February 23, 2020

Ephesians Prayer VII

Ephesians 6:24: Love Always

Love Always

Lord Jesus, You have lavished Your love and life on me. I love You. Help me love You more and more. Test my love, strengthen my love, deepen my love, until it becomes an undying love. An all-consuming passion. A magnificent obsession. May Your grace and goodness and mercy surround me all the days of my life --until we meet face-to-face. How I long for that moment. I yearn for that day when we will be together forever. Come quickly, Lord Jesus Amen.

February 16, 2020
Ephesians Prayers VI

Ephesians 4:3-6: We Are One
We Are One

You have made us one body and one spirit. You have called us to one hope through one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all. The difference in our cultures, our backgrounds, our gifts and talents, our personalities, and our experiences should only enrich us, not divide us. We need each other in order to live strong for You. Help us make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit that You have given us -- to treasure it, to preserve it, to protect it, and promote it. Teach me to love and respect and appreciate all of my brothers and sisters in Christ and live with them in peace.

Ephesians 5:17: Where There's A Will

Where There's A Will

Lord, open my heart and mind to Your truth. Fill me with the wisdom of Your Word and Your Holy Spirit. Teach me to hear Your voice, to know and understand what Your will is -- for me, for my family, for my church and community. Help me to fulfill Your plans and purposes for me, for Your glory and my good.

February 9, 2020
Ephesians Prayers V

Ephesians 3:17-18: Love, True Love

Love, True Love

Lord, You loved me long before I ever loved You. You sent Your only Son to die for me.

This kind of love is beyond my comprehension. Now as I'm being rooted established in Your love, as I grow in my knowledge and experience and understanding of You, please give me the power, together with all my brothers and sisters in Christ, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is Your love for me. Help me to know Your love, to share Your love, and to live strong in Your love.

Ephesians 4:3-6: We Are One

We Are One

February 2, 2020
Ephesians Prayers IV

Ephesians 3:10-11: From the Beginning
From The Beginning

Father God, through the church, Your great wisdom has been made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to Your eternal purpose that You accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. You do everything that You purpose to do, nothing can disrupt or derail Your plans. My life is in Your hands.

Ephesians 1:15-17: Thank God!
Thank God!

Dear Jesus, thank You for calling me to a love relationship with You. Thank You for making me apart of Your family, the family of God. Thank You for each person who has pointed me to You, each person who has taught me, challenged me, encouraged me, inspired me, and helped me to grow in my faith. Lord, thank You for each life You have given me the privilege of pointing to You, each person I am able to teach or challenge or encourage or inspire. There is no greater joy than to see them grow in their faith and Your love. Be with all of my brothers and sisters in Christ. Give them the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that they may know You better and

live strong in You. Bless them today, I pray.

January 26, 2020

Ephesians Prayers III

Ephesians 1:1-2: You're A Saint

You're A Saint

Heavenly Father, thank You that You chose me to be Your disciple. You have made me one of Your "saints" -- setting me apart as Your very own. I belong to You. Teach me what it means to be separate from the world, to be holy. I want to live a strong life, worthy of my sacred calling. A life that brings joy to Your heart. A life that brings glory and honor to You. Fill me with Your grace and peace today. In Jesus' precious name, I pray. Amen.

Ephesians 2:1-3: Dead Man Walking

Dead Man Walking

Lord Jesus, I shudder to think that I was once dead in my transgression and sins -- I used to walk in rebellion and disobedience. I lived only to please myself. In my ignorance, I was ruled by the power of the enemy and didn't even know it. I was under a death sentence. I deserved Your judgement and wrath. But in Your love, You rescued me from darkness. You set me free from bondage to sin. You brought me out of the enemy's camp and made me one of Your own. You raised me to life -- eternal life. With all that is in me, I praise You and worship You. I bless Your holy name.

January 19, 2020

Ephesians Prayers II

Ephesians 5:8-10: A Shining Light

A Shining Light

Jesus, You are the Light of the World. Shine Your light in me today. Chase away the darkness of sin, the darkness of fear and doubt and despair. Fill me with the light of Your truth, Your Word. Produce in me the fruit of righteousness -- the evidence that Your Holy Spirit lives in me and works in me and works through me. Teach me what is pleasing to You. Make me a shining example of Your amazing grace, redeeming love, and life-changing power. May others be drawn to You through me.

Ephesians 3:7-8: Amazing Grace
Amazing Grace

God, I am a servant of the gospel -- Your servant -- because Your mercy, grace, and life transforming power. In my own flesh, in my sin nature, there is nothing of any value or virtue. Nothing worthy of Your love, nothing deserving of Your mercy and grace.

But You have made me worthy through the precious blood of Jesus, Your Son. You

have lavished Your love on me. You have saved me, redeemed me, and restored me through Your amazing grace.

January 12, 2020
Ephesians Prayers

Ephesians 1:3-6,15-19a

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before Him in love. He destined us for adoption as His children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of His glorious grace that He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.

I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, and for this reason I do not cease to give thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers. I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which He has called you, what are the riches of His glorious inheritance among the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of His power for us who believe.

Ephesians 3:14-21
Knowing the Love of Christ

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth takes its name. I pray that, according to the riches of His glory, He may grant that you may be strenghthened in your inner being with the power through His spirit, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love. I pray that you may have the power to comprehend. with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Now to Him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

January 5, 2020
Prayer Of Jabez

Prayer of Jabez: What is it?
The Prayer of Jabez comes from the Bible. In 1 Chronicles 4:10, we read: "And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that Thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that Thine hand might be with me, and that Thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested." The prayer is composed of four parts. First, Jabez asks God to bless him. Second, he asks God to enlarge his territory or increase his responsibility. Third, he prays that God will be with him and stay close. Lastly, Jabez asks that God keep him from harm so that he will be free from pain.

Prayer of Jabez: Why is it important?
The Prayer of Jabez reveals that Jabez understands what many people do not -- there is only one God and He should be the center of our work God wants to bless every life. But, we must first make the choice to invite God into our life and ask for His blessings. Jabez wants to succeed and increase his sphere of influence for God. The specific sphere of influence is not important. What is important is that when we want to reach for goals and accomplishments that we have God on our side. Proverbs 16:3 says, "Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established." It is critical to understand and practice this in a close relationship with God. Further, it is equally important to stay close to God and rely on His continued support and guidance throughout life. Jabez clearly knows and prays specifically to the One who can protect him from evil and pain -- God. At the end of the verse it is clear that God approved of this faithful prayer by granting it. It is also important to see that Jabez was passionate in his plea to God: "He cried out to the God of Israel." God wants to hear that we need Him through passionate prayer.

Prayer of Jabez: What does it mean to you?
The Prayer of Jabez reminds us that everybody struggles with choosing to rely on himself or God. Whether you are a focused Christian
or just searching to find out more about God, life is a growing process. However, it is very clear in reviewing the Prayer of Jabez, as well as the rest of the Bible, that God is faithful in caring for those who seek Him. Jabez sets a great example of how God wants everyone to come to Him through constant and passionate prayer. If you are looking to start a relationship with God or improve your existing relationship with Him, start with prayer. God answers prayers when you trust Him (1 Chronicles 5:20). Prayers to God also please Him (Proverbs 15:8). We can all learn from Jabez and faithfully pray to God always in everything that we do.

GRACE EPISCOPAL CHURCH