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| Pastor Jacqueline Thompson, Allen Temple Baptist Church, Oakland, CA. Credit: Amir Aziz, Oaklandside.org |
Preparation:
“We come to church in community because sometimes it takes more than just us. We are intergenerational because when I look at seasoned saints, I see how God helped them make it through. When I look at young people, I understand what my charge is: ...I have to help them make it through. But sometimes when you’re in the middle you wonder, ‘who is going to help me make it through?’ Lord, I believe, but help my unbelief.
“God is able to do just what he said he will do. He’s going to fulfill every promise to you. Don’t give up on God, cause he won’t give up on you. He’s able! He’s able!”
The Bible says if we come touching and agreeing concerning any matter...because sometimes you need to feel another real live human with blood in their veins to know that God is a keeper...
Prayer:
And So God we come right now as our ancestors would say, ‘in the onli-est way we know how’... We come to you because God literally, there is no other help we know.
You are the God of our weary years and the God of our silent tears. We come before you with bowed down heads and humble hearts because we don’t know what the future holds but we know you hold the future.
God, we’re tired. Some of us are tired of ourselves. But you told us that we could cast all our cares upon you cause your yoke is easy and your burden is light. So God help us! We don’t want to be inauthentic. Something has happened that has shaken us! And it’s because we don’t know that makes us concerned.
But God, won’t you remind us? You said you will never leave us, and you will never forsake us. Some of us are in deep pain. ...you are a balm in Gilead. We thank you for angels that are being dispatched to deal with their situation... We thank you, as the saint of old would say, ‘for being God, and being God all by yourself’.
Help us to keep our confidence in you, not just today but in the days to come. Give us to know that the best is still yet to come. Holy Spirit, fall fresh right now. Stir up the passion and the gift of God! Renew our spirits and our minds, and our body. Help us to seek after you and run on and see what the end is going to be.
And because we are a people of faith, we not gon wait till the battle is over. God, we’re going to shout right now. We are going to thank you for it right now. God is able!”
—Rev. Dr. Jacqueline A. Thompson, B.A., MDiv, DMin; Preacher, Author, Administrator and Senior Pastor, Allen Temple Baptist Church, Oakland, California
*Please note this prayer has been edited for this medium, but can be viewed below in its entirety along with the sermon delivered by Dr. Thompson on November 10, 2025 in Somerset, NJ. —Nona Ogunsula, Principal Creative, Liberty Ink and Founder, womenatliberty and #LeadershipTuesdays
