In the midst of personal tragedy and surrounded by the Civil War Henry Wadsworth Longfellow writes in his poem “Christmas Bells”:

And so let this be our prayer for Miami (and the world) this Christmas.

Father, Let us not despair in the midst of the turmoil that surrounds us in Miami – whether with family, job, or relationships.  We pray that you would unite us in Your Spirit as Your Church and that Miami would see You and know Your Peace this Christmas.  May the people in Miami see authentic peace in Your Church in spite of the hate, the violence, and the pain that is so prevalent here.  May they seek and find You as a result.  We are so thankful that you are neither dead nor asleep and that you prevail over all darkness.  We long to see Your Hand at work in Miami through the power of Jesus Christ whom we celebrate this Christmas.

Amen and Amen

Father,

As Your Church in Miami we pray for the health of Your Body – Your Church – here in this city.  We are not well, and we cry out for your healing.  Your Church in Miami is weak and distracted, but we seek your presence to make us One in You and make us right with You.  Cleanse us with your redemptive Grace.  Wash away the infections of the enemy in the places we can’t see and restore our weak, broken, and gasping spirits.  Give us rest in your Peace.  Comfort us in your strong arms as we rest and rely on you for our provision for our congregations, families, lives, and for Miami.  Strengthen us with the power of your restoring Love.  Saturate and permeate our Body with the power of Christ from skin to bone to Spirit across this city .  May we as Your Church be united together in health and love across Miami for the sake of Your Kingdom and only Your Kingdom.

In the authority and power of Christ’s  Name we pray.

Amen

Father,

Please give us – Your Church in Miami – full focus on you.  Place blinders on each of us so that the only one drawing our attention is You.  May we be fulling trusting for You to take the reins and and Reign in our lives.  May our lives and all our efforts be moving in your will as we attend only to what you have given us to carry for Your Kingdom.  I pray this for and with Your Church in Miami as you prepare great and amazing things for this city and call us to be partakers in what You are doing.  Pour your Spirit out across your Church and give us your Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Goodness, Kindness, Gentleness, Faithfulness, and Self-Control in order that You alone may be glorified in Miami.

Amen and Amen

Almighty Father,

Refresh in me a spirit of prayer and humility.   Refresh Your Church in Miami with a spirit of prayer and then renew this city of Miami. Let us fall to our knees and cry out to you in expectation of your great mercy.  Humble us and teach us to love our neighbors as we fall before you to lift them in prayer.  Break our hearts, Father, as we open our eyes to the broken hearts all around us and lift them in prayer.  Please don’t let us, Your Church in Miami, forget you, our first love, and the amazing compassion you demonstrate to us.  Open our mouths with prayers for your people, our neighbors, our leaders, our children, ourselves, and our city.  Remind us of your faithfulness and love so that we would walk in communion with you through Christ.  Forgive us for hiding from you.  Let us walk with you in joy and love right in the place where you have set us for this time.  May your light shine in us and through us into the world right where we are.  Let us understand what it means to have community with you, Our King, and let us bring our burdens and the burdens of our neighbors before you.  Father, may your Church be unceasing in prayer and as you respond to us from the depth of your faithfulness may your Freedom pour out across this city.  Hallelujah and Amen.

Father,

Its been a week since we celebrated the glorious resurrection of Christ yet so many of us are still hesitating at the mouth of the tomb looking out.  Through your grace we have been raised with Christ yet we watch as He walks out into a resurrected life to usher your kingdom into this world.  Still we stand at the mouth of the tomb the grave garments gripped tightly in our hands.  Father, forgive us and give us — your Church in Miami —  the strength, the joy, the love, the faith to drop the rancid clothes of death that have enshrouded us.  Through your grace and power may we live as though our lives have been transfigured in the likeness of Christ going forth into Miami and the world.  May Miami begin to know life abundant as your church walks among the dark places bringing Christ’s resurrection with them.  May this city be littered with discarded grave clothes as more and more people step out from the tomb and walk in the resurrection.

Amen

Father God,

You are the ultimate source of life.  We pray that you would fill the hearts of your people in Miami with that life and with Your Love.  May the hearts of your Church in Miami beat together in unison with Your heart.  May we feel sorrow where you feel sorrow and joy where you feel joy.  May we tremble with the pulse of Your passion and feel the surge of Your energy in our limbs.  May we be strong in Your strength and compassionate with Your mercy.  Give us Your heart, Father, so that Miami would know the power of Your love.

Amen and Amen

Romans 15: 5-7

5 May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, 6 so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

7 Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.

Father,

You are creating new ministries in Miami every day.  There are new communities of Christ followers springing up around the city and still more who have been here and are continuing to grow and endure.  We give you the praise for answering our prayers and pouring yourself out across this city.  Please continue to send your Spirit out across Miami and continue to call your followers here to this city to sow the seeds of Your Kingdom.  We ask for Unity and harmony among those you have called in Miami.  We ask for endurance, encouragement, and self control for those you have placed here as agents of your kingdom in Miami.  Unify your people here so an unbelieving city would see you and desire to know you.  Connect the believers in Miami through your Spirit that we would be like-minded and loving.  We pray for everyone in this city that they would come to know the joy, peace, redemption, and salvation in Christ Jesus.  In His powerful name we pray.

Amen and Amen

Almighty God,

give us pause to unite in prayer for our brothers and sister on the other side of the globe who are in despair in the midst of tragedy.  We lift up the survivors whose lives have been overturned.  Thank you, Lord, that you are a rock and a firm foundation in the midst of everything any of us may endure in this world.  As we watch the news footage and witness the stories from here in Miami – a world away – may we be reminded and humbled in the awareness that we can take nothing for granted.  Remind us that in a moment our lives may be shaken and washed away.  Even as we pray for healing, peace, and hope for those in Japan let us be profoundly aware how desperately we need to cling to You alone.  May we run after you and seek you rather than the temporary things of this world.  Pour yourself out across this tumultuous world where hopelessness, violence, and chaos seem to be ever more commonplace and bring Your Peace that passes understanding.  May you be glorified in stories of hope, love, and redemption taking place everywhere you intervene in the midst of tragedy.  Forgive us for our complacence and use us as your loving hands as you continue to usher your kingdom into this chaotic world.  Father, cover the nation of Japan with Your Spirit.  May her people find renewal, healing and comfort in You.

In the powerful name of Christ Jesus we pray.

Amen

Psalm 70:4

4 But may all who seek you

rejoice and be glad in you;

may those who love your salvation always say,

“Let God be exalted!”

Jesus,

You save us everyday.  You save us from walking in sin…from pursuing our desires over Yours…from the kingdoms of this world.  You are Savior.

We ask for Your love and grace to be made known to people in Miami.  May people have a fresh encounter with You – not religious talk or intellectualism or anything else.  What we need is You – what others need is You.

May we rejoice in our salvation today.  May You be exalted in our hearts today.  Give us grace & courage to pursue You before other things.

Amen.

Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish.

Matthew 13:46-48

Father God,

In the power of  Your Spirit thread your way through the city of Miami.  We pray, Father, that you not let us accept the lie that our church, our parish, our group, our community is the source of redemption and renewal for the people whom you love in Miami.  May we always be aware that Your Kingdom is so much larger and greater than what any one church community can represent.  We pray that you would bind and strengthen each Christian community around this city who are seeking to be obedient to you.  Knit all of us together across the city.  May we grow in service TO each other and WITH each other in obedience to your will as Your Kingdom comes to Miami.  Lord, cast us out together in the name of Christ  all the way across this city of Miami so that multitudes would be brought to You.

In the Name of Christ Jesus.

Amen and Amen