The Pastor’s Corner

Prayer: Our most gracious Father in heaven, we bow before your majesty on another Lord's Day that reminds us of your love for us demonstrated in the giving of your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. We know that we are miserable creatures of dust, fallen in Adam, raised to glory by Christ and his righteousness. Through his labor and work, we are now pardoned of all our sins and counted as righteous in your sight. Through the work of your Spirit, we are being sanctified daily and moved to mortify the deeds of the flesh and walk in newness of life. Though we sin daily in thought, word, and deed, we are thankful for your constant care and presence. You have adopted us as sons and daughters. We belong to you and know that this one day in seven reminds us of the glorious hope as we await the new heavens and the new earth. Forgive us, Father, for the many ways in which we, like sheep, go astray. Please grant us fervent zeal and desire to worship you as unprofitable servants and to love you with our whole heart, soul, mind, and strength. All of these things we place before you with hearts longing for you through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Prayer: Grant almighty God that your redeemed people would listen carefully to the voice of the Good Shepherd of the sheep. AS your people, we know that his sheep hear his voice, and that voice comes primarily through your Word proclaimed. As we sit in our pews on another Lord's Day, please grant to us a willing heart and mind to listen as though it is the last sermon we will ever hear. Grant your ministers the passion, zeal, and fire to preach as though it will be the last thing they ever preach. We know that your Word is a light to our path, and we long to be shown the way in a dark and difficult sin-wrecked world. Please help us, Father. We are your servants, and we desire to hear from your Son, so give us the ears to hear, the minds to receive, and the hearts to follow your Son and our Shepherd we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Prayer: Grant almighty God that you would be pleased to bless your ministers of the Gospel of your dear Son. We know that they have been set apart by your Holy Spirit to serve your church and labor among them as undershepherds of the Chief and Good Shepherd. That labor is often under attack by the enemy of the souls of your people, and he often works to sideline all of their efforts. We know that you have told them to preach the Word and diligently study it. We know that they often labor on their knees for the sake of those you have charged to their care. We pray that they would be faithful shepherds, not like those unfaithful men who do not feed the sheep and tend to their care. We confess that we do not always respect those who labor over us, nor do we esteem them highly in olive because of their work. Like us, we know that they wrestle with sin and this fallen world, so we ask that you would protect them and keep them, not leading them into temptation but delivering them from the evil one. We thank you for those men who are faithful to uphold your Word, not as men-pleasers but as those who must give an account for our souls. Therefore, holy Father, give them an extra measure of your grace and Spirit today as they labor for the souls of men we pray, through Christ, the Good Shepherd of the sheep. Amen.