Global Day of Prayer 2013
May 19, 2013 by Lillie
PRAY WITH ONE VOICE
A Prayer for the World
Almighty God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
We gather with believers all over the world,
to glorify You as Creator of heaven and earth.
You alone are holy and righteous.
We submit to Your authority.
We praise and adore You alone.
Father, we honour You
Lord Jesus Christ, we honour You
Holy Spirit, we honour You
Our Father in heaven,
Thank You for loving the world so much
that You gave Your only Son, Jesus Christ,
to die on the cross for our sins
so that we could be reconciled to You.
Fill us with your love as we faithfully intercede for the lost,
the hopeless, the helpless and the world.
Thank You Father, for adopting us into Your family.
Lord Jesus Christ,
You died on the cross and
redeemed us to the Father by Your blood.
You are Head of the Church
and Lord of all heaven and earth.
Let Your kingdom be established in every nation of the world
bring transformation among peoples of all tribes and languages
so that righteousness and justice will prevail.
May Your Name be great, from the rising of the sun to its setting.
Jesus Christ, You are Lord of all.
Father of mercy and grace,
We have sinned.
Our world is gripped by the power of sin.
Our hearts are grieved by injustice, hatred and violence.
We are shamed by oppression, racism and bloodshed in our land.
We mourn all loss of life in murder, war and terrorism.
Our homes are broken and our churches are divided by rebellion and pride.
Our lives are polluted by selfishness, greed, idolatry and sexual sin.
God of mercy, forgive our sins.
Pour out Your grace and heal our land.
Spirit of the living God,
Transform Your Church into the image of Jesus Christ.
Release Your power to bring healing to the sick,
freedom to the oppressed and comfort to those who mourn.
Fill us with compassion
for the homeless and the hungry
for orphans, widows and the elderly.
Give us wisdom and insight for our world’s problems
to use the resources of the earth for the well-being of all.
Holy Spirit, guide us and lead us.
Lord Jesus Christ,
You destroyed sin, conquered death and defeated Satan.
Remove the veil of darkness that covers the peoples.
Restrain the evil that promotes violence and death.
Deliver us from demonic oppression.
Break the hold of slavery, tyranny and disease.
Help us to tear down strongholds and ideologies
that resist the knowledge of God.
Almighty God, deliver us from evil.
King of Glory,
Come and finish Your work in our cities, our peoples and our nations.
From all continents and islands we cry:
Lift up your heads, O you gates!
Be lifted up ancient doors
so that the King of glory may come in!
Come fill the earth with the knowledge of Your glory
as the waters cover the sea.
The Spirit and the Bride say:
Amen! Come Lord Jesus!
10 Days of Prayer: Ascension to Pentecost 2013
May 9, 2013 by Lillie
On the liturgical calendar of the church, today is Ascension Day, commemorating the day Jesus ascended into Heaven. Before He left them, Jesus told His disciples to stay in Jerusalem, and He would send the Holy Spirit to them. The disciples stayed in Jerusalem and prayed for the next ten days, until the day of Pentecost. At that time the Holy Spirit came down, appearing like tongues of fire over the disciples. Peter preached to the crowd, and each person heard the words in his own language, and three thousand people were baptized that day.
The Global Day of Prayer is Pentecost Sunday, May 19th. On that day, Christians around the world will come together in repentance and prayer. Like the disciples who prayed continuously from Jesus’ Ascension to the day of Pentecost, believers will pray for the ten days leading up to the Global Day of Prayer. If you would like to pray with a specific focus for each day, download the 10 Day Prayer Guide and join Christians everywhere in praying for the nations of the world.
O LORD, we beseech thee, mercifully hear our prayers, and spare all those who confess their sins unto thee; that they, whose consciences by sin are accused, by thy merciful pardon may be absolved; through Christ our Lord. Amen.
O MOST mighty God, and merciful Father, who hast compassion upon all men, and who wouldest not the death of a sinner, but rather that he should turn from his sin, and be saved; Mercifully forgive us our trespasses; receive and comfort us, who are grieved and wearied with the burden of our sins. Thy property is always to have mercy; to thee only it appertaineth to forgive sins. Spare us therefore, good Lord, spare thy people, whom thou hast redeemed; enter not into judgment with thy servants; but so turn thine anger from us, who meekly acknowledge our transgressions, and truly repent us of our faults, and so make haste to help us in this world, that we may ever live with thee in the world to come; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
TURN thou us, O good Lord, and so shall we be turned. Be favourable, O Lord, Be favourable to thy people, Who turn to thee in weeping, fasting, and praying. For thou art a merciful God, Full of compassion, Long-suffering, and of great pity. Thou sparest when we deserve punishment, And in thy wrath thinkest upon mercy. Spare thy people, good Lord, spare them, And let not thine heritage be brought to confusion. Hear us, O Lord, for thy mercy is great, And after the multitude of thy mercies look upon us; Through the merits and mediation of thy blessed Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
O GOD, whose nature and property is ever to have mercy and to forgive; Receive our humble petitions; and though we be tied and bound with the chain of our sins, yet let the pitifulness of thy great mercy loose us; for the honour of Jesus Christ, our Mediator and Advocate. Amen.
National Day of Prayer 2013
May 2, 2013 by Lillie
Today is the National Day of Prayer, a time to come together in prayer for our nation and its people.
ALMIGHTY God, who hast given us this good land for our heritage; We humbly beseech thee that we may always prove ourselves a people mindful of thy favour and glad to do thy will. Bless our land with honourable industry, sound learning, and pure manners. Save us from violence, discord, and confusion; from pride and arrogancy, and from every evil way. Defend our liberties, and fashion into one united people the multitudes brought hither out of many kindreds and tongues. Endue with the spirit of wisdom those to whom in thy Name we entrust the authority of government, that there may be justice and peace at home, and that, through obedience to thy law, we may show forth thy praise among the nations of the earth. In the time of prosperity, fill our hearts with thankfulness, and in the day of trouble, suffer not our trust in thee to fail; all which we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Today is Internet Evangelism Day 2013
April 21, 2013 by Lillie
Today is Internet Evangelism Day. I remember when I volunteered to create a website for our church in the late 1990s. At the time our congregation was small and composed mostly of older people. The vestry (the board in charge of managing the non-spiritual aspects of the parish) was skeptical.
One member said, “No one will ever go to a website to find out anything about a church!”
The vestry decided it was acceptable to have a website as long as it didn’t require any money or any time from anyone except me. I agreed to pay for the domain registration and hosting and to provide the labor to create and maintain the site. That first site was just a few pages created in Publisher. Through the years I learned more about web design and updated and expanded the site a number of times. The Wayback Machine has snapshots of the site as far back as 2001.
Even that first little unsophisticated, almost amateur-ish site was effective. For many years, the Internet was the major source of visitors and new members to the parish. We also reached out to people around the world through our prayer ministry and through the extensive information and links to other Christian resources on the site. A few years ago, I had to resign as webmaster to care for my husband, so I don’t have the current statistics, but I’m sure the website is still serving the parish, potential members, and those who need prayer or who want to learn how to become a Christian.
Our parish has grown and we have people of all ages, and many of those individuals are active in social media. We have a public page for All Saints Anglican and several private pages for prayers, slides and material from discipleship classes, and more. Our rector, Father Chip Harper, uses Facebook as a tool for ministry.
The Internet Evangelism Day website states:
The Internet has become a 21st century Roman road, marketplace, theater, backyard fence, and office drinks machine. Web evangelism gives believers opportunities to reach people with the Gospel right where they are, just as Jesus and Paul did. The Web is an open window to the whole world.
The Web’s explosive growth has been remarkable. In ten short years, it jumped from being a minority hobby for computer enthusiasts to a communication medium used by over 1000 million people worldwide. If your visit to this website lasts ten minutes, in that period 460 people will have used the Web for their very first time.
Our church started doing Internet evangelism many years ago, but there is still more we can do. If your church isn’t evangelizing online, maybe it’s time to start.
Is Satan’s Plan Working?
April 12, 2013 by Lillie
This powerful video reminds us how easy it is to fall into Satan’s trap. Sometimes it’s more about neglecting the good than doing what is evil.
Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty
March 31, 2013 by Lillie
Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty! Worthy is the Lamb!
He is risen! He is risen, indeed!
Scripture for Easter 2013
March 31, 2013 by Lillie
1 When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought spices, so that they might come and anoint Him. 2 Very early on the first day of the week, they *came to the tomb when the sun had risen. 3 They were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?” 4 Looking up, they *saw that the stone had been rolled away, although it was extremely large. 5 Entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting at the right, wearing a white robe; and they were amazed. 6 And he *said to them, “Do not be amazed; you are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who has been crucified. He has risen; He is not here; behold, here is the place where they laid Him. 7 But go, tell His disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see Him, just as He told you.’” 8 They went out and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had gripped them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid. 9 [Now after He had risen early on the first day of the week, He first appeared to Mary Magdalene, from whom He had cast out seven demons. 10 She went and reported to those who had been with Him, while they were mourning and weeping. 11 When they heard that He was alive and had been seen by her, they refused to believe it. 12 After that, He appeared in a different form to two of them while they were walking along on their way to the country. 13 They went away and reported it to the others, but they did not believe them either. 14 Afterward He appeared to the eleven themselves as they were reclining at the table; and He reproached them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who had seen Him after He had risen. 15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. 16 He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned. 17 These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues; 18 they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” ~ Mark 16:1-18 (NASB)
He is risen! He is risen, indeed! Alleluia! Thank You, Lord! Amen and Amen.
Follow Jesus on Twitter
March 30, 2013 by Lillie
This video looks at Jesus’ ministry, death, and Resurrection from a modern perspective.
Scripture for Holy Saturday 2013
March 30, 2013 by Lillie
42 When evening had already come, because it was the preparation day, that is, the day before the Sabbath, 43 Joseph of Arimathea came, a prominent member of the Council, who himself was waiting for the kingdom of God; and he gathered up courage and went in before Pilate, and asked for the body of Jesus. 44 Pilate wondered if He was dead by this time, and summoning the centurion, he questioned him as to whether He was already dead. 45 And ascertaining this from the centurion, he granted the body to Joseph. 46 Joseph bought a linen cloth, took Him down, wrapped Him in the linen cloth and laid Him in a tomb which had been hewn out in the rock; and he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb. 47 Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses were looking on to see where He was laid. ~ Mark 15:42-47 (NASB)
Lord, Joseph of Arimathea had been a secret follower of Jesus, but he gathered up courage to ensure that Jesus was properly buried. May I never be a secret follower but always be willing to tell others about You. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Why Do We Call It Good Friday?
March 29, 2013 by Lillie
Have you wondered why the day Christ was crucified is called Good Friday?
