Isaiah 6:1-13

In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple. Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one cried to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!” (Isaiah 6:1-3)
      Father, please help us know your holiness and your glory. Fill us anew with your Holy Spirit.

And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke. (Isaiah 6:4)
      Holy Spirit, shake us and sift us; purify our hearts.

So I said: “Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.” (Isaiah 6:5)
      Jesus, we live among a people of unclean lips — all around us we hear profanity and misuse of your name; have mercy on us.

Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a live coal which he had taken with the tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth with it, and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your iniquity is taken away, and your sin purged.” (Isaiah 6:6-7)
      Lord, send your Seraphim, have them come and touch our lips; take away our sin and help us speak your pure words of love.

Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.” (Isaiah 6:8 )
      Father, here I am, send me.

And he said, “Go, and tell this people: ‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand; Keep on seeing, but do not perceive.’” (Isaiah 6:9)
      Holy Spirit, help us speak your words to the people. Open the eyes of the spiritually blind; open the ears of those who have been deaf to your words; and open the mouth with praise of you of those who have been mute.

“Make the heart of this people dull, and their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and return and be healed.” (Isaiah 6:10)
      Lord, please help us hear you, see your works, and praise you.

Then I said, “Lord, how long?” and he answered: “Until the cities are laid waste and without inhabitant, the houses are without a man, the land is utterly desolate,” (Isaiah 6:11)
      Jesus, our city is desolate. Help us build up the old waste places, and raise up foundations of many generations, so that we may be called Repairers of the Breach, and Restorers of Streets to Dwell In. (See Isaiah 58:12)

“The Lord has removed men far away, and the forsaken places are many in the midst of the land.” (Isaiah 6:12)
      Father, remove the forsaken places from among us. Let our city be a well-watered garden of refreshment.

“But yet a tenth will be in it, and will return and be for consuming, as a terebinth tree or as an oak, whose stump remains when it is cut down. so the holy seed shall be its stump.” (Isaiah 6:13)
      Bring us back, Lord, and bring us to new growth in you.

A word received: Pray for the shepherds of my people. I want my people to earnestly seek my face for their shepherds.

Wednesday: 38 * 119:25-48; Isaiah 6:1-13; 2 Thessalonians 1:1-12; John 7:53-8:11
Thursday: 37:1-18 * 37:19-42; Isaiah 7:1-9; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12; Luke 22:1-13

Albany Intercessor

Wells

Exodus 15:26b-27 (New King James Version)
“For I am the LORD who heals you.”
Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve wells of water and seventy palm trees; so they camped there by the waters.

Lord,
You are the God that heals Joseph, Sally, Chris, Lauren, Gaenor, Mark, Samuel, Erin, Isabella, Christy, Nick, Alan, and David. May they draw from wells of living water. Amen.

God of all comfort

God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort,
You comfort us in all our troubles. Just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. You make us stand firm in Christ. You anointed us, set Your seal of ownership on us, and put Your Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.
We rely on You. We have set our hope that You will continue to deliver us. We have set our hope that You will continue to deliver Joseph, Sally, Chris, Lauren, Gaenor, Mark, Samuel, Erin, Isabella, Christy, Nick, Alan, and David.
Your promises are made “Yes” in Christ. Your promises are our comfort. To Your glory we say “Amen.”
2 Corinthians 1

1 Thessalonians 5:12-28

And we urge you, brethren, to recognize those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. Be at peace among yourselves. (1 Thessalonians 5:12-13)
      Thank you, Lord, for the ministry of Bishop Bill, Bishop Dan, and Bishop David, and for all their labors for this diocese. Thank you for all the faithful pastors and shepherds you have raised up among us. Help us esteem and honor them day by day.

Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all. (1 Thessalonians 5:14)
      Holy Spirit, please help us minister in all these ways as you direct us.

See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all. (1 Thessalonians 5:15)
      Jesus, help us give over all our wounds to you for you to handle and take care of.

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 )
      Father, please help us daily enter into your will for us through rejoicing, prayer, and thanksgiving.

Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies. Test all things; hold fast what is good. (1 Thessalonians 5:19-21)
      A word received: My people do not hunger for my word. They do not attend to what I AM saying.

Abstain from every form of evil. (1 Thessalonians 5:22)
      Holy Spirit, help us make this decision day by day.

Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Thessalonians 5:23)
      Holy Spirit, move among us and bring us to holiness; preserve us for the day of Jesus’ return.

He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it. (1 Thessalonians 5:24)

Brethren, pray for us. (1 Thessalonians 5:25)
      Father, give us hearts to hold up our pastors and shepherds in prayer.

Greet all the brethren with a holy kiss. (1 Thessalonians 5:26)
      Jesus, give us your openness and love for one another.

I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read to all the holy brethren. (1 Thessalonians 5:27)
      Help us read, mark, and inwardly digest your word to us.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen. (1 Thessalonians 5:28 )
      Amen and Amen.

Tuesday: 26, 28 * 36, 39; Isaiah 5:13-17, 24-25; 1 Thessalonians 5:12-28; Luke 21:29-38
Wednesday: 38 * 119:25-48; Isaiah 6:1-13; 2 Thessalonians 1:1-12; John 7:53-8:11

Albany Intercessor

Out of His fullness

John 1:16 (Amplified Bible)
For out of His fullness (abundance) we have all received [all had a share and we were all supplied with] one grace after another and spiritual blessing upon spiritual blessing and even favor upon favor and gift [heaped] upon gift.

We thank You, Jesus Christ.

Isaiah 5:20-23

Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! (Isaiah 5:20)
      Lord Jesus Christ, bring the leaders and teachers of your people to repentance. Protect your people from the lies that are daily being told in the media. We pray that none of the wheat will be lost with the chaff.

Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight! (Isaiah 5:21)
      Holy Spirit, teach us your wisdom and give us discernment so that we will know the true from the false.

Woe to men mighty at drinking wine, woe to men valiant for mixing intoxicating drink, who justify the wicked for a bribe, and take away justice from the righteous man! (Isaiah 5:22-23)
      Father, set this generation free from drug abuse and alcoholism. Thank you.

Monday: 25 * 9, 15; Isaiah 5:8-12, 18-23; 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11; Luke 21:20-28
Tuesday: 26, 28 * 36, 39; Isaiah 5:13-17, 24-25; 1 Thessalonians 5:12-28; Luke 21:29-38

Albany Intercessor

A place of abundance

Psalm 66:8-12 (English Standard Version)
Bless our God, O peoples; let the sound of his praise be heard, who has kept our soul among the living and has not let our feet slip. For you, O God, have tested us; you have tried us as silver is tried. You brought us into the net; you laid a crushing burden on our backs; you let men ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water; yet you have brought us out to a place of abundance.

The days are full. In addition to our prayer campaign for patients with neurological disorders, one of our readers, Sarah28 asked for prayers for recovery from repeat surgery for cancer of the tongue.
My hometown of Yazoo City was hit by tornadoes for the second time in seven months. Several members of our parish sustained considerable damage to their businesses.

Father, we look to the heavens above in trust. Let Your Holy Spirit flow through all these people who are heavy burdened. Give them new strength and new hope. Bring them to a place of abundance–a place that reflects Your glory and Your love, Your tender mercies and Your strong protection. We keep our eyes on You, Lord. We keep our eyes on You. Amen.

Romans 15:4-6

For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, (Romans 15:4a)
      Holy Spirit, please help us learn from the Scriptures.

that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. (Romans 15:4b)
      Father, help us daily find the patience and comfort you have written into the Scriptures and be filled with hope.

Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus, (Romans 15:5)
      Jesus, please give us a quiet, common mind about our calling and bless us with your patience and comfort, and help us love one another as you love us. Thank you.

that you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 15:6)
      Holy Spirit, please help us by our words and deeds to bring glory to the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Thank you.

Sunday: 148, 149, 150 * 114, 115; Isaiah 5:1-7; 2 Peter 3:11-18; Luke 7:28-35
      HC: 72; Isaiah 11:1-10; Romans 15:4-13; Matthew 3:1-12
Monday: 25 * 9, 15; Isaiah 5:8-12, 18-23; 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11; Luke 21:20-28

Albany Intercessor

Thomas Traherne

From Christian Ethics by Thomas Traherne (1636-1674)–

For man to act as if his soul did see
The very brightness of eternity;
For man to act as if his love did burn
Above the spheres, even while it’s in its urn;
For man to act even in the wilderness
As if he did those sovereign joys possess
Which do at once confirm, stir up, inflame
And perfect angels—having not the same!
It doth increase the value of his deeds;
In this a man a Seraphim exceeds.
To act on obligations yet unknown,
To act upon rewards as yet unshown,
To keep commands whose beauty’s yet unseen,
To cherish and retain a zeal between
Sleeping and waking, shows a constant care;
And that a deeper love, a love so rare
That no eye-service may with it compare.
The angels, who are faithful while they view
His glory, know not what themselves would do,
Were they in our estate! A dimmer light
Perhaps would make them err as well as we;
And in the coldness of a darker night
Forgetful and lukewarm themselves might be.
Our very rust shall cover us with gold,
Our dust shall sparkle while their eyes behold
The glory springing from a feeble state,
Where mere belief doth, if not conquer fate,
Surmount, and pass what it doth antedate.

Prayer Table Report

Christ Church Schenectady Prayer Table Report, December 4, 2010, 9:20 -10:30 A.M. Torre Bissell and Bob Baker from Christ Church Schenectady, and Mark Plasko, Carol MacNaughton and Sue Plaske from St. Michael’s Colonie. With five people we were able to run two prayer tables: one on State Street and on Albany Street.

+–indicates received wooden cross made by Dennis Adams of North Carolina

State Street:

+Joshua (young man) — homeless, living on the street. His girlfriend and their baby are living in a safe house. Prayed he would grow into the man, the father, the husband that God is calling him to be.

+Debra (regular) — needs some medication but is terrified by needles, prayed with her about this. Made a contribution to Christ Church.

+Audrey — we prayed for Anthony who is an alcoholic in her family.

+Yvette — has a fractured bone in her leg, prayed for healing.

+Armela (young woman) — “Finances”

+James (occasionally comes to Christ Church) — we prayed for his daughters Jamie and Stephanie. He invited Jesus into his heart.

+Anthony (bottle man) — prayed for his mom in New York City.

+Irving — prayed for a church family.

+Ed (older man) — “wants to know God”

(man across the street on a bicycle who later made a point of driving by us) asked for prayer.

+Crystal (young woman) — “for my family”

+Tashon (young man)

+Paula (regular) — prayed for quick and cheap repair of her car which is in the shop.

+Billie (young man) — his mom, Bonnie, died two days ago in New York City. He was looking for bottles on the street to turn into the redemption center up the street to get money for a headstone for Bonnie’s grave.

+Jim (older man) — living on the street for the past three months — sleeping wherever he can.

Albany Street:

++Pablo — for his mother, Nancy, to get better

+Jarez — for his family and kids being safe

+Melissa — her mother, Jeanne, to show her love

+++Rueben – brother, Ken, in prison, has bone cancer, and for himself — that God watches over him and his girl Desireé.

+Elizabeth — everything, health

+Darlene — peace

+Ebony — her, her son (Patrell), baby’s father (Charles, in jail)

Joseph — back from last week wearing the cross

[At one point there were several people waiting for prayer and they started praying for each other!]

Light Inexhaustible and Inextinguishable

John 1:9 (New Living Translation)
The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.

Jesus, You are the Servant-Messiah, sent by the Father–the Light Inextinguishable, who illumines all coming into the world. Allow the Holy Light of the Spirit to shine within us, Your intercessors, and with Joseph, Sally, Chris, Lauren, Gaenor, Mark, Samuel, Erin, Isabella, Christy, Nick, Alan, and David, Your children. Our bodies are the Temple of the Holy Spirit. Reveal any idolatry or uncleanness which may have defiled our bodies and remove it. Drive out the darkness, O Light Inexhaustible. Amen.

Luke 21:5-6 and Sunday School Lesson

Then, as some spoke of the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and donations, he said, “These things which you see–the days will come in which not one stone shall be left upon another that shall not be thrown down.” (Luke 21:5-6)

Psalm 11:3 asks the question, “What is a good person to do when things fall apart?” The answer comes in verse 4: “The LORD is in his holy temple.”
      Holy Trinity, one God, please help us keep our attention on you and not on buildings and church structures. Much that had seemed solid and enduring in your church is being cast down in our day. help us kkep our eyes on you day by day.

      Holy Spirit, fill us anew with your presence so that we become temples of the living God. Thank you.

      Father, help us keep our eyes on you.

      Jesus, help us daily share the good news of the gospel which can never be destroyed. Thank you.

STUDY GUIDE: SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON 12, December 5, 2010
      Lectionary A, Second Sunday of Advent
Theme Verse: “But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31
Readings: Matthew 3:1-12; Romans 15:1-13; Isaiah 11:1-10; Psalm 72
Memory Verse: Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. (Matthew 3:8 )
Next Week: Matthew 11:2-11; James 5:7-11; Isaiah 35:1-10; Psalm 146
      Gospel: Matthew 3:1-12
      
(verse 1) A word received: Pray for my word of truth to be preached in the dessert places of my people’s hearts.

(verse 3) A word received: There is a great wilderness that my people are wandering in; pray that they will find my straight path to me; pray they will heed my word and my directions.

(verse 6) A word received: Confession of sin is an essential part of repentance. You have to acknowledge where you have been so that you know where you are going.

(verse 9) A word received: You have nothing that you can plead except my cross and blood shed for you. They are the essential signs of my mercy.

(verse 9) A word received: You are my children when you praise and honor my son.

(verse 11) A word received: Pray for me to baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

(verse 12) A word received: Pray that none of the wheat will be lost with the chaff.

Note: Look at Jesus’ character.

      Epistle: Romans 15:1-13

(verse 4) A word received: I long for my people to read and be immersed in my word. They will find comfort and joy there that they cannot find any place else. They will find comfort and joy there because they will meet my son there. Come, read my word each day.

      Old Testament: Isaiah 11:1-10

A word received: I AM the fulfillment of the word that was given to Isaiah. Look to me to fulfill everything that is said in Scripture.

      Psalm: Psalm 72

(verse 18 ) A word received: Bless what I AM doing among you.

Saturday: 20, 21:1-7(8-14) * 110:1-5(6-7), 116, 117; Isaiah 4:2-6; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Luke 21:5-19
Sunday: 148, 149, 150 * 114, 115; Isaiah 5:1-7; 2 Peter 3:11-18; Luke 7:28-35
      HC: 72; Isaiah 11:1-10; Romans 15:4-13; Matthew 3:1-12

Albany Intercessor

Highway of holiness

Isaiah 35:7-8a (New Living Translation)
The parched ground will become a pool,
and springs of water will satisfy the thirsty land.
Marsh grass and reeds and rushes will flourish
where desert jackals once lived.
And a great road will go through that once deserted land.
It will be named the Highway of Holiness.

Jesus,
You are our Deliverer, the Strength of our salvation. You cover our heads in the day of battle. You shield our minds from evil.
Rebuke the desert jackals that haunt these dear ones and establish pools and springs of living water within Joseph, Sally, Chris, Lauren, Gaenor, Mark, Samuel, Erin, Isabella, Christy, Nick, Alan, and David.
The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. Your words are full of the Spirit and life. Establish Your words in them. Establish Your words in their spirits, souls, and bodies. Amen.
Psalm 140:7, John 6:63

Isaiah 3:13-15

The LORD stands up to plead, and stands to judge the people. (Isaiah 3:13)
      Holy Spirit, prepare our hearts for the Day of Judgment.

The LORD will enter into judgment with the elders of his people and his princes: “For you have eaten up the vineyard; the plunder of the poor is in your houses.” (Isaiah 3:14)
      Jesus, move in the hearts of the leaders of the church and the nation to have your mind about the poor. Lord, protect us from the rapaciousness of our leaders and rulers in Congress who are so concerned for the wealthy. Thank you for the faithful witness of the bishops of this diocese. Guide Bishop Bill as he leads us through this troubled time.

“What do you mean by crushing my people and grinding the faces of the poor?” Says the Lord GOD of hosts. (Isaiah 3:15)
      Father, have mercy on us.

      A word received 6/4/2009: Pray for this nation. Pray for wise and godly men and women who will lead my people in my ways. Pray for the courts, that they will do true justice. Pray for the Congress and the legislatures, that they will have a spirit of wisdom and discernment. Pray for the President and the Governors, that their hearts will be turned into my ways.

      A word received 6/25/2009: Pray for the President.
      Pray for my work in his heart and mind.
      Pray for wise and godly counselors for him.
      Pray for wisdom in the storm.
      Pray that he will look to me rather than opinion polls.
      Pray for my word to lodge in his heart.

Friday: 16, 17 * 22; Isaiah 3:8-15; 1 Thessalonians 4:1-12; Luke 20:41-21:4
Saturday: 20, 21:1-7(8-14) * 110:1-5(6-7), 116, 117; Isaiah 4:2-6; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Luke 21:5-19

Albany Intercessor

Israeli fires out of control

–40 dead, 13,000 evacuated in northern Israel.

Father, we humbly beseech You to pour out the rains of heaven over our brothers and sisters in Israel. Amen.