Sunday Praise and a Prayer for Peace

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.”  Philippians 4:8-9

Heavenly Father, you are praiseworthy.  You are true and noble and right and pure and lovely and admirable, and we choose to think about you and all the ways you’ve shown us your goodness.  You’ve rescued us time and time again.  You forgive all our sins and have removed them as far as the east is from the west, and remember them no more.  Your grace is always upon your children, and your mercy, too. 

You have promised to prepare a place for us with you and to come again for us and take us with you where you are, where there is no more crying or pain or suffering.  Your love sustains us, teaches us, and matures us until the day when your wisdom says it’s time to come home.  Lord, in all these constant ponderings throughout the day and night, you give us peace, and we praise you.  You know the trouble we face in this world, but we know you’ve already overcome it.  Help us cling to you, both in the times when things are going well, and in times when things are hard.

Give us the strength to turn to you when the enemy is whispering in our ears that you don’t care.  That you can’t possibly love us after what we’ve done.  Give us the strength to call those what they are: lies from the pit of hell.  Help us cling to the truth, and where our beliefs are false, we ask that you would change them.  Where we believe wrong things about you, please show us the truth.  And where we believe wrong things about ourselves, please break down those strongholds of falsehood, knowing they keep us from living purely in the victory you would have us.  We give you our minds and our hearts to mold as you will.  We receive your peace, and we give you all the glory.  In the mighty name of Jesus, amen.