My Prayer Time

John 1:1-10 & 14

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

He was in the beginning with God.

All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.

In Him was life, and the life was the light of men,

And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.

The man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe.

He was not that Light but was sent to bear witness of that Light.

That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.

He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him.

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and  truth.

Soften My Heart (Graham Kendrick)

Soften my heart, Lord,

Soften my heart,

From all indifference,

Set me apart.

To feel your compassion,

To weep with your tears,

Come soften my heart, O Lord,

Soften my heart.

Morning Prayer

0 Lord, my Heavenly Father,

Almighty and Everlasting God,

Who has brought me safe to the beginning of this day:

Defend me with thy mighty power;

And grant that this day I fall into no sin,

Neither run into any kind of danger;

But that all my doings may be ordered by thy governance,

To do always what is righteous in thy sight;

Through Jesus The Christ my Lord. Amen.

The Lord's Prayer

My Father, who art in heaven,

Hallowed be thy name;

Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done;

On earth as it is in heaven.

Give me this day my daily bread.

And forgive me my sins,

As I forgive those who sin against me.

And lead me not into temptation;

But deliver me from evil.

For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

Such Love (Graham Kendrick)

Such love, pure as the whitest snow;

Such love weeps for the shame I know;

Such Love, paying the debt I know;

O Jesus, such love.

Such love, stilling my restlessness;

Such love, filling my emptiness;

Such love, showing me holiness;

O Jesus, such love.

Such love springs from eternity;

Such love, streaming through history;

Such love, fountain of life to me;

O Jesus, such love.

Take my guilt away

0 King, enthroned on high,

Filling the earth with your glory:

Holy is your name, Lord God. Almighty.

In my sinfulness I cry out to you to take my guilt away,

And to cleanse my lips to speak your word,

Through Jesus The Christ my Lord. Amen.

Psalm 23

The Lord's my Shepherd, I'll not want.

He makes me lie in pastures green.

He leads me by the still, still waters,

His goodness restores my soul.

And I will trust in You alone.

And I will trust in You alone.

For Your endless mercy follows me,

Your goodness will lead me home.

He guides my ways in righteousness,

And He anoints my head with oil,

And my cup, it overflows with joy,

I feast on His pure delights.

And I will trust in You alone.

And though I walk the darkest path,

I will not fear the evil one,

For You are with me, and Your rod and staff

Are the comfort I need to know.

And I will trust in You alone.

Only in acceptance lies peace

Resignation is surrender to fate.

Acceptance is surrender to God.

Resignation lies down quietly in an empty universe.

Acceptance rises up to meet God who fills that universe with purpose   and destiny.

Resignation says "I can't."

Acceptance says "God can."

Resignation says "It's all over for me."

Acceptance says "Now I'm here, what next, Lord?"

Resignation says "What a waste."

Acceptance says "In what redemptive way will you use this news, Lord?"

Resignation says "I'm alone."

Acceptance says "I belong to you Lord."

Evening Prayer

Lighten my darkness, I beseech thee, 0 Lord;

And by thy great mercy defend me from all perils and dangers of this  night;

For the love of thy only Son, my Saviour Jesus The Christ. Amen.

Standing on Holy Ground (Geron Davis)

I am standing on Holy Ground,

And I know that there are angels all around.

Let me praise Jesus now,

I am standing in His presence on Holy Ground.

I Give You All The Honour (Carl Tuttle)

I give you all the honour

And praise that's due your name,

For you are the King of Glory,

The creator of all things.

And I worship you,

I give my life to you,

I fall down on my knees.

Yes, I worship you,

I give my life to you,

I fall down on my knees.

As Your spirit moves upon me now,

You meet my deepest need,

And I lift my hands up to Your throne,

Your mercy I've received.

And I worship you,

You have broken chains that bound me,

You've set this captive free,

I will lift my voice to praise Your name

For all eternity.

And I worship you,

Summary of the Law

My Lord Jesus The Christ said:

The first commandment is this: 'Hear, 0 Israel, the Lord my God is the  only Lord. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.'

The second is this: 'Love your neighbour as yourself.'

There is no other commandment greater than these; on these two  commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

Rejoice in the Lord

Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say, 'Rejoice'

Bind up my wounds

Lord my God,

In my sin I have avoided your call.

My love for you is like a morning cloud,

Like the dew that goes away early.

Have mercy on me;

Deliver me from judgement;

Bind up my wounds and revive me;

In Jesus The Christ my Lord. Amen.

Doxology (Jude 24, 25)

Now to Him who is able to keep me from stumbling and to present me  blameless before the presence of His Glory with great joy,

To the only God, my Saviour, through Jesus The Christ my Lord,

Be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and  forever. Amen.

Prayer of Preparation

Almighty God, unto whom all hearts are open, all desires are known and from whom no secrets are hid,

Cleanse the thoughts of my heart by the inspiration of thy Holy Spirit,

That I may perfectly love thee and worthily magnify thy Holy Name,

Through Jesus The Christ my Lord. Amen.

My God Loves Me (Sandra Joan Billington)

My God loves me. His love will never end.

He rests within my heart for my God loves me.

His gentle hand He stretches over me.

Though storm-clouds threaten the day He will set me free.

The joys of love as off’rings now we bring.

The pains of love will be lost in the praise we sing.

My God loves me. His faithful love endures.

And I will live like a child held in love secure.

God of Peace

Relax the tensions of my body . . .

Still the anxieties of my mind . . .

Calm the storms of my heart . . .

Give me courage to wait . . .

Let Peace flow in me . . .

Through me . . .

From me . . .

The Deep, Deep Peace of God

Gloria in Excelsis

Glory to God in the highest, and peace to His people on earth.

Lord God, Heavenly King, Almighty God and Father, I worship You, I give You thanks, I praise You for Your glory.

Lord Jesus The Christ, only Son of the Father, Lord God, Lamb of God, You take away the sin of the world: have mercy on me;

You are seated at the right hand of the Father: receive my prayer.

For You alone are the Holy One, You alone are the Lord,

You alone are the Most High, Jesus The Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the Glory of God the Father. Amen.

Abba Father (Dave Bilbrough)

Abba Father, let me be Yours and Yours alone.

May my will forever be ever more Your own.

Never let my heart grow cold, never let me go.

Abba Father, let me be Yours and Yours alone.

Majesty (Jack W. Hayford)

Majesty, worship His majesty;

Unto Jesus be all glory, honour and praise.

Majesty, kingdom authority,

Flow from His throne unto His own,

His anthem raise.

So exalt, lift up on high the name of Jesus,

Magnify, come glorify, Christ Jesus the King.

Majesty, worship His majesty

Jesus who died, now glorified, King of all kings.

Father, I Adore You (Richard M S Irwin)

Father, I adore You, lay my life before You, How I love You.

Jesus, I adore You, lay my life before You, How I love You.

Spirit, I adore You, lay my life before You, How I love You.

Jesus, What A Beautiful Name (Darlene Zschech)

Jesus, what a beautiful name

Son of God, Son of Man

Lamb that was slain

Joy and peace, strength and hope

Grace that blows all fear away

Jesus, what a beautiful name

Jesus, what a beautiful name

Truth revealed, my future sealed

Healed my pain

Love and freedom, life and warmth

Grace that blows all fear away

Jesus, what a beautiful name

Jesus, what a beautiful name

Rescued my soul, my stronghold

Lifts me from shame

Forgiveness, security, power and love

Grace that blows all fear away

Jesus, what a beautiful name

The Beatitudes (Matthew 5:2-12 ESV)

And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all  kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad,  your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

My Lord’s Prayer (Anthony Gill)

Ein Tad, My Father, Loving God,

    May the miracle of Your presence fill me with awe;

    May Your Heart of kindness, justice and love shine in me;

    May Your Heavenly Will be also enacted through me.

With the bread, hope and strength I need for today – please feed me;

    For the wrongs I have done You and others – please forgive me;

    For the hurts I receive – please help me to forgive;

    For the times of temptation and trial – please strengthen me;

    From fear and anxiety, depression and despair – please release me;

    From pride and egotism, bigotry and hatred – please free me;

    From ordeals too intense and sharp to endure – please spare me;

    From the clutches of all that is evil and wicked – please save me.

You are all truth, love, meaning, glory and power, while worlds come and        go, now and for ever.  Amen.

Renew, Refresh, Revive me

Eternal God
In whom I live and move and have my being, your face is hidden by my  sin, and I forget your mercy in the blindness of my heart.
Cleanse me from all my offenses and deliver me from proud thoughts  and vain desires.
With lowliness and meekness may I draw near to you, confessing my  faults, and finding in you my refuge and strength.

God of grace and truth
You sent Jesus among us as the light of the world, to reveal your love for all people.
I confess that my sin and pride hide the brightness of your light.
I have not welcomed that light, or trusted good news to be good;

I have closed my eyes to your glory in our midst, expecting little, and  hoping for less.

I turn away from the poor; I ignore cries for justice; I do not strive for  peace.
Forgive my doubts, and renew my hope, so that I may receive the  fullness of your grace.

God of hope and joy
The day draws near when the glory of your Son will brighten the night of the waiting world and bring all nations under your rule.
I confess that I have not expected your kingdom, for I live a casual life,  ignoring your promised judgment.
I accept lies as truth, exploit my neighbours, abuse the earth, and refuse your justice and peace.
In your mercy, forgive me and help me to seek things that will endure  when Christ comes to judge the world.

God of glory,
In your mercy, cleanse me of my sins, and baptize me once again that,  forgiven, renewed, refreshed, and revived, I may show forth your glory.

May my life tell of your great love, shine with your light, and reveal your  glory, through Jesus the Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Alleluia

The Lord of hosts is with me; the God of Jacob is my stronghold. Alleluia.  

O Lord, your word is everlasting: it stands firm forever in the heavens.    Alleluia

The Word was made flesh and lived among us. Alleluia

The Son of man came not to be served, but to serve: to give up his life as a ransom for many. Alleluia

Christ himself carried my sins in his body on the cross. By his wounds I  have been healed. Alleluia

Jesus is the resurrection and the life: those who believe in him shall  never die. Alleluia

God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of Christ my Lord.  Alleluia

Christ in me, the hope of glory. This is the gospel I proclaim. Alleluia

God's saving power will rise like the sun bringing healing like the sun's  rays. Alleluia

Declare God's glory among the nations, his wonders among all peoples.    Alleluia

Father God, I Wonder (lan Smale)

Father God, I wonder how I managed to exist

Without the knowledge of Your parenthood and Your loving care.

But now I am Your son, I am adopted in Your family,

And I can never be alone,

'Cause Father God, You're there beside me.

I will sing Your praises,

I will sing Your praises,

I will sing Your praises, forever more.

I will sing Your praises,

I will sing Your praises,

I will sing Your praises, forever more.

Being myself (Paul Field)

I try to be patient, I try to be kind;

But I’m short of the mark most of the time.

I can be generous, and I can be mean;

But mostly I fall down the cracks in between.

I’m too good for the sinners, too bad for the saints

But it’s no use pretending to be something I ain’t

I’ve spent too much of my life trying to be someone else

Now I’m spending the rest just being myself.

And sometimes that’s easy, sometimes it’s hard

Some days I’m ready, some days I’m off guard

I can put on a brave face and wear the disguise

I know how to smile when I’m crying inside.

I try to be righteous; I try to be good

But my best intentions get misunderstood

I thought getting older would make me more wise

But it still hasn’t happened as hard as I try.

I’m too good for the sinners, too bad for the saints

I have died

I have died together with Christ.

I rise united with him.

Christ became obedient unto death for me, even death upon a cross.

He was pierced for my sins, bruised for no fault but my own.

His punishment has brought me peace.

By his wounds I am healed.

Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and  wisdom, strength and honour, glory and praise. Amen.

Christ with me

Christ before me,

Christ behind me,

Christ in me,

Christ beneath me,

Christ above me,

Christ on my right,

Christ on my left,

Christ when I lie down,

Christ when I sit down,

Christ when I arise,

Christ in the heart of all who think of me,

Christ in the mouth of all who speak of me,

Christ in every eye that sees me,

Christ in every ear that hears me.

My Jesus, My Saviour (Michael W. Smith)

My Jesus, My Saviour,

Lord there is no one like you,

All of my days, I want to praise

The wonders of Your mighty love.

My comfort, my shelter,

Tower of refuge and strength

Let every breath, all that I am

Never cease to worship You.

Shout to the Lord, all the earth let us sing,

Power and majesty, praise to the King!

Mountains bow down and the seas will roar,

At the sound of Your Name!

I sing for joy at the work of Your hands,

Forever I'll love You, forever I'll stand

Nothing compares to the promise I have in You.

A Song of the Wilderness (Isaiah 35)

The wilderness and the dry land shall rejoice, the desert shall blossom and burst into song.

They shall see the glory of the Lord, the majesty of our God.

Strengthen the weary hands, and make firm the feeble knees.

Say to the anxious, ‘Be strong, fear not, your God is coming with judgement, coming with judgement to save you.’

Then shall the eyes of the blind be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped;

Then shall the lame leap like a hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing for joy.

For waters shall break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert;

The ransomed of the Lord shall return with singing, with everlasting joy upon their heads.

Joy and gladness shall be theirs, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

Jubilate (Psalm 100)

O be joyful in the Lord, all the earth; serve the Lord with gladness and come before his presence with a song.

Know that the Lord is God; it is he that has made us and we are his; we are his people and the sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and bless his name.

For the Lord is gracious; his steadfast love is everlasting, and his faithfulness endures from generation to generation.

Breathe On Me, Breath Of God (Edwin Hatch)

Breathe on me, Breath of God,

Fill me with life anew,

That I may love the way you love,

And do what you would do.

Breathe on me, Breath of God,

Until my heart is pure,

Until my will is one with yours,

To do and to endure.

Breathe on me, Breath of God,

So shall I never die,

But live with you the perfect life

For all eternity.

Verses from Psalm 141

Let my prayer rise before you as incense, the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice

O Lord, I call to you; come to me quickly; hear my voice when I cry to you.

Set a watch before my mouth, O Lord, and guard the door of my lips.

Let my prayer rise before you. . .

Let not my heart incline to any evil; let me not be occupied in wickedness with evildoers.

But I turn to you, Lord God; in you I take refuge; do not leave me defenseless.

Let my prayer rise before you. . .

A Song of David

Blessed are you, God of Israel, for ever and ever, for yours is the greatness, the power, the glory, the splendour and the majesty.

Everything in heaven and on earth is yours; yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head over all.

Riches and honour come from you and you rule over all.

In your hand are power and might; yours it is to give power and strength to all.

And now we give you thanks, our God, and praise your glorious name.

For all things come from you, and of your own have we given you.

All heaven declares (Tricia Richards)

All heaven declares

The glory of the risen Lord

Who can compare with

The beauty of the Lord

Forever He will be

The Lamb upon the throne

I gladly bow the knee

And worship Him alone

I will proclaim

The glory of the risen Lord

Who once was slain

To reconcile man to God

Forever You will be

The Lamb upon the throne

I gladly bow the knee

And worship You alone

Take my guilt away

0 King, enthroned on high,

Filling the earth with your glory:

Holy is your name, Lord God. Almighty.

In my sinfulness I cry out to you to take my guilt away,

And to cleanse my lips to speak your word,

Through Jesus The Christ my Lord. Amen

The Methodist Covenant

I am no longer my own but yours.

Put me to what you will,

Rank me with whom you will;

Put me to doing, put me to suffering;

Let me be employed for you, or laid aside for you,

Exalted for you, or brought low for you;

Let me be full, let me be empty,

Let me have all things, let me have nothing:

I freely and wholeheartedly yield all things

To your pleasure and disposal.

And now, glorious and blessed God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit,

You are mine and I am yours. Amen.

Purify my heart (Brian Doerksen)

Purify my heart, let me be as gold and precious silver.

Purify my heart, let me be as gold, pure gold.

Refiner's fire, My heart's one desire Is to be holy.

Set apart for You, Lord, I choose to be holy.

Set apart for You, my Master, Ready to do Your will.

Purify my heart, cleanse me from within and make me holy.

Purify my heart, cleanse me from my sin, deep within.

Refiner's fire,

Lord I lift your name on high (Rick Founds)

Lord I lift your name on high

Lord I love to sing your praises

I'm so glad you are in my life

I'm so glad you came to save us

You came from heaven to earth, to show the way

From the earth to the cross, my debt to pay

From the cross to the grave, from the grave to the sky

Lord I lift your name on high

Prayer for Purity

Almighty God,

To whom all hearts are open,

All desires known,

And from whom no secrets are hidden:

Cleanse the thoughts of my heart

By the inspiration of your Holy Spirit,

That I may perfectly love you,

And worthily magnify your holy name;

Through Christ my Lord. Amen.

Prayer by Thomas Merton

My Lord God,

I have no idea where I am going.

I do not see the road ahead of me.

I cannot know for certain where it will end.

Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so.

But I believe that the desire to please you does, in fact, please you.

And I hope that I have that desire in all that I am doing.

I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire.

And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road, though I may know nothing about it.

Therefore I will trust you always, though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death.

I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.

I will go in the Way of the Cross

I will go in the Way of the Cross -

To all who are in prison or danger,

To all who are in doubt or despair,

To all who are in trouble or fear,

To all who are in poverty or need,

To all who are in hunger or war,

To all who are in sickness or ill health,

To all who are refugees or asylum seekers,

To all who are homeless or destitute,

To all who are frail and at the point of death.

I will go in the Way of the Cross of my Saviour:

the Cross before me to keep me true,

the Cross behind me to shield me from ill,

the Cross above me to lead me through. Amen.