Call2Fall

Pray for an Explosion of Evangelism –

Gracious Lord, please fill us with a burning passion to pray for and witness to the lost. Cause our eyes to weep for souls that we may reap in joy.
(Luke 19:10; Acts 1:8; Romans 5:5, 9:1-3)

Between the narrow places

In traditional Judaism the time period between the 17th of Tammuz and the 9th of Av is called ‘bein ha Metzarim’ which is translated between the narrow places or dire straits. It comes from Lamentations 1:3: ‘Amidst affliction and harsh labor, Judah has gone into exile. She dwells among the nations; she finds no resting place. All who pursue her have overtaken her IN THE MIDST OF HER DISTRESS’. This phrase IN THE MIDST OF HER DISTRESS can also be translated ‘between the straits or narrow places’. It is traditionally a 3 week mourning period in Judaism commemorating the breaching of the walls of Jerusalem on the 17th of Tammuz and the destruction of the Temple on the 9th of Av. It is a time of mourning with no weddings.
This period commences July 9 and overlaps with General Convention.

O God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,
Thank You for Your goodness in the narrow places. Help us to walk in faith and in love, and not in fear and grief.
Our desire to please You is muddled with our fleshly desires. Help us to narrow our desires. Sanctify us for Your service. We have not walked this way before. We want to follow You. Draw us into that place where You are leading.
We want to heed Your call. Help us to see the opportunity that You provide in a different way. Open our ears so that we may rise up today and enter in through the corridor that is the narrow way.
Narrow our desires now so that we may break through to the place that You have for us. Amen.

The presence of the Lord

O Lord,
May Your presence remain within the hearts of the godly people attending General Convention, especially ____. Bless them and their entire households. Amen.
2 Samuel 6:11

Psalm 1

Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; (Psalm 1:1)
      Father, please help our deputation to the General Convention and all other faithful deputies to avoid the counsel of the ungodly. Keep them from the path of sinners and the seat of those scornful of faith in your son Jesus.

But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in his law he meditates day and night. (Psalm 1:2)
      Holy Spirit, please give your faithful people at General Convention delight in your law and help them meditate on your ways.

He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper. (Psalm 1:3)
      Jesus, prosper the words and the work of your faithful people at General Convention and let it bear fruit in the hearts of those who hear them.

The ungodly are not so, but are like the chaff which the wind drives away. (Psalm 1:4)
      Holy Spirit, drive away the chaff in the Episcopal Church.

Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. (Psalm 1:5)
      Lord, we cry out to you for those who walk apart from you that you will raise up witnesses that they can hear and respond to.

For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly shall perish. (Psalm 1:6)
      Jesus, even now rescue those who are perishing — help them accept you as Lord and savior — help them confess their sins and receive your forgiveness. Thank you.

      A word received: Call my people to surrender their lives to me anew. Call them to place their trust and their hope in me. I AM waiting for my people to turn to me.

Monday: 1, 2, 3; 1 Samuel 15:1-3,7-23; Acts 9:19b-31; Luke 23:44-56a
Tuesday: 5, 6; 1 Samuel 15:24-35; Acts 9:32-43; Luke 23:56b-24:11

Albany Intercessor

General Convention

O Lord,
How we have profaned our world. You have created our beautiful bodies to be temples, dwelling places for the Holy Spirit.
The children of Israel ministered before the ark continually, offering regular sacrifices, thanksgiving, and sacred song. During the construction of the temple, the stone was made ready prior to transport to the buiding site so that no hammer, ax, or any tool of iron was heard. Even the airwaves were set aside and holy!
The children of the Episcopal Church are so careless with our words, our music, our media. We are thoughtless with our food and with the care of our bodies and spirits. Take pity, Lord, for we are fallen creatures.
Have mercy. Restore us to holiness. Amen.
1 Corinthians 3:16-17, 1 Chronicles 16:37-42, 1 Kings 6:7