1 Corinthians 8:4-13

Almighty God, 

you are the only true God, the maker of all things; the one for whom we live.

Help us to guard our freedom;

    to not cause others to stumble;

    to not destroy those you love;

    to not to sin against them;

    to not wound their consciences.

May we restrain our freedom and live for love.

Amen

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.

Easter Blessing

May God the Father, who raised Christ from the dead, open to us the gates of everlasting life.

May God the Son, who in bursting from the grave won a glorious victory, give us joy as we share the Easter faith.

May God the Holy Spirit, who filled the disciples with the life of the risen Lord, empower us for witness and fill us with the peace of God.

May the rule of God the Trinity remind us not to be afraid but instead to go and live in peace rejoicing that Jesus Christ is risen.

Amen

James 5:1-6; 2 Corinthians 8:9

My Father,

I am blessed and rich.

Thank you.

Forgive me 

where I have stolen from the poor;

where I have lacked compassion and hoarded wealth;

where I have lived in self-indulgent pleasure;

where I have fattened my body;

where gold and silver have corroded my heart;

where riches have rotted my values.

Forgive me 

because of the mercy and grace of Jesus Christ, 

who though he was rich yet for my sake became poor 

that by his poverty I might become rich.

Amen

James 4:6

Father, 

Give me a submissive will.

Strengthen me to resist the devil.

Draw me near to your heart.

Cleanse my hands.

Purify my heart.

Keep me from double-mindedness.

Turn my laughter to repentance.

Turn my frivolity to mourning

And humble me before you.

Amen

James 3

Father,

Fill us with purity and peace.

Make us gentle and considerate.

Give us submission and reasonableness.

May we overflow with mercy, bearing much fruit.

Fill us with impartiality and sincerity.

And give us peace.

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