Chrysostom
Beloved of All
We join you in lifting these burdens before the Lord, and we thank you for urging prayer according to 1 Timothy 2:1-4, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and dignity, which is good and pleasing to God our Savior who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.
We pray with you for commanders in chief, prime ministers, military leaders, troops, and for civilians in every nation you named, from the Middle East and Israel to Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Americas, and for our own land. We ask God to give wisdom and humility to those in authority, to guide what they say and how they say it, to restrain evil plans and to thwart the counsel of the wicked, and to turn the hearts of rulers like channels of water in His hand. We ask Him to protect life wherever possible, to guard civilians from being placed in harm's way, to give skill and restraint to those who bear responsibility for force, and to limit death and destruction. We pray that equipment and operations would be directed only where necessary for justice and protection, and that innocent people would be spared.
We also pray for a deeper peace than the mere absence of war. Scripture teaches that the fear of the Lord must be taught, and that true peace is the peace of God ruling in our hearts. Human peace that comes only from avenging wrongs quickly dissolves, but the peace Christ gives reconciles us to God and then to one another. There is a false concord that even wrongdoers can share, and it is no true peace, but the peace Christ brings makes us sons of God because it is founded on reconciliation through His cross. So we pray not only for quiet borders but for hearts made right with God, for love and holiness without which no one will see the Lord, and for the unity that comes when all thoughts and desires are brought into order under Christ.
In that spirit we ask for the protection you requested, for loving kindness, truth, and angelic guard over our troops, over believers, and over civilians, remembering that each of His people is not forgotten and that Christ who is in us is greater than any power in the world. We pray for the peace of Jerusalem and for the salvation of both Jew and Gentile, for the beautiful land and for all peoples, tribes and tongues to be saved through faith in Jesus Christ alone, demonstrated in repentance from sin. We hold fast to the historic biblical hope that salvation is through Christ alone, that marriage is a lifelong covenant of one man and one woman, and that sexual intimacy and living together belong only within that covenant, and we pray that all would come to repentance and new life on His terms, not our own.
We pray for godly alliances among free nations and for the diminishing of evil alignments, for the strengthening of honest leadership, for freedom of speech and press and for open doors for the gospel to go forth with clarity and freedom, as in Ephesians 6:18-20, so that disciples may be made in every nation. We thank God for every leader He has allowed to be in authority according to Romans 13:1, and we ask that He would work all things according to the counsel of His will, and work all things together for good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.
We submit ourselves to God, put on His armor, and ask with thanksgiving that the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, would guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. May the God of love and peace be with you, with our leaders, with our troops, and with suffering civilians everywhere, and may He raise up and set down according to His perfect reign, for the Lord God Almighty reigns. We offer all these requests in the name of Jesus Christ, our only hope and our true peace.
We pray with you for commanders in chief, prime ministers, military leaders, troops, and for civilians in every nation you named, from the Middle East and Israel to Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Americas, and for our own land. We ask God to give wisdom and humility to those in authority, to guide what they say and how they say it, to restrain evil plans and to thwart the counsel of the wicked, and to turn the hearts of rulers like channels of water in His hand. We ask Him to protect life wherever possible, to guard civilians from being placed in harm's way, to give skill and restraint to those who bear responsibility for force, and to limit death and destruction. We pray that equipment and operations would be directed only where necessary for justice and protection, and that innocent people would be spared.
We also pray for a deeper peace than the mere absence of war. Scripture teaches that the fear of the Lord must be taught, and that true peace is the peace of God ruling in our hearts. Human peace that comes only from avenging wrongs quickly dissolves, but the peace Christ gives reconciles us to God and then to one another. There is a false concord that even wrongdoers can share, and it is no true peace, but the peace Christ brings makes us sons of God because it is founded on reconciliation through His cross. So we pray not only for quiet borders but for hearts made right with God, for love and holiness without which no one will see the Lord, and for the unity that comes when all thoughts and desires are brought into order under Christ.
In that spirit we ask for the protection you requested, for loving kindness, truth, and angelic guard over our troops, over believers, and over civilians, remembering that each of His people is not forgotten and that Christ who is in us is greater than any power in the world. We pray for the peace of Jerusalem and for the salvation of both Jew and Gentile, for the beautiful land and for all peoples, tribes and tongues to be saved through faith in Jesus Christ alone, demonstrated in repentance from sin. We hold fast to the historic biblical hope that salvation is through Christ alone, that marriage is a lifelong covenant of one man and one woman, and that sexual intimacy and living together belong only within that covenant, and we pray that all would come to repentance and new life on His terms, not our own.
We pray for godly alliances among free nations and for the diminishing of evil alignments, for the strengthening of honest leadership, for freedom of speech and press and for open doors for the gospel to go forth with clarity and freedom, as in Ephesians 6:18-20, so that disciples may be made in every nation. We thank God for every leader He has allowed to be in authority according to Romans 13:1, and we ask that He would work all things according to the counsel of His will, and work all things together for good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.
We submit ourselves to God, put on His armor, and ask with thanksgiving that the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, would guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. May the God of love and peace be with you, with our leaders, with our troops, and with suffering civilians everywhere, and may He raise up and set down according to His perfect reign, for the Lord God Almighty reigns. We offer all these requests in the name of Jesus Christ, our only hope and our true peace.
