DAY 35 (SAT 11/23)

"Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus"- Ephesians 6:24

PR (Praise), IN (Intercession), CF (Confession), SG (Spiritual Growth), or MN (Ministry Needs)

IN: We pray today especially for those who must come to church alone because they have been widowed or have been abandoned by their mates.  Bless them, Father, and grant that they might find a place of welcome in this church family.  We thank God for the growth of our "Single on Sunday" class and pray that it might continue its good work.

IN: We thank You, Father, for the loving care provided to small children in our nursery during each service, and pray that You would bless the work of all the sweet ladies who serve in this ministry.  We pray, Father, for our children's ministries that will meet tomorrow afternoon and for all those dedicated workers who staff them. We especially ask your blessings on Chris Reaves as he directs the Junior High Open Door group.  

MN:  We thank God for the many guests who visit our worship services each week, and pray that we might be missionaries in our congregation by extending a genuine welcome to them.

THE SERENITY PRAYER

The “Serenity Prayer” has been prayed by millions since it first appeared in the 1930’s:

God grant me the serenity
To accept the things I cannot change;
Courage to change the things I can;
And wisdom to know the difference.

It has been used in Alcoholics Anonymous since 1941.  In 1953 William Spence added a section:

God grant me the serenity
To accept the things I cannot change;
Courage to change the things I can;
And wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world
As it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right
If I surrender to His Will;
So that I may be reasonably happy in this life
And supremely happy with Him
Forever and ever in the next.

At some meetings of Alcoholics Anonymous, the line "Just for today" is added to the end of the prayer, in keeping with the statement of Jesus in Matthew 6:34 – “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.  Each day has enough trouble of its own.”