Prayer for April 24-30, 2016

Sermon Text: Revelation 21:1-6

That our hearts will be fully open to the future You are preparing

God of Creation, we rejoice in You. We rejoice that all things have their beginning in You and will find their conclusion in You. We rejoice that You are transforming heaven and earth so that everything will be made new.

We rejoice in your promise that You will dwell permanently among your people in your renewed creation. We rejoice that You will bring an end to all of the sadness and sorrow, pain, death and mourning that have been such a part of our experience.

We long to witness and participate in the great wedding celebration that You are preparing. And we yearn to live in unbroken fellowship with You.  

Keep reminding us of your promise of newness. Keep reminding us that your Spirit is with us now. Open our hearts fully for the future that You are creating. Let us hope in you, each day, as we await the fulfillment of all of your promises. Amen.

Prayer for April 10-16, 2016

Sermon Text: Acts 9:1-20

That multitudes who resist You will turn to You with gladness

Risen Christ, we rejoice in You! We rejoice that You are able to work in surprising ways in order to draw people into the sphere of your mercy and love. We rejoice that You are able to transform the hearts of even the people who are most resistant to You. You are able to undo hatred and violence.

We rejoice that You are able to inspire courage in your disciples so that some will go into situations of threat in order to bring about your healing and be channels of your Holy Spirit. We rejoice that You are able to make those who had been resistant to You into faithful witnesses who speak your word and who enact your healing and liberation for many.  

Christ, we rejoice that You have revealed yourself to us. We rejoice that You have overcome our resistance by confronting us and calling us by name. We rejoice that You have sent agents of your healing to us in order to heal our blindness and enable your Spirit to flow through our lives. We gladly tell of your many mercies and pray that multitudes who resist You now will turn to You with gladness. Amen

Prayer for April 17-23, 2016 

Sermon Text: Acts 9:36-43

That You will energize us in new ways

Wondrous God, neither resuscitation nor resurrection are common parts of our experience. But when we read or hear these stories, we are convinced that You are able to give us new life. You are able to heal every sickness and disease, break the chains that bind us in order to release us from every form of spiritual bondage, and energize us in ways that we have never experienced before, so that we seem new and everything else in all of creation seems new too.

Work in and through us by the same power with which You raised Jesus Christ from death. Let others see your glory in the transformation of our lives. Let others experience your newness as we befriend and minister to them in the name of Jesus.   

May your Spirit breathe through us without resistance, but forgive us when we do resist. Forgive us when we refuse the change to which You call us. Forgive us when we choose to cling to fear and the ways of death that paralyze us and keep us from being wholly ourselves. Forgive us when we are thoroughly conformed to the ways of the world.  

We rejoice that You are making all things new. Make us new today. Breathe new life into us once more. Amen. 

Prayer for April 3-9, 2016

Sermon Text: Acts 5:27-32

That we may be hopeful and steadfast witnesses

God of resurrection, let your power flow through us in such ways that many experience healing and release from spiritual bondage. Enable us to witness and serve in bold ways. As we do so, draw many people to believe in Jesus and become his disciples.

Do not let us be turned aside from our calling to be your witnesses by those who do not acknowledge You, those who are jealous of the communion of joy and peace in which we share, or those who would pressure us to stop bearing witness to your name and your resurrection.  

Enable us to be steadfast in our hope in You and in our witness to You. You are the one who has created us, redeemed us, and called us to your service. You are our Sovereign. We acknowledge your authority in every dimension of our lives. Amen.