Not Anxiety; Now Joy
Philippians 4:2-13; 21-23

Father

Give us hearts of unity.
May we choose joy in you.
May we live as if you are at hand,
conscious of your presence and your coming.
May we not be anxious.
May we instead choose prayer, supplication and thanksgiving.
Enjoying your peace and guardianship.
May we think truth, honour justice and seek purity.
May we think lovely, commendable and excellent
May we be full of praise
And may we enjoy your peace, reveling in your grace forever.
Amen

Staying Awake - Luke 21:29-38

Father thank you that your Son’s word will not pass away.

Your word is eternal and true,

We can bank our lives on it.

May we not be weighed down by our desires and the cares of this world.

May we not be entrapped by that day.

Instead may we stand (ready) at the coming of the Son of Man.

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

Hope is Born #2 - Matthew 1:18-25

           

You promised!

You said it would happen!

A teenager would become pregnant.

She wouldn’t abort.

She would carry him despite the shame and the sniggers.  

And he would be born.

Simply, ugly and poor. 

She would call him ‘saviour’.

And she would call him ‘God with us’.

Because that day,

You came!

You kept your promise!

You did what you said you would do.

You came to be with us.

And to save us.

You have promised that you are coming again!

You said it would happen!

And today we are looking and we are longing and we are waiting…for you to keep your promise again…

Come King Jesus come!

Pray in the Spirit - Ephesians 6:18-20

Father may we pray in the Spirit on all occasions.

May our lives be characterised by all kinds of prayers and requests.

May we always keep on praying as we live for you and not for ourselves.

Keep us alert.

Keep us praying for all the saints.

Keep the saints declaring the gospel fearlessly.

And empower us to declare it to ourselves and to the world.

Standing Firm - Ephesians 6:10-20

Father, I am

Weak,

Wicked,

Doubting,

Tempted,

Uncertain,

And overconfident in my ability to stand firm.

There have been many times when you have

Kept me in my stupidity;

Saved me from my lusts;

Snatched me from my apostasy;

Strengthened me in my cowardice;

And reminded me in my unbelief.

Keep me from forgetting the truth.

May the gospel

Strengthen my resolve;

Smother my unrighteousness;

Soften my doubts;

And enable me to stand firm.

May your word inhabit my heart,

And may prayer be my constant practice.

For your glory alone.

That you may know - Ephesians 1:15-23

Father you are uniting all things in Christ,

You give to us faith in Jesus,

And love for the saints.

Give us your Spirit,

Give us wisdom,

Give us revelation/light,

That we may know you!

Open our eyes,

Open our hearts,

To know the hope to which you have called us,

The riches of your glorious inheritance,

And the greatness of your power for us;

Shown in the resurrection, ascension, exaltation and rule of Jesus.

Psalm 3

Our Father,

You did not deliver Jesus so that you might deliver us

You are our shield and our protector.

You hear our prayers.

We rest because you sustain us.

We are unafraid because you surround us.

We ask for you to arise and destroy your enemies.

May your blessing be upon your people

Amen

A Preacher’s Prayer

Geoff Gertzen 2014

Father,

Give me depth of understanding and clarity of thought.

Give me faithfulness to your word and wisdom in its application.

Give me perseverance in my labour and eyes set only on you.

Give me repentance of my sinful heart and humility amidst my pride.

Give me an attitude of service and a willingness to suffer.

Give me joy amidst the pain of my people and perseverance in my labour.

Give me a desire for your glory and the honour of your name alone.

Amen