If you have adapted one of these pastoral prayers or written some of your own would you be willing to share them with other pastors? Just Send them to me and I'll post them here to help other pastors. keith.drury@indwes.edu

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Sunday, December 21, 2008

Pastoral Prayer by Paul Meeks #17

Pastoral Prayer by Paul Meeks #17

Let's talk to the Sovereign Lord of the world and even the whole universe. And remember that even though he's great and mighty, yet he's right here with us right now and ready to hear our prayers. So, let's pray.

Our gracious and loving Heavenly Father, we come to you today in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. We thank you today for salvation through the sacrificial death and resurrection of your Son, Jesus. We've been set free from the power and bondage of sin and given new life. We have the privilege of walking with you day by day. Each day is a new and different experience. We've never walked this way before, so we need a guide. We thank you for the gentle voice and promptings of the Holy Spirit that keeps us in the right way and enables us to avoid the pitfalls and difficulties that come along the way. You're always there even when we're unaware of your presence.

We thank you, too, that you have a plan and purpose for every one of us that's special and just suited for us individually. You know all about our abilities as well as our limitations. You know about our personalities and our character and your plan and leading to us is exactly right for us. And as we understand and try to follow your will we can rest assured that you always give the best to those that leave the choice to you. You don't make mistakes and you don't need to rethink things. We sometimes misunderstand and fail to get it right, but you never do. Thank you, Lord, for being who and what you are. You're trustworthy and we can be secure in your everlasting love.

Lord, I pray that you will look down inside each of us and see all the needs that are there. See the frustrations and disappointments, see the failures and even the sins that might be there. And you can do something about them. We're looking to you right now to meet those needs and bring healing and restoration and forgiveness.

Please be with those that have sicknesses and physical problems. You designed our bodies and you understand how they're supposed to work. And we pray that even right now in this service you would bring healing and wholeness to those that need your physical touch. There are even some who don't know that they have a sickness or disease, but you know about it already and we would ask you for healing even before they know they have a need. You can do that, Lord, and that's what we're asking.

We pray for the missionaries laboring for you all around the world. Many of them are living and working in countries that are closed to the preaching and teaching of your Word and we ask that they might find open doors for witness. We ask for protection for them, too, because we know Satan doesn't want them to be there in his territory. Make them effective witnesses for you.

We pray for the conflicts going on between Satan and God and between wickedness and godliness. We pray for your kingdom to come and that men's hearts will be turned to you. We pray for the military that are involved in this conflict. May they call upon you for protection and for your intervention in the life and death struggles.

We pray for our president and his cabinet and advisors. Give them wisdom and understanding and may they call upon you for guidance and direction as they direct the affairs of our county. We pray for the men and women of the congress and those in the courts of the land. How we need a turning to you and to the principles of righteousness and holiness and godliness. Allow things to come that will turn men's hearts to you.

We pray for our church and its leaders. Give wisdom and direction as we all seek to do your will and fulfill your purposes for us as your church. We want to be busy doing the things that are close to your heart and things that will count for eternity.

We pray for Pastor Steve as he brings your message. Give him clearness of thought and the ability to communicate the things you have for us today. We do want to hear from you and ask you to speak to us through him.

We pray this in the name of Jesus, our Lord and Savior, who taught us to pray, Our Father, who art in heaven . . . . . .

Paul Meeks
College Wesleyan Church
Marion, IN 46953

pauldarmeeks@aol.com

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