Intimacy

Douglas Steele said:

There is no greater intimacy with another that that which is built through holding him or her up in prayer.

Do you pray for others in this way? To you pray for them in such a way that God unites you with them? As you pray for GBC today, pray for all that will participate. Pray that God will unite them in such a intimacy.

Always

Eph 5:20 - always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father;

Are you this consistent in your thanksgiving? Do you thank God in the midst of crisis for crisis? Is that not what this scripture indicates we should do?

As you pray fro GBC and the rest of your life today, give thanks for ALL things.

God's Goodness

Julian of Norwich said:

For the highest form of prayer is to the goodness of God. It comes down to us to meet our humblest needs. I gives life to our souls and makes them live and grow in grace and virtue.

Is it like that when you pray? As you pray today, for GBC and everything else in your life, please reach for this form of prayer -- appeal to the goodness of God.

Majesty

Psalm 8

1 O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is Thy name in all the earth, who hast displayed Thy splendor above the heavens!
2 From the mouth of infants and nursing babes Thou hast established strength, because of Thine adversaries, to make the enemy and the revengeful cease.
3 When I consider Thy heavens, the work of Thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which Thou hast ordained;
4 What is man, that Thou dost take thought of him? And the son of man, that Thou dost care for him?
5 Yet Thou hast made him a little lower than God, and dost crown him with glory and majesty!
6 Thou dost make him to rule over the works of Thy hands; Thou hast put all things under his feet,
7 All sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field,
8 The birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea, whatever passes through the paths of the seas.

AMEN

Intercede

Found the bit of liturgical prayer and liked it, so I am passing it on. Seems worthy of inclusion in your prayers for GBC today.

Jesus, our Savior, from your pierced heart the church was born,
--by your holy Cross give us new life.
Jesus, our Savior, the centurion proclaimed you were God's Son,
--by your holy Cross increase our faith.
Jesus, our Savior, you called the good thief into paradise,
--by your holy Cross, call us.
Jesus, our Savior, you cured the sick and raised the dead,
--by your holy Cross, save us.

HOPE

Psalm 31:24 - Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who hope in the LORD.

When you pray, you must be hopeful. Pray with the sincere knowledge of God's desire to grant what you need. As you pray for GBC know that God will make it good.

Holiness

From Oswald Chambers:

We must continually remind ourselves of the purpose of life. We are not destined to happiness, nor to health, but to holiness. Today we have far too many desires and interests, and our lives are being consumed and wasted by them. Many of them may be right, noble, and good, and may later be fulfilled, but in the meantime God must cause their importance to us to decrease. The only thing that truly matters is whether a person will accept the God who will make him holy. At all costs, a person must have the right relationship with God.

Pray today that GBC will be holy. We all have so many expectations ofr it, all of which will likely be fulfilled, but pray that above all God will be glorified and it will be holy.