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

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

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.

Exploding Love
Philippians 1:3-11

Our loving, heavenly Father,

You have begun a good work in us,
And you will bring it to completion on the day of Christ.
Forgive us for not abounding in love.
May our love abound.
May we desire love.
Forgive us for attempting love without knowledge and discernment.
Make our abounding love, knowledgeable and clear thinking
Make us pure and blameless.
Fill us with the fruit of righteousness
For the day when we meet Christ
To your glory, praise and honour.
Amen

 

The most important thing about your heart is where it is headed - 1 Samuel 18-21

Father may we love your messiah king. May Jonathan be our model and our guide. May we do what he did and be as he was; unaffected by power and personal desire but content with the advancement of your king and his kingdom. Put this love in our hearts we pray. Amen

The God of my Heart

Father

We long to hear the word of commendation that you have for the widow,

But our hearts are like the rich young man we love our wealth.

Our eyes see into eternity only dimly.

But we are enthralled by the lure of this world.

Forgive us.

And change us.

Without your Spirit doing a sovereign work in our hearts we are doomed.

Grow in us a heart of grace, turned outwards, loving you more than loving our comforts;

And seeing others as people made in your image.

Lived In and Loved Up

Our Father

We pray that your Spirit would empower us.

We pray that your Son would indwell us.

We pray that we might be rooted and cemented in love.

We pray that we might comprehend your love.

We pray that we might be filled up to the fullness of God.

We commit ourselves to you, knowing that you can change us more than we can ever ask or imagine.

To you be the glory for ever and ever.

Amen   

God made us alive - Ephesians 2:1-10

We were dead, 
Locked in sin,
Following Satan,
Captured by our passions,
Prisoner to our desires,
Objects of wrath.
But God
Rich in mercy,

Driven by love,

Made us alive.

Together with Christ,

Raised us up,

Seated us in honour,

Saved us by grace,

As a gift,

Gained by faith.

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

Deuteronomy 11:1-32

Father,

May we consider your discipline.

May we remember your greatness, your mighty hand and your outstretched arm.

May we marvel in your deeds of salvation and your deeds of severity.

May we keep your commandments and in so doing experience your strength and your blessing.

Keep us from being deceived and turning aside to other gods.

May we lay up your words in our hearts that our days may be long.

May we be careful to do your commands, 

   Loving you,

   Walking in your ways,

   And holding fast to you;

As we experience your blessing.

Deuteronomy 9:1-10:11

Father, it is easy to forget that we are wicked, stubborn, rebellious and corrupt. 

We have provoked you, turned aside quickly and done what is evil.

We have not believed and we have not obeyed;

Instead we have constructed an idol to satisfy our hearts.

We have become proud and self-sufficient,

When we are made to be dependent, loved, righteous, upright 

and in covenant relationship with you. 

Keep us remembering who we are.

Dependent on your mediation.

Humble and close to you;

Our Saviour and our Lord.

Amen

Deuteronomy 6:1-25

Father,

May I love you.

May I teach of you and talk of you.

May you inhabit my hands and my eyes.

May my home be full of you.

May I never forget you in the blessings you provide.

Make me to fear you and serve you.

Take away the gods of my heart.

May I not test you but instead listen to you.

And may I remember your salvation,

Won at great cost.

Amen

Deuteronomy 5:6-22

Our Father you have rescued us from our slavery.

You have rescued us to be your loved people.

May our hearts be exclusively devoted to you.

May our lives be centred on loving you.

May we rest in you and remember you.

May we love others, seeking their best.

May our selfish desires be turned into sacrificial love.

As we taste the sweetness of being loved by you!

Amen

Romans 3:1-8

Father,

May we know you, trust you and love you as you are.

May we see you in your word,

Hear you in our hearts,

Trust your constant faithfulness,

Rejoice in your justice,

Tremble at your righteousness,

And live truly with your presence.

May you be to us

God the speaking one,

God the faithful one,

God the just one,

And God the righteous one.

Amen

Love

Father of love,

We ask that you would give us hearts of love. 
Remove our innate selfishness.

Open our eyes to your love.

And so make us keen eyed of others.

Energetic of their needs,

And earnest to sacrificially love them,

We pray.

Amen               

Eyes for you Alone

Father

You have blessed me with money.

You have burdened me with money.            

My wicked heart is drawn to comfort and pleasure rather than to you.

Take from me the love of wealth,

And give me a heart radically turned towards you,

Deeply in love with you,

With eyes for you alone.

Amen

From Luke 18:18-30

Prayer for a Loving Heart

Father, cleanse our souls from the clutter that dampens our love for you.

We confess that our hearts are filled with false loves that have become a cheap and unsatisfying substitute for loving you.

Show us the loves of our hearts.

And then show us yourself so that we may

     adore you,

     worship you,

     And cherish you.

Father, we are prone to love ourselves.

But we are not made for that love.

We are not made to live inwards towards ourselves.

We are made to live outwards towards others and upwards towards you.

Create within us that love for you.

Cause us to remember that you have loved us and lead us to love you with our whole hearts.

And then create in us a love for others.

Amen.

Deuteronomy 5:6-11

Father I confess that there are many gods that compete for the love of my heart.

Forgive me

• For worshiping my comforts and possessions
• For worshiping great human beings
• For worshiping myself, my feelings and my desires
• For worshiping my loved ones and family
• For worshiping my status and approval

Father you are a God who loves even to a thousand generations;

Yet you are jealous for your honour and glory.

Forgive us for bringing you down and making you small.

Forgive us for trying to contain you in an image or an object.

Give us knowledge of your greatness, your power and your majesty.

Forgive our words which mirror our hearts. Forgive us for the times when we have dishonoured your name.

We pray 

Hallowed be your name.

Your kingdom come.

Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Amen