Let's talk about Life (part 2) - John 3:16-22

Our Father,

Love explodes from you at every point.
You have given your most precious Son.
You have done what we need that we might not perish
But may instead live.
We believe. O help us in our unbelief.
Forgive us that we still love darkness.
Expose the darkness within us.
And bring us evermore into the light
Even as you bring others into the light too.

Amen

Given, Giving, Getting - 2 Corinthians 9:1-15

Our loving heavenly Father
You have given us - the inexpressible gift
Too large to ever understand
Too awesome to ever grow tired of
You have sowed bountifully into us
May we sow generously and give cheerfully
Knowing that we are enriched in every way
And that you will multiply the harvest of righteousness in us
So that thanksgiving may overflow to you
As people glorify your name
Amen

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

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.

The lies we tell ourselves #2 - I am what I have; I am what I do

Father
You are the owner of everything.
You have promised to care for us.
Forgive us for defining ourselves by what we have.
Instead may we see and seek our value in knowing you.
Enable us to sow treasure for heaven.
Forgive us for seeing our value in our activity.
May we seek our worth in being children of God,
Adopted,
Known by God,
And fellow heirs with Christ.
Amen 

Loved by the Father: John 16:16-33

Our Father, in heaven,
We are so privileged to call  you that.
Jesus is with you.
He will come again.
Now, because we are loved by you,
We are blessed to be able to ask!
Help us, when we are scattered
To remember that we can ask.
To remember that we are not alone
And to remember that Jesus has overcome the world.
Amen

Smelly feet, towels, basins and the secret of blessing

John 13:1-17

Father you have given Jesus all things
He uses his authority to serve us in his death
Oh may that attitude be ours, may it permeate our thinking and flow from us
Give us joy in service
And bless us we pray
Amen

David and Goliath - 1 Samuel 17

 

Father so many defy the living God.
They hurl their contempt at this people
And scorn the name of the king.
But your king takes this reproach in weakness and humility.
He goes to death.
He brings us life.
In weakness and in scorn he saves his people.
May we worship the king.

Scandalous Suffering (part 1) - 2 Timothy 1:8-14

Father I am often ashamed of you and Jesus my Lord.

I am not willing to suffer much for Christ!

I need the power of God.

You have saved me and called me

By your purposes and grace

In Christ Jesus before the ages began.

Jesus appeared, abolished death

Brought life and immortality.

May we follow the patterns of sound words and guard the good deposit given to us.

Save me from a timid, fearful, ineffective and ashamed life.

Loving: the Successful Life - 1 Cor 13

Father,

We desire public esteem

We desire to be praised for our wisdom

We even desire radical generosity

But they are nothing without love.

We do not desire patience and kindness.

Keep us from envy, boasting, pride, rudeness, self-seeking, anger and hatred.

Make our hearts to delight in truth,

To always protect,

To be full of trust, hope and perseverance.

May we look not at what is temporary but at what is eternal.

May we contemplate the cross and your love that is the source and foundation of all love

For your glory alone 

Amen

The God who Provides - Genesis 22

O Father, I don’t even know what I need.

I think I do.

I certainly know what I want.

But what I want is too small.

And what I need I can’t see.

So give me eyes to see what you know that I need.

Give me a mind to comprehend the magnitude of yourself,

The magnitude of my separation from you,

And the infinity of eternity.

As you provide the lamb for me, give me a heart of worship and gratitude.

As I am enfolded in your arms of love,

A recipient of your immense generosity and provision,

May I know you deeply and love you with all my being.   

Choosing Suffering

Matthew 5:38-48; Mark 8:27-38                 

Father,

The cross stands as a word of your devotion to your world.

  It speaks of your justice.

  It sings of your mercy.

  It trumpets your grace.

  And it calls us to come and die.

But we don’t want to.

  We are ashamed of it.

  We do not want to carry it.

  We want to be left alone in our ease and our comfort.

Remind us today that we can gain the whole world and yet forfeit our souls;

  That we can desire to save our lives yet lose them;

  And desire to lose our lives yet save them.

Build in us cross-shaped obedience.

  Enemy loving grace.

  Extravagant generosity.

  Miraculous forgiveness.

  And sacrificial service.

Amen

Suffering Hurts

Father bring hope and life.

May your grandeur be evident.

Your sovereignty our confidence.

Your justice our hope.

Your mercy our courage.

May we never be flippant about suffering,

Recognising the evil of evil.

Owning our part in the cause of suffering.

Repenting of our wickedness.

Striving towards holiness,

And ever camped at the cross for our forgiveness.

Father
Change my anger into grace
my selfishness into service
my fear into loving.
Change the desires of my heart

Give me eyes to see your salvation
ears to delight in your voice
affections that are warm towards you
and a life filled with holy and enduring actions

May your Son shine ever brighter
your grace be ever more precious
the cross be my beacon and my pillar
and you ever be the direction of my heart

Amen

Evil Removed - Hallelujah. Zechariah 5:1-11

                 

Father,

Thank you that evil will be banished.

Thank you that my evil has been banished.

And now as we wait for the day when evil is banished forever and we dwell with you again, may we be a people earnest and urgent in our pursuit of holiness.

Jesus Christ and him Crucified - 1 Corinthians 2:2

Father of Jesus,

We commit to your son,

To his deity, his humanity and his Lordship over us.

We declare he is the anointed, Messiah king,

Promised by the prophets,

Ruler of heaven and earth.

We submit ourselves to him.

We desire to love him.

We embrace his crucifixion.

We declare he died for us,

It was our sin that placed him on the cross.

That cross is our beacon of hope,

   Our lighthouse for direction,

   Our only hope of mercy,

   Our confidence in our brokenness,

   The goal for our hearts,

And the rule for our lives.

May we bear it,

   Live it,

   Love it,

   Proclaim it,

   Be moulded by it,

And trust the one who died on it.

Amen

Included - Ephesians 2:11-22

Father of peace,

You have created reconciliation,

And given us access.

You have broken the dividing wall of hostility,

You have abolished the law and commandments;

So that we who were

Uncircumcised, separated, alienated, strangers, without hope and without God,

Might be reconciled,

Given access,

Made citizens,

And members of your household.

Built into the growing structure,

To be your dwelling place,

By the blood of Christ.

We worship you for our inclusion.

Life in Groups - Racism

Father forgive me that I have not seen your image in people;

That my fear of others has conquered my love.

Forgive me that I have not seen the blood of your son shed for all people;

But have instead thought your death was for me alone.

Forgive me that I have not seen the images of heaven;

Of a people gathered around your throne from every tribe, language and nation.

Transform my heart to be like your heart;

And my eyes to see what you see;

And my life to be as your death;

That I may love all people;

As you love us.

Amen

Easter - John 19:23-42

The eternal dies;

The omnipotent is emptied;

The omnipresent is no more;

The omniscient is unknowing;

The immortal dies;

For us!

Easter - John 18:28-19:22

Our Father,

I have crucified the king;

But I do not feel the weight of my offence.

I have not recognised his majesty.

I have not expected his return.

Father have mercy on me.

Christ have mercy on me.

Spirit have mercy on me.

I declare that Jesus is king.

May that be truth to me; not meaningless words.

Take my thoughts captive under your rule.

May my speech be seasoned by his authority.

May my heart be submissive to him alone.

And may my actions sing of my crucified king.