I invite you to just close your eyes and connect to that secret place deep down inside in your heart of hearts this morning.
If you need to take a deep breath,
Remember your breath is always with you in the present.
Your breath is not in the past and it's not in the future,
It's right now.
So if you're worried about something in the future or those things that have happened in the past,
Just take a deep breath and be reminded that Jesus is also right here in this moment.
As the followers of Christ,
We acknowledge that we don't always know the way,
But we know the one who is the way.
And so we come to you this morning and say we know that you are the God of the universe and so we trust your direction this morning in our hearts and in our lives.
Thank you that you guide us and direct us.
We invite your light,
The light of your presence and the light of your smile into our hearts right now.
All darkness,
All evil,
Anything that would distract us from hearing your still small voice,
We command it to go and to leave in this space and in this time.
Adoration.
Not to us,
O Lord,
Not to us,
But to your name we give glory because of your loving kindness and your truth.
Great and marvelous are your works,
Lord God Almighty.
Righteous and true are your ways.
King of all the nations,
Who will not fear you,
O Lord,
And glorify your name?
For you alone are holy,
All nations will come and worship before you.
For your righteous acts have been revealed.
Pause and express your thoughts of praise and worship.
Confession.
This is the one you esteem.
He or she who humbles themselves and has a contrite spirit and who trembles at your word,
Has the Lord as much delight in burnt offerings and services as in the obeying and the obedience of the Lord's voice?
To obey is better than sacrifice,
And to heed is better than the fat of rams.
The sacrifices of the Lord are a broken spirit,
A broken and a contrite heart,
O God,
You will not despise.
Ask the Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas that need his light this morning.
Acknowledge the precious light of Jesus coming into your life and thank him for his forgiveness.
Renewal.
Lord,
Renew us by your Spirit as we offer these prayers to you.
By your grace,
I want to hear your words.
Well done,
Good and faithful servant.
You have been faithful in few things.
I will put you in charge of many things.
Enter into the joy of your Lord.
May I be careful to lead a blameless life.
May I walk in the integrity of my heart,
In the midst of my house.
May I set no wicked thing before my eyes.
I hate the work of those who fall away.
May they not cling to me.
May I consecrate myself to be holy,
Because you,
Lord,
Are my God.
May I keep your statutes and practice them,
For you are the Lord who sanctifies me.
May I pause to add your own prayers for personal renewal.
Petition.
Since each of us have been raised with Christ,
I should seek the things above where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.
May I set my mind on things above,
Not on the things that are earthly.
For I died,
And my life is now hid with Christ and God.
When Christ,
Who is my life,
Appears,
Then I will appear with him in glory.
May I cast down arguments and every presupposition that sets itself up against the knowledge of you,
Jesus,
And take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.
May I pause to express any additional requests this morning.
Intercession.
May I honor all people,
Love the brotherhood and sisterhood of believers,
Fear God,
And honor the King.
You are the resurrection and the life.
We should bear one another's burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ.
Pause and add any personal prayers of intercession for our world,
Our nation,
Our state,
Our workplaces,
Our community,
Our families,
Our brothers and sisters.
Pause and add any personal prayers of intercession Affirmation.
You are my Savior.
I am convinced that neither death nor life nor angels nor principalities nor things present nor things to come nor powers nor height nor depth nor anything else in all of creation will be able to separate me from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus,
My Lord.
When sheep hear your voice and you know them and they follow you,
You give them eternal life and they shall never perish.
No one can snatch them out of your hand.
The Father who has given them to you is greater than all.
No one can snatch them out of the Father's hand.
You and the Father are one.
The Father has qualified each of us,
The Father has qualified me to share in the inheritance of the saints in light,
For He has rescued me,
He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and has brought us into the kingdom of His beloved Son in whom I have redemption and the forgiveness of sins.
So,
Please allow us to add your own words and prayers to the message of thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving.
I will rejoice greatly in the Lord.
My soul will be joyful in my God,
For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation and arrayed me in the robe of righteousness.
As a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments and as a bride adorns herself with her jewelry.
My soul silently waits for God alone.
My salvation comes from Him.
He alone is my rock and my salvation.
He is my stronghold.
I will never be shaken.
Pause and offer your expressions of thanksgiving this morning.
Closing prayer.
Sanctify us in the morning with your loyal love that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.
The God of all grace who called me to His eternal glory in Christ after I have suffered,
After we have suffered a little while,
Will Himself perfect,
Affirm,
Strengthen,
Establish me,
Establish us,
To Him be glory and dominion forever and ever.
Amen.
Amen.
