For the 3rd and final day of the Three Days of Prayer, we focus on vision. Pray that the Holy Spirit will again move through the hearts and minds of leaders and pastors that God’s vision for His church might be revealed and fulfilled. This is a time of prayer for renewal, revival and encouragement. Pray for God’s vision.

Here is a prayer to end your Thursday:

Gracious God, We pray You to watch over all who serve you in every land and every place. Guard all who carry Your Gospel into remote places at great cost. Strengthen those who suffer and are persecuted for Your name’s sake. Bless those who preach, teach, counsel, and administer in the name of Christ. Multiply the fruits of the labor of all who confess Your name before men. Imbue all Your people baptized in Christ with devotion, love, and zeal. Enable all Your adopted children to serve Your will in the variety of their vocations, arts, and crafts, that others may see their good works and glorify You through Christ, our Lord, in whose name we pray. Amen.

The prayer from Thursday morning:

With the rising sun we come to You, Lord God, at the beginning of this uncharted day. Make Your Word a lamp to our feet and a light to our way. By Your Spirit help us to make the right choices in life, to lead others in paths pleasing to You, and always to reveal the mind of Christ. Fill our hearts with compassion for the straying and lost, that by Your grace we may lead them to the cross of our beloved Redeemer. Look with favor upon the preachers and teachers of the Gospel as they proclaim Christ to the nations.

Bless our missionaries and all frontline workers in their efforts to spread the Gospel throughout the world. Give them courage in the face of danger, strength in their weakness, and encouragement when the harvest of Your Word is slow to appear. Keep their families safe from harm, and fill them with joy for the task they share. Grant the unbelieving grace to accept in faith the message of heavenly peace in Christ. Increase our interest in and support of the work of evangelizing the world. For the sake of Jesus, whose witnesses we are. Amen.

Today is also the day that 11 people from the Augustana District, including Pastor Paul Knudson from Faith Lutheran, leave for a mission trip to Ethiopia, where they will serve and learn from the Tabor congregation.  Join us in praying for the trip:

Heavenly Father, loving Son, and enabling Spirit;

Guide the paths of the Augustana District group as they travel to Ethiopia. Grant them favorable weather, warm welcomes, and protection from the unrest in South Sudan. May the power of your Word be evident in Pastor Paul’s proclamation at their Sunday worship. May the days visiting the remote areas inspire us and help us to understand the Tabor congregation’s zeal for sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Bless this time of building a partnership between our Augustana District churches and the Tabor congregation. May this relationship bring all of us growth and inspiration. Grant that meetings in Addis Ababa with other Church leaders will cause us to rejoice in the miracles God is doing with the modest help from us, his servant people.

In the name of Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.

What are you praying for today? Comment on this post, comment on our Facebook page, or  tweet @FaithLutheran. Look for more prayers to come as the 3 Days of Prayer continue, Jan. 7-9.

This, the 2nd day of the Three Days of Prayer, is a day of petition. Pray for our congregation, for the pastors, for the leaders, for those who carry out ministries, for the Sunday School teachers, for the Confirmation leaders, for those leading adult Bible studies and for those leading small groups. Pray for those in hospital and nursing home ministries. Pray for all those connected to our church that they might know God’s redeeming love for all in Christ. Please join us on this evening (Wed. Jan. 8) for prayer services at 12:00 noon and 6:30 pm in the Sanctuary.

A prayer for Wednesday evening:

Holy Father, We glorify Your name because You give rest to the weary. Strengthen this night all who are worn from the burdens of labor. Relieve through Him who died for all those who are sick and dying. Comfort with the news of the Resurrection those who mourn. Counsel with the wisdom of Your love those who are in difficulty. Cheer with the joy of salvation those who are depressed. Renew with the assurance of Your presence those who are lonely. Send the angels of Your mercy to those who are distressed. Reach out to all men and women this night with the healing and redeeming love of Christ, our Lord. Amen.

The prayer from Wednesday morning:

Gracious Lord, Your mercies are new to us every morning. Great is Your faithfulness. We thank You for refreshing sleep and for Your watchful care during the night. With Your all-seeing eye upon us, protect us from harm this day. Help us to think, desire, speak, and do only what is right and pleasing to You. Keep us mindful of the many blessings we enjoy as citizens of our free country.

In these difficult times, O Lord, give wisdom and guidance especially to our President, to the members of his cabinet and of Congress, as well as to all who occupy places of public trust and positions of authority in our land. Cause them at all times to seek Your providential will, and give them courage to follow it.

Lead our citizens to turn to You in repentance and faith. If it be Your will, continue to bless us with abundant natural resources and material prosperity. But, above all, give us the grace to share them with the needy and with those in want throughout the world. We ask this in the name of Jesus, who had not place where to lay His head. Amen.

We also have prayers to lift up from Joy & Stephen Bennett, former members of Faith Lutheran and current missionaries working at a school in Nigeria:

Pray for our students and staff as they return to school on January 5 for term two.

Pray for students to enroll for next year (publicity will start in January).

Pray for an English teacher for next year, and other staff.

Pray for balance between school, family and quiet times.

What are you praying for today? Comment on this post, comment on our Facebook page, or  tweet @FaithLutheran. Look for more prayers to come, as the 3 Days of Prayer continue, Jan. 7-9.