What do we pray for in the second petition?

In the second petition (which is, Thy kingdom come,)[1] acknowledging ourselves and all mankind to be by nature under the dominion of sin and Satan,[2] we pray, that the kingdom of sin and Satan may be destroyed,[3] the gospel propagated throughout the world,[4] the Jews called,[5] the fulness of the Gentiles brought in;[6] the church furnished with all gospel officers and ordinances,[7] purged from corruption,[8] countenanced and maintained by the civil magistrate:[9] that the ordinances of Christ may be purely dispensed, and made effectual to the converting of those that are yet in their sins, and the confirming, comforting, and building up of those that are already converted:[10] that Christ would rule in our hearts here,[11] and hasten the time of his second coming, and our reigning with him forever:[12] and that he would be pleased so to exercise the kingdom of his power in all the world, as may best conduce to these ends.[13]

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Round the Sphere Again

Resolutions
Lots of daily Bible reading plans to choose from. (Justin Taylor)

Hermeneutics
Where is meaning? A very handy explanation. (Triablogue)

Confessions
Michael Haykin points out an intriguing difference between the Westminster Confession and the Second London Confession that, he says, “needs exploring by someone in more detail!” (And while we’re on the subject, here’s a tabular comparison of the two confessions with all the major and minor differences highlighted.)

Universals
Tragedy and loss will hit us all. Here are some basics to cultivate “in the good times so that when tragedy strikes, we have a Rock to stand on.” (New Lumps)

Great and Transcendent Enough

Tim Keller in The Reason for God on why evil and suffering isn’t really evidence against God.

If you have a God great and transcendent enough to be mad at because he hasn’t stopped evil and suffering in the world, then you have (at the same moment) a God great and transcendent enough to have good reasons for allowing it to continue that you can’t know.

Think about that one. I’d say this also has pastoral implications for believers who are experiencing hard providences.