Corporate Prayers

2.5.22

Father, thank you for this blessed time we share to gather together and sing and celebrate the gospel of Jesus Christ. It's the sweet words of the gospel that gave us new hearts and awakened us to our need of Christ. We live in the cleft of the Rock of Ages but for some reason we think and act as though we live in the shifting sands of the world. We find ourselves looking at all the ways in which things are crumbling and falling apart instead of keeping our eyes on Christ and the promise of life eternal through his person and work. And when our gaze begins to shift, we more easily bend towards anxiousness, dismay, and we more easily lend our ear to worldly innuendo and prediction. We thrash and shake because we feel like the world is slipping away, but truth is, Christ still has us. He still holds us in his grip. Forgive us for such despair, Lord. We have prioritized things in such a way that we have forgotten who Christ is, what he's done, and what he's called us to do. And Spirit, help us to rest in the promises of Jesus Christ. Help us to rest assured that even though the world may whisper despair, Christ still has us. He still holds onto us. And he will be faithful to the end. It's in the wonderful name of Christ that we have gathered, and in his name we pray, Amen.

2.13.22

Father, we come before you this morning as broken people. Try as we might, we definitely do not have it all together. We confess that we are broken and have failed to live up to your standard of holiness. None of us are righteous on our own . . . not one. Just when we have repented, and we make changes in our life and we think we’ve got this all figured out, sin comes knocking on our door once again. And we all too easily open the door to our mind and our heart and we let evil waltz right back into our lives. Father, we are helpless against sin, without you . . . please help us. Forgive us for constantly going astray. Help us to do an about face and walk directly away from the sin that entraps us. Thank you, Lord, for your mercy and grace that you so freely offer us. We don’t deserve your love, but you love us anyway. We don’t deserve to be saved, but you save us anyway.

Father, we ask that you guard our hearts and minds from the evil one. Protect us from his attacks and help us to run to you in our time of need. Help us to remember that the things of this world are temporary and fleeting and that you are the only one that can truly satisfy our every need. Jesus, how we long for you and we long to be in your presence. Holy Spirit, fill this place now and bring us into communion with you. Draw our hearts close and renew our minds with your Word. We pray this in the name of Jesus, Amen.

2.20.22

Father, although we do not deserve it, we ask that you would hear our prayer. Hear the words we speak out loud and hear the groanings in our hearts that there are no words for. We thank you that you are a God that wants to be near us. Help us to remember that and confess our sin to you now. We know our relationship with you is eternal and set in stone, but presently some of us feel a wall or a distance because of sin. It’s a wall that we put up, not you. Lord, search our hearts now and reveal those barriers of transgression so that we may experience the beauty and freedom of repentance. Forgive us for being so caught up in our little worlds that we forget this is your kingdom. We have failed to live in a way that shows our families, friends, community what a great and loving King we serve. Help us to remember who you are and live in light of your goodness. Give us a hope that endures through the trials and tests on this side of glory, that we may walk in the fullness of your love again. Restore us; change us; bend us to your holy and perfect will.

Amen.

2.27.22

Father God,

We love you and we worship you today for you are faithful and good.
You alone are worthy of our praise. We are grateful that you have
revealed yourself to us in your Son, and through your Word - your
Word which is living and active, a lamp for our feet, a light on our
path.

Father, you are the One who leads us from darkness into light,
From captivity into freedom,
From anxiety into peace,
From despair into joy.
Yet we long to do things our own ways, like stubborn children
Convinced of our own wisdom, and forgetting your love and grace.
Forgive us.

Spirit, draw us near and stir our affections for you
Increase our awareness of our sin and reveal those places in our lives
that we may be holding tightly clasped. Help us to let go and move us
to true repentance in Jesus’ name. Thank you, Jesus, for your grace
and mercy that we do not deserve, and we pray that you would help
us to love others in this same way....as you have taught us.
Thank you for sending your Son to the cross to die a death he did not
deserve so that we might have the blessing of eternity with you
forever in heaven! Thank you for the promise that he will come again
in glory to judge the living and the dead and that his kingdom of
saints will have no end. We pray that we would live our lives in light
of this fact, sharing your good news to all that would hear, for your
glory.

And it is in the beautiful name of Jesus that we ask all of these things
together this morning....
and all of God’s children said together, Amen.