Our hearts are parched

July 12, 2009

I am grieving the passage of A095 in the House of Bishops without discussion or dissent. The resolution dealt with adding names for commemoration to our liturgical calendar. The names included a lesbian Socialist who supported a political regime that murdered an estimated 60 million persons, a missionary to the Seminoles who did not work for their religious conversion, and a Freemason. They all did many good deeds, but I question the wisdom of holding them up as exemplars of the faith.–JW
A Lenten prayer:

God, all-loving and all-caring,
We come before you with hesitant steps and uncertain motives
Our hearts are parched from wandering in a desert of sin.

We want to sweep out the corners where sin has accumulated
And uncover the places where we have strayed from your truth
Our hearts are parched from wandering in a desert of sin.

We ask for courage to open our eyes and unstop our ears
That we may be aware of all that distracts us from a whole-hearted commitment to Christ
Our hearts are parched from wandering in a desert of sin.

We want to see ourselves as you do and live our lives as you intended
Expose in us the empty and barren places where we have not allowed you to enter
Our hearts are parched from wandering in a desert of sin.

Reveal to us our half-hearted struggles,
Where we have been indifferent to the pain and suffering of others
Our hearts are parched from wandering in a desert of sin.

Create in us a clean heart, O God, and put a right Spirit within us
Nurture the faint stirrings of new life where your spirit has taken root and begun to grow
Our hearts are parched from wandering in a desert of sin.

We long for your healing light to transform us into the image of your Son,
For you alone can bring new life and make us whole
In your mercy, shine upon us, O God, and make our path clear before us.

[Pause to remind yourself of your own brokenness and need for repentance.]

God of mercy, come
Into the hidden places of our hearts.
Christ of compassion, come
Into the broken places of our world.
Spirit of life, come
Into the polluted places of our lives.
Forgive us, heal us, redeem us,
Lead us from death to eternal life.


Call2Fall

July 12, 2009

Pray for Global Spiritual Awakening and Evangelistic Harvest –

Sovereign God, we ask You to rend the heavens and send forth Your awesome “manifest presence.” We ask You to so move that over thirty million Americans will be saved in a single year. Cause Your glory to sweep the whole earth bringing unprecedented millions to Christ. We humbly ask You to move even greater than You did in any previous awakening. Blessed God, we pray for one last great harvest before the glorious return of Your Son. Purify Your Bride O Christ, and then come Lord Jesus, come quickly!
(Isaiah 64:1; Ephesians 5:26-27; Revelation 22:17, 20)


Prayer Table Reports

July 12, 2009

Christ Church Schenectady Prayer Table report July 11, 9:20-10:30AM Torre Bissell and Don Foust
+–indicates received wooden cross made by Dennis Adams of North Carolina.

+Darrell — Pray for my wife (Parrietta) who has kidney failure.

+Eric (and his dog Randy)–Eric is looking for work and has trouble with alcoholism. Eric is trying to make his neighborhood a better place–The dog he was walking belonged to his neighbor’s grand-daughter who just passed away. The neighbor is 82 years old and cannot take care of the dog. Eric helps the single mothers in the neighborhood with handy work, but he is becoming the target of the “nastier” side of the neighborhood. People kicked-down his door; when he tried to defend himself with a baseball bat, they called the police and had Eric arrested. We prayed for protection and for God to show Eric direction in his life.

+Peter– for a job. Several months ago Peter left a personal journal in the side-door at Christ Church. The journal detailed how Jesus had made a difference in Peter’s life during his stint in jail. Peter wanted to know if anyone had read his journal.

+Eddiberto and +Lucinata– This older Hispanic couple has visited the Prayer Table several times in the past 2 months. They were on their way to the Iglesia De Dios yard sale. We prayed for their family (4 children–one child in the Navy) and especially for their son Manuel who is desperately looking for a job so he does not lose his house. On their return, Eddiberto and Lucinata told us they had been to the Friday night service at Iglesia DeDios and “felt the Spirit”.

+Carol– For protection and safety

+Walter– For healing of the “pain in his skin”

+Kim– This young woman had visited the Prayer Table 2 weeks ago. At that time she was staggering–very high and physically beaten. Today she was high again, but not as bad as before. We prayed for freedom from drugs and from prostitution.

+Rachel–A van across the street stopped, and Rachel got out and came to the Prayer Table. She asked for prayers for her family and for comfort in these difficult times. She may attend the 10:20 service on Sunday at Christ Church (she asked for the time when services began). Rachel is from Guyana.

—-We have observed that many people in the cars driving by on State Street have noticed the Prayer Table. Drivers and passengers often will wave to us. This is the second week in a row that a car has stopped, and the person inside has come for prayer.

+Mike–Second time this young man has come across the street for prayer. Mike asked for prayer for this family (his mother and father as well as his children) and for health.

Gary–walking by–did not stop–prayed for protection

Roxanne–In a hurry to do her laundry–stopped for a short time and asked for a blessing–said she already had a cross.

Jim–Jim is a regular visitor. Over the course of a year, Jim has gone from just walking by and saying hello, to sitting and praying with us. Each week he opens up a little more. This week, this older gentleman told us his father was an alcoholic and was violent–his mother had mental problems. Jim was raised by Catholic nuns. We prayed for healing of his childhood memories.

PRAYER TABLE REPORT
(Sat., July 11, 2009; 10:30 – 11:30 – Dianne Gambill and David Carlson)
[+ --indicates received one of the wooden crosses from Dennis Adams of North Carolina.]

+ Sean – prayer for finances – he and his wife had their phone and cable turned off because they couldn’t pay the bill; we prayed for God’s provision for them

John – has come before and said he already has 2 of our crosses – he asked prayer for “world peace” – we prayed for the peace of the world and for peace in John’s life – that he would know the Prince of Peace

Rumar – said he had already prayed this morning but stopped to speak to us briefly; we prayed after he left that the Lord would meet his needs and that he will be drawn close to God

+ Leroy – we prayed for his 11-year-old daughter in Connecticut and his 22-year-old son in Rochester; Leroy is a believer and asked prayer that he can be a blessing to others; after we prayed for him, he prayed for us

+ Eric – asked prayer for his leg – he was hurt in a car accident 2 years ago and had to have surgery on his spine; his leg has improved enough that he does need to walk with a cane

+ Millie – her friend brought her the table for prayer; the friend said that she and her husband had come for prayer earlier while Torre and Don were there, now she wanted prayer for her friend Millie; Millie’s ex-boyfriend was recently hit by a car while riding on a bike; they also asked prayer for a friend named Maria who is suicidal; Millie did not speak much English and her friend often had to translate; we gave Millie a Spanish-language Bible

+ Aisha – woman on her way to the bus stop – asked prayer for “everything”

+ + Mary — woman already at the bus stop hurried over to the prayer table, — “I want prayer too but my bus is coming so hurry!” – we prayed for her, with our eyes open, keeping an eye on the bus as it made its way up State St. – she asked for 2 crosses, 1 for her and one for her fiancé

+ Nathan – teenager who sometimes attends Christ Church – stopped to get a cross

Note: Dianne and I are looking for a source of inexpensive Bibles (both English and Spanish) that we can purchase to give out to those who ask for one – if anyone knows where we can get them please let us know.

David Carlson


Psalm 149

July 12, 2009

Praise the Lord! Sing to the Lord a new song, and his praise in the assembly of saints. (Psalm 149:1)
      Help us, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, to praise you in the assembly of your people today.
Let Israel rejoice in their maker; let the children of Zion be joyful in their King. (Psalm 149:2)
      Holy Spirit, help us find our joy in Jesus.
Let them praise his name with the dance; let them sing praises to him with the timbrel and harp. (Psalm 149:3)
      Father, please help us sing the praises of Jesus today.
For the Lord takes pleasure in his people; he will beautify the humble with salvation. (Psalm 149:4)
      Jesus, help us come into the beauty of holiness and humility.
Let the saints be joyful in glory; let them sing aloud on their beds. (Psalm 149:5)
      Jesus, we want to praise you from our first waking in the morning until our falling asleep at night.
Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand, (Psalm 149:6)
      LORD, arm your faithful deputies and bishops at General Convention as you did of old with praise of you in their mouth and the sword of your Spirit, which is your word, in their hands.
To execute vengeance on the nations, and punishments on the peoples; (Psalm 149:7)
      Holy Spirit, please help the deputies and bishops do your work at General Convention.
To bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron; (Psalm 149:8 )
      Jesus, bind the leaders and teachers of the Episcopal Church with bonds of love. Help them speak and do only what your love would desire.
To execute on them the written judgment — this honor have all his saints. Praise the Lord! (Psalm 149:9)
      LORD, bring your faithful servants at General Convention into the joy that comes from praising you and doing your will. Thank you.
A word received: Come to me; I will give you rest.

Sunday: 148, 149, 150; 1 Samuel 17:50-18:4; Rom. 10:4-17; Matthew 23:29-39
Monday: 25; 1 Samuel 18:5-16,27b-30; Acts 11:19-30 Mark 1:29-45

Albany Intercessor


Petition for intercessors

July 12, 2009

O Lord,
Raise up intercessors for Your children in the Epsicopal Church, especially those in Anaheim. May they have the faces of lions and the feet of deer. Make them confident in Your might and swift to obey. May they put to flight the principalities, powers, and rulers of darkness in the valley of despair. Amen.
1 Chronicles 12:8-15, Ephesians 5:12


Petition for godly deputies and bishops

July 12, 2009

Dear Heavenly Father,
Your hand was upon King David, and You gave him understanding of all the details in the building of the temple, to the glory of Your name. He instructed his son Solomon to be careful to follow all Your commands that he may possess the land and pass it on as an inheritance.
Lord, You search every heart and understand every motive behind the thoughts. We cry out for bishops and deputies that seek You and follow Your commands. May they gain understanding of what You would have them do in this time in Anaheim to bring Your kingdom in, all to the glory of Your name. Keep Your hand upon them. Amen.
1 Chronicles 28:8, 9, 19


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