In Revelation, they lay their crowns before the throne and say:
“You are worthy, our Lord and God,
to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things,
and by your will they were created
and have their being.” Rev 4
Almighty Father, creator of the universe, sustainer of life, keeper of truth, faithful to your promises and powerful to do everything according to your will, hear our prayers tonight. Whether we are calm or stressed, contented or sad, or distracted, or tired, help us to focus our minds on you.
We all rely on you for every breath, every day. You are the helper of the humble and the King over all kings. All people, rich or poor, near or far, can come to you in prayer through your son Jesus and in your Holy Spirit. And you listen to our prayers. You never turn us away.
Father, we confess our sins. We confess our indifference to you. Our thirst for worldly satisfaction instead of being satisfied in you. We see in our hearts, and in the human race, the results of rejecting you. We are full of envy, greed, deceit, malice, depravity. We gossip and slander. We are arrogant and boastful. We hate each other and we hate you. Rom 1.
And yet, you love us. While we were your enemies, you chose us and showed your love by rescuing us and adopting us. While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Our sins are punished in Christ, our death is dead in Christ, our lives are ransomed in Christ, and we ask that you transform us day by day to be like Jesus. In obedience, in faith, and in love. Make us be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer. And may we never turn back to the way of selfishness, hate and death.
Father, thank you for blessing us more than we deserve. We take so much for granted. Thank you that we live in a peaceful and secure country. We thankyou for the resources that feed us and make us rich. We pray that we will be wise and generous, and remember that the blessings we enjoy are given by God and are not ours to hoard selfishly.
Father, thank you that we have freedom to worship Jesus in this country. There are many places where our brothers and sisters in Christ suffer for his name, they must meet in secret, or be forbidden to own bibles, or they are caught up in religious conflict, and you have told us to remember them, so we pray for them tonight. We pray for some of the most dangerous places, North Korea, Somalia, Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, North and South Sudan, Iran, Pakistan, Eritrea, and Nigeria. Please help your children to be brave, and to show love to those who persecute them. Where there is hatred, may Christians respond with love and continue to share the gospel of Jesus. May the church everywhere be filled with your power, to bring you glory.
As we settle into another year, we ask that you sustain us as we serve the church here in Maitland. Thankyou for those who serve in so many ways on Sundays and during the week, within the church and the wider community. Thanks for our Kids Church teachers, Youth leaders, and those who share the gospel in our schools. Thanks for our bible study leaders. Thanks for our pastors and their wives and kids. Thanks for the admin committee who work and plan behind the scenes. Thanks for those who serve you in secret, by caring for others, praying faithfully, giving generously. Thank you for another year to meet as your church and learn from your word.
Keep us faithful in prayer and help us to meet regularly with each other to encourage each other. Give us opportunities to talk about Jesus with those who don’t know him. Make us care for the lost as much as you do, so that energy and money are given freely to the spread of the gospel in the whole world. We pray for your Holy Spirit to work in us for your purposes. Change our hearts by the power of your word so that our lives are changed and we shine like stars in this dark world as we hold firmly to the word of life until Jesus returns. Phil 2
To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to Jesus be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen. Rev 1
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