Tag Archives: witness

Liberation, Surrender, Witness – Three Prayers Inspired by John 5.19-47

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Jesus Christ Liberator by Brother Robert Lentz OFM

Prayer for Liberation by Lisa Degrenia
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. – John 5:24 (KJV)

Merciful One, Liberating One,
You break the chains
You open the prison doors
You pardon instead of condemn

Yet, we keep ourselves locked away from
your love
your light
your joy

Emancipate us once and for all from condemnation
Silence the inner critics
Silence the liars
Silence all that keeps us from wholeness

Open our eyes to see we are free
Open our hearts to accept it in full
To accept you in full

Glory and honor be to you Jesus
our Rescuer and Redeemer
our Freedom Fighter
Amen

Steadfast Surrender by Lisa Degrenia
For just as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself, and he has given him authority to execute judgment because he is the Son of Man. – John 5:26-27 (NRSV)

Faithful One, make me faithful.
Steadfast One, make me steadfast.
Unchanging One, change me.
I surrender to your Word and ways, your call and claim.
Fulfill your good purposes in me and through me, now and forever. Amen.

Testify by Lisa Degrenia
I have a testimony greater than John’s. The works that the Father has given me to complete, the very works that I am doing, testify on my behalf that the Father has sent me. – John 5:36 (NRSV)

So many testify to you and your work
The prophecies
The signs
The Baptist
The Father

Add my voice to the chorus
Add my life to the witness

Glory to your Holy Name!
Glory to your saving power!
Glory to you, our Lord and Savior forever!

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I’ll be posting prayers based on the Gospel of John throughout Lent this year as part of our Lenten Reading Plan. Here’s your invitation to join us for this reading plan.  

Three Prayers inspired by John 5:19-47 © 2023 Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia. You are welcome to use this work 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.

Three Prayers Inspired by Jesus and the Woman at the Well, John 4

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Woman at the Well by Wayne Forte

Jesus answered her, “Those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty. The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life.” The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I may never be thirsty or have to keep coming here to draw water.” – John 4:14-15

You Answer by Lisa Degrenia
We are dry
Brittle
Crusty
Empty

Parched with a thirst we cannot appease
Tongues heavy and stuck
No words escaping
We are too poor
Too broken
Too desolate

You alone answer our silent screams
You, the Lord God

You fill and flood and quench
A wild river on the barren peaks
An ancient fountain in the deep wasteland
A still pool for resting and rooting
A spring of water gushing up to eternal life

You, answer
You, the Lord God, will never forsake

Fill us by Lisa Degrenia
God of the Wilderness, God of the Well
Your unseen work is real and near and constant
like a deep, clear spring

Fill us. Fill us now.
Fill us with truth
the truth of you, the truth of who we are in you
the truth of who we can become

Fill us with boldness to witness and testify
to your victory, your companionship, your call

Fill us with strength and skills far beyond us
Fill us with courage to do hard, holy things
to break down dividing walls
to seek and question
to embrace our belovedness and place in your plan

Fill us with passion
Fill us with hope
Fill us with joy

Fill us till our cups runneth over

Fill us with You

Pause in silence to receive

Spirit and Truth by Lisa Degrenia
Jesus said, “But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such as these to worship him.” – John 4:23

People of God, Rejoice!
Our Eternal and Beautiful God is near
The One who meets us as we are
The One who names us beloved
The One who delights in our very existence
Come and worship in spirit and truth

Holy Spirit, Holy One
Holy Spirit, Descending Dove
Alight on me that I may know your presence
Anoint me that I may know your call
Fill me that I may know your power
Guide me that I may know your path
Name me that I may know, that I know, that I know who I am
And live your truth
Amen

CLICK HERE for an opening prayer, prayer of confession, and pardon inspired by the story of Jesus and the woman at the well. 

John 4:5-42 is read on Year A, Third Sunday in Lent.

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I’ll be posting prayers based on the Gospel of John throughout Lent this year as part of our Lenten Reading Plan. Here’s your invitation to join us for this reading plan.  

Three Prayers Inspired by Jesus and the Woman at the Well © 2023 Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia. You are welcome to use this work 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.

Five Prayers Inspired by John 3

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Study for Nicodemus Visiting Jesus by Henry Ossawa Tanner

Water and Spirit by Lisa Degrenia
Jesus answered, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit.” – John 3:5-6

Holy Spirit
Pregnant with twins- Truth and New Life
Welcome home to my spirit
Let it be with me according to your word

Reveal yourself in my thoughts
Bring forth encouragement and counsel
Deliver righteousness and justice in every choice
Carry hope and healing in every touch

Give birth not just in me, but to a whole new generation,
a people so full of your gifts and power they never labor in vain

Open our eyes to the glory that is possible
Open our hearts to the great responsibility- is it of flesh or is it of you?
Open us to the fullness of you. Amen.

Make Me Your Love by Lisa Degrenia
Jesus said, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.” – John 3:16

Rabbi Jesus
Promised Messiah
Son of the One, True, Living God

Fill me with your Spirit
Make me your love

It is your command
It is your way
It is your gift
It is You and your work

Yes, make me your witness
And yes, make me your will
But first and always, make me your love

Pause in silence to receive

Brought to Light by Lisa Degrenia
Jesus said, “For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed. But those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God.” – John 3:20-21

Radiant One, we hear your call
“Come to the light.”

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

Radiant One, in your mercy,
Guide us, heal us

We stand- trusting all will be revealed
We bow- knowing all will be revealed

Light and Life by Lisa Degrenia
Jesus, you are Light and Life
Help me love you more than my shadows
my inky shame
my sinful secrets
the resentments I nurture and nurse

I try to hide my trauma from you
There is no need to hide

Help me bring it all to your light
I am seen
I will be made whole

Celebrating Jesus by Lisa Degrenia
John the Baptist said, “I am not the Messiah, but I have been sent ahead of him. He who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom who stands and hears him rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. For this reason my joy has been fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease.” – John 3:28-30

Jesus, like our brother John,
we have a calling
we have a place in your plan

Jesus, like our brother John,
help us speak of you
point to you
rejoice in people drawn to you

You are the Bridegroom
We celebrate you
We celebrate the day of your coming
We celebrate your increase and glory

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I’ll be posting prayers based on the Gospel of John throughout Lent this year as part of our Lenten Reading Plan. Here’s your invitation to join us for this reading plan.  

Five Prayers Based on John 3 © 2023 Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia
You are welcome to use this work 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.

Prayer- Morning by Morning, based on Isaiah 50.4-5 and John 6.51

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sunrise-1226471_1920

Image by getspotted from Pixabay

Isaiah 50:4-5, NRSV
The Lord God has given me the tongue of a teacher, that I may know how to sustain the weary with a word. Morning by morning he wakens— wakens my ear to listen as those who are taught. The Lord God has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious, I did not turn backward.

John 6:51, NRSV
Jesus said, “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”

Morning by morning
Like the sunrise
Like manna

Morning by morning you waken and provide
You open my eyes to your presence and desire for this day
You open my ears to your encouragement, truth, and grace
You know my weakness, my weariness
You open me to your sustaining

Morning by morning you waken and provide
Now open my mouth to share what first found me
In every season and circumstance
With every soul along the way

Morning by morning you waken me
My eyes, my ears
My mouth, my heart

Morning by morning you waken me
To You and to all
Like the sunrise
Like manna
Great is your faithfulness!

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Morning by Morning © 2017 Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia
Leave a comment for information and permission to publish this work in any form.

The Story of the Scars, a Sermon for Easter Sunday

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The Story of the Scars, a Sermon for Easter Sunday
Scripture: John 20:1-20; Isaiah 53:5

Offered Sunday, 4/4/2021 via Facebook Live at Trinity United Methodist Church, Sarasota Florida.

Gates of heaven joke

Mary goes to the tomb early in the morning. Can you imagine the conversation that’s happening the rest of the day! Jesus shows up in the evening. He shows up with “Peace be with you.” He shows up with his scars.                                

Where they nailed his hands and feet. Where they pierced his side with a spear. Where they slapped him and pulled out his beard. Where the flogged him on his back. Where they placed a crown of thorns on his head.

Every one of his scars tells a story- Injustice. Betrayal. Denial. Grace. Truth. Love. Victory.                  

What scars have you brought with you today? What stories do they tell?

Maybe they aren’t scars yet,  maybe they’re still wounds.

Scott Erickson, quote adapted. It starts with our own wounds. Because to bring your own wounds is to ask the Divine “Are you involved in my life at all?” Then we will encounter the wounds of those we love, and ask “are You here too?” Friends, strangers, every wound in the world begs the same question…. IS NEWNESS POSSIBLE?

Yes, newness is possible. This is the story of Jesus’ scars.

Isaiah 53:5, NIV UK. He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; (wrongdoings) the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.

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You can find us live on Facebook Sundays at 9 AM and 10:30 AM, and Wednesdays at 8 AM.

© 2021 Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia
Leave a comment for information and permission to publish this work in any form.