Reformed Churchmen

We are Confessional Calvinists and a Prayer Book Church-people. In 2012, we remembered the 350th anniversary of the 1662 Book of Common Prayer; also, we remembered the 450th anniversary of John Jewel's sober, scholarly, and Reformed "An Apology of the Church of England." In 2013, we remembered the publication of the "Heidelberg Catechism" and the influence of Reformed theologians in England, including Heinrich Bullinger's Decades. For 2014: Tyndale's NT translation. For 2015, John Roger, Rowland Taylor and Bishop John Hooper's martyrdom, burned at the stakes. Books of the month. December 2014: Alan Jacob's "Book of Common Prayer" at: http://www.amazon.com/Book-Common-Prayer-Biography-Religious/dp/0691154813/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1417814005&sr=8-1&keywords=jacobs+book+of+common+prayer. January 2015: A.F. Pollard's "Thomas Cranmer and the English Reformation: 1489-1556" at: http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Cranmer-English-Reformation-1489-1556/dp/1592448658/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1420055574&sr=8-1&keywords=A.F.+Pollard+Cranmer. February 2015: Jaspar Ridley's "Thomas Cranmer" at: http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Cranmer-Jasper-Ridley/dp/0198212879/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1422892154&sr=8-1&keywords=jasper+ridley+cranmer&pebp=1422892151110&peasin=198212879

Friday, August 16, 2013

Collect: Prayer for Egypt on the Brink of Civil War

A Prayer and Plea for Egypt on the Brink of Civil War

A Prayer and Plea for Egypt on the Brink of Civil War



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Father, Thou who used Egypt as a place of refuge for Thy Son, Jesus, when Joseph led Mary and the little Christ-child there to escape a madman named Herod, grant the same refuge and peace to Thy people in Egypt this day. Deliver the Church in Egypt through the attacks of madmen. Convert the madmen, as Thou didst with St. Paul, or else remove them, lest they devour Thy Seed through bloody war. It is not too much to ask or too much to expect, O Christ, that Thou wouldst reign supreme through all of this and that the chaos of this unrest may be the first pains of the birth of a great revival. For the sake of Thy matchless name, the glory and honor of Thy dear Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ, through the supernatural turning of pain into praise by the Holy Spirit, wilt Thou, Almighty God, demonstrate Thy might in our midst that all will know, “There is a God and He is the God of grace, who offers life in the presence of death, hope in the cauldron of despair, peace in the raging inhumanity of diabolically influenced bloodshed, and love flowing from hearts that known Thy grace and love, that is stronger than hatred.”

Protect the Egyptian people who desire peace and turn the hearts of those who lust for violence. Safeguard missionaries, aid workers, police, physicians, nurses, military personnel, counselors, and the many dutiful others who seek to either bring the Gospel, again, to that land, or to fulfill the Biblical mandate of Romans Chapter Thirteen in providing governmental order. We appeal to Thine own Word to apply to the ancient land of Egypt and her condition today:

“He will guard the feet of his faithful ones, but the wicked shall be cut off in darkness, for not by might shall a man prevail” (1 Samuel 2:9 ESV).

We pray for this peace, Oh God, until the last dawn breaks, the canopy-skies are suddenly torn in twain and unfurled like a colossal curtain, and the Son of Man appears in triumphant splendor. Come again Lord Jesus to still the raging sands of Egypt, to comfort and embolden Thy true ministers, and encourage Thy people through Thy Word, Sacrament, and Prayer, until at length, Thy return will end injustice, destroy all wars, and put down all inhumanity. Through all of these petitions we humbly submit our pleas in order to establish Thy Kingdom, world without end. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

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