Dear Lord, Today feels different. Today feels "wrong." Today feels weird. Today feels as if fear is winning over faith. For today, Lord, our usual worship services have been cancelled. And today, Lord, houses of worship sit empty. Cancelled. Empty. Surely, Satan is grinning from ear to ear as those two words are applied to … Continue reading Cancelled (A Prayer)
Category: Prayer
I Believe
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On … Continue reading I Believe
A Prayer of Thanksgiving
This past Sunday, as part of our worship, two prayers were read/offered that were written by two Alameda members. I shared one of those prayers with you on Monday and I am sharing the second one with you today in the hope that they will bless you the way they blessed our church family. The … Continue reading A Prayer of Thanksgiving
A Prayer of Thanksgiving
Yesterday, as part of our worship, two prayers were read/offered that were written by two Alameda members. I want to share those prayers with you (one today and one on Wednesday) in the hope that they will bless you the way they blessed our church family. The following was written by Freeda Richardson and is … Continue reading A Prayer of Thanksgiving
Pray & Work for Peace
This week I am encouraging my congregation to pray the following prayer of peace that is most commonly attributed to St. Francis of Assisi... Lord, make me an instrument of your peace: where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; … Continue reading Pray & Work for Peace
A Prayer for My Teammates
This week, news broke of another well-known Christian minister committing suicide. In the wake of this news, there has been a lot of talk about mental illness and of the absurd expectations and burdens that are put on ministers. Both of these topics are very appropriate. As Ed Stetzer wrote, "The reality is that pastors … Continue reading A Prayer for My Teammates
A Prayer for Growth
I have challenged the members at Alameda Church of Christ to spend 5 minutes a day in God's Word and to pray the following prayer every day for the next two months as I preach a sermon series on the fruit of the Spirit: Heavenly Father, I pray that this day I may live in … Continue reading A Prayer for Growth
A Prayer When You’re Anxious
"You have promised to be with us in tribulation. Lord, my soul is troubled, and my body is weak, and my hope is in you, and my enemies are busy and mighty; now make good your holy promise. Now, O holy Jesus, now let your hand of grace be upon me; restrain my spiritual enemies, … Continue reading A Prayer When You’re Anxious
Empty (An Easter Prayer)
Empty. That's how I feel. Like a car that spurts and sputters while running on fumes, I know my tank is empty but I have to keep moving. The question is, "Can I?" People are counting on me. People are calling on me. People are leaning on me. People are relying on me. People are … Continue reading Empty (An Easter Prayer)
“I Want to Pray for You”
In the past few weeks, I have had two people - one woman, one man - come to my office at different times to meet with me. When they entered my office, each person said, "Rusty, I want to pray for you." And they did. And each time was an incredibly moving experience. I was … Continue reading “I Want to Pray for You”
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