See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2 Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. 3 And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.
Let us pray
The Collect for All Saints Day (November 1)
Almighty and everlasting God, You knit together Your faithful people of all times and places into one holy communion, the mystical body of Your Son, Jesus Christ. Grant us so to follow Your blessed saints in all virtuous and godly living that, together with them, we may come to the unspeakable joys You have prepared for those who love You; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Sprit, one God, now and forever. Amen
The Apostles’ Creed
I believe in God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell. The third day He rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty, From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life ☩ everlasting. Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer
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; and 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.
Luther’s Morning Prayer
I thank You, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Your dear Son, that You have kept me this night from all harm and danger; and I pray that You would keep me this day also from sin and every evil, that all my doings and life may please You. For into Your hands I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things. Let Your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen
Let us bless the Lord,
Thanks be to God.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Love of God the Father, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you always. AMEN
2 Then I saw another angel ascending from the rising of the sun, with the seal of the living God, and he called with a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm earth and sea, 3 saying, “Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees, until we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.” 4 And I heard the number of the sealed, 144,000, sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel:
5
12,000 from the tribe of Judah were sealed, 12,000 from the tribe of Reuben, 12,000 from the tribe of Gad,
6
12,000 from the tribe of Asher, 12,000 from the tribe of Naphtali, 12,000 from the tribe of Manasseh,
7
12,000 from the tribe of Simeon, 12,000 from the tribe of Levi, 12,000 from the tribe of Issachar,
8
12,000 from the tribe of Zebulun, 12,000 from the tribe of Joseph, 12,000 from the tribe of Benjamin were sealed.
A Great Multitude from Every Nation
9 After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” 11 And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.”
13 Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?” 14 I said to him, “Sir, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
15
“Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence.
16
They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any scorching heat.
17
For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”
The Collect for All Saints Day (November 1)
Almighty and everlasting God, You knit together Your faithful people of all times and places into one holy communion, the mystical body of Your Son, Jesus Christ. Grant us so to follow Your blessed saints in all virtuous and godly living that, together with them, we may come to the unspeakable joys You have prepared for those who love You; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Sprit, one God, now and forever. Amen
The Apostles’ Creed
I believe in God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell. The third day He rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty, From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life ☩ everlasting. Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer
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; and 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.
Luther’s Morning Prayer
I thank You, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Your dear Son, that You have kept me this night from all harm and danger; and I pray that You would keep me this day also from sin and every evil, that all my doings and life may please You. For into Your hands I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things. Let Your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen
Praise the Lord! Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise in the assembly of the godly!
2
Let Israel be glad in his Maker; let the children of Zion rejoice in their King!
3
Let them praise his name with dancing, making melody to him with tambourine and lyre!
4
For the Lord takes pleasure in his people; he adorns the humble with salvation.
5
Let the godly exult in glory; let them sing for joy on their beds.
6
Let the high praises of God be in their throats and two-edged swords in their hands,
7
to execute vengeance on the nations and punishments on the peoples,
8
to bind their kings with chains and their nobles with fetters of iron,
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to execute on them the judgment written! This is honor for all his godly ones. Praise the Lord!
For the Lord takes pleasure in his people; he adorns the humble with salvation.
I heard the testimony of a Christian woman, who as a 16 year old girl was attacked with acid and horribly disfigured. What did she do to deserve such treatment? She refused to deny Jesus and give up her faith in Jesus as Her Lord and Savior. Her injuries were so terrible that she was not expected to survive, much less live a normal life.
Her story is a testament to the power of the Lord to bring justice in the face of unimaginable evil. Though all the powers of evil were arrayed against the young girl, God’s kindness, healing, and goodness overcame them all. Like a sharp two edged sword, the evil intentions of those who attacked her were cut down. The woman not only survived, but received treatment in the United States, was able to immigrate here, complete her education, and graduate from college. She is working in a job in her specialty and is now married and has a son. After the attack, the doctors said she would die. They kept saying that she would die in her presence. They also said that if she lived, she would be an invalid. God had other plans. God’s love overcame all evil.
It seems that often this world is so full of evil, violence, lies, and injustice that no one can help. The evil one would like everyone to think that this lie is true. But, for those who put their faith in the Lord, there is the greater truth.
“For the Lord takes pleasure in his people; he adorns the humble with salvation.” Psalm 146:4.
God’s blessings were brought ino this world when Jesus came to offer Himself on the cross for the life of the world. Through faith in Jesus there is the communion of saints, the forgiveness of all our sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting.
Towards the end of her testimony, the woman, now an adult, points to the scars still visible on the side of her face and neck and she said the most amazing thing. She said, “My scars are my jewels.” Her scars are to her the sign of God’s faithful love for her seen his power to cut down every evil attack, heal her, and at last bring her to everlasting life.
In the end, when we are gathered together will all the saints in light, this will be our all encompassing reality. Thanks be to God! The reality of the Love of God, the presence of Jesus here and now with His saints, and at the last, the joy of eternal life.
Let us pray
Lord, I thank you for the faithful witness of your people, who to this day, receive from you salvation and experience your faithful love in the midst of their trials. Lord have mercy on me. Help me to be faithful in all circumstances. Give me the eyes that can see your mighty acts of salvation even in the midst of this troubled world of sin. Guard and keep your saints who are being persecuted for their faith in you. Let your praises always be in my thoughts, words and actions today. In Jesus name, Amen
The Collect for All Saints Day (November 1)
Almighty and everlasting God, You knit together Your faithful people of all times and places into one holy communion, the mystical body of Your Son, Jesus Christ. Grant us so to follow Your blessed saints in all virtuous and godly living that, together with them, we may come to the unspeakable joys You have prepared for those who love You; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Sprit, one God, now and forever. Amen
The Apostles’ Creed
I believe in God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell. The third day He rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty, From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life ☩ everlasting. Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer
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; and 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.
Luther’s Morning Prayer
I thank You, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Your dear Son, that You have kept me this night from all harm and danger; and I pray that You would keep me this day also from sin and every evil, that all my doings and life may please You. For into Your hands I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things. Let Your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen
Let us bless the Lord, Thanks be to God.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Love of God the Father, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you always. AMEN
I hope to be able to produce Daily Prayer devotions very soon, Lord willing, this week. Until that time, please scroll down on this page and look through the list of devotions available on this site. If you scroll to the very bottom of the page, you will see that there are many of them available for you. Thank you for you kindness and prayers.
30 They went on from there and passed through Galilee. And he did not want anyone to know, 31 for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him. And when he is killed, after three days he will rise.” 32 But they did not understand the saying, and were afraid to ask him.
Who Is the Greatest?
33 And they came to Capernaum. And when he was in the house he asked them, “What were you discussing on the way?” 34 But they kept silent, for on the way they had argued with one another about who was the greatest. 35 And he sat down and called the twelve. And he said to them, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.” 36 And he took a child and put him in the midst of them, and taking him in his arms, he said to them, 37 “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me.”
When the disciples were arguing about who is the greatest, perhaps it was because they were afraid that Jesus would need to be replaced as their leader. They wouldn’t ask Jesus about His very clear prediction of His death, much less about the prediction of His resurrection.
When Jesus asked them about what they were talking about on the way, they didn’t answer. Their behavior seems as if they were feeling guilty. Sinful motives and perhaps strained relationships had likely tainted their discussion. But, most of all, the disciples were so frightened by Jesus clear outline of His ministry, that they wouldn’t talk to Him. So Jesus initiated the discussion.
Jesus didn’t start by telling them not to desire to be first. That is kind of the shock. Being first, a leader, isn’t in itself sinful. In fact, Jesus would call them to be leaders in the church after His ascension. But, the disciples needed to learn what be a godly leader means. If they had listened to Jesus’ description of His ministry, they would have had a perfect example of that very thing.
So Jesus put a little child in they midst, a person who needs care in every way, and reminded them that if they were to be leaders, they would be the ones to put others first and care for them. This is what Jesus was doing. He is the first, King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Yet, He stooped down to become human and be the Savior of the World. He would give up everything, even His life by dying the cross. Jesus called all people to trust in Him for He planned to pay the debt of sin for people. Jesus rose from the dead and gives His eternal life to all people.
By the Grace of God, though faith, you are redeemed. In your baptism, Jesus calls you first. Now, He teaches us also what this means. That to be first means to be the first in Christian love and service. May we follow the example of the blessed apostles who gave their lives in sharing the Gospel throughout the world. And in the various callings of our lives, in the home, the church, and the community, may the example of our Savior Jesus be our guide.
Let us pray,
Lord Jesus I praise you for your salvation. Strengthen me that I may follow your example of love and service in my life. I ask for your blessings for those who serve in my family, my church, and my nation. Guide and direct us all according to your will and purpose. In your name I pray, Amen.
The Collect for the 17th Sunday after Pentecost
O God, whose strength is made perfect in weakness, grant us humility and childlike faith that we may please you in both will and deed; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen
The Lord’s Prayer
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; and 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.
7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.
In the midst of trail and temptation a person may be tempted to turn inward. Why would anyone do that? Such a person may hope to find a deeper sense of strength and character within. This is a popular theme in entertainment and culture.
However, this isn’t what God’s Word teaches. God’s Word teaches that we need much more that our strength and will power to overcome the assaults of the evil one. We need the Lord.
God directs us to fight temptation in this way. First, submit yourself to God. Faith in God and trust in His will, strength, and guidance is the only way to overcome evil. Second, we are called to resist the devil through faith. The devil, sensing that it is God who is resisting within us, will cause that devil to flee. Jesus broke the power of evil through His death on the cross for your forgiveness and His resurrection for your eternal life. That is why the devil will flee from you. Then, in Jesus’ victory, we are called to the life of repentance. Winning one battle of temptation in our life doesn’t win the war. The life of repentance, mourning over our sin, and trusting in Jesus, will lead to the eternal victory, to being exalted by the Lord at the resurrection.
So if, the midst of trail and temptation you tempted to turn inward, remember God’s Word. Submit yourself to the Lord. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Live each day in repentance and your new life through faith. Humble yourself before God, and He will exalt you.
Let us pray,
I thank you Lord Jesus for winning the victory for me through faithful life, death on the cross, and glorious resurrection from the dead. Help me to to live in repentant faith and humility and look forward to your victories in my life today and the joy of the resurrection. In your name I pray, AMEN
The Collect for the 17th Sunday after Pentecost
O God, whose strength is made perfect in weakness, grant us humility and childlike faith that we may please you in both will and deed; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen
The Lord’s Prayer
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; and 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.
13 Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. 15 This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. 17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. 18 And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
If you want your recipe to come out right, you have to start with the right ingredients. This simple principle doesn’t just apply to the kitchen. It is also evident in faith and life.
If a person would like to be considered spiritually wise and understanding, he or she must show evidence of good conduct. What does that good conduct look like? That person should possess a wisdom that is tempered with meekness. No amount of skill can make something good out of what is evil. If a person is polluted with bitter jealousy and selfish ambition they are not wise and understanding. Such a person is impure — filled with great sin.
Since humanity’s fall into sin, there is no one who is pure. But, God who is rich in mercy sent His Son Jesus, the very wisdom of God, to save us. Through His death on the cross and resurrection God freely gives forgiveness and new life through faith. What does this new life look like?
James 3:17-18 “ 17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. 18 And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.”
May God grant us faith as we follow our Savior Jesus. Through Jesus we are daily released from guilt and released from slavery to the old order of evil in this world. In place evil, God will do a new thing in us. By His saints God will raise a harvest of righteousness, sown in peace, by those who make peace.
The Collect for the 17th Sunday after Pentecost
O God, whose strength is made perfect in weakness, grant us humility and childlike faith that we may please you in both will and deed; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen
Let us pray
I thank you Lord Jesus for coming into the world and through your mighty acts overthrowing the power of the evil one. Help me to be patient in this present age and sow the seeds of peace through a life of faith in you and love for my neighbor. In your name I pray, AMEN
The Lord’s Prayer
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; and 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.
The prophet Jeremiah speak of being the target of an organized plot. Such a situation is frightening. It is hard enough to fight off one enemy. But, when others group up against you, the situation becomes humanly impossible.
Remember Matthew 19:26: “But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” As formidable, organized, and wicked as the enemy seems, God is greater.
Therefore, the faithful prophet Jeremiah confessed His faith in the Lord. God had called the prophet to preach repentance to an unrepentant nation. Therefore, the prophet could do nothing other than preach as God directed and commit his cause to God. He confessed:
“But, O Lord of hosts, who judges righteously,
who tests the heart and the mind,
let me see your vengeance upon them,
for to you have I committed my cause.”
In the faithful ministry of the prophets we see fulfillment in Jesus. Jesus called the world to confess their sins. He called the world to repent. But, the plotting of sinful men resulted in Jesus’ death by crucifixion. It would see that his cause was lost. But, Jesus Himself taught after His death and resurrection were clearly taught in God’s Word from the beginning.
Jesus is God’s salvation against all the plots and schemes of the evil one. Through faith in Jesus Satan’s accusations are overcome. Through His death, your sins are forgiven. Through His resurrection your eternal life is secure.
Therefore, let us follow the example of the faithful who have gone before us, who, like faithful Jeremiah, didn’t give up when facing opposition in their calling. Instead, God calls us to remember His Word, live by faith in Jesus, and commit the outcome of our lives to the Lord. He who raised Jesus from the dead is faithful.
Let us pray,
There are times in this age when I feel oppressed by the evil around me in the world. Help me to look to you, remember Jesus’ victory, and live in faith each moment, for to you I have committed by cause. In Jesus name, Amen
The Collect for the 17th Sunday after Pentecost
O God, whose strength is made perfect in weakness, grant us humility and childlike faith that we may please you in both will and deed; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen
The Lord’s Prayer
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; and 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.
I will give thanks to your name, O Lord, for it is good.
7
For he has delivered me from every trouble,
and my eye has looked in triumph on my enemies.
“Innocent until proven guilty.” This value in our judicial system is actually rare. In most countries, if you are arrested, you are assumed guilty. You must prove your innocence. If you can vindicate yourself, you may be set free.
This rare value in our judicial system, is needed to offset common human behavior. If we hear that someone “may” be guilty of a crime, that person is nearly always considered a criminal. No trial is needed in the court of public opinion. The damage to a person’s reputation is immediate.
The Psalmist laments the attacks of individuals who were striving to destroy him. He called the attackers are called ruthless. Why are they ruthless? They do not acknowledge God. They are identified by their behavior as being of the evil one.
But, instead of giving up under the barrage of their painful and persistent attacks, the Psalmist shows his faith in the Lord and God’s ultimate vindication of his cause. What does it mean to be vindicated? It means to free someone of blame, or suspicion. How can the Psalmist hope for this great salvation? The Psalmist believes in the Lord.
God is the one who can vindicate us, even in the face of Satan’s horrible accusations, even in the face of the reality of our sins. Jesus died on the cross for our forgiveness. Jesus offered His Holy life for our sinful lives, so that we can receive from Him a gift we could never earn. Thus forgiven God stands us up to walk before Him by faith, trusting in His Grace, and acknowledging His power to raise up our lives to be holy lives, in keeping with His Will. Through faith in Jesus we are a new creation. By Grace through faith, we vindicated by the love of God in Jesus.
Let us pray
I thank you Lord for your great love and mercy in coming to my defense. I confess my many sins and failures. I confess your holy life and death were offered for me and all the sins of the world. O God, save me by your name, and vindicate me by your might. In Your name I pray, AMEN.
The Lord’s Prayer
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; and 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.
14 And when they came to the disciples, they saw a great crowd around them, and scribes arguing with them. 15 And immediately all the crowd, when they saw him, were greatly amazed and ran up to him and greeted him. 16 And he asked them, “What are you arguing about with them?” 17 And someone from the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a spirit that makes him mute. 18 And whenever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able.” 19 And he answered them, “O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me.” 20 And they brought the boy to him. And when the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. 21 And Jesus asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. 22 And it has often cast him into fire and into water, to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” 23 And Jesus said to him, “‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.” 24 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!” 25 And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.” 26 And after crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse, so that most of them said, “He is dead.” 27 But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. 28 And when he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?” 29 And he said to them, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.”
When people hear of some sad or difficult news from another person, it is common to say “you’re in my prayers” or something like that. If we are sincere in our intention to pray, we do pray, believing that God hears our prayers and that prayer matters. We pray believing that God will act in accordance to His Will.
Sometimes, however, people are not so sure about prayer, or are concerned about the other person’s feelings about prayer. Then you will hear something like “you are in my thoughts.” A “thinking of your” statement is meant to help a person not feel alone, but also not suggest anything more.
In our day, prayer is being attacked. Those who pray are being attacked for not actually doing something. Talking to God is rejected as just a weak “thinking of you” statement that actually does nothing. The clear belief expressed is that God does not exist.
It is interesting that in the case of a particularly destructive and persistent case of demon possession, Jesus says, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.” Clearly, Jesus didn’t consider prayer just words or happy thoughts. And clearly, also, the evil one present and active in our world today agrees. This is evident I the fact that prayer is assailed in our culture. Prayer is assailed because prayer can remove the most destructive and persistent efforts of evil. Prayer is powerful. Prayer matters.
Throughout His ministry, Jesus prayed. In times of opposition, Jesus prayed. To heal the sick and cast out demons, Jesus prayed. As He was crucified, Jesus prayed. As He suffered, Jesus prayed. As He died, Jesus prayed. The result of all this prayer? Satan was bound. The sick were healed. Demons were cast out. Sin was destroyed by Jesus death for us on the cross. And on the third day, Jesus rose in glory from the dead. Prayer is powerful. Prayer matters.
Remember what Jesus has done for you. If you believe in Him, confessing your sins, you are forgiven and you will have the gift of eternal life from God. Remember that Jesus prayed. Remember that Jesus taught His disciples to pray. And then, consider the power and importance of prayer. Pray for yourself. Freely offer to pray for others. This is God’s Will.
And remember this. Whatever the evil one hates, he mocks. Mocking and ridicule are the hallmarks of Satan. So, if you are ridiculed by others for praying, or offering prayer, know that the devil is terrified of your prayers. Prayer is powerful. Prayer matters. God will act.
Let us pray,
Lord I praise you for your mercy in hearing my prayers. I believe in you and your power to save. Strengthen my faith and teach me to pray at all times. In your name I pray. Amen
The Collect for Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost
Lord Jesus Christ, our support and defense in every need, continue and preserve Your Church is safety, govern her by Your goodness, and bless her with Your peace; for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen
The Lord’s Prayer
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; and 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.
