Freedom - John 8:31-36

Father,
Enable us to abide in Jesus’ word.
May we listen to him
Ever seeking to hear his voice.
May we keep on seeking him
And desiring to obey what he says.
Thank you, that we when we do this
We know that we are truly his disciples.
Thank you that we know the truth
and the truth has set us free.
Amen

He dies that we might not die - John 8:21-30

 
Father
You have been pleased
to send your Son,
so that he may be lifted up,
that we might not die in our sins.
We believe that he is God Almighty come in the flesh for us.
Thank you for saving us from the eternal punishment of death in our sin.
Amen

Light for my Darkness - John 8:12-20

 
Father
You are our light and our salvation (Ps 27:1)
We need light so that we don’t get lost
We need light so that we don’t stumble
We need light so that we are not afraid
Thank you for guiding our paths
Thank you for shining life into us
Please make us light shiners
For your glory alone
Amen

A belly full of water when you are thirsty - John 7:37-52

Father,
You have made us thirsty for you
We ache for living water
May we come to your Son and drink deeply
And as your Holy Spirit fills us may we overflow with Christ
For all eternity
Amen

 

John 7:14-36 Sent by God? Really Loved

Father,
You have sent your Son.
And so, he speaks with the very authority of God.
He seeks your glory,
He knows you,
You have sent him to us,
Before he returns to you.
Oh what a blessed and loved people we are!
Amen

Hated Jesus - John 7:1-13

Father,
You are so good

So lovely

So kind
So merciful
So gracious.
You are always opposed to evil.
It saddens us that the world hates you.
May we be prepared for its hatred of us
May we not hate you
May we not seek to elicit power when you work in weakness
May we respond to hatred with resolute, committed love
Amen

Is God really in charge? John 6:35-40 & 60-71

Our Loving Heavenly Father
Full of grace
Full of mercy
Full of compassion
You desire that we trust your Son
And receive eternal life.
Your Son has ascended to give us confidence
Your Spirit gives us life
And you grant that we may come to you.
Strengthen our faith.
Enable us to keep on believing
Taking confidence that you have chosen us for your glory.
Amen
 

John 6:22-35 - Why are we exhausted?

Our Father
We have wasted so much of ourselves on desires that are perishing
We have worked for that which will not endure
And it has exhausted us.
Forgive us.
Grow in us the realisation that you desire to give us life
That you have sent Jesus the author of life that we may have life
May we trust him and find rest in him alone
Amen.

 

Extraordinary Jesus - John 5:31-47

Father, you have caused all Scripture to be written that we may know and love Jesus.
Help us to read the Scriptures:
·       to hear them,
·       to scrutinise them,
·       to trust them,
·       to absorb them
·       and to apply them,
So that we may receive and never let go of the eternal life which you have given us in our Saviour Jesus Christ.
Amen

John 5: 17-29 - God: The Trinity

Our Father,
Thank you, that you and your Son Jesus are in perfect harmony.
Thank you, that you raise the dead to life.
Thank you, that judgement is coming for those who do evil.
Thank you that when we believe we pass from death to life.
Amen

Seeing the world as it really is - John 4:27-45

Our Father,
Thank you that you see what we cannot see.
Thank you for reminding us that the fields are ripe to the harvest.
May we see people and then invite them to Jesus.
In order that sower and reaper may rejoice together.
May we not be dull, thinking only of our stomachs.
Instead, may we be willing to labour,
Inviting many to come to Jesus, that they may believe.
Amen

 

Sex is Life: or is it? John 4:1-26

Our loving Heavenly Father
Jesus offers us living water
With the woman we ask, “Give us this water.”
Become in us a spring, welling up to eternal life.
Keep us from deflecting when you challenge our sin
May we grasp the glory that Jesus is the Messiah king

And may we invite our friends to come and see.
Amen

Is your Jesus big enough? John 3:22-36

Father,
May Jesus increase
May I decrease.
May we decrease.
May we trust that he is above all.
May we listen to your words from Jesus.
May we trust that all things are in his hand.
Even as we believe and obey your Son.
Amen

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

Let's talk about life (part 1) - John 3:1-15

Father,
Thank you that we can enter the Kingdom of God
Thank you, that when we believe, we are given eternal life
Thank you that we are loved by you
Thank you that we are not condemned by you
But instead saved by you.
Help us to come increasingly into the light
To hate the darkness
To hate the evil and wicked things that dwell in our hearts
To love the light
To do what is true
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.

Things that are certain - Genesis 5

Our Father you have promised us that death will not overcome us when we walk with God in trusting Christ.
We put our faith in him.
We long for the day when we will be with Christ, which is better by far.
Help us to so live now with our eyes ever on eternity
Amen

A Life of Purpose - 2 Timothy 4:6-22

Father, may we say

I have fought the good fight

I have finished the race

I have kept the faith.

And when we say that, may it be true and not an expression of self-delusion.

Thank-you that you will stand with us.

You will strengthen us,

You will rescue us,

And bring us safely to your heavenly kingdom.

Amen

Light in a Dark Place - John 8:12

Father

Thank you that Jesus is the light in a world of night.

Though we walk in the darkness of death

You offer us the light of life.

May we flee to the light.

  Seek the light

  Love the light

  Live by the light

And let light shine from us

Amen

O God, I want light. My life is darkness.

Forgive me for living a life as if you are not there

Forgive my rebellion and wickedness

Give me light.

Give me life.

Give me Jesus.

Give me your Holy Spirit.

Give me eternity with you.

Amen

Christmas Blessing

May the joy of the angels be the song of your heart:

May the reality of Jesus birth, give you confidence in a world of despair:

May the favour of God provide you with security in this fragile life:

May the promises of God assure you of his love and unchanging commitment:

And may the sovereignty of God offer you peace in a world of conflict:

May the death of Jesus bring you forgiveness from your sin: release from your shame and confidence in your fear

May his resurrection give you the hope of life eternal:

And may his triumph over death remind you that there is coming a day when you will see him face to face…

Merry Christmas