We are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior. He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like his own, using the same power with which he will bring everything under his control. – Philippians 3:20-21 (NLT)
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In a fragmenting world—with America facing its crucial presidential election and Britain in flux after its recent referendum decision to quit Europe—there is a single heavenly citizenship that alone can reassure us.
Richard Bewes is a preacher, broadcaster and hymn writer. He serves on the board of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association in the United Kingdom and is the former rector of All Souls Church, Langham Place, London.
Prayer: citizens of heaven | residents of earth
Heavenly Father: As believing Americans we hold dual citizenship – in heaven and on earth. One is eternal; the other is temporary.
As we face the upcoming presidential election in America, give us Your heavenly, eternal wisdom that we may honor You on earth as in heaven.
+ Like Abraham, we look forward to the city whose architect and builder is God; a city filled with people from all tribes and nations.
Keep before us the vision of the heavenly city – that it might breathe new life into our decaying American cities.
+ Come Lord Jesus Christ, we await Your return as Savior; bodily, visibly and universally—to usher in the eternal kingdom. And as we wait, send us Your Spirit.
You alone can rescue America, You alone can save America, You alone can raise American cities up from the grave. Our hope is in You alone – work in us and through us.
+ Transform Your people in America into consistent, living witnesses who show others how to live as citizens of heaven in our dying world.
Unite Your people in every American city at the foot of the Cross – one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of us all.
Heavenly Father: You hold the future of America in Your hands. Raise up every faithful American citizen to vote in the upcoming presidential election for the candidate who will best preserve the freedom of the City from above – that Your power and glory may be displayed for the entire world to see.
+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit – one God forever. Amen.
+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!
Opening Sentence
I have come to seek You, O God, just as I am I come. I have come to be sought by You, just as I am I come.
I will wait for the Lord. My soul waits, and in His word do I hope.
Reading: Psalm 119:97-104 (NLT)
Oh, how I love your instructions! I think about them all day long.
Your commands make me wiser than my enemies, for they are my constant guide. Yes, I have more insight than my teachers, for I am always thinking of your laws. I am even wiser than my elders, for I have kept your commandments.
I have refused to walk on any evil path, so that I may remain obedient to your word. I haven’t turned away from your regulations, for you have taught me well. How sweet your words taste to me; they are sweeter than honey.
Your commandments give me understanding; no wonder I hate every false way of life.
Reading: Proverbs 2:1-6 (NLT)
My child, listen to what I say, and treasure my commands. Tune your ears to wisdom, and concentrate on understanding. Cry out for insight, and ask for understanding. Search for them as you would for silver; seek them like hidden treasures.
Then you will understand what it means to fear the Lord, and you will gain knowledge of God. For the Lord grants wisdom! From his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
Reading: Luke 2:40-47, 52 (NLT)
There the child grew up healthy and strong. He was filled with wisdom, and God’s favor was on him.
Boy Jesus in the Temple (Christ in the Temple), by Heinrich Hofmann
Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Passover festival. When Jesus was twelve years old, they attended the festival as usual. After the celebration was over, they started home to Nazareth, but Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents didn’t miss him at first, because they assumed he was among the other travelers. But when he didn’t show up that evening, they started looking for him among their relatives and friends.
When they couldn’t find him, they went back to Jerusalem to search for him there. Three days later they finally discovered him in the Temple, sitting among the religious teachers, listening to them and asking questions. All who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.
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Jesus grew in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and all the people.
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Prayer (Piran – in following, sixth century)
Teach me to follow You, and I will obey Your truth. Always keep me faithful.
+ Lord of the universe, whose hands threw the constellations in all their splendor, and stars in their myriads, into the endless velvet depths of space.
+ God of creation, who fashioned earth and sky and seas, who shaped the mountains, coasts and valleys, seeking out places I could recognize as home.
+ Teach me to see You through the glories of creation. Lift my eyes above the boundaries of far horizons.
+ Ever moving onward, I will seek You, moving nearer, closer to Your beating heart.
Heavenly Father: Draw me close to You, that I might listen and learn. Give me a teachable spirit and write Your Word on my heart, that I might not lose my way. In Jesus’ name.
“Draw Me Close” – Michael W. Smith
Blessing
May the peace of the Lord Jesus Christ go with you, wherever He may send you. May He guide you through the wilderness, protect you through the storm. May He bring you home rejoicing at the wonders He has shown you. May He bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.
+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!
+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
God will listen and help, when you pray without ceasing.
Opening Prayer:
Lord, tireless guardian of your people, always ready to hear the cries of your chosen ones, teach us to rely, day and night, on your care. Support our prayer lest we grow weary. Impel us to seek your enduring justice and your ever-present help. Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever.
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“The Lord Reigns” – Lindell Cooley Lyrics Living Waters Ministries
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A Reading from the Old Testament: Exodus 17:8-13 (NLT)
[Israel trusts God to prevail through Moses’ persistent prayer and Joshua’s willingness to fight.]
While the people of Israel were still at Rephidim, the warriors of Amalek attacked them. Moses commanded Joshua, “Choose some men to go out and fight the army of Amalek for us. Tomorrow, I will stand at the top of the hill, holding the staff of God in my hand.”
Victory of Joshua over the Amalekites Nicolas Poussin, 1625 Hermitage, St. Petersburg, Russia
So Joshua did what Moses had commanded and fought the army of Amalek. Meanwhile, Moses, Aaron, and Hur climbed to the top of a nearby hill. As long as Moses held up the staff in his hand, the Israelites had the advantage. But whenever he dropped his hand, the Amalekites gained the advantage. Moses’ arms soon became so tired he could no longer hold them up. So Aaron and Hur found a stone for him to sit on. Then they stood on each side of Moses, holding up his hands. So his hands held steady until sunset. As a result, Joshua overwhelmed the army of Amalek in battle.
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A Reading from the Psalms: Psalm 121 (NLT)
I look up to the mountains—does my help come from there? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth!
He will not let you stumble; the one who watches over you will not slumber. Indeed, he who watches over Israel never slumbers or sleeps.
The Lord himself watches over you! The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade. The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon at night.
The Lord keeps you from all harm and watches over your life. The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever.
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“Psalm 121” (Shir Lamaalot / Song of OF Ascents} – James Block
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A Reading from the Letters: 2 Timothy 2:8-13 (NLT)
[God’s Word gives us wisdom for salvation and guidance along the way in good times and bad.]
But you must remain faithful to the things you have been taught. You know they are true, for you know you can trust those who taught you. You have been taught the holy Scriptures from childhood, and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.
I solemnly urge you in the presence of God and Christ Jesus, who will someday judge the living and the dead when he comes to set up his Kingdom: Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching.
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A Reading from the Gospels: Luke 18:1-8 (NLT)
[Jesus uses a parable to show that persistent prayer works.]
One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up. “There was a judge in a certain city,” he said, “who neither feared God nor cared about people. A widow of that city came to him repeatedly, saying, ‘Give me justice in this dispute with my enemy.’ The judge ignored her for a while, but finally he said to himself, ‘I don’t fear God or care about people, but this woman is driving me crazy. I’m going to see that she gets justice, because she is wearing me out with her constant requests!’”
Then the Lord said, “Learn a lesson from this unjust judge. Even he rendered a just decision in the end. So don’t you think God will surely give justice to his chosen people who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will grant justice to them quickly! But when the Son of Man returns, how many will he find on the earth who have faith?”
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“Cry Out to Jesus” – Third Day
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Intercessory Prayer:
Our help is in the name of the Lord – Lord, hear our prayers:
+ That there may be peace in Syria, and that terrorism may be defeated…. Lord, hear us.
+ That missionaries who feel sad and discouraged may not give up…. Lord, hear us.
+ That Christians suffering under persecution may have courage…. Lord, hear us.
+ That all who live with depression may have God’s help…. Lord, hear us.
+ That Christians may pray persistently and have all their prayers answered…. Lord, hear us.
+ That those who have died in Christ may experience the fullness of God’s love…. Lord, hear us.
O Lord, you are our guard and our shade, you protect your servants in their need: hear these prayers we offer, trusting you, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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“Benediction (May the Peace of God)” – Stuart Townend
May the peace of God our heavenly Father, And the grace of Christ the risen Son, And the fellowship of God the Spirit Keep our hearts and minds within His love.
And to Him be praise for His glorious reign, From the depths of earth to the heights of heaven. We declare the name of the Lamb once slain: Christ eternal, the King of kings!
May this peace which passes understanding, And this grace which makes us what we are, And this fellowship of His communion Make us one in spirit and in heart.
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+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen
The authorities are God’s servants, sent for your good. But if you are doing wrong, of course you should be afraid, for they have the power to punish you. They are God’s servants, sent for the very purpose of punishing those who do what is wrong. – Romans 13:4 NLT
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Prayer: Reward Good and Restrain Evil
I’d like to ask Christians to pray for strong leadership for our country — and for our military, people who will put their oath to the Constitution above their careers. People who, when destructive policy is handed down, would lay their stars on the table and say, “This policy is destructive. It does not enhance readiness; it degrades readiness, and I will not be part of it.”
America has been at war continuously for 15 years. We have been led by feckless administrations into global misadventures without the will or resources to win, while successive Congresses abdicate their Constitutional responsibilities.
Our military misadventures have created chaos in the Middle East that has invited global adventurism and the advancement of global evil.
+ Lord, have mercy on us.
We have abandoned the weak and unprotected Christians who are suffering the horrific effects of our foreign policy.
+ Lord, have mercy on us.
We have become unreliable friends of our closest allies and have rewarded our enemies and their evil proxies.
+ Lord, have mercy on us.
At a time when evil is advancing and our enemies are increasing in strength, our military forces no longer have the resources needed to restrain evil.
+ Lord, have mercy on us.
Religious liberty is under assault in our military and good people are leaving because they are unable to publicly live out their faith.
+ Lord, have mercy on us.
We are led by a commander-in-chief who has allowed his social agenda and political considerations to override all military, strategic and operational concerns.
+ Lord, have mercy on us.
Gracious God: I ask that our next president rethink our entire foreign policy and be intentional about America’s need for a strong defense. I ask that our next president rebuild our military capabilities at every level so that we may be agents of global peace through overwhelming military strength. And I ask that our war weary veterans and their families may receive the resources and support that they need while they serve on active duty and when they come home.
May our new government reward good and restrain evil – that freedom may be preserved, including the free exercise of religion and the proclamation of the Gospel.
+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit – one God forever. Amen.
+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!
Opening Sentence
One thing I have asked of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life; to behold the beauty of the Lord and to seek Him in His temple.
Reading: Psalm 119:89-95 (NLT)
Your eternal word, O Lord, stands firm in heaven. Your faithfulness extends to every generation, as enduring as the earth you created. Your regulations remain true to this day, for everything serves your plans. If your instructions hadn’t sustained me with joy, I would have died in my misery.
I will never forget your commandments, for by them you give me life. I am yours; rescue me! For I have worked hard at obeying your commandments. Though the wicked hide along the way to kill me, I will quietly keep my mind on your laws.
Reading: Deuteronomy 17:19 (NLT)
He must always keep that copy with him and read it daily as long as he lives. That way he will learn to fear the Lord his God by obeying all the terms of these instructions and decrees.
Reading: Revelation 1:3; 5:2-5 (NLT)
God blesses the one who reads the words of this prophecy to the church, and he blesses all who listen to its message and obey what it says, for the time is near.
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And I saw a strong angel, who shouted with a loud voice: “Who is worthy to break the seals on this scroll and open it?” But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll and read it.
Then I began to weep bitterly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll and read it. But one of the twenty-four elders said to me, “Stop weeping! Look, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the heir to David’s throne, has won the victory. He is worthy to open the scroll and its seven seals.”
Prayer
Let nothing disturb you, Let nothing frighten you, All things are passing; God only is changeless. Patience gains all things; Who has God wants nothing. God alone suffices.
May the peace of the Lord Jesus Christ go with you, wherever He may send you. May He guide you through the wilderness, protect you through the storm. May He bring you home rejoicing at the wonders He has shown you. May He bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.
+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!
Heavenly Father: As believing Americans we hold dual citizenship – in heaven and on earth. One is eternal; the other is temporary.
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