John on Open Hearts

liturgy

Faithful God, our Father, Lord and

Author

Scripture

Psalm 139:13-16, John 16:33, Ephesians 4:3-6, Isaiah 40:29-31, 2 Corinthians 12:9, Jeremiah 1:4-10, Matthew 5:9

Faithful God, our Father, Lord and Counselor: By your grace you know our names before we are even born. By your grace you call us your own sons and daughters. By your grace you give us an eternal purp...

liturgy

Holy Spirit, open our minds

Author

Cody Sandahl

Keywords

Scripture

1 John 1:6-9, Ephesians 4:15, 25, John 4:24, John 8:23, Hebrews 4:12

Holy Spirit, open our minds to the truth that hurts and the truth that heals. Open our hearts to the love that challenges and the love that embraces. Amen.

liturgy

God of love—Father, Son and Holy

Author

Richard Herman

Scripture

John 11:32-35, Acts 10:, John 5:1-9, Luke 10:25-37, Ephesians 4:3-6, Matthew 25:40

God of love—Father, Son and Holy Spirit: You loved us before we ever knew You. Give us such a deep love for You, that we can see the world as You see it, feel the compassion You feel, and be a people ...

liturgy

Jesus, we receive your blessings and

Author

Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia

Scripture

Psalm 51:10, Ephesians 4:23-24, 2 Samuel 12:1-14, John 7:37-38, Philippians 2:5-8, Matthew 5:3-4, Psalm 51:10

Jesus, we receive your blessings and pray for the Holy Spirit to make them real in our lives. Renew a right spirit within us, a poor spirit, a spirit that knows our deep need of your grace and deliver...

Quote

Author

Craig Groeschel

Keywords

Scripture

John 8:32, 1 Samuel 18:20, John 4:1-26, John 3:1-21, 2 Corinthians 12:9-10, 1 John 1:7, Ephesians 4:25

It’s difficult for people to love the real you when you are covering up who you really are. We connect with others when we take our mask off and let others in.

Quote

Author

John Oxenham

Keywords

Scripture

1 Peter 4:8, Luke 10:25-37, Ephesians 4:32, John 3:16, 1 John 4:7-8, 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Love ever gives, Forgives, outlives, And ever stands with open hands, And while it lives it gives. For this is love’s prerogative, To give – and give – and give.

liturgy

Each of us, Lord, has failed to fully

Author

Charles Teixeira

Keywords

Scripture

Ephesians 4:32, Luke 19:1-10, Matthew 22:37-39, Philippians 2:3-4, 1 John 1:9, Romans 3:23

Each of us, Lord, has failed to fully observe your beauty. We fall in love with our own image and are left disappointed and alone. Please be faithful to us, Jesus, even when we turn from You. We...

liturgy

Live Your Love

Author

Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia

Keywords

Scripture

John 17:20-23, Ephesians 4:3-6, Acts 2:42-47, Romans 12:4-5, 1 Corinthians 12:12-27, Galatians 6:2, Genesis 11:1-9, Acts 10:, Acts 13:

Holy Trinity, Community of Love, Draw your children together Across human boundaries Across denominations Draw us together in your creative light Awaken us to collaboration and mutual callings Quick t...

Quote

Author

W. H. Auden

Keywords

Scripture

Colossians 3:13, Luke 10:25-37, Luke 19:1-10, Luke 15:11-32, Ephesians 4:2, 1 John 4:19, Romans 5:8, Matthew 22:37-39

You shall love your crooked neighbor with all your crooked heart.

liturgy

Holy and merciful God, we confess to

Author

Bud Thoreen

Keywords

Scripture

Psalm 51:1-2, 1 John 1:9, James 5:16, Isaiah 1:18, Colossians 3:13, Ephesians 4:31-32

Holy and merciful God, we confess to you and to one another, and in the company of the communion of saints, that we have sinned by our own fault, in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and ...

scripture guide

Scripture Guide Ephesians 4:25-5:2

Author

Stuart R. Strachan, Jr.

Keywords

Scripture

Ephesians 4:25-5, 2 Samuel 18:5-9, 15, 31-33, Psalm 130:, John 6:35, 41-51, Ephesians 5:1-2, Acts 9:4

Taking Off the Old Clothes and Putting on the New Our passage continues Paul’s teaching on “the putting off of the old self” (anthropos) (of sin, corruption, and death) vs.22 and putting on the “new ...

Quote

Author

Adele Ahlberg Calhoun

Keywords

Scripture

Micah 6:8, Ephesians 4:2, 1 Peter 5:5-6, James 4:10, Colossians 3:12, John 13:14-15

[Humility is] to become like Jesus in his willingness to choose the hidden way of love rather than the way of power.

Quote

Author

Henri J. M. Nouwen

Keywords

Scripture

Matthew 18:21-22, John 21:15-17, Matthew 18:21-35, 1 John 1:9, Colossians 3:13, Matthew 6:14-15, Ephesians 4:32

Forgiveness is the name of love practiced among people who love poorly. The hard truth is that all people love poorly. We need to forgive and be forgiven every day, every hour increasingly. That is th...

liturgy

Gracious God, we come before you with

Author

Laura B. Murray

Keywords

Scripture

2 Timothy 1:7, 1 John 4:18, Matthew 5:44, Ephesians 4:31-32, 1 Corinthians 16:14, Galatians 5:22-23, Colossians 3:12-14

Gracious God, we come before you with humility, recognizing that doubt has led our decisions. We have allowed fear to lead, rather than love. Because of this, we have been unkind to our families, our ...

Quote

Author

Original Author Unknown

Keywords

Scripture

1 Corinthians 13:, 1 Peter 4:8, Ephesians 4:2, 1 John 4:18, Proverbs 10:12

A true relationship is two unperfect people refusing to give up on each other.

liturgy

Father God–You are a God of grace and

Author

Richard Herman

Scripture

Ephesians 4:2-3, Micah 6:8, John 16:33, Psalm 147:3, Romans 15:13, Jeremiah 17:14

Father God–You are a God of grace and abundance, who blesses us with more than a shower of blessings but a downpour of mercies. We rejoice with friends in new marriages, and in the strength of lasting...

Quote

Author

Minucius Felix

Keywords

Scripture

1 Peter 4:8, 1 Samuel 18:20, Acts 2:42-47, Ephesians 4:2-3, Romans 12:10, 1 John 4:20-21

Our bond, which you resent, consists in mutual love, for we know not how to hate; we call ourselves ‘brethren’ to which you object, as members of one family in God, as partners in one faith, as joint ...

Quote

Author

John Newton

Keywords

Humility

Scripture

Matthew 22:37-39, James 4:10, 1 John 4:7-8, Ephesians 4:2, Philippians 2:3-4, Colossians 3:12-14

I am persuaded that love and humility are the highest attainments in the school of Christ and the brightest evidences that He is indeed our Master.

liturgy

God of mercy, in your gracious presence

Author

Austin D. Hill

Keywords

Scripture

Ephesians 4:32, Micah 7:18-19, Psalm 32:5, Colossians 1:13-14, 2 Chronicles 7:14, Isaiah 1:18, 1 John 1:9

God of mercy, in your gracious presence we confess our sin and the sin of this world. Although Christ is among us as our peace, we are a people divided against ourselves as we cling to the values of a...

Quote

Author

Sam Keen

Keywords

Scripture

Ephesians 4:2, John 21:15-19, 1 Peter 4:8, Colossians 3:12-14, Romans 12:9-10, Ruth 1:16, 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

We come to love not by finding a perfect person, but by learning to see an imperfect person perfectly.

scripture guide

Scripture Guide, Ephesians 4:1-16 (Guide A)

Author

Gabe Fung

Keywords

Scripture

Ephesians 4:1-16, 2 Samuel 11:26-12:13a, Psalm 51:1-12, John 6:24-35, Galatians 5:22-23, Psalm 68:18, Philippians 2:5-11, Romans 12:3-8, 1 Corinthians 12:4-11, 1 Peter 4:10-11, Acts 14:4, Romans 16:7, 1 Corinthians 15:7, Galatians 1:19, 1 Thessalonians 1:1, 1 Thessalonians 2:6, Romans 12:3-5, 1 Corinthians 12:14-27

Background to the Letter and Passage Paul’s letter to the Ephesians was probably intended for wider distribution and use among the various churches around Ephesus. As such, there is no particular cri...

liturgy

Pastor: Lord Jesus Christ, in this world of unrest and strife

Author

Trinity Lutheran Church, Lisle, Illinois

Keywords

Scripture

Ephesians 4:16, Ruth 1:16-17, Matthew 9:9--13, Luke 10:25-37, 1 Corinthians 12:, John 13:34-35, Acts 2:42-47

Pastor: Lord Jesus Christ, in this world of unrest and strife You founded Your holy Christian Church through faith as a kingdom of peace and joy. You have established this worldwide communion of sai...

liturgy

Pentecost Blessing

Author

Peter J. Leithart

Keywords

Scripture

John 16:13, Acts 9:1-19, Ephesians 4:3, Romans 8:14, Galatians 6:8, Ephesians 5:18-19

Follow the Spirit. Walk in the rhythm of the Spirit. Sing in the Spirit. Pray with the Spirit. Be filled with the Spirit. Sow to the Spirit. Reap from the Spirit. Preserve the unity of the Spirit. Be ...

liturgy

Prayer for Times of Conflict

Keywords

Scripture

Matthew 5:9, Romans 12:17-18, Psalm 34:14, Ephesians 4:2-3, John 14:27, Romans 14:19, 2 Corinthians 13:11, James 3:18, Isaiah 26:3, Philippians 4:6-7

O God, you have bound us together in a common life. Help us, in the midst of our struggles for justice and truth, to confront one another without hatred or bitterness, and to work together with mutual...

illustration

How We Become Peacemakers

Author

Jerry Bridges

Keywords

Scripture

Matthew 5:9, James 4:1-2, Ephesians 4:31-32, Colossians 3:12-13, Romans 12:18, 1 John 2:9-11

To become peacemakers, then, we must begin with ourselves. We must ask ourselves, “Why do I make cutting remarks to another person? Why do I make demeaning remarks about them?” We must also ask oursel...

liturgy

Lord Jesus—the same yesterday, today

Author

Richard Herman

Scripture

Matthew 5:9, Ephesians 4:32, James 5:15-16, John 14:27, Psalm 34:18

Lord Jesus—the same yesterday, today and tomorrow, and the author of change, who’s constantly doing “a new thing,” which makes us sit up and take notice. We admit, we’d be more comfortable with a pred...

illustration

Attacking Others, Hurting Jesus

Author

Lee Rhodes

Keywords

Scripture

Matthew 25:40, Ephesians 4:31-32, Acts 9:1-6, Isaiah 53:5, Luke 23:34, John 8:1-11, Romans 5:8

A young lady named Sally took a seminary class taught by Professor Smith, who was known for his elaborate object lessons. One day Sally walked into class to find a large target placed on the wall, wit...

lectionary

12th Sunday after Pentecost

Author

Allen Thompson

Keywords

Scripture

John 6:35, 41-51, Isaiah 54:13-14, Exodus 16:1-36, Numbers 11:1-9, 2 Samuel 18:5-33, Psalm 130:, 1 Kings 19:4-8, Psalm 34:1-8, Ephesians 4:25-32, Ephesians 5:1-2

Ancient Lens What's the historical context? Back to the Wilderness As he has been doing, Jesus calls the people’s minds back to the wilderness during The Exodus and reminds them of the manna ...

liturgy

Gracious God, You have called us out of

Author

Allen Thompson

Keywords

Scripture

1 Peter 2:9, Colossians 1:13-14, Galatians 2:20, Ephesians 4:22-24, Matthew 16:24, Philippians 3:20-21, John 8:36

Gracious God, You have called us out of darkness and into the light of Your love. You have redeemed us and made us whole in order to set us free from bondage. The challenge You place before us is to d...

Quote

Author

Peter J. Leithart

Keywords

The Holy Spirit

Scripture

Ephesians 5:18, Ephesians 4:1-6, 2 Corinthians 3:17, Galatians 5:22, John 14:17

Follow the Spirit. Walk in the rhythm of the Spirit. Sing in the Spirit. Pray with the Spirit. Be filled with the Spirit. Sow to the Spirit. Reap from the Spirit. Preserve the unity of the Spirit. Be ...

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