Father, because Jesus was resurrected to life again we have the courage to work through the seemingly insurmountable difficulties that would otherwise plummet our faith. We walk in the power of our resurrected Savior that makes life worth the living in our present life and increases our hope and expectancy of imperishable life yet to come. We thank You for the joy and anticipation that is ours as we remain faithful to You. It is in Jesus’ name that we pray. Amen.

Father, we praise You and give thanks for the freedoms we enjoy and most especially the freedom to worship You. But we know that there are many regions in our world where Christians are persecuted and suffer martyrdom at the hands of those who are enemies of the cross. We lift them up to You in prayer and ask that You will give them supernatural strength and unyielding resolve to stand up for You in the face of evil surroundings and conduct themselves in a manner worthy of the gospel. May they not return evil for evil, but rather good for evil. Though wicked men may destroy the flesh, they cannot rob the soul of inner peace and the uncompromising determination to “stand firm unto the end.” Sustain those who have endured the painful loss of loved ones as well as those whose family members are being held captive and are presently enduring persecution. May You be glorified in the midst of these horribly adverse circumstances and may souls be saved for the kingdom. In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen.

Father, Your grace has no measure and it was graciously extended to me the hour I first believed and started my spiritual race. You not only prepared the way but You also run alongside me and enable me to throw off those things that hinder or weigh me down. You’ve given me an enduring spirit to stay on course during the desirable and undesirable starts of new chapters in my life. It’s not the one who runs the swiftest, nor the one who runs for a day, but it’s the one who endures to the end that will be saved. I want to be among that number, and by Your grace, I will receive the eternal rewards that come to those who finish well. And then I start the next chapter that never has an ending; that of living in heaven and praising You for all eternity. I can hardly wait. Amen.

Father, we honor our military veterans who gave their all that we might enjoy our freedoms. Some of them bear visible reminders of their service such as a missing limb, or a jagged scar. Others carry less visible signs such as a pin holding a bone together, shrapnel buried beneath their skin, tortuous physical and mental images that cannot be erased from their minds, causing many of them deep disturbance in their mental health. We pray that You will encourage the veteran’s families and place godly people in their paths who will build relationships with them giving them an opportunity to share their faith. We pray for those serving today who are being denied their expression of faith due to the politically motivated changes within the military. We consider the chaplains who uphold the teachings of the Bible rather than the philosophies of our day that redefine what is right and what is wrong. Fortify them with courage, wisdom and the resolve to stay firm in the days ahead, to hold to what is true no matter what they endure as a result. And, lastly, we pray for our spiritual veterans who have forged the straight and narrow path before us that leads to eternal life. We follow behind and don’t look back to the broad path that leads to destruction and eternal doom. In the name of Jesus we praise You and thank You for these military and spiritual veterans. Amen.

Jesus, we want others to view the message of reconciliation as it is lived out in our lives and in our daily conversation. Because You reconciled us to the Father through Your sacrificial death on the cross we want to see others experience this wondrous reconciliation when we were snatched from the evil one and transported into the Kingdom of God. What great joy it is to share this message with others, see them respond to Your Spirit, and take them alongside us in this journey of grace. Keep us faithful in proclaiming the Good News. Amen.