Prayer for Community

November 11, 2018 No Comments

Ceramic church By Stephen W. Hiemstra

Merciful Father, Beloved Son, Holy Spirit,

All praise and honor are yours

for you poured out your Holy Spirit at Pentecost

to create the church–

a pillar of faith in an faithless word,

a light in the darkness,

the aroma of your Holy Spirit in a barren land.

We confess that even as we gather

around your communion table

called out from the world and called to faith

we are broken and sinful and without merit

except for the blood of Christ.

Thank you nevertheless for your place of refuge and strength

amid the confusion of life.

Bind us together in unity;

teach us to follow your ways;

bless us that we may bless those around us (Gen 12:1-3).

In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.

Prayer for Community

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Author site: http://www.StephenWHiemstra.net, Publisher site: http://www.T2Pneuma.com.

Newsletter: http://bit.ly/2018_Character

Prayer

Formation Prayer

November 4, 2018 No Comments

Silence of Drug Free School Zone, Photo by Stephen W. Hiemstra By Stephen W. Hiemstra

Heavenly Father, Beloved Son, Holy Spirit,

All glory and praise be to you,

for you formed me in my mother’s womb,

nurtured me as a child, and

strengthened me into an adult

guiding my family, my church, and my many mentors.

I confess that I did not always listen or

cooperate in my youthful growth.

Forgive my resistance even today

to your still, small voice

even as our culture screams in my ears

and tempts my eye in a thousand ways.

I give thanks that you are patient and did not turn

from helping form in your image.

Be ever near;

guard my heart and mind.

In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.

Formation Prayer

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Author site: http://www.StephenWHiemstra.net, Publisher site: http://www.T2Pneuma.com.

Newsletter: http://bit.ly/2018_Character

Prayer

Praying for Justice

October 28, 2018 No Comments

By Stephen W. Hiemstra

Almighty and Merciful Father,

All praise and honor be to you,

for you alone are justice and

plead the case for the immigrant, the widow, and the orphan

when our voices are silent.

We confess that too frequently look the other way,

preferring to tolerate murder and abuse

when our livelihood or pride is threatened or

we simply do not want to be bothered.

Forgive our hardened hearts,

but do not leave us in our state of sin.

Teach us to love the unloveable

reflecting your image and example.

We give thanks for your mercy and boundless generosity.

In the power of your Holy Spirit,

heal our cold hearts and

grant us the strength to walk in your ways.

In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.

Praying for Justice

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Author site: http://www.StephenWHiemstra.net, Publisher site: http://www.T2Pneuma.com.

Newsletter: http://bit.ly/2018_Character

Prayer

New Day Prayer

October 21, 2018 1 Comment

By Stephen W. Hiemstra

Almighty and Merciful Father,

I praise you for the daily sunrise,

the birth of the new day

when your glory sparkles and warms and

invites us to rethink who we are and

learn again to be surprised.

Forgive me for getting stuck in a moment,

forgetting who I am and

undervaluing the promises that you have made

to bless and make new.

Thank you for beautiful reminders

that chase away the shadows and

bring the chance to start over.

In the power of your Holy Spirit.

grant me the strength to face the young day

with joy and thanksgiving and

the deep peace that only you can bring.

Remember those that suffer and

may I also lessen their burden.

In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.

New Day Prayer

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Author site: http://www.StephenWHiemstra.net, Publisher site: http://www.T2Pneuma.com.

Newsletter: http://bit.ly/2018_Lead

Prayer

Prayer of Faith

October 14, 2018 No Comments

Clouds By Stephen W. Hiemstra

Merciful father:

All praise, honor, and glory are yours,

Lord who cares for me–

for my mind is clouded and

my heart betrays me,

but you are ever with me, for me, and uplifting me

even when I am lost and alone,

not even knowing what to confess.

Thank you for your presence

amidst the storms of daily life and

the torments of spirits that would consume me.

Of all the things that I have experienced

you are the most immediate, most real

and I thank you for it.

In the power of your Holy Spirit,

grant me now a full measure of faith

that I might remember my baptism and your resurrection

all the days of my life and

ever confess that you are Lord of my life and

all that is, was, or will ever be.

In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.

Prayer of Faith

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Author site: http://www.StephenWHiemstra.net, Publisher site: http://www.T2Pneuma.com.

Newsletter: http://bit.ly/2018_Lead

Prayer

Monday Monologues: Postmodernism, October 8, 2018 (podcast)

October 8, 2018 No Comments

Stephen W. Hiemstra, www.StephenWHiemstra.net — Stephen W. Hiemstra, 2017

By Stephen W. Hiemstra

In today’s podcast, I prayer for traveling mercies and talk about Postmodernism.

After listening, please click here to take a brief listener survey (10 questions).

To listen, click on the link below.

Hear the words; Walk the steps; Experience the joy!

Monday Monologues: Postmodernism, October 8, 2018 (podcast)

Also see:

Monday Monologue On March 26, 2018

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Author site: http://www.StephenWHiemstra.net, Publisher site: http://www.T2Pneuma.com.

Newsletter: http://bit.ly/2018_Lead

Prayer

Prayer for Traveling Mercies

October 7, 2018 No Comments

Arizona Snow By Stephen W. Hiemstra

Merciful Father,

All praise and honor be yours,

for you are a God of the journey–

one that walks with us on life’s long march.

You never tire of the pace or complain of the company,

yet we do constantly–forgive our impatience,

our boredom when the slope is steep and

the weather most challenging.

We give thanks for your cheerful companionship and

constant encouragement,

especially when we are undeserving and bad company.

In the power of your Holy Spirit,

remember those afflicted by hurricanes and fires and poor health and

offer us traveling mercies that we might enjoy a restful journey and

return home safely.

In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.

Prayer for Traveling Mercies

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Author site: http://www.StephenWHiemstra.net, Publisher site: http://www.T2Pneuma.com.

Newsletter: http://bit.ly/2018_Lead

Prayer

Midnight Prayer

September 30, 2018 No Comments

By Stephen W. Hiemstra

Almighty Father,

Let me dwell in your shadow,

though darkness surround me,

for the snares of this world are a constant threat. and

I am not immune to the rages of disease and death that they bring.

I trust only you.

Your angel wings surround me and lift me up

above the slings and arrows that fly all around me.

Younger men perish; older men faint;

but you are my strength.

Guide me through the darkness as my eyes fail me.

Grant me sleep when sickness spoils my day and

makes thoughts so heavy.

That I might be of some service to your church

until I struggle no more.

Through the power of your Holy Spirit and in Jesus’ name, Amen

(Inspired by Ps 91)

Midnight Prayer

Also see:

A Place for Authoritative Prayer

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Author site: http://www.StephenWHiemstra.net, Publisher site: http://www.T2Pneuma.com.

Newsletter: http://bit.ly/2018_Lead

Prayer

Salvation Prayer

September 23, 2018 No Comments

Tulips 2018 Merciful Father,

We praise you for the beauty of your creation,

by which we came into existence and enjoy daily, and

for the salvation that is available to us

through the ministry, suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

We confess that we are unworthy of our creation and salvation

because of sin and our constant wandering.

We thank you for the gift of your Holy Spirit

who sustains our hope and our being daily

and grants us every good gift in the service of your church.

Today, we beg you

to spare the lives of those caught in the storms of this life and

to draw them to yourself

that they might enjoy life everlasting.

In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.

Salvation Prayer

Also see:

A Place for Authoritative Prayer

Other ways to engage online:

Author site: http://www.StephenWHiemstra.net, Publisher site: http://www.T2Pneuma.com.

Newsletter: http://bit.ly/2018_Lead

Prayer

Adult Prayer

September 16, 2018 No Comments

Dad_SWH_SRAH_2012b Most Merciful Father,

We give thanks that you are:
“merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness” (Exod. 34:6 ESV), an example to the rest of us.

We confess that too often we are short tempered, ungracious, impatient, unloving, and unfaithful.

But for your example, we would be worse, but we are thankful that have provided us role models in the church that follow you day by day.

We remember and thank you for our heroes from September 11, 2001 who gave their energy and, in some cases, their lives to protect us from evil men. May their sacrifices never be forgotten.

We pray for more adults in our life, community and country to lead us to follow your example. Nurture and protect them that we might benefit from their example and guidance and follow you more fully each day.

In the power of your Holy Spirit, grant us strength to meet the challenges of each new day with grace and a peaceful heart.

In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.