December 2015 Prayers

Mark 2:23-3:623 One sabbath he was going through the grainfields; and as they made their way his disciples began to pluck heads of grain.24 The Pharisees said to him, 'Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the sabbath?'25 And he said to them, 'Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need of food?26 He entered the house of God, when Abiathar was high priest, and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and he gave some to his companions.'27 Then he said to them, 'The sabbath was made for humankind, and not humankind for the sabbath;28 so the Son of Man is lord even of the sabbath.'1 Again he entered the synagogue, and a man was there who had a withered hand.2 They watched him to see whether he would cure him on the sabbath, so that they might accuse him.3 And he said to the man who had the withered hand, 'Come forward.'4 Then he said to them, 'Is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the sabbath, to save life or to kill?' But they were silent.5 He looked around at them with anger; he was grieved at their hardness of heart and said to the man, 'Stretch out your hand.' He stretched it out, and his hand was restored.6 The Pharisees went out and immediately conspired with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him.The Word of the Lord.

LK 11:29-32While still more people gathered in the crowd, Jesus said to them,“This generation is an evil generation;it seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it,except the sign of Jonah. Just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites,so will the Son of Man be to this generation.At the judgment the queen of the south will rise with the men of this generation and she will condemn them,because she came from the ends of the earthto hear the wisdom of Solomon,and there is something greater than Solomon here. At the judgment the men of Nineveh will arise with this generationand condemn it,because at the preaching of Jonah they repented,and there is something greater than Jonah here.”

1 Kings 3:5-145At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, ‘Ask what I should give you.’ 6And Solomon said, ‘You have shown great and steadfast love to your servant my father David, because he walked before you in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart towards you; and you have kept for him this great and steadfast love, and have given him a son to sit on his throne today. 7And now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David, although I am only a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in. 8And your servant is in the midst of the people whom you have chosen, a great people, so numerous they cannot be numbered or counted. 9Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, able to discern between good and evil; for who can govern this your great people?’10 It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this. 11God said to him, ‘Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches, or for the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, 12I now do according to your word. Indeed I give you a wise and discerning mind; no one like you has been before you and no one like you shall arise after you. 13I give you also what you have not asked, both riches and honour all your life; no other king shall compare with you. 14If you will walk in my ways, keeping my statutes and my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your life.’The Word of the Lord.

1 JN 1:5—2:2Beloved:This is the message that we have heard from Jesus Christand proclaim to you:God is light, and in him there is no darkness at all.If we say, “We have fellowship with him,” while we continue to walk in darkness,we lie and do not act in truth.But if we walk in the light as he is in the light,then we have fellowship with one another,and the Blood of his Son Jesus cleanses us from all sin.If we say, “We are without sin,”we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.If we acknowledge our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from every wrongdoing.If we say, “We have not sinned,” we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.My children, I am writing this to youso that you may not commit sin.But if anyone does sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous one.He is expiation for our sins,and not for our sins only but for those of the whole world.

Proverbs 8:22-3022 The Lord created me at the beginning of his work,the first of his acts of long ago. 23 Ages ago I was set up,at the first, before the beginning of the earth. 24 When there were no depths I was brought forth,when there were no springs abounding with water. 25 Before the mountains had been shaped,before the hills, I was brought forth 26 when he had not yet made earth and fields,or the world’s first bits of soil. 27 When he established the heavens, I was there,when he drew a circle on the face of the deep, 28 when he made firm the skies above,when he established the fountains of the deep, 29 when he assigned to the sea its limit,so that the waters might not transgress his command,when he marked out the foundations of the earth, 30then I was beside him, like a master worker;and I was daily his delight,rejoicing before him always,The Word of the Lord.

Acts 7:59-8:859While they were stoning Stephen, he prayed, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. 60Then he knelt down and cried out in a loud voice, Lord, do not hold this sin against them. When he had said this, he died. 81And Saul approved of their killing him.That day a severe persecution began against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout the countryside of Judea and Samaria. 2Devout men buried Stephen and made loud lamentation over him. 3But Saul was ravaging the church by entering house after house; dragging off both men and women, he committed them to prison.4Now those who were scattered went from place to place, proclaiming the word. 5Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah to them. 6The crowds with one accord listened eagerly to what was said by Philip, hearing and seeing the signs that he did, 7for unclean spirits, crying with loud shrieks, came out of many who were possessed; and many others who were paralysed or lame were cured. 8So there was great joy in that city.The Word of the Lord.

2 Chronicles 24:17-2217Now after the death of Jehoiada the officials of Judah came and did obeisance to the king; then the king listened to them. 18They abandoned the house of the Lord, the God of their ancestors, and served the sacred poles and the idols. And wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this guilt of theirs. 19Yet he sent prophets among them to bring them back to the Lord; they testified against them, but they would not listen.20Then the spirit of God took possession of Zechariah son of the priest Jehoiada; he stood above the people and said to them, ‘Thus says God: Why do you transgress the commandments of the Lord, so that you cannot prosper? Because you have forsaken the Lord, he has also forsaken you.’ 21But they conspired against him, and by command of the king they stoned him to death in the court of the house of the Lord. 22King Joash did not remember the kindness that Jehoiada, Zechariah’s father, had shown him, but killed his son. As he was dying, he said, ‘May the Lord see and avenge!’The Word of the Lord.

Zechariah his father, filled with the Holy Spirit, prophesied, saying:“Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel;for he has come to his people and set them free.He has raised up for us a mighty Savior,born of the house of his servant David.Through his prophets he promised of oldthat he would save us from our enemies,from the hands of all who hate us.He promised to show mercy to our fathersand to remember his holy covenant.This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham:to set us free from the hand of our enemies,free to worship him without fear,holy and righteous in his sightall the days of our life.You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High,for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,to give his people knowledge of salvationby the forgiveness of their sins.In the tender compassion of our Godthe dawn from on high shall break upon us,to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death,and to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

Titus 2:11-3811 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all,* 12training us to renounce impiety and worldly passions, and in the present age to live lives that are self-controlled, upright, and godly, 13while we wait for the blessed hope and the manifestation of the glory of our great God and Saviour,* Jesus Christ. 14He it is who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify for himself a people of his own who are zealous for good deeds. 15 Declare these things; exhort and reprove with all authority.* Let no one look down on you.The Word of the Lord.

Psalm 139 1LORD, you have searched me out and known me; *you know my sitting down and my rising up;you discern my thoughts from afar.2You trace my journeys and my resting-places *and are acquainted with all my ways.3Indeed, there is not a word on my lips, *but you, O LORD, know it altogether.4You press upon me behind and before *and lay your hand upon me.5Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; *it is so high that I cannot attain to it.6Where can I go then from your Spirit? *where can I flee from your presence?7If I climb up to heaven, you are there; *if I make the grave my bed, you are there also.8If I take the wings of the morning *and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,9Even there your hand will lead me *and your right hand hold me fast.10If I say, "Surely the darkness will cover me, *and the light around me turn to night,"11Darkness is not dark to you;the night is as bright as the day; *darkness and light to you are both alike.12For you yourself created my inmost parts; *you knit me together in my mother's womb.13I will thank you because I am marvelously made; *your works are wonderful, and I know it well.14My body was not hidden from you, *while I was being made in secretand woven in the depths of the earth.15Your eyes beheld my limbs, yet unfinished in the womb;all of them were written in your book; *they were fashioned day by day,when as yet there was none of them.16How deep I find your thoughts, O God! *how great is the sum of them!17If I were to count them, they would be more in numberthan the sand; *to count them all, my life span would need tobe like yours.18Oh, that you would slay the wicked, O God! *You that thirst for blood, depart from me.19They speak despitefully against you; *your enemies take your Name in vain.20Do I not hate those, O LORD, who hate you? *and do I not loathe those who rise up against you?21I hate them with a perfect hatred; *they have become my own enemies.22Search me out, O God, and know my heart; *try me and know my restless thoughts.23Look well whether there be any wickedness in me *and lead me in the way that is everlasting.

Matthew 25:1-13'Then the kingdom of heaven will be like this. Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroomb 2Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3When the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them; 4but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. 5As the bridegroom was delayed, all of them became drowsy and slept. 6But at midnight there was a shout, "Look! Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him." 7Then all those bridesmaids got up and trimmed their lamps 8The foolish said to the wise, "Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out." 9But the wise replied, "No! there will not be enough for you and for us; you had better go to the dealers and buy some for yourselves." 10And while they went to buy it, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went with him into the wedding banquet; and the door was shut. 11Later the other bridesmaids came also, saying, "Lord, lord, open to us."d 12But he replied, "Truly I tell you, I do not know you." 13Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hourThe Word of the Lord.

Zechariah 3:1-10Then he showed me the high priest Joshua standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him. 2And the LORD said to Satan, "The LORD rebuke you, O Satan! The LORD who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is not this man a brand plucked from the fire?" 3Now Joshua was dressed with filthy clothes as he stood before the angel. 4The angel said to those who were standing before him, "Take off his filthy clothes." And to him he said, "See, I have taken your guilt away from you, and I will clothe you with festal apparel." 5And I said, "Let them put a clean turban on his head." So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him with the apparel; and the angel of the LORD was standing by. 6Then the angel of the LORD assured Joshua, saying 7"Thus says the LORD of hosts: If you will walk in my ways and keep my requirements, then you shall rule my house and have charge of my courts, and I will give you the right of access among those who are standing here.8 Now listen, Joshua, high priest, you and your colleagues who sit before you! For they are an omen of things to come: I am going to bring my servant the Branch. 9For on the stone that I have set before Joshua, on a single stone with seven facets, I will engrave its inscription, says the LORD of hosts, and I will remove the guilt of this land in a single day. 10On that day, says the LORD of hosts, you shall invite each other to come under your vine and fig tree."The Word of the Lord.

Matthew 24:32-4432 'From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. 33So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates 34Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. 35Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. 36'But about that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father 37For as the days of Noah were, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 38For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark, 39and they knew nothing until the flood came and swept them all away, so too will be the coming of the Son of Man. 40Then two will be in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. 41Two women will be grinding meal together; one will be taken and one will be left. 42Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming 43But understand this: if the owner of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. 44Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.The Word of the Lord.

Amos 9:11-1511 On that day I will raise up the booth of David that is fallen, and repair its breaches, and raise up its ruins, and rebuild it as in the days of old; 12in order that they may possess the remnant of Edom and all the nations who are called by my name, says the LORD who does this. 13The time is surely coming, says the LORD, when the one who plows shall overtake the one who reaps, and the treader of grapes the one who sows the seed; the mountains shall drip sweet wine, and all the hills shall flow with it. 14I will restore the fortunes of my people Israel, and they shall rebuild the ruined cities and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and drink their wine, and they shall make gardens and eat their fruit. 15I will plant them upon their land, and they shall never again be plucked up out of the land that I have given them, says the LORD your God.The Word of the Lord.

Psalm 421As the deer longs for the water-brooks, *so longs my soul for you, O God.2My soul is athirst for God, athirst for the living God; *when shall I come to appear before the presence of God?3My tears have been my food day and night, *while all day long they say to me,Where now is your God?"4I pour out my soul when I think on these things; *how I went with the multitude and led them into thehouse of God,5With the voice of praise and thanksgiving, *among those who keep holy-day.6Why are you so full of heaviness, O my soul? *and why are you so disquieted within me?7Put your trust in God; *for I will yet give thanks to him,who is the help of my countenance, and my God.8My soul is heavy within me; *therefore I will remember you from the land of Jordan,and from the peak of Mizar among the heights of Hermon.9One deep calls to another in the noise of your cataracts; *all your rapids and floods have gone over me.10The LORD grants his loving-kindness in the daytime; *in the night season his song is with me,a prayer to the God of my life.11I will say to the God of my strength,"Why have you forgotten me? *and why do I go so heavily while the enemyoppresses me?"12While my bones are being broken, *my enemies mock me to my face;13All day long they mock me *and say to me, "Where now is your God?"14Why are you so full of heaviness, O my soul? *and why are you so disquieted within me?15Put your trust in God; *for I will yet give thanks to him,who is the help of my countenance, and my God.

Amos 7:10-1710 Then Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, sent to King Jeroboam of Israel, saying, "Amos has conspired against you in the very center of the house of Israel; the land is not able to bear all his words. 11For thus Amos has said, 'Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel must go into exile away from his land.'" 12And Amaziah said to Amos, "O seer, go, flee away to the land of Judah, earn your bread there, and prophesy there; 13but never again prophesy at Bethel, for it is the king's sanctuary, and it is a temple of the kingdom." 14Then Amos answered Amaziah, "I am no prophet, nor a prophet's son; but I am a herdsman, and a dresser of sycamore trees, 15and the LORD took me from following the flock, and the LORD said to me, 'Go, prophesy to my people Israel.' 16"Now therefore hear the word of the LORD. You say, 'Do not prophesy against Israel, and do not preach against the house of Isaac." 17Therefore thus says the LORD: 'Your wife shall become a prostitute in the city, and your sons and your daughters shall fall by the sword, and your land shall be parceled out by line; you yourself shall die in an unclean land, and Israel shall surely go into exile away from its land.'"The Word of the Lord.

Luke 20:27-4027Some Sadducees, those who say there is no resurrection, came to him 28and asked him a question, Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a mans brother dies, leaving a wife but no children, the man shall marry the widow and raise up children for his brother. 29Now there were seven brothers; the first married, and died childless; 30then the second 31and the third married her, and so in the same way all seven died childless. 32Finally the woman also died. 33In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife will the woman be? For the seven had married her.34Jesus said to them, Those who belong to this age marry and are given in marriage; 35but those who are considered worthy of a place in that age and in the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage. 36Indeed they cannot die any more, because they are like angels and are children of God, being children of the resurrection. 37And the fact that the dead are raised Moses himself showed, in the story about the bush, where he speaks of the Lord as the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. 38Now he is God not of the dead, but of the living; for to him all of them are alive. 39Then some of the scribes answered, Teacher, you have spoken well. 40For they no longer dared to ask him another question.The Word of the Lord.

Psalm 18:21-50 or Coverdale21 The LORD rewarded me because of my righteous dealing; * because my hands were clean he rewarded me; 22 For I have kept the ways of the LORD *and have not offended against my God; 23 For all his judgments are before my eyes, *and his decrees I have not put away from me; 24 For I have been blameless with him *and have kept myself from iniquity; 25 Therefore the LORD rewarded me according to my righteous dealing, *because of the cleanness of my hands in his sight. 26 With the faithful you show yourself faithful, O God; *with the forthright you show yourself forthright. 27 With the pure you show yourself pure, *but with the crooked you are wily. 28 You will save a lowly people, *but you will humble the haughty eyes. 29 You, O LORD, are my lamp; *my God, you make my darkness bright. 30 With you I will break down an enclosure; *with the help of my God I will scale any wall. 31 As for God, his ways are perfect;the words of the LORD are tried in the fire; *he is a shield to all who trust in him. 32 For who is God, but the LORD? *who is the Rock, except our God? 33 It is God who girds me about with strength *and makes my way secure. 34 He makes me sure-footed like a deer *and lets me stand firm on the heights. 35 He trains my hands for battle *and my arms for bending even a bow of bronze. 36 You have given me your shield of victory; *your right hand also sustains me;your loving care makes me great. 37 You lengthen my stride beneath me, *and my ankles do not give way. 38 I pursue my enemies and overtake them; *I will not turn back till I have destroyed them. 39 I strike them down, and they cannot rise; *they fall defeated at my feet. 40 You have girded me with strength for the battle; *you have cast down my adversaries beneath me;you have put my enemies to flight. 41 I destroy those who hate me;they cry out, but there is none to help them; *they cry to the LORD, but he does not answer. 42 I beat them small like dust before the wind; *I trample them like mud in the streets. 43 You deliver me from the strife of the peoples; *you put me at the head of the nations. 44 A people I have not known shall serve me;no sooner shall they hear than they shall obey me; *strangers will cringe before me. 45 The foreign peoples will lose heart; *they shall come trembling out of their strongholds. 46 The LORD lives! Blessed is my Rock! *Exalted is the God of my salvation! 47 He is the God who gave me victory *and cast down the peoples beneath me. 48 You rescued me from the fury of my enemies;you exalted me above those who rose against me; *you saved me from my deadly foe. 49 Therefore will I extol you among the nations, O LORD, *and sing praises to your Name. 50 He multiplies the victories of his king; *he shows loving-kindness to his anointed,to David and his descendants for ever.

Luke 20:19-2619When the scribes and chief priests realized that he had told this parable against them, they wanted to lay hands on him at that very hour, but they feared the people.20So they watched him and sent spies who pretended to be honest, in order to trap him by what he said, so as to hand him over to the jurisdiction and authority of the governor. 21So they asked him, Teacher, we know that you are right in what you say and teach, and you show deference to no one, but teach the way of God in accordance with truth. 22Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to the emperor, or not? 23But he perceived their craftiness and said to them, 24Show me a denarius. Whose head and whose title does it bear? They said, The emperors. 25He said to them, Then give to the emperor the things that are the emperors, and to God the things that are Gods. 26And they were not able in the presence of the people to trap him by what he said; and being amazed by his answer, they became silent.The Word of the Lord.