as the cold and flu season begins
• Plentiful giving for the Mission for November — Carol's Cupboard
• The 2nd, 3rd, and 4th graders are performing a musical on Nov. 21

Other Requests

• Continued prayers for our economy especially the auto industry
• Prayers for President-Elect Obama

Friday, October 31

Petitions to Our Heavenly Father:

Attribute: God is Unchangeable

Definition: He is immutable. God’s essence never changes; God’s attributes – His kindness, His wrath, His will never changes

We praise you because you are unchangeable, faithful, and never varying.

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”

HEBREWS 13:8

Verses to read

PSALM 100:5
ISAIAH 51:6
PSALM 102:25-27
MALACHI 3:6-7
JOHN 3:36
HEBREWS 6:17-20
ISAIAH 54:10
1 SAMUEL 15:29
PSALM 119:89

For our children:

My prayer for ________ is that as he/she lifts up her/his eyes to the heavens and looks at the earth beneath; he/she will see the heavens vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment and its inhabitants die like flies. But ________ will know that the Lord’s salvation will last forever, and His righteousness will never fail. (ISAIAH 51:6) Impress on his/her heart that every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. (JAMES 1:17) Help ______ to know that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. (HEBREWS 13:8)

AMEN

Specific Prayer Requests for Ms. Kern and the 3rd Graders

• Encouragement for parents to break bad habits
  
• Healing for sick grandparents and uncles.
• Prayers for a brother who is studying for the ministry.
• Good health for Ms. Kern, the 3rd graders and all their families.
• Prayers for the students and parents as report cards come home.

School Requests

• School conferences
• Healthy school as the cold and flu season begins
• Praises for the volleyball and soccer teams as their seasons end. Thanks to coaches for all their hard work — Tracy Bean, Kim Woodfin, Ryan Harding, and Ray Swayze. Thanks to the parents and all the athletics who worked so hard —All to the glory of God!
• Plentiful giving for the Mission for November — Carol's Cupboard

Other Requests:

• Prayers for our country and our leaders
• Prayers for the election
• Prayers for our economy
• Prayers for a safe Halloween for those who will be trick or treating.

Martin Luther Rap

Happy Birthday Martin Luther

(Painting by Lucas Cranach, 1529)

German reformer Martin Luther was born in Eisleben, Germany on November 19, 1483.

"Our faith is an astounding thing-astounding that I should believe him to be the Son of God who is suspended on the cross, whom I have never seen, with whom I have never become acquainted."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Luther

Praying the Psalms

The Book of Psalms has been called the "Prayer Book of the Old Testament”. There are 150 poems in the Psalter that have been used as prayers for over two thousands years by The Old and New Testament believers.

There are psalms of confession of sins, laments by the individual, laments for the nation, intercessions for help, praise and thanksgiving. You can read through a particular Psalm as a prayer or personalize.

Concordia Publishing House publishes a wonderful book by Martin Luther titled Reading the Psalms with Luther.

If you open your Bible, Psalms is right in the middle.

Try reading Psalm 33 for a family devotion time.

On Electing a New President

A long and difficult election cycle has ended. Every 4 years we are blessed to elect our leaders. Our school had a mock election in which John McCain won big. However that didn't follow how the country voted. In a historic election Barack Obama was elected. So now we have an opportunity to pray President-Elect Obama, for our nation and its leaders.

In Romans 13:1-5 we are told:

"Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer. Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience." (ESV)

And in the Lutheran Service Book:

"Almighty God, You have given us this good land as our heritage. Grant that we remember Your generosity and constantly do Your will. Bless our land with honest industry, truthful education, and an honorable way of life. Save us from violence, discord, and confusion, from pride and arrogance, and from every evil course of action. Grant that we, who came from many nations with many different languages, may become a united people. Support us in defending our liberties, and give those to whom we have entrusted the authority of government the spirit of wisdom, that there may be justice and peace in our land. When times are prosperous, may our hearts be thankful, and in troubled times do not let our trust in You fail; through Jesus Christ, our Lord."

Amen