Prayers of Confession on Discipline

Adapted from Matthew 13:18-23

Pastor: “Hear then the parable of the sower: When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path.”

All: We have ignored Your Word, O God, and You discipline us for our willful rebellion. Have mercy, O God.

Pastor: “As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away.”

All: We have been weak, O God, during tribulation and persecution, and we have not looked to you for strength.

Pastor: “As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful.”

All: O God, we have cared more about riches and cares of this world rather than eternal things.

Pastor: “As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”

All: Make our hearts good soil, O Lord, so that we might yield a great harvest of praise for Your Name. Do it in us, for we cannot do it on our own.

Submitted by Dustin Ray

Adapted from Revelation 3:15-22

Pastor: The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s creation: “I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.

All: For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see.

Pastor: Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne.

All: He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

Submitted by Dustin Ray

Adapted from The Valley of Vision

Pastor: Father in Heaven, I have sinned times without number. I am guilty of pride and unbelief. I’ve failed to delight my heart in your Word and have neglected you in my daily life.

All: My transgressions and sins accuse me! But I praise you because they will not condemn me; indeed, you have laid each and every one on Christ!

Pastor: Go on and subdue my corruptions and grant me grace to live above them. Let not the passions of the flesh nor the lustings of the mind bring my spirit into subjection, but rule over me in liberty and power.

All: Thank you for your compassion and love, for all the acts of discipline I experience, and for sometimes putting me into the furnace to refine my gold and remove my dross.

Submitted by Dustin Ray

O my Savior, help me.
I am slow to learn, prone to forget, and weak to climb;
I am in the foothills when I should be on the heights;
I am pained by my graceless heart,
my prayerless days,
my poverty of love,
my sloth in the heavenly race,
my sullied conscience,
my wasted hours,
my unspent opportunities.
I am blind while the light shines around me:
take the scales from my eyes,
grind to dust my heart of unbelief.
Make it my highest joy to study you,
meditate on you,
gaze on you,
sit like Mary at your feet,
lean like John on your breast,
appeal like Peter to your love,
count like Paul all things but dung.
I believe, help my unbelief. Amen

Valley of the Vision

Gracious God, you call us to draw near but we keep our distance. We are afraid of your direction and discipline, so we avoid honesty and confession. Father, help us trust in your goodness and your grace, believing that your correction brings life and joy. May we live in the light of your love so that others might see and draw near to you.

Submitted by Laura Murray