Tag Archives: Great Commission

Exhalting Christ- a prayer based on Philippians 2

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jesus mosaic from hagia sophia

Jesus Christ, mosaic detail from the Hagia Sophia

based on Philippians 2:5-11 

Jesus, you do not exploit
Power over
Power used as advantage
Power plays

You empty yourself of power’s privileges
You choose solidarity, even with slaves
You choose womb and flesh
vulnerability and blood

You welcome humility- our earthiness, our dust
You welcome the mission of salvation

You accept humiliation and torture and agony
You embrace death so creation may have new and true life

moment of silence

We exalt you, Risen Christ!
We praise you and adore you!
Your name above all names
Your story shared through all generations
Your arms open in welcome for all people

May every tongue confess, “Jesus Christ is Lord!”
May every soul receive your embrace!

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Exhalting Christ © 2021 Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia
You are welcome to use this work in a worship setting with proper attribution.
Leave a comment for information and permission to publish this work in any form.

Testify to the Light- Prayers based on John 1.6-8

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light of the world robbie quinn

You are the Light of the World by Robbie Quinn

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. – John 1:6-9

Prayer: Hallelujah! Help Us Shine!
Welcome Glorious One
Lord of Life and Light
Dawn in us your power and peacemaking
Hallelujah! Help us shine!

You bathe us in the light of your grace, that we may be grace
You fill us with the light of your truth, that we may be truth
You flood us with the light of your love, that we may be love
Hallelujah! Help us shine!

Sharing your light
Spreading your light
Beyond our imagining to your desiring
Hallelujah! Help us shine!

Unveiled, Bright, and True
A beam worthy of the stretch of your embrace
Hallelujah! Help us shine!

Draw us to your light
Draw all to your light
Hallelujah! Help us shine!

Prayer: For Yours Alone
Jesus, Messiah
True Light Came and Coming,
Your message is sacred
Holy, Set Apart, Treasured

Your message is eternal
Timeless, Lasting, a Firm Foundation

Your message is salvation
Deliverance, Wholeness, Grace

We bow before your commission to receive and bear your message into the world

Show us when to speak and give us the words
Never for our agenda, for yours alone

Show us what to do and give us the strength
Never for our achievement, for yours alone

Show others we are from you by your power at work through us
Never for our glory, for yours alone

Prayer: Open My Lips
Jesus
Light of Life, Light of Healing
Light of Relationship and Saving Love

Open my lips as you open my eyes
Open my lips as you open my ears
Open my lips to declare your praise
Your power
Your welcome
Your hope

Open my lips in all seasons
in all circumstances

You reveal, I receive
New life is born

You reveal, I reveal
Your Kingdom comes
Your family increases
as does the joy

Open my lips

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Hallelujah! Help us shine! © 2020 Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia
For Yours Alone © 2018 Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia
Open My Lips © 2016 Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia
You are welcome to use this work in a worship setting with proper attribution. (by Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia, http://www.revlisad.com) Please leave a comment for information and permission to publish this work in any form.

Midweek Devotion- John 17, part 2

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SCRIPTURE: John 17:11-19

BREATH PRAYERS:
IN: O worship the King
OUT: All glorious above

IN: O worship the King
OUT: Our Shield and Defender

IN: Maker, Defender
OUT: Redeemer and Friend

You’re encouraged to use the following process as you read scripture.
We use this process together on Wednesdays at 8:00AM EST.
https://www.facebook.com/TrinityUMCSarasota/

STILLNESS: Spend 5-20 minutes in silence looking to God and listening for God.

ATTENTION: Read or listen to the Scripture. What word, phrase, or verse captures your attention? Underline it or copy it onto a piece of paper.

CONNECTION: What connections do you see to other scriptures? To your own experience or current situation? Or, to the character or promises of God?

ACTION: What is God inviting you to trust, say, or do? How will your life be different because of this scripture?

PRAY: Talk to God about what you just experienced or anything else on your heart.

Recorded 9/2/2020

Bind Us Together
CCLI Song # 1228
Bob Gillman © 1977
Thankyou Music (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing)
CCLI License # 686715

PUBLIC DOMAIN SONG:
O Worship the King Text: Robert Grant
Music: Attr. to Johann Michael Haydn

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Midweek Devotion- John 17, part 2 © 2020 Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia

Two Prayers Based on John 20-21

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For the past few months, a couple of thousand folks have been reading and discussing a chapter a day from the Gospels as part of Summer in the Scriptures, sponsored by the Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church.

I’ve been supplying a prayer for each day’s reading. 98 chapters = 98 prayers. Wow! Some have been brand new, but many were curated from prayers written over the last eleven years of this blog’s life. Again, wow! It’s not often I have a chance to see what seems to me small, isolated offerings come together like this.

Thanks for going on this journey with me. I pray it was blessing and goodness for you. Postings will be less frequent now that the project is finished.

Thanks also for being part of our community here. You are always welcome, wanted, and appreciated. – Lisa <><

Summer in the Scriptures John (18)Based on John 20:24-29
Thomas and Jesus

Jesus, you give me what I need
What I need to believe
What I need to live

Like my brother Thomas,
I lay the doubting down
You come for me
You want me as well
You want us all

The gift of your presence is for me
The gift of your peace is for me
So too the power of your Spirit
The very Breath of Life
Abundant Life in your name

Jesus, you give me what I need
Seeing
Signs
Spirit
Wounds
Words
Wonder
Peace
Power
Sending

Oh, My Jesus
My Lord and My God

Summer in the Scriptures John (19)Based on John 21

Cast your net again,
We know this familiar foolishness
So we cast it…
we cast it wide, drag it deep, sweep it around the sea
Suddenly! So many fish!

The cry goes up with our hope
It is the Lord! It is Jesus!

He sank down to the bottom
Down to the mud and the darkness
Down to the pain and the brokenness
Down to our level

Until he was lifted up- lifted up on a cross
Up went the fists
Up went the mocks
Up went the stares
Up went the sign
King of the Jews

Down came the hammer
Down came the tears
Down came the blood
Down came the love
Down to our level
buried beneath waves of fear and injustice and sin
Buried beneath earth

He did as he promised!
He is lifted up from the earth!
Up from the grave
Up goes the shout
Up goes the sun with the Son

Cast your net again, my Jesus
Cast it wide, drag it deep, sweep it around the sea
Draw us up from the bottom with you
Draw us up from the mud and the darkness
Draw us up from the pain and the brokenness
Draw us up from the selfishness and the loneliness
Draw us up from the fear and the hate and the sin and the death
Draw us up from the bottom with you

Cast your net again into the sea of humanity
Cast it wide, drag it deep, sweep it around the sea
Draw us up
Draw us in
We are caught in your saving embrace

Jesus says, “Now follow me.”
“Come, cast the net
Cast the net again and again and again and we will find some more
Cast it wide, drag it deep, sweep it around the sea
So many, so different, so beautiful
Use all your strength to bring them in
Have no fear, the net will not break.”

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What I Need © 2020 Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia
Cast Your Net Again © 2000 Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia
You are welcome to use this work in a worship setting with proper attribution.
Please leave a comment for information and permission to publish this work in any form.

Breath Prayers Based on Mark 6

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summer in the scriptures- Mark (5)

Based on Mark 6:6-13
Jesus sends the twelve two by two

IN: Jesus, you send us
OUT: We will go

IN: Jesus, you send us
OUT: We receive your empowerment

IN: Jesus, you send us
OUT: We leave our baggage

IN: Jesus, you send us
OUT: Some will welcome, some will refuse

IN: Jesus, you send us
OUT: Bring many to saving faith

IN: Jesus, you send us
OUT: Heal through us

I’m new to breath prayers. Maybe you are, too. Pray the phrase after IN on your breath in. Pray the phrase after OUT on your breath out. Take your time. Breathe deeply. If no phrase is offered after IN or OUT, just breathe. If more than one breath prayer is provided, choose one, a few, or all of them as is most helpful to you. I find breath prayers especially helpful before times of stillness and silence with God.

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For the next few months, I’m reading a chapter from the Gospels each day. This is part of the Summer in the Scriptures reading plan sponsored by the Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church. Click Here for the reading plan.

You’re most welcome to read along and to join the Facebook discussion group, Summer in the Scriptures. You don’t need to be a Methodist or attend a Methodist church. All are welcome and all means all.

As part of the Facebook group, I’ve been supplying prayers based on the day’s reading. Feel free to post your prayers and observations based on the readings here or there as well.

May the grace of the Gospels, the challenge, and the call, inspire us to great faith and great good works in Jesus’ name. – Lisa <><

Breath Prayers based on Mark 6 © 2020 Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia
You are welcome to use this work in a worship setting with proper attribution.
Please leave a comment for information and permission to publish this work in any form.