Prayers for the Week – The Great Commission
Hello my friends, and welcome to this week’s Prayers for the Week post. Last week, Cindy, Sophie and I went to Virginia to celebrate our niece Kennedy’s first birthday! As part of the weekend, we also went to Stephanie and Shane’s new church in Middletown, the First Baptist Church of Middletown. We had never been before, but the hospitality we received there was very gracious, and quite humbling to us. During his sermon, Pastor Mike Blitch spoke on what we Christians are called to do in our daily lives — and front and center, our focus needs to be on witnessing to others, to make disciples of Jesus Christ throughout all the lands. In Theology speak, I know of that as the Great Commission, as illustrated in Matthew 28:16-20. Let’s read it together here:
16Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. 17And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. 18And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” ~ Matthew 28:16-20 (ESV)
My friends, it is as simple and clear as that. We are to go out and share with them the love that Jesus has for them, and to remind them that He loves them just like He loves us. I do this somewhat through these prayer posts, but that isn’t enough. I’ve got to be better at witnessing to others throughout the day, each and every day, not just on Sunday mornings when this posts or when I’m at church. To help in that, I’m taking with me everywhere I go a special journal that is for prayer requests. Here are the prayers that are needed from that book. If you need prayer, please let us know so that we can pray for you also.
Prayers for Health
- For Daniel and his wife Amanda, the cancer that Daniel is fighting.
- For my Dad, who overdid it last weekend.
- For my Mom, and her continued recovery from breast cancer.
- For Stephanie and her baby, and their continued good health as she approaches her due date.
- For my wife Cindy, and the ailments that she is fighting.
- For Nyruthi’s father, who was in a car accident.
- For Phil’s Mom, who was in a car accident with multiple injuries.
- For Chase, who was injured many years ago and has been on my mind this past week.
- For Aunt Kitty, who suffered injuries in a car accident.
- For Phil and his mysterious ailment.
- For President Carter and his cancer treatment.
- For Joyce’s husband Milton who has Pancreatitis.
Prayers for Jobs
- For Alex who is looking for a programming position.
- For those that were RIFfed recently.
- For Stephanie.
- For Angie.
Prayers for Peace
- For Cindy
- For Sophie
- For Robin
- For Jim
- For Sherry
- For Sebastian
- For Holly
- For Aunt Saundra
Prayers for our Enemies
- For those that act foolishly without giving consideration to how it will impact others.
- For those that would cause harm to others.
- For terrorists that they would see the folly of their ways and repent.
- For those that speak unkind words without thinking about the harm they may have on others.
- For bullies, who need to know that their behavior is not correct, but who also need to be loved.
Prayers for the Lost
- A special prayer for those that do not know Jesus, for those that haven’t been saved, for those that don’t realize that not choosing either for or against Jesus is the same as not choosing Jesus.
- A special prayer for those that have lost loved ones, even if they are not “Lost”, they still have a hole that is empty at this time.
Prayers for Finance
- Prayers for those that are struggling, that need some assistance in dealing with their finances. It is a humbling experience to know that you are not managing your money wisely and that often, Pride gets in the way of asking for help from whomever, whether it be your bank, your spouse, your family, whomever.
Praises!
- Praises to God for Stefan, who has been at Edenton Street for 8 years now!
- Praises to God for Stephanie and Shane and Lindsey!
- Praises to God for Leslie and Matt and Kennedy!
- Praises to God for Mom and Dad!
- Praises to God for Brett and Tara!
- Praises to God for Robin and Jim!
- Praises to God for our celebration of our 15th Anniversary!
- Praises to God for Sophie!
- Lastly, Praises to God for Jesus, and His ultimate sacrifice for us.
Lord, please be with us this week, as we think of those that we have listed here today. Please be with them and help them as only You can, and grant them Your Peace in their lives, so that they wouldn’t worry, but would be filled with the Peace that only You can give, the Peace that says that it’s going to be okay, that You are with us. Please impart on them a spirit of confession, that they would confess to You the sins that they have in their lives, and that they would ask for Your forgiveness and that they would turn their lives over to You. Now, please be with us as we pray the prayer that Jesus taught us to pray:
Our Father, who art in Heaven,
Hallowed be thy name.
Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done,
On earth as it is in Heaven.Give us this day our daily bread,
And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.
Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the Kingdom, and the Power, and the Glory forever and ever. Amen.
Have a safe week, everyone, and remember, add your prayer requests to our lists so we can pray for you as well! Thank you for following us and praying with us so faithfully!
