How do you know if you love Jesus? 2 Cor 8v1-24

Father
May we give ourselves to you
May we give ourselves to each other
Thank you that Christ’s grace drove him; he became poor that we might become rich.
May generosity be our hallmark and our desire.
Strengthen us to excel in the grace of giving.
Grow us in grace, especially the grace of giving
As we give proof of our love for you
Amen

How to make conflict into a good thing - 2 Corinthians 7:2-16

Our Father
You are the God of comfort for the downcast
You send comfort through people
You send growth through people
Give us the joys of godly grief and personal repentance
And the joy of seeing others repent too as we see their earnestness lived out in your sight
Produce ever greater godliness in us
Amen
 

Where does God live today? 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1

O loving Father,

You are our judge and our saviour,
Remind us that we are the temple of the living God
    The place of your dwelling
    The ones with whom you walk
    Sons and daughters
Keep us from yoking ourselves with darkness.
Set before us the vision of your purity.
Let us see our sin in the light of your holiness.
And make our hearts sing at the joy of your presence.

Amen  

How to spot a fake pastor - 2 Corinthians 6v1-13

Our Father,
We pray for gospel ministers to display great endurance under great suffering.
We pray for them to increasingly fight for holiness of life, for purity of heart, for knowledge of you, for patience with others, for kindness of behaviour, love for the lost and truth in a world of lies.
We pray for them to endure when they are spoken well of and when they are maligned.
May they minister, may they always focus not on themselves but on others.
And we pray that Christians, the world over, may open their hearts and affections to genuine gospel ministers.
Not receiving the grace of God in vain.
Amen

Butterflies. New - no longer old - 2 Corinthians 5V11-21

Our loving Father, your Son became sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God.
He was estranged from you so that we might be reconciled.
He died so that we might live.
We are now ‘new creations’.
May we be controlled by the love of Christ for us
As we seek to be good ambassadors for you in the world.
Making your appeal through us – be reconciled to God
Amen.

Home - 2 Corinthians 4:16-5:10

Our Father
Forgive us that we easily lose heart as we waste away.
Put our eyes on your inner renewal work in us rather than on our light and momentary afflictions.
Put our eyes on the eternal weight of glory
Put our eyes on what is unseen rather than seen.
Our Father we long for the tent of our bodies to be replaced by an eternal home when the mortal will be swallowed up by life.
Thank you that you have given us your Spirit as a guarantee.
Make us of good courage,
Walking by faith,
Longing to be home with you.
As we consider the day when we will appear before you.
Amen

Weep the conflict

We frayed; we fought. 
I wept, I cried…but not for you, but for my pride. 
I want; I want; my way today. 
And soon I lost. My friend; I cried.
O help me cry, for you my friend. 
My tears, for us. 
My heart, your soul. 
As Christ, he cried, for us, he died. 
Turns tears to joy. 
Reconciled!

by Geoff Gertzen