Election Day Prayer 2025

“First of all, then, I ask that supplications, prayers, petitions, and thanksgivings be offered for everyone, for kings and for all in authority, that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life in all devotion and dignity. This is good and pleasing to God our savior, who wills everyone to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth.” -1 Timothy:1-4

Lord God, as the election approaches, we seek to better understand the issues and concerns that confront our city/state/country, and how the Gospel compels us to respond as faithful citizens in our community.

   We ask for eyes that are free from blindness so that we might see each other as brothers and sisters, one and equal in dignity, especially those who are victims of abuse and violence, deceit and poverty.

   We ask for ears that will hear the cries of children unborn and those abandoned. We ask for minds and hearts that are open to hearing the voice of leaders who will bring us closer to your Kingdom.

   We pray for discernment so that we may choose leaders who hear your Word, live your love, and keep in the ways of your truth as they follow in the steps of Jesus and his Apostles and guide us to your Kingdom of justice and peace.

   We ask this in the name of your Son Jesus Christ and through the power of the Holy Spirit.  

          - Author Unknown

O Lord, my heart is not lifted up...

O Lord, my heart is not lifted up;

    my eyes are not raised too high;

 I do not occupy myself with things

    too great and too marvelous for me.

 But I have calmed and quieted my soul,

    like a weaned child with its mother;

    like a weaned child is my soul within me.

 O Israel, hope in the Lord

    from this time forth and forevermore.

   -Psalm 131

The Mercy of God

 

 The Mercy of God 

 StillCreek

Verse 1:

Christ has met my greatest need

Death beat death upon a tree

In the wake of calvary

I’m healed and I’m redeemed

Verse 2:

Every rightful debt I owed

Plunged beneath His cleansing flow

Grace abounding, endless hope

Find rest in this, my soul

Chorus:

O the vast, enduring love of Jesus

An endless well never running dry

All my sin, forgiven, forevermore

How great is the mercy of God

Verse 3:

Surely as the sun will rise

Kindness reaches deep and wide

Day by day I wake to find

There’s more He will supply

Bridge:

How great, how great

His mercy made a way

Give thanks, give thanks

My soul can’t help but say

I wait for the Lord...

 

Psalm 130:5 

 Marcus Stanley

A Mighty Fortress is Our God...

 

A Mighty Fortress is Our God

1.  A mighty fortress is our God,

a bulwark never failing;

our helper he, amid the flood

of mortal ills prevailing.

For still our ancient foe

does seek to work us woe;

his craft and power are great,

and armed with cruel hate,

on earth is not his equal.

2.  Did we in our own strength confide,

our striving would be losing,

were not the right Man on our side,

the Man of God's own choosing.

You ask who that may be?

Christ Jesus, it is he;

Lord Sabaoth his name,

from age to age the same;

and he must win the battle.

3.  And though this world, with devils filled,

should threaten to undo us,

we will not fear, for God has willed

his truth to triumph through us.

The prince of darkness grim,

we tremble not for him;

his rage we can endure,

for lo! his doom is sure;

one little word shall fell him.

4.  That Word above all earthly powers

no thanks to them abideth;

the Spirit and the gifts are ours

through him who with us sideth.

Let goods and kindred go,

this mortal life also;

the body they may kill:

God's truth abideth still;

his kingdom is forever!

-Martin Luther

-------------------------------------

 

What gives peace to the conscience is, that by faith our sins are no more ours but Christ’s, on whom God hath laid them all; and that, on the other hand, all Christ’s righteousness is ours, to whom God hath given it. Christ lays his hand upon us, and we are healed; he casts his mantle on us, and we are clothed; he is the glorious Saviour, blessed for ever. -Martin Luther Image

With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation...

With joy you will draw water 

from the wells of salvation. 

And you will say in that day:

“Give thanks to the Lord,

    call upon his name,

make known his deeds among the peoples,

    proclaim that his name is exalted.

“Sing praises to the Lord, for he has done gloriously;

    let this be made known in all the earth.

 Shout, and sing for joy, O inhabitant of Zion,

    for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.”

  -Isaiah 12:3-6

The Lord is near to all who call on him...

The Lord upholds all who are falling

    and raises up all who are bowed down.

 The eyes of all look to you,

    and you give them their food in due season.

 You open your hand;

    you satisfy the desire of every living thing.

 The Lord is righteous in all his ways

    and kind in all his works.

 The Lord is near to all who call on him,

    to all who call on him in truth.

 He fulfills the desire of those who fear him;

    he also hears their cry and saves them.

 The Lord preserves all who love him,

    but all the wicked he will destroy.

 My mouth will speak the praise of the Lord,

    and let all flesh bless his holy name forever and ever.

    -Psalm 145:14-21

For when I am weak, then I am strong...

So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.   -2 Corinthians 12:7-10

“My God, I have never thanked You for my thorn. I have thanked You a thousand times for my roses, but not once for my thorn. I have been looking forward to a world where I shall get compensation for my cross; but I have never thought of my cross as itself a present glory. Teach me the glory of my cross; teach me the value of my thorn. Show me that I have climbed to You by the path of pain. Show me that my tears have made my rainbows.” –George Matheson

“You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.  As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,  since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” -1 Peter 1:13-15

Jesus, Keep Me Near the Cross

 

Jesus, Keep Me Near the Cross 

Keith and Kristyn Getty, Sandra McCracken

Vs 1

Jesus, keep me near the cross

There a precious fountain

Free to all, a healing stream,

Flows from Calv’ry’s mountain

Chorus

In the cross, in the cross

Be my glory ever

Till my ransomed soul shall find

Rest beyond the river

Vs 2

Near the cross my trembling soul

Heard the Savior calling

There He died that I may know

Grace and peace abounding

Vs 3

Near the cross! O Lamb of God,

Bring its scenes before me

Help me walk from day to day

With its shadow o’er me

Vs 4

Near the cross! My heart will stay

Hoping, trusting ever

Till my eyes shall see the face

Of my blessed Savior

God has given us two hands...

God has given us two hands-one to receive with and the other to give with. We are not cisterns made for hoarding; we are channels made for giving.  -Billy Graham

Make me to know your ways, O Lord...

Make me to know your ways, O Lord;

    teach me your paths.

 Lead me in your truth and teach me,

    for you are the God of my salvation;

    for you I wait all the day long.

 Remember your mercy, O Lord, 

and your steadfast love,

    for they have been from of old.

 Remember not the sins of my youth 

or my transgressions;

    according to your steadfast love remember me,

    for the sake of your goodness, O Lord!

-Psalm 25:4-7

Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel...

Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel,

    you who lead Joseph like a flock.

You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth.

    Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh,

stir up your might

    and come to save us!

 Restore us, O God;

    let your face shine, that we may be saved!

 -Psalm 80:1-3

Watchfulness...

“Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, like servants waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. Truly I tell you, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them. It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the middle of the night or toward daybreak." 

-Luke 12:35-38