SCRIPTURE. REFLECTION. PRAYER FOR OUR CITY.
Let’s pray
for Memphis.
join us in lifting up the city we love, block by block.
THE PRAYER JOURNAL
Prayers for Memphis
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Bring the Wash Basin
The conflict, the massacres in Israel, weigh heavy on my mind. Evil can be seen through the window you hold in your hand. I saw someone quoting Nehemiah on X and it seems appropriate for this entire fallen world. This following is not the passage quoted, but replace Eden for Jerusalem, and here we are.…
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The conflict, the massacres in Israel, weigh heavy on my mind. Evil can be seen through the window you hold in your hand. I saw someone quoting Nehemiah on X and it seems appropriate for this entire fallen world. This following is not the passage quoted, but replace Eden for Jerusalem, and here we are.
3 They said to me, “Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire.”
4 When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven.
Nehemiah 1:3-4
Closer to home, at the end of my block actually, I had an encounter with the fallen world last night. At 8pm, I came across a man looking to commit a crime, watching my coming from the bushes, rising and coming towards me upon being seen, shouting “Get out of here”. I did. I ran. I called the police. I warned my neighbor. I sat in shock. I questioned what I saw. I realized I would be mad in the morning.
I was. I’m still mad. Our city, this city we love, is failing all of us. Maybe it’s my privilege to think it is just now is getting to me, in a “good” part of town, but the illusion has been gone for awhile. This is at least the third incident that I know of on my block of houses in the past three months. I know 3 people murdered since I moved here 8 years ago, 2 in the past 13 months. If I think about it, I can start tallying up other thefts and violations of people’s space. Do broken car windows even count? I heard it called the Memphis tax in a prayer group. Gallows humor for the redeemed.
In a call this morning with one of my best friends, grumpy like the rest of us men, I was reminded to not grow weary in doing what is right. He has poured into people for years and is wondering where he should be spending his time and influence. Jesus instructed his disciples to knock the dust off their sandals and carry on when not welcomed. That’s harder said than done. When do you decide to move on? For Memphis, I pray the city comes bearing a wash bin for weary feet.
Lord, we thank you for our time in this place. There is so much good to be done. Encourage us Lord, in acting in accordance with the Holy Spirit. The adversary wants to take our joy. He wants to kill our hope. Some days, too many recently, he seems to be winning. Don’t let that happen.
Lord, I lift up Memphis and its many neighborhoods to You. We pray for safety Lord. We pray for a sense of caring and love of neighbor. We pray that because our cup overfloweth at home, we may share it with those in need. Lord, grant us the strength to be Your light in this darkness.
We lift up Paul Young and the recently elected officials. We pray for their stewardship of their positions. We pray that those who serve this city and county do so for the betterment of the community and not the enrichment of themselves. Lord, forgive us for our many sins. We worship self here, are as close to loving the world as those who don’t know Christ. Change us Lord. Work in our hearts that we may seek You first. May we stand apart based on our love and actions. Use the foolish things of this world to shame the wise.
Lord, we need You. We need encouragement. We want to fortify Your city here. We pray for peace. We pray for hope. We pray that young people are mentored in the ways that lead to life itself, and not the very active path to death and destruction. May we seek wise counsel and form relationships that allow Your word to be shared. We don’t want to be noisy gongs Lord. We want to be lovers of Your children. We pray for the good to overcome the evil, today. Maranatha Father. In Christ’s name, amen.
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Clean Up
3 His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in…
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3 His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. 2 Peter 1: 3-4
Lord, I pray for our city tonight. I pray that corruption be revealed. I pray for lawlessness to stop. I pray that it stops because hearts are changed. I pray for the Holy Spirit to fill our lives in Memphis. Lord, come on. We need You. I pray for the brothers and sisters in Christ fighting spiritual battles right now, asking for the Lord to deliver their loved ones from addiction or violence. I lift them up to You Father. Hear their cry. Sustain them in their time of need. May You hear their knocking at your door and answer them.
Lord, we have a nation that no longer has shame. We debauch ourselves intentionally for notoriety. If caught doing something that should bring shame, we double down. We say only You can judge us as a defense. I don’t think we want that reality. So Lord, I pray, I pray for a return to spiritual convictions in our hearts of our own sin. Lord, open our eyes to the darkness within us, but also to the light that can fill us from your amazing grace. Lord, may we raise our children in the truth and love those who don’t know You yet. May we be bold in our faith, while performing good works even for those who hate us.
Forgive us, Lord. Redeem us. Amen.
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Proverbs 18
An unfriendly person pursues selfish ends and against all sound judgment starts quarrels. 2 Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. 3 When wickedness comes, so does contempt, and with shame comes reproach. 4 The words of the mouth are deep waters, but the fountain of wisdom is a rushing stream. 5 It is not good to…
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An unfriendly person pursues selfish ends
and against all sound judgment starts quarrels.2 Fools find no pleasure in understanding
but delight in airing their own opinions.3 When wickedness comes, so does contempt,
and with shame comes reproach.4 The words of the mouth are deep waters,
but the fountain of wisdom is a rushing stream.5 It is not good to be partial to the wicked
and so deprive the innocent of justice.6 The lips of fools bring them strife,
and their mouths invite a beating.7 The mouths of fools are their undoing,
and their lips are a snare to their very lives.8 The words of a gossip are like choice morsels;
they go down to the inmost parts.9 One who is slack in his work
is brother to one who destroys.10 The name of the Lord is a fortified tower;
the righteous run to it and are safe.11 The wealth of the rich is their fortified city;
they imagine it a wall too high to scale.12 Before a downfall the heart is haughty,
but humility comes before honor.13 To answer before listening—
that is folly and shame.14 The human spirit can endure in sickness,
but a crushed spirit who can bear?15 The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge,
for the ears of the wise seek it out.16 A gift opens the way
and ushers the giver into the presence of the great.17 In a lawsuit the first to speak seems right,
until someone comes forward and cross-examines.18 Casting the lot settles disputes
and keeps strong opponents apart.19 A brother wronged is more unyielding than a fortified city;
disputes are like the barred gates of a citadel.20 From the fruit of their mouth a person’s stomach is filled;
with the harvest of their lips they are satisfied.21 The tongue has the power of life and death,
and those who love it will eat its fruit.22 He who finds a wife finds what is good
and receives favor from the Lord.23 The poor plead for mercy,
but the rich answer harshly.24 One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin,
but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.When I don’t know where to focus on for a day, I will pull out the Proverb chapter associated with that number. Today is the 18th, hence Proverbs Ch. 18.
Lord, may Your wisdom fill us. Give us ears to hear and eyes to see Your work. In Christ’s name, amen.
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Arrows of Light
17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. – James 1:17 I watched cub scouts participate in a paper airplane competition yesterday evening. They were boys testing their ingenuity. It was a wonderful sight. I’m fortunate to serve as…
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17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. – James 1:17
I watched cub scouts participate in a paper airplane competition yesterday evening. They were boys testing their ingenuity. It was a wonderful sight.
I’m fortunate to serve as den leader for a pack in the Chickasaw Council. https://www.chickasaw.org/ I love watching these boys, my son included, try things and have adventures. I love having the parents participate with their scout as we talk about things like teamwork and the outdoor code. I encourage you to check out an organization like Scouts or get involved.
Lord, thank you for Your light. May it shine brightly among organizations like the cub scouts, brownies, girl scouts, and boy scouts. Thank you for the leaders that give their time and the parents actively involved in their children’s lives. Lord, may these organizations be sources of positive engagement and confidence building among their participants and impact how they think about the world. Lord, you have blessed us with a beautiful creation and I pray that these groups train up leaders and followers who see God in their surroundings. May we be stewards of the gifts You have given us. Lord, bless the Chickasaw Council and other scouting organizations in the Mid-South. Amen.
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The New Tom Lee
Psalm 104 1 Praise the Lord, my soul. Lord my God, you are very great; you are clothed with splendor and majesty. 2 The Lord wraps himself in light as with a garment; he stretches out the heavens like a tent3 and lays the beams of his upper chambers on their waters.He makes the clouds his chariot and rides on the…
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Psalm 104
1 Praise the Lord, my soul.
Lord my God, you are very great;
you are clothed with splendor and majesty.2 The Lord wraps himself in light as with a garment;
he stretches out the heavens like a tent
3 and lays the beams of his upper chambers on their waters.
He makes the clouds his chariot
and rides on the wings of the wind.
4 He makes winds his messengers,[a]
flames of fire his servants.5 He set the earth on its foundations;
it can never be moved.
6 You covered it with the watery depths as with a garment;
the waters stood above the mountains.
7 But at your rebuke the waters fled,
at the sound of your thunder they took to flight;
8 they flowed over the mountains,
they went down into the valleys,
to the place you assigned for them.
9 You set a boundary they cannot cross;
never again will they cover the earth.10 He makes springs pour water into the ravines;
it flows between the mountains.
11 They give water to all the beasts of the field;
the wild donkeys quench their thirst.
12 The birds of the sky nest by the waters;
they sing among the branches.
13 He waters the mountains from his upper chambers;
the land is satisfied by the fruit of his work.
14 He makes grass grow for the cattle,
and plants for people to cultivate—
bringing forth food from the earth:
15 wine that gladdens human hearts,
oil to make their faces shine,
and bread that sustains their hearts.
16 The trees of the Lord are well watered,
the cedars of Lebanon that he planted.
17 There the birds make their nests;
the stork has its home in the junipers.
18 The high mountains belong to the wild goats;
the crags are a refuge for the hyrax.19 He made the moon to mark the seasons,
and the sun knows when to go down.
20 You bring darkness, it becomes night,
and all the beasts of the forest prowl.
21 The lions roar for their prey
and seek their food from God.
22 The sun rises, and they steal away;
they return and lie down in their dens.
23 Then people go out to their work,
to their labor until evening.24 How many are your works, Lord!
In wisdom you made them all;
the earth is full of your creatures.
25 There is the sea, vast and spacious,
teeming with creatures beyond number—
living things both large and small.
26 There the ships go to and fro,
and Leviathan, which you formed to frolic there.27 All creatures look to you
to give them their food at the proper time.
28 When you give it to them,
they gather it up;
when you open your hand,
they are satisfied with good things.
29 When you hide your face,
they are terrified;
when you take away their breath,
they die and return to the dust.
30 When you send your Spirit,
they are created,
and you renew the face of the ground.31 May the glory of the Lord endure forever;
may the Lord rejoice in his works—
32 he who looks at the earth, and it trembles,
who touches the mountains, and they smoke.33 I will sing to the Lord all my life;
I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.
34 May my meditation be pleasing to him,
as I rejoice in the Lord.
35 But may sinners vanish from the earth
and the wicked be no more.Praise the Lord, my soul.
Praise the Lord.[b]
Psalm 104
The redesigned Tom Lee Park was full of life this weekend. It is a wonderful sight to see all of Memphis enjoying the beauty by the river. Children running and laughing while exploring nooks and crannies as neighbors and friends caught up brought joy to my heart.
Lord, we thank you or the work done to bring human beauty forth among your natural beauty. We praise you for the harmony seen among our community by the river this weekend. May we keep Tom Lee Park as a special, happy place. Protect it from evil. Bless that space, Lord. May it be place for friendships and affection, between your creation and the city. Watch over those tasked with stewarding it. Use it to inspire hope among Your people here in Memphis.
In Christ’s name, Amen