Corporate Prayers

7.10.22

Father God, Thank you for this day. Thank you for this place to gather as your people.

Thank you for creating us in your image. It’s a beautiful image...your image and we take it for granted each day. We do this through constantly failing to live up to the perfect standard required for us to be right with you. We choose our ways over yours each and every day. And for that, forgive us and cleanse us. For it is only by your great grace in sending your one and only son, Jesus, that we may be right with you and live with you eternally. We love you and we thank you for that and so much more.

In Jesus’ name, amen.

Heavenly Father, we thank you for calling us to be together to worship you in spirit and truth. To draw near to your word and hear you speak through it. A word that is not only living and active, but a word that cuts through our mess, deeper than even flesh and bone. Father, how often we've taken your word for granted. How often we've dismissed it. How often we've picked it apart and bent it toward our desires. How easy it is for us to listen to the loud pleas of our own worldly consciences rather than the sure and steady proclamations of your word. We are so very good at believing we know best and your counsel simply doesn't apply. Forgive us. Forgive us for the silly games we play. Forgive us for not making your word the central to our lives and allowing it to change us, rather than us trying to change it. And forgive us for appealing to our own self-manufactured wisdom with all it's worldly trappings. Spirit, we pray you will draw us in to the words of scripture. Help us to know it and apply it. Help us to stand on its truth. Help us to handle it rightly and with wisdom. May we be a people who earnestly seek godly truth and in doing so may hearts be molded and our worship deepened as well. It's in the wonderful name of Christ that we have gathered, and in his name we pray, Amen.

7.17.22

Father, thank you for this gathering. A time that we can turn our hearts and minds away from the noise and distractions of this world and gaze on the only One worthy of our worship. Help our hearts to do that now because we can't do it on our own. Our minds race with to do lists, problems to solve, work issues, conflicts, wayward adult children, needy toddlers, you name it and we are consumed with those worries and thoughts. But you tell us to be anxious for nothing. Instead, We spend our hours and minutes striving to control and fix, all the while you wait there patiently for us saying, Come to me. Forgive us Father, when we don't. For our flesh longs for independence and the notion that we are in control, we can find the solution, and ultimately that we can save ourselves. So we ask now that you would quiet our hearts, still our thoughts, turn our eyes to the only true source of peace, Jesus. May we learn the sweet privilege of taking everything, every little thing to your feet and trusting that you, our good shepherd will care for us perfectly. Amen.

7.24.22

Heavenly Father,

We gather this morning to worship and to celebrate who you are, our God and Savior! We marvel at your majesty, and we delight in the miraculous beauty and perfection of your creation. We thank you that you created us, your children, and that you love each of us intimately and perfectly. You know the number of hairs on our heads and you know the desires and motivations of our hearts.

We admit that often, more often than not, our desires are not holy. Our hearts are stained with sin and our lives bear witness to sin’s ugly effects. Many here this morning are hurting, Lord. Many are carrying loads and burdens that are difficult and too heavy to bear. Many feel alone and exhausted from life’s circumstances.

Father, forgive us for losing sight of you and for focusing on momentary things instead of placing you first in our lives. Help us to surrender our hearts to you. In these moments when we feel overwhelmed with despair, draw us close to You. For your yoke is easy and your burden is light. You provide rest for our souls. Help us to praise You in all things and give thanks in all circumstances.

God we thank you for choosing us- and Jesus we thank you for choosing to die on the cross to pay the penalty for our brokenness and sin once and for all. We are so undeserving of your grace and love. Let our prayers and our songs today be a sweet sound to you, Lord. We love you. We pray all of these things in your name this morning.

7.31.22

Heavenly Father, we thank you for gathering us together to worship today. Throughout your word you've shown us the joy and benefits of gathering together in worship. You've warned us about the perils of forsaking the gathering; how doing separates us from the good and necessary time when we're close to brothers and sisters, singing and celebrating the gospel in one voice. Like all things, we take something prescriptive in your word, and we disregard it. The gathering is but one example of how we willingly choose to ignore the good word you've given to use about a multitude of things. Forgive us. Forgive us casting judgement on your word rather than allowing it to examine us and convict us. Forgive us for parsing out the stuff we simply don't like for one reason or another. Forgive us seeking to strip your word of its authority over our lives. Spirit help us to come before the word and allow it to examine us and lead us towards a greater holiness. Help us to grow closer to Jesus and become more like him as a result of our earnest study of the word you've give us. We know it is living and active, let it shape our lives and draw us deeper into your goodness and your glory. It's in the wonderful name of Christ that we have gathered, and in his name we pray, Amen.