Three Prayers on Binding, Loosing, and Forgiving (Matthew 16 and John 20)

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Jesus said, “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” (Matthew 16:19) 

Jesus breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” (John 20:22-23)

Wielding Power by Lisa Degrenia
Holy Spirit, help me wield your power well
binding and loosing and forgiving

In the loosing of forgiving,
I find your antidote to the poison of resentment
and revenge

In the binding of blessing,
I dive into the deep pool of your provision
and the grace of solidarity

In laying down arms,
I find the war already ended
My heart of peace is your heart beating within me

Make me complete as you are, Holy One
so I may loose and set free
so I may hold and be held
So all may know your wholeness, including me
Amen

Bind and Loose by Lisa Degrenia
Bind in me all that needs to be bound
Loose in me all that needs to be loosed

Bind in your church all that needs to be bound
Loose in your church all that needs to be loosed

Bind in your world all that needs to be bound
Loose in your world all that needs to be loose

Blessed Messiah, fulfill your kingdom in us and in all 
Fulfill your Kingdom, Son of the Living God

Merciful Jesus by Lisa Degrenia
Merciful Jesus
Give me courage to deny privilege
to lay down favor and safety
in order to take up the cross of opportunity and justice

Merciful Jesus
Give me courage to deny consumerism
to lay down convenience and gratification
in order to take up the cross of sustainability and generosity

Merciful Jesus
Give me courage to deny comfort
to lay down apathy and ease
in order to take up the cross of solidarity and true love

Merciful Jesus, have mercy on me
Show me what to pick up and what to lay down
that I may lose and loose
in order to find and bind
all that is from you
Amen

_________________________

Weilding Power © 2024 Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia
Bind and Loose © 2024 Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia
Merciful Jesus © 2017, 2020 Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia
You are welcome to use these works in a worship setting without asking permission. It’s always a treat to hear from you if you’re using it. Leave a comment for information and permission to publish this work in a book, blog, etc.

Prayers based on Matthew 25.31-46

week 11Prayers Based on Matthew 25:31-46
The Sheep and the Goats

Prayer: All Brought to Light
Royal One, grant us strength
to serve and keep on serving
to risk and keep on risking
to love and keep on loving

Holy One, grant us faith
to stand, trusting all will be revealed
to bow, knowing all will be revealed

The hidden will be brought to light
hidden actions of our hands
hidden motives of our hearts
hidden words, hidden thoughts
your hidden presence

Find us gracious
Find us generous
Find us faithful

Lord, have mercy
Christ, have mercy
Lord, have mercy

Prayer: True Love
Merciful Jesus
Give us courage to deny privilege
to lay down favor and safety
in order to take up the cross of opportunity and justice

Merciful Jesus
Give us courage to deny consumerism
to lay down convenience and gratification
in order to take up the cross of sustainability and generosity

Merciful Jesus
Give us courage to deny comfort
to lay down apathy and ease
in order to take up the cross of service and true love

Merciful Jesus
Our King and our Neighbor in Need
Reveal your true love in us and through us
Faith and Works
Prayer and Action
Now and Forever
Amen
______________

For the next few months, I’ll be posting prayers to accompany Bishop Ken Carter’s Bible Study on Facebook. Each week, Bishop Carter will bring in a guest to speak about the passage. We’ll be walking through the last chapters of the Gospel of Matthew. 

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

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

All Brought to Light © 2020 Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia
True Love © 2010 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.

Prayers based on Matthew 18.21-35

wed night week 1Prayers Based on Matthew 18:21-35
Jesus teaches on forgiveness

Prayer: Mercy-Full
High and Lofty One
My debt is beyond repayment
Yet, you forgive
Make me mercy-full as you are mercy-full

Forgive me
Heal me
From witholding what you so freely give
From feeding the cycle of revenge
From claiming I deserve at another’s expense

High and Lofty One
You forgive me for a purpose
Grant me your spirit and your heart
Renew and revive your way of life in me

Prayer: How Large Your Heart
How large your heart, my Sovereign
How great your forgiveness
How generous your mercy

How large your heart, my Sovereign
How deep your compassion
How quick your charity

How large your heart, my Savior
How extravagant your grace
How present your hope

Glory to your Holy Name!

______________

For the next few months, I’ll be posting prayers to accompany Bishop Ken Carter’s Bible Study on Facebook. Each week, Bishop Carter will bring in a guest to speak about the passage. We’ll be walking through the last chapters of the Gospel of Matthew. 

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

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

Mercy-full © 2020 Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia
How Large Your Heart © 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.

Prayer Prompts and Breath Prayers based on Luke 5-6

summer in the scriptures luke (4)

Prayer Prompts based on Luke 5:12-16
Jesus Cleanses a Leper

Use one or more of the following prompts as you pray. Just finish the sentence again and again or use it as a springboard for your prayers. Share your prayer in the comments. What prayer prompt would you write? Share that as well.

Jesus, I bow before you, for you are…

Jesus, I am desperate for…

Jesus, if you choose you can…
Pray this for yourself
Pray this for those you know
Pray this for groups of people or situations

Jesus, cleanse me of…
Jesus, cleanse us of…

Name all that distances you from God, others, and your true self
Jesus, restore relationship…

Jesus, I receive and celebrate your healing…

Jesus, grant me opportunities to testify…

 

Breath Prayers based on Luke 6:17-19; 27-36
Silently pray the phrase after IN on your breath in. Then silently pray the phrase after OUT on your breath out. Take your time. Breathe deeply. Choose one, a few, or all of them as is most helpful to you. ⁠

IN: Jesus, I’m listening
OUT:

IN: Heal me, Jesus
OUT:

IN: Deliver me, Jesus
OUT:

IN: Jesus,
OUT: Come in power

IN: Love your enemies
OUT: Do good to those who hate you

IN: Bless those who curse you
OUT:

IN: Pray for those who abuse you
OUT:

IN: Here is my cheek
OUT: Here is my shirt

IN: Jesus,
OUT: Make me generous

IN: Jesus,
OUT: Make me mercy-full
_______________

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 <

Prayer prompts and breath prayers based on Luke 5-6 © 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.

Prayer Based on Matthew 16

Summer in the Scriptures (16)

Prayer Based on Matthew 16
Based on Matthew 16:24-28

Merciful Jesus
Give me courage to deny privilege
to lay down favor and safety
in order to take up the cross of opportunity and justice

Merciful Jesus
Give me courage to deny consumerism
to lay down convenience and gratification
in order to take up the cross of sustainability and generosity

Merciful Jesus
Give me courage to deny comfort
to lay down apathy and ease
in order to take up the cross of service and true love

Merciful Jesus, have mercy on me
Show me what to pick up and what to lay down
that I may lose and loose
in order to find and bind
all that is from you
Amen

_________________________

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 <><

Merciful Jesus (Matthew 16) © 2017, 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.