Jesus is Everything (Good Friday/Easter Thoughts)

   Jesus Christ is both the sinner's repentance and the Father's forgiveness, both the Sacrifice for sin and the Priest who offers it, in the Temple of His own body -- the place where YHWH has made His Name to dwell -- in which the curtain separating mankind from God has truly been torn in two. For He Himself is both fully God and fully Man, the two natures united without confusion, distinct without separation, both in all their perfect fullness joined together in the one Person of Christ -- and thus has He become the one Mediator between God and Man, for Jesus Himself is both.

Prayers, Part 5: Thanksgiving

The series of prayers concludes with this prayer of thanksgiving. It covers the following three areas:

1. Thanksgiving for unasked-for blessings: His original love towards mankind, the gospel and its spread throughout the earth, our own salvation and the means by which we came to know Him, etc.
2. Thanksgiving for blessings given in answer to our own specific prayers
3. Thanksgiving(/blessing of the Lord) for His qualities and Person in general: His mercy, love, holiness, majesty, goodness, etc.

...and it is based on Psalm 111. Enjoy, and let us together thank the LORD for His goodness and love:

A Prayer for Giving Thanks

Foundations

"'Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. 26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.'"
(~ Matthew 7:24-27)

"For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ."
(~ 1 Corinthians 3:11)

Foundations

I built a castle out of clouds
Then watched its proud stones turn to rain
But, foolish being that I am,
Learned nothing from the scene
And built my next home on the sand.

The rain, it fell; the flood arose
And washed me with it out to sea
Yet how short-sighted I remained
For in my pride and lunacy
I built a tower on the waves.

Then by the current, sure as fate
I, with it, on the rocks was thrown
But there, more humble than before
A house at last I built on stone,
And finally foundation sure
Upholds it through rain, flood, and storm

For unlike the clouds and sand and waves
This rock of its own strength remains.

Prayers, Part 4: An Intercession

In intercession, we seek the grace and favor and help of God on behalf of others. As with the other prayers in this series (all composed for seminary assignments), this one is meant for use in public worship, and therefore it intends to cover the following five areas:

1.  Church
2.  Ministry
3.  All people
4.  Civil authority
5. Special needs / particular trials within the congregation

Also as with the others (and as was required for the assignment), it is heavily based on the Scriptures and made up almost entirely of Scriptural phrases, references, and quotations -- because, again, it's an excellent way to unite our desires and requests with the will of God, and ask Him for those things He delights to give. Pray with me, if you would:

Prayers, Part 3: For Illumination

Since "prayers of illumination" may be somewhat of an unfamiliar phrase (or perhaps even concept) these days, I thought it was worth including the whole assignment in which this prayer was written. The two questions basically answer "why?" and "what?" regarding prayers of illumination. The prayer itself is largely based on the end of Ephesians 3. Enjoy, and join me in prayer. 

Prayers, Part 2: Confession, Supplication, Assurance

Continuing the series begun yesterday, here is the next prayer. These were purposely composed for public use in a worship service, and are therefore meant to be inclusive and communal (although they will also serve for private prayer) -- therefore, join me, if you will, in praying:

A Prayer of Confession and Supplication, Followed by an Assurance of Pardon

(To admit our sins and ask for God's forgiveness and help, and remember that He has promised to give it)

[Prayer is based on James 1:2-17]

[Assurance of pardon is almost a direct quote from Col. 1:11-14, 19-20]

“If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
(1 John 1:8-9)

Therefore let us confess our sin to our God and Savior:

Prayers (A Series) Part 1: Invocation

   Scripture, like theology, is not meant only to be read or memorized, but to be lived. And because it is meant to be lived, at every moment, in every part of our internal and external lives, with every part of our being, it is also meant to be prayed. This is one of the best, most useful, and most beautiful things which I was taught in seminary: To pray the Scriptures, offering back to God the words He has given us -- and thereby becoming united in that offering to the Word and will of the One Who spoke them first. For, "this is the confidence that we have toward [God], that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him" (1 John 5:14-15). And of course, we know God's will most clearly through the revelation given in Scripture.