Sermon Text: Romans 12:9-21
That we will love and welcome all with sincere love
Holy Spirit of God, enable us to practice sincere love in all our relationships. Enable us to love those who persecute us and treat us as enemies as fully as we love those who are part of the community of hope that sustains us in faithfulness. Enable us to practice peace even when peace is difficult and we are tempted to curse or seek revenge for the wrongs that have been done to us.
Fill us with your energy so that we may serve with enthusiasm and joy. Enable us to welcome all whom you send our way and share the resources You have provided us with gladness.
Enable us to enter into the joys and sorrows of our sisters and brothers in faith, and to practice humility in our relationships.
We rejoice that You have called us and transformed us to be like Christ. Enable us to overcome every evil we encounter by following Christ’s example of faith. Amen.
Thoughts, and prayers from Pastor David Antieau at St. Nicolai United Church of Christ
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Monday, August 22, 2011
Prayer for August 21-27, 2011
Sermon Text: Romans 12:1-8
That we may know ourselves with transformed minds
God of Creation, God of our Salvation, we offer ourselves to You in response to your great love for us. Take us. Transform us. Renew our minds so that they reflect the mind of Christ whom we follow with joy. We worship You only and seek only your will.
Help us to see ourselves in the clear light of your grace. Prevent us from being inflated with pride. Help us recognize that our lives have been shaped for unity in Christ Jesus, and that each of us has a vital role to play in the health of the single body that lives to serve Christ.
Enable us to utilize the specific gifts You have given us with commitment and ardor, so that the community of faith is strengthened for corporate faithfulness. May our life together consistently show that You live among us. Amen.
That we may know ourselves with transformed minds
God of Creation, God of our Salvation, we offer ourselves to You in response to your great love for us. Take us. Transform us. Renew our minds so that they reflect the mind of Christ whom we follow with joy. We worship You only and seek only your will.
Help us to see ourselves in the clear light of your grace. Prevent us from being inflated with pride. Help us recognize that our lives have been shaped for unity in Christ Jesus, and that each of us has a vital role to play in the health of the single body that lives to serve Christ.
Enable us to utilize the specific gifts You have given us with commitment and ardor, so that the community of faith is strengthened for corporate faithfulness. May our life together consistently show that You live among us. Amen.
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Prayer for August 14-20, 2011
Sermon Text: Genesis 45:1-15
That our brokenness will be shaped to reveal your presence
God, your ways are inscrutable to us. Even when we act foolishly, even when we sin and do evil, You are able to bring good out of the wrong that we have done. We rejoice in You for your great mercy to us. We rejoice that You work in every situation to bring about good for your children. We live because You are merciful. We enjoy abundant blessing because You are generous.
God, we rejoice that even the most difficult circumstances in our lives may serve as lenses through which we see your glory. You bring beauty and order out of our chaos. You bring hope in place of our despair. You bring forgiveness and communion where our relationships had been broken. You turn our affliction and abandonment into opportunities to serve your saving purpose.
God of all, You have walked with the children of Abraham and Sarah through strange and significant circumstances. Walk with us now, forgiving our sin and creating goodness in spite of it; taking our brokenness and shaping it to reveal your glorious presence and action. Amen.
That our brokenness will be shaped to reveal your presence
God, your ways are inscrutable to us. Even when we act foolishly, even when we sin and do evil, You are able to bring good out of the wrong that we have done. We rejoice in You for your great mercy to us. We rejoice that You work in every situation to bring about good for your children. We live because You are merciful. We enjoy abundant blessing because You are generous.
God, we rejoice that even the most difficult circumstances in our lives may serve as lenses through which we see your glory. You bring beauty and order out of our chaos. You bring hope in place of our despair. You bring forgiveness and communion where our relationships had been broken. You turn our affliction and abandonment into opportunities to serve your saving purpose.
God of all, You have walked with the children of Abraham and Sarah through strange and significant circumstances. Walk with us now, forgiving our sin and creating goodness in spite of it; taking our brokenness and shaping it to reveal your glorious presence and action. Amen.
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Prayer for August 7-13, 2011
Sermon Text: Genesis 37:1-4, 12-28
That our troubles will shape us for greater faithfulness
God of visions, how easy it is for us to become arrogant and insensitive when You have touched our lives and given us some vision of your future for us. And how quickly our lives seem to collapse around us when others respond to our sense of our own importance with jealousy and anger.
Even when You give us dreams, You do not show us every step of the path that lies before us. You direct us toward our destination without full knowledge of the opposition we may face and the pitfalls that might hold us.
Yet, those forces of opposition and those places of difficulty are often instrumental in shaping our lives so that we are effective servants in the places to which You lead us. Moments of despair are often transformed into moments of clarity and joy because of your presence with us and your intervention on our behalf.
We are not looking for trouble, God of mercy, but we pray that You will guide us to the places of service that You intend for us, even if there are many difficulties along the way. We trust You for the strength to endure and grow in faithfulness. Amen.
That our troubles will shape us for greater faithfulness
God of visions, how easy it is for us to become arrogant and insensitive when You have touched our lives and given us some vision of your future for us. And how quickly our lives seem to collapse around us when others respond to our sense of our own importance with jealousy and anger.
Even when You give us dreams, You do not show us every step of the path that lies before us. You direct us toward our destination without full knowledge of the opposition we may face and the pitfalls that might hold us.
Yet, those forces of opposition and those places of difficulty are often instrumental in shaping our lives so that we are effective servants in the places to which You lead us. Moments of despair are often transformed into moments of clarity and joy because of your presence with us and your intervention on our behalf.
We are not looking for trouble, God of mercy, but we pray that You will guide us to the places of service that You intend for us, even if there are many difficulties along the way. We trust You for the strength to endure and grow in faithfulness. Amen.
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