October 24, 2016

God of the Heavenly Armies
open our eyes, let us see Your warriors.
Too often we only see the enemy, and our wounds, and our weakness.

Help us to see Your glory! Help us to remember Your strength and power! Help us to know the battle is in the spiritual world. Lord let us hear the sound of chariots in the trees in our lives.

We pray for those on the front lines of our battles--our warriors and our chaplains. Lord may they be on Your side, fighting in Your power.

Onward Christian soldiers, marching as to war,
with the cross of Jesus going on before!
Christ the royal Master leads against the foe;
forward into battle see His banner go!

Lord may our Chaplains today spend time seeking You.
May they be encouraged in the fight.
May they dream great visions--ones that scare them in trying such big things, ones they know have to be fulfilled by You.
Lord give them the words, and the actions, to reach those You have entrusted to them.
Give them courage in standing up for what is right.
Please keep our deployed chaplains safe, and surround their families with a hedge of protection.

At the sign of triumph Satan's host doth flee;
On then Christian soldiers, on to victory!
Hell's foundations quiver at the shout of praise;
Brothers, lift your voices loud your anthems raise!

Lord may all those around our chaplains be effected by their joy, their confidence, their strength in You.
May their fight be effective against the enemy's arrows. Lord, may our chaplains and Christian warriors be able to reach out to the suicidal veterans. May they see You and hope in Your soldiers.

We pray for our soldiers on the front lines in Iraq, our sailors in the unfriendly waters, our pilots over Syria. Lord please protect them. May the afflictions bring a new knowledge of You. For all of our deployed we ask for safety. Please bless their families with peace.

Like a mighty army moves the Church of God
Brothers, we are treading where the saints have trod.
We are not divided; all one body we!
One in hope and doctrine, One in charity!

Thank You Lord for our Christian soldiers, for the unity of the body You have given us. We pray for our chapels:
*May they reach hurting people for You.
*May they care for each other and be known for their love for all.
*Help them to deal with the resources, policies, persecutions.

We pray for healing for the people we love: for the brother having surgery on a brain tumor, for the young man with Krohns, for the grandmother with heart problems. We pray for our sisters who are so overwhelmed they can't breathe. We pray for the husbands who have lost their confidence and joy in their jobs.

Onward, then, ye people, join our happy throng;
Blend with ours your voices in the triumph song.
Glory, laud, and honor unto Christ the King;
This thru countless ages men and angels sing.

And so Lord, with this great body You have provided and sustained,
send us out this week.
Make us Your witnesses.
Put us in Your army.