The good news of Christ
Obedience is mentioned three times in 1 Peter 1, each time revealing precious information about its meaning and importance in God’s plan.
God of all power and possibilities, we stand in awe of your moving hand among us. Continue to show your sovereign will on earth. Move things and people toward the kingdom. Open doors, and hearts, and minds.
Prepare us for battle, prepare us for victory, prepare us for the heavy fire thrown against us by the evil one. Stiffen our resolve, give us courage, open our mouths to speak the Good News of Christ.
Show yourself in Christ, send the Spirit among us, dwell in our hearts as we demonstrate faith and obedience to your will.
Forgive our sins, strengthen us in our weakness, open our eyes to our blindnesses.
Be glorified in us, and Christ in you. We desire the day of ending, the day of peace, the day of eternity.
Lord, help us to put feelings of guilt away, now that you have forgiven us in Christ.
When we sin, make us feel the weight of that guilt, and give us the desire to do what we must to have it forgiven, whether it be initial obedience of repentance and baptism, or the confession of sin and prayer. Continue reading “The true value of guilt”
Father, we confess our discontent, our murmurings, our complaints, our dissatisfaction with your provisions. We have sinned! Gratitude has been squeezed out of our hearts by our desire for more, for something different, for something else. Continue reading “We confess our discontent”
While sleeping men have yet to rise,
And the bird is quiet in its nest,
While stars still shine in velvet skies,
And the circling sun still lies at rest, Continue reading “Prayer: The bird is quiet in its nest”
What have we done, O God?! Forgive our rebellion, remove our sin of self-enthronement!
Purify our hearts and motives. Purge our minds of wavering doubts.
Let love reign supreme. Let our devotion be single and exclusive.
For those sins that I recall,
That today I have committed,
Please, O Lord, forgive them all,
In the Blood to be acquitted.
Not for these alone I plead,
But for those unknown transgressions,
Cover all my ignorant need,
Hear, O God, my night’s confessions.
If you give another day,
May I live the Master’s orders,
By the Spirit’s holy sway,
Joyful in his ample borders.
—JRMatheny