Lord, we are often full of fear and doubt. When we look at the challenges before us, we sometimes tremble. We think we can control anything. With our minds and our might, we think we can even control the future. Yet, often we are surprised. Things don’t always work out the way we planned. Sickness comes at us with a vengeance. Failure overwhelms us. An accident changes our lives forever. Or we grow content and cold. We are tempted to leave our first love. We wear down. The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. Lord, we fight battles inside and outside of ourselves. It all scares us. Forgive us for not trusting in Thee.

Lord, we are often tempted to sin. Temptation is not as bad as sin, but for those with a sensitive conscience, temptation disturbs us. It reminds us that we are still in the flesh. It reminds us of what we too are capable of doing. Lord, deliver us from temptation. You can do that. You have the power. Hear our prayer. Forgive us for not trusting in Thee.

Lord, we pray for the expansion of the kingdom. We pray for it here at home. Mission work is glamorous. Traveling the seas is romantic. Yet, someone has to stay at home to watch over the flock of God. Someone has to be at home to raise the funds to send missionaries onto the field. Lord, we pray that you will increase our lot. Cause our boundaries to increase. Fill our church until every seat is taken and we need more. We pray Thy kingdom come here in this place, in this Church. We should expect God to hear our prayers. Lord, forgive us for not trusting in Thee.

Lord, we also pray for our missions abroad. We do send money to places where we cannot go. We do send money to victims of tornados and storms, places where we cannot go. We thank You for Christendom. We thank You for the Red Cross that appears wherever there is tragedy. We thank You for the mercy given in the Name of Christ. Where our money goes, we go. We thank You for our Deacons who have a heart of compassion and who have made the funds of this Church available for the suffering and needy. Lord we should rejoice in these things. Lord, forgive us for not rejoicing in Thee.

Our Father we pray for the outreach of our Church. We cannot compete with others who have money and means. We cannot compete with others who have charisma and fine music. Yet Lord, we can share our faith with others. We can speak honestly about our Church. We have a blessing to offer all those who are downtrodden and heavy with sin. Christ saves men from their sins. O Lord, help us to be good witnesses. Help us to be faithful and to trust in Thee. Forgive us for not trusting in Thee.

Lord, we also remember the covenant. Most of our growth will come from our children and our children’s children. The covenant family does come home. They return to the place of their fathers. They return to the place of blessing. If we raise our children up in the fear and admonition of the Lord, teaching them the doctrines of our holy religion, being examples of living faith in our own lives, being both serious about our faith and joyful about our faith, we will capture the hearts and minds or our children and their children. What a joy it is to see our own children love the Lord as much or even more than we do. The promises made at their baptism will be fulfilled. This we believe. Lord we believe, help our unbelief.

Our Father, we offer up worship and praise here this morning. It is not pure. It is not perfect. It is full of thoughts about ourselves. Yet Lord, it is purified by the blood of Christ. It is made worthy by His work on the cross. Thus, we have in Christ by His grace much to offer. You are well pleased with those who worship Thee in spirit and in truth. You are joyful this day as we gather to gather to sing hymns, offer our prayers, fellowship with one another and to rejoice in the gospel of peace with brings peace to us. Forgive us when we fail to believe this.