Opening Prayers/Prayers of Adoration on Temptation
Almighty and everlasting God, in whom we live and move and have our being, you created us for yourself, so that our hearts are restless until they find rest in you. Grant to us such piety of heart and strength of purpose that no selfish passion may hinder us from knowing your will, and no weakness from doing it. In your light may we see life clearly and in your service find perfect freedom; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Book of Worship, 1965
(Prayer of Adoration)
Great God our Father: You are good and You are strong.
You are faithful and true,
and You won’t tempt or lie to us.
In a world that appeals to our sinful cravings
and dominated by spin:
You alone are worthy of our trust, loyalty and love.
You alone have loved us with such an everlasting love
as to give Your Son or us.
You alone never abandon us, living with and within us
by Your Holy Spirit.
(Prayer of Confession)
Yet, we so easily trade Your truth for a lie,
and substitute our lusts for Your love.
We blame others for our errors and for our wanton sin.
We close our eyes to the truth about who we are
and run from the truth of who You are.
Forgive us for choosing to love and live for the world:
by following our own cravings,
giving into the lust of our eyes, and
boasting of who we are,
what we’ve done and what we’ve got.
Hear us as we say,
in whispers too soft for any one else to hear but You,
the sin we’re too ashamed to let anyone else know
but You who know all about us and love us anyway.
Hear our silent confessions of sin: (PAUSE)
We Cry, “Glory!” based on the Parable of the Sower
Lord of Life
You sow extravagantly
Generously
Some would cry, “Foolish”
We cry, “Glory!”
You sow your Word
Your Promises
Your Salvation
Your Self
“Glory!” to your grace and mercy
You save us from the stealing
The shallow
The choking thorns
“Glory!” to your deliverance and power
You make our lives good, rich soil
Ready for your seed
In you, we grow up and increase and yield
“Glory!” to your goodness and faithfulness
We rejoice in you and in being your harvest
Help us bear your good and lasting fruit
now and always,
for the honor and glory of your name. Amen
We Cry, “Glory!” © 2018 Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia, www.revlisad.com
God of grace, power and glory –
Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer – and our Father:
When we’re tempted to think it’s all up to us:
to change the world,
to overcome evil,
to establish Your kingdom.
to make things right, and good and just
we’re reminded that
where our hand is weak, yours is strong,
where our wisdom fails, yours holds fast,
where our love falters, yours endures,
where our wills vacillate, yours remains true forever.
That’s why we lift our hands to you in prayer.
In the end, victory in life’s battles is Yours not ours;
rejoicing over life’s joys is more for Your work than ours.
So we celebrate and give thanks to You
for marriages begun and families that grow;
for friends that succeed, graduate and move on to new things;
for ministries that bring hope, encouragement and salvation;
for work and play, for new friends and old friends,
for having enough, and even some more,
so we can give to others in need.