Prayer for the Middle East Conflict

On the first Christmas things were far from being peaceful in the Middle East. Two days ago we remembered the massacre of the innocent children of Bethlehem which forced Mary, Joseph and Jesus to flee to Egypt. Today there is no peace in Gaza and Israel as a serious conflict has errupted in Gaza after the terrorist group Hamas fired rockets into Israel. Read about the conflict

US in Diplomatic Push for Renewed Gaza Ceasefire


LET US PRAY

Rev. 21:3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.


CONFESSION OF SIN

Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.

[spend some time confessing your sins here then pray the general confession below]

General Confession

Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen.

The Declaration of Forgiveness

Matthew 1:21
She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.

[In your own words give thanks to God for the forgiveness of sins through Jesus Christ]


INVOCATION

O God, make speed to save us.
O Lord, make haste to help us.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.

The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us: Come, let us adore him

Jubilate Psalm 100

Be joyful in the Lord, all you lands; serve the Lord with gladness and come before his presence with song. Know this: The Lord himself is God;he himself has made us, and we are his; we are his people and the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving;go into his courts with praise; give thanks to him and call upon his Name. For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his faithfulness endures from age to age.

[Offer here your own personal prayers of Praise and Adoration ]

PSALM OF THE DAY (Click to pray)

Psalm 149

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

PROVERBS OF THE DAY (Click to read)

Proverbs 31:10-24

Thanks be to God forever. Amen

THE OLD TESTAMENT READING (Click to read)

Malachi 1

The Word of God! Thanks be to God!

A SONG TO THE LAMB

Revelation 4:11, 5:9-10, 13

Splendor and honor and kingly power *
are yours by right, O Lord our God,
For you created everything that is, *
and by your will they were created and have their being;
And yours by right, O Lamb that was slain, *
for with your blood you have redeemed for God,
From every family, language, people, and nation, *
a kingdom of priests to serve our God.
And so, to him who sits upon the throne, *
and to Christ the Lamb,
Be worship and praise, dominion and splendor, *
for ever and for evermore.

THE NEW TESTAMENT READING (Click to read)

Revelation 21:1-14

The Word of God! Thanks be to God!


THE FAITH OF THE CHURCH

One is God the Father of everyone.

One is His Son, Jesus Christ the Word, Who took flesh and died; and rose from the dead on the third day, and raised us with Him.

One is the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, one in His Hypostasis, proceeding from the Father, purifying the whole creation, and teaching us to worship the Holy Trinity, one in divinity and one in essence. We praise Him and bless Him forever. Amen.

The Morning Prayer of the blessed day, we offer to Christ our King and our God, beseeching Him to forgive us our sins.

THE NICENE CREED

We believe in one God, God the Father, the Almighty, Who created heaven and earth, and all things, seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Only-Begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all ages; Light of Light, true God of true God, begotten not created, of one essence with the Father, by Whom all things were made; Who for us, men, and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnated of the Holy Spirit and of the Virgin Mary, and became man. And He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, suffered and was buried. And on the third day He rose from the dead, according to the Scriptures, and ascended into the heavens; and sat at the right hand of His Father, and also He is coming again in His glory to judge the living and the dead, whose kingdom has no end.

Yes, we believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Life-Giver, Who proceeds from the Father, Who, with the Father and the Son, is worshipped and glorified, Who spoke in the prophets. And in one holy, universal and apostolic church. We confess one baptism for the remission of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the coming age. Amen.

INTERCESSORY PRAYER

Lord, have mercy upon us.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.


The Lord's Prayer

Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy Name,
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those
who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.

Prayer for the first Week After Christmas

Almighty God, you have poured upon us the new light of your incarnate Word:Grant that this light, enkindled in our hearts, may shine forth in our lives; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit,one God, now and for ever. Amen.

A Prayer for Peace

O God, the author of peace and lover of concord, to know you is eternal life and to serve you is perfect freedom: Defend us, your humble servants, in all assaults of our enemies; that we, surely trusting in your defense, may not fear the power of any adversaries; through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

A Prayer for Peace in the Middle East

O Almighty God, who art a strong tower of defence : We yield thee praise and thanksgiving for thy gracious gift of peace, confessing that it is of thy goodness alone that we have been preserved; and we beseech thee to bring peace in the Israeli-Hamas conflict in Gaza. Stop Hamas from making terror attacks. Guide Israel to not hit civilian targets. We lift up to you our Christian brothers and sisters in Israel and Gaza that you will protect them from harm and also protect all civilians on both sides of the conflict. Bring peace in such a way that all sides will acknowledge Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Amen.

[Here you may in you own words pray for peace in this conflict]


A General Intercession

Save your people, Lord, and bless your inheritance;
Govern and uphold them, now and always.
Day by day we bless you;
We praise your Name for ever.
Lord, keep us from all sin today;
Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy.
Lord, show us your love and mercy;
For we put our trust in you.
In you, Lord, is our hope;
And we shall never hope in vain. Amen

[You may pray for all other requests and yourself here in your own words]

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now and will be forever. Amen.

BENEDICTION

Numbers 6:24-26
” The Lord bless us and keep us; the Lord make his face shine upon us and be gracious to us; the Lord turn his face toward us and give us peace.” ‘