Ephesians on Comforter

liturgy

To you. O God, glory to you! Heavenly

Keywords

Scripture

1 Corinthians 6:19-20, Acts 9:1-19, Matthew 3:16-17, Ephesians 3:16-17, Romans 8:11, Psalm 139:7-10, John 14:16-17

To you. O God, glory to you! Heavenly Ruler, Comforter, Spirit of truth, Come and dwell within us. You who are everywhere and who fills all things. Treasury of all good and giver of life, Come,...

liturgy

Triune and Loving God: on this

Author

Richard Herman

Keywords

Scripture

Ephesians 3:16-19, Matthew 3:16-17, Acts 4:32-35, Galatians 5:22-23, John 14:26-27, Romans 15:13, Acts 2:1-4

Triune and Loving God: on this Pentecost Sunday, we ask for the gift of Your Holy Spirit to help us pray as we ought today and always. Come, Holy Spirit: Help Us. We ask for Your Spirit’s energy an...

illustration

Hiding Sorrow can Create Confusion

Author

William Rowley

Keywords

Scripture

Galatians 6:2, Ephesians 4:9-10, Romans 12:15, 1 Thessalonians 5:11, Philippians 2:4

Dan B. Allender, in his book Leading Character, tells the story of a friend whose daughter was diagnosed with leukemia. He kept news of his daughter’s illness to himself, fearing that his employees wo...

liturgy

God of grace and truth—Father, Son, and

Author

Richard Herman

Scripture

Matthew 5:14-16, Ephesians 4:15, Isaiah 41:10, Psalm 46:1, 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, John 14:27, Psalm 145:8

God of grace and truth—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit: Thank You. Thank You for being there even when we don’t feel it. Thank You for keeping Your eyes on us, even when we lose sight of You. Thank You f...

illustration

How Do Porcupines Cuddle?

Keywords

Scripture

1 Corinthians 13:4-7, Philippians 2:3-4, Proverbs 15:1, Colossians 3:12-13, Ephesians 4:2-3, Romans 12:18

The furniture salesman said the couch would seat five friends without a problem. Then I realized, I don’t have five friends without a problem. Old joke—sorry—but still. It reminds me of the old saying...

illustration

Every Part has a Place

Author

Brian Dembowczyk

Keywords

Scripture

1 Corinthians 12:18-27, Ephesians 2:10, Romans 12:4-5, Psalm 139:13-14, 1 Peter 4:10, Ephesians 4:16

When Tara and I learned we were pregnant for the first time, we went right out and bought a crib. You might have done the same. The act of selecting, purchasing, and assembling a crib is deeply cathar...

illustration

Donne, Undone

Author

Stuart R. Strachan, Jr.

Keywords

Scripture

Ephesians 5:31-33, Matthew 19:4-6, Romans 8:28, Proverbs 22:1, 1 Timothy 3:7, Titus 2:7-8, Philippians 2:15, 1 Peter 2:12, Galatians 6:4-5, Daniel 1:17-21

While movies and novels often present stories of a budding love interest willing to give up everything for “true love” (Romeo and Juliet, for example), the renowned poet, and later clergyman, John Don...

Quote

Author

Jess C. Scott

Keywords

Scripture

Ephesians 3:17-19, Mark 4:35-41, Ruth 1:16, Psalm 91:1-2, Romans 8:38-39, John 15:12-13, 1 John 4:18-19

"When someone loves you, the way they talk about you is different. You feel safe and comfortable."

illustration

I’ll Wash the Clothes Every Night!

Author

Gary Chapman

Keywords

Scripture

Ephesians 5:21, Philippians 2:3-4, Romans 12:10, John 13:1-17, John 13:14-15, Ruth 1:16

In his celebrated book The Five Love Languages, Gary Chapman tells a story about a husband and wife struggling to relate. When the husband asked his wife, “On a scale of zero to ten, how’s your love t...

liturgy

Heavenly Father, You provide shelter

Author

Austin D. Hill

Keywords

Scripture

Psalm 46:, Isaiah 25:4, Lamentations 3:22-23, Psalm 89:1-4, Ephesians 3:17-19, Hebrews 11:

Heavenly Father, You provide shelter, comfort, and hope to us. We lift our praises to You this morning, for Your faithfulness inspires belief in us. Your limitless love reveals more of You to us day b...

Quote

Author

Max Headroom

Keywords

Scripture

Song of Solomon 8:6-7, Ephesians 5:25-28, 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, Ecclesiastes 4:9-12, Song of Solomon 2:10-12

"Love! The walks over soft grass, the smiles over candlelight, the arguments over everything else."

liturgy

Adapted from Lamentations 3:22-24 and Ephesians 2:11-22

Author

Scott B. Bullock

Keywords

Scripture

Lamentations 3:22-24, Ephesians 2:11-22

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is his faithfulness. ‘The Lord is our portion,’ says our souls, ‘therefore, we will hop...

liturgy

Prayer of Confession: Jesus You are Our Peace

Author

Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia

Keywords

Scripture

Ephesians 2:11-22, 1 Corinthians 11:23-26, John 14:23-29

Jesus You are our peace You proclaim it You create it You bring us near Without you there is No safety No belonging No nurturing No identity rooted beyond this dust Without you we are Anchorless St...

liturgy

Blessing Ministry Event or Initiative

Author

Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia

Keywords

Scripture

Micah 6:8, Matthew 25:35-40, John 6:1-14, Zechariah 4:6, Judges 6:11-16, 2 Corinthians 9:8, Acts 4:32-35, Acts 1:8, Acts 2:1-4, Proverbs 16:3, Nehemiah 2:17-20, Philippians 4:19, Acts 18:1-4, Ephesians 2:14, John 4:4-26

This blessing includes prayers for the initiative/event itself, the volunteers for the event, the leaders organizing the event, the resources to be distributed at the event, and any community partners...

liturgy

Restored All Things in Christ

Author

Keywords

Scripture

Colossians 1:13-20, Ephesians 2:14-18, John 3:16-17, Isaiah 9:6-7, Revelation 21:1-5

Almighty and everlasting God, who has restored all things in your well-beloved Son, the King and Lord of all: Mercifully grant that all peoples and nations, divided and wounded by sin, may be brought ...

Quote

Author

C. S. Lewis

Keywords

Scripture

Romans 3:23-24, Mark 10:17-22, Ephesians 2:8-9, Isaiah 64:6, Revelation 3:15-16, Matthew 7:21-23

A world of nice people, content in their own niceness, looking no further, turned away from God, would be just as desperately in need of salvation as a miserable world-and might be even more difficult...

liturgy

When we allow darkness to overcome the

Keywords

Scripture

John 1:5, Ephesians 5:18, Isaiah 55:2, Luke 12:15, Ezekiel 36:26

When we allow darkness to overcome the light, forgive us, Lord. When we reduce Christmas to plastic and tinsel, have mercy on us, Father. When hardness of heart keeps us from seeing and hearing an...

illustration

The Happy Complainer

Author

The Pastor's Workshop

Scripture

Philippians 2:14-15, Proverbs 21:9, Ephesians 4:29, Colossians 3:13, 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Charles Darwin, known for his chronic complaining, was at his happiest when he had something to criticize. One evening, he and his wife attended a banquet where everything seemed to go wrong. The spee...

illustration

We All Need Blessing

Author

Lloyd John Ogilvie

Keywords

Blessing

Scripture

Ephesians 1:3, James 1:17, Philippians 4:19, Matthew 5:3-12, Mark 10:13-16, Matthew 19:13-15, Mark 10:13-16, Luke 18:15-17, Genesis 27:1-40

We all need [blessing] desperately. It is the one great need we all share in common. We were born for it and there is no lasting joy without it. What oxygen is for the lungs and protein for the body, ...

illustration

Traveling the Highway

Author

John Bunyan

Keywords

Scripture

Psalm 16:11, Psalm 23:3, Psalm 119:105, Ephesians 2:8-9, 1 Peter 2:24, Micah 7:19, Romans 6:6

Now I could see in my dream that the High-way Christian was to travel on was protection on either side by a Wall, and the Wall was called Salvation. Burdened Christian began to run up the High-way, bu...

liturgy

Leader: You who trust in Christ Jesus

Author

Dustin Ray

Keywords

Scripture

Isaiah 1:18, Colossians 1:13-14, Psalm 32:5, Romans 8:1, Ephesians 1:7, Psalm 103:12, 1 John 1:9

Leader: You who trust in Christ Jesus for the forgiveness of sins: hear now and rest in the assurance of your pardon: All: Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are lik...

illustration

Atonement

Author

Ian McEwan

Keywords

Scripture

Ephesians 1:7, Romans 5:8, Micah 6:8, Hebrews 9:22, Psalm 51:1-2, Isaiah 1:18

When something has gone wrong, justice needs to be done and seen to be done. Ian McEwan’s novel Atonement examines exactly this same dynamic. The central character, Bryony Tallis, makes a grave mista...

Quote

Author

Charles Haddon Spurgeon

Keywords

Atonement

Scripture

Romans 3:23-26, Ephesians 5:2, 1 Corinthians 5:7, 1 John 2:2, Hebrews 10:5-18, Hebrews 9:12, Hebrews 9:14-15, Hebrews 9:28, 1 John 4:10

Throughout the Old Testament this was always the idea of a sin-offering - that of a perfect victim; without offense on its own account, taking the place of the offender; the transference of the offend...

Quote

Author

Tod E. Bolsinger

Keywords

Scripture

Psalm 15:1-2, Ephesians 4:15, 2 Corinthians 1:12, Colossians 3:12-14, Romans 12:9-10

Relational congruence is the ability to be fundamentally the same person with the same values in every relationship, in every circumstance and especially amidst crisis. It is the internal capacity to ...

liturgy

We are a people that prefer the

Author

Scott B. Bullock

Keywords

Scripture

John 1:1-5, Colossians 60:1, Psalm 27:1, 1 John 1:7, Ephesians 5:8

We are a people that prefer the darkness. The darkness hides that which we wish others dare not see and that which we loathe about ourselves, our twisted thoughts, perverted practices, and foolish fol...

Quote

Author

Augustine of Hippo

Keywords

Scripture

John 14:26, John 14:15-17, John 16:12-15, 1 Corinthians 2:10-16, Ephesians 3:16-19, Isaiah 11:2, Romans 8:5-6

O Holy Spirit, descend plentifully into my heart. Enlighten the dark corners of this neglected dwelling and scatter there Thy cheerful beams.

Quote

Author

E. M. Cioran

Keywords

Scripture

Acts 18:1-3, Romans 16:3-4, 1 Samuel 18:20, Ephesians 4:2, Philippians 2:3-4, 1 Peter 4:8

Love is an agreement on the part of two people to overestimate each other.

illustration

Have you ever noticed how closely

Author

Stuart R. Strachan, Jr.

Keywords

Scripture

Genesis 2:18, Deuteronomy 7:6 , Isaiah 43:1, John 10:27-28, Ephesians 2:19, Psalm 100:3

Have you ever noticed how closely the words longing and belonging are connected? I’m not sure of their exact etymology, but I do believe that our deepest longing in life is to be-...

Quote

Author

Edwin Markham

Keywords

Scripture

Luke 19:1-10, Ephesians 2:14, Galatians 3:28, 1 John 4:7-8, John 13:34-35, John 8:1-11, Luke 10:25-37

He drew a circle that shut me out— Heretic, rebel, a thing to flout. But love and I had the wit to win: We drew a circle that took him in!

liturgy

Generous Lord Jesus, We confess that we

Author

Jacob Traeger

Keywords

Scripture

Ephesians 4:32, Hebrews 11:1, Luke 6:38, James 1:18-20, Matthew 9:36

Generous Lord Jesus We confess that we do not receive others with compassion. We object to being interrupted And respond with anger or frustration. We confess that we do not share generously Not trus...

liturgy

liturgy

illustration

liturgy

illustration

illustration

illustration

illustration

liturgy

liturgy

liturgy

liturgy

liturgy

liturgy

illustration

illustration

illustration

liturgy

illustration

liturgy

illustration

liturgy

A

B

C

D

F

G

H

I

J

L

M

N

P

R

S

W

Deuteronomy

Ruth

Psalm

Isaiah

Lamentations

Micah

Matthew

Mark

Luke

John

Romans

1 Corinthians

2 Corinthians

Galatians

Ephesians

Philippians

Colossians

1 Thessalonians

Titus

Hebrews

James

1 Peter

1 John