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

Happy Reformation Day

Friday, October 24

Petitions to Our Heavenly Father:

Attribute: God is Our Father

We praise you because are faithful, constant, loyal, reliable, steadfast, unwavering, devoted, true and dependable.

“I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.”
2 CORINTHIANS 6:18

FROM THE FIRST PETITION OF THE LORD’S PRAYER:

Our Father, who art in heaven

What does this mean?

With these words God tenderly invites us to believe that he is our true Father and that we are his true children, so that with all boldness and confidence we may ask him as dear children ask their dear father. (From Luther's Small Catechism)

Verses to Read

1 JOHN 3:1
ROMANS 8:15-16
HEBREWS 4:16
PSALM 103:13
2 CORINTHIANS 1:20
GALATIANS 3:26

A Father’s Love Letter

For our children:

Even before he made the world, God loved _____ and chose ______ in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt ______ into his own family by bringing ______ to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.

EPHESIANS 1:4-5

Specific Prayer Requests for Ms. Mazur and the 2st Graders

• Please pray that the 2nd graders are able to stay focused during school day.
• Pray for the students who are struggling with responsibility such as turning in homework, following directions, and controlling our talking.
• Pray for a student whose dad was deployed on October 23. He will be gone for the next year. Keep dad safe and give strength to mom. Help the family not too miss dad too much.
  

School Requests

• For the mock election as we celebrate the freedom we have in our country to choose our leaders and vote on important issues
• The Fall Festival
• Basketball and cheer leading tryouts
• A successful October Community Connection

Other Requests

• Prayers for our country, our leaders
• Prayers for the election
• Prayers for our economy

Friday, October 10

Our petitions to Our Heavenly Father.

Attribute: God is faithful.
Definition: reliable, constant, loyal, unwavering, steadfast, dependable

We praise you because are the Lord who is faithful.

Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands.
Deuteronomy 7:9

Psalm 33

Verses to Read

2 Timothy 2:13
Psalm 145:13
Lamentations 3:21-24
Hhebrews 10:23
2 Corinthians 1:20
Isaiah 25:1

A Prayer of Thanksgiving

Gracious and almighty Father, You are the source of all lovingkindness, and You act in mercy toward Your creation. You formed all things and send life throughout the world. You have come into our lives and performed wonders of forgiveness and healing. Thank You for Your love and mercy. Thank You for Your Word of salvation in Your Son. In Him, we will join the angles in praising You forever.

Amen

(Portals of Prayer Oct-Dec 2008)

For our children:

My prayer is that ________ knows, O Lord, that Your Word is eternal; it stands firm forever in the heavens. Fill _______ with the knowledge that Your faithfulness continues through all generations.

Psalm 119: 89,90

This week we were privileged to pray for Ms. Pierce and the 1st Graders

• Please pray for patience and guidance for all my children and their parents.
• Safe travels for those that will be going away for the long weekend.
• Open up their hearts to continue to know the Lord and learn more about him.

We prayed that the Fruit of the Spirit would be evident in the 1st Grade

• Love for those around us.
• Joy in everyday things.
• Peace in the classroom, with friends and family.
• Patience in all situations.
• Kindness as the students interact with each other.
• Goodness in all words and deeds.
• Faithfulness with friends and family.
• Gentleness as the students go through the day
• Self-control in every situation.

School Requests

• Prayers for the Rummage Sale – lots of stuff to sell, plenty of volunteers and shoppers
• Successful and safe October Community Connections events
  
  

Holy Spirit, Ever Dwelling

1. Holy Spirit, ever dwelling
In the holiest realms of light;
Holy Spirit, ever brooding
O’er a world of gloom and night;
Holy Spirit, ever raising
Those of earth to thrones on high;
Living, life-imparting Spirit,
You we praise and magnify.

2. Holy Spirit, ever living
As the Church’s very life;
Holy Spirit, ever striving
Through us in a ceaseless strife;
Holy Spirit, ever forming
In the Church the mind of Christ:
You we praise with endless worship
For Your gifts and fruits unpriced.

3. Holy Spirit, ever working
Through the Church’s ministry;
Quick’ning, strength’ning, and absolving,
Setting captive sinners free;
Holy Spirit, ever binding
Age to age and soul to soul
In communion never ending,
You we worship and extol.

Based on:

Genesis 1:1-2
1 Corinthians 12:12-14
Ephesians 3:7-9

Text: Timothy Rees (1874-1939) Anglican hymnographer
Tune: 1710

Friday, October 3

Our petitions to you Our Heavenly Father.

Attribute: God is our Sanctifier

Definition:

The Holy Spirit empowers us to live holy lives. (Jehovah M’Kaddesh)

Sanctification is that act of God within the sinner in which God works with the new man in a lifelong process of restoration.

We praise you because are the Lord who sanctifies.

May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

1 THESSALONIANS 5:23

Holy Spirit, Ever Dwelling
Hymn #650 (Lutheran Service Book)

Verses to read:

1 PETER 2:9
LEVITICUS 20:8
PHILIPPIANS 1:6
HEBREWS 12:2
EPHESIANS 2:10
2 THESSALONIANS 2:13

For our children:

Since, then, ______ has been raised with Christ, set ______ heart on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set ______ mind on things above, not on earthly things. For ______ died, and ______ life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is ______life, appears, then ________ also will appear with him in glory. Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to _____earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.

COLOSSIANS 3:1-5

This week we prayed for Mrs. O’Boyle and the Kindergartners. Her classes shared personal prayer request which we were privileged to pray for.